The following is a 5-minute video from my Friday night with the Double Doors, featuring Nate Butler as the Amish Jim Morrison (it may be too dark to see, but his mustache fell off during the first of three awesome sets):
The most disturbing Thanksgiving I know of in Fresno
Beehive friend and commenter Marcel Nunis put together this little video yesterday. (I found it on MySpace; he has no idea I'm posting it on The Beehive.)
Roque Rodriguez of The Dumb ... Drum, organizer of Swede Fest The Second, welcomes everyone and says "if you have any questions, all the filmmakers are here," which draws a chuckle. Ha, we're "filmmakers" now. He then introduces the first film, a swede of "Seabiscuit."
What he should have added: The following video is totally awesome, if a little disturbing and somewhat R-Rated (aka NSFW) at the 2:00 mark.
Vince, who directed the film, stood up and said "shooting took three days because filming with children and animals can be difficult." Hilarious. I give his son the award for best actor, hands down.
So there's this fancy-schmancy hotel called "Atlantis" in Dubai, and this is what they did for the opening:
And though there are no reports just yet about those fireworks being fake, I still don't think I can support a company that throws this pretentious of a party for a freaking hotel, man. That's right: my boycott has nothing to do with the $30,000-a-night room (journalists in Fresno make a lot more money than you might think).
But if the obnoxious opening won't keep you away, maybe this will ...
'Rocky Horror': Audience participation 'that really drives me insa-a-ne'
Donald and I caught Saturday's performance of ART's "Rocky Horror Show" at Cal Arts-Severance. It was the second time for each of us. Here we are after the show with Frank (as played by the wonderful Daniel Chavez Jr.):
Anyway, I was a regular "Rocky" fan, and I'm not sure my appreciation for it will ever be over. Which is why I was thrilled that Artists' Repertory Theatre decided to produce the stage production for Fresno audiences this year. I caught the stage show in London nine years ago, and I had been to a handful of midnight showings back in Tampa during high school and college, and, of course, "Rocky Horror" was a staple among us drama geeks at regional and state festivals.
With that background out of the way, I'm by no means the guy who knows all the lines by heart or ever dressed up and performed in the "cast" during a film showing (although I think I'd make one hell of a Rocky). So, I wanted to run my mild peeve by Donald about the audience participation aspect of the stage production.
That was the thought going through my head during the latest installment of The Fresno Grizzlies' "I Hate The OffSeason" series. Although not as topical as the episodes involving the election, Halloween or fantasy football, it's always funny when a bucket full of baseballs and a gallon of milk are dropped from above -- especially when it's done by a orange, hairy bear mascot.
For the second time this week, The Dumb Drum has given The Beehive stuff to post. (And I'm not just giving this prolific local blog some love because I'm on their next podcast.)
BrodieMash has found "Frezno," a new book by photographer Tony Stamolis, who lives in New York but considers Fresno his stomping grounds. To commemorate his affection, he spent six years creating images that reflect what he sees around town: people with guns; people with tattoos; abandoned fields, buildings and sofas; and, oh yeah, naked girls (I should mention this link to a PDF excerpt is most-def NSFW).
Anyway, this looks great. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this book. (Mike is working on a print interview with this dude.) In the meantime, you can order "Frezno" on Amazon.
And if you're in New York next week, here's the flyer for the publication party:
So thousands of New York City subway riders were handed free copies of The New York Times (dated July 4, 2009) today with the headline that you see here:
So The Bee published a special section today with the headline "American Dream." As part of it, I put together this audio slideshow, featuring the first two minutes of Barack Obama's election-night speech (and some music!):
(I originally posted this on the News Blog, but I figured y'all have dug the political stuff thus far, so ... I hope you enjoy this, too.)
Barack Obama is leading 32-16 over John McCain in the first vote totals. That's 32 individual votes to 16. Out of tens of millions.
But over the next few hours, those numbers will rise and this currently all-gray map of the country will turn different shades of blue and red until one of the candidates wins enough states that equal 270 electoral votes.
Went to a Halloween party last Saturday in Florida, and here's some of what I saw ...
A caveman, a trainwreck Amy Winehouse and Chuck Norris -- quite the pop-culture triumvirate. Note: I graduated high school with the two guys on the right; they've gotten a lot funnier since then.
In today's letter (printed on Page C4 in The Bee) titled "'Politics and alcohol,'" Matthew Nolan of Fresno writes:
"I work as a doorman in a small bar in northwest Fresno. Recently I was forced to break up a fight between four women, all in their late 30s and early 40s. ... the fight broke out over an argument about Proposition 8. I was reminded once more that I've always believed discussions of politics and religion were bar talk taboo.
It's not that I doubt people to have the ability to discuss matters civilly; I just doubt they can do it when alcohol is involved. The woman who threw the first punch was in favor of the proposition and stood out as the one with the worst temperament over the matter, especially after hearing her volley of insults outside the establishment aimed at patrons, and myself in particular, for just doing my job.
Whether or not her behavior is reflective of other people in favor of Proposition 8, or more of her own character, this should stand out as a firm reminder that politics and alcohol do not mix."
Which brings up a good question: Sure, you can have a yard sign, but are you willing to get into a bar fight over something on the ballot?
If so, what?
Me? Hey, man. Don't get me started on how much I need me some high-speed rail bonding.
Hang on. Hope that wasn't a Rays fan, as the YouTube description states. AOL's FanHouse says it was a Phillies fan. IF it WAS a Rays fan ... dude is not a very bright man.
Programming alert: No more pointless, self-indulgent, non-Fresno-related World Series posts. Except this last one.
Go Rays, man. That's all I have to say. They have been stuck in the middle of the sixth inning of Game 5 for almost 48 hours now ... and this whole dream could very well end tonight. (Unless there's more rain or snow -- or if they, you know, win.)
But that's what this all could be. If all the bandwagon fans (who I was totally cool with, btw) don't keep showing up to games next year and the year after, then this magical season may be a mixed blessing. Instead of building up to a consistent-winning franchise, the Tampa Bay Rays kinda came out of nowhere this year; in taking everyone by surprise, there will undoubtedly be unrealistic pressure of the team to keep up the pace.
Win or lose the World Series (whether it ends tonight in defeat or however ends when it does), baseball experts and my new fellow fans will expect another trip to the World Series. What will happen if they're merely a .500 team next season?
Editor's note: This is the eighth part in a series written by Will while on his vacation to his hometown of Tampa. He booked the trip more than a month ago to coincide with the possibility that the Rays would make it to the World Series. The Beehive does not officially endorse any professional sports team.
There's a rain delay that's lasting at least 24 hours, so I figure this as good a time as any to post some more photos -- you know, while the Rays are still relevant for a few more hours.
Here's me and my dad before Game 1 (you can tell it's before because I'm smiling):
Editor's note: This is the seventh part in a series written by Will while on his vacation to his hometown of Tampa. He booked the trip more than a month ago to coincide with the possibility that the Rays would make it to the World Series. The Beehive does not officially endorse any professional sports team.
I mean, you don't have to root FOR the Rays, but this video from Game 2 of some ever-classy Phillies fans should help you pick a side (note: NSFW and quite possibly offensive to anyone with a high school education):
Back story: So Rays starting pitcher James Shields, who had pitched 100 pitches by the fifth inning but nonetheless had given up zero runs, was being replaced by a reliever ... and I looked back to see these goofballs talking trash in the opposing team's ballpark.
Highlights from Double Doors show at Starline
