W42ST Daily 5/09/2020

I have long held the belief that one of the modern world’s greatest injustices – a societal failure so great, I fear it may be responsible for the moral decline in children today – has been the unfair and disproportionate exultation of the unicorn. 

The mythical horse-like animal with a horn that could turn poisonous water potable, and that could only be tamed by a virgin woman (I mean, come on) has become so popular in recent years, there is literally NOTHING you can’t find that doesn’t feature the creature. 

It even starred in a commercial for a Squatty Potty, depositing rainbow poop into ice-cream cones. Seriously!

OK, I know the unicorn trend isn’t exactly new. If they’d had cupcakes and quilt covers and iPhone cases in the Middle Ages, they’d have totally been covered with unicorns too. In the absence of that, they made tapestries.

But the reign of the unicorn may finally be over, evidenced by a 1,000%+ increase year on year of Pinterest searches for … llama decor.

Bear with me on this. Who doesn’t love a llama. They’re cute and soft and fluffy, with floppy ears and lashes to die for. And they actually exist. I like to think I was ahead of the trend, hanging out on a llama farm in Scotland last summer. But now Chrissy Teigen is on to it, everyone’s going bananas for llamas. 

And when the news broke this week that the animal (specifically, a four-year-old, chocolate-colored beauty called Winter) could hold the key to curing coronavirus, their sovereignty was assured. Llama antibodies have also been used in research for HIV and influenza cures. 

It’s early days, but it’s believed that injecting health workers with llama antibodies could provide temporary protection against the disease. 

I rest my case Long live the llama.


DISHING IT UP DAILY
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KEEP THE MASKIES COMING
Thanks to all those who posted photographs of your “maskies.” Here are some of our favorites. But the show ain’t over until … I decide. So keep those pics coming. Post an Instagram selfie with you and your most “fashion” mask. Extra points for pimping it up. Get creative. Don’t forget the #W42ST hashtag.


NEW YORK STORIES
Not everyone is fully equipped for the work-at-home challenge. Sure, at the start, it seemed like fun to work from our beds, sofas, and studio apartments, but now that we’ve fully settled in to our own routines, it’s becoming painfully obvious that some set-ups just aren’t sustainable for this long haul we’re already in. Patrick J Hamilton gets it all out on the table … even if you don’t have one. Read all about it at w42st.com.


DO THESE THINGS
See Sarah Brightman
The Phantom singer is streaming her 1997 concert at the Royal Albert Hall tonight, with appearances from Andrea Bocelli and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Hit the high notes here.

Learn the history of The Met
This 2017 documentary about the construction of The Metropolitan Opera House streams tonight. It’s a chance to get your eyes on some rarely seen footage, and hear from notable figures from the project, including Robert Moses, the city planner who bulldozed an entire neighborhood to make room for Lincoln Center. Stream here.

This one’s for the moms
Tomorrow, 54 Below brings together leading ladies from the worlds of Broadway and cabaret, sharing the virtual stage – and screen – with their children and their own moms. This virtual version revisits the venue’s very first Mother’s Day concert from 2015 – with some added new home video updates. Watch here.

Storytelling across generations
The first annual World Mother Live event, a global initiative that teaches us to listen to and tell our mothers’ stories, is streaming from The Town Hall tomorrow. And, at a time when many of us can’t be physically with our moms right now, this will be a special way to help connect us all. Be part of it here.

Broadway babies
This is how the Great White Way does Mother’s Day. It gathers together stars like Bernadette Peters, LaChanze, Laura Benanti, Betty Buckley, Harvey Fierstein, and many more – with their mothers and children – to celebrate family, and to raise money for The Actors Fund. Tune in here tomorrow.

Cry with Judith Jamieson
In 1971, Alvin Ailey choreographed the legendary Judith Jamieson in Cry, as a gift for his mother. He dedicated it to “all black women everywhere – especially our mothers.” This is another chance to see the performance, which was filmed for The New York Public Library’s archives, but it has never been shown online before now. It will be available until Thursday. Watch here. 


NAME GAME
We’re going off-piste with this one today. Tell me your name, and send me a gif of how you’ll be spending your weekend. I’ll start. Hi everyone, I’m Ruth, and this is actual footage of my Saturday. 

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