Category: People

Sacramento County exhibit hasn’t gone Far

Jonah Matranga
Jonah Matranga

The family and I took in the sights at the Capitol this afternoon, which is one of our favorite spots. I happened to notice that the Sacramento County exhibit on the ground floor (near The Ahnold’s office) has not one, but two photos of Jonah Matranga. There is a large photo of Jonah performing at Cesar Chavez and then a smaller photo in a collage from what appears to be the same performance.

I’m not sure what to make of it but I thought it was funny. The Nevada County exhibit, for reference, has not one but two photos of their most famous one-time resident, Samuel Clemens. (Hmm, I notice that he resided at the Holbrooke Hotel, and as we all know is most famously impersonated by Hal Holbrook. Hmm, I wonder if Mark Twain had a dog named Michael Chabon or a secretary named Dave Eggers or something…)

Now we’re cooking

The latest rounds of buyouts and departures at the Best Newspaper on Q Street has been all over the news, with R.E. Graswich milking his swan song for all it’s worth on every media outlet that’ll let him talk about his departure.

But the fact is The Bee has been a great place to be from for a long, long time, with a list of folks who’ve gone on to win journalism Pulitzers (including medical reporter Diana Sugg at the Baltimore Sun, photographers Caroline Cole and Michael Williamson, at the L.A. Times and Washington Post, respectively) National Book Award writer Pete Dexter, Letters and Drama Pulitzer winner and Friend of Springsteen Dale Maharidge, Tour de France expert James Raia and many, many more.

On any list of notable Bee alums would have to be Elaine Corn, former Bee food editor, top-selling cookbook writer, teacher and current Capital Public Radio (and NPR) food reporter. Elaine is married to top chef David SooHoo, and together they have run restaurants like the late and still much missed Bamboo in Midtown. They’ve a 17-year-old son who hardly knows what fast food is, but can certainly talk knowledgeably on any gourmet subject. Poor kid. Continue reading “Now we’re cooking”

Hulk sighting

Hulk HoganA friend told me about an hour ago that his wife had just spotted Hulk Hogan at a local 24 Hour Fitness, obviously coinciding with his daughter Brooke’s appearance at 107.9 The End’s Halloween party last night. Who among you (okay, among you 25-35 year old males) does not picture him strutting his stuff in the original yellow and red spandex? Ah, nostalgia…

Another local reality star

According to the Bee’s Lisa Heyamoto, the next installment of MTV’s “The Real World,” this time set in the mile-high city (wonder how much mileage they’ll get out of punning on that) will star a Sacramentan! As a bonus, he’ll be playing the character of the “uber-conservative who is deeply religious and against gay marriage”! Yippee for Sacramento!

Sacramento gets eliminated

Well, the ride to fashion stardom is over for A.J., the America’s Next Top Model finalist from right here in Sactown, sent home last night by the judges. On these talent type shows, it’s always sort of questionable for me who goes in what order–for example, you know that almost all of the remaining girls have no shot: Anchal, Jaeda, the twins. So why A.J., and why now? Who knows.

I loved when she was opening up to Tyra about how it was going so far on the show and she said she was having trouble relating to the other girls. Somehow, I thought, that’s Sacramento for you. You can take the girl out of the town, but you can’t take the town out of the girl. Know your roots, girl! (And seriously, ditch that hat thing.)

NOTE: Seriously, my wife did not write this. You know how I know I’m snarky?….

“Sacramento,” the soap opera

Anyone out there keeping up with “Sacramento,” The Internet Soap Opera (warning: video will start playing)? From the very helpful synopsis, it looks like your average homegrown soap opera about political and sexual intrigue. But it takes place in Sacramento! And one thing I love about it is that they nabbed Jay Alan to play the main character. What’s not to love about terrible acting and bad writing with familiar scenery?

MySpace Bush-basher now world famous

In case you missed it, the McClatchy high freshman who made local headlines last week for being questioned by the secret service for her anti-Bush MySpace group is now making headlines all over the world. I’d like to admit ashamedly that my post on The Sac Rag received slightly less than the 120,000 hits the Bee’s original article received.
Continue reading “MySpace Bush-basher now world famous”