A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

HE WAS PRETTY GOOD, THAT GUY. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I DIDN'T CALL THE POLICE: Once in a while, WaPo columnist Gene Weingarten does something completely brilliant -- you may remember his profile of The Great Zucchini, a children's entertainer, or his interview with Garry Trudeau on the influence of the Iraq War and his wife's mental illness on his work.

Today, again, you need to read him, because, wow, what an experiment: Weingarten convinced world-renowned classical violinist Joshua Bell to play his Stradivarius at the L'Enfant Plaza DC Metro Station during forty-three minutes of the morning rush hour to see what kind of reaction it would draw. Would his greatness be recognized out of context?

It wasn't exactly stage fright, but there were butterflies," [Bell] says. "I was stressing a little."

Bell has played, literally, before crowned heads of Europe. Why the anxiety at the Washington Metro?

"When you play for ticket-holders," Bell explains, "you are already validated. I have no sense that I need to be accepted. I'm already accepted. Here, there was this thought: What if they don't like me? What if they resent my presence . . ."

Read the article. Contains video.

e.t.a.: Weingarten's live chat is now online. Comprehensive and cool.