Media Mix: Karim Chroboq
POSTED December 5, 2008 | 12:05 AM
Karim Chroboq is the director of “War Child,” a new movie that opens today at Landmark's E Street Theatre. The movie focuses on Emmanuel Jal, a child solider smuggled out of Sudan who has made it as a popular music artist and works to bring peace and education to the children of Africa.
Q: What CD are you listening to now?
Manu Chao
Q: What was the last movie you saw?
“Slumdog Millionaire” (excellent) and James Bond (not so good)
Q: What Web sites do you visit in the morning?
NY Times, Washington Post, sometimes BBC and various German papers for the European news
Q: What book are you reading?
“The House at Sugar Beach,” about Liberia
Q: What's your favorite TV show?
Currently the “Daily Show” but that may change soon
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Amazing: Alito is alarmingly amusing!
POSTED December 5, 2008 | 12:05 AM
It's funny underneath the robe
Whoever would have guessed that Samuel Alito could be ... funny?!?
But the Supreme Court justice brought down house (well, as much as any legal scholar can...) and the crowd to its feet Wednesday night at the American Spectator magazine's annual dinner.
Alito on Joe Biden's previous plagiarism problems: "Unlike our vice president-elect, I have respect for copyright laws."
Alito on Biden's grilling of Alito during his own confirmation hearings: He said the process wasn't fun, but that he's glad he got through it. Channeling the Rolling Stones, Alito said, "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need."
Alito on legal blogs: "I can just imagine law professors awake at 2 in the morning writing their unfiltered opinion."
Alito actually proved his musical knowledge on several occasions by quoting Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Gilbert & Sullivan.
But stranger than Alito's surprisingly competent stand up was an on-stage marriage proposal by writer William Tucker to his girlfriend Stephanie Guttman (she said yes).
Since they've already got a friend in one of the highest judges in the land, perhaps Alito could conduct the ceremony (and then provide the entertainment after).
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Bill as first spouse would get its own gallery
POSTED December 5, 2008 | 12:05 AM
Looking Glass
Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency this year, would we be looking forward to seeing first husband Bill Clinton's tuxedo in the National Museum of American History's gallery of first ladies' gowns?
"Probably not," said museum Director Brent Glass Thursday, during a taping of the "Q&A Café" at Nathans of Georgetown.
"We had several ideas, but we didn't settle on one plan" for that eventuality, he said. "We would give some serious thought to how we would present it." Glass added that a scenario in which a president and first lady swapped roles as chief executive and first spouse would probably qualify for its own "separate gallery ... a whole exhibit."
Glass said the museum had two curators traveling around to the primary states and the conventions this year, collecting artifacts from all the candidates. As for what they'd be displaying from Barack Obama one day, Glass said, "Since he's talked about his interest in Abraham Lincoln ... I'd like to make that connection."
Glass also said he's asked several prominent pols for their BlackBerries, but wouldn't name them, saying he's got to get their OK first.
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Scots take over ambassador's residence
POSTED December 5, 2008 | 12:05 AM
We'll drink to that
"Thanks to the Scots, it's the loudest group we've had here in a long time," said British Ambassador Nigel Sheinwald on Wednesday, as he hosted a tasting of Scotch at his residence.
Yet the Englishman was quick to admit, "As you can tell from my accent, I can't profess any connection to Scotland."
He left that to Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, who gave the crowd the soft sell by noting that even in recession, Scotch remains an "affordable indulgence. Noting that we were approaching the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, he pointed out that the 18th Amendment is the only one we've ever repealed -- a riff picked up by Robin Naysmith, head of Scottish Affairs at the British Embassy.
"The American experience proves that you cannot legislate a people into sobriety," said Naysmith.
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KenCen Honors bring A-Listers to D.C.
POSTED December 4, 2008 | 9:16 AM
Perhaps no other event in Washington, D.C. brings in such star power as the annual Kennedy Center Honors. And this year's event, which takes place Sunday, is no exception.
Yeas & Nays has gotten a sneak peak at some of the stars heading to town for the event, which honors achievements in the performing arts. (This year's recipients are Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Twyla Tharp and Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.)
Clint Eastwood is presenting Freeman with his award, according to Eastwood's agent, Leonard Hirshan. Eastwood directed and starred alongside Freeman in "Million Dollar Baby," for which both men won Oscars. The men will also be working together again in the upcoming Eastwood-directed film "Human Factor," which begins filming his March in South Africa. Denzel Washington will also participate in the tribute to Freeman.
Also coming to town: Queen Latifah, Beyonce, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Ne-Yo, Shelby Lynne, Idina Menzel, Alan Jackson, Joss Stone and Glenn Close.
Despite the strong roster of celebrities, all eyes will be focused on Streisand. Why? Simple: The notorious Bush basher will be forced to spend some time with President Bush during the event, as protocol dictates that honorees typically spend some time with the president at the White House and Bush will be seated with the honorees during the Kennedy Center ceremony.
"This could get ugly," said one source involved with the star-studded weekend.
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