You’ve heard, maybe even read or saw something about Cirque Du Soleil before, right?  

Well, now is your chance to check them out in person at Bradley Center as Cirque Du Soleil Quidam is in town thru this Sunday, October 23rd.

In Cirque Du Soleil Quidam, Young Zoé is bored; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world – the world of Quidam – where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.

VIDEO: Learn more about Cirque Du Soleil Quidam and take a peek backstage…click here.

The Milwaukee Health Department is reporting another laboratory-confirmed case of measles, bringing our total count to 2 confirmed cases. In its more severe form, measles can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death. It is a highly contagious disease that can spread via airborne droplets person to person.

In result MHD is extending immunization clinics through the weekend.

Click here for more information from the Milwaukee Health Department.

Get to know Rock The Green artist Michelle Branch. I had the chance to chat w her backstage at Summerfest.

Michelle Branch is excited to return to Milwaukee to Rock The Green, September 18th at Veterans Park on the beautiful Milwaukee Lakefront.

What is Rock The Green? Rock the Green is the Midwest’s Premier Near-Zero Waste Music Festival. Our mission is to Entertain, Engage and Educate our audience year-round by combining a world-class concert with an interactive sustainability experience.

Rock the Green will entertain its audience by presenting a world-class concert showcasing a variety of nationally-renowned artists.

Rock the Green strives to put Milwaukee– and Wisconsin– on the map as a leader in sustainable initiatives. It will educate its audience by offering an interactive sustainability experiences and empowering guests with actionable steps to live a more environmentally balanced life.

www.RockTheGreen.com

May 3rd, 2011…I had the honor of taking over the nation w People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman In The World, Jennifer Lopez.

We chated about her new record, LOVE? in stores and available for download on iTunes, American Idol and of course her husband at the time Marc Anthony.

In a statement, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony say, “We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to amicable conclusion on all matters. It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time.”.

Relationships are tough. In Hollywood, even more so. Whatever the reason may be for the split, I wish them both the best.

Check out the video of the interview below and re-listen to The Jennifer Lopez Radio Takeover which aired nationwide on May 3rd, 2011. Click here.

Listen to The Jennifer Lopez Radio Takeover…click here.

The cast of Church Basement Ladies joins Van McNeil to chat about the show now on stage at the Marcus Center for The Performing Arts, Vogel Hall thur August 7!

This musical comedy celebrates the church basement and the women who work there. The musical is funny, down to earth and you’ll laugh until your side dish hurts!

Joining Van in this interview are local Milwaukee cast members…Beth Mulkerron, Rhonda Rae Busch, Norman Moses, Kay Stiefel and Jenny Wanasek!

CLICK ON THE PLAYER ot CLICK HERE TO LISTEN:

http://marcuscenter.org

Mom is gonna love it, perhaps your graduate too! Check out the specials and get more info at http://meltingpot.com/brookfield

Oh, and BTW…Text MELT to 30543  from your mobile devices for your chance to win a $50 Gift Card to check out The Melting Pot in Brookfield for yourself. Deadline 5/6/11 5pm CT. Good luck!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kohl’s Art Generation is a joint effort between Kohl’s Department Stores and the Milwaukee Art Museum (through Kohl’s Cares) to bring art and creativity to area kids and their families.
The program includes the Kohl’s Art Generation Gallery and a Kohl’s Art Generation Studio onsite at the Milwaukee Art Museum, where kids participate in exciting and creative projects—all while seeing some of their best work showcased exclusively at the Museum.
Find out all about the Kohl’s Art Generation visit: http://mam.org/artgeneration

Comedian Steve Solomon chats w Van about, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m In Therapy. This award winning show wraps this weekend at Vogel Hall at Marcus Center For The Performing Arts. This is a “don’t miss” evening of hilarious comedy at its very best. Spend an evening with Steve in his quest to defend himself against those people whose sole purpose in life is to add chaos to his.
CLICK ON THE PLAYER or CLICK HERE TO LISTEN:

Join Steve in an evening of hysterical comedy topped off with the voices of almost 30 of the most hilarious characters and situations you’ve ever seen. All this brought to life by the comic genius of master dialectician and comedian, Steve Solomon. Over 450,000 have seen and loved this show. This is a “don’t miss evening of side-splitting laughter.

We’ll meet: Uncle Willie, Stuttering Cousin Bob, Demented Cousin Kenny, Steve’s new therapist Cousin Sal (and Sal’s parole officer) and a myriad of astounding characters we know, love and tolerate from our own families; each one brought to life on stage by Steve Solomon using his gift for creating voices dialects & wacky sound effects that only add to the hilarity of each story.

Variety says “Steve is Alan King, Billy Crystal, a smidgen of Don Rickles and George Carlin all thrown in,” while WOR Radio calls the show “an hour and a half of laughter, hysterically funny!” Having headlined throughout the United States and Europe for over twenty years, Steve’s stories relate to the wacky side of the human condition.

I was saddened today to hear the news that Elizabeth Edwards passed away after her long battle with cancer.

Let’s face it, cancer sucks. I’ve seen it take the lives of people in my own life.

For me, this has nothing to do with politics. She had to bury her young son, go through a public, humiliating cheating scandal with her estranged husband and she kept her grace and composure through it all.

She has three surviving children who are now without a mom and two of them are very young.

I also lost someone very close to me around the holidays a few years ago and even though no time is easy, for me the holidays were harder – because this time of year is so much about gathering with family and friends.

As I type this I am reminded of how thankful I am for my health and the health of my family, life really is a fragile gift.