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December 11, 2007
Art Basel Miami: Has Art Basel Lost its Cool?
Staring at the big, sparkly Tom Friedman painting, "Glitterbattle," in the Gagosian booth, the woman in the red flowered house dress, yellow socks, and black sneakers, was inspired. So was her companion, dressed in khaki shorts, an Hawaiian shirt, and a baseball cap emblazoned with a butterfly.
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Posted by Linda Tischler at 9:00 AM
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December 10, 2007
Art Basel Miami: Gagosian to Fairgoers: Don't Ask, Don't Tell
The Gagosian Gallery, the big Kahuna of the Art Basel Miami, has a new policy on labels identifying the work on view in its booth. There are none. "We don't like to label our artists," said one gallery staffer when asked about the missing ID tags.
Posted by Linda Tischler at 2:04 PM
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October 16, 2007
Entertainment: Madonna's Moves Herald the Future of Music Distribution
Material Girl Madonna appears to be thinking not just like an artist, but also like a businesswoman. The 49-year-old singer has signed a groundbreaking record deal with concert promoter LiveNation, citing her decision to adopt a more comprehensive, unrestricted business model as her reason for abandoning Warner Music after 25 years.
The $125 million deal gives LiveNation the rights not just to Madonna's songs, but also to all the activities that go along with them: TV shows, films, sponsorship, websites, tours and merchandise.
"The paradigm in the music business has shifted and as an artist and a businesswoman, I have to move with that shift," she stated. "For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I've never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless." The singer's move is reflective of the transitioning state of the music industry, which is currently racked by two strongly opposing forces: the implementation and preservation of digital rights management methods by record labels on the one hand, and the constant erosion of the same by fans and users on the other. Radiohead's recent release of its latest album online added a third dimension to this already complex picture, bypassing the record labels altogether and sending the message that even artists themselves think it is perhaps time for labels to overhaul their existing business models.
"…the trend shows how desperate record companies, faced with declining sales and profits, have become… more and more music executives are beginning to conclude that DRM is not the solution to their problem. It is easily circumvented, makes life difficult for law-abiding fans and does nothing to prevent the copying and online distribution of music from CDs," states the latest edition of The Economist.
The Economist also points out that a compelling reason for the music industry to forego DRM is to dissolve the mammoth advantage Apple currently has in online music sales because of it. Legally downloaded songs are protected by Apple's DRM system, FairPlay, which allows the company to negotiate favorable terms with labels. Foregoing DRM would weaken Apple's monopoly by allowing others to sell songs for the iPod.
The bottom line: having to abandon DRM will force record labels to think more innovatively, and more comprehensively, about how to market their music. LiveNation's deal with Madonna is a prime case in point.
Posted by Saabira Chaudhuri at 6:01 PM
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September 13, 2007
Design Thursday: Ingo Maurer's Light Fantastic
You may not know the name of Ingo Maurer, the celebrated German lighting designer, but you probably know his work. 
If you’ve ever been to New York at Christmas, and seen the UNICEF crystal snowflake that hangs at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, you’ve seen his artistry. If you’ve ever been charmed by a lamp that consisted of little more than a light bulb with angel wings, you’ve been captivated by his imagination.
Posted by Linda Tischler at 10:00 AM
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June 14, 2007
Open Source: The Future of Film?
Digital Rights Management is a hot issue nowadays. Labels, artists and producers complain that they're losing money and being denied adequate copyright protection. This has spurred the development of security measures in an attempt to lock up, or at least control, digital content. The problem (if you're one of the people losing money anyway): there are more people out there intent on breaking the system than there are those intent on saving it.
The inevitable question that comes to mind: should DRM advocates just accept that the concept, although still relatively new, is fast on its way to being an anachronism unless modified in light of the Web's increasingly communal culture?
With every new protective technology comes the codes to promptly break it; with every new security measure comes the tools to infiltrate it; and with every step forward, the road to strictly proprietary digital content just seems to get longer. There's a strong cyber community out there that believes that the Web should be an open forum of shared information. And this community is willing, even waiting, to fight back against those who thwart the course of its mission.
The situation really isn’t that dissimilar to the ideals that spurred on Robin Hood and his band of thieves -- take from the rich and give to the poor; or in this case to the greater community.
Of course there are exceptions, and not all artists are against the idea of doing away with DRM. One film project that is actually using the idea of open content to its advantage, and in fact as its basis, is A Swarm of Angels.
Conceived of by digital filmmaker, Matt Hanson, A Swarm of Angels is a revolutionary, futuristic film project, the aim of which is to create a £1 million film that will be distributed to over one million people using the Internet and a global community of members. The film will not be protected by any DRM, will be freely shareable, and will not be created for profit -- all proceeds will go towards the next free community production.
Posted by Saabira Chaudhuri at 6:53 PM
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April 25, 2007
Caught by a Queen
I have gotten some interesting comments on a post I wrote last week about internet safety. One parent urged other parents to try posing as a "hottie" online to see how their child responds. While another young adult found this to be the end of good parent/child communication. Regardless of who you agree with, there are people out there who are trying to catch child predators through this method. One of the most famous people to lure in the bad guys is now-reformed Miss America, Lauren Nelson. Nelson did a recent stint with the Suffolk County police to lure online predators to a house where police were waiting. The results of her efforts will be aired on America's Most Wanted.
Posted by Lisa LaMotta at 3:22 PM
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April 13, 2007
MyMaps Dashes Startup Dreams
Last week, Google launched its latest feature, Google MyMaps. This handy upgrade of its already useful Map feature allows anyone with a Google account to create maps that are personal to him or her. The feature lets its creator add pictures, YouTube videos, and text to explain where the map is taking you. You can also draw lines and make shapes around your destinations.
I used the feature to map out art gallery openings in Chelsea that I attended last night. It allowed me to go seamlessly from one gallery to another without the hassle of figuring out where they were (even if they are all in a five block radius). My Google MyMap led me to an opening at the bitforms gallery. The exhibit featured installations and artwork by Mark Napier. Napier is an anomaly in the art world -- he produces Internet art using various software programs an is actually featured in galleries. The main attraction of the exhibit was a video installation he did that made the Empire State Building appear to be melting and reshaping in a series of images.
While the MyMaps idea isn't new, it could have a significant impact on a slew of startups that are already out there, like Platial and Frappr. These startups already use the Google and Yahoo map functions as a platform for their own MyMaps services. Now these companies will be competing against the Internet giant. I don't see them stacking up, do you?
Posted by Lisa LaMotta at 3:13 PM
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April 6, 2007
Agents to the All-Stars
It's not uncommon to draw parallels between the worlds of professional sports and business. Business leaders, like athletes, work with coaches. Statistics can make or break an organization.
And now... athletes are making their way into the world of entertainment. It's nothing new that athletes are endorsing products and services. (George Forman, anyone?) And it's no big deal that athletes work with agents.
But it's interesting to note that athletes are beginning to align themselves with the kinds of agents who work with Hollywood superstars and other celebrities. The Creative Artists Agency has built a once-boutique side business -- CAA Sports -- into an entertainment industry heavyweight.
What do you think that means for the world of sports? The world of entertainment? Soon, every athlete might be able to spend it like Beckham.
Posted by Heath Row at 2:42 PM
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April 5, 2007
Rock the Vote on American Idol
So here's a disclaimer: I'm not an American Idol fan. I actually believe American Idol brings out the worst in America and the worst Americans. But all this fuss about Sanjaya Malakar and whether he should or should not win the title, is just too good to pass up. I mean Howard Stern, starvation stunts, and even MySpace pages devoted to Sanjaya are all over the Internet. The nation is obsessed with the Sanjaya brand. And he's only 17. Either this is an uber-effective marketing campaign by the producers of American Idol or Sanjaya is the savviest 17-year old this side of Delhi.
Truthfully, the most interesting thing about this whole Sanjaya craze is not Sanjaya himself. Basically, he's just a mediocre singer with a nice head of hair. What's enticing is the American public's reaction to Sanjaya -- on both sides of the opinion polls -- and the extreme measures people will go to take Sanjaya on as their cause du jour.
Continue reading "Rock the Vote on American Idol"
Posted by Ruthie Ackerman at 3:31 PM
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March 16, 2007
Sumner Redstone’s Master Strategy with YouTube
Is 83-year-old media-mogul Sumner Redstone the crypt keeper of a dying behemoth being dragged into the 21st century kicking and screaming (and suing), or a shrewd old man making would-be Web partners dance his hokey-pokey?
The answer appears to be both.
Two days after Sumner's Viacom Inc. announced that it was suing YouTube to the tune of $1 billion (go ahead and put your pinky to the corner of your mouth like Dr. Evil) for "massive intentional copyright infringement," Sumner's CBS Corp. announced a deal to launch CBS Sports NCAA Tournament Channel on YouTube.
The channel is sponsored by Pontiac and will feature NCAA tournament game clips and highlights in near realtime. The site will also show postgame press conferences and other tournament video. As part of the deal, YouTube will encourage users to vote on their favorite "Game Changing Performances" at NCAASports.com and the top vote-earning team will be announced live on CBS during halftime of the championship game on Monday, April 2. The winning team's school will receive a $100,000 general scholarship from Pontiac, but not a Pontiac (Can you say 1981 Turbo Trans Am? Vroom, vroom!).
While the prospect of watching Coach K explain Duke's early exit from the March Madness over and over again is indeed appealing, the deal does make you wonder if old Sumner has gone off his meds.
Continue reading "Sumner Redstone’s Master Strategy with YouTube"
Posted by Alex Pasquariello at 1:24 PM
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March 13, 2007
The Wisdom (and Wit) of Crowds
On the heels of our recent music industry panel (watch video highlights here) with Musictoday and John Legend, I attended the Digital Music Forum here in New York to hear more about how the industry is coping. There were some fascinating conversations about digital rights, mash-ups, iPod fatigue, and how Korea is light years ahead of Americans when it comes to integrating music and cell phones (they download music to play in the background -- still not sure what you call it, calltones?). But the conversation that intrigued me the most was the one taking place on a big screen adjacent to the panelists.
Audience members could text-message questions or comments for everyone to see. This was the first time I'd seen this in action, and I hope it represents the future of conferences. The message board gives the audience a voice, which can be constructive, provocative, or disruptive, depending how good the panel is. When the speakers replied to a question on the screen, we in the audience felt like active participants. Other times, the board commented on the panel or offered a real-time critique, much like Stephen Colbert's The Word, the split-screen graphic that has a mind of its own, satirizing his commentaries. When a speaker mentioned that McDonald's is experimenting with music kiosks, the comment board shot back, "Would you like emo with your fries?"
Continue reading "The Wisdom (and Wit) of Crowds"
Posted by Chuck Salter at 5:19 PM
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March 7, 2007
Why the Music Industry Needs A Makeover
A recent article in Crain's New York Business (subscription required), titled "Music Labels' New Leaders," explores the music industry's shift to hiring the hippest hitmakers to man the helm of many top -level positions in the business.
This trend is just one play -- of many -- in the book of record labels trying to turn the business around. The fact that record labels need some assistance is no secret. Just look at EMI's recent rejection of Warner's bid ($4.1 billion) for acquisition -- because it was reportedly too low. Further proof of the dire straits that the music industry is in comes from the aforementioned Crain's article itself:
"Overall album sales in 2006 were down 1.2%, to 646.6 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan -- despite a dramatic rise in legal digital downloads. Analysts predict that the market will weaken further this year."
Surely hiring the hottest producers of the moment isn't going to be enough to make up for those sales, mainly because the music business isn't just about music sales. Here's an insider's view on the measures the music industry can employ to better connect their artists with the artists' fans, and hopefully to even garner some new ones for them.
On February 21, Fast Company held a roundtable discussion with leaders in the music industry to discuss the future of music. Panelists included, Grammy winner John Legend, Musictoday CEO Nathan Hubbard, VP-A&R Capitol Records David Wolter, OK GO's viral marketer Jorge Just, and associate chair of the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music Jason King.
Click on title links to watch video clips from this discussion:
Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 12:27 PM
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February 23, 2007
Oscar Takes on a Green Sheen
With awards season in full-swing and the Oscars set to take center stage on Sunday, all eyes will be on the Red Carpet or now -- more appropriately -- the Green Carpet. With the world up in arms about climate change and everyone from Al Gore to Richard Branson proposing a solution, the entertainment industry has teamed up with the automobile industry to make green cars the new bling of celebrity awards shows.
Chevrolet jumped in on the trend in August when it hired Chip Foos to custom build a green car to take alt-rock band, The All-American Rejects, to the MTV Video Music Awards as part of the Auto giant's ReduceUrUse campaign.
But it is Global Green USA that is really making the world a cleaner place -- 30 pimped out green celebrity rides at a time. The organization first starting supplying celebrity rides five years ago at the Academy Awards and is now creating buzz with stars vying to step out into the flashbulb light from the fuel-efficient transport. Big names like Leo DiCaprio (a hybrid driver) and Penelope Cruz will reportedly be arriving to the Academy Awards in the super-chic, earth-friendly style.
Posted by Lisa LaMotta at 10:00 AM
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February 21, 2007
The Future of Music
What will the music business look like in a decade? How can a recording artist use the Web to connect with and build a fan base? Do viral marketing campaigns work as well for established recording artists as they do for up-and-coming acts?
These were among the questions considered last night in a Fast Company panel discussion featuring R&B singer / songwriter / businessman John Legend.
Note: If you haven't fully absorbed Chuck Salter's February Fast Company cover story--Way Behind the Music--on Legend and Musictoday, the behind-the-scenes company empowering artists to control their music and brand while connecting them with fans, do so; it's the basis of the panel discussion.
Joining Legend on the panel were Nathan Hubbard, CEO at Musictoday; Jorge Just, Web "guru" for rockers OK Go; Jason King, Artistic Director at Tish's The Clive Davis School of Recorded Music; and Dave Wolter, V.P. A&R at Capitol Music Group.
FastCompany.com will be podcasting the discussion in its entirety tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some highlights from the panel.
Continue reading "The Future of Music"
Posted by Alex Pasquariello at 3:08 PM
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January 11, 2007
Commissioning a Symphony
This news is a bit old at this point, but I just learned about it, and it might still merit mention. While companies such as Symantec are experimenting with the idea of adverbands, another company -- Nike -- is foregoing promoting fake bands in order to commission original music from already active musicians.
Last fall, Nike commissioned a 45-minute workout mix from LCD Soundsystem. Earlier in the year, Nike had commissioned a mix from the Crystal Method.
Both commissions were less advertisements as such but marketing tools to encourage people to use Nike's Nike+ system, which helps people track workouts using their iPods.
This effort also differs from the formerly popular practice of commissioning company theme songs or using pop songs in TV adverts. But does the resulting music stack up? Reviews seem to indicate so.
Were you to commission music for your customers, what would you aim to accomplish?
Posted by Heath Row at 11:07 AM
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December 10, 2006
Art Mania in Miami
The art world's been making headlines recently, with record auction prices for both modern and contemporary art set at Sotheby’s and Christies’ last month. But they, evidently, were simply the appetizer course to the Grand Buffet that was spread out over south Florida last week, as the monster art fair, Art Basel Miami Beach, took over the town.
Think of ABMB, as the insiders call it, as the CES of the art world. It's where anybody who's anybody in the industry gathers to see, be seen, party, schmooze, wheel, deal, drink, dine and, of course, buy, buy, buy.
Everywhere you wandered in the city, there was some form of art to devour. There were exhibits in shipping containers on the beach, sound shows in the botantical garden, video shows behind dark curtains, alternative art shows, design shows, photo shows, and museum shows.
The big enchilada, of course, was the show at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which encompassed more than 180 exhibitors from around the globe, from the loftiest galleries of New York and London clustered in the epicenter, to smaller fish that ranged around the perimeter.
It was as dazzling an array of art as you’re every likely to see in one place, with Lucian Freud cheek by jowl with Fernando Botero, Donald Judd and Cecily Brown lurking nearby, and Lichtensteins, Mardens, Richters, Hirsts and Basquiats in abundance. Andy Warhol, whose prices have quadrupled in the past decade, was represented by at least 20 different dealers. Warhol is a favorite of the hedge fund set, many of whom feel safer buying a “brand” whose value can be tracked, like the price of Google or Apple, on Artnet, the web site that records prices paid at auction.
We spotted a favorite little Picasso that had made the scene in Basel, still unsold. So, why was it still hanging around? “It’s not exactly an impulse buy,” the gallery owner said drily. And why was it now priced at $4.25M, up $250K from what it had been listed for in July? “If you like it, we can talk about the price,” he said. We said we’d be back later.
With serious collectors getting first crack at the vernissage on Wednesday night, many works were sporting red “sold” dots by Thursday afternoon. The prestigious Gagosian gallery was busy swapping out the paintings that had already been sold, and mounting new ones so late-coming buyers would still have something to choose from.
Those buyers included Steve Martin, sporting a baseball cap and sneakers, accompanied by a young woman sporting a pony tail, who roamed the vast labyrinthine aisles of the show, hoping that earlier arrivals, Dennis Hopper, Keanu Reeves and Calvin Klein hadn’t cherry picked the merch.
Asian art was moving particularly fast. “We sold three in the first 24 hours,” said a staffer at Kukje Gallery of the large works of Korean artist Kwang-Young Chun. His extraordinary pieces feature tightly clustered pieces of Styrofoam wrapped in Korean mulberry paper from old books. They’re weirdly mesmerizing. By Saturday, all six works that the gallery had brought to the show were sold, for an average price of $80,000.
Around the corner, a large painting by Zeng Fanzhi, priced at $300,000, at ShanghART Gallery had been snapped up as well.
It was a thrilling array but, like a buffet at the Bellagio, ultimately too much to digest at one sitting. We left, reluctantly, driven out by sheer fatigue and sensory overload. Which may point to the biggest hazard of getting big: that exquisite moment, when you discover a painting you love, and want to linger over it, becomes subsumed to the urge to keep moving, to see more, to maximize your viewing before your feet give out. And that approach, ultimately, means any particular work gets short shrift in the process.
Still, it’s hard not to be dazzled by the sheer quality and scope of the work on display. And it’s hard not to love a city that so energetically and enthusiastically opens its arms to art.
Posted by Linda Tischler at 9:46 PM
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December 6, 2006
Feed the Models: A Manifesto
For the past 20 years, emaciated models have fueled the fashion industry as the standard for sex appeal and style. It all started with Twiggy in the 1960's, a skinny little pixie of an icon whose cute nonexistant thighs inspired my mother's generation to lose a few pounds. But Twiggy wasn't anorexic -- Twiggy had a good metabolism, and I'm sure she never dreamed her thin frame would set a new industry standard for model weight. Since her day, the fashion industry has evolved to hail women whose weight is far below the World Health Organization's healthy body mass index (BMI) of 18.5.
But now, it would seem as if change for healthy model weight is on the horizon. Following the death of Brazilian supermodel Ana Carolina from anorexia, a "national manifesto" on model weight is to be issued in Italy in February. In Madrid, models who are 5'11" must weigh at least 130 pounds to make the cut for runway shows. Mario Boselli, head of the National Chamber for Italian Fashion, is spearheading the campaign to stop super-thin models from appearing in advertisements. He says this will be a first step in combating fashion's role in the promotion and glamorization of anorexia.
Of course, it's unclear if the manifesto and Italy's campaign will work. It will take involvement from countries worldwide, strictly enforced weight guidelines, and models who are willing to gain 30 lbs. But one thing is for sure: the fashion industry has to make the first move, because models aren't going to head to McDonalds until they're shown there is a market for a heftier physique.
My fear is that the fashion trade has grown too attached to its emaciated models. Top designers seem to be happiest when their models are little more than glorified coat hangers on which to drape their latest garments. But I, like thousands of other women who fall into the "average" size category, am keeping my fingers crossed for change.
What do you think will happen? Will the manifesto change the industry? And, if it does, what does this mean for marketing in general? Are we witnessing the birth of more reality-based advertising promoting healthier less glamorous lifestyles?
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 1:48 PM
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December 5, 2006
Apocalypto: Gibson's Saving Grace
There was an article in the New York Times this morning about Mel Gibson's Mayan epic, Apocalypto. The writer, Sharon Waxman, discussed some early praise for the film, alongside Hollywood criticism for the actor/director/producer's behavior. She writes:
"Since Mr. Gibson's drunken tirade against Jews last summer, many people in Hollywood swore -- both publicly and privately -- that they would not work with him again or see his movies."
The point of the article though, is whether Apocalypto, excellent film or not, would be nominated for an Oscar, considering the tension that still exists over Gibson's anti-semitism. We've wondered the very same thing in a recent online exclusive, "Can Mel Gibson Bounce Back?"
Looking at Gibson as a brand, we wonder whether a Gibson sanctioned project can still carry the same cachet? Can Hollywood accept the film on its artistic merit alone and overlook the personal brand attached to it? And what about the public? Is there enough interest in this film to generate wide audience acceptance?
How does a brand bounce back after a scandal? This slideshow, "Rebounding Brands," shows examples of a few.
Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 12:08 PM
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November 29, 2006
Paris Hilton Launches New Business Venture
Does anyone remember the old SNL skit advertising "Bad Idea" jeans? This hilarious parody of Levis ads portrayed the wearers of "Bad Idea" jeans making horrible decisions. People sporting "Bad Idea" jeans would say things like, "Now that I have kids, I feel much better having a gun in the house." It was funny stuff, but it made a good point: There are brands that are a really "Bad Idea."
Today I was horrified to learn of the birth of what may be the WORST brand in history – Paris Hilton. Parlux Fragrances, Inc. has signed an agreement to develop and market the Paris Hilton Cosmetics line. Based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Parlux also plans to manufacture Paris Hilton watches. (Because it's important to be on time for hair extensions)
To top it all off, Parlux's CEO released a statement yesterday saying, "Paris Hilton is an extraordinary young lady with an ever-growing international following." Extrordinary? Well, that depends on your definition. Hilton was recently branded as a "partytard" by Defamer.com. and is well known for her porn star capabilities. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not buying lipstick from someone whose sex videos are all over the Internet.
I'm under the impression that when most women shop for cosmetics, they look for a solid name in femininity, class, and understatement. Last time I checked, this party girl is anything but. Just today, the New York Post headlined with a story of Paris and Britney Spears hitting the town without any underwear.
If Parlux plans to make a successful brand out of panty-less Paris, they should probably buy her some undergarments before she starts making public appearances. I'm wondering what market Parlux will target for the Paris line. Moms with tweens may be hesitant to purchase it, and the 18-24 market is already pretty comfortable with brands like Maybelline and Clinique.
What do you think? Is it possible to build a successful cosmetics line around Paris the party girl? Or is Miss Hilton the ultimate "Bad Idea" brand?
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 5:17 PM
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November 22, 2006
Not Everyone Loves MySpace
At a time when most music artists are embracing MySpace as an extension of their marketing plan, Jay-Z wasn't too delighted that MySpace served its site members a sneak preview of his entire new album last week. Kingdom Come, the artist's first album, since retiring three years ago, went on sale yesterday. On Friday, Jay-Z's record label, Universal Music Group, filed its lawsuit against MySpace.
Leading up to the album's release, there has been a heavy marketing push, including an exclusive sneak preview on Clear Channel's site. Apparently, the MySpace leak wasn't part of that plan.
Universal, fearing widespread illegal downloading of one of it's biggest artists' comeback album, decided to sue MySpace and its parent company News Corp. for $150,000, in federal court in Los Angeles. The copyright infringement is for every unauthorized Universal song and video that MySpace has on its servers, and seeks an injunction from future infringement. According to MTV.com, the UMG claim states:
"UMG also claims that MySpace — which it referred to in the suit as a "vast virtual warehouse" of pirated material — is aware that its many members have posted illegal bootleg videos and pirated recordings of Universal acts; among those cited are works by U2, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, and the Killers."
Coincidentally, around the same time the suit was filed, MySpace announced plans to launch a tool that will make removal of copyrighted content easier and faster for its owners. Copyright holders will be able to digitally flag the unauthorized content, and it would be deleted from MySpace. Last month, MySpace also announced plans to utilize fingerprinting technology that would block the posting of unauthorized music on the site.
UMG and MySpace had been negotiating a deal for News Corp to pay a licensing fee for Universal content that has appeared on MySpace, but licensing talks between Universal and MySpace had reached a dead end recently, reportedly. The copyright infringement claim will not affect a deal that Universal's Interscope Records has with MySpace to distribute albums from its artists.
Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 1:19 PM
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November 21, 2006
Kramer's Racist Remarks Not Funny
Michael Richards, best known as Seinfeld's Kramer, entertained sitcom audiences for ten years as a zany, outspoken character who would do or say pretty much anything. This weekend at a famous Los Angeles comedy club, fans were shocked at his ability to do just that. During his show, Richards launched into a racist rant, confronting black members of the Laugh Factory audience with repeated use of the N-word and various other epithets.
Richards said he was prompted by the heckling of audience members who were disrespectfully loud and told him he wasn’t funny. He called black hecklers the N-word and told them that 50 years ago, they would have been "hung upside down" for such comments. A tape of his tirade can be found on TMZ.com.
Last night on the Late Show with David Letterman, Richards issued an apology stating that his outburst was a result of anger, not bigotry.
Check out the tapes. Is Richards sincere, and did he just let anger get the best of him? Or is he really racist? What about his career? Will it suffer?
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 4:18 PM
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November 17, 2006
Playstation 3 Prompts Real-Life Violence
Last night as I made my way across Manhattan in the rain, I had to push my way through 1,500 angry wet customers standing outside the Sony Plaza store on Madison Avenue. Some of them, I'm told, had been there for days, waiting for a Sony Playstation 3 . As the wind caught my umbrella and cold water lashed across my face, I thought to myself, "These people are crazy."
The angry mob on Madison was just one of thousands across the country. Eager Playstation worshippers lined up outside Wal-Marts, Best Buys and Circuit Cities to be first in line for the game console when it went on sale at midnight. The shoppers I witnessed began to push and shove when a store supervisor announced over a megaphone that only 400 consoles would be sold that night. Patrons at the end of the barricades began to shout, and before I could make it across the street, two men had come to blows, and a few had fallen into a gutter. Only this morning did I learn that what I witnessed paled in comparison to events in Connecticut and Kentucky.
In Putnam, Connecticut, two armed men demanded money from an entire line of customers waiting for a Playstation outside a Wal-Mart. One man, 21, refused, and was shot in the chest and shoulder. A similar situation developed in Kentucky, when four customers were hit by BBs in a drive-by shooting. In Wisconsin, the hysteria continued when a 19-year-old knocked himself unconscious by running full-force into a pole between a Wal-Mart parking lot and the storefront.
I understand that gaming is popular, but it's horrifying that people are getting shot in real life for something that allows them to shoot people virtually. Given Sony's announcement that many of the original Playstation games aren't compatible with the new system, I'm genuinely surprised that all 400,000 consoles released last night were sold for a retail price of about $500-$600.
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 1:16 PM
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November 15, 2006
Apple Takes Flight
In its most recent move to saturate the music market, Apple has partnered with seven of the major world airlines to make iPods an integral part of in-flight entertainment.
Beginning in mid-2007, Air France, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, KLM and United Airlines will allow passengers to connect their iPods to in-flight entertainment systems.The iPod seat connections will charge iPods in flight, and allow videos stored on iPods to be viewed on individual seat-back displays.
Of course, Apple isn’t stopping with just seven airlines –- the company is working with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring in-flight iPod connectivity to everything with wings. I wonder if passengers will still be required to turn off iPods for take-off? Maybe passengers will view and listen to the safety video via iPod. Or, better yet -- the Captain can offer a podcast of what he's doing at the helm.
This is the first time in history airlines have catered to a specific device. Until now, only universal electrical plugs could be found under most plane seats, and that was enough. I’ve gotten by just fine for the past few years listening to my iPod like a normal person, sitting in a normal airplane seat, and I can continue to do so quite comfortably. How many times has your in-flight entertainment experience been ruined because you couldn’t plug your iPod directly into your seat?
With over 3,000 iPod accessories on the market, it would seem as if the public could find enough Apple gadgets to entertain themselves in-flight without depending on the airlines. I guess we can blame the automobile industry for setting this precedent -- over 70 percent of all 2007 automobiles will come equipped with iPod connectivity.
Is Apple going too far? What happens when something better than an iPod hits the market? Will airlines be forced to rip iPod connection devices out of their seats and replace them with something new? Furthermore, will consumers see an increase in ticket prices just so Apple-decked pre-teens can watch the newest Gwen Stefani video on a bigger screen? I’m not paying for it. I think Apple is taking iPod entertainment to the height of ridiculousness. Give me a break.
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 1:16 PM
| 1 Comment
September 27, 2006
Apple's World Power in Question
Apple’s dominance in the music world has prompted this week’s heated negotiations with a number of European governments and consumer rights organizations.
The negotiations have taken Apple executives to Paris, where government representatives from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland have come to discuss iTunes’ dominance in downloadable music. Representatives argue that Apple’s music sale methods are unethical, citing that the sale of music or video in formats exclusive to the iPod product is a violation of art, and threatens both the sharing and longevity of cultural materials.
The accusations against Apple were led by French legislators who promote “interoperability” in music –- they feel that music should not legally be sold if it is compatible with only one product. Legislators from several European countries are seeking to stop the sale of Apple-exclusive iTunes and promote music and videos that can be enjoyed on any digital device.
Of course, Europeans aren’t the only ones angered by Apple’s monopoly; many in the United States feel strongly about the universal exchange of music, and for the past two years, the European Commission has investigated inflated prices of iTunes in the United Kingdom.
The proponents of music interoperability have a good point -- if digital media is made available in a universal format, artists and consumers alike stand a better chance at getting what they want. The market for artists will be healthier, and the selection for music and video purchasers will be broader.
However, some say this debate could result in government-controlled music standardization, resulting in a technology blockade that could prevent would-be artists from breaking onto the scene.
What do you think? Does Apple have too much of a Monopoly?
Posted by Kathryn Tuggle at 5:52 PM
| 7 Comments
August 29, 2006
Music for Free
After many years of going head-to-head with peer-to-peer networks from Napster to BitTorrent, the music industry has finally decided to give in. Vivendi's Universal Music Group--the world's largest music group--has joined forces with SpiralFrog, a new advertising-supported music download service, to make its catalog available for free legal downloading in the United States and Canada.
The company's business model is based on sharing income from advertising with content partners like Universal, while deterring music aficianados from pirating music. Its intended audience, the 13 - 34 demographic, has traditionally been anti-advertising but is used to the formula from watching videos on sites like MTV.com and and Yahoo! Music.
SpiralFrog is pitting itself directly in competition with the Apple iTunes Music store, as well as upcoming services from both Microsoft and MTV. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 12:52 PM
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August 24, 2006
Brand Tom Cruise for Sale
Whether Paramount Pictures cut off Tom Cruise as a result of his recent conduct--bouncing up and down on Oprah Winfrey's couch, attacking Brooke Shields for taking prescription drugs, publicly speaking out against psychiatry, zealously advocating Scientological ideals--or because he was no longer providing and optimal return on investment (ROI) is moot at this point. It really doesn't even matter whether Paramount shut the door in his face or if his Cruise/Wagner Productions company opted out in favor of going independent with the backing of $100 million from two unnamed hedge funds. What does matter is that the brand that is Tom Cruise is for sale, and financing it may prove risky business.
Today, The Wall Street Journal reported just how risky that business could be. Citing examples of failure at generating returns at the box office for hedge funds that backed such films as Poseidon, V for Vendetta, Lady in the Water, and Ant Bully, the article explains how hedge funds are starting to pull away from Hollywood.
As various forms of new media services push to the fore, video download services, Netflix, and DVRs in particular, Tinseltown isn't always cashing out huge at the box office these days. The cost of movie making continually increases, while the ROI appears to remain flat.
Big Hollywood studios could take some advice from Star Circle Pictures, a motion picture company covered in the September issue of Fast Company. According to that film company, there exists strategies for reducing the risk associated with movies. Perhaps even Cruise/Wagner should heed that advice.
Posted by Lynne d Johnson at 1:12 PM
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August 2, 2006
Disney's Mad Mel Dilemma
Amid all the sturm und drang over the drunken, anti-semetic MELtdown in Malibu last weekend, Disney, which is supposed to distribute Mel Gibson's next movie, "Apocalypto," has been conspicuously silent, according to the L.A. Times. The same company that opted against releasing Michael Moore's incendiary documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" must now decide what to do with another controversial film.
As offensive as Gibson's tirade was, Disney might be in a forgiving mood. Not because of Gibson's two apologies, the first of which was pathetic and the second of which reeked of desperation and damage control. Disney might distribute the film anyway because of a far more compelling number: $611 million. That's how much his controversial "The Passion of the Christ" raked in worldwide. Disney could be banking on the public's propensity to eventually forgive or forget. After all, directors Roman Polanki and Woody Allen came back from high-profile scandals.
Right now, though, just days after Gibson's arrest, during which he blamed the Jews for "all the wars in the world," it's hard to imagine any company that cares about its reputation wanting to get anywhere near Mad Max. As for "Apocalypto," Gibson has described the main character as someone who "has to overcome tremendous odds to preserve what he values most." Sounds like Gibson's plight. Well, minus the Hollywood ending.
What do you think Disney should do?
Posted by Chuck Salter at 6:10 PM
| 12 Comments
July 24, 2006
Chappelle's Show: The Repo'ed Episodes
Last night marked the last of three “Lost Episodes” of Chappelle’s Show material filmed before Dave Chappelle’s abrupt departure during production of the show in 2005. And airing the footage may prove to be a big mistake for Comedy Central.
Let’s recap: The third season of Chappelle’s Show was highly anticipated, and probably would have been a huge success for CC and Chappelle regardless of the quality of the material, had it been completed. DVD sales and critical acclaim from the second season led the channel to fork over a highly publicized $50 million check for another helping. Then their star walked out, leaving the channel suddenly without a scheduling cornerstone. More than a year later the channel got its revenge...
Continue reading "Chappelle's Show: The Repo'ed Episodes"
Posted by Joseph Manez at 5:41 PM
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July 13, 2006
Pass Me a Bottle, Mr. Jones
Borders’ new CEO George Jones faces a major challenge. Known as a retail innovator from stints at Warner Bros. Studio Stores and Saks, Jones takes over a company that’s locked in a competitive vise-grip between Barnes & Noble and Amazon. I thought a little unsolicited advice might be in order:
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am an author, filmmaker, and avid consumer of books, CD’s, and videos. I live a few blocks from your Santa Monica store, and you don’t get any of my business.
Your store is located on the Third Street Promenade, a high-visibility location frequented by tourists and trendy locals. The Promenade has become a brand showcase for the world’s top retailers including Apple, Puma, Adidas, J Crew, Pottery Barn, Urban Outfitters, Restoration Hardware and Abercrombie & Fitch. These stores are glittering, innovative, and ever changing. Yours is dingy and unfocused.
Continue reading "Pass Me a Bottle, Mr. Jones"
Posted by Greg Spotts at 7:27 PM
| 6 Comments
June 15, 2006
Art/Basel: Fine Art & Fat Cat Feeding Frenzy
Imagine going into a fine modern art museum, where the usual suspects -- Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, Leger, Klee, Kandinsky, etc. -- are arrayed on the walls. Now imagine that each one has a price tag next to it, so if you have the bucks, you can take it home.
That's what Art/Basel is like. Of course, at this fair, your VISA better have a seven-figure credit limit.
There is an especially fine selection of Picassos available at this summer's fair, ranging from modest little sketches for a few hundred thousand to serious works like the beautiful Femme en Blanc (Woman in White) which has never been sold publicly. The price tag? A cool $25M.
Lots of these works have been smoked out by dealers after Picasso's Dora Maar au Chat sold for $95.2M -- the second highest price ever paid for a work of art -- at Sotheby's last month in New York. Collectors holding other Picasso works are looking to cash out in what they see as a market flush with ready cash. After all, the anonymous Russian collector who bought Dora reportedly beat out Las Vegas's Steve Wynn, the Limited's Leslie Wexner, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and Israeli shipping magnate Sammy Ofer for the honor of taking it home. Presumably, those guys still have money burning a hole in their pockets, and are holding space over the sofa for a new Picasso of their own.
But they better move fast. This market is ruthlessly competitive. Overheard, for example, in the Nahmad booth, a British dealer on his cell phone to a client: "I've spoken to my guy in New York. He can't make it here 'til Saturday, so it's off reserve. Asking pirce: 12M euro."
At the Vernissage, the preview party where high rollers get a first look at the merch, it was instantly clear that in this crowd, prices like that are no problem. Hearing that the price of a particularly appealing Debuffet was $3M, one gentleman was delighted. "That's good news!" he said, whipping out his checkbook. "I have one at home that's just the same size."
Upstairs, there were parties for the true fat cats, hosted by the private jet leasing company Netjets. They reported that 100 of its planes will land at the Basel airport, a 25% increase over last year.
The crowd milling about was a mix of uptight European burghers, dark-suited Jeremy Piven-like Hollywood moguls, and open-shirted dudes who looked like they had escaped from Silicon Valley office parks. The Art Newspaper, put out by show sponsor UBS, reported that Michael Ovitz, Don and Mira Rubell from Miami, Los Angeles film agent Beth Swofford, real estate mogul Aby Rosen, Guggenheim president Jennifer Stockman, and financier Henry Kravis were in the crowd.
A large acrylic by Japanese artist Takashi Murakam, priced at $1.5M, was one of the show's first sales. "All the big fish came by as soon as the fair opened and we sold it to a North American collector in the first hour," gallerist Tim Blum told the paper. Why not? That's sofa change for this crowd.
Posted by Linda Tischler at 9:24 AM
| 1 Comment
June 14, 2006
The Ugly Underside of Success
Note to Sam Keller, director of Art Basel: If you want to continue growing your very successful art fair, you should move it to a city that can better handle its visitors, or consider pitching tents on the Messeplatz to accommodate the hordes even more desperate for a bed than a Picasso to call their own.
With an estimated 56,000 people converging on this small city, Basel is ill-equipped to handle the crowds. The city's hotels are crammed to the rafters, with riverboats docked in the Rhine to handle the overflow. Zurich, an hour away by train, is also sold out, and bed-less art lovers are spilling into Zurich's suburbs in a frantic search for rooms. Hotels, meanwhile, are gleefully goosing their rates to fleece the victims, with even sleazy, unairconditioned fleabags in the city's red light district charging $250 for their rooms. (not to mention charging $5.60 for a bottle of Sprite.)
Continue reading "The Ugly Underside of Success"
Posted by Linda Tischler at 10:59 AM
| 2 Comments
Investment Tip du Jour: Real Estate: Out. Chairs: In.
Art collectors who already have a Gerhard Richter for over the sofa are finding a whole new way to empty their wallets in Basel this summer. A short tram ride away from the main show at the big art fair, Art Basel, is Design Miami Basel, an event designed to showcase the joys of buying high-end furniture for collectors who want to move on from fine art.
Design Miami Basel premiered last December when Art Basel was in Miami, with a show dubbed Design Miami .05. In its first iteration, with 15 galleries showing, it did an impressive $7 million worth of business in four days. This is the show's first appearance in Basel, and early signs are promising. Alashdair Willis, CEO of Established & Sons, the British firm that this year won the event's Designer of the Future award, said he had already sold four of the $20,000 Zaha Hadid tables he was featuring by the second day of the show.
Curated by Ambra Medda, a 25-year-old Sardinian, the show is featuring work by such American galleries as New York's Barry Friedman, who had three Ron Arad chairs on display, including a fabulous cherry red acrylic one that one of the gallery's assistants swore was as comfortable as a dentist's chair -- without the drill.
One piece worth watching: a table by super-hot Aussie designer Marc Newson, on display at Gallery Italienne. One of Newson's earlier works, a lounge chair that was less than 10 years old, sold two weeks ago for $520,000 at an auction at Philips de Pury in New York. As for the price of the table, the gallery's owner just smiled. "I'll see what I'm offered," she said.
Posted by Linda Tischler at 10:42 AM
| 1 Comment
June 13, 2006
The World Cup of Art
Ah, June in Basel. When the sun sparkles off the Rathaus, the Rhine flows sweetly under the Wettsteinbrucke, and 56,000 rabid art hounds descend on this little Swiss city to snatch up the latest works by the art world's most sought-after players -- Neo Rauch, Damien Hirst, Lucien Freud and their kin.
This year, Art Basel celebrates its 37th anniversary as the world's pre-eminent art fair. (Those who can't trek to Switzerland in June get a second crack when the show arrives in Miami, its winter home, on Dec. 7.)
While the rest of Europe is consumed with non-stop, sun-up-to-sun-down World Cup spectating, the action around Basel's Messeplatz is more engaged with who sold what to whom. Make no mistake: There's serious money here, and the competition to get at the good stuff can be as fierce as a footballer with his eyes on the goal. (Handily, there is a constantly running TV set up in the courtyard for folks who take their soccer as seriously as their art.)
Continue reading "The World Cup of Art"
Posted by Linda Tischler at 8:58 AM
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May 1, 2006
The Return of Free Music
Last night at midnight Napster got closer to its free music exchange roots, launching a site that lets the public listen to any song in the Napster collection in its entirety up to five times, no charge. The sound quality isn't as good as it is for a monthly subscription, but it's decent. The only catch is a short ad appears every three songs. While Yahoo and other services have similar free music offers, Napster's has fewer ads and doesn't require any particular browser or application to load. And, its collection is huge. Bloggers will appreciate the links section where you can link back to Napster's songs to build playlists. Being able to e-mail songs to friends, easily, is also a bonus.
There have been countless times when I've considered buying a song or an album online only to hesitate because I couldn't hear the whole thing. Forget trying to get the jist of a live recording in 15 seconds--sometimes the artist's intro lasts longer. Same with anything techno. Even if Napster's site doesn't draw as many new subscribers as the company hopes it will, it's a step in the right digital direction for music. The more open, the better. After all, you can return a shirt you ordered online for a refund, but it's not so easy to get a refund on a crappy song from iTunes.
Posted by Alyssa Danigelis at 10:05 AM
| 3 Comments
April 26, 2006
Turning off the Tube
This week (now that it's half over) is TV-Turnoff Week. The news not only came too late for me to even ponder the white dot, but I hadn't heard of a specific week dedicated to this before. No doubt it's better to read a book, than, say, watch this. I probably do watch too much useless fluff on the tube, but it's hard for me to imagine never watching TV again. To be fair, I admit that my TV doesn't have cable, which makes it far likelier that I'll land on Public Television. PBS has taught me quite a bit over the years: how to count in Spanish, the history of baseball, the history of jazz...not to mention this addicting series. Giving up PBS as part of TV-Turnoff week seems counter-intuitive. Instead of avoiding television, why not campaign to make TV better, more educational? There have already been steps in that direction, including LazyTown.
So, as a compromise, how about quality TV in moderation week? I'm sure most of us could agree on that, especially since there's a new house series starting Monday on PBS.
Posted by Alyssa Danigelis at 4:24 PM
| 5 Comments
April 10, 2006
Disney Vetting Video
Disney announced that it would be offering videos of subsidiary ABC's television shows at the ABC.com Website as a two-month trial. This is in addition to the shows being sold on iTunes. Unlike on iTunes, where the shows cost $1.99 per episode, the ABC.com episodes will be free to viewers, supported by video advertising.
Continue reading "Disney Vetting Video"
Posted by Kevin Ohannessian at 12:27 PM
| 3 Comments
April 3, 2006
Kong on Your Computer
It's about time. Hollywood studios are finally beginning to sell films online(registration required) the same day they are released to DVD. Two sites, Movielink and CinemaNow, will feature hundreds of titles from a variety of studios. Such high-profile films as Brokeback Mountain and King Kong will be among the available titles.
Hollywood played the waiting game, not willing to take a risk until downloadable content was shown to be viable. Most credit Apple's iTunes as proving the profitability of such a service. Yet the Hollywood studios did not follow iTunes in regards to price. Disney had been selling its made-for-TV movie High School Musical on iTunes for $9.99 (now it is nowhere to be found). But Movielink and CinemaNow plan to offer films for $20 to $30. At those pirces, can downloads be successful? With DVDs often costing much less than $20, especially through chains like Wal-Mart and Best Buy, those downloads are bound to be perceived as less of a value (since they are not tangible objects and have limited portability) than an actual DVD. The movies also take more than an hour to download and can't be played back on a traditional DVD player, further limiting their appeal.<