In his essay "Isn't It Romantic," he goes after the musical Rent for being bad in many ways. This quote from the essay stood out and I reproduce it here because how often does someone sum it all up so neatly?
"...New York was becoming far too expensive and criminally inhospitable to young people who tried to come here with dreams of making art, and how regrettable that the town's vibrancy and authenticity were being replaced by a culture-free, high-end-retail cluster-fuck of luxury condo buildings whose all-glass walls essentially require a populace that doesn't own bookshelves or, consequently, books.
A metropolis of streets once thriving with local businesses and services now consisting of nothing but Marc Jacobs store after Marc Jacobs store and cupcake purveyors (is there anything more blandly sweet, less evocative of this great city, and more goyish than any other baked good with the possible exception of Eucharist wafers than the cupcake?)."
The St. Mark's Bookshop has copies of Half Empty in stock.
See Also:
Fran on NYC
Sante's Lost City
Gonna read the Rakoff book. Thanks for bringing it our attention, JM. Still, I hadn't read your post on RENT until just now. I don't care for the musical, but I wonder if it's unfair to suggest that RENT is like "Sex in the City" in cheapening the bohemian EV lifestyle. After all, RENT was very daring in its day for bringing attention to HIV/AIDS. Shouldn't we give a pass to the musical for its Disney treatment of Alphabet City because of other good intentions?
ReplyDeleteWell, we *could* give Rent a pass (I refuse the all cap nod to pretension), but let's not. It sucked, it was phony from day 1, and it was embraced by everyone who would never, ever dare to live like the stereotypical 'artistes' depicted. Or, for that matter, live next door to them.
ReplyDeleteThe HIV thing was daring in its day? I'm not sure, but wasn't that about 10 years after everyone started dying?
in the essay, Rakoff says, "In Rent, AIDS seems only to render one cuter and cuter."
ReplyDelete"is there anything more blandly sweet, less evocative of this great city, and more goyish than any other baked good with the possible exception of Eucharist wafers than the cupcake?"
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha! That's a genius sentence and thought, I have to check out the book, thanks for recommending it.
"...the town's vibrancy and authenticity were being replaced by a culture-free, high-end-retail cluster-fuck of luxury condo buildings whose all-glass walls essentially require a populace that doesn't own bookshelves or, consequently, books."
ReplyDeleteHa, so true! And, sad...soulless glass boxes inhabited by kindles and [i]pods...when it comes to culture and personality, the city really does feel more than half empty.
I must admit that I will always have a soft spot for RENT because I grew up singing along to the music...but I just looked at the Life Cafe's website, and HOT DAMN the prices are ridiculous! For making money off of being Bohemian and supporting starving artists, they sound like they're more fit for the super elite who live there now ;P
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to wish you a belated Happy Holiday and a Very Happy New Year filled with joy and happiness.Thanks for sharing some of the most interesting things.
I always hated Rent ever since a vapid ex-girlfriend who never lived in NYC proclaimed it "authentic". One of the many reasons she's an ex.
ReplyDeletecupcakes are basically disneylands version of "ethnic" food.
Don't blame the cupcake, blame the messenger.
ReplyDeleteWFT is "goyish" about a cupcake?
ReplyDeleteHow about this sentence: "There is nothing more jewish than the producers, writers, and star of Sex and the City."