Johnson & Johnson and a New War on Consumer Protection

Plus: when Hollywood met China; David Bowie as the alienated artist; and what makes Carlos Alcaraz so good. View in browser | Update your preferences Monday, September 12, 2022 In today’s newsletter, the gaps in product safety, and then: • When Hollywood met China • David Bowie as the alienated artist • What makes Carlos Alcaraz so good Johnson & Johnson and a New War on Consumer Protection The company has spent billions on cases about one of its most popular products. As its executives try a brazen new legal strategy to stop the litigation, corporate America takes note. Illustration by Na Kim Casey Cep has an eye-opening and infuriating new story in this week’s issue about the years of litigation surrounding Johnson & Johnson’s baby and body powders, which until very recently contained talc, a substance that studies have linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women using it for femine hygiene. Tens of thousands of women have filed lawsuits against the company, alleging that its products have caused cancers. Cep explores how Johnson & Johnson is quietly pursuing a bankruptcy loophole known as the Texas two-step to limit its potential multibillion-dollar exposure, why the country’s product-safety apparatus appears to “tolerate greater risks for women than for men,” and why the F.D.A.’s Division of Cosmetics operates with only thirty employees—and a budget that’s a twentieth of what the agency spends regulating food and drugs for pets. —Ian Crouch, newsletter editor Read the story The New Yorker Festival: Tickets are now on sale for our signature event, taking place October 7th through 9th in New York City. See the lineup » From the News Desk The Sporting Scene What Makes Carlos Alcaraz So Good The nineteen-year-old, who just won the U.S. Open and became the No. 1 men’s player in the world, has a whole host of skills. But his speed is essential, and unmatched. By Gerald Marzorati Q. & A. The Fantasy Behind Queen Elizabeth II’s Reign The monarchy presents itself as a “mysterious and magical inheritor of an endless past.” Would Britain be better off without it? By Isaac Chotiner Editor’s Pick A Critic at Large A Portrait of David Bowie as an Alienated Artist The musician was a consummate showman, but “Moonage Daydream,” a new documentary, rarely shows him at play. By Hilton Als Read more: Als’s obituary for Bowie, from 2016. Culture Dept. Sketchbook After the Caldor Wildfire A summer hike through the burn zone of the central Sierra Nevada. By Tucker Nichols Under Review When Hollywood Met China Erich Schwartzel’s “Red Carpet” details the hazardous courtship of American entertainment companies and the Chinese government. By Jane Hu Photo Booth William Klein’s Pictures Will Still Knock You Out Klein, who died on Saturday at ninety-six, had a “tabloid gone berserk” approach to street photography in New York and beyond. By Vince Aletti Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Liz Maynes-Aminzade Daily Shouts For the Underinsured: A Combination Eye-and-Psych Exam Simply take a few moments to answer our prompts, and we can diagnose you as a nearsighted neurotic or an anxious astigmatic. By Dani Alvarez and Al Mullen Crossword A Challenging Puzzle Beauty admirer: eight letters. By Kameron Austin Collins Daily Cartoon Monday, September 12th By Amy Hwang P.S. It was just the second-lowest-grossing weekend of the year at the domestic box office, continuing a summer doldrums at the movies. Back in 2003, during another bad financial run for Hollywood, the filmmaker Noah Baumbach contributed a Shouts & Murmurs piece that imagined a patient talking to his therapist about how underperforming blockbusters such as “The Hulk” had reignited his childhood trauma: “I should’ve seen it. . . . I could’ve saved it.” Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.