Jolly: Take Out Pasta Wars, Carmen’s Cafe versus Garozzo’s

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

Carmen’s Cafe is new to Leawood on the very cool restaurant strip near Town Center Plaza…

They have a great location that’s close to shopping, movies and other restaurants that offer similar upscale cuisine. But Carmen’s does it better, way better than the shadow that may follow them from its Brookside location.

That said, they’re under an even bigger shadow, that of Garozzo’s.

Garozzo’s has four locations in KC, one in Olathe (but who the heck wants to eat there?), another in Overland Park on College and the original on 526 Harrison downtown. The fourth’s in Lee’s Summit.

Who knew if you became a successful restaurateur here you’d open locations in the two most white trash cities in the area?

What, there weren’t any mini-mall spaces available in Independence?

Garozzo’s has been around 22 years, but I haven’t done anything for 22 years except maybe play with my junk and bartend. But Garozzo’s has become the STAPLE for Italian food in KC. Everyone’s heard its owner’s raspy voice on the radio clamoring for people to come to his restaurant during any or all of the holiday’s. So the Garozzo’s three blocks from my OP home was too tempting to pass up.

When I walked into the bar to order to go, I wondered for a second if I was late to my own wedding.

What’s with the tuxedo shirts and ties? It’s even weirder on the chick servers. The staff wears black tuxedo pants and matching shirts – the ones with ruffles worn by the prom date you wish you’d pepper sprayed – with bow ties and the icing on the cake; suspenders.

Did somebody have a 70s garage sale?

Anyway, I walked in wearing plaid shorts and a T-shirt – way underdressed for a Monday – but I was hungry. So I ordered Spiedini di Pollo, chicken wrapped in breading then topped with olive oil and seasoning. It came with a side of pasta in a nice red sauce. Garozzo’s side salad was extra, but worth it.

Most places put the to go salad in a box and with the dressing on the side, which they should. But there’s something about Garozzo’s salad being drenched in dressing that makes it soooooo good. I also asked for a meatball since I heard they were incredible.

Well, let’s get the good news out of the way first. The salad was as good as advertised, and you can buy Garozzo’s dressing in local grocery stores. It was the best side salad I’ve ever had!

Now the bad.

My entree looked like some crackhead did the unthinkable to my fettuccine.

Which by the way was SUPPOSED to come with linguine, but tasted great still. I actually love anything in olive oil. But this meal was so heavy you could actually see the oil trying to fight its way out of my to go box. I’m kinda a fat kid, but that was TOO much. I think the cook making it maybe saw that it was to-go and went, OOOPPSS with the olive oil and then, HA HA.

Remember the meatball I ordered?  Never got it.

 

However the bartender that waited on me was one of the most professional I’ve ever been served by. That guy was first class, as was most of the staff at Garozzo’s.

Carmen’s Cafe on the other hand was dressed to impress just with its food.

I called in my first ever order and was happier than a ex-Chantix user that just started smoking again. Love this place! I ordered Maggies Pasta and the scallops app. My order also came with a wonderful Caesar salad – not as good as Garozzo’s salad but very good.

Whoever Maggie is, she’s a genius. That pasta was better than Andrew Luck’s family Christmas dinner this year. REALLY GOOD.

And the scallops were even better. They where at least three inches in diameter and didn’t have those weird muscles attached that some restaurants miss when the chef doesn’t separate them. Plus they were sitting in a divine sauce I can only describe as euphoric. And perfectly cooked as only a great chef can do.

Those scallops were so good I wish I hadn’t eaten them, but laid them instead on my Temperpidic mattress and spooned them.

I really wanted to have a serious relationship with that appetizer.

A big plus is Carmen’s Cafe is just as reasonable price-wise as lesser Italian joints like Carabba’s and Macaroni Grill. And a better value than Garozzo’s, with a way better product.

WINNER- Carmen’s Cafe

Garozzo’s-3.5 plastic forks

Camen’s Cafe-4.5 plastic forks

 
Posted in Food_and_Fashion | Tagged | 22 Comments

Hearne: KC Confidential Adds New Restaurant Critic, Column

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

Fasten your chinstaps, KC Confidential is about to unleash a new Food Dude…

His name is Reid Jolly and for what it’s worth, the 30-something, Shawnee Mission Northwest grad’s high school mascot was a Cougar. Fittingly, Jolly comes equipped with a penchant for both Italian food and adult movie star sex.

"Uh, I’m alright with it," he says. "The more women in it the better."

As a single dude, Jolly’s mostly blogged about the good, bad and ugly of getting restaurant food to go. Something former Star restaurant critic Tim Finn almost got fired for several years back. Unlike Finn however, Jolly was up front about styrofoaming it with his readers.

Jolly’s best "to go" experience here ever: "The Elephant Bar," he says. "I love their calamari and there to go service is really good."

His worst: "Oh, Blue Koi was really weird. I had a couple bad experiences there."

For KC Confidential Jolly’s game plan is threefold.

He’ll continue to do "to go" food, complement that with in-restaurant dining and kick out  news odds and ends that we’ll call Entree News.

Tidbits like that Robert and Molly Krause of Lawrence are killing off Esquina in two days and reopening with a "Mediterranean inspired menu" February 19th. Or that Justus Drugstore is hot to cash in on its many Kansas City Star blowjobs and open a joint here in KC. Or that Starker’s chef/owner John McClure‘s brother is running the show until the family decides what to do with the upscale Plaza eatery in the wake of McClure’s suicide last fall.

There’s always something going down and not a lot of writers are willing to tell it like it is and suffer the consequences.

In the meantime, KC Confidential will spend the next several days parsing out samples pf Jolly’s greatest hits let’s call them. From his career as a fledgling blogger dude, dining on the run and letting the chips fall where they may, including his car seats.

Starting right now!

Posted in Food_and_Fashion | Tagged | 12 Comments

Jack Goes Confidential: Staying Alive Ain’t Easy in Dizzying SAFE HOUSE

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

SAFE HOUSE is a gritty, R-rated action-thriller that pits inexperienced CIA operative Ryan Reynolds against once proud but now rogue agent Denzel Washington.

Their location: a safe house off the grid in Cape Town, South Africa where Reynolds is holding Washington who’s in possession of some heavy duty agency secrets that must be protected at all cost.

But when the you-know-what hits the fan—an attack on the safe house—the unlikely duo is forced to escape and make their way through the deadly underground. All while Reynolds is trying to keep Denzel from taking a hike.

But make no mistake, everbody betrays everybody in this movie.

You’ll have to pay close attention or you could become hopelessly lost. But if it’s stark violence you’re seeking, SAFE HOUSE delivers. Or as Washington puts it: "You do what you have to do."

Consider yourself forewarned.

And if you’re the type of person who’s easily bothered by motion sickness, I recommend you to take a couple of pills prior to showing up at the theatre. Seems like almost the entire movie was filmed using hand-held cameras and it was driving me nuts.

I get that It makes the scenes feel more realistic, but what we’ve got with SAFE HOUSE is a bad case of hand-held OVERKILL. God, how I wanted to buy a tripod for Swedish born director Daniel Espinosa. He was giving me an Excedrin headache.

Thankfully the era of the shaky camera seems to be near an end, but Espinoza apparently didn’t get the memo.

On a positive note, Espinosa chose an excellent supporting cast for the film including Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Robert Patrick and Sam Shepard.

SAFE HOUSE makes for nearly 2 hours of non-stop action. And with the agency corruption going down in it, it definitely won’t pass for a CIA promo film. I score it 3-1/2 out of 5 tense fingers.
 
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday’s at 6:40 a.m. on NewsRadio KMBZ AM & FM / Friday’s at 8:20 a.m. on 1660 RADIO BACH / And anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND.

Posted in Jack_Poessiger | Tagged | 4 Comments

Glazer: Scribe Forecasts Trouble Ahead for Tom Brady & Gisele on Marital Front

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

They’re the best looking couple in the nation, if not the world…

I’m talking about Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen. Yes, I’m putting them above Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but have you seen Pitt lately?  Plus Tom and Gisele are younger. However, now come the hard times. Brady is down due to his second Super Bowl loss and Gisele is busy and probably gone from home a lot.

In celebrity marriages, this is the stuff that often can cause trouble.

Hey, I’m totally in agreement with what Gisele said on that elevator. "My husband can’t fucking throw the ball AND CATCH IT."  She was 100 percent correct and I’m sure that’s what Tom thinks but just can’t say.

Tom Brady played a near perfect game, save the interception.

The safety call was bogus and shouldn’t have been made on a downfield throw. It never is. Why? Because if your team is say at the other team’s 10 yard line and it’s first and 10 or goal, how often do you see a quarterback not find anyone open? So he throws the ball 20 yards into the stands or over the end zone – totally legal, no call. So it was a bad call.

Even Wes Welker let Tom down with a game winning catch that ended up a drop. So the fact Tom’s wife was heated at the moment was totally okay. Even Donald Trump thinks so, and he’s a Giants fan.

But the time for testing the now not so new marriage has arrived.

Brady is the stud to end all studs. He’s 34 and will look 34 still when he’s 44 because he’s in top shape and a guy. Men age much slower when in shape than women do. That’s just a fact. And Gisele is not much younger than Tom, so as he hits his 40’s she’s going to be right behind him.

That won’t help the marriage, because Tom will still be able to score 20 year-olds for the next 30 years.

Gisele’s looks, sadly, will fade and Tom will be very tempted to move on, kids or not.

Plus German girls can be quite mean. I should know, I lived with a German model and man was she wicked.

She was beautiful…then….not so much now.

But that was 20 years ago.

We know marriages today end in divorce over half of the time. The chances of one lasting are slim. I hear from those who know them that Gisele is a very nice person, as is Brady. So I hope it all works out, but watch your celebrity rags, I feel a storm coming on. And the odds are NOT in their favor, like Seal and Heidi Klum.

But we can always hope they’re the lucky ones.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 23 Comments

Starbeams: Brady’s Balls, Google’s Pole Dance, Newt’s Morals & Cheap Thrills in Mission Hills

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

Sounds to me like Gisele Bundchen‘s a better ball handler than the Patriots wide receivers. I’m sure Tom Brady’s cool with that.

*******

Google will pay $10 for each utility pole it attaches cables to in Wyandotte county.  I haven’t seen this kind of money shelled out for pole since I was a Chippendale.  And where will Wyandotte store all of this dough?  In a POLE VAULT!

*******

Missouri voters voted in a non-binding primary yesterdfay.  It’s like a regular primary but your commitment doesn’t really matter.  Or as Newt Gingrich calls it….marriage.

*******

Two alcohol-free restaurants have opened in the Westport area. That’s like opening a Dollar General store in Mission Hills.

Kelly Urich hosts the morning show on The Point 99.7 FM

Posted in Starbeams | Tagged | 2 Comments

Glazer: He Who Laughs Last; Todd Haley Makes Bank in Pittsburgh

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

OK, so he isn’t a head coach this season…

Former Chiefs coach Todd Haley is the next best thing, the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s one of the best jobs in the NFL outside of being a head coach. The Steelers are "money" when it comes to the post season. And the Super Bowl has been all too often a stop for this storied franchise.

"I am excited about the opportunity to come back home and work for a tremendous organization," Haley says.

Translation: The Kansas City Chiefs organization is nothing.

It’s no secret that Scott Pioli and Haley hated each other, as first reported here on KC Confidential, where I was told by a comment idiot to stop making stuff up or I could be sued. Then I explained that it was a hate war between them and Haley knew he was to be fired soon. I offered as evidence that Haley and his wife had quit Woodside and the two wives didn’t speak anymore.

Well, it all ended up true, huh haters?

This also gives credence to Haley’s telling the world his phone and others were bugged at Arrowhead and maybe beyond. The front page story that had been talked about for two weeks on 610 Sports with Nick Wright and crew to no avail. The NFL and Chiefs fan base did not react in any big way to the ARROWHEAD WATERGATE scandal.

Haley’s hiring, by one of the leagues top franchises, kinda shows that they believe Todd not Scott.

It would appear that Arrowhead these days, NOT A NICE PLACE TO WORK.

And that’s saying a lot since it totally sucked during the Carl Peterson regime as well.

Btw, the Haley bugging story was also on the KC Star‘s front page.

Many consider Haley to be an outstanding football mind and a very good coach. And this job offer and position proves point. It’s likely after two or three years of doing a great job at Pittsburgh, Haley will once again become a head coach in the NFL.

He’s young and outspoken, with new and clever ideas. He had very little talent, no quarterback and a hateful general manager from Day One in KC. Granted Todd was a bit over the top himself at times, but it seems to me that he may have been driven there by the front office.

Todd Haley WON, no question.

He is with a much sharper organization, a team with an elite quarterback in Big Ben and a likely post season squad. The Chiefs, well who knows at this point? Clearly we are not the apple of anyone’s eye around the league.

NO BIG NAME ANYTHING IN COACHING WANTED TO EVEN INTERVIEW FOR A JOB HERE.

That is so sad. Jeff Fisher said NO to KC before they asked and took a job with a franchise he felt was worse than ours.

So yes, Toddy Haley got the LAST LAUGH.

He also gets over $1 million a year salary – not bad for a guy who the Chiefs fired. Trust me, he’s smiling today, big-time.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 6 Comments

Hearne: The News Drip Torture That is Jardine’s Rambles On

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

When it comes to first class messes, it doesn’t get much better than Jardine’s….

The iconic Plaza area jazz club has been down for the count since late last November when things spiraled out of control after owner Beena Raja busted a handful of staffers for drinking on the company dime after hours Thanksgiving Day morning. She then accused others at the club of unethical practices, resulting in a spate of resignations, firings followed by a state of complete confusion and tabloid style local TV news coverage.

Among the misdeeds that ensued, rogue former staffers changed the password on Jardine’s Facebook page and refused Raja access, rendering her unable to get her side of the story out at a critical time early into the revolt and chaos.

Then on New Year’s Eve eve, the

Pitch reported that locals Robert McCain

and

Joseph Fulgenzi

had purchased Jardine’s and Raja was o-u-t. That however proved premature as all parties involved have since stated a deal has yet to be struck and the club remains closed to the public.

Next on January 25th McCain told KC Confidential they were getting close and hoped to reopen Jardine’s within two weeks. Well, the two weeks are up, the club remains closed and multiple sources say a deal has yet to be finalized.

"It’s just a mess," Raja said yesterday. "It’s just almost hilarious to me. They say they’re going to buy it but I haven’t seen any money yet."

Ditto, adds Jardine’s founder Greg Halstead, who is a party to the negotiations because he’s still owed money in connection with the sale of the club to Raja several years back.

"My understanding is everything is done and Beena finally signed off," Halstead says having heard earlier this week from McCain. "They have to check with the rest of their investors and American Century (the landlord) has to check them out before they okay the deal. As long as their investors pass muster, they’ll be okay."

McCain did not return a call for this column.

Meanwhile back at the proverbial alter, interested party Paul Wilson says if push comes to shove, he’d still like to buy the club and reopen it.

"But from our end, the longer it stays closed, the more difficult the purchase becomes," Wilson says. "The back rent is approaching $30,000, so it gets more difficult to turn around and more difficult to walk in the front door every 30 days that goes by."

Hate to say it again, but stay tuned…

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | 14 Comments

Sounds Good: William Elliott Whitmore@Granada, Craig Finn@Record Bar, moe.@Liberty Hall

Posted on February 7, 2012 by admin

 

 

I know it’s a ways off, but if you want to save a little coin now is the time…

The Wakarusa Festival, May 31st – June 3rd in beautiful Ozark, Arkansas, has been selling tickets at a breakneck pace.  That’s no real surprise, especially for anyone that’s made the four hour journey down to Mulberry Mountain before. 

The venue is spacious, amenities are plentiful, and there’s even a really nice river that you can swim in to cool off (and maybe even bathe your filthy carcass).

The $149 price for Early Bird tickets is only good thru this Sunday and it gets you full access to the festival.  Camping passes must be purchased seperately, and they range in price from $29 – $99 depending on where you want to throw your tent or RV down.

And if you do make it down, keep an eye out for me and my KCC crew.  I’ll be the guy dressed like Larry Bird. 

Here’s the link for Wakarusa’s ticketing:   http://wakarusa.com/2012/tickets.asp

On to this week’s picks…

Friday, February 10th

William Elliott Whitmore at the Granada in Lawrence

The Granada has been the place to be the last few weeks.  And it looks like they’re not letting up anytime soon with a stellar lineup of artists on the way. 

This Friday will be no different as William Elliott Whitmore rolls into town with his roots-blues-folk thing and a voice that could make you cry just reading the news.  His real strength lies in his live shows as he strums away on the banjo and guitar.

But he’s not just some sensitive troubadour.  Nope, he’s definitely part of the hard core punk scene that appeals to varied audiences across lines that you wouldn’t expect.  For instance, a buddy of mine who is into hard metal and screamo just loves this guy and never misses him when he’s in town.  Go figure.      

Also on the bill is Lawrence’s favorite old timey, mustachioed duo, Drakar Sauna. 

Saturday, February 11th

Craig Finn at the RecordBar in KC

Craig Finn is the front man for The Hold Steady, the Brooklyn-based quirky, rocking, storytelling band that pens memorable songs in the vein of the Boss mixed with Hüsker Dü.  Though The Hold Steady only formed in 2004-ish, they received critical praise early on, even snatching Blender’s 2006’s Band of the Year.

Finn just put out a solo album called Clear Heart Full Eyes that is a little less rockin’ than his full band’s efforts, though he sticks with his trademark storytelling style that packs tons of details into weirdly phrased verses and choruses.

"I wanted to do something with a little more storytelling and a lot less volume," he explained recently to the AV Club’s Steven Hyden.  "[The songs are] simpler and came from a much softer, quieter place. I don’t think it’s what The Hold Steady does, or what the guys in the band would be interested in doing. So it definitely seemed like my own thing, a solo thing." 

Sunday, February 12th

moe. at Liberty Hall in Lawrence

Damn!  moe. has been around since what, 1989?  These guys rose to prominence at the height of the jamband craze of the late 90s, early 2000s, and were mentioned alongside bands like Phish, Widespread Panic, and String Cheese Incident.  Though moe. always seemed a little more rootsy than those guys, save maybe Widespread’s southern roots jams.  They’ve played Bonnaroo something like five times, High Sierra Fest, 10,000 Lakes, Lollapalooza, and Jazzfest.

They’ve got a brand new album that dropped a week ago called What Happened to the LA-LA’s.  Recently they talked to The Guitar Squid about how they get through their live shows without really knowing what the hell they’re doing:

"There are a lot of things that we do and that we know how to do based on playing together for so long," explained guitarist Chuck Garvey.  "We have some little vignettes that all of a sudden when one person quotes it we all start playing it. There are certain points when we are playing where we know what we are doing and other times when we have no control over it whatsoever and everyone just has to keep their ears open. It’s not ESP, but sometimes when everyone is tuned into what the right thing is, we try and foster that as much as possible."

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | 3 Comments

Glazer: My Life of Crime as Butch Cassidy

Posted on February 7, 2012 by admin

In 1983 Kansas City Star reporter Paul Wenske flew into LA to interview me…

A few weeks later he would write a front page story with a headline likening me to Butch Cassidy.  It would be my all-time favorite newspaper story about my life.

Over the years leading up to that story I had already been in the paper hundreds of times. Many during my 1974/1975 case when I was an agent for Kansas Attorney General Vern Miller. I had begun my public life with a family story in the early 1960’s when my brothers, Jack, Jeff and I appeared on the front page for Christmas riding a horse driven sleigh with my Grandpa Bennie.

Uh, that was a little different.

I was watching the 1969 movie BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID a few nights ago. I think I’ve seen that movie maybe a million times. In fact,. that was a screenplay we studied in acting/writing classes in LA when I got there in 1981. It’s considered one of the best written screen plays ever.

It’s the film that put my future life in my head; two outlaws robbing other bad guys and banks.

Hey, at least I didn’t rob any banks!

The story plays out in my book THE KING OF STING. On the back of the book is it mentions the BUTCH CASSIDY story with quotes below from comedian Lewis Black and the guy who wrote more than 200 stories on me, Hearne Christopher. He beat out Tommy Chong‘s quote and was picked by the books publishers:

 "A great read. It’s the life I would have lived if I didn’t care about my reputation," it reads.

So yeah, that one hit home.

Wenske’s interview took about a week and Paul spoke to many others in LA about me, my life and the death of my partner Don Woodbeck. That also garnered many front page stories across the country, even one in the New York Times. However, it was Wenske’s story that was the best of them all.

It started off at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills and Wenske some of the celebrities that we sat near or spoke to. Names like Arnold Palmer. Paul mentioned my conversation with Jack Lemon and my eating lunch with Warren Beatty, Orson Welles and my then fiancee Terri Gatewood. I had a brief friendship with Welles and Beatty tried to bed my gal, Terri, the thug. Ha.

Mostly it was a tale of two men who buddied up and became sting artists off and on for more than a decade. And how my life in LA was going and the violent death of Woodbeck. In fact, Wenske ended the Star piece kinda like Paul Newman and Robert Redford‘s film ended.

The big difference is – unlike Newman and Redford – I lived to tell the story.

Woodbeck died as they did. Every time I see that film, it brings back all the adventures, prison memories, Woodbeck, our crew (gang), lost loves, trials, and of course Paul Wenske’s story.

Paul was a very nice person and worked for weeks in LA and Kansas City putting together the lengthy article. Later he would attempt to write a book on Woodbeck and I, but it didn’t work out. It would be 25 more years before a book would be written and published.

The Star had several writers cover my ups and downs. In the early days it was Art Brisbane, Wenske and Roy Wenzl. Over the past 20 years the main writers were Jeff Flanagan, Joyce Smith, and of course Hearne.

You get to know each other pretty well over time. I had several people in LA cover my escapades including Variety‘s Army Archerd and Sal Manna. All pretty good people. Because of them I received more attention from among people in this area than any other outlaw since maybe John Dillinger or Jesse James.

Maybe because we haven’t had many colorful outlaws, if any, since then.

We’ve had Mafia guys, but that’s different.

People always say, "Why him, he was a crook, a bad guy, a criminal?" Well, maybe. It happens because  the story takes place over many decades and changes in tone over the years. It also happens cause the Outlaw usually does some good things as well, that’s why he is an Outlaw and not a villain. At least not all the time.

I liked being compared to my childhood hero Butch Cassidy, he was the smart one abnd Sundance was fast on the draw, like Woodbeck.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 27 Comments

Hearne: Finally, KC Lands Madonna Show at Sprint Center October 30th

Posted on February 7, 2012 by admin

At long last Kansas City is getting Madonna…

To the best of my recollection, KC has never hosted a Madonna show. Back when she truly mattered – the early to mid 1980s through mid 1990s – the Material Girl’s concert tours hit the East Coast, the West Coast and Florida, but never here.

That’s about to change when the Madonna plays Sprint Center the night before Halloween on October 30.

When Madonna broke out in 1983, her early claim to fame was she was dating popular 70s/80s DJ John Jellybean Benitez who mixed her first album.

John Who, you may ask, assuming like most Kansas Citians you were largely resentful of the disco phenomenon that swept most of the country with the exception of gay bars in Midwestern burgs like KC.

But the Jellybean was long gone by the time Madonna’s second album, "Like a Virgin," exploded onto the scene in 1984 with three huge hits – Like a Virgin, Material Girl and Into the Groove. It was followed by a concert tour with the Beastie Boys as opening act.

And of course, no KC date.

The $64 million question: Does the 53 year-old Madonna still truly matter?

"Well, with her playing the Super Bowl, that’s evidence that she’s still a top draw," says local concert-a-holic Rick Dodderidge. "I’ve heard a lot of criticism of her show, but I thought it was good. I tuned in just to see it and I’m not really a fan."

Former Capital Automated Tickets (Ticketmaster forbear) honcho Mardi Silva doesn’t recall Madonna playing KC in her heady, early days either.

"No, I remember people coming in and asking if she was coming," Silva says. "Don Hall even sent one of his key people over and said, ‘How come we don’t get these shows?’ And I always thought it was because the artists could make more money and sell more records playing in the bigger cities. That’s what I remember."

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | 13 Comments

Car: Fiat Abarth Wins Super Bowl Ad Sweepstakes, Edmunds Says

Posted on February 6, 2012 by admin

Long time no Fiat column…

Seems like only yesterday, KC Confidential was all over the triumphant return of Fiat to the United States. You may recall that in addition to covering the return of the Italian carmaker to America – as a result of Fiat’s rescue of the now wildly successful Chrysler – I made an impulse buy and signed on to buy one of the first 500 "Prima Edizione" Fiat 500s, sight unseen, price unknown.

Pretty smart, huh?

As the months dragged by, I reported on the tiny car (seven inches shorter than a Mini Cooper) and defended the little bugger against all comers in KCC‘s caustic, few-holds-barred comments section.

Was I totally gay? Did I not know Fiat stood for "Fix it again Tony?" Why not do the right thing and buy a Mini?

Even former KCC sports scribe Greg Hall laid into me in his farewell column, "The Top 10 Reasons Greg Hall Left KC Confidential."

"Hearne promised (me) a Fiat 500 but the delivery date turned out to be December 2015…in Rome."

The indignity of it all.

Well, the worm has officially turned. Not only did Fiat outsell the Cooper in just eight months of its first year – 26,000 versus 25,000 for the Mini in its first 12 months during much better economic times – Fiat knocked the cover off of the ball Sunday with its "Seduction" ad during the Super Bowl.

But don’t take my word for it…

"Fiat Super Bowl Ad Most Effective in Boosting Traffic," reads the headline today at respected automotive information provider Edmunds.

" In its first real-time analysis of the impact of auto advertising during the 2012 Super Bowl, Edmunds.com said the three most effective ads, in terms of driving Web traffic during the telecast, were Fiat (500) Abarth, Lexus GS 350 and Chevrolet Sonic.

"Edmunds measured real-time traffic increases to advertisers’ model pages at seven different periods during the game: The start of the game (the end of the pre-game analysis), the end of the first quarter, the end of the second quarter, the beginning of the third quarter, the end of the third quarter, the end of the fourth quarter and the end of the post-game show."

On the local front, the phone lines exploded Monday at Fiat of Olathe with interested parties vying to get in line to buy the smoking hot little Abarth performance edition of the 500.

And why not?

It may be a couple tenths of a second slower to 60 than the Mini Cooper S, but the sexy Super Bowl ad combined with the sexy, Italian, nobody-else-has-one Abarth, combined with a 50 percent larger trunk and more rear seat legroom proved to be an irresistible combination.

The bottom line: "The numbers suggest the most entertaining Super Bowl ads are not always the most effective," Edmunds concludes. "Although we did find the 500 Abarth ad hit the mark on both counts."

Face it, when you’ve got a sexy ad that already went viral with well over 3 million hits and nobody speaking English, what’s not to like?

Or as one commenter on Edmunds says of the ad, "That’s what happened to me when I drove a 124 Sport Spider in 1973. I took her home and loved her for 14 years. I still miss her."

Guess what? She’s back.

Posted in Car | Tagged | 6 Comments

New Jack City: Do-Gooders Outraged at Super Bowl ‘F You’

Posted on February 6, 2012 by admin

The Parents Television Council – protectors of everything wholesome over the airwaves – was appalled at the indecency and filth experienced during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show.

Specifically rapper M.I.A. flipping off America while performing with Madonna at center stage.

PTC president Tim Winter didn’t mince words when he got the finger during the NBC telecast.

His shock and indignation was clearly spelled out in a just-released statement to the press regarding M.I.A.’s middle finger malfunction.

And it’s worth sharing.

"NBC fumbled and the NFL lied because a performer known as M.I.A. felt it necessary to flip off millions of families," it reads. "It is unfortunate that a spectacular sporting event was overshadowed once again by broadcasting the selfish acts of a desperate performer.

"Last week the NFL formally told PTC—and the American public—that the Super Bowl halftime show would be ‘appropriate.’ Most families would agree that the middle finger aimed directly at them is not appropriate, especially during the most-watched television event of the year.

"The mechanism NBC had in place to catch this type of material completely failed, and the network cannot say it was caught off guard. It has been eight years since the Janet Jackson striptease, and both NBC and the NFL knew full well what might happen.

"They chose a lineup full of performers who have based their careers on shock, profanity and titillation. Instead of preventing indecent material, they enabled it. M.I.A. used a middle finger shamelessly to bring controversial attention to herself, while effectively telling an audience filled with children, ‘F-You.’

"A simple apology rings hollow after yet another slap in the face to families, especially when NBC has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that it should be allowed to air all manner of indecent material at any time of day, even when children are watching.

"Either the NFL and NBC will take immediate steps to hold those accountable for this offensive material in front of a hundred million Americans, or they will feebly sit back and do nothing. The nation—and PTC—is watching."

Wow! And I missed it. Must’ve flipped by too fast.

Posted in Jack_Poessiger | Tagged | 5 Comments

Leftridge: Giants Win Super Bowl, Brandon Remains Unconvinced

Posted on February 6, 2012 by admin

And when the dust settled, only one could truly be called a champion.

Or some such bullshit.

But seriously, what a great game, right? If you had no rooting interest, if you hadn’t laid any money on the line, how could you possibly disagree with how awesome this game turned out to be? You can’t, plain and simple.

Oh wait… I can complain (shocking, right?). Again, as an unbiased, financially inculpable party. And why’s that? Because now, in the wake of Eli Manning’s second Super Bowl victory, as his brother sits by, nursing a broken-neck/tingly arm/age problem, the pundits will begin to decry, “Eli is the better Manning! Eli has two—count ‘em TWO rings to be placed in his safe!”

But those people are idiots.

Dan Marino never won a Super Bowl. Is Eli Manning a better quarterback than Dan (Fucking) Marino? Of course not.  And is he a better quarterback than his brother? No way.

If we all know one unflappable fact about football, it’s that it’s a team sport. Occasionally, there will be one person who tries to single-handedly do it themselves, but it usually doesn’t work out too well (for a very recent example, see Tom Brady um, like, last night).

So Pats fans, what in the hell happened?

Were you guys outcoached? Well, no. The Grand Lord of the Dark Science did just about everything he could—within his wizardly power—to seal a victory. Oh sure, Manningham’s sideline catch late in the game—right in front of Bill Headband, by the way!—was a stupid challenge, but it was one that I think that everyone in his position would have taken. Grandpa Tom Coughlin, meanwhile, burned two of his three timeouts like they were spliffs, under some sick guidance of renegade commissioner Ricky Williams.  

Was your defense overmatched? Well, shockingly, not really. The Patriots’ much maligned defense, widely accepted as the worst ever (for all intents and purposes), actually held it together. Mostly. Brother Eli finished 30 for 40 with 296 yards and 1 solitary touchdown. All things considered, it could have been much, MUCH worse. I could have thrown for 296 yards against that weak-ass secondary (and been much more handsome doing it).

The Giants ground-game, spearheaded by two demonic backs who’s just as soon spit in an eye as buy a dehydrated man a bottle of Dasani, was affective, but not overwhelmingly so. They weren’t the difference. Bradshaw coughed up the ball like a kid with unchecked tuberculosis, but much to New England’s chagrin, it never resulted in an actual turnover.

Special teams was pretty even. Fantastic punting, fellas! Bully!

So what in HELL was it?

Honestly, I have no idea. Mario Manningham? Seriously, if it wasn’t for his 38 yard grab with 3:39 left—and the Giants down by 2—this game would NOT have been the same. At all. And that play? It had nothing to do with Eli. He heaved it, desperately, and the Tyree-like reception was all about Super Mario.

So was the the difference? Microcosmically, yes.

But what’s the REAL story? There’s a bigger story out there, waiting to be told. Something big, with a Danny Elfman score and amazing cinematography.

Well, the Giants won. Period.

 And last night, they were the better team. But not by much, and probably, if this game is played 100 times, the Patriots win it 75, maybe 80 of those times. I truly believe that.

But for now, the Giants are 2-0 against the Pats in recent Super Bowl history, Eli is the greatest thing to happen to NYC since Jay-Z and Beyonce’s baby, and Tom Brady, with his cascading plugs, supermodel wife and beautiful, straight teeth sits on 3 championships, perhaps one good linebacker away from immortality.

Football is both a whore teeming with gonorrhea and the love of your life on the day you got married, and sometimes, the two seem inseparable. So keep your head up, Tom. Gisele (probably) doesn’t have an STD.  And you’re only 34. And if Billy sticks around, and you guys don’t fuck up the draft (as you’ve been wont to do over the past few years—tight ends being the notable exception), you’ve got a long, winning road ahead of you.

That being said, keep your devilishly handsome eyes on the Giants, Tommy. I’m STILL convinced they’re not THAT good, but man, they sneak their way through the playoffs like a meth’d-out lab-rat in search of copper wiring, and once they get there, they’re fucking RELENTLESS. And they seem to have your number. Good luck.
 

Posted in Sports | Tagged | 9 Comments

Glazer: Scribe Lays Down Last Minute Super Bowl Bettors Guide

Posted on February 5, 2012 by admin

I have been going back and forth on my final pick…

If you’re a fan of Tom Brady, well, it’s just so damn hard to bet against him isn’t it guys? Like I said in my last column, everything points to the New York Giants as the winner today. They have the better team, no question. With the New England‘s tight end super star the RONSTER damaged, there’s even less chance for Brady to find a winning target.

HEY HOW ABOUT OCHO CINCO? 

Now that would be a story, huh, Chad Johnson wins it all for the Pats. Even if he ends up the MVP of the game, Chad wull be looking for a job somewhere else next season.

So, having said all that twice, I will stick to my NEW ENGLAND WINS prediction.

However, I’m not going to bet crazy on this one. It’s just to hard a game to pick. But it’s the Super Bowl, so let me give you two good ways to go.

ONE: If you are tied to the Pats, do this….New England on a parlay: -2 1/2 and under 54. Hey, you win 2 1/2 times money. So if you don’t need to bet big to win big it’s kinda chancy but could happen.

TWO: GIANTS on a tease over the Pats…..Giants 8 1/2 and under 60…this is the PRO bet…most likely call…

HEY YOU CAN DO BOTH AND WIN BOTH.

Like this example New England 24..New York 22…see you win both ways…

OK so I like the cool guys…Brady, Rodgers, Peyton Manning – I like to see winners win – they have earned it over long careers. But hey, Eli Manning is looking to join that group today.

My final pick:  New England -2 1/2 over the Giants.

HAVE A FUN DAY…I’ll be at Woodside for its Super Bowl party. I’m, not going big bucks on this one, so I’ll just enjoy the ride. Go Pats!

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 7 Comments

Leftridge: NY Giants Order Pizza, Travel to Indianapolis for Some Reason

Posted on February 5, 2012 by admin

The week leading up to the Super Bowl is a long, arduous journey full of peril, ridiculousness and mostly, a lack of real intrigue. It’s “Media Week,” they say, but permit me to make a really bad pun and call it “Media Weak.” I’ll wait for your peals of raucous laughter to subside before continuing…

…all better? Good. Then let’s carry on.

During Media Week, reporters, writers and journalists of varying caliber all descend upon the host city—in this case, rusty old Indianapolis—and attempt to mine gold from what is more often than not, a freshly blown nose. They try to find angles that others haven’t covered—BREAKING NEWS: Tom Brady’s Pee Wee Coach’s Sister-in-law Grew Up Two Miles From Lucas Oil Stadium!—or they mercilessly beat to death stories that everyone else is writing about—Can Eli Step Out of His Brother’s Shadow… in His Brother’s Own City?!—dun-dun-DUN!

Others, those “lower-tiered” scribes with perhaps a bit less access (I’m talking about the Kansas City Star’s own Sam Mellinger), try to make steak out of shit, by any means necessary. And this is in NO way meant to be demeaning to Sam; frankly, I find him to be a gifted (though sometimes fluffy) writer. But you’ve gotta question the necessity of sending him to the Super Bowl so he can produce the pieces that he has over the past week. Example headlines?

“Indianapolis provides a super lesson for KC”

(In this episode, Sam rides the bus and finds out that Super Bowls are important to smaller cities.)

“Goal of playing football again helped Giants’ Herzlich beat cancer”

(NY Giants’ LB Mark Herzlich had cancer… but he kicked its ass! And just look at him now!)

“Tom Brady’s definition of adversity might be different than yours"

(Tom Brady just can’t relate to the common man… OR CAN HE???!!! Must. Read. On.)

Point being, Sam’s digging deep. But without a treasure map, it’s as futile as teaching a meerkat to pole-dance. He’s STILL doing better than Yahoo! Sports, though, as we’ll see in a moment.

Aside from the obvious storylines—Eli in Indy, the Rematch of a spoiled 2008 perfect-Pats campaign, Brady’s quest to join Montana and Bradshaw as 4-timers—there’s not many compelling things to say about this game. It’s not the Harbaugh Brothers Bowl, 2.0 (though I’m kind of starting to think that might have been a really great game), and the rift between the two teams—again, aside from the Giants beating the Pats in XLII—is minimal. Oh sure, it’s a Boston/New York thing, which *ahem* NEVER gets old, but the luster, like sex after marriage, just isn’t there.

It’s just not that interesting. You know, unless you pretend that it is.

From Yahoo! (and I SWEAR I’m not making these up):

“Wes Welker is a big fan of Tom Brady’s toilet”

This story is seriously out on Yahoo! right now. Go look. I’ll wait.

Are you back? Cool. Did you read the piece—categorized under their special Super Bowl XLVI heading—about Tom Brady’s toilet? And how it’s really nice and Wes Welker likes to shit in it? Are you more intrigued by the game now? Lord knows I am! But wait, there’s more.

“Giants safety Antrel Rolle enjoys Indy nightlife in advance of Super Bowl”

Oh shit… GOOD. I was worried about whether or not he was having a good time, IN SPITE of coach Tom Coughlin’s 9pm curfew. Rolle told Yahoo! Sports: “I like to party and boogie down.” If this doesn’t garner writer Martin Rogers a Pulitzer, I’ve lost my faith in humanity.

“Brandon Jacobs preps for second career in boxing”

The gist: Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs was a hot-headed asshole growing up, became an amateur boxer, and he now hopes that someday, when he retires, he can be a fight promoter. Words cannot BEGIN to describe how much richer my life is after reading this.

“With help from a police escort, Giants get their hometown pizza in Indianapolis”

Umberto’s, a NY pizza joint, flew some pizzas to Indianapolis to feed the Giants, just as they have every week for the past four years. The tradition was started by now-retired defensive great Michael Strahan, and if there’s one thing that guy knows, it’s pizza… messy, public divorces filled with claims of homosexuality, and pizza.

Seriously, someone check with Vegas. Did this affect the line in any way? It HAD to, right?

And there are a million more stories just like this out there on the internet. You’d drive yourself mad reading all of the inane popcorn-pieces about Ahmad Bradshaw’s lucky jockstrap or Justin Tuck’s Beanie Baby collection.Maybe they just need to scale it all back… you know, talk about the GAME, provide some analysis. It’s like that old adage—“if you don’t have something reasonably important to say about the Super Bowl, then don’t say anything at all.” Or something like that.

Please, I beg of you… just wake me up when the game is on. 
 

Posted in Sports | Tagged | 2 Comments

Glazer: Scribe Wipes Away a Tear, Bids Adieu to Whitney Houston

Posted on February 4, 2012 by admin

One of the greatest singing voices and vocal talents of our time is gone…

Whitney Houston was found dead in her Beverly Hills Hotel room tonight, by her on again, off again boyfriend, the singer Ray J. Many feel, as do I, that Houston was the all time best female vocalist of our time along with Barbra Streisand.

It’s no secret that Whitney battled hard core cocaine abuse for the last two decades.

Houston’s massive career was shot down in the 1990’s by the drugs. She twice went to rehab and declared herself drug free as late as 2010. Many blame her former husband Bobby Brown for the daily coke use. Evidence also pointed to her using the ‘pipe," smoking it as well. Houston told Oprah that she used every day after work, and said her life was a "nightmare." 

Such a sad story.  What a tragic loss and waste of such a wonderful American Talent.

Houston will be best remembered for her many smash hits including "I Will Always Love You" from the hit film, The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner. And who can forget her best-ever version of the Star Spangled Banner at the 1991 Super Bowl that was so fantastic. It too became a hit single for Houston.

Whitney tried a comeback in 2009 with a platinum album, "I Look To You."  But it all went bad with her messed up interview and attempt at singing the song live on "Good Morning America." Houston blamed her voice that morning on her previous interviews weakening her voice. Everyone knew she was jacked on drugs. She looked pretty awful the last few months as recent photos reveal.

Whitney had it all – looks, talent, one of the greatest voices in music history. But she lacked one thing, true love.

She was a sad and wounded woman her entire adult life. Hearing she had passed choked me up. To this day, I often listen to her songs.

She will be badly missed, and that includes by me.

Posted in Craig_Glazer | Tagged | 20 Comments

Donnelly: Dr. Dog @ The Granada in Lawrence, February 2, 2012

Posted on February 4, 2012 by admin

With an album set to be released in a few days, Dr. Dog’s Thursday set at the Granada in Lawrence was sure to feature an excellent preview of their new tunes.

The band took the stage looking goofy and loose, wearing different winter caps and sunglasses.

Co-lead singer Scott McMicken warned the crowd early on, "We’ve got all these new songs, so bear with us."

Indeed, Dr. Dog played a decent chunk of songs off

Be The Void, including opener That Old Black Hole, Do The Trick, Lonesome and Vampire all within the first eight songs.

Though their stop in Lawrence was only the second date on the band’s current tour it was apparent these guys have been on the road non-stop and know how to put on a show. They even brought their own set that looked like a college dorm room, complete with posters and graffiti on the walls.

Audience members provided the haze…

The surprisingly strong, sound-board-deep crowd was receptive to the new stuff for the most part, and the band’s backloaded set worked out pretty well by delivering more familiar tunes to keep the energy going as the night wore on.

Dr. Dog brought its trademark, all-over-the-map sound, mixing formulaic sixties blues-rock doo wop with straight up folk with slow and swampy buzzing guitar rock, all of which was blanketed by strong harmonies. 

One of the better songs of the night, the plodding southern porch song Lonesome, saw the band at its most effective.  The chorus lament, "What does it take to be lonesome/ Nothing at all" was backed nicely by a dirty blues slide guitar that could’ve been cranked a little more. 

They went right back to their sweet spot by busting out the weighty double guitar brooder Vampire, that featured an extended jam.  A few songs later, perhaps their best song of the night, Hang On, got the crowd going and they rode the energy all the way, breaking out favorites like The Beach and Shadow People. 

Dr. Dog is an easy band to like.  They mix a lot of great elements, like good harmonies, catchy songwriting, the right amount of pop and the right amount of grit.  And the semi-regular psychedelic jam never quite mutates into what I consider traditional "jamband" mode. 

Sometimes, though, it seemed like there was almost too much mixing and matching to put together a really cohesive set.  Maybe that’s because the new material is still finding its proper place in the band’s repertoire. 

After Dr. Dog’s set, an encore was a sure thing, and the big crowd was happy to wait out what seemed like quite a long while before the boys returned to the stage to crank out a kind of weird, British-tinged new song, Warrior Man, before ending with the favorite Easy Beat. 

Like I said, I was a little surprised that Dr. Dog has grown in popularity so much in the last year, judging by the turnout.  And its new album’s pretty strong, so I expect they’ll keep pointing up and up. 

If you haven’t checked out Be The Void yet, you can still stream it free for another day or two at http://teamcoco.com/drdog

Set list:

That Old Black Hole
Stranger
The Breeze
The Ark
Do the Trick
Lonesome
Mirror, Mirror
Vampire
My Friend
Someday
I Only Wear Blue
Hang On
Heavy Light
Waste
The Rabbit, the Bat and the Reindeer
The Beach
Shadow People
Shame, Shame
 
Encore:

Warrior Man
Easy Beat

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Jack City: Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway Lets the Good Times Roll

Posted on February 4, 2012 by admin

Enticed by a huge, month-long, multimedia ad campaign, I headed west on I-70 Friday afternoon to see what all the excitement created by Penn National Gaming at the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway was all about.

Surely with all that rain we wouldn’t have any trouble ducking right in for a quick peek into the metro’s newest casino. After all, this was a sleepy Friday afternoon.

Wrong!

The parking garage and every parking lot and space close to the place was packed. So we parked adjacent to Livestrong Sporting Park and took a shuttle bus to the new gambling hall. The driver forewarned us that the place was jumpin’ and that there was a long line in the rain with a 45 minute to an hour wait—OUTSIDE!

 He was correct.

Let’s just say that we ventured beyond the line, and what we found once inside confirmed that we were not in Kansas anymore.

The HOLLYWOOD CASINO is a total class act.

From its design, layout and glitz, this $411 million jewel overlooking the Kansas Speedway at turn two could pass for a brand new casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Except, of course, I couldn’t bet on the Super Bowl since according to Hollywood casino VP of Marketing Dean Doria, sport books are only legal in Delaware and Las Vegas.

About those servers hovering around the tables with free drinks for players…Only soft drinks and water are free. You must pay for beer or other alcoholic beverages according to Kansas law.

What percentage of the local gaming market is Hollywood Casino shooting for?

I don’t think I ever got a straight forward figure, but it’s apparent that the new complex is counting heavily on Johnson County patronage. Which is not to say that Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties won’t be a big factor as well. And crossing the state line from Missouri is definitely encouraged.

Speaking of Missouri, Hollywood’s sister casino, the ARGOSY has a ‘Marquee Rewards’ program with reciprocal priviledges at Hollywood.

Some other observations.

Currently Hollywood Casino does not have a showroom but is planning on adding one as part of phase 2 of the facility in a couple of years. Ditto an adjacent hotel which will also be part of phase 2.

How large a hotel?

To be determined by volume of  attendance in the near future.

Is there Baccarat gaming at Hollywood Casino? Yes, but it’s a small table game. (Same game just small tables.)

And what about Hollywood’s smoking policy?

It’s allowed in most of the gaming spaces although a small area has been set aside where puffing is a no-no.

Marketing VP Doria stresses that the building is equipped with a superior ventilation system, and smoking in any of the casino’s restaurants is prohibited.

And what if you’re a whale – you know – a really big spender?

Come on down, Hollywood says. The casino has no less than five special hosts to placate whales and will hire more if needed.

Maximum bets on table games is $5,000,  but can be adjusted upwards by customer demand.

The only problem is that Kansas law forbids the casino from extending credit to gamblers.

So the big boys will either have to make a lot of ATM and credit card use or carry the green stuff in their rucksacks.

It was apparent that many of the dealers we observed were still pretty green and pit bosses often had to be called to tables. But that should work itself out with time and practice.

Finally there is no dress code, including even in the most upscale restaurant at Hollywood called Final Cut.

The bottom line: the movie-themed Hollywood Casino is a class act and a major new destination for the greater Legend’s community as well as for the Wyandotte County and Kansas tax base.

Let the games begin!

Posted in Jack_Poessiger | Tagged | 16 Comments

Starbeams: Kelly’s TOP 5 PREDICTIONS FOR THE SUPER BOWL

Posted on February 4, 2012 by admin

TOP 5 PREDICTIONS FOR THE SUPER BOWL:

#5.  Millions of Americans will watch with the volume muted, not realizing Joe Buck is no longer calling the game.

#4.  Inspired by Tom Brady‘s old coach, I might ask Gisele Bundchen if she wants me to donate my organ.

#3.  A dozen people will get an unexpected look at Katie Couric‘s colon when they accidentally google Super Bowel.

#2.  The only person at the game representing K.C. will be Kelly Clarkson.

#1.  I will have to fork out $30 for the Domino’s guy to give me a ride home.

Kelly Urich hosts the morning show on The Point 99.7 FM

Posted in Starbeams | Tagged | 1 Comment

Hearne: The Little Known Fall From Grace of MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

I watch a lot of politics on television…

That includes nearly all of the many Republican Presidential Debates. So it’s not like I’m completely clued out (though some might disagree). For example, I can practically recite every one of Michele Bachmann‘s many gaffes. I even just spelled her oddly-lettered name correctly without having to look it up. And I spotted her brother, KCTV weather wonk Gary Amble, looking somber, standing next to her on stage as she announced she was quiting the race.

I digress.

In recent months I’ve become a fan of MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" show. It’s headed by a cocky, former Florida congressman that I previously knew little to nothing about by the name of Joe Scarborough.

What makes the show work is the chemistry between the conservative Scarborough, his brainy, liberal, MILF co-host Mika Brzezinski, the dry-witted, 30-something Willie Geist and an impressive array of political, business and entertainment movers-and-shakers.

However I must admit, I liked the show more prior to Scarborough lapsing into a long spell of dominating certain aspects of the political discourse and repeatedly reminding everybody of his vast experience in congress.

Which got me to wondering things like, "How long was he in?" and "Why is he merely a television host now if he was so darn effective as a politician?"

It didn’t take long to come up with some interesting possible answers.

Answers to questions many of you might have wondered about but never looked into. So here goes.

For starters Scarborough was only in congress for seven years, from January 1995 until September 2001. That’s three and a-half terms for those of you keeping score at home.

Raising the question of why would a rising Republican star quit early into his 4th elected term at age 38?

After all, Scarborough loves nothing more than dissecting and discussing politics, espousing conservative views and reminding viewers of his experience and political successes in elected office.

So why leave?

Here’s where things get a little goosy. A closer look reveals Scarborough stepped down five months into his term after giving notice seven months earlier, barely having battling for re-election. The obvious question being, why? His kids, Scarborough said.

"The realization has come home to me that they’re at a critical stage of their lives and I would rather be judged at the end of my life as a father than as a congressman," Scarborough said at the time. Florida even had to pony up for a special election to replace Scarborough.

So why the sudden epiphany?

Here’s where it starts to get a little dicey.

Scarborough’s decision to quit congress came on the heels of his 1999 divorce and the hiring of 28 year-old aide Lori Klausutis, who was found dead in his office in July 2001. Although police said they didn’t find evidence of foul play, critics point to unanswered questions about her death.

However with Scarborough swiftly stepping out of the public spotlight and the media frenzy surrounding 9/11, little attention was paid to Klausutis’ death and the overlap between her hiring and his divorce.

Which brings us to the Web site, "All Hat No Cattle," which poses the question, "Which Republican U.S. Congressman had a dead aide found in his office while the media was hounding Democrat U.S. Congressman Gary Condit about his missing ex-intern, Chandra Levy?"

The Condit / Levy witch hunt also got lost in the 9/11 shuffle, however, the publicity cost Condit his re-election in 2002, even though Levy’s murderer was later found and convicted.

But back to "Morning Joe" and Klausutis.

"Needless to say, this story never made national TV," a September 15, 2001 editorial on All Hat reads. "The big boys of broadcast had their sights set solely on Condit and had no time to cover the unusual death of a healthy, politically active 28-year-old female aide in a U.S. Congressman’s district office."

There’s more.

"After all was said and done, a few things became quite clear," All Hat continues. "The authorities, mainly the police who investigated the scene, gave the appearance of a cover-up by immediately stating that there were no signs of foul play. It subsequently was revealed that the dead woman had a wound to her forehead, which seemed to fly in the face of the initial statements by investigators. If this wasn’t an example of poor police work, it most certainly was a case of bumbled media and public relations.
    

"How could police rule out foul play until they knew the cause of the wound, before an autopsy was conducted and toxicology tests performed?
    

"The local newspaper, the Northwest Florida Daily News, tried to get information from local authorities and claimed they were sandbagged at every turn .  No one suggested that the Congressman had anything to do with the death, but the manner in which authorities handled the press shows one thing.  They gave the benefit of the doubt to the popular Republican Congressman, and it is doubtful they would have done the same for any ordinary Joe."

Keep reading…

"In October 2006, Joe Scarborough sent a cease and desist letter to have all references to himself and his dead aide, Lori Klausutis, removed from this website," All Hat writes, providing a copy of Scarborough’s lawyer’s letter. "Nothing was removed from this site."

So less than a year from Scarborough landing his "Morning Joe" gig he attempted to silence practically the only media outlet aiming a critical eye at Klausutis’ death.

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the matter under the heading, "Resignation and controversy."

"Although the police concluded that there was no evidence of foul play, critics have said that there are unanswered questions about her death. According to Scarborough, soon after her death, allegations ‘spread all over the Internet’ that he had been involved. In 2003, he joked about the incident with Don Imus on Imus’s radio program In 2004, it was the subject of a public spat between Scarborough and filmmaker Michael Moore."

Here’s what’s intriguing to me about the whole Klausutis affair.

Given insinuations that Scarborough may have had a personal involvement with his deceased aide, his hasty and oddly explained exit from congress, combined with the fact that little to no evidence exists that Klausutis relatives pressed much, if at all, for further answers as to what she was doing alone at the office when she "fell" and killed herself  by hitting her head on a desk is perplexing at the very least.

This much is known, that Klausutis started working for Scarborough in 1999, the year he divorced his first wife Melanie Hinton. And that three months after Klausutis death he married current wife Susan.

Oh and one more thing. "No picture has ever been published of Lori Klausutis, the deceased aide of Joe Scarborough," All Hat says.

Hey, I haven’t been able to find a photo and I enlisted some pretty good help in looking.

So how is all of this not a mystery?

It remains a strange, loosely explained chapter in the life of Scarborough – one of today’s most popular news hosts – that lingers in the darkened shadows of Google searches and on Wikipedia.

Along with the question of why, in today’s tabloid news-driven world, further questions seemingly never really have been raised in the media about Klausutis death by her friends, relatives and/or co-workers. Along with Scarborough’s hasty exit from congress and politics, which had he remained, surely would have resulted in Klausutis death and questions surrounding his marital fidelity to become issues in future campaigns.

It’s all quite curious.

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 18 Comments