A Kurt Film Career
With the passing of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. two weeks ago, the literary world lost a giant. Yet Vonnegut also deserves a tiny footnote in the annals of film history. With rare exception, Vonnegut didn’t adapt his own novels to the screen, allowing others to complete the tasks. As expected, the quality of the pictures culled…
Presidential Donors
Former Sen. John Edwards may be lagging both in the polls and in fund raising, but he’s gotten the lion’s share of North Carolinians (and Charlotteans) donor dollars. From Opensecrets.org, here’s a breakdown of where campaign donations from the Charlotte area are going: John Edwards: $1,423,157 John McCain: $169,240 Barack Obama: $115,734 Mitt Romney: $87,373…
Kid with Gun!
This week, a 16-year-old North Mecklenburg High junior who threatened students with a gun he brought on campus later killed himself with it when confronted by police at a nearby gas station. The response by the local powers that be to the tragic and frightening incident Wednesday at North Mecklenburg High school was pretty convincing.…
Live Music Review: Blues Traveler
The Deal: Blues Traveler’s rockin’ harmonica and the jam band flu came to infect the Neighborhood Theatre and, well, it was sick. The Good: After 20 years (this was their anniversary show), Blues Traveler showed they still have what it takes to put on a great live concert. A two-and-a-half-hour set, featuring 20 songs including…
The Circling of the Tongue
Name of Kama Sutra Position: The Circling of the Tongue (oral technique for men) Getting into the position: The man gently spreads her archway with his nose and probes her ÒyoniÓ with his tongue. At the same time he is instructed to circle his head allowing his nose, lips and chin to stimulate her delicate…
Letters to the editor
Make Love, Not drug war Unlike Rev. Fran Cook (Talking Ish: “A ‘Gang of One'” by Karen Shugart, April 11), I see the solution to the gang problem as simple and easily within government’s reach. In fact, I would suggest that it can be eliminated by a simple congressional vote: repeal the drug war. Just…
The Blotter
NAILED IT: A nail salon told police that a person left his business without paying for a full set of nail tips. The person claimed to be going to the parking lot to get money but instead got into a vehicle and drove away. REMEDIAL PARENTING: A woman tells a man to buy diapers. He…
Totally For A Better You
The Pantene Total You Tour is rolling back into town to promote health and wellness through sisterhood. It’s the sixth year and PTYT is still the place to kick it with your girls and get a “good old fashioned house call” from uplifting women like nutritionist and wellness expert Dr. Rovenia Brock and Essence editorial…
Karma Cleanser
Dear Karma Cleanser: Let me tell you my situation. I’m 33 years old. I’ve been with a woman for 13 years. We’re not married but have three beautiful kids together. We were staying in New York where I had a wonderful career. Then I decided to move to Charlotte because my extended family was moving,…
Things CL loves about the Q.C.
Hickory Grove Animal Hospital has an awesome staff! My Baby — black poodle aka my heart — was so sick and almost near her death bed. Thanks to the staff — they took care of her and allowed me and my crazy family to come visit her throughout the day. I ended up taking her…
Kissing Carrie Ann
Last year’s cosmetic comedy phenomenon, Carrie Ann’s Kiss, gets a facelift and a transplant as it moves from Theatre Charlotte to Booth Playhouse through April 28. Cut-throat conservatism lurks beneath the elegant foundation of Carrie Ann Cosmetics as Jacklyn Dabaddie seeks to retain the coveted “Ruby Kiss,” awarded at the posh National Convention and emblematic…
A modern way of living
Scott Stevens is talking via cell phone from his tour bus as it crosses the Mississippi River in St. Louis. “The Arch is within my grasp,” Stevens says. “Everyone just woke up so we can look at the city as we roll by it.” By “everyone,” the singer is referring to the members of his…
Beyond canis major
Let us ponder the reason, embedded deep in the gestation of the cosmos, why Go, Dog. Go! must exist. Carried to this pinpoint in the charted universe after billions of years, we each emerge from the womb with a shared trait that makes brothers and sisters of us all. Namely, we’re born without the ability…
Autism Fork Fare
There is no cure for autism, but research is getting closing to determining why it happens. To help things along, the Mecklenburg County chapter of the Autism Society of North Carolina is throwing its annual Autism Aware Fare Day. Go into any participating restaurant, including dd Peckers Wing Shack and Matt’s Chicago Dog (for complete…
Harleys and hockey
Apparently, I was in need of a testosterone supplement, because last Wednesday I got a double dose of it with Harleys and hockey. I double-booked my nightlife with the last Charlotte Checkers’ home game followed by the first Bike Night at Quaker Steak and Lube in Concord — one season ends, another begins. That season…
‘Birds still flyin’ high
“We’ve been singing gospel music ever since we were in our teens, riding down the highway with all of our pockets clean. Who are we? The Dixie Hummingbirds … say it again … The Dixie Hummingbirds.” That’s Ira Tucker in 1972 singing with and about the group he joined when he was 13-years old. Now…
Knight Out
The Charlotte Knights take on Mrs. Tom Cruise’s hometown team, the Toledo Mud Hens tonight. Support the local team and maybe they’ll still be around past the introduction of a MLB squad. $6-$12. 7:15 p.m. Knights Stadium, 2280 Deerfield Drive, Fort Mill, S.C. 704-357-8071. www.charlotteknights.com.
Hollywood Hits: 70 Years Of Memorable Movie Music
The Deal: This compilation set spreads 57 familiar musical numbers — both songs and scores — over three discs, classified as “Movie Themes,” “Oscar Winners” and “Musicals.” The Good: If you’re just venturing into the expansive waters of movie soundtracks, this isn’t a bad place to start. You get the classic tracks familiar even to…
Lights, camera, action … take two
Paparazzi headed to the Piedmont last month to catch a glimpse of George Clooney throwing a football. He’s directing and starring in the film Leatherheads, a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the early days of professional football in the 1920s, when players wore leather helmets. The film, which also stars Renée Zellweger, began…
Taste Oregon
Corkscrew
NAB-bing the election
Breaking the Sound Barrier
In the Streets to Africa
The Deal: Roots reggae the way old-timers did it. The Good: Jamaican Richie Spice (aka Richell Bonner) has collated singles, compilation tracks and new recordings into this 15-track collection that strolls down paths tread by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear. Spice comes from a reggae family — his brothers include DJ Snatcher Dogg,…
Gut check
Boomer with Attitude
Buckcherry
The Deal: L.A.-based rockers Buckcherry hit Amos’ Southend with Saliva and Black Stone Cherry in tow. The Good: The 200th show of their tour was an opportunity for Buckcherry to show their rock muscle (and their tats) for a 14-song set. Highlights included an extended version of “Crazy Bitch,” featuring a cover of “Stroke Me”…
Scott Slagle’s Top Ten
For Scott Slagle, it was a natural progression for him to open up his own recording studio, as he’s always been interested in the music industry. Located on Albemarle Road, Asylum Digital Recording Studios was born eight years ago, where they “record a good bit of local hip-hip, rock and R&B.” In fact, the first…
Eileen Schwartz
Profile
Every witch way but loose
Advice Goddess
Keli Semelsberger’s Top 5
With more that 13 years experience studying and performing improv, Keli Semelsberger — an art lover, U.S. Army veteran and single mom — felt that founding the Charlotte Comedy Theatre would be the perfect fit for her. 1) Music: “I listen to everything. I’m a huge Prince fan; I made sure I didn’t miss the…
Trust to kill
You may have seen him on YouTube, screaming like a man with his foot caught in a bear trap. In what sounds like some sort of passive suicide attempt, he’s announcing that he trusts you to kill him. What may confuse you even more is what Kiefer Sutherland is doing introducing the clip, talking in…
A crowded marriage
Books
Flotation device
Moodswing
Crime and punishment
For the most part, Hollywood has grown so inept at staging whodunits that it’s a blessing to come across a film like Fracture, which lets audiences know from the outset that he-done-it. The “he” in question is wealthy engineer Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), who has just exacted his revenge on his cheating wife (Embeth Davidtz)…
Buggy
Hot Linx
Misdemeanor homicide
Citizen Servatius
Delivering the goods
What’s the best table in Charlotte? Table X in the executive dining room at the top of the Bank of America tower? A waiting table at the Penguin? Nope. The best new seat in the city is the patio table overlooking the Class IV Wilderness rapid at U.S. National Whitewater Center. Forget about looking at…
Stargazer
Taurus The Bull: (April 20 — May 19) You and a partner may have a disagreement on the importance of significant things, such as how to spend money. If there is no “partner,” you may be in conflict with yourself. Art or things of beauty are your target and the price is high. Have you…
Film Clips
New Releases BREAKING AND ENTERING / DAYS OF GLORY Here we are with Summer 2007 just around the bend, and our city is still receiving holdovers from the 2006 movie slate. Anthony Minghella and Juliette Binoche both won Oscars for The English Patient, while Jude Law earned nominations for his work in the director’s Cold…
Not just for Sunday
Mouthful
Tone-X
HEAR HIM ROAR: Power 98-FM radio personality and comedian Tone-X speaks at the Creative Loafing-sponsored Political Party, held April 4 at The Neighborhood Theatre.
Free at last
“Free your mind … and your ass will follow” — so goes an oft-quoted Funkadelic lyric from 1971, the year of my birth. In keeping with this song’s spirit, I always believed freedom was inherent in music, that music is love. I am not sure when my belief changed. I do know that when I…
Wrestling With Identity
Can you guess the name of the mighty character from Homer’s The Iliad who takes two star athletes down in The Wrestling Season? It’s none other than Rumor, which labels Matt and Luke as a gay couple at their high school. Searching for your own identity as a teen is tough enough without having to…
Because Of The Times
RCA; Release date: April 3, 2007 The Deal: Three Nashville brothers, and a cousin, continue down their rock road. The Good: Kings of Leon have been impressing listeners with their own take on the whole retro-rock movement. Like The Strokes, Kings have a style that’s hard to place in a genre or even a decade.…
View From the Couch
DÉJÀ VU (2006). The most recent effort from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott is movie porn for the electronic media set, a techno-thriller deeply in love with its own hardware. It’s also a disappointment, a high-gloss action film that grows increasingly silly as it introduces each new wrinkle in its spiraling plot. Although…
Standing Behind The Shield
Lately, on every media outlet available, the names of Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton have been a constant. It’s about time someone thought to lay to the rest the lip service and truly celebrate these two men’s sacrifice the right way – by drinking and dancing the night away! The Forum and Cosmos Café…
Word of the week
Tommyrot: n. nonsense Example: Don’t let your kids watch too much TV; that tommyrot can spoil brains.
Things to do in Charlotte for $5 or less
WHERE IS THE LOVE Moving to the University area, WITL is back getting folks out and talking about the issues that bug them. Topic: “The Realities of Marriage.” Inspired by Chris Rock’s I Think I Love My Wife and an April Essence article entitled “Will I Ever Get Married? Do I Want To?”, this free…
Without a Doubt
Stage legend Cherry Jones is on tour, and her only stop in the Southeast is at Belk Theater through April 22. She reprises her Tony Award-winning role as Sister Aloysius in Doubt, the electrifying John Patrick Shanley drama that has swept every prize in its path, including the Pulitzer. Set in a Bronx Catholic school…
