FFWD Weekly
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| SPLICE Rock Stars Do the Dumbest Things Sure they often give off the impression that they're worldly, intelligent, sophisticated human beings who can do no wrong, but to be perfectly frank, most rock stars are as dumb as a sack of hammers. If you look past the celebrity glare, the things they do and the things they say can reveal how truly empty-headed the self-involved musical set really is. That's why it helps to have an encyclopedia of rock star idiocies around the house to remind you that they are only human (sometimes less so). Margaret Moser and Bill Crawford have thoughtfully - and maliciously - done just that with their new book, Rock Stars Do the Dumbest Things (Renaissance Books). From John Lennon ("You know what they say about the Japanese is right! They all do look alike") to Gibby Haynes from the Butthole Surfers ("I'd never eat an entire scab. Although it's okay to eat half a scab") and even to the - gasp! - Spice Girls ("I've never in my life succeeded in reading a book from cover to cover!" - Posh), the two writers have collected their favorite brain-dead quotes and actions from the world of song. Also containing an "extra special superdeluxe extra appendix" - rock stars do the dumbest things dumbest hits - Dumbest Things is a great bite-sized chronicling of how easily we forgive our heroes for their many, many... many shortcomings. Web watch Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Other times it's a sex toy. U.S. president Bill Clinton's (sex) life has come under public scrutiny this week due to the Starr report, which offers details about his "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky - and not much else. But he's not the first American president to raise eyebrows - many of those who have gone before were getting a little on the side, lining the pockets of their cronies, etc. The Washington Post and the San Jose Mercury News both have Web pages dedicated to sexploits and other scandals involving past presidents - Thomas Jefferson's affair with his wife's half-sister, Andrew Jackson's illegal marriage in the early 1800s (she wasn't divorced yet), Franklin D. Roosevelt's broken promise to Eleanor that he would end his relationship with her social secretary, John F. Kennedy's rumored romances, Nixon and the Watergate scandal, and more. According to the Post, the only difference between then and now is the publicity - prior to the Watergate era, presidential scandals were rarely revealed until long after the fact. The Washington Post "Destination: Scandal" page. The San Jose Mercury News "Presidential Peccadillos" page. Free stuff! Rush to get a pass to the advance screening of "Rush Hour" starring the indestructable Jackie Chan and funny guy, Chris Tucker. Don't wait unitil Friday for this one - the screening is being held Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Showcase Grand. See the ad in this issue for details. Pleiades Theatre is giving away five pairs of tickets to the Saturday, September 19 presentation of Dangerous Obsession. If you have not won anything from us in the past month, you can win by bringing a donation for the food bank to the Fast Forward office. We have passes to the advance screening of Pecker, starring Edward Furlong, Lili Taylor and Christina Ricci. Pecker is the latest comedy from director John Waters, best known for cult classics Pink Flamingo and Hairspray. The screening is being held at Eau Claire Market Cinemas on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. See the ad in the this issue for details. Win two tickets to Wordfest's Poetry Bash! The Poetry Bash features several talented poets and writers in a casual and festive atmosphere. The party is being held on Friday, October 16 at 9:30 p.m. at the Uptown. To win the tickets you must tell us at least three of the featured artists attending the Poetry Bash (hint: look for the official PanCanadian Wordfest brochure at a coffee shop near you). We start giving away free stuff on Fridays unless otherwise noted. Only people who have not won (excluding movie passes) within the last four issues are eligible. Office hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. |