Sandra Okamoto writes about what's going on the arts world, as well as her own.
When I was watch "The Late Show with David Letterman" the other night, I tuned in to watch Eli Manning. That boy has the longest eyelashes I've seen. I'm so jealous. Right after, I think Sarah Michelle Geller was on and Letterman said a group from South Africa was coming on. Die Antwoord. I stayed up to watch and they were the freakiest band I'd ever seen. The song they sang was "I Fink U Freeky and I Like it a Lot." I swear I can't get it out of my head. Watch the video and you'll see...
More...I was minding my own business, looking at my Facebook page, which I do once a day. I saw a post by Kristin Hopkins, saying she found a blog of Charles Barkley's quotes and she said something like, "There goes my day." Well, she's right. I had to read all 29 pages of his quotes and they are just hilarious. One of them was something like I never graduated but I have people who did working for me when someone asked if he has a degree from Auburn University. When someone asked if he was goin...
More...I met John Walker in September when I was the honorary ringmaster at the annual Shriners' circus. A few days later, I got an email from him. He said he was going to walk the Appalachian Trail. It was way to early to write that story. I just got a note from Jack Bagley about the Bearbell Chicken and John Walker. I knew that Jack, who was then known as Wando, graduated from Spencer High School in 1975, with my brother, Fred. I did not know until I opened Jack's note that John was in that sa...
More...You all know how I feel about Madonna. I truly believe she has little talent for dancing, acting and singing, but she has a huge talent for self-promotion. That said, her first tour in three years will include a stop in Atlanta's Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive. No opening acts have been announced yet, but I'm sure someone will open for her. The concert will be at 8 p.m. Nov. 17. Tickets are $57.85-$404.60 (including Ticketmaster fees) and go on sale at 10 a.m. March 5. VIP ticket package...
More...Karl Lagerfeld, the fashion designer for the house of Chanel, has not just opened his mouth. He really did it. He said Adele was fat and that Lana Del Rey was a fine singer, even with implants. What? Then he said "People in magazines are 50 percent bimbo and 50 percent pregnant women." This coming from a 78-year-old man with a ponytail.
More...I think this is the third year in a row that Columbus State University theater students are competing in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival finals. That's a big deal. Jessica Hill and T.K. Habtemariam won the regional competition and will represent CSU in the National Finals April 19-23 on the Kennedy Center stage in Washington, D.C. The regionals were held Jan. 31-Feb. 4 at Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, Fla. Besides Jessica and T.K., Dylan Bollinger won the KC...
More...My cousin Kenichi Kono recently got an iPad2. So for the first time, he has the capability to Skype. The other night, when I got online, I checked to see who was on Skype, and he was. So I called him and we had a nice chat. The man loves to talk. He said he was watching a show that featured Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who played for the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. In Japan, he played for the Hanshin Tigers and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. I always thought a team called the Ham ...
More...My sister Dorothy turns 52 today. That's really difficult for me to believe. Just like I still can't believe she spent two years in Africa, in Djibouti, to be exact. And that's why we call her Djibouti Girl. I was 8 when she was born and I really don't remember my parents bringing her home from the hospital. Dorothy was always a bright, cheery girl. She's always been chubby, except when she was under the care of a Fort Benning pediatrician who put her on a diet. She lost the weight and the...
More...Have you been to the Smith-McCullers House? It's at 1519 Stark Ave., and it houses the McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians. It's a really great house museum and residence for visiting artists. When my friend Karen Zacharias was writing a book, she wondered if there was a place she could stay in Columbus and just write. I told her to call Cathy Fussell, who was the director of the center. Karen became the first writer to stay there and work. Since then, there have been countless musi...
More...Oh, thank goodness. Taylor Swift will not be in the movie version of the musical of "Les Miserables." Instead, the producers and casting director came to their senses and hired Samantha Barks. Who? Barks is a British West End performer. So you know you've got a seasoned professional for the young woman who sings "On My Own." I shudder to think how Swift would have butchered that song.
More...I love dogs so much that I'll stop on the street to greet dogs. Even the big ones. A friend of mine told me once that I'll have a dog bite my face off one day. I pooh-poohed that. Now, I'm a little more careful. Still, I'll stop and pet them and talk to them and let them lick my face. But I just have this mental block when it comes to pit bulls. They just scare me. I know it's irrational. They are, for the most part, beautiful, loving dogs. Then something will happen and a child gets attac...
More...Joan Rivers considers herself to be a comedian. And she once was a very funny woman. Then she started messing with her face and now she looks Asian. Her facial skin is so stretched out that her eyes have also stretched out. Years ago, she started "Fashion Police" on the E! network, commenting on clothing worn by stars on various red carpet events. At first, she was funny and surrounded herself with some equally funny fashionistas. Then, it became mean. Now, it's been years since I watched...
More...The Skate Shed holds Fifth annual Chili Cook-off on Feb. 11.
More...Atlanta's High Museum will show "Girl with a Pearl Earring" in 2013.
More...As much as I'd like to be a fashionista, the closest I can come to a Roberto Cavalli creation is to buy his perfume, Oro. And I bought that at TJ Maxx for $20 (the regular price was $58). So imagine my jealousy when I found out on "Good Morning America" today that top designers are making clothes for kids. Designers like Versace, Gucci, Fendi, Dior, Burberry and Lanvin! And parents are buying them. A little fur Gucci Kids coat for $2,900? Or a Lanvin Petite sundress for $1,100? I don't th...
More...I just got a press release that the new 25th anniversary production of "Les Miserables" will be at the Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE. Even the play had been touring America for years, I didn't see it until about 13 years ago or so when it made a stop in Atlanta. It wasn't at the Fox Theatre on that run. It was in the Atlanta Civic Center. I went to see an actor/singer who had done several shows at the Springer Opera House. I just had a senior moment and can't remember his name. He pla...
More...For those who work in the movie industry, today is probably the most important day of the year. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced the nominees in the top categories. Jennifer Lawrence, who is playing Katniss in "The Hunger" helped announce the nominees. I was typing as fast as I could, and it's taken me a little while, especially trying to make sure I got the names spelled right. But here they are. The 84th Academy Awards Show begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 on ABC. Best S...
More...I'm going to say it: Local weathermen really bug me. Whenever there is a bad weather system, they'll break into whatever program I'm watching and then keep talking and talking and talking. I realize that it's their job to do this. But can't they give us the highlights and then shut up? Whatever they can say in a few minutes will do. Then put the crawl at the bottom of the screen and let us watch TV. I think they just love the sound of their voices. OK. I've got that off my chest.
More...I've always liked Etta James' "At Last." I was saddened to hear that she had died today. It was a very poignant first dance when my friends Oz Roberts and V.J. Wells got married 13 years ago. They chose "At Last." I knew the back story. They had met some 20 years earlier when they were students at the University of Geor gia. After graduation, they went in different directions. Oz became a photographer and after working at WLTZ-TV 38 and the Columbus Times, he went to work at Aflac, wher...
More...I am so glad to open the paper this morning and seeing that "The Artist" is finally here. But here's a warning for those of you who want to see this sure-to-be-nominated-for-an-Oscar next Tuesday: It is a silent movie. Repeat: It is a silent movie. And like old-timey silent films, it's in black-and-white. I'm told that there is a cute dog who some people say should be nominated for an Oscar. There was a story on "Good Morning America" that some people asked for a refund because the sound w...
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