US Townhall RealStories presents: JERRY BECK (again!)
Written by Scott Katz
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 00:13
Next episode of US Townhall RealStories Internet radio show on Wednesday May 19 at 2pm eastern!
Our first radio show with Jerry Beck, noted animation historian, was so popular, we asked him back for another go-round!
Jerry Beck's new book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons is set to be released on June 1, so we wanted to get back in touch with him so that he could go into more detail about it than he was able to the last time we spoke.
The interview is scheduled for TODAY at 2pm eastern and is scheduled to last for only an hour, so head on over to www.blogtalkradio.com/ustownhall to listen in live or just check back here at around 3:30pm, and there will be a player widget below that will allow you to listen to the interview after it's over.
American Idol begn in earnest this week, as the top 24 contestants took to the live Idol stage to perform for America's votes. Last season's format for the semi-final rounds has been scuttled, and it has returned to the format more familiar to viewers of seasons 4 through 7. Each week, the women and men perform on differnet nights with the bottom two going home each week for the next three rounds. When the semi-finals are done, we'll have our top 12 that will go on to the big stage at the Kodak Theater.
Looking at the way the competition has shaped up so far, we don't think it's going too far out on a limb to predict that the winner of this season will be female. Let's take a look at the performances from this week.
American Idol 9: Semi-Finals Round 1 Ladies' Performances, Tuesday 2/23/10
(1) Paige Milessang "All Right Now" by Free (1970). Good, but not great, performance. Verses were fine, but Paige was swallowed up by the background singers and the band during the chorus (refrain). We'd rate it a B+ and feel that Paige should be safe when the results are revealed.
(2) Ashley Rodriguezsang "Happy" by Leona Lewis (2009). Subpar rendition that compares noticeably quite unfavorably to the original by Simon Cowell discovery Leona Lewis. Simon felt that Ashley could be "in trouble" when the results are revealed, and we agree. Grade: C
(3) Janell Wheelersang "What About Love" by Heart (1985). We liked Janell during Hollywood Week with her great, stripped down performance of Estelle's "American Boy" on acoustic guitar, but a Heart power ballad was way beyond the scope of her talent and her voice simply lacks the power necessary to sell that song. Going off key several times did not help matters. Grade: C
US Townhall RealStories Presents: New Interview with CHICK star, KAI SOREMEKUN
Written by Scott Katz
Monday, 19 April 2010 13:57
TUNE IN TUESDAY APRIL 20 FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF OUR INTERNET RADIO SHOW!
On Tuesday, April 20 at 1pm Eastern (10am Pacific), we're going to be broadcasting the next episode of our US Townhall RealStories radio show. Our guest will be KAI SOREMEKUN, the creator and star of the web series, CHICK! We interviewed Kai back in February while she was still filming her first season, and now that season 1 has finished, we thought we'd have her on our radio show to do a wrap up and have her share her feelings and experiences about it all.
If you'd like to listen in live, we'll have a player widget right here on our front page for you to do so. We'll also try to have a chat room open on our blogtalkradio page for you to write in questions while the show is underway. Head on over to www.blogtalkradio.com/ustownhall in order to do that. If you'd like to call in during the show to ask Ms. Soremekun a question, you can call 1-347-989-1686. Please note that this is a local New York City phone number, and long distance charges will apply to you.
You can also write in your questions for Ms. Soremekun to us if you'd prefer at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Visit Kai Soremekun's websites:
www.whoischick.com & www.chickspirit.com - to communicate with the actress and follow the latest CHICK news.
www.youtube.com/chickspirit - to watch the web series CHICK. Season 1 has just wrapped.
US Townhall RealStories presents: DAN PARENT of Archie Comics
Written by Scott Katz
Thursday, 29 April 2010 13:29
TUNE IN BEGINNING FRIDAY APRIL 30, 2010 AT 3:00 PM for the latest episode of the US Townhall RealStories radio show!
On the most recent episode of the US Townhall RealStories radio show, our special guest was Dan Parent, writer/illustrator for Archie Comics. Recently, Archie Comics has taken numerous steps to refurbish its image and make itself more current for today's reading audience. In the last few years, they've begun a series of "new look" stories where Archie characters are drawn in a more realistic manner that is a noticeabe departure from the traditional house style that has been employed by the company for decades.
Over in the main line of Archie titles, the company has recently received positive attention and increased sales for its multi-part storyline where the potential marriages of Archie to Veronica or Betty were explored in turn. On sale May 4 is a story that shows Archie dating Valerie, the African-American character from Josie and the Pussycats, another venerable Archie Comics franchise.
US Townhall RealStories presents: BEN SPIERMAN of the Bronx Opera
Written by Scott Katz
Thursday, 06 May 2010 20:58
On Thursday May 6, we broadcast the latest episode of our Internet Radio Show with special guest, Ben Spierman of the Bronx Opera. The Bronx Opera is mounting its latest production, Don Pasquale, a comic opera by famed Italian composer, Donizetti. This is a limited engagement of four performances. On May 7 & 8, the opera will be staged at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx, while on May 14 & 15, it will be performed at Hofstra University's John Cranford Adams Playhouse in Long Island.
To find out more information about the Bronx Opera and its production of Don Pasquale, please visit www.bronxopera.org
Click on the player below to listen to our exclusive interview with Ben Spierman, the Associate Artistic Director of the Bronx Opera.
On Tuesday, April 20 at 1pm Eastern (10am Pacific), we're going to be broadcasting the next episode of our US Townhall RealStories radio show. Our guest will be KAI SOREMEKUN, the creator and star of the web series, CHICK! We interviewed Kai back in February while she was still filming her first season, and now that season 1 has finished, we thought we'd have her on our radio show to do a wrap up and have her share her feelings and experiences about it all.
On the most recent episode of the US Townhall RealStories radio show, our special guest was Dan Parent, writer/illustrator for Archie Comics. Recently, Archie Comics has taken numerous steps to refurbish its image and make itself more current for today's reading audience. In the last few years, they've begun a series of "new look" stories where Archie characters are drawn in a more realistic manner that is a noticeabe departure from the traditional house style that has been employed by the company for decades.
On Thursday May 6, we broadcast the latest episode of our Internet Radio Show with special guest, Ben Spierman of the Bronx Opera. The Bronx Opera is mounting its latest production, Don Pasquale, a comic opera by famed Italian composer, Donizetti. This is a limited engagement of four performances. On May 7 & 8, the opera will be staged at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx, while on May 14 & 15, it will be performed at Hofstra University's John Cranford Adams Playhouse in Long Island.