Elise Thompson

First Canada has to beat us to the punch by celebrating their Thanksgiving an entire month before ours. Now their "nation's birthday" is three days before ours? Like that's a coincidence. Way to steal our thunder, neighbor to the north. Today is officially Canada Day, so everyone don your tuques, crack open a Labatt's and let's down some poutine and butter tarts! It's time to party! And to start things off, here is our tribute...

Yesterday Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed a bill expanding the definitions of harassment and aggravated stalking. It also upgrades the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony when the victim is a minor and the accused is an adult. Senate Bill 818 is in direct response to the public outcry last year when local authorities were unable to find a law with which to charge Lori Drew. Drew was involved in a Myspace hoax that...

(Written with Bob Thompson) It was an intimate night of music and comedy as Neil Innes entertained an enthralled crowd in The Egyptian Theater on Friday night, the second of a two-night Innes-Fest at the Mods and Rockers Film Festival. It was more like hanging out in the local pub than attending a rock concert. Switching from guitar to keyboard to ukelele to something resembling a zither, Innes kept stressing it was an "interactive" night,...

Pink Lady and Jeff was a kitschy variety show that aired on NBC in 1980 and lives on in the limitless playground of YouTube. Brought to you by Sid and Marty Kroft, the creative geniuses behind such childhood classics as The Bugaloos and Sigmund the Sea Monster, this show falls into the "so bad it's good" category. Keiko Masuda ("Kei") and Mitsuyo Nemoto ("Mie"), singing sensations in their native Japan, and comic Jeff Altman,...

Last night The Mods and Rockers Film Festival started out with a bang. Local magic man Martin Lewis kicked out the jams once again. The evening started with out-takes from The Rutles: All you Need is Cash. There are so many subtleties missed the first time around, it was still enjoyable to watch the clips again. Next up was the main event - Frozen Picture's The Seventh Python. Director Burt Kearns did an amazing job....

Last night The Seventh Python, a documentary following the career of Neil Innes, premiered at the Mods and Rockers Film Festival. LAist interviewed Innes Wednesday. There are a number of inherent contradictions in making a film like The Seventh Python. First of all, how do you spend two hours focusing on a person who notoriously shuns the spotlight? Innes expounds upon his distaste for fame in a film that by its very existence could make...

It's going to be a busy weekend for renowned rock author Domenic Priore; let's hope we can all keep up. Tomorrow night at Skylight Books, Domenic Priore will host a symposium, slideshow and Q&A about his latest book, Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood. Read LAist's review. Thursday, June 26, 7:00 p.m. - Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Avenue (323) 660-1175 www.skylightbooks.com FREE On Friday and Saturday, as part of...

We lost one of our most beloved character actresses when Dody Goodman died Sunday. Dody is perhaps best known by our generation as Blanche, the daffy sidekick to the principal in Grease. We also loved her in Splash, and Diff'rent Strokes. For me, her most memorable role was probably as Louise Lasser's mother in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Her Southern charm, strawberry blonde hair and loveable goofiness made her a popular and regular guest with...

According to the Associated Press, California's director of prisons is recommending that former Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins' request for a compassionate release be denied. Officials at the Californian Institution for Women in Corona, where Atkins was housed from April 1971 until March, when she was transferred to a local hospital, recommended Atkins for early release due to medical reasons. Her attorney, Eric Lampel, has confirmed that Atkins has brain cancer and that doctors have...

The city of Torrance spent a big chunk of change to build the South Bay's largest skate park on Torrance city property. But according to local skaters, the city has not properly maintained it. They do manage to maintain the batting cages and hockey rink that share the property, though. Local skater and mom, Karen Rennie, reports, "Torrance had one of the only wood bowls around- and it is currently closed due to giant holes...