Talk:Herb Caen

"beat"

I am pretty sure Jack Kerouac coined the term "beat" to describe the generation of the time, not Caen. Anyone concrete on this?—Preceding unsigned comment added by Asbogle (talk • contribs) 09:29, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

Yes, Kerouac did refer to the "Beat generation". Seems Caen the typical journo working for the corporate press was only out to redicule the new swinger music. On the question of the claim that Caen coined the word hippie, this too is factually incorrect. Evidentally, the word hipster, was coined in 1940 by Harry Gibson. Then in 1963 the British band The Swinging Blue Jeans released their hit song 'Hippy Hippy Shake'. This referring to the new beat music where the youth swung their hips, and the hipsters pants worn by the rebelling British youth. This reference to Caen needs to be changed? Mombas 04:29, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

The article says he coined "beatnik" and "hippie", which are different from (though obviously related to) "beat" and "hippie". Lagringa 22:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Untitled

I miss Herb's writing. Sniff.Obbop (talk) 01:22, 17 April 2011 (UTC) . . . So do I.Mercurywoodrose (talk) 23:30, 14 April 2012 (UTC)

Sources

• http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/16/us/san-francisco-turns-out-to-celebrate-its-biggest-cheerleader.html—Preceding unsigned comment added by EEng (talk • contribs) 20:03, 14 October 2013 (UTC)
• Biographical Dictionary of American Newspaper Columnists -- and see the bibliography there
• The World of Herb Caen: San Francisco 1938-1997, Barnaby Conrad -- I've been through this and there's not really much usable there. It's not a bio of Caen and has very little about him personally. It mostly contains memorable column items. I've added some bits and pieces to the article, but as far as I'm concerned there's nothing more to get from this source. EEng 13:24, 2 February 2016 (UTC)
• https://tonyquarrington.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/herb-caen-in-50-quotes/
• https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/5-facts-about-herb-caen/

Image changes

I've added a few images, and swapped some others. Those not currently used I've parked here. I encourage my esteemed fellow editors to shift, swap, adjust, and juggle further, as they see fit. EEng (talk) 21:20, 6 December 2015 (UTC)

Herb Caen in his office in 1994

Caen and future fourth wife Ann Moller at the 40th anniversary celebration of The Paris Review with founder George Plimpton, October 1993.

• He sort of resembles Ed Koch in these pictures. Discerning New Yorkers certainly wouldn't mind trading Koch for Caen. Trocadero Thunder (talk) 14:51, 6 July 2018 (UTC)

Well have you ever seen them together? EEng 16:07, 6 July 2018 (UTC)

GA?

Anyone not think this is ready for GA? I was hoping for a DYK:

... that "Mr. San Francisco" Herb Caen said, "If I do go to heaven, I'll do what every San Franciscan does who goes to heaven. He looks around and says, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco'"?

Paging Binksternet. EEng 02:02, 26 September 2016 (UTC)

Yes, it's worth putting this article in front of a GA reviewer. Binksternet (talk) 08:53, 26 September 2016 (UTC)

• What's GA? Trocadero Thunder (talk) 14:52, 6 July 2018 (UTC)

Good article status. EEng 16:06, 6 July 2018 (UTC)

• It's not yet at Good article candidacy status, but could benefit from a formal peer review. It's written in a familiar, "chummy" style, and there are far too many quotations, which makes this read like a hagiography or fan's tribute, not a dispassionate, formal encyclopedia article (It's also a lazy way to fill space on a screen, but Wikipedia articles have no minimum word count). --Animalparty! (talk) 04:16, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

  Now and then one runs into someone who thinks that the hallmark of good encyclopedic writing is lifelessness. Paging Binksternet. EEng 04:48, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

I remember faithfully reading Herb Caen's column every time it appeared as I began working in San Francisco in the 1980s. I am a testament to the Chronicle editors' estimate that a lot of people were turning to Caen's column before or instead of the front page. I think it's fitting that his biography article reflect some of his well-known style. Carefully chosen quotes are a good way to convey to the reader his wit and charisma.

Is the article ready for GA? I think it needs a tiny bit of polish, nothing serious. Binksternet (talk) 05:25, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Submit it to GA and you'll find out. Or, Submit it to Peer review first to get outsiders' opinions and recommendations, then consider nominating to GA. Either way, constructive criticism will come in droves. --Animalparty! (talk) 05:44, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Animalparty, I looked around and found this list of the Good Article criteria. Could you perhaps take a moment to give us a preview of what a peer review might show by giving specific examples of ways in which the article fails to meet those criteria? Thanks! EEng 15:03, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Nothing. Huh. EEng 16:25, 23 January 2019 (UTC)

1903 Call article, "San Francisco: The Baghdad of America"

One of our colleagues [1] has unearthed a 1903 San Francisco Call article describing San Francisco as "the cosmopolitan city of the United States" ("San Francisco: The Baghdad of America". San Francisco Call. Vol. 94, no. 101. 9 September 1903.). The possibility that HC knew about this is intriguing, but of course we can't use it without some source commenting. Worth parking here, though -- maybe someone will have a bright idea. EEng 02:27, 16 September 2017 (UTC)

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Ideal photo

I know it's a longshot, but does anyone have the moxy to try to get the lead photo on this page [2] appropriately released? Man, that would be perfect. Starting point here [3]. EEng 22:04, 11 November 2019 (UTC)

Yes, that would be a great photo to put in the article.Hayford Peirce (talk) 23:01, 11 November 2019 (UTC)

Unfortunately, the photog has now died, which I suspect will make getting a release more difficult. But still ... EEng 04:39, 29 August 2024 (UTC)

Herb Caen's relationship with Jim Jones and Peoples Temple

I have just read the article and the biography of his works seems to end at 1972 before it hits the 1990s. I found this quite confusing given supportive pieces he wrote about Jim Jones and the temple in the middle of the 70s. It seems quite an oversight that there is no mention of him publishing the affidavit signed by Timothy Stoen confirming Jones as the father of the former's son for example. I think this would enrich the article given the cultural and political impact of Jim Jones on San Francisco and the wider United States.

Perhaps a paragraph relating to this could be added? JdBD87 (talk) 10:50, 6 May 2024 (UTC)