Just in case you live under a rock, or have somehow missed the giant building wraps and accompanying media frenzy (including the majority of this week’s Dallas Observer, in case you haven’t noticed), here’s some news for you: ALL-STAR WEEKEND IS HERE. What does that mean exactly, you say? Well,…

Originally, Deathtrap was the name for my work-in-progress script based on Springsteen’s “Born to Run” (“It’s a deathtrap/It’s a suicide rap/We gotta get out while we’re young/’Cause tramps like us/Baby, we were born to run!”). To give you an idea of where I’m headed, just imagine Top Gun with cars…

If you’ve ever seen an episode of Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn or a Comedy Central roast, then you’ve probably experienced the comedic stylings of one Greg Giraldo. Name not ringing a bell? He’s usually the guy on stage that has to stand there and take crap from other comedians…

If you ever played Mouse Trap as a child, then you know just how frustrating the supposedly fun board game could be. First, you open the box and find all the pieces. Then, you attempt to follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the Rube Goldberg nightmare and capture the mouse…

Fans of MonsterQuest might assume that the Yeti is the most beloved figure in Tibetan history, but that would only demonstrate their stunning ignorance when it comes to the subject of Tibetan history. In reality, Tibet’s most famous figure was a cat by the name of Milarepa, first name Jetsun…

It’s hard to look at painter Benjamin Brantley Purvis’ work without recalling the 1994 Meat Puppets hit “Backwater”–“In the backwater swirling/there is something that’ll never change.” In his exhibit of the same name, Purvis employs Pollock-esque swirls of color and applications of turpenoid, which thins the oils and gives his…

If you’ve ever been to a bluegrass jam before, than odds are pretty good you’re heard at least one bluegrass version of a Beatles tune–usually “I’ve Just Seen A Face” or “I’m Looking Through You,” two of the twangier numbers in the Fab Four’s catalog. But the band Beatlegras takes…

Not just any man could bridge the considerable gap between Ice Cube and Larry the Cable Guy, but then again, comedian Bruce Bruce is not just any man. In fact, he is practically two men, and he has brought his formidable frame and comedic talents to both Ice Cube’s XXX:…

If you take the title of his newest exhibit into account, you might think that North Texas artist Ted Kincaid has some kind of phobia involving the night sky. However, I Do Not Want the Constellations Any Nearer/L.A. Skies does not feature frightening images of Earth colliding with the heavens,…

Before I got old enough to pair up with a lady and start attending dinner parties, I never really understood why said parties were the setting for so many pivotal events in film and theater. After all, they look pretty boring on the surface, especially if you’re used to your…

Have you ever stared at a piece in an art exhibit and wondered, “Why would I pay for this when my 3-year-old could easily create a reasonable facsimile for free?” Likewise, have you ever listened to a musician bent over his amp for upward of 30 minutes, fiddling with his…

Let’s say your New Year’s resolution was to finally get in shape this year. Well, join the club. We’ve all been there–some of us more than once. Perhaps you’ve noticed that your gym is more crowded than usual. Perhaps you’ve seen an uptick in health food sales at your local…

Contrary to what you might believe, Give It Up! is not an anti-abstinence seminar, but rather a “contemporary pop musical comedy” written by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu; To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar). You weren’t too far off base, though, as the play–based on the ancient Aristophanes…

At the time of this writing, your Dallas Mavericks are sitting pretty as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, ahead of the dreaded Nuggets, the surprising Suns, the scrappy Rockets and the elderly Spurs. But one team stands between the Mavs and conference superiority, and it’s a familiar…

Comedian Jim Norton is probably best known for his appearances on The Opie and Anthony Show, where he wastes his talents for the benefit of people listening from their mothers’ basements. He’s also apparently an occasional correspondent on The Jay Leno Show, but we avoid that comedic resting home, so…

As the holidays wind to a close, what better way to celebrate their demise than with an evening of dysfunctional family-based comedy courtesy of Christopher Titus? You might remember him from his long-ago-canceled Fox series, Titus, or perhaps that show’s source material, the acclaimed one-man show Norman Rockwell Is Bleeding…

As the holidays wind to a close, what better way to celebrate their demise than with an evening of dysfunctional family-based comedy courtesy of Christopher Titus? You might remember him from his long-ago-canceled Fox series, Titus, or perhaps that show’s source material, the acclaimed one-man show Norman Rockwell Is Bleeding…

With all the Champagne and cocktails you’ll be downing as you count down to 2010, don’t you think it’s a good idea to pad your stomach with some delicious cuisine before you go filling it with alcohol? And considering that hardcore vegan diet you’re committing yourself to come January 1,…

With all the Champagne and cocktails you’ll be downing as you count down to 2010, don’t you think it’s a good idea to pad your stomach with some delicious cuisine before you go filling it with alcohol? And considering that hardcore vegan diet you’re committing yourself to come January 1,…

Does your New Year’s resolution involve a deep, introspective search for the meaning of your own existence? Then check out this Saturday’s open house from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Dallas School of Metaphysics, 5832 Live Oak St. You can tour the facility, meet the staff, sign up for…