This Friday marks a special milestone for the Universe as we know it, as March 22nd will be William Shatner's 82nd birthday.

Best known as Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk, The Shat has since worked his way into the very fiber of our pop culture and continues to be an active contributor to Earthlings via TV, film, numerous autobiographies, and  -- of course -- the Internet. If you've been following his Twitter feed, then you've certainly seen this gem of a bucket list, posted today:

 

 

If anyone is going to punch a shark, it's going to be The Shat!

In honor of the great man's birthday, The Vortex Room in San Francisco is hosting a special William Shatner Birthday Tribute Night full of Shatner rarities, burlesque dancers, and a special screening of  1958's Screeming Mimi, a strip-tease murder mystery with Anita Ekberg and Gypsy Rose Lee, in 16mm projection! The burlesque talent for the evening will be provided by Szandora LaVey, Laika Fox, The Indra, Mistress Pon-Farr, and your Mistress of Ceremonies, Odessa Lil. Find out more and RSVP on the Facebook HERE!

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Calling all Al Heads! It's time to bust out the checkered Vans and don the aloha shirts for what could possibly be the first ever all Weird Al-themed burlesque show. Seems overdue, right? Well, finally Mr. Yankovic is getting his due on Monday, August 13th at Oakland's Uptown as The Hubba Hubba Revue and Pickles Kintaro present The Al-Stravaganza!

It doesn't matter if you are a "My Bologna" purist or just "White and Nerdy;" the hits will be dropping as fast as the clothes at this burlesque bonanza. And make sure you dress for success to enter the Weird Al look-a-like contest! Can you believe that you get all this quality entertainment for just $5! Cheap!

Hosted By Weird Kingfish & Weird "Kevin" Hancock
With: Honey Lawless,Pickles Kintaro, Lady Satan, Odessa Lil, Lola Martinet, Pearl E. Gates, Mistress Marla Spanks, and JD Limelight.

Doors 9PM -- Show 10:15PM
21 & Up w/ID

THE UPTOWN CLUB
1928 Telegraph Ave, Oakland (just 1 block from 19th Street BART!)

Here are some of Al's finest moments in no particular order, so says the Amoeblog!

A totally new arena for us, we'll be playing a few songs between Burlesque acts, should be great very sexy...

LINKS:

http://www.sssonicsix.com
http://www.itsachick.com/vvh.html
http://www.elcidla.com/

Audra
4 Months Employment
Promotions

Hi Audra!  So you are new here-- let's get to it.  What was going on at your parents' house when you were a kid in Fresno?

Thanks---now everyone will know I'm from Fresno! Ha ha. My parents' house was and still is a treasure trove of antiques and general garbage. Under their influence, I became a collector at an early age -- mostly in order to fit in. When my parents took me "garage sailing," I'd always pick up old Mad Magazines from the 50's and 60's. I had a pretty huge collection. I'd mostly stay inside and try to laugh at the jokes about Eisenhower. 

Did your sister have any influence on your musical taste?

Absolutely! She's eight years older than me and very musical, so she was all about playing her records. My first 7 or 8 years, it was Beatles non-stop, and then it was Bauhaus and Nina Hagen. I stole all of her records when she moved out. I was about 13 then and I started playing Bauhaus' In a Flat Field endlessly. It was also right around then that I discovered my grandmother's old '78s of jazz and klezmer recordings. Some how punk, death-rock, Judaica, and the 20's and 30's all got smooshed together in my world view.
 
I love it.  That makes total sense.  What was the first concert you ever went to?