Thanks to Vaska for the Shakespeare insult link. Thanks to Caroline for the Mailer-Vidal story.
At a Manhattan soiree attended by writers with egos the sizes of small planets, one Norman Mailer, displeased with a stinking review by Gore Vidal, decked his critic with a well timed right hook. Nonchalantly picking himself off the floor, Vidal commented: “Oh dear, Norman Mailer – lost for words again.”
A serial offender, Mailer on another occasion head-butted Vidal as the two were about to go on the Dick Cavett Show. He had his reasons, mind; Gore having compared him unfavourably with the psychotic celebricide, Charles Manson.
I know what you’re thinking! Had smart-phones been available, Norm could have leveled the playing field at the tap of a thumb, summoning the bard to hurl abuse on his behalf by way of this Shakespearan insult generator …