Stressed by prestige TV on streaming networks? Hey, here’s the solution: Just go with the networks. “It’s a soft parade of uniformly telegenic people in clothes that always fit perfectly, bantering like aliens who grew up watching only Friends and ER. Nothing bad can happen to me while these sitcoms and dramas are on, twirling through the latest iteration of an ancient dance. Everything is alright, and if it’s not, it’s surely headed for a quick resolution.” – Fast Company
Tag: 02.28.20
Lee Phillip Bell, Journalist Who Co-Created ‘The Young And The Restless,’ Has Died At 91
Hall and her husband created two mainstays of daytime TV – the soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. Yes, many people laugh at them, “the dramas have attracted millions of viewers while tackling difficult topics like incest, alcoholism and teen pregnancy.” – The New York Times
Indian Artists Drops Lawsuit Against MeToo Instagram Account
The whistleblower account Scene and Herd took down its 2018 posts accusing artist Subodh Gupta of sexual harassment, and the courts in Delhi allowed the creators to remain anonymous. – Hyperallergic
This Land Is Only Made For Woody Guthrie’s Descendants, Apparently
Though it might seem like common sense that, like “Happy Birthday,” the iconic Woody Guthrie song “This Land Is Your Land” should come out of copyright anytime now, that’s not what a recent court case decided – and not what his daughter wants. Nora Guthrie says this is about more than money; keeping it in copyright “allowed the song’s message of inclusion to be protected from abuse and political jingoism.” – The New York Times
A New Opera In LA Shows The Area’s Rich And Tragic History
MacArthur winner Yuval Sharon says it’s time for opera to reckon with the past. “Sweet Land has been described by its creators as ‘an opera that erases itself.’ It achieves an effect not unlike that of traveling back in time to witness the first Thanksgiving, then returning to the present to hear its story warped through the traditional, wholesome retelling.” – The New York Times
Musicians Talk Horror-Airline Stories
“You can have a bad experience whether flying with it in your hand or freighting. I’ve seen a forklift go right through a guitar case before. Airlines should be as explicit as possible on their websites about their policies. But if you’re not a platinum member, don’t expect any special treatment.” – Los Angeles Times
How Coronavirus Is Affecting The Entertainment Industry
Theaters in China, the world’s second largest box office market behind the U.S. and Canada, have almost entirely shut down. So have theme parks and film shoots. Travel bans meant to curb the global spread of the virus have affected business conferences and live events, such as concerts. – Los Angeles Times
She’s Been Dead For 45 Years And She’s Still The Arab World’s Favorite Star
“There is no western counterpart to Umm Kulthum, no artist as respected and beloved as she is in the Arab world.” She sang everything from the most complex classical Arabic music to nationalist hymns; her sold-out performances ran for five hours or more; her monthly live concert broadcasts had entire nations glued to their radios. (It was said that Umm Kulthum was the only thing that unified the Arab world.) You still hear her voice in cafes and taxis throughout the Middle East and the Arab diaspora. And she lived an extremely unusual life for a woman of her time and place. – The Guardian
Brooklyn Public Library And Brooklyn Historical Society Merge
Under the plan, which was approved this week by the boards of both organizations, the library — the nation’s fifth largest — will become the parent institute of the historical society. The society will remain in its landmark 1881 building in Brooklyn Heights, which houses nearly 100,000 books, manuscripts, photographs, maps and other rare items dating to the 17th century. – The New York Times