“La Bête” is a devastating satire about the domination of low culture

The corruption of culture is the theme of this searing and wildly funny satire written by David Hirson in 1991 and, alas, ever more appropriate today. Mark Rylance is dazzling in the role of Valere, a gross, foppish, foolish street performer who threatens the high art of the theater troop directed by Elomire (David Hyde Pierce), a stand-in for Molière, who was a court playwright. It is 1654 in France, and The Princess (perfectly portrayed by Joanna Lumley), the patron of Elomire’s company, insists that he take on Valere, whom she decides is brilliant.

“Brief Encounter” a hokey, charming takeoff on Noël Coward’s iconic film

I can’t remember when I’ve seen a play as hokey and charming and full of fun as “Brief Encounter.” Okay, I take that back. It was “The 39 Steps.” But not surprising, it is also a spoof of an iconic British film, that one by Alfred Hitchcock. This one is by Noël Coward. If you want to have a very good time, go to this production. But notice the deeper meaning underneath it all.

Shells, Shams and Corporate Scams

The American Interest, Jan-Feb 2011 (online Dec 9, 2010)

Corporate secrecy, which involves hiding the identities of company owners from tax and other legal authorities, is itself no secret. It is well known that offshore banking centers such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Cayman Islands have for many years enabled fraudsters all over the world to carry out scams, launder illicit profits, stash stolen loot and hide money from tax authorities.

What most people do not know, however, is that there is a vast and growing American offshore. Foreign crooks prize states such as Nevada, Wyoming and especially Delaware for state laws that don’t require them to list owners or even company officials when a new company is formed. Corporate interests and the Obama administration are blocking congressional efforts to change that.

Lucy asks Condoleezza Rice about WikiLeaks

Dec 6, 2010 – Bush Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations Friday and used the occasion to attack WikiLeaks. I used the occasion to ask her a question: “If WikiLeaks should be charged criminally for putting up this information, should The New York Times be charged criminally for doing the same thing?”

CNBC Power Lunch: I blame Congress for prisoners’ fraudulent tax refunds

Dec 4, 2010 – I was invited to CNBC’s Power Lunch to talk about a report by the IRS Inspector General that prisoners had received $112 million in tax refunds they shouldn’t have gotten. I surprised the interviewers by turning the question to tax cheating by those outside prison walls.

Lucy on Canadian TV defending WikiLeaks

Nov 30, 2010 – I went on CTV, the Canadian News Network, to debate Martin Collicott, a former Canadian ambassador, over the WikiLeaks document release. Here’s a link to the video, done live yesterday, and then the text of what I said.