Stories

When You Want Entertainment, Go To Streaming, Of Course

But for practical knowledge? Your kids and grandkids know: It’s YouTube. - Slate

Harvey Fierstein On Addiction, Survival, And Kinky Boots

The famous Torch Song Trilogy writer and performer: “I try something new every day, and you can try something new every day. … And some of it’s going to be great and some of it’s going to be terrible. But go out and have fun.” - The Guardian (UK)

As Anyone With Literary Chops Knows, This Is A Big Deal

Haruki Murakami has a new novel coming out, and the narrator is … what? A woman?! - LitHub

How LEGO Became The World’s Most Powerful Art Medium

“Lego’s appeal, represented by its zillions of plastic blocks and many movies and TV series, transcends nations. It is one of the planet’s top-selling toy brands, and the toy’s singular pixelated appearance is instantly recognizable on any screen.” - Salon

What Is Truth?

That, basically, is what’s at stake in the low-grade shots fired (culturally speaking) across the internet about Michael. - Wired

How The Plan To Kill Coyote V. Acme Blew Up In David Zaslav’s Face

“The initial backlash to Cotoye v. Acme being shelved was clearly getting to WBD by November of 2023 when the studio began offering other production houses like Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount (more on this in a bit) the chance to buy the movie’s distribution rights.” - The Verge

Music Biopics Don’t Have To Suck

No matter how much money it makes, Michael won’t be one of the good ones. - The Guardian (UK)

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Is A Bit Weird, Honestly

“Nothing will halt the American addiction to handing out hunks of gilt. For all the supposed independent spirit of the republic, its citizens seem to secretly yearn for the honours system they abandoned in 1776.” - Irish Times

Sure, You Might Be Sick Of Podcasts, But What About These Podcasts About The Music?

That is to say, “classical” music, and they’re not just for noobs - “There’s plenty for experts to enjoy, too, including detailed structural analyses of specific symphonies and the historical context behind them.” - The New York Times

The German Government Really Isn’t Happy About This Guy’s Popular Novella

A fiction author gets a phone call from the government: “Jügler was asked to explain what historical source material he had consulted for Mayfly Season and which period he was planning to tackle in his next book.” - The Guardian (UK)

How Do K-Pop Performers Maintain Their Dance Routines On Four Hours Of Sleep A Night During Tours?

Sure, they’re relatively young, but that doesn’t avoid the energy and kinetic demands of high-energy dance and music performances. The stars “must train to develop stamina and prevent injuries while also maintaining the specific physique that their industry demands.” - The New York Times

Sorry, Emmys, ‘Heated Rivalry’ Can’t Make You Popular Again

“Heated Rivalry became a bona fide great TV show, as worthy of Emmy consideration as shows about emergency medicine and international diplomacy and AI. But we’re not having that conversation for the dumbest of all possible reasons: the rules.” - Vulture

How Are U.S. Libraries Doing Amid Book Bans And Culture Wars?

It’s rough in these reading streets. “Librarians across the country are fighting to maintain students’ access to books and to keep their jobs amid cuts to library programs and persistent efforts to restrict reading materials.” - Salon

Ireland’s Artist Basic Income May Not Account For Artists With Disabilities

“Ó Ceallacháin says many artists with disabilities feel as though they need to “]exist between ‘professional enough’ to be a ‘real’ artist for the Department of Culture and ‘disabled enough’ to receive support from the Department of Social Protection.” - Irish Times

The Next Director Of The Tate Has To Confront An Unwieldy ‘Beast’ Of An Institution

“Visitor numbers have indeed recovered after falling from their peak in 2019, but finances were hit hard during the pandemic. Those financial headwinds have led to multiple rounds of redundancies, restructures and several ‘culture war’ battles.” - The Guardian (UK)

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