The Latest in NFL News: One Icon Falls While Another is Resurrected
Michael Vick was the talk of the NFL last weekend, as his return to the Atlanta Falcons–a game that should have been triumphant for this great athlete and scandalous sports icon–proved to be disappointing. In fact, Vick was almost embarrassed after suffering a concussion during the game’s third quarter. Vick required medical attention and was actually seen spitting blood, though reporters later stated that the blood was from accidentally biting down on his tongue.
The good news is that Vick did not require major medical attention and was cleared for travel with the team. However, he will require further testing before being allowed to play. Despite Vick’s humbling, the Falcons still pulled off a victory against the Eagles, 35-31. In fact, Atlanta fans called the game a great moment that the Falcons deserved after a troubling couple of seasons with Vick. It was also good news for quarterback Matt Ryan who shined tremendously with Vick out of the picture.
Even while Vick’s reputation seemed shaky over the weekend, the New York Jets’ rap was resurrected to greatness. The New York Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, just one week after defeating the monstrously defensive Dallas Cowboys. In fact, the New York Jets demolished the Jaguars 32-3, proving that last week was (probably) not a fluke. Okay, okay. We’re still waiting for a couple of games before we proclaim New York the team to beat this year. Will New York ride its sentimental and patriotic momentum to glory like the New Orleans Saints did in 2009?
The team is far from perfect this season, as they did actually struggle in the first quarter, suffering interceptions and desperately going for field goals. However, New York’s conservative approach to scoring is paying off. Of course, New York haters are still suggesting that clobbering Jacksonville isn’t much to boast about–considering that the team lost David Garrard.
The real test for New York will be in the next three games. First it’s the Oakland Raiders, then the Baltimore Ravens, and then the championship magnet New England Patriots. It’s time to stop bragging about last minute wins and handicap matches (er, sorry Jacksonville) and start thinking Super Bowl caliber plays!
What do you think? Is New York’s momentum building strong?
Paris Hilton to Release House Album
Paris Hilton has decided to go from plastic cred to street cred, as she’s been busy getting ready to record her next album — which is going to be one of house music. While her debut album, which was a pop record and released in 2006, failed on the charts, Paris is hoping to hone in on a genre of music that’s being ignored, and then conquer it. That genre is house and according to Paris, she plans on becoming the “Queen of House Music.”
In order to get ready for taking on her new crown, Paris has been traveling the world. And while that’s not entirely unusual for the socialite, this time she’s been following big DJ names such as Afrojack and DeadMau5, hoping to gain some knowledge and experience working with the music. Last month, Paris tweeted that she was in France, working around the clock on “the sickest song with one of the most amazing producers.”
Paris has said that she hopes the album will be out by the end of the year but other than that, the details are few and far between. David Guetta was reported to be producing the album but Guetta’s record label has denied any such plans.
So why house music? Paris thinks it’s an area that hasn’t seen a lot of female talent. She wants to not only fill that void, but “become the most powerful female house music DJ of all time.” Hopefully her house album does better than her first, which became most well-known for having the artwork tampered with so that Paris appeared topless on the cover.
No Lokomotiv Team will Play in KHL this Year
After a private jet carrying the entire Lokomotivs team (equivalent to an NHL team in Russia) crashed in western Russia last week, the Kontinental Hockey League was unsure of what to do with the team’s season. There was discussion of holding a draft to recruit one or two members from every other KHL team to play the remainder of the year; but that didn’t seem necessary as many players volunteered to play for the team. Now, all options have been put on hold as the KHL has decided that the Lokomotivs will not play in the KHL this year.
The President of the KHL was the one to announce that the Lokomotivs would not be playing this year, but did confirm that the team would be back to play in the 2012 — 2013 season. The team’s main sponsor, Russian Railroads, made a statement shortly following the announcement, saying that team is not just “players and hockey sticks, but also spirit. And that spirit will take some time to rebuild.”
It was an extremely hard weekend for friends and loved ones of the team. A memorial service was held this past Saturday at the Arena-2000, the home arena of the Lokomotivs. Over 100,000 people attended, forcing the service to be extended for a few hours.
Sadly, the only player who survived the plane crash, Alexander Galimov, died on Monday in the hospital after being in “grave condition” since Wednesday’s crash. Galimov was being treated for burns at the Vishnevsky Surgery Institute as he had burns covering 80% of his body.
The incident is one of many that has Russian government officials looking into making complete overhauls to both their air and water transportation systems.
Eminem will Tour Australia in December!
Eminem hasn’t been on a solo tour since his Anger Management 3 tour, which he ended up leaving in order to go to rehab. He’s been back for a couple of years and has already surpassed his prior success, but ever since coming back he’s always insisted that he’s an “event artist,” and that he’s not likely to tour again anytime soon. But Eminem is nothing if not fair, and he does want to give a little something back to the fans who supported him during the roughest patch of his career. And so, that’s why he’s officially announced that he will be touring Australia later this year!
Maybe “tour” is a touch strong. Eminem will be performing two shows while in Aussie — one in Melbourne and one in Sydney. The Sydney date is December 2 and Lil Wayne will be onstage as well for that show, also one of the first time many fans will have seen him since being released from prison.
Paul Dainty, the tour promoter, says that there will only be two shows as the managers are trying to accommodate Em’s style of not wanting to go on multi-leg tours. And, Australia is also excited at the prospect of having the mega-rapper in their city, even though he’s had problems in the country before. It was in 2001 that Eminem was nearly deported due to his mischievous ways and misbehavior. But, Dainty says, they’re “in a different place with Eminem than we were ten years ago.”
Eminem’s certainly been a busy boy with Lollapalooza, multiple stops in Europe this summer, playing events in Montreal, and now heading to Australia. No one knows where Eminem will head to next and, we have a feeling that’s just the way he likes it.
Shaquille O’Neal Hits One Over the Green Monster
While some basketball players might be looking for a way to kill time while the lockout’s on, others are just enjoying their retirement. That’s exactly what Shaquille O’Neal is doing and while he’s still keeping his passion for sports close to heart, this time it’s a different kind of ball that Shaq tried his hand at. It’s baseball, and Shaq tested his skills at one of the most famous baseball parks in the world — Fenway.
Just when the game was played is unclear; but details were released during a radio interview with Kevin Garnett, in which Garnett stated that he played baseball with Shaq at Fenway Park alongside Rajon Rondo, Garnett’s teammate on the Boston Celtics. All three of the superstars did very well during the game, but Shaq emerged as victor. As Garnett recalled the story, he told of how Shaq hit a ball over the Green Monster — a feat that many in the MLB haven’t been able to accomplish!
No doubt that the story will help boost Shaq’s rep as an all-star, all-around athlete. Basketball aside, that reputation took a bit of a hit after he aired his reality show, Shaq Vs. The show was a challenge for Shaq, where he tried to beat athletic greats at their own game. Unfortunately, the show portrayed that the giant was just really quite awkward and clumsy on any other playing field than a basketball court. Now though, if this story from Kevin Garnett proves to be more than just fiction, Shaq may have conquered another sport too. If nothing else, it’s a great story to begin his retirement!
Will Chris Johnson be playing by the Weekend?
The stalemate between running back Chris Johnson and his team, the Tennessee Titans, has been going on for some time; and we’ve all watched as Johnson demanded more and the Titans refused to give it to him. Even a meeting last week did little to speed things along and get anything down in ink. But now, hope may be on the horizon and some say, Johnson could be back playing for the Titans as early as this weekend.
The weekend may actually be a bit early. The Titans’ NFL season opener is still eleven days away after all, and most experts and analysts agree that it will at least take a few games into the regular season to sort it out. But talk has begun with a meeting held between Johnson, his agent Joel Segal, and Titans execs being held yesterday. The Titans now have a firm offer of what they’re willing to give Johnson, but the problem seems to be on Johnson’s end. He needs to realize that he’s a running back and that as far as that position goes, the offer on the table is the best any RB has ever been offered.
The Titans have said that they’ll make Johnson the highest-paid RB in the league, and that they’re willing to give him $10 to $11 million with $1.065 million being offered this year. The remainder would then be paid out next year after which, he’d be free to leave the team and play for anyone he cares for. Of course the question remains whether or not, with the short career span of football players, Johnson will still be playing, or still worth that money, at that time.
So nothing is firmed up just yet and yes, hoping to see Johnston playing for the Titans this weekend is probably a bit optimistic. Still, talks do seem to be bringing things closer and it looks as though it might just be a matter of weeks before we see the Titans’ best player return to the field.
Hurricane Irene Thwarts Concert Plans for Big Stars
Millions of people along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States boarded up their homes and businesses, laid sandbags, and in many cases even evacuated, in preparation for Hurricane Irene this past weekend. Those preparations also hit the music industry pretty hard, as many shows by many big names were either postponed or cancelled altogether due to the storm.
The Dave Matthews Band was one of the first to change their plans to try and prepare for Irene. They were scheduled for a weekend-long Caravan on Governor’s Island in New York. They did take the stage on Friday and invited all ticketholders for the weekend to attend. For those who couldn’t however, they are going to postpone Saturday’s and Sunday’s performance for a later date.
Kenny Chesney was also one of the big names scheduled to perform this weekend; he was going to be at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on Sunday. That show did not go on but Chesney did not disappoint fans, as he moved the show up to the Friday evening before.
News was not so good though, for those that were planning on attending the STYX performance at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts on Sunday. The band’s management tweeted that the safety of their fans is always their first concern and due to that, the show would not go on. The show has just been cancelled with no plans for rescheduling the date.
Another cancellation of shows included musical icon Pat Benatar, who was scheduled to appear on both Saturday and Sunday in Williamsburg, Virginia. Those shows did not go on and no postponement date will be set.
Hurricane Irene also caused many other festivals to be cancelled including: Out in the Streets and Afro-punk, two festivals held in Brooklyn; Rib Rock Festival in New York and New Jersey; the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in New York City; and the Siloppana Music Festival in Maryland.
Jeff Dunham: A Dummy Savant and a Deadly Funny Comedian
In the year 1990, ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham made his debut on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and even received Carson’s own “couch invitation” approval. It was a moment of destiny, and the promise of great things to come. However, this comedy quickly became a tragedy and Dunham toiled in obscurity for 12 years.
It wasn’t until 2003 that Dunham finally received his “second big break” on Comedy Central Presents. Even after that great night, in which Dunham previewed early dummy prototypes like José Jalapeño on a Stick, Walter (a predecessor of Melvin the Superhero Guy) and Peanut, Comedy Central still put him on hiatus. It wasn’t until 2006, (after the success of the Blue Collar Comics concert movie) that the network truly stood behind Dunham and allowed him to make his name known. In 2006, Dunham was long overdue for his big break (his third, in fact) and knocked this one out of the ballpark. Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself drew two million viewers, and his follow-ups quickly made Dunham a viral sensation (The “Silence, I Kill You!” terrorist bit is now a common catchphrase) and even set a new record for Comedy Central ratings.
Dunham is now the third highest paid standup in the country, just behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock. That’s quite an achievement for a man that doesn’t have a family sitcom and has yet to headline a movie. However, Dunham’s unique act ensures his popularity. It’s nothing to new to this edgy comedian (who hides his caustic wit behind the facades of dummies) who has actually been doing his act since his teenage years. He used to perform in school, church and at Six Flags. He graduated to banquets, TV commercials, comedy clubs, and eventually private shows for VIPs.
Most recently, he has appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents, The Tonight Show and is being called “America’s favorite comedian” by sources such as Slate.com, not to mention polls taken around the country. What makes Dunham such a joy to behold? It’s not only the fact that he is a skilled ventriloquist, but also that he infuses his characters with such ribald personalities and politically incorrect viewpoints.
You may know Dunham from his “I Kill You!” bit…but the numbers show this talented comic just plain kills when it comes to comedy tours. Come see him in person – get your Jeff Dunham tickets today!
Jerry Seinfeld – Out of Prison and Live in Your Home City!
Jerry Seinfeld is out of prison! Well, he was never actually in prison…that was just the last image we saw of Seinfeld and friends on his popular, eponymous show. However, the real life Seinfeld (upon which the lead character was loosely based) has remained very active as a law-abiding citizen since his TV retirement. He has been busy kayaking, raising babies, and doing cameo appearances on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm. However, what he really enjoys most is standup comedy.
Most recently, he created a personal archives website at JerrySeinfeld.com that allows fans to view some of his standup material as well as his most recent talk show appearances. Still, seeing Seinfeld on TV or DVD, (or worse yet, on Hulu.com, which charges you a membership fee to watch a Seinfeld episode and watch commercials…what’s the deal with that?) is no comparison to watching Seinfeld in person. Why, you can even hear Jerry talk about nothing in particular in your own home city! Seinfeld tours all across the U.S. highlighting his new material, which is laugh-out-loud funny, odd and predictably oddball, weird and, well, unpredictable.
What will Jerry say? You can expect the very best, as Jerry is no “phony” despite what Kramer’s friend Mike thinks. Some of Seinfeld’s newest comedy bits include Humans Are Designed to Wait, Walker with Brakes, What is a Paper Weight For? and of course, Jay Leno’s clothes. Seinfeld’s comedy routines are one part observational humor, one part satire and one part dark comedy. He isn’t afraid to tackle controversial subject matter, ala George Carlin, but always adds a touch absurdity, in the spirit of Abbott and Costello. His comedy routines are still in the spirit of his sitcom; easy to understand, identifiable, and yet multilayered enough to be funny.
If you’re going through Seinfeld withdrawals, don’t resort to watching those awful NBC sitcoms of today. A cameo appearance by this 1990s icon just doesn’t compare to hearing Seinfeld kvetch for two hours straight! Reminisce with the master of new age comedy, Jerry Seinfeld, this time live and in your own home city!
Meet Your Favorite Furry Friend in Person at Bugs Bunny on Broadway
Bugs Bunny has been a staple of family entertainment ever since his first appearance on April 30, 1938 in “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” This classic “stinker” was created by Ben Hardaway, and officially adopted by Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. Mel Blanc voiced Bugs Bunny for most of the 20th century. However, this Oscar-winning bunny is not an old relic yet. He is still active in commercials, short features, full features and even live and on stage!
Bugs Bunny on Broadway (now touring over 20 years) was created and conducted by George Daugherty. This symphony is not just the usual puppet show, but actually celebrates animation, as Bugs Bunny and company are projected on a giant screen. Here’s the catch: a symphony orchestra plays the original cartoon’s classical music live! Who can deny that one of Looney Tunes’ most distinctive features was its classical score soundtrack? George Daugherty produces the show, which has been running since 1990, originally at the Gershwin Theatre.
The music of the classic cartoons, as Carl Stalling wrote them, are still intact and are performed by a full symphony orchestra. In case you’re keeping track of which of the best tunes will be performed, rest assured the classics (i.e. “What’s Opera, Doc?”, “The Rabbit of Seville” and “Long-Haired Hare”) will be honored with an encore. This is the type of show that is nostalgic for long-time fans and yet captivating for new audiences.
Let’s face it–animation today has really gone downhill in terms of quality drawing and quality soundtracks. Bugs Bunny On Broadway celebrates not only the golden days of animation but also the spirit of live classical music. This concert has been selling out around the word for the last 20 years and has graced the stage of some of the top facilities in the world, including The Hollywood Bowl, the Kremlin Palace and the London’s Royal Festival Hall. The event actually gives a variety of symphony orchestras the chance to perform these innovative and complex numbers–each one indeed, telling a whimsical story with notes.
Be sure to catch the concert on tour. There are also new additions to the concert in the way of more classic characters: Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and even Tom and Jerry! Don’t miss your chance to catch it live!
