Nose taped up, wearing clothes that would probably be found in the juniors department of JCPenny and holding a bag shaped like a chihuahua, John Roberts found his fame. Roberts, described above as his teenage girl character, Debra, found recent success thanks to YouTube.com and fans that can’t get enough of his characters. Inspired by his loved ones, Roberts said his characters were born during his stand-up routines over the past five years. “The Christmas Tree” hit YouTube about two years ago and was welcomed by over a million viewers. Encouraging people to “come ova” and look at his Christmas…

The urge is growing. You feel that itch for some live music in our humble college town but don’t know where to begin. It’s especially rough for students hailing from New York City where you can encounter live music at almost every street corner. With the closing of Magic City Music Hall a few weeks ago, Binghamton University students may find themselves searching for local live music. Once again, Release comes to the rescue and hopefully can guide you in the right direction. Sometimes you don’t have to put that much effort into finding a show. Just keep your eyes…

Over 1,800 fans watched the sun set as they stood in line outside the West Gym awaiting Lupe Fiasco’s first performance at Binghamton University. Sunday meant an evening of music and dancing behind the doors of the gym for the mass of BU and high school students. James Mead, of Owego, said he was excited to hear Fiasco’s “Dumb It Down.” “I look forward to Lupe’s artistic lyricism and style,” Mead, a student from Owego Free Academy, said. The 1,500 student tickets sold out by the day of the show, but the public ticket sales did not go as well,…

Weather forecast for Oct. 3: Cloudy (obviously, we are in Binghamton) with some definite thunder. But don’t worry, this thunder won’t make your power go out or scare you. This is a special type never before seen in the United States — Celtic Thunder. Celtic Thunder, a performance group of five men from Ireland and Scotland, will kick off its first U.S. tour at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena this Friday, Oct. 3. The men, of varying ages and musical backgrounds, are set to play 50 dates touching every corner of the country. Release had a chance to chat…

Release: Where did you get your start? Brad Bell, Chiodos’ keyboardist: We all went to high school together in Michigan. They formed during my freshman year of college. In December 2001, I came home for a break and we started jamming. We realized there was some chemistry there. We realized that people were into what we were playing so we started playing as many shows as we could. Release: Who are some of your major influences? BB: Queen and Led Zeppelin are some of our major influences as a band. Release: Has your music changed with the time and the…

Imagine this: a group of grown men waiting for a Hot Pocket to heat up or baking their own bread every day. It may sound odd, but these are common practices onboard the tour buses of Motion City Soundtrack and Chiodos. Magic City Music Hall in Johnson City will welcome both bands on Sept. 25. Release had a chance to speak with Jesse Johnson of Motion City Soundtrack and Brad Bell of Chiodos before their upcoming tour for an inside look on their views of the music industry, being on the road and playing shows. Release: Where did you get…

The bags have been unpacked, the parents have left long ago. You’ve been left with a complete stranger to live with for a year. You try to break the ice with a joke. There is no laughter coming from the other side of the room. Awkward? Yes. Welcome to your worst nightmare, the bad roommate. Your living space is generally your sanctuary where you can escape from professors, boyfriends/girlfriends and the never-ending inquiring minds of parents. That place of serenity is also inhabited by another person who is going through the same hassles as yourself. “So what happens? What happens…

A little black and white dog scampers through tents overcrowded with people. The dog dances past the outdoor bar as sounds of an acoustic guitar envelopes the crowd as they feast on hotdogs. Welcome to the sixth annual West Fest. Despite a rainy Saturday morning start, the festival got into full swing on both Saturday, Aug. 30, and Sunday, Aug. 31, at the Cyber Cafe West. Eventually a sunny sky welcomed local bands, patrons and various vendors to the Main Street location. West Fest is not just a regular festival held just for the sake of music, it’s a party…

It’s that time again. Tyra Banks is once again begging for the answer to her nagging question, “Wanna be on top?” “America’s Next Top Model,” or “ANTM” as devoted fans call it, is in search of a new girl that will be given the false hope of gaining success through modeling. Maybe this will be the season to change it all. With a sneak peek at the new season, it is clear that Tyra Banks has officially gone insane. The CW has given Banks yet another group of girls to mold into her clones. After the appearance of several artificial…

With finals week approaching, some Binghamton University students turn to the Counseling Center for help in managing stress. The Counseling Center itself, however, may need some help of its own. Short-staffed and in demand, the Counseling Center is struggling to satisfy the needs of students, according to Dr. Elizabeth Droz, the department’s director. With a current ratio of one counselor for every 1,747 students, the Counseling Center does not meet the recommended proportion of one counselor for every 1,000 students, she said. Droz, who has been the director for 10 years, said that when she first began, there were 5.2…

It was a flashback to the 1990s when Eve 6 hit the stage at Magic City Music Hall Friday night. A mixture of BU students and locals crowded into the Johnson City venue to see the band along with opening bands Merit and Wheatus. Eve 6 hit the stage around 9:45 p.m. and played a mixture of new and old material. Their self-proclaimed graduation song “Here’s to the Night” seemed appropriate as another school year winds down. “I never meant to write a graduation song but here goes,” Max Collins, lead singer and bassist, said. The band’s hit “Inside Out”…

With edgy shows like “Dexter” and “Sex and the City,” it seems like premium cable is always one step ahead of their basic cable competition, and when it comes to gay main characters, that’s no exception. Ryan Vaughan, an English professor at Binghamton University with a Ph.D. in English, said that networks are just touching the surface in regards to gay culture in America. “Where the real progress is being made with homosexuality on TV is in paid cable,” Vaughan said. “Basic cable isn’t going to push the limits as much as paid cable.” Premium cable, more specifically Showtime, was…

Born a female, Ethan Lewis, a sophomore human development major, did not see himself as a woman. As a transgendered person, the co-director of the Rainbow Pride Union has been identifying himself as male for the past two years. Lewis said that learning some terms may help in understanding transgendered people. “There is a difference between gender identity and gender expression,” Lewis said. “Gender identity is how you label yourself while gender expression is how you express your gender.” Many people do not know the difference between a transsexual and a transgendered person, Lewis said. A transsexual person is an…

There have been at least a couple of days without rain, temperatures have been in the 80s and clouds have been sparse. To many Binghamton residents, that means the Apocalypse is coming, but many students recognize this event as spring taking its hold on the Southern Tier and with the warm weather comes new activities. There’s a strong desire to break out of the routine of indoor dwelling. Whether it is taking in America’s favorite pastime, viewing local art or star gazing, the City of Binghamton offers different outdoor options when it comes to planning your spring nights. After months…

Reach into your pocket, pull out your wallet and have a look inside. Chances are, being a college student, your wallet is probably not brimming with cash. You could get a job at a local store or restaurant, but that can be tedious and boring. There are more creative ways to earn some money, like sperm or egg donation, babysitting, housekeeping, stripping or even selling your blood for some quick cash. But, sperm donation is often depicted in films and television as a quick and easy way to make some dough. In movies such as “Road Trip,” people walk into…

Box Office Top 10 Week of April 4, 2008 1. 21 $15.1M 2. Leatherheads $13.5M 3. Nim’s Island $13.3M 4. Horton Hears a Who! $9.1M 5. The Ruins $7.84M 6. Superhero Movie $5.41M 7. Meet the Browns $3.51M 8. Drillbit Taylor $3.5M 9. Shutter $2.88M 10. 10,000 B.C. $2.77M Movie Times Friday, April 11, 2008 Regal (Hoyts) Binghamton Cinema 12 900 Front St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13901 21 (2008) (PG-13, 123 min.) 12:35 p.m. | 3:40 p.m. | 6:35 p.m. | 9:35 p.m. Horton Hears a Who! (G, 88 min.) 12:20 p.m. | 2:40 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 7:45 p.m.…

Friday, April 11, 2008 Relay For Life — Come raise some funds for charity and have a good time at Relay For Life. The 12-hour event begins at 5 p.m. in the Events Center. There will be a variety of activities that will make this an event you can’t miss. For more information, visit events.cancer.org/RFLbinghamtonuniversityNY. Late Nite Binghamton — This week at Late Nite come watch “Atonement,” take part in the chocolate festival or decorate your own takeout box. For more information, visit latenite.binghamton.edu. Harpur Film Society — This week the Harpur Film Society will be screening “Manufactured Landscapes” at…

It’s a lazy Sunday. As you roll out of bed at 2 p.m. after a night of partying, you can feel pains of hunger in your stomach. It’s time to start your day at the place it may have ended: a Binghamton diner. Whether living on campus or off, a local diner can be the perfect restaurant for a Binghamton student on a budget. Besides being inexpensive, diners offer a variety of items that are quickly made to order and provide a place to recover from a hangover and recap the night before with friends. The Skylark Diner of Vestal…

Nine people — including seven Binghamton University students — were arrested when an anti-war protest on the Vestal Parkway escalated into a confrontation with police shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday. Three students were jailed and held on $500 bail. The charges included obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, resisting arrest (both Class A misdemeanors) and disorderly conduct (a violation). Initial reports said ten people, many of them students, were arrested, but a press release from the Vestal Police Department listed nine individuals charged with arrest. Three of them, Andrew B. Epstein, Thomas A. Pieragastini, and David Bittner, all BU…

Popular spring break options: Cancun, Florida, the Bahamas, Binghamton … yes, you read right, some students will be spending their spring break right here in Binghamton. Now you might ask yourself, what is there to do in this city while your friends are frolicking on warm beaches? It may surprise you but Binghamton and the surrounding areas have plenty to offer a college student with nothing to do for a week. Though many students look for warm weather, some may want to enjoy the last few days of the cold. Greek Peak, though they are no longer making snow for…

Living off campus puts you in a bubble. You’re sitting on a couch in a house for which you pay low rent, where it may be difficult to see past your own problems. As you sit, the world around you is changing and many students do not realize it but they can easily do their part to help the environment. Many Binghamton University students get to experience the transition from dorm life to living in an off-campus house. As they make the move off campus, they will face newfound responsibilities. One of those responsibilities that should be on the mind…

A sold-out crowd of 7,000 bodies, all rubbing against each other, welcomed the Foo Fighters to Binghamton University. “I love sweaty dudes who say they love me,” David Grohl said, flashing a grin and looking out at the crowd of people packed into BU’s Events Center on Friday. Despite this weekend’s poor weather, fans still turned out for the show. Against Me! started off promptly at 7:30 p.m. with bright lights shining down on them. The band performed their single “Stop” with a snarling white tiger as the back drop. Shortly after, Serj Tankian’s unique voice screeched into the air…

You wouldn’t expect a place that holds a weekly “Honky Tonk Night” to host hundreds of inebriated young adults and even some families to bring one of the most well-known hip-hop artists to Johnson City. Gin and juice was flowing as Cordozar Calvin Broadus, the rapper known as Snoop Dogg, brought down the house for 1,500 concertgoers Sunday night at Magic City Music Hall. The doors opened at 5 p.m. and people began to file into Magic City eagerly anticipating the appearance of the legendary rapper. Snoop Dogg, who has gained recent notoriety through his new reality show, “Snoop Dogg’s…

Hello, my name is Lauren and I will be abstinent for the next 40 days. Yes, the idea may seem insane but I have made a conscious decision to give up sex for Lent. Born and raised as a good Catholic girl, it is only natural for me to give up something. I’ve tried eliminating some of my vices such as cursing or my love of junk food. This year, I decided on a real challenge. At least I don’t have to do this by myself. I get to drag my boyfriend down with me. Similar to the movie “40…

It’s just another night in Binghamton. You find yourself bored and in search of something to occupy your time but you may feel as though your options are limited to bars and a night filled with drunken debacles. While it’s always good time, why not change it up this semester? You can break out of the mold and venture past the Downtown scene and experience something new. Every week there is an assortment of events and activities that happen right on our very own campus. Some of the regular staples on campus include: Late Nite Binghamton; men’s and women’s basketball…

As you are stumbling down the streets of Binghamton toward the corner of Main Street and Clarke Street, a scent fills the air. Your booze-filled stomach begins to tingle as the aroma of fried chicken fills your nostrils. As you get closer to the corner, you see it: the red and white sign reading “Kennedy Fried Chicken.” Every weekend students stumble to Kennedy Fried Chicken for late night food. A drunken student must be determined to eat tasty chicken to have the power to walk 1.15 miles and past the food offered near Downtown Binghamton. The main draw of the…

Walk into The Shaman’s Den on Washington Street and you will hear the sounds of music blasting and the tattoo guns buzzing away. For Alie Kalb, those sounds are all part of her job. Kalb has been the lone female tattoo artist in the Downtown Binghamton tattoo shop for the past year and a half. “[Tattoos were] always something that I was drawn to,” Kalb said as she leaned over a client’s back in her room at The Shaman’s Den two weeks ago. The purple walls of her workspace are dotted with tattoo-inspired art, and Casie Folli, her client, is…

A local filmmaker from neighboring Owego found himself thrust into the Hollywood spotlight when he was selected to be a contestant on this past summer’s reality show, “On the Lot.” Born and raised about 30 minutes from the Binghamton University campus, Kenny Luby Jr. made it to the top in the “American Idol”-style reality show for filmmakers. At a forum at the ART Mission and Theater this month, Luby discussed his experiences competing on the fast-paced Fox show in California. Luby said his father told him about “On the Lot.” “So I checked it out online and saw the competition,”…

Steven Palmer did not know that he would find the inspiration for his future T-shirt design company while flipping through a copy of Better Homes and Gardens. The local artist was struck an image with the caption, “Where is Everybody?”, and decided he had to use that image in his artwork. “It was a woman opening a door, looking out, and it said, ‘Where is Everybody’ … and I’m thinking, ‘that’s a really cool illustration’,” Palmer said. The depiction of a woman opening a door was the starting point for Palmer’s Binghamton-themed T-shirt company which uses vintage art and puns…