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NOTE: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 3 Episode 5 & 6 of FX's The Americans, titled "Salang Pass" and "Born Again."

Oh, so much is happening, I can barely keep up.

Paige: It's hard to talk about Paige without talking about Elizabeth. Mothers are mothers, and Elizabeth loves her daughter. But not the way everyone else loves their kids. During the baptism 'celebration,' I watched the Jennings look uncomfortable at first. But was it just me or did that smile and urge to clap afterwards seem kind of spontaneous and sincere? When she catches Elizabeth smoking, they finally have a moment. Elizabeth sort of half-asses telling Paige she's going to the KGB for college. But I guess it's a start.

Philip: He's having trouble with all his ladies. Paige is annoyed that he doesn't think going to church is being true to herself. The teenager would rather get naked than listen to Pink Floyd. And she's getting nosy. I love that he's able to use Paige's religion to fend her off. And smoke her joints with Elizabeth. At least those two are sort of getting along now. And Irina's going to bubble back up with her son. Will he ever spill to Elizabeth?

Stan: Poor Stan. He's holding onto Nina, not his wife, right, in that scene with the EST lady? Meanwhile, Nina is doing her best to complete her mission. His friends are dying in the field, and he runs to Sandra. Maybe it's time for him to go back undercover again. The only time he gets to see Sandra and his son is when he's going off the rails.

How great are the characters getting this season? Are you enjoying the season so far? Tweet me @karenfratti.

The Americans airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

As researcher, I study the psychology of human-animal interactions, but at Western Carolina University, I am known as "the guy who teaches the sex class." When the book Fifty Shades of Grey took over the best seller list, I started getting lots of questions from my students about sadomasochism, and bondage and domination. I am not an expert on the topic, but several the students were. They organized an in-class panel to explain the psychology of BDSM to me and the rest of class. Their discussion of the joys of mixing pain and pleasure did not make me want to order a set of fur-lined handcuffs or a vegan-friendly whip from Amazon. It did, however, get me thinking about the similarities and differences between human and animal sexuality, and specifically, are non-human animals interested in experiencing recreational pain?

Kinky Animal Sex

My course includes a lecture on the evolution of sex. The take-home messages is that there is hardly anything that is completely "unnatural" in the animal kingdom. Homosexuality, for example, has been documented in over 400 species. Among my favorite examples of kinky animal sex are cunnilingus in fruit bats, masturbation in horses, trans-sexuality in fish, and necrophilia in frogs and spiders. And, of course, there is the unusual sexual anatomy of female spotted hyenas. Not only do they give birth through their penis, they also copulate though the opening in it. (Here's where you can find out how they pull off this nifty trick.)

S & M: An Evolutionary Puzzle

From an evolutionary point of view, however, sexual attraction to pain would seem to be maladaptive. Pain is, by definition, aversive. It evolved as a signal to get our attention and keep us out of trouble. And the more agonizing the pain, the more your brain is bombarded with neuronal impulses that scream "Danger! Pay attention NOW!!" Hence, sentient creatures should avoid pain-inducing stimuli and situations. Yet the sales of over 60 million copies of Fifty Shades of Grey are proof that many humans enjoy at least fantasizing about Bondage/Domination/Sado-Masochism (BDSM). So, is there a non-human analog of finding sexual satisfaction in being whipped, poked with needles, or having hot wax dripped on your skin?

Well, animal sex can be rough. Bed bug males have a sword-like penis they stab through the abdominal wall of females and eject sperm directly into their blood streams. And one time, my wife and I watched, horrified, while three male ducks gang-raped a hapless female in a canal in Amsterdam.

But I could not come up with any animal parallels to Fifty Shades of Grey. So I asked the experts. I sent out queries via e-mail and Facebook to some of my animal behaviorist pals. In his response, zoologist Harry Greene pointed out that some lizard sex is so violent the females bear the scars for weeks. John Placyk, a behavioral ecologist who raises ducks and chickens, said he had seen many instances of males intentionally hurting females during sex. Lani Lyman noted that very rough play in dogs, "is often followed by humping..." Bear researcher Bob Jordan pointed out similarities between human B and D games and the ritualized dominance and submissive behaviors seen during animal play. And University of Tennessee ethologist Gordon Burghardt sent me to an article on sexual play in spiders.

But while these examples bear superficial similarities to human S & M, they don't strike me as really being the same phenomenon as Ana experiences in Fifty Shades. (One of my students lent me a copy. I lasted three chapters.) The ethologist Marc Bekoff is also skeptical that non-human animals engage in S & M. When I asked Marc if he knew of any examples in animals, he just said, "nope." Which brings us to red hot chili peppers (the spice -- not the band).

Hot Foods, Painful Sex, and the Masochism of Everyday Life

University of Pennsylvania psychologist Paul Rozin would probably agree that BDSM is restricted to our species. Rozin refers to inherently aversive activities that are transformed into forms of pleasure as "benign masochism." He recently wrote "Benign masochism.... requires some sort of "cognitive over-ride," and should be distinctively human. There is no strong evidence for liking for innately negative experiences in animals."

Take, for example, the enjoyment of the burn of chili peppers. Rozin once tried to teach rats to like the taste of hot chilies. This task should be simple as rats, like humans, are omnivores, and learning plays a major role in the development of their dietary preferences. Except for when it comes to hot chilies. Rozin tried everything: exposing rats to hot peppers from infancy, gradually introducing chilies into the rat diets, pairing chilies with highly preferred foods, etc., etc. Finally, in desperation, he discovered a way to get rats to eat chili-laced foods -- destroy their taste receptors. He concluded that it is just about impossible to overcome a rat's instinctive aversion to the taste of spicy hot foods.

Later, in a series of elegant studies, Rozin showed that, like rats, humans also find the taste of hot chilies innately aversive. However, over time, many people (including me) overcome their instincts and come to enjoy the burn. Subsequently, Rozin and his colleagues listed dozens of examples of activities in which humans learn enjoy intrinsically negative experiences -- the terrifying thrill of a roller coaster ride, the peaty taste of scotch whiskey, watching movies that make you want to cry, listening to T-Bone Walker wail "Stormy Monday." Rozin refers to these experiences as "the masochism of everyday life." They are, essentially, cheap thrills that come from tricking your body into erroneously feeling that you are on the edge, that you are flirting with danger. In short, the rush that comes from of the burn of hot peppers in your mouth -- or hot wax on your skin -- emerges from an unconscious tango between mind and body.

Sadomasochism: A Uniquely Human Pleasure?

In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Dan Gilbert wrote that every psychologist who puts pen to paper takes a vow to someday write a sentence that begins, "The human being is the only animal that...." Previously, I have claimed that we are the only animal to keep pets (here and here.) But I may need to add finds "pleasure in suffering" to my "the only animal that..." list.

I asked Julie Hecht, a dog researcher who writes the great blog Dog Spies, for an example of canine S & M. Julie was stumped, and she replied, "Maybe this is the area where humans are truly unique!"

I agree. I have hard time believing a dog or a chimpanzees would, like the fictional Ana, come to enjoy the sting of the whip.

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Hal Herzog blogs on psychology and human-animal interactions at Animals and Us.

To follow Hal on Twitter -- click here.

Image credit: Quibe

I grew up with a brother. Therefore, I am well-versed in all things Star Wars. I can remember building with my brother in our playroom for hours -- wooden blocks to house The Millenium Falcon, Dominoes surrounding The Death Star for good measure and the Ewok village behind Mom's spider plants, equipped with a net to catch Han, Chewie and Luke. Always, I, as Leia, would recite lines from the movie -- pleading for help, of course. My best friend (Jen) also grew up with a brother and also shares this love of Star Wars.

Cut to Jen and I very seriously talking at Starbucks about a particular scene from the movie where Luke Skywalker watches the holographic display. What does Luke see on this holograph projected by R2-D2? Oh, I will gladly tell you! He sees a very secretive Princess Leia -- in disguise -- pleading,

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

And this plea is what I believe to be one of our greatest human flaws.

With my one-pump-vanilla-latté-no-foam in hand, I say to Jen, "Being like Leia sucks, because if you only have one hope in life and are attached to one solution, you're screwed."

She laughs.

"No, I am serious! All eggs in one basket is the worst way to live your life." Of course, I go on to list all my "eggs in one basket" moments of destruction:

The agent who was going to be the only person to further my career.

The man I thought was the only man who would ever love me in that way.

The apartment I coveted (on which I was outbid) that I swore was the only place I could make a home.

These "only hopes" were ingrained into my brain as a 7-year-old in our playroom in
New Jersey.

"Help me, you're my only hope." And just like that, I believed it to be true.

Image credit: Quibe

As I left my conversation with Jen, I realized that I really am a J. I .T. (Jedi-in-training). I pride myself on it, actually. There are many skills necessary to be a Jedi but, perhaps, the most important are the following things:

When Obi-Wan Kenobi is your only hope, you are headed to the Dark Side. Translation for non-Star Wars folks: Putting all your eggs in one basket is dangerous. It is our worries and fears that cause us to create Obi-Wans. Now I am not saying, "Have no hope." Hope is essential in creating what we desire. We need hope, y'all. I am talking about living a jaded life, always waiting for the shoe to drop, dress rehearsing disaster, etc. All these things happen when we are making something our only hope.

Trust the Force. This means believe in yourself, no matter what the hell happens. I often have clients ask me if I am religious. How do you feel about psychics, astrologers, coincidences, etc? Listen, if it allows you to trust more, let go of control, release attachment, and calm the crazy, then I am in! Your force is whatever you make it to be.

It can be easy to trust when everything is going your way, but what do you grab onto when it everything falls apart? Remember to trust and then take action. Cultivating resilience in the face of adversity is something a Jedi does quite well, and I am all about it.

Be psyched! Want what you want. Be honest with yourself that you want it.

Desire openly.

Want the relationship to work out, a job to be the right one, that property you looked at to be your dream house, but don't make your happiness depend on it. It simply cannot be the only outcome that will bring you joy or you risk heading for The Death Star. For real.

Trust knowing that it's either this or something better. I know Yoda would agree.

Director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering's documentary about sexual assault in the military, The Invisible War, was deservedly nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar in 2013. Now the duo is back with The Hunting Ground, a documentary about sexual assault on America's college campuses that serves as a civilian companion piece to The Invisible War. Both films involve powerful, well-funded institutions that have a vested interest in covering up shocking rates of sexual assault, effectively protecting predators while shaming, blaming, ignoring, or driving away their victims. Watch the trailer for The Hunting Ground below.

The Hunting Ground begins by painting America's college campuses as sunny places of promise and potential, where giddy, enthusiastic young people are given their first tastes of independence and a wider intellectual world while being entertained by future professional athletes in raucous, spirited sports cathedrals. But all of this hides a terrifying secret -- 1 in 5 college women will be sexually assaulted during their college career (and almost certainly more since most sexual assaults go unreported). And perhaps even worse, school administrators will do little to sanction the attackers, defend their victims, or work to change campus' aggressively hyper-masculine groups -- fraternities and sports teams -- whose members are the most common perpetrators of sexual assault, according to a recent report by United Educators, which offers liability insurance to schools.

The film illustrates this reality by interviewing dozens of women (and a small number of men) who have courageously stepped forward to tell their heartbreaking stories of being assaulted and the callous, often hostile administrators whose primary goals seem to be to convince the victim that what happened to them wasn't sexual assault, imply that the victim invited the assault, or convince them that sexually assaulting someone is an inadequate reason to endanger the attacker's future or reputation. Naturally, the physical, mental, and academic well-being of the victims is rarely a concern, with many schools seeming to prefer that the victims simply shut up or drop out.

Many documentaries about institutional, systemic injustices are inescapably grim and seemingly hopeless until the end, where a few awkwardly upbeat minutes try to convince you not to leave the theater and immediately find a pit to fling yourself into. Thankfully, The Hunting Ground avoids this by weaving an inspiring thread of homespun activism throughout the film. Annie E. Clark and Andrea Pino are two students who contacted each other and formed a tight friendship after learning that they had both been raped while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Using only laptops, smartphones, and strength found in each other, the pair begin their own impromptu investigation into campus sexual assault, contacting victims across the country, gathering information, and visiting campuses until they eventually crack the code of how to hold schools accountable through Title IX lawsuits, which claim that schools that fail to crack down on sexual assaults are effectively discriminating against women, with the schools risking losing their federal funding.

Confession: For a while, I wasn't convinced that rape culture (or what I knew of it) was a real thing. Of course rapists exist, but I considered them to be lone creeps or, in cases of gang rape, packs of violent, animalistic goons. Surely there wasn't an entire culture in modern America that thought that raping was an acceptable, even laudable thing to do. After all, there are laws against it, and haven't we seen enough movies and TV shows to know that rapists are the bad guys?

As I learned more about rape culture, it became clear to me that it was real. But if you still think rape culture is some sort of exaggerated feminist faux-conspiracy, The Hunting Ground will dissuade you of that belief. How can you say that rape on some college campuses hasn't been normalized after seeing footage of a large group of male students loudly and proudly chanting "No means yes! Yes means anal!" outside a freshman women's dormitory? Or freshmen women who matter-of-factly tell an interviewer in the film that everyone knows that the nickname of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is "Sexual Assault Expected"? If a school's students all call a frat Sexual Assault Expected, don't you think school administrators should maybe check that place out?

As I learned, rape culture isn't only people who think it's okay to rape -- it's a climate and system that, in overt and tacit ways, tells rapists that they're right. As The Hunting Ground shows, the main ways schools send this message is by blaming victims for their own assaults while attackers -- even confessed ones -- are given little or no punishment. And for those wondering what possible motive a school could have for sweeping sexual assault cases under the rug, one need only look to that familiar root of all evil: money. Colleges are big business, and tuition and donation dollars will stop flowing if a school gets a reputation for sexual assault, or if assault accusations against a star athlete threatens a winning season, as was the case with former Florida State University quarterback Jameis Winston, whose accuser is featured in The Hunting Ground. In business, the perception that you're doing something good is often as effective (and definitely cheaper) as actually doing something good, and underreporting/ignoring/quashing claims of sexual assault produces the same desirably low numbers as creating an environment where sexual assault isn't tolerated by both school administration and students.

That's why The Hunting Ground should be required viewing for all college students, both male and female, and especially freshmen. Young women need to be aware of the dangers they face on college campuses so they can take the proper precautions to avoid them, which is not to say that any woman is to blame for being assaulted if she doesn't -- warning someone to be vigilant and wary in a potentially dangerous situation is simply good advice, like warning someone not to wander into a crime-ridden part of town late at night. But more importantly, young men need to learn that ending rape ultimately starts with them, since there would be no rape if there were no rapists (who are almost always male), regardless of what a woman wears or how much she has to drink. Young men need to know what constitutes rape and sexual assault so they can avoid committing it, as well as recognize if it has or is about to be committed by someone else so they can either stop it or notify the proper authorities, whether it's the police, campus security, or a counselor.

Because when both male and female students (and their checkbook-wielding parents) stand up together to declare that sexual assault on college campuses will not be tolerated, school administrators will finally take the needed steps to ensure that their campuses are safe enclaves where young people can learn and develop the skills and relationships they will need to carry them through adulthood.

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The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A Movie Review by Lloyd I. Sederer, MD

We enter this film by viewing one pair of the characters who charmed many a heart in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. We see a T-Bird convertible racing along Highway 66 in southern California, not South Asia. The truly odd couple of Maggie Smith (who plays the British dowager Muriel Donnelly) and Dev Patel (as Sonny Kapoor the hotelier from Jaipur, India) have come to America in pursuit of financing for a second hotel in what could surely be a chain to rival Hilton, only for those of old(er) age seeking the comforts and care unaffordable to them in their native, Western lands. They are enroute to meet with corporate titans who might deign to underwrite their also odd business endeavor.

The return viewer to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel might wonder if the unexpected and considerable box office gold of the original film can be struck again and, indeed, if the aging British boomers (and before) in the film can also find a second coming in their golden years. And therein lies the heart of both movies, namely taking a lucid and kindly look at aging.

Actress Bette Davis famously said, "Getting old is not for sissies." She may have failed to emphasize that there is little choice if you want a life, since being a sissy is not a good strategy for managing the bully of older age.

In the original film, seven Brits, singles and pairs, facing retirement conclude their banking accounts cannot meet the financial demands of a decent dotage (with one notable exception, whose motives unfold as the first story is told). Their paths collide in Jaipur, once home to Rajasthan rulers, at a hotel they have chosen on the basis of its internet claims as a blissful, and affordable, residence (with outsourced health care to boot) in a distant and exotic world. Their ebullient hotel host is Sonny Kapoor, who first exploded into film fame in Slumdog Millionaire. The British grey hairs, Sonny, his girlfriend and widowed mother, and a cast of attentive Indians altogether pursue the ageless quest of reviving broken down bodies and a rebuilding the ruins of lodgings they call The Best Exotic Marigold Hotels.

The plot of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (no one presumably knew that a comma would have helped after 'Second') adds a number of new actors and a variety of inescapable human dilemmas that happen when we try to build lives and communities amidst a universe given to entropy. But the 'second' best never really strays from its theme, about what it takes to age well. The new additions to the cast include Richard Gere, David Strathairn, and Lavinia Beech, adding even more heft to an ensemble of acting royalty, which includes Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, and others who are headliners in South Asia.

John Madden returns to direct the sequel, and has the setting, cast, and story to do the job. He is a master of the stage (e.g., the Pulitzer-winning Proof) and now seems right at home filming the gorgeous hues, sounds, congestion, and mild chaos of Indian urban life. We don't see the extremes of poverty and pain, but that is not what this film is about. It is about finding ways to have a good life, all our life, especially if we have a 'good enough' social station to do so, whether we are born of the East or the West.

Sonny and Maggie get two American corporate fish on the hook who might invest in their second best hotel. Sonny, as well, is about to get married to the gorgeous Sunaina (Tina Desai), who is as grounded as he is boundless. Other couplings among the elders struggle, as couples often do regardless of age. Competition abounds in business and love. The narrative knots around rivalry, fears of taking life by its horns, families and their tumult and tsurus (heartache -- not a Hindi word), and how victory might be snatched from those we want to achieve it.

But this is ultimately the "Best," whether first or second, and we are taken on a journey where knots are made to be untied, lives meant to touch one another, and business to prosper because of the people who spawn it. The film is true to the heartening Indian expression: "Everything will be all right in the end. So if it is not all right, it is not yet the end." We even get to go to a "big, fat Indian wedding," choreographed to the hilt of a Bollywood production.

bollywood wedding

Yet as warm is the story, as saturated is the film's color palate, and as engaging its characters, we know time is not on our side when it comes to aging. Love, friendship, and purpose are the ingredients to the secret sauce of a good life -- at any age. But they are harder to achieve as life calcifies, infirmity saps strength, and outrageous fortune batters and sometimes embitters our souls. The bully of old age cannot be eluded, only faced and mastered. (For more on aging well, see "Bucket Lists and Other Signs of Aging Well.")

If life is a game of cards, the question then is do I play another hand? In The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the resounding answer is "count me in."

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Dr. Sederer's book for families who have a member with a mental illness is The Family Guide to Mental Health Care (Foreword by Glenn Close) - now available in paperback.

Dr. Sederer is a psychiatrist and public health physician. The views expressed here are entirely his own. He takes no support from any pharmaceutical or device company.

www.askdrlloyd.com -- Follow Lloyd I. Sederer, MD on Twitter.

The airing of season 5, episode 12 of The Walking Dead, titled "Remember," although light in action, still captures. Proving the enduring strength of this show. Thus far, it's also continuing its staying power.

It was an episode that eased up on the accelerator a bit. An episode where everyone needed a profound time of respite. And it's no wonder the previous episode was titled, "The Distance." For in that episode after the new character Aaron, played by Ross Marquand, made his proposal to Rick's group to join his Alexandria community near Washington, D.C., it was Michonne who assertively spoke before the group to say, "We need this."

You also have to give credit to Michonne as she continually supports, while also continually offers differing constructive views to Rick. And it was Rick's son Carl after all who had warmed to her first, beginning as far back while all were at the prison enclave in the third season. The way things have been going between the battle-hardened leader Rick and steadfast Michonne, you'd think they'd eventually get married. Which is certainly all-right by me.

Rick's group is told to surrender their weapons after entering the fortified Alexandria community, where there are beautifully maintained homes with electricity and running hot water. And while Carl is amazed at the new surroundings as the rest of Rick's group are, Carl says, "These are like mansions." Yet while they were told to give up their weapons, like when they arrived at Terminus in the last episode of the fourth season, they are also told they may retrieve their weapons whenever they venture beyond the fortified perimeter of the Alexandria Safe Zone community. It's a community in which Deanna Monroe, a former congresswoman from Ohio, is the leader. Actress Tovah Feldshuh plays Deanna, and whenever I see her play any role, I'm grateful. For some inexplicable reason I always like Tovah Feldshuh.

As already mentioned, the action was light in this episode. Yet it was enough to be symbolic. For it involved a momentary dust-up basically between Glenn from Rick's group and community resident Aiden, the son of Deanna.

Glenn, Tara and Noah volunteered to go on a supply run with Aiden and his friend Nicholas beyond the perimeter. Just after Aiden arrogantly established he's in charge -- which Glenn, Tara, and Noah warily agreed -- Aiden and Nicholas led the three to where they had chained a walker. In this case, walkers are also called roamers by those in the Alexandria Safe Zone community. The walker had killed former community individuals. After discovering the walker had escaped, both Aiden and Nicholas whistled to bring it out in the open. Such an act was immediately seen by Glenn, Tara and Noah as unnecessarily dangerous and infantile. The walker then suddenly reappeared to lunge after Tara, followed by Glenn giving it a head stab, which angered both Aiden and Nicholas as both only wanted it captured once more as a prize.

Upon safe arrival back within the community, Aiden taunted Glenn for disobeying established orders by killing the walker. This altercation attracted Rick, Deanna and others. While Deanna questioned her son, Aiden took a swing at Glenn who instinctively ducked, and with quick fluidity, responded by rising up to solidly deck Aiden. Next, Daryl nearby bull-tackled Nicholas who was closing in on Glenn. Shortly after Deanna tended to Aiden and after Rick restrained Daryl from Nicholas, as Daryl helped Glenn to mop-up, Deanna spoke sternly to both her son and Nicholas. Following that, she announced to all that Rick and his group are to be treated as equals.

The symbolism of the brief fight between Glenn and Aiden is basically only an exaggeration to distinguish between Rick's group, and the Alexandria community whom hadn't experienced the seemingly perpetual horrors outside. Aiden had bragged to Glenn, Tara and Noah that he trained in the ROTC before the zombie apocalypse. It's not to imply that the rest of the community is like Aiden. But using a military term, Rick's group is used to living "behind enemy lines," not only from on-going encounters with the walkers, but also by encountering depraved humanity. Rick said this in a soft spoken way to Deanna during his videotaped session near the beginning.

There's an excellent online article titled, "The Walking Dead in an Age of Anxiety," written by Michael J. Totten from City Journal Autumn 2014. Totten says, "Like all good science fiction and horror, The Walking Dead is completely believable once you accept the premise -- the existence of corpses that walk and bite." That's a start. Jumping ahead he later writes, "As creator Robert Kirkman tells Matt Mogk, author of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies, The Walking Dead is about us. It's about how we respond to crisis."

It's a sentiment I've mentioned somewhat similar in a past blog titled, "The Walking Dead: An Emmy-worthy Drama." For within I stated, "The central theme as I see it, is not about the gore or survival, but about cherishing humanity. We cherish that which is elemental if it is on the verge of being lost." Meaning, the verge of elemental loss does not always have to necessarily involve loss of life, or that of a loved one as both are important.

For example, we may need oil, but water is essential. That point was illustrated two episodes ago in episode 10 titled, "Them," As Rick's group, while very short on water, looked as if they were re-enacting The Bataan Death March. It also could mean something else, as Michonne asked Rick how long she brushed her teeth, while all 15 of them settled that first day within a luxurious house. To which he replied, "20 minutes." Next she says, "God, I could not stop brushing." To go with that, let's say you still remember having gone camping. Well maybe not all of us. Anyway, I bet you couldn't wait any longer afterwards to shower up and freshen up.

Rick's group needed a momentary respite especially after suffering back to back losses during the beginning of season 5. Losses that began with Bob, a loved one of Sasha, then Beth, sister of Maggie, followed by Tyreese, brother of Sasha. For Sasha had suffered two losses. All this goes right back to Michonne in the previous episode when she tells the group, "We need this."

That's why to me, the best scene in the "Remember" episode was when Deanna pays a visit to Rick at his new luxurious mansion home. While she not only expected to see Rick, his son Carl and Rick's baby daughter Judith, the former congresswoman, to her surprise, also sees Michonne, Glenn and Maggie, Daryl, Carol, Sasha, Tara, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Father Gabriel and Noah. In other words, she discovers all 15 of them resting for their first night within a spacious living room. To which she says, "Staying together, smart." Rick followed by saying in his soft spoken way, "No one said we couldn't." Following that, she says, "You said you're a family. That's what you said. Absolutely amazing to me how people with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that." And she's right.

If Rick should die, and he's my favorite, heaven forbid, I'll still watch this show. If Daryl should die, heaven forbid, I'll still watch this show. If Glenn, Maggie, Carl, Carol, Rosita, or anyone else from Rick's group should die, I'll still watch this show. Why? For The Walking Dead is a beautiful show about a beautiful diverse collection of humanity. "Did we hear you right Darryl?" you may ask. Well, yes, for as long as the overall story evolves, and is continually well crafted and looked after by writer and executive producer Scott M. Gimple, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, co-executive producer Denise M. Huth and the rest, I'll always be grateful.

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Arms are thrust in the air for the final headliner of the three day festival. A massive crowd gathers in the huge amphitheater surrounded by towering sets of fire and massive light projections. Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike pull out of their set for a moment and hypnotic words over the system invite the crowd to 'Join as we release the illumination.' Everyone's wristbands suddenly light up -- ten thousand hands raised together to drive home the peak of the final night.

"Technology has grown to play one of the most important roles in the festival experience." - Hardwell

It's an amazing moment and a symbol of the new elements that technology is constantly bringing to the festival experience. Top EDM DJ Hardwell shares his thoughts on it's role: "Technology has grown to play one of the most important roles in the festival experience. From lighting to visuals to live streams, it has added an entirely new dimension to live performances."

TommorrowWorld is a completely cashless festival, these same wristbands lighting up the dance floor are being used for all transactions and can even sync with those around you and connect you on Facebook.

"Millennials are an experience generation, they want you to take them somewhere totally unique." - Joe Silberzweig, SFX Entertainment

The dance music festival has long been a champion in Europe, but is quickly gaining momentum in the US on the back of EDM's popularity. I chatted with Joe Silberzweig, Marketing Manager of TomorrowWorld, owned by SFX Entertainment Company, "Millennials are an experience generation, they want you to take them somewhere totally unique." Set on over 8 acres of farmland, TomorrowWorld is a canvas to do just that.

TomorrowWorld came from the massively successful TomorrowLand festival in Belgium. SFX is constantly working to extend the festival experience to those that can't physically be there, or to those who were and want to remember it. They are famous for their festival videos, typically racking up over 100 million views on YouTube.

In 2014, they wanted to do something more to engage their massive audience throughout the year, helping them relive the festival or build anticipation for the coming year. YouTube would again be live streaming the event, but they wanted to go a step further.

Finding the Right Tech

The SFX team explored a wide range of technology with a vision for evolving the online festival experience. Finally they settled on a partnership with a leading virtual tour startup called YouVisit. "We thought about drones, blimps and timelapse," said Joe, "We clicked with YouVisit, they understood what they were about and brought to the table what they have built: a powerful platform."

To capture the experience PJ Morreale, YouVisit's senior director of operations, created a one-man custom camera rig featuring multiple DSLR cameras, enabling him to capture high definition 360 photos throughout the event.

The Result

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The result is a virtual festival experience that allows you to explore the entire festival, from the campgrounds to heart of the dancefloor. Watch stunning sunsets or see what the world looks like from the perspective of a headlining DJ. In the YouVisit office in New York, Morreale and his colleague Endri Tolka, YouVisit's COO/CFO, shared how they wanted to take users places where no one gets to go, giving people the chance to experience something they may have never have had the chance to go to.

"It's not just recreating the experience, it's taking them places where no one gets to go." - P.J. Morreale, YouVisit

When the virtual tour was released on the web, fans from all 50 states and over 100 countries engaged with it: Fans reliving the festival, others around the world seeing it for the first time. Viewable within a browser, even optimized for smartphones, the average engagement with the tour was ten minutes, which is huge. It helped build excitement for the release of 2015 tickets, of which 360,000 were sold in under an hour.

This type of digital engagement is essential as festival brands seek to remain connected with their audience throughout the entire year.

The Natural Extension

Technology is playing a huge role in creating original experiences for audiences, from Hologram performances from TuPac to 3D projections that place the performer in some kind of action movie. Millennials want to experience something unique that they can be a part of and share with the world.

And what would a virtual festival experience be without bringing it to life with Oculus Rift? In New York, I was able to try out the TommorrowWorld virtual tour on a recent developer version of the latest Oculus Rift hardware and via mobile using Google Cardboard.

As a version one, I've got to say it's pretty amazing, you can navigate between various environments by focusing on one point and twist you head right around exploring the crowds and chillout zones. The photos are stunning, allowing you to gaze off at sunsets or feel a part of the crowds going crazy.

It won't be long until anyone with a Oculus Rift or VR setup for their phone will have the opportunity to be transported into the festival experience from the comfort of their couch, reaching for the popcorn instead of reaching for the lasers.

What Does the Future Hold?

The potential of virtual reality and music festivals is huge, and TommorrowWorld has plans to continue to push the boundaries, bringing more content and unique angles to the platform.

Artists will likely start to offer their own virtual reality experiences, which may prove to be a huge revenue opportunity as the music industry revenue model focuses on rich content to supplement streaming.

"Live streams have provided a new way for people to have the second best thing and I could definitely see virtual reality becoming a part of the experience in the future." - Hardwell

Imagine being able to hang out backstage with a DJ before going on stage with them, exploring what it feels like from their perspective. "There is no comparison between watching an artist online versus in person. The energy, emotion, and community that the festival experience provides is unattainable." Said Hardwell, "That being said, live streams have provided a new way for people to have the second best thing when they can't attend a festival and I could definitely see virtual reality becoming a part of the experience in the future."

Adam Spiegelman, host of podcasting's Proudly Resents, recently threw the format for his show -- reviewing and rehashing bad "guilty pleasure" movies with guest comedians and commentators -- into a blender and hit "frappé". He's stepped up the level of his guests for most shows and the movie angle often serves as a way to either get into or slide out of the interview.

This episode he invites former boss Todd Yasui in for a chat. Spiegelman works as a TV producer, often putting segments together including pre-interviews with celebrities and other guests. He's worked on a variety of shows and Yasui has been in the talk show game since 1982, when he got drafted onto the fledgling version of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

He shares some great stories about the infamous Helen Kushnick, and how she plucked him from his job as a journalist at the Washington Post to becoming a talent coordinator for America's #1 late night talk show.

Yasui went on to become executive producer for Craig Kilborne and Craig Ferguson, as well as Queen Latifah.

Closing out the informative and illuminating less-than-an-hour chat, Yasui and Spiegelman join forces to doubleteam a story about having to pre-interview Bill Cosby for an appearance, just as the controversy surrounding him and the women he allegedly drugged and assaulted was beginning to make the news.

It's a fascinating listen about how the talk show sausage is made.

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Podcasts I'm also listening to this week: The Dark Mark Show w/The Yeastie Boys, and Trev & Ben's Sh!te Sized Chunks #77.

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This review originally posted as part of This Week In Comedy Podcasts on Splitsider.com.

I went to the 8:30 a.m. U.S. premiere of, "Bonobo,"a film co-written and directed by Matthew Hammett Knott. "Bonobo," was first released in the UK to great success, winning awards and was very well received. Hammett Knott had made two short films prior to this one. "Bonobo," his first feature film, tells the story of a mother who goes to retrieve her bohemian daughter from a sexually liberated commune that follows the habits of the bonobo apes, and winds up staying there herself, discovering her own desires in the process.

(The Co-Writer/Director, Matthew Hammett Knott)

The film's "deep message is about opening up," said Hammett Knott. He likened the tone of his film to "Muriel's Wedding" or "Tootsie." "It has a comic tone with a point to make. Society offers sexual liberty to some but not to others. The themes of sexuality and discovering who you are," are what the story is about.

"The tone is defined by being British. I had a 'Sex? Don't mention it' vibe to my upbringing. The film actually was inspired by another friend's mother. I had a conversation with my godfather where he said, 'she's too old for me,' this woman in her 50's. I thought, is she not allowed to have her desires? In this, she is allowed." The idea to feature this particular breed of ape is that, "Bonobos are genetically close to human beings. I started with someone studying them," but then had the character actually adopt the culture of Bonobos and start this cult. "The character's science and her understanding isn't exact," but that wasn't the point of the film. "It is more an idealistic movie."

I was really eager to see the next film, "Citizenfour," directed by Laura Poitras. I remember when the news of Edward Snowden broke out, the story around him seemed so murky, hard to tell if he was a 'hero' or someone whose good intentions caused more harm. "Citizenfour," clarified both things for me about Snowden. Snowden sacrificed his life as he knew it to expose evidence that the NSA's mass surveillance had resulted in invasions of privacy "for the good of the citizens." The film also shows him as naive, almost ignorant, to the fact that his actions might also unwittingly endanger citizens. We are all hanging on this cliff with him which is unnerving. There were very real reasons why there was an upswing of surveillance on a grand scale post 9/11. Poitras doesn't elaborate on that side of the story in "Citizenfour."

Poitras' NSA reporting contributed to a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service awarded to the Guardian and Washington Post. "Citizenfour," is the third installment of her trilogy exploring surveillance in this country post 9/11. The film is a thriller and fascinating to watch. It is certainly a documentary to see for anyone trying to keep up with the complexities of this digital/satellite/information/surveillance age that we are living in, where we are all "babes in the wood." Not to mention, "Citizenfour" received the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2015 Oscars. The Director, Laura Poitras, currently lives in Berlin.

At 1:00 p.m., I was off to see the Juliette Binoche/Kristen Stewart french film directed by Olivier Assayas, that was getting buzz around the festival, "Clouds of Sils Maria." In the film, Binoche's character, the well known older actress, is asked to perform in a revival of a play that made her famous twenty years prior in the older role with a much younger actress playing the younger role. A number of themes are hanging over the story like clouds be they aging, youth, the passage of time, art, divorce, love and acceptance as seen through the relationships between an older actress (played by Binoche) and her assistant (played by Stewart), and the starlet "It Girl," (played by Chloe Grace Moretz). The film made it's World Premiere at Cannes. All of these actresses are interesting and fun to "travel with" to different places around Europe as the story glides through Germany, Switzerland, Italy and England. It is entertaining to see Kristen Stewart in the role as the assistant as we so readily identify her as "the Star." Stewart gives such a natural performance. I loved her in this. I am a new fan! "Clouds of Sils Maria," is a perfect Sunday afternoon film to "sit back and enjoy the ride" into themes that are still interesting after all these years.

Next stop (4:00 p.m.) was to see a round of short documentaries made by Santa Barbara filmmakers. This was the first time that the Santa Barbara International Film Festival showcased locally produced docs. There were 8 films shown, ranging in length and quality. The best part was the exposure to Santa Barbara culture that I came away with after seeing them all. The films were: "A Day in the Life of Santa Barbara," (Eric Foote), "A Man's Place," (Russ Spencer), "Grasshopper for Grandpa," (Casey McGarry), "Mussel Man," (Matt Mersel, Elvis Metcalf, Megan Schmidt), "Santa Barbara Funk Zone Ride," (Jesse Natale, Eric Panofsky, Erik Fawcett), "Time Warp," (Lael Wageneck), "Vera Cruz,"( Christopher Jenkins), and "Working Artist: Erik Abel" (Aron Ives).

(The Lineup of all the Santa Barbara Filmmakers)

And now it's time for...The 12th Anniversary of The American Riviera Award at the Arlington Theatre!

Roger Durling, Exec. Director, of The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, came out to introduce the two Awardees, Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke! "These two actors are pioneers. They worked on 'Boyhood' for 12 years. It proves that they are true artists. These two versatile actors have had this concurrent relationship in their careers. This is a valentine to Ethan and Patty!"

Ethan and Patricia began talking about working on "Boyhood." Ethan started by saying,"It was a labor of love. Never was it more true. It was someone saying,'I want to make a piece of art, do you?'"

Patricia,"It is crazy that Rick took that chance. Nobody had done that before." Ethan added, "I was 23, he was 32 and he talked about film like it was the 'wild west!' His thought is not in a box at all. 'This art form is in its infancy!' Richard would say. It was incredibly liberating to listen to this young guy saying 'we can do anything.'"

Roger, "This night is all about celebrating!" Up went a clip of Ethan in "Dead Poets Society," which prompted him to talk about working with Robin Williams. "What is it about incredibly talented people that can express in art and have a hard time in real life? Grace that happens in art, and it feels really beautiful, and it makes regular life scratchy and uncomfortable. It creates an imbalance in your life. Robin Williams was a comic genius. I was 18 and he would be making jokes. It was a thrill to be in a film with him because you had no idea what he would do. Phil (Philip Seymour Hoffman) was special. Robin was special. This was a guy who was a master....In telling eachother stories we can heal our lives."

Patricia on working with Sean Penn who directed her in "Indian Runner," "He was a great director. He would jump in and say,'do it like this,' and it was terrifying because he would do it better than any of us." Patricia on working with David O. Russell in, "Flirting With Disaster," "This was his second movie. It is like working with an electric wire. He is mercurial and wild."

Ethan on acting and theatre,"What was conscious for me was wanting to do this at 75.... What they were burning out on was the creative swing. There is a great pull in the universe, a riptide, to make money. I started a theatre company around that time. It was a moment when our generation was finding a voice. It was an exciting time to take off with our generation."

Ethan on Richard Linklater, "With Richard, plot is replaced by time...The enemy of most actors are these lines that are so bad. They pay you to say the bad lines...Tom Stoppard used to say, the plot is a device but the audience needs it. They remember emotional moments. We remember and are affected by emotional moments. What Stanislavski and Chekhov were after was, what if you let people see how real people are. They would get this realism. The minutiae of life is really interesting. 'Boyhood' is a collection of scenes that would have been cut out by every other movie. Don't feel any pressure to create drama. Rick was more, 'I don't want to fake anything. I want it to be rooted in something real.' Rick was such a great coach. You know how you become the person they think you can be?"

Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke have worked on 8 films together. Ethan, "It's like when you fall in love or make a best friend....Patricia loves, 'blind spots.' We all have them. We look out for eachother's blind spots. We are simpatico. I understand his (Richard's) mission and we are pulling for eachother. It's been a blessing."

Patricia on the success of "Boyhood," "It tells me that people really want connection."

Then it was time for the American Riviera Awards to be handed out. Ellar Coltrane, their co-star on "Boyhood," came out to the podium. Before handing them their awards, he said a few words to and about Patricia and Ethan. "Both of you never are ingenuine." Speaking to the audience, "They lend their very beings to explore humanity. They inspire me to work harder."

That was an impression-making day for me at The Santa Barbara International Film Festival!

Photo credits: Sally Fay

I hope the professional investigators watching The Jinx with the hope of getting enough on Robert Durst to bring him to trial succeed. I, too, am looking at the HBO series for clues, but just as an unaccredited wannabe Durstbuster. One of the three people he's believed to have murdered, Susan Berman, was a friend, so I have a personal investment, but I also consider myself good at picking up things that may not be noticed by others. This traces back to the O.J. Trial. After being found not guilty, the football star announced, "I'm going to spend the rest of my life looking for Nicole's killer."

"That's very revealing," I pointed out to friends. "He phrased it that way because he knows it will never happen. He didn't say, 'I'm going to do everything I can to find the killer.'"

In the episode addressing the disappearance of Durst's first wife, Kathie, a small square door was shown and he was asked what cops searching the house might have been looking for. Speaking slowly and showing no emotion, which is his style, he theorized, "Maybe they were looking for body parts." Aha! Unless he knew that she'd been chopped up, why would that come to mind? I was expecting more moments like this one, but we're not done.

The last of the three crimes covered in the show is the Texas murder of his neighbor. Durst admitted to having dismembered him and shoving the parts into body bags, explaining matter-of-factly that he didn't have the strength to dispose of the body any other way. The millionaire heir was able to lawyer up, which was money well spent as he hired two teams of attorneys and they succeeded in getting him an expected acquittal. He looked as shocked by the verdict as anyone else, asking his lawyer to repeat it to him.

I was surprised by the lawyers' willingness to reveal their strategy. One described Durst as "a lump we would have to shape." Another, Chip Lewis, admitted on camera that they'd taken liberties, saying that that they'd put the focus on Jeanine Pirro, the DA assigned to the Kathie Black case, and demonized her. He was shown in the courtroom, saying, "If Ms. Pirro had kept her mouth shut, none of this would have happened." "The jury ate that up," he said on The Jinx. I wonder how Durst feels about their revealing the strategy they used and publicly taking credit for the decision. It seemed so much like a promo; I looked for the disclaimer, "Results not typical."

http://www.sagemosaicart.com

Documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles, who died last night at 88, had long been on my bucket list of interviews, and it was with great anticipation that I sat down with him last year to reflect on his remarkable life and career. The man himself said it all, both on-screen and in our chat below. RIP to one of the greats, and thanks.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing things/From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocritics/All I want is the truth/Just gimme some truth/I've had enough of reading things/By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians/All I want is the truth/Just gimme some truth." - John Lennon

Albert and David Maysles are generally regarded as the fathers of the modern American documentary film. Beginning in the early 1960s, their pioneering work with contemporaries such as Robert Drew, Richard Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker helped launch the "Direct Cinema" movement, devoted to capturing real life as closely as possible, in all its unscripted reality. Today, filmmakers like Michael Moore, reality TV and every news magazine on the air and on the web can trace their linage back to the Maysles brothers.

Their three defining features: Salesman (1968), a sobering and often hilarious look at the lives of door-to-door Bible salesmen; Gimme Shelter (1970), the shocking document of the Rolling Stones' 1969 tour, which climaxed with the stabbing death of a spectator by the Hells Angels at Altamont Speedway, outside San Francisco; and Grey Gardens (1975), a look at "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" Beale, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis' aunt and cousin, and their lives in their decaying Hamptons mansion, threatened with condemnation by the New York State Board of Health; all paint a vivid tableaux of the American landscape during those seminal years.

David Maysles died in 1987, but Albert, who will turn 88 later this year, is still going strong, visiting Los Angeles from his home on the East Coast for two retrospectives of his work: Friday April 11 at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, with a screening of Grey Gardens, and Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13 at the Cinefamily Theater on Fairfax Ave., showcasing a collection of their rare, early films, with discussions following.

Albert Maysles sat down with us to discuss his iconic career. Here's what followed:

One thing I found fascinating was your background: in addition to being a still photographer you have a Master's from Boston University in Psychology. Documentaries are certainly sociological in nature, but I imagine psychology also comes into play.

Albert Maysles: It's very, very important how you relate to people. That's where that comes in. You don't want to make a point-of-view film for or against a person. You just let it happen. Bob Drew, Leacock, Pennebaker and myself, when we made Primary, that was the turning point.

All of the people you just named were the who's who of the American documentary film movement in the sixties, when it was practically invented.

It was an amazing group of people. It just happened.

You mentioned Primary, about the 1960 Democratic Presidential Primary election. What are your memories of the Kennedys from that time?

My favorite memory is of filming Jackie making a speech to a big crowd. She was so charming and graceful, then I saw her hands. She was wringing her hands, she was so nervous, and I got it on film. It was just a really lovely, human moment. That's certainly where some psychology came in. (laughs)

You also interviewed Fidel Castro around that time.

Yes, I shot a film that Bob Drew directed called Yanki, No! It wasn't long after Cuba officially became Communist. I jumped into a cab at the Havana airport and said 'Where's Fidel?' He said, "He's addressing a group of women." So he took me there. There must've been two thousand women watching him speak. I got as close to him as I could, raised my camera with a telephoto lens, and suddenly, he turned in my direction. We met eyeball to eyeball and I knew it was okay. So I spent a couple days with him. The last time I saw him, we were standing together at a reception at an embassy. A messenger comes running in, hands him a telegram. Fidel tears it open, looks at me, and says "Shall I translate this for you?" I said "Please." He said "Your state department has just broken off relations with Cuba."

What were your impressions of Castro as a man?

I've heard all the stuff against him. I'm not sure what's correct and what's incorrect, but from what I've seen, he's brought a lot of goodness to Cuba. It's got one of the best educational and health care systems in the world, and puts ours to shame, on both fronts. I think it's also stupid to continue the embargo against Cuba. One should love thy neighbor. That's not an act of love. It's one of hostility.

In all of the work you and David did, from the early stuff with the Kennedys to Grey Gardens, you were both able to be almost invisible, giving the films a fly-on-the-wall intimacy. Given how cumbersome and loud the cameras were back then, this must have been quite challenging.

Somewhere along the line, I don't remember exactly when, I modified one of our cameras so I could mount it on my shoulder. It was a quiet camera to begin with, but to be able to have that kind of mobility made it much easier to be less obtrusive. You could carry it all day long and not get tired. I built a few different cameras over the years.

Albert (left) and David (right).

Tell me about your working relationship with David. It sounds like you had an incredible bond.

Yeah, we did. For one thing, we were brothers, in the best sense. Brothers don't always get along, but we did. We just had our hearts and souls in making good films. We were a natural combination. We didn't have competing roles. I did all the camerawork, he did all the sound.

How did you move from doing short documentaries into features?

My brother and I did a film on Truman Capote. David was talking with Truman's (book) editor, who asked if we had ever thought about doing a feature documentary. He suggested we do one on door-to-door salesmen. That's how that film happened.

Salesman is an amazing film. Paul Brennan, your protagonist, so to speak, is like a real-life incarnation of Willy Loman. Did Arthur Miller ever see the film?

Yes, he did. He thought very highly of it.

When you're watching your subjects live their lives are you able to maintain a feeling of detachment towards them, so you can have a sense of objectivity to your films or can you not help but become emotionally involved at a certain point?

The deeper we can delve into their emotions, the better. For the purpose of the film, I know that I can't do anything but get it straight. That said, I'm a human being, so I can't help but have certain feelings toward the people I'm filming, for better or for worse.

I always felt Gimme Shelter and Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool are good companion pieces. You both went into it intending to make one kind of film, but when real life happened around you, both films turned into something completely different.

Yes, I think that's fair. Haskell is a good friend. Medium Cool is an amazing film and it was turned into something other than what Haskell probably thought it would be. People have said Gimme Shelter recorded the end of the sixties, while our Beatles documentary in a way recorded the birth of the sixties.

Where were you filming during the concert at the end? Were you ever in danger yourself?

I was at the back of the stage. As things were warming up before the concert, I was in front of the stage, off to the side. One of the Hells Angels looked at me and said "If you don't get outta here, I'll kill you." So I moved to the back of the stage. That spot I was in was exactly where the killing took place. So I was very lucky. My brother fortunately had a cameraman with him. They were sitting in the bed of a truck off to the side and they were the ones who filmed the stabbing.

You made an interesting comment on the Criterion commentary track, of that sequence being like Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup, in that if you watch the sequence in full speed, it all happens too quickly to see what happened clearly, but if you slow it down, you see the gun and the knife.

And if you're listening closely, you can hear the gunshot, as well. David showed it to the Angels later on and one of them assaulted him and threatened us that if we ever showed the film in public, we'd be killed. Thankfully, we managed to avoid that. (laughs)

You had some amazing people filming for you on Gimme Shelter, including George Lucas.

The shots of the people coming over the hills were done by Lucas. Joan Churchill also shot a lot of great footage, and Stephen Lighthill, also.

Grey Gardens was very controversial when it was initially released, with some circles feeling you and David were exploiting these two women who seemed to be mentally ill.

The critic from The New York Times said we should be ashamed of ourselves for making the film. As someone with a background in psychology, I knew better than to claim they were mentally ill. Their behavior was just their way of asserting themselves. And what could be a better way to assert themselves than a film about them asserting themselves? Nothing more, nothing less. It's just them. They were always in control. And look, before that, Pauline Kael claimed that we staged everything that happened in Gimme Shelter. So this kind of thing was nothing new. (laughs)

How did you find out about the Beales initially?

I had been making a film about Jackie's sister, Lee Radziwill, and her childhood in the Hamptons. One day, she got a phone call from Little Edie, saying she was in trouble, that the Board of Health was after them, could she come over and help out. She invited us to come along and that's how we met. A few months later, we were filming, just the two of us, David and myself.

I always felt from their points of view, it was still 1938, they were both these great beauties and they were still living in luxury. I never felt they viewed themselves as tragic figures who pined for what was; therefore I never viewed them as tragic.

That's interesting. I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense. As far as fashion was concerned, Little Edie was beyond all of us. She was designing her own clothes and own look. But the fact that people felt we were exploiting the Beales or the idea that we'd staged Gimme Shelter, that rankled me for years.

That's understandable. Your films were always about capturing the truth.

The fact that we were committed to coming as close to the truth as possible guided every move my brother and I made. Anything short of that would be a great loss.

Photo Credit: Roberta Magrini

Hip Hop and religion are not two things that seem to have much of a connection to each other to the average person. Professor Anthony Pinn of Rice University has based 20+ years on it though. When he started teaching at Rice University he wanted to have an artist he admired in the classroom to join him. One of his PhD students was able to reach out to the legendary Houston rapper, Bun B to get him as a guest lecturer. Things went so well that they started teaching the class together. Since 2011, the unlikely duo has been teaching the most popular class at Rice University on this exact subject. In fact, the class has been so successful that they are now translating into a free online course. It will be available later this month for anyone to take because of the demand they could not fulfill within the classroom. Recently I had a chance to sit down with both of them to talk a bit about their experience together.

Professor Anthony Pinn received his PhD from Harvard. He has been teaching bout hip-hop and religion since. He believes hip-hop and religion are much more similar than people realize. First, preachers and hip hop artists share an understanding that stories matter. Both of them do their work in a way that is compelling and draws people in. He realizes that the moral and ethical vision of hip-hop may run contrary to the idealized vision of religion. But he also believes that in both contexts people are just trying to do the best they can in a world that is not perfect. When he got to Rice University he wanted to start bringing actual artists into the classroom. He felt it would be a more authentic voice to spread the message.

A PhD student of Professor Pinn was able to reach out to Bun B, and get him to agree to guest lecture a class. Things went so well he decided to take on a full time position. Bun B said that he had never imagined being an educator in an academic setting, citing,

"I enjoy my day job, but after guest speaking they asked if I would consider coming into the classroom to share it with Doc. I had to give it deep thought to doing something like this. I don't want him or me to look stupid. I had to evaluate if I was willing to do the work to get it done. But looked at it like, if I can do this, it will inspire kids, but what this says about how hip-hop lives and breathes made me want to do it. I knew it would be a lot of hard work, and I knew it would be not paying well. But it felt right and here we are."

The class has been a hit since it started. One of the most interesting things they noticed was the demographics of their class versus that of the university at large. The gender, racial, and religious diversity could not be better. On top of that, they have students from every major imaginable. They have also noticed that the female voice in the classroom has gotten stronger each year, which they have enjoyed.

2015-03-05-1425580236-8886551-AnthonyPinnCasualimage.jpg

Photo Credit: Roberta Mangrini

The decision to start teaching this as an online course was not sudden. They had been thinking about it for a while, but wanted to do it in a way that did not affect the authenticity of it. From the start the class has filled to capacity so that was not it. What made them want to offer this online course were people from other parts of Texas, and even other parts of America asking about it. Professor Pinn said,

"For me, especially from the urban community, people have an interest with this. But they're like, 'Well, I'd love to take your course, but I'm never going to be able to go to Rice University'. Others are outside the conventional college age from. Bun and I realized this gave them an opportunity to see things even though the class is somewhat truncated."

To help remedy this problem they decided an online class was best. Putting together the online course was difficult when they realized it was not going to be in the classroom. They wanted different stations depending on what they were teaching. Figuring out logistics for all the places was difficult because of coordinating everyone's schedules. When they were talking about Islam they wanted to be in a mosque. According to them, it was not just about the spoken word that was important, but it the space it where the speaking was taking place as well.

Bun B and Professor Pinn are taking things a day at a time. It took them three years to bring the online course to fruition, and now want to see what the reception of the online version will be. They stressed their desire for the class to keep its integrity as it spreads. That is something they are not willing to compromise. They do have a book coming out in May, and have had talks about a documentary as well. Where things go from here will be dependent on how they feel though.

It is amazing where hip-hop has extended its reaches. It started out as a creative outlet for young kids in urban neighborhoods. Then it became an art form that affected people in every part of the globe. Now it is in the academic realm in more abstract ways. Hip-hop is a living and breathing organism that is everywhere, and will only continue to thrive. One thing is for sure; it is exciting to imagine where it will show its head next.

Elvis Nolasco stars in the new ABC series American Crime written by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). You'll recognize Elvis from his numerous roles in five Spike Lee films including the recently released Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Elvis' Twitter: @EONolasco . Photo by Elise Gannett.

It was easy for me to come up with questions to interview the multi-talented and ever so handsome Elvis Nolasco. There's just something about the way he carries himself that makes me want to [censored]! Eeeps! But so true!

You HAVE to check Elvis out in his new show American Crime which airs in the coveted Thursday night slot after Scandal.

Let's see what this guy Elvis Nolasco has to say.

In American Crime, you play an addict named Carter Nix. What type of research did you do for this role?

Well, having grown up in New York City's neighborhoods, it was not a far-fetched or stretch to witness addiction on different levels. To have been able to witness the behaviors, struggles and destruction was something I was able to draw from. YouTube was very helpful in doing research on the effects and behaviors of addiction.

Do you still know how to breakdance? What about poppin'? What's your favorite move?

This is a good question. It's never the same case when it comes to remembering how to still ride a bike. Break dancing can do a lot of wear and tear on the body, something I've experienced throughout the years. However, I still got some moves, I'm still swift and limber. As a New Yorker I will never turn away from a battle. My favorite move would have to be classic footwork and windmill.

What's your workout and food routine?

I love to run and hike, cardio is of major importance to me. I also enjoy hitting the weights and calisthenics every now and them for muscle building and strength. I enjoy eating egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast, lots of fruits and vegetables, salads, salmon, steak, grilled chicken and turkey. However, if my mom is around I'm definitely having me some liver and white rice (my favorite dish). My two good friends have been instrumental in helping me train and workout properly (Kamar De Los Reyes & Ben Velazquez at The New York SportsLab).

Tell us about the @SpikeLee Sneaker Jam. What did you do there? How'd you get an audition for the Spike Lee film Da Sweet Blood of Jesus?

Spike Lee's NBA Sneaker Jam? Just went out to have a good time, pow wow with all the 40 Acres and A Mule Team. Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus is a different and uniquely told love story about people who are addicted to blood, it's a re-imagination of Bill Gunns 70's hit Ganga and Hess. I was in L.A. when I first received a phone call about my availability to come on board for Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus and the details of the project. I answered that call by saying one, yes I'm available and two I like the project very much. The second call I received, the voice on the other line (will remain anonymous) said "Pack Your Bags".

What's it like playing opposite of such a hot actress Caitlin Gerard in American Crime? Tell us about the first time you met her. @CaitlinGerard

As you just described her, not only is she hot but Caitlin is also a very talented actress. I knew from the moment I tested with her, I felt that the chemistry and understanding of the characters was on point, Caitlin brings it and it's such a joy to have taken this journey with her. When I was given notice that I was cast as Carter Nix, based on what had happened in that audition room (chemistry) I had a gut feeling that Caitlin Gerard would be Carter's Aubry Taylor.

What type of after school activities did you do as a kid?

Lots of them...theater, baseball, street two hand touch football, lots of roller-skating and ice skating at Laskers Rink Central Park, swimming, acrobats and break dancing. As you can see physicality was a major part of me growing up, and still is.

You recently wrote a short film called Invisible Wounds and will also direct. What type of research / schooling did you do to learn how to direct? Please let us know more about the production side of Invisible Wounds.

To be able to watch and listen to Spike Lee and John Ridley like a hawk, I ask questions and take notes. I've been fortunate to be around some amazing directors, D.P.s and various levels of productions throughout the years, so I've pick up some quality information along the way. I've directed theatre and I've worked as a teaching artist for many years, all these experiences combined have given me the confidence and knowledge in moving forward in directing my first short Invisible Wounds. It's very early in the process, however I wrote the story with my good friend and fellow break dancer Luis Dalmasy. It's a story very relevant to today's and yesterday's war veteran issues. Issues like adjusting to civilian life and for many of them the dependence of prescription medication to deal with life on life's terms. My younger brother (Yanko) is a former military man who served our country in the Iraq war, he in turn is my personal adviser on the project. I'm reaching out to investors and or crowd funding to fund the project.

Do you find yourself being stereotyped into roles?

Stereotyping? Good question. I could honestly say that early on in my career that was something that I was able to recognize and therefore mid-way through this journey I chose to stick to theater for a while (which is my foundation). I've always considered myself and my art to come from a very diverse place, so it has always been of the utmost importance to stretch my art and personal growth so that I'm not placed in that box...(stereotypes).

You're a true New Yorker. Share a story from your childhood about growing up in the city and how it's affected your life today.

While in J.H.S. Joan Of Arc, growing up in the midst of the break dancing, graffiti and rap music explosion. On lunch breaks, myself and founding members of the renowned graffiti group I.B.M (Incredible Bombing Masters), Dino Morales (POKE) & George Morillo (SEN ONE). One day we were standing on the corner of 91th street and Broadway. While standing on this corner one by one my friends started to disappear, to my ignorance, I didn't realize that they were all going down these steps that lead us to the old abandoned 91th street station where we discovered a graffiti artists' paradise. This very old station was the canvas to throw up your piece and it then would be displayed for all the One train riders to view as the train would cruise from 96th street to 86th street stations. Something only a New Yorker would know about. As a Native New Yorker growing up in such a fast paced city, I've learned to be fearless, courageous, to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and know that "No one opens the door for a Native New Yorker"...(wise words from the group Odyssey). I do strongly feel that these experiences have a strong effect on me, my character and the truth.

Anything else you'd like to say?

At this point In my life and career, I'm just filled with gratitude. Promoting Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus and American Crime at the moment is where my focus is at. On February 21st I was invited to participate in a celebration of the life and times of Malcolm X at The Shabazz Center (Washington Heights), this date marks the 50th anniversary of Malcolm's assassination . As part of the event I was asked to read Malcolm X's last letter; It's truly an honor to be invited. Shout-out to the cast and crew of American Crime & Da Sweet Blood Of Jesus. Shout-out to my fam and peeps in Washington Heights.

Actress Cameron Diaz recently revealed her secrets to a healthy life: diet, exercise and getting busy between the sheets! She credits sex as being her "fountain of youth," what keeps her young despite the hectic and fast-paced lifestyle that comes with being a celebrity and constantly in the public eye. Cameron believes people need lots of sex in their lives, that it's a healthy, natural bodily function -- and she's right. Sex not only promotes intimacy between partners and strengthens their bond on a physical level, but it can also boost self-confidence and increases happiness thanks to the many endorphins released at climax. And remember, it feels great too!

While having lots of sex promotes health and well-being, making the time and being able to do it as often as you like can be challenging. A variety of responsibilities can get in the way including work, children, making dinner, etc. So what can you do to safeguard against this? Here are a few tips that can help you spend more time in the bedroom, and less time worrying about getting there.

To begin with, consider scheduling spontaneity. While it seems paradoxical to plan it, more often than not that spontaneity we all crave happens at the beginning of a relationship when you are falling in love and all you want to do is fall into bed, letting everything else fall by the wayside. But that moment in time can't last forever when there are so many things you need to deal with. That is the tricky part of sex, while it can alleviate stress, making it happen and not letting the stress of everything else on your plate get in the way can be difficult. Still, everyone wants that feeling of being swept away and leaving everything else behind. Considering what stands in the way of that, the reality is that it may not happen unless you plan it. We plan vacations, parties, dinners out -- so many activities that we enjoy. Why not plan to be sexually spontaneous with your partner? If you decide that you will spend an hour together on Saturday afternoon, or on Tuesday morning right after you drop the kids off at school, then you can make sure all the things you absolutely have to do are done and you can allow yourself to not think about them for that hour or so you've set aside. It also gives you an opportunity to look forward to being with your lover in the same way you looked forward to it when you were first dating. Think of it as mental foreplay. And once you reach your planned date, don't worry about anything else -- those dishes can wait!

But what happens when you really can't find the time? In that case, instead of saying no say yes and take a rain check. Think of it this way, it is so rare that two people want the exact same thing at the exact same time. Maybe you are hoping for a big pizza dinner, but your wife had a huge business lunch and just wants a salad tonight. When that happens you probably compromise -- maybe you'll have a salad tonight and plan for the pizza over the weekend. It's the same thing with sex -- presumably you both want it at some point, but maybe not at the exact same time, or maybe one of you wants to do it more often than the other. Many times people just say no and leave it at that. But instead of saying you're not in the mood, and leaving your partner to feel undesirable, or to wonder if it is something they've done, say yes, you would love to but not tonight. How about tomorrow? Or, maybe you can compromise, do a little something tonight and more over the weekend when you are both relaxed. Sex doesn't have to be the whole thing all the time.

Finally, do your best to embrace the moment! How often has your partner come up behind you and given you a hug that makes you think: Sex now, really? You know you haven't showered yet, or closed all the windows for the night, or responded to all those emails just waiting there for you. So you push off the advances, thinking you can get back to that later, after everything else is done. The problem is, not only is that moment of excitement long gone by the time you return to it, but your partner might feel unwanted and rejected in the meantime.

Whatever you are doing to take care of things so you can relax better can be a put off to the other person. Think of it this way: If you are at a party and your favorite song comes on, you wouldn't finish eating, carefully fold your napkin, take another drink and risk getting out onto the dance floor with only the last notes of that song left. No, you'd jump up, grab your partner's hand, enjoy dancing to the song, and get back to everything else after. Sometimes life gets in the way of the moment, and in letting that happen you let the passion evaporate. The next time your partner gives you that romantic snuggle, try to go with the flow. Try to see if your sex doesn't sizzle a little more because you stepped into the passion while it was burning hot.

No matter what might work for you, it's helpful to keep in mind that the quality of the sex you have with your partner is as, if not more, important than the quantity, especially since everyone has different notions as to what seems like a lot or enough sex. As long as you and your partner can find a middle ground on how often you both want sex, you'll both be content.

We can thank Cameron for being so open and sharing her secret to healthy living with all of us.

Please tune in to the Doctor on Call radio hour on HealthyLife.net every Tuesday at 2 PM EST, 11 AM PST. First and third Tuesdays are Shrink Wrap on Call, second Tuesdays are HuffPost on Call, and the last Tuesday of the month is Let's Talk Sex! Email your questions dealing with relationships, intimacy, family, and friendships to Dr. Greer at askdrjane@drjanegreer.com.

Connect with Dr. Jane Greer on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/DrJaneGreer, and be sure to follow @DrJaneGreer on Twitter for her latest insights on love, relationships, sex, and intimacy.

For more on Dr. Greer, visit http://www.drjanegreer.com.

"But forget whether Hollywood is black enough. A better question is: Is Hollywood Mexican enough? You're in LA, you've got to try not to hire Mexicans."

That's Chris Rock, from his "Blistering Essay on Hollywood's Race Problem."

It's hard to believe more than 50 years have passed since Martin Luther King Jr.'s powerful "I Have a Dream" speech.

Ironically and sadly, back then, it was black and white television, and today, it seems we only have white.

Recent studies show that although minorities and people of color make up half of cinema audiences, only 10.8 percent of speaking characters are black, 4.2 percent are Hispanic, 5 percent are Asian and 3.6 percent are from other (or mixed race) ethnicities. Speaking characters who are white make up 76.3 percent.

The recent Oscar nominations added fuel to the hot topic. Selma, the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic was nominated for best picture, but many were outraged that male lead David Oyelowo and director Aya Duvernay were overlooked.

Oyelowo didn't beat around the bush, highlighting that Blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities don't just struggle with recognition, but worse, finding roles that don't perpetuate negative stereotypes and caricatures.

He said in an interview, "Generally speaking, we as black people have been celebrated more for when we are subservient, when we are not being leaders or kings or being in the center of our own narrative, driving it forward."

So, what the big deal? It matters because what happens on the big screen never stays on the big screen; media may be intended for entertainment, but it's also education.

When the average person spends 20 to 30 hours per week engaged in media, it's inevitable that people will mimic behaviors and adopt unrealistic standards. And, of course, Hollywood's influence extends far beyond the US.

"Bollywood" is India's largest and most influential industry. More than just taking a similar name, the obsession with lighter skin has dominated the nation. The sale and use of whitening cream has become a multi-billion dollar industry there.

When white faces dominate the screens, it's no surprise whitening cream has spread through the culture.

Psychologists call it the "Copycat Effect." While bleaching your skin is a sad byproduct of Hollywood's influence, it pales in comparison to the hate crimes and prejudices that come from racial misrepresentation.

One of the strongest catalysts for change is YouTube.

The racial diversity among the most watched YouTubers only reaffirms the misrepresentation by the mainstream media. When the industry "gate-keepers" are cut out, multiculturalism -- and reality-- steps in.

Australian television, arguably worse than Hollywood when it comes to media whitewashing, is seeing positive change through the presence of minorities on YouTube.

Founders of the popular channel "Asian Boss," Stephen Park and Kei Ibaraki said one major motivation for their work was to change the public perception of Asians.

Social media platforms have been highly effective in dismantling the middle-men of traditional media.

With many great revolutions traced back to a single voice, there's much hope that technology can help carry a single voice much further.

Indeed, regarding creating a movement, activist Harvey Milk said, "There's always somebody who wants to confiscate our humanity, and there are always stories that restore it. If we live out loud, we can trounce the hatred and expand everyone's lives."

This is a boom time for Albert Maysles: his iconic Grey Gardens (1975) in a restored print is screening at Film Forum, and available from Criterion. A new documentary, Iris, about style legend Iris Apfel, a hit at the 2014 New York Film Festival will be released in late April. But then again, in the years that I have known him, he was always working. With D.A. Pennebaker, Richard Leacock, and his brother David, Maysles was a pioneer in "fly on the wall" or direct cinema. A lover of movies, it is hard to imagine not seeing him on the scene at the premieres of the latest, encouraging young filmmakers. As he said to me in a 1994 interview: "Making a film isn't finding the answer to a question; it's trying to capture life as it is."

In 2008, Steidl/ Kasher published a book detailing some of Albert Maysles work: Little Edie Bouvier Beale vamps on the cover photo of "A Maysles Scrapbook," a coffee table volume with introduction by Martin Scorsese illustrating the depth and breadth of the legendary Albert Maysles' career from 1955 to 2008. Edie is of course one half of the mother-daughter team, related to Jackie Kennedy, celebrated on Broadway and in an HBO movie based on the documentary Grey Gardens by Albert and his brother David who died in 1987. With her signature shmatte tied around her head, her legs oh so posed to reveal the sexy curve of her hip, and beckoning with a come hither look, Edie stands for Albert Maysles himself inviting you into his world, featuring a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of his most famous works, among them "Salesman" and "Gimme Shelter."

Images of Mick Jagger, Muhammed Ali, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Salvador Dali, and Charlotte Zwerin, peek out from these pages, as do pictures of people in Turkey, Russia and Poland from his travels in the late '50's. Maysles' world was a who's who of the 20th century, and into the 21st, as he made films about Christo and the Dalai Lama. About the making of non-fiction films Albert Maysles said, "There's nothing like the real thing."

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.

2015-03-06-1425651589-996025-LeadBellySmithsonianFolkwaysCollectionBox.jpg

Photo Courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways

Following their 2012 success with Woody at 100, the folk music wizards of Smithsonian Folkways chose an even more ambitious project: a box set to represent the influential songster Lead Belly, a friend of Guthrie's who was less prolific as a songwriter but much more prolific as a recording artist. Lead Belly was the nickname of Huddie Ledbetter, a Louisiana native who sang, played several instruments, and had a prodigious musical talent. Unfortunately, he also had a temper, and he ended up serving time in prisons in Texas and Louisiana. In Angola prison in 1934, folklorists John and Alan Lomax recorded some of his songs. When he was released from prison, Lead Belly sought out John Lomax, worked briefly as his assistant, and then entrusted his musical career to the stately white Texan. After establishing himself in New York, he became a fixture of the folk scene, played with jazz and gospel musicians, and made a huge number of recordings.

Bunk Johnson (Trumpet), Lead Belly (Guitar), Alcide Pavageau (Bass) and George Lewis (Drums). The photo is by William Gottleib, who dedicated it to the Public Domain. [Library of Congress]

The five discs on Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection present a selection of the recordings that found their way to the label's archive: recordings made for Moe Asch at his Asch label, at Stinson, at folkways, and at various radio stations. It also includes a few recordings from the archive where I work, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Selected and annotated by co-producers Jeff Place of Smithsonian Folkways and Robert Santelli of the Grammy Museum, the box follows a similar pattern to the Woody set: Discs one and two present Lead Belly's greatest hits. The third mixes hits and rarities. The fourth CD presents radio shows, many of them never released before, and the fifth presents a selection from his famous "last sessions." In all it presents an engaging and fascinating portrait of Lead Belly: broad enough to cover all the bases, deep enough to present both legendary performances and oddities, with sixteen never-before-released selections. Lead Belly claims in one of the radio shows that he can "sing 500 songs without going back to first one." If that was true, this presents only about a quarter of his prodigious repertoire...but I wouldn't bet on that.

The songs are a vast and varied banquet of Americana cooked up and served through the genius of one man. Whether they're pieces he learned from his uncles ("Goodnight Irene"), picked up from fieldwork ("Rock Island Line"), gleaned from movie cowboys ("Springtime in the Rockies"), or wrote himself ("Fannin Street"), Lead Belly made every song his own. His twelve-string guitar playing could be deceptively simple, as on "Ha Ha Thisaway," or chaotic and complicated, as on "Gallows Pole." His button accordion playing on "John Hardy" and other pieces acts like a blues guitar, providing chords under the singing, then answering back with occasional verses of its own. Friends such as Woody Guthrie (mandolin), Cisco Houston (guitar), Sonny Terry (Harmonica) Brownie McGhee (guitar) and Pops Foster (bass) fill out the arrangements on some of the songs.

This photo is from the Library of Congress
and is in the public domain.

Of course, Lead Belly's greatest asset was his voice. It's at once powerful and painful, a hard-living voice that can whoop with joy, wail with sorrow, or coax a chuckle from a child. He could sound surprisingly innocent on a kids' song, or he could turn around and be a hard-drinking bluesman--a trick he had perfected in real life as well as in song. Perhaps the most surprising piece, "Excerpt from 'The Lonesome Train'" finds Lead Belly playing the part of a rural preacher, bookending the beautiful cadences of his sermon with verses of a song about Abraham Lincoln.

How influential was Lead Belly? Since The Weavers had a number one hit with "Irene" in 1950, the year after Lead Belly died, an unending array of musicians have covered his songs, from Johnny Cash to Led Zeppelin and from Nirvana to The Beach Boys. On this set you'll hear the original songs that inspired them all.

Unlike his friend Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly was not a visual artist as well as a musician. So to make the box as sumptuous as Woody's they needed lots of pictures, and they found them in the John Reynolds Collection, the Library of Congress, and elsewhere. The use of relevant documents as well as photos, and a pleasing design sensibility, add up to a great-looking, readable package.

A further delightful aspect of the set is the writing. Both Santelli and Place contribute thoughtful and interesting essays setting Lead Belly's life and music in context. Along the way, they clear up many misconceptions about Lead Belly, beginning with his name. Originally spelled as two words, it was later often rendered as "Leadbelly." While the singer didn't complain about any positive publicity, he (and now his family) always preferred the original spelling, which is restored by this release. Lead Belly's given name was "Huddie," and another popular error is to rhyme it with "Buddy." It was properly pronounced "HUGH-dee," and people who knew him sometimes even wrote "Hughie." When he spoke fast it could sound like "WHO-dee" or even "hoodie." The box set provides several songs in which he says or sings his name, including "Fannin Street" and "Governor O.K. Allen," which give the range of acceptable pronunciations.

One misconception the set may perpetuate is the story that Governor O. K. Allen of Louisiana pardoned Lead Belly in response to a song recorded and delivered by Lomax. Santelli's essay tells this story uncritically, while Place's suggests with a sly wink that it may be true, stating that Lead Belly was "officially granted a pardon" after the song was delivered, but acknowledging that the state disavowed a causal connection. In fact, though, Lead Belly's sentence was commuted on the basis of a good behavior provision called "double good time," which applied to most prisoners. The commutation was contingent on staying out of trouble, so technically he wasn't pardoned at all. Although initially both Lomax and Lead Belly believed the song had bought Lead Belly's freedom, Lomax learned the truth six months later, and his family to this day takes no credit for Lead Belly's release.

Similarly, Place's statement that Lead Belly and Lomax fell out partly because the singer "bristled at being dressed up in prison clothes" is misleading: it's often claimed that Lomax made Lead Belly perform in prison stripes, and most people would associate "prison clothes" with that claim. But what Lomax and Lead Belly often referred to as his "prison clothes" were actually the clothes in which he had left prison: denim overalls and a work shirt. Though he always preferred tailored suits, he continued wearing overalls for many performances after parting ways with Lomax, and had publicity photos taken in them a couple of years before he died. Meanwhile, according to his biographers Kip Lornell and Charles Wolfe, after leaving Lomax and enlisting another manager, Lead Belly actually WAS forced to wear prison stripes for a grueling run of thankless performances at Harlem's Lafayette Theater. (For an accurate account of Lead Belly's association with Lomax, see the FAQ established by Lomax's family.)

Notes on the individual songs are well written, engaging, and mostly accurate. There are occasional errors, though, such as the claim that Lead Belly first heard "Rock Island Line" in Gould, Arkansas in October 1934. In fact, he had heard it from another group two weeks earlier in Little Rock, a fact Place could have discovered by consulting the American Folklife Center's online card catalog or the Association for Cultural Equity's Lomax and Lead Belly Timeline.

Rock Island Line

Place has elsewhere given "Rock Island Line" as an example of Lead Belly learning a song after having heard it just once. This suggests a fascinating pattern to the few inaccuracies I've noted above: Lead Belly singing his way out of Angola, Lead Belly rebelling against the exploitation of the prison stripes, and Lead Belly learning one of his most famous songs in one hearing... they're not so much mistaken as mythic. We suspect they may not be true, but we tell them in hopes of expressing deeper truth: Lead Belly's life was a narrative of mastery and resistance, like Zora Neale Hurston's High John De Conquer or folklore's John Henry. With these mythic stories, he becomes a superhero of American history and a Founding Father of African American music.

In real life, he was all that and more.

Make your list now!

Culturalist.com is the place to shape, share and debate your opinions on anything and everything through Top 10 lists. Want to join the conversation? You can make your own list of the Top 10 Best Disney Princesses by selecting your favorites, ranking them in order, and publishing on Culturalist.

With Disney's live-action reboot of Cinderella in the air this week (and speculation around star Lily James being digitally-edited into an impossible-standard of perfection), Culturalist users are asking each other: Do we even like Cinderella? How does she stack up against other animated royalty? We're counting down the current rankings, but you can still weigh in by making your list of the Top 10 Best Disney Princesses now!

5. Elsa (Frozen)

The latest addition to the Disney Princess roster, Elsa comes from an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. But you probably know her better as the face/voice of the billion-dollar award-winning blockbuster Frozen. It's already the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and with rumors of a sequel swirling like an Arendelle blizzard, Elsa's princess stock is on the rise.

4. Jasmine (Aladdin)

In the 1706 English language debut of One Thousand and One Nights, the princess that Aladdin woos with the help of his magical genie is known as Princess Badroulbadour. It's kind of a shame that somebody in the Mouse House decided that "Jasmine" had a better ring to it; we would have loved to see the lyrics resulting from trying to rhyme "Badroulbadour".

3. Fa Mulan (Mulan)

Disney's gender-bending princess caught some critical flak for the movie's cookie-cutter romantic resolution, but Mulan's courage and independence still captures hearts. Fun fact: Broadway star Lea Salonga voiced both Mulan and Jasmine, so it's pretty safe to say that her princess game is on-point.

2. Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

We dare you to spend more than 10 seconds thinking about The Little Mermaid without humming one of the songs. After nearly 20 years of box office misses, 1989's Mermaid almost single-finnedly resurrected Disney's animation studio, and can take a fair share of the credit for the existence of every other princess on this list. We're sure happy to have her be a part of our world.

1. Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

It's a tale as old as time...seriously: Disney's efforts to adapt the French fairy tale started all the way back in the 1930s. We're glad they spent 60 years getting it right. Beauty and the Beast set the standard for every other Disney princess: it became the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, and broke through the frame to become the first animated film adapted for the Broadway stage (becoming a blockbuster in its own right). And it all started with a bored young bookworm named Belle...

Think you can make a better list? Be our guest. Join the conversation by making your list of the Top 10 Best Characters in House of Cards now!

There is nothing remotely second best about the highly anticipated sequel to the charming The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which was released in 2011. The cast of that movie included Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Dev Patel and Maggie Smith. They are all back plus some of the other members of that original cast. Newcomers Richard Gere, David Strathairn and Tamsin "Episodes" Greig have been added.

"The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" takes up a short time after the first film ended. Sonny Kapoor (Patel) is so pleased by the success of his hotel that he plans to expand with another building. He and his new co-manager of the hotel, Muriel (Smith), take off for San Diego to try to enlist some American investors in his ideas.

They get a statement of interest from a company but they also get word that someone from the company will be inspecting the property. When Guy Chambers (Gere) shows up at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Sonny is sure he is the "spy". He goes out of his way to charm him, ignoring the other new guest Lavinia Beech (Greig). Sonny also has his upcoming wedding to be concerned about, but the hotel business takes top priority.

Life goes on with the other guests and love is in the air. The most obvious potential couple is Evelyn and Douglas (Dench and Nighy). You can tell they have feelings for each other but neither is able to declare them. A subtle romance of this type is amazingly endearing when presented by actors as skilled as these two.

The entire movie is endearing, moving from one heartfelt situation to the next. And each and every one of the actors involved is at the top of his/her game whether it be a star such as Dench, or a "cameo" presenter such as Gere. They all make an impression and linger with you long after the film has ended.

But of course when you have Maggie Smith in a movie you can't tear your eyes away from her. As Muriel she is the heart, soul and brain of the film. She is witty, warm, wonderful and a million other flattering adjectives. Smith stole the original film and she keeps this one within her clutches too.

Younger audiences might look askance at a film concerning senior love but if they stay away for that reason they will be the losers. This is a story and a movie for all ages. It will hold your attention as you relearn and grow to be fascinated anew by this colorful collection of characters.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is first rate entertainment that should be seen at the very first opportunity.

I scored "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" a blooming 8 out of 10.
Jackie K. Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com

Madonna is a sacred subject.

I learnt this last week when I penned an op-ed piece for Advocate arguing that Madonna's latest album Rebel Heart was in itself an achievement. I wrote that whether or not the album had any musical, aesthetic, or cultural impact in today's music scene was not important. The sheer act that Madonna (at 56) was releasing her thirteenth-studio album was enough for me.

Rebel Heart would demonstrate Madonna's ability to subvert and break existing cultural narratives about women, music, and ageing. For me, it would be another watershed moment for the legendary singer.

Now that the actual "official" release of the album is only days away, it may be worth briefly backtracking the hype around Madonna's 2015 record.

Although Rebel Heart has attracted much media attention because of the multiple leaks that has plagued it, Madonna has persevered in maintaining official dates for its release. Sometimes an online music "leak" is a ploy to generate interest and media attention in an artist's forthcoming song or album.

In Madonna's case, it was obvious that this was far from true. The singer took to Instagram to describe the experience as "artistic rape" and discussed the trauma in follow-up interviews, including a revealing one given to Rolling Stone.

Rebel Heart has been marked by multiple controversies, including Madonna's reappropriation of images of civil rights and religious figures. This is not unfamiliar territory for the singer who has, for instance, been on the Roman Catholic Church's hit list for decades. But her use of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King on Instagram was seen as disrespectful and offensive. Some saw it as a poor reappropriation and one that was more an attempt to publicise her album than commemorate the deep and meaningful legacy of these humanitarian figures.

But the conceit behind Rebel Heart is really about the singer challenging the status quo. Madonna's Instagram images have profiled a number of figures from history who were rebels who fought for political and social injustices and became heroes because of their civil and religious campaigns.

For fans of the Queen of Pop, the meaning of the album's title is self-evident. Many of us have known the singer's history of challenging and complicating the existing social, political, and cultural norms around women and sex and then injecting her own brand of transformative and performative style into these conventions.

Indeed Madonna has been a major "rebel" -- the only? -- of the music scene for the last thirty years. Just scanning the track list of Rebel Heart we see the album make explicit references to her rebellion with songs including the title track "Rebel Heart," alongside "Bitch I'm Madonna (feat. Nicki Minaj)," and "Joan of Arc".

While her previous two albums, 2008's Hard Candy and 2012's MDNA were apparently chasing the cultural and musical zeitgeist, Rebel Heart is not as preoccupied with emulating the existing musical and aesthetic energies of today's music scene. Instead it feels more like self-reflective essay from the legendary singer, with dance tracks, ballads, and electro-pop songs marking each new "chapter" of her confessional dissertation.

Some fans cite 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor as her last great piece of musical triumph. Its disco-inspired sound, continuous flow from track-to-track, and iconic "Hung Up" music video offered fans a side to Madonna that took us back to her musical roots and revisited a defining moment of twentieth-century music.

But Rebel Heart is Madonna's next masterpiece in the making.

The title track of the album "Rebel Heart" is striking in that many of the leaks of this song had more of an electro dance sound. (Sorry for listening to the leaks Madonna!) But the finished version of "Rebel Heart" opens with a series of strumming guitar sounds. This lends the song a sense of candour and intimacy as though the songstress is telling us that she is really opening up on her struggles and pains as the only iconoclast of modern music. She is telling us that she has always had a rebel heart and will continue to break the rules that others won't.

In the same song she admits, "I've spent some time as a narcissist/...trying to be so provocative." Madonna's history of transgressing the traditional trajectory for pop stars and musicians has made her one of the singular icons of dissidence and female defiance in twentieth-century music. Compare "Rebel Heart" with "Unapologetic Bitch" and we see Madonna have some fun with this metaphor through the blendings of a reggae sound as she sings "sometimes I got to call it like it is".

Other tracks like "Wash All Over Me," "Ghostown," and "Joan of Arc" are really moving and uplifting songs as they prioritise Madonna's raw vocal talents and the singer's desire to be more direct in communicating her intimate confessions to fans. Madonna is telling us that she is and has been a rebel of the music, art, and culture scene for decades and that sometimes she has hurt, ached, and burned with painful emotions.

But because she is Madonna she will continue to break the boundaries set on her identity as a singer, artist, and woman.

It would not be a true Madonna record without some Catholic symbolism thrown in for good measure. We find her "tast[ing] holy water" before encouraging us to genuflect and to "confess". Madonna here returns to religious symbols she originally exploited in the 1980s (who can forget her greatest hits record The Immaculate Collection?), reminding us other disobedience toward the Roman-Catholic church and her own religious upbringing.

To me, whether or not the album itself is well received by her critics is unimportant. The very existence of Rebel Heart is exciting and gratifying enough.

With this thirteenth record, Madonna is telling us she has not, does not, and will not ever stop her campaign against breaking the rules of gender, sex, and the limits placed on her own humanity.

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