I mentioned it here before but one of the most amazing things I ever saw on television occurred on two episodes of the game show, Press Your Luck in 1984. Briefly, an unemployed electrician named Michael Larsen figured out how to "beat" the game board and, instead of walking off with $10,000-$20,000 like most winners, […]
Nathan Lane has been missing performances of The Producers in New York due to a throat problem. A polyp, they say. Anyway, last I heard, he's back but not doing matinees. When he's out, my pal Brad Oscar plays Bialystock instead of Franz Liebkind, and someone else plays the Nazi playwright. I haven't seen Brad […]
The morning of November 7, 2000, the Gannett News Service carried the following handicap of one of the most eagerly-watched competitions… The Hillary Rodham Clinton-Rick Lazio Senate race, which most polls show will be close, follows the tradition of tight races in the Empire State. Less than 24 hours later, Ms. Clinton defeated Mr. Lazio […]
A fine comic book/strip artist named Gray Morrow died on 11/6, reportedly taking his own life after months of despondency over months of illness. Morrow was a true gentleman and a fine illustrator who got into comics a few months too late to be part of the legendary crew at EC Comics. They almost certainly […]
Operation Enduring Avarice by Arianna Huffington FBI Claims Bin Laden Inquiry Was Frustrated by Greg Palast and David Pallister, Guardian America's "Either/Or" President by Troy Headrick, Democratic Underground The Counterwar Redirected by William F. Buckley, Jr. 2 Months Later, It's "Same-Old, Same-Old" on Airport Security by Robert Scheer, Los Angeles Times […]
Someone — are you reading this, Leonard? — oughta write a book called something like Flawed Masterpieces, all about films that came thisclose to being great. As good an example as any was a movie I found myself watching on satellite-via-TiVo this AM — The Comic, a 1969 comedy/tragedy written by Aaron Ruben and Carl […]
Buzz Dixon also sends along this link to Monster Kid Magazine, an online "publication" in the spirit of the old Famous Monsters of Filmland. It's put together by Kerry Gammill, whose artwork is sadly missed these days around the comic book business. You might especially enjoy Bill Warren's article about visiting the set of one […]
In Defense of the '90s by Jacob Weisberg, Slate Ours to Lose by Lawrence F. Kaplan, New Republic Bush Team Wallows in Self-Praise by Bill Press, CNN Keynote Address by Bill Moyers And How Much Blame for the Fourth Estate? by Molly Ivins, Creators Syndicate Bad News Bearers by William Saletan, Slate My pal Buzz […]
One of the all-time great comic books — and a rare example of individual style and statement over a long run — was Sheldon Mayer's Sugar and Spike. Mr. Mayer was one of the pioneers of the industry as an editor. He was one of the first to see the potential of a little thing […]
Over at Animation World Magazine, various folks (including Yours Truly) are polled on their recollections of this year's Comic-Con International. And Sergio and I made the online comic strip, Superosity. […]
Election 2002: Rally Time by Molly Ivins, Creators Syndicate The Enemy Within by Gore Vidal, The Observer The Pot War Boiling by William F. Buckley, Jr. Just to remind you all: Articles that are recommended on this site are not necessarily articles with which I agree. I just think they say something important and/or say […]
Once upon a time, a gent named Alfred Harvey founded the comic book company that bore his name. Although the firm was later known best for comics like Casper the Friendly Ghost and Richie Rich, they published many books of many kinds. In 1941, in a book called Pocket Comics, Mr. Harvey launched a very […]
Media alert: My friend Bob Elisberg informs me that, this Saturday at 5 PM, Turner Classic Movies is presenting a special 40th anniversary broadcast of West Side Story. Says Bob, "They're promoting it as having new interviews with many of the surviving participants that they'll run before and after the movie." Who says Broadway is […]
Your Money or Your Life by Joe Brancatelli, The Brancatelli Files Bush's Wasted Opportunity by Gene Lyons, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette A True Patriot Can Pose Hard Questions by Robert Scheer, Los Angeles Times The Gary Conditization Of The Terror Story by Arianna Huffington In Search of a Security Level by William F. Buckley, Jr. House Stimulus […]
Ignore what I said a few weeks ago here about the new DVD release of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. This is not the "restored" version (which is not really restored) that was released on Laserdisc a few years ago, though it contains some of the same special features, including trailers and the […]