Just a note to remind you that while the Dallas International Film Festival run through Sunday, the closing night gala is tomorrow. Peter Simek has been doing a first-rate job over on FrontRow keeping up with it all (and I’m not just saying that because he gave me a back massage). If you haven’t caught a screening yet, there’s still time. Let Peter, with his strong, loving hands, be your guide.
With a few minutes to burn, some of the staff turns its attention to a computer monitor displaying just about every seven-letter English word known to man. Because when you’re addicted to Words With Friends, this is something you do.
ZAC: “There’s ‘bed rape.’”
TIM: “Where?”
ZAC: [points]
TIM: “Wow, ‘bed rape’ is a crazy word. Is that different than normal rape?”
RHONDA: [disgusted] “That’s ‘be drape.’”
[end scene]
Just like the last time, the premise is simple, and involves commuting and a certain TV show that gets some people really excited on Tuesday nights, especially now that it’s back. Plus it stars a guy from the area.
The scene: You’re stuck on the tollway, on that ramp that connects Bush to the Dallas North Tollway North. Traffic hasn’t moved. You have to pee.
The question: What song do you pick to sing at the top of your lungs to pass the time and take your mind off your predicament?
Deadspin, of course, didn’t sanitize the F-word in the headline to its post in response to Dale Hansen’s commentary last night.
I’ve been fishing exactly once. With some guy. I packed a picnic basket full of goodies, and learned how to get the fishing thingie in the water without hurling the pole in after it. But my fishing trip was ruined when said guy baited my hook (not a euphemism) and then proceeded to put his fishy bait hands all over the insides of my basket (again, not a euphemism).
Fish juices, all over my cupcakes (not a euphemism).
So I didn’t know you could cheat at fishing. But apparently you can, because Robby Rose of Garland just pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge, and has to give up his fishing license. He reportedly weighted his bass with a 1 pound weight in an attempt to win a $55,000 bass boat at the Bud Light Trail Boss Big Bass Tournament on Lake Ray Hubbard last October.
Tournament officials became suspicious when his fish didn’t float. Eventually, Rose had to massage the bass to retrieve the weight. Again, that’s not a euphemism. I hope.
1. Mark Cuban is planning a huge development — offices, homes, ball fields, an indoor sports facility — in east Oak Cliff. If it comes off, it’ll be a bold move in a part of town that needs it.
2. In today’s Wall Street Journal, our own Willard Spiegelman, who writes the “Good Professor” column for the “print product” each month, has a piece on the artwork at Cowboys Stadium. Willard took a tour of the joint recently and came away quite impressed.
3. Channel 8 last night did the drunk Jerry Jones story in its early broadcasts, which Dale Hansen thought was the wrong decision. So you know what he did? He went “unplugged” on the 10 o’clock newscast and absolutely blasted station management. This is one of the reasons I love the guy. No one else in town has stones that compare to Hansen’s. I sent him an e-mail after the newscast, asking whether station management knew what he was going to say. They did, though they said they’d rather he not do it (and kudos to them for allowing the video to be posted). Hansen also wrote about 30 minutes after they’d signed off: “About 40 emails so far from viewers. Every one saying they agree with me. But then why do TMZ, Inside Edition, Extra and all that other crap do so well??”
Update: Uncle Barky breaks down how the other local stations handled the story last night (or didn’t). Good analysis of Hansen, too.