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Arts, Music, Movie Reviews, Celebrity News & Events from Cleveland, OH

Every time pianist Lang Lang sits down at the keyboard or contemplates a new project, he asks himself whether what he's doing will serve his art or hinder it. Usually, he has no doubt that what he's doing is right, and proof comes in the form of sell-out crowds, high ranks on Billboard charts and standing ovations.

All of these have become routine occurrences in an extraordinary career that began with Lang as a child prodigy in northeast China and now includes performances all over the world.

Sometimes, though, the answer is harder to see, such as when Lang is tempted to experiment with new technology, form promotional partnerships or perform music that doesn't quite fit inside classical boundaries, all of which he's done lately. In these instances, Lang tries to take the long view.

"If it hurts music, you don't do it," says the 26-year-old native of Shenyang by phone from a hotel room in Orange County, Calif. "But if it's just that not everyone will like it, you need to look at the long term. You need to find a balance."

Continue reading "Cleveland Orchestra guest pianist Lang Lang's star is rising" »

Apparently, it's not too late to whip up support for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Devo hopes to do just that when it returns to its hometown to headline a benefit concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the Akron Civic Theatre. Proceeds will go to the Summit County Democratic Party. Continue reading "Devo rallies behind Obama with homecoming benefit gig Oct. 17 at Akron Civic Theatre" »

LOS ANGELES -- Alongside a photo spread that shows her in little more than a T-shirt, Halle Berry talks about being the sexiest woman alive, a title Esquire magazine gives her in its November issue.

"I don't know exactly what it means, but being 42 and having just had a baby, I think I'll take it," says Berry, who has Cleveland roots and who gave birth to her daughter, Nahla, in March.

"Sexiness is a state of mind -- a comfortable state of being," she says. "It's about loving yourself in your most unlovable moments."

But Berry, who won an Oscar for her role in "Monster's Ball," can't claim the sexiest-woman honor all to herself.

"I share this title with every woman, because every woman is a nominee for it at any moment," she says.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the host of Laugh Track, a man who can now safely say that O.J. did it ... Mike McIntyre.

Thank you, Cleveland. I could almost hear the spirit of Johnnie Cochran saying, "If you have no glove, you'll get no love."

Suburban comedy: Bogey's opens next week at 28060 Chardon Road in Willoughby Hills with a private VIP party Wednesday and then a full weekend lineup Thursday through Saturday. It's the brainchild of comedian Kirk Bogos, who works by day as a radio ad sales rep, and his business consultant brother. His former brother-in-law will manage the place, which has teamed up with nearby Tony's Pizza to provide food service.

Bogos had a midlife crisis when he turned 50 and took Dave Schwensen's comedy class. The five-minute performance graduation had him hooked and now he's a solid comedy part-timer. Club ownership takes it to the next level.

Laugh Track asked Bogos a few questions.

Continue reading "A new comedy club in Willoughby Hills, Robin Williams, Carl LaBove and more: It's Laugh Track" »

Molly Shannon remembers her years on "Saturday Night Live" with great fondness, but there was nothing funny about the brutal working hours. Although there were offers for series, the Shaker Heights native simply wasn't ready for prime time.

"My goals were different after I left the show," said Shannon, who began her six-year association with "Saturday Night Live" in February 1995. "I just felt like I didn't want to be work, work, work, working, and let my whole life pass me by."

She married artist Fritz Chesnut, with whom she has two children, Stella and Nolan. So why did she accept the challenge of playing the Kath half of "Kath & Kim," the NBC comedy premiering at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 on WKYC Channel 3?

Continue reading "Molly Shannon swings back into TV series life with NBC's 'Kath & Kim'" »

Turning back the clock with 2-1-6 pride is how Cleveland rap trio Go Live Grizzlies -- George "Poohmanchew" Goins, Chris "Papa Bear" Todd and Sam "Goody" Turner -- approached its debut album, "Grizzly Business."

"We look at ourselves as vintage hip-hop," said Goins, a 1992 Shaker Heights High School graduate and Cleveland resident. "It's back to the basics with a DJ scratching and good emceeing. It takes a lot of people back to the time of Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, but with more of a Cleveland edge and a little bit more street appeal to it. The Cleveland edge is, we don't use any out-of-town or New York-type lingo. It'll be like you can feel the struggle of Cleveland. You can feel that on the album."

Goins said his favorites on the new CD are the loud "Crazy" and the upbeat "Pushhh." The latter track includes vocals by Goins' 6-year-old son, Carter. After touring acros Ohio last summer, the threesome is taking part in the Scribble Jam preliminary event at 9 p.m. Friday at the Symposium Nite Club, 11802 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Tickets are $8. Call 216-228-6300.

Continue reading "Cleveland's Go Live Grizzlies go back in time to when hip-hop was new" »

Lots of places hold wine-tasting events. The only reason I'd single out one of them is because I don't usually associate Sokolowski's University Inn with pairings, but that's what's on the horizon for Bernie and Mike Sokolowski's humble house of homespun fare.

"I went out to Napa Valley about three years ago with my old college friend, Dave Rogers," says Bernie, "and while I was falling in love with the whole Napa thing, I thought, 'Why not? Why can't we pair our food with wines?' I think University Inn should show more taste in wine and not just randomly picking wines to sell based on price. I really want our customers to have a stuffed cabbage they can't get in any other restaurant in the city and enjoy it with a wine that makes them go 'Wow!' "

So at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, the University Inn will pair some of its most popular dishes -- among them, stuffed cabbage and flank steak entrees -- with at least five specially chosen wines. Rogers, who happens to be an area physician who bills himself as The Wine Snob, will moderate the pairings.

"He'll also talk about the benefits of wine in terms of health and the practical side of what to look for when you're shopping for wine," says Sokolowski. "He's very witty and good-humored, and we won't be doing tiny little pours served with cubes of cheese -- we're doing it University Inn style, not like some tastings when you leave hungry and thirsty. So this will be a really fun evening."

Sokolowski's University Inn: Tickets for the Oct. 16 event are $50, including dinner, pourings of wine, live entertainment and a presentation by David Rogers. Advance sales only; no tickets at the door. University Inn is at 1201 University Road, Cleveland (Tremont); 216-771-8967.

Continue reading "What goes with kielbasa? Sokolowski's University Inn starts wine tastings: Restaurant Row" »

Another week tailor-made for literary lovers begins this Friday with David Sedaris at PlayhouseSquare, riding the acclaim for his latest compilation of humor, "When You are Engulfed in Flames."

Quirky, gifted Susan Orlean, best known for "The Orchid Thief," will trot out her first picture book, "Lazy Little Loafers" Oct. 13. In between, two local book stores celebrate the gritty work of Los Angeles poet and novelist Charles Bukowski. Readers can volunteer to participate.

Here's what's ahead for the week in books.

Continue reading "David Sedaris and Susan Orlean lead a splendid week of author visits to Cleveland" »

There's a catfight brewin' on Facebook. Lindsay Lohan and former Sister of the Missing Underpants Paris Hilton are hissing, spitting and clawing at each other on the social networking site. Lohan lashed out at Hilton for starting a group called "Firecrotch," referring to Lohan's red hair. Hilton claims Lohan started it. They both need to be spanked and sat in separate corners until they can play nice.

Click "continue reading" to find out why Tina Fey is laughing all the way to the bank, why Devo's playing Akron, and why Drew Barrymore is loving the single life.

Continue reading "Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton in an online spat; Victoria Beckham goes to extremes for good skin: The Morning After" »

Cable channel AMC will honor Cleveland Heights native Paul Newman and the 35th anniversary of "The Sting" with two showings of the film, at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13. Co-starring Robert Redford and released in 1973, "The Sting" won seven Academy Awards, including best picture. Newman, who grew up in Shaker Heights and attended Kenyon College, died Friday, Sept. 26, at 83.

His 1961 classic, "The Hustler," will air at 1:15 a.m. and 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, on AMC.

The AMC airings of "The Sting" and "The Hustler" follow the previously announced 24-hour Turner Classics Movie tribute that begins at 6 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. "The Sting" and "The Hustler" are two titles not included in the 11-film schedule of Newman films on TCM:

Continue reading "AMC will honor Newman with 'The Sting,' 'The Hustler'" »