MacArthur Foundation reveals ‘genius grants’: List of 23 winners include David Simon, creator of the HBO series ‘The Wire’

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“It makes it easier to go into the room with the network and argue against doing the usual thing in television,” Simon said. His next pitch? The history of the CIA since World War II and a housing desegregation fight in the New York town of Yonkers are two subjects inspiring him now. “Not all these things have the best possible commercial outlook,” [David Simon] said.

MacArthur winners don’t need to tell anyone how they’ll spend the grant money. There are no reporting requirements.

“We could spend it all on cake,” joked theater director David Cromer, one of this year’s recipients. Cromer, known for staging American classics like “Our Town,” said he wasn’t ready to discuss what he may attempt with the grant’s support. But he has some non-cake ideas.

As Omar says, “It ain’t what you takin’, it’s who you takin’ from…. How you expect to run with the wolves come night when you spend all day sparring with the puppies?”

Automatic Omar quote reblog