we are all made of stars

woo-hoo! l.a. citybeat picked up more l.a. press club award nominations than ever in its four-year history. all are in the "daily/weekly newspapers under 100,000 circulation" category and include a nomination for yours truly in the "columnist" slot, for my pop-culture column "subbacultcha." also, i am proud to have been the editor for all the entertainment nominees.

yay me and everybody else:

* NEWS FEATURE: deputy editor dean kuipers for "trouble in the garden" -- about the south central farmers.

* INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES: michael collins for his cover story "real hot property" -- about the radioactive dog park in brentwood. (above is the cover image, which was shown on local tv news and prompted the immortal words of a dog-walker: "i mean, dude, the dog is glowing. doesn't that freak you out?!")

* SIGNED COMMENTARY: andrew gumbel.

* COLUMNIST: moi.

* ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS/CRITICISM: anthony miller on julie phillips's biography of science fiction author james tiptree jr.

* ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE smackdown! in one corner, editor steve appleford's "he was wrong" -- an interview with ralph steadman. in another corner, anthony miller's "revolutionary roads” -- a profile of author mark z. danielewski.

also congrats to sister-paper pasadena weekly colleagues chip jacobs (nominated in news feature and investigative/series), kevin uhrich (nominated in news feature and editorial). and to luke y. thompson, who's just a swell guy. the awards take place june 16 at the biltmore downtown.