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(09/07/05 12:00pm)
With the beginning of a new academic year, Sodexho Food Services has implemented several changes in the Carte Blanche program. Sodexho hopes to appease students who battled implementation of the meal plan last year.
The first change is the extension of dining hall hours. Last year, Eickhoff Dining Hall closed at 8 p.m., resulting in many student complaints about the fact that it was not open after classes ending at 8:20 p.m. In response, Sodexho extended dining hall hours in Eickhoff Hall to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday to accommodate the late classes.
"Sodexho and the College heard the problems some Carte Blanche students were having making it to Eickhoff before 8 p.m. during the week, and we wanted to respond," Steve Hugg, marketing director, said. "This year, we've reorganized our service hours to allow for an extra hour on the nights students should need it most - Sunday through Thursday."
According to Hugg, students will be served until 9:15 p.m., but the right side of the cafeteria will close at 8:15 p.m. For the remaining hour, students will be able to go to the left side, which features the salad and soup bar and the International, Pizzarette and Balance stations.
Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall, on the other hand, will be losing an hour, as it now opens at 6 p.m. instead of 5 p.m., last year's opening time.
The other major change is what Sodexho calls the Meal Equivalency Swipe, available for students enrolled in the Carte Blanche plan.
Between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., students can use the plan in three different locations, Brower Food Court, the Rathskellar and the Library Caf?. The plan can pay for up to $4.75 worth of food on one trip each day.
According to Hugg, students who do not want to eat in Eickhoff Dining Hall all the time can use the Meal Equivalency Swipe to allow them to eat in another dining area without having to use points. If, however, a student buys something for more than $4.75 and wishes to use Meal Equivalency, he or she must pay the difference using points, cash, or Gold Club.
"Sometimes, students want to be able to eat with friends who aren't on Carte Blanche," Hugg said. "Sometimes they want to be able to grab a sandwich and a soda without coming to Eickhoff Dining Hall. Even though Eickhoff has the most variety of ready-to-eat food on campus, sometimes they may just want something from the Rat, the Food Court or, when it opens, the Library Caf?. Meal Equivalency allows for all of this."
According to John Higgins, general manager, about 135 people used the Meal Equivalency Swipe during the first day of classes.
"The response was fantastic," he said. "The students picked up the concept quickly."
The final change for the academic year comes in the variety of the foods offered in Eickhoff and the other dining halls.
Hugg said most colleges use a three- or four-week cycle with food, causing different items to be repeated every few weeks.
Instead, Sodexho has implemented a "CustaMenu" program, involving a 16-week menu and eliminating the need for the cycles. The menu will include traditional favorites as well as other items that students request to be repeated.
"Sodexho describes CustaMenu as an 'ever-changing menu,'" Hugg said. "It allows Chef Catalina and our culinarians to utilize seasonal ingredients, and give students even more variety. Now you won't be able to walk into Eickhoff and say, 'Oh, it's meatloaf Monday again.'"
In addition, Hugg said Sodexho is working to provide more healthy choices for students. The first step, he said, is switching from oil to a vegetable broth for use in cooking at the International Station.
Sodexho will also be providing nutrition facts on foods in the Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall as well as finding out more about food allergies to provide students with many options from which to choose.
There were also many requests from students to put the Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall on the Carte Blanche program.
According to Hugg, although Sodexho considered it, logistically it wouldn't be possible because of lack of space and the price it would cost the company to accommodate the request.
Although both Hugg and Higgins said they are confident in the new changes, they encourage students with comments to contact them or other supervisors through the Web site (tcnjdining.com) or on the comment cards available at dining locations.
"One of the most depressing things we hear is a student who tells us of an issue days or weeks later that could have easily been handled at the time," Hugg said. "We try to do what we can to make the student happy, but it's so much easier to address a concern at the time and location it occurs."
(09/07/05 12:00pm)
He's your best friend on facebook.com and welcomes anyone to poke him and send him messages or hate mail. He's Steve Hofstetter, one of three comedians featured at the College Union Board's (CUB) Welcome Back Comedy Show on Sept. 1.
Hofstetter joined Patrice O'Neal and Jay Black in Kendall Hall to perform in front of a full audience.
"For the Welcome Week show, we generally try to bring in a diverse group of comedians so that there's something for everyone," Lindsay Knight, junior English major and event coordinator for CUB, said. "Jay, Steve and Patrice all have very different styles, so we hope that everyone who attended the show really enjoyed at least one of them."
The headliner for the show was Patrice O'Neal, who has appeared on "The Late Show with Conan O'Brien" and "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn." O'Neal spent most of his performance heckling the crowd and several celebrities.
He received thunderous applause for such jokes as one about the runaway bride, Jennifer Wilbanks, and her big eyes, which O'Neal demonstrated by opening his eyes wide and telling the audience that people do not need to show their entire eyeballs all the time.
O'Neal's set, however, was riddled with obscene references and sexual innuendo as he also spent time heckling members of the audience based on race, religion and simply for leaving the show early.
"I was disgusted by O'Neal and disappointed by anyone in the crowd that laughed at his cruel and racist jokes," Laura Giannella, senior English education major, said. "If the only way you can keep an audience is to make fun of the people walking out so that everyone else is afraid to do the same, you should really reconsider being a comedian. That guy should take notes from the two comedians that went before him, because they knew how to laugh at others, without offending and belittling them."
Despite all this, at the end of his hour-long set, O'Neal received a standing ovation from about half the audience. Unfortunately, he was unavailable for an interview.
Hofstetter, a Columbia University graduate and a comedian dubbed "The Thinking Man's Comic," amused the audience with his comedy that he describes as being a bit more harsh and more than just entertainment than when he began doing stand-up.
"I never want someone to come to my show looking for cheap jokes," Hofstetter said. "When I go onstage, I need to entertain first, educate second, but it's not just entertainment."
Hofstetter riddled his set with jokes about Diddy's "Vote or Die" campaign in the 2004 election, explaining that "We'd rather die," and even asked the audience why certain abbreviations must be followed by a word accounted for in the abbreviation. One example included "PIN number," followed by his question to the audience of whether they have heard anyone say "ATM machine."
"How do you live in this world and not notice the irony that surrounds us everyday?" Hofstetter asked. "If you tell a joke based on something you just happened to observe, we all saw it too. We notice the irony, we notice the gaps, we thrive on that stuff. So the challenge is not writing material, the challenge is writing original material that no one else is doing."
He began his career in comedy by writing a column for collegehumor.com and started doing stand-up while trying to promote his first book, "Student Body Shots," which he describes as being an "honest look at college."
"I had no idea I was a comic, I always thought I was a writer," Hofstetter said. "I absolutely love comedy. I just thought it was something I kind of enjoyed watching."
Hofstetter also has a show called "Four Quotas," which he has hosted on Sirius Satellite Radio for a little over a year.
"Because it's uncensored, it gives us a real forum to just frankly look at race and politics and everything," he said of the panel show that features a white comic, a black comic, a female and a wild card. "It's either the talkiest funny show ever or the funniest talk show ever because we go back and forth. It's like laughter will always be king on it because we're on the comedy channel, but we try to talk about things we're passionate about and have a good time too."
Hofstetter is also well known as a friend to about 180,000 people on Facebook. Professing that it came about partly out of boredom, he said he decided it might be a good way to put his name out there.
"I think (Facebook) really is changing the way college students are interacting with each other in a positive manner, but I still think it's funny how online-obsessed we are, so I figured, give it a shot, see what happens," he said.
The first comedian to perform for the night was Jay Black, who said he was thrilled to be performing at the College, his alma mater, for the first time.
"I said that real early on, that it would be great to come back to Kendall Hall and I never really thought it would happen," Black said. "I don't get nervous for performances, but this whole day, I've (had) nervous energy and my stomach's been hurting."
Black said he actually got his start doing comedy bits for WTSR. His first mike show afterwards went very well, he said.
Although he said his following shows did not go as well, "I got that first taste and I wanted to keep going back," he said.
While attending the College, he got his teaching certificate and said he still loves standing up in front of a class. Although his comedy has really started to take off, he said he still has his teaching and could always go back to it in the future.
During his set, Black got applause for his bits about the Irish being the only culture to actually celebrate their negative stereotypes and the laziness of Americans. As he told those in attendance, Dunkin' Donuts now has an express pack with its top 12 doughnuts because we are simply too lazy to point to the ones we want.
"All the acts were good, (but) Jay was especially funny," Dave Adams, sophomore chemistry major, said.
Knight was in agreement about Black's performance. "Jay Black especially got a lot of laughs, which is terrific since he's an alumnus and was really excited to come back here and perform," she said.
According to Black, the difference between a comedian and someone who is funny with friends is that a comedian will write things down.
"I just get it from my life and I write it down and I kind of present it and I hope they laugh at it," he said.
Black closed his set by thanking the audience for attending the show and explaining that he was thrilled to be able to come back to the College to perform.
"The first day I was here ... my R.A. from Norsworthy, took me to this show and to be here 11 years later and to be back on the same stage and hearing the kids applaud and laugh, I've never had a better show and I really don't think I ever will have a better one," he said.
Overall, the students in attendance seemed to enjoy all three of the performers.
"I think the audience was terrific and created a great atmosphere for all the comedians," Knight said. "I know some people in the audience took offense to certain comments and jokes, but that's what happens with comedy - it's hard to be politically correct and still uphold a certain comedic style."
"It was ... insanely funny," Liz Lagerstrom, sophomore music education major, said. "It took away all the stress of the semester."
(08/31/05 12:00pm)
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... a rising box office slump!
Yes, that's right, these past few months marked the continuation of the summer box office slump. Over the past year, Hollywood has suffered a continuous loss in admissions sold to theaters. Despite several predicted blockbusters that opened during the summer months, fewer and fewer people are spending their time in an actual theater.
This past summer alone saw a 19-week slump, lifted briefly by the release of "Fantastic Four," the story of four unwilling superheroes who stop the evil Dr. Doom.
The movie exceeded expectations when it opened at number one on the box office charts, grossing over $56 million in its first weekend. Its gross for the weekend was better than the same weekend's totals in 2004.
Aside from this weekend reprieve, the rest of the summer continued in the slump despite the release of several much-anticipated movies.
The sixth and final Star Wars film opened in May and, despite the fact that it broke several records including the single day record previously held by "Shrek II," it was still not enough to break the slump that has taken over Hollywood.
Other highly anticipated films, including Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" and "Batman Begins," did not make enough money to equal the movies released during the same weekends in 2004.
As for the specific figures, revenues have been down 6.4 percent from 2004, according to an article on msnbc.com, dated June 29. In addition, admissions themselves are down 9.2 percent.
The biggest question on everyone's mind is why audiences are not going to theaters.
One explanation is the DVD phenomenon and the fact that movies are available for purchase very soon after they leave the theaters. There is such a short span of time, that people are more prone to wait for the movie to be out on DVD or video, a cheaper way of seeing it, rather than paying the money to go to the theaters.
Another problem is that admission prices have risen too much over the past year and people simply do not want to pay so much. Prices are often upwards of $6.50 for matinees and up to $8 for shows after 6 p.m.
But what may be the biggest issue is the lack of originality in movies lately. So many films these days are remakes, sequels or former television shows.
According to Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, a company that estimates ticket sale accounts, Hollywood seems to be trying to build on a previous concept that worked in previous years, rather than creating new and exciting ideas for movies. In an article for CNN Money online in May, Dergarabedian said that declines in audience levels has continued since 2002.
Films such as "House of Wax," "Herbie: Fully Loaded" and "Bewitched" were made to recapture the magic they had on first release. Unfortunately, their box office results did not quite measure up to the hype.
For example, although the original "Herbie" movie managed to gross over $51 million in 1969, subsequent films grossed less, until the 2005 Lindsay Lohan film made only a little over $17 million a few weeks after its release on June 22.
In addition, according to the article on msnbc.com, movies are lacking the surprise and excitement of such hits as "Passion of the Christ" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" and audiences are not interested enough in the offerings this year.
But perhaps the problems of Hollywood can best be explained through a list comprised by Jeff Vice of the "Deseret Morning News" on June 26. I don't think I could say it any better than through his Top 10 List of Lame Hollywood Excuses for the Box Office Slump. In descending order, they are:
10. The studios haven't promoted their movies enough through TV advertisements.
9. Would-be audiences are still at home, trying to figure out what happened on that confusing "Lost" finale.
8. The studios haven't promoted their movies enough through fast-food tie-ins.
7. Audiences are waiting until August, when they can beat the heat in theaters.
6. Industry-wide "Movies: Now Ben Affleck-free" campaign failed to generate business.
5. People didn't have nearly enough sequels, prequels, remakes and horror movies to choose from.
4. A year later, audiences are still washing the taste of "White Chicks" out of their mouths.
3. People are just too upset about the Brad Pitt-Jennifer Aniston breakup to venture out.
2. Audiences figured out they could watch TV at home instead.
1. The media haven't been reporting enough news on the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes romance.
All in all, there are many reasons why people are not seeing movies in the theaters. All we can do is sit back on our couches in front of the television and hope that the next crop of movies are original Hollywood productions and not mere copycats.
(08/24/05 12:00pm)
The College, known for its excellent academics, is not just a place for studying. In the past two years, the school has hosted several excellent performers as well as student-run performances that entertained the community as a whole and made the college experience much more memorable.
Among the many performers was legendary tap dancer Savion Glover, who performed in Kendall Hall in Spring 2004. With his team of dancers, he showed off his brilliant dancing technique to a full house.
Also in 2004, as part of the College's Celebration of the Arts, were the improvisational stylings of Colin Mochrie, Chip Esten and Brad Sherwood of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" For those who were lucky enough to purchase tickets after waiting in line for hours in Brower Student Center, the show treated them to classic games from the hit improvisation show with suggestions and participation from an active audience.
Each year, the College Union Board (CUB) hosts a Welcome Back Concert after winter break. In 2004, the featured musicians were Art Alexakis of Everclear and Blessid Union of Souls. Both concerts drew large crowds as the artists played several of their hits and invited audience participation.
The concerts also featured opening acts who continue to gain in celebrity with each passing year. Amos Lee, who opened for Blessid Union, was a recent guest on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and Adam Richman, who opened for Art Alexakis and has played several other shows at the College since, recently released an album with Or Records.
In 2005, as part of Celebration of the Arts, the College brought blues legend B.B. King to Kendall Hall. In a filled theater, King entertained the audience with his hit songs and trademark wit, filled with stories of his childhood and his opinions about life and love. Students and other guests had the opportunity to meet King after they gave him a standing ovation for his performance.
The College also hosted poet Mark Halliday in Fall 2004 and several authors, including Jonathan Lethem in Spring 2005 and Tim O'Brien in Fall 2003. Author John Irving visited the College in Spring 2004 and shared a section of his newly released novel, "Until I Find You," before it hit stores earlier this summer. Other speakers included actor and comedian John Leguizamo, who shared his life story and rise to fame to the delight of the audience.
Although a great deal of celebrity has visited the College, much talent can also be found on our very own campus.
The Opera Theater presented a different musical each semester, including "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and "Kiss Me Kate." Each performance featured the singing and acting talents of many students on campus and drew in large crowds over its several-day run.
All College Theater (ACT) is the master of comedies and mystery productions. Throughout the year, it performs two comedies and hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner, during which audience members guess who they believe is the murderer and are then entered in a drawing to win a prize if they are correct.
Probably one of the best ACT shows was last year's "Noises Off," which was performed on a circular stage and featured several characters struggling to prepare to perform a show. The backstage antics were front and center for the audience, while the actual play was performed on the other side of the circle. The actors were forced to use their body language and facial expressions to convey their emotions so as not to disturb the "play" already in progress.
Overall, whether it is outside talent or simply your next-door neighbor, the College offers a great deal of entertainment options as a break from the books.
(04/27/05 12:00pm)
"This is my game, my rules/And I can see, obviously/baby, you don't know/what it's like to be me." Yes, as these lyrics from "What It's Like To Be Me" say, on May 17, the time will come for us to know what it's like to be ... Britney Spears.
Oh man, did I really say that? Do we really want to know what it's like to be her? Well, it doesn't matter because UPN is unveiling their latest reality series with exclusive home videos of Spears and her husband, Kevin Federline, prior to the media frenzy that has become their marriage.
The videos, taken by the couple, will document their relationship from the day they met to their wedding day. And, as if that's not enough, UPN is shooting new footage and commentary with Spears and Federline to complement the show.
This all sounds fine, but let's analyze the facts, shall we? The show is airing on UPN, a network that barely makes the ratings chart every week. For so long, it has been considered the worst network on television, turning out multiple flops and being the brunt of jokes and ridicule. And now, Spears wants to improve her image and change media speculation about her marriage with a show on it?
As if her life wasn't public enough, with the paparazzi following her and the media reporting her every word and action, it is unbelievable that she would agree to broadcast such a private part of her life.
According to UPN's Web site, Spears said, "I feel that last year the tabloids ran my life and I am really excited about showing my fans what really happened rather than all the stories, which have been misconstrued by journalists in the past. As I mentioned before, I am now going to be expressing my personal life through art."
She is expressing her personal life through art. That's interesting. Basically, she is showing viewers what she has long wanted to keep private to prove the media wrong. Well, I agree, this series is absolutely worth it if I can watch Spears fall in love with her present husband, eight months after the actual wedding, when she is now pregnant with his baby.
On the Web site, Federline declares that the show will be "a documentation of love." So, I wonder, will there be any mention of his ex-girlfriend who was pregnant with his baby while he dated Spears?
Okay, maybe that is me being judgmental because of the tabloid information. Unfortunately, it is hard to be positive when the facts are there in black-and-white. And, after seeing the pictures the paparazzi took during their courtship, I am not sure that we need to see any home movies that are supposed to be about private moments.
It all comes down to the fact that this is just another reality show that will supposedly draw viewers in because of its internationally-recognized star. It is made to showcase Spears and increase her celebrity. And, by creating a new reality show, UPN feeds into the genre of unscripted programming that has been drowning viewers in a sea of confessionals and dating tragedies.
We will have to wait and see what happens after the show premiers. And then, maybe this time next year, we will watch Spears deal with motherhood or sign divorce papers. It's tough to tell at this point. But, as they say in the business, "The show must go on!"
(04/20/05 12:00pm)
"'The best new musical of the decade! Max Bialystock is a theatrical genius!'"
So say the reviews of "Springtime for Hitler," a play within the play "The Producers," which has been a success on Broadway since opening in 2001. And it truly is a genius play, written by Mel Brooks, who created the original movie in 1968.
The story centers on Broadway producer Max Bialystock, who goes from being the "King of Broadway" to producing only flops. He teams up with Leo Bloom, an accountant with a secret desire to be a Broadway producer, to produce a guaranteed flop and rake in thousands of dollars. Through finding the worst script, most terrible director and least talented actors, Bialystock and Bloom prepare "Springtime for Hitler," written by a neo-Nazi playwright, Franz Liebkind. They are convinced the play will be a flop, but then, that wouldn't make for a very comedic Broadway production, would it?
And the show truly is a comedic masterpiece, filled with jokes, evil glares and the occasional song lamenting the question, "Where did we go right?"
The current cast includes Richard Kind (Max Bialystock) and Alan Ruck (Leo Bloom), both alums of the hit television comedy "Spin City." They play their roles with such passion that, although some audiences may see them shadowed by their television personas, they completely adopt the personalities of the conniving Bialystock and the nervous dreamer Bloom, respectively.
Bialystock is a man who knows what he wants and will go for it no matter the possible consequences. Kind understands Bialystock's every glance, vocal inflection and movement, playing it up so the audience knows exactly what he is feeling.
Bloom is unhappy in his job as accountant and wants a different, more adventurous life. Ruck takes on the whims and habits of a man prone to having an "attack" and he does it so well that you have to laugh as he goes "berserk" and pulls out his little blue blanket because something has upset him.
Angie Schworer plays Ulla Inga Hansen Bensen Yonsen ... well, you get the idea. Anyway, Schworer, whose character was born and raised in Sweden, manages to pull off a very amusing and highly exaggerated accent, drawing out the vowels in "Bloooooom" as well as other words that make her character understandably a bit na?ve.
One aspect that seems to overrun the show is the constant Jewish jokes that, despite being slightly offensive, are hilarious all the same. From the inner play's name, which portrys Hitler as a good guy, to Bialystock's and Bloom's comment that "Oh we knew we couldn't lose, half the audience were Jews!," Brooks manages to use the Jews for humor, and it works.
The jokes are subtle, but one of the biggest instances in which the play defaces Hitler's name comes when Liebkind tells Bialystock and Bloom that Hitler's middle name is Elizabeth. "Not many people know it, but the F?hrer vas descended from a long line of English queens." Well, who knew Hitler came from such feminine royalty?
In addition to the Jewish jokes, the play is filled with a great deal of sexual innuendo. Most obvious is Bialystock's habit of wooing older women to give him money for his plays. To fund his newest project, he travels to Little Old Lady Land as he sings, "It's time for Max/To put his backers on their backs/And thrill them with amazing acts/Those aging nymphomaniacs."
Yet the humor throughout the play makes it worthwhile, as do the beautiful set designs and costumes. Big signs proclaim Bialystock and Bloom's newest play, all aglow in lights. And audiences are treated to a strange sight when the dancers in "Springtime for Hitler" walk onstage wearing costumes that include such details as a hat with a huge pretzel on top and a skirt with hanging sausages.
Of course, the play would not be what it is without the music. Bialystock sings of becoming King of Broadway once more and Bloom learns a lesson about never saying "good luck" on opening night. The music is very catchy and draws the audience into the world of the producers with its smart and hilarious lyrics.
Overall, the play is a definite masterpiece, thanks not only to the writing of Brooks, but also because of the actors who pour their hearts into the characters and become them wholeheartedly.
And, as the final song states, "If you like our show tell ev'ryone but ... if you think it stinks keep your big mouth shut!"
(04/13/05 12:00pm)
The audience stood, clapping their hands wildly as he walked onstage and bowed to them. Quietly, he took a seat, picked up his guitar and began to play as the people sat back down.
Riley B. King, known to his fans as B.B. King, took his 80th birthday year-long world tour to the College as part of Celebration of the Arts. The blues legend, who has released over 50 albums and won several Grammy Awards, brought his unique style to the Kendall Hall stage on April 9.
"I never thought of being a blues singer," King said. "My pastor played guitar and I wanted to play like he did. I would always play gospel songs, but they'd ask for blues and I'd get a tip. Those hearing gospel songs didn't tip."
King began recording in the 1940s in Tennessee, where, according to his Web site, every good southern musician began a career. He has since been inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1987, he received the NARAS' Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award.
According to Tim Asher, associate director of Student Activities, every year students, faculty and staff brainstorm different artists that they want to see performing for Celebration of the Arts. This year, King was at the top of the list.
"When King came out, you could see what a high quality performer he is," Asher said. "It seemed like the audience really enjoyed the show."
Although the band does not usually play college shows, Asher and the rest of the committee were able to convince them that they could present a high quality show, up to the standards at which King and his band normally play.
During his performance at the College, King swayed along with the music as he played several songs from his prior albums as well as from an upcoming one. But his performance was also characterized by the time he spent speaking with the audience about his songs and giving advice about women.
He performed a song entitled "Ain't That Just Like a Woman" but, before singing it, he requested the permission of the women for the men to repeat the title lyric after him.
King later admitted to the audience that he was picking on the ladies too much and he made it up to them with an apology and a quick rendition of "You Are My Sunshine" on his guitar.
In the beginning of the concert, the B.B. King Blues Band played instrumentals for the audience. From the trumpet and flute to the guitar and percussion, the band played together and as soloists with such talent and skill, ending to thunderous applause from the audience.
Throughout his performance, King joked with the audience and had everyone singing along during the choruses and participating in the performance.
During one particular song, he stopped in the middle and began to accuse one of his band members of rushing. Bass player Reggie Richardson was singled out at as the culprit, being named "The Pretty One" by his colleagues. To this, King replied, "Ain't none of y'all prettier than me," garnering laughter from the crowd.
After also accusing the drummer of rushing, King proceeded to ask one member of the audience who was the guilty one. She immediately answered that the drummer was at fault and King told everyone, "You know, George Bush could really use someone like her."
King not only acknowledged his audience, he also kept in contact with his band throughout the concert, giving a thumbs up to the players after each song.
Overall, he told the audience he loved playing for young people. "Being around young people, I forget I'm 79 until I have to walk up some stairs," he said.
King also had the chance to meet a young person in the opening act, the Eric Steckel Band. Fourteen-year-old Steckel opened the show with a few songs from his album, including one that supposedly gave answers to what people say to kids. He also played a song that he introduced as being "a funky thing called 'Jaywalking.'"
King has been in the music business for over 50 years, a milestone not accomplished by many musicians. "I like talking to people and I like making them smile," he said. "I wouldn't change most of my life."
According to King, the only aspect of his life he would change is his education. He stopped school after 10th grade, but if he could, he would "finish high school, go to college, wouldn't get married until after 40" and he would major in computers and minor in music. Now, he said, computers play such a huge role in life and it would be good to know all about them.
Those in attendance seemed pleased with the performance. "I've heard of (B.B. King) and I've liked some of his music. I like Jazz/Blues in general so when I heard he was coming, I couldn't miss an opportunity like this," Sean Ryan, junior music education major, said. "Music like this is very important. Too many people nowadays listen to music with no real drive behind it, but B.B. King sings how it is."
"I don't go to many concerts, but we don't get someone like B.B. King to come to the College very often, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity," Rachel Levy, senior political science major, said. "I had an incredible time at the concert, and I am so glad I went."
The audience agreed that B.B. King lived up to their expectations. "He had such a bold presence on the stage, yet calm and casual, a great characteristic of a musician," Ryan said.
King has had many opportunities throughout his life, meeting fans and other people, including several presidents and one man he respected more than others.
"Meeting the Pope was one of the highlights (of my life)," he said.
King had the opportunity to meet the Pope after doing a show for the Catholic Church. "I thought of him as we think of Lady Di," he said.
According to King, he could have talked and sang with the audience all night. "Whatever you do, (if) you're happy, do it," he said. "If I can make it, they can do it better."
(04/06/05 12:00pm)
Amid applause of a large crowd of students and faculty, author Jonathan Lethem walked to the stage to take his place at the podium for the latest installment of the Visiting Writers Series, sponsored by 'ink,' the English department, the Visiting Writers Series and the Student Finance Board (SFB).
Lethem is an author who jumps genres and attempts to make every novel different in its own right, Jo Carney, chair of the English department, told the audience as she introduced him. Carney quoted Lethem as having said, "I guess that (aspect of my writing) makes me unreliable."
"We wanted to bring in someone who is important right now, someone who is shaping how people think about contemporary American fiction," Catie Rosemurgy, assistant professor of English and organizer of the event, said. "Lethem fit that bill. The quality of his writing, plain and simple, both in terms of the precision of his prose and his thinking and in terms of the freshness of his imagination, (make him so influential as a writer)."
Lethem read from a collection of essays called "The Disappointment Artist," memoirs about himself, all taking place at the time of his mother's death when he was a teenager. This topic was very personal for him, but he said that he's overcome the hesitations of sharing information about his personal life.
"It isn't as though people are asking me intrusive questions," he said. "Everything that they known about my personal life is because I've told them and so I'm very much in control of the dialogue. Things that I wouldn't want to discuss I haven't mentioned."
The memoirs are organized under a title and subheadings, the former being a subject of obsession concerning pop culture and the latter being the year and the condition of his mother's health.
"I think (the students) enjoyed hearing a famous writer talk about things we can all relate to, (namely) obsessions with favorite songs, bands and movies," Rosemurgy said.
Lethem's piece could almost be considered entertainment criticism, although he stresses that he finds it more enjoyable to be the fan rather than the critic.
"I think there's elements of cultural criticism in these essays, but I think the really predominant part of them are personal memoir pieces," Lethem said.
He then related the piece to his mother's death, citing what he discovered from his experiences and his appreciation of her.
"In this case, I did one of the most natural things for me. I'm always most excited about the newest book and this had just come out and I'm very proud of it," Lethem said. "It's fresher for me and I haven't read from it so many times either."
Besides writing novels and essays, Lethem has written short stories and even songs, although he gave up the latter because of a self-professed lack of singing ability, according to Carney.
"He is a brilliant writer," Carney said. "He is in part so appealing because his works are so grounded."
Many of the students in attendance had been studying Lethem's work in English classes, so they were already familiar with the author's pieces. "I think it's great that the class had been studying (my book) because it meant people were not coming in cold," Lethem said.
After reading his piece and concluding to thunderous applause, Lethem took questions from the audience, ranging from what he is writing now to how he would feel to be chosen by Oprah's book club, which, for the record, he said would be amazing.
"A night like this is ideal where I've got a good microphone and everyone in the room is there to hear the reading and there's no distractions," Lethem said. "This is what I like best."
Sarah Maloney, junior mathematics major and president of 'ink,' said she was pleased with the success of the reading and how articulate Lethem was during the question and answer period.
"I've heard only good things from students who attended the reading," she said.
Following the reading, Lethem stayed to sign copies of his books and talk to students, answering additional questions, including one about a tattoo mentioned in his essay.
"It's of a spray can with the words UBIK (a fictional product) on it and there's a pink mist coming out of the top of the spray can," Lethem said. "I thought of it as kind of a good luck charm for a writer to have a literary tattoo."
Students all expressed their praise for Lethem and his works and their excitement to read his novels and stories. "He touched on many authors I read also," Anthony Frizano, junior English major, said. "It was very close to home."
Dan Klein, senior English and secondary education major, agreed and disagreed with Lethem's points of view. "I thought the reading was exceptional. I was at the edge of my seat," he said. "I enjoyed the Brian Eno references, but cringed at the mention of taking Tiger Mountain."
Although not everyone in the audience was familiar with Lethem's work, his reading definitely created a few new fans. "I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of him, but I'm excited to read his books," Adriana Fokshey, sophomore psychology major, said.
Overall, the reading was a great success and garnered a large audience for this most recent Visiting Writers Series event.
"I think it was one of the best college readings I've ever given (with) the feeling in the room and the number of people," Lethem said.
(03/30/05 12:00pm)
As the slogan says, "Fo all you beotches who wanna find shiznit," Gizoogle.com is the place for you.
Not quite sure what that means? Well, to be honest, neither am I, but that's the fun of Google turning into a hip-hop friendly search engine.
Gizoogle.com works exactly like the normal Google Web site, but it adds a little bit of a twist to make researching fun again. Adding -izzle and -izza to the ends of words is just the start of what it can do.
Bored with the normal news Web sites? Gizoogle can "transizlate" it for some entertaining reading. For example, a new headline reads, "Gov. Bush sez he cizzay hizzy." Everything can be made funny with Gizoogle.
Besides finding somewhat useful, if unreadable, information, you can actually search for serious topics. Searching for The College of New Jersey, brings up an entry, saying, "Welcome ta tha College of New Jersey Web site. Tizzy is located in Ew'n, New Jersey." But wait, it gets better.
If you translate the College Web site, you find it all decked out in hip hop lingo and reading for viewing pleasure. For example. the simple Fourth Friday announcement now proclaims, "What's up on campus? People niznews, messin' events, sports, etc."
"It's an endlessly perpetratin' source of enjoyment," James Van Strander, sophomore English and philosophy major, said.
So check out Gizoogle.com, some crazyfizzle shiznit when you wanna be chillin' n rockin' all day!
(03/23/05 12:00pm)
Everyone get off the couch and run to your computers, it's time for E! Online's fifth annual Save One Show Campaign!
This is the one time when anyone can vote for a favorite on-the-bubble television show with a letter being sent to the network executives for the winning show, begging them to keep the program on the air.
Now I'm not saying the efforts will actually do any good, but it's nice to know there is some chance of viewers actually getting what they want when it comes to network television.
E! Online has created four different categories. Code Red means the show is most likely going to be cancelled, Code Orange means it's on shaky ground, Code Yellow indicates the show should come back and Code Blue means it will definitely return for another season.
Several of the season's newest hit dramas are in danger of cancellation, such as UPN's "Veronica Mars." This show about a high school girl who is also a detective investigating the murder of her best friend as well as other cases in the town was cited as the network replacement for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which bowed out in 2003 after five seasons on the WB and two on UPN. According to Rob Thomas, executive producer of the show, in the E! Online column, Dawn Ostroff, UPN president, believes "Veronica Mars" is a show with great potential that could be realized in a second season.
Also in Code Red is the critically acclaimed NBC drama "American Dreams." The show, which won two Emmy Awards, is set during the time of the Vietnam War and follows the Pryor family, with one character fighting in the war and other members of the family spending nights on "American Bandstand" with celebrity guests portraying the musicians and stars of the time. The show, besides enduring a ratings drop this season, has now been moved to Wednesday nights opposite ABC's hit drama "Lost," a move which may not prove successful against the ratings of the adventures of these plane-wrecked islanders.
As for Code Orange, one new show on the bubble is "Kevin Hill" on UPN (there's a reason this network always gets such flack). The show follows a normal lawyer who inherits a baby and now must change his player ways. It recently hit a ratings low, although Ostroff has taken a liking to the program, something that could bring it back for another season.
Another show in this color is the WB's "Charmed," which is in its seventh season. The show follows the lives of three sisters who are witches, the Charmed Ones, and fight demons with their powers. However, airing on Sunday, it is up against other hits such as "Desperate Housewives" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," causing its ratings to drop in this latest season. A new season is not promising and the executive producer has even signed on to a new pilot about a mermaid trying to survive on dry land (wait, did Ariel's sister fall in love with a human this time?).
In Code Yellow is "Joan of Arcadia," the CBS drama about the girl who hears messages from God. Creatively, the show has reportedly not been up to par, but ratings have remained at about seven million viewers, which is normal for Friday night, a tough night for television. Supposedly, CBS President Les Moonves is willing to give the show another shot or, as the E! Online column says, he will have to "face the wrath of the man upstairs."
Even "The West Wing," the NBC drama about life in the White House, is in Code Yellow. It recently had a season low with only 10 million viewers (come on, should we really be complaining about that amount of viewers?), but still remains one of the network's strongest series. It did win an Emmy this year, but, while it probably will stick around for a little longer, supposedly no decisions have been made about NBC's fall lineup as of yet.
Shows in Code Blue, well, I guess I don't have to explain those because everyone has probably at least heard of them and that's why they are sticking around for a while longer. These shows include "Alias," "Everwood," "Gilmore Girls," "House," "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville" (incredible, four WB shows staying on the air despite the network being second lowest in ratings most weeks).
And now it's time for the moment I'm sure everyone has been waiting for since hearing that some of the season's favorites may be cancelled. The winner of E! Online's Save One Show Campaign is ...
UPN's "Veronica Mars." Whether or not this was your first choice, this is the winner.
So get out there everyone and watch television for hours to save your favorite show or wait for it be put out to pasture, only to remain as fond memories on DVD and in syndication.
(03/23/05 12:00pm)
Those who are interested in writing or simply enjoy reading can benefit from meeting authors. Therefore, on March 29, 'ink' will welcome Jonathan Lethem, an accomplished writer who has written several short story collections and novels, including his latest "Fortress of Solitude," and has also been named among Newsweek's "100 People for the New Century." He took some time to speak about the beginning of his writing career and what it means to redefine a genre.
Audrey Levine: When did you begin writing?
Jonathan Lethem: There are two points. When I was 14, 15, I was writing short stories. When I was 15, I wrote a short novel, 125 pages. I didn't really get serious about it until I was 19 and then I had been an art student and it was at that moment that I quit painting and started writing for real. I never looked back after that. I began a novel when I was 19 that took me three years to write. (At that point) my training wheels came off and I was beginning to be a more confident writer.
AL: What made you start writing?
JL: I grew up in an artist's household and because my father was a painter, I thought it was the path (I would take). I had a love of language and it led me away from painting and towards the narrative arts. I wanted to write stories that took place in time. It connects to loving books and being a reader and picturing myself wanting to write books that would go on a shelf with the ones I loved.
AL: Where do your ideas come from?
JL: It's always a combination, a very confused and inextricable mass of personal experiences and imagining or dreams, things that my subconscious throws up that are irresolvable images and other influences, things I see around me that somehow speak to me in some way.
AL: I read you enjoy reading Philip K. Dick. What do you enjoy about his work?
JL: Philip K. Dick is considered a science-fiction writer. My personal opinion is he's just a great novelist. He has a quality of being sort of a great improviser, his works have a chaotic madcap quality that encompasses his own unique response to the world which is a very paranoid and a very neurotic one but it means his characters in his stories take the form of being madcap dreams. I have at times tried to adopt his imaginative style, his chaos, (but) it's not always easy.
AL: It has been said that you reinvent genres whenever you sit down to write. What genre do you consider yourself writing for?
JL: I try not to think of my stuff as fitting into any one genre, I like that it defies some while it shows the influence of various different styles or techniques. It's often hard to pigeonhole.
AL: What genre do you prefer reading?
JL: When I was younger I was a voracious reader of crime and science fiction novels. In recent years, I've been less likely to read those partly because I burned through that pantheon of novels. My feeling is that every book in some way participates in every genre. For instance, academic satires, novels that are set on college campuses, follow a specific form but people don't see them as fitting into a specific genre.
AL: What do you think it means to reinvent a genre?
JL: What they usually mean is that they've had their own eyes opened as writers in ways that genre writing and literary writing can be connected and can be shown to be closer together than most people assume. In my opinion, most writing that's connected to genre, that's interesting at all, usually does this to some extent.
AL: How does it feel to receive so many awards, including being among Newsweek's "100 People for the New Century?"
JL: It's wonderful in the simplest possible way. If it leads readers to discover the work, than that's what I'm most grateful for. There's no World Series and a winner, there are actually hundreds of writers who are doing superb work and there are innumerable ways that writing can be getting some recognition that can lead people to appreciate its achievement. I've been fortunate that some spotlights have been shown in my direction.
AL: When your first novel didn't work out, why did you switch to short stories?
JL: Writing stories early in your development as a writer can be very (helpful) because they are shorter and you get to finish things more often. You get to see how to complete stories, how to bring them to a finished conclusion. (Otherwise) you won't be able to figure out as well how narratives work.
AL: Do you often speak at colleges? What do you enjoy most about these readings?
JL: I do occasionally. I do probably three or four a year, lately. It's still a special occasion. (I enjoy) being in touch with my readers and newer readers who remind me of myself at that point when I was developing my adult taste and there was a kind of appetite and energy to my curiosity about books and writers. It's very nourishing now to come in contact with that same energy.
(03/16/05 12:00pm)
The newspapers are filled with stories about the war in Iraq, the cease-fire between the Palestinians and Israelis and President Bush's new Social Security plan. But there is one story that always makes top billing in the news - the Michael Jackson trial.
The King of Pop is on trial for supposedly molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch two years ago. The charges against him include conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, three counts of committing lewd acts on a child and four counts of giving alcohol to children to assist in committing a felony.
According to a report from BBC, Jackson has denied all charges and his lawyer claims the accuser's mother is simply looking to make some money from the celebrity.
Jackson could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
The trial has been through its own ups and downs, including a short postponement of jury selection because of Jackson's hospitalization for the flu. But now, the trial is well underway and the media is having a field day with it.
All of the facts of the trial have been recounted in multiple articles, published in different magazines and newspapers. Yet, is it sad that I find the celebrity witnesses to be the most intriguing part of the case?
One celebrity who has received a good deal of press for being a witness for the defense is "The Tonight Show" host, Jay Leno. Because of his position as a witness, he is under a gag order, which prevents him from talking about the trial or, more precisely, from telling any jokes about it during his monologues.
According to an article in The New York Times, Leno has instead been handing over the duty of telling Jackson jokes to celebrity guests, such as Brad Garrett and Dennis Miller.
Apparently, Leno was contacted by the accuser, who tried to convince him to donate money to help him pay his hospital bills while he was being treated for cancer. Supposedly, Leno could hear the mother coaching the boy in the background.
In a recent issue of People, Leno is quoted as saying, "They were looking for a mark."
Leno has also filed a motion asking for a clarification of the gag rule and a possible suspension of it, as it supposedly denies his rights under the First Amendment and California Constitution, according to an article on Yahoo News.
As I watched an episode of "The Tonight Show," Leno brought out comedian Carrot Top to tell his Jackson jokes. The host stood off to the sidelines, watching and laughing, but clearly, in my opinion anyway, wanting to do the mocking himself.
As an aspiring journalist, I understand the need to have the complete freedom of speech afforded by the First Amendment and the frustration that comes from being told I can't write or say something.
On the other hand, there is a judicial rule that those involved with a trial cannot talk about it outside of the courtroom. From this viewpoint, it makes sense to deny Leno his few moments of comedy in order to erase the dangers of any bias or information that may come through in his jokes and teasers.
It is a fine line between that freedom of speech and saying something that could sway a jury in a trial. Leno possesses a certain amount of power with "The Tonight Show." His monologues are popular and people laugh and listen and, although they may not agree with everything he says, they still take it in and absorb the material.
But while Leno cannot make jokes about the trial, other evening talk show hosts are using their First Amendment rights to mock Jackson and even Leno himself. As Conan O'Brien said during his evening monologue, "Jay Leno has been subpoenaed as a witness in the Michael Jackson trial, so Leno may be banned from doing Michael Jackson jokes. As a result, Jay Leno has been put on suicide watch."
*This article was written prior to Sunday's announcement that the gag order had been lifted or, as Conan might say, "Leno has been taken off suicide watch."
(03/02/05 12:00pm)
Three letters remind teenagers and college students of a spring break filled with dance parties, celebrities and the beach - MTV.
Every year, MTV packs up its VJs, equipment and flair for attracting big name stars and travels to a highly populated beach resort for two weeks of fun in the sun during spring break. And each year, the channel blurs the line between acceptable and way too racy for cable television.
With past shows including "Spring Break Undercover" and "Spring Break's Buff Enough," both of which aired last year, MTV pushes the limits of a television beach party.
"Spring Break Undercover" followed spring breakers around from their arrival in Cancun (MTV central last year) to the end of their trip 72 hours later. Cameras caught all the fun, including parties, trips to the beach and even the infamous morning after, all the moments they would be horrified to have their parents watching. MTV altered the usual format of the show by playing the experiences of the spring breakers in reverse, but viewers were still able to see all that comes with a spring break on MTV.
"Spring Break's Buff Enough" competition pitted five guys against five girls in a "Road Rules" style adventure as contestants competed in "hot body" competitions throughout Cancun in an effort to determine who ruled the beach. I didn't actually see this show, but I can imagine the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was not entirely thrilled with what was put out there on television in the afternoon hours.
In addition to the raucous celebrations, MTV Spring Break often features celebrity hosts and performers of the highest caliber, and I mean this in all sincerity. Included on last year's roster were Usher, Lil Jon, Kanye West, Murphy Lee and La La teaching spring breakers how to be "playas," appearances by Matthew Perry, Natasha Henstridge and Lindsey Lohan and performances by G-Unit, Eamon and Jessica Simpson.
Some people, however, are not happy with the rowdiness that is MTV's Spring Break. According to an article in the Associated Press last year, the Parents Television Council (PTC) studied the content on MTV during its Spring Break celebration and found thousands of examples of bleeped profanity, as well as citing it as being too sexual for young kids.
In the article, Brent Bozell, PTC president and conservative activist, said, "MTV has clearly chosen to cater to the lowest common denominator, to offer the cheapest form of programming to entice young boys ... dangling forbidden fruit before their eyes."
He acknowledged, however, that spring break may not have been the most appropriate time to analyze MTV programming, as it is typically a hormonally heightened time for college students.
MTV's Spring Break has always been a venue for sexually-charged programming, an aspect heightened by the fact that the shows are taped at a popular beach site. It is a two-week long break from the daily struggle of college life when students can gather their friends and travel to the beach, work on their tans and meet other college students from different universities, all the while freeing themselves of parents and responsibilities. This leads to a few regretted moments and enticing programming from the channel that brings teenagers and college students the latest in music, movies and dating.
Despite beginning a few weeks after the College ends its own spring break, students can sit in their rooms, watching on television as MTV heads to the Bahamas for Spring Break 2005, with, among others, several of the stars of "Real World" and "Road Rules." We can expect raucous parties, dancing and time on the beach that rival the raciest aspects of cable programming.
(02/23/05 12:00pm)
With music, awards and tributes, the 47th Annual Grammy Awards was truly a night of celebration of the best music as well as the 50th birthday of rock 'n' roll itself.
The show was hosted by Queen Latifah who, despite wearing several beautiful outfits and giving a very sultry performance herself, burned out in the several jokes she attempted to make as she opened the show and introduced the other performers. I am not convinced that Queen Latifah is meant to be a comedian.
But of course, the main attraction of the show is the awards given out for every category imaginable. The awards were very diverse and although some artists were awarded with more than one Grammy, the show was not as one-sided as such ceremonies usually are.
Most predictable and exciting were the awards the late Ray Charles won, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for his collaborations with Norah Jones.
In addition, as one of the top- nominated artists of the year, rapper Kanye West took home three awards, including Best Rap Album for his debut, "The College Dropout."
Alicia Keys will have to build a new shelf for her Grammys, adding four new ones to her previously won five for 2001's "Songs in A Minor." This year, she took home honors for Best R&B Album for "The Diary of Alicia Keys" and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "If I Ain't Got You," among others.
In addition, the supposedly cursed Best New Artist Grammy went to Maroon 5, Song of the Year was awarded to John Mayer for "Daughters" and Green Day won Best Rock Album for "American Idiot."
And Founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, won the first ever President's Merit Industry Icon Award.
Although the awards were an exciting part of the night, the performances seemed to hold more weight throughout the show. The show opened with a performance by six top artists: the Black-Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani and Eve, Franz Ferdinand, Los Lonely Boys and Maroon 5.
The most exciting performance, in my opinion, was the collaboration between Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and Quincy Jones. First of all, who knew Foxx could actually sing? Although he used voice-overs in playing the great Ray Charles in the movie "Ray" to maintain authenticity, he actually has a set of pipes himself. After Keys sang her own song, she and Foxx played the piano and sang a cover of one of Charles' songs. The singing was beautiful and they make an excellent, if not surprising, duet couple.
Probably one of the most talked about performances was the first time Jennifer Lopez and her newest husband, Marc Anthony, sang together. They sang a love song entirely in Spanish and, although the chemistry between them was so obvious, I wish I could have understood what they were saying.
It also seemed to be a night of tributes. Aside from the usual listing of the musical greats who had passed away in the past year, there were tributes to such southern rock legends as Charles and a special one for Janis Joplin, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, among several others who earned the same award.
Joss Stone and a newly bald Melissa Etheridge saluted the late Joplin. Etheridge, who is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, and Stone rocked the performance, bringing Joplin's essence to the stage.
The final much-talked about performance comprised artists singing to raise money for tsunami victims. Following the performance of the classic Beatles song "Across the Universe," viewers could download the song from iTunes, with profits going to the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund.
The performance featured some of the biggest names in music, including Bono, Stevie Wonder, Steven Tyler, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Brian Wilson, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Tim McGraw. The performance was truly something special and it is comforting to still see stars willing to help with the problems of the world.
All in all, the 47th annual Grammy Awards was a night to remember and this year, it was about more than just the awards. The performances took up most of the airtime, but each was unique and special in its own right, with enough flash to make the usually uptight and lackluster Grammy Awards an evening of excitement and energy.
(02/16/05 12:00pm)
"So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin/You're waiting for someone to perform with/And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do/The movement you need is on your shoulder."
"Hey Jude" is truly a classic Beatles song from the '60s, one to listen to with your family, friends and ... at the Super Bowl?
Yes, that's right, Super Bowl XXXIX featured the winning New England Patriots, interesting (if not somewhat boring) commercials and the halftime show featuring Paul McCartney and, well, nobody else.
Through about four songs, McCartney played his bass, did a little jig and sang for the crowd with the most risqu? moment coming when he took off his jacket to reveal a long-sleeved red shirt underneath. Shocking.
And while McCartney sang that Jude is "waiting for someone to perform with," the audience sat with their eyes glued to the television sets, waiting for the surprise guest that would pop up from behind the stage. And we waited and waited to no avail.
For those who are huge Beatles fans, this is not to say McCartney wasn't fabulous in what he did, because he is a legend no matter what. Unfortunately, after last year's Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, it is obvious networks are not ready to risk another such incident.
But the question is, was Paul McCartney really the way to go to entertain millions of professional football fans?
"Even though I like McCartney, I think it's a shame they had to create a halftime Superbowl so conservative as to not come close to offending anyone," Brian Gross, freshman finance major, said. "Last year's was bad, but it should not have pressured FOX to exclude anyone under the age of 45."
McCartney played his set on an X-shaped stage, with himself in the center and different arms extending from the middle platform. On these extensions flashed different pictures and images, which added to the usual decoration and flashiness of the Superbowl halftime show.
In addition, the performance ended with fireworks and uproar from the thousands of fans crowding around the stage in the middle of the field.
But what most added to the strangeness of the show occurred during the performance of "Hey Jude." As McCartney sang the words, "Na na na," cameras panned over the audience to one side of the stadium where fans were holding up signs to spell out "Na na na" in the stands. Of all the words they could have spelled out during the Superbowl, "Na na na" was definitely not on my list.
According to a report on Eonline.com, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received two complaints about the halftime show from viewers. Apparently, both complaints labeled the show as "boring."
After last year's debacle, the FCC cracked down on the scandalous nature of television and what executives are allowed to show on the air. A ruling was already in place that between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., television shows are not allowed to show "sexual or excretory organs or activities," as quoted in an article in USA Today last year.
Following last year's halftime show, the FCC cracked down on indecency and created legislation to fine networks and companies up to $500,000 for such incidents as well as increasing self-censorship by broadcasters on TV and radio, as also cited in the article.
"In general, I just think (McCartney) appealed to more people," Danielle Dowgin, sophomore elementary education and sociology major, said. "Last year, it was geared toward a specific group I think and a lot of people didn't like it, whereas so many people like him and his music."
Although McCartney performed well and appealed to many different age groups, it still remains a mystery whether he was the correct choice to entertain at the biggest football game of the year. With his dignified manner and songs that first found popularity in the 1960s, McCartney took his performance appeal to new heights by participating in the Superbowl, singing amid crowds of all ages and possibly bringing the tamest halftime show to the networks in years.
(02/09/05 12:00pm)
Today is the day we celebrate the College's sesquicentenntial, 150 years of academics, college life - and campus entertainment.
Over the years, the College has hosted some of the best acts in popular music and other forms of entertainment, housing them in Kendall Hall and other stages across campus and inviting the College community to watch them bring down the house live. The College Union Board (CUB), which is still active today, ran many of these shows, bringing live musicians and other performers to the College.
Many of the best acts were during the 1970s and are all accounted for in old yearbooks. In 1972, the College brought Seals & Crofts to the Kendall Hall stage. They were one of the most popular soft rock acts of the time and, as the yearbook explained, "one of the finest musical acts of the year."
Aside from other acts, including Dionne Warwick and Marcel Marceau, the College also hosted Sha Na Na, known for such songs as "Why Must I Be A Teenager in Love?" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," as well as for their stint as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers in the film version of "Grease."
Described in the 1974 yearbook as "a living legend in the performing world" was Duke Ellington, the man who brought sophistication and style to jazz music. The College was lucky to be able to bring him to perform in 1974, as it was also the year he passed away from cancer.
Many rave about the fact that Bruce Springsteen, the rock 'n' roll legend, also visited the College in 1974. At the time he played here, he had only released two albums, "Greetings From Asbury Park NJ" and "The Wild, the Innocent & E Street Shuffle" and performed at the College as a back-up to Brian Auger, a jazz singer and keyboard player who had been performing with his band since 1962.
Music legend Billy Joel has performed multiple times at the College, first in 1974 and again in 1995. According to the 1974 yearbook, he performed "despite time mixups, absence of equipment and snow-covered roads" and "put on one of the best concerts at Trenton State College to date."
According to Mary-Elaine Perry, vice president of Student Life, Billy Joel also performed in 1995. "Billy Joel did two shows in Kendall Hall, telling stories about his music and career and doing a little singing along the way," she said, citing him as one her favorite performers since she began working at the College in 1987.
In 1975, the College brought to its stages Bonnie Raitt, who released her debut album in 1971 and has gone on to make 16 more discs and win nine Grammys. In 1976, students welcomed Blood, Sweat and Tears, known as the original and best jazz band.
Besides musical performers, comedians and activists have also graced the College's stages. In 1974, nationally syndicated columnist Jack Anderson spoke to the students. At the time of his appearance, the nation was reeling from the end of the Vietnam War and he made a comment about that war, which ironically applies to the difficulties the nation now faces as more and more troops are sent to fight in Iraq.
"Young people should refuse to fight in senseless wars and instead fight for an end to them," he told students. "How much greater to live for your country, rather than die for it."
In addition, the College also brought poets such as Nikki Giovanni, who infused her work with familial affection and loneliness, in 1975.
More recently, according to Perry, the College has been host to such acts as Barry Williams, TV's Greg Brady, Jerry Seinfeld, Mark Cooper of "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper" and Adam West, the original Batman.
In 2003, the College also hosted Bill Cosby, who used his interesting brand of comedy to entertain the students. "Even in his 60s, he continues to be current, very funny and make people of all ages laugh heartily," Perry said.
All in all, as we embrace the College's sesquicentennial, we can look back on the years of entertainment and celebrate those who have graced our stages. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to add to this list of esteemed performers and memories.
(02/09/05 12:00pm)
For one whole year the newlyweds will live alone in a house, dealing with all the difficulties of being married for the first year. The catch is that the house was built too small and the audience will watch and laugh as the couple attempts to live normal lives, all the while bumping their heads on short ceilings and attempting to make pancakes in pans the size of dimes.
This is actually the real beginning of a commercial for Geico insurance. Yes, laugh at yourself, I know you thought I was actually pitching a new idea for a reality television show because, honestly, it's as ridiculous as most of the ones on the air today.
Over the past few years, we have watched as more and more reality shows have filled the timeslots in the daily schedules, forcing us to choose between a show with six strangers attempting to live together peacefully or one person trying to pick a husband or wife on the air. The shows have fluctuated between interesting and somewhat entertaining to completely absurd.
Perhaps the biggest problem with reality television these days is any channel can make an unscripted program with almost any type of theme. It seems as though the networks are so desperate to make money without having to hire all the different writers and high-profile actors, that they will resort to any storyline.
In addition, repeats are created every moment. Over the past few years, there have been at least two different versions of "The Bachelor" on the air, including "Joe Millionaire" and "The Bachelorette," each attempting to play matchmaker. Coincidentally, only one of the couples out of all these knock-offs has actually lasted.
Steve Sternberg, executive vice-president and Director of Audience Analysis of Magna Global, measures audiences for programs in which clients buy advertising. According to him, the repeat shows cause people to be split between what they want to watch, which in turn lower ratings.
"There's simply a shakeout going on - when you have multiple reality shows on in a single night or opposite one another, they simply split a limited audience - this is particularly true for the newer shows, most of which are simply imitations or spins on what has already been done better," he said.
At this point, it seems networks will try to bank on anything to make a profit, regardless of whether the idea seems ridiculous or actually worthwhile. Trying to bank on the popularity of "American Idol," the WB launched its own show last May called "Superstar USA." The show basically followed the rules of the original FOX hit with one small twist - the judges would actually choose the worst singer to be the winner and later reveal that he or she actually cannot sing.
Not only is this show pretty much a copy of "American Idol," it is actually quite mean. At least with Simon Cowell's harsh yet true comments, audiences are given the truth and contestants are not provided with false hopes of stardom.
"The networks always copy what works," Sternberg said.
This is actually a very telling comment and somewhat sad in its connotation that because of the success of certain shows, other networks may keep pushing reality television on the air.
Almost every mainstream cable channel as well as the national networks have banked on the success of reality television, using such programming to replace season flops and break up the incessant repeats over the summer.
"Reality shows have proved to be very effective counter-programming to both comedies and dramas," Sternberg said. "They are also seen as a relatively inexpensive way to replace summer repeats."
But despite this, they have become too heavily relied upon in the mainstream. Some of the newest shows are utterly stupid, teetering on the absurd.
Recently, CBS premiered "The Will," a show in which people battle to win a man's inheritance after he dies. I hope your mouth is as wide as mine was when I heard about this. First of all, the man is not dead and these people, not all of whom are family, are fighting for his money.
Secondly, who would think of a show like this? A person's inheritance is something he values and saves for his closest family and in this show, some of the contestants include his step son's ex-girlfriend and the man who cares for his horses. Gee, if getting an inheritance was that easy - no, I can't bring myself to finish that sentence.
In addition to the asinine plots and people who can easily earn their 15 minutes of fame is the manipulation of so-called "celebrities." "The Simple Life" stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, who are only celebrities because of their families' fortunes. In this season, they are taking on internships throughout the Northeast and trying not to be fired. I watched one episode as the girls worked at a mechanic shop and actually drove one of the cars that had been brought in to a store and proceeded to try and buy something, promising they would pay two hours later, after they received payment from their job. And I will not believe anyone who says the reason the clerk let them get away with it wasn't because of their status in society.
Even Martha Stewart, who is currently serving time in prison, is developing her own reality show. All I can say is, where is the integrity when we allow convicted criminals to advance their star power by developing a reality program?
Fortunately for viewers, it seems that scripted television is finally making a comeback. With scripted shows such as "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" becoming breakaway hits this season, reality programming has begun to take a dive in ratings.
"Viewers by and large are tiring of the cheap reality clones and more gratuitous entries like 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search.' They also seem to be tiring of the humiliation-type shows and relationship shows in favor of makeover shows," Sternberg said. "(In addition), now that some scripted dramas have succeeded, we'll probably see a shift away from reality next season."
I truly hope Sternberg is right and people will finally realize that most reality programming is simply a way to make stars out of ordinary people. As one woman explained as she was dismissed from "American Idol" after being told she couldn't sing, she had simply entered the competition to have her few, and very brief, moments of fame.
(02/02/05 12:00pm)
A movie is only as good as the strength of its cast and crew. And a musical is only as good as its songs. Fortunately, "Phantom of the Opera" is both.
The movie, adapted from the play by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is a masterpiece in its transition from stage to screen. With elaborate stage settings and beautiful costumes, the world of the theater comes alive for the audience as it is drawn into the story of a musical genius and his dangerous obsession with a young starlet.
At the core of the story is Christine, who lives at the theater where she is a member of the chorus. Her father dies, but before his death, he tells her that the Angel of Music will watch over her. She takes this message to heart and believes she hears her angel. In reality, this angel is the Phantom, who is infatuated with Christine and wants her to be the star of the show. He is willing to do anything to make her the star, but is devastated by her love for another man and, in the end, forces her to choose between the two.
Overall, the brilliance of the film comes from the actors themselves, who fit their roles perfectly and become completely immersed in their characters.
Newcomer Emmy Rossum plays Christine, a woman who is torn between the man she loves with her heart and the Phantom who controls her mind. Rossum, at 18 years old, is incredible in her role and possesses the sort of operatic voice one would expect from a seasoned professional.
Gerard Butler, the Phantom, is the character that the audience wants to hate but cannot quite bring themselves to in spite of his criminal actions. Butler commands the movie and, although he may not possess a spectacular operetta voice, he makes the role his own, infusing the Phantom with such emotion and power that it is difficult to avoid hoping his desires are realized.
The brilliant costuming and set design aid the actors in their quest to be these troubled and lovelorn characters. The costumes, which were handmade, bring Paris in the 1870s to life. They were designed to service ballets, operas, a masquerade ball and everyday life backstage, an aspect not originally portrayed in the Broadway play. Along with the elaborate set designs and a gorgeous chandelier which meets an untimely fate towards the end of the tale, they bring the story to life.
Probably the most incredible set is the Phantom's lair, hidden deep within the bowels of the theater and elevated above a small pond. The air of mystery surrounding this masked man is evident in his piano set atop a mountain of rocks as well as in the different rooms separated by curtains, hiding not only himself, but also his life and obsession with the young Christine.
Also interesting is the fact that the movie shows how the Phantom came to be hidden beneath the theater, a fact not originally touched upon in the play.
But the music is the piece that makes the film what it is. It advances the story. Originally written by Webber, this project allowed him the budget to create a fully orchestrated version of the music as well as an entirely new song. Such opportunities enhance the already much acclaimed musical score, especially with a rendition of the titular song sung as Christine and the Phantom ride in his boat to the hidden home within the theater.
The film, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever), has been nominated for three Academy Awards, including best cinematography, music and art direction. Unfortunately, it didn't receive what it also deserves: a nod for best direction as Schumacher utilizes brilliant lighting tricks and camera angles to unveil the mystery and danger hidden inside the theater. "Phantom of the Opera" is a must-see for fans of musicals and spirited, brilliant acting and direction.
(01/26/05 12:00pm)
It is a new year, full of promises for a future of goals, opportunities and ... new midseason television shows.
That's right, with the arrival of the new year comes a whole crop of new shows to replace the fall season duds as well as a few returning favorites that were delayed in September. And now, for your reading, and soon viewing pleasure, enjoy this rundown of what to expect in the coming months.
Heading off a slew of supernatural dramas is "Medium," which premiered on NBC Jan. 3. The show, staring Patricia Arquette, is based on the real life of psychic Allison DuBois, who can communicate with the dead and uses this ability to solve crimes. Although I have not seen any episodes of this supernatural "Sixth Sense" drama, it supposedly presents a nice mix of humor and scare to please all sorts of viewers. Probably the most interesting aspect of this show, in my opinion anyway, is that it is based on a real person. With its background in non-fiction, it promises to present a very interesting and even unbelievable look at the life of a real law student from Emmy Award-winning producer, creator and director Glenn Gordon Caron.
And now, what better place to bring the spawn of the Devil than Point Pleasant? Yes, our very own state now has a shore destined to be a pivotal spot in a future battle between good and evil. "Point Pleasant," which debuted Jan. 19 on FOX, is the story of Christina Nickson (Elisabeth Harnois), the daughter of a mortal mother and the Devil. The show begins with her stranded and seemingly dead in the ocean when she is rescued by Jesse Parker (Sam Page) and ends up taking refuge in the small New Jersey town. However, her heightened emotions supposedly cause bad things to happen to people.
The show was created by John J. McLaughlin and Marti Noxon, who is also executive producer and served as executive producer on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." With Noxon's background, the show should promise a mix of the supernatural as well as teenage and adult issues. Unfortunately, the premiere, which contained a good deal of the supernatural, possessed a few too many dating dramas to separate it from other TV shows. Its premise could make for interesting viewing, so I suppose this is one of those shows we will have to watch to see improve.
No new show takes irony to another level quite like "Numb3rs," which premiered on CBS Jan. 23. The drama, with its backwards "E" in the title conveniently being a "3," is about an FBI agent who solves crimes with the help of his math-whiz brother. The show stars Rob Morrow ("Northern Exposure") as the agent and David Krumholtz as his mathematical genius of a brother. The show also brings Judd Hirsch of "Taxi" back to the small screen as the father of the agent and math genius. In the show's first episode, Krumholtz's character Charlie uses math to find a killer's origin and, in turn, track him. I have not seen an episode of this show either, but all I have to say is it's good to know that the geometry class I complained about so much in high school might actually come in handy if I ever decide to pursue a law career.
Also in the drama category is "Jonny Zero," which premiered on FOX Jan. 14. The show stars Franky G. as Jonny, an ex-con trying to turn his life around by working to solve crimes. Meanwhile, Jonny is confronted with the forces that corrupted him in the first place. Again, I have not seen the show (man, what TV have I been watching?), but despite it airing on Friday nights, normally a curse for television shows appearing on this first night of the weekend, pilot ratings for its first episode are better than most of FOX's Friday night viewing.
In addition to the midseason's new dramas, is the newest comedy to hit the airwaves, "Committed," which premiered Jan. 4 on NBC. The show stars Josh Cooke as Nate, a brilliant yet phobia-full record store worker who falls for Marni, played by Emmy Award winner Jennifer Finnigan, who has just moved into a New York City apartment. And of course, what comedy is complete without the dying clown (Tom Poston) living in Marni's closet as part of inheriting the apartment. The comedy, which also stars Darius McCrary, Eddie from "Family Matters," and Tammy Lynn Michaels of "Popular," is from the creators of "Roseanne," "Murphy Brown" and "Ellen," so perhaps the clown will be explained.
I saw the first few minutes of this sitcom and it looked like it could be funny, although I'm slightly bothered by the idea of a clown substituting for the monster-in-the-closet myth. I think it is appropriate to share the comments from an article on the bulletin-ol.com Web site about this quirky comedy: "Girl moves into New York City apartment, finds Tom Poston living in the closet. Girl lets Tom Poston stay in closet. NBC executive in charge of comedy is demoted to mailroom." Kind of sums up the comedy genre in a nutshell, huh?
If this crop of new shows has you throwing the remote at the wall, here are a few of the returning fan favorites whose premieres were delayed until this midseason.
The first is the critically acclaimed "Alias," which premiered Jan. 5. The show, which moved to its new timeslot on Wednesday nights after creator J.J. Abrams' newest masterpiece "Lost," continues the story of the stylish spy Sydney Bristow, played by Emmy Award winner Jennifer Garner. According to Abrams in an article in The Detroit News, the show will alter its formula for success in the new season with a premiere that those who have not been religious watchers of the program will understand. The new season will focus a great deal on the family dynamic of the superspy and promises to be a continuation of the usual thrill ride.
Also premiering is "24," whose season began Jan. 9 on FOX. This season, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) has a new job and love interest. The show, which looks at 24 hours in the life of an agent struggling to prevent acts of terrorism, begins again with a bang, and I'm not talking about a gun. "24" has a special formula that I for one have never heard of in a TV show - the entire season takes place in 24 hours. The fourth season begins as Jack investigates a train explosion that he believes is a precursor for things to come. With his new boss, Secretary of Defense James Heller (William Devane), and love, Heller's married daughter Audrey Raines (Kim Raver), Jack must finish his investigation and save the day. And who said not much can be accomplished in 24 hours?
Of course, we can't discuss television without at least a quick mention of reality programming, which has still taken over every channel. With the beginning of the new year comes the newest edition of "American Idol," the search for the next pop star. The show, which premiered Jan. 18, began its auditions with the usual humiliation and bad singing. At this point, the show continues to prove the theory that people do not know what good singing is nor how to judge their own singing ability. "American Idol" has undergone a few changes, including raising the age limit to 28 and bringing in celebrity judges for the auditions. I watched the opening episodes and was thrilled to see the return of the hilariously funny contestants who think they're the best singers on the planet despite brutally honest opinions from Simon Cowell, the continual "dawg" comments of Randy Jackson, the sweet praise of Paula Abdul and the running, yet often useless, commentary from host Ryan Seacrest.
Well, there you have it, a brief rundown of the newest shows and premieres of the midseason. So, as we jump headfirst into the spring semester, take time out of that busy schedule and try to enjoy a little of TV's newest offerings.
(12/08/04 12:00pm)
December has arrived and with it comes the inevitable cold, snow and holidays. With Hanukkah already underway and Christmas approaching, it is time for your handy-dandy guide to holiday hot spots and events in New Jersey and New York during the season that we at the College fondly call "Winter Break."
Concerts
The Seton Hall University radio station, WSOU 89.5 FM, will host WSOU's (Not So) Silent Night. Nine bands will perform at the concert, which will take place at the Rexplex in Elizabeth, N.J. on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. Show headliner Andrew W.K. is popular among college students for his hit singles, "Party Hard," "She is Beautiful" and "We Want Fun." In addition, concertgoers will enjoy performances from From Autumn to Ashes, Poison the Well, Blood Brothers, Unearth, Boys Night Out, From First to Last and Seemless. The show is for all ages and is completely alcohol-free. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and are $17.50 each. Portions of the ticket sales will be donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Drama
McCarter Theater in Princeton will continue its annual tradition and bring Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to its stage from Dec. 7 through Dec. 24. Directed by Michael Unger, the classic tale will follow Ebenezer Scrooge, played by David Cromwell, on his journey to discover the generosity and good will that lives within himself and others. Tickets for the performances range from $31 for rear balcony seats to $45 for box or Grand Tier seats. They can be ordered online or by calling the theater at 609-258-ARTS (2787). For more information, visit mccarter.org.
Exhibits
Hamilton Jewelers will sponsor a weekend celebration of jewelry designs from four Italian designers, Bvlgari, Di Modolo, Favero and Powellato. The exhibit, which will be held in Red Bank, N.J. on Dec. 11 and 12, will feature collections from these jewelers as well as selected giftware and home accessories. And no exhibit is complete without its sampling of Italian food and beverages to complement the jewelry. For more information, visit hamiltonjewelers.com.
PNC Bank Arts Center presents its Holiday Light Spectacular, open now until Jan. 2. A Holiday Village offers a beautiful light show as well as refreshments and holiday decorations for families. Santa is also available for pictures and the ice skating rink is open during normal park hours. The park is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Prices range from $12 to $30. More information can be found at artscenter.com.
Dance
The Company of Dance Arts will present its production of "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 11 and 12 at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, N.J. The production of this classic ballet, originally composed by Peter Tchaikovsky, will use the choreography of three-time Emmy winner Peter Anastos. Featuring several dancers from the New York City Ballet with the Company dancers, the production follows Clara through her journey through the Kingdom of Sweets with set design by Emmy Award winner Zak Brown. Tickets are $12, $20 or $28 with a discount for senior citizens and children. Performances are at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 12. For more information, visit countbasietheatre.org. Other notable "Nutcracker" performances include The New York City Ballet at the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center through Jan. 2.
Shopping
From now through Dec. 24, shoppers can sample gift ideas in Union Square on West 14th Street in New York City. All the gifts are ones that won't be found in stores, including handmade jewelry, French linens, cashmere socks and fine art. See cityguidemagazine.com for more information.
Take advantage of these and other opportunities over the break, have some fun and enjoy the holidays!