Friday, September 19, 2008
Teesee`s Town: Friends of La Rabida to salute Merri Dee at ‘Big
Top Ball’
Free Money for Teens–The Illinois Commission on Diversity and
Human Relations is giving students, ages 12-16 years, a $40 savings
account to jump-start their future savings. It’s all taking
place Saturday, Sept. 20, at Fenger Academy high school, 11250 S.
Wallace, beginning at 9 a.m. Registration closed earlier this week,
but there are a few spots left. Participating banks include National
City, Washington Mutual (WaMu), Harris, Charter One and TCF. A parent
must accompany each student. To get on board, hurry and call Kandias
Conda at (773) 495-5585. Good luck!Attn: Jazz Junkies!–The Hyde
Park Jazz Society welcomes vocalist Everett Greene to the CheckerJazz
stage at the Checkerboard Lounge, 5201 S. Harper (northeast corner of
Harper Court) on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m.– 11:30 p.m.
Admission: only $10; $5 for students over 21 with college/university
IDs.
A favorite of many Chicagoans, the Indianapolis resident “has a
voice that sounds like it was dipped in hot fudge–a kind of
cross between Joe Williams and Arthur Prysock,” so say critics
in the know. He has worked with such greats as Junior Mance and Gerald
Wiggins, Groove Holmes, Melvin Rhyne, Houston Person, Lou Donaldson
and David “Fathead” Newman. Remember, you can bring your dinner if you
wish, have a great evening of jazz and still be home at a
“respectable” hour. Come for one set or stay for the evening–all
for one price.Anniversary Affair–Christian Fields Style Bar,
6550 S. Cottage Grove, celebrates its first year anniversary,
“The Carnivale,” on Saturday night, Sept. 20, at its
Woodlawn facility, showing appreciation to its customers, clients and
the media “who have made it all possible.”“On
Air”– CBS 2 Chicago will broadcast live for the very first
time from its new, state-of-the-art building on Sunday, Sept. 21, at
10 p.m. Located in the heart of Chicago at 22 W. Washington (at
Dearborn), the CBS 2 Broadcast Center is an all-digital, high-
definition facility that faces Daley Plaza and the iconic Picasso
statue in Chicago’s Loop.“This is the first television
station in Chicago that has been designed and built from the ground up
as a high-definition facility,” says Joe Ahern, president and
general manager. “The new building is a centerpiece for
information and community service. Our street-front presence allows us
to interact with the public like never before and to provide our
neighbors with breaking news, weather, sports scores and
more.”The facility features a street-level, glass-walled news
studio, as well as an anchor desk and interview set which look out
onto Daley Plaza. A 19-feet high video wall on the outside of the
building serves as an information resource for the thousands of
pedestrians who pass through the area each day. The video wall
features CBS Outdoor 10mm video imagery, providing the highest
resolution in an outdoor environment. It will be programmed with all
local and national newscasts, syndicated programs like The Rachael Ray
Show and Dr. Phil, sports and special events. The video wall will also
be a source for breaking news, weather and for live coverage of major
events on Daley Plaza. The building will also serve as the new home of
the CBS Network News Chicago Bureau.
In celebration of the new CBS 2 Broadcast Center, the station will
broadcast a series of special programs and news stories. A historical
retrospective celebrating the past, present and future of CBS 2 will
air at 6 a.m., 1 p.m. and 10:35 p.m. as the station closes its
historic building on McClurg Ct. A live report from the new space
during the 10 p.m. newscast will bring viewers inside the building for
a behind-the-scenes look. Heart of Chicago will examine the history of
Block 37, feature an interview with Mayor Daley, and highlight the
Chicago Loop and the station’s new location surrounded by
businesses, government, theaters, parks and shopping. The program will
look back at some of the most significant news stories and events of
the last 50 years, including the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate, the first
televised presidential debate, which originated from the McClurg Ct.
studios. Tune in!Write On!–Omar Tyree, the New York Times’
best-selling author, comes this way Saturday, Sept. 20, as the special
guest for the Authors and Artists’ Chicago Book Fair, themed
“The Last Chapter: Exploring the Endless Possibilities of
Literature and Culture.” Sponsored by 220 Communications, it
will be held at Columbia College, 623 S. Wabash, from 1 p.m.–6
p.m. Admission: $10, which includes a raffle ticket for a trip to Las
Vegas, panel discussions and prize giveaways totaling $1,000. A
portion of the proceeds will benefit The Urban Literacy Project, says
Glenn Murray, coordinator. Besides Tyree, some 20 other writers,
artists, filmmakers will be on hand. For more details, call (886)
533-9884 or visit http://www.authorsandartistslive.com.The Grand Ballroom of
Four Seasons Hotel will take on a circus atmosphere when Friends of La
Rabida Children’s Hospital hosts its annual fundraiser on Friday
honoring Merri Dee,WGN-TV’s retiring community relations
director and its Children’s Charities’ manager. The Big
Top Ballcommittee is co-chaired by Joli Burrelland Bob Arthur,and
since the mid-80s, the group has raised millions of dollars for
various clinics and service programs at La Rabida, the only hospital
in the country solely dedicated to children with lifelong medical
conditions or who have suffered abuse and neglect. Located on the
southern shores of Lake Michigan (at 65th St.), La Rabida has been
caring for children for 112 years, regardless of their ability to pay.
Proceeds from the black tie dinner will support the Joli Burrell
Children’s Advocacy Centers (in Chicago and Park Forest), which
serve kids with traumatic experiences, such as sexual abuse, physical
abuse, burns, witnessing family violence and violent crimes. Among
planning committee members: Linda Johnson Rice, Diane Dinkins Carr,
Lyle Logan, Heather Morris, Jacqueline N’Namdi, Regina
Danielsand lots of others. ABC 7’s Cheryl Burtonis emcee; actor
author Steve Schrirripais host. The evening kicks off with cocktails
at 7 p.m. Individual $500 tickets can be reserved by calling La-Verne
Mathews,(773) 753-9602.
Newsy Names–“Highlyhilarious” and
“scrumptiously unscripted” is how Yvette Moyodescribes
Real Men Charities’ second annual Roast & Toast on Dec. 13 at
South Shore Cultural Center, celebrating state Senate President Emil
Jones,soon to be retired.
Cong. Danny Davis(7th), Ill. Commerce Commissioner Lula Ford, Judge E.
Kenneth Wright, Dr. Herbert C. Harris, Dr. Lewis Baskins, Atty. Thomas
Vaughnand ShoreBank’s Robert Nashreceive “Distinguished
Alumni” honors from the University of Arkansas at Pine
Bluff’s Chicago Chapter at its Black Gold Scholarship Dinner-
Dance on Sept. 27 at Chateau Bu-Sche
(location changed from Harambee House). Spear heads: Bobbie Dixon
Heard,chair; Doris Odem,president. For tickets, call (312) 842- 4974.
Hosea Sanders,ABC 7’s early morning (5-7 a.m.) news anchor, is
MIA (missing in action), recovering for four-six weeks from hip
replacement surgery. Ouch!
Happy b’day to Marcus Alston(Danielle Ashley Communications),
Monique Young(Defender layout artist), Ron Childs(Flowers
Communications) and Valinda Jones(Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church).
Makin’ History–Eartha Kitt,81, (born Eartha Mae Keithin
North, S.C.), an international show-biz legend indeed (stage, screen
and recordings), will be saluted by Julieanna Richardsonand The
HistoryMakerson Saturday with a PBS-TV special, An Evening with Eartha
Kitt,to air in February ’09. The interview and performance (Kitt will
sing several of her signature hits) will be videotaped before a live
audience at Northwestern U’s Thorne Auditorium. Washington
Week’saward-winning correspondent Gwen Ifillwill conduct the
interview and host the career retrospective; Merri Deewill emcee. The
HistoryMakers,a national non-profit, is the world’s largest
African American archival collection.
A performer in the truest sense of the word, Kitt’scareer has
spanned over six decades. She’s an author, two-time Daytime Emmy
winner who’s raised over a million dollars to benefit African
American schools and frequently gives benefit performances for
HIV/AIDS organizations. In 1968, you remember, she encountered a
professional setback when she made anti-war remarks at a White House
luncheon, reportedly causing first lady Lady Bird Johnsonto cry. Just
last year, Kittco-starred in an independent film, And Then Came
Love,with Vanessa Williamsand Ben Vereen.An Evening With Eartha Kittis
the 14th program in The HistoryMakers’PBS-TV series, which so
far has raised in excess of $7 million for the development of the
priceless archive. Support for Saturday’s event has come from
McDonalds, Discover Financial Services, Coca-Cola, Aon, Best Portion
Foundation, Allstate, Verizon, Walgreens, ITW, American Airlines,
Chicago Tribune,Sprint and Palmer House Hilton. Call (312) 674-1900.
TV-OP Fest–Milana L. Walter,former NBC 5 exec, is the brains
behind TV-OP 2008 International Television Festival this Friday and
Saturday at Columbia College Chicago’s Film Row, 1104 S. Wabash.
The second annual two-day event, “Creating Program Diversity and
Career Opportunities in TV and Broadband Programming,” will
focus on opening doors of opportunity for professionals of color and
women in the powerful medium of television, Waltersays. “The
only one of its kind, it was created to advocate diversity in front of
and behind the cameras, and connect entrepreneurial creators of
viable, entertaining productions with global companies in need of
quality content.” Newly christened TV-OP, the fest follows the
successful soft introduction in 2007 at the Black Harvest Film
Festival. Nielsen Media Research and TV One have returned to join
Columbia College as the presenting sponsors of this effort to expose
talented producers with their multicultural stories and varied
viewpoints to key industry decision-makers. In 2007, the festival
awarded Joseph L. Lewis lland Eugene Haynes,co-creators of the
animated pilot, The Adventures of Teddy P. Brains,an all-expense-paid
trip to TV One headquarters to meet and pitch their executives. It
also honored Emmy winner, Barbara E. Allen,with the first Chicago TV
Excellence Award for her work on Paper Trail: 100 Years of The Chicago
Defender,and featured panel discussions and presentations by top execs
such as Johnathan Rodgers,TV One’s CEO; Bruce DuMont,Museum of
Broadcast Communications’ president; Ken Smikle,Target Market
News’ president; Jenny Alonzo,Lifetime Entertainment’s
former SVP.
Amy Hilliard, Brenda Sextonand Abe Thompsonco-chair Saturday’s
Awards Ceremony, which will induct Nat King Colein TV-OP’s Hall
of Fame for his groundbreaking television show that ran for 64
consecutive episodes, 1956-1957. His twin daughters, Timolinand Casey
,co-founders of the Nat King Cole Generation of Hope Foundation Inc.,
will accept the award. Also honored: creators of multicultural TV
productions, including vintage TV and reality shows, plus comedy,
drama, animation and documentaries. For tickets to the fest and info
on the extensive, jam-packed schedule, visit or call (312) 588-1500.
Breakfast Bonus–ESPNcolumnist-commentator Scoop Jacksonaddresses
the 111th Man-Boy Breakfast hosted by Concerned Christian Men on
Saturday at Simeon Career Academy and Prof. James Wilson“unlocks
the secrets to success in math.” Spirited sports competition is
on the agenda, and always welcome at this monthly tradition are men 18
and over ($5 donation) and young men 6-17 (free).Call George Glenn,CCM
founder, (773) 401-0025; email christianmen.org. CCM is celebrating 13
years serving African American youngsters.
Mardi Gras Fun–Weara colorful mask and join ComEd’s Angel
Perezand CitizenGroup’s Bill Garthon Friday at Chatham Business
Association’s Annual Awards Gala & Mardi Gras Celebration at the
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. Other hosts include Joseph Caldwell, Dr.
Felicia Blasingame, Leonard Harrisand Monica Thomas.Call (773)
994-5006.
On Air–Paul Lisnek,Comcast CN 100 anchor, has joined
WVON’s weekend lineup as host of his self-titled radio show that
airs Sundays, 4-5 p.m., live on 1690 AM and streamed live on WVON.com,
says Melody Spann-Cooper,president/GM. Lisnekalso hosts Political
Updateon CN 100 (The Comcast Network), anchors Newsmakerson CNN
Headline News, serves as a political analyst for WGN-TV and his
analysis, and commentary has been heard on NBC’s Today Showand
CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360.For some, he’s been a regular
guest on radio icon Cliff Kelley’sshow, discussing all things
politics, law, entertainment and current events.
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