That's Entertainment

Created by keen intelligence and mere cleverness, serving up profundity and fluff, subtle, crass, probing, cheap, unforgettable, utterly ephemeral, built on illusions that take hold as powerfully as that most real of real-life dramas, the dream: that's the world of entertainment. This world, embracing the stage as well as both screens (TV, film), can be irresistible--or, as actor Josh Radnor '96 puts it, "inevitable." Radnor is one of many Kenyon alumni who have carved out roles for themselves in show business. They are not only actors but also writers, producers, programming executives, financiers, distributors, talent agents, and set decorators. They've worked with Martin Scorcese, and they've worked with Salem the talking cat. Most impressive, perhaps, in this competitive, fickle, trend-devouring world, they've worked.

We all know that Kenyon produced Paul Newman '49 and Allison Janney '82. Here are a few stories of other alumni in the entertainment field who have not only worked but also achieved remarkable success. There are many other such stories, more than we have room for here. And these are only glimpses, really. But we hope they reveal something of the ups, downs, and wild curves of the entertainment world, and something of the creative spirit that compels people to take the ride. Talking with these alumni, we heard a lot about power and powerlessness, about money and pressure. But mostly we heard about passion and creativity.

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