He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
Hello everyone!! I had a nice weekend though I really didn’t do a lot. I spent all day Sunday out by the pool relaxing and reading some books. I was listening to the radio and heard the new song by Katy Perry called "I Kissed A Girl". While very danceable, I was wondering if Katy had heard a wonderful song of the same title by artist Jill Sobule (I song which gets a lot of airplay on my show – Mon & Thurs 8-10AM on www.wxou.org). Going to Katy’s website, the layout of her site reminds me of Jill’s video for "I Kissed A Girl" which is a lot funnier and actually seems to tell a story, unlike Katy’s which seems to be mainly glamour shots of her. Her lyrics go along such as "I kissed a girl and I liked it The taste of her cherry chap stick I kissed a girl just to try it I hope my boyfriend don't mind it" – Katy Perry , Dr Luke, Max Martin, Cathy Dennis This is kind of cutesy but somewhat bland when compared to Jill’s version which actually has an emotional context (maybe we can blame Cathy for that): "I kissed a girl, her lips were sweet She was just like kissing me I kissed a girl, won't change the world But I'm so glad I kissed a girl" - Jill Sobule, Robin Eaton If you haven’t heard Jill’s version (which came out in 1995), please go to youtube or somewhere and watch it. You’ll be glad you did. I had a good time at the Crofoot Barbecue last Friday with some good performances by Manna & Quail, the Codgers, Vicious Cycles and Silent Violet, among others. The food was good, esp those little mini quiche (a baked dish primarily made of eggs & milk or cream in a pastry crust, sometimes with meat, cheese and vegetables added). About 403 other people stopped by and shared the event which also featured art work by Derek William Ecker among others. I want to thank the guys and gals at the Crofoot for making it such a fun experience. WXOU 88.3 was there also giving out free stuff and make sure to look for them (i.e. – ME) at the Concert Of Colors next week on Saturday and Sunday). Performances by Don Was, Michelle Shocked and Toots & the Maytals are only some of the acts that will be there. I will also be guesting on Ryan D’Silva’s show this Thursday 17th on WXOU.org at noon as we interview "Weird Al" Yankovic before his performance at Meadowbrook this Friday. Also, that morning I will have an interview with Rainn Wilson who is in town promoting his new movie "The Rocker". You know Rainn from his tenure on the hit series ‘The Office’. For those looking for something different this summer, you might want to take in the theatre. I recommend the latest production at the Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale (www.whowantscaketheatre.com) simply entitled "The Facts Of Life: The Lost Episode". Now those familiar with the Ringwald will know they tend to be somewhere off the mainstream. You won’t see big spectacles like "The Lion King" or notable shows like "12 Angry Men" but you probably see something wicked! This alternative theatre frequently has men playing female roles and this production is no exception as all four girls and Mrs Garrett are portrayed by men. Starting off, Joe Bailey is a total goofball on stage and he is wonderful as Mrs Garrett, getting her vocal inflections down enough to be funny and not annoying and is probably the highlight of the show. I also like Jamie Richard’s dykish portrayal of Jo. The lost episode is titled "The Best Little Whorehouse in Peekskill" where budget cuts are threatening to force Mrs. Garrett to leave Eastland and Blair, Tootie, Natalie and Jo are willing to do anything to raise enough money for her to stay. This starts to resemble "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical" as the girls sell their bodies to make the astronomical amount of money needed to preserve their way of life. While not for everyone, the more adventurous will find this little production worth it. For those not familiar with the show, The Facts Of life ran from 1979 to 1988, and it seems the play takes place around the later years as Mrs Garrett still has her Edna’s Edibles shop (so I figure around the 86 season) and they even mention Molly Ringwald’s brief tenure in season 1. The show was a Different Strokes spin-off and tackled many touchy topics such as suicide, book banning, attempted rape, alcoholism, drug abuse, breast cancer, abortion and had a few episodes with a cerebral palsy-afflicted character. The show runs Sat-Mon until Aug 11th. I also saw a preview for the movie "Meet Dave", the newest Eddie Murphy vehicle where a crew of miniature aliens operates a spaceship that has a human form. They have come to Earth after a device to steal the salt from our oceans goes awry. While showing contempt for our species, they meet up with Gina (Elizabeth Banks), who kind of falls for the spaceship Dave and her son Josh who sees Dave as a father figure. The comedy seems a little forced at times as the aliens discover what it is like to be human and it seems every funny joke is immediately followed by an awkward joke which ruins the funny joke. ARGH!! Then we have the bumbling cops which don’t seem to have a lot to do except believe a reported meteor is proof of aliens on Earth?? Overall, most people leaving the theatre seemed to have liked the movie which makes me think the popcorn was drugged. The film wasn’t terrible, just hugely disappointing but kids will like it. I give the film a C-, though I would probably recommend "Galaxy Quest" as a sci-fi spoof or "Brother From Another Planet" as a social commentary. For better Murphy, I would rent Bowfinger, Beverly Hills Cop or 48 Hours. That seems to be all for now. I will see everyone at the Concert Of Colors hopefully and don’t forget some other good shows this week such as The Watson Twins @ the Pike Room on July 16th, John Cougar & Lucinda Williams @ DTE on July 18th, Van Warped Tour @ Comerica on July 18th, Japanese metal band Boris @ The Shelter on July 18th, Crosby Stills and Nash @ Meadowbrook on July 19th and !!! @ The Pike Room on July 20th. Have a good week! For more, go to http://www.myspace.com/wildatheart_13