Find KUAF at 91.3 FM. 

America’s favorite faux newscaster, who drew mixed reviews for his first stint in 2006, has been picked for a return engagement in February, the film academy announced.

“I’m thrilled to be asked to host the Academy Awards for the second time because, as they say, the third time’s a charm,” Stewart said in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

— Source: The Associated Press 

Last week the University of Arkansas hosted a conference that addressed the possibility of integrating gaming into the education world. The conference included an exhibit on the history of video games, speakers from universities around the nation, and a panel of UA students who shared their point of view on the subject. In case you missed the event, there's video of the entire Sim-U conference at www.simu.uark.edu. 

I Bleed Razorback Red
 
This is one of the phrases printed on a red shirt that you may encounter at a Razorback football game. As I enter my senior year at the University of Arkansas, I have attended a few home games and would like to share what I've learned:
 
• Hell hath no fury like a Razorback fan scorned.
If a referee makes a call that is not beneficial to the home team, he is wrong, always. Referees will know when they've made a bad call because they will be told by the fans, all 71,000 of them.
• Patience is a must.
There is a lot of waiting involved with a football game because there is a line for everything: a line to get in, a line to get out, a line to the concession stand and a line to the restroom.
• Polite conversation is unnecessary.
If you were worried about having to make polite conversation while waiting in these lines, don't be. Calling the Hogs has rendered these skills unnecessary. Don't know what that is? Simply turn to the nearest group of red shirts and ask. I'm sure they will be happy to demonstrate.
 
Even if you don't enjoy football, every student should attend at least one game because it is quite an experience. There's nothing like watching thousands of people cheering for a bunch of pigs.

Strait and Brad Paisley led with five nominations each. Strait was also named for musical event of the year, for a performance with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson; album of the year for “It Just Comes Natural”; and single of the year for “Wrapped,” his 55th career No. 1 single.

Paisley is nominated for entertainer, male vocalist, his album, “Fifth Gear,” best single for “Ticks,” and best music video with “Online.”

— Courtesy of The Associated Press

Check out ww.CMAawards.com 

"The dancers add a great deal to making this musical production so entertaining and classy," Rob Lester wrote for EDGE New York City. "Among them, Zachary Denison stood out for me because he really lights up the stage, performing with deft skill and enormous energy and joy. The dancing involves plenty of high stepping in cowboy boots and is quite athletic and very accessible and celebrational."

Hooray for another small-town boy making it big in the city! 

Friday night, I made my first visit to George's Majestic Lounge to listen to Evan's Blue. The Canadian rock band was preceded by Submerged and the opening, opening act was Framing Hanley. So often bands can have a gigantic ego, but this self-described rock/alternative/indie Nashville band caught my attention by being humble enough to ask how many people in the audience were seeing them for the first time and after the large response asked how many had even heard of them, fully aware of what the answer would be.

Involving the audience is crucial to the success of any concert. Taking special care to sing specifically to that girl in the front row that knows every one of your songs and attends as many of your concerts as she possibly can on her allowance goes a long way to showing the fans that you do in fact care about them. The biggest way to win me over is simply by showing me you're having a great time performing, which Framing Hanley did. Anyone who can continuing rocking out as hard as they did right through a temporary power outage gets my vote!

More information on Framing Hanley can be found at www.framinghanley.com

Besides entertainer of the year, Vincent was nominated for vocal group, female vocalist, song of the year for “All American Bluegrass Girl” and album of the year for the project by the same name. Individually, she and her band members received seven other nominations.

Bluegrass/Americana artist Sam Bush will host the IBMA Awards Oct. 4 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
 

Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” was nominated for video of the year, as was Timberlake’s ambitiously cinematic “What Goes Around ... Comes Around,” which co-starred Scarlett Johansson. Also competing in the category are Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab,” Kanye West’s “Stronger,” Rihanna’s “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z) and Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.”

Timberlake was also nominated for male artist of the year and “most earth shattering collaboration” for pairing with Timbaland for “Sexy Back.” Beyonce was nominated for female artist of the year and for her collaboration with Shakira on “Beautiful Liar.”

West landed five nominations, including male artist of the year. He has often appeared prickly about losing awards, and on Tuesday he was still sore over being snubbed last year for his Evel Knievel spoof video “Touch the Sky.” (In 2005, he did win best male video for “Jesus Walks.”)

— Courtesy of The Associated Press 

This year, the three newest members of the Hall of Fame will be formally inducted at a Medallion Ceremony in October, rather than during the nationally televised Country Music Association Awards Show.

LOVED it! Laughed until my face hurt!

"The Bourne Ultimatum" is good, too, but it has too many chases and not enough story. Still worth seeing -- and apparently everybody else agrees. AMC Fiesta Square 16 was sold out Friday night and almost sold out Saturday night.

Family Friendly
• Arts Live Theatre’s “High School Musical,” 2 and 7 p.m., Fayetteville High School auditorium. $12-$8. 236-6849.

On Stage

• The Boar’s Head Players New Play Showcase presents “Sinclair” and “Stripped, Bear,” 7 p.m., Nadine Baum Studios in Fayetteville. $14 adults, $5 for non-UA students and children under 12. 575-4752.On Stage

• “Annie,” 8 p.m., Rogers Little Theater’s Victory Theater in Rogers. $35 adult with dinner, $15 show only. 631-8988.

Listen Here!
• Effron White, the Boston Mountain Playboys, Cousin Eddie, Joe Giles & the Homewreckers, The Sherms, Ocie Fisher and the Hip Doggs, the Ozark Stone Rollers, Silverstone and The Chicken Coop Rockers in a concert benefiting Adam Watkins, 3 to 9 p.m., Parsons Stadium in Springdale. $10. 283-8706.

Meetings & More
• Book signing with A.A. Riley, 3 to 5 p.m., Hastings Books Music & Video in Fayetteville. 636-0631.

On the Road
• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling with Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Team 3D and Gail Kim, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. $34-$54. www.ticketmaster.com or (816) 931-3330.

Teens & Tweens
• Storm survivor’s murder mystery, 2 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. 571-2222, ext. 4324.

Free Style
• Springdale Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jones Center for Families. 751-3352.
• Rogers Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Arkansas Street at Elm. 936-5487.
• Bentonville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., on the square. 254-0254.
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. on the square. 236-2910.
• Gentry Main Street Market, 8 a.m.-noon, Main Street. 721-2798.

SUNDAY

Family Friendly
• “Ozark History: A Long Row to Hoe” with actress Paula Thompson, 3 p.m., Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale. $8-$15. 751-5441.

On Stage
• The Boar’s Head Players New Play Showcase presents “Sinclair” and “Stripped, Bear,” 2 p.m., Nadine Baum Studios in Fayetteville. $14 adults, $5 for non-UA students and children under 12. 575-4752.
w/any pic called annie
• “Annie,” 2 p.m., Rogers Little Theater’s Victory Theater in Rogers. $35 adult with dinner, $15 show only. 631-8988.

Meetings & More
• Book signing with Dana Bagshaw, 3 p.m., Siloam Springs Museum. 524-4011.
• Public meeting for Art Amiss VII, 6 p.m., Nightbird Books in Fayetteville. 422-7305 or  www.artamiss.org.

At the Movies
• “The Birds” with music by the Emily Kaitz and Tippi Hedren and Alfred Hitchcock look-alike contests, 7 p.m., Lucky 13 Outdoor Cinema at 1 N. Main St. in Eureka Springs. $1-$3. www.lucky13cinema.org.

Look Here!
• World-famous racing planes of the 1920s and 1930s, Arkansas Air Museum, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Drake Field in Fayetteville. $2-$4. 521-4947.

Free Style
• Eureka Sunday Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 1N. Main St. in Eureka Springs. 244-5431.

On the Road
• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling with Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Team 3D and Gail Kim, 7 p.m., The Cotillion in Wichita, Kan. $28.50. www.selectaseat.com or (316) 722-4201.
 

The legendary Johnny Winter is coming up at George's. Don't miss it! 

Yes, Weird Al sang to me last weekend in Tulsa. Being “the tortilla in his beef burrito of love” — as my friends insist on describing it — has probably changed my life. Surely nothing will be that ... well ... weird again!

Check out the rest of Weird Al's tour at www.weirdal.com. You'll have a great time!

Free Style
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., on the square. 236-2910.
• Springdale Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jones Center for Families. 751-3352.
• Eureka Springs Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-noon, Pine Mountain Village. 253-5749.
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, evening edition, 4-6 p.m. in the Mill District. 236-2910.

On Stage
• “Madama Butterfly,” 8 p.m., Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, just outside Eureka Springs. $15-$20. 253-8595.

Summer Fun
• “The Mystery of the Food Chain,” Steve Dunlap of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 10 a.m., Springdale Public Library. 750-8180.

Family Friendly
• Baby Bookworks, 9:45 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. 571-2222.
• Toddler Time, 10:30 and 11 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Information: 571-2222.

At the Movies
• Free movies continue with “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Bat Thumb,” dusk at the Frisco stage in downtown Rogers. www.mainstreetrogers.com.
• “Doogal,” 10 a.m., Malco Sunset Cinema 9 in Springdale; “Ice Age: The Meltdown,” 10 a.m., Malco Towne Center 12 in Rogers; and “Flushed Away,” 10 a.m., Malco Razorback 6 in Fayetteville. $1. www.malco.com.

Summer Fun
• Magician Jody Birch, 10:30 and 11 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. 571-2222.
• Harry Potter Week continues at the Bentonville Public Library. 271-6713.

Free Style
• Eureka Springs Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-noon, Pine Mountain Village. 253-5749.
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., on the square. 236-2910.
• Huntsville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-noon, on the square. 738-1018.
• Siloam Springs Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m., City Park. 524-4556.
• Springdale Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jones Center for Families. 751-3352.

On Stage
• “The Marriage of Figaro,” 8 p.m., Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, just outside Eureka Springs. $15-$20. 253-8595.

Family Friendly
•  “Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs!” Preschool Story Time, 9:30 a.m, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Springdale Public Library. 750-8180.
• “Find It!” School Age Story Time, 9:30 a.m, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Springdale Public Library. 750-8180.
• Spanish Family Story Time, 10:30 a.m., Springdale Public Library. 750-8180.
• Bilingual Story Time, 6:30 p.m., Rogers Public Library. 621-1152, ext. 25.

Listen Here!
• Ocie Fisher & the Hipp Dogs, 7 p.m., Gulley Park in Fayetteville. www.accessfayetteville.org.
• Live bluegrass jam, 7 p.m., Jammin’ Java in Fayetteville. 443-2233.
• The Tyrones, 7 p.m., Jose’s Streetside in Fayetteville. 521-0194.
• Joe Giles & The Homewreckers, 7 p.m., Powerhouse Seafood in Fayetteville. 442-8300.
• Brian Lee, 10 p.m., The Bayou in Rogers. 246-9337.

At the Movies
• “The War Room,” 7 p.m., Clinton House Museum in Fayetteville. $5. 444-0066.

Meetings & More
• “Calling All Birds” with Paige and Mary Bess Mulhollan, 7 p.m., Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. $5-$10. 750-2620.
• Northwest Arkansas Civil War Roundtable, 7 p.m., Shiloh Museum in Springdale. Free. 750-8165.

Free Style
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., on the square. 236-2910.
• Springdale Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jones Center for Families. 751-3352.
• Eureka Springs Farmers’ Market, 7 a.m.-noon, Pine Mountain Village. 253-5749.
• Fayetteville Farmers’ Market, evening edition, 4-6 p.m. in the Mill District. 236-2910.

Summer Fun
• Storytelling, magic and music with Rob Holladay, 10 a.m., Springdale Public Library. 750-8180.

On Stage
• Eureka Divas in “Just Had Enough,” 8 p.m., The Gem at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium. $22. 253-2586.
• “Susannah,” 8 p.m., Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, just outside Eureka Springs. $15-$20. 253-8595.

Family Friendly
• Baby Bookworms, 9:45 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. 571-2222.
• Toddler Time, 10:30 and 11 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. 571-2222.
• Skit and story time, 2:30 p.m., Bentonville Public Library. 271-6713.

Here's the latest from The Associated Press: 

Germain says this fourth installment in the franchise, the first since 1995's "Die Hard With a Vengeance," is the sort of generally welcome surprise that "Rocky Balboa" turned out to be, a reacquaintance with an old friend you didn't think you would like anymore, but do.

The film opens today at AMC Fiesta Square 16 in Fayetteville and Carmike Sugar Creek 10 in Bella Vista. 

"28 Weeks Later" — Thumbs at half-mast. It was okay, but having a budget seemed to kill the guerrilla film feel. And the over-the-top gore was reminiscent of Peter Jackson's early schlock — and pretty silly.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World' End" Thumbs up, but bring a pillow. It is a long, long movie — and the opening sequence (a hanging that includes a child) is not something I would want my daughter to see. Fortunately, we were 5 minutes late. 

That's right. Star Wars came out 30 years ago today.

I wasn't alive in time to catch Star Wars in the theaters. I was born in October of 1980, five months after the release of The Empire Strikes Back. I've been a Star Wars nut as long as I can remember, but I never caught the first runs of the original films in the theater. Instead, I came to Star Wars through comic books (my grandparents bought me the Marvel Comics adaptation of Return of the Jedi for my third birthday) and VHS cassettes (my uncle taped all three movies off of HBO). I've never really known a world without Star Wars, and I envy all those kids who walked into movie theaters in 1977 with no idea of what they were about to see.

I'm leaving The Morning News after May 31 to work on a new media project with the Sun-Times News Group in the Chicago area. It's a great opportunity, one I can't pass up, but I'll miss working on this beat.

I believe Becca and I have turned the "Weekend" section into a great, user-friendly guide to arts and entertainment in the Northwest Arkansas area. But "Weekend," this blog and the podcasts are all works-in-progress. There's room for improvement everywhere. But it'll be up to Becca and the next entertainment reporter to make those improvements.

Thanks for all of the support you have shown over the past year...

Joe 

• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End sets sail tonight and will escape with a chest of box-office booty by week's end. It's opening at every Northwest Arkansas theater except the Malco Towne Center 12 in Rogers. (Malco, truth be told, has done a good job of limiting a film to just one of its two Rogers theaters during any given week.) A 167-minute running length and a PG-13 rating may hinder Pirates' chances of beating Shrek the Third's $121.6 million opening weekend, but I expect it to do better than the forgettable Spider-Man 3.

The five people in Northwest Arkansas who have any interest in William Friedkin's Bug can find it in Bella Vista, Rogers (Malco Towne Center 12), Springdale and Fayetteville (Malco Razorback 6) this weekend.

• I'll be honest: Nothing piques my interest, musicwise. Flyleaf strikes me as a pretty generic modern rock act — think of the loud guitars and quasi-spiritual, AP English Comp-level lyrics, only with a weaker vocalist. Zzzz. It could appeal to the 104.9 crowd...maybe. Either way, the band will be at George's Majestic Lounge on Saturday.

• Walton Arts Center officials announced today that they're removing Lee Littlefield's Out of the Bayou sculptures from the WAC campus due to vandalism. (The sculptures are similar to those seen above.) Damages to Littlefield's "Big Pink" and "Bayou Arrow" totaled approximately $6,000.

The remaining sculptures from Littlefield's exhibit will remain at seven spots along I-540 through August.

Pick up the Friday edition of The Morning News (or visit www.nwaonline.net) for our preview of Towncraft, Matson Films' new feature-length documentary about Little Rock's punk and indie music scene.

Dickson Theater will host a screening of the movie and a show by Little Rock's American Princes and Fayetteville's Tel Aviv starting at 7 p.m. May 22. Anyone up here who wants to see it any earlier than that can cruise down to Little Rock next Tuesday through Saturday for "Towncraft Week." The five-day festival will include concerts by 17 bands (including reunion shows from Trusty and Mulehead) and the film's premiere on at the Riverdale Theatre on Thursday evening.

Most of the area theaters picked up the same three movies this week: Fracture, a murder mystery starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling (above); In the Land of Women, a romantic comedy-drama with Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, Meg Ryan and Olympia Dukakis; and Vacancy, a thriller starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale.

The most promising new release won't make it to Northwest Arkansas this week, however. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's Hot Fuzz (above) looks like a spot-on send-up of the buddy cop genre, just as their Shaun of the Dead was a brilliant homage to George Romero's Living Dead zombie flicks. Focus has pushed Hot Fuzz pretty heavily through television ads, and AMC has done a great job in booking independent in foreign films at their Fiesta Square theater, so I guess I'm a little surprised this isn't playing around here.

A quick look at Rotten Tomatoes shows Hot Fuzz with an 88-percent freshness rating; only 68 percent of critics like Fracture, and even fewer like In the Land of Women and Vacancy. I know, I know — money drives bookings. But this is a college town! Give the kids something hip for once!

Nominees and some observations on each category after the jump. 

Finally.

The best television show of the 1990s always deserved better. Artisan Entertainment released the first season of Twin Peaks on DVD in December 2001 — without the series' pilot episode. Fans who wanted the first episode had to settle for a bootleg-quality DVD from Hong Kong. Artisan folded before it could secure the rights to the pilot or release the series' second season.

And so we've waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The wait is over. Today sees the release of Twin Peaks: The Second Season, a six-disc box set containing the series' final 22 episodes. A generation of television viewers can finally discover who killed Laura Palmer and catch a pre-Mulder David Duchovny in drag. It's about time.

There's a catch, though. Artisan's Season One box set is out of print, so anyone who didn't pick it up five years ago has some Netflixing to do. (The box goes for more than $100 on eBay these days.) Paramount may compile the entire series, including the pilot, in a bigger box set later this year. But like today's release, I'll believe it when I see it.

These Arms Are Snakes' show at Dickson Theater is the sure shot this week. The Seattle post-hardcore band will perform with Chicago's Maps & Atlases, Montana's 1090 Club and the new Fayetteville band The Counterlife. Admission is $8; doors open at 8 p.m. Hear a song from These Arms Are Snakes in this week's "Live in NWA" podcast.