Roger Ebert Returns With New Movie Show
The Sun-Times says thumbs up, the Tribune says thumbs down.Just like old times!
The Who2 Blog
Ouch! Roger Ebert Harshes on Joaquin Phoenix
The tragedy of Joaquin Phoenix’s self-destruction has been made into “I’m Still Here,” a sad and painful documentary that serves little useful purpose other than to pound another nail into the coffin.Roger Ebert takes on the new Joaquin Phoenix “documentary.”
Tom Brady’s New Contract: Six Things
Car crash in the morning, record-breaking contract in the evening — everyone agrees yesterday was a wacky,
Rich “Summer Girls” Cronin, RIP
Rich Cronin, frontman for the old hip-hop boy band LFO, has died at age 36. Leukemia, alas. He’d been fighting it since 2005.LFO had their biggest hit with “Summer Girls” in 1999. I don’t think I’ve actually heard Cronin’s name before, but I vaguely remember the band itself — mainly because I knew their name stood for “Lyte Funky Ones,” which they wisely ditched in the manner of KFC.
Rodney King Plans to Marry One of His Jurors
The news from Radar Online is that Rodney King plans to marry Cynthia Kelley, a woman who sat on the jury of his civil trial against Los Angeles way back in 1993.
The civil trial was a result of the 1991 beating by Los Angeles cops that made Rodney King famous. After the 1992 trial that acquitted the officers, riots broke out in Los Angeles, prompting King to utter his famous line, “Can’t we all just get along?”
Tony Blair Pelted in Dublin, the Video
Video from Dublin, of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair arriving at a book shop to promote his new memoir, A Journey:
Rahm Emanuel to Run for Chicago Mayor?
It sure sounds like it. (Not that he’d be a shoo-in.) The election’s in February.Rahm Emanuel himself hasn’t said a word, but the DC replacement guessing game has already started.
Lee Pelton Moves to Emerson College
Congratulations to Lee Pelton, who is moving to Emerson College next year after 13 good years as president of proud and plucky Willamette University.
Happy 120th Birthday, Colonel Sanders
Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried (‘Call Me KFC’) Chicken, was born on this day in 1890. He’s been gone for 30 years now.Meanwhile, Hugh Grant is 50.
Photos From the Library of Congress
Griping about the United States government is an American hobby (or pathology), but every once in a while it’s a good idea to step back and admire the work of those who toil away — yes, at the taxpayers’ expense! — at the unheralded task of preserving our culture, by way of the Library of Congress.The Library of Congress has always been a terrific source of Americana, and by government decree. It’s also a great place to visit, if you’re ever in Washington, D.C.
Werner Herzog Answers Twitter Questions
Along with this trailer for First Look Studio’s new movie, My Son, My Son, What Have You Done?, director Werner Herzog answers a series of questions posed by Twitter users.
It’s all very nutty, with Herzog gamely playing along, from answering how to have a good wedding to explaining “I don’t know who Chuck Norris is… is he an actor?”
Mark David Chapman Denied Parole Again
Mark David Chapman, the man who killed ex-Beatle John Lennon in 1980, was denied parole for the sixth time yesterday. He’ll be up for parole again in 2012.
Is Jerry Lewis Just Too Old for the Telethon?
Tom Shales goes there, delicately.Showing his cranky side, and hinting at his notorious temper, Lewis
complained repeatedly about the sound equipment, the plug in his ear and
not being able to hear.
Elliott Gould Looks Back on M*A*S*H
It’s been 40 years.
Stephen Hawking: God Wasn’t Necessarily Necessary
Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than
nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to
invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.Physicist Stephen Hawking speaks his mind on Why God Did Not Create the Universe.(“Blue touch paper” is an old-fashioned fuse for fireworks.)
Andrew Jackson and The Hermitage: 10 Things You Didn’t Know
Here are 10 things *I* didn’t know about President Andrew Jackson and his famous home, anyway, until my visit to The Hermitage yesterday. 1) Jackson was verrrry skinny. The man was 6’1″ and 140 pounds when elected president. (John Quincy Adams, just before him, was 5’7″ and stout; Martin Van Buren followed him at 5’6″ and also full-figured.)
Midwest Music Weekend: Nashville, Brazilbilly, and Salmon P. Chase
It’s been a musical Labor Day Weekend for the Who2 midwest HQ. Friday it was a jazz lunch at Cincinnati’s handsome Mercantile Library, with singer Kathy Wade and pianist Ed Moss:Historical homey Salmon P. Chase looked on with (presumably) approval:
William Shatner Says “You’re. Having. The. Ribs.”
“They said I was this William Shatner character, and I figured I had to be it,” he said. “Pompous, takes himself seriously, hardheaded… So I played it. But I didn’t see it. That character doesn’t seem like me to me. I know the real William Shatner.”The New York Times studies the many iterations of William Shatner.
Good Grief: A ‘Lord of the Rings’ Slot Machine?
J.R.R. Tolkien is officially spinning in his grave… and coming up Frodo, Frodo, Frodo!
Andrey Melnichenko’s Crazy Super-Yacht
That’s Andrey Melnichenko’s $300 million super-yacht off the coast of Malibu, California today. It’s 394 feet long and shaped funny to make it tricky for pirates to board. Tricky for uninvited pirates, that is.