PubDate: 06-25-2010 Page: 1D Edition: 1 Replate: User: tlemmon Color:CMYK

& FRIDAY LIFE ARTS JUNE 25, 2010 D

Coming Saturday Online BOUND FOR ETHIOPIA One year later SO WHAT’S HAPPENING? Family eager to give back Music defines Jackson’s legacy D4 Dispatch.com/weekender



‘THE PARTY WITH A PURPOSE’ Amid challenges, ComFest future unclear The self-inflicted By Amy Saunders “When people hear the circum- and has become, 38 years later, one THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH stances, it’s easy to say, ‘That could of the most popular festivals in stabbing death last never happen to me,’” said his central Ohio. The knife in his pocket was one mother, Lyn Tolan-Barbin. “(But) Columbus police plan to increase year of 18-year-old that Bryan Barbin used to carve even smart kids who make 1,000 staffing and enforcement in and Bryan Barbin, the sticks, making a mess of shavings on great decisions can make a bad around the park, citing rising the family porch in Worthington. decision.” attendance, mounting complaints event’s growth and On the Saturday night of the His drug-related death led, in from neighbors and attendees, and other factors prompted Community Festival last year — $20 part, to security changes for the two episodes last year: the assault of and four hits of acid later — it be- 2010 ComFest, a free event already an officer by a festival-goer and plans for tighter police came a weapon that the 18-year-old challenged by its growth during the Barbin’s death. used to stab his chest so frantically previous decade. “Anytime you have major inci- enforcement at the that he couldn’t be stopped. From today through Sunday, more dents like that at any type of festival, 2010 festival — which Any of the wounds could have than 70,000 people are expected to it’s our duty to look at: Are we doing BARBIN FAMILY been fatal: Three of the six pierced swamp Goodale Park for what was worries organizers Bryan Barbin in 2008 his heart. once a countercultural block party See COMFEST Page D5

MOVIE REVIEW GROWN UPS THE TOP FIVE As pop culture goes, here’s what drew the most eyes and ears during the past 10 days: TELEVISION 1. NBA Finals, Game 7: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, ABC 2. NBA Finals, Game 6, ABC 3. America’s Got Talent (Wednesday), NBC 4. America’s Got Talent (Tuesday), NBC 5. NCIS, CBS

ALBUMS 1. Thank Me Later, Drake 2. Mojo, Tom Petty and the Heart- breakers 3. Laws of Illusion, Sarah McLachlan 4. Now That’s What I Call Music! 34, various artists 5. To the Sea, Jack Johnson SINGLES 1. California Gurls, Katy Perry featur- ing Snoop Dogg 2. OMG, Usher featuring will.i.am COLUMBIA PICTURES PHOTOS 3. Airplanes, B.o.B featuring Hayley From left: Kurt (Chris Rock), Eric (Kevin James), Rob (), Marcus (David Spade) and Lenny () Williams 4. Billionaire, Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars 5. Find Your Love, Drake R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS 1. Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready), Alicia Dumbfounded friends Keys 2. There Goes My Baby, Usher 3. Find Your Love, Drake All-star cast relies on safe story, MORE 4. OMG, Usher featuring will.i.am ONLINE 5. Lose My Mind, Young Jeezy featur- weak wisecracks for chuckles ing Plies  To hear Nick Chordas discuss By Nick Chordas Grown Ups and DVD SALES THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH see clips, visit 1. The Book of Eli Dispatch.com/ 2. Alice in Wonderland aking Grown Ups was undoubtedly great movies. 3. Shutter Island fun for its cast, which mixes former 4. When in Rome MSaturday Night Live supporting players 5. From Paris With Love with the dynamic comedic pairing that fueled I REVIEWS INSIDE Sources: Nielsen Media Research, Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. Billboard, Rentrak It might have made a better-than-average  Waking home movie — or, if edited to three minutes, an Sleeping amusing way to break up the workday at the Beauty D2 website FunnyorDie.com.  Solitary As a feature-length Hollywood release — one Man D3 that grown-ups are expected to pay money to CRITICS’ CHOICES watch — the comedy is about as fun as a week- Each week, we consult Metacritic.com end spent with aging fraternity alumni who have to compile aggregate opinions, con- forgotten, or probably never realized, that their verted to numbers, based on reviews Unlikely lovebirds Rob and his wife, Gloria (Joyce Van Patten) from printed and online sources. Each See GROWN UPS Page D2 movie is ranked by its “Metascore,” an average rating from zero (terrible) to 100 (outstanding). — Nick Chordas SPECIAL OLYMPICS [email protected]

Post-‘SNL’ sampler Organizers going further afield to add events MOVIE...... SCORE Punch-Drunk Love (2002) 78 By Kristine Gill  To see a video of a boccie THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH practice, visit Dispatch.com/ Good Hair (2009) 72 multimedia. Grown Ups (2010) 33 Though rooted in track-and-field events, Special Olympics has grown The Hot Chick (2002) 29 through the years to encompass a Indeed, the three-day competition (2001) 20 much broader range of athletic com- will showcase no fewer than 11 sports. petitions. Among those that will crown Which explains why, when 3,600 winners: boccie, powerlifting and Disney animation competitors descend on Jesse Owens roller skating. MOVIE...... SCORE Stadium and eight other venues Who knew? Beauty and the Beast (1991) 92 today through Sunday for the 40th For a few dozen athletes from annual state games, some will vie for Franklin County, these events are the The Lion King (1994) 84 medals not only in the 100-meter most important this weekend: The Princess and the Frog 73 dash and the softball throw but in (2009) bowling and volleyball, too. Boccie Waking Sleeping Beauty 69 “There are over 32 volleyball teams Ray Dillon won’t let a teammate, or (2010) and 500 bowlers,” program director even a competitor, forget her turn. Marty Allen said. “Things are a lot GAVIN JACKSON DISPATCH Atlantis: The Lost Empire 52 more spread out.” See EVENTS Page D4 Ray Dillon throws during a boccie practice. (2001)

06-25-2010 PAGE D1 PubDate: 06-25-2010 Page: 5D Edition: 1 Replate: User: tlemmon Color:CMYK

BREAKING NEWS: DISPATCH.COM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Life FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2010  D5

COMFEST organizers hugged one another and cried over a FROM PAGE D1 tragedy they’d hoped would never happen. enough? Are we not doing “It was devastating to all of enough?” said Sgt. Rich us. ... It was a horrible thing Weiner, a police spokesman. to have to go through, espe- “There might have been a cially at such a peaceful perception in the past that event,” said Michael Gruber, police were turning a blind co-leader of the safety com- eye toward open-container mittee. “I think we did every- violations, public drunken- thing we possibly could.” ness and the usage of con- Tolan-Barbin doesn’t trolled substances. We want blame anyone but her son, the public’s confidence in nor does she know what the fact that we will enforce might have prevented his the laws.” death. She knew nothing of ComFest, meanwhile, has his using drugs, recalling his made some changes of its criticism of high-school own, shortening festival classmates who abused pre- hours and hiring nearly scription drugs. twice as many special-duty “I would have never even police officers — decisions known to talk to young peo- that had been under con- ple about ... (LSD) because, sideration long before the frankly, I didn’t know it had Barbin death, according to survived the ’60s,” she said.“I organizers. wish I had something to tell The notion of a greater people besides the fact that on-duty police presence, there are things out there you however, raised enough don’t even realize.” concerns earlier this year ... that organizers considered canceling the event entirely. Having witnessed the After reaching an agree- MICHAEL GRUBER stabbing, Chris Bullock ment with city and police worries about ComFest officials, they opted to pro- ABOVE: A crowd scene at the “I think the idea that security — not that the ceed. Beyond this year, 2007 Community Festival event is unsafe but that the though, the future of Com- it might not be here police this weekend will be Fest remains uncertain. RIGHT: A display of spirit at tomorrow would make “uptight.” “You never know what can the 2009 gathering Officers didn’t seem to happen,” said Jodi Kushins, people treat it with a mind, he said, when people head of the archives com- smoked marijuana at the six mittee — who wonders little more respect.” festivals he attended. about the same questions co-editor of the program JODI KUSHINS “It’s always been the un- that attendees have asked guide. “We want people to official ‘Look the other way’ her: What are the cops going really connect, not just with ComFest weekend,” said Bullock, 24, to be like? What’s the crowd the festival but with the city committee member of Victorian Village. “I going to be like? and within their commu- wouldn’t really care if there “I’m preparing to hear on nity.” was a cop every 10 feet, as July 1, ‘We’re done.’” Volunteer-run and self- long as he was OK with ... sustaining on sales of alco- IF YOU GO (people smoking pot).” hol and retail goods, the  ComFest will take place from At the festival last year, Even as a toddler, Bryan nonprofit festival has in the noon to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to the investigative unit of the Barbin seemed to be con- past five years given $55,000 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to Ohio Department of Public stantly thinking. to 27 community organiza- 8 p.m. Sunday in Goodale Park, Safety arrested five people He didn’t walk until he tions that support the off W. Goodale Street. 18 and younger for posses- was 18 months old but then environment, health and sion of marijuana or drug did so without trial and social alternatives. paraphernalia. error: He just got up one day When the Wesley Founda- For years, organizers have Although drugs and alco- and started walking. tion became Summit on 16th floated other growth- hol were suspected of being “It was all happening in United Methodist Church in restricting ideas, including involved in other complaints his mind,” his mother said, 1983, ComFest relocated to a moving the festival to a — including the officer “and that’s really how he was gravel parking lot in the location such as Westgate assault — records of Colum- his whole life.” Short North — nicknamed Park on the Hilltop, away bus police runs included just An ambitious learner, the “Dust Bowl” because of from the Short North two incidents of intoxication FILE PHOTO Barbin loved to read but its lone tree. crowds. The discussions and no drug-possession pursued science for the chal- The festival continued simultaneously from the ple, with some attracting haven’t been serious, offenses last year. lenge. During his freshman there until 1993, when it stages. half that. though: Volunteers are in- “Well, that’s good — but year at Ohio University in moved across the street to But five years after she ... vested in Goodale Park, did we miss a lot, or were Athens, he switched his Goodale Park. With the decided to move from cleaning up and replanting there no problems there?” major from computer science Short North losing its grit, Atlanta to Columbus — The LSD made Barbin so grass there after the festival, asked Weiner, the police to engineering and began the neighborhood gained influenced, in part, by a visit loud and strange that said Stan Sells, president of spokesman. “With the issues working to obtain a pilot’s new restaurants and stores; to the festival — she ques- Knutson made him take a Friends of Goodale Park. that were brought up by license. and, in place of the parking tions whether Goodale Park walk, trying to separate him Charging for admission — people attending the event He studied Chinese for fun, lot, the upscale Victorian remains the right venue for from the crowds surrounding or even the toilets — are and living around the event, took up pole-vaulting and Gate Condominiums. the event. the ComFest stages. among other suggestions we’ve got to look at it.” taught himself to play the As ComFest, too, began Her neighbors on Buttles Instead, he ran away, that have been discussed In previous years, on-duty harmonica and ukulele that attracting a wider audience, Avenue seem to agree: When leaving his friend to chase but rejected. police officers have been accompanied him every- the event expanded — mov- Sullivan, a ComFest clean- him. By the time he caught As progressive as it is, called to ComFest to assist where. ing from a single perform- up volunteer, asked them to up, Barbin had already ComFest doesn’t change special-duty officers with He didn’t balk at learning ance stage to six of them. sign off on a noise ordinance begun stabbing himself. quickly. There are no official traffic or other problems. curves: When he encountered Attendees who for dec- for the 2010 event, only At 8:15 p.m., when special- leaders in the committee This year, though, the divi- something new, he wanted to ades visited ComFest to see about a quarter of the duty police officers arrived at structure, with a core group sion has a tactical plan for try it. all their friends complain households adjacent to the the scene, some confused of 15 to 30 organizers mak- the event and will dedicate Tolan-Barbin wonders these days that they can’t park (but enough others) did witnesses thought Knutson, ing all decisions by consen- officers specifically to it. whether that’s what find them amid the masses. so. who had tried to wrestle the sus at meetings. As a warning to attendees, prompted her son to buy Organizers have discussed “It could be the most pure, knife away from Barbin, was An inability to reach a organizers posted 200 signs LSD: curiosity. the attendance problem for most wonderful festival, but an attacker. One observer consensus explains why the in the neighborhood that ... the better part of a decade, something has happened,” thought he heard Barbin say, earlier closing hours were read: “ComFest is not a free even as they planned, year said Sullivan, 55. “It isn’t a “I stabbed myself”; another only recently instituted: zone. Please, keep yourself Steve Abbott didn’t attend after year, for a 10 percent laid-back, cool environment. reported that he said: “I Organizer Mark Fisher had safe. Don’t break the law.” the inaugural Community rise in beer sales. For a lot of folks coming in, finally did it. I’m going to blocked a consensus in pre- This year, before ComFest Festival as planned: He “We don’t want the in- they just want to party die.” vious years until he decided agreed on a security plan in feared being arrested. crease in size to continue hard.” Suicide speculation was to resign, instead, after 22 March, organizers were The previous day — unabated; it just can’t,” said Down the street, Pat fueled two days later when years of volunteering. “fearful of potential over- May 11, 1972 — he’d been spokeswoman Connie Collins said, festival-goers one of Barbin’s younger “We will talk things to reaction by police,” said the among 300 demonstrators at Everett, 61. “There are really have broken windows and brothers posted a video of death,” said Morris, 62. 55-year-old Gruber, de- Ohio State University pro- only so many people the stolen a rocking chair from him playing the ukulele, “Working collectively is clining to provide details. testing the Vietnam War. park can hold.” the stately Victorian home telling the camera that the extremely difficult, . . . but, “Let’s just say it was Sixty-seven people were ... she has owned since 1975. song was “something to once you get into it, people ramped up quite a bit on arrested and 31 injured — She has caught people park- remember me by” because stay for 20 years.” what they felt was neces- including 18 police officers. At Worthington Kilbourne ing in front of her garage, “I’m probably not ever going Now that ComFest re- sary,” he said. “It was all A 22-year-old writer for High School, Barbin couldn’t sleeping on her porch and to see you again.” quires 3,000 volunteers and about having a safe, peaceful the Columbus Free Press at relate to the teenage drama vomiting and urinating in Tolan-Barbin said her son a $375,000 budget, planning event. If we had canceled it, the time, Abbott decided it around him, preferring in- her alley. had played the video for a the event is a way of life that it would have been because safer to skip the festival, stead to discuss theology, “There’s nothing ‘commu- girl at OU — because Bryan involves meetings every we didn’t have that assur- where his friends were rais- politics and other topics that nity’ about it,” said Collins, planned to transfer, not month except August. ance.” ing money to bail others out most of his peers avoided. 68. “It’s three days of horror because he planned to take “I say all the time, ‘I wish I Said Weiner, who wouldn’t of jail. “He could crack hilarious is what it is.” his life. could quit ComFest,’” comment specifically about “It was a time of cultural jokes; it wasn’t like he wasn’t Facing what police say are She feels certain he Kushins said. “But it’s like a the ComFest negotiations: civil war,” said the 60-year- social,” said Nigel Knutson, a increased complaints from wouldn’t have stabbed him- family commitment: You “Some event organizers, not old, who remains a ComFest high-school friend. “It was neighbors, ComFest organ- self had he not been hallu- wouldn’t just stop taking particularly this event, have organizer. “The Vietnam War just harder for him to con- izers are promoting the cinating. care of your parents or your wanted to dictate the way tore families in two; I just nect with normal people.” event’s mission and encour- “Bryan had every intention kids.” police would respond during saw it over and over.” Although Barbin made aging attendees to volunteer, of living tomorrow and six That dynamic also means incidents. The division . . . Anti-war and community- friends at OU, he sometimes suggesting that they years from now and so on,” the family gatherings can be has had to explain to them control sentiments united sought out professors for wouldn’t trash their own his mother said. “In that argumentative, with dis- that officers are required to the six campus-area organi- intellectual conversation. party. moment, so much changed cussions among people who take action.” zations responsible for the “You knew pretty quickly “The more people under- that I know Bryan would have known one another for ComFest planners are first ComFest: the Free Press, that he was smart, and I stand that we’re not a tail- have never wanted.” decades becoming heated. reluctant to speculate about Columbus Community Food don’t know if that plays in gate, the more we integrate ... When she attended two the festival’s future, saying Co-Op, Columbus Tenants any situation you find your- purpose into our stages and meetings last year in an they’ll discuss the results of Organization, Open Door self,” Tolan-Barbin said. “I activities,” Everett said, “it’s Organizers talk, half- attempt to help plan Com- this year’s changes at two Clinic, Rape Crisis Center don’t picture they were sitting my hope that people who jokingly, of an unofficial Fest, Jody Dzuranin was July meetings. and Switchboard. around in the dorm dis- don’t share our concerns will motto: “Don’t come to Com- quickly turned off by the Kushins, for one, thinks For two days, several cussing Alexandre Dumas.” go to another festival.” Fest.” bickering and what she the festival won’t last forever, hundred people gathered Bored with the introduc- With a goal of educating They haven’t advertised perceived as resistance to at least not as it stands. outside the Wesley Founda- tory classes required of fresh- the public about ComFest, the festival in decades and “new blood.” “I think the idea that it tion, at 16th and Waldeck men, Barbin let his grades Kushins in 2006 created an often decline interview re- Even Kushins, 35, said she might not be here tomorrow avenues, to shop from area slip and told friends and archives committee, collect- quests on the notion that attended planning meetings would make people treat it vendors, watch the music family he wanted to transfer. ing old documents and any publicity is bad pub- for two years before she felt with a little more respect,” stage and learn from the Home for a few weeks last photos for a display inside licity. like an “accepted member of she said. “You can’t take it for organizations promoting June before he was scheduled the park’s shelter house. This year, Experience the tribe.” granted, and I think a lot of their work via booths. to leave for an internship in And as co-leader of the Columbus also obliged their “I was amazed how dys- people take it for granted.” In honor of an ideological New York, he planned to “spirit and purpose” com- requests to remove the event functional it is,” said the Everett is among those community, the festival has follow up on the matter with mittee, Everett tripled the from tourism newsletters 44-year-old Dzuranin, a who are optimistic that since called itself “the party his parents. number of ComFest work- that could encourage more ComFest attendee since future generations will carry with a purpose.” The Com- “I never got to finish that shops three years ago. The people to come. 1998. “I thought it would be on the ComFest ways. Fest “statement of princi- conversation with him,” his topics of the 38 presenta- “My first thought was community, peace and love. “We’re not stuck in the ples” discusses eliminating mother said. tions this year range from ‘Well, good luck; you’re sort . . . I was like ‘Oh, my God; past,” she said. “Our princi- prejudice and working ... alternative energy and tai of a victim of your own suc- this is like any other govern- ples are just as vital today as cooperatively rather than for chi to the differences among cess,’” spokesman Scott ment meeting.’” they were in yesteryear. personal gain. Renda Sullivan loved the cannabis, marijuana and Peacock said. “It’s really ... “As long as we can main- “It’s celebrating anyone vibe of ComFest: the spirit of hemp. grown to become a regional tain a peaceful, safe festival, shaping life by those princi- diversity; the reggae, bag- Her idea of a good work- draw. . . . I think they’re At a meeting soon after the it will continue.” ples,” said Mimi Morris, pipes and poetry flowing shop turnout: 12 to 15 peo- going to come.” Barbin stabbing, ComFest [email protected]

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