How We Did It: The Blue Man Group
February 17, 2009
In 1988, three young guys in New York City — an acting student, a magazine researcher, and a software producer — were so happy to see the end of the 1980s, they held a funeral for the decade. They painted their faces blue and led a procession through Central Park; they burned a Rambo doll and a piece of the Berlin Wall. Although they couldn’t have known it, Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman had launched what would grow into an entertainment juggernaut. Since opening in New York City’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the Blue Man Group has played in 12 cities across the globe. More than 17 million people have seen its shows, and today, tickets go for $43 to $132. Goldman, the onetime computer geek turned impresario, tells the Blue Man Group’s unlikely story. read more
15 Reasons Why You Should be Having Sex… Right Now!
February 11, 2009
From my experiences as a sex columnist, it just never seems to amaze me of all the healthful reasons for having a plentiful sex life. The most recent Durex Global Sex Survey shows that there are unfortunately a number of countries that could use a little more effort in this arena. One of the most notable is the United States, which is quite frankly having a lot less sex than just about everyone in the world, and when they do finally get around to it, less than half are satisfied with their experiences.
Okay folks, this is serious. Sex is a very important, fundamental part of life. It is both healthy and even green in many ways. So to help me get my point across, I am going to explain 15 glorious reasons why we should be doing a little less stressing, eating, and watching TV, and a whole lot more frolicking under the sheets! read more
Super Bowl XLIII Ads: Teased, Remixed, Too Hot for TV
January 31, 2009
The most sacred of American annual rites is upon us: sitting through an over-hyped football game to see cutting-edge TV ads that occasionally rival feature films for production value and creativity.
But this year it isn’t just about television — the spotlight’s online. read more
Gut Check: An Interview with Tony Hawk
January 29, 2009
Tony Hawk is rich and chief executive of his own company, but that doesn’t mean he’s changed all that much from the skateboarding kid with a junk food diet. In fact, it’s something he says makes him a better C.E.O.
For Hawk, it’s always been about being true to one’s self, or at least his constituency—the skaters. read more
New HBO competitor to launch online before cable, satellite
January 28, 2009
Why Hollywood Needs a New Model for Storytelling
January 22, 2009
Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today to mourn the death of Story. As you may have heard, it’s kaput—or, at the very least, terminally ill, wracked by videogames, wikis, recaps, talkbacks, YouTube, ADD, and the rise of a multiplatform, multipolar, mashup-media culture. Hollywood, vendor of Story in its most denatured form, is most at risk: The film industry is slowly but steadily being forced to part with quaint artifacts like the “hero’s journey,” Joseph Campbell’s so-called Monomyth. (Which is just so … well … mono.) Beginnings, middles, and ends are headed for the attic, next to the box marked VCR Rewinders/Beastmaster Franchise. And Tinseltown can kick this chestnut to the curb. You may remember it from high school English: read more
Word-of-Mouth on Blogs and Other Sites Attracts Fans…and a Record Deal
January 6, 2009
In late 2006, Justin Vernon, a musician in Eau Claire, Wis., recorded nine songs while staying at his parents’ hunting cabin in northern Wisconsin after a breakup with a girlfriend and his long-time band. He used just a desktop computer with recording software, a three-piece drum set and a guitar.
A few months later, Mr. Vernon posted the songs on his MySpace page, hoping to get some listeners and feedback. He also printed 500 copies of a CD with those songs to sell to friends and fans and send to music bloggers for review.
He got that and much more. read more
Fast Company: Greatest Gadgets of 2008
December 24, 2008
Music Industry to Abandon Mass Suits, Cozy Up To ISPs Instead
December 20, 2008
After years of suing thousands of people for allegedly stealing music via the Internet, the recording industry is set to drop its legal assault as it searches for more effective ways to combat online music piracy. read more
Us Now – The Power of Mass Collaboration, Government and the Internet
November 29, 2008
US NOW is a film project about the power of mass collaboration, government and the internet.