Forget selling out Madison Square Garden. Forget platinum albums. Forget Grammy Awards.
In 2013, the way you really know you’ve made it is when you are ambushed on the sidewalk by some clown from TMZ trying to goad you into saying something controversial.
That’s what happened to Akron native Patrick Carney after Sunday’s big Grammy Awards ceremony.
Carney, known primarily as the son of Beacon Journal reporter Jim Carney, also plays in a band called the Black Keys, which, as you may have noticed, picked up some hardware at the show.
Afterward, TMZ demanded to know what Carney thought about Justin Bieber’s failure to be nominated for a Grammy. The Firestone grad initially brushed off the stupid question, but when pressed, allowed that at least Bieber is “rich,” adding, “Grammys are for music, not for money, and he’s making a lot of money. He should be happy, I guess.”
(TMZ got exactly what it was after: a manufactured feud. Bieber tweeted: “the black keys drummer should be slapped around haha.”)
The next question from TMZ dealt with Carney’s plans for the immediate future.
“I want to open a Whataburger.”
Whatahoot.
But I think we can all agree that the coolest line spoken during Sunday’s international bash came from Carney’s other musical half, Dan Auerbach, who, in accepting the award for Best Rock Performance, made a point to thank “everyone in Akron, Ohio.”
It was the only shout-out to a hometown during the entire 3½-hour show — a show more than 28 million people watched.
Upset stomach
A colleague unleashed a highly appropriate eeeuuuw when she was editing a story about a benefit for a pet-rescue operation. The event was billed as “Spay-Ghetti Date Night.”
Similar traits
“Saw that the Pope is resigning due to his age and weakening strength,” writes Adam Richard. “What are the chances the Indians will sign him to a one-year minor league contract?”
More February
I thought we were finished talking about the badly named month of February, but readers are still sounding off, so what the heck.
Bob: I have a simple solution to the whole February problem that would kill two words with one stone. Since nobody pronounces the first “r” anyway, let’s just agree to remove it and pronounce it “Febuary.” Then we take the removed “r” and insert it somewhere in the middle of “colonel.”
Larry Shirk
Larry: Splendid idea. I’m putting you in for a promotion.
Sign of failure
Akron’s Bob Creswell did a double take awhile back when he saw our story about a fancy, new electronic sign that greets visitors to Kent.
Our photo showed this message on the sign: “Buy local. Spend local. Enjoy local.”
Writes Creswell, “Would you not think an institution of higher learning would bother to program proper grammar on an electronic sign they just paid a hundred grand for?”
Actually, KSU only paid for half of the $92,000 project, with the city picking up the rest. But point well made.
Keep reading local, Bob.
Holy order
Times have changed, and clearly Faith Lutheran Church in Fairlawn is changing with them. Big sign in front of the church this week:
LENT IS COMING
GET YOUR ASH IN CHURCH
Specialized profession
News item from Springfield Township: “A woman who told police she worked at a Canton night spot said her home was entered and 150 bathing suits, three purses and other items were stolen from her basement.”
Quips a colleague: “150 bathing suits? I don’t think she was working in the kitchen of that ‘Canton night spot.’ ”
Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
