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

Black Irish Oscars

Posted on February 27, 2012

Oscars…whatever. You can’t win with the critics. Doesn’t matter who’s hosting. Someone’s always bitching.

Tim Goodman at Hollywood Reporter, or is it EW, I forget, wants Chris Rock to host. That’s original. Not sure what he did exactly the last time he hosted that makes you want to say, “Yea, let’s bring him back.”

We used to have a drinking game – every time Chris Rock joked about race, we drank. We got pretty drunk.

I like Chris Rock. I prefer him to Eddie Murphy, who dropped out as host. Some wished he hadn’t. But is he that different from Billy Crystal? If you’re talking demographics and the hip factor, maybe Eddie would have been the choice in 1985.

Also, is it just me or does there seem to be a lot of over-the-top applause for black nominees/presenters/whatever at the Oscars. It’s sorta weird and uncomfortable.

I thought that Viola chick would have won the best actress Oscar too. But at least Meryl’s win offered at least one surprise in the evening. Personally I would have liked to have seen Rooney Mara win, ’cause, she’s got that cool creepy thing going.

If you’re pining for a black host, the one choice has to be Donald Glover from Community. Hip, young, black, funny. There ya go.

Now for the Irish.

The Irish win

No surprise one of the best speeches was courtesy of Terry George and his daughter Oorlagh (lovin’ that) after winning for their live action short The Shore.

I’m all for an all black and Irish only Oscar telecast next year.

Other Academy Award thoughts:

The gay dean from Community won an Oscar!

I’ve got no problem with Angelina’s thigh. Listening to Chicago radio talk shows today, a lot of Midwest soccer moms called in complaining about how skinny Brad’s woman is.

Milla Jovovich looked good. So did Natalie Portman. And Rose Byrne.

Flight of the Conchords won an Oscar!

Who was the hot violinist in the balcony?

My host choices:

Seth Rogen

Donald Glover (and Abed)

Craig Ferguson

Jimmy Fallon

Tina Fey or Kristen Wiig

Louis CK

Conan O’Brien

Sarah Silverman

The cast of The League or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

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.