John Powers

Several recent DVD releases feature great black entertainers of the 20th century. For classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz, his favorites feature the great tap dance team of Harold and Fayard Nicholas.

In several ways, the age of "infotainment" is foretold in Good Night, and Good Luck, set in the 1950s. The film tells of newsman Edward R. Murrow's fight against Sen. Joe McCarthy -- but it also details "the inherent debasement of mass news in a commercial culture."

Critic-at-large John Powers comments on the history of roles for offbeat women in Hollywood. Powers recently saw the hit film The 40-Year-Old Virgin and got to thinking about the actress Catherine Keener, who co-stars.

While Harry Potter has grown to become a huge a marketing event, the book series is still, at its heart, a literary event. Critic-at-large John Powers considers kids today lucky to have that experience. He compares it to his experiences purchasing and reading the Hardy Boys mysteries as a child.

Critic-at-large John Powers reflects on the end of the Michael Jackson child molestation trial.

Critic-at-large John Powers considers March Madness and the NCAA tournament.

Critic at large John Powers on CBS anchorman Dan Rather, whose last broadcast from the anchor chair is Wednesday, March 9.

John Powers comments on the rise of political Web logs.

Critic John Powers reflects upon recent media attention on former presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.

Critic-at-large John Powers considers the network news and the new documentary The Control Room.