"American-style comedy clubs ... barely existed in France before the 21st century. ... At (several) venues ..., all opened within the past three years, there wasn't a free table in sight. And the crowd was exactly the kind of 'new audience' so many theaters desperately seek to attract." - The New York Times
Numerous broadcast channels in Latin America have been airing excerpts of audio recordings, obtained by wiretap, that include the voice of a man whom authorities claim is Domingo making plans with members of the alleged criminal ring. - NPR
"We have conceded moral authority to howling mobs, and the louder the howls, the more we have agreed that the howls were worth heeding. ... (Today) nobody would publish (The Satanic Verses), because sensitivity readers would notice the theological delicacy of the book's title and plot." - MSN (The Atlantic)
In recent months, the marquee releases from the Hindi-language film industry in Mumbai have been earning much less than they cost to make. Why? Part of it is the slow return of audiences post-lockdown; perhaps more of it is that this year's hottest movies come from South India's studios. - Variety
With its freestyle form and openness to incorporating almost any movement style — from tap to voguing to capoeira to jacking — house dance has flexibility and what economists might call low barriers to entry, so it easily brings people together, especially at protests and other such public gatherings. - The Guardian
The argument is not about pristine whiteness or the purity of uncolored marble: scholars have known ancient Greek statuary was originally painted for over a century. At issue is the particular approach used by the archaeologists behind this exhibit and the flat visual affect that results. - The New York Times
Rem Wransky had completed her transition when she became the orchestra's web developer in April 2021, but she developed some physically painful complications which, her doctors say, require surgery. The orchestra's insurance coverage specifically excludes gender transition care, a fact management claims it was unaware of. - The Buckeye Flame (Ohio)
Co-artistic directors and spouses Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky are coming from Trinity Rep in Providence, where they were, respectively, associate artistic director and director of new play development. "They have a unique skill set," says PTC's board chair, "with Taibi's directing skills, and Tyler's organizational skills." - The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Now the staff of the Michigan library is considering ways to use the object to examine the methods and motivations behind forgeries, potentially making it the centerpiece of a future exhibit or symposium. 'The forgery is a really good one,' said (the university's dean of libraries)." - The New York Times
For academics, the uncooked contents of the notebooks represent some of the liveliest writing in biology. “A lot of Darwin’s prose feels quite Victorian. But these are different: an early form of stream of consciousness; like Leopold Bloom on steroids.” - The New Yorker
Attention is finite, the record of how we spend it public, and it is easy enough to check if somebody who tweets every day about Ukraine has ever tweeted about Yemen. Many people are inclined to give somebody they trust a pass. - Hedgehog Review
The spectacle has been curiously entertaining. Publishing executives have had to initiate federal employees into a dialect of “backlists,” “advance copies,” and “BookTok influencers.” Onlookers have been treated to piquant performances. - The New Yorker
But ads are coming back because streamers have more info about our consumption habits than the cable companies or networks ever did, so the ads are more valuable than ever. Plus, there’s no skipping ads via DVR when you’re streaming on Hulu et al. - The Bulwark
“The mood music seemed that ‘leisure’ activities had to be jettisoned due to the already felt increased cost of fuel/food, and there was a palpable anxiety about how much more expensive life may yet become and for how long the cost-of-living pressures would be felt.” - The Guardian
"Before West hit the big-screen, she was prosecuted for staging not one, but two scandalous plays. In this episode of Decoder Ring, we look at how West honed her persona when she was under the bright lights of Broadway and the flashbulbs of the tabloids — and briefly behind bars." - Slate
