Fred Astaire

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Dance Legend Cunningham Dead at 90
 Dance Legend Cunningham 
 Dead at 90 
Obituary

Dance Legend Cunningham Dead at 90

(Newser) - Merce Cunningham, one of the most influential dancers and choreographers of the 20th century, died last night at age 90, the New York Times reports. Hailed as the creator of new classicism, he remained productive to the end; this year saw the premiere of his final work, “Nearly Ninety,...

LA Mayor: Thanks, But We Can Pay for MJ Memorial
 LA Mayor: Thanks, But 
 We Can Pay for MJ Memorial 
JACKSON ROUNDUP

LA Mayor: Thanks, But We Can Pay for MJ Memorial

Mayor calls donation request 'ridiculous'

(Newser) - Imagine the surprise of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa when he returned from vacation to find his proxy asking for donations to fund the Michael Jackson memorial. “This is a world-class city, and we provide fire and police protection, period,” he says. “The idea that we would...

Bio Unmasks Astaire as Racist

Actor wouldn't donate to black workshop

(Newser) - Fred Astaire was a great dancer, but he was also a bit of a bigot. A new bio by Peter Levinson cited by the New York Post includes this anecdote: Solicited for a donation to a program developing young black writers, Astaire responded, “Whatever gave you the impression that...

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