Koehler on Cinema: The Salinger Spectacle

Film · Ideas & Opinion
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Ever since “The Catcher in the Rye” was published in 1951, America has had a J.D. Salinger problem. It’s partly the author’s own making, but mostly due nation’s relentless quest for the next “Great American Novel,” that always-elusive White Whale of fame, the ultimate American measure of artistic worth. “Catcher” made Salinger famous alright: As ...

Anti-Defamation League auction to combat hate with art

Ideas & Opinion · Visual arts
More than forty Los Angeles artists have volunteered time and their best thinking to produce works of art inspired by the Anti-Defamation League’s centennial theme, Imagine a World Without Hate. The powerful art will be exhibited and auctioned at ArtWorks ADL:  Justice, Advocacy & Art on September 17. The ticketed event is open to those ...

Koehler on Cinema: Elmore Leonard’s True West

Film · Ideas & Opinion
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The sad news of Elmore “Dutch” Leonard’s death this morning has prompted too many news headlines linking him almost equally with his novels and the movies adapted from them—despite the fact that he openly, caustically and hilarious demoted most of the adaptations. Leonard happens to have had several of his books translated to the big ...

Catskills University, educating Jewish comics 2

Film · Ideas & Opinion
Oh pure pleasure to watch these guys — and a few very brave women, Totie Fields and Joan Rivers — spiel, kvetch and kill in WHEN COMEDY WENT TO SCHOOL. A wonderful new documentary opening Friday at Laemmle theaters spools a nostalgic tour of a sweaty swathe of summertime civilization — the erstwhile Borsht Belt, a ...

Jonathan Lynn rules comedy

Ideas & Opinion · Theater
“Laughter is the sound of recognition,” says the author of the book Comedy Rules, Jonathan Lynn. The veteran filmmaker, novelist, screenwriter, and director co-wrote, along with Sir Antony Jay, Yes, Prime Minister, the former hit BBC television series now restaged as theater at the Geffen Playhouse. “When people recognize the truth of something they have ...

welcome to arts•meme’s new look 3

Ideas & Opinion
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We hope our new design enhances your experience reading about arts and opinion at https://artsmeme.com. New features include: cleaner, cooler more contemporary look! “chiclet” navigator of top five featured stories. category menu allows direct access to the story scroll sorted by your favorite subject area, dance, film, music and the like full scroll displays the ...

arts•meme, stripped to skivvies, prepares for new look 2

Film · Ideas & Opinion
We don’t look bad, we just look a bit dated. We’re five years old, after all.That’s why we’ve stripped to skivvies and preparing for a new look-and-feel. Please stand by, your arts blog will soon emerge with colorful and more contemporary design! Coming soon!

Party on, arts·meme people!

Ideas & Opinion · Visual arts
It was an arts lovers Saturday night on LaBrea Avenue. A throng of party people clustered ’round a new exhibition, Francisco Zuniga: A Centenial Tribute, to appreciate the great Mexican artist and to celebrate five years of arts blogging on arts·meme. The party was hosted by Jack Rutberg Fine Arts. View the photos here. Like ...

Happy birthday, arts·meme! The little lady turns five. 2

Ideas & Opinion
We’re positively ancient … five years old … and we’re throwing a swell birthday party. Hope you can come by. The party’s happening at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts on LaBrea Avenue on Saturday, June 1. It’s concurrent to the opening of a wonderful art gallery show, “Francisco Zuniga: A Centennial Tribute.”  In the thanks-and-gratitude department, ...

New York Times honors Jack Cole & dance critic 3

Dance · Film · Ideas & Opinion
It’s a big honor to be recognized in the New York Times. I am awfully proud to receive a shout-out (used to be called a “name mention”) from Dave Kehr, the highly respected film critic. In his weekly New York Times round-up of recently released DVDs, Kehr writes: MEET ME AFTER THE SHOW The choreographer ...