Long before there was a Don Draper, there was George Lois, a creative revolutionary and advertising world legend. (Note: That stunt that Don pulled on Lucky Strike in last night’s episode of Mad Men? Pure Lois.) His MTV, Tommy Hilfiger and ESPN campaigns have been oft imitated and the subject of many a marketing class. Lois also did a bid as creative director for Esquire magazine during their golden age of publishing, and is the author of nine books on the subjects of advertising and creativity. We recently had the honor of visiting with Mr. Lois. Check out some choice bits from our conversation — from what Mad Men gets wrong to how he helped save MTV — after the jump.
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Two weeks ago, thanks to our friends from Otto’s Shrunken Head, Flavorpill had the chance to take part in the construction of a float for the Mermaid Day Parade — an annual event which launched back in 1983 and is now the country’s largest art parade. After the jump, find our behind-the-scenes account of what it takes to have a successful showing at Coney Island (in spite of the weather) and view our slideshow of images from the rain-soaked festivities. Read More »
New York’s Milk Studios Gallery is the Studio 54 of the Chelsea art scene, always featuring larger than life, star-studded, exhibits with a flair for both style and high-profile spectacle. Last week, Flavorpill hung out with celebrity photographer Jonathan Mannion at the opening party for his new show at Milk, which runs through July 11th. Mannion, a Richard Avedon protégé, has worked for the last 15 years with such superstars as Jay-Z, Mos Def, Eminem, Lebron James, Andre 3000, and many more. We scored a quick Q&A with him, as well as some insider shots from the show. Read More »
Vera Ramone King spent a large part of her life loving the most notorious member of the Ramones — bass player Dee Dee Ramone. For those not old enough to recall, Dee Dee was the Ramones’ tabloid sweetheart. Despite the cliché rock-star debauchery, he was also a major songwriting force in the band. Dee Dee retained an infectious childlike charm and charisma that drew many to him, including the aforementioned Mrs. Ramone King.
Poisoned Heart
, Ramone King’s memoir regarding her life with Dee Dee, is first and foremost a rock memoir with all the over-the-top excess you’d expect to hear from a band wife’s point of view. There’s a story arc that delves into Dee Dee’s mental issues, chemical dependencies, his stint as an aspiring rapper, and his tragic and untimely demise soon after the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We dropped Vera a line and asked — really — what was it like to be Dee Dee’s main squeeze? Read More »
Sadly, as with many of our favorite media properties, 2009 will be the last year for she-hipster style and humor rag Missbehave and it’s corresponding blog. Not completely shocking since the economy is a great big clusterfuck right now and despite nonsense propaganda about an up-turn any minute, we’re not holding our breath. (Two letters: G & M).
Samantha Moeller, Publisher/Editrix of Missbehave closed the book because ad sales were down and operation costs were going up. That wasn’t the surprising part; instead, it was the geyser of venom that erupted in the blogosphere regarding one of her reasons to shutter — the impending arrival of her second baby. Moeller was accused of everything from selling out to being anti-feminist due to her decision. In fact one particularly toxic little flame war ended up with a quasi-famous (and most definitely restraining order-worthy) artist’s husband threatening physical violence on Moeller AND her unborn child.
Moeller, never one to sit idle, has been hard at work on her other project, her hysterical, informative, and refreshingly frank parenting blog, The Hipster Mom. She was kind enough to give Flavorpill her insights on parenthood, media, and life in general. Read More »
Mike Edison has had the kind of life counter culture geeks salivate for: He dropped out of school to report on porn, music, drugs, and general debauchery from the point of view of an active participant. His credits as a gonzo provocateur include stints at Penthouse, SCREW magazine, Hustler, and High Times. Edison has also collaborated musically with Jon Spencer and GG Allin. He’s partied with everyone from Evil Knievel to Ozzy and even made an enemy of Hulk Hogan during his stint as a journalist covering professional wrestling. Read More »
You’re walking through Grand Central and the people around you inexplicably freeze in place. You’re riding the subway and several sets of twins sit across from one another, perfectly mirroring each other’s movements. You’re waking by a public fountain and a group of synchronized swimmers emerge and go into their routine. No, you haven’t stumbled into an episode of The Outer Limits. Chances are, you’ve happened upon another public gag, pulled off by performers/prankster troupe Improv Everywhere. The performance-art pranksters execute spontaneous public spectacles, or “missions” as they like to call them, for the amusement of the general public. On the dawn of their next big stunt — The Mp3 Experiment Six — we asked Improv Everywhere founder Charlie Todd to let us in on the joke. Read More »
With her retro-chic drawings of fan dancers and pasties-swirling dance molls, artist Molly Crabapple is the Toulouse-Lautrec of New York’s burlesque scene; the pint-sized powerhouse of energy has livened up the pages of the New York Times, Playgirl and Marvel Comics. Ms. Crabapple says she honed her skills “in a Parisian bookstore” and “from hours spent copying Alice in Wonderland and A Tart’s Progress.” Her illustrative talents come with a charming modicum of sass, humor, sex appeal, and nostalgia, but she’s perhaps best known for creating Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School, which she began in frustration after having posed for “one too many sterile life-drawing sessions.” Read More »
DUMBO, that pretty, yet still ambiguous part of Brooklyn, New York, is home to the 2009 New York Photo Festival — an annual event that according to its mission statement, seeks to document the future of photography in all its forms. Now in its second year, this celebration of contemporary photography runs through the weekend; yesterday Flavorpill decided to take a peek at how shutterbugs party and stopped by for the VIP preview. Read More »
Fishnets stockings, tattoos, and girls with names like Judy Gloom and Kelly Kaboom may be what you’d expect to find at your favorite rock club, but you’re more likely run into this kind of thing at a local Roller Derby match. The sport, known for its participants taking on flamboyant personas and names, has been around since the early 20th century, but only recently evolved from “sports entertainment” into a legitimate (if somewhat brutal) form of athletic competition.
It will also be the focus of Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, which stars Ellen Page and Juliette Lewis, and opens in theaters this fall. The script was authored by LA Derby Dolls founding member Shauna Cross, and is based on her book Derby Girl. Flavorpill asked Ms. Cross to give us some of the ABC’s of the game so we can act like we know what we’re talking about next time we’re at the track. Read More »
