Philip Roth in the Curious Case of the Dog and the Poisoned Hamburger
By Dan Friedman October 9, 2009
Last night French channel 5 showed a new interview with Philip Roth filmed especially for the French release of his novel “Exit Ghost” (Exit le fantôme). Which is available to watch here and which they report here.
In it, Roth is complimented on his vast, sunny, quiet Manhattan apartment, whereupon he complains to the French interviewer: “There’s a dog upstairs that barks. I’d like to give it a kick or some poisoned hamburger.” (Il y a un chien qui jappe au-dessus. J’aimerais lui donner un coup de pied ou un hamburger empoisonné.)
Sad that he still hasn’t won the Nobel Prize for Literature but not that surprising in the end, then, Roth didn’t win the Nobel Prize for Peace. Although, with the award going this year to Barack Obama for evoking unconditional love from the whole of western Europe, the criteria for that prize seem to be in a transitional phase.
Hat tip and more to Benjamin Ivry.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
