“Entertainment gets a bad rap as diversionary distraction, a shallow Pied Piper ostensibly leading us away from the serious things in life. But try telling that to Shakespeare or Bernini, who managed to make extremely entertaining art. Entertainment’s dual responsibilities are to hold interest and give pleasure. Why this should be considered a minor achievement is anybody’s guess – especially for art – although American Puritanism is one likely culprit. But art is not brain surgery, nor the answer to perennial problems like war or world hunger.” – Los Angeles Times
Tag: 05.28.00
HAMMERLOCKS GET RATINGS
Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura meets with students and talks about his veto of a bill awarding Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theatre money for a new home. “You can talk all you want, but can the Guthrie get the ratings that wrestling gets? Because ratings transfer to money. You can put the Guthrie on TV, and if nobody watches it, no advertisers are going to pay to see it. People watch wrestling.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press