15 The Oklahoma City Thunder, renowned for their on-court success and championship potential, emphasize community engagement through innovative programs and partnerships that foster a sense of belonging beyond basketball.
By Andrew Gilman Cover
by Kimberly Walker
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SO WE’RE BACK WITH NOSTALGIC, WE HEARD YOU WERE FEELING
TO MAKE THIS SH*T COOL AGAIN.
Unless you’re fairly new to Oklahoma City, it’s likely you have memories of Oklahoma Gazette, “The Gazette” or what we now affectionately call “The OG.” For most, it was reading it during lunch at our favorite deli or while hanging out at a local coffee shop to find out what was happening in OKC. Regardless, the void has been felt around town for too long, and we are excited to be back on the rack in print and available 24/7 digitally after a 45-year history in OKC. The best of Oklahoma Gazette and OKC is yet to come, so let’s get this party started!
Starting or bringing back a print media publication is not an easy task, and it’s something one does not do without a lot of help and fortitude to make it successful. We are grateful to be back and want to thank everyone who played a role in making this possible. First, our readers have been so encouraging about the mere idea of a comeback. Our team at The OG is amazing and extraordinarily dedicated to its success. The planning and work that went into just this issue is now worth every minute for all who contributed. Simply put, you cannot have a newspaper without sponsors, especially when you give the darn thing away. We are extraordinarily proud of our lineup of local businesses and nonprofits that made an investment in local print media to help their business grow. Lastly, we want to thank all those who pitched in selflessly to help us in this endeavor and salute Bill Bleakley, founder of the Gazette, and Josh Thomas for their encouragement.
After an almost 18-month hiatus, we are back in town and hopefully better than ever. Oklahoma Gazette aims to be the pulse and lifeblood of the OKC arts, culture and entertainment scene. We also want to say what needs to be said, call things like we see them and print something for you that will be worth reading. The OG is unbiased, something rare that so many seem to want from the news and media today. This means we have to be brave sometimes, not beholden to sponsors/advertisers and willing to see and hear everyone’s point of view on all issues. You may not always agree with us, but we promise to always be thoughtful and ever accurate in what we print. For those not stuck in the middle with us, if you want unbiased media, you have to support it.
We hope you enjoy our election issue. Please vote on Nov. 5, and remember, Oklahoma, you get what you vote for! It’s also time for all of us to Thunder up! We go beyond the basket to look at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s impact on our community. Lastly, we celebrate autumn and the Halloween season and update you on all the fun stuff in OKC that goes with it.
On behalf of Red Center Media, thank you, OKC, for welcoming Oklahoma Gazette back to town. We look forward to hanging out and connecting with you for many years to come.
W. Andrew “Drew” Williamson
NEWS Fall and folly of Ryan Walters
Ryan Walters has had an incredible rise, but his recent actions could lead him to face a possible fall.
By Gazette staff
Ryan Walters was appointed Secretary of Education for the State of Oklahoma by Governor Kevin Stitt in September 2020, less than 1,500 days ago. However, the four-year saga of Ryan Walters seems to have generated headlines and controversy that outweighs all his predecessors in that position and the position he now holds as Oklahoma State Superintendent of Schools by a wide margin. It’s the athletic equivalent of making ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays list at least weekly for 48 consecutive months. Unbelievable.
After growing up in McAlester and attending college at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, Walters returned to his hometown and became a history teacher. Named 2016 Teacher of the Year at McAlester High School and a 2016 finalist for Oklahoma State Teacher, he was considered popular. From there, Walters’ career and life turned toward politics and public service. Gov. Mary Fallin appointed him to a commission on education after he published three articles in The Federalist in 2018. A chance meeting with Kevin Stitt at a tennis tournament led to a similar appointment in 2019. That same year, Walters was appointed Executive Director of Oklahoma Archives, a nonprofit education organization created by the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. By 2020, Oklahoma Archives had become an independent nonprofit called Every Kid Counts. There, Walters earned a six-figure salary and was springboarded into his role as Oklahoma State Secretary of Education. While serving at Oklahoma Archives, Walters and Every Kid Counts were selected by the Stitt administration to administer $35 million of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds during the COVID pandemic, sowing initial seeds of controversy before Walters even entered public office.
As Secretary of Education, Walters spent two years combatting a small handful of issues, including transgender issues and student bathroom policies. Walters entered the 2022 race for Oklahoma State Superintendent for Public Instruction, a position being vacated by Joy Hofmeister. Walters defeated Jena Nelson, 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, in the November 2022 election. Nelson ran on a platform around the continued loss of teachers in Oklahoma who would move to states with higher pay or leave teaching altogether. Walters ran on a fierce platform of talking about the woke mob, left-wing indoctrination of children and porn in schools. The
strong Republican turnout for midterm elections won the day, sending the reigning Secretary of Education into public office in January 2023.
Impending doom
Since taking office 21 months ago, Walters has become a highly con troversial figure in Oklahoma politics, making national news and attracting fierce opposi tion, criticism and calls for both impeachment and in dictment. The sources of controversy are numerous and incredibly widespread.
From a relentless crusade on transgender/ LGBTQ issues and school porn to attempting to use taxpayer funds to fund religious charter schools and recently instructing Oklahoma schools to add the Holy Bible to their curriculum, Walters has become a national poster child for far-right extremists and Christian nationalism. Meanwhile, his office has been under intense scrutiny from lawmakers and citizens over State Auditor Cindy Byrd’s audit of GEERs Funds uncovering that almost $2 million of those funds were spent on things not related to education. Findings from this audit were picked up by Attorney General Gentner Drummond and presented to the multi-county grand jury in recent months. Just this week, the grand jury released its findings of no criminal wrongdoing, but expressed sincere concern around the lack of oversight and gross negligence demonstrated by Walters and the Stitt administration. While not criminal, the rebuke implied the GEERs funds were administered with the highest possible level of incompetence.
Walters’ leadership, or lack thereof, has decimated the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Over 130 employees left, leaving the OSDE in disarray and seemingly incapable of supporting the public schools in our state. Both the existing and subsequent replacing department head overseeing federal funds grant programs have each resigned and issued very pointed allegations of Walters’ mismanagement and wrongdoing in his role at OSDE. Calls for Walters’ impeachment have been issued by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Recently, a letter to Oklahoma State House of Representatives Speaker Charles McCall to begin impeachment proceedings was signed by over two dozen Republicans. Meanwhile, Oklahoma schools have clearly suffered, most recently being
ranked 50th out of 51 states and the District of Colombia, only ahead of New Mexico. Walters’ popularity has plummeted to levels lower than even Joe Biden earlier this year, putting him somewhere on par with Lincoln Riley (they also look alike) in Sooner State popularity. He has created almost daily fodder for media content and has exhibited a true skill for appearing on television and being seen at right-wing events all over the United States. Even this is a source of backlash, as it was revealed that OSDE was spending tax dollars to pay consulting and PR firms to get Walters on TV and behind a microphone. To make light of this issue, The Lost Ogle unveiled that Walters had engaged in a desperate attempt to secure a seat on a speaker panel and almost anything short of singing the national anthem at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference.
After rebuffing efforts to impeach Walters, State Speaker McCall approved a Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) audit of OSDE to investigate disbursement of funds earmarked for OSDE. That audit is in early stages,but is ongoing and results should be known in the coming weeks. It is almost certain there will be more impeachment discussions and pressure on Leader McCall or for Governor Stitt to request Walters’ resignation. He has been seen as Governor Stitt’s very own star pupil and cabinet member, but Stitt has been seemingly distancing himself from Walters and his antics. In 2023, Stitt appointed Oklahoma State University education professor Katherine Curry to his cabinet curiously on time with Drummond’s opinion that Walters could not simultaneously hold dual positions as State Superintendent and Secretary of Education.
If not oblivious to his potential pending doom, Walters seems to be marching forward at full speed with his Bibles in schools crusade and waging war
on the woke mob he says is rampant in Oklahoma, possibly the reddest state in the country. He also has said Drummond and McCall’s efforts are politically motivated to eliminate one of their potential opponents in the 2026 gubernatorial election. Many think Walters hopes to find shelter in some sort of appointment in a Trump administration. This makes his unusually blatant attempt to spend $3 million of public funds on Trump Bibles a current source of controversy.
Walters and OSDE face a slew of lawsuits from educators, students and parents almost too numerous to mention. It seems there will be little room for Walters to operate the remainder of his term as State Superintendent from anywhere but a courtroom or his lawyer’s office. Multiple aspects of Walters’ agenda of using taxpayer funds to finance religious charter schools and teaching the Holy Bible in public school curriculums could easily wind up in front of the United States Supreme Court in a historic argument around our constitution and the separation of church and state.
Oklahomans seem to be feeling Ryan Walters Fatigue and a desire to move away from the constant controversy and unsettling rhetoric impacting our kids and their schools to great detriment. Many legislators have smelled enough smoke, seen enough fire, and heard or read enough lies. Ryan Walters seems unfit to lead or hold public office. Time will tell if Oklahoma’s predominantly Republican lawmakers take any action, finally seeing Ryan Walters for what he has become: a political liability for their party and our state.
STATE
NEWS Monumental seats
Edmond’s Senate race could test the Democrat’s political reach, but other Central Oklahoma races appear to be business as usual.
By Ben Felder
In 2011, Erin Brewer’s son returned home from his Edmond school with a request for each family to donate two reams of paper. Budget cuts had left the affluent school district without enough funds to keep the printers full and issue student worksheets.
It was a moment of frustration that launched Brewer into a more than decadelong advocacy push, which included serving multiple pro-education nonprofits and launching a parent legislative committee.
This year, that advocacy has culminated in the local business owner and mother of two running as a Democrat for the Oklahoma State Senate. As school funding has remained lower than in neighboring states, teachers continue to flee classrooms and State Superintendent Ryan Walters has been spouting his culture war rhetoric for two years, Brewer believes enough voters in her district — including Republicans — are ready for a change.
“We are watching extremism and division really hold us back as a state, and I think Ryan Walters is kind of an indicator of that challenge,” said Brewer, who is seeking the open seat in Senate District 47 against Republican Kelly Hines.
After losing control of the Legislature twenty years ago, Oklahoma Democrats have recently flipped a handful of seats in Oklahoma City, taking advantage of demographic shifts as the state’s largest city has become more politically mixed.
The Democrats’ slow march has reached the city’s northern suburbs and Senate District 47, which will test the limits of the minority party’s urban expansion.
Control of the Republican-controlled state Legislature isn’t up for grabs this November, but flipping even one seat can feel monumental for Oklahoma Democrats, said Richard Johnson, a professor of political science at Oklahoma City University.
“For Democrats, it’s one seated at a time. I don’t know that there’s any way around that,” Johnson said. “Especially when you consider that the majority party is drawing lines (through redistricting) pretty effectively.”
We need a longerterm plan, which starts with getting all the stakeholders together, the parents, the Legislature, the school board, the teachers and even the teachers’ union.
Kelly Hines
For the past 12 years, Senate District 47 has been held by Republican Senator Greg Treat. Treat, who is term-limited this year, has easily held off Democratic challengers and ran unopposed some years.
But the district has seen an influx of younger and more diverse families, demographics that typically poll better for Democrats.
Several precincts in the district voted for President Joe Biden four years ago, and Joy Hofmeister, the Democratic candidate for governor in 2022, performed better in the district than her statewide average.
“We need a longer-term plan, which starts with getting all the stakeholders together, the parents, the Legislature, the school board, the teachers and even the teachers’ union,” Hines said. “In this district (some) really like the (private school) tax credit, but a lot of them are concerned about public school, and a lot want to homeschool their kids, and I think there is room for all of it.”
Both candidates have sizable war chests heading into the election’s stretch run — Brewer has raised more than $182,000, while Hines has raised more than $128,000.
“We’re losing 5,000 teachers a year right now, and kids can’t learn if they don’t have a quality instructor and the material they need,” Brewer said.
Other races to watch
Mid-Del district.
While Senate District 47 might be competitive, most races across central Oklahoma don’t appear that way.
Of the 34 state House and Senate districts that include parts of Oklahoma County, just 14 had multiple candidates on the 2022 general election ballot. Of those races, the average margin of victory for the winner was 25 percentage points.
House District 83 was one of the closest races in 2022, as Rep. Eric Roberts, a Republican, won by just 4 points. The next year, his district was redrawn to include more traditionally Republican precincts. This November, Roberts faces Jimmy Lawson, a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for Oklahoma City mayor in 2022.
Wolfley spent part of the last session pushing for a higher income threshold for the property tax freeze on senior citizen homes.
“Seniors are particularly vulnerable to the effects of inflation,” Wolfley said. “We must take action to ensure they can continue to live in their homes without any undue financial burden.”
House District 100, which includes parts of northwest Oklahoma City and Bethany, was a 10-point race in 2022 as Republican Rep. Marilyn Stark beat Democrat Chaunté Gilmore. This year’s election features the same two candidates. Gilmore is campaigning on increased school funding, abortion rights and improving a “broken” criminal justice system. Stark, a former nurse, is opposed to abortion and has been endorsed by OK2A, a state gun rights organization.
Brewer, who once worked at United Way of Central Oklahoma City and opened RedPin Bowling Lounge, worked for Hofmeister’s gubernatorial campaign.
Hines, the Republican candidate, is a retired U.S. Army colonel and currently works for Aviation Training Consulting in Edmond. He’s campaigned on attracting more aerospace companies to the state and increasing U.S.-Mexico border security.
He also said education needs a holistic approach that brings different groups together.
If we can put ego and party aside and work together to find solutions ... I think (voters) are willing to consider those kinds of ideas and approaches over a particular party.
Erin Brewer
House District 95, which includes Tinker Air Force Base, was also a closer race in 2022 than most as incumbent Rep. Max Wolfley, a Republican, beat Democrat Tegan Malone by just eight percentage points.
This year’s District 95 election is a rematch between the same two candidates.
“If we don’t have balance in the state Legislature, then we are not going to get good government for anyone; people are really responding to that (message),” said Malone, who has been a teacher in the
However, the 2024 election will still bring change no matter the outcome, as 14 incumbents in the House and eight in the Senate are not seeking reelection. Seven incumbents also lost primary elections earlier this year.
Some of those districts, many in rural communities, saw Republican incumbents fall to more conservative challengers who have embraced Donald Trump and his culture war messaging.
But in Senate District 47, Brewer said she believes those culture war messages, especially around schools, are a turnoff for more moderate voters in the suburbs.
“If we can put ego and party aside and work together to find solutions ... I think (voters) are willing to consider those kinds of ideas and approaches over a particular party. Even Republicans regularly tell me that,” Brewer said. “Obviously, that’s a theory that we are going to test on Nov. 5.”
Erin Brewer, Democratic candidate for Oklahoma State Senate District 47 | Photo provided
Kelly Hines, Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Senate District 47 | Photo provided
House seat
Democrats try again to flip OKC’s House seat, this time against steeper odds.
By Ben Felder
Fresh off a morning of knocking on voter doors, Madison Horn took a sip of water as she looked out the window of her campaign’s “war room.” Located 24 floors above downtown Oklahoma City, the room included a large wall-mounted calendar with upcoming events, and precinct maps were strewn across a desk.
But the view from atop the skyscraper brought into focus many of the urban, suburban and some rural neighborhoods Horn needs to reach as she tries to flip the state’s Fifth Congressional District back into Democratic control for the second time in six years.
“I think Democrats can win this (seat) again ... but I don’t really give a shit about party politics, and that’s what people are kind of looking for,” said Horn, dismissing her campaign as less about winning for Democrats and more a chance to reflect what she sees as a moderate and pragmatic district.
In 2018, during a difficult midterm election from Republicans across the country, Kendra Horn — no relation to Madison — pulled off a surprising upset for Democrats in the fifth district, beating incumbent Steve Russell.
But two years later, Kendra Horn lost her reelection bid to Stephanie Bice, then a Republican state senator.
“This race was about so much more than just CD5; it was really about the future of our party in Oklahoma,” Bice told supporters after winning her 2020 race by five percentage points.
Since then, Bice has been reelected to a second term and the state’s Republicancontrolled Legislature redrew the dis-
trict’s boundaries to give Republicans a sizable advantage.
A district that once included nearly all of Oklahoma City now includes portions of Canadian County, a Republican stronghold, while it has lost the city’s Democratically controlled southside.
“Redistricting left Democrats without a prayer of competing federally in the state by pushing more of blue-trending Oklahoma City out of the 5th District, making all five seats firmly GOP again,” wrote Matthew Klein in analyzing the state’s new districts for The Cook Political Report.
But Horn said she still sees a path.
“The narrative that we have heard across the district ... is really this deep frustration with what I call the rot in American politics, which is partisan politics,” Madison told Oklahoma Gazette
“I think it’s possible for a Democrat to win, and I think it’s possible because in the state of Oklahoma, while yes, we’re a conservative state, no doubt, you know, we’re also a highly independent thinking state.”
After more than a decade working in the cybersecurity industry, Horn ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 against incumbent Sen. James Lankford. She lost her bid by more than 32 percentage points.
But Horn said that losing that campaign allowed her to refine her messaging and become “more authentic.”
“Too much about politics is trying to figure out what am I supposed to say as a Democrat or what would a Republican say, and then you kind of meet in the middle, and it turns into this garbage,” Horn said, analyzing what she learned from her Senate race. “I wanted to get out of those
narratives and just be comfortable with saying whatever I wanted about how I want to make an impact here in the state.”
She is campaigning on several Democratic issues, including access to abortion and protecting undocumented residents brought to the country when they were children. But she is also pushing for increased investments in cybersecurity.
“When I talk about the need to have a more proactive cybersecurity posture or the reality that we are facing a cold war with China and what that may look like, those are weird talking points for a Democrat,” Horn said. “But it’s so important for our country’s future.”
‘I live in Oklahoma City’
Unlike 2020, Bice is no longer the underdog candidate trying to flip the state’s most urban district. After the district was redrawn last year to be more favorable to Republicans, Bice enters this November’s election as a strong favorite.
“What was becoming more purple is now, with redistricting, a solidly entrenched red district,” said Emily Stacey, professor of political science at Rose State College.
Most polling analysis sites give Bice a near-certain chance at winning.
Democratic voters are most often found in urban centers, which is the case in Oklahoma. But Oklahoma City is the largest city in America without a Democratic
member of Congress.
Even in similarly Republican-dominated states, at least one Democratic House member can be found in large cities, including Indianapolis, Columbus and San Antonio.
While Bice isn’t expected to win the progressive precincts of central Oklahoma City, she has done a decent job of appealing to more moderate Republicans in the suburbs, Stacey said.
As a state senator, Bice established a brand as a pro-business lawmaker that some considered a moderate. She was a solid supporter of conservative causes but also tackled more centrist issues, like alcohol modernization.
In Congress, Bice voted against certifying Biden’s 2020 election win and rates in the top half of most conservative members, according to CPAC. Horn has highlighted those stances to paint Bice as an extreme conservative more beholden to party politics.
In response, Bice points to her work on bipartisan measures, including a paid family leave plan and national defense.
But she also believes Horn’s “nonpartisan” message has more to do with the fact that the fifth district is Republican-leaning.
“My opponent trying to transcend party lines is an effort ... really be more moderate,” Bice told Oklahoma Gazette. “She actually never says that she is a Democrat.
Madison Horn, Democratic candidate for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District.| Photo provided
She doesn’t say she is a proud Democrat; she is trying to paint herself as a moderate.”
Bice also entered the final months of
electromagnetic warfare. However, Bice said remaining in Congress would also give her the chance to do more of
FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA D. HARRIS TIM WALZ DEMOCRAT
PROTECT OKLAHOMA from radical extremists. DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION’S intent and integrity. PREVENT our State Supreme Court from CORRUPT AGENDA.
S A M P LE
[Carl Nutt
[Rae Ann Wilson
[Jeff Berrong
[Sherrie McNall
[Calvin Rees
[Christine Faulkner
In the 1960s, Oklahoma's judicial bribery scandal led to the creation of the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC). This commission helps ensure that our Supreme Court justices, like Justice Noma Gurich and Justice Yvonne Kauger, are selected based on merit, not politics.
[Elizabeth Buchner FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT ROBERT F. KENNEDY
JR. NICOLE SHANAHAN
INDEPENDENT
[Aaron Michael Simpkins
Justice Gurich has been appointed by both Republican and Democratic governors, reflecting her commitment to fairness. Justice Kauger, Oklahoma’s second female justice, has also displayed unwavering dedication to impartiality.
[David Madden Givens Jr
[Jeffrey Walter Lasky
Now, fringe groups backed by dark money are trying to remove these dedicated jurists. We cannot afford to politicize our judicial system further!
Stand up for fair justice this November! to
[Kenyon Milton Morgan
[Nancy Kay Owens
[Susan Warmker Parker
[Tricia Lee Butner
Representative Stephanie Bice, Oklahoma’s 5th congressional district | Photo provided
NEWS OCPA: A stink tank
By Drew Edmondson
Opinions expressed on the commentary page, in letters to the editor and elsewhere in this newspaper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.
It was born in a corporate board room in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1992 and became organized and active in 1993. Since that time, it has endorsed every effort to shrink Oklahoma’s ability to educate her children, provide health care, protect the environment or preserve the civil rights of its citizens. It has promoted every effort to inject religion into schools, cripple or eliminate labor unions, limit or block access to voting and inject fear over social issues into the political world.
Its name is Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and its website is ocpathink.org. It should be ocpastink.org.
The first clue is that OCPA will not reveal its sources of funding. Who is financing the work gives a very real indication of what the biases or prejudices might be. Charity Navigator says, “If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.” But Charity Navigator also gave it a zero for “Financial Statements.” There are none. No documents reveal where its money is coming from.
Grover Norquist has been quoted as saying, “I’m not in favor of abolishing the government. I just want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.”
What Norquist is hoping for at the federal level, OCPA promotes at the state level.
Consistently since its inception, OCPA has supported every piece of legislation that would lower or eliminate state taxes and has opposed every measure that would increase revenue. For example, on its website endorses Senate Bill 1 which would eliminate the personal income tax in Oklahoma.
One problem with OCPA taking extreme positions on legislation is they then measure the votes of members of the House and Senate and label the legislators as “probusiness” or “anti-business” based on those votes. They support a measure prohibiting rank choice voting (SB 1610) and oppose a measure requiring that legislation to use gender neutral language (SB 1612). They are for a law against contracts with Communist China (HB 3067) but they oppose charter schools being subject to the
same regulations as public schools (HB 1341). That is all well and good, but it is difficult to tell how the measures chosen by OCPA have much to do with being proor anti-business.
As might be suspected, thousands of bills are introduced annually. Many, if not most, should be voted against because they are unnecessary, unconstitutional or just plain stupid. There were a number of bills on OCPA’s list requiring that you be a U.S. Citizen to vote with an amendment to the Constitution to that effect. Article III, section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution now states pretty clearly “...all citizens of the United States over the age of eighteen (18) years who are bona fide residents of this state, are qualified electors...” Being a US Citizen is already a Constitutional requirement. OCPA has endorsed all of these bills, stupid and unnecessary as they are, and if a legislator votes against them, they risk being branded as anti-business.
They support censorship measures in our public schools, even though schools are supposed to be subject to local control and regulation. They support SB872 and SB 1202, which establish criteria for “inappropriate materials” and ban them (unlikely to survive lawsuit in a state or federal court). But they oppose HB 3461, which would fund free breakfast and lunch in public schools.
“Researchers Find Oklahoma Supreme Court is Liberal” blared the headline of an article on the OCPA website. The article makes the same tired argument they consistently make to do away with the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), established in the 1960’s as a result of a judicial scandal that saw three Supreme Court justices removed from the bench with subsequent prosecutions and one impeachment. TIME magazine labeled it the worst judicial scandal in the country.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court was very political prior to the reforms. There were elections, and justices were forced to fundraise to avoid being beaten at the polls. Justices Welch, Corn and Johnson were either convicted of or confessed to taking bribes on cases for decades. Leaders of the
reform effort included a young legislator named G. T. Blankenship, the governor at the time, Henry Bellmon, and his successor, Dewey Bartlett. All Republicans. Bellmon went on to the U.S. Senate, and Blankenship became our Attorney General.
These were not “liberal” reforms; they were necessary reforms. The Judicial Nominating Commission was and is made up of 15 members, only six of whom can be attorneys chosen by members of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Eight members are chosen by the Governor, Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. They must be a mix of Democrats and Republicans, but none can be attorneys or have attorneys in their immediate families.
The JNC utilizes the OSBI to conduct background investigations on applicants for judicial positions. People who know the applicants are interviewed, and the accumulated information is provided to the JNC. The top three candidates are forwarded to the Governor, who then chooses the judge or justice.
Also created in the reforms were a Court on the Judiciary and a Council on Judicial Complaints. The Council investigates complaints against judges and the Court, if merit to the complaint is found, conducts a trial. Even Justices of the Supreme Court are subject to the Council and Court if there is a complaint lodged against them. And, the decision of the Court on the Judiciary is not appealable to the Supreme Court.
In over a half century, nearer to 60 years, since these reforms were enacted, there has been no scandal at our Supreme Court.
So without a scandal to support their efforts, the Oklahoma Council of Political Affairs has resorted to name-calling.
Citing “Researchers,” they claim the Oklahoma Supreme Court is “liberal.”
The OCPA article on our “liberal” court quotes from the December 2023 State Politics and Policy Quarterly, apparently a publication of the American Political Science Association. Sounds as American as apple pie. However, the research was done at Cambridge University, which, by the way, is not in America. It is in England.
The study uses a mechanism called
PAJID, which means “party-adjusted surrogate judge ideology.” They did not interview justices, asking their opinions on issues. More importantly, they did not look at their votes on individual cases. Also more important (in my opinion), they did not look at the constitutional documents and case law the justices had all sworn oaths to follow, particularly when ruling on the legality of statutes passed by the legislatures of their respective states.
So, what did they look at? According to the article, three things only: “1) a justice’s political partisanship (his or her party registration), 2) the method by which justices are selected and 3) the ideology of those tasked with choosing state supreme court justices.”
Also, maybe it is in there but this writer could not find how they define “liberal” in England or what Cambridge students think “liberal” means. It is a fatally flawed study that would no survive close examination, but it is all OCPA can cite.
There are flyers on your windshields and ads on your television saying to “Vote No” on retention of the three Supreme Court justices on the ballot this year, saying they are “liberal.” There are no cases cited in the ads; nothing you can look up to check for accuracy. There are no examples where these justices did not follow the Constitutions of the United States or the State of Oklahoma, or did not follow established case law. All that is presented is the unsupported allegation of “liberal.”
Just like the funding of OCPA, the source of the money for these ads is not reported; just the names of organizations which, under the law, are not required to report their donors.
There are legitimate organizations that do research and report findings that are important in making public policy decisions. You may not agree with them, but if the research is legitimate, it cannot be dismissed out of hand. OCPA is not such an organization. It is funded by big money with a particular bias in favor of low to zero taxation. They seek to be unrestrained by government regulation with freedom to pollute the air and water. They hold the firm belief that everyone should be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, even if they have no boots.
OCPA is not a “think tank”, it is a stink tank and should not be afforded any weight in public or private decision making.
Drew Edmondson
Attorney General, 1995-2011
Brother of Supreme Court Justice James Edmondson
Aerial view of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. | Photo Kit Leong
chicken friedNEWS
Soul growth
A home-based church group experiencing astounding growth over the last 22 years is creating a traffic nightmare for one Edmond neighborhood. What was once a peaceful gathering of members worshipping together has now bloomed into chaos in the streets.
Cars line the block, causing backups and impeding travel within lanes. Neighbors have taken their frustrations to the Pebble Creek Facebook group with varying reactions. Some have threatened to involve police while others are concerned for their safety and potential code violations.
“I almost got hit again this evening just trying to leave my street, in my car. There’s no amount of cautiousness you can take when you’re almost getting hit because there’s so many cars you can’t see what’s coming or going,” one neighbor remarked.
The host of the group pleads for understanding: “Our home is a place of hospitality, but I understand it’s a nuisance to the neighbors. ... Besides the cars being bothersome to some, we are orderly and respectful to be such a large gathering.”
I’m sorry I was unavailable for comment regarding my alleged mangling of the geer grants, and with the backlog, I just can’t put my hands on those documents you need right now...
On second thought, How about it, judge?
EAT & DRINK
Perle of the Skirvin
The Skirvin’s partnership with award-winnng Chef Andrew Black has produced a culinary experience that is both fine dining and reminiscent of home. By Sarah
Neese
Perle Mesta
The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City 1 Park Ave.
skirvinhilton.com/perle-mesta | 405-272-3040
WHAT WORKS: While the food might be the star of the show, the drink menu holds its own.
WHAT NEEDS WORK: A menu with as much intrigue as this one deserves a dessert menu with more than one option.
TIP: Maximize the full potential of Perle Mesta’s unique atmosphere by grabbing a weekend reservation.
Nestled in the corner of The Skirvin Hotel’s ground floor, where it meets downtown’s Santa Fe Garage, Perle Mesta is the latest Oklahoma City restaurant venture of Chef Andrew Black. While I’ll never turn my nose at fine dining, it’s a rare occasion when I make the time and effort to sit down for a meal created by the likes of a James Beard
stepping into the restaurant’s foyer felt reminiscent of a larger metropolitan locale. Plush seating and chic decor punctuated an environment that made it easy to forget I was still in Oklahoma City. What it lacked in patrons it made up for with a comfortable intimacy that made the experience feel special.
Admittedly, I don’t normally have alcohol with dinner. The restaurant’s overall Gatsby vibes, however, persuaded me to order the Call Me Madam. Made with rose and elderflower gin, bergamot liqueur, simple syrup, lemon and sparkling wine, this pink drink was as delicate as it sounds. Growing more aromatic with every sip, its bright, refreshing profile was everything I didn’t know I wanted.
Home-y ham
I sit down for this culinary caliber in my own city. (It’s not that I don’t enjoy the finer things Oklahoma City has to offer, but at the end of a long week, as a tired millennial, sometimes a messy taco or some fresh tots has a louder siren’s call.)
With cautious optimism, I walked into Perle Mesta not at all knowing what to expect.
It offers an upscale atmosphere, and
Perle Mesta’s menu features what I’m sure is an exquisite lineup of oysters, scallops and other fresh seafood delights. But seeing as how I’m quite allergic to shellfish, I decided to go in a differ-
From the tasting menu, I quickly homed in on the Iberico ham paired with grilled milk bread and garlic aioli. While I’d love to tell you I anguished over the decision, one hint of a Spanish meat and this Madrid-loving traveler was sold.
Served in bitesized squares, the hero of the dish was the ham, with the aioli playing a close second. If you’re not a fan of the bolder, earthier taste of an Iberico ham, however, this one isn’t for you. While I easily could have eaten twice as many bites, this dish is, put simply, an elevated ham sandwich. Delicious? Yes. Complex? No.
For the main course, I had already set my eyes on one of Chef Black’s specialties: lavender duck with wild mushroom cream.
Not to sound cliché, but with the first bite, I was hit with a sense of what I can only describe as hominess. While my mom wasn’t in the practice of making
duck every Sunday, there was something about the duck’s undeniable chemistry with mushroom umami that brought on a wave of nostalgic comfort.
More than just an afterthought and cooked to perfection, seasoned potatoes shared the dish and served as a perfect conduit to swipe up any remaining mushroom cream.
A yin to the duck’s yang, the glazed sea bass was the definition of delicate. Almost as light as air, each bite nearly dissolved as it hit my tongue. A citrus blanc sauce heightened the fish further, rather than weighing it down, for a truly decadent mouthful. While I’m a fan of pearl rice and had no qualms with its presence on the plate, the sea bass’s unparalleled texture and flavor made anything else seem unnecessary.
Sorbet savior
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s me saying yes to dessert at any restaurant above a certain price point. What’s another few dollars for the chance to take a walk on the sweeter side?
Ready to order as many desserts as my tree nut allergy allowed, I discovered my choices were chocolate cake or … nope, just chocolate cake. I realize there’s an argument to be made here for the age-old saying, “Beggars can’t be choosers,” especially in the way of pastry dishes at a restaurant so clearly created for savory exploits. But I don’t think it’s out of order to expect a little razzle or dazzle from a restaurant at this level.
I did what any respectable food reviewer would do. I immediately ordered the chocolate cake.
Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. Exceedingly rich, the chocolate cake on its own would have been adequate at best and lackluster at worst. To the rescue, however, was an icy berry sorbet. Offering a chilled contrast to the cake’s density, the sorbet cut through the chocolate’s richness in a complimentary —
and necessary — way. While I found the first bite of cake to be unremarkable, an added sliver of sorbet turned this dessert into one I found joy in eating.
Overall, I left Perle Mesta satisfied. It offered the chance to dabble in culinary creations not often seen in a city of our size without feeling like I had to be part of society’s crème de la crème to enjoy them.
Candidly, it’s hard to deny the experience would have been enhanced with the greater vibrancy that comes with a full house. Though there’s no way of predicting patronage on any given night, I felt I couldn’t really grasp the scope of Perle Mesta’s full potential with a small number of staff on-site and even fewer occupied tables.
While less overall chatter meant I could hear myself think, it was hard to shake the tinge of awkward interaction that’s inevitable when only a handful of people occupy a large space built for socialization.
Whether it’ll survive the fickle tide of the restaurant industry isn’t for me to say. But if you’re looking for a night of subtle elegance and melt-in-yourmouth meats, the Perle of the Skirvin just might be worth a stop.I look forward to following what Stitch does with its menu and would love to return in the evening to get a sweet waffle topped with lemon curd and prickly pear drizzle for dinner when it is added to the all-day menu.
Iberico ham | Photo Sarah Neese
Chocolate cake and sorbet | Photo Sarah Neese
Lavender duck | Photo Sarah Neese
& DRINK
Ghoulish atmosphere
One of the best things about Halloween and the beginning of the cozy season is the vibes — spooky surprises, sweet treats and cozy comforts await you at every turn. And these metro hangouts offer a little bit of both.
By Brittany Pickering
with provided and Gazette / file photos
Good for a Few 1705 NW 16th St., Suite B goodforafew.com
This mysterious Plaza District speakeasy offers mood lighting, a snack menu and a drink menu featuring a cocktail bedecked with a genuine creepy-crawly. Venture behind the velvet curtain for an El Cucuy made with mezcal, Cimmaron Reposado, Xila and a cricket! Trick or treat? You decide. Do you dare?
Go Ask Alice Speakeasy 311 NW 23rd St. lunarloungeokc.com 405-902-4845
We know Alice in Wonderland isn’t technically a Halloween story, but we’d bet if you’re a spooky season stan, you can appreciate the frightful whimsy in Alice’s journey. Yours Truly supper club on 23rd Street certainly does — this curious, Alicethemed cocktail bar is tucked away through a hidden door. Venture through the looking glass to enjoy an Enchanted Forest Elixir or a Mad Hatter’s Tea.
The Boom 2218 NW 39th St. facebook.com/TheBoomOKC 405-601-7200
The best OKC Halloween tradition, in my opinion, is The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Boom. Each year, this singalong experience delivers the cult classic tale of Brad and Janet’s run-in with Doctor Frank-N-Furter’s creation as well as a featured food and drink menu including Magenta Summer Pasta, your very own Frank-N-Furter, Transylvanian Party Punch and other things we’re not allowed to name in print.
Fresh noods
Noodles
By Jacob Threadgill with Gazette / file and provided photos
Library of Distilled Spirits
120 N. Robinson Ave. libraryofdistilledspiritsokc.com 405-900-6789
Libraries are notorious fictional settings for strange occurrences: hellmouths, murders and, if four seasons of a popular TV show are to be believed, an ancient society charged with protecting mystical artifacts. But OKC’s Library of Distilled Spirits offers something slightly different: “1,500 unique expressions of distilled spirits from around the world.” Celebrate the season with a San Junipero or a Split Decision.
Lunar Lounge
1114 Classen Drive
Sparrow Modern Italian 507 S. Boulevard, Edmond sparrowitalian.com | 405-815-3463
This elevated Italian concept from the folks behind Cafe 501 has been an immediate hit since opening earlier this year. It is making some of its pasta, like mushroom-stuffed agnolotti and blistered tomato and ricotta ravioli, in-house while the rest of its pasta selections come from the stellar Della Terra Pasta company. Sparrow’s 100-layer lasagna takes three days to make, and it’s well worth the effort.
Take a trip out of this world without leaving the metro at Lunar Lounge. This hidden Midtown bar features an $8 classic cocktail list and a drink that will resurrect a memory so unexpectedly creepy, it gives this ’80s kid the shivers: Teddy Ruxpin. Lunar Lounge’s version won’t talk to you in a deeply unsettling robot voice, but it does feature Cachaça, ginger liqueur, house honey, brown sugar and chai syrup, lime, Coca-Cola and nutmeg and is served in a glass bear.
The R&J Lounge and Supper Club
Piatto Italian Kitchen 2920 NW 63rd St. piattookc.com | 405-608-8866
320 NW 10th St. rjsupperclub.com 405-602-5066
The Ice Creamatory
Tamashii Ramen House 321 NW Eighth St. tamashiiokc.com | 405-517-0707
1200 12th Ave. SE, Norman theicecreamatory.com 516-581-6601
The R&J Lounge and Supper Club provides ultimate comfort vibes with its tufted red leather bar and red-wallpapered dining area predominantly lit with candles and its vintage-inspired food and drink menu. Enjoy a cheesy crab toast appetizer with classic beef stroganoff and a grasshopper with your friends while you plan your Halloween costumes and parties.
This recent addition to Oklahoma City comes from owner Enis Mullaliu (former general manager at Vast) and chef Bill Forster, and it has strengthened Oklahoma City’s options for fresh pasta. Cacio e pepe is one of the most classic pasta dishes and includes butter, black pepper and Parmesan cheese. It is a dish that is as scrumptious as it is simplistic and does it with bucatini pasta, which is basically spaghetti with a hollow center that fills with flavor.
There are seven ramen options that represent a favorite of styles and flavors at this Midtown favorite. The popular pork-based tonkotsu broth is joined by a spicy option, miso butter and corn, vegan, curry and tsukemen, the latter of which is served with a thicker noodle known as “dipping noodles” in Japan.
Usually when you think of an ice cream parlor, a brightly lit room with pastel walls and vinyl-topped stools comes to mind. At Norman’s The Ice Creamatory the swirl machines and mix-ins are the usual, but the names on the menu aren’t. Hocus Pocus includes Trix and Rice Crispies topped with Trix, rainbow sprinkles and strawberry drizzle, and The Boogeyman features Cookie Crisp and Nilla Wafers topped with Oreos, cookie dough and marshmallow drizzle.
sf/moc.sbu
Yourpassiontobuildabusiness always involved the future.
For many, building a business around their family is the true sign of success. It helps create value and a lifestyle that can last for generations. Are there strategies you can put in place to help preserve your legacy?
Oklahoma City Thunder values its community involvement as much as it does its time on the court.
By Andrew Gilman
When the Thunder take the floor for the first time in the 2024 season, a lot of things are going to happen.
They’re going to be considered one of the best teams in the league, especially after last season’s run, in which they achieved more than expected. This is a team thought of as a championship contender, full of impressive players, a style that’s fun to watch and a captivating roster set up for present and future success.
But off the court, well beyond the baseline, from the top of Paycom Center, throughout its offices in downtown Oklahoma City, across the state and even worldwide thanks to its place in the NBA, this organization has so much more going on that doesn’t start or stop with the referee’s whistle.
It continues to strengthen its relationship with fans in a unique approach that focuses not just on basketball, but something more.
“When we say that we’re bigger than basketball, I wanted to be part of that,” said Erin Oldfield, vice president of community engagement for the Thunder. “We have a unique opportunity to use ourselves as a megaphone for community partners.”
Creating belonging
Throughout a number of programs, initiatives and focus, the Thunder are consistently fostering its bond with Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma. Because of unique attention and focus on the community, the Thunder are thriving on and off the court.
“Our mantra has been, ‘We can control only what we can control,’” said Vice President of Broadcasting and Corporate Communications Dan Mahoney, who oversees the Thunder’s public relations, broadcasting and website (okcthunder.com).
“What we can control is the fan experience, the guest experience, the community engagement. That’s what we focus on here. Obviously, we have a skilled general manager in Sam Presti, who has been around a long time with this team. We trust Sam completely. But on this side of the business, we have to focus on what we can control.”
And what you’ll see with that focus is this team’s reach goes from the arena to businesses, schools, nonprofits and more.
“I feel like there’s ways we bring basketball to life,” said Michelle Matthews, director of fan development. “There’s community outreach. There’s fan initiatives. Last week, we tipped off season 17 with Fan Fest. With each event that we make accessible to fans, we bring others along with us.”
Matthews is starting her 15th season with the Thunder and says the job is always evolving, but figuring out new ways to get fans involved, not just at the games, is still the singular focus.
“Mostly, it comes back to what are the fans looking for that furthers that sense of belonging,” Matthews said. “You can come to the game, and we’re very prideful for what happens in the game experience and the guest experience, but there’s a lot that happens outside that we can control. Those are the things that
we look forward to the most.”
What kind of things? Everything, including player appearances, the Thunder Book Bus, community outreach and more.
“The goal here is not to make a monetary transaction with the fan,” Matthews said. “It’s to get the fan involved in something and have a sense of belonging.”
And a sense of belonging that is wider than just going to a game and deeper than just seeing a player.
Thunder Fellows is an example of that. It’s a program Presti started after the death of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020.
Located in the Greenwood District in Tulsa, the Fellows program (okcthunder.com/fellows) is a 30-week intensive curriculum focusing on data and analytics. It accepts about 25 new students in Tulsa each year.
“It’s a pipeline for black youth in Tulsa to jobs,” said Oldfield. “You take a high school student and you give them access to things they wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s a cool program. There’s tech and data and coding and all these tools available. There are also things unique to the Thunder. They have access to Sam (Presti) and a multi-day workshop for leadership opportunities. The kids go through it and we’re guaranteeing internships and scholarships. The end goal is job placement. We want to see these kids through.”
The Thunder College Ambassador Program (nba. com/thunder/ambassador) is in its fourth year. It takes more than 60 students interested in sports marketing and gives them unique insights.
Amplifying voices
The Thunder are interested in promoting not just youth, but business and commerce in the state. This season, you’ll see local vendors like Boomerang as well as the first Blackowned vendor inside Paycom Arena, Big O’s Pork
and Dreams, and the first womanowned vendor, Empire Slice House.
“We are always wanting to amplify the voices around us,” said Gayle Maxwell, the Thunder’s director of corporate communications. “We have the highest ratio of corporate partnerships that are locally based than any other team in the NBA. That’s something we are really proud of, and we lean into it. The way we’re able to work together and tell the story of our community, not just, ‘Isn’t this a cool partner?,’ but this really does dig deep into the roots of this community and ties into who we are as a brand and a team.”
The roots into the community are established, and you can see the genesis of it anytime you enter the arena for a Thunder game.
“From a guest experience standpoint, it’s really simple,” Mahoney said. “We treat every guest as if it’s their first night in the arena, even if it’s their 1,000th night in the arena. We have a very long-standing approach that we call ‘Click.’ We want to click with the guest, and we have been consistent with it from Day 1. That’s our priority.
“Those people who come through that door are our priority. They are there every night, they are buying the tickets and they have high expectations of the experience and the team. And we meet them there, because they might not be back if they have a bad experience, whether it be from food and beverage or the team shop or the guest relations desk. We really, really have a hard-core focus on it.”
The thing is, people do come back.
“We’re really consistent with our brand and who we are,” Matthews said. “It doesn’t feel like Season 17; it feels like forever. It’s nice to hear those stories when they come back around. And if you look at the Thunder, from wherever you are, you’re going to see specks of the community within our brand. That’s what makes us unique.”
OKC Thunder’s regular season begins Oct. 24 with a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Fans cheer as the Oklahoma City Thunder overcome the New Orleans Pelicans. | Photo provided
Matt Sanders celebrates after scoring the MidFirst Bank half-court shot, winning $20,000. | Photo provided
ARTS & CULTURE
Progressive legacy
Oklahoma City Museum of Art features a curated collection of unexpected — and unfinished — art by Pablo Picasso.
By Daniel Bokemper
No two art museums are the same. But despite showcasing countless collections around the world, they tend to share at least one thing in common: They all feature completed art. One of Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s latest exhibits, Picasso and the Progressive Proof, goes against that grain.
Curated by Richard P. Townsend, the exhibit doesn’t just examine three linocut prints Pablo Picasso made late in his life, but his process, too. Portrait of a Young Woman after Cranach the Younger II, Pique II and Bacchanal with Kid Goat and Onlooker make up the three prints on display. However, the real substance of Progressive Proof doesn’t come from these final versions. Instead, it comes from the works in progress, the proofs that incrementally contribute to Picasso’s final vision.
“A proof is the interstitial stage between the idea and the finished product,” Townsend said. “All of these different samples and various states aren’t even recorded in the catalogue raisonné. That’s what makes these progressive proofs so fascinating and special.”
Townsend explained that in 1958, Picasso relocated from Spain to Southern France. A mounting wave of Spanish
fascism was the primary motivation behind his move. Fortunately, where he settled — a village near Cannes — closely
resembled his motherland. In some ways, it represents where he would find new life. Beyond mastering printmaking, Picasso would also meet his second wife, Jacqueline Roque, during this period.
Given the artist would pass away in 1973, the exhibit is a snapshot of his final decade and half. Yet despite how late in life Picasso produced this work, it wasn’t as if he ever lost his creative zeal.
“It really shows what a curious and wide-ranging mind he had,” Townsend said. “You can feel it in this work. You can see how happy he is in this last burst of creativity.”
Assistant Arnéra
Progressive Proof presents Picasso’s work, of course. But in showing his incremental process, it also examines the contributions of his assistant, Hidalgo Arnéra. An expert printer in his own right, Arnéra guided Picasso through his journey into a new craft. Throughout the exhibit, you’ll notice several of the proofs are printed on old posters Arnéra designed. Taking evidence of their collaboration a step further, two of the proofs making up Pique II feature
Gallery of Pique II at Oklahoma City Museum of Art | Photo provided
Arnéra’s annotations and even his fingerprints, revealing how he would test and compare colors with Picasso.
“He was working with ceramics in the area and met a young, local businessman, Arnéra,” Townsend said. “The two formed a relationship built on their shared desire to take this lowly material, linoleum, and elevate it.”
Despite mastering virtually every artform he interacted with and Arnéra’s assistance, it’s not as if it was easy for Picasso to dive into linocuts. The process often took days — and potentially weeks — just to progress to the next stage of the print. Portrait of a Young Woman required five independently carved blocks to yield the completed print.
“It’s like a flip book. Each stage has different colors, but you see the same image develop into the final stage,” said Townsend. “Through stages upon stages, you start with tissue paper until you eventually reach the final printed on Arches paper, a great French paper that a lot of artists use.”
In Portrait of a Young Woman, each block represents its own color, or its own “state,” as Townsend describes. However, Picasso completed 200 linoleum prints from 1959 into the sixties. In other words, he basically worked nonstop.
His process would usually involve two prints at a time. This means if one was at the printer, he could alternate to more readily available work, then switch when the next iteration came back. Townsend explains Arnéra would take Picasso’s notes, run a few proofs, then return by the early afternoon to hear Picasso’s thoughts. The two operated like this over the course of their collaboration.
Even so, after Portrait of a Young Woman, Picasso attempted to “simplify” his printmaking by making it exponentially riskier. Rather than using five or more blocks, Picasso decided he would rely on just one — kind of.
“He took advantage of the ‘lost block method,’” said Townsend. “It’s the idea that a genius of artist could create a masterpiece by carving out of just one block. But Picasso didn’t always use one. He would have never told anyone that, but we know he used two or three blocks.”
New master
Though whether or not he truly created masterpieces out of a single block is beside the point. Pique II and Bacchanal both reveal not just Picasso’s technical prowess, but his inspiration, too. Through his research, Townsend found both paintings, as well as Portrait of a Young Woman, parallel other works of art. In Pique II, Townsend found striking similarities to one of Francisco Goya’s famous bullfighting paintings.
“Look what he’s done. In the finished print, you have the arena, the people, the lance and the picador above,” Townsend said. “It’s Goya. The question is whether or not it’s deliberate. Does Goya inform his every move with this piece, or does it just come out?”
Bacchanal, on the other hand, takes a
more classical approach. It’s a pastoral frolic with several characters, including a reclining woman playing a flute, a satyr and an onlooker atop a gentle hill. Like Pique II ’s connection to Goya, Bacchanal draws direct inspiration from the Italian master Titian (or more likely the painter’s student, Townsend clarified).
“On one level, Bacchanal ’s very personal given the technique, but it also shows Picasso’s love for the old masters and how he’s becoming one himself,” Townsend said. “It’s called received artistic tradition. It’s how all of the world’s greatest artists saw the world through the lens of what came before.”
And it’s that notion that speaks strongest to what Progressive Proof ultimately conveys. Yes, the exhibit is autobiographical and technically awe-inspiring, but it’s also emblematic of the legacy Picasso sought for himself.
“I would hope anyone that comes through this takes away the excitement of climbing inside the mind of one the greatest artists,” Townsend said. “This work and the photography featured here shows how Picasso saw himself in perpetuity. This is about how he chose to assume his place among the old masters.”
Picasso and the Progressive Proof runs through Jan. 5, 2025, at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Tickets are free-$12.95. Visit okcmoa.com.
EXPERIENCE
In the Paseo Arts & Creativity Center at 3024 Paseo
Gallery I: Brett Payne
Gallery II: Small Art Show
Gallery III: Hannah Harper
Arts
by Ann
Photo
Sherman.
ARTS & CULTURE
Fun & frights
Have a scary good time at these Halloween events.
By Jeremy Martin
“October,” to gravely misquote Edgar Allan Poe, “is Spoopy Season, y’all.” It’s a great excuse to spend a month holing up with horror movies and killer new tunes from Chat Pile and PeelingFlesh, but it’s also a great time for actually leaving the house for non-work reasons, perhaps while dressed like a sexy Skibidi Toilet or a Zombie Hawk Tuah or whatever you kids are into these days. Sure, going outside can be frightening, but not as frightening as the dreaded Fear of Missing Out. So here’s a bucket full of ghoulish goings-on to treat yourself to this month. The only trick is that you’ll have to choose between some of them.
Scary screenings
Give your streaming services a night off and get your goosebumps from one of several spine-chilling screenings. deadCenter shorts programmer Paris Burris’s ongoing monthly series Femme Film will show the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a costume party starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Oklahoma Contemporary (free; oklahomacontemporary.org).
If you want a campy-classic screening where they encourage costumes and yelling, The Rocky Horror Picture Show interactive sing-along experience is doing the Time Warp at The Boom through Nov. 2 ($30; facebook.com/TheBoomOKC). For
more back-talking fun, hit up Down in Front at Rodeo Cinema on Film Row, where host Dalton Stuart and a rotating co-host provide a running commentary that mixes Mystery Science Theater-style mockery with informative analysis. Stuart, who also hosts the GoodTrash GenreCast film podcast, will be joined by comic Josh Lathe for Little Shop of Horrors on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. ($10; rodeocinema.org).
Chilling sounds
But what’s that? Instead of talking about scary movies, you’d rather hear somebody sing about them? Well, that’s a weirdly specific request, but OKC still has you covered. Sean Peel’s long-running VHS & Chill series will be screening direct-tovideo oddity Bad Channels followed by a performance from Denton, Texas-based horror-tribute band Visceral Cuts at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at White Rabbit ($5; vhsandchill.net). To hear musicians pretending to be other kinda-creepy musicians, check out Freakfest featuring touring tribute acts Crüeligans and Dallas Cooper ($20-$35; diamondballroom.com).
And local music lovers are in for a real treat Halloween night starting with a sunset procession through Automobile Alley with performances by Changing FrEQuencies, Planet 9, Jarvix and more beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31,
outside Factory Obscura; illuminated costumes are encouraged (free; factoryobscura.com). Following the procession, Stepmom will celebrate the release of new EP Profitopia and the opening of the related interactive art installation of the same name with a live performance inside Factory ($20-$60; stepmom.band).
Disappearing disguises
If you ask us, getting dressed up for Halloween is only half the fun. Several events around town this month feature performers taking the stage in elaborate costumes, only to take most of them off again. Adèle Wolf’s Halloween Follies, featuring burlesque and circus-style feats of daring-do, returns 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Civic Center Music Hall ($58-$90; okcciviccenter.com). Wolf’s events often sell out, but you can also get your pastie fix from Bang Bang Queer Punk Variety 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at Blue Note. The Bang Bangers were doing Exorcist- and Texas Chainsaw-themed acts in spring and summer, so you know they’ll go all out for All Hallows’ ($5; okcbluenote.com). And there’s even more nearly naked fun to be had when After Dark Delights presents Bump in the Night at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at The Secret ($5; thesecretokc.com). Pro horndog tip: Pay for your admission with a $20 and use the change to tip the performers.
Now that we’ve made it to the end of this not-comprehensive list, the biggest fear is that we’ve missed out on some other cool events because nobody told us about them. Drop us a line at listings@okgazette.com to let us know what else is going on.
6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
Oklahoma Contemporary 11 NW 11th St. oklahomacontemporary.org Free
7 p.m. through Nov. 2 (dinner starts at 5:30 p.m.)
The Boom 2218 NW 39th St. facebook.com/TheBoomOKC
$30
7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29
Little Shop of Horrors with Josh Lathe Rodeo Cinema on Film Row 701 W. Sheridan Ave. rodeocinema.org
$10
9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22
White Rabbit Lounge 219 S. Klein Ave. vhsandchill.net
$5 25 NW Ninth St. Factory Obscura
6:30-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 factoryobscura.com
$20-$40
201 N. Walker Ave. Civic Center Music Hall
8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 okcciviccenter.com
$58-$90
Bang
9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24
Blue Note
2408 N. Robinson Ave. okcbluenote.com
$5
9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
The Secret 2807 NW 36th St. thesecretokc.com
$5
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Event Guide The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Down in Front
VHS & Chill with Visceral Cuts
After Dark Delights presents Bump in the Night
Halloween Procession and Profitopia Grand Opening with Stepmom EP release
Adèle Wolf’s Halloween Follies
Bang Queer Punk Variety
Photo Kenny Eliason
ARTS & CULTURE
Horror movies
Here are nine horror movies you probably haven’t seen but definitely should. By
For cinephiles, especially those with a masochistic desire to be scared, October is about more than fall foliage, college football and pumpkin-spiced fill-in-the-blank. The leadup to Halloween is a great excuse to immerse yourself in horror films.
But why settle for the same ol’, same ol’? Chances are you know the go-to fright franchises: Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Conjuring, etc. — and that doesn’t even include the monster classics of yesteryear. Thankfully, a whole world of spooky awaits beyond the blood-spattered neighborhoods of Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees.
Here are nine terrific horror films available for streaming that you likely haven’t seen. Go watch ’em and scare yourself silly.
Ghosts in the attic
In 1980’s The Changeling, George C. Scott plays a music composer mourning the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter. And as every widower knows, nothing eases grieving like moving into a rambling old mansion that’s been uninhabited for a dozen years. The composer does so, only to be haunted by mysterious clanking noises and images of a child underwater in a bathtub. “The house is not fit to live in. It doesn’t want people,” cautions an old bitty with the historical society that owns the property. Shouldn’t that have been on a disclosure form? (Streaming on Apple, Amazon and AMC)
Creepy kids
Childhood can be challenging enough without having to navigate superpowers, but that’s the premise behind 2021’s The Innocents, a grim Norwegianlanguage flick about a group of latchkey children with supernatural abilities. That proves problematic when the kids in question are lonely, impulsive and short-tempered. In other words, they’re kids. Early on, one of the bad seeds drops a cat from high atop an apartment building stairwell. The shocker makes it clear that writerdirector Eskil Vogt is willing to wade into decidedly disturbing waters. (Streaming on Apple, Amazon and MUBI)
Careful with that knife!
Brian De Palma spent most of his directorial career toying with the voyeuristic thematics of cinema, but the 1972 movie that put him on the map didn’t even bother with pretense. Sisters
Phil Bacharach
opens with a fictitious game show, Peeping Toms, in which contestants predict what an unsuspecting man will do when a pretty blind woman begins to disrobe when she thinks she’s alone. As it turns out, the would-be blind girl is a paid (and sighted) actress played by Margot Kidder. She wins a set of stainlesssteel knives and winds up on a date with the game-show guy who gallantly chose not to ogle her. The resulting blood-soaked horrorcomedy involves conjoined twins, murder and, of course, that set of knives. Bernard Hermann’s brilliant music score conjures up memories of his work in Psycho, while a strong supporting cast compensates for Kidder’s wobbly stab at a French-Canadian accent. (Streaming on Max, Apple, Amazon and Criterion Channel)
And speaking of Psycho, check out The Blackcoat’s Daughter, the 2015 directorial debut of Osgood Perkins, the real-life offspring of Norman Bates himself, Psycho ’s Anthony Perkins. Kiernan Shipka and Lucy Boynton portray troubled students stranded during break at an all-girls’ Catholic boarding school. The scares arrive through the painstaking manner in which Perkins — whose Longlegs was this summer’s surprise hit — employs deliberate pacing and dense sound design to build a sense of dread. Think of it as a nightmare version of The Holdovers (Streaming on Apple, Amazon and Kanopy)
It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad scientist
Not to be confused with the Billy Idol song of the same name, 1960’s Eyes Without a Face is a great, if underseen, horror classic. The French import features Pierre Brasseur as a doctor responsible for the severe disfigurement of his adult daughter Christianne (Edith Scob) in the wake of a car accident. Luckily for Christianne, if less so for the other young women in town, dad fancies himself an expert at face transplants. Eyes Without a Face ’s surgery scenes reportedly sent some 1960 moviegoers rushing to the exits, but they are quaint by today’s standards. Director Georges Franju’s film is a hauntingly beautiful masterwork. (Streaming on Max, Apple, Amazon and Criterion Channel)
Could it be Satan?
Before filmmaker Ti West’s breakthrough X trilogy, he showed off his horror chops in 2009 with The House of the Devil. College student Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) is needing cash when she comes across a flyer for a babysitter. A pre-Barbie Greta Gerwig
steals her every scene as Samantha’s pizza-chomping BFF, while exploitation icons Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov are the couple presumably desperate for a babysitter despite being childless. West lets the tension simmer before finally jolting the audience, at which point we are putty in his hands. (Streaming on Apple and Amazon)
What would any discussion of devils be without mention of The Exorcist? I don’t mean the 1973 masterpiece that launched scores of inferior imitators. William Peter Blatty, who authored the Exorcist novel that started it all, nabbed the writing-directing honors for 1990’s The Exorcist III, where serial killing meets demonic possession. George C. Scott (yep, him again) is at his most blustery as a police detective investigating a series of grisly murders in Washington D.C., but even Scott is no match for scenery-chewing Brad Dourif as the serial killer who makes Hannibal Lecter look like a Teletubby by comparison. (Streaming on Apple and Amazon)
Monster mash
Schlockmeister Larry Cohen did not lack for output, from the blaxploitation of Black Caesar to the baby horror of It’s Alive. For me, however, his magnum opus is Q: The Winged Serpent, an irresistible 1982 hodgepodge of gore, clumsy guerrilla filmmaking and endearingly awful special effects. It’s New York City at its scuzziest, and a winged serpent (duh!) is terrorizing the city from atop the Chrysler Building. Throw in an Aztec cult that skins its victims and a compelling (if oddly incongruous) Michael Moriarty performance as a hood who becomes the monster’s PR guy, and you have a drive-in classic. (Streaming on Apple and Amazon)
Can you dig it (up)?
In 1994’s Cemetery Man Rupert Everett plays Francesco, the caretaker of an Italian cemetery where the newly dead invariably come back to life. He dispatches zombies with casual aplomb, but everything changes when Francesco falls hard for a sexy widow. Once they consummate their mutual passion on the grave of the dearly departed husband, the movie leapfrogs from strange to batshit crazy. Cemetery Man is not for all tastes, especially if you’re unamused by the prospect of adult male romancing a teenaged girl’s decapitated head, but adventurous gorehounds will dig Cemetery Man’s off-off-offbeat humor. (Streaming on AMC and Amazon)
CLIMB COLLECTIVE
COLLECTIVE
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We want to thank everyone that came out to celebrate our launch party last month.
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CALENDAR
CONSUMERS COMMON CANNABIS TERPENES
These are events recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.
BOOKS
Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny and Bloodlands will discuss and sign his latest work, On Freedom, 6:30-8 p.m. October 25, Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 NW Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. OCT. 25
Rilla Askew will discuss The Hungry and the Haunted joined by fellow Oklahoma author Connie Squires, author of Along the Watchtower and Live from Medicine Park, 3-5 p.m. November 9, Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 NW Expressway, 405-8422900, fullcirclebooks.com. NOV. 9
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, New York Times bestselling author, to launch of Games Untold and discuss this collection of stories from the world of The Inheritance Games, 6 p.m. November 12, Best of Books, 1313 East Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-3409202, bestofbooksok.com. NOV. 12
Lou Berney, in Conversation with Commonplace Books, representing his newest book releasing in November, Double Barrel Bluff, 6:30-8 p.m. November 13, Commonplace Books, 1325 N. Walker Avenue, No. 138, 405-534-4540, commonplacebooksokc.com. NOV. 13
FILM
The Vourdalak, French adaptation of an early 19th-century vampire novella, tells the story of a stranded Marquis who takes refuge with an eccentric family and their sinister patriarch, 7:30 p.m. October 24, 5:30 p.m. October 25, 8 p.m. October 26, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. OCT. 24-26
Sleep portrays expectant parents navigating a nightmare scenario when a spouse develops a sleep disorder that may be a disturbing split personality, 8 p.m. October 25, 5:30 p.m. October 26, 12:30 p.m. October 27, 3 p.m. October 27, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. OCT. 25-27
Slay the Night: A Halloween Buffy Bash with Femme Film, a 21 and over screening of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with costume party and contest with drinks and music by Vampire DJ Donna Veronica 6-9 p.m. October 26, Oklahoma Contemporary, 11 NW 11th St, 405-9510000, oklahomacontemporary.org. OCT. 26
The Birds, part of the Saturday Classics series, a San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that is suddenly overwhelmed by a deadly series of avian attacks, 2 p.m. October 26, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. OCT. 26
Psycho screening in a new 4K restoration, Alfred Hitchcock’s revolutionary horror masterpiece stars Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins in a terrifying tale about a quiet motel and a mysterious killer, 7:30 p.m. October 31, 5:30 p.m. November 2, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-2363100, okcmoa.com. OCT. 31, NOV. 2
My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock, new documentary from filmmaker and scholar Mark Cousins offers playful and illuminating reflections on his creative process, richly illustrated with clips from his entire 50-year career, 5:30 p.m. November 1, 2 p.m. November 2, 12:30 p.m. November 3, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. NOV. 1-3
Toute une nuit, a lushly atmospheric meditation on romantic love, longing and loneliness from Belgian writer-director Chantal Akerman, flits between several different individuals and couples over the course of one summer night in Brussels. Screening in a new restoration, 7:30 p.m. November 7, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. NOV. 7
HAPPENINGS
Up-Down’s Annual Halloween Party offers two nights of Halloween with specialty cocktails, blood bags, an opportunity for a picture of your costume at our photo booth, and costume contest, 7 p.m. October 25-26, Up-Down OKC, 1629 NW 16th St, 405-673-7792, updownarcadebar.com. OCT. 25-26
West Village Fourth Fridays offers live music, food trucks, a mini vendor market, drink & food specials, and art every fourth Friday, 6-10 p.m. October 25, West Village, Lee Avenue, 405-235-3500, westvillageokc.com. OCT. 25
Ink & Draw, a peer-led, all ages illustration club meeting with a focus on comics and pop art where creators can get instant feedback and encouragement, 3-5 p.m. Sundays, Literati Press Comics & Novels, 3022 Paseo, 405-882-7032, literatipressok. com. OCT.27., NOV. 3, NOV. 10
Open Mic Variety Night (Ships & Giggles) offers a nautical-themed open-mic comedy show, 6:307:30 p.m. October 29, Sailor and The Dock, 617 W Sheridan Avenue, 405-237-5984,sailorandthedock. com. OCT. 29
Continuum Premiere Join Norman Arts for the premiere of Continuum, a documentary short on architect and artist Herb Greene. Filmed during Greene’s return to Oklahoma, where his work as an artist and architect began to take off, the documentary brings Greene back to some his most iconic structures in Oklahoma, exploring Greene’s work, ongoing legacy of creativity and impact on the state and beyond. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the documentary beginning at 7 p.m. with a reception to follow. The premiere is free and open to all to attend.
MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., 405-3601162, normanarts.org. THU, MAY 19
HAPPENINGS
Calderón Dance Festival A festival celebrating the life of Shannon Calderón and her vision for building a community with inclusive, diverse and equitable opportunities in dance. Dance classes, performances, artist panels and more!, Sat., May 21. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-426-7812, plazadistrict.org/calderon. SAT, MAY 21
Marking Tree Design 5 Year Anniversary Open House This month’s Third Saturdays in WesTen includes the 5 year anniversary open house of Marking Tree Design at 1633 N. Portland on Saturday, May 21, 12Noon-4:00PM.
original commissioned project made specifically for Oklahoma City Repertory Theater. This work is a collaboration with artists from Ireland, New Orleans, New York, and Oklahoma City., Thursdays-Sundays. through May 29. Downtown OKC, 211 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, okcrep.org/of-a-mind-oklahoma-
Halloween Forensic Nights Do you have daydreams of digging up some old bones and going on an investigation Sherlock Holmes would be proud of? It’s your lucky month: You have six chances to learn to read a human skull to determine the age, sex, physical trauma and/or pathology (disease) of the deceased. Investigators must be age 16 and up to attend. (Junior investigators should check out the museum’s JUNIOR Forensics events.) Halloween Forensic Nights are 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 26 and 30 at Skeletons Museum of Osteology, 10301 S. Sunnylane Road. Tickets are $45. Call 405814-0006 or visit skeletonmuseum.com.
Farmers Market at Scissortail Park Park guests will be able to choose from close to 60 market members each Saturday from 9am to 1pm from April through October. Customers can expect to see options for local, pasture-raised meats, fresh produce and cultivated mushrooms, plants, eggs, raw honey, breads and baked goods, assortments of specialty prepared food and beverage producers, as well as high-quality artisans. Make this market part of your weekly routine to procure your locally-sourced grocery items., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Oct. 29. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark. org. SATURDAYS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 Photo Hannah Gibbs
Make Ready Market The Make Ready Market is an all-makers market held every 4th Saturday of the month in Midtown OKC. Artists and makers offer a range of handmade goods including clothing, jewelry, body care, soap, original art, plants, and vintage. Plus, food and live music. Follow us on Instagram @ makereadymarket or find us on Facebook for more de-
FILM
Murder Mystery Night, an immersive museum experience on Halloween night, 6-8 p.m. October 31, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405236-3100, okcmoa.com. OCT. 31
First Friday Gallery Walk in the Paseo Arts District showcases over 80 artists and more than 25 businesses and galleries participate, all within walking distance. Opening receptions showcase the new work of the gallery/studio owners or the work of guest artists, 6-9 p.m. November 1, Paseo Arts District, 3024 Paseo, 405-525-2688, thepaaok.org. NOV. 1
Refreshing the Palette, a wine tasting and art show event benefiting the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, 4-6 p.m. November 3, The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, 6418 N Western Ave, 405-840-9463, ovac-ok.org. NOV. 3
Acrylic Paint Pour Class, an exciting acrylic pour workshop to learn the art of fluid painting, 6-8 p.m. November 3, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. NOV. 3
OKC Thrift Market provides an opportunity for the community to come together with a location to sell second-hand clothing, shoes, and accessories, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. November 3, Sailor and The Dock, 617 W Sheridan Avenue, 405-237-5984,sailorandthedock. com. NOV. 3
Festival de Vida y Muerte – Dia de Muertos celebrates the Day of the Dead at the 2024 Festival of Life & Death presented by Supermercados Morelo, 12-9 p.m. November 3, Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St, 405445-6277, scissortailpark.org. NOV. 3
Twilight Trivia enter a raffle and sip themed drinks as you compete with other Twihards for the title of the Twibest competing with questions covering Twilight books and movies, 6:30-8 p.m. November 7, Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 NW Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. NOV. 7
Open Mic Night at Mix-Tape allows performers of all disciplines and backgrounds to perform on Factory Obscura’s Wonder Stage located inside the Mix-Tape immersive art experience, 7-9 p.m. November 7, Factory Obscura: Mix Tape, 25 NW 9th St, 405-367-1578, factoryobscura.com. NOV. 7
Night Market at Scissortail Park last event of the year supporting local vendors, food, and live entertainment with make-and-take crafts, storytelling, and more, 5:30-10 p.m. November 8, Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St, 405-445-6277, scissortailpark.org. NOV. 8
Let’s Dance! Labyrinth Masquerade Ball and Iconic Bowie Variety and Art Show provides an opportunity to dance through a labyrinth of art, music and performances at the masquerade ball celebrating the iconic David Bowie, 7-10 p.m. November 9, 3130 Studios & Events, 3130 N May Ave, 405-919-6734, 3130studios.com. NOV. 9
Safari Lights returns nightly with drive-thru and walkthru winter wonderland of wildlife and holiday themed light sculptures, interactive light displays, festive treats, 5:30-11 p.m. November 9 through January 1, Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl., 405-424-3344, okczoo. org. NOV. 9-JAN. 1
LIVE! Sunday Funday, Plaza District’s free, monthly block party featuring live entertainment, local artist vendors, and dozens of specials from award-winning restaurants, bars, retailers, and service providers, 12-4 p.m. November 10, Plaza District, 1745 NW 42nd St, 405-578-5718, plazadistrict.org. NOV. 10
Felted! Holiday! Garlands! workshop to create felted garlands to decorate for the festive season and spread holiday cheer, 12-4 p.m. November 10, Oklahoma Contemporary, 11 NW 11th St, 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org NOV. 10
Weekly Karaoke @ Blok Bar every Sunday with free parking and a smoke-free environment, 6-10 p.m. November 10, 30 NE 2nd St, 405-768-5140, theblokbar. com. NOV. 10
FOOD
Taste of Western features a host of nibbles and bites from Western Avenue restaurants along with live music and a silent auction, 6-9 p.m. October 26, Will Rogers Theater, 4322 N Western Ave, 405-604-3015, visitwesternavenue.com. OCT. 26
YOUTH
Story Time for little ones to enjoy children’s books read aloud every Saturday morning with snacks are provided, 10:15-11:30 a.m. October 26, Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 NW Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks. com. OCT. 26
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical presented by OKC Broadway with Max the Dog narrating as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” deciding to steal Christmas away from the Holiday loving Whos, multiple showings November 6 through November 9, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, 405-594-8300, okcciviccenter. com. NOV. 7-9
Bluey Bedtime Story & Stuffie Sleepover, children wear jammies for a special Bedtime Story with Bluey take pictures with Bluey and then tuck your stuffie in for the night for a sleepover at the bookstore reunited the next morning, 6 p.m. November 8-11 a.m. November 9, Best of Books, 1313 East Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok.com. NOV. 8-9
Haunt the Zoo Do tigers love Halloween as much as you do? You can find out! Don your bear hats and dragon costumes, trick-or-treat, take photos with fun props, enjoy entertaining activities and hang out with the actual animals at this beloved all-ages Oklahoma City Halloween event. Don’t forget to purchase your zoo tickets and official zoo trick-or-treat bag ($7-$8) to participate 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 26-27 at Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Place. Zoo admission is free-$16. Call 405-424-3344 or visit okczoo.org. SATURDAY-SUNDAY, OCT 26-27 Photo provided
Storytime with Author Brenda Maier sharing two new books - a picture book for the youngest readers, and an illustrated graphic novel for the big kids, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. November 9, Best of Books, 1313 East Danforth Road, Edmond, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok.com. NOV. 9
November Twister Steam and Turkey Art provides an opportunity to participate in a steam science experiment, then move to the Studio for fun turkey art, 3-4 p.m. November 5, Tin Lizzie’s, 905 N Broadway Ave, 405-228-1014, tinlizziesokc.com. NOV.5
PERFORMING ARTS
Radiant Vermin, a darkly funny morality play, explores the consequences of a Faustian bargain, October 18 through November 3, 3rd Act Theatre Company, 12040 N May Ave., 405.593.8093, www.3rdacttheatreco.com. OCT. 18-NOV. 3
Loksi’ Shaali’ presented by Canterbury Voices, a choral and orchestral composition narrating the journey of the Chickasaw-Choctaw migration, 3 p.m. October 27, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, 405-594-8300, okcciviccenter.com. OCT. 27
Arrival from Sweden: The Music of ABBA, presented by the OKC Philharmonic, provides the sound, look, and joyful celebration of ABBA, with crystalline harmonies and original costumes, 8 p.m. November 1-2, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, 405-594-8300, okcciviccenter.com. NOV. 1-2
The Thanksgiving Play, good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in this wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scramble to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month, multiple showing times November 7-17, Oklahoma Contemporary, 11 NW 11th St, 405-9510000, oklahomacontemporary.org. NOV. 7-17
Straight No Chaser, brings their extraordinary music and captivating performance with a sense of humor, 7:30 p.m. November 12, Rose State Performing Arts Center, 6000 S Prosper Blvd, 405-594-8300, www. rose.edu. NOV. 12
ACTIVE
Botanical Balance FREE YOGA a perfect place to relax and connect with nature each Tuesday and Saturday, 6-7 p.m. October 23, 26, 30, Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W Reno Ave, 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.org. OCT. 23, OCT. 26, OCT. 30
Move your ScissorTAIL Walking Club meets every Thursday at the Rangers Station and every Sunday by the Boathouse, 8 a.m. October 27, November 3, 10, Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St, 405-445-6277, scissortailpark.org. OCT. 27, NOV. 3, NOV. 10
VISUAL ARTS
Art Moves at DOKC’s Midtown Walkabout featuring mixed media demo by Jasmine Jones, poetry stand by Clarissa Sharp, sculpture demo by LaQuincey Reed, and poetry stand by Kerri Shadid, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. October 26, Midtown OKC, 405-235-3500, midtownokc.com. OCT. 26
Exquisite Creatures, an artful cocktail fundraiser featuring an enchanting evening where art and wonder collide with gourmet hors d’oeuvres while exotic creatures bring an extra touch of magic to the night, 7-10 p.m. November 9, ARTSPACE at Untitled, 1 Northeast 3rd Street, 405-815-9995, www.1ne3.org. NOV. 9
Second OHOF Saturdays is a FREE program that features an Oklahoma Hall of Fame Member when families can visit the museum for free and enjoy various crafts and activities, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. November 9, Oklahoma Hall of Fame at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum, 1400 Classen Dr, 405-235-4458, oklahomahof.com. NOV. 9
November Access for All, an opportunity for guests to enjoy the museum exhibits free monthly, 12-5 p.m. November 10, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. NOV. 10 Ruth Ann Loveland Solo Show with opening and artist reception, 6-9 p.m. November 14, DNA Galleries, 1709 NW 16th Street, 405-525-3499, dnagalleries.com. NOV.14
Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon the first Wednesday of the month. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted. For OG live music see page 29
Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than the first Wednesday of the month. Late submissions will not be included in the listings Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible
Submit your listings online at okgazette.com or e-mail
but phone submissions cannot be accepted.
MUSIC
World travelers
OKC metro band Husbands embarks on its biggest tour to date and makes a stop in Oklahoma City.
By Chris Krummrich
Yukon native Danny Davis, frontman and songwriter for Husbands, spoke to Oklahoma Gazette about tour, life as a full-time musician in Oklahoma City and what’s next for the band.
The interview for this story was conducted by phone. Apparently, aligning a regular Monday through Friday work schedule with a full-time musician who lives in Costa Rica for half of the year while also working as a full-time, reallife husband can prove to be difficult. Who would have thought?
And yes, that is how the band got its name. Davis and original band member Wil Norton were the only married guys among all their friends, so it just became a thing.
I got to learn a lot about what the life of a full-time musician looks like in Oklahoma City. Danny said you get to do super-fun and not hard-to-do things. I asked him to paint a picture, to which he said, “Well, I guess yesterday I dug a giant hole in my backyard.”
Davis is converting his garage into a studio to record the next Husbands project after the band’s upcoming tour with Cold War Kids. Construction is but one of the skills listed under the requisites for career musicians nowadays, though.
“Sometimes it looks like talking to people on the phone. Sometimes it’s sitting around, thinking about a song all day. Sometimes it’s going to a studio and recording. It’s practicing with the band. It’s prepping for tour,” Davis said. “It’s a lot of things, and it’s fun. It’s a great time.”
It’s been a busy two years for Husbands between the release of its
Zeller is a musical Swiss army knife who switches between lead guitar, synth and vocals. He also studied music and knows music theory. Davis describes Roubert as “an incredible drummer” which is why he’s involved in several other local projects. Wilcox mans the bass but also plays in other local acts and is “good at coming up with interesting ideas.”
Husbands was originally founded with Wil Norton when the band released its first music on BandCamp in 2013, then another collection of songs in 2015. It wasn’t until the release of its 2020 album After the Gold Rush Party, though, that Davis says they released a “proper record.”
“It was a specific sound we were going for and songs we wrote specifically for it versus piling things together which is what we’d done in the past,” he said.
Big stages
2023 album Cuatro and touring, which included appearances on stages at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Governors Ball.
Travel for the band picked up quickly after Davis quit his job as a software engineer to pursue music full-time prior to touring with Goth Babe in 2022, a tour he described as a “dream come true.” It was Husbands’ first time doing a tour of that size and getting in front of huge crowds.
Husbands has since been on several other musical excursions since 2022, both as headliners and support for other national touring artists including Wilderado, Sports and now Cold War Kids.
Though fun, touring is hard. Long drives and general daily life inconsistencies are a part of the difficulties, but playing shows, seeing new places and meeting new people make up for it.
The ability to work well with the folks you’re on tour with is just as important, and fortunately, Davis is surrounded by people he loves. His wife is the band’s tour manager, so that also makes it a bit easier.
“We have a good time when we’re out there. It’s a lot of hard work. We have a lot of long drives and a lot of music we listen to in the van,” Davis said. “It’s kind of a meditative experience in some way. You know, you get out there and do the same thing every day and get into routines a little bit.”
People he loves includes fellow band members. While Davis does practically all of the writing for Husbands, he is accompanied on stage by Alberto Roubert, Ethan Wilcox and Zach Zeller.
War Kids makes a local stop in Oklahoma City at The Jones Assembly on Nov. 13 and will be the longest tour for Husbands to date. Following the tour, the plan is to write the next album over the holidays in the new studio, the one responsible for the giant hole Davis had to dig in his backyard. Hopefully it’s completed while the band is out on tour.
While the goal with Cuatro was to “write big songs to fill big stages,” the next album is going for something more “groovy and chill.” While “Mexico” serves as a good taster for Husbands’ music, Davis insists more is to come.
“I’m inclined to say that the newest thing I’m working on is the best representation,” he said. “Just ’cause it’s always changing a little bit.”
He hopes to get the other guys more involved in the writing process to accompany the new sound.
Husbands’ highest streamed song, “Mexico” (8.2 million), is on that album. The song details Davis’ bucket list dream of quitting his job and moving to the beach with his wife, which kind of came true. It’s a dreamy, upbeat indie rock track with catchy synth loops and guitar riffs. The Beach Boys-esque background chorus vocals corroborate the band’s Spotify bio, which reads “landlocked beach pop that sidequests Krautrock, garage rock, and tropicalia.”
“Mexico” isn’t the only locationbased song title in Husbands’ catalog, though. There are also “Phoenix,” “Super New China,” “Tijuana” and a few Oklahoma City locales: “I Don’t Wanna Die (at Fassler Hall)” and “Fancy (Nichols Hills).”
“I would say I owe an enormous amount to Oklahoma and Yukon and Oklahoma City and this state in terms of influencing sound,” Davis said. “We have our song “Garth” about growing up in Yukon and being in the shadow of the great Garth Brooks kind of thing. Being from Oklahoma, it’s an interesting place to live, partly because it’s not super interesting, so you sort of make your own adventure in some way.”
The upcoming tour supporting Cold
Some bands have big messages that are a part of their identity as artists; Rage Against the Machine came to mind in our phone conversation. But for other artists, it’s just not that deep. I asked Davis what he wants people to think of when they think of Husbands.
“We have a song called ‘Try Not to Worry’ and I think that pretty well encapsulates the vibe,” Davis said. “In Husbands’ music, there’s an acknowledgement that there’s a lot of bad things that go on a lot. There’s a lot of good things that go on a lot. I guess, just try not to worry and try to enjoy your life while you’re living it. … Not to say, like, ignore what’s going on; just don’t forget to smell the roses.”
Husbands | Photo provided
MUSIC Guitar virtuoso
Colombian musician Juanes brings his genrebending sound — and possibly 11 band members — to OKC. By
Chris Krummrich
Colombian guitarist/songwriter/rocker/ icon Juanes is bringing his guitar virtuosity and fiery love songs to The Criterion on Oct. 26, band in tow.
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez was 28 when he debuted his first album as Juanes in 2000 with Fíjate Bien (Take a Good Look), which went on to win him his first three Latin Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Rock Solo Vocal Album and Best Rock Song.
It wasn’t until 2002, though, that he found huge mainstream success with single “A Dios Le Pido” (“I Pray to God”) from his second album Un Día Normal ( A Normal Day), which won him a consecutive Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.
“A Dios Le Pido” is a dance track from the moment it starts. Fast guitar riffs climbing and cascading latin musical scales; a rock-and-roll rhythm section; and lyrics praying for peace and protection of family, lover and country create a fun mixture of emotions but are held together firmly by the insatiable need to dance.
Before setting off as a solo artist, Juanes was the guitarist for Ekhymosis, a Colombian heavy metal band he started at 17. Having found the end of his creative tank with the band, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a solo career shortly before debuting Fíjate Bien.
His time in Ekhymosis and discography reflect a desire to always keep it fresh. While a lot of Juanes’ music combines rock with several traditional latin rhythms like cumbia, merengue, tango, salsa and reggaeton, he comfortably transcends between them and mixes flavors together.
2017’s reggaeton beat “El Ratico” (“The Moment”) details the end of a temporary fling. Some may call it a situationship. Fellow Colombian superstar Kali
An Evening with KRISTIN CHENOWETH
Uchis provides harmonies throughout the track and sprinkles in a verse in Spanglish, providing a great contrast to Juanes’ cadence.
2013’s song “La Luz” (“The Light”), which describes partying all night long even if the lights go out, combines his well-known rock fusion with synthesizers you might expect to find on an EDM or techno record.
Juanes’ highest streaming credit comes from the remix of “1-800-2738255,” a collaboration between Logic, Alessia Cara and Khalid that calls to raise awareness of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
His 2024 collaboration on “Pétalo de sal” (“Petal of salt”) with Colombian artist Chabuco is a rendition of a ballad by Argentinian musician Fito Páez. The song references hopeless love, loneliness and the struggle of romantic indifference in an urban city.
While Juanes might not play many or any songs with features, it’s not like he’s shorthanded on solo hits or incredibly talented musicians. The band’s September appearance on the NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert features 11 musicians, including a horn section, backup vocalists, a pianist, a guitarist, a drummer and a bongosero.
Juanes’ mastery of the guitar and his disposition to blend genres is interesting. If you like rock, you’ll probably enjoy this show. If you like to dance, you’ll enjoy this show.
An Evening With Juanes
7 p.m. Oct. 26
The Criterion
500 E. Sheridan Ave.
criterionokc.com | 405-840-5500
$29-$124
Dec. 10, 2024 | 6 p.m.
Benefiting the educational programs of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, visit okcontemp.org/Chenoweth
Photo by John Russo.
Juanes | Photo provided
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17
SATURDAY MAY 24
LIVE MUSIC
These are events recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.
OCTOBER
20 - 26
Gregory Alan Isakov, October 28, The Jones Assembly. FOLK
LIKE MURDER with DOG WILL HUNT, October 23, Grand Royale. METAL
Josh Turner, October 24, Criterion. COUNTRY
Hank Woji with Terry Buffalo Ware, Mary Reynolds, TZ Wright & Mike McCarty, October 25, Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Soft Hands, October 25, Tower Theatre. ROCK
Pecos & The Rooftops, October 25, Criterion. COUNTRY/ROCK
03 Greedo with DJ A-Tron, October 26, Beer City Music Hall. HIP-HOP
Catherine Fuller, October 26, Full Circle. ROCK
Halloween Nu Metal Massacre, October 26, Diamond Ballroom. METAL
An Evening with JUANES, October 26, Criterion. POP
My So Called Band, October 26, Tower Theatre.
COVER
OCTOBER
27 - NOVEMBER 2
Sisters in Song, October 27, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ
Yngwie Malmsteen, October 30, Diamond Ballroom. METAL
Dogs In A Pile, October 31, Beer City Music Hall.
ROCK
Michael Fracasso With Terry “Buffalo” Ware, November 1, Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Brian Gorrell and Jazz Company, November 2, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ
NOVEMBER 3 - 9
Wei Jia, November 3, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ
Lucero, November 3, Beer City Music Hall. ALTERNATIVE
Kat Von D, November 3, Diamond Ballroom. ALTERNATIVE
Becky G, November 3, Criterion. POP
Destroy Boys, November 4, Beer City Music Hall. PUNK
Vitamin String Quartet, November 8, Tower Theatre. ROCK
Ken Carson, November 8, Criterion. HIP-HOP
Highly Suspect, November 9, Criterion. ROCK
Jennifer Knapp, November 9, Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Green Mystic Trio, November 9, Full Circle. JAZZ
NOVEMBER 10 - 16
Celtic Jam, November 10, Full Circle. CELTIC Carter Sampson, November 10, Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Seven Kingdoms, November 12, 89th Street METAL
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, November 12, Criterion. ROCK
Cold War Kids w/ Husbands, November 13, The Jones Assembly. ALTERNATIVE
Eliza Gilkyson, November 13, Blue Door. FOLK
Maria Kim/Jordan VanHemert Group, November 13, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ
Nia Moné & the Moonrays, Lincka and Metra Blue Note hosts a live music show and Halloween costume contest featuring live performances from Nia Moné & the Moonrays, Lincka and Metra. Through the intersection of R&B, indie and rock, this eclectic lineup of local artists is sure to provide a hex-tra special night of horrors. Be there, or be scared! The doors open at 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at Blue Note, 2408 N. Robinson Ave. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Visiting okcbluenote.com.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 Photo Cinco Johnson
Everybody Else’s Girl, November 1, Full Circle. INDIE
Shortt Dogg, November 1, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ
JACKYL, November 2, Diamond Ballroom. INDIE
Miss Brown To You, November 2, Full Circle. BLUES
Joel Melton & Jubal Lee Young, November 2, Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER
Jabee, November 2, Beer City Music Hall. HIP-HOP
Treaty Oak Revival, November 2, Criterion. COUNTRY
OKLAHOMA CITY METRO RESOURCES
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma 3355 S. Purdue Ave. regionalfoodbank.org regionalfoodbank.org/get-help 405-972-1111
YWCA 2460 NW 39th St. ywcaokc.org 405-948-1770
City Rescue Mission 800 W. California Ave. cityrescue.org 405-232-2709
City Care Night Shelter 6001 N. Classen Blvd. citycareokc.org 405-652-1112
Oklahoma City Animal Shelter 2811 SE 29th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73129 www.okc.gov/departments/animal-welfare/programs-and-services/adoptions/ pets-available-for-adoption (405) 297-3100
NATIONAL RESOURCES 988Lifeline 988lifeline.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org 1-800-799-7233
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) www.samhsa.gov 1-800-662-4357
To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) twloha.com pleasestayalive.com
Trans Lifeline 877-565-8860
Veterans Crisis Line 800-273-8255
PFLAG pflag.org/find-resources/
The Trevor Project thetrevorproject.org/resources/ Text START to 678-678
Live music submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon the first Wednesday of the month. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.
Human Rights Campaign hrc.org
Anti-Violence Project avp.org 212-714-1141
American Civil Liberties Union aclu.org
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Homework
Is there any joy or pleasure you deny yourself for no good reason? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Secrets and hidden agendas have been preventing you from getting an accurate picture of what’s actually happening. But you now have the power to uncover them. I hope you will also consider the following bold moves: 1. Seek insights that could be the key to your future sexiness. 2. Change an aspect of your life you’ve always wanted to change but have never been able to. 3. Find out how far you can safely go in exploring the undersides of things. 4. Help your allies in ways that will ultimately inspire them to help you.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
From the early 1910s to the late 1920s, silent films were the only kind of films that were made. The proper technology wasn’t available to pair sounds with images. “Talking pictures,” or “talkies,” finally came into prominence in the 1930s. Sadly, the majority of silent films, some of which were fine works of art, were poorly preserved or only exist now in second- or thirdgeneration copies. I’m meditating on this situation as a metaphor for your life, Taurus. Are there parts of your history that seem lost, erased, or unavailable? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to try to recover them. Remembering and reviving your past can be a potent healing agent.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
An old proverb tells us, “You must run toward the future and catch it. It is not coming to meet you, but is fleeing from you, escaping into the unknown.” This adage isn’t true for you at all right now, Gemini. In fact, the future is dashing toward you from all directions. It is not shy or evasive, but is eager to embrace you and is full of welcoming energy. How should you respond? I recommend you make yourself very grounded. Root yourself firmly in an understanding of who you are and what you want. Show the future clearly which parts of it you really want and which parts are uninteresting to you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Early in his musical career, Cancerian innovator Harry Partch played traditional instruments and composed a regular string quartet. But by age 29, he was inventing and building novel instruments that had never before been used. Among the materials he used in constructing his Zymo-Xyl, Eucal Blossom, and Chromelodeon were tree branches, light bulbs, and wine bottles. I’m inviting you to enter into a Harry Partch phase of your cycle, Cancerian. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to express your unique genius—whether that’s in your art, your business, your personal life, or any other sphere where you love to express your authentic self.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Life’s unpredictable flow will bring you interesting new blessings if you revamp your fundamentals. Listen closely, Leo, because this is a subtle turn of events: A whole slew of good fortune will arrive if you joyfully initiate creative shifts in your approaches to talking, walking, exercising, eating, sleeping, meditating, and having fun. These aren’t necessarily earth-shaking transformations. They may be as delicate and nuanced as the following: 1. adding amusing words to your vocabulary; 2. playfully hopping and skipping as you stroll along; 3. sampling new cuisines; 4. keeping a notebook or recorder by your bed to capture your dreams; 5. trying novel ways to open your mind and heart; 6. seeking fresh pleasures that surprise you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
In an old Irish folk tale, the fairies give a queen a crystal cauldron with special properties. If anyone speaks three falsehoods in its presence, it cracks into three fragments. If someone utters three hearty truths while standing near it, the three pieces unite again. According to my metaphorical reading of your current destiny, Virgo, you are now in the vicinity of the broken cauldron. You have expressed one restorative truth, and need to proclaim two more. Be gently brave and bold as you provide the healing words.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Let’s review the highlights of the recent months. First,
you expanded your perspective, blew your mind, and raised your consciousness. That was fabulous! Next, you wandered around half-dazed and thoroughly enchanted, pleased with your new freedom and spaciousness. That, too, was fantastic! Then, you luxuriously indulged in the sheer enjoyment of your whimsical explorations and experimentations. Again, that was marvelous! Now you’re ready to spend time integrating all the teachings and epiphanies that have surged into your life in recent months. This might be less exciting, but it’s equally important.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
As a teenager, I loved the music of Jefferson Airplane. I recall sitting on the couch in my New Jersey home and listening to their albums over and over again. Years later, I was performing on stage at a San Francisco nightclub with my band, World Entertainment War. In the audience was Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane. After the show, he came backstage and introduced himself. He said he wanted his current band, Jefferson Starship, to cover two of my band’s songs on his future album. Which he did. I suspect you will soon experience a comparable version of my story, Scorpio. Your past will show up bearing a gift for your future. A seed planted long ago will finally blossom.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
My horoscopes are directed toward individuals, not groups. Yet it’s impossible to provide oracles about your personal destiny without considering the collective influences that affect you. Every day, you are impacted by the culture you live in. For instance, you encounter news media that present propaganda as information and regard cynicism as a sign of intellectual vigor. You live on a planet where the climate is rapidly changing, endangering your stability and security. You are not a narrow-minded bigot who doles out hatred toward those who are unlike you, but you may have to deal with such people. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because now is an excellent time to take an inventory of the world’s negative influences—and initiate aggressive measures to protect yourself from them. Even further, I hope you will cultivate and embody positive alternatives.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
I suspect you will be extra attractive, appealing, and engaging in the coming weeks. You may also be especially convincing, influential, and inspirational. What do you plan to do with all this potency? How will you wield your flair? Here’s what I hope:You will dispense blessings everywhere you go. You will nurture the collective health and highest good of groups and communities you are part of. PS: In unexpected ways, being unselfish will generate wonderful selfish benefits.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Do you fantasize about being a masterful manager of your world? Have you imagined the joy of being the supreme sovereign of your holy destiny? Do you love the idea of rebelling against anyone who imagines they have the right to tell you what you should do and who you are? If you answered yes to those questions, I have excellent news, Aquarius: You are now primed to take exciting steps to further the goals I described. Here’s a helpful tip: Re-dedicate yourself to the fulfillment of your two deepest desires. Swear an oath to that intention.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
The Liberation Season is here. How can you take maximum advantage of the emancipatory energies? Here are suggestions 1. Plan adventures to frontier zones. 2. Sing and dance in the wilderness. 3. Experiment with fun and pleasure that are outside your usual repertoire. 4. Investigate what it would mean for you to be on the vanguard of your field. 5. Expand your understandings of sexuality. 6. Venture out on a pilgrimage. 7. Give yourself permission to fantasize extravagantly. 8. Consider engaging in a smart gamble. 8. Ramble, wander, and explore.
Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.
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PUZZLES
By Joe Deeney Puzzles edited by Joel Fagliano
envelope
25 Diamond pattern
26 Broke down
27 Sport with ‘‘union’’ and ‘‘league’’ varieties
29 Morgantown’s state: Abbr.
30 Small square
31 Players who straddle two positions, in hoops lingo
34 Cave dweller
35 Spot for a rake
36 Longtime NASCAR sponsor
38 Investigative journalist Tarbell
39 Qualities of the perfect rant?
42 Where to watch the big game?
45 D.C. insider
46 Two for an opinion
47 ‘‘Skinny as a beanpole’’ or ‘‘thin as a rail’’?
51 Exodus figure
54 Yodel alternatives
55 Scrub
56 ‘‘The Liberty Bell’’ composer
57 Old T-shirt, maybe
59 Poetic foot with a ‘‘dun-dunDUN’’ rhythm
62 High style?
64 Drug whose therapeutic value to alcoholics was advocated by A.A. co-founder Bill W.
65 Made like
67 Popular piercing site
68 More risqué assertion?
72 Ending of many designer dogbreed names
73 No trouble
75 ____ Lingus
76 First name in country music
77 Extreme pessimists
79 Seasonal quaff
80 Facade
82 ‘‘____ the bonnie boat was won/As we sailed into the mystic’’ (Van Morrison lyric)
84 Watch for hours, say 85 Oil catcher in the kitchen
87 Reasons that commuters might prefer Uber?
90 One might be spotted in the Serengeti
91 Points out 94 Disorderly agitation
95 In-depth knowledge of the menu, perhaps?
99 On the ____ 100 Small-screen release?
103 ‘‘Mulan’’ adversaries 104 Part of an outfit 105 Became 108 ‘‘That had to hurt!’’
110 Country whose flag features the silhouette of a doubleheaded eagle: Abbr.
111 Fuzzy fruits
113 Director Johnson
114 Most-favorable conditions
116 Silent-movie successor
118 Ones with flexible minds and bodies?
121 ‘‘If you say so’’
122 Acquire something through hard work
123 Home to eight of the 10 fastestgrowing cities in the U.S.
124 Believes
Hose 126 Tightfitting suits
1 Chocolate source 2 Decks out
3 Clay pigeon, for one
4 Supergroup that performed at Woodstock, familiarly
5 Leaning
6 Library amenity
7 Popular piercing site
8 Hwy. that includes a Lake Michigan ferry crossing
9 Virtual-animal companion
10 On which you might play I Spy
11 ‘‘____ said . . .’’
12 Movie ending?
13 Followed 14 Madcap 15 Nav. rank
16 Let the situation play out 17 Goes places
18 Menu items that McDonald’s no longer offers in America, as of 2020
21 Popular news source
23 Prepare for the stand
28 ‘‘Well, I’ll be!’’
32 Wax-coated cheese
33 Sign of a hit
35 Spanish title
37 Campaign of mind games, in brief
40 Brand for Buddy
41 Antitraffic org.
43 Beasts of burden
44 Latin name for ancient Troy
47 Splashy gambler, in lingo
48 Sea between Italy and Greece
49 Gershwin composition that opens with a famous clarinet glissando
50 Go bad
52 Ship’s body
53 Comparatively low
56 Fruity dessert
Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute).
58 ‘‘Seinfeld’’ curmudgeon
60 Certain premarital festivities
61 Prepare
63 Land’s end?
66 Script specifications
69 Diva’s time to shine
70 200 milligrams, to a jeweler
71 Gas brand
74 Everglades denizens
78 Sporty Mazda model
81 Cranky mood
83 Giving off
86 Mozart’s ‘‘Adagio ____ for Violin and Orchestra’’
