In the 11 years since the NEA Four were defunded, performance artists have shown a decided aversion to explicit sex and politics. The generation of performers that emerged in the '90s were mostly offbeat actors with personal stories to tell (Lisa Kron), original characters to channel (Sarah Jones), or pop culture to recontextualize (Mike Albo). The paradigm shift didn't come just because everyone was worried about the government, either—the fact was, you couldn't get much more outrageous than wedging yams into your butt and howling obscenities. Even Karen Finley knew that, or she'd... More >>>