A Detour to the Second City

Normally, when I would write a post like this, it would start with a warning in big, bold letters in a different font - In the interests of full disclosure, a complimentary ticket was provided for this post. However, the tickets came at the right time for me emotionally - my mother has been in and out of the hospital for the past few months, and my sense of humor was sorely out of whack. (But not so much that, when one coworker asked for another coworker's headband, I asked if he was planning to wear red leather and sing "Working for the Weekend"). But I've only been to Second City once before, years ago - dating a woman on a regular basis (my first "real" girlfriend), not going anywhere, but howling with laughter at News for Dogs with its generation-defining cry of "snacky wacky time" However, the current review, America - All Better!, was a complete and absolute blast. Obviously, it's taking aim at the slightly over-the-top hopes in the wake of the Obama presidency...but it contains some real comedic gems. And oh, is it funny....two couples at various relationship stages have a discussion. Mayor Daley impresses the Olympic committee. Students in a public speaking class face their fears. Two WWE wrestlers And my personal highlight - a wedding DJ makes some...well, unusual choices for an impending event. To say any more would be spoiling a wall-to-wall entertaining show. Although the entire cast is simply brilliant, major kudos need to go to Lauren Ash. No, it's not necessarily her resume or her ability to handle herself onstage...it's just that, well, I imagine with our combined intelligence, wit, and looks, we could create a race of genetic superbeings destined to rule the planet. So Lauren, please, call me. Seriously. But anyway, enough of my yakkin' - in recent months, it has felt like I've been going through the motions in many aspects of my life. So much so that I've felt like my blogging has become cookie-cutter, with a lack of personality to it. Thanks to Second City for the reminder that sometimes, it's best to just work without a net...and that improv is more than just a theatrical tool.

Today's Vocabulary Lesson

Even For the Golden Age, This is Trying Too Hard....

Tonight's Nightmare Fuel

This 1990s-era Canadian public service announcement....scares me.

Seriously.

(Although cold beet soup is rather awesome)

Today's Comic Marketing Lesson

One of the things many companies don't realize is that, when it comes to advertising, they should know their audience.

Great example, in the 1940s, you would see ads like this in comics everywhere....

Don't believe me - download any of the free CBR files (and here's freeware for reading CBR files) from the Digital Comic Museum.

And that was today's lesson in marketing.

It's True: Good Shaving Stops Crime. Seriously.

A Marvel Movie Scene We'll Never See

Between writing, work, etc....yes, I know. I'm writing more, but not as much on this blog.

No, I won't be giving this up any time soon.

But in a moment of snarkiness, here's a scene we will never see in a mainstream Marvel Studios movie...

Your Hump Day Comic Moment of Zen

Discovered in a 1980s Marvel Star Trek Comic:

Your Conspiracy Theory Moment of Zen

The Dark Truth Behind the Most Famous Cartoon Company Ever -- powered by Cracked.com

My Video Tribute to Dax

Yes, another obligatory cat posting on the Internet - but in an effort to teach myself video editing skills, I took two videos of my cat (one taken in 2006; another in 2008 - both of differing quality), added a filter and some public domain music, and am now providing 30 seconds of pleasure.

All this in an effort to drive traffic, and to maintain my presence in the blogosphere. Enjoy!

Your Sunday Mashup Moment of Zen

Yes, folks, it's the House, MD/Cracker crossover we've all been waiting for!

(OK, I know it's from Blackadder III, and that I'm the only person I know that absolutely digs Cracker...but in other news, blogging pal Siskoid said some nice things about my webcomic. Go read it. Now).

Beware....THE IDES OF MARCH!

(Yes, I know I've used this joke before - I still think it's incredibly funny. Especially with Ryan Gosling)

Start Your Week Wisely!

First, please enjoy the pithy, sophisticated wit of this blog's primary role model, Sterling Archer:


...followed by a management tip from David Lee Roth:

Brown M&Ms from Van Halen on Vimeo.

Movie Ratings Through The Years - In Video Form

Offered with minimal comment and apology (with some slightly NSFW content at the end):

How Movie Ratings Were First Described:


My Personal Favorite Explanation of Movie Ratings:


Why Movie Ratings May Not Be As Respected As They Once Were:

A Clarification About Doctor Who & Christmas

You may have heard that Doctor Who did a version of "A Christmas Carol" about two years ago.

This isn't it, but is worth checking out nonetheless.

And yes, I'll be blogging about the Who special after it's on.

A Piece of Christmas Spirit From My Youth

And now, a very special pre-holiday present for my readers: a piece of writing that may or may not have been published in a humor zine back in 1995.

(Just found it amongst other files - cannot trace to whether it was presented elsewhere).

Either way, here's a glimpse into my mid-20s mindset; all grammar and punctuation kept as is.

Enjoy!

========================================

SCROOGE WAS RIGHT!
                                     
Most people, when they celebrate Christmas, usually put on some
inspirational music like "Silent Night", or "Twelve Days of Christmas", or THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY CHRISTMAS album, I usually crank up "Don't Believe in Christmas" by the Sonics, or "Christmas in Prison" by Willie Nelson, or even Monty Python's "Christmas in Heaven". Call me cynical, but Christmas ain't
what it used to be.

Sure, I got a lot of loot Christmases past, and there are good things about Christmas (free stuff, the birth of our Savior, and that song where the dogs bark "Jingle Bells" all easily come to mind), but my attitude these days is more Ebenezer Scrooge than Bob Cratchitt.

First, Christmas comes earlier and earlier. Stores usually begin putting their Christmas stuff up in late July/early August, and then before their Halloween stuff. I say, let's just change Christmas to August and be done with it. Besides, it's a lot warmer, you don't have to worry about snow, and I personally would love to have a scantily clad Playboy Playmate in my
stocking. It's really hard to take Christmas seriously when, in September, Carson Pirie Scott & company does their window display, and all the people stand and stare like sheep. It makes it hard for a guy like me to visit all the naughty bookstores.

Another thing I don't like, quite frankly, is this whole "let's be nice to the world" attitude around Christmas. Sure, yeah, I'm all for being nice to the world, but it's out of a "if we do nice stuff, we'll get nice stuff." Parents, let me give you this advice--if your kid acts perfect from November through December, he wants something. Just make sure that they behave
January through October. Also, ladies and gentlemen, there are poor people and depressed and lonely people the other months of the year. Live the Christmas spirit all year, people.

Thirdly, everyone wants to get into the act. Do we really need more lame-o Christmas albums? (I'm looking forward to Pearl Jam's Christmas With Vedder. Eddie, get a life and a friend, pal). And if I see one more TV show rip off "It's a Wonderful Life" (which, as a movie, stinks) and/or "A Christmas Carol" (Charles Dickens should rise from the dead every time this really excellent book is butchered by some hack screenwriter), I'm going to go
Terry Rakola on someone's heinie. (If you can catch that reference you win....an actual autographed letter from me. Maybe even a two page letter).

Basically, I think Christmas has gotten way out of hand. I mean, I realize that a baby isn't as aesthetically pleasing as a fat guy in a red suit who, any other time of the year, would be charged with breaking and entering, but people have lost the point. Christmas isn't about one day, it's about a way of living every day. People who act like total inconsiderate fill-in-your-own-obscenities-here decide that, on one day a week, they are the most humane. It's kind of like adopting a child for one day, and dumping it back at Dr. Satan's House of Child Abuse for the rest of the year. It's got to stop.

Do I like Christmas, the holiday? Not really, since there's a lot of hullabaloo about it. But as a spirit, a way of being, I dig it. People, pretend every day is Christmas, and we'll all get along, and be nice to each other, and stop wars and stuff.

God bless us, every one, except for that Urkel dude. He annoys me.

=====================================================

NOTE: After reading this, I am honestly surprised I lived into 1996 and beyond.

Clap For The Wolfman

Wolfman Mac Photo Via Flickr

One aspect of Chicago life that I absolutely love...is watching Svengoolie. Yes, there is the slightly nostalgic aspect to it, but there's also the fact that Sven is proof that local pop culture can be just as influential - and enjoyable - as its more corporate, global cousins.

Thankfully, a random Google search some time ago led me to discover another practitioner in the art of horror hosts....I'm talking, of course, about Wolfman Mac, host of Chiller Drive-In out of Novi, Michigan (about 30 minutes from Detroit). Much like Sven, Chiller Drive-In (thankfully available via online streaming video as well as a fledgling digital channel) shows classic/vintage horror/science fiction movies (mostly B-movies) interspersed with comedic sketches and interludes.

And much like Sven, the humor is very much in a tongue-in-cheek loving tone. Although Wolfman Mac and his co-stars (including a cheeky skeleton) create a more 1950s/hipster vibe, they serve to complement the movie that they're showing. (Thankfully, the show never stoops to mocking its films openly, carefully balancing irreverence with a love of lesser-known material). It's also very family friendly, and quite honestly - if you're going to procrastinate, I can't think of any better way to do so.

For the longest time, I felt fortunate enough to have my own local classically-inspired horror host. Now, I'm fortunate enough to have two of them.

Your Hump Day Video Moment of Zen

You know, sometimes, the Internet surprises me....

First, I saw this, and was a little bit dismayed....perhaps even disturbed.....


But this video helped provide a sorely needed perspective:

. Either way, hope your week is going well.

Crossover Moment of Zen....

In honor of my dad's birthday....

Remember that time that Ian Chesterton convinced the Doctor to pick up Derek Flint, Ilya Kuryakin, and Jim Rockford....and drop them off so they could fight World War 2?

Click, and the power of the Internet will make this larger....

Nah, neither did I....

(The above photo is from The Great Escape, a really cool film from 1962 which you can find at Big Lots for about $10. I may write about it in June. You really need to sit this, people. It's like The Avengers, only with Steve McQueen on a motorcycle).

Hey, I've Used These Lines in FanFic!

A guy attempts to audition for every science fiction show/movie ever made. Enjoy!