Tag Archives: Hearne Christopher Jr.
Hearne: Can Local Saviors Save The Pitch?
Looks like it’s back to square one time for the alternative magazine formerly known as Pitch Weekly… The circa 1980s record store rag is circling the wagons (and possibly the drain) under its spanking new fourth owner, while mounting a … Continue reading
Hearne: The KC Star’s Recasting of Neal Patterson
Small town media types like few things more than rewriting history… Like bringing down legendary local icons such as Plaza developer J.C. Nichols. Or recasting a business bully like Sporting KC owner Neal Patterson as a jolly good fellow. Why confine yourself … Continue reading
Hearne: Political Correctness Meets the Silly Season @ 18th & Grand
Anybody wanna join me in calling for the closing of Thomas Jefferson’s Library and tearing down of Monticello? No? Well then, how about we start by following Kansas City Star freelance columnist Steve Kraske’s suggestion to rip the name of “visionary” Country … Continue reading
Hearne: American Royal Rubber Rib Rack Poor Sub for Substance
Talk about fiddling while Rome burns… I uttered a few words recently over the not yet cold, dead body of the American Royal and its arguably only remaining prized possession, the World Series of Barbecue. The latest: In lieu of … Continue reading
Hearne: Feeling Bored, Like Butter on a Pancake? Visit Kansas
Don’t look now but the Great State of Kansas is on a trajectory to nail the distinction of being most boring state in the nation… While that may not exactly be a shocker to people from places like New York, … Continue reading
Hearne: Fun & Games @ 18th and Grand Aboard Sinking Ship
Priorities, priorities… In a testament to how out of it daily newspapers like the Kansas City Star have become, after making huge cuts recently – Thursday’s venerable Preview section and almost all of FYI – the one thing still standing: A full page and a … Continue reading
Hearne: Bleacher Report Gives Chiefs QB Draft Pick Low Marks
We interrupt this local media hoopla day to bring a dose of stark skepticism… While the Chiefs startling, aggressive move to spend a 1st round draft pick on Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was certainly – let’s call it – … Continue reading
Hearne: Karen Dillon / USA Today Transform Lawrence Journal World
It’s not easy being a newspaper… While any number of them such as the Kansas City Star remain “profitable” – arguably anyway – they’re no longer insanely profitable like many had been for well over half a century. Noop, it’s an altogether … Continue reading
Hearne: The Move from Heck is O-V-E-R
Sorry about that, gang… However I just undertook a ridiculously difficult move – all of like four miles – to new digs here in Lawrence. And while that’s an infinitesimally small step for mankind, it was a gigantic pain in the … Continue reading
Hearne: Dream On, Plaza Will Never Be the Same
We all like to kid ourselves at times… Craig Glazer spends the night with a 23 year-old girl he met last weekend who’s mom’s only 40 and suddenly he’s Ponce de Leon. I get a new Fiat and I think I’m … Continue reading
Hearne: New Lawrence Library Bucks Trend, Battles for Relevancy
The Internet giveth, the Internet taketh away… For every amazing, wondrous benefit the Internet has afforded there’s a downside. Or so it seems. We get news at lightning fast speed, but newspapers and magazine’s have gone from cash cows to the walking dead. … Continue reading
Hearne: Murderer’s Row Lawrence, Courtesy of Topeka
Small town thinking can be a little small-minded… Make no mistake, Lawrence, Kansas is definitely a small town in most every sense of the term – complete with good old boy politics and a sleepy citizenry. The small townsters here … Continue reading
Hearne: Hardballers @ American Royal Browbeat KC Council, Media
These new breed American Royal guys are scary… UMB’s Mariner Kemper doesn’t really fall into that category – he’s far too mellow – plus he wrote a touchy-feely op-ed two weeks back. However today’s answer to R. Crosby Kemper, Jr., – Cerner main man Neal Patterson,- is … Continue reading
Hearne: Why the Jury Bagged ‘The Buzz’ for Big Bucks
And now the rest of the story… If all you knew about the lawsuit former KU law school grad Ashley Patton filed against Entercom Kansas City two years ago after morning show personalities on 96.5 The Buzz misidentified her as a porn star and a jury granted her a million dollar … Continue reading
Today: Colorful Jardine’s Founder & Former Owner Greg Halstead Checks Out
One of Kansas City’s most truly colorful jazz and entertainment characters ever has passed away…
Greg Halstead, the founder and former owner of Jardine’s jazz club died Sunday. The 70-something Halstead may not have set out to lord over the local jazz live music scene, but that’s exactly what he did after taking over the former George’s Cheese and Sausage Shop space in the early 1990s at 4536 Main Street.
"You know, he never liked jazz, he just did it to survive," says former Jardine’s co-owner Pat Hanrahan. "When he first opened Greg started out with a player piano. Then he talked to the original owner of The Phoenix downtown and he helped Greg start the jazz thing, and Jardine’s became the premier jazz club in town. You know, he had Angela Hagenbach on Friday nights and Ida McBeth on Saturdays."
In August of 2000 Halstead nearly gave up on jazz.
Today: KC Confidential Looking for Writers, Staffers & Sales Staff
It’s that time of year again and KC Confidential is on the prowl…
We’re on the verge of unveiling a new, improved website with lots of bells and whistles, a cleaner, hipper new design and lots of improvements that many of you have been clamoring for. To that end, we’re looking for a few good writers and staffers to up the ante and take things to the next level.
Hearne: MU Supporter Calls for Sanity in College Athletics in Wake of Penn State Scandal
Follow the money? No way…
A review of Southeastern Conference athletic departments that showed newcomer Missouri ranking in the bottom tier in both sports revenues and expenditures was hailed in yesterday’s Kansas City Star as a clarion call for MU to raise more money. That is if it intends to compete on the playing field in its new conference.
In 2011 Missouri took in and spent about $64 million on sports programs. That’s about half of what the top SEC schools raked in – $20 million less than lowly Kentucky even.
To which longtime Missouri supporter Larry Sells says: "I don’t think raising all that money means anything. If they get it, they spend it. Maybe sometime they’ll want to think of themselves as a university instead of a football stadium with a college attached."
Missouri and other schools need to get their priorities straight, Sells says.
"I don’t know that it’s so important to have a $6 million coach as opposed to a $2 million coach," he muses.
Hearne: Former Star Columnist Posnanski Still Giving ‘Silent Treatment” on Paterno
The silence is deafening…
It’s hard to imagine being in a more awkward position than the one former Kansas City Star columnist Joe Posnanski finds himself in today. Then again, worse things could happen. After all, Posnanski banked a reported $750,000 writing fee for his upcoming book about fallen Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.
But what began as a picture perfect Posnanski blowjob about a beloved sports icon – something Joe clearly excells at – has taken nasty turn after nasty turn since the Penn State child abuse sex scandal broke last year.
It took an even nastier turn today with the release of a scathing report nailing Paterno for particpating – and possiblly spearheading – a coverup for convicted former right hand man Jerry Sandusky.
Hearne: Kansas City Got Shafted by Fox Sports All Star Coverage
Somebody done somebody wrong…
Like a lame country western song, Fox Sports hung Kansas city out to dry in its coverage of last night’s All Star Game. So says local PR guy extraordinaire Will Gregory.
"Here’s the pathetic thing," Gregory says. "Every single act Fox had at the stadium were country and western singers. And not even huge names – like B level American Idol singers. So it makes everybody across the country think we’re this hick town.
Hearne: It’s Just Baseball, Take It or Leave It Boys & Grrrls
You don’t have to be a die hard sports junkie to have insights or opinions on sports…
A handful of comments section naysayers ripped me last week for suggesting that some locals – notably the sports media – were over-hyping this week’s All Star baseball game in Kansas City.
"Your opinion on baseball is as relevant as mine is on quantum physics," snarled Merle Tagladucci before hammering me for supposedly not knowing that the team that won got home field advantage in the World Series.
Sorry Merle, I do know that. But that’s supposed to matter to everyday Kansas Citians again why?
Look, there’s nothing wrong with hardcore sports buffs like Merle obsessing over baseball minutia. No more than there is people who obcess about stamp or comic book collecting. It’s the human condition.
We all have our dalliences.
However people here have a habit of getting snookered into falling for broad assertions about the amazing things that will come to pass and propel the local economy if we just do this. Or get that.