Buzz Magazine

Chicago Writer John Kramer interviews Chicago Comedian Shelly Gossman about Second City and her

SNL audition.

Shelly has recently become a Saturday Night Live Writer. Congratulations!

A BuzznewsTV Comedy Review Special Feature Presentation!

Special thanks to John Kramer!

See more of John HERE!

Click here for a total list of SNL Writers over 36 Seasons so far!

Enjoy!

August Comedy

Feature!

This August in Comedy on BuzznewsTV!

Featuring the works of Film Maker/Writer

JOHN KRAMER

Chicagoland Producer

John Kramer has a long-standing comedy career in Chicagoland receiving notoriety on CNN, FOX CHICAGO SUNDAY, The New York Times, and has even worked alongside comedy stars Jim Belushi, Chris Farley, and Tina Fey to name a few. 

John Kramer produces a variety of comedic material.

You can also see some comedy animations by John in a Buzz Cartoon & Animation search at the top of the page.

Enjoy. Stay tuned for another great episode next week.

Also Featuring

THE SONG A WEEK PROJECT

with

Matt Griffo & Andy Gailor

Enjoy!

Stay Tuned. More to Come.

Click HERE for more BuzznewsTV!

Just under three years ago, I first proposed the idea of purchasing a cat to share my new apartment with, and several of my friends encouraged me to further investigate adoption over the pet shop route. The process for adopting my furry friend was one that I was new to, seeing that my family had always been pet store buyers. I made the decision to adopt two remarkable felines into my life. There was a fair amount of research that went into pre-pet owning, but the ultimate time buster was the actual hunt for that special pal. Once I had fully prepared myself mentally for a new pet, I started on my endeavor, searching through every shelter that housed within a hundred mile radius of me. I visited several of the adoption facilities more than once, going back to see cats I had grown fond of, before I made my final decision. All of the centers I saw were very nice, but three of the adoption places earned a special place in my heart.

1. Anderson Animal Shelter

This loving location was my most frequent spot, and my personal favorite. The Anderson building is tucked away down Route 31 in South Elgin. It may be a bit of a cruise for some, but enjoy the ride and prepare yourself for a cat room full of characters. Employees will be on your right to greet you as you walk in, and if you venture to the left you will find the cat room. Here, the cats exist in every crevice of the room: some are caged, while others aren't. Each cat has a name, and a distinct personality. When I use to go there, a big adult cat by the name of Darwin had earned himself the nickname "The Godfather", because...well, I'm sure you get it. If you wish to get closer with a caged kitty, the employees at the front will hand you mandatory brief paperwork, before helping you grow closer to a potential new friend.

Visit @ www.andersonanimalshelter.org 

2. Tree House Humane Society

This particular shelter has two branches: found in the Uptown and Bucktown neighborhoods of Chicago, and they focus solely on the adoption of cats. Both locations are cageless and offer their foster kitties a wide variety of play items, as well as what seems like a limitless amount of play room in comparison to most other places. Quick paperwork is filled out before entering the kitty wonderland. The Uptown location offers a wider variety of cats, as it is a bit larger in size. Although, the Bucktown spot is nice because the workers seem to spend a good amount of timing creating a personal bond with their adoptees. I felt no rush when I would stop by to see the Tree House cats, I could sit on the floor and interact with the crowd for as long as I pleased, (within business hours, obviously).

Visit @ www.treehouseanimals.org

3. PAWS Chicago

Finally, a no-kill adoption center! The first thing I noticed about this Chicago pet palace was the fresh feeling the interior pumped through me, everything presented itself cleanly and welcoming. Employees are behind the front desk, walking about, and showing adoptable animals in separate rooms throughout the building design; so when I pin-pointed a fuzzy face that I wanted to meet, it was easy to find a helper. As the other locations, PAWS also requires obligatory paperwork (done on one of their computers) before venturing into a room full of joy. I will admit, the paperwork took the longest here, but it showed me how much they cared about the animals they were helping. Cats and dogs are set up in various cageless rooms, ready to greet guests with cuddles and kisses. Everything down to the air at PAWS is genuine.

Visit @ www.pawschicago.org

If you have decided to adopt a lucky pet into your own life, I wish you a happy hunting! For some easy access viewing, visit www.petfinder.com, where shelters (including the three listed) post available animals online.

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Fun from the cage!

(_!_) a regular ass

(__!__) a fat ass(!)

a tight ass (_*_)

an ass hole {_!_}

a swishy ass (_o_)

an ass that's been around (_x_)

(_X_) leave my ass alone

(_zzz_) a tired ass

(_E=mc2_) a smart ass

(_$_) Money coming out of his ass

(_?_) Dumb Ass

Lee DeWyze from Mt. Prospect, Il. is doing an amazing job keeping up with the American Idol scene. This Wednsday night on Season 9 of American Idol, Lee took his place on stage and belted out a true dedicated version of "Treat Her Like A Lady" by The Cornelius Brothers back in the hey-day of solid-bodied music.  He is, by all stretches of the imagination, the real deal. Chicagoland gets put on the map!

Here is the direct link to pick up a copy of Lee's new album Slumberland 

http://www.wulirecords.com/

Buzz favorite Lee DeWyze song pick. - The Problem is You from the CD So I'm Told

Right On Lee!                           Doin' it for Chicagoland!                         Buzznews.net

Brittany Murphy has died this weekend at age 32 from what was initially referred to as "natural causes".   

Known for some highly successful films like "Clueless" and "8-Mile", Girl Interrupted and Sin City...Brittany starred in a total of 38 movies and films in her relatively short entertainment career. One of her most successful films was the animation Happy Feet, where she voiced the singing penquin Gloria. The highly successful children's film generated nearly $198 millions dollars.                             

Brittany also had a short boyfriend/girlfriend rellationship with Ashton Kutcher.

Rumors are abound from prescription drug use to potential hazards relating to possible "plastic surgery", classic Hollywood accusations a-buzz about Brittany experiencing alarming weight reductions over the past year and "hear-say" that her skin looked horrible subsequently. Husband Simon Monjack has reportedly declined an "autopsy". Reasons are yet unknown.Actresses as young and successful as Britanny and her producer husand do deserve some time to collect their thoughts and privacy.

Like many Hollywood stars Brittany was in the public eye constantly and, like many movie stars, appeared with a variety of looks and styles, some physically and dramatically different than each other.     

Being in the eyes of the media has its pros and cons, one of the cons being that a person's appearance is constantly documented, therefore leading to speculative physical alterations and accusations of things like plastic surgery. 

The 18 year entertainment career of Brittany represents a series of roles that are also considered a document to her life. Playing dark and tortured roles most suredly impacted her self esteem, as all roles tend to affect the actors playing them in one form or another.

Despite any rumors, Brittany did a fantastic job portraying a variety of sides her admiring audience related to. Any career that includes 38 movies and film roles is an indication that Murphy had that "special something" a lot of young and middle-aged people could relate to.

Whether it was her large, deep, tugging eyes, sad, pouty sensitive lips, or the heart-felt and expressive emotional style her roles allowed her to flourish in, a deep felt remorse and sorrow is more than an understatement for an icon of the 20-30 something film genre.  And so close to the holidays. A true Hollywood tragedy.

Our deepest sympathy to her parents, friends, and husband.

The time has come to make a statement. Start a BUZZ about a topic. Get some pride and sense of accomplishment by waking people up. Get support on the topic. And build awareness to...who knows....a major movement. A "revolution" of consensus (if you will). It all starts here. Your campaign BUZZ! Are you tired of paying taxes for something you think is a flawed issue? Is something on your mind and, whether its a statistically supported "fact" or not....you know what the TRUTH IS and just want to get it off your chest...

THE DYNAMITES FEATURING CHARLES WALKER

ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR DATES

THE BAND'S NEW RELEASE, BURN IT DOWN,

HITS STREETS ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

Wednesday, September 23^rd @ 8:00 PM

Schuba’s Tavern

3159 North Southport, Chicago

Tickets: $12.00 / Ages 21+ Welcome

Soul music is here to stay, and it's still evolving. The Dynamites Featuring Charles Walker are living proof. Nashville's white hot deep funk band releases their highly anticipated second studio album, titled Burn It Down, on September 15, 2009. Look for the band on tour this Fall in support the new album.

For their 2nd LP, The Dynamites and their soul-shouting frontman Charles Walker deliver a slate of tunes that arrives right on time. It's a new day, and Charles Walker and his band have something to say. It's the kind of story where you gotta tear it down to rebuild it, the greedy man ultimately gets his due, love rules the day and everybody gets down in the end.  It's a timeless tale, as relevant as ever, and Burn It Down tells it in a righteously funky fashion. Strike a match, light the fuse and Burn It Down.

Don't miss The Dynamites on tour this fall. The Dynamites complete list of currently confirmed tour dates is as follows:

August 21^st, Barley's, Knoxville, TN

August 28^th, Fort Wayne Botanical, Fort Wayne, IN

August 29^th, Sweet Corn Festival, Urbana, IL

August 30^th, Stokie's Backlot Bash, Stokie, IL

September 11^th, Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN

September 12^th, The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA

September 17^th, Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA

September 18^th, Pianos, New York, NY

September 19^th, The Note, Westchester, PA

September 20^th, Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY

September 22^nd, Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH           

September 23^rd, Schuba's Tavern, Chicago, IL

September 24^th, Radio Radio, Indianapolis, IN

September 25^th, Southgate House, Newport, KY

September 26^th, Skully's Music Diner, Columbus, OH

October 2^nd, Tipitina's Uptown, New Orleans, LA

Additional dates to be announced.

The release of Burn It Down marks the highly anticipated follow-up to Charles Walker & The Dynamites' first LP, Kaboom.  As the New York Times hailed:

"New York City has the Dap-Kings, Nashville has the Dynamites, whose approach is about three quarters James Brown with touches of Memphis, Motown and New Orleans. [And] The Dynamites have found a singer to put them across: Charles Walker, who has been on the soul circuit since the 1960s. His voice rivals better-known headliners; he's an authoritative, gospel-steeped shouter and a dramatic ballad builder. It's old-school music that works up a genuine sweat."

Charles Walker doesn't imitate, emulate or try to resuscitate a bygone nostalgic era. He is soul, the real deal, still carrying the flaming torch of funk and soul lit back in the late 60's at the Apollo Theater where he opened up for icons like James Brown and Wilson Pickett. What's more, the fresh songwriting approach of Bill Elder, a.k.a. Leo Black, continues to push the deep funk envelope, propelling Walker to sound equally at home singing a scorching hot, up-tempo rocker as he does on a heart wrenching 60's-style soul ballad.

For soul veteran Walker, finding songwriter Bill Elder has been an epiphany. Importantly, he's found in Elder a songwriter that writes for his voice. This stands in sharp contrast to the days when he was asked to record songs whether they inspired him or not. "I didn't have the songs that I felt were right for me. Now I can pick and choose the songs I want to do. When I was with Chess and Decca I did what they wanted me to do." The result being that Walker is more relaxed and at ease in the studio. "I feel so confident now. I can remember being under so much pressure to try and get a hit record. Now I'm just in there doing what I like to do."

An essential authenticity comes across in The Dynamites music and message. Without a doubt, Burn it Down acknowledges that not all is right in the world, but it doesn't get stuck there. Times might be rough and people might be grumbling about doomsday, but Charles Walker and The Dynamites are here to remind us that "it's a sunny day." Sure we could bitch and moan. But we could just as well get down to some funky assed grooves and burn that negativity down.

The Dynamites are: Charles Walker (vocals), Bill Elder, a.k.a. Leo Black (guitar), Chris West (saxophones and flute), Jon-Paul Frappier (trumpet), Charles Treadway and Tyrone Dickerson (organ), Chris Patterson (percussion), Derrek Phillips (drums), Jonathan Jackson (saxophone) and Rich Brinsfield (bass).

LOS LOBOS SIGN WITH SHOUT! FACTORY AND EMBARK ON FALL TOUR.

Sunday, November 1^st @ 7:00 PM

Symphony Center

220 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Tickets: $25.00 - $70.00

For more information please contact 312.294.3333 or visit www.cso.org 

Celebrating 36 years together, the East L.A. vets Los Lobos are marking a new milestone with the commencement work on their 18^th record, the highly anticipated debut on Shout! Factory and follow-up to the lauded 2006 release The Town and The City, which drew four-star reviews from Rolling Stone, Mojo, The Independent, and many others.

Not one to repeat the same formula twice, what kind of record Los Lobos will make next is anyone's guess. "We never really plan any album," says Los Lobos' saxophonist/keyboardist/percussionist and producer Steve Berlin. "Like with KikoColossal Head (the quintet's 1992 and 1996 heady opuses that broke artistic ground both times), we just played the songs that showed up, naturally. With each project, we try to make our songwriting an artistic statement, where the stories we're telling and the arrangements we're composing get our point across. But to a certain extent, we make our songs opaque, mysterious. We leave it up to the listener to interpret... That's the highest purpose of artists, we think - not to rob the spirit out of the work."

Confirmed tourdates include:

October 30 Lied Center Lincoln NE
October 31 Northern Lights Theater Milwaukee WI
November 1 Symphony Center Chicago IL
November 6-8 Walt Disney World Resort Orlando FL
November 13 Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Westhampton Beach NY
November 14 Harrah's Chester Chester PA
November 15 Birchmere Alexandria VA
November 16-17 Ram's Head On Stage Annapolis MD
November 19 Victoria Theatre Dayton OH
November 21 Goshen College Music Center Goshen IN
November 28 Cache Creek Casino - Club 88 Brooks CA
November 29 Van Duzer Theater - Humboldt State University Arcata CA
December 5 International Book Fair Guadalajara, Jalisco MEXICO
December 10 Cascade Theatre Redding CA

More dates to be announced. Stay tuned to www.loslobos.org for up-to-date information.

Los Lobos Are
David Hidalgo: Vocals, Guitar, Accordion, Fiddle, Requinto jarocho
Louie Perez: Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Jarana huasteca
Cesar Rosas: Vocals, Guitar, Bajo Sexto
Conrad Lozano: Vocals, Bass, Guitarron
Steve Berlin: Vocals, Sax, Keyboards, Percussion

About Los Lobos
Many musical acts are eclectic, but few are as unpredictable, noted, and respected. The multi-platinum Los Lobos has enjoyed a 36-year ride with the same line-up intact. The band has notched a number one single with its rendition of "La Bamba," the 1987 Billboard smash that practically turned the group into a household name overnight, has won three Grammys, and has sold countless records. It has shared the stage with acts as varied as Dylan, The Clash, and U2 and has received tremendous critical acclaim--from a major label debut, How Will the Wolf Survive? (which made Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time) to the quintet's most recent work, 2006's The Town and The City.