In Britain, after December 31st, MTV will be no more - for the most part. “The flagship channel, MTV HD, will remain on air, showing reality series including Naked Dating UK and Geordie Shore.” - BBC
As the developer mulls a gubernatorial run, Carolina Miranda has some thoughts. “These places are rigidly controlled simulacra. … Collectively, these cloyingly tantalizing spaces offer an insightful read on his vision for real cities and the political points he likes to make about them.” - New York Review of Architecture
The ubiquity of the flag is down to anime, you see. Specifically, young people waving the flag from Nepal to Madagascar to the Philippines - and even to the U.S. - are referencing the show One Piece. - NPR
“In the long, ignominious history of American book banning, portrayals of sex have been cited again and again as beyond the pale for schools and libraries, but in recent years the list of forbidden topics has grown.” - The Atlantic
Sure, McCarthyism mostly ended (until, well, now) in the late 1950s, but in the 1980s, Madonna and Prince scared some adults so much that they got funding from Coors Beer and the Beach Boys, and went after popular musicians. - The Guardian (UK)
One artist who removed his music: “Spotify is going to have to make Herculean efforts to roll back tons of damaging choices they’ve introduced to their platform over the years. I don’t see that happening.” - The Verge (Archive Today)
“For theatre to remain ambitious, kinetic, and meaningful, we can’t let institutional constraints like funding models or planning cycles become barriers to fresh perspectives, and I can’t allow my personal preferences to overrule or narrow the choices of the many artistic directors who produce in our venue.” - American Theatre
“The air is getting chilly, the leaves are starting to turn, and Oscar geeks are analyzing the buzz out of Venice, Telluride, and Toronto like tea leaves at the bottom of a mug.” - Vulture (MSN)
“Sinclair and Nexstar may be potent media players, but they would have run into serious problems if they had preempted Kimmel’s show for an extended period of time.” Also, there’s Monday Night Football. - The Atlantic
Those who love books in this rough time should probably do a little more to keep the literary community going. For instance: “Give yourself permission to enjoy things. And remember that being earnest is best.” - LitHub
Kiss the ring. Be a “Kremlin star.” Or face life without a broadcast deal (which, let’s face it, is the common fate of most artists in any case). - The New York Times
The internet is going so well. “The images were all of schoolgirls in short skirts with either bare legs or stockings. … Meta, the $2tn (£1.5tn) company based in Menlo Park, California, said the images did not violate its policies.” - The Guardian (UK)
