Yeah Okay. I know this is supposed to only be about contemporary performance and downtown stuff, but since I’m the boss of Culturebot I can write what I want. Plus its Christmas-time and its a slow news day.

I LOVE that TV show Ugly Betty!! There I said it. You can watch all the episodes online here. Start with the pilot!!

First off it looks like it was filmed largely at the advertising agency where I used to work in the Woolworth Building. The space age design, the white & orange color scheme are all exactly the same. So that was pretty neat.

And I just really identified with Betty. It was as if some of the scenes and dialogue came right out of my own life. You wouldn’t think it, would you? But there must be a lot of people who can relate. I guess that’s why the show has been culturally adapted and re-created in dozens of countries.

You can read more about the plot and this production on the abc website and you can read about the history of the original show Yo soy Betty, la fea on wikipedia, which also describes some of the other international versions.

I suppose there is something to be said about popular narrative and storytelling as it moves across cultures. Something we can look at as creators and artmakers, something to learn from. I mean, here is something that is truly international and, in many ways, universal.

Whatevs. Happy Xmas.