Philly EDGE Movie Lunatic Mike Sullivan weighs in on an American icon .
-ED

Every celebrity has a skeleton they'd rather keep hidden deep within their closet.
Did you know that Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley allegedly had their professional debuts in black face?
How about the fact that Sylvester Stallone's first film was the soft-core film "Party at Kitty and Studs.”
Even the world of animation isn't free from these little indiscretions. It's an open secret that beloved family icon Bugs Bunny has starred in a pair of cartoons so thoroughly offensive the original prints have probably been buried in an undisclosed location in the Nevada desert.

I saw Paul Mecurio last night at Rascals in Cherry Hill. He's a two-time Emmy winner for his writing on the Daily Show.

This guys is hilarious. I was blown away. There's still time, he's there tonight and tomorrow night too. Rascals, Cherry Hill, NJ. And for you PA people, there is this cool way to get over the river.
It's called a bridge. No more rowing. Check it out.

The staff of Philly EDGE had the opportunity to walk through Nightmares Xtreme Scream Park at the Wachovia Spectrum (through Oct. 31) last week.
Below are accounts from three of our staffers who encountered ghouls galore.
To read more about the venue, grab a copy of Philly EDGE. For more about Halloween events, venues and all things spooky, check out one of the best Halloween sites in the free world at phillyBurbs.com

I habitually shield my eyes and peek through them at horror movies.

On Saturday, October 15, 2005, Mill Race Village Arts & Preservation and Main Street Mount Holly present Mount Holly’s 6th Annual Witches & Wizards Costume Ball from 6-11 PM. This free outdoor event is a one of a kind opportunity for adults to dress up and act like, well, whatever they want!

Over the years, the Witches & Wizards Ball has become of the most talked about events in Burlington County attracting people from as far as Philadelphia and New York. This year’s Ball promises to be even bigger and better.

The evening will be filled with fun activities like Palm and Tarot card readings (pure fun for some and insightful visions into the future for others!). In addition Professional Fire Dancers, will be spotlighting their spectacular fire dancing abilities. The South Jersey Ghost Research Company will be on hand throughout the evening to talk about the ghost research they have performed in South Jersey including an animated ghost story reading.

Tags: music newjersey witches wizards halloween costume fire

Mystifier Criss Angel transcends tradition and has created a new form of extreme entertainment that he calls “Mindfreak”. Think Harry Houdini meets Cirque d’Soleil meets Fear Factor and you’ll have a pretty good sense of what this show is all about. In each episode Criss literally defies reality and puts his life on the line. From catching a real bullet in his teeth to levitating people on the street to having himself burned alive, each show will be packed with things that boggle the imagination. To prove the credibility of his demonstrations, they are all performed live in public spaces in front of real pedestrians rather than on a stage before an audience. The show will offer a totally unique glimpse behind the scenes as Criss prepares and trains with his team to execute each demonstration. One of the most compelling elements of the show is witnessing his real family’s unfiltered reaction to the crazy risks he takes.

Tags: magic magician entertainment hobbies

Below is an excerpt of today's cover story in the print edition of Philly EDGE. For the complete story and all of the Philly EDGE content (reviews, commentary, satire and an in-print entertainment guide), pick up a copy at one of the 1,000 locations in the Philly area. It's FREE.

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Whether it’s Ron Wood and Charlie Watts nicely rounding out the bluesy-rock sound of the Rolling Stones or Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard and Boyd Tinsley providing jazzy depth for the Dave Matthews Band, most musical groups are only as impressive as their members.
With the release of her full-length debut disc “The Sex Album” later this week (Oct. 15), Abington native Jessica Vale gives that adage a new meaning.

For some reason when people first meet me they make this weird assumption that I'm really into movies. I don't know if it's because of the way I dress or the fact that I write movie reviews but I just don't care for films or film-making in general. Yet in spite of this, there are still certain types of films I just can't get enough of. For example, I absolutely love...

- Every film in which Burt Reynolds drives a Trans-Am and is pursued by the cops (special bonus points if the cops happen to be Jackie Gleason or Charles Nelson Reilly in a chicken suit).

- Comedies where a black guy in a head band makes a series of comical noises.