America lost one of its great aristocrats this week.
Writer and historian Gore Vidal passed away in his Hollywood Hills home Thursday, after a long illness. Obituaries praised the life of one of America’s intellectual heavyweights but none could ignore his snappy, grand and imperious tone ; it’s what stole the coverage.
Gore Vidal was famous for many things – among them his one-liners. Though he would have hated to be described so, he was in some ways the PR Dream: able to create publicity without looking like he was trying. A withering one liner guaranteed him centre stage in any debate.
The PR Verdict: “A” (PR Perfect) for Gore Vidal and the art of the perfect sound bite. In honor of the master, a sample below. Valuable tips concerning how to live life according to Gore Vidal:
There is no one human problem that could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.
I am exactly as I appear. There is no warm loveable person inside. Beneath my cold exterior, once you break the ice, you find cold water.
Love is not my bag.
Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.
It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
Never have children, only grandchildren.
Write something, even if it’s just a suicide note.
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