EXTRA CRITICUM

Libertarian cartoonists and musicians (maybe)

Andrew Sullivan links to blogger Ta-Nehisi Coates making the case that R&B singer Marvin Gaye was a libertarian because, among other things:

Marvin's politics were marked by a strong aversion to taxes ("natural fact is/Honey, that I can't pay my taxes" and "There's only three things that's for sure, taxes, death and trouble")

Coates could be right, but he reminds me of the National Review naming the

6th & B Garden

Last night I happened to notice that "Chanteuse Extraordinaire" Marni Rice (also an old pal) was performing outdoors in the East Village so I pulled myself out of the AC and into the balmy humid night to trek over to the east side.

People Who Need People

So I'm sitting on my porch in Provincetown, really enjoying the 4th of July weekend; great weather, good friends, fantastic fuckin' bar-b-q (I made it, so I can brag) and relaxing before I head to the Kennedy Center for a two week playwriting intensive where I mentor/teach/guide 40 playwrights for all across the country; they're all ages, a wide range of experience, a wide range of interests. They're paying a lot of money to be there, so I try to really deliver the goods while we're together. It's all to say I need to rest up before I get out there because they keep me running pretty much 24/7. And I can usually do that in Provincetown.

But this weekend I have a problem: a ride-by playwright who won't shut up.

The "Big Break" Syndrome

There's a pervasive psychological trap that I see more and more artists (most often actors) falling into.

I overheard the following exchange in an elevator this week and I just had to share it with you all. The elevator in question was in one of those midtown buildings (you know the ones) that seem to host 90% of the auditions for commercial and legit work.

Emmy voters always deliver... insane choices

The LA Times has been leaking the lists of finalists in major Emmy categories, and once again we're reminded that film fans aren't the only ones who get the opportunity to laugh, rant, and stare open-mouthed at award announcements. The worst oversight so far comes in the Supporting Actress in a Drama category,

How Full is Full? (as in "Full Production")

This item in Thomas Cott's daily email newsletter [thomas.cott@verizon.net] caught my eye. From an article in the  The Los Angeles Times 

As Southern California's inaugural Festival of New American Musicals winds to a close, some observers and participants are raising this question: How, exactly, does this festival define the word "new"?