Chris Jones: Naomi Osaka’s protest will succeed — because celebrity is changing fast

CHICAGO — One night before the pandemic, I watched a famous Broadway star generously spend a half-hour or so greeting fans outside the theater. As we stood on the sidewalk, I remarked upon the warm post-show scene to a friend of mine who works in the talent business. “It’s so nice of him to do that,” I said. “He must be so tired.”

She shrugged. “He has no choice,” she said. “It’s part of his contract.”

That scene came to mind this week when Naomi Osaka, one of the most successful tennis players in the world, announced that she was not willing to fulfill part of her contract as a competitor in the French Open: to make herself available to the press after her