Aperçus of Entertainment

Playing for a Piece of the Poetry Pie

Ethan Switch - Tuesday, 23 December, 2003 - 17:53:12 - print it raw

Among the hardest things in the world of literature to sell are tomes of poetry. Once were willing but now are filling and the new book hitting the chances, Fighting For Peace has no big name celebrity behind the voice. Instead, Daisaku Ellis, a Japanese Buddhist peace builder.

"The title is provocative, and the poems are a call on everyone to stand up for justice and for peace," comments Donald Ellis, the publisher, someone with a vested interest in seeing this being spreading its wings. Of course, with Fighting For Peace being the second collection translated to English from Japanese, there's a certain certainty they have toward the publication which includes poems ranging from lamenting Japan's role in World War II to protesting the abuse of life by today's politicians in the use of war to achieve their ends.

Read the rest of Playing for a Piece of the Poetry Pie

Benefitting Benefactors Free from Autism

Ethan Switch - Wednesday, 10 December, 2003 - 15:34:28 - print it raw

According to Cure Autism Now, "sometimes, families with a child with an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) find themselves isolated from others, either because the parents are overwhelmed and too tired to do anything, or because they are worried or embarrassed by what their child may potentially do (or not do) in a social situation. Parents or other caregivers may find themselves becoming depressed, or withdrawing from civic, religious or recreational activities they once enjoyed."

Transplanting the Tolkien characters of Frodo Baggins and Smeagol into that situation and what exists is a parallel. Tenuous perhaps, but that doesn't mean they can't hold a charity screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in their efforts to raise funds.

Read the rest of Benefitting Benefactors Free from Autism

Just Like a Five Dollar Whore

Ethan Switch - Wednesday, 26 November, 2003 - 19:49:55 - print it raw

Alluded to earlier in small screen grabs threatening/comforting viewers with its return, it now seems as though the voyeuristic animal showcase known as Big Brother will be back on Australian screens for 2004. There was speculation following the wrap that the third installment of the show would also be the last. Stephen Abbot, head producer and voice of Big Brother is said to have pulled out from the franchise along with the hopes of Channel Ten with Southern Star Endemol hesistant on another outing.

But if a job ad posted on Seek.com is of any concern or worry, Southern Star Endemol really want another go. Looking to mangle their way back onto the spectrum it might be a case of shivving with the posted to start from January 2004 possibly making for an early half appearance of the show.

Read the rest of Just Like a Five Dollar Whore

Michael Jackson Stash Uncovered

Ethan Switch - Friday, 21 November, 2003 - 16:58:45 - print it raw

When all hope had vanished a stash of old Simpsons Comics were uncovered as the media drive themselves into a frenzy looking for deaths to pre-empt their coverage of Michael Jackson's arrest on child molestation charges. As more and more people are uncovered for opinions on the matter so too were issues of the comics from an old warehouse out West.

The issue at hand, Simpsons Comics #31 printed in June 1997, features the appearance of mental patient Michael Jackson donning a Fallout Boy costume with Homer Simpson in Radioactive Man garb in a tale entitled, The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth. One customer was lessed than impressed at the find and the mind of the stockists, "The box full of fifty cent comics looked like it was going to get another title but then they started putting them on the shelves. It was horrendous." said Aran Lauchs. The customer later on starting handing out bottles of wine and sandwiches with crushed sleeping pills.

Read the rest of Michael Jackson Stash Uncovered

Pigs in the Eye for a Man Named Guy

Ethan Switch - Monday, 3 November, 2003 - 18:01:31 - print it raw

Speculation and insane talk on message boards is heating up as the Australian Idol series comes ever closer to donning their choice. But unlike the forced patriotism in a KMart branded potato chip or odd tasting cola, the viewing — and more importantly voting mad — audience have spurred to bring forth a massive quiver of froth and sherbet flavoured cocaine for spoon feeding infants across the nation. The storm surrounds the supposed results of the phone/sms voting for tonight's show.

Down to the wire, Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll and Cosima DeVito, and one must go. One monger claimed that they had a friend in the audience of the live show as the results were read and announced that Sebastian was the one eliminated. A claim posted a few hours before the supposed time slot for the live verdict show. Obviously unaware of the concept and construct of time and television cheese.

Read the rest of Pigs in the Eye for a Man Named Guy

Guy Can't Rock, Makes the Others Roll

Ethan Switch - Wednesday, 29 October, 2003 - 19:49:56 - print it raw

Australian Idol are now down to their last three performers and the generated hype and folly are still floating around the place. Among them is the theory that the producers of the show will try and make afro straddler Guy Sebastian the ultimate winner. The basis behind this comes from the fans of the other singers in the competition.

Controversy is bound to make anything worthwhile. Like a night's segment on Channel 7's Today Tonight program. In "the story Channel 10 doesn't want you to know about" they presented their version of a scandal in the voting lines for Cosima DeVito. One which scaled the heights of fever pitch with claims behind the scenes players were operating the phone service handling the votes. 1 out of 3 callers were rejected and dejected. Yet when the votes were read, Paulini Curuenavuli was the one to fall by the way side.

Read the rest of Guy Can't Rock, Makes the Others Roll