MEMETERIA by Thomas May

Arts & Culture Stories from NPR

• Terence Blanchard, Longtime Composer For Spike Lee, On His First Oscar Nomination
  Terence Blanchard received his first Oscar nomination for the BlacKkKlansman score. The 56-year-old jazz trumpeter from New Orleans has been Spike Lee's right-hand composer since Jungle Fever in 1991.
• 'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollett Charged With Filing False Police Report
  The actor had reported being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Prosecutors say that report was not true.
• 'Surviving R. Kelly' Producer Dream Hampton Takes On Ecosystem That Supported The Star
  The activist, filmmaker and writer chronicles sexual abuse allegations against R. Kelly in the six-part docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, even as new allegations against him surface.
• EXCLUSIVE: Aspen Words Literary Prize Unveils Its Finalists
  Five books remain in the running: Tommy Orange's There There; Tayari Jones' An American Marriage; David Chariandy's Brother; Jennifer Clement's Gun Love; and Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
• Stories Converge In A Flooded 'Bangkok'
  Pitchaya Sudbanthad's novel follows a broad cast of characters who gradually come together in and around a condominium tower in Bangkok. It's a promising debut that expertly evokes a sense of place.
• In 'Nobody's Looking At You,' The Author Finds Herself Part Of The Story
  The title essay reveals just how far New Yorker writer Janet Malcolm has evolved from the unassuming reporter who might once have reassured herself before an important interview.
• 'You Get Paid For Doing Therapy': Stand-Up Comedians On Anger
  For centuries, people have turned to jesters for relief from the miseries of life. As it turns out, some stand-up performers turn pain and rage into their own coping and catharsis.
• Burberry Apologizes For Nooselike Knot On Fashion Hoodie
  A runway model who objected to the impression made by the drawstring says she was initially told to "keep it to yourself."
• The Documentary Is In — And Enjoying — An 'Undeniable Golden Age'
  With a proliferation of streaming services to distribute their work, and a boom at the box office, budgets and opportunities are rising for documentary filmmakers.
• Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld Dies
  The German-born designer helped define the looks of Chanel and Fendi behind the scenes, even as he cut a titanic figure center-stage in the fashion industry. Chanel confirmed Lagerfeld's death.