Ted Danson, George Wendt, and Kelsey Grammer in Cheers (NBC Universal)

If you ever have a chance to sit down and have a leisurely talk with Rob Long — do. It is a highly enjoyable experience. I did this on last week’s National Review cruise, with a tape recorder running. For this Q&A, go here.

Rob is a television writer, of course, famous for Cheers. Does he ever get sick of being associated with Cheers, that long-ago hit? This is one of the questions I put to him. Rob also writes for National Review, a parody called “The Long View.” He does a variety of writing, and broadcasting, and eating, etc.


Eating? Rob is a gourmand, and a past president of the Southern Foodways Alliance. He and I talk about eats such as pig’s feet — and ears and other parts. Rob’s comparison of French food to southern food is very interesting.

We talk about his education, which was just about the best obtainable. Is he an “elite”? What are “elites”? And we talk about TV and comedy. When I was young, I thought that Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor were exceptionally brilliant. When I YouTube them today, I wince. Was I wrong then or now? We also talk about Gleason, Johnny, Rodney, Letterman, and many more.

Connoisseurs of The Simpsons say that this show — surely one of the best in television history — fell off a cliff. What does Rob have to say about that?


Etc., etc. You’ll want to sit down with Rob Long — again, here.