A masterpiece of movies, On the Waterfront, came out 70 years ago, and this week the writer Stephen Rebello reveals how the classic film almost did not get made due to a feud between Marlon Brando and director Elia Kazan. Then John Beck reports on foreign diplomats who turn to bootlegging, drug dealing, and more in order to keep the lights on at their consulates. And on the subject of foreign affairs and cloak-and-dagger exploits, Aatish Taseer joins us from Tokyo with an incredible yarn. It's the story of how, in the 1990s, the Iranian government traded a painting by Willem de Kooning for a priceless copy of an illustrated manuscript—and how the secret buyer of the painting was David Geffen.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Legs McNeil reports on the murder of Melvin Combs—the man who was Sean “Diddy” Combs’s father. As Legs reports, “Pretty Boy Melvin,” who had links to the notorious drug kingpin Frank Lucas, was gunned down in 1972, possibly by New York City’s Gambino crime family for being a snitch. Then Jonathan Margolis reports on why Londoners may find themselves with a shortage of drinking water. And finally, we have a look at a bookshop in London that is a favorite haunt of espionage agents.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, in lighter matters, John Lahr joins us from London to give us his take on the new stage version of Dr. Strangelove. Then Emilie Hawtin joins us from New York City to tell us about the fashion item that has been a favorite of the doyennes and uptown gents for the past 70 years but suddenly is being snapped up by Gen Z–ers and Hollywood actors.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Graydon Carter and Alessandra Stanley explain why this election is the final legacy of the baby-boomers—and why Trump is the most lasting and unpleasant legacy of this generation. Then Clara Molot joins us with her shocking report revealing how an employee at an elite boarding school allegedly downloaded photos from 70 under-age female students’ laptops. And finally, Piet Mondrian is seen as one of the supreme artists of the 20th century. Yet in many ways, he’s as elusive and walled off as his revolutionary paintings. But a new biography pulls back the curtain on the Dutch painter, and its author, Nicholas Fox Weber, will join us to share his insights.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lili Anolik looks at a question that’s always intrigued the literati—what exactly was the nature of the relationship between Joan Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne? Then our man in Paris, John von Sothen, reports on one poll that has been quite reliable at predicting the winner of the U.S. presidential election: it’s conducted at Harry’s Bar among expats. And finally, it was 25 years ago that anarchists stormed a meeting of the World Trade Organization in Seattle to protest globalization. At the time, they were seen as left-wing extremists. Yet, as Michael Moynihan tells us, their radical cause has now become a rallying cry for the far right. How did it happen? Michael will explain.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Sam Kashner reveals what happened when a huge luxury yacht owned by Mike Lynch, Britain’s first Internet billionaire, sank in 15 minutes during a freak storm off the coast of Sicily, killing Lynch, his teenage daughter, and five others. Then George Pendle explains why politicians now out-scandalize rock stars. And finally, our own Ashley Baker looks at Noor Alfallah, a 30-year-old woman who has notched relationships with multiple boldface names over the age of 80, including Clint Eastwood, Mick Jagger, and Al Pacino (whose baby she recently had).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it was released just over 25 years ago, The Big Lebowski was a flop with critics. Now it is regarded as among the funniest movies ever made, one by which we all, well, abide. Josh Karp tells us how it came to be, the people who inspired it, and those who turned down roles in it. Can you imagine Mel Gibson playing the Dude? It almost happened. Then Melania Trump was in the news this week as her memoir entitled—what else?—Melania was released. Andy Borowitz has read it, and he tells us all about what’s in it. Finally, Katya V. joins us from Moscow with her report on how Putin is fighting one war in Ukraine but another one within Russia and against its citizens.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The presidential election is 31 days away, which means it’s crunch time for the candidates. And we have a special guest who knows all about crunch time and campaigns: political strategist James Carville. He’s the subject of a new documentary called Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid, and he shares his insights on the race, American politics, and more. Then, speaking of politics, there’s no place where they are more mixed up at times than Italy. Mattia Ferraresi joins us from Rome to explain why Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has turned to her big sister for help. Finally, it’s often been said that England and America are two nations separated by a common language. But as Joel Golby reports from London, they’re also separated by morning-television shows. He tells us why America’s morning TV shows are so boring, while their counterparts in the U.K. are so downright bizarre that they can’t help but delight viewers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fifty years after Hunter S. Thompson brought us Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, we have a look at a 21st-century Vegas that is unlike anything you could ever imagine. Our writer Darius J. Rubin traveled to Laos, where an opulent casino lies at the heart of a vast human-drug-and-wildlife-trafficking operation, and he shares his report. Then, we all know Elaine May, who was Mike Nichols’s partner in the transformative comedy duo Nichols and May. She’s 92 now and has not retired, and Roger Friedman caught up with her recently over deviled eggs at Sardi’s. And finally, speaking of legendary duos, during World War II, Lee Miller and Dave Scherman were one of the great photojournalistic teams. Their story is now the subject of a new movie, with Kate Winslet portraying Miller and Andy Samberg as Scherman. Scherman’s son Tony shares his memories of his father and Miller and their exploits during the war. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re still trying to understand what exactly is, or was, a Brat summer, you are not alone. These days, “vibe trends” are increasingly incoherent—whether it is “the strawberry girl summer” or “hot rodent boyfriend.” Fortunately, the always wise Cazzie David joins us to make sense of all the madness. Then, many of you know the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten, the former actress and Playboy Playmate who was murdered by her husband in 1980. It was a horrible ending to her life, and this week her sister, Louise, tells her side of the story. Later, Ravi Somaiya explains how a turf war between rival gangs has turned Sweden into Europe’s most violent country. And finally, the new Labour government in the U.K. wants to hike taxes substantially on the tuition parents pay to put their children in a private school. Ashley Baker has her report on whether the proposed tax will level the playing field or wreck one more of the country’s revered institutions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Mark Seal brings us part two of his story about Sergio Pino, the millionaire real-estate developer at the center of a murder case that has shocked the seemingly un-shockable home of bizarre and scandalous crimes: Florida. Then, speaking of scandals: What happens when one of New York’s tony private schools decides that a homeless shelter will take over one of its buildings? Well, the neighborhood’s long-standing liberal pieties are put to the test. Sage Lattman will take us inside the conflict. And finally, we have a special guest. No doubt many of you are fans of the show The West Wing. It’s celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Janel Moloney, who played the idealistic assistant Donna Moss, joins us.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Paulina Prosnitz and Carolina de Armas reveal the victims of the Vogue Wedding Curse and explain how it strikes. Then Mark Seal looks at a murder scheme that shocked the seemingly unshockable state of Florida—when a millionaire real-estate developer named Sergio Pino allegedly poisoned his wife of 32 years when she demanded a divorce. And finally, Bruce Handy tells us all about the most ill-advised sitcom in television history, which was canceled after a single episode—Heil Honey, I’m Home!, a domestic comedy about—yes—Adolf Hitler. You have to hear it to believe it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Howard Blum shares new details about Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students, and how the F.B.I. may have compromised the case against him. Then George Kalogerakis makes sense of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s now suspended campaign. And finally, India Hicks tells us all about the extraordinary life of her mother, Lady Pamela Hicks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does she or doesn’t she? This week, Linda Wells, the Editor of Air Mail Look, has the scoop on Gwyneth Paltrow’s “holistic” plastic surgeon. Then Henry R. Schlesinger shares the wild story of how the U.S. Navy used the lavish yachts of New York’s richest robber-baron families—replete with Tiffany interiors—to fight German submarines in the North Atlantic during World War I. And speaking of wild stories, Marta Represa has one that’s like something out of an Almodóvar film: how a group of chocolate-making Spanish nuns, a fake bishop, a mixologist, and a former Vatican ambassador with ties to Steve Bannon are trying to MAKE CATHOLICISM GREAT AGAIN. You’ll have to hear it to believe it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Carrie Monahan joins us from East Hampton with her fascinating story about a volunteer fireman, a reclusive old man who lived in a dilapidated mansion on one of the town’s most exclusive streets, and what happened to the man’s property after he died. Then, Samantha Leach will tell us how the television show Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is leading more than a few members of the Mormon church to choose pomp over piety. And finally, David Christopher Kaufman joins us with his story about how, at a time of growing discord between Jewish Americans and Black Americans, an often overlooked chapter in the history of America’s historically Black colleges and universities is providing a model for renewed cooperation between these once heavily allied minorities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kamala Harris announced her choice of running mate this week, but right now we need to talk about J. D. Vance. And who better to lead that chat than Andy Borowitz, who will explain why Mr. Hillbilly Elegy is so bad. Then Bruce Bozzi tells us about his recent sit-down with one of Hollywood’s most elegant and handsome men, George Hamilton. And finally, Johanna Berkman reveals what she learned in her special investigation into Hamas in America.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, it’s all about scandals. First, John von Sothen reports from the French Riviera on what feels like a real-life Saltburn. Then Pippa Cuckson joins us from the U.K. with her insights into the news that’s rocked the Olympics—how one of the brightest stars of equestrianism was caught whipping a horse. And finally, Daphne Merkin looks at Nobel Prize–winning writer Alice Munro and her daughter’s shocking claims that Munro’s husband sexually abused her as a child.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As summer hits high season and the global smart set decamps to Martha’s Vineyard, the Amalfi Coast, or Jeff Bezos’s yacht, Harrison Vail reveals what your media-branded canvas tote bag (The Paris Review? A24? How Long Gone?) says about you. Then we have a terrific story courtesy of Alan Cowell, who tells us about a rather curious distinction he holds: in particular, he is the last correspondent to file a war-zone dispatch via carrier pigeon. And finally, Jensen Davis will join us to explain why the hashtag #toxictampons is everywhere on social media and what it means for women.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Joseph Giovannini explains how Paris turned the requirement to build an Olympic Village into an opportunity to create a new, socially equitable and eco-friendly neighborhood that will be a shining legacy of the Games. Then, on the other side of housing, we have a report on what we call the “migration patterns of the very rich.” Elena Clavarino joins from Milan with her story on why the global 1 percent is relocating—and the cities they are flocking to. And finally, James Kirchick has a wise perspective on what we need more of right now, not less.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Todd S. Purdum, a longtime political reporter for The New York Times, explains why Democrats have only themselves to blame for the Mexican standoff they’re now locked in with a very stubborn octogenarian. Then, we all know how Ozempic and Wegovy have reduced millions of waistlines around the world in the last few years. But in Denmark, where the drugs are exclusively manufactured, Ozempic and Wegovy have made many people very, very wealthy. In fact, the drugs have added almost 2 percent to the country’s G.D.P. So what are these people doing with their money? Mary Holland tells us about the beautiful coastal town where all these newly rich Danes love to escape to. Finally, Stuart Heritage will explain why Neil Gaiman, one of the most popular writers of the past three decades and the creator of such hits as The Sandman, finds himself accused of sexual assault.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Graydon Carter joins us to talk about what’s next for Joe Biden. Then, if you find yourself longing to be like the super-wealthy, floating on a massive yacht in the Mediterranean, our colleague Jonathan Margolis has some bad news: the market for a new yacht is booming. Which means long waiting lists. He’ll tell us why. Then, if you don’t have the money for a yacht, maybe you have the money to buy some Beatles memorabilia? Mike Lafavore explains why, nearly 50 years after the boys from Liverpool called it quits, the frenzy for all things Fab Four continues, generating millions every year through auctions and private sales. And finally, we have a gripping cold-case murder. In 1973, Cynthia Bouron, a notorious Hollywood hanger-on who had affairs with everyone from Cary Grant to Frank Sinatra, was found murdered. More than 50 years later, her death is still unsolved and Hadley Meares reveals why.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s summer and for some that means golf. Lots of it. And Andrew Zucker tells us why, in the super-wealthy enclave of Palm Beach, the ritzy residents who usually play at their exclusive and expensive country clubs are now teeing up at a municipal course that’s open to commoners. Then, not everyone is happy that summer travel season is here. We’re talking specifically about Buzz Bissinger, who tells us why this is the time of year he dreads. And finally, Adam Hay-Nicholls has an incredible story that puts the adventures of Indiana Jones to shame. It’s about how, during the Spanish Civil War, everyone from Spanish revolutionaries to M.I.6 agents tried to plunder the Holy Grail from a cathedral in Valencia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Alessandra Stanley explains why prominent tech and finance tycoons are giving piles of money to Donald Trump—and why their behavior might be similar to that of certain German bankers and industrialists in the 1930s. Then Rachel Hodin joins us with her report on Rebecca Minkoff. For the past two decades she’s promoted herself as a designer and girlboss. Now she’s a Real Housewife. But as Rachel will tell us, behind Minkoff’s cultivated public image are rumors of a mismanaged business, dysfunctional professional behavior, and links to the Church of Scientology. Finally, Griffin Dunne has a new book out, The Friday Afternoon Club, an enchanting memoir about his friendship with Princess Leia, taking writing cues from his aunt, Joan Didion, and much, much more. He joins us to talk about his amazing life.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s summer and it’s travel season, and if you live on the East Coast of the United States, your travel will likely intersect with I-95, the great interstate that runs from Miami to Maine. Everybody knows it. Everybody hates it. And Rich Cohen explains why. Then Dana Brown will join us from New York to tell us about something that, unlike I-95, will soothe your mind and your stomach—a terrific restaurant that aspires to be, wonderfully, nothing more than that. And finally, Rebecca John joins us from London with her sobering report on how Big Oil companies give millions to cultural institutions from Masterpiece on PBS to the British Museum in order to launder their reputations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Elena Clavarino takes us inside her story about a culture of alleged sexual harassment and alleged financial impropriety at the art world’s most prestigious design gallery. Then it’s election season … not just in the U.K. and the U.S. but also in the European Union, where the European Parliament is holding elections. For years, the parliament was the domain of faceless bureaucrats. No more, however. As our own George Pendle reports, it’s now become a finishing school for Fascists. And finally, Linda Wells will join us for a serious—yes, serious—talk about Paris Hilton. Linda will tell us why we’ve all been wrong in our national pastime of the past 20 years—underestimating Hilton and her business savvy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ashley Baker has thoughts on summer travel. Then, for more than a century, being selected as a Rhodes scholar, and given the opportunity to study at Oxford University, was seen as a great validation of one’s strength as a student and a future leader. But, as James Kirchick reports this week, it seems that is no longer the case. Then it’s summertime, which means cocktails on the beach and rosé all day. But Linda Wells tells us what happened when she tried a THC cocktail. And finally, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of D-day, Tim Bouverie reports from London on what he considers the greatest film about the Normandy invasion, The Longest Day.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a frightening article this week courtesy of Clara Molot, a Senior Editor here at Air Mail. Many people are not aware that across the U.S. and around the world rates of cancer in young people are rising with no clear explanation. And Clara looks at a mysterious cancer surge among a group of twentysomething alumni from a college in Virginia. It’s a heartbreaking story. And speaking of heartbreak: it’s been 25 years since John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, died when the plane he was piloting crashed into dark, fog-shrouded waters off of Martha’s Vineyard. We all knew J.F.K. Jr., but for many Bessette-Kennedy remains a mystery. A new book, Once upon a Time, looks at her life, and the author Elizabeth Beller will join us. Finally, you have surely heard that driverless cars are coming for us. Devin Friedman joins us from Los Angeles to tell what he discovered when he took one for a spin. (Or did the car take him for a spin? We’ll find out.)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing in the South of France, and one of the big stories everyone is following concerns Francis Ford Coppola. Forty-five years after he won the Palme d’Or for Apocalypse Now, he is back with his latest film, Megalopolis. He has spent more than $100 million of his own money on the film and is at the festival looking for a distributor. Our own Sam Wasson will tell us how one of the titans of moviemaking found himself hat in hand. Then Stuart Heritage will join us from the U.K., where he will tell us about what is known to be the worst hotel in Great Britain. And James Eli Shiffer has the incredible story of an American woman from Minnesota who discovered that she is the secret daughter of an Italian banker and senator who cavorted with Jackie Kennedy and Princess Margaret and was the face of the 1970s jet set.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is your partner cheating on you with an A.I. companion? As Flora Gill tells us this week, many people, in search of physical and emotional intimacy, are increasingly turning to what are known as “A.I.-companion sites.” Then Alyssa Choiniere takes us inside the protests at Columbia University and tells us where this all might be headed. And finally, John Arlidge joins us from London with a new look at an extraordinary scandal. Ten years ago, high-profile members of the British Establishment—including a former prime minister—were falsely accused of sexually abusing children. In the effort to discover the truth, however, the country tore itself apart.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, the Eurovision Song Contest has been a source of fun for millions. This year, people are bracing for other possibilities. Jonathan Margolis tells us why. Then Michael Gross has a revealing look at the scandal that sent New York’s bluebloods buzzing: when the son of Brooke Astor, the long-reigning queen of New York society, was convicted of stealing millions from her. (Or did he?) And finally, on strange stories of a different sort, Paulina Prosnitz tells us about Sarah J. Maas. You may not know her, but she is the Taylor Swift of book publishing and has conquered the best-seller list with a new genre called “romantasy,” which comes complete with kinky elves. (Yes, kinky elves.)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Howard Blum, who has been following the story of the man accused of killing four students at the University of Idaho, has new revelations that could sink the case against Bryan Kohberger. Then Carrie Monahan reports on how the desire by one of New York City’s most notorious private clubs to open an outpost in East Hampton has local residents up in arms. And finally, many of you know the film Mommie Dearest, which stars Faye Dunaway as Hollywood legend Joan Crawford. Now there’s a new book looking at how a project with such big ambitions found itself an unintentional camp classic. The book’s author, A. Ashley Hoff, joins us to dish the dirt. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Spike Carter has the wild tale of a man known as “the Zelig of Awful,” who went from being the boyfriend of Liberace to a pivotal witness in one of Los Angeles’s most gruesome murders. Then Linda Wells looks at why men with graying hair get such bad dye jobs—and she names names. Later, Lea Carpenter tells us about a fascinating new book by the legendary editor Michael Korda, and how it is a cautionary tale for our times. And finally, here at Air Mail we have some great news: we have opened a newsstand in New York City, and Anjali Lewis has the scoop on all the treasures you can find there and how you can enjoy the Air Mail universe in person.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a dirty little secret that interior designers to the rich and famous love to make knockoffs of museum-quality furnishings, often with no penalty. Well, no more. And you can thank—who else?—Kim Kardashian. Dan Rubinstein reveals why she now finds herself tangled up in a messy lawsuit over a dinner set. Then, speaking of messy, Jack Sullivan tells us the temper tantrum Tucker Carlson threw at his alma mater, a very elite high school. And finally, Steve Garbarino tells us why New Orleans is now the Big Easy when it comes to finding great, new hotSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Kat Rosenfield explains how we are in the throes of a new sexual revolution. Yet where baby-boomers were obsessed with the practice of sex, Zoomers are more interested in the principle of it. Then the subject turns to Civil War, one of the most anticipated movies of the spring, from writer-director Alex Garland. It imagines what a second American civil war might look like. Michael Sragow has seen it and tells us about it. And finally, speaking of movies, Woody Allen has a new film out. His 50th, in fact. Sam Wasson, our man in Los Angeles, met with Allen about the movie, his career, and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Jensen Davis reports on how Gwyneth Paltrow’s healthy-takeout restaurant chain—Goop Kitchen—is taking over Los Angeles. And even Gwyneth haters can’t get enough of it. Then John Arlidge reports from London to take us inside what might be called “A Tale of Two Royal Households.” How is it that Kate and William, the monarchy’s younger and—one would think—media-savvier generation, botched their communications about Kate’s illness, while King Charles of all people put on a master class in damage control. And finally, there is a big new vibrant musical that’s just come to Broadway. It’s called Hell’s Kitchen, and it’s based on the life of the singer Alicia Keys; one of the show’s producers, Mandy Hackett, will tell us all about it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Elena Clavarino has a fascinating and funny report on how English is conquering Continental Europe’s native languages. The problem is so pervasive that Germans can’t help but call it “ein shitstorm!” Then Louis Cheslaw joins from London with his report on the turmoil that has consumed one of the art world’s most influential publications, Artforum. And finally, from Washington, D.C., James Kirchick discusses the new book on gender by the writer Judith Butler.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Andrew Ryvkin shares his thoughts on the election in Russia being held for Vladimir Putin. Then Pico Iyer gives us his review of A Very Private School, a new book by Princess Diana’s brother in which he details his brutal tenure as a young boy at a British boarding school rife with sexual and emotional abuse. And finally, the acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney discusses the making of his poignant new film about the musician Paul Simon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Jeffrey Toobin explains how Stormy Daniels may just be the unlikely savior of American democracy. Then Alexandra Marshall joins us from Paris. Yes, the rest of the world is dreaming of seeing the Olympics sparkle in the City of Light when the Games open on July 26, but as Marshall reports, the construction and chaos have left the city and its residents on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And finally, John Mauceri shares the story of how an all-Black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1967 starring Pearl Bailey electrified audiences and ushered in a new era on Broadway.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Dana Brown reports on how and why one of New York’s great institutions—the media power lunch—seems to have seen its last days. Then, Linda Wells, knower of all things beauty-and-wellness-related, looks at an extremely unhealthy behavior too many of us engage in: lying to our doctors. And finally, Johanna Berkman tells us about a woman at the United Nations who is optimistic that peace can be achieved between Israel and Hamas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Katya V. joins us from Moscow with her report on how those inside Russia’s opposition plan to confront Putin in the wake of Alexei Navalny’s death. Then Nicholas Griffin has the inspiring story of Rachel Silverstein, a determined environmentalist who went full Erin Brockovich on some of Florida’s most powerful players, and beat them. And finally, the always entertaining man of style George Hahn has answers to your burning questions, including: Has Joe Biden made Aviator sunglasses uncool? And WTF is happening to the wardrobes of leading men on the red carpet?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you have been watching the limited series Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, you know the famed writer betrayed every one of his friendships with those women. Yet, as Joseph Rodota reveals, there was actually one woman Capote did not sell down the river; he tells us who she was and why. Then, speaking of feuds, Kurt Wagner has the untold story of the lengths to which Twitter founder Jack Dorsey went to sway his company’s acquisition in Elon Musk’s favor. And on the subject of the rise and decline of media properties, Bill Keenan has the crazy story of how a father and son created ESPN on a wing and a prayer—and then walked out with almost nothing to show for it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been a year of meltdowns in the media, and Brian Stelter has the scoop on how—and why—a start-up called the Messenger, which promised to re-invent journalism, burned through $50 million in funding in less than 12 months and went down the tubes. Then, we all know Vladimir Putin wants to win at all costs, but it’s not just with his troops in Ukraine. As Andrew Ryvkin reports, the Russian leader is now forcing Russian musicians to support his war in Ukraine. And finally, it wasn’t all that long ago that British Airways was known as “the world’s favorite airline.” Today, however, most Brits call it the Britney Spears of carriers. Mark Ellwood explains.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new mini-series about Truman Capote and his destructive feud with “the swans” is out. Who better to tell us about the gossip behind the feud than Sam Kashner, who details how Capote committed social suicide when he spilled the secrets of New York’s most powerful and beautiful women. Then, speaking of beautiful, hard-to-please women, Paul Campbell tells us what you learn when you date a supermodel. And finally, it has now been more than three years since Jennifer Dulos disappeared. The body of the mother of five from Connecticut’s wealthy Fairfield County has still not been found, and the husband accused of her murder is dead by his own hand. Now his mistress is on trial, and many wonder, Will the truth ever be known? Rich Cohen, who has been following this story from the beginning, has the latest.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you hate lawyers, this week we have a story for you. Jeffrey Toobin will tell us how and why partners in New York City’s big law firms are now acting like players on George Steinbrenner’s New York Yankees. Then, if you are looking for a mid-winter-break destination that’s different from all the usual locales, Marcia DeSanctis has just the ticket: a long-overlooked place that’s rich with history, architecture, and dazzling new developments. Finally, Stuart Heritage joins us from the U.K. to tell us what happened when David Beckham’s nepo-baby daughter-in-law decided to become a movie director.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Alexandra Marshall joins us from France, to tell us about the dashing new prime minister who is 34 years old and why seemingly everyone in the country can’t stop talking about him—including the man who bullied him in high school. Then John Arlidge joins us from the U.K. with the shocking details about the worst miscarriage of justice in British history, when 700 people were convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. And speaking of the U.K., Ashley Baker has the scoop on the return of one of London’s most loved restaurants. And finally, Johanna Berkman reveals how the Ivy League has used its prominence to stand against various forms of racism in college sports, yet when it comes to speaking out about anti-Semitism against students who compete on behalf of Ivy League teams, the schools have been conspicuously silent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re suffering from withdrawal from the end of The Crown and are in need of some monarchy drama, Joseph Bullmore has just what you’re looking for, with not one but two stories about dysfunction among European royalty and aristocrats. Then, speaking of drama, let’s talk about Angelina Jolie. The always insightful Dana Brown tells us how he sneaked into her new, invitation-only store in New York City and what he discovered once he got inside. And finally, David Christopher Kaufman shares his thoughts on one of the most distressing casualties of the war between Israel and Hamas: the bond between Black and Jewish Americans. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Alessandra Stanley looks at how Vladimir Putin punishes women in order to crush dissent. Then, speaking of bad behavior by prominent men, Alexandra Marshall joins us from France to tell us why #MeToo allegations have finally caught up with the country’s most decorated miscreant, Gérard Depardieu. And continuing on the subject of miscreants, Patrick Kidd joins us from London with the crazy story of a woman known as “Baroness Bra.” She made millions when she created the Ultimo padded bra. Now the government is suing her for millions. Finally, Corby Kummer has the bittersweet story of the decline and possible fall of New York City’s last great temple to classic French dining, La Grenouille.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you are an avid reader of Air Mail, you are surely familiar with our Attention-Whore Index, where we rank the most offensive attention-seekers of the week. As 2023 draws to a close, the man who compiles that list, our own George Kalogerakis, reveals who takes the prize as the biggest windbag of the year. Then George Pendle tells us how he and Elena Clavarino solved the battle between Gen Z and baby-boomers. And speaking of boomers, Sam Kashner takes us inside American Graffiti, the blockbuster film that no one wanted when it came out, 50 years ago. It was a movie about hormones, horsepower, and hamburgers that shook up Hollywood (and created the modern rock-music soundtrack, too).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.