St. Louis Globe-Democrat

By Lynn Venhaus and C.B. Adams

CASSILLINESS: They say there are two sides to every story. Then there's the Dishing It Out version. We are talking about what is becoming known locally (with a nod to "A Christmas Story") as the Craig Cheatham/Bob Cassilly Affair.

On the one hand, there is Cheatham. He was working a legitimate story about the numerous personal injury lawsuits filed against the City Museum. He approached Cassilly, who invited him inside. Cheatham is a KMOV reporter. His job is to pursue the story, even if it means asking uncomfortable questions multiple times.

On the other hand, Cassilly obviously declined to answer certain questions multiple times. On yet another hand (this story is sprouting more hands than an Indian goddess), it is bad form to get physical with the camera operator. And, KMOV can keep playing the piece over and over on its website. Cheatham has blogged about the whole experience at kmov.com, too.

The DIO take: unfortunate all around.

LACKLUSTER LINE-UP: "The Sound of Music" will return to the Muny for the third time in 10 years. "Show Boat" is another chestnut they're trotting out for the umpteenth time.

The seven-show season was announced Tuesday, and it's mostly tired and dull, with a couple exceptions. If fan fave Eric Kunze headlines "Damn Yankees," then that has promise -- he once played Joe to Jerry Lewis' devil on tour. Crowd-pleasing "The Beauty and the Beast" benefits from Disney's Midas touch and its gorgeous score.

But "Cats" again? Spare us the memories.

The two new shows inserted to look like they actually pay attention to audience surveys are "Titanic The Musical" and "Footloose," two of the sorriest excuses for Broadway musical theatre in the Great White Way's illustrious history.

"Titanic" didn't even merit a standing ovation at the Fox during its first and only national tour, that's how awful it is. This unfortunate Tony winner bears no resemblance to the vastly popular movie -- try to name a song from the show. While "Footloose" closely follows its cheesy '80s movie roots, it's basically suitable as a high school musical production, nothing more.

The 92nd season won't kick off until June 21 and ends mid-August.

Last year's season was one of the best in recent memory, capped off by the frisky "Hairspray," which was a total delight, and should earn Lara Teeter a Kevin Kline Award nomination for best supporting actor, if not others. A passionate "Camelot" with fantastic lead performances and elegant production values was a close second. A re-imagined "Godspell" set in a kids' church camp and an under-rehearsed "The Music Man" with a miscast Harold Hill were the season's biggest disappointments.

STIPE HUNTING: Rock 'n roll keeps aging on us. R.E.M.'s prickly leader Michael Stipe turned 50 this week. Stipe's relationship with St. Louis has been a mixed bag. Do any of you remember when he performed here in the '80s when he spent almost the entire gig with his back to the audience?

The mercurial Michael once lived in the metro-east, the result of his dad's military service. He graduated from Collinsville High in 1978, and attended SIUEdwardsville before transferring to college in Georgia, where he met Peter Buck and start writing songs. The rest, as they say, is rock 'n roll history.

Living in the horseradish capital of the U.S. was such an oppressive, unpleasant experience that he turned it into a song, "Don't Go Back to Rockville," on the "Reckoning" album.

He did, however, come out of his funk to dress in drag for the midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the Loop's Varsity Theatre back in the day...someone has the photographic evidence.

The good news is that the past several tour stops have been "Up" and "Life's Rich Pageant."

THE NOT-IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT: Almost a year ago, analog photographers were mourning the death of Polaroid film. Even in this digital age, some photographers still labor in the land of film. For them, inserting a memory chip into a digital camera cannot replace the tactile experience of loading film, whether 35 mm or Polaroid.

Then along came a guy named Florian Kaps, a former Polaroid manager and a team of film specialists, engineers and chemists. They formed The Impossible Project, and starting in February, they will begin production of monochrome Polaroid film with color to follow this summer. There's nothing wrong with digital, but you can't replicate the low-fi look of a Polaroid snapshot.

A CLASSY WINTER EVENT: Last week's third annual NHL Winter Classic is fast becoming an anticipated event during the long holiday season. It has evolved from a novelty, hey-let's-play-a-real-hockey-game-outdoors to a slickly produced, fun game to watch. This year's game was held in the beloved Fenway Park between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers.

The game's only hiccup occurred with approximately eight minutes left, when comedians Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke attempted to coax the crowd to participate in the Red Sox's seventh-inning stretch tradition of singing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline."

Most of the crowd would have none of it. Seems that round white ball doesn't translate well into that flat rubber puck, eh?

VIRAL VIDEOS: Advertising Age posted its Top 10 TV/Video list this week. No. 1 is a brilliant 5-1/2 minute ad starring the "Trainspotting" actor Robert Carlyle. It's all done in one take, for Johnnie Walker, "The Man Who Walked Around the World." In many ways, it's not an ad, it's a high-production short film. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSIp76CvUI.

We can debate whether we reallly need laws about driving and talking and driving and texting. But if we had more public service announcements like the one from the UK's Gwent Police Department, the laws might be less necessary. Sit down with your teen and watch this gut-wrenching anti-texting while driving video. It went viral quickly this year and it makes a dramatic and lasting impact. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0tbxjqy45I

OH WHAT A NIGHT: Imagine a night in June 1965 at the much-missed Kiel Opera House. Onstage were Rat Packers Frank, Dino and Sammy, along with pal Johnny Carson. And guess who is directing the orchestra, none other than Quincy Jones. Well, imagine no more. A DIO friend sent us the link to the cool cats singing the "Birth of the Blues": http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=VPH0-g25Vl8

TRIBUTE: We're still reeling from the news that the witty and cosmopolitan Brad L. Graham died Monday at age 41. Since June 2000, the New London, Mo., native had worked as public relations manager for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

He was a true original, fun and vibrant. His car bumper sticker read: "I'm pro-showtunes. And I vote."

He touched the lives of many, and his Facebook page has been filled with reminiscences all week long -- grieving friends sharing photos and Brad Pack expressing shock and sadness for such a loss. Several tributes have been posted online.

He was quite progressive regarding social networking sites, technology and cyberspace, and is credited with coining the phrase, 'blogosphere." One of the first bloggers, his was called "The Bradlands."

Rest in peace, Brad. The marquee lights are much dimmer now that your dramatic presence is gone.

IDOLATRY: When "American Idol" begins its ninth season on Jan. 12, two of Season 5's fan favorites will be making their Fox Theatre debut on stage in "Grease." Ace Young, who finished seventh, is playing the leading man, Danny Zuko, after playing Kenickie in '08 on Broadway and its revival tour. Taylor Hicks, one of Idol's more maligned winners, is singing one number as the Teen Angel, which he also played on Broadway.

Taylor won the year that Chris Daughtry -- who would go on to be the first Idol contestant to have two consecutive number one albums --- only came in fourth. Daughtry's now number three in Idol record sales, behind Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

Jason Castro, the goofy-grinning dread-locked favorite of Season 7, is now on the road promoting his new album. He also got married recently to his high school sweetheart.

As for what's ahead, here's the Idol schedule:

If you want to keep up with the best recaps and commentary, no one does it better than Michael Slezak at Entertainment Weekly. You can read him online at www.ew.com.

AIRWAVES: KEZK (102.5 FM) is re-tooling its line-up, with Ed Goodman going solo in the mornings, Dana Daniels moving to middays, where Kris Kelly had done such a classy job for years before being kicked to the curb Sept. 30,and Jim Doyle remaining in the afternoon drive-time slot. But the biggest change is that there will be little patter from the personalities -- more music, less talk is the new mantra.

So are the corporate budget cuts nailing the coffin on radio personalities? What's going on? Don't personalities bring more revenue to stations? Aren't they the station reps out in the community?

Jeff McHugh's been named the Program Director for Clear Channel's new modern AC The Sound (100.3 FM) and hot Top 40 Z107.7 FM.

McHugh, previously in Portland, Ore., told All Access: "I am totally geeking out at actually getting to work at KSLZ, one of the best Top 40s in America! And how fabulous is it to join The new 100.3 The Sound, the coolest station that St. Louis women have heard in a long time? 2010 is going to be ridiculous fun."

THE SIMPSONS AT 20: Homer. Marge. Lisa. Bart. Maggie.

Grab a Squishee from the Kwik-E-Mart and toast America's longest running comedy series.

Hard to believe the yellow-skinned family would endear itself to American viewers enough to last for 20 years, but "The Simpsons" has.

With its subversive wit, celebrity guest appearances, self-parodies, and topical spoofs, the animated series has changed the way families watch TV and has become a tapestry of American pop culture.

The Fox network is marking this auspicious occasion with two shows this Sunday, Jan. 10, evening. At 7 p.m., the 450th episode of 'The Simpsons" will air, "Once Upon a Time in Springfield," with actress Anne Hathaway a guest voice.

It will be followed by Morgan Spurlock's hour-long documentary on the global phenomenon, "The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in 3D on Ice" from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Simpsons first appeared on "The Tracey Ullman Show," but ventured out on their own for a half-hour Christmas special on Dec. 17, 1989. They began as a stand-alone series on Jan. 14, 1990. They're calling it "The Best 20 Years Ever."

What characters! Krusty the Klown. Apu. Mayor Quimby. Chief Wiggum. Moe the bartender. Milhouse the best friend, Nelson the bully. The Be Sharps. The Comic Book Guy, Troy McClure, Montgomery Burns, Waylon Smithers, Groundskeeper Willie, Otto, Ned Flanders, Fat Tony, Judge Constance Harm. Captain Tennille, Rainier Wolfcastle, Sharry Bobbins.

There have been so many memorable episodes, that it's hard to make a definitive list, but we'll try. Let us know your favorites, too.

25 All-Around Favorite Episodes:

• 1. Kamp Krusty
• 2. Cape Feare
• 3. Marge vs. the Monorail
• 4. Bart of Darkness
• 5. Boy Scoutz' N The Hood
• 6. The Crepes of Wrath
• 7. Mr. Plow
• 8. Lisa's Rival
• 9. Itchy and Scratchy Land
• 10. Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadassss Song
• 11. Home Sweet Homediddley-um-Doodily
• 12. A Star is Burns
• 13. A Milhouse Divided
• 14. How I Spent My Strummer Vacation
• 15. Behind the Laughter
• 16. New Kids on the Blecch
• 17. The Flaming Moe
• 18. Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy
• 19. A Fish Called Selma
• 20. Burns Baby Burns
• 21. Homerpalooza
• 22. Viva Ned Flanders
• 23. 22 Short Films about Springfield
• 24. Two Dozen and One Greyhounds
• 25. King-Size Homer

Best Guest Voice: Kelsey Grammer, Sideshow Bob (Runners-up: Joe Mantegna, Fat Tony, and Marcia Wallace, Mrs. Krabappel)

Best Celebrity Appearance (male): Johnny Carson, "Krusty Gets Cancelled" (Runners-up: Martin Mull and George Carlin as aging hippies Seth and Munchie, Harvey Fierstein in "Simpson and Delilah")

Best Celebrity Appearance (female): Meryl Streep, "Bart's Girlfriend" (Runner-up: Glenn Close, "Mother Simpson' and Winona Ryder as Allison Taylor "Lisa's Rival")

Best Song: "We Put the Spring in Springfield"

Best Treehouse of Terror: Kang and Kodos as Bill Clinton and Bob Dole.

Best TV cast cameo: "Cheers" in the "Fear of Flying" episode

Best character name: Bleeding Gums Murphy (Lisa's blues musician pal).

SNARKS & SPARKS: Disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich on "Celebrity Apprentice"? Is there no shame any more in America? We do not need to be subjected to more of the Windy City airbag.

Sears Tower name change: What You Talkin' 'Bout Willis?

Kate Gosselin's new Do? Let's don't.

Imo's Pizza has shot back at St. Louis' only daily print newspaper in a new TV commercial touting readers' selection of "The Square Beyond Compare" as their favorite but a food critic dissing its top designation. Ouch.

THE LAST WORD: Following a clearly inebriated Mariah Carey, who slurred and rambled on incoherently at the podium after being recognized at the Palm Springs International Film Festival gala for her unglamorous turn in "Precious," Sean Penn was the next speaker. He said to the crowd: "Do you think anything from tonight will be on YouTube later?" Touche!

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