The acerbic critic has been hired to review theatre for Bloomberg.com. He will write a weekly column as well as monthly "think pieces" on the arts for the the politically conservative magazine the Weekly Standard out of Washington, DC. Simon is known equally for his considerable erudition, his longevity as a critic (he is 80) and his vituperative style. His stinging reviews—particularly his sometimes vicious appraisals of performers' physical appearances—have periodically raised calls in the theatre community for his removal.
Simon, who was born in 1925 in the former Yugoslavia, and never lost his Eastern European accent, was educated at Harvard. He began by writing critiques for Commonweal and the Hudson Review. He also reviewed for New York's Channel 13, but was forced out in 1967 because the station considered his notices misanthropic.
His works have been collected in several volumes, including "Uneasy Stages."
