Category: People

Local standup JR De Guzman wins NBC comedy search, talent deal

Portrait+1.jpgAccording to Deadline, local standup JR De Guzman, frequent performer at beloved Midtown improv joint Comedy Spot, has won StandUp NBC, a nationwide talent search for “comedians of diverse backgrounds.”

De Guzman was chosen from among eight other finalists out of more than 600 stand-up comedians who auditioned at open calls last year in New York City, San Diego, Nashville and Austin.

Born in the Philippines and raised in California, De Guzman began performing stand-up comedy while working as a music teacher. He has performed for Stand-Up Tokyo and ROR Comedy in Japan, the Jokers Ball in Indonesia, the Badaboom Comedy Series in Amsterdam and the Edmonton Comedy Festival. He has shared the stage with Tim Allen, Margaret Cho, Daniel Tosh, Jerrod Carmichael and Iliza Shlesinger.

The prize includes a 1-year talent deal with NBC. In addition to his national and cable/streaming appearances, JR is performing at the ‘Spot later this month.

Supportive crowds gather in Tahoe Park after businesses vandalized

16299365_10209699152370220_6135403335230240964_nEarlier this week vandals broke the front windows at Momo’s Meat Market in Tahoe Park, and next door the Supreme Barber Lounge was burglarized and hit with racist graffiti, because people are terrible.

But because people are also amazing, neighbors in my beloved former hood Tahoe Park are coming out in force to show these businesses some love. A group gathered to help the owners of Supreme Barber Lounge with cleanup, and raconteur, rabble-rouser, and one time (literally) writer on this here web log Isaac Gonzalez is blowing up Facebook with photos of huge groups gathered at Momo’s today for lunch.

And if you were wondering: yes, of course the graffiti swastika was backwards.

Cafe Lumiere, a breakfast joint across the street from the affected shops, is also getting in on the action:
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Local Redditor has #1 submission

When Redditor “Ransacked,” who you might know as Sac Rag writer “Ransacked,” had a watermelon grow into and through a light fixture in his booming garden, he posted it to Imgur and sent the link to the “MildlyInteresing” forum on Reddit. And then it hit the #1 spot on the entire site. Pic, because it happened:

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I’m actually not sure how rare it is for a Sacramentan to have the #1 post on Reddit, but this is where 275 people in a comment thread should tell me all the times it happened.

Local in the running for potato chip flavor contest

DUAF_Lay's Wavy Mango SalsaYou can’t make this stuff up. Julia Stanley-Metz from right here in Sacramento dreamed up “Wavy Mango and Salsa Potato Chips” and is subsequently one of just 4 finalists for a $1 million grand prize from Lay’s.

On Tuesday, July 29, Julia Stanley-Metz will be joined by the Mayor of the City of Sacramento Kevin Johnson at World Peace Rose Garden to officially proclaim the date, “Lay’s Wavy Mango Salsa Potato Chip Day in Sacramento.”

Continue reading “Local in the running for potato chip flavor contest”

Guest Post: Ugly Sweater Run

By Jeff Gonzales and Cintia Lopez, journalism students at American River College.

Nothing says the holidays like ugly sweaters, inflatable Christmas decorations and charitable acts. Especially when those acts are rewarded with beer.

Run_1989
More photos by cintia.lopez92 on Flickr

Blow-up candy canes and a Christmas tree arch lined the sides of William Land Park as masses mustachioed with temporary tattoos dressed in their best, or worst, ugly Christmas sweaters gathered to partake in the third annual Ugly Sweater Run.

Continue reading “Guest Post: Ugly Sweater Run”

Local angle to Batkid story: Sacto boy donated suit

In case you enjoyed following the crime- fighting exploits of “Batkid” on Friday, you’ll want to know that among the many amazing people who made it possible was 7-year old Carmichael resident James, who donated the awesomely realistic pint-sized Batsuit worn by the Batkid himself. CBS13 reports:

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Sacramento named best city to be single

Real estate blog, movato.com/blog, recently named Sacramento as the best city to be single.

From the post…

So in coming up with the criteria for the best single cities in California, we had to narrow it down to what we thought were “typical” requirements for today’s single. This included:

  • A lower percent of the population that is married
  • Number of bars in the city
  • Number of romantic restaurants in the city
  • A lower cost of living
  • A lower percent of people who drive to work
  • A lower median age

So to sum up: Fewer married people + places to mingle + young people to mingle with + a price you can actually afford = the singles’ mecca – which was apparently Sacramento.

The folks at Movato did a good job explaining their methodology, give it a read.

Do you single folks out there agree?

Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle 1, Homeless 0

And must not be disturbed.
And must not be disturbed.

I’ve been passing this sign recently along a newly protected area on the American River Parkway and finally stopped to see what was going on. It is adjacent to the Capital City Freeway near Cal Expo.

As someone who has incessantly chronicled the displacement of the homeless along the bike trail, I must say that I find it odd that the valley elderberry longhorn beetle gets a better deal than the homeless.