I recently served as emcee at a fundraiser for the USF Suncoast Alzheimer's & Gerontology Center. It was a challenging job because the audience was especially chatty. ...more

November 23, 2007

Thanks to nearly 10 years of national television commercials, most Americans probably would recognize Jared Fogle, the Indianapolis man who lost about 240 pounds in 12 months, thanks to a diet of Subway sandwiches. ...more

November 17, 2007

SEBRING — An encore. Eighteen-year-old –– and former Junior Heartland Idol champion Christopher Allen –– was tapped as the new Heartland Idol Saturday night at the the downtown Circle. Allen is the only contestant to win both crowns, and emcee Don Elwell joked that 30 years from now, Allen might be eligible for a yet-to-be-established "Senior Heartland Idol." Allen said recently that he almost didn't enter the singing contest. ...more

November 12, 2007

HEAVY TRASH: GOING WAY OUT WITH HEAVY TRASH (YEP ROC) ** Gotham hipster Jon Spencer's pillaging of Southern music was a real hoot back in the ironic '90s but the shtick hasn't worn that well. When he sings "I had no roots here, no roots to hold me" on this album's more-or-less title track, "Way Out," he might as well be summing up his career. ...more

November 7, 2007

SEBRING — Thursday evening's Heartland Idol competition was a chance for 16 local performers to wear goofy hats, sport huge shades, or to wear it short and tight and dance up a storm. The music – and especially the dress – of Madonna and Elton John took center stage at the Downtown Circle as four contestants were eliminated from a pool of 16. It was at least the third time that each singer had performed for ever-increasing audiences, emcee Don Elwell pegged Thursday's crowd at 400. As part of a regular refrain, Elwell told performers to "leave nothing on the stage" and none did. ...more

October 20, 2007

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Before the Berkeley Preparatory School science club could shoot colored flames, bubble chemicals and create explosions, it had to understand the hows and the whys. ...more

October 6, 2007