Layoffs at Channel 11

Wow. This is huge. Uncle Barky reports that Channel 11 has laid off reporter Robert Riggs and producer John Sparks. Reporter Kaushal Patel is gone, too, but with all due respect, the Riggs and Sparks sackings are the big news. This does not bode well for 11.

Update: I got Tracy Rowlett on the phone as he was preparing for his 5 o’clock newscast — meaning he didn’t have much time to talk. In short: “It’s a sad day,” he says. “It’s a station-wide deal. Every time a door closes, you wonder who is next. I’ve watched this happen so many times in this business. But it’s the economy. It’s going to hell in a hand basket.”

Re: Noted Sexologist Ken Starr

See, this is one of the reasons I dig the Star-Telegram. The brass gave FrontBurner permission to put up the entire article I wrote for them back in 1998. Thanks, guys:

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Fashion At The Park Update

Fashion and fun at the tents continues. Go here for some pics from all the happenings. CH Carolina Herrera (which we hear is going to be quite a show) shows tonight at 7, followed by Intermix at 9, and Miss Sixty at 11. We’ll be attending a private dinner with Carolina Herrera Jr. this evening. More details to come.

Judge Strikes Stupid Strip Club Fee

A Texas district judge in Austin ruled that (and I may be paraphrasing here) State Sen. Royce West’s $5 fee for strip club patrons is a bunch of hooey. Patrons of the ecdysiastic arts, rejoice!

Noted Sexologist Ken Starr in Town Tonight

The author of the Starr Report will speak at the inaugural reception of the Dallas chapter of the Pepperdine Alumni Association. Makes me wistful for my brief run through the Star-Telegram and the greatness of Julie Heaberlin, who let an idiot on her staff write this story about footnotes. (If only someone at the Star-T would let me post the full text. Hint, hint.)

RE: AFI Dallas

It’s not nice of AFI to schedule gala events on nights when I’m teaching Moby-Dick — “‘The whale! The ship!’ cried the cringing oarsmen” — but what do you do?

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Glenn Hunter-Era DBJ Wins SABEW Award for Online Excellence

Remember the Dallas Press Club scandal? The Dallas Business Journal, then headed by Glenn Hunter (now editor of D CEO) were the diggers who uncovered the Elizabeth Albanese scandal. For their work they’ve been honored with the Society of American Business Editors and Writers award for online excellence for a breaking news story.

The story behind the story: Glenn was a member of the board of the Dallas Press Club and learned about the whole mess. He recused himself from the board and got to work with staff writers Dave Moore and Chad Eric Watt on busting the whole thing out. They had their story ready to go for the April 16 issue, but owning to internal conflicts it was to be held until the following week. The Press Club, doing its level best to cover the whole thing up, issued a brief statement on that Saturday morning, April 17, vaguely alluding to the problems that had come to light. But it was a half-hearted, fact-free admission. Glenn marshaled his writers who came in that same Saturday morning and, fighting both lawyers from the corporate headquarters and a ticking clock, they put together an outstanding story for online publication that unveiled the whole scandal.

So, kudos to the Dallas Business Journal’s Dave Moore and Eric Watt. To read their award-winning story click here.

Tony Romo Ain’t Hitched to Jessica Simpson

Several FrontBurnervians have asked me about this story, wherein Jessica Simpson’s mom apparently tells a reporter that her daughter is married to Romo. A friend of Romo’s tells FrontBurner that is definitely not the truth. So there you have it.

Philippe Starck Calls The House “Unnecessary”

Have you bought your place yet at The House? You know, the place designed by Philippe Starck? Well then: ha! Because Starck says he’s “ashamed” of the place. Ashamed of everything he’s done. It was all unnecessary. Design is dead. Thanks to the FBvian who points us to the story.

Re: Did Jim Bowles “Split His Britches” Or Not?

As I was typing that, an FBvian was sending me a link to this story in the DMN about the runoff. The dust-up at the meeting is covered. Kinda buried the lead, though, guys.

Did Jim Bowles “Split His Britches” Or Not?

The ladies of the Park Cities Republican Women’s club got more than they bargained for at their Tuesday afternoon meeting. According to some in attendance, Jim Bowles experienced a good old-fashioned 500 Internal Error.

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Oncor Hearts Great Blue Herons

Here is a picture of Hank, the heron who fishes regularly outside of my house. Hank is a lovely bird, and he builds his nest high up in the trees or on a conveniently placed telephone or power line, which can be a problem if they bust the connection. Apparently Great Blue Herons are a huge hassle for Dallas-based Oncor. They monitor over 100,000 miles of power lines many of which are lined with heron nests. Read the jump to find out what they plan to do about it. (more…)

JC Penney’s Upscale Strategy A Failure?

Sales are down. So is the stock.

FrontBurner Madness Update

In the contest for the $200 gift certificate to Texas de Brazil, heelSpurs has first place. My bracket, Eric Celeste Has No Shot, is tied for sixth. Eric’s bracket, Tim Rogers Has No Hair, is tied for 123rd. Again, IJS. Last place belongs to the biggest loosers. Still. Your leaders:

1. heelSpurs
2. Sweaty Stuff
3. John Galt
3. Old East Dallas
3. cookies 1635
6. Crackbabies 4
6. Feherty’s Training Wheels [best name on the leader board]
6. Eric Celeste Has No Shot
6. Remember the Alamo(dome)
6. T sizzle or fizzle

Bloggers’ Locker Room Access the Latest on the List of the Million Things On Which Mark Cuban and the NBA Don’t Agree

The NBA rejected Cubes’ locker-room blogger ban. The NBA then wagged a finger in his face and firmly instructed him “not to bring that weak stuff in here no more. This is my house!”

Leading Off: Nipple Rings

Let’s pass on the easy jokes for a second. Instead, let’s consider how emblematic this incident is of a national security apparatus run amok. Nipple rings that have to be removed with a pair of pliers are a threat to an airplane — really? It is laughable until one realizes that this sort of bureaucratic enforcement of the national security “rules” happens every day. Unless we get sensible about how a free society deals with the threat of terrorism (which, to my mind, means realizing the existence of a certain level of danger and learning to live with it), we are slowly acquiescing to our own destruction as a free society. A good step in the opposite direction would be to fire the Lubbock TSA supervisor. (Meanwhile, Mandi Hamlin, you are my new civil liberties heroine.)

Dogwoods, Azaleas, and a Song for Eric Celeste

If you’re an outdoorsy nature nut like Timmy, then pack up your car and head east to Davey Dogwood Park just north of Palestine. There you will find 200 acres of rolling hills, clear flowing spring-fed springs, forests and meadows, and picnic areas all surrounded by thousands of blooming dogwood trees and azalea bushes. I went last weekend but it was a bit early so this weekend should be superb. Below are some pics I took of the actual festival in town. You didn’t miss much unless you were looking for a chance to sign up for the Army or eat a turkey leg.

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AFI Dallas: A Majestic Night … For TAMALES! TWO FOR A NICKEL, FOUR FOR A DIME!

A great opening night for all at the Majestic Theater in downtown Dallas, as the AFI Dallas ‘08 film festival began — uh, oh, gosh, sorry …

(Sorry. Mickey Rooney is still talking. I’ll wait.)

[Powering on cellphone to check time]

[Adjusting cufflinks]

[Thinking about my 10:30 a.m. meeting]

[Raising eyebrows in conjunction with Mayor Leppert]

[Yes, I know tamales were cheap back in the day.]

[Bold move to chastise the audience there, Mick.]

(Okay, let’s just jump for some bullet highlights of the evening.)

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Friday Fun

Today’s Friday Fun is whimsical, colorful, addictive, pleasant to listen to, and fun to say. It’s called Cobacoli. Like billiards, you shoot a white circle into other colored circles, aiming for walls of that same color. Like bumper pool, there are obstacles in the advanced stages. Like better Friday Funs, it’s a great distraction. Enjoy.

Update: High score for me (so far) is 48, but stuck on Level 5.

Leading Off

1. The AFI Dallas festival kicked off last night, bringing to Dallas a first-rate celebration of all things cinema — and, thanks to Mickey Rooney, a new catchphrase (”TAMALES!”). Full report later.

2.  White Rock Lake hasn’t been tested for contaminants since 1994. And Tim swam across it in 2003.

3. A woman flying from Lubbock to Dallas was forced to remove her nipple rings before boarding. And, no, this isn’t the description for the Spice Wild movie of the week.