Freberg’s story is among the film’s more disturbing revelations, in that it shows how the most innocuous of details can identify someone as incompatible with orthodoxy and a target for punishment. Freberg explains how despite her excellent performance she was labelled a “problem” by her colleagues and subjected to a campaign of harassment until finally, and successfully, she sought legal remedy. Freberg’s students later admitted they’d known she was a “closet Republican” precisely because she didn’t use the classroom to air her political views.
David Thompson’s regular column for 3:AM returns.
Because of the rather cruel nature of his TV shows, he had a rather love-hate relationship with the public. It’s strange, not only did he have a baby hand to contend with but he looked liked the kind of guy who would steal your grandma and sell her for camels or something. But it is said that he raised over 100m pounds for leukaemia and other charities and that, in person, he was a top bloke.
For the first time since 2000 there will not be a Stuckist demonstration at the Turner Prize. This is due to industrial action: the Stuckists are coming out on strike in protest at the lameness of this year’s show, which does not merit the accolade of the traditional demo. We apologise for any disappointment this may cause.
The news that Steve Ignorant from Crass is to perform for two nights at the Shepherds Bush Empire, rekindling The Feeding Of The 5000 has been greeted with an astonishing amount of debate as to whether or not this is right / wrong / healthy / unhealthy etc. Seldom has the simple act of playing two concerts sparked such a debate about whether fun is more important than the old Situationist concept of recuperation. Frankly, it’s been a wanker magnet.
We accepted Creationism for an awful long time. Some of the more frightening salvaged souls still believe it in the face of a shocking amount of data to the contrary using the same sorts of logical refutations as holocaust deniers and eight year olds. But Darwin came along with his whacky theory of evolution and put out the kind of visible and verifiable proof that many Christians simply couldn’t argue against. So they did the next best thing. They adapted. They evolved. They said, “Fine, we now accept evolution, but we’ll call it Intelligent Design and say that it was the means by which God created life on earth.”
Watching the two women face off for their summit on the giant screen, both looking intensely focused and thoughtful, I had a sudden brain wave: There they were, Benazir Bhutto and Hillary Clinton, negotiating the fate of global security amid the outbreak of terrorism in some city of the future. Manga publishers, producers and importers such as TokyoPop and Viz Media all reported growth surges in their female consumer base at the start of this century, and the female market continues to expand.
The vibe is different from most other literary events. For a start, there is a lot of jostling for position by the crowd who all seem to be eager to find a spot close to the stage. For another, there is almost as much activity in the bathrooms as there is in the main room. By the time I arrive at 7.30 the place is pretty much full, and a few people have already left in disgust because of the crowd and the fact that the event is running behind schedule. Tao Lin is sat alone, studiously avoiding the glances of Bed and Eeee eee eeeee clutching hipsters. Yoko Ono has also made an appearance, and despite attempts to keep a low profile at the back of the bar, people are whispering and sneaking glances.
The Koran appeals to extremists because it is extreme in so much of what it has to say. It appears to actively encourage scornful, hateful violence on people like me — the unbelievers, the ‘kafirs’ [unbelievers]. The kafirs, you see, are as guilty as hell.
Yes, the tourists are coming over the hill, and it’s enough to make me weep. So I’m certainly not going to hasten that process by naming the hill, lest travel writing speed up the death of any point to travelling in the first place. Put simply; if there are any places left worth writing about, then the last thing anyone should be doing is writing about them.
I’ve followed the JT Leroy saga as it has played out over the last year. I had read “his” short stories and been affected by the gritty subject matter. I didn’t adore the writing but I sympathized with the author’s background. Another lost child.
