Mikhail Gorbachev RIP: The Soviet Leader Who Tried for ‘Revolution from Above’
Mikhail Gorbachev died at 91 on Aug. 30, 2022. A historian of the Soviet era assesses his impact and the consequences of his failed attempts to reform state socialism.
The Who2 Blog
Anne Heche Has Died at Age 53
Actress Anne Heche has died, a week after her car crashed into a Los Angeles house and burst into flames. TMZ reports that a representative for Heche’s family said that …..
Top Gun: The Marching Band Edition
Top Gun is back, 36 years later. Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the 1986 fighter-jock classic (again starring the ageless Tom Cruise) arrives in theaters on May 27. Deadline.com …..
‘Rage Joyously’: William Hurt Muses on Death
Actor William Hurt has died at age 71. His son, Will, released this statement: It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved …..
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi Biography – New!
Our new biography of film director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi is now live. Ryūsuke Hamaguchi is the Japanese film director whose drama Drive My Car has been nominated for four Academy Awards …..
Mikaela Shiffrin’s Father: What Happened to Him?
Ski champion Mikaela Shiffrin has spoken openly and bravely about her struggles with the death of her father, Jeff Shiffrin. Reports and interviews have noted that Mikaela “couldn’t even get …..
Punxsutawney Phil Is Not Actually Predicting the Weather, Just FYI
Groundhog hero Punxsutawney Phil has made his annual appearance for 2022. This year he “saw his shadow” and thereby “predicted” six more weeks of winter. Now, we love Groundhog Day …..
Pablo Picasso’s World War II Mistress is 100 and Still Going Strong
Salute to François Gilot, who just turned 100 and is still giving charming interviews to The New York Times. We wrote about François Gilot seven years ago in a piece …..
Marlene Dietrich and Champagne: She Didn’t Quite Say That
Here’s a story about Hollywood legend Marlene Dietrich, Champagne, and a bad quote. The actress liked her sparkles, that much is clear. A supposed Marlene Dietrich quote about Champagne is …..
Shirley Chisholm, Unbought and Unbossed
Shirley Chisholm, unbought and unbossed. Has there been a better political slogan this side of “I Like Ike“? No, there hasn’t. I had always thought the “unbought and unbossed” reference …..
Martin Luther King Pushed for Global Justice, Not Just Civil Rights at Home
MLK’s vision for nonviolence included abolishing what he called triple evils – racism, poverty and militarism – and his anger at the Vietnam War led him to push for a broader agenda.
Betty White’s 100th Birthday People Magazine Cover
People magazine, getting ahead of the news, published this 100th birthday tribute to actress Betty White earlier this week. The issue date is January 10, 2022. Unfortunately, Betty White died …..
Betty White Joins the 99 Club, Alas
Betty White, the actress and entertainer whose working career spanned an astonishing nine decades, has died at age 99. She passed on Friday morning at her home in California; the …..
bell hooks outlived Evel Knievel
Both were daredevils in their own way. Evel Knievel jumped over buses and fountains on a souped-up motorcycle. Dr. bell hooks jumped over sexists and racists with her deep thinking …..
Elfrida von Nardroff is Dead: Won More Than Charles Van Doren on Rigged Game Show
You’ve heard of Charles Van Doren, the poster boy for game show cheating in the 1950s. But have you heard of Elfrida von Nardroff? She won more than Van Doren …..
Frank Sinatra’s Christmas Special (and his Blue Suit)
Happy Holidays With Bing and Frank, the special was called, and it aired on December 20, 1957. The conceit is that Bing Crosby drops in on Frank Sinatra on Christmas …..
New Astronaut Sleeping Bag Prevents Old Astronaut Eye-squashing
We’re always here for fresh astronaut news, whether it’s an Apollo 11 anniversary or John Glenn outliving Phyllis Diller. Today’s astronaut story is in a more scientific vein: how to …..
Micky Dolenz is the Last Monkee Standing
I’m heartbroken. I’ve lost a dear friend and partner. I’m so grateful that we could spend the last couple of months together doing what we loved best – singing, …..
George Patton’s Widow Put a Deadly Hawaiian Curse on his Mistress
“May the Great Worm gnaw your vitals, and may your bones rot joint by little joint!” Here’s a wild story about General George Patton, hard-driving hero (and cancelled-in-his-own-time villain) of …..
Bob Dole Lost 70 Pounds of Pure Muscle After World War II
Bob Dole — Congressman, Senate majority leader, and three-time presidential candidate — was also once a muscular young man. Bob Dole died this morning at age 98 after a lifetime …..