Paper Trails

Adam Driver's father, a North Little Rock resident, to watch son host SNL

HOT PROPERTY: Adam Driver's fame has skyrocketed in recent weeks thanks to his starring role as the villain Kylo Ren in the new blockbuster Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens. Regular readers of this column are familiar with Driver's connection to Arkansas -- his dad, Joe, and several relatives live in North Little Rock. A recent Google search of Adam's name landed 2.6 million hits. The actor, who lives in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., is set to host Saturday Night Live on Saturday.

His father, who works at Office Depot on Cantrell Road in Little Rock, says he saw the film in a theater in North Little Rock the second night it was shown.

"Seeing him on the big screen was far different from just seeing him on TV or in the trailers for the movie," he says, adding that his son has visited him in Arkansas.

"When he's here, he wants to just do normal things like go to Taco Bell," Joe explains, adding that the family plans to gather to watch Adam host Saturday Night Live.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? A recent billboard on Interstate 630 in Little Rock advertising Aaron Lewis in stark black and white surely makes some do a double-take. ... That name ... why does it sound so familiar?

Maybe because a very similar one -- Arron Lewis -- has been in Arkansas' news a lot lately. Arron Lewis, who was living in Jacksonville at the time of his arrest, has been charged with kidnapping and capital murder in the 2014 slaying of real estate agent Beverly Carter.

The billboard, just before the eastbound Fair Park Boulevard exit, is advertising the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of the rock group Staind. He'll be performing a concert at Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, Okla., in late February.

OUR NEW REALITY: Here we go again -- another Arkansas connection to reality TV. This time, it's on the 20th season of ABC's The Bachelor, which began last Monday. The new season features a Little Rock woman among the 28 competing for this season's bachelor's heart. Rachel Tchen, who was 23 and unemployed when she was selected for the show, made her appearance wearing an evening gown and riding a hoverboard. In her biography for the show, she reveals that she's 5 feet 5 inches tall, has no tattoos and, if she could be any animal, she would choose to be Cookie Monster. Stay tuned to see how this cookie crumbles (or doesn't) ...

IDOLIZING ARKANSANS? Thursday's new episode of Fox's 15th and final season of its singing competition, American Idol, included some of the hopefuls auditioning in North Little Rock at Verizon Arena in early August. Maddie McAllister, who lives on a farm in Ashdown, took her chicken (really). She sang Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova" but didn't make the cut. Watch for more Arkansans to appear later ...

HIS NEW REALITY: Former Idol champ Kris Allen (who made cameos in the aforementioned audition episode) and wife Katy are expecting their second child.

Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com

SundayMonday on 01/10/2016

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