I heart B-boys

So, I'm working on this story on hip hop in Bakersfield (it's kinda dead) for Sunday's Californian and I interviewed a local b-boy Matt Hodges. Red-headed guy. Doesn't look like a breaker at first. But totally, TOTALLY a b-boy through and through.

I have a soft, gushy spot for b-boys. The first guy I ever fell in love with could pop and lock his little behind off (and he could also make his pecs jump, but that's besides the matter.)

I was sixteen and he was breakdancing when breakdancing wasn't cool. I thought it was cool, but then I dressed like a black "Blossom" in 1994. What did I know? I just knew what I liked and I LIKED B-BOYS.

They're like the hip hop ninjas of dance! The Shoalin monks of dance! It's frickin' amazing! I have to resist turning into like a fifteen year old girl around them asking goofy questions like, "Why are you so great?"

Even my ex-husband, Sgt. Kabukimann, could sort of breakdance. He studied the Black Brazilian martial art of capoeira which is ALARMINGLY similar to breakdancing. Sort of like breakdancing that can be used to kill a slave master. Handy during a revolt, you know? The dance was so deadly it was banned in Brazil for years. Wesley Snipes practices it. Maybe I was blinded by the capoeira. Satan's crafty in that way.

Anyhoo, love B-boys. Love, love, love them. Ex-husband, bad.

Of course I'm a 27-year-old reporter. So I have to be serious when I interview them, no matter how much I want to giggle and ask them to stand on their heads and spin because I find it so INCREDIBLY sexy. I went to a hip hop show a few years back where they actually had b-boy battles. My head almost exploded.

So now you know my turn-ons:

* Cartoonist Aaron McGruder
* Actor Johnny Depp
* B-boys

Anyway, here's some snippets from my Q&A with Matt because, hey, he's a breakdancer and it's my blog and I'll blog what I want too!

Danielle Belton: So how long have you been breakdancing?

Matt Hodges: Probably about six and half years. I saw the Rock Steady Crew on the Grind on MTV a long time ago ... I remember the whole thing.

DB: What's it like being a b-boy in Bakersfield?

MH: (Laughs) It's tough becuase there's almost no, there is no scene in bakersfield for b-boys and if there is, it's really miniscule.

DB: I know we've talked in the past about how local dance studios will want you to come out, but you don't feel like people really get the art form?

MH: That's something, I mean, normally you can't go to a dance studio and learn breakdancing. It's not something that's taught. It's a learning process. I wouldn't know where to start with anybody because I just leanred watching like everybody else. You watch people, learn and ask questions. (Breakdancing) is more of an open dance because you're not learning a strict sets of rules. Evenutally you learn what they are, that there are rules. (They're) the foundation of what you do. And then you become more creative in what you do. It's not being a one-dimensional dancer.
And a lot of people involved in b-boying don't even dance. You just start feeling the music and start enjoying yourself. That's why some guys are in a crew because sometimes some of the guys in the crew can't dance. You work on each others strengths.
I've never been able to go to a studio and teach. I've been offered to go and teach. Two weeks ago we went to a stuido. We had about 12 boys, 10-to-13 year old boys. And we danced for them and had a good time. But it's hard to teach in dance.

DB: Why do you think there's no scene in Bakersfield?

MH: I think (there's) a lack of diversity of Bakersfield. Bakersfield is not a diverse town. Go to a large city. In Los Angeles there's thousands of B-boys there. But you come here and I can count all the B-boys on my hand. Everyone's into the popular stuff (in Bakersfield). They're not willing to learn. Over time you learn more about your body and I would definatly say the longer you're in it the better you're going to get. You definitely have to practice all the time. I take a lot of pride in the fact that I practice as much as possible.

DB: Would you ever leave Bakersfield and do something with your dancing or is this just primarily something you do for fun?

MH: I love what I do and if the opportunity ever presented itself I would definitley do it. But no, I'm not actively seeking it. I just love to dance. It's a way to release negative energy and create something positive.
A lot of people don't know that I dance. I go to the gym, practice dancing and get rid of all that negative energy in side of me. Learning something like that is nothing but positive. It's something that would be positive for the youth if they're willing to learn it. But if you don't have the desire, the burn to learn to do it you just won't do it.

I'm moving!

Finally, the editor Gods have spoken and my blog will be moving to bakersfield.com, the website of The Bakersfield Californian — my second home, my life, the place where they cut my paychecks. Let's face it, I belong there. But don't worry. The Californian is working on ways to get the site there and redirect it for you folks ASAP. Great minds are at work! Change is a-comin'!

Needless to say, I'm happy. Now I can prattle on and on about Bakersfield to Bakersfield. It's GENIUS, I tell you.

Henry Rollins

So I got to interview Henry Rollins of Black Flag. (My friend Jake at Downtown Records got all excited about this, I should have known that he'd care, loving punk rock and all).

But Henry was a great guy. Good interview. Couldn't use most of it because occasionally he could get a little harsh (The things he said about George W. Bush's mama! It could make a sailor blush!) But here's a none Barbara bashing comment that got cut from the story from my notebook to you.

DB: What are some common perceptions, preconceived notions people have about you?
HR: They sometimes say you’re a very angry person. I go, “Bingo!” They always go I’m shorter in person. Nothing I can do about that. I stopped growing in 10th grade. They think I’m going to be some random idiot. Though I'm not a rock scientist I can handle my own. Some think I’m some weird drill sergeant, stamping out all day yelling at people.

Big stuff coming in the paper!

Read about local hip hop in this Sunday's paper celebrating hip hop's 30th anniversary.

Read my interview with Phil Alvin of the Blasters in the tab this Friday.

Read my BIG HOLIDAY FASHION SPECTACULAR Nov. 14th. It's going to be quite delightful (if I do say so myself.)

Plus I got an interview with Tre Cool of Green Day.

Oh, and Nashville Idol is coming to town Tuesday at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace. I'll be there all day watching people's hopes get dashed. It should be good fun.

Check for the story in Wednesday's paper ...

Whoa!

Like totally gross oversight. Amongst my favorite directors I forgot to mention the Hughes Brothers and the Hudlin Brothers. The Hudlins are from East St. Louis! (Well, Centerville, and that's an hour away from East Saint, but schmatics). They're from East Saint. Whoo hoo! My parents never let me go to across the river because they were afraid I'd get killed there! I'm from St. Louis and we make fun of East Saint and eastsiders make fun of us! Whoo hooo!

My ex-husband was from East Saint.

He was also a Marine. It was like two kinds of crazy, I swear.

My column is BACK!

It ran this Sunday on page 3 of the Eye Street section. Read it on-line at Bakersfield.com!

Ladies (and gay men)

At some point in your life you have to watch "Valley of the Dolls." I just can't make that point in clearer. ("I'm Nelly O'Hara! NELLY O'HARA!!!) Watch "Valley of the Dolls" and "Mommie Dearest." And don't watch the weird sequel to "Dolls" that was written by that famous film reviewer (Roger Ebert with weird director Russ Meyer) unless you want to be scarred for life by it's horribleness. Camp is only good when it's taken seriously in the first place.

As for Mommie Dearest ...

"BECAUSE I'M NOT ONE OF YOUR FANS!"

You need to see it just for that line alone so you can shout it at people. And you have to shout it the exact same way Diana Scarwid does with her stilted, overacting against Faye Dunaway's stilted, overacting otherwise it doesn't count!

GoodFellas

So like most folks (not you, but the folks I work with) know of my die-hard devotion for the films of Martin Scorsese. He's my favorite Italian American director (De Palma sucks bollocks, people! "Scarface" my big ass!) He's my favorite director period. And my favorite movie of all time is his masterpiece "GoodFellas." I love that frickin' movie. Love it. When I moved into my new apartment over the weekend I was feeling a bit odd (since the place doesn't feel like home yet to me and has this odd, "old lady" smell to it), so I popped in the "GoodFellas" DVD (the new one) and it perked me right up.

I don't know why seeing folks get whacked make me so happy. I think it's the gritty reality ("The Godfather Trilogy" is great folks, but realistic it is not, it's the fantasy mafia, the one we all want to believe in. But that Coppola for you. He loves a spectacle) But it's also the cinematography, the storytelling, the soundtrack, the contanst shots of food. It's also why I like "Casino" so much, which is basically "GoodFellas" in Las Vegas. (I actually think the cinematography on "Casino" is better, but c'mon, it's Vegas. Of course it looks all good and sparkly with the show girls and neon lights and such.)

Long story short, um ... here's my top five favorite directors

1. Martin Scorsese
2. Francis Ford Coppola
3. Spike Lee (although everything post "Malcolm X" has sucked major bollocks)
4. Yimou Zhang ("Shanghai Triad" and "Raise the Red Lantern" are BRILLIANT, still haven't seen the "House of Flying Daggers" or "Hero" yet. Want to. Will wait till they appear at the dollar show.)
5. Stanley Kubrick (he should be higher, but he's dead. I usually try not to rank the dead with the living, but I love this guy.)

I also like Sergio Leone, Kasi Lemmons, Doug McHenry (although he stopped making good movies and just produces crappy Buppie films now -- the system didn't care for his serious black drama "Jason's Lyric." Damn the system!), Rusty Cundieff, Quentin Tarantino (a poor, violent man's Scorsese), Oliver Stone (that propagandist) and Orson Welles (I know, I know, dead guy.)

And dare I say it, Michael Bay and Joel Schumacher. I mean, I know that if I want to see something sensational, that I can just turn my brain off and enjoy I partake in the latest Michael Bay/Jerry Bruckheimer smash up or something utterly ridiculous by Schumacher.

I mean, it looks good. There's something that SEEMS like a plot. They're like Stephen Spielbergs without souls or mercy for that matter. I mean, did you see "Bad Boys II?" I still don't know what I watched. They invaded Cuba for goodness sake, but it was entertaining. My ears rang after it was over with. Gotta use that Dolby Digital for something. And Schumacher frickin' wrote "Sparkle," which starred Phillip Michael Thomas, Lonette McKee and Irene Cara, with music by Curtis "I'm a genuis" Mayfield. Sure, it was a HORRIBLE movie. It's basically "Dreamgirls" meets "A Star is Born" as a blaxploitation film. But it's got Lonette McKee in it. I forgive all sins for Lonette McKee. Talk about black actresses that never get their due, but that's another rant for another day.

But check her out in Coppola's uneven, beautiful hunk-a-mess "The Cotton Club." Sure, Diane Lane and Richard Gere are the stars, but Lonette McKee is mesmerizing.

OK. Enough rant. More work. Next time I'll rant about the old lady smell in my new place ...

I like Supertramp

And I don't care who knows ...

AJ finished my jacket & Beauty and the Beast fall out

... AJ finished my jackets and they look FABULOUS! AJ rocks! Go. Have him embroider your things at Gigantic. AJ was also me escort to see "Beauty and the Beast" at the Harvey.

And .... apparently for some there's a little debate on whether "Beauty and the Beast" was actually good or not. Hey, I like B&B and my expectations were extremely low going into it. In the context of what I've seen over the past year THAT was a good show. The sound was extra crappy, but a good show nonetheless. Folks openly gasped as the sets were revealed. Dare I say it ... the sets were ... badass.

As for all the notes I've been getting about how the Harvey's old and that I'm apparently used to the "pristine sound at the Pantages," I got news for you folks ... I ain't used to the pristine sound of nowhere. I think every theater in this town has bad sound. Horrendous, messy, embarassing sound that makes me feel sorry for them. Sound that makes me feel sorry for them being poor and not able to find some frickin' engineers who know what the hell they're doing. But I write my review from the spectator's perspective. And the people in the audience were all, "Wow, I'm incredibly entertained but the sound was awful."

Still, bad sound and all the show got a standing ovation. That's with the stage hands being visible when a large piece of the set was being turned around. That's with Belle's voice dropping out during solos because of the bad sound. That's with the vaudville-style, hammy acting. I mean, I liked it. The audience liked it. They clapped their asses off so I dissed the sound. It was a crime to have a show be that entertaining and the sound be that awful. I'm not expecting Shakespeare here. It's DISNEY folks. It's supposed to be cheesy.

The Lost Diana DeGarmo Interview

I was sick, so, as promised, here's what you were missin'! Fox's American Idol runner-up Diana DeGarmo on ... Diana DeGarmo!

Q: So, how have you been?
A: A little busy, but you know it's been fun. I got three days off for my birthday, then turned around and went to New York, then Los Angeles.

Q: How's life been for you since the show aired?
A: It's been a lot of fun. Been interesting.

Q: How's the album coming? Who are you working with?
A: The whole album isn't done by the same producer. It's really interesting to see how each person works. I'm working with David Foster. He's amazing. I do a song that he and his wife have written together. I worked with Desomnd Child, a whole lot of amazing writers and producers.

Q: Since Idol do you think you've changed how you've performed?
A: My way of performing really hasn't changed too much. It got me in the top 12. At first it was intimidating. I wasn't sure what to do. But, oh, well, who cares. And I've been doing it ever since. Go out there and act out. Have a blast. Make sure everybody has a good time.

Q: So how's tour life?
A: The tour has actually been really great. Every city has been surprisingly amazing. They really have welcomed us in our home towns.

Q: What's it like being a star?
A: I haven't signed so many autographs in my entire life. I was in a restroom and a woman said, "I heard your voice and I knew it was you. Can you sign my napkin? Would you sign this for me." It's s funny. I can't go to the grocery store in my pajamas anymore but that's OK.

Saturday night

This Saturday night I went out with some co-workers and my friend Amanda to go barhopping downtown. Amanda, the world's oldest 21 year old, hadn't been to many places that weren't Rockin' Rodeo, so I thought it would be cool to introduce her to the grunge that is downtown.

It started at Club Paradise but gradually made it's way to The Mint.

She's a smoker so I'm trying to get her back to the patio so we can chat and stuff, but it took us nearly 20 minutes to get back there because I kept running into people I know. I ran into local actor Greg Ramsdell, local opera company guy Andrew Chung and gallery owner/musician/writer/crazy guy, Robert Spinzo.

The Spinzo was holding court on the patio. I asked him how he and his most recent ladyfriend were doing. He told me something to the affect they have more second acts than Cher (or more break ups than the Beatles or some funny music reference. God, I'm so mad that I can't remember it! It was extremely clever.)

Later in the evening Amanda would be hit on by a guy from "out of town" who told her she had great eyes, then bragged about the jacuzzi at his mom's house.

I only have one thing to say: smoooooth, playa. Smooooth.

I mean, here we are, standing outside because a fight has started inside and she's smoking a cigarette and I'm fake smoking a cigarette (that would be where the second hand smoke and not inhaling comes in) and across the street is the porno theater that you never see anyone go into and the hotel known for it's transients, drug addicts and hookers. Then you've got a punch of greasers and soshes about to go all "West Side Story" meets "The Outsiders," out front. And here this guy is working on what he hopes will be a little mom visit hook up. With the whole, "Where should I go in Bakersfield? This is my first time out." Suuuuure. Riiiight.

And THEN to add insult to injury this trogolyte would later tell me that I looked like Whoopi Goldberg. Mind you, he said a "sexy" Whoopi Goldberg, but them are "fightin' words" to me. I mean, WHOOPI? The woman is horrendous. If I look like anyone, it is Oprah with an afro, gosh darn it! Or Kelis. Or Rachel True. I do not look like Whoopi Goldberg! This is worse than that guy who thought I looked like Macy Gray back in Midland, TX. Ew, folks. I mean, don't you KNOW any other famous black people? I don't look like those people. I just have their hair. Arrggggghhh!

Well, Amanda's male friend who later joined us agreed that I looked nothing like Whoopi Goldberg. He thought I was hot. I've been compared to Pam Grier in "Coffy" and THAT I can handle. Or Teresa Graves of "Get Christy Love" fame. But Whoopi Goldberg? Well meaning white people of the world — Don't make me kill you. Enough people catch beat downs in front of the Mint. I don't want to contribute to the body count.

Me and WOTS are having a birthday

So WOTS and I are turning 27. I had a lot of plans for 27. (27 is the age cartoonist Aaron McGruder hit the big time. I sort of have a thing for him. You know? Nothing serious.) I still plan on keeping my plans. Like finishing at least one of my fifty-billion novels. Or recording a demo. Or stalking Johnny Depp into submission. You know? Nothing big. Finishing my comic strip so I could publish it regularly on the blog and stuff.

But big things ARE happening this year. I just heard that my column (my actual column, not the WOTS) is moving to Sunday, inside page 3 of the Lifestyle section. Naturally, I'm sad that I'm not on the front, but hey, it's Sunday. More people read the section that day anyway.

I'm also considering going back to twice a month. I've gotten a lot of response from folks who miss their double-dose of Danielle. Lord knows why. People seem to be under the impression that I am humorous. Well, who am I to argue with the people who basically keep me in business. It's because of those people I can shop at Ross Dress for Less and Target in the luxury of my 2000 Mazda Protege. They keep me in discount designer clothes and cheap vintage dresses. You go, readers! I love you!

That said, check out my friend Beaux Mingus's new store Gigantic. Right next door to the place he works days — Downtown Records — on 19th Street. It's where Bar Flies used to be. And say hi to AJ for me. He's supposed to be tailoring my fly corduroy jacket. It better be ready today. He's had the sucker for a week.

The Used and Me

Yesterday I interviewed Jeph (prounouced "Jeff") Howard, the bassist from The Used. The story will be out in The Californian later in the month (they're playing The Dome Monday, Oct. 18). But I thought it would be cool to post parts of the Q&A I had to cut because the story was too long. We had a really good conversation. It's amazing how you can connect with someone over the phone.

Also, I'm going to post some of my Diana DeGarmo interview that never ran (because I was sick). Check for that later this week.

Until then, heeeeeeeeeere's JEPH!

Q: So where is home now?
A: We still all live in Utah. It’s cheap and easy.
Q: How many shows do you perform in Utah?
A: As many as we can. We don’t over do it. Whenever we get the chance.
Q: Do you get a lot of stuff from people about being from Utah? With its large Mormon population people have a lot of misconceptions.
A: I’ve heard everything. Little comments like, ‘You guys all mormom? You guys all have ten wives?’ Is Utah flat?
Q: OK. That’s just bad geography. Someone didn’t take their US geography. Even I know that Salt Lake is surrounded by mountains. It’s the frickin’ Rocky Mountain range.
A: I know. Crazy right? It’s right next to Colorado. People probably mistake it for Wyoming or something. You don’t have to be smart to know that there are mountains in Utah.
Q: So I know that some of you are Mormon. How does that affect things, being in a rock band?
A: I was never Mormon. And Bert, I doubt he is right now. I didn’t grow up Mormon. My Dad was Mormom. My mom was Catholic.
Q: But a lot of people think of Utah as a really conservative place. Most people don’t think “rock band from Utah.”
A: It is pretty conservative. Everythings closed on Sundays. You can’t like drink on Sundays. That’s not a big deal to me anyway. But the Wal-Mart’s open. That's cool.

Sunday Shift

So I'm working a Sunday night police beat shift. Blah-di-blah. On the TV behind me it's showing a movie I have never been able to watch all the way through "Tequila Sunrise." I love movies. Will watch any movie. Have NO IDEA what this film is supposed to be about. Kurt Russell? Mel Gibson? Michelle Pfieffer? Have no idea of what's going on here. It's on my list of movies I always try to watch, but find myself turning off after the first five minutes.

1. "Tequila Sunrise"
2. "Rising Sun"
3. "Wall Street"
4. "Fatal Attraction"
5. "GI Jane"
6. "Beverly Hills Cop"
7. "48 Hours"
8. "Belly"
9. "Star Wars" (a matter of fact, every Star Wars with the execption of "The Empire Strikes Back" which I ALMOST like.)
10. "Top Gun" (or any 80s movie starring Tom Cruise save "Born on the Fourth of July." That INCLUDES "Rain Man." The eye rolling starts the minute the stuttering begins. I know it's supposed to be a good movie. Maybe someday I'll watch it all the way through.)
11. "The Lost Boys"
12. "Desperately Seeking Susan"
13. The first and second "Terminator" films

And then there are the movies I've never seen which cause my friends to recoil in horror. (Hey, my moms didn't let us watch anything that was G-rated and she hated going to the movies.)

Never seen ...
1. Any movie with Molly Ringwald in it. That includes the iconic "Breakfast Club." I know about these films, but I have NEVER watched them. But I've heard enough over the years that I can fake it.
2. "ET" : People usually freak when they learn this and because of THAT reaction I'm determined to go to my grave not seeing it.
3. "Airplane"
4. "Shindler's List" (I'm getting around to it, I swear. But I hate watching movies involving Nazis. Vampires, ghosts and goblins don't bother me because I don't believe in them, but I KNOW a bunch of stormtrooping Nazis went goosestepping all over Europe and killed about 6 million Jews. The thought is utterly horrific to me. Every Holocaust film is a horror film to me.)
5. Every Indiana Jones film. I'm deteremed to not watch those either. I get so sick of people going "You've never seen 'Indiana Jones!" with the same aplomb someone would shout "You've never heard of Jesus!" I mean, c'mon people. It's a frickin' movie. I'm not making you all sit down and watch "A Clockwork Orange" and super depressing art films from Hong Kong. I'm not going >gasp<, "You've never seen 'Xiu Xiu the Sent Down Girl?'"

Besides. I don't like that Harrison Ford. I don't know why. Just don't.

I liked the remake of "The Fugitive" though. He was all right in that.

I'm so excited!

I had a great time in Delano with Ms. Mello's students. BEST POST HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE in a high school EVER!

The kids were great and I will so come back whenever they want. I felt like a rock star in there! One girl asked for an autograph and I got hit on by 15-year-old. Delano High ROCKS!

Delano High School

Going to Delano High School today to talk to journalism students about my life as a journalist. That should be interesting. Will I manage to do that WITHOUT curse words? Let's ponder that for a moment shall we???