PopSmart

Ginny Tonic (sometimes known as Michael Howell) is one of the pack leaders of the East Point Possums (Possi?), who get together each year, throw one helluva drag ball, and raise lots of money for their charity of choice. This year’s beneficiary is the Jerusalem House, which provides more than half of Atlanta’s permanent housing designated for homeless persons living with HIV/AIDS. One of the show’s claims to fame was it was the first show that Gigi Monroe performed before she became Atlanta’s “First Drag Idol” winner from Charlie Brown, according to co-founder Rick Westbrook. Other famous names include Alexandria Martin, Owen McCord, Genre, and Summer Knight.

This year’s East Point Possums party will be held from 8-11 p.m. Saturday, June 14, on the East Point Commons in downtown — near the Corner Tavern, a major supporter of the event. The show also features such familiar performers as Prissy Scilla and the MC, Dina Daintymouth.

We had a chance to catch up with the legendary Ginny Tonic to figure out why the Possums make such friendly pets.

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FLEE TO THE CLEVE: Clevelander Bigg Nugg performs at Lenny’s Bar Saturday night.

(Courtesy MondoHomo)

1) MondoHomo Dirty South festivities continue at various metro locations.

2) Comedy troupe Kids in the Hall return from a six-year hiatus to perform at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

3) Star Bar’s annual Bubbapalooza rages on for its final night.

4) “Democracy Now!” host and creator Amy Goodman speaks at the Birdblast, a 40-year anniversary party for the Great Speckled Bird, at B-Complex Saturday afternoon.

5) Asleep at the Wheel performs at Variety Playhouse Saturday night.

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Barbara Walters speaks and discusses her new book at Agnes Scott College.

(Courtesy Amazon.com)

1) TV personality Barbara Walters discusses her new book, Audition: A Memoir, at Agnes Scott College’s Presser Hall.

2) Green-themed exhibit Eco-nomics includes fused glass chandelier windchimes, wall mirrors using recycled aluminum cans and more at Art at Work Studio and Gallery.

3) Atlanta Wine School’s School Nights at Park Tavern Series explores Whites and Rosés, with wine educators on hand to answer questions.

4) The Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur Gallery features Cool vs. Cruel: From Fur to Faux, with animal-friendly, plant-based designs by Art Institute students.

5) Fernbank Museum of Natural History screens family-friendly film Dolphins.

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Is Ted Turner the real Captain Planet? That’s what he says in Lizz Widdicombe’s hilarious “Talk of the Town” segment of this week’s New Yorker (“Born Green”), in which she catches up with the man who claims to be the one who beat Al Gore to telling the world an inconvenient truth with his now-defunct TBS cartoon, “Captain Planet and the Planeteers.” (Sounds like a bad ’70s funk ensemble.) The story comes from an Atlanta fundraiser for Turner’s Captain Planet Foundation. In the article, he boasts that he was his own inspiration for the Captain Planet character, who does battle with all the earth-unfriendly nasties out there.

Here’s a sample from the article:

With the show, Ted Turner is fond of saying, he invented a television genre that he called “edu-tainment” — a noble endeavor but one that has taken a lot of grief over the years. Critics of “Captain Planet” have pointed to the broadness of its allegory (characters include “Kwame from Africa” and “Gi from Asia”), and the heavy-handedness of its plots (battles against a villain named Hoggish Greedly and a Pollution Syndicate), to suggest that it’s less entertainment than a vehicle for “left-wing propaganda,” as one watchdog group put it. But Turner remains unfazed. “In terms of programming, it’s the best thing I ever did,” he said the other day.

Really, Ted? As opposed to, um, non-programming? Whatev, it definitely struggles to stand the test of time, as this clip demonstrates. But there is a kitschy charm about the whole thing. See for yourself, Planeteers!

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Today’s Air Loaf features CL’s own Chanté Lagon and David Lee Simmons chatting about the 2008 Summer Guide — dropping today! Check it out for the best 111 things to do this summer.

Air Loaf is broadcast weekdays on 1690 WMLB-AM at approximately 8:10 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.

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1) Janet Biggs’ Tracking Up exhibit (pictured) continues at Solomon Projects.

2) Eyedrum Music & Art Gallery hosts 50 Artists, 50 Shots: We Are All Sean Bell.

3) Traveling exhibition Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art, organized by the Southern Arts Federation, finishes up its final week at Atlanta History Center.

4) Ladyhawk, Neva Dinova, Vivian Girls and Johnny Buffalo & the Mutinous Noise perform at the Drunken Unicorn.

5) Nathan McCall and Pearl Cleage discuss Them and Seen It All and Done the Rest, respectively, with James Taylor at Atlanta Fulton Central Library.

(Photo by Janet Biggs)

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1) Food Network host Alton Brown reads from and discusses his book, Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run, at Variety Playhouse.

2) Theatre in the Square presents The Little Dog Laughed.

3) Starring Javier Bardem film fest kicks off its four-film series at the Rich Theatre at Woodruff Arts Center.

4) Radiohead and the Liars perform a sold-out show at Lakewood Amphitheatre.

5) The Day Celebration, a three-day music fest benefiting five Georgia-based charities, begins at Triple B Farm in Buckhead, Ga.

(Photo by Don Chambers/Chamber Studios)

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1) Sweet Auburn International Film Festival kicks off.

2) Newt Gingrich signs Days of Infamy at Borders East Cobb.

3) Shrine of the Black Madonna hosts Wordlife Wednesdays open-mic night.

4) PushPush Theater features guest storyteller Jim Karwish of Relapse Theatre for its Wednesday night Doug Dank Project.

5) Foot Village performs at Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery.

(Photo Christopher Babers)

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1) Tuscany-based artist Roberto Santo shows Recent Works at Mason Murer Fine Art.

2) The Coathangers play Star Bar.

3) Chef Charlie Ayers signs Food 2.0 and leads a cooking class on nutritious food at Cook’s Warehouse in Midtown.

4) NBA Playoff Game 6 with Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics is at Philips Arena and available to watch on FSN South.

5) Atlanta Photography Group Gallery has its opening reception for In Your Dreams, juried by Naomi Silva.

(Roberto Santo)

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(Photo courtesy Theatrical Outfit)

Theatrical Outfit’s ATLEXIS 2008 fundraiser offers “an evening of Words, Wit and Wisdom from Southern Literature,” of which there’s a ton, with readings and music by a host of celebrity guests Sat., APRIL 5. The most notable of the group, besides our own Mayor Shirley Franklin (natch), is actor Tony Shalhoub (right), the three-time Emmy-winning star and executive producer of TV’s “Monk.” (Shalhoub’s sister, Susan Shalhoub Larkin, is a local theater figure, and will also read.) Shalhoub will be joined by wife/actress Brooke Adams in reading from Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve. Other, more local celebs include Tom Key, Monica Pearson and Ferrol Sams, along with singer/songwriter Kate Campbell and WSB-AM’s (750) Scott Slade hosting. $110 gala tickets; VIP tickets sold out. Reception, 6 p.m.; performance, 7:30 p.m. Rialto Center for the Arts and Balzer Theater, 80 Forsyth St. 678-528-1511. www.theatricaloutfit.org.

Here’s a podcast interview with Shalhoub, talking about his hit show, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and his recent movie work …

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