New Student Edition 2006 - The Michigan Daily - 3D

ARS EW I*N3 BRIEF*
TELEVISION
University law students form
'Arrested Development' fan club
Enthusiastic University students established the first law-student
group in the country in support of Fox's critically acclaimed "Arrested
Development."
What began as a small gathering of people watching their favorite
episodes has turned into an 85-member group with a growing web pres-
ence. Having already created a free lending library to acquaint fellow
University students with the series and handing out 125 frozen bananas
(similar to those of the Bluth Banana Stand), the group has turned its
efforts to adding members from other schools at the University and sav-
ing the show from its recent cancellation.
In an interview with the Daily earlier this year, "Arrested" star Will
Arnett alluded to the show's grim future on Fox, hinting that the cast
may have already accepted that this would be their last season.
- This article, in dfferentform by Punit
Mattoo, originally ran Dec. 5, 2005.
'U' tuba student wins coveted spot
in Philadelphia Orchestra
This past February, School of Music senior Carol Jantsch
achieved the dream of tuba players across the country. After
completing three rigorous rounds of auditions, Jantsch won
the position of principal tuba with the Philadelphia Orches-
tra, one of the country's top 10 major orchestras.
"(Winning) it was totally awesome, basically," Jantsch
said. "It's something you've been daydreaming about for
along time and it actually comes true."
Along with securing a job with prestige most performers
her age can only dream about - not to mention a salary top-
ping $100,000 a year - the Ohio native has also earned the
distinction of being the first female principal tuba player ever
in a major orchestra, all before her 21st birthday.
- This article, in differentform by Alexandra
Jones, originally ran Mar.10, 2006.
School of Music prof. wins grammy
School of Music Prof. William Bolcom was in the same predicament
as fellow winners Kanye West and U2 after this year's 48th annual
Grammy Awards: Where to put the little gold phonographs?
Bolcom's album "Songs of Innocence and of Experience;' inspired
by the poetry of William Blake, won Grammy awards for best clas-
sical contemporary composition, best classical album and best choral
performance. More than 20 years after its debut at the Stuttgart Opera
in Germany, Bolcom recorded the piece with the University Symphony
Orchestra, featuring prominent local guest choruses and soloists.
Since its release, the record has gained attention from the recording
industry as well as the international classical music community and
orchestras around the world have performed the work. Affiliated with
the University since 1973, Bolcom has accumulated a wide range of
awards including the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for music, two Koussevitzky
Foundation awards and four honorary doctorates.
- This article, in differentform by Kimberly
Chou, originally ran Feb.10, 2006.
Mich. Theater CEO hits Sundance
Ann Arbor's historic Michigan Theater was one of 14 art house the-
atres chosen to participate in the Sundance Film Festival's "The Art
House Project." The newly developed program is intended to spotlight
the work of theaters across the country that exhibit films outside the
mainstream - the films Sundance was founded to promote.
Michigan Theatre Executive Director Russ Collins felt that local was
paramount in the selection of theatres. An Ann Arbor native, Collins
received both his B.G.S. and a Masters in Arts Administration from the
University. He has served as CEO of the Michigan Theater since 1982,
and has a clear vision for the theater's purpose.
"We're an organizationthathas an artistic mission - our most impor-
tant role is to make the theater available to the community;' he said.
The independent, nonprofit Michigan Theater seats more than a
quarter million patrons yearly and is committed to showcasing spe-
cialty films outside the mainstream.
"This year we were invited to participate in Sundance. We look
to be a world-class institute for the exhibition and promotion of

cinema culture."
- This article, in dfferentform by Amanda
Andrade, originally ran Jan.25, 2005.
BOOKS
Celebrated novelist comes to
Bordersfor book reading
Celebrated author Salman Rushdie visited the original
Borders Books and Music to read excerpts from his latest
novel, "Shalimar the Clown." The smallish man with graying
hair stood at the speaker's podium with the comfortable air
of a master at work. The upstairs room of the bookstore was
packed end to end with folks of all ages straining to catch a
glimpse of the famed auteur.
Rushdie, a celebrated novelist with a background of both
Indian and English influence, won the Booker Prize in 2003
for his second novel "Midnight's Children." His other works
include "Fury," "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" and, infa-
mously, "The Satanic Verses," the novel for which Ayatollah
Khomeini of Iran condemned him to death in 1989.
- This article, in different form by Bernie
Nguyen, originally ran Sept. 13, 2005.
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MTV's "MADE" came to Ann Arbor last spring.

Local high
schoolers vie to
get 'MADE' by
MTV program
By Kimberly Chou
Daily Arts Writer
Ann Arbor Community High School's Ellen Griffith wants to
be made, goddammit.
She's determined to endure grueling workouts, stick with spar-
tan diets and, if MTV is willing to pay for it, have a Bindchen-
esque torso in five TV-documented months or less.
"I want the body of a Victoria's Secret model," the junior said
during an open ca sting call for MTV's reality show "MADE,"
despite having no actual modeling aspirations.
"MADE" has become this generation's after-school special.
Airing Mondays at 4:30 p.m., each episode follows a different
candidate. Dictatorial coaches, physical injuries and tears make
frequent appearances. Billed as more than a makeover show,
MTV's website describes each subject's process as "a mission to
transform his or her life."
Griffith was one of several students who filled out applica-
tions and interviewed with MTV representatives during lunch
hour one day at CHS for a chance to realize their aspirations
on national TV. Other applicants included Laura Leach, a
sophomore who wants to design clothing for patients with
different ostomies, and Katrina Ardan, a junior who aims to
be a slam poet.
MTV also held interviews at Dexter High School and Huron
High School. The network asked that Pioneer High School
host an open casting session, but the administration declined
the invitation, sparking rumors about the school's decision.
"They simply had no space," said Liz Margolis, communica-
tions director for Ann Arbor Public Schools. "The theaters were
booked - there was no room in the cafeteria and none of the
classrooms were big enough."
Pioneer Principal Louis Young did not return phone calls ask-
ing for comment. However, Pioneer students were allowed to go
to Huron for interviews.
MTV first contacted the Ann Arbor-area schools last December.
"They just called us: 'We're coming to Ann Arbor, can we
come to your school?"' CHS counselor Mike Mouradian said.
Mouradian said he wasn't surprised that the generation-
defining entertainment channel was interested in the Ann
Arbor area.
"We've had stuff like this before," Mouradian said, referring to
CHS alum Andrew W.K.'s return performance as part of VHI's
"My Coolest Years: The Geeks" special, a show reflecting upon
rock stars's formative years. In addition, Seventeen magazine
once ranked the "quintessentially cool college town" as one of its
Top Ten Places to Live.
While Mouradian said he's only heard positive responses to the
"MADE" attention, several of his students have questioned what
would happen if MTV actually chose to "make" a CHS student.
"A lot of people here are anti-MTV," Ardan said. "(Other peo-
ple would) be trying to harass you (if you were being 'made')
- not you, but the camera."
If chosen, students will be notified within two weeks.
"I'm praying (I get chosen)," CHS senior C.J. Nichols said.
Nichols, who dreams of being a track star, has been cut twice
from the track and field team.
"I run fast - if you chase me I run really fast," Nichols said.
Sounds like someone's ready to get made.
- This article originally ran Jan. 12, 2006.

Who's bigger than
2pac? Anyone?
f you're going to talk about unflinching take on the role of the
rankings and lists, and you're black male artist in society. He never
the least bit interested in rap, needed to scream for redemption
then you've got to and understanding from'
wonder: Does com- the public, his records
paring 2Pac and The spoke for themselves.
Notorious B.I.G. even And it's those records
get us anywhere? that ultimately put him
They were the over the top. Even at 17
twin stars of rap's tracks, his debut probably
surreal push into the only has one genuine fill-
public eye. er song ("Respect") and
Their deaths have even his double album
embodied the unfairly - the double album
short life-span (both EVAN being the true bane of all
artistic and physical) rappers - has only four
forced onto rap artists. McGARVEY or five forgettable joints.
Both have seen their Now compare that to
posthumous legacies raided by a cav- 2Pac. Pac never put outa genuinely
alcade of puppeteers and shills. five-star album; both of Big's albums
Buttheir styles were as divergent easily slide past 4.5 stars. Ready To
as their lives were joined at the hip. Die alone is a Top 10 rap album of
They've become morality tales, all time. 2Pac's only essential offer-
icons, demi-gods and cultural touch- ing is his greatest hits collection.
stones for pretty much every section Pac is a singles artist, no different
of American youth. than Grandmaster Flash. Even his
Someone asked me what our gen- stronger albums like Me Against
eration's uniting moment was. You The World are rife with half-serious
know, The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, screeching ("Lord Knows") and
Nirvana's Nevermind. The type of way too many appearances by the
moment/movement that gets chalked Outlawz. Frankly,2Pac was a decent
up in Time/Life anthologies until rapper whose thug-life manifestos
our grandkids turn around and ask are just decent updates of Ice Cube's
us about some long-forgotten year in early work. Yes, both Cube and Pac
our twenties. We've got a moment, rage against inner-city dehuman-
and as sad as it is to say, that genera- ization. But 2Pac's zeal, incredibly
tional moment is the harrowing time "spiritual" and edifying verses can
encompassing the shooting deaths of be preachy enough to alienate. He
Tupac Shakur and Biggie. took Ice Cube's template and just
Putting their pasts and their lives made it abstract and instructional.
behind us (and we have to do this, to Biggie always showed before he told;
make the ad hominem and biograph- too many times 2Pac would "teach"
ical arguments secondary to the art and "preach" instead of letting his
itself), is, after all, the only real way diction and verses do the work for
of taking these men and their music him. Biggie was the craftsman;
seriously. Pac was the star-crossed, flickering
Without upsetting the geometric candle. 2Pac's lasting memory is his
balance of the world around us, and startling rise to fame and his tumul-
with a generous artistic appraisal of tuous self-destruction.-People obsess
both men's catalogues, I can safely over 2Pac's actions because they're
say that the Notorious B.I.G. was a far more compelling than his art.
superior MC, album artist, lyricist He's stilla Top 20 rapper to be sure,
and artistic presence than 2Pac. but nowhere near Biggie's ridiculous
Let the threats and taunts begin. blend of charmuse ofmetaphor and
Notorious BI.G.'s two proper simile and vision for albums.
albums,the breath-stealing debut I don't mean to slander 2Pac's
Ready To Die and the operatic legacy (Suge Knight and the
double-album Life After Death, are Shakur family seems to be doing
brutal, darkly introspective albums a very good job of that); he's argu-
with jaw-dropping lyrical adroit- ably done more for rap as a icon
ness. From the diamond-cut internal than anyone else, but it's important
rhymes of "Hypnotize" to the stun- to remember that as much of a man
ning images of "Suicidal Thoughts;"' as he was, he was an artist, and a
both of Biggie's studio albums pretty good one at that.
enthrall listeners with consummate, Just not as good as Biggie.
hardcore raps that meld memory,
imagination and a palpable sense - This column originally
of alienation. The fact that Biggie's ran Nov. 2, 2005.
record labels had faith in him from
the very start (he was, after all, the
man who brought the spotlight "What
of the rap world back to the are you
East Coast after Califor- lookin'
nia G-Funk), didn'tjust at?"
make his life more
complex and interest- cortesoif
ing, it subtly affected sessions.
his art in a way no 4°"
rapper has chan-
neled since.
Biggie allowed
fame, or at least the concept
of it, to seep into his art. He
never threw artistic tantrums (see
2Pac's "Hit 'Em Up"). He could
play both sides of an equation. Both
"Mo Money, Mo Problems" and -

"You're Nobody ('Till Somebody /
Kills You)" are about fame. One
is the quintessential big-budget
rap jam; the other is a bleak,


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