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Bill Hader talks Tulsa, "Adventureland"
Published: 3/30/2009 6:05 PM
Last Modified: 3/30/2009 6:05 PM

I've now interviewed Bill Hader twice, and it is a particular pleasure, because he loves to talk about his hometown.
He called me last week in advance of "Adventureland," his new comedy opening on this week. Look for a full interview in Friday's Scene section.
Here's a preview of what to expect. It seemed only natural, as he plays an amusement park manager in the film, to ask him about Bell's and the Tulsa State Fair. He was only too happy to oblige.
"The Zingo made me afraid of rollercoasters. I still will not, to this day, get on a rollercoaster. You would take a turn on Zingo, and you’d feel the whole rollercoaster lean to the right, and, oh, man. I remember like the summer of 1989, there were Batman themes everywhere (with the release of the Tim Burton film) and they had a Joker mouth painted on the rollercoaster entrance...."
"I remember more the fair that came each October, and that eye-opening feeling of realizing, when a friend’s older brother told us, that all the games were rigged so that you couldn’t win. That was such a man-behind-the-curtain moment, like, Hey, these guys are lying to me, and I’m a child," Hader said, laughing.
"I do remember going one time into the haunted house, and a buddy of ours jumping out of the cart and hanging out in the haunted house. That just seemed like the funniest thing, his terrorizing the people."

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Arbythree (4 years ago)

I will look forward to reading the interview on Friday.

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“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

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Past Articles By Michael Smith

2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
2/15/2013		Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'
2/15/2013		Review: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

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