New York Times Columnist Frank Rich to Give Poynter Lecture

Columnist Frank Rich of The New York Times will discuss “Journalism in the Age of Monica” as the first Poynter Fellow in Journalism at Yale for 1998-99.

Rich will deliver his talk at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Yale University Art Gallery lecture hall (entrance on High Street). The event, sponsored by the Poynter Fellowship and Jonathan Edwards College, is free and open to the public. Following the talk, there will be a reception in Taft Library of Jonathan Edwards, which is adjacent to the Yale Art Gallery’s sculpture garden.

Rich was named a columnist for the Op-Ed Page of the New York Times (NYT) in September of 1993. His column, which appears twice a week, is a commentary on American society and culture, drawing from his background as a theater critic and observer of art, entertainment and politics.

Before being tapped as a columnist, Rich had served as chief drama critic for the NYT for 13 years. In 1992, Rich joined with NYT columnist Maureen Dowd to write a daily column at the national political conventions, and they also co-wrote a column on the presidential inauguration week in January of 1993.

In addition to his commentary for the Times, Rich has written about culture and politics for many publications, including The New Republic, Esquire and the Washington Monthly. His book, “Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for the New York Times, 1980-1993,” is being published this month by Random House. He and Lisa Aronson wrote “The Theatre Art of Boris Aronson,” published in 1987 by Knopf.

Before joining the NYT, Rich was a film and television critic at Time magazine. He also served as a film critic for the New York Post and New Times Magazine. He was a founding editor of the Richmond (Va.) Mercury, a weekly newspaper, in the early 1970s.

A native of Washington, D.C., Rich graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a degree in American history and literature. During his undergraduate days, he was editorial chair of the Harvard Crimson and the recipient of a Henry Russell Shaw Traveling Fellowship.

The Poynter Fellowship in Journalism at Yale was established by Nelson Poynter ‘27 M.A. It brings to campus journalists who have made significant contributions to their field. Jeff Greenfield, Bob Woodward, Steven Brill, and Tim Russert have been among the Poynter Fellows in recent years.