Students unite to help the hungry & homeless
As part of a national effort to raise awareness and money for the homeless, STEP [Students Together Ending Poverty], in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, will be holding several activities through Friday.
“The purpose of [these activities] is to raise awareness campus-wide on hunger and homelessness by bringing the troubles of the homeless to people that are not exposed to it,” said Daniel Pedreira, freshman and active STEP member.
Pedreira has helped prepare for the event by creating one of many display boards that will be placed around campus to provide students with information concerning poverty.
Among the activities that STEP has organized are a sleep-out on the Rock that was scheduled for Monday and a luncheon entitled “Faces of the Homeless” which will take place today in the UC Flamingo ballroom at 4 p.m. Scheduled guest speakers will be people affected by poverty.
“There is a common misconception that a lot of homeless people are on drugs or choose to be homeless,” said Leandra Medina, coordinator of the William R. Butler Volunteer Services Center. “Part of the purpose of this week is to understand that there are more circumstances to the problem than simply people being lazy and drug addicts.”
Also, on Thursday, the “Empty Bowls Project” is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the UC breezeway. One free scoop of ice cream, donated from Carvel, will be given to those who purchase either a two, five or 10 dollar bowl.
The five dollar bowls will be made by STEP members and the 10 dollar bowls will be donations from the ceramics department.
The week-long events will culminate with a Skip-a-Meal project in the campus cafeteria, where students can sign up to skip a meal.
Proceeds from the Empty Bowl Project and Skip-a-Meal will go to various homeless shelters.
The National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness encourage cities, communities and schools to organize activities like those taking place at UM.
Students can contribute to the cause by donating non-perishable foods and clothing throughout the week.
Donations should be dropped off at UC 240.
For more information on National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week or for information on how to get involved, contact STEP at stepmiami@yahoo.com or call 305-284-GIVE.
Paul Fajardo can be contacted at pfajardo@umsis.miami.edu.
UMIQ gives away prizes & wins its own award
UMIQ, a UMTV game show, won the 2002 CBI [Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc.] National Student Production Award for “Best Technical Product” for a show entitled “UMIQ Show #6: Greeks versus Pearson” that was broadcast on May 1, 2002 on UMTV, Channel 24.
“I was shocked that we came away winners of the CBI, only because we were first-time applicants, and the rest of the competition has been submitting for years and winning awards,” said Rachael Brill, the UMIQ producer for 2001-2002. “But I should have suspected that we would be victorious being that UMIQ also came away as a finalist of the 2001 Telly Awards, which is a professional industry standard of excellence.”
UMIQ is a television quiz show that started last year and is based on questions gathered from a variety of different classrooms. The contestants are randomly selected from a lottery for each of the eight teams: Apartment Area, Eaton, Hecht, Stanford, Mahoney, Pearson, Greeks and Commuters.
In the 2001-2002 season, the Greek Team beat the Apartment Area to become the first champions of UMIQ.
Each show consists of three rounds, and the winning team from every episode advances to the finals. Each contestant of the winning team receives a $1,000 credit to the UM bookstore. Runners-up receive a $500 credit, courtesy of Luis Glaser, UM Provost.
“UMIQ is a concept introduced and developed by me,” said Sanjeev Chatterjee, the advisor and professor in the School of Communications. “However, it is the students’ hard work and creativity that keep it going.”
“The show was so successful because of the hard work and dedication Terri Maloney, myself and the rest of the staff contributed,” Brill said. “And of course, thanks to Provost Luis Glaser, who contributed $10,000 for the winning championship team.”
Brill graduated from UM last May and is currently working in Los Angeles on a hidden camera prank show called Girls Behaving Badly, which can be seen on Oprah Winfrey’s cable network, Oxygen.
Also involved in the production of the winning episode were Terry Maloney, the director/co-editor of the episode, and Joshua Johnson, the host.
“If you see the show, you will realize that it is a big undertaking involving many constituencies at the University,” Chatterjee said. “It is also a show that is technically proficient with good content.”
The other finalists that competed against UM in the category were Illinois State University, Midwestern State University and the University of Cincinnati.
UMIQ is currently in production for its second season. The championship episode will be taped in front of a live audience during spring semester and the 2002-2003 UMIQ champions will be crowned.
Look for UMIQ this spring on the campus cable channel, UMTV, Channel 24, or on AT&T Broadband Channel 96 in Coral Gables.
Kathleen Fordyce can be contacted at K4Dice@aol.com.
Smokers snuffed by new Florida law to clear the air indoors
Smokers in Miami have been outnumbered by an overwhelming opposition in the polls.
According to the Associated Press, a new amendment that bans smoking in all restaurants and most other enclosed work environments passed in Florida with a majority of 71 percent of the votes this past week.
According to media sources, the petition was brought to the ballot by members of the Florida chapters of the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and the American Heart Association.
“It’s going to save lives. You’re going to have people who will not be sick in the future,” said Martin Larsen, chairman of the Smoke-Free for Health campaign in an interview with NBC.
Recently, the new amendment has raised controversy among smokers and non-smokers at UM.
Many non-smokers voiced their relief that the law was passed.
“When I go out I don’t want to have to worry about health issues,” senior Beth Superfine said. “If I make a choice not to smoke, why should I have to worry about getting emphysema from someone else’s secondhand smoke?”
Senior Ann Marie Madura, who signed the petition to get the smoking amendment on the ballot, also expressed her satisfaction with the new ban.
“I’m very happy it got passed because I don’t like eating and smelling smoke after,” Madura said. “I know they say bars and smoke go hand and hand, but why should I have to deal with it? People can stand outside the bar and smoke.”
“It doesn’t matter if there’s a smoking or non-smoking section,” said junior and advocate of the amendment, Selma Benitez. “Air travels.”
Other students held much contempt for the new restrictions, citing issues of personal rights, government intrusion and the economic impact such limitations could have on local business.
“It’s going to ruin things for half the people in clubs. When you have a drink in your hand, you want a cigarette,” sophomore Mary Jo Morales said.
Morales also felt it would be difficult and detrimental to enforce such laws in clubs and bars in Miami.
“Do you know how much money they’ll lose? They sell a pack of cigarettes in those clubs for seven dollars,” Morales said. “It’s like if they banned alcohol.”
Senior David D’Ambrosio shared the same sentiments.
“How can you not smoke in bars? Drinking and smoking go hand in hand,” he said.
“It’s a sign of the times,” junior Stephanie O’Banion said. “There could have been a way of separating smokers from non-smokers, instead of just not letting us smoke. I’m definitely not going to go out to eat as much anymore.”
Another advocate of the new restrictions, senior Jeanne Valois, said:
“The choice to smoke should not interfere with the non-smoker’s choice for an environment free of cigarette smoke.”
Senior Sharon Geuthers lived in Los Angeles, CA for a number of years. California was the first state to implement non-smoking laws much like the ones being imposed in Miami.
“People complained for so long, but you’ll be amazed at how nice it is to go into a bar that’s smoke-free. After a while, you’ll get used to it,” Geuthers said.
In response to claims that the amendment was passed unjustly, Geuthers replied, “The smokers should’ve gone out to vote if they cared so much because the vote was passed by a huge majority. They knew this was going to be a big amendment.”
According to reports from the Associated Press, exceptions to the ban will be made for “stand-alone bars,” specified hotel rooms and some home businesses fitting criteria as stated in the amendment.
The new legislation is set to take effect in July 2003.
Whitney W. Friedrich can be contacted at witz615@aol.com.
Campus Calendar and News Briefs
TODAY
Friday Groove presents the Aaron Katz Band, jamming on the UC patio from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
STEP is sponsoring the Faces of the Homeless Luncheon in the UC Flamingo Ballrooms at 4 p.m. as part of Hunger and Homelessness Week.
Leadership Institute Workshop: Recognizing Your Resources, 12:30 p.m. in UC 237. Lunch provided, call 305-284-6399 to sign up.
WEDNESDAY
Spend your lunch golfing at the Intramural Golf Scramble at the Biltmore Golf Course at noon. Registration is open to everyone within the UM community. For more information contact 305-284-8518 or jcarroll@miami.edu.
Did you miss getting your flu shots last month? Stop by the UC Breezeway between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for your free flu shot. Flu shots are also available at the Student Health Center through the remainder of the semester. Visit www.miami.edu/student-health for more information.
THURSDAY
College Republicans will be holding an open forum on US Policy toward Iraq at 7 p.m. in the International Lounge on the UC second floor. The forum will be hosted by Armando Gutierrez Jr. and Edmundo Simon. Panelists include Dr. Moore, political science, and Dr. Sheskin, geography, and several students.
STEP is sponsoring the Empty Bowls Project in the UC Breezeway from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. as part of Hunger and Homelessness week.
The Federacion de Estudiantes Cubanos [FEC] will be selling “pan con lechon” at the UC breezeway from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sandwiches will be sold for only three dollars. Call 305-284-6290 for more information.
FRIDAY
STEP is sponsoring Skip-A-Meal in Chartwell’s at 4:30 p.m. as part of Hunger and Homelessness week.
NOVEMBER 16
The Gifford Arboretum is hosting another horticultural workshop and plant diagnostic clinic at the John C. Gifford Arboretum, Biology Department, Cox Science Building. Co-sponsored with Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension Service, the workshop will feature lectures about invasive exotic plants and trees and include a tour of the UM Palmetum. The plant diagnostic clinic, which is free, runs from 8:30 – 10 a.m. The workshop requires a registration fee and is from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., with lunch provided. For more information, contact Derek Artz or Carol Horvitz at 305-284-5364.
SATURDAY
Hurricane Productions presents John Singleton, 8 p.m. @ Gusman. John Singleton is the Director of Boys N the Hood, Poetry, Remember the Time, baby boy, Higher Learning, Rosewood, SHAFT and The Fast and Furious 2. For more information visit www.um-hp.com.
sunday
Want to travel the world, build your resume and make positive differences in the lives of others? Come learn about the Peace Corps in an information session and video presentation from 12 to 1 p.m. in UC 237. For more information, please contact Erin Seiler, Peace Corps Recruiter, at 305-284-5398, eseiler@umiami.edu or room 101 in the Ferr
A Work Of Art?
Although art and art history majors may have similar requirements and pay the same amount of tuition as other students at UM, they suffer more than anyone else on campus when it comes to the quality of their learning facilities.
Among the primary concerns is the fact that the main art building is partially condemned, and art classes are spread out all over campus, art students said.
However, this isn’t a new problem.
Apparently, the art building has been in bad condition since before many current UM art students were born.
A Miami Hurricane article about the condition of the art facilities dated Sept. 22, 1981 quoted Fran Rowin, an art history teacher, as saying:
“What upsets people most are the moldy ceiling panels which are falling off and hanging over students’ heads. Also, parts of the second floor balcony. . . have beams that are warping and hanging a little.”
Similar articles also appeared in 1994 and 2000.
The second floor Rowin spoke of is now completely condemned due to dry rout, a type of fungus, and damage on important support posts.
The article also stated that students would like to see immediate improvements or eventual construction of a new building.
Twenty-one years later, art students have the same wish.
Despite countless promises and plans of new construction, no visible progress has been made toward obtaining new facilities for art students, according to those within the department.
“There are serious problems,” said Jared Bachrach, a student in ARH 102. “The sinks back up whenever we try to wash brushes or anything. There’s also a musty, stale smell that can’t be good for you.”
“At least the AC works,” Bachrach said.
The art complex, known as “the shacks,” was constructed during World War II. Most classes that were once held there had to be relocated.
Throughout the years, art classes have been scattered across campus, from buildings in the corner of campus near the physics building all the way to the Rainbow Building across from the baseball stadium.
According to those enrolled in art classes, the distance is a problem for many art students.
“I was late to class every day because it was so far,” said Shelly Steele, enrolled in a 3-D art class in the Ceramics and Sculpture Studio, located past Stanford Residential Hall. “Plus, the building itself is run down and awful.”
The Rainbow Building, which used to house UNICCO offices, has parking spaces available for students who wish to drive to class.
When asked about the plans for new buildings, an art department administrator said:
“That’s really in the hands of the Arts and Sciences department. Maybe you should call them.”
According to administration, every department passes the blame to another, and many wonder how long it will take before someone in some department somewhere takes responsibility for the failing facilities.
“I’ve heard things for a while,” said Steven Waller, a graphic design major. “They’re going to tear down the condemned building and all that. I haven’t really seen anything though. At least they put air conditioning in the graphic design building.”
“I know the old building is propped up on crutches,” said Michael Carlebach, new interim chair of the art and art history department. “We’re lobbying very hard for a new, large art building where every staff member will have their own new studio.”
Carlebach said staff would like to have a building somewhere between the Lowe Art Museum and the School of Architecture.
“We’d create an art section of the campus,” he explained.
Part of the problem, he added, is that the condemned building is a historical landmark because it was designed by Marion Manly, Florida’s first female architect.
As such, it can’t be completely torn down.
According to Carlebach, the department may keep the office part of the building and scrap the rest.
President Shalala has been said to support the art department strongly and has promised several times to help with the facility problem, including working with people on meeting the tough Coral Gables building codes.
According to those within the art and art history department, such promises are encouraging, but the art faculty has heard it all before.
Until ground is broken and improvement plans are materialized, teachers are striving to do the best they can from other remote corners of the campus where art classes are held.
Fortunately, most students are willing to endure the poor conditions in order to receive good instruction.
“Kids like art,” Carlebach said. “And it’s a good department with good teachers, so our [enrollment] numbers are the same as last year.”
Students and faculty expressed hope that the Capital Campaign, a fund-raising project slated to begin next year, will provide some of the funds needed to bring UM’s art facilities up to par.
Jaclyn Lisenby can be contacted at jlisenby2001@yahoo.com.
film review: El Crimen Del Padre Amaro ***
This is a film about the relationship between clerics and the public. It is being released at a time when obscenity surrounds the Catholic Church and the notion of war is still described by certain political sects as “the Lord’s way”.
Is it time to construct a new religious mindset via revolution, or should the current system be restored and patched up by investing more money and faith? Where is the right justification? Does it stem from humanity’s quest for spirituality, or is it corrupt and political? In El Crimen Del Padre Amaro, it is both – and it affects both worlds equally and equivocally. It forces a viewer to question the universal meaning of religion as a whole. Is it beneficially wholesome or blindingly superfluous?
For Father Amaro (Gael Garcia Bernal) this is an internal conflict that rips his life apart like a demon in a bad horror flick. The devout young man realizes he must go against himself and his religion to decide if fulfilling his romantic desire, Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancon), is worth the sacrifice. Throughout his travails, one sees how the father disdains deep contradictions within the church and how humans have corrupted it through illegal ties and political money-laundering schemes.
Father Amaro despises this mendacity until he reaches a similar crossroad of idealism-from here on, his decisions will haunt him for eternity. The father’s crime is not solely against his religion, but against his soul and those who love him. People often contemplate the one thing they would change in their past if the opportunity arose. After viewing Father Amaro’s outcome in this film (incredible) it is harder to guess what he would choose.
Cinematically, this film is comparable to a Spanish Godfather, with style that effectively shows the needy and the affluent colliding. Even those with great power are in need of acceptance and assurance, possibly more than the “commoner.” These people realize, like Father Natalio, who is excommunicated, that organized religion and spirituality can be separated. Amelia is able to recognize the difference between love that is physically primal and love infused with genuine feeling. Father Amaro finally lets go of religious traditions practiced for the sake of pleasing everyone. These are issues that people, Catholic or not, have been wrestling with for centuries. The presence of greed may never permit finality, but films of this caliber offer valuable (and provocatively entertaining) insight.
Josh Caraballo can be reached at email4josh@aol.com.
dvd review: “Mr. Show” ***1/2
A blank page is a lot to work with. The minds of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross spawned “Mr. Show,” a series that spanned four seasons on HBO. With the show long since cancelled, the new DVD “Mr. Show: The Complete First and Second Seasons,” is probably the only way to catch a glimpse of these guys in action (unless you want to spend a sleepless week trying to download their permanently-delayed film Run Ronnie Run, or luckily catch a random rerun at 3 a.m.). The disc comes with the standard features of any DVD: directors’ commentary and so on.
“I suffer from Entitilitus!” seems an apt way to open the premiere episode, and this review as well.
Each episode is strung together, sort of how “Seinfeld” based each episode around one underlining joke, except this time it’s more quirky, sarcastic, trippy and literal. There are about ten shows in each episode, well-suited for its sketch comedy format. To start an episode in the Senate is one thing, but to have it lead to a man getting sucked off by a milking machine is another. Then to have it all lead back to the Senate, and finally (after going down every ally imaginable), to Bob and David laughing at the whole thing as it appears on a TV: well, that’s “Mr. Show”. “Goddamn it! Sh*t! F**k!” accompanied by a blue mascot named “Pit Pat” that “loves you.” Does this seem like an apt way to make a commercial? Well it got your attention, right? That is what Bob and David are all about.
The fact that the show was based around two actors/comedians hopping around, gives it a sort of thrown-together feel. The other actors who appear in “Mr. Show” are close friends of Bob and David, and several of them had a hand in the writing. Refreshing as it is to see a show run entirely by its tight-knit cast, it is also the reason why the show got cancelled and their film Run Ronnie Run never got released. Not everyone wants to hear what these two guys have to say all the time; otherwise one of them would be writing their own review.
The two-disc DVD set “Mr. Show: The Complete First and Second Seasons” is available everywhere you can rent/buy Collateral Damage.
For more info visit www.bobanddavid.com
Sven Barth can be reached at big_sven@hotmail.com.
film review: Bloody Sunday ***1/2
When most people think of reenactments, visions of cheesy “Rescue 911” clips pop into their heads. Bloody Sunday has set a new standard, or maybe the only standard, for recreating an important event. The movie is set on Jan. 30, 1972, a day when 13 civil rights marchers were shot and killed by British soldiers in Derry, Northern Ireland. The marchers, part of a group of thousands, were protesting a government that would not permit certain freedoms, one being the right to protest.
After a confusing string of miscommunications among the soldiers, a few fire into the crowd, in the process killing citizens, some no older than 17. The government avoids a political mess by contending that the citizens were armed and had fired at the soldiers first (we all saw Rules of Engagement…).
Writer/director Paul Greengrass strategically uses Bloody Sunday as an artistic weapon against the government – one he believes murdered innocent people. In fact, none of the soldiers who pulled the triggers were reprimanded for their conduct, and some were even decorated by the Queen of England.
While recollection of these events could fill endless, lengthy volumes of non-fiction, the politics behind Greengrass’ film are an entirely different matter. After one viewing, the soldiers look like evil villains and the protesters, innocents, but Greengrass is merely giving his point of view on what happened. Debatable political bias aside, the film itself is just as provoking.
Scenes permeated with realism and violent intensity have drawn comparisons to those of Black Hawk Down. While it does share a few commonalities, Bloody Sunday is far from an action-packed thrill ride. Instead of Hollywood-influenced action scenes with big explosions and tanks flipping over on command, Greengrass takes a more documentary-style look at the day’s events.
He has recreated the scenes with passion for the tiniest detail. Thousands of eager extras participated to transfer their cause onto celluloid. Some of the extras were present on the actual day 30 years ago, lending an unprecedented credibility usually reserved for a real documentary.
Greengrass shot most of the film on handheld cameras, giving viewers the “in the trenches” feel of running right behind/with the characters. The editing is simple, yet effective – each short scene fades out and a new one starts immediately. Hundreds of scenes fill up the movie, some a few minutes long, others a few seconds. Even more noticeable is that the film has no music until the final credits. No original score, no booming Dolby tricks, no blue screens, no hi-tech cinematography. The movie gets its hands dirty protester-style.
Bloody Sunday centers around civil rights leader Ivan Cooper, played by James Nesbitt. Cooper is a humble and decent man – approaching soldiers before the march and reminding them of peaceful intentions. He invests greatly in the civil rights movement, and is loved and respected by others with similar beliefs. When shots are fired, Cooper is perplexed by the violent stench of death. An end scene shows him crying at a press conference while the names of the dead are read to reporters. Nesbitt is perfect as Cooper and it is hard to imagine a real man behind such idealism. He is likeable, yet commands respect at the same time, and his emotions seem as lively as the events around him.
The only flaw of Bloody Sunday is that it is simply painful to watch. Very few people will enjoy this movie, although it’s undeniably grade-A cinema. It holds the audience in a difficult position, as no one wants to walk out on a good film, but two hours of harsh reality takes its toll – especially when the action does not enter until half way through. Movie theaters may be air-conditioned escapes from reality, but Bloody Sunday brings the horrible truth indoors – like a slap in the dark.
Shawn Wines can be reached at shawnwines@aol.com.
Mr. Personality: Actor Matt Damon gets a key to the city
Actor, producer, writer, director… this list of film credentials earned Matt Damon the title of “Renaissance Man” this weekend at the 2002 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. While visiting the festival, Damon participated in a brief question and answer panel at the Las Olas Riverfront Theater.
Behind this visit was a motive. It was not a shameless plug for a movie or a crafty publicity stunt, but a humanitarian act. Lisa Maniscalco, a University of Miami graduate, worked with Matt Damon on the Francis Ford Coppola film The Rainmaker. In the film, a man is diagnosed with leukemia and his insurance company refuses to serve him. Matt Damon plays the role of the lawyer defending this man. Unfortunately, Maniscalco now lives that movie. She was diagnosed with myelogenous leukemia and her insurance company has dropped her. All of the proceeds from Matt Damon’s appearance are going towards her medical costs.
Damon appeared on the red carpet as scheduled, rolling up in a black SUV. Fans clamored along the edge of the carpet awaiting autographs. The press was climbing over one another to get a word with him. The director of the festival practiced product placement by loading him up with lots of FLIFF paraphernalia and a fake Rolex (as a joke). The Mayor of Fort Lauderdale then presented him with the key to the city.
Inside a packed theater, film students, giddy girls, moms, and film addicts awaited his appearance. After a brief period of time he came out and a montage of clips from his films (Good Will Hunting, Rounders, etc) was shown. The vice president of the film festival sat with Damon to supervise the interview. After a few throwaway questions asked by giggly girls, quality questions were asked. They revolved around his career origins, his relationship with Ben [Affleck], as well as “Project Greenlight,” a contest/show that the two set up for aspiring screenplay writers.
When discussing “Project Greenlight” he mentioned the radio advertising that he and best friend/co-worker of 22 years, Affleck, did for the contest to display just how hard it was to get into the industry. After winning Oscars for Good Will Hunting they called every production studio that they had previously worked with and pitched the idea of Good Will Hunting without revealing their identity.
“They all hung up on us. They said, ‘Listen, you guys sound really nice, but we don’t take unsolicited material.’ We asked, ‘Well who do we call then?’ They said, ‘Well you need an agent.’ So we called our own agent and pitched the idea to them too and they also said, ‘We don’t take unsolicited material. You need a lawyer.’ So we called our lawyer and they said, ‘We don’t know who you are, you’re going to have to get an agent to get a lawyer…but if we’ve heard of you…’ We asked, ‘So we need a publicist?’ Then we called our publicist, and the whole time we’re pitching Good Will Hunting saying, ‘We think this could really work. We think it could win an Oscar and that Robin Williams would be great in it.’ And the whole thing was to illustrate how silly it is, and how hard it is to break in.”
Despite the noble cause, there was a lot of unprofessional ass-kissing. Besides the excessive “key to the city,” many questions began with introductions like, “You are such a huge inspiration,”, “I think you’re the best actor in the world,” and “Thank you so much for coming.” One wonders about the final impression a talented actor is left with when they visit Florida and have to answer a question like, “I was just wondering if when you were in high school and junior high were girls all over you like they are now?”
His answer: “I wish I could say yes. Ben and I were two of the geekier kids you’d ever see. We were really into drama. Go look at the kids in your school that are into drama. Would you ever give them to time of day?”
However, an interesting topic that Damon discussed with enthusiasm was the expansion of shooting locations outside of Hollywood. He replied that prospective cities play the largest factor in the equation. “Boston has the worst reputation of anybody. Bonnie and Clyde was shot there in 1976 or something like that. They had this one shot they wanted and there was an air-conditioner in one of the windows. It was a time period piece, so they wanted it out of there. They went to the owners and asked them and they said, ‘No, it’s summertime.’ So they offered them $100 and said they were going to be there for the next three days – they really need this shot. The owner agreed. The next day the film comes back and there’s an air conditioner in every single window. Boston got a really bad rep.”
As far as the future is concerned, Damon recently did a cameo in Kevin Smith’s new film, Jersey Girl, starring Affleck. Also in the works is a movie by the Farley Brothers (Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin). “It’s about adjoined twins with Greg Kinnear. He’s older than me, but the rational is that I have 90 percent of the liver so he’s aging faster. Again, it’s a comedy.”
Damon came across as someone who strives to be an average guy and does not carry the superstar demeanor. He entertained the audience and took the praise he received with humble appreciativeness. The oddest question of night came from a woman in the front row, “You inspire me, and I’m a screenwriter, and you’ve inspired me to write. I think I may have some sort of blood disorder, and I was wondering if I might talk to you for a moment after the show?” Damon’s response, “I’m not a doctor.” Perhaps Florida should pay more attention to the advice of its guest speakers.
If you would like to contribute to Lisa Maniscalco’s family or simply find out more information you log onto www.lisamaniscalco.com.
Kira L. Wisniewski can be reached at kira@punks.net.
Entertainment News
8 Mile, the first film starring contentious white rapper Eminem, gave a kick in the groin to its competition and hit the No. 1 spot at the North American box office, selling $54.5 million worth of tickets. Moreover, the movie’s soundtrack, produced by the artist, also topped the U.S. pop charts. This white mutha’s on a roll.
After taking a hiatus from touring with the Grammy-winning Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Bob Marley’s first-born daughter, Cedella Marley, decided to take up fashion. She presented her clothing line, Catch A Fire, for Caribbean Fashionweek in Kingston, Jamaica last Saturday. She hasn’t had any formal training as a designer and emphasizes a denim and urban theme in her wear.
Police fans might want to head to New York because the rock group that originated songs such as “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle” will reunite for one last show next year. Stewart Copeland, the band’s ex-drummer, announced at a news conference in Milan where he was performing with Stewart Copeland’s Orchestralli: “I am a dinosaur of rock. We’re going to get together again after nearly 20 years.” Sounds a little haughty, but the Police will play at an induction ceremony in March to inaugurate itself as well as AC/DC, Elvis Costello, the Attractions and the Clash into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A herd of 10,000 fans broke into pandemonium after assembling in Vancouver to see Guns ‘N’ Roses for their first tour together in nine years and, not surprisingly, lead singer Axl Rose didn’t appear. Promoters called off the concert an hour before it was supposed to begin and rapacious goers began shouting, “Bullshit, bullshit.” At 7:30 p.m., the mob of people then rushed the front gates of the arena demolishing the doors, shattering ticket booth windows and setting off fireworks. Police wrestled for peace with pepper spray, attack dogs and batons. Rose was held up in a late flight and will play in Tacoma, Washington next.
Turn on the Sex Machine
She-devils, pasties, tons of cleavage and underboobs, whips, thigh-highs, and more…mmm, sounds real kinky, and it is. Tucked far away from the posh Miami Design District and the other pretentious art areas of Miami comes a raw, uninhibited exhibit entitled Pinups Forever at the Wild Seduction Gallery.
Setting up its reputation for racy, erotic art exhibits after their first show, Art and Lust, last spring, Wild Seduction presents its second show to date in Miami. Featuring three different artists, each with their own unique interpretation of pinups, this exhibit serves to tantalize and titillate your profound sexual underside. Strap on some leather panties chained up to your nipple piercings and you’re ready to go-enter and explore the wild, unrestrained dungeon of lust and desire…
Having published her work in Hustler and Siren and Axcess, Christine Karas likes to paint acrylics on canvas and portray voluptuous vixens in leather with bright, bold colors and design.
All her paintings carry the flavor of the 1950s style pinup with a lemon-lime twist of her own. “Dominatrix Gator Gals” depicts two girls back to back-one with black hair and the other a redhead-completely nude with the exception of pasties, boots, gloves and whips…looks nasty.
Each is holding an alligator by the tip of their tail. The black background is cropped by a leopard pattern in the top corners and in the bottom third of the painting. Moreover, two signs exclaim: “Live nude! Gator Wrasslin” and “See our Swamp Sirens in Action!”
Kristen Thiele, recently awarded the title of “Best New Artist of the Year” by the Miami New Times, uses hand silk-screen printing. This artist’s concentration is making posters for bands and concerts. “Girl on the Moon” has a female sitting seductively on a perfect neon yellow crescent moon hanging in a bright blue sky surrounded by stars.
The vixen is dressed in a purple leotard ensemble, which accentuates the disparity of the cloth’s color against her stark white skin, and pixilated thigh-highs complete the outfit. Even more, this poster glows in the dark and makes for a great blacklight object of fantasy and reverie. In contrast to Karas’ style of work, Thiele’s art is more comical in design, whereas Karas is more realistic.
Furthermore, Javier de Pison and Pili Cano, owners of the gallery, also decided to showcase their very own flavor of artistic eroticism.
Their digitally manipulated photographs give a surrealistic feel that is very sensual and lets the viewer sink into a wistful daydream. “Woman in Flames” is a lady flung upon a bed with red sheets. The swirled, wavy texture bestows the piece with a bewitching and very alluring quality.
Pinups Forever runs through Dec. 30 at the Wild Seduction Gallery, 2762 NW 22nd St., Miami. Log on to www.wildseduction.com for more info.
Kira Wisniewski can be reached at kira@punks.net