Monday, May 14, 2007
05/13/07 Reader's Choice: Arts and Entertainment

Best local celebrity
Elton John
The Lowdown: Between endless world tours, a Vegas residency and appearances at countless A-list functions, how much time can Atlanta’s favorite pop pianist spend in his Buckhead condo? About three months a year, actually. And besides, he’s more relentlessly positive about our city than many lesser musicians who actually live here, so let’s show our Rocket Man some love.

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Best local celebrity
Elton John
The Lowdown: Between endless world tours, a Vegas residency and appearances at countless A-list functions, how much time can Atlanta’s favorite pop pianist spend in his Buckhead condo? About three months a year, actually. And besides, he’s more relentlessly positive about our city than many lesser musicians who actually live here, so let’s show our Rocket Man some love.

Best local celebrity you love to hate
Neal Boortz
The Lowdown: From “The FairTax Book” to his latest, “Somebody’s Gotta Say It,” the Buckhead-based, nationally syndicated, notorious Libertarian blowhard can hang with the Limbaughs and Hannitys any day of the week. Our favorite: the mandatory “Information Overload Hour,” every day at noon, with WSB reporter Jamie Dupree.
The basics: WSB 750 AM, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m., www.boortz.com.

Best drive-time morning show
“The Bert Show”
The Lowdown: Who needs “The View”? Melissa Carter is better-looking than Rosie, Jen Hobby is smarter than Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Jeff Dauler is way more funny than Joy Behar. Bert Weiss and friends mix celebrity interviews and titillating relationship talk into an intoxicating early-morning cocktail.
The basics: WWWQ 100.5 FM, weekdays 5:30–10 a.m., www.allthehitsq100.com/bertshow.

Best TV newscast
FOX 5
The Lowdown: Quick-paced and unapologetically sensational, FOX 5 has a certain chutzpah that plays well with busy metro Atlantans. While other newscasts might go for a kinder, gentler approach, FOX 5 gauges the interests of its viewers and attacks accordingly. Fishy tax assessors and child pornographers? Appropriately exposed and eviscerated.
The basics: FOX 5 at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.; www.myfoxatlanta.com.

Best radio station
99X
The Lowdown: From cutting-edge newbies like Silversun Pickups to trailblazers like Nirvana, 99X tirelessly promotes the best and the brightest of modern rock. And its knowledgeable, irreverent staff is as easy on the ears as your favorite White Stripes track.
The basics: WNNX 99.7 FM, 404-741-0997 (request line), www.99x.com.

Best TV news personality
Monica Pearson
The Lowdown: Tuning in to the WSB newscast is a gamble: What hairstyle is anchor Monica (Kaufman) Pearson sporting tonight? But really: Would we have it any other way? And it does spice up the local news, right? Besides all that, Pearson has made an art form of the warm, compassionate, yet serious newscast. A tough balance—and a tough act to follow.
The basics: WSB at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

Best radio DJ
Melissa Carter
The Lowdown: The openly gay Carter is a hit with listeners of all orientations thanks to her warm, relatable personality and advocacy of worthy causes. On “The Bert Show” and the syndicated gay-centric program “Twist,” she puts a likeable human face on an often-divisive issue with charm, wit and grace.
The basics: WWWQ 100.5 FM, weekdays 5:30–10 a.m. (“The Bert Show”); Sundays 9–11 p.m. (“Twist”); www.allthehitsq100.com/bertshow, www.radiowithatwist.com.

Best Talk Radio Show
Neal Boortz
The Lowdown: What’s not to love about a show that features Boortz taking calls and shutting them down with the rhythmic precision of a sushi chef? Even people who’ve been hung up on repeatedly keep calling back to enjoy the basso braying of the former attorney turned big-time pundit.
The basics: WSB 750 AM, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.,  www.boortz.com.

Best arts festival
Inman Park
The Lowdown: Tucked away at the end of Little Five Points, this street festival has provided more than three decades of prime people-watching, arts and crafts, food-on-a-stick, a parade nonpareil, contemporary and modern dance performances and endless music (from rock to tango). And, yes, the festival still retains the funky neighborhood charm that attracts a host of colorful characters. Case in point: The “rapture” crew that shows up to save us heathens’ souls each year.
The basics: www.inmanpark.org.

Best music festival
Atlanta Jazz Festival
The Lowdown:
There are precious few Atlanta music festivals left, so this one sort of wins by default. Still, the monthlong jazz celebration is capped by an impressive multistage event at Piedmont Park on the last weekend in May, featuring local and internationally known acts under the sun and stars. And with free admission, the price is right.   
The basics: www.atlantafestivals.com/atlantajazzfestival.

Best film festival  
Atlanta Film Festival
The Lowdown: For 10 days—noon to midnight—150 jury-selected films play on the big screen in the Big Peach (this year, it was at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema). Highlights include a filmmaking panel and a raging closing-night soiree. Moreover, the event is accessible—you don’t have to be a film buff with lines like “the emasculation of James Stewart’s character in ‘Rear Window’ is positively delightful” to participate. Films range from obscure (“Blood Car” and “Bitch”) to indie-cult (Parker Posey in “Fay Grim”) to commercially viable (Ellen Burstyn
in “The Elephant King”).
The basics: www.atlantafilmfestival.com.

Best improv group
Whole World Theatre
The Lowdown: There’s more to improv than “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”—as Whole World’s intelligent, character-driven comedy proves. Workshops, unique scripted works and talented actors make this group Atlanta’s leading hub for laughs, bar none.
The basics: 1214 Spring St., Atlanta, 30309, 404-817-0880, www.wholeworldtheatre.com.

Best theater company
7 Stages
The Lowdown: Since 1979, 7 Stages has been Atlanta’s premier showcase for thoughtful, challenging works, always living out its mission to highlight the “social, political and spiritual values
of contemporary culture.” Want powerful theater with hard-core integrity? Look no further.
The basics: 1105 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, 30307, 404-523-7647, www.7stages.org.

Best local playwright  
Lauren Gunderson
The Lowdown: At the relatively young age of 25, writer-actress-activist Gunderson has amassed an impressive list of honors and awards for forward-thinking works (“Baby M,” “Leap,”
“Parts They Call Deep”) that grapple with science, history and feminism. Atlanta’s own Eve Ensler? Absolutely.

Best local male actor  
Daniel May
The Lowdown: Named one of Atlanta’s top 10 actors in The Sunday Paper’s theater awards last August, May continues to prove why he’s one of the city’s most compelling stage presences, from his chilling turn in Theatrical Outfit’s recent “The Chase” to his layered performance in Actors’ Express’ “Pillowman.”

Best local female actor  
Carolyn Cook
The Lowdown: This gifted actress has kept a low profile for the past couple of seasons, but SP readers don’t need to be hit over the head to recognize strong talent: Cook’s welcome presence in Georgia Shakespeare’s all-star “Metamorphoses” and brilliant work in Horizon’s recent “9 Parts of Desire” are more than enough justification for her place on this list.

Best local theater director  
Susan V. Booth
The Lowdown: Booth nabs this award for the second year in a row, underscoring our wish that her role as artistic director for the Alliance Theatre allowed her more of an opportunity to show off her talents, as she did with last summer’s “Intimate Apparel” and Actor’s Express’ recent “Thom Pain (Based on Nothing).”

Best movie theater
Starlight Six Drive-In Theatres
The Lowdown: To those who claim that drive-ins are a thing of the past—well, SP readers beg to differ. The Starlight has six screens and is open six nights a week, weather permitting. The best part? You can also watch the movies laser-show-style with picnic blankets and chairs. The perfect Valentine’s date? No doubt.
The basics: 2000 Moreland Ave., Atlanta, 30316, 404-627-5786, www.starlightdrivein.com.

Best local filmmaker  
Tyler Perry
The Lowdown: Perry’s Atlanta production studio and locally based movies show that you don’t have to go to Hollywood to be successful in the film biz. And this year’s “Daddy’s Little Girls” proves he can draw audiences without his brassy, busty alter ego Madea, too. Next up: The June launch of his syndicated sitcom “House of Payne.”

Best local movie star
Jane Fonda
The Lowdown: Flibbertigibbets who spot Atlanta’s leading lady brunching at Ria’s Bluebird may categorize the icon as more
of a local philanthropist and activist than a movie star. But with a new movie out, aptly titled “Georgia Rule,” the two-time Oscar-winner once again shows off her thespian chops, evoking memories of her brainy turns in “Klute,” “On Golden Pond” and “Agnes of God.”

Best dance company  
Several Dancers Core
The Lowdown: Along with performances at the Rialto Center and its cross-country tours, Several Dancers Core also offers various dance classes, ranging from Beginning Salsa to Adult Flamenco. Did we say dance classes? They’re more like emotional eruptions.
The basics: 139 Sycamore St., Decatur, 30030, 404-373-4154, www.severaldancerscore.org.

Best concert venue
Variety Playhouse
The Lowdown: Great sound, smiling staff, reasonable ticket prices, clean bathrooms, relatively comfortable seats behind a roomy dance floor and an eclectic booking policy—what’s not to like? The Variety’s Little Five Points location makes it a mecca for fans of all ages looking for pop, roots, world and alternative music that typically falls between the cracks.      
The basics: 1099 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, 30307, 404 524-7354, www.variety-playhouse.com.

Best karaoke bar
Mary’s
The Lowdown: Straight or not, everyone has a blast on “Maryoke” nights. The soundtrack to this East Atlanta hotspot naturally veers towards the Streisand, Cher, Diana Ross and gay-centric disco faves, but the talent is impressive and the atmosphere friendly and open to any gender, regardless of sexual leanings.
The basics: 1287 Glenwood Ave., Atlanta, 30316, 404-624-4411, www.marysatlanta.com.

Best comedy club
The Punchline
The Lowdown: The likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy and Tim Allen have all graced the Punchline’s legendary stage. And don’t miss the killer open mic night every Wednesday for the aspiring comedian in all of us. Inside tip: The club also offers great burgers and desserts—just be careful not to spew your food.
The basics: 280 Hilderbrand Drive, Atlanta, 30328, 404-252-LAFF, www.punchline.com.

Best local musician with the biggest ego
Butch Walker
The Lowdown: Yeah, you’d have a rockstar-size ego, too, if you’d tasted modest alt-rock success and produced tracks for the likes of Avril Lavigne, Pink, Tommy Lee and, uh, Lindsay Lohan (OK, so he’s not perfect) while also releasing your own impressive solo albums fusing retro glam and snotty hard rock. Walker still hangs out at his old haunts and turns up at local gigs as the true fan and music obsessive he’s always been.

Best local musician/music group  
Sugarland
The Lowdown: Nobody can complain that Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush didn’t pay their dues on the Atlanta roots scene, so their seemingly overnight ascendancy to slick, sweet, unabashedly commercial country-pop stardom as the appropriately named Sugarland goes down a little easier. The recent Bon Jovi connection, though, might encourage Nettles to (again) pursue
a solo career.

Best local music producer
Dallas Austin
The Lowdown: That dustup in Dubai didn’t hurt Austin’s reputation, but the man behind TLC has been suspiciously quiet of late. And yet, despite a disappointing stab at Atlanta’s theme song, Austin nonetheless remains an Atlanta musical institution as a creative producer-songwriter-keyboardist-Renaissance man whose varied collaborations have included the Indigo Girls, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Fishbone and Lionel Richie’s 2006 comeback. His DARP Studios is one of the city’s world-class recording rooms.

Best local record label
So So Def
The Lowdown: Jermaine Dupri’s baby has been tossed around throughout its 15-year run and isn’t the hip-hop hit machine it once was, but don’t count Dupri out. His track record speaks for itself, and that eye-catching billboard on the Connector is a permanent reminder of the label’s success.         
The basics: www.sosodef.com.

Best jukebox
The Righteous Room
The Lowdown: A great box is only as good as the clientele that pumps in quarters, which helps make this notoriously funky joint’s juke so special. The eclectic selections (Morrissey
to Morphine to Van Morrison) are matched by the disparate set of alt-punks, college students and older hipsters whose tastes are well served by the diverse sides.  
The basics: 1051 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, 30306, 404-874-0939.

Best open mic night  
Eddie’s Attic
The Lowdown: For 14 years, Eddie’s Attic has treated its open-mic Mondays with nearly as much respect as its impressive roster of headlining acoustic acts. Founder Eddie Owen is back as host for the weekly shows that culminate in biannual Open Mic Shootouts, the World Series of the genre, which typically receive national attention.  
The basics: 515-B North McDonough St., Decatur, 30030, 404-377-4976, www.eddiesattic.com.

Best pool hall  
Twain’s Billiards & Tap
The Lowdown:  The stereotypical picture of dingy, smoke-filled pool parlors of the past is broken by this recently renovated hall. Plenty of well-maintained tables, half in nonsmoking rooms, are the main attraction, but the surprisingly varied menu, impressive beer selection, outdoor patio, Wi-Fi and games ranging from shuffleboard to darts attract a friendly crowd of hard-core hustlers and fresh-faced amateurs. More Mark than Shania, and that’s the way it should be.       
The basics: 211 East Trinity Place, Decatur, 30030, 404-373-0063, www.twains.net.

Best museum
The High
The Lowdown: The groundbreaking Louvre exhibit; the cutting-edge film festivals; the terrific kids’ section; the breathtaking, world-class architecture; the vibrant lecture series. Let’s face it: The High is and always will be the cultural capital of the Southeast. We’re glad you agree.
The basics: 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta, 30309, 404-733-4955, www.high.org.

Best museum you've never heard of
Museum of Design-Atlanta
The Lowdown: When it comes to pushing the envelope, MODA tears it up. From the “Bring Art to Life” exhibit (think mannequins—lots of mannequins) to “Design at Play: The High Design and Lowbrow Humor of Cartoon Network,” MODA keeps Atlanta’s finger on the pulse of the hip, cool and intelligent world of contemporary art like no other institution in town.
The basics: 285 Peachtree Center Ave., Marquis II Tower, Atlanta, 30303, 404-979-6455, www.museumofdesign.org.

Best art gallery
Mason Murer Fine Art
The Lowdown: Art gallery? More like a museum. This Atlanta mainstay houses nearly 70 artists and continues to develop brilliant exhibitions, including the current “Fragmented Dreams by Henry Bermudez,” featuring a Venezuelan artist whose work is must-see stuff. But did we expect any less?
The basics: 199 Armour Drive, Atlanta, 30324, 404-879-1500, www.masonmurer.com.