Impressions

It's probably not easy to bastardize stand-up comedy and rock 'n' roll in the same performance, but Mark McCollum pulled it off rather effortlessly Tuesday at the Improvisation in Irvine. The 1987 $100,000 "Star Search" comedy champion, McCollum builds his act around rock parodies, sprinkling the set with impressions of cartoon characters and of three-dimensional figures from Yoda to Jacques Cousteau, a bit of stand-up material and some shameless hucksterism. (We'll get to that later.

MIAMI - Dwyane Wade was back, ripping through the San Antonio defense as if he never felt the effects of his troublesome right knee. Then, just as suddenly, he disappeared again, going scoreless in the fourth quarter Thursday as the Miami Heat lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals, 92-88. It could have been worse. Wade could have been Chris Bosh, an in-game no-show for almost two weeks now and a six-for-16 shooting participant (37.5%) in the opener against San Antonio. It's almost official - Miami has been reduced to the Big One and the Other Two. LeBron James keeps pumping out ridiculous stat lines - 18 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists in Game 1 - but not enough to beat a crafty, been-there, done-that Spurs team.

Now that they have seen fit to restore the "Grauman's" name to the Chinese Theatre (Morning Report, Aug. 18), they should also restore the cement impressions of the stars in the forecourt. I was shocked to see the high degree of deterioration during my last visit. Sad to say, Betty Grable's fabulous leg print has all but disappeared. STANLEY GOODRICH Laguna Niguel Now please get Brown's (ice cream hot fudge sundae) shop back. GLORIA A. LECKMAN Westlake Village

When Bayern Munich opened its long-anticipated club museum at Allianz Arena in May 2012, it was meant to celebrate the club's present as well as its storied past. Which is why visitors, after passing a succession of trophies, medals and other hardware won during the club's 113-year history, came to a display case that was vacant, save for the spotlight illuminating its emptiness. The spot had been reserved for another Champions League cup, the most coveted prize in club soccer. And while it takes equal measures arrogance and confidence to believe winning such an award was inevitable, Bayern Munich proved Saturday that such conviction was well-placed, beating Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund, 2-1, in a memorable Champions League final at London's Wembley Stadium.

"Showtime" would best describe the pro-"Impressions" argument witnessed at the Feb. 6 Redondo Beach school board meeting. It was a well-orchestrated presentation by People for the American Way, state educators and school board members. Unfortunately, the vote confirmed the philosophy of social engineers and discarded community concerns for the emotion well-being of 9-, 10- and 11-year-old children. Concerned parents remain adamant that the "Impressions" series is too intense for elementary school children.

If I close my eyes and let my mind drift back a couple of weeks, I can still see the Great Wall of China dusted with silver in a gently falling snow. It was the first snow of the season in Beijing, and it gave the wall a mystical appearance as it snaked upward over the hills into a gray mist. Always when I think of the trip from which we have just returned I will think of that scene, glowing like a water-brush painting in that place of the mind where we store significant memories.

I believe the media and the American public have obtained an erroneous impression of South Korea, the South Korean people and the tremendous country which they have developed, built, and nurtured over the past 20-odd years. People were courteous, friendly, and did everything they could to help Olympic visitors, especially in the areas of locating a hotel, restaurant, or venue. Here are three examples that tell you a great deal about the South Korean community, which I was fortunate enough to witness firsthand: - I was out in the pouring rain one afternoon without a jacket or umbrella trying to hail a taxi.

David Frye, whose impressions of Presidents Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson and other prominent political figures vaulted him to popularity in the 1960s and '70s, has died. He was 77. Frye died Monday of cardiopulmonary arrest at his Las Vegas home, Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said Saturday. He had a wide-ranging cast of characters , but he specialized in impressions of the era's political figures such as Hubert Humphrey, George Wallace and Nelson Rockefeller. "Frye bobs and weaves among the political heavyweights armed with perfect pitch and deadly accuracy," Time magazine wrote in 1970.

Illustrator JT Steiny went to the 'Grease Sing-A-Long' at the Hollywood Bowl on June 25 and came away with these impressions of the hopelessly devoted. 'Well-a, well-a, well-a, well, tell me more, tell me more.'

Kay Mills' impressions of "An Anchorwoman's Story" (The Book Review, Sept. 14) could hardly qualify as a book review. To me, it reads more like the closing argument of Christine Craft's attorney at her most recent trial. MARTIN COYNE Santa Monica

CANNES, France -- “The Last Days on Mars,” one of the most commercial films up for grabs in Cannes' official sections, made a strong impression when it screened as part of the Quinzaine des Realisateurs, or Directors Fortnight, on Monday afternoon. One of the rare science-fiction films to have partial funding from the Irish Film Board, this is the debut feature for Los Angeles-based Irish filmmaker Ruairi Robinson. Set during the last 19 hours of the first manned mission to Mars, “Last Days” stars Liev Schrieber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai and Olivia Williams as crew members clearly getting on each others' nerves as the clock winds down.

OAKLAND - Klay Thompson had just outdone himself and nearly everyone else in recent NBA playoffs. The shooting guard scored 29 points for the Golden State Warriors in the first half of a Western Conference semifinal game against San Antonio earlier this month. He finished with 34 points, 14 rebounds and three steals in a victory. Someone in the family wanted more, though, and you probably don't need two guesses if you're even vaguely familiar with the Thompson family's picky patriarch.

Strip away the $61,345 price tag and ignore all of its competitors, and the 2014 Acura RLX isn't a bad car. It's a quiet, luxurious and stylish front-wheel-drive sedan that sits at the top of the lineup for Honda's premium brand. Unfortunately, the RLX has plenty of competition, since it swims in the choppy waters of the mid-size luxury pool. Its peers throw into sharp relief the fact that the RLX feels and drives too much like a Honda to justify even the $49,345 base price. Plus, every other car in this class holds a meaningful advantage the RLX lacks.

The four songs on the new Fleetwood Mac EP -- which the legendary pop-rock outfit put up for sale on iTunes on Tuesday morning with little advance warning -- arrive steeped in echoes of the past, in at least one case quite literally: "Without You," a strummy acoustic number overlaid with harmony vocals by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, reportedly dates back to sessions for the two singers' 1973 album as a long-haired vocal duo deeply opposed...

After the coffee. Before remembering that whatever happens today will be a distant memory a week from now. The Skinny: I got to see an ostrich up close last night. I don't know why ostriches and camels are my two favorite animals. These days it doesn't take much to excite me. Tuesday's headlines include a look at the duo behind a popular YouTube channel, and media mogul Barry Diller is still making waves. Also, if you are interested in receiving an email alert when the Morning Fix is live please send me a note and we'll see if we can make it happen.

What does Brooklyn sound like? While the fashionably clad, underemployed youth of Lena Dunham's "Girls" may spring to mind given the New York City borough's pop cultural footprint, bandleader Darcy James Argue paints a broader picture of a time and place than any TV series could hope. Conceived as a collaboration with Croatian-born artist Danijel Zezelj (whose drawings backed this music in its live debut), "Brooklyn Babylon" finds Argue and his 18-piece big band again drawing from the broad palette that made their 2009 debut "Infernal Machines" so invigorating.

How can ABC's programming become any "lighter" without floating away over what constitutes a vacuous wasteland? "Twin Peaks" and "thirtysomething" were two of the best shows (my favorites) in recent television history. This was true even of their weakest episodes. These shows left me, a professional baby boomer in his 30s, with impressions, visions and memories that lasted well after the closing titles dissipated. Steven R. Soukup, Santa Monica

I am a graduating senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I'm not your typical Alabama college student and Birmingham isn't your typical Alabama city. I wanted to say thanks for the story ["Moving Ever Forward," by Alice Short, April 14] on our very diverse urban home. We do have a controversial history, but our youth are breathing life into the heart of the city through lively art galleries, cycling groups, park events, film festivals, and much more. I encourage Short to return to the city and witness history as it happens.

SEATTLE -- When Howie Kendrick broke into the big leagues in 2006 after hitting .362 in four minor league seasons, many predicted the Angels second baseman would win a batting title one day. No one ever thought he'd win a Gold Glove Award. But the perception of Kendrick as a mostly hit, OK-fielding second baseman has changed over the years. He may not wrest the Gold Glove from New York's Robinson Cano and Boston's Dustin Pedroia , who have won four of the last five awards at the position in the American League, but he could force his way into the conversation.