Comedy might be the most extreme form of art. Being funny on a stage for a specified amount of time is daring enough, but bursting into the industry is akin to lighting an explosive’s very, very long fuse ““ the wait time before the blast can be interminable. Read more...

Although people typically employ masks as a means of concealment, that doesn’t mean they can’t be revealing. Rather than hiding their possessors’ true nature, the latest collection of African masks at the Fowler Museum promises instead to shed light on an intriguing African culture. Read more...

For people involved in underground music, there’s been a death in the family. I’m talking about Arthur magazine, the Los Angeles-based bimonthly that called it quits last week after five years in publication. Read more...

Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino are the quintessential “cutesy” dance-pop duo. They smile broad, innocent smiles when on stage. They swap knowing looks when pounding out their cooperatively written songs about things looking up and credos of “yeah yeah.” And they create music videos about homicidal dance parties reaching maximum dance fervor in an ecstasy of severed body parts. Read more...

Nestled amid the souvenir vendors and tourists traps of Hollywood Boulevard is a historic relic of the town’s golden age of cinema. The Egyptian Theatre, located at 6172 Hollywood Boulevard, offers moviegoers a unique opportunity to experience Hollywood’s past in the present. Read more...

The first performance of Václav Havel’s play, “The Beggar’s Opera,” was performed not by actors, but by Havel’s friends at a small theater in Prague. It was an invite-only production, and the location was so secretive that the limited number of guests had to drive around the suburbs of Prague a few times before finding the theater. Read more...

Do Make Say Think “You, You’re a History in Rust” Constellation Records 4 Paws Out Of 5 There are some albums that should be listened to exclusively on headphones. Read more...