‘America’s Fright Factory!’ Epi 2: Mrs. McGreevy
WELCOME BACKto“AMERICA’S FRIGHT FACTORY!” ANNOUNCER: And now it’s back to “AMERICA’S FRIGHT FACTORY!” [Canned applause and whistles as the camera pans across to empty space, and then down to where a gray-haired old woman sits in her wheelchair, her knees covered with a plaid wool blanket.] RIBEYE: Welcome to “America’s Fright Factory!” Mrs. McGreevy! McGREEVY: ...
‘Mea culpa,’ says Yuval Sharon of ‘The Industry’ 4
In an act of public self-berating right out of the Chinese Communist Party ‘Cultural Revolution’ playbook, Yuval Sharon, the wunderkind MacArthur ‘Genius’ Award-winning director of the Los Angeles on-site opera troupe, ‘The Industry,’ has shared a decision. After weeks of pondering the weighty issues of American racism and police brutality (as are we all), he ...
‘America’s Fright Factory!’ Episode 1: Tiffany 1
Ed. note: Netflix has nothing on us. We have streaming serialized television ‘content’ too! We are pleased to present author Robert Johnson’s latest script for his new (ahem, his first) hit series … we’re publishing it in three parts. First episode here! WELCOME TO ‘AMERICA’S FRIGHT FACTORY!’ Today’s premiere episode is hosted by world-renowned survival ...
Social distancing — from John Wayne
When film historian Scott Eyman published his comprehensive biography, John Wayne: The Life & Legend, in 2014, John Wayne, who died in 1979, was long since a controversial figure — and a polarizing one. But surely never in Eyman’s imagination could he predict that six years hence, the Democratic Party of Orange County, California, would ...
In defense of John Wayne … a statement from his son
ed note: Among the many jolting erasures of our time, a call has arisen to revert John Wayne Airport, named in 1979 in honor of the movie star, to its original name Orange County Airport. We are pleased to publish these words written by Wayne’s son Ethan. John Wayne was not a racist. That term ...
arts·meme reveals all at age twelve
At twelve, she’s a little lady. A proper one. But sometimes she lets it all hang out — just like Tamara Toumanova in this photo with bad boy Danny Kaye. arts·meme is getting up there in the pre-teen category. Twelve years old today ~ May 24, 2020! Please have fun with our annual birthday posts. ...
‘Content’ is such an ugly word for the arts 11
Everyone is doing the best they can in a pandemic. But will the rush to provide online content serve dance well over time? Pictured: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in ‘Revelations’ photo credit Paul Kolnik In olden days, two months ago, we attended live performances — dance, theater, and music. Along with movie screenings, that ...
Enjoy nature. Read a book. Do nothing.
Apr
12
2020
April 12, 2020Dear artsmeme people! No long letter. No links. No pushing to you to look at this or look at that. You can do as you wish. But since we cover primarily the live performing arts, which are on hiatus, we’re going with that flow for now. It’s a first time in our 11-year ...
On Super Tuesday: ‘For the People’ movie marathon
Heck, we go to the movies all year round. We go on Tuesday, bluesday; we go any day. But a special free-to-the-people invitation to activist/feminist/film director-producer Ava DuVernay‘s cool screening room and production digs in Echo Park gets our interest. Ms. DuVernay is offering, free to the public (ahem, after you vote, guys!), a “For ...
An Oscar cookie for the New York dance world
Strike a dance pose! cried the photographer, and the critics complied. Contrary to popular belief, when artsmeme is not excavating the coal mines of library archives for factoids to tickle your fancy, or cajoling you to attend the latest cool performance, she has a social life! This gathering on Oscar Sunday in New York included ...