BETTER JONG IL (David Hill, The Bronx):

CSI graduation: Pomp and circumstance, boos and hisses: Author Erica Jong alienates some with the tone, length of her commencement speech (MICHELLE MASKALY, June 03, 2005, STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE)

Best-selling author Erica Jong was booed and told to "Shut up!" and "Go Home!" during her 40-minute speech yesterday at the College of Staten Island's commencement exercises.

As Ms. Jong, best known for her 1973 novel "Fear of Flying," talked about everything from truth in advertising to truth in politics and the shallowness of public relations -- but said precious little about graduation -- some of the thousands in attendance on the great lawn at the college's Willowbrook campus stood up and began to object loudly.

A little less than halfway through her speech, some graduates began tossing around an inflatable beach volleyball. Some even got up from their chairs, just yards from her podium, to go chat with friends and family who were seated behind them.

Ms. Jong, however, was unfazed.

She continued to speak as though everyone were listening attentively.

"I'm a writer," said the author of eight novels. "I spend days and nights playing with words, trying to make sense of them. Telling the truth has never been easy. It's gotten harder."

She complained that getting to the truth is tougher than ever because "words have been corrupted."

One day someone this self-absorbed will actually collpase into themself like a black hole.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 4, 2005 8:58 AM