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Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Whitmer orders all restaurants, bars to close temporarily to slow spread of coronavirus Executive order goes into action at 3 p.m. Monday, follows suit of several other states, expected to last for next two weeks at least LEAH GRAHAM
Managing News Editor
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order on Monday morning closing all Michigan restaurants, bars and entertainment venues in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The order goes into effect at 3 p.m. on Monday and the restrictions will last until March 30. The restrictions apply to bars, restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, clubs, gyms, recreation centers, spas and casinos, among other places of public accommodation. According to a press release, the order allows dining establishments to continue providing delivery services and offering takeout, but restaurants may only let five people inside at a time to retrieve their orders. Customers must maintain six feet of distance between themselves, in accordance with social distancing protocols from public health authorities. In a statement, Whitmer
ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily Following an announcement from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, local restaurants move to carry-out-only service.
urged Michiganders to act with caution when they go into public spaces. “This disease is a challenge unlike any we’ve experienced in our lifetimes,” Whitmer said. “Fighting it will cause significant but temporary changes to our daily lives. By practicing social distancing and
taking aggressive action now, the state is working to mitigate the spread of coronavirus so we reduce the risk that our health care system becomes overwhelmed. This is about saving lives. Michiganders are tough and we are going to get through this, but it will require everyone doing their part. That
means making smart choices and not putting yourself or others at risk by going out in public unless it is absolutely necessary.” Social distancing refers to people maintaining six feet of space between one another and avoiding being in situations of close proximity to others as much as possible.
‘U’ libraries, dining halls to shut down VP of Student Life, UHS director urge students to return home if circumstances allow LIAT WEINSTEIN Daily News Editor
Shortly after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order to close all restaurants, bars and entertainment venues in the state on Monday, the University of Michigan closed libraries and moved dining halls to take-out only meals as fears about the spread of coronavirus continue to grow. The closure went into effect at 3 p.m. and will affect all Michigan Dining locations and University libraries. In a message on the University Library’s Twitter account, University officials announced that libraries would close at 3 p.m. but assured students, faculty and staff that most library resources would remain available online. A separate post on the Michigan
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ALEC COHEN/Daily As of 3 p.m. Monday, all libraries and dining halls will halt normal operation.
Dining Twitter account notified students that beginning Monday night, dining halls across campus will not offer seating and will only serve takeout meals. Though residential halls remain open,
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University officials continue to encourage students to leave campus if they are able to in order to promote responsible social distancing. Social distancing includes
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limiting large gatherings of people, maintaining a distance of six feet in between one another and staying home as often as possible. In a press release, Whitmer said closing public spaces and disrupting daily routines is necessary in order to combat the virus and slow its spread. Whitmer highlighted the need for people to make individual sacrifices that contribute to these efforts. “This is about saving lives,” Whitmer said. “Michiganders are tough and we are going to get through this, but it will require everyone doing their part. That means making smart choices and not putting yourself or others at risk by going out in public unless it is absolutely necessary.” See LIBRARY, Page 3
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In the press release, Joneigh S. Khaldun, Michigan’s chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said this was an important step to protect people from the spread of coronavirus. See RESTAURANTS, Page 3
ANN ARBOR
Mayor calls on residents to stay home City Council addresses COVID-19 concerns FRANCESCA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter
Minutes before the March 16 Ann Arbor City Council meeting, Mayor Christopher Taylor declared a local state of emergency regarding the current COVID-19 situation. Beginning March 17, all city of Ann Arbor buildings and non-critical services will be closed until April 5. According to Taylor, trash and recycling pickup, drinking water, waste water, police and fire services will be continued. See COVID-19, Page 3
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Local businesses respond to recent COVID-19 outbreak
Some establishments closed prior to executive order, help community adjust to social distancing measures in order to protect public health LIAT WEINSTEIN Daily News Editor
With the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak in the United States and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order, many local businesses are to remain temporarily closed. As of Monday night, there are 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in Michigan. A case at the Vic Village-North student apartment building was announced Friday afternoon, shortly after University President Mark Schlissel disclosed that a member of the University of Michigan community tested positive for the virus. On Thursday evening, the city of Ann Arbor notified residents that all events with 50 or more attendees would be canceled. Public spaces like the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Ann Arbor City Hall, city parks and the Ann Arbor District Libraries are all closed. Some Ann Arbor businesses have independently decided to temporarily close in order to mitigate the virus’s spread. Those that remained open are already noticing a significant decrease in the amount of foot traffic and number of sales. Literati Bookstore, a staple book shop in Ann Arbor, has closed indefinitely due to concerns about the growing coronavirus outbreak. The change is effective immediately. Mike and Hilary Gustafson, the owners of Literati, wrote in an email to customers that the decision
to close was difficult but reassured customers their store would continue online. “What a week,” Mike Gustafson wrote. “Hilary and I are a bit emotional and feel like we have some whiplash, as I’m sure many of you do, too. It is hard because we feel an intense need to come together as a community, and yet cannot do so physically.” The decision to close also comes after Whitmer declared a state of emergency and the University of Michigan moved all classes online for the rest of the winter semester, canceling all study abroad programs and recalling all students outside of the country. On Friday, Schlissel encouraged all students still on campus to return home if they are able to. On Saturday, RoosRoast Coffee on East Liberty Street put a sign on their door telling customers they would no longer offer seating — all food and drinks will be served to go. Urban Outfitters, which has a location on State Street, closed all global stores Saturday while Red Yoga on Liberty Street closed through March 28. Melanie Chasseur, a University alum and employee at the clothing store Pitaya on State Street, said the business has no current plans to close but has been struggling to keep the store running due to the fact that most of its employees are University students. “About four or five of our employees have gone home and they had positions in the summer,” Chasseur said. “We have been having scheduling conflicts. We are
currently hiring because we don’t have enough employees for the hours available.” Chasseur said she has noticed that because Pitaya mainly serves students, especially those in fraternities or sororities, sales have dipped as students are urged to return to their hometowns or stay in their homes as often as possible. “(The business) has been rather dead,” Chasseur said. “At Pitaya, I’ve been noticing that a lot of people haven’t been coming in. A majority of our demographics who shop with us are students and students involved in Greek life buying things for date parties and events and going out in general. That has halted.” In response to recent developments across the state, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the closure of all K-12 schools in an effort to promote social distancing and slow the spread of the virus. Whitmer also banned gatherings of 250 people or more in an executive order Friday. At a press conference on Sunday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said public spaces like restaurants or bars could face consequences like losing their liquor licenses or being forced to shut down if they violate this order. “In the event there are some bad apples out there that choose not to (follow this order), then we are prepared and ready to defend the law,” Nessel said. “As there are further developments, I trust that the governor will do whatever she needs to do in the event that there needs to be more stringent orders that
are undertaken. But for the meantime, we are operating under these current orders and we’re very hopeful that if everybody follows them, that we’ll be able to keep the public safe.” In addition to bars, other Ann Arbor businesses, such as restaurants and cafes, are now beginning to offer free meals to the nearly 18,000 students in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district. Piada Italian Street Food on State Street announced in an email Saturday they would offer free pasta and soft drinks during lunch hours starting Monday, March 16 until April 3. Similarly, TeaHaus in Kerrytown said in a Facebook post they would begin handing out free boxed lunches at EatMoreTea, their sister location at 211 E. Ann Street, on Monday. “We are amazed by the outpouring of support for our free boxed lunch initiative!” Lisa McDonald, the owner of TeaHaus, wrote. “What went from me buying a few extra loaves of bread and sandwich makings for us to put together and give to any kid who was hungry, has turned into an incredible showing of the kindness in our community.” Symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath. To stop the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control recommend people wash their hands often, avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth and stay clear of large group gatherings as much as possible. Daily News Editor Liat Weinstein can be reached at weinsl@umich.edu
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RESTAURANTS, From Page 1 “We need to move quickly to slow the spread of the virus and protect public health,” Khaldun said. “I realize these actions will present temporary changes to the way we live, but they are critical to help ensure our health care system is prepared to treat those who need the most urgent medical care.” Whitmer is not the first governor to take this step. On Sunday, the governors of Ohio and Illinois both ordered all bars and restaurants in their states to close. Others across the country have followed suit. This comes after people continued to go out to bars and parties over the weekend in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The governor first announced
LIBRARY From Page 1 In an email to students sent Monday night, Simone Himbeault Taylor, interim vice president for student life, and Robert Ernst, University Health Service executive director, noted that UHS will remain open in addition to a modified version of housing and dining, consisting of boxed take-out meals served during specific hours. Jeff Donofrio, the director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in a press release the closure of businesses will impact workers and the local economy but reiterated that these measures were put in place to protect the public from infection.
COVID-19 From Page 1 Taylor said he strongly encourages all city services to be conducted online. “I understand that these measures will impact the way the city delivers these services, but this action is necessary to protect our employees and those we serve in our communities, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to this virus,” Taylor said. The announcement followed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order signed earlier in the day. The order urged all Michigan restaurants, bars and entertainment venues to close doors to the general public by 3 p.m. However, delivery and takeout options are still viable. Prior to the signing of the executive order, some students disregarded Centers for Disease Control warnings of practicing social distancing. Taylor said he hopes the executive order will be taken seriously. “I am urging everyone to heed this executive order and follow CDC social distancing recommendations,” Taylor said.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — 3
her intent to issue the temporary ban during an interview with northern Michigan’s 9&10 News early Monday morning, building on previous efforts across the state to restrict large gatherings. On Friday, Whitmer banned all assemblages with more than 250 people. On Thursday, the city of Ann Arbor called off all events expecting 50 or more attendees. Local businesses have felt a strain on sales from the outbreak. Over the weekend, RoosRoast Coffee on East Liberty Street posted a sign on the door of the shop informing customers that seating would not long be offered and all orders would be served to go. Other stores have also suffered. The owners of Literati Bookstore opted to close Ann Arbor’s well-known independent bookseller indefinitely amid the coronavirus outbreak.
In an email to customers on Friday, owners Mike and Hilary Gustafson said the decision was difficult. “What a week,” Mike Gustafson wrote. “Hilary and I are a bit emotional and feel like we have some whiplash, as I’m sure many of you do, too. It is hard because we feel an intense need to come together as a community, and yet cannot do so physically.” The store will still accept online orders with $1 shipping. When University President Mark Schlissel announced on Friday that Spring Commencement was being canceled, he noted that doing so was necessary to keep students and their families safe. “Commencement is a special time for our @UMich graduates and their families,” Schlissel wrote on Twitter. “We also want it to be safe. The Class of 2020
deserves to be celebrated, and we will work with grads to find a new date for a commencement ceremony.” Other officials have asked people to practice social distancing and avoid large events. In a previous interview with The Daily, University Regent Jordan Acker (D) urged students to refrain from going out to bars in Ann Arbor. “As someone who not that long ago would’ve longed to spend St. Patrick’s Day at Skeeps or Rick’s, I know that’s what students want to do right now,” Acker said. “But the reality is, even if students themselves may not get really sick, some will, and even more could be carriers of this disease … and pass it along to people who are immunocompromised, their parents, their grandparents. So even if they don’t feel the effects, gathering in these spaces, we’ve
seen is one of the biggest ways this disease is spread.” On Sunday night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for the cancellation of events with more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. Currently, there is no vaccine for COVID-19: The primary method to prevent it is to avoid being exposed to it. The CDC also recommends people wash their hands frequently, cover their coughs and sneezes and disinfect commonly used surfaces often. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 should call their health care providers or the nearest hospital. Managing News Editor Leah Graham can be reached at leahgra@umich.edu
“We understand that these decisions will impact the way we do business, but the decisions we make now will allow us to get our economy back on track sooner rather than later,” Donofrio said. “We are putting measures in place to help protect the employers, employees and individuals that will be impacted.” LSA junior Kimiko Varner said she was planning on checking out books from the University libraries for an Asian Studies research methods class before she learned they closed indefinitely. Now, Varner said she may struggle to find the resources necessary to finish the project. “A lot of the stuff I’m looking at is not available online,”
Varner said. “So I was planning on getting more so I had more material ... I definitely was not able to pick up everything I wanted to, so I guess I’m going to have to work with what I have and what’s online.” Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People who believe they have been exposed to coronavirus should call their health care providers or the nearest hospital. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said while dining halls will offer takeout meals only during selected hours, Maizie’s Kitchen in the Michigan League will remain open as a convenience store. The cafes in the libraries and in the University of Michigan
Museum of Art (UMMA) will close. Susan Pile, the director of University Unions and Auxiliary Services, said the businesses in the Union were still open as of Saturday afternoon. Subway and Panda Express, the businesses in the basement of the Union, opened the first week of March. These businesses are now takeout-only because of Whitmer’s order. Himbeault Taylor and Ernst echoed earlier calls from President Mark Schlissel to return home as soon as possible if circumstances allow, writing that several community members have tested positive for COVID-19. Dozens more are awaiting test results. These quantities, they wrote, are
increasing daily. “For those of you who still remain on campus, especially in residence halls, you need to return to your permanent residence, if that is an option for you,” Himbeault Taylor and Ernst wrote. “New developments and guidance in the COVID-19 pandemic make it clear that now is the time to return home if you can. To diminish ongoing transmission of this dangerous infection, we need to decrease the density of people on our campus, in our residence halls and in group living circumstances offcampus.” Daily News Editor Liat Weinstein can be reached at weinsl@umich.edu.
“This is not a snow day, and school is not out for summer. Everyone, the young, the old and everyone in between … should take religious preventative measures … Your diligent actions (will) save lives.” At the start of the council meeting, Interim City Administrator Tom Crawford said in light City Hall closing, he will be moving all council directives given to him back 60 days. Crawford also noted developing the city budget will be more difficult with the unpredictability of the virus. “This is a very unclear time, very volatile time, so it’s not clear whether the events we’re going to are going to have a short-term, a year, or a long-term impact,” Crawford said. “That volatility makes developing a budget challenging.” Councilmember Jane Lumm, I-Ward 2, raised concerns about the council planning large events. She said she noticed events being frequently canceled amidst the virus concerns. In regards to a resolution to approve street closings for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, Lumm said the council must
exert caution when planning the event. “April 22 is not that far off,” Lumm said. “I don’t think the city should be sponsoring or planning any group gatherings at this point. I recognize that the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is a significant occasion, but I am concerned that we could be spending time and money planning an event when there’s a good chance we may need to cancel it.” Crawford recognized the concerns; however, he viewed planning the 50th anniversary celebration in a positive light during the COVID-19 concerns. “One of the benefits that we thought of continuing with the planning at this stage is that, when things do open back up, having a celebration downtown would be beneficial (for morale),” Crawford said. The council approved the resolution to close streets for the Earth Day anniversary. The council’s discussion shifted to the Center of the City Task Force as Committee Chair Meghan Musolff and Vice Chair Miles Klapthor presented their final report. The task force
was created in 2018 to develop recommendations regarding city-owned land bounded by Fifth Avenue and William, Division and Liberty Streets. Musolff highlighted the vision the task force had for the space. According to the report, they hoped to create an area that was inclusive, safe, easy to navigate and sustainable. To achieve the vision, Musolff said the task force placed a strong emphasis on community engagement and input. They set up Ideapods at the Ann Arbor District Library parking lot and in Liberty Plaza to gather ideas. They also sent targeted mail and hosted open houses. “One of the things that (was) really important to the group … was we want to make sure we invited the entire community into the process, making sure that we heard diverse perspectives,” Musolff said. The report outlines six recommendations for the public spaces to be developed into a central park and civic center commons. Klapthor noted these recommendations were not concrete plans of actions, but
more of a push towards the right direction. “In our report, we don’t have any designs or anything of that nature,” Klapthor said. “Instead, this is a step forward in a process that is going to be longer, but is also going to be very much community-focused and community-driven.” Musolff closed the report by providing additional considerations outside of the initial scope of the taskforce. The report highlights the need for affordable housing and importance of diverse perspectives. “The Task Force recognizes the urgent need for additional affordable housing in our community, but at this time, because of the wording of the Charter Amendment, creating housing on the Center of the City block is not an option,” the report said. “The Task Force strongly encourages City Council to continue to work to address the affordable housing shortage.” Reporter Francesca Duong can be reached at fduong@ umich.edu.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, March 17, 2020
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NEIL SHAH | COLUMN
Debates and the young, undecided voter
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EMILY ULRICH | COLUMN
I
The difference between dollars and real success
n college, we are investing thousands of dollars to be successful. No matter what it is, we are all in higher education to achieve our own definition of success. And I have started to realize I have been using society’s definition of success instead of my own. I came into college thinking I needed to prepare myself to land a six-figure salary so I could purchase a large home and everything needed to fill it and live “comfortably.” Over Spring Break, I was scrolling through shows on Netflix and my thumb stopped on “Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things.” The documentary explores thelivesofminimaliststhatarefinding meaning by living a life with less and rejecting the American view that materialthingsbringhappiness.Ihave not uprooted and changed my whole life because of this documentary, but I have gained a new perspective on what it means to be successful and happy. A study done at Princeton University has found there is a plateau when graphing happiness versus money. Once an individual reaches a salary of $75,000, their happiness stops increasing as net worth increases. When you make more money than the plateau line, you have excess money to spend on things you don’t really need. These things can give you transient happiness but never fulfillment. Are the people we view as having the most money and prestige really
the happiest? More money actually brings more problems. We think we need extra material goods because we have been told by society that we do, but when we take a step outside of a world that is constantly spending, it is evident consumption is leading to corruption. The United States makes up 5 percent of the world’s population, but we use around one-quarter of every natural resource. Can our environment afford how much we are consuming? More money provides easier access to the consumption of goods, which can be a dangerous cycle. You can’t get enough of what you never really needed in the first place. In the consumer-based economy that we live in, we are constantly being tempted to buy the newest thing — AirPod Pros, a membership at Pure Barre, an iPhone 11 or a Canada Goose jacket. Advertising and marketing provide a basis for society to quantify one’s worth. If you have an Apple Watch on your wrist and this season’s clothes from the name brand stores, then you are somehow worth more. Value should not be placed in the things you own, rather in the experiences you have. Another dangerous cycle is letting work consume your life. Our minds get set on earning higher and higher salaries so that we can spend more and more. A “hustle culture” has emerged in millenials, and spending money is a way of justifying why they are letting their jobs consume
their lives. People can become completely expended in this cycle and abandon the truth that there is more to life than work and money. However, there has also been a movement towards minimalism in somemillennials.Insteadofinvesting in material things, they invest their money into travel and experiences. Rather than buying the largest home they can afford, millennials are purchasing smaller homes that require less maintenance. Those extra bedrooms would only be used when the in-laws come to visit anyways, so really they are getting rid of two problems in one. Less stuff,fewerbills,lessstress,morelife. Maybe less really is more. I no longer define a life of success as a six-figure salary and a huge home, instead I define it as living a life of meaning and adventure. Rather than working an entire lifetime in order to achieve maximum consumption, I want to enjoy an entire lifetime with a little bit of work here and there. Jim Carrey addressed this issue best when he said, “I wish everyone could become rich and famous so they could realize it’s not the answer.” Enjoying a lifetime is going to look different for each of us because what really makes us feel alive is different depending on the person — maybe enjoying life for you involves traveling to Emily Ulrich can be reached at emulrich@umich.edu.
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I
used to be exceedingly hopeful about politics and policy matters. I was known by my friends in high school as the “firebreathing conservative” because I’d come to school lunch ready to debate them about our contrasting politics. In my free time, I binge-read the news and tweeted about national political drama. I regularly put down schoolwork in favor of a fresh copy of “National Review,” my favorite conservative publication. I was driven to learn about conservatives and conservatism by this desire to be well informed and a belief that politics was inherently meaningful. I read about issues that felt like important subjects of national discourse that I, and many others, had a stake in as individuals part of the collective political project. To some extent, this still feels true: (Meaningful) political discourse, at its core, is an exchange of substantive ideas and is undergirded with an intention from each of the participants of the exchange to change their interlocutors’ minds. Engaging with each others’ ideas is a worthwhile effort. Political conversations are attempts to understand the moral, ethical and philosophical roots and implications of politically-motivated actions and ideas. These are conversations that are ubiquitous on college campuses — in lectures, during debates, with your roommates and among your peers. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of these conversations as a writer for The Michigan Daily and The Michigan Review. That these conversations exist speaks to the stake young people have in political matters and the value of their voices, too. What’s especially disheartening in light of these meaningful conversations is the level of political discourse on the national front. I am specifically talking about presidential debates, the lone source of political discourse between the nation’s most prominent politicians. The system does a disservice to prospective voters, like young people, by pretending to serve as a platform for political discourse. It’s really just a meaningless charade to dupe the American public and that degrades politics in this country. Debates were designed to facilitate discourse between candidates for public viewing so that people can judge for themselves the intellectual weight behind the ideas the candidates espouse. Usually, however, these debates are just an hour-long charade of the candidates incoherently yelling over one another, which moderators have a hard time stopping, like during February’s CBS News debate in South Carolina. This sort of bickering has turned politics into a farce because it pretends to speak to voter concerns but it actually is a battle for attention and headlines. Candidates are strangely rewarded for stump speeches with applause from the audience and they come prepared to incorporate buzzwords into their responses. There is rarely any substance to their answers, providing little to no value to everyday and undecided voters. To be fair, it’s difficult to expect a candidate to lay out their entire plan for climate change in one minute and
fifteen seconds. That’s the problem with these debates, however: They’re the lone source of political discourse among candidates and viewers are expected to patiently watch the drivel that gets spewed across the stage like it’s worth listening to. One noteworthy example of such a debate moment came from spiritual leader Marianne Williamson — amazingly, a Democratic candidate the others were forced to share the debate stage with — whose moment came out of her diatribe about the “dark psychic forces” simmering in this country. This is an objectively meaningless phrase. It’s just designed to rile up voters with fear and appeal to emotion; it’s a talking point beyond normal talking points and is intentionally provocative. It’s one thing to worry that individuals like Marianne Williamson can qualify for the debate stage and what that might say about the Democratic National Convention (DNC) or the electorate. It’s another thing, and probably more worrisome, that she can spin questions to recite her prescripted line about “dark psychic forces” and that it can be considered an acceptable and newsworthy statement on a presidential debate stage. For some reason, these debates are important. During his 1992 race against George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton made a supposedly real connection with a voter during a town hall question, while the elder Bush checked the time on his wristwatch. This poorly timed mistake made Bush seem indifferent and uninterested in voter concerns in contrast to Clinton, which gave the latter candidate positive optics that boosted his campaign in the general election. Maybe politics are inherently vain and the surface element of election politics makes these moments the meat of presidential campaigns. For example, in the 2016 election, Chris Christie single-handedly destroyed Marco Rubio’s campaign by pointing out, rightly, that Rubio kept reciting the same memorized, “Obama is trying to fundamentally shift the nature of this country…” line to every question. Rubio’s only response — and campaign-derailing mistake — was to repeat that exact same line. Perhaps politicians deserve, for partaking in this nonsensical charade, to have their campaigns hinge on small moments like these. Maybe voters are just too uninvested to care about substantive policy matters — and it’s moments like that that determine who they support. I think it’s sad, regardless, that we look to the content of presidential debates as anything more than a battle for moments. It’s an exercise in meaningless political banter, that, while helpful in learning more about a candidate, degrades the intellectual value in politicking. The solution to this problem is to encourage people to educate themselves and to read so that this charade is exposed as the farcical practice it is and so it doesn’t have nearly as much impact on future presidential races. Neil Shah can be reached at neilsh@umich.edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — 5
ALBUM REVIEW
Electronica finally drops LP Electronica line with complex enough rhymes. There are moments of clarity on this record Daily Arts Writer when the song concept is straightforward and New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica is one empathetic. They usually come from Jay-Z, like of the greatest enigmas in the history of hip when he pours his heart out through the lines “I hop. He first came up in the mid-2000s with got numbers in my phone that’ll never ring again hits on MySpace. He then started dating singer / ‘Cause Allah done called ‘em home, so until Erykah Badu; the eccentricity of her partners we sing again.” But these moments are too few after dating her has been the subject of memes and far between to ground the album, and their in the hip-hop community. In 2009, he dropped purpose remain airy and muddled. That being “Exhibit C,” a not-so-cult classic of sorts that said, if I had to throw a party for linguistics is — over a decade later — still way ahead of majors, A Written Testimony would make it on our time. Suddenly, everybody wanted a piece the playlist. of Jay Electronica: Labels entered a bidding Even if the album’s concept is in the air, it has war for him, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation won out and a handful of truly unique tracks, among them then Electronica spent the next decade as a “The Blinding” with Travis Scott. It’s the only nutty Twitter grumbler with only leaked songs track where Jay-Z and Jay Electronica go barand loose singles to his name. Billboard asked, for-bar, a dynamic so killer that it’s a shame the “What would it take for you to finally put the two aren’t trading bars all over the album. In a project out?” Electronica responded, “An album landscape of hip hop where it’s growing more is something that was created by corporations as and more difficult to have production that a product to make stands out from the money.” The man’s rest — everyone has been in the public a killer producer in consciousness for their pocket — “The nearly 13 years, Blinding” stands probably rapping out for its haunting in some form for vocal samples almost twice that and unforgiving, time, and — lo and blaring bassline. Jay Electronica behold — a debut Fortunately, album has arrived. Electronica Roc Nation I never thought had four killer I’d see the day. producers in his HotNewHipHop pocket for this beat. actually wrote a Jay-Z may timeline leading up be featured on to the release of A Written Testimony that spans almost every track, but it’s clear why his vocals over a decade. It’s been a long time coming. To are uncredited. This is a Jay Electronica album the surprise of many, Jay-Z’s steadfast cosign through and through. It’s an album rooted materialized into a close musical collaboration. in Islam and the Five Percenters movement. Though his vocals are uncredited, Jay-Z is on It’s rooted in Electronica’s infatuation with almost every track. Before listening, I had no the spiritual and the intangible, with culture, idea which rapper would be struggling to keep philosophy and history. In this realm, Jay-Z is a up with the other. As it turns out, neither Jay guest. He may be one of the hip-hop greats, but struggles to keep up. Here, both rappers are his bars remain sharp out of necessity to keep up neck-and-neck. with a meticulous writer like Electronica. Jay Electronica’s bars are as tight on this I’m a sucker for complex rhymes, I’m a sucker record as they’ve been since the era of “Exhibit for unconventional beats and I’m a sucker for Jay C,” deftly finishing English rhymes with Arabic, Electronica’s whole schtick, I’ll admit it. Still, A Spanish, Jamaican patois, even West African Written Testimony doesn’t sit well with me. “The pidgin. Electronica raps, “But all praise due Neverending Story” is interesting enough only to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala / I put on for my for an interlude, but it’s over four minutes long. nation like I’m King T’Challa / Crushing the On “Flux Capacitor,” Both rappers (especially oyibo that try to bring wahala.” It’s easy to get Jay-Z) sound totally off, like their verses are lost between the lines when each bar needs on top of the wrong track. One of best songs, its own Google search to be broken down, but “Shiny Suit Theory,” is a decade-old relic from “wa ta’ala / King T’Challa / bring wahala” is as the era of peak Electronica hype. Aside from gratifying a rhyme scheme as they come. the standouts, most songs just sort of meander. Electronica’s lyrical-miracle-spiritual ecstasy But that’s natural. “Meandering” sums up Jay can get hazy and convoluted. His infamous Electronica’s whole career, and somewhere wordplay on his stage name from “Exhibit C” on that long walk toward this debut album, spawned a hilarious parody Twitter account he strayed too far from the creative focus that that exposed how anything could sound like an founded his fame.
TV NOTEBOOK
DYLAN YONO
A Written Testimony
FLICKR
SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Why don’t you just leave the laugh track well alone? JUSTIN POLLACK Daily Arts Writer
You know those television shows that begin by stating they were filmed in front of a live studio audience? Until recently, I never understood the significance of it — not just what it meant for that particular show, but also for television as a whole. I missed out on the time period when my generation rediscovered and resurrected shows like “Friends” and “Seinfeld” for whatever reason. Of course, I eventually fell in love with them, but long after the rest of the world. With absolutely no justification for missing out on the cultural craze that surrounded these shows, I regretted dismissing them. This feeling of cultural isolation led me to drastically rethink how I decide what to watch. Even then, I still made the mistake of dismissing any show with a laugh track. Erasing the laugh track or “canned laughter” from multi-camera situation comedies is not an option, nor should it ever be one. It has been a staple of the genre since its inception. In the 1940s and ’50s, most radio shows were taped in front of a live audience, meaning that actors had to leave pauses in dialogue for laughs to allow for a natural transition for both the actors and the viewers. With the emergence of television, the multicamera format was created to evoke a sense of liveness, so viewers at home could feel like they were with the audience when they laughed. Today, the general consensus toward laugh tracks is that they’re outdated and distracting. I used to hold this same belief — I told myself if something was funny enough, I didn’t need someone else to point it out for me. On my spring break trip to Los Angeles, I attended a live taping for ABC’s “The Conners,” and it was quite the experience. Regardless of how you feel about a laugh track, attending a live taping is something everyone should do at least once if given the chance. At the same time, it was extremely inconvenient for pretty much everyone involved. The experience of
being part of the laugh track can feel more exhausting than being one of the actors, from what I can tell. Given that this process has been going on for over half a century, it’s funny to see how inefficient parts of the process can be. The taping officially began at 6 p.m., but the producers recommended that we arrive at least 90 minutes before — I arrived around 2:30 p.m. just to be safe — and wait in a garage with benches until given further directions. There were already people in line, including some who attend the live taping every week. Others, like myself, were out-of-towners who wanted a taste of being in a live audience. At 4:30 p.m., I was brought to the soundstage and asked to turn in my phone. Inside the soundstage, the audience sat on a set of bleachers that faced the main sets of the living room and kitchen. There was even a “hype man” who riled up the audience before the taping began and kept the crowd entertained between takes by giving away props from the show or throwing out t-shirts. The most interesting part of the whole process was seeing all of its intricacies. Around 7:30 p.m., they fed us sandwiches, but we could only eat between takes. I never knew how fast someone could eat a sandwich until I saw the guy in front of me. The “hype man” reminded us that whether it’s the first take of a scene or the fourth, we should always be laughing at the same level. There was even one scene where the audience genuinely gasped out of surprise, but when they re-did the take, we had to recreate our gasps. Hearing others laugh, even if it’s prerecorded, can make us enjoy the show more. Even though television has changed dramatically over the last decade, the “live audience” aspect is something that will always be important to the foundation of television. No matter your opinion on shows with laugh tracks, attending a live taping is certainly worth adding to your bucket list. If not for the actual show, do it for the sake of seeing a form of television that is becoming increasingly obsolete — we owe Lucille Ball that much.
Erasing the laugh track or canned laughter from multi-camera situation comedies is not an option, nor should it ever be one.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 — 6
FILM REVIEW
‘Ride Your Wave’ dips its toes in love and loss alike diegetic and non-diegetic as Hinako and Minato alternately sing along. This may prove For The Daily overbearing for some (you hear “Brand New Two-and-a-half months in, and 2020 has Story” just about a hundred times), but it serves given the world a lot of things to consider. An as an interesting plot element — it’s not just impeachment. The rumblings of war with Iran. there to underscore the romance and maritime A whack-as-hell primary season. An online- themes. school-inducing, business-closing, all-aroundYou see, “Ride Your Wave” isn’t just a love scary pandemic that maybe makes reviewing story. It’s only after the first act that you get to theater-exclusive movies a public health hazard? the sunshine girl, raised-by-dugongs element, But never mind all that. The first quarter of but it’s there. In a selfless at-sea rescue attempt, 2020 has also given US-based anime fans some Minato loses his life. But he’s not really gone! interesting, maybe perplexing, things to chew Any time Hinako sings “Brand New Story,” on: namely, a trifecta of water-themed fantasy his spirit manifests in some nearby quantity of teen anime movies, only months apart. This water, whether it be a river, a simple glass or a big aquatic trio started off in January with Makoto inflatable porpoise (that last bit leads to a cute Shinkai’s “Weathering With You,” a movie parody of the aforementioned standard romantic featuring a mythical “sunshine girl” with the fare). ability to dispel rain. The end of April, barring It’s here that the film begins to prove itself postponements, as a brand new will bring Ayumu story. The film’s Watanabe’s not so much about “Children of the Sea,” Hinako being saved which tells the tale of by the manly-man twoyoungboysraised firefighter, or even by dugongs (yes, really about their by dugongs). But in love at all. It’s about Michigan Theater February and March, grief, grappling in the midst of global with loss, learning Science Saru Productions strife and confusion, to move on. About anime and surfing finding one’s own fans alike can take strength to be a some measure better version of of glee in the US themselves. In release, “Ride Your Wave,” from the famously short, it’s about riding your own wave. idiosyncratic director Masaaki Yuasa (“The Pretty on the nose, right? That’s also the film’s Night is Short, Walk on Girl”). biggest flaw. It won’t let the audience figure this Seemingly the hot new thing to do after the out, despite it being the actual title. Instead, record-breaking success of Shinkai’s “Your it inflicts a fusillade of cheesy, water-themed Name,” “Ride Your Wave” tells a syrupy love lines like “I just don’t know in which way I story between two budding adults set to a should be paddling,” “if you stay with your head soundtrack of bubbly J-pop tunes. The love underwater, you’ll never learn to ride the waves,” story part is pretty standard romantic fare: and “the next wave is always just on the horizon, college student and avid surfer Hinako (Rina waiting to be caught.” At one point Minato tells Kawai, “Ajin: Demi-Human”) meets firefighter Hinako that he “can be like (her) harbor.” Google Minato (Ryota Katayose, “Ani ni Aisaresugite”) tells me that “Minato” does, in fact, mean harbor after he saves her life in the course of his manly- in Japanese. And as fun and refreshing it was to man firefighting duties. As they bond over their see a romance movie about grief set to scenes of shared appreciation for omurice, pop music and dancing porpoises possessed by ghost boys, the finless porpoises, the film swiftly falls into a film doesn’t handle this tonal balance well; the procession of tried and true romance scenes that shifts from gooey romance to quirky grief story may be too cloying or cringey for some viewers: to all-out-fantasy in the final act come off as handholding, tandem surfing, starlit walks and uneven and a little confused. even some PG-13 sexy times. That being said, it is a romance story about “Ride Your Wave” takes said “bubbly J-pop a ghost boy possessing an inflatable porpoise. tunes” from the “Your Name” formula a step Uneven, overwrought and way on the nose, yes further. Where “Your Name” and “Weathering — but fun, gutsy and incredibly earnest as well. With You” had Radwimps, “Ride Your Wave” Pair this earnestness with the soft, delicate and has the boy band Generations from Exile Tribe. easy-to-look-at animation style, along with the One of its seven members is even the voice of giga-jolt of optimistic and effervescent J-pop, Minato, and their song “Brand New Story” and “Ride Your Wave” isn’t the worst thing to figures heavily into the film, shifting between watch in the middle of a pandemic.
ALBUM REVIEW
JACOB LUSK
Ride Your Wave
TOHO
300 ENTERTAINMENT
Meg is bittersweet on ‘Suga’ off with “Ain’t Equal” emphasizes Megan’s realness, her inability to give into peer pressure Daily Arts Writer and scrutiny. Megan Thee Stallion intended on dropping The rest of the album is classic Hot Girl Meg. Suga on May 2, her late mother’s birthday; Despite not as many obvious shots at her label, however, the project was released prematurely her creativity and unapologetic sexiness shine on March 6. Suga was supposed to be an through to show 1501 Entertainment exactly attempt at a debut album following her rising who they’re messing with. “Savage” goes toe-topopularity as a 2019 XXL Freshman with last toe with the sound of Fever. The track rides off summer’s mixtape, Fever. “I’m still working on the classic southern rap sound that established my ‘album,’” Megan said during her most recent her. “I’m that bitch (Yeah) / Been that bitch, still interview on The Breakfast Club. She bent her that bitch (Ah),” she raps in the intro. The rest fingers into air quotes around the word “album.” of the lyrics stick true to that sentiment, often “I had to hurry up and put out an EP.” referencing her past songs. “Bad bitch, still So why the rush? On Mar. 1, Megan talking cash shit,” she raps in the first verse, an Thee Stallion took to Twitter with obvious allusion to her summer hit with DaBaby, #FREETHESTALLION. She revealed that “Cash Shit.” “Captain Hook” is raunchy and her record label, 1501 Entertainment, was graphic, down to the title. Following a year in blocking her from releasing music. Not fully which she’s been romantically linked to various understanding the onerous terms she signed other artists and athletes, the song is fitting — onto as a 20-year-old, Megan attempted to she is confident in her sexuality and doesn’t care renegotiate her situation, only for 1501 to freeze what the media has to say. She puts it simply: “I further music releases. She filed a lawsuit against like to drink and I like to have sex.” The nearly 1501 the next day to try to get out of the contract. three-minute-long track packs an onslaught that Megan points lets Megan’s deft to her label not lyricism shine in being up to par all its R-rated glory. with industry The EP harkens standards. The back to the lawsuit claims that Southern influence her label attempted and self-awareness to “literally do of Fever, but Suga nothing, while doesn’t run the risk at the same of being too similar Megan Thee Stallion time taking for to its predecessor. 300 Entertainment themselves the Alongside Megan’s vast majority of classic Southern Megan’s income sound, there’s from all sources.” some West Coast A Texas judge flair. Most notably granted her there’s “B.I.T.C.H,” a temporary an homage to restraining order that forbade 1501 from West Coast legend Tupac Shakur. Using the blocking Megan’s future releases. same sample of Bootsy Collin’s “I’d Rather Be Despite the legal tribulations and With You,” the song flips the sentiments of corresponding change in Suga’s release and Shakur’s “I’d Ratha be Ya N.I*.*.A” on their head structure, the nine-track EP is a minor win for to better fit the song to her situation. Whereas Megan. Her struggles echo those of many other Shakur sang a song of devotion and striving for women of color in music, such as Kelis and SZA. a relationship the other partner doesn’t have And Megan’s level of candor is just as rare as it faith in, Megan isn’t one to beat around the bush is admirable. — she’d rather be called a bitch than involved Suga is just as thematically defiant as its in an uneven relationship that gets nowhere. existence. The opener, “Ain’t Equal,” is hard- Despite the change from her classic sound and hitting and determined. Megan raps over a demeanor, Megan sounds assured and in her fast-paced, abrasive trap beat and isn’t fazed by element. Her uncharacteristically breathy vocals the conflict between her and her label. “Bitch, carry the sensual, synthy layers and West Coast I been popping, doing numbers, been lit / And bass brilliantly and with ease. The elements since the n**** think he made me, tell him do it carry on into “Hit My Phone,” a collaboration again,” she raps at the end of the second verse, with Kehlani. Whereas “B.I.T.C.H” is more of an obvious shot at 1501 label CEO Carl Crawford. a banger, “Hit My Phone” is a funky slow track. The third verse is just as scathing and unsubtle: The song is fun, sexy and addictive with a sticky “Ni***s tryna get some fame off my name, that’s chorus. a shame / When I started making money, that’s when everybody changed, huh.” Despite her Read more online at label’s attempt to take credit for Megan’s efforts, michigandaily.com she knows her merit and worth. Starting Suga DIANA YASSIN
Suga