Rob Schneider and wife Patricia welcomed a baby girl last week.
RELATED: Rob Schneider Gets Married
Miranda Scarlett Schneider was born at 5 lbs., 13 oz. and 18-inches long, according to People.
"Mommy and Baby [are] happy and healthy!" Rob, 49, tweeted on Friday. According to the comedian's timeline, Miranda was born after 19 hours of labor.
Rob and Patricia, a TV producer, tied the knot last year. This marks the couple's first child together.
You thought you could kill a Twinkie that easy?
Bankrupt Hostess Brands and its striking bakers stopped the death clock attached to the 82-year-old company by agreeing to a mediation session today.
The one-day chatfest between the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread and its 6,000-strong bakers union comes at the urging of Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain.
Drain rejected a Hostess request yesterday to wind down the business immediately.
The White Plains, NY, judge will now try to broker a peace between two very hostile sides.
Hostess shut down operations this weekend — citing the cost of the strike — and if the session is not successful, will quickly seek liquidation.
Josh Kosman
LAST HAUL: Hostess Teamsters drivers, from left, Richie Cestaro, Denis Fenton and Steve Galluzzo stock up on snack favorites at a company thrift store as their jobs hang in the balance.
Richie Cestaro, who has driven a Hostess truck in Queens and Long Island for 24 years, thanked the judge for not immediately flushing his job down the drain.
“I think the judge is doing the only thing possible,” Cestaro said. “There is definitely a glimmer of hope. I would think that the bakery has to explain this strike to him.”
Hostess, in the weeks leading up to the strike, reached out unsuccessfully to the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union to engage in talks, several sources said.
A Hostess executive said people in the corporate office believe the mediation effort is a very unfunny joke.
“This is all being done so the judge doesn’t have to be guilty” when the company liquidates, the executive said.
An executive at a Hostess rival speculated the leaders at the bakers union knew all along their strike would lead to liquidation.
The union leadership cannot accept the company’s demands for an 8 percent pay cut and a 17 percent boost in health costs, the rival sniffed, or members at other bakeries would eventually have to make similar concessions.
Hostess, the executive said, lost about $7 million during the week-long bakers strike and does not have the money to re-start without new investment.
The bakery union did not return calls.
Sun Capital Partners co-founder Marc Leder yesterday said his firm is interested in buying Hostess — but several sources scoffed at the public outreach.
Several months ago, Sun Capital inquired about Hostess and made an informal bid that the Teamsters union, Hostess’ largest, quickly rejected, a source said.
As the judge yesterday was giving Hostess a 48-hour reprieve, driver Denis Fenton and a few of his colleagues milled around in front of the Hostess depot in Hicksville, NY, the area’s largest.
Inside, managers were cleaning about 45 trucks and getting them ready for sale.
A nearby Hostess thrift store was jam-packed.
Fenton, along with Steve Galluzzo and Cestaro, each in their early 50s and with more than 20 years behind the wheel, cannot tap their pension for years — until they are 55.
“I’m 51,” said Fenton, who earns $55,000 a year. “With the economy the way it is, it won’t be easy for us.”
Galluzzo said he had put his Hostess uniform in a box that morning and stored it away so he would not have to look at it every day.
Cestaro said he instinctively woke up at 1 a.m. as if he were going to work, and stopped by a Dunkin’ Donuts to pass the time.
“I feel depressed and angry,” he said.
jkosman@nypost.com
Diageo executive Randy Millian is proud of the fact that eight out of every 12 times someone pours a standard or premium whiskey in the Latin American and Caribbean region, they’re drinking one of his company’s brands.
That kind of dominance is why the spirits giant is bullish on its future in Latin America, which recently has been the fastest growing region for Diageo worldwide. In 2012, the Latin America and Caribbean region represented 12 percent of Diageo’s net worldwide sales and 11 percent of the company’s operating profit. Diageo hopes Brazil will become one of its top three markets by 2017, behind the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
But getting there hasn’t been easy. During periods of economic and political unrest in the region over the last decade, there were times when it would have been more profitable for Diageo to pull back, said Millian, president of Diageo Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, the company focused on growing its scotch business across the region and it paid off. Over the last eight years, Diageo has increased sales more than two and a half times and almost tripled its operating profit.
“I believed it would get good,” said Millian, who supervises more than 3,000 employees across the region and 119 in Miami. “But I’m not sure I realized it would get this good.”
Millian has been running the region out of Diageo’s Miami office for more than a decade. But he’s also no stranger to this part of the world. He first lived in Argentina as a child and during his career has done stints in Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica.
The Miami Herald sat down with Millian during a media day, which was part of a Diageo investor conference in Miami spotlighting the success in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Here is some of what Millian had to say:
Q. Has your growth over the last decade been comparable to Diageo’s growth around the world?
We would definitely be in the top positions in the league within Diageo. That’s one of the reasons they’re focusing on us. Like many corporations, the emerging markets have a huge potential for growth. I’m including Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. We are seeing higher growth rates than we are seeing in the developed world, especially Europe. Although the U.S. is starting to come back, the growth rates in the emerging markets are significantly higher.
Q. What is driving the growth Diageo is experiencing in Latin America?
The improved demographics. You now have over 50 percent of the population who is middle class. You have had an increase in spending. Not only are there more people in the middle class, but you have more people in the (upper) class. We expect over the next year to have 60 million more people in the (upper) class. They’re also learning to spend money in different ways.
Q. In what countries do you see the most growth or most opportunities for future growth? Is Brazil the main focus?
There has been broad growth in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru. We have seen it all over, but those would be the ones we’re focusing on. It’s not just Brazil, it’s throughout the region.
Q. Why did you remain committed to this region over years when there was not a lot of growth and there was a lot of political and economic unrest in some countries?
TALLAHASSEE --
Few state institutions bear a more distinct imprint of recent Republican hegemony than the Florida House of Representatives.
It launched the political career of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who served as its speaker four years ago. Its members have passed some of the most conservative bills in the nation. And since 2006, it has nurtured the career of Will Weatherford of Wesley Chapel.
On Tuesday, Weatherford will be sworn in as, at 33, the youngest speaker of the House in recent Florida history and the first speaker from Tampa Bay since 2004. He’ll preside over a chamber where Republicans have an overwhelming 76-44 majority. The son-in-law to former House Speaker Allan Bense, Weatherford looks like the latest model in a long, unbroken line of GOP speakers.
But these are also somewhat humbling times for House Republicans. On Nov. 6, they lost five seats and their veto-proof majority, punctuated by the shocking defeat of the person who had been picked to succeed Weatherford as speaker in 2014, Chris Dorworth.
“There’s no question that the state moved more toward the center,” said incoming Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation. “This will change things, make it more bipartisan than it has been for quite a while.”
The moment may be tailor-made for Weatherford, a block of a man and former defensive end at Jacksonville University who has developed a reputation for playing nice with both parties.
“If there’s one thing I’d like to achieve is to be an inclusive reformer for the Florida House,” Weatherford told reporters last week. “To make sure we’re working with our friends across the aisle, that we’re allowing for everyone’s voice to be heard and to participate, but at the same time, don’t let that stifle us from moving forward with real reforms and dealing with the challenges that Florida has before us.”
Make no mistake: Weatherford will continue to push a conservative, pro-business agenda that could have been authored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
He wants new state employees to enroll in 401(k)-style retirement plans rather than the current pension system, which provides guaranteed payments from the state. While it’s sure to alienate unions and spark a legal battle, Weatherford can’t say how much it will save the state. He says pensions are a “ticking time bomb” in state finances — despite no evidence of the sort.
He’ll push hard for a bigger commitment to online education and easing corporate taxes on small businesses. He toes the Republican party line on the Affordable Care Act, is closely aligned with incoming Senate President Don Gaetz and publicly supports Gov. Rick Scott, albeit with measured language.
“His focus is on the right thing, which is getting unemployment down, making sure we have a fully funded education system,” Weatherford said. “He’s talking about the right things.”
But he disagrees with Scott on tuition. While Scott opposes tuition increases, Weatherford sides with universities, saying they are necessary to cover costs.
“We have universities that if given more flexibility with tuition, they can go to great heights,” he said.
His biggest break is one of style. His predecessor, Dean Cannon, ran the House with strict efficiency that bruised the feelings of marginalized Democrats while allowing Republicans to run roughshod with legislation that, during the tea party ascendency, opposed Obamacare, the stimulus and early voting. Since the spring, Weatherford has signaled he will run the House differently.
Justin Bieber gave an emotional thank you to his mom, Pattie Mallette, who stood on stage with the pop star as he accepted Artist of the Year, his third award of the evening, at the culmination of the 40th annual American Music Awards Sunday in Los Angeles.
The Biebs, who brought his mother along as his date for the show, took home the first and the last award of the night, (Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Artist of the Year, respectively) as well as Favorite Pop/Rock Album for Believe.
Fierce & Fabulous: The 2012 AMA Red Carpet
Nipping at his heels with two wins this year, Nicki Minaj nabbed the awards for favorite rap/hip hop album (Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded) and favorite rap/hip hop artist.
The big-winning twosome also graced the stage to sing (once with each other) hits from their current albums. Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilera, No Doubt, Usher, Carly Rae Jepsen, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and Pink also made the night memorable with elaborate, theatrical performances.
Recently departed Dick Clark, who created the show forty years ago, was honored by Stevie Wonder with a variety of songs. Whitney Houston was also fondly remembered by singer Brandy, who introduced a brief tribute to the late artist.
Here's a rundown of all the winners honored at the 40th annual American Music Awards tonight:
Artist of the year: Justin Bieber
New artist of the year: Carly Rae Jepsen
Pop/rock female artist: Katy Perry
Country female artist: Taylor Swift
Pop/rock male artist: Justin Bieber
Pop/rock band, duo or group: Maroon 5
Country male artist: Luke Bryan
Country band, duo or group: Lady Antebellum
Soul/R&B male artist: Usher
Soul/R&B female artist: Beyonce
Alternative rock artist: Linkin Park
Adult contemporary artist: Adele
Artist, Latin: Shakira
Artist, electronic dance music: David Guetta
Artist, contemporary inspirational: tobyMac
Rap/hip-hop artist: Nicki Minaj
Pop/rock album: Justin Bieber, "Believe''
Rap/hip-hop album: Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Country album: Carrie Underwood, Blown Away
Soul/R&B album: Rihanna, "Talk That Talk''
Thanksgiving week is here, and that can mean only one thing — fighting for a parking space. If you’re doing your part to put the black in Black Friday, these magazines can help.
ShopSmart at first glance has the look of one of those cluttered, down-market amalgams of bargain stuff and cheap family recipes. Fortunately, it’s anything but. This monthly spin-off of the mighty Consumer Reports is obsessed with bargain deals and aimed at younger shoppers. It avoids the rankings used so widely in its parent title, and it’s money-wasting gadgets feature, which lists onion goggles, mango pitters and electric knife sharpeners, is indispensable.
The November issue of Lucky starts off on a bad leg with advice on how to wear four unique pant shapes that no one but the fashioned-obsessed would ever buy. Unfortunately, the content barely improves from there, including two recommendations for bright orange puff jackets. It ended on a bang though thanks to Sofia Vergara’s ticklish interview. Of her dress for the Emmys, she says: “I am not there to look intelligent. I want to show all this off while I still have it.” Oh, Gloria! You’re so funny.
Real Simple lives up to its name with a gift guide that features affordable but stylish items at $50 and under. Stuck on an idea for your man? Cashmere gloves with leather grip, $49. Traditional meets high-tech gift? How about iWoody, a chalk board cover for your iPhone? This magazine isn’t just for the materialistic, there’s a guide to giving that looks at how to evaluate the effectiveness of various charities, and recommends a few.
If you know any InStyle readers, stop them now. The holidays will be ruined if those women’s lambskin pants show up under the tree. It doesn’t matter that they’re $900, Davey Crockett’s wife wouldn’t wear them. For the boys? A reversible flannel hoodie that presents the dilemma of which side is more seizure-inducing. The gifts range from tasteless undergarments that for some reason remind you of grandma to boxing glove cuff links, which are cool but almost $300. Sure, it’s nice to see a gift guide that doesn’t spew electronics, but still throw in an iPod or something.
New York’s Michael Kinsley interviews Anglo-American Tina Brown on why Newsweek failed and gets real answers. Kinsley knows how to butter up his interview and gets the goods. Brown explains, “Let’s face it. When I look back on it, taking over Newsweek, it just seems completely insane actually.” The infamous editrix admits it cost $42 million just to print Newsweek and says she realized in the spring that the poor economics weren’t going to change. Brown opines on the Huffington Post (she doesn’t know its traffic numbers) and Mark Thompson’s arrival as the new boss of the New York Times Co. She even adds her media habits include the New York Post, which she reads like a “ransom note,” to use her words.
Wrapped in a New Yorker cover showing a bed with camouflage covers is the best take on the General Petraeus love triangle you’ll read. “Fifty Shades of Khaki,” by Adam Gopnik, summarizes the whole to-do without judgment. “Desire is not subject to the language of judicious choice, or it would not be desire with a language all its own.” Smart people do dumb things when driven by desire, he concludes. Skip the piece on prolific TV showrunner Ryan Murphy, who’s described as being like cayenne pepper — too spicy for some. It isn’t that Emily Nussbaum wrote a bad piece; we’ve just had our fill of the “Glee” creator and his ubiquitous opinions.
Time’s cover of Petraeus already feels dated, though the article’s take — which is more focused on the failure of national security — is valid. The Culture section gets in on the consumer electronics topic of the week: Nintendo’s Wii U (Insert yawn here). Author Harry McCracken wisely hedges rather than decides whether this Japanese company can re-invent the gaming console. From his report, it’s hard to discern how it’s so different from what’s already out there.
Sometimes going out of business unleashes a stream of creative excellence from a staff likely eager to get hired elsewhere. Alongside its “prepare for digital-only Newsweek” message, the Barry Diller-backed magazine delivers some excellent journalism in this week’s issue. It looks ahead at what New York and New Jersey governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie must do to fix our infrastructure. Their progress could affect potential runs at the White House. Other provocative pieces take Ireland to task over its abortion policy, which resulted in the death of a 31-year-old Indian woman who was miscarrying. The sugar on the medicine is an adorable interview with “Hunger Games” actress Jennifer Lawrence, who has no idea what to have for lunch.
Holiday gifts to clients and colleagues can help you strengthen both business relationships and your brand. While flashing your logo at holiday time seemed insensitive back when droves of people didn’t have jobs, manufacturers — several based in South Florida — have responded with more creative ways to include branding on some very usable products that people can actually enjoy.
What’s more, some companies are coming up with highly customized gifts, whether geared to personal allergies (seems the universe has gone gluten-free) or even philanthropic affinities, so your recipients can feel good about indulging.
“This year in corporate gifting, people are trying to stand out and not give the typical branded gear, such as pens and mugs,” says Dana Holmes, editor of Gifts.com. “And people are selling unique and creative ideas — both with and without logos. People are thinking about who they’re supporting, looking local, and they want to feel more connected to the things they buy.”
Here are some ideas to help your search for thoughtful gift giving.
Ginny Bakes Holiday Boxes: This season, more people are avoiding gluten than they are the annoying office braggarts, so you can sweeten any holiday party by sending a holiday box packed with cookies made in Miami, from ingredients such as dark organic chocolate, preservative-free nuts and fruit as well as gluten-free oat flour. Ginny Bakes will deliver to any door holiday box collections such as the Chocolate Love variety, packed with Chocolate Chip Macadamia, Double Chocolate Happiness and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss flavors. The box arrives wrapped and ready to eat. $34; www.ginnybakes.com.
Courtly Check Candy Cottage: Hey big spender, this illuminated tabletop cottage costs just a bit less than the down payment on actual real estate, but the impact is earth-shattering. It’s not edible (think eye candy), but the hand-crafted house, with a glass-candy covered roof, a delicate wreath and tufted walls is a numbered, festive collector piece. No two are alike — even though it’s unlikely your client will get more than one this holiday season. $9,900; www.mackenzie-childs.com.
Feed 8 Godiva collections: For professionals who crave both chocolate and charity, Godiva has partnered with FEED, a nonprofit sustenance organization for children, to provide eight school meals to kids in cocoa producing regions for every box sold. Each one contains eight chocolates in four flavors: Ecuador Dark 71%, Costa Rica Milk 38%, Uganda Dark 80% and Venezuela Milk 43%. All are made with beans from its country of origin. $25 Godiva; 19575 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 33180.
Crystal Custom Eyewear: Bravo executive Andy Cohen wore them on national television and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade had them at his birthday in Miami Beach, but the concept of personalized sunglass lenses was created in downtown Miami. Advertise your office catch phrase or logo across the lenses because these glasses can display the message you want your customers to see. They come in nine colors (including blue, red and pink) as well as three styles: Ray-Bay, Wayfarer and Aviator, all with 100 percent UV protection. $14.99 for a single pair or buy 100 pairs for $3.45 each, www.crystalcustom.com.
Dolce Shot: Replace everyone’s office coffee break with a Made-in-Miami energy shot that comes both packaged and packed with our city’s essence. Inside, the South Beach-style cans are one of three flavors: Splash (a crisp lemon-lime) Rise (cherry explosion) and Citrus (orange bite.) All come in two-ounce servings that are equivalent to an 8-ounce drink, with concentrated ingredients such as amino acids, vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and 80-milliliters of caffeine — about the amount in a cup of coffee. $24.99 for a case of 12; www.dolceshot.com.
What had ET readers buzzing this week?
1. Janeane Garofalo: I Didn't Know I was Married!
Sometimes what happens in Vegas actually does stay in Vegas -- at least for two decades. Funny girl Janeane Garofalo is claiming she's been married for 20 years, and didn't even know it!
The Reality Bites actress told the New York Post that she and Big Bang Theory producer Rob Cohen decided to wed at a Las Vegas drive-thru chapel but never thought it would stick. "Rob and I got married, for real, which we had to have a notary dissolve not 30 minutes before we got here tonight," Garofalo said at the New York Comedy Festival reunion for The Ben Stiller Show. "We were married for 20 years until this evening."
Garofalo, 48, further explained, "We got married drunk in Vegas. ... We dated for a year, and we got married at a drive-through chapel in a cab. [We thought], 'You have to go down to the courthouse and sign papers and stuff.' So, who knew? We were married, and apparently now that [Rob] is getting married for real, his lawyer dug up something." Cohen, 63, joked, "I'm gonna get all of that Reality Bites money!"
2. Miley Cyrus: My Dad Knows Nothing
In speaking with ET's Christina McLarty, Miley Cyrus cleared up rumors that she and fiance Liam Hemsworth were planning multiple weddings, started by her dad.
According to Miley, she hasn't even set one wedding date, let alone the three ceremonies that Billy Ray told Us Weekly were going to take place.
"My dad knows nothing," Miley says, pointblank. "I think he's getting cabin fever from [Superstorm Sandy]. He got stuck in his hotel and now he's making up crazy things." Billy Ray has been in NYC, performing in a Broadway production of Chicago.
The 19-year-old singer/actress goes on to admit that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
"He does what I do: When he's sitting in a press thing, he's like, 'Let's make this fun. Let's make some stuff up,'" Miley says.
Even with this recent flub, Miley does thank her parents for doing a good job of raising her, saying, "My parents have never been super strict, and people could think that's bad or good, but people that judge me or say that I'm, like, crazy -- they don't know half the stuff their kids are doing."
3. Stephanie Bongiovi Drug Charges Dropped
Stephanie Bongiovi, Jon Bon Jovi's 19-year-old daughter, will not be charged after reportedly overdosing on heroin in her dorm at Hamilton College in New York.
According to a statement from the Kirkland Town Police Department, a female [presumably Bongiovi] was found unresponsive by an ambulance crew sent to the college early Wednesday, after a report that a female had apparently overdosed in the school's largest dorm.
Although Bongiovi and 21-year-old Ian Grant were charged with drug possession, the charges have now been dropped.
Citing section 220.78 titled "Witness or victim of drug or alcohol overdose" of New York State Penal Law -- which states that a person who seeks health care for someone who is experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or other life threatening medical emergency, as well as the individual who has overdosed or who was experiencing such life threatening medical emergency, can't be prosecuted for the possession of heroin weighing less than 8 ounces or possession of any amount of marijuana -- police said that neither Bongiovi or Grant can be charged.
There has been no statement from Jon Bon Jovi at this time.
4. Dina Lohan Addresses Cocaine Accusation
Did Lindsay Lohan lie about her mother having an alleged cocaine problem? Dina Lohan sets the record straight for ET's Christina McLarty.
"Absolutely lied. We were having an argument, it escalated," explains Dina of their October altercation which was recorded by her father, Michael Lohan. "She just wanted to hurt me at that moment. You know, mothers [and] daughters, we fight."
Dina tells Christina that it pained her to see that private family moment "go public and viral." As for accusations that she uses cocaine, Dina replies, "I hate cocaine. I don't do cocaine."
After Lindsay proclaimed that she was not being truthful about her accusations against her mother about cocaine use, Dina says, "I'm so proud of her for telling the truth because it destroyed me. I mean, I cried for weeks. It just hurt me so bad and she knew how horrible that was, and she came clean and told the truth that she lied. I'm very proud of her for that, which is very difficult to have to do."
Dina adds, "There's so much more to the story than the public sees, and it takes its toll on my children and myself, and we're just trying to move forward." Watch ET for more with our exclusive Dina Lohan interview.
5. Big Bang Cast Leads Call Me Maybe Flash Mob
Fans of The Big Bang Theory might logically assume that the cast of the hit CBS comedy has as many laughs on-screen as off. But now there is concrete proof as Kaley Cuoco just revealed in this clip of cast and crew members surprising showrunners with a flash mob of Carly Rae Jepsen's viral hit Call Me Maybe!
Kaley explains on The Big Bang Theory's Facebook page that the idea was hers and that she recruited her sister Bri to choreograph the impromptu number, which occurred during a taping on October 23 in front of a live audience.
The clip shows how the prank was carried out with secrecy and precision, with the cast re-assembling on the set immediately after the flash mob to resume taping and to hear star Jim Parsons sum up the event with one of his character Sheldon Cooper's favorite words, "Bazinga!"
If your Thanksgiving plans involve flying into or out of an unfamiliar airport, get clued in to the location and quality of food and shopping options, and necessary services, in your terminal with GateGuru.
The free mobile app provides locations, ratings and reviews for restaurants, shops and services at domestic and international airports. GateGuru uses your location to determine the airport you’re visiting. (You can also search for specific airports, if you’re planning ahead.) You can then select the appropriate terminal or concourse. Once you’ve told GateGuru where you are, it will guide you to nearby food, shopping and service options.
The app provides real-time ratings, reviews and photos from your fellow travelers, and you can contribute your own. You can search for specific restaurants, stores and services, and quickly and easily locate the highest-rated places. You can also search for amenities like coffee or an ATM. If you find places that you like, you can easily retrieve tagged information on them on later trips.
GateGuru also tells you what food and shopping options exist before and after you go through security, so you know whether to eat something and grab a magazine before you go through the TSA screening — or endure a boring, hunger-filled trip.
The app also features security wait times and easy-to-read airport maps and will let you send tweets and Facebook updates. GateGuru also has its own social-network aspect, if you’re interested in another one, allowing you to earn points as you use the app and improve your ranking to work your way up to “Captain” of your airport.
GateGuru is free for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as for Android-based mobile devices.
hlewis@nypost.com
A bit of fiction and a bit of philosophy, both seasoned with a touch of the historical, rounded out the final night of Miami Book Fair International’s “Evenings With…” programs Friday.
Emma Donoghue read from her Astray, new book of short stories inspired by old newspaper accounts, and historian Alan Ryan talked about his weighty new two-volume work On Politics: A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present (told you it was weighty).
“I feel like I should say, ‘Hello, Miami!’ ” joked Donoghue when she took the stage. Earlier, the Canadian author expressed wonder at the fact she was swimming in the Biltmore poolon a November afternoon before her appearance. “I don’t usually stay in places like that,” she said, laughing.
But Donoghue, author of the novel Room, is no stranger to new experiences: She’s a two-time emigrant from Dublin, once from Ireland to England, then on to Ontario.
“The Irish are obsessed with immigration,” she told the audience. Even when the economy’s good there, she said, the Irish look to other countries. “It’s still a small island,” she joked. “A lot of us have felt the need to fly that particular coop.”
Fitting then, that Astray features characters on the verge of moving on or struggling in their new surroundings. Donoghue read the amusing story The Widow’s Cruse and fielded questions about Room, a harrowing novel about a little boy being raised in a tiny shed by his kidnapped mother. Disturbing to be sure. But in case you wonder, Donoghue has no pressing childhood traumas of her own to inspire her to such a dark premise.
“I grew up in Dublin in a bookish household,” she said. “I was allowed to read all the time. . . There’s something to be said for a happy childhood that leaves you feeling confident.”
Ryan, who was in conversation with Robert Weil, editor-in-chief of W.W. Norton’s Liveright & Co., talked about his comprehensive study of political philosophy. Or, as his daughter (a biology professor) describes his profession: “He does dead philosophers.”
Ryan did mention a few of those worthy gentleman — Plato, St. Augustine and John Stuart Mill, for example — but still managed to elicit a laugh when discussing Americans’ adoration of a Constitution they’ve never read and continually confuse with the Declaration of Independence.
“The Constitution is revered, and it is at least worth knowing,” he said.
The fair continues this weekend with a full schedule of authors Saturday and Sunday.
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