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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Claire Fishman

Claire Fishman, Arts Editor

Claire is a junior studying English Literature in CAS. After a 10-year stint as a concert cellist, she now spends most of her time writing funny little stories and very not-funny, very serious poetry. She has roots in San Diego, Dallas and Stockholm, but please do not ask her where she’s from. (It’s a very boring story; you wouldn’t enjoy it.) If you happen to see her ugly mug on the street, be sure to tap her on the shoulder and run away. If she doesn’t catch you, it’s good luck for the rest of the semester. Bon chance.

All content by Claire Fishman
Does My Breakdown Need a Doctor’s Note?

Does My Breakdown Need a Doctor’s Note?

At a school where absences are rarely excused, it becomes hard to know when we’ve reached our breaking point.
Claire Fishman, Arts Editor November 18, 2019

One recent Sunday morning, I awoke to a queasiness in my stomach that, within minutes, prompted me to stumble out of bed and onto my knees in front of my toilet. I was violently...

The Scandinavian Scholar Fighting for Planet Earth

The Scandinavian Scholar Fighting for Planet Earth

From music festivals to museum to J-PopCon, Louise Lessél uses her creative technology expertise and numerous media degrees to create art and experiences. Now, as a master’s student at ITP, she reflects on her educational career and her aspirations to spread awareness of overlooked issues.
Claire Fishman, Arts Editor October 14, 2019

Louise Lessél looks like she wandered off the page of a Scandinavian lifestyle magazine. Freckled and fair, she meets me in clean, white clothes. As we shake hands, I mention...

(via YouTube)

Staff Recs: Pretentious Films to Impress Your Fake Friends

Need to sound like you know about movies? Here are a few of our go-tos.

Your friends told you to watch it. It was on your Amazon recommended list. And now the Arts Desk of WSN, a group of complete strangers, is going to reinforce everything that they’ve...

Larry David at a film festival in 2009. (Via Wikimedia)

Unpopular Opinions: Unconventionally Hot Girl Summer

The Arts Desk weighs in on some underrated hotties in the entertainment industry.

Hot Girl Summer is ending and with so many unconventionally attractive additions to the Hot Girl Summer canon (Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Beto O’Rourke), we at the Arts Desk thought...

Tyler Cooperman sits on a custom painted Patrick Church couch in his exhibition at 117 Beekman. (Staff Photo by Claire Fishman)

Art Business ‘Takes a Village’; Meet its Mayor, Tyler Cooperman

A day in the life of 2018 grad Tyler Cooperman: artist representative, curator and secret finance bro.
Claire Fishman, Arts Editor September 3, 2019

It is a Friday afternoon in the Financial District. The sun beats down at 86 degrees even though the forecast promised a more mild afternoon. On Beekman Street, Tyler Cooperman...

The facade of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of New York’s must-see art destinations. (Photo via Flickr)

The New York City Art Scene: An Introduction

With so much wonderful art in New York City at our fingertips, it’s hard to know where to start. Here are a few helpful suggestions.
Claire Fishman, Arts Editor August 24, 2019

The New York City visual art scene is a daunting one. With so many distinguished museums, galleries and pop-up exhibits, it’s nearly impossible to decide how to spend your weekend....

Student cinematographer, Jason S Lee is a junior at Tisch. (Staff Photo by Alina Patrick)

How a Tisch Junior Ended up Shooting for Chanel

Meet Jason Lee, the Korean international student who networked his way into shooting magazine editorials.
Claire Fishman, Film & TV Editor April 22, 2019

Jason S. Lee likes to say that he’s lucky. After only a year of handling a camera, he won a Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Award at 16. Only a few months later, Lee’s...

A poster for the Lizzie McGuire Movie. (via wikimedia commons)

Staff Recs: Best Disney Channel Original Movies

We’ve talked about some of our favorite childhood Disney series, but let’s not forget how one of our favorite channels was churning out classic T.V. movies at this time as well.
We’ve talked about some of our favorite childhood Disney series, but let’s not forget how one of our favorite channels was churning out classic T.V. movies at this time as well.
How Football Is Keeping Women From the Boardroom

How Football Is Keeping Women From the Boardroom

Sorry, Sheryl Sandberg. I tried to lean in, but tipped over a goal post.
Claire Fishman, Film and TV Editor March 6, 2019

There’s a very peculiar phenomenon in the American workplace. The movies brush over it and the employee handbooks never mention it, but somehow it always manifests itself in...

Ellen DeGeneres hosted the 86th oscars. (via Youtube)

Unpopular Opinions: Oscar Hosts

The Arts Desk is tired of giving hot takes on snubs and surprises and have decided to critique a different aspect of awards shows: the hosts!

Well, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to forgo a host for this year’s Oscars, so what better way to ignore such a boring move than to celebrate the art...

Arthur (Vincent Lacoste) dances with Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps) after coming to Paris to comfort him during his treatment. (Courtesy of Plaire Aimer et Courir)

‘Sorry Angel’ Unveils the Highs and Lows of Queer Love

The French drama offers an unforgivably beautiful portrait of a gay love affair at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
Claire Fishman, Film and TV Editor February 19, 2019

A young man from the Brittany region of France, Arthur (Vincent Lacoste), and a 40-something-year-old writer, Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps), meet by chance in a cinema, sneaking...

Unpopular Opinions: Romantic Comedy Protagonists

Unpopular Opinions: Romantic Comedy Protagonists

Valentine's Day is coming up and the Arts Desk cannot wait! Thus, they’ve decided to critically analyze rom-coms in anticipation of the big day.

People generally tend to fall on two extremes with romantic comedies: they either desperately want to love them or they consider the plots just too cheesy to be appreciated. A...

Promotional poster for the Netflix series "Sex Education." (via Netflix)

‘Sex Education’ Should Replace Sex Education

Netflix’s “Sex Education” could be described as “The Inbetweeners” meets “Glee.”
Claire Fishman, Film & TV Editor February 7, 2019

I am typically quite cautious about seeing television written by adults with the intention of teaching teenagers a lesson. Frankly, after I read the synopsis of “Sex Education,”...

Danny DeVito in M&M's Super Bowl commercial. (via Facebook)

Unpopular Opinions: Super Bowl Commercials

In which the Arts Desk gives hot takes on what is the most important of the big game, anyway.

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched TV broadcasts every year, but there is more than one reason hordes of fans tune in to watch teams lose to the Patriots year after year....

(Illustration by Sophia Di Iorio)

How to Win an Oscar in 2019

A satirical guide of how to potentially win big at the 91st Academy Awards.
Claire Fishman, Film Editor January 28, 2019

Pick a subject. No, not that one. Pick a subject you’re not supposed to talk about at the Thanksgiving table. Think racism (“Blackkklansman”), politics (“Vice”) or gay...

The poster for "We Need This Musical To Stop Us From Killing Ourselves: The Musical!" The show is a raunchy, comedic take on weighty issues like suicide, self-worth and failure. (via facebook.com)

Do We Need This Musical To Stop Us From Killing Ourselves?

Claire Fishman, Staff Writer November 30, 2018
Writers Glasgow Lyman and Jeff Rosick debut their new musical “We Need This Musical to Stop Us From Killing Ourselves: The Musical!” at SoHo Playhouse.
Photo via Facebook, Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez

To Boycott or Not to Boycott: Jan Fabre’s ‘Mount Olympus’

Is art made by bad people still worth our time?
Claire Fishman, Staff Writer November 12, 2018
Is art made by bad people still worth our time?
NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

The Realities Behind Working on Set in Tisch

First-hand accounts from Tisch Film & TV students about their experiences as production assistants on set and how they’re preparing for their future careers.
Claire Fishman, Contributing Writer October 30, 2018

The Tisch School of the Arts is sometimes fascinating and sometimes bizarre. While the school is made up of a variety of majors covering different forms of art, one of its most...

luciana achugar from the interactive dance performance "Brujx." (Courtesy of NYU Skirball)

‘Brujx’ and the Excruciating Monotony of Labor

Karl Marx Festival "Brujx" dance performance reflects on the labor that goes into theater from both the audience and performers.
Claire Fishman October 22, 2018

Friday night, in the foyer of Skirball, Luciana Achugar greeted her audience nervously; Achugar doesn’t normally give speeches before her performances. “I went back and...

The South Park title-card since season 17. (Wikimedia)

‘South Park’ Takes Pride in Being Canceled for a 22nd Season

'South Park' is still the unabashedly raunchy and provocative series we all know and love (and fear).
Claire Fishman October 15, 2018

Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s “South Park” comes back for a 22nd season this year after an ingenious ad campaign called #cancelsouthpark was made to mock organizations that...

Tayari Jones (Left) and Darin Strauss (Right) engaged in discussion. (Photo by Claire Fishman)

‘An American Marriage’ and a Distinctly American Writer

Claire Fishman, Contributing Writer October 9, 2018
Acclaimed novelist Tayari Jones visited the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House to discuss her new book "An American Marriage" and her writing process.
A scene from the 6 hour play Analogy Trilogy.

A Jewish Nurse, a Gay Man and a Wealthy Heir Walk into Skirball

Claire Fishman, Contributing Writer September 25, 2018
Dramatist Bill T. Jones six-hour "Analogy Trilogy" took place at NYU’s Skirball Center last Saturday, consisting of scenes that included a psychiatric ward, a Jewish internment camp, and an American prison.