Weekly buzz
Happy Thursday, everyone! The weekend is almost here, so here are some things coming up this weekend and through next week.
MOVIES
–Jack Kevorkian is going Hollywood. The assisted suicide doctor who spent 8 years in prison for second-degree murder is talking to HBO Films for a movie about his controversial practices. He was paroled in June at age 79.
–Ving Rhames will play heavyweight fighter Sonny Liston in the movie “Phantom Punch” which will be directed by Robert Townsend. The movie will chronicle Liston’s rise to fame as a boxer and the single “phantom punch” he took from Muhammad Ali.
–Bee Movie by Jerry Seinfield comes out Friday. Check it out. Monroe native Mandy Richardville helped create the film. See last Thursday’s Arts and Entertainment sectionof the paper for the full story at www.monroenews.com.
Other movies opening on Friday are:
-American Gangster
-Martian Child
-Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (limited)
-Mama, I Want to Sing (limited)
DVD
–Family Guy’s “Star Wars” themed episode is being turned into a special DVD. It will feature the extended cut of the episode and many features, including an interview with George Lucas. The original episode was this season’s premiere, and it drew in 10.7 million viewers. The DVD will cost $22.99 and goes on sale on Jan. 15.
–Jerry Seinfeld is going to have a big week. First his Bee Movie comes out on Friday, then 2 Seinfeld DVDs go on sale on Tuesday.
All 180 episodes — from the pilot to the 2-part finale — are included in a 32-disc DVD “Seinfield: The Complete Series Collection” out on Tuesday, Nov. 6. It includes interviews and bonus features. Also part of the collection is a 226-page coffee table book devoted to the series. On the same day, a 4-disc DVD, “Seinfeld: Season 9″ will be out.
Here is a list of some other DVDs going on sale Tuesday, Nov. 6:
-The Best of The Colbert Report
-Michael Moore’s “Sicko”
-I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
-Ratatouille
-The X-Files: The Ultimate Collection
-Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
-James Bond Ultimate Collector’s Set
-The Coen Brothers Gift Set
TV NEWS
–The 41st annual Country Music Association Awards show airs live from Nashville at 8 p.m. Nov. 7 on ABC. Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, and others, will perform.
–In special November episodes of Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, celebrities will test their knowledge. Tony Hawk, Clay Aiken, Kellie Pickler, Regis Philibin, and Miss America Lauren Nelson will be contestants.
–Brian Williams, NBC News anchor, will be the first network news anchor to host Saturday Night Live. Check it out this Saturday night.
–Samantha Who? on ABC was picked up for a full season.
–In its 25th season this year, Wheel of Fortune is celebrating its silver anniversary with celebrity guests. Festivities kick off with “Best Friends Week,” airing Nov. 5 to Nov. 9, and will be held in New York.
The following week will be “PEOPLE Celebrity Week” airing Nov. 12 to Nov. 16. Sponsored by People magazine, the show will pair celebrities with fans. The celebrities include Jeff Probst from Survivor, Diane Neal from Law and Order: SVU, Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother, and Paula Deen from Food Network.
–Season 3 of The Real Housewives of Orange County kicks off at 10 p.m. Tuesday on Bravo.
–Ellen DeGeneres will be Howie Mandel’s first celebrity spokesmodel on Deal or No Deal. The episode will air in January. It’s being taped on Nov. 9 and Ellen fans will get a preview because she’s bringing her talk show cameras to document the segment.
–Coolio is getting his own reality show. The Oxygn channel ordered six half-hour episodes of “Coolio & the Gang” starring the rapper. The show will follow Coolio through his trials and tribulations as he tries to balance his work with his role as a single parent raising six teenagers.
–Just when it seemed like the Lohan clan was finally out of our lives…here comes Dina Lohan. The mother of Lindsay is doing a reality show for E! Shooting began Tuesday. Uggghhhh!
MUSIC
–Garth Brooks will be on Sirius satellite radio to promote his new 3-disc set “The Ultimate Hits” beginning on Nov. 5. He’ll be on air for two weeks and will play his own music, as well as play his favorite country acts.
–Get your tickets now for Ozzy Osbourne! He’ll be performing Dec. 18 at Joe Louis Arena with speical guest Rob Zombie. Tickets are on sale now. Go to OlympiaEntertainment.com, the Joe Louis Arena and Fox Theatre box offices, or all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call (248) 645-6666.
–Brian Setzer Orchestra: Christmas Extravaganza with The Detonators will perform on Dec. 7 at the Fillmore Detroit (formerly the State Theatre), 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit. For tickets, visit www.livenation.com.
–Jordin Sparks, last year’s American Idol winner, has a self-titled debut album coming out on Nov. 20.
–I guess retirement is no longer in Jay-Z’s plans. His latest album, “American Gangster,” will hit stores on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Here’s a list of some other albums going on sale Tuesday, Nov. 6:
-Jimmy Buffett, “Live in Anguilla” (2 Cds, 1 DVD)
-Chris Brown, “Exclusive”
-Garth Brooks, “Ultimate Hits”
-Rick Springfield, “Christmas With You”
LOCAL EVENTS
–Attention hunters! Maybee Sportsman’s Club is hosting a deer rifle sight-in event on Saturday and Sunday. The event, from noon to 5 p.m. on both days, is $5. The club is at 11490 Hoffman Rd., Maybee. For more information, call Tim at 654-6607.
–Live music by the Christian rock band “Mere Images” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 323 Scott St. It’s free.
–A raffle is being held for UM/OSU football tickeets. The raffle is for 4 tickets for the Nov. 17 game sponsored by the Education Foundation of Monroe Public Schools. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the MPS administration building, 1275 N. Macomb St. The winning ticket will be drawn at 10 a.m. Monday at the administration building.
–Tuesday is Election Day. Go out and vote!
REGIONAL EVENTS
–”Thanksgiving Storytime” will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7 at Borders at Southland Mall, 23000 Eureka Rd., Taylor. For details, call (734) 374-5345.
–The Ann Arbor Antiques Market will be held Sunday. Take exit I-75, off I-94, go south 3 miles, and it’s at 5055 Ann Arbor Rd. For more information, call (850) 349-9766.
–The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music is a biennial festival of concerts, workshops, and presentations, which represents many faiths. It’s being held Nov. 8 to Nov. 11 in Kalamazoo. For details, call (269) 382-2910.
–”Little Shop of Horrors” musical is being performed at Fassett Auditorium, 3025 Starr Ave., Oregon, Ohio. Show dates are Friday and Saturday.
–David Rovics and Attilla the Stockbroker will hold a live music performance at 8 p.m. Friday at Mickey Finn’s Pub, Toledo. Rovics is a nationally-acclaimed acoustic/singer-songwriter. Attilla the Stockbroker has been described as Britain’s original ranting punk poet. The pub is located at 602 Lagrange St., at Huron, in Toledo.