Interviews
Friday, April 13, 2012
Books / Interviews Q&A with George Dohrmann
On Saturday, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer George Dohrmann will discuss the culture of youth sports as part of the Arkansas Literary Festival. In 2000, the Sports Illustrated investigative reporter started documenting the lives of talented grade-school basketball players in southern California.
For eight years, he followed these players and their fiery coach as they gained national acclaim by becoming the first middle school team to score a shoe deal while producing a player ranked No. 1 nationally among middle schoolers — Demetrius Walker. Dohrmann's work was published in his first book "Play Their Hearts Out," which he will discuss at 2:30 p.m. Saturday during a free appearance on the first floor of the Main Library. Dohrman lives in San Francisco, and finds release from the sports world by building furniture and restoring trolley fareboxes.
Welcome to Arkansas. What brings you to this festival?
Jay Jennings, one of the guys who organizes the festival, is a former Sports Illustrated writer. He reached out to me. I’m happy the logistics worked out and I was able to make it.
Have you been to the state before?
In 2001, I flew into Northwest Arkansas to help report on a guy who burned swastikas and obscenities with acid into the greens at Southern Hills Country Club [in Tulsa], where they had the U.S. Open. It turned out to be this guy who was living up in Eureka Springs. When we found him, he was just playing a guitar.
Wild. Off the top of your head, have you written about any Arkansans?
I was in Las Vegas at Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournament, and I met an Arkansan sitting in the stands. He was a really nice guy, and we started talking. He pointed out his son who was playing and was pretty good. He gave me his card. It turns out he was a CEO, and I think his last name was Tyson. I was like ‘Whoa.’... it sort of struck me as a potential storyline somewhere but it never really worked out.
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Friday, March 23, 2012
Comedy / Interviews Bill Cosby on laughs, race and pound cake
The Arkansas Times recently spoke with legendary comedian and actor Bill Cosby in advance of his April 1 performance at Robinson Center Music Hall.
Arkansas Times: How would you describe the style of your humor?
Bill Cosby: A friend sitting with friends. Storytelling. Identification, and being very, very specific about making the listener see and understand exactly what I’m talking about.
How has your style changed over the years?
In my young years, in my 20s, 30s and 40s, I would go out and plant my feet to destroy. I’d just not let them breathe. Now, it’s the appreciation, it’s like — the difference between eating great barbecue with the fingers and the sauce and mixing the coleslaw with the French fries and the beans, and the meat at the same time for flavors. Now it’s gourmet time, and there’s an appreciation of getting the tastes for everything, and maybe taking longer to eat, but tasting more. So there are smiles and then there’s conversation. There’s reality, there’s laughter and there’s a lot of face hurting. Because the people are laughing, and laughing hard.
You were a young man when the Little Rock Nine were sent to Central High School. What do you remember about that event? How did it make you feel?
I do think that, when one looks at those photographs, of those angry people … when I look at them, and their faces, where they’re yelling at those children, I see an anger that, although controlled, if not controlled, could really and truly do bodily and physical harm. Because they’ve been taught something, and they’re sick. [Now,] one can see that publicly, in voting, that the numbers have changed. But there’s still this sickness, so that we have the youngsters who have come along … in politics that are still trying to take away the voting rights of black people while looking like they are not really aiming at them.
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Friday, January 13, 2012
Interviews There's a good interview with the 'Paradise Lost' filmmakers over at the AV Club
- Brian Chilson
- Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger
In advance of last night's HBO premiere of "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," The AV Club published an interview with Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger, the duo behind the "Paradise Lost" documentaries and, arguably, two of the key figures responsible for the eventual release of the West Memphis Three.
Among many other topics, the two discuss how Arkansans' perceptions of the WM3 and of the filmmakers themselves changed over the years, from distrust or hostility to an appreciation of their work.
"Local Arkansans weren’t sure of what to think of us during the making of the first film," Berlinger said. "Some people were suspicious, some not. When we went back to make the second film, we were literally spit upon. People had no use for us in Arkansas. They thought that we had made them look bad purposely. That we had an agenda."
Sinofsky noted that a lot of the local media changed their tune over the years as well, including many of the same people who wanted nothing to do with the filmmakers initially.
Berlinger said "there was a big swing in local opinion. The local media went from convicting those guys during the first trial to championing the cause of innocence in the mid-2000s. By the time we came back for that August 19 hearing, that was the thing that impressed me the most, because I was expecting people to be very negative towards us. I can’t tell you how many regular Arkansans embraced us."
The whole interview is well worth your time, and there are some interesting — reasonable, even — discussions in the comments section.
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Interviews Q&A with Crispin Glover
- Thomas Attila Lewis
Well folks, it looks like we’re living in the future, a time when the Cineplex of Babel is at your fingertips and you never even have to leave the house to see just about any movie ever made. So why would you?
Here’s a reason: because auteur Crispin Hellion Glover wants us to confront the profoundly uncomfortable, those taboo subjects that fester, neglected and unexamined, at the core of our culture. To that end he is coming to Little Rock and Hot Springs to screen his latest film, which most likely will never be available on Netflix or On Demand or BitTorrent. In addition to showing the film, Glover will also present dramatic narration accompanying a slide show with excerpts from his eight books, will answer audience questions and will sign copies of his books.
Part two of a trilogy, “It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.” stars and was written by Steven C. Stewart, who had severe cerebral palsy. His character has a serious thing for women with long hair and seduces and murders several of same, including a mother and then her teenage daughter. Quoth Glover: “Stewart wanted to show that handicapped people are human, sexual and can be horrible.”
Just check out the trailer on his website to catch a tiny glimpse of what that means. This event, booked by Dan Anderson and presented by the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute, is awesome news for art-house buffs and fans of the dark and the weird, but should probably be avoided by children, prudes, squares and anybody who gets offended by highly provocative material. The events take place July 2 at Market Street Cinema in Little Rock and July 3 at the Malco Theater in Hot Springs. The shows start at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 at the door, no presale, cash only.
The Q&A is on the jump.
Posted by Robert Bell on | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Interviews Joe Johnson talks Hogs, acting and Super Truck
This Saturday and Sunday, Joe Johnson serves as honorary chairman of Hoop Jams, a three-on-three basketball tournament sponsored by Arkansas Baptist College at the Clinton Presidential Center. In advance of the tournament, the former Razorback and perennial NBA All-Star sat down with the Times to talk about the possibility of a lockout, what Mike Anderson’s return means for the Hogs and his future acting plans.
Why’d you decide to get involved in Hoop Jams?
It’s a chance to give back a little and show my appreciation for what the state and the city of Little Rock have done for me.
That you would appear at Hoop Jams was announced while the Hawks were still in the playoffs. Did you not anticipate making it to the finals, or was your appearance always contingent on how things went in the playoffs?
I think there would’ve been an exception made (laughs).
Hoop Jams seems to be an effort to resurrect the spirit of Hoop Fest. Did you play in it when you were younger?
I grew up playing Hoop Fest. I went to every one, and I played in it three times, and we won it all three years.
I know you’re a humble dude, but could you win this tournament playing only with your left hand with two not-good players for teammates?
Of course. I would find a way. I’d definitely pull it out some way.
You think there’ll be a lockout?
I hope not. The player’s union met [last week] in Miami and from my understanding there’s been progress. I think we will lockout, but by the time pre-season hits, we will be back playing.
Would you consider playing in China or Russia or elsewhere abroad if you’re locked out?
I’ve thought about that. That’s something I would love to do. I think it would be a challenge and something different. I’ve talked to my agent about it. But it’s the liability — if you go over there and get hurt, your contract is void.
Posted by Lindsey Millar on | Permalink | Comments (0)
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