Almanac: Guy Davenport on the purpose of comedy
"Comedy is the salt of civilization, its critical voice." Guy Davenport, "That Faire Field of Enna" (courtesy of Anecdotal Evidence)
Today is Saturday, May 30, 2026 Broadway Baby Birthdays: Blake Bashoff Idina Menzel Tonya Pinkins Ralph Carter Ann Hampton Callaway Colm Meaney Scott Holmes Stephen Tobolowsky Michael Small Freda Holloway Keir Dullea John Heffernan Ray Cooney Judd Woldin Jimmy Lydon Peter Leeds Martin Manulis Bobby Sherwood Joseph Stein Hugh Griffith Henry Lascoe Louise Campbell Benny Goodman Mel Blanc Cornelia Otis Skinner Ethel Dwyer Russ Brown Ben Bernie Charles Dillingham Howard Hall Asa Gim Cathryn Roskam David Ackroyd Taldo Kenyon Dora Clement Lawrence Langner Courtice Pounds Frank Harts Craig Bockhorn Colm TóibÃn Luis Rego Michael J. Pollard Adrian Vaux Anthony D. Marshall Madeline Gilford Bernie West Itzik Manger