Ellen Goldensohn

Ellen was the editor of Natural History magazine back when it used to be done inside the Museum and I used to work on it part-time. We've stayed friends, I guess because she likes liberals. Her husband was a Communist union leader back in the day.

Ellen has an adopted son who has developmental disabilities, and I draw with him, which I guess seems to help him. Mostly, we like hanging out, the drawing is almost secondary. Ellen's giant cat is named Baby and when I leave her place, I'm covered in Baby hair each time. He's desperate for love, cannot get enough, and he cries like a little kitten with a squeaky voice. I think he thinks he's still a kitten.

Ellen's apartment is one she moved into in the 1970's as the band Sha Na Na were moving out! They had just gotten their TV gig, but up till then they all shared this place. It's pretty big, with lots of smallish rooms. Apparently, Sha Na Na themselves built some of the walls, to make larger rooms into smaller ones and provide them with more privacy while they bunked together.

Recently, Ellen's been busy at the hospital because her nephew had an accident in Central Park that made the papers. So it seems like a good enough time to give Ellen today's Peter's Choice Award.