Gordon
Ramsey, Shipibo-Conibo Shamanism, Movie This Week, and more…
Gordon
Ramsey Rules the Alexander DVR.
I watch Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares on Fox-TV (http://www.fox.com/kitchennightmares/),
Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen and Gordon Ramsey’s The F-Word, both on BBC
America. These shows are brilliant.
In both
Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsey goes to restaurants that are on
the brink of closing, bankruptcy and gross mismanagement. He is given one week
to turn things around. For the BBC show, I have a drinking game: Every week when
Ramsey takes off his shirt that’s one shot, and every time he says “I’ll shove
it up your ass,” that’s another shot of brandy. He’s always threatening to shove
some appliance up the Executive Chef’s (or customer’s) buttocks. As an example,
in one such typical encounter, Ramsey
replied to a customer who asked for more pumpkin by saying, "Right. Well, I’ll
get you more pumpkin and I’ll ram it right up your fucking ass! Would you like
it whole or diced?"
As Seinfeld
famously said: “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
On an F Word
show, comedian Ricky Gervias commented on Ramsey always talking off his shirt.
The F-Word
is a UK show filmed at Gordon’s sterile “A Clockwork Orange” themed restaurant.
The opening unabashedly glorifies Gordon. Gordon is in his own restaurant
cooking with two or three amateur cooks. In
each episode, the cooks, in a series long competition to win a place in one of
Gordon’s restaurants, work under the intense scrutiny of Ramsey's hovering
presence and his profanity. They must cook and serve a three-course dinner for
the packed restaurant. It's Ramsey's reputation and his Michelin stars on the
line. Every week there are Gordon’s celebrity friends in the restaurant. He
challenges a friend to a cook-off of their prized dish. My favorite of Gordon’s
regulars is food critic and series correspondent Giles Coren. I love this show
but hate the restaurant’s noisy ambience.
Monty
Python’s “Life of Brian”
On
February 2, to celebrate the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian: The
Immaculate Editionon DVD and Blu-ray Disc (TM), CineVegas and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT hosted a one-night-only screening of the film in the Grail
Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. The only theatrical screening of the re-mastered
film, the night also featured a cocktail reception and a special appearance by SPAMALOT star John O’Hurley. Tickets were $30 each with proceeds going to Nevada
Public Radio.
The evening kicked off at 6:30 pm with a reception in the lobby of the Grail
Theater, where guests were treated to complimentary cocktails and had the
opportunity to meet SPAMALOT star John O’Hurley. The film was screened at 8 pm
in the Grail Theater, followed by complimentary admission to Tryst nightclub for
all guests!
CineVegas was delighted to partner with SPAMALOT to present a re-mastered
version of this classic film. Originally released in 1979, Monty Python’s
Life of Brian satirizes the hypocrites, zealots, charlatans and pompous
officials that government and organized religion so often attract.
The Tenth Annual CineVegas
Film Festival will be held June 12 – 21, 2008 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las
Vegas. For more information on the CineVegas Film Festival, please call (702)
992-7979 or visit
www.cinevegas.com.
Performed nightly at Wynn Las Vegas, “Monty Python’s SPAMALOT” tells the
legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and their quest
for the Holy Grail. Starring John O’Hurley, the show features silly songs,
dancing divas, knights in tights, feisty Frenchman and a happy ending! For
ticket information call (702) 770-WYNN or visit
www.wynnlasvegas.com.
The4th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: Magic, Myths and
Miracles.
Newly
confirmed speakers are Dr. Rober Forte, Doctor of Divinity from Harvard
University and author of “Entheogens and the Future of Religion” (I have a
well-marked copy in my library) and Jan Kounen, French film director of the film
"Renegade" starring one of my favorite actors, the fantastic Vincent Cassel and
the documentary "Other Worlds"
“Other
Worlds” explores the world of Shipibo-Conibo shamanism. Kounen writes on the
“Other Worlds” website:
“Questembetsa
(pictured) is a Shipibo-Conibo Shaman, who enabled me to experience Shamanism
from the inside. There are 45,000 Shipibo Conibos living together along the
Amazon River in Peru. Questembetsa is the spiritual guide of all Shipibo Conibos.
He is the Master Shaman who trains all of his people's Shamans. Questembetsa
enabled us to film a summer solstice ceremony, which lasted for three days and
three nights. This traditional celebration has never been recorded on film, and
justly so. It has not occurred for 70 years and has obviously been seen by very
few "non-Indians."
“Using
night-vision cameras, we were able to immortalize the shots of these unique
moments. “Under
Questembetsa's protective watch, I participated in ceremonies and experienced
what can be characterized as a "near-death experience." For me, this was a
powerful consciousness experience, where I crossed over, to the other side of
the mirror.
“Entheogens
and the Future of Religion” is published by The Council of Spiritual Practices
which describes itself as "a collaboration among spiritual guides, experts in
the behavioral and biomedical sciences, and scholars of religion, dedicated to
making the direct experience of the sacred more available to more people". (www.csp.org)
The 4th
IASC, organized by Alan Shoemaker,will be held again in the shamanic
center of the Upper Amazon in Iquitos, Peru from July 19 to 27, 2008.
Charlie Bartlett.
Its not money, good looks, or grades that make someone popular in high school.
It’s selling prescription drugs.
Charlie (Anton Yelchin) is blissfully unaware why he doesn’t fit in. Considering
he is in a fancy boarding school with other rich kids (or juvenile delinquents
with family money), he creates fake IDs in his room to be liked. When caught and
expelled, his over-bearing girlfriend of a mother, enrolls him in the
neighborhood public high school.
Chauffeured around and wearing his boarding school clothes, Charlie longs to be
accepted and liked. He’s immediately the target of the school bully. His mother
calls the on-retainer psychiatrist who prescribes Ritalin. Charlie sees that he
can make friends with the bully by partnering with him in selling his drugs. He
starts going to psychiatrists who are all too happy to prescribe all kinds of
drugs. To get these drugs from Charlie, students have to go into the boy’s
bathroom and, in a confessional-style setting, outline their problems.
Charlie becomes the most hallowed kid in school selling Ritalin, Prozac, Xanax
(but not Viagra). The school’s alcoholic principal is barely interested in
Charlie’s activities until his daughter takes an interest in him. He’s furious
Susan is becoming interested in boys!
Even though Charlie has spent his entire school career being the unpopular
outsider, he doesn’t notice that there is another kid struggling with
suffocating insecurities and suicidal thoughts. This kid is in a very bad place
and Charlie’s indifference and cavalier “treatment” takes the movie to different
level.
Charlie’s teenage psychiatric posturings, while supposed to be funny, is a
dangerous crime.
You would think the kids at Charlie’s high school know how to get Ritalin,
Adderall and that horse asthma drug Clenbuterol (used by young celebrities and
actresses for losing weight).
Yelchin (remember him from “Alpha Dog”?) is front and center and somewhat
interesting straddling the fine line between being likeable and yet annoying,
glib, and downright offensive.
The above article is the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of Vegas Community Online, its editors/publishers, and/or other Vegas Community Online columnists. VCO respects the right of each author to express their opinion. If you have an opposing viewpoint or would like to send feedback on any article, please send email to feedback@vegascommunityonline.com; state the title of the article and your comments. VCO reserves the right to add any submissions to its feedback page.
On
February 2, to celebrate the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian:
The
Immaculate Edition on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (TM), CineVegas and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT hosted a one-night-only screening of the film in the Grail
Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. The only theatrical screening of the re-mastered
film, the night also featured a cocktail reception and a special appearance by SPAMALOT star John O’Hurley. Tickets were $30 each with proceeds going to Nevada
Public Radio. 
Amazon River in Peru. Questembetsa is the spiritual guide of all Shipibo Conibos.
He is the Master Shaman who trains all of his people's Shamans. Questembetsa
enabled us to film a summer solstice ceremony, which lasted for three days and
three nights. This traditional celebration has never been recorded on film, and
justly so. It has not occurred for 70 years and has obviously been seen by very
few "non-Indians."
Once my initiation began, it would continue for over a year. Having
experienced this journey of initiation and learning, I am now able to speak
about Shamanism.”
