Go back to the time when a switch flipped in Tolstoy’s head: “It’s as if Tolstoy woke up in Pushkin-world and put on his own seven-league boots and started striding over the heads of all the other writers.” – LitHub
Blog
Can A Fictional Character Defame A Real Human?
Alan Dershowitz has sued CBS for a”defamatory” comment on the TV show The Good Wife. If the plaintiff were to win his lawsuit, it would be a real problem for TV writers and novelists. CBS’s lawyer: “As one might explain to a small child, the Series, its characters and the things they say are all make-believe. People don’t watch the Series for factual information about Professor Dershowitz or anyone else.” – Washington Post
Six Of Dance Magazine’s Favorite Quarantine Digital Dance Projects
The writer of the piece says, “Limitations foster creativity.” These specific limitations also foster free time to watch other people’s creativity, of course. – Dance Magazine
Zoe Saldana Apologizes For Playing Nina Simone
The Marvel and Star Trek actress, who was heavily criticized for playing the much darker-skinned singer in the 2016 biopic Nina (which has a 2% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whew). Saldana said, “Nina had a life and she had a journey that should have been – and should be – honoured to the most specific detail because she was a specifically detailed individual.” – BBC
Theatre Kind Of Returns With (Of Course) Godspell
At Berkshire Theatre Group’s outdoor production of Godspell, things are different. “For the artists, it’s a brave new world. … They perform six feet apart in the musical about Jesus and his disciples, flanked by plexiglass shields on wheels that protect them and the audience as they sing. For good measure, in their pockets they also have masks, which they put on periodically during the show.” – Los Angeles Times
Trying To Fix A Deeply Flawed Trilogy More Than A Decade After Its Publication
Not that it would be easy to fix the issues with Twilight, but author Stephenie Meyer gives it a try with her newest book. So … how did that work out? Uh: “Meyer seems to think that accountability means addressing how toxic your behavior is and then continuing to do it anyway, but it’s fine now because you know it’s wrong.” – Slate
Can German (Can Any) City Centers Be Saved During The Coronavirus?
Many things have battered the city center over the past two decades. “German mayors have tended to turn to marketing in an effort to attract more people to the city center. With retail moving online, entertainment, cultural events and good food became the primary selling points. And it worked for quite a while.” Then Covid-19 shut it all down. – Der Spiegel
In A Very Abnormal Year, Indigenous Art Persists
Artist Ngarralja Tommy May, a Wangkajunga-Walmajarri artist, has won the major prize at the (streamed) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art awards. Said another winner (for painting), “I love the ability to make sure that people like myself feel included in the visual national identity of Australia.” – The Guardian (UK)
Bon Appetit’s Only Two Black Editorial Staff Members Quit In Continuing Controversy
The Condé Nast food magazine’s missteps around race and representation continue. “The departures came a day after three journalists of color said they would no longer participate in the magazine’s popular video series, citing inequitable pay.” – The New York Times
Warner Henry, 82 – Quintessential LA Classical Music Funder
A central figure in the rise of classical music in the city, Henry supported numerous arts organizations including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera, the Colburn School, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Camerata Pacifica and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. – Los Angeles Times