An author called Demetrious Polychron wrote and self-published a "pitch-perfect" (his word) sequel titled The Fellowship of the King. Then he sued Tolkien's estate and Amazon, claiming the streaming series The Rings of Power infringed his copyright. Oh, goodness, did that backfire … - The Washington Post (MSN)
A.I. fans argue that if artists ignore ethical questions and embrace A.I., we could produce more. “A.I. could help you write 100 books in a year!” they say. My question is always: Will A.I. produce 100 times as many readers? - The New Republic
Our Life In Art, by playwright Richard Nelson (the "Rhinebeck Panorama" cycle), is about the 1923 U.S. tour by Stanislavsky's Moscow Art Theater. The director of today's Moscow Art Theater was set to stage the piece — until Russia invaded Ukraine. - The New York Times
Modern fandom online is a vast and varied place, and some of its practices are shaped by the platforms where fan communities gather. On TikTok, fans might make videos they hope will reach millions of eyes, while closed spaces such as Discord might only reach a dozen intensely interested people. - Atlas Obscura
In response to the placement of a Nativity scene in the Iowa capitol, the Temple (per its usual practice) claimed equal representation and installed a display of the occult figure Baphomet there. Former Congressional candidate Michael Cassidy drove from Mississippi to Des Moines and ripped Baphomet's head off. - Business Insider
"There was a time in my life when it was trivial to sign up to a new social network and pick up its patterns and mores on the fly. Now, I feel exhausted by the prospect." - The New York Times
Macron said that the 74-year-old star — facing multiple rape accusations and having been caught on camera sexually harassing a translator and making lewd remarks about a 10-year-old — is "a great actor … (who) makes France proud" and should not be stripped of the Legion of Honor. Predictable outrage has ensued. - BBC
The six performers sacked by the company — a week after going on strike over the board's refusal to address unsafe working conditions — have formed the Central New York Ballet. They made their debut at a sold-out holiday performance in Syracuse this week. - CNY Central (Syracuse)
"Attorney general (Letitia James) filed suit Wednesday against SiriusXM, accusing the satellite radio and streaming service of making it intentionally difficult for its customers to cancel their subscriptions." - AP
"Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav met with Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish (for several hours) on Tuesday in New York City to discuss a possible merger, Axios has learned from multiple sources." - Axios
Less than a decade ago, readers, authors, and publishers put a lot of faith in the site and the ability of its user-written reviews to launch a book into bestseller territory. But with the repeated "dumpster fires" (as one author called them) of recent years, the site's authority is waning. - The Guardian
"Equity said its members in the ENO chorus would vote in early January on whether to launch industrial action. The union said it was fighting plans to cut chorus salaries by 40% under moves to shorten their contracts" with ENO's reduced season in London and headquarters move to Manchester. - The Guardian
Joanna Smith pled guilty to injuring museum property, punishable by up to five years' imprisonment; Tim Martin wants to see what a jury will say about his act and the "end-of-the-world climate emergency." The two splashed paint on the case of a Degas at the National Gallery. - The Washington Post (MSN)
"What should Wagner look like in the age of the Wagner Group? How can the hammer of the Norse god Thor appear on stage, after the Russian mercenary army used a sledgehammer to shatter a captive’s skull, his face bound with clingfilm, in a video broadcast to the world?" - The New European
The very idea of popularity is up for debate: Is that trend really viral? Did everyone see that post, or is it just my little corner of the internet? More than before, it feels like we’re holding a fun-house mirror up to the internet and struggling to make sense of the distorted picture. - The Atlantic (MSN)
