I noticed there were a bunch of people wearing costumes along Olive Avenue on Wednesday night when my wife and I took our puppy for a walk. Fortunately, I brought my camera along. Comment below to vote for your favorite.
1. The devil and, uh, some guy with a sword in white-face across from Tower Theatre.
I found this on Mollygood today. I don't know why it exists, but I feel it must be seen by many, many people.
Happy Halloween.
It had to happen sooner or later: "Dancing with the Stars" got its Chris Daughtry moment last night.
Sabrina Bryan, one of the Cheetah Girls, got the boot. She was in shock. Her partner, Mark Ballas, was stunned. The judges were flabbergasted. Host Tom Bergeron said he thought they were going to the finals. The audience booed as if controversial baseball player Barry Bonds had just announced he's coming back for another season. It was all so dramatic.
It made me flash back to that night when Daughtry, a huge fan favorite on "American Idol" in 2006, was voted off at fourth place. There were a lot of boos that evening, too. But this is what happens when TV viewers control the outcome.
Bryan and Ballas were blasting through dances from the get-go in this competition and established themselves as front-runners. They even earned a perfect score at one point. What went wrong?
The New York Times is reporting that Robert Goulet has died in Los Angeles at the age of 73. As someone who spent many an hour as a kid playing and replaying my parents' old LP of "Camelot" until I'm sure they were ready to explode if they heard "If Ever I Would Leave You" one more time, Goulet's big voice was an inspiring part of my childhood. I always love the lyric in "A Chorus Line" in the song "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" when Bebe sings:
Robert Goulet, Robert GouletMy God, Robert Goulet!
We may smile now, but when he was at his peak, Goulet was as much of a male sex symbol as Brad Pitt and George Clooney are today.
I saw Goulet one time in person: in his last performance on Broadway in 2005 in the revival of "La Cage Aux Folles." OK, so it probably wasn't his smoothest performance -- he was a little stiff, and I swear at one he point he forgot the lyrics to one of the songs -- but if you listened carefully, you could still hear that velvety voice as it spread over the audience like butter on toast.
The Save Mart Center announced at 5 p.m. today that a limited number of tickets will be available for the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert Monday. The Jonas Brothers are special guests. Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. Wednesday and available only online and by phone. No tickets will be available at the box office or other ticket outlets. Tickets prices are $41.75-$54.25, according to Ticketmaster, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling (559) 485-8497. There is a four-ticket limit per person.
All tickets must be picked up the night of show at the box office Will Call. You must have the credit card you purchased the tickets with and a photo ID. Will Call opens beginning at 3 p.m. Showtime is 7 p.m.
This is typically the time of the year that Oscar-worthy films begin their run in theaters -- in between the usually shallow summer blockbusters and the last-chance-for-big-box-office-bucks holiday spectacles.
But it's clear this fall that moviegoers are not in the mood for serious, adult dramas. Maybe people's psyches are affected by the war, or the faltering economy (especially those people trying to sell a house right now), or just the time demands of work and family. People want diversion at the cinema.
So what rules right now? Comedies, escapist fare, and horror flicks like "Saw IV" rule. Which is unfortunate for a drama as good as "Michael Clayton" starring George Clooney. It deserves better.
The film has earned solid reviews and deserving Oscar buzz. (Which ironically, can be the kiss of death for a serious contender. Need I bring up poor box office performers in 2006 that boasted high pedigrees, such as "Little Children" with Kate Winslet and "Notes on a Scandal" with Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.)
How many times have you been sitting on the couch and thought that you could sing better than those people on reality television shows? If the answer is even "once" then you had better get off the couch and down to the Fresno Art Museum.
Auditions are being held on Halloween at the facility at 2233 N. First St. for the next season of the TeleFutura series "Objetivo Fama."
“Objetivo Fama” features young Hispanic singers in a competition in which the winner gets a recording contract with a Latin music company. Competitors from Fresno have been on the reality show the past two seasons.
I didn't catch Kathy Griffin's performance Saturday at the Saroyan Theatre, but I understand from a couple of readers that sound for the show was not adequate if you were sitting in the balcony. One writes that while Griffin was very funny and the crowd loved her, it could be hard to hear:
After she said something, you would see people asking their neighbor, "what did she say?" If the crowd was silent, we could hear. But if the crowd was laughing, cheering, or clapping, we could not understand a word she said. And comedians usually add the funniest lines after the crowed is responding to the punch line. So we missed all the extra comments of every story or joke ... So for my $35 ticket, I heard about 65% of what she said. Too bad!
Anyone else have this complaint? My guess is that Griffin travels with her sound people and that they somehow messed up, and that it wasn't the Saroyan's fault. But I'm not sure.
Monday update: My discussion of the Civil War reenactment has generated some lively discussion, both pro and con. (Thanks for all the phone calls, too.) Reader Carol Krehbiel writes:
We want to thank you for your comments concerning the Civil War reenactment. We wish this point of view would be voiced more often.
The important thing, I think, is to start talking about issues like this. Tradition is fine. But just because you've staged an event year-in, year-out doesn't mean it should automatically continue.
Here's my original entry:
It's time once again this weekend for the annual Civil War reenactment at Fresno's Kearney Park. Tradition dictates that The Bee publish an advance story on the event. My colleague Margaret Slaby did a fine job this year with a feature on the "generals" participating in this year's reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek.
All fine and good, right? Just good family fun -- and you learn something about history, too!
Not everyone feels that way, however. A few years ago, to the annoyance of the Fresno City and County Historical Society, I wrote a column complaining about the event, which is given the historical stamp of approval by the society. To summarize my contrarian view:
The annual Civil War reenactment -- one of the largest held in the country -- is a troubling celebration of violence. It sanitzes war. It promotes historical inaccuracies. It drains the anguish out of one of the most horrifying calamities to divide this nation and replaces it with a cheery "let's go to the snack bar" weekend mentality. It occupies far too much time and attention of the Fresno historical society, which should be doing more to promote an interest in local history instead of something that took place thousands of miles away. And if that isn't enough, the Civil War reenactment tacitly promotes racism by upholding the Confederacy as a bastion of rugged individualism and admirable tenacity instead of the harsh reality: that it was an institution fighting for the right to own slaves.,
Not to intrude on my colleague Heather's turf, but I do mention some interesting news about violinist Joshua Bell's personal life in my Bee story today about the superstar violinist, who's coming to play this weekend with the Fresno Philharmonic. Not that he's going to rival Britney for face time on Access Hollywood, but Bell did stir things up a little earlier this year when he announced to fans that he was having a baby with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Matricardi..
On his Web site, joshuabell.com, he posts a long explanation of his new role as father.
A few years ago we discovered that we both had a keen interest in having a child. Of course having a child takes two people, and since neither of us had a proper ‘significant other’ up to the task, we arrived at an unconventional but certainly not unprecedented solution.
Can you imagine: a hunky classical music star who is fodder for the gossip mags. Who says this genre doesn't appeal to younger audiences?
Owen Wilson has given his first post-trouble interview to his good friend Wes Anderson, and it will appear tonight on My Space at midnight.
Of course, this being after 10 p.m. on the west coast, the interview has already appeared elsewhere and we are the last to know everything. Luckily the east coast shares, so you can watch the interview an hour and a half early.
Does Owen talk about those troubles he had in August? No. But he talks about India, where his film The Darjeeling Limited, opening today in Fresno, takes place. And he talks about the scam seemingly cute monkeys have been playing on unsuspecting humans for years. And he interacts, apparently by audio only, with Wes Anderson - the pair of them being the lovely and collaborative team behind Rushmore, a movie that should be on most people's top 5 of all time lists.
So, take a moment and enjoy Owen Wilson being Owen Wilson - it's amusing and kind of heart-breaking at the same time. I'm glad he's still around.
Enjoy.
Dr. O (aka John Jordan, producing director of the Rogue Fringe Festival), sends along this reminder for the hottest Halloween happening this weekend:
Hey all you Rogues and Roguettes, Roghouls and Roghoulettes,We're having a Rogue Fundraiser on Sunday night, 5:30pm to 9:30pm at the Starline. It would be great if you could come out, put $10 in the donation bucket, and enjoy the entertainment of Suicide Lounge, Scats on the Sly and Pirate's Booty. There will be great raffle prizes and awards for best costume. The prizes include some cool travel packages as well as other good stuff.
Don't forget Friday night's Rogue Year Round at 7 PM at Ashtree featuring comedy, poetry, and music from "Poet vs Songwriter" and "Come now. I will test you with Pleasure." And check out Blake Jones' performance at the KFSR Evening Eclectic En Vivo II - October 27th @ The Crossroads
w/ Honeycut, Nino Moschella, The Trike Shop, Aspen HollowWhat a fun packed weekend. Who says there's nothing to do in Fresno?
So... what did we all think of "The Office" last night?
I, for one, was very relieved that the show was just a half-hour long. It made all the time spent on Michael/Ad production crew, Michael/Ryan, Michael/Michael easier to watch knowing it would all be over soon.
I loved poor Dwight and his Second Life (Assistant Regional Manager - but one who flies), but I adored Jim and his Second Life even more. (A guitar-playing sportswriter? Sooo cute.) I bet Jim and his lack of real life ambition/Pam's newfound desire to follow her dreams will come up in the future.
The episode wasn't the greatest ever, but it was definitely a relief after the last four episodes. The Dunder Mifflin commercial at the end was the highlight for me. The image of Dwight handing Mrs. Butterworth Phyllis a piece of paper that reads "You have a son. And it's me." made me laugh out loud. And "urban" Stanley wearing that orange jumpsuit over his suit and tie? Priceless.
What did you think? Mediocre effort or a return to form?
"The Office" links
For a couple of weeks now, the people who work at my place of employment have been bummed out.
Sure, we've been putting in long, stressful hours. But something else has been bringing us down, something that used to keep us going, used to keep our spirits high. That something is "The Office."
"The Office" is the thing that used to bring us all together. Nearly everyone in my office watches the show, and it's what binds us - our common ground. Leading up to Thursday, we count down the days until our favorite show is on. On Thursdays we tell each other, "Tonight's the night!" And on Fridays we discuss the previous night's episode. We. Love. "The Office."
The latest celebrity D.U.I. bums me out.
Okay, of course they all bum me out, but this one really makes me sad because it's Daniel Dae Kim, also known as Gavin Park from my second favorite television show ever, "Angel", and also known as Jin on "Lost."
Kim is the latest in a long list of "Lost" actors who have been busted for driving-related offenses while filming the series in Hawaii: Michelle Rodriguez (who played Ana Lucia) was busted in April 2006 and Cynthia Watros (who played Libby) was busted in January 2006. Also in 2006, former cast member Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Mr. Eko) was arrested for driving without a license.
Here's my theory on what's happening in Hawaii: the cast members who don't get as much face time as Kate, Jack and Sawyer are keeping busy by playing one of the many "Lost" drinking games that are around:
Remember when Brian Michael Bendis took over the Avengers, killed Hawkeye and turned Wanda into a madwoman? Or how about when DC handed Superman over to John Byrne, who resurrected Ma and Pa Kent while making Superboy vanish?
Good times...good times.
Some of the best -- or at least most-talked-about -- moments in funnybooks occur when a writer steps in, takes over an established book and turns it tail over teakettle. A reboot.
I was in a reboot mood last weekend, when I pulled 10 copies of Doom Patrol from an archive bin at the Heroes shop. The issues -- from the mid-1980s -- were among the start of the book's Grant Morrison run. Morrison's imagination knows no bounds. Dude probably has electric eels swimming in his skull. The stuff is that weird.
Anyway, this vintage Morrison didn't disappoint. The pages were filled with Scissormen and Smoke Dogs and a sentient street named Danny. It was obvious that he took over this third-tier title because he knew fans wouldn't mind -- and might even cheer -- if he did his loony-tune dance all over it. He could never pull this stuff with, say, Green Lantern.
Some reboots define a writer's legacy. Many readers got their first taste of Alan Moore's brilliance when he turned Swamp Thing inside out.
Some reboots can redefine the industry. Chris Claremont took over a certain band mutants, introduced a few characters and ... well, that all turned out to be rather profitable.
This week's My Five includes a reboot of one of my favorite characters. The list also has three #1 issues, two of which play with established characters. Reboot-esque?
So what are your best or worst reboots? Which ones made your day or chapped your hide? Share.
After last weekend's huge crop of new releases, the movie tsunami in Fresno continues this weekend -- at least when it comes to the kind of smaller, art-house films that play in big metro areas first and then trickle down to such cities as Fresno. Word comes today that two talked-about films will open here Friday: Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Lars and the Real Girl" starring Ryan Gosling.
And good news: You'll have at least another week to see "Once," "Into the Wild" and "Across the Universe."
Today is Musical Movie Trailer Day at the Beehive! Unlike my girl Felicia Matlosz, who hit you with the Good (Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Tim Burton), I'm coming at you with the Bad (Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton singing.).
Following is the trailer for a movie based on a play called Repo! The Genetic Opera. After watching the trailer, I was having trouble figuring out what's going on, but IMDb describes the plot as thus: "A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. The repossession clause is a killer, however."
Okay, whatever - plots aren't important in musicals, right? What's important is that Giles, beloved Giles, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is singing (good), but so is Paris Hilton (bad). Also, there is a lot of blood and people are breathing heavily for some reason (maybe all the singing? Hard to say.)
Best Week Ever thinks we have another Rocky Horror Picture Show on our hands. I think we have another Moulin Rouge. And you - you may do with this what you will.
The second trailer for Johnny Depp's upcoming "Sweeney Todd" is spreading around the Internet. While the first one for the December flick -- about a killer barber bent on revenge -- included scant singing and a hint of dark humor, this trailer zeroes in solely on the horror. It's as if they don't want people to know this is a musical.
Which makes me wonder: How are they going to market this thing? It's already got an R rating for "graphic bloody violence." What's the next trailer going to focus on? Sweeney's wardrobe choices? Helena Bonham Carter's hair? By the way, Borat, um, I mean Sacha Baron Cohen, also has a role in this movie. I hope he keeps his clothes on.
Carina Chocano had a thought-provoking piece Sunday in the L.A. Times about the dearth of women's roles in today's movie comedies. The ultimate example is the new film "Lars and the Real Girl" (which is scheduled to open in Fresno on Friday, by the way), in which Ryan Gosling plays a neurotic guy who falls in love with a life-size sex doll. What does it mean today, Chocano asks, to play "the girl" in a comedy?
For one thing, "the girl" and "the hot girl" have merged to produce a gorgeous, well-meaning, inoffensive love-object devoid of any motivating purpose and quite possibly manufactured in Stepford. "The girl" exists to be won by the hero, and yet to win her he must do nothing more than be himself. If, on the other hand, she has her own ideal in mind when it comes to a romantic partner, we never get to know what that ideal might be. It's up to the hero to prove himself worthy, usually by simply capitulating to "a commitment," at which point "the girl" has gotten what she wanted and can die happy. The formula is adhered to even when it effectively eliminates conflict and comedic situations.
I know what you're wondering. If Albus Dumbledore was a real live wizard, what would his coming out announcement look like?
Wonder no more, kids: Best Week Ever has beaten People to the punch and has given Dumbledore the cover he so rightly deserves. I've heard that in the article Dumbledore talks about how hard it was for him when Grindelwald went solo, how he tried to help Professor McGonagall get sober and what kind of product he uses to keep his beard so shiny.
By now, Harry Potter fans have heard the news: Dumbledore, master wizard and headmaster of Hogwarts in the phenomenal series, is gay.
We know that because author J.K. Rowling told us so, at an appearance Friday evening in New York City in which someone in the audience asked the simple question: Did Dumbledore ever find true love?
"Dumbledore is gay," Rowling responded, reportedly to gasps and applause.
The revelation is much discussed on blogs, chat rooms, etc. Many a reader, no doubt, is scanning through the seven volumes, looking for any indication of Dumbledore's private life. And, of course, there are cynical people -- namely Matt Lauer on the "Today" show -- who think Rowling just said this to spike sales of her books.
On Saturday night I had the pleasure of helping to host a "Party for the Parkway," one of a series of charitable events that helps raise money for the very worthwhile San Joaquin River Parkway. The theme for my event was film criticism, and I was the designated speaker. After a delicious dinner, the 30 or so guests sat and watched "Pan's Labyrinth" on a VERY large wide-screen TV belonging to Dr. Juan and Clara Touya.
Afterward, we gabbed about the movie for a while.
It's amazing how uncomfortable I felt at first during the screening. I'd seen "Pan's Labyrinth," about a little girl in the waning days of World War II Spain who is caught in a struggle between the Fascists and rebel Republicans, much earlier this year, and I'd already forgotten some of the horrific violence that the movie confronts on-screen. I don't think it's gratuitous violence in any shape and form, and in fact I believe it is essential for the film's success that the violent tendencies play in strong balance to the specific fantasy world created by director Guillermo del Toro. But hey: people still get stabbed in the face.
And The Bee was there ...
Part one: Juan Arambula introduces Hillary Clinton (6:29)
Part two: Clinton's opening remarks (3:48)
Ben was supposed to be in the Twin Towers on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Instead, he stopped off before work at his boss's swanky loft apartment and was engaging in an act of sexual congress when the tragedy occurred. Now, the next morning, his wife -- and the rest of the world -- thinks he's dead.
Such is the premise of Neil LaBute's "The Mercy Seat," one of the first plays to use the attacks of 9/11 as a narrative device. (The production came out little more than a year after the attacks.) This being a LaBute play, it's safe to expect that Ben will turn out to be rather less than a stellar example of a human male. The author of "In the Company of Men" and "The Shape of Things" is known for his harsh, manipulative, self-obsessed male characters.
Don't expect heroics or aching sentimentality or even a trip on the We All Come Together in Tragedy subway line in "The Mercy Seat," in other words. This play, sharply performed in a well-acted and compelling production by Epic Theatre, is a far more caustic exercise than that. It's about ripping apart an already torn romantic relationship and watching its guts spill on the floor. It's much more "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" than "World Trade Center."
I disappear for a day and a half, and all hell breaks loose in the gossip world: babies born, rape accusations, people coming out of the closet, brawls over breakfast, people getting run down by cars and a giant fire threatening the lifestyles of the rich and famous. This gossip breakdown reads like the plot of a soap opera - I'm half expecting to find out that Britney Spears has literally been possessed by the devil or that Hayden Panettiere is actually a doll that comes to life before the camera. Here we go:
In Monday's Life section I have an interview with Emile Hirsch, the charismatic young star of the searing film "Into the Wild." Here's my review of the film, which opened on Friday in Fresno.
Here's some background on the real-life incident upon which the film is based from Outside magazine. Also: the Rolling Stone review of the film.
After the jump: my own mini-review of the book. (Spoiler alert.)
Yesterday I missed my grandmother's birthday as I spent the day and evening partying with the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Osegueda, so I want to give a birthday shout to Gramma, who is only 49 yet has a granddaughter in her thirties. Swear.
In a twist of fate, Grams shares a birthday with the wonderful John Krasinski, also known as My Boyfriend Jim Halpert™. So I want to wish John a happy 28th birthday, and I want to remind him that older women are smart, awesome and worth it.
Swear.
Sunday's Spotlight section features a story on author David Mas Masumoto and illustrator Doug Hansen. They have been collaborators for nearly six years, since Masumoto -- perhaps best known for his 1995 book "Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm" -- began writing pieces for The Bee's editorial pages.
Hansen, then a staff artist, was assigned to visually enhance the work. He left the newspaper in August 2002, but the team stayed together and continues to create monthly pieces.
Masumoto's latest book of Bee-published pieces is called "Heirlooms: Letters from a Peach Farmer." The first volume, issued in 2004, is "Letters to the Valley: A Harvest of Memories."
What's included here are more excerpts from that conversation at Masumoto's home, on his farm in the quiet Fresno County countryside
Fresno City College delivers a wallop of a production with "Reckless," an early Craig Lucas play about a disturbingly happy woman whose suburban family life suddenly crumbles one Christmas Eve. The show is an example of just how engaging and accomplished college theater can be. Director Brad Myers transforms this dreamy "Alice in Wonderland"-like absurdist comedy into a sharp-as-a-whip, fluidly paced exercise that is alternately surreal, silly, surprising and tremendously moving.
The creativity of the production team, including Christopher R. Boltz's scenic and lighting design, Debbi Shapazian's costume and makeup design and Jeff Barrett's sound design -- all of which complement the dynamic student actors -- makes this a must-see production for local theater fans.
"Reckless" contains a towering part for a woman, and at the performance I saw Thursday night, the role of Rachel was played by Brandi Martin. (She alternates the role with Rachel White.) Martin was a strong presence in the demanding part, which requires a range from squeaky chatterbox to melancholy victim.
This weekend I will be performing my duties as a bridesmaid in the Mike Oz and Tanya official Wedding of the Century™, so I'm leaving you to your own gossip devices. Have a great weekend, and if I survive the dress, the heels, the open bar and the dancing, I'll see you next week.
Drop Mike Oz a line and wish him good luck, aight?
You know me. I live for "The Office." I have Office paraphernalia in my workplace, and at home. I have definite plans to someday marry Jim Halpert, and I admit this freely knowing that Jim is fictional and I sound like an idiot.
So it pains me greatly - greatly - to say these words: "The Office" is not funny.
I realized this during the second half hour of the second episode of the current season, when I couldn't care less about Ryan's plans to bring Dunder Mifflin into the 21st century. It was cemented for me last week when I fell asleep a little after 9:30, about when Michael Scott started arguing with the pizza boy about coupons. And last night, right around the time Pam discovered Cousin Mos in the outhouse, I shed a single tear for "The Office" of old.
I'm hoping that this lack of funny is just a side effect of the hour-long format: "The Office" was not meant to be an hour long. Part of what makes it so funny is the quick, blink-and-you-might-miss-it joke pace, and the hour-long episodes draw things out, diluting the funny. There are still amusing moments, but they're getting lost.
Amy Winehouse was busted for drug possession Thursday in Norway.
Now, it's Amy Winehouse, so you knew this was coming, and you're thinking to yourself, "My god. The stash they must have found up in that beehive."
Not so. Little Amy Wino was arrested in her hotel in Bergen with 7 grams of marijuana, fined $714 and then was released. Cased closed, according to the police.
That's it? This is Amy Winehouse - she of the lost weekend. She of the heroin, ecstasy and horse tranquilizers. Marijuana?
Save the hate mail, okay? I get it - all drugs are bad, all drugs are evil, just say no, this is your brain in a frying pan - I get it. I just figured the day Amy Winehouse officially got busted was the day authorities found her holed up in a room looking like Al Pacino in Scarface.
You know what the weird thing is? Police arrested Amy after a tip off that she was in possession of drugs. Police needed a tip off to know Amy Winehouse was carrying? Do they not have TMZ in Norway? I like to think the tip off was from some old woman reading a back issue of OK! Magazine who saw Amy walk into the hotel and just went, "Oh yeah. She's gotta have something on her. Where's the phone?"
Remember those pictures of Justin Timberlake and his lady friend Jessica Biel enjoying a good old fashioned American tailgate at a recent Packers football game? Apparently shotgunning beers was just the tip of the fun-having iceberg.
Once inside the stadium, Justin played the cuckold as Jessica's female friend went for the Hail Mary, groping Biel's butt while Justin's attention was on the field. (I know there are a million football puns I should be trying to make right now, but I pretty much hit my football knowledge wall with that Hail Mary thing.)
Anyway. Ass-grabbing some celeb butt in the middle of a football stadium while the boyfriend is looking the other way? This chick's got bigger balls than anyone who took the field that night, hands down.
Take a deep breath, movie fans, and prepare yourselves for what just might be a world-record number of films opening in Fresno tomorrow. Most weeks we have three or four movies opening, tops, although on some weeks the new-releases list has been known to swell to six or seven.
But on Friday, there are TWELVE movies opening in the Fresno/Clovis market. And there are some great offerings, too. A combination of factors likely contributed to the massive number of titles. Some of the openings are platform releases, like the Sean Penn-directed "Into the Wild" and Ben Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone," which means they opened weeks ago in major metropolitan markets and are just now trickling into Fresno. Others have a Halloween horror theme, such as "30 Days of Night." And there's also the fact that we're coming up close to the holiday movie season, when smaller films tend to get buried by the popcorn blockbusters and big-gun Oscar contenders. Some studios just want to get their films released in October so they'll have a halfway chance at an audience before getting swept away by the big-name releases.
I know, there's Game 5 of the ALCS. Not to mention "The Office." And "Grey's Anatomy." But who cares about Manny and "the end of the world" when Cinderella is being born? Why should Jim Halpert get to roll his eyes when Jim Leavitt's eyes will be popping out of their sockets. And who needs McDreamy when you can watch Matt Grothe?
Don't know who and what I'm blathering on about? Well, to be honest, neither did I before my University of South Florida beat Auburn a month ago. I didn't even know that the Bulls were playing. They weren't really my college team when I went to school on the Tampa campus, which now (according the AP story that ran in The Fresno Bee today) is the ninth-largest in the country with 45,000 students.
Like most students at USF in the early days of the pre pubescent football program, I rooted for one of the "Big 3" in the Sunshine State. My mom and two of my best friends went to Florida State; my parents took me to Tallahassee to see Deion Sanders play when I was young child. I was a 'Nole. In 2000, I rooted for the real FSU (sorry, Fresno State fans) win the National Championship from my apartment across the street from USF.
Now USF has a shot at the BCS title, and I'm in Fresno. Friends are e-mailing me pictures from the games. The sports editor of my college newspaper was on ESPN this morning. The little-known and geographically incorrect South Florida (in Tampa, which is not in the southern part of Florida) is getting positive national attention.
Is Johnny Depp's next movie -- "Sweeney Todd" -- doomed?
The film, slated for release in December, got an "R" rating ... for "graphic bloody violence."
OK, it is a story about a crazed, revenge-seeking barber who tends to butcher his customers. But when have you ever heard of a film musical getting an "R" rating? Doesn't that pretty much cut out, excuse the pun, younger viewers, the ones who buy a lot of movie tickets?
Tell the truth. When the fire alarm goes off at work, usually because of some glitch or monthly testing, you roll your eyes, begrudgingly grab your stuff and trudge outside with the rest of the office drones, using the unplanned break for a quick smoke or a daring race to Starbucks before the boss can discover you've left.
When the fire alarm goes off in the middle of the Conan O'Brien show, it makes for a hilarious unplanned bit, and takes the focus off Conan's terrible collection of guests. (Paget Brewster? Really?)
Enjoy.
This is a good enough time as any to wail the praises of one of favorite titles, evah. It's one of those common questions, right? "What's your top book of all time?" My quick answer would be that I don't have a No. 1. I have several. I'd imagine many comic readers are like that; your favorites are so varied that the playing field is uneven and the players difficult to compare.
So, on to Grimjack.
The main character was a mercenary with a strict honor code and a short fuse. He operated in a topsy-turned city called Cynosure, where all dimensions intersected (with some sliding in and out of phase). He also owned a bar, Munden's, that featured a perpetually plastered lizard named Bob. The Grinner, whose name was John Gaunt, had only one true friend, a street-talking scrapper named BlacJacMac.
Co-creator John Ostrander wrote the book with a bare-knuckle sensibility and a great feel for the fantastic. Cynosure, with all its twists and turns of tech and magic, was Ostrander's playground, and he treated it like one of the characters.
Artist and co-creator Tim Truman brought a gritty, heavy feel to the pages. He excelled at giving the leading man a world-weariness, but knew how to choreograph GrimJack's killer moves. The otherworldly and oppressive atmosphere of Cynosure came alive in Truman's hands. He eventually left the book, and other artists followed ably, but they never matched the original.
GrimJack ran for 81 issues, from 1984 to 1991. Ostrander moved on, mostly to jobs at DC, and GrimJack slipped into legal limbo as First Comics folded. After years of effort, Ostrander and Truman recently cleared the legal entanglements and regained control of their creation. Last year, a new, six-issue tale, "Killer Instinct," was published, with the original team in charge. How was that for me? To quote Bob the Lizard: "Thaaaaaank yooooooooou..."
Now, on to this week's My Five, starting with that beer ref in the headline.
Dance meets war in "Movin' Out," the traveling Broadway tour featuring Billy Joel's music and Twyla Tharp's choreography that on Tuesday settled so eloquently into the Saroyan Theatre. This movement-as-conflict theme has been a common occurrence for me over the last month or so. Perhaps it's just coincidence that so much of the choreography I've experienced recently has been so inextricably linked with the ravages of battle: the fiery flourishes of the Georgian State Dance Company; the smooth cunning of the Shaolin Warriors; the mechanical melancholy of the dancers in the Vietnam scenes in the Beatles movie "Across the Universe."
Or maybe it's that the sheer weight of the Iraq War has clamped down on my brain, and one way I try to process it is in my reaction to any kinetic display of the human body.
All I know is that the war scenes are among the most powerful in "Movin' Out."
I'd be remiss if I didn't give a last-minute reminder for the highlight Broadway event of the season: the national tour of "Movin' Out," set to the songs of Billy Joel, which opens 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and plays again 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Saroyan Theatre. In my Friday cover story last week in 7, I wrote:
If you're looking for something fresh from Broadway, then "Movin' Out" is your show in this year's Broadway season at the Saroyan. (Other shows this year include "Gypsy," "Evita," "Annie," "Mamma Mia and "Cats.") The show opened on Broadway in 2002 and played for more than three years. The story of the musical, which features no dialogue, is told entirely through dance. It follows a pair of lifelong friends through two decades that include post-World War II idealism and the Vietnam War. Tharp's choreography features elements of classical ballet, hip-hop and modern dance.
I'm a little disappointed that this year's Broadway series at the Saroyan is so, well, last-century. It'd be nice to get some of the newer productions from New York instead of so many revivals. But at least we've got this offering. This national tour features the same production design and costumes as the Broadway version, which I saw a couple of years and really liked. Even more important, the dancers were prepared by choreographer Twyla Tharp herself. I'll be at the performance Tuesday and let you know Wednesday morning on the Beehive how I think this version compares to Broadway.
For years now I've seen quotes in national movie ads from a guy named Shawn Edwards of "Fox TV." I kid you not when I say that this guy is effusive. Back in 2005, Daily Variety's Timothy M. Gray singled him out for four 2004 reviews:
Shawn Edwards, Fox TV, "Barbershop 2" -- "The best comedy of the year!" (Feb. 6)Shawn Edwards, Fox TV, "White Chicks" -- "The funniest comedy of the year." (July 9)
Shawn Edwards, Fox TV, "Little Black Book" -- "The best romantic comedy of the year!" (Aug. 1)
Shawn Edwards, Fox TV, "The Chronicles of Riddick" -- "One of the best sci-fi films ever! Extraordinary! A true classic that's not to be missed! Vin Diesel is ecstatically superb." (June 11)
From then on, I made it a point to scan the big-paper movie ads for a few good blurbs from Edwards. On a particularly good Sunday in the L.A. Times, I can often find three or four quotes from him for different movies, usually involving the words "terrific," "best" and "of the year."
Even arts writers take vacations. (Actually, I don't take ENOUGH vacation, which is why my editor is always frowning at me to take more time off.) So I wasn't around for the opening weekends of "Reckless" at Fresno City College and Epic Theatre's "The Mercy Seat" at Severance. I plan to attend both this weekend, so watch for my upcoming reviews.
In the meantime, you can check out previews for "Reckless" and "The Mercy Seat," along with some reader comments. I'm anxious to know from anyone who attended "Mercy Seat": How did the first theater performance in the newly renovated Severance space go?
Sorry. That's booked club, as in "Britney Spears was booked last night on misdemeanor hit and run charges stemming from an incident in August in which she hit a parked car, got out of her car to bend down so the paparazzi could get a shot of her panties, and then took off without leaving a note on the car she hit."
By court order, Britney turned herself in and was fingerprinted, photographed and released. According to People, Spears "will be arraigned for two charges – hit-and-run causing property damage and driving without a valid California driver's license – on Oct. 25." She could face up to a year in jail, but it's not bloody likely.
So, that's all of them. Paris, Nicole, Lindsay and now Britney have all been arrested in the last year. I'm telling you, the next generation of celebutard/ingenues better come up with something amazing to get some attention. You hear me, Hayden Panettiere? Crotch shots and mug shots are so 2007. You better go another route and cure cancer if you want some ink.
The chill of fall means fashionistas have to get serious about their seasonal wardrobes. As usual, there's scads of looks to pick from -- wide-legged pants and jeans, capes, oxford-style booties, gray color schemes, just to name a few.
But I'm offering one quick fix to liven your look: Argyle.
Yup, that diagonal checkerboard pattern. Even your favorite dog, like Fido here, gets it. Some people see argyle as old and stodgy, but I say not. After all, the folks from Libertine created an argyle vest with skull design for Target's rotating Go International line this year. And, anyway, isn't it time to ditch all those eye-aching faux animal prints?
There's been some important and supposedly anti-gay people getting caught in homosexual acts recently. Here's the latest ...
Monsignor Tommaso Stenico, a Vatican official, was caught on video propositioning a young man. According to the story, "He said he had posed as a homosexual to research a plot by satanists."
If only Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) had thought of the satanist angle. His latest news comes in an interview on NBC's "Matt Lauer Reports," in which Craig lashes out that presidential candidate Mitt Romney "not only threw me under his campaign bus, he backed up and ran over me again."
Craig had resigned from Romney's campaign, but not from the Senate. He's still trying to withdraw his guilty plea. According to the Associated Press, Stenico has been suspended from his post.
Dear Beehive fam:
When this blog entry publishes, I'll be on vacation for three weeks, off to wedded bliss and margaritas in Mexico. Though, like a parent leaving for a trip, I had to make a list of 10 things you guys need to do while I'm gone.
Everyone loves a good tailgate, right?
Oh, look. Here's "Dawson's Creek" star James van der Beek enjoying some time out in the 'lot with his lady, some beers and some good times, yeah? Par-tay, Dawson! Only... those dudes in the back are doing it, you know what I mean? Shotgun it, homie in the green shirt!
Wait. Is that - no. JT? Is that you?
And - Jessica? Jessica Biel?
Hell, I'm in. SanDimashighschoolfootballrules! Who's up for a keg stand?
This week's news that three Fresno arts organizations had earned grants from the prestigious James Irvine Foundation was heartening and encouraging.
The foundation, loaded with more than $1.8 billion in assets, makes the arts one of its chief points of interest. This year, it is awarding $4.1 million to 15 groups in the Central Valley. The trio in Fresno earned substantial arts grants for this region: the Fresno Art Museum and Fresno Grand Opera will each receive $275,000, while the Fresno Philharmonic gets $250,000. That's a total of $800,000, if you're keeping count.
Irvine requires a lengthy application process involving community feedback and a lot of work. And Irvine's focus this cycle was on the Central Valley. The foundation knows the arts must flourish for everyone, not just people in L.A. or San Francisco, because a lively arts community means your city or state is prospering, too.
A quick announcement before we get to the fliers this week. After today, I'm on vacation for three weeks, thus Post No Bills will be on hiatus during that time.
That in mind, I tried to make this week's edition extra packed with fliers for the rest of the month.
Now, business as usual. Here's the biggest collection of Fresno Fliers on the Internets and your peek at what's happening this weekend, next week and into the future. Nothing to do in Fresno? Wrong. There's plenty. Just take a look at these options.
We don't discriminate -- all bands, performers, venues and DJs are welcome to share their cool fliers. If you have something to contribute, e-mail me a link at mosegueda@fresnobee.com or just leave it below. Enjoy!
Me: What's with the background? Those squares are giving me Saved by the Bell and Mickey Mouse Club flashbacks. Maybe she was just trying to get in touch with her roots?
H-Mac: "Blackout is the state she was in when they recorded this, I'm sure. All she had to do was lay on the floor, moan and make some noises, and they just produced around her."
My fiancee: "I guess she has to have the hat to cover the extensions."
Colleague Felicia Matlosz: "Ewww, that's awful. Are you sure that's real?"
You?
And yes, it's real. Straight from Jive Records. There's a tracklisting from Jive below:
I'm sure by now you've read in the Bee (or on The Fresnan) that filming for Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull did indeed take place at Fresno's Chandler Airport yesterday. It was just as cool as I knew it would be. I'm trying to play it cool myself, but you should know that I am not cool - I am, in fact, one of those people who squeals and freaks out at the idea of movie stars in her hometown. That is exactly what happened yesterday.
I was sure that I would not be able to get to the airport to see the action, but as it turns out, there is this thing called "a long lunch" - I just took one of those (and paid for it later, believe me. Still worth it!)
I picked up fellow Beehiver Mike Oz and we went to the airport to scope out the scene. We saw a couple of cars trying to get into the airport's main gate and one of Fresno's Finest dutifully blocking the way. We kept going.
Further down the road we started to see trucks and trailers, a sure sign of film making. And then we struck what we thought was gold: the blue tents of a catering service, and a group of crew members and extras in costume enjoying lunch:
In Friday's issue of 7 I talk with C. Tim Quinn, director of Epic Theatre's "The Mercy Seat," which plays Fridays and Sundays through Nov. 4. Here's a continuation of the interview.
Tell us a little more about the play.
The Mercy Seat is not about the tragedy that took place in New York on September 11, 2001. It is the analysis of the relationship that exists between a man, Ben Harcourt and a woman, Abby Prescott. LaBute’s play is the exploration of personal self-interest. It asks us to answer the question, “What is a person capable of doing if given the opportunity to get away with it?” It compels us to confront the ruthlessness of American middle class self-interest.
In Friday's issue of 7 I talk with Brad Myers, director of "Reckless" at Fresno City College," which opens Oct. 12 and continues through Oct. 20. Here's the continuation of that interview.
Do you believe that we lead reckless lives in which "things just happen"?
I personally do not believe that the world is totally reckless. However, I do believe that there are forces and possibilities far beyond the familiar and comfortable. I think we live with blinders on to avoid the unexplainable.
This is the second show you've directed at Fresno City College.What's the connection?
Chuck Erven has been a good friend of mine for years, and two years ago asked me to direct a play which he had written, "Canyon Suite." Debbi Shapazian, the FCC Theatre Arts chair, and I became close colleagues through our work with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. I also have enormous regard for Christopher Boltz and Jeff Barrett, who are designers for "Reckless."
Searching for a theme in this week's quintet and, well, I got nuthin'. Best I can scape up: two of the books have "black" in the title. Yet those books couldn't be more different. Black Summer is classic Warren Ellis -- paranoia, dark-ops tech speak, and super-types behaving badly. Black Adam is mainstream DC, though the title character is hardly heroic.
So...black. Hrm.
Onward.
Black Summer # 3 (Avatar): Dysfunctional characters ooze from every fold in Warren Ellis' brain. He loves this stuff, and it shows here. A member of a scientifically enhanced super-team decides the U.S. president is leading the country astray. So the (um) hero, John Horus, kills the prez, then announces the nation must start anew. But ... imagine ... the government doesn't agree with this strategy, so Horus and his estranged teammates are public enemies No. 1. Them's the basics, but Ellis keeps the throttle up. The teammates (and it's a loose term here) boil with mutual distrust. The action is visceral and the dialogue is raw. Artist Juan Jose Ryp knows how to portray ticked-off characters, flying blood and big booms. Kind of necessary here.
It's only October, but luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has decreed that the Christmas shopping season has begun.
Its Christmas catalog, snobbishly dripping with extravagant excess and gawdy gift ideas, is out for perusal. You can look and dream ... or look in disgust. Even if someone could afford it, why buy a $1.4 million NM-Edition GemTriton 1000 Submarine? Where would you dock it? Do you have to pay insurance, too? What about the sales tax?
Wouldn't it be better to donate that money to a worthy charity? Or maybe you saw this $35,000, 100-foot long dragon topiary and just couldn't resist.
I am always the last to know things.
And it has happened again - I am the last to hear that the Greatest Thing Ever in Fresno History™ is happening today at the Chandler Airport. I'm speaking, of course, about filming for the new Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, which is taking place in Fresno TODAY.
ABC30 had a little segment on this momentous occasion two nights ago, which you can watch here (if you can handle the way Maureen Naylor pronounces "skull").
I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this. I'm really trying to play it cool, but seriously, Indiana Jones movies are huge in my family. As kids, my brother and I took turns wearing a brown fedora and jumping on the furniture with our mom's rolled up jump rope (the whip - get it?) tied to our belts. When we go to Disneyland, one of the only rides my mom will go on is the Indiana Jones ride. We. Love. This.
Unfortunately, where I work, an Indiana Jones film is not considered the Greatest Thing Ever in Fresno History™, so my plan to spend all day at Chandler Airport is not going to happen. I am relying on you, the people of Fresno, to go out there and bring back knowledge. Bring back evidence! Bring back Harrison Ford if you can! A stunt double will do!
Contradicting a statement made by his lawyer, Bobby Brown is claiming that he did not suffer a mild heart attack yesterday, thank you very much. It was merely a checkup, is all.
Good to know.
That Bobby Brown is still riding the crazy train, that is. I expect we'll hear even more about this heart attack/checkup/drug overdose in upcoming days, as Bobby has proven in the past that he has a hard time keeping quiet about things (and god bless him for it).
Remember when he announced that Osama bin Laden was after him because the terrorist has a crush on Whitney Houston? Here's hoping we get a little more of that.
Did ya read the paper today? The Bee was full of zany stuff:
Seriously, people, if we can't trust football players, cats and donation buckets, what can be trusted? At least we have Lindsay Lohan and her new sober lifestyle.
So, I spent three of the first five days at the Big Fresno Fair this year. Below are some of the results of all my fun, er, work. What I've learned about two years on this beat is that while fairgoers represent a large, diverse swath of the Valley's population, these are my people, man. It's been an honor to meet as many of them as I have.
This one is about the rides:
This one is about the food:
Singer Bobby Brown has had a mild heart attack, but is now recovering, according to his rep.
Don't die, Bobby. Ever. The world needs Bobby Brown. The world needs more Bobby Brown, in fact. Bring back "Being Bobby Brown", Bravo! I'd start a petition (an alliterative petition, it would appear), but I'm on my lunch break and need to finish this turkey sandwich so I can get back to reading gossip sites whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing. Instead, I will simply wish Bobby well.
And for you? A little classic Bobby in the afternoon. Enjoy.
From: xxxxxxx@jiverecords.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 10:14 AM
Subject: BRITNEY SPEARS NEW ALBUM RELEASE DATE!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 10, 2007
Jive Records announced today that the label is moving up the worldwide release date of Britney Spears’ latest release Blackout to October 30th.
Recently, songs from Britney’s Spears’ forthcoming album, along with unfinished material and demos represented as completed legitimate songs, were leaked on-line. A label spokesperson stated, "due to these numerous unauthorized on-line leaks, the label is doing everything possible to prevent and avoid any further illegal distribution of songs including moving up the release date of the album to October 30th. "
Apparently Kevin Bacon and Frankie Muniz got together and had a child, and I completely missed it.
Seriously, who is this Zac Efron, why is he on the gossip sites every day, and why does he have mom hair? Mom hair. If that's not enough of a reason to question his right to celebrity, here is a picture of him at a public event wearing a blue cardigan and those white, disposable flip-flops they give you when you get a pedicure. Of course, his eyebrows are styled within an inch of their life.
Who is this jerk? Stop being famous immediately, Zac Efron. You're taking up valuable gossip space that could be devoted to important people like George Clooney or My Boyfriend Jim Halpert™.
People are going nutzo trying to get Hannah Montana tickets. So crazy that, in some markets, the government is stepping in because would-be ticket scalpers fooled Ticketmaster's automated program to buy up all the tickets.
Says Joe Freeman, vice president of Ticketmaster: "Hell hath no fury like the parent of a child throwing a tantrum. People who have been in this business for a long time are watching what's happening, and they say there hasn't been a demand of this level or intensity since the Beatles or Elvis."
The Nov. 5 Hannah Montana date at Save Mart Center sold out in a snap-- it was amazing because concert tickets aren't really selling well these days. That made it seem a bit fishy. Guess it is. If you go to Craigslist's tickets section, you'll notice that most of the sellers are Web sites trying to gouge prices.
So, of course, parents are desperately looking for seats for their kids. ThEy'Ve EvEn GoNe As FaR aS tO wRiTe LiKe tHiS. This is a sad, sad state of affair, folks -- on so many levels.
Fans of the Stephen Sondheim classic 1979 musical "Sweeney Todd" have been curious, worried, delighted (insert your own verb that fits) about what quirky filmmaker Tim Burton has done with the film adaptation. Will it be true to Sondheim's virtuoso mix of music, drama and horror? Or will it be -- literally -- a bloody mess?
The movie, starring Burton's favorite colleague Johnny Depp in the title role, gets a high-profile release in December ... Just in time for Oscar consideration. The interesting thing about the trailer is that you'd hardly know it was a musical, except for a few scant seconds of Depp singing. In any case, it offers a stylish glimpse into what's to come:
Ignoring both good taste and her very own divorce rate, Pamela Anderson tied the knot with fellow sex tape expert and all around good guy, Rick Salomon, last night in Las Vegas. The affair was all class, as you can imagine, and as Vegas as it could be:
Since the relationship began when Pam repaid a $250,000 debt to Salomon with sexual favors instead of cash money, I can only imagine what this guy Salomander has on her to get Pam to marry him. It can't be a standard, run-of the mill sex tape, so... is there anything worse than a sex tape? Maybe he has photos of Pam pre-surgeries. Or, like, killing a puppy and wearing it as a hat - something friend-of-PETA Pam could never have get out.
It can't just be true love, can it? Can it?
The Polish have it tough. Or is it that ALL human beings run into a fair share of woe? In David Ives' "Polish Joke," which opened Friday at Fresno State, we dance around this issue with a fair degree of agility.
If you're worried about a bevy of stale groaners, never fear: This is no decades-old throwback to an earlier brand of ethnic humor. Even with all the light bulb jokes, polka pokes and blood-sausage allusions, the play -- first performed in 2003 -- has a tight, contemporary feel. It's much more than a '60s sitcom meets Lawrence Welk. Ives dives into questions of social and ethnic identity with a deft touch, and he stirs up the so-called American "melting pot" without prompting pickets outside -- quite a feat in itself.
Still, "Polish Joke" is a tad bit creaky. Sort of mechanical. A little stiff. It straddles the autobiographical -- yes, Ives is very much Polish -- and the surreal in sometimes awkward ways. Often very funny, it can also seem strained.
There are people who feel that Britney Spears has a raw deal. They think that all gossip bloggers are mean, and out to get Britney, and that paparazzi go to invasive lengths to get shots of her doing non-public things like hanging out in her backyard.
I think there's some truth to that. Sometimes I wonder if Britney would be a different person if she was just left alone. But then I think, does she really want to be left alone?
This week, when Britney lost custody of her kids, did she hole up in her bedroom with a box of Kleenex, some Hohos and season three of "Grey's Anatomy" on DVD? No. She very publicly stuck to her routine of going to Starbucks - a place she knows the paparazzi will be. She very publicly checked into three hotels on three separate nights, staying for just a few hours each time and then going off into the night, sometime around 2 a.m. When she was upset about missing an opportunity to see her boys Thursday, she very publicly sat in her car and cried.
Just Jared has a video on its site showing exactly what it's like to be Britney, and I think it addresses this "Is Britney a victim?" question. In the video, Britney is at Starbucks, waiting for music producer J.R. Rotem to fetch a frappuccino for her. She is swarmed by paps. Typical stuff for Britney, but there are some interesting things going on that lead me to believe Britney would not have it any other way:
Often imitated, but never duplicated, it's another week of Post No Bills, the biggest collection of Fresno fliers anywhere on the Web.
Each Friday, right here at The Beehive, we give you a peek at what's happening in Fresno and the Valley this weekend, next week and into the future. Nothing to do in Fresno? Wrong. There's plenty. Just take a look at these options.
We don't discriminate -- all bands, performers, venues and DJs are welcome to share their cool fliers. If you have something to contribute, e-mail me a link at mosegueda@fresnobee.com or just leave it below. Enjoy!
FRIDAY update: True to form, the studio for "Once" skimped on the marketing budget and didn't even take out a display ad in 7 on opening day, but never fear: The film IS playing here. (I've had some phone calls, so there must be SOME "Once" fans out there.) It's showing at the UA Clovis Towne Center. Check the teeny-tiny print.
Everyone in the country got a chance to see "Hairspray," one of my favorite films of the year. But it's been looking a little more iffy in Fresno for two other acclaimed musicals. Now word comes that the very wonderful "Once," about an Irish singer-songwriter whose path crosses in Dublin with a plaintive Eastern European immigrant, is opening in Fresno this coming Friday. Hoo-rah! Look for my review in Friday's 7 section.
And word from the studio is that Julie Taymor's extravagant "Across the Universe," the wild musical adventure set to music from the Beatles, will be opening in Fresno Oct. 12. If "Hairspray," which is still hanging on in theaters this weekend, manages to stick around through the 12th, and if "Once" stays for more than one weekend, we'll have the happy phenomenon of THREE musicals playing at the same time in Fresno. All I can say is Wow.
...or her ass has gotten so big it's started to push through her front. You make the call:
I had a busy Thursday night and wasn't able to get to as many ArtHop locations as usual, but I did catch a few interesting shows. My pick of the night: the art of Valerie Runningwolf at Gallery 25.
First up, it was the inaugural ArcHop, held at Broadway Studios. (Clever name, eh?) It's nice to see an emphasis and appreciation for local architecture, because, let's face it, this city isn't exactly known for its architectural planning and sophistication. (In fact, I'm thinking that one of these days in The Bee I should have an Ugliest Building contest; one of my nominees would have to be that Egyptian-themed monstrosity along Highway 41 where I think you'll find the restaurant Slates.) Anyway, the first ArcHop was a cozy little affair in which you got a chance to peruse the plans for some of Fresno's most notable buildings -- and talk up the hip young gaggle of local architects on hand. This was the first time I got to see plans for pioneer developer Reza Assemi's Broadway project, which looks like an impressive exercise in mixed-use development, something that downtown sorely needs.
There were many astonishing things to see Thursday at the Shaolin Warriors performance, but perhaps the most dramatic was this:
One of the small-fry warriors, a mere boy, raised his right leg so impossibly high that his ankle wound up next to his ear. It was like he was doing the splits sideways. He held the position for a moment: his left foot planted on the ground, his right pointing straight toward the ceiling, and as the audience murmured in disbelief, he tilted sideways, still in the "splits" position, and rolled smoothly onto the ground. Ouch.
These Shaolin monks are limber, no question about it. They're also acrobatic, graceful, have an incredible sense of rhythm and could give the Rockettes a run for their money in terms of perfect choreographed synchronicity. The audience loved them.
The next in our Artists You Should Know series is local DJ Clint Storm, who has been involved in some of Fresno's most popular parties, including house music night Focus, which ran for four years at Starline, and the popular reggae nights at World Sports Cafe.
Soon, he'll wave goodbye to Fresno and move to San Antonio. As part of his farewell weekend, Storm has two big gigs scheduled: Tasty, at 10 p.m. Saturday at Thaiphoon with DJ Bradley, and the Focus reunion at 7 p.m. Sunday at Club M. I talked to Storm, 35, about his move, this weekend's events and more.
So Clint, what's pulling you away from Fresno?
A few things. Most importantly, a girl. So I'm gonna go take a chance and try and make things work. Long distance relationships obviously do not work. Secondly, I've wanted to get away from Fresno for a while and venture out to unknown territory. Definitely gonna try and stir things up in the house music scene down there. I know the right people down in Texas, so I think I'll have luck on my side.
***UPDATE*** Oops - looks like you missed it. YouTube pulled the video. Not to worry - "Gimme More" will make its official debut Monday on MTV's "TRL." Then I'm sure it will infect the Internet like a virus.
Well, it's here. The long-awaited (*cough*) video from Britney Spears, "Gimme More." Now you can watch Britney lip-sync, dance around a stripper pole and ... well, whatever it is she does when she's not parading around as the poster child for mental healthcare.
Somehow this song has made its way to the top of Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart, which just goes to show that most people prefer their music with a side of suck. Enjoy.
What a weird deal. One of the most brilliant and testy writers in comicdom has two titles starring his creations debut this week ... and Steve Gerber has nothing to do with either book.
Well, other than dreaming up Howard the Duck and Omega the Unknown in the first place.
Comics, like any other entertainment medium, can be enjoyed at various magnifications. You can focus on the product, easily enough. Or you can muse on the talent and creators and all the "making of" stories you absorbed before you read the book or watched the TV show or saw the movie.
I mean, Lindsay Lohan -- and I mean just the young woman on the screen -- did a good enough job in that "Herbie" movie. You could watch the flick and leave it at that. Or, bwa-hahaha, you could sit back, suck on an Icee and wonder how many scenes Lohan did thoroughly plowed.
So...Gerber. He's best known for Howard, but not just for the book's entertainment value, which was bountiful. Gerber engaged Marvel in a legal fight for the creator rights to the character. (In other words, he could take Howard to another publisher, and Marvel couldn't continue to put out a Howard book once Gerber departed.) He warred against the traditional work-for-hire approach for comic companies, which claim full rights to any character created under their logo. And he was among the first to do so.
Gerber lost that fight, but the shock waves of his cause rumbled through the industry. Independent publishers began to allow -- even boast of -- creator-owned work. A handful of high-profile artists started Image Comics, which focused on creator ownership. In time, even Marvel and DC let down their guard for certain projects.
And Gerber moved on. He still writes wild stuff (Nevada is a little-known gem), but will always be known as the guy who dreamed up the duck who was Trapped in a World He Never Made.
And this week, Marvel rolls out Howard the Duck #1 and Omega the Unknown #1. Gerber is noted in the credits of each book as the characters' creator. But he has nothing to do with these projects, and I'm sure Marvel didn't call him for approval. They didn't have to. On Gerber's blog, he makes clear his distaste for the projects, though he notes he's made contact with the new Omega writer and made his peace with him.
OK, let's tighten the magnification. How are these books? Hmmm. One is a trippy, visually arresting book that leaves me thirsting for more. The other? Not so much.
Local musician David Hull (of the band Flywright, among other projects) is currently No. 6 -- he's been as high as No. 3 -- on MySpace's top-played-video chart for his "Mozart A La Bass Guitar." The video has amassed, at last refresh, more than 117,000 views. That's just today, folks.
Check out the video below. Meanwhile, two more of his videos, Dueling Banjos for Solo Bass Guitar and Dizzy Fingers have also cracked the top 20.
FYI: Flywright is playing a free ArtHop show at 6 p.m. today at Milano.
Have you been eagerly awaiting Part Two of the Top 10 Unsigned Artists in Fresno podcast? Let's just pretend you have. Well good news, it's here!
If you missed Part One, we talked about Flight 409, Fashawn, Patrick Contreras, Mezcal and Kristi Warner. Who's made the rest of my list? You'll have to listen to find out.
Joining me again to add commentary is the Fresno Famous podcasting team of Josh and Bryan.
Listen and chime in with your thoughts.
Consider this your all-purpose Big Fresno Fair concert-talk forum.
Did you see a concert at the Paul Paul Theatre? Tell us about it! Did you see some really cool music on the fair grounds that everyone should know about? Tell us about it! Heck, you could even tell us what you think about the deep-fried Pepsi -- I, for one, am curious.
The fair's concert series started yesterday with Casting Crowns, continues with Daughtry tonight and has a weekend that includes Miranda Lambert, Ziggy Marley and The Jonas Brothers.
If you need more information on the concerts, there's a regular ol' list here. Or if you're feeling adventurous, check out The Bee's awesome interactive fair map, which includes musician bios and audio samples.
Oh, did you know you can upload your own concert videos and photos on our site? Cool, huh?
As a show that took place in New York City, "Sex and the City" made frequent use of outdoor locations for many of its scenes. The SATC movie is no exception.
Maybe I just never noticed this when the show was still on HBO, but it seems to have become a major goal of the paparazzi to capture photos from the shoot and sell them to gossip blogs who apparently have no concept of the "spoil" in "spoiler."
Half the movie has been ruined for me because blogs like Mollygood and A Socialite's Life post the pictures without the courtesy of a spoiler warning, and without any effort to keep the secrets of the movie concealed (Big up to Pink is the New Blog, who is really good at covering it up for those who don't want the movie ruined).
OK, probably not ever. But it's the first Thursday of the month, which always means there's a lot going on, thanks to ArtHop. But this Thursday is extraordinarily packed with goings-on. Seriously, slap the next people who says there's nothing to do in Fresno.
ArtHop
Enjoy the usual arting, hopping, wine drinking, chip-stealing and running into people you only see once a month. Check out fresnoarthop.org for specifics.
ArcHop
ArcHop is like ArtHop, but with architecture. A number of local architecture firms will present their work hoping "to raise awareness of architectural community's contributions." It's from 5-8 p.m. in Downtown Fresno at 1416 Broadway St. at Tuolumne St. Check out the flier for more info.
OMG!
Phil Collins was on Letterman and I missed it? That sucks.
Wait. Not Phil Collins, you say? Jude Law? No. No. You're mistaken. You must be mis-
Oh. Awkward.
This is great.
Best Week Ever has posted a video of a scene from that fabulous, much-loved show from my childhood, The Wonder Years, with all of adult Kevin Arnold's narration taken out. The result? A whole lot of nothing going on but Fred Savage's cute little puppy dog expressions. Enjoy.
Anybody who's been to Full Circle Brewing Co. to see a show or enjoy a beer has probably met Butch, the jolly bartender. He was a true character, always in a good mood and always genuinely happy to be helping out local musicians. He did a lot of the booking Full Circle, too, which is one of the few local venues where artists get all the money from the door.
Apparently, Butch moved back to Florida today, without much of a goodbye. I never knew the exact story, but from what I pieced together from various chats with Butch, he moved here a few years ago from Florida to help his uncle, co-owner Don Anderson, get Full Circle going.
Said Anderson, in an e-mail about Butch's departure: "He said he didn't tell anyone he was leaving because he hates goodbyes. I don't know if or when he will be back this way, but I know I am going to miss him. He has been a big part of Full Circle Brewing Co. and has helped us create what we are. I hope we can keep it up."
Well, I liked Butch. And I like to say goodbye. So bye, Butch.
Heidi Montag from MTV's "The Hills" or that screechy Britney Spears fan (language NSFW)? D Listed can't tell the difference. Frankly, I thought they both were characters played by David Spade.
Look, if anyone can bring back the Flock of Seagulls look, it's Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, right?
As far as celeb spawn style goes, she's already kicking Rumer Willis' ass.
Work it, baby girl.
In case you're the last person on earth to hear the news, Britney Spears has been ordered by a judge to give up custody of her children by noon Wednesday.
The reason for the decision wasn't made clear - court transcripts were sealed - but maybe it had to do with the open container of alcohol in the car. Or the driving without a valid license even after being busted. Or ignoring every order handed down by a judge at last month's custody hearing. Or maybe it was simply this look of despair on Jayden's face.
Let me repeat: a judge has decided that Kevin Federline is suitable to be sole caretaker of his and Britney's children. Kevin Federline. K Fed. The Fed Ex.
Word hit this morning on a couple of big concerts coming our way:
And let's not forget that we have a big week of shows ahead of us:
Pamela Anderson applied for, and was granted, a marriage license late Saturday night in Las Vegas. Who would Pamela Anderson marry, you might ask, after shaking your head in disbelief and thinking back to a couple of weeks ago when Pam's other two attempts at matrimonial bliss (Tommy Lee and Kid Rock, natch) got into a sissy fight over the blond, Hep C-having magician's assistant/mother of two.
Well, it's the guy who made the infamous "1 Night in Paris" sex tape with blond, Herp-having useless ex-con Paris Hilton, of course.
Rick Saloman has all the qualities Pamela seeks in a man (a video camera, a penis, no legitimate worth in society), and, as she revealed on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" recently, they met in the most beautiful way: "I paid off a poker debt with sexual favors, and I fell in love. It's so romantic. It's romance."
I would expect nothing less from Pam Anderson. I'm pretty sure during one of her breast augmentation surgeries the doctor replaced her brain with a cotton towel.
Third time's a charm, Pam. I'm sure this one will last at least six full months.
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