Sunday, June 8, 2003

Tomorrow's News Today

Earlier, I posted a link to an article on Salon about false accusations against the Clintons by both the media and many current members of the Washington power elite. Apparently, that article is officially appearing tomorrow in Salon, and was only up this morning for a brief test period or by accident. But I read it and linked to it, and the link is apparently good, even though if you go over to Salon on your own right now and look for it, you won't find it.

• Posted at 3:29 PM · LINK

Comic Website of the Day

Howie Mandel's a nice, funny guy — and yes, the story is apparently true of how he became a comedian. One night, he was taken to the Comedy Store strictly as an audience member. It was "open mike night," where anyone who thinks they have an act can sign up and get a few minutes to perform. Howie didn't have an act — or didn't think he had an act — but sign-ups were light that night, so when all the scheduled wanna-bes were done, he got up there, almost on a dare, and ad-libbed what turned out to be the funniest set of the evening. It started him on the road to performing and he's never looked back, turning into an amazing success. Why, he even has his own website! (P.S. When you go there, the opening screen will give you your choice of English or Italian. Pick the English, then go back to that screen and select Italian. Well, it made me laugh.)

• Posted at 2:35 PM · LINK

Comic Artist Website of the Day

Eric Shanower's another one of those artists I barely know. I think we exchanged about six words at one convention, which was not enough for me to tell him that I've always admired his work as both an illustrator and writer. So I'll tell you...and point you towards his website.

• Posted at 2:29 PM · LINK

Those Darn Weapons...

Robin Cook is the former foreign minister of Britain who resigned from the Cabinet over the decision to go to war with Iraq. He authored this article which does not speak well of Donald Rumsfeld.

• Posted at 12:51 PM · LINK

The Butler Did It

A.S.I.F.A. stands for "Association Internationale du Film D'Animation." Just call it, like most folks do, "the animation society." The group does much to preserve and promote animation and its history so we're glad to have it around. They also stage wonderful events. It isn't listed yet on their website but the Hollywood Chapter has an evening coming up to honor the late, great voice actor — and one of the nicest men I ever knew — Daws Butler. It's on July 31 and it will celebrate the release of a new book, Scenes for Actors and Voices, which reprints many of the exercises that Daws wrote for the wonderful acting classes he used to teach in a little workshop in the back of his house. Some of the best voice actors working today studied with him in that garage and read these scenes under his supervision, and now they've been compiled into a book by Ben Ohmart and Joe Bevilacqua. Joe was among Daws's students, as were Corey Burton and Nancy Cartwright, who will be there that evening to perform scenes and autograph the book. One of Daws's best friends, the fabulous June Foray, will also participate.

I'll point you to a link with more details as soon as one is posted but for now, I thought those of you who are in Southern California would like to mark the date. That's the evening of Thursday, July 31, commencing at 7:30 at the Glendale Public Library Auditorium.

• Posted at 10:48 AM · LINK

Clinton History

Here's a link to an article in Salon entitled, "The Media Gets Impeachment Wrong Again." The premise is that the various "crimes" of the Clintons have been stunningly misreported and that many of those who drove baseless charges have been well-rewarded for a bogus impeachment effort. I don't agree with every word of this article but I believe it is more right than wrong.

• Posted at 9:47 AM · LINK