Escape, I Need A Break

Escapism. I need me some.

Currently my stress level is bubbling over like a Coke with a Pop Rocks chaser, shaken not stirred.

Well, trouble is I already had a big shot of escapism last weekend with Cirque du Soleil’s “Totem” here in Atlanta. Flying frog people, unicycling Asian gals in ornate costumes and bone smashing cavemen did the trick. The music helped, too, providing an audio magic carpet ride to send my imagination into the clouds.

I was lucky enough to chat with “Totem” band leader Charlie Dennard for my radio program, “The Pop Culture King Show.” (It airs 8 p.m. Nov. 2; 10 a.m. Nov. 3 on AM 1690 in Atlanta and streams live at www.1690wmlb.com. If you miss it, it’ll be archived sometime the week of Nov. 5 at http://1690wmlb.com/shows/pck/)

A Macon, Ga.-bred fella, Charlie was a blast to chat with and really gave me some awesome insight into the musical world of Cirque du Soleil. Dennard, who was a student of Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans, has some great stories, including one involving an impromptu jam with Paul McCartney.

“Totem” was amazing and all, but I’m in need for another shot of escapism. This time it may come in the form of chop-socky kung fu moves and fountains of fake blood.

RZA, of Wu Tang Clan fame, is making his directorial and leading man debut with “The Man With the Iron Fists,” which arrives in theaters this weekend. I hear from RZA and co-writer and producer, Eli Roth on this week’s show, too. 

The movie is a roundhouse kick love letter to the classic Shaw Brothers martial arts flicks of old. Yet, the RZA’s version has a top shelf cast including Russell Crow and Lucy Liu. 

The buzz is big for this one. The limited edition poster at www.mondotees.com is already sold out. 

The RZA and Eli Roth interviews have me psyched, and I’m ready to transport myself to the film’s mythical Jungle Village.  

For those of you out there who are percolating like me, go see “Totem” or listen to my radio show and escape. Or maybe I’ll run into you at a screening of “The Man With the Iron Fists.” Just don’t Bogart that popcorn.

Tooning In

I admit it. I'm a frustrated cartoonist. Sit me in a seminar or some sort of classroom situation, and my pen is practically on autopilot. It's almost as if to get my brain to function properly, I must get my doodle on creating little cartoon creatures with my limited artistic ability.

So it was with great empathy when I interviewed Stephan Pastis, creator of the popular comic strip "Pearls Before Swine," that I found out he did the same thing when he was in law school. Well, at least one of us was able to capitalize on doodlin'.

Anyhoo, here's a link to my Q&A with Pastis, which appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/news/entertainment/calendar/pearls-before-swine-comic-strip-creator-draws-to-o/nSTJq/

And this is a link to download or stream the episode of my radio show featuring Pastis talking comic strip shop:

http://1690wmlb.com/shows/pck/

Feeling Corny

I must say it makes me quite sad to see folks sparring on Facebook over politics. It's one thing to have an opinion, it's another to rabbit punch someone else in the back of the head if they don't agree with your stance.

Well, if you live in and around the Atlanta area and you need to blow off some politically charged rage, I suggest playing in a corn field or simply perusing a pun'kin patch.

And where should I go for a corn maze or a plethora of pumpkins, you ask? I got yer choices right here in an article I wrote for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://bit.ly/Vz3V4F

Doesn't that corn maze look like an elaborate crop circle? Regardless of your political leanings, it looks like the truth is indeed out there. Go have some fun.

Slipping On The Lederhosen

To my knowledge there's not a drop of German blood in my body. But there's something alluring about lederhosen. Not sure exactly why, but those goofy, German short overalls strike me as comically cool. Oh, how I wish I had a pair.

The closest I've come is buying a German lederhosen hat while visiting a pal in Heidelberg many moons ago. I wore it while gorging on a mountain of brats and ingesting gallons of brew. Yet, some snooty Germans didn't seem to appreciate my traditional crown. After being chided, I simply growled back at them like the obnoxious American they expected.

The hat currently rests on top of a giant plastic clown head in my den. I still don the hat occasionally, and it's become the recipient of my exhaustive pin collection. I guess it holds somewhere around three dozen pins, and I'm guaranteed quite a neck workout when I put it on.

Whenever I attend an Oktoberfest celebration, I reach for the hat. After culling together a list of events for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the "hut" is calling my name.

You can read my round-up of Atlanta area Oktoberfest events here: bit.ly?PRXLJy

Anyone with an extra pair of lederhosen? You know who to call.

Former Cop Clowns Around

For those of you in and around Atlanta, the Gwinnett County Fair is hitting its home stretch. Having recently attended and survived mainlining healthy helpings of fried everything, I must say it most certainly captures the classic fair vibe. 

One of the reasons is because of NoJoe's Clown Circus, which brings circus pageantry to the fair's midway. However, the most interesting story lies beneath NoJoe's grease paint. Joey "NoJoe" Thurmond is a former cop who unbuckled his holster and handed over his badge in order to become a circus clown.

Here's my profile on Thurmond, which recently appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

bit.ly/Pwo3kk

Rock's Original Dynamic Duo

If there were blueprints for early rock 'n' roll, many would've come from the draft table of Leiber and Stoller, arguably one of the greatest American songwriting teams of the past 100 years. "Hound Dog," "Stand By Me" and "On Broadway" are just a handful of their countless compositions. Their tunes were tapped by The Beatles, The Drifters, The Coasters, Big Mama Thornton, The Monkees and way too many more to mention.

I recently had a very rare and amazing opportunity to sit down with Mike Stoller, the surviving member of newborn rock's dynamic duo. 

Mike and I convened in the lobby of the lauded Peabody Hotel in Memphis for a conversation about different aspects of his career. Since I was in town covering Elvis Week 2012 for elvis.com, a good bit of the chat centered around Presley. Yet, I did get a firsthand account of his initial meeting and creative dynamic with the late Jerry Leiber, who passed away last spring.

It was a fantastic talk and one I immortalized on my radio show a couple of weeks ago. You can stream or download here: http://1690wmlb.com/leiber-and-stoller-and-jaws/

The interview is super cool, but proves to be a bit of a tease, because Stoller's career spans more than 60 years. Although I couldn't touch on everything, I suggest grabbing the book "Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography." It's packed with illuminating tales including how Stoller and his first wife survived the 1956 shipwreck of the S.S. Andrea Doria. 

Stoller's latest composition is "Charlotte," commissioned by the mayor of Charlotte, N.C. It's the first time he's written both lyrics and music. You can snag an mp3 and watch a video here: http://www.leiberstoller.com/

Henson Hits Atlanta

Although I run the risk of having my geek card revoked, I'm skipping Dragon*Con this year in favor of sticking close to home, catching up on overdue family time and thumbing my way through the Decatur Book Festival here in Atlanta.

That's not to say Dragon*Con isn't rocking with awesome. Alice Cooper, Gillian Anderson and other nerd culture luminaries are present and accounted for. So is Heather Henson, the youngest child of Jim Henson, the king of all Muppetdom.

I love me some Muppets and frog jumped at the chance to interview Heather for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For some reason the link to the article is broken.  So below is the entire piece as I filed it to my editor.

Hopefully by spreading a bit of this Dragon*Con love, my geek credentials are safe in hand.


LATEST HENSON LEGACY CONTINUES PULLING INSPIRATIONAL STRINGS
By Jon Waterhouse
For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
(Originally appeared in the Aug. 29th edition of the AJC)

Heather Henson doesn’t quite know what she’s getting herself into. Soon she’ll be stepping into the world of Dragon*Con for the first time, putting herself on the receiving end of over-the-top costumes and explosive imagination.

But it shouldn’t come as a shock. She was raised amid the magical world of her father, Jim, a place inhabited by Muppets, Fraggles and dark crystals. And today she’s carving out her own place in the puppet world by allowing her creative juices to flow with a purpose, while simultaneously promoting and encouraging other puppeteers. 

Of course, the bubbly 41-year-old artist with the flowing curls will be setting aside time at Dragon*Con to talk to fans about growing up Henson. However, her main goal is to expose folks to Handmade Puppet Dreams, one of the projects coming out of IBEX Puppetry, Henson’s Florida-based entertainment company.

“It’s about supporting puppet artists who are making films,” Henson said. “We’re asking people to make little fine art films that have to involve puppets. Handmade Puppet Dreams is also about highlighting people’s films that are already out there, and we’re just giving them a platform.”

Since 2007 Henson has been funding and commissioning new films, and accepting submissions of completed shorts to comprise Handmade Puppet Dreams. Each year this self-contained, traveling short puppet film festival reappears with a new volume curated by Henson. 

“The great thing about Heather is she supports artists with their films and then she’s out there to help promote the film when it’s done,” said Sam Koji Hale, a Handmade Puppet Dreams filmmaker and producer. “She’s really kind of an angel that way. She gets out there and says, ‘Hey, look at what this great artist has made.’”

Henson did just that for Hale. In 2008 Hale pitched Henson the idea for his fantasy film “Yamasong.” Henson not only agreed to provide funding, but encouraged Hale along the way. This included networking Hale with likeminded artists who could lend a hand. 

“Yamasong” won Best Animated Film at the 2010 Dragon*Con Independent Film Festival. This year Hale returns to the convention helping Henson promote other artists and sharing their creations with convention guests. This includes screening films from past volumes of Handmade Puppet Dreams, including “Yamasong,” and a screening of Handmade Puppet Dreams Volume V, featuring a contemporary bundle of discovered puppet films. 

These films reflect Henson’s interest in pushing puppetry’s limits. Jim Henson’s work was much broader than simply Kermit the Frog. Heather Henson’s purpose in puppetry reflects that aspect of his legacy.

“I think my dad was always open minded to new things and new interests,” she said. “And it was beautiful the way he could weave something he was inspired by into his work. He really remained open to many different mediums and inspirations.”

Henson continually opens her mind to inspirations. She keeps a strong focus on environmentalism in her work, and one of her more recent performances took place outdoors in Detroit. “In Celebration of Flight,” the story of a young crane, combines puppetry with kite flying. 

“That is a really good example,” Henson said. “If [my father] was as intrigued with kites as I am, he probably would’ve done it, too.”

Henson will give Dragon*Con guests an offspring’s-eye-view of her father’s career with Heather Henson Presents: A Daughter Remembers, which was originally created for the touring exhibit Jim Henson’s Fantastic World. But don’t expect a rehash. Henson said the presentation is ever evolving, and she modifies it for each audience.

Henson saw her father’s world from the inside out, which included the 1978 ribbon cutting of the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson did the honors, and her parents dragged the youngest Henson along. Her most recent work with the Center took place earlier this month. Puppet Slam Network, another IBEX project, co-produced the National Puppet Slam 2012 starring puppeteers from across the country.

“You guys are so lucky to have the Center,” she said. “I think it’s amazing. The shows that are made and developed there are so good. ...There is such great talent.”

The Henson family chose the Center as the potential destination for what they call the “definitive collection” honoring Jim Henson’s legacy. According to the Center, if it happens it would include somewhere between 500 and 700 puppets, props, drawings, films and more. The key, however, is the addition of more museum space.

Although the Center is mum on its current fundraising efforts, Heather Henson said the family still wants it to happen. However, “it’s all tied into the status of the fundraising,” she said.

In the meantime she continues creating her own puppet legacy by furthering her artistic expression and bolstering careers of tomorrow’s puppetry luminaries.

David Stephens, an Atlanta-based puppeteer and founder of All Hands Productions, has collaborated with Henson and praises her work.  

“Heather just has a real joy and warmth about her toward the puppet community,” Stephens said. “She’s definitely been a cheerleader for the younger generation of people who are trying to do this. So she holds a real special place for us.”

The Blog is Back

I’m blaming the delinquency of my blog on Elvis.

Actually that’s grandiose, and I can’t lay it all on the King’s jumpsuit-shrouded shoulders. It was, however, my job as the official blogger for Elvis Week 2012 that got me away from my own personal bloggery. 

From August 10 through 19 I was busy covering and blogging in Memphis, Tennessee for this annual gathering of Elvis fans. I gave a fan’s-eye view, and it all appeared online at www.elvisweek.com. 

With it being the 35th anniversary of Elvis’s death, this year’s edition of Elvis Week proved to be super special. Approximately 70,000 fans and journalists from all over the world helped make it an even more monumental occasion. 

It proved quite monumental for me in many ways from guest DJing on Sirius-XM’s Elvis Radio channel to hobnobbing with rock royalty Mike Stoller of Leiber and Stoller fame. One moment I was sitting at a table with Jose Feliciano, the next I was trying on a replica Elvis jacket at the King’s favorite clothier. Like Dorothy in Oz, I was plopped in a magical fantasy land with blue suede shoes and gold records replacing ruby slippers and yellow brick roads.

Once I got back to reality I spent all of last week catching up on work and bypassed getting back to the blog. So now it’s time to crank ’er back up. What better way to do it than by looking back at my Elvis Week experience?

My recollections could fill volumes, but I would suggest that those interested simply go back and read the blogs while they’re still up. If you have Sirius-XM they’ll be playing a replay of my guest DJ hour at 8 a.m. EST on Labor Day.

Love me tender,

Jon

Day 1

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29197612097/elvisweekblog

Day 2

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29263893307/legendary-songwriters-and-gospel-celebration-day-2

Day 3

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29337833187/celebrating-the-king-day-3

Day 4

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29409350165/elvis-meets-nixon-day-4

Day 5

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29481894584/packed-house-for-elvis-week-day-5

Day 6

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29556327597/a-day-of-rememberance-day-6

Day 7

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29626891685/35th-anniversary-concert-day-7

Day 8

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29694003948/elvis-week-celebration-continues-day-8

Day 9

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/post/29761689402/wrapping-up-elvis-week-2012

Soaring Above

Life as a freelance journalist finds me cranking out as many articles as possible. With each assignment I’m knee deep in trying to tell a decent story, relaying accuracy and getting the damn thing done on time. Not much time for any emotional involvement.

Then there are the stories and their subjects that hit you in the gut, make you pause and resonate in your soul. One such piece would be an article I wrote earlier in the summer about Nicole Smith. 

Smith’s an avid skydiver who has triumphed over tragedy. After the back-to-back loss of two significant others and surviving a car crash that left doctors wondering if she’d ever walk again, Smith is taking on a heavy task. She’s skydiving in all 50 states. 

Part bucket list experience and part spiritual journey, Smith’s trek is rife with inspiration. She’s been documenting the whole shebang at www.temptphate01.tumblr.com.

This morning I woke to find an email from Smith resting in my inbox. Her final jump on her mission takes place August 18 at Skydive Kansas in Osage City, Kansas.

My heart and admiration go out to Nicole Smith for beating the odds and living life to the fullest. Thank you, Nicole, for giving me the opportunity to tell your story and making it more than just another assignment for me.

Here’s a link to my Atlanta Journal-Constitution article about Nicole Smith:

http://www.ajc.com/lifestyle/50-state-goal-helps-1455975.html

Total Recall

I have a soft spot for classic Schwarzenegger cinema. The ballooned biceps, the gap-toothed smile and all of those quippy one liners never fail to please. “Total Recall” remains one of my favorites, and I often “get my ass to Mars” with repeat DVD viewings. 

“Total Recall” is nothing short of a blast. Any flick featuring Sharon Stone kicking butt while wearing ’80s aerobics duds has me at “hello.” Toss in a detestable bad guy played by Ronny Cox, those cartoonish eye-bulging special effects and a three-boobed prostitute, and it’s sci-fi bliss. And of course you have Ah-nuld driving it all home with the above-mentioned ingredients. 

So I was a bit bummed to hear the Hollywood powers that be were tossing “Recall” in the remake machine. Yet, since I'm crazy about the source material, I still decided to dedicate last week’s edition of my Atlanta-based radio program, “The Pop Culture King Show,” to the new version.

I’ve yet to see it, but they’re saying it’s closer to the original short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick than the 1990 version. On this episode of “The Pop Culture King Show,” starts Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale chat about the movie. And since “Total Recall” is all about both real and artificial memories, I spin memory-themed songs on this week’s show from the likes of Johnny Thunders, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones.

You can stream or download here:

http://1690wmlb.com/total-recall

The Elvis Blog Has Entered The Building

Elvis Week, the biggest Elvis celebration on earth, is gearing up in Memphis. Beginning Friday I’ll be blogging about it daily through August 19 on Elvis.com. I’ll be kicking back in the Jungle Room, getting all shook up at the FedEx Forum, and rocking and rolling all over the River City. 

Here’s a link to the site:

http://officialelvispresley.tumblr.com/

I posted an introductory blog today, and that’s where I’ll be recapping my daily adventures throughout Elvis Week.

Among the slew of killer events is the Elvis 35th Anniversary Concert at the FedEx Forum. It’s the closest thing to seeing him in concert as Elvis returns to the stage on giant video screens. The King croons and many of his former bandmates perform live right along with him. Lisa Marie Presley and her mom, Priscilla will be in the house, too. I saw the 30th Anniversary Concert, and it was absolutely amazing. It gave me chill bumps on top of my chill bumps.

Here's a shot I took at the show:

Here’s a trailer for the 25th Anniversary version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-jACfzjPkk

- J.

Getting Medieval

There’s more to the dinner theatre show Medieval Times than simply gorging on grub with your bare hands as stunt performers rumble while wearing their Round Table best.

In fact the behind-the-scenes stories are often more colorful than what you’ll find on the arena floor. I explore one such story in my recent article for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It’s a profile of Medieval Times performer Clint Mally, and how he escaped a life of drugs and a broken home, and found new life as a knight in shining armor.

Here’s a link to the story:

http://www.ajc.com/lifestyle/performer-shines-in-new-1489664.html?cxtype=rss_lifestyle

Elvis Packing List: Part One

With my trip to Memphis just 10 days away, visions of Elvis are hip-shaking in my head. This kingly obsession has my brain feeling like a mush of peanut butter and banana.

Each time I prepare for a pilgrimage to Graceland I compose a packing checklist. This isn’t just composed of socks, Elvis tees and my favorite hunka-hunka burning love boxer shorts. Being a functioning pop culture junkie, I must keep a solid selection of media within my grasp. This means loading up my go-to Elvis items: Elvis-related books for bedtime reading, an iPod filled to the gills with Presley mp3s, and my favorite go-to Elvis DVDs. 

So I decided to document the packing process by defending the contents of my suitcase. I’ll pick a particular item and explain why it merits a spot on the checklist.

First up is the “King Creole” DVD, the American Express card of my Elvis movie collection. I don’t leave home without it.

Critics and Elvis movie buffs have long hailed “King Creole” as Presley’s best picture, and for good reason. It marked Elvis’ fourth time in front of the camera and the opportunity to work with legendary director Michael Curtiz, the cat who helmed “Casablanca.”

Like Bogart in “Casablanca,” Elvis oozes with cool the moment he slides onscreen. The opening sequence set amid the wrought iron balconies of Bourbon Street finds the King as Danny Fisher, a rebellious teen with a golden voice. Flashing a smile that practically burns through the celluloid, Elvis sings “Crawfish” with a little help from vocalist Kitty White. At that point he has the viewer bagged and tagged like a net full of the crustaceans he’s crooning about.

The supporting cast is no less powerful. Elvis channels his inner James Dean alongside Carolyn Jones in a sultry pre-Morticia Addams role as a piece of gangster arm candy looking for redemption. Vic Morrow is at his slimy best as the hoodlum Shark, and Walther Matthau and his square jaw chew up the scenery as Maxie Fields, an evil crook hell bent on control.

The soundtrack comes chockfull of Elvis delights, including the title track, “Hard Headed Woman,” a blistering version of “Trouble” and the aforementioned “Crawfish” among the highlights. 

Beside being a solid piece of cinema, “King Creole” stands as hard evidence of the true acting talent Presley possessed. Given the right material, he had the performance chops to knock it out of the park. “King Creole” does just that. In fact the King knocks the DVD right into my suitcase.

Hitting The Pop Culture Lottery

I’m Jon, and I’m a pop culture junkie.

I love me some entertainment and exist on a steady diet of the stuff, devouring as much as I can stomach. To my wife’s chagrin, our house overflows with a mountainous library of DVDs and CDs, shelves of toys and collectibles, and stacks of movie posters and comic books tucked underneath the beds and in the wings of the attic. 

Yet, somehow I’ve taken my pop culture obsession to another level. I’m not simply content with being a possible subject on the next episode of “Hoarders.” I tend to couple my passion with a dose of do-it-yourself action. 

As a fan of ’80s hard rock, I can often be found slipping on a cascading blonde wig and skin-tight spandex, and fronting a hair metal tribute band. I loved the theatrical smack down of professional rasslin’ when I was a kid, and in my 20s I made my way into the wild and wacky world of wrestling. Although I don’t have a bulging physique, I was trained to be a loud-mouthed, bad guy manager. Countless body slams followed, and I was often on the receiving end.

Being an entertainment journalist has given me the opportunity to meet and interview some of my all-time favorites, including a card-carrying Beatle. I’ve also had the chance to work with some of my pop culture heroes. For instance, in ’07 I was tapped to be the official publicity writer for Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers, Van Halen.

But this summer I’ve hit the pop culture lottery. I’m working for Elvis.

In my humble opinion, you don’t get more iconic than Elvis Presley. He’s the pinnacle, the mountaintop, the most recognizable entertainer of the past century. And he didn’t just achieve that with a killer set of pipes, a swivel of the hips and a handsome mug. Elvis was the true definition of a triple threat. He could sing, he could dance, he could act. The King changed the face of music and entertainment in general, and it hasn’t been the same since.

So needless to say I was floored when Elvis Presley Enterprises asked me to be the official blogger for the 35th anniversary of Elvis Week, the annual celebration of the life and legacy of Elvis Presley, which takes place August 10-18 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Elvis lovers from around the world will be converging upon the King’s hometown for a seemingly endless amount of events. From the Elvis tribute artist competitions to Graceland’s candlelight vigil to the 35th anniversary concert at the FedEx Forum, I’ll be there covering the events from a fan’s perspective. So make sure and visit www.elvisweek.com for my daily blogs beginning August 10.

You can also continue to visit www.jonwaterhouse.com for my various pop culture musings, including links to my articles and radio show episodes, updates on my current book project and a whole lot more. 

Thankyaverymuch,


Jon