Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Five years ago, Irma P. Hall made a name for herself playing a blind woman named Aunt T in “A Family Thing.” She’s playing another character named Aunt T, only this time it’s a cartoon voice on “A Rugrats Kwanzaa.” The 66-year-old South Side resident, who is best known for her touching role as Big Mama in “Soul Food,” doesn’t consider herself an actress, but rather a former teacher who happens to act.
Without his trademark zig-zaggy pageboy, Emo Philips doesn’t look much like himself these days. But listen to him speak in that familiar, sing-songy cadence and the voice is instantly recognizable.
Maurice Hines is a phenomenally talented dancer. But leave him alone in a room with two telephones and call waiting and he’s all thumbs. “I am so sorry,” Hines apologizes, after accidentally disconnecting one reporter while finishing up a call with another. “I never know what I’m doing. All the hotel phones have different buttons!”
Growing up, Margaret Cho had no pop culture role models. So, she selected Olivia Newton-John as her idol, even though the “Grease” star was about as white as they come. “She was Australian and foreign, so I identified with her,” says Cho. “Besides, she was so beautiful I wanted to be her. Everyone did.”
Envy me, girls. I am in Lance Bass’s hotel room and guess what? He happens to be here, too.
Never mind that we’re surrounded by his assistant, makeup artist, a handful of publicists and a photographer. I think I saw love in his eyes. OK, maybe it was just the sunlight reflecting from the windows of the W Hotel on Lake Shore Drive. But the point is, Bass–one-fifth of the phenomenally popular boy band ‘N Sync–is so charming he can even make cranky reporters smile.
As the star of “The Pretender,” Michael T. Weiss grew accustomed to wearing natty designer clothes. For his role as a corrupt, corpulent cop in the film “Bones”–which opens Wednesday–Weiss wore a different kind of suit: a fat suit. “People who haven’t seen me since ‘The Pretender’ are going to think, ‘Boy, he really let himself go,'” says the ordinarily lean 6-foot-3 actor.
Don’t use the “B” word around Vi3. That’s right, the Chicago-based trio doesn’t like to be lumped with boy bands. But let’s face it–if it looks like a boy band and dances like a boy band, well …
Crouching tiger, not-so-hidden Madonna. That’s the vibe Madonna wanted for the “Sky Fits Heaven” number of her Drowned World Tour. Never mind she had never taken a kung fu, tae kwon do or karate class.
Lady Madonna is no stranger to Chicago. She got a good dose of the city when she filmed “A League of Their Own” here in 1991. But when she hits town this time, it’ll be her first concert tour stop as a married mother of two young’uns. Think that’ll cramp her style when she’s here next week for her two sold-out concerts? We doubt it very much.
For years, Christina Aguilera had tried to prevent the release of “Just Be Free,” a collection of recordings Aguilera made when she was 14 and 15 years old. The diva-in-training, now 20, recently settled with Warlock Records on the condition that the album would contain a message that says in part: “I made the recordings as a possible stepping stone to a career in music, which is my ultimate passion. They were made just so that I could get my foot in the door of the music business. I did not intend that the recordings would be widely released, especially after I signed with a major record label.
These are fighting times for Kevin Smith, the director and star of “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” First the gay and lesbian anti-defamation organization GLAAD had a bone to pick with him. Then Tim Burton got into the act.
You’ve got to feel a little bad for the Chicago cast of “The Real World.” The seven young ‘uns probably thought they’d get to live rent-free for the summer in a way-cool house in way-cool Wicker Park, hang with a Pumpkin or two and use the MTV soap opera-style documentary to launch their 15 minutes of fame.
Their overnight success took more than 13 years to happen, but the Barenaked Ladies have arrived. A band that gets a kick out of writing lyrics such as, “I just made you say underwear,” the Ladies will perform Aug. 24 at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park. Vocalist Steven Page (middle) called from the road to sound off on rental cars, “Planet of the Apes” and why Debbie Gibson rules.
When he acts, Usher Raymond IV goes by his full name. But when he sings, no last name is necessary for the 22-year-old hottie. It’s been three years since Usher released a new album, but that all changes when his sultry “8701” hits stores Tuesday. Read on for his thoughts on boy bands, acting and those rumors about his dating TLC’s Chilli.
Think Madonna’s got arms to die for? Well don’t die, sweetie. Exercise! The diva credits her awesome biceps to yoga. She loves it so much that she even wrote a song (“Shanti/Ashtangi”) based around a chant she used while doing yoga.But some of us would rather pull our teeth out than strike a yoga pose.
Ho-Sung Pak went from portraying a Ninja Turtle to choreographing the kung fu segments for Madonna’s current tour. As co-owner of martial arts gym Pow! in the West Loop, Pak splits his time between L.A. and Chicago.
“If I wasn’t performing I’d be on a farm somewhere,” says Joey McIntyre. “I don’t know how to do any of that stuff, but I could learn. Or hire someone. I’d sit back and have some lemonade on the porch.
Wanna meet the woman behind Sex & the City? Meet Candace Bushnell at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Barnes & Noble, 1441 W. Webster, when she’ll read from her latest book Four Blondes (Atlantic Monthly Press, $12). Meanwhile, she opens up about nagging, her boyfriend and the contents of her purse.
Tonic singer Emerson Hart blew into the Windy City from Nashville to perform Tuesday at the Double Door. Here’s what he has to say about summer, love and work:
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to make love with your partner three to five times a week. Now if you’re wondering how the heck you’re going to squeeze all that nooky into your busy schedule–the kids, the job, the social and community duties–perhaps you need to go on a diet, a sex diet. This concept is designed to let you have more, not less, whoopee, according to Laura Corn, in her new book.