Scene And Heard

1. Better Late Than Never
In response to a public demand, inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, the state of Mississippi ratified the 13th amendment this week, which abolished slavery in 1865. One hundred and forty eight years late to the punch, Mississippi officials blame a clerical error for it not getting ratified in 1995, in response to a similar public push. The state of Mississippi has thus expanded the paradigm of arriving at the party fashionably late.

2. Conan Conquest
It was announced that late night personality Conan O’Brien will host this year’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner on April 27. The annual event gives Washington journalists and President Barack Obama the opportunity to exchange jokes, jabs, and otherwise mingle with each other. O’Brien hosted the event once before in 1995 when Bill Clinton was the guest of honor. Conan airs Thursday at 11 p.m. on TBS.


3. Bonnaroo 2013 Lineup
On Tuesday, the line-up for the 2013 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was announced. The annual festival takes place in Manchester, TN, and will span four days this year, June 13 to 16. Headlining the event are Paul McCartney, Mumford & Sons, and Tom Petty, and the Heartbreakers, along with featured performers including R. Kelly, the Wu-Tang Clan, Wilco, Bjork, the National, the Lumineers, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Grizzly Bear, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.


4. Changing Tides
After winning two out of five of his Grammy nominations, Frank Ocean announced he is working on a new album that he described as “bordering on a concept record.” Ocean says that the new work is partially inspired by “Golden Girl,” the last track on Channel Orange which is setting the tone for the new record. The announcement follows Ocean’s suggestion a few months ago that he might not record a follow-up album at all. Clearly, the tides have turned for Ocean.


5. Lawrence Love
Fresh off the critical and commercial success of Silver Linings Playbook (and potential Oscar wins come Sunday), director David O. Russell has again cast Jennifer Lawrence in a movie: The Ends of the Earth, the story of an oil tycoon who gets caught up in an affair with his own adopted daughter. The movie will actually mark the third Lawrence-Russell collaboration: the two will soon begin shooting an untitled project about a controversial FBI sting operation in the 1970s.