People With Issues
Montreal, Quebec, psychiatrists Joel and Ian Gold believe they have identified five patients between them who are deluded to the point where they are certain they are starring in reality TV shows or movies about their lives. In the well-established Capgras delusion, a patient believes that his immediate family has been replaced by look-alike actors,…
Armed and Clumsy (all-new!)
Revenge of the Critters: A 44-year-old woman accidentally shot herself in the knee while pursuing a mouse inside her travel trailer (Potter Valley, Calif., July). And a 27-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the head while chasing a skunk (Elwood, Utah, May). And a 45-year-old woman accidentally shot herself in the foot while stalking a…
Update
Stripper Susan Sykes, 47, known as “Busty Heart,” was rejected in July as a contestant for the NBC show “America’s Got Talent,” as the judges were unappreciative of her ability to crush empty beer cans with her enormous breasts. As News of the Weird reported, Sykes was sued in 1997 by an Illinois strip-club patron…
Unclear on the Concept
In a July ceremony, Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan honored SWAT officers for their bravery and professionalism during a December middle-of-the-night raid of a house that supposedly contained a gang’s guns. However, it was the wrong house, and the bewildered, frightened resident started shooting back. Said Dolan, “The easy decision would have been to retreat…
Bright Ideas
While most major opera houses provide sign-language interpreters at the side of the stage, producer Marita Barber recently staged the opera “The Hunt of King Charles” in a version in which all performers sign as they sing, with only a two-piece orchestra in the background, for patrons with hearing. At Barber’s venue, the Theatre Totti…
Oklahoma Ethics Commission reprimands former speaker
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission reprimanded former state Speaker of the House Lance Cargill, the Republican State House Committee and the Oklahoma County Republican Committee for multiple violations of state ethics rules. “Simply put, this is a case of the redirection of campaign contributions intended for one party committee, to another, contrary to the intent of…
Mamma Mia! makes Oklahoma City stop
e wedding. High jinks ensue, to the tune of some of ABBA’s greatest hits. Nominated for five Tony Awards and still running on Broadway, “Mamma Mia!” makes a stop in Oklahoma City beginning Tuesday. “It’s very entertaining, it’s fun and you just can’t beat the music,” said Susie McMonagle, who plays mother Donna Sheridan in…
Rock musicians plan concert to support Rice campaign
Rock music icons Don Henley and Jackson Browne will perform a benefit concert for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Rice. The concert will take place on Sept. 5 at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. Tickets range from $250 to $2,300. Rice’s campaign is offering the first 20 tickets purchased at the $1,000 level and up will…
Filmmaker not warming up to Oklahoma’s Inhofe
Anyone familiar with the work of unapologetically liberal filmmaker Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Bowling for Columbine”) could guess the Oscar winner isn’t likely to ever be a BFF with Sen. Jim Inhofe, but now we have proof. In his new book, “Mike’s Election Guide 2008,” Moore outlines 12 Senate seats he thinks the Democrats can…
David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
everythingthathappens.com Two pioneering rock heavyweights’ Talking Heads founder David Byrne and producer, musician and ambient aesthetician Brian Eno’ have again collaborated in “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today,” a bounding compendium of interesting and enjoyable songs. Byrne and Eno collaborated previously for “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,” the seemingly important but largely unlistenable…
Inside Greek U.: Fraternities, Sororities, and the Pursuit of Pleasure, Power, and Prestige – Alan D. DeSantis
The University Press of Kentucky Parents eager for their college-bound children to “go Greek” as they did decades ago might want to think twice about steering them in that direction, based upon the findings in the book “Inside Greek U.: Fraternities, Sororities, and the Pursuit of Pleasure, Power, and Prestige.” To put it simply: Things.…
Collegians campaign for political candidates
For Nathan Atkins, a high school teacher spurred him to be politically active. Hayley Moore’s inspiration came from her family. And for Christine Gonzales, President George W. Bush brought out the political fire. During an election year, the month of August means more to college students than just the start of a new semester. Many…
Oklahoma City motivational speaker faces prostitution charges
Motivation is a funny thing. There are those who lack motivation and never get up from the couch to, say, mow the lawn. Then there are others who are motivated to pay money for more than just weed whackin’. Oklahoma City police said a Nichols Hills motivational speaker, Gary Good, was arrested recently for allegedly…
Oklahoma college presidents not signing drinking-age petition
Presidents at more than 100 American universities, including some very prominent schools, are calling on elected officials to “support an informed and dispassionate debate” concerning the impact of the 21-year-old drinking age. The presidents of three of Oklahoma’s largest universities ” the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of Central Oklahoma “…
Capitol’s East Gallery displays web-site designer’s art work
As owner and president of Aeternitas Inc., Marc Barker spends his days designing and developing interactive Web sites and CD-ROMs that use advanced technology. But when he needs a break, he turns to an artistic tool which is decidedly old-school: the paintbrush. And by that, we mean the one held in the hand “? not…
Oklahoma’s next governor
The speculation has begun for the open governor position in 2010. Be it a Republican or Democrat, the next governor will face many of the same obstacles Oklahoma governors have battled for decades. Our education system’s performance has never been rated anything better than poor to, at best, mediocre. Despite the efforts of Gov. Henry…
The House Bunny
Reviewer’s grade: B+ “The House Bunny” made me laugh out loud several times. I break out laughing about as often as the pope during Mass. The difference is not the director, but Anna Faris as Shelley, who lives in the Playboy Mansion with Hugh Hefner (playing himself). The day after her 27th birthday, Shelley receives…
The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard
2008 Cobbled together from the first three episodes of the Kids WB! Series, “The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard” captures spirit of the original comics and, to a lesser degree, Sam Raimi’s blockbuster films, with Peter Parker overwhelmed with giddiness at the power to swing through the air. Wouldn’t every kid? This feature-length film…
Least Competent Criminals
Latest Negative-Cash-Flow Robbery: The man (dressed as a woman) got away after the attempt at Joe’s Cafe, in Metairie, La., in July, but he lost money in the deal. As a ruse to get a clerk to open the cash register, he handed over a $5 bill to pay for two doughnuts, and, with the…
Mama Sweet brings hip country/rock hybrid to Oklahoma City
Although the Norman trio has been playing decidedly red dirt-flavored rock since 2003, Mama Sweet’s signature sound might not be intentional. “If you told our guitarist Alan Orebaugh we’re a country band, I don’t think he’d agree,” said Aron Holt, front man for the Norman-based band which also includes bassist Boyd Littell and drummer Giovanni…
Metro OKC’s major universities offer wireless Internet to students
Lance Gill doesn’t describe himself as a heavy Internet user, but just the thought of an interrupted connection makes him anxious. “I have an iPhone, and if I can’t get the Web for even a day I feel like I’m going to die,” he said. WIRELESS WORLDVARYING TECHNOLOGIESPEER-TO-PEER SOFTWARE Gill, 19, and three other Oklahoma…
Great Moments in Capital Punishment
Prosecutors in Portland, Ore., took the death penalty off the table for Tremayne Durham in July, accepting a minimum-30-year prison term for an “aggravated murder” over a business deal. Durham agreed to plead guilty when prosecutors relented to his additional demand of two pig-out meals (featuring KFC, Popeye’s and Haagen Dazs right away, and pizza…
Football fodder can help ease those back-to-school blues
Summer is over. OK, not officially, at least according to the traditional seasonal calendar. But for all intents and purposes, the part of summer we all know and love has packed its bags and caught the last shrimp boat for the Southern Hemisphere. Of course, no one is more affected ” or more traumatized “…
The Rocker
Reviewer’s grade: D Eighties glam-metal band Vesuvius “? a fictional group in the comedy “The Rocker” “? didn’t give its drummer a chance to rock out with its lucrative record deal. The band replaced its stickman, while dejected Robert “Fish” Fishman (Rainn Wilson, “Juno,” TV’s “The Office”) tried to move on. Fishman’s fat, nerd nephew,…
Forum’ show contains enough laughs to fill the Colosseum
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has gained its rightful place in the musical-theater pantheon because it possesses the essence of any successful dramatic work: great material. The gags, both verbal and sight, work today just as they did when “Forum” won the Tony Award for best musical 45 years ago.…
Starlight Mints join Ghouls Gone Wild parade performers
Starlight Mints will join the staggering ranks of specters, spooks and spirits summoned for this year’s “Ghouls Gone Wild” Halloween parade, drummer Andy Nunez confirmed last week. The Norman band will join the parade as musical representatives of the Norman Music Festival, he said. The Mints, heralded for delivering indie pop songs that pulse with…
Son of Rambow
2008 In 1982, Will Proudfoot (newcomer Bill Milner) is a small-for-his-age, 11- or 12-year-old living in England with his mother, grandmother and sister. The family belongs to a religious group called The Brethren, which forbids television, movies, pop music or friendships outside the fold. Will, whose father died a year or two before, processes his…
Can’t Possibly Be True
Though it has been on national cable TV since mid-July, ratings have not been spectacular for the G4 channel’s show, “Hurl!” leaving many Americans unaware of precisely how far standards of taste have fallen. “Hurl!” contestants are forced to gorge themselves, then are purposely, rapidly, twirled and shaken on carnival-type rides, with the last player…
Devon architect calls building a setting for jewel of Oklahoma’s sky
Attendees to the unusual Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority meeting Aug. 20 were ushered into the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library’s fourth-floor auditorium. On stage, a large projection screen displayed the Devon company logo. In front of the stage, architectural models of Devon’s proposed project ” hidden behind pasteboard dividers until the right moment “…
The Inglorious Bastards
1978 When Quentin Tarantino recently announced his next picture would be a remake of “The Inglorious Bastards,” the heretofore little-known Italian action flick became an instant cult hit, with everyone wanting to see what the fuss was all about. Now, Brit-based Severin Films makes them simple with a single DVD and an overstuffed three-disc edition.…
Oklahoma researchers discover why Westerners are uneasy with robots
Somewhere now on the windswept reaches along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a soldier may be taking a position that might mean life or death for anyone approaching. The soldier is steely-eyed and able to kill according to the rules of engagement (ROE), orders for when to fire on someone approaching the position. MORAL QUALMSFORMS OF…
Annie Get Your Gun’ hits the mark for a good time
x Theatre’s production of the Broadway classic “Annie Get Your Gun” is well-acted and entertaining. “Annie” is very loosely based on the life of the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her husband and fellow marksman, Frank Butler. Focusing on their courtship and rivalry during the 1880s, the musical is a standard but witty take on…
FIRE’ economy drowning
A year ago, our state’s business outlook appeared bright. But over the horizon, storm clouds were gathering and a malaise of Seventies-style stagflation ” higher prices, falling asset prices and sluggish growth ” that began on the coasts is now encroaching upon America’s midsection. Oklahoma’s energy-dominant economy, bane of the Eighties, so far has shielded…
Beetlejuice: 20th Anniversary Edition
1998 “Beetlejuice” was Tim Burton’s second film, and it’s the best live-action representation of the highly imaginative director’s style, at a time before his name became an adjective. The kooky comedy is about married lovebirds (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who die, yet live in their comfy country home as ghosts. New city folk move…
University of Oklahoma professor sheds light on mating habits
For years, the CFN crew has wondered what methods Bucky the intern employs when pursuing potential mates. Some of the companions Bucky has brought to company parties have made us call local mental health wards checking to see if any residents have gone missing. But a recent study from a University of Oklahoma professor sheds…
Twitter gains popularity among students, other Internet users
There’s something infectious about the social networking and blogging movement of the past few years. Today, it’s almost impossible not to run into a colleague, co-worker or old friend who doesn’t have a Facebook, MySpace or Friendster page ” or even a combination of all three. In summer 2006, during the relative back end of…
Hamlet 2
Reviewer’s grade: A+ Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) is a failed actor who has moved to Tucson, Ariz., to work as a high school drama teacher, but the principal informs him that drama is going the way of the dodo and he has until the end of the term to find other employment. So Dana planns…
Corbin Bleu comes to Oklahoma City for a concert
Wait, who’s Corbin Bleu? Ask your preteen daughter. Bleu is the 19-year-old heartthrob star of Disney’s “High School Musical” franchise who’s not named Zac Efron. And like many of his fellow “HSM” cast members, he’s a multimedia threat with a cozy record deal. His debut album, “Another Side” was released in May 2007, with such…
Inexplicable
A rule for federal lawsuits (Rule 8a) requires the initial pleading that commences the case to be “short and plain,” and another (9b) requires it to be to the point, with several pages usually plenty to give the other party notice of what he’s being sued for. In June, federal judge Ronald Leighton summarily tossed…
The Rocker – Music From The Motion Picture
Sony Singer/songwriter and “The Rocker” cast member Teddy Geiger wrote most of the soundtrack to the comedy, about has-been musician Robert “Fish” Fishman, a role performed by actor Rainn Wilson, best known for his Dwight Schrute character on TV’s “The Office.” Geiger, who sings alongside Wilson in A.D.D., has a great voice and a smooth,…
University of Central Oklahoma enters third hockey season
Collegiate ice hockey may not be as popular in Oklahoma as football or basketball, but the University of Central Oklahoma’s club team is finding its own rabid followings among sports lovers, partially thanks to an increasingly bitter rivalry with the University of Oklahoma. With a Sept. 26 third-season opener against St. Louis University, the UCO…
Jonas Brothers – A Little Bit Longer
Hollywood The trio of Jonas Brothers’ Nick, Kevin and Joe’ has released “A Little Bit Longer,” the group’s supremely catchy third release. The songs are an irksome delight. Upbeat, fluffy and cheerful, like a laundry detergent commercial. Songs like “BB Good” and album closer “Got Me Going Crazy” are easy to remember, while the power…
Good Samaritans need volunteers
Everyone can use a superhero once in a while. And, if there is a group of do-gooder available, that’s even better. In Oklahoma County, families can rely on the Good Samaritans, a volunteer group from various backgrounds that assist victims of crime. The organization, which is partnered with the Oklahoma County district attorney’s office, helps…
Recent college graduates sometimes need etiquette course
Blunders abound when college graduates are on the search for their first job; it’s all part of the learning process. But Sean Taylor Simpson can claim to have heard something hopefully few others have: the whooshing flush of a job applicant’s career go down the toilet. Literally. PHONE ETIQUETTELESSON LEARNEDLANDING AN INTERVIEWHIRE CALLING As corporate…
Tulsa Chick-fil-A sets world lemonade record
Making the daily slow and stalker-ish drive past a soon-to-be-opened Chick-fil-A in Norman (Chicken-Fried News doesn’t mess around when it comes to winning free food for a year), we suddenly got a hankering for an ice cold and delicious lemonade. You know, the freshly squeezed kind that Chick-fil-A makes. If only we’d been stalking Tulsa…
Looking for a date that’ll elate without trashing cash?
Every now and again, school deals a sweet card in a student’s love life, creating a different kind of chemistry between 8 a.m. lab partners. It’s at the moment when “Could you pass that beaker?” segues into “What are you doing this Friday?” that many a hopeful student realize Free Movie Friday at the student…
Crocodile’s new Wave-tinged synth pop shows local music is far from endangered
If the adage “families who play together, stay together” is true, then it is also the first reason why the future looks bright for the Oklahoma City-based band Crocodile. Like Yo La Tengo, Mates of State and a handful of other married (and divorced) indie rockers, Crocodile is cultivating a unique pop sound that comes…
City Council votes for charter amendments election Nov. 4
The Oklahoma City Council voted today to call a special election for Nov. 4 for voters to consider five amendments to the City Charter. The proposed Charter changes were recommended by a citizen task force and address the following areas: ” Vacancies on the City Council – In the event a vacancy occurs on the…
