First came the Romans

First came the Romans by David Benjamin “I like Chinese,/ They only come up to your knees./ Yet they’re wise, and they’re witty, and they’re ready to please…” — Monty Python PARIS — First, after the war, it was the Americans. Flush and cocky, they invaded, brandishing their “Europe on Five Dollars a Day” manuals,…

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Steve, Remy, Mohammed… and Louis Vuitton

Steve, Remy, Mohammed… and Louis Vuitton by David Benjamin “In a country that views ‘the seduction of women’ as an important aspect of its national identity, it is easy to understand why hijabi women can attract criticism. In France, men who ‘seduce’ are adored and admired as ‘Don Juans.’ In such a context, one can…

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Porn Star Tryst Sends President Packing

Porn Star Tryst Sends President Packing by David Benjamin PARIS — It’s been oft speculated that any one of Donald Trump’s myriad outrages. committed by any other American political figure, would leave that person so profoundly disgraced that he would live out the rest of his shattered existence as a social pariah and global laughingstock.…

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World Cup Blues

World Cup Blues by David Benjamin “Of course it went to penalties. It always goes to penalties.” — Andrew Das, New York Times MADISON, Wis. — We all agree that FIFA is La Cosa Nostra of fun and games, the most corrupt sports organization ever conceived. At the moment, FIFA’s big show, the World Cup,…

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