well, what do you talk about?

Husband: New Smithsonian’s on the table. Seems they finally made a decision.

Wife: About what?

Husband: Well, y’know how it used to be just Village and Caecilia – Village for text and Caecilia for captions. And then they put Helvetica on the cover that month, and then Relay, and then Hoefler Text. Really screwed around....

Wife: Well, what are they using now?

Husband: Been completely Hoeflerized. Or make that Hoefler-Frere-Jonesed. Here – the new AD proclaims, “I am a fan of classic, clean typefaces,” but he doesn’t mention them or their designers by name. Typical.

Wife: Hoeflerized...? Is that a bad thing?

Husband. Good God, look at this. Once again – fake small caps and no ligatures.... What’s so frickin’ hard about ligatures?

Wife: That's your business, dear. But again, this “Hoeflerization” – is this a bad thing?

Husband: Well...not in the case of the sans – Gotham. Apparently a distinctly “American” face. When Tobias spoke at the Walker, he talked about wandering around New York City and taking pictures of signage, and then basing a face on the letters he saw. He said it was like birdwatching, and then Jonathan added, “but less geeky.”

Wife: Hmmm...maybe more geeky. But what about the other font? Why isn’t it American? Anyway, there is no “American style” of typography yet, is there?

Husband: It’s just sooo European....

Wife: Well isn’t Hoefler American? That should be close enough....

Husband: They’re using Hoefler Text, which looks kinda like a cross between Caslon and Janson. Or Kis – I guess we’re supposed to be calling it Kis. “Commerce has no conscience,” after all.

Wife: Thanks Bob. So why isn’t that appropriate for Smithsonian?

Husband: Shouldn’t Smithsonian in this new millennium be forward-thinking, forward-looking? Why regress to a European, 18th century look? Why couldn’t they have called Font Bureau and just ordered up something new like everyone else seems to do?

Wife: But isn’t Smithsonian about the American heritage, which essentially began in the 18th century? And isn’t it often about the world’s heritage? What could be more appropriate for Smithsonian in the new millennium than a relatively new typeface by a young American designer? Besides, James Smithson was of European heritage – I don’t know much about his motives and methods, but The Smithsonian is a museum of America in all of its times and forms in the context of the rest of the world. I can understand your point, but I don’t see how it’s a bad choice. If Hoefler developed a typeface that captures the essence of Smithson’s original intent, then jeez, quit bitchin’ about it and go with it. (Flipping thru magazine) I mean, look, it’s beautiful. Lately, the articles have been kinda sucky, though. They should be writing pieces on the sort of thing Martha is writing about.

Husband: You mean like, “The integral role of matching blue enamelware in the explorations of Lewis and Clark,” brought to you by the Hoefler Type Foundry and Smithsonian?

Wife: Don’t be an ass. That’s not what I meant and you know it.

Husband: Good thing we get both magazines....

27-December 2002