Days of Lore

Fraternizing with the frats CN&R News Editor and pistol-packer Josh Indar recently directed me to a listing on Craigslist asking Chico fraternities if they would like their next big part to be filmed by award-winning documentary filmmakers. In exchange for allowing them to shoot, the filmmakers promised to cut a professional DVD together that would capture the party forever—no charge! Sounded fishy to me, given local frats’ recent forays into film making, (adult film company Shane’s World just released a second DVD from the infamous Phi Kappa Tau toga party). So, I decided to respond to the listing under the guise of a fun-loving frat boy. It went like this:

To whom it may concern,

I’m a member of a fraternity in Chico and I’m interested in having you guys film some of our shindigs. Award-winning documentary filmmakers? Sounds sweet to me. We’ll make it worth your while. Let me know what we have to do to make it happen.

I received a response later that afternoon from one of the filmmakers Mike Wranovics, who said he was buried in work, but that he’d get back to me soon. He referred me to their Web site www.upforgrabsmovie.com.

I checked it out and it turns out they’re legit. Wranovics recently directed is first film called Up For Grabs, a documentary on the custody battle over Barry Bonds’ record-setting 73rd home run ball.

I felt a little guilty for not being forthcoming and sent a follow-up e-mail, explaining that I was actually a reporter. Wranovics wrote back and said, indeed they are “definitely curious about the Chico frat scene.”

I’m guessing that Chico State officials are going to be thrilled when they read this.

Speaking of frats and the media The local media was given the opportunity to sit down with three of the former members of Chi Tau, who are serving time for their participation in the hazing death of Matthew Carrington.

Correspondent Keith Morrison was there to do the dirty work for Dateline NBC. One of the young men, John Paul Fickes, informed us that Morrison, who joined the program in 1995 after years at NBC and Canadian television news, was a pretty swell guy when the cameras weren’t rolling. But once the pancake makeup was applied and the lights were on, however, Morrison got into character and laid into them while a guy in another room fed him cards with questions. I want his job.

Boys will be boys I was walking back from The Roost with some friends of mine when something caught our attention on the side of the street. Laying in the gutter on Broadway was a dead squirrel—not unusual, you say. But right next to it was a DVD cover, titled Boys Will Be Boys #1 from Don Goo Entertainment, featuring some young men in some precarious positions.

It was obviously staged, kind of artsy and a bit disturbing. So we decided to inform some neighbors about our discovery, thinking they should know. One elderly woman insisted that she wasn’t responsible. And a family pulled up in their car, but seemed more interested in getting home to eat their burritos.

Check these out: A couple of good shows coming up this week at Off Limits: Machine Green, Bear Hunter and Call Me Ishmael, Fri., Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. and The Americas, Deerpen, Zodiac Death Valley and Cair Paravel, Sat., Dec. 17 at 9 p.m.

House of dildos The CN&R had its Christmas party last weekend. A good time indeed. Thanks to those who attended. The little cakes with dildos on them were a hit.

I’m tired—markl@newsreview.com