Tony Scott directed my good friend TJ Miller in Unstoppable just over a year ago…
It starred Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. It would be Scott’s last work. He took his own life two days ago. Jumped off a bridge in California. He had a terrible illness that he would not survive, so he decided to end it all, an action director to the very end.
We also lost Phyllis Diller who died in her sleep at age 95 – a life well lived. Continue reading
No way this wasn’t going to happen…
Sooner or later some of the big boys were bound to take chainsaws to former Kansas City Star sports columnist Joe Posnanski. It was inevitable.
People here for the most part, were expecting the worse from Posnanski, where his Joe Paterno bio was concerned. Because we know him so well. No way would kind-hearted Joe lay the pipe to the fallen Penn State football coach after sucking up to him to get a reported $750,000 book deal and practically living with Paterno’s family for however many months.
Posnanski’s book deal that had the words “puff piece” written all over it. Continue reading
Talk about an embarrassment of riches…
There’s so much going on this week, if none of these events tickles your fancy I would question whether you actually have a fancy capable of being tickled.
And while we’re on the subject, where the hell did that phrase even come from? Tickle your fancy? I’m assuming it’s British and that it’s real meaning is horribly, horribly sexual.
Enough about me, on to the picks…
A funny thing happened the other day on the way to the office…
I was talking with my real estate agent about what kind of car he was going to buy after he unloads a $2.5 million-plus mansion in Fall Creek in Lawrence, and when I suggested he look at a 42 miles-per-gallon Lexus CT Hybrid he paused and said; “I can’t buy a hybrid, I’m a Republican.”
For the purposes of the following discussion, Uptown Theater main man Larry Sells would like to set that sentiment aside. Conserving natural resources shouldn’t be a matter of party politics, it’s about sustaining things near and dear to everyone in this country…as in the earth. Continue reading
Now for the non-story, story of the day – we have U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas skinny dipping “controversy’…
During a non-taxpayer funded trip to Israel, in the Sea of Galilee- where Jesus performed most of his ministry- the fine Congressman, along with about 20 other lawmakers, decided to take a dip into the water… sans swimsuit.
THE HORROR! Continue reading
And his name is Todd Akin – the Republican candidate for Senate in the Great State of Missouri and biggest political idiot the World has ever seen…
See, Akin thinks that women have the magical ability to stop conception while being raped! Long as the rape is “legitimate,” whatever the hell that means.
I had a conversation this morning with a good friend of mine in the ‘Crisis PR” industry and here’s why he thinks Akin needs to leave the race: Continue reading
The Top 5 Similarities Between Kevin Yoder and Yoda
#5. Both raised a vessel from water with witnesses.
#4. Bath robes are optional.
#3. Both sound a little like Miss Piggy. Continue reading
What looked like a playoff season for the Kansas City Chiefs is already falling apart…
It’s just one thing after another. The injury bug has already taken what looked like one of the league’s best defensive backfields down hard. Both starters Brandon Flowers and Kendall Lewis are out for who knows how long.
With those two out for the beginning of the season, that spells big trouble for KC. Continue reading
A growing number of industries have changed their business models from “all inclusive” to a la carte…
The most dramatic of those changes have, of course, come in the airline industry where your base ticket price basically gets you from point A to point B.
Anything beyond that costs extra.
Pillows, blankets, checked luggage, preferred seat assignments, food, drinks, extra legroom—the list goes on and on—can all add significantly to your end price.
And Las Vegas strip hotels have now joined the trend, where all the MGM Entertainment owned and operated properties are now adding a daily resort fee to your stay. That averages an additional $25 per night. Continue reading
Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight…
This journalistic contest was over before it started. In an attempt to breath relevance into the review of a book certain to be covered by the biggest guns in journalism, the Kansas City Star tossed a saddle on a little known, relatively inexperienced writer and laid down a bunt of a book review of former Star sports scribe Joe Posnanski‘s “Paterno.”
Given the circumstances, it’s one of the weakest book reviews I can recall. Continue reading
Where’d they all go?
Whatever happened to all those morning babes shouting out news, weather, traffic and fun on the radio? Shorty, Tanna, Murphy, Frankie, Glo, Darcie, Michelle, Katey – the list goes on.
Over the past 10 years local radio has lost most of the voices of its most colorful hotties. The Rock 98.9‘s Murphy Wells was unraveled about seven years ago, the same for Frankie from 101 The Fox three years back. Shorty who was the morning star on three different stations over 15 years took a bullet three weeks ago at Alice 102.1 and last week Tanna Guthrie of The Point, was discharged by Entercom.
There are others. Continue reading
Sporting Kansas City moved into first place in the East with a 1-0 win at Toronto Saturday, two points ahead of the New York Red Bulls who visit LIVESTRONG this Sunday.
KC deserved the win on Canadian soil, dominating possession and shot attempts per usual. Still it certainly wasn’t all that pretty.
“It was a sloppy game, this is really difficult for the style that we play when it comes to teams like Toronto,” said KC winger Kei Kamara. “When teams sit back we don’t get to really do what we are good at. The moments that they came at us are the moments that open up spaces…” Continue reading
OK, the Chiefs stunk it up last night…
Big let down, huge. In fact, it was likely the most watched preseason game on TV here in years. Our number one defense was awful and looked like that phony D of 2003. The one that was the worst in modern football, the one that never made the Colts punt once in the playoff game we lost that season. That one.
It was ugly last night. Continue reading
Who has the best quarterback lineup in the NFL?
It may surprise you to learn the answer is, the Kansas City Chiefs. Not even close. Our guys are the best.I looked over the other team’s guys and guess what? We win!
Oh wait a minute, you thought I meant the best playing quarterbacks?
Uh,no.
I mean the best looking. If Hollywood came calling, the Chiefs under center would all three be starters.
In a league that now has attendance issues – not due to popularity but too much TV coverage as well as ticket, food and parking costs – the Kansas City Chiefs have found the answer Continue reading
What’s up, dude? What are you doing this weekend? Bringing your mom home? Really?! It’s been 3 to 5 years already? Wow. Time flies.
Well, hey, I was gonna ask– when’s the last time you had authentic Siberian cuisine? You know, puréed polar bear loin? Oh, what? Never? Geez. Okay, well what about goat-face stew from Haiti? Oh… well did you like it? That’s cool. Continue reading
For three days when I’ve looked out my bedroom window I’ve gazed upon the Crown Center complex…
Which, as you might surmise, is because I’m staying at the Westin Crown Center Hotel. It’s been a while since I’ve spent this much time hanging at Crown Center, and that’s probably true for many of you. Unless like the great suburban masses you’ve barely been here ever if at all.
The experience has sparked some observations and even caused me to wonder about the very future of Hallmark Cards, that giant among giants of heritage Kansas City companies. Continue reading
KCI bus drivers have been involved in over 50 accidents in recent years and have cost the city $200,000. On the bright side, Kansas City is now the No. 1 city for people who know what they’re talking about when they say, “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.”
*******
KCI hopes to outsource busing at the airport. They’re currently looking for drivers who speak even less English. Continue reading
For the second time in less than five years Entercom has axed veteran radio personality Tanna Guthrie…
The longtime KY102 and 99.7 KY personality has parted company with The Point 99.7 FM – reportedly on “good terms” – after a little over a year on the hot AC station and three on KUDL FM before that.
“They didn’t get rid of her because she did anything wrong,” says Stanford’s Craig Glazer, a frequent flyer at Entercom. “They just didn’t want to have to pay her.”
If you recall, the former 99.7 KY personality was let go by Entercom in January 2008 when the classic rock station switched music formats. Kicked to the curb at that time were Guthrie and fellow KY stationalities Max Floyd, Traci Wilde and Slacker. Continue reading
By now, everyone who cares knows Alamo Drafthouse will suffer no fools at its new Mainstreet movieplex…
Not the sort who talk or text during movies anyway. That said, there’s practically no limit to the foolishness Alamo will eagerly participate in when the spirit moves – from heavy metal singalongs to nudist screenings.
The Alamo’s about to spring one such trap at 5 p.m. today. Continue reading
Well, the summer has just about come and gone…
Our city is now one year older, but is it getting better? Are we on the right track? I see many good things happening. Sure, there are still issues and problems, there always will be. But are we moving towards overall improvement? Continue reading
