The Slammin’ Salmon
Being indifferent toward the overrated “Super Troopers” and then heavily unimpressed by the follow-ups “Club Dread” and “Beerfest,” I was ready for the Broken Lizard guys to go bye-bye for good. Then “The Slammin’ Salmon” shows up, and ironically, despite skipping theaters, it’s their best at-bat yet. It’s still just okay as a comedy —?…
Armchair Thriller: Set 2
The trio of stories that comprises “Armchair Thriller: Set 2” doesn’t hold quite the same kick as Acorn Media’s recent “Rivals of Sherlock Holmes” release; both collect old, obscure British mysteries heretofore likely seen on these shores by PBS devotees only. Among the four discs are three miniseries: “The Chelsea Murders,” “The Circe Complex” and…
Public and officials remember Murrah Building in ceremony on tragedy’s 15th anniversary
On a bright, sunny day, more than 1,000 people came together to remember those who were killed and those who survived 15 years after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building. The grounds of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum was a somber place as Oklahoma leaders remembered that day and urged Oklahomans to…
Murder by Death flees complete morbidity by releasing its cheeriest yet in ‘Good Morning, Magpie’
Murder by Death with Ha Ha Tonka and Linfinity9 p.m. WednesdayThe Conservatory8911 N. Westernwww.conservatoryokc.com879-9778$13 advance, $15 door Murder by Death’s first four albums are consumed with ideas of lust, sin, vengeance, death and redemption. The Indiana quartet is like a fiery Pentecostal sermon that uses brimstone to explore the darkest recesses of the human psyche.…
A letter to Sen. Coburn
Dear Sen. Tom Coburn,You deserve congratulations and recognition for your positive contributions to the recently enacted health reform bill. Although the bill may be imperfect, it does address many of the problems implicit in our nation’s health care system. On Jan. 29, 2010, you wrote a letter to the president endorsing the creation of “state…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Here’s my startling prediction: More Capricorn spiritual seekers will become enlightened in the next five weeks than in any comparable period of history. Hell, there’ll be so much infinity mixed with eternity available for your tribe that even a lot of you non-seekers could get a lightning bolt of illumination or two. That’s not to…
The Infamous Stringdusters hit the tarmac with Americana tradition, take off with ‘Things That Fly’
The Infamous Stringdusters9 p.m. SaturdayThe Blue Door2805 N. McKinleywww.bluedoorokc.com524-0738$15 Buoyed by the escalating interest in Americana, Nashville’s Infamous Stringdusters have emerged as one of the finest exemplars of the newgrass movement’s next wave. They employ the drum-less, acoustic approach of bluegrass, while incorporating more progressive elements of other modern musical forms. The youthful sextet features…
Local record stores celebrate Record Store Day with shows, discounts and more
On Saturday, more than 700 independently owned record stores throughout the country will celebrate Record Store Day, an event marked by discounts, special releases and in-store performances. Three metro stores are participating: Size Records, 8915 N. Western; and both Guestroom Records locations. Several local and regional acts will perform free, in-store concerts at Guestroom, said…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
In honor of the new identity you’re evolving into, I hereby give you the nickname of “Miracle Player,” or else “if you like one of these better””Sleek Cat” or “Giant Step” or “Fate Whisperer.” You may hereafter also use any of the following titles to refer to yourself: “CEO of My Own Life” or “Self-Teacher…
CFN mailbag
To the writers of Chicken Fried News:First of all, I’m not a Sean Hannity fan. I’ve heard his radio show before, but have never even sat through a whole TV show of his. But I am a part of the Tea Party movement, and when I read your piece about his quote (“CFN Quote of…
Practitioners of intuitive arts hope to open minds, heal body and soul at inaugural Psychic Fair
Psychic FairNoon-4 p.m. SundayCoffy’s Café1739 N.W. 16thwww.coffyscafe.org604-8796 Organizers of the Psychic Fair at Coffy’s Café want to be clear: There will be no spoon benders; no aged, wart-riddled hags putting hexes on thieving children; no snake-oil salesmen or swindlers preying on the desperate. In short, it’s not as seen on TV. “Hollywood has portrayed the…
‘Less’ is less
I just wanted to clear up an error in the article “Childless by choice” written by Malena Lott (April 7, 2010, Oklahoma Gazette). The correct term for people who choose to not have children is “childfree.” The term “childless” implies that something is missing, but those who have decided to be child-free do not see…
The Oklahoma City National Memorial hosts a media symposium on covering terrorism
Fifteen years after one of the most devastating acts of domestic terrorism is a time of remembrance. For two well-respected journalists, it is going back to a story that continually impacts their lives and their careers. The sixth year of the National Media Symposium will be led by Mark Halperin, editor-at-large of Time magazine, and…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Can you imagine what it would be like to venture into the opposite of the Bermuda Triangle? You know, a zone where wonderfully odd things occur rather than bad strange things? I think that such a place exists, and I think you’ll soon find it. The luck that unfolds for you will be a blend…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
According to Us Weekly, baseball star Alex Rodriguez owns two paintings of himself in which he’s portrayed as half-man, half-horse. This is an excellent time for you to be inspired by his example. Gazing at a picture of a mythical centaur who looks like you would speak to your subconscious mind in just the right…
Mannequin parts become a “Body of Art” in a celebrity fundraiser at the Performing Arts Studio in Norman
“Body of Art”Wednesday-Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday artists’ reception and auction, 6-8 p.m. SaturdayPerforming Arts Studio200 S. Jones, Norman Auction tickets, $50 307-9320 or www.thepas.orgSome big names in Norman are giving a hand to the local arts community “? literally. An assortment of mannequin hands, legs and other body parts are…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Every changed circumstance contains opportunities, which accrue to the first people to recognize them, wrote poet Charles Potts. “Since circumstances are in constant flux, there is a steady stream of opportunities. Learn to spot them and make them your own.” I offer you this advice, Gemini, because you’ll soon be in a prime position to…
Young and invincible
I am writing this letter for the young and invincible, and dedicating it to my dad, Paul Packham. Like many men of his generation, Dad took his first puff of a cigarette in grade school, began smoking regularly as a teenager, and was completely hooked on tobacco by the time he returned from a tour…
Although mired by numerous technical problems, excellent performances manage to thunder through Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s ‘King Lear’
a similar vein, Brenda Nelson’s costumes are low-key, but appealing and functional. I can recommend “Lear” based on the strong performances that make it worth sticking around for the entire two-hour-and-40-minute running time, but come prepared to see great acting in a technically flawed production. “?Eric Webb
Birthday girl
While a state senator is vigorously fighting to keep government employees’ date of births private, apparently the fight isn’t there for the senator’s colleagues. Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, is author of a bill exempting birth dates of government employees from the open records act. The bill comes after a fierce battle emerged between local…
The Runaways
“The Runaways” is an entertaining rock ‘n’ roll biopic, but I wouldn’t bet on its factual accuracy. The script, written by first-time feature director Floria Sigismondi, is based on Cherie Currie’s autobiography, “Neon Angel,” and doesn’t suggest that the band ever contained anyone but the five founders, and completely collapsed before it actually did. Cherie…
Zone – I’m in Da Building
No. 1,” delivers a blend of styles on his upcoming mixtape, “I’m in Da Building.” On album opener “Wanna Ride,” Zone lays down his lyrics atop a smooth, crisp beat about girls at the club. It’s reminiscent of Jamie Foxx’s “Can I Take U Home,” and cruises at an R&B-like speed. Zone doesn’t croon words…
Dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric
On April 4, The Oklahoman published three letters of local or state interest, and three letters regarding national or international issues. Here are quotes from the latter three letters, with only minor wording changes for clarity: “President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid stomped all over the 10th Amendment. They bribed, manipulated and strongarmed members…
Annual architecture tour gives the public a chance to see projects from concept to completion
Architecture TourNoon-5 p.m. Saturdaywww.aiacoc.org948-7174$12 advance, $15 door On Saturday, architects and owners will open the doors of seven Oklahoma City homes and commercial buildings to show off innovative design and use of space and materials. The self-guided tour is organized by the American Institute of Architects Central Oklahoma Chapter and closes out the group’s weeklong…
Nerdcore’s ‘Rising’ brings a rabid fan base to the genre’s geeky, uneasy godfather, MC Frontalot
MC Frontalot with the Doppelgangstas and Brandon Patton9 p.m. MondayThe Conservatory8911 N. Westernwww.conservatoryOKC.com879-9778$8 Nerdcore might sound pretty niche, but on his new album, “Zero Day,” MC Frontalot once again tackles a wide range of subjects, including the screwed-up priorities of the first world, software vulnerability, self-scrutiny, gaming, disaster movies and the perverse use of calculators…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
In North America, California Condors are the biggest flying birds that live on land. Their wingspans are up to ten feet. Once sacred to certain Native Americans, these members of the vulture family can live for 60 years and soar as high as 15,000 feet. But they came close to extinction in the 20th century,…
Local hoofer taps metro bars, works with bands and experimental dance troupes to find fresh rhythms and new audiences
Scott Hynes with The Grown Ups and Kite Flying Robot10 p.m. Saturday51st Street Speakeasy1114 n.W. 51stwww.myspace.com/51speakeasy463-0470 Putting a tap dancer in front of a rock ‘n’ roll trio makes a statement. Then to pull him in as a fourth instrument that doesn’t just click and clack away, but whose every stomp, slide and jump is…
Attuned to toots
All he wanted was someone to give him a scent bouquet ” a pretty little collection of certain smells that get expelled from down yonder. Instead, he got a bit more than the nosey smorgasbord he desired. The Oklahoman reports that an Oklahoma City man ventured online to find someone who shared his “fetish for…
Heartless Bastards’ bluesy, grungy guitars back a vocally arresting front woman
Heartless Bastards with Sherree Chaimberlain and Little League Hero10 p.m. Thursday51St Street Speakeasy1114 N.W. 51Stwww.myspace.com/51Speakeasy463-0470$17 advance, $20 door Everyone has stuff they just can’t part with. For Erika Wennerstrom, it’s a name. Through two incarnations and three albums of blues-meets-rock, she has clung to a title derived from a trivia card in a bar and…
CFN Quote of the Week
“As far as I know restaurant menus in Oklahoma are not determined by the state government. I’m pretty sure they never were. I suppose the notion of the ‘vegetable of the day’ in Oklahoma is pretty funny. Ha, ha, ha. Kind of like a good hamburger in India.” “comedian Jim Gaffigan, in the book “You’re…
A short documentary by two Oklahoma filmmakers recounts a rough-and-tumble era of Indian Territory
Days before their trial was to start, four men were dragged from an Ada jail by an angry mob. Shortly after midnight on April 19, 1909, the vigilantes made a public statement against rampant lawlessness by tying nooses around the necks of Jim Miller, Joe Allen, B.B. Burrell and Jesse West, and lynching them from…
Live Earth Oklahoma uses entertainment to bring awareness to global water issues
Live Earth OklahomaSaturday-SundayOKC Adventure Districtwww.liveearthoklahoma.com On Saturday and Sunday, Oklahoma City will join cities around the globe in the Live Earth Festival. If organizers have their way, Oklahoma’s event will be among the largest and most comprehensive. It takes a villageRunning water Throughout the world, Live Earth festivals and charity runs will be held in…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Photons work hard to get from the heart of the sun to the surface. They can take up to 160,000 years to complete the 400,000+-mile journey. And yet once Earth-bound photons get topside, they travel the 93-million-mile distance to our planet in just over eight minutes. I foresee a metaphorically similar situation unfolding in your…
Kids to release ladybugs and learn about ecology at Thursday’s “Bug Out” event at Myriad Botanical Gardens
“Bug Out” 9:30 a.m. Thursday Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory301 W. Reno297-3995, www.myriadgardens.com adults $6, children ages 4 to 12 $3 Don’t “bug out” when you see a bunch of tiny critters in your garden ” they can be helpful. With help from a few thousand little ladybugs, kids will learn about…
Poll shows most Oklahomans think next terrorist attack to be from Islamic extremists, not right wing
As Oklahoma and the nation approach the 15th anniversary of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing, a new poll raises concern for those working to educate about domestic terrorism. A SoonerPoll.com survey asked 1,000 Oklahomans which group they consider most likely to commit an act of terrorism inside the United States in the next…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Present the following dare to a person or persons with whom you would like to go deeper: “You think you know me, but you really know just a tantalizing fraction. Would you like to experience the rest of the story?” And if anyone expresses interest, take him or her on a magical tour they won’t…
Date Night
Carell and Fey don’t feel especially believable as a couple in love, but their combined comedic chops sell every gag and freak-out, no matter how ridiculous. But the pair also pulls off a series of spot-on commentaries about married life with kids. There are several moments that feel universally genuine “? incidents that happen to…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Taurus genius Irving Berlin (1888-1989) has been called the greatest songwriter who ever lived. Among his 1,500 compositions were iconic tunes like “God Bless America” and “White Christmas,” as well as scores for 18 Hollywood movies and 19 Broadway shows. And yet he never learned to read or write music. Was he embarrassed about his…
Ghostlight Theatre Club belts out karaoke show tunes to raise money and awareness about its new musical direction
Showtuneapalooza8 p.m. FridayGhostlight Theatre Club3110 N. Walkerwww.ghostlightokc.com286-9412Donations accepted Equal parts fundraiser and party, Ghostlight Theatre Club’s “Showtuneapalooza” is a night of show-tune-only karaoke that begins at 8 p.m. Friday. “Who hasn’t, while in the shower or in your car, dreamed of being up onstage singing to adoring fans? What makes this so much fun is…
A word on abortion
I read K.A. Straughn’s letter (“Scott Jones resorts to coercion of laws,” March 24, 2010, Gazette) and couldn’t help but remember something I heard from somebody on the abortion issue. They said, “Well, if we ever ban abortion, women can just get back-alley abortions.” Apparently, the word “abortion” takes on a new meaning after the…
The Tornado Alley Rollergirls attract crowds, give back to community
Tornado Alley Rollergirls vs. Central Arkansas Roller Derby Tailgate party, 5 p.m.; bout, 7 p.m. Sunday Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market 311 S. Klein$10 in advance, $12 at the door, kids 12 and under are free www.okcrd.com The Tornado Alley Rollergirls are ready to take on their next challenger, the Central Arkansas Roller Derby from…
Did someone plant evidence in the case against Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh?
Death blew out of Kansas in a lumbering yellow truck. Profile of a profiler’It didn’t belong there”No explanation’Time passagesAfter Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols built the bomb in the back of the Ryder truck McVeigh had rented only days before, according to court records and from his own account, McVeigh drove a circuitous route into…
The University of Oklahoma School of Drama presents ‘Live! From the Last Night of My Life,’ just your everyday epic tragedy
“Live! From the Last Night of My Life”8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 3 p.m. SundayUniversity Of OklahomaSchool of DramaOU Lab Theatre, Old Science Hall640 Parrington Oval, Norman325-4101$8 adults, $6 students Developed at the University of Oklahoma through the school’s playwright-in-residence, Wayne Rawley, “Live! From the Last Night of My Life” tells the story of Doug, a suburban…
Remembering Chief Wilma Mankiller
I write this tribute to former Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller with sadness and great humility. All readers know of her passing from this realm on April 6. For those of you who know a little more about her, I offer this commentary. Her biographical data and historical accomplishments you can read elsewhere. I first…
New legislation attempts to regulate Oklahoma’s many puppy mills
Mugsy had lost almost all of her teeth by the time she was 5 years old. The Yorkshire terrier still had a few teeth left when she was rescued from a puppy mill, and her new owner took her to a veterinarian. But the vet pulled most of the teeth. They were too rotten to…
PR BS
Lots of press releases related to the Sooner State cross our desk. This week, these titles least screamed “Stop the presses!” “”Adrenaline Family Entertainment Names accesso as Exclusive Ticketing Provider”””Chaparral Energy Schedules Fourth Quarter 2009 Earnings Conference Call”””Basic Energy Services to Present at the IPAA Oil & Gas Investment Symposium New York”””Arcadian Health’s Chairman and…
After a life racing, retired greyhounds find new families through a Central Oklahoma nonprofit
Hounds of the Heartland is in the 45 mph couch-potato business. Retired racing greyhounds, as they’re more commonly known, are sent to this organization for a chance to find a family. There are similar groups in the state, but HOH is the only one that serves the metro Oklahoma City area. Although there are actually…
The Runaways
Cherie (Dakota Fanning, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”) and Marie Currie (Riley Keough, in her first feature film) are a pair of vacuous teens in Los Angeles. Cherie is the more disaffected of the two, relieving the boredom of life by hanging out at rock clubs and lip-syncing David Bowie. Record producer Kim Fowley (Michael…
Kids to release ladybugs and learn ecology at Thursday’s “Bug Out” event at Myriad Botanical Gardens
“Bug Out” 9:30 a.m. Thursday Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory301 W. Reno297-3995, www.myriadgardens.com adults $6, children ages 4 to 12 $3 Don’t “bug out” when you see a bunch of tiny critters in your garden ” they can be helpful. With help from a few thousand little ladybugs, kids will learn about…
Mannequin parts become a “Body of Art” in a celebrity fundraiser at Norman’s Performing Arts Studio
“Body of Art”Wednesday-Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday artists’ reception and auction, 6-8 p.m. SaturdayPerforming Arts Studio200 S. Jones, Norman Auction tickets, $50 307-9320 or www.thepas.orgSome big names in Norman are giving a hand to the local arts community ” literally. An assortment of mannequin hands, legs and other body parts are…
