Author: Esther Zuckerman

How to Spend Every Waking Moment of Memorial Day Weekend on Movies & TV

HBO; Netflix; Universal

Let's face it: the weather is not cooperating in much of the country when it comes to barbecues and whatnot for Memorial Day 2013. So, obviously, you should do nothing but consume endless culture instead. And there's a lot out there! But, really, there's only so much time in a long weekend. We've clocked it for you.

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

It's Hard to Be a Pet Actor on Stage These Days

There have now been two cases of animal actors being fired from stage productions this month. It appears some cats and dogs can't take direction like they used to, and that the life of a pet thespian is pretty demanding these days.

Comments | 864 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

Everybody Secretly Loves 'Splash'

Last night ABC debuted Splash, the almost so-unreal-it's-real reality show in which "celebrities" (air quotes definitely necessary), well, in which people jump into water on television. And guess what? It actually may be a hit.

Comments | 1,382 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

Real Black Swan of the Bolshoi Ballet Calls It a 'Brothel'

The Bolshoi, Russia's prestigious ballet company most recently known as the site of a horrendous acid attack, is now being slammed by one of its former ballerinas as a "brothel," where dancers were forced to sleep with oligarchs. 

Comments | 6,750 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

Justin Timberlake's New 'Mirrors' Video Adds Aw-Shucks to the Hype Machine

Towards the end of a CW special that featured a wax-figurine Ryan Seacrest, some celebrities of questionable status, and a lot of the rat-pack schtick, the omnipresent singer debuted a genuinely interesting and surprisingly emotional music video.

Comments | 1,036 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

The Great L.A. Art Museum Merger Is Off

The troubled Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is going to try surviving on its own after apparently rejecting an offer from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to merge into a kind of super-museum.

Comments | 1,036 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 20, 2013

Trimming the Times

Divides on Iraq and Immigration, Energy Drink Loopholes, and Women's Hoops

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 173 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

Harrison Ford is 'Looking Forward' to Play Old Han Solo

Another day, another old Star Wars actor semi-confirming that the original trio is indeed coming back for the next installment.

Comments | 1,724 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

'Girls' Is Going to Rehab in Season 3

Season two of Girls ended on a — sort of — upbeat note on Sunday after a seriously dark turn, but a call for extras indicates that the HBO hit will be taking a trip to rehab sometime in the third season.

Comments | 6,228 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

'Spring Breakers' Fashion Line Does Not Target Actual Spring Breakers

The movie's costume designer used "items from mall stores like Hot Topic, Victoria's Secret, and Forever 21 to keep a sense of realism at play" for the film itself. But new items from Opening Ceremony, the New York-based fashion tastemaker with a penchant for high mark-ups, range in prices from $20 to $90. There are bracelets.

Comments | 1,207 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

Does Justin Timberlake Want to Be a Musician Anymore?

At his album release party Timberlake basically confirmed a rumor started by Roots drummer Questlove that The 20/20 Experience, officially out today, was only the first half of a comeback album that wasn't... or might not be.

Comments | 1,025 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

Andy Dick Is Depressingly Good on 'Dancing with the Stars' This Season

You may have been too busy watching fancy fare like Top of the Lake or Bates Motelto care, really, but the 16th season of Dancing with the Stars premiered last night. And it's got a breakout star.

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 19, 2013

Trimming the Times

The Vatican's Ancient Monarchy, TV's Glass Tsunami, and 'World War Z'

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 862 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

Chart of the Day

March Madness, Mapped

While you're filling out your expertly analyzed bracket, you might want to take a look at how March Madness fandom is spread across the country with this map from Facebook.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

Vampire Weekend's New Songs Are Retro Fun

After a performance at SXSW, the preppy, Afropop influenced band has released two new studio tracks off their upcoming album, Modern Vampires in the City, and they're getting good early buzz.

Comments | 1,897 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

Lindsay Lohan Is Going Back to Rehab

After arriving late to court, by way of private jet and glitter-bomb, and in a ridiculous get-up, Lindsay Lohan accepted a plea deal that will send her to a "locked" rehabilitation facility for 90 days.

Comments | 3,104 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

The State of the 'Girls' Debate Is Good

Not a single episode could air during season one without an overanalysis of controversial themes and Dunham's perceived agenda. And so in season two Dunham's agenda was to address controversial themes head-on, or indirectly, but mostly on purpose. Let's discuss.

Comments | 690 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

Glenn Beck and Conservatives See the Devil in Barack Obama on 'The Bible'

Along with maybe a few actual viewers, they're brewing a high-profile controversy because, well, the actor who played the devil on Sunday night's episode maybe kind of sort of looks like the President of the United States.

Comments | 10,518 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

How to Critique the New Beyoncé Song

"Bow Down/I Been On" may in fact be two different songs, but it's definitely bizarre, allegedly arrogant, and not exactly getting universal praise from fans and critics. All of which means there are reason to gripe, and many ways in which to do so.

Comments | 4,828 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 18, 2013

Trimming the Times

The NRA's Domestic-Violence Trap, a Transgender Battle, and Drone Degrees

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 345 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

This Is Your 'Jeopardy' Host Short List

Welcome to the beginning of the end of Alex Trebek. The struggles of Matt Lauer at the Today show have gotten the rumor mill in full gear, with Anderson Cooper, Brian Williams, and Dan Patrick now in the mix. Let's examine the possibilities.

Comments | 13,684 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

Justin Timberlake's SXSW 'Secret' Show for MySpace Is Fitting End to JT Week

The rumors are true: Timberlake will be performing at SXSW, taking the stage at the last of the Myspace Secret Shows on Saturday night in Austin. Which makes all too much sense, since Timberlake himself is an investor in the (outdated) social media company.

Comments | 3,103 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

The Koch Brothers' Media Takeover Has Big-Money Competition from the Left

The bidding war for Tribune Company newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, looks to have another moneyed influencer beyond the Koch brothers and Rupert Murdoch.

Comments | 1,724 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

Is the 'Veronica Mars' Kickstarter a One-Hit Wonder?

The beloved, short-lived drama Veronica Mars created history—and debate—this week when its creator and star quickly funded a follow-up movie using Kickstarter.

Comments | 1,379 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

Steve Carell Is No Will Ferrell , and That's OK

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone opens today with middling to bad reviews, but even though the movie is off to an iffy start, its star Steve Carell may have a lot to look forward to this year—maybe even an Oscar bid.

Comments | 862 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 15, 2013

Trimming the Times

Two Years of Syrian War, Mental Health and School Violence, and Holly Golightly

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 172 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 14, 2013

Justin Bieber Is Building a Crazy-Proof Fan Machine

Forget crazy. Forget the Lindsay Lohan dig. Justin Bieber ended his lengthiest written statement on his world-famous social-media accounts on Thursday by thanking his fans, because Justin Bieber knows how to use his millions of followers to insulate himself from bad press.

Comments | 1,897 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 14, 2013

'Mad Men' Season 6 Fashion Looks Like a Celebrity Scrapbook from the '60s

We're no fashion historians, but we looked at some old photographs of style icons against the brand-new Mad Men promo shots — and we saw some striking parallels.

Comments | 11,508 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 14, 2013

Lena Dunham Doesn't Want Playboy to Imagine Her with a Supermodel Body

Even though she called it "Kindergarten reading material," the magazine synonymous with promoting a certain women's body type asked Dunham to imagine having a perfect body type. But she came prepared.

Comments | 10,743 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 14, 2013

Michelle Obama's Bangs Debut on the Cover of Vogue

The First Lady covering Vogue for the second time is one of those events that so instantly and obviously fascinates inquiring eyes of both the political and fashion worlds that it begs for comparison.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 14, 2013

Trimming the Times

The New Pope, Wrongful Conviction, and the Hottest Gallery

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 517 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 13, 2013

A Strange Day to Be Named Francis Pope

As Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio emerged Wednesday at a joyous Vatican and took the papal name Francis, there was no joy on Facebook for guys with the name Francis Pope — or Frank Pope, for that matter. We got in touch with one, and he's used to it.

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 13, 2013

'Mad Men' Season 6: Spoilers Are Futile

Ads, photos, and promos are beginning to flood the cultural zone, leaving Mad Men fanatics grasping for answers about season six. Of course, there are no answers. There are never any early answers with one of television's most over-analyzed shows.

Comments | 5,395 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 13, 2013

Taylor Swift's New Video Makes Us Look at These F-ing Hipsters Again

In mocking what she perceives as "hipster" culture, Swift walks a fine line between condemning it and embracing it, and she loses points on all fronts for creativity. We've seen this video for "22" before, haven't we?

Comments | 2,018 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 13, 2013

Now This Is What You Call Too Much Timberlake

As if the Justin Timberlake hype train wasn't in high enough gear after his album and Jimmy Fallon debut, it kept on rolling Tuesday night into Wednesday,  so let's see how his side career/brand management is going at this very moment.

Comments | 1,552 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 13, 2013

Trimming the Times

Google's Privacy Admission, the Soda Industry's Allies, a Silent All-Star Chef

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 517 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

Chart of the Day

What's in a Pope's New Name?

There was no new pope on Day One of the conclave at the Vatican, although there should be one soon. So what will his name be? Here's a look at the frontrunners, based on popularity over time.

Comments | 1,379 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

What's Wrong With Taylor Swift's Image?

She has been ubiquitous on newsstands over the past year, but she doesn't necessarily have the magazine sales numbers to justify her presence. Is she overexposed? Not sexy enough? Or is Harry Styles somehow to blame for all of this?

Comments | 2,861 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

Gwyneth Paltrow Has Written the Bible of Laughable Hollywood Neuroticism

The first review of It's All Good has arrived, and it appears that Paltrow has settled in comfortably to her position as object of ridicule, forevermore. Indeed, Gwyneth may have finally out-Gwynethed herself.

Comments | 25,329 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

Are You Sick of Justin Timberlake Yet?

He's in the midst of spending the week with Jimmy Fallon, and The 20/20 Experience is streaming on iTunes. Frankly, it's all a bit much. Let's evaluate the hype level — on a scale of one to 10 — for each element of JT's endless media tour.

Comments | 1,551 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

'The Great Gatsby' Will Try to Totally Redeem Itself at Cannes

It's been a strange road for Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, but now a very 3D Fitzgerald adaptation is finally getting it's big break: Gatsby will premiere on opening night at Cannes this May in a surprisingly bold turn for the film festival. 

Comments | 862 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 12, 2013

Trimming the Times

Suicide in Afghanistan, Papal Smoke, and Rat Sterilization

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 11, 2013

Tweet-Proof SXSW Entertainment News, in 2 Minutes

While it can be tough to keep track of the actually exciting news amidst all the panels and tweets from both the interactive and film parts of the festival, well, there might be a Trainspotting sequel! And people have seen the new Arrested Development episodes now!

Comments

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 11, 2013

The Long, Dark History of the Russian Ballet

In this week's New Yorker, David Remnick takes us behind the scenes of the Bolshoi, the institution at the center of the acid-throwing attack, revealing that, behind all the pirouettes, there has long been strife that mirrors Russian society.

Comments | 1,552 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 11, 2013

'Mad Men' Season 6 Gets an Iconic Don Draper Image Straight from the Source

Meet Brian Sanders, the famed illustrator recruited by creator Matthew Weiner to create what is sure to be a ubiquitous new ad to advertise a show all about advertising.

Comments | 5,208 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 11, 2013

Trimming the Times

Obama's Drone Budget, the Algorithm's Wingman, and Tiger Woods

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 690 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 8, 2013

The Inevitable Arguments You Will Be Having About 'Spring Breakers'

Harmony Korine's new movie, about kids played by former Disney stars doing very bad things with a cornrowed James Franco, has its U.S. premiere this weekend at SXSW, and it's sure to be the topic of too many discussions. And look here: it already is!

Comments | 7,180 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 8, 2013

Brett Ratner Gets GLAAD's Seal of Approval

Brett Ratner's gay slur cost him the a shot of producing the Oscars, but now that he's been certified homophobia free by GLAAD, he can perhaps rest easy knowing that Seth MacFarlane will be the name most often associated with offensiveness and the Oscars.

Comments | 517 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 8, 2013

Chart of the Day

For International Women's Day, How the World Caught Up on Women's Suffrage

This interactive map demonstrates how women's voting rights and roles in the political process of countries around the world have changed over time. Which is to say, slowly, but still: progress.

Comments | 2,006 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 8, 2013

What Do You Know: 'Oz' Is on Track to Be a Big Hit

Critics might not think Oz the Great and Powerful is, well, all that great or powerful, but the movie is selling so many tickets for its opening weekend, that Disney, seeing green, is already making plans for a sequel.

Comments | 1,035 Views

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