Tuesday, February 28.

Today was fascinating but (again) can't comment on it. But missed the Whitney Biennial preview. It was (evidently) a huge event! As expected.

However, came home and watched "American Idol"! Finally! Got to see the ten female finalists. From what i saw (and heard) there were at least two that should be go, but we'll see what happens. Fox is wiping the floor with the competition, and with these 90 minute shows (tomorrow is another 90 minute show, showcasing the ten male finalists), nothing stands a chance. Larry went to openings, but came back in time to see the show. We agreed that Brenna Gethers and Heather Cox just couldn't sing the songs they chose to sing. (So did Paula, Simon and Randy.) But we were impressed with Mandisa... i forgot where it was (it might have been in Entertainment Weekly) where she was picked out as an early favorite, but was told that with that first name, she doesn't need another. And she's since dropped her last name.

The Village Voice has a fascinating article about a controversy in dance. Deborha Jowitt talks with Tere O'Connor about his "reply" to a review by Joan Acocella in The New Yorker. What freaked people out was that it was a favorable review, but he still felt that she didn't really "understand" his work. I don't know why people are freaked out: most artists i know are like that! When i wrote for The Soho Weekly News, since my "beat" was avantgarde films, i was always getting letters from the filmmakers, and i never wrote a "negative" review. Well, not about an avantgarde film, because i always felt that, since i was one of the only ones who would even notice those films, why pick on them? If i made a joke, it was always about some Hollywood blockbuster. But no! Every single filmmaker expected me to become an acolyte, to write from their point of view. Since most of them were about as talented as a flea circus, what were they, nuts? And now, it turns out that choreographers are just as nutty. Well, i always knew that. Most of the choreographers i know (and i've known a lot) just want someone to follow them around and write about them. But i feel so out of it: i had no idea this controversy had erupted. Shows you how removed from dance i've become (and thank god for that).

Well, that's it. Have to prepare for another day in the dungeon!