Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (North): Canada in the Movies
Hooray for Hollywood! I mean: Winnipeg!
Keeping Hope Alive: Jesse Jackson, 1941-2026
He marched at Selma. He could tell you how to get to Sesame Street. And he was. Somebody.
This is her art and it is dangerous: Catherine O’Hara, 1954-2026
When we lost the inspired comic actor Catherine O'Hara, we lost multitudes.
Better Because It’s Better: Tom Stoppard 1937-2025
Award-winning British playwright Tom Stoppard began his career by riffing on Shakespeare and ended it by joining Shakespeare in theater's pantheon of greats.
The Fall Will Probably Kill Ya: Robert Redford 1936-2025
For cause of death, authorities have yet not ruled out "too good-looking."
Pere Ubu’s David Thomas and Some Other Buckeye Punks
The jury's still out on whether Cleveland actually rocks, but Cleveland's Pere Ubu sure did. And they weren't alone.
Super Mario World: Remembering Peru’s Vargas Llosa
Mario Vargas Llosa wrote books, won the Nobel Prize, ran for president, and punched Gabriel Garcia Marquez. What have you done lately?
Blog! From New York! It’s Saturday Night!
"Saturday Night Live" is fifty years old this year, and if you've been paying attention to the media at all you know nobody's more excited about that fact than "Saturday Night Live." Celebrate by brushing off your catchphrases and reading a few cue cards.
It’s Groundhog Day All Over Again, and Again
Celebrate the world's most famous time loop movie by checking out some of these other ones. Or you could just keep reading this blog post over and over again.
Best Books 2024: Art Tatum African American Resource Center
Best Books 2024: Art Tatum African American Resource Center
Remembering the Fluid Lines and Savage Wit of Cartoonist Jules Feiffer
The Pulitzer-winning artist Jules Feiffer bestowed upon the world movies, plays, comics, novels, and children’s books. Which is great and impressive but also, I mean: pick a lane.
Wild at Heart and Weird on Top: Remembering the Visionary David Lynch
David Lynch was a filmmaker, a visionary, and an adjective.
Remembering 100 Years of Former President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter had a short presidency and a long post-presidency, and his stubborn sense of values profoundly informed them both.
All Praises: Remembering Poet Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni's vital and resonant poems live on the page, but out loud they really slayed.
15 Ways to Wrap Up James Baldwin’s Centenary
This was the year of James Baldwin's 100th birthday, and the fire next time isn't candles on a cake.
The 15 Coldest Movies Ever
There's nothing heartwarming about these fifteen chilly film classics. Don't forget your mittens.
Happy 100th Birthday, Comics MADman Harvey Kurtzman
When a young Harvey Kurtzman asked a professional cartoonist for career advice, the mentor told him to give up. Good thing he didn't listen.
Dimming the Lights for Ohio-Born Broadway Star Gavin Creel (1976-2024)
Megawatt performer Gavin Creel leapt from Ohio to Broadway but never discarded his midwestern decency.
Kris Kristofferson Has Shuffled Offerson (1936-2024)
Feelin' good was easy when he sang the blues -- and, as it turns out, also when he did a lot of other things.
Out, Brief Candle: 15 Singular James Earl Jones Stage Performances
Some of the late James Earl Jones's greatest accomplishments as an actor were in performances nobody will ever see again.
James Earl Jones Was More Than Just the Voice
Sadly, the only person who could bring enough magnitude and gravitas to announcing the news of James Earl Jones’s death is James Earl Jones.
5 Books to Help Learn From and About Your Neighbors: Neighbor to Neighbor Toledo Brings You David Brooks on October 8
Neighbor to Neighbor is welcoming notable political and cultural commentator and New York Times columnist David Brooks to Toledo on Tuesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Franciscan Life Center at Lourdes University.
Toledo’s Water Crisis, Ten Years Later
Water is a building block of life on earth. So why does it keep trying to kill us?
15 Musical Artists Who Tried Going Country Before “Cowboy Carter”
Beyoncé isn't the first artist to experiment with a detour into country music. She's just the Beyoncé-est.
Remembering Shelley Duvall
She didn't look like anyone else in the movies and she didn't act like them either. The talented Shelley Duvall, famously of Popeye and The Shining, was a true original.
Forget It, Jake: It’s Robert Towne
Hey! You just wrote Chinatown, which many acclaim as the greatest screenplay of all time – what are you gonna do next? If you’re Robert Towne, you write another one. And another one. Repeat as needed until you’re a Hollywood legend.
Remembering Two Behind-the-Scenes Visionaries Who Reshaped Our Culture
Without the transformative contributions of Steve Albini and Roger Corman, music and movies wouldn't be the same, but almost nobody could pick them out of a lineup.
10 Examples of the Masterful Short Fiction of Alice Munro
A good short story can change the way you look at the world, and all of Alice Munro's short stories were good.
Happy Miserable 50th Anniversary to Richard and Linda Thompson’s Influential Debut Album
50 years ago the married rock & roll duo Richard and Linda Thompson released their album "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight," and the history of exquisitely rendered musical bummers has never been quite the same since.
A Field Guide to 15 Trees Native to the Literary Landscape
To commemorate Arbor Day, here's a meticulous and largely unserious botanical guide to 15 of the weirdest trees in literature.
To Celebrate the 460th Birthday of Legendary Writer William Shakespeare, We’re Stealing His Stories
At some point in April 1564, William Shakespeare was born. 460 years later, we're still recycling his ideas.
Celebrated Postmodernist John Barth Goes to the Big Funhouse in the Sky
This is a blog post about being a blog post about John Barth, who wrote a story about a character who was a character in a story.
Remembering Faith Ringgold, Groundbreaking Artist and Classic Picture Book Creator
Everyone's read "Tar Beach," but not everyone knows that its writer and illustrator Faith Ringgold was also a formidable visual artist who did things with quilts your sewing circle never dreamed of.
Happy 75th Birthday, NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was born 75 years ago. It’s kind of like an exclusive country club only without the annual dues. And with tanks instead of golf carts.
Remembering Christopher Durang, the Playwright Who Explained it All For Us, Only Funny
When Christopher Durang sat down to write a play about something, it's like he asked "Am I allowed to make this funny?" and if the answer was no, he did it anyway.
65 Years Ago, “A Raisin in the Sun” Changed American Theatre
Sixty-five years ago this month, Lorraine Hansberry’s pivotal play A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway, and it’s exerted a gravitational pull on American culture ever since.
15 Pies From the Library’s Menu to Celebrate Pi Day
Here's a list of fifteen pies you can find on the library shelves. True, you can't actually eat them, but for a few of these that might actually be just as well. I'm looking in your direction, Sweeney Todd.
Remembering Edward Bond, Scandalous Playwright
The playwright Edward Bond wasn't famous, exactly. But he was a little infamous, which was probably good enough for him.
Dangerous Liaisons on the Upper East Side: 25 Years of Delicious Cruelty
25 years ago, Buffy met Elle Woods in a steamy story by an 18th-century French novelist. The 1990s were weird.
Big Star’s “Radio City:” A Cult Classic Turns 50 Years Old
Big Star's massively influential but commercially underwhelming album "Radio City" turns 50 years old this month; one way to celebrate is by not being very popular. That’s my plan, anyway.
When the Music (Criticism) Stops: The Demise of Pitchfork
Some say that most critics are frustrated artists. But with the collapse of influential music review outlets like Pitchfork, increasingly critics are just frustrated critics.
The Curtain Comes Down on Two of Broadway’s Legendary Dancers
No one else could move like them, but plenty wanted to try. Chita Rivera and Hinton Battle were true Broadway originals.
70 Years of Waiting: Happy Birthday, Godot
The title character of Samuel Beckett's absurdist classic is 70 years old. But maybe don't wait for him to show up before you cut the cake.
9 Television Stars Who Left Us in 2023
Television personalities face the threat of cancellation but also enjoy the possibility of immortality through reruns and binge-watching. In that sense, these nine figures will always be with us.
You Never Forget Your First Folio: How William Shakespeare Invented Books
Shakespeare invented a lot of things, including, apparently, book culture. Thou art welcome, BookTok.
Shane MacGowan, the Pogues, and a Christmas Classic
Shane MacGowan and the Pogues gave the world a Christmas song that's bitter, disappointed, grubby, and perfect.
Found in Translation: Literature in Other Languages
Gifted translators like Edith Grossman break through language barriers to introduce readers to the great literature of the world, so you can finally find out what people mean when they talk about Don Quixote and windmills.
5 Categories of One-Hit Wonders
National One-Hit Wonder Day happens every year, though when you think about it they probably just should have done it once.
Six Tons of Sand and a Dream: Remembering Playwright Tina Howe
Tina Howe was a playwright, which is to say, she wasn't a household name. But she was a beloved and respected artist whose body of work resonates through the careers of any number of artists that you've definitely heard of.
And ACTION: Happy Birthday Film Director Ava DuVernay!
It's director Ava DuVernay's birthday. But what do you get someone who already has an Emmy, an Oscar nomination, and Oprah's phone number?
You Talking to Him? Happy Birthday, Robert De Niro
In his eighty years on this planet, actor Robert De Niro has been more than a hundred different people. Wish a happy birthday to all of them.
Sinéad O’Connor (1966-2023)
The Irish musician Sinéad O'Connor had one massive hit and a lifetime of influence. Regrettably for those of us who were fans, July 26 was the last day of our acquaintance.
Floating in a Most Peculiar Way: 10 Books, 5 Songs and 5 Movies to Celebrate the Birthday of NASA
Sixty-five years ago, NASA was born. Its legacy includes Tang, that weird astronaut ice cream, David Bowie's career, and a whole lot more.
Remembering Harry Frankfurt, Philosopher and Author
Many philosophers write about concepts that are hard to describe. Harry Frankfurt became a bestselling author by writing about one you're not supposed to say out loud.
5 Books to Read So You Can Talk About Milan Kundera (1929-2023)
The writer Milan Kundera died recently at the age of 94. So if you haven't read any of his novels -- or can't remember if you've read them -- here's your chance to catch up.
Remembering Alan Arkin, an Everyman With a Side of Chaos
The funniest grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine was also the scariest guy in Wait Until Dark and the saddest salesman in Glengarry Glen Ross. Alan Arkin could play almost anyone while always being unmistakably himself.
Let’s. Get Down. To Business. To Rewatch “Mulan.”
Twenty-five years ago this month, Disney's animated movie "Mulan" landed in popular culture with all the force of a great typhoon.
History in the Making: 20 Years of Beyoncé
Twenty years ago, Beyoncé released her first solo album and since then she's worked steadily toward world domination. What have YOU done since 2003?
5 Cormac McCarthy Books You Gotta Read
The only thing more depressing than losing an author of Cormac McCarthy's stature is the stuff that happens in Cormac McCarthy's books.
15 Tony Award Winners
This Sunday night is the 76th Tony Awards, the biggest night in American theater. Or at least the biggest night in a certain fourteen-square-block section of American theater.
Better Than All The Rest: Remembering Tina Turner
From Nutbush to Thunderdome and beyond, superstar Tina Turner put her indelible stamp on American music and American culture.
9021 Five-Oh: Happy Birthday Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling turns 50 years old this month. If you know who that is, I’m sorry to hear about your joint pain.
R.I.P. MTV News (1987-2023): Headbanging the Headlines
For years, MTV News told the youth of America what was happening to the nation, to the world, and to Jamiroquai. But now it's gone. Tabitha Soren, we hardly knew ye.
It’s Funny Because it’s (Sam) Gross: The New Yorker’s Most Unruly Cartooning Genius
Until he died this month, cartoonist Sam Gross was the master of making you laugh at things you felt bad about laughing at.
Down to Crown: 20 Movies About Royalty to Celebrate the Coronation
The UK has a new king. Between you and me, though, the royals in these movies are more fun.
Okay, I Believe You: The Art and the Activism of Harry Belafonte
A movie star, a singing sensation, and a major civil rights leader, the late Harry Belafonte accomplished enough to fill several lifetimes.
The Final Snappy Answer of Cartoonist Al Jaffee (1921-2023)
For decades, cartoonist Al Jaffee was one of the most consistent fixtures among Mad Magazine's "Usual Gang of Idiots" with his sardonic and cutting observations about modern life. But he's inked his last fold-in.
Going Back to Rydell High: Grease and the Rise of the Pink Ladies
A 1970s musical set in the 1950s, Grease is a double helping of nostalgia. But a new generation of creators thinks Rydell High and streaming television might go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.
Happy Happy Happy Birthday, Chaka-Chaka-Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan turns 70 this month, and she’s celebrating like any legendary superstar would: she’s coming to Ohio.
The Chronicles of Lance Reddick
Some actors get typecast as Everyone's Dad. The captivating character actor Lance Reddick was more like Everyone's Lieutenant.
Too Munch of a Good Thing: Remembering Richard Belzer
A stand-up comic who got TV-famous pretending to investigate deadly serious crimes, Richard Belzer embraced contradictions.
3 Was the Magic Number
De La Soul, featuring the late David Jolicoeur, so thoroughly reimagined hip hop that their records sounded like transmissions from another reality. Plug Two, over and out.
When the Books Hit Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie
Some will celebrate National Pizza Day by eating pizza, and some will celebrate by reading about pizza. Just kidding, nobody's going to do that second thing.
I’m Just a Blog, Yes I’m Only a Blog.
Schoolhouse Rock is fifty years old. And if you know what that is, then maybe so are you.
Knock at the Cabin and 10 Creepy Reads
Did you read the novel "Knock at the Cabin" is based on? Did it leave you feeling unsettled, aghast, consumed with despair about human nature? Here are ten books to keep those feelings flowing.
5 Indispensable Tom Verlaine Recordings
Rock guitarist Tom Verlaine didn't sell a ton of records, but the legions of musicians he influenced did.
Don’t Call it a Bad Back: LL Cool J Turns 55
It's LL Cool J's birthday, and we're celebrating in the customary fashion: starting hurricanes; listening to the bass go boom; maybe a little ice cream.
5 Indispensable Jeff Beck Recordings
Play a tune in memory of guitar god Jeff Beck. And play it loud.
5 Ways to Get to Know Poet Charles Simic
The poet Charles Simic achieved nearly every distinction an American poet can hope for. It's not too late to find out why.
Five Titles for Pelé Fans of All Ages
He was soccer, he was an icon, he was the biggest athlete in the world: nobody ever asked "Pelé who?"
Leaving Funky Town: So Long, Winkerbean
The newspaper comic strip Funky Winkerbean has been telling stories about its Ohio-based characters day by day for fifty years. But at the end of this month, that all changes.
7 Comic Voices That Went Silent in 2022
To lose one comedian in a year may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose seven looks like carelessness.
10 Ways to Try a Little Otis Redding
Fifty-five years ago this month the unparalleled soul singer Otis Redding left us, and we've been loving his music too long to stop now.
The Life and Music of Irene Cara
Irene Cara gave the world two of the most famous movie songs of all time. But that's not all.
Yelp Reviews From the Top 10 Worst Meals in Literature
Cooking during the holiday season can be stressful. But look on the bright side: nothing you make will be anywhere near as bad as the food the characters eat in these books.
Good Grief! 10 Books to Read for Charles M. Schulz’s 100th Birthday
Security blankets. Great Pumpkins. Pulled-away footballs. If "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz hadn't been born 100 years ago, we'd have 10% fewer metaphors.
10 Offbeat Cookbooks That Have Nothing to Do With Turkey
Let's face it: lots of people do cranberries and stuffing. Pull a Thanksgiving meal out of one of these cookbooks instead and your family will talk about it for years.
10 Things That Will Put You in the Mood for The Banshees of Inisherin
Irish playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh has made a career out of telling stories about (mostly) men behaving (mostly) badly. Here are more titles in that vein.
10 of the Best Angela Lansbury Movies
Jessica Fletcher, a talking teapot, Sweeney Todd's enterprising neighbor -- Angela Lansbury was different things to different people, but she was always beloved.
Top 10 Ways to Get to Know Nobel Prize-Winning Author Annie Ernaux
Many Americans have never heard of Annie Ernaux, the latest winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. But now you're not one of them.
10 Ways to Remember Country Music Legend Loretta Lynn
Has any musician ever been as closely identified with one of their song titles as Loretta Lynn? She was a coal miner's daughter and so much more.
Top 10 Worst Schools in Books
By now everyone's gone back to school for fall. Which is sad. But at least you're not at one of these schools. So that's something.
5 Books to Read From Hilary Mantel, the Author of “Wolf Hall”
Hilary Mantel, who won prizes and acclaim with her trilogy of historical novels about Thomas Cromwell, died recently at the age of 70.
Banned Books Week: Anna in the Tropics
A Florida school district decided their high schoolers weren't mature enough to see a Pulitzer-winning play. Was it a pedagogically appropriate decision, or an overcautious curtailing of the students' intellectual development?
5 Ways to Catch Up on the Writing of Barbara Ehrenreich
Barbara Ehrenreich made her mark immersing herself in the daily lives of the overlooked. That passion never went away.
Top 5 Books You Should Read So You Can Talk About Salman Rushdie
Novelist Salman Rushdie didn't ask to be a symbol of free expression. But as he recovers in a hospital from a recent attack, maybe reading some of his books is the least we can do.
Five of David McCullough’s Best Books About History
Historian David McCullough's books are big and they're optimistic. Never read them? Here are five good places to start.
Ten Great Anne Heche Performances
The talented actor Anne Heche gave all she had to every performance, whether she got love from the audience for it or not.
10 Ways to Commemorate the Retirement of Tennis Legend Serena Williams
Tennis superstar Serena Williams is moving on to other things, and the sport may never be the same.
She’s the One That We Want: An Olivia Newton-Blog
The late pop star Olivia Newton-John left her impact on the culture by being more than one person at once.
Five Ways to Remember Late Actress Nichelle Nichols
She left the bridge of the Starship Enterprise only sparingly, but as Lieutenant Uhura, the late Nichelle Nichols beamed herself directly into the American consciousness.
15 Really Long Books About American History
Beach read season is over; pick one of these hefty books to inaugurate fall doorstop season, which is a totally real thing I just made up.
15 Historical Fiction Novels About Life in 19th Century America
History is stranger than fiction. With these books, you can have both.
10 Must Read Books If You Hate Flying
Air travel isn't for everyone. In fact, judging from these books, maybe it isn't for anyone.
The Five Worst Beach Vacations in Literature
Beach vacations can be a blast. Unless you're a character in a book, in which case maybe you should just stay home.
5 Books with Terrible Hotels
Have you ever listened to friends complaining about a disappointing hotel or a vacation spot? Well, the people in these books have entered the chat.
