I found it hard to believe that such a goofy film as “Gladiator” could be nominated for so many Academy Awards. Or that anybody thought that what Russell Crowe was doing in the film was “acting.” But the movie did have one great virtue for me: it made me look up the real history of Emperor Commodus, Lucilla and the gladiators. (From Themestream, March 24, 2001)

Envy dropped by this morning. I hadn’t seen him for a long time, and he was feeling neglected. “No way to treat a friend,” he said, all pouty.