Today's the birthday of Jon Arbuckle, the owner of the world's most sarcastic cat, Garfield. (Jon happens to share the same birthdate as his creator, cartoonist Jim Davis.) Garfield has now been around for over 30 years, and I'd have to say it's the most influencial comic strip of my generation.
You might like Calvin and Hobbes or the Far Side better, but where are they now? Where are their knockoffs and spinoffs? Where are their cartoons and CGI movies, their mugs and plush toys and fruit snacks? If you have a Meijer near you, you can get Garfield spaghetti rings. Take that, Dilbert!
32 years is a long time to play second banana to an overweight cat, but he continues to grin and bear it. And he's been rewarded for his patience in the comic strip; this year, the perennial bachelor finally has a steady romantic relationship with Dr Liz, the veterinarian.
The accusations about Garfield the comic strip spinning its wheels will persist until the strip's end; I believe, at that point, Garfield's artistic and philosophical merit will be re-evaluated. And it will all hinge on Jon's journey.
(Fun fact: Garfield creator Jim Davis is the uncle of Jonathan Davis, lead singer of Korn! Ginchy!)
A few years ago, some Garfield readers began digitally extracting Garfield the cat out of his own comic strip. "Arbuckle: Garfield through Jon's eyes" is a webcomic where the thoughts balloons are removed from the strips, giving a glimpse of what Jon actually sees and hears in his world. Even more popular has been "Garfield Minus Garfield", where the comic strip becomes Jon soliloquizing, ranting to no one. Efforts like these hint at the madness hidden within the comedy and aphorisms.
Here's what one of those beloved Garfield TV specials look like with the "without" treatment:
Happy Birthday, Jon. You deserve a fruit snack of your own...
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
July 24
A Happy Birthday wish to former child star Mara Wilson. In her best roles, she distinguished herself by displaying an intelligence and precociousness that seemed more genuine than her peers; she really put the 'actor' in kid actor.
Born in 1987, she inherited a love of acting from her older brother, and Mara started acting at the age of 4. Two years later, she made her feature film debut, in the psychological thriller Mrs Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams:
'Mrs Doubtfire' was a box office smash, and Mara's star rose. The following Thanksgiving, her name was above the title of her second film, the 1994 remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street.' The following spring, the National Association of Theater Owners presented her with the ShoWest Award for "Young Star of the Year", a testament to her growing audience appeal.
Danny Devito was also impressed with Mara's talent. Devito cast her in what has become her most iconic role: Matilda.
Devito's Matilda brought to life the dread and delights of Dahl's stories like no one else had before or since, and Mara's performance as Matilda Wormwood was central to that.
2000's 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad' is the last movie she did before she concentrated on school and being a normal teenager. In the decade to come, her biggest project was in an Odessa,Texas production of Rogers and Hammerstien's 'Cinderella'.
She graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2009. In her senior year, she created a one-woman-show called "Weren't You That Girl...?" It was an autobiographical piece about the child star phase of her life. She managed to avoid the typical post-child star cliches; it'll be interesting to see where the next chapter in her acting career takes her...
Born in 1987, she inherited a love of acting from her older brother, and Mara started acting at the age of 4. Two years later, she made her feature film debut, in the psychological thriller Mrs Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams:
'Mrs Doubtfire' was a box office smash, and Mara's star rose. The following Thanksgiving, her name was above the title of her second film, the 1994 remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street.' The following spring, the National Association of Theater Owners presented her with the ShoWest Award for "Young Star of the Year", a testament to her growing audience appeal.
Danny Devito was also impressed with Mara's talent. Devito cast her in what has become her most iconic role: Matilda.
Devito's Matilda brought to life the dread and delights of Dahl's stories like no one else had before or since, and Mara's performance as Matilda Wormwood was central to that.
2000's 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad' is the last movie she did before she concentrated on school and being a normal teenager. In the decade to come, her biggest project was in an Odessa,Texas production of Rogers and Hammerstien's 'Cinderella'.
She graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2009. In her senior year, she created a one-woman-show called "Weren't You That Girl...?" It was an autobiographical piece about the child star phase of her life. She managed to avoid the typical post-child star cliches; it'll be interesting to see where the next chapter in her acting career takes her...
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 23
This post is dedicated to That Guy Ronny Cox, a folk singer who became an 80's Hollywood action staple. Born in New Mexico, Ronny had an affinity for music: he was calling at square dances at 11. As a teenager, he sat in Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue sessions in nearby Clovis, and recorded music for producer Norman Petty. He even earned his way through college through a rock n' roll band he played in with his two brothers.
In 1972, his musical ability helped him secure his first movie role, in the action film 'Deliverance'. He qualifies for this blog for this scene alone:
When Deliverance became a box-office smash, Ronny Cox suddenly had an acting career. He had his own series in 1974, playing the head of a modern family moving to a small town in 'Apple's Way'. But he found more success as a character actor, playing cranky doctors, slimy corporate executives, disapproving dads and plenty of cops. After his role as Police Captain Bogomil in the Beverly Hills Cop series, he became the go-to guy for The Police Chief Who Has to Reign the Loose Cannon In.
Here he is, playing that role, in what was supposed to be ex-Oakland Raider John Matuszak's breakthrough action film:
(Matuszak's greatest role in his brief career would come later, in 1985's "The Goonies"...)
Ronny Cox also developed another speciality character: the slimy bureacrat. Whether it was political ('Total Recall') or just business ('Robocop'), audiences found him eminently hissable. Here's a recent meme, featuring a memorable scene from 'Robocop':
Besides bellicose police administrators and creepy corporate climbers, he's played plenty of politicians ('Murder, She Wrote', Stargate SG-1... he's even played the President in 3 different movies) and military types (Taps, Star Trek:TNG).
The roles that ask him to pick up a guitar have been slight in his resume. There was, however, his moment while playing the police chief in 'Cop Rock', the 90's version of 'Glee':
In the 90's, he resumed his focus on his first love: music. These days, his music's squarely in the folk/americana vein. He tours regularly, and has recorded six albums so far.
In 1972, his musical ability helped him secure his first movie role, in the action film 'Deliverance'. He qualifies for this blog for this scene alone:
When Deliverance became a box-office smash, Ronny Cox suddenly had an acting career. He had his own series in 1974, playing the head of a modern family moving to a small town in 'Apple's Way'. But he found more success as a character actor, playing cranky doctors, slimy corporate executives, disapproving dads and plenty of cops. After his role as Police Captain Bogomil in the Beverly Hills Cop series, he became the go-to guy for The Police Chief Who Has to Reign the Loose Cannon In.
Here he is, playing that role, in what was supposed to be ex-Oakland Raider John Matuszak's breakthrough action film:
(Matuszak's greatest role in his brief career would come later, in 1985's "The Goonies"...)
Ronny Cox also developed another speciality character: the slimy bureacrat. Whether it was political ('Total Recall') or just business ('Robocop'), audiences found him eminently hissable. Here's a recent meme, featuring a memorable scene from 'Robocop':
Besides bellicose police administrators and creepy corporate climbers, he's played plenty of politicians ('Murder, She Wrote', Stargate SG-1... he's even played the President in 3 different movies) and military types (Taps, Star Trek:TNG).
The roles that ask him to pick up a guitar have been slight in his resume. There was, however, his moment while playing the police chief in 'Cop Rock', the 90's version of 'Glee':
In the 90's, he resumed his focus on his first love: music. These days, his music's squarely in the folk/americana vein. He tours regularly, and has recorded six albums so far.
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16
Graham Robertson has been a professional set dresser since 1996. He's the guy (or one of the guys, depending on the size of production) that arranges the props and furniture on the set, and makes sure everything's at their marks, for continuity's sake. He's done this for movies like Rush Hour 2, My Sister's Keeper, and Star Trek. Recently, he's been busy on the television front: Monk, The Closer, Hot in Cleveland, $#*! My Father Says... That's his Hollywood career for the last 15 years...
well, except for this one thing...
In 2000, he cut together a version of the Budweiser "Wassup?" commerical, using clip from the Superfriends cartoon series:
The video clip became a bonafide viral sensation, inspiring a glut of "Wassup?" clip parodies (and this is five years before YouTube made it easy for any 7th grader and grandmother to upload.) There was talk of the co-creators (Robertson worked with Philip Stark, screenwriter of "Dude, Where's My Car" and a producer on "That's 70's Show") turning the clip into a series for Cartoon Network, but Robertson's next move was creating what the Guiness Book of World Records recognizes as the first all-green screen feature film: Able Edwards.
Shot for $30,000, Edwards was filmed with no sets over a two-week period. While in post-production, he received a visitor in the editing suite: Steve Sodebergh. Sodebergh liked what he saw so much, he became an executive producer.
Able Edwards was released in 2004; it won the Robert Rodriguez award at the Hollywood MiniDV Festival, and then...
...nothing. His experience with Able Edwards informed his book, "Desktop Cinema: Feature Filmmaking on the Home Computer." Five years later, he's keeping busy arranging furniture on sitcoms.
This is the part of the story that fascinates me. Why no second movie? Did the film's lack of box office success dissuade him? There's no website, no sign of any current distribution; did things go sour behind the scenes? Did he, after creating an entire movie with no physical sets, being writer/producer/director/editor/one-man studio- did he find more fulfillment on movie sets? Did he tell the story he wanted to tell? Did he, in the story of Able Edwards, tell his own story and fortell his own fate? Or does he have something else in the basement, bubbling under? (and is "Land of Enchantment" that project?)
Does Graham Robertson have a second act?
well, except for this one thing...
In 2000, he cut together a version of the Budweiser "Wassup?" commerical, using clip from the Superfriends cartoon series:
The video clip became a bonafide viral sensation, inspiring a glut of "Wassup?" clip parodies (and this is five years before YouTube made it easy for any 7th grader and grandmother to upload.) There was talk of the co-creators (Robertson worked with Philip Stark, screenwriter of "Dude, Where's My Car" and a producer on "That's 70's Show") turning the clip into a series for Cartoon Network, but Robertson's next move was creating what the Guiness Book of World Records recognizes as the first all-green screen feature film: Able Edwards.
Shot for $30,000, Edwards was filmed with no sets over a two-week period. While in post-production, he received a visitor in the editing suite: Steve Sodebergh. Sodebergh liked what he saw so much, he became an executive producer.
Able Edwards was released in 2004; it won the Robert Rodriguez award at the Hollywood MiniDV Festival, and then...
...nothing. His experience with Able Edwards informed his book, "Desktop Cinema: Feature Filmmaking on the Home Computer." Five years later, he's keeping busy arranging furniture on sitcoms.
This is the part of the story that fascinates me. Why no second movie? Did the film's lack of box office success dissuade him? There's no website, no sign of any current distribution; did things go sour behind the scenes? Did he, after creating an entire movie with no physical sets, being writer/producer/director/editor/one-man studio- did he find more fulfillment on movie sets? Did he tell the story he wanted to tell? Did he, in the story of Able Edwards, tell his own story and fortell his own fate? Or does he have something else in the basement, bubbling under? (and is "Land of Enchantment" that project?)
Does Graham Robertson have a second act?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 15
The first thing I can say about Millie Jackson is she's NSFW. Hearing Millie do what Millie does best requires that warning, because she 'tells it like it is...'
She's got a fine singing voice, sounding more than a little like Gladys Knight. And she's certainly not the first to sing the kind of soul music that's a long way from Sunday morning. But what really makes her stand out is what she does between the lyrics: maybe it's the breakdown, maybe it's the intro, but there's a moment in her song, on the way to the song, where she starts talking to the audience, shining a light on the hundreds of stories finding shelter within that song... These moments have become her forte.
One of her signature songs, "If Loving You is Wrong", got her two Grammy nominations. "If..." was more successful on the charts for soul singer Luther Ingram, and it was also more successful for country artist Barbara Mandrell. But while she only made it to #42 on the pop charts, her version is the definitive one because she steps aside of the song and redefines it:
Performances like this particularly resonate with a live audience, when the singer strolls up to the song and points to the strings that tie the singer and the people in the crowd to a musical moment, a lyric that speaks a common truth in their lives. Singers like to do this, to get some call-and-response from the audience and sometimes to cover for a quick tech repair or bathroom emergency for one of the other band members. But Millie Jackson really made it an art unto itself.
On the net, she's more legendary for her tasteless album covers. They've become something of a meme for reminiscing about the golden age of vinyl.
As for Ms Jackson, she managed almost 40 R&B singles in the 70's and 80's, 6 in the top 10. She also had a duet with Elton John that was a hit in England, but didn't cross the pond:
She was a drive-time DJ in the Houston area for the following decade. Also in the 90's, she wrote and produced the play "Young Man, Older Woman", which was a hit on the urban theater circuit. Her daughter's also in the music business, singing with Eryka Badu.
She's got a fine singing voice, sounding more than a little like Gladys Knight. And she's certainly not the first to sing the kind of soul music that's a long way from Sunday morning. But what really makes her stand out is what she does between the lyrics: maybe it's the breakdown, maybe it's the intro, but there's a moment in her song, on the way to the song, where she starts talking to the audience, shining a light on the hundreds of stories finding shelter within that song... These moments have become her forte.
One of her signature songs, "If Loving You is Wrong", got her two Grammy nominations. "If..." was more successful on the charts for soul singer Luther Ingram, and it was also more successful for country artist Barbara Mandrell. But while she only made it to #42 on the pop charts, her version is the definitive one because she steps aside of the song and redefines it:
Performances like this particularly resonate with a live audience, when the singer strolls up to the song and points to the strings that tie the singer and the people in the crowd to a musical moment, a lyric that speaks a common truth in their lives. Singers like to do this, to get some call-and-response from the audience and sometimes to cover for a quick tech repair or bathroom emergency for one of the other band members. But Millie Jackson really made it an art unto itself.
On the net, she's more legendary for her tasteless album covers. They've become something of a meme for reminiscing about the golden age of vinyl.
As for Ms Jackson, she managed almost 40 R&B singles in the 70's and 80's, 6 in the top 10. She also had a duet with Elton John that was a hit in England, but didn't cross the pond:
She was a drive-time DJ in the Houston area for the following decade. Also in the 90's, she wrote and produced the play "Young Man, Older Woman", which was a hit on the urban theater circuit. Her daughter's also in the music business, singing with Eryka Badu.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
June 8
Bonnie Tyler wasn't born with the voice that would make her famous.
This is her in 1976, singing her first UK top 10 single, "Lost in France":
The next year, doctors discovered nodules on her throat so severe that her ability to speak was in jeopardy. Surgical removal was successful, but she resumed using her voice before rehabilitation was complete; she developed a rasp to her voice that changed her voice forever.
Here she is, performing the same song in 1977:
Instead of becoming the girl that sounds like Tom Waits, she became the girl that sounds like Rod Stewart. Her first single with the new voice, "It's a Heartache," became her first worldwide hit.
She didn't like the country-pop direction her sound was taking, so she found Jim Steinman, the man who helped Meatloaf develop his rock opera sound. That turned out to be the perfect fit:
That is so 80's Action Hero...
You may have noticed, if not outright laughed, at the music video style. Hey, it was the 80's. They made videos with whatever was lying around, you were lucky if the concept had anything to do with the chorus.
Here's a video for her biggest hit, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," if the lyrics actually were about the video:
Anyway, when the 90's rolled in, she stayed in Europe and settled into a soft rock mode, and continues with a successful music career to this day... in Europe.
I'm holding out for her re-collaboration with Jim Steinman. They started recording new songs in 2009; here's hoping they get enough time to finish an album's worth...
This is her in 1976, singing her first UK top 10 single, "Lost in France":
The next year, doctors discovered nodules on her throat so severe that her ability to speak was in jeopardy. Surgical removal was successful, but she resumed using her voice before rehabilitation was complete; she developed a rasp to her voice that changed her voice forever.
Here she is, performing the same song in 1977:
Instead of becoming the girl that sounds like Tom Waits, she became the girl that sounds like Rod Stewart. Her first single with the new voice, "It's a Heartache," became her first worldwide hit.
She didn't like the country-pop direction her sound was taking, so she found Jim Steinman, the man who helped Meatloaf develop his rock opera sound. That turned out to be the perfect fit:
That is so 80's Action Hero...
You may have noticed, if not outright laughed, at the music video style. Hey, it was the 80's. They made videos with whatever was lying around, you were lucky if the concept had anything to do with the chorus.
Here's a video for her biggest hit, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," if the lyrics actually were about the video:
Anyway, when the 90's rolled in, she stayed in Europe and settled into a soft rock mode, and continues with a successful music career to this day... in Europe.
I'm holding out for her re-collaboration with Jim Steinman. They started recording new songs in 2009; here's hoping they get enough time to finish an album's worth...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May 25
Happy Birthday, Sir Ian McKellen; your Shakespearean pedigree has elevated two of the geekiest cults into the pop culture stratosphere. You make everything sound sophisticated and haughty.
Observe these tributes:
Observe these tributes:
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 13
Today was a scary day to research, but I found Koji Suzuki, the Japanese author who gave us the novel that began the Ring (Ringu) phenomenon. I first saw Ringu online, in the days of Kazaa; after watching the story about a movie that kills you, I kept my computer online for seven days, just to make sure somebody - anybody - would upload it and assume the curse for himself.
The story's become more supernatural as it's been re-interpreted from movie to movie; the South Korean adaptation, titled "Ring Virus", might be closer than any version yet to the original text. I might have to revisit the film; there may be a lot more to the story I'm missing, if this trailer is any indication:
The story's become more supernatural as it's been re-interpreted from movie to movie; the South Korean adaptation, titled "Ring Virus", might be closer than any version yet to the original text. I might have to revisit the film; there may be a lot more to the story I'm missing, if this trailer is any indication:
Thursday, April 8, 2010
April 8
Yesterday was a great day for me: day off from work, got back on the commonwealth's good side, hung with the kids, did some spring cleaning, got something off the ice cream van, and discovered an old, awesome movie ("Following" by Christopher Nolan, if you'll accept a suggestion).
Even my messups were blessings; I couldn't run videoclips for my original choice for today (let me save it for another year), but discovered two birthdays that made me change my mind. Today's Buddha's birthday, a big deal in several Asian countries. Today also happens to be an old friend's birthday, whose family I haven't seen in a long time. Given that this may be the first time in a while they'll hear from me, I found a better artist to feature...
The Biz Markiealbum I Need a Haircut is a collector's item, for historical reasons. The album itself is so-so by Markie standards, but its significance stems from the track Alone Again, which sampled Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)". Nobody asked Gilbert O'Sullivan, and he took Biz to court. The court found in favor of Sullivan, and all copies were pulled from shelves. Now, music with samples (75% of today's music, it seems) pay the original artist a share of the proceeds. Unless it's leaked to the internet for free. Like that ever happens...
We still love this Buddha-built MC, anyway. In the interest of karma, let's feature a special version of his biggest hit, "Just a Friend." Have you seen those 'literal video' versions? Somebody resings the lyrics of a music video classic to serve as commentary on said video? Here's a 'literal' version of the "Just a Friend" video:
Even my messups were blessings; I couldn't run videoclips for my original choice for today (let me save it for another year), but discovered two birthdays that made me change my mind. Today's Buddha's birthday, a big deal in several Asian countries. Today also happens to be an old friend's birthday, whose family I haven't seen in a long time. Given that this may be the first time in a while they'll hear from me, I found a better artist to feature...
The Biz Markiealbum I Need a Haircut is a collector's item, for historical reasons. The album itself is so-so by Markie standards, but its significance stems from the track Alone Again, which sampled Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)". Nobody asked Gilbert O'Sullivan, and he took Biz to court. The court found in favor of Sullivan, and all copies were pulled from shelves. Now, music with samples (75% of today's music, it seems) pay the original artist a share of the proceeds. Unless it's leaked to the internet for free. Like that ever happens...
We still love this Buddha-built MC, anyway. In the interest of karma, let's feature a special version of his biggest hit, "Just a Friend." Have you seen those 'literal video' versions? Somebody resings the lyrics of a music video classic to serve as commentary on said video? Here's a 'literal' version of the "Just a Friend" video:
Monday, April 5, 2010
April 5
Fascinating character, this Dean Kamen. First off, he's the son of comic book artist Jack Kamen, whose cover art helped the EC Horror Comics line (Tales of the Crypt) anchor itself in the imagination of a generation. This has nothing to do with what makes Dean Kamen a great deal, but it's a cool trivia bit for a comic book geek like me.
Dean's energies are focused on inventing; he's amassed over 400 patents, for such inventions as the wearable infusion pump, the stair-climbing wheelchair, and the Segway. He's also started organizations to encourage science and math education in today's schools, to foster the next generation of inventors.
If anybody has a chance of winning a Nobel prize in two categories, I'd put my money on Kamen. Without his brilliance, we wouldn't have moments like this:
Dean's energies are focused on inventing; he's amassed over 400 patents, for such inventions as the wearable infusion pump, the stair-climbing wheelchair, and the Segway. He's also started organizations to encourage science and math education in today's schools, to foster the next generation of inventors.
If anybody has a chance of winning a Nobel prize in two categories, I'd put my money on Kamen. Without his brilliance, we wouldn't have moments like this:
Friday, March 26, 2010
March 26
Even the Internet has limitations. I discovered that while researching today's birthday boy, Martin Short. Now, if you've watched comedies in the last 30-odd years, you've probably seen Martin Short: on SCTV or SNL, as the wedding planner in the Father of the Bride movies, as entertainment reporter Jimmy Glick, maybe as the villain in the last Santa Clause movie... He's done a lot of work, won plenty of awards, even has a couple of stars on a couple of walks of fame. But I wasn't simply wanting to talk about Martin Short today; I wanted to talk about Ed Grimley.
You see, Ed Grimley was one of those oddball characters that was either annoying to you, or 'made you completely mental, I must say.' A savant man-child in the Pee-Wee Herman mold (but less suggestive), the Ed Grimley character first gained his fame on SCTV, Canada's version of SNL. When Martin Short made the move to the US, Ed Grimley would end up on SNL, as well. In the wake of Pee Wee Herman's success, NBC greenlit a 13-episode run for Ed Grimley's Saturday morning show in 1988.
At this point, I would have normally posted an episode of the show. But all I've found at this point is the opening credits and a couple of screencaps. The show got re-run a few times in the early Cartoon Network years and hasn't returned to TV since. And it's never made the home video market either, so it seems my search is 'doomed as doomed can be, don'tcha know?'
I realize that by writing this column, I'm admitting that I'm publicly obsessing over a Saturday morning cartoon that I watched in high school. Heck, the talking Ed Grimley doll was one of the last cool Christmas presents I ever got as a kid (15 qualifies, right?)
But one great thing about the Internet is it helps me find a virtual community of people who feel a similar adoration, in varying degrees. One Ed Grimley fan set up EdGrimley.com, a photo album of Ed (in doll form) touring the world, ala the traveling lawn gnome. You can see him comparing his coif with the Washington Monument, hanging with movie stars at Sundance, watching a kickboxing tournament in Thailand, or wandering among Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. It's a beautiful site, particularly if you're a Grimley fan.
Meanwhile, today's an excuse to post a classic scene from The Three Amigos:
You see, Ed Grimley was one of those oddball characters that was either annoying to you, or 'made you completely mental, I must say.' A savant man-child in the Pee-Wee Herman mold (but less suggestive), the Ed Grimley character first gained his fame on SCTV, Canada's version of SNL. When Martin Short made the move to the US, Ed Grimley would end up on SNL, as well. In the wake of Pee Wee Herman's success, NBC greenlit a 13-episode run for Ed Grimley's Saturday morning show in 1988.
At this point, I would have normally posted an episode of the show. But all I've found at this point is the opening credits and a couple of screencaps. The show got re-run a few times in the early Cartoon Network years and hasn't returned to TV since. And it's never made the home video market either, so it seems my search is 'doomed as doomed can be, don'tcha know?'
I realize that by writing this column, I'm admitting that I'm publicly obsessing over a Saturday morning cartoon that I watched in high school. Heck, the talking Ed Grimley doll was one of the last cool Christmas presents I ever got as a kid (15 qualifies, right?)
But one great thing about the Internet is it helps me find a virtual community of people who feel a similar adoration, in varying degrees. One Ed Grimley fan set up EdGrimley.com, a photo album of Ed (in doll form) touring the world, ala the traveling lawn gnome. You can see him comparing his coif with the Washington Monument, hanging with movie stars at Sundance, watching a kickboxing tournament in Thailand, or wandering among Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. It's a beautiful site, particularly if you're a Grimley fan.
Meanwhile, today's an excuse to post a classic scene from The Three Amigos:
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 16
Happy Birthday to an icon three times over, LeVar Burton. Whether you know him as Kunta Kinte, you adore him as Geordi LaForge, or you simply owe your literacy to him, he's brought a lot of good karma to the world. So, you can send him a message to his personal web site. Or, you can just sing along with this tribute from Rhett and Link:
Of course, if you're not a fan, you can read this op-ed in the Onion. And pretend it's real.
Of course, if you're not a fan, you can read this op-ed in the Onion. And pretend it's real.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
January 15
Even though Monday's the day kids get off from school, today's the day Martin Luther King was born. And sure, everybody knows who he is, but he's starting to become "that guy that we get the day in February off for" guy, or "that street that we took a wrong turn on" guy, or "that guy that had that 'dream' speech" guy.
But seriously, as a white/Asian mix, I know that his work was about more than rights for blacks; it was about rights for humanity, regardless of color, heritage, or any surfeit difference between two individuals. My ancestors might have killed each other on sight a century or two ago; my parents couldn't have shared the kind of abundant life they provided for our family, without the work of people like Mr. King. And anyone who can demonstrate to the world that there are more ways to bring about change than armed conflict, deserves respect.
There's a family of video comedians called the Gregory brothers, who have way too much fun with green screen and Auto-Tune. They also made this surprisingly touching (at least to me) tribute to Mr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech; those words he spoke really resonate now, when you consider the America that we live in at this moment. There's work still to be done, but we've come a long way...
But seriously, as a white/Asian mix, I know that his work was about more than rights for blacks; it was about rights for humanity, regardless of color, heritage, or any surfeit difference between two individuals. My ancestors might have killed each other on sight a century or two ago; my parents couldn't have shared the kind of abundant life they provided for our family, without the work of people like Mr. King. And anyone who can demonstrate to the world that there are more ways to bring about change than armed conflict, deserves respect.
There's a family of video comedians called the Gregory brothers, who have way too much fun with green screen and Auto-Tune. They also made this surprisingly touching (at least to me) tribute to Mr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech; those words he spoke really resonate now, when you consider the America that we live in at this moment. There's work still to be done, but we've come a long way...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
January 14
Happy Birthday to good sport and future Jeopardy question Gary Brolsma. When he was 19, he was just a kid with a computer and webcam, and a taste for Eurodance. Nobody (certainly not him) thought he would make the world dance with this clip:
I'm surprised there are no dissertations yet written about how this clip became a cultural nexus point. I mean, it's the 2nd most viewed clip on the Internet ever, after Star Wars Kid - and Star Wars Kid's a recluse. Gary, meanwhile, has taken things in stride, parlaying his internet celebrity status to start his own band and become an ad pitchman.
He's also got his own website, and he's about to launch his own video network, trying to share his fame with as many people as he can. That's class, right there.
And maybe he's got the same attitude about it that Weezer sang about:
I'm surprised there are no dissertations yet written about how this clip became a cultural nexus point. I mean, it's the 2nd most viewed clip on the Internet ever, after Star Wars Kid - and Star Wars Kid's a recluse. Gary, meanwhile, has taken things in stride, parlaying his internet celebrity status to start his own band and become an ad pitchman.
He's also got his own website, and he's about to launch his own video network, trying to share his fame with as many people as he can. That's class, right there.
And maybe he's got the same attitude about it that Weezer sang about:
Thursday, January 7, 2010
January 8
Today's a very important day in the history of Rock n' Roll, because today is the birthday of the King... of the Loverboys. Mike Reno, lead singer of Loverboy, was born on this day, and Canada never rocked so hard. EVER. (I'm looking at you, Nickelback...) You see, Loverboy, in all their big hair glory, gave the world its blue-collar anthem:
Working For the Weekend. That song is the audio equivalent of Red Bull. Anybody who's hated a shift at their job and finished it anyway knows the lyrics in their soul, but it was Mike Reno and Loverboy who gave those feelings a voice.
So Happy Birthday, Mike Reno. If you'd had about five more songs like this, you guys would have been... Journey, I guess. But you're still rockin', and that's the important thing!
Here's an internet meme starring somebody that is not Mike Reno, celebrating Loverboy's contribution to humanity:
Working For the Weekend. That song is the audio equivalent of Red Bull. Anybody who's hated a shift at their job and finished it anyway knows the lyrics in their soul, but it was Mike Reno and Loverboy who gave those feelings a voice.
So Happy Birthday, Mike Reno. If you'd had about five more songs like this, you guys would have been... Journey, I guess. But you're still rockin', and that's the important thing!
Here's an internet meme starring somebody that is not Mike Reno, celebrating Loverboy's contribution to humanity:
Monday, January 4, 2010
January 4
Today's birthday boy is James Bond. Not the author of the spy book series, not any actor that's played him, not a fanboy - we're talking the original, born in 1900 (in America!), Mama-named-him "James Bond". And what would you expect a boy named James Bond to grow up to be?
A birdwatcher. In fact, he became a celebrated ornithologist, writing the definitive guide to birds of the Caribbean region. Birds of the West Indies was a welcome addition to any birdwatcher's library - including author Ian Fleming. One day, attempting to name his superspy character, he looked on his bookshelf and decided he liked the name "James Bond" - normal to the point of boring, yet still masculine. Fleming wrote the guy, got the o.k., and 20th century masculinity has never been the same.
So, in honor of a classy man who gave his name to a classy man, here's the James Bond theme - with words!
A birdwatcher. In fact, he became a celebrated ornithologist, writing the definitive guide to birds of the Caribbean region. Birds of the West Indies was a welcome addition to any birdwatcher's library - including author Ian Fleming. One day, attempting to name his superspy character, he looked on his bookshelf and decided he liked the name "James Bond" - normal to the point of boring, yet still masculine. Fleming wrote the guy, got the o.k., and 20th century masculinity has never been the same.
So, in honor of a classy man who gave his name to a classy man, here's the James Bond theme - with words!
Friday, December 18, 2009
December 18
In the interest of perspective (and page hits,) here's some of the people that are celebrating their birthday today...
Christina Aguilera
Katie Holmes
DMX
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steven Spielberg
Keith Richards
If you see any of these people today, tell them "Happy Birthday"...
Now, let me shine a light on our featured celebrant for today, animator Andrew Kepple. He's from New Zealand, and for the past few years, he's been creating compelling and hilarious Flash cartoons under the name Too Much Spare Time. His style leans toward the Terry Gilliam/South Park style, but layered thicker than fruitcake, and possessed of its own language of humor.
Y'know, Avatar makes its worldwide premiere today; James Cameron's latest masterpiece is supposed to be the next benchmark of computer animation, same as every new Pixar movie and all the movie Zemekis seems to do these days. But I'm all about the other computer animation revolution, the kind that empowers one person with a singular vision to produce their own animations at the speed of thought (comparatively speaking) and share it unfiltered. Imagine what Tex Avery or Ralph Bakshi could have done if they had started with Flash animation.
Anyway, talking about cartoons is like dancing about architecture. Here's a perfect posting for our blog, "French Erotic Birthday"
Besides the usual suspects, it's easy to find Andrew Kepple's work at NewGrounds.com or AlbinoBlackSheep.com.
Christina Aguilera
Katie Holmes
DMX
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steven Spielberg
Keith Richards
If you see any of these people today, tell them "Happy Birthday"...
Now, let me shine a light on our featured celebrant for today, animator Andrew Kepple. He's from New Zealand, and for the past few years, he's been creating compelling and hilarious Flash cartoons under the name Too Much Spare Time. His style leans toward the Terry Gilliam/South Park style, but layered thicker than fruitcake, and possessed of its own language of humor.
Y'know, Avatar makes its worldwide premiere today; James Cameron's latest masterpiece is supposed to be the next benchmark of computer animation, same as every new Pixar movie and all the movie Zemekis seems to do these days. But I'm all about the other computer animation revolution, the kind that empowers one person with a singular vision to produce their own animations at the speed of thought (comparatively speaking) and share it unfiltered. Imagine what Tex Avery or Ralph Bakshi could have done if they had started with Flash animation.
Anyway, talking about cartoons is like dancing about architecture. Here's a perfect posting for our blog, "French Erotic Birthday"
Besides the usual suspects, it's easy to find Andrew Kepple's work at NewGrounds.com or AlbinoBlackSheep.com.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
December 9
Today's Imogen Heap day, but today's column is really all about "Hide and Seek". So, in the interest of giving credit where credit's due, a little info on Imogen Heap: she's a British-born singer-songwriter who's not afraid of using electronics or making music into art. In other words, she's the 21st century Laurie Anderson. She has four Grammy nominations to her credit, and she's auditioning cello players for an upcoming tour... okay, at this point, she would still be one of those hipster playlist artists that you don't really know but everybody who's anybody says you should, like Har Mar Superstar and My Morning Jacket. The thing is, you DO know one of her songs...
For the record, the name of the song is "Hide and Seek", from her second solo album Speak For Yourself. She released it on her own label in 2005 (she'd had bad experiences with record labels) and sold it on vinyl and as digital downloads.
She also released the song for use on the Fox TV show "The O.C." A sample of the song, about 3 minutes in, was used in the second season finale:
This scene was catnip to the comedy team The Lonely Island, whose online comedy series, "The 'Bu", a parody of "The O.C.," had made them internet stars, and helped gain them jobs on Saturday Night Live. SNL produced this digital short:
This short became an insane Internet meme; even though SNL couldn't post it themselves (they hadn't secured the music rights,) fans began posting and re-enacting and offering tribute re-edits...
This year, Jason DeRulo, an R & B singer, added his Auto-Tune to Imogene's, and used it as the base for his pop melange "Whatcha Say?" Last month, "Say" hit #1. (Meanwhile, in 2005, "Hide and Seek" reached #91 on the Billboard 100.)
Whatcha say to that? I'm wrapping this up before I get shot...
For the record, the name of the song is "Hide and Seek", from her second solo album Speak For Yourself. She released it on her own label in 2005 (she'd had bad experiences with record labels) and sold it on vinyl and as digital downloads.
She also released the song for use on the Fox TV show "The O.C." A sample of the song, about 3 minutes in, was used in the second season finale:
This scene was catnip to the comedy team The Lonely Island, whose online comedy series, "The 'Bu", a parody of "The O.C.," had made them internet stars, and helped gain them jobs on Saturday Night Live. SNL produced this digital short:
This short became an insane Internet meme; even though SNL couldn't post it themselves (they hadn't secured the music rights,) fans began posting and re-enacting and offering tribute re-edits...
This year, Jason DeRulo, an R & B singer, added his Auto-Tune to Imogene's, and used it as the base for his pop melange "Whatcha Say?" Last month, "Say" hit #1. (Meanwhile, in 2005, "Hide and Seek" reached #91 on the Billboard 100.)
Whatcha say to that? I'm wrapping this up before I get shot...
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
september 25
Since it's been suggested that I occasionally write about artists the average person may have heard of, I'm sending out a "Happy Birthday" to Clifford Harris, Jr, also known as T.I. Today, the Rubber Band Man's either celebrating his 29th birthday, or six months until his release from federal prison. I'd write more, but do I really know Clifford Harris? Does anyone?
Mary Doyle Kennedy will always be Natalie from the Commitments, one of my favorite fictional bands of all time. It's cool to know that in real life, she's one of the actors that made good: besides her own self-released albums (I wonder what her version of "Video Killed the Radio Star" sounds like,) she just completed her run as Catherine of Aragon on "The Tudors" (for those of you with cable television.) She recently recorded some songs with John Prine; no word on when those'll be released. And I wonder if she ever jams with the other Commitments?
Okay, we've had hip-hop and soul; it's time for some rock n' roll!
Kiyoshi Ijichi plays drums for Asian Kung-Fu Generation, a Japanese rock band that would sound great opening for Weezer. In fact, Ajikan (that's the quick way to say their name) aren't just playing better alt-rock than I'm hearing in America; they're keeping it alive with their own festival. This year's Nano-MugenFes was a two-day showcase of Japanese rockers alongside acts like Ben Folds and Nada Surf; if you're as interested as me, the live DVD comes out next month...
This song, "Loop & Loop," was on their 2004 album, 'Sol-fa.' It was one of my first discoveries when I started blog-trolling a few years ago, one of the reasons I started this blog. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the lyrics, or even what the song's about. The song transcends for me, but I'm open to explanations; comment me if you've got the song's about...
Finally, happy birthday to Santigold. She made it on a few 'best of 2008' lists, but I finally learned about her this week. I guess today's critics really miss 1982, because she sounds a lot like The Motels.
Yeah, I'm digging this. For real evidence of her sonic powers, check out the effects of her set at the 2009 Sasquatch Festival.
Seen this clip before? That's her track, "Unstoppable," that the short shorts pied piper's dancing to. Can't really tell if it inspired the Black Eyed Peas and Oprah, but I feel like dancing, too...
Mary Doyle Kennedy will always be Natalie from the Commitments, one of my favorite fictional bands of all time. It's cool to know that in real life, she's one of the actors that made good: besides her own self-released albums (I wonder what her version of "Video Killed the Radio Star" sounds like,) she just completed her run as Catherine of Aragon on "The Tudors" (for those of you with cable television.) She recently recorded some songs with John Prine; no word on when those'll be released. And I wonder if she ever jams with the other Commitments?
Okay, we've had hip-hop and soul; it's time for some rock n' roll!
Kiyoshi Ijichi plays drums for Asian Kung-Fu Generation, a Japanese rock band that would sound great opening for Weezer. In fact, Ajikan (that's the quick way to say their name) aren't just playing better alt-rock than I'm hearing in America; they're keeping it alive with their own festival. This year's Nano-MugenFes was a two-day showcase of Japanese rockers alongside acts like Ben Folds and Nada Surf; if you're as interested as me, the live DVD comes out next month...
This song, "Loop & Loop," was on their 2004 album, 'Sol-fa.' It was one of my first discoveries when I started blog-trolling a few years ago, one of the reasons I started this blog. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the lyrics, or even what the song's about. The song transcends for me, but I'm open to explanations; comment me if you've got the song's about...
Finally, happy birthday to Santigold. She made it on a few 'best of 2008' lists, but I finally learned about her this week. I guess today's critics really miss 1982, because she sounds a lot like The Motels.
Yeah, I'm digging this. For real evidence of her sonic powers, check out the effects of her set at the 2009 Sasquatch Festival.
Seen this clip before? That's her track, "Unstoppable," that the short shorts pied piper's dancing to. Can't really tell if it inspired the Black Eyed Peas and Oprah, but I feel like dancing, too...
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