Excuse me, gentlemen. I know a little bit about this sport ball of which you speak.

I'm Antelod Duckworth.

I'm Stephen Dubner. And you're listening to no stupid questions.

Today on the show, what makes art highbrow or lowbrow?

The vase with flowers is art. The portrait of this young woman is art.

But what the hell is that blotch of red?

Stephen, we have an email from an Anya Levittoff.

Okay.

Dear Angela and Stephen, why is it that in the US for a writer, a journalist, a university

professor or any other person of high standing in academia, it is okay to say, quote, I don't

understand and don't like opera while in other places, Russia, France, Italy, etc.

That would be interpreted as a sign of ignorance.

And it would be quite an unacceptable statement for a public intellectual and not just opera

appreciating most forms of art, ballet, classical and jazz music, theater, independent cinema,

is a basic requirement for being an intellectual.

It would also not be considered acceptable to say that one loves junk food or read vampire

novels. Parentheses, please send Stephen Levitt my regards.

We should say Steve Levitt is an avowed fan of vampire.

What were those famous books called?

Oh, Twilight.

Twilight, there you go. You love them as well, right?

I didn't know Levitt loved Twilight.

...