Editing Gore Vidal (section)

=== The Mailer–Vidal feud ===
On December 15, 1971, during the recording of ''[[The Dick Cavett Show]]'', with [[Janet Flanner]], [[Norman Mailer]] allegedly head-butted Vidal when they were backstage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Veitch |first=Jonathan |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/29671606.html?dids=29671606:29671606&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+24%2C+1998&author=JONATHAN+VEITCH&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Raging+Bull%3B+THE+TIME+OF+OUR+TIME.+By+Norman+Mailer+%28Random+House%3A+1%2C290+pp.%2C+%2439.50%29&pqatl=google |title=Raging Bull; THE TIME OF OUR TIME. By Norman Mailer |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 24, 1998 |access-date=November 7, 2011 |archive-date=July 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725101300/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/29671606.html?dids=29671606:29671606&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+24%2C+1998&author=JONATHAN+VEITCH&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Raging+Bull%3B+THE+TIME+OF+OUR+TIME.+By+Norman+Mailer+%28Random+House%3A+1%2C290+pp.%2C+%2439.50%29&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref> When a reporter asked Vidal why Mailer had knocked heads with him, Vidal said, "Once again, words failed Norman Mailer."<ref>{{cite news|last=Cavett |first=Dick |title=Cavett: Gore Vidal Hates Being Dead |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2012-08-02/opinion/opinion_cavett-gore-vidal_1_gore-norman-mailer-simple-elegance |publisher=CNN |date=January 23, 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120807010453/http://articles.cnn.com/2012-08-02/opinion/opinion_cavett-gore-vidal_1_gore-norman-mailer-simple-elegance |archive-date=August 7, 2012 }}</ref> During the recording of the talk show, Vidal and Mailer insulted each other, over what Vidal had written about him, prompting Mailer to say, "I've had to smell your works from time to time." Apparently, Mailer's umbrage resulted from Vidal's reference to Mailer having [[Stabbing of Adele Morales by Norman Mailer|stabbed his wife of the time]].<ref name=cavettshow>{{cite web|title=The Guest From Hell: Savoring Norman Mailer's Legendary Appearance on The Dick Cavett Show|date=August 2, 2007|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/television/2007/08/the_guest_from_hell.single.html|work=Slate|access-date=April 13, 2012|archive-date=August 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802133531/http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/television/2007/08/the_guest_from_hell.single.html|url-status=live}}</ref>