Evans Above

I’m off to spend a few days with family. I hope you get to do the same. Have a safe and happy holiday!

I was attending a 10 a.m. screening of Fox’s Stuck on You, when the assembled reporters felt a large rumble and shake in the cinema. We looked around for a second, but as the comedy continued to unspool, I’m sure we chalked it up to one of the small earth tremors that hits the Toronto area every few years. It wasn’t until after the film that I learned that the Uptown Theatre across the street had collapsed, killing one and injuring seventeen.

The streets were filled with a variety of emergency vehicles: air trucks, HazMat crews, Forensic Identification vehicles.

The Uptown, which was undergoing demolition, had collapsed on the building next to it, which housed, among other things, an ESL school for children and adults.

The Uptown had been built in the 1920s as a vaudeville house. Years later it was converted into a three screen cinema and operated by Viacom-owned Famous Players. Much like the Canon (formerly the Pantages) and the Elgin, it was an entertainment venue from a past era. Famous had been ordered to make the site accessible and decided to close it and sell it to a condo developer. Our company actually ran the cinema for the last three days of the Toronto International Film Festival after Famous pulled out.

The demolition of this beautiful theatre was already considered a tragedy by many in the city. The deadly aftermath of its demolition only makes it more so.

According to Televison Week, the producers of The Bachelor are considering offering Bob Guiney a daytime talker.

Um…why?

Just because the liplock addict gave them high ratings for their primetime pimpfest doesn’t mean he’ll bring anything new to the talk circuit. Please Bob, your clock is at 14:59.

Seeing the arrest video of Glen Campbell reminded me of the comedy song “Winestoned Plowboy” by Nestor Pistor. My favorite verse in the heavily-accented song:

I went to a massage parlour
To send a massage to my brother
And boy was I surprised when she said, “Get up on the table”

Jessica Lynch may not have fired a round in Iraq, but she’s taking a few shots at the Pentagon PR machine.

Ming the Mechanic had (or should I say has]) a customer service nightmare with Budget Rent-A-Car when he rented from them in Europe. A must-read for anyone heading over there.

It sounds like something that you say through the peephole at a Prohibition era speakeasy, but JoeSentMe is the name of a fantastic travel site. Whether you’re looking for holidays deals or just want to make the most of your business travel dollar, this site tells it like it is. This may sound like a paid endorsement, but it isn’t. I just like the site that much.

Just noticed that our poll on the Paris Hilton sex video is on the first page of results on Google.com. We’d like to welcome everyone who’s been searching on that term — purely for pop culture research we understand.

Shot my segment for VH1’s look at the People’s Choice Awards. Lots of fun. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’ll keep you updated for the air date.

I’m here in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Why? Why not!

Actually, I’m here on my way to NYC to shoot a segment for VH1’s VH1 Goes Inside the People’s Choice Awards. I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. de Mille.