“Miller had felt ‘death was always on her shoulder – always’ … (and) that if he did not ‘take care of her life’ she would come to a ‘catastrophic end’. … ‘As it turned out, it took some years, but it happened. It was beyond my powers or anybody else’s to hold her back.’” - The Guardian
In recent weeks big-name artists including Meghan Trainor, Zayn Malik, Post Malone and the Pussycat Dolls have cancelled performances or entire tours. - The Times (UK)
The second Trump administration’s call for proposals for the Venice Biennale said the American presentation should “reflect and promote American values” and foster “peaceful relations between the United States and other nations.” So how does that bear out in Allen’s US Pavilion? - ARTnews
Right-wing lawmakers have issued a report following a five-month inquiry into the “neutrality, workings and financing” of French public broadcasting. The paper’s recommendations include reducing the overall public broadcasting budget by 25%, merging several major channels, and reducing the sports budget by 33% and the entertainment budget by 75%. - The Guardian
“A publishing house is not meant to be a propaganda machine. It is a place where conflict, doubt and nuance can, and should, coexist. ... Grasset’s authors rarely agreed on much, but as the letter of protest we signed said, we have had — and still have — a common enemy: authoritarianism.” - The New York Times
“With the search for France’s crown jewels still ongoing, … plans are afoot for a new display of Empress Eugénie’s diamond-and-emerald crown. … In time, Christophe Leribault recently (said), the crown Emperor Napoleon III commissioned for his wife will become a new highlight, one only surpassed by the Mona Lisa.” - Artnet
“A small fire broke out Wednesday during the removal of San Francisco's Vaillancourt Fountain, sending flames and dark smoke from a section of the massive concrete sculpture as crews dismantled the controversial artwork at Embarcadero Plaza.” - San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)
This despite the fact that the San Diego County government is facing a budget cliff of its own, just as the city is. - The San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)
“Wearing pink balaclavas, the protesters ran towards the Russian pavilion where they gathered outside and lit pink, blue and yellow flares while playing punk music and shouting slogans, including ‘Blood is Russia’s Art’. At one stage about 40 activists … attempted to enter the Russian pavilion but were pushed back by police.” - The Guardian
“The long-running Broadway hit … will close its doors through May 17 as its theater undergoes repairs. … The blaze, which began May 4 in an electrical room, caused ‘substantial damage’ to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre.” - AP
For many pop concerts in Japan, “fans enter (a lottery) for the chance to buy tickets and can only purchase them in limited quantities if they are selected. … If praying at Fukutoku is believed to work for winning scratch-off lottery tickets, fans hope it might bring luck with concert tickets, too.” - BBC
The 2026 Venice Biennale has experienced waves of uncertainty that have only grown in strength as the public opening of the world’s most prestigious international art exhibition nears on Saturday morning. - The New York Times
The media business is full of big-talking executives. But Turner’s outsized public persona — some called him the “Mouth from the South” for his free-wheeling trash talk — actually matched his influence on news, politics, sports and entertainment in the late 20th century. Over and over again, Turner shook up established industries. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
“Before it was a movie, Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, published by Broadway Books in 2003, marked the absolute high point of that once-ubiquitous genre. … Soon after the success of the novel, chick lit started to fall apart,” with dedicated imprints long since discontinued. - Publishers Weekly
“It doesn’t feel as though we have recovered any meaningful ground since the pandemic, and the fact that venues and their teams remain under such pressure is evident in terms of morale, energy, staff turnover and sector knowledge.” - The Stage
