Scott Baio, Nanci Griffith, Secret Policeman’s Ball and Other Signs of Aging

What to do in L.A., June 5-11

Comments (0) By L.A. Weekly Staff Wednesday, Jun 3 2009

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—L.M.

Nanci Griffith: She’s got all night to remember you.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Student Festival

GO BRUINS!
You want to see a wide offering of films of the “I saw it first” variety? Plus see new work in the fields of costume, scenic, lighting and sound design? Look no further than the 2009 UCLA Festival of New Creative Work.It runs June 5-13 and offers separate programs in animation (Sat., June 6); a design showcase (Sat., June 6); feature films (Mon., June 8); and staged readings of award-winning screenplays (Wed., June 10; also honoring Milk’s Dustin Lance Black). It’s all free and you can thank me later. UCLA; June 5-13. For full schedule: legacy.tft.ucla.edu/festival.

—L.M.

Tea Time

IT’S HIGH TIME!
If you’re bored with metal devil fingers — or perhaps you’re just that lazy — hoist that pinky high for the Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa’s afternoon tea. It’ll cost just 15 cents today (one shilling and sixpence for the more evolved time-travelers among us), reflecting the 1865 prices inherent to the London original of the hotel chain. Served that day will be scones with Devonshire cream (clotted cream made with only the finest, unpasteurized milk), strawberries with Grand Marnier sauce, chocolate-mousse tortes and, of course, the obligatory panoply of teas from around the world. Just in case your schadenfreude hasn’t married your trusty lifelong sense of cynicism, there’ll be people wandering the grounds and dining room in period costume, so be sure to point to the sky and say, “Eeeyah, iron bird!” when they engage you in their gently dull Victorian repartee. Whether taken on the terrace or in the lobby lounge, which boasts a rather stellar view of San Marino rivaled only by the stellar views of San Marino, Italy, it’s a tradition that exhumes lost values of grace, poise, manners and hew-mah — priceless. Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena; Wed., June 10, 2 p.m. (626) 568-3900.

—David Cotner

THURSDAY, JUNE 11

Film

THE SECRET IS OUT!
Just in case you thought the only balls secret policemen held were the ones they’d severed from unfortunate prisoners, here come two world premieres of the latest episodes in the long-running and deeply respected Secret Policeman’s Ball live concert-film series. Tonight’s debut sees Neil Innes and co-creator Martin Lewis introducing the cycle, which includes Remember the Secret Policeman’s Ball (2004), commemorating the 25th anniversary of the series. Previously a candidate for incessant airings on cable (along with War Games, Bill Cosby: Himself and First Blood), this latest installment is a retrospective featuring Monty Python’s John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, along with Rowan Atkinson, Bob Geldof and Sting, all reminiscing about what it was all about to begin with — namely, Amnesty International’s research and prevention of world human-rights abuses. Bob Geldof went on to spread the meme through the larger rock community with Band Aid, which begat Live Aid, which begat Farm Aid and scads of other benefit concerts working on the same principle. Also showing: The Secret Policeman Rocks (2009), celebrating the series’ 30th anniversary, so expect the usual perfunctory brilliance from Jeff Beck, Peter Gabriel, David Gilmour, Phil Collins and Kate “Let’s Not Beat Around The” Bush. Charity fatigue? Not with this lot rocking the way they do. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd.; Thurs., June 11, 9:30 p.m.; $10. (323) 466-FILM or www.egyptiantheatre.com, www.secretpolicemansball.com.