Watch: Kevin Smith’s True Hollywood Stories

You probably know Kevin Smith as the mastermind behind such movies as Clerks, Mallrats and Zak and Miri Make A Porno; but what you may not realize is that Smith also happens to be one of the greatest living storytellers around. While some in Hollywood insist on keeping their behind-the-scenes shenanigans under wraps, Smith is never afraid to lay it all out there for you. Here we’ve collected some of our favorite Kevin Smith True Hollywood Stories.

1. The story of how he almost wrote and directed a Superman movie in which the man of steel would not fly nor wear a cape.

2. Kevin Smith hangs out with Prince for a week to shoot a documentary…then things get weird.

Prince and Kevin Smith part 2
Prince and Kevin Smith part 3
Prince and Kevin Smith part 4

3. How Smith ended up protesting his own movie Dogma

Watch the actual news report from the Dogma story here

Watch Smith tell the story of how he pissed off Tim Burton here

Watch Smith describe how people reacted to his stories here

Much of this footage is from the 2002 DVD An Evening with Kevin Smith

posted by: Harold Johns III

Art Roundup: July 23, 2010 to July 30, 2010

Weekly roundup of the best art shows and art related events in and around the Lawrence/Kansas City area.

FRIDAY JULY 23

• POP: A Group Exhibition
Lawrence Arts Center (940 New Hampshire Street in Lawrence, KS)
Friday, July 23, 7-9pm (Ongoing until August 20th)
From the organizers: Taking inspiration from popular culture, artists use a variety of mediums to express their personal visions. This exhibit explores a range of approaches to art making, especially ideas of popular culture and its influences.  The use of found objects or recycled imagery which in their original context fit into the everyday are often used by artists to create a new conversation about current and past influences on culture.  The participating artists in this exhibition represent several generations, and, therefore, varying perspectives on popular culture interact in the gallery. Featuring art by Kendra Marable, Archie Gobber, Dan Anderson, Kristin Morland, Jaimie Warren, Alison Filley, Jeff Eaton, Jeremy Rockwell, Joelle Ford, and Ann Dean

• Unmask. Unearth: Discovering the Wetlands
The Lawrence Percolator (940 New Hampshire in Lawrence, KS)
Friday, July 23, 6pm
(The art is on view starting at 6pm with performances at 7pm on the 23rd and 24th)
From the organizers: The Lawrence Youth Ensemble will perform the play, which is about the Baker Wetlands. The play, performed and written by area teenagers, is a collaboration among several community agencies, including the Lawrence Youth Ensemble, the Percolator, and the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center. These performances are accompanied by a art show featuring Wetlands-inspired art.

• The Victor Continental Show
Liberty Hall (803 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS)
Friday, July 23, 9:30pm (With a second performance July 24th at 9:30pm)
From the organizers: The swinging sketch comedy of Victor Continental returns for another steamy summer affair! This local troupe of song and dance provocateurs skewer everything from foul-mouthed mimes to the state of the Lawrence economy in this awesome annual tradition.

SATURDAY JULY 24

• 1109 Gallery Members Show
1109 Gallery (1109 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS)
Saturday, July 24, 7-9pm
From the organizers: The Lawrence Art Guild presents our once-a-year members show at 1109 Gallery.  This show is sure to be an eclectic mix of all mediums and a must-see for everyone!

SUNDAY JULY 25

• Nature Photography Exhibit
Mirth Cafe (745 New Hampshire Street in Lawrence, KS)
Sunday, July 25, All Day
From the organizers: Local photographer A. Scott McCauley will be showing a collection of his nature portfolio at Mirth. A preview of his work can be seen on his website AScottMcCauley.com where prints can also be purchased.

FRIDAY JULY 30

• Do You Need A Friend To Go With?
Wonder Fair: Art Gallery, Shoppe & Studio
(803 1/2 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS)
Friday, July 30, 7-10pm (Ongoing until August 22nd)
From the organizers: Christopher Bostwick is a graduate of the printmaking department at the Kansas City Art Institute. It was here that he developed his skills as a printmaker but also reaffirmed his penchant for drawing directly on paper.
Do You Need A Friend To Go With? features colored pencil and gouache drawings – some as large as 60” x 48”. These drawings take the form of a set or stage, the theatrics of which are always implied, the actors never shown. Bostwick sets the scenes, rife with absurd details culled from a culture of excess and Google image searches. He revels in humorous juxtapositions and complicitous pairings. His drawings become abandoned scenes full of misleading clues to the most banal of mysteries – the everyday.

posted by: Scott Stewart

Infographic: Google’s Data Removal Service

click the image for a larger version

According to Good Magazine (published July 20, 2010):

Google compiles and holds vast amounts of the world’s data. It’s supposed to be totally private but sometimes governments need that information for investigations, and they request it from Google (or its subsidiaries like YouTube, Blogger, or Orkut). Other times, governments find a piece of data offensive or erroneous, and request that Google remove it from its database entirely. The search giant makes all these requests public. This is a look at which countries ask Google for the most information on its users, which ask Google to remove the most information, and how often Google gives information.

The infographic was designed by MGMT design.

posted by: Brent Carter

Designer Style: Erin Kleinberg

Thanks to my newest issue of American Elle for introducing me to fashion designer Erin Kleinberg. Pictured here are shots from her Fall 2010 Lookbook featuring Annabelle Dexter-Jones, younger sister to Mark, Samantha and Charlotte Ronson. The clothes look so cozy but at the same time ready to wear to dinner, a night out, the beach, etc etc etc. And I love the touches of velvet which seem to move the casual sportswear to more luxury pieces with a relaxed, hippie vibe.

From the designer:

Launched in the Summer of 2008, erinkleinberg was created in an attempt to bridge a gap in the marketplace with a collection of semi-couture tanks, tees, cardigans, and novelty pieces.

With past experience at W Magazine, working under the guidance of Alex White, Kleinberg’s entrepreneurship and love of design were the driving forces behind her namesake line. Recognizing her design aesthetic from the get-go, Barneys New York picked up her very first collection and have since been strong supporters of her brand.

With an eco-friendly twist and hand-sewn beading and embellishments, Kleinberg seeks to provide the ultimate in luxury, yet still maintains the predominance of comfort embedded throughout her line.

posted by: Tricia Rock

Music Archive: Nirvana “Love Buzz/Scoff/About a Girl” (Live 1988)

This is a Nirvana rehearsal from 1988 filmed at bassist Krist Novoselic’s mom’s house in Aberdeen, Washington.  You’ll notice Dave Grohl isn’t behind the drum kit,  he didn’t join the band until 1990. All three of these songs evetually appeared on Nirvana’s first full length album Bleach which was released in 1989 on Sub Pop.

posted by: Harold Johns III