Giant Injury on Set of "America's Got Talent"
Posted Aug 27th 2008 5:03PM by TMZ Staff
Paramedics rushed to the L.A. set of "America's Got Talent" this weekend when a stunt involving a 7'3" giant went terribly wrong.
(CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED!)
TMZ has obtained footage moments before the incident showing a contestant named George the Giant bound by chains and hung upside down from the rafters -- but that's where the tape cuts. Moments later, the footage starts again, and George can be seen being strapped into a gurney and wearing an oxygen mask while a team of medics tend to his well being.
Moments later, he was rushed to a local hospital for "complications" -- no word on what those "complications" are.
George was scheduled to appear on tonight's episode, but at this point, is it unclear -- and unlikely -- that he'll make the show.
*Taken from TMZ.com. Thanks NL!
READ THE HISTORY OF GEORGE THE GIANT AT BAKOTOPIA!
(CLICK ON GEORGE'S PIC BELOW READ NOW!)
 
Bakersfield has lost another one of it's musical sons and supporters.
Kurtis Willingham was a Bakersfield concert promoter, and a good friend to many, as well as a proud father and son - he passed away yesterday August 24th, at the age of 35.
Above: Kurtis and his daughter...
I've known Kurtis for years as an acquaintance in the local scene, and as mutual fans of Oingo Boingo (Kurtis has a Boingo skull on his leg,) but it wasn't until I was preparing to move back to Bakersfield from LA that we worked together on a Hurricane Katrina benefit at The Dome.
Kurtis was always involved in an event of some sort, and seemed to have a guardian angel over his shoulder at all times. He actually did some pretty ambitious productions - Freak Fest for one. I made him tell me the whole story about that event - the only thing I could say was, "Man, you're crazy dude."
Some events were better than others, but if you ran into him - he always gave you the, "What's uuuup?" He loved music and local bands....
We'll miss you Kurtis.
This message was posted on his Facebook.com profile, by his aunt Lynn Bly:
Hello to all the friends of Kurtis Willingham.
I am his aunt, Lynn Bly.
It is with great sadness that I report that Kurt passed away yesterday, Aug.24th, 2008. He was having dental work done, had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest.
Kurt leaves many friends that will miss him dearly as well as his daughter Nicole, brothers Garrett, Neal and Drew, sister Leah and mother Connie Willingham, as well as extended family.
A date is yet to be set for the funeral but it will be held at Mish Funeral Home in Bakersfield, Ca.
Bakotopia would like to put together memories of Kurtis for a memorial piece in the 9/4/08 issue of Bakotopia magazine. if you would like to leave some words below, please do. You can also e-mail me at: matt@bakotopia.com, and submit some words and a photo.
Posted in these Groups:
Arts & Entertainment, Family & Home, News
Topics: Kurtis Willingham, Bakersfield Promoter, concert, death, august, 2008, Obituary, memorial, blog, Bakotopia, Bakotopia.com
posted by matt on
Monday, August 25, 2008 at 03:59 PM
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Location:
1522 18th St.,
Bakersfield, CA 93301
   
HERE'S HOW TO BE A BAKONTRIBUTOR..
IT'S EASY! IT'S FREE! IT'S ALL FOR YOU!
1) Get your ideas together: a story, event, photos, band, show, food review - ANYTHING FLOATING AROUND YOUR MIND & COMMUNITY IS COOL!
2) Start writing to your heart's content!
3) 400-500 words will do, but if you're on a roll, keep writing, or if it's short and sweet, go ahead and submit it online or via e-mail!
4) Don't worry about being the best writer out there - we'll help you with editing.
5) Don't forget to include a photo or graphic to accompany your piece. If you don't have one, we'll find one for you!
*Get your stuff in before deadlines so we can make adjustments if necessary!
*EVENTS POSTED ON BAKOTOPIA.COM GET PRIORITY PLACEMENT IN OUR PRINT CALENDAR!
UPCOMING DEADLINES / ISSUE RUN DATES:
8/27-------------ISSUE 36 (9/4-9/17)
9/10-------------ISSUE 37 (9/18-10/1)
9/24-------------ISSUE 38 (10/2-10/15)
10/08------------ISSUE 39(10/16-10/30)
WANNA ADVERTISE WITH BAKO? CALL: 661-716-8640
The web is buzzing with good stories and blogs about everyday life in Bakersfield and the surrounding areas, and readers want you to share!
ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET SOME GOOD LOCAL PROMOTION?
GET INVOLVED! EXPRESS YOURSELF!
Don't be shy! We LOVE hearing your stories!
If you have any ideas or feedback, or need some help with story development, give me a shout anytime!
Email: Matt@bakotopia.com
Peaccccccce...
"If you were a non-profit organization, would you accept cash donations or requests for sponsorships indiscriminately - as long as it benefitted your cause?"
FICTIONAL EX: An "adult entertainment" business puts in a request to co-sponsor a "Hurricane Katrina Relief" fundraiser event organized by a non-profit organization, OR wants to throw a "Bikini Car Wash" to benefit the same cause - Should the non-profit be allowed to turndown the adult business request to sponsor or donate funds?
As long as everything is within the law - would you embrace the business, or kick it to the curb - even though it meant thousands of dollars in contributions?
**Non-profit and private organizations are not always subject to anti-discrimination laws.
But what are your thoughts?
Thanks for you input!
After reading a blog posted by Grampsdon, I've decided to start something new...
While mourning the loss of a loved one is difficult, there's got to be a remedy to help ease the pain.
What about...shall I dare say it.....LOVE?
Oh...That might make you sound like a big hippy....
What about, positivity?
Too lame?
If that sounds dumb, how about just posting something good about your life - it could be anything: your friend, a dream, a fat ass cheeseburger you ate last night, your girlfriend, boyfriend, your pet...
The point is - let's take the time to be thankful for the living - don't wait until it's too late...
Alright for all you whiners out there, you got a better idea?
YOUR TURN....LIFE IS SHORT!
Location:
1401 Skyway Drive,
Bakersfield, CA 93308
I get lots of e-mails from organizations, politicians and activists everyday, but this one really needs some attention. Our fuel situation is getting out of control...LET'S GET ACTIVE!
6/26/08 from my e-mail in box...More potential bad news for Bakersfield....DAMN!
I'm writing to you as the Chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, and this morning we released a report detailing the top 100 regional and top 50 large airports that will lose service because of increasing fuel costs. Many of these airports may lose service all together.
Bakersfield is on the list.
You can view the rankings and have your community take action at www.savemyairport.com.
Skyrocketing fuel prices have created a serious threat to the viability of the U.S. airline industry - and that threat has serious implications for cities of all sizes that rely on air travel for their own economic well-being, as well as local companies that need air service to do business. Studies indicate that at current fuel prices, one or more major airlines could be liquidated later this year, wiping out all their service to hundreds of cities overnight.
Congress and the Administration must take action to address the fuel crisis in the near term, including, eliminating manipulation of commodities markets; strengthening the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies; and incentivizing producers to increase energy supplies, refining capacity and develop new environmentally responsible aviation fuels. Stabilizing the airline industry by tackling the country's fuel crisis must become a national policy priority.
Please link to www.savemyairport.com -- and let's make sure that Bakersfield doesn't lose air service.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Thanks,
Kevin Mitchell
Business Travel Coalition
mitchell@businesstravelcoalition.com
www.savemyairport.com
www.businesstravelcoalition.com
So what is everyone up to for the rest of the summer?
Gas prices are sky-high! Many of us are staying home for the 4th of July and can't plan much out of town travelling - Bakersfield needs help!
Have any suggestions for us to share with our Bakotopia magazine readers? HOW SHOULD WE KEEP OURSELVES BUSY - AMUSED - ALIVE!
PLEASE SHARE THEM WIT' US!
Location:
30 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, NY 10112
Another loss for the media community. 'Meet The Press' was one of my favorite shows. Russert's analysis and moderating on the show will be missed. Damn...
From the wire...
NBC's Tim Russert dead at 58
Associated Press | Friday, Jun 13 2008 12:52 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tim Russert, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” and its Washington bureau chief collapsed and died at work Friday after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was 58.
Russert, of Buffalo, N.Y., took the helm of the Sunday news show in December 1991 and turned it into the most widely watched program of its type in the nation. His signature trait there was an unrelenting style of questioning.
Washingtonian magazine once dubbed Russert the best journalist in town, and described “Meet the Press” as “the most interesting and important hour on television.
He also wrote best-selling books, “Big Russ and Me,” in 2004, and “Wisdom of our Fathers,” in 2006.
This year, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Russert also was a senior vice president at NBC.
TIM RUSSERT AT WIKIPEDIA.COM
Posted in the News interest group.
Topics: Tim Russert, NBC, death, June, 2008, Bakotopia, media, Journalist, Meet The Press
posted by matt on
Friday, June 13, 2008 at 02:21 PM
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Today, you will notice a change when you log into your account and glance over at your "My Stuff" box in the top right corner of Bakotopia.com homepage. No longer will you see a huge profile picture and a bunch of big buttons leading to your profile manager.
Now, you will see a small profile pic next to your latest "friend update" (more on that in a sec), above the latest updates from your friends on the site and four "My Tools" buttons that drop down to reveal links to where you can add or edit content and manage other parts of your profile.
If you click the "Open My Inbox" button below your new friend updates, you'll go to the front page of your new Personal Inbox. From here, you can manage everything your email notifications and friend invitations, as well as your friend updates.
If you use social networks like Facebook, you're familiar with the idea behind friend updates. From your My Stuff box or from your Inbox, you can jot a short "update" about what you're doing that will be seen by others in their update feeds and on your profile page. There are plenty of privacy options here too--you can choose to let anyone see your updates, to not use the udpate feature at all and turn it off, to let only those you've friended see your updates, or to choose specific people on your friends list to see your updates.
Apart from the update feature, you can also make other choices as to how you receive information from Bakersfield.com and from whom you receive information. You can choose to receive emails from Bakotopia.com (which usually comes with my e-mail attached: matt@bakotopia.com)--comment notifications, friend invitations, "send a message"s--in your email only, in your onsite inbox only, or both. And you can also choose who can and cannot contact you via "send a message," guestbook messages, and blog comments, through the "blocked users" manager.
Check out our FAQ for these new features, explore around, try stuff out, and let us know when you have questions, concerns, or ideas.
*PLEASE BE PATIENT - AS WITH ALL NEW TECHNOLOGY, THERE WILL BE BUGS. HELP US STOMP THEM OUT! THANKS - HAVE SOME FUN WID' IT!
Location:
9001 Stockdale Hwy.,
Bakersfield, CA 93311
One of the true architects of rock n' roll has passed - Bo Diddley.
In 1999, I was fortunate to see Bo Diddley for the first time headlining the annual Hootenanny in Irvine, CA. He rocked that place filled with rockabilly heads and pin-up queens and taught them that rock n' roll wasn't a fashion statement - it was a way of life! He moved, grooved, and shook it all over...
In 2005 Pat Evans from World Records booked Bo at the CSUB amphitheater for a summertime jam. There aren't many of the original architects of rock n' roll left, and Mento Buru was more than honored to be given the opportunity to open for such a legend. Local blogger NL Belardes was also there taking pics and capturing this rare moment!
Performing sitting down, Bo wasn't his usual movin' and groovin' self onstage anymore. But once he hit his strings, it was on!
The tunes, rhythm, and unmistakable sound was still there. Just watching him onstage and realizing a living legend was in our presence was more than inspiring. Without Bo, there would be no rock and roll! We all just sat like we were in church, jumping up at his command.
I was revisiting that show the day he passed. It was one of the best shows of my band's career, simply because we nervously knew who was watching. Bo hung out on the side of the stage during our set, jammin to the Latin reggae ska and signed guitars, posters, or whatever they could get their hands on after his set in the backstage area.
Rest easy, Bo…
If you'd like to revisit that show, just click on Bo's picture below.
Rock On, BO! Thanks for the music and memories!
Above: Chris Page
By Matt Munoz, Bakotopia Editor
Former Bakersfield Californian entertainment reporter, and one of the original 'Under 21' reporters at the paper from 2000 - 2003 was found dead on Monday, May 26, 2008, at his Mesa, Arizona apartment by friends who had been wondering of his whereabouts.
Although no details surrounding his death have been released, Bakotopia did speak with Arizona East Valley Tribune reporter Sam Mittelsteadt to confirm the news of Page's sudden passing. Page had been employed at The Tribune for the passed 5 - Years until two weeks ago.
Mittelsteadt gave no further comment.
**Chris Page was a big supporter of the Bakersfield music and arts scene, and was responsible for introducing Californian readers to the underground arts scene. He was also an avid musician himself, as a bass player for local ska band - The Skeptics, and Near Miss Mallet.
On a personal note - I knew Chris for years, during his time at The Californian. He wrote many articles on my band Mento Buru as well as any band who gave him a demo, and always took the heat as an honest local critic with his own unique personal voice. Our prayers and condolences go out to his family and friends. He will be missed...
Also printed in Bakotopia issue 30, 6-12-08
Posted in the News interest group.
Topics: Chris Page, Christopher Page, Bakersfield Californian, East Valley Tribune, Arizona, Phoenix, Sam Middlestead, Under 21, Reporter, columnist, Bassist, Near Miss Mallet, The Skeptics, death, Bakotopia
posted by matt on
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 01:04 PM
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Discovers....ABC23's Lloyd Lindsay Young!
"The Lost Tape....."
While surfing YouTube, I discovered this gem featuring a young Howard Stern and Don Imus at WNBC New York....reported by our Bakersfield's Lloyd Lindsay Young - looking very "young" himself!
Find out who New Yorkers thought was more obnoxious!
<<<<CHECK OUT THE VIDEO! A MUST SEE!!
HEY PEEPS!
TUNE INTO KRAB RADIO AT 9AM, FRIDAY MAY 2ND!
CHASE AND I WILL BE ON THE AIR WITH ROCKY AND MEATHEAD TO TALK ABOUT BAKOTOPIA MAG AND OUR 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY!
106.1FM IN BAKERSFIELD OR TUNE IN ONLINE:
WWW.KRAB.COM
I got some horrible news yesterday.
This was taken from this original link, also printed in the Washington Post.
Most of you may know him from The Mint and always having a goodtime at local punk shows for years. RIP Chris Savage....
Police Investigate Whether Assault Led to Death
By Clarence Williams
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 20, 2008
D.C. police are investigating the death of a 35-year-old California man found yesterday in a Northwest Washington apartment about 12 hours after he was robbed and assaulted in Adams Morgan, authorities said.
Christopher J. Savage of Bakersfield was "non-responsive" when friends tried to wake him on their couch in the 2400 block of 16th Street about 2 p.m. yesterday, police sources said.
About 1 a.m., Savage had been robbed and beaten by at least two people near 18th and Kalorama streets, Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes said. Savage suffered injuries to his stomach and head but did not go to a hospital, she said. Police are awaiting an autopsy to determine if the attack contributed to his death, Groomes said.
In a telephone interview last night, Joseph Savage said his son called him early yesterday morning and told him the assailants had "pistol-whipped him a little bit, handcuffed him and put him in a dumpster." They took his wallet, cellphone and passport, Savage said. Savage said his son was in Washington for a job interview with a nightclub.
REST IN PEACE, CHRIS SAVAGE...
Photo taken from MySpace / Bakersfield Turbojugend page
I can't freakin' believe it, but I'm glad it happened..
Okay, now I can get excited, yo!
Location:
2800 Buck Owens Blvd.,
Bakersfield, CA 93308
ATTENTION DR. BLT!
Here's the perfect song topic - Mike Ness of Social Distortion is coming to play at Buck Owen's Crystal Palace on Wednesday, April 30th!
Tickets go onsale this Wednesday, April 9th!
Click on Mike Ness' pic to get more info!
The “Bakersfield Sound,” you say?
By Matt Muñoz, Bakotopia editor
What is the “Bakersfield Sound?”
That is one of the tireless questions music fans have asked and argued over for years.
Just try taking a stand on any of your own thoughts about this is topic, and find out what happens. You’re either going to get a long-winded speech about musicians you’ve never heard of, or a short response with two names in the same breath … “Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.”
But that’s the easy way out - you certainly don’t want to go toe to toe with someone you think may have the secret of the “Bakersfield Sound” locked up like a secret weapon - or do you?
With all the recent pageantry surrounding Merle Haggard getting his own road, and the second anniversary of Buck Owen leaving us for the great Crystal Palace in the sky there was only one thing left to do....
Another tribute!
No, not another street or statue - we took it to our Web site: www.bakotopia.com, your local home of free thinking, for answers. We’re on a quest for knowledge - Buck would be proud. Merle (if you’re reading this or even care), we hope to have your blessing.
Yes, we included KORN in the discussion, for as a “Bakersfield” connected band they have carved their niche into rock n' roll history and always cause a cool ruckus.
So, what did Bakotopia.com users have to say?
Story originally printed in Bakotopia Magazine, issue 24, 3/20/08
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION! LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!!
<<<Check out the Bakotopia St. Paddy's Day Bash promo video, courtesy of ABC23!
Today's LA Times' (2-24-08) features a story on Delano and McFarland's gang problem - but no mention of Bakersfield. What do you think about the story? What do you think about Bakersfield's gang troubles?
(CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO READ, AND LEAVE A COMMENT HERE!)
KRAB radio DJ Francis bum rushes Bakersfield's David Crisp at Woody's to discuss real estate and his fancy car.
Plus religion from his 'bodyguards'!!!
Click on his picture below to see the carnage!!
"I shouldna done it, man!!"
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