Charleston Gazette

What About Bob (Retiring); a Galaxy of Guest Stars

It was a sad week for television. On Tuesday, the one and only Bob Barker announced that he'll retire in June after 35 years of hosting "The Price is Right" and 50 years in television in general. Sure, I haven't been a "Price is Right" watcher for years, but that doesn't matter. The show is part of American pop culture and he is the show. "The Price is Right" without him is like the Cubs without Harry Caray or WSAZ without Tony Cavalier - the same, but totally different; still around, but not...

Mountaineer Pride

The West Virginia University marching band will give a special performance at Laidley Field on Saturday when more than 25 high school bands from West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania compete in the Tournament of Bands Chapter 8 Championship. Winners go on to the Atlantic Coast Championship on Nov. 11. Competition begins at 3:45 p.m. WVU performs during the first break. Exhibition bands from Bluefield, Logan, Wahama, Riverside and Nitro also will perform. Tickets are $8 for students, $12 for ad...

The Gazz

MUSIC * RICHARD GILEWITZ: 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Gorby's Music, 214 Seventh Ave., South Charleston. Call 744-9452.

Meat and Greet

Elvis sure knew a thing or two about food. And Meat Loaf? 'Nuff said. So it should come as no surprise that the University of Charleston student theater group Theatre Aside is teaming up with the Union Mission to bring celebrity impersonators the Perkins Brothers to UC's Riggleman Hall for a 7:30 p.m. concert Saturday featuring the duo channeling Elvis and Meat Loaf. Rumor has it the brothers wanted to be joined by Mama Cass, but, hey, two out of three ain't bad. Admission is $8, or $6 if you...

On the Go for Tso

If Beethoven had known about electric guitars, the result might have sounded like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The high-energy rock orchestra brings its annual holiday show to the Charleston Civic Center at 7:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $37.50 and $42.50, available at the door, by calling 342-5757 or through Ticketmaster outlets. ONLINE: www.trans-siberian.com

Film Clips

* "CATCH A FIRE": HHH Marquee Cinemas, Park Place Stadium Cinemas. A suspenseful tale of one man's radicalization and eventual journey through hatred to forgiveness, this film is well-acted by stars Derek Luke and Tim Robbins, who give their characters complexity and subtlety. Rated PG-13. * "FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS": HHH 1/2 MC, PPSC. This is a visceral war movie and a moving drama. But it's also a complex mystery as the government, the worried mothers at homes across America, even the servicem...

Schedule

The 22nd annual West Virginia International Fall Film Festival runs Friday through Nov. 11 at the Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers St. Tickets are $7 per film and $5 per matinee with package deals available. Call 342-7100 or 342-6522 or visit www.wviff.org for more on the films. Unless noted, all films are English-language movies from the United States. Friday

Tsotsi a Good Intro to Foreign Films

For the Gazette Much has been made in the past few decades about American cultural imperialism - the belief that American media and culture have had far-reaching and profound effects on the rest of the world at the expense of global diversity. Not surprisingly, Hollywood has had a powerful influence on the global film community.

Movie Review

"Flushed Away" HH1/2 Rated PG (crude humor and some language) Marquee Cinemas, Park Place Stadium Cinemas The claymation masterminds behind "Wallace & Gromit" got together with the computer gurus at DreamWorks Animation, which brought us "Shrek." But this is one of those times in which the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts.

'Alice' to Deliver Friendly Message

For the Gazette Taisha Cameron says that in today's pop culture-obsessed world almost everybody can relate to the little girl in Whoopi Goldberg's "Alice," a production from the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration on Tour.

Papa Roach Sees Gnr Gig As Opportunity

For the Gazette Jacoby Shaddix says being the opening act for Guns N' Roses is a little surreal. The rocker frontman for Papa Roach was in junior high when Axl Rose and company first welcomed the rest of the world to the Jungle.

5 Questions, Scooting Along with Mercyme

For the Gazette MercyMe is a rare example of a band playing outside standard pop radio finding mainstream success without really changing what they do.

Gazzopolis

Gazz Going Out Guide Click onto thegazz.com for a weekly Gazz Going Out Guide, a five- minute video roundup of highlights of things to do in the week ahead. It'll be updated every Thursday by noon.

Voting for Two Shows at the Glass

There are more important things than participation in some sham democracy - like rockin' out. So, instead of standing on the side of busy roads, holding a sign for some goon, hold up a sign for our favorite venue to hit up on the weekends for rock music - the Empty Glass. Tonight, Boston invades Charleston in the form of Beantown-based old-school metal band The Humanoids. If you miss '80s metal, you'll like these guys.

Hilarious 'Borat' Shines From Sea to Sea

McClatchy Newspapers "Borat" is unquestionably, honestly, literally the funniest film I have ever seen.

Feline by Line, You Could Win Cats Tickets

The characters brought to life on stage for the Broadway show "Cats" began in the imagination of poet T.S. Eliot, who wrote a bunch of poems about cats for friends of his. Rum Tum Tugger and his fellow felines are now famous, but maybe there's a cat old Eliot left out. Maybe there's a cat that should have made it into the lineup, but didn't. Send us a brief poem (25 lines or fewer) with your idea of a good cat to see up on stage, and maybe you'll win free tickets to the Clay Center's Dec. 5 p...

Kerry Issues Apology for Remark On Troops

The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Thrust into the midst of the midterm election campaign, Sen. John Kerry apologized Wednesday to "any service member, family member or American who was offended" by remarks deemed by Republicans and Democrats alike to be insulting to U.S. forces in Iraq.

Suspect Was Prizefighter, Lions Leader, Queen Accused in 20-Year- Old Fayette County Slaying, Assault

daveg@wvgazette.com Eddie Queen has often been in the public eye, long before his arrest Wednesday in a 20-year-old murder case.

Raid Nets Illegal Games, Alleged Owner Not Charged

sfinn@wvgazette.com Seven weeks ago, State Police and West Virginia Lottery inspectors raided a Martinsburg warehouse and discovered several illegal gambling machines. The possession of even one of them is a felony punishable by one to three years in jail.

Aracoma Accident Report Due; Meeting Canceled

kward@wvgazette.com Manchin administration officials on Wednesday canceled a meeting of the state's mine safety board, but said they would still release a report on the January fire that killed two miners at Massey Energy's Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine.