Visitors to the New York burlesque duo’s performances at the Brisbane Festival in Australia last week had to be screened with metal detectors after threats from hard-right Christian groups angry at the show’s title (The Last Supper) and content (which ranges from nude dancing to a schoolgirl-themed skit to a mock crucifixion).
Author: Matthew Westphal
Ayn Rand Vs. The Pygmies: A Battle Over Human Nature (Guess Who Wins)
“By studying the archaeological record as well as modern-day hunter-gatherers, evolutionary scientists have been constructing a record of how our early human ancestors made this journey” – i.e., from “bonobo-like bipeds” to integrated, complex societies. “It is clear that John Galt was not present in our ancestral family tree.”
Landmark Frank Lloyd Wright House In Phoenix Faces Demolition
“It’s hard to say which is more startling. That a developer in Phoenix could threaten – by Thursday, no less – to knock down a 1952 house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Or that the house has until now slipped under the radar, escaping the attention of most architectural historians, even though it is one of Wright’s great works, a spiral home for his son David.”
Broadway Rebecca Is Cancelled, And The Lawyers Get Busy
“A lawyer for the lead producer of the recently canceled Broadway musical Rebecca said on Monday that criminal investigators had interviewed his client, Ben Sprecher, about the murky circumstances surrounding the last-minute loss of $4.5 million in investor financing.” Many other individuals involved in the show have retained attorneys as well.
Penguin Sues Authors For ‘Failure To Deliver’
“Book-publishing giant Penguin Group has filed a dozen lawsuits in the past week against authors who have failed to meet their deadlines, despite being paid big advances. The alleged deadbeat dozen include Prozac Nation author Elizabeth Wurtzel, New Yorker writer Rebecca Mead, Wonkette founder Ana Marie Cox, and Holocaust survivor/tall-tale teller Herman Rosenblat.”
Alberto Vilar Released On Bail Pending Appeal
“Alberto Vilar and Gary Tanaka, the technology investors convicted of stealing from clients in 2008, were ordered released from prison on bail while a federal court considers their appeal.” Vilar was known for his very high-profile financial support of opera as well as other causes, though many of his pledged donations during the ’00s went unfulfilled.
Locked-Out Minnesota Orchestra Players Plan Concert Of Their Own
“With the first six weeks of the fall season canceled and the union locked out in a labor dispute, musicians said Tuesday they are negotiating to stage a concert [independent of management] on Oct. 19,” which would have been opening night of the season.
Beasts of the Southern Wild Cast Ruled Ineligible for SAG Awards
“[The] critically acclaimed indie drama that Fox Searchlight is positioning as a major awards contender, has been ruled ineligible for the Screen Actors Guild Awards because it was not made under the terms of SAG-AFTRA’s Low Budget Feature Agreement, which mandates the use of professional actors.”
Depression – Did It Provide An Evolutionary Advantage?
“As we learn more about the human genome, scientists are finding evidence that while depression seems incredibly maladaptive, it was actually adaptive (helpful) to our ancestors” – by, of all things, enhancing immune response.
Charles Atlas – Four Decades Of Fusing Modern Dance With Film And Video
“Atlas began his pioneering work with dance and video in the 1970s, collaborating with choreographer Merce Cunningham in combining the two.” He made 40 films with Merce, right up to the latter’s death in 2009, and is also known for his work with Michael Clark.