Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 78

SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 1W6 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 19 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE G-4 Essentially Pittsburgh I I Arts Entertainment YOU'D KNOW HIM FROM ADAM The Key to a City: Unlocking Its Rooms Pittsburgh architect's sketches draw on the idea that cities can be broken down into roomlike components Sandler gaining lame and recognition lor his comedy and rock Gindroz drawing of Musee Carnavalet courtyard, Paris, a MUSIC PREVIEW Adam Sandler Where: Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheatre. When: 8 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets: $17.25 and 323-1919. mihHBmBj BaflnHHrl BHLar MEM JH I HHBHBr iSbbbHHHbhh HP By Donald Miller Post-Gazette Art and Architecture Critic How does an architect think of cities? If he's Raymond Gindroz, a partner in Pittsburgh's UDA Architects, he thinks of cities as collections of rooms, a concept forged by late Philadelphia master architect Louis Kahn.

In fact "Rooms" is the title of the sixth sketchbook Gindroz has drawn and had printed for himself, his friends and clients since 1989. Its diminutive format is 4 inches by inches. "I've always drawn in order to see," he said, "because you don't really know a scene till you draw it." Gindroz was encouraged by former UDA staff member Yong Lee, who urged him to make "a little compilation" of sketches to "Airheads," in which he played a dim-witted rocker determined to make it at any cost. Sandler was determined to write his own film, which he did, with the help of his pal, Tim Herlihy. In 1995, he abandoned the sinking ship that is "SNE' and scored his first box-office hit as a spoiled rich kid forced to repeat grades 1-12 at two weeks a clip in a film called "Billy Madison." "1 11 always love 'Billy' the most because that was the first movie I wrote with my buddy and worked hard to put together," he says.

Even so, he can see why "Happy Gilmore," also co-written with Herlihy, had better luck at the box office, with gross receipts in the $40 million range. "It's more of a story," he says. "But you know, everything I do, I put a lot of effort into it to make it as good as View of Arras' Grand Place from its arcade: rooms within rooms. By Ed Masley Post-Gazette Staff Writer Adam Sandler reflects for a moment, then says, "It was an interesting two days, punching the man I grew up with." He's referring, of course, to the fight scene he filmed with Bob Barker, the elderly game show host he rolls down a hill with in "Happy Gilmore." "It was fun, but you know, he's 72 years old so you're a little nervous throwing him on the ground," says Sandler, 29, speaking by phone from New York. "But he's in good shape, so he was tough." Earlier this month at the MTV Movie Awards, he and Barker added the prestigious Best Fight Award to their list of respective accomplishments.

"We got that nice trophy and I know Bob's got his up already," says Sandler, who performed at the MTV show with his new rock 'n' roll band and graciously noted, "I'd like to thank Bob for being 72 years old and letting me punch him in the face." It's been a good year for Sandler, whose second collection of skits and comedy songs has just been certified platinum after only five months on the strength of a side-splitting holiday smash called "The Chanukah Song." Captured live and acoustic, "The Chanukah Song" finds Sandler essentially goofing his way through a list of successful Jews for "when you feel like the only kid in town without a Christmas "Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli? "Bowser from Sha Na Na and Arthur Fonzarelli. "Paul Newman's half Jewish. Goldie Hawn's half, too. "Put them both together, what a fine lookin'Jew." Now, with "Happy Gilmore" set to hit all over again at the video store like "Billy Madison," only funnier he's out on the road with a real live band, rockin' "The Chanukah Song" and other, more foul-mouthed selections from "What the Hell Happened To Me?" Take "Steve Polychronopolous," for instance, a mostly unprintable attack on a joker who spits when he talks and swears in front of your mother. "The name Polychronopolous is from my hometown," says Sandler, who grew up in suburban Manchester, N.H.

"These kids I knew growing up, I always loved their last names so I wanted to throw it into a song. My brother gave 'em a warning. He lives in New Hampshire still, so he called them up and said, 'Hey, my brother used your last name on a trom two trips to Europe. "I was interested in Paris and Amsterdam and how the different personalities of their architecture created a human scale and comfortable living space," Gindroz recalled. "I realized Paris is a leader in making streets as domesticated as its courtyards.

That connects to this year's sketchbook, which, by virtue of the order and scale of the spaces I sketched, makes us feel comfortable in a positive way: Cities have a way of making us more civilized." Gindroz is committed to spreading civilzation in spaces where it may be in trouble in the United States and abroad. The firm is particularly adept at designing new centers for towns and new homes in traditional styles, including high-end, medium-income and public housing. IDA currently has five nroiects in vari record and I hope you enjoy He'll also be doing some covers, as well as his own time-honored classics, including "Lunchlady Land," a mock-grunge tale of slop, slop, sloppy joes. "It's fun as hell," says Sandler, who rocks the Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheatre Tuesday. "I'm travelin' around the country on a tour bus, pretending I'm Bob Seger.

It's the craziest thing that's ever happened to me." It is kind of crazy, considering the last time he played with a band he was jamming with friends in a suburban New Hampshire garage. "We used to play a lot of Aerosmith, Zeppelin and Black Sabbath tunes," says Sandler. "And that was a lot of fun. But then when I was 17, 1 was goin' to college and my brother told me, 'You should get into While earning a fine arts degree at New York University, the Brooklyn-born Sandler would polish his act in the comedy clubs around town. One night, a guy named Dennis Miller stopped by and the rest is, if not history, at least a darn good explanation of how a guy like Sandler broke into your late-night viewing habits.

Miller told his boss, Lome Michaels, about the new comic he'd seen, so Michaels came out, had a laugh and brought Sandler on as a writer for NBC's "Saturday Night Live." "So I would write myself into the skits," says Sandler. "I snaked my way onto the air. The old dipsy doodle, I pulled." In five years at "SNL," he developed such memorable characters as "Opera Man" and "Cajun Man," while cranking out great imitations of sacred rock cows like Eddie Vedder and Axl Rose. Then came "Lunchlady Land," and the next thing Sandler knew, his million-selling 1993 debut, "They're All Gonna Laugh at You," was up for a comedy Grammy. It didn't win, but Sandler had already made his move to the big screen.

He started out small, with a part in the ill-fated "Coneheads," before moving on pie are interested in what we do," Gindroz says, "is that ours is what they call a non-pastiche, or a coherent overall approach. The opposite is what socialism-Marxism has produced in France since the end of World War II." French post-war architecture has been generally critiqued as a collection of characterless high-rise apartments and office buildings. UDA planning stimulates Gindroz's thoughts about Pittsburgh, which he finds unlike most cities. "It is not engulfed with endless, mindless landscapes of housing or factories, because its topography enacts a discipline." He thinks this city's scale is one of its unique qualities. "Scale and topography make us seem as if we are a collection of small towns.

But the city's public spaces have yet to be fully developed, and we do have some wonderful places." Gindroz's choices of great Pittsburgh spaces: Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh's so-called Wall Street. It displays Gindroz's idea of rooms, because exterior facades are articulated into a bottom, middle and top. "In Europe, buildings' uninterrupted cornices are like ceiling moldings. In America, cornices are interrupted by open or empty spaces between buildings due to 'urban but they still act as ceilings." The Cultural District's closely joined buildings at Penn and Liberty avenues. "Grant Street, made handsome by very well-done brickwork and medial planters, is also a room on a larger scale," says Gindroz.

"When you're in a public space, you should know where you are. On the North Side, the canopy of the SMS Engineering Building I designed by UDA points across Sandusky Street to The Andy Warhol Museum's exaggerated cornice in order to create a room-like space. The yellow Seventh Street bridge to the south is, in a sense, the door of the room." ous planning stages in France. Its design plans are based on traditional French urbanism. I can make it.

And I work as hard as I can work, so both movies are very close to me." Because there's always a buck to be made in any rise to fame, obsessive fans can check out a baby-faced Sandler fumbling his way through the B-movie slop of the recently re-released "Going Overboard." "I haven't seen it in six years, but I wouldn't mind seeing it," he says, with a laugh. "I know I was young and skinny. Now, I've got a little gut on me. Age is catching up with me, so it's good to have that." Up next, Sandler stars with Damon Wayans in something called "Bulletproof," and then it's on to "The Wedding Band." In the meantime, he's out on the road with a band that includes Waddy Wachtel, last seen rocking with ol' Keith Among the sites are: Saint Mard, a small town near Charles De Gaulle Airport, with a lovely 12th-century church and 19th-century town hall but no town square. UDA will introduce a square with post office.

Yerres, south of Paris, where paintercollector Gustave Caille- botte tamily uvea ana wnere ns mayor wants to re-create a town center around a 13th-century church. "The reason peo- Adam Sandler: "Everything I do, I put a lot of effort into it to make it as good as I can make it. And I work as hard as I can work." There is a direct relation in these ideas to the future of Pittsburgh and other cities. "We in this city, and in modern architecture, think of buildings to be designed," says Gindroz. "A number of architects and urban design firms around the world are rediscovering ways to make an architecture that creates anew public spaces in the city.

Tony TyePost-Gazette Raymond Gindroz of Pittsburgh's UDA Architects, here in the lobby of the DoubleTree Hotel which his firm helped design sees the room for improvement in the outdoor spaces. Richards in the X-pensive Winos. "We're trying to create a backyard party," says Sandler. "There's a house and a fence and all that And we're also doing some cover tunes, stuff I grew up with, Zeppelin and Springsteen." It won't be like when he covered Eddie Vedder on "SNL," but it won't be overly serious, either. "Well, it's as straight as I can be," he says.

"I'm still a comedian." As such, there's a giant screen behind the drummer airing funny videos between the songs. And fans of "What the Hell Happened to Me?" will be happy to know the talking goat is in the house. "We have the talking goat," says Sandler. "Well, he's chewing grass so it looks like he's talking." His mother and father may catch the show when it rolls into Radio City Music Hall, and Sandler is un derstandably nervous. "It's gonna be ridiculous because I curse a lot," he says.

"I've gotta make eye contact right after the show or I'll never be able to make eye contact again. My mom hasn't seen me in a long time. She used to come out and see me all the time, and I told her, ttiy vorite Yankees cap, Sandler's looking forward to coming to Pittsburgh. "Franco Harris, you gotta respect that, gotta respect the Steelers," he says. He met Terry Bradshaw once on the set of "SNL' and saw him again at an upscale Los Angeles restaurant.

"I went to the Palm with my buddy," he says. "So we stumbled in there and everyone's lookin', you know. There's a lot of rich people in that joint, a lot of suits, and then all of the sudden I see Terry Bradshaw. So I was like, 'All right, one of Bradshaw shook his hand, he says, and "crushed it." "I don't think he had a suit on, though," says Sandler. "I don't think they enforced that dress codel with him." Place des Heros, Arras, France, "is enclosed with exuberant Flemish hats Gindroz writes in sketchbook.

He drew this in June 1995. "It's pretty convincing to me there is a new future here, if we see more seriously the rivers as parts of a grand city space. We should develop the North Side and South Side with buildings that have the consistency and capacity to create the urban spaces that we find in Paris. "Downtown could move to a new dimension! I can see a Parisian facade of buildings along the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, facing Downtown with appropriate street and public place design. "You could have a corniche la roadway flanking the rivers I.

The intersection of the rivers could provide a grand public space and a new focus." And he could capture it in a sketchbook. "As for scale, the actual minis-cule living room-kitchen-dining room where my wife and I stayed on the He St. Louis in Paris last fall was the smallest room I illustrated in the sketchbook. "I moved on to interconnected grand rooms; then outside courtyards and streets; into monumental squares, boulevards and eventually the space of the Seine in Paris between the Institute de France and the Louvre at the Pont des Arts. For me this was the sky as ceiling and the river as floor pattern." Gindroz thinks he knows why people rave about the Seine or Paris' cloud patterns and sunsets.

"It's a perfectly ordinary river and the sky is the same as anywhere else. I understood it in a driving snow storm while crossing the Louvre's Court d'Honneur. It seemed like an outdoor ballroom! The river is also like a ballroom, bound in a civilized frame, because of the treatment of its bank walls, facades and cornices." From Gindroz's point of view, one of Pittsburgh's most interesting rooms is Point State Park, with its space defined by Mount Washington, Golden Triangle high-rises, Three Rivers Stadium, Perry-Hilltop and the three rivers. Sandler, right, as "Happy Gilmore" had a chance to roll with the punches in a scene with Bob Barker. 160th Year Boys Grades 6-12.

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fox's star power to provide ratings relief There in print was the Hyannisport beach, the boat rides with JFK and little Caroline at the house in Georgetown. There are 75 photos in this exhibit. I found myself recalling a time in his By Robert Bianco TV Editor, Post-Gazette were caffeine deprived would have kept "Champs" and passed on "3rd Rock From the Sun." My advice? You can sum it up in one word: Starbucks. It's worth at least four ratings points. Absent caffeine, ABC is going to have to rely on its BARBARA CLOUD i Enjoy today's PG Reader new shows to give it the jolt it needs.

It won't be easy. While there are some interesting pilots, no Eddie Murphy grows up, calms down By Luaine Lee Scripps Howard News Service SAN FRANCISCO For years a photo of Eddie Murphy that had run on the cover of a national: magazine hung on his; wall. It was shot by world fa- mous photographer Richard Avedon. And in the photo, Mur phy posed sticking out his tongue. Two years ago he removed the picture.

"My daughter, when she was about 3 or 4, said, 'Daddy, why is your tongue hanging I thought, 'This has GOT to come Eddie Murphy has been coining down ever since. Now a mature 35 and the father of three children ages 6, and 1W, Murphy says, "When you get older and you naturally slow down, I've learned that there was no need to be going as fast as I was going in the first; place. "I've learned over the years, having the family around, being married and all that stuff -grounds you. I'm more spiritually grounded than I've ever beien. Save 25 reassured when they learned Jackie wore that size.

On the streets of New York, I was always hoping to spot her, but I never did in 30 years of bi-annual visits covering collections. Everybody looked sometimes gaped at what she wore, and if they could copy it, they would. Especially Seventh Avenue manufacturers. Halston, Cassini and then, later, the French designers she favored would reap rewards just by their association with her. In the modeling world, Gillis McGil, who would later own and operate her own successful agency, was the model who looked most like Jackie.

She really did. She had that wide mouth and high cheekbones, eyes set wide apart and dark hair that she wore like Jackie's in all her assignments. She was a favorite with the fashion press before the Kennedys entered the White House, but she soared when looking like Jackie meant her path was marked. Among the items in the recent Sotheby sale of Kennedy treasures, there were two Timex watches, one a men's classic style and a smaller, very plain woman's style. They were valued at $400 or $500.

and they went for $13,000. If it had been known Jackie wore a Timex, there would have been a rush to own one, I am sure. It would have been one thing most of us could have afforded 4 new ABC show is likely to provoke the kind on gaeiY 1 Rewards coupon, a special I addition to the everyday value of the Post-Gazette. I Look for a new Reader Rewards coupon, a bonus I equal to or greater than the newsstand price of the PG, tl I Jackie 0. was the first lady of fashion I recently attended the Leukemia Society of America's exhibit, "Tribute to Jackie," at One Oxford Centre.

Admittedly, I was caught up in the Camelot dream of the Kennedy White House years. I offer no apologies. I was with a friend who was not an admirer of either the Kennedys or the late and former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. How could that be? Well, of course it can be. Not everyone looked at Jackie 0 in the same way.

Not everyone's head was turned like mine was. It made me think. What pulled me into the Jackie mystique? I certainly never knew any of the Kennedys personally. I did meet and interview Joan Kennedy, who was Ted Kennedy's wife then. I liked her.

But Chappaquidick had happened. Much would change. My admiration for the first lady was from afar, and I didn't think I was caught up in her lifestyle or her media-created image. But of course I was. I had nothing in common with her, although as I viewed the black and white photographs at the exhibit, which is touring several cities, I found myself realizing that yes, I did admire the illusion created by the lifestyle.

Obviously it seemed ideal, like the American dream. It seemed tranquil. And yet, there was nothing tranquil at all, as it would turn out. 1 miAw mmm is almost sure to please his many fans. Certainly the show pleased the press and press relations audience gathered at ABC for the network's "1996 Pilot Screenings." From what I could tell, everybody loved it.

Everybody except me, that is. Oh, I liked Fox, but "Spin's" gay-in-the-haystack plot (after the mayor insults the gay community, Fox struggles to find a homosexual official to appease them) struck me as cringingly stupid. A mayor who stumbles into the gay rights issue? In the '90s? In New York? Please. But that's just one opinion, and a minority one at that. Maybe it was just my day to be contrary: I also seemed to be the only person who liked "Townies," the Molly Ringwald comedy that is sort of "Friends" visits "Mystic Pizza." In fact, the word "insulting" was used more than once, so what do I know? And after all, it's only a pilot.

It would be nice to think "Spin City" will improve but even if it doesn't, it's likely to be a hit. Not only does it have Fox; it has "Home Improvement" as a lead-in and "Caroline in the City" as competition. Home movies of your Aunt Mabel's organ recital would be a hit under those circumstances. To be absolutely fair, I wouldn't want to pass final judgment on "Spin City" until I saw it in a more normal environment. It's hard to get a real feel for a TV show at a special screening.

For one thing, unless you're living very well, you probably don't normally have some fancy catered meal when you're watching at home though odds are you do have better coffee. Don't scoff; coffee is very important. ABC served the same terrible coffee at their press screening last year, and look what happened to their ratings. I'm not arguing strict cause and effect here, but clearly, only people who ieamiu w-iar 4jr -ear I I of critical back flips that accompanied "Murder One." Then again, considering how little those flips did for the ratings, ABC may not miss them. Don't count "Murder One" out, by the way.

Sure, it's Thursday-at-9 time slot is unforgiving, but the casting of Anthony LaPaglia, a terrific actor who has yet to take hold with the general public, is the best TV news I've heard in a long time. "Murder One" should provide the boost in recognition he needs, and his magnetism is undoubtedly what the show needs. Former star Daniel Benzali is a fine actor, but when it comes to magnetism, he's'like some satanic alternative: "The Anti-Charismatic." So what looks good? I was pleasantly surprised by the TV version of "Dangerous Annie Potts. I also see possibilities in "Relativity," a romantic drama from "thirtysomething's" Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz that seems perfectly aimed at the "Sisters" audience. My favorite new drama, however, didn't make the fall schedule.

It's "The Practice," a law show starring Dylan McDermott that's being held for mid-season. Supposedly producer David Kelley was miffed at being left off the fall schedule; I can't say I blame him. And what's bad? Well, the worst was a brief preview of the sitcom "Life's Work." Because the show is being reworked, however, the only thing available for viewing was a clip reel. So it's not really fair to judge it. Yeah, like that will stop me: It looks terrible, which is why they're reworking it.

Things could change, of course, but right now, we're talking "Champs: The Later Years." There's not enough caffeine in the world to get you through this one. I'd say it was a dog, but I promised no more animals. 1 0 LOS ANGELES Into the belly of the beast. No, actually, that's not quite right. Had I gone to NBC's headquarters, that would have been going into the belly of the beast.

These ratings days, going to ABC, as I did, is more like going into the belly of the pet and a particularly old and gentle pet at that. Still, TV is nothing if not cyclical, which is a nice way of saying no one in the medium has a memory that extends past last Thursday. A few new shows, a few unexpected moves, and a pet can go wild or at least go rabid, which is closer to what CBS did last fall. And you wonder why they say it's a jungle out there. All right, no more animals.

Well, maybe one: a Fox, as in Michael J. Fox, the star on whom ABC is pinning its hopes for a return to ratings respectability and the only new star to get his face on the network's press kit. Every year, each network picks one or two shows to really push; at ABC, that show appears to be Fox's "Spin City." The stakes for ABC and "Spin City," are extremely high. ABC hasn't launched a hit sitcom since "Grace Under Fire." a shapeless mediocrity that practically defines the term "limping along," doesn't count). The network is counting on Fox to improve that record.

Indications are he'll do just that. "Spin City," which reunites Fox with "Family Ties" creator Gary David Goldberg, casts the star as a finagling deputy mayor of New York. The role's tailor made for him, and he responds with a skilled and polished performance that JbbbbHbVbbIbibbHP each and every day through 1 July 13. It's just another way the PG makes the day Heinz Hall, 60U tory I will never forget, or ever see again. I'm glad I was part of it.

The photographer, Jacques Lowe, just 22 at the time, caught moods and moments which moved me in memory. He was Jackie's personal photographer before and during the White House years, 1958-63. I was reminded by several photographs, particularly the one in the yellow and white sleeveless skimmer, how much she meant to the fashion world most of her public life. No news there. And that was where my fascination began: the sleeveless dresses she wore, the fact she could go to church bare-legged, wearing sandals.

And those gigantic sunglasses, the little evening minaudiere, the classy look of white skinny pants and a navy T-shirt. Her hairdo made Mr. Kenneth the hair stylist of the decade. I was covering fashion at the height of her popularity and the years in the White House. I saw the fashion world spurt like a gushing geyser with the infusion of "the Jackie Kennedy look." Oleg Cassini even opened a popular night spot that became a tourist draw because of his famous client, not his way with a hemline or button-hole.

Women who wore size 9 shoes felt for our readers. 1 I valid vrth any rtt like those big sunglasses. I bought a Jt similar pair. Later I would admire Jackie for different reasons, primarily helping us accept the pain of the loss of a nresident as she endured, valianty, Having family and friends around brings your emotions to the surface." The New York comic, who is dressed in black Levi's, a bfack knit shirt and sunglasses, SEE MURPHY, PAGE G-8 her own very personal tragedy after In his first series since "Family Ties," Michael J. Fox stars as deputy mayor of New York in ABC's "Spin City." the assassination.

Western Pennsylvania's Only Major Metropolitan Newspaper It had nothing to do with what she was wearing..