NEW FICTION: Bourbon & Blondes has arrived!

From the bus stations of Rt. 66 to the smoky, neon-tinged jazz dives of the big cities, these wanton tales of longing introduce us to vixens on the fringe and those shifty men that drove them there.

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Watch: The 'Bourbon & Blondes' Book Trailer

Get your shot glass ready because you're about to enter a retro world of showgirls, drifters, barmaids and thieves.

The eternal question for scribes?

In this new social media landscape, the question becomes: Is blogging dead? It just may be...

Watch: The 'Front Page Palooka' Book Trailer

Read the pulp novella that one reviewer called 'A potboiler in the style of old school writers like Mickey Spillane, Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler...'

Saturday, January 28, 2012

DRAMA'S WET DREAM: A MODERN PULP (#fridayflash)

Press play for some mood music


I worked the door at Toyland, a titty bar on Fillmore, and when I tell you that this broad was drama's wet dream, believe it. This kid had a story for everything.

And the funny thing? Her name was Drama -- at least that was her stripper name. I know, dumb moniker for a dancer but then, most of them weren't too bright.

The way I saw it, there were four kinds of strippers. 'Snowflake' was usually the pretty dope fiend who was so spaced, she'd barely make money for her next fix. 'Madison' was usually the cute freckled college kid, paying her way through school, and hoping her dad or boyfriend wouldn't trot in at any given moment. Then there were the ones I called 'Ivy' -- normally the hot moms -- who turned to the pole to feed their toddlers. If you did enough trolling, you just may find these cougars on a porn site or two. Lastly? 'Porsche' was the out-of-place minority gal who, in most cases, raked in more dough than all the ladies combined. But that was usually on nights Drama wasn't working. And yeah, you can just imagine, the other chicks hated Drama. And for good reason.

I started to watch the girl as soon as Dino hired her. Normally, he had a thing for chicks built like brick shithouses but Drama wasn't curvy at all. In fact, she always struck me as needing an extra sandwich. But still way sexy. She had that thing. Guys'll know what I mean. Body aside, she had a way with the lappers and always got them to pay more for a sweaty crotch grind than the other gals. It was almost beautiful to watch. Drama had them so wrapped that these briefcase bums didn't know what hit 'em. To this day, I always wondered how they explained the stain on their pants to the misses.

* * *

After a few months, Dino started to get complaints about his top-rated dancer. It turns out that Little Miss Drama was a thief of the watch and wallet order. Small time, but still, try explaining to a pissed wife why your wedding ring is missing.

I was ordered to confront her about it and, one night just before last call, I cornered Drama in the Champagne Room where it was just the two of us. After locking the door, I turned to her and smiled.

"What's the deal with the money you've been stealing?" I asked.

Halfway expecting this little chickadee to cry, I was kinda shocked when she asked me if I wanted a cut.

Fuck it, I called her bluff and said sure. I told her that it would buy my silence. Drama took a swig of whatever top-shelf hooch that was left behind from the cum stain that had just left. She dug deep into her large purse. I was expecting some green but she pulled out a pistol. What was I gonna do? She had me.

I told the rest of the joint that the bullet hole to my leg was compliments of a bar fight between two wannabe wiseguys. No cops were going to be called.Was I really gonna admit that I was taken by a 98 pound stripper? One named Drama no less? Nope. I'm taking this one to the grave.

And while I'm at it, I'll add a fifth kind of stripper to my list --' Drama' -- a dancer so fucking sexy she'd pick your pocket and you'd probably let her.

Did I mention I'm not working the door anymore?

Thursday, January 26, 2012

'THE WIRE': A 'F#@K' OF A SCENE (AND SHOW)

Wendell Pierce and Dominic West in 'The Wire.'
I missed "The Wire" on the first go-round. I know, I know... Dumb.

Initially, I tried it out and for whatever reason, didn't stick with the cerebral HBO drama past its initial sixty minutes of the HBO drama. I suspect there are many like myself who opted to watch the exploits of depressed gangster Tony Soprano in New Jersey than the bleak interactions of criminals and police within the crime-riddled streets of Baltimore Maryland. "The Wire" wasn't as watercooler but make no mistakes, is every bit the as great as "The Sopranos." Need proof? To this day, it's always one of those shows that wind up on every conceivable critic's 'BEST FREAKIN' SHOWS EVER' list. And even after all that, it somehow, still managed to pass me by.

Years passed. I had the entire series just waiting for me, shrink-wrapped, and beckoning. Me? I was planning to delve into the show if I had ever broken a leg and was couch-bound. Well, I never broke the leg, but recently, I caved and after plumetting through the initial set up, I was in. Hook, line and sinker...

Granted, the series takes a few episodes to introduce a multitude of characters but, if you can hang that long, the payoffs begin to swifty arrive.

There's nothing I can say here that will possibly do it any more justice than the plethora of of scribes that have already sang its praises so I'll just add: Apart from "Treme" (also created by "The Wire" showrunner  Joe Simon), no other show I've ever watched is as multi-layered, complex, frustrating and powerful. It's a novel exploding into your television and shouldn't be dimissed as a mere "cop show." It's much more than that. Much more. In fact, many novelists provide the scripts including Richard Price, Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos.

I'll leave you with a video of one of the first season's benchmark scenes. In the fourth episode entitled "Old Cases," Baltimore Detetctives Jimmy McNulty and Bunk Moreland (Dominic West and Wendell Pierce) search an empty apartment for any uncovered clues that may have been left behind in the unsolved murder of a young woman named Diedre Kresson.

Here's the deal, though -- they reframe the violet events of the crime using only one word: "Fuck" (and other colorful variations of the curse). It's a doozy and a testament to how great the actors are and how powerful the writing is. Even with just one word.

WARNING: NSFW



Wednesday, January 18, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EDGAR ALLAN POE

Edgar Allan Bro...
Big birthday week 'round these parts... It's Jan. 19 so let's give a hearty and happy 203rd birthday to the inventor of the detective novel (and uber horror master) Edgar Allan Poe.

Enjoy some tales below ...



 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHAMP!

May 25, 1965 - Ali knocks out Sonny Liston in first minute of the first round.
Happy 70th birthday to the greatest boxer who ever lived - Muhammad Ali... 

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

'MOONSHINERS': REAL OR FAKE?


So I'm doing what  people do on New Years Eve and Day -- watch marathons -- and I come across a show both awesome and odd at the same time. It's called 'Moonshiners' and it airs on The Discovery Channel.

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It centers on those who brew their shine - often in the woods near their homes using camouflaged equipment — and the local authorities who try to keep them honest. According to the network, viewers will witness practices rarely seen on television including the sacred rite of passage for a moonshiner — firing up the still for the first time. This is where it gets tricky. "Moonshiners" includes actual western Virginia state ABC agents and while I thought that, in and of itself was quite odd, it turns out that the plot is thickening a bit.

The Associated Press reports that the program misleads viewers into thinking the state is tolerating illegal booze manufacturing and that it wouldn't have participated if they knew how the episodes would turn out. Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control spokeswoman Kathleen Shaw told the AP that viewers have asked why the state is allowing a crime to take place?


Here's the rub: Shaw said the show is a dramatization, and no illegal liquor is actually being produced. "If illegal activity was actually taking place, the Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement would have taken action," Shaw wrote. But it certainly appears differently on the show. The department issued a statement saying it would not have participated in the filming had they known how the show would've turned out. "Virginia ABC agreed to participate in an informative piece that documents the history of moonshine and moonshine investigations in Virginia. Virginia ABC did not participate nor was aware of the false depiction of moonshine manufacturing, distribution and/or transportation in the filming, and would not have participated in the 'documentary' had it known of this portrayal," the statement said.

The origin of moonshining in the United States has been linked with the Whiskey Rebellion during the 1790's. Under President George Washington, a Federal tax was imposed on whiskey, which farmers strongly resented — leading to a backlash and rise in illegal distillers. Even the origins of NASCAR have been linked back to the skilled driving of moonshiners eluding law enforcement.





Sunday, January 1, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


Here's wishing everyone a prosperous and healthy 2012

Monday, December 26, 2011

BOXING DAY: AN E-BOOK AND DOCUMENTARIES


While it has nothing realllllly to do with what we now consider boxing, celebrate Boxing Day with these two stupendous ring documentaries and a link to "Felony Fists," a fabulous e-book by my friend and fellow scribe Paul Bishop (written under the pseudonym Jack Tunney).

 In fact, the whole Fight Card series (with one coming from me soon), is a fun throwback to the days of dimestore boxing pulps and noir. Check out Bishop's entry and then purchase the rest of the books in the line: "The Cutman" (Eric Beetner)  and "Split Decision" (Mel Odom).





Sunday, December 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

... And happy holidays to everyone! Meet me under the mistletoe...
 
 

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

MEET THE NEW FACE OF JOHNNIE WALKER

Brilliant ... Just brilliant.  Is there a better reason now to drink the spirit. Admitted scotch drinker Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") is the new face for Johnnie Walker. She revealed that it was her husband Geoffrey Arend who got her interested in the hooch. "I always thought it was sexy when he ordered scotch and I'd take little sips of his drink,' she told Men's Health in October. That interview (and photo spread) prompted the booze company to contact the actress to endorse their product.




Tuesday, December 13, 2011

WRITERS' ROUNDTABLE: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER (VIDEO)

Every awards season, The Hollywood Reporter gathers the screenwriters of the year’s best films for an informal roundtable.

For this year's chat, they assembled Moneyball‘s Steve Zaillan and Aaron Sorkin, The Skin I Live In‘s Pedro Almodovar, J. Edgar‘s Dustin Lance Black, Rampart‘s Oren Moverman and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close‘s Eric Roth to discuss their own, and each others’, scripts, all of which have a shot at multiple awards and nominations.

Grab some java and enjoy...




Monday, December 12, 2011

HAPPY 96TH FRANK...


Always cool... Your legend lives on...



Monday, December 5, 2011

'BOARDWALK EMPIRE RECAP': DID JIMMY AND GILLIAN JUST DO THE NASTY?


"BOARDWALK EMPIRE" RECAP
SEASON TWO, EPISODE TEN
"UNDER GOD'S POWER SHE FLOURISHES"

This week: Written by Howard Korder and directed by Allen Coulter, "Under God's Power She Flourishes" wrapped up only a minor bit of business leftover from last week. Still, the last five-minutes made up for it. While the situation with Jimmy and the fallout from Angela being murdered wasn't emotionally explored to the fullest, a few key events at the end of the episode will surely have consequences and/or repercussions.

Some key events:

•With Margaret (Kelly Macdonald) pondering the consequences of sin, Nucky (Steve Buscemi) prepares her for a worst-case scenario as Esther Randolph (Julianne Nicholson) plays out her trump cards -- or at least what she THINKS are trump cards.

• In a stupor, Jimmy (Michael Pitt) revisits his college days when the lines of his wife-to-be Angela (Aleksa Palladino) and Gillian (Gretchen Mol) first became blurred.

• Ever the odd man out, a slightly toughened-up Mickey Doyle (Paul Sparks) chafes at sharing his liquor profits.

•Sheriff Eli Thompson (Shea Whigham) refuses to cop a plea. Or will he?

• Nelson Van Alden's (Michael Shannon) past comes back to haunt him and, lo and behold, tips the scale in Nuckyʼs favor.

For my full scene-by-scene annotated recap, historical footnotes, episode videos, tunes from the era and other thoughts, visit NJ.com.



Tuesday, November 29, 2011

BOARDWALK EMPIRE RECAP: ANGELA DARMODY, WE'LL MISS YOU!


"BOARDWALK EMPIRE" RECAP
SEASON TWO, EPISODE TEN
"GEORGIA PEACHES"


This week: Written by Dave Flebotte and directed by Jeremy Podeswa, "Georgia Peaches" was a doozy. After last week's transitional episode, this one not only moved the situations along but last us with the series' best cliffhanger.
Some key events:

• Dumbstruck by Nucky Thompson's new source for alcohol, Jimmy and his partners look to cultivate a new revenue stream in Atlantic City.

• With the peak tourist season in full flux, the Commodoreʼs crew faces a choice in dealing with the cityʼs striking workers: Negotiate or fight back.

• Fearing that her sins of temptation have led to her daughter's misfortune, Margaret approaches Father Brennan with an “act of devotion.”

• Nucky gets a new lawyer courtesy of Arnold Rothstein.

• Manny Horvitz takes exception to a debt payment and embarks on the ultimate act of revenge.

For my full scene-by-scene annotated recap, historical footnotes, episode videos, tunes from the era and other thoughts, visit NJ.com.




Thursday, November 24, 2011

GOBBLE, GOBBLE...


Here's wishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving...