Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

• 2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published February 4, 2010

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

More

2009 Stories by MATT COKER

• 

  COVER STORY

  [Year In Review] OC Weekly's News Blog, Navel Gazing, Gazes Back at 2009

  published December 31, 2009

  Attack of the Blob, er, BlogOC Weekly’s staff news blog Navel Gazing gazes back at 2009 As everyone... More >>

• CFO Charged With Embezzling $365,000+ From Ryan Sheckler

  published Nov 13, 2009

  Matthew Mercuro, the 36-year-old chief financial officer for fellow San Clemente resident Ryan Sheckler's businesses, was arrested and charged today with embezzling more than $365,000 from the 19-year... More >>

• Just in Time for the Holidays: Secondhand Porn Under, On and Above Ground

  published Nov 12, 2009

  Monica Hesse has an interesting story in today's Washington Post on ra new breach of etiquette sweeping this great land of ours: the secondhand porn that travelers are subjected to as they, ... More >>

• Joe Arpaio Helps Inject Some Mexican-Hater Money Into Bill Hunt's Campaign for Sheriff

  published November 12, 2009

  Sheriff Joe Moseys Into TownArpaio’s stump speech raises howls of laughter, cries of protest and thousands of dollars for... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  78-Year-Old Man Arrested for Kicking Cop in the Nuts (Twice)

  published Nov 03, 2009

  rWhat began as a routine traffic stop Wednesday ended with the arrest of a 78-year-old Garden Grove man for allegedly battering a much younger police officer--an attack the cops say included gran... More >>

• Come and Get It!

  published Oct 22, 2009

  Some of us can still recall the 1970s, when the economy was in the toilet, joblessness was the No. 1 concern and distrust of anything coming out of Washington, D.C., was at an all-time high.Sound fami... More >>

• Break of Dawn

  published October 15, 2009

  The UCI Film and Video Center was unsure if budget cuts would allow for its fall programming. Good news, though: Not only will the show go on,... More >>

• [BEST OF OC] El Mesero (the Waiter): Rick Jones

  published October 8, 2009

  Standing 6 feet, 9 inches tall, waiter Rick Jones cuts quite a figure at the old warhorse of oceanfront Orange County fine-dining establishments,... More >>

• Eyewitness Kogi Truck Report

  published Sep 29, 2009

  This just in from someone who spotted the Korean BBQ taco-spewing Kogi truck near the Barnes and Noble in the Orange Town and Country center across from Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana:"There was no one t... More >>

• 17 Hippies

  published September 3, 2009

  ​If Gogol Bordello is the Rolling Stones of gypsy punk, 17 Hippies must be their more literate Beatles counterpart. Berlin's "orchester... More >>

• 17 Hippies Bring (Free) Euro-Cajun-Balkan-African-Indian Mishmash to Great Park

  published Sep 03, 2009

  If Gogol Bordello is the Rolling Stones of gypsy punk, 17 Hippies must be their more literate Beatles counterpart. Berlin's "orchester spezial" plays a dizzying, high-energy mixture of French songs, E... More >>

• Gore Vidal, George McGovern and Spirit of Ted Kennedy Take Over the Nixon Library

  published September 3, 2009

  The Liberal TrifectaGore Vidal, George McGovern and the loving memory of Ted Kennedy fill the presidential library of their foe,... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  Banned in 1990, 'Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story' Lives On in Bootlegs and a UCI Prof's Book

  published August 20, 2009

  Close to YouTubeSuperstar: The Karen Carpenter Story was banned in 1990, but bootlegs still circulate, and you can watch... More >>

• My Mourning Jacket: See the Worst Album Covers of All Time

  published Jul 29, 2009

  Navel Gazing has the scoop. r  ... More >>

• Patton Oswalt

  published July 16, 2009

  Most people know Patton Oswalt from his long stint as Spence Olchin on TV’s The King of Queens, voice work as Rémy in Pixar’s... More >>

• The Wan[d] Thrill of Midnight "Harry Potter" Madness [UPDATED]

  published Jul 15, 2009

  PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE "MATT COKER" BYLINE ABOVE. THIS IS FROM DIEP TRAN. ENJOY!ALSO, SEE DIEP TRAN'S SLIDESHOW.UPDATE: LA TIMES REPORTS HARRY POTTER BROKE MIDNIGHT SALES RECORDS.It must be a breeze ... More >>

• 'Slave Hunter' Co-Author Christine Buckley Wears Her Journalism on Her Sleeve

  published July 2, 2009

  Emotional InvolvementSlave Hunter co-author Christine Buckley wears her journalism on her sleeveLA... More >>

• 'Slave Hunter' Aaron Cohen Throws the Book at Human Trafficking

  published July 2, 2009

  Take These ChainsAaron Cohen says he tried to put victims and spirituality ahead of his own amazing exploits in his new memoir,... More >>

• OC Fair Food: Disgusting or Really Disgustingr

  published Jun 25, 2009

  The Orange County Fair, which in the past has served us bloomin' onions, smoking brisket, fried Spam, fried avocados, deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried cupcakes, deep-fried Snickers bars, deep-fried White ... More >>

• OC Food Bank Teams Up With New Foodie Site

  published Jun 22, 2009

  In its never-ending quest to inform Orange Countians what it is up to--and what they can do to help--Orange County Food Bank has partnered with a start-up website dedicated to connecting local eaters,... More >>

• More Remembrances of Chris Gaffney

  published Jun 18, 2009

  It was a misty day in December when I ducked into the Swallow's Inn in San Juan Capistrano to talk with general manager Cheryl Krupp about one of the entertainers she frequently booked there, the late... More >>

• Dave Alvin Remembers His Pal Chris Gaffney With a New Tribute CD

  published June 18, 2009

  This Goes Out to the Merch GuyDave Alvin remembers his pal Chris Gaffney onstage and on discThe late, great,... More >>

• Crime Time: A Weekly Round-Up of OC Police Calls

  published Jun 09, 2009

  MONDAY, JUNE 1Shroomin' in Lagoonan: Laguna Beach Police arrested three people at a La Mirada Street property for alleged possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms, heroin, Xanax, Levitra, Alprazolam and... More >>

• [Special Screenings] 'Casablanca,' 'Bedtime Stories,' 'Memento,' More

  published June 4, 2009

  Movie of the Week: CasablancaBefore getting to Michael Curtiz’s classic war drama from 1942,... More >>

• [Summer Guide] Elliott Almond Brings an OC Native's Eye to His How-to Book About Surfing

  published June 4, 2009

  Meet the Wave MasterElliott Almond brings a storytelling flair and an Orange County perspective to his new instructional book about... More >>