LA TIMES Actor's panel...Carey Mulligan, Jesse Eisenberg & Andrew Garfield bare souls!

Filmgoers anxiously queued up in front of the historic Egyptian Theatre last night to nab a coveted seat at a panel discussion which focused on the behind-the-scenes underbelly of Hollywood - and bask in the reflected glow of three of their favorite young stars - Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Jesse Eisenberg who are currently skyrocketing to success in the film biz.

Despite shoddy production glitches - typical of the incompetent and unprofessional AFI Fest staff who organized the event - excited guests were hopeful that they were in for an entertaining night once the way was paved.

Indeed!

The festivities got off to a bumpy start as Amy Kaufman - the nervous host who covers the youth beat for the LA TIMES - struggled to get her bearings before the packed house.

It was quite evident from the get-go that Ms. Kaufman was a tad inexperienced - too green, to put it succinctly - to handle the task at hand.

But, the special event - in true show biz tradition - went on nonetheless despite a few ugly burps and distracting hiccups that stalled the proceedings now-and-then.

For example, guests were forced to endure a few awkward moments when the three celebrated guests trotted up to the podium, and were at a loss to fathom where to sit.

Obviously, the hapless actors needed a bit of direction in that regard.

Meanwhile, the AFI staff stood around slack-jawed, clueless about what action to take to rectify the embarrassing ongoing problems.

Once the panel discussion got underway, for instance, technical problems threatened to spoil the evening as well.

Microphones failed, film clips washed out on the wide-screen in an unprofessional fashion, you name it.

At times, guests were forced to strain forward in their seats in a bold-faced effort to hear the ongoing dialogue just out-of-reach on the cement floor below the wide screen, where the acoustics were definitely lousy to begin without amplification.

There was quite a bit of incoherent mumbling going on for the first ten minutes or so until the event finally found its legs and delivered up.

The audience was quite forgiving, so the event sailed on pretty smoothly, once the technical oversights resolved about a quarter-of-the-way into the panel discussion.

Carey Mulligan was the the most poised and professional of the three performers.

The lads tended to hum-and-haw a lot - even stumble for words on occasion - when the searing glare of the spotlight was tossed on them.

Andrew Garfield was probably the most intriguing guest of all.

Quite often - he waxed poetically (rambled on incoherently, too) - as he struggled to utter up witty responses to a handful of Kaufman's potentially-revealing queries.

It had not escaped his attention that pressures may derail his peace of mind in the near future - when he embarks on his next project - in which he portrays "Spiderman" (in a role Toby McGuire took on which ended up totally defining the character to audience satisfaction).

He joked that he'd be that guy in the audience lamenting the casting choice.

'Oh, shit! Who hired that English fool to play spidey," he blurted our at one point, to a roar of approval from the audience.

Garfield was probably the most insecure actor, of the three on the hot seat, too.

He worried about the way his eyebrows looked, what fans might think of his walk, that sort-of-thing.

The English actor had no problem knocking the profession - and actors, in particular - either.

"Actors hang out in a sandbox. Live in a dream world. And, they make so much money. It's criminal, really," he protested, in so many words.

But, he was inclined to confess, there was a moment in a stage production in England when he had a revelation about art and truth that set things right in his questioning mind.

"Deep," Andy Kaufman kidded in a knee-jerk reaction to the actor's obvious over-blown sense of self-importance and worth as a B-list talent kicking around the fringes of the Hollywood scene.

Occasionally, he was spontaneous, and funny.

When Kaufman asked how the three actors broke into the business - wondered if they had connections and all that - Garfield's lightning response was delightful.

"I come from the Garfield dynasty of actors. My father was a spear carrier - third on the left - in a successful Shakespearean production," he coughed up dead-pan.

Actually, through-out the revealing interview, he displayed a rather droll sense of humor.

Carey Mulligan insisted that she was terrified whenever she was forced to appear on the red carpet.

"I found it is helpful to have a Martini before-hand," she giggled.

I agree, baby!

"Or, take along friends and family, with the aim of seeing the hoopla from their perspective," she added as an afterthought.

"My brother went wild over the cops handling security at the Oscars. He hung out the window, totally blown away by their big guns," she confided.

The audiences were particularly fascinated with the two male actors since both just appeared in the phenomenally successful film bio on the founder of FaceBook (The Social Network).

I reviewed the film a few weeks ago.

Post:  10/01/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/10/social-networkfacebook-nerd-revenge.html

"I met people who knew Mark. They'd pass on information like - 'he had a weak handshake' - and that sort-of-thing," Eisenberg quipped gleefully.

But, for the most part, the fresh face in the industry was inclined to go along with the character fleshed out for the screen by the talented insightful script-writer on the project.

One actor noted that his cousin landed a job at FaceBook towards the end of the shoot, and ended up in the enviable position of being able to disclose some curious secrets kept under wraps until recently.

For instance, aalthough  Zuckerberg initially stated to the press that he was not going to screen the film, the actor's relative noted that the founder of FaceBook actually rented a movie theatre one day and treated the staff to a private screening of the controversial flick.

"Later, he took them out for Apple Teas, in a cheeky response to a scene where it was alleged that was the popular drink consumed by staffers running the social hub at the time," he snickered.

Also, Zuckerberg made a point of telling the cousin that he thought the actor who portrayed him in the film bio, did a good job.

However, the actor accused that it was a clever public relations ploy, on the part of Zuckerberg.

"He was trying to be diplomatic to my cousin," he summed up smugly.

When Kaufman referred to Zuckerberg as the "contested founder", by the way, he was adamant that  - "no" - his character (Zuckerberg) was a founder (among a handful of visionaries who contributed to the initial success of the popular web site).

Surprisingly, Carey Mulligan fessed up that she had a weird relationship with Michael Douglas on the set of Wall Street.

"We were quite distant," she confided.

After some prodding by Kaufman, Ms. Mulligan noted that the production was not too different than earlier independent films she worked on, in many respects.

"The food was better at craft service, though. And, the crew was larger since we were working in NYC.  But, the shooting schedule was just eleven weeks."

The pretty English actress got her first break when she attended an "open call" audition for "Pride & Prejudice" for a small role.

"I snagged it," she noted with glee.

The actress admitted that press reports alleging that she took the bus in Los Angeles when she moved here, and stayed at a Best Western Hotel, were true.

But, a slightly harrowing event at a bus stop, changed all that one day.

"I was standing there waiting for the Metro when a car - with blacked-out windows - glided up and pulled to a stop. The side window rolled down, and a man inside pointed a gun at me. Then, he laughed wickedly, just before tearing off down the street."

Welcome to Los Angeles, Carey!

All three performers admitted what appears to be a common fear among actors.

"I didn't work for a year after the Wall Street shoot. I didn't know if I would ever work again," Mulligan fessed up.

By the way, I loved her acting in the Michael Douglas vehicle, and raved about her in my review.

Post:  10/01/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/10/wall-streetoliver-stone-atheist-michael.html

Technical snafus aside, the night end up a real charmer, in my opinion.

I predict these three - provided they get over their insecurities, unfounded fears and phobias - will go far in the film biz.

Break a leg, kids!

http://www.thetattler.biz

American Indian Arts Marketplace...@ the Gene Autry National Center!

It's been such a hectic week - covering the World Series in San Francisco and taking in a handful of film premieres screening locally - that it has been a challenge to keep up with all the cultural events underway over the next week to ten days.

However, I would definitely be remiss, if I failed to publish a quick post on one high-profile event taking place this weekend at the Gene Autry Center.
185 Native American artists from around the country representing more than 40 tribes will be on hand show and discuss tribal traditions and offer up examples of eclectic examples of their contemporary art forms

The annual event is the largest Indian marketplace in Southern California showcases featuring 185 top artists and performers in a family-friendly setting.

The 30,000-square-foot Marketplace includes performances by Native dancers, musicians, and storytellers, plus other musical acts throughout the weekend.

The slated program will also feature hands-on activities for children and artist demonstrations.

Native American food including frybread will be available to munch on and savor!

Visuals include: Full-size Lakota tipi, Pow Wow dancers, large and small scale paintings and sculptures, colorful traditional and contemporary stone and silver jewelry. Demonstrations of weaving, painting, flint knapping, soapstone carving, mask making, gourd art, and traditional jewelry-making.

Audio includes: Flute playing, drumming, traditional singing, storytelling.

This is also the last weekend to see the exhibition:

The Art of Native American Basketry: A Living Tradition.


Dates

November 6th
(Saturday)

November 7th
(Sunday)

Time

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location

4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles ,
CA 90027

INFORMATION

Telephone
323.667.2000

Web Site
www.theAutry.org

http://www.thetattler.biz

David Lynch...audiences laugh @ washed-up director! AFI Fest promo a disaster!

OMG!

How embarrassing.

Last night when a promo for the AFI FEST popped up on the screen at a West Coast film premiere at Mann's Chinese - audiences erupted into gales of laughter (in all the wrong places) - when the guest Artistic Director (David Lynch) put in an appearance on behalf of the annual festival that rolls around this time each year in Los Angeles.

The blurb - in which Lynch rambled on in a colorless mundane fashion about the alleged benefits of attending the AFI Fest - was so God-awful that it boggled the senses.

No wonder the LA TIMES panel discussion at the historic Egyptian Theatre - with Carrie Mulligan (Wall Street), Andrew Garfield (FaceBook), and Jesse Eisenberg (Facebook) - was such a technical (and critical) failure.

A post on the high profile event follows.

Judging by his washed-up demeanour on screen last night - Lynch came off looking like a down 'n out drunk on his last legs in the tenderloin district - clearly the brass at AFI made a serious blunder when they elected to have the once-celebrated auteur take over the reins.

It's no surprise why AFI has to give away tickets each year, eh?

Later!



http://www.thetattler.biz

127 Hours...James Franco dazzles @ LA TIMES Envelope screening!

James Franco lit up the night by his sheer presence, a filmmaker had doubts about the quality of a film print, and the wine flowed generously as film buffs mingled at an LA TIMES screening of Danny Boyle's gritty drama - 127 Hours - ripped from the pages of recent headlines.

The event - presented under the auspices of the Envelope series sponsored by the daily - was the hottest ticket in town last night!

Film buffs were thrilled to get a glimpse of handsome actor James Franco - who trotted out for a Q & A session in casual jeans topped with a dress shirt replete with tails hanging out below the hem-line of a chic luxurious-looking sweater (a style statement gone by the wayside, James!) - after the credits crawled at the end of the Fox Searchlight Film production which has been garnering rave reviews from critics around the country in recent days.

Franco (who possesses a quiet sexuality which is a definite turn-on for his fans) was pretty down-to-earth last evening - and likewise - comfortable in the setting (often using his hands to punctuate his responses to queries fielded his way by moderator John Horn who is a writer at the Times).

In fact, at one point - the 127 Hours star was so at-ease - that he was inclined to pose a question to the screenwriter (Simon Beaufoy) to clarify a point or two.

Suddenly - after intuitively recognizing he may have been overstepping his bounds a tad - Franco half-turned in his seat to seek approval from Horn in the event he was out-of-line.

"Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"No. The bar is still open. I'll go and have a drink. You're doing fine," joked Horn to a roar of laughter from the rapt audience in the packed theatre.

For filmgoers, it was an intriguing night.

Shortly after the audience was seated an announcement was made that the filmmakers - at Fox Searchlight - were not happy with the print that ended up at the Landmark Theatre last night for the unveiling.

So, a decision was made to special-deliver a higher-quality print to the handlers at the movie house which would result in a delay of the curtain going up unfortunately.

At this juncture, the sponsors (Sapporo) invited ticket-holders to have a glass of wine or beer on the house in the Theatre's comfy upscale bar until the projectionist was ready to commence with the screening a short while later.

"Obviously Fox cares. That showed a lot of professionalism, in my opinion" one filmgoer gushed a scant few seconds later.

Another woman sashayed up to me at the busy bar and confided that she was interested in Franco starring in a project she and her associates were working on.

"But, now that he's starring in 127 Hours, it's doubtful we'll be able to afford James," she lamented woefully.

In the final analysis, the guests in attendance at AMC on the West Side last evening, ended up feeling like they were walking on air.

The project raised a couple of obvious questions for me.

Would Franco be able to carry a whole movie on his own?

The handsome performer recently received glowing reviews for his portrayal of Allen Ginsberg in "Howl" - but, to date - super stardom has managed to elude the talented matinee idol for want of a vehicle to propel him forward in the eyes of an industry where blockbuster ticket sales are paramount to landing big-picture deals.

Initially, I struggled with an obvious dilemma, when I first considered attending the premiere.

If I turned down the invite because the film was going to be an obvious "downer" (the main character in the intense drama is trapped in an isolated canyon and forced to later sever his arm to escape the clutches of impending doom-and-gloom) I would miss the opportunity to catch popular James Franco in the flesh (so-to-speak).

As it turned out, 127 hours was not a complete and utter bummer!

In his own inimitable way, director Danny Boyle succeeded in avoiding the obvious pitfalls - and as a result - fathomed up a gripping drama that ends up being a testament to the human spirit.

Basically, the seasoned pro - at the top of his game here - relied on the Holy Grail of movie-making (story-telling devices) - to lure in and captivate the audience.

In a less capable director's hands, the real-life cliffhanger would have been reduced to an exploitative tale about a man against the elements, struggling for survival in the wilderness.

Ho-Hum!

Hollywood pap, and a popcorn movie, in a nutshell.

Unfortunately, though, Boyle facilitated a handful of tired film techniques that tended to tear down the overall quality (and integrity) of the project.

In opening scenes, for example, the "Sunshine" director used a split screen for action shots which was old hat.

By Hollywood filmmaking standards, the stylistic technique is a stale one, that dates the director (and is partly his undoing as a result).

At times, 127 Hours borders on gimmickry, too, as Boyle (shame-faced?) attempts to jazz up the screen in a bold-faced attempt to appeal to a hip young audience during the run of the film during the all-important upcoming holiday and pre-Oscar season.

A dynamite soundtrack, for instance, is sure to cause a buzz and prompt sales at cash registers in music stores and on the Internet.

Initially, Aron Ralston - the author of the best-selling hardcover book (Between a Rock and a Hard Place) - was hell-bent on a documentary to best revisit the harrowing tale.

But, that notion was quickly pushed aside, by Boyle.

The respected director also took artistic license and deviated from the original published account of the travails of a hiker who eventually comes to learn from his dark night of the soul - first-hand - that no man is an island.

In the book, for example, the drama unfolded with a focus that shifted back-and-forth from the victim (alone in the desert fighting his demons) to rescue efforts being made on his behalf miles away once it was determined he was missing in Blue John Canyon in Utah.

Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy - a cerebral writer - underscored the importance of treating the material as a piece of fiction first and foremost.

"In this way, we were able to explore the emotional layers of truth."

"Otherwise, the main character would have been alone, just talking to a rock," he explained in so many words.

Boyle was adamant that he could shoot the project, in spite of the doubts of others, all around him.

"It's an impossible story to tell on film," was the general consensus from well-meaning critics.

Boyle simply responded with a mad-man's glee, according to Beaufoy.

Uh-huh.

A challenge!

The auteur is a bit of a wizard, alright, with an infectious grin.

Last year, I met Mr. Boyle on the red carpet in Dallas when Slumdog Millionaire premiered there.

Post: 11/08/08

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/11/afi-festmatthew-modine-appears-in-black.html

There is something magical about the man that touches and draws folks in.

If anyone could accomplish the strenuous difficult task at hand, it was Boyle.

To prepare for the project, the visionary director drafted a 40 page outline for Beaufoy to digest, which set forth - in minute detail - his ideas about the filmmaking process to embark on in this particular circumstance.

Based on a gut instinct, Boyle was inspired to hire on two directors of photography - Anthony Dod Mantle (who worked on Slumdog Millionaire) and Enrique Chediak (The Good Girl) - for a couple of reasons.

For starters, Boyle liked to cover himself.

One camera-man's style may be preferable to another at any given moment - and the novel approach - had the potential to add some contrast or traction to scenes when needed or whenever possible.

Franco opined that the scheme didn't necessarily work out in one sense, but had unexpected results in another, which helped the actor considerably in achieving his goals in the acting department.

Because the DP's were using hand-held - state-of-the-art cameras - the cinematographers were able to capture the behaviour of the scene (zoom in-and-out spontaneusly without the necessity of taking breaks or setting up for lighting or framing individual shots) and thus capture Franco in a realistic seamless performance that astounds.

Unlike a documentary, Boyle was able to re-enact an in-your-face traumatic ordeal, and transform it into an authentic movie-making experience that ends up being a very gut-wrenching and real one audiences are forced to endure.

In the final analysis, Boyle traps the audience, too - at which point - they become party to the events and not just voyeurs on the outside looking in.

Franco, Boyle and Simon relied heavily on video-tapes Ralston filmed during the 5-day ordeal to get the story across.

"They were quite a document," according to Beaufor and Franco.

More on that subject in my upcoming movie review.

Stay posted!





http://www.thetattler.biz

Toy Story 3...Director Lee Unkrich & Actor Jeff Garlin appear @ LA TIMES Screening! Envelope, please!

 

"My favorite scene in Toy 3 was the one with the baby sitting on the swing staring up at the moon," actor Jeff Garlin guffawed loudly to the attentive audience - who subsequently - roared back in approval.

"You had to wonder what the baby was thinking! Unbelievable. Anyone who was going to include a shot like that in their movie was someone I wanted to work with," he blurted out, somewhat incredulously.

After noting that the actor was a bit "wonky", John Horn - an LA TIMES writer (acting as a monitor for the LA TIMES "Envelope" event) - proceeded to usher in questions about the creative process at Pixar studios - and the difficulties (if any) - in delivering up the third segment of the highly-touted successful franchise series.

"When confronted with the task, did film titles like - Godfather 3, Matrix 3, and Spiderman 3 - cross your mind," Horn comically quizzed the director - Lee Unkrich - in so many words.

"Yes, if I screwed up, I thought I might be run out-of-town with pitch forks. It was sort-of fear-based filmmaking," he chuckled in jest.

An anticipated release date (June / 2010) was announced - and that didn't help matters much either - the articulate director confessed to the rapt audience - who sat dazzled on-the-edge of their seats at the annual screening event (which acts as a precursor to the Oscar nods) .

"We put the pressures aside as much as possible, but the problem was always omnipresent."

The first review was tepid, and threw him for a loop, according to the lone actor on the panel at the insightful Q & A session at the Landmark Theatre in West Los Angeles after the screen credits crawled to a close.

In fact, Garlin chided the young auteur for reading the critique.

"The film was out. There was nothing you could do about it. Why bother?"

Shortly after TOY 2 was released, the original idea for the sequel was hatched up, but Unkrich was keen on taking a vacation first.

Then, the project got stalled because of contractual snafus with Disney and Pixar.

So, TOY STORY 3 languished on the back burner for a few years, until Disney purchased Pixar - and the block on a green light for production - was finally lifted.

Once the project was underway, the main creative forces behind TOY STORY 3 - the director (Lee Unkrich), the scriptwriter (Michael Arndt ) and the producer (Darla Anderson) - trotted off to Northern California to a retreat known as the Poet's Loft to hammer out the skeletal frame for the proposed script for the full-length feature.

Within a half-a-day, it was pretty much a given, that the first premise for the much-anticipated project lacked luster.

So, it was scrapped.

In a group process - all the creative spirits locked heads in regular bull sessions (the talented three were all in attendance at the screening last night to the delight of the film buffs) so that the dynamics could be worked out and solutions to the existing logistical problems resolved.

The sessions sounded like brawls, at times.

"It wasn't for the faint of heart," Anderson fessed up.

After the first meeting - the team unanimously recognized that advancing the story forward - was the best way to go in the instant scenario.

"Usually there is an overture first, Then, the action starts up - at which point - the characters are introduced," Unkrich stated matter-of-fact.

The problem, in this instant case, stood out like a sore thumb.

How were they going to introduce all the old toy characters?

With that in mind, the winsome three-some drummed up the idea that ended up on the screen, after a lot of painstaking toiling on the schematics.

Uh-huh!

There were 60 drafts.

At this juncture - the scenes, once written - were drafted on reels.

Then, each was submitted to the director, for feedback.

The screenwriter (Little Miss Sunshine) joked that - on most live action films - the writing process was kind-of-like being alone in the forest at night.

"You can hear the wolves all around," he kidded.

The soft-spoken phrase-maker underscored, however, that he - as a rule - preferred to shape and hone the script first before sharing the material with the director, producer, and studio brass.

But - Darla Anderson was so protective of the creative environment - that he had a sort-of Epiphany one day.

"I realized I didn't have to worry about when to step on the gas or slam on the brakes."

"Producers have the crappiest job," Garlin piped up.

"Producing is an art," Darla shot back.

According to the insightful producer, it was her role to sit back, and keep track of the whole picture.

There was a lot of trust in the ongoing creative relationships, too, that accounted for the success of TOY STORY 3 at the box office.

"I've read a lot of scripts over the years. They're not all bad, just not finished," Unkrich argued.

As is the case with an actor developing a character, an idea for a script needs to be fleshed out.

"It's all garbage, at first."

A perfect example may have been "Good Will Hunting".

Affleck and Damon both confided in interviews after they won the Oscar - that the award-winning script - also featured a sub-plot about spies that just never gelled.

It wasn't until that material was ferreted out, that the script became a viable working one, that was worth producing.

With TOY STORY 3 - there was also the issue of production values to consider - in light of advancing software technologies which had been developed since TOY STORY 1 first hit the silver screen.

"Toy Story 1 was originally created on DOS," Garland joked!

Because of phenomenal advances in technology, there was a definite need to scrap the original toy story images, and rework them in the latest state-of-the-art rich mediums so they would be relevant in today's highly competitive film marketplace.

"In the old days, it was difficult to create organic images of fur and water," the director acknowledged.

In TOY 3, Woody - for instance - got a makeover.

"But, he didn't end up looking like bad plastic surgery had been performed," Unkridge chuckled.

In the final analysis, the creative team agreed that today anything - "dreamed up" - could be created on film.

"It might be difficult, but it can be done."

At this point, the focus shifted to the actors, when John Horn quizzed Garland about "when he came in" to the picture on the project.

"When they let me," he belly-laughed.

The actor has an infectious quality to his personality that triggers a spontaneous natural response from the audience and puts them at ease.

"To play a character known as - Buttercup - was so cool," he gushed.

At this juncture, the hefty thespian underscored how difficult it was playing an animated part, compared to other roles in regular mediums.

"Tom Hanks asked me which was more difficult - and I told him - the animated work."

He explained that being alone in a room, replaying the scenes over and over again, was tough.

"I thought that all the reshoots were going to be for behind-the-scenes out-takes on a DVD," he fessed up.

Wrong!

The animators used this footage to get a take on his mannerisms and to better develop the feel of his character.

Garland compared part of the process to the distinctive ones used by Chaplin and Keaton.

"You do it over and over again. See what happens. Keep the good things, toss out the bad."

The amused director butted in at this point and admitted that all the material was tested with an audience.

"If it got a laugh, it stayed."

If not, it got the old heave-ho, on the other hand.

Needless to say, Unkridge also acknowledged that when the plaudits come in after the release, it was so life-affirming.

Indeed!

And, why not?

TOY STORY 3 is a charming, entertaining animated feature- that is wholesome and insightful - with wide appeal across the demographics.

At times, the storyline tended to trigger memories of my own childhood, and my own favorite toy!

A film can't be half-bad, when it manages to achieve that moment of nostalgia, for a ticket-holder.

In fact, at the close of the film, I don't expect there was a dry eye in the house, either.

Heart-warming!

Come Oscar time, the nominations will be racking up, deservedly so.





http://www.thetattler.biz/

San Francisco Giants...Ticker-tape parade today! Keys to City!

 

Last night, I settled into a deep funk.

Why?

After a week of hooting and hollering - and expending a heck of-a-lot-of-energy reporting on the Giants phenomenal - albeit tortuous - baseball bout with the Texas Rangers in the World Series Play-offs all week - suddenly it was all over and I fell into a deep abyss!

For the first night in a long time the calendar was blank.

What was a boy to do?

For those of you (like me) - who are struggling to get back to a certain plateau - there is always the ticker-tape parade to take in  today- sure to rev up a bit of excitement for thousands of fans as it winds its way through the city core with the gang of Giants heroes in tow.

In fact, over 100,000 people are expected to participate in the celebration (which just started up a few moments ago at 11 a.m.) which will cruise along Montgomery Street (@ Washington), turn up Market Street a smidgen, then make its whimsical way on to the Civic Center Plaza.

Mayor Gavin Newsom will present the players with a key to the city - with a lot of pomp and circumstance, no doubt - in front of City Hall at about 12:30 p.m. or Newsom time (whichever comes first).

By the way, I should issue-up a warning.

There has been such a crush of folks anxious to attend, that BART (rapid transit), was forced to make appropriate adjustments along the route.

For example, trains will not be stopping at Montgomery St due to the humongous crowds swarming in for the San Francisco Giants revelry!

Attendees and regular commuters are being asked to use Embarcadero, Powell or Civic Center stations, in the alternative.

Or walk, if they can muscle their way through the mobs.

See 'ya there!

http://www.thetattler.biz/

San Francisco Giants...Champions! Torture ends for fans! Start Believin'...

Giants torture ends!

A "strike" said it all!

Game over.

The trick became a treat as Giants shut out the Texas Rangers for a 2nd time in 2 days in what has now become known as "fright night" for the Texas ballplayers.

On to Game 5!

On Monday night, fans nearly knocked me off my perch in a quaint pub off Castro Street, when lightning struck - with big closer Brian Wilson - at the helm.

Patrons literally jumped for joy!

High-fives, raucous back slaps, and a slew of brewskies downed with exotically-named shots, became the order of the day!

On Sunday, what was the general consensus?

It wasn't a case of if - but rather - when!

Would the Giants cinch the pennant in Arlington or in a sixth or seventh game on home turf in San Francisco?

Although a win at AT& T ballpark was preferable - from a par-tay mode point-of-view - most were in ecstatic accord.

"Let's get it done."

A handful of sports enthusiasts remained wishy-washy - waxed philosophically - at times.

But, Tim Linescum was straight-forward in his approach and made no bones about it, when he was ambushed in the parking lot on the trek to the stadium.

"We're here to nail it," he barked with an air of authority.

Uh-huh!

Tensions had been mounting for days.

"Torture," is the way many fans described the gut-wrenching prevailing mood leading up to the mighty 5th.

Others were ready for the task at hand.

"Bring it on."

Two Nuns - Texas Ranger ticket-holding fans since 1972 - had one practical word of advice for the locals.

"Pray!"

The hour had come!

And, there wasn't any two ways about it.

If the Giants nabbed the trophy that evening, a big blow-out would bust out on the West Coast - and take center stage - at AT & T park (and elsewhere, natch).

A raucous posse of fans were camped out at Britannia's Pub in San Jose, for instance, pining for the nail-biting cliffhanger to end their way.

Meanwhile, on the heels of the spectacular shut-outs over the weekend, Mayor Newsom quickly scrambled on the sidelines to ensure that a humongous wide screen was erected downtown (in the reflected light of the glowing "orange" dome atop City Hall) in time to broadcast Monday Night's high-profile match at the Civic Center for locals and tourists alike to take in.

By noon, the plaza was awash in orange and black, as sports fanatics streamed in to snatch up a coveted spot to catch the fifth game on the World Series roster.

At Willie Mays Plaza, on the other hand, fans were surging forward in unruly queues, in a bold-faced effort to snap up memorabilia to don for the big event just hours away.

T-shirts (etched with slogans like "I see Orange People", "Got Panda", "Fear the Beard"), ubiquitous jaunty ball caps, and nifty miniature-size towels flew off the shelves at break-neck speed (at premium prices, I might add).

Above the madding crowds, posters and fliers transmitted encouraging slogans that resonated, and boosted the morale of San Franciscans everywhere near and far.

"Go! Giants! Go!"

Game 5 roared along at a fast clip, so much so, that it was difficult to keep up with my notes!

Even still, by the 4th inning, I was embarrassed to have to relay the score to inquisitive strangers, who trotted up quizzing me for updates.

Zilch to Zilch!

No wonder.

Tim Linescum's fastballs were being clocked at 93 mph.

Anxious (fearful?) Texans couldn't see the ball whizzing by, let alone get a crack at it (for the most part).

Because of it, Linescum rose to Super-star status in the eyes of the fans, early on in the battle for supremacy on the field.

You betcha!

The athlete of-the-hour (a two-time Cy Young Award Winner) picked off the players one-by-one - in what must have been a surreal baseball scenario for the batters - unfortunate to have to stand up to his fastball wrath.

Linescum's pitching was perfect, precise.

Understandably, I won't dwell on his "bad-hair" day!

He had a lot more on his mind than grooming, folks.

When Madison Bumgarner stepped up to the pitcher's mound, the fans were still in awe over Sunday Night's dazzling stellar performance in a shut-out game, that goes down in the annals of Sports History for a myriad of reasons.

The 21 year old pitcher was the 4th youngest player in that heady position to play the World Series.

"Madison looks like a big kid, but he's mature for his age," noted a supportive team mate.

On the mound, he was all business, as he stared the batters down.

"Mental warfare," one fan next to me chortled, when I pointed out the intensity of it all, which must have been off-putting to less-seasoned players a little wet behind-the-ears.

The game proved to be a night of balls (off the wall, flubbed miserably, over-the-wall spinningly), sacrifices (Aubrey Huff went down for the 1st time in his ball career for the sake of the team), and strike-outs (plenty of 'em pitched stingingly by 26 year old Tim Lincescum in his best game ever in the glare of the spotlight).

There were a few embarrassing moments, too.

Mitch Moreland, for instance, dropped a ball on 1st base in the 5th inning which raised a few eyebrows.

Huh?

A couple of strike-outs didn't fair well with critics either, who - until the weekend - were singling the kid out for super-star status on the diamond horizon.

Throughout the game, Giants fans kept the team spirit alive - and thumping - from the bleachers even though they weren't on home green.

In tandem with a melodious organ - which spewed out a few whimsical musical notes in advance - the revellers sang out in chorus:

"Let's go, Giants!"

In contrast to the Texas Ranger fans (a rather tame lot who often preferred clenching their hands with pals to punching the air with pointed gestures) the Giants' backers hooted and hollered the entire match throughout the electrically-charged starry-eyed night.

Did they beat the Ranger's fans into submission, perhaps?

In town - at pubs and cafes - sports enthusiasts packed cozy environs hell-bent on catching every sizzling move unfolding before them on state-of-the-art high-tech screens.

They were hopeful.

The last time the Giants won was way back in 1954.

The image of Willie Mays waving from an open convertible in a ticker-tape parade is still a memorable one.

When Brian Wilson struck out a Texas Ranger in the 9th - to cinch the pennant - the fans went wild, jumped for joy, and hugged everyone (and thing) in sight.

Shortly after Linescum darted onto the field to congratulate his fellow ballplayers, he was hoisted up on a dozen or so broad shoulders, and touted as one of the big heroes of the day.

But, the cameras zoomed in on Edgar Renteria shortly after that.

Being named MVP (Most Valuable Player) was an ironic end scenario for the humbled player.

When Renteria was signed months ago for $18 million, critics lamented it was allegedly a waste of money, because the ball player was a "washed-up short-stop" without any future worth.

The seasoned Pro hung in there, though, and eventually the twisted finger of fate pointed his way.

With two outs in the 7th inning - and Cody Ross and Juan Uribe on base - Renteria knocked a 2-0 cut fastfall from Cliff Lee over the wall in left-center field for a three-run homer that helped secure the outcome.

"I knew something was going to come up," he fessed up to one reporter later.

Sports professionals summed up sizzling Game 5 this way:

"The best pitchers beat the best batters."

In fact, Linescum's performance was being hailed as "Masterful".

Tim became the 15th Pitcher in history to win four games in one postseason.

It came as no surprise to Buster Posey who took notice of his demeanour early on in the night.

"It's called being a gamer...the guy was loose as can be, joking around, same old Timmy...he had no idea he had the opportunity to go out and win Game 5 of the World Series and win us a championship."

One reporter asked the Ram Power Player if he ever dreamed of being a "funky pitcher" in the World Series when he was lad.

"No. I wanted to be a batter," 'Tim confessed shyly.

Across the field, there were glum faces all 'round in the Texans Ranger locker room.

In spite of the humiliating outcome - the club Manager and his staff - were able to muster up a truism.

"It's not the best team that wins. It's the team that plays best."

The powers-that-be at the Texas ball club congratulated the Giants for a game well-played, hard-fought, and earned from the get-go.

Can 'ya fathom that?

Early on in the season, the Giants were often teased for exuding an aura of being a gang of cast-offs and misfits.

Freddie Sanchez laughed at the notion that he might be the President of such a team.

"Timmy made the night. He filled in the gap," he asserted with a grin on his face.

General Manager Bruce Bochy noted low-key - and with a glint in his eye - that it was the versatility of the team as a whole that egged him on.

According to the seasoned handler, it was fun to shuffle around the talent.

The GM is the only one in San Francisco to sport a World Series ring, which prompted a reporter to ask if he would run for political office one day.

Shucks, no!

Bochy pooh-poohed the notion.

Just doing his job.

And well, I might add.

In the aftermath of the stunning cinch, thousands swarmed the streets drunk with euphoria, and at-the-ready to par-tay hearty.

Muni cable cars were adorned with toilet paper, fans danced with wild abandon in the streets, and die-hard sports-lovers continued to hoop and holler 'til the cows  - er - the Giants came home.

Yup!

At 4 o'clock in the morning, at the crack of dawn, the team was greeted with cheers and contrats!

Indeed, there was enough of a rumble in the streets to trigger the next big one!

Dennis Wilson thanked the fans.

"They waved towels, wore beards, and hair," he chuckled.

"World Championship hair," he added in an afterthought.

Tim Lincecum noted it had been fun.

"We were a crazy crew. The city's (support) made it easy. Wearing my hair and panda heads," he laughed appreciatively.

The old axiom proved to be true.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

"It took a lot of pitches to get here. Mechanics were important. Going thru ruts in August," he admitted off-the-cuff with a little musing.

When asked about the switcheroo's during the season, he was quick on the uptake.

"We made adjustments when necessary."

On Wednesday, there will be a ticker-tape parade in downtown San Francisco, because of the had-won battles on the field over the past stretch in the World Series play-offs.

Mayor Gavin Newsom is slated to hand off the keys of the city to the San Francisco Giants, too.

Buster Posy thought the whole outcome was "cool".

The kid was down-to-earth - and classy - to the end.

As Tim drove off into the dark night early this morning in a silver Mercedes Benz with bow tie correctly knotted in place, it was evident we hadn't heard (or seen) the last of him (or the Giants).

In fact, today's paper is boasting a full page ad, for next year's season tickets.

Snatch 'em up.

They'll be goners, soon, if last night's phenomenal parade of pride is any indication.

http://www.thetattler.biz

 

Steve Cooley...ASA fights politician on Facebook! Call for Action on Medical Marijuana!

High on Busting ass!

Americans for Safe Access are asking voters to help in their bold-faced efforts to prevent Steven Cooley from becoming Lieutenant Governor in the next election November 2 (2010).

According to ASA, once Stephen Cooley takes office, he will start up para-military-style raids on pot dispensaries once again - and use his political savvy and persuasive contacts in Law Enforcement circles and the Government - to ensure that the possession and use of medical marijuana (and pot for leisure activities) remains a criminal offense.

I reported on the raids and the subsequent protests in front of the downtown Headquarters for the DEA at the Tattler in past published posts.

Post:  02/12/08

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/search?q=dea+raids

"If elected California’s next Attorney General, Steve Cooley has vowed to “eradicate medical marijuana from CA”.  Cooley will overturn all of our hard work, and turn patients back into criminals."

"Defend yourself and your medicine on Tuesday, November 2 (2010) by voting against Cooley," advocates in support of the decriminalization of marijuana at ASA are urging.

Americans for Safe Access are also making a plea for the citizens to take action.

Learn How:

http://www.notcooley.com/

Post YouTube Videos on your Wall: 

1.  Not cooley on Medical Marijuana
2.  Not Cooley on Same Sex Marriage
3.  Not Cooley on Environment
4.  Friends don't let friends vote for Cooley

"Like" the Not Cooley Campaign videos:

1. Not Cooley on Medical Marijuana
2. Not Cooley on Same Sex Marriage
3. Not Cooley on Environment
4. Friend's don't let Friends Vote for Cooley

INFORMATION:

http://www.safeaccessnow.org/

!http://www.thetattler.biz



San Francisco Giants...held back by Rangers! Bush booed @ local pubs!

For a Saturday night, the downtown streets of San Francisco around midnight were pretty dismal, in spite of the fact a much-anticipated baseball match between the Texas Rangers and the Giants filled the local pubs to capacity with gung-ho fans earlier in the evening.

Though a few Halloween stragglers were still whooping it up at that witchy hour, a large percentage of the Giants backers packed it in early, limped home with glum faces and bats drooping between their legs.

In contrast, the night before - Union Square was packed with frenzied fans with stardust in their eyes - who partied up a storm after a stunning shut-out sports enthusiasts are still marvelling at a couple of days later.

A loss last night for the Giants narrowed a gap in the World Series bid (they lost 4 - 2) and now the Texas Rangers are breathing uncomfortably down the backs of the beards they once feared.

San Francisco's edge has been cut 2-1.

The fans were in quite a celebratory mood earlier in the afternoon when the day was ripe with promise, though.

When a camera panned in on Tim Lincecum, for instance, a squeal of enthusiastic delight rippled through the Castro District in response.

And, a handful of poignant - often upbeat shots (a teen-age boy dreamily eyeing the playing field, a bodacious babe trying to catch the eye of a studly ball player, front office staff sweating it out in the bleachers) inspired pub crawlers to reflect a bit, hoot - even holler - at the wide flat state-of-the-art screen charged with electricity on the memorabilia-filled walls corner-to-corner.

There were some choice hilarious moments, too.

When a network news team zoomed in close-up on George W. Bush - pulling for the Rangers in the bleachers - the rowdy bunch of Giants fans booed and hissed to beat the band.

"Guess the folks here are all Democrats," one by-stander quipped with a smirk on his face.

The struggle for supremacy on the field - unlike the shut-out the other evening - was hard fought.

But, once the Texas Rangers managed to get an edge, there was no looking back.

The Giants gave it the old college try - but when the fat lady sang later - there was no cigar for the little engine that once could (earlier in the series this past week).

Maybe the superstition about left-handed pitchers playing Arlington was true?

Even so, high-profile players - like Cody Ross - weren't going to be deterred from the task at hand.

His performance was pretty stellar at times, and thus, kept fans nail-biting on the edge of their hard bench seats in the stands.

Bad luck, though, when he hit a homer at a highpoint in the game.

The bases were empty, after all.

It was kind of like a shooting an empty load!

A surreal kind of baseball masturbation?

The Texas Rangers were in such top form, that it triggered the quote of the day, in the Lone Star State.

"Who needs the Cowboys when we have the Rangers?"

Mitch Moreland - in particular - was a stand out player last night.

With one easy swing, the bang-on hitter, sent a liner fast ball into the right field (as 3 players sat on bases)which resulted in a much-ballyhooed homer.

Talk about the roar of the crowd!

The response was deafening.

Uh-huh.

The Antler and the Claw were working their magic!

And, later today, what to expect?

Mitts off, for sure!

Go! Giants! Go!

http://www.thetattler.biz