Another famous Chicago Bull left us last night. Johnny "Red" Kerr was known by many as the first coach and legendary player of our basketball franchise. But for many people my age, "Red" will always be known as the fiery color commentator on the Bulls' television broadcasts. He was never afraid to be critical, and he was certainly never afraid to show off his enthusiasm. Kerr was not only one of the voices of the Bulls, but he was also a big voice of Chicago. He will be missed, and how wonderful that the franchise had a chance to honor him before he left us. While he'll certainly leave a legacy like the images in the clip above, it's the moments like these I'll always remember. Enjoy:

This is horrible news. Chicago Bull great Norm Van Lier has passed away at the age of 61. According to ChicagoBreakingNews.com, "Fire personnel responded to a request to check up on him at his apartment in the 1100 block of West Madison Street when he was found unresponsive, according to the Chicago Fire Department."

I can't say I ever truly knew Mr. Van Lier, but every time he entered the CLTV newsroom, you knew he was here. When CLTV contemplated taking Sports Page off the air, Norm was not happy. He was a frequent guest on the program and always dominated the airtime. I'll never forget when he made me march down to my programming director's office and demand that Sports Page come back.

"Who's going to host it," I asked him. "Me?"

He gave me a serious stare, then laughed. "No, I will. Now go give the message."

Norm Van Lier was always outspoken and honest - and one of the most magnetic people I've ever had the pleasure to be around. He told it like it was, whether you wanted to hear it or not. He will always be missed - both on-air and off.

Hello again everybody! After a brief break due to some guy giving a speech in Congress, American Idol is back on the air! I'll be hanging out with you LIVE blogging during the broadcast, so keep up with my thoughts after the jump!

Check out the director's cut of Nick Digilio and I's Oscar Night 2009 Recap! I know it's a day late, but as Homer Simpson once said, "It's still good! It's still good!" Enjoy:

Maybe you've seen this already, but if you haven't, watch it now. WGN-TV's Pat Tomasulo breaks down the idiocy of FaceBook. My favorite part is hearing how stupid all of these "status updates" are when spoken aloud. Think you're funny? Well, you're not. This, however, is.

Wow, flashy video alert! Chicago entertainment/restaurant guru Billy Dec is set to open his latest creation, Sunda. According to the YouTube description, the restaurant will feature "contemporary and progressive interpretations of traditional dishes from Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and the rest of the Southeast Asian Island region." The video breaks that all down, but still doesn't show us too much about what the place will look like. But if the video is meant to peak our interest - job well done.

This was one of the funnier moments in a night devoid of comedy. Natalie Portman presented the award for Best Cinematography alongside Ben Stiller, who showed up with a snarly beard to poke fun at Joaquin Phoenix's bizarre appearance on The Late Show. But given that this was the cinematography award, wouldn't a jab at Christian Bale's DOP rant been more fitting?

Anytime you give someone like Sean Penn an open forum to speak his mind, you never know what might happen. Last night was no dissapoint, starting with his greeting of the crowd - "You commie, homo-loving sons of guns."

At least he didn't sign off with - "Goodnight, Utah!"

The Oscar curtain has gone down & Mickey Rourke's career is officially still not validated. So what right...Here's our cliff notes version of the awards and everything everyone will be talking about around the water cooler Monday morning.

7 O'Clock Hour:
7:30 - Show opens to a pretty slick looking set...
7:32 - Hugh Jackman makes first recession joke, everyone in New Zealand is enraged.
7:34 - Opening number proves Jackman can dance & sing. We're happy with the choice.
7:38 - We find out Mickey Rourke stole Mike Tyson's front tooth.
7:43 - Best supporting actress winners come out to introduce nominees.. we find out Goldie Hawn is still alive.
7:47 - Penelope Cruz wins for best supporting actress... No surprise there.

The rest of the grueling 3 hour show after the jump...

In case your new to Chad, he's Darth Vader's brother. He's the manager of a grocery store who uses the force to get his way in the dairy section. But now, Chad has apparently taken an interest in acting. Enjoy the Oscars tonight!

Yesterday I was a guest on WGN-TV's Oscar special "The Envelope, Please." In case you missed it, they've posted the entire show online, and we have the video for you! Here is Part 1...

Watch the rest of the show after the jump!

Once again, I will be a guest on WGN Radio's Nick Digilio Show immediately following the Academy Awards! I'll be filming all of our Oscar talk and your phone calls, and airing the highlights on CLTV Monday night! So if you want your voice to be seen, tune into WGN Radio 720 AM following the big show!

This small behind-the-scenes clip shows Hugh Jackman rehearsing for the biggest night of his career. In case you're new, he's hosting the 81st Annual Academy Awards this Sunday night, and if his performance at the Tony's means anything, he should be great!

A clip from Hugh at the 2004 Tony's awards is after the jump.....

This is a big giveaway for all of you comedy fans out there. The hilarious Paul Rudd and Jason Segal will be coming in town to screen their new film I Love You, Man at 7 p.m. on March 3rd at the Brew and View! They'll also be doing some improv comedy there as well. We have tickets to give away, and winners will be chosen quickly, so hurry! To enter.....

CLICK HERE! and tell us why you deserve them!

Want to win that Oscar office pool? That's what Marcus is here for. Check out his no fail picks to win Sunday night... Or he'll go all Roberto Benini on you.

Everyone seems to have their own recipe for chili. River North's Rockit Bar & Grill has one for each day of your work week, and they'll be showing them off at their first annual Chilifest.

Keep reading after the jump for the chili rundown.

This....

*Touch hair and make stupid face*

Now that we're past Ryan Seacrest's prompter notes, it's time to break down the results of the first group of 36. 24 million votes poured into American Idol headquarters last night, but was your favorite contestant booted? And how right was I on my picks? Find out after the jump!

On Friday, February 13th, the United States House of Representatives and Senate passed the most massive piece of legislation in my lifetime - and were in a hurry! Some had vacations to get to, others were just glad they didn't have to read it. But before you get all excited about the pothole patching coming your way, let me warn you - this Bailout is cursed! I have 13 reasons why in the video above, but if you'd rather do some reading...keep at it after the jump!

OK it's no secret some people love to hate Star Wars creator / filmmaker George Lucas. Whether it be his revolutionizing of the movie marketing indusrty or Episode I: The Phantom Menace, George has taken his fair share of criticism over the years.

Enter the latest documentary The People Vs. George Lucas, the trailer tells us what the movie is all about, so watch and enjoy.

THIS VIDEO IS NSFW.

You know you were thinking it too! Is it really that hard to change the channel while wearing a blanket? I'm gonna go with NO. But whether you love or hate it, the snuggie is taking over...

***Or you could just turn your bathrobe backwards... save ten bucks, and your street cred.

The American Idol live shows are finally here....with a TWIST! See if you can follow me here. The Top 36 have been broken down into three groups of 12. The highest vote of the men will move on. The highest vote of the women will move on. And one wild card will move on. That gives us 9 spots. The remaining contestants will compete in a Wild Card round, where the top 3 will move on, making our Top 12. Thanks for making Season 8 much easier to understand, American Idol.

It was the first LIVE broadcast of the season, and there were more than a few strange occurances, including Ryan Seacrest being barked at by a producer.

On the 25th, $25 gets you a four course meal. Not bad. How about a four-course meal of Ian's Pizza unique slices and some hand selected craft beers from Sheffield's Beer School's honor role?

There'll be a beer expert on site to talk about the brews, and we thought we had an easy gig.

The nigh'ts one of a kind menu and reservation info after the jump!

We have to show love to (and sometimes laugh at) our fellow Tribune family members, and boy have I done some crazy things in my career. Behold WGN Entertainment Guru Dean Richards channeling his inner-Slumdog.

And this Saturday night at 6 p.m. on WGN-TV, I will be a guest on "Creepy Uncle" Dean's Academy Awards special "The Envelope, Please." The one-hour show will feature a panel debating who will win at this Sunday's Oscars. The panel consists of Marcus Leshock (metromix on CLTV), Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune), and Bonnie DeShong (Chicago Crusader). Don't forget to tune in!

Failed-musician Paris Hilton makes a cameo on Snoop Dogg's new variety show, Dogg After Dark. And she's RAPPING!!! If the rest of the show, which premieres tonight on MTV, is anything like this snippet I won't be tuning in...

Northwest is serving what now??? CNN Reporter Zain Verjee must have had too many mini-bottles off the drink cart... cause she slipped up not once, but TWICE on a very 'sensitive' word!

Or maybe she's doing her best Ace Ventura impression... after the jump.

Bet you wish you self-censored a bit more now, huh? The web is buzzing about a few sneaky changes Facebook made to its 'terms of use.' Basically, anything you say/do/post is now property of the interweb giant. Even if you delete your profile! Kinda shady, no? Watch out Michael Phelps...

The award winning Movin' Out comes to Rosemont this weekend. It's the story of five life-long friends told over two turbulent decades all set to the music of Billy Joel.

If you want tickets & to support a great cause purchase "special edition" tickets to the show on February 22nd with proceeds to benefit the National MS Society. What makes the tickets special is the dinner at Rosewood Restaurant after the show. To buy tickets head here, and enjoy the show.

MLB spring training is officially here. While I was listening to the reports of my Chicago Cubs reporting to camp, I realized how much I really missed baseball - although I'm still having a hard time with last October. But besides 101 tough years for Cubs fans....baseball has also given us some of the best films ever made. Last year, I put together a list of my favorite baseball films of all time, ranked them, and I was ready to share 'em with the world! So in case you missed it, here it is again - complete with video clips!

Chicagoan Joe Avella delivers his latest - Action City Bathroom. Next time the wife/girlfriend asks what took you so long in the John, send her this video....

Action City Bathroom from Joe Avella on Vimeo.

This is an oldie but your kids are gonna love it. The guy's name is Paul Dateh. He's turned a regular violin into a hip-hop instrument, and he's now released his first album on itunes. If it's sounds anything like this, I might actually buy it....

I love videos like this - just random acts of kindness. A guy named Rob got a bunch of his friends together, and developed a plan to give 2,000 high fives on an escalator at a train station. It should put a smile on your face:

If your liver has finally recovered from the debauchery known as TBOX -- the Twelve Bars of XMas -- time to give it another go at Bead Quest! Celebrate Mardi Gras in Chicago AND earn beads while staying fully clothed. It's all going down on Saturday, February 21st... starting at Murphy's Bleachers and ending... hopefully with beignets!

Get tix here...

After the Letterman debacle we had to hit the streets and ask you just how Looney Toons Joaquin Phoenix really is.

That's right Jay Peterman himself sat down with us to promote his Broadway tour of Chicago. He ended up talking to us about his time on Seinfeld, his music career and relationship with the real Jay Peterman.

If you want to see more of John head to the Oriental Theatre from February 25 - March 8.

Once upon a time, I used to be an angst-ridden teen just looking for a little love from bad boys who rocked DC skateboarding kicks and smoked various leaves behind the bushes at school. Now that I’ve matured, changed my taste in men, and effectively become more boring, I don’t have much to complain about come Valentine’s Day. But sometimes re-living the past can be fun, so here’s a list of moody songs I would’ve listened to back in the V-D day. What are yours?

Apparently our new President Barack Obama is still getting used to his new surroundings. This is getting a lot of attention on the internet, but after looking at the video, it doesn't seem like the big deal the photos make it to be. But judge for yourself, I think it needs some "Yakety Sax"....

They gave her chances like she was playing Monopoly, but Joanna Pacitti has gone bye-bye. The AP just released a short note saying "American Idol" has disqualified Pacitti, but they haven't said exactly why yet. The judges already made it VERY clear on the show that Pacitti had a record deal in the past. Maybe she forgot to mention something else, just like she forgot all of her lyrics during Hollywood week.

Congratulations to Felicia Barton of Virginia Beach, VA, who will replace Joanna on the show.

Wow. Just wow. Seeing him in photographs was one thing, but after seeing his "Late Show" appearance, Joaquin Phoenix has officially gone off the deep end. David Letterman did everything possible to have some fun with this guy (his beard, rapping, etc.) but Joaquin was having none of it. He seemed to get more and more angry with each laugh of the audience. I started to actually get a little scared for Dave at one point.

Here's a serious question. After what happened to Heath Ledger last year, why do we laugh at someone who might really be going through serious issues? How bad would those audiences members feel if something happened to him? Or maybe he's just a complete toolbag? I hope so.

Welcome to the judges mansion, better known as Simon Cowell's vacation home! It was the last night in Hollywood, where our contestants sit in a chair and are told whether or not they've made it onto the live telecasts. This year "Idol" will feature a Top 36. But before they get there, some of the contestants were subjected to "final sing-offs." It's a ploy to add more drama and (hopefully) more singing to an otherwise sterile episode.

If you're an "Idol" junkie, you know the list of the Top 36 leaked weeks ago (as if they didn't have these people picked since audition day). But just for fun - let's break down the WINNERS, the LOSERS, the SING-OFFS, and my TOP 36 THOUGHTS!

Valentine's Day is coming up so why not treat your main squeeze to a romantic evening of sensuous chocolate and... beer? This Friday (2/13/09) and Saturday (2/14/09) Chocolate Grape in Bucktown is pairing dark beer with chocolate desserts. Negra Modelo (yes, it's not just for mexican food!) is the lager of choice for this event. It's caramel and coffee maltiness compliments their unique chocolate creations: Burnt Grapes with chocolate caramel Negra Modelo Mousse (mmm...), Negra Modelo Truffles (double mmm...), and Negra Modelo pairings with Caramel Truffle and Chocolate Grape Obscenity, rich molten lava cake with 58% trudelia dark chocolate served warm, with a fresh raspberry coulis and fresh raspberries (triple mmm...).

Check and mate. As stated before, upon a first viewing of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," I found it a good film. Trying to watch it a second time was, well, painful. The similarities to "Forrest Gump" are obvious throughout the film, but they weren't as glaring to me - until I saw this trailer produced by the guys at Talkshow with Spike Feresten:

We finally caved and created a Twitter account for our show. To find out what we're constantly up to in the office, check us out at twitter.com/MetromixCLTV

Follow us and then most likely we'll follow you. Peer pressure sucks doesn't it?

Ladies and gentlemen...we may already have a winner! It's the dreaded "herd the hopefuls into the slaugtering room night." The contestants were put to a final test. After performing in front of the judges one last time, all 72 singers were rounded up into four different rooms. Then, the judges gave the news as to who stays and who goes. There was a little bit of singing - just enough to put together my BEST, WORST, and final verdict.

Elton John & Billy Joel will follow in the footsteps of DMB, Jimmy Buffett & The Police as they will tickle the ivory in front of the ivy at Wrigley Field this summer. Look for them July 21, tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m.

It makes sense right? Two big names with followings that can spend money on tickets that range from $55 to $175 bucks. The show is sure to be very entertaining and a huge hit, but aren't there like 10 other bands you'd rather see in Wrigleyville on a warm summer night?

We think there are.. Hit the jump for our headliners...

If you've exhausted all your romantic options or VDay just makes you a little queasy... here are a few alternative ways to toast Cupid, sweetheart or cynic!

It was a gala of gluttony... all of the cocoa you could stomach. Forty of Chicago's top chefs came together to raise scholarship funds for students in the pastry arts, and I lent my back as a chocolate canvas! The fourth annual benefit at the French Pastry School raised nearly $50,000.

If you want to donate to something sweet, click here.

More pics after the jump...

This is probably one of the best viral videos I've seen in a long time, and it is now a huge hit on YouTube. WGN-TV news anchors Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange have been working together for years. During their commercial breaks, they came up with short little musical numbers to pass the time. Over the years, it's spiraled into a nearly 3 minute routine that was destined to become a hit online. Maybe you've already seen this by now, but if not, it's great....

Marcus enters the Twilight Zone and finds egg rolls at Arby's and bacon at Taco Bell.

Week 10: Linda Ronstat feat. Aaron Neville: "I Don't Know Much"

Last nights Grammy performances, or lack thereof, got us to thinking about other performances that stuck with us. So 20 years later how's a little Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt? Pick a partner in the office and rock this duet out. Your co-workers will thank us later.

Rasoi means 'kitchen' in Hindi, and you'll love the smell of yours while you whip up these tasty recipes...

Kachumbar (Mixed Vegetable Salad)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients:
½ medium Onion (red preferably)
1 medium Tomato
1 Cucumber or fresh Pickle, peeled
½ inch fresh Ginger
5 pieces Red Radish
2 tbls fresh Cilantro, chopped
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
½ tsp Chat Masala
Fresh Lime Juice

To prepare:
Finely chop onion, ginger, tomatoes, cucumber/fresh pickle, red radishes and cilantro and place in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper, lime juice and chat masala to the bowl. Mix the ingredients and chill for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve chilled.

**Note: Add finely chopped jalapeno or bird eye chili peppers to make the salad spicy. Cover the bowl before putting it in the refrigerator.

More yummy eats after the jump...

It was time to celebrate THE BEST in music, which I guess means EVERYONE, at the 51st annual Grammy Awards! As usual the Recording Industry gave out a trillion awards tonight for all kinds of different categories. Ryan Seacrest and company tried to keep it all straight with note cards on the red carpet. But the awards only mean so much, there were plenty of bizarre/exciting moments to remember. My thoughts on the show and a complete list of winners after the jump!

Marcus reviews 'He's Just Not That Into You.'

Not afraid to take on the political The Second City is unveiling a new musical this Tuesday all centered on our former governor called Rod Blagojevich Superstar. We got the chance to talk with the cast after one of their rehearsals. The show runs Tuesdays and Weds tickets are $14.

Marcus sat down with Viola Davis, the acting powerhouse stealing scenes from the likes of Meryl Streep in "Doubt" - and garnering Oscar nominations in the process.

Let's hope that "Terminator" DP doesn't end up taking a trip to the video store anytime soon!

After all of this "Christian Bale" freakout stuff broke this week, I remembered the one time I got to speak with him. He was in town shooting "The Dark Knight" and we had a harmless interview about "3:10 to Yuma." He was a great sport when I made that reference to "American Psycho," but there was one strange exchange when I first walked in the room.

Mike Kara runs an internet radio show from the Woodridge Public Library called "Eye on the Community." Over the years he's had many different types of personalities on his show - WGN-TV's Tom Skilling, band members from American English, and now me!

Mike and I talked for about a half an hour about how I ended up at CLTV, how we put together "metromix on CLTV" every week, and more behind-the-scenes insights on the show.

So if you're a "metromix" junkie, you'll want to take a listen. Direct downloadable links are right after the jump!

You don't wanna know what happens when someone walks in my shot...

Diva!!!

"American Idol" producers figured something out - group work sucks. Welcome to Hollywood Group Night, easily the biggest drama to go down every season. We get to see how our favorite (or not so favorite) contestants react when they have to rely on each other. It was a night of music, meltdowns, and plenty of teases about meltdowns coming up later. Let the catfight begin and the excuses fly with my BEST, WORST, and FINAL VERDICT!

We here at metromix like to take care of you guys. And if you're like us, every now and then you need to pick up a meal on the cheap. The world famous Berghoff is offering their corned beef sandwhich for a buck when you buy a drink Monday through Thursday between three and five in the afternoon.

Don't get too used to it though, the super cheap sandwhich will only be offered till the end of the month.

Little fun fact, the cousin of the corned beef sandwhich, the Ruben is shrouded in mystery. No one knows for sure when it was invented. Also, there is no corn used to corn the beef. Save that for Jeopardy.

Dear Facebook,

First off, I want to wish you a Happy Birthday! I can't believe it's already been five years since you first snuck into my dorm room to battle my beloved Friendster. Victory was certainly yours and we've spent many a long night since reading up on (stalking?) the boys from the baseball team, the freshman trying to gain passage into my sorority, and where my "friends" spent their summers. You've grown so much in such a short time, and I can't tell you how proud I am of you.

Keep reading after the jump...

"This will no doubt be the most important day or your life." - Simon Cowell to the contestants on the opening of Hollywood Week.

Easy there Margaret Thatcher. It's a reality show singing contest, not the Battle of the Bulge. But getting serious, Hollywood Week is my favorite portion of "American Idol," and I was excited to see all the changes. They let the contestants sing whatever they wanted acapella. They gave them voice coaches and stylists. And they even brought Barry Manilow back from whatever planet he was on, to help them become as weird as possible.

My BEST, WORST, and FINAL VERDICT after the jump!

Tired of sitting at home because you got no money to go out? Well you can quit your complaining.

For the entire month of February The Art Institute of Chicago is going to be opening up it's doors at no cost to you. That's right, Monday through Monday, seven days a week, you can come in and see some of the best art from around the world for free.

Even the tickets for special exhibits have discounted days. For more check out the art institutes website at artic.edu.

Kinda makes us wish 2009 was a leap year.

Marcus Leshock here. Jennifer Hudson sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIII, and she blew the sails off the pirate ship at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium. After her performance, I found myself in a conversation about where it ranked in the history books. After a little perusing around the internets, I have compiled my list of the Top 10 Star Spangled Banner performances of all time - from sporting events to concerts. We start with number 10.....