“A decade or two ago, rock stars teaming up with a nationwide department store chain to hawk back-to-school clothing would have raised more than a few critical eyebrows and accusations of ‘selling out’.” But this year, the Kohl’s chain is doing just that – “unveiling several brand-new apparel lines inspired – and pitched – by famous musicians, including Lenny Kravitz, Avril Lavigne and Vanessa Carlton.”
Tag: 11.04.08
Merle Haggard Has Malignant Tumor Removed From Lung
“At the insistence of his family and personal physician, Merle Haggard had a cancerous growth removed from his lung Monday at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital [in California].” A growth had been found in the lung last May, but the country music legend had resisted treatment, saying that he doesn’t trust hospitals.
The Limits Of Slander
“A court in Poland ruled on Monday that it was not slanderous to refer to President Lech Kaczynski as a duck.”
Our Favorite Election Counterfactual (So Far)
“Imagine, if you will, that by some fluke, Libertarian candidate Bob Barr ended up president of the United States. What would the next four years look like? Dare we consider such an unlikely possibility? Oh, we dare all right!” An example: “The Revolutionary War-era ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ flag is reinstated as the official banner of the United States. Barr beams with pride as millions, ignoring the flag’s command, unfurl and stomp on it.”
Reflective Reflections On Self-Referentiality
Anthony McGowan gets himself caught in a thought spiral contemplating the implications of such “humourisms” as “Q: What’s brown and sticky? A: A stick” and “There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who do not.”
Evening Standard Awards Feature Battle Of The Heavyweights
The London newspaper’s annual theatre honors are making headlines with the Best Actor category, whose eight finalists include Kevin Spacey, Alan Rickman, Kenneth Branagh and Simon Russell Beale. Other nominees include veteran actresses Margaret Tyzack and Penelope Wilton, the plays Black Watch and Her Naked Skin, and the musicals La Cage aux Folles and Jersey Boys; Rickman lands a second nomination in the Best Director category (for Creditors at the Donmar).
Toronto Film Fest Seeks Angels With C$49M
The Toronto International Film Festival is in the midst of building its new home, the Bell Lightbox complex. But the campaign to fund the place has stalled at C$147 million, about three-quarters of the way to its goal of C$196 million. Having evidently tapped out government and corporate support, TIFF is now seeking private donors.
Celebrating Salonen Online
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is sending off its departing music director with a special microsite (www.celebratesalonen.com) featuring 15 hours of music, 4 hours of audio interviews and 3 hours of video clips (all free and on-demand), as well as an interactive timeline of Esa-Pekka’s 17 years with the Phil.
NY City Ballet Cuts Saratoga Season
“The New York City Ballet will be spending only two weeks at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center next July, instead of the usual three.” The decision was made in response to the current economic turmoil: the company typically loses $1 million on its Saratoga residency.
California’s Opera Pacific Cancels Season, May Disband
“Three days after its final performance of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Santa Ana-based Opera Pacific, [Orange] county’s only major opera company, announced Tuesday that it will cancel the remainder of its 2008-2009 season and will likely close down operations for good.” The lost productions include Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath and Strauss’s Salome starring Deborah Voigt.