INTERVIEWS: Mark Wahlberg Kobe Bryant Richard Gere

Transcription

April 2070F7REE
Vol. 15, No.
ntertainment Monthly
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tlanta.com
www.insitea
INTERVIEWS:
Mark Wahlberg
Kobe Bryant
Richard Gere
FESTIVAL
ISSUE
Atlanta Dogwood Festival • Atlanta Jazz Festival • Decatur Arts Festival • Renaissance Festival
Inman Park Festival • Screen on the Green • Warped Tour • Fox Film Festival
Bonnaroo • New Orlean’s Jazz and Heritage Festival
Atlanta Steeplechase • Atlanta Film Festival
Plus, We Talk to My Chemical Romance
about the huge success of The Black Parade
An Oustanding Sports Club Value.
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1860 Duluth Highway
ALPHARETTA/WINDWARD | 678.393.2733
5530 Windward Pkwy.
HOLCOMB BRIDGE | 770.640.8137
1475 Holcomb Bridge Rd.
SNELLVILLE | 770.979.1288
2279 Pinehurst Rd.
TOCO HILLS | 404.248.2998
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ANSLEY MALL | 404.249.6463
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classes vary from club to club. Not available for resale or redeemable
for cash. *Extra charge for some amenities. 4/07
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CONTENTS • APRIL 2007 • VOLUME 15.7
INTERVIEWS
12
12 MARK WAHLBERG
14 RICHARD GERE
15 ISLA FISHER
23 MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
25 SEAN PRICE
26 TRAVIS SMILEY
27 EL-P
14
28 THE QUEERS
29 HOT FUZZ CREATORS
35 KOBE BRYANT
FEATURES
10
OUTDOOR DINING
Places to head to when looking to dine outdoors
13
BRUNCH
Perfect places to celebrate Easter Sunday,
15
Mother’s Day, graduations and more
30 FESTIVAL GUIDE
Top attractions in the Southeast this Spring
34 MLB PREVIEW
Who’s hot and who’s not for this upcoming season
of Major League Baseball
COLUMNS
25
06 ON TAP
07 UNDER THE LIGHTS
08 AROUND TOWN
16 MOVIE REVIEWS
18 BOOKS
18 VIDEO GAMES
26
19 VIDIOTS
20 CONCERT CALENDAR
22 ROAD WARRIORS
24 ALBUM REVIEWS
37 FANATIC
38 HOROSCOPES
38 WANTON DISTRACTION 35
www.insiteatlanta.com
PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • April 2007
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LOCAL EVENTS
On Tap for April
EMAIL EVENTS TO [email protected]
April 13 - 15: 71st Annual Atlanta
Dogwood Festival
Spring is just around the corner and that can only mean one
thing in Atlanta: the Atlanta Dogwood Festival is back! The
Dogwoods will be in full bloom, and hundreds of artists from
around the country will fill the walkways of Piedmont Park
for the 71st Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival. . Virtually
every kind of art imaginable is represented at the festival,
with a nationally renowned-juried Fine Artist Market that
includes sculpture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography
and much more. For more info, head to: www.dogwood.org.
April 13: Wild Bill’s Fight Night
You've watched the UFC on Spike TV and PPV,
now come watch live fights in your own backyard at Wild Bill's! Rory Singer, three-time UFC
Vet and star of the TV show The Ultimate
Fighter, invades Wild Bill's as he headlines Wild
Bill's Fight Night 8 on Friday, April 13. The night
of fights will play host to no less than a dozen
total fights including UFC vets, female fights,
Hooters girls and plenty of action. Get your tickets early by calling the Fight Hotline at (404)
626-2126 or visit any Ticketmaster location.
More info available at www.WildBillsAtlanta.com
or www.UndisputedProductions.com.
April 14: The Atlanta
Steeplechase
The Atlanta Steeplechase, the region's premier
spring social event, combines unmistakable style
and entertainment with the thunderous and
exhilarating sport of steeplechasing at Kingston
Downs each year. The quiet Northwest Georgia
countryside comes alive with thousands of spectators enjoying tailgate parties, Jack Russell terrier races, an air show, hat contests, and the running of some of the finest and fastest steeplechase horses in the country. For more info, head
to: www.atlantasteeplechase.org.
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LITTLE FIVE POINTS SANDY SPRINGS
428 Moreland Ave.
(404) 523-0100
5964 Roswell Rd.
(404) 255-5578
$3 OFF
any purchase of
$10 or more
April 19 - 28: 31st Atlanta
Film Festival
The 31st Atlanta Film Festival will include an eclectic
mix of docs and features: films that feature Southeastern
regional interest (BLOOD CAR, GREAT WORLD OF
SOUND), established festival hits (HANNAH TAKES
THE STAIRS, ZOO), and celebrated international works
(TAXIDERMIA and 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST). The
festival also features shorts programs, two renowned animation showcases, and filmmaker panels. For more info,
head to: www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com.
April 21: Stage 6 Finish Tour de Georgia
Stone Mountain Park has been selected as one of 12 host venues
for the 2007 Tour de Georgia. The Park will be the Stage 6 finish
for America's premier cycling event and rolling festival, on April
21, 2007, with the winner more than likely emerging here. The
Stage 6 race begins at noon at Lake Lanier Islands with athletes
riding 113.5 miles through Hall, Gwinnett, Barrow, Walton,
Rockdale and Dekalb Counties. The race will pass through the village of Stone Mountain and enter Stone Mountain Park at the west
gate for two laps inside the Park. The estimated finish is 4:00 - 4:45
PM. For more info, head to: www.stonemountainpark.com.
April 28 - 29: Inman Park
Spring Festival
Atlanta's eclectic and revered Inman Park Spring
Festival is back again for its 36th year, Saturday - April
28 through Sunday - April 29, offering food, music, fun,
the city's largest street market, and its most outrageous
parade - selected as the Best Neighborhood Parade and
Best Festival by several polls. Admission to all Festival
events is FREE. Tour of Homes tickets cost $15 in
advance, a $5 savings over at-Festival price of $20. For
more info, head to: www.inmanpark.org/fest2007.php.
April 2007
Volume 15.7
INsite Magazine of Atlanta
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website insiteatlanta.com
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Local Events Editor Rav Mansfield
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Sports Editor DeMarco Williams
Web Design Kalico Productions
Contributing Writers / Interns
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INsite is published on the first Friday of the
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© Copyright 2007, Be Bop Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Under The Lights
THEATER PREVIEW
What’s Happening on Stage in Atlanta
All Shook Up!
April 24 - April 29 The Fox Theatre
404-817-8700 www.ticketmaster.com
C
ombining all-time favorite Elvis Presley
songs with a surefire rock'n'roll story, All
Shook Up, the musical that took Broadway by
storm last season, will ride into Atlanta for a
strictly limited engagement of eight performances at The Fox Theatre from April 24 April 29, 2007 as part of the Fidelity
Investments Broadway Across America Atlanta 2006-2007 Season. Headed by newcomer Joe Mandragona along with Jenny
Fellner, fresh from Broadway's Mamma Mia,
and TV, stage and screen favorite Susan
Cuttin’ Up
April 11 - May 13 Alliance Theatre
404.733.5000 www.alliancetheatre.org
F
rom new fades to dreadlocks, from old
school to youngblood, all men come to the
neighborhood barber shop for a haircut, or a
shave, and a slice of life. Explore the lives and
laughter of the well-groomed and celebrate
the community, customs and traditions of
African-American men in Charles RandolphWright's soulful comedy Cuttin' Up. Awardwinning Associate Artistic Director Kent Gash
will direct this poignant new play, infusing it
with memorable rhythms of life and pure fun.
Cuttin' Up is a chronicle of African-American
Anton, All Shook Up tells the romantic tale of
how a young girl's dream comes true when a
guitar-playin' roustabout rides into a square
state and turns the town upside down with his
hip-swivelin', lip-curlin'and sexy song singin'.
All Shook Up's clever book is written by Joe
DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now
Change), with direction by Tony Award-nominee Christopher Ashley (The Rocky Horror
Show). The production features 24 of
Presley's classic hit songs including
"Heartbreak Hotel", "Burning Love", "Jailhouse
Rock", "Blue Suede Shoes," "It's Now or
Never," and "Don't Be Cruel." Sergio Trujillo,
who is currently represented on Broadway
with the hit musical "Jersey Boys," choreographs this well- tuned, hot-rod musical that
took Broadway by storm and guarantees to
men in a barber shop in Atlanta, based on the
book Cuttin' Up: Wit and Wisdom From Black
Barber Shops by Craig Marberry (the author of
Crowns). The play traces the entertaining lives
of Howard, self-made owner of the barber
shop; Andre, a talented charismatic barber
with a troubled past; Rudy, an eager young barber cuttin' on the cutting edge; and the many
clients, friends and neighbors who pass
through the shop each day.
Charles Randolph-Wright is one of America's
pre-eminent playwrights and directors, best
known for the film Preaching to the Choir and
the off-Broadway hit Blu. In Cuttin' Up, he
portrays the barber shop as a cornerstone in
the foundation of culture and as the site of
many rites of passage. Using jazz, hip-hop and
old school rhythm and blues in his play, Wright
have your entire family jumpin' out of their
blue suede shoes!
All Shook Up Photo: Joe Mandragona (center with the company) in ALL SHOOK UP. Photo credit: Carol Rosegg
creates a humorous and touching celebration
of African-American men, their history and
this most local of businesses.
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RESTAURANT PROFILE
Buckhead Village. The “Loco’s Beergarden”
featured, is a prime people watching location
Outdoor Dining!
Some of the Best Patio Scenes this Spring
Agave
an ecelectic southwestern eatery & tequila bar
242 Boulevard S.E. 404.588.0006
www.agaverestaurant.com
great outdoor patio. Their patio is the place
to be Friday nights as their live Mariachi
band plays to the crowd.
Coyote’s menu offers fine Mexican cuisine
with emphasis on the grilled fair. They are
also known for their long list of tequilas.
Sample one of their exotic brands on the
rocks or try one of their 7 giant flavored margaritas, all made with real fruit and Sauza
Gold. Be sure to come early to get a table
outside for Cinco de Mayo as they will be
offering drink speacials and giving away
prizes along with a live band all day long!
El Azteca
Named for the blue agave plant that is the
heart and soul of the finest tequila, Agave
ships the freshest seafood, beef and produce
in daily. The tables on their romantic patio
with fireplace and southwestern design are a
first choice in spring.
Agave's unique blend of eclectic southwestern cuisine, extensive tequila bar and wine
list coupled with exceptional service makes
this one of Atlanta's top restaurants. With
creative daily specials, award winning margaritas and great ambiance that is high in
energy and excitement one can see why
guests keep returning time after time.
Coyote’s
Mexican
Grill
2730 East College
Ave. 404.373.9383
Since moving from
Decatur to Avondale
Estates, Coyote’s has
built up a loyal following. The new location
offers more seating
indoors and has a
Overlooking Ponce De Leon Avenue, the
patio at El Azteca is one of the most happening spots to be in spring. This long serving
neighborhood restaurant serves all the standard Mexican dishes you'd expect, such as
starters like chips and salsa and entrees
including burritos, chalupas, enchiladas and
a wide selection of vegetarian dishes. El
Azteca boasts a renovated interior in case
you can’t get a table outside. However if you
are lucky enough to grab one, there is nothing better than to hang out on their patio
with one of their over-sized margaritas.
Multiple locations
Patio
Perfection
VOTED
Atlanta’s Best Patio Dining
2001–2006
and can be reserved for private parties.
Loco’s serves up some of the best chicken
wings and sandwiches in the city. They have
plenty of great beers on draft and multiple
TV’s to watch the Braves this year.
Front Page News
4058 Peachtree Rd. 404.266.1661
1770 Peachtree St. 404.687.4766
1104 Crescent Ave. 404.897-3500
1351 Moreland Ave. 404.475.7777
Mellow Mushroom
939 Ponce de Leon 404.881.6040
Fellini’s
Steaks, Seafood, Salads
and Traditional Tavern
Fare with a Distinctive
New Orleans Touch
As The Varsity is with hamburgers, Fellini’s
is to Atlanta for pizza. They offer a simple
menu that focuses on quality that can’t be
beat. But as well known as they are for their
terrific pizza, Fellini’s is also known around
Atlanta for their great patio’s. Almost all
include a fountain like the Ponce location
shown, and are always bustling with people.
1104 Crescent Ave.
404-897-3500
351 Moreland Ave.
404-475-7777
Upon entering Front Page News you immediately get the sensation of being in New
Orleans with its laid back and inviting atmosphere. Their award winning cuisine is both
Cajun and Creole along with a contemporary
American fair. The patio has the feel of an
ancient New Orleans courtyard offering an
inviting and lively alfresco dining experience.
The French Quarter feel is enhanced by the
bubbling fountains, lush foliage, wrought iron
fences, fireplaces and flickering gaslights.
Loco’s Deli & Pub
3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.233.1989
With a great deck overlooking the view on
Peachtree and a new dining area inside,
Loco’s is the place to be this spring. They are
located at the hot new North End of
Since 1974, Mellow Mushroom has been the
place for the best hand tossed pizza and calzones in the Southeast! All of their products
are made fresh to order with our natural
springwater dough, and it's hearth baked, like
pizza's supposed to be!
They offer a variety of specialty pizzas
includeding a house, veggie, pesto, mighty
meaty and the ultimate shroom pie. There
are four calzones on the menu from the
house (spinach, shrooms, and tomato),
cheese, steak & cheese and grilled chicken.
Both featured locations, Buckhead pictured
above and Brookhaven have awesome patios.
They are packed with people come weekday
nights in spring, Friday afternoons, and on
weekends during Braves games. They have
multiple TV’s to catch all the Braves action
and free Hi-Speed internet is available at
both locations.
Mo’s Pizza
3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258
You may know about the burrito chain with
the same name, but the original Mo’s resides on
the corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont Roads.
They have been serving up great pizza for over
25 years! Mo’s menu isn’t limited to pizza
either: sandwiches, subs, wings, nachos and salads ensure that anybody who comes here can
find something they like. Ingredients are not
purchased in bulk because as owner Kevin says,
“the freshness of their pizza is more important
than saving a few bucks on a case of lettuce.“
Come to Mo’s to watch the Braves this Spring.
They have a great deck to hang out on, and plenty of new plasma TVs. Mo’s is one of the longest
running pizza joints in Atlanta, come in and see
why they are one of the best!
Redfish, a Creole Bistro
687 Memorial Drive 404.475.1200
The Red Door Tavern
3180 Roswell Rd. 404.846.6525
The Tavern at Phipps
3500 Peachtree Rd. 404.814.9640
Now in their third year, The Red Door Tavern
has quickly become a favorite watering hole
among locals in North Buckhead. They are
located on Roswell Road, one block north of
the Roxy Theatre.
Preserving the art of Cajun- Creole cuisine
with an emphasis on fresh seafood and great
wines from around the globe, Chef & Owner
Gregg Herndon offers a diverse menu with
extremely fresh, daily ingredients. Recently
named best new restaurant and best cajun-creole by Creative Loafing. Redfish features a full
bar, extensive wine list, fireplace and outdoor
patio. Reservations are recommended for this
popular destination restaurant.
Sabroso
351 Moreland Ave. NE 404.475.8888
The Red Door Tavern features a large outdoor
deck in the front of the tavern that offers a
great view down Roswell Rd. into Buckhead
Village. While on the deck, check out their
“Bucket Specials” of Bud, Bud Light and Bud
Select. They also have a “Draft Tower” a glass
featuring 120 ounces of beer. On hot days, try
a Slush Puppie, their are ten flavors to choose.
Sweet Devil Moon
980 Piedmont Ave 404.347.3600
Radial
As Atlanta’s ‘Hottest Spot for Cool Cocktails”
and “Best Happy Hour” The Tavern at Phipps is
the place to be this spring. Their menu features
aged beef cooked on New York broilers, New
Orleans po' boy sandwiches, Baby back ribs
(double rack), Oven Roasted Salmon, Sicilian
Style Broiled Trout and more. Full menu and
bar are served on the patio overlooking
Peachtree Road at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.
Check out The Tavern’s Tennis Team serving
nightly on the patio. It is the hottest place in
town during Friday afternoon happy hour!
Zocalo
Decatur 404.270.9450
Midtown 404.249.7576
Grant Park 404.635.9930
1530 Dekalb Ave. www.radial.us
This popular brunch destination is located in
a an eclectically renovated warehouse complex
on Dekalb Avenue on the border between the
historic Edgewood and Candler Park neighborhoods. They offer daily specials during the
week as well as brunch specials on the weekends. They offer a quaint patio out front for
outdoor dinning during the season. Radial is
open Monday thru Friday 8am – 4pm and
Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 4pm.
Nestled in the heart of Little Five Points,
Sabroso Mexicano is one of Atlanta’s newest
and most exciting Mexican restaurants.
Located on Moreland Avenue just north of the
new Edgewood Target shopping center. Sabroso
Mexicano offers traditional Mexican and Latin
dishes as well as a variety of Tapas & small
plates with exceptional flavor combinations.
Along with fresh Mexican & Latin cuisine
Sabroso Mexicano offers signature margaritas
and mojitos. The lush Sabroso patio garden
and outdoor bar is unique among Latin restaurants in Atlanta, a tropical oasis, the perfect
place escape from the ordinary. Sabroso
Mexicano also offers unique live entertainment
on weekend nights.
Sweet Devil Moon serves authentic Peruvian
Tapas. Located in the heart of Midtown, they
offer a great enclosed patio to enjoy the view of
the bustling scene. Inside you will find a Wine
Bar with an excellent selection of wines from
around the world. They have Tapas ranging
from seafood, chicken, veggie and meat lovers.
Be sure to check out their Paraiso International
Thursday nights starting at 8PM. It is free to
enter and offers a variety of Salsa, Samba, Euro
House and Merengue. Friday Latin Andean
Music features Mauricio Amaya and Saturday
Sweet Devil Moon offers live Flamenco dancing.
Frequently ranked among the city’s best
Mexican restaurants, Zocalo appeals to those
who like to sit down with a hearty meal and a
great margarita for a relaxing dining experience. Rated one of the Top 12 tequila bars in
the country by Fortune magazine, you will find
a variety of tequilas and beer to choose from,
along with moderately priced food. What
makes the experience even more attractive is
the restaurant’s funky design highlighted by art
and hanging baskets which line the amazing
Midtown patio, adding to the décor.
Catch
the
Braves
On Our
Multiple
Screens!
Buckhead has HD on the patio.
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FILM INTERVIEW
HOW MARK WAHLBERG FOUND HIS WAY OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE LIGHT
BY ALEX S. MORRISON
T
HOUGH ROLES IN FILMS SUCH
as Invincible have elevated him onto
the A-list of Hollywood’s leading men, it’s unlikely that Mark Wahlberg
would have been voted among Tinseltown’s
Most Likely To Succeed even as recently
as a decade ago. Born the youngest of nine
children in the working class district of
Boston, he dropped out of high school at
the age of 14 (three years after his parents
divorced) and turned to a life of petty crime
and drugs. At age 16 he was convicted of
assault against two Vietnamese men during
a robbery attempt, and wound up spending nearly two months behind bars in Deer
Island Penitentiary.
It was there that he found the motivation to abandon his life of crime in favor of
following older brother Donnie, who was
then topping the charts with New Kids On
the Block, into the world of entertainment.
“Not to sound like a saint, because I’m
still far from one,” admits Wahlberg, “but
those two months in jail were where I had
upbringing may have initially given casting
directors a shorthand method of finding
roles for the novice thespian, and several
of his earliest film efforts cast him as tough
characters not far removed from the reality
of his troubled youth. But he admits that
fighting against being typecast has been a
major struggle over the course of his film
career.
“I’m always trying to do something that
isn’t expected, something a little different
from the norm,” he acknowledges. “The
first role I was really recognized for was
Basketball Diaries, then Fear, and both
those characters were extremely dangerous and violent, so I was pigeonholed as
that guy. Luckily, we found Boogie Nights,
which showed a sweet and vulnerable character. Before Boogie Nights I only wanted
to play the tough guy, because that’s the
only type of guy that was accepted in my
neighborhood. That movie was pivotal, because I realized I wanna take what I do seriously and show people I can do anything I
want. I knew what my limitations were and
what I was capable of, but that was when I
ACTING IS REALLY JUST ABOUT CONVINCING SOMEBODY,
AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO SELL SOMEBODY
SOMETHING. IN THAT SENSE, I’VE BEEN DOING
IT ALL ALONG.
an epiphany. I knew that I didn’t want to
spend the rest of my life locked up. I might
have been acting like an animal, but I didn’t
want to be a caged one. I started lifting
weights in jail and went from 130 pounds
of scrawniness to 170 pounds of muscle
that year.”
Upon his release, Donnie offered his
brother a chance to join his successful singing group. But while Mark yearned to abandon thug life, “I didn’t want to be bouncing
around on stage with five or six pretty boys,
either.” Instead, Donnie arranged meetings
with some of his record producer friends,
and soon Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch
were making the pop charts with rap-influenced dance hits like “Good Vibrations,”
while Wahlberg’s well-sculpted physique
became iconic via a series of high-profile
underwear ads for Calvin Klein.
Still, though he was no longer living a life
of petty crime, Wahlberg’s bad boy mystique lingered, and he remained a tabloid
favorite via rumored fights (including a notorious run-in with Madonna’s entourage),
allegations of homophobia and racism, and
charges for allegedly assaulting a security
guard. After his second album tanked, in
1994 a humbled Wahlberg was cast in a
small role in director Penny Marshall’s Renaissance Man. Though the movie failed to
make much of an impression and Wahlberg
was dismissed as yet another has-been pop
star trying to cross over, the acting bug had
bitten hard, and the former Marky Mark
has never looked back.
Asked whether his hard-knock background had helped or hindered his attempts to make a career for himself in Hollywood, Wahlberg acknowledges that, “It
certainly helped me in many ways, because
I have so much real-life experience that I
can tap into. Indirectly, I’ve been acting my
entire life, even if I was just talking my way
out of trouble. Acting is really just about
convincing somebody, and I’ve always been
trying to sell somebody something. In that
sense, I’ve been doing it all along.”
If anything, Wahlberg’s rough ‘n’ tumble
decided I had to stop worrying about what
the kids in the neighborhood would think.”
The result was a richer and more rewarding film career, working with respected
directors such as Wolfgang Peterson (The
Perfect Storm), Tim Burton (Planet of the
Apes), Jonathan Demme (The Truth About
Charlie) and David O. Russell (I Heart
Huckabees). But according to Wahlberg,
the biggest change in his adult life had
nothing to do with his film career: It was
the 2003 birth of Ella Rae, his daughter
with live-in girlfriend Rhea Durham, a
former Victoria’s Secret model.
“It puts it all into perspective,” he recalls,
his voice warm with emotion. “The enormity of the responsibility is just overwhelming at times, ya know? You’re holding that little girl, and if you put her down
and leave her there she’s gonna die. You’ve
gotta take care of your child every second
of the day. Luckily, [Rhea] is a superhero,
cuz I don’t know if I could do it on my
own. I dunno how my mother raised
nine kids. But I feel this enormous
responsibility to go out and
provide, even though I’m pretty
well off. I’m like, ‘I gotta make
sure that her future’s secure,
and what about her kid’s kids?’
I immediately jumped into
work mode.”
He also returned to the Catholic faith in which he’d been
raised. “Where I come from,”
he recalls, “you drive down
the main avenue and there’s
12 churches within 10 square
miles. Of course, there are also
30 bars, but church and faith
are all around you. We went
to church as kids, but I didn’t
find it exciting or appealing in
any way because there was so
much going on in the streets
that fascinated me. It was when
I started to focus my faith that
good things started happening for me. And I don’t mean
professionally, but personally.
It helped me get to a place where I can do
what I was supposed to do with my life,
which is to help kids like myself and influence them to love one another and respect
one another and focus on what’s important.”
Indeed, the last several years have seemed
somewhat charmed for the 35-year-old
actor. His first major project as a producer,
Entourage, became a cult hit for HBO almost immediately, following film star Vince
Chase (a character loosely based on Wahlberg’s life) as he navigates the vapid terrain
of Los Angeles with a close circle of friends
and his trusty agent. I Heart Huckabees, in
which he played a character written especially for him based on conversations with
director Russell about his views on faith
and spirituality, earned Wahlberg the best
reviews of his career. Last year’s Invincible– based on the true rags-to-riches story
of a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia Eagles
fan who shows up
for an open
tryout
for his
favorite NFL team, only to see his wildest
dreams come true– earned more than three
times its paltry $17 million budget. Then
there’s Martin Scorsese’s
Boston-based crime thriller The Departed,
arguably the most critically acclaimed film
of 2006, for which Wahlberg earned both
his first Golden Globe nomination (for Best
Supporting Actor) and an Oscar nod.
It’s been a long, strange trip for Mark
Wahlberg– from teenage hooligan to teen
idol, from novice actor to accomplished
thespian– and the birth of his second child
(a son, Michael) in 2006 only seems to have
strengthened his resolve to make the most
of the immense opportunities he’s been
given. “I know I have some explaining to
do [to my kids],” he admits, “especially with
movies like Boogie Nights. If I had a chance
to do it again, I’d probably have to say no
[to that role], even though it was a great
thing for my career. Knowing how tough
kids can be, I know mine will eventually
understand when they reach a certain age,
but I don’t want them to have to deal with
that. I don’t have to just do kids movies
from here on out, but if it’s immoral there
had better be a real serious lesson at the
end of it.”
Grounded in family and faith,
Wahlberg seems content these days to
choose his roles carefully and spend
more time behind the scenes. Aside
from this month’s Shooter, in which he
plays a marksman coaxed back into action after being framed for an attempt to
kill the president, he only has one other
major film on his 2007 calendar (We
Own the Night, with Joaquin Phoenix
and Robert Duvall). What’s more, he
doesn’t seem concerned in the least about
any lag in career momentum that may
result.
“I’ve been doing this for too long to care
anymore,” he admits matter-of-factly. “I’ve
always looked at my career as an athlete
would look at his. I know I won’t play
forever. Some don’t know when to walk
away, but the smart ones do.”
RESTAURANT PROFILE
Taste of the Month-Brunch
Just in time for Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day and Graduations!
J. Christopher’s
14 Metro Area Locations
www.jchristophers.com
J. Christopher’s was founded in 1996 on a very simple idea: to provide cheerful, relaxing neighborhood
eateries serving all your traditional breakfast
favorites and a few new ones. There are 14 locations
with the two newest serving Ponce de Leon and
Decatur with Buckhead and Midtown coming soon.
Their restaurants stand out for their bright and
contemporary casual dining and classic breakfast
items. Their signature brunch item is the Eggs
Benedict. The poached eggs and Hormel Canadian
bacon are served on a English muffin smothered in
Hollandaise. Another popular poached eggs dish is
the Eggs Christopher. This is served on a bed of
smoked turkey, crispy bacon and sliced tomato with
the English muffin. There are also some southwestern egg dishes on the menu including the Breakfast
Burrito and the Sunrise Quesadilla.
J. Christopher’s is also known for there many skillet dishes. Among them is the Route 66, which is a
skillet full of corned beef hash and roasted red potatoes capped with sunny side up eggs. If omelets are
your thing try the San Bernadino with diced chicken, avocado, tomato, chives and mixed cheeses.
You can’t have a brunch without some great breakfast dishes. They have various pancakes, waffles and
cereals on the menu.
J. Christopher’s is open from 7am to 2pm daily and
private rooms are available in most locations.
Flying Biscuit Cafe’
Candler Park
Midtown
1655 McLendon Ave. 1001 Piedmont Ave.
404.687.8888
404-874-8887
www.flyingbiscuit.com
One of Atlanta’s favorite homegrown gems has two
metro locations with a third on the way. The original in the heart of historic Candler Park is about as
happening on a Sunday morning as a nightclub on
opening night. Since their opening in 1993, the
restaurant has tripled in size and features a bakery
next door, so you can pick up some of their famous
biscuits for the road. Their Midtown location near
Piedmont Park allows for dining inside or on their
corner patio and is surrounded by windows offering
great views of the bustling midtown scene.
Their signature dish is the Flying Biscuit Breakfast
served with two large farm-fresh eggs with freerange chicken and sage breakfast sausage. They feature several omelets including the health conscious
Hollywood Omelet made from egg whites, spinach,
mushrooms & mozzarella cheese topped with a
warm tomato sauce.
You can’t leave without trying at least one of their
biscuits in which they are named after. Both locations open at 7am daily and close at 10pm weekly
(10:30pm on Fri. and Sat.). They have daily specials
and events. Check out their website for details.
Radial
1530 Dekalb Ave. 404.659.6594
www.radial.us
This popular brunch destination is located in a an
eclectically renovated warehouse complex on
Dekalb Avenue on the border between the historic
Edgewood and Candler Park neighborhoods. Radial
is a part of the community and reserves space on
their walls for local artists with new work rotating
monthly. They offer daily specials during the week
as well as brunch specials on the weekends. One of
the brunch specials that is very popular here is
Mom’s French Toast. This dish is made using thick
sliced challah topped with their homemade strawberry and rhubarb sauce. Their signature Radial
Omlette is made with three eggs, red peppers,
mushrooms, green onions and pepper jack cheese
garnished with sour cream and tomato, served with
toast. Another favorite is their Red Flannel Hash
made with corned beef or turkey and onions, peppers, sage-roasted potatoes with two eggs and a side
of toast. Also try their Vegetarian Biscuits and
Gravy, Garlic Leek Burger and Poached Chicken
Salad. Radial is open Monday thru Friday 8am –
4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 4pm.
Goldberg’s
1272 W. Paces Ferry Rd. 404.266.0123
Colony Square 404.888.0877
Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd. 770.455.1119
4383 Roswell Rd. 404.256.3751
www.goldbergsdeli.net
Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch
14 LOCATIONS!
ALPHARETTA
3000 Old Alabama Rd.
770.360.0970
DECATUR
250 E. Ponce De
Leon Ave
404.378.2662
PONCE DE LEON
774 Ponce De Leon Ave
404.892.6262
Atlanta’s best loved delicatessen since 1972.
Goldberg’s is the recipient of many rewards including Best Bagels, and Best Deli. They offer a full
breakfast, brunch and lunch menu. Here you will
find a variety of pancake offerings, French toast and
omelets. Their omelets are served with three eggs
with a bagel or toast and a choice of potato latkes,
fresh fruit or tomato slices. They have a variety of
Breakfast specials including their popular Lox
Platter, Smoked Whitefish Platter and Matzo Brie.
Off course if you are looking for an authentic deli
sandwich you won’t find one any better than at
Goldberg’s. They have a wide selection from Hot
Corned Beef and Pastrami to Tuna Salad and Egg
Salad. There are also various tossed salads on the
menu. Goldberg’s offers take-out and is a perfect
catering option for parties large and small.
Murphy’s
997 Virginia Ave. 404.872.0904
www.murphysvh.com
CRABAPPLE
10930 Crabapple Rd.
678.822.0129
DUNWOODY
5482 Chamblee
Dunwoody Rd.
770.395.1642
DULUTH
3294 Peachtree
Ind. Blvd
770.622.4775
POWERS FERRY
1247 Powers Ferry Rd.
770.953.0002
WINDWARD PKWY.
3070 Windward Pkwy.
770.740.8571
PEACHTREE CITY
264 Commerce Drive
678.216.1010
SANDY SPRINGS
227 Sandy Springs
Circle
404.531.0242
ROSWELL SQUARE
605 Atlanta Street
770.640.5548
EAST COBB
1205 Johnson Ferry Rd.
770.579.6800
SAVANNAH
122 East Liberty
912.236.7494
TAMPA, FL
14366 N Dale
Mabry Hwy
813.908.7023
MIDTOWN (The Plaza Midtown)
AND BUCKHEAD (Buckhead
Two Plaza) LOCATIONS
COMING SOON!
Celebrating over 27 years of service, Murphy’s is
one of Atlanta’s best-loved restaurants. Located in
the trendy Virginia Highlands, Murphy’s is the
choice destination for visitors seeking the epicenter
of the district’s shopping and nightlife. Tom
Murphy’s acclaimed restaurant brings in the crowds
with the perfect combination of upscale comfort
food, unpretentious service, a cozy, high-energy setting and excellent value.
Every meal at Murphy’s is pitch-perfect, and especially for brunch, Murphy’s has gained the reputation as an Atlanta hotspot. The interior combines
rustic, exposed-brick and French café doors with
modern design elements for a light, airy effect by
day and a warm, sparkling atmosphere by night. A
new renovation adds a sophisticated martini and
wine bar and a sleek retail wine shop that showcases an extensive and user-friendly wine collection
and hosts weekly wine tastings and seminars.
NOW HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS
AT BUCKHEAD LOCATION!
7 Days a Week from
7am–2pm
www.jchristophers.com
FILM INTERVIEW
Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
RICHARD GERE ON “THE HOAX”
BY MATT GOLDBERG
R
ICHARD GERE ENTERS THE
room and he’s already sick. Not
necessarily of journalists (although
we are his last interview of the morning)
but from the flu. Wearing a long dark coat,
Gere has a quiet demeanor about him. As
someone who has worked in Hollywood for
over twenty years, Gere has the quality of
a man who has heard every question asked
every way asked plenty of times. But he’s
still listening and with a subtle humor and
almost unnerving detatchement, we talk
about the lies of Clifford Irving, the lies
of Richard Gere, all the time, the sound
of Halls cough drops clacking around his
movie star smile.
Can you talk about your decision not to
meet Clifford Irving?
It was a momentous decision. There’s just
so much matererial on him. There was a
60 Minutes piece, Orson Welles’ F for Fake.
There’a lot of stuff there to play with. The
script is not intended to be a documentary.
It’s about Nixon. It’s about American. It’s
about lying. I didn’t want to be influenced
of how it should be. He’s obviously a very
manipulative person. He would admit
to that. But it’s not a big deal. It’s just a
choice.
What drew you to this film?
It was a great script, a really great script.
A great director; we were friends before
and always wanted to work together so
we had that. A great cast. There’s a lot
of parts in this and none of them are
terribly developed so you need great
actors to make them come alive in
one scene or two scenes and show a
whole range.
You and Alfred Molina seem to
be having a lot fun together in
the film.
We did. We had a great time.
You read the script, you see the
movie and you see it’s about
these two guys. It’s a love
story between these two guys. So if that
doesn’t work, you can’t fix it. If that kind of
ease isn’t there, you can’t fix it by cutting.
And we had enormous respect for each
other even though we’d never met before
this movie. And as soon as we started
working, it was clear we had that ease and
trust with each other.
As someone who experienced the Clifford
Irving hoax first-hand, how did the event
impact you back then?
Well we didn’t know the connection to
Watergate at that point because Watergate
hadn’t happened yet, to begin with. But
at this point, I’m not surprised by that.
Things we see with some regularly; how
we are lied to. How what we saw in the
first election of W; how the Supreme Court
was manipulated. Now who ever thought
you could manipulate the Supreme Court
of the United States? And clearly, he was
President of the United States because the
Supreme Court was manipulated. Now if
you can do it on that level, why couldn’t
someone whose more benign than that, like
Bill Gates or Ted Turner or powerful rich
people can influence everything.
Do you think our
need for entertain-
ment has eclipsed our need for the truth?
I think the volume of information has
somehow taken the value of quality. Just
the massive amount gives the illusion that
there is quality with the mass and that’s not
the case. I suspect everything because I’ve
been inside it and I know The Machine lies
constantly. We all lie, in big ways and small
ways. And this thing with the Internet:
Google it to check it and there’s this assumption that whatever comes back is the
truth. But someone showed me something
about me on the Internet that was totally
false about almost everything: birthdates,
Do you see any connection between the
way Clifford lied and what you do as an
actor?
Oh, totally. That was one of the fun
aspects of this. I get paid very well to lie.
But I have to be honest when I lie. It has
to be believable. You have to feel it from
your heart. “Instinctively, beyond thought,
I believe this. It’s true.” If an actor doesn’t
achieve that then the whole film falls apart.
There’s nothing about a film that’s real. It’s
light being projected against a screen and
it’s usually phony sound that’s been put in
I GET PAID VERY WELL TO LIE. BUT I HAVE TO BE
HONEST WHEN I LIE. IT HAS TO BE BELIEVABLE. YOU
HAVE TO FEEL IT FROM YOUR HEART.
where I grew up, about what I said, about
this and that. But the Internet said it was
true. Of course it’s true. Now in some
sense it’s probably more true than the truth
because more people believe it.
What’s the biggest lie you’ve seen about
you?
Oh, there’s no end! It’s like a big garbage
heap! There’s a place, Fishhills, in Staten
Island, where they dump all the garbage. There’s fifty years of garbage
there. That’s what it’s like.
How can you pick
out just one piece
that’s worse
than another.
There’s just a
mound of it.
How do
you feel
when you
see a lie
published
about you?
Well I see
constantly
but at this
point, nothing. What really
bothered me; well, I
assumed it with the
lesser magazines, the
tabloids. You expect
them to just make up
things. But when reputable
magazines and newspapers
print it, it’s like finding out the
President of the United States is a
liar, which we all know now. We’ve
had other Preisdents who are liars.
And it hurts you because they’re
these authority figures you’re
supposed to believe in.
They’re just as human
as us but the stakes
they’re playing are much
larger than
we play.
afterwards and it’s probably been cut out of
sequence. It’s all illusion. It’s like a magician but the audience has to give itself to
the magician’s trick to be taken in. And if
the magician doesn’t give you all the right
cues then you’re “Well, I want to give into
this but I just can’t.” and it fails.
Can you give us an example of how Clifford Irving lies?
I looked at this inteview he did on 60
Minutes many years ago with Mike Wallace over and over. This was before it was
known to be a fake. They were interviewing him as one of the “extraordinary people
of our time,” and I’m looking at this and I’m
going “He’s lying.” I can see all the tell-tale
signs of it. And I found myself so emphasizing with him and it’s about the actor’s
process. Sometimes you watch a great
actor and you don’t even think “He’s lying,”
or “He’s telling the truth,” or “He’s acting.”
You just go with it. But this was a moment
of him doing some very bad acting. I knew
it because this is what I do as a job. This
is my life. You guys do what you do. I do
what I do. You guys know when someone
does a bad job at yours, I know when someone does a bad job at mine. But I found it
so incredibly human, so embracing, that it’s
almost like watching a child fuck up. You
just want to go “Oh, it’s okay.” Which is a
good quality and I wanted to get that with
what I did with him. I don’t know if Clifford knows that about himself but that what
I wanted to get with this character: that
sense of “Aw, it’s okay. Oh, don’t do that.
You’ve gone too far with that. It’s not going
to be believable.” This sense that there was
still a child there trying to be believable.
What do you go for as an actor when, like
Clifford, you try to ramp up that tension
but unlike Clifford, not take it too far?
You just go there. You don’t have to think
about that. It’s in the structure. You know
what the scene is. As an actor you just have
to be pretty clear. There’s a mystery to it
just happening. I’ve been doing this long
enough, the other actors in that scene have
been doing this long enough, that you see
a scene, you see a dynamic and go with it.
And it will happen. And if it doesn’t, for
whatever reason, you have to know what
that scene is all about. What does the
character want in this scene? What are the
obstacles getting it? How does he overcome
the obstacles? And how far is he willing to
go to get what he wants?
What does it mean to be Richard Gere in
the movies today?
I don’t think about that. My vision is
much more personal. So I don’t think
about power like a scooper. It’s a personal
relationship. 1-on-1 things are much more
interesting to me.
Sexy Time
FILM INTERVIEW
Isla Fisher is Ready
for Her Close-Up
BY JOHN B. MOORE
W
ITH
ALL
OF
THE BEAUTY BUT
NONE OF THE CRAZI
NESS she displayed in her
breakout role in Wedding Crashers, Isla Fisher (pronounced EE-la)
sits down next to me. The red-headed
lass’ latest role is a complete 180 from her
Vaughn-raping, girl-next-door as this time
she plays a femme fatale without the fatale in The
Lookout. We caught up with her to talk about her
rising star, her relationship with Borat, and playing a
character called “Luvlee Lemons”.
Rather than a femme-fatale, you play more of an earthy,
nurturing character. Was that by design?
Totally. I really wanted Luvlee to be the one character who
didn’t have an agenda. I felt like everybody else in the movie
clearly wants something but I wanted her to be an innocent.
One of those women who doesn’t have
a strong sense of identity and mirrors
the men she’s with and has never really
belonged anywhere. That’s why actions
ultimately lead her into a bad situation. I
don’t think Luvlee is a particularly smart
character. I think she’s just kind of lost
and disassociated from herself.
going to be one of thoes directors, as a lot of writer-directors
are, who are married to the language and don’t want you to
change a single line and come down on you very hard if you
change a single line. But Scott was the opposite. He was so
happy to throw out his amazing, brilliant dialoge for whatever
nonsense I would come up with!
Did you come up with the name “Luvlee Lemons”?
No, that was his idea.
And you accepted that?
Yeah! I really liked it! I thought there was a lot of comedy in
the script and I thought that was funny.
So what’s happening on your film with Amy Poehler, Groupies?
Well she’s actually working with Tina Fey right now on her
hiatus and I hope to get her on the next hiatus. We really had a
great time together.
You were born in Oman. What were your parents doing
obviously I do enjoy
comedy a little more.
Can you talk a bit
about your role in Definitely, Maybe?
It’s actually a really interesting role because I get to play a
girl, April. I start out in the movie in late-teens and by the end
of the movie I’m 35. And that’s just really exciting: doing the
research for the time period. To read about everything you
can: all the popular culture events, all the events you’ve missed
or forogtten about. And she’s just really sparky and it’s a really
interesting role. I don’t want to talk about it because it’s not
edited yet and you never know how your going to end up but
it’s written by Adam Brooks who writes really great female
characters so I felt really blessed to get that role.
Are there any actresses you particularly admire from either the
past or the present?
I love Cate Blanchette, Naomi Watts, and Nicole Kidman. I
love the Aussie girls! I mean they can throw a barbacue and
they can act. It’s a great combination!
I TEND TO ENJOY PLAYING ROLES AND AM ATTRACTED TO ROLES
WHERE I HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON [WITH THE CHARACTER]
JUST BECAUSE IT’S MORE INTERESTING TO INHABIT THE
EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE OF SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE
NOTHING REALLY IN COMMON WITH.
You’ve made a name for yourself in the
past few years with work in supporting roles. Are you anxious to take the next step into leading
roles?
I never think size of the role is the important part. I’m much
more attracted to the filmmaker and the material. I see it
much more as an ensemble and I always have. But obviously
I’m not adverse; if there was a great female role, I’d love to play
a lead.
Do you think there’s enough of those roles out there?
Comically, definitely not. Most of the scripts I read for comedies, the man gets to be wacky and make jokes and the woman
either rolls her eyes or looks sexy and that’s frustrating because
I feel there are a lot of talented female comedians who would
love the opportunity to make fools of themselves but are just
sort of stuck in a single mold. But dramatically, I think there
are. I’m in a very good age group. I can’t complain. A lot of
roles I read has material for women in my loose age brackett.
How has life changed for you since you brokeout in Wedding
Crashers?
I just have more opportunities, really. Professionally, I’m able
to meet with people I previously wouldn’t have been able to get
into a room with. Personally, I guess I’ve been given more free
clothes (laughs).
How was it working with Scott Frank on his directorial
debut?
When I got the job, I had a meeting with him in his office
in Pasadena and he sort of sat down and started explaining
the movie and you just know, I can’t explain how, but you just
knew he was a proper filmmaker and not some writer who was
trying it. He just had such a strong sense of the imagery. He
obviously does dialogue so brilliantly and my fear was he was
there?
My dad was a banker and he worked over his career with
WorldBank, the UN, and would do jobs for them and as a
result we were all born in various countries.
Do you ever get back home to Perth (Western Australia)?
Well Perth is where my heart is but my family and my brothers emigrated to Greece. My mother married a Greek-Ausrtralian man and my dad now lives in Germany, he married a
German lady, so I’m kind of more based in Europe now.
Do you get home to Australia very often these days?
It’s terrible to admit but the last time I was there was the
press junket for Wedding Crashers. Obviously I’m dying to get
back. But I just haven’t had the chance.
What do you have in common with your character?
I tend to enjoy playing roles and am attracted to roles where
I have nothing in common [with the character] just because it’s
more interesting to inhabit the emotional landscape of someone that you have nothing really in common with.
Do you think people will see you as more of a dramatic actress after this role?
I don’t think of comedy and drama as that different from
each other. I think you come from a real place in both and if
you’re not real in both, they don’t work. It’s just that in comedy, if the character is intrinsically funny then by being real, you
manage to get laughs. But I do have a comedy coming out and
a drama coming out after that called Definitely, Maybe with
Rachel Weisz and Abigail Breslin. But I’m happy to be working
with interesting filmamkers on interesting material and I’m
not a beliver that one genre is better than the other. Although
What draws you to a project?
More often that not, it’s a dialogue. It’s just the
hardest thing in the world to say badly written
dialogue. It’s just painful! It makes you want
to do anything else for a living. Just painful.
So when I read a script and things pop off the
page, and I feel inspired, then that’s usually the
first ingridient and then on top I’ll think of the
filmmaker’s experience and the cast and you
have a bunch of people trying to advise you, but you always go
back to your first instinct.
Have you ever had badly-written dialogue?
Oh, are you kidding me? I was on a soap opera!
And aren’t soap-operas really good training ground for actors?
Well we all did them in Australia: Naomi Watts, Heath
Ledger, Russell Crowe, Guy Pierce. In Australia, back in the
day, there’s not a million movies being made so people get their
training ground on soap operas. You have to say lines you
cannot believe you are saying. I once had to say, “I love you
so much. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from you.” And
I sat in my room for an hour and a half paralyzed by this line.
And you have to make it work. And you just find ways. And
you don’t have the luxury of time that you do on a film where
if you have an emotional scene you can sit and listen to your
iPod and look at photographs and work and work to get there.
On a soap opera, you do fifteen scenes before lunch and they’re
probably all crying. So you become more disciplined, you become better at controlling your emotions in a shorter period of
time, and you become very quick to deal with line changes and
all that kind of nonsense you don’t have on a film.
You’ve done writing yourself. Have you written anything
recently?
Well with Amy Poehler, we wrote Groupies and then we
attached Erica Rivinjoa to finish the actual script and we sold
that to Paramount. And I just recently collaborated on another
projected called “Cooking Queen” so I guess I’m trying to have
a little more control over my career and the choices I get to
make.
FILM
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BLADES OF GLORY:��
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Will Ferrell has covered soccer, NASCAR and naked jogging. So why not give figure
skating a whirl? Check out Ferrell and Napoleon Dynamite in “Blades of Glory.”
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HOT FUZZ:��
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IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS:��
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– B. Love
I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE:��
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MUSIC AND LYRICS:� ��
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THE LOOKOUT:��
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Terrence Howard of PRIDE
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– DeMarco Williams
STARTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4
AT A THEATER NEAR YOU
Text BLADE to 33287 for free mobile phone content.
Standard messaging rates apply. May not be compatible on all carriers.
STARTS FRIDAY, MARCH 30
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATRES AND SHOWTIMES
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FOR GROUP TICKET SALES INFORMATION CALL: 1-877-PAR-GRP5
Book Review
BY JOHN B. MOORE
ALTERNADAD
by Neal Pollack
A nyone who read pop culture writer Neal
Pollock’s last book, Never Mind the Pollacks, can pretty much guess what he’d be
like as a dad. Those who didn’t can pick up
his latest memoir, Alternadad.
Like just about every other Gen
X-er who’s busy popping out kids today,
Pollack and his wife try their best to fight
against corporate America’s spoon-fed kiddie crack, such as McDonald’s Happy Meals
and The Wiggles, in an effort to be hip parents. Organic fruit and veggies are the preferred substitute for fast food burgers and
fries in the Pollack house, and ska oddballs
The Aquabats and punk legends Ramones
serve as musical stand-ins for Barney.
The book is amusing at times, but
far from an original idea, having already
been covered relentlessly in various blogs,
articles
and
even
other
similar books.
Though Pollack keeps the
memoir interesting by adding a steady
stream
of
confessional
themes regarding his family’s
financial worries, you can’t help but wonder why Pollack
or his artist wife never bother to get real
jobs and continue to shop at the ultimate in
yuppie grocery stores, such as Whole Foods.
Even more puzzling is his decision at the
end of the book to pack up the family from
Austin and relocate to Los Angeles, which
seems like a particularly asinine move after
reading 300 pages of gripes about their precarious financial situation.
Grade: B-
Game Review
BY MATT GOLDBERG
GOD OF WAR II
PS2
Kratos, the anti-hero who slaughters most of
Greek mythology, makes the Spartans of the
popular film 300 look like pussies. Oh, the 300
have their moments, to be sure, but they don’t
jump on giant eagles and hack off their wings
in mid-flight. They don’t charge cylopses and
pull out their eye (do it twenty times to unlock
a bonus!). They don’t pick up wounded soldiers and throw them into giant gears because
that next area isn’t going to unlock itself. No,
Kratos is not a nice fellow, but he will get your
bloodlust going.
Picking up right after the first God of War,
Kratos has replaced Ares as well, the God of
War. Unfortunately, he’s gone a tad overboard
and is leading his Spartan people (seriously,
with this and 300, I’m converting from Jew to
Spartan. However, I probably will need to get
my foreskin back…) and the Gods of Olympus
decide that it’s time for Kratos to go. But even
a sword to the gut from Zeus himself can’t
stop our hero and it’s up to Kratos, with the
help of the Titans, to find the Sisters of Fate
and give all of Olympus a heafty dose of disembowlment.
At the end of the system’s lifespan, God of
War II pushes the PlayStation 2 to its limits,
calls it a bitch, and makes it go even further.
The level of detail and graphical power of the
game are simply astounding. But the graphics
are more than just shiny pixels because the art
design is so wonderously imaginative. Sure,
Zeus looks a little cliched (white dude with a
long white beard) but you won’t know what to
expect when you come face-to-face with the
Sisters of Fate or the Steeds of Time. The music
and the score
perfectly compliments
the
epic scale, with
a full chorus,
every
brass
instrument
known to man,
and sound effects that make
every
bonecrunch
and
snap all the
sweeter.
But none of this works if the gameplay
weren’t just as solid. Fans of the original God
of War won’t be disappointed as Kratos will
be employing all his old moves, plus a few
new ones, like being able to move while firing arrows or turning your opponents into
wack-a-moles with a giant hammer. However,
there is one new addition that will have you
dying more times than is really fair and that’s
the Icarus Wings. Intended to give you the
power to glide over large areas, the ability is
poorly implimented and you’ll find yourself
either not activating the wings when you need
them or accidentally deactivating them when
you’re over a giant pit of lava. Also, some of
the puzzles go beyond the reasonable and will
have you going online to figure out the answer,
especially near the end of the game.
Still, God of War II is an absolute must-buy
for any owner of the PlayStation 2 console. If
you don’t like action-adventure games, get over
it and buy this game. If you don’t like Greek
Mythology, then you’re weird, should get over
it, and buy this game. If you don’t like insane
amounts of violence, I understand, I sympathize, but get over it, and buy this game.
Grade: A-
Sports Fans Shouldn’t Be Without TIVO !
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worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2007 All rights reserved.
Someone gave Mark Wahlberg a really big gun and a script with holes -- maybe from
the forementioned gun. Check out “Shooter.”
SHOOTER:� ��
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WILD HOGS:��
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– Zena Scott
COMPLIMENTARY PASSES
&
Invites you and
a guest to a
special advance
screening of
present
Best
Bartender
Atlanta 2007
Coming
Next Month!
on Thursday,
April 19 at 7:00
p.m. at AMC
Parkway Pointe.
Bars interested in
participating in this
event may call
404-315-8485 for details.
Grand prize courtesy of:
6124 Roswell Rd NE | Atlanta, GA 30328 | (404) 256-1116
Mon–Sat: 10am–2am | Sun: Noon–2am
Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. One pass per
person. Each pass admits two. No purchase necessary. Employees of all
promotional partners and their agencies are not eligible.
Vidiots
This month’s DVD
& VHS Releases
CHARLOTTE’S WEB – A delightful live-action interpretation of E.B. White’s classic children’s story in which even those
not-so-cute species become adorable and believable. Julia Roberts
provides the voice of Charlotte, the misunderstood spider with a
heart of gold, while Oprah Winfrey (Gussy the Goose), Cedric the
Entertainer (Golly the Goose), Reba McIntire (Betsy the Cow), Steve
Buscemi (Templeton the Rat) and others providing voices for the
scene-stealing supporting characters. As Fern, the little girl who refuses to let her pet pig become back bacon, Dakota Fanning proves
versatile, mature beyond her years, and a true star. With its classic
story and impeccable cast, Charlotte’s Web is a great film for all ages
that is sure to leave you laughing and, in parts, perhaps even crying.
Grade: A –TG
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER – Director Zhang
Yimou’s (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) latest film is a Fabergé egg:
Its exterior is beautifully adorned, but the inside is hollow. The Empress (Gong Li) is planning to usurp the throne from her husband
(Chow-Yun Fat), who is poisoning her daily medicine with a substance that will make her go insane. But she might have been nutty
to begin with, as she pines for the affections of her stepson while
he romances the daughter of a mysterious woman. This all leads
to a Helm’s Deep-sized battle, with CGI characters dressed in gold
armor fighting CGI characters dressed in silver armor. If it sounds
like Curse gets laughably bad, then it sounds correct. Unlike Hero
or Daggers, Curse lacks a compelling story and interesting characters, and the way these characters behave makes it seem like the
tale of trailer trash with too much money and power and set in 10th
century China. While the film is Yimou’s most beautiful to date, it’s
also one of his worst stories. Grade D+ –MG
DÉJÀ VU – The secret to enjoying the latest pairing of director
Tony Scott and Denzel? Check your logic at the door. The story is
rooted in techno-babble about an invention that allows feds (led by
Val Kilmer) to watch the events leading up to a major terrorist attack
as they unfold, in real time, four days in the past. It’s like a time travel TiVo, providing unlimited access inside any home, any building,
even the ferry that will be rigged to blow up if Denzel and company
can’t figure out a way to change the past. When the film unveils its
Opens Nationwide Friday, April 20
PICKS OF THE MONTH
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
– Judi Dench plays Barbara
Covett, an uptight schoolmarm
too busy judging everyone else’s
life to reconcile her own desires.
But when the naïve teacher
Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett)
enters her life, Covett develops
an infatuation that only deepens
as she stumbles upon Hart’s
salacious affair with a 15-yearold student. Hart doesn’t love the
boy, but loves the feeling and
feels entitled to her affair. An
even deeper character study is
required of Covett, a woman
wrestling with concepts of love,
obsession, and control. Notes on a Scandal features the sadness
and desperation of solitude with a dash of resentment, anger and
humor thrown in for good measure. Even half-decent actors might
fumble this confusing concoction of human pathos, but Dench
and Blanchett weave it into some of the finest performances of
their respective careers. –MG
THE QUEEN
– Helen Mirren’s stunning,
Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen
Elizabeth II is the brightest light in
this brilliant behind-the-scenes
look at Britain’s Royal Family in
the days following Princess
Diana’s death. Her performance
captures the subtle blend of stoic
regality and a repressed
resentment that bubbles beneath
the surface as she is urged first
by new Prime Minister Tony Blair
(Michael Sheen), then her son
Prince Charles, and finally the
entire British commonwealth to
address her nation and publicly grieve the death of “The People’s
Princess.” Director Stephen Frears’ latest film is not a pretty portrait of monarchy, but it is a provocative look at an empire teetering on the threshold of crisis, and the dysfunctional royal family at
the center of it all. –BL
most unreal sci-fi silliness, Denzel stands his ground as the voice of
reason. Unfortunately, Scott’s latest film is just a conventional action
flick beneath all the smoke and mirrors. Despite nifty special effects,
a chase scene is still a chase scene, an unexplained love is still an
unexplained love, and a caricature of a terrorist (Jim Caviezel) is still
just another excuse for producer Jerry Bruckheimer to blow things
up. Grade: C –BL
LAST KING OF SCOTLAND – Nicholas Garrigan (James
McAvoy) is a doctor in 1970 Scotland who’s not about to follow in
his M.D. father’s massive shadow, so he spins a globe on his desk
and decides to go wherever his finger lands. He winds up in Uganda,
ignorant about its leader, Idi Amin (Oscar winner Forest Whitaker),
and his iron-clad political approach. All Garrigan notices are sick
children, their beautiful mothers and another doc’s hot wife (Gillian
Anderson). Garrigan, a fictional character, becomes Amin’s private
physician, but it turns out the charismatic dictator needed a shrink
more than anything else. McAvoy is super as the physician-turnedconfidant, but Whitaker is even better, with Amin’s every nuance,
hollow glance and extra pound worn to perfection. Grade: A –DM
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM – Ben Stiller plays Larry Daley,
a failed entrepreneur who takes a job as the new night watchman
at a museum of natural history to show his kid and ex-wife that he
can hold down a steady job. At night, all of the exhibits, from the TRex in the lobby to Attila the Hun, come to life inside the museum.
Though Stiller is good, it’s the cameos and supporting actors that really bump the film up to great. Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt,
Owen Wilson as a Manifest Destiny-era cowboy and British comedian Steve Coogan as Roman gladiator Octavius all manage to play
their parts as over the top as expected. The result is a smart comedy
masquerading as a kid’s movie - free of fart jokes and predictable
pratfalls - that has no age limit. Grade: B –JM
SMOKIN’ ACES – Writer/director Joe Carnahan’s (Narc) latest
film revels in its ludicrous plot: Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven) is
about to self-destruct, and his self-destruction is leading him to rat
out a mob boss to the FBI. A hit is contracted against him, and the
world’s most dangerous assassins descend on his hideout to see who
can claim the Bin Laden-sized bounty, while FBI and bondsmen are
also in pursuit. Not only does every single member of the massive
cast pull their weight, but expect to join the fan club of some previously underestimated actors. I don’t agree with all of Carnahan’s
choices: The opening exposition and character introductions are
a little too dry, and even if you can figure out who’s who, you still
have to process the backstory. If the film’s rollercoaster of motives
and tonality throws you for a loop, you’ll find yourself wanting to get
off this ride ASAP. But if you can keep up with Carnahan’s bizarre
pacing and storytelling, you’ll find an ultimately enjoyable piece of
action insanity. Grade: B+ –MG
�� Jupiter Watts, The Great Horned Owls
�� Richard Bicknell, Denice Franke,
Jeff Talmadge
�� The Jumpin’ Jukes
�� Sam Mcpherson
�� VNV Nation, And One
�� Blood Brothers, Celebration
�� Jared Ashley
�� Corey Smith
�� Modern Skirts, Florez, The Rewinds
�� The Black Lips, Ocha La Roacha
�� Elemental Harmonics
CONCERT CALENDER
��
�� Buck Buckley Band
�� Jen Chapin, Morwenna Lasko, Jay Pun
�� Backwater Creek
�� Derek Black
�� Cosmic Charlie
��
�� Houserocker Johnson
�� Fat City Wild Cats
�� Flyleaf, Skillet, Fair to Midland
�� The District, The Status, Skinny
��
�� Francine Reed & The Shadows
�� Brothers of a Feather
�� J.T. Speed
�� Kotton Mouth Kings, Dog Boy,
Sen Dog & Mello Man Ace, King Spade
�� Sean Lennon, Women & Children,
Kamila Thompson
��
�� The Shadows
�� Peeping Tom
�� The Electric Six, Test Your Reflex,
Night Kills The Day
�� No More Kings, Y-O-U, Helios,
The Breakdown
�� Chicago Joe Jones
�� Bleu Edmondson, Scott Little Band
�� Wayne Hancock, Slim Chance & The Convicts
�� Brothers Of A Feather
��
�� Ed Gray
�� Sebadoh
��
�� Flickerstick, Flurish, Autovaughn
��
�� Whiskey Shit Vomit, The Despised
�� J.T. Speed
�� Humanwine
�� Ratatat
�� Cute is What We Aim For,
Circa Survive, As Tall As Lions, Envy On The Coast
�� Feeding Fingers, Blue Flashing Light, G-Roc
�� Nas
��
�� Spontaneous Release, The Jackstraws
�� Gringo Star, Phonograph, Morning Star
�� Alice Peacock, Peter Bradly Adams,
Craig Cardiff
�� Anti-Flag, Alexis On Fire,
Big D & The Kids Table, Set Your Goals
�� September Son
�� Benjy Davis Project
�� Citizen Cope
�� Antibalas, The Flaming Lips
��
�� Hot Ice Live
�� Adult, Parts & Labor, Auditioning Alice
�� Richard Shindell
�� Chicken Shack
�� Delta Moon
�� A3C Independent HipHop Fest
�� Haste The Day, Alesana,
From Autumn To Ashes, Maylene & The Sons of Disaster
�� Hightide Blues
�� Tishamingo
�� Mic Harrison
�� Stone Sour, Lacuna Coil, Shadows Fall
��
�� Sundogs
�� Trans Am, Zombi, Psychic Paramount
�� Caroline Aiken, Freebo
�� Black Cat Bone
�� Johnny Lives, Bangkok 5,
Daredevil Jane
�� The Breakfast Club
Jag Star�� (4-5) �� Chris McCarty Band, Y-O-U
�� Lust, Courtesy Murder
�� The Rippingtons w/ Russ Freeman
��
�� TV On The Radio
�� Jag Star, Dan Marshall Project, Klik
�� Drift
�� The Cazanovas
�� Bad Magic Number, The Long Shadows,
��
Dang Dang Dang
�� Frontiers (Journey Tribute)
�� Letters To Mary, Trina & Tomi
�� The PJ Morton Band CD Release
�� The Green Hit, Passafire,
�� The Yonrico Scott Band, Bam Rats
The Bastard Suns, Groove Stain
�� Plain White T’s, Boys Like Girls,
�� Mother’s Finest, Deep Blue Sun,
Lovedrug, Dear & Headlights, Crash Boom Bang,
Hidden Agenda
One Way Letter
�� Estradasphere, Goons of Waxing Gibbous
�� Radio Cult
�� Terry Flynn, Matthew Ryan,
�� Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, Gurufish
Moe Loughran
�� Kevin Lawon & South 70
�� The Greasy Spoons
�� Randell Bramblett
��
�� Brass Knuckle Surfer, Side Sead Driver
�� 1994, We Fly Standby,
�� Dave Matthews Tribute Band
Punchdrunk, Red Line Verdict
�� Hello Dave
�� Southern Hauler
�� Under The Porch, Temple of Awareness
�� Del Castillo, Connor Christian &
�� Thee Crucials, Bang! Bang!,
The Morning Star Revival
Attractive Eighties Women
�� Patty Griffin
�� Robinella, Darden Smith, Mare Wakefield
�� Tommy Isobee
��
�� Coy Bowles & The Fellowship
�� Junior Boys, San Serac
�� Daughtry
�� Cowboy Envy, Griffin House,
�� Maudlin Ash, Seven Envy,
Chris Trapper
Mother, Earth, Sun
�� 17th Floor
�� Passafire
�� Corey Smith
�� Over The Rhine
�� Tab Benoit, The Squirrelheads
�� The Von Erichs
��
�� The Decemberists
�� Pink Nasty, The Black, Sea Lions
��
�� James Morrison
�� Grayson Hill
�� Gringo Starr
��
�� Mike Watson, Tea Leafs, Tony Tyler Trance,
�� Brand New
Wet Willie
�� The Films, The Modern Society
Eastern Conference Champions
�� Melissa Ferrick
�� J.T. Speed
�� Vienna Teng
�� George Thorogood & The Destroyers
�� Piebald
��
�� Brightblack Morning Light, The White Lodge
�� The Lower Class Brats,
The Crum Bums
�� U-Melt, MC Obey, Dirty Digits
��
�� My Chemical Romance
�� J.T. Speed
�� David Springer, GSU Recital
�� Paramore, The Almost,
Providence
�� Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers
�� Susan Tedeschi
��
�� Brand New
�� My Siamese Self, Can Can,
Anna Nicoleminer’s Daughter
�� Tyler James, Andy Davis,
Gregory Douglass
�� Socratic, The High Court Court
�� Phillip Glynn
�� Bob Schneider, Sharon Little
�� Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
��
�� Aereogramme, A Northern Chorus,
The Winter Sounds
�� Ryan Montbleau Band
�� Static X, OTEP, 2 Cents
�� The Nekromantix, Time Again,
The Heart Attacks, Orange
�� Michael Stacey
�� Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band
�� Kenny Wayne Shepherd
�� Balkan Beat Box, Golem
Fall Out Boy�� (4-19)
��
�� Watermelon Slim
�� Turnstyle
�� Captured! By Robots, Teddy Bear Orchestra
�� Billy Joe Shaver, Larry Jon Wilson
�� WRFG Fundraiser
�� Fall Out Boy, +44
��
�� Eddie Shaw & The Wolfgang
�� Dr. Dan
�� Gore Gore Girls, The Coathangers
�� Kevin Burke, Cal Scott, Jamie Laval,
Ashley Broder
�� Ian Radley, GSU Recital
�� Lifetime
�� Wes Loper Band
�� Chris Knight Acoustic
��
�� Mel & The Party Hats
�� Sol Driven Train
�� Web Weilder
�� The Hiss, Dead Confederate
�� The Night Shades
�� Celeste, Taking Lottie Home,
Joy In Tomorrow, Crimson Adict
�� Blackberry Smoke
�� Lazyeye
�� Disguise The Sky
�� Norah Jones & The Handsome Band
�� Val Emmich
�� Joe Nichols
�� Scion Live Metro Tour - De La Soul
�� Total Chaos, The Ghouls,
Complete Control
�� The Locust, Daughters,
Cattle Decapitation
�� Poptart Monkeys
�� Rose Hill Drive, Earl Greyhound
�� Brandi Carlile
�� Pasadena
��
�� Slippery When Wet
�� Mercy Me
�� Beautiful Mess, Crane, Elliptical
�� Atlanta Rhythm
�� Acid Mothers Temple, Mammatus
�� Clay Book’s Birthday Bash
�� Andy Makely Band
�� Dubconcious, Samadha
�� Empire 44, Amazilla, Jack Hammer
�� Vedera, This Is Me Smiling,
Classic Case, The Ruse
�� Grayson Hill
�� Mat Kearney, The Feeling, Rocco Deluca,
The Burden
�� Gaelic Storm
�� Twinkledome
�� Butch Walker & The Let’s Go Out Tonites,
The Honorary Title
�� The Books
�� Golden
�� Terri Clark
��
�� Kinchafoonee Cowboys
�� Loretta Lynn
�� Donkey Party
�� Charity Spring Prom
�� The Mighty Habbibal, Delia Gartell,
Hermon Hitson & The Buckboard Express
�� Susan Werner, Danielle Miraglia
�� Frankie’s Blues Mission
�� Adams Township
�� Tryone Wells, Baby Loves Disco
�� Satyricon, Daath,
Abigail Williams
�� Swami Gone Bananas
�� Atlanta Rock Reunion
�� Warm In The Wake, Superhorse
�� Victor Wooten Band
�� The Julia Dream, James Hall, Rantings of Eva
��
�� Michael Jackson Tribute
�� Unscripted 2007 - Stryper
�� Big 10-4
�� Fishbone, End Rezult, Gurufish, Kingrat
�� Magnapop, Sleep Therapy,
The Yum Yum Tree
�� Michelle Malone & The Low Down
Georgia Revue, Abi Tapia
�� The Casanovas
�� William Reed Blues Band
�� None The Weiser
�� Stephen Stills
�� Five Eight, Homeroom, The Leavers
�� Antiseen, The Depised, Das Manics
�� Matt Wertz
��
�� Rick Dang
�� Angela Motter, Tin Cup Prophette,
Adam Klein, Steve Reynolds
�� Lee Roy Parnell, Jay Boy Adams,
Lefty Williams
��
�� Kristin Hersh
�� Bury Your Dead, Suicide Silence,
Stick To Your Guns, Since The Flood
�� Drew Emmitt Band, Jr. League
�� The Toasters
��
�� Ben Trickey
�� Kate Campbell, Storyhill
�� The Movement
�� Everything Is Energy
�� Amos Lee
NO COVER Tuesday –Thursday
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Friday, April 6
HELLO DAVE
TBA • TBA
Saturday, April 7
GRINGO STARR
TBA • TBA
Friday, April 13
TBA
TBA • TBA
Friday, April 14
GROOVE STAIN
The Bastard Suns • Passafire
The Green Hit
Friday, April 20
ELLIPTICAL
Crane • Beautiful Mess
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Saturday, April 21
DONKEY PARTY
Show at 6pm
Friday, April 27
SOL DRIVEN TRAIN
TBA
Saturday, April 28
BIG 10-4
949
Peachtree
Street
404.888.9200
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Every Wednesday
GARETH ASHER
Thursday, April 5
MIC LARRY & CHAINLETTER
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Friday, April 6
BRIAN WILTSEY & WES YOKAM
Saturday, Arpil 7, 14 & 28
THE BRIAN WILTSEY BAND
Thursday, April 12 & 19
GARETH & WILTSEY
Friday, April 13
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SCOTT LITTLE & SHAWN ARNOLD
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Friday, April 20
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TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER
Open Daily 4pm
Ask About Atlanta Room for Private Parties
Norah Jones�� (4-27)
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1578 Piedmont Ave.
404-875-1522
www.smithsoldebar.com
MATT MAUTZ & JOHN THRASHER
Saturday, April 21
10TH ANNUAL DONKEY PARTY
DOORS @ 4PM • LIVE MUSIC ALL
DAY • MIKE LEE & HANK BARBIE
10:30-CL, JIM HODGSON 8-10 AND
JEFF AND ALLIE 4-7
Thursday, April 26
STEVE Q. & CHRISTIAN
Friday, April 27
BRIAN WILTSEY & GARETH ASHER
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For Booking Send Press Kit To:
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Road
Warriors
This Month’s Hottest Shows
BY JOHN DAVIDSON
04/01 JET
Tabernacle
It’s pretty clear that Jet probably won’t cut
another track as great “Are You Gonna Be
My Girl?” but history is littered with bands
who’ve stumbled upon lightning in a bottle
and don’t have a career to show for it. Then
again, most bands never ever have a song that
great to start with, let alone a couple dozen
more that are far from crappy. Plus, Jet kicks
pretty good ass from the stage.
04/03 CHRIS ROBINSON/
RICH ROBINSON
Center Stage
Twenty years into a career that’s long ago
metastasized into nostalgia, the brothers have
given up on the Black Crowes and appear to
be trying to figure out what to do next. It’s an
ugly cycle, and it’d be much worse if either of
these two guys were talentless. They’re not;
they just came up in a time when the Faces
and the Stones were on a career renaissance.
04/04 ELECTRIC SIX
The EARL
Despite
working the
garage rock
angle pretty
thoroughly
and
having a bit of
the
White
Stripes’ coattails to ride
on a few
years ago, the
Electric Six
have never gotten much due. Rugged, ballsy,
and brash, the Electric Six have always sort of
hidden their lack of fresh ideas with an abundance of energy. Last year’s Switzerland was
more afterparty than party, but they remain a
compelling live act just the same.
04/06 THE DECEMBERISTS
Tabernacle
Nearly
as soon as
the
Decemberists
signed their
lives over to a
big corporate
record label,
a nation of
haters waited
with baited
breath
to
pounce. Surprisingly, the band’s first release (The Crane
Wife) in their new label home is far from
predictable. In fact, it’s probably as oblique
as the Decemberists have been in years. See
them perform it live and decide for yourself if
the band has changed for the worse.
04/08 SEBADOH
Variety Playhouse
Lou Barlow started Sebadoh when he was
fired from the seminal 1980s indie rock band,
Dinosaur, Jr. Sebadoh was initially not much
more than a home taping experiment, where
Barlow eeked out sensitive songs and set the
stage for what became emo. He’s squeezing in
some shows with Sebadoh before heading out
this summer with…Dinosaur, Jr.
04/11 CITIZEN COPE
Tabernacle
Clarence Greenwood, aka Citizen Cope is
sort of a mix of G. Love, Wyclef Jean, and
even Everlast. He’s a white dude kicking out
bluesy jams with a distinct tinge of hip-hop
in the mix, and if you’re not obsessed with
vacuous amounts of authenticity, he’s pretty
damn good at it. His gritty songs about urban life occasionally transcend, but he always seems a few steps away from delivering
a knockout blow.
04/13 TV ON THE RADIO
Variety Playhouse
The most critically adored band (they rock!
they groove! they’re ethnically diverse!) of
the past several years returns to the ATL in
what amounts to a victory lap for their performance in 2006 year-end polls. And while
Return To Cookie Mountain pretty much
lives up to the massive hype, the best part of
TVOTR is their live show.
04/18 CLAP YOUR HANDS
SAY YEAH
Variety
Playhouse
The most
surprising
breakout of
last year had
to be Clap
Your Hands
Say
Yeah—
surprising that
so much hope
was attached
to an act with
so little innovation. Yes,
they sold tens of thousands of CDs without a
record label and yes, they play a pretty mean version of the Talking Heads, but this is exactly the
kind of cultish, insidery band that the Internet
was made for. If you can possibly take an open
mind to this show, you might even find out that
you like CYHSY.
WE
GOT
NEXT
ASOBI
SEKSU
04/19 BRANDI CARLILE
Variety Playhouse
Carlile is an anomaly in that she makes her
music for a behemoth like Sony Records
and they act like they don’t have her phone
number. Which, of course, is exactly the way
she likes it. She’s toured incessantly behind
her debut, and with a follow-up of similar
Americana rock due out any day, her forward
progress will still be measured by the number
of long-term fans she makes at each outing.
Carlile is the real deal.
04/22 THE
KILLERS
Fox Theatre
Despite not
really doing
anything altogether unique
or especially
great,
the
Killers found
themselves
perched
in
the
catbird
seat after their 2004 debut (Hot Fuss) became a breakout hit. Apparently drunk on
ambition, they released the sweeping Same’s
Town last year and, by most estimations, way
overshot the target. Filled with heavy-handedness and a head-smacking lack of subtlety,
the thing might have worked if the band had
tried to earn a megaphone first.
04/26 GORE GORE GIRLS
The EARL
These girls are sort of like the Donnas except that they’re better and they play garage
rock instead of recycled Sabbath riffs. The
Gore Gore Girls trend towards kitchsy, what
with the campy dress and girl-group harmonies, but they play a tight set and generally,
serve up great songs. And with their namesake recently taking home an Oscar, there’s
never been a better time to drop a new album.
Artists on the verge
of making it big
Latest Project:
Citrus
Why You Should Care: Energetic, fuzzy dream pop never goes out of style
For Fans of:
My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo, Cibo Matto
BY JOHN DAVIDSON
E
MERGING FROM THE ASHES
of the attacks on 9/11 and the revitalized
New York music scene that followed, Asobi
Seksu didn’t much follow the post-punk script of
the Strokes or Interpol. Instead, the band bore its
fruit from the guitar-fueled shoegazers of the early
1990s and paired it with the cherubic vocals of
singer/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate. Her Japanese
heritage not only informed the stylish album cover,
the American-raised Chikudate even started a habit
of singing in Japanese from time to time. The result?
Buzz was born.
That said, Asobi Seksu (the moniker loosely translates to “playful sex” in Japanese) doesn’t sound like
anything like Puffi AmiYumi or any other kitschy
band peddling Asian stereotypes. Chikudate says
the decision to play up her heritage isn’t a gimmick.
“I wouldn’t say it’s an attachment to the culture,” she
says recently from her apartment in New York, “but
I do love the language and the sounds and the way
it flows in music. It was really more of an aesthetic
decision to sing that way from time to time, a
textual decision. I wouldn’t say that I’m trying to introduce Japanese or anything to a more mainstream
audience or anything like that.”
“I never really even thought of singing in Japanese
until people in the band said I should do it,” Chikudate continues. “And at first, I was really, really
hesitant because I didn’t want people to take it the
wrong way or that it was a gimmick. My bandmates
helped convince me that it would be a net plus.”
And since most of the lyrics—none of the band’s
songs are sung entirely in Japanese—are sung in
English, the ones that aren’t seem more like longer,
expressive vowels anyway.
Maybe the more notable aspect of Asobi Seksu
is that it’s a woman fronting what amounts to a
guitar band, similar to Lush or maybe the Cockteau
Twins. Much has been made of rock music’s
patriarchy, and while it’s something that Chikudate
is aware of, she takes it in stride rather than make it
her calling card.
and finally were finding small footholds to climb
upward, but their rhythm section wanted out.
Chikudate is empathetic about having to change the
lineup in the midst of songwriting. “Touring is not
for everyone,” she says. “It’s a rough situation, and
either you sail or sink. You have to make a choice
whether you want to do it or not. That was really all
it came down to; they hated touring.
I ENJOY MAKING MAKING MUSIC, AND THIS IS THE WORLD THAT
I ENTERED INTO SO I’M KIND OF WILLING TO DO WHAT I
HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
“Maybe, probably, I’d be treated differently if I
were a male, and unfortunately still a big boys’ club,”
she says. “You just have to kind of figure out your
way, and gender politics is a big part of it. You have
to kind of roll with it, and it’s not for everybody. I’m
okay with that. There are some things that still kind
of piss me off. Like club bathrooms!” Chikudate
laughs then adds, “But what can you do?”
For 2006’s Citrus, the band faced turmoil on
several fronts. They had been touring extensively
“We scrambled for awhile, and panic set in for
sure,” she laughs. “We were at a point where people
really didn’t know about us and it was hard to find
people to make a commitment when you’re at that
level. We kind of slapped it together just to keep it
going.” And when they finally finished the album,
new band in tow, they realized that another marriage was falling apart: the one with their record
label.
Asobi Seksu has always been determined to
make the band a success, and discontent quickly
rose with the release of Citrus. They were touring
heavily, wanted to tour more, and felt like they
were the only ones leading the charge. “It hasn’t
really worked out well, let’s put it that way,” says
Chikadate. “I mean, we gave it a try, but we just
have to go our separate ways. She laughs, but acknowledges the obvious by saying, “It’s too bad, but
it’s unfortunately the case. We’re looking for a new
home, but we have had some interest. We’re coming out on labels in Europe and Japan and some
other countries, so we’re excited about that.”
The band has plenty of reason to be optimistic
and confident, what with near-unanimously positive reviews of Citrus, heavy touring ahead, and a
growing fanbase. As they continue to grow, Asobi
Seksu gets more feedback and criticism for what
they’ve been trying to accomplish. When asked
about the inevitable categorizing and comparing
that gets done in the press, Chikadate is matter of
fact.
“Sometimes I have no idea where people get their
comparisons, but for the most part it’s expected.
Every band goes through this, being surprised why
they get compared to someone else. But everyone
needs a reference, so it makes sense,” she says.
Which begs the question: if someone asks you
what you sound like, what do you say?
“First, I have to explain the band name several
times,” she laughs. “I have to repeat the band name,
repeat it again, tell them that it’s Japanese, tell them
what it means, blah blah blah. That part takes ten
minutes, so by the time they get to the part about
what we sound like, I’m too exhausted to answer!”
She declares, with a dash of smirk, “The only way
to find out is to listen!”
MUSIC INTERVIEW
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE RIDES THEIR LOFTY AMBITIONS INTO CRITICS’ HEARTS
BY JOHN B. MOORE
F
RANK IERO, GUITARIST FOR MY
CHEMICAL ROMANCE, knows the
backlash is coming.
You simply don’t follow up a million-plus
selling album with an ambitious concept
album (which itself goes on to sell millions)
without landing on someone’s radar. Iero has
always been realistic about the group’s fate
among critics: Even as he, frontman Gerard
Way and their bandmates settled in last year
to write The Black Parade, their ambitious
goth/glam concept album that’s equal parts
Queen and Ziggy Stardust, Iero warned that
people would hate it, no matter how great the
finished product was.
Oddly enough, the backlash still
hasn’t yet arrived. The record
was met with praise from
critics (reluctant praise from
some, but praise nonetheless)
and even managed to land on
many “Best Of ” lists at the end
of the year. The band’s equally
ambitious stage show has only
made the praise louder. As
The Black Parade marches on,
Iero took time recently to talk
about the story behind the
concept, a sober lead singer
and, of course, the inevitable
backlash.
kept saying to everyone, “Even if it’s a great
record, people are going to hate it because
it’s time to hate our band.” Honestly, it’s just
shocking that people do like it and aren’t
afraid to say that they like it.
Did you do anything different when writing
the record to make sure the concept would
stick, like go off-site and remove yourselves
from everyday life?
Yeah, but we did that with the last record,
too. We moved out to L.A. for a good six
months and locked ourselves up in a house.
We really didn’t have any kind of contact from
the outside world. What you have to understand about our band is that it’s kind of a
brand new band. We’re really only maybe two
years old with Bob as our new drummer and
was really hard to make but we’re so happy
with, playing to thousands of people that
actually really love the songs and are singing
them back to us. We’re putting on a show like
Kiss, with fire and lights... it’s ridiculous! Every day I wake up and pinch myself. We don’t
ever forget how lucky we are.
Did you have any idea that the album was
going to be this big?
Absolutely not. People say things to you,
but they have to. “You guys are going to be
fucking huge!” Thanks, but that doesn’t mean
anything coming from you. People always
say that just because they feel they need to
say something. I really thought everyone was
going to hate this record. I told the other guys
to be prepared for that. Then all of a sudden
You had to pull out of the
overseas tour last month,
didn’t you?
I did. Right before we left
for the tour I got all four of
my wisdom teeth taken out.
I thought I’d be fine, and the
doctor said,“Don’t worry about
it, you’ve got four days to heal.
You’ll be alright.” Apparently
what happened was that one
of my wisdom teeth was so impacted that, when they ripped
it out, they ripped out part of
the wall. On the plane it ruptured and caused an infection.
When I got off the plane in
Japan I had a 104º fever, I was
bleeding from my nose. It was
terrible.
Let’s talk about the new
record. What’s the general
concept behind The Black Parade?
The main character, his name is The Patient.
He’s kind of like your everyman and he’s on
his deathbed. Death comes for him in the
form of one of his earliest memories– the
memory of his father taking him to the parade
as a kid. This parade comes for him, and it’s
a Black Parade that takes him through the
journey of his life. And as this parade takes
him away he starts to see different people he
met along the way, different decisions that
he’s made and different aspects of his life that
maybe he’s not that happy with.
Where you nervous at all about turning
in a concept album? It seems like it would
be easier just to turn in another version of
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.
We weren’t so nervous about doing a concept record. We were more nervous about
the record being good. We had tried to make
a concept record with Three Cheers, to tell
you the truth. It was more of a loosely-based
concept, because we were new with it and also
because real life started to creep in. When
real life starts to happen around you and
you’re not a seasoned writer, songs start to be
about other things and the concept seems to
break apart. With this, when real life would
happen, we tried to put that into the concept.
So it was our second concept record, and I
Gerard being sober. It’s a brand new entity.
Gerard has been pretty open in the past
talking about getting sober. Do you, as both
a band member
and his friend,
see a big difference in him?
Yes, absolutely. He’s
smarter. It’s
weird because I
thought he was
a fucking genius before, but the kid is sharper.
Some of the stuff he comes out with, I don’t
know... It’s surprising.
people started to like it and we were like,
“Wow!” Like we knew it was something special, but we didn’t think anybody would admit
that it was. When creating a piece of art,
there’s always
something
that you look
at when you’re
done with it
and go, “That’s
not what how
I wanted it to
be.” There’s
always something that’s not as good as you
thought it would be. On this record, when it
was all said and done, every second was better
than I thought it would be. That’s how I knew
it was special.
EVERY DAY I WAKE UP AND PINCH
MYSELF. WE DON’T EVER FORGET
HOW LUCKY WE ARE.
I know it’s still a little early because the
album hasn’t even been out a year yet, but
do you have plans to do anything more with
The Black Parade, like turning it into a play
or movie?
Well, yeah, there has been some talk. But,
like you said, it still is early. We’re just having
fun right now bringing it to life on stage.
Well, tell me about that. What does the show
look like?
Man, the show’s awesome. We’re just like
kids in a candy shop. Right now we’re on tour
playing songs that we love, from a record that
Were you listening to anything different when you guys were writing this time
around?
You know what? I wasn’t listening to anything at all.
Was that a conscious decision?
It was. Going into it, we listened to The
Wall, Sgt. Pepper’s, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy
Stardust, Queen’s Night at the Opera. These
were like our staples going into it, because
we knew we were undertaking something
grand. These are records where artists really
put their foot down and went off the deep end
with things in a genius way. We really wanted
to learn from the past in order to do something brand new. So we listened to those records a lot before writing the record, but once
we started writing I didn’t listen to anything.
What I drew upon was stuff my dad made me
listen to as a kid– lots of T-Bone Walker and
a lot of old blues, like Muddy Waters. That,
and a lot of film. Even something as dumb as
Nightmare on Elm Street. There’s a song that
didn’t make the record, but it’s a B-side, where
everything I wrote was inspired by that movie.
Getting back to the stage show, do you play
the entire record from beginning to end every
night?
Yes, we do. We decided it
would be easier to drive the
point home if we played it in
that order. We thought if we
changed certain things, we
could leave the listener with a
different idea of the outcome
of the Patient. We thought
that might be kind of cool, but
didn’t want to confuse anybody.
You’ve been in the band since
the beginning. Aside from
obvious lineup changes, how
has the band changed since I
Brought You My Bullets?
Well, that was a band that
had just started. We’d been
together maybe three months
before we decided to make
that record. I was in the band
about three weeks and it was
like,“We need 10 songs for this
record. Start writing!” Whatever we had, we recorded, and
we had nine days to do it. It
was rushed, and I don’t think
the guitars were even recorded
through real amps. It was all
done on the computer, and really it was just for us. I remember the first pressing was 100,
and then it went to 1,000 and
we were like, “Oh man, we’re
going to lose all our money!”
People consider us a wellthought-out band, but it wasn’t.
But there was something about
the songs that was great, even
if they were literally written
10 minutes before we recorded them. On
the song “Early Sunsets Over Monroeville,” I
wrote my part in the van outside the recording studio because we just didn’t have time.
Having done this for a while, are you more
confident about your songwriting now?
I’m definitely more confident now. I
learned a lot from every experience, from
every producer we’ve worked with, and from
every person we’ve met along the way. As a
band, we don’t feel like [just because] we’ve
done this for six years, there’s nothing more
we can learn. We’re still learning. I’m still
learning about my instrument, about different
fingerings and recording processes. I’m not
a gear-head, so I’m still learning about amps
and pedals. I’ll always be learning. And that’s
what I think is one of the cool things about
this band: As good as we could become, we’re
still like these little sponges that soak up everything anybody has ever told us. That’s what
I think we used on this record. There are five
members of this band that are best friends,
and there’s no getting past that. When you’ve
toured as much as we have and you’ve seen as
much as we have and you’re under a microscope as much as we are these days, you learn
that that’s your true family, and that you can
count your friends on probably two hands.
You just look out for each other.
MUSIC
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By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John Moore, Tom DeFreytas & Richard Marsh
LUCINDA WILLIAMS – WEST (Lost Highway)
Americana love songs.
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MOVE.MEANT – THE SCOPE OF THINGS (Wax Paper)
Moving hip-hop in the right direction.
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THE BROKEN WEST – I CAN’T GO ON, I’LL GO ON
(Merge)
Outstanding power-pop.
JAMES MORRISON – UNDISCOVERED (Interscope)
He’s smooth, because he’s gonna get you naked.
PHAT KAT – CARTE BLANCHE (Look)
Phat rhymes.
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�� Y O U – FLASHLIGHTS (Please Rock)
�� Good, but not great
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ELLEN ALLIEN – THE OTHER SIDE BERLIN (Deaf
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Dumb + Blind)
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A diverse overview of German techno.
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THE FRATELLIS – COSTELLO MUSIC (Cherry Tree)
Music to sell iPods to.
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PERMANENT ME – AFTER THE ROOM CLEARS (Stolen
Transmission)
Yet another pop-punk band writing about teenage
crushes.
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LEONARD COHEN – SONGS… REISSUE SERIES (Sony)
The other Bob Dylan.
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REDMAN – RED GONE WILD: THEE ALBUM (Def Jam)
The simile-poppin’, joke-prescribin’ Funk Doctor will see you
now.
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MAXIMO PARK – OUR EARTHLY PLEASURES (Warp)
New Wave Brits even stronger on second outing.
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MICHAEL PENN – PALMS AND RUNES, TAROT AND TEA
(Sony)
Classic singer-songwriter stuff.
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MUSIC INTERVIEW
The Price of Fame
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
W
ANNA TALK ABOUT HIGHS?
As one of the more charismatic members of the popular mid 90s hip hop
ensemble The Boot Camp Click, the MC born Sean
Price (who then went by Ruck as part of the twoman crew, Heltah Skeltah) grabbed a few dollars, got
at a few groupies and graced a few magazine covers.
Wanna talk about the lows? When the late 90s
turned hip hop into this name-dropping, ass-giggling party, the BCC’s gritty, in-your-grill style fell
out of favor, leaving Ruck and his partner Rock
without a whole lot of options. Price turned to the
streets. He peddled a few unmentionables on street
blocks. He spent a few nights behind bars. Solo rap
projects bubbled but always popped in his face. That
was until ’05, when his reinvigorated label, Duck
Down, collaborated with the rap collective The
Justus League for a three-album project. P’s part in it
all was the well-received Monkey Barz.
Spring ‘07’s Jesus Price Superstar is even better.
INsite recently caught up with Sean, clearly on an
upswing in his peak ‘n valley-filled career, to get the
raspy one’s thoughts on going broke, going solo and
going at this bizness for over a decade.
We first heard about you and your crew in ’96. It’s
’07 now. How were you able to stay relevant for
over 10 years?
Ah, man, working. Putting that work in. Working
on your craft. All of that plays a big part.
Do you ever wish for Grammy performances and
endorsements as a show of all this hard work?
Uhh, I mean, sure. Why not? But it’s not like
if I don’t ever get it, it’s not like I’m going to be
disappointed. Everybody
wanna get rewarded for
their craft, of course. But
if it never happens, I’m
fine with that, too. I’ll
live. I don’t do it for the
accolades; I do it because
I love it first. Secondly,
everybody wants to work
and get paid for doing
something they love. If
I catch a commercial or
this, that and the third,
sure. Why not? That’s
more money so that I can
feed my family.
How many
children do
you have?
I got
three kids
but I only
treat one of
them good
though.
League-affiliated
producer] Ill Mind
and said, “Yo, you
need to get on this Sean P
album.” Then son blessed
me.
You’ve gone through a lot
of ups and down in your
career. Things seem to be
picking up for you. Aside
from being in the booth
with 9th and Khrysis,
what sorts of things put
the biggest smile on your
face?
When the bills come in
and knowing I got
the bread
to pay for
them. And
knowing that I
still have
money
after that. That puts a big smile on my face, to look
at a bill and go, “Oh, that’s nuthin’.” That’s the best
feeling in the world. That’s a GREAT feeling! Being
outta the red is a great feeling.
WHEN I WROTE MONKEY BARZ, I WAS
ASSED-OUT BROKE! YOU GOT JESUS? WHEN
I WROTE JESUS, I HAD SIX FIGURES IN
MY ACCOUNT.
What’s wrong with the other two?
They bad as hell.
What was it about Justus League producers 9th
Wonder and Khrysis that made you want them for
Jesus Price Superstar?
On my first album [Monkey Barz], I got 9th and
Khrysis on three tracks. Those are the tracks that
took my album over the top. So, I went down south
[to their home base of North Carolina] and 9th and
Khrysis just went in. Khrysis called [another Justus
Let’s say you’re not able to pay those bills. Is that
then the best time to record, when things are bleak?
Or, is it best to write when stuff is going well?
That’s for you to decide. Do you got Monkey Barz?
When I wrote Monkey Barz, I was assed-out broke!
You got Jesus? When I wrote Jesus, I had six figures
in my account.
What do you miss most about the Boot Camp’s
mid 90’s heyday?
I don’t miss those times at all. I was so young and
so stupid. I was just happy to be there. I don’t miss
those times at all.
You don’t miss the camaraderie, the fans, nothing?
Nah, I was just stupid.
But on the real, P, why didn’t the Boot Camp
Click’s ’06 album Last Stand take hip hop by storm
like it should have?
You know what? I don’t know, but that shit don’t
even discourage me because the album was tight.
We’re going to do another one and it’s going to be
just as good as that one. Hopefully, it won’t go on
deaf ears, you know what I mean?
Y’all gonna approach it any differently?
Nah, if it ain’t broke. You know the motto.
What artists outside of hip hop do you really
respect?
I like Cody Chesnutt. We listened to the John Legend on the road overseas. Umm, I like Bilal. He ain’t
put out nothing in a while but I like Bilal. I’m mostly
an old head, man. I listen to Curtis Mayfield, Barry
White and all of that.
And you can kinda hear that love streaming into
your music.
I love all of that David Ruffin and all of that.
What’s on tap for the rest of the day with you?
Man, I’m just gonna smoke my life away and think
of some rhymes…
HOST INTERVIEW
The
Man
With
a
Plan
Tavis Smiley’s Agenda for Getting America Back on Track
BY ALEX LASSITER
M
uch like Al Gore, talk show host-turnedauthor Tavis Smiley claims he has no
interest in running for public office. But
from his actions of late, which include hosting his
annual State of the Black Union symposium in February as part of the commemoration of the 400th
anniversary of Jamestown; releasing the bestselling
book The Covenent In Action, a sequel to last year’s
The Covenant With Black America; and announcing plans to host two presidential forums to be
broadcast on PBS this summer, it’s clear Smiley
genuinely wants to make a difference. What follows
is a transcript of our in-depth discussion on matters
ranging from the African-American imprint on
American history to the sorry state of our nation’s
political system, and what each and every one of us
can do to help fix it.
How did you initially get involved with the 400th
anniversary Jamestown celebration?
I was asked by the governor and the people of
Virginia to get involved in this, primarily because
when the story is told of the founding of America, it
is most often told through the eyes of the immigrant arriving at Ellis Island. That is a powerful and
poignant story that needs to be told, but it is not the
only story that needs to be told. There is this place
called Jamestown, Virginia, where my ancestors and
the ancestors of millions of other African-Americans first arrived. Before the Plymouth pilgrims,
you first have the Jamestown Africans, and that
untold back-story of America needs to be told.
These Africans, and others, oftentimes arrived at
Jamestown against their will, and this year marks
the 400th anniversary commemoration. I try not to
say “celebration” because, for African-Americans,
there’s nothing to celebrate here per se. But it is a
commemoration of what it means for black folk to
be on this journey in America for 400 years, which
is pretty significant.
Considering that controversial past, why did you
decide to hold your annual sy posium at Jamestown this year?
To try to raise awareness of what Jamestown
means and what the African-American imprint on
America is all about. That imprint is undeniable,
and hopefully in this poignant year of our being
here we can get some conversation going about
this other story that makes American what she is.
Organizers solicited advisory councils representing black Americans, who wanted an important
national symposium. Did they have a specific
agenda in mind when they asked you to host it,
or did basically they turn it over to you and let
you do your thing?
The latter. For eight consecutive years during
the month of February, which of course is Black
History Month, I have organized and moder
ated what has become the preeminent conversation about the critical issues that confront black
America. We call it the State of the Black Union,
and they televise it annually on C-SPAN. Interestingly, the two people who first made contact and
asked me to do this happen to be two well-known
actors who live in Virginia, Tim Reid (best-known
as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati) and his
wife, Daphne. They own a TV studio in Virginia,
and Daphne happens to be on the state committee,
so they asked me to go to lunch a few years ago
when I was giving a speech in Richmond. They had
been dispatched by then-governor Mark Warner to
talk to me about my interest in being involved, so it
just became a matter of using Jamestown 400 as a
backdrop for our conversation.
Did the historical context of Jamestown add anything to this year’s event?
Absolutely. The timing worked out perfectly,
because we released The Covenant In Action, the
companion to The Covenant With Black America,
which went to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list last year. The setting, timing and everything
just worked out perfectly, with about 15,000
coming to Virginia from all across the country. It
was by far the largest gathering we’ve ever had, with
overflow rooms and people who couldn’t get in and
had to turn around and go home. I actually clocked
this in the car I was riding in, and traffic was backed
up for over three miles at 7AM with people just
trying to get into the parking lot.
How would you say the state of black America has
changed most in the years since you started hosting the symposium?
There’s one school of thought inside black America that says that what we do is talk too much; that
all we’re doing is talking, but not acting. I don’t subscribe to that. I think that there is value in having
rich dialogue. I think what’s wrong with America,
quite frankly, is that we are too often caught up
in monologue and never get around to having
Do you think it’s helping to change the way people
in the black community view this sort of intellectual exchange of ideas?
I really do. C-SPAN has gotten more requests
for this videotape than any other show for eight
consecutive years. All across the country, there’s a
ripple-like domino effect, with this national conversation inspiring African-Americans to conduct local conversations, like the State of Black Cleveland
and the State of Black Atlanta. But what’s changed
most dramatically is the fact that, now that these
two bestselling books have come out, it has raised
a whole level of appreciation inside the publishing
world for the fact that African-Americans read. A
few years ago, with the impact of Terry McMillan,
they discovered that black people read fiction, but
now they know that we read nonfiction as well.
And now we have an agenda around which black
I THINK THAT THERE IS VALUE IN HAVING RICH DIALOGUE.
I THINK WHAT’S WRONG WITH AMERICA, QUITE FRANKLY, IS
THAT WE ARE TOO OFTEN CAUGHT UP IN MONOLOGUE AND
NEVER GET AROUND TO HAVING MUCH DIALOGUE.
much dialogue. When you go to Washington, on
every other corner in the nation’s capital, you see
a Conservative think tank, from the Manhattan
Institute and AEI to the Heritage Foundation.
There’s really only one black think tank, called
the Joint Center for Political Studies, which
is centered around and dedicated to the
issues of black people. I’m not casting
aspersion on [Conservative think tanks],
but I’m saying that they understand the
value in dialogue, reading, writing and
research. Our symposium essentially
becomes like an annual black think tank,
empowering the millions of people
who watch it on television.
people can start to act,
with books outlining
what the agenda
is and how to put
it into action. I
literally just got
off a conference
call: When we
were at Jamestown, the president
of PBS joined us to
announce that this
summer I’m going
to be moderating two
presidential forums
live in prime time.
The first will be the
Democrats at
Howard
University on June 28, then at Morgan State on
September 27 for the Republicans, and we’ll be talking about the issues in these books with all of the
candidates. That is historic in and of itself.
Talk to me a little bit about your Covenant with
Black America: How do you hope to impact the
lives of African-Americans over the next few
years?
If you take the word “black” out of the covenant, what you get is a progressive agenda for
moving America forward. We see this as no
different than what Dr. King did during his era.
His leadership came out of black America and
was on behalf of advancing black America, but
the whole nation benefited from it. So what I’m
hoping people will get out of this is the fact that
you are the leader you’ve been looking for. That’s
the message we keep delivering. Make a covenant
with yourself, your community, your creator, to
use the skill and talent you have to make a meaningful contribution. I believe that our love and
service to each other is the rent we pay for the
space we occupy. Dr. King, Gandhi and Nelson
Mandela all changed the world as we know it, but
at the center of the message was this notion of
loving and serving everyday people. I’m hoping
that this text will inspire people to care for even
the least among us, and to realize that everybody
has value and has a contribution to make. A
strong community does not need a leader, because if everybody becomes a committee of one,
it fundamentally and unapologetically changes
the definition of leadership. I’m not trying to run
for office, so it’s not about that, but I do want
the people who are running to understand these
issues. We live in a world where, if we don’t grab
hold of the reality of people being responsible
for making some sort of contribution, if we keep
thinking all these problems are somebody else’s,
we’re going to literally and figuratively explode,
as a nation and as a planet.
How do you feel about the state of the American
political system as we enter the early stages of
campaigning for the 2008 elections?
I think our democracy is dysfunctional and
everybody knows it. The reason a guy like Barack
Obama can get the traction that he’s getting is
that people see him as a panacea, a fresh face,
something new. I’m hoping that the energy that
has been infused into the campaign season
already, in part because of who’s running– Hilary,
Barack, a Latino like Bill Richardson on the right,
and Giuliani– in part because of the condition
that we find our country in after six years of President Bush, and in part because of the Covenant,
will energize this contest in an interesting way.
For young people reading this story who might
be frustrated with the entire American political
system, who maybe feel that their vote doesn’t
matter or their voices aren’t heard by the powers-that-be, what advice would you give them
on effecting positive change?
When you study history, there is no major
movement for social change, whether in this
country or anywhere in the world, that did
not have at its apex the involvement of young
people. Nothing ever changes for social
progress without young people at the nucleus.
Dr. King may be the greatest leader we’ve ever
produced, but the Civil Rights movement didn’t
really turn until young folk took to the streets. If
you go to South Africa, Nelson Mandela was another great human being who went to prison for
27 years, but when those kids took to the streets
of Soweto, it changed the conversation about
apartheid. In Tiananmen Square in China, when
those kids laid their bodies out in the streets in
front of those tanks and dared the tanks to run
them over, it changed the conversation. The point
is that the courage, conviction and commitment
of young people is absolutely essential to any
real movement for social change, and I think it’s
important for young folk to understand just how
valuable their contribution is.
MUSIC INTERVIEW
DEF BUT NOT DUMB - Why EL-P’s Def Jux
is the Tightest Ship in the Hip-Hop Biz
BY B. LOVE
A
spiring music moguls could do a lot worse than to follow El-P’s lead. Formerly one-third of influential
underground hip-hop group Company Flow, the artist formerly known as Jamie Meline has emerged
in the last decade as one of the genre’s most distinctive producers and talent scouts, signing a string
of blazing-hot artists– Cannibal Ox, Aesop Rock, RJD2 and Mr. Lif chief
among them– to his Definitive Jux label. And while he’s only released
two solo LPs in the last five years, the new I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
proves he’s still just as unique in front of the mic as he is behind the mixing
boards. We recently caught up with El-P as he prepared for a Paid Dues
festival set that would find him reuniting with former C-Flow bandmate
Mr. Len.
How did the things you learned from your time on Rawkus Records affect the way Def Jux does business?
Well, it took some time, but I wanted to create a label that was transparent in terms of the way it did business with its artists. It took about a year
into our operations, but we wanted to have it so that, at any given time, the
artist knew where their money was and we were accountable for that. It
really wasn’t about what I learned from Rawkus, it was just about my desire
to work with certain people and create my own team.
When you started the label, was there some sort of manifesto outlining your mission?
When we first started Jux, all we had were these ideas. We were just a couple of dudes running the label, and
we just threw it out there. All of a sudden, we were like, “Oh, fuck!” We were selling records, but we didn’t have
business management or accountants or any of that shit. Our artists were like, “What the fuck?!” So I had to get
real serious real quickly, cuz that was exactly what I didn’t want. But it took a second to go from being just an artist-driven thing to realizing that, in order to do it correctly, you really have to become serious about being a pro.
You have to have all these things in place, cuz if you’re putting other people’s careers in your hands, you have to
make sure that you’re very responsible.
How would you rate the label’s progress to date?
Well, now I feel like we’re absolutely one of the tightest, most well operated ships in the business. That’s the thing
I think has separated us from a lot of other independent labels, even when we weren’t putting a lot of records
out. But really, the only thing I ever wanted to do was just put out great records and have an A&R idea based on
supporting cats who create, not a commercial hit or something they thought was viable in the marketplace, but
their own distinctive voice. I wanted to figure out how to take them at their absolute best and most creative– their
masterpiece– and bring it to the public.
So was that your unofficial mission statement when you created the label?
That basically is it, yeah. My mission statement is to support and nurture everyone else’s artistic statements; to
help guide them and give them the type of environment where they feel comfortable really expressing themselves,
really going for it creatively and musically, knowing it will be good for their careers. You always hear all these cats
on major labels doing interviews where they kind of admit that they don’t really even wanna do this type of music,
but they’re just doing what’s hot. People keep arguing about why people aren’t buying the music any more, and it’s
because we’re not creating a culture of music. We’re creating a culture of money.
You worked with Matthew Shipp and other jazz artists on High Water: What do you get out of a project
like that?
I got to tackle my fear. When they asked me to do it, I had no idea whether I’d be able to, so I was petrified. But
one of my personal guidelines is that, whenever I think something’s too scary
for me to do, I’ve got to do it. We need to walk bravely. If I’m given an opportunity like that, who am I to say no just because of the possibility I might fall
flat on my face? It helped me a lot with the idea of structure, which I have an
endless fascination for.
The new album features some fairly surprising contributions from non-hiphop artists like the Mars Volta, Trent Reznor and Cat Power. Why did you
want to get them involved on the project?
If you were to pick any of your favorite hip-hop records and list all of the
samples used on those records, they would be from artists you’d never expect
anyone to be working with. I would challenge you to find one album that
defined your love for hip-hop music that didn’t have some sort of sample or
reference from another form of music. For me, as a collector and a connoisseur
of ideas, I’m inspired by all of this shit. I have a wide variety of tastes, and I’ve
either worked with these people or been friends with these people, and I heard
moments that I thought would be cool to include on the album. It was an
organic thing– I didn’t write a plan down on paper– that just happened in the right way for me. I wasn’t attempting to create a collaboration; I was trying to incorporate people that I liked and thought could enhance moments
on the record. It’s the first time I’ve ever done that, and it was really about me bringing them into my world and
working them into the ideas I already had.
Most of hip-hop’s greatest indie labels have wound up getting swallowed up by major labels. Is that something
you’d ever even consider?
I’ve always been open to ideas, and there’s a side of me that’s a businessman who’s open to taking meetings
and listening to what people have to say. I have done that over the years, virtually every year, with everyone from
major labels to major indie distributors. The fact of the matter is, right now I’ll stick to my guns and say no, I
don’t think that would be a good idea. If you run a record label, you’d be stupid not to be some sort of student
of this business. I am, and I’ve seen too many times what happens. Up until now, we’ve somehow managed to
pull through some years just by the skin of our teeth, while in other years we’ve had great windfalls. We’ve never
panicked, and I think other labels get bought out too soon because they panic. As the strange illuminati symbols
align, as oil companies and record labels merge and shit, I don’t know what the hell’s happening, but there’s some
sort of almost ecliptic convergence of all things money-related right now. Frankly, I prefer to have my money in
my pocket. (Laughs)
What do you see as the indie label’s role in that culture?
Independent labels are the only sanctuary for artists to even attempt to support all the shit they have in their
heads and their hearts. You will never hear from anyone at Def Jux, “Yeah, it’s cool, but where’s the hits?” That’s a
big deal. I mean, I like hits (laughs), but there has to be other types of records to balance it out. There has to be the
type of record that hits you emotionally, and stays in your life. When we were growing up, we all loved Michael
Jackson, but then you also had that Prince record that was like, “This motherfucker made me cry!” My goal is not
to perpetually make people cry, but it is to push people’s buttons and to make human records. There’s so much
music out there, there’s gotta be enough room for those types of records, and I’d like to provide those for people.
INDEPENDENT LABELS ARE THE ONLY SANCTUARY FOR
ARTISTS TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO SUPPORT ALL THE SHIT
THEY HAVE IN THEIR HEADS AND THEIR HEARTS.
How do you balance managing your own career with the day-to-day stresses of running one of hip-hop’s most
respected labels?
Well, I have a really good team around me and we all work at it all the time. But at the same time it’s a constant
battle for me, trying to figure it out, although I am getting better at it. The fact of the matter is that I am making
certain concessions. I can’t be too selfish: I sometimes have to wait in line. When I first started the label I thought,
this is great, I’m just gonna do my music all the time now! (Laughs) That’s not the case, but I’ve grown to love the
other part of my life. Most artists’ lives are singularly about themselves at all times. With me, it’s a little bigger than
that: What is Aesop Rock doing? What is Cage doing? What’s Mr. Lif doing? I have to worry about that, but I
really do care about it. Then every once in a while I just put it down for myself, because what I’m about is making
music. I didn’t grow up fantasizing about having a record label.
The label has an amazing track record. What do you look for in a Def Jux artist?
I look for people who have a sound and an idea, who aren’t gonna just throw the first piece of shit that they create out. I try and put records out with a little bit more of a uniform production, when an artist works with a group
of producers to create a unique sound for a record. I think that’s a big thing that’s missing in the music industry,
where too many albums are just a hodgepodge of songs that have no connection, thematically or musically. You
can pick ‘em apart as singles and they work well, but I think the artform of the album is an honorable one that gets
ignored. I’m trying to support that idea. You don’t walk into a movie theater, watch three minutes and walk out
saying, “That was a great movie!” I grew up being transfixed and transformed by albums, sitting in the dark and
listening to records front to back, and that became a huge part of my life. I want to support records like that.
It’s been five years since Fantastic Damage. How would you say you’ve evolved as an artist in that time?
With Fantastic Damage, you heard pure spite and rage, and a lot of the rebellion and arrogance that comes with
being that age. I still have a lot of that, but now I think it’s tempered. I think this character you’re following that I’ve
been creating, which is sort of an amalgamation of myself and my experiences, has a little bit more of a resignation to it. I don’t think that I can change everything anymore. It’s the idea of being defeated, but still kicking and
screaming and struggling against it. I think that, to some degree, is what this record is about. It’s also about trying
to be a regular motherfucker and navigate terrain that’s unique for our generation. We’ve had it easy to some
degree, but these are our defining times.
MUSIC INTERVIEW
WON’T BACK DOWN
The Queers Keep It Ol’ School,
Dis the New School
BY JOHN B. MOORE
A
LONGSIDE BANDS LIKE THE
Descendents and Screeching Weasel, The
Queers were one of the most consistently
solid pop-punk bands of the ‘90s. There were no
deep political messages behind their songs, no
rallying cries to the moshpit; just quirky threeminute bursts of wry (sometimes juvenile_ humor,
picking up where The Ramones left off.
Nearly two decades later, boasting a roster
of nearly 30 current and former members, The
Queers are still churning out solid pop-punk
opinions about the current punk scene? I remember you making reference at some point to
the Dropkick Murphys.
Right. We had one song that was loosely based
on them, called “Little Rich Working Class White
Boys.” I’m just not into that scene. It’s not the
music so much. I don’t think they’re anything
special at all compared to my heroes, but that’s
just me. That whole scene, at those shows, it’s so
violent. I look around, like, “Oh man, nobody’s
learned anything from this fucking trip we’re on!”
I remember I was in Australia at this radio station
and there was a poster of the Dropkick Murphys.
THE PUNK-ROCK SCENE IS KIND OF DUMB AND REALLY INSULATED.
IT’S LIKE IF YOU DON’T WORK BY THESE GUIDELINES, THEN
YOU’RE A PUSSY OR YOU’RE NOT COOL OR WHATEVER.
songs. With a new DVD (The Queers Are Here)
and a new record (Munki Brain), The Queers are
about to spend the better part of 2007 trekking the
globe to promote both.
Joe Queer, the band’s one constant member,
recently spoke about the group’s
beginnings, The Ramones and the current state of punk-rock.
How much has the band’s sound
changed since the early days?
Well, like a lot of bands we
started with fast, short, kind of
angry stuff, and we grew from
there. We’ve had people
come and go, so it’s almost
like a solo project now for
me. I always loved the
pop stuff and the Beach
Boys stuff, so the longer
I go, the more I’m into
that type of stuff and
not so angry. Playing
longer, you just dare to try
different stuff.
You’ve got more of the surf guitar sound on the newer records.
Yeah, ever since we did Don’t
Back Down, which was about 10
years ago, we started doing more
backing vocals. I don’t know, the
punk-rock scene is kind of dumb
and really insulated. It’s like if you
don’t work by these guidelines, then
you’re a pussy or you’re not cool or
whatever. To me, my music always
started with The Ramones. They were always like a
good punk twist on the Beach Boys to me.
So what does your audiences look like nowadays?
It’s funny because we’ll get pretty normal people,
a lot of girls and kids with Mohawks, because we
do a lot of the fast stuff live, so we kind of cross
over. Each album has some of the in-your-face
fuck-you songs, then you’ve got some poppy
things with Beach Boy harmonies. It’s kind of a
weird thing.
A lot of younger punk bands today seem to cite
Green Day as an influence, but don’t really go
back further than that.
Right. They don’t do their homework and see
what the influences were for a lot of bands, or
go back to the early days of punk-rock– the Sex
Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, Black Flag– and
listen to that stuff. To a lot of these bands now,
Black Flag and The Ramones are more like a
clothing line almost. If you grow up and really
live that credo of bands like Black Flag, the Dead
Kennedys, the Ramones and the Angry Samoans,
it doesn’t give you much of a stomach to tolerate
much bullshit in the punk-rock world these days.
People always think I’m shooting my mouth off,
but there’s a difference between shooting your
mouth off and talking the truth.
Have you gotten any flack from others for your
It was a drawing of a kid in a wife-beater with a
studded wristband on, cocking his fist back to
fight. I thought, what kind of fucking message is
that?! I mean, the world’s full of assholes, but we
don’t have to give them a platform to exhibit their
stupidity and actually glorify it on a poster, do we?
Having said that, I know Al, their singer and
the guitar player. He’s a good guy and
he always comes to our shows.
So I don’t hate them
personally. Then again,
some of the shit they do
is questionable, but that’s
what makes the world go
round. They make different
decisions than me. People ask
me about Billie Joe from Green
Day wearing eyeliner and I say,
“Well, I wouldn’t, but I don’t think
he’s any less of a person because
he does.”
Did you have any idea when you
started some 20 years ago that you’d
be able to make a career out of this?
No. The band really got together in
1990– Hugh and me and B-Face. Up
until that point it had been more
of a jokey thing, and we’d go a year
without playing and have different
lineups. We played around Boston
and opened up for the Ramones,
the Descendents, the Dickies and
the Samoans... those were the
biggest gigs we got. We never
toured. It’s an acid trip to start
thinking that you could tour around
and do this shit. Then all of a sudden we met
Ben Weasel (of Screeching Weasel) and he got on
Lookout (Records), then Lookout wanted to do
an album with us. Then we did a couple of tours
and started getting royalty checks and thought,
“Good god!” Because, before that, really the best
you could hope to do was be some loser kid in a
band on a Black Flag-type tour. Yeah, you could
do it, but it wasn’t viable economically. Then we
went on tour with Screeching Weasel, then we
did one tour with Rancid and we’d get a royalty
check for something like $2,200 and we were like,
“Whoa, are you fucking shitting me?!” It’s like that
old George Burns thing: by the time we realized
we had no talent we were already famous, so we
kind of stayed with it. Some people drifted off and
some died and... I don’t know. I’m still doing it for
a few more years. We never thought we could do
it this long.
You’ve got a new record and DVD. What are The
Queers doing next?
We’re going to be touring two weeks in April,
then we’ve got three weeks in June, then off to Europe in July. We’re doing a bunch of festivals opening for Marky Ramone, and Dave (the Queers’
bass player) and I will play with Marky, too, so that
will keep us busy for July. No idea what’s up in
September, but October is back to Europe and in
November we go to Brazil and Japan. It’s like my
year’s all shot now!
FILM INTERVIEW
Here Comes The Fuzz:
THE CREATORS OF SHAUN OF THE DEAD RETURN
BY MATT GOLDBERG
A
few years ago, I was introduced to a film called Shaun
of the Dead and I instantly became a fan of everyone
who was involved with its production. Then I found
that these guys has previously done a show in the UK called
Spaced. I watched both seasons in a matther of days and fell
even more in love with writer/director Edgar Wright, cowriter/actor Simon Pegg and actor Nick Frost. Now all three
are sitting across from me, having just complimented my Back
to the Future t-shirt, and offered me a cookie.
With so much talent, kindness, and humor in
the room, I try not to trip over my own words.
So both Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead
have a very unique structure where everything in the first half comes back in the second half, but in a different context. What’s
the process of creating that structure?
And in fact you know, a lot of the actors in the film are not
only British Institutions as actors but also played baddies in
Hollywood genre films.
Pegg: And also, sort of the important thing for us is that
we’re making British films. If we wrote a story where an
American character credibly came into it, of course we’d do
that. As Edgar said, the idea was the populate the village with
people we’ve seen before in American genre films.
films like The French Connection and L.A. Confidential and
get straight to Point Break and Bad Boys II. Danny doesn’t
even know there’s a Bad Boys I.
Frost: Is there?
Are there any action films you think people should see that
don’t really get the attention they deserve?
Wright: All the obvious ones people know well like Dirty
Harry, French Connection, Die Hard, Lethal
Weapon. There are films that I think are undervalued, like The Last Boy Scout although that’s not
strictly a cop film but is definitely an inspiration
to me. I really that 70s Gordon Parks film The
Super Cops with Ron Leibman which is a real lost
gem. There’s a great film by the Korean director
of The Host called Memories of Murder which is
excellent. It’s funny because there’s sort of echoes
of The Wicker Man in the film but on the flipside there’s that
film Dead & Buried, the Gary Sherman film, which is another
kind of classic “creepy town” kind of film. So we watched
something like 138 films while we were writing as kind of just
the process as just total immersion in the genre. We wanted
to get that point where chimps can turn out Steven Segal
scripts. Where we’d seen so much generic dialogue that we
could come out with some of the zingers from Out for Justice
ourselves.
IT WAS JUST GREAT TO DIRECT THESE PEOPLE YOU’VE
BEEN FANS OF BUT ALSO TO MIX IT UP AND HAVE SCENES
WITH OLDER AND YOUNGER ACTORS BEING FUNNY
TOGETHER. THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING FOR ME.
Simon Pegg: Well you know, it all starts out on index cards
and flip charts and the ideas for reoccurances come up. I
think the idea is to give the audience something to do; something to spot because they watch it but it is quite a complex
process, isn’t it?
Edgar Wright: Yeah, it’s much like your t-shirt (I’m wearing
a t-shirt that reads Flux Capictor + DeLorean + 88mph =
THE FUTURE); it’s a bit of a math problem. By setting things
up, we know what kind of jokes we want to do. And some
of them are just thematic things. I think it kind of comes
from watching films like Raising Arizona and I’m not just
saying this because of your t-shirt, but probably the ultimate
set-up/pay-off film is Back to the Future. That’s one of the
great screenplays of all time and Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale,
I think all their early screenplays are in that vein and a big
inspiration to us.
What was it like managing and working with such a large
and talented cast?
Wright: I think when you’re setting up, you have to let everyone know it’s an ensemble and make sure everyone’s on
board with that idea. I think all of the cast got that aspect of
it and enjoyed that aspect of it because you got at least twenty
people in the film who would be leads in other films. But I
think everyone really appreciated the scale of the script and
the ensemble factor. It was just great to direct these people
you’ve been fans of but also to mix it up and have scenes with
older and younger actors being funny together. That was really exciting for me.
In buddy-action films there tends to be a homoerotic undertone and with this film, you guys decided to make it an
overtone of the relationship. Why not just go full-on and
make it sexual as well?
Pegg: It was really exciting for us as well. To work with
people we admire, like Jim Broadbent: Oscar Winner.
Nick Frost: Because that’s when The X-Files fucked up:
when Mulder and Scully kissed. Simon and I have such great
sexual tension in our private life that if it were on screen, who
knows what would come out of it. Pandora’s…
Wright: Do you contractually have to say he’s an Oscar
winner?
Pegg: Box.
Pegg: Yeah. I was interviewed and I didn’t say it and I got in
trouble. I wish I could say someone was an idiot but everyone
was so nice.
Frost: Pandora’s dirty cockbox.
Wright: There’s the title of the article right there!
Wright: The swan?
Pegg: That’s when it would have become spoof then. If
we had gone that far, it would have become like—everyone
knows there’s homoerotic tension in these buddy films to see
that exists. But also, it’s not quite as simple as them fancying
each other. There’s also something going about about men
just loving each other and showing and just having a genuine affection and not being able to show it because they’re
crippled by their own masculinities. So I think if we had
them suddenly start kissing, it would have descended into
something else that we weren’t interested in doing it.
Pegg: The swan was a fucking idiot. But you can see why
these people are good at what they do and why they get work
time and time again. It’s not just because they turn up to set
and are good at delivering a line. It’s the whole package. It’s
being a gentleman or being a lady and just being a professional.
I think a lot of the strength of both Hot Fuzz and Shaun
draws from a genuine admiration for the genre. Do you
think it’s a contributing factor?
Well what I found interesting is that if Danny (Frost’s
character) had been a woman, there would absolutely be a
sexual relationship with Angel (Pegg’s character).
Pegg: Well we did originally have a character in the script
called Vicki who was a love interest for Angel. It dawned
on us through the writing process that she was really quite
token and that the central relationship was the most important thing and should have the most screentime so we cut the
character but we didn’t cut her lines. We just gave them all to
Danny.
In American action films, we always seem to make the villain European. Was there ever a temptation to have the
main villain be an American?
Wright: I think it was more the flip of that and “lets get ALL
the British baddies in here. Let’s have a British Baddie Party.”
When making this film, was it difficult to draw the line
between making a British film and referencing American
action movies like Point Break and Bad Boys II?
Wright: Well most of the film isn’t directly referencing films; it’s sort displacing the genre. Kind of taking that
overblown American cop film and transplanting it to the
English countryside and that IS the joke. The scene with the
Bad Boys II and Point Break we’re being much more explicit
because they’re watching those films and we like the idea that
Nicolas Angel is a character who had never seen any cop films
so out of all the films Danny chose to show him, he showed
him those two. We thought it would the ultimate Cliffnotes
in action. And you know, we can skip all the Oscar-winning
Pegg: Well people will definitely say, “Is it difficult to
parody and affection?” or rather to the comedy and the
seriousness. But if you don’t have that admiration, then you
can’t help but make it an outright spoof. When you spoof
something you don’t like, you’re just sneering, but we never
sneer when we’re writing. We’re always writing with a great
big smile on our faces.
Wright: You sometimes sneer when you go out and get coffee.
Pegg: That’s because you’re jealous of my ass.
Wright: Simon lost like twenty five pounds. I inherited
them.
Pegg: I left them in a jar and Edgar drank them.
LOCAL EVENTS
Spring
Spring Festival
FestivalGuide
Guide
Great events Happening throughout the Southeast
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
have come to love including crawfish, jambalaya, creole and po' boys. Some of the headlining acts performing this year include Harry
Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, John Mayer, Steely
Dan, Norah Jones, Van Morrison, Ludacris,
Bonnie Raitt, Allman Brothers Band and Jill
Scott. The New Orleans Jazz Fest is an event
that is not to be missed. For more information
visit: www.nojazzfest.com
Piedmont Park
APRIL 13,14 AND 15
Now in it's 71st year the Atlanta Dogwood
Festival is the oldest continuing event in
Atlanta. It provides a wonderful display of arts
and entertainment in Piedmont Park. The nonprofit “Springtime Celebration of the South” is
Atlanta Film Festival APRIL 19-28
offered at no cost to the general public. With
past attendance reaching more than 400,000
this award winning festival continues to draw
Atlanta natives, as well as visitors from across
the country to Piedmont Park for three days
filled with art and entertainment.
This year's festival will take place the weekend
of April 13-15. The Artists Market is the main
attraction at The Dogwood Festival. It includes
booths of more than 200 of the country’s top
painters, photographers, sculptors, glass blowers and craftsman.
The U.S. Disc Dog Southern Nationals is the
largest Frisbee Dog event in the world and
always attracts large crowds.
The Publix Kids Village has become a
Dogwood staple and favorite to many. It is an
interactive zone complete with hands-on-art
projects, games, face painting and activities for
children of all ages.
Another popular attraction, The Rhythm
Tent will be located in the Meadow near 10th
Street and Monroe next to the main stage. This
interactive drum circle will invite Festival fans
to participate in a drum circle led by a facilitator.
The Dogwood Festival will be offering two
stages of live music this year with performances
throughout the day. Zydefunk and Beatlemania
Live will headline the Michelob Light & Coca
Cola Main stage Stage Saturday night.
This year’s festival marks the return of the
popular Rhythm & Blooms party. This is the
second year for the festival’s signature fundraising party. Hors d’ourves, wine, beer, celebratory martinis and special seating are the fare.
Tickets for the event are $100 per person. For
more information on tickets, call 404.817.6642
or visit www.dogwood.org
Georgia Renaissance Festival
Exit 61 -Peachtree City / Fairburn
APRIL 14 - JUNE 3
This spring come join the merriment at the
most spectacular party since Camelot. The
Georgia Renaissance Festival returns for its
22nd anniversary run on weekends and
Memorial Day, April 14th through June 3rd.
Inside the gates of the 15th Century Kingdom
you will find castles and cottages, unique treasures, swordswallowing, jousting, dancing,
music and so much more. Grab a drink at one
of their cheery pubs or shop from one of 150
elaborately adorned vendor booths. You’ll feast
like royalty on a huge variety of delectable
delights including their enormous roasted
turkey legs! Experience a full day of fun with
ten stages of non-stop sword swallowing, rope
walking, juggling, music, dancing, comedic storytelling and interactive shows. New to the festival this year are the Aerial Angels. These high
flying circus artists perform feats of grace,
beauty and strength while suspended in air. For
a rollicking good time this spring visit the
Renaissance Festival, just minutes south of
Atlanta on I-85. For more information:
www.georgiarenaissancefestival.com
Atlanta Steeplechase APRIL 14
Kingston Downs near Rome, Ga.
Saturday April 14 the Atlanta Steeplechase
will celebrate it's 42nd Anniversary with their
annual race. In what has been called "The
Largest Lawn Party in Georgia" thousands of
spectators will come to tailgate and take part in
the festivities.
Atlantic Station Regal Cinemas
Since 1977, the Atlanta Film Festival has
brought independent and international works
to increasingly diverse Southeastern audiences.
As the largest and longest-running film festival
in the Southeast, the Atlanta Film Festival
serves to develop audiences for new, independent, and under-represented media by showcasing works by emerging filmmakers. Featuring
prestigious juried awards the Atlanta Film
Festival is an Academy Award® qualifying festival.
Opening this years festival is “LAST DAYS OF
LEFT EYE” is the newest film in the VH1 Rock
Doc franchise. VH1 Rock Docs are high-end
feature-length documentaries that each reveal
an untold story in the history of rock and hiphop music, combining never-before-seen
footage with a unique and unconventional narrative approach. LAST DAYS OF LEFT EYE
will screen on Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Special guests will include members of Lopes’
family, and a roster of Lopes’ industry friends
and peers. The VIP event screening will be followed by an exclusive Opening Night party at
nearby hot-spot, Strip.
For tickets and information go to
www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com, or visit the Main
Ticket Box Office at the Landmark Midtown
Art Cinema. For additional information call
404.352.4225.
Inman Park Festival APRIL 27-29
and Tour of Homes
The Steeplechase is the event to see and be
seen. As Spring heralds in warm days and
sunny skies, every fashion statement from
designer dresses and showy hats to flip flops
and halter tops can be seen at Kinston Downs.
Gourmet food and tailgate parties are the staple
of the event. Between races, spectators partake
in picnic fare prepared by some of Atlanta’s
finest restaurants.
This year's field of horses and jockeys will
compete for over $175,000 in purse money.
Along with the racing of some of the finest
steeplechase horses in the country attendees
are treated to Jack Russell terrier races, an air
show and the hat contest. Information and tickets available from: www.atlantasteeplechase.org
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival APRIL 27-29 AND MAY 4-6
The 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage
Festival presented by Shell is set for April 2729 and May 4-6 and will feature over 100 local
and national artists spanning such diverse styles
as rock, jazz, reggae,
blues and zydeco
amongst others.
Along with great
tunes you can expect
to find dancing, arts
and crafts and paintings from locally recognized artists.
Vendors will treat festival-goers to all of the
great New Orleans
style cajun food you
Atlanta's eclectic and revered Inman Park
Spring Festival is back again for its 36th year,
Saturday - April 28 through Sunday - April 29,
offering food, music, fun, the city's largest street
market, and its most outrageous parade.
opment. Come see how the old is blending
seamlessly with the new. You can view the
Home Tour from noon to 4 on Friday, April 27
as well before the Festival crowds arrive on
Saturday morning.
Admission to all Festival events is FREE. Tour
of Homes tickets cost $15 in advance; $20 atFestival. For information about the Festival or
Tour of Homes, call their hotline at 770-2424895 or visit www.inmanpark.org/fest2007.php
Atlanta Jazz Festival MAY 26-28
Memorial Day Weekend Piedmont Park
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of presenting
excellence in jazz, the Atlanta Jazz Festival is
back for another year of legendary performances, fine dining and eclectic jazz events all over
the city. While the festival culminates Memorial
Day weekend at Piedmont Park, the Jazz
Festival actually runs the entire 31 days of May,
offering exciting events throughout the city.
The Atlanta Jazz
Festival has
become one of
the premier free
jazz events in the
country! The
30th annual
Atlanta Jazz
Festival offers the
opportunity to
submerse yourself
in the cool sounds
of electric performances, fine
dining and memorable events. The month long schedule of
events features internationally renown jazz
artists and activities throughout the Metro
Atlanta area, culminating with a 3-day festival
of showstopping performances at Piedmont
Park. This year's line-up will feature such critically acclaimed artists as Vijay Iyer Quartet,
Charles Tolliver Big Band, The Bad Plus, Herbie
Hancock Quartet, Flora Purim & Airto, and
Bobby Hutcherson.
The Festival is produced by the City of Atlanta
Office of Cultural Affairs and a majority of
events are FREE and open to the public. Jazz
staples like Churchill Grounds and Apache Café
will host shows all month along with special
events to take place at the High Museum of
Art, the Carter Center and the Rialto Center for
Performing Arts. For more information visit:
www.atlantafestivals.com
Decatur Arts Festival MAY 26-27
Founded in 1889, just two miles from downtown Atlanta, historic Inman Park is the city's
oldest suburb. The Festival is sponsored by the
Inman Park Neighborhood Association (IPNA)
- the non-profit association established in the
early 1970s - to raise funds for local schools,
theaters, libraries, and to improve and maintain
area trees, parks and greenspaces, along with
other community improvements and beautification projects.
The city's quirkiest and colorful parade, led
by the Inman Park Butterfly, and followed by
floats, clowns, jugglers, and the legendary
Kelly's Seed and Feed Marching Abominables.
Another favorite of festival goers is the Kid's
Area, which is sponsored by Publix
Supermarket and includes slides, games, and
other amusements located in Springvale Park.
Grand Marshall for the 2007 Parade is "Baton
Bob," the city's Ambassador of Mirth who can
be seen regularly twirling his way through
Midtown and Downtown.
The festival's home tour includes 14 residences that range from the classic Victorian-era
treasure and Craftsman bungalows to stunning
modern lofts. Also on the tour are two town
homes located in a new, award-winning devel-
Memorial Day Weekend Decatur Square
The City of Decatur invites you to be a part of
the 19th annual Decatur Arts Festival set for
Memorial Day weekend, May 26-27, 2007. A
number of festival events will take place
throughout the month of May leading up to the
final weekend. This interactive, inclusive arts
extravaganza includes art and artists from all
disciplines and features hands-on participatory
art as well as demonstrating and performing
arts. Scheduled venues include:
Outdoor Artists Market - Saturday, May 26,
10am-6pm, Sunday, May 27, 11am-6pm - Over
140 artists set up tents to display and sell their
works on the Square in downtown Decatur.
This juried show offers the best talent from all
over the nation.
Performing Arts Stage - Saturday, May 26,
noon- 4pm, Sunday, May 27, 11:30am-4pm Continuous performing arts every hour from
the community bandstand on the square. This
year's schedule includes performances by The
Dappled Grays, Doria Roberts, Nicole Chillemi,
Kristin Markiton, Geoff Achison, Conundrum,
Kemba Cofield, KUKU, Morgan Rowe,
Bonaventure Quartet, and Delta Moon.
Children's Arts Festival - Saturday, May 26
ONLY, 9:30am-2pm - Plenty of fun for kids of
all ages with lots of hand-on art projects, performers and ponies! The day's activities begin
with a Children's Parade led by the city fire
department.
Other scheduled events will be held at various
locations throughout the month. All events are
free. Call 404.371.9583 or go to www.decaturartsalliance.org for more information.
Epcot International Flower &
Garden Festival APRIL 5-JUNE 3
A flower-festooned pirate ship will drop
anchor and Disney princess topiaries will color
the landscape at the 14th annual Epcot
International Flower & Garden Festival April
5-June 3 at Walt Disney World Resort.
The first-ever pirate ship topiary will feature
Peter Pan and his
nemesis, Captain
Hook, plus Tinker
Bell -- all as intricately designed
topiaries. Pirate
Mickey Mouse and
Princess Minnie
Mouse, plus
Cinderella and
Prince Charming,
Belle and her Beast
from "Beauty and
the Beast," and
other popular char- Photo: Disney/Diana Zalucky
acters make topiary appearances throughout
the park.
Each evening, Flower Power concerts will rock
the park with live entertainment from top acts
of the 1960s and '70s. This year's scheduled acts
include The Guess Who, Davy Jones, Jose
Feliciano, The Box Tops and more.
Some of the kids' activities for this event
include an upgraded, fun-filled Tinker Bell's
Fairy Garden, the new Pluto's Play Zone with
climber, Disney character meet-and-greets and
daily ladybug releases.
More information call 407/W-DISNEY (9347639) or visit disneyworld.com/flower. The festival, including all gardening programs and
exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Big Bugs & Killer Plant’s APRIL 28-OCT. 31
The buzz begins at the Atlanta Botanical
Garden April 28 when thirteen gargantuan
insects sculpted from hardwoods electrify and
thrill Garden visitors. Zoologically accurate,
sculptor David Roger’s Big Bugs popular exhibition provides insightful perspective on insect
predators, pollinators and beneficial critters.
The sculptures, many the size of small planes,
vary in weight from 30 to 1200 pounds, and
range in size from 7 feet to 25 feet in length.
Come early to see the movies and join in a
new Atlanta tradition: Wine Tasting at the Fox
beginning at 5:30 p.m. Relax and unwind
between work and the show, meet your friends
and mix and mingle! Dates and shows were not
availbale as of press time but for information
about the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival or
the Fabulous Fox Theatre visit their web site at
www.foxtheatre.org.
Nestled amongst trees in the quaint suburbs of
Mableton, Georgia, the award-winning Mable
House Barnes Amphitheatre is a beautifully
landscaped and covered amphitheatre which
boasts of intimate dining table seating protected from the weather, more than 1200 covered,
oversized seats, spacious aisles and a cozy lawn
to lounge on.
Some of this years performances include The
Manhattan Transfer (May 19th); The Little
River Band (June 8th); Kevin Eubanks (June
16th); LOVERBOY (July 20th); and Three Mo’
Tenors w/ The Cobb Symphony Orchestra (July
27th). For more information visit
www.theMHBA.com
Fox Theatre Film Festival
Bugs aren’t all that are new this spring, killer
plants are highlighted in this outdoor exhibit as
well. The Garden displays living bogs filled
with carnivorous and companion plants outdoors in the conservation garden.
For more information on the Atlanta Botanical
Garden , please visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org or phone 404-876-5859.
Mable House Barnes
Amphitheatre
5239 Floyd Rd. Mableton, Georgia
Taste of Alpharetta MAY 17
Old Milton Pkwy. @ Wills Park
The largest "Taste of" festival in the South
moves to an ALL NEW LOCATION for its
17th year! Dine at over 70 restaurants in one
unforgettable night that's become an annual
tradition for 70,000 families, foodies and festival-goers. Sample delicious appetizers, entrees
and desserts, experience the new Culinary Arts
area featuring chef's competition, cooking
demonstrations and exhibits. Bring a blanket to
the new concert lawn for live jazz, rock and
contemporary music. Play at the Kids Zone or
Fun Zone for older kids. Party with12 metro
radio stations. After dinner, stroll the Artist
Market for one of a kind finds or visit the new
Community Corner. Free admission and parking. Info: www.alpharetta.ga or (678) 2976000, ext. 1006.
High Museum of Art MAY 19
The Artful Garden Tour
The Coca-Cola Fox Film Festival Series
offers an outstanding line-up of the year’s
biggest realeases as well as some of the classic
movies of all time. Last season featured blockbusters including Crash, Raiders of the Lost
Ark, Brokeback Mountain, King Kong,
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and V for Vendetta.
High Museum of Art’s “The Artful Garden
Tour” will feature six of Atlanta’s finest gardens
showcasing traditional garden art, modern and
classic outdoor sculpture, and whimsical art in
contemporary, traditional, formal and informal
garden environments.
The Tour highlights local and regional artists
such as Martin Dawe, Glen Dair and the late
Christine Sibley. In addition to art pieces with-
VOTED BEST CAJUN - 2006 Insite Magazine
VOTED BEST NEW RESTAURANT & BEST NEW CAJUN
- 2006 Creative Loafing
in the gardens, additional artists will paint during the Tour and potters will dress the garden
tables.
The gardens
selected for this
year’s Tour are
located in Druid
Hills, Decatur,
Northlake, and
Stone Mountain.
The Tour will be
held on Saturday,
May 19, 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance; $18 day of
event; $10 groups of 10 or more. Tickets may be
purchased online at: www.high.org/gardentour
or at retail locations listed on the site on or
before April 1
ASO Classic Chastain
4469 Stella Dr. NW; Chastain Park
Chastain Amphitheatre is one of the great
outdoor concert venues in the country. It is a
place where wine and cheese among candle light
converge with often raucous concerts. This
year’s line-up will not disappoint. Top performances include: David Sanborn (June 20); Natalie
Cole (June 27); Diana Krall & Chris Botti (July
18); Morrissey (July 20); and OAR (July 21). For
ticket information visit www.classicchastain.com
The Warped Tour JULY 18
Hi Fi Buys Amphitheatre
The Vans Warped Tour returns once again to
our fair city this summer with another solid
lineup. The Warped Tour is well established as
America's longest-running touring festival,
breaking up-and-coming indie talent as well as
showcasing established artists for the past 12
years. It has played a major role in bringing
punk-rock/skate/action sports culture from the
underground to the forefront of American youth
culture.
Bands for the 45-date
tour that Alternative
Press readers voted the
"Best Tour/Festival" of
2006 and Rolling Stone
called "America's most
successful festival"
(2005) have been
revealed via the tour's
website: www.warpedtour.com/warpedtour/band.asp. Some of the
bands confirmed to appear include Everytime I
Die, Underoath, NOFX, Motion City
Soundtrack, Against Me, The Casualities,
Hellogoodbye, Silverstein, Bouncing Souls, Rise
Against, Senses Fall, Saves The Day, Helmet, and
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.
Many more performers are being added along
with tons of skaters and BMX riders. For ticket
and show info visit: www.warpedtour.com
Screen on the Green
Piedmont Park
Begins MAY 31
Bonnaroo Music Festival
JUNE 14-17
The sixth annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts
Festival will take place June 14 - 17. The threeday camping and music festival will once again
be held on the same 700-acre farm in
Manchester, TN, 60 miles southeast of
Nashville. The three day camping event is
described as a "one of a kind cultural happening"
featuring cross-genre musical artists playing to
feverish crowds. In addition to the dozens of
musical acts, a wide array of art, entertainment
options and food and beverages are available.
Highlighting this year’s festival is the much
anticipated reunion of The Police. Other
notable acts include Tool, Widespread Panic and
Ben Harper. For ticket information go to:
www.bonnaroo.com
A Van Michael
Cut for
$25!
Find the flip-flops and unpack the cargo shorts:
Atlanta’s favorite weekly summertime experience, Screen on the Green, is coming back for
an eighth year at sunset Thursday, May 31, in
beautiful Piedmont Park. Turner Classic Movies
and Piedmont Park Conservancy will kick off
the annual film festival, which last year hosted
more than 75,000 moviegoers, with one of the
most romantic films of all time – Casablanca
(1942), starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid
Bergman.
It will offer Atlantans five consecutive
Thursday evenings perfect for picnicking with
friends or family on a swath of park land in front
of a 45-by-24-foot movie screen.
The complete viewing schedule for 2007 is as
follows: May 31 Casablanca; June 7 Car Wash;
June 14 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid;
June 21 Funny Girl; June 28 E.T.
Piedmont Park’s “meadow” area, directly
behind The Park Tavern, will play host to Screen
on the Green’s five-week run. The nearest park
entrance to the screening area is located at 10th
Street and Monroe Drive. Local bands will start
playing at approximately 7 p.m. and all movies
begin at sunset, approximately 9 p.m.
Decatur!
For hometown festivals, fun, food and shopping
Buckhead
Atlanta
Decatur
Stone
Mtn.
I-20
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Decatur Arts Festival • May 26 & 27 • All around the square in downtown Decatur, Georgia • www.decaturartsalliance.org
��
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Decatur Beach Party • June 15 • 5 pm ’til midnight. Purchase advance tickets at xorbia.com; $10 at gate • www.decaturdba.com
��
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Free concerts Wednesdays and Saturdays in May • See what’s new on the square! • Free Shopping, Dining & Services Guide
��
We have nearly 200 shops, boutiques, restaurants, pubs, galleries and salons
offering hometown service you just can’t find at the mall. We’re easy to find,
inside I-285, just minutes south of Buckhead. We’ve got plenty of parking and
most destinations are a short, pleasant walk from our downtown square at the
intersection of Clairemont and Ponce de Leon avenues.
404-371-8386 • www.decaturga.com
Decatur_Insite_April.indd 1
Advertising funded with proceeds from the Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival.
3/28/07 5:43:21 PM
SPORTS PREVIEW
Building a Winner
Boston did it in ’04. The Chicago White Sox shocked us in ’05. St. Louis, even with the
injuries, won last year. Does your favorite team have all the necessary parts to win in ‘07?
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
T
HOSE DRESSER DRAWERS AT
Target and IKEA look so nice on the
display and appear so easy to assemble from looking at the box, don’t they? But
as soon as you get home and realize screws
don’t fit and parts have been nailed in backwards, you realize doing the task properly is
actually quite challenging. That’s kinda what
it’s like being a general manager in the Major
Leagues. Look, all you need is a great offense, they say. Riiiight. And exactly how did
that work out for the Yankees last year? With
enough quality pitchers on the
hill, you can’t be beat! Sure.
The Cleveland Indians, even with their
AL-leading 13
shutouts, didn’t
come close to
making the
postseason a
year ago.
To put
together
a championshipcaliber
squad,
GMs are
going to
need lots of
things: a cell
phone with
great reception,
some antacids, a
few dependable bats,
steady arms in the bullpen, a touch of the White
Sox’s ’05 spunk and a smidgen
of St. Louis’ ’06 good luck. Of course, we
won’t know exactly which teams have what
until mid June. Until then, keep a close eye
out on your team, watch out for that dream
Boston/Chicago Cubs match-up and hold on
to your receipt, as you might want to return
everything you bought in April by the July
all-star break.
GOT IT ALL TOGETHER
1. BOSTON RED SOX- Unless you live
in the Bronx, there’s not a whole lot not to
like about this team. They hit (David Ortiz,
Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew), pitch (Closing
sensation Jonathan Papelbon gives it a go as
a starter) and speak with great Asian accent
(Japanese superstar Daisuke Matsuzaka).
The two-year curse is over.
2. CHICAGO CUBS- If the injury bug (1B
Derrek Lee and pitchers Kerry Wood and
Mark Prior missed most of ’06) doesn’t bite
as bad, the Cubbies are in excellent shape
for an October run. We hate seeing manager
Dusty Baker go (Lou Piniella’s the new skipper), but we love seeing lefty Ted Lilly and
super outfielder Alfonso Soriano come.
NEED MINIMAL PARTS
3. LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANA
HEIM- Their name sucks. Their pitching
does not. And you have to love a team with
workhorses in the infield (Orlando Cabrera,
Chone Figgins) and stallions in the outfield
(Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero, Gary
Matthews Jr.).
4. NEW YORK METS- There isn’t a team
competing with the Mets on the offensive
end in the National League—maybe all of
baseball. But for all the wondrous things
Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David
Wright do, none can do anything about all
the question marks coming from the starting
pitching.
5. DETROIT TIGERS- The hurlers are
young (Jeremy Bonderman), gifted (AL
rookie of the year Justin Verlander) and talk
smack (Kenny Rogers). With the addition of
Gary Sheffield’s active bat, the reigning AL
champs should be thinking repeat.
6. LOS ANGELES DODGERS- What you
want, power? Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff
Kent still have some. Speed? Juan Pierre’s
got plenty. Youth? Andre Ethier and Wilson
Betemit have more than bright futures.
Clutch pitching? Jason Schmidt and Derek
Lowe are working on that.
7. NEW YORK YANKEES- The
starting rotation is a beautiful mess (Chien-Ming
Wang can throw 96;
Mike Mussina is
nearly 96!). The
all-world batting
order (Hideki
Matsui bats
7th!) is just
beautiful.
Toss an
indecisive
Roger Clemens potentially into
the fold and
a first World
Series since
2000 seems
within reach.
8. FLORIDA
MARLINS- There’s
potential all over, be
it on the mound (Josh
Johnson), at short (Hanley
Ramirez) or in right (Jeremy Hermida). As long as “old timers” Miguel Cabrera
and Dontrelle Willis can keep’em focused,
the crafty Marlins will mature nicely.
9. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS- Everyone
knows how great Albert Pujols (.331/49/137)
is. We all know that the Cards’ regular season mark (83-78) was one of the worst ever
by an eventual World Series champ. Most
realize the weight on righty Chris Carpenter’s shoulders as the staff leader. Nobody’s
expecting a repeat.
10. CHICAGO WHITE SOX- If the Sox’s
top-shelf pitchers (we’re thinking Mark
Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland)
each get 15 victories, Chicago will win
the AL Central. If they don’t, Jim Thome,
Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko have their
work cut out for them at the plate.
11. MINNESOTA TWINS- The team can’t
dwell on last year’s postseason collapse, Brad
Radke’s retirement and Francisco Liriano’s
season-killing injury. What it should look
towards, however, are great numbers from
starter Johan Santana, closer Joe Nathan and
MVP winner Justin Morneau.
12. TORONTO BLUE JAYS- Vernon Wells
is the real deal at centerfield. The same thing
can be said about Frank Thomas’ resurgence
at the plate. Roy Halladay is official on the
mound. Too bad he rubs pitching shoulders
with a bunch of fakes.
13. HOUSTON ASTROS- Though future
stud Hunter Pence was sent to the minors
in late March, there’s plenty to look forward
to in Houston. For starters, Carlos Lee and
Lance Berkman in the 3-4 holes. And when
it comes to finishers, Brad Lidge is still one
of the best in the game.
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED
14. CLEVELAND INDIANS- If you don’t
know Grady Sizemore (ML-leading 92 extra-
base hits) and Travis Hafner (42 HR, 117
RBI) by face now, blame the Indians PR department. If you don’t know them by August,
blame your own ignorance.
15. TEXAS RANGERS- We really like
veteran speedster Kenny Lofton at the top of
this lineup. He’ll complement the meaty bats
of Mark Teixeira and Michael Young nicely.
It’s just too bad Lofton can’t liven up the
lethargic pitching roster.
16. ATLANTA BRAVES- So, this is the
first time since 1992 that the Bravos won’t
show off a new division crown placard at
the Ted. Perpetual pros John Smoltz and
the Brother Joneses will do all they can to
change that for next season. They’ll need
LOTS of help from kids Brian McCann, Jeff
Francoeur and Scott Thorman.
17. OAKLAND A’S- You do realize the
cash-strapped Athletics won 96 games last
year? You do know that dandy pitchers Dan
Haren, Rich Harden and Huston Street were
all born in the 80s? You do understand that
DH Mike Piazza still has some thump left in
his bat?
18. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES- We’re
huge Chase Utley fans around here. Call us
old fashion, but we love guys that hit for
average and hustle every play. We’re also big
into fellas who can hit it 500 feet (NL MVP
Ryan Howard) and smash 50 doubles (Jimmy
Rollins).
19. BALTIMORE ORIOLES- The O’s
have a good-looking, young pitching staff
(lefty Eric Bedard has more power than a
chainsaw). Miguel Tejada is now backed by
Aubrey Huff in the lineup. They’re still too
far back of the Yanks and Sox.
20. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS- Calling
all gossipers! We’re in for one very interesting year at AT&T Park. Hmm, what’s going
to attract more headlines, Barry Zito’s
20-win season or Barry Bonds’ controversial
march towards Hank Aaron’s career home
run mark? Don’t answer that.
21. MILWAUKEE BREWERS- If you’re
looking for a sleeper pick in ’07, the Brew
Crew might be it. They’ve got the pitching
(Ben Sheets, Chris Capuano), power (Bill
Hall had 35 HRs a year ago) and potential
star (Prince Fielder). They’re approaching
.500. Promise.
22. PITTSBURGH PIRATESMan, this blue-collar bunch
is just one sturdy bat away
from seriously competing
in the NL Central. Until
the front-office locates
that piece of lumber,
LF Jason Bay and
one of the league’s
more hard-working rotations will
be putting in
overtime.
23. SAN
DIEGO PA
DRES- Having
Greg Maddux
come in to win
a few games
and mentor a
couple of future
pitching gems
(Jake Peavy,
Chris Young) was
very smart. Whoever was the jackass
that thought this
lineup could put up
offensive numbers needs
to lose his job.
24. Cincinnati Reds- One
thing about Brandon Phillips, Adam Dunn
and most of the Reds hitters: they don’t get
cheated at the plate. Sadly, Ken Griffey Jr’s
injuries have cheated him of even better
career numbers. The only way this team gets
into the playoffs with their current pitching
is by cheating.
25. SEATTLE MARINERS- Like Ichiro
Suzuki some years back, spell check is going
to come in handy when getting flashy shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt’s name correctly.
Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson spell p-ow-e-r, but the M’s can’t get pitching right to
save their lives.
COMING APART BEFORE THE START
26. KANSAS CITY ROYALS- The butt of
more jokes than Britney Spears’ head, the
Royals are well on their way to respectability.
And it’ll come sooner rather than later if
free-agent pick-up Gil Meche throws strikes
and 3B prospect Alex Gordon lives up to the
hype.
27. TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS- See the
Sports Illustrated story on the D-Backs being the hot team for 2010? It was only half
kidding. Delmon Young, B.J. Upton, Jorge
Cantu, Scott Kazmir, Carl Crawford and
Rocco Baldelli are superb young talents.
2007, tops!
28. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS- The
starting pitching –NL Cy Young winner
Brandon Webb, Livan Hernandez and prodigal son Randy Johnson- is good enough to
win games. The middle of the order –Chad
Tracy, Conor Jackson and Eric Byrnes- is far
from it.
29. WASHINGTON NATIONALS- The
Nats are building a $611 million stadium
for the ’08 season. As for this year’s Capitol
Hill highlights, beyond Obama’s presidential
announcement and Ryan Zimmerman’s (47
doubles, 110 RBI) pop, there aren’t any.
30. COLORADO ROCKIES- Honestly, the
lineup (one with ready-to-bolt Todd Helton
and the ready-to-be-a-star Matt Holliday
in the middle) ain’t that bad. But truthfully,
that inexperienced pitching and that milehigh climate are.
SPORTS NEWS
A Reason to Like Kobe
BY ANDREA M. HATTER
D
ON’T TELL ME YOU LIKE HIM,”
my cousin said, referring to my newfound respect for Kobe Bryant. “He
makes me sick,” she said.
And alarmingly – or for some not so alarmingly – that is the consensus among several
thousands of sports fans on the former media
darling. Recently, during a game trip to Philadelphia, he was booed. A reporter attributed it
to Philly’s sense of city pride, the fact that many
of its citizens have not forgiven Kobe for leaving. “As if he had a choice,” the writer penned.
But my [unscientific] research on the matter
has found otherwise. Court talent notwithstanding, because so many sports enthusiasts
overlook his off the court troubles in appreciation of his hardwood dominance, Kobe has
become a bit of an “O.J. guy.” He alienated
women by cheating on his wife. The rape allegation further estranged the demographic, and
though the case was ultimately dropped, several
still see the veteran with a jaundiced eye. Intellectuals saw past the legal stuff, but disdained
his naïveté about the situation, considering
the absence of prophylactics and his reported
ignorance about pre-ejaculation to be foolish.
A cadre of NBA professionals and sportswriters
found him cocky and prima donna-like. Then,
project of his Vivo Foundation, to bridge the
gap between the African-American and Latino
communities, two demographics suffering from
staggering levels of economic and social disparities, though nationwide there are concerns
about “black-brown tension.”
“Absolutely. It’s goin’ on out here as well. It’s
a shame to see because [blacks and Latinos are]
in the same boat. My wife’s Latina, our children
are African-American/Latino babies, so it hurts
us to see that goin’ on, so we want to try to limit
that as much as possible.”
He is afraid of the new black nativism that
has reared its ugly head in American society.
It mirrors the sentiments espoused by white
supremacy: anti-immigrant, anti-anyone different. Recently, at an AFC/NFC championship
watch party, I overheard a woman say that she
didn’t care about Lovie Smith winning because
his wife isn’t black.
“That’s ignorance. Just ignorance,” Kobe
stressed. “We as black people, if we want to get
to a place where there’s truly equality, and we
truly don’t look at race, then you have to get beyond looking at race yourself and start looking
at things in a colorblind format. Not identifying
Tony Dungy as a black coach, or Lovie Smith
as a black coach – just look at them as coaches.
Then, when you, yourself – you personally – get
to that point, then society will follow, but it has
WE AS BLACK PEOPLE, IF WE WANT TO GET TO A PLACE
WHERE THERE’S TRULY EQUALITY, AND WE TRULY DON’T
LOOK AT RACE, THEN YOU HAVE TO GET BEYOND LOOKING
AT RACE YOURSELF AND START LOOKING AT THINGS
IN A COLORBLIND FORMAT.
on top of everything else, his violation of locker
room code really grated guys’ skin.
One of my co-workers told me, “It was totally
unnecessary to bring up Shaq. He put that
man’s business in the street. That was a punk
move.”
By 2004, he’d become a public relations nightmare. McDonald’s and Nutella terminated their
endorsement contracts with him. The Lakers
broke up, sending Shaquille O’Neal to Miami,
and Phil Jackson left as well. Months later, Jackson released a book labeling Bryant “uncoachable.” Kobe haters everywhere delighted in what
seemed to be karmic retribution. Despite a
public apology, almost four years, and an ESPN
heart-to-heart explaining his regret over the
Shaq debacle, he remains the target of aggregate
antipathy.
Even after snatching 81 points last year
against Toronto, thus reclaiming his highlight
reel prominence, he was labeled a ball hog. It
seems he can’t do anything right.
“It was hurtful to hear that kind of stuff,’” Bryant said in his ESPN interview.
He also talked about the rape case and how
the media hoopla started getting to him.
“[Phil] told me, ‘Let it roll off your back.’ So I
tried. But it was a long summer.”
Then, brick by brick, Kobe rebuilt himself.
Most people remember the gargantuan apology
rock he bought his wife, Vanessa. With the
Lakers, he took a new role as the authoritative
leader who gets everyone involved, choosing
to hand the ball off (to chumps who’ll miss)
instead of taking the shots himself. Outside, he
aimed to be more approachable. He changed
his number to 24 to signify a change. Maturity,
if you will. Started calling himself The Black
Mamba, after the snake. (There’s also a comic
book character by that name.) He says the new
number represents 24 hours a day, one day at
a time. (I think it’s more of his man-crush on
Jordan. 23, 24 anyone?) With it, he’s regained
the #1 selling jersey in the league, which is great
to know but since Adidas owns the league jerseys, and he’s a Nike man, it’s not a top-drawer
topic for him. These days he’s really focused on
education and society.
He started the Vivo Del Mondo program, a
to start internally.
“My parents raised me to be worldwide. I
grew up in Italy. So I came back not knowing
color. That’s how they raised me.”
So he wants to open the world to children
here that wouldn’t normally get the chance to
see The Louvre or Michaelangelo’s David, to
not only read about history, but touch it, and
see that people aren’t terrorists simply because
they’re immigrants. Kobe is adamant about
having the kids to learn independently and
evaluate information on their own, rather than
digesting what’s given to them.
“What we try to do is give them an opportunity to broaden their horizons, goin’ over
to Europe, for example. For me, growin’ up
over there just opened me up to a whole other
world. So that’s what I try to do with them. A
lot of times, what I see with kids is that their
scope is confined to what they see and only the
world that they know. So what we want to do
is broaden that world. Take them to Italy, to
Spain, France, Asia, and expose them to another
culture. Hopefully inspire them.”
In this day and age, television is the center
of the household. It’s become the single most
important tool of thought control in the world,
which is scary when you think of how much
pointlessness is actually aired in America.
When Oprah was looking for a place to open
her school, she first looked to inner city kids.
School after school, she asked the children what
they wanted. Each answered, resoundingly,
with dreams of superfluity.
“I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city
schools that I stopped going,” she said. “The
sense that you need to learn just isn’t there. If
you ask the kids what they want or need, they
will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South
Africa, they don’t ask for money or toys. They
ask for uniforms so they can go to school.”
It doesn’t take long to find that Kobe sees the
same problem.
“There’s a treadmill theory, where kids are
pretty much running in place in the inner city,”
he explained.
So a very aggressive second undertaking is
a school for inner city kids, called The Vivo
Academy.
“We’d like to start it in Philadelphia. The reason being, a
lot of the kids I knew growin’
up weren’t fortunate enough to
[attend] a Lower Merion High
School. If you go to Lower
Merion, and get a 3.0, 3.8 gpa,
that opens the doors to Harvard, Stanford, so forth and so
on. You go to public school
in the inner city, and get the
same grades, that doesn’t open
the door as much. So there’s
the effect of just running in
place, it’s always an uphill
battle. So what we want to do
is build an academy, give it the
toughest curriculum possible,
and put it right there in the
inner city. And for kids that
go to this school, you get a 3.0
or 4.0 here, it’s gonna open the
doors to everything. Whether
you wanna go to college or
not, that’s your choice, but
you will learn and you will
be armed and you will have
weapons to make the choices
yourself. And not have society
or culture make the choices for you.”
The passion in his voice about a subject so
important to the thread of our nation – education – superceded, at least to me, all of the
highlight nonsense on the sports channels. All
of the questions about whether or not he’s a
cool guy…out of the window. It’s not important.
What’s important to Kobe is being alive and getting to know this world in which we live, which
is noble enough to respect.
Just days after our talk, I flipped on the tele
PHOTO: ANDREA M. HATTER
and found the flashy lip flappers busy labeling Kobe as a dirty player. Sure, every guy has
their way of intimidating opponents – i.e., the
wild whipping motions that most players make
after rebounding a ball in the pivot – and he’s
no different. Or it could actually be the way he
shoots, a la Reggie Miller’s swim shot. I think
real NBA watchers would agree that when it
comes to dirty, he’s no Karl Malone! However,
in today’s media, there’s always a reason to hate
Kobe.
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FANATIC
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
“Tubby couldn’t figure out how to fix it, so now Tubby is
gone to Minnesota, and I’ve got news for the good folks at
Minnesota who clearly haven’t been paying attention to the
details at Kentucky: Unless Tubby changes his ways, he’ll flop
at Minnesota. I mean, he’ll be a complete and total failure. If
he couldn’t attract marquee players at Kentucky -- Kentucky
for God’s sake -- how is he all of a sudden going to bring
them to maudlin Minnesota?” –CBS Sportsline’s GREGG
DOYEL on the
Gophers’ hiring
of former Kentucky head coach
Tubby Smith
MARSHALL
FAULK, a seventime Pro Bowler
and future hall
of fame running
back, ended his
illustrious NFL
career with a
retirement
announcement
in late March.
While
football
fans know about
most of his eyepopping
stats,
Fanatic’s
found
a handful you
might not have
know about the
super man in the
#24 jersey. Faulk
Fact 1: Marshall
is number 18 on
the list of career
receptions in the
NFL.
SPORTS NEWS
Must-See TV
A Monthly Sports
Wrap-up
“The decision by Roland Garros today closes one chapter
in the history of tennis and opens an exciting new one that
will positively impact opportunities for women and girls in
sport and society.” –LARRY SCOTT, WTA Tour chief executive, after French Open officials announced the tournament would give male and female participants equal pay
for playing.
Faulk Fact 4: During a brilliant senior year at New Orleans’ George Washington Carver High, the versatile Faulk
intercepted
11
passes.
No matter how
they
finished
in the Women’s
NCAA
tourney,
the Marist Red
Foxes should wag
their tails proudly.
Upsets over No.
7 OHIO STATE
and No. 16 MID
DLE TENNESSEE
STATE could easily qualify as the
biggest surprises
–women or menof the postseason.
Faulk Fact 5: In
his rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts,
Marshall was responsible for 40%
of the team’s total
offense.
Marshall Faulk announced his retirement in late March. And finally…
During the
March 22 Lakers/
Grizzlies game, the Memphis/Texas A&M NCAA game was
“Remember that suspension two weeks ago? I think this shown on the jumbotron before officials asked that it not
has motivated him. I don’t know if we like to have suspen- be shown because the crowd’s reaction was distracting play
sions all of the time work for us, but there were some things on the court…England’s just-opened soccer facility, Wembthere that motivated him.” –LA Lakers coach PHIL JACK ley Stadium, cost over $1.5 billion to build… Anybody else
SON, referring to Kobe Bryant’s one-game suspension think the lightning-quick signing of Kentucky’s Randolph
for hitting Minnesota’s Marko Jaric, after his star’s fourth Morris by the Knicks seems fishy… Only 4% of participants
straight 50+ game
in last year’s College World Series were black… Yeah, what
Kobe’s doing is amazing, but the late Wilt Chamberlain
Faulk Fact 2: In 1992, the San Diego State sensation fin- once scored 50+ in 12 games over an 18-month span… In
ished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
early March, the Dallas Mavs became the first team in NBA
“When we first learnt of Bob’s death a wave of sadness history to earn 51 wins in a 56-game span within a single
washed over the whole of the cricket community. That sad- season…Dallas inquired about the possibility of Reggie
ness has now been replaced with a profound sense of shock Miller coming out of retirement to play the remainder of
at the news that his death is being treated as murder and the season… UNLV’s Lon Kruger, Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stalleveryone connected with this event will assist the police ings and Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery might all here
in any way possible to ensure the truth emerges.” –Interna- from Michigan about its men’s hoops coaching vacancy…
tional Cricket Council Chief Executive MALCOLM SPEED, Sochi, Russia, Salzburg, Austria and Pyeongchang, South
just days after Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer’s body was Korea appear to be the front-runners to host the ’14 Winter
found in a hotel room during the sport’s World Cup
Games…And yes, the Elite 8 match-ups really were some
Faulk Fact 3: From ’99-01, Faulk was either the No. 1 or No. of the most exciting late-season college games we’ve seen
2 ranked fantasy football player.
in a long time.
Top 5 Games This Month
The Masters
1
2
April 5-8 (Various, CBS) Barry Bonds and
pharmaceutical jokes. The Atlanta Hawks
and fourth quarter collapses. Tiger Woods
and the azaleas at Augusta National. Some
things simply go together.
LA Lakers at
Phoenix
April 13 (10:30PM, ESPN) Though they’re
playing just five days earlier in Cali, this
second match-up should be even more
bananas, thanks to some of the craziest fans
in all the NBA over in the desert.
3
4
NFL Draft
5
Buffalo at
Pittsburgh
April 27 (3PM, ESPN) JaMarcus Russell,
Calvin Johnson or Brady Quinn? Either way
Oakland goes with the first pick, they can’t
possibly be any worse than they were a year
ago this time.
New York Yankees
at Boston
April 22 (8PM, ESPN) You’re just getting
over Duke/UNC and here this rivalry stirs
back up? With these two potent lineups, we
promise all the early-season hype will be
worth it.
April 3 (7PM, Versus) The best team (the
Sabres) vs. the best player (Penguins’ Sidney
Crosby). A six-man brawl in the third period
is the only thing that could make this game
any better.
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CELEBRITY GOSSIP
Wanton
Distraction
Skewed Views on Entertainment News
BY MATT GOLDBERG
COURTNEY LOVE has brought attention
to the fact that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s
plans to work as camp counselors for the fifth
season of their television The Simple Life is illadvised seeing as drugs were readily available at
Hilton’s recent birthday party. Ladies and Gentlemen, when Courtney Love has become your
voice of reason, then it’s time to step back and
reconsider your existence.
The popular Web 2.0 encyclopedia WIKIPE
DIA tried to kill comedian Sinbad last week by
claiming that he had passed away. Sinbad responded that rumors of his demise were greatly
exaggerated. However, suspicions were raised
that this may just be a publicity stunt when the
writer of the comment was discovered to have
the screen-name “WomenBeShoppin4Eva”.
BEST BUY and UNIVERSAL PICTURES
have teamed up to give away $15 million in film
tickets for the “inspirational” film Peaceful Warriror. The film was released last year and no one
saw it. And this is what happens when one executive says “I couldn’t give tickets away for this
movie!” and the producer says “Oh yeah?” and
then I get to write a short blurb making fun of
it. Everyone wins. Except those two guys. Really, it’s just me who wins. Which is just as cool
if not moreso.
Nip/Tuck adds a lot of celebrities to this coming season.
nately, Chippy is in talks for an hour-long drama
over at Fox.
NEW LINE CINEMA has aquired the film
rights to the popular XBOX 360 game, Gears of
CAPRICORN
CANCER
The sun is shining brightly in
your house of domesticity this month,
offering a chance to strengthen family
bonds, redocorate, or simply do that
spring cleaning you’ve been putting off.
Focus on your career this
month, as Saturn begins to move foward
in your finance sector, encouraging you
to make positive changes. It’s a great
time for a new job or negotiating a raise.
AQUARIUS
LEO
Early April will likely prove a
bumpy ride for many Aquarians, but the
road will be a lot smoother if you can
find a way to let go of something that’s
clearly not working for you.
Feeling a bit of wanderlust
lately? This is the perfect time for a
weekend getaway or a big vacation, as
activities outside your usual environment
will prove highly rewarding.
PISCES
VIRGO
Mischievous Uranus may make
it seem like circumstances are beyond
your control this month, but trust that
this turn of events is a result of your
deepest subconscious needs.
With Uranus wreaking havoc,
Virgo life this month will be anything but
boring. Expect change in a relationship,
whether your partner gets a new job or
someone new enters your love life.
ARIES
LIBRA
With the sun in Aries, this is a
time of rebirth, renewal and making
future plans. Expect heightened
balance and insight, with the pieces of
your life seeming to fall into place.
With the sun highlighting your
relationshiop zone, your love life may
either take a bold leap forward or come
to a halt. Either way, allow situations to
unfold fully before adding your 2¢.
TAURUS
SCORPIO
Dec. 22nd thru Jan. 20th
Jan. 21st thru Feb. 19th
Feb. 20th thru Mar. 20th
Mar. 21st thru Apr. 20
Apr. 21st thru May 21th
Venus’ sweetness and light will
soon be replaced by a desire to hide
yourself away. It’s OK to focus on your
dreams, but don’t become such a hermit
that you miss opportunities.
July 24th thru Aug. 23rd
Aug. 24th thru Sept. 23rd
Sept. 24th thru Oct. 23rd
Oct. 24th thru Nov. 22nd
This month brings an emphasis
on work, offering an opportunity to improve your financial situation.
But even if you get a new job or promotion, be careful to save rather than
SAGITTARIUS
With Venus entering your sign
and the sun in your collaboration zone,
you’ll be on top of the world this month.
With your wit and charm, expect people
to be drawn to you like a magnet!
The sun is in your pleasure zone
this month. But despite your best efforts
to balance your work, social and family
obligations, don’t be surprised if others
prove less than enthusiastic.
May 22nd thru June 21s
War. The totally fucking awesome game (that’s
not me being vulgar; I have to describe it like that
or Microsoft will take my thumbs; and I need my
thumbs), focuses on a post-apocalyptic world
where creatures called Locusts have destroyed
June 22nd thru July 23rd
GEMINI
ANGELINA JOLIE is set to join Mr. Tumnus
(better known as James McAvoy) in the adaptation of the comic book Wanted. Written by
Mark Miller, the book tells the story of a loser
who discovers he’s the progeny of a supervillain
and the world is run by supervillains and he can
do anything he wants. It’s a terribly written book
that no one---wait. The Geico Cavemen just got
their own sitcom? Nevermind.
FX’s NIP/TUCK continues to be the popular
place for celebrity cameos. This season Madonna, Nicole Kidman, and Sandra Bullock are
already rumored for roles on the plastic-surgery
drama. By the way, if you’re looking for a way to
turn your cosmetic surgery into a tax write-off,
might I suggest appearing on Nip/Tuck?
LANCE BASS has decided to writing an autobiography where he discusses his time in N’Sync,
his attempt to go into space, and his coming out
of the closet. Some copies of the book have already leaked. Sources say it’s a children’s pop-up
book and that it’s wildly inappropriate.
The GEICO CAVEMEN will be the basis for a
new sitcom on ABC. Based on the fifteen second
ads where the Caveman mock political correctness, the pilot narrowly beat out a show based on
the squirrel who can ride on water skis. Fortu-
Earth and as Marcus Fenix, you and your ragtag
team of soldiers are humanity’s last hope. Unfortunately, you look exactly like the Locusts from
a distance and that’s why I keep killing my own
teammates.
Nov. 23rd thru Dec. 21st
See it
Online!
www.insiteatlanta.com
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Speaking to a film class at Cal State University
at Northridge, MEL GIBSON was addressed by
Assistant Professor of Central American Studies
who told him that his film inaccurately and negatively depicted the Mayan culture. Gibson, with
all the aplomb and dignity of a true scholar responded, “Lady, fuck off!” When asked for comment, Gibson’s publicist said the woman was a
heckler who was rude, so it’s all good. Whether
Gibson will issue an apology for his comments or
for Apocalypto being a ridiculously terrible film,
remains to be seen.
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INTERVIEWS: Mark Wahlberg Kobe Bryant Richard Gere

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