Names and faces
Dozens of emails and comments left at the Smithsonian Institution show the public appears to be sharply divided over an exhibition featuring Bill Cosby’s art collection, which the museum has stood behind since the comedian admitted obtaining drugs to give to women with whom he wanted to have sex. The Smithsonian has received 35 emails about the exhibit in July alone as of Wednesday, with the vast majority calling for the National Museum of African Art to take down its “Conversations” exhibit. The display, which is to run through January, features Cosby’s art collection paired with African art. A few thanked the Smithsonian for keeping the exhibit on view. But in a comment book at the exhibit, visitors have left mostly positive messages spanning 74 pages. “Art is art. This is something worth seeing,” one visitor wrote in a comment signed MC. One emailed comment called the display “sad and pathetic,” while another called it “disgusting.” A few threatened to boycott the museum complex, cancel their memberships or withhold future donations. Names of those who emailed comments were redacted as a condition of their release to The Associated Press. The museum has said the exhibit “is fundamentally about the artworks and the artists who created them, not the owners of the collections.”
Taylor Swift has apologized to Nicki Minaj for calling her out on Twitter regarding her MTV Video Music Awards nominations. Swift tweeted Thursday that she thought she was “being called out” by Minaj. The singer added: “I missed the point, I misunderstood, then misspoke. I’m sorry, Nicki.” “That means so much Taylor, thank you,” Minaj replied. Minaj and Swift traded words Tuesday on Twitter after MTV announced the nominees for the VMAs, where Swift is the leader with nine. Minaj was upset she didn’t earn a nomination for video of the year for “Anaconda.” She posted tweets about how slim women earn top nominations and later said black female entertainers don’t get enough credit for their influence on pop culture. She didn’t mention any names, but Swift thought the rapper was referring to her.