By Charlie Pyles
3 December 2009

The state of Louisiana is nothing more than a haven of backward, impoverished, uneducated racists—if your only source of information is Hollywood.

Ranging from popular comedies like “The Waterboy,” (starring Adam Sandler), to dramas like “Monster’s Ball” (Billy Bob Thornton), the majority of movies set in Louisiana give an inaccurate portrayal of the state, according to Dr. Danny Shipka, LSU professor of mass communication.

“I had an idea when I moved here about what Louisiana was all about,” Shipka said. “And I got that idea from all the movies that I saw.” Shipka, a Chicago native, said he realized upon his arrival to Louisiana that most of his Hollywood impressions were false.

Joined by graduate student and co-author Keeley Kristin, Shipka is writing a book to set the record straight on Louisiana in film.

Shipka said having Kristin as his co-author provides a balance to the project, since she is a born-and-raised Louisianan. “I couldn’t write this book honestly if I did not have a co-author who was from here,” Shipka said.

“Growing up here in Louisiana, I never really gave much thought to how other people perceived residents of Louisiana,” Kristin said. She said that throughout the research process of watching so many movies about the state, she has seen a pattern: Louisiana is consistently depicted in a negative light.

“Everyone here [in the movies] either talks with the uneducated Cajun accent or it’s the melodramatic Southern drawl,” Kristin said. She said filmmakers hold on to their negative focus on Louisiana because it attracts viewers.

Shipka and Kristin have compiled a list of more than 175 movies, all which take place in Louisiana. They are carefully going through this list, studying the movies to compare depiction to reality. Shipka said there has been lots of damage done to Louisiana’s reputation because of the film industry.

“There was a movie called ‘The Alligator People,’” Shipka said. “It takes place in LaFourche Parish. A woman goes down there to find her husband who’s disappeared. He’s turned into an alligator.”

The International Movie Database (www.imdb.com) lists “The Alligator People” as a 1959 production. Shipka listed other movies that stereotype Louisiana, including “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951) and “Shy People” (1987).

“What I think will help is the burgeoning film industry that’s going on here in Louisiana,” Shipka said. He hopes that as producers continue to take advantage of tax incentives here, the time spent in Louisiana will reveal the state’s true colors.

“When people come here, and they see how the state works, and they see the people, and they see the culture,” Shipka said, “they’ll be able to get a more accurate representation than just coming here and filming for a week.”

Shipka and Kristin expect their book, “Swamps, Snakes and Storms: Louisiana in Film,” to be complete by the end of next year. Kristin said LSU Press has expressed interest in the book by sending a letter of intent. If published, “Swamps, Snakes and Storms” would hit bookshelves sometime early 2011.

12 November 2009
By Charlie Pyles

“The LSU lakes have presented a problem since the day they were dug,” said Jason Soileau, LSU Assistant Director of Facility Development. He said because they were naturally a Cyprus and tupelo swamp to begin with, they will always be regressing back to that original state.

The problem is caused by nutrient drainage in the area, said Nick Sims, Army Corps of Engineers project manager. This drainage has caused the lakes to become shallow over time because of the growing layer of muck on the bottom. The shallow depth results in low dissolved-oxygen levels and quicker heating in the summer months, both of which account for the algae blooms during that time of year. Sims said these blooms die and settle to the bottom, adding to the muck every year.

A $21 million plan to restore the lakes has been agreed upon by the Corps of Engineers and local partners of the lake. These partners include LSU, BREC and the City of Baton Rouge. The project was originally classified under the Corps’ CAP-206 program, wherein the Corps would pay 65 percent, with a total cost cap of $7.5 million. So under this program the Corps could only cover up to a little less than $5 million. As long as the project remains in the CAP-206 program, local partners of the lakes would have to cough up more than $16 million to cover the rest of the cost.

“I don’t see this happening in the near future, unfortunately,” Soileau said. “If we don’t think of some creative way to fund this project, we’re going to have to get creative in how we use this area. Because it’s not going to be lakes anymore.”

27 October 2009
By Charlie Pyles

LSU fans are known best for passion for their team,  dedication, and… profanity and obscenity toward rival fans. A 2008 poll taken by FoxSports.com ranked LSU at No. 3 in the NCAA for “Most Obnoxious Fans.”

I wanted to find out for myself just how bad our fans really are. So I asked my good friend, Michael Morrow, who happens to be a die-hard Auburn game, to let me document his experience on LSU campus during Auburn gameday.

The video above features a few gestures not fit to air, and at least one four-letter word that hit the editing room floor. But for the most part, Morrow’s treatment on campus was far from hostile. Several LSU tailgaters were more than happy (and even proud) to share their Louisiana cuisine.

LSU tailgater Roger Cutrer said he is trying to make a difference in the reputation of all SEC fans. “Ninety percent are great,” he said. “But ten percent are absolutely terrible.” He tries to make up for it by inviting rival fans into his tailgate for a bite to eat.

Michael was surprised by his gameday experience. “It was a great day,” he said. “I’d love to come spend another gameday here again.” Of course, whatever enjoyment he had from being hosted by LSU fans was erased by the scoreboard later Saturday night, as his predicted 30-27 Auburn upset over LSU did not come to fruition.

8 October 2009
By Charlie Pyles

Louisiana first lady Supriya Jindal helped in the construction of two homes Tuesday in the West Abita Nursery area of Covington, La.

“I’m delighted to be here to participate,” Jindal said. “This shows what community is all about and this is what I want my children to be a part of.”

The construction is part of Habitat’s Women Build initiative. Clients and staff from H2O Salon and Spa of Mandeville volunteered to help in the build.

“The build will go on for the full month of October,” said Maureen Clary, president of St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity. “And we’ll have women out everyday—different companies, individuals—just coming out and volunteering to help us get these two homes built.”

Habitat has helped to build more than 1500 homes in Louisiana, and more than 800 since Hurricane Katrina. For information on volunteering or donating, call (985) 373-6638, or visit www.habitatstw.org.

Click for slideshow.

24 September 2009
By Charlie Pyles

After decades of dominating the cable television market in Baton Rouge, Cox Communications now faces new competition from corporate giant AT&T.

AT&T began launching its new digital TV service, “U-verse,” in the Baton Rouge area Sept. 8. “U-verse is revolutionary because it delivers TV in a completely new way,” AT&T representative Sue Sperry said.

The difference between U-verse and other digital television is the new technology of Internet-Protocol television (IPTV). The service is carried on fiber optic cables. Since it is IP-based, each subscriber has a dedicated line from AT&T that is not affected by how many neighbors are also using the service at the same time.

Because the service is Internet-based, the interactivity options surpass that of other services. Users can access local traffic and weather on-demand, and surf channels using the Picture-in-Picture display. Because it is fiber, the bandwidth is much less limited than conventional co-axial cable.

“It’s just a different delivery system,” said Ann Ruble, Cox Public Affairs Manager. “Ours is over fiber co-ax. Theirs is Internet Protocol. So it’s just a different delivery service. But it’s the same basic product—once it comes into your house, once you get into the TV–it’s cable.”

LSU graduate student Victoria Bemker had to go through five different people before she was finally able to sign up for student healthcare.

The confusion began with a phone number she received at LSU Student Orientation during the summer.  The graduate school gave out pamphlets on health insurance information that included the number 1-866-LSU-2010.  When Bemker called the number, the person answering the phone told her they “did not deal with that anymore” and “the company you are looking for is now bankrupt.”

Bemker tried the provided Web site, www.LSUstudentinsurance.com, which she said was confusing.  After calling the graduate school and student services, she finally reached Celeste Carney in insurance and billings at the LSU Student Health center.  Carney was shocked at Bemker’s experience with the 1-866-LSU-2010 phone number, saying in her 12 years at LSU she has “never seen anything like this.”  She explained to Bemker over the phone how to use codes listed on the insurance Web site to add health insurance through PAWS.

PAWS Additional Services lists a drop-down menu of codes to choose from with no explanation as to what each code represents.  A student looking to add health care through PAWS can do so by looking up which benefits package he or she wants on the insurance site, and choose the corresponding code in PAWS Additional Services under “Registration Services” on the left.

LSU students have until Sept. 11 to register for health coverage on PAWS. After that they must call the insurance company (G-M Southwest) directly at 1-866-LSU-2010.  Celeste Carney can be reached for assistance at 225-578-3304.

Of course, none of this matters if no one ever finds or reads my new little access point to the rest of the world.