newsmakers

newsmakers

Picassos among pieces going on view in Ohio

COLUMBUS

When retail mogul Leslie Wexner peers at one of the Picassos, Dubuffets or Giacomettis in the personal art collection he and his wife, Abigail, have amassed over the years, he feels a range of emotions that often include gratitude, defeat and exhilaration.

“I find it inspiring in a way — that tangible creativity you find in painting or performance,” says the philanthropist and chairman of L Brands, the company behind Victoria’s Secret, Limited and Henri Bendel.

Art lovers will get an opportunity to experience their own emotional responses to the Wexners’ rarely seen collection beginning Sunday, when 60 of their paintings and sculptures spanning the 19th through 21st centuries go on public display. “Transfigurations” runs through Dec. 31 at the Wexner Center for the Arts, on the campus of Ohio State University.

The exhibit marks the 25th anniversary of the center, named for Wexner’s father.

Fallon to pay up, take show to Chicago

CHICAGO

“Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon says he’ll keep his word to take his show to Chicago, thanks to local students making good on their promise to read millions of words this summer.

Fallon announced Thursday on his late-night NBC show that he would make good on his deal with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to host the show from Chicago if the city’s public-school students read 2.4 million books over the summer. The students did even better, according to the mayor, by reading 2.7 million books as part of his Readers Summer Learning Challenge.

The handshake wager was made in June, when Emanuel appeared on Fallon’s show in return for Fallon’s jumping into frigid Lake Michigan with the mayor in March during Chicago’s Polar Plunge. The comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” star took the chilly dip dressed in a business suit.

On Thursday, Fallon didn’t specify when he would host his show from Chicago, but he joked of having to pay up on Emanuel’s “friendly bet with me.”

“So congratulations Chicago, you’ve got some smart kids. You won the bet. We will be coming to Chicago,” Fallon told his television audience. “We’ve just got to figure out how to get everyone there. We have, like, 200 something people that have to go with us. So Rahm, if you’ve got room in your house, we’ll come and hang with you.”

Emanuel didn’t seem opposed to the idea.

“Excited to welcome @JimmyFallon to Chicago to celebrate 2.7 million books read by our kids,” Emanuel tweeted Thursday night. “Yes, Jimmy, you can stay at my house.SDRq

Associated Press