By Mary Owen and Kelley L. Carter
12:40 PM CDT, August 9, 2008
Fans from Chicago to California mourned the passing of Bernie Mac on Saturday, remembering him as a successful comedian and role model.
"He’s from Chicago and he showed he can make it if you push yourself," said Devon Price, 17, a student at Eisenhower High School, who called Mac a role model for young African-Americans.
Mac, 50, died early Saturday morning after being hospitalized with pneumonia for at least a week at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The South Side native rose from edgy stand-up comic to network TV star.
"What’s interesting about Bernie’s career is that he wasn’t a mainstream comic at first. A lot of this was in his act. Bernie would talk about things that I think were not viewed by Hollywood as being mainstream-y-type subjects. His act was very edgy and very raw. Bernie would talk about things that other black comics wouldn’t talk about like skin color, and how being a very dark-skinned black man like him made his life very different from other people. Bernie was a big hit with a certain segment of even the black community, the more working class and urban audiences. He was their hero," said Gary Hardwick, a screenwriter and director based in Los Angeles whose credits include "The Brothers" and "Deliver Us From Eva."
Bryant Lee Turner, a local comic known as BLT, called Mac a mentor.
"What Bernie brought for comics all over was his style. There’s only one Bernie Mac style: straight forth, it’s the realism," Turner said. "Bernie gave you the sense that if you put the work in, it’ll pay off for you eventually."
Turner said he last saw Mac at a Gladys Knight concert in Country Club Hills last month. Knight gave Mac a big shout out from the stage, asking the audience to give him a round of applause. Mac, who was seated in the front row, took his hat off and waved.
Word of Mac’s death spread along the Bud Billiken Parade route as fans called him a down-to-earth man whose comedy reflected their own experiences, especially those of the black community.
"His show with the family was a positive showing that black people could have things and be successful in life," said Maxwell Davis, 54, who traveled from Benton Harbor, Mich., to watch the parade.
Davis said he saw Mac perform in northwest Indiana more than 10 years ago before Mac was famous. He said it really cracked him up when Mac would get bug eyes when showing shock or surprise.
"He was funny," said Davis, a retired factory worker. "He opened up for another comedian."
Aretha James, 37, was at the grocery store this morning when her husband called her to tell her Mac had died.
"I felt so saddened. My prayers go out to his family," said James, who enjoys watching re-runs of the "Bernie Mac Show."
Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune
Post Category: News
August 9th, 2008 at 02:19pmthegimp
THE EAGLES
BRADLEY CENTER - SEPTEMBER 21, 2008
Tickets on Sale Monday July 28 at 10 AM
Following the success of their No. 1 album, Long Road Out of Eden, the Eagles will perform live at the Bradley
Center on September 21st. The band - Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit - will be
performing current hits from Long Road Out of Eden including "How Long" and "Busy Being Fabulous" as well as
their classic songs.
Tickets go on sale Monday, July 28 at 10 AM through www.ticketmaster.com; www.livenation.com, by calling
Ticketmaster at 414-276-4545, and the Bradley Center Box Office. The American Express Early On Sale is July 21st
at 10 AM through July 27th at 10 PM, available through www.ticketmaster.com and charge by phone 414-276-4545.
The Eagles have teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to offer the ultimate fan experience for the upcoming Milwaukee
concert featuring a variety of VIP ticket packages. For more details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.
Long Road Out of Eden has been certified seven times Platinum by the RIAA. Released October 30th, the album
debuted at number one, with sales of 711,000 units, and in only 9 weeks became the biggest selling album by a
group in 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The Eagles won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Country
Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "How Long."
The Eagles have sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, earning five #1 U.S. singles and four Grammy
Awards. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the best-selling album of all time, exceeding sales of 29 million units. The
band’s Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits Volume 2 have sold more than 16 and 11 million albums respectively.
The Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Please visit the band’s Web site at www.eaglesband.com and www.myspace.com/eaglesmusic for more information.
Post Category: Music News
July 17th, 2008 at 01:09pmthegimp
Hey everybody! We are aware that the stream is down…we had a hard drive failure this morning. We will be working as fast as possible to get it back up. If you feel like assisting us in this, please go to the Donate button at the bottom of the page. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Post Category: Gimp Radio
July 11th, 2008 at 02:03amthegimp
By Stewart Payne
A young disabled man who receives care for his life-limiting illness at a hospice run by a nun spoke yesterday of his decision to use a prostitute to experience sex before he dies.
Sister Frances Dominica gave her support to 22-year-old Nick Wallis, who was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Sufferers usually die by their thirties.
Mr Wallis told staff at the Douglas House hospice in Oxford that he wanted to experience sexual intercourse. He explained that he had hoped to form an intimate and loving relationship with a woman, but his disability had acted as a barrier.
He told The Daily Telegraph: "It was a decision two years in the making and I discussed it with my carers and my parents. Telling my mother and father was the hardest part, but in the end they gave me their support.
"There are many aspects of life that an able-bodied person takes for granted but from which I am excluded.
"I had hoped to form a relationship when I went to university, but it didn’t happen. I had to recognise that if was to experience sex I would have to pay for it out of my savings. My mind was made up before I discussed it with anyone else."
The hospice staff, after taking advice from a solicitor, the clergy and health care professionals, decided to help him.
"I found an advert from a sex worker in a magazine for the disabled," said Mr Wallis. "The initial contact was by email and then by phone."
It was arranged for the prostitute to visit his home in Northampton. "My parents went out," he said.
"It was not emotionally fulfilling, but the lady was very pleasant and very understanding. I do not know whether I would do it again. I would much rather find a girlfriend, but I have to be realistic."
Mr Wallis has decided to talk in public about his decision as part of the BBC documentary series about life inside Douglas House and its associated hospice for children, Helen House.
"I have done so in order that people may understand the issues that face people in my situation. I suppose some people may be judgmental."
He said he did not discuss his decision directly with Sister Frances, who founded the two hospices. "But I know she gave me her support."
Sister Frances described Mr Wallis as "delightful, intelligent and aware young man".
"I know that some people will say ‘You are a Christian foundation. What are you thinking about?’. But we are here for all faiths and none," she said.
"It is not our job to make moral decisions for our guests. We came to the conclusion that it was our duty of care to support Nick emotionally and to help ensure his physical safety."
Post Category: News
July 8th, 2008 at 02:05pmthegimp
Maximum Ink
This year the Atwood Summerfest is sure to please. There is an abundance of live music, Ale Asylum beer, and family fun activities with the Goodman-Atwood Community Center. The 26th annual Atwood Summerfest is coming this summer on Saturday, July 26th. This free-entry festival runs from 12-7pm on the 2000-2100 blocks of Atwood Avenue in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Maximum Ink/Ale Asylum Rock Stage will be showcasing the local talent of the God’s Outlaw, Lucas Cates Band, Motor Primitives, Tex Tubb and the Jokerman, and Good Time Camper. Watch these artists bring their own unique style of rock back to Madison.
Headlining the rock stage this year are Bloodshot Records recording artists the Dead String Brothers, known for their rock music with a honky tonk twist. Years of touring have taken the band across the United States and recently to the South by South West music festival in Austin, TX. We are honored to have this band join us in supporting the Madison community. See their MTV video and listen to songs at myspace.com/deadstringbrothers
In addition to the rock stage, Maximum Ink will be holding a raffle with some great prizes and all proceeds going to support the Goodman Atwood Community Center, a non-profit organization.
Post Category: Upcoming Shows
June 29th, 2008 at 06:46pmthegimp
www.thegitsmovie.com
www.thegits.com
“Mia Zapata was on the verge of music stardom.” - CBS News
Los Angeles, CA – Liberation Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to the music
documentary film, The Gits, which chronicles the tragic story of one of the most influential
bands to emerge from the Seattle music underground. The project was acquired from JAB Films
and Knockout Productions with cooperation from Gold Village Entertainment, and will be
distributed on DVD through Adrenaline/ADA on July 8th (with an SRP of $19.99) following a
theatrical release.
With an innovative sound that coupled hardcore punk with heartfelt blues, The Gits were poised
to break into the mainstream, but they would never achieve the success of contemporaries
Nirvana or Pearl Jam because on July 7, 1993 singer Mia Zapata was found murdered –the
apparent victim of a rape/homicide.
It was a crime unsolved when director Kerri O’Kane began shooting her debut feature. In the
interim, however, fans, friends and celebrities like Joan Jett and Nirvana helped raise money to
reopen what had become a cold case file. Mia’s death had reverberated throughout the music
community, and unprecedentedly Mia’s killer was brought to justice as the cameras rolled.
“The Gits is a new motion-picture hybrid,” observes Liberation chairman Jay Boberg. “On the
surface it’s a documentary about a great rock n roll band at an incredible time in music history,
but it’s also a murder mystery. It’s got joy and poignancy -it’s just extraordinary.”
“There has never been a story like this one, and I am honored to be involved with such a
passionate film about one of rock’s geniuses who was taken from the world far too soon,” adds
Gold Village Entertainment President Danny Goldberg.
“It’s wonderful that this film, which has been a true labor of love, has found a home with
Liberation,” comments producer Jessica Bender. “So much has happened since we first started filming -the trial, the sentencing. And we’ve come across so many people whose lives have been
touched by the music of Mia and The Gits. All this new footage will be on the DVD.
Post Category: Music News
June 25th, 2008 at 04:03pmthegimp
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday, a spokesman said. He was 71.
Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PDT (2 a.m. British time) after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.
Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine about seven dirty words you could not say on television. A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of his "Filthy Words" routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)
Post Category: News
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:29pmthegimp
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