Ten reasons to see “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” Will Ferrell’s comedic take on the world of auto racing …
1. The pitch was six simple words: “Will Ferrell as a NASCAR driver.”
2. It starts tonight in Birmingham. The 7:30 p.m. show at Lee Branch appears to be sold out, but one of the two midnight shows at Patton Creek still has tickets.
3. Metacritic has many reviews, and most are positive.
Misfortune 500: Another Birmingham corporate institution is packing up for North Carolina. Saks, which bought department story chain Parisian in 1996, is selling it off to Charlotte-based Belk for $285 million. What does this mean for employees? Everyone sing along now: job cuts, up to 190. And for shoppers? No more Parisian, a company established in 1887 in the heart of downtown; the stores will change to the Belk name by 2007. The latest corporate selloff diminishes the city’s standing among corporate homes: In 2001, Birmingham had six Fortune 500 companies; after Saks/Parisian, it has one, Regions Bank.
• Saks selling Parisian to Belk for $285M [Birmingham Business Journal]
I like to shop at the duty-free shop: The state, along with more than 200 cities and counties, is waiving sales tax for Friday through Sunday to help out campaigning incumbents back-to-school shoppers. The tax “holiday” covers clothing under $100, school supplies, books under $30 and computers and peripherals under $750. Many Birmingham-area stores are opening longer and expect crowds. Tip: Belk (and JCPenney) at Century Plaza already have huge going-out-of-business discounts. Maybe we’ll see the same at Parisian in the near future.
• Alabama merchants expect huge sales tax holiday weekend [Associated Press]
The foolhardy capital of the South: Guess what? Birmingham may get its ninth(!) shot at hosting a pro football team. In the news biz, we joke about stories that repeat so predictably, all you have to do is update the names and dates. Remember the ’Bolts of 2001? The brash assistant sports editor (who was also a good guy) said that team would not fail. We had a pro-con debate on page one, and I took con. Tell you what: We’ll trot out the old stories again, but to be fair this time, I’ll take pro, just for giggles.
• Birmingham in talks with pro team at Legion Field [Birmingham News]
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When MTV hit the air 25 years ago today, the brash young network would change the world. Eventually.
On Aug. 1, 1981, you couldn’t even watch it in New York, its corporate headquarters, because the city couldn’t watch the yet-to-be-picked-up-there cable network. Hard to imagine.
Nowadays, its stamp is everywhere, from fast-cut musically driven movie sequences (and entire movies) to reality television to the relentless pursuit of free-spending teenagers.
Birmingham native Alan Hunter was there at the birth of Music Television, one of five VJs who introduced videos (a promotional tool and an emerging artform), interviewed bands and became the early face of the network. He has gone on to promote the film industry in Birmingham, opened WorkPlay with brothers Blake, Hugh and Randy, founded Hunter Films with brother Hugh and co-founded activist organization Catalyst.
If you thought July was hot, well, you’re right, temperatures were above normal. Um, yeah …
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