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This Issue 02/16/2006

Also in this issue

• Word on the street: Izah raps with Rza
• Drew carey is a four-eyed beast
• A cart of one's own
• Falafel fanatic
• Almost Stars

Two years ago, when Amy Gutmann was announced as the new Penn President, Street had some unsavory words for J-Ro's successor -- including an acronym starting with an "M" and ending with an "I.L.F." After Street's "overenthusiastic" welcome, the President secluded herself in the West Wing of Eisenlohr (her Walnut abode), shriveling at the prospect of meeting, face-to-face, with Street.

Two years later, armed with a flexible elephant metaphor (see next page), "her eminence" has forgiven Street's past transgressions and has finally put all of her cards on the table. Her slew of one-word answers reveal the Gutmann we've all be waiting for. Whether it's her radical aesthetics (should art be beautiful? HELLS NO) or her self-identification with the gazelle, Amy Gutmann is more than just Penn's hot mom.

Street: We were wondering, since we've never talked to you on behalf of the magazine before, what your impressions of Street were. Do you think it's funny, informative, tasteless or some combination?

Amy Gutmann: All of the above. You once called me hot.

Street: Really?

AG: Yes.

Street: Me personally?

AG: No, not that I know. I don't know that it was you personally.

Street: No, I don't recall that. It was informative, though, not tasteless.

AG: Right ... tasteless.

Street: OK, so here's the question that we think everyone wants to know. What's your preferred nickname: the "Gut," "Gut Gut," "Gutmann," "Guteraminus," "El Presidente," or nothing?

AG: How about "her eminence?"

Street: "Her eminence?" OK. So could you say that all those other ones can go to the gutter, maybe?

AG: You could say that, you could say that.

Street: I can say that, no one else though. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

AG: Oh, that's easy, a gazelle.

Street: A gazelle? Amazing!

AG: Sleek, graceful, quick.

Street: OK --

AG: Smart.

Street: This is important. Did you think that the "snozberries tasted like snozberries?" Your Halloween party was the BEST EVER. How will you follow up next year?

AG: Oh, thank you. I appreciate that, but it's classified information.

Street: Aww, we figured, but thought we'd give it a try. How about this: who would play you in a made-for-TV movie on Lifetime?

AG: [pause] one of the Desperate Housewives.

ISSUES

Street: Should we move onto the actual issues?

AG: [hysterical laughter] Ooo, now we're getting really serious! Really serious.

Street: OK, here we go. What is your take on "Plateau2005" by Andrea Blum?

AG: [laughs] I'm glad it's complete, and I think it will work just fine.

Street: And as a follow-up, do you think that art has to beautiful?

AG: No.

Street: OK, neither do we...