Charles Busch, Theatre’s Drag Diva, Moves Into Cabaret — As Himself, In Men’s Clothes

“As an actor and writer, Busch is among the most prolific and influential drag artists of his generation, giving us memorable women (and men) in solo performance, and in plays and films such as Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Psycho Beach Party, Die Mommie Die and The Divine Sister. … But in cabaret, a form Busch has dipped into at various points with his musical director Tom Judson, he began to question his approach.” — The New York Times

Why The Academy’s Attempt To Shorten The Oscars Telecast Is Wrongheaded (And Probably Futile)

“The Academy’s thinking is that awards for Sound Editing and Documentary Short eat up minutes and help push the show’s barnstorming conclusion — winners in the lead acting, directing, and Best Picture categories — later into the night. But that was also the case when the Oscars’ ratings were high. The Academy Awards are meant to be about more than giving airtime to famous people; they’re fundamentally about recognizing the hard work and magic that goes into every level of filmmaking, from development to postproduction. Instead, the 2019 show is being optimized for a more casual viewing audience that’s been slowly diminishing anyway.” — The Atlantic

How’s MoMA Paying For Its Big Overhaul? $200 Million From David Rockefeller Sure Helps

The gift from Rockefeller’s estate is the largest in the museum’s history. “[His] mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, was one of the founders of MoMA in 1929, and he carried on her legacy, serving as the institution’s chairman and one of its foremost supporters. He was on the museum board from 1948 until his death [in 2017 at age 101].” — Artnet

Izzy Young, Godfather Of Early ’60s Folk Revival, Dead At 90

Young’s Greenwich Village music store, the Folklore Center, “was also equal parts hiring hall; Schwab’s Pharmacy, where young hopefuls awaited discovery; matchbox recital space for organized performances and impromptu jam sessions; nerve center for gossip on a par with any small-town barbershop; and forum for continuing, crackling debate on the all-consuming subject of folk music, which thanks in no small part to Mr. Young was enjoying wide, renewed attention.” — The New York Times

USC Study: Percentage Of Women In The Music Business Hasn’t Improved

The study conducted by Dr. Stacy L. Smith found that the number of women working as artists remained stagnant at 17%. Of songwriters, women represented 12.3% of the credits affiliated with the test group of 100 songs — over half did not feature a single female writer. Among producers, women numbered only 2 percent, in line with the previous year. On a brighter note, representation by people of color was up. – Variety

The New Skinny Super Towers Of Manhattan

Poking up above the Manhattan skyline like etiolated beanpoles, they seem to defy the laws of both gravity and commercial sense. They stand like naked elevator shafts awaiting their floors, raw extrusions of capital piled up until it hits the clouds. These towers are not only the product of advances in construction technology – and a global surfeit of super-rich buyers – but a zoning policy that allows a developer to acquire unused airspace nearby, add it to their own lot, and erect a vast structure without any kind of public review process taking place. – The Guardian

Rules Of The Road For Copy Editors

“There’s nobody I know who does words for a living who doesn’t adhere to certain either odd or essentially irrational preferences or distastes. I think you simply need to sort of contain yourself. Like, pick six things you want to be ridiculously stubborn about, not dozens and dozens and dozens of them. You have to choose your irrational battles.” – NPR