Page B2
(Elje ÿortlan h ©baeruer
March 24. 2004
Focus
Fallen Reporter Tells Story
Sales slow even with publicity blitz
(AP)— Jayson Blairand Stephen said “negative” press coverage had
Glass, two young journalists noto­ hurt the book. He said sales wen,
rious for fabricating stories, have up after Blair was "treated fairly” in
something else in common: Both interviews with King and Fox News
have written highly publicized Channel host Bill O ’ Reilly.
books that few people are buying.
G lass’ “The Fabulist,” a fiction­
Blair, a former New York Times alized version of his downfall at
reporter, received a six-figure ad­ The New Republic, flopped despite
vance for "Burning Down My an interview on "60 Minutes” and
Master’s House.” Published March other media coverage. Simon &
6, the book had an
a n n o u n c e d first
Former New York
printing of250,00<)
Times reporter Jayson
and plenty of media
Blair
responds to
coverage, includ­
questions
after reading
ing author inter­
an
excerpt
from his
views with Katie
book,
“Burning
Down
Couric on NBC and
My
Master's
House“
ai
Larry King on CNN.
a
bookstore
in
New
But in its first
York's Harlem neigh­
nine days of publi­
borhood.
(AP photo)
cation, the book
only sold about
1,400 copies, according to Nielsen Schuster, which published the hard­
BookScan. Figures from Nielsen cover last May and gave it a first
usually represent about 70 percent printing o f 75,000, has not set adate
o f total sales.
for the paperback.
The book recounts Blair’s rise
“W e knew there would be a lot of
and fall at The New York Times, attention for the Blair book and we
which he left last spring after being wanted to see what happened and
accused of plagiarism. A review by then talk about when we would
the newspaper uncovered errors schedule the paperback,” Simon &
and fabrications in three dozen sto­ S c h u ste r sp o k esm an A dam
ries.
Rothberg said.
Most critics panned "Burning,”
The New Republic fired Glass in
with the Los Angeles Times label­ 1998 after determining there were
ing it “self-pitying and unreliable.” fabrications in 27 of the 41 articles
Blair’s agent, David Vigliano, he had written.
► J
An ensemble of acting veterans such as Ving Rhames and Mekhi Phifer join fresh faces, including Ty Burrel o f Black Hawk Down
and Michael Kelly o f Unbreakable In the re-envisioned classic zombie movie “Dawn o f the Dead" opening Friday March 19 in
local theaters.
Classic Zombie Remake Premiers
Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames,
An unexplained plague has deci­
Jake Webber and Mekhi Phifer mated the world’s population and
head an ensemble cast in a re­ y e t.th e dead aren’tdying. They’ve
envisioning of George Romero’s become zombies, stalking endlessly
apocalyptic horrorclassic, “Dawn in a constant quest to feed on the
of the Dead,” opening at theaters flesh and blood of the few remain­
nationwide on Friday, March 19. ing living.
L
i n d a
s
.a id
» e rv ic e
A ragtag group of desperate tion of humanity.
survivors in a Wisconsin town seek
Sealed off from the rest of what
refuge in a large indoor mall, where used to be the world, the group
they must learn not only to protect uses every available resource
themselves from the ever-increas­ (both within and without) in their
ing zombie horde, but also to co­ against-all-odds fight to remain
exist with each other as a last bas- alive and human.
Black Laborers Profiled in Live Theater
Friday and Saturday evenings and
Sunday matinees through April 10
at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural
Centeron North Interstate Avenue.
Pill Hill examines the successes
and failures as well as the relation­
ships ofsix black steel mill workers
in Chicago as they move from blue
collar to white-collar professions.
I Performances at
Interstate
“ Cleanliness is
next to Godliness'' I I Firehouse
Residential-Offices
Insured-Bonded
503-288-1489
Linda J. Scott Owner
Coupon 10% o ff on fircl cleaning
Kyles
Photography
Families
Weddings
Events
Promotional
Call 503/260-0969
The theater company PassinArt
presents Pill Hill by Samuel Kelley
and directed by Brenda Phillips on
Child Singer Returns
Gifted child star, Patrick Minner is now 30 and
returning to his native Portland for a performance at
Rose and Raindrop, 523 S.E. Grand, for a show from 7:30 to
11:30 Saturday, April 3.
Hip Shaker Performs, Teaches
AIDS. The performance will benefit Portland’s
Black United Fund, Cascade AIDS Project, For Us
™
Northwest, Harambee Center and the Urban League of
Portland. Tickets range from $18 to $40. The performance
begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 31 at the Arlene SchnitzerConcert
Hall. Fortickets, call 503-224-4400.
Il
O neofthe Northwest'sgreatest belly dancers, Aziza, retumsat 7:30p.m.
March 28 at the Viscount Ballroom, 722 E. Burnside. Tickets are $ 12. For
more information, call 503-234-7035. Aziza also holds workshops on
Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. at Sunday, March 28 at 1 p.m. at the Portland
Metro Performing Arts, 9933 S.E. Pine. For more information, call 503-
234-7035.
March artists for the Talisman Gallery, 1476 N.E. Alberta St., are Sue Alien
and Juergen Eckstein. A reception is from 5:30 to9 p.m. on March 25. For
more information, visitwww.talismangallery.com.
Peacejam Diverse World Retreat
Urban Nights features The Reparations Band and Cool Nutz with special
guests at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 27 at the Ash Street Saloon, 225 S W Ash
St. $8 cover.
Oregon and Washington youth aged 12-20 and adult supporters are
holding Peacejam. Youth Leadership fora Diverse World retreat at Camp
Adams in Molalla. The registration cost is $75. Scholarships are avail­
able. For more information,call503-275-0663.
Benevolent Queen helps Community
Darcelle XV is having a benefit extravaganza premiere glamour drag
queen show for the Linnton Community Center at 7 p.m. Sunday, April
25. Tickets are $20 for legendary perf ormances at the Community Center,
10614 N.W. St. Helens Road. For more information, call 503-286-4990.
Ebony Fashion Extravaganza April 16
One picture is worth a thousand words
It addresses the painful conflicts gling to find their niche in a rapidly
with which they must deal in leav­ accelerating and increasingly vola­
ing the comfortable and secure life tile world.
of the mill while facing an uncertain
“A play of substance with a great
economic future as they seek to deal to say about the plight o f even
assimilate into professions their the most enterprising men” said the
parents only dreamed about.
New York Times. “Hilarious, poi­
The production isn’t about black gnant, raucous striking contempla­
men, but about human beings strug­ tive.”
The Portland Chapter of The Links presents its annual fundraiser, the
Ebony Fashion Fair at the Oregon Convention Center at 6 p.m. April 16.
Tickets are $45 to $75. For more
information, call 503-2866426.
Ongoing and Upcoming
Music
The Blue Monk on Belmont plays
live jazz. For a schedule, visit
www.thebluemonk.com. Interstate
Bar and Grill has mature live music
at 4234 N. Interstate. The Black
Notes plays T hursdays at the
Candlelight Room. Mel Brown
playsjazz at Jimmy Maks on Tues­
days and Thursdays and Fridays
and Saturdays at Salty's on the
Columbia. A Community Unity
Breakfast is every third Thursday
at SEI at 7:30a.m. Skip Elliott Bow­
man Jazz Trio plays Saturdays from
10 a m. to noon at Hannah Bea’s,
on northeast Shaver. R&B and live
funk bands perform weekends at
the Interstate Firehouse Cultural
Center.
Children of Uganda
Nike and White Cloud present the
Portland debut o f Children of
Uganda, an ensemble o f 20 chil­
dren who have lost their parents to
Artists Monthly at Alberta Gallery
Urban Nights with Reparations Band
Dino Discoveiy at Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo discovers Dino Island: The Land of Civilization Forgot
through April 30. This simulator thrill ride includes riders on a scientific
team whose mission is to explore a newly formed island baffling environ­
mentalists around the world. The ride is $4 in addition to general
adm ission. For more inform ation, call 503-226-1561 or visit
www.oregonzoo.org.
Artist's Featured at Abbey Cafe
The Abbey Café, 441 N. Killingsworth St., invites musicians to sell their
CD ’s and perform on Fridays and Saturdays. M arch’s artist of the month
is Serena Barton. For more information, call 503-286-4847.
Pill Hill at IFCC
PassinArt Theater presents "Pill Hill,” the story of six black steel mill
workers as they move from blue collar to white-collar professions. The
play by Samuel Kelley and directed by Brenda Phillips through April 10
at the Firehouse Interstate Cultural Center, 5340 N. Interstate Ave.
General admission is $15 with discounts for students and seniors. For
more information, call 503-823-4322.
Puppet Theatre Presents Wild Child
Hand 2 Mouth Theatre and Signal Light Puppet Theatre present, “The
Wild Child," based on true accounts of children raised by wild animals.
Show plays Fridays through Sundays until March 27 at Performance
W orks Northwest, 4625 S.E. 67lh Ave. All performances are at 8 p.m. and
tickets range from $7 to $ 10. For reservations, call 503-235-5284.
Laughing Through It
A Portland Jam Night plans to heal the community’s ills through laughter
at the W ave Theatre in North Portland. The live music and sketch improv
comedy is at 9 p.m. Fridays. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for kids. For
more information, call 503-735-4184 or visit www.jam-night.com.
Larger Than Life-sized
OM SI’s big-screen OMNIMAX theater is showing “Coral Reef Adven­
ture" through March. “Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West" through
June and “Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees" through May. For more
information, call 503-797-4588.
Trlppln' through Town
Take a trip through time to find the hottest poetry, hip-hop and soul
influencing Portland Wednesdays at the Ohm. $7 cover. 31 N.W. First
Ave.