That Time Mary McCarthy Got Off 1 Good Zinger About Lillian Hellman

When Mary McCarthy said of Lillian Hellman, "Every word she writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the,'" Lillian Hellman laughed. Then she sued McCarthy for $2.2 million.

But that wasn't the end of it. This tossed off zinger on The Dick Cavett Show has resulted in a Broadway play with music, another stage play, and enough articles and think pieces to constitute a content farm. What is it about this lawsuit and these two writers that fascinates people more than 40 years later? Why are we still talking about Hellman v. McCarthy?

Well, because it's a damn good line for one. But as Mark points out this week, there's a lot that one can bring to this feud. And everyone has.

Logo: Jessica Balaschak

Music: Caveman of Los Angeles by Party Store Music