In its second to last year in Park City, Utah, “it was hard to escape the specter of those difficult times,” including - of course - the fires in Los Angeles. - Washington Post
The “French musical about a Mexican drug trafficker who transitions and leaves behind a life of violence has generated a wave of controversy,” but stars Selena Gomez and Édgar Ramírez say it’s not a political film. - El País
Davis and his brother Dale opened the first Black-owned gallery in Los Angeles, “showing and selling works from Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden, Betye Saar, Jacob Lawrence, Ruth Waddy, Doyle Lane, Charles White, John Outterbridge, and Noah Purifoy.” - Hyperallergic
It hasn’t been so hard for Irish writer Colin Barrett. “It was very rewarding in the end. And, immediately, another idea that definitely is a novel and not a short story suggested itself” - set in County Mayo, of course, which Barrett says “is still juicy.” - The Guardian (UK)
“Hell’s Kitchen, a coming-of-age show inspired by the adolescent experiences of Alicia Keys and fueled by her music, won a Grammy Award on Sunday for best musical theater album.” Keys is composer and lyricist for the songs on the album. - The New York Times
“People can manipulate what we see on social media, and ... this case will only make it easier for publicists to monopolize fandom tactics to hate women online.” - Slate
“There is nothing more irritating to enthusiasts than when the mainstream tries to portray their niche world and gets it wrong. And The Brutalist gets an awful lot wrong.” - The Guardian (UK)
Living the dream: A head security officer, “who is the only woman to have been appointed to this high-level position at the Centre Pompidou and whom everyone affectionately calls ‘Tinker Bell,’ would accompany me for the duration of the stay, guiding me into any room of my choosing.” - ARTNews
“Dillon won the coveted O. Henry Award five times for her stories, but she devoted most of her writing career to the Bowleses — especially Jane, the neglected wife of the much better known Paul.” - The New York Times
After winning an award, Cage said, “I am a big believer in not letting robots dream for us. Robots cannot reflect the human condition for us. That is a dead end.” - Variety
"Previously a classical pianist, singer and orchestral clarinetist, started acting in high school productions and began her TV career at 17 on an Australian kids’ show.” Then came Mythic Quest. - The New York Times
"How horrifying will this monster turn out to be? And how can the characters defend themselves against it unless they accept it’s there? The stubborn rationalists never fare well.” - LitHub
Gabriela Ortiz’s Ortiz: Revolucion Diamantina, played by the LA Phil with Gustavo Dudamel as conductor, won a lot of those gold Victrolas. Other winners: Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, and some surprises. - Los Angeles Times
“The whole subversion of the epic form is very important to me. Because I don’t think people think of their lives in terms of a continuous or coherent narrative. I think we experience life in a very fragmented way.” - The Guardian (UK)
