Review: Reality show comes to Hayden to take on spanking mom

Review at a glance: “Supernanny” Jo Frost works with the Phelps in Hayden to help them discipline the kids without resorting to spanking.

I’ll admit it: I have a slight crush on Supernanny, a k a Jo Frost. She just has a way of saying “Birmingham” and “naughty spot” in her British accent that slaps my tickle. I might even follow her into hell and back, or in this case, Hayden.

Back in May, Jo came to visit the Phelps family to tape a sixth-season episode of “Supernanny,” which aired Friday. The ABC reality show visits families in need of parental training. This was her first visit to Alabama.

Video: The Phelps family on “Supernanny”

Amy and Jimmy Phelps are at odds. She’s a stay-at-home mom, and he works outside of the home. They have three boys: Jacob, 9; Brody, 5; and Aiden, 2 1/2.

From left, Aiden, Brody and Jacob.

And like any three boys, they’re a handful. They eat junk food, they talk back and they’re rambunctious. Amy’s solution? A good old-fashioned spanking. Or 12.

Jimmy and Amy don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, including the spankings. He’d rather find another way to discipline the boys, while she feels it’s an effective tool.

Amy raises her voice to Brody.

Jo makes it clear that her bag of tricks doesn’t include spanking. But throughout the episode, Amy resists the challenge to try timeouts instead of spankings.

But it wouldn’t be “Supernanny” if Jo’s patience and chiding don’t win out in the end. Along the way, we’re treated to couple’s drama, too, as we see how Amy and Jimmy argue more than listen.

Jo has the family set rules for children and parents.

Jimmy comes off as the sometimes naive, sometimes passive dad. Amy comes off as the frustrated wife and mom.

Jo insists that Aiden start sleeping in his own bed, which lays bare Amy’s pain. She had been using her baby boy to fill an emotional hole, even as he needed to sleep on his own.

Jo gives Amy a pep talk.

We’re also treated to a reboot of family meals, as Jo tells Amy she’s lazy for not fixing proper meals; the kids usually do prepackaged lunches, and then, only the dessert. The boys help choose and make a balanced dinner. Yes, okra, too.

Jimmy, left, and Jacob prepare okra for dinner.

In the end, it appears Amy has begun, reluctantly, to use timeouts whenever the boys misbehave. Jimmy says he feels more confident as a father.

It was a typical episode, but one that raises questions about whether corporal punishment really works, and if parents have alternatives.

Also: “Supernanny” is looking for additional Alabama families starting Saturday.

• • •

Other Alabamians on reality television:

• “The Amazing Race”
• “American Idol”
• “America’s Next Top Model”
• “The Biggest Loser”
• “Survivor”
• “Two-a-Days”

Plus, another review from Reality TV Magazine.

• • •

Did Jo have the right solution? Did Amy know best?

Also running for Birmingham mayor, besides Emory Anthony and Patrick Cooper, are …

• Stephannie Sigler Huey, who ran for mayor in Denver, and also finished in 14th place running for mayor of Birmingham in 2003. Huey is a teacher in the Birmingham school system and a pastor with the God’s Holy Tabernacle Church. She wants to reduce crime and make schools safer.
• Edith Mayomi, an employee at Jefferson State Community College.
• Jimmy Snow, an Avondale resident who wants to reform City Hall. He told the Birmingham News: ”I really do not care to be mayor, but I am willing to do what needs to be done.”

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Defense attorney Emory Anthony is entering the race for mayor in Birmingham. This makes him the second candidate to announce, following Patrick Cooper’s kickoff on Thursday.

Anthony’s focus will be on education, jobs and transportation. He also says he’ll check the city’s finances to determine whether the domed stadium and Fair Park redevelopment can continue.

Previously, Anthony served as dean of Miles College Law School, municipal judge and prosecutor for the Jefferson County District Attorney, and a legal adviser to then Mayor Bernard Kincaid. This is his third run for mayor; he also ran once unsuccessfully for state Senate.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

Also:

• John Archibald of the Birmingham News sizes up possible mayors Anthony, William Bell, Cooper and Carole Smitherman.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Film festival combines budget cutting, increased sales and speedy fund-raising

Almost showtime: Before a screening at the Alabama Theatre
during the 2009 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

In a year of troubled festivals in Birmingham, one event managed a storybook ending despite the odds. The 2009 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival had a new executive director, a budget shortfall and a ticking clock.

Here’s what didn’t happen: The 11-year-old film fest didn’t shut down before opening night. It didn’t leave vendors unpaid. And it didn’t file for bankruptcy.

Instead, Sidewalk finished $20,000 in the black and pulled in roughly 13,000 attendees, despite a troubled economy.

In this exclusive interview, executive director Chloe Collins shares how the two-person staff and their 425 volunteers not only survived, but succeeded.

Budget breakdown

With Collins’ arrival in April, she faced two common obstacles: time and money. She had less than 5 months to get the festival ready and a $10,000 deficit cutting into her resources.

“It’s really hard to get people excited about doing less,” she said. “It’s an easier sell to say, ‘Look at the stuff we’re adding.'”

Her goals were to just see if she could do it, to put on the event with the same level of quality as previous years without more debt, yet still improve the programming.

Organizers went throughout the budget line by line, cutting expenses like Collins’ travel budget and saving money by switching insurance companies and partnering with sponsors for the event’s parties.

In addition, the Alabama Moving Image Association, the actual entity that runs the festival and other Sidewalk events, changed the membership program and held an online fund-raiser called Kick the Bucket. The 3-week goal was $10,000, but the total raised was $5,864.

And yet, it was nearly $6,000 that the festival didn’t have before, from a campaign in August, right in the heat of actual event preparation.

Collins has created 100 proposals for both local and national sponsors. She has also invested time in applying for grants. Melissa Kendrick, who had been hired with grant money as the association’s part-time development director, instead took a job as chief executive officer of the American Lung Association of Alabama.

Not only was Collins learning the ropes as executive director but also was filling in as development director along the way.

The event had no title sponsor as it had in 2008. But it did have one other triumph: more ticket sales.

All combined, the festival wrapped with $20,000 extra, 20 percent over the goal for the year, according to preliminary figures from Collins.

Room to breathe

Collins points out that the festival has run lean over the years, so the surplus gives Sidewalk some breathing room. The association paid all its vendors in full by October, including any from 2008 who still hadn’t been fully reimbursed.

“We’re in a better place than I thought we would be in back in June or July,” Collins said.

Still, the festival was not without a hiccup or two. For example, a new audience tracking system didn’t fully live up to expectations.

Attendees who bought online tickets and filled out demographic info would have their passes scanned at each screening. The data collected would not only give an attendance figure, but also reveal which movies were popular with specific groups. (In past years, volunteers would count audience members upon entrance using hand clickers.)

Instead, glitches human and otherwise generated an incomplete picture. Based on the preliminary data, organizers estimate 13,000 attended the three-day event in September. They plan to look deeper into the numbers over the coming months.

Past years’ attendance figures — around 10,000 to 13,000 — have been rough estimates, based on ballot and clicker counts.

Coming soon

The event itself “went off without a hitch,” Collins says, in part because of festival producer Denise Koch of McMillan Associates. The Birmingham-based agency has worked with Sidewalk since 2007. Collins had nothing but praise for Koch: “I feel comfortable with Denise. … Denise did a really good job for us. She was committed to the festival.”

Koch and her boss George McMillan are facing arrest warrants for bad check charges related to their work on City Stages. The downtown music festival declared bankruptcy after a lackluster showing in June, leaving dozens of vendors unpaid.

Collins signs all checks and contracts related to Sidewalk, rather than an outside representative.

Meanwhile, Collins is preparing the 2010 budget for board approval. With one festival completed, she has been looking ahead to improvements for next time, including possibly adding another staff member and reassigning duties within the office.

“We’re so blessed to have repeat customers (as volunteers) and new volunteers,” Collins said. “I feel really blessed that we’ve gotten to this point, and that we have such huge community support.”

• • •

Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

Photo by Ali Clark / aliclark.org

The runner-up has returned for a rematch, of sorts.

Attorney Patrick Cooper, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Birmingham in 2007, announced his run today. This makes him the first candidate to announce for the race to fill the spot vacated by convicted former mayor Larry Langford.

Cooper finished in second place last time, earning 29.5 percent of the vote.

Video: Cooper announces his candidacy and platform

Cooper promised to hire more police officers, citing a shortage of 200. He also wants to fund pre-kindergarten programs, and put people to work with public works programs.

His previous campaign site, CooperForMayor.com, has gone dormant, while his Facebook campaign page has not been updated, save for supporters’ comments.

Update: His new campaign Web site, CooperForBirmingham.com, has launched.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Comedian and Mountain Brook native Kent Haines will be on the lineup for Friday’s season premiere of “Live at Gotham.”

Haines, who has appeared in the Web series “That Guy,” lives in Philadelphia, where he was named “Philly’s Phunniest Person” by Helium Comedy Club.

The hourlong show, which features comics at Gotham Comedy Club in New York, airs at 10 p.m. Friday, repeating at 6 a.m. Saturday, on Comedy Central.

Video: Haines in “Charades, Pt. 1” from “That Guy”

The nonprofit groups came together at one point, back in 2006, to meet, to share, to collaborate. A new idea was taking hold: Birmingham-area volunteers and board members could find ways to help each other out. It was called the YP Roundtable.

In October, that same group decided it was time for a pat on the back. Several in fact. The group has partnered with the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce over the past three years. Now that the chamber is dead, the Birmingham Business Alliance has pushed for a new program, the Birmingham Leadership Awards.

Want to win the fawning praise for your formerly selfless good deeds? Let’s go through the process:

1. You nominate yourself. You fill out the form on behalf of yourself, in one of two categories: more than or less than 5 years “in the Young Professional scene.” Or you can nominate your own organization (the three categories divide entrants by size of group). You talk about yourself, your accomplishments and even provide two letters of recommendation.

2. Judges pick up to 10 individuals and three groups as winners. Who are the judges? They haven’t been revealed yet. What are their criteria? The form doesn’t say.

3. Bask in glory, noble humble winners. The awards ceremony takes place Dec. 1.

What was once a chance to collaborate has degenerated into unnecessary competition. What was once a chance for those working to help charities and causes through combined effort has become an exercise in self-importance.

When the winners are announced, take a hard look at each one of them. No one plucked them out of obscurity to hold them up as shining examples for a troubled city to admire, even emulate.

Each one of them chose to enter, as if to say, “Look at me. Reward me. Me me me.”

Good works deserve recognition. But did we have to make it so selfishly egotistically uncharitable?

What’s your take? How do we recognize community champions without creating another awards monster?

Call it a tale of three cities. The recently formed Birmingham Business Alliance selected today an Atlanta firm to help create an economic development plan similar to one that helped Austin grow.

Market Street Services will work with the newly merged Birmingham chamber group over 6 months on the planning process.

Back in August, Gary Farmer of Opportunity Austin came to Birmingham to share Austin’s secrets of success with various civic groups. His talk? “What Unstuck Austin.”

The Austin Chamber of Commerce launched Opportunity Austin in 2004 with a 5-year plan to create 72,000 new jobs and increase payroll by $2.9 billion. Instead, the plan, funded by area businesses, created an estimated 123,400 jobs and increased payroll by $5.6 billion.

Before, Austin had fallen into a slump, losing jobs and residents. The chamber was underfunded and understaffed (its Web site page for business relocation was “under construction” … for 5 years!), and one staff member missed a key meeting with an auto manufacturer.

The chamber worked with Market Street to assess the region’s strengths and weaknesses, then have businesses invest in the plan, with full transparency.

Farmer talked about how Austin began competing hard with cities across the country to land companies outside of the state. Many had misperceptions of Austin, believing it to be an oil town like other Texas cities.

Having completed the first 5-year plan, Opportunity Austin has moved on to developing its next 5-year plan [pdf] with more funding, bigger goals and an adjusted strategy. Farmer said that Birmingham could also overcome its regional fractures, governmental problems and stagnant economy, but only by forming a regional plan and funding it properly.

The slides above provided by Farmer show Austin’s changes and successes in economic development.

Can Birmingham and the seven-county region develop a plan and fund it? Could the area grow into a Southern leader?

On Monday, we mentioned that radio host and Larry Langford appointee Frank Matthews had called for a “Free Larry” campaign, in response to the former mayor’s federal bribery conviction on Wednesday.

But before then on Facebook, at least three groups and one fan page sprang into action with the same mission: Free Larry Langford.

[Group 1 | group 2 | group 3 | fan page]

One group already has 3,600 members and counting. Based on the dialogue within the group, it’s clear not all who join support the cause outright. Another group started back in the spring with a different agenda, Fire Larry Langford.

Langford has said he plans to appeal the conviction, which could send him to prison for up to 805 years. Sentencing will take place in early 2010.

Video: More on the online campaigns to support Langford

With the conviction of Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, a vacancy has emerged at City Hall. (Well, two, but we’ll get to that.)

The city’s election commission has set a special mayoral election for Dec. 8, just 36 days away. Candidates must file by Nov. 18 to qualify.

Who’s on the possible short list? Patrick Cooper, Emory Anthony, Carole Smitherman, Stephen Hoyt, even Richard Arrington. The Birmingham News and Birmingham-Southern political science professor Natalie Davis weigh in.

Meanwhile, several other post-Langford headlines caught our eye today …

• Langford appointee Steve Sayler resigned today. He was the city’s finance director, and was Jefferson County’s finance director under Langford. Acting Mayor Smitherman, who said Sayler didn’t keep the council or the mayor’s office fully informed on city finances during his tenure, has ordered a comprehensive review of the books.
• Langford testified after his election as mayor in 2007 that he’d move to Birmingham. He lied, as unsealed court documents show he maintained two residences, but lived at his Fairfield address. See his full financial disclosure statement.
• A “Free Larry” campaign? Yes, as brought to you by Langford appointee/God’s Gangster Frank Matthews.

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Bare Hands Gallery rolls out its seventh annual Dia de los Muertos festival tonight. The Hispanic celebration, a k a Day of the Dead, features altars to the departed, along with music and food.

The event takes place from 5 to 10 inside and around the gallery, 109 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. S. [map]. Admission is $10, $3 for age 7 to 12, free for age 6 and younger.

For more information, visit the event site.

If you miss tonight’s event, you can see the exhibits for free through Nov. 14.

Video: info on Dia de los Muertos

The 7th annual Art in Avondale Park will take place Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the park. [map]

The community festival was scheduled to take place today, but was moved Friday because of the rainy forecast.

The free event includes more than 70 artists, plus performances by musicians, belly dancers and Irish step dancers; children’s area with pony rides; and food/drink vendors. Noted Alabama folk artist Lonnie Holley will lead a sand sculpting demonstration.

For more information, visit artinavondalepark.org.

Another Alabamian, Regina Benjamin, wins Senate confirmation as surgeon general

Video: Interim mayor Carole Smitherman promises transparency

With Larry Langford’s automatic removal from office for his federal conviction, Birmingham city council president Carole Smitherman became the interim mayor, making her the first woman to hold the city’s highest office in its 138-year history.

Smitherman, an attorney, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2003 and 2007. She was the first black woman in Alabama to serve as circuit court judge.

Her term as mayor may be short lived. The newly elected council takes charge Nov. 24, at which point it can select her or someone else as council president/interim mayor. Smitherman has not announced whether she’ll run in the special election for mayor, which will be held within the next 90 days or so.

She released this statement Wednesday, shortly after Langford’s conviction:

It is with a heavy heart that I assume the duties of acting mayor. This is a sad day for my friend, Larry Langford, his family, our city and the state.

Birmingham is a great city known for her ability to use her resources and her people to rise above adversity. Birmingham will prevail. In this time of tribulation, it is imperative that the leadership of this City stands united and ready to deal with our challenges. We must serve the people who elected us and depend upon us.

Tomorrow morning, I will begin meeting with the executive staff of the Mayor’s Office. At 10:00 a.m., we will hold a press conference in Council Chambers at City Hall. I am asking that all my fellow city councilors join me. Tomorrow afternoon, I will meet with other city employees as we plan a seamless transition.

Tonight, I will attend church with my family and visit with my friend, Larry Langford. Tomorrow we will begin the process of moving the city forward.

Thursday, she promised to investigate city finances but also to continue Langford’s projects. She told the media:

“I am deeply aware that you have not elected me as mayor by your ballots, but I fervently hope that you will elect me with your prayers. I did not seek this responsibility, but I will not be intimidated by it.”

Also, this week saw another Alabamian on the rise.

Mobile’s Regina Benjamin was confirmed Thursday by the Senate as the next surgeon general. Sen. Jeff Sessions said in a statement, “The American people will undoubtedly benefit from her knowledge and unwavering dedication to improving the public’s health and wellness.” [See “10 things you didn’t know about surgeon general nominee Dr. Regina Benjamin.”]

What: Only Birmingham’s biggest annual sports event, a football showdown between two historically black colleges, the Alabama State Hornets vs. the Alabama A&M Bulldogs. Well, some football: It’s also a parade, battle of the bands, series of parties and events and reunions and fun. Football somewhat optional.

Where/when: The game itself is at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Legion Field. Tickets are $20 to $25 in advance, $30 to $35 on game day.

Other Classic-related events can be found on Urbanham’s calendar.

Weather: Saturday high, 57, with 70 percent chance of rain in the morning, clearing by kickoff.

Bottom line: With 30 sponsors, the event has brought in more than $800,000, a jump of 5 percent over 2008. That’s no small feat in a down economy. The event reportedly brings in $15.9 million into the local economy.

More info:

• Official site
• AL.com
• Twitter
• Google news

Chris Thile, February 2008

Review at a glance: Chris Thile brought fire and spunk to his performance with a game Alabama Symphony Orchestra, both as mandolin player and classical composer.

• • •

When bluegrass trio Nickel Creek announced in 2006 that it was calling it quits, I wondered if I’d ever get the chance to see such magic again. But Birmingham has had two opportunities in the past 5 days to catch its members.

Sara Watkins played at Vulcan AfterTunes on Sunday. And this evening, accomplished mandolin player and singer Chris Thile returned to town to perform with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

The event took place before a nearly full Jemison Concert Hall at the Alys Stephens Center.

Part-Bach, part-Bartók and part-Radiohead, the symphony accompanied Thile on several numbers but took on Bartók without the headliner. Thile and conductor Justin Brown took time to banter, with each other and with the audience, on several occasions. Stuffy, this was not.

Thile radiated enthusiasm while playing flawlessly; his vocals, however, were merely OK. But he took time to explain the selections for the evening, and how the mandolin makes for a fitting substitute for the violin (the tuning is identical, but the mandolin has frets and no sustained notes).

A special treat was the Alabama premiere of Thile’s concerto, Mandolin Concerto (Ad astra per alas porci). (The Latin translates to “To the stars on the wings of a pig.”) Six orchestras, including the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, commissioned the piece.

On numbers handled by the symphony itself, Thile didn’t go backstage as most performers do; instead, he sat himself on the steps leading up to the stage to enjoy the performance. When the symphony exited for Thile’s solo numbers, Brown returned the favor and sat down to listen.

The highlight was Bach’s Concerto in D minor for two violins. The Mandolin Concerto was also engaging and intriguing, showing Thile’s surprising range as a composer. Brown remarked beforehand that it may have been his first time as a conductor to perform a work by a composer who also sat in as a soloist.

For the encore, Thile and the symphony performed another Radiohead number.

And while orchestras at one point tried to reach the young people with all Zeppelin or Stones concerts, this collaboration felt like the real deal. Thile was generous in his praise of the orchestra and in his performance. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra would do well to schedule more mashups with talented artists.

• • •

Also:

• “Creek rising,” my review of Nickel Creek’s 2005 performance at the Alabama Theatre
• Thile talks with Birmingham Magazine | Birmingham News | WBHM (listen to audio clip below)
  [audio:http://www.wbhm.org/songs/christhile.mp3]
• Denver Post calls Mandolin Concerto a “classic” | more on the concerto
• Birmingham News concert review
• Alabama Symphony Orchestra preview
  [audio:http://www.alabamasymphony.org/symphony7/mp3/christhile.mp3]