Chicago’s in her blood, but LA is where it’s at
Young star-on-the-rise Keke Palmer joins seasoned pro William H. Macy in “The Wool Cap,” a TNT original film airing Sunday night.
Category: Interviews
Wine, women and song make up Bridget Jones fest
Singletons, take note. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” is just a couple days from opening, and that’s reason enough for many of you to celebrate. While all the “smug marrieds” are at home arguing about whose turn it is to pay the bills (or bathe the children), you can kick back with your bitchin’ friends, enjoy a cocktail and revel in all things Bridget.
Bridget’s not the only woman with a yen for bad boys
At face value, there is no reason why women would choose Hugh Grant’s character over Colin Firth’s in “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Both are good looking, have great jobs and cute English accents. But throw in the fact that Mark Darcy (played by Firth) is a soft-spoken gentleman while Grant’s Daniel Cleaver is a womanizing cad and Grant is the bad boy winner. Never mind that whatever woman he’s dating is destined to be the loser. The fact is, just as high school girls love the pot-smoking, long-haired dropout, women love bad boys, too.
Lori Petty’s shirts shout truth and beauty
Lawd knows Lori Petty’s a busy woman. She’s an actress, painter, director and writer. But that hasn’t stopped the quirky actress from adding designer to her list of credits. Best known for her work in “A League of Their Own” and “Point Break,” Petty has a year-old line of casual wear called Lawd Knows that reflects her inspirational side.
Wanda Sykes: A reality series, movies, a new book, a tour: This actress keeps busy fitting fun ideas into her schedule
While thousands of would-be actors toil away as waiters waiting for their big break, Wanda Sykes is sauteeing veggies in a Chinese restaurant, driving athletes around in a limo and snapping photos of a couple at their wedding. Of course, it’s all part of her reality Comedy Central series, “Wanda Does It,” in which the sassy comedic actress tackles non-showbiz jobs.
Political satire snowballs for ‘Yes Men’
If you were sitting at a symposium and a well-spoken expert in a suit talked about the benefits of enslaving the poorest sectors of society, would you challenge the speaker’s theories, walk out enraged or clap politely?
No place like the road for former Chicago musician
You wouldn’t think that sleeping in a coffinlike bunk would be “cool,” but Rachael Yamagata can’t get enough of it. Prior to this tour, Yamagata never had enough money for an actual tour bus, so as far as she’s concerned, the small sleeping quarters are fine. Not so for her bandmates.
‘BachelorMan’ comes home: A marriage-minded comedian who left Aurora for Hollywood says he’d rather make movies here
Born and raised in Aurora, Rodney Lee Conover was 18 when he left the western suburbs for Los Angeles. He worked as a stand-up comic. He had bit parts on TV and in films. But like many entertainers — both struggling and otherwise — what he really wanted to do was make his own films.
Donnie Yen: Asians of change
Jet Li. Jackie Chan. Donnie Yen. Quick. Which one of these action film stars grew up in the United States? Or, more appropriately, which one of these stars had to leave the United States before he could make a name for himself in Hollywood? That would be Yen. Sure, while he’s not as famous in the United States as either Li or Chan, he has a loyal following worldwide and an impressive resume of films — the best of which were made in Hong Kong.
That song, that summer …
This summer has been ruled by the house of Usher. With his hits “Burn” and “Confessions Part II,” the sultry R&B singer with the rock-hard abs turned his breakup with TLC’s Chili into chart-topping success.
With a few weeks left, USHER seems to have a lock on the summer of 2004
That song, that summer. Flash back to any summer of your life and there’s always one tune that defines these months. With a few weeks left, USHER seems to have a lock on 2004.
‘Tude for thought
How much attitude do Liz Phair, Nina Persson, Charlotte Martin and Katy Rose have? So much that they don’t mind being called chicks.
Speaking with Simple Plan’s Chuck Comeau
Simple Plan have a simple idea — cut their tour short this summer and get back into the recording studio to work on their new album, which they hope to have out this fall. “We want to build something really great,” says drummer Chuck Comeau, 24. “We’re trying to capture who we are now and also record songs we won’t be tired of playing three years down the line. It’s really exciting.”
What girls want
Let’s hear it for the girls. After decades of taking secondary roles in films aimed at teenage boys, a new generation of actresses has slowly descended upon Hollywood. And guess what? Their movies are doing well at the box office.
Not really a ‘wild one,’ childhood friend recalls
Growing up in north suburban Libertyville, Marlon Brando was well-liked by the neighborhood children. A polite teen with a kind heart, he was hardly the misunderstood rebel that he would later portray in “The Wild One” (1953). But he didn’t mind causing a bit of havoc during his years at Libertyville High School, which he attended as a freshman and sophomore, before his parents shipped him off to a Minnesota military academy.
Speaking with … Peter Frampton
By Jae-Ha KimChicago Sun-TimesJuly 2, 2004 Peter Frampton, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo*Taste of Chicago5 tonight*Petrillo Music Shell, northeast corner of Jackson and ColumbusFree Back in 1976, Peter Frampton set the standard for what a rock star looked […]
Speaking with Suffrajett singer Simi
It’s not often a New York band will admit Chicago might be just as cool — if not cooler — than the Big Apple, but Suffrajett took it one step further by relocating to Wrigleyville six months ago. Of course, it may have helped that guitarist Jason Chasko already was familiar with the city, having worked with Liz Phair in the past. When singer/violinist Simi (that’s right, just Simi) got a look at their new digs, she says her jaw hit the floor.
Singer promotes positive message of Judaism through his songs
People sometimes get confused when Rick Recht plays Jewish music. They think of songs from a bar mitzvah or a Jewish wedding. What he plays, though, is pop music that sounds hopeful. Some of it happens to be sung in Hebrew.
Speaking with Joey McIntyre
Before ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, there was the New Kids on the Block. Joey McIntyre — the littlest kid — is now a married man of 31 who is touring to promote his new solo album, “8:09” (Artemis Records). A successful actor who has starred onstage (“tick, tick … BOOM!”) as well as in film (the upcoming “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding”) and TV (“Boston Public”), McIntyre is concentrating on his singing now.
Speaking with Chris Carrabba
Chris Carrabba may be the most scrutinized man in rock ‘n’ roll. Not necessarily by the critics, but certainly by his devoted fans, who debate everything he does. The frontman for Dashboard Confessional, considered by some to be the poster boy for emo rock, carries this burden surprisingly well.