Andrew Zimmern loved the chance to talk on his WFMP radio show about subjects other than food, but in the end, his burgeoning success at the Travel Channel forced him to give it up, he said in an interview Thursday.
When the radio show launched on 107.1 FM four months ago, he said, “the Travel Channel thing [“Bizarre Foods”]was still fresh, I didn’t know whether the show would do well or even have a second season.”
However, Travel Channel now wants him to expand the “Bizarre Foods” concept and also “get me involved in new projects,” which he said he couldn’t discuss at present.
“Because of the success of [“Bizarre Foods”], it needed to be fed, not starved and it put me in a Catch 22 in terms of giving up what I really loved [being on the radio],” Zimmern said. “It’s not something I’m necessarily happy about. I held on to everything as long as I could.”
Zimmern, who says he’s now out of town “about two-fifths of the year” with his cable show, plans to continue on at 107 as a contributor “or a recurring guest” and will also continue his affiliation with Minneapolis/St.Paul magazine.
His weekend show, “Food Court,” will run until the end of October.
Category: Blog Post
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Zimmern: Travel Channel Show "Needed to Be Fed, Not Starved"
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The Up Side of Down
ART
Brave New Worlds
Aldous Huxley’s ground-breaking novel Brave New World is probably one of the most influential pieces of literature of the twentieth century. In fact, three quarters of a century after its release, the novel is just as relevant and just as influential. Opening today is the Walker’s Brave New Worlds exhibit, which takes a stab at defining and shaping today’s political consciousness. Featuring 70 works by 24 artists from 17 countries, the exhibition offers diverse perspectives on what politically conscious art should be. Rather than resorting to standard political art, the artists have found their own unique ways to engage their audience, ponder questions, and take constructive positions. Be one of the first to see the exhibit, and join artists Sean Snyder, Dan Perjovschi, Runa Islam, and Haegue Yang — as well as exhibition curators Doryun Chong and Yasmil Raymond — for a panel discussion on the responsibility of artists in times of political fallout, globalization, and unstoppable technological process.7 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; free.
FILM
The Heartbreak Kid
While I do love a drama with a strong message — you know the kind — sometimes, all I’m looking for is a good laugh. Who better to fulfill this need than the Farrelly brothers? They’ve come a long way since earning their first credits for two Seinfeld episodes in the 80s — nailing some and flopping others — but they’ve stayed true to their comedic style. Tonight, enjoy a sneak preview of their latest endeavor, The Heartbreak Kid. This is your typical love sucks comedy in which Eddie, played by Ben Stiller, marries the woman of his dreams, just having met her. Of course, while honeymooning, he soon discovers her nightmarish qualities and meets the true woman of his dreams. Tada! Not a very stimulating plot, but I’m counting on the Farrelly brothers, Stiller, and an all-star cast to pull it off with flare.7:30 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; $8 (students $6, senior/members $5).
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Walt Jacobs Creates Order out of Chaos
University of Minnesota professor and author Walter Jacobs grew up in a dysfunctional family that destroyed his self-esteem. The title of his recent memoir Ghostbox refers to a talisman he created to help bring about his recovery from the trauma — an old shoe box in which he kept symbolic keepsakes that helped him to understand and redefine himself. Meet him this evening, hear about his experiences, and learn how to make your own ghostbox to reflect upon your experiences and create strategies for empowerment. Jacobs will sign copies of his book following the discussion.7 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.
SOCIAL
Twin Cities HRC Outreach & Social NightIt’s the first Thursday of the month, and apparently, that means a Human Rights Campaign social hour. This month’s special guest is PFLAG — parents, families, and friends of lesbians and gays — so come on out and meet members of the community and other GLBT/Allied organizations. Learn about HRC and PFLAG, and share your own experiences in a supportive environment.
5:30 p.m., Jetset, 115 N First St., Minneapolis; 612-339-3933.
MUSIC
Minnesota Orchestra
This weekend’s program is emblematic of conductor Osmo Vänskä’s five-year tenure to date with the orchestra. It begins with Rakastava, the romantic, melancholic choral work from Vänskä’s famous fellow Finn, Sibelius. It ends with Beethoven’s Second Symphony, a secondary but not second-rate composition among the nine Beethoven symphonies that Vänskä is recording with the Minnesota Orchestra to generally positive reviews. In between is
Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto11 a.m. (tomorrow at 8 p.m.), Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicolett Mall, Minneapolis; 612-371-5656; $21-$55.
Did Salieri Really Kill Mozart?
If you can’t make it to the Minnesota Orchestra show during the day, don’t despair; you can still get your classical fix tonight with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Hans Graf, guest conductor with the SPCO and music director of the Houston Symphony, conducts a program highlighting the bitter rivalry between Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The first half of the program includes a piece by each composer: Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 and Salieri’s Concerto in C for Piano and Orchestra, featuring guest pianist Rieko Aizawa. The second half features Russian tenor Daniil Shtoda and Russian-American bass Mikhail Svetlov performing Rimsky-Korsakov’s concert opera, Mozart and Salieri, which ends with Salieri poisoning Mozart out of jealousy. 8 p.m., Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-291-1144; $11-$59.
Also tonight, singer-songwriters Howe Gelb and Eleni Mandell perform at the Cedar (7:30 p.m.).
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Zimmern to Say Adios to Fulltime Radio Gig
Got a call this evening from El Kayak, a.k.a. Lambert, as he stood outside the Pink Taco in Vegas, socks still damp from his Lake Powell adventure paddle. My colleague, however, was not all wet when it came to his scoop about fast rising cable TV star Andrew Zimmern, who is expected to announce during his radio show Thursday that he is leaving his weekday afternoon host post on WFMP (107.1 FM), the station we affectionately call “Chick Radio.”
Zimmern, who hosts the wildly successful Travel Channel show, “Bizarre Foods,” has been given another development deal at the channel, according to 107’s VP/general manager Dan Seeman, who was philosophical about Zimmern’s decision. “Everything is just exploding for him right now,” Seeman said Wednesday evening. “It was hard for us to compete with an international TV show.”
Seeman said that Zimmern will continue to contribute to the 1-3 p.m. talkfest, which posted good numbers with the noted local foodie at the helm (well, when he was at the helm, given his already busy travel schedule). The show will continue on with Zimmern’s sidekick, Colleen Kruse, in the driver’s seat. “She’ll be the center of the show and we hope Andrew will continue to contribute,” said Seeman, adding that the fate of Zimmern’s weekend radio show “Food Court,” is still unclear.
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The answer is androgyny.
ANDROGYNYIn something resembling fashion news, Target will soon carry a David Bowie-inspired line of menswear by British musician-turned-designer Keanan Duffy. (See image at left.) Of course, I could be accused of writing TOO MUCH about Target and its various stabs at summiting the design-for-all market. But hey, it’s a local company; I figure you’re reasonably interested. In any case, the retailer has been lagging when it comes to menswear, so I’m happy to see them making this effort. And I consider it only bonus that the line happens to be androgynous; I’ll shop for my boyfriend (only discount for him) and then just steal the clothes from his closet.
ON THE OTHER HAND
If that all sounds too low brow for your tastes, then you might consider attending Neiman Marcus‘s Fall 2007 Hip Event this weekend (Friday and Saturday, normal business hours at the downtown Minneapolis store – By the way, I absolutely hate that Neiman is closed on Sundays). The event promises a peek at Phillip Lim‘s latest line for women, as well as the latest Diesel for men. But I was a little put off by Lim’s statement (from the press release) about his clothes being “an ode to the women of today … she is a citizen of the world, multi-tasking, balancing work and play and most importantly living her life to the fullest.” When, oh when will be stop piling more and more demands upon the beleaguered woman of today? Most likely, she is the household head of childcare and cleaning, in addition to her full-time job. She’s not as happy as she was thirty years ago. If she’s heterosexual (and partnered), then she probably can’t get a good night’s rest. In other words, she’s probably too fucking tired to live life to the fullest. So, lay off, will ya Lim?
Also, I noticed something peculiar about the press release for this Neiman event (and I apologize, as it is not available online). It includes a list of fall 2007 “women’s contemporary launches,” and they include, almost exclusively, celebrities who now try to pass off as designers: TWENTY8TWELVE by Sienna Miller and her sister, Royal Underground by Nikki Sixx, Justin Timberlake’s William Rast collection, and “Elizabeth and James from design consultants Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen” – whatever that means. No wonder the best designers of our time are all clamoring to work for Target and Kohl’s. Dumb-shit superstars are now cornering the market on upscale retail, and pretty soon the real designers will be edged out.
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Your Own Radio Station
With pandora.com, you can tell them what you like, and they’ll program a radio station for you to listen to.
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More Frog Legs – You Got a Problem With That?
What do Kim Bartman of Cafe Barbette and Bryant Lake Bowl, Brenda Langton of Spoonriver, Lenny Russo of Heartland, Tracy Singleton of the Birchwood Cafe, Lucia Watson of Lucia’s Restaurant, Jim Grell of The Modern Cafe, Steven Brown, formerly of Harry’s Food and Cocktails, and J.P. Samuelson of jP American Bistro all have in common?
They all have a strong commitment to local, sustainable food, and they have all donated gift certificates to the silent auction at next week’s monthly Eastside Coop Food Forum, to be held Wednesday, October 10 at the Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis. No food will be served at the forum, but there will be plenty of food for thought – the event, co-sponsored by the Land Stewardship Project, is a fundraiser for the whistleblower lawsuit filed by former state hydrologist Paul Wotzka. Wotzka was fired by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency after he requested permission to testify before a state legislative committee on the levels of atrazine in Minnesota water. Also speaking will be UC Berkeley biologist Tyrone Hayes, an expert on the impact of atrazine on amphibians; and Minnesota state senators John Marty and Ken Tschumper.
The doors open at 6:15, with music by Paul Metza from 6:30 to 7, and the program from 7 to 9 p.m. Suggested donation is $20, but nobody will be turned away. -
Poets, Truckers, and Oil – Oh, My!
POETRY
Nina’s Cafe Breaks the St. Paul Poetry SceneTodd Boss is a true down-home-boy-made-good story; from his humble roots on a Wisconsin cattle farm, he has gained the title of “poet laureate” of Nina’s Cafe in St. Paul, not to mention a bit of other recognition. His swoon-inducing “The Hush of the Very Good” was selected as one of Poetry magazine’s 24 best love poems, his first collection (Yellowrocket) comes out next year, and his work has also been published in such reputable forums as The New Yorker and New England Quarterly. Join him this evening, along with other area poets, as they read their works round-robin-style in another installment of the “Verse and Converse” series. Tonight features local poetry standouts Deborah Keenan, Jim Cihlar, and William Reichard.
7 p.m., Nina’s Cafe, 165 Western Ave., St, Paul; 651-292-9816.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Trucker Love
You have to love a good truck love story. Huh? Come on now; you know how it is: spending every evening in the garage, the driveway, or the street; heading to the Mall of America every weekend, only to hit the auto parts store; paging through magazine after magazine pining for parts. Well, forget all that. We’re talking about something a touch more sophisticated here. Best-selling author Mike Perry (of Population 485) is back with another amusing memoir. Truck: A Love Story recounts his attempts to restore a 1950s Harvester truck, while cultivating his own food and discovering romance. Get a glimpse into “small-town living, laundry tips for bachelors, and the results of his own mis-firing brain.” Meet Perry in person this afternoon, and have him sign your book.2 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.
FILM
Control Your Destiny, Control the Oil
“Imagine 30 percent of America unable to heat their houses, or gasoline $20 per gallon at the pump. It’s running out, and 90 percent of what’s left is in the Middle East. This is a fight to the death.” Sound vaguely familiar? These are the opening lines of the Syriana trailer on YouTube. A great commentary on American interests in the Middle East, Syriana offers up a political thriller with a message. Fittingly, tonight’s screening is hosted by the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. But don’t worry — you can use as much or as little brain power as you wish. The camera work is beautiful. The acting is superb: George Clooney won an Oscar for his role as CIA undercover operative Bob Barnes. And the film effortlessly delivers the message without disrupting your entertainment.7 p.m., Liberty Center, 799 Raymond Ave., St. Paul; 651-646-8980; optional $5 donation.
GALA
Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance
Last week the Ivey Awards celebrated local theater. This week, we’re celebrating local dance with the third annual Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance. Enjoy a social hour before the gala, then settle in as Masters of Ceremonies Judith Howard and Morris Johnson host a gala event chock-full-o-performances by past SAGE honorees: Brian Sostek, Morgan Thorson, and the Minnesota Dance Theater performing a work by Wynn Fricke. Awards are selected by an anonymous group of peer panelists in the following categories: performance, performer, design, special citation, and people’s choice. This year’s SAGE Award recipients will receive a commissioned work by Twin Cities visual and ceramic artist Josh Blanc.7 p.m., Ritz Theater, 343 13th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-436-1129; $7-$10 minimum donation.
MUSIC
Bat For Lashes
British singer/songwriter, multi- instrumentalist, and visual artist Natasha Khan is perhaps best known for touring with Bjork, but the 28-year-old holds her own. Tonight, you can experience her band, Bat for Lashes (with Ginger Lee, Abi Fry, and Lizzy Carey) for yourself. Expect a lot of instrument swapping and switching, marching band drums, desert guitar, ballet school piano, harpsichord, sub-bass snarls, hand-claps, and naive beats.7 p.m., Varsity Theater, 1308 SE. 4th St., Minneapolis; 612-604-0222, $12.
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The Lonely Heavy Metal Publicist Tries His Hand At Poetry
No birds.
No flowers.
No bees.
No moon.
No water,
moving or still.
Nothing growing.
Nothing stirring
in the shadows.
No history.
No satisfying toil
or contemplation of love.
No memories.
For no one.
Dreams of leaving,
I suppose. And the cold
shoulder, sure.
Or if interest,
so fervent as to
be suspect,
if not frightening.
Foul language,
prurience, impossible
demands, and ingratitude
from the B-Squad louts with
the ridiculous hair and
the mascara and the
leather pants, etc.
Mostly, though,
no thank you,
and worse.
Or no response,
no answer at all.
And all these photos
I cannot look at,
and these discs I
can’t listen to.
Every evening I
crawl from the
office through
the dog door,
a ruined man.
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Guild Looks at Age Discrimination Action
Ex-Stribber wanted to know why, if there are now two of us blogging, why there aren’t daily posts. As mentioned previously, my colleague Mr. Lambert is off kayaking in the wilds of Utah and is blameless. I was first out of town and am now deluged with out-of-town guests who want to see every piece of art the TC have to offer. So….haven’t been making a lot of calls. Fortunately, one of our correspondents had his ear to the ground and sent in this tidbit. I have no reason to doubt this post, as I was one of the folks who was told of her “reassignment” within days of the buyout deadline. Course, then they denied my buyout, but that’s a whole different story.
Read and discuss….
The Star Tribune Guild convened a 10:30 meeting this morning to look at a pattern of age discrimination in the reassignments cooked up by editors for the paper’s owner, Avista Capital Partners. Speaking on background, one Guild officer said that by their count “only three or four” of the [30-40] reporters told they are being reassigned, “are under the age of 35”.
It is generally considered “paranoid” or “cynical” to read individualized, strategic intent in these reassignment frenzies. But when, as the same Guild source points out, the percentage of reassignees is so heavily skewed to older writers AND they are notified of their reassignment only days/hours before they have to decide to accept a buy-out and leave the paper, you really aren’t left with many credible explanations other than that this is the latest exercise in the tried-and-true corporate “right-sizing” template of — let’s describe it the way it smells — — insulting/threatening a veteran reporter with a switch to a beat usually covered by a summer intern, if at all.
There are specific examples all over the place, but when you get to Neal Gendler, a 60-something with 40 years at the paper being reassigned to overnights from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., you’re not even getting points for subtlety. In other words, police chase and flaming wreck with shoot out at 3 AM … Gendler’s your man.)
The Guild also has a problem with the peculiar sequencing of the reassignment/buy-out deadline process devised by the Star Tribune. As I asked/wrote yesterday, how else can you explain managing editors spending so much time re-mapping their employee universe BEFORE knowing for certain who they would have to work with, other than as a not too subtle and yes, fairly cynical process for “encouraging” those they most want out of the building to pack up and go?
It may be technically legal, but it runs contrary to the spirit of journalism, where your agendas, if you have them, are supposed to be plainly disclosed.
Whether the Guild alone can get any traction on the age discrimination issue remains to be seen. I happen to believe they should pursue aggressive outside counsel if only to squeeze Avista for a fatter, longer-term health benefits package. But that’s me and it wouldn’t be my money.
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Minstrel Show or the Lynching of William Brown
Variety reviews a play by our very own Max Sparber. (OK. That’s a bit overly possessive perhaps.)