‘One story at a time’
David Graham carrying on legacy with his paintbrush
Head west
SARAH MAISEL Miles City Star contributor
In a quiet corner of the art world, David Graham wields his paintbrush not just as a tool, but as an extension of his heritage. His canvases capture the rugged beauty of Montana’s landscapes and the stories of its people, blending the past and present in every stroke. For Graham, painting is more than a passion — it is a way of carrying forward the legacy of those who came before him, telling their stories in a way that resonates across generations.
“When I paint,” he said. “I’m not just putting colors on a canvas. I’m carrying on a legacy, one story at a time.”
Graham, a native of Miles City who now lives near Fallon, is an accomplished artist with over 16 years of experience, balancing his time between painting
and running a small farm.
For Graham, a significant part of being an artist is gathering the right reference materials. He uses his own photos as references.
““One of my biggest investments has been a good camera. I’ve taken thousands of photos for reference images, which I try to make sure are backed up multiple times on my computer,” he said. Graham spends a lot of time outdoors, taking photographs for his works.
“I do a lot of camping out and hiking for wildlife references,” he said. “And then, for Native American scenes, I’ll go to events where a lot of models are on hand. We have them do whatever we want them to do to try to capture the scene we might have in mind.”
His references for cowboy scenes are often close to home, where he takes photos of family and friends. “For cowboys, the references are all around me,” Graham explained. “I’m always on the lookout for landscapes to either
paint my figures or animals into.”
His canvases are not just windows into Montana’s rugged beauty, they are deeply personal tributes to the stories, landscapes and people that shaped him.
“I don’t have a big ranch or cattle,” Graham said, gesturing to his modest farm. “But what I have is enough. I can sit here, watch the light change over the fields, and feel connected to something much bigger than myself.”
His paintings capture this connection with a quiet intensity, blending the past and present in every stroke. For him, art is about storytelling, a way to preserve the legacy of those who came before him.
“When I paint, I’m not just recreating a scene,” he says. “I’m trying to tell a story that might
otherwise be forgotten.”
Graham’s approach to painting is as deliberate and considerate as the man himself. He draws inspiration from real life, often using his photography to capture a concept or feeling that he later transforms into a moment on canvas. He speaks with quiet humor about this process. “Sometimes I call it cheating,” he admits with a chuckle. “I’ll photograph a scene to get the composition just right, but I still go back and try to recreate the moment as it felt to me.”
This blend of preparation and spontaneity is central to his work. Whether he’s photographing the badlands at sunrise or asking a friend to pose with a weathered saddle, he seeks to ground his art in reality while imbuing it with emotion.
“I want the viewer to feel like they’re there,” he explains. “Like they can smell the
sagebrush or hear the wind over the prairie.”
His process often involves revisiting familiar places — fields he’s walked a hundred times, the bend in the river where his grandfather used to fish. “There’s something comforting about painting what you know,” David says. “But at the same time, every day out here feels a little different. The light changes, the seasons shift—it keeps me inspired.”
Graham credits much of his artistic vision to the legendary Charles Marion Russell, whose paintings of the American West have become iconic.
“C.M. Russell captured the spirit of the West in a way no one else could,” he said. “He painted with honesty and heart, and that’s what I try to do too.”
He has clearly accomplished that goal.
Graham strives to bring that same sense of life to his own work, whether he’s painting a herd of buffalo thundering across the plains or a lone rider silhouetted against a fiery sunset.
“We ride at dawn” by David Graham.
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CROSSWORD
Across 1. Produce protection
5. Soup often served with hoisin sauce
8. Hit the brakes
movie review
12. Falco of “The Sopranos”
13. Bartenderturned-pol inits.
14. Get wind of
15. “Bazinga!” show
18. Shocked
19. Hunky-dory
20. Cough syrup amts.
21. “Who ___?”
25. Flaws in logic
27. Elevator stop
28. “__ _ Blue?”
29. Treat shabbily
30. Avenger Maximoff
33. Cosmetician Lauder
35. Presses, folds and stretches
BY JAY BOBBIN
‘That’s Entertainment!,’ indeed: MGM musicals get their moment again
If you love movies, and movie musicals more specifically, chances are good that you already know the many delights of “That’s Entertainment!”
Originally devised by MGM as a tribute to the studio’s 50th anniversary, the 1974 compilation of clips has become a New Year’s staple on Turner Classic Movies. The channel will maintain the tradition by showing it again Wednesday, Jan. 1, along with two sequels. However, the first
film offers the cream of the crop, drawing upon many of the top song-and-dance sequences in MGM history, with some extra curios — such as an all-star luncheon — providing additional pleasure.
The picture is smartly organized into segments, each introduced and narrated by a star with an MGM connection, beginning with Frank Sinatra, who opens the movie with an amusing look at how many times “Singin’ in the Rain” has been used in different
37. Word of honor
38. Insurrectionist Turner
39. “Mad Man” Don
42. Show set in Gilead
46. Arthur of “Hoop Dreams” (1994)
47. Agatha Harkness, to 30-Across, e.g.
48. “Major” animal
49. “The Price is Right” selection
50. It’s a wrap
51. Squeaked (out)
Down
1. “Happy’s Place” star McEntire
2. “Gotcha, dude!”
attractions. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Peter Lawford, Liza Minnelli (who reflects on the MGM career of her mother, Judy Garland), Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, James Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor follow as other hosts.
The march of time allows most of them to wax humorous about their earlier days on screen, with Stewart noting that he was no singer (evidence is offered), yet such vocalizing was among the requirements for many of the studio’s talents. Similarly, Clark Gable and Joan Crawford are seen attempting to dance their way through a couple of numbers.
Fans of such classics as “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Show Boat,” “High Society” and “Gigi” will find them all represented, but the closing segment is reserved for what’s generally acknowledged as a true masterpiece among MGM-musical segments: Gene Kelly’s energetic ballet with Leslie Caron from “An American in Paris.”
3. News show co-hosted by Juju Chang and Byron Pitts
4. Adulterate
5. Imitates a hot dog
6. Monopolize
7. Group of eight
8. Foreign currency
9. Actor Woodall of “One Day”
10. “Ripley” weapon
11. Like some humor
16. Nile snakes
17. Dog : paw :: horse : ___
22. Cartoon set in Colorado
23. Plane part
24. “One ___ Hill”
25. Peddle
26. Arabian Sea nation
31. Allergen from a pet
32. Brody of “Nobody Wants This”
33. Listening devices
34. Lincoln Memorial feature
36. A flat place?
37. Stranger
40. “If all ___ fails ...”
41. Made out
42. Tricked
43. In times past
44. Prefix with linguistics
45. Note
Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in “An American in Paris”
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Solution on page 16
This just in @ Bozeman Library
Greetings from Bozeman Public Library. There was so much interest in the ‘Catch of a Lifetime’ program with John Maclean, and the ephemeral presence of Ernest Hemingway and Norman Maclean, here’s a list of materials and formats to support anyone interested in the subject matter. The recording of ‘Catch of a Lifetime’ will also be available to be enjoyed on demand at KGVM. org. It’s that certain time of year when everyone is suddenly home nights and reading, listening to audio, watching interesting films, and Bozeman Public Library is here to help out everyone interested in lifelong
learning.
“Big Two-Hearted River,” by Ernest Hemingway, foreword by John Maclean. If you ever need to know how Hemingway dropped people into the center of any story, and how his writing blossomed after this very early publication, read this book and Mr. Maclean’s foreword. This book also introduces Hemingway’s literary alter–ego, Nick Adams. It’s a fine debut.
“Home Waters: a Chronicle
of Family and a River,” by John N. Maclean. The Maclean family has become known to many of us through the books, stories and movies, this is the view from within by the man who lived it, and whose family is still settled on the Blackfoot river in Montana. Borrow this book in print, or as an unabridged recording on CD. This title is also available to borrow as downloadable ebook or audiobook on Montana Library2Go with your Library card.
“A River Runs Through It,” by Norman Maclean. Every library in America carries the masterpiece that is Norman Maclean’s book, now approaching the 50th anniversary of publication. Trivia: It was the FIRST work of fiction published by The University of Chicago Press and written after the elder Mr. Maclean turned 70 years old. Borrow the DVD, and/or download the ebook or audiobook with no waiting on Hoopla.
“Hemingway,” a documentary by Ken Burns. If you’re looking for some good screen time, consider this six hour series on DVD. It weaves together Hemingway’s biography with excerpts from his work. The film penetrates the
myth of Hemingway to reveal a writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, a father, husband, and sportsman.
“Running with the Bulls,” by Valerie Hemingway. Local living legend Valerie Hemingway shares her first-hand stories working for and with the man himself, Ernest Hemingway, as his secretary. After travelling the world and enjoying many bullfights, Valerie helped preserve the Hemingway papers for the JFK Library in Boston, which scholars everywhere are eternally thankful for. A marriage to youngest son Gregory produced three children. This is her family’s story.
BETH BOYSON Library columnist
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Library/from 7
“A Moveable Feast,” by Ernest Hemingway. Published posthumously in 1964, after much work by Valerie Hemingway (see above) this classic memoir of the ‘Lost Generation’ and their search for meaning in Paris in the 1920s, brings to life literary luminaries such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound and Ford Maddox Ford. The discussion of the writing craft demonstrates the commitment
“Cunk on Life” (Jan. 2)
Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) delves into life’s profound questions, examining subjects from the big bang to AI. She meets academics and creatives to discuss these quandaries, all with her trademark misguided observations.
and creativity that poured out of Hemingway.
“Cold Hearted River,” by Keith McCafferty. Did you catch the pun in the title by a favorite local author? This popular mystery series features Sean Stranahan on the trail of a missing steamer trunk rumored to contain not only Hemingway’s valuable fly fishing gear, but perhaps even priceless samples of his unpublished work. Borrow this book in print, large type or as an unabridged recording on
Directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham return with a brand new epic adventure. Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
CD. This title is also available to borrow as downloadable ebook or audiobook on Montana Library2Go with your Library card.
“Ernest Hemingway in Yellowstone Country: a Complete Account of Hemingway’s Work and Adventures in Montana and Wyoming.” In the 1930’s, ‘Papa’ spent five summers at a ranch on the edge of Yellowstone National Park. Here he did some of his best writing, and his experiences in the mountains are connected
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to twelve of his most famous works, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Warren examines what Hemingway did here, what he wrote here, and how his experiences and the people he met here shaped his life and work.
“The Paris Wife,” by Paula McClain. This popular historical novelist came on the literary scene with the story of Ernest and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. The Hemingways thrived together in Paris, and son Jack completed the family.
This hugely successful book, based on true events, brings the reader into the formative years of Papa’s early life. The Paris Wife is available to borrow in print, in large type and as an unabridged recording on CD. This title is also available to borrow as downloadable ebook or audiobook on Montana Library2Go with your Library card.
Beth Boyson is a Programming Librarian and Cataloger at Bozeman Public Library. She can be reached through the library website www.bozemanlibrary.org
lifestyle
The solution to the question is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to discover this hidden solution, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle.
Across 1. Flue residue
4. Awfully long time
8. Sermon subject
11. Hog haven
12. Quitting time, for some 13. “Yuck!”
14. Like ghosts and guardian angels
17. It sometimes needs a massage
18. Chloe Fineman’s show
19. Evil “Star Trek” juggernaut, with “the”
21. Information unit
24. “___, that makes sense!”
25. Upon 26. Grunt, for short
27. Product-promoting thing
28. Scattered
30. Do-it-yourself packages
32. Big bird
34. Bow wood
35. The state of being a fraud
41. Short flight
42. Wax-coated cheese
43. Music collectibles
44. The “I” in “TGIF”
45. “What are the ___?”
46. Fall behind
Down
1. Jerk
2. Barnes of the Dallas Stars
3. Keyed up 4. 60’s hairdo
5. Tonic’s partner
6. One of the Gabors
7. Solidifies 8. Bad-tempered 9. Red-and-white supermarket logo
10. Predators’ org. 15. One who might help you get pregnant
16. Complete 19. Catches
20. The Buckeye State
22. Precisely
23. Quashes
29. Finishes
31. Volunteer’s words
33. Disney goldfish
34. Thanksgiving dishes
35. Vital force of Chinese medicine
36. Steamy
37. Word on a dipstick
38. Wee bit
39. Vacation location
40. Flavor enhancer found naturally in tomatoes
BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT
Wake Me Up: The life and music of DJ Avicii explored in new documentary
Released alongside the artist’s last show — from Ibiza’s Ushuai — the feature-length documentary “Avicii — I’m Tim” from director Henrik Burman (“Yung Lean: In My Head,” 2020) premieres Tuesday, Dec. 31, on Netflix.
“This is the unlikely story of Tim Bergling, a shy and insecure boy who, without realizing it, suddenly created one of the world’s most loved artists — Avicii,” says Netflix, in its promotion of the film. “Through unique home movies and a huge private archive, we get to follow Tim on a winding journey through life — from the very first breath at the maternity ward in Stockholm in 1989 to the tragic end in Oman in 2018. This is a film where Tim himself is the
narrator and he shares his inner self in a way we haven’t heard before. Through himself and everyone close to him — family, artist colleagues and best friends — we get to know Tim — the boy behind Avicii — for the first time.”
Credited as one of the DJs who ushered the still-booming electronic music genre into the mainstream and on to Top 40 radio stations in the early 2010s, Avicii began his career at only 16 years old, when he began posting his own remixes on electronic music forums and landed his first record deal. In 2011, the artist released his first single, “Levels” — nominated for a Grammy — and later, in 2013, Avicii grew in popularity with the
release of his debut studio album, “True,” which made Top 10 lists in more than 15 countries, dominating international charts. From this first album comes the artist’s hit song, “Wake Me Up,” which steadily sat at No. 4 in the United States. Also in 2013, Avicii released a song alongside David Guetta, “Sunshine,” which landed the DJ his second of two Grammy nominations. After a long stint of touring his material worldwide, Avicii made the difficult decision to retire from the international stage in 2016, stating several years of extreme stress and poor mental health as the cause. Only two years later, the artist died by suicide while on vacation in Muscat, Oman. His third and final album, “Tim,” was released posthumously in 2019, featuring songs such as “Peace Of Mind,” “Hold The Line,” “Bad Reputation” and “Heaven.”
Produced by Bjorn Tjarnberg (“The Old Man and the Sea: The Expedition,” 2012), “Avicii — I’m Tim” explores the life, career and music of the late artist when it arrives Tuesday, Dec. 31, on Netflix.
Avicii is featured in “Avicii – I’m Tim”
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celebrityfacts
“Bluey Minisodes”New Episodes (Available Now)
Bringing more tail-wagging fun and heartwarming stories to families, a new slate of “Bluey Minisodes” are now streaming on Disney+. Further exploring the beloved world of “Bluey,” the smash-hit Australian children’s series about the adventures of blue heeler pup Bluey and her family, these new shorts, running one to three minutes each, highlight funny and sweet moments featuring Bluey and Bingo, leaning into playful interactions and games.
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“Flora & Ulysses” (Available Now) When Flora (Matilda Lawler) rescues a squirrel she names Ulysses (voiced by John Kassir), she is amazed to discover he possesses unique superhero powers, which take them on an adventure of humorous complications that ultimately change Flora’s life and her outlook forever.
Brittany Underwood, seen recently in “A Royal Christmas Ballet” on Great American Family: After acting in many cable movies, she became the director of one for the first time with 2021’s “Sweet Navidad” — and she recently finished directing her 11th one.
Alicia Keys, seen recently in “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs” on CBS and Paramount+: Since making her movie debut in “Smokin’ Aces” (2007), she also has acted in the films “The Nanny Diaries” (2007) and “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008).
Dolly Parton, seen recently in “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” on NBC:
Her character in the 1980 movie “9 to 5,” Doralee Rhodes, was played by her sister Rachel Dennison in a later series version that aired on ABC and in syndication.
BY STAFF WRITERS
New Year’s Eve scenes in film
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in “When Harry Met Sally”
Questions:
1) Which song is playing when Harry (Billy Crystal) finally declares his love to Sally (Meg Ryan) in “When Harry Met Sally” (1989)?
2) Who does Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) ominously kiss at the end-of-year party in “The Godfather II” (1976)?
3) “Bridget Jones’ Diary” (2001) opens on New Year’s Day — what is the image on Mark Darcy’s (Colin Firth) Christmas sweater?
4) Which ‘90s movie features this line: “I’ve had a really lousy Christmas. You’ve just managed to kill my New Year’s. If you come back at Easter, you can burn down my apartment.”
5) Who is Fred Astaire’s partner for the “drunk” dance in “Holiday Inn” (1942)?
6) In “Forrest Gump” (1994), what year appears on the Times Square Ball Drop as Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) ring in the new year?
7) In “The Apartment” (1960), what does Fran (Shirley MacLaine) say to Baxter (Jack Lemmon) after he declares his love for her?
8) Which comedy reaches its climax on New Year’s Eve and features a walking, slime-soaked Statue of Liberty?
l e b rity q&a
Richard Gere
OF THE AGENCY ON PARAMOUNT+ WITH SHOWTIME
Q: Is “The Agency” the first TV series Richard Gere has done?
A: As far as U.S. audiences are concerned, that Paramount+ with Showtime espionage saga is the actor’s first show as a continuing cast member, but he actually did an earlier series overseas. “MotherFatherSon” was a 2019 British drama about a family caught up in dynamics of power and politics, with Gere as the clan’s patriarch, a newspaper owner. His ex-wife was played by the late Helen McCrory (“Peaky Blinders,” “Skyfall”), who was married in real life to actor Damian Lewis (“Homeland,” “Billions”). Though the bulk of Gere’s career has been focused on theatrical movies, he did some TV work in his early professional years. He had one of the lead roles in “Strike Force,” a 1975 NBC project that had a story connected to events dramatized in the Oscar-winning 1971 film “The French Connection.” In fact, Sonny Grosso, one of the New York police detectives involved in that true narcotics case, co-wrote “Strike Force.”
Gere also had a guest role in a 1976 episode of Telly Savalas’s CBS police drama “Kojak,” and he spent quite a few years away from TV cementing his movie fame in features including “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” (1977), “American Gigolo” (1980), “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982) and “Pretty Woman” (1990). However, he did return to the home screen in 1993 with a role in the HBO film “And the Band Played On,” and he voiced his animated likeness in a 2001 episode of Fox’s “The Simpsons.” He also appeared on Martha Stewart’s HGTV show “Martha Knows Best” in 2020.
celebrity q&a
Solution on page 16
BY ADAM THOMLISON
Jenny Slate
OF MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON ON A24
Q: What’s Jenny Slate doing now? It seemed like she was everywhere in the early 2010s, but not so much now.
A: It might surprise you to hear that Jenny Slate (“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” 2021) is busier now than ever. It’s just that she’s not necessarily where you expect her to be.
She started as a stand-up and sketch comedian — she did a season of “Saturday Night Live” in 2009-10 and appeared in a recurring series of sketches on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” in 2009.
But these days, you’re more likely to find her in a film festival theater than a comedy club basement.
In the 2010s, she co-created and voiced the title character in a series of short films called “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” with the first one debuting at the Sundance Film Festival. The character got a feature film in 2021 that was nominated for an Oscar.
Then, in 2022, Slate was part of the ensemble cast of the multi-award-winning smashhit “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” And she had a role earlier this year in the Colleen Hoover film adaptation “It Ends With Us.”
She still keeps a hand in comedy — or at least a vocal chord. These days most of her comedic work is voice acting. She’s a regular on hit series such as “Bob’s Burgers,” “The Great North” and “Big Mouth,” and she also voiced Gidget in the high-grossing Secret Life of Pets movies (the original in 2016, the sequel in 2019, and the 2019 direct-to-video spinoff, “Super Gidget,” devoted to her character)
BY JAY BOBBIN
Sean Connery stars in “Goldfinger”
‘Goldfinger’ is one of James Bond’s best
Over the course of six decades, James Bond has had a lot of screen adventures, but one of the earliest remains one of the best. Included by MGM+ in a New Year’s Eve marathon of several of the pictures Tuesday, Dec. 31, “Goldfinger” is the movie that cemented the series’ formula for many viewers and critics. While telling a solid spy story (taken from Ian Fleming’s novel), it added comfortable amounts of gadgetry and so-called “Bond girls” that were essential parts of the concept from then on.
Sean Connery is completely in his stride as Agent 007 in the 1964 caper, as the character helps get the goods on wealthy villain Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) when the latter cheats in a Miami card game. The aftermath, which famously doesn’t bode well for Goldfinger’s assistant (Shirley Eaton), makes Bond even more eager to see justice done ... and the agent uses a golf match back in England to engage the enemy, who introduces his silent and deadly henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata). Honor Blackman and Tania Mallet also star.
Puzzle Solutions
more retro rewinds
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (Catchy Comedy, Sunday, Dec. 29): One of TV’s most beloved sitcoms is showcased in the last day of the channel’s final weekend “Binge” of 2024. The smartly written saga of Mary Richards, a local-TV-news producer negotiating her social life as well as her career, also had a major benefit in what Mary Tyler Moore — whose company produced the series — understandably called “the best ensemble cast,” including Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight and Georgia Engel. Catchy Comedy also presents repeats of the show weekdays.
“Frozen” (ABC, Sunday, Dec. 29): This animated, Oscar-winning 2013 Disney feature was a giant success and also a social phenomenon, since its song “Let It Go” was heard just about everywhere for a while. Kristen Bell voices Anna, a princess who’s estranged from her magically gifted sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) in their youth, but they reunite in young adulthood to try to save their iced-over homeland. Josh Gad voices the popular snowman character Olaf; the 2019 sequel “Frozen II” follows immediately.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (USA Network, Tuesday, Dec. 31): Though it continues to run new episodes Thursdays on NBC, this Dick Wolf-produced crime drama is classic as well as current, since it’s been on the air since 1999. A New Year’s Eve “Ringing in Justice” marathon of episodes serves as a testament to the quality the New York-based crime drama has maintained throughout its run, keyed in no small part to the work of Mariska Hargitay as division detective and eventual captain Olivia Benson. Ice-T has been a co-star for virtually the entirety of the show’s run. (Marathons of the series also are shown Saturdays on ION Television.)
Hugh Jackman celebrity update
OF THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
Q: What’s Hugh Jackman’s next project? It seems like he’s done with the Wolverine character.
A: Hugh Jackman (“Les Misérables,” 2012) has been a reluctant action star, always seeming more eager to be a song-and-dance man. So, it’s not surprising that, after starring in the action hit “Deadpool & Wolverine” in 2024, he’s snapping back to musical theater in a big way. He’s doing a monthly concert series throughout 2025 at Radio City Musical Hall in New York City. He’ll be performing songs from some of the musicals he’s done in the past, including “The Greatest Showman” (which he made into a film in 2017) and “The Music Man.” But, at the same time, he’s also booked two new film roles. He’ll star in the fun and fluffy comedy “Three Bags
BY ADAM THOMLISON
Full: A Sheep Detective Movie” and “Song Sung Blue,” a biographical story of two struggling musicians who form a Neil Diamond tribute band.
“Three Bags Full” isn’t scheduled for release until February 2026, while “Song Sung Blue” just started filming in October, so it likely won’t see the screen for a while yet, either.
As for his relationship with his super alter-ego, it seemed like Jackman was done playing Wolverine years ago, but there he was earlier this year growling through another turn in the role (and making an absolute boatload of money in the process — the film grossed $1.3 billion on a $200-million budget). So whether he has actually hung up the claws for good is hard to say for sure.
BY ROBERTO JOZEF
Ottawa Charge visit New York Sirens in first regular season meeting
The 2024-25 PWHL regular season continues as the Ottawa Charge head to the Garden State Sunday, Dec. 29, to take on the New York Sirens at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with the puck drop broadcast live on YouTube.
The Ottawa Charge narrowly missed the playoffs in the final game of the PWHL’s inaugural 2023-24 regular season, despite outscoring every team but one. And, in a city hungry to support a winning team, making the playoffs has been the main focus for the Charge this season.
A key piece to the Charge’s strong offense has been Oakville, Ontario, native and team captain Brianne Jenner, who had a strong showing in her first season when she tallied 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 24 games, making her the team’s leading scorer.
Speaking with reporters during training camp, Jenner spoke of some of the new expectations heading into their second season.
“For us here in Ottawa, I think what happened in Year 1 was really exciting, and the fan base that we built here in Ottawa was unbelievable,” Jenner said. “But I think we’re coming in feeling pretty motivated. We have a group that we really believe can achieve great things, great people in our staff, great people in our dressing room. So I think we’re coming in knowing we have a bit of unfinished business and just really excited to get to work.”
The New York Sirens, similar to the Charge, are looking to improve on their inaugural season after coming last in the league, finishing with a 9-12-3 record. However, star forward Alex Carpenter is coming off a season in which she put up 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists), something that will need to be on full display in their matchup against the Charge’s strong offensive line.
Full name: Brianne Alexandra Jenner
Birthdate: May 4, 1991 (33)
Birthplace: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Height/weight: 5-7/157 pounds
Team(s): Ottawa Charge (2023-present), Team Sonnet (2022-2023), Toronto (2022-2021), GTA East (2021-2020), Calgary Inferno (20192015)
TOWN & COUNTRY FOODS: FRIED CHICKEN
Fried chicken is a comfort meal everyone loves.
Ingredients:
1 (4-5 lb.) chicken, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour for coating
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Cut up the whole chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. You can leave the skin on if you want a crispier fried chicken.
Put the flour in a large plastic bag (The amount of chicken you cook will dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Dip chicken pieces in the buttermilk then put them in the bag with the flour, seal the bag, and shake to coat well. Only do this with a few pieces at a time to coat the chicken well.
Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover with a clean dish towel. Let the chicken sit until the flour is a pastelike consistency. This will give the best result.
Fill a large cast-iron skillet 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until hot.
Layer as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken on both sides.
When browned, reduce heat and cover the skillet; let cook for 30 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through but not crispy. Remove the cover, raise the heat again, and fry until crispy.
Drain the chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to do multiple steps in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven until all the chicken is fried.
Serve warm and enjoy!
“It’s not about copying Russell,” he clarifies. “It’s about learning from him — how to tell a story with paint, how to capture the soul of a place.”
One of Graham’s most personal pieces, “The Great Escape,” is a self-portrait inspired by a photograph his father took years ago. The painting depicts David riding through the badlands near his father’s childhood ranch, a solitary figure moving through a rugged, untamed landscape.
“It’s a tribute to my dad, to the land, and to the life we’ve lived out here,” he said. “When I look at that painting, I see not just myself but the generations that came before me.”
The process of creating “The Great Escape” was deeply introspective for Graham. He spent weeks revisiting old family photos, listening to his father’s stories, and exploring the Badlands to capture the perfect light and mood. “I wanted to get it right — not just the look of it, but the feeling,” he said.
Another standout piece, Buffalo Tails, is rooted in an encounter Graham had with a Native elder surrounded by grandchildren. The scene resonated deeply with him, evoking memories of his own grandfather and the wisdom passed down through generations.
“The elder reminded me of my grandfather,” he said. “There was this calmness about him, this quiet strength. He didn’t have to say much — you just knew he carried a lifetime of stories and lessons.”
In the painting, Graham uses light and shadow to create a sense of timelessness, emphasizing the continuity of generational storytelling.
“I wanted to show how those stories connect us,” he explained. “How they tie the past to the present and the future.”
When others refer to him as an “old cowboy,” Graham quickly deflects the compliment. “I’m just a painter. I don’t think I’ve earned that kind of respect just yet. The real cowboys — they lived it every day. I’m just trying to honor them.”
When preparing for to take his art to sell at shows, Graham usually has anywhere between half a dozen to a dozen original pieces ready. His larger pieces take more time to complete.
Artist David Graham is passionate about portraying the western life through his depictions of cowboys and cowgirls, as well as the landscapes and wildlife of the American West.
“A fast painting would be like three to five days on a miniature, which might be an 8x10 or a 9x12,” Graham explains. “But the bigger ones, like 2x3 feet or larger, could take me three weeks to a month, depending on the complexity.” His process for creating detailed works can be time-consuming, but Graham finds that his shows pay off when he can present high-quality pieces. “In really good shows, I’ve had almost sell-out shows,” he says. “But normally, an artist is happy if they sell three or four good pieces.”
Though Graham has steadily built his art career over the years, his schedule is now filled with a mix of shows, some of which are scheduled for the winter months. “Strangely enough, my show schedule is mostly in the winter,” Graham reflects. “My art career has been interrupted by a small farm business that I started about eight years ago. That has cut into my painting time in the summer, so I mostly focus on painting during the winter months.”
His winter schedule is packed with shows. He will be at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City at the end of January and is also preparing for the CM Russell Art Show in March.
“I usually do the bucking horse sale trade show in May,” he added. Miles City will look forward to seeing him in the late spring.
Graham’s art can be viewed at davidgrahamart.com.
in focus
“American Primeval” (Netflix — Jan. 9, Limited Series Premiere) America, 1857. Peace is the shrinking minority and very few possess grace — even fewer know compassion. There is no safe haven in these brutal lands, and only one goal matters: survival. A fictionalized dramatization of the birth of the American West, this six-episode series stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier and Shea Whigham.
celebrityscoop
BY JAY BOBBIN
Checking in with
STEVE MARTIN
Steve Martin has conquered just about every aspect of show business, and the streaming world has given him his latest success. Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” has proven to be a hit for him — as well as fellow stars Martin Short (“Schmigadoon!”) and Selena Gomez (“Emilia Pérez,” 2024) — and the comedy-mystery series also fared well when its first season aired on ABC last winter. That has inspired the broadcast network to give Season 2 a run, too, starting Thursday, Jan. 2. To date, Martin has six Primetime Emmy nominations for the show: three as a producer, two as an actor and one as a writer. More could be coming, since Hulu has renewed the program for a fifth season.
Solution on page 16
BY ALEX HENDRY
2024 College Football Season
Questions: Answers:
1) College football history will be made as the newly expanded format to the College Football Playoffs makes its debut this season. Previously four, how many teams are now selected for the playoff bracket?
2) The highs and lows of college football... which program went 13-1 in 2023, just missing out on the playoffs, but went 2-10 in 2024?
3) For the first time sine 1960, what two rival football programs were both ranked in the AP poll at the same time?
4) After leading his team to a perfect 12-0 regular season, which quarterback was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year?
5) Only two South Carolina Gamecocks coaches have won nine games or more in the past 40 seasons. Steve Spurrier was the first, but who reached the mark in 2024?
6) Faster than the Flash, who was the nation’s leading rusher with 2,288 rushing yards?
7) An upset for the ages! Which school achieved its first win over a top-ranked team by defeating Alabama 40-35 on Oct. 5, 2024?
8) The longest game in SEC history took place on Nov. 29, 2024 — needing eight overtime periods. Which school won at home 44-42 against their inner-state rivals?
9) The SEC Conference gained two new members this season when which two schools departed the Big 12?
10) Supporting the home team! What Miami-based rapper purchased the naming rights to the FIU Panthers home stadium in August 2024?
In Season 2, New York apartment building tenants and true crime podcast makers Charles, Oliver and Mabel (played by Martin, Short and Gomez) find themselves the subjects of another person’s (Tina Fey, “30 Rock”) podcast after their amateur probe of an apparent homicide puts them on the police’s radar. Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), Michael Cyril Creighton (“American Fiction,” 2023), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers,” 2023) and Nathan Lane (“The Gilded Age”) are also among the season’s cast members, with Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man,” 2015), Jane Lynch (“Glee”) and entertainment veteran Shirley MacLaine (“Terms of Endearment,” 1983) also turning up.
“Only Murders in the Building” has been one of Martin’s biggest home-screen commitments, though his TV work dates back more than 50 years to his time as a writer and featured player for both “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” on CBS. He has also had the second-most hosting stints — with 15, topped only by Alec Baldwin’s 17 — on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Martin and Baldwin shared hosting duties on ABC’s Oscar telecast in 2010 after Martin had done that job solo in 2001 and 2003.
And, we’d be remiss to overlook his accomplishments as a musician, both solo and with the bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers. An accomplished banjo player, Martin’s musical talents have earned him five Grammy awards, for everything from comedy to country and bluegrass.
Also with guest-star credits on series ranging from “The Muppet Show” to “30 Rock,” Martin was actually relatively sparse with TV work before his current show, though the size of his personality and effect might make it seem that he contributed to the
medium more often. “Only Murders in the Building” has done much to help make up for that, and it’s about to do so again as it crosses networks once more.
Birthdate: Aug. 14, 1945
Birthplace: Waco, Texas
Current residences: Los Angeles and New York
Marital status: Married; he has a daughter
Other television credits include: “Saturday Night Live,” “30 Rock,” “The Simpsons,” “The Tracey Ullman Show,” “Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy,” “Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “The Muppet Show,” “The Midnight Special,” “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour,” “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”
Movie credits include: “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” “Love the Coopers,” “The Big Year,” “It’s Complicated,” “The Pink Panther,” “The Pink Panther 2,” “Baby Mama,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Cheaper by the Dozen 2,” “Shopgirl,” “Looney Tunes: Back in Action,” “Bringing Down the House,” Joyful Noise,” “Novocaine,” “Bowfinger,” “The Out-of-Towners,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “The Spanish Prisoner,” “Sgt. Bilko,” “Father of the Bride,” “Father of the Bride II,” “Mixed Nuts,” “A Simple Twist of Fate,” “Leap of Faith,” “Housesitter,” “Grand Canyon,” “L.A. Story,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Parenthood,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Roxanne,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Three Amigos!,” “All of Me,” “The Lonely Guy,” “The Man With Two Brains,” “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid,” “Pennies From Heaven,” “The Jerk,” “The Muppet Movie,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
12
Florida State
Army and Navy
Dillon Gabriel (Oregon)
Shane Beamer
Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
Vanderbilt
Georgia
Oklahoma and Texas
Pitbull