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Schubas and Lincoln Hall sold

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Two of Chicago's most revered North Side music clubs - Lincoln Hall and Schubas - have a new owner this week, which means that longtime Chicago music promoter Chris Schuba is getting out of the business.

Lincoln Hall and Schubas have been sold to Audioleaf - an amalgam of local music company Audiotree and a Michigan business, Greenleaf Companies. The clubs will retain their names, and it "will be business as usual," according to former co-owner Mike Schuba, who will remain as chief operating officer for the two venues.

"There's a new owner, but the operation will be the same," Mike Schuba, 58, said. He and Chris Schuba, 63, bought Schubas in 1988 and Lincoln Hall in 2009 and turned them into two of the most beloved music venues in the city, in large measure because of the astute bookings by a string of talent buyers. The most recent, Matt Rucins, was hired in 2000, and he'll continue in that role.

"Not much is going to change but personally, the big story is that Chris Schuba, who has been in the music business in Chicago for 26 years" is walking away, Rucins said. In terms of major Chicago rock clubs, the only owner-promoter with a longer tenure in the city than Chris and Mike Schuba is Joe Shanahan, who continues to run Metro.

"Chris had a great vision of what Schubas could be," said Nick Miller, senior vice president at local concert promoter Jam Productions. "He asked us (Jam) to bring in bands, and then took off with his own people after that. They've had decades of success."

Mike Schuba said that he and his brother "agreed with each other that it was a good time to sell. He's older than me and he was ready for a change to be out of the business and move forward" to pursue other interests.

Chris Schuba (who recently began working in the Chicago Tribune's advertising department) said the retention of the 70 staff members at the clubs was "essential" to completing the multimillion-dollar deal. "It was an important ingredient that it wasn't going to be a hostile takeover." He declined to be quoted further.

Audiotree is a Bucktown-based company that began operating in 2011 and is best known for its in-studio concert series, "Audiotree Live." It is also involved in artist management and promotion, and the last two years has staged a festival in Kalamazoo, Mich. Two of its employees used to work at Lincoln Hall.

The Audiotree founders, Michael Johnston and Adam Thurston, grew up in Kalamazoo, and Johnston's father, William, is president of Kalamazoo-based Greenleaf Companies, which owns restaurants, hotels and a minor-league hockey team.

Michael Johnston and his father are partners in the new ownership companies, Audioleaf Schubas Operating LLC and Audioleaf Lincoln Operating LLC.

"My intention is to provide Schubas and Lincoln Hall with more resources," Michael Johnston, 31, said. He said he's looking into expanding the amount of live-streaming of concerts at the two clubs.

greg@gregkot.com


Patrick Dempsey's fate on 'Grey's Anatomy' revealed

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If you haven't seen Thursday's "Grey's Anatomy" and plan to - spoiler alert!

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead, if you have not watched the April 23 episode of 'Grey's Anatomy.'

Out of nowhere, the episode walloped viewers with the shocking exit of - wait for it - Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, the reigning heart-throb and a charter member of the long-running ABC medical drama.

Played by Patrick Dempsey, making a surprise departure from the series, Shepherd died from injuries suffered when he was blindsided by a truck.

This was after he had stopped while on the road to administer aid to four people injured in a gruesome two-car crash. He had stabilized them all by the time medics arrived and whisked them away to a small, local hospital.

Moments later, Shepherd's own car was struck, and - irony of ironies - he was dispatched to that same hospital.

There, viewers were privy to Shepherd's thoughts as, gravely injured but unable to speak, this veteran neurosurgeon realized his treatment was being botched and that he was doomed. His undiagnosed head trauma left him comatose. Summoned to the hospital, Meredith Grey, his loving doctor-wife, made the awful decision to turn off the machines in a tear-jerking deathbed scene.

Dr. Grey lashed out at one of the attending physicians who tried to apologize for failing to save her husband.

"Yes, you did fail. You weren't good enough," Grey snapped. "Learn from this. Better yourself. And you will be better for next time."

The episode, written by series creator Shonda Rhimes, leaves Grey, played by series star Ellen Pompeo, facing life as a single mother of two as "Grey's Anatomy" heads toward its 12th season next fall. Its 11th-season finale airs May 14.

Associated Press

Predators defeat Blackhawks 5-2 in Game 5

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The Blackhawks knew they would get the Predators' best shot in Game 5, with the Hawks on the verge of clinching the series.

And the Predators certainly lived up to expectations. They defeated the Hawks 5-2 at Bridgestone Arena. The Hawks still lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 at the United Center on Saturday. 

Filip Forsberg netted a hat trick for the Predators with two of his goals coming in the third period. 

James Neal scored the go-ahead goal after a 1-1 ties on a wraparound just 47 seconds into the third period.  

The Predators added another goal on the power play a few minutes later when Colin Wilson beat Hawks goaltender Scott Darling in front of the net at 3:02. 

It didn't take long after that for the Predators to score again, this time on a one-timer from Forsberg at 3:14. After that, the teams were just playing out the string. 

Kris Versteeg added a goal at 14:52 for the Hawks off a nifty pass from Patrick Kane to make it 4-2. 

Brad Richards came close to scoring in Games 3 and 4 and finally found the net for his first point of the series at 13:27 in the first period for the Hawks' goal in the first period. 

Richards took the puck in close on Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne and beat Rinne under Rinne's left arm. 

But the Predators answered at 14:42 when Forsberg scored off a faceoff in the Hawks' zone and beat Darling high. 

The teams failed to generate many significant chances in the second period, with the Predators getting the best opportunities and an 11-7 shot advantage for the period. 

Kane, who recently came back from a broken left collarbone, took a hard hit from the Predators Mike Ribeiro on his left shoulder but was OK after the hit.  

The Predators got some help in their linup, as veteran center Mike Fisher returned after missing two games because of a lower-body injury.

Chipotle launches delivery service in Chicago

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Today Chipotle Mexican Grill will deliver your favorite chicken burrito right to your door. Tomorrow, you can use your Apple Watch to order it.

The burrito chain, which reported first-quarter earnings this week, said it launched a delivery service in 67 markets, including Chicago.

On Friday, the chain also will launch a mobile app designed for the Apple Watch, Chief Creative and Development Officer Mark Crumpacker said during a conference call. In recent months, the company has been working to boost its e-commerce business and mobile payment options, Crumpacker said.

Now, Chicago consumers can access delivery online or on a mobile app from Postmates.

"We selected Postmates as our official delivery partner in March and now they are currently delivering Chipotle orders in all of the markets where they operate," Crumpacker said.

Postmates is an Uber-like delivery service that uses independent drivers to deliver food, groceries and even office supplies, according to its website.

The delivery service will be available at 11 Chicago locations, according to Postmates:

291 E. Ontario St.

316 N. Michigan Ave.

6 W. Grand Ave.

8 E. Madison St.

10 E. Jackson Blvd.

10 S. La Salle St.

233 W. Lake St.

1166 N State. St.

230 W. Monroe St.

311 S. Wacker Drive

525 W. Monroe St.

crshropshire@tribpub.com

Twitter @corilyns

Derrick Rose scores 34 in double-overtime win; Bulls up 3-0 in series

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MILWAUKEE - A large contingent of the NBA fandom already is salivating over a Bulls-Cavaliers second-round matchup.

Derrick Rose went to a lot of places - attacked the rim, sank a career-playoff-high five 3-pointers, played active defense - in the Bulls' wild 113-106, double-overtime victory over the Bucks on Thursday night at the Bradley Center.

But the Bulls' guard, who finished with a season-high 34 points, wouldn't go there.

"Hell no, I'm not thinking ahead," Rose said.

He should. That series is coming after the Bulls not only seized a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series but rallied from an 18-point deficit and then dodged several late bullets to break the Bucks' spirit. No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 hole.

The Bulls and Cavaliers, who took a 3-0 series lead Thursday over the Celtics, can finish their sweeps this weekend.

Jimmy Butler's steal and breakaway dunk to open the second overtime started a 12-0 run with six points from an attacking Rose. The defensive stretch featured four steals and righted the Bulls' listing ship after the Bulls had blown a 10-point lead late in regulation.

From the moment Rose banked in a first-quarter 3-pointer, signs pointed to this being his night. A whirling dervish of a third-quarter layup beat three defenders. Eight assists set up teammates.

Eight games into his latest comeback - which one is this again? - Rose looks in total command of his game.

"He's playing as the MVP," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said.

Added Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau: "He's back with the attack mode."

Rose, whose 48 minutes were his most in four years, downplayed his efficiency and aggressiveness.

"It's playoff basketball," he said. "I'm still trying to catch a rhythm and just trying to push myself. Sometimes I still get winded. But I'm just playing, no expectations. I'm having fun. And I love competing."

That showed with his primal scream after a basket early in the second overtime.

The Bulls also got Pau Gasol's seventh straight double-double against the Bucks and 14 3-pointers. That included consecutive fourth-quarter 3s from Tony Snell, who finished with 16 points, and four more from Mike Dunleavy, whom the public address announcer forgot to introduce during starting lineups.

This being the Bulls, it didn't come easily. Leading 94-84 with 2:50 left in regulation after Snell's second 3, the Bulls were outscored 11-1 to force overtime.

Khris Middleton sank back-to-back 3-pointers and then a go-ahead jumper with 10.8 seconds left. Rose tied the game by splitting two free throws - "Missed a (expletive) free throw," Rose said - with 4.9 seconds left after drawing a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo with an aggressive drive.

Middleton's long jumper at the regulation buzzer wasn't close.

And remember all that talk of the Bulls needing a second bona fide star and go-to scorer alongside Rose? Butler, familiar with this arena from his Marquette days, has arrived.

In this series' first two games, Butler joined Michael Jordan, Rose and Luol Deng as the only players in franchise history to score 25 or more points in the first two games of a Bulls' playoff run. Butler added 24 Thursday, including 7-for-8 free-throw shooting after his rough outing from that distance in Game 2.

"Got one now, so I'm going to keep feeding him," Rose said of another star option.

"Just the confidence he has from the previous year, just to take so many shots, and then this year to put the team on his back and he's still playing great. C'mon man. He's on a mission."

So are the Bulls, who overcame a second quarter that featured wild swings reminiscent of the April 9 victory over the Heat in Miami. First, the Bucks had a 22-4 run. The Bulls followed with an 18-4 surge.

"Derrick's a hell of a player. I just try to do my role," Butler said. "Playing with Derrick, he makes everything easier for everybody."

One more victory for the matchup everybody wants.

kcjohnson@tribpub.com

Twitter @kcjhoop

 

Diane Sawyer's Bruce Jenner interview: I call bullshit

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I'd like to make a prediction: Bruce Jenner's tell-all interview with Diane Sawyer, premiering Friday at 8 p.m. on ABC, is going to be a huge letdown.

For those viewers who have totally bought into the media storm alleging that Jenner is planning on using this interview to come out as transgender-get ready to be punked.

I'm going on record to call bullshit for a few reasons.

Despite the rumor that Jenner has been transitioning over the past few years, neither Jenner, nor any member of his very public family, has stood up and confirmed the rumors.

The only people who have, in fact, gone on record are anonymous sources. Jenner's mother, Esther, told the Associated Press that the two discussed "the matter" briefly, but is never quoted saying anything that clearly states that her son is transgender. Wouldn't any ethical writer or editor consider a statement like that, um, essential?

I can't remember an unconfirmed celebrity story like this creating a domino effect that reached major news outlets before. This is both telling and dangerous. It's a prime example of why readers need to approach everything with a cautious and suspicious eye. If a news outlet is using an anonymous source-which credible outlets rarely do-is it really believable? Just because someone posts a bunch of random, babbling rumors with sources, quotes or citations of information, does that count as fact? No, it doesn't.

This brings me to the very strategically edited promos for the "exclusive" broadcast, which do not indicate that Jenner will address the rumors about his gender identity. At best, readers are seeing preview stories that indicate he will discuss the rumors, not confirm them.

But for the most part, we get ambiguous clips of Jenner saying (in a low octave that has not changed since he's been in the limelight on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians") things like "it's going to be an emotional roller coaster" while a voiceover states, "the interview, the journey, the decisions, the future."

Give me a break.

Because, if this tell-all interview was solely about his transition, wouldn't it be worthwhile to try to build credibility before the broadcast instead of alluding to specific rumors about someone's gender identity? I mean, people still would watch it, so the risk of losing viewers isn't a valid excuse.  

The only way I would believe this is if I were to see a clip of Jenner saying, "Yes, it's true, I am transitioning into a woman." But if, in fact, what's in store is a clip of Jenner saying, "No, it's not true, I am not transitioning," then no one would tune in, right?

If this is all a hoax, like I'm suspecting it is, then shame on Diane Sawyer. Shame on ABC News. Shame on People magazine. Shame on every grocery store gossip rag and insignificant celebrity blogger site. And shame on most major news outlets who have fed the speculation for the past several months.

If Bruce Jenner denies that he's transgender on television in front of the entire world tomorrow, then this widespread rumor perpetuated by the media is nothing more than a shameful, disingenuous move to grab viewers, readers, listeners and page views under false pretenses.  

I will be watching, along with many people across the country, but I don't think I'm going to see a tell-all interview about Bruce Jenner's transition. I personally believe it will be a standard interview about his life, possibly his life in the limelight, his family, etc.

But I could be wrong

Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.

 

8 men who are trying to date you online

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Online dating has gotten a lot more complicated since seventh grade when you AOL messaged with ShoesNSox about how killer the new Scream movie was.

Nowadays, there isn't just an app for that (and by "that," I mean never-ending true love), there are multiple apps for that . . . and just as many types of men you will inevitably encounter online.

Here are eight of them.

Mr. AppSlut

He is on every app that has ever mentioned dating or hooking up and starts every chat with "Great Smile ;)." Emojis are his bread and butter. He recently joined Grindr, 'cause he heard great things about it.

Mr. Match Monogamist

Oh my god, you both have a scar over your right knee. THIS IS MEANT TO BE! This guy has already named your kids-something super gender neutral, especially if you have twins. BTW, twins run in his family, you?

Mr. 'I Don't Ever Online Date'

Golly gee! This is his first time on this thing. Swipe which way? You'll have to teach him all the tricks! You two should grab dinner and show him how this all works . This conversation was not copied and pasted from his conversations on OkCupid, Tinder, Happened, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel . . . SERIOUSLY, this is NOT Mr. AppSlut, OK?

Mr. 'Don't Tell Our Friends How We Met'

It's not that he is ashamed, but he always thought he'd meet the woman of his dreams the old fashioned way: drunk in a Wrigleyville bar.

Mr. 'I'm New To Town-Be My Tour Guide?'

Fresh off the bus from Smalltown, USA, he came here for his dream job in finance, but golly gee, he doesn't know where anything is! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE show him around. He wants to experience this city with you. Maybe you guys could rent a Davy Bike (he has no idea what you call them, 'cause he is SO NEW to town). Or you could grab a slice of deep dish, but you'll have to pick the best place, because seriously, where do you get pizza around here?

Mr. Hey

He starts 100% of his chats with "hey" because he knows this will make him seem mysterious, laid back, or just damaged enough. His super cool "hey" leads to incredible conversation that is in-depth and is in no way an attempt to see if you will sleep with him. This guy is deep and totally more than just his shirtless selfie that cuts off right above his penis.

Mr. Abbrievs

Luvs 2 chat n code. Lolz. U r gr8. Lolzzz. U r perf 4 him. Tbh he's bin thru a lot of gurls, but u r da 1 4 him. lololololololzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Mr. Not Here Just to Have Sex, But Wants to Just Have Sex

He just got out of a long-term relationship that did a number on him and isn't looking for anything serious, so he can't really commit to more than just the cost of a couple of beers and a box of condoms. He knows how to drive this point home with an unsolicited picture of his genitals. Women love that. By the way, his place has a super cool view. Want to go check it out?

Becca Taubel (@BTaubs) is a Chicago-based comedian who has performed with The Second City Theatricals and can currently be seen at iO Chicago with the Harold team Dogs and CIC Theater with house team Purple Rain. She is free Friday night-if Mr. Right would like to take her on a date. PM her/Swipe Right/Click the heart for details.

Get more at secondcitynetwork.com.

Englewood weighs in on 'Chiraq'

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Asiaha Butler is the president of an Englewood community group. She's also a fan of filmmaker Spike Lee.

So when word surfaced that Lee recently told Mayor Emanuel he's planning to do a movie about black-on-black crime in Englewood and will be calling it "Chiraq," Butler had mixed feelings.

"I am not concerned by his cinematography [or] that his story won't be a good story," said Butler, president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood. "I hope it will be a balanced story."

Butler doesn't like the term "Chiraq" -- a combination of the words "Chicago" and "Iraq" meant to draw parallels between Chicago violence and an overseas war zone. It gives the community a bad name, she said.

"Living in a community like Englewood, which is where the term probably derived from, it's disheartening for me, because we work so hard to change the perception," she said. "We know crime occurs there, but to deem us as Chiraq [and say] that every time you go out you need a bulletproof vest, that's just not the reality we live in."

The mayor doesn't like the word either. In fact, Emanuel recently told Lee he didn't like the film's title, and that the two had an "honest, frank conversation" about Lee's plans for the film. However, Emanuel did not say whether Lee would agree to consider changing the name, according to the Chicago Tribune.

RedEye spoke to those who live, work and study in Englewood to get their take on Lee's plans. That includes 18-year-old Cory Fraction, a student at Paul Robeson High School in Englewood, who said the film title "Chiraq" was "a really good name" for a movie about the neighborhood.

"Everybody knows people fight in Chicago, people get shot at in Chicago," he said. "It's just a nice little name ... I don't take it too serious."

The term "Chiraq" has been popular in certain circles for several years, especially after rapper King Louie popularized it, said Natalie Moore, a reporter in WBEZ's South Side bureau, which was formerly located in Englewood. King Louie in 2011 dropped a mixtape called "Chiraq Drillinois." More recently, the term has bubbled into the mainstream, and Lee's movie puts it directly in the spotlight--which could be hurtful, Moore said.

"There's a lot of weight that's in a name," she said. "I do think the danger is painting Chicago as just this Wild West. There's no nuance in a name like Chiraq."

But Geri Harston, another Lee fan and the COO of Englewood community center Imagine Englewood If, said she doesn't have a problem with the title.

"We have a lot of our residents dying here every day, just like in Iraq," said Harston, who was born and raised in Englewood and now lives in suburban South Holland. "We need to take care of some of these issues at home and bring attention to it."

Englewood has the fourth-highest number of recent reports of violent crime out of Chicago's 77 communities, according to Tribune data, and it is tied for fourth in reports of "quality of life" crimes such as narcotics and prostitution. There have been four homicides in Englewood so far this year, according to RedEye's analysis of police data.

There were 21 homicides in Englewood last year. And while it didn't have the most homicides of any community in the city -- Austin is No. 1 with 36 killings -- the South Side community has a reputation as one of the most dangerous in the city, according to RedEye's analysis of law enforcement data. Overall, the city saw 434 homicides, down from 441 in 2013, according to a review of data.

Butler said that some people might be justified in feeling they live in "Chiraq."

"Maybe that's their reality. Some people's reality is Chiraq. I can't take that away from them if that's what they think," she said. "But I don't think it's fair that all of Englewood is considered that way."

Despite whatever feelings they had about the name, Englewood residents told RedEye they hope Lee's portrayal of the neighborhood is balanced -- showing not just violence, but also the community togetherness, pride in homeownership and active sports scene they love in the neighborhood.

Butler says she hopes people can see "the sense of resilience of people living in Englewood, that the majority of people in my community want a safe, walkable, livable community, that most of us work every day and just try to stay afloat, even though we have challenges in this community."


Snapchat story focusing on Chicago life

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It's Chicago's turn to shine--even in overcast weather.

Snapchat, a mobile photo sharing service, is aggregating short video submissions Friday from Chicago users to create a story of the day in the life of the Windy City. Videos already displayed by Snapchat show people in a boat on the Chicago River, the view of the city from a CTA train and a man showing off his Bulls tattoo.

It may be the first time Chicago has been the focus of this feature. Previous stories have showcased life in Los Angeles, New York and Amsterdam.

Only Snapchat users in Chicago can submit videos but Snapchat users outside the city can view the stories using the app.

Snapchat has become a popular photo sharing service among teenagers because photos are only viewable for a limited time. Snapchat, which launched nearly four years ago, last year reportedly reached 100 million monthly users.

You don't have to be pretty to work at Abercrombie anymore

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Hey, good lookin'. You're out of a job. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is officially retiring its "appearance and sense of style" hiring rule.

The Chicago Tribune reports the clothing company is jettisoning the legacy of former CEO Mike Jeffries by relaxing its rules on abs and style. A&F's look policy once disallowed French-tip manicures, eye liner, certain hair-styling products and mustaches, according to the report. Now 'staches and fancy nails are totally cool. Extreme makeup and jewelry, however, are still prohibited.

Instead of working on their next Blue Steel in the folding racks, A&F is hoping employees will focus more on sales.

The last year has been a strange one for the teen-wear company. It has stopped pumping as much cologne through store air vents, minimized the appearance of its logo and turned down the music.

Oh. Abercrombie is also selling its private jet.

CAN'T WE HAVE FUN ANYMORE?! 

Weekend: Eat. Drink. Do.

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An all-you-can-eat crawfish boil, a beer and dodgeball fundraiser and more weekend things to do in Chicago, April 24-26. 

EAT

Collaborative Dinner

GT Fish & Oyster

531 N. Wells St. 312-929-3501

Chef Mitch Cavanah teams up with Matt Troost of Three Aces and Charlatan to prepare a five-course dinner including chili crab po' boy and octopus boudin blanc. Beer and wine pairings are included. 8 p.m. Sunday. $75. Reservations required by phone or email: emily@gtoyster.com

Crawfish Boil

Kinmont

419 W. Superior St. 312-915-0011

The River North seafood spot celebrates spring with an all-you-can-eat feast including crawfish, shrimp, roasted red potatoes, grilled corn, beignets and one signature cocktail. 4-7 p.m. Sunday. $40. Reservations required by phone or email: jhall@kinmontrestaurant.com

Pastoral's Artisan Producer Festival (Free!)

Chicago French Market

131 N. Clinton St. 312-575-0306

Sample cheese, charcuterie, confections, beer, spirits and wine from 100 producers and catch cheese-making and beverage-pairing demonstrations at the fifth annual event. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Free.

DRINK

The Lager Beer Riot Fundraiser

Benton House

3052 S. Gratten Ave. 773-927-6420

The 1855 protest of Chicago's liquor policies is remembered through a historically themed dodgeball battle and beer tasting from 14 breweries at this benefit for the Bridgeport community center. 6-9 p.m. Saturday. $30-$50. Tickets: eventbrite.com

40 Wines for $40

Eataly

43 E. Ohio St. 312-521-8700

Sample wines grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides from 12 Italian producers at this walk-around tasting with appetizers. 6-9 p.m. Friday. $40. Tickets: eataly.com

DO

Spring Vortex Market (Free!)

Latin American Motorcycle Association Headquarters

3519 W. Fullerton Ave.

Shop vegan food, candles, cosmetics, vintage clothing, jewelry and other wares from Chicago-based vendors at this seasonal market, which also features a bloody mary bar, a raffle benefiting the Garfield Park Conservatory and music from DJ Veganinblack. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free.

Pet Health Expo (Free!)

Canine Crews

1616 N. Washtenaw Ave. 773-235-1616

Get advice from veterinarians and shop pet products at the second annual event, which also features a raffle and bloody mary and mimosa bar ($6 each) benefiting Alive Rescue and One Tail at a Time. The first 50 attendees receive a bag of samples. 1-3 p.m. Sunday. Free.

Spring Collection Preview and One-Year Anniversary Celebration (Free!)

Nichole Beck Hair Boutique

1130 W. Diversey Parkway 773-248-2222

Sip champagne and beer, score beauty tips from a stylist and see models show off the season's clothing, hair and makeup styles. All attendees receive a $10 gift card and samples. 2-5 p.m. Sunday. Free.

REDEYE TIP OF THE DAY

Tickets to the Zoo-ologie: Macaque Masquerade benefit May 9 at Lincoln Park Zoo are on sale: zoo-ologie.org

Bruce Jenner interview: My brain is more female than male

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 In the 1970s, Bruce Jenner was a symbol of American masculinity as an Olympic champion. Nearly 40 years later, in an extraordinary television interview, Jenner told the world that he identifies as a woman and has felt gender confusion since he was a little boy growing up in the New York suburbs.

Jenner let his hair down - literally loosening a ponytail and letting his hair flow past his shoulders - in a symbolic moment at the start of his two-hour interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer that was televised Friday. "Yes, for all intents and purposes, I am a woman."

For the transgender community, it was a moment as significant as Ellen DeGeneres' coming out as a lesbian was for gays nearly 20 years ago. DeGeneres tweeted support to Jenner, saying the former Olympian was "saving lives and opening minds."

"My whole life has been getting me ready for this," said Jenner, 65, known to a younger generation as the patriarch of television's omnipresent Kardashian clan. "It's not just the last few years as they've been treating me as a joke."

The interview was filmed in February in Los Angeles and New York, before a fatal car accident in which Jenner was involved.

Jenner said he self-identifies as "her," not a specific name. But he told Sawyer he felt comfortable using the pronouns "he" and "him," a designation that is an important issue for many in the transgender community, which believes that transgender people should be referred to by the pronouns with which they choose to identify.

Jenner said his "brain is more female than it is male." He said he began gender reassignment therapy in the 1980s - taking hormones, having surgery to make his nose smaller and having hair removed from his face and chest - but gave it up. As Jenner got older, he realized that if he got sick and faced death without facing up to this issue, "I'd be so mad that I didn't explore that side of my life."

As a young boy, Jenner felt an urge to try on his mother's and sister's dresses.

"I didn't know why I was doing it," he said. "It just made me feel good."

Jenner said he has never been sexually attracted to men, and he wanted to make clear to viewers that gender identity and sexuality were separate things.

"I am not gay," he said. "I am, as far as I know, heterosexual. I've always been with a woman, raising kids."

Jenner said he has not decided whether he will undergo sexual reassignment surgery.

"These are all things that are out there in the future for me to explore," he said. "There's no rush for that. And I would do it so quietly that nobody in the world would know."

Jenner's four oldest children appeared on the interview special to support their father, but not the two girls he had with Kris Kardashian. He said his stepdaughter Kim has been a big supporter, urged on by husband Kanye West, but that his stepdaughter Khloe was taking it the hardest.

Jenner's first two wives offered messages of support; ABC said Kris Kardashian's publicist called to specifically say his third wife would have no comment. But Kardashian tweeted that no one had asked for comment and, after the interview aired, tweeted: "Not only was I able to call him my husband for 25 years and father of my children, I am now able to call him my hero."

Jenner told Sawyer that Kris was having a difficult time with it, and that if she better understood it, the couple would probably still be together.

Jenner's 89-year-old mother also was interviewed, saying she was more proud of Bruce than when he stood as an Olympic champion in Montreal.

The E! Entertainment network announced that Jenner would be part of a documentary series about the transition that would begin airing on July 26.

Hollywood offered support. "Tonight" show host Jimmy Fallon, echoing Neil Armstrong when the astronaut took his first steps on the moon, tweeted: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

"Today, millions of people learned that someone they know is transgender," said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. "By sharing this story, Bruce Jenner has shined a light on what it means to be transgender and live authentically in the face of unimaginable public scrutiny. Though Jenner's journey is one that is deeply personal, it is also one that will impact and inspire countless people around the world."

Jenner showed Sawyer a closet filled with dresses and men's clothes. Sawyer said she had a private dinner with Jenner where he wore a dress, but the former Olympian did not appear in one in the ABC special.

Jenner said his two youngest daughters, suspecting that each other was secretly using her clothes, set up a computer to catch the other in the act - only to find out it was their father raiding their closets.

"I would like to think that we can save some lives here," said Jenner, who admitted he once considered suicide at a low point when seen by paparazzi heading to a surgery to have his Adam's apple shaved back. "I have a feeling this is my cause in life. This is why God put me on this Earth, to deal with this issue."

Associated Press

First look: Blackhawks vs. Wild in Western Conference semifinals

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Get ready to hear a whole lot of "Duuubs!"

The Blackhawks are set to face the Wild and red-hot goaltender Devan Dubnyk in Round 2 of playoffs. It marks the second consecutive season the teams will meet in the second round-the Hawks won in six games a year ago.

The Wild's chances start and end with Dubnyk, who has been sensational since being acquired from the Coyotes on Jan. 14 and has had Minnesota fans chanting his name after big saves. The Hawks were 3-2-0 against the Wild this season but lost both games in which Dubnyk started.

While Dubnyk and the Wild were able to shut down the Blues' top offensive players in the first round, the Hawks' firepower -- including a healthy and motivated Patrick Kane -- will present more of a challenge. The Hawks will also have a confident Corey Crawford in goal and home-ice advantage going for them.

Kuc's prediction: Blackhawks in 6.

Lauer, DeGeneres team for racy Daytime Emmys opening

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Matt Lauer and Ellen DeGeneres helped the Daytime Emmys make a gender-bending return to television with a comedy bit involving pasties and black stockings - and not worn by DeGeneres.

"General Hospital" and "The Young and the Restless" were the top winners Sunday with three trophies each, while the latter shared the best drama series award with "Days of Our Lives."

The ceremony opened with a pretaped segment in which Lauer and DeGeneres agreed to end their faux feud. The punchline: DeGeneres had sneakily edited the tape to put Lauer's head atop a man's chiseled body clad only in tasseled pasties, briefs and lace-topped stockings.

The "Today" host, or his shimmying facsimile, agreed to donate a thousand dollars to an unspecified charity each time he was thanked by winners during the ceremony.

"CBS Sunday Morning" host Charles Osgood, whose show was honored as best morning program, offered a heartfelt shoutout to Lauer.

"Thank you for doing what you did because, God knows, I don't want to do that," said the 82-year-old Osgood.

The ceremony took a dignified turn when Betty White was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

"Hello, beautiful," she said to her trophy. "When I started in 1949 I had no idea that I'd still be around at this point, for one thing, or that I'd still be privileged enough to still be in this business. And it is such a privilege."

Tyra Banks hosted the ceremony that aired on the Pop cable channel. The Daytime Emmys, which once had a secure home on the broadcast networks, settled for streaming online last year after a two-year turn on the cable news channel HLN.

The change in fortune reflected the dwindling daytime audience and programming shifts, but that didn't diminish the winners' enthusiasm.

A beaming Craig Ferguson, replaced by James Corden as host of CBS'"The Late Late Show," accepted the trophy for best game show host for "Celebrity Name Game."

"I never win anything. This is fantastic," Ferguson said, adding, "Thank you, Hollywood, for a job."

Freddie Smith was honored as best younger actor in a drama for his role as Sonny in "Days of Our Lives." His character and that of Will (played by Guy Wilson) were part of daytime TV's first gay wedding with two men.

Smith paid tribute to "the LGBT community for showing strength and courage. You're an inspiration to all of us."

The ceremony featured the reunion of Anthony Geary and Genie Francis, the former "General Hospital" couple of Luke and Laura, who presented the trophy for best drama series, a tie, to "Days of Our Lives" and "The Young and the Restless."

Geary was a winner as well, accepting his eighth Emmy for his "General Hospital" role, while fellow series star Maura West was named best lead drama actress.

Other winners included Amelia Heinle, best supporting actress in a drama series for "The Young and the Beautiful," and Chad Duell, best supporting actor for "General Hospital."

"Un Nuevo Dia" received the award for best Spanish-language morning program at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awards.

An in memoriam tribute was introduced by Melissa Rivers, who said her mother's career was reinvigorated by a daytime talk show after her late-night show was canceled. "The Joan Rivers Show" won a Daytime Emmy in 1990, the only Emmy her mother ever got, Melissa Rivers noted.

Among the winners Sunday were "Jeopardy!," best game show; Steve Harvey, host of an informative talk show; "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," entertainment talk show; "Entertainment Tonight," entertainment news program; Hunter King, younger actress in a drama series, "The Young and the Restless"; and Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, entertainment talk show hosts, for "Live! with Kelly and Michael."

Associated Press

Researchers warn of binge drinking by teens at Lollapalooza

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Lollapalooza is known as much for its music as it is for costly park damage, outlandish happenings and surprise attendees.

But it's also known for all the under-21s who attend, and the smorgasbord of drugs and booze ingested during the three-day festival in Grant Park.

So findings released Monday by a team of doctors at Lurie Children's Hospital showing a spike in intoxicated teen girls visiting the hospital's emergency room on Lolla weekend should not shock anyone.

"We hear about Lollapalooza concert-goers damaging the grass in Grant Park but we never hear about the binge drinking among underage drinkers," Dr. Robert Tanz, a pediatrician at Lurie and pediatrics professor at Northwestern University, said in a statement announcing the study. "Teenage binge drinking at this festival is definitely a public health issue."

Officials with the hospital will present their findings Monday to the Pediatric Academic Societies conference.

Dr. Sarah McAndrew, a chief resident at the hospital, said the study does not seek to frame its findings as an earth-shattering revelation.

Rather, she said, it's about raising awareness among parents and other health care providers.

"Everything starts with the parents, and making them more aware," she said.

The fact that many of the drunk festival attendees who visited the ER last summer were teen girls raises other concerns as well, McAndrew said.

Girls and young women in such a state are vulnerable to sexual assault and other forms of exploitation, she said.

McAndrew worked the ER during last year's festival.

"It was pretty crazy," she said. "Late at night, there was room after room of kids that came after Lollapalooza, that were brought by their friends and paramedics."

Parents had to be contacted, McAndrew said, creating a whole other logistical headache for everyone involved.

"A lot of tears going on when we tell them we have to call their parents," she said.

Some teens came in with blood alcohol levels that were four times the legal limit, according to McAndrew. Nine teens had to be admitted overnight because of alcohol abuse.

While attendees are searched before they enter Grant Park, researchers think many of the teens had alcohol with them or drank heavily before entering.

"They've also heard stories of teenagers 'planting' the alcohol in Grant Park before the festival and recovering it when they get there," according to the statement.

Lurie Children's researchers compared the number of emergency room patients during Lollapalooza weekend 2014 with four control weekends - two just before and two after. On the control weekends, there was an average of 69 patients. During Lollapalooza weekend there were 84, including 31 who said they had attended Lollapalooza. The hospital tested 26 of those 31, and every one had a blood alcohol level above 0.08, according to the study.

The patients from Lollapalooza were more likely to be female. During the control weekends, half of the patients were female. But more than two-thirds of the patients who said they came from Lollapalooza - 22 of 31 - were female.

Teens also accounted for a greater proportion of ER patients (25 percent) during Lolla weekend compared with 19 percent during the other weekends, according to an abstract of the study.

"However they are getting the alcohol, parents need to be aware of their teenager's behavior," Tanz said.

This year's festival runs July 31 to Aug. 2.

geoffz@tribpub.com

Twitter @JournoGeoffZ


No bones about it, leashed dogs will be allowed on The 606

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Leashed dogs will be allowed on The 606 park and trail system once it opens in June, unlike Chicago's popular downtown parks - Maggie Daley Park and neighboring Millennium Park.

The 606 park will feature 2.7 miles of the elevated concrete Bloomingdale Trail that will connect to six ground-level neighborhood parks along Bloomingdale Avenue from Ashland Avenue to the east and Ridgeway Avenue to the west.

The paved trail will be open for biking, running and walking.

Much like the lakefront trail, dogs on leashes are welcome on The 606 trail and in parks, according to the Trust for Public Land, which is managing the project for the Chicago Park District.

Additionally, there are two designated dog-friendly areas at Churchill and Walsh parks. The dog park at Churchill Park is occasionally restricted during construction work periods, and the dog park at Walsh Park is closed until The 606 project is completed.

Dogs are not permitted in Millennium Park or the new Maggie Daley Park, which partially opened in December. Downtown residents have asked the park district for months to reconsider the ban on dogs at Maggie Daley Park.

Slated to open June 6, The 606 will operate much like other city parks and be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Taylor Swift says she's 'jaded,''shamed' by media into staying single

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Taylor Swift says the media are the reason she's been "shamed" into not dating for the past few years.

Mea culpa.

The "Shake It Off" singer made the revelation in an interview with Glamour UK, saying she doesn't think it's fair that she's been pegged as "boy crazy" and "clingy."

She doesn't appreciate it, guys, so like, stop it.

"I do feel jaded about relationships, to be honest," the 25-year-old told the mag. "I think the media has sent me a really unfair message over the past couple of years, which is that I'm not allowed to date for excitement, or fun, or new experiences or learning lessons. I'm only allowed to date if it's for a lasting, multiple-year relationship. Otherwise I'm a, quote, serial dater. Or, quote, boy crazy."

Swift said "the narrative has been so wrong," chronicling false origin stories for her romances that claim she's "chasing" a guy and then result in "the same fabricated ending" claiming "she got too clingy" or "has too many emotions, she scared him away."

"[That] has honestly never been the reason for any of my break-ups. You know what has been the reason? The media. You take something very fragile, like trying to get to know someone, and it feels like walking out into the middle of a gladiator arena with someone you've just met. And all of a sudden the public and the media are allowed to say thumbs up or thumbs down. So I just don't try it any more," she said.

The country crossover star also said that she's so busy that there's "no easy way" for her to "engage with romance." (Incidentally, she's recently been linked to EDM star Calvin Harris.)

"It's a good thing that I feel really independent and I feel that my friends are all I need. It's kind of a sad way I got there, though, being shamed into it," she said, clarifying her use of the word shame. "Well, what else is it when you have two boyfriends in one year and everyone's calling you boy crazy, making jokes about you at awards shows? That's public humiliation. And I don't think it's fair."

Swift's full interview will be available Thursday.

Follow me on Twitter @NardineSaad.

Michael Jordan rookie shoes sell for more than $71K at auction

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A pair of Nike Air Ships that Michael Jordan wore during his rookie season have sold for $71,553, according to an auction house.

It's the second biggest haul for a pair of Jordan or NBA shoes, coming in second to the Bulls legend's "flu game" sneakers that fetched more than $104,000. The buyer for Jordan's rookie shoes wished to remain anonymous, said SCP Auctions spokesman Terry Melia. The shoes were part of more than 1,300 sports memorabilia that brought in $4.1 million.

"It went for pretty much what we were expecting. We knew it would clear $50,000," Melia said.

Jordan autographed the shoes then gave them to former Los Angeles Lakers ball boy Khalid Ali when the Bulls played at the Forum on Dec. 2, 1984. 

Ali said he plans to donate money from the proceeds to various youth ministries and give some to relatives, but as far as an emotional connection to the shoes, there wasn't any. "Someone else can chersih them more than I did, they were just sitting in (my parents') closet. I'm not the type of person to sit and stare at them all day," said Ali, a project coordinator for a city of Los Angeles economic and workforce development program.

Ali remembers carrying the shoes in a brown paper bag like groceries to get them authenticated. He understood their value, he said, but friends thought more about them than he did.

For him, meeting Jordan is bigger prize.

"That part right there, you can't sell that. You can't sell that experience," said Ali, who lived in  Chicago and Oak Park before his family moved to California when he was 8.

Ali wasn't always a big fan of Jordan -- he capped Ali's most painful period as sports fan between 1981 and 1982: Thomas Hearns' loss to Sugar Ray Leonard, Dwight Clark's catch against his Dallas Cowboys and Jordan's North Carolina Tar Heels taking down his Georgetown Hoyas in the NCAA tournament.

"Then I saw him in '84," Ali said. "I forgot about the fact he caused me a lot of pain as a seventh-grader."

New study details downside of CTA's newest rail cars

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As the CTA moves cautiously toward picking its next-generation rail cars, a study published in a national research journal presents a painstakingly detailed account of how the transit agency went off the tracks when it selected the aisle-facing seat design on what's known as the 5000 Series rail cars.

The study titled, "Is This Seat Taken?" was conducted by two CTA planning and market research employees. They questioned CTA estimates and assumptions that longitudinal aisle-facing seating would increase passenger capacity on each car.

As many riders will attest, a common scene on the new 5000 Series cars is that hardly anybody uses the seat between two seated passengers on the aisle-facing seats, because riders would be uncomfortably squeezed shoulder to shoulder and thigh to thigh. Another complaint is that the sight line outside the window on the opposite side of the car is often blocked by standing passengers, whose midsections are eye-level to seated passengers.

The 5000 Series cars have been phased in since 2011, under decisions set in motion by Frank Kruesi, who was CTA president for 91/2 years during the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley. The aisle-facing longitudinal scoop seats, which represent about 90 percent of the 38 seats in each 5000 Series car, broke the modern-day CTA tradition of having mostly forward- and- rear-facing seats. The strategy was to cram more riders onto each rail car, reduce the amount of time that trains are stopped at stations and operate more peak-hour train runs through the Loop "L" structure.

None of those goals has been achieved, according to the CTA study by Tara O'Malley, CTA coordinator of market research, and Maulik Vaishnav, a CTA resource planner. Their study was published earlier this year by the Washington-based Transportation Research Board, which promotes innovation in transportation through research and also provides advice on transportation policy.

During a series of counts made on CTA trains, the maximum passenger loading observed averaged 101 passengers on a 5000 Series rail car, lower than a projection of 106 to 134 passengers per car, the study found.

Meanwhile, the maximum passenger loading observed fell on the high end of expectations on two earlier models of CTA rail cars, the 2400/2600 Series and the roughly 20-year-old 3200 Series, the latter of which is being overhauled and is scheduled to remain in service on the Brown and Orange lines until at least the early 2020s.

The 2400s have been retired and 559 of the 2600 cars, which date to the mid-1980s and operate mostly on the Blue Line, remain in service. The CTA board last week approved a plan to sell 200 of the 2600s for scrap. The rest will be replaced by what's know as the 7000 Series, which were supposed to arrive in Chicago by next year, but has been delayed until 2019, officials said.

The CTA study found no evidence that the more standing room available on the 5000 Series cars increased car capacity, O'Malley and Vaishnav wrote.

"The wider aisle in this (5000 Series) layout was compromised by the varied leg lengths of the seated customers and therefore created spots in which no one chose to stand," the study said.

It recommended that the 3200 Series be used as a starting point for customizing the seating design on the 7000 Series procurement. It said the 3200s feel "less crowded and more accommodating" even at maximum passenger loads, thanks to the staggered pattern of traverse (combination of forward- and- rear-facing) seats that offered more standing room in the center aisle and a better mix of grab bars for standees.

CTA President Forrest Claypool, who is leaving the agency to become Mayor Rahm Emanuel's chief of staff, has said the 7000 Series' seat design will be a hybrid, based on customer feedback and the CTA's evaluation. The cars will have asymmetrical seating, mixing single and paired seats in the center of the rail car. Companies that will submit bids to manufacture the new cars were instructed to include some longitudinal, center-facing seats on each side at the front of the car.

The agency left it up to bidders to produce final designs that are functional and aesthetically pleasing, but the 7000s are expected to have about 37 seats, staggered like the 3200 Series cars, officials said.

Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.

 

Stephen Hawking has a theory on Zayn Malik leaving One Direction

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Turns out One Direction might be bigger than anyone thought -- that according to Stephen Hawking, of all people. 

"What do you think is the cosmological effect," the scientist was asked Sunday night, "of Zayn [Malik] leaving One Direction and consequently breaking the hearts of millions of teenage girls across the world?"

Good thing the 73-year-old mathematician and physicist is, of course, no stranger to pop culture. And pop culture is no stranger to him, especially after "The Theory of Everything" told his story to the world -- and earned Eddie Redmayne an Oscar.

"Finally, a question about something important," Hawking told the audience at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, getting a huge laugh while speaking through the familiar computerized voice system that allows him to communicate despite the debilitating effects of ALS.

He was appearing Sunday as part of Ideas at the House, the Aussie venue's public lecture series, which is probably not the first place a person would go to find out the ramifications of Malik's March departure from the hugely popular British boy band.

"My advice to any heartbroken young girl is to pay close attention to the study of theoretical physics"" -- now that's not something you hear every day -- "because one day there may well be proof of multiple universes."

Wait, weren't we talking about One Direction? Not multiple universes? Directioners should care about this why?

"It would not ...," Hawking said, "be beyond the realms of possibility that somewhere outside of our own universe lies another different universe, and in that universe Zayn is still in One Direction."

Ohthankgoodness. And in that universe, might he still have all of his hair? Too bad nobody asked that follow-up question.

But wait! It gets better! If, um, you happen to be a young woman.

"The girl may like to know that in another possible universe, she and Zayn are happily married," Hawking told the audience.

Looks as if science is a pretty cool direction to head in after all.

Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

 

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