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Jack Goes Confidential: Tense ‘HUNGER GAMES’ a Post-Apocalyptic Love Story
Let me say it right upfront..
When millions of fans invade movie theaters this weekend to experience THE HUNGER GAMES, they won’t be disappointed! The screen adaptation takes the storyline beyond just Katniss Everdeen‘s viewpoint by putting digital warfare emphasis in the game’s master control room.
And that’s a good thing.
Starbeams: Hunger Games, Cricket, Manning & John Carter
ATTENTION PEOPLE OF KANSAS CITY: The Hunger Games is NOT a movie about burnt ends.
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Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli confirmed why Peyton Manning wouldn’t talk with the team – he refused to pay Arrowhead‘s outrageous parking prices.
Donnelly: The Million Dollar Quartet @ Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Most people are familiar with the iconic photo of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis…
The one taken the night of December 4, 1956 at a jam session at Sun Studios in Memphis. Part of what makes the photo so powerful is the youth of the musicians all but one of whom (Lewis) are deceased.
It was a simpler time, before the sequined jumpsuits, the scandals and the drug abuse.
Obviously, all of them went on to become legends.
And that night is what The Million Dollar Quartet is all about. It unfolds now through Sunday at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. I caught the show Wednesday night before a packed house.
Hearne: Beleaguered Head of Star Parent Company McClatchy Hits The Road
Go figure…
In a curious unfolding of events, the head of the Kansas City Star‘s parent company McClatchy is stepping down to take the top spot at The Associated Press.
Which comes as a bit of a head scratcher.
Because prestigious as heading up "one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering" as the AP describes itself may be, it’s hard to imagine Gary Pruitt taking down the kind of coin he has at McClatchy at a not-for-profit.
For example Forbes pegged Pruitt’s "total compensation" for 2009 at $3,753,229.00.
Starbeams: Sticky Whitey Tighties, George Clooney & Exercise Orgasm
I saw a group of Latinos get into an argument with a group of Irish celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in Westport. I wanted to get involved, but I never act until I consult with George Clooney.
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The Broncos may have cut and run on TIM TEBOW, but the Jockey underwear people are sticking with him. The company says, quote, "Jockey brought Tim Tebow on as a spokesperson before he took his first professional snap and even before he finalized his contract with an NFL team."
That’s the reason I don’t wear jockey anymore….they kept sticking with me.
Glazer: Scribe Unleashes His Chompers, Drops the Hammer on Plaza Nightlife
The Plaza decided this past year to add some hot new restaurants to the mix…
The hope; to bring in new energy to what had become a way slowed down night life. The powers that be didn’t want any more down and dirty dance clubs like Blonde. Fear of blacks raiding the nearly all white Plaza at night was the obvious reason for that.
In fact one of the restaurants to get the boot, reVerse, was doing quite well.
It was replaced with yet a fourth new concept, Coal Vines. And while the "pizza and wine bar" has done pretty well – even with no bar biz and no early or late night biz, it’s not an energy builder for the ghost town the Plaza has become at night.
In fact on Sunday-Thursday you see almost nobody out walking around the Plaza after 9 PM.
Hearne: KU Women Giant Kill Their Way into NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Don’t look now but KU‘s basketball team is headed to the Sweet Sixteen…
And no, I’m not talking about the lucky devils on the KU mens team that squeaked past Purdue the other day.
Nope.
I’m referring to the AMAZING KU womens basketball squad who have been playing the best basketball in the state of Kansas the past two weeks since entering the NCAA Tourney.
That’s right, bring on the hyperbole because these ladies deserve it.
Sounds Good: Yonder Mountain@Liberty Hall, Andrew Bird@Uptown, Kinetiks@Jackpot
OK music fiends…
Concert season is nearly upon us. So make sure you get your mind, body, and soul prepared. I mean, you don’t want to pull something.
How does one go about preparing mind, body, and soul for the rigors of an epic concert season? Simple.
First, get yourself a bucket and fill it with beer. Second, drink the bucket of beer. Third, place the bucket on your head.
That’s it folks. Now don’t get too cocky, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Oh, and go check out these shows…
Glazer: Woe Be to the Chiefs – Manning to Vault Denver to Atop AFC West
Peyton Manning will be a Bronco…
Meaning that Denver will join Houston and New England as favorites to go to next year’s Super Bowl from the AFC. The Kansas City Chiefs – who had already been picked by many, even at ESPN to win the west – have now been demoted to wild card hopefuls.
What a difference one player can make when his name is MANNING.
The Chiefs have made some nice off season moves including picking up offensive tackle Eric Winston, a very good lineman. And we had no real solid tight end, so the Chiefs bought Kevin Boss, another very good player. The Chiefs also may have caught a break in signing back up quarterback Brady Quinn as well as the more than dependable running back Peyton Hillis from Cleveland. Hillis and Quinn had worked with Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel in the past and he was a fan of both.
So yeah, the Chiefs got some needed help.
With a wounded running back and a tight end who’s never healthy, these were great moves.
Hearne: Urban Youth Mount Unwelcome Return to Plaza on St. Patrick’s Day
They’re back and they’re black…
Much has been said of how bustling Westport was on St. Patrick’s Day. To which I can add, ditto for Waldo. The Well, Quinton’s and Kennedy’s were on fire.
Which brings us to KC’s other prominent people magnet, the Plaza.
After spending several hours there Saturday afternoon and evening, I can report that comparably, outside of O’Dowd’s and maybe the sports bars the Plaza was a St. Patrick’s Day bust.
Don’t get me wrong.
There were plenty of locals out and about, shopping, dining, enjoying the weather and beautiful day. They just weren’t – for the most part – adorned in tacky green getups and stumbling around drunk.
Which by Plaza standards is a good thing.
The day also marked the notable return of a crowd the Plaza’s been loath to welcome.
Glazer: Bill Self Sets Stage for Revenge Battle Against North Carolina & Benedict Roy
KU’s two All-Americans – Thomas Robinson is and Tyshawn Taylor – were big time off their games yesterday…
And Kansas looked like a sure loser against Purdue the entire game until the very end, when a point guard named Elijah led Kansas to the promised land.
Elijah Johnson – who is likely to be the star of next year’s team – saved the day.
Robinson and Taylor could just not score, hitting only six shots from the field.
So how did Kansas beat a good Purdue team? Bill Self.
Donnelly: Sporting Pummels Reduced New England Revs in Home Opener
St. Patty’s Day at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park offered the 20,000 plus in attendance more than just a green beer hangover and an Irish jig performed by two of the biggest, blackest leprechauns you’ve ever seen.
The place was juiced as the opening whistle blew, the heavy bass blasting on the sound system, nearly drowning out the chants from the sold-out Cauldron.
Head coach Peter Vermes even wore a suit, so you know it was a special night.
New Jack City: Lame, Annoying Phrases We All Could Live Without
I’m German and have been putting up with your curious American customs for some time…
Like the annoying, meaningless pleasantry, HOW ARE YOU? Meaningless because chances are you probably really don’t care how I am.
Am I wrong?
Even the stock answer, "Fine" is annoying because it makes me wonder about the person being questioned’s ability to express themself.
Okay, maybe I’m reaching, but if every second caller on talk radio skipped the How Are You? schtick, they could maybe squeeze in two or more lame callers every hour.
You know, more is less.
KMBZ afternoon drive chatterbox Scott Parks has evelavated the meaninglessness of this question to new heights. Or is it depths?
McPansy: Jane’s Addiction at the Uptown Theater, March 16, 2012
Friday night’s Jane’s Addiction show at the Uptown Theater saw KCC‘s photog/music fanatic Katie Grogan soaking in some good ol’ 90s alt rock.
Though Jane’s peaked as a band a decade (or two?) back, a solid crowd turned out to catch Perry Farrell‘s shaman act.
Here’s what Katie had to say about it, and some pics of what it looked like…
Glazer: Westport Flexes Its Party Muscles, Claims High Ground on St. Paddy’s
It’s ridiculously official…
Westport’s back and it’s bad. It was so packed yesterday for St. Patrick’s Day you couldn’t get near the place without getting trapped in major traffic jams. As early as 11 AM. I tried to slip into the area and had to duck in and out of the sidestreets to make it into the heart of Westport.
Here’s the honest to god deal, they don’t need the St. Patrick’s Day parade to lure Kansas City to Westport on a Saturday. That’s by far the busiest drinking day and night of the year.
"I hit the beer tent on the Kelly’s lot at 9 A.M. and they never turned my beer tap off ALL DAY until they took a break around 7 PM," said Westport point man Bill Nigro. "I’ve seen huge crowds down here over my 30 years, but this was the biggest ever."
I checked out the Power & Light District afterwords around 1 PM and there wasn’t even a fraction of the crowd Westport had. I’m sure it got busier later, but some of our staff hit them both and said there was no comparison.
Westport was 10 times busier than P & L!
Hearne: MU Blue; Don’t Play it Again, Sam, Kleenex is for Crybabies
Little help?
I don’t know of anybody who’s sung the praises of Star sports columnist Sam Mellinger more than I. From the get go, I saw things in Sam that foretold of a bright future.
Allow me to remind.
When he started the column two years ago, Sam He Am had big shoes to fill.
Amidst third degree belt tightening and rather awkward circumstances, the newspaper had lost its two top sports guns, Joe Posnanski and Jason Whitlock.
And Whitlock on his way out had unleashed a scandal involving the paper’s newly minted main editor with an attractive, highly placed female sports editor who worked under him. Whitlock publically accused the two of having an improper relationship.
It was plenty ugly and mum was the word on the subject at 18th and Grand.
Whinery: Taking Tony to Task on the True Meaning of Hate Crimes
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Over at Tony’s Kansas City, a Mr. Botello has made quite the hullabaloo about Whites being unable to be the victims of Hate Crimes…
The context being an unfortunate occurrence at East High School. Too make a long story short, a young man of 13 – white and 13 years of age – was set on fire by two black youths- WHO WERE ALLEGEDLY CALLING HIM “WHITEY” among other epithets.
Mr. Botello is of the opinion that this cant be a hate crime because racism is “institutional” and since whites are the “majority” and have the “power.”
In all due respect, sir, what a bunch of crap!
Hearne: KC Export Erich Mancow Muller Defends Rush, Debuts New TV Show
[ NEWSFLASH FROM MANCOW: FOX DECIDED AT THE LAST MINUTE TO MOVE THE BROADCAST TO A DIFFERENT NIGHT TO AVOID GETTING BURRIED ALIVE IN GREEN ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY. NEW BROADCAST DATE TBD ]
This just in…
Long time no Mancow on local airwaves. But you know, given the slippery slope terrestrial radio personalities face in today’s metered ratings world, it’s lucky anybody besides Johnny Dare actually still has a high-rated show and a paycheck worth crowing about.
Mancow syndicates his show nationally out of Chicago on Talk Radio Network.
The latest?
Glazer: Chelsea Lately Unleashes PR Schmooze on Scribe & Stanford’s
The hottest comedy show on cable is Chelsea Lately…
And Stanford and Sons has been a feeder for her guests the last two years. We’re lucky to be associated with booking agencies like CAA, APA and Gersh. These agencies out of LA and New York represent 90% of her guest comics.
So when offered the opportunity – realizing she was the next big thing in comedy on TV – I began signing almost all her people. Recently we’ve had Dov Davidoff, Mo Mandel and Ilza Shelsinger to name a few. Now all of them have TV series or movies. Our biggest Chelsea find was clearly TJ Miller who’s as hot as anyone out there today.
You have to give Chelsea credit for being willing to share her stardom with so many young comics.
Nobody else has been as helpful to up and comers since the days of Johnny Carson and the old Tonight Show.
And Thursday Chelsea gave Stanford’s and KC some love.
Glazer: Missouri Chokes, Leaves Once in a Lifetime Season in Ruins
Who knew?
Even President Obama picked Missouri to go to the FINAL FOUR.
This year’s MU basketball team achieved something the school never had before. Most sports insiders felt Missouri was one of the best teams in the nation. They were ranked No. 3, the school’s all-time best finish.They drew a No. 2 seed and got to play a total nobody.
No. 2 seeded MU against 15th seeded, unranked Norfolk State. Are you kidding me?
MU was like a 22 point favorite, the biggest number in the BIG DANCE. So what happens?
MU CHOKES. NORFOLK STATE WINS BY 2.
And you know what? It felt like a whole lot more. It never seemed like MU was really in the game to win it.
