JESSICA ON STAGE

You want pictures of Jessica Simpson at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia at the screening of Dukes of Hazzard? Okay. IDontLikeYouInThatWay has ‘em.

SO LONG CALVIN

Something’s come between you and your Calvin’s. Bad news for all you Calvin Klein loving fashionistas…the announcement was released last night that the freestanding boutique in Highland Park Village, that’s been there for over 20 years, will be closing its doors for good come December 2005. According to the Tom Murry (President and COO of Calvin Klein), “The customer profile has changed in Highland Park Village since the Dallas Calvin Klein Collection store opened.” Click below to read the full release and explanation.
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MAN GOES MISSING IN NEPAL

A link-sending FrontBurnervian sends along this story about Trevor Stokol, 25, who made an eight-month trek across Southeast Asia and India. Trevor, son of Plano optometrist Arnold Stokol, went missing in his last week of the trek, during a day trip away from the camp to take photos. The WFAA story includes this link to Trevor’s online journal, which is fascinating but creepy to read. His last entry deals with his excitement in leaving China and his plans to push his return flight back one more day.

D DOES GOOD

See? Last week’s Best of Big D party was for a good cause. This morning, D’s marketing team headed over to Scottish Rite, the beneficiaries of ticket sales and the silent auction, to present a mighty big check for a mighty large sum: $25,000. The people in that picture are (left to right): Kelly Christensen (VP of Public Relations of Scottish Rite), Stephanie Brigger (VP & Director of Development of Scottish Rite), Mary Poe (Marketing Director of D), J.C. Montgomery Jr. (President of Scottish Rite). (Photo taken by the lovely Ashlie McGill.) Giving feels good.

USA TODAY RATES BASEBALL BROADCAST TEAMS

And the voices of the Rangers, Eric Nadel and Victor Rojas, get good marks.

BEST OF BIG D ON GLENN MITCHELL

For those who missed Nancy, Adam, and me on Glenn Mitchell yesterday, you listen to an archive of the show here (scroll down to “Listen to This Hour,” and keep it on the DL, as the KERA brass isn’t aware of this new feature).

A PODCAST FOR LOCAL MUSIC SNOBS

Two local gadabouts have decided to use their powers for good, combining forces to create DConstruction. Who are they? Summer Break Records producer Robert Jenkins and part-time student, part-time worker bee, and full-time smarty Lindsay Graham. What is DConstruction? It’s a podcast devoted to independent music in and around Dallas. What’s a podcast? You ask too many questions. Check out DConstruction, and then do as I did, bookmark it so you can revisit it again and again.

(Full disclosure: I’ve known Robert off and on for more than 15 years; he and I went to high school together, though he’s a couple of years older. Also, I know Lindsay. He has been discribed as my doppelganger and I as his. Betcha didn’t think you’d see the word doppelganger today, did ya?)

OUT OF THE UNIT

Woops. An old classmate of Amy Acker’s says that she was cut from the cast of The Unit after the studio people saw the pilot several weeks back.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

One last thing. Jay says they start shooting in Dallas in spring 2006. Stay tuned for more details.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

Jay responds:

Just to clarify. Yes I did the story. At first I had serious reservations. But management here at CBS 11 found the topic fascinating. They wanted to know why there are so many 30K millionaires in this city and what makes them tick. I agreed to do the story under the condition that in NO WAY would I mention my film script. And if you watched… there was absolutely NO MENTION of my screen play. I was extremely adamant about that. I used facts from credit reporting agencies… banks… and other financial reports. I hope this clears up any confusion.

See, as I told Jay, I would have played it differently. I would have mentioned the screenplay, a) to acknowledge its existence, and b) to emphasize the cultural aspect of it. It’s a trend story, one that’s backed up by facts. But, as I also told Jay, I’m just a hack magazine editor. I wouldn’t know how to do a newscast if you paid me. But if you pay me enough, I’d give it a shot (wink).

WSJ TO GOD: “GO AHEAD AND RAZE DALLAS”

Hot damn, more good PR. The Wall Street Journal has a story today about the glut of office space in the area. You need a paid subscription to read it online, so I’ll just hum a few bars, beginning with the lead:

While many companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are hiring again and the area’s business-friendly environment and low cost of living continue to draw companies and new residents, the region’s office market remains the worst in the country and it isn’t clear that will change any time soon.

The story goes on to talk about how the Dallas central business district’s vacancy rate is almost 30 percent but how that isn’t stopping Hillwood from building Victory or the Billingsley Co. from building One Arts Plaza.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

I want to be careful about what I say here, since I once made out with Jay. But I’m confused. So, as I understand it, last night on the news he showed a trailer to his film? Huh.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

“Curious production elements, like typewriter-style title sequences”? That is curious indeed. I happen to have a copy of the script to 30,000 Dollar Millionaires that Jay was nice enough to let me read. It’s got some funny bits in it. But that typewriter thing rings a bell. Ah. There it is. Shot directions on page 3:

FREEZE SHOT

The name “BRIAN CLAXTON” prints across the screen with the sound of a typewriter underneath each letter. His name is followed by the words “STARBUCKS GENERAL MANAGER.” Then the word “SALARY” prints across, followed by the number $34,500.

The same thing on page 4 with “TOBIAS GREENLER,” “MIKE MIRIOSKY,” and “FRED OWEN.” And page 5, with “ELROY HUTZ.” All the same FREEZE SHOT with typewriter noises.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

Yup. It was Gormley. That’s, um, weird. And now that I think about the report, it did have some, ah, curious production elements, like typewriter-style title sequences between scenes and so forth.

UNIT GOSSIP

By coincidence or design, two actresses who grew up in Dallas — Amy Acker and Regina Taylor — are regulars in next year’s CBS series called The Unit. David Mamet is writing the script, at least for the pilot.

Regina Taylor will be back in town this fall to direct Crowns, her adaptation (lots of awards already) of Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, at the Dallas Theater Center.

RE: PROGRAMMING NOTE

Our gang of three is on Glenn Mitchell’s show right now. As Glenn was reading their official bios, Tim said that what everyone really wants to know about is Nancy’s unofficial biography. When Glenn said that would be “coming soon,” Nancy quipped, “That will be the title.”

According to Glenn, Adam blushed.

IKEA MAKE YOU CRAZY

A FrontBurnervian with better reporter skills than mine called about the new IKEA store in Frisco, which opens August 3, a week from today.

Just called the store to get information on the grand opening and to find when the line would be forming.

I was shocked to hear that they already have their first camper. And she has been there for two days.

For anyone else contemplating camping, they will have an awning and fans and a TV.

First 100 in line get a POANG armchair. And the girl who has been there for 2 days will win a $2500 IKEA gift card.

So there.

RE: $30,000 MILLIONAIRES

Was the reporter on that story Jay Gormley? I didn’t see it. I’m just guessing, because I know Jay is the co-author of a script for a movie called $30,000 Millionaires. The official site for the project is here.

JESSICA GETS REAL

Jessica Simpson wonders why her variety special with husband Nick didn’t include the harrowing footage they shot of the conditions in Iraq. “”It was unbelievable. They didn’t show a lot of what really went on with the enemy attacks and the shelling. There was so much stuff that went on and somehow the tapes got mysteriously misplaced,” she says here. [Thanks to a sympathetic FrontBurnervian for the link.]

THE FBI RAID THAT WASN’T

A DeSoto-living FrontBurnervian shares this bizarre twist in the City Hall scandal. The home of Darren Reagan, a subject of the FBI investigation, was invaded by three men who claimed to be working for the sheriff’s office. The real police are investigating. But our friendly FrontBurnervian is a tad suspicious:

This is a really good way to get rid of evidence before the real search warrant comes, don’tcha think?

RE: RAZE THE CITY

An FoF points out that God is a bad negotiator. In the case of Sodom, at least, He initially wanted 50 good men. He got talked down to 10. Let’s hope Dallas can find equally able representation.

TIME TO RAZE THE CITY AND START OVER

So I’m watching the news last night on Channel 11. You know, because we’re in bed with them and I’m not allowed to watch another station. And what’s the lead story? More apparent corruption downtown. Egads. Then came a story about “$30,000 Millionaires,” telling us how Dallas leads the nation in foreclosures and has the worst credit scores in the country. God wants to know: are there 10 good men in this town? Or is it time for him to raze it?

AL BIERNAT’S AT THE CENTER OF SCANDAL

Speaking of Robert Riggs, he and producer Todd Bensman ran a piece last night involving possible impropriety at the Dallas Fire Department. Where did one of the alleged ethics violations take place? Al’s, one of D’s favorite spots.

Riggs pointed out:

The celebratory dinner attended by the three officials took place at the posh Al Biernat’s in Oak Lawn where a Kobe/Angus filet mignon steak costs $69.

Which reminds me, I never ordered the Kobe/Angus filet mignon steak when Wick was paying. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

OBSERVER TAKES MONEY FROM WHORES

Hey, I’m not making the claim. Just repeating what they said. We’re a little tardy in pointing out this item, wherein they thank us–but not really–for naming Jim Schutze “Best Muckraker” in our Best of Big D issue. Maybe we can talk about this when we’re on The Glenn Mitchell Show at noon.

(Now we rejoin The Adam Show, already in progress.)

DOES DON HILL LIKE BAGELS?

Does it count as eavesdropping when you can’t hear what’s being said? A bagel-shopping FrontBurnervian shares this encounter:

Stopped off at Einstein’s Bagels in Preston Center this morning. As I was about to take a seat, the body language of the men at the table next to me indicated they needed a little privacy. I naively obliged and sat down a couple of tables away with my back facing their table. Shortly thereafter, they were apparently joined by another guy and the conversation level elevated to where I could hear them talking but didn’t pay attention to their conversation. Damnit!!! When I got up to leave, I re-filled my drink. The third guy was Don Hill. Then, as I was walking out the door, in walks Robert Riggs. Double Damnit!!! Oh how I wish it was a coincidence, but I really think it wasn’t.

Hmm. Hmmmmmmm.