# Would you rather spend an evening with Frank Sinatra or Harlan Ellison? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898 "2018-09-25T16:53:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/1 "2018-09-25T16:53:09Z")
First one who points out that they are both dead loses the internet for life. Everything I’ve read of them and everything I’ve seen of them in interviews makes me think I’d enjoy an evening with The Chairman of the Board. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/2 "2018-09-25T16:58:02Z")
Ellison, so I could ask him who he was. Now that I’ve googled him, I still think I’d go with Ellison. Sounds interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/3 "2018-09-25T17:00:24Z")
Definitely Ellison. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/4 "2018-09-25T17:01:00Z")
Ellison. Dangerous Dining. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/5 "2018-09-25T17:09:14Z")
Can I go with Phil Hartman’s version of Frank Sinatra? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ecks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ecks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ecks)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/6 "2018-09-25T17:19:47Z")
Is everyone familiar with the story about the time they met? > **[Frank Sinatra Has a Cold](https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a638/frank-sinatra-has-a-cold-gay-talese/)** > > The defining piece of journalism about Frank Sinatra, and one of the most celebrated magazine stories ever published. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/7 "2018-09-25T17:20:54Z")
Ellison, by a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/8 "2018-09-25T17:35:26Z")
I can’t have both, and Harlan wearing boots? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/9 "2018-09-25T17:41:26Z")
Stay home and soak my feet. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/10 "2018-09-25T17:43:35Z")
Is Frank going to sing, or are we just chatting? If he’s singing, Frank. If it’s just conversation, Ellison. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/11 "2018-09-25T17:53:52Z")
I’m not very familiar with Ellison. I just read his Wikipedia page, and it seems he was a fascinating person, and probably someone I’d have liked to know. But we’re talking just one night here? Sinatra, hands down. Preferably in Vegas during the RatPack era. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/12 "2018-09-25T17:56:29Z")
Sinatra. I’ve spent an evening with Harlan before. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/13 "2018-09-25T18:00:29Z")
I would be somewhat afraid to engage Ellison in conversation, so I’m gonna have to go with Sinatra. I imagine it would probably be a much more relaxed and congenial experience. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/14 "2018-09-25T18:01:14Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Sinatra. I’ve spent an evening with Harlan before. 😃 Ditto. Not something I’d want to do again. Can I get Frankie to punch somebody? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/15 "2018-09-25T18:03:48Z")
I like both of their works. But from everything I’ve heard, both were pretty bad people to be around. I guess if I had to spend an evening with one of them, I’d pick Sinatra. He at least seemed to know how to enjoy himself even if he preferred to surround himself with sycophants. With Ellison, I’d probably end up listening to him complain for a couple of hours. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/16 "2018-09-25T18:13:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I guess if I had to spend an evening with one of them, I’d pick Sinatra. He at least seemed to know how to enjoy himself even if he preferred to surround himself with sycophants. With Ellison, I’d probably end up listening to him complain for a couple of hours. I understand Ellison good be pretty gracious in some social settings. And he could be funny, which goes a long way. Sinatra could apparently turn into an abusive jerk at the drop of waiter’s water glass. Also I feel Ellison in a foul mood might be more creative with his insults :p. I’d probably go with Ellison. Decades in civil service has inured me to constant bitching about life ;). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/17 "2018-09-25T18:25:17Z")
For my own part, Sinatra has brought me vastly greater pleasure in life than has Ellison. I listen to the Sinatra channel on Sirius daily. I couldn’t tell you the last time I revisited anything by Ellison. Further, a night out with Sinatra holds the promise of meeting other members of The Rat Pack. A night out with Ellison holds, maybe, meeting other writers about whom I don’t give a shit or maybe big time fans who organize conventions, about whom I also don’t give a shit. Both had enormous egos. sinatra tended to think of himself as the most important guy in the room. Ellison tended to think of himself as the smartest guy in the room. I find the former easier to tolerate. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/18 "2018-09-25T18:38:28Z")
Ellison. We have far more in common, and his reputation is exaggerated. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/19 "2018-09-25T18:47:07Z")
I’d take Ellison over Sinatra. At least with the former, I wouldn’t be at risk of ending up in a hole in the desert if I inadvertently said the wrong thing. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898/20 "2018-09-25T18:48:43Z")
‘Ol’ blue eyes’ for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-spend-an-evening-with-frank-sinatra-or-harlan-ellison/821898.md?page=2)