Articles by Matthew Newton
‘Animals in the hood’: L.A. gang tours ‘zoo-ify’ citizens living in poverty
In the latest issue of Poor Magazine, reporter Lisa Gray-Garcia calls out the nonprofit organization¬†L.A. Gang Tours for ‚Äòzoo-ifying‚Äô the residents of poor, minority communities in Los Angeles. The tours are billed as providing ‚Äúcustomers with a true first-hand encounter of the history and origin of high profile gang areas and the top crime scene locations in South Central, Los…
Arts Community Targeted During G20 Enforcement Sweeps
On Wednesday night, Erin Carey ‚Äî a 31-year-old aerialist/trapeze artist who performs with the Zany Umbrella Circus ‚Äî found herself surrounded by law enforcement officers as she attempted to enter the circus‚Äôs studio space located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Some of the officers were Pittsburgh Police, others she couldn‚Äôt identify. Carey had just parked her car in front…
Fear & Self-Loathing In America’s Rust Belt
A new series of personal essays about job loss, mental health, and the undying pursuit of art.
When we drove out of the mountains that morning it was hot, the sun climbing higher in the sky, heating up the plants and the air around us and the metal of our car as it barreled down a neck of Lincoln…
MTV pulls video, claiming ’suicidal undertones would be problematic’
This past February, Detroit rapper Invincible submitted the video for her track “Ropes” to mtvU for consideration in the channel’s lineup. The video was accepted in mid-March. But after MTV’s standards department further reviewed the video’s content, they reconsidered, providing Invincible with the following response by email:
The Presidential Pardons of George W. Bush
With less than two months left in office, the exit of George W. Bush brings to mind the topic of presidential pardons. History has shown that outgoing presidents use their waning days in office to…
Patton Oswalt Talks Media Culture, Corner-Cutting Celebrities
Comedian, actor, and writer Patton Oswalt talks media culture, fame, and the less-than-favorable legacy of American Idol.
It seems lazy to describe Patton Oswalt as an “everyman,” but that image is central to the appeal of his comedy. The laid back demeanor he espouses‚ often punctuated with a pleasant, cherubic smile‚ channels the familiarity of a neighbor or longtime…
