Remembering Paul Newman

I hesitate to call myself a friend of Paul Newman's, but he was certainly a friend to me. I can't say we hung out together, but we talked on those occasions we found ourselves in the same place thanks either to good friends or good occasions, owing primarily to Paul's generosity to The Nation, where I've been a contributor for 25 years and a columnist for about half that time.

We first met 10 years ago when, as a favour to a close friend, he came to a dinner party given in honor of my second book in a private room at Café Des Artistes. His presence, and the party itself, were already plenty in terms of making me feel terrific - for a book that did not even sell out its lousy 5,000 print run - but Paul went the extra mile and put some effort into flirting with my spouse, making the evening just as memorable for her. Every once in a while afterwards he would avail himself of my services as a political consultant regarding his commitment to this or that politician. And I took advantage of him once, to read a film script I wrote with an old-fashioned Irish pol that would have been perfect for him - and it was one of the kindest and most constructive rejections I've ever received.

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Comments

[Theran]

Thank you for this wonderful tribute to Paul Newman. Strange how we can grow to love a public figure whom we've never met. His passing, for many Americans, feels almost akin to losing a family member. Your anecdotes are much appreciated. He was one of the rare pearls, a gifted, loving, progressive artist and philanthropist with a sense of humor. How can a life be lived more richly than that?

[lorihope]

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Thank you for this beautiful tribute. I'd like to add that what many don't realize about Mr. Newman is that he helped found not only the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy for Fortune 500 companies, but also helped establish, with a major grant, the The Center for Responsible Business at Haas Business School in 2003.

Also, as a pioneer in socially responsible business, he has helped raise so many more millions than the $250 Newman's Own brought in for charity, by helping set in motion a worldwide movement among businesses of all sizes.

Mr. Newman inspired the founding of Give Something Back Business Products in 1991, and many others have used his business model, donating almost all and sometimes all their profits to charities. Companies such as Give Something Back (www.givesomethingback.com), Veritas Winery, Ethos Water (now owned by Starbucks), Peacekeep Cause-metics, and Pura Vida Coffee continue the great legacy of Paul Newman.

Again my thanks to you for this beautiful tribute. Mr. Newman was indeed a mensch. And his humility made his philanthropy all the more admirable. I met him once at an elegant reception with John Kennedy, Jr., Marian Wright Edelman, and other luminaries, and felt more like I was standing around a BBQ pit shooting the breeze with a friend than talking with one of the nation's true heroes, Paul Newman.