If you want to catch #McNeal before it closes at the Vivian Beaumont, on November 24th, there are currently 16 performances that aren’t sold out.

If you’re able to get Audra’s seat in the Loge you’ll have this brilliant view of Robert Downey Jr.’s Jordan McNeal venture into AI. #Broadway

*the edit is me testing the photo link to see if the preview image comes up

https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/306082/Vivian+Beaumont+Theater/section-Loge%20R/row-A/seat-511/

Robert Downey Jr. Issues Warning For Future Execs Who Might Use AI To Recreate His Likeness: “My Law Firm Will Still Be Very Active”
#News #ArtificialIntelligence #KaraSwisher #McNeal #MCU #RobertDowneyJr

https://deadline.com/2024/10/robert-downey-jr-artificial-intelligence-mcu-1236160706/

Robert Downey Jr. Issues Warning For Future Execs Who Might Use AI To Recreate His Likeness: “My Law Firm Will Still Be Very Active”

Robert Downey Jr. is firmly anti the usage of generative AI to recreate his likeness, issuing a warning to potential future executives.

Deadline

Time for some Sunday Morning Reading as we continue treading water until the election on November 5th and prepare for the aftermath here in the U.S. There’s more tech and culture in this week’s edition than politics, but that’s here too. Hard to avoid it.

Speaking of politics, this article from Leah Feiger, Meet the Far-Right Constitutional Sheriffs Ready to Assert Control if Trump Loses, should remind us that this election isn’t just about one fascist. It’s about quite a few of them, already in power.

Take a look at We Are Willing Lord, But What, If Anything, Is Needed?, by David Todd McCarty. It’s a fascinating, very human discourse on attempting to find a way through the madness we’re mired in. And it’s not just about politics.

There was a big kerfuffle when the LA Times owner chose not to make an endorsement in this year’s election. There was a much larger one when Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos did the same with the Washington Post. Cowardly moves by both men who got where they are by not being cowards. Funny how money can change a guy. Many of those working for the papers are upset, some have quit, some are making their views known, including Alexandra Petri, the humor columnist for the Post. Check out It’s Fallen To Me, The Humor Columnist, To Endorse Harris For President. 

On the AI beat this week, there’s more discussion about just how much, and what type of energy will be needed to power all of these Artificial Intelligence moves. Adele Peters takes a look in Google and Amazon Are Betting On ‘Advanced’ Nuclear. This Critic Warns It’s Not Ready.

Speaking of AI, Adobe seems to have put their foot in their mouth. Again. Jess Weatherbed reports that Adobe Execs Say Artists Need To Embrace AI Or Get Left Behind. Sadly, I think there’s truth in what Adobe is saying.

This week news broke about location surveillance issues and how our easily our smartphones can be tracked via ad tracking data. Yes, we’ve heard that for awhile, but if you check out this article from Brian Krebs called The Global Surveillance Free-for-All In Mobile Ad Data and this from Dan Goodin called Location Tracking Of Phones Is Out of Control. Here’s How To Fight Back, you’ll be thinking about this anew.

Iceland Embraced A Shorter Work Week. Olesya Dmitracova lets us know how it turned out. Spoiler alert: Better than predicted.

I keep talking about treading water, waiting for the election, Natasha MH talks about The Waiting Game in a broader context.

McNeal is a new play, by Ayad Ahktar on Broadway that tackles AI and creativity. Alexander Alter takes a look at How ‘McNeal,’ a Play About A.I., Lured Robert Downey Jr.to Broadway. There’s some fascinating semiotics with Ironman in this role of a writer embracing AI.

If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here.  You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. You can also find me on social networks under my own name.

https://warnercrocker.com/2024/10/27/sunday-morning-reading-74/

#ai #Culture #McNeal #Politics #RobertDowney #SundayMorningReading #Tech

Two Weeks of Treading Water

We’re not picking a president. We’re looking for a life preserver.

Life on the Wicked Stage: Act 3

‘Romeo + Juliet’ Starring Kit Connor And Rachel Zegler Sells Out First Week With Broadway’s Top Ticket Price
#News #Broadway #BroadwayBoxOffice #McNeal #TheRoommate

https://deadline.com/2024/10/broadway-box-office-romeo-juliet-kit-connor-rachel-zegler-1236104465/

‘Romeo + Juliet’ Starring Kit Connor And Rachel Zegler Sells Out First Week With Broadway’s Top Ticket Price

Deadline's Broadway box office report for week ending September 29.

Deadline
‘McNeal’ Review: Robert Downey Jr. Confronts A Fake New World In A Fearless Broadway Debut

Deadline's Broadway review of 'McNeal' starring Robert Downey Jr.

Deadline
'McNeal’ Review: Robert Downey Jr. Falters on Broadway

'McNeal' is supposed to be about AI's effects on literature, but Robert Downey Jr.'s Broadway debut is a confusing garble about a narcissistic writer.

Variety

Robert Downey Jr. To Make Broadway Debut This Fall In Ayad Akhtar’s New Play ‘McNeal’
#News #Broadway #McNeal #RobertDowneyJr

https://deadline.com/2024/05/robert-downey-jr-broadway-1235907452/

Robert Downey Jr. To Make Broadway Debut This Fall In Ayad Akhtar’s New Play ‘McNeal’

Robert Downey Jr. will make his his Broadway debut in the lead role of McNeal, the new play by Ayad Akhtar.

Deadline