Apr 29 2009
I get some really weird e-mails, but some
can be a reason to smile on even a dreary day.
Now, not that the swine flu is anyhing to smile about, but this is all about shedding a positive light on our pot-bellied friends. Even U.S. officials want to take away any taint on pork by renaming the virus at the center of the latest flu outbreak "H1N1."
For Item- Miss Piggy Tops List of Swine We Love
The Web site Asylum.com have taken it a step further, reminding us of some pigs we loved before tfears of the swine flu overtook public opinion.
"We at Asylum feel it's time to stand up for the pig. (With
respect to those suffering from their flu, of course.)" the Web site says.
They have a top 10 list of their favorite pigs, which I have abbreviated below. I would like to add to that the Muppets' "Pigs in Space," although perhaps Miss Piggy is woman enough to account for that group all by herself. They also dismissed Pooh's friend Piglet as annoying, to which I say, "Hogwash!"
Per Asylum:
10. Vance from "Big Top
Pee-Wee": Before Babe there was Vance, the talking pig who assisted Pee-Wee in
his bizarre hot-dog-tree-growing experiments and put up with his tiresome
romantic entanglements.
9. Napoleon from "Animal Farm": We
approve of any boar who is a rotund stand-in for Stalinism.
8. "Spider-Pig/Harry Plopper" from "The Simpsons Movie"
7. Orson Pig from "Garfield and
Friends": As part of the "and Friends" section of Garfield's Saturday morning
adventures, Orson defied pig logic by being both book smart and a neat freak.
6. Arnold Ziffel from "Green Acres": Arnold was the breakout star of the
show -- playing the piano, drinking soda from a bottle, watching TV, and
generally doing things pigs are physically and mentally incapable of
accomplishing.
5. The
Piggly Wiggly Pig: Not only does Mr. Pig, aka the mascot for the Piggly Wiggly
grocery store chain, fall under the disturbing category of animal mascots
begging to be devoured, he's also the most steadily employed swine in the bunch.
4. Porky Pig: Porky single-handedly proved the
theory that if a pig wears a blue vest and a bow tie, he instantly becomes too
adorable to slap mustard on and pair with a side of applesauce.
3. Babe: Smart,
adorable, and with the voice of Bobby Hill, Babe is the only pig with an Oscar
nomination under his belt.
2. Wilbur from "Charlotte's Web": Star of one of
the most beloved books in all of literature.
1. Miss Piggy: Singer, lover, karate expert -- Piggy, er, Miss
Piggy is the biggest Muppet star of them all.
Apr 26 2009
Don't you just love Mondays?
Monday nights, that is.
It's when I go to escape,
When "Chuck" is on my TV.
Don't need a song or a dance.
Don't need reality to set in.
Just need Sheldon on a roll
(Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock);
Or Jack Bauer on a spree
(Tony killing Larry was a shock!)
But most of all,
Give me a dose of spies and nerds:
Now that's what makes Mondays rock,
It's when "Chuck" is on my TV.
The DVR's working overtime,
CBS comedies will have to wait,
I may give "Heroes"
another one more chance.
But on Mondays, it's gotta be
"Chuck" on the TV.
Just need the Buy More gang
With little pal Morgan
Scheming and slacking,
Sarah Walker, gorgeous and deadly,
John Casey scowling and growling,
Plus Captain Awesome and beautiful Ellie.
And then there's Chuck,
Smart, sweet, with a computer program
Downloaded into his brain.
He could go insane
But instead,
Chuck falls in love and fights
for his freedom, family and friends.
I so hope it never ends.
Now another Monday is about to take hold,
The day of "Chuck's" season finale.
I know it might be the last episode.
But can this really be
The end of the road?
Look, I know NBC is in a bind,
Opting for cheaper fare, like
"Howie Do It" and Leno at the mike.
I also know about ratings, I understand
The network ownership deal.
But really, can a network count
On those shows' lasting appeal?
I know there's no accounting for tastes,
Yet I can't help thinking, what a waste
Of viewers' time and prime-time space,
Especially when a quality show
May have nowhere else to go.
So now my rant is almost through
But I can't leave before giving
The great cast of "Chuck" its due:
Zachary Levi's Chuck is a dream,
Yvonne Strahovski lights up the screen,
The Nerd Herd fills me with glee.
And there's action in every scene.
"Firefly" fans adore Adam Baldwin,
Jerome Bettis took a guest spin,
As did Tricia Helfer, Chevy Chase
And Scott Bakula . . .
It doesn't take a quantum leap
To get what I mean.
"Chuck" is fun and its light and
Has more heart than almost anything
Now on for free.
I could go on and on,
Which I guess I have been,
But give me one more moment
To present my plea.
I end where I began:
Saying no thanks to a celeb or an idol,
Can wait for NPH's Barney to leer.
And it has to be later for insults from House
(And for "24's" Tony, that louse);
I know "Big Bang Theory" will be there.
But I must have my weekly dose of "Chuck,"
That's all that's in it for me.
'Cause when it's Monday at 8,
I won't be late.
You know what's on my TV.
-- By Sharon Eberson, with apologies to anyone
who's ever written anything resembling
poetry and who believes keeping "Chuck" on the air
is essential to quality-of-life TV viewing
Apr 25 2009
(Josh Axelrod took this image of Stormtroopers in the PISA cafeteria with his camera phone.)
I've been out to Pittsburgh Indoor Soccer Arena in Cheswick dozens of times -- to see my son play soccer. So the idea of a toy-comic book convention there seemed alien -- until I spent a few hours today at the Steel City Con.
My son decribed it as a "mini" Comic-Con International, but it's unfair to make that comparison. The San Diego con we've attended in recent years is the biggest in the world, with more than 100,000 compared to the hundreds who attend Steel City. But after the elbow to elbow Comic-Con experience and hours upon hours on long lines, the con at PISA was a pleasure.
There were interesting celebs spread from throughout the genre world, Anthony Daniels chief among them. He was endlessly patient and chatty with paying fans who waited in a relatively long line for his autograph and a chance to say hi. Mick Foley was there, too -- I'm not a wrestling fan, but I'm sure that was cool for a lot of people.
Catherine "Daisy Duke" Hicks was there, but I didn't see the General Lee replica that was announced. I'm sure it was out and about somewhere in the heat outside the building. That was another thing -- it was crowded in spaces, but never so much that you couldn't feel the air-conditioning on a scalding hot day.
It was the merch that I had fun with. $5 T-shirts that referenced everything from "Superbad" to "Seinfeld," and action figures from "Star Wars" to "Lost" to "Alias" to "Farscape" ... yeah, I indulged. But just a little.
The hundreds of visitors and dozens of vendors seemed like a good match for PISA, which I couldn't have imagined without having seen it myself. Josh, my son, said he'd never look at PISA quite the same again.
What impressed me was the cars that found spaces at ever inch of the parking lot. We lucked out because someone was pulling out just as we pulled into the main lot in front of PISA. I didn't know until we were leaving, but there was a bus shuttling people who parked in a big field at the top of Rich Hill Road, which leads to the arena.
It was hot outside, but because of the well-organized event, it seemed that everyone was cool inside.
More on Steel City Con in Monday's Magazine section and online in a video Monday afternoon at post-gazette.com.
Apr 23 2009
I though spring was Mister Rogers Time in the magazines I read after first seeing the image of Seth MacFarlane in his own Neighborhood of Make-Believe in Details and then, in the May-June mental_floss — the magazine’s "The 10 Issue’ — a reader named Michael Geier sent in his "best photo taken with a celebrity": Mister Rogers.
But this issue of mental_floss has more of a regional flavor than just Fred Rogers.
* A brief profile of "The Legendary Soundman Behind Hollywood’s Most Famous Noises," Ben Burtt, who studied physics at Allegheny College before creating the "voices" of R2D2, Chewbacca and WALL-E — as well as the crackling sound of Indiana Jones’ whip.
* The quiz "Where’d They Go to College" includes Mt. Lebanon’s Mark Cuban, "billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks." (He went to Indiana University, Bloomington.)
* The mag’s "World’s 10 Messiest Food Festivals" includes the West Virginia Roadkill Cook-Off. BBQ buzzard, anyone?
* In "Technologies We Stole From the Animal Kingdom," there’s Carnegie Mellon prof. Metin Sitti using the basilisk lizard — also called the Jesus Christ Lizard because it appears to walk on water — as inspiration for a robot to perform the same trick.
* And what’s a list without an Andy Warhol reference?: metal_floss’ "10 Most Important Kisses in the Universe" included Warhol’s film series of his pals kissing in four-minute increments. Titled "Kiss," it "took the art world by storm" and became a kiss-by-kiss weekly series at New York’s Gramercy Arts Theater.
That’s not quite 10, but I bet it us in the top 10 of regions mentioned in the issue.
Apr 23 2009
David
Osmond (right) will return to the title role of "Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat" to open Pittsburgh CLO's season on May 26. He
had played the role here in 1998 and understudied Joseph for his Uncle
Donny in national tours. Most recently, Osmond, fourth son of the
oldest performing Osmond brother, Alan, advanced to the Hollywood round
of "American Idol" before laryngitis ended his chances.
He joins Shoshana Bean (Narrator), a Broadway veteran of "Wicked"
and "Hairspray," and Peter Matthew Smith (Pharaoh and Levi), a Point
Park alum with numerous Broadway credits, in the Pittsburgh CLO production.
Osmond is active on the Web; learn what he's been up to at davidosmond.com.
Apr 23 2009
I knew I'd seen his face before, but I just couldn't remember where or when. (And now that song is going through my head. Darn.)
Victor Slezak is that sort of actor -- he's been around, on TV and in movies. On stage and in a soap ("The Guiding Light," as Andy Ferris, in the 1980s and again, 2002-03). So I looked him up on imdb.com after seeing him in Pittsburgh Public Theater's "A Moon for the Misbegotten" this week. Wasn't surprised to find lots of "Law & Order" credits. Thank heavens for those TV franchises! They keep some versatile actors working between stage productions and other short-term gigs.
In "Moon," Slezak plays James Tyrone, a role many identify with Jason Robards, who starred in the 1975 film with Colleen Dewhurst. Gabriel Byrne took on the role in the acclaimed 2000 Broadway revival, opposite Cherry Jones and Roy Dotrice, and Kevin Spacey played Tyrone at the Old Vic and on then on Broadway in 2007.
Slezak stars opposite Tom Atkins, who now has the role of Phil Hogan but played the alcoholic actor Tyrone 17 years ago for the Public.
Thought it was interesting that Slezak is from Youngstown, close enough
to sing "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" wherever local
actors gather.
Watch for Chris Rawson's review of PPT's "Moon" in the PG Magazine section on Monday.
Image: Beth Wittig as Josie and Victor Slezak as James Tyrone in "A Moon for the Misbegotten" at Pittsburgh Public Theater.
Apr 21 2009
So I'm checking listings for this week to see how Zachary Levi or Yvonne Strahovski or Adam Baldwin or one among the wonderful cast of "Chuck" is going to be on an NBC talk show, promoting the season finale next Monday, bringing out the masses to save a "bubble" show that I love. So far, zippo. Nothing. But I spotted a listing for Chevy Chase, who's been guest-starring on "Chuck," having fun as the anti-Bill Gates -- a bad guy billionaire who steals technology to use for evil purposes -- on "Regis and Kelly," and I DVRed it.
I almost put my fist through the screen when I watched.
First we were forced to go through Regis' walk down memory lane, recounting Chase's entire career in TV and movies, such as it is (Chase pretty much said that). Then, finally, we get to "Chuck," and Chase is hard-pressed to say what the show is about, saying something about how there's a computer in this guy's head and, oh, it's very complex. And then he goes on to praise Zachary Levi -- reminds Chase of a young Chevy because he's so tall and funny, he says -- but he can't remember his name and no one prompts him. They show a scene between the two guest stars of the final eps., Chase and Scott Bakula, and off we go.
Well, I guess it's better than nothing. But really, after seeing last night's wonderful penultimate episode (here's a recap if you missed it), it just made me so angry. I think I'm,becoming one of those people who call my colleague, PG TV editor Rob Owen, and complain when their favorite shows are endangered or canceled, and he has to patiently explain that if people were watching (or if people in a particular demo were watching) then the show would be safe, have a nice day.
It's got an attractive and talented young cast, it's emotionally satisfying, it has some goofy and fun sci-fi, there's a lot of money on the screen (in both the great guest stars, sets and effects), yada yada yada. It's not a cookie-cutter procedural. It's not a heavy drama. It's fun; it's got action. It's sweet; it's romantic; it has a lot of heart.
It's cute to read posts at the "Save Chuck" Twitter group I've been following occasionally. It's not "Lost" or "Heroes" mythological mania. The folks just love the show.
I'm going to leave the rant for now, and have an "Ode to Chuck" later this week as it gets closer to the season -- and I hope it is season -- finale.
(Pictured above: Yvonne Strahovski and Zachary Levi, May 2008/Getty Images)
Apr 20 2009
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's finalists for its 2009 Work of Art Awards includes the CMU@NYC blog by Eric Sloss, director of media relations at Carnegie Mellon University, and administered by the Post-Gazette (mostly Matt Kennedy and me). We introduced the blog in January, when Eric and CMU faculty, officals and alumni from the College of Fine Arts embarked on a whirlwind tour of the Big Apple arts scene, including a personal tour of artist Philip Pearlstein's studio. The stops spanned the college’s five disciplines of art, design, music, drama and architecture to showcase Pittsburgh artists making an impact in New York, and Eric provided multimedia content during his trip.
This was Eric's idea and the draw for us was mostly Mr. Pearlstein, but the PG has always followed locals who make good in New York and other cities. Eric dove in with enthusiasm -- whether it was text, images or audion -- and we were happy to give his work a home.
The CMU@NYC blog is a finalist in the Arts & Technology category, "which honors an artist or organization that has successfully incorporated technology in a skillful or inventive way to do their artistic or management work." Others in the category were artist Ron Nigro, who uses technological castoffs to create sculptures "with a formal yet whimsical approach," and Manchester Craftsmen's Guild's MCG Youth, which partnered with the Pittsburgh "Robot 250" project and artist Dror Yaron, using Gigapan Technology to develop learning experiences that connected youth with their communities and opened collaborations around the world.
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council event on June 1 will honor the individuals and organizations that create and support the arts in Western PA. Winners will be presented with an art award designed by local artist Justin Rothshank. More info at the arts council's Work of Art Awards site.
Other categories and finalists are:
Creative Arts and Business Partnership Award recognizes a successful collaboration between an arts organization and a business that furthered the interests of both parties.
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School (ToonSeum) & Gypsy Café, who partnered to host the Pittsburgh chapter of a world-wide movement that brings together artists, musicians, burlesque performers and unique models in a quirky, social atmosphere of drawing and imagination.
Passports Art Diversity Project & McCormack Baron Salazar, who collaborated to place original work by local artists in three McCormack, Baron, Salazar, Inc. housing sites-a model of how local developers can work with Pittsburgh artists to complete interior design projects.
Quantum Theatre & Seagate Technology, who created the Seagate Tech Circle of donors, in which Seagate committed to a financial match for donations by other tech-based companies, giving emerging companies a way to support and experience the arts in Pittsburgh.
Best Practices in Arts Management Award recognizes an innovative and creative arts management practice that can serve as a model for the advancement of arts and culture in the region and beyond.
Manchester Craftsmen's Guild's MCG Youth, which hosted the 2008 NCECA Conference and developed Cera[m!x] Pittsburgh, a region-wide network of ceramic artists, educators and enthusiasts that placed 100 exhibitions in 60 venues and attracted 4,600 conference registrants.
New Hazlett Theater, which has delineated a unique operating policy and structure that allows nearly 30 of Pittsburgh's small and mid-sized arts organizations, as well as individual artists, to pursue their own missions, present their own programs and connect with their own audiences.
Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, whose Artistic Director Kevin Noe introduced operating and artistic procedures that have lead to a 600% audience increase since 1999, the release of two commercial CDs and a major international tour (2008).
Working Artist Award recognizes an individual artist who has demonstrated exceptional innovation, boldness and creativity when working on the business/promotion side of his or her art.
Gerry Florida, an avant-garde, eco-friendly jewelry designer and recycle artist who reinvented herself after a disability by creating a home-based business that has connected her to boutiques, galleries and art shows.
Thomas Mosser, whose twenty-year career as a working artist includes a Pittsburgh Pirates mural in the office lobby at PNC Park and a downtown mural created in collaboration with Sarah Zeffiro entitled The Two Andys.
David Motak, a leading promoter and practitioner of the Cracow Szopka art form in the United States, whose individual works, student workshops, szopka exhibitions and cultural events have shown tremendous leadership, innovation and drive in promoting his Pittsburgh-based initiative.
Excellence in Arts Education Award honors an individual or organization in the Pittsburgh region who has worked over time to implement excellence in arts education. This award is presented in partnership with the Arts Education Collaborative and Gateway to the Arts.
Dance Alloy Theater, for the Dance Education Initiative, a multi-faceted project with six Pittsburgh schools using teaching formats that include intensive residencies, lecture demonstrations, mentoring relationships, studio site visits and guest artists.
Marilyn Egan, who has grown the quality and reach of the Pittsburgh Opera's wide array of programs for educators, students, schools, families and adults, helping educators integrate the arts meaningfully into all subject areas.
McKeesport Area High School Opera Academy Team, whose educators Ray Beard, Bonnie Butler and Debra Calise actively integrate opera into their lessons in meaningful and creative ways with a profound effect on students' motivation and learning.
Mayor's Award for Public Art recognizes an individual or organization's efforts in the development of a public art project that contributes to the quality of life and economic development of a Pittsburgh community. Winner will be selected and presented by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Conservation of "A Song to Nature" in Schenley Plaza, a large-scale public sculpture created by artist Victor David Brenner to honor Mary Schenley, who donated land in 1889 to establish Schenley Park.
Sports & Exhibition Authority, "Langley Observatory Clock" by R.M. Fischer, part of the North Shore Riverfront Park, this site-specific installation is a response to the industrial history of Pittsburgh while simultaneously appearing timeless and looking forward.
Squonk Opera, "Astro-rama" performance in Schenley Plaza, a site-specific, large-scale visual theatre performance-infused with a rock concert sensibility, wit and innovative spirit-that drew 10,000 people to Schenley Plaza.
People's Choice Award recognizes a favorite arts or culture event and is selected through a public polling process.
Art All Night: Lawrenceville, a grassroots, uncensored, non-juried art show staged by an all-volunteer crew in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Handmade Arcade, an indie craft fair created to give grassroots, independent crafters an opportunity to show and sell their wares and to provide an alternative to traditional craft fairs.
Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble's 2008 Summer Season, a summer festival of new music, visual art, theatre and computer-generated images in a thrilling arts experience.
The Award for Outstanding Volunteerism recognizes outstanding contributions of an active volunteer, firm or business from the Arts Council's Business Volunteers for the Arts® and/or Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts programs. The 2009 award is presented to Pepper Hamilton LLP, whose attorneys volunteered nearly 250 hours through VLA-a market value of almost $50,000.
The Leadership in the Arts Award recognizes an individual or organization from the business, legal, arts or civic sectors whose work has had a significant impact on the region's cultural landscape. The 2009 Award will be presented to Allegheny Regional Asset District in recognition of the significant contribution this program has made and will continue to make on the arts in our region.
Apr 19 2009
So I go to "State of Play," to see what I had heard is a tribute to newspapers -- although the film wasn't screened for print journalists, including the Post-Gazette, and if any print interviews were given for the film, they didn't make the wires. OK, I've gotten that off my chest.
Russell Crowe plays the lead, an old-fashioned, hard-bitten newsman for the fictional Washington Globe, a newspaper whose new owners (who's buying papers these days?) have their eyes on the bottom line instead of the big story. He clashes with a recent hire (who's hiring?), Rachel McAdams, a blogger for the paper -- he has little respect for her, and she looks down on the leg work an investigative piece demands, at least at first. Central to the plot is the state of newspapers and, in what made me think of this season of "24" at every turn, a powerful private security force of mercenaries.
But I'm getting off point.
Early in the film, Crowe's character walks into the newsroom and he's greeted with, "Hi Pittsburgh." His nickname is "Yunzer." Later, we see an apartment with Steelers memorabilia scattered about. He calls his former college roommate, a congressman played by Ben Affleck, "EasLiberty," although that confused me. Affleck's character is from Pennsylvania's seventh district, Delaware County, and he has a Phillies banner in his office.
These are throwaway touches -- except to Pittsburghers. Nothing about how Crowe speaks or conducts himself has anything to do with Pittsburgh. Unless someone decided that Crowe represented a place they think if gritty and Affleck's chiseled face and tailor suits made him Philadelphia material. Ir can't be the film's roots. "Stateof Play" is based on a 2003 BBC miniseries.
What's the deal?
I quick look tonight on imdb.com didn't turn up a Pittsburgh connection. Would love to give a shout out to whoever decided to give Russell Crowe, who never once uses a Pittsburgh expression in the film, the nickname of "Yunzer" and, in a year when both are champions, have shout outs to the Steelers and the Phillies.
The film has a few interesting twists and turns and we see how a newspaper is printed and sent out for delivery over the credits, which is a nice touch. It might have even brought a tear to my eye, if I hadn't been so caught up in trying to solve the mysteries of Pittsburgh in "State of Play."
Apr 17 2009
This just in came over the AP wire as an urgent ...
By Ryan Nakashima
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The Screen Actors Guild and the Hollywood studios said Friday they have reached a tentative deal on movie and prime-time TV show productions. The previous contract had expired last June.
The announcement came a day before the Guild’s board was scheduled to meet and a year after the two sides began talks.
The Guild said its leaders would recommend approval by the board and ratification by its members.
Both sides said the details of the deal will not be disclosed before the Guild’s board reviews it over the weekend.
On many counts, many people who follow the industry say the Guild is likely worse off than where it began.
Fierce infighting and a stalemate with studios over compensation for material that appears on the Internet helped push talks way past the June 30, 2008, expiration date.
Since then, the U.S. economy went into a nosedive, weakening actors’ resolve for a strike and hardening the studios’ unwillingness to bargain as DVD sales also fell apart.
Work for actors has stagnated as movie production slowed, reality TV show production grew and network programmers made moves to replace scripted dramas with talk shows.
On top of that, more than 90 percent of pilots for scripted shows in the coming fall TV season have gone to SAG’s more acquiescent cousin, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a reversal of past trends.
AFTRA, with 70,000 members compared with SAG’s 120,000, ratified its own prime-time TV deal with the studios last July after it broke off joint talks with SAG for the first time in nearly 30 years.
SAG maintains a monopoly on union work for major motion pictures in the United States.
By the studios’ measure, SAG actors have lost nearly $70 million in wage increases they would have earned if they had accepted a 3.5 percent pay hike included in the studios’ final offer.
“Their endless stalemate really amounted to them pouring sugar in their own gas tank,” said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer who has followed the talks closely. “The SAG hard-liners have inflicted serious damage on their own union.”
Because of the long delay in reaching a deal, the expiration date of a new contract also became a bargaining issue. It is unclear when the proposed agreement now ends.
A three-year deal would have left SAG’s contract expiring in 2012, a year behind the writers, directors and AFTRA, severely reducing its leverage with the studios and making a joint strike near impossible.
For the last several weeks, David White, SAG’s interim executive director, has been holding back-channel discussions with The Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Iger, as well as News Corp. President Peter Chernin to move the expiration date up. But the Guild was asked to give up something to have its expiration date coincide with the others.
White is a replacement for Doug Allen, a former NFL linebacker and NFL Players Association assistant executive director who was SAG’s executive director until he was ousted in January after a long, internal battle.
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