tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77862037515530907012024-02-18T20:43:25.775-05:00This Just InIf it's entertainment-related and it interests us, we post it -- then we sit back and hope it'll interest you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-71707464002227587772014-02-10T11:22:00.002-05:002014-02-10T11:22:30.625-05:00Bruce Springsteen coming to Charlotte in AprilBruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will make a tour stop at Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena on April 19.<br />
<br />
Tickets are scheduled to go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at the Time Warner Cable Arena box office, online at <a href="http://timewarnercablearena.com/">timewarnercablearena.com</a> or <a href="http://ticketmaster.com/">ticketmaster.com</a> or by phone at 800-745-3000.<br /><br />
Springsteen's latest studio album, "High Hopes," was released last month.<br /> Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-71589266142802850782014-02-10T11:14:00.001-05:002014-02-10T11:14:33.342-05:00Knights introduce partial season ticket plans<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beginning at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587383999" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">noon Monday</span></span>, the Charlotte Knights will make partial season ticket plans available for fans interested in purchasing multiple tickets to the inaugural season.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">For $288, or $16 per game, fans can choose from four 18-game partial ticket plans. Each plan features a field box seat to one premium game, as well as a balance of weekday/weekend games, and promotional nights.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In addition, fans interested in purchasing full season tickets for the 2014 season can still do so</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Single-game ticket sales have not yet been launched.</span><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Knights will open BB&T Ballpark on Friday, April 11, at 7:05
p.m. against the Norfolk Tides. Details: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.charlotteknights.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt;">www.charlotteknights.com</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">; </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="tel:704-357-8071" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt;"></span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">704-357-8071; or email </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="mailto:seasonseats@charlotteknights.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt;">seasonseats<wbr></wbr>@charlotteknights.com</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here's how the partial season ticket plans have been broken down:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pink Knights Pack</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– featuring the Charlotte Knights 9<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Annual Pink Knights game, presented by Belk and Charlotte Radiology, on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384000" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday, May 10</span></span>.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Team USA Pack</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– featuring the Team USA vs. Chinese Taipei game on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384001" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 3</span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>at BB&T Ballpark.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">4<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of July Pack<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">– featuring the first 4<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of July game at BB&T Ballpark with the annual WBT Skyshow – the area’s largest fireworks show!</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Championship Pack</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– featuring the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384004" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday, September 16</span></span>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pink Knights Plan</span></u></b><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384005" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday, April 13</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384006" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384007" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 18</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384008" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384009" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 25</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384010" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384011" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 8</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, May 10</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384014" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384015" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 5</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384016" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384017" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 9</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384018" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384019" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 22</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384020" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384021" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 25</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384022" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384023" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 1</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384024" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384025" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 5</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384026" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384027" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 12</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384028" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384029" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 18</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384030" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384031" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 29</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384032" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384033" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 6</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384034" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384035" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 10</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384036" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384037" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 25</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1) Undated Voucher</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><b><u><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Team USA Plan</span></u></b><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384038" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday, April 12</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384039" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384040" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 15</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384041" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384042" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 5</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384043" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384044" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 11</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384045" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384046" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 21</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384047" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384048" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 23</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384049" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384050" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 6</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384051" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384052" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 8</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384053" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384054" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 21</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384055" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384056" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 24</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384057" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384058" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 3</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384059" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384060" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 11</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384061" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384062" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 17</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384063" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384064" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 30</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384065" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384066" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 7</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384067" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384068" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 19</span></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384069" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384070" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 22</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384071" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384072" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">September 1</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b><u><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384073" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 4th</span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Plan</span></u></b><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384074" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday, April 14</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384075" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384076" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 17</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384077" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384078" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 22</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384079" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384080" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 9</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384081" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384082" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 20</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384083" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384084" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 24</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384085" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384086" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 10</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384087" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384088" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 26</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384089" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384090" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 30</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384091" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384092" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 4</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384093" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384094" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 13</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384095" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_587384096" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">July 20</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thursday, July 31</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Friday, August 8</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday, August 18 </span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, August 23</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday, August 31</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><b><u><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Triple-A Championship Plan</span></u></b><span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wednesday, April 16</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thursday, April 24</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tuesday, May 6</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday, May 12</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thursday, May 22</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday, May 25</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tuesday, June 3</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, June 7</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Friday, June 20</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday, June 23</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Friday, June 27</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thursday, July 10</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, July 19</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Friday, August 1</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tuesday, August 5</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, August 9 </span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday, August 24</span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tuesday, September 16</span></div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-55435751402348280482014-01-10T09:46:00.004-05:002014-01-10T09:46:53.428-05:00For superfans, 'Banshee' premiere event is a screamFans of Cinemax's "Banshee" assembled inside uptown's McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square got what they came to see at Thursday night's event to launch the second season: a testosterone-fueled new episode of the North Carolina-produced series, and an in-the-flesh glimpse of sexy stars Antony Starr and Ivana Milicevic, who waved and smiled from the stage pre-screening.<br />
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For regular viewers, the experience must have been gleeful -- an opportunity to watch it as if watching a movie, with the darkly humorous moments enveloping them in a roomful of laughs and action-scene punchlines producing rousing cheers.<br />
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But due to its high quotient of brutal violence and graphic sex, one wondered how it was being received by those simply on hand to celebrate the fact that the show is shot in the Charlotte area, and who had never seen "Banshee" before. "I've not seen the show," Mayor Patrick Cannon said beforehand. "But I've heard a lot about it, gotten great feedback." (His faves? "Scandal" and "Homeland.")<br />
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Cannon walked the red carpet in the nearby Duke Energy Theater before the screening, one of many in a line of other distinguished guests and actors who have minor roles in Season 2. The main draws, however, were Starr and Milicevic.<br />
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Both had arrived in Charlotte fresh off a press blitz in L.A. the previous day.<br />
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Starr -- sporting a softer appearance than his character, with slightly longer hair and a clean shave -- shook hands with greeters despite a brace on his right that he was wearing as a result of a recent surgery. "I've had it about a month," he said. "I wish I had a really good story for you, but unfortunately it's just something that I've been meaning to get done and I finally had the time in between seasons."<br />
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And Milicevic shook hands and posed for photos despite a warning that she had taken a red-eye that got her into Charlotte at 6:30 a.m.: "I did (sleep). But not enough. Yeah, don't get too close," she joked.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc0mbKBQLvNCN_JHm5OYiAHE75bsJ5UX1lDW8SJle3jKO9R8Ui8D6WLL-kzghLbvvEtkUJIqrw9gnui65JSx6ZHflZg5G-cPTBNtVYPdPSw-ZgTbh1Hotv_LTkFEKNrrB9L6RubGPJX0/s1600/banshee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc0mbKBQLvNCN_JHm5OYiAHE75bsJ5UX1lDW8SJle3jKO9R8Ui8D6WLL-kzghLbvvEtkUJIqrw9gnui65JSx6ZHflZg5G-cPTBNtVYPdPSw-ZgTbh1Hotv_LTkFEKNrrB9L6RubGPJX0/s1600/banshee.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Both had predictably nice things to say about Charlotte and its hospitality, though Starr -- who plays a tough guy's tough guy on the series -- did say something surprising about our area.<br />
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"You know what scares me about Charlotte? Snakes, in a nutshell," he said. "All the disgusting animals that you have here, that I'm not used to because I'm from New Zealand, where we have nothing that hurts you. ... The worst bite you're gonna get there is a mosquito bite; it's great. You can go and sleep out in the bush or out in the forest and not worry about it.<br />
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"I'd show you, but it'd take me too long to go through my phone -- I've got a collection of snake shots, because I'm fascinated by them. Most of them are rat snakes and black snakes, so they're harmless, but ... we had someone clearing water moccasins (for a scene near Lake Norman) in Season 1. It's quite surreal for me. Not in the best way."<br />
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Milicevic, meanwhile, sounded like she couldn't wait for Thursday night's event to be over.<br />
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OK, we're kidding, but the 39-year-old former Bond girl did say this:<br />
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"I think tonight if they said, 'Oh, the premiere is off, something happened,' I'd go to Mellow Mushroom for pizza, I'd go to Tony's Ice Cream (in Gastonia -- her favorite flavor is Cowboy Crunch) ... and I would absolutely end up at Soul (Gastrolounge in Plaza Midwood) later. I may end up at Soul later tonight."Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-45656472633154915252013-12-20T17:11:00.003-05:002013-12-20T17:18:04.848-05:0010 of my favorite celebrity interviews from 2013While Charlotte isn’t exactly L.A. or New York, we do attract a fair amount of famous folks for one reason or another. And sometimes, they actually take time out of their busy schedules to talk with reporters like me.<br />
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Here’s a look back at 10 memorable celebrity interviews I landed in 2013, along with the quotes that stood out most to me.<br />
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10. <b>Nick Jonas</b>, who was in the Charlotte area last spring filming the upcoming thriller “Careful What You Wish For.” Quotable: “It’s been tough to venture out too much, just because it gets a little crazy around here. But I have my security guy with me, and he helps me navigate around pretty easily. It’s one of those things. You just have to play it by ear and make sure that everyone’s safe.”<br />
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9. <b>Nicholas Sparks</b>, N.C.-based author of “Safe Haven,” which was released in film version in February. Quotable: “I cried at ‘Old Yeller.’ Man, I was so sad when he had to shoot his dog. Still gets me. And ‘Toy Story 3,’ that moved me. … My son was heading off to college, Andy’s heading off to college – can’t help but get a little choked up at that.”<br />
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8. N.C. native <b>Kellie Pickler</b>, promoting her new CD “The Woman I Am,” which dropped in November. Quotable: “I haven’t had a chance to go home to Albemarle and do anything musically there – that would be great. Not many places to perform in Albemarle, though. We’ll have to find a field or something and set up a truck bed there. I don’t know. Get some hay bales ...”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1H5L6yDGAdxF-3-kHC-ApZE87gAekN-ZB8yphWkliS5SEAbxYTrlRDrVNpSCZp028Mhs-9rbo5JFO5U5thal_FITv978vmKaClnTJzHTQB9CLps7R38K_G67fa9U7BQlosEoSL5_KlI/s1600/pickler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1H5L6yDGAdxF-3-kHC-ApZE87gAekN-ZB8yphWkliS5SEAbxYTrlRDrVNpSCZp028Mhs-9rbo5JFO5U5thal_FITv978vmKaClnTJzHTQB9CLps7R38K_G67fa9U7BQlosEoSL5_KlI/s320/pickler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by David T. Foster/The Charlotte Observer</span></div>
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7. <b>Kevin James</b>, who did stand-up at Belk Theater in May. Quotable: “Believe me, my movies aren’t (my kids’) favorites. It’s <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.5px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">‘</span>Despicable Me,’ it’s all these other animated movies. They haven’t locked into one of mine. Right now Steve Carell’s winning in my house.”<br />
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6. <b>Ke$ha</b>, who performed in concert at Uptown Amphitheatre in August. Quotable: “I in the past have been known to jump off stage and kiss people on the mouth if they’re yawning. ... I feel like it’s an environment where everybody’s there for the same common goal, which is to completely go crazy, sans judgment. And hopefully in the end leave covered with glitter.”<br />
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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/08/13/4233698/keha-sharpening-her-power-tools.html#.UrS8yfRDtKM#storylink=cpy</div>
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5. <b>Michael Bublé</b>, who performed in concert at Time Warner Cable Arena in October. Quotable: “It’s not just about what I wear, it’s the whole presentation. I’m playing places where there was a hockey game the night before. I want this place to be transformed, and for everything to be dressed up to where it looks like you’re walking into a beautiful place, about to have a beautiful night, and not some cold, stinky hockey arena.”<br />
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4. NASCAR driver <b>Danica Patrick</b>, during a break from shooting a GoDaddy ad at a south Charlotte fitness club: “This workout isn’t completely dissimilar to what I do. It’s just about intensity and keeping that heart rate up, and moving, moving, moving – which is what’s going to make us all skinny like we want to be.”<br />
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3. <b>Tracy Morgan</b>, who did stand-up at The Fillmore in June. Quotable: “Critics don’t get my show because they are looking for Tracy Jordan. I don’t listen to critics. After every show, I’m getting standing ovations. That’s what matters to me. Not somebody that comes to my show with intent. I don’t care about that. Critics, they ain’t nothing. Let me see you get up and do standup for an hour and a half. If I wasn’t funny, I wouldn’t be invited to Charlotte.”<br />
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2. <b>Claire Danes</b>, while walking the red carpet at a “Homeland” premiere event in Washington, D.C., in September. Quotable: “Coming from New York City, (Charlotte’s) got a much more gentle, forgiving pace. People are incredibly kind and welcoming.”<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Théoden Janes/The Charlotte Observer</span></div>
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1. <b>Tom Hanks</b>, during a press event to promote “Captain Phillips” in Atlanta. Quotable: “I had to go full-bore for 12 straight hours. It was uncontrollable. It never stopped. If I didn't put 110 percent of my effort into every single moment we ran the camera, the movie would not have been as good – and that movie was <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.5px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">‘</span>Turner & Hooch.<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 16px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">’</span> I swear to God. Working with that dog... almost killed me.”Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-13283797099168431532013-10-29T15:52:00.001-04:002013-10-29T15:52:45.698-04:002 more movies shooting in Charlotte, and they are...Hollywood's invasion of Charlotte continues this week -- and into November -- with two film projects currently being produced within the city limits.<br />
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The first is "Captive," starring David Oyelowo ("Jack Reacher") and Kate Mara ("House of Cards"). Based on events that occurred in Atlanta in 2005, the thriller centers around an escaped prisoner (Oyelowo) who takes a young woman (Mara) hostage while trying to exact revenge on those who got him locked up.<br />
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Casting directors have been regularly posting pleas for extras <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tona-B-Dahlquist-Casting/354971765249">here</a></b>.<br />
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The other project is "Tusk," a horror movie from "Clerks" writer-director Kevin Smith. The inspiration for his latest story? An online ad Smith stumbled upon that offered free rent to anyone willing to dress up as a walrus for two hours a day. It is said to be a "Human Centipede"-style horror movie, with Quentin Tarantino and Justin Long among the cast.<br />
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The same casting agency is handling extras for "Tusk."Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-19230074390243228392013-10-24T16:54:00.002-04:002013-10-24T16:54:50.398-04:00Director talks 'Bad Grandpa' -- and That Penguin Scene<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Charlotte was the proving ground for some of the funnies<span style="font-size: small;">t and most outrageous scenes in the new comedy "Jack<span style="font-size: small;">ass Presents: Bad Grandpa." You can read about two of t<span style="font-size: small;">hem by cli<span style="font-size: small;">cking <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/10/24/4412408/hollywood-makes-jackass-out-of.html#.UmmHYfnrwco">HERE</a></span>.</span></span> </span></span></span>Or, you can read on <span style="font-size: small;">for <span style="font-size: small;">director Jeff Tremaine's explanation of how two of the most notorious scenes in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MSrAwfagG4">the trailer</a> were born.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are ex<span style="font-size: small;">cerpts from an interview with <span style="font-size: small;">Tremaine conducted Monday:</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><b><br /></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>On <span style="font-size: small;">developing the conce<span style="font-size: small;">pt for <span style="font-size: small;">"Bad Grandpa"</span></span></span>:</b> "We started loosely talking about this idea ... in 2006<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">B</span>ut really, about two years ago we got serious about really figuring out how to crack making a movie just about Irving. And we threw around story ideas, but even before we were committed to story, (Johnny) Knoxville and I started throwing around funny scenarios, like how we do the 'Jackass' stuff, where we just think of funny scenes with Irving, not really worrying about the story. But once we started writing the story, it took the front seat. It really took over the movie. And then we started thinking about pranks. How to tell the story through pranks and stunts, really. Where they weren't just a series of pranks that are strung together with a loose narrative. When you watch it, you'll see. It's a real story. It feels almost like a normal, scripted movie, except for 90 percent of the actors are real people that don't know they're starring in a movie<span style="font-size: small;">."</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Director Jeff Tremaine with Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>On the challenges of making the film: </b>"<span style="font-size: small;">T</span>his movie is, from a production standpoint, a terrible idea. Because one, your star has to go through four hours of makeup before you even start shooting. Or let's say three hours. They got it down to three. But it really is three and a half to four. Two, you have an 8-year-old boy with you that comes with a lot of restrictions on what you can shoot and your time and everything else. And three, all the cameras have to be hidden. We weren't able to come up with a device that let us have a camera out for 99 percent of the movie. So everything had to be hidden. And then you're hoping for reactions. And then you're hoping, on top of that, that after you get those reactions that you were hoping for, that the people will be cool and sign the release. <span style="font-size: small;">S</span>o it's a terrible idea. Most of 'Jackass' was just a bunch of us sitting around kicking each other in the nuts and laughing about it. <span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t<span style="font-size: small;"> wa</span>s pretty easy to shoot most of that. I mean, there's a danger element for sure, but from a production standpoint, it's pretty easy. We don't do that much stuff out in public anymore. <span style="font-size: small;">("Bad Grandpa")</span> was all out in public, and that's just such a wild card<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t's stressful.<span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Johnny Knoxville with director Jeff Tremaine. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>O</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>n comparisons to "Borat":</b> </span>"I think 'Borat' was more of a very loose narrative<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t was more his character doing a series of vignettes that had a very loose narrative. This is much more narrative than I think 'Borat' is. And 'Borat' was smarter than we were. <span style="font-size: small;">T</span>hey had a device that allowed them to have a camera out the whole time. ... But we're fan<span style="font-size: small;">s.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">W</span>e like 'Borat.' We're fans of what Sacha (Baron Cohen) does, for sure."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>On the funeral scene:</b> <span style="font-size: small;">"R</span>ight at the beginning of the movie, Irving's wife dies, and we have a funeral for her. And she never existed, so we had to figure out how to populate a funeral with people willing to sit through a funeral for someone they didn't know<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">A</span>nd what they don't know is that she's not even real. ... We shot that scene really early, and that scene<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>has the whole plot of the movie in it. These people have to sit through not just a funeral that goes crazy, but it's where Irving<span style="font-size: small;"> --</span> who is excited to start the last part of his life free of his wife that he was miserable with<span style="font-size: small;"> --</span> is handed his grandson that he barely knew. And there's a lot of plot that these people have to sit through, and they don't know what's going on. So <span style="font-size: small;">w</span>hen we successfully pulled that off, I knew we could do anything, <span style="font-size: small;">be</span>cause that one seemed far-fetched at the time of writing it."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>On the corpse</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>used throughout the movie:</b> "</span></span>It's a mold of Catherine Keener. We shot with Catherine Keener and ended up cutting her out. We shot with Keener and (co-writer) Spike Jonze both in old makeup. Spike was an old lady, and Keener played (Irving's) wife<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">W</span>e were gonna show her through flashbacks. And Spike was the one that got away, his long-lost love interest, the one before he got married. We got really funny stuff, but as we were cutting the movie together, we realized that the thing that was working the most in the movie and the thing that needed more time to develop was Irving and Billy's relationship, and putting stuff in between that muddied it up. So we ended up cutting them out. We'll put it out on DVD later<span style="font-size: small;">."</span></span></span><br />
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<b>On the above scene, shot outside The Penguin Drive-In:</b> "What was funny is WE put the penguin there. We found the restaurant The Penguin that was cool with us shooting, and we just put this big penguin in front of it... The owner of the restaurant was in on it, but none of the employees were, so they thought that this was the new big icon in front of The Penguin...<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.38;">We were just going around shooting a bunch of stuff of Irving being a bad driver. That was one of the sub-themes: Irving can't drive for s---. So we set up a bunch of these scenarios where he was just gonna run over stuff in front of people, and hopefully get reactions. But when we hit the penguin, there was this angry New Yorker there for some reason. (He wasn't an employee.) The guy is like full-on Brooklyn or something -- I mean, he sounds like an actor. And he just got so offended, and (Johnny Knoxville) sensed that. Knoxville's so good at that. When someone does give him a hint that they're on the hook, he will take them for a ride. And he just made this guy really angry, then brought him down. Made him even more angry, brought him down... That ended up being a crazy scene."</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>On the above scene, shot outside -- and inside -- Value Village:</b> "T</span></span>hat's one of probably the most complicated shoots that I've ever been a part of, and it's only about 30 seconds of screen time. But the idea was Irving sits on a little coin-operated ride in front of a shopping center, and it goes haywire and launches him. Originally thought it would be funny to do it at a grocery store or a big store that he sails into. But that seemed too complicated. So we started looking at empty storefronts where we could put this thing and dress the store like it was open, but not have people on the inside, so he could just shoot in there. But then we started scouting, and we found Value Village that had the perfect setup to where he could launch inside. We cordoned it off to where he landed in the bedroom area of Value Village. When we naturally scouted that store, they had it to where there were some beds and things that would block people from being right in front of the window. So it ended up being, Alright, we can actually do this dangerous stunt. The stunt is dangerous for Knoxville, because if he sits up at all, he gets his head taken off. So he had to just keep his head low and hold on tight. And that's what he's best at. That's about the skill level he has. It was a dangerous stunt if he popped up at all ... and then you never know what the landing's gonna be. But we were more concerned -- well, at least on my end -- with other people being close enough to see it, but not being in harm's way. So that was a tricky logistical thing, and we ended up pulling it off." </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>On</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> putting Knoxville at risk of being punched by someone:</b> "</span></span>I think his secret goal is <span style="font-size: small;">TO</span> get beat up. <span style="font-size: small;">T</span>his is what he's really, really good at, and that is walking the line and getting people to a heightened state, without crossing the line. Although I think secretly he'd be very happy if he got punched in the face once in awhile<span style="font-size: small;">."</span></span></span></div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-78789554777406652392013-10-22T11:36:00.000-04:002013-10-22T14:28:20.410-04:00Disney star Zendaya is a Panthers fan! (Basically.)<b>Zendaya Coleman</b> – star of The Disney Channel sitcom “Shake It Up” and runner-up
on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” this year – was in Charlotte over the weekend,
living a hardcore Carolina Panthers fan’s dream.<br />
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She got to hang out with Cam Newton:<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers Twitter account</span></div>
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She got to hang out with the TopCats:<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of the Panthers Gameday Twitter account</span></div>
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She got to sing the National Anthem before Sunday's game:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjSRC3uZmnIIgLlfnsIQvODk2eU-nUil2keQ3LRDZH9MQOnL9_y37I387SquxPaOdA-tC4RxEISw9j3V9-Qw4QGUnX2ntQOf1oSntDoWEhLVxNBtThfn7Uxwe5fH50PEIxnsAimxJcmI/s1600/zendaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjSRC3uZmnIIgLlfnsIQvODk2eU-nUil2keQ3LRDZH9MQOnL9_y37I387SquxPaOdA-tC4RxEISw9j3V9-Qw4QGUnX2ntQOf1oSntDoWEhLVxNBtThfn7Uxwe5fH50PEIxnsAimxJcmI/s320/zendaya.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of the Panthers Gameday Twitter account</span></div>
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Then, she got to watch the Panthers beat the Rams, 30-15, from a luxury box.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">She <span style="font-size: small;">scored the gig<span style="font-size: small;"> through <span style="font-size: small;">a family friend, George Hughes of Monroe, whom she refers to as an uncle. <span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>He knew people (with the Panthers), and they were really interested in me doing the <span style="font-size: small;">N</span>ational <span style="font-size: small;">A</span>nthem. I was like, 'Uhh, YEAH! Of course!' I was very excited<span style="font-size: small;">."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">O<span style="font-size: small;">riginally from Oakland, Zendaya says her heart is with the Raiders (she's also performed the <span style="font-size: small;">anthem <span style="font-size: small;">be<span style="font-size: small;">fore a game at Oakland-Alameda County Colis<span style="font-size: small;">eum. But sh<span style="font-size: small;">e readily admits she is a fair-weather fan: "</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Honestly for me, I'm not gonna lie<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">--</span></span> it's whoever's the nicest to me when I go there," says the pop <span style="font-size: small;">star, who has also performed before Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Do<span style="font-size: small;">dgers games</span></span>. "And everyone was very, very nice in Charlotte. ... So they are now (a favorite)."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Zendaya</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, 17, spoke to a few members of the media during a private meet-and-greet event Monday evening at the offices of BN<span style="font-size: small;">R Promotions,<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> on Trade Street in uptown Charlotte.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G5xiUBWeg84Yd1Jwaxj2g3dgv0STnr59ZUlHI4rFAMh0A0PzAG7tuQ4MWY_Evh4-o037M3TMUj_-7M0qo1s-uPasV5laMXBK0AV1xDGJLmEDjc8JaLsgEjbBsblFQQH7oXdnnxpNG1k/s1600/photo+(11).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G5xiUBWeg84Yd1Jwaxj2g3dgv0STnr59ZUlHI4rFAMh0A0PzAG7tuQ4MWY_Evh4-o037M3TMUj_-7M0qo1s-uPasV5laMXBK0AV1xDGJLmEDjc8JaLsgEjbBsblFQQH7oXdnnxpNG1k/s320/photo+(11).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>On her debut album, "Zendaya," out since Sept. 17:</b> "I wanted to create something that wasn't going to be so expected. Of course, you expect me to do bubblegum pop, because that's the world I come from, which is Disney. But I wanted to do something that was more representational of who I am. ... I feel like not a lot of people were doing rhythmic pop, which is pop music but infused with a more urban, R&B or hip-hop feel. I wanted to cross over between urban markets and mainstream ... and still be good for everyone to listen to, and still positive for the kids. The best artists of all<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>time, their music's clean. You don't have to cuss to make good songs."</span></span></span><br />
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<b>On her key musical influences:</b> "<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Michael Jackson... (He) was a true artist, and he knew his music through and through. <span style="font-size: small;">H</span>e wasn't afraid to be Mike. He's the only person that could make white socks, loafers and sparkly gloves and a sequin shirt he got from his mom's closet a trend. I love Beyonce, performance<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>wise. Her work ethic -- you can just tell the dedication and passion she has for what she does. And <span style="font-size: small;">a</span> big inspiration was Aaliyah, because her vocal quality is very soft, so I was able to connect with that. Also I liked her style. She had that tomboy<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>girly thing going on."</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>On Disney Chan</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>nel alum Miley Cyrus:</b> "</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I think she's trying to reinvent herself and become a new artist. I am <i>just</i> inventing myself. I'm figuring out who I want to be (at a) younger (age) so that I can just grow with my fans and mature with my fans, rather than all of a sudden deciding to switch it up. ... I applaud Miley for being herself, and I think it's beautiful that she's now having the experience to be creative and do her own thing. <span style="font-size: small;">J</span>ust let her do that, and parents be good parents and teach your children what not to do. That's all I have to say about that."</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Advice for kids who want to be famous:</b> " '</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">F</span>amous' is a very bad term, I feel like<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> <span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t has no meaning behind it. I want them to have a purpose to what they do, and not do it because it's something that looks fun, or something that's gonna get them recognized by people. I encourage them to find some passion in themselves."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Here's the music <span style="font-size: small;">video for "Replay<span style="font-size: small;">,"</span> the first single off of "Zendaya"<span style="font-size: small;">:</span></span> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cyLE48i4XY0" width="560"></iframe>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-15324370677625545732013-03-27T14:17:00.000-04:002013-03-27T14:17:29.675-04:00Dermot Mulroney in film to be shot in CharlotteDermot Mulroney will star alongside Nick Jonas and Isabel Lucas in the thriller "Careful What You Wish For," according to TheWrap.com. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in Charlotte on April 22.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkvp2bEVWysT-JUKQEs7rC8Y8RvurCnRQY6w7P-KeVE_zOVySxc7LRTpVmTitr55eraQP9G0n0u-CU7mYVbAayhh_U6tuRkaFwRfxfBFeZ02atPasRbgdsr6wfO9fDzn2mpXVfRTKlhA/s1600/dermot-mulroney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkvp2bEVWysT-JUKQEs7rC8Y8RvurCnRQY6w7P-KeVE_zOVySxc7LRTpVmTitr55eraQP9G0n0u-CU7mYVbAayhh_U6tuRkaFwRfxfBFeZ02atPasRbgdsr6wfO9fDzn2mpXVfRTKlhA/s200/dermot-mulroney.jpg" width="177" /></a><br />
Mulroney, 49, previously has appeared in films including "The Grey," "Zodiac," "About Schmidt," and "My Best Friend's Wedding."<br />
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Jonas -- of the boy band The Jonas Brothers -- has mostly done TV work. Lucas was last seen opposite Chris Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson in the recent "Red Dawn" remake.<br />
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Elizabeth Allen ("The Vampire Diaries," "Aquamarine") is directing the film, which TheWrap.com says is being compared to "Basic Instinct" and "Body Heat." Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-35589933090746803692013-03-15T17:45:00.001-04:002013-03-15T18:35:07.990-04:00Take a $295,000 car for a spin at the speedwayI drove a $243,000 Lamborghini this morning -- for about six minutes, maybe a little longer. You can do the same... but are you willing to spend 500 bucks for the privilege?<br />
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If so, then you're the target audience for the <a href="http://www.exoticdriving.com/"><i>Exotic </i>Driving Experience</a>. It comes from the makers of the <a href="http://www.drivepetty.com/">Richard Petty Driving Experience</a> <a href="http://www.exoticdriving.com/"></a>and operates year-round at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, but also brings its fleet of supercars to 10 other speedways, including Atlanta, Daytona, and Charlotte. This weekend marks the first of four times it will set up shop in Concord in 2013.<br />
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Cars offered at Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday and Sunday include a Ferrari 458 Italia, a Ferrari F430, a Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, an Audi R8, an Aston Martin Virage, a Porsche 997 S, and a Nissan GT-R. Prices start at $169 to take the $90,000 Nissan for a spin and run up to $419 to flex the muscles of the $295,000 458 Italia. (A $35 "driver release fee" also will be tacked onto the bill.)<br />
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EDE had about 25 paying customers on Friday, and already had roughly 110 commitments for the weekend as of Friday morning. (A total of about 100 slots per day are available.) At my 10 a.m. session, I counted eight clients, some of whom had brought spectators. One guy had come up from Georgia to participate; another was given time in three -- three! -- different cars by his wife, as a gift.<br />
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It's important to note that you drive on an asphalt "road course"
that's part of the infield at the speedway, and not on the actual oval
itself. That said, here's how it all works:<br />
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Upon arrival, the first thing you face is paperwork. One page just asks for basic personal info, then the next two are all legalese, with 19 blanks that need initialing. It pretty much boils down to "understand that you could be killed or injured" and "you won't sue us."<br />
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Then there's a roughly 20-minute instructional class, which starts with a pre-recorded video (starring Christian Fittipaldi) that informs you about driving techniques, warns you not to check mirrors or gauges (in fact, the speedometers in all the cars are concealed to eliminate the urge to obsess about breaking records), and talks about paddle shiffting (all cars have fully and semi-automatic modes; none are stick-shift).<br />
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After that, an instructor goes over a map of the .75-mile course for drivers and talks through a first-person video covering every inch of it.<br />
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That's all that stands between you and your ride. Throw on a head sock and an audio-capable driving helmet -- which provides protection and also allows you to communicate easily with your driving coach via mics and speakers -- and then jump in. Your co-pilot/coach gives you a few words of advice, and you're off.<br />
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Interestingly, the ride is much more about agility than pure speed. Much of the course is made up of several sharp left- and right-hand turns. The longest straightaway is less than a quarter-mile long (the actual track layout is slightly different from what is advertised <a href="http://www.exoticdriving.com/race-track/charlotte-motor-speedway">here</a> -- there's now a cut-in interrupting the long straightaway shown), so my top speed was "just" 69 mph. Still, unless you're a former illegal street racer or have experience driving high-performance cars on short tracks with lots of turns, you will sense plenty of speed. Your coach also will do a great job in terms of providing
direction that helps to embolden you. If you listen to him and are aggressive as he suggests, you'll see how incredibly nimble these vehicles really are.<br />
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Total drive time is about 5 minutes for six laps, and unfortunately, it takes about that long to start feeling comfortable with the handling, the power under the hood, and -- if you opt to come out of the full-auto mode -- or the paddle shifting. (My run was eight laps; you can pay more for eight instead of six, and yet more still for 10 laps instead of eight.)<br />
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Of course, $419 is a lot of money to pay for five minutes in a Ferrari, and after having been a part of this, I feel like 10 minutes would be more fair for that kind of dough. Then again, I'm not a super-fanatical supercar enthusiast, and I also am not the one who has to pay to maintain and service cars that probably cost a fortune to maintain and service.<br />
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But it's an undeniable rush to be in control of something that can go from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. The responsiveness of the steering, braking and acceleration is jaw-dropping. Only a tiny fraction of people on the planet will ever get to drive these cars, and most of them have Swiss bank accounts. Even if you've got the financial credentials to test-drive one at a dealership, no salesman who wants to keep their job will let you operate the automobile the way these folks will.<br />
<br />
In the end, the type of person who buys the Exotic Driving Experience, says chief marketing officer Mike Bartelli, "is an aspirationalist. ... These are guys who wished they could own these cars (about 80 percent of EDE's clientele is male). But the reality is, they're expensive cars, right? And so this is an opportunity to do something that would typically not be available or accessible, at a reasonable price point, and then it becomes something they can tell everybody about. They can tell their friends about it. 'I drove a Ferrari on a racetrack.' ... That's what this is about."<br />
<br />
<i>For reservations or more information about dates and times, call (855) 822-0149 or visit <a href="http://www.exoticdriving.com/">www.ExoticDriving.com</a>. All cars may not be available on all dates.</i>Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-61925977409873694452013-03-04T14:14:00.001-05:002013-03-04T14:14:48.041-05:00Brooklyn Decker lands CBS sitcom pilot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf817RM3s0cYAKOtaUa-2MLLJxwqpKA07HTCiPDqZMfYLTwbFF4Vf61Ss6nmpuuz3ltK540klwm1hDBpehBGhRX5xNuyLT1qlP0qjcC3KklCHUz7LOpvPXt9V2iZI7pmVOSp4_7v8LTCE/s1600/Brooklyn-Decker-1-lgn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf817RM3s0cYAKOtaUa-2MLLJxwqpKA07HTCiPDqZMfYLTwbFF4Vf61Ss6nmpuuz3ltK540klwm1hDBpehBGhRX5xNuyLT1qlP0qjcC3KklCHUz7LOpvPXt9V2iZI7pmVOSp4_7v8LTCE/s320/Brooklyn-Decker-1-lgn.jpg" width="213" /></a>Brooklyn Decker has been priming herself for sitcom work over the past few months, with multiple appearances on FX's "The League" in December and a guest spot on Fox's "New Girl" last month.<br />
<br />
Now, if things go well, she might get her own series.<br />
<br />
Deadline is reporting that the Matthews native is set to star in a CBS comedy pilot that "revolves around six 30-something friends who each think the other has it better." Decker, who turns 26 next month, will play Jules, "a former model who was discovered in a mall when she was 13."<br />
<br />
The show is created by former "Friends" producer/writer Dana Klein and Aaron Kaplan, who was an executive producer on Fox's short-lived "Terra Nova"; the pilot will be directed by James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Taxi," Mike & Molly," "Frazier"). It does sound a bit derivative of "Friends," and even bears the awkward title "Friends With Better Lives"... but Decker has a strong fan base and a decent co-star ("Don't Trust the B's" James Van Der Beek).<br />
<br />
One thing's for sure: The role won't be a huge stretch for Decker. She was discovered in a Charlotte shopping mall as a teenager, and -- of course -- went on to become one of the more famous Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover girls of all-time. Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-51149644705108418822013-02-26T20:00:00.000-05:002013-02-26T20:00:02.253-05:00Charlotte native finishes 2nd in 'Jeopardy!' finals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzJBk7yQ06_HhLfo6ykMjKCZ1EgY5ZyYIcttrLoJut0H1rtLyR8L5_BRRN5yaqM4GrWLLOfA9IGoCT7k_zHmPNLNEwixMOL0fvAk5jIKXBD5Q9Prf2oXNFViUny_tbAFcRvfc8kLsJaY/s1600/JeopChamp29Win_026+RE+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzJBk7yQ06_HhLfo6ykMjKCZ1EgY5ZyYIcttrLoJut0H1rtLyR8L5_BRRN5yaqM4GrWLLOfA9IGoCT7k_zHmPNLNEwixMOL0fvAk5jIKXBD5Q9Prf2oXNFViUny_tbAFcRvfc8kLsJaY/s320/JeopChamp29Win_026+RE+LR.jpg" width="245" /></a>Keith Whitener, 29, of Charlotte, claimed second place and $100,000 in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions episode on Tuesday night.<br />
<br />
The Myers Park High School and UNC Chapel Hill grad, one of the top 15 winners ever on the show, was runner-up to Colby Burnett, a history teacher from Chicago who won the $250,000 grand prize. Kristin Morgan, a strategic
analyst at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.,
finished third and took home $50,000. <br />
<br />
“I honestly couldn’t believe I had made it [to the final game],” said Whitener, a research chemist, in a press release. “It was really amazing. Just making it to the final was honor enough for me.”<br />
<br />
“During the regular season run, there were a few days where I was basically on autopilot, and I wasn’t really worried about how I would perform," he said. "The Tournament of Champions is a completely different animal; the pace was just so demanding.”<br />
<br />
Whitener won $147,597 in his initial run on "Jeopardy!"; he hasn’t decided yet what he will do with his winnings.<br />
<br />
“It’s a heck of a lot of money. My wife and I may eventually use it toward a house,” Whitener said. “We’re sitting on a little bit of it in case an interesting investment opportunity presents itself, or if I want to strike off on my own after my fellowship at the Naval Research Lab is done.”<br />
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<br />Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-20699939272897367292013-02-26T15:11:00.000-05:002013-02-26T15:19:58.704-05:00Bill Maher slams Trump, Catholics, 'Django Unchained'<link href="file:///C:%5Ctemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLl5vgi32a5nOf984WnNekJIfzo9VrNJIqB7oEqbKv9ySRhi63qg1VhtSutGLLSdrSKbFEIsnzlAMRKBntoymxvVsY-DzTsxtFd1r_P0wipYWCLTNZDxGmAtm1MzPmVQyqLq_hUkocHk/s1600/bill-maher-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLl5vgi32a5nOf984WnNekJIfzo9VrNJIqB7oEqbKv9ySRhi63qg1VhtSutGLLSdrSKbFEIsnzlAMRKBntoymxvVsY-DzTsxtFd1r_P0wipYWCLTNZDxGmAtm1MzPmVQyqLq_hUkocHk/s320/bill-maher-large.jpeg" width="240" /></a> </div>
<div class="body">
Bill Maher has hung onto his job hosting HBO talk show “Real
Time” for 10 years now, despite his penchant for politically incorrect comments
that would require most public figures to turn their publicists into human
shields.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But he knows that at some point, his bosses at HBO could tap him
on the shoulder and put him out to pasture.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“They did it to Johnny Carson when he was 67, and he was still
the biggest star in television almost … certainly in late-night,” says Maher,
57. “The grim reaper waits for no man, television-wise.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="body">
So he continues to hit the road with his smug, snarky brand of
political comedy: This winter, his weekly schedule typically has included the
hourlong show aired live on Fridays from a studio in <st1:city w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:city>, followed by Saturday and Sunday shows in various <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> cities.
This Sunday<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7786203751553090701" name="N_02158_3"></a> night, he performs at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:place></st1:city>’s Belk Theater. (Details: <a href="http://www.ncbpac.org/">www.ncbpac.org</a>.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="body">
“Stand-up,” Maher says, “you can do till you’re 100. George Burns
was booked at the Palladium when he was 100, and he damn almost made it.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="body">
Maher spoke to the Observer recently about Donald Trump, who is
suing Maher for $5 million over a joke he made about Trump being descended from
an orangutan; President Obama, who Maher calls “Django Unchained”; and the
real “Django Unchained” – a movie he found almost as disturbing as Trump.</div>
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<b>Q. Is it hard to switch gears
like that between doing the TV show and then doing your stand-up act?</b></div>
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No, because they actually feed each other. I love going out into
the country because I feel like I take it back to <st1:city w:st="on">L.A.</st1:city>
and have a sense of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>
that I wouldn’t have otherwise, so I’m not just talking about it from an ivory
tower. And I’m very fortunate in the type of material I do, being political,
I’m always being given a fresh batch of fun material to work with. I feel sorry
for these observational comedians who sit there at a diner looking at the
ketchup bottle, thinking, “F---, I’ve gotta come up with a joke about this.
What is funny about a ketchup bottle?” And then you finally come up with
something and they tell you, “Oh no, George Carlin observed that in 1974.” But …
especially with these Republicans, I’ve got funny stuff every week.</div>
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<b>Q. And with Trump, right?</b></div>
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Trump! Everywhere I go now, that’s the first thing the crowd
yells out. “Trump!”</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. So have you been really
busy fretting about his lawsuit against you?</b></div>
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Oh my God, when this thing goes to the Supreme Court, let me tell
you. Ahh, no I don’t know what to tell you about this man. Like I told Conan
last week, it’s as if they made Lenny from “Of Mice and Men” a billionaire. …
It’s insane. I don’t think he’s even a person. It’s like some sort of ’80s pop
reference that I’m having a feud with. It’s like J.R. Ewing and I are fighting.</div>
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<b>Q. He was actually in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:place></st1:city> earlier this month and was
talking up the golf club he bought in Mooresville, which isn’t far from here.
Maybe you can check out the course when you’re in town.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="body">
I’m not a golfer, but I know that one of his hobbies in life is
ruining coastlines, like that thing he had in Scotland, remember that? But
yeah, if that keeps him off the streets, fine.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. I take you have no
interest in ever being on “The Celebrity Apprentice”?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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Or any other reality show.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. Your thoughts on Obama at
the beginning of his second term?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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It seems like the ball really is in Obama’s court now. After the
State of the Union … and this being his second term, people are wondering
what’s he gonna do – I keep calling him “Django Unchained” for the second term
– and the Republicans are really … coming across … to the American public as
just sulking, just pissed off, reacting out of personal grudge as opposed to
what’s best for the country. And we’ll see. I think Obama had a very important
lesson to learn in the first term, which is that yeah, it was right to reach
out to people … and he certainly did reach out, you cannot blame the guy for
not trying. But all he got was the back of their hand and “Go back to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region>, you
f------ Socialist.” So it just seems like he’s taking a different tack now,
which is basically to take it to the people and embarrass the Republicans into
doing something.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. Earlier this month, you
made headlines after airing an editorial on “Real Time” that skewered the
Pope’s resignation and Catholics in general. There was one story I found that
was basically just a transcript of the monologue, and there were 361 comments
on it.</b></div>
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Oh really? All positive, I’m guessing?</div>
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</div>
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<b>Q. Absolutely. Why do you
think people get so fired up about religion?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="body">
Well, because for so many people, it’s what they cling to.
Remember what Obama said, “they cling to their guns and their religion”? And
with some people, I understand that, I said that in my movie “Religulous,” that
if you’re in prison, and you say, “All I got in here is Jesus,” I get that. But
for a lot of people, I don’t think it’s really that necessary. It’s yes,
frightening when the light goes out at night to think that you may not wake up
and if you don’t you’re just worm food, but come on. It’s attached to too much
bull----. There’s too big a price to pay for that, and obviously, the point we
were trying to make in that editorial, was that … Catholics don’t really follow
anything the Pope says anyway. Ninety-eight percent of Catholics use birth
control – that’s quite a blowing-off of church doctrine. … They masturbate and
they divorce and they have pre-marital sex. OK, so if you’re not really
following what the Pope and the Church says anyway, and the Church has been
shown to be a safe haven for child molesters, what are you sticking around for.
If he quits, you can quit.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="body">
<b>Q. Let’s talk about the
South. Your views of it?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I play the South so much. I love the South. In the old days, I
loved it because it was always more fun to go out after the show. Now that I’m
old, I don’t really go out after the show, so that’s out of the question, but
yes, it was always more fun to go out in Charlotte or Houston than it was in
Boston or even San Francisco is not much of a party town. The South knows how to
have fun. But beyond that, I love playing the South. … (Audiences) are pretty
much the same all over, people who come to see you and pay money to see you
generally are your fans. They generally want you to do well, and then you
really want to do well for them. But there is just a little extra bit of love
and enthusiasm when I play red states, because first of all I think they expect
me not to come there, they expect me to have written off that state as a bunch
of rednecks. … What I’ve found is that everywhere, (even in) the reddest of the
red states … there are always two or three thousand liberal, progressive, very
often Atheistic-thinking people even in places like Alabama. They just are
marbled into the woodwork. But they come out when I come out when I come to
their town, and so it’s sort of I think a release to be in a room with all
people who think like you when you thought maybe you were the only one in town.
So there is a really special feeling in places like that. Now, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:place></st1:city> is a big, sophisticated city so I’m
sure these people are aware that there are people like them. But maybe not so
much in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tulsa</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1:state></st1:place>. Maybe not so much in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Huntsville</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Alabama</st1:state></st1:place>.
But … I just think that in general, the feeling in the South is just different.
It’s just more laid-back. It’s more friendly. I’m not saying it’s exactly
Mayberry if you walk down the street, but there’s more humanity, as opposed to
that “don’t look at each other, don’t make eye contact” that you find in
Northern, colder cities.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. Lastly, since it’s Oscar
week, let’s talk about movies. Did you see “Argo” (which won Best Picture
Sunday)?</b></div>
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“Argo” – loved it. Great entertainment.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. How about “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city>”?</b></div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="body">
Loved “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city>.”
Loved it, and I saw that and then I saw “Django Unchained” about a week later
and I noticed that because they’re up against each other in the same year and
they both happen to be talking about similar subject matter, right, it’s about
slavery and that whole era … they’re compared to each other. … I had real
problems with (“Django”) as far as going from low comedy – like that scene
where they can’t see out of their klansmen outfits, it’s right out of “Blazing
Saddles” – to go from a scene where Kerry Washington is whipped to that scene,
I just couldn’t make that adjustment. I guess some people can, but I couldn’t
go back to laughing after I saw her whipped, or the two slaves’ fight to the
death in the living room. This I found was very disturbing. And for Steven
Spielberg to be able to do a movie about not the dramatic stuff that we think
about with Lincoln – (no) battle scenes … just the procedural movement of
legislation – and still make over $100 million, I think is an amazing
achievement. I just think he is widely perceived as the greatest director, and
he’s still underrated.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q. “Zero Dark Thirty”?</b></div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<br />
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I wasn’t all that entertained. It was OK, but it was a little too
documentary-like, and yeah, I didn’t know what all the fuss was about, quite
frankly. I liked her other one, “The Hurt Locker,” a lot more. … As far as that
whole controversy about the torture, I thought it was bull---- for the movie to
present the capture of bin Laden as dependent on that torture because the
experts seem to disagree.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="body">
<b>Q. And last one – I’m
particularly curious, since it has religious themes – did you see “Life of Pi”?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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No, I have not seen “Life of Pi.” I have stayed away on purpose.
I like Ang Lee a lot and I think he’s a great director, and I’ve really enjoyed
a lot of his movies – “The Ice Storm” and “Brokeback Mountain” – but I know
people who’ve seen it and they’ve told me, “Bill, you’re probably not gonna
want to go see this one.”</div>
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Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-71899202622654343042013-02-25T16:57:00.004-05:002013-02-25T16:57:41.356-05:00Mike Tyson show at Ovens canceled<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Tattoo a frown on your face, Iron Mike fans: Mike Tyson’s one-man show, “Undisputed Truth” -- originally scheduled for April 21 at Ovens Auditorium -- has been canceled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Weak ticket sales seem to be the culprit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Said producer James L. Nederlander: </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">"I am huge supporter of Mike and this compelling show. Unfortunately tickets sales in certain markets did not support the scope of the tour originally planned, and we've pulled back in a few markets. The tour is still traveling to numerous cities. Mike has been the consummate professional, and I'm proud to bring Mike's talent and story around the country.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The Champ himself put an even greater spin on the situation:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">"Due to circumstances beyond my control," Tyson said, "certain cities on my ‘Undisputed Truth’ tour have been canceled. I am so appreciative of my fans and all of my supporters. I sincerely apologize to anyone that was inconvenienced by these cancelations. I was looking forward to doing a great show for you and hope at a later date that I am still able to do so."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Refunds are available at point-of-purchase locations.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> </span></div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-15380503898973152682013-01-20T09:46:00.000-05:002013-02-01T10:44:29.772-05:00Opera Carolina’s 'Magic Flute' an 'art'-ful classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jun Kaneko designed the sets and the costumes for Opera Carolina’s new production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” but the Japanese native is much better known as a sculptor and painter whose works grace art galleries all over the world.<br />
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It’s no wonder, then, that the show – which opened Saturday to a sold-out Belk Theater crowd – begins with a video-projected feast for the eyes: shimmery blue lines; followed by a sequence of interconnecting, zagging, crawling lines that play like a giant, colorful Etch-a-Sketch; followed by a montage of pop-art.<br />
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Seven minutes later, you’re properly enchanted. And that 32-foot, two-headed serpent hasn’t even begun to hassle our hero Tamino yet.<br />
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Mozart’s music and Emanuel Schikaneder’s narrative remain intact in the Charlotte company’s collaboration with Washington National Opera, Opera Omaha, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and San Francisco Opera, where it debuted last summer.<br />
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The tale of the earnest young prince who is given a magic flute and goes looking for love and enlightenment still features his goofy bird-catching sidekick Papageno, his fair princess-to-be (hopefully) Pamina, and the mysterious Queen of the Night. Tamino must still undergo trials of wisdom to prove himself a worthy husband. Papageno must still find his way to his Papagena.<br />
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But as refreshed by Kaneko (also the man behind last winter’s “Madama Butterfly” reboot for Opera Carolina), the look and feel of this particular “Magic Flute” seems to have borrowed inspiration from a dozen Tim Burton movies, as well as from that drawing app your toddler uses on the iPad.<br />
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Every morsel of imagery delights, or stimulates, or seems to give a pop-cultural wink.<br />
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There’s something decidedly Spider-Man-like about Papageno’s (Kyle Pfortmiller) bodysuit. If you don’t look at sleazy Monostatos (Julius Ahn) and think Gene Simmons in Kiss makeup, you weren’t a child of the ’70s (or ’80s, or ’90s). And do we detect a little Bride of Frankenstein thing going on there with the Queen (Maria Aleida)?<br />
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You might be reminded of different things than I was, but that’s just a testament to how imaginative and evocative Kaneko’s work is.<br />
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The fact that “Magic Flute” is 100 percent in English makes this an ideal introduction to opera for all ages, and supertitles help during musical passages (though they did seem to drop out in two or three instances Saturday). However, it’s still nearly three hours long with intermission, so the experience will test younger children’s patience. The staging and costumes may be visually exciting, but the pacing is not exactly zippy.<br />
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As for the arias and other vocal arrangements, tenor Shawn Mathey (as Tamino), Korean soprano Yunah Lee (as Pamina), and bass-baritone Tom McNichols (as Sarastro, leader of the temple that’s holding Pamina) all sound strong and confident (though McNichols can be a bit more difficult to understand than the others). Meanwhile, Cuban-American Maria Aleida astonishes as the Queen – as any soprano playing the Queen should; her first and last arias, with their runs and leaps, would leave Mariah Carey stupefied.<br />
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The real star, of course, is Papageno. It’s a showy character, the adventure’s comic relief, and Pfortmiller is perfect – bright, quick, flexible, funny. Anyone who gets to slip in a joke about The Clapper in a 222-year-old opera while most of the rest of the cast is always so serious will be an instant fan favorite.<br />
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Still, one person got a larger ovation during the curtain call Saturday. That’d be Kaneko. Thanks to him, Opera Carolina’s latest is a true work of art.<br />
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<i>There are two more upcoming performances of ‘The Magic Flute’: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. $15-$140. 172 minutes, including a 22-minute intermission. In English, with English subtitles. 704-372-1000; www.operacarolina.org.</i>Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-82319954207435701662013-01-14T16:28:00.001-05:002013-01-14T16:28:37.608-05:00Charlotte native's ad could be Super Bowl-boundProvidence High School grad Mark Freiburger, now a Hollywood filmmaker, has created a Doritos commercial that could air during the Super Bowl. <br /><br /> According to a press release, Freiburger, 29, has always wanted to make family films and that was the inspiration behind his ad “Fashionista Daddy.” <a href="http://magicbulletmedia.com/MNR/crashthesuperbowl/finalistdetails3.php">Click here to view the ad</a>.<br /><br /> Selected out of thousands of entrants, Freiburger and the four other finalists will compete for the chance to have their ads air during the Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3 on CBS. Two ads will air -- one selected by America’s votes and one by the Doritos brand team. The finalist whose ad scores highest on the USA TODAY Ad Meter rankings will get to work with director Michael Bay on the next installment of the “Transformers” movie franchise, along with a shot at a $1 million bonus.<br /><br /> People can vote for their favorite commercial on the "Doritos Crash the Super Bowl"-branded app on the Doritos Facebook Page (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA">http://www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA</a>) and/or on the Facebook mobile app through Jan. 29.Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-48769050717196422682013-01-09T13:00:00.003-05:002013-01-09T13:09:37.730-05:00'Banshee' star relishes sexy role<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GHzlW0abVAuFydkooDx0A9X5BbL1szPcgUkhSuPzt4Qfsook_dowoUzQ-kYqbQiRTLcdhj73_e-DgGc9BV2XyaJd-5nkP6IL-hNDOogl9DyOdg_Jm7_MyQXvxdEd7q6W8NcV82k0q3c/s1600/banshee03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GHzlW0abVAuFydkooDx0A9X5BbL1szPcgUkhSuPzt4Qfsook_dowoUzQ-kYqbQiRTLcdhj73_e-DgGc9BV2XyaJd-5nkP6IL-hNDOogl9DyOdg_Jm7_MyQXvxdEd7q6W8NcV82k0q3c/s320/banshee03.jpg" width="213" /></a><span id="goog_993093774"></span><span id="goog_993093775"></span>Ivana Miličević has been doing film and TV work for 17 years, but her role on Season 1 of "Banshee" -- which premieres on Cinemax at 10 p.m. Friday -- marks a couple of firsts for the Bosnian-born actress.</div>
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It's
the first time she's been the female lead on a TV series, and it was her first time in North Carolina, which is where all 10 episodes of the series were shot last year.</div>
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In "Banshee," Miličević plays a former thief who has been leading a quietly domestic life in Banshee, Pa., under a false cover for years. Her husband-and-two-kids existence is idyllic ... until her old partner-in-crime/lover (Antony Starr) comes back into her life, having stolen the identity of her small town's new sheriff.</div>
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Miličević is hardly a household name, but you've probably seen her on-screen before. She's a former Bond girl ("Casino Royale"), and famously appeared opposite Will Smith in 1998's "Enemy of the State" (as an amused salesgirl in a lingerie shop). She also played an American hottie in the British-based Christmas rom-com "Love Actually."</div>
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But she calls Carrie the role of a lifetime for her.</div>
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"I just love this part," Miličević says. "It’s very lucky and ... it’s rare for a female character to be written
so well, and so emotional, and so in love, and so torn, and so tough,
and so sexual."</div>
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"I loved the script. ... When I read it, it read very pulpy, and I was
like, 'Wow, this is so kind Quentin Tarantino-ey in a way, like Coen
Brother-ey, and funny in its heightened reality, but so
emotional, because I really can feel this love story. So first
and foremost, probably the love story drew me in. Second of all ... look at what I get to play. I get to fight. I get
to train. I get to love. I get to be sexy. I mean, if not now, when?"</div>
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She also loved North Carolina.</div>
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"I’m from Michigan, so some
bits of it reminded me of Michigan. Especially in the summer. When I got there, I noticed all the wild blackberry
bushes everywhere. So I couldn’t wait for those to ripen. And I was really
looking forward to the fireflies."</div>
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She also didn't mind that it was one of the hottest years on record. </div>
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"I loved the weather. I loved it when
it got hot. I was just like, 'Come on, bring it.' ... In L.A., it’s never too cold. It gets a little hot for a
little bit. But I’m talkin’ some good old-fashioned humidity. I could
handle it. I was like, 'Bring it.' I loved it."</div>
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Oh, and "Banshee" marked one other key first for Miličević: It was the first time she'd ever taken her clothes off for a role.</div>
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"I've never wanted to. I've never been inspired to. But for this, I was," says Miličević, 38. "I was like, 'Oh, for this, it needs to be done, and it needs to be done well. It needs to not be done with a sheet wrapped around me; it needs to be done like a husband and wife do it. ... I just kind of wanted it to be natural. And I don't really find them gratuitous because ... it's part of the story."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
In the series pilot airing Friday night, things get hot and heavy between Miličević and on-screen husband Rus Blackwell -- although her character, Carrie, actually has former flame Lucas (Starr) on the brain.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
And yeah, believe it or not, there's character development going on here.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
"I
was telling my family, they were like, 'Oh, we just won’t watch (the sex scene).'
But I said, 'No, you kind of have to, because there’s story points in it.
It’s not just there to be there, like, 'Hey, let’s take a moment and get
turned on.' "<br />
<br />
<i>For more on "Banshee," check out <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/09/3774475/banshee-shot-in-charlotte-screeches.html"><b>this story</b></a>.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_112459134"></span><span id="goog_112459135"></span></div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-12654192220833572692012-12-17T10:17:00.002-05:002012-12-17T10:17:31.239-05:00EpiCentre offers free cab rides for partiersDuring the month of December, the uptown <a href="http://epicentrenc.com/">EpiCentre</a> will partner with the local ABC Board and three cab companies to provide complimentary rides within the 1-277 corridors through the "I’m Not Driving Impaired" initiative.<br />
<br />
The initiative allows adults (21 and older, obviously) who have consumed alcohol to receive a $10 voucher for a single trip cab ride with City Cab, Crown Cab or Yellow Cab companies. This program is sponsored by Mecklenburg County ABC Board and is supported through the sales of distilled spirits in Mecklenburg County.<br />
<br />
According to the EpiCentre, Mecklenburg County prosecutes approximately 4,000 driving while impaired cases each year. This statistic spikes during December, while companies and individuals celebrate the holidays. <br /><br /> <br />
Vouchers for the cab rides are available at the valet stand on College Street. The offer is limited and may end without notice, the EpiCentre says. Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-82190248360314294412012-12-12T11:13:00.000-05:002012-12-12T11:13:06.247-05:00Mike Tyson bringing one-man show to Charlotte<link href="file:///C:%5Ctemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1TewwFKI7NAGhHXztXP1eqkUjt2uDdGkrEiciWydbZeQGUfDLrgoclRz0KDA9cYQDY83oXrXJCcRiMQJMEiqz2Kmt1Hgiser_-0DLRmv5j6W4gra2Gq6NT4TNmtIjVU35jYEXSeVDYA/s1600/MIKE+NEW+HEADSHOT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1TewwFKI7NAGhHXztXP1eqkUjt2uDdGkrEiciWydbZeQGUfDLrgoclRz0KDA9cYQDY83oXrXJCcRiMQJMEiqz2Kmt1Hgiser_-0DLRmv5j6W4gra2Gq6NT4TNmtIjVU35jYEXSeVDYA/s320/MIKE+NEW+HEADSHOT.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="body">
Hear Mike Tyson’s name and you’ll likely think of heavyweight
titles, bitten-off ears, face tattoos and – if you’re a fan of “The Hangover”
movies – <st1:place w:st="on">Bengal</st1:place> tigers.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
You would not, presumably, think of the stage, much less of
Broadway.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
Yet Broadway is exactly where the former boxing superstar-turned-thespian
spent 10 days in August, as the star of his one-man show, “Mike Tyson:
Undisputed Truth.” And on April 21, he’ll bring that show to the stage at Ovens
Auditorium as part of a 10-week national tour. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m.
Friday<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7786203751553090701" name="N_01827_2"></a>.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
The show – written by wife Kiki Spicer and directed by Spike Lee –
is billed as “a rare, personal look inside the life and mind of one of the most
feared men ever to wear the heavyweight crown.”</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
Among the topics: His hardscrabble youth in Brooklyn; his
relationships with mentor Cus D’Amato (good), boxing promoter Don King (bad),
and rival Mitch Green (ugly); the 2009 death of his 4-year-old daughter; and
his conversion of veganism.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
Oh, and the time he caught former wife Robin Givens with Brad
Pitt in the late ’80s.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
This tidbit caused murmuring during “Undisputed Truth’s” run on
Broadway, but after he talked about the incident in detail during a recent
interview with Yahoo! Sports, headlines like “I Caught Brad Pitt Having Sex
With My Wife” were splashed all over the Internet last week.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
In a phone interview with the Observer on Tuesday, Tyson said the
story has gotten blown out of proportion.</div>
<div class="body">
“You see how rumors get spread,” Tyson said. “I didn’t walk in on
them. They weren’t actually (having sex). But that’s what they were going to
do.”</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
“He’s in the show because it was a part of my life,” Tyson
continued. “I’m not angry at him, I’m not trying to pick fights with him or
anything like that. No way. I’m just telling a story, and I’m telling it from a
funny perspective. It’s all about me being (an idiot<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7786203751553090701" name="N_01828_3"></a>).”</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
Tyson had a similar explanation for a portion of the show about
Givens, which some critics say is a lengthy and vicious verbal attack on his
former wife.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
“People look at it as if I’m out to get her,” he said. “I’m not
out to get her. I’m out to show how much of (an idiot) I was for her.”</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
More than anything, he’s out to win over his fans again.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
“I just love to be able to entertain people,” Tyson said. “I’ve
done this first as a boxer, and that’s where I got the bug. I just love being
in front of the camera … I love hearing people applaud.”</div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-88806742871404669852012-12-06T10:21:00.001-05:002012-12-06T10:21:29.823-05:00Emily Maynard ... on 'Dancing With the Stars'?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaumy57fEd7-iPeAC5yjbSbY14xz5fDWchb2EbCklzKolcR1Z9Wq157zISNsUmQyY_S-VljVU1G8IVMIfr8gadIFfUElN3JsAZ7ekxa8z98eTKF1y4x-TLFOGAtdToJuv4TED48RpoMuI/s1600/emily-maynard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaumy57fEd7-iPeAC5yjbSbY14xz5fDWchb2EbCklzKolcR1Z9Wq157zISNsUmQyY_S-VljVU1G8IVMIfr8gadIFfUElN3JsAZ7ekxa8z98eTKF1y4x-TLFOGAtdToJuv4TED48RpoMuI/s320/emily-maynard1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
In October, rumors were swirling around the Internet that Emily Maynard would be returning for a second shot at love on "The Bachelorette" (third, if you include her run on "The Bachelor" in 2011).<br />
<br />
Well, there's fresh buzz about a possible return to ABC reality television for Charlotte's most famous single mom -- only this time, if the rumors are true, Maynard would be confronted with a different kind of smooth moves.<br />
<br />
RadarOnline.com is reporting that <a href="http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/12/emily-maynard-dancing-with-stars-new-season-16">Maynard, 26, has signed on for the upcoming 16th season of "Dancing With the Stars,"</a> and offers some interesting gossip regarding the news (that it attributes to the new issue of Star magazine).<br />
<br />
According to the report, Maynard inked the "DWTS" deal with ABC when she agreed to be on "The Bachelorette." The report also quotes a source close to Maynard as saying all Emily seemingly cares about is extending her run of TV exposure.<br />
<br />
"Emily told me the real reason she wants to do the show is to help get herself her own talk show,” dished the insider. "She's terrified of losing her fame. She loves being famous and has wanted it her entire life."<br />
<br />
What do you think? If Maynard winds up on the show, would you tune in to check out her fancy footwork?Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-90705086446086409642012-11-28T11:23:00.000-05:002012-11-28T11:23:58.309-05:00Scotty McCreery is everywhere this Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr8Mj5I5XC1V0pefLZ8w9oeYkj3LszYHw1NRNFvaLitjtkG2kzQW5mmMjOVlmBtsxWHoItCsXNBwgFTgKkosAVnmufBOOhlPq5zUGeDsuGwfC0nQNcl9EOIZaImvmciVpGLg62PZPqj0/s1600/Scotty-McCreery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr8Mj5I5XC1V0pefLZ8w9oeYkj3LszYHw1NRNFvaLitjtkG2kzQW5mmMjOVlmBtsxWHoItCsXNBwgFTgKkosAVnmufBOOhlPq5zUGeDsuGwfC0nQNcl9EOIZaImvmciVpGLg62PZPqj0/s400/Scotty-McCreery2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Garner native Scotty McCreery will be spreading Christmas cheer over the next few weeks with several television appearances and performances in support of his gold-certified album "Christmas With Scotty McCreery."<br />
<br />
The former "American Idol" winner will appear on NBC’s 15th annual "Christmas In Rockefeller Center," which airs at 8 tonight and also features Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Cee Lo Green and others.<br />
<br />
And there's more McCreery where that came from. He'll also...<br />
<br />
...make two appearances on ABC’s "Good Morning America," first on Dec. 11 and again on Dec. 24 <br />
<br />
...perform and host his own holiday special, "Christmas With Scotty McCreery & Friends," on GAC at 11 p.m. Saturday, with re-airings to follow.<br />
<br />
...appear as a presenter on the American Country Awards, which airs live on Dec. 10 on Fox.<br />
<br />
...appear on the CMA Country Christmas special, airing Dec. 20 on ABC.<br />
<br />
...appear on the 10th annual “Hollywood Christmas Celebration At The Grove,” a nationally syndicated TV special airing nationally for the next six weeks (check local listings for show times).<br />
<br />
"Christmas With Scotty McCreery," an 11-song collection featuring two original holiday tracks as well as classic favorites, is in stores now.Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-89792092166383408932012-11-05T15:18:00.000-05:002012-11-05T15:18:19.583-05:00Jef Holm to launch People Water in Charlotte<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XrEcOcCz_3HctS1sIVU5dkSCh7-1i5zTKMQYuUEmoWvaif4LoyyPn0sxpXs_cXMfgTJ4XwhHOz6c8u-sRw_O4nFwPU3x3teqzKLtYqrP04XuzwhEugB7VbKWudltwhFvLGWpDRKbbF4/s1600/jefholm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XrEcOcCz_3HctS1sIVU5dkSCh7-1i5zTKMQYuUEmoWvaif4LoyyPn0sxpXs_cXMfgTJ4XwhHOz6c8u-sRw_O4nFwPU3x3teqzKLtYqrP04XuzwhEugB7VbKWudltwhFvLGWpDRKbbF4/s320/jefholm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's been more than three months since Jef Holm's proposal to Emily Maynard went public on ABC's "The Bachelorette," and although the couple is no longer engaged, Holm is about to make headlines in Charlotte for something other than his love life.<br />
<br />
The 28-year-old CEO of Utah-based bottled-water and social-activism company People Water will officially launch his brand at an event Thursday at The Baby Grocery Store in South Charlotte.<br />
<br />
Holm is scheduled to be at the store's grand opening from noon to 2 p.m.; his appearance is open to the public.<br />
<br />
People Water promotes safe drinking water in poor countries. After their engagement was revealed in July, Holm and Maynard traveled to Ghana, where they helped build wells as part of his company's efforts.<br />
<br />
The Baby Grocery Store (billed as "a Whole Foods for babies and kids"), which is opening this week at 10225 Park Road, carries all-natural baby and kid products such as food, diapers, body care and kitchen equipment, and features a demo kitchen and living room for playgroups and baby showers. The store's focus on environmentally responsible products led them to select People Water as the only bottled water they will carry, according to a People Water spokesperson.<br />
<br />
For more on People Water, click <a href="https://www.peoplewater.com/"><b>here</b></a>. For more on The Baby Grocery Store, click <a href="http://blog.thebabygrocerystore.com/"><b>here</b></a>. Follow Holm on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jefholm"><b>here</b></a>.Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-16624746786857113522012-11-05T10:13:00.000-05:002012-11-05T10:13:00.044-05:00Score passes to see Spielberg's 'Lincoln'!<div class="body">
The Charlotte Observer is giving away 40 “Admit Two”
passes to a special advance screening Wednesday of the new film “Lincoln.” Steven Spielberg directs Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis in the drama, which focuses on the 16th president’s tumultuous final months in office.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
In a nation divided by war and the winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. Here's the trailer:<br />
</div>
<div class="body">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qiSAbAuLhqs" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div class="body">
<br />
The
special advance screening will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7,
with the location of the theater to be revealed when you pick up your
passes. “Lincoln” will be released in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Charlotte</st1:place></st1:city> on Friday, Nov. 9.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
How to get your free pass: Come to the security console in the main lobby of the Charlotte Observer building, <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">600 S. Tryon St.</st1:address></st1:street>, beginning at noon TODAY (Monday, Nov. 5)<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7786203751553090701" name="N_90008_1"></a>. You may take just one “Admit Two” pass, while supplies last.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
The
film is rated PG-13. On the night of the screening, it is recommended to
arrive early since seating is not guaranteed and on a first-come,
first-served basis.</div>
<div class="body">
<br /></div>
<div class="body">
For details on the movie, visit <a href="http://www.thelincolnmovie.com/">www.thelincolnmovie.com</a>.</div>
Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-8194664325788469772012-10-31T10:26:00.001-04:002012-10-31T14:43:50.716-04:00'Red' sells swiftly; Taylor sets Charlotte date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxz4K38Vaw3_pGccortnpGwwZ6QcU6d3XB6oXog_dNbE1qo43CtdGm-EguDeASeOpahxO5Kp2dhRIGOTGf9vAisGCjEdNzyg5x-2ZDKKpcuPUV4XhaJVpfbhc9FHMrOStQMQxndlZ6NM/s1600/taylorswift100212red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxz4K38Vaw3_pGccortnpGwwZ6QcU6d3XB6oXog_dNbE1qo43CtdGm-EguDeASeOpahxO5Kp2dhRIGOTGf9vAisGCjEdNzyg5x-2ZDKKpcuPUV4XhaJVpfbhc9FHMrOStQMQxndlZ6NM/s400/taylorswift100212red.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Taylor Swift's fans have gone crazy for her new album, "Red," and that devotion has translated into an almost unprecedented amount of green.<br />
<br />
According to Nielsen SoundScan data released Tuesday night, "Red" sold 1.2 million copies in its first week -- the most since Eminem's "The Eminem Show" sold 1.3 million in just seven days in 2002.<br />
<br />
"Red" is only the 18th album to sell a million units in a single week since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991, <a href="http://www.billboard.com/news/taylor-swift-s-red-sells-1-21-million-biggest-1007994382.story#/news/taylor-swift-s-red-sells-1-21-million-biggest-1007994382.story">Billboard.com reports</a>. It's also the second-largest sales frame for a female artist; only Britney Spears had a bigger week, when "Oops! . . . I Did It Again" sold 1.319 million in its debut in 2000.<br />
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Meanwhile, last week, Swift announced headlining tour dates for 2013 in support of the new album. The North American "Red" tour begins March 13 in Omaha, Neb., and will visit Charlotte on March 22. Stay tuned for on-sale information, or sign up to be notified about pre-sale concert tickets <a href="http://taylorswift.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c69e402558219d0c8a0c48cd6&id=2f3e4cb96a">here</a>.
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<iframe src="http://embed.newsinc.com/Single/iframe.html?WID=2&VID=23857410&freewheel=90473&sitesection=charlotte&height=228&width=405" height=228 width=405 frameborder=no scrolling=no noresize marginwidth=0px marginheight=0px></iframe>Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-27613990773839641892012-10-18T11:08:00.001-04:002012-10-18T11:08:21.491-04:00'Banshee' trailer debuts onlineCharlotte is hot on premium cable TV this year, thanks to "Homeland," which is primarily filmed in and around the city.<br />
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In 2013, we'll find out if we've got another hit on our hands.<br />
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Entertainment Weekly is reporting that "Banshee" -- Cinemax's forthcoming action-drama series, also shot here -- will debut on the premium TV network on at 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013.<br />
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"Banshee" is being produced by Greg Yaitanes ("House"), Peter Macdissi, and Alan Ball, creator and executive producer of past HBO series "Six Feet Under" and current HBO series "True Blood." The new series follows an ex-convict who assumes the identity of a sheriff in the mythical city of Banshee, Pa., and continues his criminal activities.<br />
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Click <b><a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/10/18/banshee-trailer-alan-ball-exclusive/">HERE</a> </b>to check out the exclusive trailer from Entertainment Weekly.Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7786203751553090701.post-14320824068189545862012-10-15T12:08:00.000-04:002012-10-15T12:08:03.110-04:00Willie Nelson to play Fillmore CharlotteCountry music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is coming to the Fillmore Charlotte on Dec. 5, with Lukas Nelson. <br />
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Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at <a href="http://www.livenation.com/event/0E00494A9D0943A1">LiveNation.com</a>, the Fillmore Charlotte box office (opens at noon), all Ticketmaster outlets including select Wal-Mart stores, or charge by phone 800-745-3000.<br />
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For more information, go to <a href="http://www.fillmorecharlottenc.com/">www.fillmorecharlottenc.com</a> or <a href="http://www.livenation.com/">www.livenation.com</a>.Theoden Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00408175935751298067noreply@blogger.com0