Nathan Hale Homestead to host artist exhibitions
From decorative wallpaper and landscaped gardens to paintings, ceramics and statues, visitors will discover the significance of the art to the lives of the people who once lived in the homes.
This year, the organization's Hartford, Suffield and Coventry museums will feature art exhibitions by Amanda Roy, Emma Chadwick, Luis Cotto, Frank Poulin, Andy Hart, Gina Trusiewicz and Scott E. Rhoades.
At Hartford's Butler-McCook House & Garden, the Amos Bull Community Room and the Butler-McCook Aetna Gallery will hold several artist exhibitions.
The exhibitions are free and open from May to December from 1 to 4 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month. They will also be open during the free Sunset Sounds Concert Series, which is held on the property every second Thursday between June and September from 6 to 8 p.m., with grounds opening at 5 p.m.
The exhibitions will be open from 6 to 8 p.m. during the Make Music Day concert on June 21 and Connecticut Historic Gardens Day on June 22 from noon to 4 p.m.
In Suffield, the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden will host Gina Trusiewicz's exhibition Pastel Paintings in its Visitor Center this season.
The exhibition is free and will open during the museum's regular hours on the second Sunday of the month from June to October from 1 to 4 p.m. During the museum's open tour day on September 14, Trusiewicz will demonstrate the art of pastel painting on site from 1 to 2 p.m.
Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry will experience the work of local artist and art instructor Scott E. Rhoades from August 9 and August 31 for his Scenic New England art exhibition.
Raised in Coventry, his work has been published in several magazines, and his high school mural program was recognized nationally.
Rhoades will receive a first-place prize from the Marlborough Arts Center for his painting, 'Nathan Hale Homestead Field.' The piece also won the 2024 Painting Award at the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.
The exhibition of Rhoades' work is free and open to the public during the museum's regular hours: Friday and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Sundays in August during the Coventry Farmers Market, Rhoades will work on-site on his latest artwork and answer questions.
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Geek Vibes Nation
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The Prince of Darkness Dies at 76 world said goodbye to John Michael 'Ozzy' Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath. He was 76. His family confirmed the news, sharing that Ozzy passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. His death follows a long battle with Parkinson's and chronic health issues, closing the final chapter on a career that reshaped music, television, and pop culture. From heavy metal icon to reality TV pioneer, Ozzy's influence is unmatched — loud, unpredictable, and unforgettable. Today, the, the legendary frontman of. He was 76. His family confirmed the news, sharing that Ozzy passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. His death follows a long battle with Parkinson's and chronic health issues, closing the final chapter on a career that reshaped music, television, and pop culture. From heavy metal icon to reality TV pioneer, Ozzy's influence is unmatched — loud, unpredictable, and unforgettable. Forging the Sound of Heavy Metal Born in Birmingham, England on December 3, 1948, Osbourne's early life gave little clue of the legacy he'd build. That all changed in 1968 when he co-founded Black Sabbath with Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Tony Iommi. Named after a Boris Karloff horror film, the band developed a slow, ominous sound that laid the groundwork for heavy metal. Albums like Paranoid (1970), Master of Reality (1971), and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) introduced a new kind of sonic darkness — and Ozzy's ghostly vocals made it unforgettable. Dubbed the 'Prince of Darkness' for his theatrical stage presence and wild reputation, Ozzy was just as beloved for his offstage sincerity. After parting ways with Sabbath in 1979 due to substance abuse, he launched a solo career that began with Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and never let up. He also created Ozzfest, a festival that grossed over $100 million and helped put countless hard rock and metal bands on the map. His final live performance — a Black Sabbath reunion on July 5, 2025, in his hometown — saw him seated on a throne, offering a heartfelt farewell to a crowd of 40,000. Changing TV Forever with The Osbournes In 2002, Ozzy once again broke new ground — this time in reality TV. MTV's The Osbournes, which ran until 2005, gave viewers a fly-on-the-wall look at his eccentric family life with wife Sharon and kids Jack and Kelly. The show was loud, messy, and deeply relatable, turning Ozzy into a baffled-yet-lovable dad figure and launching a new era of celebrity reality shows. Unlike many of its successors, The Osbournes felt real — sometimes painfully so. The series didn't shy away from Sharon's cancer battle or Ozzy's near-fatal ATV crash. The show quickly became MTV's most-watched program and even won a 2002 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program. In a 2023 interview with Spin, Ozzy recalled: 'What you saw was what really went on. It wasn't contrived.' 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The Jerky Boys (1995): Took on the role of a rock band manager. Took on the role of a rock band manager. Private Parts (1997): Brief but memorable cameo in the Howard Stern biopic. Brief but memorable cameo in the Howard Stern biopic. Little Nicky (2000): Appeared as himself in a scene with flying bats — naturally. Appeared as himself in a scene with flying bats — naturally. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002): Joined the family in a cheeky send-up of their reality TV fame. Joined the family in a cheeky send-up of their reality TV fame. Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) and Sherlock Gnomes (2018): Voiced the character Fawn, proving he could be kid-friendly, too. Voiced the character Fawn, proving he could be kid-friendly, too. Ghostbusters (2016): Popped up in a fun cameo. Popped up in a fun cameo. Trolls World Tour (2020): Voiced King Thrash, the hard-rock villain. Voiced King Thrash, the hard-rock villain. We Need to Do Something (2021): Voiced 'Good Boy' in a dark, surreal horror film. See also Arrow Video's July Releases Include A Sylvester Stallone Classic, Nordic Noir, Cult Favorite Body Horror & More Ozzy also appeared in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2013) and was the subject of the intimate 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, produced by his son Jack. A biopic based on his memoir I Am Ozzy is in development at Sony, with Ozzy hoping the lead role goes to a talented unknown British actor. He made guest appearances on shows ranging from The Talk to Sesame Street, showing off the full range of his personality. Fans online continue to hail The Osbournes as one of the greatest reality shows ever and praise Ozzy for transcending generations. Leaving a Legacy That Won't Be Forgotten Ozzy Osbourne's influence can't be overstated. He didn't just help create heavy metal — he became its face. Artists like Billy Corgan and John Darnielle credit him as a major influence, and his honesty and vulnerability on reality TV helped change public perceptions of rock stars. He leaves behind his wife Sharon, their children Aimee, Kelly, and Jack, and a growing number of grandchildren — not to mention millions of devoted fans around the world. His final concert film, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow, is set to be released in 2026. It promises to celebrate both his life and the enduring power of Black Sabbath. Though the Prince of Darkness has taken his final bow, his music, his image, and his voice will live on. Forever loud. Sources: The New York Times, Wikipedia, Ozzy Osbourne Official Site, The Mirror US, IndieWire, People, Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, TV Guide, EBSCO, American Songwriter, Yahoo Share your favorite Ozzy memory — whether from the stage, the screen, or the small screen — in the comments below. Let's honor a legend together.
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Crooks understood why Lifetime was eager to turn this into a series. But did everything go down a little too perfectly? Soon after returning home, Crooks got an email from someone named Ronald Rutherford that made him question everything. 'It would be a mistake to write a story on the P.I. moms and Chris Butler,' the email stated. 'Chris totally played you. The case that you sat in on was totally scripted. All the participants or employees are paid actors. I hope that publishing it is not in your plans.' As chronicled in Netflix's new documentary Trainwreck: P.I. Moms, that mysterious message was just the beginning of a scandal that involved lying, cheating, wire-tapping, methamphetamines, and jail time, and would ultimately kill the Lifetime reality series before it ever aired. In this retelling, director Phil Bowman interviews a couple of the moms, Lifetime producers, and several others involved with the show to paint a better picture of how Butler's enterprise wasn't everything it seemed to be. Reality show origins When Butler started his investigation firm around 2000, the former police officer hired a lot of off-duty, law enforcement officers to work on cases, but he found that the men were all too competitive and impatient to be good investigators. 'Then, I hired a mom, and she was the best investigator I had worked with,' he told Crooks. 'She was patient and a good team player, and she could multitask." Eventually, he hired moms Michelle Allen, Charmagne Peters, Denise Antoon, and Ami Wilt to fill out a team. Butler used their skills and inconspicuousness to perform undercover operations, stings, and other kinds of investigative work, which secretly included a 'Dirty DUIs' scheme in which they'd encourage men to drink alcohol, encourage them to drive, and then alert the police. (The doc doesn't interrogate this aspect of the business.) As the moms started getting media attention throughout the reality TV boom, Lifetime saw potential for a show—along with spin-offs in other cities—centered around them. The network soon reached out to Lucas Platt about showrunning the series. The TV veteran liked the general concept of 'showing this group of women busting criminals together,' he says in the doc, but he also wanted to explore their lives outside the job. As Denise and Ami attest, the moms didn't want to be treated like a group on Real Housewives and create fake drama, so Platt agreed to share more personal and meaningful anecdotes about their lives. 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The show wouldn't work if employees were breaking up operations out of spite and jealousy, so Platt told Butler that his employee had been sabotaging the show. But instead of firing Marino, Butler told Platt not to worry about it—an odd reaction, especially for someone hoping to make bank from a reality series. 'Clearly he had other things that were happening that were taking precedence,' Denise says. Marino knew all about those other things, and was willing to spill the information. He continued corresponding with Crooks and explained that Butler was involved in serious criminal activity, selling marijuana, prescription Xanax, and steroids that had been confiscated by a Contra Costa Country Task Force commander. Once in possession of the drugs, Butler would then give them to Marino inside the office. 'I have not sold any and don't want to,' Marino messaged Crooks. 'I don't want anything to do with this.' At the same time, Marino continued to scheme, eventually using insider case files to solve a missing person's case that Platt and the P.I. Moms had hoped would be their opportunity to save the series. As both Ami and Denise remember, Marino was determined to have his 15 minutes of fame, even if that meant continuing to sabotage the show he was so desperate to be on. 'How dumb are you that they're going to push this out and you're going to be the star of the show?' Ami says. The final sting After Crooks reached out to Contra Costa D.A. Daryl Jackson with his information, Marino ultimately came forward and agreed to wear a wire for law enforcement, who was ready to bust Butler after discovering he had planned to sell three pounds of methamphetamines. They arranged a buy at the P.I. firm between the corrupt officer, Butler, and Marino, and as soon as the sale went through, authorities quickly arrested Butler. The news officially sealed the show's fate. Lifetime cancelled P.I. Moms San Francisco and forced Platt to break the bad news to the women and crew. It was an emotional moment, especially for Ami, who had opened up over the course of the show's production and shared intimate details about losing her son at an early age. She hoped her testimony would help other women struggling with something similar. Instead, it would never air. On May 4th, 2012, nearly two years after telling Crooks to write a story about him, Butler pleaded guilty to selling drugs, extortion, robbery and planting illegal wiretaps, and was later sentenced to eight years in prison. The fallout also impacted the P.I. moms themselves—they were called frauds and took heat from their community for collaborating with Butler. (Crooks eventually did write a 10,000-word story about his experience.) Marino eventually got his moment in the sun, playing lead Detective Lt. Joe Kenda, on the Investigation Discovery TV show Homicide Hunter. But to everyone involved with P.I. Moms, he and Butler will always be known as the ultimate schemers that killed their TV careers. 'Chris and Carl just took it away from everybody,' Denise says. 'They put their desires above everyone else's.'
New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
Ozzy Osbourne: 12 Essential Songs
Ozzy Osbourne's journey to heavy-metal stardom started with a flier. Fueled by a love of the Beatles, the teenage dropout propelled himself out of a mundane life in 1960s Aston, a working-class suburb of Birmingham, England, by posting a handwritten sign in a local music shop. It led the singer, who died on Tuesday at 76, to Terence Butler, a bookish soon-to-be bassist who called himself Geezer, as well as the guitarist Tony Iommi and the drummer Bill Ward. The quartet found its footing when Iommi noticed long lines outside horror movie screenings at a local theater. It wrote a song — 'Black Sabbath,' named after the 1963 Mario Bava/Boris Karloff horror anthology — changed its name and, with its 1970 self-titled debut, helped birth what we now know as heavy metal. Osbourne's voice, a forlorn, unpolished moan, perfectly suited the occult-themed lyrics that the singer and Butler began writing. Onstage, though, he was almost bubbly — grinning, clapping and handily dispelling any sort of menacing mystique. Black Sabbath fired Osbourne in 1979, citing his offstage excesses, but the parting turned into a springboard. Sharon Arden — the daughter of Sabbath's manager at the time, Don, and Osbourne's future wife and steadfast manager — began helping him assemble his own band. A young guitar prodigy named Randy Rhoads became the linchpin of the new group, and with 'Blizzard of Ozz' in 1980, the singer kicked off a solo career that would turn him into a worldwide icon. Through the years, as collaborators came and went, Osbourne always found new ways to reinvent himself. Here are 12 tracks that sum up Ozzy's half-century-plus trip to the dark side and beyond. (Listen on Spotify and Apple Music.) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
