Nick DeRiso is UCR's assistant managing editor. He was named columnist of the year five times by the Associated Press, Louisiana Press Association and Louisiana Sports Writers Association during a lengthy career in the newspaper industry, and previously oversaw a daily section that was named Top 10 in the nation by the AP.
Nick DeRiso
50 Years Ago: ‘A Clockwork Orange’ Makes Its Violent Debut
The film was banned in several countries, and even sparked death threats against director Stanley Kubrick.
35 Years Ago: David Byrne Celebrates Weirdness in ‘True Stories’
Talking Heads frontman's directorial debut was a salute to every-day oddballs and quaint traditions.
50 Years Ago: ‘Columbo’ Does More Than Debut a Crafty Sleuth
'Murder by the Book' was written and directed by a pair of youngsters who would alter the landscape of TV and film.
40 Years Ago: ‘Heavy Metal’ Subverts Every Animated Movie Rule
There were obvious plot holes, poor juxtapositions and clumsy horniness, but you couldn't take your eyes off of it.
35 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Challenger Breaks Apart on Live TV
We've been told that a nation watched in horror as the space shuttle exploded. But that's not exactly what happened.
Tanya Roberts Confirmed Dead at 65 After False Initial Report
Roberts' death was confirmed following an earlier incorrect report.
35 Years Ago: ‘Spies Like Us’ Falters When It Gets to the Spy Part
This action comedy actually began life as a sort of homage to the legendary 'Road' pictures starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
How Pierce Brosnan’s ‘GoldenEye’ Revived James Bond
Was 007 even relevant in a post-Cold War age?
Why Sean Connery Stumbled in His Final Turn as James Bond
'Never Say Never Again' was initially famous for what it brought back, but then later best known for what it lacked.
45 Years Ago: ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ Debuts to a Brief Boycott
The show moved into TV's Top 10 most-watched shows six weeks later and remained there until it went off the air.
How Roger Moore Became a New James Bond for ‘Live and Let Die’
"I never saw what the fuss was about," he later said. "Hundreds of actors have played Hamlet."
How COVID-19 Suddenly Halted Music, and What May Be Next
At first, the threat actually ran parallel to business as usual.