A bride in India goes with her gut instinct on this one:
PATNA, India - Villagers at a wedding in eastern India decided the groom had arrived too drunk to get married, and so the bride married the groom's more sober brother instead, police said Monday.
"The groom was drunk and had reportedly misbehaved with guests when the bride's family and local villagers chased him away," Madho Singh, a senior police officer told Reuters after Sunday's marriage in a village in Bihar state's Arwal district.
The younger brother readily agreed to take the groom's place beside the teenage bride at her family's invitation, witnesses said.
"The Shortlist Music Price has listed its 10 finalists for its 2007 award. Those who made the cut from a total of 61 nominations are the Band of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, Spank Rock and Tom Waits."
Among the nominees who didn't make the cut were Denton's Midlake and former Dallas band the Secret Machines. The winner will be revealed, oh, whenever the panel gets around to it.
Love, 42, says she intends to use Christie’s auction house and that the proceeds will benefit charity.
"My daughter doesn't need to inherit a giant ... bag full of flannel ... shirts," says Love, former frontwoman of the rock band Hole. "A sweater, a guitar and the lyrics to `(Smells Like) Teen Spirit' — that's what my daughter gets. And the rest of it we'll just ... sell."
Something about this makes me sad--I loved Nirvana in high school and the idea of Cobain's possessions on the auction block is weird. But truly sad is Love's quote at the end of the piece. Thirteen years after her husband's death, the woman still sounds like she's still right in the middle of grief.
"I still wear his pajamas to bed. How am I ever going to go form another relationship in my lifetime wearing Kurt's pajamas?"
Since last year's Mega March, it's seemed like LULAC has comandeered the illegal immigrant-rights debate around here. The students who helped organize the walk-outs (including Gustavo Jimenez, above center, who sent the famed MySpace bulletin that started it all) held a voter registration event last year at Kiest Park, but I haven't heard much from them since then.
Guess the mayoral election has them re-energized. Jimenez, Jessica Gutierrez and Cindy Camacho (all pictured above, at an April 10 forum w/ Dallas' mayoral candidates) are organizing a "Get Out The Vote" rally today from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Oak Cliff Sub-Courthouse, 410 S. Beckley. It's one of Dallas' early voting locations.
According to the press release I got, students from the African-American and gay communities will also be present -- a very cool detail, because you hardly ever see that kind of unity in this city. Hopefully it's a signal of things to come in the future.
And if you’d rather catch a flick, do it with the cool kids: Gatchet Coffee Lounge is showing The Big Sleep at 8 p.m. for free as part of its “Movies on the Rooftop” series.
Kimball High School is having its annual athletic banquet Monday night. And there will be some star power in the house. Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears will deliver a keynote address, and Texas A&M guard Acie Law, a former standout at Kimball, will have his jersey retired.
"Kimball High School and the coaching staff have been an integral part of my life," Law said about the honor. "My coaches pushed me to not only be the best basketball player that I could be, but the best student and the best person."
The event, which is open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 800 N. Main St., in Duncanville. Tickets are $10 for Kimball students and $20 for everyone else. Contact Ronda Reed at 972-502-2114.
As I predicted in a column this week, Chris Berman let loose a "Mighty" Quinn reference when discussing Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn, who is falling fast in the first round of the NFL draft.
I'm still hoping to hear the rest of my list, though:
• Arron "I Shop At" Sears
• Amobi "The Amoeba" Okoye
• Adrian "Zmed" Peterson
• Jarvis "The Hoss" Moss
• Robert "Impeach 'em" Meachem
• Paul "Nothing Rhymes With" Posluszny
• Patrick "What'chu Talkin' 'Bout" Willis
• Tony "You Go" Ugoh
• Quinn "I Have An Unfortunate Last Name" Pitcock
Swing by one of Dallas' most venerable gay nightspots this evening, as Rusty Johnson (above) and Love Monkey hit Bill's Hideaway (4144 Buena Vista St., just south of Fitzhugh Avenue) for their monthly Last Friday concert. Show starts around 10 p.m. and features some of the city's best known performers, including guest keyboardist Buddy Shanahan.
And read Orientations next month to find out exactly how the band got its ... um ... interesting name.
1. I Got Soul Music Conference at Black Forest Theatre and other spots, featuring Erykah Badu, PPT, Keite Young and Nayrok.
2. Jamie Foxx at Nokia Theatre tonight.
We like beer. Beer is good. There's a beer-related event tonight for the new Miller Chill (the lime-and-salt concoction) over at AAC before the Desperados game. It includes a 15-ton "salt hill" made of snow to ski down. Miller Chill "girls" -- in bikinis, of course -- will be skiing as well.
Here's something worthy of your weekend plans: The DFW Virginia Tech alum group is having a silent auction tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m. at Fox and Hound, 10051 Whitehurst Drive, to benefit the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.
Among the items: Tickets to see The Police, and Rangers-Red Sox tickets on Memorial Day weekend.
Rolling Stone celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special yay-us edition, including a "40 songs that changed the world" list. The classics are all there ("That's All Right" by Elvis, "I Got a Woman" by Ray Charles, "Satisfaction" by the Stones, "Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles, "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye).
The '80s get love with U2's "Pride," Prince's "When Doves Cry," Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean."
Rap gets four nods: "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, "Walk This Way" (the Run-DMC version), "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy and "Nuthin' But a G Thing" by Dre.
As with any such list, there are several WTF? entries:
* "Fell in Love With a Girl" by The White Stripes. Good song. Great, even. I'm not aware of any world-changing attributes, though.
* "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure: Love this song. But I'm not sure if it was even hemisphere-changing.
* "... Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears. It's described as "a masterpiece of lyrical and musical construction."
I don't know about you, but I usually describe Britney's entire catalog the same way.
1. Greenskeepers and Sunshine Jones at 2505. (Formerly Seven.) Greenskeepers are this rock/electronica/early-80s pop/moody Morrissey-sounding band. You must listen to their cover of Huey Lewis' "I Want a New Drug." Is anyone else as obsessed with Huey as I am? Sunshine Jones is formerly of Dubtribe Sound System.
2. Infamous DC DJ Tittsworth at Zúbar. (Check the "Nappy Headed Hos" song on his MySpace.) I think cover’s $10. And yes, that's his real name.
3. The Grand Opening of Starzz Lounge, in the old Vain Lounge spot. The name is kinda lame, but Gloria Velez and Tatum Bell are going to be there! Plus you’d get to check out the place before everyone else. Don’t forget to RSVP.
Smart move from MTV: Gutsy/cutesy comic Sarah Silverman will host the MTV Movie Awards on June 3. Here's her take on it, from AP:
“Ever since I was a little girl, before it even started in 1980 — MTV — I said, ‘Someday, I want there to be an all-music channel that gives out awards for movies. And I want to host that show.'”
The electronic 1-2 punch of Hot Chip and Tussle should get some bodies movin' at the Granada. Hot one!
If you'd rather stand still (and perhaps move your head from side to side), try the Cavern show featuring Denton's Daniel Folmer and Austin's Brooks Chambers.
Like covers but not cover bands? The Rolling Stones tribute night at Opening Bell should brown your sugar. Johnny Lloyd Rollins and Chris Holt are involved. Prepare to swoon, gals (and 1 out of 10 boys, allegedly).
As you probably guessed, I like Apple. I even own a few shares. The Apple shares were up $2.11 at today's close. But, it jumped an additional $5.50 after hours. My last check it was at $100.85 per share. Sweet!
I know why now. Apple's 2nd quarter profits rose 88%. NIce.
Billboard reports a new album by Crowded House is in the works. Normally that wouldn't register much of a blip, but there's a local connection: La Casa de Crowded will do "Silent House," a song co-written by the Dixie Chicks that appeared on their Taking the Long Way album.
Rolling Stone rounds up the best songs to get ... um ... high to. Not that we condone that kind of thing. But it's an interesting mix, anyway. Jimi Hendrix, The Pharcyde, Weezer, David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Dr. Dre and The Decemberists.
Tune in for All My Children. Not because you have an obsession with Zarf ... excuse me ... ZOE, but because WFAA Good Morning Texas host Amy Vanderoef will make a guest cameo in a scene opposite Susan Lucci. Don't let her hog the camera, Amy. She does that.
And if you love a horserace, head down to Poor David's Pub for the finals of the B.W. Stevenson Songwriters Competition.
Incidentally, my parents always talk about how they used to go see B.W. play all the time when they lived in Dallas. That was, of course, before they had me and immediately moved to the culture vacuum of East Texas. I guess the trees were pretty, though. But enough about my childhood. Enjoy a show and report back!
My mom tells me stories of simple 1960s weddings with receptions in the church hall with punch and cake.
Long gone are those days. In this era of $10,000 cakes and $100,000 receptions, we can all look forward to the fact that one wedding dress is no longer enough.
According to the N.Y. Sun, women "with an enlightened sense of fashion" are going for two gowns, something formal and long for the ceremony and something "easier to move around in" for the reception (at the cost of thousands of dollars each).
"They want to look a little more parent-appropriate for the ceremony, and they feel more comfortable showing off their bodies at the reception...A dress covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals may not be appropriate for the ceremony, but in a candlelit reception hall makes for the most exquisite bride ever."
Uh, huh.
As one bride in the article found, her longer ceremony dress obscured her $1,000 pair of slate blue d'Orsay pumps. Oh, fashion woes.
I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my seafoam green Waters & Waters bridesmaid gown, circa 2001, that cost me $345. Wind sail? Vacuum slipcover? Stylish car chamois?
The AP reports that Rosie O'Donnell will be leaving Barbara Walters' couch. Her "needs for the future just didn't dovetail with what ABC was able to offer me," she said in a statement. She'll leave The View in June.
I don't watch the show -- I work, you know -- but I really wonder whether they'll be able to find anybody with as big a mouth to replace her.
I promised a couple of days ago that I'd give you more info on KDRC, a new Denton-music Web stream. Alex Maples (whom you may know from Super Love Attack and Spitfire Tumbleweeds) is operating the stream, which is currently just a random shuffle of Little D artists. A terrific one too, if what I heard on Monday is any indication. Trouble is, I haven't been able to get the stream a-workin' on PC or Mac since that first, glorious listening session. Maples did tell me in an e-mail that there might be some server and bandwidth issues for a while. So I guess I'll be patient and keep checking back. As should you.
The country crooner was stopped on Interstate 10 in September 2006 and after a State Trooper detected the "strong odor of marijuana," a search led them to discover 1-1/2 pounds of weed and slightly more than three ounces of 'shrooms on board.
Nelson made his court appearance today in St. Martinville, Louisiana, where he received a suspended sentence of 60 days in jail and six months of unsupervised probation from State District Judge Paul deMahy. He paid $1,024 in fines.
Nelson and his tour manager David Anderson, of Dallas, received the same sentence. The citation against his sister Bobbie Nelson, of Briarcliff, Texas, and two drivers two drivers were dropped.
"Clean" versions of rap songs played on air should ban three racial and sexist epithets, Def Jam label founder Russell Simmons said yesterday.
Hot on the heels of the Don Imus flap in early April, Simmons called for "bitch," "ho" and the n-word to fall under the category "extreme curse words." The current standard has most clean versions avoiding them, but there is no unanimous practice, he said.
"We recommend (they're) always out...This is a first step. It's a clear message and a consistency that we want the industry to accept for more corporate social responsibility."
A joint statement from Simmons and Benjamin Chavis, the executive director of Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, read, "Our discussions are about the corporate social responsibility of the industry to voluntarily show respect to African-Americans and other people of color, African-American women and to all women in lyrics and images."
Think you're a studly man? Head to Bliss Spa Dallas tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. as the beauty company holds their first-ever BlissGuy Contest. The winner will become the face of Bliss' new men's product line. Entrants will meet an agent with Kim Dawson Modeling Agency and be interviewed by in-the-know locals such as event designer Todd Fiscus and fashion producer Jan Strimple.
The event will also include tequila cocktails and munchies from Craft restaurant. The W Dallas-Victory Infinity Pool Wet Deck, 16th Floor, 2440 Victory Park Lane. Call 214-397-4100 or visit www.blissworld.com/blissguy for more information.
Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and participants must be at least 21. Please RSVP to RSVP.01521@whotels.com.
Starzz Lounge (yep, it's really with two z's... you think they would have learned from Backstage Pazz) opens this Saturday on Commerce Street, a few doors down from Pearl, where Vain Lounge used to be. The opening bash is hosted by Puerto Rican model Gloria Velezand the Detroit Lions' Tatum Bell (who's from DeSoto). DJ Sportizmand Ro Parris will be in the mix.
You gotta RSVP if you wanna go, though. If you can't make it, try next Saturday -- the Industry Inc. (the same guys who put together Thursdays at the M Bar in Plano) will be throwing events there regularly.
When I heard that Zac Crain would be sitting in as DJ at Barley House on Friday, I MySpaced him and asked for a preview. His response:
"After an unsuccesful run for mayor, Zac Crain gets back to what he does best: playing records you may or may not have heard of and may or may not like. And awkwardly fumbling with the equipment."
That ... pretty much says it all. Thanks, good sir.
The 23-year-old Tejano songstress -- who recently came out with a highly regarded new album -- just got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Latin pop crooner Obie Bermudez. The DMN ran a Q&A with her not too long ago, and Mario Tarradell asked about an upcoming possible proposal... after all, they've been almost three freaking years. (Definitely long enough for speculation.)
She said: "Not any time soon. Honestly, we're just taking things slowly. We are very happy with where we are. We have to take it all in stride. I've never really thought back and thought what if this happens. It's each day at a time. We still have a lot to learn about each other. We are just enjoying each other."
You know the wedding is so going to be in Corpus Christi.
Even though I ain’t got money, I think I’d rather drive to Fort Worth than hang around Dallas for a Kenny Loggins show … honey.
What does Funkytown offer, you ask? Well, the chance to cut loose (sorry, had to) at a $5 punk show at 1919 Hemphill, starring Virginia band The Riot Before and locals the Wankersand Excretion (those names don’t sound good together). May not be the musical event of the year, but it could be fun.
If you’re stuck in Dallas, maybe go hang out with Colin Boyd upstairs at the Cavernor take in some of the film fest.
Or, just stay at home and listen to KDRC. More on this tasty new Web radio treat later today.
So I'm a huge fan of Brit jazzy singer Amy Winehouse, and I just came across a remix of her song "You Know I'm No Good" by rapper Ghostface Killah. The concept sounded cool, but it took a while to grow on me. The old-style soul pairs nicely with Killah's driving, emotional rap lyrics, but I think I still prefer Amy unaltered.
P.S. News also broke recently of Amy's engagement to on-off boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil, the inspiration for many of the pained lyrics on her last album. He must be some muse.
A Game 7 in the NBA or Stanley Cup playoffs is as fun as it gets for us fans, eh? One viewing option for the big Stars-Canucks game tonight in Vancouver is to head to Razzoo's (13949 N. Central Expressway at Spring Valley Road). They will be serving up $1.50 domestic drafts during the game. And that special is good for all remaining Stars and Mavericks playoff games. Razzoo's, which can be reached at 972-235-3700, has plasma TVs all over the building.
AP points us toward Newsweek's news on a I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, a film in which Adam Sandler and Kevin James star as firefighters posing as a gay couple to get partner benefits.
Sandler's movies aren't always funny, but his quotes usually are:
“I know Kevin, and it’s kind of a strange thing to have to play. So to ease the tension, before the first day of shooting, we had sex with each other,” Sandler said. “We just got it out of the way so it wouldn’t be an issue. It’s an old tip I picked up from working with (Jack) Nicholson.”
If you’ve the time to make a trek to Denton, there’s a promising show tonight at Secret Headquarters, the DIY venue that’s been rockin’ in the old Art Prostitute space for damn-near a year now.
Banjo-happy Little D band Burnt Sienna Trio shares the stage with Minneapolis rockers STNNNG . Listen to both bands’ online tracks and see if you agree with me that the pairing is odd. Still, it’s the best bet in the area if you can travel.
Me can’t travel, so I’m thinking I’ll finally check this out. See you there!?!
So you thought Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were vapid wastes of space? Tune into Sons of Hollywood on A&E for a real dose of debauchery that really just makes you change the channel. The stars? Randy Spelling, Sean Stewart and David Weintraub. Never heard of them? Oh, they’re the overly-entitled offspring of Aaron Spelling, Rod Stewart and — that other guy’s just a talent manager or something. The show’s supposed to “scratch beneath the surface” and reveal how difficult it is to be your own person when you’re wealthy, famous and don’t have to work. Sorry, but I don’t hear any violins. They could always try to help the homeless or come work at a newspaper instead of trying to score a record deal. Sundays at 9 p.m. on A&E.
Has Björk stolen the Polyphonic Spree's shtick? I know that the joyful Dallas pop chorus has altered its look, favoring military garb for their old robes. But the umlauted one sang on Saturday Night Live with a backing group that looked like they had just emerged from the Polyphonic closet, all donning colorful tunics while they sang behind Björk's wailing vocals.
The NFL draft is on deck this week. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips and owner Jerry Jones surely have a plan, right? The DMN's Rick Gosselin has the Cowboys selecting Texas safety Michael Griffin with the 22nd overall pick in his second mock draft.
The Cowboys are having a draft party at Gilley's from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free, and prizes will be given away. Go to dallascowboys.com for more info.
After much prodding, my wife convinced me to check out a show Oprah did on saving our environment. First, it was good to know that we already did several of the things mentioned on the show. And then we changed out most of the light bulbs in our house over the weekend with the energy-efficient ones.
One of the coolest things on the show was a clip from Matt Damon, discussing Greendimes.com. For a dime a day, the company will reduce all that junk mail you get by 75 to 90 percent. You know, the stuff that ends up in the trash can or recycle bin after taking millions of trees to create. Plus, GreenDimes will plant trees on your behalf. Check it out.
I had a lot of childhood crushes on TV stars: Fred Dryer from Hunter; Patrick Stewart from Star Trek: The Next Generation; Michael Landon from Little House on the Prairie (I know, I know. I'm a loser...).
But my monster crush was on Erik Estrada from CHiPs. And today, Hollywood is recognizing his excellent achievements with a star on the Walk of Fame. Oh, be still my beating heart...Ponch was so hot in uniform on that motorcycle. He deserves it.
"Thank you to everyone who has posted messages of suppport [sic] and understanding. Naturally, it is not best for a parent to lose their temper with their child. Everyone who knows me privately knows that I have endured a great deal over the last several years in my custody litigation. Everyone who knows me privately knows that certain people will go to any lengths to embarass [sic] me and to disrupt my relationship with my daughter. In such public cases, your opponents attempt to take a picture of you on your worst day and insist that this is who you are as a person. Outside the doors of divorce court, I have friends, I have respect from people I work with and I have a normal relationship with my daughter. All of that is threatened whenever one enters a court room. Although I have been told by numerous people not to worry too much, as all parents lose their patience with their kids, I am most saddened that this was released to the media because of what it does to a child. I'm sorry, as everyone who knows me is aware, for losing my temper with my child. I have been driven to the edge by parental alienation for many years now. You have to go through this to understand. ( Although I hope you never do.) I am sorry for what happened. But I am equally sorry that a court order was violated, which had deliberately been put under seal in this case. Once my book is published, I'm sure more people will understand the incredible strains created by parental alienation. In the meantime, I'm sorry to anyone who's taken offense from this episode."
The man's got a point: We do tend to base reality on momentary snapshots of celebrity lives. But that message is horrible. I foresee $50,000 of therapy in Ireland Baldwin's future.
UPDATE: Also, this message from his publicist: "In the best interest of the child, Alec will do what the mother is pathologically incapable of doing ... keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order. The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order. Although Alec acknowledges that he should have used different language in parenting his child, everyone who knows him privately knows what he has been put through for the past six years."
If you've got a hankering for more of our favorite web-slinging superhero, the next few years should be deeply satisfying in that over-the-top marketing kind of way.
But far more exciting is the news today from Marvel Studios: There’s going to be a Spiderman Broadway musical with songs and lyrics by U2's Bono and the Edge! Tony-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King) will direct. I’m trying to imagine what Spidey will be singing as he swings around the stage: One Web Hill? The Fly?
Otherwise, if you are a partier-about-town and a house-music lover, head to 2505, the new club formerly known as Seven. (Which I lamely misspelled in this week’s Quick at “2025.” Oops.) The grand opening is Saturday with music by Gabriel & Dresden.
Personally, if I was in town this weekend -- and not flying to Phoenix -- I would be all over the Black + Blue Ball, a fetish party on Saturday at the Lizard Lounge. Can you imagine the people-watching insanity that will be taking place?
All I'm saying is, if my parents had given me a cell phone when I was 11 years old and I didn't answer the dang thing when they called, I wouldn't have just been called a pig. I would have been roasted like one.
We've known about Steve Austin's greatness for a while, but the rest of the nation is finally catching a clue. Skin checks in with the "Bioniq MC" on the latest Gemini Disco Soul Party. Check out their discussion of his big album release (800 LB. Gorilla) on Tuesday, and some choice tracks as well.
The Mavericks are having a playoff pep rally at 6 tonight at the AT&T Plaza on the south side of American Airlines Center. Donnie Nelson, the Mavs dancers, the ManiAACs, Mavs Man, Champ and the Mavs Street Team will be leading the cheers.
Zydeco star C.J. Chenier is putting on a free concert after the rally at 7:30 p.m. So go. Leave now.
Perez hates it, but hey, he's always been sort of a beeyotch.
I kinda like that it's a little darker than her other stuff. Not every single can be suga-candy.
Miss Clarkson is one of the only reasons I'm excited about next week's Idol Gives Back event. The "surprise superstar duet" is kind of intriguing, too. My guess? Bono and an equally famous female.
"One of my friends [wanted] the Sanjaya guy to win," she said. "Oh, man, he's crazy. I think [it would have been] funny, but I like Jordin Sparks. She's passionate and still not jaded."
There are also some choice nuggets about her angry musical side. Grrr.
Just got a letter from Barack Obama in the mail. Addressed to me. With my name on it.
So yeah, I'm feeling pretty special. Not trying to brag or anything, but he greets me with "Dear Friend."
Too bad it turns out to just be a campaign form letter, and a request for money.
Sorry, homie. I don't lend money to friends. No offense, B. It's just that you never see it again, and it makes things all weird. If I see you with some cool new shoes, I'll have to wonder if that's where my 50 bucks went.
I just picked up a flyer announcing the summer lineup for Shakespeare In the Park, one of my favorite summer/early fall evening activities of all time.
If you've not been, it's glorious: Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, drink some wine, eat yummy food and watch great theater put on by top local actors at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre.
This year: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Love's Labour's Lost and Macbeth.
It's also a cheap evening: Tickets are a donation of $7 for adults and $4 for seniors and students. Children 12 and under are free. Season starts June 13.
Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes Vol. 1: In this manga graphic novel, an introverted teeanger overcomes some personal demons and an actual demon with the help of rocker Avril Lavigne. Seriously.
The Salon: This graphic novel is a murder mystery starring Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso and Alice B. Toklas. Again, seriously.
Fallen Angel No. 15: Dallas artist Kristian Donaldson begins a two-issue arc drawing the adventures of best-selling writer Peter David's female hero.
Hot Fuzz is brought to us from the same folks who made Shaun of the Dead (one of my favorite movies of 2004).
Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He’s so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel’s superiors send him to a place where his talents won’t be quite so embarrassing — the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), a huge action movie fan. As a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny’s dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality.
There's a screening on the 29th in Dallas and you can get passes this Thursday at noon at Zeus Toys and Comics, Turtle Creek Village, 3878 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 100E. Phone is 214-219-TOYS.
Passes are limited to one per person and you must be over 17.
One of my favorite childhood T.V. reruns was the Incredible Hulk. I loved watching Lou Ferrigno bust out of his shirt in a moment of righteous indignation, all green and glorious and fugly.
According to variety.com, "The new pic begins with Banner on the run, trying to avoid capture long enough to cure the condition that turns him into a misunderstood green menace."
But look at that sweet face on Norton--can you picture him saying, "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
No, not writing about baseball. (Though I really need to catch a gay softball game....)
You probably read about it in today's Orientations, but just in case you happened to miss us....
The Dallas Diablos -- one of two gay rugby teams in the state -- are hosting the first Dallas Invitational Pride Cup this weekend. Events start at 8 p.m. Friday night at the Round-Up Saloon. Matches begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lake Highlands Park (Lake Highlands Drive just east of Buckner Boulevard) -- go to the Diablos' Web site for details and a map.
Kylie Minogue, following in Madonna's footsteps, will be working with my fave fashion retailer, H&M.
She's not designing the swimsuits, the AP says (via Advocate.com) -- just "inspiring" them and "contributing ideas." And she'll be in "H&M loves Kylie" ads. Apparently the singer was also an underwear model for H&M in 1998 -- way before I was ever introduced to the wonders of cheap European clothing. (By the way, if they ever finally open a store here -- we seriously need to lobby for this to happen -- somebody's going to have to take away my credit cards.)
From AP: David Stern said Crawford’s actions “failed to meet the standards of professionalism and game management we expect of NBA referees.”
“Especially in light of similar prior acts by this official, a significant suspension is warranted,” Stern said in a statement. “Although Joey is consistently rated as one of our top referees, he must be held accountable for his actions on the floor, and we will have further discussions with him following the season to be sure he understands his responsibilities.”
Billboard points us toward Lily Allen's MySpace blog, in which she details her cancellation of most of her U.S. tour dates, citing her lengthy yearlong tour and other reasons.
The British buzz singer was supposed to perform at the Palladium Ballroom here on June 8.
At least she has a sense of humor about it on her blog with this fake rationale:
"The reason for this , is because my mummy and daddy are very rich , and I have never been in a position where i have actually had to do any hard work before . I thought that being a popstar meant going out getting trashed with famous people and sleeping in all day . The fact that this is not true has come as a huge dissapiontment to me , and as a result I am throwing the towel in . "
[Somebody get Lily a copy editor, or at least make her spell-check.]
No song deserves spoofing more than R. Kelly's epic disaster "Trapped in the Closet." Weird Al tackled it nicely on his latest album, and now there's an animated video to go with it. See "Trapped in the Drive Thru" here.
(The animation isn't all that funny, but the extensive mocking of the song is worth your time ... if you have 11 minutes to spare.)
It's common practice to rest starters in the NBA if the team's playoff spot is set. (Don't expect much Dirk tonight, Mavs fans.)
The Spurs take it to a new level. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sat out last night's game, which translated into a loss to the lowly Grizzlies. But AP reports the funniest related nugget:
"The stat sheet said San Antonio G Brent Barry didn’t play because of a 'tummy ache.'"
The gossip blogs are all aflame over the fact that Trainspotting director Danny Boyle has gotten the rights to create the sequel, Porno.
Boyle has also given the clearest indication yet that the original film's leading star, Ewan McGregor, will be reunited with fellow actors Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner and co, claiming that "all the actors" have agreed to reprise their unforgettable roles.
But that's not necessarily the case. It seems McGregor may not have any interest in reprising the role of heroin-addicted Renton, reportedly telling French magazine L'hebdo Cinéma that he would definitely not want to be a part of it. Too bad. He was brilliant the first time around.
Texas will forever be a football state, but basketball must mean something, too. The Longhorns are making coach Rick Barnesthe Big 12's first $2 million man.
1. Super Tuesday at Carson's Live. Several of the city's biggest urban-entertainment promoters throw this bash every month, so you know it's gonna go off. (These are the dudes that put on Fridays at the Daiquiri Dump, Thursdays at M Bar, Saturdays at Maxwell's and Sundays at Nine7Two.) Plus there's a free buffet from 5 to 9 p.m., and it's only $5 before 8 p.m. Guessing probably $10 after that. Francis Jaye and Steve Nice in the mix, and the Mavs game on TV.
2. Havana NRG! Rooftop Party at Petrus Lounge. The local salsa band will jam out at Petrus' rooftop gardens from 6 to 10. Then the LatinoParty.com's bringing in a DJ until 2. There's no cover and it's 21-plus only. If you haven't been to the rooftop gardens at Petrus yet, you really should check them out. It's nice.... perfect place to grab a drink after work and unwind.
Despite living in Dallas for most of my life, it wasn't until this weekend that I made my first visit to the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. My wife had some friends in from out of town who wanted to go.
I couldn't believe how little of the music played during the rodeo was country music. The only country song I recall was George Strait's "The Fireman," and that was played only because one of the cowboys was a Dallas firefighter.
Here's a sampling of the songs that seemed out of place:
-- OutKast's "Hey Ya"
-- Kanye West's "Gold Digger"
-- The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian"
-- Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"
-- The theme from Law & Order
I got a little giddy watching HBO promos before The Sopranos last night: A Flight of the Conchords series is in the works.
If you don't know what the hell that means, that means you missed the duo's hilarious appearance on the HBO's One Night Stand a year or so ago. Basically they do smart and silly folk parodies. And they're from New Zealand. See a good clip here and here.
You might recognize the Conchord on the left, Jemaine, from his Outback Steakhouse commercials.
The Don Imus fallout has taken its inevitable turn to hip-hop. The "If it's wrong for one, why is it OK for someone else?" debate. News reports are abounding, asking "what's the difference?"
The difference is age and culture. A young rapper's language is naturally going to be different than a 382-year-old radio host. Imus does not equal Ludacris.
That's not to condone the misogynistic elements in some rap (emphasis on some because it's a gross stereotype that all rappers play that game). But it's an apples-and-oranges issue. To point blame at young MCs because the Grim Reaper got booted off the air is ridiculous.
Beautiful weather and an organized Pizza Hut Park made last night's Edgefest 16 more than bearable and, during some of the bands' sets at least, pretty fun. I knew I didn't have the endurance to stick it out all day long, so I headed up to Frisco in the late afternoon. What follows is a timeline, with inner dialogue in italics:
Matt Kenseth just missed sweeping the two races out at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend, finishing second in Sunday's Samsung 500. But he made a lot of new fans with his Busch Series win on Saturday. His sponsor, Arby's, is giving away a free medium order of curly fries to fans each Monday following a Kenseth victory. All you need to do is clip the results out of the newspaper or print an online coupon for your free fries.
Major League Baseball paid tribute to Jackie Robinson today, on the 60th anniversary of his history-making debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dozens of players wore Robinson's No. 42 to honor his breaking of baseball's color barrier. The Reds' Ken Griffey Jr. came up with the idea, and then it spread like wildfire, with players across the league wearing the jersey number that was retired by MLB in 1997.
The Dodgers, Pirates, Brewers, Phillies and Cardinals took it a step further, with each member of the team wearing No. 42. It was a pretty cool way to pay tribute to one of the all-time greats. But it must have been a nightmare for the scorekeepers.
In the morning, a lecture series titled How Important Are We: Dallas/Fort Worth, the next New York City? Certainly a bold thought.
From 10:30 a.m. to noon, panel one will look at the question from the point of view of curators and directors from the Arlington Museum of Art, SMU Meadows Museum, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Crow Collection of Asian Art and the Gallery at University of Texas at Arlington. KERA 90.1 FM reporter Catherine Cuellar will moderate.
From 1-2:30 p.m., panel two will look at the question from the point of view of the art critics from the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Observer and Art in America. Architect Thomas Krähenbühl will moderate.
Both panels are at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St. It's 30 bones for two panels; 20 for one. Call 214-943-1099 to register.
That afternoon, mosey on over to some of the 35 member galleries and non-profit art spaces participating in a gallery walk from 2-8 p.m. Some of the spaces include Bath House Cultural Center, Crow Collection of Asian Art, The Dallas Contemporary, Ice House Cultural Center, Latino Cultural Center, The McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC), Pan American Art Gallery and Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery.
The next one of these walks is not until September and they're always free.
Here's a gay event a little closer to my neck of the woods: The Turtle Creek Chorale's Flight 413 (Get it? Today's 4/13?) fundraiser takes off at 7:30 p.m. at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field (entrance off Lemmon Avenue and University Boulevard). Tickets are $50 to $200 and are available at the door.
Food, drinks, music, and -- of course -- both live and silent auctions. And the storms tonight surely can't ground this flight....
A couple weeks ago, we wrote about the Mustang Cafe and Bar's LGBT happy hours on Sunday evenings.
Tonight at 5, Mustang (6121 W. Park Blvd. in The Shops at Willow Bend) is hosting a gay and lesbian High Tech Happy Hour. Draft pints are $1.50, $2 well drinks and $3 martinis and margaritas. Oh.....and free appetizers.
Go join your Collin County friends up off the Tollway!
I'm a little late to the Planet Earth party, but check out this Discovery Channel series if you can. It's probably the best nature/animal documentary-style programming ever made.
The footage is phenomenal, especially the underwater scenes, like a gang of sea serpents on the hunt, and a great white shark getting serious air above the water while making a seal his lunch. Fascinating stuff.
Although you may not recognize her name yet, you probably know her work. New Zealand native Zoe Bell was the stuntwoman for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill: Volumes 1 & 2 and doubled for Lucy Lawless in Xena: Warrior Princess. If you’ve seen her new film Grindhouse, though, you’ll definitely know who she is by the end of the movie.
The apparent breakout star of Quentin Tarantino’s segment, Death Proof, features Bell as herself in an unforgettable action sequence in which she rides on the hood of a car and later, with co-stars Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms, kick Kurt Russell’s ass.
Doing interviews in bed at home in Venice Beach, which she says is “not too bad,” Bell, 28, is looking forward to riding the wave of success that seems to be coming her way. She says, “I’m interested in seeing if I can pursue a little bit of this acting thing along with my action stuff. It would be a shame not to take this opportunity and grab it by the horns.”
This week's Gemini Disco Soul Party finds our man Skin spinning tracks by DJ Chicken George, along with assorted non-poultry-related hip-hop standouts.
You can do these things anywhere, really. The only requirement is that you be pushing up daisies.
In the wake of the "I snorted my dad/Ha ha, just kidding" story recently, I started surfing around looking for less disgusting things to do with ashes; I was amazed at the creative options.
Magazines like People and US Weekly have us devouring news of the rich, the famous and their relationship woes (Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony--is it over?).
I'm trying to put together a charity event in which the Duke men's lacrosse team and the Rutger women's basketball team would get together and play a neutral sport -- softball, perhaps? ice hockey? -- to raise awareness. Not of a particular issue, per se, just awareness in general. Who's with me?
Today's Quick cover ... um ... food items, Frylock, Master Shake and Meatwad, have quite a Web site going for their new movie, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.
For a laugh, go to the low-bandwidth version. But avoid the "worst game ever!" Because it is.
The lineup is out for the August weekend in Chicago. Makes me miss the days when it toured the country. (Even though each Lolla pretty much sucked following the Beasties-Pumpkins-P-Funk-Tribe-Called-Quest version.)
Chicago gets Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Snow Patrol, The Roots, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Iggy and the Stooges, Modest Mouse, Spoon, Lupe Fiasco, Amy Winehouse and the list goes on.
MSNBC said today that it will drop its simulcast of Don Imus' "Imus in the Morning" radio show, responding to outrage over his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
In a less predictable story, a Pennsylvania DJ was fired today for encouraging listeners to repeat Imus' remarks. According to the Associated Press, Gary Smith told WSBG-FM listeners to call and say “I’m a nappy-headed ho” for Tuesday’s “Phrase that Pays” contest.
Marvel isn't the only publisher to have trouble with out of order pages. As I was reading DC's Justice League of America No. 7, it seemed that something was amiss. But I wasn't entirely sure because of Brad Meltzer's writing style, in which he goes back and forth between parallel narratives. I thought maybe he had taken this technique to an unsuccessful extreme. Turns out, it was a printing error after all.
I'm totally embarrassed when a contestant needs help to identify the country to our north. And I'm really really embarrassed when I don't know half the questions on the show. Really.
Latin pop megastar Juanes (above, performing at Nokia Theater last year) it working on a new album that'll hit stores this September or October. The tentative title is La Vida Es Un Ratico -- "Life can go by in the blink of an eye" -- which is something Juanes' mom told him. Isn't that sweet?
The album will again be produced by Gustavo Santaolalla, the Oscar-winning producer who did the score for Brokeback Mountain, Babel, Amores Perros and, of course, Un Dia Normal. (Juanes' first album, which is on repeat at my house.) The new album will reportedly be very "Colombian-sounding," fusing rock with vallenato, cumbia and guasca, along with tangos and boleros.
If you haven't heard his stuff and you're curious, I will gladly make you a mix. Yes, I'm obsessed.
Civil War: In case you missed the much-hyped blockbuster, all seven issues have been collected in one volume.
Wonder Woman No. 7: This is the second issue since novelist Jodi Picoult took over the writing duties from Grey's Anatomy producer Allan Heinberg, who was a little too busy with his day job.
Iron Man No. 16: A version in which the pages were printed out of sequence was reportedly dumped on newsstands weeks ago. Presumably, the version arriving in comic book stores today will be in the correct order.
Garage Band: I don't know much about this painted graphic novel about teenage musicians, but it sounds intriguing.
Pirates vs. Ninjas No. 4 (of 4): We can finally get the answer to the age-old question of who's more badass.
Former Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul will host the album release party for his new band, Hellyeah, tonight at his "adult entertainment club," The Clubhouse.
He says of the event, “We’ll get the ball rolling about 9:15 with a big video production we put together of the making of the Hellyeah video, show the video with some cool backstage footage, and play the album the whole way through. Then we’re going to do a thing called 'the walk,' where we bring up over 100 of the most beautiful women in the world and parade them around onstage. Of course, it’s a gentlemen's club, so we gotta do that.
"Then we’ll have Guns N’ Roses get up and play for a while, which is actually Sweet Child O' Mine, who are awesome and the best tribute band you’ll see next to the one that’s headlining, which is Destroyer, the Kiss cover band. Then we’ll be mingling with the fans. We’ll have CDs available there, too. It’s going to be one hell of a Texas-style party tonight.”
Rolling Stone has released its list of rock's Undisputed Guilty Pleasure Bands. Most of these I can understand. But everyone knows that Kelly Clarkson and the Monkees rule.
25. Britney Spears
24. Hall & Oates
23. Air Supply
22. Kansas
21. Lionel Richie
20. Poison
If you've ever wanted to meet a Playboy model, or perhaps to laugh at those who do, today's the day. Playboy's in town doing an autograph signing with Taylor Reid (above), an SMU student who is featured in the magazine's new "Girls of Conference USA" issue.
It's from noon to 2 p.m. at Parkit Market, 4724 Greenville Ave.
And if you actually want to "try out" for Playboy, they're having Playmate casting calls today and tomorrow. You can schedule an appointment right here: www.playboyscastingcalls.com.
Anybody else seen Alanis Morrisette's hilarious parody of the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps," featuring Fergie? I was alerted to it by Bill "Sports Guy" Simmons, and I have so much more respect for the Canadian songstress after watching it.
CBS Radio and MSNBC both said today that they were suspending Don Imus’ morning talk show for two weeks as protests grew over his reference last week to members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.”
The grumpy old dude, whose fame or appeal I could never understand, appeared on the Rev. Al Sharpton’s radio show earlier in the day, and they had several testy exchanges. Imus showed that he apparently hasn't learned much from this ordeal (or Ross Perot's 1992 presidential campaign) when he said that he can’t win with “you people.” Sharpton was clearly irritated by the remark.
Newly opened Hadaka Sushi on Sunset Boulevard has brought nyotaimori, or body sushi, to our shores from the Japanese underworld.
Basically, you get a lovely woman to lie on her back on a table, cover her with sushi, sashimi and rolls, then pretend she is the Japanese-food version of a Mr. Gatti's all-you-can-eat buffet.
The folks over at Deependdining.com have given us commentary and video, along with an interview with the buffet model.
I can think of so many things I'd rather do than lie I my birthday suit and have people poke at me with chopsticks, really.
Apparently, T.R. Knight, Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, Neil Patrick Harris and that kid from Who’s the Boss aren’t enough.
A national film and television organization is calling for more front-and-center celebs to come out of the closet. Out in Television & Film recently commissioned three public service announcements that urge closeted celebs to have the courage to come out. The spots - featuring comedienne Judy Gold, model Kim Stolz and Big Brother contestant Will Wikle - are set to air on the LOGO and here! networks, two gay cable stations.
Speaking of which, check out the new issue of Out magazine, which talks about entertainment's glass closet. The article virtually outs Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper.
I'll definitely never watch first-run episodes of The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman, but I wouldn't mind if Doug Benson from VH1's Best Week Ever did recaps like this one every week. Enjoy.
That's right, only five bucks. I was at the 10:15 a.m. screening of Grindhouse at the AMC NorthPark on Friday. This theater normally charges $9.50 per ticket, but any show starting before noon on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday costs only $5.
Kinda shocking that the Tarantino/Rodriguez double feature only got to No. 4 in the box office totals, trailing Blades of Glory, Meet the Robinsons and ... gulp ... Are We Done Yet?
Grindhouse narrowly edged out something called The Reaping to claim that fourth spot.
Some possible reasons:
* Kurt Russell as your biggest name star is generally a bad idea.
* Moviegoers are no longer willing to spend three hours in a theater, after missing all the best parts of Lord of the Rings during emergency bathroom breaks.
* The directors grossly overestimated Rose McGowan's sexy quotient, considering Marilyn Manson is her ex of note. [Shudder]
* Protests from M.G.L.W.A.V.I.F. -- Machine-Gun-Leg Women Against Violence in Film.
Ok, says here that they're tearing out the DJ booth to make more room for the dance floor. And apparently at least one person hates the beaded curtain. Oh well.
The question is: Will the club be ready in time for April 21? What if G&D show up and there's drywall all over the place?
Tension, drama, space reorganization.... this could totally be a reality show on A&E. "Flip this Nightclub."
AP reports on an interesting memorabilia sale last week in California. Christopher Reeve's Superman outfit went for $115,000, Val Kilmer's Batman costume went for $69,000, and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine claws went for $40,250.
Top dog: an alien costume from Alien. That nabbed $126,500.
Seven's closing party was last weekend (if anyone went, I'd love to hear a report), and reopening plans are already underway.
2025 -- the new and "re-energized" Seven -- debuts April 21 with a show by DJs Gabriel & Dresden. No word yet on whether the inside will look any different. My guess is no. Good thing, 'cause I kinda liked that chain-mail curtain-thing draoed around one of the couches inside.
Shooting for Will Ferrell's latest sports comedy is scheduled to begin this month in Michigan. He continues to broaden his sports horizons after taking on figure skating in Blades of Glory, NASCAR in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and kids' soccer in Kicking & Screaming.
This time, in Semi-Pro, he'll star as a player, coach and owner of a 1970s American Basketball Association team in Flint, Mich. Expect afros aplenty.
Andre Benjamin and Woody Harrelson (who was a hoops player in White Men Can't Jump 15 years ago -- has it been that long?) will co-star.
The filmmakers were looking to hire 500 extras for the shoot in Michigan, said Wendy Washbrook, extras casting director. "Just normal people who want to come and work with us and dress in 1970s costumes, or wear a wig and sideburns."
If you're dying to hear the new Nine Inch Nails album before its April 17 release date, Trent Reznor has made it easy for you. Year Zero can be heard in its entirety streaming on the band's Web site.
Well, this is sweet: A dolphin chat line. Sort of.
A stranded Atlantic bottlenose named Castaway is deaf and pregnant. Since dolphins use the echo of sounds to navigate, feed, and socalize, her lack of hearing means she won't be passing on these vital skills to her calf.
So to help, a Key Largo, Fla., marine mammal rehab facility, has connected Castaway's recovery spot to a nearby reserach center by phone line; speakers underwater bring the sounds of frolicking dolphins to her unborn baby.
Have you forgotten all the details during The Sopranos' long hiatus? After you read the cover story in today's Quick, check out this clip on YouTube. The whole series is boiled down to seven fast-talking minutes.
Anyone with kids (or childish tastes in entertainment) should check out Guide in The Dallas Morning News today. It includes the special Parents' Guide to Summer, chock full of activities for the little ones.
It's a tough blow for the Aggies. Just when the school finally achieves basketball success, Billy bails for bluegrass.
Here's a thought: If he had a mediocre season (or two or three or four) at A&M, the Aggie faithful would still love him, because of the delirious happiness of the success these past two years.
At UK? Not so much. Remember that Tubby Smith won a national championship a few years back for the Wildcats, but recent average status led to his departure.
Or perhaps I'm just bitter that Billy Clyde has snubbed Aggieland.
The new issue of Playboy is supposed to hit stores tomorrow. It's the "Girls of Conference USA" issue, and at least one SMU student will be included in the pictorial.
And if you want a copy of Playboy signed by the aforementioned Mustang talent, there's an autograph session on Tuesday at noon at Parkit Market.
I inadvertently saw a show by singer/songwriter Chris Holt at the Barley House last night and was pretty impressed. He's a talented guy armed with an acoustic guitar and a keyboard who does some decent Radiohead and Pink Floyd covers in addition to original music with a Ben Folds-esque sound. The Observer named him its artist of the year for 2005.
But the real surprise of the night was learning that Holt has some friends in high places - while he was attempting to get a chord right, a friend in the small audience came over and showed him the way - Rhett Miller of the Old 97's, who stayed for about half the set.
I just started watching The Black Donnellys last weekend, taking a rainy day to catch up on some of the episodes I'd recorded on my DVR. Once I came to terms with the fact that the Black Donnellys are, in fact, a bunch of white guys, I really started to get into the show. Mob intrigue, multiple wackings, chopping up bodies with axes -- what's not to like? There's even a pretty waitress who, without even being asked, cleans the blood of an Italian mobster off the floor of the Donnellys' basement to help Tommy Donnelly, her obvious soulmate. That's the kind of woman you marry, fellas.
So I was disappointed to hear that NBC has pulled the plug on the show, effective immediately. It may come back at some point, but the signs don't look good. In its place next week will be an improv program called Thank God You're Here. Then reality TV will take over April 23, with a show called The Real Wedding Crashers. Sigh. Hopefully some cable channel will pick up the show so I can see what happens to these hapless but lovable hoodlums.
NBC says unaired episodes will be available on NBC.com.
"One month following the inauguration of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame, ten
thousands music fans have already cast their votes for their favorite
recording artists covering a twenty-five year period starting with 1950. Voting began in March 2007 upon the announcement of the new
organization. The 10,000 or so initial votes included 110 artist/nominees for
induction into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Top 10 Vote Recipients
1. Elvis Presley
2. Bobby Darin
3. Beatles
4. Ray Charles
5. Neil Diamond
6. Frank Sinatra
7. Pat Boone
8. Johnny Cash
9. Roy Hamilton
10. Ricky Nelson
...
Fans can vote by going to the Hit Parade Hall of Fame website at
http://www.hitparadehalloffame.org"
Where the hell are the women? Oh, and PAT BOONE??!?
Coach Eddie Robinson passed away this week at age 88. A wake is scheduled for Tuesday at New Rocky Valley Baptist Church in Grambling. The funeral services will be the following day at Eddie Robinson Stadium, also in Grambling.
Today's Quick has a story about how Keith Richards said he HAD SNORTED HIS FATHER'S CREMATED ASHES MIXED WITH COCAINE! Well, now his PR agents have apparently gotten ahold of him.
"It was an off-the-cuff remark, a joke, and it is not true. File under April Fool's joke," said Bernard Doherty of LD Communications, which represents the Rolling Stones.
Avengers: The Initiative No. 1: In the post-Civil War Marvel Universe, the government is supplying each state with a team of trained and registered superheroes. The story of that initiative -- told by one of my favorite writers, She-Hulk's Dan Slott -- begins here.
Justice League of America No. 7: Turns out those first six issues were simply the overture. This is billed as the true debut of Brad Meltzer's version of the Justice League.
I loathe popular drama 7th Heaven, hate it with every fiber of my being. So of course, I watch it at every opportunity. It's so bad, it rocks. Cheesy, sappy and stupid? Check, check, check. Yet I am glued to it, both repelled and attracted by the shallow plot lines and black-and-white, moralistic thinking.
What other show will fulfill my need for wholesome TV? Where else will I get my weekly dose of pre-marital sex hysteria? What will I do without without my Lucy Camden sermons?
For all who adore the brainy pop-rock of They Might Be Giants, and there are at least 47 of you out there, a new album is on the way. Billboard reports that The Else, produced by the Dust Brothers (hmmm) will be released on July 10.
And the Giants are working on a sequel to their excellent kids' CD/DVD, Here Come the ABCs. This time around: Here Come the 123s.
Irvin gets the call: Former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rangers' home opener against the Red Sox on Friday.
Dale Jr. stops by: When Texas Motor Speedway transforms into a giant movie theater on April 13 for a screening of Dale, Junior will make a guest appearance. The documentary celebrates the life and career of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.
It's that time again. The Mesquite Championship Rodeo is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, running April 6-Sept. 29. The ropin' and wranglin' starts this week, every Friday and Saturday from 8-10 p.m.
This is serious fun that every Texan--or local transplant--should experience at least once. Bring your cowboy hat.
Well, according to this Web site, Monster the Singing Cat has a "vocal cord condition" that makes it sound like operatic singing is rising gloriously from his gullet when he yawns.
I wonder if that's the truth, or if Monster just ate some kind of singing toy he hasn't passed yet.
According to Marc Malkin of E! Planet Gossip, her gay-friendly acting roster includes:
* In 1998, Aniston costarred in the movie The Object of My Affection as a straight woman who attempts to raise her child with her gay male roommate, played by Paul Rudd.
* Aniston and Winona Ryder enjoyed a girl-on-girl kiss in an episode during the seventh season of Friends, in which Ryder played a former sorority sister who had a longtime crush on Rachel.
* Not only did Aniston appear in Melissa Etheridge's video for the single, "I Want to Be in Love," the out lesbian rocker performed at Aniston's wedding to Brad Pitt.
* She was the first guest on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
* Most recently, she had a little kiss (nowhere near the wild makeout that some reports claimed would happen) with Courteney Cox on Dirt, in which Aniston played a rival editor to Cox's Lucy Spiller.
The award was established in 1990 by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to celebrate members of the media for their fair and inclusive portrayals of the gay community. Past awards have gone to Cher (1998), Eric McCormack (2003), Antonio Banderas (2004), Liza Minelli (2005) and Charlize Theron (2006).
Scott Hinze and Oliver Tull have used the Internet to build an international audience for Fanboy Radio, their show about comic books and pop culture on Fort Worth’s KTCU-FM.
Today, that audience gets to watch them work via their new Internet Protocol TV show, Fanboy TV. The premiere episode, which begins at 7:30 p.m., features Captain America and Uncanny X-Men writer Ed Brubaker via Web cam and Iron Man: Hypervelocity artist Brian Denham in studio.
Check Wednesday's edition of Quick for more on Oliver and Scott's new show.
Anyone remember "Cheap Thrills" by Planet Patrol? How about "Pack Jam" by Jonzun Crew? Whatcha know about that? I'm making an old school riding CD and I need one track. Can you guess? "What People Do for Money" is what I'm missing. I haven't heard that one in a while. And while I'm at it: Mix tape DJs, I need an old school CD with tracks like "Push the Button," "Square Dance Rap," "Egyptian Lover," and more like those. LMK.
Interesting story from AP on Disney considering the return of the 1946 movie Song of the South. Long story short: You can't get it on VHS or DVD in the U.S. because of the racial overtones. Uncle Remus, the "tar baby" segment, the Southern plantation life, etc.
I was fascinated by this movie as a kid. It was for the stories, the animation and the characters (Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear), not those aforementioned overtones. So I went to great lengths to get a British copy of it, then got it converted to VHS a couple of years ago.
Though it doesn't hold up well, the animation is great in that classic Disney style, for buffs of that kind of thing. The songs are pretty wonderful ("Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" and "Everybody's Got a Laughin' Place"). The live-action segments are ... mostly painful. And it's not hard at all to see how people can be offended by it.
But it is interesting to watch, if for no other reason than as a history lesson of sorts. If Disney can acknowledge its ancient tones and portray it sensitively, it could breathe again in the U.S.
When Apple and EMI said yesterday that they were planning an announcement, speculation began that the Beatles would finally put their songs on iTunes. Well, that's not the case -- yet. But other EMI artists -- including the Rolling Stones, Norah Jones and Coldplay -- will be available on Apple's online music store. And the songs will be available without copy protection, meaning they can be played on any type of player. The catch? The unprotected songs will cost $1.29 apiece, 30 cents more than the typical iTunes download.
Nominate him for Cosmo mag's Bachelor of the Year contest. All you gotta do is send an email with your contact info, his basic info (including his height, weight and address), and two photos, one being -- natch -- a full-body shot. Pref w/ pecs. (Other official rules are here.)
Email address is cosmo@hearst.com. Deadline's April 30. And they will pick someone from each state. Goooo Texas!
Speaking of April Fool's Day jokes, Phoenix Suns management pulled a good one on coach Mike D'Antoni. As described by Mavs beat writer Eddie Sefko, D'Antoni was told Sunday morning that good buddies Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash were out on the town the night before, and that Nash was busted for driving under the influence and wouldn't play against the Mavs. After a few awkward moments of worrying about the Suns' star guard, D'Antoni figured what was going on.
This might not still be available Monday, but Google unveiled its annual April Fool's Day prank today with a link off its home page to a curious "TiSP" site.
TiSP stands for "Toilet Internet Service Provider," which is touted by Google as a free wireless broadband service that is easily installed by flushing one end of a fiber-optic cable down the ol' crapper. (You can "order" the "installation kit" from Google.) Once the cable is propelled through all that delicious sewage, it is welcomed into the depths by Google's very own Plumbing Hardware Dispatchers, who take the end of the cable you just flushed and plug it in, connecting you to TiSP.
Voila! You're ready to surf!
I'm just guessing here, but upon clicking on the link from Google's home page, more people were probably like, "HUH?" rather than "OMG, I'm just a flush away from free Internet service!"
I caught a couple of great movies this weekend as part of the AFI festival, one being Netherbeast Incorporated, starring Steve Burns of Blue's Clues fame and Darrell Hammond. It was a hilarious film that you could almost tag as Office Space with Vampires. Yep, vampires, or netherfolk, as the movie informs you they would prefer to be called. Jason Mewes, who plays Jay to Kevin Smith's Silent Bob, also had a role as a worker at a company that employs all vampires - until a form of vampire Alzheimer's and the addition of a "first-lifer" starts to complicate things.
The directors joined Burns, Mewes, and some of the other actors and producers for a Q&A after the world premiere Friday at the Magnolia. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who can appreciate the ridiculous humor that ensues when you have vampires spouting corporate cliches like, "I just love his can-do attitude." It's playing at the Pheonix film festival this month, but I'm not sure if or when it will be in wide release.
"Mark Wahlberg has signed on to star in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller The Happening for 20th Century Fox. The studio has grabbed Friday, June 13, 2008, as its worldwide release date."
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