Hey guys!!
So, its been pretty awful around here since Adam left. I really miss that guy. I thought I'd lighten up the joint by embedding one of my favorite David Letterman videos. As a teenager, I always loved when Dave left the studio and did some man-on-the-street stuff and caught lightning in a bottle by accidentally finding amazing secondary characters. I had another great clip embedded featuring Manny The Hippie, but YouTube just removed it! Its possible that you can find it via this link but work is telling me I need to update some software before I watch it. If it plays for you, its well worth it.
Either way, here's Dave having some great fun with Rupert Jee from the Hello Deli.
UPDATE: Here's Dave working at a Taco Bell:
And more!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
It's almost not fair that I even post this recommend because I'm not even half-way through this book yet. However, it's one of the most enjoyable, entertaining, vibrant and clever books I've ever read.
This is basically a retelling of the Orpheus / Eurydice story, but set in the 1950's, 60's and 70's in Bombay, London and New York.
Everything about this book feels alive. From the very first few pages, you already have a clear picture Vina Apsara, the "her" in the title. Characters are revealed so vividly, that you instantly know each and every one of them. You can picture the fez on Darius Xerses Cama's head, and you imagine the dopey smile on his crippled son's face.
Rushdie so effectively conveys the passions, worries and fears of each character. Every character's entire personality is told in just a few sentences. And when Rushdie spends a hundred pages devoted to just a few main characters, you feel as if you've lived their lives a hundred times.
The other characters are the cities themselves. I've only been reading Bombay so far and am just getting to London, but I feel like I know Bombay and lived there for decades during a period of great change. Change is really what is at the heart of this story. Lives change, cities change and so does the world around them. Change occurs across generation, and affects politics, music, culture, families and individual lives.
I could describe this book forever and never quite explain it. Rushdie is a master of language in a way that Nabokov was.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this book. And if I finish it and that changes, I'll be sure to let you know. Just to help convince you that this could be awesome, here is a picture of Salman Rushdie.
This is basically a retelling of the Orpheus / Eurydice story, but set in the 1950's, 60's and 70's in Bombay, London and New York.
Everything about this book feels alive. From the very first few pages, you already have a clear picture Vina Apsara, the "her" in the title. Characters are revealed so vividly, that you instantly know each and every one of them. You can picture the fez on Darius Xerses Cama's head, and you imagine the dopey smile on his crippled son's face.
Rushdie so effectively conveys the passions, worries and fears of each character. Every character's entire personality is told in just a few sentences. And when Rushdie spends a hundred pages devoted to just a few main characters, you feel as if you've lived their lives a hundred times.
The other characters are the cities themselves. I've only been reading Bombay so far and am just getting to London, but I feel like I know Bombay and lived there for decades during a period of great change. Change is really what is at the heart of this story. Lives change, cities change and so does the world around them. Change occurs across generation, and affects politics, music, culture, families and individual lives.
I could describe this book forever and never quite explain it. Rushdie is a master of language in a way that Nabokov was.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this book. And if I finish it and that changes, I'll be sure to let you know. Just to help convince you that this could be awesome, here is a picture of Salman Rushdie.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Windy City Heat
Hey everyone,
I'm back after a hiatus of buying cars, and taking out loans; which took up a good deal of last week.
Today I wanted to talk about a favorite movie of mine that I'm betting most of you have never heard of: Windy City Heat. This is a made for TV movie from Comedy Central that aired in 2003. It's all a documentary of a fake movie the one star thinks he's making, but it's all an elaborate prank that everyone is in on...The lengths they go to fool this guy are pretty amazing, and the movie he thinks he's making is completely ridiculous. Also, everyone involved in this fake movie introduces themselves to the main guy, Perry, as some funny fake name. Perry never once catches on that the whole thing is a sham. The producer says his name is John Quincy Adams, the casting director says his name is Roman Polanski, the personal assistant says his name is Burt Ward.
One of the funniest things about this movie is Bobcat Goldthwait. He directs this fake movie, and is constantly making Perry re-take awful scenes. One scene they make Perry drink this terrible concoction of milk, beer, chinese food, donuts, eggs, etc, all blended together....Then Bobcat says they didn't get it, and make Perry do it again. Anyway, what I'm getting at is this movie is a comedy gem. Constant laughs the entire way through. Borrow it from me.
Here's a my favorite scene from the movie:
I'm back after a hiatus of buying cars, and taking out loans; which took up a good deal of last week.
Today I wanted to talk about a favorite movie of mine that I'm betting most of you have never heard of: Windy City Heat. This is a made for TV movie from Comedy Central that aired in 2003. It's all a documentary of a fake movie the one star thinks he's making, but it's all an elaborate prank that everyone is in on...The lengths they go to fool this guy are pretty amazing, and the movie he thinks he's making is completely ridiculous. Also, everyone involved in this fake movie introduces themselves to the main guy, Perry, as some funny fake name. Perry never once catches on that the whole thing is a sham. The producer says his name is John Quincy Adams, the casting director says his name is Roman Polanski, the personal assistant says his name is Burt Ward.
One of the funniest things about this movie is Bobcat Goldthwait. He directs this fake movie, and is constantly making Perry re-take awful scenes. One scene they make Perry drink this terrible concoction of milk, beer, chinese food, donuts, eggs, etc, all blended together....Then Bobcat says they didn't get it, and make Perry do it again. Anyway, what I'm getting at is this movie is a comedy gem. Constant laughs the entire way through. Borrow it from me.
Here's a my favorite scene from the movie:
Monday, August 10, 2009
Vacation
Dear faithful readers. I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so the Monday and Friday posts of FR might be a little bare. If I can get some good pictures or find something Swiss to recommend other than chocolate and cheese, and have an internet connection I will be sure to do so. In my absence I give Chris Myers permission to post on Monday/Friday if he pleases. This might only happen if he has a beer lunch at work though. Sorry for the absence. Hopefully I will be somewhere like picture #1 doing something like picture #2.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Shameless Plug and Jerseyband
Let me begin by saying I need to hang out with Ricky B. This guy has been getting himself into all kinds of things lately, and I want to be a part of it. Ricky, let's make this happen and I'll film you telling the tale of your first and only bar fight.
Today I bring you something that isn't really a shameless plug. At least not on the surface. It is inspired by a shameless plug, though. Since I leave for Switzerland in the middle of next week I've been trying to wrap up a lot of things before I go. One of the biggest being all of the promotion for an upcoming show Quartet Offensive is doing at the Ottobar. Our first Ottobar show, and since that place is so huge I am hoping it is well attended, hence the promotion. Now, I am not posting this blog to promote the show. That would be truly shameful. However, if you are interested it is on Thursday August 27 at the Ottobar with Jerseyband, Soul Cannon, and Leisure Icons. Quartet Offensive will play a one-time-only all Pavement cover set.
Anyway, the reason for the recommends is Jerseyband. This band amazes me, and the more I recommend them to people the more great feedback I get from them. Jerseyband's lead singer/trumpet player Brent Madsen lives in Baltimore. I have the pleasure of performing with him regulary in a band called Turn Around Norman. Anyway, while at The Eastman School of Music Brent formed Jerseyband with some of his classmates (some of who are now at the forefront of the NY jazz scene). They've created a new genre of music called Lungcore, which is like heavy metal but with a full-blown 4-piece horn section. I promise you this makes for very interesting music.
Brent recently gave me a copy of Jerseyband's latest album "Beast Wedding" which is honestly one of my favorite records of the year (right next to The Dirty Projectors "Bitte Orca"). It is awesome. I don't say this because Brent is my friend. I say it because it is awesome. I never use this blog to recommend friends' projects, so this one must be special for me to do so. Anyway, I've included some videos as an introduction to Jerseyband. There is a chance it might not be your thing, but at least give it a chance? You might like it more than expected. I love it.
Today I bring you something that isn't really a shameless plug. At least not on the surface. It is inspired by a shameless plug, though. Since I leave for Switzerland in the middle of next week I've been trying to wrap up a lot of things before I go. One of the biggest being all of the promotion for an upcoming show Quartet Offensive is doing at the Ottobar. Our first Ottobar show, and since that place is so huge I am hoping it is well attended, hence the promotion. Now, I am not posting this blog to promote the show. That would be truly shameful. However, if you are interested it is on Thursday August 27 at the Ottobar with Jerseyband, Soul Cannon, and Leisure Icons. Quartet Offensive will play a one-time-only all Pavement cover set.
Anyway, the reason for the recommends is Jerseyband. This band amazes me, and the more I recommend them to people the more great feedback I get from them. Jerseyband's lead singer/trumpet player Brent Madsen lives in Baltimore. I have the pleasure of performing with him regulary in a band called Turn Around Norman. Anyway, while at The Eastman School of Music Brent formed Jerseyband with some of his classmates (some of who are now at the forefront of the NY jazz scene). They've created a new genre of music called Lungcore, which is like heavy metal but with a full-blown 4-piece horn section. I promise you this makes for very interesting music.
Brent recently gave me a copy of Jerseyband's latest album "Beast Wedding" which is honestly one of my favorite records of the year (right next to The Dirty Projectors "Bitte Orca"). It is awesome. I don't say this because Brent is my friend. I say it because it is awesome. I never use this blog to recommend friends' projects, so this one must be special for me to do so. Anyway, I've included some videos as an introduction to Jerseyband. There is a chance it might not be your thing, but at least give it a chance? You might like it more than expected. I love it.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Nothing and Everything
Sorry I didn't post anything today. I'm kind of a mess these days, what with my bar fights, drunkenness and devil-may-care attitude.
If Netflix was a little faster, I could have recommended the movie Girl On the Bridge, but I'll save that for next week when I can get a second viewing in.
I am really, really enjoying The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie. I'm less than a hundred pages into this 573 page book, but it's amazing so far. Anyone else read any Rushdie? I've only heard good things and I enjoyed East | West, but only as much as I can enjoy a book of short stories (sorry Todd).
For now all I can recommend is letting things go and stepping out of your comfort zone. It's been a blast for me.
Oh, and for anyone who was wondering, I apparently gave last week's bar fight guy a real shiner of a black eye.
If Netflix was a little faster, I could have recommended the movie Girl On the Bridge, but I'll save that for next week when I can get a second viewing in.
I am really, really enjoying The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie. I'm less than a hundred pages into this 573 page book, but it's amazing so far. Anyone else read any Rushdie? I've only heard good things and I enjoyed East | West, but only as much as I can enjoy a book of short stories (sorry Todd).
For now all I can recommend is letting things go and stepping out of your comfort zone. It's been a blast for me.
Oh, and for anyone who was wondering, I apparently gave last week's bar fight guy a real shiner of a black eye.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Summer Vacation Recommends...
I am going to take a break from my short story collections recommendations this week to try something different. I am a school teacher that teaches summer school and this is my first full week off for the summer. This makes me very happy. Last Wednesday was my last day of work until the end of the month. So I've been looking for little things to do to keep me occupied.
This past Thursday I decided to go to Bowie Baysox baseball game that started at 11 am. We got there early, about 10 am, and we were just about the only people in the stadium besides employees and ball players. During warm-ups we were able to observe the players up close and get plenty of autographs. These you minor leaguers are crazy and say ridiculous things. This guy Ambiorix Concepcion kept on stealing everyone Else's hat! Among the notables autographs were Brandon Erbe and Brian Matusz.
When the game started I sat back with a breakfast hot dog and beer and watched a pretty exciting game. Erbe started and pitched pretty well. He lost the game because of an inside the park home run. A lazy fly ball down the right field line turned into an inside of the park home run when the right fielder dove for the ball and after he missed it refused to get up and chase it! maybe he hurt himself, I don't know.
Anyway it was an incredibly enjoyable way to start off my summer break. Drinking an AM beer and watching a ball game. Up coming games of interest in Bowie include, Star Wars Night on the 22nd and Nick Markakis T-Shirt Night on the 11th.
Post script: Please enjoy this video of some pre game warm-up banter....
This past Thursday I decided to go to Bowie Baysox baseball game that started at 11 am. We got there early, about 10 am, and we were just about the only people in the stadium besides employees and ball players. During warm-ups we were able to observe the players up close and get plenty of autographs. These you minor leaguers are crazy and say ridiculous things. This guy Ambiorix Concepcion kept on stealing everyone Else's hat! Among the notables autographs were Brandon Erbe and Brian Matusz.
When the game started I sat back with a breakfast hot dog and beer and watched a pretty exciting game. Erbe started and pitched pretty well. He lost the game because of an inside the park home run. A lazy fly ball down the right field line turned into an inside of the park home run when the right fielder dove for the ball and after he missed it refused to get up and chase it! maybe he hurt himself, I don't know.
Anyway it was an incredibly enjoyable way to start off my summer break. Drinking an AM beer and watching a ball game. Up coming games of interest in Bowie include, Star Wars Night on the 22nd and Nick Markakis T-Shirt Night on the 11th.
Post script: Please enjoy this video of some pre game warm-up banter....
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