Dan Gross: Artist Chuck Connelly a documentary subject
PHILLY ARTIST Chuck Connelly is the subject of "The Art of Failure," an HBO documentary that premiered last night. The film by Jeff Stimmel follows the artist over a period of six years.
PHILLY ARTIST
Chuck Connelly
is the subject of "The Art of Failure," an HBO documentary that premiered last night. The film by
Jeff Stimmel
follows the artist over a period of six years.
Connelly worked in New York in the 1980s and sold more than a million dollars worth of art before he seemingly decided that a starving artist was better than a rich artist and alienated gallery owners and collectors.
Some of Connelly's work is on exhibit in the New Philadelphia School collection at the Knapp Gallery (162 N. 3rd) through Aug. 24. The collection also features work by Tom Brady, Giappo DiFederico, Jon Eckel, Adam Lee Farrell, and R. Michael Walsh.
Who knew Costner had a band?
Kevin Costner, whose indie comedy "Swing Vote" opens next month, will make two appearances in Atlantic City. On Aug. 1, Costner and his country-rock band, Modern West, are playing at House of Blues. The next night he'll appear at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater to talk about his movies, which include "The Untouchables," "The Bodyguard," "Field of Dreams" and in recent years, "The Upside of Anger."
Tickets for the concert are $29 and $32, and for the movie lecture $30-$50. Both events are on sale now through Ticketmaster.
Nat'l Lampoon club at D&B's
Dave & Buster's (325 N. Columbus) is soft-opening the National Lampoon Comedy House this month. The club is a licensed division of the National Lampoon company, which still produces movies and now Web video. A club spokeswoman told us yesterday that the spot's first show will be at 9 p.m. July 26 with a $20 cover and that the club may try a few more weekend gigs before opening for good in August or early September.
King throws party for his queen
Former Sixers' president Billy King threw a small birthday party Saturday night for wife Melanie at Pearl (1904 Chestnut). Guests included CBS 3 meteorologist Doug Kammerer and wife Holly, friends of the Kings.
Hathaway's folks know what's up
Their La Salle educations paid off for actress Anne Hathaway's parents. The New York Daily News reported that her lawyer father, Gerard, and actress mother, Kate McCauley, who were a year apart at La Salle in the 1970s, for a while advised the "Devil Wears Prada" star to "Get Smart" and dump her boyfriend Raffaello Follieri, who was recently arrested on serious fraud charges.
Canseco, Sikahema weighing in
Jose Canseco and Vai Sikahema will hold a public weigh-in at 6 p.m. Friday at Providence inside the Quarter at Atlantic City's Tropicana, a night before they fight at A.C.'s Bernie Robbins Stadium. The bad boy of baseball and the NBC 10 sports director and former Iggle will also be holding a public press conference at O.N.E (121 S. 19th) at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. fight will be available at the door on Saturday.
There's a tiny new theater fan
Congratulations to East Falls playwright David Bar Katz and wife Julie Merberg, a Penn grad, who just welcomed their fourth son, Maccabee Billie Katz. David attended Chestnut Hill Academy and won an Emmy for "Freak" and was nominated for a Tony Award. Merberg works as a publishing executive in New York.
David is also the son of reformed playboy Harry Jay Katz. *
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