“ANYONE WHO IS NOT AGAINST YOU, IS FOR YOU.” That pretty much sums up my response to a recent query about how I feel about some of the entertainment projects that Christians are working on or have worked on. In this case, a Christian writer friend wanted to know why Act One would countenance writers on our faculty who wrote “the likes of” That 70’s Show, for example.” We get asked this question all the time. And depending on the... Read more

WHAT IF OSCAR IGNORES JESUS? The Oscar noms will be out soon, and, according to the buzz around the biz, The Passion of the Christ is going to be completely shut out. Before the triumph of red statedom back in November, the word was that the film would be only mostly ignored, but would probably get noms for cinematography and production design. But then Bush won, and, frankly, having Oscar ignore the red state movie has become some kind of... Read more

NICE MOMENT… …on ABC’S Lost last week. I don’t know if it was a repeat – I always count on catching up on the shows that survive the first half of the season during the second half re-runs. I like the show. It’s so refeshingly devoid of cops and lawyers…and while the hero is a doctor, he has no hospital to push gurneys around in, so he might as well be a stock-broker. (No there’s an under utilized arena for... Read more

I WANTED TO BE EMILY DICKINSON… Take the quiz: “What Historic Woman Are You?”Queen HatshepsutShe was an Egyptian princess who wanted to be King. So she pasted on a fake beard and called herself King Hatshepsut. Everyone knew that she was a woman, but she had to pretend to be a man because Egyptians couldn’t have a blatantly female ruler. You are strong, and will do whatever it takes to get what you want, just like Hatshepsut. Read more about... Read more

ACT ONER ALERT! This will certainly be recurring feature here at COTM, as our ever-expanding network of Act One alumni continue to expand their influence in the cultural marketplace. I can barely keep up with them all, but, for your greater edification, and – who am I kidding?! – in the hopes that you will send us money and find us major donors to send us lots of money – I’m going to try! So, here is a press release... Read more

MORE REACTIONS TO THE “NEW RENAISSANCE” ARTICLE (And I fixed the link, so you can actually get to the article now. Thanks, Margo.) From B.W., somewhere in the Northwest U.S…. I was sent your article by an iconography study group in the Northwest. [NOTE FROM BARB: Cool…Somewhere, people are studying me!] I couldn’t agree more with your assessment of the “art of teaching art” in a classroom setting. I would like to tell you about yet another new Catholic college... Read more

PILOT NEWS NBC has given a cast contingent pilot order for a dramedy called Book of Daniel. The story follows the life of a minister who chats with God, helps those in need, and at the same time…… fights his own addiction to painkillers. (per Hollywood Reporter). Reserving judgment. Just keeping you posted. Read more

NEW RENAISSANCE WON’T START IN A CLASSROOM Here’s my latest from Catholic Exchange. They’ve had it as the headline today, and I am getting some interesting email feedback. Go read the article, then come back here and read some of these follow-ups… Here’s one… “Thank you for your interesting article on the arts. Your statement that “The achievement of a Master of Fine Arts in whatever discipline, from even a top university, says nothing at all about whether an individual... Read more

RATS. Read more

BRACE YOURSELF. This here is a flaming PC-free, Nativity creche friendly, winter solstice/Kwanzaa disdaining, stocking hanging, reindeer gaming, Joy to the World screeching, “Merry Christmas!” echoing, razzleberry dressing and wassail consuming, careening collision of Church and State, web-blog. To all of you who are worried that the secularists are stealing Christmas, I send the words of the angels: “Do Not Be Afraid!” The ACLU et al. is no match for the shivering, little, naked Deity in the manger at Bethlehem.... Read more