A Critical Passing of Cultural Critics
Our best critics are dying. And with it a form of writing and assessment of our cultural has been downgraded to a lower form. Where critics once served to educate their readers and point to new directions in our arts and culture, most criticism today is either boosterism or narcissism. It is a shame, really, [...]
Tex Ritter to John Ritter…Cowboy’s Luck of the Draw
Tex Ritter and John Ritter were father and son, respectively. Tex Ritter was born Woodward Maurice Ritter. Hardly a cowboy name. John Ritter was born John Ritter, a cowboy name, but the son was not the cowboy. Maurice Ritter changed his name to Tex and the rest was history. John Ritter stayed on as John, [...]
Chains of Fools Feed on Each Other With Food to Go
Once upon a time you had independent restaurants that sold good food at modest prices. You also had lousy, greasy spoons that sold bad food at modest prices. So, enter the chain restaurant. There was no gamble there. You were treated to mediocre food at modest prices. The video of the rats running all over [...]
Lizzie Borden Killed Her Parents Here. Eat Hearty, But Don’t Feed the Ghosts
The house where Lizzie Borden may have killed her family is now a Bed and Breakfast lodge. This sturdy wood frame house in sturdy Fall River, Massachusetts hardly looks like a celebrated murder scene, but then so few really do. That is, until you look at them with the knowing eye. Otherwise would you know [...]
When Your Mayor is Dressed in Drag
Stu Rasmussen used to be a guy. Now Stu Rasmussen is best known as Carla Fong. Stu as Carla wears plunging neckline dresses and mini-skirts. Stu or Carla is sixty years old, so even on a good day and with movie star looks being sixty and wearing mini-skirts is a questionable strategy. Especially when you [...]