Editing Gore Vidal (section)

==Legacy==
Postmortem opinions and assessments of Vidal as a writer varied. The ''New York Times'' described him as "an [[Augustan prose|Augustan]] figure who believed himself to be the last of a breed, and he was probably right. Few American writers have been more versatile, or gotten more mileage from their talent."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/books/gore-vidal-elegant-writer-dies-at-86.html?pagewanted=all|title=Prolific, Elegant, Acerbic Writer|author=Charles McGrath|date=August 1, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 1, 2012|archive-date=August 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801051252/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/books/gore-vidal-elegant-writer-dies-at-86.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' said that he was a literary juggernaut whose novels and essays were considered "among the most elegant in the English language".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-gore-vidal-20120801,0,4557667.story|title=Gore Vidal, Iconoclastic Author, Dies at 86|author=Elaine Woo|date=August 1, 2012|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=August 1, 2012|archive-date=August 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801063021/http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-gore-vidal-20120801,0,4557667.story|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Washington Post'' described him as a "major writer of the modern era&nbsp;... [an] astonishingly versatile man of letters".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/gore-vidal-dies-imperious-gadfly-and-prolific-graceful-writer-was-86/2012/08/01/gJQAFF7FOX_story.html?hpid=z2|title=Gore Vidal Dies; imperious gadfly and prolific, graceful writer was 86|author=Michael Dirda|date=August 1, 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 1, 2012|archive-date=September 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914120534/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/gore-vidal-dies-imperious-gadfly-and-prolific-graceful-writer-was-86/2012/08/01/gJQAFF7FOX_story.html?hpid=z2|url-status=live}}</ref>

''The Guardian'' said that "Vidal's critics disparaged his tendency to formulate an aphorism, rather than to argue, finding in his work an underlying note of contempt for those who did not agree with him. His fans, on the other hand, delighted in his unflagging wit and elegant style."<ref>{{cite news|author=Jay Parini|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/aug/01/gore-vidal-dies|title=Gore Vidal Obituary|newspaper=The Guardian|date=August 1, 2012|access-date=August 5, 2012|location=London|archive-date=November 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104210546/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/aug/01/gore-vidal-dies|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Daily Telegraph'' described the writer as "an icy iconoclast" who "delighted in chronicling what he perceived as the disintegration of civilisation around him".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9443260/Gore-Vidal.html |title=Gore Vidal |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=August 1, 2012 |access-date=August 5, 2012 |location=London |archive-date=August 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805070314/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9443260/Gore-Vidal.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The BBC News said that he was "one of the finest post-war American writers&nbsp;... an indefatigable critic of the whole [[American imperialism|American system]]&nbsp;... Gore Vidal saw himself as the last of the breed of literary figures who became celebrities in their own right. Never a stranger to chat shows, his wry and witty opinions were sought after as much as his writing."<ref>{{cite news|author=Alastair Leithead|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19074231|title=Obituary: Gore Vidal|publisher=BBC|date=August 1, 2012|access-date=August 5, 2012|archive-date=August 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804003823/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19074231|url-status=live}}</ref> In "The Culture of the United States Laments the Death of Gore Vidal", the Spanish on-line magazine ''Ideal'' said that Vidal's death was a loss to the "culture of the United States" and described him as a "great American novelist and essayist".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ideal.es/granada/20120801/gente/cultura-estados-unidos-lamenta-muerte-gore-vidal-201208011741.html |title=La cultura de Estados Unidos lamenta la muerte de Gore Vidal |date=August 2012 |publisher=Ideal.es |access-date=August 2, 2012 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017190055/http://www.ideal.es/granada/20120801/gente/cultura-estados-unidos-lamenta-muerte-gore-vidal-201208011741.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In ''The Writer Gore Vidal is Dead in Los Angeles'', the online edition of the Italian newspaper ''[[Corriere della Sera]]'' described the novelist as "the ''enfant terrible'' of American culture" and that he was "one of the giants of American literature".<ref>{{cite web|author=Redazione online|url=http://www.corriere.it/cultura/12_agosto_01/morto-gore-vidal_ebc4132c-db97-11e1-83b0-3101995e52cb.shtml|title=Los Angeles, è morto lo scrittore Gore Vidal|work=Corriere della Sera|access-date=August 2, 2012|archive-date=August 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802004643/http://www.corriere.it/cultura/12_agosto_01/morto-gore-vidal_ebc4132c-db97-11e1-83b0-3101995e52cb.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In ''Gore Vidal: The Killjoy of America'', the French newspaper ''[[Le Figaro]]'' said that the public intellectual Vidal was "the killjoy of America" but that he also was an "outstanding polemicist" who used words "like high-precision weapons".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/2012/08/01/03004-20120801ARTFIG00549-gore-vidal-le-trouble-fete-de-l-amerique.php |title=Gore Vidal: le trouble-fête de l'Amérique |trans-title=Gore Vidal: The Killjoy of America |work=Le Figaro |language=fr |date=January 8, 2012 |access-date=August 2, 2012 |archive-date=August 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801204605/http://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/2012/08/01/03004-20120801ARTFIG00549-gore-vidal-le-trouble-fete-de-l-amerique.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

On August 23, 2012, in the program a ''Memorial for Gore Vidal in Manhattan'', the life and works of the writer Gore Vidal were celebrated at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with a revival of ''The Best Man: A Play About Politics'' (1960). The writer and comedian [[Dick Cavett]] was host of the Vidalian celebration, which featured personal reminiscences about and performances of excerpts from the works of Vidal by friends and colleagues, such as [[Elizabeth Ashley]], [[Candice Bergen]], [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Alan Cumming]], [[James Earl Jones]], [[Elaine May]], [[Michael Moore]], [[Susan Sarandon]], [[Cybill Shepherd]], and Liz Smith.<ref name="NYT08232012">{{cite news |first=Charles |last=McGrath |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/books/memorial-for-gore-vidal-in-manhattan.html |title=Vidal's Own Wit to Celebrate Him |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 23, 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2013 |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630194917/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/books/memorial-for-gore-vidal-in-manhattan.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 1960s, Vidal selected the [[Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research]] at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] to archive his papers, given his early focus on film. In 2002, Vidal transferred his papers to [[Houghton Library]] at Harvard University where they are housed to this day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2002 |title=Gore Vidal donates papers to Houghton |url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2002/02/gore-vidal-donates-papers-to-houghton/ |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=Harvard Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
In the 1960s, the weekly American [[sketch comedy]] television program ''[[Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In]]'' featured a running-joke sketch about Vidal; the telephone operator Ernestine ([[Lily Tomlin]]) would call him, saying: "Mr.&nbsp;Veedul, this is the Phone Company calling! (snort! snort!)."<ref>StarNewsOnline.com (blog) – On "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", [http://books.blogs.starnewsonline.com/16317/gore-vidal-rip/ Lily Tomlin as Ernestine the telephone operator would often call "Mr. Veedle"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515182853/http://books.blogs.starnewsonline.com/16317/gore-vidal-rip/ |date=May 15, 2013 }}.</ref><ref>Ernestine the Operator – TV Acres [http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20101206233347/http://www.tvacres.com/] – Lily Tomlin as Ernestine the Telephone Operator – ... a [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20121119080822/http://www.tvacres.com/comm_ernestine.htm conversation with writer Gore Vidal as Ernestine says "Mr. Veedle], you owe us ..."</ref> The sketch, titled "Mr.&nbsp;Veedle", also appeared in Tomlin's comedy record album ''[[This Is a Recording (Lily Tomlin album)|This Is a Recording]]'' (1972).<ref>Record album: This is a Recording, [http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/lily-tomlin/album/this-is-a-recording/track/mr-veedle by Lily Tomlin, title: "Mr. Veedle"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109004715/http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/lily-tomlin/album/this-is-a-recording/track/mr-veedle |date=January 9, 2015 }}. Rhapsody.</ref>

Vidal provided his own voice for the animated-cartoon version of himself in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode "[[Moe'N'a Lisa]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Simpsons (TV Series) Moe'N'a Lisa (2006) Full Cast & Crew|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0888356/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm |publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref> He also voiced his animated-cartoon version in ''[[Family Guy]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Family Guy (TV Series) Mother Tucker (2006) Full Cast & Crew|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837966/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm |publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref> He was interviewed in the ''[[Da Ali&nbsp;G Show]]''; the Ali&nbsp;G character mistakes him for [[Vidal Sassoon]], a famous hairdresser.<ref>{{cite web |title=Da Ali G Show - Gore Vidal| date=August 28, 2013 |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DBX123HJVLc |via=YouTube |access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref>

The Buckley-Vidal debates, their aftermath and cultural significance, were the focus of a 2015 documentary film called ''[[Best of Enemies (2015 film)|Best of Enemies]]'', as well as a 2021 play by [[James Graham (playwright)|James Graham]], inspired by the film.<ref>{{cite news|last=Grynbaum|first=Michael M.|date=July 24, 2015|title=Buckley vs. Vidal: When Debate Became Bloodsport|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/movies/buckley-vs-vidal-when-debate-became-bloodsport.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 14, 2020|archive-date=August 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821084445/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/movies/buckley-vs-vidal-when-debate-became-bloodsport.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Best Of Enemies |url=https://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/best-of-enemies?sourceNumber=7903#close |website=[[Young Vic]] |access-date=May 12, 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In season eight, episode eight of ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' titled "Gettysburg", [[Oscar Martinez (The Office)|Oscar Martinez]] calls [[Dwight Schrute]] "Gore Vidal" when Dwight tries to explain his version of history naming the "Battle of Schrute Farms" as the northernmost battle in the Civil War. Dwight responds to Oscar that he doesn't "know who that is".

A [[Netflix]] biopic titled ''Gore'' was filmed in 2017. It was directed and co-written by [[Michael Hoffman (director)|Michael Hoffman]], and based on [[Jay Parini]]'s book ''Empire of Self, A Life of Gore Vidal''. The film, which starred [[Kevin Spacey]] in the title role, was cancelled and remains unreleased due to sexual misconduct allegations made against Spacey.<ref name="HR_Stanhope">{{cite magazine | last1 = Stanhope | first1 = Kate | last2 = McClintock | first2 = Pamela | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/netflix-officially-severs-ties-kevin-spacey-1054981 |title = Netflix severs ties with Kevin Spacey, drops 'Gore' movie |magazine = [[The Hollywood Reporter]] | publisher = [[Eldridge Industries]] | location = Los Angeles, California| date = November 3, 2017 | access-date = November 4, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Variety_Nov3_Oldham">{{cite magazine | first = Stuart | last = Oldham | title = Kevin Spacey Suspended From 'House of Cards' | url = https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/netflix-fires-kevin-spacey-from-house-of-cards-1202607002/ | magazine = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]| location=Los Angeles, California| date = November 3, 2017 | access-date = November 4, 2017}}</ref>