09/30/08

Local Musician Part of Weezer's 'Hootenanny'

I've been a fan of Weezer ever since they came out with "Buddy Holly" and "(Undone) The Sweater Song" back when I was in middle school. You can imagine my jealousy when I found out that, last week, Pleasantville musician Alex Yacovelli got to play with the band onstage at Madison Square Garden. I badgered him for all the juicy details so I could live vicariously through him.

Yacovelli, who is currently majoring in vocal performance at NYU, entered the contest to play onstage with Weezer through 107.1 The Peak—and he came very, very close to not winning. In order to enter, he...

Posted at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

09/23/08

The Verdict on Judge Jeanine Pirro

When Bedford resident Glenn Close accepted her award during the (mostly lame) Emmy Awards on Sunday, she noted that television is finally starting to realize that strong women can anchor great shows. I couldn't help but think of Judge Jeanine Pirro, whose new daytime court show debuted on Monday. We know how she operated as Westchester D.A., but how does she work on the D.V.R?

Posted at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments: 5

09/16/08

Ossining Man Heads Up the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that it has chosen Ossining resident Thomas P. Campbell to succeed Philippe de Montebello as its director and CEO. (Um, wow!) Rather than devote himself to cutting-edge, Damien Hirst-dominated modern art, Campbell made his bones in the museum as curator behind two shows that focused on tapestries. Let's see how the announcement resonated with people who cover the art world:

"Mr. Campbell, untested in a director’s chair, has...

Posted at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

09/09/08

Potential VPs Silent About Pop Culture

A few months ago, I said we should judge our political candidates based on what mattered most—their taste in popular culture. Now that the conventions are over and the presidential race is really heating up, it seems like election coverage is unavoidable in all media (which, in my opinion, is a good thing). Most of the attention and speculation is focused on the candidates' newest running mates, so it's only fair to look at their tastes and see what kind of pop-culture aesthetic they bring to the tickets.

However, these potential veeps are playing it close to the chest. While Barack Obama,...

Posted at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments: 3

09/02/08

Where to Find Westchester Residents This Fall

At the top of the long weekend, I saw a screening of the film Choke, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. It was filthy. The main character had a messiah complex. The outlook on life was bleak. It starred Sam Rockwell. In short, it was a fall movie. To me, that signaled the end of summer more so than the passing of Labor Day.

As sad as I am to see summer go, I consider this a good thing. Pop culture gets much better in the fall—and that's thanks in part to the work of some of our county residents. Here's a guide to where you'll see some of your neighbors this season,...

Posted at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0