tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34733483349120518662012-01-25T21:02:12.819-08:00TV addict seeks alternative ways to occupy timesteadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.comBlogger1981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-29434744701758206612012-01-25T19:38:00.001-08:002012-01-25T20:58:27.699-08:00

It's been nearly two years since I wrote in this blog. At the time I started it, my profile wasI'm just child of the eighties weaned on a constant stream of TV, trying to establish a healthier relationship with video-based entertainment. I'd been wanting to quit watching TV and start writing more for some time and this blog seemed like a good way to combine both goals. I started this blog on

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-77918212903733166662010-03-28T11:18:00.000-07:002010-03-28T11:54:20.584-07:00

In my last post, I wrote that I was worried about the reintroduction of a television set into our home. I needn't have worried--without the cable, I may do a maximum of four laps around the dial before it sinks in that there is nothing on (I'm a slow learner). And there is no one spot that we can set the antenna where we could get all the channels, which also reduces the surfing. It really only

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-54855292402252189272009-11-15T14:35:00.000-08:002009-11-15T16:16:23.190-08:00

We bought a flat screen this afternoon. After watching nothing but streaming video and iTunes on our 15" laptops for two years, we are now watching basic network TV and Hulu on four times the area.So why now? My parents are visiting next week for Thanksgiving and for months I have been saying that I thought my dad would go stir crazy without one. Then yesterday I read an article on Black Friday

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-63899208004963436862009-08-11T20:41:00.000-07:002009-08-11T22:06:14.499-07:00

Michael Pollan thinks deeper and harder about food and our relationship to it than anyone I know. By personally engaging in four different forms of eating (manufactured, big organic, sustainable farming, and living of the land) in The Omnivore's Dilemma, Pollan completely transformed the way I thought about the economics and ecology of our American eating habits. So I guess I shouldn't have been

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-46822366453666931522009-08-11T19:47:00.000-07:002009-08-11T20:02:44.856-07:00

Slate Magazine reports on Bob Garfield's book The Chaos Scenario with the headline "Is Television Over?" Apparently, the host of the radio show "On the Media" is arguing that the quality of network shows will get worse as audiences fracture, but they, and the advertising agency heavyweights that create TV ads, have yet to figure this out or what to do about it. The only shows that will maintain

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-61227674034668205942009-08-09T13:58:00.000-07:002009-08-09T16:55:42.930-07:00

Some middle schoolers want to go to Disneyland, others, Le BenardinEven though this blog is about my ever-changing relationship to TV, I couldn't resist following up on something I heard while listening to an interview with food critic Ruth Reichl. An 11-year old girl stood up during the question and answer period and asked what she should be doing now to prepare to be a food writer, other than

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-86220033116627626412009-08-05T18:10:00.000-07:002009-08-05T18:33:22.033-07:00

That voice--Julia Child was born to be imitated. Before I even knew who Julia Child was, I was laughing at Bill Cosby warbling over a cabbage and Hawaiian comedian Rap Reiplinger getting sauced while cooking a rubber chicken (I was far too young to be watching Dan Ackroyd on SNL doing his French Chef schtick). While Meryl Streep will be starring this weekend as Child in the comedy Julie and

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-55935316810592305032009-07-28T19:40:00.000-07:002009-07-28T22:18:01.248-07:00

Is Friends Replacing Friends? Okay, so the reference is out of date, but the latest Scientific American reports on research that TV can lower feelings of loneliness. Researchers from the University of Buffalo and Miami University reported in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology that people who feel lonely feel less lonely while watching their favorite show. They attribute this to a "social

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-7903838287158624862009-07-26T16:55:00.000-07:002009-07-26T20:31:32.084-07:00

When my husband said "Let's go see (500) Days of Summer," I could not have been less enthused. I hadn't seen any commercials or trailers for it; having no expectations for a movie can be good but inherently leaves one completely unmotivated to see it. "What's it about? Maybe I'll just stay home," I moaned even as we were stepping out the door. By the end of the movie, I was thanking him for

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-16837632173650828692009-07-20T19:37:00.000-07:002009-07-20T19:46:39.064-07:00

Is this the real reason why industrialized nations have such low birth rates? The London Times reports reports these comments from the Health and Family Welfare Minister of India, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad on why it's so important to bring electricity to rural villages:“If there is electricity in every village, then people will watch TV till late at night and then fall asleep. They won’t get a chance

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-21801091496306701912009-07-15T20:06:00.001-07:002009-07-15T20:07:16.899-07:00

Right on the heels of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, this time with trailer:

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-45111435095760216412009-07-11T06:43:00.000-07:002009-07-11T06:57:58.601-07:00

Wow, country musician Dave Carroll may have hit on something here. After more than a year of trying to get United to pay for repairing his guitar when baggage handlers threw it on the tarmac, he wrote a song about his experience and put it on YouTube. I cringe a little watching it because two members of my family retired after long careers with United, but it's darn catchy and apparently

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-49247088640894356832009-07-11T05:52:00.001-07:002009-07-11T06:05:29.208-07:00

I was away for a week so didn't notice which day this happened, but ABC finally started loading content into Hulu, approximately 2 months after their partnership deal went through. Now they actually have a shot at addicting me to their new shows (their streaming video server app stopped working for me ealier this year and we had to watch Lost on my husband's computer).Here's the thing though--

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-29599465961081164772009-07-04T12:36:00.001-07:002009-07-04T13:23:28.008-07:00

I think I first noticed the phenomenon when I heard about Amy Heckerling's unreleased movie I Could Never Be Your Woman. Until then, I thought it was just the B, C, and D-list celebs that went straight to video. If you ever saw a big star on a tape in Blockbuster without seeing that movies first in theaters, it had to be some dreck they put out before they were famous, right?Wrong. Michelle

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-26456165442141902732009-05-02T08:12:00.000-07:002009-05-02T11:00:40.755-07:00

"Oh my god," were the first words out of my mouth, when I heard that ABC's parent company Disney had joined Hulu, but it should have been, "it's about friggin' time."As you can tell from the posts below, ever since I ditched my TV, I use Hulu almost exclusively to watch online shows. Although I go to ABC.com to watch Lost, ABC's homepage has one video ad blaring on its site for something like

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-41927322930386053152009-04-15T19:06:00.000-07:002009-04-15T19:10:43.752-07:00

I think I've seen this trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that they were advertising on the Hulu home page, but I was curious about the ability to embed a live stream. So let's see how this works, shall we?

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-41623487590549457092009-04-04T07:35:00.000-07:002009-04-04T07:43:59.678-07:00

One thing I didn't realize was that the movies shown on Hulu often expire after a time, so early films like Sideways are gone. Instead, there are a lot of movie trailers. But there are still some interesting ones: if you haven't seen Super Size Me, it's entertaining and alarming. Here are some others that are somehow significant, though in an "eat your broccoli" kind of way.Hoop DreamsBuena Vista

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-55424228508628734662009-03-29T21:10:00.000-07:002009-03-29T21:13:27.475-07:00

"All I know is the prop guy from the miniseries who had that idea lived in infamy for the next five years, with assistants shaving corners off of everything in sight, saying "I want to strangle whoever had this idea." -David Eick, in National Geographic.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-91052197021324846332009-03-03T20:27:00.000-08:002009-03-03T20:36:47.383-08:00

Yes, it was this uncomfortable:

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-55557309431175204412009-02-16T12:57:00.000-08:002009-02-16T12:58:42.433-08:00

This girl could replace Andy Samberg on SNL. I don't know why but this makes me crack up.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-19775092782975076142009-01-28T20:15:00.000-08:002009-01-28T20:17:38.427-08:00

Finally a movie I haven't seen but want to on Hulu.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-27982615954392013912009-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:002009-01-17T19:47:40.049-08:00

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-90822769174153183832009-01-12T21:46:00.001-08:002009-01-12T21:48:21.314-08:00

...about the trailer for Big Man Japan.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-48137175078830466102009-01-05T21:59:00.000-08:002009-01-05T22:08:42.985-08:00

It's been exactly a year and 175 posts since I stopped watching TV and started this blog. If you look at the number of posts per month, you'll it's really trickled off in the last quarter of the year. This is partly because I discovered a TV show that recently started airing in multiple places online. I watched all three seasons, or about a hundred episodes.That can't account for the lag entirely

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-65954126893095095352008-12-18T20:37:00.000-08:002008-12-18T20:58:10.983-08:00

A Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaEarlier this year, I had written about how Disney was finally producing new content for the Muppets franchise it purchased ages ago this year with a series of YouTube videos and a few guest spots on the Disney Channel. But clips and appearances are one thing--it's been ages since they did a fully scripted story. Well, it looks like they haven't lost their old

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-23480715833619415222008-12-17T21:12:00.000-08:002008-12-17T21:12:00.316-08:00

I thought George Lucas had found and burned all copies of the Star Wars Holiday Special an attempt to wipe this fabled episode from our collective memories, but I was wrong. Hurray for the internet!

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-69602244271992626252008-12-16T19:39:00.001-08:002008-12-16T19:39:50.344-08:00

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-57368643653017128972008-12-13T08:27:00.000-08:002008-12-13T09:02:38.797-08:00

East meets East in Chandni Chowk to ChinaAmericans have had serious Kung Fu envy for a long time, with story lines about white boys magically endowed with martial arts abilities (The Forbidden Kingdom) or Asian folks finding their next great warrior in the good ol' U.S. of A (Bulletproof Monk). It was only a matter of time before India got in on the fun.Chandni Chowk to China is an action comedy

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-23277819760290177622008-11-23T08:09:00.000-08:002008-11-23T08:22:14.221-08:00

Earlier in the year I wrote about saving money by eating vegetable-based meals. But there is a cheap way to eat one notch up on the food chain: Spam. It's the meat product that gets no respect but in tough times, it looks like Hawaii residents aren't the only ones flocking to the blue can. CNN reports that Spam is flying off the shelves and Hormel is one company that will probably not see any

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-2017869779490141992008-11-08T15:26:00.000-08:002008-11-08T15:44:38.653-08:00

For the longest time, I have looked down my nose toward DreamWorks's 3-D animated movies as compared to Pixar. Pixar had directors and writers who focused on character (John Lasseter, Brad Bird) while DreamWorks seemed to focus on buying big name voice talent and topical humor (Shark Tale, Shrek, Bee Movie).Could this be changing? Sure, Madagascar 2 just came out, but I just saw the trailer for

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-76620619018178383692008-11-03T20:10:00.000-08:002008-11-03T20:13:30.657-08:00

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-77051170701239038852008-10-15T19:19:00.000-07:002008-10-15T19:41:43.757-07:00

I called it! David Cook announces in this video that he will perform on SNL on November 1. Okay, it wasn't a hard call to say he'd be a musical guest--he's the winner of American Idol and his album is out on November 18--it's a no-brainer. The real question is whether he will not just be the musical guest but participate in a sketch--in my first post about him, I argued they really ought to.As

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-30863503029552090592008-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:002008-10-12T14:46:50.299-07:00

I heard about this book, State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America, last week on the radio and have been meaning to get it from our library: each of the fifty states is visited and described by a different writer, including Dave Eggers, Jhumpa Lahiri, Anthony Bourdain, Susan Orlean, John Hodgeman and David Rakoff. If I were to buy this book, I may have to get it from Powell's, rather than

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-7431275471544810742008-10-05T14:05:00.000-07:002008-10-05T20:37:57.791-07:00

It's the end of the era: Rogert Ebert has retired from At the Movies and in September, the show relaunched without him (or Richard Roeper, but who cares about that a-hole). While you can still enjoy Ebert as a columnist, and you can go to Rotten Tomatoes to figure out what critics all over the country collectively recommend, I watched At The Movies for the entertaining fights as much as for their

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-63052404673411634992008-10-04T19:45:00.000-07:002008-10-04T22:34:39.227-07:00

Where fans of Buffy, Phantom of the Opera, Saw and The Simple Life come togetherA few months ago I cam across this viral video of Paris Hilton called "Repo! The Genetic Opera: Zydrate Anatomy"Yes, I scratched my head, too. Was this like Hilton's other cinematic gems, like House of Wax and The Hottie and the Nottie?Well, not exactly. I just saw the trailer today:In case you don't recognize any of

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-19319518667946528832008-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:002008-09-28T15:57:47.628-07:00

This season, the plot of Heroes revolves around averting the end of the world --again. This time, the apocalypse will be brought on by a secret formula, but what will this formula do? Thanks to some eagle-eyed chemists in Heroes' audience, we know it will probably kill the world at a cellular level with a toxin 50 times more potent than that found in blowfish.Upon viewing the will of his late

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-56183097189826846522008-09-25T19:50:00.000-07:002008-09-25T21:08:13.238-07:00

If you're ever on YouTube, Naruto is unavoidable. You've seen him, you just don't know it--Naruto is a spiky-haired blond kid with a headband and an orange jacket who looks like a cuter cross between Bart Simpson and Kenny from South Park. Until today, I had never watched this show, but Hulu just introduced an Anime channel featuring the first season of Naruto. I think it's either the canniest

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-81129942970012187402008-09-20T14:02:00.000-07:002008-09-20T14:39:24.573-07:00

Okay, let's leave aside the snide remarks Stephen Colbert and John Stewart have had about Sarah Palin's anointment, err, appointment to be McCain's VP--they're guys after all. Here's a run down of what funny women have to say about Palin--you go girl...right?Here's my new fave Sarah Haskins, on Current's InfoMania show.And YouTube star LisaNovaAnd of course, dead ringer Tina Fey, guest starring

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-53282793172504523472008-09-18T17:30:00.001-07:002008-09-19T09:03:28.750-07:00

Basically, it's My Name Is Earl meets The Bachelorette meets How I Met Your Mother.Remind me later to talk in full-length about how much CBS sucks. From its programming to its website, it seems determined to be a second rate network. And now, it's come out with a show engineered to traumatize thirty-something single women everywhere: The Ex List.The main characer, Bella, played by Elizabeth

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-73572470767342687052008-09-18T08:30:00.000-07:002008-09-18T17:56:19.893-07:00

I don't know why, but this video made me laugh out loud.Update: Now I know where I've seen this scene before.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-87822039726424807222008-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:002008-09-17T20:39:15.643-07:00

I bet the inventors of Microsoft Word and HTML never imagined that strikethrough, the typographical markup, would ever be used for comic effect but it's a popular form of humor in blogs. Basically, you say the hard truth, then cross it out and replace it, as if you've just corrected a Freudian slip with a more tactful line, such as "Jack Nicholson needed a new Porshe was drawn to the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-20652108815994251432008-09-15T12:59:00.000-07:002008-09-15T13:24:26.005-07:00

First, the answer to the last One Degree: Tobey McGuire and Robert Downey Jr. first starred together in Wonder Boys.Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman memorably starred together in Juno as a yuppie couple seeking to adopt Juno's baby. However, they had already starred together in what movie, that same year?Answers next week! Put your answers in the comments! Last one is a rotten egg!

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-65046883032004488272008-09-14T16:40:00.000-07:002008-09-14T16:51:07.029-07:00

Shirley Manson, lead singer for Garbage, has a new role on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. She probably sent in this video for the title song of The World is Not Enough as her audition tape.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-21375532885011924502008-09-14T11:40:00.000-07:002008-09-18T13:41:26.849-07:00

I have to applaud Battlestar Galactica for its colorblind casting. Not only did they give Boomer's call sign to a woman, but they cast actress Grace Park in the role, despite the fact that the character's name is Sharon Valeri. Now a cynic would say this is simply pandering--sci-fi shows since the nineties have had a history of including Asian females in their cast --two of the four daughters on

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-89984760226206425232008-09-08T21:02:00.000-07:002008-09-08T21:08:24.583-07:00

In the eighties and early nineties, there were a few writer-producers who were well known for creating network hits: Stephen Bochco (Doogie Howser, M.D., L.A. Law), Steven J. Cannell (The A Team, 21 Jump Street), and David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal). However, in the aughties there are some writer-producers who have developed a fan base for themselves, not just their shows

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-73148609445872114042008-09-07T10:05:00.000-07:002008-09-07T11:02:24.509-07:00

Almost two years ago I read this profile of game inventor Will Wright in The New Yorker. He was working on a new game for Electronic Arts called Spore, which was going to essentially be "Sim Everything"--you would have the chance to create unicellular creatures all the way up to whole civilizations and see how they did against other people's creations in a virtual world. After watching this 35-

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-8996109325052454782008-09-07T09:06:00.000-07:002008-09-07T09:32:11.150-07:00

It's always a good sign when I'm cooking again--it means I feel relaxed and creative. This morning I wanted to try making oatmeal pancakes. I had a not-so-great version at a local brunch place once--it looked like someone threw a clump of wet oatmeal in pan and fried it up--it was still wet in the middle. It still sounded like a good concept though, and I figured there must be better versions on

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-2669376802805925752008-09-06T21:49:00.000-07:002008-09-07T09:34:13.354-07:00

Christina Hendricks plays dishy office manager Joan Holloway on Mad Men. She's like a red-headed kitten, taking razor-sharp swipes at men and women alike, then retracting back to wide-eyed innocence. However, it's not the first time Hendricks has proved she can turn on a dime from innocent to femme fatale. She looks completely different here on Firefly as the seemingly naive, subservient Saffron,

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-7034492468422420992008-09-05T19:38:00.000-07:002008-09-05T20:41:18.272-07:00

I don't have many readers who would notice how my posts have trickled off over the last two weeks but I feel I must explain. I recently accepted a new job. It's not that the new job is keeping me busy--I haven't even started. It's more like the second that I got that new job a couple of weeks ago, I didn't feel as compelled to blog. My husband says it's also when I started to smile at home again.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-66732636511067032962008-08-30T07:42:00.000-07:002008-08-30T07:43:42.433-07:00

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-52043404534420424722008-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:002008-08-29T08:29:08.385-07:00

I just heard a story on NPR about a study some scientists did on how to kill a fly, how you're supposed to swat a few inches a head of the direction that they are likely to head and I thought, bull, I know how to kill flies--I just killed about twenty of them over the last two days.The screen door was busted but it's hot, so I cracked the sliding door. My husband came home and went into the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-16362877810357765132008-08-28T07:50:00.000-07:002008-08-28T07:50:01.038-07:00

The Onion recently posted an article, "Aaron Sorkin Announces New 'West Wing' Animated Series At SorCon" with a cartoon versions of Jimmy Smits, Alan Alda, and Bradley Whitford in a fictional "West Wing: The Santos Administration"The article is obviously parodying Joss Whedon's comic "Buffy: Season 8" and his pilot for "Buffy: The Animated Series, as well as his following of Whedonites. It's also

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-65836785516113207932008-08-27T17:02:00.000-07:002008-08-28T20:44:19.983-07:00

I'm all caught up on Mad Men Season Two, thanks to iTunes and I have to say, there's definitely one thing creator Matt Weiner learned from his time on The Sopranos. Oh, there are no dead girlfriends or cement shoes, but there are still delicious platters of revenge being served up on this show, cold as a spread from the local deli.New York ad man Don Draper set the bar for exacting punitive

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-89505246862894633842008-08-25T07:00:00.000-07:002008-08-25T07:00:00.642-07:00

First, the answer to last week's One Degree: Scarlett Johanssen and Rebecca Hall played the significant others of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, respectively in The Prestige. Now onto this week.One of the best parts of Tropic Thunder were the fake trailers that opened the show. Tobey McGuire was perfect casting to star opposite Robert Downey Jr.'s character Kirk Lazarus in Satan's Alley, which

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-77095253269967420332008-08-22T09:35:00.000-07:002008-08-25T16:52:17.986-07:00

Which webisodes go over the top with advertising? A comparison of N., Foreign Body, The Line, and Gemini DivisionI've been watching Stephen King's webi-mobi-sodes "N." over at www.nishere.com. The story is compelling--it follows the psychiatric sessions of an obsessive-compulsive who feels like the world will end if he doesn't adhere to ordering and touching the world in specific numbers and the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-9029661477922923552008-08-18T20:51:00.000-07:002008-08-18T21:23:56.130-07:00

First, the answer to last week's One Degree. X-Men Origins: Wolverine will not only reunite Liev Schreiber and Hugh Jackman, it will also star two co-stars from Lost. Dominic Monaghan who plays musician Charlie Pace on Lost will be Beak while Kevin Durand, who played armed baddie Martin Keamy, will be Blob. Onto this week's challenge. Even though I'm not watching TV, it's hard to miss the fuss

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-87340513402518642972008-08-16T09:15:00.000-07:002008-08-16T10:19:14.773-07:00

Leroy Sievers documented his battle with cancer in a series of NPR commentaries and by keeping a daily blog, My Cancer, at NPR's website. My husband just called out to me from another room to say that he passed away last night. I just shed a few tears reading what he didn't realize would be his final post, a brief snippet about the small comfort of having dog at his bedside, even though it was a

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-15819245493007033712008-08-11T10:00:00.000-07:002008-08-11T10:00:00.999-07:00

Last week's One Degree asked what movie Liev Schreiber and Hugh Jackman were in together other than next year's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The answer is a forgettable Kate and Leopold, starring Hugh Jackman as a nobleman Leopold transported to modern-day New York City where he meets Meg Ryan's character, Kate. Schreiber stars as Kate's physicist ex-boyfriend who accidentally brings Leopold into

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-60204471410192343102008-08-09T14:14:00.000-07:002008-10-11T10:47:47.755-07:00

Since major sporting events are an exception to my no-TV rule, I watched the Olympic opening ceremonies on a giant screen in our town square with about a thousand other people. There were many Chinese and Chinese-Americans in the audience, with beaming faces and red Beijing 2008 t-shirts. The pageant dramatized the history of China and their hopes for the future on a scale never before seen at

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-46076643361526781272008-08-07T21:43:00.000-07:002008-08-07T21:55:50.681-07:00

Tomorrow is the Olympics opening ceremonies and since we have no reception since I canceled cable, I hope I'll be able to go over to a neighbor's house and watch it. In honor of the summer games, here's my own awards for funniest Olympic-themed video.Going for the bronze, we have Improv Everywhere, competing in synchronized swimming--in the middle of a water fountain.Going for the silver, we have

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-37270402185785705282008-08-06T06:51:00.000-07:002008-08-06T06:51:16.168-07:00

See Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad and more funny videos on FunnyOrDie.comSee more funny videos at Funny or DieIt's better than George Bush's.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-67847319400711990002008-08-04T19:35:00.000-07:002008-08-05T19:50:53.786-07:00

The SXSWclick is a year round contest for short-form storytelling via mobile devices and the web. The overall winner last week was Peter and Ben, the story of a loner and the lamb he adopts and raises. Give it some time, it starts off slow but will get you in the end. As the winner of the grand jury prize, it will get shown at the South by Southwest festival next March.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-31606094223892298262008-08-04T18:22:00.000-07:002008-08-04T18:45:20.705-07:00

My favorite movie of all time was added today to Hulu: Groundhog Day. Not only is it funny, it's probably the most eloquent movie about life and how we choose to live it. If you haven't seen it, it features Bill Murray as a miserable, arrogant, weatherman who must relive Groundhog Day in the town of Punxsutawney, day after day. Here's a clip:If you have seen it, you might appreciate this analysis

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-14700505754947910572008-08-04T06:00:00.000-07:002008-08-04T06:00:03.719-07:00

Last week's One Degree asked the question--who has played both Will Ferrell's mother and stepmom? The answer is Mary Steenbergen, who played the stepmother to Ferell's Buddy in Elf and will play Ferrell's mom in Step Brothers.Last week I posted links to the X-Men Origins: Wolverine trailer and had more hits than I have ever had on this blog. I also got two new challenges for One Degree--here's

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-82834805804416250172008-08-03T09:32:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:24:15.366-07:00

Watched Dr. Horrible for the 54th time? Here's more musical goodness from Improv EverywhereSounds like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but people really did randomly burst into song at the Baldwin Hills Mall, starting with the Hot Dog on a Stick girl at the food court. Take a look:Actually, it's an event staged by Improv Everywhere, a movement started by Charlie Todd which stages random

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-75370833818658176892008-08-03T08:50:00.000-07:002008-08-03T08:55:17.043-07:00

I was just wondering how this film was coming along, and today I found the teaser trailer--it's awfully cute. Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) voices Princess Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess. For a high-res version, visit Disney's official site, posted July 29. It's out in 2009.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-85507715885955948162008-08-02T14:21:00.000-07:002008-08-02T16:30:48.380-07:00

Rainn Wilson, Seth Rogen, Neil Patrick Harris interviewed on NPR this weekThe stars aligned this week: Fresh Air on WHYY featured lengthy Terry Gross interviews with three comedy actors who all made appearances at Comic-con this year, talking about their geeky roots.Rainn Wilson: talking about all the types of geeks he is, how he played his roles on Six Feet Under and Dwight on The Office, the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-85352010998449511162008-08-01T13:49:00.000-07:002008-08-09T09:13:50.022-07:00

One popular vote winner, one advertising-friendly series, one critical fave, and a bunch of constructive criticism about what makes an effective online pilotI've become a regular visitor of NewTeeVee because they report on the topics I find myself writing about--online video content and platforms. So when I heard they were conducting a free screening of potential web "pilots" at Pier 38 in San

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-91176108225056920852008-07-30T21:42:00.000-07:002008-07-31T07:24:08.731-07:00

Over the last few weeks, with my frenzied Comic-Con postings and scouring of the internet for the latest Tr2n and Wolverine trailer, I was pretty convinced that anyone casually looking at my blog would think I was a dude. Then Salon's Broadsheet clued me into this site that looks at your browser history and assesses your likely gender based on the ratio of men to women who visit those sites. The

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-27587537789273140762008-07-29T17:38:00.000-07:002008-07-29T18:11:44.739-07:00

Last week Wednesday I did a post on what might be the next step in distribution for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog after it's limited release on the internet earlier this month. In short, I said it would be a good idea for Whedon to put it on Hulu, at least for a time, so more people could discover it rather than only releasing it on DVD and iTunes. Well, it's up there today as the featured

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-76414571664095339222008-07-28T19:12:00.000-07:002008-08-02T23:36:52.776-07:00

The trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine is on the loose!By the time you read this, these links will probably be dead, so quick, click them now! (Update--too late, they are gone, but this link might still work)Part 1Part 2About all I knew of Wolverine was from Saturday morning cartoons and a few borrowed comic books from my cousin. He was hairy, ill-tempered, and he smoked--eww! Then came Hugh

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-91363380210386704172008-07-28T17:31:00.000-07:002008-07-28T21:00:59.615-07:00

Wow, I had a lot of new visitors last week! Since some of you are new, I'll reintroduce the game I've got going called One Degree. It's like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, except in this case, you need to figure out what movie or movies two actors other than Kevin Bacon have appeared in together, rather than connecting a string of movies. First, the answer to last week's challenge. Ron Perlman

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-8124602532147359812008-07-27T22:52:00.000-07:002008-07-28T17:02:08.255-07:00

Last month I wrote about Ryan Higa being the most subscribed teen vlogger on YouTube and predicted his movie deal was with Derek Zemrak. Tonight he, and friend Sean Fujiyoshi, posted behind the scenes footage from his film, which we now know is titled Ryan and Sean's Not So Excellent Adventure and it does seem to be with Zemrak's company.As best as I can tell, the plot may combine familiar

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-5857581565005558122008-07-27T11:02:00.000-07:002008-07-27T22:18:40.886-07:00

Sure they're big on Saturday Night Live, but will Bill Hader and Seth Meyers' new 11-episode video series The Line be a hit online? Should they let their geek flag fly free?Josh's girlfriend is breaking up with him on the sidewalk: "Josh, this is hard for me, okay? I mean, we were together for a long time..." His gaze shifts across the street to his friend, who is frantically waving at him from

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-87675874307547924632008-07-26T16:12:00.000-07:002008-07-26T21:25:09.508-07:00

I was just a girl in 1982 so I was playing with Strawberry Shortcake instead of seeing Tron, the movie starring Jeff Bridges as a video game creator who gets trapped in his own creation. The rudimentary CGI was cool at the time, but can you imagine that movie remade with today's technology, ala The Matrix? Imagine no more-- the trailer for Tr2n hit Comic-Con on Thursday, and thanks to camera

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-35002172399600081742008-07-26T15:29:00.000-07:002008-07-26T15:59:26.815-07:00

The Olympics are coming! In anticipation, the BBC commissioned Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, best known for their Gorillaz videos, to turn the Chinese folktale Journey to the West into an animated intro to their Olympic coverage.The pair also collaborated on an opera, currently playing at the London Royal Opera House, based on the same story. Albarn composed the opera, which is infused with

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-58719622576704286832008-07-25T21:14:00.000-07:002008-07-25T22:33:29.288-07:00

The Muppets haven't had a TV series since 1998, and their last TV movie was 2005, but a series of viral videos featuring Beaker, the Swedish Chef, Animal, Gonzo, and Statler and Waldorf were posted to YouTube between June 27 and July 16 and they are taking off. Ever since Disney bought the rights to the Muppets in 2003, it seemed like they were just living off of royalties and lending out the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-31395421084437492932008-07-25T19:05:00.000-07:002008-07-25T19:27:37.019-07:00

I saw the trailer for Man on Wire on the Apple website last weekend and knew I was going to write about it here, but I wish I had done it earlier and beat NPR's David Edelstein to it. It documents the elaborate scheme of tightrope walker Philippe Petit, who executed his stunt between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. The film won the Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance this

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-24127884857797655052008-07-24T18:58:00.000-07:002008-07-24T19:25:18.596-07:00

My father had a restaurant in the eighties that featured white linens, red leather booths, and candlelight. Two doors down, a Showbiz Pizza Place opened. It was a little Disneyland--animatronic animals singing at you while you downed your pepperoni and Coke, played Pac Man and ski-ball, and generally had a good time. While Chuck E. Cheese followed a similar format and survived, Showbiz went the

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-74132119435433065122008-07-23T19:08:00.000-07:002008-07-23T22:38:21.793-07:00

During the week-long run of Joss Whedon's straight-to-the-internet super villain musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, there have been numerous articles about the plot line, but also about whether this could possibly be a new model for original shows. For those in the later category, the big question on everyone's mind was viewership--just how many fans does Whedon have? Blogger Jeff McManus

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-42027332975678274672008-07-23T18:06:00.000-07:002008-07-23T18:09:08.236-07:00

There is democracy in China--at least in one third grade classroom in the city of Wuhan. In Please Vote For Me, documentary director Chen Weijun follows the campaigns of three candidates for classroom monitor. Based on the trailers and clip below, it's shockingly familiar for kids who have never seen American democracy in action: the backroom deals, the negative campaigning, the constituencies,

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-74867857947212344412008-07-22T19:15:00.000-07:002008-07-22T19:33:15.674-07:00

In 2003, first time author Audrey Niffenegger published a haunting story about a man who has known his wife for her whole life. However, they are not childhood sweethearts: he has a genetic disorder that causes him to skip through time against his will. He visits her throughout her life, from childhood before she knows who he is, through her twilight years. The rights to The Time Traveler's Wife

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-87548590219932374532008-07-21T22:33:00.000-07:002008-07-21T22:44:23.738-07:00

In 2004, Sideways made the world safe for movies about wine, so this year, there's Bottle Shock, a movie about the Judgment of Paris, the historic 1976 tasting when Napa wines went up against French blind. It sounds like a documentary but it's a fictionalization featuring Bill Pullman, Alan Rickman, and Chris Pine (For Pine, this may be the last sane moment he will have before he debuts as

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-12310419610499502872008-07-19T12:11:00.000-07:002008-07-19T12:21:23.777-07:00

My husband bought us a Roomba a few years ago and while I was really mad at him for spending that money, it really did work and made our lives easier. However, it has been lying under the couch broken for a year and I think I need an upgrade--what do you think of this product?Thank you Best Week Ever for the link.

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-21160113534388706112008-07-19T00:30:00.000-07:002008-07-19T18:31:03.493-07:00

Why am I still awake? The Dark Knight had me up, then after surfing mindlessly, I realized the third and final act of Dr. Horrible was posted.In a way, it's a shame it debuted in three parts, because the best songs and humor were in Act II. But how else would it build such buzz?While you'll be able to buy this on iTunes after Sunday and on DVD, be sure to watch it free this weekend at

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-28237622621351892052008-07-18T22:07:00.000-07:002008-07-26T21:24:31.399-07:00

I know the entire web is talking about Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight which is well-deserved. But honestly, one of the biggest thrills tonight was seeing the trailer for Watchmen, Zack Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore's groundbreaking graphic novel. I'm not sure what the folks who hadn't read the comic thought about the trailer when it showed tonight, but I'm even more excited

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-41524237280762387842008-07-14T19:34:00.000-07:002008-07-18T22:10:19.056-07:00

I took a long break from One Degree. The last one I did was in May for Robert Downey Jr. in honor of his terrific comeback in Ironman. The answers are:Mel Gibson (Air America, The Singing Detective),Katie Holmes (Wonder Boys, The Singing Detective)Elizabeth Shue (Soapdish, Heart and Souls)Kevin Kline (Soapdish, Chaplin)Marissa Tomei (Chaplin, Only You)Ian McKellen (Richard III, Restoration)

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-61483576801248599352008-07-12T18:57:00.000-07:002008-07-18T23:18:17.625-07:00

I enjoyed reading Roald Dahl's, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I was younger, but did not see the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory until after college. Judging by these comedic takes on the 70's Gene Wilder film, perhaps it is just as well:Marcus on Last Comic Standing (if video disappears, here's the second half)How It Should Have EndedAnd this last one really isn't for kids:

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-8946814158754184682008-07-12T14:38:00.000-07:002008-07-13T20:05:03.190-07:00

Actress Felicia Day, best known for her role in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was a hard-core World of Warcraft player for two years before going cold turkey in November 2006. Instead of waiting for auditions, she pulled a Good Will Hunting and started writing a show for herself, called The Guild, about a group of gamers meeting for the first time in the real world.Can I say that

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-32391360571585088462008-07-05T19:04:00.000-07:002008-07-19T10:24:21.480-07:00

Aaaah! Thanks to the Writer's Guild of America going on strike, we have another musical from Joss Whedon, who first showed off his musical comedy chops on a very special episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And you won't need a TV, cable, or a ticket to see it! On July 15, part one of the three-part miniseries Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, starring Neil Patrick Harris as wannabe mad scientist

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-39958887919666188652008-07-04T15:31:00.000-07:002008-07-20T11:52:11.627-07:00

Who is on the verge of becoming the number one comedian on YouTube of all time? It's not a viral video star or anyone I've ever wrote about before in this blog. No, the rising star of the internet is a 17-year old boy from Hawaii named Ryan Higa, who's viewership is so high it's even attracting the attention of major stars like Will Ferrell.By day, he attends Waiakea High School and is a member

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-58439869256571779852008-07-04T13:32:00.000-07:002008-07-04T14:33:49.931-07:00

Coming back from camping, we stopped by a diner where the TV was tuned to ESPN's coverage of Nathan's annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. For those of you who don't know, competitive eating has been dominated by a 128-pound Japanese dude named Takeru Kobayashi, who has had back-to-back Nathan wins from 2001 to 2006. Prior to 2001, the previous record had been 25 hot dogs in 12 minutes--

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-43015505678299754692008-06-23T19:58:00.000-07:002008-06-29T17:54:59.976-07:00

Comedian George Carlin died yesterday. You would think that in a blog like this, I would talk about his c most famous bit, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV." But the routine that comes to mind at this time is his rumination on "Stuff."Whether or not he meant to critique our attachment to the crap we accumulate, that's how I take it. I am proud to say that I do not have a waffle maker or

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-59791841713925193282008-06-21T09:23:00.000-07:002008-07-04T16:14:23.545-07:00

Last year, my favorite show, Battlestar Galactica, won a Peabody Award, along side South Park (Creators of that show are also huge fans of BSG). This past Monday, it seems every other show I have ever loved and mentioned on the blog also won: Mad Men, 30 Rock, Project Runway (first reality show to do so), and The Colbert Report.Here's a clip of the honoreesOf these shows, the only one I really

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-86673214934588405362008-06-20T22:42:00.000-07:002008-06-22T13:16:54.079-07:00

Of all the YouTube celebrities featured in Weezer's video "Pork and Beans," the one I was happiest to have discovered was Liam Sullivan. The actor-comedian had been struggling to break into mainstream TV with gigs on Alias and Gilmore Girls but it wasn't until the broad shouldered actor made a music video of himself in blonde wig and glasses that his career took off."Kelly" is a rebellious,

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-976921112425250952008-06-20T22:06:00.000-07:002008-07-20T11:48:11.015-07:00

The internet is crawling with people trying to be funny, here are some posts I've written on people who actually are.Posts on funny men (and women*) getting their start online (or making it their permanent home)Let's Give It Up for Nate DernEvan Meets a LeprechaunBig Fat Brains Behind You Suck at PhotoshopFunny Man, Straight Man, No Middle-Man?Cop NationOMG, Liam Sullivan!Local Boy Makes Good:

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-23556926013511554722008-06-20T18:05:00.000-07:002008-06-20T20:58:37.082-07:00

I don't often click on online ads, but reading CNN, I had to know what this ad, "Parrot for State Bird," was about. Could someone seriously be spending money to petition our legislators to replace our state bird, the quail?Turns out it's just an ad for Parrot Cellular, reminding consumers that they have plenty of Bluetooth devices at their stores to buy before California's new hands-free driving

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-81401216462367282582008-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:002008-10-15T20:37:29.274-07:00

Because I stopped watching TV and canceled even basic cable, I didn't follow American Idol at all this season. But I was reading the entertainment magazines online and they kept talking about David Cook's rendition of Billy Jean and how this guy was coming from nowhere to possibly claim the title from the presumptive winner David Archuleta. So I looked him up on YouTube.Holy crap, that song made

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-89838405181144593012008-06-14T19:26:00.000-07:002008-06-14T20:05:16.083-07:00

I was reading GQ recently when I came across an article about Errol Morris, the documentary filmaker behind The Thin Blue Line, Fast, Cheap and Out of Control, and most recently Standard Operating Procedure. What you may not know is that he also films commercials for companies such as Nike, Miller, and Apple. Not only is he unapologetic, he has this to say: “I love commercials, unreservedly. The

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3473348334912051866.post-88778003840972986432008-06-08T13:29:00.000-07:002008-07-20T11:40:43.045-07:00

Ken Jennings is best remembered as the longest running Jeopardy champ who won $2.52 million in a record 74 games. He also happens to be a darn funny writer (I'd say "d*mn" but I don't want to offend his Mormon sensibilities). Here's a post from his blog on how he was recently introduced to the cult hit Firefly, what he thinks of it, and why he confuses it with Keri Russell's show

steadofhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087384823751869971noreply@blogger.com1