‘Something I Said’ Archives
Something I Said: Terry Bellamy – A Singular Presence
By DWIGHT HOBBESTerry Bellamy, who passed in January, was, to say the least, a singular presence. I met him in 1993 at the Playwrights Center for some sort of town hall meeting. He got up and raised three different kinds of hell, calling the organization out for being whites only. We chatted afterward but for the life of me I can’t remember a word either of us said. I do recall within weeks the Center had a black playwrights workshop led by the regrettably late actor Byrd Wilkins (Doctor Who, Running Scared). I joined. Next time I saw Bellamy was in August Wilson’s Two Trains Running at Penumbra Theatre Company. It wasn’t the last as that presence fueled several powerhouse performances at the Twin Cities answer to NYC’s fabled Negro Ensemble Company. The man was, hands down, an amazing actor who appeared all over America in productions at prestigious venues. He was not, however, like many actors, in the profession for the sake of ego, and helped local performance [...]
Something I Said: 3 Pound Cats
Dwight Hobbes By DWIGHT HOBBES 3 Pound Cats partners with clinics to provide seniors affordable pet care. A true godsend. After all, who is hit harder in these tough economic times? Yet nonetheless need to safeguard our furry, four-footed loved ones? Do a little price comparison at just a few animal hospitals and the picture comes into focus. For a still clearer idea, visit 3poundcats.com. “I originally was trying to place 3 rescue - or pound - cats into assisted living facilities”, recalls owner-operator Dr. Marie Louderback, DVM (call her Dr. Marie). “To get the cats out of the shelters and into homes with people to love them and pet them!” So, she isn’t only giving elders a break but has a heart for homeless would-be pets. Yes, including dogs. Ani-Meals executive director Melanie La Pointe remembers how she met 3 Pound Cats. “When I was unemployed and had 3 little dogs to take care of, my groomer introduced me to Dr. Marie. She helped me keep [...]
SOMETHING I SAID: The Animal Factory
Book Review By DWIGHT HOBBES Dwight Hobbes Rule of thumb goes, the book’s better than the movie. Edward Bunker’s The Animal Factory (St. Martin’s Minotaur) and Franchise Pictures is a tossup. Both are brilliant. The novel’s narrative is fluid, with compelling immediacy. Co-screenwriter John Steppling teams with Bunker for an ingenious adaptation. Bunker (Education of a Felon: A Memoir /St. Martin's Griffin,) made his way from the wrong side of the law to a career as screenwriter-actor (Animal Factory, Straight Time). He was “Mr. Blue” in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Franchise Pictures The Animal Factory protagonist, 20-something, privileged Ron Decker is slapped in prison so the judge can stand hard on white offenders, not just criminals of color. Never mind that Decker, no angel for sure, dealt weed and coke, but this is his first bust. He’s a politically correct scapegoat. Street spawned, veteran of incarceration Earl Boen takes him [...]
