The Absurdist Spectacle of the Nike Boycotts
The viral responses to the company’s new campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick reinforce the stakes of his protests—and misunderstand what motivated the brand in the first place.
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Frontiers of Sports
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USA Today Sports / Reuters Will Juan Martín del Potro Usher In a New, Younger Generation of Tennis Greats?
In 2009, the Argentine player was primed to lead a youth movement in men’s tennis and shift the demographics of the game. It didn’t happen, but he may have a second chance this year.
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Lucas Jackson / Reuters Madonna’s Tone-Deaf Tribute to Aretha Franklin
At the MTV VMAs, the big memorial for the Queen of Soul came in the form of lengthy self-mythologizing by the Queen of Pop.
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Warner Bros. / The Atlantic Which Crazy Rich Asians Scenes Were Most Memorable?
Four Atlantic staffers discuss the film’s particular power, and the movie moments they’re still thinking about.
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HBO The Lazy Trope of the Unethical Female Journalist
With Camille Preaker, Zoe Barnes, and Rory Gilmore, Hollywood’s depictions of women reporters have never been further from reality.
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Netflix The Enduring Appeal of the ‘Fake Relationship’ Rom-Com
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, the new Netflix adaptation of Jenny Han’s 2014 novel, brings a sweet, teen-focused approach to one of the most beloved hallmarks of the romantic comedy.
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Zolotarevs / Shutterstock Poetry Is Everywhere
Far from “going extinct,” as it was once predicted, poems are viral, vital—and invincible.
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Courtesy of John Lucas The Pursuit of Blondness
Modern hair-coloring technology has allowed people to dye their hair virtually any shade. So why is one hue in particular so popular?
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Hulu Minding the Gap Is an Extraordinary Feat of Filmmaking
The Hulu documentary by Bing Liu examines masculinity and trauma through the lens of three Illinois skateboarders.
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Radio Atlantic: When Does Hollywood’s Diversity Become Real Representation?
Matt Thompson discusses how well movies and shows represent diverse experiences with the senior editor Gillian White and the culture writer Hannah Giorgis.
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Netflix Disenchantment Subverts the Cartoon Fairy Tale
Matt Groening’s new Netflix series pushes the envelope, but not far enough.
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Bao Ngo The Dangerous Desires in Mitski’s Songs
The indie singer’s new album, Be the Cowboy, smartly considers what happens when emotions take over.
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Associated Press Aretha Franklin’s Revolution
The soul singer was an architect of the civil-rights movement as much as a witness to it.
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Walter Iooss Jr. / Getty The Perfect Aretha Franklin Song
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” best captures the effect the Queen of Soul had on audiences worldwide.
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Paul Natkin / Getty Before and After Aretha
The artist was unrivaled in her ability to shape her own work and image without bending to constraints.
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Gilles Petard / Redferns / Getty Remembering the Incomparable Aretha Franklin
The legendary soul singer, who died at 76, leaves behind the definitive testament to the capabilities of the human voice.
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David LaChapelle / National Portrait Gallery, London Chasing the Myth of Michael Jackson
A new exhibition in London, titled On the Wall, seeks to understand what the superstar—and, more importantly, what his image—meant to the world.
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The Ocean’s Cosmic Lessons
In a little town in Oaxaca, the sea is said to teach humans how to live and die.
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Mario Anzuoni / Reuters Nicki Minaj Guards a Shrinking Kingdom
The rapper emphasizes her smarts and ferocity on her fourth album, Queen, but to what end?
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Josh Westrich / Getty What Does It Mean to ‘Sound’ Black?
In recent works including Insecure, Sorry to Bother You, and BlacKkKlansman, sounding “real” is a tricky equation.
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Warner Bros. Crazy Rich Asians Is a Breath of Fresh Air
Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the best-selling novel is both a step forward for Hollywood and a throwback to the classic high-society comedy.
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Dennis Van Tine / STAR MAX / IPx Donald Trump and the Currency of Tapes
Why eavesdrops, hot mics, and other unorthodox recordings are such a staple feature of the 45th presidency
