Category Archives: Hearne_Christopher
Star Search: All About Oscar, Pretty Thin Otherwise
A salute to the dedicated, surviving staff members of FYI who conduct an annual slumber party of sorts every Academy Awards Sunday…
That said, let’s rock with the Continue reading
Hearne: Just When you Thought it was Safe to Go Back Outside: Lezak
It’s no secret that this winter’s meteorological holocaust has pretty much kicked the Cowtown’s ass…
Naturally, the blame goes to the TV weather wonks who sometimes seem to embrace worst case weather almost as much as KU fans do Final Four appearances. Alas, there’s far more to that equation than may meet the eye, counters Continue reading
Star Search: How to Say Zugazagoitia, Gloria Under the Gun, Morrison Busted & Reincarnation at its Worst!
Today is the first day of the rest of my driveway’s life…
Hate to wax philosophical on a day that includes a Continue reading
Hearne on the Street: Lahna Turner Cracks Up Stanford’s, Poses Nude, Anoints Glazer
It takes moxie to fall in love and marry a broke dude that tips the scales at 800 pounds…
Not to mention, be able to laugh and joke about it before hundreds of people you never even met. Comic Lahna Turner is loaded with moxie, that and a deft comedy touch, as evidenced by her performance Friday before a packed house at Stanford & Sons comedy club. And further evidenced by her posing nude while pregnant for the cover of her new CD, “If These Lips Could Talk.”
Make no mistake, Turner’s comedy may be subtle at times, but it’s waaaay out there.
“Is it wrong to tell an AIDS patient to stay positive?” she asks. Continue reading
Hearne: The Mermaid & the Cookie Cutter/Dark Side of Moon
Think of it as the eternal triangle meets brown and serve…
Get a tan, buy a cookie – buy a cookie get a tan. But don’t forget to pay the rent. Thus somehow begins the somewhat bemusing tale of Debbie Mandry, the busty “Mermaid” from the former Plaza seafood restaurant Continue reading
Star Search: Guess What? I Got Up Before You & Star Restaurant Reviews Return
Now you can pretend you are getting your Kansas City Star subscription free and get on with your day…
Or whatever.
A-1 Section: Here we go again, slow news drip on how many KCMO schools are gonna close. Today’s story is essentially that a single board member thinks the deal will go down before next week’s vote.
That’s the top-o-the-front page lead story.
Next there’s a plug for one of the Star’s premier advertisers – the Auto Show – in the form of a massive rehash about Toyota’s quality and image woes. Do the editors have any idea how many national stories have run on this in recent weeks in every media imaginable? If they want to schmooze car dealers, fine. Write a puff piece about the show and be done.
Hold the fake news/advertiser plugs.
Instead we get a front page with this headline: “Toyota In The Spotlight, Including At Auto Show.” Right. Continue reading
KC Confidential Pits Media Hotties Against Police Brutes
It’s that time of year again…
When members of Kansas City’s media saddle up and throw stuff at Kansas City Missouri Police. You read it right, KCTV/Channel 5 sparkplug Dana Wright’s brainchild is alive and well in its third year.
And what might that be?
A charity dodge ball wilding called the News vs Blues between the Cops and the Robbers (i.e. local news media). Continue reading
Star Search: Death by Any Other Name, Trader Joe’s & Sleepover Survey
It’s Tuesday, so what remains of the Star’s news staff had its first full day back on the job to turn out what is essentially the first fully-fledged newspaper of the week…
Shows, too. At a glance at the front page there seems chocked with more actual news.
The expected news drip of how many KCMO schools will actually end Continue reading
Hearne: Fear & Loathing at Dropkick Murphys Wilding
Make no mistake, Sunday’s Dropkick Murphy’s concert at the Beaumont Club in Westport was a Grand Slam Home Run for all concerned…
The joint was packed – all three bands delivered – and the intensity level of the Dropkicks laying down encore-after-encore on a stage packed so full of people from the crowd you could barely make out the seven dudes in the band! The level of fan fervor and musicianship at this event was almost enough to render Continue reading
Starbeams: Stroud’s at the ‘K’ and Curling in Westport for St. Patrick’s
Royals GM Trey Hillman will not be tweeting during baseball games this season.
Star Search: (Un) Manic Monday – Coasting into the Week
Anybody notice the odd little patter accompanying the week in weather atop the front page?
Disguised as a modest peek at the daily forecast today through Friday, somebody decided to get clever.
“Today’s Weather: March comes in like a lion? This feels like a dandelion.” Ensuing comments include “Roar of approval,” “Regal conditions” and “cat’s meow.”
You know, sometimes it’s the subtle joys that make life truly worth living… Continue reading
Star Search: Sunday, Heavy Sunday – Sam Mellinger, Come on Down!
From the weightyness of it, today’s Star must be chocked with information…
Let’s see, shall we?
First out with all the ads – this is a ritual of sorts I’ve practiced for years. Wonder if everybody does this? Most of the time, anyway.
Big surprise; even with the ad inserts and section removed Continue reading
Star Search: Sedentary Saturday – Lotsa Ads, Couple Turkeys & Gary Forsee
Five days on the Star Search beat and I’m starting to feel like Sisyphus…
Yeah, Sysyphus, the Greek king who was forced for eternity to roll a giant boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down and have to repeat the process. Kind of a variation on Groundhog Day. Uh, the movie – not Continue reading
Star Search: Now Showing, Dear Abby, George Gustello & Dave Matthews
Full figured Star today…
Even with the inserts removed and recycled. Which leads me to FYI. I’m in a hurry – who isn’t?
In the scheme of things, short of being some sort of retiree, people don’t have all day to pour over a paper. Nor do I. A quick scan often suffices – has to.
Hmmm, positive movie review for “The Crazies” – that’s news I may well use since I have somewhat questionable taste in movies. Wonder why they chose a syndicated review to make such a big fuss over the new Helen Mirren movie. Did Robert Butler doze off again during this one? Continue reading
Star Search: Thumbs Up to FYI & the Case of the Missing Correction
Don’t look now but the weekend is approaching…
Today’s paper feels just about right, coming in from the driveway. But after you remove the Sports section and ad inserts, it feels more like News Light again.
Not that everyone is going to write off sports. But aside from its columnist offerings – mainly Whitlock – there doesn’t appear to be much more there than one can glean from combing the Worldwide Web the day or night before. Maybe it’s me – cause I’ve kinda gone from being s fairly sports intensive guy to doesn’t interest me much. Still it seems like most of the content in sports is filler. If somebody truly cares that much about the stats and trivia, it’s hard to imagine them waiting an extra day for the Star to get their fix.
I’ll commence today’s exhumation of the Star with the FYI Weekend Preview. Continue reading
Star Search: Day Two, Food for Thought
If yesterday’s Kansas City Star seemed a tad light – not counting content – today’s actually felt hefty…
Oh wait, it’s Wednesday. Food Day.
Let’s see how it feels after the ad inserts are removed. That’s a load off. Feels like the ads weigh more than the A Section and Sports. Surprised they’re not charging extra.
I digress…
I will say this however, some of the Star’s advertisers – starting with Nebraska Furniture Mart – should look into how they are being charged for their ad inserts. I received no fewer than five copies of the store’s “Legendary Sale,” furniture and rugs insert. Five. Now either four other folks didn’t get theirs or the Star printed four too many and NFM isn’t getting its money’s worth. Continue reading
Hearne: Will the Real Owner of Hayward’s Bar B Que Please Stand?
About yesterday’s story in the Star about the new Hayward’s Bar B Que near downtown O.P…
“It’s kind of strange,” says landlord Bob Lewellen of the story. “According to the realtor who handled the lease for me (two owners) bought Hayward out. I mean, I think it’s a good move on their part to use the Hayward’s name; it gives them a little credability.”
What surprised Lewellen most was Spears and his wife were the ones featured in the photo, when their role in the ownership had not so much as been mentioned to him. Continue reading
