By Mills-McCoin Photo courtesy of Bob Biggerstaff The number of years Bob Biggerstaff has been a stand-up comedian is irrelevant.  What matters is that he’s funny and, BY GOD, if he wants to excuse himself in the middle of an interview to take a shit because maybe ordering coffee and a chili frito pie at 59 Diner was a bad idea, then Bob Biggerstaff is going to do that very damn thing. Which he did. And it was hilarious. Bob Biggerstaff has been hilarious since before he got a job as the doorman at the old gristmill on West Gray ... Read More »

By Will Guess Illustration by Blake Jones In 1998, Mara Leveritt wrote the award-winning book The Boys on the Tracks.  In 2002, Leveritt released her findings on the West Memphis Three (Devil’s Knot), a book that would eventually become the essential guide to a widely publicized case involving three young boys who were wrongfully convicted in the murder of three children. Now, over 10 years later, Leveritt continues her fight for justice for not only the young men in this case but for others who have also been wrongfully convicted.  FPH had the pleasure of speaking with Leveritt about an ... Read More »

By Meghan Hendley Photos of Cecelia drawing by Andy McWilliams Photos of artwork courtesy of the artist During a time when our city should have been experiencing the typical heat and humidity of spring, I was grateful for an unexpected cold front and the day it allowed me to spend with Cecelia Johnson.  Cecelia and I have been friends without knowing it for years, running in the same circles and sharing a love for the Houston arts community. Bubbling with joyful banter, wide-eyed and passionate, Cecelia embraced our day together by soaking in the beauty of a clear blue sky ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photo courtesy of Barrio Dogs, Inc. Houston has a notorious homeless animal population and, over the years, this problem has only become worse. Although homeless animals seem to wander all over the city, the problem appears to be of particular concern in Houston’s East End. Barrio Dogs, a grassroots nonprofit, was started by the concerned citizens of the neighborhood. The organization is not only feeding and housing these helpless animals but also reaching out to the community through education about proper animal care and the importance of spaying and neutering our pets. FPH caught up with Gloria Medina ... Read More »

By Nick Cooper Photo courtesy of SHAPE In February, it was announced that the all three properties of Third Ward’s prominent black cultural institution, The S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, valued at over $1 million, had been sold for $81,000, in order to pay fees on some copy machines that had been leased and repossessed years ago. When members of the community started to panic, director Deloyd Parker responded with a calmness informed by a lifetime of adversity and struggle, saying, “We aren’t going nowhere.” Longtime board member and SHAPE supporter Ed Banks wasn’t so sure.  “Deloyd had a lot more faith ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photos by Richard Ramirez II  In 1965, the world’s first doomed multipurpose building was born right here in Houston. Sorry, did I say doomed? I meant domed. The dooming part came decades later when the “eighth wonder of the world” sat unused and unmaintained for countless years. The Astrodome in its heyday was proof that Houston was ahead of its time. Houston is a city of growth but in order to continue that we need to learn how to incorporate our past. In the early ‘60s our former mayor, Roy Hofheinz, was granted a major league baseball ... Read More »

 By Alex Wukman Illustration by Shelby Hohl The rumors and speculation started almost as soon as the last ballot was filed in November 2012. This wasn’t the normal political tongue wagging of who was in or out or starting to look good for the next race. These rumors were more electric and promised something that many could only dream of: a blue Texas. Texas as a swing state has been the dream of many Democrats and progressives since Republicans took the keys to the Governor’s Mansion in 1995. It’s the goal of the well-funded and well-connected group Battleground Texas and ... Read More »

By Rob McCarthy Photos courtesy of Orents Stirner Orents Stirner is a band that thinks outside of the box and has successfully sought to shake off the shackles of structure for the freedom to flow for over six years. The band, which started around 2007, has been through multiple lineup changes but is now in what they consider to be “The Best Orents Stirner Ever in the History of Time.” The “classic” version of Orents Stirner came together in 2010, when founder Fletcher Stafford teamed up with Alex Harter, Russ Eckhardt, Tony Dojchinovski, and Kevin Palmer. Since then, the band ... Read More »

By Michael Pennywark Photo courtesy of the Menil Collection Arshile Gorky L’amour du fusil neuf  (Love of the New Gun), 1944 The Menil Collection, Houston © 2013 The Arshile Gorky Foundation / The Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo: Hickey-Robertson, Houston How many surrealists does it take to screw in a light bulb? Two. One to hold the giraffe and another to fill the wheelbarrow with brightly-colored power tools. OK, so surrealist humor might not be my forte but given the state of the world these days, we could all use a momentary distraction. What could be more fitting than ... Read More »

By Michael Pennywark Image courtesy of Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts Photo by David A. Brown So, spring is here and like almost everyone else you feel you should enjoy the handful of pleasant days before the sauna-like heat of Houston’s summer sends us scrambling back inside. Once you manage to get past the excitement of being able to sit outside while sipping your favorite frosty beverage, you might start to wonder what other things you can see and do outside in the middle of April. Of course, you could experience the great American tradition of drinking $8 ... Read More »