Greatest thing on the Interzone today. A walk through of the 1984 Roxanne battles. Throw on your adidas track suit, polish your chains, crank up the boom box and follow along here.
If you have no clue what I'm on about, shame on you. It's never too late to learn.
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
10.27.2008
8.21.2008
Who's da Mastah
Actor Julius Carry died on Tuesday.
The man was all over TV. Carry made appearances in everthing from Hill Street Blues and Benson to The Hughleys and The Unit (see the full list at IMDB). He was also a principal on a short lived show called "Doctor Doctor" from 1989-91.
Carry was the greatest kung-fu thug ever - Sho'nuff, The Shogun of Harlem.
Busta Rhymes even tossed him a little tribute in this video for "Dangerous".
And remember kids....direct-a yo feets-a to Daddy Green's Pizza.
The man was all over TV. Carry made appearances in everthing from Hill Street Blues and Benson to The Hughleys and The Unit (see the full list at IMDB). He was also a principal on a short lived show called "Doctor Doctor" from 1989-91.
Carry was the greatest kung-fu thug ever - Sho'nuff, The Shogun of Harlem.
Busta Rhymes even tossed him a little tribute in this video for "Dangerous".
And remember kids....direct-a yo feets-a to Daddy Green's Pizza.
6.30.2008
Living Lo Pan
As David Lo Pan once said, "I must sacrifice you. But I love you and I need you." I'm sure we can all sympathize.
Living Lohan, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter.
These damn shows keep popping up. I don't know who the fuck thinks people care, but we, the viewing public, just keep watching anyway. We sit glassy-eyed and drunk, drooling on ourselves, remote at the ready like a gunslinger trying to relive the great old days. When the west was wild and the game still meant something. When the Real World was, for all intents, real and Ozzie was still picking feathers from his teeth.
Now we have every useless ass with an agent and a tenuous connection to fame getting a half hour a week to show us what wonders their lives are. I'll admit, some of these people are surprisingly worthwhile and some of the shows have had moments (if only briefly). Nevertheless, on the whole, the concept is wearing thin.
Somehow I found myself watching two guys named Corey, some girl named Denise and a trio of Lohans. The Lohans made me more edgy than any of it. Most likely due to having just watched the wreck that is Corey Haim trying to find something, anything, to grab onto.
I found myself wondering if the next young Lohan is going to make it through this early life without those same kind of scars. While the Lohan Matriarch seems to think she is navigating this all quite well (I'm not even going to dig into what happened to the first version), I am not so sure. What I saw was a 14-year-old, in Las Vegas, trying to cut an album with some casino owners, all the while being followed around by cameras whose purpose is to bare her "reality" to the public via this TV show. I saw crying and immaturity and a sincere desire to be a 14-year-old and not be stuck inside all day with a microphone.
I suppose it's not the worst thing to happen to a teen girl in this great America. I do wonder how 14-year-olds became such masters of their own domain though. If I got to do whatever the hell I wanted at that age, I wouldn't be the man I am today. But, perhaps I would be less angry.
Tune in next week as Denise Richards does nothing of interest, one of the Corey's goes off the deep end and Mrs Lohan continues to make dreams come true.
Living Lohan, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter.
These damn shows keep popping up. I don't know who the fuck thinks people care, but we, the viewing public, just keep watching anyway. We sit glassy-eyed and drunk, drooling on ourselves, remote at the ready like a gunslinger trying to relive the great old days. When the west was wild and the game still meant something. When the Real World was, for all intents, real and Ozzie was still picking feathers from his teeth.
Now we have every useless ass with an agent and a tenuous connection to fame getting a half hour a week to show us what wonders their lives are. I'll admit, some of these people are surprisingly worthwhile and some of the shows have had moments (if only briefly). Nevertheless, on the whole, the concept is wearing thin.
Somehow I found myself watching two guys named Corey, some girl named Denise and a trio of Lohans. The Lohans made me more edgy than any of it. Most likely due to having just watched the wreck that is Corey Haim trying to find something, anything, to grab onto.
I found myself wondering if the next young Lohan is going to make it through this early life without those same kind of scars. While the Lohan Matriarch seems to think she is navigating this all quite well (I'm not even going to dig into what happened to the first version), I am not so sure. What I saw was a 14-year-old, in Las Vegas, trying to cut an album with some casino owners, all the while being followed around by cameras whose purpose is to bare her "reality" to the public via this TV show. I saw crying and immaturity and a sincere desire to be a 14-year-old and not be stuck inside all day with a microphone.
I suppose it's not the worst thing to happen to a teen girl in this great America. I do wonder how 14-year-olds became such masters of their own domain though. If I got to do whatever the hell I wanted at that age, I wouldn't be the man I am today. But, perhaps I would be less angry.
Tune in next week as Denise Richards does nothing of interest, one of the Corey's goes off the deep end and Mrs Lohan continues to make dreams come true.
6.06.2008
There's a tear in my beer...
What the hell happened to Ed McMahon? He done got broke and is gettin rousted, that what.
McMahon went on Larry King Live (hell, yeah! my favorite) to talk about his money woes. He is $644,000 in arrears on his $4.8 million home loan. Ed claims to have had the house on the market for 2 years and hasn't been able to move it.
You can read all about how the "perfect storm" brought Ed and family down. You know how it goes, the exes all want some, the manager is trying to take a cut for doing his job, bad money management by bad people, overspending and a tragic physical setback that keeps a man from working. The average story of a working stiff getting caught up and thrown down.
Of course, this stiff has been working fairly steady since 1957. You may recall such shows as The Tonight Show, TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, and Star Search. There was also the $7.2 million settlement in 2003 for his insurance suit regarding a flood at his home (at the time the highest published settlement to an individual claiming property damage in a mold case). However, it seems the $7 million may not have been enough to cover expenses related to the suit and at the time, the McMahons had to move out of the $23,000/month rental to reduce expenses while they were fixing the flood and mold damaged home.
Anyway, if you can spare a dime, I'm sure Ed would appreciate it.
Lest you think this is unique and not the celebrity crisis it is, note this item in the WSJ about poor Evander Holyfield facing foreclosure on his $10 million home. Maybe he didn't hear them when they called the first few times. He should get after Mike Tyson about that ear of his.
Then there's Jose Canseco. His tell-all books didn't bring in enough to allow Jose to keep paying the mortgage on his modest 7300 square foot LA home.
Hopefully, the economic stimulus package will at least give them all a little breathing room.
McMahon went on Larry King Live (hell, yeah! my favorite) to talk about his money woes. He is $644,000 in arrears on his $4.8 million home loan. Ed claims to have had the house on the market for 2 years and hasn't been able to move it.
You can read all about how the "perfect storm" brought Ed and family down. You know how it goes, the exes all want some, the manager is trying to take a cut for doing his job, bad money management by bad people, overspending and a tragic physical setback that keeps a man from working. The average story of a working stiff getting caught up and thrown down.
Of course, this stiff has been working fairly steady since 1957. You may recall such shows as The Tonight Show, TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, and Star Search. There was also the $7.2 million settlement in 2003 for his insurance suit regarding a flood at his home (at the time the highest published settlement to an individual claiming property damage in a mold case). However, it seems the $7 million may not have been enough to cover expenses related to the suit and at the time, the McMahons had to move out of the $23,000/month rental to reduce expenses while they were fixing the flood and mold damaged home.
Anyway, if you can spare a dime, I'm sure Ed would appreciate it.
Lest you think this is unique and not the celebrity crisis it is, note this item in the WSJ about poor Evander Holyfield facing foreclosure on his $10 million home. Maybe he didn't hear them when they called the first few times. He should get after Mike Tyson about that ear of his.
Then there's Jose Canseco. His tell-all books didn't bring in enough to allow Jose to keep paying the mortgage on his modest 7300 square foot LA home.
Hopefully, the economic stimulus package will at least give them all a little breathing room.
4.11.2008
Two of My Favorite Loons in one Package
Tonight on Larry King Live, you are liable to see some ridiculously entertaining stuff. I know this sounds dubious, but bear with me.
If you don't know, Larry King is a crotchety old TV personality with his own show. In theory, King interviews various famous people. In reality, he does no such thing. Mr. King is a train wreck. This website recaps some awesome moments. CNN has the show transcripts, which are really great reading. I dissected one in this post. Larry, you see, doesn't prepare questions for interviews, has never used the internet and doesn't listen to his guests, preferring to bounce around at random with unrelated and typically ill-conceived questions. He is a broadcasting genius.
Now, let's add to the mix a lovable ex-cop and father, Drew Peterson. Mr. Peterson, a 54-year-old (now former) police officer in Bolingbrook, IL, is a suspect in the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson. This eventually prompted the reinvestigation of the accidental drowning of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, who was found dead in a dry bathtub in March 2004. From the Tribune "Dr. Larry W. Blum is the forensic pathologist who performed the Nov. 13 autopsy. In his report, he determined that 'compelling evidence exists to support the conclusions that the cause of death . . . was drowning and further, that the manner of death was homicide.'"
If you have a minute, you really need to look through this nice aggregate of stories from the Chicago Tribune. It's spectacular. Just reading the various headlines will leave you positive this is a plot from a CSI episode.
So, Peterson and his attorney will appear on Larry King Live tonight (CNN) and allegedly will answer viewer questions.
"Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney, said he's not worried about the types of calls his client will have to face."There's no rules. Larry King's people tell me that they screen out the nuts. Which is fine," he said."
The potential for awesome here is unbounded. I hope it turns out as swell as Peterson's appearance on Chicago radio legend Steve Dahl's morning show, which ended in Peterson agreeing to do a Win a Date with Drew contest (which never happened, of course). The Matt Lauer interviews were also quite wonderful as Peterson explains that his wife ran off with "a 'nudder man" and that he isn't going to look for someone that isn't missing. He explains to us that he is a jokester and that this is all very hard on him, what with the media bothering him. You may also find out that Drew and Stacy's children believe their mum went on vacation.
No I'm not making this stuff up. We can only wait with baited breath to see what manifests on CNN tonight.
If you don't know, Larry King is a crotchety old TV personality with his own show. In theory, King interviews various famous people. In reality, he does no such thing. Mr. King is a train wreck. This website recaps some awesome moments. CNN has the show transcripts, which are really great reading. I dissected one in this post. Larry, you see, doesn't prepare questions for interviews, has never used the internet and doesn't listen to his guests, preferring to bounce around at random with unrelated and typically ill-conceived questions. He is a broadcasting genius.
Now, let's add to the mix a lovable ex-cop and father, Drew Peterson. Mr. Peterson, a 54-year-old (now former) police officer in Bolingbrook, IL, is a suspect in the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson. This eventually prompted the reinvestigation of the accidental drowning of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, who was found dead in a dry bathtub in March 2004. From the Tribune "Dr. Larry W. Blum is the forensic pathologist who performed the Nov. 13 autopsy. In his report, he determined that 'compelling evidence exists to support the conclusions that the cause of death . . . was drowning and further, that the manner of death was homicide.'"
If you have a minute, you really need to look through this nice aggregate of stories from the Chicago Tribune. It's spectacular. Just reading the various headlines will leave you positive this is a plot from a CSI episode.
So, Peterson and his attorney will appear on Larry King Live tonight (CNN) and allegedly will answer viewer questions.
"Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney, said he's not worried about the types of calls his client will have to face."There's no rules. Larry King's people tell me that they screen out the nuts. Which is fine," he said."
The potential for awesome here is unbounded. I hope it turns out as swell as Peterson's appearance on Chicago radio legend Steve Dahl's morning show, which ended in Peterson agreeing to do a Win a Date with Drew contest (which never happened, of course). The Matt Lauer interviews were also quite wonderful as Peterson explains that his wife ran off with "a 'nudder man" and that he isn't going to look for someone that isn't missing. He explains to us that he is a jokester and that this is all very hard on him, what with the media bothering him. You may also find out that Drew and Stacy's children believe their mum went on vacation.
No I'm not making this stuff up. We can only wait with baited breath to see what manifests on CNN tonight.
10.11.2007
Divastation
Music fans the world over know of the excess and pomposity that runs rampant among the World's most talented entertainters. However, this is not a discussion of the contract rider demands or odd behavior of Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey or Britney Spears. Far from it. Musically speaking, at least. This is a tale of the Opera.
I'm not well versed in the backroom shenanigans of today's greatest singers, but a recent dustup at the Lyric Opera of Chicago has brought to my attention the saga of Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna.
I'm not well versed in the backroom shenanigans of today's greatest singers, but a recent dustup at the Lyric Opera of Chicago has brought to my attention the saga of Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna.
A special tale, these two.
She, born Angela Burlacu (taking Gheorghiu from her first husband) on September 7, 1965 in Ajud, Romania to a train conductor and a dressmaker. Studied at the Bucharest conservatoire and a star in her homeland by age 18. First arrived in London in 1991, Gheorghiu is now sometimes called "Draculette" for her fiery behaviour and "the last of the great divas". Once ranked on FHM magazine's World's Sexiest Women list at number 74. Was quoted saying, "I get my exercise by unpacking my luggage and making love," and filmed in 2001 refereshing her lipstick with a tube pulled from her cleavage during a performance of Verdi's Requiem.
He, born June 7, 1963 in Clichy-sous-Bois, France. Came onto the opera scene after winning the Pavarotti competition in Philedelphia. Sometimes called "the fourth tenor." Has one daughter from his first wife, who died of cancer.
The pair met while singing in La Boheme in Vienna in 1992. Fell in love while singing opposite one another in Traviata at Covent Garden, London in 1994. While singing together in La Boheme at the Met, the pair was married by Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The couple cares for Gheorghiu's orphaned niece, whose parents died in a car accident, as well as Alagna's daughter.
Here they sing Romeo & Juliette.
And now to the arrival of greatness....
- Less than a year from the 1996 marriage, Gheorghiu argued with mentor, Georg Solti, over his treatment of parts of Verdi's Otello.
- Gheorghiu refused to wear a blonde wig during a tour of Japan with the Metropolitan Opera. She missed one performance and subsequently covered the wig with a hood.
- Fell out with Jonathan Miller in Paris, feeling she should "die alone" in Traviata rather than the planned for hospital ward setting.
- Quarreled with Riccardo Muti during his time at LaScala.
- Pulled out of Traviata in Madrid, complaining that it was vulgar and full of sexual references.
- She failed to show for rehearsals for Puccini's "Tosca" at London's Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
- She broke her contract to sing the role of Elisabetta in Verdi's "Don Carlo" at Conent Garden (2006).
- September 2007, Gheorghiu was fired from "La Boheme" at the Lyric Opera in Chicago for missing rehearsals and a costume fitting she had demanded.
- Alagna also had issues with Miller and the management of Paris's Bastille Opera.
- He pulled out of the role of Don Jose in "Carmen" at Covent Garden to take a seemingly more prestigious part in Milan.
- The Met in New York planned a 1999 production around the couple, but they took exception to Franco Zeffirelli's set design and were replaced.
- Alagna was the first-ever performer ever to walk off during a performance at La Scala when he was booed during "Aida" in 2006.
- The pair have been dubbed "the Bonnie and Clyde of opera" and "Ceausescus" (after the Romanian dictator that was executed in 1989).
The internet also leaves us this clue on what appears to be the smoldering ruins of a fan site.
3.21.2007
It was horrifying, but I just kept watching
I had the TV on. I wasn't actually watching. I was blowing hot air across the Interwebz. The channel was MTV. I'm not sure why that is. MTV is not in my normal rotation. Don't get me wrong, I watch a lot of lowbrow, trash and downright bad TV. Generally, though, not MTV.
It was truly epic in it's insanity. The people are from another planet, possibly another universe. I'm not sure what they are getting out of acting like utter dipshits on national TV, but I hope it was worth it.
The shows in question were Parental Control and Wild Girls of Makos (WGOM). Both versions of the dread reality TV. In the first show, parents of a young gent have issue with his current lady and have undertaken, through the help of MTV, to find him a new one. Mom and Dad have each selected a potential new mate and they sit in a type of Green Room with the current gal and watch the dates unfold on TV. This girl proceeded to hit new levels of crass, call the Dad boring, describe the diminutive stature of Date 2 by saying "you take dumps bigger than that, [Mom's Name]", and got gum in Mom's hair. Needless to say, the young man ends the show by dumping her. Her parting shot...."Don't worry. I'll be seeing you. I've been dating half the team anyway." Superfan indeed.
WGOM follows the travails of the shot girls (the scantily clad ladies hawking trays of liquor in test tubes) at a spring break bar called Makos. We get to watch the three central characters (or caricatures?) reduce the new girls to tears, gleefully announce themselves to be bitches and force the resignation of the other poor girls who fall into their orbit. The height of cool these days is to be the biggest shit you can be and have all the world know it. Bravo ladies. It was also good to see the manager ignore workplace harassment issues as the 3 amigas reduce yet another new shot gal to tears, intentionally throw her test tube shots on the bar floor and finally fill her locker with a nasty combo of stank. Your right Mr. Manager, she should have locked that locker. It was her fault.
I wonder if this really was how all these people wanted to end up. Possibly. They are on TV and that IS the ultimate goal for the Man of the Aughts. I suppose they could have achieved infamy via a few webcam videos on /b/. What's next?
It was truly epic in it's insanity. The people are from another planet, possibly another universe. I'm not sure what they are getting out of acting like utter dipshits on national TV, but I hope it was worth it.
The shows in question were Parental Control and Wild Girls of Makos (WGOM). Both versions of the dread reality TV. In the first show, parents of a young gent have issue with his current lady and have undertaken, through the help of MTV, to find him a new one. Mom and Dad have each selected a potential new mate and they sit in a type of Green Room with the current gal and watch the dates unfold on TV. This girl proceeded to hit new levels of crass, call the Dad boring, describe the diminutive stature of Date 2 by saying "you take dumps bigger than that, [Mom's Name]", and got gum in Mom's hair. Needless to say, the young man ends the show by dumping her. Her parting shot...."Don't worry. I'll be seeing you. I've been dating half the team anyway." Superfan indeed.
WGOM follows the travails of the shot girls (the scantily clad ladies hawking trays of liquor in test tubes) at a spring break bar called Makos. We get to watch the three central characters (or caricatures?) reduce the new girls to tears, gleefully announce themselves to be bitches and force the resignation of the other poor girls who fall into their orbit. The height of cool these days is to be the biggest shit you can be and have all the world know it. Bravo ladies. It was also good to see the manager ignore workplace harassment issues as the 3 amigas reduce yet another new shot gal to tears, intentionally throw her test tube shots on the bar floor and finally fill her locker with a nasty combo of stank. Your right Mr. Manager, she should have locked that locker. It was her fault.
I wonder if this really was how all these people wanted to end up. Possibly. They are on TV and that IS the ultimate goal for the Man of the Aughts. I suppose they could have achieved infamy via a few webcam videos on /b/. What's next?
2.08.2007
Anthony Bourdain guest blogs at ruhlman.com
Anthony Bourdain gives us his thoughts on the Old Guard of the Food Network and a few choice bits on the New Crew. Well-written, sharp and witty. He's also on target, as far as I'm concerned.
What the hell are you waiting for? Go read it. I can't say it any better than he can, so I won't bother rehashing it here.
What the hell are you waiting for? Go read it. I can't say it any better than he can, so I won't bother rehashing it here.
1.30.2007
Marbles
Marbles. Check it out. A webcomic detailing the antics of a group of African kids just trying to get by. Sounds fun, doesn't it? I assure you it is. The characters are done in a caricatured style that emphasizes the state of the youths in a way that edgy comic readers can dive into. The creators manage this while not glossing over what would be, in reality, a saddening plight by sanitizing the visual content.
Done by a pair of gents from the Netherlands, the art is fantastic and the wit biting. However, it definitely isn't for easily jarred souls. The humor and verbiage are upfront as the comic details the mix of surreality and the everyday in these kids' lives. A mix used to great comic effect.
While there are always readers out in the wide world that will choose to ignore it and focus on minutiae, these characters have soul. They are likable, and I root for them in the context of their comic world. Contrary to some well-voiced opinions, the plight of man can be truly hilarious even at its basest levels. If you understand that, I strongly advise you to check it out. If not, well, there's always Family Circle.
Rembember, if you don't like it, blame Calan, the incomparable genius behind GingerDead and Friends, for bringing this to my attention.
Done by a pair of gents from the Netherlands, the art is fantastic and the wit biting. However, it definitely isn't for easily jarred souls. The humor and verbiage are upfront as the comic details the mix of surreality and the everyday in these kids' lives. A mix used to great comic effect.
While there are always readers out in the wide world that will choose to ignore it and focus on minutiae, these characters have soul. They are likable, and I root for them in the context of their comic world. Contrary to some well-voiced opinions, the plight of man can be truly hilarious even at its basest levels. If you understand that, I strongly advise you to check it out. If not, well, there's always Family Circle.
Rembember, if you don't like it, blame Calan, the incomparable genius behind GingerDead and Friends, for bringing this to my attention.
11.22.2006
Billy, Billy, Billy
Billy Crystal. Comic Relief (HBO). What about me? Who will relieve me of the time wasted?
To be truthfull, I didn't even see it. I heard a significant portion of it on the radio. Maybe the visual really gave it something. I hope so. The audio only portion was not pleasant.
It was for a good cause, I guess. So I'm not going to get too down on the guy (and I am not a fan, anyway), but seriously, Billy, why?
If you missed it (lucky you!), Crystal did his take on an elderly, black jazz musician. Tells the tale of living through the hurricane. Punctuates every little quip with "Can you dig that?.....I knew that you could." It really missed the mark. You could hear the audience straining to find the laughs, but managing only nervous titters. It went on way too long. One count had it upwards of 11 minutes. I didn't time it myself.
This bit did nothing for me. It was actually uncomfortable to listen to. I most certainly did not dig it.
To be truthfull, I didn't even see it. I heard a significant portion of it on the radio. Maybe the visual really gave it something. I hope so. The audio only portion was not pleasant.
It was for a good cause, I guess. So I'm not going to get too down on the guy (and I am not a fan, anyway), but seriously, Billy, why?
If you missed it (lucky you!), Crystal did his take on an elderly, black jazz musician. Tells the tale of living through the hurricane. Punctuates every little quip with "Can you dig that?.....I knew that you could." It really missed the mark. You could hear the audience straining to find the laughs, but managing only nervous titters. It went on way too long. One count had it upwards of 11 minutes. I didn't time it myself.
This bit did nothing for me. It was actually uncomfortable to listen to. I most certainly did not dig it.
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