Demetri Martin

The Vanguard interviews the comedian/actor/author about his method, his stand-up and his performance tomorrow night at the Newmark Theatre

When Demetri Martin gets recognized on the street, it must be hard for him to divine what exactly he’s getting recognized for. His lead role in Ang Lee’s 2009 film, Taking Woodstock? His time as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart? One of his stand-up specials on the same channel? Or perhaps it’s for his cameo as a keytar-slinging replacement for Bret and Jemaine on Flight of the Conchords.

Dance the Technicolor two-step

The Red Shoes a refreshingly modern take on the classic fairy tale

Artists from myriad genres and time periods have gotten considerable mileage out of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1845 fairy tale The Red Shoes. There’s the 1993 pop album from Kate Bush, the 2005 Korean horror film and, most notably, the 1948 British film of the same name, written, directed and produced by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which is playing this weekend at 5th Avenue Cinema.

Base wars

University of Washington professor to speak at PSU on US military bases in Japan as depicted in popular fiction

When a journalist, blogger or columnist refers to “U.S. military presence,” they are most likely referring to acknowledged combat zones like Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, or to the less substantiated, off-the-grid chicanery we’re engaged in in places like Pakistan, Yemen, Iran and Somalia.

They are generally not talking about the thousand-odd military bases scattered around the globe in places like Italy, South Korea, Spain, Brazil, Bulgaria, Singapore, Kyrgyzstan, Greenland and Japan. The United States’ military presence in Japan, in particular, is overwhelming: The Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force maintain roughly 90 military bases across mainland Japan and Okinawa, which house roughly 40,000 U.S. troops, according to 2010 estimates.

A flesh-eating farce

Shaun of the Dead an understated, quick-witted zombie flick

The “ordinary man rises to the occasion” trope is a trope for a reason: Though we are all quite ordinary (whether we’ll admit it or not), most of us still secretly hope that somewhere deep down we can be extraordinary when it counts. Whether the last-second gunshot is on the line or a small town has forgotten how to dance, Hollywood loves to give a down-on-his-luck character a chance to prove his mettle.

The radical love of Dr. King

Writer and activist Elena Rose to speak on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy

Public speaking has always come naturally to Elena Rose.

“My first public political speech was when I was 15 in my hometown,” said Rose, a poet, writer, activist and seminary student. “I was pushed to the front of a pro-choice rally and a speech just came out. I had no idea what I was doing: Words just started coming out, and then all of a sudden people were crying and hugging me.”

Divine comedy

John Waters’ Female Trouble oozes irony

I should probably get this out of the way: Until this weekend, I had never seen a John Waters film. This, apparently, is a very big deal. In my defense, Waters’ oeuvre can be daunting for the uninitiated. His career has spanned 40 years and engenders the kind of cultish devotion that tends to alienate us neophytes. Cult classics are decidedly less appealing when you’re not in the cult.

Info wars: Lawrence Pintak cuts through the hype of social media’s role in the Arab Spring.

The spring of Arab discontent

Washington State dean discusses the role of media in Middle East uprisings

Let’s say you are a young person between the ages of 15 and 29 living in Egypt, Tunisia or Algeria: There is a 27, 31 and 43 percent chance, respectively, that you hold a job.

“Take that view, that reality, and then layer on the idea that the government is an autocratic government. You have no voice in politics, you have essentially no right to vote and you have no control over the direction of the country,” said Lawrence Pintak, founding dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. “You end up with not just frustration but anger that moves into activism.”

The Laurelhurst is perfect for any dating occasion.

Break out the mistletoe

An old-school romantic’s guide to holiday dating

As I write this, it is miserably wet and windy outside. It’s that time of year when the only underwear option is “long.” When the weather is this dismal, my first thought is generally not, “Gee, I should go on a date!”

However, let’s presume that single folks and couples alike will continue to spend their hours romantically now and again. I know that, for me, seeing the thermostat at 55 degrees Fahrenheit makes body heat a pretty compelling pro-dating argument.

A weekend at Lloyd Center

Gleefully succumbing to the seductive allure of our mechanically reproduced so-called “culture”

When you receive a story assignment titled, “Holiday Hell: A Day at Lloyd Center,” you understand what’s expected of you: Please remind all of us why the mall sucks so hard, preferably through pointed observations and with the requisite layers of sweet sarcasm and bitter irony.

Harajuku calling: Japan Night’s fashion show had something for everyone.

Night of the rising sun

Portland State’s Japan Night celebrates and showcases Japanese culture

Hundreds gathered Tuesday, Nov. 22, in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom to celebrate Japanese art, food, music, dance and good old-fashioned fellowship at Portland State’s annual Japan Night.

The event was planned and facilitated by the Japanese Student Society, whose key members kicked off the night by iterating the theme of the night and the society’s goals.

Language as ‘performed culture’

Ohio State professor argues for understanding China’s Confucian culture through its language structure

Portland State’s Confucius Institute will welcome professor Galal Walker when he delivers a lecture titled “Learning Cycles, Instructional Cycles and the Confucian Pleasure” Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Walker, a professor of Chinese Linguistics and the director of East Asian languages at Ohio State University, has spent his career arguing for the importance of culture in foreign language-learning curricula.