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Sam Lipsyte and Lucinda Rosenfeld

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The Lesser of Two Evil Underwear Options

By Lucinda Rosenfeld
Posted Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000, at 10:59 AM ET

Sam,

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I tend to agree that boxers have become popular at the expense of our society, what with their lumpy, craven, don't-give-a-damn, ironic-nostalgic referencing of a bygone era where men were old and cranky before their time. But I really think you're setting up a false opposition here: Surely there's a happy medium to be had between Gramps' striped shorts and "European-style" bikinis underpants in swinging shades of turquoise and gray. (Talk about voting for the lesser of two evils, as many of us felt we were doing on Nov. 7, only to discover that we'd voted in both the lesser and the greater--but that's another story.) And I think you and I both know what that happy medium is. In fact, I would wager a guess that your nether-regions are encased in that very happy medium at this very moment. ... In the interest of discretion, however, I'm going to leave off the whole topic of Sam Lipsyte's underpants. (Sorry, ladies.) Though not before directing your attention to the genius behind the Fruit of the Loom brand name. Say it out loud a few times: Fruit of the Loom. Here's a phrase so familiar to our ears that we no longer hear the individual words that comprise it--and to our detriment, I would add, since imagine what a lesser world this would be if 80 percent of the male population walked around in white briefs bearing the Edible Pulpy Mass of the Loom logo. Or even the Mature Seed Pod of the Loom logo. (Point taken.) Now, back to literature. Take your point about Houellebecq. Never read Ford's The Ultimate Good Luck. (Do you recommend it?) When I finish The Sportswriter--if that ever happens--I'm headed back to Jane Austen-land (Emma), followed by Tom Perrota's new novel, Joe College. (Loved Election, he blurbed my book, and we have the same agent.) At least that's the plan. Speaking of my book--not that you were, but hey, it's been at least two days since I plugged myself!--did you know it was hailed as "a worthy successor to Erica Jong's Fear of Flying" on All Things Considered last night? Can't figure out if that's a compliment or not. ...

More political infighting later,
Lucinda