Did anybody catch Celebrity Rap Superstar last night on MTV? The show has eight "celebrities" (including Efren Ramirez, Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite) stepping up to the mic with mentors like Tone Loc, Warren G and Bubba Sparxxx.
Just like every other reality show, there's a panel of "celebrity" judges (Run, Da Brat and radio personality Big Boy), and the audience can call and vote for their favorites.
I'm sorry I missed this show last night. I wanted to see how many times Hef's girl next door Kendra laughed during her performance. Or if Shar Jackson is going to rap a Britney Spears song.
Reader feedback: So far this morning, we've had votes of support for the snickering dog Muttley from reader Michael, and Kristen wonders where Marmaduke is. Where, indeed.
Local music grads Eisley made the all-important national TV debut last night on Conan. Very nice performance and a good introduction of their dreamy-pop to the masses. No clips are up on their site or Conan's, but that'll surely be fixed soon.
World Wrestling Entertainment on Thursday suspended 10 of its wrestlers for violations of a policy that tests for steroids and other drugs. Hopefully this will restore competitive balance in the ring and integrity to the sport.
Anyone out there fascinated with presidential assassins? If so, a musical opening in Philadelphia is right up your alley. It's the Tony-award-winning Assassins (natch), and the theater's lobby will feature a display targeted at the most fervent fans of history. There, you can see a piece of tissue from John Wilkes Booth's body and a piece of the brain of Charles Guiteau, the man who killed James Garfield. If you're anything like spokeswoman Anna Dhody, you'll think that seeing these men "in the flesh" is quite exciting.
I was just in Eatzi's on Oak Lawn and THEY WERE PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC! ON AUGUST 30! I'm still spending my free time drenched in sweat and they want me thinking snowballs and hot cocoa.
All the free samples of bread and pesto spread won't make this OK. I may have to boycott.
And her album, Marry Me, is a reference to Arrested Development. (She was not looking for a date, y'all!) Pitchfork's got more on her other favorites -- albums, books, music venues -- here.
... or at least chewing on his trading cards. After a Missouri woman listed on eBay Vick cards chewed by her dog (the winning bid was $7,400), several people have given their dogs a taste, planning to donate the money to various charities for abused animals.
So you thought Superbad was good. Well, check out Drillbit Taylor. It stars Owen Wilson as a body guard. Look at the trailer and let me know what you think.
Talk show host David Letterman is planning to make his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show next month, a sign that the two gazillionaires have buried the hatchet after a feud that lasted over a decade. Letterman frequently joked about Oprah over the years, and in 2003, she said she wouldn't go on his show because she didn't like being the target of his punchlines. Their reconciliation began in 2005, when Oprah was a guest on Letterman's Late Show.
Now if we can just take care of that whole world peace thing ...
I'm a little late on this, I think, but if you haven't seen it, here are newlyweds Mike Modano and Willa Ford showing off their home recently on MTV Cribs.
So, I heard some people couldn’t get in last night (read the GVB comments section), which is a shame. We got there a little bit after 10 — when doors were supposed to open — and the door host was already saying it was guest-list only. One thirties-ish guy in a suit looked miffed.
I met Darius Holbert when I was 11 years old. We rode the same yellow bus to the Talented and Gifted Academy at Alex W. Spence Middle School.
I readily admit that Darius is a lot more talented and gifted than I am. A musician since the age of 5, he's now making a living as a composer, producer and performer in Los Angeles.
But he's in Texas this week for a series of shows with his band, the DTX Trio. Check 'em out tonight at Dan's Silverleaf or tomorrow at Sons of Hermann Hall.
The star FC Dallas forward says so here, in an MTV Cribs-style video that just went up on the team’s blog. He also likes his furniture very low to the ground, and visits his apartment building's pool "four times a week." Check it out.
Entertainment Weekly reports on its Web site that Britney Spears is getting close to releasing a new single, "Gimme More." Glad she has time to focus on her music when she's dealing chlid abuse allegations, and having the SPCA check up on her now and then.
Labor Day is a HUGE weekend for area races, so I can't limit myself to just one this weekend. (Psst...in reality I'm "limiting" myself to zero because I'll be out of town.) But for those of you interested in taking advantage of the long weekend, here are my suggestions:
Take a road trip to West, Texas, about an hour from Dallas, for the Kolache 5000 Fun Run. It's a 5K at 8 a.m., and the best thing about it is, you get to go to West Fest, the town's annual Czech festival, and eat delicious kolaches. Any race with Kolache in the name, I'm down for.
If you'd rather keep it local, there are two races at White Rock Lake this weekend. The first is the Dallas Running Club's Breakfast Bash on Saturday at Winfrey Point. The five-mile race starts at 8 a.m. The second is Thruston Racing's Labor Day 15K and 5K runs, which start at 7:30 a.m. at the Bath House.
Whichever you choose, have fun being active for me this weekend!
The Last Fantastic Four Story: Of course, this isn't the Fantastic Four's last story. But it's probably the last one that their 84-year-old creator, Stan Lee, will write.
Action Comics #855: In their second arc, Superman director Richard Donner and his former assistant, Infinite Crisis writer Geoff Johns, are focusing on Bizarro.
Ex Machina Masquerade Special: This one-shot is billed as a great jumping-on point for readers unfamiliar with Brian K. Vaughan's acclaimed series about New York Mayor Mitchell Hundred, the former superhero once known as the Great Machine.
The Mice Templar #1: The advance buzz for this series -- a swords and sorcery epic, but with all the characters being mice -- is strong.
There's a fun volunteer opportunity this weekend if you're looking for a way to pitch in. Communities In Schools Dallas Region, Inc., which helps at-risk students stay in school and achieve academically, needs 50 to 60 volunteers to participate in its Barnes & Noble Book Fairs on Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will talk with attendants, give out pre-printed information and read a book to children at story time. Training is provided, and you can contact Carolyn Bullard at 214-827-0955 ext. 229 if you're interested.
CBS News is sending Katie Couric to Iraq and Syria, the top anchor's first time in the war zone. She'll anchor the CBS Evening News from Baghdad a couple of days next week, and then she'll move on to sunny, relatively safe Damascus. Couric will be the second major network anchor to travel to Iraq since ABC News’ Bob Woodruff was nearly killed by a roadside bomb. NBC’s Brian Williams went to Iraq in March. With over 100 journalists killed in Iraq since March 2003, Couric acknowledges that safety is a concern. "I think I feel comfortable with the measures that are being taken," she says.
You've no doubt seen by now the clip of Miss Teen South Carolina trying to answer a question about why one-fifth of Americans can't find the U.S. on a map. I was curious about what her response would look like in print, so I transcribed it:
“I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some, uh [sounded like “Osama”], people out there in our nation don’t have maps and, uh, I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S., should help the U.S., um, or should help South Africa, and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future … [microphone mercifully taken away]”
The famous Roots drummer (and DJ, and producer, and all-around renaissance man) will do a DJ set at LFT's Fall Launch party in Victory Park tomorrow night.There'll be a runway show featuring clothes from Cynthia Vincent, and a Samsung Style showcase featuring the Samsung Blast.
You apparently had to RSVP by yesterday -- you can do so on the LFT website -- but I don't know how firm that deadline is. Party runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Free valet too.
Quinn opened last Friday at the corner of Davis and Zang -- it's where Long John Silver's used to be, but there's nary a trace of LJS left. (Yay!)
It's a pretty neat little place. The whole thing has been redone in dark woods and soothing colors, and they've got comfy couches, highboy tables and chairs, and a small patio. Hummus n' pita and chips n' salsa are on the appetizer list, plus some other stuff I can't remember. Beer appears to be strictly domestic for the time being. (Coors, Bud, etc.)
Seems like a great place for people in the neighborhood to have a post-work drink. Now we just need O.C. to turn wet, so I can buy a darn bottle of wine at the grocery store.
UPDATE: Front Burner says Cat Power was at Quinn on Sunday. I'm dying. I adore Cat Power. And I had a hunch she might be staying at the Belmont.
The Washington Post reports that Larry Craig, the Republican senator accused of soliciting an undercover cop in an airport men's room, was once in a barbershop quartet called the Singing Senators that included former Attorney General John Ashcroft. That little tidbit made me remember this.
I have never seen nor heard of black toilet paper, but there's a company selling a "gorgeously perfumed" six-pack on eBay.
The stuff is "sophisticated and eternally fashionable ... and was once reserved for the hottest restaurants and hotels in New York, Madrid and Paris," the seller says.
You sorta have to cock your head at this, cuz black toilet tissue raises a lot of questions: Do actors and actresses really use this? Will I wow my friends if I display it in my bathroom? Is it two-ply? Where is the commercial of dancing cartoon bears, looking happy and relieved? Among many, many others.
Maybe it's just easier to accept, as the seller notes, that black toilet paper looks fabulous with stainless steel bathroom fixtures, and leave it at that.
On the cover of tomorrow's Quick is up-and-coming artist Kid Sister. She happens to be dating oh-so-hip DJ A-Trak. He happens to have a remix of Kanye West's "Stronger" available free on Pitchfork right now. And it happens to be ver' nice. So is the remix of West's "Get 'Em High" on A-Trak's Myspace page. And that's because of the Knife.
I saw the new movie 2 Days in Parisover the weekend at the surprisingly packed Angelika in Plano, and it was the best movie I've seen in a while. I'd recommend it to anyone in the mood for a dark, sometimes absurd comedy. The talented Julie Delpy stars alongside Adam Goldberg, and she also wrote, directed and edited the movie. For an interview with Delpy, check out Tuesday's Quick.
Hank Aaron (above, left) can show up in court to support Michael Vick, but he can't show up to watch Barry Bonds break his all-time home run record?
Don't get me wrong, I think Bonds is just as guilty as Vick -- for a much lesser crime. But, it just seems like a strange double standard for Hammerin' Hank.
Rochelle Steffen doesn't care much that Michael Vick has apologized. She's chewing him up and spitting him out ... or at least her dog has.
The artist and dog lover from Missouri has received an eBay bid of $6,400 for 22 chewed-up, mangled Vick trading cards. Bidding closes Wednesday morning.
She plans to donate the money to an animal shelter. The Associated Press said eBay originally yanked the sale because it broke the site’s rule on charity auctions. Steffen is now saying she would do “very good” things with the money.
Remember the ghost players, who emerged from the cornfields dressed in 1919 White Sox uniforms in Field of Dreams? According to the Des Moines Register, the players who have entertained thousands of tourists at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, will perform for the last time Sept. 30.
“It's just kind of an end of an era,” Keith Rahe, who is in charge of the ghost players, told the paper. “We’ve been doing this a long time.”
Central Market's Hatch chile festival started recently, and I went by today to check out the goods. The word Hatch is everywhere, and you can't possibly miss the marked items. I picked up a small scoop of Hatch pimiento cheese, a jar of Hatch cream cheese dip and a Hatch brownie. That was definitely a splurge item, but it was worth it. The heat of the chiles melded with the chocolate to create a strangely addictive flavor. Plus they're giant so you can TRY to save some for later.
I balked at getting a giant jar of roasted Hatch chiles, but Alma, a FOQ (Friend of Quick) suggested throwing them in quesadillas. She sampled the Hatch shrimp quesadillas at the Southlake location and loved them, so I think a second CM trip is in store. Happy shopping!
It's slow, even for a Monday. So slow that I'm thinking of curling up under my cubicle and surrendering to my headphones. But then again, I'm kind of busy obsessively checking Perez Hilton for Nick Hogan and Owen Wilson updates. Anyway, you're waiting for going-out ideas, so I'll offer up the only one I can muster:
The Cavern is having a little upstairs chillfest tonight with DJ sets and happy hour specials all night. Best part is there's no cover. Those couches are comfy, too. Maybe I'll curl up there ...
Yesterday, I posted a comment about my vote for the next 90210 castmate who should be on Dancing with the Stars. Apparently, one reality show isn't enough for Tori Spelling. The Tori and Dean: Inn Love star will join 90210 BFF Jennie Garth on next season of Dancing with the Stars, TMZ.com reports.
1. Went to The Party on Friday night and had a blast. Unfortunately, I drank way too much. SAY NO TO THREE SHOTS NEXT TIME. Also, props to the Cultura Fina boyz, who invited me to their awesome downtown apartment for an after-party. We drank beers and watched Jay-Z on their flat-screen TV, it was quite nice. I haven’t after-partied in a million years, so thanks guys. (See The Party pics here. Watch videos for my three fave songs of the night here, here and here.)
2. Woke up early on Saturday to hang with my mother-in-law, who is an amazing lady, not least of which because she raised my husband. (She also makes her own blackberry jam.) Tried to take a nap later that afternoon, but it eluded me. Motto running through my pounding head: “I’m too old for this crap.”
3. Did not sleep last night because a large dog near our bedroom window was barking ALL NIGHT. This dog is tied to a tree near our house. It’s just a tree in a lot — there’s no house there. I’ve seen this dog for the past week, and we’ve told the police about it, and yet he’s STILL THERE. Need to call animal control. (Can you tell I’ve gotten precious few sleep hours?)
Lessons learned: No shots unless it’s someone’s birthday. Don’t party until 3:30 a.m. when mom-in-law’s in town. Buy earplugs.
Unfortunately, Hulk Hogan's son Nick Bollea (Hogan's real name) was involved in a serious automobile accident last night. His condition has not been released, but he was airlifted to a Florida hospital -- never a good sign.
Officers believe excessive speed played a role in the crash. It seems Nick, who tried out for a racing team with Hogan's help on the reality show Hogan Knows Best, lost control of the car and totaled it against a palm tree.
Jordan Pearce, an 18-year-old college student in Provo, Utah, hugged 765 people Saturday in less than an hour in an attempt to set a world record. The previous record was 612 hugs in an hour.
SI.com is reporting that Mark Cuban will become the next cast member of Dancing With the Stars. He would reportedly join Jennie Garth, Wayne Newton and Spice Girl Melanie Brown, among others, in the dancing competition.
Tonight's biggest show actually starts at 4 p.m., and it's free. Head to Good Records to hear Paper Chase instrumentalist Sean Kirkpatrick's new solo material. Pick up his CD, Turn on the Interference, while you're there. I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with my copy, but the songs I've listened to are driven by Sean's piano-playing -- a weird mix of pop, jazz and classical. Think of him as a cool man's Billy Joel, I guess.
especially reality TV about meerkats. Our whole family (including the Jack Russell Terriers) loves Meerkat Manor. Have you see the new promos? Click here to check out Flower's.
Just got word in an email that Sankofa, the really cool ungerground poetry spot/vegeterian restaurant in South Dallas, has closed, due to recent violence that killed a 27-year-old man.
Here's what the email said:
TO OUR SANKOFA FAMILY:
WE AT SANKOFA WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. OUR SINCERE DESIRE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WHEN YOU VISIT SANKOFA, YOU FEEL LIKE PART OF OUR FAMILY. DURING THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 10TH, SOME TRAGIC AND UNFORTUNATE EVENTS TOOK PLACE. WE FEEL IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM YOU THAT CONTRARY TO MASS MEDIA REPORTS, THIS INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR AT SANKOFA AND WAS NOT A SANKOFA SPONSORED EVENT. WE HAVE ALWAYS ASPIRED TO PROVIDE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOU, OUR SANKOFA FAMILY. JUST AS THE DALLAS POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN GOVERNING GANG RELATED VIOLENCE, WE CANNOT CONTROL WHAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGE IN OUTSIDE OF THE CONFINES OF SANKOFA.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE VICTIMS IN THIS UNFORTUNATE TURN OF EVENTS.
THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF OUR PATRONS IS OUR FOREMOST CONCERN. THEREFORE, WE FEEL THAT RELOCATION IS IMPERATIVE.
PLEASE EXERCISE PATIENCE WITH US DURING OUR RELOCATION PROCESS AND BE AWARE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE YOU, OUR SANKOFA FAMILY. WE HOPE TO MAKE THE TRANSITION AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
It's sad. Hopefully they can find another location soon. It's a huge loss to the neighborhood, though -- with Sankofa and the Black Forest theater in the same shopping center, there was a nice little vibe there, which I think was drawing even people from North Dallas. What a shame.
So, you slept through Dallas singer J.D. Whittenburg's performance on Good Day this morning? Here ya go. J.D.'s at the Cavern tonight. More show picks later when I actually wake up.
"Strange Love" is right. This new Levi's commercial promoting the 2007 line is mesmerizing. A man and woman have a rendezvous in a sparse bedroom, and while trying to rip each other's clothes off, they instead take a trip through the decades layer by layer. That kind of raw sensuality is something we'd all like to have, but all the credit goes to the song by Little Annie Anxiety Bandez. Now excuse me while I go get some new Levi's, just so I can go home and take them off.
CBS has created a stir with its upcoming Kid Nation reality show, which is being investigated by the New Mexico attorney general for possible child-labor violations. The premise of the show: Put 40 kids in the desert for 40 days to build their own society, without any adult contact. You know, because it worked so well in Lord of the Flies.
Nicole Richie went to jail Thursday, for a whole 82 minutes of her 96-hour sentence for driving under the influence of drugs. Richie, pregnant with Joel Madden's baby, checked into jail at 3:15 p.m. and was released at 4:37 p.m. “based on her sentence and federal guidelines,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Maribel Rizo said. When asked whether Richie spent her brief sentence in a jail cell, Rizo replied: “No further comment."
Wonder what her good buddy Paris Hilton thinks of her short stay, after Paris spent 23 days in an LA jail earlier this summer.
Several months ago I posted about a new restaurant opening right near my apartment, Strong's Everyday Tavern. I lamented about some of the pricy, swanky places in the neighborhood and said how I hoped Strong's would live up to its name.
According to this post on the DMN's Eats blog, it will. Owner Larry Lavine said he expects the average meal at Strong's to run about $12, not too shabby compared to some of its neighbors. The blog post advises you to keep an eye on Strong's site for the date of its September opening. A sign on the place says they're hiring if you're looking for a job.
We had Christiane Amanpour on the Quick cover earlier this week, featuring her exploration of religious fundamentalism in her "God's Warriors" special reports airing on CNN this week.
Having been enthralled by the first two, I'm looking forward to seeing the last installment on Christian fundamentalism, which airs tonight. Has anyone else been watching these?
So far, each report has been fascinating in its own regard, but from time to time, Amanpour has been an amazing presence herself.
During one interview that aired last night with a Muslim man who was addressing the place of women in Islamic society, Amanpour outrightly disagrees with what he says, almost recoiling, looking at him with big eyes and wagging her finger.
The man laughs, asking in heavily accented English, "Are you mad from me?"
"I'm very mad from you," she replies.
In the context of that interview, her response was unexpected and almost lighthearted, but you just get the idea that you don't really want to mess around with the Amanpour.
The best race option this week (if you missed the Daylight to Darkness run at White Rock on Wednesday, like me...doh!) is the Plano Pacers' Dog Days Relay on Saturday at 8 a.m. at Harrington Park in Plano.
The relay is a three-person 3K, so it's a great race for kids or the not-so-fit. You can run in teams of two, but you won't be eligible for any awards. For more information, visit the Plano Pacers Web site or call 972-967-7223.
Hooray for Rowan Atkinson, who puts on the familiar bad brown suit for Mr. Bean's Holiday, opening tomorrow. Atkinson's physical comedy can be hysterical. His old Bean TV series -- especially the Christmas edition -- was classic. Black Adder is adored. And the excellent Rowan Atkinson Live! is out on DVD.
The Bean brand isn't for everyone. For guilty-pleasure (and completely clean) giggles, it works for me.
I'm still not convinced that any self-resepecting local music lover gets up before noon. That aside, Amanda at Boca Tinta has a nice bit of info regarding a certain J.D. Whittenburg performing on a certain local morning TV show tomorrow. Set the coffeemaker to start on its own, I guess.
Reader Juana Perez just emailed me to say I can get them at Sam Moon for $5 to $10, or, if I want to be frugal, Trader's Village for 99 cents y'all.
Here is Miz Watley herself rocking them in an original video. Sound quality's horrible, but you can definitely see the earrings. And an awesome poufy tulle 80s skirt.
(By the way, my request of where to find them ran in today's column.)
A Los Angeles district court has charged Lindsay Lohan (who is currently in a posh Utah rehab facility) with seven misdemeanors (no felonies) today stemming from her drunken-driving arrests on May 26 and July 24. She faces a minimum of four days in jail.
Here's a rundown of the charges:
* Two counts of driving under the influence
* Two counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level above .08 percent
* Two counts of being under the influence of cocaine
* One count of reckless driving
UPDATE
As part of Lohan's plea bargain, she was also fined and sentenced to 3 years' probation. If she violates any of the conditions of her probation, she could be sentenced to up to four years in prison. And, she has to complete an 18-month alcohol-education program and 30 days in a residential rehab clinic. That shouldn't be too difficult, considering her stay in Utah is her third rehab stint this year.
Suite -- the upscale Knox-Henderson lounge/club, and probably the hardest place to get into in town -- got a nod in the September issue of InStyle. The magazine praised Suite for its DJs (Kid Sister is there this Tuesday) and for having the "most elaborate bottle service in town."
Spoke to him yesterday, and he said Suite isn't just for the "cool people," and that real folks can actually get in. The place only holds 300, though. And he doesn't like to choose the same crowd week after week.
How to be among the Lucky 300:
1. Reserve a table. Call a week in advance. Bottles -- part of said elaborate bottle service -- start at $350.
2. If you're a guy, don't show up with another guy. Bring a woman and several of her friends. Women: Tote along a few hot single girlfriends who want to dance and have fun.
3. Step up your game. Dress to impress, and that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive outfit. A unique look or style is a plus.
Spune Productions has announced a special Wall of Sound Festival pre-party in Denton, as if the fest itself (Sept. 22 at Fort Worth's LaGrave Field) weren't exciting enough. But this pre-party the night before has two things going for it: It's an extra, added Midlake appearance (good for the boys to play in the town they call home) and it'll be opener Current Leaves' last show. The last one? Ever? Really?
According to his new book, The Bus: My life In and Out of a Helmet, former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said he faked a knee injury during training camp in 2000 so the team wouldn't cut him.
NFL teams aren't able to cut an injured player in camp unless they reach an injury agreement.
"Man, did I do a nice job of acting," Bettis wrote in the book.
No, not talking about Paris Hilton. I still can't believe the Rangers scored 30 runs last night, beating the Orioles 30-3 in the first game of a doubleheader. Some of my favorite stats surrounding the game:
* According to ESPN, Baltimore's Ravens haven't given up 30 points in a home game since the 2003 season.
* The Rangers' Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters were 13-for-19 with a mind-boggling 16 RBIs. They're the guys who aren't supposed to be able to hit, eh?
* The Rangers batted 18-for-25 with runners in scoring position.
For today's Quick cover story, I wanted to include some funny Salim Nourallah stories from friends of his. Well, I only managed to get one, and that came in after deadline. Deathray Davies frontman John Dufilho has played on Salim's records (mostly drummin') and also made the DRD's Kick and the Snare at Pleasantry Lane. But the tidbit Dufilho sent me was from long before any of that. Read it after the jump.
(Oh, and if you have any Salim stories, we'd love to hear 'em in the comments.)
Tom Brady is a dad. His ex-girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy Wednesday. The couple split in December after three years together, and Brady is now dating model Gisele Bundchen.
I've had songs from Interpol's latest album stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks -- especially "The Heinrich Maneuver," "Rest My Chemistry" and "No I in Threesome" (one of the better-named love songs in recent memory). I'm looking forward to seeing them in Dallas next month to find out if Paul Banks can re-create his sheeplike vocals on stage.
In addition to Salim's CD release Friday at the Granada, Chris Holt’s band the Slack will also take the stage to celebrate its new album Wishful Sinking. I caught up with Holt by phone this week, and he told me why he decided to put his old band, Olospo, to rest.
“I was having a problem with the identity of Olospo. People always expected us to do a lot of improv at live shows, and being thought of as a jamband was the last thing I wanted. So I just wanted to start over with something more melodic, and songs with more structure to them.”
He and fellow Slack members Eric Neal, Steven Luthve, Tom Bridwell and David DeShazo explore powerpop, mellow gold and good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll on Wishful Sinking. Listen to some tracks here.
The comic book industry's top sellers for July are detailed in today's Fanboy column. If you're interested, here's a look at how the books highlighted in July's columns sold. What surprised me most was the poor showing for Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen. But at least Colbert can "scoreboard" Nicolas Cage and Gene Simmons.
Be sure to check out Quick tomorrow for an interview with local singer/songwriter/producer Salim Nourallah, in advance of his CD release show Friday at the Granada. I talked to Salim for about an hour last week at his home studio, Pleasantry Lane, so of course I wasn't able to fit all the good little nuggets into the story. One of the things that didn't make the cut was a conversation we had about his favorite artists who've lost their edge as they've gotten older. His comments follow after the jump.
Who knew people actually hang out in the Bishop Arts District on a Tuesday night? Granted, they don’t stay out late, but they’re definitely around post-work.
I was on the look-out for some new cocktails for Drink of the Week, so here's where we went...
Tellos Colossal Vol. 1: Artist Mike Wieringo died of a heart attack at the age of 44, less than two weeks before the release of this massive tome collecting his creator-owned series.
Halo: Uprising #1 (of 4): The release of Halo 3 is a few weeks away. Until then, bide your time with this prequel.
In Her Darkest Hour: A girl moves to a new town and contemplates suicide. Of course, this is a one-shot. You couldn't sustain that concept for a whole series.
I have to admit, I haven't seen much of America's Got Talent, but I've now seen enough to know that when a dude carrying a puppet wins, America might have some issues. Terry Fator, a ventriloquist from Mesquite, won a million dollars, topping Cas Haley, a singer from Dallas. He also won his own show in Vegas. But to me, it looked like the guy was moving his lips! That's kind of not the point of ventriloquism, right? I mean, if he's going to move his lips, why doesn't he ditch the doll and just sing? Maybe the show's 10 million viewers are seeing something I'm not.
In yet another case of tainted products, tests of two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart stores found traces of melamine, according to the Associated Press. Wal-Mart stopped selling the Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading in July, after customers said the products sickened their pets. No recall was announced at that time, but Wal-Mart said in a statement that customers who bought one of the products to return it to the nearest store for a refund.
Is it just me, or are there more Iraq related movies out there? Lions and Lambs, Rendition, TheKingdom, there are more but you get my point. Is this too much?
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz bought himself a 2005 red Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG after Boston won the World Series in 2004. Now, it can be yours because he's trying to sell it on eBay. According to the listing, Big Papi bought the car for more than $205,000, then spent another $35,000 on accessories. He says he'll deliver the car to the winning bidder at Fenway Park. It only has about 4,000 miles on it. So good luck.
Is anyone else watching "The Two Coreys"? I discovered it over the weekend, and it quickly became one of my favorite shows. (I wanted to get that out there now, because I'm fully aware that I'll probably be sick of it within a week. But I'll take what I can get, especially amid the wasteland that is summer television.)
The best line of the series so far was when Corey Haim, speaking dismissively about Corey Feldman's wife, said, "She's not part of the two Coreys. She never will be."
In a new poll by the Associated Press, one in four adults said they read no books last year. And the typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year.
Those of you who didn't pick up a book last year better be on your way to the library.
Abraham Lincoln is getting a little bit of color in the redesigned $5 bill, which is set to be unveiled on Sept. 20.
The 16th prez's portrait on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the back will be updated, along with some tweakage in the colors here and there to help thwart counterfeiters. No rouge or blond highlights for Abe? Damn. Gold teeth? Probably not.
Still, this is no ordinary unveiling. In a first, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is planning to reveal the fiver on an Internet broadcast, which, according to the Associated Press, the government has dubbed a "Wi-5" event.
Gotta love MTVU for showing videos, unlike its mothership which wedges in music snippets between episodes of My Super Sweet 16 and Parental Control (the worst dating show ever, for those of you who keep records). MTVU's show The Freshman throws out five vids from new bands and lets audience members vote to keep one in the channel's rotation. The most recent episode featured Dallas band The Hourly Radio's Harold and Maude-inspired clip for "Deaf Ears." Panelists Tegan & Sara were on hand to provide commentary, and Sara focused in on The Hourly Radio's lead singer, Aaron Closson: "He's got a really interesting voice. It kinda sounds like a girl." Do the guys a favor and, after you watch the show online, vote for "Deaf Ears." Who knows? Maybe they could end up rocking the credits of The Hills one day. The sky's the limit.
I recently viewed the cheesiest commercial I've ever seen. It was so bad that I had to mute it. And then it was still so bad that I had to look away. And then I had to turn off the TV so that my furniture didn't have to watch it. "Viva Viagra" anyone? You've probably seen it and blocked it out. Now I don't mean to always write about Elvis, but I'm pretty sure on this one that he wouldn't want this classic tune used in such a barfable way. He would have at least wanted a woman in the commercial.
Well, guys, tonight's the night we get to find out whether Woodbelly frontman Cas Haley will walk away with a cool million bucks on NBC's America's Got Talent. While the finale is nowhere near Idol's annual star-studded extravaganza (One of tonight's "special" performers? UB40), Cas is favored to win. Even Ann Curry said so on the Today show this morning, and Ann Curry never lies. And in a video on the show's Web site, judge David Hasselhoff said about Cas, "He's kinda like Jimmy Buffett; he's just along for the ride." Hasselhoff may not lie either, but he also makes no sense.
Apparently Mark Cuban partied it up at Ghostbar -- the Vegas one, not the Dallas one -- this past weekend with the lovely MTV ladies. From Robin Leach's blog, of all places:
*PARTY HEARTY: Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban switched from the high-priced 2002 Araujo Cabernet at the Ghostbar in the Palms to beers when he joined the cast of MTV's The Hills, partying at the adjoining table. They'd been filming all over the Palms for the weekend and at dinner in the N9NE steakhouse earlier. They wound-up partying late and pouring carafes of soda each other – but Mark outlasted the kids and stayed until 3 a.m.!
I normally love these roasts on Comedy Central. Lots of funny, clever, biting lines. But the one for Flav went too far. At least it did for me.
Both Katt Williams -- and I've been a big fan of his -- and Greg Giraldo made jokes about Down Syndrome during the roast. All in the first 10 minutes of the show. It was incredibly classless.
I know the point of a roast is to offend, but that brand of humor is hurtful, and nothing else. It made us sick enough to turn it off.
A commercial pitching an area firm that specializes in dealing with the IRS was airing on The Ticket this afternoon when the news broke that Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was planning to plead guilty to dogfighting charges. When the news break-in was completed, the commercial resumed with: "Do you feel like you're being hounded by a pack of wild dogs ... "
I spotted this new headgear on the Morning News' humor blog. It's sure to be a big seller, because nobody wants to look silly on game day.
In other news, check out Tuesday's Quick for info on the Quick Makeover contest. It's sorta like that What Not to Wearshow, but without the annoying co-hosts. And probably a smaller budget.
If you have not seen Comedy Central's Flava Flav roast, you have to see it. It's funny. The funniest parts are the roasters roasting each other. There are some clips on YouTube. You better hurry before they're pulled.
The Princeton Review announced its list of the nation's top party schools, with West Virginia on top, followed by Mississippi and UT.
I kind of have to agree with a West Virginia sophomore in the story who says it's just speculation and that every school's a party school. You can go crazy at pretty much any college in the country. Is it just that these schools have more people who like to party than others? Any Texas people want to weigh in?
I'll admit it: I'm not one of those people who always have the names of the coolest up-and-coming bands on the tips of their tongues. Just keeping up with locals is hard enough. So, yeah, it took me three years to finally go nuts over Baltimore's Animal Collective. But now that I've been wearing out my advance copy of new album Strawberry Jam (left), I feel stupid for not heeding the advice of Good Records' C.J. and buying their last two. I'll tell you more about the insanely weird pop perfection that is the new album later, but I'll leave you now with some advice: Get acquainted with new single "Peacebone" and other tracks ("#1" is my fave) before Jam comes out Sept. 11.
About 10 years ago, when I was in college in Boston, Jordan Knight would occassionally pop up at clubs w/ Joey McIntyre and the crew. Girls LOVED him. (And Joey M. too.) They would try to talk to him in the club, and then when he wasn't there, they would sit outside his house and wait for him to come out. These were NKOTB fans, still loyal after all these years.
And then remember when Jordan had his solo career? Didn't that happen only a few years ago? (Wikipedia says 1999.) He was rejecting all the boy-band stuff to branch out on his own.
Now it appears he's accepted his fate. Jordan performs with PM Dawn -- and he's not even a headliner -- on Sept. 6 at House of Blues. A singer from All-For-One is also on the bill. Movin' 107.5 is sponsoring the concert, and a clip from NKOTB's "Step by Step" plays after Jordan's name is mentioned.
I don't know, this makes me kind of sad. Maybe I just feel old.
For something completely different, New York noise group Halflings will dirty up Denton's House of Tinnitus.
DJs Frances Jaye, Viz and Jay Clipp will preside over a Talib Kweli listening party at Spike Global Grill in Mockingbird Station. And a heads-up on Spike: Next Monday will be local artist Keite Young's album release party.
I think that's about all for today. Feel free to add stuff ...
If you still blast the Great Expectations soundtrack in your car (hello, late '90s), you might be interested in Dallas group Shock of Pleasure, whose moody electronica is getting some good play on The Edge (102.1). Watch the video for "This is a Test" and let me know what you think. Shock of Pleasure plays Sambuca Addison on Friday.
Haven't picked up your copies of Denton Deluxe, Vol. 1 and 2 yet? The store that put them together, Strawberry Fields, reports in a MySpace bulletin that you might be out of luck for now:
"These things just wont stay on the shelves. We will have twenty more pressing of each volume available [on Tuesday]. Once those are going who knows what will happen!"
If you don't end up getting them, you can borrow my copies, but only after I rip them to iTunes. (I don't trust you.) But why not cough up the ten bucks to get bophum when they become available again? Checkoutsomeoftheartists to whet your appetite.
Dallas band Red Monroe hasn't revealed much about its forthcoming album. All we've known up to this point is that we'll be able to buy it and hear it live at the Granada on Sept. 8. The lack of info simultaneously frustrated and intrigued me, considering the usual course of action for a band preparing a release is to bombard everyone with "HEY HERE ARE NEW SONGS FROM OUR ALBUM LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN PAY ATTENTION TO USSSSS"-type messages. Not Red Monroe. But it does look as if the band's finally given us something to chew on, even if it's just a morsel. Check out the above teaser video for the album we assume is called ¡Policia! ¡Policia! There's another vid here. Strangely, the wait until Sept. 8 now seems more difficult.
U.S. News and World Report just released its list of America's Best Colleges 2008, and look who's on top again: Princeton University.
Narrowing it down to Texas, here's where a handful of schools ranked:
No. 17 -- Rice University No. 44 -- the University of Texas - Austin (tied with University of California - Santa Barbara and University of California - Irvine) No. 62 -- Texas A&M University - College Station (tied with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Mass.) No. 67 -- Southern Methodist University (tied with Clemson University in South Carolina) No. 75 -- Baylor University No. 108 -- Texas Christian University
Has anyone heard the buzz about King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters ? It's a documentary about two men vying for the world's top score in Donkey Kong. In 1999, Billy Mitchell established a record no one thought would be broken, until 2003, when Steve Wiebe lost his job and started playing - every night. The documentary chronicles their battle to be included in the 2007 Guiness Book of World Records.
It's playing only in select cities, but Wiebe appeared in Austin last night for two evening showings. I couldn't find out when it might end up in Dallas, but if you're heading to Austin in the near future, it's at the Alamo Drafthouse. Check out the official Web site for trailers and more.
Well, 9to5Mac.com thinks the new Nano will come in black-matte, silver, cranberry/wine red, lighter blue and light green. And they think it will have video. I never trust rumor sites but its fun to hear.
Just hours after he was spotted hand-in-hand with Britney Spears at a Beverly Hills hotel, Criss Angel said he was simply helping her with a performance for the MTV Video Music Awards and that they are not together.
Sound familiar? That's almost exactly what happened when word got out that he was snuggling up to Cameron Diaz a few months ago.
I guess somebody has commitment issues. Reminds me of my first relationship. I went to the movies and sat by my boyfriend, but when my friends came up and asked if we were going out, I got scared and said no.
Of course, I was in fifth grade, and Angel's 39.
Some women can totally pull off the bald-is-beautiful thing; Sinéad O'Connor comes to mind, as does Demi Moore in G.I. Jane. Sexy and tough.
But most heads are covered with hair for a reason. Britney Spears looked like an insane Chia pet when she shaved her head this summer. But the worst has to be Mena Suvari who, in these pictures appears to be a female impersonator wearing crocheted coasters for a bikini top. Put away the clippers, Mena.
Are you having a bad day? Are you headed to the airport? I suggest you release your cares and put a smile on or the "Behavior Detection Officers" will getchya! It was only a matter of time. These "specially trained security personnel" will be watching passengers for "micro-expressions" that could possibly reveal "treacherous agendas and insidious intentions" at airports around the country. TSA hopes to have as many as 500 Behavior Detection Officers on the job by the end of 2008.
So keep a smile on your face next time you're explaining that you have a metal piece in your ankle from your 3rd grade monkey bar accident and that's why the metal detectors keep going off. The officers are watching...
As if Ryan Seacrest didn't have enough duties to keep him busy, he's signed on to take part in Fox's Super Bowl pregame show in February. According to the Associated Press, he'll provide commentary on the entertainment portions of the program and interview celebrities who attend the game. Oh yeah, I guess there is a game that day.
Remember Saturday Night’s Main Event? It had the guys in our office thinking we were young fellas again, bringing up names such as the Junkyard Dog, Ricky Steamboat, Hillbilly Jim and Hulk Hogan (above). ... Whatcha gonna do when the Hulkster runs wild on you!?!
Anyway, if you don’t remember, the pro wrestling show debuted on NBC in 1985, taking the place of Saturday Night Live repeats. WWE is bringing the program back tomorrow (10:30 p.m. on Channel 5). And one of the bouts pits former boxing champ Evander Holyfield against WWE star Matt Hardy in a “special boxing match.” Even Stone Cold Steve Austin is making an appearance.
The week's best race is Saturday's Elvis Run in Reverchon Park. The run will recognize the 30th anniversary of the King's death with a 5K at 8 a.m. and a 1-mile walk/wheelchair roll at 9 a.m. Elvis impersonators will be on hand, and you can dress your dog up like Elvis or any rock star for the Hound Dog Contest. For kids, there's also face painting, carnival games, a balloon artist and photo buttons.
Proceeds go to the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater DFW. More information can be found on the Web site, but online registration is closed. You can sign up at the race starting at 7 a.m. or at packet pickup Friday at Run On!
Jennifer Aniston is reportedly in final talks to start in the film adaptation of the best-selling book "He's Just Not That Into You." Shooting is expected to start next month, and Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin and Drew Barrymore have already signed on to star in the flick.
If you haven't been watching Damages on FX you're missing out.
I wasn't really expecting to get sucked in when my fiancée started watching, but the show has given me a reason to stay tuned: I just want to be watching when Glenn Close (I mean, her character Patty Hewes) gets that stupid smirk knocked off her face.
Don't get me wrong, Close is FANTASTIC in this character. But, she is pure evil and I'm actually hoping this show doesn't get picked up for another season just so we can see her character get what's coming to her.
Ted Danson's character is nearly as diabolical, and Danson is so good in the role you almost forget that he'll always be Sam Malone ... almost.
It's that time of year. Seniors are beginning to decide which school they're going to go to in the fall of '08 and the pressure is on. Having some trouble? Here are the 25 "Hottest" Universities to hopefully help you make your decision. Ivy league? No SAT or ACT scores for you? There's something for everyone. Now go forth and get an education!
Here's a longer story about the man who was shot outside Sankofa last weekend. He had a football scholarship to the University of New Mexico.
After reading it, I can't help but disagree with what the UNT professor said in this story, which ran today, about Dallas crime. The story says that even if the police revise the city's crime stats, it isn't going to change the Dallas' rating as the most crime-ridden city in America. The prof is apparently the dissenting voice.
"Dallas is not near as violent, near as dangerous as people think it is," said Robert Taylor, chairman of the criminal justice department at the University of North Texas. "It's a very safe major city."
Monday Night Football is back on ESPN. That means Hank Williams Jr. is, too, for the 19th year. “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” will be performed with a new all-star band featuring Brian Setzer. Hey, we just report the news. The Sept. 10 doubleheader features the Ravens at the Bengals and the Cardinals at the 49ers.
From NYC, comes this delicious dish ... for your dog.
Brooklyn chef Megan Montgomery runs a personal chef service for man's best friend, and she's offering up an all-natural, healthier and tastier alternative to Alpo and all that other canned dog food.
(See, when my family had a dog, she complained bitterly about Alpo's aftertaste, so bring it on, Megan.) It's called "Mighty Muttloaf," and the recipe follows.
The latest Bachelor, Lt. Andy Baldwin, and his fiancee, Tessa Horst, have called off their engagement. Like we didn't see that one coming. "We are very much in love and committed to our relationship," they said in a statement.
Seems like forever ago that I wrote aboutMom and its new CD, and perhaps I should have waited. Ya see, the Denton instrumental electro-acoustic duo just released Little Brite last week (it's available at Good Records) and it's having a big release show tonight at the Granada. But if you weren't a step ahead with me, please, oh please, check out Mom in time to make the show tonight. Not only will the guys play some new material that's not on Little Brite, but they'll also be joined on the lineup by Tree Wave, Shiny Around the Edges, History at Our Disposal and Voot Cha Index. Some of the most foward-thinking acts in DFW, all in the same room.
These three graphic novels, all of which are in stores, found their way to my desk recently:
Silverfish: This black-and-white graphic novel starts out simply enough. A teenage girl doesn’t trust her dad’s girlfriend, so she starts snooping into her background. Unfortunately, that background includes a guy who thinks a fish in his brain wants him to kill people. So when the girlfriend’s past comes back to haunt her, the entire family is in danger. I read this page-turner in one sitting because I couldn’t wait to see where the story went next.
Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country: Dashiell Bad Horse has returned to the Indian reservation he left as a 13-year-old. But he’s working for the FBI, going “undercover” as himself to infiltrate the crime ring run by the tribal chief. Scalped has been described as “The Sopranos on a reservation,” and this collection of the first five issues has all the sex, violence and profanity you’d expect from HBO. Each issue also features intriguing plot twists that have me looking forward to the release of Volume 2.
The Expendable One Vol. 2: The Boob Versus The Boobs: Irving-based Viper Comics has released a second graphic novel about Twigs Dupree, a man who can’t be killed. This time, he’s fighting an army of robots disguised as supermodels. The schmoe-as-immortal concept leads to some clever bits, such as the mysterious Agent Armstrong shooting him during an argument because she knows it will only aggravate him. I just wish she’d shoot him in the mouth. Twigs has four times as much dialogue as is necessary to tell this story.
Former Cowboys greats Ron Springs (left) and Everson Walls met with the media today to discuss their new Gift for Life Foundation. Walls helped save Springs’ life by donating a kidney to him about six months ago.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones plans to make the two honorary captains for the Sept. 9 season opener against the Giants at Texas Stadium. Jones also said 40,000 rally towels will be distributed throughout the stadium to remind fans of the importance of organ donation.
Smoothies are awesome. They taste great, and they sort of make you feel healthier when you're drinking them. But this article warns against certain kinds that aren't so good for you. You should check out the ingredients before choosing a drink because what appears to be healthy could be loaded with sugar, fruit concentrate or whole milk. Smoothies with fresh, low-fat ingredients can be just as satisfying, and a lot better for you.
The article even offers a link to the Juice and Smoothie Association (who knew) which ranks commercially made smoothies from platinum to bronze for their healthfulness.
Question: So, what will happen with our favorite daytimers when the fourth season of The Office debuts on NBC on Sept. 27?
(Fact: The third season left off with Jim FINALLY ditching Karen and asking out Pam.)
TV Guide's apparently got a little insight into the new couple's relationship, and it sounds like viewers will get what they want.
And NBC's living up to its promise of hour-long epics for the upcoming season. According to Zap2it.com, the network announced that the first four shows would be an hour. Hooray!
First Celine Dion, now Lisa Marie Presley. The daughter of Elvis Presley plans to release a song and video of "In the Ghetto" with her dad on Friday at Spinner.com. Lisa's voice was added to the original version of her father's 1969 song, and the video features images of her late father. Is this really what he would have wanted to mark the 30th anniversary of his death?
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick, this happens.
Vick is definitely going to have to plea out in his dogfighting case now, because there's no way he'll have $63,000,000,000 billion dollars to pay his newest victim if he has to endure a long, drawn-out court battle over the dog charges. ;)
Plus, what jury would find Vick innocent with these new allegations popping up. Dogfighting is cruel and despicable, but buying weapons from Al-Qaeda is downright un-American.
A friend who frequents the Lower Greenville Irish pub says he saw a letter tacked on the door on Friday, saying the owners had defaulted on the lease. The doors were locked. And they were locked again on Saturday. (He loves the place enough to stop by two days in a row.)
I just tried calling, and the answering machine message is still there. Web site works too.
John from Cincinnati, which apparently tried to steal Seinfeld's spot as the show about nothing, has been canceled. HBO pulled the plug a day after the show's season finale. I gave up on John early on, but a lot of people (my wife included) stuck with it week after week, even though nobody seemed to like it. So in that regard, I suppose it was sort of like heroin addiction. Thanks for staging the intervention, HBO. And for helping me clear some of the clutter from my DVR.
Saw Diplo at Hailey's last summer, and it was AWESOME. CSS opened, and the lead singer was climbing all over the stage like a spider monkey. (Which I hear she does a lot, actually.)
Suite is really bringing in the big names this year, though. They had A-Trak this spring, and then Klever, and in a few weeks they're bringing in A-Trak's girlfriend, Kid Sister. Who is kind of one of my current style icons. (She admits sheepishly.)
The question is: Can one actually get IN to Suite to see said DJs? They have the hardest door in Dallas. Like, don't even think about parking your lame-ass Toyota Camry in our parking lot. (Yes, I have a Toyota Camry, and yes, the valet told me to turn my car around.) Anyway, ran into Matthew Geise, Suite's owner, at Ghostbar during the DJ AM show. He said they're hoping to pull in a "young, hip" crowd for the K.S. show. So I'm assuming that means if you're young and hip -- and you don't wait until 11 or midnight to show up -- you're in.
Or you can drop a few grand on a table, and then you're definitely in.
It's hot out there. So watch out for mulch on the playground. At an Arlington elementary school, mulch under playground equipment spontaneously combusted and burned the equipment. Watch the surveillance video.
Ticketcity.com has come up with the five hottest tickets in college football this season. They are: Notre Dame at Penn State, Sept. 8; Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 17; USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 20; Notre Dame at Michigan, Sept. 15, and Boston College at Notre Dame, Oct. 13. And Brady Quinn doesn't even play for the Irish anymore.
Everyone knows that going to the movies these days can practically break the bank, so MSN came up with a list of recently released DVDs worth renting. I've seen only one on the list, Hot Fuzz, which rivals Shaun of the Dead in its hilarity. Some friends had good things to say about Black Snake Moan, and they bought the soundtrack to check out tunes by Samuel L. Jackson, who sang and learned to play guitar for the film.
Chapter 13 in the eagerly anticipated R. Kelly epic "Trapped in the Closet" is now available online. It's posted on the Independent Film Channel's Web site, giving further credence to the idea that this saga is high art. Witness history in the making here. And check out the site's helpful character map to see who's who in the ever-unfolding drama.
You probably have heard that 50 Cent says he will quit. Well, he'll quit if Kanye West outsells him when their next releases hit stores on the same date (Sept. 11). Check this out: In iTunes album sales (of course these guys are pre-orders), Kanye's Graduation is third and 50 Cents' Curtis is ninth. Not looking good for the half-dollar.
Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime friend and political adviser, announced today that he's leaving the White House at the end of the month. We can only hope that he's not planning to pursue a career as a singer and dancer.
Don't know if ya'll caught this item in the paper today -- it was about a shooting in the parking lot of Sankofa Arts Kafe early Sunday.
Apparently a young guy tried to break up a fight, and someone grabbed an assault rifle and shot him.
This is tragic on so many levels. This young guy's life was cut short, first and obviously. But the cafe is not the typical place where a shooting like this would occur. They have spoken word poetry here, and live soul music. The menu is vegetarian, and the whole vibe is to respect your fellow humans, connect with your inner peaceful self, etc. It's really one of Dallas' unique spots. (Along with Erykah Badu's Black Forest Theater, which is right next door.) I hope the senseless violence doesn't end up closing the doors.
There's nothing about the shooting on Sankofa's MySpace yet, and I couldn't find a MySpace for the man who was killed, Brandon Ratcliff. DallasPeeps probably has more info, but I'm having trouble logging in.
If anyone out there knows more about it, let me know....
Stopped by the W Hotel’s Living Room bar last night. They have a DJ on Saturdays and Sundays (local, hardworking dude named Jose G), and apparently it gets crazy on Sat., with all the people who stop by Ghostbar, hate it, and then come back downstairs.
The place is not affiliated with Ghostbar. The ‘Room does have ostentatious chandeliers — think Rapunzel hair made from clear, glittering crystals — and pricey drinks (cocktails on the menu are around $12), but they’re trying to cultivate a more laid-back atmosphere. i.e., No one cares if you’re wearing designer jeans.
Last night it kinda worked. There were a few requisite young ladies with tanned legs and supershort dresses… but there was also a random dude in a plaid shirt and shorts at the bar, trying to buy us drinks in Spanish; a VERY tall man with blinged-out earrings; and several women in jeans and casual tops. Another guy was even laying down on the bar’s comfy benches.
I would go back, if I wanted a nice cocktail somewhere before or after dinner. I had the Nectar on Ice (Moet and Persian lime juice; $12), which looked cool, served in a skinny glass tube. Erin had the Berry Berry Mojito ($12), which tasted more like fresh mint than berry. I liked that, but she didn’t too much.
Only downside: Valet is $10. And you pay on the way out, so don’t think because they didn’t ask you when you rolled up that you’re off scott-free. (Yes, I did think this, but just for one second.)
I probably will go back though. The manager -- whose name is Tom Landry -- was super nice to us. I said: "Tom Landry, huh?" And he kind of rolled his eyes. Me: "Oh sorry, you've probably heard that a million times." Him: "It is Dallas."
Dunkin' Donuts is teaming up with Proctor & Gamble to get packaged versions of its coffee into grocery stores.
It goes on sale this week in selected stores, then will be sold in more places next month. If you're a DD coffee freak (and I've heard the donut store has some of the best coffee), you might check out your local Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, CVS, Kroger Albertson's and Walgreens, among others. Prices for 12-ounce bags start at $8ish.
I will, on the other hand, just stick with the donuts.
It's amazing how good digital technology can make a breakdancing Cowboys owner look on TV. In a new spot for Papa John's, Jerry Jones gets all jiggly on us when his delivery arrives in the Cowboys' locker room. In reality, it's Jones' head on a breakdancer's body. But Jones is taking some good ribbing.
“I guess that destroys the myth that white people can’t dance,” Terrell Owens said jokingly.
Want an idea for a cheap date tonight? Check out the annual Perseid meteor shower, which reaches its peak tonight. It can be best viewed away from the glare of the city lights. So drive your significant other outside of town, perhaps to the middle of an empty cornfield, and enjoy some romantic views. Sure, the drive to nowheresville may arouse fears that you're a creepy ax-murderer, but it's the thought that counts.
Monday marks the grand opening of a Buffalo Wild Wings at 4140 Lemmon Ave., and they're offering free wings for a year to the first 100 customers. You can't go waltzing into the place every time you get a hankerin' for some wings, but they'll give you a coupon book for six wings per week. It opens at 10 a.m., but a manager said he expects a line will start forming around 7 or 8.
If you don't feel like standing in line, there's still a good reason to show up Monday. For every wing sold, $1 will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank. And from now until the end of the month, bring a canned item to benefit the food bank and get six free wings.
Aiight, time to give you the perfect agenda for the big DOMA music showcase tonight:
6 p.m. at Public House: Carmen Rodgers stirs up some soul.
7 p.m. at Suede: Folkster Sarah Jaffe appears wise beyond her years.
8 p.m. at Gezzellig: Chris Holt leads The Slack on an eclectic adventure.
9 p.m. at Public House: Rock band The Valentines gets the old toes tappin'.
10 p.m. at The Cavern: The Frenz plugs in for some electropunk
11 p.m. at Suede: The Theater Fire turns a narrow bar into a front-porch pickin' parlor.
Of course, there are plenty of other fine choices at the six venues. Buy a wristband at any one and you can explore all of 'em. Find some more good iteneraries here and here.
Do you remember when I wroteaboutLost Girls last year? The pornographic graphic novel is about the sexual adventures of Alice of Wonderland, Dorothy of Oz and Wendy of Neverland. Well, Canada's Sex TV recently aired an 11-minute segment on Lost Girls that its publisher, Top Shelf Productions, claims is the first television coverage of the book.
I'm gonna give you a bunch of links to this evening's offerings, but first, a very special message for lovers of Denton electro-acoustic duo Mom: C.J. Davis from Good Records told me earlier today that Mom's new EP, Little Bright, could appear on shelves at that store this afternoon. And he should know -- he's puttin' out the dang thing on his Pancakes For Mattie boutique label (he loves when you call it a boutique label). If you are anywhere near Good Recs today, stop by and pick one up. But only after you read last month's piece about why I love it so.
--The Slackwill have a good ol' time at Barley House.
And for the Denton dudez, we have a bang-up show at SHQ, featuring Bridges & Blinking Lights, The Couture , White Light Fever and Captain Ahab.
Feel free to weigh in with the shows I missed, thoughts about Mom, rants about local music media and killer pie recipes. Tune in tomorrow for a suggested DOMA Music Showcase agenda.
If you're into fantasy football, don't miss our special section in today's Quick. We have drafting tips, where to play, the top 100 players and other goodies. We have a fancy page set up for all this, too. See it here.
You can also follow the adventures of the QFL (Quick Football League). Travis, owner of the Frisco Hungry Hippos, got the golden ticket at No. 1, which means he got LaDainian Tomlinson. The lucky bastard. LT makes you the automatic favorite for the title.
I took a chance at No. 4, hoping that Joseph Addai (above) breaks through for the Colts. Injuries scared me away from Frank Gore and Shaun Alexander.
If you can brave the heat, Saturday night's Rangers game in Arlington would be a good one to attend. We know, the baseball hasn't been very compelling this season. But the Rangers are inducting fan favorite Rusty Greer into their Hall of Fame. The ceremony is on the field before the 7:35 first pitch against the Devil Rays. Gates open at 5 p.m., and former Rangers will be available to sign autographs from 5:30 to 6:15. The first 20,000 fans will receive Hall of Fame pins, and there is a postgame fireworks show.
So you know how inmates have a bunch of free time on their hands? Some in the Philippines have decided to do something about that. Watch them channel Michael Jackson here.
Here's a cool story from the American Idol auditions: Dallas contestant Antoria Gillon, who was nine months pregnant, started having contractions. But she wasn't going to let that stop her -- she auditioned anyway and made it to the next round before heading to the hospital to give birth. With that kind of dedication (and a story the producers will want to play up), I figure she's a lock to at least reach the semifinals.
(I know that headline is way overused but whatever...) Britney Spears is causing a ruckus again, but this time she allegedly seduces a college student. A night of skinny dipping, skin-on-skin contact with a grinning student, and floral tattoos in inappropriate places has got this loose-lipped college student making headlines. It's an interestingly disturbing story with lots of other little "Britster" mess-ups mixed in. Have fun!
If you are in Fort Worth (I know -- doubtful), you should stop by McHenry's and see former Denton dynamo singer-songwriter Johann Wagner perform. When I lived in Little D years ago, I regularly observed that everyone knew him and he knew everyone. Amazing, it was.
There's a smoky, beer-soaked alt-country lineup at Double Wide tonight, featuring Dylan Sneed, Slider Pines and my personal fave, Collin Herring. Last time I checked, his dad was playing pedal steel in his band. How can you not love that?
I'm kinda likin' the bill at the Cavern t'night. Soft Environmental Collapse has some decent chill tracks, Calhounknows its way around a melody and Brooklyn's Pela makes me nostalgic for my teenage years in the '80s (even though my teenage years were actually in the '90s. I can't explain.)
And finally, a couple of Denton short shots for your ass:
Was driving back to work after lunch today, listening to KNON's Latin Energy show. I love this show. They always play a bunch of eclectic stuff -- freestyle, hip-hop, old-school Latin rap, tejano, reggaeton. They didn't disappoint today -- the DJ played a bachata cover of Stevie B's "Because I Love You."
Normally I get kind of upset when people mess with an icon (Stevie B. is like THE freestyle icon of all time), but I don't mind for some reason with bachata. It's so nice on the ears. I even love the cover of Diamond Girl, and that was my song back in the day.
Anyway, this new one is from a Boston group called 4Ever. You can listen to the song on their MySpace.
Yes, YOU could be Biggie Smalls. Unless I get it first. There will be an open casting call to play the Notorious B.I.G. in an upcoming biopic, says the Associated Press:
The still untitled Notorious B.I.G. project, which has been in the works for nearly seven years, will seek its star by auditioning actors and non-actors alike who resemble the rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace. Anyone can submit audition videos beginning 3 a.m. (EDT) Sunday to www.foxsearchlight.com/notorious or www.biggiecasting.com.
On the Clean Road Again: Biodiesel and the Future of the Family Farm by Willie Nelson. On the cover, there's a cartoon body with Willie's photoshopped head. He's wearing Western garb with holsters, holding two gas pumps like pistols. It is the most awesome thing I have ever seen.
Would you be interested in an advance review copy of *Mr. Skin’s Skintastic Video Guide: The 501 Greatest Movies for Sex & Nudity on DVD* (SK Books, September 15, 2007) by Mr. Skin? As the world’s foremost authority on cinematic nudity, Mr. Skin has recently garnered attention from his Web site’s (www.mrskin.com) humorous feature in Universal’s summer hit *Knocked Up.* "
(You might recall the Cowboys starring in this series in '03, and the infamous Chutch/Richmond Flowers acoustic performances. That apparently killed the series until now.)
The Chiefs edition looks like an improvement so far, with storylines that are silly (coach Herm Edwards making a sign to greet his players to camp), really silly (players showing off dance moves in the locker room) and compelling (Priest Holmes trying to make a comeback).
I'd heard from a few different people that Luqa and Petrus, the downtown restaurant and lounge (and accompanying rooftop garden), were having money problems... bands supposedly were not getting paid, promoters were pulling out. Now comes this story that the owner has filed for bankruptcy. (Ch. 11 reorganization.) He's also filing suit against Dallas City Council members alleging racial descrimination.
I've only been to Petrus a handful of times, but I liked it there. The patio had nice views and the lounge was dark and comfortable. Pricey drinks, plush sofas, all that.
There's a party at Petrus this Sunday if you want to check it out. Not sure how much longer it's going to be around, now with the Luqa chef having jumped ship.
I can't decide if this is awesome or animal cruelty: Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey. He's a wee capuchin who rides a border collie and herds sheep. In white chaps and a cowboy hat. He's performing tomorrow and Saturday at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo from 8-10 p.m.
In case a performing monkey is not enough for you, there will also be bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, cowgirl barrel racing, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, chuck wagon races, cowboy poker, kids mutton bustin’ and a calf scramble.
Resistol Arena, 1818 Rodeo Dr., Mesquite, 972-285-8777. Tickets are $7-$30.
I always know football season is right around the corner when the Philadelphia Eagles merchandise catalog arrives in the mail. I was surprised to see furniture has been added to the lineup this year.
Kevin Federline has filed for primary custody of his and Britney's two celebuspawn (my new favorite word...thanks all you celebrity gossip sites!). The couple two weeks ago agreed to joint custody, but I wouldn't want someone who wears this kind of stuff near my kids, either.
"It's rough. It's been rough on that food. It's different eating here than it is at the house. Ain't got no sweet tea, and ain't got no fried chicken."—Boo Weekley, PGA golfer from Milton, Fla., interviewed by the BBC on Day 2 of the British Open, 7/20/2007
I love sweet tea. My best friend's mom makes the best sweet tea ever and just the thought of a sweet, refreshing swish of the beverage makes my jaw tingle and my mouth water. Anyway, here's a fun little article on why southern sweet tea is so refreshingly amazing, and a little talk about the south and our taste buds all together.
Want to live the high life with your pet by your side? Here's your chance. The W Hotel is hosting a free Yappy Hour cocktail party from 6 to 8 tonight. The event will be on the patio of the hotel's Living Room Terrace bar.
Hopefully this is the start of a movement to allow more pets in public places in Dallas. I could never understand why I can't take the ol' dog out for pizza. He's not any dirtier than your average kid, and he's much better behaved. In Europe, you see dogs in restaurants and supermarkets all the time, and the fabric of society hasn't crumbled. (The Euros also get five or six weeks of vacation a year, boss -- hint, hint. But I digress ...)
If you want to buy your dog a well-deserved drink (preferably in a bowl), head over to the hotel at 2440 Victory Park Lane. Call 214-397-4100.
In Thailand, to keep police officers toeing the line, the threat is simple: Screw up, get Sanrio. Well, Hello Kitty, more specifically, in the form of an armband. Because macho men don't do pink.
I'm trying to think what would be the equivalent in Dallas? Something declaring the cop a vegetarian?
If you haven't already gone to the "Redneck Games," you've probably missed your chance. Down in Henderson County, just northeast of Athens, sheriff's deputies have pretty much put a stop to the "sporting event."
Among the competitions:
--Ugly butt crack contest
--"Mattress chunk"
--Engine starter toss
--Daisy Duke Show Off
As Lt. Pat McWilliams, the department's spokesman said, "I'm an old fuddy duddy and all that, but you got a vehicle, you got alcohol, and you got illegal dumping, and you're making a contest out of that?"
If you're all too pleased that this Barry Bonds nonsense is over with, you can go here to get your "Barry sucks" T-shirt or hat. Or you can play the Steroid Invaders video game. (Press the space bar to fire.) Good luck.
Alan Moore: The Complete WildC.A.T.S.: Fans of Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen might be tempted to buy this collection of Moore's work on one of the original Image Comics titles. Believe me, I'm fighting the temptation.
Daredevil #99: Eisner-winning writer Ed Brubaker and Dallas artist Michael Lark conclude their third big arc, "To the Devil, His Due."
Public Enemy #4: Chuck D and Flavor Flav conclude their first big arc, "Welcome to the Terrordome."
Blade #12: He's inspired three films and a television series, but Blade's latest comic book series is coming to an end.
A Dummy's Guide to Danger: This is a collection of the four-issue series about a private detective and his puppet partner. No, seriously.
Essential Dazzler Vol. 1: I'm not sure anything about Dazzler -- a roller skating rock star with the mutant ability to turn sound into light -- could be described as "essential."
Mike Bacsik, the pitcher who gave up Barry Bonds' record 756th home run Tuesday night, is from Duncanville. Two years ago, he was an intern for BaD Radio on "The Ticket" KTCK-AM (1310). A few days ago, he agreed to appear on Wednesday's episode regardless of whether or not he gave up the infamous homer. Tune in from noon to 3 to hear what he has to say for himself.
In the latest bit of sleaze to surface after Anna Nicole Smith's death, a court has blocked the release of a video of her breast implant surgery. Does the plastic surgeon not make enough money off of his practice -- now he has to sell videos of his patients?
Another guilty pleasure for me. Today I caught a little of Mission: Man Band, in which members of former boy bands get together to see if they still have talent. My question is, did they ever?
I could recognize only one of them - Chris from 'N Sync. Granted, I wasn't the biggest boy-band groupie, but still - these are the dudes from 'N Sync, 98 Degrees, L.F.O. and Color Me Badd. There's not much to discern one from the other. (Although I confess a secret affinity for Color Me Badd...was anyone else super excited when they guest starred on 90210? Oh, right...me neither.)
You can catch a rerun to hear the guys sing - or attempt to sing - a couple bars of "Every Breath You Take" tonight at 10:30.
And, while all the artists have a unique and beautiful way of recording likeness in the faces of their subjects, I did notice one peculiar consistency -- a large majority of the artists featured in the exhibit had some serious problems drawing hands. Some of the subjects looked like the mob broke a couple of digits before they were set to pose. Others looked like they came from an alien race.
The Backstreet Boys are back again (isn't this like, the second "reunion"?) but Kevin Richardson (the tall, dark, mysterious one) will not be joining them. The Boys have their sixth album in the making, due out on October 6, and as excited as they may be they felt "kind of a shock" when Richardson decided to not join them. However, the Boys have no hard feelings toward Richardson and are happy for him and wife Kristin, who gave birth to their son in July.
Maybe BSB will let fans pick one of their tour sites like the Spice Girls! That's worked out so well for them...
There's too much to do tonight. Erykah Badu's hosting the official Rock the Bells after party at the Black Forest Theater. She and her side group The Cannabinoids will perform, along with "other special guests" from the concert. (My guess is Talib Kweli.) Cost is $10 with your ticket, $20 without. Proceeds benefit BLIND.
Ms. Badu is known to stay up late (like.... four in the morning) so you may want to get all the really hard stuff you have to do at work done today. Just a lil' piece of advice.
Lindsay Lohan is taking another stab at rehab, The Insider reports. She's allegedly at the Cirque Lodge facility in Utah, where stars such as David Hasselhoff and Mary-Kate Olsen are rumored to have spent time. The minimum stay is 30 days, but maybe she'll stay longer to make sure she has somewhere to stay during next year's Sundance Film Festival.
Starting next week on I'll be doing something I haven't done since I was, oh, five: tuning into Sesame Street!
To celebrate the 38th season of the classic children's show, celebs like Ellen, Rachael Ray, Chris Brown, James Blunt, the Jets will guest star. Sarah Jessica, for instance, will demonstrate sighing and Ms. Degeneres will do a little ballet.
My favorite, "GNN: Grouch News Network with Anderson Cooper, with Cooper broadcasting from a garbage can and interviewing Dan Rather-Not and Walter Cranky about the letter "g" (Oscar the Grouch was assignment at the dump)."
Keith Richards raised a few eyebrows earlier this year when it was reported that he'd snorted his father's ashes with cocaine. Then he said he'd been misquoted, quashing one of the year's most disturbing non-Britney Spears-related celebrity stories. But now, the Rolling Stone says he did, in fact, snort Dad. NME.com reports that the misquote was about mixing cocaine with the ashes, which Richards says he didn't do. Of course not; that would be unthinkable.
If you thought I was going to say both reasons for watching The Two Coreys were summed up in one name -- Susie Feldman -- grow up.
The first reason is Corey Haim.
It is funny (and really sad) to watch this 35-year-old man act EXACTLY like he did when he was a teen heartthrob. The co-star of '80s movies License to Drive and The Lost Boys hasn't grown up one bit in 20 years.
The second reason:
OK, it's Susie Feldman. But that's only because it nice to watch someone so dedicated to her causes. ;)
It's official: Suspended NFL cornerback Pacman Jones has signed a deal with the (ever heard of this?) Total Nonstop Action Wrestling organization. According to the Associated Press, he is supposed to appear in the ring on Thursday (on Spike TV), but it hasn't been stated whether he'll actually do some wrasslin'.
Pacman's quote: "I respect wrestling and I'm not coming in like it's just a show. I want to prove that I am the greatest team-sport athlete.”
Wonder if he knows how to execute the camel clutch?
Well, Ciara is bringing her goodies to Nokia tonight. At the same show, T.I. will argue with himself and T-Pain will buy you all a drank. Just don't get too dronk.
For the kinder, more sensitive hip-hop fans, try House of Blues, where Floetry shares the bill with Emily King.
As for local shows, I, um, eem, urm, dunno. Can't seem to find anything good. Let me know if you can. The comment field is kinda collecting dust.
Lee Harvey’s is probably the most laid-back place in Dallas to catch a live band — it’s got a huge outdoor patio, picnic tables, fire pits. But people who live nearby have recently started complaining that the music is too loud. Police have already given the bar three noise citations.
This brings up two thoughts:
1. I didn’t even know there were houses that close to Lee Harvey’s. Wonder why this issue hasn’t come up before. Maybe because the people complaining moved there after the bar opened?
2. Dallas is really trying hard to turn the Cedars into a cool neighborhood. Buzz Condominiums, for example, is about to open down there, if it hasn’t already. And there's an annual studio tour for all the artists who live there. Lee Harvey's opened five years ago and brings a lot of vitality to the area. But how much does that weigh versus the concerns of neighbors?
The city needs to figure out a way to solve this kind of problem, as these older neighborhoods continue to gentrify. The same kind of thing could easily happen someday in the Bishop Arts District. There are tons of homes around there. Just no live music venues -- yet.
Walking alongside the never-ending gated-in herd of contestants, innocent bystanders and smokers can easily get a handle on this year's crop. Let's see ... We've got a guy rocking a ponyhawk (holding a sign that reads "Danjaya"), teenage girls in matching outfits (isn't the point of this to seem unique?), tons of people with headphones on ("Gotta stay in the zone, brah."), guys in 10-gallon cowboy hats (Texas, y'all!), some dude with a shirt reading "PICK ME FOR THE NEXT IDOL," holding a sign saying the exact same thing (redundant, anyone?), and three girls singing "Lean on Me" to the older woman waiting with them (poor mother.) Strangely, I haven't seen that many weird costumes. No bird ladies? No drag queens? Kinda disappointing.
Ran into Krum teenager Baylie Brown, who made it to Hollywood last season only to be rejected in favor of the tone-deaf-yet-totally-smokin'-hot Antonella Barba during group performances. Brown, now much wiser at 17, said she's more confident this time around. "I know what to expect this time, so I think I should make it further." Her audition songs? "When Will I Be Loved" and Faith Hill's "Lost." Brown was in a hurry to make it into the stadium (maybe she didn't have to wait in line this year -- I didn't ask), so she gave a short answer when I asked what she'd been up to since her moment in the spotlight last season. "I've just been singing a lot," she said. Get 'em, girl.
We've got a throng of reporters covering American Idol auditions today at Texas Stadium. I just made it back from an early-morning survey of the scene. Check out my and others' experiences here.
Want a taste? Here's a sampling of the trash contestants left on the ground as they filed into the stadium:
--banana peels
--flip-flops
--cans of energy drink
--cereal boxes
--bags of beef jerky
--an In Touch magazine
--contestant information forms
--makeup brushes
--little golden tambourines
--cans of Slim-Fast
--a "Simon Says" sign
--an entire sleeve of crackers
--an index card with the lyrics to the Doobie Brothers' "Listen to the Music"
According to a survey by Salary.com, the average worker wastes 1.7 hours of a typical 8.5-hour workday.
So what's keeping them from their work? Most often, it's the Internet, socializing with co-workers and taking care of personal business, the survey says.
So what's their excuse? About 18 percent of people said they're slackers because they just don't have enough to do, and 14 percent said they need a breather from long hours.
... And somewhere in the distance, a whip cracks...
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. Some of us have to be up at the butt-crack tomorrow morning in an effort to find order and meaning in a chaotic sea of ridiculousness, but for the rest of ya, there are good options:
-- Grab a beerah and get caught up in the sound of Pleasant Grove tonight at Barley House. The guys recently played to a packed Granada, so it'll be a nice change to see them all laid-back-style.
-- the Turtles and the Zombies are playing at something called Hippiefest at Nokia Theatre. Strange.
-- Chicago band Pelican brings its moody instrumental rock to Hailey's. Also playing: Houston's Fatal Flying Guilloteens (Nice name. Seriously.) and Boston's Clouds.
And if you're in a cheesy mood and have a hankerin' for some Jon Secada covers, you might check out the Voice of Pride finals at the Rose Room. It's like American Idol, but the judges keep their traps shut and everyone is gay. Fun stuff. And I'm not joking about the Jon Secada thing.
I'll admit I wasn't the biggest Michael Irvin fan during his playing days. But, he's quickly become a member of my "Larry Bird Club."
The Larry Bird Club is a group of players I've come to respect AFTER their playing careers were over. It's named for Larry Legend, because he was probably the player I hated most during an active playing career. But, once he retired from the game -- and stopped dominating some of my favorite teams growing up -- I gained a new respect for his utter greatness.
Irvin is much the same way. The Cowboys were always a thorn in my side during the 1990s as a Packers fan. And probably because of his brash attitude, Irvin became the poster boy for my hatred of Dallas.
However, as the years have gone by I have softened my stance on Irvin and his game.
And I was really touched by Irvin's humility during his induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
To admit his faults so openly in front of the whole world -- especially when his ego could have been at an all-time high upon reaching the pinnacle of his career -- was a very brave and special moment. I'll admit I may have even sniffled a couple times.
VH1 is bringing Flavor of Love back for a third season. I guess things didn't work out so well between Flav and Deelishis. If you're "classy" enough to be with Flav, submit your profile at the show's casting site, or just vote for your faves. Voting is open through Sept. 4.
Make sure to pick up today's Quick (if you're a student, or even if you're not) for our ginormous back-to-school special section. You'll meet students giving back to the community, find dorm-decorating ideas, get tips on financial aid and choosing a major, and loads of other goodies.
Tim McGraw was man-handled not once, but TWICE during a Louisiana concert last Saturday. This new video shows Tim shaking reaching out to fans, and one woman actually taking off his wedding ring, which he eventually got back. This was before another classy fan groped his manhood as he walked off stage.
Playing tonight at the Cavern is the Frenz, which could be the most exciting musical project of local DJ Wanz Dover. These guys mix electronica and rock in a way that would make Madonna want to hire them for her next album (that is, if she weren't going the Justin Timberlake route. Snooze). Also on the bill are Tyson Meade (backed by Red Monroe) and Ezra Furman & The Harpoons.
Otherwise, there are decent lineupskis at Club Dada and Double Wide. Am I missing anything? Are you even listening?
The recently reunited Spice Girls thought it would be a good idea to let fans pick a location for one of their upcoming concerts in an online vote. Would it be a luxurious island resort? Maybe a fan's back yard in Nebraska? No. Try Baghdad. Mischievous fans have bombarded the Spice Girls' Web site with votes calling for a show in the Iraqi capital.
Said one "fan": "I think they could get airlifted in to the Green Zone, play a surprise gig and get out with relative safety."
You may remember the "artist-to-artist" interview from April in which Smile Smile's Ryan Hamilton chatted with Brian Molko (above right), frontman for beloved British group Placebo. Molko enjoyed the interview so much that he requested another phoner with Hamilton to preview Placebo's show at Smirnoff this Saturday. This time around, the guys got much more in-depth, talking about the '80s, David Bowie, Henry Rollins, the Iraq war and homosexuality. You must hear it. Listen here.
Arkansas fertility power couple Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar welcomed their 17th child today, a little girl named Jennifer. And they're ready for more!
She joins the army of other Duggars, Joshua, 19, twins John David and Janna, 17, Jill, 16, Jessa, 14, Jinger, 13, Joseph, 12, Josiah, 11, Joy-Anna, 9, twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah, 8, Jason 7, James 6, Justin, 4, Jackson, 3, and Johannah, almost 2.
Perhaps you remember the Duggar clan from their two television appearances on TLC and Discovery Health? Their family life is quite something to witness. Home school, endless laundry, dorm-style sleeping quarters, a bus for a family car, girls only allowed in dresses, a pantry that looks like Sam's Club...I was fascinated in that rubbernecker kind of way.
I will say, it’s got to be hard coming up with all those “J” names, so I’m offering my research skills to help with babies 18-24, some names with flair: Jaguar, Jimbo, Jolanda, Jerusalem, Junipero, Juji, and Jesus.
As a public service, I also share the recipe of their family's favorite, Tater Tot casserole. They went on about it the first show and it looks like, if quadrupled, it might be enough to feed 19 people. Maybe.
Tater Tot Casserole
2 lb. ground turkey cooked, seasoned, drained
3 2-pound bags frozen Tater Tots
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans evaporated milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Brown meat and place in large casserole dish. Cover with Tater Tots. Mix soup and milk together. Pour over top. Bake at 350 for one hour. Makes two 9-inch-by-13-inch pans.
Interesting story from The Hollywood Reporter about toys-turned-movies, like the megahit Transformers, and Bratz, which opens tomorrow (OMG CAN'T WAIT).
What other movies based on toys are headed to the big screen? Here are a few of my misguided pitches.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is due a hefty raise soon, and it sounds like owner Jerry Jones wants to give it to him. But Jones is taking his time to make sure he doesn't make a mistake on Romo. "If he's the quarterback I think he is, he's gonna get his money," Jones said yesterday from training camp in San Antonio. More camp news.
I loved me some P.M. Dawn back in the '90s, from "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" to "Looking Through Patient Eyes" and the excellent Jesus Wept album. (Not so much "I'd Die Without You," though.)
They've re-emerged, happily, and they're on this retro-flavored show brought to you by Movin 107.5.
Spike TV is hosting a Sexiest Bartender contest, and they've got all eight finalists showing up at the Public House this Friday on Lower Greenville. (They don't have a website -- the address is 2010 Greenville Ave.) The even runs from 9 to 11.
Is it just me, or has anyone else actually met a sexy bartender? Maybe I'm hanging out at the wrong spots. Don't get me wrong, the bartenders at the places I hang out at are cute... but sexy enough to win a contest is something else all together.
In honor of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, take a break from your busy day and take a quiz or two on how much you know (or don't know) about sharks. Good luck! If you lose, a shark jumps out and eats you.
Word from The Hollywood Reporter is that ESPN is making a movie based on Bobby Valentine, the former Rangers and Mets manager who found his way to baseball success in Japan.
Baseball fans all know of one person who looks just like the charismatic Valentine (above). He'd be perfect in this role.
World War Hulk No. 3 (of 5): Whoa. The second issue came out only two weeks ago. We've barely had time to recover.
Elephantmen Vol. 1: Wounded Animals: What happens when genetically engineered weapons of mass destruction don't work out as planned? Find out in this collection of the series' first seven issues.
Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country: This is a collection of the first six issues of Jason Aaron's series described as "The Sopranos on a reservation."
Scarface: Scarred for Life: Speaking of gangsters, this story by John Layman (Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen) picks up right where the Al Pacino left off.
A family in Virginia says an image of Jesus appeared on their concrete garage floor about a year ago. But don't worry, Jesus can be yours too, for a price. The family has placed the image up for bid on eBay, and will cut it out of the floor and send it to the highest bidder.
I don't know; it looks more like Mufasa from The Lion King to me.
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I'll admit it: I'm not one of those people who always have the names of the coolest up-and-coming bands on the tips of their tongues. Just keeping up with locals is hard enough. So, yeah, it took me three years to finally go nuts over Baltimore's 
