Results tagged “michaelstipe”

Published earlier this month, Sara Barron’s book People are Unappealing, Even Me is what happens to a bildungsroman in the Craigslist age. It follows the author on a mad-as-hell/not-taking-it-anymore complaining spree through the dregs of thankless, low-wage jobs. Along the way, Barron makes several keen observations about the strange things people do, and also manages to canonize John Stamos as “the most flawless man who has ever lived,” which had to be done by somebody. We asked her primarily about a waitress-nightmare story told in one of the book’s chapters, which recently garnered the author some major Page 6 column space: Up until recently, Barron worked at a restaurant not-to-be named (she calls it, simply, “Hell”) where she had the opportunity to wait on a rock star who didn’t tip after an epic and fully comped, after-hours meal (for 19 people total) that dragged on until 5 a.m. No longer a waitress, Barron is the host of The Moth; her next gig is March 30 at The Bitter End.

A report released Tuesday by the Food Bank for New York City has found that approximately four million New Yorkers—one in two—are having trouble paying for groceries, a 26 percent increase since the last survey in February. The Hunger Experience 2008 Update also found that college degrees are increasingly useless protection against indigence; one out of every three (36 percent) NYC college graduates had difficulty affording needed food this year, up from 11 percent in 2003. Lucy Cabrera, the food bank's president, says, "The results of this report are devastating. These numbers should be a wake-up call for all New Yorkers." The Food Bank NYC sources and distributes food to the estimated 1.3 million New Yorkers who rely on emergency food. Today you've got until noon to help the Food Bank by bidding on one of their cool celebrity decorated lunchboxes. (Just please don't outbid us on Mike D's Jacob the Jeweler box.)

            

The third annual Lunchbox Auction to raise money for the Food Bank for New York City kicked off last night with a celebrity fundraiser at Milk Studios in the Meatpacking District. Also benefiting The Lunchbox Fund of South Africa, the auction features over 77 lunchboxes custom designed by celebrities (and/or their handlers). Among the more eye catching boxes were avant-garde Chicago chef Grant Achatz's abstract deconstruction of a lunchbox, Tony Bennett's painting of a happy pooch (see below), and Michael Stipe's three lunchboxes with bronze cassettes and a camera embedded in molds of chocolate, salt and jello.

         

The Food Bank for New York City held their 5th Annual Can-Do Awards Dinner and fund raiser last night at Chelsea Piers. For the past 25 years, the Food Bank has worked to end hunger by giving low-income New Yorkers access to affordable and healthy food. Last night's dinner was hosted by classy actor Stanley Tucci and attended by celebrities like Michael Stipe, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mike D; musical performances were by Angela McCluskey, Jill Hennessey, Joseph Arthur and Mike Mills.

For the second year running, the Food Bank for New York City and the Lunchbox Fund of South Africa have enlisted over 100 celebrities in their holiday fundraiser. Boldface names like Kanye West, Elton John, Cameron Diaz, Mike Meyers, William Wegman and, um, Urban Outfitters, have created personalized, autographed lunchboxes that are now onsale via online auction. At Thursday night's kick-off event at Saatchi & Saatchi, a lunchbox by Michael Stipe was snatched up...

Last month Reverend Billy was locked up for reciting the First Amendment in Union Square. Tonight he returns with a troupe of others to speak out against the outrageous new law that would limit public photography and filming in New York.

Tibet Rocks

One of the first Carnegie Hall shows we went to, years ago, was the Tibet House Benefit. The President of Tibet House is none other then Uma's dad, Robert A.F. Thurman. The annual show he has help put on is now in its 17th year, and this time around will take place on February 26th. The lineup has been confirmed (why the press release is giving Ben Harper top billing is beyond us) and some of the artists include: Laurie Anderson, Ray Davies, Philip Glass, Deborah Harry, Lou Reed, Sigur Ros (pictured), Patti Smith, Michael Stipe.

There hasn't been much going on to mark the occassion, but The Daily News put together a Top 10 list of their favorite Letterman moments over the years. Their picks include Madonna's 1994 appearance in which she "dropped 13 F-bombs", Britney breaking the news she was pregnant with a 2nd child just last year and of course Drew Barrymore who came on the show and flashed Letterman in 1995.

, were on hand last night for a post-screening discussion about conditions inside the Cuban base sponsored by the ACLU. Hosted by the IFC Center as a part of their ongoing Q&A series, the panel led by ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero brought home the responsibility of all people who care about human rights to speak out against the conditions and unlawful status of Guantanamo.

Did you catch them while they were in town? We were lucky enough to be at night one. And for those who care, these famous people were also at the shows: Ed Norton, Michael Stipe and Michael Mills.

On March 20th this year, the 3rd Anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq, a group of artists will come together for the Bring 'em Home concert. Michael Stipe, Bright Eyes, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, Rufus Wainwright, Steve Earle, Fischerspooner, Peaches and Devendra Banhart will join forces for the event which will benefit the Iraq War Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace.

NY magazine's Economy of One column has celebrities spending certain fixed amounts of money that correlate with something in the celebrities' lives, like how Michael Stipe would spend $3,018.86, the cost of R.E.M's first van - one of the things is a margherita pizza from Otto! [Check out Gothamist Food's "Ask Your Bartender" post with Otto bartender, Bill Riley.]

Elizabeth Shapiro, Founder of Politipunk

Wine.

David Hirschman, Writer/Editor

Pictures of the band even more fashioned up in the Men's Fashion of the Times