By now, every English-speaking movie-goer has seen The Hangover, the runaway surprise box office hit this summer about three loyal dudes who try to find their best friend who went missing after a bachelor party that nobody can remember.

And while we here at Wingman offer a hardy hats-off to actors Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, we wonder: Where would they rank among the greatest movie wingmen of all time?

Above Goose (Anthony Edwards) from Top Gun? Below Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting? Filmcritic.com has their top 10 list of movie wingmen online. Click here to read the full explanation for each pick, but here's the Cliff's Notes version:

TOP 10 MOVIE WINGMEN:

10. Stiles (Jerry Levine), Teen Wolf
9. Randall "Pink" Floyd (Jason London), Dazed and Confused
8. Mike Damone (Robert Romanus), Fast Times at Ridgemont High
7. Will Hunting (Matt Damon), Good Will Hunting
6. Jay (Romany Malco), Dave (Paul Rudd), and Cal (Seth Rogen), The 40-Year-Old Virgin
5. Enid (Thora Birch), Ghost World
4. Jack (Thomas Haden Church), Sideways
3. Roger Swanson (Campbell Scott), Roger Dodger
2. Trent (Vince Vaughn), Swingers
1. Goose (Anthony Edwards), Top Gun

[Publicity photo]

Do not not stare directly at The Man Wall, for we fear your eyes will burn until you are blind and your body will turn into a pillar of salt. Yes, this beautiful invention is dubbed simply The Man Wall. Keep saying it over and over again. Man Wall. It just keeps feeling better.

The Man Wall (ahhh, see?) is an actual blessing from above that mere mortals can buy from a company called HybridFurniture. Now, we're not telling you the price just yet. Like any good sales pitch, let us detail its features first. The Man Wall (sigh) comes with:

• A 42-inch flat panel LCD HDTV
• Three more 26-inch flat screen TVs
• A 1,000-watt home theater system
• DVD player with 5-disc changer
• An iPod docking station
• Two wireless surround sound speakers
• A live 7-foot sports ticker (with built-in computer and 1 year of free service)
• A full-size built-in refrigerated beer keg and tap
• A microwave oven
• Two cigar humidors
• A 32-bottle wine rack

Of course, it can be customized to be built in your favorite team's colors.

“This is the Taj Mahal of Man Room accessories, it has everything but the kitchen sink and we only left that out to make room for the full-size kegerator,” said co-designer Vince Caruso. (Very practical, sir. Bravo.)

Want one more reason to buy it? It's made by a Tampa Bay area company. HybridFurniture is based in Bradenton. Check out their Web site for a bunch of other man-friendly contraptions.

Okay, we put this off long enough. The price tag: $14,900 ... plus shipping.

(So maybe that card table and milk carton shelf unit you're using as an entertainment center will have to do for a little longer.)

When people think of the 4th of July, they think of hot dogs, cold beers and blowing stuff to high heaven. They usually don't think of rockabilly and pin-up girls, but the Garage does.
Instead of messing with the traditional patriotism that comes with Independence Day, the Garage brought in a plethora of rockabilly groups and the girls of Go Cat Go, a burlesque group with a vintage focus.
There were four bands that played throughout the night (The Dead Popes, The Redliners, The Strikers and The Chop Tops) and they all fit in really well with the mood that the night was trying to portray. Nothing brings up a 50's feel better than a guy with a large pompadour pounding away on a double bass.
The real highlight of the night to me were the girls of Go Cat Go. They definitely had the meaning of Burlesque down with dance routines meant to be tantalizing and over the top without straying into a straight out sexual show.
If I had one complaint it would the length. The show started up at 5 p.m. and was scheduled to go until around 1 a.m. It wouldn't of been bad had their been constant action for all of that, but there just wasn't. I just felt like I was stuck waiting and bored for the next band to come on. Longer doesn't always mean better and the promoters should take that into account when scheduling their next event.
That aside, the event was a worthy excuse to do something else other than sit on the beach watching fireworks. Seeing explosions is alright but seeing a rockers jam out while beautiful women dance sexily, that's some patriotism I can get behind.

--Story/photos by Leigh Armstrong, Times Staff Writer

Check after the jump for more photos!

 
With the recession in full effect, bars all over Tampa Bay are capitalizing by making new nights based around the lack of green in their customer's wallets. Leave it to the boys who created the Wednesday night Filth event at the Emerald to create one of the cooler cheap drink nights in Tampa Bay.
Hard Times at Durty Nelly's in St. Petersburg on Monday takes the ideas that made Filth such a success and combines it with cheaper drinks and a bigger dance floor.
Even if you despise the new wave of hipster drinking nights, the $10 sink or swim, which includes PBR,  might be enough change your opinion. Plus, everyone who enters gets a free PBR Tall Boy right off the bat.
If you're interested in getting some cheap alcohol and listening some hot music, the night starts at 9 p.m.

We'll spare you no suspense: Tbt* is naming the Hyde Park Cafe in Tampa its 2009 Ultimate Drinking Destination.

In 14 years, the Hyde Park Cafe has transformed the South Tampa nightlife scene, turning what was once a gay strip club into the ultimate place to see and be seen in Hillsborough County. Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan have partied there. Ex-American Idol finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested there. And the club's Tuesday night parties are the stuff of legend, yielding more Wednesday-morning hangovers than anyone would care to count.

With Hyde Park Cafe's success, owner Tommy Ortiz has been able to create more popular SoHo ventures, including Cheap and the Kennedy. Lush and exotic, with plenty of nooks for chilling, the HPC is perfect for celebrating your 21st (or 30th, or 40th...) or simply talking up a well-dressed member of the opposite sex.

And hey, check this out: Hyde Park Cafe's Rafael Martinez was voted Tampa Bay's Ultimate Bartender 2009. We swear, we didn't plan it that way. Just goes to show what can happen when a great bar meets a great bartender.

For the full story on the history of the Hyde Park Cafe, including a rare sit-down interview with Ortiz, check out Susan Thurston's story on the club.

After the jump, check out rest of our top 20 bars in Tampa Bay. And if you need a refresher on the entire list, see Nos. 100-81, 80-61, 60-41 and 40-21.

What do you think of our top choice? If you love it, what's your favorite Hyde Park Cafe story? And if you hate it, which bar would you have chosen instead?

One more day until we can unveil Tampa Bay's Ultimate Bar for 2009, as well as our Ultimate Bartender.

You've already counted down with 60 (plus) of our favorite drinking destinations. In case you missed them ...

• Nos. 100 to 81 (Eddie's to L'Olivier)

• Nos. 80 to 61 (Jack Willie's to the Reservoir)

• Nos. 60 to 41 (Whitey's Fox & Hounds to the Venue)

Now we're getting to the true cream of the crop. Many of the remaining bars deserve their moment in the spotlight. So starting with No. 30, we're assigning awards to each of our bars. One of the winners: The new and improved Mr. Dunderbak's, above.

Keep reading to find out where it ended up...

Today, as we continue counting down Tampa Bay's best bars and nightclubs, we cross the midpoint of our list and enter the rarified air of the top 50.

We've already listed numbers 100 to 81 and numbers 80 to 61. Now it's time for numbers 60 to 41. This means we're about to get into some bars we really, really love. In fact, tomorrow, we'll start offering up a few awards with our top 30.

Pick up Friday's tbt* for the complete list, as well as an interview with tbt*'s Ultimate Bartender 2009.

On with the list. This section is where you'll find the Green Iguana, above ... but the question is, which Green Iguana? There are six around Tampa Bay -- do they all make the list?

Read on to find out ...

We're one day closer to unveiling Tampa Bay's best bars.

Yesterday, we unveiled the top fifth of our top 100 drinking destinations, numbers 100 to 81. (If you missed it, click here to read.) Today we've got another round of bars, from number 80 to number 61.

As always, check back throughout the week for another batch, and for the full list of 100 -- including a special look inside our No. 1 overall bar -- pick up a free copy of tbt* on Friday.

On to today's list. You might see an appearance by the Lodge in South Tampa, above...

It's here. The day of reckoning.

It's time to unveil our list of the 100 best best bars in Tampa Bay. We're including dives, nightclubs, beach bars, longtime community watering holes -- basically, any place where you'd go out of your way to get a drink. Drinking destinations, we'll call them.

We'll be unveiling all 100 throughout the week on Wingman, 20 at a time, starting today. For the full list of 100 -- including a special look inside our No. 1 overall bar -- pick up a free copy of tbt*/Tampa Bay Times on Friday.

Let's start with No. 100 and count down to No. 81. You might see an appearance by the Retreat, above...

You Metrocon fans are seriously demented with your costumes! We know, we know, it’s all to celebrate Japanese popular entertainment, like anime (animation), manga (comics), J-pop and J-rock music, cosplay (costume design and performance) and video games. And we know you’ll find kindred spirits roaming the halls of the Tampa Convention Center and its surrounding area — in even more amazing costumes.

And we know those of us with no clue will stop and stare if we run into one of you on our way to Splitsville or Hooters. Just ignore us. We’re obviously not worthy to wear a Princess Mononoke number. So go ahead and enjoy the annual convention with its theme of Steampunk (yeah, we had to Google it, so what?).

Metrocon starts Friday at noon and runs until 3 a.m. On Saturday, the doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 3 a.m. Sunday it’s from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Besides all that money for a costume, it’ll set you back $25 on Friday or Sunday at the door, and $30 Saturday. Hey kids, 6-12, you pay only $10 daily. (941) 746-4855; www.metroconventions.com.

If you’re like us, you’ve wasted many rainy afternoons making fun of craptastic B movies. It turns out that time wasn’t wasted after all. The Beach Theatre is calling all snarkers to make fun of a bad movie with a microphone in hand (sidekick robot optional).

Friday kicks off the Atomic Cinema series with Tommy Chong and Bill Moseley in Evil Bong, a movie about a vintage bong with the mysterious power to grant truly killer highs (duuuuuuude!). Tickets are $7, and the show starts at 11 p.m. at the St. Pete Beach movie house at 315 Corey Ave. in St. Pete Beach.

The cast of Atomic Cinema are already plotting future rip sessions on horror flicks such as Puppet Master and the original PSA of Reefer Madness.

Foam parties are nothing new ,but combine them with encouragement to get naked and you have a whole different story.

Same deal at the Xzanthia's clothing-optional foam party at the Riverboat Nudist Club in Land O' Lakes on Friday. And let's get this out of the way first: There were naked people and we did gawk at them for a little bit (there won't be any pictures of them though). Once we got past the initial shock that there were a few scattered nudists walking around, we found one well put together party.

Aside from the foamy goodness, There was the awesome DJ Robert Van West who mixed electro-rave stuff combined with some dark wave and industrial plus an interlude for a band called the Unit Shifters that rocked out some classic tunes (their Alice in Chains was particularly good). Add into that artists showing off their work by painting people with UV reflective paint and a man who turned a go-cart into a bed-mobile and you've got something to attract the attention of anyone.

Our personal favorite was the sideshow artist Twisted Trystan who shoved his face into broken glass and swallowed swords. Even though it was cringe-worthy, his charisma kept us enraptured throughout his entire set.

We know some people maybe skeptical but let me assure you that the party put on by Xzanthia is on the best that you'll find in the area. From art to foam to hot tubs to entertaining spectacles, this part had something for everyone.

If you're at all worried about the nude thing, do what we did and wear dark sunglasses, no one will be able to tell where you're looking.

If you're open-minded enough to check it out, the next one is going on July 10 and will cost $10 to get into the craziness.

--Story/photos by Leigh Armstrong, Times Staff Writer

Check after the jump for more photos that are completely safe for work. we promise!

You've helped Laura Reiley pick the 25 iconic restaurants of Tampa Bay. Now it's time to let loose for a nightcap.

Tbt* is putting together its fourth annual Ultimate Bar Guide, and we want your help picking the best bars in Tampa Bay.

Let's be clear: By "bars," we mean dives, nightclubs, sports bars, watering holes, brewpubs, dance clubs, beach bars, Irish pubs, wine bars ... anywhere you can get a cold one or a stiff one. Yes, this means we'll be comparing dives like the Hub in Tampa, above, and the Emerald in St. Pete, to hotspots like Prana in Ybor City or Floyd's at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The Dallas Bull, Hyde Park Cafe, Four Green Fields, Dunedin Brewery, Shephard's Beach Resort, Gaspar's Grotto, Czar, MacDinton's, Jackson's Bistro, Mastry's -- tell us where you love to go to have fun drinking with friends, and what's so great about it.

While you're at it, don't forget to vote in tbt*'s Ultimate Bartender Contest. The deadline to pick your favorite bartender is June 21.

You've got a week to send in your nominations. We'll start publishing our picks for Tampa Bay's 100 Ultimate Drinking Destinations on this blog late next week. Or early the following week. Or whenever the hell we sleep off this hangover. Then pick up the complete list June 26 in tbt*.

Bottoms up.

-- Jay Cridlin, tbt*

If you haven't gotten in on the voting for tbt's Ultimate Bartender yet, you're missing out. Think of it like American Idol for your favorite intoxicologist and giving back to those who help you end each work week right.

 This year, they’ve narrowed the field to five finalists: Ashley from Splitsville; Ian from Howl at the Moon; Mama from Reservoir; Pam from Coyote Ugly; and Rafael from Hyde Park Cafe. All five have recorded a video making their case for why they should be voted the ultimate.

We loved Ashley’s perkiness, got a little concerned over Ian’s flames, really freaked out when Mama started using her paddle, settled down to marvel at Pam’s versatility and admired Rafael’s smooth demeanor. But don’t let us influence you. Head to tampabay.com/ulbartender and vote for your favorite via text. Anyone who votes will be automatically entered in a drawing to win four tickets plus a limo ride to see Green Day on Aug. 3 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The winner will be notified via text on June 22. The voting ends June 21, and tbt* will announce its Ultimate Bartender (along with its top 100 Tampa Bay area bars) in its June 26 issue.

To get your vote in, just send a text over to 446365 that says "tbt". After you've sent that, you'll get a bounce back text giving your choices. Choose the letter of your favorite brewmaster in your reply to the bounce back and you're set! It sounds complicated, but it's easy to do after doing it once.
Remember, that only one vote per day will count so there's no use in sending out 500 texts (unless you want to run up your phone bill).

[Note: This isn't one of the actual contestants, but we wanted to get you in the mood for voting. AP file photo]

Colleen Shannon is the self-proclaimed "World's Sexiest DJ." Whatever. She's standing in front of a Mac laptop and playing around with iTunes. If that makes you a DJ, then give us five minutes and a string bikini and watch us make DJs from half the people lounging on Clearwater Beach today.

Okay, rant over. Shannon was just in Tampa over the weekend, clicking buttons on her laptop (come on, that's being honest) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for their "Pink Party" by the pool.

Tbt* paparazzo Luis Santana was there and has this photo gallery to drool over.

First and foremost, the Big Bang Show at Nova 535 is an awesome idea that I want to see continued. There's not nearly enough stuff going on at Nova 535 and the show, which combines elements of the Gong Show and Whose Line is it Anyway, is a prefect fit for Nova's atmosphere and clientele.
From comedy to spoken-word poetry, the night had a good variety of performers being introduced. There was even a guy playing African drums!
Let's be honest though. The main attraction of the night was seeing the man who started up the show, Sterling Powell, out and about. It's hard to find an event where Sterling won't steal the show. There's one way to describe him and that's flamboyant. If you went to Nova, you couldn't miss him (with the suit he was wearing, you'd have to be colorblind to).
Before they were given their chance to shine, they had to participate in an improv game with the group Got Jokes. While most of the time, this had me rolling on the floor laughing, there were a few skits that just seemed a bit boring.
With guest comedian, Christine O'Leary in the house for the night, there was always that to look forward to. She did not disappoint either.
While her set started out a bit slow, it didn't take long for her to build up her energy to the point where I was laughing so hard that I had to sit down.
If I had to make one complaint for the night it's that the Cosmic Tea Party should have been before the show, not after. By the time the show was all done and over with, I was ready to get going home and didn't have enough energy left to hit the floor and dance.
This was a shame too because there were some really cool things (like a sexy burlesque balloon dance!) going on at the tea party and a lot of people just cruised out of the door after the Big Bang Show was done. I really hope that Sterling decides to move the tea party to before the show in the future.
If you're looking for something to do on a Sunday night, this is it. With laughs galore and an event worthy of getting gussied up for, you're not likely to find anything better on a Sunday night in St. Pete.

Check after the jump for some more photos of the fun at Nova 535

I've been to quite a few eccentric art shows in my time and I can honestly say that non were pulled off with more elegance and extravagance than La Di Da at the Ritz on Saturday (5/30).

Most shows that I've been to have an overlying theme of some sort that artists are encouraged to adhere by. Where La Di Da differed was the execution of this. The theme was that of a bright and fantastical dreamworld and all the artists got into the fun of playing along.

From fortune-tellers to face painters, the whole ritz was turned into a place of child-like innocence. There were even tables set-up with bowls of sugary sweets to have!

It was interesting to walk from artist to artist to see all the unique representations of fantasy that were put into various mediums. A few highlights for me were Maria Capitano Pardo's massive stage show displaying a girl dreaming of dancing and fashion shows. It was brilliant and huge. I have to give credit for being able to choreograph a group of at least 25 people so brilliantly.

I also enjoyed the work of Phoenix Beauty (pictured above). Not only did she get fully into the spirit of the show and had a smile plastered on her face all night, but her work was fun and belied a deeper talent and ingeneuity.

The crowds also participated with enough crazy costumes to make me think that I was walking through an anime of sci-fi convention. I even saw a black-suited Spider-Man having a cigarette (I have to wonder how he was though).

Going to La Di Da was like giving my inner child a ticket to Disney World to run wild and free.

Key West will always be home to the original Sloppy Joe's (above) -- debate all you want between the Duval Street location and the original spot that now houses Capt. Tony's. But there's a version closer to home that's worth checking out. Wingman's barfly Wade Tatangelo gives us the scoop.

Cloudy days get to me. Last week's continuous onslaught of heavy weather had me feeling caged-rat crazy. I mean, come on, we live in the Sunshine State!

I desperately needed some good ol' Florida escapism last Saturday. With family members in town, we opted for Sloppy Joe's on the Beach, inside the Bilmar Resort on Treasure Island. We would enjoy an afternoon of alcohol-enhanced merriment, and uneasy stories spoken much too loudly.

Click here to continue reading.

[AP photo]

So it's finally Memorial Day Weekend. Nevermind all the rain and just plan to stay indoors, all cozy with Kim Kardashian, who's over at AJA Channelside on Friday night.

What is she doing in Tampa? Probably collecting an outrageous paycheck for a few mere hours of hobnobbing with the common folk, but who cares?

If you're looking for other options, check out our Entertainment page or this quick roundup of events.

[Times file photo]

Finally, it's Cinco de Mayo. We've been waiting patiently for another party/holiday since St. Patty's Day! Here's a look at some Wingman-worthy parties to help celebrate.

Baseball and Cinco de Mayo: The Tampa Yankees celebrate Cinco de Mayo at their game against the Daytona Cubs with a south of the border fiesta featuring margaritas, chips and salsa on the Tampa Tribune Party Deck. All you can drink for ladies, $5, 6-8 p.m. only. Gates open at 6 p.m. Tue. George M. Steinbrenner Field (formerly Legends Field), 1 Steinbrenner Drive, Tampa. $4 general, $6 reserved, $1 if you wear a sombrero. (813) 875-7753; www.legendsfieldtampa.com.

Cinco de Mayo Pub Style: The Irish bar goes Mexican for the day with an all-you-can-drink Corona and tequila bar, jalapeno-eating contest, recorded Mexican music, prizes and giveaways. First 100 people get a free sombrero. 5-8 p.m. Tue. MacDinton's Irish Pub, 405 S Howard Ave., Tampa. $15, 21 and older event. ID required. (813) 251-8999.