Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

In this week's summery issue of New York, Boris Kachka profiles Sam Shepard, whose Kicking a Dead Horse premieres at the Public Theater, and discovers a man who's becoming more and more like his hero Samuel Beckett, right down to the crags in his forehead. Another artist easing gently into his later years: Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who's become a director with Gunnin' For That #1 Spot. There's plenty more hip-hop in this week's issue, too, with intriguingly paired profiles of Nas and Gil Scott-Heron. The co-star of this summer's The Wackness, Olivia Thirlby, talks about why directors always want her to get stoned, and Alex McCord of The Real Housewives of New York talks about how much she likes herself. The death of George Carlin makes our timeline of televised profanity even more relevant, and the art world is cursing about Christie's moving into the gallery business. David Edelstein praises Wanted's "irresistible summer-movie allure," and Jeremy McCarter wishes that Hamlet in the Park found a little more of Shakespeare's humor. And Romany Malco is proud, very proud, of his post-hockey booty.

Photo: Aharon Rothschild/Metro New York/Courtesy of Creative Time

In this week's issue, New York's classical music and architecture critic, Justin Davidson, reviews a work that's right in his wheelhouse(s): the Battery Maritime Building, where David Byrne has rigged up a building-size musical instrument for visitors to play. Architecture is classical music! Meanwhile, Jerry Saltz reviews David Altmejd's installation at Andrea Rosen Gallery, noting that the large sculptural figures have a lot going on — and when they fail, they fail spectacularly. John Leonard revisits the seventies in his review of CBS' Swingtown. And David Edelstein raves The Go-Getter and Operation Filmmaker.

Speaking of critics, Harvey Fierstein has a problem with them — he thinks they're ruining theater. Santogold's critics have mostly been nice to her, but she's got a problem with the press anyway: “I’ve been watching people clamber over themselves to try to place some sort of label on me.” Danny Elfman annotates his score to Twyla Tharp's new ballet Rabbit and Rogue, in which he creates the kinds of moments they never let you write in film scores. And Emma Rosenblum inexpertly (but hilariously) diagnoses the crazy ladies of reality TV, using DVR and the DSM-IV.

Illustration by John Gall and Ned Drew; Photo: Joan Marcus

Meanwhile, Mates of State are rockers who are so nice they're almost annoying. City of Thieves author David Benioff talks Hollywood, suggesting Peter Weir to direct the adaptation. Parvez Sharma, director of the gay-Islam documentary A Jihad for Love, has smuggled tapes into Iran. Laura Dern caked on the makeup to play Katherine Harris in Recount. And we ask the Sanrio corporation how they feel about artist Tom Sachs's basically claiming that Hello Kitty is in the public domain. Finally, who will win the Best Actress in a Musical Tony? Patti, Patti, Patti!