The Resume

(June 2, 1949- )
Resides in New York City
Drama critic for 'The New York Times (1980-1993)'
Contributed to 'The New York Times Magazine,' 'Time' and the 'New York Post'
Wrote 'Hot Seat (1998)' and 'Ghost Light (2001)'

Why he might be annoying:

He was known as a rabidly negative theater critic.
Because of his harsh reviews, he was called 'the Butcher of Broadway.'
Some say he had unfair influence over how long a play would run.
One critic said 'he single-handedly killed one of the great American art forms, the musical.'
David Mamet called him and fellow critic John Simon 'the syphilis and gonorrhea of the theater.'

Why he might not be annoying:

When he said that 'The Passion of the Christ' portrayed Jews negatively, Mel Gibson said: 'I want to kill him . . . I want his intestines on a stick . . . I want to kill his dog.'
His stepfather beat him when he was a child.
His mother died in a car accident.
Although straight, he is a vocal defender of gay rights.
He retired from drama criticism and is now associate editor of 'The New York Times.'
He is reportedly a nice person who was only critical for his job.

Credit: Wieland Kalligaro

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Bill O'Reilly Doesn't Like Me
• Egg Heads
• Film Critics
• I Spoke at Politicon
• Influenced by Hannah Arendt
• Look at My Flowers
• Mediaite’s Top 25 TV Pundits [2010] (Ranked: 19)
• Profiles 12251-12500 (Ranked: 12455)
• Right Wing News' 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes of 2007 (Ranked: 21)
• Supersized Egos
• The Advocate's 25 Coolest Straight People [1998]
• The Catholic League Doesn't Like Me
• Wieland Kalligaro's Profiles [Series 3]

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 23 Votes: 13.04% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 61 Votes: 55.74% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 22 Votes: 68.18% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 31 Votes: 67.74% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 51 Votes: 49.02% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 43 Votes: 55.81% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 68 Votes: 67.65% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 122 Votes: 59.84% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 213 Votes: 65.26% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 103 Votes: 64.08% Annoying