From the United States Catholic Conference's Film and Broadcasting office, Henry Herx. He's is office director. They provide reviews of current films, evaluating them for plot, entertainment value, and moral content. Their number is 1-800-311-4222. The office has five ratings, A-1 (for general audiences) to O (morally offensive).
Actress/painter Mary Woronov. She was part of Andy Warhol's "Factory" in the 1960s. She was discovered while still a college student and was in Warhol's film, "Chelsea Girls," about New York bohemian life. She has a new memoir about those years, Swimming Underground: My Years in the Warhol Factory (Journey Editions).
Director of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, Manning Marable. His new book is Beyond Black & White, (Verso). In the book he argues that race is "essentially a social construction, not a permanent fact of biology or genetics." He calls for a politics that goes beyond "racial-identity" where the goal is "a black face in a high place."
Investigative journalist for the New York Times, Steve Engelberg. He's the co-author of the article "Birth of a Vision" (Sunday, Dec 3, NYT) about Newt Gingrich and GOPAC, the political committee that supports Republican party candidates and office holders. The organization was headed by Gingrich until last spring. Documents that have just become public disclose that as early as five years ago Gingrich and his "political intimates" planned a takeover of Congress. But they failed to gain support from President Bush.
Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Brown Sugar" (EMI label) the debut album by the singer named D'Angelo and "R. Kelly" (Jive records) by the rapper R. Kelly. Both are R&B albums.
British film director and screenwriter Mike Figgis. His latest film is "Leaving Las Vegas." The film is based on the novel by John O'Brien. Figgis wrote the screenplay. Shortly after the film went into production, O'Brien killed himself. His father said that the book was O'Brien's suicide note. In the film an alcoholic named Ben, played by Nicholas Cage, goes to Las Vegas to end his life in a final binge. He meets and falls in love with a prostitute and they form a desperate bond.
Dublin actor and sculptor Corban Walker. He is making his film debut in "Frankie Starlight." The film is based on the novel "The Dark of Cork" by American author Chet Raymo about a dwarf who is an amateur astronomer who is love with beautiful women and the stars. The film is produced by Noel Pearson who also produced "My Left Foot." Walker is "of small stature." The film also stars Gabriel Byrne and Matt Dillon. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE REVIEW SEGMENT)
Former head of the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, John Douglas. For 20 years he investigated serial murders for the FBI, and developed techniques to get criminals to talk, and to lure them into capture. He also pioneered criminal profiling. Many of his techniques have been adopted by police departments and prosecutors nationwide. Douglas interviewed such notorious killers as Charles Manson and Richard Speck. He has a new memoir, Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit (Lisa Drew book, written with Mark Olshaker).
Felice Picano talks about losing 74 friends to AIDS. He recently came across a list with 75 people who attended his 40th birthday party in 1984. All but one....who is unaccounted for have died from AIDS.
Broadway singer John Raitt. He's the father of singer Bonnie Raitt. The two have collaborated on a new album of show tunes, "The Broadway Legend," (Angel). Raitt made his Broadway debut as Billy Bigelow in the original production of "Carousel." He also was in the original Broadway cast and film of "The Pajama Game." He's performed in many other musicals including "Oklahoma," and "South Pacific."
Internationally-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman. He celebrates his 50th birthday this year. He has several new releases, and a PBS special: "The Beethoven Triple Concert" two live concert recordings with pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, and cellist Yo Yo Ma. And "In the Fiddler's House," featuring Perlman playing Klezmer music with four Klezmer bands. There's also a PBS Great Performance special on Klezmer music featuring Perlman. (It aired nationally November 27 at 10PM. Check local listings). Both CD's are on the EMI Classics label.
From the hip-hop group, PM Dawn, Prince Be. The duo consists of Prince Be (Attrell Cordes) and his brother J.C. the Eternal (Jarrett Cordes). One reviewer writes of them, "the duo effortlessly blends disparate elements -- balladeering and rapping, samples and live orchestration -- into gorgeous, wide-screen tableaux of sound. They also write terrific songs, from galloping melodies. . . to exquisite forlorn ballads." Their new album is "Jesus Wept" (Gee Street, Island Records).
Bill Shore is founder and executive officer of the non-profit hunger organization, Share Our Strength (SOS). The organization is a new form of non-profit, the "nonprofit run for profit." It gets no money from the government. It generates wealth through entrepreneurial ventures and has raised $30 million which it then gives to programs dealing with hunger. Shore has written a new book, Revolution of the Heart: A New Strategy for Creating Wealth and Meaningful Change (Riverhead Books). S.O.S. is located at 1511 K Street NW, Suite 940, Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 393-2925.
Bill Gates is chief executive and co-founder of Microsoft, the world's largest software company. Microsoft has made Gates rich and famous, and has earned him a reputation as a computer visionary. Gates recently wrote the book The Road Ahead (Viking). Gates explores the new, growing technology and how it will effect people's lives, including the realms of education, politics, and business. Gates says that he does not "necessarily have all the answers, but the book is my way of getting us all to start thinking about the opportunities and challenges ahead."
Stephen Manes writes the "Personal Computers" column for The New York Times. He's been writing about computers for over a decade, and was a columnist and contributing editor for PC Magazine and PC/Computing. He is the co-author of the book about Bill Gates, Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself the Richest Man in America (1993, Doubleday).
