And I truly believe that Kathleen Edwards could kick my ass when she snarls, “You only call me honey when we’re alone.” She is a great songwriter, especially in that take-no-crap-from-anyone Eddie Vedder sort of way. I’m glad to know that she’s just as great live – or recorded live anyway – as she is on her albums.
Although, watching it reminds me of when I was a kid and my father would watch Austin City Limits every now and again and I would complain bitterly.
Posted in Entertainment, Music, Television
This is sort of a strange post for me because, with a few exceptions, I don’t really consider myself a fan of ’80s music. In our house, ’80s music generally falls into Jennifer’s bailiwick. Anyway, inspired by the post I wrote yesterday, I’ve compiled a list of my ten favorite pop songs of the 1980s. Keep in mind that these are my favorite because of memories associated with them, and I wouldn’t even consider a serious conversation about the objectively best songs of the ’80s.
“Turning Japanese” by the Vapors (1980)
“Every Breath You Take” by the Police (1983)
“99 Luftballons” by Nena (1984)
“Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco (1985)
“Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986)
“I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany (1987)
“Lean on Me” by Club Nouveau (1987)
“Desire” by U2 (1988)
“Never Tear us Apart” by INXS (1988)
“Wild-Wild West” by Escape Club (1989)
Speaking of ’80s songs, did all you American Idol fans see David Cook perform Chris Cornell’s arrangement of “Billie Jean” last night? Because Jennifer likes it, I’m sort of an AI fan by proxy. Most of the performances, I can take or leave. But Cook’s performance is probably the coolest moment I’ve ever seen on a reality show – not the best, that goes to Jordis Unga singing “The Man Who Sold the World” on Rock Star: INXS.
Posted in Entertainment, Music, Television
You are tiny. I can see the whole of time and space, every single atom of your existence and I divide them. –Rose Tyler in “The Parting of the Ways”
…and she could.
I’m a nerd. It’s chronic.
Posted in Entertainment, Television
Growing up, cable wasn’t available where we lived, and receiving satellite television involved installing a receiver roughly the size of 1951 Buick Special. So we lived with four television channels: 3, 10, 13, and 29. My whole family referred to them by channel number, not their respective affiliations with NBC, CBS, PBS, and ABC. For instance, on any given night in the 1980s, I might have asked my father, who salvaged the T.V. guide out of the Sunday paper every week, “What’s on channel 3 tonight?” I’m certain I must have known when my favorite shows like Magnum P.I. and The A-Team were on, but I recall always being surprised, pleasantly or otherwise, at Dad’s answers.
The lack of choice led me to watch some shows that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise chosen. Some, like M.A.S.H., are still among my all-time favorites. But I now consider some, like Little House on the Prairie, so insipid that I wonder how they were ever produced. There were other shows that didn’t fall into either group, shows that were just on so I watched them without exhibiting strong feelings, then and now, one way or another. Laverne and Shirley is in the third category. Until about a month ago, I probably couldn’t have told you of a single thing that I love, or hate, about it.
Before that day, when I was walking to my car at work, I don’t recall the last time I thought of Laverne and Shirley. I saw a young woman, walking with her head down to shield her eyes from light rain, who looked, to me, remarkably like Shirley Feeney, or at least Cindy Williams’ portrayal of Feeney. The natural, but ill-fated, reaction when I thought about the show was to also think about the theme song. Not the Yiddish beginning, but the final verse:
On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We’re gonna make our dream come true.
And we’ll do it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And do it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you.
So now, from time to time, when I’m walking to or from my car, I find that stupid song, which I now hate, banging around in my head. Sometimes, I even sing it to myself, under my breath, before I realize what I’ve done.
Posted in Entertainment, Irritations, Music, Television, Work
I happened to catch The Late Late Show this past Friday. It’s the first episode I’ve seen. I found Craig Ferguson very entertaining and insightful without sacrificing humor.
For instance, I don’t recall how he got onto the topic or his exact words, but he expressed regret for making fun of Justin Timberlake on past episodes. Apparently, he is not a fan of Timberlake’s music and has strongly expressed his disapproval on a number of occasions. As an aside, I generally agree with him, although I do like the video in which Timberlake portrays some sort of spy; it has a cool feel. Anyway, Ferguson said that, one day, he saw some footage of Justin in the studio with Scarlett Johansson on one arm and Cameron Diaz on the other and he realized that Timberlake isn’t making music for forty-five year old Scottish men.
His observation made me laugh out loud, mostly because it’s true and the joke is on Ferguson. Self effacing humor, to me, is some of the funniest.
Regardless, he made me consider the music I hear on the radio. Sure, I think most of it is crap. But those artists and producers aren’t pumping it out for a white guy in his mid-thirties. There is, and always will be, new music that, objectively or subjectively, is good. You just have to know where to look and, for me, with some exceptions here and there, that place is not the radio, or Billboard charts, or Nielsen Soundscan. I think to sit around and bitch about it would simply make me feel like I’m widening a generation gap, and that is something I never want to do.
Posted in Entertainment, Irritations, Music, Television
This is how I’ve spent my time when not working:
Reading:
Geek Love is a novel about a family of circus performers. The family’s patriarch, who runs the circus with which the family is associated, decides, along with his wife, to create their own sideshow freaks through their offspring. They accomplish the task by experimenting with various drugs and radioactive materials during the couple’s pregnancies. Sounds weird, huh? It is. But it’s well written by Katherine Dunn and because she creates a world unto itself, it’s also insanely absorbing and entertaining.
Listening:
Jukebox by Cat Power. As with her Covers record a few years ago, Ms. Marshall reinvents previously recorded songs, most of which were written by other artists (a couple of the tracks were written and recorded by her on previous records). Regardless, she has a way of making songs her own, whether she wrote them or not, sometimes completely changing the mood of the original recording. In her case, I think that’s a great thing. I can’t get enough of her honey voice. On Jukebox, I especially love her take on Bob Dylan’s “I Believe in You.”
100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones and Dap Kings. A funk/soul record created in the spirit of the genre’s heyday of the 1960s and 70s. To give you and idea of the music, a number of the Dap Kings feature prominently as backing musicians on Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, a record I absolutely love. The Dap Kings do the same thing here, only in their original context with their original singer; it’s authentic.
Watching, Television:
Arrested Development, Season 1. I can’t believe I missed this hot mess when it was on television. Actually, I tried to watch a couple of episodes, during the middle of the first season, when it originally aired. I couldn’t get into. But starting from the beginning, I loved it. By this time, I’m probably behind the crowd and everyone is probably aware of the trials and tribulations of the Bluth family (primarily of their own creation) and their son Michael’s attempts to save the family business. If you haven’t seen it, though, I encourage you to do so, starting with the first episode. It’s a smart, hilarious caricature of modern life and family stereotypes, and lessons about what is truly important.
Torchwood, Season 1. This spin-off of the long running British sci fi series Dr. Who is somewhat akin to a BBC version of the X-Files in that the Torchwood Institute is, like Mulder and Scully, in the business of protecting the world from extraterrestrial threats. Wow, was that sentence packed with nerdiness or what? Seriously, though, if you are even the slightest fan of science fiction, then you owe it to yourself to check out Torchwood. Jennifer and I watched Season 1 on DVD. The second season is currently being broadcast on BBC America. As a warning, though, it is closely interlinked with Dr. Who, a show that I cannot recommend enough. The last three seasons, a bit of a revival for the series, have been outstanding. So I’m sure my love of Dr. Who impacted my expectations of and response to Torchwood.
Watching, Movies (quite a list so I’m just going to hit the highlights):
I’m Not There. While I recognize and respect his influence, I’ve never really been a fan of Bob Dylan. This movie made me want to be a fan, especially the performances of Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger. While they were both unbelievable in their interpretations of an aspect of Dylan’s personality, Blanchett deserves the Oscar for her performance.
Charlie Wilson’s War. It’s entertaining and informative. What else do you want? I didn’t even mind Julia Roberts, and I don’t normally like her.
No Country for Old Men. Wow, is all there is to say. The Cohen brothers never cease to amaze me, in a good way. On top of a beautiful movie with an engrossing story, the acting was superb.
Sunshine. A sci fi movie about a mission to restart the Sun directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, etc.) It’s interesting, and pretty to look at, and certainly worth the couple of hours.
Strange Wilderness. I don’t understand why terrible comedies continue to get produced, and how I end up watching them. Skip it entirely. In fact, if you are thinking about going, give me a call and I’ll pay you not to see it (hyperbole, folks, I’m not about to start actually writing checks).
Michael Clayton. Cop movies and lawyer movies are normally all the same to me. This one isn’t. Loved it. But I love Clooney. Great story.
Savages. If you don’t want to watch Phillip Seymor Hoffman and Laura Linney in a family-centered dramatic comedy then you’ve been sprinkling too much crack on your cheerios. I cannot get enough of these two actors. On top of that, this story is packed with truth about the shelter, and torture, of family. Run to the theater to see this.
3:10 to Yuma. In addition to the remake, I’ve seen the original starring Glenn Ford. I prefer Russel Crowe’s interpretation of the outlaw Ben Wade. Regardless, this is a good movie, especially if you enjoy westerns. But it also has an independent appeal that is rooted in its exploration of what it means to be courageous and to have respect for fellow man.
Posted in Directors, Entertainment, Movies, Music, Television
In December of each year, it’s become my personal tradition to revisit the year’s entertainment and make a favorites list. When I started thinking about it this year, I felt a tinge of disappointment because I normally see all the new movies that pique my interest throughout the year. This year, for a variety of reasons, I’ve been so busy each weekend that I’ve barely seen any movies during the second half of the year. There were many I wanted to see but missed. As a result, my movie list is shorter than usual and my music list is a little longer than normal. The television list is always short because I’m frankly not usually impressed with new television shows. So, if anyone is interested, here is my best of 2007:
Albums
Hands down, none of the others even had a chance, favorite of the year: Back to Black by Amy Winehouse. If you haven’t heard it and you like good music of any genre, go directly to your favorite outlet and purchase it. I’m serious, don’t hesitate. Everyone should experience Amy while they can. I hope she gets straightened out, and is able to continue making music.
Runners up:
Children Running Through by Patty Griffin
Fur and Gold by Bat for Lashes
Icky Thump by The White Stripes
In Rainbows by Radiohead
The Reminder by Feist
Volta by Bjork
Movies
Favorite of the year: The Lives of Others. An East German Stasi agent is assigned to monitor the anti-government actions of a famous playwright. It’s an engrossing study of human nature. In German with subtitles. It was officially released at the end of 2006 so it’s been out on DVD for a while. It deservedly won last year’s Best Foreign Language Oscar.
Runners up:
Breach
Dan in Real Life
Waitress
New Television Series
Favorite: The Riches. It’s a show that highlights all the quirkiness of modern American life by taking a family of con artists out of their normal element (transient life in an R.V.) and placing them in suburbia where they assume the lives of a wealthy, and recently deceased, family. It’s funny and heart breaking and strange, and I love it.
Close Second: Pushing Daisies
Runners up:
LA Ink
The Sarah Silverman Program
Posted in Entertainment, Movies, Music, Television
One of the many things that I’ve learned from Jennifer is an appreciation for stand up comedy. I never liked stand up before I met her. Now, I think that, when it’s good (i.e., funny), it is one of the more intellectually stimulating forms of comedy. While there are exceptions (e.g., Carrot Top, Gallagher), most comics rely almost completely on words and the brains of their audience to conjure funny images or situations, and they have a very short period before the audience loses interest. In that situation, I believe that being funny requires great talent.
Because of our appreciation for comics, we watch the television show Last Comic Standing which is currently in its fifth season and is now hosted by Bill Bellamy. My prior exposure to Bellamy was when I saw him, from time to time, on MTV as a VJ or as the host of some random show like the MTV Beach House. But on Last Comic, he starts each show with a short monologue of his own. He’s genuinely funny. I often laugh more during his extremely short set than during some of the longer sets of the contestants.
A couple of his sets, however, have made me really consider stereotypes. Specifically, he has talked about white people (his words, not mine). I won’t try to repeat his sets verbatim because I would get them wrong and, even if I didn’t, there is no way I could recreate his delivery. But during one set, he talked about how white people always wear flip flops, wherever they go, and whatever the situation. I found it funny, really funny in fact.
On last week’s episode, Bellamy again chose white people as his subject. This time, he talked about how, if you want to really piss a white person off, then do something to animals. He said that, when you see a beached whale, it’s always white people out throwing water over the whale and trying to push it back into the water. He ended by discussing how you cannot mess with a white person’s dog. He said they will go to all lengths to protect their dogs. Again, I found his set extremely funny.
But both sets deal in stereotypes, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. In fact, I happen to believe the thing that makes stereotypes funny is that they are sometimes, maybe often, true. The danger, though, is that some people fail to recognize that any particular stereotype may or may not be true for any individual person of a group.
In fact, over the years, I’ve tried very hard to learn not to apply stereotypes to people. Race is among the groups but I’m also referring to gender, religion, sexual preference, economic status, and many other subsets of the general population. Which makes me wonder if I should be laughing at Bellamy’s comedy or not. I know that flip flops and the kinds of people who try to save beached whales are benign subjects. But still.
I may be assigning too much sociological importance to a comic’s monologue…
Posted in Entertainment, Politics, Television
Was an exceptional day.
Started off with a pot of pure kona coffee. Had about 6 cups. Don’t normally drink that much but kona is so good it’s ridiculous and impossible not to keep drinking. Moved on to laundry which, by some cosmic weirdness, I enjoy.
Followed up with dishes which I don’t love but also don’t hate.
Around noon, I sliced a watermelon that had been chilling in the fridge for the past three days. Read the sticker that said the melon was from Cave City, Arkansas. Laughed at the fact that the mascot for Cave City’s school is the Caveman. Ate some watermelon as I was slicing it. The sweetness made up for the seeds. Realized I have become spoiled by seedless melons.
Even though I ate some as I sliced, filled a huge salad bowl with melon and relocated to the deck. Ate almost the whole bowl, but shared a fair amount with Zoie (who loves it – seeds and all) and Sadie (who likes to toss it around, spraying the deck with watermelon juice). Worried that Zoie’s stomach may hurt because I gave her so much. Realized that I have indulged her a little too much lately.
Got a text from Jason – “What movie and when?”
We decided on Resurrecting the Champ. Not a bad movie but not great. Near the end, I needed some crackers to go with the cheese.
Called Jennifer – who worked both days this weekend – on the way home after the movie to see if she wanted to meet Jennie and J for dinner. She decided she was too tired. Can’t blame her, she’s worked 7 days in a row including 3 away from home while she filled in for a pharmacist in NW Arkansas while he is on vacation.
Walked on treadmill for 30 minutes.
Watched an espisode of LA Ink, the 4400, and played a bit of Final Fantasy Three on my Nintendo DS.
While the dogs snoozed on the couch beside me (if there is anything more satisfying, I haven’t found it yet), typed a summary of my day for all the world to see.
Didn’t accomplish much, but enjoyed the day.
Posted in Amazement, Animal Friends, Entertainment, Movies, Television
Have you ever known anyone who claims not to watch T.V. but then, for example, when that person comes to your house, he or she can’t take his or her eyes off the thing?
First, it’s okay to recognize that a lot of the programming is crap but still admit to enjoying it. Second, have some conviction if you are going to be exhaustive in your condemnation.
Posted in Entertainment, Irritations, Television
In the episode titled “My Drug Buddy” of the first season of Scrubs, Turk and Dr. Cox happen to get on the same bathroom schedule. It’s an obvious opportunity for the writers to exploit the anger inherent in Dr. Cox. At first, he simply rhetorically asks, “Why is there an intern in my bathroom?” Later, his anger grows as Turk continues to show up at the same time. Obviously, it’s ridiculous to get angry about someone else being in a public bathroom which is why, in my opinion, it’s funny.
That said, we have a summer intern at work who always seems to be in the bathroom when I am. The bathroom on our floor is relatively small so, short of being downright rude like Dr. Cox, speaking is unavoidable. I know it’s coincidence, but I find it wholly infuriating. I don’t even really want to see anyone else while I go about my business, let alone speak.
Oh, the tribulations of work.
Posted in Entertainment, Irritations, Television, Work
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about an article in The New Yorker titled “Whatever it Takes” about the television show “24.” I won’t repeat what I said in that post. If you are interested, you can read my post here.
I mention that now because my post and the comments it elicited are the reason for this post. At the time I am writing this, there are actually only three comments. Each comment essentially says that “24” is just a show. I happen to know and deeply respect the three people who commented, but I also happen to disagree with them on this particular topic. I am not saying it’s true of any of the people who commented, but to think that art cannot, or does not, have political ambitions is naïve at best and dangerous at worst. Consider the following works, each of which have clear political motivations.
Guernica by Picasso. It is one of my favorite paintings. I’m certain that most people are familiar with the painting and know that Picasso painted it in response to the Nazi fire bombing of the Basque town of the same name. There has been much speculation over the years about the possibly symbolic images found in the painting, particularly the depictions of a horse and a bull. But for all the symbolism and abstracts found throughout his paintings, I like to think that Picasso titled Guernica purposefully so that we do not mistake his indictment of the death and brutality suffered by civilians that he so skillfully, and beautifully, painted. Since Franco expressed desire to have the painting return to Spain, I like that Picasso intentionally poked a finger in the dictator’s eye by refusing to have the painting displayed in Spain until a republic was restored. His actions reinforce his political intent in creating the painting.
Schindler’s List, directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s not one of my favorite movies because it is so gut wrenching, but it is an important movie. If you have seen it, then you know that there are many brutal moments. The worst, for me, is the scene where Spielberg shows a pile of bodies and casually stacked in the pile is the body of a little girl. Her body is still wrapped in the red coat that she was seen wearing a few scenes before when she was full of life, apparently oblivious to the horrors that surrounded her. I’ve no idea if Spielberg pioneered the dramatic use of a color image in an otherwise all black and white film, but I’ve seen it copied since. Each time, I found it trite because I was reminded of Spielberg’s little girl in a red coat. It’s an image that I believe I will never forget.
“We are the World” by USA for Africa. When I think about politically motivated songs, I immediately think of many artists from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger to Bob Dylan to U2 to Pearl Jam and Green Day. But “We are the World” also always comes to mind. It holds a somewhat special place in my memory because, way back in the 80s when 45s were still popular, it is one of the first singles I purchased. I’ve no idea how much money the supergroup made for famine relief in Ethiopia. But I do know that the song made me aware of the Ethiopian famine. In fact, it made me aware that the world into which I was born has some major problems. I don’t like that it took a group of spoiled pop singers to do that, but it’s true.
I chose my three examples intentionally because the political message associated with each of them is, unless you happen to be a tyrant, impossible to dispute. No one with a soul agrees that bombing of civilians, genocide, or needless starvation should occur.
Now, let’s turn to “24.” As with my examples above, the show has a political message. The general message of the show is that the brand of freedom enjoyed in the United States should be celebrated and protected. That message is one with which everyone agrees, at least those people who love freedom. In that regard, I agree with the political message of the show. I’m glad that I have never had to do it, but I am eternally grateful that others have protected, and continue to protect, the freedoms that I enjoy.
The issue that I have with the political message of “24” is that it goes further and suggests that, not only should freedom be protected, it should be protected at all costs, no matter whose individual freedoms are endangered. I’ve never agreed with the reasoning by which it is okay to compromise an individual’s rights so long as it serves the greater good, and I don’t agree with it when fictionalized on “24.” When Jack Bauer chooses to put his own life in danger by, for instance, flying a ticking nuclear bomb from downtown Los Angeles to the middle of the Mojave desert, that is one thing. When he chooses to trample on others’ rights, that is something else entirely.
In the political climate we find ourselves in today – one of torture at Abu Graib, secret CIA prisons, and aggressive, preemptive wars – I think “24” is incendiary. The world watches it and sees it as an extension and endorsement of the policy of protecting the United States at all costs, even when individual rights must be compromised. One of the things at the very core of our great country and one of the reasons that I love this country is that individual rights are protected, no matter what the individual happens to believe. We have a constitution and approximately 200 years of jurisprudence to insure those rights. I simply do not agree with any work of art that undermines those things.
The bottom line is that I’m not trying to convince anyone that they shouldn’t watch “24.” As I said in my previous post, I quit the show for reasons totally unrelated to politics. I just wanted to explain why I do not agree with the political message.
Posted in 9/11, Entertainment, Politics, Television
I watched the television show “24” for its first two seasons. For the first season especially, I thought that the concept was interesting. I certainly was hooked.
But I don’t watch the show any longer. I think it was during the first few episodes of season 3 that I quit. Whenever, it was when Jack Bauer intentionally took drugs to infiltrate a drug ring, or something equally inane. I quit mostly out of growing discontent with Jack Bauer’s one dimensional personality and with Kiefer Sutherland’s acting. I was simply annoyed at watching him take drugs for the good of the country. Even though I tried to suspend my disbelief for the sake of the story, I found it unbelievable that he would, absolutely and unquestioningly, do whatever was necessary for the good of the country.
Recently, I read an article in The New Yorker about “24.” It is titled “Whatever it Takes.” While my decision to quit watching the show was because I had lost interest as a result of the unbelievable premise, the article, written by Jane Mayer, implies that “24” has far reaching effects that are not favorable to the United States or for freedom generally. After reading what she has written, I agree with her.
If you are a fan of the show, you owe it to yourself to at least consider her article. It can be found on The New Yorker’s website here.
Posted in 9/11, Entertainment, Politics, Television
I tried to resist it. I really did. But I cannot let this day pass without saying something about Anna Nicole Smith. I admit it; I’ll miss her.
Why are people so fascinated by her? Is it, as I have seen suggested by various media outlets, her combination of beauty and dysfunction? If you watched even one episode of her reality show, then you know that dysfunction was at the core of her very existence; at least that’s what the people at E would have us believe. I do not doubt that she had issues, but she must have been fairly intelligent, in some ways, to leverage her Playboy fame to an entire career (I don’t intend to imply that dysfunction and intelligence cannot coexist – it’s just that, if she was as dysfunctional as E depicted her, then I think she would never have made a career for herself). But she was so child-like in others.
Or is it the tragic nature of her life? Especially during the last few months, it certainly was tragic: her battle over the estate of her dead husband continued, her son died, she gave birth to a baby over whom a custody battle resulted, and she was named as a defendant in a class action suit against the company for which she was a spokesperson. Dysfunctional or not, that would be enough to drive anyone over the edge.
I personally think it is because her life was, for the most part, one that people cannot fathom for themselves, but it appeals to our voyeuristic nature because, ironically, we can relate to some aspects of it. She was a mother for goodness sake. In the end, she was just an ambitious girl from a small town who, in any place and time other than the late 20th Century United States, would probably just have remained a beautiful girl in a small town. Just like people staring at a pile up on the freeway, it is impossible to look away from her particular brand of car wreck because we see that, while we aren’t driving as fast and sporadically as she was, we could be in that wreck if circumstances were different.
Posted in Entertainment, Television
I truly appreciate a good advertisement. Today, a co-worker sent me a link to some of the recent FedEx Ads. I don’t really like the ones focused on FedEx Racing, but I think the others are clever. If you are like me, you’ve probably seen most of them. If you are interested, though, you can see the ads here. Map is still my favorite.
Posted in Entertainment, Television
No Exit 