Steve Ball’s grave was marked not by a granite headstone or marble mausoleum upon the burial of his cremated remains last year, but a flat rock chipped into the shape of a heart. It came from his backyard in Pleasant Hills, where he kept bees and grew tobacco in the
As 2023 draws to a close, Pittsburgh City Paper's editorial staff members select their favorite stories from the year. These are the picks from arts & entertainment editor Amanda Waltz.
CP Photo: Kaycee Orwig Heather Taylor If there is a God, it doesn t know as much about its disciples as the TikTok algorithm does. After using the app a few times, TikTok s “For You” page will start serving videos targeted to your age, gender, sexuality, religion, location, preferred dog breed, and personal hygiene habits. The algorithm has only grown stronger in quarantine, with users spending mornings, days, and nights consumed by the app s endless stream. If you re into Halloween, goth culture, death, and general spookiness, the algorithm may have served you videos from @Beforethecoffin, the account of Pittsburgh-based mortician and special-effects makeup artist Heather Taylor. And it might be more than just macabre fans tuning in; Taylor’s TikTok has become extremely popular with hundreds of thousands of followers.