Chris Ullrich

The Prime Time Emmy Award nominations were announced today and yes, LAist was left out again this year. We keep waiting for the opportunity to use that old yet tried and true saying "its just a pleasure to be nominated" but we never seem to get the chance. Anyway, some surprises and some obvious omissions this time around as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was going for a "more diverse" group of...

Ok, we admit, Anaheim isn't exactly LA. But tell that to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So there. Anyway, if you are in the mood for some cool animation, comics or maybe even some cosplay, head on down to Anaheim (or over, or down and over) and check out the 15th Annual Anime Expo this weekend. The expo, sponsored by and for the continued growth and prosperity of the Society for the Promotion...

Coffee juggernaut Starbucks recently named former Herbie Hancock manager Alan Mintz to be its newest player to help in the quest for more of your disposable income. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mintz will help Starbucks shape its entertainment offerings and help it become more of an entertainment destination for consumers. Starbucks has had some good results in the past with its entertainment offerings, particularly in music. In 2004, it sold 1 out...

Well, now might be your chance. Or, at least you can maybe meet a few people who actually are rocket scientists. How? Glad you asked. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, and Sunday, May 21, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory will open its doors to the public for an event that will feature exhibits, displays, demonstrations, and presentations about the Laboratory's ongoing research, space exploration, and spacecraft communication. And, of course,...

As anyone who travels by car in Los Angeles can tell you, traffic can be a real pain in the ass. Just try getting from the Valley to Santa Monica in under an hour or from Santa Monica to Downtown without several tense moments and feelings of complete hopelessness, and you'll know what we mean. And God forbid if there is ever even a minor fender bender. The whole thing just grinds to a...

It seems that the rumors are indeed true, as they often are. This week The Walt Disney Company announced its purchase of animation powerhouse Pixar in a deal worth around $7.4 Billion. The all-share deal will make Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple who is also the largest shareholder in Pixar, around $3.5 Billion and the single largest shareholder in Disney. Jobs will now be a commanding presence in the film, entertainment, technology,...

Apparently, there was some sort of event going on in Las Vegas this past week called the Consumer Electronics Show (aka CES). At the show, the major and minor electronics companies duke it out with press confrences to announce that they have developed similar products to each other that while new and exciting are not really that new or exciting. Plus, most of these products are just being announced and are not really available...

On a recent Wednesday night, we sat with thirty or so people in a dark room on Wilshire and watched a film called "fronterz" Directed by Courtney Jones, starring Reno Wilson, Garth Belcon and Dennis Pressy and featuring Henry Winkler and Ted Danson. That we were watching a movie was not unusual. It happens often. The unusual part, the astounding and amazing part was that we were watching this particular movie at all. Often...

Thanksgiving is fast approaching with Christmas not far behind. It's a time when people come closer together and join with friends and family to celebrate. One problem I have with this time of year is it seems that retail venues in particular are even more determined this year to make sure we know it's the holidays. This was particularly evident as i visited my local Starbucks in Studio City recently. Yes, they have the...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is poised to make a decision that could affect the video game industry in a major way. Sometime in the next few days, Schwarzenegger may either sign or veto a bill prohibiting the sale of violent games to minors. The bill would prohibit the sale of "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel" games to people under the age of 18. The possible penalty for breaching this law would be a fine of...