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Remembering Literary Critic John Carey

Pugnacious, fearless and disdainful of academia’s more pretentious mores, Professor Carey was a paradoxical figure in the British literary establishment for more than half a century. - The New York Times

Tyler Perry Faces Two Sexual Misconduct Lawsuits. Are More Coming? Or Is This All A Swindle?

“The first lawsuit accusing Perry of leveraging his power to sexually assault aspiring male actors in his orbit was filed in June. Another lawsuit was filed Dec. 26, with the entertainment mogul characterizing claims from both of the accusers as a shakedown. But his legal troubles may just be beginning.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Denyce Graves On The Challenges Of Retiring From The Stage

For opera singers, the challenges are unique. I’m going to have to figure out how to deal with giving up a life’s work that has asked for my whole heart all the time. - The New York Times

Béla Tarr, Prizewinning Maker Of Darkly Comic Films, Is Dead At 70

“Tarr became internationally in the ‘90s and ‘00s as his films” — among them Sátántangó and Werckmeister Harmonies — “were shown more widely, partly because of their inordinate length and partly because of what appeared to be his definitive expression of middle-European black-and-white miserablism.” Yet he insisted his movies were comedies. - The Guardian

The Gene Kelly School Of Life

Somehow, these sensations felt deeper, like something dormant awakened: Why the hell was Gene Kelly making me feel so much? - The Atlantic

Francis Patrelle, Champion Of The Story Ballet And Founder Of A New York Dance Company, Has Died At 78

In 1987, the choreographer and ballet teacher “founded Dances Patrelle, for which he created over 50 works, blending dancers from his ensemble with guest performers from prominent companies like the American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet and Dance Theater of Harlem.” - The New York Times

Pamela Colman Smith, The Artist Behind The Bestselling Tarot Deck Of All Time

Perhaps unsuprisingly, The NYT didn’t give Colman Smith an obit when she died in the 20th century. But now: “An occult scholar ... commissioned her to illustrate the tarot deck he was creating in 1909; she was paid a small one-time fee for many months of work and research.” - The New York Times

Actor Miranda Otto On Mistakes And That Scene In Lord Of The Rings

And by “that” scene, we mean the stew scene, of course. - The Guardian (UK)

Victoria Jones, Daughter Of Tommy Lee Jones, Has Died At 34

“Victoria acted as a child opposite her father in Men in Black II in 2002 and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada in 2005.” - Variety

Janet Fish, Dead At 87, Painted Radiant Still Lifes As The Art World Favored Abstraction

“As rendered by Fish, bottles of window-cleaning fluid, jars of honey, plastic-wrapped trays of fruit, and glass vases bursting with flowers appeared to glow from within, conjuring a sense of exuberance and possibility.” - Artforum

In Memoriam: Art World Luminaries We Lost In 2025

Some were giants in their fields, while others have had quieter, less-heralded careers—and some leave behind questionable legacies. - Artnet

Carmen de Lavallade, Pathbreaking Dancer And Choreographer, Has Died At 94

She beguiled audiences for seven decades, toggling between ballet and modern dance, film and television, concert stage and nightclub. Her noble bearing, high cheekbones, sinuous torso and impressive wingspan revealed a wide portfolio of characters experiencing torment or ecstasy. - The Washington Post (MSN)

Cecilia Giménez Zueco, Who Turned An Unremarkable Church Fresco Into “Beast Jesus,” Has Died At 94

In 2012, as an octogenarian artist with failing eyesight, she achieved worldwide (what’s the euphemism we want here?) recognition when her attempt to restore a painting of Christ on a church wall in Spain went awry and then went viral. - Euronews

Beyonce Becomes The Fifth Musician To Become A Millionaire

The pop singer joins her husband, Jay-Z, along with Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna, in the billionaire club. - Variety

Robert Lindsey, Who Wrote The Falcon And The Snowman, Not To Mention Reagan’s And Brando’s ‘Autobiographies,’ Dead At 90

“Combining keen curiosity, dogged investigative skills and a gift for storytelling, he covered Hollywood, … presidential politics (capturing Richard M. Nixon’s first, albeit brief, public remarks after resigning as president) and contentious subjects like the Church of Scientology.” - The New York Times

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