So, it's not every day that I receive a message from The Fox and it was much to my surprise when I did:
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Tue, Oct 24, 2017 9:17 pm
Michele@FOXNews
To:you Hi Howard – Hope you are well! Michele from Watters’ World with Jesse Watters here. Wanted to see if someone from the Philadelphia chapter of “Duty to Warn” would be available to join us for a segment on our show this week?
We tape on Friday between 215-345pmEST (and it airs Sunday between 8pmEST).
We would like to speak about Democrats reaching out to psychologists to continue to talk about the President’s mental health.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/lissandravilla/politicians-are-reaching-out-to-psychologists-making-claims?utm_term=.oj9jRGqaA#.uq6LkzjE8
Please let me know. Thanks!
Michele Booking Producer, Fox News Channel
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It looked real enough. I talked to my wife about it and to some colleagues. "Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind?" I explained to my wife that I would suppose that Q was moot; we had, after all, married in 1965. And my close colleagues know me pretty well, too. So, I wrote back:
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Tue, Oct 24, 2017 9:35 PM
hhcovitz
To:Michele@Fox
Fill me in on details and I'll see whether I or someone else is willing/able.
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She got back quickly … I thought of the typing tutor: "The quick brown fox …."
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Tue, Oct 24, 2017 10:08 PM
Michele (Michele@FOX
To:hhcovitz
Hi, This would be a taped interview on Friday sometime between 215-345pmEST. I would be able to get you a smaller window the day before. But, the show airs on Saturday night at 8pmEST. We can do this from a local Philly studio. I can provide transportation to the studio as well if needed.
Keep me posted. Would love to have you or someone else. Thanks! Michele
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My wife continued to question my sanity. If only husbands listened to their wives!? I had seen others interviewed and "misconscrewed" in interviews and saw one with Jesse Watters, indeed. Looked like a nice enough guy … younger, I assume, than all three of my kids and has a good head'a'hair to go with a knowing smile … I wasn't ready to call it a smirk but … I told Michele that I'd get back after next day's patients. And I did and she thanked me. So far, so good. I was speaking at a Town Hall Meeting less than 2 weeks before where the moderator was pressing for dialogue with supporters of the elected President. Here was a chance to do a Mitzvah … a good deed. Indeed, like Abe and Izzy going off together (Gen 22), I arose really early the next morning and at 5:26 AM, I responded:
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Howard Covitz (hhcovitz)
To:Michele@Fox
Back in the office ... I do see how I could do such a dialogue in my office and how I could open a 3 hour slot from 1230-345 on Friday or 9-Noon on Saturday for a serious dialogue about these complex issues ... loosely the decision of a MH professional to engage in discussing someone whom they consider a potential danger to the polity without their permission. I gave a talk on the 14th titled: When the Canary is Ambivalent about Entering the Coal Mine. "It ain't just a simple yes or no." Why don't you see if that would be possible and, if so, I'll make arrangements on this side to open up the chosen time-window. I do assume the moderator will take the time to read my brief chapter in the book in question (Dangerous Case of Donald Trump ... pp 198-208), so that such a serious dialogue can be engaged ... with full disclosure of my position in this thorny matter.
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She didn't keep me waiting and at 7:21 AM responded cordially:
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Michele@FOX
To:hhcovitz
Thanks Howard. But we cannot do from your office. It would have to be from a local studio.
If anything changes I’ll let you know. I appreciate it.
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Hey. This was cool. I was doing what moderator Dan had asked for … having a civil conversation with a rep from Trump and Foxxy. "Good job, Howard!" I told her that I would keep some time open and by that night she asked if I had Skype in my office. I explained that I wasn't adept, nevermind expert, but did have access to Skype in my office. I was cautiously optimistic as I sent that message, hinting at some concerns:
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Thu, Oct 26, 2017 7:20 am
Howard Covitz (hhcovitz)
To: Michele@Fox
I do have Skype in my office ... by no means, at my age, a techno-whiz ...
The technical part being doable, what are the interests and boundaries of such a dialogue. As a psychoanalyst in this community, I assume Jesse Watters is not looking for a foil for a comedic SNL skit or for theater of the absurd but an honest and respectful give-and-take discussion. Please, advise.Furthermore, in the original correspondence, you copied a link to a Buzz Feed Article about Congress Reaching out to MH folk. Is this where Mr. Watters would like to focus? If so, I've not been a party to those discussions and I would be the wrong person. ... So, again ... please, as a Father might say to his daughter's boyfriend at the door: What ARE your intentions?
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One could never be too careful and if things turned out poorly, I did owe my wife — and my kids, as well — an explanation and an "out" … some demonstration that I tried to figure out just how deep the Fox Hole was before I leaped or lept.
Good news came Thu, Oct 26, 2017 @ 10:03 AM. All was well and the Guy with the Good Hair would treat the Old Bald Guy with kind deference:
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Michele (Michele@FOX
To:hhcovitz
Hi Dr. Covitz – Yes this will be a completely give and take discussion. We would like to hear from you about
The reason why this is coming up now is because of Democrats reaching out to members of “Duty to Warn” but will not be the focus of the conversation. We will focus on why you and other mental health professionals feel the way you to about the President, and why you are getting out there to make sure the country knows and what your ultimate goal is. We will also mention the book. Would you be able to send me the chapter you wrote?
Jesse will certainly take this conversation seriously. We like to have all different point of views on our show. I think this can be a great conversation between the two of you.
As long as you have Skype on your computer that’s the hard part! What is the window of time you have available tomorrow. I know you said 3pm, but can we do this more like 245pm.
As I mentioned this will be taped, and it will be about 5 minutes or a little more. The show actually airs on Saturday at 8pm.Let me know. Thanks! Michele
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Great. Yeah! I'm comfy talking about how a Country Psychoanalyst decided to get into the fray … and a kind hand-shake like that deserved a firm but kind grip, in response at 11:07 AM, I wrote:
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To: Michele@Fox
HHC.docx (201 KB) (copy of Chapter from Dangerous Case Book)
(HHC) Point by point … en pointe!
Hi Dr. Covitz – Yes this will be a completely give and take discussion. We would like to hear from you about.
(HHC) Glad to hear.
The reason why this is coming up now is because of Democrats reaching out to members of “Duty to Warn” but will not be the focus of the conversation. (HHC) I have not been engaged in the conversations with Congressfolk and at our public Town Hall on 14 Oct at Swarthmore Friends, we decided not to ask any politicians to speak. Other Town Hall that day did choose to invite folk from the political world. We will focus on why you and other mental health professionals feel the way you to about the President, and why you are getting out there to make sure the country knows and what your ultimate goal is. We will also mention the book. Would you be able to send me the chapter you wrote? (HHC) The paper addresses this issue, in brief, and I look forward to clarifying or amplifying.
Jesse will certainly take this conversation seriously. We like to have all different point of views on our show. I think this can be a great conversation between the two of you. (HHC) I do think it important that folk begin talking across lines. Maybe I can give some hints from a psychoanalytic point of view as to how impermeable boundaries between subgroups are established in communities with perceived dangers.
As long as you have Skype on your computer that’s the hard part! (HHC) If someone would be so kind as to walk me through it (XXX.YYY.ZZZZ), I suspect all will be well.
What is the window of time you have available tomorrow. I know you said 3pm, but can we do this more like 245pm. (HHC) You haven’t specified the amount of time you require for HHC to enter the Fox House (you notice I said House and not Hole!). I usually leave Friday unscheduled from 2:00-4:00. Tomorrow, 1:00-4:00, as of now. I will stop, whenever we begin, for my 4:00 patient. Give me some notice … allocate a few minutes to make certain Tech is OK and I’ll schedule.
As I mentioned this will be taped, and it will be about 5 minutes or a little more. The show actually airs on Saturday at 8pm. (HHC) All this to do for 5 minutes? Be aware. I don’t speak quickly.
Let me know. Thanks! Michele
(HHC) With regard … HHC
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This was swell. I and Jesse singing: Kumbaya, m'Lord, Kumbaya. Not quite consistent with the grin I saw on his face as he was ambushing a colleague a few months back, "but, Howard! Give the Guy a chance." And, then, Along came Dennis! Dennis had messaged from the production office (I think) and he was this nice guy; I think he really is a nice guy. We arranged to talk at 2:30, that afternoon. I certainly didn't tape our conversation but I am paid to recall and still at my age have tolerably good recall for conversations. He did confirm this news that the entire interview wouldn't last much more than 5 minutes. And he had some Good News for me. Another Behavioral Analyst was to join us. Whenever I hear something other than Clinical Psychologist, Lic. Clinical Social Worker, Lic. Prof. Counselor or Psychiatrist, I think: Oh, why didn't he just say that she may have degrees but isn't licensed, since the title psychotherapy is not "open carry" under any Amendment, people who haven't. I have access to Google. Collecting Social Security Bene's doesn't require one to turn in his Google Card! (I still Google; do You?) He showed interest in my work and asked good questions and, more or less, assured me that 'the good-looking , thick-haired and smiling kid about to take out my daughter or my good name had only the best of intentions." …. I went and did, indeed, Google the qualifications of what turned out to be a PhD'ed, Double Mastered attractive, youngish Kellyanne Conway. Dennis hadn't mentioned everything about her … like that she lists herself, apparently (ImDB) as having been a surrogate for Dr. Bornstein's most famous and healthiest patient: This is what I found: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3913167/bio. You can look for yourself but I will point out two singular details and copy the trivia listing on that page.
The details? (1) "Her first master's degree, from St. Louis University, was withheld from her for what she believed were political reasons, but it was eventually granted to her, years later. This experience opened her eyes to political and social injustice, and solidified her political perspective." OKEY-DOKEY. (2) She and her husband " … were married at his alma mater, Westminster College, in the 17th century church, St. Mary, Aldermanbury, where Winston Churchill made the Iron Curtain Speech, and Senator Loudon and Dr. Loudon were there when President Reagan dedicated a portion of the Iron Curtain on the campus of Westminster College."
In any case, I wrote a No Thank You note to Dennis pointing out that Slow-on-the-Draw Old Bald Analyst Howard wasn't willing to share his time with Fast-Talkin' Blonde ex-Surrogate for DJT. I explained that I have no particular talking points and I wasn't getting paid enough (that is, $Zero) to go get into the Fox-House or Fox-Hole with Dr. Gina, as she says she is known on her radio-talk show.
Tea Party activist.
Conservative radio talk show host.
Mother, with John W. Loudon, of five children, including Lyda Loudon and Samuel Loudon.
She has two Master's degrees and a PhD.
World Net Daily columnist.
Ran for senate in Missouri.
Has done pitbull rescue in her spare time for years.
She homeschools her children.
Is a professionally trained tahitian dancer.
Her son, Samuel Loudon, was mistaken for Sarah Palin's son, Trig Palin, and became the object of an article in Vanity Fair.
Is an avid water sports enthusiast.
Was married in the church, where Winston Churchill gave the Iron Curtain speech.
San Diego, CA, USA: Radio Host, Anchor, Author, Analyst [September 2012]
Birmingham, AL, USA: Hosting the Dr. Gina Radio Show [April 2011]
Hostess, "MoneyBizLife.com".
Dr. Gina is the host of America Trends with Dr. Gina.
Dr. Gina gave the 2015 commencement address at her alma mater, William Woods University.
I've done some stuff, too, written a bit and even gave two Baccalaureate addresses at St. John’s Great Books College. I published the Covitz-Nadler Fixed Point Theorem in 1969 and some folk still cite it. I have spawns and grandspawns, too. Hey! My 1998/2016 volume on Narcissism was nominated for the Gradiva Best Psychoanalytic Book of the Year Award. Yeah, yeah! I lost … but I did get nominated! True, I don't remember the exact address of where my wife and I married, my GuntherDog who died last week was totally untrained, in my present shape no one would license a surfboard to me and Tahitian Dancing? As the GEICO gekko says: He’s from New Yawk; You gotta be kidding. No way I can keep up with this Behavioral Expert. Dennis, his usual thoughtful self (and I mean that in earnest … seems like a decent bloke) called back, asking nicely. I repeated (I don't like the word 'reiterated' that seems to iterate itself redundantly with a re- … see what I mean? I'm an old nerd who talks about words and stuff like that and I almost got talked into a 5 minute lightning word match with an attractive "behavioral specialist" who talks as fast as that Kingston fellow or Kellyanne or Kelly … not for me, Kimosabe!) and suggested a bit of sleight-of-hand dishonesty by his Boss-Guy in springing this on me, last minute and repeated my No Thank You. He told me that the decision had only come down 5 minutes ago. He, then, guaranteed that I would be alone with Foxxy Jesse … one on one. I agreed to the terms. I told him, in closing our phone talk, that if Jesse Watters wanted me to sign and have notarized a form pre-specifying as prima fasciae evidence that I was a doddering old fool, I could have my Peeps get that to him. We said good-bye cordially. I must say that whatever his politics, Dennis certainly always treated me with interest and deference and for that matter my e-mails with Michele were fine.
Dum-da-Dum-Dum
Next day at 11:21AM, Friday the 27th, just as I was saying good-bye to my 10:30 visitor, the phone rang.
"Hi. This is Dennis …. There's Breaking News in Washington and we need to postpone your interview with Jesse Watters."
(HHC) "Oh, Dennis. I hadn't heard about it."
We were both polite, as he assured me that my future input would be invaluable.
I did send him a last e-mail during my AM-break.
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Howard Covitz (hhcovitz@)
To:Dennis @ Fox Fri, Oct 27, 2017 12:21 pm
Thanks for the heads-up on postponement of this PM's taping. I did tell my sec'y to be on look-out for the Breaking News ... she had some curious comments about the fact that she couldn't find any, yet. I told her to keep looking. Thus far? Sky not Falling! With regard ... HHC
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There is a principle of Biblical Exegesis: The Scripture never (entirely) leaves its simple meaning. There was Breaking News 10 hours later about Mueller … but, apparently, something else was pressing on Foxxy’s sensibilities. That is, some stories are "enough said," even if it means “They’re (not) gonna put me in the movies.”
”Bring in the Clowns!”