Chris Cillizza's Cultural Life

Political polymath Chris Cillizza welcomes us into his cultural life. It runs the gamut from a honeymoon with Dawson's Creek to The Goldberg Variations.

Connecticut native Chris Cillizza entered the rarified kingdom of the must-read with his jaunty and inventive Washington Post column. He followed it with a run at CNN as an analysis during unprecedented political tumult. He has reinvented himself as a Substack star with his So What newsletter. Chris has been admirably candid on what it has meant to lose his high profile perch at CNN. He remains American politics’ finest list maker. You read him not only because you must but because you want to.

Favorite author or book.

“All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. I first read it in high school. Have probably read it 5 times since.  The central character is a journalist who is plagued by doubts about his life and career decision. (Um, a little bit TOO on the nose for me!). The book is loosely based on the life (and politics) of Huey Long but that sells short what Penn Warren does with it. It’s about the human condition, the flaws we all have, how we hurt each other and the impossible choices thrust upon us. I think I may need to go read it again.

[You can watch the acclaimed 1949 film adaptation of “All the King’s Men” here.]

The book you are reading.

I read, um, several books at once. I sort of like to hopscotch around. Always have. I am in the midst of reading all of Louise Penny’s “Inspector Gamache” series of mysteries. I just finished book 11 (of 18). I also just started “Prophet Song” by Paul Lynch, which just won the Booker Prize. (I have a special place for the Booker; I wrote about it here:

And the winner is...

I am also reading two journalism books: “The Times” by my friend Adam Nagourney (a history of the modern New York Times) and “Collision of Power” by my old boss Marty Baton (about his time as editor of WaPo).

{Adam Nagourney on a recent edition of the essential political podcast Hacks on Tap.]

The book you couldn’t finish.

This question sent me scrolling through my Kindle. Let’s see…most recently “Victory City” by Salman Rushdie (and I love Rushdie!). But there’s lot of half read books in my Kindle library. The most famous is definitely “Ulysses” by James Joyce. Have been trying to get through that one since college (and I’m 47 now!).

[An Irish radio production of Ulysses.]

The book you’ve long intended to read but never get to.

“The Unwinding” by George Packer.  I have started and stopped it about 10 times.  And, at least once a month, someone brings up the fact that it’s the most important book to read about our modern moment. Maybe this will give me the push I need!

Most memorable live performance. 

Late 1990s. Ben Harper. The Bayou, which no longer exists, in Georgetown.  It was absolutely unreal. Electric. Unforgettable. (I was a junior — I think — in college.)

Your best binge.

When my wife and I went on our honeymoon in Costa Rica, there was only one channel that had English language programming in the hotel where we stayed. They were running a “Dawson’s Creek” marathon.  We had never seen the show before but watched a bunch of episodes. (What a honeymoon!). When we got back and settled into our new house, we binged the rest of the series. Pacey, Joey and Dawson will always have a special place in my heart.

Favorite TV series.

“Friday Night Lights.” Simply the best show ever on television.  Coach Eric Taylor. Principal Tami Taylor. Jason Street. Tim Wiggins. Landry. Tyra. Lyla Garrity. Matt Saracen. Vince Howard. Smash.

I love this show so so much.  Taught me everything I need to know about life. And this quote — from Eric Taylor — is just the best:  “I said you need to strive to better than everyone else. I didn’t say you needed to be better than everyone else. But you gotta try. That’s what character is. It’s in the trying.”

A YouTube video you find yourself returning to.

Hmm….Probably this one of Lionel Messi’s best goals.

Favorite piece of music.

“The Goldberg Variations” by Bach as played by Glenn Gould.  Gould, a famously avant-garde pianist, plays the Bach piece very, very quickly. You can hear him on the recording talking to himself. It’s incredible.

The music that cheers you up.

My wife tells me I only like depressing music so this is a tough one. I have come to appreciate “Green” by REM much more than I did when it first came out.

If you could own one painting it would be…..

”Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Vermeer. When I was in college, an exhibition of Vermeer paintings came to the National Gallery.  We waited in line for hours — outside — to get in. It was incredible.

The lyrics you wish you’d written:

Though I know that evening's empire has returned into sand/

Vanished from my hand/

Left me blindly here to stand, but still not sleeping/

My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet/

I have no one to meet/

And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming

That’s from “Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dylan.

The poem/song that makes you wonder:

“Do You Realize” by The Flaming Lips.

The instrument you wish you’d learned to play:

Piano.  Man. I still regret not learning it.

Your guiltiest cultural pleasure:

“Riverdale.” I know, I know.

You wasted an evening…….

…watching some random NBA game on a Tuesday night.

Something that ought to be better known.

The Kinks are WAY better — and influential — than most people realize.

A recent discovery.

“Stratechery” by Ben Thompson.

Two podcasts you try not to miss.

“The Tony Kornheiser Show” and “The New York Times Book Review.”

[The New York Times Book Review podcast on the year’s top 10 books.]

You’re having a fantasy dinner party, you’ll invite these guests…..

Ooooh, tough one. Shakespeare, Jason Isbell, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt and Oprah.

The place you feel happiest.

Home. I know, sort of weird. But I am writing this as my wife sits in the kitchen and my two boys do their homework. It makes me very happy.

A book, movie and/or television series that inspired you to become journalist.

“All the King’s Men” for sure.  “Broadcast News.” “Almost Famous.”

Thank you, Chris Cillizza.

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Television news is one of the more unpleasant strains of show business—not as bad as the music business but worse than film. Chris Cillizza emerged from CNN’s 2022 cost-cutting layoffs with his reputation enhanced. He continues to prove himself a survivor in a business without pity. In the Cillizza spirit, here’s Stephen Sondheim’s survival anthem sung by Julie Wilson, who’d lived the song for 70 years. Sondheim praised her performance of “I’m Still Here.”