Man with the Mike

THU 1/15

Walter Cronkite calls him one of the best interviewers he’s ever seen. And
we’d have to agree with his assessment of Houston’s own Ernie Manouse. The familiar
host of local PBS news shows is aiming for a more national profile with his
new show, InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse. The new series will feature
30-minute unedited talks with authors, artists, performers and news makers —
thankfully, not for the purpose of plugging their latest projects. The format
is an ideal match for Manouse’s greatest journalistic strength: making the interaction
more of a conversation than yet another fawning Q&A. He also doesn’t jump on
the end of an answer or prod his subject. “It should be as if I happened upon
my guest at a dinner or party and we’re just talking,” he says. “I hope that’s
what we catch on tape.”

As a result, the episodes (eight of 26 have already been shot) will have some interesting turns. “With Anne Rice, I thought it would be more about her characters and the Vampire saga,” Manouse says. “But instead, we got into her religion and personal history.” Manouse also tells us that Patti Lupone and Frankie Avalon (nabbed while they were in town performing) proved to be great showbiz storytellers.

The series is being offered to PBS stations nationwide, so don’t necessarily
expect Houston-centric guests (sorry, Mattress Mac). Manouse hopes viewers learn
something they haven’t heard a thousand times before about his celebrity guests.
Possible subject to explore: where Grease‘s Teen Angel gets his hairpiece
styled. InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse premieres on PBS (Channel 8) at
10 p.m. Thursday, January 15. For information, visit www.houstonpbs.org.
— Bob Ruggiero

The Art of the Game

THU 1/15

More than most sports, baseball has wormed its way into our culture. Even
our language has been permanently affected: Did you hit a home run on your
date last night, or did you strike out? And now baseball memorabilia —
the cards, caps and bobble-head dolls — have moved from kids’ bedrooms to hipsters’
bookshelves and, finally, into the art museum. Artist Rubén Ortiz Torres
modifies collectibles in ways that encourage viewers to consider baseball’s
place in society — by adding traditional Hispanic milagros to a San
Diego Padres cap, for example. In his Houston show, “The Texas Leaguer,” Torres
will explore the connection between the Astros and NASA through works made from
baseball caps and mission patches. Show opens 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, January
15, and runs through March 7. Glassell School of Art, 5105 Montrose, 713-639-7500,
www.mfah.org. Free. — Lisa Simon

Stocking Up

TUE 1/20

Sisters are not only standing on their own two feet — they’re teaching others
how to do it, too. In their new book Girl, Make Your Money Grow!, financial
advisers Glinda Bridgforth and Gail Perry-Mason teach readers step by step how
to make their money work for them. This week, the authors will be giving a financial
seminar and answering questions at the Shrine Bookstore and Cultural Center.
While their advice is aimed at African-American women, it holds true for any
new investors. “It’s a myth that only the rich have money to invest in the stock
market,” says Perry-Mason. “We talk about how to keep it simple when it comes
to investing. Many women own Coach purses,” she continues, “but a financially
savvy woman owns stock in Coach.” 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 20. 5309 Martin
Luther King Boulevard. For information, call 713-645-1071 or visit www.shrinebookstore.com.
Free. — Lisa Simon

Sympathy for the Devil Military doctors heal the wounds of friend and foe alike

FRI 1/16

In World War I, the U.S. Marines battled the enemy armies so ferociously that
the Germans took to calling them Teufelhunden, or “devil dogs.” U.S.
Navy medical personnel who serve with the marines have appropriated the name,
calling themselves the Devil Docs. CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta
toured and worked with these crack frontline medical units in Iraq. He’ll share
the experience in his lecture, “Embedded with the Navy ‘Devil Docs’: Wartime
Experience in Iraq.” Among the many things Gupta learned in his travels: In
the Persian Gulf, Devil Docs don’t treat just U.S. soldiers. In fact, Iraqis,
both military and civilian, make up 80 percent of their patients. Reminds us
of M*A*S*H. 6 p.m. Friday, January 16. InterContinental Hotel, 2222 West
Loop South. For information, call 713-439-0051. $10 to $15; free for students
and teachers. — Eric A.T. Dieckman

Wish You Were Here

FRI 1/16

Stoners, if you’ve got any good stuff set aside, we recommend you wait until Friday before dipping into it. One, it’s just better to save it for the weekend. Two, that’s when the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular hits town. Next to a Bob Marley festival, nothing gets potheads and tripsters off the couch faster than the promise of a stellar laser light show set to the tunes of one of the most psychedelic rock bands of all time. Now, if only you could smoke inside the Verizon Wireless Theater… 8 p.m. Friday, January 16. 520 Texas. For information, call 713-230-1600 or visit www.verizonwirelesstheater.com. $24 to $27. — Keith Plocek