OK, you saw Tonic Sol-fa Thursday night at the Orpheum Theatre and now you want to watch their special on Public Television. In Iowa, look for it at 5 p.m. Dec. 17, 9 p.m. Dec. 20 and 11 a.m. Dec. 25.
Just know, this isn’t THIS YEAR’S Christmas special. But it is pretty darn good.
When you’re out shopping for Christmas presents, you tend to notice things, right? After hitting every store at every mall in a 200-mile radius, I came to realize those “teen” clothing store clerks are a lot like high school kids.
The sales people at Abercrombie and Fitch, for example, are too cool for the room. They’re like the football captain and the prom queen. If they acknowledge you, you should feel honored.
Get the picture?
Then we go to the Buckle and American Eagle. Their clerks are like student council members. Eager to please and overfriendly — like they’re looking for votes or someone to serve on a committee.
We move to The Gap, where the kids are like art or music students. A bit aloof but able to put together a good outfit. They’re the artsy ones of the bunch.
At Hollister, dude, we find the surfers, the stoners, the skippers.
Then, we wind up at Old Navy, where you find the kids who may get involved in school activities, but they’d rather have a job and the money that comes with it. Can you help me? Just get in line.
Obviously, there’s a pecking order. But to get their attention, you’ve just got to know who you’re dealing with.
When you watch the parade Thursday morning, just know those folks outside are suffering.
I went to the parade several years ago, convinced it was THE thing to do. Instead, I spent four hours wondering why there weren’t porta-potties in New York.
To get a good spot, you’ve got to be in place by 6 a.m. The parade doesn’t start until 9, so you can imagine what standing in the cold air can do to your bladder. Then, too, there are folks selling hot chocolate on the street. That seems just right on a cold, windy morning. But remember: THERE ARE NO BATHROOMS OUTSIDE IN NEW YORK. Somehow I had managed a spot (not a seat, a spot) on a viewing platform in front of Macys. After battling with a cop (he said I didn’t have the right to go there, I pulled a Macys exec over to confirm my six by six inch square), I decided to stand pat…and I didn’t want to look for a bathroom in a nearby hotel. So, for seven hours, I put my bladder through agony while watching soap opera stars lip-sync Christmas carols. The balloons were pretty impressive but they lose their impact when you’re trying to cross your legs. When the parade was finally over — and Santa Claus arrived — I made a beeline to the closest hotel, then headed to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes and the Christmas show. It didn’t get any better than that. When the extravaganza was over, I walked over to the Rockefeller Center tree and, get this, SNOW started to fall. The next day, a huge snowstorm hit but, for one little moment, the spirit of Christmas was alive in New York.
Moral of the story: Don’t rain on your own parade. It’s best to save the liquids until later.
The Red Cross Tour of Homes is in full swing and I’ve decided they should call it the Green and Red Cross Tour. Green, because you’ll be green with envy after you see the homes.
This year’s mix is one of the best ever. Now, instead of six, you see five and that’s just fine. The five are fantastic.
I realized, too, one of the big secrets to decorating for the holidays is candles. Lots of candles. Lots of smells. Lots of good feelings.
I found a lot of good ideas, too. If you’re going, look for these things:
Wall stencils. In the Raak home there are wall stencils by Ashley Sturgis that are so cool, you’ve got to see them to believe them.
Photo montages. In the Hunnel home, daughter Amy has created a Hockney-like effect by overlapping photos to create one big picture. They’re in her bedroom, so be sure to look.
Theme trees. The Gray house features trees dedicated to biking, wine, beer, movies — you name it. The Salmons/Calligan house has a Dr. Seuss tree. The Hartje home has a tree with family-specific ornaments. The Grant Wood one is my favorite.
Great collections. The Grays have this one locked. They collect a lot of Sioux City-abilia and there’s a magazine ad featuring the Bandshell that’s really special. Look for it in a hallway. The Hartje home has a paperweight collection that’s really nifty. The Hunnels have more Nutcrackers than you could imagine. I was mesmerized in the Salmons house with their Vaseline glass collection. It’s in the kitchen and it has black lights on it, so the stuff glows. I’VE GOT TO GET SOME OF THAT STUFF.
Attention to detail. In every home there such love and care in the design and decorating you’ll be awed. I was so tired after seeing all the work I wanted to go home and take a nap. The Hartje house is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The Salmons house shows just how great Jerry Stroup is at wallpapering. It’s incredible.
Early into the tour, I decided I’d have to close off about five rooms if I ever had my house on a tour. You’d basically get in the front door and out the back. I would, however, put lots of candles around and dim the lights. You might think it’s better than it is.
If you’re going, be sure to wear slip-on shoes and don’t take a big coat. You’re in and out of the bus so quickly you don’t need the parka I unwisely brought. You also should consider putting your shoes in the bag they provide. I left mine on the homes’ doorsteps and they got pretty cold in 20 minutes time. I think my feet are still freezing.
When you hear the tape tell you to “keep your comments to yourself,” just ignore it. These homes need to be appreciated out loud. Tell the homeowners (if they’re there) just how great their homes are. I bet they’d like to hear that.
The Red Cross Tour of Homes is in full swing and I’ve decided they should call it the Green and Red Cross Tour. Green, because you’ll be green with envy after you see the homes.
This year’s mix is one of the best ever. Now, instead of six, you see five and that’s just fine. The five are fantastic.
I realized, too, one of the big secrets to decorating for the holidays is candles. Lots of candles. Lots of smells. Lots of good feelings.
I found a lot of good ideas, too. If you’re going, look for these things:
Wall stencils. In the Raak home there are wall stencils by Ashley Sturgis that are so cool, you’ve got to see them to believe them.
Photo montages. In the Hunnel home, daughter Amy has created a Hockney-like effect by overlapping photos to create one big picture. They’re in her bedroom, so be sure to look.
Theme trees. The Gray house features trees dedicated to biking, wine, beer, movies — you name it. The Salmons/Calligan house has a Dr. Seuss tree. The Hartje home has a tree with family-specific ornaments. The Grant Wood one is my favorite.
Great collections. The Grays have this one locked. They collect a lot of Sioux City-abilia and there’s a magazine ad featuring the Bandshell that’s really special. Look for it in a hallway. The Hartje home has a paperweight collection that’s really nifty. The Hunnels have more Nutcrackers than you could imagine. I was mesmerized in the Salmons house with their Vaseline glass collection. It’s in the kitchen and it has black lights on it, so the stuff glows. I’VE GOT TO GET SOME OF THAT STUFF.
Attention to detail. In every home there such love and care in the design and decorating you’ll be awed. I was so tired after seeing all the work I wanted to go home and take a nap. The Hartje house is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The Salmons house shows just how great Jerry Stroup is at wallpapering. It’s incredible.
Early into the tour, I decided I’d have to close off about five rooms if I ever had my house on a tour. You’d basically get in the front door and out the back. I would, however, put lots of candles around and dim the lights. You might think it’s better than it is.
If you’re going, be sure to wear slip-on shoes and don’t take a big coat. You’re in and out of the bus so quickly you don’t need the parka I unwisely brought. You also should consider putting your shoes in the bag they provide. I left mine on the homes’ doorsteps and they got pretty cold in 20 minutes time. I think my feet are still freezing.
When you hear the tape tell you to “keep your comments to yourself,” just ignore it. These homes need to be appreciated out loud. Tell the homeowners (if they’re there) just how great their homes are. I bet they’d like to hear that.
You had to see it coming.
When everybody in Texas was voting for Emmitt Smith to win “Dancing with the Stars,” you knew he was going to walk off with the glitzy disco ball trophy. Mario Lopez? He just had to be satisfied with excellence. He WAS better than everyone else. But in fan-voted reality shows, excellence doesn’t matter.
Besides, Smith succeeded on a number of levels. He showed a football player could be suave and graceful. He made dancing manly and he proved popularity sells. While he may not parlay his win into some big dancing career, he will get more television work. (And a possible shot at politics.)
Lopez should land a Broadway dancing role.
And “Stars”? It’ll probably attract a better field of contestants next year.
We’d love to see “real” dancers vie for the prize.
Imagine Bebe Neuwirth, John Travolta, Chita Rivera and Michael Jackson in the mix. Toss in Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears and “Stars” could be better than an all-Anna Nicole edition of “Entertainment Tonight.”
At Wednesday’s finale of “Stars” we got a good look at that trophy and Kelly Monaco was right. She, the show’s first winner, told me it was a “really cheesy” trophy. “It’s kinda cheap looking, but I really wanted it,” she said. “It’s in my dining room and everyone wants to see it.”
A new gold standard? The Oscar folks better watch out. The “Stars” trophy could be the one fetching big money on eBay.
Reality television may have been the best thing to happen to Nick Carter, says his fellow Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell.
Through “House of Carters,” “he’s been able to see what he looks like to everyone else,” Littrell told me on the phone this week. “When you can’t get out of your own bubble, you can’t see how your family is and how you’re acting.”
The series, though, is like a mirror, giving Carter a reality check. “I think he’s finding the better side of life,” Littrell said. “He was so young when he started…it’s hard to grow up in front of everyone.”
Littrell, though, still views Carter as his little brother. “Nick is not my son. A.J. is not my son. They’re not my responsibility.” But he does care for them.
Interestingly, producers asked the Boys if they’d like to do a reality show about picking a replacement for Kevin Richardson (who retired from the group). The boys said no. “There are four Backstreet Boys now.”
Already, they’ve recorded a handful of songs for their next album. Meanwhile, Littrell is testing the waters as a Christian artist. He’ll be in Sioux City this week and, yes, he said, there will be a “taste” of his Backstreet life in the solo concert.
By the way, if you happen to address him, be sure you get the last name right. The accent is on the first syllable.
Look for my story with Brian (who’s a really nice guy…and dad) in Friday’s A&E section. More Backstreet scoop. We promise.
Three of the guys from Tonic Sol-fa stopped by the office this week. The fourth, Sioux Cityan Mark McGowan, was with his wife awaiting the birth of their fourth — that’s right, fourth — child.
The baby should be born by the time the a cappella group swings into Sioux City Nov. 30 for the annual holiday show.
This time, they’ve got a special guest of their own — country singer Bryan White, who’ll open. Oddly enough, Tonic Sol-fa opened for White several years ago. Now, he’s returning the favor.
For Tonic fans, there’s good “national” news, too. The four (Shaun Johnson, Greg Bannwarth, Jared Dove and McGowan) will be seen on PBS stations around the country with a Christmas show they recorded in Minnesota. The DVD will be available at their Sioux City concert at the Orpheum Theatre. But you’ve really got to see them live to appreciate what they can do (and the kind of music they can perform in the acoustically sound theater). Greg promises Plastic Santa will be back (I begged) and, there’s a good bet he’ll have a costume trick or two to perform since the show is called “Unto us the tights are worn.”
We’ll give you a full account of their visit in an upcoming A&E section.
Meanwhile, wait for the birth announcement.
Was it just me or did some of those singers sound a little, well, off at Monday night’s Country Music Association Awards show? I almost found Kenny Chesney unlistenable and the sound was so weak for Vince Gill I couldn’t tell who was singing — Vince or Sheryl Crow.
The group was pretty stingy on passing out awards, too. Brooks & Dunn won too many and, it seemed, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley shared what was left.
Rarely have so many gone to so few.
And Kenny? He got the big prize — Entertainer of the Year — which you can justify because his concerts are such extravaganzas. He didn’t get the Male Vocalist trophy, though. Maybe the voters heard what I heard Monday night.
For some reason, Barbara Mandrell has entered the Minnie Pearl phase of life — now she’s the grande dame of the business, getting to hand out the last prize of the evening and putting it all in context for those of us too stupid to realize it’s the top prize. She wore a gawdawful black dress (that looked like a Loretta Lynn hand-me-down) and sounded a bit too pretentious for someone who isn’t even singing anymore.
Still, she looked good. Now, will that translate into any work?
Sara Evans and Keith Urban had the most tabloid buzz going in. While she sang, Evans didn’t get an award. Urban didn’t show (he’s still in rehab), but he did send a letter — just in case he won. He got the Male Vocalist prize and the audience stood. Too bad Nicole Kidman didn’t show up to get it for him. THAT would have been an awards show moment.
Hosts? Get rid of Brooks and Dunn. They’re not entertaining. At least Vince Gill was.
How many times have you said, “When are they going to have someone from Iowa on ‘Deal or No Deal’?”
Well, this is your lucky week. Myra Laing from Chariton, Iowa, will be on the show Thursday, hoping to make her fortune. The NBC folks say she’s a “feisty grandmother,” so that should give us something to cheer. The woman’s abilities are so great (at picking briefcases) she sticks around for Monday’s episode, too.
Personally, I’d bail after the first offer, which should tell you something about my gambling abilities.