Cannes, Camus, and Catherine O'Hara's Short-lived 'SNL' Stint

A brief introduction to Cannes

Cannes is a city on the French Riviera. The town was first settled in the 2nd century BCE but didn't earn a variation of its name—Canua, believed to be derived from the word for "reed"—until the 10th century.
 

Cannes is the site of the Cannes Film Festival, which is seen as a testing ground for success in Hollywood and at the Academy Awards. Throughout its seven decades, the festival's top honor, the Palme d'Or, has also been awarded to iconic directors like Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, and Martin Scorsese. This year's festival includes several buzzy films looking to make a splash, as well as a celebration of past Cannes hits. (See a preview of this year's festival.)
 

Although Cannes is primarily known as a celebrity destination, it offers plenty beyond awards season, including stunning beaches, the mysterious history of Sainte-Marguerite, and a monastery that doubles as a winery.

... Explore everything else we learned about Cannes.

Also, check out ... 

> A digital walking tour of the city. (Watch)

> The nine directors who have won Cannes' top prize more than once. (Read)

> How international politics impacted the first Cannes Film Festival. (Read)

> Why Cannes hotels hire hawks to protect celebrities. (Read)

In partnership with Shopify

89% of US Founders Would Do It All Again

The conventional wisdom on entrepreneurship is shifting. Research from Shopify across five markets finds that the vast majority of founders would start their businesses again in 2026. In the US, that number is 89%.

39% of US founders say running a business feels more financially secure than a traditional job—more than double those who say the opposite. In four of five markets, founders also report running a business requires less day-to-day effort than a 9-5 job.

What does it look like in practice? Garrett Gosselin left a career as a sommelier when the pandemic impacted the hospitality industry. He built CRBN Pickleball from a lockdown discovery to eight figures in revenue, then survived an overnight paddle ban that threatened everything. Read the full story on In Stock.

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Albert Camus, 101

Albert Camus was an Algerian-born French writer known for his philosophical novels and essays. He was born into poverty in 1913 and, despite an ongoing struggle with tuberculosis, earned a degree and pursued a career in journalism. His novels—"The Stranger," "The Plague," and "The Fall"—were popular upon release and were cast as reactions to the horrors of World War II.
 

Camus is often associated with the philosophy of existentialism, though he distanced himself from the term, preferring "absurdism," a concept he explored in his book "The Myth of Sisyphus."
 

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1957, making him one of the prize's youngest recipients, and died a little more than two years later. Camus remains a popular writer today, widely taught in both high schools and colleges.

... Explore everything else we learned about Albert Camus.

Also, check out ... 

> Camus' heartwarming letter to an inspirational teacher. (Read)

> Watch Camus briefly reflect on playing soccer goalie as a student. (Watch)

> The 2015 Algerian writer who reimagined "The Stranger." (Read)

> Why Camus' books are largely ignored in Algerian schools. (Read)

The beginner's guide to Eurovision

Eurovision, officially known as the Eurovision Song Contest, is an annual competition between musical acts representing participating countries. On the Eurovision stage, acts perform short, original songs, which are then voted on by music industry professionals, fellow performers, and viewers. (See a list of Eurovision's best songs.)

The event was created by the European Broadcasting Union, a collective of public broadcasters, in 1956 as an experiment in live, simultaneous transnational broadcasting and an attempt to unify postwar Europe. Since then, it has moved to include some countries from outside Europe. Throughout its history, the event has launched the international careers of several artists, including ABBA, which represented Sweden in 1974, and Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland in 1988. 
 

Although Eurovision aims to be nonpolitical, critics have noted that its voting habits and performances still sometimes mirror the realities of European and global politics. That hasn't stopped it from being a popular event, with the 2025 event reaching an estimated 166 million viewers. The grand finale broadcast begins at 3 pm ET on the contest's YouTube channel.

... Explore everything else we learned about Eurovision.

Also, check out ... 

> Why most Eurovision contestants sing in English. (Listen)

> The story behind the Soviet Union's Cold War Eurovision clone. (Read)

> The complex production machine behind the contest. (Watch)

> "Riverdance" exploded after being featured on a Eurovision broadcast. (Watch)

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

> Bad, Bad, You Know It

RogerEbert.com | Robert Daniels. "Michael," the biopic about Michael Jackson, has been wildly successful at the box office despite criticism that it glosses over sexual assault allegations against the late star. This incisive review suggests that omission renders the film more of a playlist than a biography. (Read)

> The Ethiopian Running Secret

Aeon | Michael Crawley and Geoff Burns. Ethiopia is one of several East African nations that dominate marathons worldwide. Crawley, an anthropologist, and Burns, a sports physiologist, argue that this is due to runners' reliance on intuitive, community-focused training methods. (Read | More on The Marathon)

> The Use and Abuse of Joan Didion

The Hedgehog Review | Henry Reichman. The American writer has become the avatar for a certain strain of literary cool, something Reichman says minimizes her actual writing. It makes for an interesting, against-the-grain analysis that would make Didion proud. (Read | More on New Journalism)

> Kids These Days

JSTOR Daily | Livia Gershon. Generational anxiety may be rampant, but it's nothing new. This brief article highlights a 1920s rural community concerned with the impact of city life on its impressionable teenagers. (Read)

> I Want To Live Like Costco People

Taste | Jordan Michelman. The superstore chain is not just popular, counting an estimated 30% of American adults as members, but it's also a lifestyle, something Michelman reluctantly (and then enthusiastically) learns to embrace. (Read)

In partnership with Shopify

Lost His Job. Built an Eight-Figure Brand.

Garrett Gosselin was a sommelier when the pandemic shut down the industry. He discovered pickleball during lockdown, and when his paddles broke after months of competitive play, he decided to build better ones. Eighteen months in, USA Pickleball banned their paddles mid-tournament with thousands already in circulation. 

The full account of how they survived is on In Stock, Shopify's newsletter about entrepreneurship. Subscribe to In Stock for more stories like Gosselin’s.

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Best of the Week

We curate hundreds of resources into 1440 Topics each week. Here are some of our favorites from the world of society and culture.

> The novel "Mrs. Dalloway" celebrates more than a century of beautiful covers.

> Why Catherine O'Hara left "SNL" after just one week.

> How the Vietnam War shaped rock 'n' roll.

> George Orwell may be known for "Animal Farm" and "1984," but his success began with journalism.

> Nearly 60 years ago, Bob Dylan and John Lennon had a legendarily odd conversation.

> Public access allowed American TV to get weird in the 1980s.

> Many of the biggest names in midcentury design also made children's books.

> Alfred Hitchcock on how editing makes a scene.

> Archaeologists discovered "The Iliad" in the tomb of an Egyptian mummy.

> How spaghetti westerns earned their name.

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