What's Eating Roger Ebert?

I grew up watching Siskel & Ebert back in the days when it was one of the few spots on television where you could see two educated adults argue passionately about film.

Gene Siskel, of course, has a posse.

And the big, abominable "C" has robbed Roger Ebert of the ability to speak, eat and drink.

So, what's he doing?

Blogging and Twittering like there's no tomorrow...

Ebert on his inability to eat and drink.

So that's what's sad about not eating. The loss of dining, not the loss of food... The food and drink I can do without easily. The jokes, gossip, laughs, arguments and shared memories I miss. Sentences beginning with the words, "Remember that time?" I ran in crowds where anyone was likely to break out in a poetry recitation at any time. Me too. But not me anymore. So yes, it's sad. Maybe that's why I enjoy this blog. You don't realize it, but we're at dinner right now.

Ebert on his quest to find a suitable electronic speaking voice.

Computers can do just about everything these days, from running airplanes to carrying out labyrinthine mathematical calculations. It would seem to be such a simple thing I am asking. I would like a computer to provide me with my own voice. Many people have suggested this: "Why don't you get someone to take tapes of your speaking voice and create a voice you can use with your computer?" They make it sound so simple. They look like they've had a brilliant idea. But it is not so simple...

Ebert on on reading his reader's blogs.

One of my favorite pastimes, especially when I should be doing something else, is moseying around the blogs of my readers...