THURSDAY,MAY 2,2002
JAYPLAY
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN • 3B
Jayplay writers filter crap
COMMENTARY
SARA SHEPHERD/KANSAN
The Jayplay section — it's what you are reading right now — is the weekly entertainment "magazine" of The University Daily Kansan. And as such, Jayplay reporters write about entertainment available to students — topics that range from sex to musical outlets.
CDs, videos, promotional photos and a variety of books sent by companies for reviewing by the Kansan pile up in the newsroom. Books like Casual Rex, a story of undercover dinosaur detectives, have remained unreviewed — in newsroom drawers.
And every week I'm sure you wonder to yourself: "How do the writers come by such knowledge?"
Well, maybe you don't wonder this, but my roommates have asked me before if I had to buy the CDs I sometimes review.
Just to let you know what the Jay-play writers have been shielding you from this year, here's a quick example of the less-than-stellar entertainment promos we've received:
Casual Rex by Eric Garcia
However, not everything that we get is reviewed (have you ever seen a book review about dinosaur detectives?), because not everything is necessarily interesting to you, the students. In fact, most of what is delivered to us through the U.S. Postal Service ends up collecting dust in the Kansan newsroom.
Yes, stuff. Record labels send in CDs with press releases about the artist's latest tour. Studios send their latest video releases and folders of information on their next theatrical release. Publishers give us books on a variety of subjects, from sex to undercover dinosaur detectives (no really, I'm not joking).
But the answer to that is no. The writers and reviewers for Jayplay do not always have to pay for what they review.
The aforementioned dinosaur detective story. In this sequel to 1999's Anonymous Rex, Garcia tells a story about a pair of dinosaurs who wear latex human suits and coexist in a world of humans. The dinosaurs investigate a potentially dangerous movement in which they shed their latex skins and be themselves.
"Why is that?" you ask. Well, it's because companies send us stuff.
"Stuff?" you ask as you think of writing for Jayplay and getting free stuff.
Donovan Atkinson datkinson@kansan.com
This volume of modern literature has been gathering dust on a desktop in the newsroom since last fall.
The Random Years: Pilot Episode
Paramount Pictures sent us this pilot for a mediocre comedy starring Will Friedle of Boy Meets World fame. He played the older brother. Friedle plays a young, just-out-of-college Web entrepreneur who lives with his slacker buddies. It also stars Natalia Cigliuti of Saved by the Bell: The New Class. She played the younger Kelly Kaposki character and adds that "Hey, it's that one chick from that one show!" factor. The show debuted on the UPN network in March, but network's Web site now lists the show as being on hiatus.
Da Album by the SuckaMCs
From the cover notes to this attempt at hardcore rap, one can gather that the SuckaMCs are the white version of the Wu Tang Clan. The members have taken on new, evocative names like The Old Navy Bastard, Da Perpetual Moshun Masheen, The Warden Reverend Porno Borton Ding Dong, and Jason Clifford Hennesy. The cover notes also prove to be the most entertaining part of this album, and the generic rap helps emphasize the humorous nature of the credits. Listed in the "thank you" section are a variety of people, places and things, including the birthplaces of the band and "the fly honeys who roll with Suckas."
New Port South
The latest John Hughes film on video that is aggravating to watch. Nothing makes sense and nothing is explained in the first 16 minutes,
which is when I stopped watching.
*Le Funk by VHS OR BETA*
"When you think of house music played on the same instruments as a great rock band, you'll think of VHS OR BETA," promises Fanatic Promotion in a press release for the band's 2001 album. When I listened to it, all I could think of was that they somehow managed to turn one song into six.
Playmate of the Apes
When this saucy movie arrived in the newsroom it was an instant hit.
Everyone had something to say about it, and no one had even watched it yet. Sadly, this video has since disappeared from the newsroom, which is why I never got the chance to review it for you ...
Now I know what you're thinking. "I really want this stuff! Casual Rex sounds like a great read!" Well, maybe not. But the next time you read the Jayplay and think that our entertainment selections suck, just think about what didn't get in.
Clinton Lake serves summer fun
By Meghan Brune Jayplay writer
Thinking about the end of the semester? Wishing you could spend a weekend away from campus, schedules and the general hustle of city life?
Clinton Lake is the answer, and it is about six miles west of Lawrence. The lake can be reached by taking Clinton Parkway to the dead end and then following the signs into the park.
The park was created in the 1980s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and includes areas known as Overlook Park, Rockhaven Park, Woodridge Park and Bloomington Park. The lake has areas for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, camping and picnicking. Eleven miles of bike
trails circle from the Overlook Park to the west boat ramp and four miles of trails surround the outside of the park.
David Buchanan, Wichita sophomore, uses the bike trails around Clinton Lake to train for a philanthropy project he is doing with his fraternity. It's a cross-country bike ride benefiting Journey Of Hope, which is an organization of murder victims' families that advocate alternatives to the death penalty. Buchanan favored the trails because of the good roads and minimal traffic.
"It is nice to get out of the city once and awhile." Buchanan said.
Between the trails, camp grounds are located through out the park. Campers are required to reserve an area and to pay a camp-
ingfee. Around August, Bob Bruce, Leawood freshman, and his friends enjoyed occasional trips to the lake.
"We usually stay for the night, grill, swim and do a little partying," Bruce said. "The sheriffs try to keep the noise down in the park, but we still have a good time."
Park Ranger Jim Bell has started to see an increase in the number of park visitors. He said he thinks it is still too cool for most campers.
"The water temperature has to be around 80 degrees and right now it is about 60 degrees." Bell said.
Safety is a concern for Park Rangers. They are on hand in the visitor's center and patrol the park.
Bell said Memorial Day weekend was the unofficial kick-off to summer activities.
Last weekend, Hashinger Hall planned to have its annual Hash Barbecue at Clinton Lake, said Heather Young, Hashinger resident assistant. The rain kept festivities contained to the porch of the residence hall.
This would have been the third year for the residents to meet at Clinton Lake, and last year the event drew about 100 residents and friends who played softball, frisbee and volleyball at Overlook Park.
"It is always a fun time to be out at the lake and get to meet and hang out with friends," said Young, Abilene senior.
mbrune@kansan.com. This story was edited by Kyle Ramsey.
Contact Brune at
Summer concerts mean Dave, Ozzy plenty of SPF
Throughout the past few weeks, I have been asked the same questions over and over: "What are you doing after graduation?" "What time is it?" "What is your social security number?"
The most apparent of all, and unquestionably the most irritating is, "Are you going to Bonnaroo?" For the last time: No. I'm not.
For all those who haven't heard, the most anticipated concert event of the summer is called Bonna
roo, a three-day camp out and dance-all-night festival on a plot of grass in Manchester, Tenn., that features an outrageous lineup of hip-nie jam-
Brad Weiner
bweiner@kansan.com
Have no fear, because as summer approaches, so do the possibilities of fantasmagorical live music at the venues in our backyard. A quick search of Pollstar, www.pollstar.com, gives a comprehensive listing of the live music coming to the area. Tons of shows are coming to Kansas City, so wrap on your sandals, load up the cooler and count the days until finals are through.
Festivals are the most popular summer option because one ticket gives access to dozens of bands. One event that looks particularly striking is the One Love Festival at City Market, 20 E. Fifth St., Kansas City, Mo., May 31. From the lineup, it looks like an allday, feel-good reggae vibe with headliners Toots and the Maytals, along with others such as Stone Love and Luciano.
Ozzfest returns to Sandstone Amphitheater, 633 N. 130th St., Bonner Springs, August 20. Apparently Mr. Osbourne will have to leave his loving, television savvy family to go on tour with angst-ridden metal-heads.
The Down from the Mountain Tour features rootsy artists capitalizing on what music moguls are now calling "O Brother Syndrome" comes to the Starlight Theater, 6601 Swope Parkway, Kansas City, Mo., August 13. Artists include Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Del McCourey and Alison Kraus.
A huge number of classic rockers hit the road this summer with Kansas City as a stop. Van Halen frontmen David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar are billing themselves as the "uncontested champs of Rock and Roll." The evening will be unforgettable, unless you drink too much, of course. The concert is at Sandstone June 6.
Along the same lines, Deep Purple and the Scorpions play July 19, Foreigner and Bad Company play June 23, John Mellencamp July 28, and the epic power trio Rush August 1. All are to play at Sandstone.
If you're still mourning that big Phish that got away, the String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic both return to Kansas City this summer on different dates. Their joint shows at Sandstone and Riverport last year sparked frustration from the devoted fans of each band about who should play first, last and longest. String Cheese plays at the Starlight Amphitheater June 29. Widespread Panic plays the same venue July 5.
And who could forget summertime favorites Dave Matthews Band? Any band that has a Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor named after it must put on a good show. It "plays" at Sandstone Sept. 3.
Although these shows are the big guns, there will surely be smaller and cheaper local events going on in Lawrence that won't necessarily require advance tickets or sunscreen.
Weiner is an Englewood, Colo., senior in English
How It Feels to Make A Major Discovery
KU should know. Its faculty, graduates and students have been making major discoveries for more than a century. Discoveries such as "units of inheritance," which came to be known as genes; the natural element helium; the planet Pluto;
KU's scientific legacy, combined with private giving, has attracted a superb faculty. And now it is time to provide facilities and equipment worthy of their capacities.
and even Vitamins A and D. Kid stuff like that.
KU Endowment, through KU First, seeks to raise $500 million by 2004, $94 million of which will be directed to research. To further explore the humanities, education and social welfare.To study cancer and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. To develop drugs and
INVEST IN EXCELLENCE
therapies. To become a leading center for biomedical research And a lot of other hard stuff.
compete for research dollars.
And continue that string of major discoveries.
KANSAS UNIVERSITY
ENDOWMENT
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