kindhearted

Howard has typically seemed a kindhearted humanist, so to see him make something with such nihilistic pessimism about the very core of human nature — that we’re all terrible and capable of truly wicked things — is perhaps the biggest twist of all.

“Everyone will say he was kindhearted and generous and supportive, a person of integrity, a hard worker,” said Simon Li, a former editor at The Times who worked with Holley on the foreign desk.

So would Emerson want to play someone kindhearted for a change?

“A cousin of mine taught a girl to spin straw into gold once, if she would give up her firstborn child. The girl agreed at first, then reneged on the deal—typical human. Being the kindhearted imp my cousin was, he agreed to one of your foolish contests. If she could but guess his name, he’d let her keep her gold and her child. The girl cheated, of course, as you people always do, and won.”

Not a lot of Lincoln Center Theater shows call for setting the preperformance mood with the Grateful Dead, but when “Uncle John’s Band” came over the speakers the other evening before the Bengsons took the stage, it was such an ideal match for their crunchy, mellow, kindhearted, folk-rock vibe that I had to smile.