Arts & Life

Demonstrators gather near the studio of singer R. Kelly to call for a boycott of his music on Jan. 9, 2019 after allegations of sexual abuse against young girls were raised on the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly.

'Surviving R. Kelly' Producer Dream Hampton Takes On Ecosystem That Supported The Star

12:09pm February 21, 2019

by Terry Gross

The activist, filmmaker and writer chronicles sexual abuse allegations against R. Kelly in the six-part docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, even as new allegations against him surface.

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'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollett Arrested On Charges Of Filing False Police Report

8:19am February 21, 2019

The actor had reported being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Prosecutors say that report was not true.

Saturn's Return to New York, by Sara Gran

Books
Arts

In 'Saturn's Return,' Astrology Is A Framework, But Not A Fix

7:00am February 21, 2019

by Lily Meyer

Sara Gran's first novel, now reissued, takes an astrological concept as the jumping-off point for a messy, prickly, realistic depiction of a difficult year in a young woman's life.

"I probably almost broke down a few times questioning whether or not I was gonna be able to get it done," Pianist Kris Bowers says of learning Don Shirley's music for Green Book.

How Pianist Kris Bowers Found His Inner Virtuoso For Oscar-Nominated 'Green Book'

5:02am February 21, 2019

by Susan Stamberg

The 29-year-old pianist and composer who performs all the on-screen music in the Oscar-nominated movie, Green Book, explains how it was done.

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Terence Blanchard, Longtime Composer For Spike Lee, On His First Oscar Nomination

8:14pm February 20, 2019

by Tim Greiving

Terence Blanchard received his first Oscar nomination for the BlacKkKlansman score. The 56-year-old jazz trumpeter from New Orleans has been Spike Lee's right-hand composer since Jungle Fever in 1991.

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The 2019 Aspen Words Literary Prize shortlist (clockwise from top left): There There, by Tommy Orange; Friday Black, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah; An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones; Brother, by David Chariandy; and Gun Love, by Jennifer Clement.

Books
Arts

EXCLUSIVE: Aspen Words Literary Prize Unveils Its Finalists

1:49pm February 20, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

Five books remain in the running: Tommy Orange's There There; Tayari Jones' An American Marriage; David Chariandy's Brother; Jennifer Clement's Gun Love; and Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

Comedian Mo Amer, seen here in his Netflix special The Vagabond, says that stand-up has been a significant part of his "coping process" with an itinerant childhood.

Arts

'You Get Paid For Doing Therapy': Stand-Up Comedians On Anger

10:50am February 20, 2019

by Elizabeth Blair

For centuries, people have turned to jesters for relief from the miseries of life. As it turns out, some stand-up performers turn pain and rage into their own coping and catharsis.

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Bangkok Wakes to Rain, by Pitchaya Sudbanthad

Books
Arts

Stories Converge In A Flooded 'Bangkok'

7:00am February 20, 2019

by Michael Schaub

Pitchaya Sudbanthad's novel follows a broad cast of characters who gradually come together in and around a condominium tower in Bangkok. It's a promising debut that expertly evokes a sense of place.

Nobody's Looking At You, By Janet Malcolm

Books
Arts

In 'Nobody's Looking At You,' The Author Finds Herself Part Of The Story

6:01am February 20, 2019

by Etelka Lehoczky

The title essay reveals just how far New Yorker writer Janet Malcolm has evolved from the unassuming reporter who might once have reassured herself before an important interview.

Alex Honnold's ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park — without ropes or safety equipment — was the subject of the documentary film Free Solo.

Arts

The Documentary Is In — And Enjoying — An 'Undeniable Golden Age'

10:06pm February 19, 2019

by Mandalit del Barco

With a proliferation of streaming services to distribute their work, and a boom at the box office, budgets and opportunities are rising for documentary filmmakers.

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