Deconstructing Pop Culture

The actress Jennifer Jones died on December 17, 2009; her death was reported in today’s New York Times and Los Angeles Times. I remember attending several receptions at her home in Bel Air. It was a novel sensation to see multi-million dollar works of art casually displayed on a wall in a hallway where others [...]

An article in today’s Los Angeles Times states that Knott’s Berry Farm will be sold to the private equity firm Apollo Global Management for $2.4 billion. While several other amusement parks and hotels are included in the transaction, the article made it clear that Knott’s was the main attraction.
Knott’s has undergone tumultuous upheaval since its [...]

The golfer Tiger Woods recently has been the subject of considerable controversy as a result of a peculiar car accident and subsequent revelations of marital indiscretions.  The media of course have lapped this up like thirsty hounds, see, for example, a recent article by Sam Tanenhaus in the New York Times.  This leads to a [...]

There was a brief note in today’s New York Times by Michael J. de la Merced, “Suit Accuses Citigroup of Fraud in EMI Deal.” It states the private equity company Terra Firma has filed a lawsuit against Citigroup in connection with Terra Firma’s acquisition of EMI in May 2007 for $4.8 billion. The gist of the [...]

Marc Cohn is a performing artist. Let me start off by saying it is not my intention to be disrespectful to him. He has had plenty of travails in his life, including being shot in the head. However he is a perfect illustration of what happened as the record business migrated from its former template, [...]

An article in the December 7, 2007 New York Times by Patrick McGeehan, “Vinyl Records and Turntables Are Gaining Sales,” discusses the resurgence of vinyl long-playing records. They still however remain a miniscule fraction of the marketplace. The transition from LPs to vinyl started in the mid-1980s and had snowballed by the early 1990s. I recall [...]

Maybe I saw something in her that reminded me of a girl I knew in high school; if not precisely that, then something similar. Gen Y women in the media/pop culture business share several intriguing characteristics – a combination of reticence and availability, subtlety and brashness, carefree yet deadly serious. I had heard of her, [...]

“The Cube” is an oppressive, claustrophobic movie by the director Vincenzo Natali. It is about the escapades of seven people who are trapped inside of a gigantic cube. The cube comprises 26 equally-sized rooms on each side for a total of 17,576 rooms altogether. Each room is bathed in a different color light. The rooms [...]

Anyone can sell their used books and CDs on Amazon.  Prices strictly are what the market will bear.  There is no point in being anybody other than the lowest-price seller.  This market –clearing price frequently is as low as $.01.  Amazon also provides for a modest shipping allowance.  After deducting Amazon’s commission and the actual [...]

Lions Gate’s fourth quarter results were mediocre, as was its FY 2008 – 2009.  There are several reason for this, including developing softness in the DVD market; over-spending on marketing and promotion; its ill-advised acquisition of the TV Guide cable channel; and a distribution deal it made with the kiddie-video firm Hit Entertainment.  See Joe [...]