Ellen Barry, relocating from Moscow to Delhi for the New York Times, bids farewell to Russia with an incredible account of the claqueurs, the secretive middle-aged gang that runs the professional-applause racket at the Bolshoi:

Lady Gaga on her upcoming single, "Applause": "...What I’m saying in the song essentially is that I live for the applause. I live for the way you cheer and scream for me. Give me that thing that I love. Put your hands up, make them touch." I never would have guessed.

If you're willing to brave the cold this weekend, there are some exciting new movies to see. Choose between Ben Affleck being sad, Colin Farrell being adventurous, Natalie Portman being embarrassed, and someone named Paprika Steen being named Paprika Steen.