Friday, December 30, 2011

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I have not read the book (or any of the books in the series), nor have I seen the Swedish version of the film.  I wanted to see the movie from previews and my neighbors really liked it.  I really like my neighbors, so their endorsement was good enough.

This past weekend was Christmas and I had some time off from work.  One of my goals was to see this film, so we caught a 4:45 p.m. – in time for the matinee discount. 

Larsson
The film is based on the novel by Stieg Larsson – he wrote three stories in the series and then he died.  CBS Sunday Morning did a good piece on him and there are some legal issues between his longtime partner and his family.  You can Google all of that.  My review is more about the film, the story and its characters.

The movie is about an investigative journalist who is asked to research a man’s life for his memoirs – Christopher Plummer (yes, he’s still alive).   The journalist (Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist) has just experienced a slander charge with fines linked to a mogal businessman.  Plummer had Craig’s character investigated before asking him to visit his remote, northern Swedish island where he resides.  The firm that conducted the investigation employs a troubled/complex young woman named Lisbeth, the girl with the dragon tattoo.

Dreamy Craig
So Craig agrees to meet with Plummer’s character and he learns that aside from the man wanting a memoir, the story of his family and life on the island has been painful and complex.  The man’s biggest regret was not knowing what happened to his niece who died in the 1960’s.  Plummer’s thought is that a family member killed this niece (Harriet is the character’s name).

Craig embarks in this journey to learn about the man’s family, and more so, about the mystery of Harriet.  At the same time, we get to know Lisbeth a little better and how dark and sad her personal existence has been.  Lisbeth, who is thin, pale and dresses like a character out of Mad Max is an ace investigator for a private firm, is also a ward of the state due to her tragic childhood.  In the movie, we see her meeting a new caseworker that controls her access to money and reports on her progress.
American Lisbeth


The journalist and the investigator finally meet when Craig’s character is enthralled in the Harriet mystery and requires the assistance of an assistant.  This is where the film turns into a crime mystery with lots of time researching and looking at old photos.  Anymore would be too much.

So, what did I think?  I think the film was beautifully made and will probably hurt Swedish tourism.  The hues of the film leaned to the greys, blacks and white of a bleak and cold Swedish landscape.  The film’s director, David Fincher, sure knows how to create an authentic setting.  Fincher’s work is impressive and often leans to the dark side (Google him). 

The cast ranges from a few familiar faces to some lessor know actors.  Lisbeth is played by Rooney Mara and you could consider this a breakout role.  The transformation of a young, wealthy actress to this dark, troubled character is quite amazing.  I didn’t really read about the cast ahead of time and thought Mara was a foreign actor…I was wrong, she’s from the US and this makes her performance even more special and courageous.
Mara

Craig’s performance is low-key and masculine, but not macho.  In all honesty, he’s so appealing to watch as he’s beautiful looking and his styling is hypnotic.  His accent is non-descript, which seems a little out of place considering many of the actors attempt Swedish accents while speaking English.  This is a little distracting so I assume the director was okay with this inconsistency…I guess we are to forgive as well.

The film seems long and complicated, but I was okay with this as so many films seem short and I’m left wanting more, or at least more complexity.  This film weaves several stories with several endings.  Let me be clear, the film doesn’t introduce several scenarios as endings, but there are several stories needing closure.  Everyone knows there are two other books, so at the end you are craving the next movie to see where else Lisbeth’s life leads.

I am troubled by some of the imagery of the film….yet it’s not the movie’s fault, it’s part of the story.  I guess I’m disturbed that such dark, disturbing details about characters were written in the first place.  I tend to think I like gritty books and movies, but at the end of the day, I’m upset with such graphic narrative.  I wonder why authors go as far as they do and then filmmakers depict such stories.  I swear I’m not a fundamentalist prude, but I do think about the minds of artists when they are writing.  I wonder why they “go there.”  I am very certain that humans do horrible things to each other and I believe art reflects life, but I sometimes wish we didn’t chronicle such horrible acts under the guise of art.  I suppose I’m naïve.  All I know is that when I see horrific imagery in television or art, it stays with me and distracts me from the piece as a whole.

Lisbeth’s character has obviously endured offenses we would not wish on our enemies and we’re supposed to think this is why she is such a special character. And it’s true, many amazing and interesting people have suffered atrocities in their lives and all of this makes their personal character and drive.  I know authors have vivid minds and explore dark sides of the human psychy, but sometimes it teeters on the salacious.  I think I would be more interested in a story about Stieg and why he developed this character.

Aside from the disturbing scenes, I enjoyed the movie as an experience.  I think the character of Lisbeth is amazing, but her portrayal was flawed only by how she’s been created.  The more I think about her relationship with Craig, the more annoyed I become.  Because their relationship does become sexual, I feel as though we tilt over to male fantasy and not reality.

Without giving too much away, Craig does find himself in a life threatening and vulnerable position.  There is an intimacy scene shortly afterwards where he’s more concerned about solving the mystery than his sexual experience and gratification (of his partner).  To make myself like his character more, I’ve convinced myself that he still vulnerable.  I don’t think this is the case, but it’s allowed me to swallow the storyline a little better.

So, after what you’ve read you may be asking….did she like it or not?  I liked the film in general, but I’m not as impressed with the development of characters and core intentions (of the author).  Full disclosure, I think I can swallow horrific sex crimes when there are nameless, faceless victims in fiction…but in the case of this story, I’m troubled.  As I think about it, I want to think there are complex characters like Lisbeth who exist because they do…not because of the oppression inflicted upon them.  In other words, I want to see characters that are complicated without such a graphic backstory or even current existence.

God, I’m getting conservative in my old age…please forgive me.  And, Mara should win an Oscar in 2012.  

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Real Housewives, Real Nice

I remember when Bravo was artsy-fartsy and the Actor’s Studio was something to really get excited about.  Then something happened.  Since I refuse to do some real research here, this is all from memory, so forgive me if my chronological recount is inaccurate.

So what happened?  Bravo switched to the unofficial gay cable network.  At least that was the vibe with Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003, I did Google it).  I loved the show and got hooked on Bravo programming.  At some point (this is where I get lazy), content really shifted to reality.  I am foggy about which came first, but I believe Project Runway and Top Chef hit around the same time.  Both shows were riveting to me.  I would watch each episode with such attention, and even watch them again and again during marathons over a weekend.  Then they introduced reunion shows with a host named Andy Cohen.

Cohen
Andy Cohen.  I DID NOT understand where Bravo found this guy (again, an aversion to just using the Internet) and even wrote Bravo complaining about him.  I thought his on-camera style was horrible and amateur.  I soon realized this guy was the PRODUCER of the shows…and for a while after having this epiphany, still didn’t like him.

At some point, a new franchise was introduced…The Real Housewives of Orange County.  It was fantastic.  A show with “wealthy” women in Orange County, CA.  It was perfect programming for caddy gay viewers to relish some ridiculous women and their silly lives and issues.  I did, and still do, thought it was brilliant to see these women want to display their lives for our enjoyment.  The joke to me is that they liked (and still do) the attention.  When most viewers judge their existence and woes, they think they are building brands and self-importance.

So, this is where I may be wrong.  The Orange County show spurred a spin-off – the Real Housewives of New York.  I thought everyone would run from this show as the women in California were displayed in such a negative light.  No, they found some reasonably wealthy women in New York who ALSO craved this weird notoriety.

Orange County Pioneers
From New York, we then patiently awaited the ladies from New Jersey.  Then the franchise becomes an epidemic with casts in Atlanta, Washington DC, Miami and Beverly Hills.  Seriously, what are these women thinking?

The question, however, is, what I am thinking?  I have seen EVERY episode from every season with EVERY cast….even Miami.  My TiVo is programmed to capture all of the shows, including the reunions.

Andy Cohen.  Now I like him.  He has created an empire with this franchise and other shows and I even watch HIS show…Watch What Happens Live.  He is much better in front of the camera and the viewer has a friend in him.  He personifies the viewer of these shows and inserts his opinions and prods honest and bad behavior.  In other words, he’s stirring the pot to entice viewer interest and spark enjoyable television.

Why do I like the shows?  They are glued together well and it’s amazing to see these women (who think they are posh) act so poorly and immaturely.  I would NEVER buy any of their products and I don’t care to follow them on Twitter.  I just like to escape in their weird worlds for an hour and wonder how they will humiliate themselves next.  I don’t aim to sound snarky…I get sucked in and take sides, but at the end of the day, these ladies are not helping themselves (or their families).


Bethenny
I think the grand prize for any of these ladies has been taken already.  Bethenny Frankel started on New York and now is a multi-millionaire because her drive for brand building worked.  Her story is special and I don’t think will be repeated by any of the ladies, so good for her.
I could go on for days about the various casts and the impact of these shows on society (and celebrity), but in general, it is what it is.  The shows are well produced and very entertaining.

So, in pure candy-coated form, here’s a list of my favorite ladies from each show:

Lisa Vanderpump
Orange County – Slade
New York – Ramona and Alex (was Bethany)
New Jersey – Melissa
Atlanta – Candy, Phaedra is a close second “everybody knows”
DC – who cares
Miami – who cares
Beverly Hills – Lisa

My real favorite Bravo character is Jeff Lewis.  He deserves his own entry.




Sunday, November 27, 2011

Louis CK

I am not a Wikipedia junky.  In fact, I typically only reference Wikipedia when I need a link to something in a blog entry.  Before I started to write about the show Louis, I thought I’d take a look at the entry about Louis C.K.

I won’t recap what I read, but I found his heritage somewhat interesting as he’s still a citizen of Mexico…wouldn’t have called that tidbit.  The rest is pretty normal for a comedian…lots of writing for late night shows and other projects.  I did grimace when I read he’s a frequent guest on the Bob and Tom show.  Bob and Tom broadcast from Indianapolis where I live and have a HUGE following.  While some of their team can be funny, I find them offensive and old fashioned.  Furthermore, when a new acquaintance of mine references Bob and Tom, I turn my nose up and judge them rather quickly.  They are two old silly guys who giggle throughout the show and are pretty racist.  When they have an African American comedian on and try to talk “jive talk” to him.  Seriously, I just used jive talk, but it fits these guys.  I digress.

Bob and Tom w Christy and Chick
As mentioned in a prior entry, I discovered Louis the first time on Parks and Recreation and then later as a guest on The Daily Show.  For some reason, TiVo started to tape his 30 minutes comedy show on FX and I became hooked.  Aside from it being such an interesting, uncomfortable funny show, the credits show he writes, directs and EDITS the program.  After discovering this, it made me appreciate him even more as the show is not as simple as it looks.  The sets look real and his shooting style is cinematic.  On top of the great character and writing, the music is lovely and quickly reminded me of Woody Allen’s films.  I think there must be an influence as the credits are simple white words on black.  His artistry is why I wanted to read about him on Wiki as I thought maybe he had film school experience/education.
Genius

Knowing how much creative control he has makes him so much more appealing and talented.  In a world with computers and video at everyone’s fingertips, you can think that creating television or film is easy.  What we seem to forget is that these mediums were once a craft to be studied.  Knowing how to direct, edit and integrate music makes the difference between a YouTube video and art.  The look of this show transcends a sitcom set in a studio and leads the viewer experience a film short or funny documentary.

Louis is set in New York and is about a professional comedian who is divorced and sharing custody of two girls with his ex-wife.  The show blends segments of Louis doing stand-up with his daily life.  Louis’ character holds a multitude of traits….naiveté, darkness, neediness, sex-obsessed, tenderness, tenseness and carefree.  Louis often finds himself in awkward situations and tends to follow his more primal curiosity.  There are times of braveness or tenderness, but he frequently will just make bad decisions.

The episodes have included a female admirer who leads him to her suburb home and wants a three-some with her husband to standing in an airport watching the woman he’s in love with leave for France to be with her baby-daddy’s father.

Pamela Adlon
The first episode I watched had him walking his two little girls around a NYC neighborhood trick or treating and they get mugged.  I think the woman  (Pamela Adlon) who is the subject of his affections is with him in real life as I saw her sitting next to him at the Emmy’s.

The show is artsy, crude, endearing and unique.  Aside from his Bob and Tom appearances, I think Louis C.K. is special and I hope you will either catch his show or pay closer attention when you see him as a guest.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Daily News

I work for a transit agency.  I know it’s not sexy and may not be applicable to many of us with cars, but the for folks who ride the buses in my town, buses are lifelines for their daily lives.  In other words, the people who use mass transit in my town are going to work, medical appointments, school and grocery stores.  This entry is not about my job, but one important point is I oversee marketing and communications (and some other stuff).  Since I work for a quasi-government agency and help “control” messaging, you would think I wake up each day reading the major newspaper and blogs as well as local news reports. 

Uhmmm, no.  I don’t read any newspapers and basically watch local television news reports for traffic and weather.  Even then I fixate on how they speak and what they are wearing.  Since I oversee a Communications Manager, it’s her job to read the articles and send links to news reports.  I tend to read the headlines and think I have the gist of the story.

NPR premium
So, where do I get my news?  Well, I do listen to NPR exclusively in my car and on the weekends.  This way, I get snipits of local stories, a lot of national coverage and some artsy-fartsy factoids along the way.  If I want to see, buy or attend something, it’s usually from a story from my public radio friends.  In addition to NPR, my second source for news is Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. 

I have not always been a loyal fan of the show.  I think when TiVo entered the house, we must have programmed the show as a “season pass.”  It records the five shows each week and I watch them in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep or when I am killing a little time on my couch.  Sadly, I watch most of them.

Cute photo of Jon
George W. Bush was the president when I started watching.  I think I caught Jon when he was extra jaded and probably was over his show and politics in general.  I almost gave up on him as he was distracted and borderline rude in his interviews and would interrupt his guests (something I really dislike).  Then I noticed a change.  It started with the 2008 elections and the wonderful primary coverage, particularly between Obama and Clinton.  I really think these shows helped me be engaged.  I thought the battle between Obama and Clinton was like a romantic drama – akin to Moonlighting.  Who knew there could be so much sexual tension in politics?

I don’t know if it was the election or a phase, but Jon Stewart seemed rejuvenated by it all and the show became funny and relevant again.  I most enjoy his interviews with authors.  Even when TiVo tells me there’s a famous actor as a guest, it’s the authors who have the most to share.  Even if he doesn’t read the books (who knows), he acts like he has and Stewart seems so academic.

The first two segments of the show are about current news, usually with one of his correspondents doing a piece.  The third segment is the interview.  Certainly there have been great pop culture guests and I enjoy it when he interviews his friends. 

In other words, I get my news from The Daily Show.  I get to see “real” news coverage mixed in with Stewart’s commentary.  I most often agree with the coverage and understand the slants.

Louis Black pointing
Side note.  While I say I like the authors, I do enjoy some of the celebrity guests.  Lewis Black has a pretty regular segment called Back in Black and his appearances made me a fan.  I was most intrigued by Louis C.K.  Not because he was such a great guest, because Stewart likes him so much.  Stewart will often rib fellow comic guests, but with C.K., he really gushes.  When I saw him the show, the only recollection I had of C.K. was his small part on Parks and Recreation.  Fast forward to TiVo, it recorded C.K.’s show for me and I’m hooked.  A future entry.

Another Louis, but CK
In summary, I’m a little dim when it comes to current news affairs, but when it all boils down, I’m in the loop.  Yes, I may not be up on the latest abduction of a child or war stats, but I know about political candidates, world happenings and the economy from my two main sources…NPR and The Daily Show.  I did watch a piece on The New York Times this morning (CBS Sunday Morning) and I know it’s a good paper…but the correspondents from NPR and the writers of The Daily Show are already reading the paper, so I’m good.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

NOLA

Sorry this blog has turned into a travelogue, but popular culture can cover so many topics and categories.

In June I had the good fortune to visit New Orleans for the very first time in my 41 years.  Because I wasn’t sure what to expect, I would default to my inappropriate humor and exclaimed, “I don’t want to live in the Super Dome.”


So the plans were set and the reason for the trip was a Librarian conference.  I’m not a librarian, but I live with one and thought I’d tag along.  In addition to having a hotel secured, I also had another trick up my sleeve.  I have a good friend who works in NOLA (that’s what the insiders call it) and I knew I could catch up with her.

I live in Indianapolis and we have a brand new airport that cost a catrillion dollars called the Indianapolis International Airport.  You would THINK we would have direct flights to New Orleans, but no, we don’t.  You must fly to another city before getting to this FAMOUS city.  We flew from Indy to Dallas, then to New Orleans.  It was late when we arrived and all I wanted was a Po Boy…shrimp, as I don’t eat meat.  My travel partner said it’s too late and that we may not be able to find food….we arrived at our hotel, The Renaissance, after 11 p.m.  Room service was not available and the little bar/restaurant across the street was closed but they had delivery menus.  After settling in, we ordered food from a menu and less than thirty minutes later, we were eating our very first shrimp po boys!  Amazing.


At this point, our friend Janna (who lives in New Orleans and works on television and movie projects) knew we were coming and our plan was to meet the next day (which would be a Friday).  We’d decided to meet at Café Du Monde, a very famous coffee shop in the French Quarter.  We took a cab there, but we soon realized that downtown New Orleans is not very big.  It’s completely walkable and the French Quarter is on the edge, by the Mississippi River.  When we stepped out of the cab, we saw huge lines for Café Du Monde (it was 10 a.m.) and looked across the street only to see Janna and Danielle.  As they approached, I could see Janna holding a beer in a coozie and Danielle with a huge styrophome cup with a straw…I quickly learned it was a daiquiri.  After we hugged and acknowledged the alcohol, Janna said, “welcome to New Orleans.”  From there we made a game plan.  Tina, my travel partner likes National Parks and we both have National Parks Passports.  This is interesting as when you travel, when you go to a National Park, you can get a stamp in the book.  I thought it was COMPLETELY dorky until I realized I don’t have a book and I want stamps too. 

So, we followed Janna and Danni (my new nickname for her) around the French Quarter looking at sites like the cathedral, the National Parks center and other attractions.  Long story short, by 5:00 p.m., I was SMASHED.  Because we were there in June, it was super hot.  Because you can walk around the streets of New Orleans with alcohol freely, you can get smashed rather quickly.  We had a great tour, but throughout the day, we would pop in to a bar to cool off, and then head outside to see more.  In New Orleans if you don’t finish a drink, they will give you a “go cup” or you can just take your bottle of beer.  We did stop for lunch at a place with good gumbo called The Napoleon House.  In addition to the gumbo, I also had a fabulous salad…avocado with shrimp rumalade.  We were there for a few days and went back twice.  On one day we popped in for a homemade Peach Cream Soda made by one of the curmudgeon bartenders.

While I was smashed by 5 p.m. and tool a cab back to the hotel and passed out, I would rank that day in the top 10 of best days in my life.  I was introduced to a different world in the French Quarter….I really can’t articulate how bizarre and wonderful the vibe really was.  It looks exactly like you think it should look.  I realize New Orleans has the wrap of being a little dirty and it is, may I say, a little well worn.  I didn’t think it was bad.  Imagine a European village that has been under water numerous times and you have the French Quarter.

The rest of the trip was spent poolside on the top of the hotel and visiting with Janna and Danni, popping in and out of local bars and restaurants.  We ate at Lucy’s a couple of times and one day walked to the ferry which takes you across the Mississippi where we took a little ride across and back again.  It’s a powerful river and I couldn’t help but think what an important role this water has played in our country’s history.


Janna and Danni live about 10 minutes away from the heart of the City in Mid City.  When we would head to their area, Janna would give us quick tours, pointing out what is new and what was destroyed by Katrina.  The park which houses the art museum.


is amazing and lost hundreds of oak trees.  It was at this point when I wished places would have noticeable markers indicating where the water hit during the floods after Katrina.  I’ve since learned some places do have these markings, but I think they need to make more places do this…so we’ll never forget.

The night before leaving, we were taken to two neighborhood bars.  The first was Parkway as our friends said they had the best po boys.  I loved mine and after several beers, even ate some alligator.  We finished in a bar called Pal’s.  All of these places sell coozie’s…I love it.


Would I go back?  Absolutely.  There is much more to see, including tours through the legendary cemeteries.  I think the Jazz Fest would be a great time to visit.  I also think this town went through hell and it’s coming back.  The people are lovely and resilient and deserve some more tourism dollars to help build the economy.  Janna said class and race are still so extreme in this town and I’m not sure how to process this.  The people were lovely and I really noticed their civic pride.  It’s like a different world and I’m so glad I finally could experience this amazing American city.





Saturday, August 6, 2011

Paris, London, Liverpool


Dame Mirren

Duh
At the same time I was obsessing over my new English friends (and they become friends when you 
spend every night with them), Will and Kate got engaged.  Done and done.  When I discussed the plans with my significant, it was brought up 
that we should take my mother.  I forgot to mention that my mom and dad (my dad died in 1998) are from Liverpool, England.  So, the result of my obsessive whim was planning a trip to England with my mother.

When you don’t travel much and are planning on a trip to such a magnificent place, you want to accomplish a lot.  We started thinking of all of the places we wanted to see, but also visit the town my mom is from.  At the same time, we had no plans to rent a car, so public transport was essential.  After several weeks/months of planning, we came up with a plan.  On another whim, I thought going to Paris sounding like a good idea.  My mother had never been, and while she was probably nervous, was in it to win it.

Our plans were as follows:  Fly to Paris, then to London, then to Bath, then to Shrewsbury, then to Liverpool and fly out of Manchester…all during the week of  and before the Royal wedding.

So the plans were set and I was only worried about two things:  flying and spending two weeks with my mother.  My mother is lovely, but I’m not a middle-aged woman and rarely spend more than 5 hours with my mom in any given situation.  Anybody would be a little worried.

Aside from missing our direct flight to Paris, being redirected to Germany and arriving without our luggage, the trip was perfect.  None of us had been to Paris and we all fell in love.  I get it now.  Paris is an amazing place with beautiful architecture, history and people.  We barely speak French and it’s fine.  We were there for a day and a half and saw some of the major sites.  When I asked my mom what she would give Paris on a scale of 1-10, she said a 12.

Behind Notre Dame
From Paris, we flew to London.  We stayed in Shephard’s Bush in a boutique hotel called K West.  The building used to house BBC offices.  In London we saw a play, The Children’s Hour.  We spent a day in Windsor and another sightseeing around London.  We got some great snaps of Westminster Abbey a week before Will and Kate took their vows.




Bath Abbey with crowds



From London, we used the National Rail to go to Bath.  What a lovely and historic place.  We were able to attend church in the Bath Abbey on Easter Sunday.  After we’d done what we needed to do, we tool the rail to Shrewsbury.  Now, you can look it up on your own for the historic significance, but for us, it was in the middle of Bath and Liverpool.  We stayed in a B&B and felt like we were a part of a modern English family.  It’s wasn’t what you would expect…a frumpy English mum type making sausages in the am.  We stayed in a family home where we heard the youngest boy playing and then later crying.We met up with some friends of the family in Shrewsbury, so there was a family significance to the days there.

Me, my mom and the boys
From Shrewsbury we headed to Liverpool.  Most folks don’t consider Liverpool when they are planning a trip to England and I have news for you, it’s great.  It feels like Chicago as it’s on water and it’s going through a revitalization.  Did I mention it’s the home of The Beatles

The Midden in Anfield
Liverpool turned out to be such a pleasant surprise.  We stayed in a new, hip hotel and were within walking distance of shops and the city center (Base 2 Stay).   But aside from the great city, there were two highlights.  The first was lunch with my Aunt (my dad’s sister) and her daughter (my cousin).  I’d met them TWICE in my life and at lunch, it was as though I’ve always known them.  The other highlight was seeing my mom’s childhood home and my grandfather’s pub.

The very end was a taxi ride to Manchester to sleep in an airport hotel and fly out early to the US.  Since the wedding had just finished, we didn’t think flying out of London would be wise.  A quick layover in New Jersey and we were home. 

A couple of months have now passed and I still think of the trip almost daily.  I wish all of the people I know the same adventure and joy.  When you get back from something like this, you really know your true friends…those who will look at your dorky photo album of nearly 400 snaps.  For the most part, people care to hear, but not too much.  I like to hear about people’s trips…and their lives in general.

Since returning, I’ve been to Chicago a couple of times, New Orleans and a cabin in southern Indiana.  Perhaps I’ll something interesting to recap soon!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Lit Fest In Chicago

For the past several years, I’ve attended the “Printer's Row Book Fair” or Lit fest as it’s known now.  I am not a reader.  So, I go with someone who does like to read and I’m along for the ride.  To protect the identity of other’s, I’ll call the interested party Tina.  Tina is a librarian and has a blog “Reader for Life,” so this is right up her alley.  We have some friends in Chicago and we typically stay with one in particular…we’ll call him Brian.

Responsible insert – if you like reading, collecting books and being in the literary know…you should go to this event.

So, each year in the spring, we look at our calendars and mark the LitFest.  Then there is correspondence with Brian to see if he will be in town to join us.  There are year’s he’s not available, yet we still stay at his place.  There is another friend, let’s call her Nori, who we also check to see if she can join.

Lit Fest is like any other festival, but it’s all about books.  There’s a look of the people who attend this event…lots of glasses.  There are tents with book vendors and then there are special sessions/rooms with actual authors.  Over the years, it’s clear Brian and I are not interested in the authors, but Tina has an agenda and we follow along.

The day typically goes as follows:  We drive to an area and find a lot to park.  Brian and/or I don’t read signs or understand how to pay and Tina figures it out.  It’s either too hot or raining, so Tina has to endure our complaining.  The first stop is typically for water/a snack/cash/food.  Once we find some sort of comfort, we walk around until the first author talk/reading.  From there, Brian and I nestle into our chairs and hope we won’t be bored.  My job is to take photos for Tina’s blog, so I at least feel like there is a task or objective.

Once we have seen all of the authors on Tina’s list, we are done.  Sadly, the highlight for me is the lunch break at a Mexican restaurant called Flaco’s Tacos.  It’s situated right on Printer’s Row and it’s always busy during the event.  They have fish tacos and tamales and I dream about them.

Over the years I’ve seen some notable personalities including Charlie Pierce, Amy Dickinson, Chuck Barris, Bill Geist, Erik Larson……  But this is one gentleman I see almost every year…and this is a little weird and cosmic…his name is Reid Duffy and used to do restaurant reviews on a local television station in Indianapolis. Anyway, I see Reid EVERY year in the crowds.  This year I was even more obsessed and took lots of snaps.  The photos forced me to Google him and I think he’s still doing some writing and food related stuff in Indy, but he’s originally from Chicago.



I don’t know who is going to be at next year’s Lit Fest and I don’t care.  I will put it on my calendar in the spring and start thinking about those tacos and seeing Reid Duffy around May.  June will come soon enough and it’s then when I know summer is starting.


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Look at Oprah



“Bein’ all Oprah.”  This is a second hand quote from Tracy Morgan to Kathy Griffin at an awards show.  Kathy was doing standup and set the stage to talk about presenters.  She was sitting next to comedian Tracy Morgan and when Ms. Winfrey took the stage, he said to Kathy, “look at Oprah, bein’ all Oprah.”  The joke was funny and the statement was rather profound…

Pop culture forces you to be in the here and now.  Today, we see Oprah as a billionaire media mogul who seems to have cast a spell on her audience.  The shows are often mocked, but at the same time, a fearful reverence is in tact.  In other words, you can joke, but don’t mess with Oprah.

Delicious Summer Brew
The other week I watched the last show of her 25-year long program, the Oprah Winfrey Show.  Full disclosure, I did have some beer before pressing play on my TiVo, but I can honestly say I didn’t expect to cry throughout most of the hour. 

Ms. Winfrey took to her studio stage by herself with a chair…she never sat.  She did most of the show like a preacher or motivational speaker and she had me with hello.  From her recollections of her professional beginnings to mention of shows and topics that had an impact, she drew me in with constant reminders of how her connection with the TV audience is what kept her going.  If you break this down, it’s amazing…what she says about this connection is so true…how else do you last for 25 years and become one of the most wealthy entertainers/women in the world?  Say what you want, the core motives must have been real.

I was reminded why this woman became so powerful.  She made a talk show bigger by discussing difficult topics and empowering viewers to think about more than their own day-to-day lives.  There are folks who have had little parental guidance who learned from her shows and became better people.  There are men who graduated from college only from her generosity.  There are people who had terrible workdays, marriage struggles and family illnesses and attribute sole joy to the one hour each day delivered by this woman and her team.


Say what you will, but Ms. Winfrey is an important pop icon and she will have a place in 20th/21st Century history, as she should.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Mature Entertainment


The Manhattan Transfer and Jennifer Coolidge

Sometimes I like to pick a saucy title to get your attention.  This entry is not about the adult entertainment industry…well, it is, but not what you’re thinking.  I recently had the pleasure of attending two shows and while the performers are no spring chickens, their performances rival those of any teen sensations.

I first heard The Manhattan Transfer when I was about 5 years old.  That would be 1975.  I grew up in a modest and quiet home and our “stereo” had a radio and 8-track player.  My mom and dad would purchase the occasional 8-track tape to enjoy and they were intermingled with my brother’s comedy tapes.  I was informed I wasn’t supposed to listen to George Carlin, the Blue’s Brothers or the Saturday Night Live recordings…so I listened to the music of my parents.  To be honest, I think they only had two – The Manhattan Transfer and Phoebe Snow.  Both of those tapes quickly became my inner soundtrack and helped form the music taste I still hold today.  When I was 14 or 15, my first concert was with my parents and we went to see The Manhattan Transfer at Starlight Musicals – an open-air amphitheater on the campus of Butler University.  The amphitheater is gone, but the Transfer is still going strong.


 My most recent encounter with the Transfer was this past February at Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University (thank God for Butler).  I’d had a couple of beers before the concert started, so I was ready to go.  The first sign it would be a tough night was when the woman in front of my shot a DIRTY look because I was talking…did I mention the concert had not even started?  So, I knew I had to monitor my enthusiasm.  Once the Transfer took the stage, my heart sank as I looked around me and saw barely any movement and excitement from the audience.  I was under the impression that if you were older, maybe in your 50’s, 60’s or 70’s, you could still have fun.  Not these folks…they give AARP a bad name.  The Transfer was amazing and I got out a few hoots, but I watched myself as I didn’t want too many evil eyes.

The concert featured some of my favorites, including Birdland and Route 66.  The quad allowed a solo performance from each which enabled the crowd to witness their individual talents.  Janis Siegal is my favorite, so I tended to watch her singing and facial expressions most of the time.  These performers have been singing together for four decades and they still appear to like each other…their bond must be like a family at this point.

I have seen the Transfer numerous times.  As I age, each performance becomes more special to me.  I am filled with emotions as I relate their music and performance style to my childhood and family.  When I perform, I just know these four vocalists have been my coaches and I display some of the same mannerisms (please note, I’m not nearly talented enough to be in their league). 

I didn’t like their crowd.  When leaving, I had a fantasy of them appearing on Glee, so that millions of teens who like show choir would see the originals.  In other words, there would not be a Glee without them.

Fast forward a week and I had the unique pleasure of seeing Jennifer Coolidge perform at a local comedy club.  Let me repeat, Jennifer Coolidge at a comedy club.  When I told folks I had tickets, they either knew her or didn’t.  If they didn’t, I would say “Stifler’s mom from American Pie.”  That generated some acknowledgement.  I know Ms. Coolidge from Best in Show, a Christopher Guest film and one of my all-time favorites.  After folks recognized whom I was talking about, they would say “Crackers?  Really?”  Cracker’s is the local club in Indianapolis.

So, we went to the show and happened to be seated right at the stage at this little bar – it separates the performers from the audience.  It almost felt like a striper bar (if you’ve ever been to one).  There was an emcee comic who had a flop sweat that rivaled Albert Brooks’ in Broadcast News.  He was actually pretty funny, but he did use the cocktail napkin I offered him.  The second comic (sorry, can’t remember his name) was also very good.  I was shocked that both of these comics referenced “midgets” – not the most politically correct term.

After the openers, Ms. Coolidge took to the stage.  I actually thought she looked fabulous, in a drag-queen sort of way.  Her hair is long and blond (extensions) and she had very intense shoes with killer heals.  Her dress was short and black.  She’s not a petit flower, but her presence was notable.  The context of her act was that she needed to get out of LA since it’s so warped when the Kardashians and Paris Hilton get all of the attention.  She opened with “I don’t know why I picked Indianapolis as a place to perform…I didn’t know what I expected….I thought I might see a couple of horses in the audience.”  She went on to acknowledge that the crowd was so young…and they were.  Where were these folks when I needed them at the Transfer?

Coolidge was extremely funny.  She based most of the performance around her career and the parts she didn’t get.  At the end of the day, she delivered a commentary about aging as a female actress and the difficulty of securing parts when newcomers are around.  If she weren’t so funny while being jaded, I may have cried.

Don’t get me wrong, I do try hard to recognize new talent, but I have a soft spot in my heart for those with true talent, they may just not be so young.  The word “classic” is around for some reason, so I encourage folks to have diverse tastes.  Researching the past is something we call can do when moving forward.  There’s really nothing truly new, just the interpretation (except for Facebook, that’s original for the most part).  If you can’t think of a new idea, look to the past and see what worked, then put your spin on it.