July 2010

  • The Sound of Music Playing at The Muny

    By sarajean on 7/31/10 6:19am
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    Before Julie Andrews made being a nun romantic and fun, The Sound of Music was a live musical enjoyed by children and adults alike. Now through Sunday, St. Louisans can see the performance live at The Muny in Forest Park.

    I remember watching The Sound of Music as a child and just being enchanted by Andrews in the film. “A Few of My Favorite Things” is a song I like to hum when I’m in a sticky situation—at the dentist or about to throw up, for example—that seems to make me calm down. (I have no idea why.) Since then, there have been dozens of remakes of the song by artists such as Tori Amos, Luther Vandross, Barbara Streisand, Outkast, and many others; Andrews’ version remains my favorite.

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  • Sacramento, California - Alive with Musicals!

    By colormejosh on 7/28/10 8:50pm
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    The capitol city of Sacramento, California comes alive during the summer with the California Musical Theater and Music Circus back to back musical productions.


    One of my personal favorites Oklahoma! is currently playing (July 27 - August 1).

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  • Doing the right thing

    By dfunzy on 7/28/10 4:34am
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    Child in Car Called 911, Reported Drunk Mom

    In New York, a 49-year-old woman driving drunk, with two of her kids in the car, was arrested, after her 12-year-old daughter called 911 from the car and remained on the phone with a 911 dispatcher until police pulled woman over.

    A panicked girl made repeated calls to 911 Sunday night to report her mother for drunk driving on I-84. The girl called for help from the confines of Jamie Hicks's green Buick, telling the dispatcher that her mom was drunk and was swerving into other lanes. WCBS reports, 'The dispatcher heard lots of screaming and yelling and said the girl claimed her mom was hitting her, and there were multiple hang-ups.' But you've got to expect that when you narc out mommy for being boozy behind the wheel. "

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  • New York City Music

    By colormejosh on 7/27/10 5:59pm
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    New York City (or the BIG APPLE) is home to many millions of people and is the most populous city in the United States of America. All of these people have brought with them their own cultural heritage and music is a big part of that. There is probably not another corner on this planet that has a more diverse and wide reaching music scene. New York is a leading global city and has a huge impact on the world in regards to culture - the citizens of this city create some of the best music (and other arts) that are often duplicated in every part of the globe.

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  • He Got Game: Fathers and Sons Play Ball (Part Two)

    By cobwebsandstrange on 7/26/10 10:32am
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    Along the way to earning his early parole, Denzel Washington’s Jake character ends up becoming involved with a hooker who counts as his neighbor. And while the hooker with a heart of gold thing should be well below Spike Lee’s mental prowess, it seems that He Got Game is attempting to critique women in society.

    With Jake accidentally killing his wife, she should be seen as a martyr of sorts considering her death stemmed from intervening in a fight between father and son. So, she’s a good one, as is the hooker Jake befriends.

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  • He Got Game: Fathers and Sons Play Ball (Part One)

    By cobwebsandstrange on 7/23/10 5:25pm
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    When Spike Lee released He Got Game in 1998 basketball was already moving towards becoming the most popular sport in the States. The director, understanding this and probably feeling that it was a deserved shift away from baseball (which is horrendously boring to watch on tv), crafted a narrative intending to display the finer points of the game while still attempting to levy some social and political criticism on the country that birthed him.

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  • It's LeBron's Day

    By dfunzy on 7/8/10 10:28am
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    Today is the day for the big announcement from LeBron James.

    This is the summer time. The Congress is still out on the 4th of July recess, so there isn't a lot of Washington news. The Russian spies seemed not to have been all that effective as spies, so they have limited appeal, and there is a deal to send them home in a swap for one of our spies the Russian have, for the minnows our side caught of theirs. The weather in the East continues to be so darn unpleasant, but how many things can you say about the heat. BP is being BP, and people are tired of talking about BP and not cussing. And so what is left? Lindsay Lohan? LeBron is a better story. Why? Because the hype is better. The drama is better. No Sturm und Drang. And a whole big network, ESPN, is behind him. And he has a mystery going. Which NBA team will get his services?

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  • Do the Right Thing: Acceptance, Disdain and Violence (Part Two)

    By cobwebsandstrange on 7/8/10 4:18am
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    At two hours in duration Do the Right Thing could have very well focused on that pizza shop and the folks attempting to boycott it for entire feature. Luckily, director Spike Lee was smart enough to write in a bevy of supplemental plot points and characters to occupy some of the time. The film still would have benefited from a bit of editing – Lee really likes long musical numbers.

    In mentioning music, Radio Rahemm, as played by Bill Nunn, while not a huge role ostensibly functions as the catalyst for the film’s conclusion.

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  • LeBron James: Show Biz Hot

    By dfunzy on 7/7/10 5:40am
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    Show business! Sports is show business. LeBron James is the hottest person in show biz this hot summer. Tonight, Thursday, on ESPN, at 9 p.m., Eastern, Mr James is scheduled to announce the name of the lucky NBA team that for zillions of duckets will be blessed with his services. Yes, America, Mr. LeBron James will announced his free agency decision. A word to President Obama, if you want the attention of the American people, cool it on your day job and get on the professional basketball court. Challenge Kobe to a few baskets, but LeBron, right now is a little too hot. You may fade in the light of his sun. Who wouldn't? Who else could demand a full hour of national television time to announce where he's going to work?

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  • Mo Better Blues: The Jewish Question (Part One)

    By cobwebsandstrange on 7/6/10 3:50pm
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    Coming after what basically viewers and critics agreed to be Spike Lee’s masterpiece, Mo’ Better Blues seems to have met with a good deal of problematic discourse at the time of its release.

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  • Breakingdancing In Seoul

    By dfunzy on 7/5/10 7:28am
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    Hip hop is as American as what? Baseball. Hip hop is universal as music is universal. Hip-hop dancing -- break dancing and hip hop culture are -- have gone around the world.

    In Seoul, South Korea, hip hop teams from around the world squared off / battled it out for the championship. See the video.

    Why is this significant? Does the world need more competition? Let's not focus on the competition, others might, but that is not my focus. It is the celebration of music and dance that moves me to make this post. The world gets smaller. Young people see what other young people do, and if it looks like fun, they do it too. Cultures come together, whether it's is baseball, or music and dance. If people are having fun, if people are happy, if what people do is cool, then it is cool. And a little breakdancing in Seoul, is good for the world's soul.

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  • The boy forgot he was just a toy.

    By dfunzy on 7/5/10 6:58am
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    Hot dogs -- Eating hot dogs on the 4th of July -- what is more American than that? Competition is what America is about every day.

    The former hot dog speed-eating champion of the world, Takeru Kobayashi, was he hot dogging it on the 4th of July? Or was he barking like a lonesome dog who has lost his bone? He is Japanese, but was he being as American as one can get, standing on principles on the 4th of July?

    The gentleman was arrested at an event that he once dominated. He was the six-time champion. The event -- the speed hot dog eating competition on the 4th of July at Coney Island, New York City, USA. He did not compete this year, because of a contract dispute. At the end of the competition, right after the winner was announced, Mr Kobayashi tried to get on the stage to make a statement, and was dragged off to the slammer. See the video.

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