jabsonikJohn Cage – the #Italian #quiz show winner!
' In the 1950s, the American #avantgarde composer #JohnCage turned a thoroughly wholesome hobby into an unexpected source of cash. The hobby was #mushrooms (non-psychedelic varieties). '
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' Cage appeared in five episodes in 1959, where he was quizzed on – of course – his beloved mushrooms. At the end, the composer walked away with 5m lire, equivalent to about £70,000 today. He used his winnings to buy a Steinway piano. '
Shoplifting, sex shows and sheepdog-breeding: great artists and the side-hustles they did to get by
John Cage appeared on an Italian quizshow. Jean Genet stole rare books. Emily Carr reared bobtails. And Kathy Acker did X-rated acts with her boyfriend … we explore the unlikely sidelines of struggling artists