Will J. D. Vance Inherit MAGA?
Vice‑President J.D. Vance spent a high‑profile week abroad, meeting Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and heading U.S. negotiations in Pakistan aimed at ending the Iran‑Pakistan conflict he publicly opposed. The Washington Roundtable panel examined how his foreign‑policy forays and alignment with right‑wing autocrats shape his political trajectory. Commentators argue that Vance’s brand lacks the charismatic pull of Donald Trump, raising doubts about his ability to inherit the MAGA movement. The discussion also explored whether his emerging profile positions him as a viable Republican presidential contender in 2028.
Sam Altman’s Trust Issues at OpenAI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman surprised the tech community by striking a rapid deal with the Pentagon to supply AI services, effectively taking over a contract Anthropic declined due to ethical objections. The agreement follows Altman's public endorsement of Anthropic’s stance...
What the Verdict Against Meta and Google Says About the Way We Live Now
A California jury found Meta and Google liable for a teen’s Instagram and YouTube addiction, awarding $6 million in damages. The case, a bellwether for more than a thousand similar lawsuits, sidestepped Section 230 by focusing on the platforms’ negligent design features...
Pam Bondi Fails to Make Her Case
Pam Bondi was dismissed from her role as Attorney General after a series of high‑profile missteps, including the mishandling of Jeffrey Epstein files and her involvement in former President Donald Trump’s attempts to target political opponents. The New Yorker’s Ruth...
“The Drama” Is One Long Troll
“The Drama,” directed by Kristoffer Borgli and starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, has become a cultural flashpoint despite mixed artistic reviews. The film’s premise—an engaged couple confronting a shocking confession about a past school‑shooting plan—has ignited a flood of think...
What Would a Ground Invasion of Iran Look Like?
Supporters of Iran’s government have released AI‑generated videos that blend religious symbolism with violent imagery to rally Shiite supporters and sway global opinion as the Trump administration threatens a ground invasion. The United States has already deployed thousands of troops...
The Scandal of the Sharenting Economy
Family‑centered content creators, or “momfluencers,” monetize everyday childhood moments through brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, and ad revenue, often generating millions annually. The industry faces serious ethical concerns, including exposure to pedophiles, AI‑generated child sexual‑abuse material, and the exploitation of children’s...
Trump’s Offshore-Drilling Dream Is a Recipe for Poisoning the Oceans
The Trump administration is reviving offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, releasing plans to lease up to 1.27 billion acres of public waters and selling 141 thousand acres at record‑low royalty rates. Within days, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved...
Catherine Lacey Reads “Rate Your Happiness”
Catherine Lacey, acclaimed novelist and two‑time Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist, reads her latest New Yorker story “Rate Your Happiness” for a public audio segment. The piece, featured in the April 13, 2026 issue, delves into the paradox of failure, indecision, and perpetual...
How Donald Trump’s War on Iran Helps Vladimir Putin’s War on Ukraine
The article argues that former President Donald Trump’s aggressive posture toward Iran unintentionally bolsters Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. By pressuring Iran, the United States has pushed Tehran closer to Moscow, prompting Russia to share advanced drone technology with Iran....
“DTF St. Louis” And the New Story of the Suburbs
HBO’s new miniseries “DTF St. Louis” turns a quiet suburban setting into a murder‑mystery driven by a secret‑dating app, starring Jason Bateman as a weatherman. Critics on the *Critics at Large* podcast link the show to a long line of suburban...
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The Sci-Fi Novelist Who Disappeared for Decades
Cameron Reed, the cult cyber‑punk author of The Fortunate Fall, disappeared from publishing for 27 years before resurfacing on Bluesky and Mastodon in 2023. Her debut novel, praised for its queer dystopia and cognitive estrangement, was reissued by Tor Books...
The Spectacle of War and the Struggle to Protest
The article argues that war coverage has become a "spectacle," where short‑form video pundits dominate the narrative, diluting genuine political resistance. Drawing on Guy Debord’s theory, it shows how interchangeable images of conflict desensitize the public and turn protests like...
How Pakistan Became a Major Player in Peace Negotiations Between the U.S. and Iran
Pakistan’s military, led by Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has positioned the country as a broker in the U.S.-Iran war, offering to host talks in Islamabad and relaying President Donald Trump’s demands. The partnership deepened after the May 2025...
John Lithgow on the Controversial Authors Roald Dahl and J. K. Rowling
John Lithgow stars in the new Broadway play “Giant,” which dramatizes the 1980s scandal surrounding Roald Dahl’s antisemitic remarks and his publisher’s demand for a retraction. The production links Dahl’s historic controversy to today’s surge in antisemitism amid Middle‑East tensions. Lithgow...
A Former Federal Prosecutor on Why He Quit Donald Trump’s Department of Justice
Former federal prosecutor Troy Edwards quit his senior national‑security role in the Eastern District of Virginia, citing the Justice Department’s turn toward partisan enforcement under Attorney General Pam Bondi. Edwards, who previously secured convictions against Oath Keepers for Jan. 6 offenses,...
“Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat” And Age of the Prestige Prank Show
The second season of "Jury Duty," retitled "Company Retreat," arrives on Prime Video with a fresh premise set at a Los Angeles hot‑sauce company’s staff retreat. Creator‑team Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky replace the courtroom backdrop with a sprawling corporate‑camp...
The Soft Power of BTS
BTS has re‑emerged after a four‑year military hiatus with the new album “Arirang,” released alongside a Netflix‑streamed concert and documentary. The record signals a deliberate return to Korean cultural roots while showcasing the members’ evolution into their late twenties and...
Louise Erdrich on Novels of Parentless Children
Louise Erdrich, fresh from releasing her story collection *Python’s Kiss*, spotlighted three recent novels that probe the inner lives of children who grow up without parents. She discussed Tayari Jones’s *Kin*, Elizabeth Bowen’s *The Death of the Heart*, and W.G....
CNN’s “Podcast Look” And the Slow Death of Cable News
CNN recently revamped its flagship shows with a casual, podcast‑style set‑up, rolling up sleeves and broadcasting from home offices to mimic the authenticity of popular YouTube and TikTok clips. The experiment aimed to modernize the network’s image but fell flat,...
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
U.S. airport security lines have ballooned to three‑plus hours as a recent government shutdown left TSA agents unpaid and understaffed. The shutdown, the third in six months, forced many agents to call in sick, crippling checkpoint throughput at hubs like...
The “Baritenor” Michael Spyres Soars in the Met’s New “Tristan Und Isolde”
The Metropolitan Opera’s latest "Tristan und Isolde" under Yuval Sharon blends philosophical ambition with a visually crowded stage. Michael Spyres, a self‑styled "baritenor," delivers a securely sung Tristan that eclipses many recent interpretations. Lise Davidsen’s Isolde, while dazzling in the...
“Two Prosecutors,” “Palestine ’36,” And the Tribulations of Resistance in the Thirties
Sergei Loznitsa’s "Two Prosecutors" and Annemarie Jacir’s "Palestine ’36" both dramatize resistance in the 1930s, one within Stalin’s Soviet Gulag system and the other amid the British‑mandated Arab revolt. Loznitsa adapts Georgy Demidov’s novella, using a dual‑hour structure to mirror...
Julio Torres Makes Everything Funny—Including Color Theory
Julio Torres, known for SNL, Los Espookys, and Problemista, returns to HBO with a new special titled "Color Theories." The hour‑long program pairs his trademark surreal humor with a synesthetic exploration of color, turning hues into punchlines and philosophical musings. Filmed...
Remembering Calvin Tomkins, a Master of the Profile
Calvin Tomkins, the legendary New Yorker staff writer who pioneered the modern artist profile, died at 100 on March 20, 2026. Over nearly seven decades he produced more than 80 in‑depth profiles, from Marcel Duchamp to contemporary figures like Tala Madani, many of which...
“Judy Blume: A Life” And the Problem of Biography
Mark Oppenheimer’s new biography, "Judy Blume: A Life," offers an intimate look at the author’s formative years, family dynamics, and the cultural forces that propelled her to sell over ninety million books. The book details Blume’s pioneering of realistic teen fiction that normalized puberty,...
“The Life You Want,” Reviewed
Adam Phillips’s latest book, The Life You Want, examines how desire, frustration and the tension between novelty and continuity shape our lives. Drawing on Freud’s depth and Richard Rorty’s pragmatism, he argues that therapy should be a listening cure that...
Chloé Zhao on “Hamnet,” Which Is Nominated for Eight Academy Awards
Chloé Zhao, the second woman ever to win Best Director, is back on the Oscar shortlist with her adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell’s novel “Hamnet.” The film, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, has secured eight Academy Award nominations, including Best...
The Limits of Iran’s Proxy Empire
After the United States and Israel assassinated Iran’s supreme leader, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al‑Houthi publicly vowed solidarity and readiness to support Tehran, yet the group has remained largely absent from the ensuing conflict. Iran’s other proxies, including Hezbollah and Iraqi...
Two Playwrights Tackle Father Figures
Two recent New York theater productions revisit father figures in unconventional ways. Clare Barron's revived “You Got Older” at Cherry Lane, under A24’s management, depicts a tender, realistic bond between an adult daughter and her ailing father, highlighted by Peter...
Patricia Cornwell on Crime and Creativity
Patricia Cornwell, author of over 40 novels and 120 million copies sold, is preparing the launch of her “Scarpetta” series on Amazon starring Nicole Kidman. She announced her upcoming memoir, “True Crime,” slated for May, in which she shares lessons on...
How Putin Views Trump’s War in Iran
The United States, under Donald Trump, launched a war against Iran that immediately killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting Vladimir Putin to issue a rare public condemnation while acknowledging that the conflict mirrors his own vision of a rule‑by‑force world....
The Creator of Wordle Tries to Solve the Cryptic Crossword
Josh Wardle, who sold Wordle to the New York Times for over $1 million, turned his post‑viral fatigue toward cryptic crosswords. Inspired by a podcast and modern clue‑writers, he co‑created Parseword, a game that breaks cryptic clues into definitional and word‑play components. The...
The Lawlessness of Trump’s War in Iran
On February 28, the United States and Israel began an intensive air campaign against Iran, a war President Trump has justified with vague regime‑change and nuclear‑proliferation claims. The bombardment has caused civilian deaths estimated at over a thousand, notably a...
Yuval Sharon Reimagines the Canon
Yuval Sharon, famed for reimagining classic operas, will debut his production of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” at the Met next week, casting the mythic lovers as a contemporary couple. His two‑decade career includes staging “Götterdämmerung” in a Detroit parking garage...