PCR past banners Now in our sixth calendar year
PCR #251  (Vol. 6 No. 2)  This edition is for the week of January 10--16, 2005.

LA FLORIDIANA
Will and Karen's Cabbage Key and Key West Kraziness, Part Four....Comet Machholz....Thanks, I'm Semi-Outta Here!...And The Winner Is...
 by William Moriaty
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW
"Elektra"
 by Mike Smith
"White Noise"  by Nolan Canova
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
The Best Albums of 2004
 by Terence Nuzum
ODDSERVATIONS
An Afternoon With Chris Sarandon
 by Andy Lalino
SPLASH PAGE
Pimp Is Not Evel....Wade In The Hall, But Who Are These Voters?....Bizarre Sports Note....The People's Choice....Just Some Updates....Goodbye to the Godfather, Will Eisner
 by Brandon Jones
MATT'S RAIL
WMD And Me....Happy Birthday To Me....Lizzie Borden Took An Axe....Football Playoffs
 by Matt Drinnenberg
MIKE'S RANT
Happy Birthday....Also In This Issue....Movie Notes....Censorship -- A Good Thing?....How Do You Spell Punk? M O S S .... Jaws: The Story, Part 1
 by Mike Smith
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Splash Page

Pimp is not Evel

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week in favor of ESPN, stating the term “pimp” was used as a compliment. Reknown daredevil Evel Knievel sued ESPN for libel after a photo with his wife and another woman appeared on the ESPN website with the caption: “You’re never too old to be a pimp.”

While “pimp” may have evolved into a compliment in the Snoop Dogg and Nelly circles, isn’t it still a “pimp”? Wouldn’t that make his wife, that was also in the photo, his “ho’”?

Maybe Evel would have won his case if he’d had an evil Christmas tree in the photo or referenced God. Who’d be offended then?

Wade in the Hall, but who are these voters?

I want to echo the congratulations to local talent Wade Boggs for being voted to Baseball’s Hall of Fame last week – likewise to Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs. I want to point out the following: Boggs received a very high percentage of 91.9% of the votes, but that means 8% did NOT vote for Boggs.

Nolan Ryan received 98.79% of the votes and Ty Cobb received 98% yet Babe Ruth got a paltry 95%. Hank Aaron did get his respect with 97%, Willie Mays 95%, Reggie Jackson 94%, Ted Williams 93% with Micky Mantle getting only 88%. Unbelievably, Walter Johnson only got 83% and more more shocking is that these players didn’t crack 80% --Jackie Robinson 77% and Cy Young 76%.

Cy Young! The main pitching award is named after the guy, but one in four did NOT vote him! Who are these hacks and how misguided are they? Joe DiMaggio received 88% on the third try – he didn’t get in the first TWO times!

This is like saying “Citizen Kane” may not be considered for the “Hall of Fame” of movies or that we should rethink the Rolling Stones and vote them in next time.

Baseball writers – you are a bunch of hypocritical morons! Tommy John has a surgury named after him, Tony Perez had to wait NINE times before he inched his way in and there are only a couple of players that will ever meet the milestones that dictated Hall status(300 wins for example.)

No, the balloting is the politics of serving your time – being a first ballot hall of famer versus waiting it out. They should know, 7% of them didn’t vote for Ted Williams.

On a bizarre sports note –

Last week I picked up a Tennessee radio station (WLAC). I don’t know why, but there it was: a forecast of 26 degrees and snow flurries. The headline was a story about a car accident involving Tennessee Titan quarterback Steve McNair. Evidently, a woman crossed lanes, pulling out in front of McNair and he drove into her. She was on the radio saying: “…he wasn’t very remorseful for hitting me, didn’t really speak to me – I’d expect better.”

Really?

Well Steve, thank you for just shutting up and going home. Lady, you’re an idiot! If Randy Moss had hit you, he’d pull down his pants and moon you. Ron Artest would have tackled you, beating you in the face. Leonard Little would have been too drunk to notice and Jamal Lewis would have been hiding his crack. I don’t even want to think about Kobe Bryant behind the wheel.

Thanks again, Steve.

The people choose “Passion”, “Shrek 2”, an ass and Moore

“Shrek 2” won several awards at the People’s Choice awards: favorite comedy, sequel and animated movie. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Saunders were also recognized for their characters and the two big awards were no surprise: “The Passion of the Christ” and “Fahrenheit 9/11” (best drama and best picture.)

On that note, six of top ten on the box office list are family films (including “Spider-Man 2” in that count.) “Shrek 2” is third all-time behind “Titanic” and “Star Wars.” “The Passion” became the top grossing rated-R film of all-time (ninth overall.)

“CSI” and “Will & Grace” lead the television awards with newcomer “Desperate Housewives” continuing the pickup notoriety.

The people have spoken.

Just some updates

Cowboy Bob and Co. The Saints & Sinners website hasn’t been updated for a year. Will this be the end of the local film festival that help grow and develop local Indy film buzz.

No word on Professor Paul Bearer’s return to WTOG. There was a lot of publicity about Creature Feature returning to the air at the end of last year, but was that it? He wasn’t even at Guavaween, so has he been forgotten or is this a Halloween-themed stunt relegated to a once-a-year rivival?

Romper Room memoirs were sort of creepy, but I invested countless hours watching a kiddie show in Indianapolis. I have yet to find the photo of me with the host Cowboy Bob. WTTV, channel 4 in Indy featured the host Bob Glaze every afternoon. Bob was also the director of the Sammy Terry show, which was a watered-down Creature Feature. I tracked down this pic, but I’ll dig up my climactic meeting later.

Taking a Beating

Last week I was very critical of comic books in 2004 and hinted that none really stood out and “atsb5000” emailed me that I should check out “Astonishing X-Men” and the “Identity Crisis” – actually I believe “idiot” was used three times.

More on this next time, but another “Ultimate” re-cycling of X-Men lore isn’t that alluring. Likewise, DC attempting to stir-up their universe AGAIN makes me cringe and run away.

Taking another lick

On a less insulting note, a co-worker questioned my nomination of a country music album as the “Best Album”. I’ll simply ask: did you see the video? Okay, so let’s review: a rockin’ country band, with a 6-4 black rappin’ cowboy and a dwarf in their video and a theme song to a highly touted cable show = Big & Rich.

“American Idiot” was a great song, but Green Day didn’t impress much beyond that and while Nora Jones is fantastic, she’s always fantastic.

The Big Kenny, John Rich following may just be developing, but don’t underestimate the huge impact of country music, especially when the artists are attempting to cross genres.

I think my grandmother said: “Don’t knock it until you try it.” Sure she didn’t come up with those words of wisdom, but trust me, she makes a mean banana pudding.

Goodbye to the Godfather, Will Eisner.

Will Eisner, as Andy Lalino mentioned last week, passed away. Eisner joined Quality Comics Group in 1939 and helped lead to his creation of The Spirit – which he both wrote and drew (unprecedented at the time.) The innovator of “camera angles” and lighting techniques to take storytelling to new heights resulting in the birth of the graphic novel A Contract with God.

I remember Frank Miller discussing Eisner’s works when talking about his classic The Dark Knight Returns. The DKR was a large influence on me in the late 80’s propelling me into full-collector mode for years to come. While seeking out Eisner, I found Life on Another Planet. While I’ve always continued collecting superhero titles (e.g. Batman, Daredevil), this Eiser tale gave me insight into the vast other stories beyond the kiddy pulp of comics.

Established in 1988, Will Eisner presided over the Eisner awards presented in San Diego. I’ve always monitored the results as my resources were limited during college and I’d never found such great independent works if it were not for these awards. A man that gave back to the readers and fellow artists as well – thanks Will.


"Splash Page" is ©2005 by Brandon Jones.   Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova.  All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2005 by Nolan B. Canova.