There is a theater review by one Jason Zinoman in today's New York Times. The play under examination takes place in France. In his review, Mr. Zinoman mentions Jerry Lewis ("Make no mistake: the crude jokes are certainly affectionate and meant in a spirit of good Jerry Lewis-style fun") yet does NOT fall prey to that tired old chestnut about the French supposedly enjoying Jerry Lewis and how supposedly crazy that is. What a tightrope walk! To make it more impressive, the thrust of the review is that the play is full of clichés, so Mr. Zinoman would have been perfectly within his rights to use that particular example in a telling or ironic fashion. Yet in all the history of reporters and reviewers, he is the first person to resist, to my immense relief. Hats off, sir.
