Articles for May 14th, 2010
FrontBurner After Dark: Conan O’Brien in Dallas at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium
I’ve decided to speak for all FrontBurner contributors when I say that we’re with Coco. As such, we completely agree that it would have been a travesty had Conan O’Brien allowed NBC to move The Tonight Show back a half-hour. He earned his 10:35 p.m. (Central) show, and we’ve decided to honor his courageous stand by keeping him in that slot here on the blog.
And that’s my official reason for why I’m posting DMagazine.com contributor Ryan Jones’ recap of O’Brien’s May 13 show at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium at 10:35 p.m. tonight. It’s what Conan would have wanted. Enjoy:
The last time most Conan O’Brien fans caught a glimpse of the once-and-future talk show host, he was dapperly dressed and clean-shaven, wrapping up his final episode of The Tonight Show on January 22. But O’Brien’s “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour,” which landed at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium Thursday night, opened with a recorded skit that showed a much different side of the red-headed comedian.
Decked in sweats, O’Brien lay amongst a mountain of pizza boxes and empty beer bottles in his living room. His trademark pompadour had become a tangled mess of orange hair, and his midsection had ballooned up about 40 pounds. The time off had taken its toll.
Let’s Call a Dallas Observer Sex Ad
So I noticed today that the Dallas Observer is 68 pages, 10 of which are sex ads. Henceforth on Fridays I’ll call one and post the audio. Today’s call was placed to New Fine Arts, whose ad proclaims the shop is “your masturbation headquarters” — even though they have three locations. Here’s how that shook out:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Harold Simmons Lieutenant: Andrews Opponents Out to “Shut Down” Nuclear Energy
Early last year, D CEO magazine told the story of businessman Harold Simmons’ years-long campaign to open a low-level radioactive-waste facility in Andrews, Texas. While the Dallas billionaire declined to speak with us for that article, he invited us into his offices at Lincoln Center Wednesday for the Q&A interview that follows on the jump.
Besides spending time defending the controversial project, Simmons–who turned 79 the following day—told us that his public companies have roared back from the recession, and that some now are setting all-time revenue records.
Simmons turned much of the talking Wednesday over to William Lindquist, CEO of Waste Control Specialists LLC, the Simmons company that’s trying to open and run the waste dump in far West Texas. (Both are pictured here, with Simmons at right.) As the Austin American-Statesman reported the other day, a commission run by Texas and Vermont could decide soon whether the WCS site can begin accepting radioactive waste—water filters from nuclear power plants and medical waste from laboratories and hospitals—generated in as many as 36 states.
Perry Campaign Just Got All Social Media Up in Here
So not only does Texans for Perry have a snazzy website and such, but they’ve created a relatively new Twitter account aimed at branding Democratic opponent Bill White as a Giant Liberal.
And then today, they got their Ozzy on, debuting this video set to the seminal Ozzy Osbourne song “Crazy Train” (True story: One time this guy called to ask me out, and got my answering machine and sang the chorus, in its entirety, as his invitation).
In contrast, you have Bill White on his Facebook account, interacting and talking to constituents, which seems rather milquetoast and quaint. He needs to return fire, with an even bigger head-of-a-bat-bitey-offy band. Anyone know any?
Katy Trail 5K Recap
Last night was perfect for a little run on Katy Trail, albeit a bit on the muggy side. Of course, I think only a few people were there for the 3.1 miles of running. (Logan Sherman, we are not friends. I can’t be a friend to anyone who runs a 15:15 5K.) The rest of us 4,470 people were there for the after party. The party included about 40 vendors who were giving away all sorts of free food and drinks. Ben E. Keith reported that it gave out 6,800 services of Michelob Ultra from 48 kegs. I think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all.
And for a random fun fact on this Friday: to sponsor a bench along Katy, it’ll cost you $10,000. It’ll cost you $125,000 to sponsor one of those little mile markers I so desperately search for when running.
Everyone in the 214: DUCK!
FYI, Delkus says for reals. Lots of rain.
Restaurateur Monica Greene is Returning to Dallas to Open a New Restaurant Called Distrito
She will open a new restaurant called Distrito. Deets are here.
Who Was Shooting What Uptown on Wednesday Night?
A Uptownian Frontburnervian writes to ask:
Anyone in the FB nation know what was being filmed last night (ed: Wednesday night) on Cole between Armstrong and Knox? Craft services and lighting trucks were blocking a ton of parking spots, and Taverna lost out on my business as a result (Fireside Pies was an excellent substitute). Looked like they had a coffee stand set up behind the building there, but I couldn’t get a good look. Didn’t see anything on FB, but maybe I missed it.
Monarch to MLB: If You Do It, We Will Sue
As FOF has already noted, Monarch Alternative Capital kinda laid out its cards and said what everyone pretty much assumed anyway – if the MLB declares the Rangers debts null and void, they’ll sue.
Thanks to the New York Times, we now have a look-see at the letter MAC wrote to the MLB, threatening, “It would be a bad result for the Texas Rangers, M.L.B. and the banks.”
At this point, I’m thinking the majority of Rangers’ fans just want a deal done. Sure most of them would prefer the Greenburg-Ryan deal, but seriously, this haggling is old. I know some fans that refuse to set foot in Rangers Ballpark until Hicks is no longer owner. I know some who are more of the wee-dollar-dogs-wait-is-that-a-very-tall-daquiri ilk, and could care less.
So, Frontburnervians, where do you fall in? Don’t care? Care a great deal? Hate Tom Hicks with the passion of a thousand white-hot suns?
Last Days to Vote on the Best Shops in Dallas
What a long strange trip it’s been, since last week when we opened the voting on the Best of Big D Readers’ Choice 2010: Shopping. There’s only a short time left, but you still have all weekend to mobilize your friends to support their favorites. The poll doesn’t turn back into a pumpkin until the stroke of midnight at the end of Sunday. You can vote once a day, every day in 26 categories.
There remain many extremely tight contests under way. The winners in categories such as best gift shop, comic book store, shop for affordable women’s clothing, and lingerie shop are likely to come down to the final hours. A mere handful of votes may prove decisive.
So go here to make your voice heard. And do it again tomorrow. And again Sunday.
And then come back for more on May 24 when we launch the poll for Best of Big D Readers’ Choice 2010: Services.
What To Do in Dallas This Weekend: Update
One more thing: The Andy Warhol exhibition at the Modern in Fort Worth is closing on Sunday. Go see it. A good time to head over there would be around 1 pm, when local artist Jeff Zilm will be leading the final “Sundays With Andy” tour. Zilm will take you through the exhibition and explain Warhol’s works from an artist’s point of view. This is free with admission.
What To Do in Dallas This Weekend: May 14–16
My phone is telling me it’s going to rain today. It’s usually right about 50% of the time. But judging by the looks of things on the 21st floor (dahhhling), I can’t really recommend the poolside activity I had planned to tell you about. (Which leads to some reshuffling, and some glancing around the internet for something else …oh!) . Here’s something: the Wildflower Music and Arts Festival, happening all weekend in Richardson. They say the music will go on, rain or shine. Okay.
So bring your poncho and watch Cowboy Mouth, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Casey James (eeek) from American Idol, all tonight. Tomorrow night’s lineup includes Vince Neil from Motley Crue and .38 Special.
Quick! If you’re in Grapevine right now and you like Idol and you want to see Casey James in person, they tell me he’ll be at the AT&T Store at Highway 121 at 10:30 am for a special appearance.
Federal Judge Gives Scott Clearman a Smack Down in Stream Energy Lawsuit
If you’ve got a good memory, you’ll remember the name Scott Clearman. He’s the Houston attorney who filed a lawsuit alleging that Stream Energy was a pyramid scheme. Stream Energy’s founder, Rob Snyder, called Clearman a clown. Then Clearman got up in my grill because I happen to be friends with Snyder. Well, yesterday Stream announced that a copycat suit filed by Clearman in Georgia was dismissed by a federal judge. While Snyder refrained this time from calling Clearman himself a clown, he did call the lawsuit itself “clownish” in his release, which you can read in full after the jump:
Home |
Masthead |
News from D |
About Us |
Contact Us |
Subscribe |
Advertise |
Privacy Policy |
Customer Service |
Awards | Archives | Reprints | d custom | Jobs | Advertiser's Index
Awards | Archives | Reprints | d custom | Jobs | Advertiser's Index