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■ HUCKABEES Continued from page 7 and turning it into a Shania Twain benefit concert. The beautiful Naomi Watts shows up as Brad’s vapid girlfriend Dawn, the Huckabees model. Haunted by coincidences and doubts, Albert seeks the services of a pair of “existential detectives,” the Jaffes. The detectives, played by a shaggy Dustin Hoffman and the equine-visaged Lily Tomlin, follow Albert around with the goal of helping him gain perspective on his place in the universe. They also introduce Albert to his existential “other,” a petroleum-loathing firefighter named Tommy (Mark Wahlberg) who is also a client of the JafFes. For the dogged and benevolent detectives, the case isn’t closed until the customer is enlightened. The JafFes face a formidable obstacle, however, in Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert), a rival French existential detective who carries her mantra on her business card: “cruelty, manipulation, meaninglessness.” Think Sartre in a red dress. It all sounds so preposterous and funny. Preposterously funny, actually. It causes great pain to admit that the movie doesn’t fulfill this potential. Russell spends way too much time in the first half of the film explaining ideas, and his narrative comes close to drowning in the mire of his own thoughts. He forgot for the opening 30 minutes that movies are not good at explaining — they are good at showing. The movie is redeemed (barely) by several sublimely screwball scenes that tantalize us with the prospect of comic possibilities lost. It also delivers with a sweet and satisfying ending. Leave it to Russell to take existentialism and frame it in terms of the 21st century nightmare of suburban America, while never sacrificing his eternal optimism. We have to at least congratulate him for that. Comments <m this story? E-mail gamecoclfeatures@gwm.sc. edit Ethics in Political Advertising an educational forum presented by Alpha Lamba Delta Honor Society as part of Carolinian Creed Week and the Association of College Honor Societies Ethics Project Tuesday, October 26,7:30 pm 322 Russell House University of South Carolina open to USC students, faculty and staff forum panelists include: Charles Bierbauer 1984-2000 correspondent for CNN in Washington DC covering presidential elections Dean, USC College of Mass Communications and Information C. Blease Graham, Jr. Professor, USC Department of Political Science Aaron Sheinin political staff writer for The State Newspaper Jennifer Talhelm political staff writer for The State Newspaper ■ SIMPSON Continued from page 7 so bad. My band started playing the wrong song. I didn’t know what to do so I thought I’d do a hoe-down.” Her record company, Geffen Records, said there was a computer glitch. Instead of some pretaped electronic percussion, the recording of “Pieces of Me” started mistakenly performing, the record company said in a statement. But it sounded suspiciously like a guide vocal that’s a common — although almost always unspoken — concert aid. Either the singer “lip synchs” by mouthing words to a backing tape or has a live microphone and sings along to the tape, making the voice sound more powerful than it is. Such vocal tricks have been used before on the show, making “SNL” not entirely live, said a show insider who spoke on condition of anonymity. A Geffen spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment. Simpson’s walk-off joins the lore of other unexpected music moments on “SNL”: Elvis Costello stopping and changing songs on live TV, and Sinead O’Connor tearing up a picture of the pope. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edit Look out for Gamecock T-shirts, coming soon. AWARD-WINNING ILLUSTRATOR & FAERY AUTHORITY BRIAN FROUD JOINS FOLKLORIST & POET ARIBERK TO SIGN BRIAN FROUD'S GOBLINS! TUESDAY I OCTOBER 2615PM Happy Bookseller 4525 Forest Drive 782.2665 www.happybookseller.com Wm ; MUSIC for the week of October 25 Nick Cave «^The Bad Seeds %Aimrir^hm sTbtLyrttfGrfim ‘Blake ShehorisBam&Grii’ Blake Shelton “Abattoir Blues /Lyre of Orpheus” ' Nick Cave “Motown Two” Michael Mcdonald “Still Not Getting Any” Simple Plan “MusicFrom the O.C.:Mix2" Various Artists “Our Kind of Soul” Hall & Oates ■ STAGG Continued from page 7 For the student in Situation Two to be saved by any form of bell, there would first need to be an action that would necessitate a saving. However, because the subject was only mating it to class for the first time, it is impossible for him to be redeemed by any audible device, as in Situation One. It’s impossible to be saved by the bell if you are late for school. So thanks, Nickelodeon and NBC, for the depression I’ve experienced over the past couple weeks. Both presidents could expect letters expressing my distaste — if only I could drag myself away from “Survivor” and “The O.C.” 1 wish I had more time to write the rest of this, but deadline is approaching — and now the metaphorical bell saves me. G ay Marriage 2S5 Debate 8Pm / The Controversy Russell L ^ K,f % i" America N House with Elizabeth Bir,ch, ^ Director of the Human Rights Campaign Robert Knight, Director of the Culture and Family Institute For more information or special assistance „ _ j/r „ call 777-7130 or vi'sit cp.sc.edu, <*^°*^* r * Event subject to change. Paid by student activity fees