John Powers

Photo by Stephan Savoia/AP If Schwarzenegger’s such an entertainer, how come Planet Hollywood failed? — Jon Stewart From the moment an ebullient Arnold Schwarzenegger took over the microphone from mirth-challenged Jay Leno — now here were two jaws you could use to crush boulders — you saw instantly why he’d......

Illustration by Peter Bennet I know that you got a job Miz Cheney But your husband’s heart problem’s complicating. —Eminem On last week’s opening episode of Survivor: Pearl Islands, the big question was who’d be the first to get the boot. There were three likely victims: the uncool Lillian (she’s......

When Arnold went on Leno to announce that he was running for governor — back when he looked like a cunning demagogue rather than another weaseling hack — he mouthed one of the campaign’s most surreal pieces of silliness: “We have to make sure that everyone in California has a......

Illustration By Peter Bennett Last Saturday’s New York Times ran a terrific story about an Amazonian quarup, a posthumous ceremony of lamentation, held by Indian shamans and warriors who had recently traveled for days to reach the tiny village of Yawalapiti. They had come to honor the passing of Orlando......

Illustration by Peter Bennett Last week, President Bush dropped in on Africa to remind American swing voters that he’s a “compassionate conservative” and convince the rest of the world that he wants to help people of color and not just bomb them. The trip was pure Dubya. He did a......

Illustration by Peter Bennet When Harper’s sent Kurt Vonnegut to cover the 1972 Republican Convention, our bounciest misanthrope came back with his wiry hair standing on end. “The two real political parties in America are the Winners and Losers,” he growled. “The single religion of the Winners is a harsh......

Illustrations by Juan Alvarado “Difficile est saturam non scribere,” declared Juvenal, the great scourge of Roman corruption: “It is difficult not to write satire.” The task has gotten no easier in today’s America, where political reality often seems like a joke cooked up by The Daily Show. Back in March,......

Illustration by Peter Bennett Martha is a friend of mine, and I’m very sorry for what she’s going through now . . . I think there’s more at work than meets the eye. —Hillary Rodham Clinton Aside from the Bush daughters, who (as James Wolcott recently noted) look as if......