Raising money with a rumba

I have never been one to fear making a fool of myself in front of others. I have been on plenty of stages in my time - I’ve performed with local companies such as Penobscot Theatre and Ten Bucks Theatre and many others, not to mention my time with The Focus Group – so I’ve already said and done all kinds of things to embarrass myself and my family.

Now, however, I have the opportunity to embarrass myself in a whole new way and for a great cause.

Cardinals legend dies at age 92

Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial passed away last week at the age of 92. He is one of the all-time greats, among the historic leaders in almost every statistical category. He won three National League MVP Awards and was elected to 24 All-Star teams, all with the St. Louis Cardinals over the course of a career that spanned over two decades from 1941 to 1963.

And he might be the most underrated great player in Major League Baseball history.

Local radio show to join 92.9 The Ticket

BANGOR – “Downtown with Rich Kimball” has become a mainstay on local radio airwaves since the show made its debut last September. However, starting Jan. 28, you’re going to have to look it in a new place.

“Downtown” is making the move from WAEI AM 910 (owned by Blueberry Broadcasting) to WEZQ FM 92.9 The Ticket (owned by Townsquare Media). The show will add more locally-produced, locally-focused content to a station that already features area sports media stalwarts Dale Duff and Clem Labree on their “Morning Pitch” show from 6-8 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Film puts style over substance

There’s a lot of fun to be had with period pieces – especially when you’ve got an enthusiastic cast. It’s interesting to see that even the most well-regarded movie star can get a little giddy when you tell him to put on a fedora, brandish a tommy gun and talk tough.

That’s the new movie “Gangster Squad” at its core. It’s an undeniably stylish film – visually striking – with a cast that can’t help but delight in the movie that they’re making. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of substance here; the characterizations are weak and the story is thin. It’s all sizzle and no steak.

Film recounts the hunt for Osama Bin Laden

It’s a sign of a gifted filmmaker when a director can find a way to tell a story whose ending is already known and still instill it with urgency and intensity. It was actually a good year for those sorts of films – “Argo” and “Lincoln” both told tales whose conclusions we already knew.

However, those stories both exist very much in the past, in worlds that are different than the one in which we currently live. That isn’t the case with “Zero Dark Thirty,” the latest film from Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow. This film is drawn from the past, yes, but from the very recent past – a past that is close enough to burn bright in the memory of everyone who sees the film.

Local group to present ‘Ferme La Bouche’

BANGOR – Local performance collaborative Her Majesty’s Cabaret is once more bringing their unique brand of entertainment to area audiences.

This newest show – called “Ferme La Bouche” – is scheduled for two performances at the newly opened Coespace, located on Columbia Street in downtown Bangor, on Jan. 19. Performance times are set for 7:30 and 10 p.m.; tickets are $7. In addition, a limited number of tickets are available for presale at the Rock and Art Shop on Central Street.

And then there were four.

After the grueling four month season and two weeks of high-intensity playoff games, we are left with four NFL teams that still have a chance to make their way to the Super Bowl and compete for the Lombardi Trophy.

2012’s postseason attrition continued this weekend as four more very good teams were proved to be not quite good enough. The Denver Broncos, the Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans all find themselves on the outside looking in as the playoff dance continues. Each team fought the good fight – the Broncos and Seahawks were especially dogged in their pursuits – but in the end, they came up short.

Broadcast veteran honored for third time in four years

BANGOR – Local sportscaster Rich Kimball has been named the Maine Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association (NSSA).

Kimball is the radio play-by-play voice of the University of Maine Black Bear football team. He also hosts the “Downtown with Rich Kimball” radio show Monday through Friday from 4-6 PM. This is the third time in the last four years that Kimball has received this honor, and his fifth win overall.

LiLo’s big week

It has been a big week for Celebrity Slam favorite Lindsay Lohan.

We’ll start with the recent New York Times story by Stephen Rodrick. Rodrick was given access to LiLo’s latest film project “The Canyons” and chronicled the movie’s progress and process in an article straightforwardly titled “Here Is What Happens When You Cast Lindsay Lohan In Your Movie.”

Film offers heavy-handed message, not much else

It’s always intriguing when a number of Hollywood’s heavy hitters get together to work on something – especially a pet project. Sometimes, it’s a story that they have always wanted to tell. Sometimes, it’s just an excuse to go on a working vacation with their buddies. And sometimes, they just want to remind you that they care about stuff.

The first one usually bears positive fruit; if nothing else, the superstar got to prove his or her mettle. The second one is hit (“Ocean’s 11”) or miss (“Couples Retreat”). And the third one? The third is almost never a good idea. That’s when they’re looking to impart a “message.”