David Kessler is former Commissioner of the US food and Drug Administration. As such, he took on one of the country's most powerful foes: the tobacco industry. They investigated tobacco makers to determine whether nicotine was a drug, and if so, be regulated by the FDA. Kessler's book about it is A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle with a Deadly Industry.
Equestrians David and Karen OConnor. Only the second husband and wife team to share a medal in Olympic history, the OConnors helped win the US a bronze medal and a gold (David OConnor in the individual event) in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Internationally recognized equestrians, they won a silver medal for the US in the 1996 Olympics. In 2000, the US won the bronze in the Team Three Day Event Dressage. David OConnor won the gold in the Individual Three Day Event (Jumping, Cross Country and Dressage). The duo train and run clinics in The Plains, Virginia.
Critics call Bill Charlap one of the strongest mainstream jazz pianists on the scene and one of the most gifted interpreters of standards. He has worked with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Benny Carter, Clark Terry and the Phil Woods Quintet where he remains. His most recent album, Written in the Stars (Blue Note) was released in 2000.
His latest movie is Traffic, starring Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Its about drug traffic at the US-Mexico border. The idea came from a British miniseries called Traffic.Soderbergh began his career with the low budget hit,Sex, Lies and Videotape. His other films include Erin Brockovich, The Limey, and Kafka.
Film critic Henry Sheehan reviews “O Brother Where Art Thou,” starring George Clooney. Directed and written by the Coen brothers, it’s loosely based on Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
We remember actor Jason Robards. He died yesterday at the age of 78, after a long battle with cancer. He was an actor for over 50 years. He won Oscars for his performances as Ben Bradlee in "All the President's Men," and Dashiell Hammett in "Julia." In 1956 Robards first came to the attention of the critics with his performance in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh." His performance helped define the role for a generation. It also began Robards collaboration with director Jose Quintero, resurrecting the works of O'Neill.
Actor Alfred Molina (“muh-LEE-nah”). He’s starring in the new film, “Chocolat,” (“show-koh-LAHT”) about a mysterious and seductive chocolate shop that electrifies a French village. MOLINA is a Tony-nominated actor who has played in over 30 films, 30 TV movies, and many theater productions. His Tony nomination was for his role in the Broadway hit “Art.” His film credits include “Boogie Nights,” “Anna Karenina,” “Prick up Your Ears,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Molina was born in London, UK, and lives in Los Angeles.
Comedian Richard Lewis. His new book is called “The Other Great Depression,” (Public Affairs, 2000) and chronicles his recovery from alcoholism. He’s an award winning stand up comic and has appeared in over twenty movies and TV shows. Currently, he co-stars in Larry David’s HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Editors Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball have collaborated on the new book “Reading Lyrics” (Pantheon Books), an anthology of some of the most important lyricists of the last century, including the lyrics of George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Dorothy Field, Frank Loesser, Johnny Mercer, and more. The book covers the time period 1900-1975. Robert Gottlieb is the author of “Reading Jazz,” and Robert Kimball is the editor of complete lyrics collections of Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, and Lorenz Hart.
We remember jazz bassist Milt Hinton. He died yesterday at the age of 90. Hinton was one of the great jazz bass players, having played with musicians like Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday. Throughout his career, Hinton photographed the musicians he worked with, and the surroundings he moved through. His books of photographs are "Bass Line: The Stories and Photographs of Milt Hinton" (Temple University Press), and "Overtime: The Jazz Photographs of Milt Hinton"
Robert Smigel (SMY-gull) is a writer and creator of animated comic episodes for Saturday Night Live, including “X-Presidents” and “The Ambiguously Gay Duo.” His newest effort is the new Comedy Central series “TV Funhouse,” described as a broken kid’s show for adults. The Funhouse combines real animals, puppet animals, short films and animation (Wednesday nights at 10:30). Smigel has also written a new comic book based on the X-presidents filmed shorts (called “X-Presidents”/Villard Books).
Rock critic Ken Tucker looks at the new pop compilations reminiscent of those sold by K-Tel records on T-V in the seventies. This series is “Now That’s What I call Music,” and Ken looks at #5, with hits from Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson, Everclear and Mystikal.
