Domestiques & Directors

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein

Dear all,

This week’s cultural cocktail is served with lycra and long takes: aptly timed as I write while the riders grind their way up the legendary Mont Ventoux, that stark Provençal giant where legends are made (and broken).

To everyone I raved about watching Tour de Frances stage in full for hours every afternoon, this article backs me up with regard to the fascinating teamwork bike races actually are: The Trick to Watching the Tour de France? Ignore the Stars.
Don’t just obsess over Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard. Instead, focus on the domestiques: the quiet lieutenants of the peloton. These are the men fetching food, cutting the wind, and, if necessary, even handing over their own bikes! Their selfless, week-long grind is where cycling’s hidden poetry lies.

Apple TV+’s The Studio spins a fun tale of and creative chaos. Everyone’s favorite Episode 2, titled “The Oner”, is filmed as a “one shot” - a single, uninterrupted take - while its plot unfolds around a one-shot production itself. This meta brilliance required days of rehearsal and intricate stitching of magic-hour footage to maintain the illusion. The result is worth watching and now part of Emmy history: The Studio leads this year’s nominations with 23 nods, which constitutes a new record for a comedy series in its first season.

Until next week -
David

P.S. Besides classical music performances, there are also other concerts without a kiss cam.