Don't Hate the NBA Champions HEAT

''...there's this image in my mind about, you know, the symbolic parade, the championship parade. That's the only reason that I coach.''

Coach Riley - 1995

Exotica 2006: Making New Friends!

I recently had the opportunity to attend Exotica, a vaguely defined, first-of-its-kind adult entertainment exposition and fair held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Reflecting the mainstream-alization of porn, Exotica boasted vendors, models, actresses, signings by Jenna Jameson (looking a bit tired) and Tera Patrick (looking extremely good)(the waiting lines for both of whom were enormous), an Uncle Luke Pavillion and a limo company whose display SUV boasted a high quality flat screen tv playing - surprise - porn. While it did not absolutely blow my mind, I got my $25 (the admission price) worth of enjoyment.

Exotica 2006: Tera Patrick in Person!

Exotica 2006: More Booths & Displays!

Exotica 2006: The Stars of the Expo!

Hip Hop Cinema Offerings

I recently had the opportunity to check out two hip hop/rise to the top themed movies. GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN': while the story is rather (um, incredibly) cliched, the music is pretty good, I absolutely love the title, and if you like 50 Cent it's probably worth checking out. On a five star scale, this one gets ***. HUSTLE & FLOW (****): excellent character development, bumpin' soundtrack and grittily realistic. The Oscar-winning song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" will be in your head for days afterwards (resist the temptation to substitute your own profession in the chorus; "It's hard out here for a lawyer" just doesn't have the same ring to it).