Category Archives: Kathy M. Newman

Marilyn and Elvis: Dead Labor in the Age of Streaming

Posted on September 19, 2022 by knewman4

When Marilyn Monroe was cast as a spunky cannery worker in Clash by Night (1952), she took “an all-night bus to Monterey to observe cannery workers and to practice being working class.” As biographer Lois Banner noted, she was even … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Immersed in the Work of Art

Posted on June 6, 2022 by knewman4

This summer, five different immersive Van Gogh opportunities are circulating in dozens of cities around the world, including Detroit, Buenos Aires, and Perth, Australia. If you live in one of the cities that has (or soon will be) hosting one … Continue reading →

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Sidney Poitier: Nobody You Can Boss Around

Posted on January 17, 2022 by knewman4

In the 10 days since we learned of Sidney Poitier’s death there have been hundreds of tributes to Poitier—an undeniable icon. Most of these tributes have focused on Poitier’s brilliant acting, for which he received innumerable awards, as well as … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Class at the Intersections, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Work is a Real Life Squid Game for the Global Precariat

Posted on December 13, 2021 by knewman4

I’m assuming you’ve heard of Squid Game, but have you also heard that Squid Game is the most watched television show in Netflix history, inspiring 1.65 billion hours of viewing in its first month? This week we learned that Squid … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman, Work | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Some Dreamers of the Rusty Dream

Posted on September 13, 2021 by knewman4

In the new Showtime series, American Rust, set and filmed outside of Pittsburgh, PA, and based on the 2009 novel by Philipp Meyer, we see the aftermath of an industrial collapse so devastating that the fictional town of Buell, PA, … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman, The Working Class and the Economy, Working-Class Culture | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

America’s Cross-Class Romance with Mare of Easttown

Posted on June 14, 2021 by knewman4

In the waning days of the great pandemic of 2020-2021, something surprising happened: the nation fell in love with Mare of Easttown, a depressing television series about a burned out town, an unsolved murder, and, as the Saturday Night Live … Continue reading →

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Sea Shanties and the Pleasure of Work

Posted on April 12, 2021 by knewman4

I thought that the viral TikTok sea shanty trend had run its course when, just before Passover, I saw a link to a video called the “Red Sea Shanties.” Here the Jewish a capella group, Six13, changed the lyrics of … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman, Work | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Christmas (and Class) Behind the Scenes

Posted on December 14, 2020 by knewman4

I love Christmas movies because they are always about work. Want to see executive fat cats who are forced to work on Christmas Eve? Check out Scrooged, Elf, and The Family Man. Want to see elves being mistreated, overworked, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

No Class: Why You Should Be Getting Your Labor News from Teen Vogue

Posted on August 31, 2020 by knewman4

Last Wednesday NBA players refused to take the court for their playoff games in order to protest the latest police shooting of an unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who survived the shooting but is now paralyzed. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman, Labor and Community Activism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Class, Capitalism, and Coronovirus at Disney’s Newest Attraction

Posted on March 30, 2020 by knewman4

Last week the Coronavirus forced Disney to announce that its American parks are now closed indefinitely, resulting in the longest interruptions of any kind since they opened in 1955 (Disneyland) and 1965 (Walt Disney World). Disney has been on my … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments