Yearly Archives: 2011
Today: Jardine’s Unleashes New Menu & Digs
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jazz joint just off the Plaza called Jardine‘s is no more…
After a fashion.
That’s because owner Beena Brandsgard spent the past three months spiffing the place up. Newly refinished hardwood floors ( they were painted black), a fresh paint all around, new window and signage treatments, new kitchen and Vegas-style, lighted, red carpet on the stairs I tumbled down three years back.
"We’re the only ones in the city that has those lights," Brandsgard says of the stairs. "They’re from China and they’re LED lights so they save energy. But mostly they look cool – they’re more hip."
NEW JACK CITY: The End of the Line for Newspaper Movie Ads in the Star?
With the recent dismissal of longtime Kansas City Star movie critic Robert Butler, it got me thinking about the newspaper’s glory days with the film industry…
After all, Kansas City is one of the best per capita moviegoing markets in the country.
Industry insiders claim it’s about 25% above the national average. And up until a few years ago the Star’s movie ad pages were a feast for entertainment seeking eyes! Especially beginning in early May when the summer blockbusters began to open.
No mas…
OTC: Ray Lewis Warns Of “Evil” If NFL Lockout Continues
“Do this research if we don’t have a (NFL) season — watch how much evil, which we call crime, watch how much crime picks up, if you take away our game.”Ray Lewis, Ravens All-Pro linebacker, in an interview with Sal Paolantonio, ESPN
GH: Read this quote from Lewis again, I’ll wait. Sounds like a threat, right? Is Lewis saying we are all going to hit the streets and start boosting cars, looting stores and rolling old people just because we have our Sundays free this fall? Hey Ray, we don’t all live in Oakland.
“Maybe Lewis meant the players would turn to crime.”
Soren Petro, who said this in jest but was taken seriously by at least one caller, 810 AM
GH: Petro fielded a call from a person who identified himself as having a chance to make the Chiefs in the 90s. He explained that the way players receive their paychecks only during the season would leave some players desperate for cash if the players remain locked out. To the point of turning to crime? These NFL coaches and GMs don’t make enough money if they are dealing with an element of society that is this stupid.
Soren Petro, who said this in jest but was taken seriously by at least one caller, 810 AM
GH: Petro fielded a call from a person who identified himself as having a chance to make the Chiefs in the 90s. He explained that the way players receive their paychecks only during the season would leave some players desperate for cash if the players remain locked out. To the point of turning to crime? These NFL coaches and GMs don’t make enough money if they are dealing with an element of society that is this stupid.
Glazer: Black Barbie Bounces Back & The Search for Numero Uno
You know that old strip club song by Joe Rogan, "Voodoo Punanny"?
"Can’t get away from that voodoo punanny" – meaning that crazy good poontang! So this past Saturday, me minding my own business of course, during a busy sold out show for J.Chris Newberg, the opening act comes up and says: "Hey Craig, there’s a 6′ 2", gorgeous black girl in the lobby asking for you."
So I went to see who she was. At first I didn’t recognize her. And then – OH MY GOD – BLACK BARBIE!
I hadn’t seen her for almost a year and a half. Have to admit, DAMN! What a body, and she still has that "it" thing. She had on stiletto heels, that make her way too tall. In real life she’s about 5′ 11′. Barbie was with another girl who had gone out with Jim Jeffries way back when. Since I got divorced, I have to say I’ve had more fun with Black Barbie (real name is Monique) than any other woman.
But man, what a headache!
Star Search: Oops! Star to Print Readers; 75% of Joplin ‘Virtually Gone’
Breaking news, it’s the Achilles Heel of print journalism…
Yesterday’s Joplin tornado dissaster was a news nightmare for Kansas City’s paper of record. All newspapers, really. And not just because locals who still prefer to fish their news from their driveways were the last to know. That’s part of it.
But not only are newspaper readers the last and least informed, they’re often the most ill-informed.
Take the Star’s money quote and headline in today’s story, "Joplin Shredded."
" ‘I would say 75 percent of the town is virtually gone,’ Kathy Dennis of the American Red Cross told CNN."
What’s wrong with this picture?
Donnelly: Sporting KC Does What They Do, Gives Away Points To Seattle In Stoppage Time
Shiny new stadium? Check. New brand, new name? Check. 
International star? Check. Lots of promotion and media attention? Check.
Results?… Umm… what’s the opposite of "check"?
Were there some real positives to take away from Saturday’s disappointing stoppage time loss at Seattle?
Definitely.
Does that make me feel much better about this team? No, not really… okay, maybe a little… maybe…
Joe Miller: Ambushed by Gloria, Snakebitten by The Star & Legalizing Gay ‘Merry-Age’
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As I’ve watched new Kansas City mayor Sly James do everything right his first few weeks in office I’ve thought about everything we did wrong four years ago. ..
Where to begin?
The most obvious place to start would be two days after the election when all of us who worked on KC mayor Mark Funkhouser’s campaign read the Star and learned that the guy we got elected would have his wife working in the Mayor’s Office, at Steve Glorioso’s old desk.
But this is my confession, so a better place might be the week before the inauguration when I got a phone call from Star reporter DeAnn Smith.
Hearne: KC Star Sportsbabe 68 Lands New Job, Jettisons Former ‘Friends’
Turns out there is life after the Kansas City Star...
Even for folks who leave under a cloud. Take the case of former sports editor Holly Lawton aka Sportsbabe 68 on Twitter. Lawton’s sudden and unexplained resignation from the newspaper last summer went down amidst a growing controversy that culminated with sports scribe Jason Whitlock leaving the paper.
But not before Whitlock made it perfectly clear in a radio and television interview that he and other Star staffers were convinced Lawton and bad boy Star editor Mike Fannin were involved in an "inappropriate relationship."
Lawton’s abrupt bailing from a high dollar position at the Star to go job hunting in the worst recession in decades added to the mystery.
Turns out Sportsbabe 68 is staying in sports.
Kinda. She’s landed a job at ad agency VML, her Facebook page says.
Sounds Good: Airborne Toxic Event @ Beaumont & Spring into Summer Fest
This weekend I give the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…
Friday, May 20th
The Airborne Toxic Event at the Beaumont Club in KC
These California indie rockers seem like they’ve been everywhere lately, from Letterman to Kimmel to Austin City Limits. Their mix of raw guitars with orchestral type arrangements is what makes this band stand out.
Starbeams: Brownback Mountain, T-2 for Two, Dancing w/ Micheal Mahoney’s Rug
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is defending his decision to make 11,000 square miles of the Flint Hills off-limits to wind farm expansion. Someone must have convinced him wind turbines are "art."
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Amazon.com says DVD sales of Terminator 2 are up 169% since Arnold‘s scandal broke. And he’s considering filming ANOTHER Terminator. Considering both his kids were born within days of each other, he shouldn’t have to practice much on those "reloading" scenes.
Today: OK Sports Talk Radio Fans, Screw On Your Thinking Caps
Think of it as a barstool rush to judgement…
So eager were some comments crowd types to dismiss 610 Sports ratings win in April over sports talk powerhouse WHB 810, they threw everything at the wall. Happens every year when the Royals season starts, they clamored. Nick Wright sucks.
But does it happen every year? Did it happen last year?
Let’s take a look…
As reported here, 610 with a 3.2 share beat WHB’s 3.1 share in April for listeners 12-plus, 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday.
Exact same thing that happened last year, right? Wrong.
Glazer: Legends & Village West Becoming Epicenter of Kansas City
In the 60’s the Plaza ruled…
Even though the beautiful, midtown shopping and entertainment district had been around for decades, it hit its stride in the ’60’s. Before that Downtown still was the "it" place in the metro.
But over the last five to 10 years the Plaza has lost many of its visitors, big name local shops and restaurants.
The Plaza started going national with chains in the late 90’s. Since then it’s moved away from nightlife and entertainment. For the most part there are no longer any nightclubs there. So it’s a bit more, well, quiet.
So what’s next for our city?
Jack Goes Confidential: ‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4’ Exceeds Expectations!
I’ve got to be honest and admit I approached # 4 in Disney’s ‘PIRATES’ franchise with apprehension.
It’s no secret that Johnny Depp’s 3rd outing PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END four years back disappointed many fans. Though financially it was hugely successful.
So how to rectify the sitation?
OTC: Did KU Help Or Hinder Josh Selby? And Vice Versa
“You shouldn’t use certain words on the airwaves but that is absolute crap! Josh is a very good athlete. Josh is one of the more athletic kids on our team. That’s how rumors get started. That’s as false as anything could be. One thing that is a coach’s responsibilities is to promote his kids and put them in the best light they can possibly be.”Bill Self, in an interview with Nick Wright, after Wright asked him to comment on a report that stated KU didn’t find Selby to be as athletic as thought and that they intentionally limited Selby’s play at KU to make him less attractive in the NBA draft, 610 AM
GH: Wright has long held the opinion that KU’s handling of Selby will hurt the Jayhawks in their future efforts to recruit top recruits. Some of those fears are possibly coming to fruition. Read on.
“(Josh) Selby was, in a word, awesome in the (NBA) workouts I saw in Vegas. At Kansas, Selby looked wild, out of control and oddly unathletic. He struggled to create space from himself and made a number of bad decisions with the ball and in his shot selection. In Vegas he once again resembled the superstar we saw in high school. He was explosive athletically, got to the basket at will and shot the ball very well from range.”
Chad Ford, NBA draft expert, in a May 13, 2011 post on ESPN.com
GH: Could it be Selby is simply allergic to wearing the uniform of the “City of Kansas?” How could Selby play like Jelani Janisse while at KU but then turn into Dwayne Wade in his Vegas workouts?
Chad Ford, NBA draft expert, in a May 13, 2011 post on ESPN.com
GH: Could it be Selby is simply allergic to wearing the uniform of the “City of Kansas?” How could Selby play like Jelani Janisse while at KU but then turn into Dwayne Wade in his Vegas workouts?
Star Search: A Closer Look at Star Publisher Mark Zieman’s Ascension
There’s something to be said for being in the exact right place at the exact right time…
Such appears to be the case with Star publisher Mark Zieman. The Star announced yesterday Zieman is being promoted to VP at the newspaper’s embattled parent company, McClatchy.
Some newsies say they’re surprised at the promotion, given Zieman’s lack of business experience.
Zieman has only three years working the business end of the newspaper. He was appointed publisher in 2008. And as for the Rockhurst "Executive MBA" the newspaper is touting, Zieman picked that up on the night school plan a handful of years back.
Second, there’s a reason the Star has fared better than many newspapers in the current catastrophic three-year downturn, insiders note:
Today: 610 Sports Dethrones WHB, Wright Closing on Kietzman
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Here’s a sports shocker to everyone with the possible exception of Nick Wright…
Entercom’s 610 Sports blew by sports radio powerhouse WHB 810-AM in listeners 12 and older, Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight for the month of April.
Blew past, you say?
610 Sports won with a 3.3 share and a weekly cume of 266,800 listeners. To WHB’s 3.2 and 176,100 listeners.
There’s more…
Hearne: Kansas City’s April 2011 Radio Rankings for Persons 12-plus
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It’s not the most sophisticated measure of radio listenership but the 12-plus rankings are basically the broadest.
Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight:
1) KQRC-FM The Rock 7.3 Share
2) KCFX-FM The Fox 6.6 Share
3) KCMO FM 5.9 Share
4) KMXV-FM Mix 93.3 5.6 Share
5) KBEQ-FM 5.2 Share
5) KFKF-FM 5.2 Share
6) KPRS-FM 5.1 Share
7) KCHZ-FM The Vibe 4.9 Share
Glazer: Westport’s Hell Bar Hosting Johnny Dare’s Reunion Friday
Suppose they gave a reunion and the guest of honor didn’t show?
That’s likely to be the case Friday at Westport’s new Hell Bar in the space formerly occupied by Johnny Dare’s. Johnny will not be showing up, but his "Reunion Party" will still go down. Yes sir, in the original spot.
I converted the former Stanford & Sons into Johnny Dare’s in 2004. It got national media attention. Mostly because of Dare being a DJ with his own bar named after him. Stanford’s also had a national rep, 30 years of comedy and flower pot bread. Two household names in the midwest. Front page news in the Star and a mention on "Good Morning America."
Pretty cool.
Today: Bob Lewellen Sendoff, Radio Ratings Returns & Robert Butler’s Last Stand
Bob Lewellen’s Memorial Service
Services for former KC Councilman and Parks Commissioner Bob Lewellen went down this morning at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church near his home at 118th & Holmes. The place was packed and highlights ranged from jokes about Lewellen being a die hard Kansas City, Missouri dude but having to die on the Kansas side of State Line, to a touching reference about him being trapped in a body that was falling apart, even "while his mind was as sharp as a sword."
Former KC mayor Dick Berkley – appearing to stand no taller than 4’11” – eulogized Lewellen from the pulpit.
"His motive was to improve this area," Berkley said. "Bob Lewellen was for what was best for the community, not what was best for Bob Lewellen."
Early Radio Ratings Returns…
Starbeams: Royals Help Usher in End of World, Google & Saks @ Indian Springs?
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Some Christian radio stations are claiming the world will end on May 21st. The prediction is based on actual calculations. Saturday is supposedly the 7,000th anniversary of Noah and the Great Flood, and we’re due for the apocalypse that day.
Plus, it’s mid-May and the Royals are still in contention.
