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4.8.14: Debunking A Painting's Origin Myth, Medieval Teens, & Loudon Wainwright

Courtesy of the University of Iowa Spectator. March 2010

From the Mona Lisa to the Sistine Chapel, sometimes the story of how a work of art was created is as important as the work itself. Today on Word of Mouth, breaking down the myth behind a breakthrough Jackson Pollock painting

Also today, Game of Thrones fans know that kids and teenagers play a prominent role in the series: think evil King Joffrey. We’ll tease out fact from fiction, with a look at what life was really like for young people in the Middle Ages.

Plus, singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright approaches his own late middle age.

Listen to the whole show and click Read more for individual segments.

The Origin Myth of Jackson Pollock's "Mural"

  • LA Times art critic Christopher Knight explains how a good myth about the origin of a painting, is hard to debunk. You can read his article, "Rebirth of Jackson Pollock's 'Mural'" at the LA Times website.

Forget Millenials, Medieval Teens Had It Worse

  • While making no claim to historical accuracy, Game of Thrones vaguely medieval setting has spurred interest in the Middle Ages. A recent article about how teens were actually treated at the time got us curious for more. We called Dr. Jeremy Goldberg at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York for some insight into Medieval teens.
WOM04082014D.mp3
Medieval Teens

#BringDownTheKing!

  • New Zealand’s SKY Television turned Game of Thrones fever up a notch by installing an actual 23-foot tall statue of King Joffrey in Auckland, New Zealand. Fans helped bring down the statue by tweeting with the hashtag #BringDownTheKing. You can see the final moments of Joffrey the statue in the video below.

Loudon Wainwright Approaches His Own Late Middle Age

WOM04082014A.mp3
Loudon Wainwright

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