Leilani Labong, conducting an interview for the most recent 7x7, tried her damndest to get Garrison Keillor (who was just at City Arts & Lectures on Saturday) to admit that his new collection of love sonnets is just pornography in disguise. She asked asinine things like "Is there any part of you that considers the racy element a rebellion against your public persona?" and "Your more erotic sonnets steer clear of raunch. Was this important to you?" and "Do you have a quality that has a remarkable effect on women?" It sounds as if Leilani thought she was interviewing someone else -- Ron Jeremy perhaps? -- and not the godfather of homespun, old-timey, Minnesota storytime. Who would imagine Garrison effing Keillor would ever be capable of writing anything that resembled "raunch," let alone ask him if this was important to him? But sure, maybe we need to read one of the "racier" poems to know why Leilani went there. more ›

Academy Award-nominated actress and indie-movie queen Patricia Clarkson will be at City Art & Lectures tonight, answering questions about her work and career. You may know her from last years Vicky Christina Barcelona (scene shown here), or from her roles in The Station Agent, Far From Heaven or Goodnight and Good Luck. But our favorite screen appearance of hers by far was in 1998's High Art in which she hilariously portrayed Ally Sheedy's German lesbian lover Greta who had once acted for Fassbinder -- a clip of which was not available anywhere we could find it this morning. Buy tickets for tonight's appearance here. more ›

It's kind of an odd double bill, but not as much once you know the connection: Michael J. Fox is making an appearance tomorrow night at City Arts & Lectures in conversation with author Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemna, The Botany of Desire), who also happens to be Fox's brother-in-law. Pollan's sister, Tracy Pollan, is Fox's wife and former co-star on Family Ties. And we're giving away a pair of tickets! Write a haiku in the Comments section with the words, "omnivore" and "fox" and enter to win a pair of tickets to the SOLD OUT 8 p.m. event at the Herbst Theater on Friday. The winner will be notified by 12:30 p.m. tomorrow. Proceeds from regular premium ticket sales go to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's disease research. more ›