The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, April 4, 2011 - 7A A Caldecott Medal couple It's over, Steve Carell G etting dumped sucks. What sucks more is getting dumped, giv- ingit another cry, learningto love once more and then getting dumped again. I would know - I was just spurned for the second . time by Steve Carell. I bet he doesn't even KAVI remember SHEKHAR the first PANDEY time we met. It was the sweltering summer of 2002, when I stayed up a wee bit late one night and caught my first episode of "The Daily Show." Steve did one of his "Produce Pete" sketches, something about pineapples and Hawaii. I don't recall exactly why, but the sketch just killed me, and he was so effortlessly charismatic and wonderful. My dad lam- basted me the next morning for sleeping in so late, but I didn't care - I had found Steve. Months later, it was Steve who helped me get through the start of the war in Iraq - a confusing, frustrating time for a kid in middle school - with "his spectacular deadpan as the show's Senior War Correspon- dent. By then, my parents had finally accepted Steve, and I didn't have to sneak around to see him anymore. Sure, the likes of fellow correspondents Stephen Colbert, Rob Corddry and Ed Helms were strong temptations, but I only ever had eyes for Steve. As 2004 started, Steve became unexpectedly distant. His appearances on "The Daily Show" grew slim, appearing maybe once a month on the show. And then, one day, he just left without any word or warn- ing. My initial sadness arose out of youthful bewilderment - how could Steve have some- thing better to do than making me laugh on "The Daily Show?" Sadness turned into rage when I discovered he was head- lining the American adaptation of "The Office," which was to begin airing in March 2005. I had seen the first season of the original British "Office" the year before, and had become infatuated with its sheer bril- liance. Now these boorish, "I-think-getting-hit-in-the- balls-is-funny" American louts would be remaking the show, starring Steve "butt soup" Carell? Despicable. I did watch the premiere of the American "Office," mostly to affirm my belief that it was going to be a steaming pile of tutt. I could hardly contain my maniacal glee when it turned out I was right - the pilot was a nearly shot-by-shot remake of the first episode of the Brit- ish version, except worse. The American counterparts were humorless schmucks, Geico-ad rejects who were just happy to quit their day jobs as bur- rito builders at Chipotle. Steve Carell, in particular, was exas- perating, lookinglike Augustus Gloop in Wonka's Factory as he "upgraded" from Comedy Cen- tral correspondent to broadcast network sitcom star, yet falling flat on his face in the shadow of Ricky Gervais. Not only that, his character was detestable - a slimy, sexist blockhead who had no business anchoring a network show. I ended up watchingthe rest of the brief first season of the American "Office," mostly because observing Steve Carell's ineptitude felt like vin- dication for him deserting me. But then came the magnificence of "The 40 Year Old Virgin," fol- lowed by the highly improved second season of "The Office," and I remembered why Steve stole my heart in the first place - his goofy abandon, blistering charm and sublime smile. The theme to 'The Office' makes me cry. I decided to give Steve a sec- ond chance, and our renewed relationship blossomed over the next few years. Sure, there were the subterranean lows (Prison Mike from season three) but the highs were soaring (Date Mike from season six, Agent Michael Scarn). Steve Carell's ' portrayal of Michael Scott became infused with human- ity - behind all the incompe- tence, he was just a nice guy who wanted everyone to like him. Carell also developed a now-legendary rapport with his costars, who quickly evolved from the cardboard-cutout imitations they were in the first season. By the end of season six last May, watching Steve yuk it up on "The Office" was one of the highlights of my week. Then came the Incident: June 2010, Steve Carell announced he was leaving "The Office" after its next season, quoted as saying "I justthought it was time for my characterto go" (celeb speak for "I want mo' benjamins"). Oops, he did it again. Now, television actors leave shows all the time - it's the nature of the medium. Michael J. Fox left "Spin City" because of Parkinson's, David Duchovny left "The X-Files" because of a contract dispute. But Steve See PANDEY, Page 8A 'Amos McGee' brings prestige for 'U' alum and wife By LUCY PERKINS Daily Arts Writer Early last January, 'U' alum Phil Stead found out he was the writer of a Caldecott award-win- ning book, "A Sick Day for Amos McGee." The Caldecott award is annually given out by the Ameri- can Library Association to an artist for his or her work on a chil- dren's picture book - in this case Phil's wife, illustrator Erin Stead. "It was bizarre," Stead said of that fateful phone call from the Association. Stead first started sending his ideas for picture books to pub- lishers when he was at the Uni- versity. As a full-time student and an illustrator for Zingerman's, he toyed with picture books as a hobby. A student in the School of Art & Design, Stead took multiple cre- ative writingclasses in LSA. But it was a poetry class, taught by the director of the creative writing program, Keith Taylor, that influ- enced Stead more than any other. "When I was in college, I wrote very serious poetry that was deliberately dense and dif- ficult to understand," Stead said. "I thought I was Alan Ginsberg or something." Through poetry, Taylor taught Stead the key to writing concisely for children. "While I was (in college), I was just starting to learn how to craft language," Stead said. "I didn't see any connection between writing poetry and writing for children." But the two forms share a simi- larity - in poetry and childrens' books, the writer must choose leach word carefully, using the minimum amount of words pos- sible to tell a story. "You have to be a really great wordsmith to be able to write for kids, and you have to know how to write succinctly," Stead explained. "It's difficult, and poetry can help you hone that." After graduation, Stead and his wife moved to Brooklyn. Stead was working at a bookstore there when a friend and colleague of his had abook published by Roar- ing Brook Press. His friend knew Stead was a hopeful children's book writer, and passed his name along to his editor. Stead sub- mitted a story idea that eventu- ally turned into his first published children's book, "Creamed Tuna Fish and Peas on Toast." After his editor discovered that Stead's wife was an illustra- tor, the editor asked to see Erin's work. Impressed by her illustra- tions, the Steads' editor requested that the couple write and sketch a story. So Stead sat down and wrote something for his wife to illustrate - the origin of "A Sick Day for Amos McGee." The book tells a story of an elderly man named Amos, who visits the zoo every day after work. But when Amos gets sick, the animals at the zoo visit him instead. "I decided that I'd write a story based on what I thought (Erin would) be good at illustrating," Stead said. "The first image that came to me was Amos playing chess with an elephant. That was the first buildingblock." The process involved constant dialogue between the writer/ illustrator couple, but the final product resulted in a Caldecott- worthy creation. Soon after "Amos" was selected as a New York Times Best Illus- trated Book, the couple began to see the Caldecott as a possibility, but doubted they would win. To their surprise, on Jan. 10, they did. "Erin's the youngest to win, she's only 28," Stead said. "No one's ever won for their first book, it typically goes to someone who has a lifetime of work behind COURTESY OF ROARING BROOK them." The winner of the Caldecott was announced publicly at noon later that day, and in minutes both Phil and Erin's phones were ring- ing off the hook. "Seriously, at 12:01 our phones started ringing," Stead said. "We got calls from every major and minor newspaper. Meanwhile, our publisher told us to get on a plane to New York." In June, the couple will travel to New Orleans, where Erin will be honored as the newest edition to a long line of talented illus- trators like David Wiesner and Maurice Sendak. But the couple's careers as individuals and col- laborators won't stop here. Both Steads have books that will be coming out this summer, and they have several more in the works. ABUM RkE V I EwW Barker up the wrong tree on LP By DAVID RIVA his main focus on Give the Drum- Daily Arts Writer mer Some, as there is considerably more attention paid to producing Most ordinary drummers are an ear-catching hook than hap- content to sit at their post near the hazardly throwing in unnecessary back of the stage, hardly getting drum fills. The restraint and atten- noticed behind tion to cleanliness are commend- the showman- able - Barker oftentimes looks ship of singers and sounds like an untamed mad- and guitarists. Travis Barker man on the drums. However, the But Travis Bark- album's main downfall is its inabil- er is not your Give the ity to create a memorable beat that ordinary drum- Drummer Some sticks out from the rest. Instead, mer, and mak- Barker plays to the strengths of ing sure the man Interscope guest artists and recycles their behind the kit already-established sounds, creat- gets his due is a task he's undertak- ing average imitations rather than en throughout his 18-year career breaking new ground. as a professional musician. Play- For example, "Carry It" features ing suspended upside down, 20 a guitar riff from Rage Against feet above the stage, is a common the Machine's Tom Morello and undertaking of his - and that's the rest of the song follows the not even mentioning his second- hardcore-funky feeling of a typi- to-none stick speed, which has cal Rage song. Record scratching the ability to steal the show with a is sprinkled between the plentiful single drum solo. distortion and a speedy, frenetic Continuing with this mental- guitar solo finishes off the track. ity that drummers deserve more Similarly affected by Barker's credit than they normally receive, focus on his featured artists, Barker decided to record his first- "Knockin' " combines a sleepy ever solo album, aptly titled Give chorus performed by E-40 with the Drummer Some. The result is Snoop Dogg and Ludacris doing a collection of songs, each featur- what they do best - that is, per- ing different artists and styles forming verses on pop songs that of music with one commonal- ity: Barker lays down beats on his drum set, serving as the backbone throughout the album. Additionally, Barker has co- producer credits on every track except one. This new role is clearly pander to a mainstream crowd. To sive, sporting an eclectic mix of its credit, the tune does contain a rappers, rockers and Top 40 cogs, compelling effort on the drums as almost all of whom are certified Barker sinks into the downtempo "Big Deal" status. But Barker's and disjointed surprisingly well. look-at-all-these-famous-people- "Let's Go" is perhaps the best that-I-know mentality comes back example of this rip-off syndrome, to haunt him with weak offerings as Lil' Jon "hey"s his way through from Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne and the heavy club-thumping. And Slash. with Busta Rhymes and Twista Much like the rest of Cudi's hit-or-miss catalog, "Cool Head" falls squarely in the latter-catego- Don't give the ry. Repressive synthesizers cre- ate a dark and depressing mood drum mer any. that's almost impossible to enjoy. On "Can A Drummer Get Some," Weezy decides to pay homage to his favorite athletes, but a line spitting rhymes quicker than a like "Pull out my dick and just pee sports car, the song has two obvi- on flames" makes the song more ous goals: Go fast and go hard. notable for an unhealthy obsession Despite this caricature of South- with urination. Once great guitar- ern rap that has relentlessly ist of Guns N' Roses, Slash, sounds repeated itself the past several more like Santana on "Saturday years, the song also proves to be Night" as an obnoxiously smooth one of the most fun efforts on the guitar has the liberty to randomly album. Barker's drumming, how- litter an otherwise bearable song. ever, is almost non-existent until Travis Barker's desire to adapt the very end of the track as a drum each songto the artist he's collabo- machine is employed for the cho- rating with doesn't discredit him rus, which leaves very little space as a drummer. But Give the Drum- for Barker to air out. mer Some ultimately doesn't estab- The guest list for Give the Drum- lish him as a powerhouse producer mer Some is undeniably impres- either. PLAYTSMART F F PSL A FRANK TALK ABOUT SAFE PRACTICES AND PROPER EQUIPMENT BU SUMMER'1 - 700 undergraduate and graduate courses in over 70 subjects - Faculty of leading scientists, authors, and scholars - 60 courses in 17 foreign languages - Summer internships in Boston organizations st-wwex 1: May 24-July 1 SswAmer 2: July 5-August 12 bu.edu/summer Boston University Summer Term BOSTON UNIVERSITY] An equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. I t Tuesday, April 5, 2011 3.30p.DLi free and opn to th public 0eistratie requesed: wooooph,,mich,./scrIplysmart ~EhI 3INJURY CENTER Lloyd Carr UM Football Coch1905.2111 Jeffrey Kutcher MI,irecto, MicIga.oNoepart Program David Sleet PhD, Asoiat Diretor forScience, CDC NaoaIjury Pev.etonandControl ..