As was mentioned on the tourism thread, comedian Lewis Black is buying a home in downtown Chapel Hill.
Black, a Daily Show and HBO favorite famous for his jittery gesticulations and splenetic sputterings on President Bush, clueless Americans and corporate greed, has purchased a two-bedroom unit at Chapel Hill's Condominiums at McCorkle Place, 213 E. Franklin St., a 69-year-old brick building sandwiched between the University Presbyterian Church and the Kappa Delta sorority house.
"This is the first place I've ever bought," said Black, who lives in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. "I've been broke most of my life."
- The Independent: News
I'm a fan of Black (as well as pretty much anyone associated with the Daily Show), but I wonder what impact (real or imagined) his presence will have on downtown. Will we see more high-end businesses tailoring to the type of folks who live in upscale condos with silly names? Multimedia/TV production studios? Better airport shuttles for jet-setters? Modern furniture stores? (Actually, I could use those last two myself.)
It certainly seems like a boost to the effort to encourage professional/creative folks to live downtown, but it's dangerously close to Chapel Hill jumping the shark. We could easily be overplayed and make people bored, which leads me back to questioning tourism! Hmm....
Issues:
Comments
No. Chapel Hill is not
No. Chapel Hill is not getting cool again. Not at all.
Tell no one, the town is cool again. No one.
Thank you
I think one cool comedian/TV
I think one cool comedian/TV personality does not a trend make. If Britney or Brad or someone like that threatens to move here, that would be another story.
I think it might be time for
I think it might be time for me to churn up some of Hunter S. Thompson's writings on the Aspen, CO influx during the 1970s. Having a bunch of Who's Whos can profoundly change a town, but I'm not so sure it's for the better.
There are plenty of rich and
There are plenty of rich and famous alums who have places in and around town, like many basketball players and, of course, former senator John Edwards. Maybe Lewis Black finally has enough money to buy someplace. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that whatever he paid for a two-bedroom condo in Chapel Hill would cover, oh, maybe a year's rent in NYC.
I lived in western NC when Andie McDowell moved to Asheville (where she still lives, at least according to favored OP source Wikipedea), and I don't recall it changing anything except that people would ocassionally say, "I saw Andie McDowell at the hockey game tonight."
It'll take more than Back on
It'll take more than Back on Black to make Chapel Hill cool again.
For example, a cultural brain transplant might help.
Or maybe a steady stream of progressive speakers on campus.
Or maybe a bid to secede from the State of North Carolina.
Or maybe some outspoken elected eadership.
Or maybe some more blogs!
Someone opined today that I might be a "kinky haired Harry Potter type" living in Carrboro . . .
in my dreams!
Come on over, Jim. But
Come on over, Jim. But don't tell anyone.
Isn't a preoccupation with
Isn't a preoccupation with being "cool" and adolescent one?
I don't think Lewis Black is all that worried about being "cool."
No Jim. Don't move.
No Jim. Don't move.
Ooooooo Jim they are
Ooooooo Jim they are fighting over you! Fun! HeHe
AN adolescent one.
AN adolescent one. Goodness. I really need to start proofreading...
Well, since Lewis Black and
Well, since Lewis Black and I are from roughly the same hometown, I would say we form a critical mass of mean old wiseasses from suburban Maryland. It's a trend! He'll move to Pittsboro soon.
Lewis Black, on home:
"Its only claim to fame is that it's the largest unincorporated city in America. In other words, we were too lazy to govern ourselves. The town motto was, 'I'd like to vote, but I don't feel like driving.'"
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