Hearne: KCK Refugee Eric Stonestreet’s ‘Meat Club for Men’

Chateaubriand+pour+deuxThis just in…

How did this one fly under the radar for so long? Turns out Wyandotte County export Eric Stonestreet – of “Modern Family” fame – has hooked up with late night television talk show host Jimmy Kimmel have joined forces.

In the uh, meat biz it would seem, according to the National Enquirer. Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 1 Comment

Sounds Good: Black Joe Louis@Riot Room, Galactic@Liberty Hall, Waka Winter Classic@Bottleneck

Does everyone have all their shame-shopping finished up? 

Only two more days, guys!  Don’t eff it up.

If you just broke out in a cold sweat thinking of the brutal beating your old lady will lay on you if you come home empty handed, let me help you out.  I’ll let you in on a little secret.  A secret whispered in my ear by none other than Mr. Jim Rome about a thousand times over the last few weeks: There is nothing any woman wants more than some fucking berries dipped in chocolate and stuff!

Or maybe, I don’t know, take her out to a concert?…. Continue reading

Posted in Matthew_Donnelly | 1 Comment

Whinery: Devil’s Advocate for Dorner

dorner open fire meme-thumb-500x282Being a Criminal Defense Attorney, I’m used to defending people and actions that are, personally, repugnant…

So this is how I would defend Christopher Jordan Dorner. In case you don’t know who he is, Dorner is a former Lieutenant in the US Navy and a three-year veteran of the LAPD who went ballistic after being fired by the latter, and has accused the Los Angeles Police Department of continuing to use of force, racism, corruption then firing him for bringing up those issues.  Continue reading

Posted in David Scott Whinery | 40 Comments

New Jack City: Critic calls Melissa McCarthy ‘Female Hippo’ — Director says ‘F–k Off’

Melissa-McCarthy-SNL_320How far is too far?

Should a film critic stray beyond the bounds of reviewing the movie itself and wage a verbal assault upon an actor’s persona as well? That’s what veteran New York Observer critic Rex Reed did in a very negative review of IDENTITY THIEF starring Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman.

Reed attacked McCarthy for her weight, referring to her as “cacophonous, tractor-sized,” a “female hippo,” a “screeching humongous creep” and – last but not least – “being obese and obnoxious with equal success.” Continue reading

Posted in Jack Poessiger | 16 Comments

Hearne: Panic at the (Jayhawk) Disco

imagesHere’s the deal…

Things are going to heck in Lawrence after three straight losses by the KU men’s basketball team. You see, they’re a little spoiled. Actually, they’re a whole lot spoiled.

I think former KU coach Roy Williams was onto something when he described Kansas basketball fans as the “wine and cheese crowd.”

“If you don’t want to cheer for us, keep your big butts at home,” Williams added.

Since losing to TCU, those big wine and cheese-scarfing butts have been in an uproar. Practically suicidal, with the hyperbole flying off of the keyboards of sportswriters like there’s no tomorrow.

Case in point, this lollapalooza unleashed by Lawrence Journal World  sports columnist-turned-doomsayer Tom Keegan: Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Hearne: Star Publisher Sets Out ‘Treats,’ Staffers Brace for ‘Tricks’

77422It’s gotten to be kinda like Groundhog Day, you know, the movie…

Every handful or so of months the powers that be at the Kansas City Star issue some sort of interoffice memo about how things are looking up and even toss in a cocktail party for the ad execs to celebrate. And then – whammo! – the next thing anybody knows, here comes another round of layoffs and or cutbacks.

Bait and switch? You make the call.

The latest? Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 4 Comments

Leftridge: Good Websites on the Ultraweb

fatguyinternetFor the casual web user, there is a decided lack of genuinely interesting things happening on the internet. Oh sure, there are 8,000,000 cat videos—cats with human looking eyebrows, and cats whimsically sitting on record players and cats smoking cigarettes on the toilet—but for those who don’t like cats, the internet can often be mistaken for a barren wasteland of futility.

And though the tedium is occasionally punctuated by delightfully racist comments left under unrelated Yahoo! news stories about the “best burgers in America!” the internet is, for the most part, mostly pretty boring. Unless you know where to look, that is. Continue reading

Posted in Brandon Leftridge, Entertainment | Tagged , , , | 44 Comments

Starbeams: Manti, the ‘Funny Pages’ and Fun Index & Kelly

HC MTKansas City is #6 on the nation’s most ROMANTIC cities list.  According to LIVABILITY.COM, ” Kansas City’s growing collection of performance venues, museums, shopping areas, sports attractions and eclectic eateries makes this Midwest metropolis a cosmopolitan playground perfect for lovers to explore.” The way I see it, any city is romantic as long as I have Twitter and Manti Te’o.

*******

The Kansas City Star introduced a new and improved KansasCity.com, but I still can’t find the funny pages online.

******* Continue reading

Posted in Starbeams | Leave a comment

Sounds Good: Victor Wooten@Knuckleheads, Jason Boland@Granada

Lady-Gaga-lady-gaga-4745963-1688-2560After a week that included stadium style shows from the likes of Lady Gaga and Kid Rock, this weekend offers up some real music, devoid of shtick, flair, and spectacle.

Though to be fair, it would be kind of cool to see Victor Wooten take the stage in a meat suit.  Or anyone for that matter.  But I digress.

To the pickmobile!

Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Matthew_Donnelly | Leave a comment

Hearne: ‘Not Crazy’ Former KCUR Host Says KCUR Treated Him Like ‘Black Slave,’ Eavsdropped

jabulani2Finally…

At long last somebody with a nose for news finally pinned former KCUR FM host Jabulani Leffall down long enough to ask – and get – the long awaited answers to tough questions as to why he bailed on the station with no warning at the end of his show a few weeks back.

And the answer is – drum roll, please – he’s nuts. Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 12 Comments

Hearne: Scribe Counters CNN Experts on Roids Report

Jeffry LifeTo dope or not to dope, that is the question…

Whether tis less nobler for athletes like Lance Armstrong and A-Rod to engage of the use of performance enhancing drug, testosterone and steroids in pursuit of big bucks and record setting physical feats, or for aging boomers as a means of being buff and staying “young,” as scribe Craig Glazer has often suggested.

A report last night on CNN, “Chasing Youth,” took the opposing view. Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 39 Comments

Jack Goes Confidential: Melissa McCarthy Strikes Again—Well Sort Of

Identity_Thief_PosterHollywood’s advance tracking indicates there’s a strong interest in IDENTITY THIEF

If one can believe such stats then this laffer is hit-bound.

What we’ve got here is a road trip comedy about regular guy Denver businessman Jason Bateman who’s forced to take extreme measures to clear his name after his identity is stolen.

The thief is Melissa McCarthy who’s living the high life in Miami.
The I.D. she’s using to finance her excesses reads “Sandy Bigelow Patterson,” which, after all, would work for either a man or woman.

In this case Bateman’s character is the real Sandy Bigelow Patterson and his credit, finances and new job are now imploding. Continue reading

Posted in Jack Poessiger | 9 Comments

New Jack City: Will USAirways Land American? Consolidation Heats Up

airplane_xlgIt only stands to reason.

The practice of airlines buying each other out makes for less competition and seat availability. Hence higher fares. Especially on routes on which they once competed for passengers.

And there have been plenty of buyouts in recent times.

* AMERICA WEST bought USAIRWAYS a while back but kept the latter better known name. Continue reading

Posted in Jack Poessiger | 1 Comment

Jack Goes Confidential: Coping with ‘Side Effects’ Could Be Hazardous to Your Health

430114_10151679943879199_1324934560_nLet me preface my remarks by saying right upfront that SIDE EFFECTS is a solid psychological mind twister…

Not a big movie by any means but an interesting assemblage of screen talent that holds you in suspense throughout the film’s 106 minutes-long running time.

n broad terms SIDE EFFECTS delves into our current pharmaceutical mania, its marketing and the potential consequences. Continue reading

Posted in Jack Poessiger | 2 Comments

Hearne: Clay Chastain Accuses Star’s Gusewelle of Making Up Quotes

Gusewelle codger shotNow it can be told…

What did Clay Chastain think of antediluvian Kansas City Star columnist Charlie Gusewelle‘s recent hit piece on the Union Station and light rail activist?

“I was shocked,” Chastain says. “I’ve been shocked by some things but never in my 20 some year career have I ever been shocked like this. Gusewelle writes heartwarming stories about his animals and his time in Paris and I always thought he was just this kindhearted person.” Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 28 Comments

Hearne: A Kauffman Center Unleashes a First—Full Nudity

SMALL_HAIR_CASTIt’s not like nobody’s ever disrobed in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

They just never did it in full view of the audience. That was remedied last night- on February 5, 2013 – when just before intermission the entire cast of the musical Hair bared it all in the opening night’s performance.

Make no mistake, this was no smoke and mirrors Full Monty affair. The stage lights were up and the “goods” were on the table for all to see. All the goods.

But was it really a first?

“Probably,” says Theater League main man Mark Edelman. “The opera and the ballet probably haven’t had any nudity.” Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Hearne: KC Confidential Dodges (Almost) Super Bowl Blackout Bullet

WTF?Where’d you guys go?

I mean, one minute The Guy Who Says What Others Think is explaining to me what a loser I am and then – whammo – lights out?

WTF?

Well, I can assure you there’ll be no stone-walling where this disappearing act is concerned – no coverup – no Blame it on Beyonce.

Because you see, Glazer did it! Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 9 Comments

New Jack City: Forget the National Ad Spots—How’d the Locals Do

google adIf Sunday’s Super Bowl commercials were the best the local marketing brain trust could come up with it’s high time to shake up Madison Avenue…
To think of the kind of money that was shelled out by local advertisers for some of these weaklings is (almost) a crime. And we’re not talking about the $3.8 million charged by CBS – we’re talking about far less pricey local ad rates.

Of course the lame creativity of most of these blurbs made the game itself that much more exciting. I guess.

I digress. Continue reading

Posted in Jack Poessiger, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Donnelly: Bahamas and Calexico at the Granada, February 2, 2013

Afie
The Granada
was two thirds full Saturday for a show I’ve been anticipating now for some time – Calexico, with Canadian folksters Bahamas opening.

Bahamas are a unique band, with a drummer, a guitarist/lead singer, and two female backup vocalists.  That’s it – no bass, no keys.  Just lead man Afie Jurvanen‘s soulful voice and tasteful finger-style guitar to lead the way.

And he did just that, entrancing the crowd like he was born to do it, with songs mostly off their latest release, Bar Chords.  That’s saying something. Because many of the tunes skew quiet, with hushed, whispering vocals, and delicate guitar riffs that include Jurvanen sliding all over to cover the bass notes as well.  Oh, and a lot of denim – Jurvanen was head to toe, and the two backup singers were rocking out to perfection in tight, high-waisted mom jeans. Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 1 Comment

Hearne: Desperately Seeking a Mizzou Bar in KU Land

Missouri v KansasFor some of you the question I’m about to ask will confirm your suspicions as to the number of brain cells I’m in possession of…

As in, not very many.Aanyway here goes.

I’m looking for a bar or tavern in Lawrence, Kansas – home of the almighty Kansas Jayhawk basketball team – that doubles as a watering hole for fans of the Mizzou Tigers. Continue reading

Posted in Hearne_Christopher, Uncategorized | 17 Comments