Having endured civil war, separation from their families, hunger and dehydration during a thousand-mile trek through sub-Saharan Africa, and 10 years in a U.N. refugee camp while awaiting myriad challenges of resettlement in the United States, the three “lost boys of Sudan” in God Grew Tired of Us can certainly…
For some, the title of the musical comedy I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is callous or mean. But not to this girl. I’m of the mind that change is a good thing. Lots of things are better off changed: diapers, dollars, lead singers for hair metal bands. I…
Image makeovers are all the rage. These days, Barbie’s got a cell phone, and some stores are even carrying Baby Daddy Ken this spring. Years ago, Little Richard jumped the shark for a soul version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” that made even 10-year-old skin crawl. Now, it seems the itsy…
There are tons of stories about Jesus in the Bible. Yeah, I read it. What? But one thing Matty, Mark, Luke and John left out was how at the end of every school year Jesus’ dad and his virginal mom drove him to Jesus Camp. There was Jesus horse riding,…
While ostensibly a tale of triumph set in America’s top jet-pilot training school, Top Gun is, in reality, the greatest big-budget, homoerotic thrill ride ever spewed forth. Released in 1986, this high-octane, sweat-drenched masterpiece redefined the way blockbusters were made. Take an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack by the king of motivational film…
How can we mention the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders without mentioning the classic 1979 made-for-TV classic called, uh, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders? Starring Bert Convy(!), Jane Seymour(!!) and Bucky “Red Sox Killer” Dent (!!!), the show had it all: giggling, booby-jiggling ladies clad in those iconic blue and white bra-and-panties sets–oops, I…
Nashville, Tennessee, has been known as Music City, U.S.A. for years now; with its rich musical heritage and position at the epicenter of country and gospel music, it’s a fitting moniker. The nickname first caught on after repeated use by radio announcer David Cobb in the 1950s, but interestingly enough,…
Sometimes simple ideas have astonishing power. In 1990, students at a high school in Michigan were trying to find a way to raise money for a food drive. Their art teacher gave them an idea for a class project. The students made ceramic bowls, invited paying guests for a simple…
Nothing beats a big-money, widow-making scheme…especially when it also involves the most far-fetched character names (Grubby Shurtz, Golda Miner, Forrest Green, Big Harry Deal and others), numerous costume changes and a mine shaft. Right. A mine shaft. A lumberjack, a guy named Lucky Betts, a “hilarious climax” and a mine…
With riots and freedom marches protesting the vulgar imbalance of rights between the bejeweled and the sweaty, the 1789 French Revolution turned some heads (into baskets). The strength in numbers and shared pain spoke to German playwright, scientist and wanted agitator, George Buchner. His 1836 play Woyzeck became an underground…
Our liberal, hippie-cum-yuppie parents exposed us to a lot of French films at a relatively young age. We learned three valuable life lessons. We learned that your life might suck, but it would suck a lot more if you were a lesbian silversmith trying to find yourself in the middle…
One of the first albums I ever knew by heart was Joe Ely’s Love and Danger. My parents used to play the cassette in the car nonstop, and the whole family loved it. As a seasoned Ely fan, it was a treat when I recently saw the documentary Lubbock Lights,…
Girl, I am soooo proud of you! Remember back in the day, when everyone was dissin’ you, saying you were never gonna last, and how Britney had so much more substance? Well look at that backwoods bitch now! Madonna so totally made the wrong choice. I mean, look how you’ve…
I must say, after seeing the lineup for the Lone Star Film Society’s Classics at the Modern, I had to give a standing ovation—a Hitchcock showing that’s not Vertigo, The Graduate back on the big screen and Willy Wonka in full-color glory—what’s not to love? I wish the Inwood would…
Whether you go out with the intention to dance or not, you will inevitably be instructed to do so. C & C Music Factory commands it with incessant insistence. “Everybody dance now!!!” Everybody! Grab a partner. ‘Cause it takes two to make a thing go right. And furthermore, it takes…
I met this guy in Connecticut who told me about traveling to Greenwich—a fancypants seaside town I happened to live in at the time. As we discussed its multitude of upscale eateries, he said, “I went to this place—it was amazing. It’s the International…House of Pancakes?” I laughed and looked…
Most weekends, I leave Dallas in the early hours of the morning heading toward the northern suburbs on the famed U.S. Highway 75. While most drive just slightly over the legal speed limit, there are usually dozens of others who zoom past, weaving through traffic and generally being crazy and…
Kayaking is one of those outdoor sports in which you can become reasonably competent after one session. At the Colony Aquatic Park, you can learn the basics in a three-hour class, including paddling skills and safety tips. They’ll have you paddling down the Colorado in no time. Classes are tailored…
More than 10,000 cold-blooded creatures are heading to North Texas this weekend, which is surprising. I didn’t know the GOP National Convention was coming to Texas, and I thought it wasn’t scheduled to place take until next year. (Thank you. Remember to tip your waiter.) Seriously now…the first North American…
Probably by singing a song that can be commonly heard as a ringtone, somebody is going to win Eagle Idol 3: The Search for a Mean Green Superstar, the University of North Texas’ version of the show American Idol. Judges will weed out the delusional, but the audience will choose…
If you’ve ever been in love, had your heart broken or suffered a major crush on that scruffy Starbucks barista, you’ll relate to at least one of the many stories in the romantic musical comedy Adventures in Love. See it with your valentine this weekend at the Flower Mound Performing…
I have a confession to make. I’ve lived in Dallas on and off for almost 20 years and, though I’ve been going to the State Fair every fall for a few years now, I’ve seen little beyond the midway and the car show. I know I’m a bad person because…
