This is a total tangent, but I am amazed by the image at the top of the article. I did not know until today that theatrical sets were ever first designed as models or dioramas, and that one is especially beautiful. I have now embarked on a set design model box research expedition.
I like Jerry Seinfeld’s take on plagiarism in comedy. His point is that whoever writes the funniest joke about a given premise gets the credit. This applies forward as well. As you may come up with a new angle and punchline for a well established premise.
I wrote a fun (to me) take on the good ‘ole horse walks into a bar joke. Here it goes:
It's amazing! Truly someone out of a different age.
https://pca.st/podcast/daa59d90-feeb-0134-ec79-4114446340cb
Harpers: https://harpers.org/2024/07/remembering-lewis-lapham/ Lapham's Quarterly: https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/lewis-h-lapham-1... LitHub: https://lithub.com/on-the-remarkable-legacy-of-lewis-lapham/
> Lewis was fond of saying that “all good editors are pirates”—they steal from everyone
the whole "marketplace of ideas" which has led us into "let us charge money for ideas" is as dumb as bricks
But you have to steal something, themes at least if you want to create a piece in a style.
Trying composing a blues song without any "stealing".
I wrote a fun (to me) take on the good ‘ole horse walks into a bar joke. Here it goes:
Horse walks into a bar.
Bartender says: “Why the long face?”
Horse replies: “I can’t find a stable job.”
…
a thesaurus walks into a bar. a thesaurus strolls into a bar. a thesaurus saunters into a bar...