I had the honor last week of being interviewed by Detroit Public Radio for the 25th anniversary of the word “carjacking,” which we coined at the Detroit News in 1991. The request stunned me. As did news that Wayne State University even had this copy in a file somewhere (and that WDET found it). Thank …
You are not your age, Nor the size of clothes you wear, You are not a weight, Or the colour of your hair. You are not your name, Or the dimples in your cheeks, You are all the books you read, And all the words you speak, You are your croaky morning voice, And …
Pity poor James McGill. He’s got a brilliant, condescending older brother who undermines his career dreams. He’s got such a penchant for scoundrels he becomes known as ‘Slippin’ Jimmy’ in the neighborhood for his staged injuries. He has the Albuquerque branch of the Mexican drug cartel miffed. And now he has to carry on the legacy of …
As grim as the news has been of late, give this to Fortuna: At least she has a dark wit. Why, were it not for the gallows humor that is the GOP, The Daily Show would have perished already. Please, Comedy Central, consider a host (like Larry Whitmore) who has the snarky cynicism of a political insider, not …
Every year, international corporations vie mightily for the semi-regular HB Commercial of the Month Award (celebrating its first anniversary…some day). Particularly on Super Bowl Sunday. But before we announce the HBCMA winner (sorry for the nerve-wracking tension), a note on the Super Bowl itself. It sorta sucked a little. But still interesting, because the …
You know you’re in trouble when Hollywood starts talking about you. Just look at Steve Jobs. His death gave birth to six biopics in two years (it will be interesting if history renders a verdict of Jobs as a Henry Ford or P.T. Barnum). Similarly, NFL Commission Roger Goodell, Tinseltown has you in their sites. Hollywood has done …
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAFAEL! To my dear dear nephew, You are delightfully too young to realize it, but one day you will be delightfully old enough to remember the Olden Days. One day, when you are ancient like me, a boy who is new like you will ask when you were born. And you’ll say “2010.” And his …
I really should learn Spanish. About all I know is hola, adios and Lo siento por los perros (Sorry about the dogs.). I could have used a Spanish lesson today, at Ralph‘s. Mom has taught me to appreciate the affordable things in life, and I’ve found a wine so cheap I’d hesitate to call it low brow, …
I can’t decide whether I’m thrilled or mortified by the Sean Penn interview with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman for Rolling Stone. On the one hand, the piece is testimony to the power of the press, like Edward Snowden’s revelatory interviews with The Guardian, the New York Times and the Washington Post. Good journalism challenges the powers that be, whether it’s …
Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Wierd and Gilly, And The Spiders from Mars. He played it left hand, but made it too far, Became the special man, Then we were Ziggy’s Band. Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes and screwed down hairdo Like some cat from Japan, he could lick ’em by smiling He …
The Hollywood Bowles 