Remembering Václav Havel

Dissidents and Dictators

Dec. 18 marks the anniversary of the death of dissident, playwright, and first democratically elected president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel. Elisha and Casey discuss his life and legacy, the role he played in Elisha's formative years, and the prize the Human Rights Foundation created in his honor. In lighter topics of discussion, Casey and Elisha talk about the office holiday party, Casey's impeccable—read joyfully terrible—rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain," and somehow the 90s sitcom "Home Improvement." To learn more about the Havel Prize for creative dissent: https://hrf.org/havel-prize/ To learn more about the 2023 Havel Prize laureates: https://hrf.org/announcing-the-2023-havel-prize-laureates/ To read David Remnick's article in the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/02/17/exit-havel To read Vaclav Havel's "The Power of the Powerless": https://hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/the-power-of-the-powerless-vaclav-havel-2011-12-23