Opinion & Commentary

It’s getting serious in Miami. With Democratic challengers Joe Garcia, Raul Martinez, and Annette Taddeo closing in on their Republican opponents, the Democratic Party sent out its biggest gun (next to Barack Obama) to Little Havana to recruit elderly Cuban-American voters. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, dressed in an impeccable cream…

It’s Saturday night during the Wynwood gallery walk when a crowd huddles in front of Artformz Alternative (171 NW 23rd St., Miami), a small red gallery in the heart of the district. Suddenly a piece of fried chicken flies from the back of the mass — T-shirts, fashion mullets, inked…

Bare-Naked Surprise Big spender: Jonathan Cunningham’s October 16 story “Strip Club Stardom” is interesting. I had no idea this was going on in these places. Thanks for sharing. Now, Mr. Cunningham, please tell the truth. How much money did you have to spend on cover, parking, drinks, and mileage for…

To young, casual consumers of Miami’s downtown nightlife, Alex Del Bueno was the lord of The Vagabond door, the no-bullshit sentry who guarded the final entrance to the club’s inner sanctum. But to a much, much wider swath of the local music scene, Del Bueno was an intensely loyal friend…

Panty Scum Keep your daughter away from security: I read Natalie O’Neill’s October 9 article “The Panty Thief” this morning, and I was shocked about the perverted crap and behavior of the panty sniffer. First of all, thank you to Lindel Thomas and whoever else helped bring these people to…

Ah, Uffie, the Ed Banger artist who claims she is from Miami originally but whose story doesn’t exactly add up. What we know is true is that Uffie at one point attended Nova High School in Davie, but she has admitted to moving around a lot as a child, so…

Los Angeles-bases funkateer Nikka Costa is in town tonight playing a show at the Culture Room. She’s probably better known in Europe on a pop level but Costa, daughter of former composer and arranger, Don Costa, is a soul sensation that deserves better attention stateside as well. Here’s a video…

Ban Reporters from County Hall At least if they’re vying for six-figure jobs: After reading September 25’s “Selling out at the Miami Herald,” by Francisco Alvarado and Chuck Strouse, I realized why Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess always seems to escape accountability in Herald articles for the zillions of scandals…

Joe, a 46-year-old with a silver-flecked black ‘fro and a mouth full of chicken, throws his head back, wipes greasy fingers on his torn blue sleeveless shirt, and busts out a raspy yet solid Jean Stapleton impression of the theme from All in the Family: Boy, the way Glenn Miller…

O.H.W.O.W., or Our House West of Wynwood, is both a succinct and unspecific name that sums up the vibe of a new bi-city creative venture on NW Seventh Avenue. A hybrid of art gallery, low-key music venue, publishing house, and art studio, it’s a collaboration between local collector and publisher…

So if anybody watched VH1’s heralded Hip-Hop Honors program last night, I’m curious to know what people thought. I’m not personally a fan of comedian Tracy Morgan hosting the show (his jokes are funny 60% of the time at best) but everything else associated with this year’s Hip-Hop Honors was…

Jacob Katel Two blocks east of Biscayne Boulevard between NE 23rd and 35th Streets along the seawall separating Biscayne Bay from Miami’s asphalt landscape, lie many forms of public art. The following images depict examples of scratching, tagging, drawing, bombing, stickering, propaganda, architecture, nature and industrial design. Words are stupid…

Thug Hate Mikey despises himself: I couldn’t help but see the hypocrisies in Michael Symonette’s argument as described in Gus Garcia-Roberts’s September 25 story “Black Against Obama.” However, my main question is: How can Symonette call for blacks to unite when the majority of his argument is based on the…

The Hot Chef of some anonymous New Timer’s dreams. Miami has been doing pretty good for itself in the Bravo TV reality show arena lately, with Kendall-ite Dee Adames being crowned Shear Genius. Though we don’t have a horse in the Project Runway race this season (which is fine. worst…

Hey ya’ll! Have you heard the news? Paris Hilton is looking for a new BFF — or at the very least a BFFN (best friend for now). But this begs the question, what kind of person has the burning desire to be best friends with famous-for-making-a-sex-tape Paris Hilton? Well let…

via NY Times MTV Reality show From G’s To Gents is thank the stars coming back for a second season. Created by Acadamy Award winner turned full time crotch cupper Jamie Foxx and hosted by Diddy’s former umbrella caddy, Fonzworth Bentley, the show aims to turn gangstas into 19th Centuary…

A Handy Debate Poor Mr. Cabrera: Tim Elfrink’s story “The Hand of Justice” (September 18) is really sad. At least Julio Cabrera is free to live in his home and talk to the media to express his concerns. Think about the thousands who are tossed in jail for the minutest…

Jacob Katel Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny painted on a wall in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. Jack Nicholson, aka Jack Torrance, in The Shining appears with an assortment of other killers, psychos and sociopaths from recent film history…

It’s good news to know that the O’Jays are still touring. They were easily one of the best R&B groups of the ’70s and have a long list of hits that should make for a fun show tonight at the Hard Rock. But there’s also been a lot of tragedy…

via Imagechan (nsfw ads) “Yeah, mofo, I’ve got two pairs on. What you gonna do now? Kill me? I’m already dead. God, this show has amazing writing!” Hot on the heels of last night’s Emmys, the fall television season continues its kickoff tonight with two big premiers of shows with…