Ray Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, dies at 74

Manzarek is among the most notable keyboard players in rock history

, Associated Press Monday, May 20, 2013 9:45 PM UTC 19
From the Wires, The Doors

Beware of book blurbs

The Washington Post did not review Martin Amis' latest novel favorably, but the book blurb suggests otherwise

Monday, May 20, 2013 8:41 PM UTC
Books, Martin Amis, book blurbs

Did a Salon excerpt ruin Penn Jillette’s chance to win “Celebrity Apprentice”?

Last night, Donald Trump "fired" Penn Jillette on TV -- months after the magician mocked his "boss" on Salon VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 8:06 PM UTC
Video, donald trumpc

Zach Galifianakis to take formerly homeless woman to “Hangover 3″ premiere

The comedian has been friends with Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist since the 1990s and later helped her out of homelessness

Monday, May 20, 2013 7:17 PM UTC
Zach Galifianakis, Homelessness

Seth MacFarlane will not host Oscars again

The "Family Guy" creator says his schedule won't allow for it

Monday, May 20, 2013 6:06 PM UTC
Seth MacFarlane, Oscars

“SNL’s” uncomfortable Garner/Affleck moment

Ben Affleck's monologue was work to get through -- and not "the best kind of work" VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 4:45 PM UTC 10
Video, Ben Affleck

“Celebrity Apprentice” finale ratings hit a new low

Though he insists his show is returning next year, Donald Trump got bad ratings news today

Monday, May 20, 2013 4:21 PM UTC
Celebrity Apprentice

Worst National Anthem fails

Canadian jazz singer Alexis Normand bungled the "Star-Spangled Banner," but she's hardly the first VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 4:13 PM UTC
Video, national anthem

The truth in Kanye’s anti-prison rap

The rapper's incendiary "SNL" performance delivered condemnations of the prison industrial complex worth unpacking VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 4:10 PM UTC 21
Video, SNL, Kanye West

Stephen Colbert to UVA: “You must always make the path for yourself”

The comedian delivered a funny and uplifting speech to the Class of 2013 VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 3:21 PM UTC
Video, Stephen Colbert, UVA

“Game of Thrones,” season 3, episode 8: A salon

Last night, we moved closer to the season's epic conclusion -- and Salon writers are discussing it all now!

Monday, May 20, 2013 2:00 PM UTC
Game of Thrones

Bieber booed, Miguel falls on fan at Billboard Awards

Sunday's music ceremony was entertaining for all the wrong reasons VIDEO

Monday, May 20, 2013 12:54 PM UTC
Video, billboard music awards

“Mad Men” recap: Love, acid and whores. Lots of whores

Don fails an electric Kool-Aid acid test, as his mommy issues climb through every open doorway

Monday, May 20, 2013 12:45 PM UTC 19
Mad Men, don draper, LSD

Taylor Swift leads Billboard winners

The pop singer won eight of a possible 11 awards, including top artist and top Billboard 200 album for "Red"

, Associated Press Monday, May 20, 2013 11:25 AM UTC
Associated Press, Taylor Swift

I do not fear death

I will pass away sooner than most people who read this, but that doesn't shake my sense of wonder and joy

Thursday, Sep 15, 2011 3:01 PM UTC 203
Memoirs, Cancer, Books

“Game of Thrones” recap: “We must do our duty”

Duty gets perverted while innocents try to avoid terrible fates

Monday, May 20, 2013 2:00 AM UTC 32
Game of Thrones, TV, Television

“The Unwinding”: What’s gone wrong with America

A deeply-reported exploration of the past 35 years of American life gauges the human cost of "freedom"

Sunday, May 19, 2013 10:00 PM UTC 34
What to Read, Books, Nonfiction

Michael J. Fox wins: The best and worst of the new fall shows

Turns out, yes. Michael J. Fox's new sitcom is going to be much buzzed about. Here's what you'll be watching next VIDEO

Sunday, May 19, 2013 9:00 PM UTC
Video, TV, Television, pilots

First look: The Coens’ marvelous folk-music odyssey

Cannes: Oscar Isaac's breakout performance drives the Coens' arch, magical portrait of pre-Dylan Greenwich Village

Sunday, May 19, 2013 8:30 PM UTC
Movies, Film Festivals

New York’s most persecuted subway artist?

Enrico Miguel Thomas is taking legal action against the city after routine harassment at the hands of the MTA

, Hyperallergic Sunday, May 19, 2013 7:00 PM UTC
Hyperallergic, Art

James Franco: “I really felt I was in conversation with Faulkner”

The writer, actor and filmmaker discusses the challenges and subtle pleasures of adapting "As I Lay Dying"

, LA Review of Books Sunday, May 19, 2013 4:00 PM UTC
LA Review of Books

“Jodorowsky’s Dune”: The sci-fi classic that never was

Cannes: A rousing new documentary revisits the unbelievable story of the most influential movie never made

Sunday, May 19, 2013 1:30 PM UTC 31
Movies, Documentaries

First look: A Chinese art-house director goes for blood

Cannes: Art-house hero Jia Zhangke takes on his nation's corruption in the explosive allegory "A Touch of Sin"

Saturday, May 18, 2013 11:45 PM UTC
Movies, Film Festivals

Pollution as ancient Chinese art

With the help of Photoshop, artist Yao Lu has made shanshui — traditional ink paintings — of China's landfills

, Hyperallergic Saturday, May 18, 2013 6:00 PM UTC
Hyperallergic, Art, China

Chimp’s blurry pictures to fetch six figures at auction

Mikki, a chimpanzee from the Moscow Circus, is renowned for his Polaroid photography

, Hyperallergic Saturday, May 18, 2013 5:00 PM UTC
Hyperallergic, Art, Photography

Alex Gibney: Julian Assange has become like “those he despises”

An Oscar-winning filmmaker defends his Col. Kurtz-style portrait of the WikiLeaks founder in "We Steal Secrets"

Saturday, May 18, 2013 4:30 PM UTC 71
Movies, Documentaries, Interviews

Can playing Dots on your iPhone make you smarter?

Not quite, but new research reveals that the game and others like it can sharpen a few specific cognitive skills

, Pacific Standard Saturday, May 18, 2013 4:00 PM UTC
Pacific Standard, games

Must do’s: What we like this week

"The Mindy Project" finally delivers, and "The Bling Ring" is a compelling exploration of image-obsessed culture

Saturday, May 18, 2013 2:00 PM UTC
must dos, Our Picks: Books

First look: An Iranian director takes on Western morality

Cannes: Oscar-winner Asghar Farhadi leaves Iran to make "The Past," a heartbreaking tale of modern marriage

Saturday, May 18, 2013 1:25 PM UTC
Movies, Cannes Film Festival

JJ Grey: I can’t watch the news!

The soul-funk master says he has to tune out the awful headlines to keep his sanity -- and the tunes flowing VIDEO

Saturday, May 18, 2013 1:00 PM UTC
Video, Music, JJ Grey, Mofro

Stop comparing everything to “Girls”!

Vampire Weekend, "30 Rock," Sheryl Sandberg, "Spring Breakers" -- everything is just like "Girls." Except it isn't

Friday, May 17, 2013 10:45 PM UTC 29
Girls, Lena Dunham, Frances Ha

Beyoncé reportedly pregnant with second baby

Rumors have been swirling all week, but multiple sources tell E! the singer is expecting

Friday, May 17, 2013 8:14 PM UTC
Beyonce, Pregnancy, Jay-Z, baby

Krist Novoselic: My plan to fix Congress, curb obstruction

Nirvana's former bassist is working to end political dysfunction. Here's his plan to make Congress more accountable

Friday, May 17, 2013 6:32 PM UTC 74
nirvana, Electoral reform

Amy Poehler: I have no idea what makes a great comedy

Speaking at a panel on excellence in media, the comedian says comedy should not worry about being excellent

Friday, May 17, 2013 6:00 PM UTC
Amy Poehler, David Simon

Justin Bieber has less than 12 hours to save his monkey

The abandoned capuchin monkey will become German property unless the singer claims him

Friday, May 17, 2013 3:45 PM UTC
capuchin monkey, Justin Bieber

Benedict Cumberbatch: I would marry Spock

The flustered star plays "F--k, Marry, Kill" VIDEO

Friday, May 17, 2013 3:00 PM UTC
Video, benedict cumberbatch

First look: Sofia Coppola’s chilly, brilliant “Bling Ring”

Cannes is abuzz over Paris Hilton's real-life shoe collection -- and the nihilistic teen girls who stole it

Friday, May 17, 2013 2:40 PM UTC 21
Cannes, Cannes Film Festival

Must-see morning clip: George Packer on the decline of American institutions

The New Yorker writer discusses his new book, "The Unwinding" VIDEO

Friday, May 17, 2013 1:25 PM UTC
Video, george packer

“Parks and Recreation” star Jim O’Heir shops at A&F

Jimmy Kimmel sends the plus-size actor to shop at the retail chain that refuses to stock plus sizes VIDEO

Friday, May 17, 2013 1:06 PM UTC
Video, Parks and Recreation

“The Office’s” sugar-coated finale

In the end, it argued that settling for a mediocre job for way too long can bring you happiness beyond measure

Friday, May 17, 2013 4:13 AM UTC 25
The Office, office finale, TV