Social Media Scapegoating: Did you see the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark? No? You’re not the only one, and that’s why the show’s former director Julie Taymor is pissed; she claims that she was fired from her directorial role because of social media — not because she directed a Spider-Man musical that involved all kinds of dangerous technical malfunctions and all-over-the-place performances. Taymor says that experimental theater is always met with criticism at first and that the negative social media coverage of her experimental Spider-Man musical quickly amplified this criticism. Of course, social media expedites word-of-mouth reviews, but it doesn’t change how Broadway runs. Better luck next time, Ms. Taymor. WSJ
Peeping Tom: Do you ever get the feeling that someone is peering over your shoulder and reading TMZ with you or laughing at the 30 Rock episode you are watching on your Netflix streaming account? Yeah, it’s annoying! And creepy! Here are some tips from Gizmodo to get other people’s eyes of your computer screen. Gizmodo
RIP MySpace: Poor MySpace. Even the founders of the dying social network don’t use the site anymore. The last time Tom, you know, your first automatic MySpace friend, hasn’t posted anything on the site since March 2010. Yikes. Forbes
Video of the Day: Ode to Facebook of the day.
Website of the Day: Apparently this is a new facial hair thing; as they describe it, it’s “An Adventure in Facial Hair Perspective”: Beards From Below
More in Media
From sidelines to spotlight: Esports events are putting creators center stage
Esports events’ embrace of content creators reflects advertisers’ changing priorities across both gaming and the wider culture. In the past, marketers viewed esports as one of the best ways to reach gamers. In 2025, brands are instead prioritizing creators in their outreach to audiences across demographics and interest areas, including gaming.
Condé Nast and Hearst strike Amazon AI licensing deals for Rufus
Condé Nast and Hearst have joined the New York Times in signing a licensing deal with Amazon for its AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus.
Media Briefing: AI payouts may be entering a new era
AI compensation is evolving — and new models, not just publisher demands, are driving the shift beyond flat-fee licensing.