journalist and documentary filmmaker
Journalist, documentary filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author, whose works include The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004). He has been described as a gonzo journalist, with his work appearing in British publications such as The Guardian newspaper, City Life and Time Out magazine. He has made several documentary films for television and two documentary series for Channel 4.
Public Shaming Online Have you ever thoughtlessly tweeted or Facebooked something … and then thought later, ugh, I shouldn’t have done that? Most of us have. And usually it’s no big deal. But sometimes, one misguided tweet or status update can be a very big deal. It can cost jobs, relationships, and reputations. That was certainly the case for PR executive Justine Sacco. She was fired after tweeting an insensitive AIDS joke that went viral, and then had such a hard time finding another job, she left the country. She’s just one of the people Jon Ronson wrote about in his new book, So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. In it, he looks at what happens to the people at the center of these kinds of scandals, long after the news cycle and the public rage have moved on.
An Art Fraud Based on Big-Eyed Children The story goes something like this: an aspiring artist goes to Berlin right after World War II. He sees doe-eyed children rummaging through the trash for food. He’s so affected, he starts churning out paintings of these wide-eyed children. The paintings touch a nerve with the American public, and he becomes a millionaire from selling them. Or -- not so fast. According to journalist Jon Ronson, Walter Keane perpetuated one of the biggest art frauds of the 20th century.
Inside Michael Fassbender’s Giant Head Frank is a new film about an avant-garde pop musician who wears a big, fake head. Nobody knows who he really is. The movie, starring Michael Fassbender and Maggie Gyllenhaal, was inspired by a real avant-garde pop musician in the 1980s who wore a big, fake head. British writer Jon Ronson played keyboards with the Frank Sidebottom Oh Blimey Big Band, and he co-wrote the script for the movie Frank based loosely on his experiences. Image: "Frank"
It is time to expand and defend our lane for the public’s good. Its been way too long that we have lacked research and data to help end gun violence. The medical profession feels strongly that it’s time to move this to the center stage.
Good Food’s Thanksgiving tips Evan Kleiman and Dorie Greenspan answer your questions about making a memorable Thanksgiving meal. Culinary technologist Dave Arnold is bringing his Thanksgiving hacks to the potluck, too. There’s a new film in theaters about a chef prodigy named Flynn McGarry. Plus: Los Angeles pie queen Nicole Rucker dishes on her holiday treats.
