Busy Is as Busy Does
It used to be that doing nothing was the ultimate luxury. Now being productive—or looking it—is everything
Oh, Mon Depardieu!
Scores of sexual-harassment charges are finally catching up with France’s most decorated actor. And that’s when the culture wars stepped in
The View from Here
In Putin’s Russia, the only way that women are equal to men is in the brutality of their punishments
The Attention-Whore Index
Who will take the first title of the year? Nikki Haley? Jeff Koons? You-Know-Who? Plus, the world’s most delectable stories, collected for your reading pleasure!
Jane Birkin
Born in England and adopted by France—the singer, model, and muse, as seen through the eyes of her longtime friend and compeer
Baroness Bra Comes Undone
Before Michelle Mone sat in the House of Lords, she made a fortune in lingerie. Now that she’s accused of selling defective P.P.E. to the government, gravity is working against her
An Almond a Day Keeps the Calories Away
How a dieting trend bred a generation of women with eating disorders—and mommy issues
Biting the Hand That Feeds You
With huge social-media followings, pet influencers—yes, that’s a thing—are landing big brand deals. The issue for agents: the animals’ catty owners
The View from Here
Growing up Greek in New York City was a double-edged sword—pride in one’s ancestry mixed with fear of the fez
The Attention Whore of the Year Awards
Harry? Donald? Elon? Meghan? Whom did you choose as the biggest swanker, windbag, and blatherskite of 2023?
Burn After Watching
How a flamboyant Frenchman who rose to fame for restoring lost film classics—and burning old film onstage to impress audiences—ended up on trial for manslaughter
Taliban Fanboys
“Lord Miles” is a twice-captured, twice-rescued danger tourist seeking to monetize his cozy ties to the terrorist rulers of Afghanistan
By Hook or by Crook
David Henty can mimic Picasso, Monet, Modigliani, Caravaggio, Basquiat, and more. The ex-convict may be the world’s greatest art forger, and he has the plaque to prove it
The View from Here
From Kabul’s Serena to Jerusalem’s King David, war hotels have long served as headquarters and havens for international journalists. In the war in Ukraine, the Kharkiv Palace is the new gathering place
I Was a Trump Ghostwriter
Back in the 1990s, when Donald Trump was still in his larval stage, it was almost possible to feel sorry for him
The View from Here
A veteran comedy writer is suddenly rendered speechless
The Attention-Whore Index
Can a weeping Kim Jong Un defeat a cheering Shohei Ohtani? Not if Elon Musk and his conspiracies have anything to do with it. Plus, bizarre news from around the world
Drawing a Blank
Fergie guest-hosts the ill-fated British chat show This Morning, offering underwhelming relationship advice and struggling to read the teleprompter
Al Jaffee
The ingenious Mad-magazine cartoonist was as quick-witted and irreverent in person as he was on paper
The Attention-Whore Index
So-called racist royals and a disloyal ambassador vie with Donald Trump and his recurring dishwasher obsession. Who is demanding the most of your attention? Plus: the world’s strangest stories, collected for you!
When the Penguins Went Red
Thirty years ago, the owners of the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to bet big on Moscow’s legendary Red Army hockey team. What came next was both a miracle and a nightmare
The Not-So-Dolce Vita
In Italy, the murder of a female university student has riled up women of all ages. Are the protesters reacting to the killing or something deeper?
Marina Cicogna
The Italian countess transcended her gilded background to become Europe’s first major female film producer
The Trenches of Academe
Allegations of anti-Semitism have students, faculty, and donors at Harvard in an uproar—and the university’s new president is caught in the middle
