Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“No one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself,” Morpheus says in “The Matrix” (1999). Four years later, the world is ready to feast its collective eyes on “The Matrix Reloaded”–the first of two sequels that have already been filmed.
Rob Thomas is more than you think he is. Touring to promote Matchbox Twenty’s latest album, “More Than You Think You Are” (Atlantic), the band’s singer took a break to talk about Santana, Enrique Iglesias and his never-ending quest to meet Kurt Vonnegut.
Carly Simon is his mom. James Taylor is his dad. Unlike many celebrity children, musician Ben Taylor will answer anything about them and loves nothing more than to get onstage with his famous parents.
Unlike most of the local theater scene, Derek Hasenstab had no clue “The Lion King” was casting in Chicago when he got a call to audition for the extravaganza. Actually, he didn’t know what the musical was about, much less the plot of the animated Disney film that inspired the production.
When Dada’s “Dizz Knee Land” hit radio in 1992, fans flipped over the line, “I just flipped off President George.” More than a decade later, the song has gotten a resurgence, thanks to another controversial President George.
If Jamie Kennedy’s movie career takes off, it could end up killing his TV show. But Kennedy, whose feature film, “Malibu’s Most Wanted,” opens Friday, doesn’t seem too concerned.
When funding ran low for “Better Luck Tomorrow,” filmmaker Justin Lin called on an unlikely resource to help: MC Hammer. Yup. It was Hammer time. “I had met him in Vegas when I was working on the script,” says Lin. “He was really nice and offered to help. I called and said, ‘Hi, remember me?’ He couldn’t have been nicer. He wired me a decent amount of money within two hours.”
Larenz Tate has the kind of smile that makes you believe anything he says. Sitting in a suite at the Ritz-Carlton downtown, the 27-year-old actor flashes it often as he talks. “Yeah, I think Vin [Diesel] loved my smile,” he says, jokingly. “That’s how I got the role.”
Kris Roe isn’t your typical rock star. While most musicians dread talking to the press, Roe says, “I love doing interviews! I never get tired of them.” The 26-year-old frontman for the punky pop band the Ataris has been chatting up the media quite a bit lately, thanks to the strength of the band’s latest album, “So Long, Astoria.”
Did she or didn’t she? Sleep with Michael Jackson, that is. Lisa Marie Presley reveals all in the current edition of Rolling Stone magazine and says that, yes, she had sex with Wacko Jacko. “That was part of it, for a while,” she told Rolling Stone. “And then it became the Def Con 2. It just got really ugly at the end.”
After 15 years of silence, Roger Rabbit–the world’s second most famous bunny–has come out of seclusion to talk about this week’s DVD release of his film, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” Still married to voluptuous Jessica Rabbit–whose excuse, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way,” became a mantra for wayward beauties worldwide–Roger talks candidly with GLARE about his Toontown past.
After being roundly slammed by linguists, is it possible that Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst is just misunderstood? In a heartfelt moment at last month’s Grammy Awards–rivaled only by his Web site postings in praise of Britney Spears–Durst expressed his antiwar sentiments: “I just really hope we’re all in agreeance that this war should go away as soon as possible.”
There’s a lot of screaming going on when you tour with the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter. But Justin Roman is used to it. As one of the singers in the pop trio Vi3, Roman has elicited a shriek or two from enthusiastic fans. “We’re really having a lot of fun on this tour,” says the Chicago-based artist. “Nick has been a blast and the fans have been really nice to us.”
“Without a question, Bruce Lee was the uncontested idol for a lot of little black boys growing up in the ’70s. We absolutely accepted him as Soul Brother No. 1.”
If you attended Perkins Bass Elementary School in Chicago, you may remember a substitute teacher named Mr. Lennix. That’s Harry Lennix to you. After appearing on “E.R.” and “The Practice” on television and in films such as “Clockers” and “Mo’ Money,” the former South Sider who now resides in Los Angeles has co-starring roles in the upcoming sequels to “The Matrix.”
What’s new, Pussycat? The Dolls, baby–as in the Pussycat Dolls. The eight-year-old revolving troupe of sexy dancers and singers is the brainchild of Robin Antin, but it’s famous for Carmen Electra, who has become the troupe’s marquee star.
There doesn’t seem to be an obvious connection between Vikings and shrimp cocktail sauce until you factor in Geoff Binns-Calvey. The actor, who stars in the Noble Fool Theater Company’s production of “Vikings! A Musical in Two Axe,” is active in the special-effects industry and has worked on everything from jumping jumbo shrimp to Slim Jim campaigns. “I’ve made shrimp do exactly 1-1/2 jumps in the air and land perfectly in cocktail sauce,” says the 44-year-old actor, who resides in Forest Park. “I’ve got quite a resume.”
For Big Head Todd & the Monsters, 2002 was quite a year. Their indie release “Riviera” won favorable reviews, their tour sold out, and their frontman–Todd Park Mohr–found himself in a sex scandal, thanks to Cara from the Chicago cast of MTV’s “The Real World.”
Two men are on a small platform wearing nothing but flashy capes, sensible sneakers and big smiles. That they’re happy to see us has yet to be determined. But yes, they are nekkid and about as full frontal as you can get.
