Essays, Interviews, Observations, Pop Culture, Stories, and other Dodginess

Hoosier Brew and Bucktown Babes

Posted on February 21, 2012

First, my beer of choice as I write this is Brooklyn Winter Ale. My music of choice is the new Sinead O’Connor, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?

Now…because there aren’t enough reality television shows, two new ones have popped up. Swamp People and Doomsday Preppers. It used to be where the only reality show I knew of was the one that’s still on about assholes on some island.

Now they’re scouring the four corners of the globe to film real folks in unscripted dramatics and funnyisms.

Swamp People - History Channel

Are these your neighbors? National Geographic Channel

It’s time for one of these shows to hit Northwest Indiana and/or Chicago.

I have some ideas.

Hoosier Brew

Breweries are popping up all over the country. There are several in Northwest Indiana alone: Three Floyds, Crown Brewing, Figure 8 Brewing, Shoreline, Bulldog Brewing, etc.

Hoosier Brew would follow these brewers, their employees, and nutty customers. We’d probably get to see some cool behind-the-scenes action and most brewers have colorful personalities. The one at Floyds is named Barnaby so that’s a good start. Hell, the show could spend a couple episodes alone on the world-famous Dark Lord Day at Three Floyds.

Dark Lord Day at 3Floyds source - stlhops.com

Vendors

This hasn’t been done? Vendors would follow the working and personal lives of those who shill hotdogs, beer and peanuts for the White Sox and Cubs. I hope they don’t run this the same night as Swamp People as viewers might get confused. Swamp People at the ballpark.

Bucktown Babes

Kind of like a cross between Sex and the City and the new HBO show Girls – both of which have a NY setting. This reality show would have a hip Chicago neighborhood setting and be a sorta like “The Real L Word” but with a lusty combination of lesbian and straight chicks. I’d adore this show more if they film scenes in the exquisite Quenchers Saloon on Western & Fullerton.

Liquor Men

I thought of this after writing that post about the Crash Test Dummies looking-dude who works at Booze Liquors. This show would follow liquor store owners and workers and all the bullshittery they deal with.

The Radissons

All taking place at the Radisson Hotel, Northwest Indiana’s version of the Chateau Marmont, The Radissons are the workers at the hotel, the theatre, the coffee shop, Irish bar, comedy club and whatever the hell else is in there.

I see some cross-over possibilities here.

Cheers

Candyman dissed in Cabrini-Green timeline

Posted on February 17, 2012

The Chicago Tribune had a story the other day about the last remaining row houses in what was the notorious public housing project Cabrini-Green.

They posted a timeline about the high-rises including events in its nearly 70-year history that brought nationwide attention to this part of Chicago.

I believe they left something out. Something that might have brought the most attention, whether it be negative or not, to the projects than anything else.

1992 – Candyman.

Here’s the Trib timeline:

Good Times, seriously? But no Candyman? A critically acclaimed film and the only of its kind to use those shithole projects as its setting? Good Times was SET at Cabrini-Green. Candyman was set and filmed there.

Maybe the Trib was afraid to say or write his name. But it’s OK…just as long as it’s not done five times in front of a mirror.

Candyman preyed on Cabrini-Green residents in the Bernard Rose directed film. Virginia Madsen’s grad student character got caught in the mix, or rather, the bonfire those residents set to put an end to the creepy floating guy with the hook.

I thought this film showed the residents of Cabrini in a rather brave, “all together” now sorta light. Especially during the fire and the funeral ending.

The soundtrack by Philip Glass kicked arse, too.

If this were the Onion they probably would have put the Candyman events in the timeline as if they really happened. At least it would have gotten a mention.

As if Cabrini-Green wasn’t scary enough

Some killer graffiti in Cabrini-Green

This was a well-made film. One of the best of any filmed in Chicago, I’d argue.

A good sequel could have tied into the destruction of the projects with reference to Candyman being a reason.

Reclusive Author Clive Javanski

Posted on February 15, 2012

The last time I saw Chicago reclusive author Clive Javanski was at the Bucktown Arts Fest in August. Shufflin’ around, looking at artwork,  he had a journal in one hand, and after he sat down with me, a beer in the other. Some folk band was playing a song about a girl, a farm and the smell of earth after rain. Or something like that.

Bucktown Arts Fest

I first met Clive at Mickey’s, the saloon down the street from my apartment (mentioned in an earlier post). He lives and writes above an area bar (not Mickey’s). He doesn’t drive and rarely goes out, and when he does, it’s usually within a several block radius of his home – which includes Holstein Park, home of the fest.

Clive has written several books under pseudonyms. Some you may have read or heard about, some you haven’t. He’s penned some essays that few have scene, including one of my favorites, Slacks in the Barn.

Clive  used to live in Belgium, was a merchant marine (I’ve seen the photos) and always wears these pastoral retro mod brown brogue boots.

When I saw him at the fest he was wearing some vintage gabardine shirt from the 1940s owned by the late husband of his widow neighbor.

“I’m wearing a dead man’s shirt,” he said. “I’m wearing  a dead man’s shirt.”

I think I know of this lady neighbor. Once, when I delivered a six-pack and a pack of pencils to his apartment, she opened her door and gave me a message for him. “Tell him to stop by when you’re done. I’ve got a rope trick to show him.”

So I recall my summer visit with Clive because in about a week I’m supposed to drive him to a Chicago-area college where he will speak in front of a writing class. He says he’ll read from his newest work, tentatively titled The Bandage Twins.