While he may not be screaming “Move that bus!” this time around, former "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" host Ty Pennington is once again working with a team of volunteers to build a home for a deserving military veteran.
The DIY expert and TV personality has teamed up with Sears' Craftsman brand of tools to lead state delegates and elected officials for a “House United,” a project that will see one half of a home built in Tampa during the Republican National Convention, and the other half built in Charlotte during the Democratic National Convention.
Pennington will be on hand to swing hammers, nail two-by-fours and paint walls during the events.
Craftsman brand is encouraging people to get involved by visiting the House United tab at www.Facebook.com/Craftsman to sign a petition and encourage their state delegates to participate and stop by each event to lend a hand.In Charlotte, the project will be built during CarolinaFest, at 510 S. College St. (across from the convention center, between Tryon and College Streets), from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3.
After the two halves of the home are built during the conventions, they will be "united" in Charlotte's Belmont neighborhood in October.
26 Eylül 2012 Çarşamba
Ty Pennington confirmed for DNC visit
Bill Clinton, will.i.am team up for DNC bash
We already knew Bill Clinton was going to be in town for the Democratic National Convention, since he's set to deliver the official nominating address on Sept. 6 at Bank of America Stadium.
But there's now another slot filled on his calendar for next week: According to Politico, the former president will team up with will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas to headline a Democratic Party of Arkansas fundraising event on Sept. 4 at the Westin Charlotte in uptown.
The event, titled "A Party Two Decades in the Making," will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Clinton's nomination as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.
Tickets are $150 and available here.
Gabby Douglas headlining DNC-related event
Olympic champion Gabby Douglas will be joined by three other members of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women's gymnastics team at a public (but fairly exclusive) event in uptown Charlotte next Wednesday.
The "Kids' Health Goes Gold" event, part of a new national initiative promoting children's health and wellness, will also feature McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber; U.S. Olympic swimmers Rebecca Soni and Dana Vollmer (both gold medalists); and Lauren Cheney and Abby Wambach, who helped lead the U.S. women's soccerteam to its third straight Olympic gold medal.
Medical experts from Levine Children's Hospital,part of Carolinas HealthCare System, also will participate.
The session is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Foundation For The Carolinas, 220 N. Tryon St. Following a presentation, guests can dine with the Olympic champions, and there will be autograph and photo sessions; each guest also will receive a souvenir T-shirt.
Tickets are $150 a pop at http://kidshealthgoesgold.eventbrite.com.
Oh, and if you miss Douglas, Maroney, Raisman and Wieber next week, they'll be back in October for the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions at Time Warner Cable Arena.
Follow Théoden Janes on Twitter for updates about celebrities in town for the DNC: @theodenjanes; https://twitter.com/theodenjanes.
See Jay & Silent Bob ... live
Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes -- best known as Jay and Silent Bob from Smith's "Clerks" and other films -- are coming to The Fillmore Charlotte on Nov. 11.
The "Jay & Silent Bob Get Old" tour features the duo recording their comedy podcast titled.
Ranked No. 1 among iTunes Comedy podcasts, this is "a sometimes touching, always hilarious, look at what happens when two people grow up in Hollywood's gaze." These limited engagements will be recorded as the stories evolve live in front of the audience, and released for free on www.smodcast.com.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, The Fillmore Charlotte box office (opens at noon), all Ticketmaster outlets including select Wal-Mart stores, or charge by phone 800-745-3000. Unlike other Fillmore shows, this one is reserved seating.
This Year's Aloha Festivals Parade
Honolulu's 63rd Annual Aloha Festivals Parade rolled down the street from Ala Moana Park to Waikiki today. The colorful parade featured a variety of marching bands, beauty queens, floral floats, Pa'u riders on horseback, flags, banners, people lining the roadway, sunshine, heat, a politician or two, and an occasional drizzle. The parade lasted for more than 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Photos in this presentation were taken with a Minolta XD-11 35mm camera using Kodak film which was scanned to a CD. The JPG images processed with Apple's iPhoto software on a MacBook Pro laptop computer. Mac OSX 10.5.8
- Aloha Festivals Parade Photos on Flickr
25 Eylül 2012 Salı
Keep an eye out for these celebrities at the DNC
As Clint Eastwood might say, here come the hot-doggers.
Whereas Hollywood conservatives (save for Clint and Jon Voight) seemed to shy away from the spotlight during the Republican National Convention in Tampa this past week, Hollywood liberals are lining up to get into Charlotte for next week's DNC.
Top A-listers like George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey were rumored but are unlikely to show up. Yet the list of recognizable talent scheduled to make speeches or appearances or music here over the next several days is still long and distinguished. Some highlights:
SATURDAY
Recording artists Kathy Mattea, Anthony Hamilton and Biz Markie will be among the 20-plus acts serenading 15,000 journalists at the Charlotte host committee’s $2 million media party at the N.C. Music Factory.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/08/30/3488352/cool-job-to-scoop-up-history.html#storylink=cpy
MONDAY
Grammy winner James Taylor and Academy Award nominee Jeff Bridges will both perform (yeah, The Dude is a musician, too) at CarolinaFest in uptown. Ty Pennington, former "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" host, will build half a house at the festival.
A party for the California delegation at Fountain Plaza at NC Music Factory will feature rock supergroup Campy Freddy (Dave Navarro is among the members) and guest appearances by rocker Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray and Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis.
R&B man John Legend and neo-soul hip-hoppers The Roots will perform at separate parties, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Elder Gallery, respectively. Rumored guests at the Legend party are "America's Got Talent" host Nick Cannon and singer Edwin McCain.
TUESDAY
Actress Amber Riley (Mercedes on Fox's "Glee") will sing the national anthem at Time Warner Cable Arena.
"CSI: New York" star Hill Harper and Golden Globe winner Alfre Woodard will host a political summit for students at Johnson C. Smith University.
Actresses Rosario Dawson and America Ferrara will sit on a panel at Voto Latino's policy forum at Stage Door Theater.
Blogger Perez Hilton and hip-hop group Far East Movement will headline a Turn Up The Vote event at Mez at the EpiCentre.
A cocktail reception for the National Association of Broadcasters at Dressler's Restaurant has a guest list that includes several Hollywood stars: Tim Daly, Patricia Arquette, Alfre Woodard, John Leguizamo, BeauBridges, Rose Byrne, Tony Shalhoub and Wayne Knight (Newman from "Seinfeld"!).
Rapper Common will perform and hip-hopper Jermaine Dupri will DJ at a Fillmore party.
Former New York Yankee Bernie Williams is scheduled to perform with his band (he’s now a musician) at McGlohon Theatre.
The PFAW Foundation will party with Hollywood stars including Jane Lynch ("Glee"), Seth MacFarlane (director of "Ted"), David Hyde Pierce and Kathleen Turner at Kazba at the EpiCentre.
Comics DL Hughley, Aries Spears and Tommy Davidson perform standup at Belk Theater.
WEDNESDAY
Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis does the national anthem at the arena.
Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s gymnastics team will headline an event at Foundation For the Carolinas.
Jeff Bridges will attend the non-partisan Impact Film Festival at Mez. He narrated “Hunger Hits Home,” a film about childhood hunger that’s part of the festival.
Actor Kal Penn ("House," the "Harold & Kumar" movies) will be on a panel at Discovery Place moderated by Chelsea Clinton.
Tim Daly, Patricia Arquette, Alfre Woodard, John Leguizamo, Beau Bridges, Rose Byrne, Tony Shalhoub and Wayne Knight will lunch on the Patron Tequila Express near the Amtrak Station. They'll also be at the Creative Coalition's benefit gala at Fountain Plaza at NC Music Factory, headlined by the B-52s.
Rock band Foo Fighters perform in support of Rock the Vote at the Fillmore.
Actress Eva Longoria will host a party at Amos' Southend for Got Your Six and Lifetime TV; rapper Flo Rida will perform.
Rosario Dawson re-teams with America Ferrera; they'll join Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas and hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons at Voto Latino's Purple Carpet Bash at All American Pub.
THURSDAY
Actress Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") will make the keynote address at a business program at the Hearst Tower.
Actress Jessica Alba will co-host the week’s most important fundraising event, “Super-O-Rama,” at the Fillmore. Rapper Pitbull and pop-rockers the Scissor Sisters will perform.
ALL WEEK
Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington will pop in and out of Flex and Fit Gym, where her "Oasis" (a "rejuvenating retreat" will be set up Monday-Thursday.
"The Daily Show" and host Jon Stewart will be at ImaginOn Tuesday-Friday for tapings.
ALSO
Ashley Judd: The actress is coming to Charlotte as a delegate (from Tennessee).
Actress Thora Birch ("American Beauty") will be here as a California delegate.
Elizabeth Banks: She tweeted earlier this month that she'll be here for the DNC; no other details.
Follow Théoden Janes on Twitter for updates about celebrities in town for the DNC: @theodenjanes; https://twitter.com/theodenjanes. IF YOU SEE A CELEBRITY, e-mail tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.
Was that George Clooney jogging down Tryon Street?
If you happen to hear someone say they saw George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey jogging down Tryon Street, it might have been George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey.
It might also have been two fit, good-looking delegates. Or two fit, good-looking bankers.
Or maybe it was no one. It might have been that the person you heard it from heard it from a co-worker, who heard it from the person who cuts their hair, who heard it from another customer. And the other customer, for all anybody knows, might have made the whole thing up.
This is how it’ll go all week during the DNC, among people who care about such things. Dozens of household-name celebrities are in town or arriving soon for official convention activities, private parties, public forums and other events. Some even bigger names have been rumored, from Clooney (still unconfirmed) to Brad Pitt (he seems likely) to Oprah Winfrey (not so much).
And so, for a week, Tryon Street becomes like a mini-Sunset Boulevard. The EpiCentre and the N.C. Music Factory become quasi-microcosms of Chelsea and Greenwich Village. Stars will be everywhere. And people like me will hope to spot them.
There are some dead giveaways. If you suddenly see a horde of people swarm into one small area and pull out their cellphone cameras, you are probably witnessing a celebrity encounter. But it’s almost impossible to plan for something like this. As with so many other things in life, the keys to success are connections, timing and dumb-stupid luck.
Here’s an example of the fun we’ll have:
Sunday afternoon, the Observer got a call from an anonymous tipster who claimed – you guessed it – they had just seen George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey jogging down Tryon Street.
So naturally, I tweeted this out, grabbed a notebook, and headed for the escalators. (The Observer building is on Tryon Street.) On the way down, I ran into staff photographer Todd Sumlin toting a very long lens.
“Where are you headed?” I asked.
“Well, I heard George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey were seen jogging down Tryon Street,” he replied.
A block away, on the corner in front of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, one of our editors, Jennifer Rothacker, was on her cellphone and craning her neck to look down the street.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Wanted to see if George Clooney was still out running. No sign of him yet.”
Another block down, I saw not Clooney, but Observer clerk Sherri Bain, who took the call.
“Have you seen him??” she asked.
I said no but assured her I’d poke around for a bit longer, and dedicated my cause to Danny Ocean and “Magic Mike” fans everywhere. But in the end, I saw no George. I saw no Matt. All I had really seen was about half the Observer’s newsroom staff. Oh well, maybe there’s –
Oops, hang on, phone’s ringing. Sorry guys, gotta run. I hear Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were just spotted buying diapers at Wal-Mart. I’ll keep you posted …
Follow Théoden Janes on Twitter for updates about celebrities in town for the DNC: @theodenjanes; https://twitter.com/theodenjanes. If you see a celebrity, email tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.