As we remember the service of those who died defending our country, take time to remember those who are still on duty abroad: Send a care package today.
It doesn’t cost much, just a few dollars or a few carefully chosen new items to share. These sites can help:
Have a peaceful Memorial Day.
The year of living soulfully: Tonight marks the end of the yearlong reign of outgoing American Idol Taylor Hicks. The Hoover native may have been outsold 3-to-1 by fourth-place finisher Chris Daughtry. Or broken through with a hit single. But he did sell out his solo tour dates and stayed true to his sound, at least live in concert. J.R. Taylor writes a surprisingly bracing profile of the outgoing champ, and Hicks himself continues to prop up this season’s lackluster final two.
Meanwhile, the Soul Man returns to “American Idol” tonight to perform his latest single, “Heaven Knows.” His autobiography “Heart Full of Soul” arrives in bookstores July 10. And he resumes touring June 1 with a kickoff gig at … Alabama Adventure (formerly Visionland), where Bo Bice and Ruben Studdard will play later this summer. And the rollercoaster ride continues …
• Soul Brother Number 2 [Black and White]
Just say Julie: Another Birmingham reality celeb marks an anniversary this week. In the “How Old Do You Feel Now” file, MTV’s “The Real World” debuted 15 years ago Monday, when seven strangers stopped being polite and started getting annoying real. Among the cast was Julie Oliver, now Julie Gentry, quickly pegged as the charming hick/virgin, one of the many, many archetypes explored in the 18(!) seasons. And counting. “The Real World” helped reality TV establish itself as a cheap, engaging and unique genre, but don’t take our word for it: Just try getting through the recaps of that memorable inaugural season. Or hit yourself in the head with a frying pan repeatedly.
• The Real World’s 15th anniversary is today [reality blurred]
Cinema nouveau: In case you were worried that our fair city was losing its standing among reality shows, along comes “On the Lot,” the Steven Spielberg competition that kicked off Tuesday night, offering the winner a $1 million development deal at DreamWorks. Among the 50 semi-finalists is Adam W., a 24-year-old freelance camera operator from Birmingham. Will he join the 18 finalists or the 32 footnotes? Find out at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on Fox 6.
• Press release: “On the Lot” Semi-Finalists Announced [Fox]
Update: Adam Wingard, of Team Bloodjet!, discusses his participation in “On the Lot” (spoiler alert!). Our pal Carla Jean profiled him and many other local filmmakers for the June issue of Birmingham magazine.
Also:
• • •
Tension builds. Headache
throbs. Teeth clench. Body drags. Mouth
droops. Insides crumble.
• • •
Read more haiku.
