I miss Slava's Snow Show

Slava's SNow Show 3
Originally uploaded by neonspecs

Banned words, banned books, etc.

Unrelated, but I'm sure Billy Bragg would have something to say about banning words. Billy Bragg & Mavis Staples at Royce tonight. Pretty fab. James Spader and Tom Morello were there. And some other guy that all the ushers were trying to place but couldn't. Perhaps you can help: he's about 5"10 or perhaps a little shorter, very pale skin, dark black hair, sorta greaser-y. Probably plays a villain, but in a not muscular way. That's how far we got in the recognition.

Also, Bragg and Staples TOGETHER doing "The Weight" was definitely awesome. Bragg didn't, however, play "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key," which for sure would have made my week.

Bragg's shirts, also silly-ly known as "Bragg Swag," were of course printed on Union Made or some other brand like that. As way too many patrons pointed out to us, he would have to after playing "There is Power in a Union." BUT, if I am going to spend $25 on a tshirt, it has to be soft. These were shirts were soooo not even close to buyable. Get your act together, unions!

Also,

I was doing some math while I was waiting for my friend to get her book signed. Anthony Bourdain's going to be 70 when his daughter is 20.

In case you were wondering...

DSC05693
Originally uploaded by neonspecs

who would win in a knife fight between Giada de Laurentiis and Nigela Lawson, Anthony Bourdain (pictured in the super blurry picture above) is pretty sure about Nigela taking it.

Zombie!

Me and Sahr from Fela dancing from Terry Richardson on Vimeo.

Duck tape or duct tape? Is there a difference?

Y'all know how much I love the L.A. River. WSJ discusses the Pasadena Museum of Art's current exhibit (Lillian, we still have to go!)

Can freeways have character? Do they deserve to be preserved?

Pretender, contender, or defender? I don't like any of them.

In other news, I encountered one of the kids from that newish Parenthood show at Royce last week, and she was not cool. As I guess I sorta expected. The show was alright but now I'll just think about her ridiculous eye rolling and expectation of preferential treatment.

I saw Warren Christopher at the mall on Thursday and he was super adorable, although I feel like that may be an inappropriate way to describe a man who was not so long ago the United States Secretary of State. Anyways, he is super adorable and immaculately dressed. A man with much panache.

In other celebrity news (Warren Christopher is a celebrity, right?), Leonard Nimoy went to see Patti Smith at the Hammer and I got really excited about this. Eric McCormack (Will, really, he won't ever be able to be anything else) went to hear Neil Gaiman at Royce, and so did Eric J. Lawrence, your Local Public Radio Music Librarian (KCRW, at which I volunteered this morn, takin' your moneyyyyy) [If you happen to read this and it weirds you out that I am reporting this and increasing your celebrity to my four, maybe five loyal readers, EJL, let me know and I will delete it].

Finally, as also a member of KCET (yeah, look at me, your unemployed friend so liberally donating her time and money [I want to use the word "largesse" but can't figure out how]), I attended a "gala" at the California Science Center and California African American Museum with Tavis Smiley (whom Greg hates for reasons unbeknownst to me). I actually like Smiley a little less after I heard him speak this evening. He just seemed so not happy to be there, plus he complained about a lack of appreciation for culture in Los Angeles, which was just annoying. Eh, but the food was great (Creole, Jamaican, Ethiopian, and something else), and a few of the exhibits were nice. I especially recommend "Harlem of the West: Jazz, Bebop, and Beatnik" at CAAM and the awesome paintings/carvings of musicians that are from the walls of an old jazz club in Texas, of all places (Jake Morrow, you don't read my blog, but you should go check out this exhibition to see the section of Harry Smith. Hurry, it closes soon!). Smiley's America I Am at the Science Center was whatever. It's probably great if it's been a while since you were in high school or if your school was racist. It's never bad to be reminded of the things covered in the exhibition but it wasn't mind-blowing or anything like that.

As a result of this post, I looked up the origin of "panache." Wikipedia says it was once a marker of character worthy of suspect, until Cyrano de Bergerac. Literally, it means plume. FYI.

J.L.Curtis part II

She thinks I "may have a runway" in my future and should have majored in costume design. She gets this all from a jacket. Excellent.

Also part II of What/Who Ron Jarvis Thinks I Look Like Today (although this is actually in reference to Monday): Coco Chanel. I'll take it.

Harry Shearer was there, too.

New segment: "What/who Ron Jarvis thinks I look like today"

Bobby Darin

when the shark bites?

Jamie Lee Curtis likes bluegrass and my new hat

and John C. Reilly wanted to know if I was going to play him a mini glockenspiel solo.

really Star Trek weekend.

Brent Spiner in Man of La Mancha at Freud on Saturday (didn't recognize him, my dad had to tell me who he was) and Leonard Nimoy in audience at Royce on Sunday (definitely recognized him. Leonard Nimoy!!!)

A few notes on basketball.

1) The people they show cheering before the game are not live, because they don't expect fans to be loud and such during winter break.

2) We won by 51 points today--113-62! (side note, when did I start caring about basketball?).

3) During half time, they have a "super shot" contest, in which one can win prizes if one makes certain shots. Half court shot winning the ultimate prize of a year's tuition and books. You sign up before the game if you want to participate. In no way was I ever planning on signing up for this. Apparently, someone thought it would be a really great idea to sign me up without telling me! And I was picked! SERIOUSLY. I didn't think I was even going to make a lay up, nonetheless a half court shot. yeesh. I was so nervous, shaking like I was about to get some sort of shot a the doctor's office. Oy, the announcer makes jokes about you the whole time! But, at least, I did make a lay up. One usually gets one Muscle Milk (such a lame prize) but they ran out (thankfully), and so I got a free burrito from Chipotle.

3a) I have only eaten at Chipotle twice previously. Both times were because I got free burritos.

4) Oh my god, I love James Keefe. This is mostly because he was in one of my geography classes, but also because he is quite good looking and a pretty solid basketballer.

Side note: I haven't done a Royce celeb update in a while. Both super pregnant Jennifer Garner and super high-heeled Patricia Arquette were at The Nutcracker this past Saturday.

Excellent Asians.

They filmed the Asian Excellence Awards at Royce on Wednesday. I won't reveal any of the winners since they don't air until May 1st, but I don't think you care about that anyways. Let's just go through a quick run-through of the random people who were there, starting with Kenny G. What? Then there were a ton of reality TV folks (most of whom I wouldn't know if I hadn't read the program): some American Idol girl named Ramiele, JabbaWockeez, Cheryl Burke, Cristian de la Fuente, Carrie Ann Inaba, Karina Smirnoff, and Tia Carrere (who sang two Hawaiian songs and was really uninteresting). And the folks that someone once cared about and have now become reality TV folks: Ian Ziering, Daisy Fuentes, oh yeah-Vern Troyer. And then the so-called celebrities other people were excited about but whom I had never heard of: Rex Lee (Entourage?), the guy who (co-?)invented YouTube, and so many more. Sonja Sohn, of the Wire, gave a pretty intense speech about how it was 'about time' and great that the Asian community was accepting of the mixed race folk. This speech went on for quite some time. B.D. Wong who plays the psychologist (I think) on Law and Order: SVU! I don't even like this show but anything even semi-related to Law and Order has the potential of making work just slightly less boring. heh. Also, a very disheveled Quentin Tarantino. People who are awesome: Kristi Yamaguchi (so skinny! so short! pretty dress).

A great moment: we didn't let Three Six Mafia into the VIP reception cause of a lack of tickets to the VIP reception, only to get the oh-so-funny "You don't know who they are?!?!" There was also one guy from the Black Eyed Peas.Also, three pageant queens were there. "Miss LA Chinatown"'s crown was perhaps a foot tall. It was beyond absurd, especially for a winner of not even a city's pageant, just a section of a city's pageant.

Finally, !!! Mr. Iron Chef America Chairman Mark Dacascos said hi to me and my fellow usher and started walking away before he turned around and came back to shake our hands and tell me I "have a great smile." awww.

"painted over like a mezzuzah on a Boyle Heights doorway"

Dear Dad,
Please follow through on our agreement which was brokered over the Afikoman. You got the matzah; I get a car.
Thanks,
Laura

P.S. The title of this post is quote from Culture Clash's 'radio play' excerpt about Chavez Ravine from the Ash Grove 50th Anniversary show night one at Royce Hall this past Friday.

I thought you were famous, but actually you are just incredibly attractive.

I kinda agree with this, but also think Zev needs to stop making excuses. On the subject of newspapers, I am going to take this opportunity to provide you with a few more sentences from The Long Goodbye which made me think a lot about Sam Zell--not that he would be saying these sentences at all, except maybe the first one.

I own newspapers, but I don't like them. I regard them as a constant menace to whatever privacy we have left. Their constant yelping about a free press means, with a few honourable exceptions, freedom to peddle scandal, crime, sex, sensationalism, hate, innuendo, and the political and financial uses of propaganda. A newspaper is a business out to make money through advertising revenue. That is predicated on its circulation and you know what the circulation depends on.

Now, as promised, here's the Royce Celebrity Update (TM). Daryl Hannah, lookin' mighty Botoxed and Cocaineoxed, Tom Morello, and the guy who hosts Survivor were in attendance at the Steve Earle show on the 25th. There was also a man which inspired a fellow usher to state the sentence which has become this post's title. Tonight--er, yesterday--Amy Brenneman and Maria Bello showed up to see Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert (the author of a book Erica and Oprah like). This show was almost unbelievably sold out, but a lot of people didn't show up after buying tickets. Also, the majority of this crowd, a supermajority even, were middle-aged women; perhaps, 40% were bottle blondes. yeech.

Even though this picture was taken in Colorado in December, I am oh so sure these women would have flown in to see the "conversation" tonight. By the way, please do notice that the four women are all wearing THE EXACT SAME THING.

As someone said, Layla Hey Dad!

'honey, what are you wearing?!'

Dear Royce Hall patrons,

Please be advised: Dressing 'thematically' is unacceptable. A 'world' show is not license for absurd dress. We appreciate your enthusiasm, but a push-up bra, a fake coin necklace, and a bindi on your forehead does not make you seem more authentic. You would not wear this anywhere else so why wear it here? Plus, you are totally mixing up your nationalities.

Proceed Cautiously,
Laura

Presidents and Bad Facial Hair

Another series of letters.

So close to a flying V!

Dear Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen,

You are such a fantastic father and son pair, and, as you age, you look more and more alike. Seeing you yesterday made me think of triumphs of both the presidential and water bird kinds. I hope you enjoyed the show.

You are both mighty,
Laura (Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!)

This picture was taken in 2005, because I couldn't find my camera charger in time to bring it to Wednesday's show.

Dear Ira Elliot,

I am such a fan of yours. How grand it is that you are named after Ira Gershwin; such a nice Jewish name (although I don't think you are Jewish, are you?). I am also a great fan of your band. But, how come you had to go from being an attractive 43yearoldmanwholookslikehes35 to a 45 year old man with creepster facial hair? Tsk tsk. Still, you are rad.

Still a fan,
Laura


Dear Nada Surf,

You are so good live. Thanks for playing mostly old songs.

Kudos,
Laura

rolling with the Holm(i)es

So, apparently Angela Lansbury was at Royce on Thursday and nobody bothered telling me until today. A little late, no? Angela Lansbury!!! Man, she is as good a mystery solver as Sherlock Holmes, I am sure. And then of course there is the inimitable Bedknobs and Broomsticks. She perhaps would have been my fav Royce celeb; too bad I wasn't there! boooooooo.

In other Murder, She Wrote (MSW) news: I am almost at a point in my MSW watching career in which I can claim that actors from all my favorite shows have had guest roles on MSW. This weekend I have watched two episodes with some rad folks. Kevin Tighe, of Emergency!, played Lt. Moynihan in the 1990 episode, "How to Make a Killing Without Even Trying" and Martin Milner, of Adam-12, played Sheriff Bodine in the 1985 episode, "Reflections of the Mind." Adam-12 was one of the most technically accurate police dramas, by the way, and AMAZING. Earlier posts have explained previous appearances by Ellery Queen stars, but I don't know yet if I have seen any Hogan's Heroes crossovers (Although Bob Crane was once on an episode of Ellery Queen entitled "The Hard-Hearted Huckster"--what a great title, right?). That's what I am waiting for.

On a side note, I am beginning a collection of photos of those stamps in the sidewalk. Does anyone know what they are called exactly? This one above is taken on a street that is perpendicular to Echo Park Lake, if I remember correctly.

Edit: I didn't remember correctly. This one was somewhere in Koreatown.

Opera Dictator's Paradise

Is it just me, or is "Paul Potts" too eerily similar to "Pol Pot" in name? Perhaps this is just what happens when I see "Paul Potts reflects on his journey from mobile salesman to opera star." as the main headline on yahoo when I go to check my email after spending the weekend reading Golden Gulag, a terrificly depressing book about California as THE INCARCERAL STATE . yeech. (But, I am proud of myself for finishing a book before the final, for once. Fin=added to the list to the right!).

This afternoon at work I scanned Mr. Ron Howard's ticket to a screening of the classic silent film Safety Last with live organ accompaniment. While our entire interaction consisted of some electronic bar code reading and some "Hello"s and "Enjoy the Show," I must say he is a genuinely adorable man in his baseball cap and reddish hair. I then realized that I can't think of one movie he's helmed that I've seen. I do enjoy me some Happy Days, though.

Roy thinks of hearts and livers and brains when he thinks organs.

HOWEVER, what was more interesting about this show is that COOLIO was supposed to come, as a guest of weirdo organist Christoph Bull, nonetheless. gangsta Coolio, yo. See, we get the will call tickets once the box office closes up and there was an envelope with tickets for him. While I was super excited about the prospect of Coolio attending a silent film, I then realized I don't think I would be able to confidently identify him. This did, however, give me the opportunity to regale my fellow ushers with tales of the hilarious Cooking With Coolio. Oh, wow.

The ghetto witchdoctor superstar chef is here to make you forget about every cooking show you've ever heard. Get your tomatoes, your mozzarella, a little balsamic, and get your ass into that kitchen, baby.

Good Medicine

Celebz galore yesterday at the Good Medicine benefit for the Solidarity Fund, which was created by the WGA to aid crews who were hurt by the WGA strike, at Royce. Well, most of the celebz were on stage and not in the audience (actually, there were very few celebz in the audience, I saw only three who aren't really celebz but are on Grey's Anatomy). But anyways, on the stage were most of the casts of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Ones I actually saw close up or interacted with at all were Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, TR Knight, James Pickens Jr, Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, Brooke Smith, Loretta Divine, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein, Taye Diggs, and Chris Lowell.

Apparently a ton of them are Tony award-winning folks. And they can actually sing, it's true. Those who couldn't sing did pretty un-funny little skits in between. Shonda Rhimes, the creater of the shows, said a lot of uninteresting stuff, too. Most of them that could sing did Broadway musical theatre stuff, but Amy Brenneman, Chris Lowell, Paul Adelstein, and Tim Daly did "California Stars," my favorite song from Wilco and Billy Bragg's album of unrecorded Woody Guthrie lyrics, "Mermaid Avenue," and it was spectacular. Tim Daly, who I totally thought was super good looking when I was a young gal watching Wings (haha), is still pretty good looking and plays bass pretty well. Adelstein also is excellent on the keys (although he kinda butchered his earlier solo number of Slip Slidin' Away on guitar). Lowell was kinda whatever the one time I watched the pilot of Private Practice, but in real life he is very good looking and wore a swell hat--and plays a mean harmonica. haha. Brenneman was beyond adorable in a beautiful cocktail dress and flats, singing the song and shaking a tambourine. The rest of the songs I wasn't too interested in.

Sandra Oh once sat at a neighboring table to me at a show at the Largo. She was with some people, one of which had the most annoying laugh ever that drove me crazy. I didn't talk to her yesterday. Katherine Heigl is actually very pretty in real life and seemed very charming, although apparently is a chain smoker. Justin Chambers is also a nicotine fiend, although he was polite and put the cigarettes out on the bottom of his shoe and threw them away instead of littering (at least the one time I was around). TR Knight is so little! The Chief (James Pickens Jr) was really nice and did a silly James Brown lip-syncing thing. His real wife, who also performed, has an amazing voice. Eric Dane just looks so greasy. yeech.

Then in the audience were some people with small roles of Grey's: the guy who played Joe the bartender, the woman who plays the nurse who gave somebody an STD (I can't remember), and some guy who plays one of the interns who joined the show after I stopped watching it.

Ryan, Royce, and Random.

I should point out that while I complained about Mr. Adams, the show was, indeed, pretty spectacular. But the real kudos goes to Royce Hall acoustics--man, it sounded nice.

And now that we are on the topic of Royce Hall, I might as well update you on the celebz (a post theme I haven't revisited in months!). On the first of December of last year, I reported that Donald Sutherland wore his shlumpy pajamas (or what might well have been) to see Teatr Zar (at Freud, but close enough). Since then, there have been a small smattering of less than fascinating folks but celebrities nonetheless. First, Kate Beckinsale and David Arquette (not together) went to see The Nutcracker on December 22nd. At the second Ryan Adams show, we lovely ushers were graced with the presence of Mandy Moore, Zoe Saldana (whom I will be cool with even though she was a little rude, just because she is in my fav chick flick EVAR, Center Stage), Joel Stein! (who thinks he is really funny while he is only a little funny but I love him anyways), Margaret Cho, the October Road kid (too lazy to imdb that), and the coma woman from Grey's Anatomy.

On the first Ryan Adams, the one in which I was an audience member and not an employee, I wasn't in prime position for being bored and spending my time looking for celebrities, and thus I saw only two folks -- Sam from The Parson Redheads (who are pictured above on my show, which you should listen to Tuesdays 4-6pm) and Frankie from Big City Rock.

The following isn't actually what one would consider a 'sighting,' since, uh, it was his show (1/18), but part of my job is scanning tickets, and that evening David Sedaris scanned tickets for his own show. er go, David Sedaris and I scanned tickets together. It was kinda amazing. He said all the snarky things to the patrons that I always want to say but for which I would get fired.

Finally, Rainn Wilson was at Dan Zanes today.

And that, my friends, was your every-once-in-a-while update.