Chron Art Critic Douglas Britt's Very Odd Meth-Filled, "I'm a Hooker" Blog: Bad Performance Art Or Sign of a Personal Crisis?
For people not involved or interested in Houston's art scene, Houston Chronicle critic Douglas Britt first drew attention with a 1,400-word screed telling PR people how to send pitches to him.
Is it art?
Now, he's either desperate for attention or going off the deep end.
In what is either a (very tedious) attempt at prankish Art Guys-type performance art or evidence he's having some real problems, he's put up a blog featuring long video rants about how he's planning to take what might be a meth-fueled road trip, and about his days as an escort, showing off his S&M bruises, etc., etc.
Here's one:
Britt, who goes by Devon Britt-Darby on the blog, has shown some tendency to go the performance-art route. In reaction to the Art Guys' marrying plants, Britt announced he was marrying a straight woman even though he's gay, and he went through with it.
There are people in the local art scene who think the whole thing is not some sort of put-on, but we have our doubts.
We called his Chronicle editor, Melissa Aguilar, and contacted Chron editor Jeff Cohen to ask about the situation, but have not heard back from either.
We e-mailed Britt, who said he could not elaborate much beyond answering "yes and yes" to our questions about whether he was still employed by the Chron and whether the blog was performance art.
Twenty minutes later, he added: "Just got word that I've been let go but am welcome to apply for an open position upon my return."
UPDATE: Britt wants to make it clear he's not using meth now and doesn't plan to in the future. "To reiterate for the record, I am adamant about the fact that I am not on meth and will not do it on this trip, the purpose of which is to retrace a journey I made seven years ago while absolutely on meth," he says. "Being on meth during this trip would defeat its purpose."
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