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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

Eli Cugini

Arts And Culture

Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory

Elon Green is the author of The Man Nobody Killed and Last Call.

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Elon Green

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Michael Connelly Should Stick To Fake Crime

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David Roth

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Tom Ley

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We Live In The Bone Temple Now

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James Webster

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Elisa Shua Dusapin Is The Real Deal

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

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Nicholas Russell

Interviews

Natan Last Has Thought A Lot About Crosswords

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Barry Petchesky

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Music

‘The Disintegration Loops’ Are Music’s Loveliest Death

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Israel Daramola

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‘Industry’ Is As Beautifully Dumb As Ever

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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

A self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci in which he looks displeased, perhaps making the face he would make if he learned that scientists were trying to grind up some ancient hair to unlock a supervision gene

Self-Portrait

Leonardo da Vinci’s Legacy Won’t Be Found In His DNA

E.Y. Zhao is a writer and editor from St. Louis. Her debut novel, <a href="https://astrapublishinghouse.com/product/underspin-9781662603266/">Underspin</a>, set in the world of competitive table tennis, is out now. She holds a BA in history from Harvard College and an MFA from the University of Michigan.

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E.Y. Zhao

Marty

‘Marty Supreme’ Bears Us Into The New World

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Defector Staff

Yawning Puppy on Bookshelf

Year In Review

The Best Things We Read In 2025

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Kelsey McKinney

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Brandy Jensen

Heated Rivalry – Episode 104

Some Thoughts On ‘Heated Rivalry,’ Including But Not Limited To: Ahhhh, Mmmm, And [Crying Emoji]

Eva Holland is a freelance writer and editor based in Whitehorse, Yukon. She&#8217;s a correspondent for Outside magazine and the author of the books Nerve and <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/no-sleep-til-fairbanks#/">No Sleep &#8216;Til Fairbanks</a>.

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Eva Holland

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‘Heated Rivalry’ Is Bringing Me Back To Hockey

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The 2025 Hate List

Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931) experimenting with the first motion picture machine. B/W photo,1905.

Thomas Edison with the First Film Projector

The Best Things We Saw In 2025

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Ray Ratto

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Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘Merv’

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Lauren Theisen

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“West Side Story” Broadway Opening Night

The Best And The Most Of My 2025 In Theater

Visual Editor. Currently on medical leave.

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Dan McQuade

Corporate office, maybe mid-2010s style. Two women are walking in the background, and in front of them is a digital display about Charlie Duncan, case number 1016897, and how she's rude, deceptive, and a general menace.

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Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘She’s Making A List’

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American director, producer, and actor Rob Reiner gestures near a camera while crew members surround him outdoors on the set of his film, 'North.'

Rob Reiner Directs

Defector’s Favorite Rob Reiner Credits

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Dan Schindel

Protest Against the World Trade Organization

Filmmaker Ian Bell On ‘WTO/99’ And The Legacy Of The Battle In Seattle

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Defector At The Movies

Everything I Remember About ‘Ella McCay’

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Kathryn Xu

Daniel Craig as the detective Benoit Blanc in a still from 'Wake Up Dead Man'

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‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Defines Justice Differently

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Becca Young

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour – Sydney, Australia

Maggie Nelson Sputters And Stalls In ‘The Slicks’

Giggs And Diddy Perform At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire In A Special One Night Only Event

Somewhere Between Pettiness And Journalism Lies Netflix’s Diddy Documentary

Normal Gossip: portraits

Alex Sujong Laughlin

a photo of a woman dressed in drag as Santa Claus holding a flaming shot glass looking at a blurry man

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Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘My Secret Santa’