Arts & Culture

Some comedians like their own jokes so much they crack themselves up onstage. Then comes Academy Award winner Steven Wright, who not only seems to miss the humor of his own material but seems to be downright depressed and incapable of seeing any humor at all. Wright came to light…

The Ndere Troupe is called Africa’s Dancing Encyclopedia. (A U.S. troupe would do some Cotton-eyed Joe-polka-salsa-zydeco-hip-hop numbers that MC Hammer couldn’t touch. And we sure as hell won’t.) These young artists from Uganda have been trained by native Stephen Rwangyezi since 1986 to celebrate the dance, music and song from…

The Modern ’til Midnight rarely disappoints, and this week is no exception. In fact, glancing at the old calendar, there’s hardly a better lineup in town than this one. The final weekend of the Ron Mueck exhibit coincides with the evening, and if you haven’t yet checked that out, it’s…

We can barely keep track of where we spent the last few hours, much less have our thumb on the pulse of America’s Next Top Biggest Model Idol Chef. If memory serves, this dude Elliott Yamin was the prettiest bachelor who prepared the most succulent orange-glazed duck, produced the best…

Many people believe that hot, sexy, funny people such as those who perform stand-up comedy go home from the club every weekend with a hot new piece of groupie ass. As the saying goes, all rock stars really just want to be comedians, right? Wrong. Because as soon as they…

The fascination with death that exists in some Latino cultures intrigues people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. For most of us, death is a morbid affair, met with extreme fear and a nearly maudlin ceremonial aspect involving trussing up dead loved ones as if to pretend that, if only…

One thing for sure, artist Sarah Maxwell English’s grandmother had way cooler taste than my grandma. For a joint exhibit with fellow Dallas artist Jennifer Gassiraro Nguyen at Magnolia Gallery, Maxwell says she is “layering fabric from my grandmothers home and my own home, thinking about how I define what…

Science has ruined my life. What happened to the good ol’ days when there were just 10 or 15 types of dinosaurs? Tyrannosaurus Rex, check, Triceratops, got it. Brontosaurus, for sure. I didn’t even know about the Velociraptor until Jurassic Park. So I guess Hollywood has ruined my life too,…

Despite the tantrums, the white man Afro and those headbands, you have to give John McEnroe his props. At 48, the seven-time grand-slam winner and Hall of Famer is still at it. He just plays the senior tennis circuit, which sounds like an extracurricular activity at the nursing home. But…

I was a few weeks from high school graduation on April 20, 1999, roughly the same age as Columbine killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. I vividly remember the news frenzy that day, as well as what it was like to be a high school student in the weeks afterward,…

You don’t know him, but he’s your brother. More specifically, he’s your blue-eyed soul brother. And who are you kidding? You do know him. For more than 30 years Michael McDonald has been drizzling his distinctive baritone smoothness all over the music world like so much hot fudge; backing Steely…

You know how sometimes you’re kinda hungry, but it can wait? Like, you know you could get some fast food now, but if you just hang on a minute, a table will open up at Abacus or Chili’s? That’s the kind of attitude that Tarrant County’s hungry folks are going…

AIDS Arms serves 2,700 clients a month. A month. That’s about 90 people a day. It boggles the mind that a nonprofit organization provides medical care, testing and counseling, and medication assistance to that many people a day. Clearly, it’s a major operation, and one that needs all the help…

Take a deep breath. That is the smell of Southern Rock. Around these parts, it wafts through the air like the odor of two-day-old chicken-fried steak. Few would debate that the flagship store of the Southern Rock chain is Jacksonville, Florida’s Lynyrd Skynyrd. They did it first, did it bigger…

The last time I attended a Brahmas hockey game, I witnessed a bench-clearing fight—it seemed there were more people duking it out on the ice than bodies in the stands. When all was said and done, the ice was dotted from goal to goal with gloves, sticks, mouthpieces, pads and…

We’ve mourned the loss of the Good-Latimer tunnels. We’ve been saddened by Gypsy’s demise and with that the loss of Frank Campagna’s “upcoming shows” murals on its walls. But all hope is not lost. Thanks to the Deep Ellum Foundation and Deep Ellum Association’s Re*Cov*Er Deep Ellum mural series (spearheaded…

The United States should be so glad we’re the “melting pot.” Without all the influences from other cultures, we’d be pretty damn boring. Just think of the hell we’d live in without occasional curry, oregano and cayenne pepper. That’s putting it too simply though, so here’s a better example: Dia…

Weimaraners must emit some toxin that causes insanity in humans. Artist William Wegman thought he’d be safe owning a few of the seemingly lovable dogs. Next thing you know, he’s taking pictures and videos of the dogs dressed up in evening gowns and playing the banjo. The people organizing the…

There’s a 5K this weekend, and I’ll give you no guesses who’s sponsoring it. 8 a.m. Saturday, the Whataburger Dash for Dignity (a 5K run or 1 mile run, walk or roll) starts at Winfrey Point on White Rock Lake (8300 Garland Road), and you should be there. You should…

I have found myself in a bit of a conundrum. I loathe Jay Leno. I don’t just dislike the man, I downright detest him. Him and that chin of his. But the thing is, he’s coming to town, swooping down on our beloved Majestic Theatre (1925 Elm St.) this Saturday…

Boobs. Front and center of men’s eternal love-lust relationship. Women diagnosed with breast cancer fear more than a potentially deadly invasion of their bodies. They think they’re kissing femininity good-bye—an offensive our mammary-obsessed society should counter-attack with love and support. The Van Ditthavong Gallery is raising money for a Dallas…