That's It, I'm Outta Here!

With so many Red Sox and Patriots' players fleeing New England lately, we've decided to bolt too. Not forever, just for our next vacation. We've finally nailed down the next adventure. In May, we are off to Peru - for a week in the Amazon and then a few days at the Lost City of the Incas; Machu Picchu. Now, we just need to learn Spanish in a month. Maybe Larry The Lizard already knows it.

Say It Ain't So Adam

What is going on with my beloved New England Patriots? Adam Vinatieri gone!?! To the Indianapolis Colts? I'm gonna puke! And now the Patriots are talking to Mike Vanderjagt. The only thing more disgusting than seeing the best clutch kicker in NFL history walk away is replacing him with Vanderjerk, the kicker hated even by his own team. I hate the modern NFL. Fans are just expected to root for whoever is in the uniform.

I was prepared for David Givens to leave. He's been solid, but I knew someone would pay more than the Pats would. Everyone knew Willie McGinest was gonna get cut over salary cap issues - but he was supposed to resign with us for less. That's how the Pats have been working for years. And his loss is personal. His family sits in our section. Who am I gonna hang out with now after games if Big Willie's folks now spend their weekends in Cleveland.

But now, no more Adam? The highest scoring Patriot ever. The kicker of the Best Kick in NFL history at the Snow Bowl against the Raiders! He could easily win a run for governor of any New England state. Hell he could win them all simultaneously. How can he walk away from all of those who worship at the altar of his foot.
Plus we haven't signed a single of our own free agents. Tim Dwight, gone. Christian Fauria, gone. What's next - Troy Brown joining the Jets? Crap, think I'll just take up bowling.

The only guy left from the core group who had been with the team since the 1996 Super Bowl is now Tedy Bruschi. And we've only got one receiver worth a damn - Deion Branch (for one more season at least).

OK, deep breaths. Remember THREE Super Bowls.... most teams self destruct after one... in Belichick we trust. In Belichick we trust. In Belichick we trust.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Metallica inducted Black Sabbath into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night in NYC. VH1 will be airing the 2006 Induction starting next Tuesday March 21, 2006. Sabbath didn't play, so Metallica ripped through "Iron Man" and "Hole in The Sky" for them. Also inducted this year; Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Miles Davis (what?!) and the Sex Pistols who blew the whole thing off. Something Ozzy always said he would do, but didn't.

Queen and Paul Rodgers

Caught Queen + Paul Rodgers Friday night at the DCU Center in Worcester Ma. Went to the show with pretty low expectations. Wasn't counting on much more than a decent cover band since this was really just two members of Queen (Roger Taylor and Brian May) and Paul Rodgers (lead singer for Free, Bad Company and The Firm over the years), but I had never seen Queen and wanted to check it out. My low expectations were easily blown away, this tour was much bigger than I expected. The stage had a center ramp coming halfway out into the crowd and an impressive lighting grid that made it seem they were planning on hitting some major stadiums. And no opening act! The best way to win me over.

After a blistering version of "Tie Your Mother Down" and then "Fat Bottomed Girls" it was clear this was going to be a great show. Rodgers didn't always look comfortable doing the Queen songs, especially "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Another One Bites The Dust", but I'll give him credit for not just trying to do a Freddie Mercury impersonation. The band seemed most relaxed and having fun doing Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Bad Company". They even did a new track that they wrote together called "Take Love" which was a decent classic rock sort of tune.

Drummer Roger Taylor did a lot more singing than I ever knew he did. He was the lead vocalist for "I'm in Love With My Car", which I didn't even realize was by Queen - it is currently in some car ad on TV. He also stepped down from behind the drum kit for another song later. Brian May did multiple solos and some lead singing as well. "Bohemian Rhapsody" was pretty cool. They combined the live band with Freddy Mercury on the video screens playing piano and singing then joined by Paul Rodgers on stage for a weird but moving video karaoke performance. The encores rocked with "We Will Rock You". Have sung this many times at sporting events but it was very cool to finally do it with live band. And it was a blast seeing Rodgers do his hit from way back when with Free, "Alright Now" and it felt surprisingly awesome to sing "We Are The Champions" with Queen... well most of .. I mean some of Queen. Oh and Paul Rodgers.

Set List:
Intro - Beautiful Day
Reaching Out
Tie Your Mother Down
Fat Bottomed Girls
I Want To Break Free
Take Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Love Of My Life
Hammer To Fall
Feel Like Makin' Love
Drum Solo
I'm In Love With My Car
Guitar Solo
Last Horizon
Bad Company
Can't Get Enough
Another One Bites The Dust
Dragon Attack
These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Radio Ga Ga
The Show Must Go On
Bohemian Rhapsody
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We Will Rock You
All Right Now
We Are The Champions

More Photos from "Illegal Aliens" Screening

Here are a couple shots from the event in NYC on March 1. Interest is high and a summer release looks likely. As soon as there is a solid date I'll let everyone know. Here are links to even more photos from the mayhem at Tribeca Cinema; Worldwide Entertainment News Network, WireImage, FilmMagic, and more on Anna Nicole Smith from Entertainment Tonight.

"Illegal Aliens" Takes Off

The "Illegal Aliens" event last night in NYC was a big success. A fifteen minute teaser of the film packaged as "Top Ten Reasons We Love B-Movies" was screened to an enthusiastic audience of media and potential distributors. It went over so well that it was shown a second time later in the evening due to popular demand. My shiny dome was even spotted a couple times on screen.
The amount of press outside the Tribeca Cinema was amazing, seemed like there was more press than audience at one point. Anna Nicole Smith was scheduled to attend but her appearance at the US Supreme Court on Tuesday took a heavy toll on her and she was forced to just send her regrets for not making it. Seems her camp had some security concerns following the heavy paparazzi presence at the Supreme Court.
Lots of my fellow crew members did make it as did other members of the cast including Kevin McGuire, John James, Woody Keppel, Dennis LeMoine (Dennis reminds me of Will Ferrell and is someone to keep an eye on) and one of the three Illegal Aliens, Lenise Soren. Lenise is another name to remember, she is one of the most gorgeous, classiest actresses I've ever met. Lots of buzz fluttering around her and a potential role as Wonder Woman.
The queen of the night was certainly Mz. Joanie Laurer (aka Chynna), who started the day off with an appearance on Howard Stern's show. She is just hilarious in her role as Rex, the villain of the film. This should really be a break out role for her. As soon as I approached Chynna after the screening she looked me up and down and asked "Well, where is he?", referring of course to her good friend Larry The Lizard. Larry and Chynna really hit it off during production of Illegal Aliens back in the fall of 2005. It was rather difficult to explain to Chynna that Larry couldn't make it because he was in China. Larry's actually been in Beijing China for a couple weeks, but he'll be home soon.
I've seen stories on the film on Access Hollywood, The Insider and Entertainment Tonight so far today. ET will be running another piece on Anna Nicole and Illegal Aliens on Friday's show.