Michael S Payne

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Jerrod Carmichael is the next Chris Rock but his sitcom is “Pootie Tang”

There’s a scene in “Pootie Tang” where a gorilla fatally mauls Pootie’s dad. It was unexpected, absurd and the ONLY funny scene in the entire flick. The fact that this movie even made it into theaters is a testament to how hot Chris Rock was in 2001. Rock’s collaborations with HBO (two stand-up specials and a comedy series) were solid gold and made him an icon. But for whatever reason, his brilliance didn’t translate into long-form storytelling. I see the […]
Foot Pound Force: An Interview with Dave Hewitt

This weekend, I got to talk with Dave Hewitt, bassist and self-professed “laboratory vocal assistant” for nerd rock outfit Foot Pound Force, a three piece band (usually) that revels in irreverent pop, culture observations and radio-friendly melodies. Their charmingly lighthearted track list includes such titles as “Dr. Mario’s Medicine Cabinet” and “Moshpit Bandwidth.” Undercurrent Atlanta: First of all, Dave, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with UnderCurrent Atlanta. Dave Hewitt: Thank you for your interest. UCA: […]
Sword Handler Joshua Adrian talks about Dragon Con

Dragon Con is right around the corner and I’m back at it, trying to find out more information about this huge convention that will be taking over down town Atlanta early September. I was able to snag a pretty interesting interview with sword handler Joshua Adrian. UnderCurrent Atlanta: Hello Joshua. Ok, forgive my ignorance but can you tell me a little about your sword handling career? Joshua Adrian: I have done a sword solo for an Atlanta Opera production, as well […]
The Hype: The Rocketeer

From its inception, The Rocketeer had everything stacked against it. The liner notes for Disney’s 1991 action picture read like a handbook of everything one should avoid while making a film. Writers were fired and subsequently rehired on multiple occasions. Rumors of tension between the studio and director Joe Johnston began to bubble as Johnston turned down Johnny Depp, Bill Paxton, Kurt Russell, Dennis Quaid, and Emilio Estevez in favor of superunknown actor Billy Campbell for the role of leading […]
Jennie Law talks about Dragon Con

I’m back at it, looking for some more good advice on how to tackle the behemoth also known as Dragon Con. I’ve already spoken with Jeff James and Clara Nguyen; this week, I’ll be speaking with long time Dragon Con attendee Jennie Law. To this point, Jennie has been going to Dragon Con for the longest, since ’98 so I know she’s got some really good information to share! UnderCurrent Atlanta: Hey Jennie, thanks for taking time out […]
Cos-player Clara Nguyen talks about Dragon Con

Oh man, I just got back from an incredible trip to Medellin, Colombia for a friends wedding. I know, I know, Medellin Colombia you ask? But after my visit, I have no problem telling people to visit that beautiful city. But that’s a story for another day. Let’s talk about Dragon Con. YEAH!!! Continuing with my research into how Dragon Con operates, I reached out to Clara Nguyen, cos-player extraordinaire and got her input on how I […]
Photographer Jeff James talks about Dragon Con

In order to prepare myself for the madness that is Dragon Con, I spoke with photographer Jeff James about some of his experiences visiting the convention. Jeff has been to the last 5 Dragon Cons and has some really good thoughts on how to maximize a visit. UnderCurrent Atlanta: Hey Jeff, you’ve been to several Dragon Con’s. Do you have any great stories to tell? Jeff James: “Twas my third year at Dragon Con and I was out taking […]
The Hype: The Dark Knight Rises

I’ll say it right now: The Dark Knight Rises is not the worst movie of all time. It is not The Room, it is not the second Exorcist movie, it is not Ishtar. It isn’t an Adam Sandler film and it isn’t Plan 9 from Outer Space. Now that we have that out of the way, let me say this: The Dark Knight Rises is a bad film. To get an idea of just how bat-awful Christopher Nolan’s last caper […]
My First Visit to Dragon Con

Coming up the first week of September, the world famous Dragon Con will take over downtown Atlanta. It’s the largest Fan Convention located on the East Coast and has been a fan favorite since it’s inception back in 1987. I’ve been a fan of anime, sci-fi and comics since I can remember but unfortunately, I’d never been to a fan convention until I visited Momo Con this year. Momo Con really opened my eyes to everything that’s involved with a […]
Momo Con 2015: Dan Carroll and Parson Petchor

While visiting Momo Con 2015, we were lucky enough to interview Dan Carroll and Parson Petchor. Outside of the creators of Momo Con, these two guys are the heart and soul of the convention. Dan is in charge of media relations for Momo Con. He’s been associated with the convention for the last 3 years and during that time, he’s seen a steady growth in popularity among gaming, anime and comic book fans. But the part of the […]