Yearly Archives: 2011
Glazer: Time for KCMO Police to Man UP & Fight Crime, Not Businesses
There is a serious problem in midtown and for once it’s not about crime.
It’s the raids Hearne talked about yesterday by liquor control and vice on the bars they don’t like.
Especially the ones in Westport. Westport is the only area that gets hit with as many as 15 officers weekly to check liquor cards, the business licenses on the walls, to ID minors, etc. It’s nearly a total waste of time and manpower.
We don’t get these sort of hassles at The Legends.
For years this has been a bad habit in Westport and NOWHERE ELSE other than a few black bars in KCMO.
Today: The Heart Sickening Tale of the Sale of One of KC’s Most Iconic Mansions
How the mighty have fallen!
It took four long years, but one of Kansas City’s most famous mansions has finally sold. There’s a "sold" sign in the yard of the former home of deceased local real estate tycoon Jack Frost at 8636 Mission Road.
The six bedroom, four bath, 8,440 square foot, 83 year-old, "storybook French Norman Castle" had everything a buyer could want, including real estate taxes in the neighborhood of $27,000 a year and a pricetag of $1.6 million.
Which trust me, was a steal. More on that in a moment.
Starbeams: Parlez Vous Gold Cup? Dresses to Di For
The U.S. National Team played in Livestrong Sporting Park last night in Gold Cup action.
It’s nice to see soccer catching on because I was running out of places in town where I’m the only person who speaks English.
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The Princess Diana exhibit set a new record for ticket sales here. Union Station officials were hoping to sell 75,000 tickets but more than 105,000 people took the tour. Including 3,100 people the day Will & Kate were married. Kate can hardly wait for the exhibit to return to England so she can RECYCLE SOME OF THE DRESSES.
Donnelly: Goalscorers Struggle to Finish, US Slips Past Overmatched Guadaloupe
Based on the results, Tuesday night was an overwhelming success.
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park was sold out for Team USA‘s 1-0 victory over Guadaloupe.
Many players, coaches and media observers that were getting their first taste of Sporting KC’s new home were thoroughly impressed with the stadium and atmosphere it provided for this crucial Gold Cup game.
"It was fantastic," said Landon Donovan when asked about the new stadium. "I think everybody involved should be commended. The crowd was great, they were energetic. The stadium, the locker room and facilities are beautiful. I definitely hope we come back here."
"It’s a great stadium," said head coach Bob Bradley. "I think all of the players were really excited about every part of it. The stadium is really well done. It is first class in every way. The atmosphere inside of the stadium, it is great to play in front of a crowd that is there for us, a U.S. crowd.”
And, hey, the US will now advance to the next round where a very respectable Jamaican squad will try their luck at knocking off the Yanks. So it’s all good right?
Not really…
Hearne: Movie Critic Robert Butler Pre Spanks Ex Boss, The Star
Who’s minding the movie store at the Star?
One has to wonder. Especially after reading exiled Kansas City Star movie critic Robert W. Butler’s story last week about the demise of the founder of the AMC Kansas City FilmFest. A report that came out a handful of days before the newspaper’s watered down version of the tale appeared on Sunday.
"Longtime KC film fest leader steps down," shouts the Star‘s headline. "Jubilee founder Fred Andrews cites health reasons; board promises to continue his mission."
Hold it right there!
I’ve seen some news coverups, but this baby takes the cake.
Hearne: And the New Publisher of the Kansas City Star is…
From the Idaho Statesman – the Idaho Statesman? – Mi-Ai Parrish!
That’s right. Forget about the dude part. Blessed mother of god, they hired a hottie!
The $64 million question: will touchy-feely Star editor Mike Fannin be able to resist keeping his mitts off of her?
Hearne: Star Poised to Announce New Publisher!
This just in….
Any minute now – any second even – the Kansas City Star will announce the name of its new publisher. The dude who will replace the dearly departed Mark Zieman. The guy who will decide the fate of embattled Star editor Mike Fannin.
A gentleman who – surprise, surprise – is coming in from outside the newspaper. From another market.
Stay totally tuned!
Star Search: Star Sidesteps Geezer Pleaser Card With Groupon-like Daily Deal
Ah, the incredible lightness of daily deal making…
It’s one thing to be late to the party. Like a year and a half late. Quite another to stagger out of the starting blocks with a weak-kneed effort. Yet that’s exactly what the Kansas City Star did Monday with the launch of its new Groupon-like, dealsaver.com daily deal.
Affiliated – as once rumored – with Groupon?
"It’s not," says one local daily deal expert. "It’s their own – their own misguided product."
Glazer: Hangover Star to Splash Down Next Week at the Legends!
Bryan Callen‘s worked about as much as any actor who’s NOT a household name.
He’s a co star of The Hangover 1 and 2 will be at Stanford’s next week doing stand up. Which is how he started his career. And he’s very sharp doing it, as well.
It’s Callen’s second time at Stanford’s in 10 years. He’s been scheduled several times but had to cancel due to film or TV work. I can’t list even a third of his work but go to IMDB (International movie data base) and check out all his credits.
But it’s his recent work in both Hangovers that’s finally put him at the top of the game.
Hearne: Marilyn Maye Hospitalized, Father’s Day Week Shows @ Jardine’s Canceled!
This just in…
Legendary KC crooner Marilyn Maye was rushed to a hospital earlier today and her weeklong series of sold-out shows at Jardine’s for Fathers Day week – slated to begin tomorrow – will have to be rescheduled.
"I’ve got bad news," says Jardine’s owner Beena Brandsgard. "Marilyn’s in the hospital. The shows are all canceled. She has three kidney stones."
Donnelly: That’s More Like It! Sporting Regains Touch in Thrashing Of Dallas
Did I call it or what? 
Mere days after I praised Graham Zusi as the only Sporting KC player with a dangerous long shot, he puts in one for the ages from about 50 yards out, and another on a strike from about 20.
Yes, Zusi made me look good this time.
But Zusi wasn’t the only player to find the net – Aurelien Collin and Luke Sassano tallied one each – as Sporting regained their scoring touch in a 4-1 beatdown of FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas.
Hovick: Have a (Clothing Optional) Happy Father’s Day, Courtesy of Midland by AMC
Statistics don’t lie…
Dads get the stiff end of the stick – plenty of puns intended – on their national holiday
Mom, Mom, Mom
Is the normal cry in the household
And Mom is who a Dad really wants to hear from when the kids are sick
Mom is who Dad really wants to hear from when the kids need a ride to anything and he’s busy watching sports Or when Dad could be away from the house at a sports bar with other Dads
Mom is who Dad really wants to hear from when his daughter at any age wants to have the talk
You know, when her body starts to change
Go ask your Mother, is the standard Don’t Disturb Dad line
But when the kids want money – who they gonna call?
Uh, Dad
Hearne: Former KCTV News Director Weighs in on Katie Horner Exit & Bonnaroo
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Maybe it’s just me…
But I strongly suspect lots of people in local TV news would be at least somewhat surprised to learn mild-mannered, former Channel 5 news director Don North just got back from spending three days with his wife and friends partying like banshees at the rock fest known as Bonnaroo.
Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, Buffalo Springfield, The Strokes, Henry Rollins, Lewis Black, Bela Fleck, Loretta Lynn, Scissor Sisters, String Cheese Incident and about a zillion other bands. A four day camping and music wilding, spread out across 700 acres in Manchester, Tennessee.
Forgive me in advance for asking, but how much dope did North smoke on the three day rapture?
Starbeams: Too Big & Ugly for the Plaza? The Four Day Murray’s Work Week
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The Country Club Plaza has been decorated with dozens of hanging baskets full of flowers. Plaza residents are considering whether or not to petition to have the baskets removed because they’re too big and ugly to be on the Plaza.
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THIS JUST IN: Over half the residents of Kansas City are considered too big and ugly to be on the plaza.
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Glazer: Miami’s LeBron Needs to Find Something Besides Basketball-Boxing Maybe
So I asked LeBron James if he had change for a dollar and he gave me back 3 quarters..
He looked all around and said to me, "Man, I just don’t have a fourth quarter." And so he didn’t. In one of the most shocking finals in recent NBA history, the NBA’s biggest, new name was exposed as being way, way overrated.
The numbers tell the story.
Today: Time to Put an End to Unnecessary Police & Liquor Raids in Westport
In the words of Rodney King, "Can’t we all just get along?"
That’s how Westport businessman Bill Nigro feels about the recurring weekend night raids on bars and restaurants in Westport spearheaded by KC Liquor Control and backed by uniformed members of the Kansas City Police force.
Totally unnecessary, Nigro says.
Task forces of police and badge-toting officials descend on local establishments during prime time weekend business hours, demanding to examine their liquor, food and health licenses. All the while, scaring off customers, interrupting the flow of business – and in at least one case – not allowing a customer to enter the business.
"I know the doorman at The Union of Westport has had to produce his liquor card for either police or Liquor Control at least three times in the last three weeks," Nigro says. "How often do you get asked to see your driver’s license? Places in Westport get checked almost every month. They want to see our business licenses. They want to see employee’s liquor cards. They want to close us down. I don’t understand."
Glazer: Younger Grrrls Keep Rollin’ ‘Cross My Mind
Here’s how it went down…
Comedian Rich Vos and I had just finished doing radio in Westport at 9:30 AM Friday. And we had some time to kill before an appearance on KSHB TV near the Plaza. So I’ve made a habit of taking my out-of-town comics to breakfast at the Classic Cup. I like it and they get to check out the Plaza. Most of the talent we bring in is from LA and I want to show them that our Plaza is nicer than Beverly Hills.
Hey, it is.
So we pull up in front of the Cup – it’s always hard to find a place to park – and as we get out of the car, a black Mercedes pulls in next to us.
"Hey man, do you think my car will fit behind yours?"
It’s two hot girls with dark hair, maybe 25 or so. Sweet. Rich is very married and not interested in meeting girls, but he likes seeing me in action. And I said, "Rich, was that chick hitting on us?" And he said, "No."
I said, watch the pro, baby.
Donnelly: Sporting KC’s Defense Holds Up, But Offense Continues Slide
Did you all know that LIVESTRONG Sporting Park opened this past Thursday to host Sporting Kansas City’s first home game of the season?
Okay, I’m going to get this out of the way so we can talk some soccer: the stadium is awesome, the pitch looks great, and for me, it’s a dream to not have to watch the team toil away in a minor league baseball stadium or cavernous Arrowhead Stadium, both of which preclude having a proper sized playing surface. The grand opening featured a sellout crowd of 19,925, a streaker in a cow costume (who scored the only goal of the night), an appearance by Lance Armstrong, Chad Ochocinco, a stealth bomber flyover, and a slot on ESPN2’s Primetime Match of the Week.
Now, let’s talk about Sporting’s 0-0 draw with the Chicago Fire…
New Jack City: Tracy Morgan Rant Fuels Firestorm & Apology!
Did another comedian just crash and burn? Sure sounds like it!
Industry insider Web site Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood reports that about five years after Seinfeld star Michael Richard‘s racist rant at the Laugh Factory, 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan has come under fire for bashing gay people.
There’s no videoof Morgan’s rant available (yet), but Deadline Hollywood today reported that in his stand-up routine last weekend in Nashville Morgan said, "All this gay shit is crazy and that women are a gift from god and that Born This Way is bullshit."
Hearne: What To Do While You’re Not Watching Soccer @ Livestrong Sporting Park
For starters, you’d best not smoke – unless you find yourself on the roof of the owners box (more on that later)…
With more than 11,000 season tickets sold – versus 3,000 and change last year – there’ll be lots of fresh faces soaking up soccer and sun in KCK this summer. But given the sorry state of the team’s play, they’re going to need to find something to do.
I mean, besides watching soccer.
Not a problem. You can shop. The Wi Fi at Livestrong Sporting Park is top notch, so be sure not to forget to bring your smart phone. There are concerts with local bands before the games (don’t miss the Beautiful Bodies in October).
There’s more…
