KC Confidential

Uptown Theater main man Larry Sells isn’t the only conspiracy on the loose…

When it comes to what passes for the “mainstream press,” there are plenty of people convinced that the deck is stacked against Republicans and conservatives with liberal leaning reporters and columnists itching to lay the pipe to them whenever they get the chance.

And after spending 20 combined years at the Pitch and Kansas City Star I can tell you that for the most part those fears are generally warranted. As evidenced by the closing of ranks at 18th and Grand yesterday on the Obama Rodeo Clown Controversy.

Starting with the front page story with a headline noting that the incident had been “widely condemned” and that the event’s sponsor would be required to take “sensitivity training” if it wanted to take part in future fairs.

On and on the Star story and handwringing went with anybody and everybody who wanted to weigh in with their outrage getting their say in a “news” story that not only piled on, but made no effort whatsoever to offer a balancing voice.

Not one. Continue reading →

Roller coaster ride, anyone?

It’s not easy being “The Scribe.” There are hotties to bed, football teaser bets to be sorted out, nasty comments section dudes to be dealt with and – oh yeah – Royals and Chiefs teams to be divined and fretted over, comics to be promoted, a new midtown club to be opened.

All in a week’s work for Stanford’s main man Craig Glazer.  

It’s good work if you can get it. Continue reading →

One of the wildest guys in Kansas City radio history is back in the saddle again…

Former Entercom chieftain Bob Zuroweste – the honcho who killed off KXTR FM and Smooth Jazz and launched 610 Sports – has returned to Kansas City,

“We moved back five weeks ago,” Zuroweste says. “We’re living in South Leawood, – basically at 143rd and State Line – in a little maintenance-free villa.”

But instead of babysitting Rock 98.9 FM bad boy Johnny Dare, contemplating the demise of former album rock station 99.7 KY or gnashing his teeth over WHB’s Kevin Kietzman, Z as he is called in the trade is something of a traveling salesman for Cumulus, that operates KCFX “The Fox” locally. Continue reading →

About the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners decision to allow off duty police to moonlight a security for local bars and taverns…

Win, win is the way police and bar owners view the move. Stationing cops outside some of the more troublesome nightclubs and bars should work as a deterrent to bad guys doing bad things as well as free up on duty police to attend to murders, mayhem and the like rather than effectively babysitting irascible drunks.

Better yet, with the bars picking up the tab.

It’s not like Kansas City Police aren’t used to working part time after hours or anything. Continue reading →

Cabrera

Word in GQ magazine that rapper Jay-Z wears “Best New Mensware Designer” Matt Baldwin of Standard Style’s pants calls to mind one of Baldwin’s earlier celebrity devotees, Ryan Cabrera.

Remember him? No? Maybe when you see the hair. Continue reading →

This just in…

In a historic move hailed by bar owners and police alike, Kansas City’s Board of Police Commissioners have begun allowing off duty police officers to work at taverns and bars.

“It’s a huge win for Kansas City,” says Westport tavern owner Bill Nigro. “The police department is finally allowing taverns to hire off duty police for security. That’s never been allowed in Kansas City – at least as far back as the 1960s.

Kansas City Off Duty Coordinator Matt Masters concurs.

“It became effective last Wednesday,” Masters says. “It’s the first time to my knowledge in the history of the police department we’ve been allowed to do that.”

The reason took so long? Continue reading →

Then there were two…

Once upon a time – in 1939 to be exact – there were 124 Munchkins. You know, the “little people” who used to be (and in some cases still are) called midgets. They were cast by the Singer Agency to appear in the Wizard of Oz.

Eight years ago there were only six surviving -only three of which were healthy enough to travel – when I interviewed Lollipop Guild Kid Jerry Maren when he flew in for the grand opening of the Legends 14 movieplex in KCK.

And now, as of this week – after the death of Margaret Pellegrini – we’re down to two, Maren 93, who lives in LA and Ruth Duccini, 95, who resides in Phoenix.

And soon there will be none. Continue reading →

She & Him

And from the looks of things there’ll be plenty of that. Shouting, you know. Because while the festival formally known as Kanrocksas is little more now than a twinkle in the eye of failed founder Bill Brandmeyer – and a future trivia question at the Westport Flea Market – There’s one lawsuit filed and possibly more to go.

That according to She & Him booking agent Eric Dimenstein.

Dimenstein’s agency also represents Glasgow’s Camera Obscura and both bands were booked to appear at this year’s Kanrocksas in late June.  However as we all now know, Kanrocksas was cancelled a month out due to poor advance ticket sales. Continue reading →