I totally get the case against the Oscars and I look forward to hearing our friend Steve Almond make it on the show today. The case is that the creative arts and zero-sum games to not belong together because art is fluid and not hierarchical. How can one performance or movie lose when another wins? It's absurd right? Wrong.
For example, we all know it was appalling in 1995 when "Forrest Gump" won Best Picture over "Pulp Fiction," "Quiz Show," and "Shawshank Redemption." Or, in 1981 when "Ordinary People" bested "Raging Bull." Whether we want to cop to it or not, we have internal standards and we know when they've been violated. This hour on the Scramble, Almond and I will debate that.
Next: have you noticed that baseball games are running over three hours these days? If you're a baseball fan you've noticed. So, Major League Baseball decided to change a few rules and speed up the game. One new rule requires hitters to keep one foot in the batter's box between pitches or risk a fine of up to $500. Is this the best way to speed up the game - assuming we want to.
Jonathan Mahler of The New York Times writes, "Yes, it's quiet and slow, but if you hang in there, through all the pitching changes and batting-glove adjustments, you might get caught up in the drama. If you don't, there's plenty else to watch."
Last, the Coventry Regional Farmers' Market is scheduled to close after this season, a loss to vendors and lovers statewide. We'll talk to the woman who makes it all happen every week.
GUESTS:
- Steve Almond is the author of several books including "God Bless America" and most recently "Against Football: A Reluctant Manifesto." He also wrote "We are All D**k Measurers Now: The Oscars and Awards Ceremonies Pervert and Devalue Art," in yesterday's Salon Magazine
- Noah Gordon is an editorial fellow at The Atlantic
- Winter Caplanson is the Executive Director, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market
- John Elsesser is Town Manager for the town of Coventry, Connecticut
