Charlie +++

America’s newest cottage industry is outing men who are guilty of inappropriate, sometimes criminal, sexual behavior.  Some, like Weinstein, Moore and Trump, deny the allegations.  Others, like Spacey, Franken, Louis CK and now Charlie Rose, acknowledge behaving badly.

My thoughts have been both clear and confused.  Clear in that I believe the women, empathize with them, and know that they are the tiny tip of a societal iceberg that includes millions of women (and some men) who have been victimized in the same way and will never be heard.

Confused in that while I condemn what they have done, in some cases I admire aspects of their lives – their talent, their intelligence, their commitment to causes that matter.  This is particularly true of Charlie Rose.  He has been a daily part of my life for something like twenty years.

His nightly program has been an oasis of sanity in a world gone nuts with 24/7 breaking news, screaming pundits arguing their points of view, and headline depth analysis of complicated issues.  Listening to him and his guests has been on ongoing seminar in the fullness of life.  From science to philosophy to the arts to politics to global leaders, and more, the Charlie Rose Show has taught me, caused me to think new thoughts and entertained me.

For now, at least, it is gone.  With or without Charlie I hope Bloomberg and PBS fill the vacuum and create a new oasis of sanity – which we desperately need.