Sep 27, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Gender and Sexism, mic
Published: The Good Men Project (September 27, 2014) If a female-led Ghostbusters 3 becomes a reality, what could that mean for future of female comedy writers, actors. and directors? Recently, Bill Murray made entertainment headlines by listing his picks for the new line-up to spearhead the long-awaited Ghostbusters 3. The names included Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Linda Cardellini,...
Sep 24, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Gender and Sexism, General Advice, Internet Culture, mic, Millennials
Published: The Good Men Project (September 24, 2014; republished on October 15, 2014) The backlash against statements by gaming commentator Anita Sarkeesian has writer Matthew Rozsa questioning mob mentality in the digital world. Before discussing the Anita Sarkeesian controversy – better known these days as “GamerGate” – I’d like to submit the following quote for your consideration,...
Sep 10, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Autobiographical, Mental Illness, Scandals
Published: The Morning Call (September 10, 2014) The New York Times, which is capable of producing great insights, puzzlingly expressed surprise at Robin Williams' legendary work ethic in its obituary. "Given his well-publicized troubles with depression, addiction, alcoholism and a significant heart surgery in 2009," it commented, "Mr. Williams should have had a résumé filled with mysterious...
Jul 21, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Gender and Sexism, General Advice, Liskula Cohen
Published: GirlieGirlArmy (July 21, 2014) co-author: Liskula Cohen It’s interesting that Photoshop has developed such a poor reputation. Over the past week it has already made national news twice – first in a controversy over whether InStyle Magazine excessively altered Zooey Deschanel’s appearance for their cover, and now thanks to a series of Bongo ads featuring Vanessa Hudgens which go out...
Jun 8, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, General Advice
Published: CadyMcClain.com (June 8, 2014) This literary aphorism may have been penned by Mark Twain, but it could have very easily been said by Cady McClain, the daytime television star (All My Children, As The World Turns, The Young and the Restless) whose memoirs, Murdering My Youth, were released on Amazon in April. Unlike many similar books published by public figures, Cady does not use this...
Apr 10, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Asperger's Syndrome, mic
Published: mic (April 10, 2014) When I was first diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of 14, Asperger's was barely on the public radar. One of my earliest experiences discussing the condition with others was having them make vulgar puns about the name. To say the least, the last 15 years have seen a remarkable change in public awareness. Not only is Asperger's syndrome as commonly known...
Mar 24, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic
Published: mic (March 24, 2014) We all probably have a favorite president or two, but which of them is most like you in their beliefs? Not every president is included (sorry Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt), but this quick quiz should help you discover which of our many leaders is a kindred spirit. The points have nothing to do with whether one is "winning" or "losing," just add them up...
Mar 18, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic
Published: mic (March 18, 2014) It's easy to recite well-known presidential trivia — Washington was our first president, Cleveland was the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms, etc. — but do you know the quirkier facts? As an American history aficionado, it was hard for me to pick favorites from among the countless "quirky" presidential factoids. But ... 1. Only one president had to...
Mar 3, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic
Published: mic (March 3, 2014) The philosopher George Santayana famously wrote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Put another way, some moments in American history are just too seminal not to have stored upstairs. Here are 10 trivia questions covering major moments in American history. How well do you know our fabled past? Hint: copy and paste your answers into a...
Feb 28, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic, Race and Racism
Published: mic (February 28, 2014) It's the NFL off-season and while players are on vacation and there's no good excuse to get debauched on a Sunday any longer, something else is afoot — NFL rule changes. On Feb. 22, news broke that the NFL's Competition Committee is considering an automatic 15-yard penalty for use of the "n-word" on the field and presumably other racial slurs. This opens up a...