Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 23, 2008, edition 1 / Page 9
Part of Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Uhr Satin for Jirrl Actor talks at UNC about his Clinton endorsement BY OLIVIA BOWLER STAFF WRITER Sean Astin does not in fact have large, hairy feet. Or if he does, his sneakers hide them well. Wearing blue jeans and a blazer, Astin couldn’t have looked less like a hobbit when he appeared in the Student Union Tuesday evening. The actor, who is most known as the character Samwise Gamgee in the epic Lord of the Rings tril ogy, stopped by UNC as part of his N.C. tour this week, endorsing Sen. Hillary Clinton. “My passion for Sen. Clinton is deep,” he said to the more than 50 Tolkien and Hillary fans who gath ered in the Class of 2000 Lounge, bearing blue Clinton stickers and gift-set DVDs. Astin said he believes this will be an election year in which America will experience a huge upsurge in voter participation. He said he met Clinton when he was 21 years old and was floored by her sincere focus on human interac tion, which he characterized as the most crucial part of campaigning. “1 want to speak through you to the people you’ll talk to," he said. Astin encouraged attendees to volunteer for any campaign, and then opened the floor for questions. The questions —most posed with some allusion to the trilogy touched on Clinton’s experience as opposed to Obama’s fresh voice, as well as her plans for helping small town rural farmers, which one ques tioner compared to hobbits. Caucasian Non-Menthol Smokers Needed for Research Stody Compensation up to S2OO duke eia CNSCR I Charlotte • Durham • Raleigh • Winston-Salem MU TODAY! 888-525-DUKE (#1011) visit: wwwjhikesmoking.com e-mail: smokinQ@duke.edu tii jci\ Price E* a War H’pnrtCM tin t!it* \n\sM')lM'r,ci I Dick (.01 don j ■.. tips} • IHM .!:• Public \1(*(li,l > I p . ■ fitrSim\ All hairy feet and wizards aside, Astin is not the first celebrity to offer an endorsement for a candidate, and even with the end of the primaries looming, he will not be the last UNC political science professor George Rabinowitz said that celeb rity endorsements crop up most often during primaries but that they have been especially prominent this year because the Democratic contest is so high-profile. “1 would say they ’ve played more of a role in this campaign than any other,” he said, adding that even frequent endorsements don’t nec essarily sway voters. “I think basi cally celebrities attract people, and it can direct dialogue." Daniel Smith, a sophomore eco nomics major who attended the event, said he doesn't believe star power alone changes voters' minds. “Celebrities tend to attract mod erate people who are just curious," he said, adding that he was inter ested to hear Astin but still is unde cided in his vote. Amanda Vaughn, director of Heels for Hillary, said that she believes political endorsements carry more weight but that she hopes Astin’s presence provoked political discussion. “I think that it's really important for bringing people out to these events to learn more about the candidate," she said. Barack Obama, whose most significant celebrity endorse ments include Caroline Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey, has also DTH/JB YOUNG Actor Sean Astin speaks about his support for Hillary Clinton for president in the Student Union’s Class of 2000 lounge Tuesday. received the endorsement of Win Butler of the band Arcade Fire and Mac McCaughan of the band Superchunk. Both bands will be playing in “Change Rocks” concerts in Greensboro and Carrboro on May 1 and May 2 respectively. Tickets are free and are avail able at the one-stop early voting spot at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center starting Thursday. Contact the State £2 National Editor at stntde*k(a, unc.edu. avant-garde poetry w. WonU War tl A pane! discussion to opn the exhibit The Beats and Beyond: Coufttoftyfare Poetry, 1950-1975 WEDNESDAY moderator author, ED SANDBB-Sft^' |SI pee* and musclar. SIJIHK I ftofessc* c • Wr i • g and / ,* •. I Poetics a* Naropo IP* jKHMOBBT CANTWELL - -Ijw*}' professor of American studies aune 'Jniversitv ‘ W" : '' X '--[ Sof North Carolina at Kthapei Hill Peasants Family Assembly Room, Wilson Library University of North Carolina at Chapel Hit Free and open to the public Books will be available for sale and signing at the event Program Information: tzaJerH9unc.edu or 919-962-4207 id Sanders and Anne Waidmon w read from their work on April 22 ot 3:30 p.m. in the BwTs Head Bookshop of) the UNC eamous Reading information: 919-962-5060 The Beats and Beyond wi be on view through July 3 Melba Remig Sattaref Exhibit Room, Wilson Library Exhibit information: 919-962-1143 ft : UNC \ rvrmiitt UMUtv ItWbttH las? Galnatae of Beal Poe&anOiiMsh. North SMcft. Pflaro by lany Xwnen ft UNC SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION jomc.unc.edu Alumni Conversations Sponsored by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication N&O reporter Jay Price and "The Story" host Dick Gordon discuss their reporting on the war in Iraq Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. Freedom Forum Conference Center located on the 3 rd floor of Carroll Hall Seating is limited. For more information, contact Benji Cauthren at 919.962.3037 or benji@unc.edu. News ‘Witness’ concludes series BY KELLY YANG STAFF WRITER Through discussions, photo exhibits, performances and other media, UNC’s arts community spent the year exploring issues of capital punishment in society. The dialogue was brought about by the Creative Campus Innovations Grant, which was awarded to the University and seven other schools in the country. And to close out this year’s proj ect, Creative Campus will bring “Witness to an Execution,” pre sented by Play Makers Repertory- Company, to Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre. The production premieres today and runs until April 27- Reed Colver, project manager for the initiative, said when Play Makers started its PRC 2 series —a second stage lineup of smaller shows she felt the death penalty project was relevant because it looks at the issue from multiple perspectives. “This is the first year we’ve tried to undertake the project," she said. “It’s been fantastic, and we will continue next year with the gender and identity- project." “Witness to an Execution" is written and performed by Mike Wiley, a UNC graduate from the Masters of Fine Arts program, and tells stories based on chilling interviews of people involved in the Texas prison system’s death row. “It’s told from the perspectives of the individuals who performed the execution, the warden, the ones who witnessed and participated in some way,” Wiley said. “We also have a story of a death row chef who makes the last meal.” Joseph Haj, PlayMakers’ produc ing artistic director, contacted Wiley WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2,‘L 2008 and asked him “to flesh out the 15- minute play" and write something that was about an hour long. Now after nearly six months of research and preparation, Wiley’s one-man show will premiere where he started the project. Wiley said he enjoyed working with Haj and others involved with the production, as well as being able to return home. Ryan Millager, a senior dra matic art major, said he is happy he’s been able to contribute to an important issue through his work in the drama department. “With both ’Coyote On a Fence' and ‘Dead Man Walking,' we of (the Department of Dramatic Art) Mainstage saw our hard work in the theater engage in the broader community conversation while also standing alone as works of drama that we can be proud of." Millager said. Millager added that he and oth ers involved in the productions have never needed each other more in proceeding with their work than after the death of former Student Body President Eve Carson. “It has taken a lot of courage from everyone to struggle with asgKt ATTEND THE SHOW Time: Vanous times, today-Sunday Location: Kenan Theatre Info: playmakeisrep.org issues that now strike very close to home," he said. Emil Kang. UNCs executive direc tor for the arts, said the students who worked last week with “Dead Man Walking" made the best out of work ing under similar constraints. "Eve's death is a devastating trage dy, and I can't say that I've made any connections just yet" Kang said. Colver said all of the organiza tions involved in this year’s Creative Campus project have provoked heartfelt emotions and enjoyment from many. Others said the project has helped utilize* the arts to interpret a difficult Issue into collaborative* dialogue. “I think it was a great year where we learned a lot about cross-cam pus collaboration," Kang said. “We look forward to continuing our efforts in weaving the arts into the academic fabric." Contact the Arts Editor at artsdcxk(u unc.edu 9
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 23, 2008, edition 1
9
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75