The fun never stops at the Citizen. Former Features designer Christine Seliga tries to prevent Rogelio Olivas from being sucked into the pneumatic tube system and winding up with the crazies in Composing.

I’m either in love with or co-dependent on the Tucson Citizen. It’s hard to know the difference.

After leaving twice to work at bigger newspapers, I returned within three months to the Citizen. I just couldn’t stay away.

At the other papers, I felt like just another cog in the machine, someone whose name the publisher didn’t even know. Departments didn’t even mingle with one another.

They were so different from the Citizen, where everyone knew one another and where the editors and employees made staffers feel like family.

That feeling of family is what’s helping many of us get through this wrenching time – but it’s also what’s causing the most heartache, because we’re losing loved ones.

Fellow employee Gabrielle Fimbres described it best. When she found out that Gannett was selling the Citizen, she said she felt as if she had just unexpectedly been served with divorce papers from someone whom she still adored but who didn’t love her back.

The situation’s been tough. Many of us can’t sleep at night and we’re deeply worried about finding work in this troubled economy. Like many Americans, we’re afraid of not being able to provide for our families and of losing our homes.

We’re desperate for jobs. Many of my fellow employees are applying for positions for which they are way overqualified, which is a shame because they are so talented and good at what they do.

It’s unfortunate that they just can’t work for our competition, The Arizona Daily Star, whose employees also are insecure about their future in this Internet-cable TV age where newspapers are becoming a dying breed.

With the closing of the Citizen, some journalists and readers have lamented the loss of a second source for local news coverage in Tucson. But readers also will miss out on having two distinct (and often opposing) voices covering entertainment in the Old Pueblo. No more dual reviews of movies, restaurants, books and plays, which disappoints me because our critics were always fair, objective, knowledgeable and just as good (if not better) than the competition’s.

Like many of my colleagues, I have no idea what I’m going to do next. Journalism is all I’ve known since graduating from the University of Arizona in 1985 and working at papers in Yuma, Phoenix, New York City and here.

But I’m glad I have interim editor-publisher Jennifer Boice and associate editor Mark Kimble to help shepherd me and my co-workers through this trying time. Jennifer, who’s been at the paper for 25 years, truly is one of us and cares deeply about our welfare. When she cries with us, her tears are genuine and heartfelt.

I’ll never forget Mark because when I started working here in the early 1990s, he encouraged me to ask for a raise. Without me even asking him, Mark accompanied me to the publisher’ office and argued my case. I got my raise that week. Thank you, Mr. Kimble.

As I wind down my career at the newspaper, I find myself working 12-to-14-hour days instead of the usual 8 to 10. I tell myself it’s because I have lots more work to do. But deep down I know it’s because I want to spend as much time as possible with my Citizen family in our home. After 18 years (off an on) as a copy editor, page designer, reporter and entertainment editor, I dread my third departure from the Tucson Citizen on May 15 – because this time I can’t come back.

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Stupidest headline I ever wrote

“Man drowns to death” – almost as bad as saying someone was murdered to death.

The two words on the police scanner that always drew a collective groan from the newsroom

“Rectal bleeding”

What I always wanted to tell callers complaining about a missing Jumble or astrology listing:

Get a life!

The life lesson I will take with me

Never let a boss abuse you emotionally. I did – but I never will again. To others in the same situation, no job is worth your dignity. Call the abuser on his behavior, or quit. You’ll be a stronger person for it.

What I’ll miss most

• Interacting with readers and the thrill of discovering new music talents and sharing them with others.

• Working with our great Features staff, including the incomparable Chuck Graham, whose stuff I began reading (and enjoying) when I was in junior high; the wacky Dan Buckley, who always brought a smile to my face; the always hip Polly Higgins, who schooled me on pop culture; the irascibly charming Larry Cox, my partner in snark; Kristina Dunham, who made all our stories come to life with her dazzling page design; our super talented young writer Otto Ross, who restored my faith in today’s youth; and my right-hand gal, Elsa Barrett, who always had my back.

What I won’t miss

• Whiners who say there’s nothing to do in Tucson. Bull! The Old Pueblo has plenty of options for fun. You just need to open your mind, get off your lazy butt and explore the city.

• The cowardly online posters who hide behind a cloak of anonymity to spew their bile and link all the woes of the world to illegal immigration. What will you do without us?

Future career options

Telenovela writing school; Tiger Beat intern; plus-size model

Gay- and lesbian-themed movies at the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival were just too fabulous for their own good. The flicks were so creative, piercing and abundant that TIJFF organizers decided to give them a festival all their own. In an e-mail interview, TIJFF co-chairs and life partners Bob Nichol and Bob Polinsky discuss the genesis of the event.

Question: How did the Fabulous Faygeleh LGBT Film Festival come about?

Answer: Traditionally the Tucson International Jewish Film Festival has included at least one LGBT film in the main festival program in January. However, while our film jury was vetting films for the 2009 festival, we found that there were several excellent LGBT films with universal LGBT themes and that were either from Israeli filmmakers or addressed LGBT interests from the Jewish perspective. We wanted to have more time available to show more of these excellent films. Since there was not room in the January festival schedule for more films, we decided to launch a new program dedicated entirely to LGBT films that spoke to universal LGBT themes and that had some Jewish content or connection.

What do you hope to accomplish through the festival?

Entertainment, together with information about universal LGBT themes. We want our audiences to have a great time at the movies, but also to leave the auditorium with increased understanding of the universal themes of tolerance and the struggles of LGBT persons, regardless of the country in which they live their daily lives.

How did the folks from the local International Jewish Film Festival and the JCC react to your idea?

When we introduced the idea of a new festival event to our committee, they were nothing short of enthusiastic about the idea. Consistent with its policy of support for the LGBT community, the management of the Tucson Jewish Community Center did not hesitate to provide the venue for the festival. We were on our way.

How did you select the films? What were you looking for?

Our film jury is constantly searching for new films and previews potential films every week. In the course of vetting dozens of films for the annual festival program, we find many high quality LGBT films that meet our criteria for high production value and universal LGBT themes. We work very hard to find films that provide quality entertainment while encouraging cultural diversity, intellectual growth and dialogue within our audience. We look for films that challenge long-held assumptions and stereotypes.

It seems that more gay- and lesbian-themed movies are coming from Israel. Why do you think that is?

Israel has a very vibrant new film industry, with young, innovative and creative filmmakers. They are finding their voice in world cinema and it is only natural that LGBT themes would find a powerful voice in the universal language of film.

Besides the screenings, what other activities are planned for the festival?

Our Sunday afternoon program is devoted to education and participation by our community partners, Southern Arizona Aids Foundation (SAAF), TIHAN (Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network), Wingspan (Tucson’s LGBT Community Center) and the Jewish LGBT Inclusion Project (Jewish Community Relations Council). The first film on Sunday, “Mom, I Didn’t Kill Your Daughter,” is a powerful and touching film that follows the personal odyssey of a F2M transgender person in Israel. The film will be followed with a panel discussion on transgender concerns and an audience Q&A. The second film, “Darling: The Story of Pieter Dirk Uys,” tells the story of the controversial South African activist, Pieter Dirk Uys, and documents his efforts to bring accurate AIDS prevention education to South Africa’s schoolchildren. That film will be followed with a panel discussion on AIDS education and prevention with participation by SAAF and TIHAN. AIDS infections are once again on the rise in Arizona and we believe that this film has an important message for everyone. A single ticket purchase on Sunday afternoon will be good for both of the afternoon shows.

How did you come with the name for the festival?

It practically created itself. The word “faygeleh” is old Yiddish and means “little bird.” Over the years the word has been used as a euphemism when referring to a homosexual person. Now, the word is losing its negative connotation and when used in the name of the festival, the alliteration of the words was too much fun to pass up.

How hopeful are you that the festival will become an annual event here?

We are already vetting films for the 2nd annual Fabulous Faygeleh Film Festival in May of 2010. The Tucson International Film Festival volunteer team and the management at the Tucson Jewish Community Center are very pleased and gratified by the enthusiastic reaction to the new festival from the greater Tucson and Pima County community. We are confident that the Fabulous Faygeleh Film Festival is destined to be a permanent part of the Tucson arts scene. Also, we hope that people will keep in mind that you don’t have to be Jewish to come to the festival and enjoy the films. These movies are for everyone.

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IF YOU GO

What: Fabulous Faygeleh LGBT Film Festival

When: Various times Thursday-Sunday

Where: Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road

Price: $6

Info: 299-3000, www.tucsonjewishfilmfestival.org

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MOVIE SCHEDULE

• 7 p.m. Thursday: “Jerusalem is Proud to Present,” a compelling documentary from director Nitzan Gilady reveals the events of the summer 2006, when Jerusalem was host to the World Pride events. The events spurred turmoil in the politically charged city, where Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders banded together in opposition to the gay festivities.

• 7 p.m. Saturday: “Antarctica” – Is love dead, or are we all just looking in the wrong places? That’s the question posed in writer/director Yair Hochner’s film, the first Israeli queer romantic comedy. In this sexy romp, Omer is about to turn 30. He works in a library, where he is happy to spend his time reading books and avoiding life.

• 1 p.m. Sunday: “Mom, I Didn’t Kill Your Daughter,” from director Orna Ben Dor. An Israeli F2M transgender couple struggle to find their identity in a world that doesn’t understand them.

• 3 p.m. Sunday: “Darling: The Pieter Dirk Uys Story” – When he was 15, Julian Shaw witnessed a one-man show by the controversial and brilliant South African political satirist Pieter Dirk Uys. A half-Jewish, half-Afrikaaner, anti-apartheid activist and entertainer, Uys was renowned for his drag alter ego, and passionate critique of South Africa’s failure to educate children about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Both of the afternoon movies are included with the purchase of one ticket.

• 7 p.m. Sunday: “The Secrets,” a dramatic religious mystery from director Avi Nesher where women search for their own voice in an ultraorthodox, patriarchal world. The film is set in Safed, the site where the mystical texts of the Kabala were first received, and focuses on a vibrant community of scholars.

Question-and-answer sessions about issues of AIDS education and prevention, and the struggle for gender identity follow each screening May 17. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) and Wingspan are community partners for this Sunday afternoon program.

The Tucson Symphony Orchestra must raise at least $1 million by the end of this year to ensure programming beyond next season.

That’s the word from the orchestra, which Thursday sent an appeal to donors and the public, saying, “We need your support now if we are to survive the economic turmoil disrupting the TSO’s successful progress on its path to financial stability.”

“Perfect storm” conditions have spurred the emergency fundraising campaign, a TSO news release states. These include a decline in contributed income and lower ticket and investment revenues.

“The TSO has cut costs as much as possible,” the release says. “It has cut administrative staff and salaries of both staff and musicians, plus has asked guest artists for fee concessions. Any more cuts will seriously threaten the orchestra and the music.”

For more details, visit www.tucsonsymphony.org or call 792-9155.

The B-52s will perform June 24 at Centennial Hall as part of UApresents' new season.

Centennial Hall will be transformed into a love shack in June when The B-52s perform there as part of UApresents’ new season, which this year includes two summer shows.

Joining the veteran new wave band on the Summer Fun bill is country star Randy Travis, who performs at UA in August.

“Centennial Hall is very rarely used over the summer and it’s a great place to beat the heat on a hot summer’s day,” said Mario M. Di Vetta, UApresents marketing and publicity manager.

The University of Arizona arts group seems little fazed by a 75 percent cut in state money, which accounts for only 20 percent of its funding. The 2009-10 season has 32 events, down only four from last year.

Among the highlights are a comedy show by Lily Tomlin, a Christmas concert by Mannheim Steamroller and a Broadway tribute by Barbara Cook and Christine Ebersole. Popular performers returning include country singer Kathy Mattea, Celtic band The Chieftains, folk music royalty the Guthrie Family, world music choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and baroque ensemble Interpreti Veniziani.

Other acts include bluesman B.B. King, crooner Michael Feinstein and classical pianist Olga Kern, who have all played at different Tucson venues in the past.

UApresents also continues its community outreach with a free production of “The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later . . . An Epilogue.”

The show “is something that UApresents is extremely proud to be working on,” Di Vetta said. “Communities across the United States will hold this special performance on the 11th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s murder as Tucson begins a dialogue to educate, debate and raise the collective consciousness in matters of civil rights, violence and bigotry.”

Current subscribers can renew their packages beginning Wednesday. New subscriptions go on sale May 18, and individual tickets will be available June 15.

For the B-52s and Randy Travis concerts, tickets go on sale May 4.

For more information, call 621-3341 or visit uapresents.org.

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UAPRESENTS 2009-2010 SCHEDULE

SUMMER FUN

The B-52s, June 24

Randy Travis, Aug. 22

SEASON OPENER

The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show, Oct. 3

HOLIDAY

The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller, Dec. 6

CLASSICAL

Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, Oct. 25

Olga Kern, Feb. 13

Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra, March 8

Interpreti Veneziani, April 15

DANCE

MOMIX: “ReMIX,” Jan. 23

Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet “A Cinderella Story,” Feb. 6

Mark Morris Dance Group, March 12

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, April 16

JAZZ & BLUES

Joan Osborne, The Holmes Brothers and Paul Thorn, Oct. 24

The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Feb. 28

B.B. King, Nov. 20

The Dave Brubeck Quartet and The Ramsey Lewis Trio, March 26

Monterey Jazz Festival: Kenny Barron Trio, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling and Russell Malone, April 27

WORLD

Tito Puente Jr. and his Orchestra, Oct. 10

TAO: Martial Art of Drumming, Feb. 20

The Chieftains, Feb. 24

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, March 14

CENTER STAGE

Kathy Mattea: “Moving Mountains,” Nov. 7

Michael Feinstein: “The Sinatra Project,” Jan. 30

“The Music of Broadway” with Barbara Cook and Christine Ebersole, Feb. 27

An Evening with Lily Tomlin, March 6

SPOTLIGHT

Ballroom with a Twist hosted by Louis Van Amstel of “Dancing with the Stars,” Nov. 14

Tap Dogs, Sept. 26

“Universe of Dreams” with Neal Conan and Ensemble Galilei, Feb. 12

The Vienna Boys Choir, March 20

Guthrie Family Rides Again, April 9

FAMILY FUN

“A Year With Frog and Toad,” Jan. 24

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

The Laramie Project: “10 Years Later . . . An Epilogue,” Oct. 12

Monty Python’s “Spamalot” will finally wind its way to the Old Pueblo, courtesy of Broadway in Tucson.

The company on Friday announced its 2009-2010 season, which also includes another hit musical, “Legally Blonde,” classics “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Chicago” and singing hunks The Ten Tenors in a holiday concert.

Here’s the schedule:

“Spamalot,” Sept. 22-27

The Ten Tenors, Dec. 15-20

“Legally Blonde The Musical,” Jan. 19-24

“Fiddler on the Roof,” Feb. 23-28

“Chicago,” April 13-18

All shows are at the Tucson Music Hall, except for The Ten Tenors, which will have a weeklong run at the Fox Theatre.

New season ticket packages, which range from $93-$344, will be available April 24. To order tickets, call 866-821-2929 or log on to www.broadwayintucson.com.

Local drummer Erik Truelove attributes his success to lots of practice.

Tucson is home to the “World’s Most Accurate Drummer.”

Local musician Erik Truelove has won the title four times at the National Association of Music Merchants show. Last year the 39-year-old drumming sensation scored 758 out of a possible 800, the highest mark recorded to date.

The competition involved playing the same two-bar rhythm for at least one minute on a Beatnik Rhythm Analyzer electronic drum pad. Truelove, who plays with country-rockers the Jadi Norris Band on Thursday nights at the Maverick, moved to Tucson in 2001 from Seattle.

In a recent e-mail interview, the ever congenial Truelove reveals the truth about his name, enlightens us about the keys to good drumming and shows his hidden talent for stand-up.

Question: First things first, is Erik Truelove your real name? That sounds like the perfect stage moniker.

Answer: I get that a lot, but it actually is my real last name.

You’ve won the title of “World’s Most Accurate Drummer” four times. What’s the secret to your success?

The first win I would have to attribute to my teaching experience and a quest to overcome the sloppy sense of meter that I developed in my younger playing years. The subsequent times were from LOTS of practice.

You also teach drumming. What’s the best advice you give students?

It’s usually the old adage of “less is more.” A lot of times drummers tend to overplay and fail to simply play what the song needs. Actually any musician can fall into this trap but I think it is more noticeable when a drummer does it. The drummer’s primary responsibilities are to create a solid rhythm, add texture, and to punctuate the song. If the drummer is trying to be too flashy, the likelihood of he or she abandoning those responsibilities is much greater.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you onstage?

It was either when I was in first grade and I was playing one of the little drummer boys in the Christmas play. We had made our own drums out of oatmeal containers and tire inner tubes. When our big part of the show came up, I dropped my stick right off the stage. I was mortified; I think I may have even cried. I’m scarred for life as you can see. The other time was a few years ago when I was performing for the filming of a TV reality show called “Girl Meets Cowboy.” I realized, as I was setting up my drums, that I had forgotten my cymbals but had no time to try and get them, so I had to improvise. The only thing I could find that was made out of metal in the middle of the desert were the license plates off my car. So, I played that gig with license plates for cymbals.

Which local bands or musicians have you toured with?

I toured with a psychedelic, desert rock band called Rich Hopkins & the Luminarios in February of 2007. We did a European tour that consisted of 23 shows in 24 days. That was a pretty grueling tour schedule, but it was a bunch of fun. Playing overseas was great because the fans were so appreciative of live music as an art form and we were really well taken care of as far as the accommodations and food. The beer was delicious, too! I have also toured a few times around the country, and once in Mexico, with the very talented country singer-songwriter and good friend Andy Hersey. Additionally, I have done some regional touring with the funky, jazzy, rock band The TRYST. They have a very “Partridge Family”-style tour bus that makes touring with them more fun than should be legal. I hope to have the opportunity for more touring. It’s such a great way to see new places and meet new people.

What’s the biggest fallacy or misconception about drummers?

There are so many jokes out there about drummers being dim-witted and slow, like: How do you know if the stage is level? . . . The drummer drools out of both sides of his mouth! Or, what do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? . . . Homeless! Badum Chhhh! However, in my experiences I’ve found that most drummers are actually very smart and organized. The act of drumming itself is multitasking at its finest.

Why did you want to become a drummer?

When I was a 6-year-old boy, I remember looking through the Sears catalog at the drums sets and being totally enthralled by them. I think this must have been right after seeing the late, great Buddy Rich performing seemingly impossible things on the drum set on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” Besides, I knew at that young age that drummers get all the chicks!

Who were your music idols when you were younger?

The Beach Boys, Van Halen, Motley Crüe, Queen, KISS, and of course, Animal from the Muppets.

Besides you on drums, which other famous musicians would be part of your fantasy band?

Stanley Jordan on guitar, Wil-Dog from Ozomatli on bass, Bernie Worrell (Dr. Woo) of P-funk on keyboards and Sade on vocals. Can we make that happen?

With the looming death of the Tucson Citizen, I decided to start cleaning out my desk. One good thing came out of the experience: I came across a pile of choice Latin CDs buried among the debris. They’re worth checking out.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

“La Luz del Ritmo” (Nacional Records)

Set for release Tuesday, this disc is the Latin rock band’s first studio album in a decade. Included are new original songs, reworked interpretations of such classics as “Mal Bicho” and “Padre Nuestro” and the group’s take on The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” The 13 tracks showcase the Grammy Award-winning band’s mix of ska, rock, tropical, punk, reggae and Latin rhythms. Standout tracks: the revamped “Padre Nuestro,” with its sweet reggae-tango beat, and the low-key, haunting “Condenaditos,” which shows a different side of the rollicking rockers.

Novalima

“Coba Coba” (Cumbancha)

Music collective Novalima follows up its 2006 breakout CD, “Afro,” with the equally sizzlin’ “Coba Coba,” which continues the Lima group’s exploration of Afro-Peruvian rhythms blended with modern club-dance beats. The creative fusion of these Latin, African and contemporary dance sounds explodes in a frenzy of percussion, soul and high energy that will have music purists turning (and boogeying) in their graves. Also in the mix: reggae, dub, salsa, hip-hop and Cuban son.

Lydia Mendoza

“The Best of Lydia Mendoza” (Arhoolie Records)

Before there was Selena, there was Lydia Mendoza. Recognized as the first Queen of Tejano music, she was known as “La Alondra de la Frontera (The Lark of the Border).” The Houston native began her career in 1928 and entertained audiences for more than 60 years. The passion and depth of her interpretations of songs resonated with audiences along the border, especially the working class, who considered her the voice of the people. Mendoza was the first Texan to receive the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1999 by President Clinton. The CD chronicles the best material from the Mexican-American music pioneer: corridos, boleros and rancheras, including her signature hit, “Mal Hombre.”

RH+

“Quintana Roo”(Nacional Records)

A combination of indie rock and electronica, “Quintana Roo” is the U.S. debut CD from Chilean band RH+, formerly known as Rock Hudson. Fans of dreamy electronic pop groups such as Broken Social Scene, Air, and Stereolab will appreciate the music of RH+, the record label assures us. I’m sold. Interchanging male and female vocals, the songs offer a soothing, surreal feel and sound that is perfect chill-out music.

Monte Negro

“Cicatriz” (Epic)

If you’ve never heard of Monte Negro, you will soon. The bilingual, bicultural alternative rockers are winning raves from critics and music fans for their sound, which they describe as an “amalgamation of styles.” According to their publicist, the group digests healthy portions of Jane’s Addiction, The Cure, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols, Caifanes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Maldita Vecindad, Mano Negra, Soda Stereo, and Spinetta.

Fidel Nadal

“Crucial Cuts” (Nacional Records)

For fans of Latin reggae who have been waiting for a greatest hits collection by Fidel Nadal, the wait is over. “Crucial Cuts” features 17 of the songs made famous by the founding member and frontman for Argentine rasta punk rockers Todos Tus Muertos. Nadal, who went solo in 2000, fuses reggae, dancehall and sound-system beats. Guest collaborators include vocalist Mykal Rose (Black Uhuru), cumbia villera musician Pablo Lescano (Damas Gratis), saxophonist Sergio Rotman (Los Fabulosos Cadillacs) and Jamaican trombone player Rico Rodriguez.

Aterciopelados

“Rio” (Nacional Records)

The Colombian group returns with “Rio,” the follow-up to the Latin Grammy-Award winning CD, “Duo” Singer Andrea Echevarri and bassist Hector Buitrago have never sounded better as their socially and politically-conscious music continues to evolve. They take on such subjects as the environment and immigration with their signature aplomb and intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics.

Comedian Craig Gass has come a long way since stage fright got the best of him during an open mic night at Laffs 19 years ago.

After a disastrous open mic debut at Laffs Comedy Caffe in the early ’90s, former Tucsonan Craig Gass almost gave up on his dream of becoming a comic. He never forgot those meanies who mocked his stage fright that night. Now with a promising career in comedy and voice work, he’s having the last laugh. In a recent e-mail interview Gass, 39, tells us about the taping of a live comedy CD at the Rialto, growing up in a deaf household and why Steve-O was thrown out of the Gene Simmons’ roast.

Question: Tell me about your childhood and how your family situation helped prepare you for your current job?

Answer: Well, I grew up in a family that was deaf. Everyone – my mom, dad and sister are all completely deaf. I couldn’t learn how to talk from my own family, (so) I learned how to talk by watching TV and copying all the voices I heard. I emulated most of the unusual voices I heard on TV, which to this day I still do – from Christopher Walken to Adam Sandler to Tracy Morgan to Sam Kinison. The weirder the voice, the easier it is for me to do it. And I never got an accent from the Bronx, which was next door to where I grew up before I moved to Tucson in 1979.

What did you do before becoming a stand-up comic in 1993?

I got fired from every Wherehouse Records store in town. I managed local bands from the time I was 15 (1985) until I was 23 (1993). Bands like Treachary, Cosmic Boogie Tribe. I loved music, but I had no talent. The one thing I was good at was picking up the phone and helping bands get gigs.

From what shows or movies would people recognize your work?

The celebrity voice impersonator from “The Howard Stern Show”; Miranda’s “Weight Watchers boyfriend” on HBO’s “Sex and The City”; “The new guy” at Kevin James’ work on CBS’ “King of Queens”; The Roast of (KISS’) Gene Simmons, with Jeff Ross, Andrew “Dice” Clay, Lisa Lampanelli, Jim Norton, etc. I’ll make my debut on FOX’s “Family Guy” this fall, doing celebrity voices (I’ve only done one episode so far, but they say they’ll use me more, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed).

What’s been the coolest or most memorable project you’ve worked on and why?

Either “Sex and the City,” because it was so graphic, or “The Roast of Gene Simmons,” because the roasts are so much fun, and so many comedians are trying to get those spots to perform. It’s hard to get on.

Also, something weird happened at the roast that was never explained, and I’m the only one with the evidence of what happened. During the show, you see Steve-O from “Jackass” getting thrown out of the event, but they never explain why. And the reason for that is, it happened during a break in filming. But it happened RIGHT NEXT to me, so I flipped open my camera phone and snapped an amazing photo, which you can see at myspace.com/craiggass. Go to that page, click on the photos, then the “Gene Simmons Roast” photos, and you will see an amazing picture of Steve-O From “Jackass,” relieving himself on Danny Bonaduce. Check it out. And you’re welcome.

Why did you decide to tape your live album in Tucson?

Because last year I did a show at the Rialto, which was the first time my mom and my sister ever came out to see me, so I had to hire deaf interpreters to sign the entire show. (I still have) the visual of the interpreters having to act out every filthy thing I did onstage. One interpreter was really into acting out all the raunchy stuff, and the other one was clearly uncomfortable. It was a comedy show within a comedy show. I realized at that moment, “I gotta film this.” And it’s perfect, because most of my material is about experiences I had growing up in Tucson, so it’ll sound way more familiar to certain people.

Which schools did you attend here and what kind of student were you?

Walker Elementary (You always have to leave out the Lulu part if you’re a guy), where I may have given Ms. Burkle a full-blown coronary. I also went to Amphi Jr. High, and (had) a loooong career at Amphi High School. I had TWO senior years, and I STILL don’t have my diploma. But, I got to go on TWO different senior trips to Mazatlan, which was cool. I attended TWO different 10-year reunions, and this year I’m planning on attending my SECOND 20-year reunion, for my second senior year, which I’m excited about. That’s how easily I get excited.

Do your parents still live in the Old Pueblo?

Yes, my mom is still in Tucson. She lives right down the street from an eegee’s, thank God, or I wouldn’t visit as often.

Is Gass your real last name? I bet you got teased a lot in school.

Yes, believe it or not. And, yes, I got teased ALL the time! I even remember Ms. Emery and Ms. Festger in fifth-grade reading class after one of my outbursts, saying, “Ohhhhh, Craig . . .You’re such a Gass. . .”

You played Miranda’s “glazed doughnut boyfriend” on “Sex and the City.” What was that like and how did you prepare for the role?

HBO told me, essentially, that they can’t actually ask me to put on weight (so I would look like I belonged in Weight Watchers), but if I didn’t fatten up they would probably have to change the material around to fit the script better. I ended up putting on over 35 pounds for the role. My first day on the set I actually had to perform that sex act with Cynthia Nixon for 19 hours, from 6 in the morning until 1 a.m. the next morning. It was, in a word, awesome.

Which famous people did you like imitating as a kid and why?

For no good reason, that guy from the Gordo’s commercials. I was a really, really weird kid.

What is your dream job?

I’m doing it. And I can’t believe it. After doing an open mic night at Laffs in 1990, being so awful and nervous that I barely got out the words, “I’m sorry, I can’t do this,” and bailed out after 30 seconds. My hands were shaking so bad I couldn’t even get the microphone to fit back in the stand. Then, the single most terrifying moment in my life happened: I went back to my 30 friends who I had invited to come out, and we watched as almost every single performer on the open mic said how horrible I was. No jokes, just, “Where is that guy? That was AWFUL.” Very painful, and it stuck with me for years. I finally decided, with the nudging of a friend named DC Collins (who was a DJ at KLPX at the time), to go back and really get revenge on all the comedians who ripped on me that night. And I got lucky. Really, really lucky. I get to perform with all my favorite comedians, from Dave Attell to Dave Chappelle to Chris Rock. I get to watch the best of the best for free before and after I get off stage.

What does your show consist of?

A LOT of dirty jokes, but I am a good person. Impressions of celebrities doing really graphic acts, and stories about growing up in Tucson: cruising Speedway, desert parties, that weird hat on Bob from Bookmans.

———

IF YOU GO

What: Comedian Craig Gass’ stand-up show

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.

Price: $21, $23

Info: 740-1000, www.rialtotheatre.com

Acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and folk-pop singer Art Garfunkel are among the artists scheduled to perform with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra next season.

TSO on Thursday announced its new lineup, which includes the Dec. 5 date with Ma and the Jan. 16 show with Garfunkel.

For the complete lineup, call 882-8585 or check out www.tucsonsymphony.org.

Local musician Domingo DeGrazia will celebrate the memory of his father, Ted, with a concert Saturday at the Fox Theatre.

Tucson musician Domingo DeGrazia is honoring the memory of his late father, local artist Ted DeGrazia, with a concert Saturday at the Fox Theatre. Part of the yearlong celebration marking the centennial of Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia’s birth, the show will feature the DeGrazia Guitar Band performing Spanish guitar blended with touches of flamenco, salsa, rock drum beats and other Latin rhythms.

The elder DeGrazia died of cancer in 1982, and proceeds from the concert will benefit the American Cancer Society.

In an e-mail interview Domingo DeGrazia, 34 – who also is an attorney specializing in juvenile law – discusses his father’s influence on his life, the three CDs he has in the works and how a waitress at one of their restaurant performances became the group’s violin player.

Question: How did you stumble into music?

Answer: I think I was born into music. I started playing piano at age 10 and picked up guitar and bass around age 12. I had only three formal lessons because the lessons had little to do with enjoying guitar and more to do with holding the guitar in a technically perfect posture. I have been writing my own music ever since. My whole family on my mom’s side are musicians and my dad played trumpet, so I literally grew up surrounded by music.

Why Spanish guitar?

I have always been drawn to Spanish guitar music. Spanish guitar music for me combines passion with exotic rhythmic flair. The music can have a strong danceable feel or convey an amazing depth of emotion. Also, the guitar techniques for the right-hand are often difficult to play, making it more enticing.

So you’re working on your new and third CD. Please tell me more about it.

The new Spanish guitar CD will be titled “Nuance” and should be out around July of 2009. It will be the same flavor as the “San Carlos” CD and will include guitar, violin, bass, drums and percussion. I’ve already started recording a few of the new songs and I am excited. Concertgoers can get a sneak peek at some of the new songs at our concert at the Fox. Expect the CD to be upbeat and exotic.

What about the Christmas CD? When will that be ready and what will it include?

I’ve had a lot of people asking for a Christmas CD. The Christmas CD will be ready November 2009 and will have traditional Christmas songs, with a little Spanish guitar flair. It will include “Carol of the Bells,” “Silent Night” and “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting).” I’m planning on some guest performances on that CD.

You’re also planning a classical CD with a member of your band, violinist Beth Daunis. How did the project come about?

I was introduced to Beth Daunis during a New Year’s performance. The owner of the restaurant asked if one of the servers who played violin could sit in with us on a song. I was hesitant, but I couldn’t really say “no” since the owner also hired us. Beth walked up with her violin and I asked if she could play in A minor. She said she could and we played a great song, improvised on the spot. She has been playing with us ever since. The guitar and violin CD should be out by the middle of 2009. Some of the songs that I write are too classical sounding or too folk sounding to be included on a Spanish guitar CD, but the songs are perfect for this CD.

So you’re a musician, lawyer, pilot and former motorcycle racer. Where does that sense of adventure come from and what other careers or pastimes would you like to conquer?

I’m not sure where my adventurous side came from. I started out as a bicycle stunt rider and later moved to motorcycles and before I graduated high school I had my pilot’s license. I’ve always been comfortable in high-pressure situations, so extreme sports felt natural to me. In recent years music and law have dominated my attention so I haven’t had time to pursue other passions. But I look forward to scuba diving, flying gliders, getting back into skiing.

Who were your music influences, and why?

I like well-written songs, from any genre. I started playing music in heavy rock bands so that music will always influence my songwriting. I’m also influenced by classical and folk musicians. To name a few bands I would say, Sepultura, Dream Theater, Jesse Cook, and (Andres) Segovia. I have a few thousand songs in my iPod.

What special treats do you have planned for the concert at the Fox?

We have fantastic musicians and a great stage show. Along with violin, drums, percussion and bass, we have a flamenco dancer coming to perform with us. Also, we have a beautiful stage setup and Allusion Studios is also bringing a DVD crew and they will be recording a live audio CD. The audience will also be naming a song for the new CD. It is a song that I haven’t had inspiration to name, so I thought it would be fun to have the audience name the song.

What do you think your dad would think of all the hoopla surrounding what would have been his 100th birthday?

I think he would be proud. This concert is part of a yearlong celebration the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is holding for him. My dad touched a lot of people with his art, and I think he would be honored that so many people are still celebrating his life and his art.

———

IF YOU GO

What: DeGrazia Centennial Concert featuring the DeGrazia Guitar Band

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress

Price: $25, $35, $50

Info: 624-1515, www.foxtucsontheatre.org

The B*Side Players - (from left) Luis Cuenca, Damian DeRobbio, Reagan Branch, Victor Tapia and Karlos Paez - will bring their eclectic rhythms to Plush on Friday.

The music of San Diego’s B*Side Players is a gumbo of sound. Formed in 1994, the band blends the rhythms of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop.

“The root of all pop music is African,” says Karlos Paez, the band’s lead vocalist, trumpet player and founder, in publicity materials. “Our sound acknowledges that fact. That’s why the music is so soulful. We’re playing the ancient beats that came from Africa to create reggae, son, Afro-beat and funk and mixing ‘em all together.”

In an e-mail interview, Paez and bassist Damian DeRobbio discuss their genre-bending music, Valentine’s Day and charming the ladies.

Question: I see you guys are holding a Valentine’s Day Ball. How are you altering your playlist for this show? Any special romantic surprises planned?

KP: We are going to include some old B*Side classics from the mid ’90s in our Valentine’s set. Some boleros, cha cha cha and more lovers reggae rock.

DD: The romance will be in the ’70s velvet tuxes that we will be wearing! We are going to crown The King and Queen of the ball right before we go onstage and celebrate with champagne, a balloon drop, confetti and probably kick off the party with the song “Alegria!”

Your material is pretty political. What do you hope to accomplish through your music?

KP: Higher consciousness.

DD:World peace and the end of poverty, hunger, segregation, war and oppression.

How did you hook up with Quetzal Flores of East L.A. band Quetzal, and how has he helped you?

KP: B*Side Players Have been around since 1994 so Quetzal and other L.A. bands and musicians have worked together for years. Quetzal helped us to express our folkloric roots.

DD: Quetzal is an old friend of ours. Our manager Ivory Daniel used to manage them back in the day and we have done many shows together. Quetzal and (Quetzal band member) Martha (Gonzalez) are like family to us. It was a little dream of ours to do a record together and “Fire in the Youth” just happened to be that record. We really stripped things down and kept it roots with Quetzal.

What separates B*Side Players from all the other bands that are cross-pollinating music genres?

KP: B*Side Players were the first musicians to reincarnate the ’70s Chicano movement sound: War, Santana, Malo, Fania All Stars, etc. B*Side Players ignited the rebirth of Latin Afro-Funk Soul and paved the way for many Chicano-Latino-Mexican bands.

DD: We represent our area of the world. San Diego, Tijuana, Tecate, Mazatlan and Recodo Sinaloa. When you listen to similar bands, you are hearing the streets that they live on or grew up on. You are hearing their tierra and their barrios. When you listen to The B*Side Players, you are hearing the struggles of the Tijuana border mixed with the joy and culture of our people.

Why do you think your music resonates with so many people?

KP: Music is the balance of pleasure and pain and the universal language.

DD: Our music is just a reflection of life. It is full of pleasure and pain. So hopefully people identify with us because we are just a reflection of them.

What is the biggest misconception about B*Side players?

KP: That we are famous, wealthy, and playboys.

DD: Maybe that we are successful? haha . . . I don’t know. I’m not sure if people realize how hard it is to keep a band like ours together. We have never seen the commercial success of bands like Calle 13 or Manu Chao. We still are traveling through the mountains – 12 guys in a van pulling a trailer. That is what may also keep us so grounded and connected to the street. We are still and always will be part of the struggle and the culture of resistance.

What cultural-political changes are you noticing in your hometown of San Diego or in the country and how are they affecting your music?

KP: The economic crisis is uniting the people and the music scene. In hard times, people prefer struggling together as a family. Bands are doing more benefits and community shows in the recession. Struggle creates good art, music and sex.

DD: Well, this election was a very big win for us and our country. Now we have a general positive feeling about our country and our president. We have gone from being ashamed of our president and his actions to being proud and hopeful. It makes us want to write positive music!

One customer review of your latest CD on Amazon.com says you guys always get the girls. How true is that?

KP: We get the ladies to come back to our shows and return with their moms, daughters, tías and comadres. This is true.

DD: We actually have some new guys in the band who never get any girls. . .haha. . . Girls like to dance and B*Side is a great band to dance to!

What’s your next project?

KP: A world tour.

DD: We are currently working on new songs for the next record and we are going to start filming a documentary on this Rocky Mountain tour.

———

IF YOU GO

What: B*Side Players in concert

When: 10:45 p.m. Friday

Where: Plush, 340 E. Sixth St.

Price: $8

Info: 798-1298, plushtucson.com

One of many interactive exhibits at the University of Arizona's Flandrau Science Center shows a person standing in front of an infrared camera and seeing the image on a large screen. UA President Robert Shelton announced Monday that Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium will be closed to school groups and the public later this spring.

University of Arizona President Robert N. Shelton has placed public outreach on the chopping block and up to 200 people will be laid off to deal with the multimillion-dollar budget blow UA received Saturday from the state Legislature.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed off on $580 million in spending cuts, nearly $142 million of which will be shared by Arizona’s three public universities. UA’s portion is estimated to be about $57 million.

In a memo to students and employees, Shelton said up to 600 jobs will be cut. But 400 of those 600 have already been eliminated, primarily through attrition, said Stephen MacCarthy, vice president for external relations.

The final 200 will have to be achieved through layoffs, “because we don’t have 200 more positions we can absorb through attrition,” said Paul Allvin, UA associate vice president for university communications.

Staff furloughs, which were recently imposed at Arizona State University, will not be necessary at UA this fiscal year. However, to address further cuts to its rapidly declining state allocation in the next fiscal year, all faculty and staff paid with state and locally allocated funds will be required to take five days off without pay after July 1, Shelton said in a memo to UA employees and students Monday. They will have until June 30, 2010, to take the time off.

Details of how furloughs could be taken without affecting classes have not been worked out, said UA spokesman Johnny Cruz.

Shelton also announced in the memo that Flandrau: The UA Science Center and the UA Mineral Museum will be closed to school groups and the public later this spring.

University officials said the closings are not necessarily permanent. Flandrau’s executive director said the center might not reopen until its 2012 debut as part of Tucson Origins, the centerpiece for the Rio Nuevo project.

“We have school groups booked through the end of May and those commitments will be honored, but we are taking no more bookings,” Alexis Faust said. “The reopening may be at the new building downtown. That might make the most sense, but I don’t have an end date for this closure.”

Flandrau is funded through state money and ticket sales. Gate receipts have been dropping for about five years, Faust said.

Shelton also said in the memo the Arizona State Museum and UA Museum of Art will reduce public visiting hours and cancel spring outreach and educational activities. He said 75 percent of UA funding for UApresents will be suspended.

Also, “a significant portion” of the university’s outreach and extension operations will be suspended, and all academic and administrative units will have to make 5 percent across-the-board cuts. It will be the second round of cuts this academic year.

How much money will be saved in each of the moves outlined by Shelton was not released.

Faust said she thought closing Flandrau would net “a couple hundred thousand dollars a year.”

UApresents derives most of its revenue from ticket sales and donations, with the state providing only 20 percent of its current funding said Mario M. Di Vetta, marketing and publicity associate. Shelton’s cut to UApresents means state funding will drop from $600,000 to $150,000 next year, Di Vetta said.

Di Vetta said this season’s show schedule will not be affected. There are 28 shows remaining in the 2009 season of 35 staged shows. The organization is not expecting layoffs – three employees were laid off last June – but UApresents is letting two positions remain open and next year’s season will be cut back.

Those actions will reduce UApresents’ $4.1 million operating budget to $2.3 million next year, a 42 percent drop that Di Vetta said reflects the state funding cut, next year’s reduced programming and savings from attrition.

UApresents has had financial troubles for nearly a decade. After six consecutive years of losses and a deficit that had risen to nearly $1 million, the arts group received a $1.2 million loan from UA in 2006.

Things began to turn around in 2007 and last year. UApresents posted a net gain of $90,370 in 2008, its second straight year-end surplus.

Beth Grindell, director of the Arizona State Museum, said the cuts mean four to eight people being laid off. The museum also will start charging admission and be closed at least two days a week. It is now open every day.

“I don’t yet have the exact number the university will demand of us for our part of the $57 million,” Grindell said. “But I know Dr. Shelton is very concerned to keep with the core mission of educating university students and in keeping with that desire, we are looking at our core mission. On the other hand, we realize we have a duty to the public as the repository of 13,000 years of state history.”

Representatives of the UA Museum of Art and UA’s cooperative extension program could not be reached for comment.

With only five months left in the 2009 fiscal year and four remaining in the academic year, Shelton’s choices to cut $57 million out of UA’s $418.3 million state budget were limited, said Paul Allvin, associate vice president for communications.

Classes cannot be canceled mid-semester and departmental or college mergers take longer than five months, Allvin said.

In his memo, Shelton said those consequences will begin next fall, resulting in increased time to get a degree for UA students. Student leaders have consistently said one of the biggest complaints of UA students is the inability to get the classes they need to graduate. That complaint will only grow louder as UA cuts classes and majors, UA Provost and Executive Vice President Meredith Hay told a Faculty Senate meeting last week.

UA offers about 130 undergraduate degrees, about 120 master’s or professional degrees and about 80 doctoral degrees.

Shelton said the $57 million budget cut hurts more than just UA employees and students.

“The immediate economic loss to the state is at least $2.6 million in lost income tax revenue. Further, every $1 of state funds at the university generates an economic impact of $6.70. UA’s $57 million generates over $380 million in economic impact to southern Arizona and across the state. Clearly, more than just the University of Arizona suffers from a $57 million reduction this year,” Shelton wrote.

Wolfe Bowart mixes mime, clowning, acrobatics and magic in his performances.

Entertainer Wolfe Bowart, who grew up near Sabino Canyon, returns to the Old Pueblo to perform his latest theatrical production. During the three months when he’s not touring, the 46-year-old splits his time between Tucson and Perth, Australia. In an e-mail interview, Bowart – the son of counterculturalist writer and editor Walter Bowart and grandson of Abstract Expressionist painter Edward Dugmore – previews his show, honors his influences and defends mimes.

Q: When’s the last time you performed in Tucson?

A: We premièred our previous show “LaLaLuna” – a quirky tale about the night the light bulb in the moon burns out – in Tucson in 2003. We’ve since toured that show in Brazil, Hong Kong, Greece, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It’s great to be able to return to Tucson to première the new show. “Letter’s End” may have a similar path – after the three performances in Tucson this weekend, we head to the U.K. and then directly to Australia for a 150-show tour.

Where did you go to school in Tucson?

St Michael’s, Schweitzer, Treehaven, Green Fields and Project M.O.R.E. I got around. Last week, I went back to Green Fields and performed an excerpt from “Letter’s End” for the students. Great fun to be back after so many years.

What is your most enduring memory of the Old Pueblo?

Growing up playing in the desert. With today’s urban sprawl, I think, many kids these days might be missing a wonderful part of being a Tucsonan.

How did you fall into physical theatre?

I was about 12 when I started learning circus skills and magic. I’d direct the neighborhood kids in loony movies. I’d have my pet turtle magically perform push-ups on demand (my dad was convinced the turtle and I were psychically connected – he never did find out how I did that).

I later went to college and studied theatre and applied what I learned to physical theatre. I’ve always enjoyed exploring ways to tell stories through physicality first and language second.

Who were/are some of your influences, and why?

Buster Keaton, for his surreal imagery. Charlie Chaplin, for his ability to do it all – write, direct, act, arrange the music, conduct the orchestra, edit the film. He was a true Renaissance man. Jacques Tati for the same reasons. Tati had a simple grace in his comedy – nothing was ever forced.

How long did it take you to master all the skills you incorporate into your act: mime, clowning, acrobatics, juggling and magic?

It’s a lifelong study. I began unicycling at 12, which is hard in the desert, and juggling at 11. The degree was an intensive four-year course in which I learned stage combat, playwriting, directing, movement, acrobatics – all tools applied to tell the story in “Letter’s End.” And after years of performing professionally, I’m still learning.

How did you come up with the concept for your new show, “Letter’s End?”

I have always been interested in memory and how we remember events and people. I was fascinated with the idea of a room full of boxes and letters that represented the inside of a mind. The metaphor of a lost letter office as a room full of forgotten memories. I thought, what a wonderful platform to create a story using circus and film and visual theater.

Why did you decide to première it in Tucson?

I don’t often have the opportunity to perform in my hometown. Also there’s such a big artistic community here. It’s a great place to develop new works.

Critics have described your act as “sublime craziness” and “controlled lunacy.” How accurate are those characterizations? Which others would you add?

I like to create a sense of freewheeling craziness onstage, but underneath all the comedy and magic and circus going on, there are very detailed backstage, light and sound cues occurring that are timed down to the second. So it definitely is controlled lunacy in that sense.

I’d probably also add “family-friendly” and “funny.” The term “family-friendly” has got a bad rap in the past. People have come to associate family-friendly shows with shows that are good only for toddlers and leave everyone else out in the cold. “Letter’s End” truly has something for everyone, no matter what your age.

Clowns and mimes (especially) seem to get a bum rap in pop culture. Why do you think that is?

There are actually many modern clowns in our pop culture. Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, even Jackie Chan are physical comedians or types of clowns. And shows like Cirque du Soleil, The Blue Man Group and Slava’s Snow Show are all physical theatre shows. I think people are coming to understand that clowning and physical theatre is not just squirting flowers and pratfalls.

In “Letter’s End,” you embark on a wondrous story that might make you feel like a kid again and that just so happens to be told without much language.

———

IF YOU GO

What: “Letter’s End,” a family- friendly physical-theatre production by Wolfe Bowart

When: 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd.

Price: $15 adults, $8 children 11 and younger. Tickets available at Antigone Books, 411 N. Fourth Ave.; Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s Toys, 4811 E. Grant Road; Williams Magic & Novelties, 6528 E. 22nd St.; online at http://spoontree.tix.com; and by phone at 800-595-4849

Info: www.spoontree.com

Guillermo Gómez-Peña is "El Mexorcist."

With illegal immigration and homeland security issues still simmering in this country, border performance artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña has plenty of fresh material for his act.

The member of San Francisco-based radical arts collective La Pocha Nostra returns to the Old Pueblo for his one-man show, “El Mexorcist 4: America’s Most Wanted Inner Demon,” in which his stage personae take on immigration policy, the Minutemen, rising nativism and cultural and sexual identity – among other topics.

In a recent phone interview, the 53-year-old author and NPR commentator – whose work has been described as “Chicano cyber-punk” – discusses the evolution of his show, the current political climate in the U.S. and what he expects from President-elect Barack Obama.

Q: Your show is called “El Mexorcist 4: America’s Most Wanted Inner Demon.” So this is the fourth installment?

A. It’s a work in progress. In a sense it’s like the end of a series of spoken-word monologues that deal essentially with the Bush era: What it meant to be a Mexican, to be a Latino in the Bush era in the U.S.; How the war on terror affected us, affected our notions of community, identity. . . . It’s the end of the series because the Age of Obama is about to begin and we’re walking into a new zone with a new kind of optimism, cautious optimism. But this is going to affect the kind of content of art and literature being produced in this country. This is going to be a transitional piece, like I’m saying goodbye to the war on terror and the Bush era and hopefully welcoming, in the name of the arts community, the Age of Obama.

Q. So your work continues to evolve.

A. Constantly. That’s the job of the artist. The artist in many ways is like a journalist. Our job is to chronicle the times like you guys do. But we just utilize a different kind of discourse, a different kind of methodology. We’re constantly tapping into the current issues, trying to articulate the spirit of the times. And in many ways that is the job of the artist: to ask impertinent questions, to ask the questions that are not being asked and to do it originally.”

Q. You call yourself “The Mexorcist.” What is it you’re “mexorcising?”

A. It’s like a word game on the whole kind of “mexiphobia” that emerged in the last three or four years. When the border become the, quote unquote, most sensitive zone of our national security, and the potential entry point for international terrorists, the U.S.-Mexico border became the second front on the war on terror. And migrants from the south became an extension of Arab terrorists, so there was (building) racism and one of the focal points was Arizona. So I created these performance personae to kind of exorcise those fears and hopefully call for a better understanding of our relationship with our southern neighbor, with Mexico.

Q. What other factors do you think are contributing to this rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, especially against Mexicans?

A. The first one is a kind of attitude crisis of identity that the U.S. has been undergoing since 9/11, this idea that our sense of national identity is being threatened by foreigners. So (it’s) a byproduct of the constructive discourse of the war on terror, which in many ways was a war against difference, a war against religious, political, cultural difference, linguistic difference as well. The anti-immigrant sentiment is an extension of nationalism that was constructed by the neocons in Washington. And of course, right now we have a new added element, which is we’re entering a very precarious financial era. People are debating, is it a recession? Is it the third great Depression? The beginning of the end of the great American empire? As we face these financial uncertainties, the jobs that in the past only Mexicans wanted to do are now up for grabs. And the Mexicans in many ways will be the first ones to experience the fear of uncertainty of financial instability. It’s already happening. I just got back from Mexico and there is already a lot of paisanos who are returning crestfallen because the jobs they used to have are no longer available, and the job market is shrinking and shrinking. It’s going to be a tough time for the Mexicano community. Our job as artists is to keep those borders open, to make sure that we cross those borders, to make sure that we invite artists from other parts of the world to cross those borders as well and that we forge transnational friendships and collaborations between artists from the north and artists from the south. It’s a small contribution but it’s an important one.

Q. How surprised were you that immigration wasn’t much of an issue during the presidential campaign between Obama and McCain?

A: I think it was understandable. It was a really hot potato. … If Obama had spoken in favor of immigration it would have been the end of this campaign. So I’m sure they discussed it in his insider group and they decided not to touch immigration as an issue. It was very hot. Right now it’s a very unpopular cause to defend migrant workers, to defend so-called illegal aliens, to defend immigrants without documents. It’s heartbreaking because … it’s a humanist cause. We have the responsibility to aid other human beings regardless of their immigration status. It’s kind of essential humanism, but this kind of argument has been lost in this culture of fear, fear of others that permeates American culture.

Q. What role does humor play in your performances?

A. It’s crucial, and this is something I learned from Chicanismo and from Mexican culture. I think that both Mexican and Chicano culture are extremely irreverent. We don’t hold anything sacred. We laugh at everything, we laugh at ourselves. It’s a way of coping with problems. It’s a very useful performance strategy. If the audience can relax and lower their defenses, you can deal with very sensitive issues in ways that you couldn’t deal with if you were much more heavy-handed. For me it’s an important element. Satire, political satire, humor, irreverence are also kind of like not taking myself very seriously, because the last thing I want to do is preach. For me, I feel that the social problems we are facing are all our fault. We are all implicated and the last thing I want to do is create a binary world where there is us and them, the good and the bad, because precisely I’m trying to dismantle this binary world.

———

IF YOU GO

What: Performance artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña in “El Mexorcist 4: American’s Most Wanted Inner Demon”

When: 8-10 p.m. Saturday

Where: Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Ave.

Price: $12 general, $25 VIP seating

Info: 624-2333, TucsonMuseumofArt.org

Lila Downs

Instead of listing my picks for the best Latin CDs of 2008, this year I decided to make a playlist of the hottest songs. It’s an eclectic mix, with some local flavor thrown in and singles from albums released late in 2007.

1. “Ojo de Culebra,” Lila Downs, from “Shake Away”: The world music diva has four songs on this list, and with good reason. “Shake Away” was the best world-Latin CD of 2008, with its sweet mix of folk, blues, rock and Latin influences. A duet with La Mari of Spanish flamenco-chill group Chambao, this tale of catharsis lures in listeners with its infectious Latin-Middle Eastern beat.

2. “Kind of Latin Rhythm,” The Juju Orchestra, from “The Rough Guide to Latin Lounge”: This Germany-based ensemble charms with its funktified version of bossa nova.

3. “Campanera,” Maneja Beto, “Ruido” EP: The best unheralded band on the alt-Latin scene continues to impress with its intelligent songwriting and innovative fusion of Latin, rock and pop in this cumbia about the Iraq war.

4. “The Anthem,” Pitbull featuring Lil John, from “Boatlift”: Though released in late 2007, many of the songs on this CD stayed hot throughout 2008. Latin dance-hip-hop has never sounded better than on this sizzlin’ hit from the Miami singer.

5. “Quizas, Quizas,” Buena Vista Social Club, from “Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall”: This is a great CD but an even better version of this song can be found on BVSL member Ibrahim Ferrer’s “Mi Sueño” CD from 2007. It’s a rare duet of this standard, performed with Omara Portuondo, and is recorded as a ballad. Classy and romantic.

6. “Tierra de Luz,” Lila Downs, from “Shake Away”: We knew Downs and Argentine folk music legend Mercedes Sosa would one day record together – and thank God they did. The result is this gorgeous and heartfelt ballad.

7. “Pose,” Daddy Yankee, from “Talento de Barrio”: The talented Puerto Rican star continues to separate himself from the imitators by keeping his sound fresh, as he does on this reggaeton smash. He is the young king of the genre. Just don’t tell Don Omar.

8. “Calma,” Bah Samba, from “The Rough Guide to Latin Lounge”: Bossa nova with a touch of ambient, how can Bah Samba go wrong?

9. “Inspiración,” Calexico, from “Carried to Dust”: A big shout-out to the Tucson boys for including some Spanish songs on their latest CD. The best is this duet by Jacob Valenzuela and Amparo Sanchez of Amparanoia, with its hypnotic beats of modern tango-rock.

10. “Akai 47,” Nortec Collective presents Bostich + Fussible, from “Tijuana Sounds”: The Nortec Collective members continue the Monterrey band’s exploration of techno-electronica-norteño-banda fusion on this party song that’ll have you hopping like a Mexican jumping bean.

11. “Tu Fiesta Personal,” Mo’ Horizons, from “The Rough Guide to Latin Lounge”: This funky dance number isn’t your nana’s lounge music. Trust me.

12. “Justicia,” Lila Downs, from “Shake Away”: Downs has never been afraid to speak her mind, and she and Spanish alt-rocker Enrique Bunbury let loose on this rousing and politically-charged duet.

13. “Llego Teté,” Teresa Garcia Caturla, from “The Rough Guide to Cuban Street Party”: The joyful energy of Cuban music overflows in this Latin dance gem by one of the island’s most popular singers.

14. “Mas Que Nada,” Sergio Mendes featuring Black Eyed Peas, from “Lotería Beats Mixtape”: The CD was released in 2007 but this remixed version of the Mendes classic is timeless, melding samba, hip-hop and dance.

15. “Gracias,” Omara Portuondo and Jorge Drexler, from “Gracias”: This elegant, bossa nova-flavored duet by the Cuban songstress and the Uruguayan singer-songwriter is the highlight of her just-released CD.

16. “Yo Envidio El Viento,” Lila Downs, from “Shake Away”: Downs’ cover of alt-country singer-song writer Lucinda Williams’ love song “I Envy the Wind,” flows with passion and longing.

17. Si Tu Te Vas,” Los Temerarios, from “Si Tu Te Vas”: Try to ignore the infectious chorus of this romantic, haunting ballad by the Mexican ranchera-pop group. I dare you.

18. “Ay Chave,” La Sonora Dinamita,” from “Think Global: Fiesta Latina”: An irresistible cumbia from the Colombian superstars, one of the greatest groups of all time.

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