Charitable Giving

Reprogram Holiday Bash

Trae Day Venue Backs Out; Jonas Bros. Reschedule

​As we mentioned in last week's cover story, Houston rapper Trae tha Truth has been having his share of recent struggles. His luck appears to not have changed much. Just hours after the online commercial for the forthcoming Trae Day, July 22, hit the net, and a mere three weeks before the act ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​The 6th annual Empty Bowls Houston event is tomorrow, Saturday, May 22. Wondering what this creative charity event is all about? It's simple: For a $25 donation, you'll get a straightforward lunch of soup, bread and water, but you'll also get to select a one-of-a-kind, handmade bowl donated b ... More >>

American Idol: The Tumor is Removed...Eventually

​This is my first season of American Idol, and thus my first brush with the behemoth that is "Idol Gives Back." This is the third time the show has staged its charity event, and there were far fewer celebrities this year. The goal was ostensibly to educate viewers about the plight of the needy ... More >>

American Idol: The Tumor is Removed... Eventually

​This is my first season of American Idol, and thus my first brush with the behemoth that is "Idol Gives Back." This is the third time the show has staged its charity event, and there were far fewer celebrities this year. The goal was ostensibly to educate viewers about the plight of the needy ... More >>

The Rockets' Shane Battier: A Man Who Should Never, Ever Sing In Public

Among the tortures the U.S. has inflicted on Gitmo detainees and Panamanian dictators, an old favorite is blasting music. But usually it's something like AC/DC.You want to torture someone? Make them listen to Shane Battier sing. Battier took the mike at a charity auction and -- for some reason -- th ... More >>

Riddle Me This

​This is a tough one ya'll...What has: Ego overload; Awkward, obvious dubbed-over video (at times); Shameless product placements of Toyotas, Whole Foods and now bands like The Bravery; Ridiculous food challenges: using gas station ingredients to cook a gourmet meal; An annoying yet addic ... More >>

Help Haiti By Enjoying Belly Dancers. You Know You Want To

​If you are going to donate money for Haitian earthquake victims, there are worse ways to do it than watching belly dancers, if you ask us.Luckily, the folks at Avant Garden in Montrose think along those lines, too, so you can enjoy and help out at the same time.Tonight there will be an Open Mic f ... More >>

Upcoming Events

This weekend, get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather while it lasts. The Slow Food Picnic Dinner at Discovery Green is just one way to do that. Monica Pope and Andrea Lazar of t'afia are putting on the at 6 p.m. It will feature locally grown and caught food prepared by local chefs like Ra ... More >>

Ask a Rapper: Much Luvv's Tre9 Remembers Late Christian Rapper Juan "Enock" James

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to introducinglisto ... More >>

Bayou Beat: Cougars for a Cause at House of Blues, Mandy Moore Hearts Jandek, Bun B Orders Up Some PB&J, etc.

​Want to help fight breast cancer and possibly get pawed by some of Houston's hottest older ladies? Boy, is this the right weekend for you. Sugar Ray, pimping its new album Music for Cougars, headlines House of Blues' "Cougars for a Cause" show Saturday night with Austin power-pop heroes Fastball, ... More >>

The ACLU, Stirring It Up Again In Texas And Elsewhere

Muslims in Texas and around the United States aren't being allowed to practice one of the key tenets of their religion -- namely charitable giving -- because of our country's terrorism-finance laws, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.In its 164-report "Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity," ... More >>

Missed Your Free Ice Cream Cone Last Week?

Don't despair: Baskin-Robbins has your back. Today only, the ice cream chain is holding its annual 31 Cent Scoop Night to benefit the National Volunteer Firefighters Council and firefighters across the United States.  A small scoop of one of the 31 ice cream flavors is a mere 31 ... More >>

Wrestlers, Art, A Library & Bill White: The Madness Arrives

Cameras flashed, the crowd oohed and ahhed, and WWE superstar Jeff Hardy carefully painted a nose onto an oversized white canvas. The WWE onslaught that culminates with Sunday's Wrestlemania XXV eased its way into Houston this evening in an unusually genteel (and slightly unsettling) fashion - ... More >>

Metro's Math Hitting The Homeless Hard

The price of bus tickets jumped by a quarter in November, to $1.25, and the increase was probably long overdue. Metro had gone 14 years without a hike.But a less publicized change that went into effect about a year ago has done far more to drain the pockets of some of Metro's regular customers -- th ... More >>

WrestleMania In A Dispute Over A Charity Event; No Chairs Hurled (Yet)

Logo courtesy WWEIn the world of professional wrestling, there appears to be a smackdown going on outside the ring.Hair Balls was alerted to this controversy after reading an article in Professional Wrestling Insider -- one of our favorite sources of news about big sweaty thespians pretending to bea ... More >>

Knowles Sisters' Ike Benefit Cancelled

Next Tuesday's "Hope for the Holidays" concert with Beyonce and Solange Knowles, which was going to be taped to air December 21 on the cable music network Fuse, with proceeds benefiting the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund, has been cancelled. No further information was immediately available. - Chr ... More >>

Tom Petty Week, Part 5: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Cover "Blue Moon of Kentucky"

Open Season on Pit Bulls’ Genitals

This Just In: The Hand Center's Michael Brown Is Awesome

Immigration: Luck of the Draw

Some Cubans in Houston find work right away, others languish withoutEnglish skills

This Just In: Hard Rock Hosting Melissa Etheridge Listening Party

Jesus Saves

Drag Queen Bingo

Where blue balls are called every game!

Who Is Marc Sparks?

When Steve Met Tracy

The Rockets' past and future face off at the Clutch City Classic

Swan Balls

The Nightfly's feathery tribute to Björk

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Best Doughnuts

Thong and Dance

Hang with the scantily clad at the No Pants Party

Sweet Charity

For years Tom DeLay has used nonprofits to help himself. Now the heat is on.

Charity Cases

Nonprofits chase the younger set in the search for new blood

Best Collector

Carolyn Farb

Prom and Proper

Cross-dressers help high schoolers have a fun night out in the gown

Christmas Miracle

A media benefit helps a charity that's been questioned

Down the Road

The city buys the historic Cohn House to move it into a possible future tourism center

Costs You Money!

The furniture king finds himself in a charity-ticket tangle

This Old House

The City of Houston wants to further spiff up the area around Minute Maid Park. The historic Cohn House stands in its way.

Playbill

The Bob Marley Festival

Charity Case

After the big split, HCC goes for the glamorous giving

Best Adventure Race Series

Texas State Championship Sprint Adventure Races

Union Joan

England's Joan Armatrading comes to town with her fanciful folk music

Letters

From the week of February 03, 2000

Presidential Kids' Charity

Call to contribute to the Bush bid, and guess who answers?

The Insider

The Insider

The Insider

Variety Club Follies

How the curtain came down -- for the time being -- at the "show biz" charity

Crisis on Cullen Boulevard

Funding is down. Faculty is fleeing. And 50 professors are in semi-open revolt. Is the University of Houston on an irrovocable slide toward mediocrity?

The Burial and Resurrection (maybe) of Doug Sanders

For 14 years, Doug Sanders ran Houston's most celebrity-filled golf tournament. Then he was accused of sticking his hand in the till. Now he wants to come back.