"Coconut Cake" debuts and the Triad prepares for the International Black Theater Festival
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4 The Triad-based CMB Studios will present TWO OF ITS FILMS at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene Street, Greensboro. The feature film Trauma , which made its world premiere there last February, and the world premiere of the live-action short Soul Mates
5 The School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will present a special screening of F.W. Murnau’s silent classic FAUST (1926) 7 p.m. Friday in the ACE Main Theatre.
6 The RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, which will take place April 18 through April 27, will celebrate its 26th season in 2024.
6 The Town Oak Ridge has announced its 2024 MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES, which will be held on the second Saturday of every month from April through October, except in September, at Oak Ridge Town Park’s amphitheater.
7 Expanding their board, the Arts District of Winston-Salem has named interdisciplinary artist Rachael Hayes and visual artist Vikki Vassar as board
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members. They bring their expertise to the group and will help promote and organize ART CRUSH....
8 Having caused a stir at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, LOVE LIES BLEEDING is poised to do the same in general release.
10 In “ THE DANGEROUS CASE OF DONALD TRUMP,” Dr. Bandy Lee compiled reports by 27 psychiatrists and mental health experts who conducted in-depth studies of Trump’s actual words and actions and warned that his sickness and toxic behavior...
14 At the end of the March 19 meeting of Greensboro City Council, District 1’s SHARON HIGHTOWER spoke of confidentiality and the United States Constitution. She then talked about “standards we all should live by,” and said ‘if I have to live by that, so should we all.”
16 Hammond organ stan Sam Fribush ups the funk on his third album, “ PEOPLE PLEASE” digging through the soul and soil, and celebrating its release with a double-header round of shows at the Flat Iron on April 6.
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he Triadbased CMB Studios will present two of its films at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene Street, Greensboro. The feature film Trauma, which made its world premiere there last February, and the world premiere of the live-action short Soul Mates. Tickets are $15 to $19 (depending on seat location) and are available by calling 336-333-2605 or at https:// carolinatheatre.com/event/soulmatesand-trauma-opeat-with-cmb-studios/. The filmmakers will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A session.
Trauma was written, produced, edited, and directed by Christopher Bray, the founder of CMB Studios. This hard-hitting drama, inspired by Bray’s own experiences and observations as a military veteran, focuses on Elijah Travis (played by Bray), a disillusioned combat soldier battling his demons as he struggles to re-adjust to civilian life. Having made a few editorial adjustments since the premiere, this is the finished version — the “director’s cut,” if you will.
“The 2023 premiere was a huge success,” Bray said. “The VIP part, along with the full show, was a full experience. We brought the real ‘premiere vibe’ to Greensboro, and on March 30 we anticipate an even larger audience with this new and final cut of Trauma.”
When Bray founded CMB Studios in 2019, he envisioned it not only as an outlet for his own projects but also a collaborative outlet for other area filmmakers to
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bring their cinematic vision to the screen. Bray directed the short films Unrest, Russian Roulette, and Knock Knock under the banner of CMB Studios, which was cited by the Triad Minority Business Network as Newcomer Business of the Year in August 2022.
The Saturday event features the world premiere of Soul Mates, a character-driven drama written and directed by actor Will Dalton, who originally hails from Eden, N.C. The film focuses on Philip (Philip Lynch) and Ti any (Ti any Walker), a couple reunited after a mutual breakup the year before. On a road trip to join friends for an annual retreat, they are forced to re-examine the circumstances of their relationship, their breakup, and the unresolved issues that still haunt them.
“Soul Mates is a film I shot and edited for writer/director Will Dalton,” Bray said. “It was a beautiful story to piece together. It’s a story of love and thrills, and it’s a wild story.”
Actor-turned-writer/director Dalton, who co-starred in the fact-based 2016 drama Loving, for which Ruth Negga earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, and the award-winning military drama Sergio (2020), was inspired to expand his creative horizons when he worked with Loving’s writer/director Je Nichols, a graduate of the School of Filmmaking at the UNCSA School of the Arts.
“Je is my mentor,” Dalton said. “He’s a great filmmaker and a great guy. He really inspired me.”
Another inspiration, in a roundabout way, were the concurrent SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and WGA (Writers Guild of America) work stoppages, which left him with plenty of time on his hands.
“I could sit around and kind of do nothing,” Dalton said bemusedly, “or I could try to occupy my time. This was something I wanted to try, and I thought ‘We can do this. We can make this work.’”
The first step was assembling a cast and crew, and he called upon an old friend and colleague, Ti any Walker. She and Dalton worked together 15 years ago in community theater and independent filmmaking before Dalton departed for Tinseltown. In the ensuing years, she had turned her attention to teaching and writing. When Dalton approached her about Soul Mates, it was both on the production side and as lead actress.
Having not acted in some time, Walker admitted she was initially hesitant. “When Will reached out, he basically said ‘Let’s do this!’” she recalled. “How could I say no?”
She’s glad she didn’t. “I didn’t realize how much I missed being an actress,” she laughed. “It was inspiring! To act again was much needed and I didn’t know I needed it!”
With the premiere looming, “we’re both really nervous — but we’re really looking forward to it,” Walker said. “Making the film was a matter of taking baby steps — one step at a time … but I think it’s a good film and we did good work. But you always wonder how it will be received.”
“To see what you wrote — what you envisioned in your mind — come to life, it’s amazing,” said Dalton, whose next step is to submit Soul Mates to film festivals. “It is a finished product, but I’d like to get feed[back] from the audience.”
“Things at CMB Studios have been great,” said Bray. “Trauma was our first priority being our first feature film. The festival circuit is our next move, along with entering distribution. This summer we will shoot Wrong Click, the next CMB Studios feature film, written and directed by yours truly. The filmmaking industry is here — at CMB Studios.”
The o cial Carolina Theatre website is https://carolinatheatre.com/, and the o cial CMB Studios Instagram page is @ cmbstudios. !
See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.
Mark Burger
The School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will present a special screening of F.W. Murnau’s silent classic Faust (1926) 7 p.m. Friday in the ACE Main Theatre, located on the main campus of UNCSA, 1533 S. Main Street, Winston-Salem. Admission is free and open to the public.
Long hailed as one of the silent era’s masterpieces, Faust (Faust: Eine deutsche Volkssage) is based on the historical character Johann Georg Faust (played in the film by Gosta Ekman), a scholar and alchemist who literally sells his soul to the Devil for ultimate knowledge and pleasure. Emil Jannings, who would win the very first Academy Award for Best Actor in both The Lost Command and The Way of All Flesh in 1928, portrays the nefarious tempter, here called Mephisto. The story of Faust has inspired numerous adaptations, but Murnau’s version is based on Goethe’s interpretation of the story, and at the time was the most expensive German film ever made.
This presentation features a live metal music score performed by The Silent Light and is hosted by Gary Mairs, a long-time faculty member at CalArts, who has an extensive knowledge of film history, particularly in terms of their realist style, rock ‘n’ roll movies, the Western genre, and editing.
The Silent Light is led by multi-instrumentalist Mike Formanski, himself a visual artist and filmmaker of renown, who has collaborated with such notable artists as Moby, Gregory Porter, Lady Blackbird, Akemi Fox, Amanda Gookin, and others. Over the years, The Silent Light has created and performed original scores for such classic silent films as Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) and Fritz Lang’s groundbreaking Metropolis (1927).
The cast of Faust also includes Camilla Horn, Frida Rich-
Still from Faust
ard, Yvette Guilbert, and William Dieterle, who later moved behind the camera and directed such classics as A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935), The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), and The Life of Emile Zola (1937), for which he received an Oscar nomination.
The o cial UNCSA website is https://www.uncsa.edu/. !
See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.
The RiverRun International Film Festival, which will take place April 18 through April 27, will celebrate its 26th season in 2024. The Festival will feature 196 screenings — the most in its history — in Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina. Based in Winston-Salem, RiverRun is an Academy Awardqualifying festival in two categories: Documentary Short and Animated Short.
The 2024 festival film lineup will be announced on April 2 at 6 p.m. at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts in Winston-Salem and on April 3 at 6 p.m. at the Carolina Theater in Greensboro. Festival passes are now on sale at riverrunfilm. com/festival-passes. Tickets to individual screenings will be available beginning April 5 at riverrunfilm. com.
“We are delighted to welcome our audiences back for another year of incredible screenings and inspiring conversations,” said RiverRun Executive Director Rob Davis. “This year’s festival includes a phenomenal slate of diverse and exciting films from across the globe. We are particularly excited about the RiverRun BIPOC Film Program, which this year will focus on contemporary Sudanese films. In addition, we will honor industry legends Kate Amend, Adrienne Barbeau and Constance Towers Gavin, all three of whom will attend the Festival, with receive Master of Cinema Awards. In addition, Robert Schwartzman will join us to receive our Emerging Master of Cinema Award.”
Opening night’s narrative feature will be Thelma, a wonderful take on action films with a 93-year-old grandmother as an unlikely action hero in a clever comedy caper. Mad About the Boy, the opening night documentary, showcases the vast talent and genius of Noel Coward. The closing night film stars John Malkovich as a widowed British industrialist mistaken for the new butler at the French chateau where he met his late wife in Mr. Blake at Your Service! The
popular free screenings for kids and families include Saturday morning cartoons, an outdoor screening of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Pu n Rock and the New Friends, a new animated film from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Other films include the moving Bau: Artist at War, which features Emile Hirsch as Joseph Bau, whose wedding to his wife, Rebecca, took place in the Plaszow concentration camp during World War II. Wildcat, from director Ethan Hawke stars his daughter, Maya, as writer Flannery O’Connor and Laura Linney as her mother. Shari and Lamb Chop is a fantastic documentary following the ups and downs of Shari Lewis, the trailblazing woman who forever changed the face of children’s television and Willie and Me has a German housewife on a road trip to Las Vegas for Willie Nelson’s last concert and features the legendary country singer as both himself and a character.
In addition to high-profile films, the festival also presents the best in international independent cinema including narratives, documentaries, and animated films showcasing a variety of diverse global viewpoints.
“Our 26th festival includes multiple world premieres, North American premieres, and North Carolina premieres,” stated RiverRun Programming Director Mary Dossinger, who added, “We are so proud to have a lineup of films that will truly move audiences as we celebrate the very best in world cinema.” !
THE RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Founded in 1998, RiverRun is a competitive event that annually showcases new films from both established and emerging filmmakers around the world. Each spring, RiverRun screens new narrative, documentary, short, student and animated films, o ering both audience and jury prizes in competition categories. For more information, visit riverrunfilm.com.
The Town Oak Ridge has announced its 2024 Music in the Park Series, which will be held on the second Saturday of every month from April through October, except in September, at Oak Ridge Town Park’s amphitheater.
These events are free to attend thanks to sponsorship support from Smith Marketing Group, Oak Ridge Commons, Domino’s of Oak Ridge, and Oak Ridge Craft & Vine.
The first concert will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024, featuring Barefoot Modern from 6-9 p.m. Food trucks and a beverage garden will be available at each event.
“We are thrilled to o er these family friendly events that bring our community together to enjoy great music, wonderful food and beverages,” said Public Information O cer Ashley Royal.
Additional information can be found on the Town of Oak Ridge’s Facebook page or by contacting Ashley Royal at 336644-7009. !
April 13: Barefoot Modern (Americana folk rock)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Wise Man Brewing and Bistro 150
May 11: Special Occasion Band (Beach Music)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Brown Truck Brewery and Oak Ridge Craft & Vine
June 8: 8 0z Nation (80s Pop)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Brown Truck Brewery and Oak Ridge Craft & Vine
July 13: Mason Lovette Band (New Grass)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Wise Man Brewing and Oak Ridge Craft & Vine
Aug. 10: Radio Revolver (Rock and Blues)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Wise Man Brewing and Oak Ridge Craft & Vine
Oct. 12: The Alex Ottawa Band (Country)
Food trucks/Beverage garden provided by Brown Truck Brewery and Bistro 150
Expanding their board, the Arts District of Winston-Salem has named interdisciplinary artist Rachael Hayes and visual artist Vikki Vassar as board members. They bring their expertise to the group and will help promote and organize ART CRUSH, the free-to-the-public art event held on the third Friday of every month from April through December along Trade Street in downtown Winston-Salem.
Rachael Hayes has lived in WinstonSalem her entire life. She graduated from UNC Greensboro with a Bachelor of Fine Arts concentrating on sculpture and ceramics and now is the Hanes Gallery Manager at Wake Forest University. “I believe wholeheartedly that the arts are a tool that can provide anyone with a sense of identity, fellowship, and value; which is why I was so eager to be involved with ADWS,” said Hayes. “It’s been inspiring to see the impact that Art Crush has had on downtown Winston-Salem the past year. I’m so excited to contribute to this incredible organization and their role in enriching lives and enhancing the cultural fabric of our city through creative engagement and collaboration.” Hayes will bring her enthusiasm to her role as volunteer coordinator.
As the founder and custodian of the WSNC Mural Project, Vikki Vassar brings her logistical experience to ADWS’ marketing committee, saying “I believe in their mission of creating a tighter knit, more supportive local community for our artists. I have brought the Mural Project into the ADWS fold, and I hope to expand that project to include matching public artists to private business owners who want public art.” Vassar has lived in WinstonSalem for over 15 years and is also known for organizing the annual Ardmore Art Walk. Her Camel City-centric stickers, patches, and artwork can be found all over town.
“With ART CRUSH moving into its second year, I am thrilled that we are adding two more creative professionals to the
ADWS board,” said Toni Tronu, founder and 2024 Chair of ADWS. “We are so fortunate to have Rachael and Vikki joining the board and I’m excited to see how ART CRUSH will grow with these additional arts professionals in the mix.”
Join us for our next ART CRUSH on Friday, April 19, 2024 from 7-10 p.m. on Trade Street. !
ARTS DISTRICT of Winston-Salem is a 501 (c) 6 organization that was founded in 2023. Their mission is to connect with and amplify diverse voices and visions and bring them together at the heart of Winston-Salem, N.C. Through arts-centric events, local partnerships, and passionate community building, the organization aims to make the arts district a destination for the city and beyond.
BY SUZANNA RITZ MALLIETT
Körner’s Folly will host a celebration for the grand opening of the John & Bobbie Wolfe Visitors Center at Körner’s Folly on Monday, April 1, 2024. The new visitors center has been constructed and will be operated in partnership with the Town of Kernersville.
The event will kick o with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by remarks from local representatives as well as Körner’s Folly Foundation sta , board, and supporters, in the Community Room of the new Visitors Center.
At 11 a.m., the first annual Kernersville Community Day will begin with self guided tours of the landmark home for all ages, art activities, and historic yard games, and an Easter egg hunt for children with over 1,000 eggs hidden on the porches and grounds of Körner’s Folly. All events are free of charge and open to the public, including tours, which are normally $12 for adults and $6 for children. The last entry time for selfguided tours of Körner’s Folly, as well as art activities and games, is 3 p.m.
On Easter Monday of 1880, the visionary artist and designer Jule Körner opened the doors of his studio and living catalogue “Körner’s Folly” with a large public celebration and open house. The Körner’s Folly Foundation is thrilled to continue this legacy of hospitality while commemorating the 144th birthday of the historic house. A birthday cake cutting, courtesy of local bakery Cake & All Things Yummy, will commence at 12 p.m. in the Visitors Center.
A result of the Körner’s Folly Founda-
tion’s capital campaign launched in 2018, the newly constructed visitors center will provide upgrades to the infrastructure that supports the historic home and campus. The visitors center community room o ers a flexible space for both educational programming and special events. The media room will provide a video introduction to the historic site, as well as virtual tour options for persons with disabilities.
Through the capital campaign, over $3 million was raised from local foundations, individual and corporate donors, the Town of Kernersville, Forsyth County, and the State of North Carolina. Part of the campaign involved the continued interior restoration of Körner’s Folly, as well as the establishment of sustainability funds to support new learning opportunities.
All events will take place at Körner’s Folly located at 401 South Main Street, Kernersville, N.C. For more information, visit www.kornersfolly.com. !
KÖRNER’S FOLLY is a 22-room house museum built in Kernersville, N.C. in 1880 by artist and designer Jule Gilmer Körner. The home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, originally served to display Körner’s interior design portfolio. Visitors can now explore the expansive home and its unique original furnishings and artwork, cast-plaster details, carved woodwork, and elaborate hand-laid tile.
ARTS COUNCIL is the chief advocate of the arts and cultural sector in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Our goal is to serve as a leader in lifting up, creating awareness and providing support to grow and sustain artistic, cultural and creative o erings throughout our region.
Having caused a stir at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Love Lies Bleeding is poised to do the same in general release. This suspenseful film noir , co-written by director Rose Glass and Weronica Tofilska (the latter making her feature debut), is a wild, kinetic ride that’s not for all tastes but packs a wallop — which is more than can be said for the majority of movies released this year.
Set in a dusky New Mexican town, circa 1989 (with the fall of the Berlin Wall dominating the news), the film stars Kristen Stewart as Lou, a sullen employee at the local gym. While con-
stantly fends off the nattering, needy advances of ex-girlfriend Daisy (Anya Baryshnikov), she gets one look at Jackie (Katy O’Brian) and sparks immediately fly. Footloose Jackie is hitchhiking her way to a bodybuilding competi-
tion in Las Vegas, and in short order Lou provides her with steroids, a passionate evening, and a place to crash.
damaged souls. Each has too many secrets and too much emotional baggage, yet one feels empathy for them, no matter the mistakes they make. One of the most potent aspects of the film is that the outcome is difficult to predict. In this realm of film noir , sometimes the good guys don’t necessarily live to see another day.
Jackie has managed to “earn” a job as a waitress at the local shooting range by having a pickup-truck tryst with J.J. (Dave Franco), the loutish son-in-law of the owner, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), an imposing figure with a passion for entomology and a penchant for crime.
Lou Sr. also happens to be the estranged father of Lou, J.J. is married to Lou’s sister Beth (Jena Malone), whom he treats very shabbily indeed, much to Lou’s disgust, and there’s also the matter of FBI agents snooping around. Clearly, the elements are in place for an inevitable confrontation and potential catastrophe, and indeed those will transpire in due time, in a fashion best not revealed here.
Love Lies Bleeding is only the second feature by Glass, following the awardwinning 2019 shocker Saint Maud , there’s no evidence of the proverbial sophomore jinx. Glass directs with a crafty, methodical assurance, augmented by Ben Fordesman’s evocative cinematography and a propulsive Clint Mansell score that recalls Giorgio Moroder and Tangerine Dream (in good ways). It’s a flashy piece of work, but for the most part the flash doesn’t overwhelm the narrative, at least until the quirky, vaguely cartoonish ending. By that point, however, such an indulgence can easily be taken in its stride.
Jackie and Lou are a combustible duo — sexually and otherwise — but O’Brian and particularly Stewart succeed in bringing to the fore their characters’
In addition to the work of Stewart and O’Brian, there’s fine support from Franco and Malone. Baryshnikov, who opted to forego her father Mikhail’s career in dance for a career in acting, is a real-scene stealer. Daisy’s not very bright but knows just enough to get Lou into a world of trouble, which she uses to her advantage without ever realizing the risk to herself. As for Harris, he can always be counted on to do solid work, no matter how small the part, but here he gets one of his juiciest roles in recent memory and tears into it with cool, malevolent abandon. The overall excellence of the acting on display ups the film several notches above the norm.
Thus far, 2024 hasn’t shaped up to be a great movie year, but Love Lies Bleeding is one of the few that deserves to be remembered — for all the right reasons — at year’s end. !
See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.
BIG BAD (Indican Pictures): Based on his own short story, writer/director/editor Opie Cooper’s 2016 feature debut stars Ainsley Bailey, Cameron Deane Stewart, and Madeline Thelton as high-schoolers menaced by what they believe to be a werewolf when they spend the night in an abandoned Mississippi jail as part of a class project (of sorts) cooked up by eccentric science teacher Danny Dauphin (making his feature debut as writer/actor). A good-natured if gimmicky horror spoof that doesn’t always connect but has its heart in the right place, and the leads are very appealing. The DVD ($24.99 retail) includes trailers.
BORN TO FLY (Well Go USA Entertainment): Taking a page (or more) from the Top Gun franchise, the award-winning debut feature of Liu Xiaoshi’s is an airborne adventure (originally titled Chang kong zhi wang) stars Wang Yibo as a hotshot test pilot tasked with testing the capabilities of a top-secret aircraft, with Yu Shi as his rival and Hu Jun the obligatory hard-nosed commander. In English and Mandarin with English subtitles, available on Blu-ray ($29.98 retail).
THE FOX (Greenwich Entertainment/ Kino Lorber): Originally titled Der Fuchs, writer/producer/director Adrian Goiginger’s award-winning World War II drama, inspired by his own great-grandfather, stars Simon Morzé as a young Austrian courier who rescues a wounded fox cub and forms a remarkable bond with the creature as the storm clouds of conflict loom ever larger. In Austrian, French, and German with English subtitles, available on DVD ($19.95 retail).
GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Historical accuracy notwithstanding, the irresistible star power of Burt Lancaster (a steely Wyatt Earp) and Kirk Douglas (rather a robust Doc Holliday) sparks this absorbing, rugged 1957 Western directed by John Sturges and written by Leon Uris, depicting the titular 1881 shootout in Tombstone, AZ, backed by a first-rate supporting cast including Rhonda Fleming, Jo Van Fleet, John Ireland, Dennis Hopper, Earl Holliman, Lyle Bettger, DeForest Kelley, Lee Van Cleef, Frank Faylen, Ted de Corsia, Whit Bissell, Kenneth Tobey, Jack Elam, and Martin Milner. Oscar nominations for Best Editing and Best Sound Recording. The 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) includes audio commentary and theatrical trailer.
BY MARK BURGER
Theodore J. Flicker, best-known for TV’s “Barney Miller” or as a pioneer of ‘60 improvisational comedy, made a few, mostly forgettable films (including 1970’s Up in the Cellar and 1981’s Soggy Bottom USA), but this 1967 political satire is his crowning big-screen achievement – an outrageous, outlandish comedy that skewers sacred cows with gleeful, even ingenious, abandon.
James Coburn, in one of his best performances, plays the title character, one Dr. Sidney Schaefer, a hip, trendy psychotherapist recruited (literally) to become the President’s analyst. Not only is he at the Commander-inChief’s beck and call 24 hours a day, but the task begins to weigh heavily on his own psyche. He becomes convinced that those around him, including his girlfriend Nan (adorable newcomer Joan Delaney), are keeping tabs on him. And with good reason — because they are!
In panicked desperation, Sidney goes on the run, pursued by agents of the “CEA,” “FBR,” and various foreign powers, whose orders range from capture to assassination. Leading the manhunt are CEA agent Godfrey Cambridge (also a patient of Sidney’s) and Soviet counterpart Severn Darden, who exhibit a delightful comedic chemistry. Also on hand: Will Geer, William Daniels, Joan Darling, Walter Burke, Jill Banner, Eduard Franz, Pat Harrington Jr., Arte Johnson, and Barry McGuire (best known for his ‘60s smash “Eve of Destruction”).
Set against the backdrop of the “Swingin’ ‘60s,” (replete with hippie-era costumes and music), The President’s Analyst combines political paranoia, urban paranoia, and sheer absurdity in a flaky, flashy, breathless fashion that still rings true – and the climactic reveal of the villain (and the organization he represents) is a scream.
The special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio commentaries and theatrical trailer.
(Kino Lorber Studio Classics): The inimitable Israeli duo of cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus at Cannon Films rounded up genre icons Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and John Carradine for this award-winning 1983 adaptation of the Earl Derr Biggers chestnut Seven Keys to Baldpate (later adapted on stage and screen by George M. Cogan), in which best-selling author Desi Arnaz Jr. makes a wager he can write a novel in one night, then encounters a variety of mysterious characters in a remote English mansion that’s not as deserted as it initially seems. It’s fun to watch the fearsome foursome in the only film they made together (which automatically makes it a cult classic), but the contrived storyline lurches from mystery to horror to send-up in clumsy fashion. This marks the final feature of director Pete Walker to date, with Sheila Keith, Julie Peasgood, Louise English (in her feature debut), Richard Hunter, Norman Rossington, and Richard Todd in support. The special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio
THE LINCOLN CONPIRACY (Kino
Lorber Studio Classics): The Blu-ray bow ($24.99 retail) of the 1977 docu-drama based on the best-seller by David W. Balsiger and producer Charles E. Sellier Jr., which attempts to rewrite history (sort of) by suggesting that the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln (nicely played by John Anderson) was the direct result of a plot masterminded by politicians — including some members of his own cabinet — in opposition to his plans for Reconstruction following the Civil War. Comparatively speaking, this is one of the more watchable “speculative fiction” documentaries churned out by Utahbased Sunn Classic Pictures during the ‘70s (In Search of Noah’s Ark, In Search of Historic Jesus, et al), replete with Brad Crandall’s familiar sonorous narration and a sturdy cast of veterans including Bradford Dillman (as John Wilkes Booth), Robert Middleton (in his final feature), John Dehner, Whit Bissell, Ken Kercheval, and Fred Grandy. Bonus features include audio commentary. Rated G.
commentaries, the documentary House of the Long Shadows … Revisited, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated PG.
INSHALLAH A BOY (Greenwich Entertainment/Kino Lorber): Director/story writer Amjad Al-Rasheed’s award-winning feature debut (originally titled Inshallah wasad) stars Mouna Hawa as a young widow who fakes a pregnancy in a desperate e ort to defy predominantly patriarchal Jordanian customs that her late husband’s brother (newcomer Haitham Alomari) is entitled to claim her inheritance and home. In Arabic with English subtitles, available on DVD ($19.95 retail).
“KI-KIDS: FIREFIGHTER (BOMBEROS) AND MAILMAN (CARTEROS)” (Indican Pictures): The latest in the popular educational, bilingual children’s series, spun o from the longrunning children’s series “Ki-Kids: Magik Tunnel” with each episode exploring a certain profession in both English and Spanish, available on DVD ($24.99 retail), replete with bonus features.
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Although not as good as John Frankenheimer’s original 1962 film, there’s much to recommend in producer/director Jonathan Demme’s award-winning 2024 version of Richard Condon’s classic best-seller, especially the performances of Denzel Washington as the troubled combat veteran, Liev Schreiber his brainwashed fellow POW (and war hero), and Meryl Streep as Schreiber’s monstrously manipulative mother, along with a fine supporting cast including Jon Voight, Je rey Wright, Ted Levine, Bruno Ganz, Simon McBurney, Charles Napier, Miguel Ferrer, Obba Babatunde, Zeljko Ivanek, Anthony Mackie, Vera Farmiga, Dean Stockwell, and a slew of real-life political commentators. The 20th-anniversary 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) includes audio commentary, behind-thescenes featurettes, deleted scenes and outtakes, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated R.
UNDER THE FIG TREES (Film Movement): Writer/producer/director Erige Sehiri’s award-winning 2021 pseudo-documentary (originally titled Taht alshajra) follows a group of workers (played by non-professional actors) as they toil at a fig orchard in contemporary Tunisia, interact with each other, and discuss their lives over the course of a single day. In Arabic with English subtitles, available on DVD ($26.95 retail). !
Much has been written about the mental health of Donald Trump, including a book by over two dozen leading psychiatrists who concluded that Trump is a dangerous, sociopathic narcissist (for example, just last week Trump said, “If I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath in this country”). In “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,” Dr. Bandy Lee compiled reports by 27 psychiatrists and mental health experts who conducted indepth studies of Trump’s actual words and actions and warned that his sickness and toxic behavior is contagious in that he has an ability to inspire cult-like characteristics of his followers. In a sense, these respected
health professionals warned us about January 6, four years before it happened. Today that cult is comprised of tens of millions of registered voters who still believe the myth that Joe Biden did not win the 2020 election. Aside from voters, Trump also controls elected o cials, and not just on the federal level. His cult includes ballot candidates, two of whom are seeking high o ce here in North Carolina. Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is running for governor, and Michele Morrow is running to become State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I’m no psychiatrist, but based on their words and positions we should all be very afraid at the prospect of these two folks winning in November.
Michele Morrow
Just in terms of job qualifications alone, Morrow comes up short for several important reasons: She’s never taught in a public school; she has no training in school administration; and, Morrow refuses to enroll her own kids in public schools, so she home-schools them. And while her lack
of experience is concerning, it’s Morrow’s distorted belief system and violently demented statements that should send shivers up the backs of every North Carolinian.
A recent report by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski revealed a number of disturbing comments, posts, and tweets that Ms. Morrow has made over the past few years. For example, she once posted a doctored photo of Obama strapped to an electric chair, and she also tweeted the following:
“I prefer a pay-per-view of him in front of a firing squad. I do not want to waste another dime supporting his life. We could make some money back from televising his death.”
In January of 2021, she warned that Chinese troops were on their way to Washington to make sure Biden was inaugurated. Morrow tweeted:
“Tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers are already in Canada and probably Mexico waiting for orders to invade.”
And at the height of the COVID pandemic, Morrow called Biden a traitor for asking Americans to wear a mask, then said we should kill all traitors.
Morrow also believes that celebrities harvest the blood of children, that Muslims are evil, that COVID vaccines are population control, and that public schools are nothing but indoctrination centers where she claims preschoolers are being taught that men can get pregnant, and that lessons on racial equity would make students hate our country (Hu post, March 6, 2024). All this is a bit strange for someone who wants to oversee the public education of 1.3 million North Carolina students. But if Morrow’s candidacy isn’t disconcerting enough for you, just examine the philosophies of this year’s GOP nominee for governor.
Mark Robinson
After his 2018 gun rights rant to Greensboro City Council went viral, Mark Robinson, a Black conservative who worked
in furniture manufacturing, became an instant celebrity and darling of the Trump cult. That propelled him to win the lt. governor’s race which gave him an even bigger platform on which to spew his wild theories and hate speech.
Not surprisingly Robinson is an election denier and a climate change denier. He wants to remove science and social studies curriculum in first through fifth grades (WRAL). When speaking to a church in 2021, he said, “There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth (CBS 17).” He claimed the movie Black Panther was produced by satanic Marxists (Raleigh News & Observer). In a Facebook post last year Robinson wrote that the holocaust “is a bunch of hogwash” (News & Observer). And while speaking to Republican Women of Pitt County in 2020, Robinson said, “I absolutely want to go back to the America where women couldn’t vote.” He once called survivors of the Parkland school massacre, “spoiled little bastards” (CNN), and said that mass shootings are “karma for abortion (Media Matters for America).” And while claiming to be a law and order candidate, Robinson told a crowd in Naples Florida that, “If the FBI comes knocking at your door, it’s time to stand up and fight (CNN).”
So there you have it folks. One candidate wants to shape the minds of our children while advocating for the execution of politicians, and another wants to be the governor of all people, yet hates most of them. Together they are garnering national media attention for their dangerous brand of looniness while making North Carolina into a laughing stock among Americans who possess a brain and a sense of decency.
Paraphrasing a line from the film, Hoosiers, “There are two kinds of crazy. The guy that gets naked and barks at the moon, and the guy who does the same thing in my living room. The first one don’t matter. The second one you’re forced to deal with.” This year Robinson and Morrow are barking at the moon in our living room, and there is only one way to deal with them. Vote for their Democratic opponents before the Chinese army invades us from Canada. !
ACROSS
1 It may begin “Here lies ...”
8 Like fables with morals
15 Sprayed like a firefighter
20 Composer Saint-Saëns
21 Maui tourist town
22 Wash away
23 Like overly harsh punishment
25 Consolidate
26 Su x with prophet
27 Calc prereq
28 Hosiery hitch
30 Transmission option
31 Coil of yarn
33 1985 hit for Sheila E.
37 Female graduates
40 Middle: Abbr.
41 Cello bow rub-on
42 Monkey of kid-lit
46 Upholstered footstool
50 Country singer Travis
51 Inits. on a navy vessel
52 Neighbor of Ger.
54 Apple pie - mode
55 Just makes, with “out”
56 1965 Marvin Gaye hit
63 Dial-up alternative, for short
64 Fall away
65 Cube inventor Rubik
66 Feeble
67 Noncircular paths around bodies
72 Homeland, a ectionately
75 Big name in dog food
76 108-card game
77 Toque or fez
80 1967 hit for the Doors
85 Infrequent
86 “Star Trek” rank: Abbr.
87 Pilfer from 88 Singer Yoko
89 Leaks slowly
90 To no extent
94 Mismatched collection
99 Knife of old infomercials
101 - Kippur
102 Stream of electrons
103 Witches in “Macbeth”
107 Cantaloupe or honeydew
108 Body gel additive
109 “There’s - haven’t heard!”
110 - prayer for 111 Univ. Web site su x 114 Beach hills
116 “77 Sunset Strip” actor, familiarly
122 Mrs. Bunker
123 Use an umbrella, say
124 Posts again
125 Hunter’s lure
126 Fusible alloys
127 Bad-mouth
1 “Lo!,” to Livy
2 Golf norms
3 Don of radio
4 Deadlock
5 100%
6 Tableland
7 Units of inductance
8 Chug- - (guzzle)
9 Su x with Caesar
10 Mu - pork
11 Western treaty inits.
12 Pope before Gregory XIII
13 More nonsensical
14 Prison, informally
15 - and haw
16 Pizza herb
17 More irritated
18 Rocker Winter
19 Plow pioneer
24 Noisy clamor
29 Basic idea
31 Actor Jimmy
32 Granny, e.g.
33 At - of (priced at)
34 Item in a P.O. box
35 Part of NATO: Abbr.
36 Acne spot
37 Performed on stage
38 Lies in wait
39 Apocryphal archangel
43 With 115-Down, nervous and apprehensive
44 Part of i.e.
45 “... wife could - lean”
47 Injure badly
48 Jai -
49 DEA agent
53 “Shape - ship out!”
56 Alphabet opener
57 “May - of service?”
58 Burglar’s job
59 Missile’s path
60 “Deathtrap” star Michael
61 “For - us a child is born”
62 Guitarist Paul
64 “Green” sci.
67 Sci-fi power
68 Robert De -
69 1990s exercise fad
70 Bldg. units
71 Virus, e.g.
72
74
95
107
Garth Fagan Dance Comany, founded by the choreographer of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, bursts onto the stage at UNCG Auditorium on Friday, April 5th
Nathan Ross Freeman and The North Carolina Black Repertory Company are o ering Triad residents an inside look into a decades long ritual in the African American community with the debut of their newest play, “Coconut Cake.”
The play, written by Melda Beaty and directed by Freeman, will be April 4-14, 2024, at Hanesbrands Theatre, located at 209 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. “Coconut Cake” tells the story of four retirees who spend their days debating the mysteries of life over co ee and games of chess at a local McDonald’s. But when a mysterious woman moves to town, tempting Eddie Lee and his chess buddies to indulge in melt-inyour-mouth coconut cakes and medicine cabinet secrets, their lives are changed forever, according to a release.
Freeman, co-founder of Authoring Action, said that “Coconut Cake” gives the audiences a glimpse, or a slice if you will, into the lives of the characters and a ritual of African American men.
“’Coconut Cake’ is both a celebration and also a commentary on a ritual that
African American senior men have had of gathering during the early mornings at McDonald’s. A lot of times they’re gentlemen that are retired from years of working in industrial jobs. Sometimes it’s a mixture. It can be a lawyer in the ensemble. It could be a doctor. It can be a deacon. It’s just basically a hangout for senior African American men,” Freeman explained. “This is basically just taking a look at four gentlemen who hang out every Monday at McDonald’s. They talk about their lives, their hopes, their politics; they talk about their wives and their
love lives, and all the things that go with that. Of course in the midst of all their camaraderie, you have moments where there are disagreements. It’s a slice of life type of play.”
Freeman said you can expect the same dialogue you would expect at the barbershop on a Saturday morning.
“It’s that same type of camaraderieship and that same type of gathering,” he said.
That bond is tested when a woman moves into a property owned by one of the men.
“I don’t want to put out any spoilers but the infusion of this woman into their lives is the subject of the last three scenes. I call them acts actually because of their length and structure. It’s five Mondays in a row so the play takes place over five weeks,” he said.
Freeman, along with serving as the first N.C. Black Rep Playwright-in-Residence from 1985-1999 and as co-founder of Authoring Action, is a scriptwriter, filmmaker, and creative writing educator.
He uses all of those talents to assist him in his trade, including his community involvement. At the same time he is directing this play, he is working with the Just Us Program at Authoring Action where they work with court ordered, DSS ordered and social worker ordered teens that write monologues and turn them into films.
“While I’m directing this play I’m also creating some young filmmakers. We have
over 160 short films which we have shot since 2013 and they graduated a/perture, where they have their screen. Why am I bringing that up with ‘Coconut Cake’? Because the crossover in terms of my energy is rewarded by dealing with both worlds. The world of film and also the world of stage. What stage does is it always brings me back to the essence of who I am as a writer, as a director. Directing ‘Coconut Cake’ is really refreshing since all I have to do is direct the play. It really refreshes my longings for being in theater at its best and at its most proficient.”
Freeman said the audience can expect a fast-moving dramedy of the highest caliber.
“What I expect my audience to see is a repertoire of professional actors dealing with a script that has many layers in terms of human conduct and behavior, as it relates to their interactions but also the subjects of their lives. I told my ensemble I’m going to direct this play between the lines. So what they can expect to see is a heart-wrenching and heartfelt array of human behavior by individuals who have lived layered lives,” Freeman said. “It is funny, dramatic, soul searching, and it moves fast. It’s a true dramady.”
According to a release, the cast will be headlined by Nathan Purdee, best known for his 20 year run on the soap operas, “The Young and the Restless” and “One Live to Live.” Joining Purdee will be Brian Cager, Andre Minkins, Philip Powell, and
Ralph Shaw. Set and Light Design is by Jennifer O’Kelly, with Costume Design by Frenchie LaVerne, and Sound Design by Jasmine Williams. The Production Stage Manager is Kevin Hampton.
The play was the winner of the Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award at the 2022 National Black Theatre Festival. “Coconut Cake” will receive additional productions at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, and the St. Louis Black Rep.
The debut of “Coconut Cake” also lets the Triad know that the International Black Theater Festival is on the way.
The 18th biennial International Black Theatre Festival, formally known as the National Black Theater Festival, rolls out its signature purple carpet from July 29-August 3, 2024. The festival brings more than 130 performances to WinstonSalem’s venues and more than 65,000 theater fans to town for a “Marvtastic” time. The festival includes a star-studded celebrity gala, a fashion show, theater workshops, film festivals, a midnight poetry slam and an international vendors market.
Jackie Alexander, producing artistic director for the IBTF, said that the name change just acknowledges what many in the Triad already knew.
“The name change acknowledges what festival goers have long known to be true, that IBTF is the biggest celebration of Black Theatre on the planet, and Winston-Salem is home to that event, which is the reason it will remain to be recognized globally as Black Theatre Holy Ground,” Alexander said. “People love the new logo, which honors our founder Larry Leon Hamlin and IBTF Executive Director
Emeritus Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin. And even though there was a festival in 2022, there was a lot of uncertainty due to the lingering e ects of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are excited to come and celebrate with us this year, they are ready to let the world know that Black Theatre Holy Ground is alive and well.”
Alexander said that the festival “has always attracted a global audience, hence the tagline, “An International Celebration and Reunion of Spirit.”
“So we chose to rename the festival what it’s always been, and we will have some wonderful International productions in 2024 to reinforce that decision.“
Alexander said that attendees can expect more than just a show from IBTF.
“Critically acclaimed productions from across the country, along with new and expanded programming, and a theater family reunion like no other,” he said.
Freeman said that he’s “very humbly honored” to be directing the play.
“Who gets a chance to do theater on this level with this caliber of individuals? Everybody involved in this play reigns in their communities.”
He also recommends that Triad residents don’t miss the play.
“Don’t miss it. It is a celebration of Winston-Salem in terms of what Winston-Salem has to o er in the highest caliber of professional theater.” !
CHANEL DAVIS is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.
At the end of the March 19 meeting of Greensboro City Council, District 1’s Sharon Hightower spoke of confidentiality and the United States Constitution. She then talked about “standards we all should live by,” and said ‘if I have to live by that, so should we all.”
Continuing this oblique theme, District’s 2 Goldie Wells alluded to “the confidentiality that I thought should have been kept in closed session.”
These comments came at the end of a 5-hour and 23-minute meeting that began with a 2-hour closed session to discuss what At-Large Representative Marikay Abuzuaiter called “a specific council employee personnel record that is privileged or confidential.”
Former City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba resigned on March 5. Later that evening, council voted 5-4 to give Jaiyeoba three months severance pay with benefits. This vote came 4 hours and 24 minutes into the meeting, with no previous public discussion.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan, District 3’s Zack Matheny, At-Large Representative Hugh Holston, and District 5’s Tammi Thurm voted against, with Hightower, Wells, District 4’s Nancy Ho man, Abuzuaiter, and Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson voting yes.
On March 6, Vaughan and Thurm both told multiple news outlets, “the city manager violated an internal policy that other employees have been fired over.”
On the afternoon of March 7, the o ce of City Communications Manager Jake Keys released the following unattributed statement contradicting Vaughan and Thurm.
The City did not initiate an investigation into any purported violation of personnel policy by the City Manager. Furthermore, the City of Greensboro is bound by strict protocols and state statutes regarding personnel privacy. As such, the City is legally unauthorized to disclose details surrounding the resignation of the City Manager or provide verification on the circumstances prompting his departure.
That evening, Matheny sent an email with the subject line “RE: News Statement, City of Greensboro” to fellow council members.
In it, Matheny declared, “I absolutely disagree with the wording of this statement and would never have voted to send this out.”
He concluded by requesting “a full and total investigation of the city manager’s actions that led to the resignation and all components involved,” and condemning the unattributed statement that, wrote Matheny, “further confuses and distorts the truth.”
While that message is available on the “Greensboro City Council Emails” online public archive, any response that Matheny may have received is not. Matheny later told the News & Record that he believed the unsigned statement he objected to was written by City Attorney Chuck Watts.
Later that evening, Matheny posted to Facebook that “the statement put out by the city regarding the city manager’s resignation is simply false.”
Also on March 7, Triad NPR station WFDD reported that Jaiyeoba resigned after “a sexual harassment inquiry.” This claim was attributed to “two senior-level city employees,” who allegedly spoke under conditions of anonymity and claimed to have “seen documents related to an internal inquiry which found Jaiyeoba sent inappropriate messages of a sexual nature to a female employee.”
The station quoted Matheny as being “extremely surprised when I was informed of the actions that the city manager took,” and that he “was disappointed and remain disappointed.”
On March 11, the News & Record reported that Hightower and Wells had requested a special closed session meeting about “a breach of the separation agreement and general release dated March 5, 2024.”
According to reporter Kevin Gri n, a letter by Hightower and Wells requesting this meeting was forwarded to the newspaper by Matheny. Gri n’s article did not quote
further from the letter or link to its full contents, although Gri n later reported that the “nature of the breach was not specified.”
On the evening of March 11, Matheny received an email from WGHP FOX8 Assignment Manager Robin Lambert, who requested a copy of Hightower and Wells’ letter. Matheny asked Assistant City Attorney Tony Baker to send the letter to Lambert. The next morning, Baker emailed a PDF version of Hightower and Wells’ letter to Lambert, but the city’s public email archive does not include attachments. WGHP has not reported on this document.
On March 12, a closed city council session scheduled for March 14 was added to the city calendar.
On March 13, the News & Record reported, “Greensboro’s severance agreement with former City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba prohibits each of the parties from making disparaging remarks about one another.”
On March 14, the special closed session of Greensboro City Council scheduled for 2 p.m. that day was canceled without explanation shortly before it was supposed to begin. Wells later told the News & Record she had no comment beyond “It was canceled, that’s all.”
Near the end of a lengthy February 19th council meeting, Vaughan made the following motion:
“Hereby be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Greensboro that e ective, March 5, 2024, Chris Wilson is here appointed Interim City Manager of the City of Greensboro. Further, the mayor is authorized to enter into an employment agreement between the City of Greensboro and Chris Wilson, setting his salary at $240,000 with a monthly executive allowance of $1,000.”
After council voted unanimously to approve Wilson’s hiring, Vaughan called for the evening’s final comments, which
were made to a chamber empty of almost everyone but city sta .
Hightower began hers with “As you know, something occurred a few weeks ago, and I want to say this out loud because it’s on my heart and in my soul.”
She then described how, when she joined council, she pledged an oath on “my Christian Daddy’s Bible,” in which she solemnly swore “to support the constitution and bylaws of the United States” and “the state of North Carolina and the constitutional powers which are or may be established for the government thereof,” as well as “faithfully discharge the duties of my o ce as a member of the city council of the City of Greensboro.”
Although Hightower and Wells then made the comments about confidentiality quoted at the beginning of this article, neither elaborated on how statements by other council members may have violated the Constitution, state law, or council members’ oaths of o ce. North Carolina statutes do not prohibit city council members from revealing the details of closed sessions if they believe doing so is essential to maintaining public trust and confidence in city government.
But while this means such statements are not prohibited by state or federal law, they may still violate the terms of a particular non-disclosure agreement.
On March 21, the News and Record reported that Matheny “has dropped his call for an investigation into the former city manager’s resignation.” While the article acknowledged that Matheny had not explicitly said that, it quoted him as having texted, “It is time to move forward together.” !
IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith will be published in September by Scuppernong Editions.
Katei Cranford
Hammond organ stan Sam Fribush ups the funk on his third album, “People Please” digging through the soul and soil, and celebrating its release with a double-header round of shows at the Flat Iron on April 6.
“Basically, we’ve been really fortunate,” Fribush said, reflecting on the warm welcome of Triad audiences and the decision to o er an extra early performance. “The last handful of shows I’ve played there have sold out, and we’re kind of assuming this will, too.”
“If it hasn’t already, it’s definitely close,” Fribush nudged to prospective ticketees, dropping the early show’s “exclusive caveat,” with a more intimate dress-rehearsal vibe amongst night’s Trio on deck (and the album): Grammynominated jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter and Grammy-winning drummer Calvin Napper.
“We’ll be sort of soundchecking and rehearsing the new music — a show before the main show insider’s look at what we do,” Fribush explained: “it’ll be Charlie, Calvin, and me — although you never know who’s gonna show up.”
It’s true: a Greensboro musician, born and raised, Fribush cut his performer’s teeth in a childhood band that attracted enough attention to warrant a ceaseand-desist dispute over its name years before he was old enough for a driver’s license. Those formative years were shaped by his family (his dad is Doc Fribush from Swamp Cats and the Sinai Mountain Ramblers, saxophonist Eli Fribush is his brother) along with local music heroes like Sam Frazier and panman Tracy Thornton.
Grade-school gigs at Friendly Park pool grew into collegiate study at the New England Conservatory of Music and a career in New Orleans — playing worldrenowned rooms like the Spotted Cat, Preservation Hall, and Kermit Ru n’s Tremé Mother-in-Law Lounge.
A trans-Atlantic tour with Pokey LaFarge was on the horizon — but then came COVID-19. “Quarantine hit and I came back home for what I thought
was just going to be a few weeks right?” Fribush said, chuckling, on the heels of his latest release dropping nearly four years later, to the day.
“It’s an unintentional anniversary. But it was also around now, three years ago, that I dropped the first record that Charlie produced, ‘Riverboat Vol. I.’ And we recorded the new album, this same week in 2023.”
Often listed in the pantheon of jazz guitar gods, Charlie Hunter’s mark on Greensboro is undeniable — with the fruits of his collaborative relationship with Fribush yielding a growing bounty everyone can enjoy.
The pair’s crossing in Greensboro, however, was serendipitous. “I heard whispers about him living in Greensboro,” Fribush recalled, shortly after moving back to town. “He was doing OntheOne, but I didn’t know too much about him — other than that he played on D’Angelo’s ‘Voodoo,’ which was one of my favorite records in high school.”
“We met super casually,” Fribush continued. “And we just hit it o right away, musically.”
Four years and three records later, Fribush lives College Hill with his dog (the titular inspiration for “Sweet Ru”) joined the ranks in Hiss Golden Messenger; and
Crediting that energy as fuel in his push toward funk: “The idea for this record is to take that live energy and put it into something new and fresh,” Fribush explained. “I’ve been playing this funkier dance stu in my live shows pretty much since the first record came out.”
is funking the funk up on a record serving a “masterclass in pocket, groove and funk,” pushing “organ trio music into new and uncharted territory, with crispy, wah-wah driven funk and deep-stepping second-line grooves.”
Fashioning himself on the frontlines of the Hammond organ revival, Fribush is hardly out there alone, holding community close to his heart and as deep as the grooves in his pocket.
Praising Hunter’s support, “We’re very lucky to have had him move to Greensboro,” Fribush bearmed. “He’s such a cool guy to have around the community — especially one who spends so much energy and time into younger aspiring musicians, like myself.”
“My intention is to take organ trio music into a new sort of territory — push the boundaries in terms of making a true funk record. Stylistically, I’ve been focusing on ways to use this instrument to create, like, a full James Brown funk band.”
Musing the traditional gospel Hammond experience, “it’s di erent from the way I play it,” he explained, noodling his own style as “this funky sort of staccato left hand reminiscent of sort of like a Tower of Power situation.”
“It’s very syncopated.” …and somewhat new, compared to the jazzy, free-flowing atmosphere of the first two albums:
“Riverboat Vol. I” and “The Root Vol. 2,” which featured a trio of Fribush, Hunter, and drummer Geo Clapp.
A bonafide funkateer these days — coming hard with the left-hand funk attack and an all-original track listing,
“People Please” takes a sharp turn toward the realms of the Sly Stone and Parliament-Funkadelic ala Calvin Napper’s percussive prowess.
Describing Napper’s Gospel-rooted drumming as “the very best kind of tight,” Fribush contends, “it’s just this straight, head-bobbing, tap your foot — get up o the couch — revival kind of energy.”
“Frankly, his funkiness is kind of the star of this record in a lot of ways,” Fribush added. “He’s this hardcore R&B funk player, with an amazing career. He was in Maze for like 15 years and is now living in Winston-Salem. We first met at a gig with Charlie and all just hit it o right away, since then we’ve become not just collaborators, but good friends.”
“He’s just the sweetest guy.”
Chemistry abounds on the album, energies gravitated by funk from the jump: organ textures out the [wah-]wahzoo of Hunter’s guitar, held in Napper’s steady line. “There’s no acrobatics, just three musicians letting the groove dictate their next move,” with the occasional addition from Xavier Lynn on “When My Baby Gets Home” and Nick Falk’s “Hot Boutique” and “Make Me A Plate.”
But it’s the self-titled single, “People Please” that sounds the funk alarm while touching on the funk around. “It’s a song a lot of people have gravitated to,” Fribush said, “it’s not like the fastest tune on the record, but it’s funky.”
Exuding a freshness and grounded intention beyond funkateering: “To me, the title and the tracks all sorta allude to these bigger questions and bigger ideas about where we are as a community,” Fribush explained. “It’s intentionally ambiguous, but also is a phrase calling to action: people please. … like people get your shit together.”
“Like, let’s help each other out,” he continued. “Let’s try to do the right thing. Let’s bring community together — let’s take care of our neighbors.”
Uninterested in unattaching himself from his experiences as a young musician: the funk and substance simmer across songs like: “Ok Boomer,” “Bussin It Down,” and “Return For Deposit.”
“Ultimately, I made a conscious decision to live here in Greensboro. And I love living in Greensboro, even though it’s not the most vibrant place for a young person. But if vibrant people don’t stick around and try to invest themselves in our community, then who will?”
Giving nods to Hunter’s work, alongside the crews behind Neighbors, Flat Iron, Borough Co ee, and the roasters at Loom (among others) Fribush extends gratitude to folks working to “make all the cool shit that’s happening here on an organic level.“
“We need more,” he continued, casting a general lens on factors making one’s hometown investment a notable struggle.
“We all know that — especially stu with the arts — it starts at the ground floor. But the powers that be here put up these real obstacles. There’s been this push to make Greensboro a ‘music city,’ but they — and I mean the people who have the real money to make change — feel like they can do it with some sort of trickle-down e ect. And it’s like: nah. You can’t just sprinkle some water on a garden and expect it to grow. You have to know what it needs. You have to put it in the soil.”
Dig it.
As his new album blossoms in its release, Fribush looks forward to digging down and funking up the Flat Iron. “The release gig is a special occasion — and so is the record, really,” he said. “Charlie and Calvin are so busy with other stu . that I don’t get to play with them all the time.
“Shout out to guitarist Will Darity [from Africa Unplugged] and Chuck Pinckney on drums. They’ve really been willing to grow this thing with me in a grassroots way.”
The road crew will cover ground toward the coast at the end of March, with shows in Charlotte, Wilmington, and Charleston; plus a spot at Shakori Hills in May. Hiss Golden Messenger, meanwhile, has a stacked summer festival season ahead, appearing at: Merge Records’ 35th birthday festival in Carrboro, the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival in Colorado, and the Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
“People Please,” the third album from the Sam Fribush Trio is out now; they’ll celebrate the release at the Flat Iron on April 6. !
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.
The Winston-Salem Symphony and fan-favorites, Jeans ‘n Classics come together to celebrate Fleetwood Mac’s decades of hits, including “Rhiannon,” “Say You Love Me,” “Little Lies,” “Landslide” and more.
(336) 464.0145
AT LAST: NIA IMANI FRANKLIN Gospel, R&B, and the American Songbook
SAT, MAY 11 | 7:30 PM REYNOLDS AUDITORIUM symp.ws/nia
Submissions
10146 N Main St | 336.804.9441 www.facebook.com/firehousetaproom/ Mar 30: High Fidelity
FOUR SAInTS BREwIng
218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722 www.foursaintsbrewing.com
Thursdays: Taproom Trivia
Fridays: Music Bingo
Apr 6: Briana Atwell Dodd
300 E Main St | 919.967.9053 www.catscradle.com
Mar 28: Tyson Brothers
Mar 29: lighthearted
Mar 29: Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
Mar 30: Marshall Crenshaw
Mar 30: Sheer Mag
Apr 1: Briscoe
Apr 4: grant-lee Phillips
Apr 4: Sam Burchfield & The Scoundrels and Tophouse
Apr 5: AJ lee & Blue Summit
Apr 5: The Crane wives
Apr 6: Remo Drive
Apr 6: Zack Mexico
Apr 9: Hotline TnT
Apr 9: Snow Strippers
Apr 11: Illiterate light
Apr 12: Carbon leaf
Apr 12: Kiltro
Apr 12: Madison Cunningham & Juana Molina
Apr 13: David Morris
Apr 13: Julia wolf
Apr 13: Unprocessed
Apr 14: 723, Cuffing Season, Madisinn
Apr 14: Mighty Poplar
Apr 16: good Kid
Apr 17: Robyn Hitchcock
Apr 17: Satsang
Apr 18: Christian Kuria
Apr 19: Mikaela Davis
Apr 20: Speed Stick, Pipe
Apr 21: Cowboy Junkies
Apr 22: Helado negro
Apr 23: Aterciopelados
Apr 23: Earthless and Minami Deutsch
Apr 24: Slow Hollows
Apr 25: Hayes & The Heathens
Apr 25: Teenage Fanclub
2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com
Apr 13: Don Omar
Apr 24: TOTO
Apr 26: The Piano guys
Apr 27: grupo Barak
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com
Mar 27: Otoboke Beaver
Mar 28: Arin Ray
Mar 29: gwAR
Mar 30: wheeler walker Jr.
Mar 30: Dirty loops
Mar 31: nascar Aloe
Apr 2: Hail The Sun & Intervals
Apr 4: MAOlI
Apr 4: Elle King
Apr 6: Drew Holcomb & The neighbors
Apr 6: Sematary
Apr 7: Ryan Caraveo
Apr 7: Chris Renzema
Apr 8: Dethklok
Apr 11: YTB Fatt
Apr 12: Demola
Apr 14: BlP Kosher
Apr 15: SAInT MOTEl
Apr 16: wage war & nothing More
Apr 16: Connor Price
Apr 17: The 502s w/ Daniel nunnelee
Apr 17: giant Rocks
Apr 19: Ross lynch & Rocky lynch
Apr 20: Mariah the Scientist
Apr 20: Blind guardian
Apr 21: libianca
Apr 23: Beach Fossils with friends
Apr 24: Attlia, Born of Osiris w/ Traitors, Extortionist, not Enough Space
Apr 26: we Three
Apr 27: Black Kray
Apr 30: Teezo Touchdown
PnC MUSIC PAvIlIOn
707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292
www.livenation.com
Apr 23: Hozier & Allison Russel
Apr 25: needtobreathe & Judah and The lion
333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000
www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com
Apr 10: AJR
Apr 13: Tom Segura
CAROlInA
309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org
Mar 30: Paul Metheny
Mar 31: The Zombies
Apr 25: gabe lee
Apr 26: Three Dog night
Apr 29: Matteo Bocelli
123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com
Mar 28: John Crist
Mar 29: Chris D’Elia
Mar 30: Joe Satriani & Steve vai
Apr 6: Theresa Caputo
Apr 11: Clint Black
Apr 12: Adam Ant
Apr 13: gilberto Santa Rosa
Apr 20: The Price is Right live!
129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 www.reevestheater.com
wednesdays: Reeves Open Mic
Fourth Thursdays: Old-Time Jam
Mar 30: Motown Classics w/ Silk groove Revue
Apr 5: The Brother Brothers
Apr 12: lonesome River Band
BARn DInnER THEATRE
120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 www.barndinner.com
Mar 16-Apr 27: Sing Hallelujah
CAROlInA THEATRE
310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605 www.carolinatheatre.com
Mar 28: garrison Keillor Tonight
Mar 30: Kieran Kane and Rayna gellert
Apr 27: Martizaida: la Musica de Sylvia Rexach y Tuti Umpierre
3724 Lawndale Dr. | 336.545.5555 www.charbar7.com
Mar 28: luc & Chloe gravely
1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com
Mar 29-31: Jamie Kennedy
Apr 2: Justin Silva
Apr 4: Pinky Patel
Apr 5-7: Shuler King
Apr 9: Matt Bellassai
Apr 12-13: Shaun Jones
Apr 18-20: Felipe Esparaza
Apr 25: Katharine Blanford
Apr 26-27: Benji Brown
221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967
www.flatirongso.com
Mar 27: Streetlight Cadence w/ Tom Troyer of Farewell Friend
Mar 28: Turpentine Shine
Mar 29: when we’re Sober
Mar 30: Big Daddy love
Mar 31: The Settlement
Apr 3: Erin viancourt
Apr 6: Sam Fribush, Charlie Hunter & Calvin napper
Apr 7: nC Makes My Blood Dance
Apr 13: Tan and Sober gentleman
Apr 24: Cedric Burnside
Apr 25: Josh Clark
Apr 30: Heart to gold w/ why not
5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020
www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro
Mar 30: Alek Ottaway Band
2275 Vanstory Street Suite 200 | 336.294.1800
www.grandover.com
wednesdays: live Jazz w/ Steve Haines Trio
gREEnSBORO COlISEUM
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Mar 28: Blue October
Mar 29: ZZ Top & lynyrd Skynyrd
Mar 30: we Them One’s Comedy Tour
HAngAR 1819
1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480
www.hangar1819.com
Mar 29: nascar Aloe
Apr 5: For The Fallen Dreams w/ Elijah, versus Me, Feverhill, Heirloom
Apr 11: wind Rose w/ Xandria
Apr 12: galactic Empire
Apr 13: Far Beyond Driven w/ Ashes Of The Priest, Strike the Tower, To Begin Anew
Apr 14: Young Rising Sons w/ 44Blonde, Diva Bleach, lowborn
Apr 15: Jesus Pierce & Sanduisuga-
bogg w/ Gag, PeelingFlesh
Apr 16: Filth w/ Heavy Hitter, Coma Waves, Wither the Fallacy, The Lives of Many
Apr 17: Lamp Of Murmuur w/ Ebony Pendant, One Of Nine
Apr 20: Overcome Fest 2024 ft. Incendiary, Koyo, Magnitude, Suburban Scum, Conservative Military Image, Shattered Realm & more
Apr 23: Upon A Burning Body w/ The Browning, Hollow Front, VCTMS
Apr 25: Decapitated w/ Septic Flesh, Kataklysm, Allegaeon
Apr 26: TYR w/ Trollfest, Aether Realm, The Dread Crew of Oddwood
2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Mar 28: Blue October
Apr 26: Green Queen Bingo
5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950
www.facebook.com/rodystavern
Mar 29: Carri & The Good Watts
300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500
www.tangercenter.com
Apr 2: One Hallelujah
Apr 3-5: Leanne Morgan
Apr 6: Rei Hotoda
Apr 12: Evil Woman: The American ELO
Apr 14: John Mellencamp
503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com
Thursdays: Open Mic
Apr 12: Foxymorons & Guests
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Apr 19: Parker McCollum w/ Corey Kent & Catie Offerman
high point
1614 DMB
1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113
https://www.1614drinksmusicbilliards.com/ Mar 29: Bunker Hill Bloodbath
Mar 30: Black Glass
Apr 5: Hampton Drive
Apr 6: The Chain - Fleetwood Mac Tribute
Apr 12: Parallel Lives & Toxic
Apr 13: Deadbeat Barbie
118 E Main St | 336.207.1999
www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/ Mar 28: John Mark
Mar 29: Second Glance
Mar 30: Radio Revolver
221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822
www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge
Wednesdays: Karaoke Mar 28: Contraband
liberty
THE LIBERTY SHOWCASE THEATER
101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844
www.TheLibertyShowcase.com
Apr 5: The Embers ft. Craig Wooland
Apr 6: Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mnt Boys
Apr 19: Faithfully
Apr 19: Dailey & Vincent
Apr 20: Chapel Hart
Apr 26-27: Junior Brown
raleigh
CCU MUSIC PARK AT WALNUT CREEK
3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111
www.livenation.com
Apr 7: SESSANTA
Apr 20: Hozier
Apr 26: NeedtoBreathe
Apr 27: The Postal Service & Death Cab For Cutie
LINCOLN THEATRE
126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400
www.lincolntheatre.com
Mar 29: Julian Lage
Mar 30: Idlewild South & Bring Out Yer Dead
Apr 3: Kai Wachi
Apr 6: Corey Smith w/ Will Jones
Apr 12: Indecision & Purple Schoolbus
Apr 13: Brad “Scarface” Jordan
Apr 14: The Disco Biscuits
Apr 16: Giant Rocks
Apr 18: Zingara w/ Steller, Gardella
Apr 19: The Vegabonds w/ Harvey Street Co.
1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300
www.thepncarena.com
Mar 29: Avenged Sevenfold
121 West 9th Street | 336.448.0018 www.earlsws.com
Mondays: Open Mic
Mar 29: Lando and the Mando
Mar 30: Jesse Ray Carter
638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 www.foothillsbrewing.com
Sundays: Sunday Jazz
Thursdays: Trivia
Mar 29: Vogan Thompson
Mar 30: Camel City Blues
Mar 31: Alek Ottaway Acoustic
170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 www.theramkat.com
Mar 27: Dave Willis Residency
Mar 28: Streetlight Cadence
633 North Liberty Street | 336-917-3008 www.roarws.com | www.roarbrandstheater. com
Mar 28: Streetlight Cadence, The Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs
Mar 30: THNG, Blab School, Bedrumor
Apr 3: Cashavelly Morrison Residency
Apr 4: Killer Antz, Instant Regrets
Apr 5: Fox N’ Vead, Owen & The Smokes
Apr 6: AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Apr 10: Martha Bassett Residency
Apr 11: Jontavious Willis, Drew Foust
Apr 12: The Return of Little Diesel
Apr 13: Doug Davis, Secret Monkey Weekend
Apr 14: Comicade 2024
Apr 18: The Barons
Apr 19: Cosmic Charlie
Apr 23: Dixie Dregs with special guests Steve Morse Band
Apr 24: Andy Frasco & The U.N., Dogs In a Pile
Apr 25: Set For The Fall, The Coursing, Two Stroke Smoke, Until They Bleed
826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008
www.wisemanbrewing.com
Thursdays: Music Bingo
Mar 29: Souljam: 70s Throwback Party
Apr 13: Spring Jam
Apr 20: 4/20 Reggae Party w/ Pure Fiyah
Apr 28: The Big Slurp 2024
PRESENTS
[
BARTENDER OF THE WEEK COMPILED BY NATALIE GARCIA]
NAME: Jade Richardson
BAR: The Box Seat
AGE: 24
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
South Florida
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING?
Six years
Check out videos on our Facebook!
HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER?
I was working as a server at Outback Steakhouse then I got promoted to a bartender. I’ve been doing it ever since and I love it.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING?
Bartending has always been my calm, as crazy as that seems. It’s like my peace in a way. I love the connections I’m able to make with people. I see a lot of my guests more than I see my family, haha. Storky, Kev, Timmy, Je , Mark, Larry, Wy and Des! My guests are basically like my family and so are my lovely co-workers.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF BARTENDING?
The most challenging part has to be being able to focus on so many tasks at once. Sometimes I’ll be asking a guest what they want to drink while making drinks for the well and having an order for a di erent table still in my head. Also pushing through when you’re exhausted.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE?
This might be controversial because it’s most bartenders least favorite drink to make, but I love making mojitos!
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK?
A White Russian all the way! I think it’s a delicious after dinner treat.
WHAT’S THE STRANGEST DRINK REQUEST YOU’VE HAD?
Someone not too long ago actually asked me to make the worst shot I could think of for them. I went with a cement mixer, Baileys and lime juice.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK?
I personally no longer drink, but I was a very simple girl. Appleton and Pepsi. Specifically Pepsi though, not Coke.
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING?
A guy tried to order two Bud Light bottles. One for him and one was for his Pitbull, Pebbles. He had a bowl to pour the beer into and everything.
WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE FOUND IN A BAR BATHROOM?
Honestly, at this point nothing surprises me anymore but probably an Elvis gnome.
WHAT’S THE BEST/BIGGEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?
$920. That was a great football Sunday.
WANNA BE FEATURED IN HOT POUR?
Email Natalie Garcia at natalie@yesweekly.com and ask about being our Bartender of the Week!
Week of April 1, 2024
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You might feel a little sheepish about admitting your feelings for a certain someone. But do it anyway. Your sincerity will make the right impression.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) It’s a good time to clean out the clutter in your home. It’s also a good time to sort out personal priorities and make decisions about certain relationships.
[
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Avoid getting caught up in conflicting advice, even from trusted friends and family members. You need to dig for your own facts and make choices accordingly.
[
CANCER (June 21 to July 22)
Conflicting aspects cause some confusion, both on the job and in your personal life. Try to keep your balance as you work things out to your benefit.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Money matters become especially taxing for many Leos this week. Pay careful attention to details so that you can avoid more complicated financial problems later on.
[
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Don’t let regret for a past, rash act keep you from moving on. Meanwhile, a good friend reaches out to help you, and a family dispute needs to be resolved quickly.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Someone you thought was an ally suddenly creates on-the-job problems. Wait for the fuss and fury to end before
going ahead with your plans.
[
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You’re moving into a more favorable period in your personal life. Continue to be patient and allow those pesky problems to work themselves out.
[
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Ask questions about a financial matter in your family. Don’t rely on reassurances. Insist on proof that all is as it should be. And if isn’t, why not?
[
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Personal relationships continue to improve. Vital information comes in about a matter that you almost gave up on. Ask a trusted friend for advice on a major purchase.
[
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Your financial situation continues to improve. Meanwhile, a family member makes demands on your time. Give what you can, but save some for yourself. You need it.
[
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
That romantic attraction you’ve tried to ignore grows stronger. In addition, a former business associate turns up with important news that could a ect your financial future.
[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a quiet strength that often surprises people. You are sensitive to the needs of others, even if you sometimes ignore your own.
© 2024 by King Features Syndicate
By Lucie Winborne• Residents of the Galapagos island of Floreana use a barrel of disorganized mail in place of a formal postal system. Tourists are responsible for sorting through the mail and grabbing any parcels they can deliver on the way to their destination.
• In curling, good sportsmanship and politeness are essential. Congratulating opponents on plays and abstaining from trash talk are part of what’s known as the “Spirit of Curling.”
• Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt was allergic to moon dust.
• According to the record-holder for tallest wa e stack, Guinness World Records has a 40-page document defining what a wa e is. (Frankly, we think we could have managed it in just 30.)
• Alaska is simultaneously the westernmost and easternmost state.
• High schools and universities in New Zealand are allowed to keep up to a pound of uranium on the premises for educational purposes.
• Marie Curie’s notebooks are still radioactive.
• In 2010, rock band Nickelback ap-
proached Dark Horse Brewery about having their beer featured in a video, which would have provided great exposure for the small Michigan company. They declined, however, as “none of us at the brewery really care for the band.”
• The German version of the term “Average Joe” is Otto Normalverbraucher, which translates to “Otto normal consumer.”
• An ordinance in Gainesville, GA, states that everyone must eat fried chicken, “a culinary delicacy sacred to this municipality, this county, this state, the Southland and this republic,” with their hands. The tongue-in-cheek law began as a publicity stunt aimed at getting folks to think of Gainesville as the fried chicken capital of the world.
• Polar bears gain more than 400 pounds during pregnancy.
Thought for the Day: “If you’re going to do something tonight that you’ll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late.”
— Henny Youngman © 2024 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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