“Schmigadoon!” and “The Lost Boys” Are Killer Revamps

“Schmigadoon!” and “The Lost Boys” Are Killer Revamps

The first sign of the show’s commitment to the bit is the third song, a delirious hoedown called “Corn Puddin’,” a parody of inane but delightful vintage numbers such as “Real Nice Clambake,” “Shipoopi,” and the demented “Turkey Lurkey Time.” Josh rolls his eyes, repulsed by the elbows-out hoofing; Melissa goes native, twangily improvising a…

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California billionaire tax proposal attracts 1.5 million signatures. Here’s what happens next

California billionaire tax proposal attracts 1.5 million signatures. Here’s what happens next

California, home to the ultra-rich in Silicon Valley and Hollywood, is embroiled in a heated fight over whether to tax billionaires to fund healthcare. This week, supporters of the proposed billionaire tax began submitting nearly 1.6 million signatures, nearly twice the number needed to qualify for the November ballot. Election officials now need to verify…

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“The Fast and the Furious” Tells the Story of Hollywood

“The Fast and the Furious” Tells the Story of Hollywood

In a new book, “Fast and Furious Franchising,” the media scholar Dan Hassler-Forest argues that the series is central to understanding the evolution of Hollywood over the past twenty years. At first, it was easy to dismiss these movies, built on “predominantly male characters entering their phallic automobiles in an endless series of epic dick-measuring…

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The Kirkification of Our Troubled Times

The Kirkification of Our Troubled Times

For this week’s Infinite Scroll column, Brady Brickner-Wood is filling in for Kyle Chayka. A few months ago, the pro-Iran group Akhbar Enfejari (Explosive News) was just another unknown YouTube channel, a hapless content farm posting memes to an audience of hundreds. But after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, setting off a regional conflict,…

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