Those of us who have become used to the local comings and goings of the crews for Tremé might be surprised to know that even New Orleans can’t play New Orleans on film all the time. Courtesy of the blog NewYorkShitty comes this image of a flyer posted in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, advising residents that their neighborhood will be doubling as the Crescent City for some night shooting this Saturday evening.

This from the flyer, however, is cause for pause:

It is the heartwarming story of the residents of New Orleans Ninth Ward attempting to rebuild their lives after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Heartwarming? That’s Touched by an Angel stuff. We can hope that’s shorthand for “gritty drama, leavened with the weary, knowing sophistication and bawdy humor that so characterizes the Jewel of the South.”

But what of Greenpoint? Looking it up on a map, it’s scarily adjacent to Williamsburg, that district of Brooklyn where Hasidim and hipsters have been on a collision course lately. The Web site Not for Tourists characterizes Greenpoint as a Polish enclave being inevitably hipsterized, and adds:

One exciting aspect of Greenpoint (though not for locals with cars) is the frequent number of movie and television productions being filmed here at any given time. Again, because of its proximity to Manhattan and Long Island City (where a number of studios are based), Greenpoint serves as an ideal location for a production that is looking for a green, industrial, or cozy neighborhood setting.

Green? Industrial? Cozy? Our L9W???

We’ll see — obviously we have a lot of trust in David Simon, but some of us remember the disastrous results the last time a foreign location was used to represent the Big Easy.

Among the performers headed to Austin’s South By Southwest conference is a contingent of New Orleans bounce rappers. Former Gambit columnist Alison Fensterstock organized a benefit show at the Saint (961 St. Mary St.) tonight (10 p.m. Wednesday) to support the group of artists. The show features DJ Rusty Lazer and raffle prizes, including a limited-edition Defend New Orleans T-shirt signed by Katey Red, DJ Jubilee, 10th Ward Buck, Wild Wayne and others. There are rare cassettes for sale and a DVD with rare bounce songs, mostly ripped from Fensterstock’s collection of vinyl.

The Austin bounce showcase will feature Partners-N-Crime, DJ Jubilee, Katey Red, Big Freedia, Vockah Redu, Magnolia Shorty and Ms Tee. Anyone unable to attend the show tonight may be interested in the Kickstarter page for the entourage, which features further information and prizes for different levels of support. Fensterstock and photographer Aubrey Edwards also are working on a documentary project about New Orleans bouncers called “Where They At” which will be on display at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

Google is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’ll get. David Simon’s “Treme” trailer after the jump.

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VIP LADIES & KIDS SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE CLUB 7TH ANNUAL PARADE SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2010 – 12:00 P.M.

Start: Dorothy’s Lounge, 1528 S. Liberty. Proceed out S. Liberty to Felicity St. Turn left on Felicity St. Out Felicity St. to Simon Bolivar Blvd. Turn right on Simon Bolivar Blvd. Out Simon Bolivar to Jackson Ave. Turn left on Jackson. Proceed out Jackson Ave. to Baronne St. Turn right on Baronne St. Continue out Baronne to Second St. Right turn on Second St. Out Second St. to Dryades St.

Stop: Sportsman Corner, 2433 Dryades St. Out Dryades St. to Danneel St. Turn left on Danneel St. Out Danneel St. to Washington Ave. Turn right on Washington Ave. Out Washington Ave. to S. Saratoga.

Stop: Purple Rain. Continue out Washington Ave. to Loyola. Turn left on Loyola to Foucher St. Left turn on Foucher St. Out Foucher St. to S. Saratoga.

Stop: The Other Place. Turn left on S. Saratoga. Out S. Saratoga to Louisiana Ave. Turn left on Louisiana Ave. Continue out Louisiana Ave. to Feret St. Make a left turn on Feret St. Continue out Feret St. to General Taylor St. Turn right on Gen. Taylor. Continue out Gen Taylor to Magnolia St.

Stop: Silky’s Lounge. Continue out Gen. Taylor to S. Claiborne Ave. Turn right on S. Claiborne Ave. Continue out S. Claiborne Ave. to Washington Ave. Make a left turn onto Washington Ave. Continue out Washington Ave. to S. Rocheblave.

Stop: Tapps II/Foxx Lounge. Continue out Washington Ave.

Disband: Stanley U, 4300 Washington Ave.

ahhh… Bounce. That soul-stirring street poetry set to triggaman beats that speak candidly to real life situations such as “It must be the pu*#&y cause it aint your face”. Right? Like how often have you seen a rough-on-the-eyes woman walking arm in arm with a fine ass brother and thought ‘wtf is going on with that??’ And then there’s my personal favorite, the Rampart Street Boys anthem coined by Sissy Bounce pioneer Katie Red, “I’m a punk under pressure. When you’re finished leave the money on the dresser.” Katie deserves her own postal stamp with the words ‘REAL TALK’ underneath it for that one. And her colleague Sissy Nobby’s bounce supplement, the how-to P-Pop video ‘Spinning Top’, an absolute must have for every girlfriend looking to give her ‘wifey-for-life’ act that little something special.

Well if da truth!, meth-amped beats and core-building exercises like the ones shown above get you all loose and open then you’re in for a treat because the good folks at P-Pop Central have organized New Orleans First Annual Bounce Festival which takes place tomorrow from Noon to 9pm. 800 Jackson Avenue at Annunciation. Tickets $7 in advance, $10 at the gate.

To see the line-up, go here or contact Lucky at (504) 913-5153 for more info.

Sometimes you come across situations* that are so vile you almost don’t want to feed their energy by paying attention to them. But the March 2010 cover of Offbeat Magazine makes a reference too appalling to ignore.

There’s no excuse for the editors of a music magazine to be ignorant of the lyrics to Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Contact Offbeat Magazine at offbeat@offbeat.com or 944-4300. Let the editors know their publication’s allusion to hate crime is shameful and disgusting.

*Thanks to writer Jamey Hatley for bringing this to my attention.

There’s Tinseltown stardust in the air for our local investigative TV guys, it seems. First now-retired Richard Angelico turns TV pitchman for a cash-for-gold company (would someone please upload that to YouTube?), and then Travers Mackel, we hear, has filmed a Mackel-evellian cameo for David Simon’s new series Tremé. But none of these star turns can compete with Peabody award-winning journalist Lee Zurik, who is making his debut as a flea in the Contemporary Arts Center’s upcoming production of Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Gambit’s own I-Team has obtained footage of “Flea Zurik” (which will no doubt be played on an endless loop at City Hall) and we’re presenting it here for the first time. Enjoy.

A recent move by Republic programming director Nick Thomas to ban attire inspired by MTV’s “Jersey Shore” is gaining traction among blogs. FAIL Blog declared the rule, posted outside the club, a “Sign Win,” and other blogs such as Racked and New York Magazine’s Vulture have blogged about it. The Huffington Post stole posted this interview with Thomas from NewOrleans.com.

While waiting behind a velvet rope in anticipation of 90s kitsch and special couches (V.I.P. sections), you may have noticed the sign: “If it’s on Jersey Shore, it’s not coming through the door.” For those unsure about what “Jersey Shore” attire encompasses, the sign singles out designers Affliction, Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier. The sign, however, fails to mention if boob slings are permitted.

There are two reactions to the club’s new dress code:

1. Guidos and guidettes (as the “Jersey Shore” cast members lovingly refer to themselves): who needs `em! I am an affluent white person, and therefore find the mere sight of tattoo jeans offensive (the majority of bloggers have embraced this reaction).

2. Seriously? Not that I am in any way advocating the kind of wardrobe the Republic seeks to ban, but how can Republic deny anyone the right to spend $9 on a Jack and Coke based on the dumb trends they follow? It’s essentially one silly, consumer-based subculture — Urban Outfitters-clad PYTs — seeking to exclude another. And while a wardrobe of True Religion jeans and a metallic, skin-tight graphic tee may be considered offensive for its crimes against fashion and society, it is certainly “appropriate” attire and nothing that any club has any real reason banning.

In the NewOrleans.com interview, writer Karen Dalton Beninato asks Thomas if, hypothetically, “Jersey Shore” cast member Snooki (of getting-punched-in-the-face fame) wanted to see the upcoming Spoon show, would the Almighty Fashion High Priests abide?:

Absolutely [not] … if Snooki is wearing anything that Snooki wears, the same Jersey Shore-esque clothing she is known for and [is] rocking a pouf. If Snooki has a life changing event and starts dressing like a normal human being, by all means — come and see Spoon.

First, what if Snooki sincerely wants to fist-pump her way through the crowds to hear Britt Daniel sing “I Summon You”? What now, Nick Thomas? And second, since when is Republic an authority on how “normal human beings” dress? Not all people would agree that wearing, say, a see-through lace body suit (slightly NSFW), outfits made entirely of lamé or ironic eyeglasses is how a “normal human being” dresses.

This was probably inevitable, since Republic has expressly stated its mission to hand-pick its ideal crowds since its inception. From the Lifestyle Revolution Group Web site:

Republic is a hub of creativity and entertainment for the progressive group of people living in and visiting New Orleans intent on revolutionizing the city’s professional and artistic landscapes, providing first-class social experiences and constantly evolving entertainment through music, fashion, philanthropy, film and the arts. Republic caters to a diverse, interesting and eclectic clientele, and its guests’ experiences are paramount to everything created there.

Diversity, however, is limited to the extent to which you are not a “guido.”

If you plan on joining any Oscar pools before or during the awards (March 7), don’t give away an easy pick on live-action shorts. The New Orleans Film Society screens the live action shorts today through Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the Prytania Theatre. The five nominees come from India, Australia, Sweden, Ireland and the U.S. All are well-made, though I found Kavi (about poverty and child labor) predictable and Miracle Fish (about a bullied young boy) pointless. The Door (sort of about the degradation Russian people experienced at the hands of the Communist regime), from an Irish director but filmed in Russia, was exquisitely well done. I would bet the winner will come down to either the humorous Swedish film about a not-so-talented magician who lives with his parents and The New Tenants (above), a darkly comic, claustrophobic bit of pathos reminiscent of David Lynch’s best work. It alone makes the showcase well worth the ticket.

By Brandon Meginley

Jackie Collins comes with a tagline: “She’ll keep you up all night.” Given the titillating nature of the bestselling author’s work, readers may find themselves opening the blinds to sunlight after sitting down to read her 27^th novel, Poor Little Bitch Girl. It’s classic Collins characters at their most licentious. It opens with courtesan Annabelle Maestro primping in preparation for a gig with the 15-year-old son of a wealthy oil man. What could go wrong?

Collins has sold 400 million books internationally since the late 1970s. This places her somewhere between fellow Brits JK Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien in all-time sales. It puts her at an advantage over Michael Crichton, Anne Rice, and James Patterson combined. Poor Little Bitch Girl will be sixth on the New York Times Best Seller list this Sunday. She signs books at Masquerade at Harrah’s New Orleans Casino at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m Saturday.

Collins talked to Gambit about the book, her impressions of New Orleans, and her writing process.

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