Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version) 2000
In 2000, artist and provocateur William Pope.L staged an unforgettable endurance performance titled *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)*. For three to four hours each day over five days, Pope.
Director: William Pope.L
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version) (2000) about?
William Pope.L's endurance performance challenges viewers by staging a surreal critique of race, capitalism, and media consumption. Over five days, he sits atop a toilet throne, reading the *Wall Street Journal* while covered in flour, transforming a mundane act into a powerful commentary on whiteness and systemic power.
Who directed Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)?
The film was directed by William Pope.L, the acclaimed interdisciplinary artist known for his boundary-pushing performances and installations that explore race, class, and identity.
Who stars in Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)?
The sole credited performer in *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)* is its director, William Pope.L, whose physical presence drives the entire piece.
Is Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version) (2000) worth watching?
Given its experimental nature and 3-minute runtime, *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)* is less a conventional watch and more a piece of performance art to experience. If you appreciate avant-garde cinema that provokes thought and pushes boundaries, this short film delivers a striking visual and conceptual punch.
How long is Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)?
The runtime of *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)* is 3 minutes.
About Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version) (2000) — The provocative endurance performance that reads between the lines
In 2000, artist and provocateur William Pope.L staged an unforgettable endurance performance titled *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)*. For three to four hours each day over five days, Pope.L sat perched on a towering four-legged throne, his seat fashioned from a toilet bowl, and delved into the pages of the *Wall Street Journal*. Clad in nothing but a jockstrap, his body blanketed in flour to mimic an otherworldly paleness, the performance blurred the lines between endurance art, social commentary, and endurance itself. The stark visual of Pope.L as a gargoyle-like figure atop his throne, consuming both the newspaper and its capitalist symbolism, creates an atmosphere that's at once absurd and deeply unsettling.
The project, a raw critique of racial identity, consumerism, and systemic power structures, immerses viewers in a meditative yet confrontational experience. Through minimalist staging and intense physical presence, Pope.L transforms a simple act—reading a newspaper—into a meditation on visibility, whiteness, and the performative nature of identity in modern society. Whether you view it as activism, endurance art, or a surreal statement on class and race, *Eating the Wall Street Journal (3rd version)* (2000) remains a singular moment in experimental film and performance art.