We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.
— Ed Asner (@TheOnlyEdAsner) August 29, 2021
30 Leftists. 30 Days. #MayDayLA | 30 in 30
April 10: Ed Asner 🌹 https://t.co/VJRNDdNgcX pic.twitter.com/sCKdhfgB4j— DSA-LA 🌹 (@DSA_LosAngeles) April 10, 2017
Ed Asner died today at the ripe old age of 91. He was a great man. A man of his generation. A mensch. Being a mensch is not a term dispensed lightly. It’s the highest compliment. If there were a higher one, he would merit it.
In the 1980s, I worked for New Jewish Agenda, the first radical national grassroots Jewish organization. As I was based in Los Angeles, one of my efforts involved cultivating relationships with progressive members of the Hollywood community. Casey Kasem, Richard Dreyfuss and Ed were among those who were closest to us and our work.
There was nothing Ed would not do for us. When we published NJA’s Pesach haggadah, the Shalom Seders (for students of radical Jewish activism you can still buy a copy on Amazon if you click on the book image), we decided to record an audio tape of the haggadah. Ed was the first person we asked to voice it for us. We got a studio at KPFK and did the recording. When we were in the middle of it, and Ed was concerned about whether he was voicing it right he said: “Let me know if I’m giving you what you want. I’m here for you to do what you need. Don’t be intimidated.” The truth is he knew we were intimidated by his reputation. He was the gruff newspaper editor of Lou Grant, after all. But in life, he was nothing like that. He wanted to break down that artificial barrier to give us what we wanted.
When we organized our first national convention (or second if you count the 1980 founding conference) in Ann Arbor in 1985, there were three west coast figures we wanted to headline: Ed and Rabbis Leonard Beerman and Marshall Meyer (alas none of which are still with us) All agreed and (along with Ruth Messenger) delivered wonderful, moving talks that inspired our members gathered from around the country.
Ed didn’t restrict his activism to NJA or Jewish causes. He was gracious and giving of his time to scores, if not hundreds of progressive groups like ours. He understood that to bring radical change you had to offer yourself to every worth cause you could. How many celebrities and powerful figures understand this as Ed did, and act upon it?
It’s customary to say of the dead: may his memory be for a blessing. With Ed, there is no question it will be. We may never see his like again.
I’d like to convert the audio tape of Asner’s reading of Shalom Seders to an mp3 file to give it a longer life and make it accessible. If anyone can help me do this, be in touch.
Excellent eulogy, Richard. Mil gracias.
Greetings. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute about a great man. There is a relatively easy way to create an mp3. You can play the current recording “into “Otter.ai. Otter.ai is a free, cloud-based transcription service. The transcription can then be edited. You can export the transcript in multiple textual formats, as well as as an audio file—in mp3 format. If you need any assistance, please feel free to contact me. Kind regards, Diane in Upstate NY
My dream up here in Chico, California, was to someday ask Ed Asner to marry me – because of his political beliefs and actions. I’m glad so many Democratic Socialists are winning elections around the country. We sorely need their voices. I’m proud to say, Act Blue religiously takes $6.60 a month from my credit card for DSA…. and has been for about 10 years.
Those close to him would tell you that Ed Asner had some serious character flaws.
‘Do as I say, not as I do’, could have been his motto.
@ Boss: Liar. Everyone who worked with him declared him a magnificent human being. I have never read or heard of a single negative comment about him. And I have known him for 40 years. You have violated a Cardinal comment rule. Lying without offering a Shred of evidence to support your lie.
Disgusting. You are now moderated.
Cheating on your wife, knocking up your mistress, denying paternity.
Your hero, not mine.
Hypocrisy is disgusting.
@ Boss: Before I ban your sorry ass I’m going to reply to your defaming of the dead. Ed Asner had an affair. OMG! No one in the history of the universe has ever had one, right? And he fathered a child out of wedlock. That’s never happened before either, has it.
And he paid off his mistress’ $300K condo mortgage and paid her $2.100 a month child support. And in what way is it nefarious to uphold a commitment to a child you fathered? Oh and while we’re at it let’s add that this child had autism and as a result, Ed became involved in autism charities. Sounds totally evil to me.
Not to mention this happened 35 years ago.
You are despicable. Worse than anything Ed Asner ever did. I will have to fumigate the threads after you leave.
Worse than any moral lapse, Ed Asner was a ‘9/11 Truther’, which means he believed that the United States government murdered 3,000 of her own citizens for profit.
Imagine you lost someone dear on 9/11, and some Hollywood crank is telling you that the departed was murdered by the government.
Where’s the humanity?
And than there’s Mr. Asner’s strident defense of convicted cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal, who was found laying wounded, wearing an empty shoulder holster, Jamal’s pistol with five empty shells, lying next to him and next to the cop he executed, shot five times, once between the eyes.
@ Lyin’ Lion of Zion: When you’re dead I hope every stupid thing you’ve done and said is used to tarnish what little reputation you have left. You’re repulsive and now moderated.
@ Richard
You and Asner are nearly identical. Small wonder you admire him so.
You two both ‘love humanity and hate people’.
Worse, you both think you’re holier than thou, bearing the torch of Truth to enlighten the dark.
What Narcissism and insecurities led you both there?
@ Lyin’ Lion: I’m honored that you placed me in the same company as Ed Asner. Truly honored.
“Hate people?” No. Hate injustice. Hate racism. Hate apartheid. Hate intolerance. All values you represent in spades. It is you who hate people. Love one set of people: Judeo-Supremacists. But hate virtually anyone else who stands in their way.
As for narcissism and insecurities: until you have your psychology degree I’d suggest you hold off on the drugstore analysis. It’s pathetic.
It’s a hallmark of cheap ideologues to insult their target with ad hominem attacks rather than engage in substance–because you have no substance.
Next comment of yours that features b* like this will be your last. Make sure your comments are on topic and deal directly with the post. Taking potshots at me will get you banned in a heartbeat.