Welcome to Rod & Reel, the Gazette’s first-ever blog covering film, television and video — all the stuff we can’t fit in print, whether local, national or international.

Those of you who’ve arrived here via a Google search, seeking info and tips on fishing, apologies. (But, hey, have you seen “Okie Noodling”?) —Rod Lott

“Say hello to my little friend!”

“Attica! Attica! Attica!”

“I am the law!”

“Hoo-ah!”

“You ever take a dump made you feel like you'd just slept for twelve hours?”

No doubt about it: Al Pacino is a living Hollywood legend, with an Academy Award on the mantle and his legacy in cinematic history secured.

So why, then, is he appearing next Friday night, Oct. 14 at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville? Does he owe Beverly D’Angelo several months’ child support or something?

Either way, he is, and you can be one of the 1,600 lucky people to have an audience with him. At 9 p.m. Oct. 14, Pacino will give a one-man show about his career, rife with backstage scuttlebutt and film clips. A Q-and-A will follow. If I could be there, I’d ask him about that time Ben Stiller portrayed Pacino auditioning for the kiddie film “Beethoven.” (Didn’t see it? Skip to the 7:53 mark ...)



Tickets are $85 to $150. Call 800-622-6317 or visit winstarworldcasino.com. —Rod Lott

Just when I was getting worried for a while that the super-aggro, mass-culture-canned version of dubstep (see: Skrillex, Excision) was starting to completely fill out the mainstream’s understanding of electronic music, legendary English innovators Portishead calmed me down. The trip-hop act showed up on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” to play a brand new song and a classic, for the first time on American TV in 13 years. 

Watch (or rather, experience) “Chase the Tear,” which the band is currently promoting as a 12” release, and “Mysterons,” a haunting song that will probably outlive us all:

Were you one of the 7.3 million viewers who broke a basic-cable record by tuning in to the sophomore-season premiere of “The Walking Dead”?

Yeah? How about that first half-hour, huh? Whoa! A series best, amiright? And zombies in church? Whaddup wit’ dat, huh? And that final shot, too! Wow! Hey, is it weird that even a dirt-streaked and sweat-stained Laurie Holden still sets my heart a-flutter? Agree — didn’t think so. Oh, and that stomach scene! Eewww! I know, right? Ha!

Regardless of whether or not that made any sense, feast your eyes on the trailer for “The Walken Dead,” brought to our attention by the good people of the Nerdist podcast. No, it’s not real. Yes, it’s funny. Yes, it could use more cowbell. —Rod Lott

This weekend, I did something for the very first time: I was on TV.

Before the taping, I spent a fair amount of time running through a plethora of scenarios that included me tumbling off stage, freezing up and having no words or actually sleeping through the spot.

I just knew this would happen.

Or this.

Luckily, I wasn't climbing on a piano or married to Kim Kardashian, so none of the terrible things happened. In fact, it was a lot of fun, and I got to chat with some lovely ladies at KSBI about fashion and style and places to shop in OKC.

Lynn Hester, Pat Becker and Kari King welcomed me into the studio and sat me down on the red couch. Their smiles made me calm down a considerable amount. They were pros and gave me a few quick tips before we went back on air.

Guess I did OK, because they invited me back! I look forward to sitting down and chatting with them again. Make sure to stay tuned into KSBI to keep tabs on all things Oklahoma.