Truthdig Original

David Muhammad: The Truthdig Interview

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Apr 3, 2006 The prominent black activist and mentor for incarcerated youth in Oakland, Calif. argues that it's time to hold hip-hop artists accountable for the messages behind their music. Dig deeper ( 14 Min. Read )

TD Original

The Great Immigration Debate: Getting Beyond Denial

Marc Cooper / Truthdig Mar 15, 2006 Marc Cooper peels away the myths shrouding the U.S. immigration debate. It is time to admit that the attempt to stem the influx of illegal immigrants into this country by merely strengthening border security has failed miserably. Dig deeper ( 13 Min. Read )

Norman Lear: ‘Bring Them to Their Knees’

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Mar 15, 2006 The legendary TV producer discusses our threatened Constitution, the hypocrisy of the Christian right, the strange ethics of "The Sopranos," and why he still sees himself as an "unaffiliated groper." Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

The ‘Slave Side’ of NFL Sundays

James Harris / Truthdig Mar 10, 2006 In his new book, "The Slave Side of Sunday," former NFL player Anthony Prior writes about the legacy of racism in professional sports "We are not looked at as leaders, rather, just a labor force where the money is generated Plantation capitalism is still alive today," he tells Truthdig contributor James Harris (Audio and text interview with the author) . Dig deeper ( 13 Min. Read )

The ‘Slave Side’ of NFL Sundays

James Harris / Truthdig Mar 10, 2006 In his new book, "The Slave Side of Sunday," former NFL player Anthony Prior writes about the legacy of racism in professional sports "We are not looked at as leaders, rather, just a labor force where the money is generated Plantation capitalism is still alive today," he tells Truthdig contributor James Harris (Audio and text interview with the author) . Dig deeper ( 13 Min. Read )

‘This Place Is Broken’: The Gore Vidal Interview Part II

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Mar 8, 2006 Gore Vidal on fascism, terrorism and wartime propaganda Part II of Truthdig's interview with the award-winning novelist (earlier: part I). Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

‘This Place Is Broken’

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Mar 8, 2006 Gore Vidal on fascism, terrorism and wartime propaganda Part II of Truthdig's interview with the award-winning novelist (earlier: part I). Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Lifting Weights With Otis Chandler

Staff / Truthdig Mar 7, 2006 The former publisher of the Los Angeles Times and chairman of Times Mirror, who died on Feb. 27, approached weightlifting with the same kind of passion that animated the other endeavors of his life. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Gore Vidal on The Academy Awards, Sexuality and Politics

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Mar 4, 2006 In a Truthdig interview with Sheerly Avni, Gore Vidal weighs in on this year's Academy Awards competition, Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain," and Truman Capote's Proust complex. Dig deeper

Gore Vidal on ‘Capote,’ ‘Brokeback Mountain’ –and Why ‘Match Point’ Is the Best Picture of 2005

Sheerly Avni / Truthdig Mar 4, 2006 In a Truthdig interview, America's most celebrated man of letters weighs in on this year's Best Picture nominations and recalls his own encounters with Truman Capote. (Or, listen to an expanded podcast version.) Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

LGBTQIA+

Down to the Wire

Larry Gross / Truthdig Feb 27, 2006 OK, the votes are in and now we all, or those of us who care, will have to wait till March 5 to find out whether the high water mark of the Year of the Queer in Hollywood will have been the nominations sweep by "Brokeback Mountain," Hoffman, Huffman, etc. In other words, did the Academy voters actually mark their ballots for this year's apparent favorites? Will the foxy stalwarts of cable talk shows be proved wrong again? When the Brokeback wave first broke over the industry the predictable consensus of the bloviators was that the "gay cowboy" film would bomb once it ventured outside the coastal enclaves into the heartland, but that it would clean up at that March madness of the lavender left known as the Oscars. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

TD Original

Year of the Queer: Hollywood and Homosexuality

Larry Gross / Truthdig Feb 27, 2006 Truthdig's Larry Gross, a pioneer in the field of gay studies, argues that for all the hoopla surrounding "Brokeback Mountain" and this year's spate of gay-themed films, there is little about them that upends Hollywood conventions or challenges popular ideas about homosexuality. "Hollywood and much of the media may be awash in liberal self-congratulation," Gross writes, "but they--and we--are also soaking in the familiar hypocrisy of homophobia." Update: Down to the WireGross argues that for all the hoopla surrounding "Brokeback Mountain" and this year's spate of gay-themed films, there is little about them that upends Hollywood conventions or challenges popular ideas about homosexuality. Dig deeper ( 22 Min. Read )