Articles for March 29th, 2011
Deal Would Have Willie Warbling in West Texas
Willie Nelson may be able to sing his way out of that well-publicized pot bust in Hudspeth County. According to reports, the Red-Headed Stranger could be allowed to pay just a small fine and sing the judge’s favorite song, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” there in the Sierra Blanca courthouse. Nice enough tune, but this one would have been better.
I Hope Bill Maher Doesn’t Kiss His Mother With That Mouth
I’m just now learning that when Bill Maher was in town Sunday at the Winspear, he dropped a C-bomb, the second-most dreaded ordnance in the English lexicon, surpassed in its explosive power only by the N-bomb. He was, of course, talking about Sarah Palin. Former Observer scribe Andrea Grimes didn’t think it was very funny. Me, I’m not offended. Just a bit shocked. But when I asked my officemates if they were aware that Maher had dropped the C-bomb, one of them (a lady) just looked at me with a bored face.
“He does that all the time,” she said. “It’s not really news.”
“Huh,” I said. “I guess I’m just a little surprised that he’s going around talking like that.”
She said, “For a racist, you sure are a prude.”
Inside the Nasher’s Balloon Room
A ray of light shines into the abyss.
On Friday, a few of us here at D were invited to take a swim through the Nasher’s new balloon room. Technically, it’s an installation by British artist Martin Creed. But really, the only thing you need to know is that there’s a room and it’s filled, floor to (almost) ceiling, with approximately 9,000 gold balloons. I couldn’t not try it.
After slithering in sideways to displace the least amount of balloons, I lasted about two minutes. The best way I can think to describe the whole bizarre experience is to ask you to imagine that you’re a caribou, plodding warily through some abnormally tall grass. You pause occasionally to eat some of the grass, but you’re on the alert for predators. And then all of a sudden the grass starts moving and there’s a tiger and you’re probably lunch meat. But it was kinda fun, until the rapid balloon movement whenever someone got close to me started to freak me out and I had an unfortunate encounter with a wall.
Harold Simmons’ Nuclear Waste Plan
Gets Mother Jones’ Attention
Mother Jones posts a story today about “Dallas’ most evil genius” (our words), Harold Simmons. Writer Josh Harkinson gives D Magazine a hat tip, but judging by his piece I think he owes freelance writer Laray Polk more, like a nice steak dinner, for all the heavy lifting.
Baylor Outdoes Anderson in Parking PR
It’s no secret that cancer treatment is big business, that MD Anderson in Houston is the field’s 800-pound gorilla in Texas, and that Baylor’s just-opened Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center is aimed partly at keeping patient bucks out of H-Town and right here in Dallas.
So it was interesting to see Baylor take a shot at Anderson right out of the chute, disclosing that Sammons had decided to offer free valet parking to disabled (including radiation oncology) patients instead of charging them $15, the standard valet fare. A story in the Morning News (sorry; it’s paywall-protected) said Baylor had modeled the $15 rate after the price at Anderson, but quickly switched gears “to do the right thing” … after a lymphoma patient complained to the paper.
K-104 Unveils New Morning Show With Worst Name Ever
I once profiled Hymen Childs, the very media-shy owner of K104. He’s a radio genius — or he was a radio genius. If you, like me, remember the days when Skip Murphy and Company ruled the morning airwaves, then you’ll scratch your head when I tell you what the name of the just-announced new morning show is. Ready. It’s The Crazy Azz Morning Show, hosted by Dede McGuire. I swear to you, when I saw that name, I checked to make sure it wasn’t April Fool’s Day yet. Full release after the jump.
Yet Another Lawsuit Filed Against Dez Bryant
In Leading Off this morning, I told you about lawsuit filed by jeweler who says Dez owes $246,000 for bling he bought. Now comes another suit from another jeweler (and ticket broker) that claims Dez owes them more than $600,000. Not only are we now talking about some serious cash, but a lot of these transactions took place while Dez was still a student at OSU.
Royce West! Quick! You gotta help this poor guy!
Things to Do in Dallas Tonight: March 29
As you might have heard, a deadly Egyptian cobra managed to pull a Houdini and slither away from the Bronx Zoo in New York yesterday. And if you smiling people take only one of my suggestions today, it should be following this snake on Twitter. And his bumbling, slightly less popular, would-be captor, Bronx Zookeeper. Of course, this is only hilarious until someone actually gets bit – oh, who am I kidding? It will probably still be hilarious.
Continuing with things that make me happy (which hopefully make you happy, too) is an Alliance Française screening of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Texas Theatre. This classic cinematic opera, directed by the late Jacques Demy, is the tragic tale of star-crossed lovers Geneviève, who works in her widowed mother’s umbrella shop, and Guy, an auto mechanic about to be sent overseas for a two-year tour of duty in Algeria.
If you don’t speak French, not worry, the film will have English subtitles. If you do speak the language and want some extra practice, be sure to get there early for a conversation. Happy hour drinks at Bolsa to loosen the tongue? Yes please. I also had the pleasure of stuffing myself with empanadas from La Carreta Argentina just last week, and I assure you that you won’t be sorry. Try the spicy chicken and the spinach, plus crazy good shoestring garlic-parsley fries.
For more things to do with your Tuesday evening, go here.
Local Journalist Explains Magazine Item on TV
The cover story of our April issue is “52 Things Every Dallasite Must Do.” Item No. 50 is titled “Hire a Day Laborer.” A few bloggers around the country have worked hard to gin up controversy over the item, with some success, evidenced by a call I got yesterday from Fox Channel 4 to offer our side of the story. For the 5 0′clock broadcast, Richard Ray did some man-on-the-street interviews, and reported: “No one FOX 4 interviewed in downtown Dallas on Monday could work up any anger over the article. ‘I don’t think they should be criticized. People gotta work. People gotta eat. They’re here. They’re looking for work,’ one person said.”
I went to the studio for the 9 o’clock broadcast. Steve Eagar made with the questions. I explained where we were coming from. I’ll leave it to you to decide whether there’s anything here to be outraged about.
Dr. Jeffrey Thompson Really Hates Smoking
Thanks to a FrontBurnervian for this tip. The good doctor faces a felony charge for trying to run down a guy who was smoking near his car. To be fair, in the altercation that preceded the car thing he was splashed with soda, which he probably also doesn’t like. The doctor is a specialist in hypertension. Is it catching?
Leading Off (3/29/11)
Dez Bryant Sued for Not Paying Bling Bill. First he had trouble keeping his pants up and his mouth shut at NorthPark. Now we learn that the jeweler Rafaello & Company claims that Bryant is in arrears to the tune of $246,000. Bryant’s lawyer, Texas state Sen. Royce West, says, “I think we’ll solve [the dispute] quickly.”
13-Year-Old Girl Cops to Capital Murder. Interesting how various outlets are reporting this one. A boyfriend and girlfriend from Garland. Both are 13 years old. Boyfriend and girlfriend. The boy shoots and kills the girl’s mother and stepfather. He gets 28 years; she gets 20. The Morning News says, “Dallas Morning News does not name those convicted of juvenile crimes.” The AP goes one step further to protect the murderers: “The Associated Press is not reporting their exact relationship [to the victims] in an attempt to protect the identities of the minors.” Do these teenagers really deserve to have their identities protected? Is the notion that any murderer who is so young must himself be a victim of his own actions? I don’t get it.
Shawn Marion Has Funny Finger. I want you to look at this picture of Shawn Marion’s hand. Ask yourself if you’d be coming in to work every day if your pinkie were that badly dislocated. [shudder] Dude’s tough. Like, hockey tough.
Medrano Family Member Indicted for Voter Fraud. Justice of the Peace Carlos Medrano won his job by a little more than 100 votes, unseating Luis Sepulveda. And now we know why. A grand jury has indicted a niece of Medrano’s, 21-year-old Raquel Medrano, for living in Mesquite yet registering in Dallas and voting here. Another of his nieces, Veronica Medrano, did the same thing. She says she was coerced by her uncle to do it. And the guy still has his job why?
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