David Levesley

Bio

David is a Columbia Journalism School graduate who writes about culture and cultures. David is also an award-winning playwright, librettist and actor and has produced award-winning plays across his native Britain. David has previously contributed to The Sunday Times, The Daily Beast, Aesthetica and The Washington Jewish Week. His work has been referenced by Salon, MTV, HuffPo, Storify and Bustle.
Learn From the Internet: Use Spectacle and Skill
By David Levesley
The internet is fantastic at engaging people. Not because everyone has ADHD and not because people can't focus on social interaction. Because the internet has a new generation of media outlets that scan everywhere for the most engaging stuff. The…
14 Times Lena Dunham's 'Not That Kind of Girl' Spoke the Absolute Truth About 20-Something Life
By David Levesley
After indie movies, three seasons of Girls and a rise into the ranks of the most acclaimed young writers of the 21st century, it can feel like Lena Dunham must have exhausted the young life experiences she can draw from. But somehow Dunham manages…
One Controversial Art Exhibit — And Its Cancellation — Sends an Unsettling Message About Race
By David Levesley
On its fall calendar, London's Barbican performing arts center had slated a controversial production called "Exhibit B - The Human Zoo." The performance featured black actors shackled, bound and gagged, chained and caged in 12 tableaux vivants all…
14 Brilliant Authors Who Didn't Succeed Until Way After 30
By David Levesley
The art world is always obsessed with writer wunderkinder who bedazzle us with their early life talent. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zadie Smith, Dylan Thomas, Jonathan Safran Foer, Helen Oyeyemi, John Keats: The list goes on, and the list is filled with…
'Happy Valley' Treats Rape the Way Most TV Shows Are Too Afraid Of
By David Levesley
You might not have heard of Happy Valley yet, but if there's any justice for this BBC-produced miniseries, now available on Netflix, we'll all be talking about it soon. It's another dark, woman-focused small-town crime drama, in the vein of The…
Miley Cyrus Just Opened Her First Art Show — No, Seriously
By David Levesley
On Wednesday night, the masses were clambering to get into the Jeremy Scott show at New York Fashion Week. Crowds jostled, necks craned, but it was only partially about the collection. A great deal of the excitement surrounded Miley Cyrus' addition…
100 of Our Biggest Authors Are Writing Novels — But You Won't Be Able to Read Them
By David Levesley
Margaret Atwood has just started writing a brand-new book, but you'll never read it. Not unless you live unnaturally long — the book won't be released until 2114. The novel is part of a revolutionary new project created by Scottish artist Katie…
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Are a Surprisingly Perfect Reflection of the Modern Family
By David Levesley
When Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie first got together, their relationship was scandalous. Their romance sparked "homewrecker" outrage headlines, with people either becoming firmly Team Angie or firmly not. Furthermore, Jolie had already been living…
One Year Since the ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale, Here’s What’s Happened to Albuquerque
By David Levesley
Now that the show is over and the awards have been doled out, Breaking Bad has officially cemented its position as one of the most celebrated TV dramas of all time. But there is one star of the show getting awarded in a different way. Albuquerque,…
Beyoncé Can Now Add Poet to Her Epic List of Skills
By David Levesley
Beyoncé has officially added poet to her roster of skills. Collaborating with Pulitzer Prize nominee Forrest Gander, she turned a fall CR Fashion Book feature into a poem called "Bey the Light." It's an interesting choice for a woman who has the…
The First Movie Directed By Jon Stewart Finally Has a Trailer
By David Levesley
If you were wondering what Jon Stewart did when he took time off from the Daily Show last summer, look no further: The trailer for the movie he wrote and directed, Rosewater, has just been released. And it looks like it's going to be a sensational…
Watch the Hilarious, Nostalgic 'Friends' Reunion We've Been Waiting For
By David Levesley
In case you didn't hear the screams of the audience across the globe Wednesday night, the women of Friends reunited on Jimmy Kimmel Live in an exact replica of Monica's kitchen to perform a scene from Kimmel's Friends fan-fiction. In the bit,…
Did Tony Soprano Die at the End of 'The Sopranos'? We Finally Have an Answer
By David Levesley
In 2014, as TV fans grow wearier and wearier of the inevitable letdown of series finales, no one was expecting a follow-up on one of 21st century television's most unexpected, ambiguous conclusions: The Sopranos. The 2007 ending cut to black spawned…
This Woman's Slam Poetry Has Gone Unexpectedly and Brilliantly Viral
By David Levesley
Brenna Twohy is a name to remember. Not only did she manage to tear down ideas of sexual commodification in a three-minute video that went viral, but she did so via a slam poem about Harry Potter. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. The viral…
Matt Damon's Unusual Ice Bucket Challenge Takes On the Campaign's Biggest Issue
By David Levesley
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has clogged our newsfeeds for weeks and inspired some vehement debate about its effectiveness and ethicality in the process. Does this awareness campaign really achieve anything? With a massive drought in California, why…
The MPAA Has Some Explaining to Do for This Movie's R-Rating
By David Levesley
Movie ratings are often ridiculous, but this year the MPAA might have gone too far. Love Is Strange, a quiet story about an elderly gay couple who face homelessness, received an R rating. Understandable, if clothed cuddling, conversations between…
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Finally Reunited On Screen
By David Levesley
After months of waiting to see when Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul would reunite post the finale of their show, the duo did so in the sneakiest, most left-field of ways: an Emmys promo comedy sketch.   They appear as Buzz and Randy…
Yes, There Was a Gay Couple in 'The Expendables 3'
By David Levesley
If you didn't go to see The Expendables 3 this weekend, you might have missed out on one of the most interesting gay couples in a blockbuster this year. Even if you did go see it, you may have still missed it. The moment is fairly small but it's…
Jason Reitman's Next Movie Perfectly Captures the Strange Nature of Modern Life
By David Levesley
Without a single line of dialogue, Jason Reitman's new trailer creates one of the most affecting movie previews in recent years. Entirely composed of people's conversations via phone and computer, the new movie by the director of Juno entitled Men,…
The Legendary Voice of 'Saturday Night Live' Has Died
By David Levesley
Don Pardo, one of TV's most identifiable voices, passed away Monday night at the age of 96. Pardo had a six-decade career in television announcing and voice work, with a voice most recognizable for introducing every episode of Saturday Night Live…