Michael Green

When Culver City's most prominent theater company was advised to stop all performances, the group replied with three words that gave birth to a festival aimed at reviving the cultural arts throughout the area.

The WTF?! Festival began on Oct. 13, and the Actors' Gang has consistently filled its 99-seat theater at the Ivy Substation since production started.

 

"We have a really amazing schedule," said festival producer Shana Sosin. "I mean, it's unbelievable, it's unheard of. And these are all people that have come down for nothing because they believe in this company and what we're doing here."

Hollywood Blvd. is home to several characters. I had the pleasure of meeting them Saturday. While all were more than happy to put on a show, some refused to break character to give their real names.

• From top to bottom: 1) Connor Gilchrist Merkovic performs guitar on Hollywood Blvd. 2) Stormtrooper (Daniel Seecela) poses with a young fan 3) Bart Simpson tries to navigate the Chinese Theater with the Scream killer lurking behind him 5) Tray McIntosh strikes a pose while playing drums on empty buckets 6)Tray McIntosh keeps the performance going as he tries to raise money for a new pair of shoes 7) Captain Jack Sparrow clones (Zan Alda and Mr. Rhum Smithe) take a hostage 8) Bumblebee from Transformers shakes hands with a fan
  

Finding a pedestrian-only street in Los Angeles is usually a fool's errand. But that is exactly what you get when visiting the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Located in the Bayside District, the stretch of road accommodates numerous shops, eateries, and farmers market stands.

 

The setting draws an eclectic mix of visitors and locals. Tourist Sehaun Seyar said, "We are over here from the U.K. on holiday, having a good time, enjoying the sun. And came for the beach and the Promenade."

 

But there is also a human element that contributes to entertainment along the Promenade. Street performers are as integral to Third Street as the asphalt that composes its foundation.

ESPN's Skip Bayless does not shy away from confrontation. Throughout his career, he has called out the likes of LeBron James, Troy Aikman , and Terrell Owens.

 

Bayless gained national acclaim as a sports journalist writing for the Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Chicago Tribune, and San Jose Mercury News. Presently, his work can be seen on ESPN's First Take, 1^st and 10, and ESPN.com.

 

So it is only fitting that Bayless comes from a family with deep ties in the...culinary arts?

 

Bayless was born into an Oklahoma City barbeque business - The Hickory House -owned by his parents, John and Levita Bayless. His younger brother is renowned chef and restaurateur Rick Bayless.

 

Furthermore, Skip Bayless cannot think of one person in his entire extended family that likes sports.

 

But Skip Bayless, for better or worse, has made a living off of being unique.

On September 18 news broke that contract negotiations had stalled between the National Basketball Referees Association and NBA. 

 

At the time of this announcement, my television was off, no radio was in the vicinity, and my Internet browser was closed.

 

But there was one application running on my computer: TweetDeck - a program offered through Twitter. As somebody who follows sports on all mediums of communication, this was not my first time using Twitter as my primary information source.