06.02-06.09.10
Functional
Are we dysfunctional? Drew Carey thinks so, but at least he shows up to help. If we are, maybe we can base a film career on it, as our feature by Ben Lieblich and Alex Sukhoy suggests. But the evidence is to the contrary: cool new public art at CPL, a profile of Cle comix genius Jenny Campbell, Cuban dancers in our midst, and cool benefits like Promapalooza. Dysfunctional? You decide. –Thomas Mulready
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The t-shirt said it all: “Cleveland: you’ve got to be tough!” Still available from Daffy Dan, the shirt perfectly captured how Clevelanders viewed themselves during the closing decades of the 20th century. They were sturdy. They were resilient. They might be the underdogs but, by golly, they were tough underdogs.
Films of the period reflected the ethos. Whether it was a family at first divided by rock and roll and then redeemed by it (“Light of Day”), or a baseball team in which players subsumed their individual goals for the good of the franchise (“Major League” and “Major League II”), the depiction was of flawed but proud people who would do whatever it took to overcome a challenge.
While Cleveland was enjoying its role as underdog in the movies, Woody Allen was busy perfecting his portrayal of New Yorkers as the most dysfunctional people on the planet. But something funny happened at the turn of the millennium. Whether because of New York’s economic revival, the September 11 attacks, or a culture in which Donald Trump trounces “Ugly Betty” in the ratings, Woody Allen came to realize that the dysfunctional New Yorker stereotype had run its course. Where would Americans find a city in which dysfunction could be accepted as elemental?
Out of nowhere, Cleveland rushed to fill the void…
Read the essay by Ben Lieblich and Alex Sukhoy
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SPONSORED: Summer vacation is around the corner! Enroll your kids in Cleveland Public Library’s Summer Reading Club for all the summer filled with fun, festivities and prizes books have to offer. After all, they deserve the fun, and you deserve to spend quality time with your kids. Visit http://readingclub.cpl.org to learn more and register today!
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Watership Down Have you checked out the new public art display at Cleveland Public Librarys Eastman Reading Garden? Take a minute and contemplate Clevelands future as you gaze upon Watership Down, on view now. Are our houses sinking or swimming?
Click here for more News and Biz
SPONSORED: Party with art lovers at MOCA Cleveland’s Opening Night Celebration, Fri 6/4, 7-10PM. On view: Marilyn Minter: Orange Crush and Aïda Ruilova: The Singles 1999-Now. Hear Marilyn Minter discuss her work at 7PM, see the exhibitions, and enjoy light refreshments. Kids get crafty at the Family Art Studio. For details visit http://MOCAcleveland.org.
Reading the cartoon strip Flo & Friends, co-created by John Gibel and Jenny Campbell (pictured) and distributed by Creator’s Syndicate guarantees a chuckle or a smile.
The zany cast of characters focuses on a small group of silver-haired seniors leading active lives. And they all show us how to “age with attitude.” This strip was born in Cleveland, and is continuing to be produced right here. Back in the late 90s, John Gibel was volunteering with seniors at non-profit organizations in Cleveland when he had the nugget of an idea to create a comic strip about them.
Through a mutual friend, Gibel was introduced to the freelance illustrator, Jenny Campbell, and they forged a working partnership. Read more from Susan Schaul here
SPONSORED: Like CAK on Facebook and win a flight Heading out west? Like Akron-Canton Airport on Facebook and you could win $500 in Frontier Airlines’ Fly Bucks! Frontier flies nonstop to Denver and out west aboard big, comfy Airbus jets with DirecTV in every seatback. Head over to http://www.www.facebook.com/akroncantonairport to enter now. Good luck!
Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events, in an easy-to-digest 3 minute audio format, for playback on your computer or iPod.
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Drew Carey came to Cleveland, accepting an invitation from Cleveland City Council President Martin Sweeney, to talk about the issues raised in his recent Reason.tv web documentary series, “Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey.”
Watch the video as Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland interviews Drew Carey after his frank and engaging forum with City Council at Cleveland City Hall…
Watch the video interview here
Tides @ Now That’s Class Spend Wed 6/2 at Now Thats Class consuming vegan food and listening to the best experimental DIY punk bands around. At 9PM, hear the likes of Tides [pictured], Morningbell, Craig Ramsey and Sixes and Sevens.
Click here for more events on Wed 6/2
Cleveland Rocks! Gala is the culmination of a year-long public arts project that brought the creative community together to help local non-profits. Mingle and enjoy live entertainment, food, drink and the chance to score a one-of-a-kind guitar. Get tix now for Thu 6/3 at 7PM.
Click here for more events on Thu 6/3
Say hello to MOCA’s brand-new summer exhibitions: Marilyn Minter: Orange Crush, and a video installation, Aida Ruilova: The Singles 1999-Now. Mingle at the opening party on Fri 6/4 at 7PM. [Minter’s work pictured.]
Click here for more events on Fri 6/4
Love Edgewater Park? But worried the park’s not living up to its full potential? Youre not alone. Plenty of ppl want to transform Edgewater into a world-class urban park. Meet them and join the cause @ the Edgewater Park Friendraiser on Sat 6/5 at 11AM.
Click here for more events on Sat 6/5
SPONSORED: This Sat 6/5, at 8PM, WCLV 104.9 FM Mitsuko Uchida tickles the ivories with The Cleveland Orchestra on Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 20 and 27. And on Sun 6/6, a legendary performance of the Sibelius Symphony No. 2, with the Band conducted by George Szell, from Tokyo, May 22, 1970, the last concert recorded by George Szell. Full details on all of WCLV’s classical music programming at http://www.wclv.com.
Almeda Trio @ Music Settlement The Almeda Trio will conclude its first season as artist-in-residence at The Music Settlement w/ a concert on Sun 6/6 at 3PM. Relax to classical tunes at Cle’s oldest music school.
Click here for more events on Sun 6/6
Yumm! Taste the new flava of food in Cle, courtesy of the Stove Monkeys crew. Chef Matt Mytro and co. are revolutionizing food in 216. Wanna taste? Get to their Yumm! event on Mon 6/7 for Liquid Nitrogen Poached Ice Cream, Inside out Deviled Eggs, Mojito of the Future… and more.
Click here for more events on Mon 6/7
The Dark Room @ CPT Step into the Dark Room on Tue 6/8 at 7PM. Writers bring your work. Actors come out and read. This is an opportunity to get your work (or work-in-progress) up on the stage for a chance to grow in a supportive yet critical environment @ CPT.
Click here for more events on Tue 6/8
Music in the Meadow Grab a blanket, pack a picnic and bring your fam to hear Music in the Meadow in Cuyahoga Valley Natl Park. On Wed 6/9, groove to the positive vibrations of Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band.
Click here for more events on Wed 6/9
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
It never ceases to amaze me how people can read whatever they want into an article (usually based on their own misguided beliefs) instead of simply reading the words in front of them. This happened to me again after a piece I wrote about the separation of Church and State appeared last week (here).
Some folks accused me of suggesting the Black Church should stay out of politics — when for years I’ve actually been saying just the opposite: The Black Church has an obligation to get deep into every facet of life in the community it serves … and this includes financial well-being and literacy, education, health, prisoner reentry as well as political … and the list could go on and on…
Read this story from Mansfield Frazier here
Read other recent pieces by Mansfield Frazier here
Master classes in dance and guest artists teaching classes are a frequent occurrence here in Cleveland but we took more than usual notice when we learned recently that Laura Alonso was coming to town.This time she’s here with the Cleveland Foundation in cooperation with Case Western Reserve University with Dance Cleveland helping with project management.
We asked Ronn Richard, President and CEO of that organization what they’re working on. He replied at length…
Read the interview by Elsa Johnson & Victor Lucas here
EXTRA! EXTRA! We actually have a leader in City Council. Whod thought it?
Second-term Councilman Brian Cummins takes his job seriously. Thats refreshing.
He works the job….
Read this story by Roldo Bartimole here
Read other recent pieces by Roldo Bartimole here
Quick previews & reviews of recent events
Submit your own preview, review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com
Preview: Ingenuity Festival 2010 by Carol Drummond
Cool Cleveland readers write
Comment on our blog here: http://www.CoolCleveland.com/blog
What Does It Mean To Lose Your Church? All of these are wonderful reflections by people who have been touched either by St. Peters or some other Catholic Church. Yes, I agree. Catholicism, as any religion, is a state of mind. However, it would have been wonderful to continue that state of mind by practicing it in ones own church.
Due to the lack of respect, the lack of communication and the stonewall by the Bishop and the Vatican, I have come to believe that a church which has a hierarchy suited solely for its own needs, should be evicted from the real church the priests and parishioners…
Read the comments from Eva Szabo and others here
Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com
Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.
1) 52 Churches are being closed. What does this mean to you?
2) CareerTOOLBOX What to do to have a successful job interview.
3) Here comes Drew Carey Thomas Mulready interviews Drew Carey when he visits Cle City Council.
4) Roldo Jackson Move Looks Like A Sham Retreat
5) Mansfield Tearing Down the Wall Between Church and State.
This is how it works We honor our writers, who have worked so hard: Roldo Bartimole, John Benson, Kelly Ferjutz, Mansfield Frazier, Elsa Johnson & Victor Lucas, Ben Leiblich, Alex Sukhoy, and Sarah Valek. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.
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This is as functional as we get,
–Thomas Mulready
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