Color Me Euphoric

Knoxville-based Euphoric Productions has been kickin' butt and taking names. Exiting Left, the first feature film from this company, has been chosen to be screened at the Brooklyn Film Festival on October 6. Left was shot entirely in the Knoxville area using local actors and tells an offbeat holiday story. This indie-flick can also be seen in Knoxville at the Tennessee Theatre on Nov. 23.

The Euphoric folk are clearly committed to using all of the varied scenery that KnoxPatch has to offer. In the bleary hours of Sept. 28, the company wrapped filming on a short film called Kubby the Zombie, which is not an offbeat holiday story but a horror/comedy black-and-white about the undead in search of a snack. This charming ode to our grisly friends is the handiwork of Dominic and Bob Giordano, who also gave us Blind Spot—A Grifter's Fable, which screened at Knoxville's Scruffy Little Film Festival and went on to win an honor at the Nashville Independent Film Festival. Make-up designers Brad Denton and Rob Link had a great, gruesome time creating all of Kubby's special effects—including popping eyeballs and squishy brains. Mmmmmm...yummy.

You'd Better Work

Perhaps you square homebodies aren't aware of it, but there's a new Queen in town.

After only 11 months of performing in drag contests, Paris Renee has walked away with the Miss Knoxville crown, the most prestigious beauty title in East Tennessee. She was awarded the title at the Carousel on September 20.

Reached by phone early this week, Ms. Renee told me she won the title largely because of her dominance in the talent portion of the competition. She dressed in stalker/witch attire, performing to the songs "Uninvited" and "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette—a routine that nabbed her a score of 715 out of a possible 750. (The second highest score was 520). Ms. Renee also earned a perfect score in the evening gown competition, in which she donned an elegant black Versace.

"This is the biggest title and biggest pageant of the year. This is the biggest you can get in East Tennessee," Ms. Renee says. "And it only took me a year."

The meteoric rise to fame has given Knoxville's newest star a sense of purpose and drive. "I'm like a role model. There are lots of people who look up to me."

When she started competing in pageants a year ago, Ms. Renee took them one at a time. But now, she is taking her art a bit more seriously and has every intention of keeping the title. She also plans to compete in the Miss USA pageant next year in South Carolina.

"Everybody loves me. I am very beautiful. I am very good at it," Ms. Renee says. "I will know when the time is right to quit."

And so does Zippy.

V-Roy-a-Palooza

Not only can you check out the 'roys at Disc Exchange this Monday night (see page 18 for details), you can also catch them Friday, Oct. 9 in lovely Market Square. Free. Gratis. For zippo. Todzilla's Ape Life and Hector Qirko will open for the V-Roys, who are throwing this bash to celebrate the release of the much-anticipated All About Town. Details on this gig will be forthcoming in these very pages.

Hate Mail Dept.

It would appear that our very own Mike Gibson ticked off a .38 Special fan with his Sept. 17 Spotlight on their then-upcoming gig. We thought we'd give a little space to said fan, who clearly thinks we've done her band a grave wrong. And, since Zippy is not feeling particularly benevolent today, this letter appears exactly as it was written:

Dear Metro Pulse

I am Furious!!! I Saw your article in the Sept. 17-24th Issue on .38 Special at the Tennessee Valley fair. I know Everybody dosent like the same music, but your writer (Mike Gibson) Really Trashed 38 special. Who is he to say they are Lard-asses and their music is crap? I'll have you know I've Liked their music Since they Started out years ago. I think its great their still around! I like all kinds of music, Rock, Metal, country gospel. I'm not a Red-Neck, I'm a well Educated college Graduate who studied Business and Management who still likes to Rock and Roll!! At Least you can understand their music, not like Todays Alternative Crap! I'd rather See juys with Long hair and tight jeans Instead of todays shaved heads and Pants so Big they almost fall of their ass!! I met .38 special after the show and they are very nice guys with familys who still Love To Rock and Roll!! I think your writer should print a Retraction and apologize for all the bad comments. I am an avid Reader of the Metro Pulse and hope this dosent go unnoticed. I can't believe the editor let that article go out. Knoxville finally gets a good Rock band to come to town and you guys Trash Them. That's one Reason Bands don't like to come to our Town because of atitudes like yours. I'm Sure not the only one who feels this way. (Both of .38 specials shows were packed!)

Sincerely,
A Very Concerned and Upset Reader,
Angie R.

So how many of our loyal readers agree with Ms. R? Let me hear you!

—Zippy "Got My Ears On" McDuff