I was having drinks with a comedian last night at a dive bar in the Lower Eastside. Every so often, the bartenders would cook up a mess of fries and then pass them out for free with little packets of ketchup. As we picked away at our basket of fries, the comedian described to me the difference between popular art and original art. He likened popular art to Wendy's and original art to The French Laundry. As an artist, you have to decide what art you're creating. If you're creating The French Laundry, don't complain when you're not receiving the same kind of attention as Wendy's. If you're creating Wendy's, don't whine when you're not as respected as The French Laundry.