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The Johnny Carson Phenomenon

In our fragmented media landscape, it can be difficult to grasp just how large Carson loomed over the culture. At the center of late-night for 30 years — he presided from 1962 to 1992 — he is the most influential talk-show host of all time, and possibly the most popular figure in the history of television. - The New...

Longtime Chicago Theater Critic Kris Vire Is Dead At 47

"He was part of the founding editorial crew of Time Out Chicago, once a major force in local arts coverage. … Vire stayed with (Time Out) until 2018, then moved on to a busy freelance career, eventually landing at the Tribune-owned Chicago magazine as a freelance arts-and-entertainment editor." - Chicago Tribune (MSN)

Russian Ballet Dancer Critical Of Putin Falls From 5th Floor To His Death

Multiple Vladimir Putin adversaries have died after falling from windows. The term “Sudden Russian Death Syndrome” was born after many notable Russian figureheads who have spoken out against Putin’s reign died in puzzling ways. One of the most common causes of the deaths are window falls. - The Daily Beast

Arthur Frommer, Who Pioneered The Budget Travel Guide, Has Died At 95

Beginning in 1957 with "Europe on $5 a Day," Frommer’s philosophy changed the way Americans traveled abroad. His advice became so standard that it’s hard to remember how radical it seemed in the days before discount flights and backpacks. - AP

Is This America’s Oldest Working Auctioneer? (He’s Certainly One Of The Quirkiest)

Michael R. Corcoran, 96, of Newport, RI, has an inimitable way of "whipping through hundreds of lots while engaging crowds with a blend of repartee, potted histories, antiquarian acumen and name-dropping with the subtlety of an anvil being shoved off a roof." - The New York Times

Timothy West, Icon Of British Stage And Television, Is Dead At 90

"(He) brought a commanding presence to historical figures like Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and King Edward VII, and to notables of classic theater like King Lear, Macbeth and Willy Loman. He was perhaps best known to American audiences for his performances in British television imports." - The New York Times

Lou Donaldson, Master Jazz Saxophonist And Walking History Lesson, Has Died At 98

"An alto saxophonist with a supple, earthy style, (he) was a key figure in the development of three styles of jazz" — bebop, hard bop, and soul jazz — "from the 1940s to the 1960s and sustained a career for almost seven decades." - The Washington Post (MSN)

Painter Frank Auerbach, 93

The child of Auschwitz victims, he was sent to Britain by the Kindertransport project and studied in London. After years of hardship, he got a major solo show in 1978, won the Golden Lion at the 1986 Venice Biennale and became one of his generation's leading painters. - The Guardian

When Garfunkel And Simon Met Up A Few Weeks Ago, For Lunch

“Paul mentioned an old interview where I said some stuff. I cried when he told me how much I had hurt him. Looking back, I guess I wanted to shake up the nice guy image of Simon & Garfunkel. Y’know what? I was a fool!” - The Sunday Times (UK)

A Tribute To Author Dorothy Allison, Dead At 75

Allison, author most famously of Bastard Out of Carolina, “taught the world about Southern and queer identity, abuse and feminism. She was a trailblazer, known for weaving the written word into powerful lessons that proved that we are not defined by where we come from.” - Deep South Magazine

Tony Todd, Actor In Many Movies But Was Best Known For Being The Candyman, Has Died At 69

His manager said that the actor - who worked consistently across TV, video games, and movies, but whose first love was theatre - “gave his time and resources to aspiring actors, consistently advocating for greater representation and authenticity within the industry.” - The New York Times

Udo Kier, German Actor And Cult Favorite, Is Basking On His 80th Birthday

Kier has worked with Andy Warhol, Lars von Trier, Madonna, Gus van Sant, Rainer Maria Fassbinder - and nearly everyone else. "Of his work, he estimates ‘100 movies are bad, 50 movies you can see with a glass of wine and 50 movies are good.’”  - Variety

Judith Jameson, Who Danced With Ailey And Later Led The Company Out Of Debt, Has Died At 81

"She was a performer of great intelligence, warmth and wit” who became an international star, and later built the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater "into the most successful modern dance company in the country.” - The New York Times

King Tut’s Iconic Funerary Mask Was Probably First Made For Someone Else, Say Researchers

How could anyone tell this after all this time? The answer, say Egyptologists at the University of York, has been right in front of us. It's all about the ears. - Artnet

How Quincy Jones Became The Ultimate Artistic Collaborator

Even when letting a singer loose, he knew that rhythm would always end up having its say. - The New Yorker

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