Daniel M. Lavery

The Old Man at Christmas

The humorist Jean Shepherd—whose writings inspired A Christmas Story—left a surprisingly deep impression on American culture.

Three Men and a Shark

In Ian Shaw’s play about the making of Jaws, the movie’s stars suffer crises of masculinity over long weeks at sea.

Take It Easy

“I do think ‘humorist’ tends to get used in a way that pins a little college degree on a comic writer.”

Coq au Pépin

More than almost any other public figure, Jacques Pépin has followed the trajectory of twentieth-century cuisine, from the Hôtel Plaza Athénée to Howard Johnson’s, and from his Burgundy backyard to national television.

Lea’s Turn

Passed over for years to fill Barbra Streisand’s quintessential role, Lea Michele finally justifies a Broadway revival of Funny Girl.