Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Valentine’s Day is here and we’ve been there, done that–and may not have had a particularly good time at it, either. So how about settling on a sure thing: a delicious take-out dinner (including a nice dessert, of course) from your favorite restaurant and renting a good DVD or two. It doesn’t matter if you’re in love or out. Here are some selections to please every movie palate.
For every woman who has complained that all the best men are married, gay or dead, we did a little legwork and came up with a few guys who aren’t. Granted, a couple of our accomplished hotties have girlfriends, but isn’t it nice to know guys like this exist? We’re presenting just a portion of what’s out there; it’s up to you to find your own bachelor. How hard can it be? After all, there are 1.3 million single men in Chicago, and they may just be looking for you.
Is no relationship better than a bad one? Yup. The problem is, most of us don’t know we’re in a bad one until we’ve managed to break free.
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.”
Don’t call the man. Don’t accept a weekend date after Wednesday. Don’t ask him out on a date. We all know about those tired old Rules spelled out in that book a few years ago. But it’s 2003 and we’re wondering what today’s singles consider to be the rules for dating in the 21st century. The participants in our non-scientific survey have a few things in common. They’re all single, active daters who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. Most are afraid to have their real names printed in a newspaper though, so we compiled their collective Top 5 rules for dating and asked a handful of brave and savvy singles to share their thoughts.
Long before “La Cage Aux Folles,” “Tootsie” and the much-maligned “Bosom Buddies,” Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were making like women in “Some Like It Hot.” Curtis returns to the gender-bending format in the musical version of “Some Like It Hot,” which opened Tuesday night at the Rosemont Theatre. This time around, instead of playing one of the randy young men posing as a woman, he portrays a randy old man who falls in love with one of the women who really is a man.
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.
If you’re lucky enough to have tickets for the Rolling Stones concerts Tuesday and Wednesday at the United Center, chances are you’re going to be too busy gawking at Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to notice the fella walking around the arena with his handheld computer.
If you want to get philosophical about “National Security,” you could ask yourself this: Would you be able to forgive and perhaps even befriend the man who wrongly accused you of a crime that got you sent to prison? No? How about if that man was Martin Lawrence? ‘Cause that’s what this action-comedy buddy pic is asking of the viewer.
There are a few stereotypes which neither sex seems to mind perpetuating. Men are deathly afraid of marriage. A bachelor party isn’t complete without strippers. It’s better to take chances than settle for a middle-class life. Each of these elements plays a component in the plot developments (such as they are) of the comedy “A Guy Thing,” but none of them are fleshed out in a manner that’s even vaguely interesting, much less plausible.
You know Jeremy Piven. Or at least you think you do. Chances are you attended Evanston Township High School with him, or were in acting classes with him at his parents’ Piven Theatre Workshop, or knew someone who knew someone who did.
Before she helped Mary Tyler Moore turn the world on with her smile, Valerie Harper was a pretty New York dancer trying her hand at comedy at Chicago’s Second City. “Making a crowd laugh is one of the most difficult things to do, but it’s also one of the most enjoyable,” says Harper. “I learned early on that you can only force a laugh so much. You have to really mean it.”
Everyone has a favorite shoe designer, be it lowbrow (Keds) or haute couture (Jimmy Choo). Though Sarah Jessica Parker steps into Choo and Manolo Blahnik shoes on “Sex and the City,” the diminutive actress has been known to scour Soho boutiques for a great pair of Robert Clergerie boots. And Chicago-based actress Shane Williams has a love affair with Ferragamo.
In the 1950s, sophisticated fashionistas traded in their chunky 1940s shoes for sexy Italian stilettos. But for the bobby-socks set, penny loafers were still the rage.
There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that encapsulates why women enjoy getting pedicures so much. Kevin Costner is cradling Susan Sarandon’s foot in his hand while he carefully paints her toenails red. The scene is sensual, but also surprisingly relaxing and comforting.
Robby Takac isn’t the type of guy to be late for an interview. But on this day, his road manager calls to say he’ll be delayed. It’s not that he’s sleeping off a hangover or is out wandering somewhere and can’t be found. Rather, he’s out shopping. For luggage.
The first film ever released on DVD was the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” When it came out in the mid-1990s, it was an anomaly. Gadget geeks were attracted to the shiny new format that promised to replace bulky videocassettes, but the public wasn’t so sure. They remembered the fate of laser discs, Beta tapes and 8-track cartridges.
It’s not just toys, books, CD box sets and collector’s edition DVDs this holiday season; video games are also a good bet to show up under Christmas trees. While the sluggish economy has dampened many retailers’ spirits, the video game industry is actually celebrating. U.S. sales of game consoles, software and accessories increased by 25 percent from last year and will exceed the $6 billion mark before the year is out.