I’ve been digesting the new look of The Gambit trying to think of what to say because I like everybody I know over there … but I’m stuck. I’d like to be kind, but that’s a busy, busy look at a time when people are simplifying. Even CNN has cleaned up its screen. All that texture (often on texture) and all those little black boxes – yikes. 

In terms of content, it’s nice to see Alison Fensterstock’s space become her own, and I’m sorrier to see movie, art and theater reviews become smaller, boxed items than I am to see those art columnists lose their columns. It’s not a comment on Rick Barton, Dalt Wonk or Eric Bookhardt (who edited the first OffBeat and wrote much of the early issues), but when the alt-weekly’s film and art critics have held their posts longer than The Times-Picayune‘s have, it’s hard to be very alternative. Still, I see Eric and Dalt contributed to the new issue. But it’s sad when arts reviews are shortened to a need-to-know basis.