This is your official reminder that the best show on television these days is going to do something unprecedented tonight: Broadcast a live show. That's right. "30 Rock" is going all "SNL" on us, and it's going to have a go at live television. I eagerly await this, though I have no idea if I'll actually be able to see it as it's happening, and that upsets me. It should be interesting, though. In any case, hello Thursday. How do you do? I got a good workout in this morning, though I feel as though there was more to do. I hate that type of feeling when you are coming home from the gym, don't you? Oh, you do? Good. We have something in common. Tomorrow marks the final day of the week, and the final day before a weekend that is supposed to be "fun" for me. But never invest too much into one thing, friends. You never quite know how it could turn out. Before the weekend comes, though, we must tread our way through today, and today means a few links for you to consider before you can finally let loose on the days that matter most. We sincerely hope you enjoy at least two of the following and from the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we hope you have a fantastic Thursday evening.
A round-up of what everybody has said about the Brett Favre situation. It’s worth a look. (Deadspin)
A documentary about dubstep. I foresee this in my Netflix que sometime within the next year. (Pitchfork)
We said yesterday that the folks at NPR are not allowed at the upcoming Stewart and Colbert rallies. Today, the Washington Post weighs in. (Yahoo)
Aiming to change the idea that men are only interested in women and booze. Well, duh. Men like sports, too. (Good Men Project)
More people watched CNN than Fox News when the first miner came to the surface. Take that, Bill, Glen and the cast of “Red Eye.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
The 125 best albums of the last 25 years. Lists are so, so fun. No. 1 is admittedly a bit surprising. (Spin)
Hey, here’s a good point: With all this bullying talk, why hasn’t Perez Hilton been criticized for partaking in such things? He’s downright cruel when it comes to some celebrities. (Salon)
The Academy Awards will stay with a late-February date in 2012. That’s assuming we are all still alive, of course. Doesn’t it seem just a bit late? You nearly make it to March before you find out who had the best movie of the previous year. (Los Angeles Times)
So, Jay kills it here. He really does. If you happen to be around speakers, and you fancy yourself a hip-hop fan, you really ought to consider giving this a listen. But none of that is the story, actually. The reason you should take note of this song is because...wait...for...it...OK: This is the track that MC Hammer is so upset about. Mr. Carter doesn't even really diss him here, but the "You Can't Touch This" mastermind is trying to promote a new album. So alas, if you've read about the controversy, or happen to be a super duper MC Hammer fan, and haven't heard what all the fuss is about, now you know. It's not like we didn't love you, Week 27, it's just that we must move on for ourselves. Please don't take it personal. It was a good week, you know. It's not you, really. It's us. Hopefully we can leave the door open for future get-togethers. Is that OK, Week 27? All right. Good. Welcome to October, and welcome to a 31 day month. It always seems so daunting when you say it like that, doesn't it? Who's going to see "The Social Network" this weekend? I may have to wait until early next week to see it, so no spoilers, please. Whether or not you venture to the theater this weekend, though, we here at The Unusual Suspects would like to offer our best wishes your way and we sincerely hope, from the bottom of our hearts, that you are able to enjoy the first weekend of October to its fullest. Until Monday, read a few of the links below, cuddle up with someone you love if it happens to get cold, and don't forget that just like the previous 26 weeks, we love you, miss you.
LeBron James blames race for the backlash against his decision to play for Miami. This was what we in the trade like to say something you can “put on a tee” for Mr. Jason Whitlock. Read this. (Fox Sports)
“I heard she put out a song about me, or about some old habits or whatever. I look at it like this: I’m just stoked that she finally has a song with some substance on her record. Good job.” (MTV)
The lesson learned here? Don’t look at porn or gambling sites while at work. (Stars And Stripes)
Someone from Kansas State took home the Rolling Stone College Journalism Award. Our hats go off to you, sir. (The Collegian)
I’m going to keep linking stories about The Boston Globe’s latest idea only because I am utterly fascinated with it. Will it work? If it works, what will the implications be for the future of journalism? This should be taught in college courses. Professors out there, take note. (Media Nation)
Hey, hey. The United States is winning after the first day of the Ryder Cup! Remember to tune in this weekend after you stumble home from the bar to watch live coverage! (BBC)
A list of acts you should check out if you are lucky enough to make it to the Austin City Limits festival next weekend. May we humbly add Norah Jones to the list. She’s such a doll. (Spin)
Larry David talks about the NFL. That’s all you really need to know. (NFL)
Every year, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame announces its final list of nominees before the list is dwindled down to a smaller number in December. And every year (for the past three years) I’ve been called upon to dissect the list for the various outlets I happen to write for. That said, it is with great pleasure that I note that this is the first year I will be able to do that while having a blog as well.
Because the only group I ever truly wanted to see get in got in last year (Genesis), my rails against Jann Wenner and the Hall Of Fame are going to be tamed now more than ever. Yes, there are still some injustices when it comes to this thing, but hey, as long as Phil Collins and Peter Grabriel can now call themselves members of this particular exclusive club, I feel as though most other atrocities can be justified.
But alas, here we are. Prepare yourselves for a long post with a few videos sprinkled in here and there for your viewing pleasure. What you get is a paragraph, a percentage of how much I think they will indeed get voted in when the final votes come in a couple months, and a percentage of how much I think they should get in when the final votes come in a couple months. Feel free to argue, agree, leave a comment or six, complain about how Rush or Kiss still aren’t in the Hall, or offer your own suggestions in the comments section. Why? Because we love you and we value your pretty opinions.
Now, without further delays… Alice Cooper This isn’t the first time the shock rocker has made it this far in the voting process, and because this year’s class is a bit weaker than in previous years, it’s hard to argue him getting in this time around. I mean, come on. This guy was at the forefront of a lot of musical theatrics we see today. Granted, I’m not the biggest hair metal fan, but if Cooper hadn’t done what he had done in the ‘70s, I’m not so sure the road for Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Motley Crue and all those boys would have been as easy. Plus, the dude always had a snake. That’s rough. Snakes are scary. Percentage he gets in: 75 percent. Percentage he should get in: 90 percent.
The Beastie Boys If you are going to put in Grandmaster Flash (which the voters did) and Run DMC (which the voters did), you have to put in the Beasties. I’ve long rallied against hip-hop being in the “Rock And Roll” Fall Of Fame (even though I am a gigantic hip-hop fan. Hey, get your own Hall Of Fame, people), but if we are going to carve out a spot for this type of music, these guys have to get in. Huge pioneers of the music, the Beastie Boys can say they once wrote one of the classic hip-hop albums…ever: “Paul’s Boutique.” And not a lot of people can say that. Just ask Sisqo. Still not enough? Try getting this out of your head…
Percentage they get in: 78 percent. Percentage they should get in: 90 percent.
Bon Jovi Ugh. I knew this day would come. They’ve sold over 120 million albums and have had a tremendous second act as a group with “It’s My Life” and that silly song they re-released with the lady from Sugarland. Anybody who has ever tried to learn how to play guitar somehow tries to master “Wanted Dead Or Alive” before even learning how to tune the thing. I understand they’ve had an enormous impact on pop rock, and for that, they should be saluted. But man, I hate these guys. There’s just something so inherently cheesy about them, and this comes from a dude who likes his cheesy music. Those things said, I can’t deny their legacy within popular music over the last three decades. And, well, I like Jon’s hair. That counts for something, right? Percentage they get in: 60 percent. Percentage they should get in: 65 percent.
Chic When are Nile Rodgers and his boys finally going to get in? Goodness, you have to feel for the man. They’ve made the cut so many times, but just can’t seem to get over the hump. How many times has “Good Times” been sampled? Somewhere between five and 10 billion. Chic should get in. Important. Funky. Influential. And they brought a bit of soul to disco music, thrusting the genre into a more credible sounding music. Come on, friends. Give the band a break and let them through. Percentage they get in: 64 percent. Percentage they should get in: 79 percent.
Neil Diamond He’s got to go, right? Don’t believe me? This ring a bell…
Percentage he gets in: 80 percent. Percentage he should get in: 89 percent. Donovan This is sort of tricky. It just kind of feels as though some of the other artists on this list should get in before him. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be in, all together. Goodness, legend has it, he taught John Lennon and Paul McCartney how to play guitar. He seems to be the definition of “love him or hate him” to a lot of people, and from what I understand the “hate him” faction is bigger than I would think. Sure, he’s folksy and maybe a bit too mellow for listeners at times, but he was a pretty big part of the meditation, “let’s all feel really good” movement that had a stranglehold on the late 1960s. I don’t think this is his year, but let’s hope he gets back to have another shot at it. Percentage he gets in: 52 percent. Percentage he should get in: 59 percent.
Dr. John If there was a sentimental favorite of mine this year, it would have to be Dr. John. “Right Place Wrong Time” is one of my favorite songs ever written, and the influence I feel he’s had on southern soul/R&B music is immeasurable. And in addition to all of that, he bleeds New Orleans, a city that is in desperate need of a victory, even after the Saints won the Super Bowl. Oh, and his magnum opus of a record, “Gris-Gris,” needs to be in every rhythm & blues music fan’s orbit, or else he or she really isn’t a rhythm & blues music fan. I’m just glad this gives me the opportunity to show this…
Percentage he gets in: 42 percent. Percentage he should get in: 79 percent. LL Cool J If we have to get a hip-hop artist in this year, we already established who that should be. Not that James wasn’t influential in his own right – he’s been behind some of the most classic hip-hop tracks music has ever seen. But that’s just the point: Classic tracks. Not classic records. And the Beasties were behind a rap masterpiece. This may not be your year, LL, but don’t fret. As long as you keep starring on that CBS show, you should sway voters your way in no time. Percentage he gets in: 29 percent. Percentage he should get in: 34 percent.
Darlene Love I don’t know how many years I’m going to have to write about her before she gets in (Because I just know all those important rock and roll people hinge on my every word, you know. I kid. I kid). I don’t really know what more I could say that I haven’t already said. But if I’m not mistaken, Letterman still has her on each year to sing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on Christmas night, and if you haven’t seen it, it’s certainly something to check out. She’s been in this position so many times, and because of the others surrounding her, she hasn’t been able to seal the deal. Sadly, it seems this year will be no different. Percentage she gets in: 54 percent. Percentage she should get in: 81 percent.
Laura Nyro Remember everything I just wrote about Darlene Love? Substitute the words “Darlene” and “Love” in with “Laura” and “Nyro,” and you’ll get my point. My goodness, she’s one of the most influential singer/songwriters…ever. She died young, she had more passion in her voice than five Lady Gagas and six Keshas combined, and everyone from Elvis Costello to Elton John has been stumping for her to get the recognition she deserves. But will it happen this year? Unfortunately, and unjustly, probably not. Percentage she gets in: 49 percent. Percentage she should get in: 89 percent. Donna Summer I thought she was getting in last year, so silly me, eh? She has all the numbers and she has all the record sales. She even has an iconic hit or two - “She Works Hard For The Money” is inescapable. Four No. 1 hits. Twenty Top 40 singles. It’s just hard to justify putting her in while ignoring the previous two women. She was a Disco Duck, and someone who was a product of how powerful the music industry can be. That’s not to say she isn’t talented. That’s just saying if you can’t put Ms. Nyro and Ms. Love in, you can’t feasibly argue for Ms. Summer to be amongst music’s best and most legendary artists. Percentage she gets in: 39 percent. Percentage she should get in: 46 percent.
Joe Tex How's this: The pallbearers at his funeral included Wilson Pickett, Ben E. King and Percy Mayfield. This is a neat nomination, actually. While I must say that of the 15 finalists this year, this particular artist is the only one I didn’t previously know much about (though a quick Google search and a few YouTube visits later, I now know enough to at least form an opinion), I have to follow that up by mentioning how much I love whatever I hear. The giant Jerry Wexler was behind a lot of his career (or so the Inter Webs say) and that alone inclines me to think highly of him. Will he get in? Doubtful. But if he would have made his way to Stax Studios, rather than FAME studios, he may have a bigger part of my heart. Percentage he gets in: 32 percent. Percentage he should get in: 39 percent. Tom Waits All the indie darlings and hipsters will cringe at the thought of him not getting in. And the reality is that, well, he probably should be in. Will he make it this year? Well, if Bon Jovi happens to make it through while Mr. Waits is left on the outside looking in, let’s just say there will be riots by all the thick-framed glasses and ugly sweater-wearing misfits in the world (and that includes me). Just think of the dude’s voice. I mean, come on now. It’s just so darn recognizable, a voice fit for something like a Hall Of Fame. Still not sold? He wrote this…
And that was the theme song to the second best television show ever. EVER! Percentage he gets in: 70 percent. Percentage he should get in: 82 percent.
Chuck Willis “Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes.” “What Am I Living For.” “It’s Too Late.” Classics. Nothing but hits. His songs were covered by everybody. Ray Charles. Jerry Lee Lewis. Buddy Holly. Otis Redding. He sang these songs before the legends did. He just died too young. Thirty years old is a tragedy, really. Imagine if he would have made it through the classic, timeless soul music of the 1960s. He could have been mentioned with all the others – Pickett, Redding, Sam, Dave, Charles, Gaye, Wonder, Robinson, Mayfield, Brown, Booker T. But alas, his was cut short and we are left to wonder what could have been. No doubt he should get in. Oh, wait. I forgot Bon Jovi was up this year! Goodness, these voters can be so stupid sometimes. Percentage he gets in: 63 percent. Percentage he should get in: 91 percent.
Landed a phone interview with the particular gentleman you see to the left. For those of you who do not know, this is Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of a band called The Killers. He recently put out a solo record and because one of the 52 jobs I have allows me to speak with big stars on occasion, I will be dialing his number within the next few weeks (something you may not know: These things takes for-ev-er to finally come to fruition). I bring this up why, you ask? Well, I need questions. Because I am certain whatever interaction we have, I will probably write about on this here blog, I figured it would be nice to extend the invitation to see if anyone out there has ever wanted to ask Mr. Flowers a question. And please, friends: No Killers questions. He's promoting his solo album. The band will be back in 2011. He's not going to want to talk about it. You know where to leave them, and as always, any words are incredibly appreciated. Anyways, welcome to Tuesday. I can't stop sleeping. It's odd, actually. I'm certain it has to do with the season and the rain, but it's still unsettling. Back to the gym next month and then that shall change. This week? Well, this week means more sleep and bad food than one could ever dream of. Oh, well, sleep, bad food, and blogging, of course. Here's hoping you have a wonderful rest of the day as you check out a couple links below, and until tomorrow, do not forgot to keep your bathrooms clean. Because when they get messy, boy do they get messy.
The Boston Celtics are becoming lovable. They really are. (The Big Lead)
Phil Collins has another No. 1 record. And on the day when the exclusive club his band was let in a mere year ago announces finalists for its next class (more on that tomorrow). (BBC)
Congratulations are in order to CBS for winning seven news Emmys. (Broadcasting & Cable)
David Simon, who used to work at the Baltimore Sun and, more importantly, created “The Wire,” wins “Genius” award. Yay! (Baltimore Sun)
Finally got around to catching up on this season’s first episode of “30 Rock” last night. Brilliant. In related news, Jenna touches on the live “30 Rock” that’s set to take place in a couple weeks. Should be interesting. (Popeater)
The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in baseball and nobody in Tampa cares. It’s sad. (ESPN)
The top 10 love triangles. When “Casablanca” is mentioned, I’m listening. (Time)
This show starts tonight. We root because Rita is in it. Can’t think it lasts more than four episodes. (New York Daily News)
For those of you who may not know, for the last three years, I have been called upon to recap the MTV Video Music Awards for certain outlets. The rules are simple - I break the show into five parts and grade each based upon a curve I have set for the world of popular music. It's a very scientific curve, you know. No, actually, it's not.
Regardless, the following is my take on this year's VMAs, a ceremony that was indeed a little off its game this year (by VMA standards, of course). Enjoy, friends.
Performances: B-
Down from last year's A and the previous year's A-, this year's set of performers are actually lucky to end up with anything above a C. The West/Swift pout-off simply seemed icky. Yes. Icky. Not to dismiss the artists' songs — Swift's track was typical Taylor Swift-like awesomeness, and West was in the running for performance of the year until the second half of his set, when he turned the effects on and his words were completely drowned out. It also must be mentioned that I believe the way the two of them went about things was 100 percent perfect — playing the video before her song was exactly the right thing Swift needed to do, and West yelling from the top of the mountains that he is a laundry list of words I'm not allowed to reprint was, in my opinion, probably the correct way to go. But the whole thing felt a little too put on. We all knew she wanted to address it, but she didn't need to cite lines talking about how he's 32 and needs to grow up. We all knew he wanted to address it, but he didn't need to roll out the 808 to force everyone to watch how he presses buttons to make pretty sounds. Simply put, it could have been done better.
The rest of the night was...bad. Yes. Bad. Linkin Park completely alienated its fan-base with a song that just didn't fit. Robyn playing the show into a break was embarrassing. And what is Florence And The Machine again? Sure, Eminem was inspiring, and yes, Haley Williams makes it impossible to not love her and her band, but even Drake seemed off his game a little (by the way, whatever happened to him taking over the hip-hop world?). Oh, and while Justin Bieber's admittedly interesting arrangement of "Baby" was exciting enough, the dude dropped his drum stick when going for the big drum solo, ironically showcasing a microcosm for how the performance aspect of this year's awards ceremony can be viewed as: Disappointing. • Best Moment: Eminem rocking "Not Afraid" and "Love The Way You Lie" with more passion than I've ever seen him offer. Ever. No. Like, EVER. Dude sold those songs, and when you add a real, live Rihanna to the mix, it can't get much more sincere when it comes to performing those songs. Everything from them seemed just a tad more honest than anything form anyone else. • Worst Moment: Linkin Park trying desperately to gain credibility with this new look/sound/approach. Stop, fellas. People don't want you to yell and play fast. They want you to melodically hard rock their depression to the wayside with four-bar raps and industrialized pop. Silly, Linkin Park.
Host: D- "This is actually making me look forward to Linkin Park," my roommate said no more than two minutes into Chelsea Handler's opening monologue. This should be an F. I just can't bring myself to fail someone so quickly when the individual has only had one shot at trying. I wrote this last year, and I'm going to say it again: The suits should have given Russell Brand a third shot. His effort last year was noticeably better the second time around, and if you would have put him out there for a third year, he had the potential to be memorable. This year? Well, though I can admit I'm not the world's biggest Chelsea Handler fan, I think it was pretty obvious how her night was going to go when we saw her awkwardly prance from one end of the stage to the other during her opening monologue. Yuck. There was nothing about her that seemed polarizing — nothing seemed interesting. Her jokes were either too obscene or too boring. She clearly didn't know how to work the crowd, and while it took me a few minutes to notice, I began obsessing and wondering why the cameras wouldn't pan away to whoever she was talking about whenever she was talking about them. Were the targets of her jokes not in attendance? Did the network not want you to see that no one in the crowd was laughing? Did she make people angry (and if she did, so what? That's the point of opening monologues, anyways) ? Bad idea, MTV. For not having a woman host this thing since 1994, you owe us a good female host next year, now. • Best Moment: "Don't give it up for the cast of 'Jersey Shore,'" Handler told the crowd at one point. "They're the reason MTV doesn't play your videos." • Worst Moment: That taped opening bit featuring everybody slapping Handler's butt. How can you incorporate Lindsey Lohan and not be funny at this point? She showed us how.
Stage: C- The white was actually kind of neat, I thought. When the cameras panned to the first wide shot of the stage, I audibly make a noise for reasons I can't really explain. It simply just took me by surprise, I suppose. All of that said, it still fell so flat in certain areas. It was clear the money shot was the camera they had perched above the dot in the center of the circular stage, and the network went to that way too often. I mean, my goodness. It felt like nearly half of Kanye West's performance was shot form that angle. It was easy to understand what the production team was trying to go for — less is more, let's try and be as "arty" as possible — but some of this show's best performances historically came when the special effects were over the top (i.e. a few years ago in Los Angeles). This is the kind of show that celebrates pomp and circumstance. Why stop now? • Best Moment: The beginning of Eminem's performance. Before walking onto the round set, they created the illusion of him being in a club. Yes, I know. Pretty uninteresting for a "Best Moment." • Worst Moment: Usher. I hate to say that, actually. I full-heartedly believe there is something to be said about his longevity within the business (think about it: Who else from 1997's world of pop music is still around so prominently?), but this time around, something felt as though it was missing from his dance moves, song arrangements, lip synching, etc. He tried to use the circle to his advantage, but in the end, it just made me dizzy. Presenters: B Sans Kesha, this year's set of presenters was probably the best thing about the production. Jesse Eisenberg. "Modern Family's" Sofia Vergara. A "oh, where have you been?" Justin Timberlake. Emma Stone and her adorable lisp. And Ellen. Yes. Ellen. Coming out to present the Best Female Video seconds after Handler completely bombed, Ellen was the first individual I saw on the television that made me genuinely laugh. The only real problem this year? Having the headlining appearance come from...Cher. Honestly? Cher? You couldn't get anybody else to man that position? Like, anyone? You were in L.A. Why not grab a movie star? Hell, why not grab, oh, say, anyone other than Cher? I mean, my goodness. She must have talked for five minutes and I think I saw her lips move a grand total of four times. Spooky. • Best Moment: It's a tie. 1) Seeing Jesse Eisenberg look utterly uncomfortable on stage. 2) Seeing Al Bundy's new TV wife glow with enthusiasm for no apparent reason. • Worst Moment: Well. Cher.
Awards: F And yes, I am justified in offering a failing grade in this position. Come on, MTV. You've had nearly 30 years to do this, and you still feel like 30 Seconds To Mars put out the best rock video of the last 12 months? What's your problem? I can ignore your disgusting love affair with Lady Gaga (who didn't see those awards coming?). But you nominate B.o.B. for 58 awards and you can't bring yourselves to give him something — anything — to go home with? Not that it hasn't already been hard enough to trust that the "M" in MTV stands for "Music," with its constant adolescent, dumb-minded programming, but using its marquee event as a platform to profess love for a second-rate Madonna is a cheap way to appease the masses that the network only makes stupider with every "Real World" marathon. Digressing from music as a whole can be understood when you are in business for as long as MTV has been. And offering gutless, shallow and gross television shows from time to time can even be forgiven when one considers how viewers must understand that this thing is a "business" over everything else. But why even hold such an awards ceremony when you aren't going to give the non-mainstream pop world a shot, MTV? Who cares if you put Broken Bells in the Best New Artist category? It's like giving a child a bottle to suck on when you know its only a quarter of the way full to begin with: The child's going to start crying again in five minutes, when it realizes the parent has no intention of fulfilling its suggested need. • Best Moment: The two awards Eminem took home. • Worst Moment: That meat-y Lady Gaga dress. Really? You had to do that while an 89-year-old Cher is standing a few feet away from you in the same outfit she mistakenly thought she looked good in 25 years ago?
Whew. That's a lot to digest, I know. Of the three years I've been recapping the show, this year's installment is easily MTV's worst. Does it get better next year? Well, MTV will need to find a new host, for starters. Moving back to New York may help, too. The network could maybe get a few more performers worthy of being showcased on the most influential music station's biggest night of the year. Oh, and maybe most importantly, Lady Gaga's next record will have to wait another year to come out. Onward and upward to February's Grammies. In the meantime, feel free to kill me in the comments section. All are always welcome.
"People tell you who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be." Had a "Mad Men" crunch over the last two hours. Why? Because I love you, silly. Caught up on the last two episodes (as you know, I missed last week, and last night was the VMAs. More on that later, though), and I know I end up saying these kinds of statements week after week, but the most recent two episodes may be some of the best the show has seen. The inner monologues with Don add an element of reflection and tone to the show that frankly somehow hasn't been there before. We saw last night that he wants to start living his life in a better manner, and while we all know one of the biggest attractions the show has is Don's struggle with alcoholism and, well, his life in general, there is something within me that actually wants to see him get better. You really have to wonder if people will turn against the show because of this (assuming this particular story line continues to progress, of course). Hell, even Betty earned a few points when she picked the baby up, gave it Don, and walked away (though, if I may interject for one moment, the look on her face as she saw how Don was with the kid reminded me - for whatever reason - of the end of "The Graduate." Was that regret on her face? Did she really mean it when she told Henry that "they have everything?"). The other fabulous quote from this episode? Again, a line coming from Don's disembodied voice: "We're flawed because we get those things and wish for what we had." This comes after he spends a couple minutes looking back upon what people want from their lives and how ungrateful we all can be once we get those things. And finally (from the episode before the most recent), the more Peggy and Don interact the way they did the night of her birthday, the more I will fall haplessly in love with the show even more. And then he grabs her hand! Yes, that exclamation point was used to show enthusiasm. Whew. This has been a lot. You know where to share the comments. All are welcome. Hello Week 25, and hello links.
Expect a full post (and it will be long) regarding the VMAs Wednesday. That is, if the better half of this operation isn’t planning on tackling it first tomorrow. In the meantime, here is all you need to know in 60 seconds. (MTV)
So, Deadspin hates Tony Dungy. That’s kind of mean. (Deadspin)
The New York Football Jets kick off their season this evening. One of the few nights I regret getting into newspapers in the first place. Oh, and just in case if you were wondering, they apologized to that female reporter. Silly Jets. (USA Today)
Advertising spending is up nearly six percent. If only those ads could be used on print media. Come on, now. Just some of them. (Market Watch)
Oh, Sarah Palin. Will you please just stop. (Missoula Editor)
Floyd Mayweather wants to kill an NBA player. Fifty bucks to anyone who could tell me what team he plays on without looking. (TMZ)
Joaquin Phoenix is going back on David Letterman. This should be interesting. (Popeater)
J-Lo is going to “American Idol.” And those crazy demands reported? These guys say they really weren’t all that crazy. (New York Magazine)
We say farewell to a short Week 24 with Eminem and Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie." Can't seem to get this CD out of my car this week, and I even won a poker game last night while listening to the entire thing from front to back. I've said it before and I will offer it now to you, my friends: Rihanna really plays the sympathetic woman part awfully well. It's completely awful what she had to go through to get there, but there's something about hearing that voice sing those words that makes it feel a bit more sincere than when the others sing it. Anyways, how are you? It seems like we never had a chance to catch up all week, right? The usual seasonal depression is setting in and when you couple that with my recent failures at the only things I deem important in life - a career, a family, love - it suggests this fall may be a bit worse than others in the past. Now, I'm not saying I want to jump off a bridge, or any such nonsense, but if I happened to be walking on one and someone nudged me the right way, I wouldn't fight it. Anyways, what all of this also means is that the NFL season begins this weekend. Or, well, it began last night. But the first weekend is this weekend. Some of us will be rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of us will be rooting for the New York Jets. Others, well, others will not matter. From the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we sincerely hope you have a wonderful September weekend, and before we get ready to meet back here Monday, again, we must remind you, love you, miss you.
Don’t forget: Sunday, the Video Music Awards go down. Expect something about that at some point on this here blog. In the meantime, check out Eminem – the man who is set to open the show – and the five greatest VMA performances he’s offered. (MTV)
Yep. The NFL is the most popular sport in America. Last night’s game’s numbers were outstanding. (Sports Illustrated)
High school journalism funds are cut. “They feel the money can be used in better ways.” For what? Catering prom? (The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Your weekly “who is going to replace Michael Scott” update. Today’s edition? Tim Allen. (Third Age)
I know I’m only a season in, and I know it’s been spoiled to see that she’s not on “House” anymore. But I love Jennifer Morrison. Love, love, love her. And now, she’s taking her talents to… “How I Met Your Mother.” (Showbiz Spy)
Wow. Said last night how disappointed I was knowing I wasn’t able to catch Dave Matthews this year while knowing the band is taking next year off. Today, fall tour dates are announced. Happy day. (Pollstar)
Guess who said it: “I don’t smoke pot. I’m not gay.” (USA Today)
"It's the perfect song. A good drum intro. Great groove. And the lyrics are even a little bit romantic." That's what my dad said over the weekend as we revisited this band and a bootleg we made of them when we once saw them, what now seems like decades ago. Oh, how we miss you, The Urge. For those who like horns, reggae-ish music, funkiness, a little bit of soul and a lotta bit of a great voice, check them out. Way too bad they gave it up. So, hello to you, our dear, dear friends who are always here for support. It's the final day of August and that's bizarre. September is a mere few hours away and the end of summer 2010 is upon us. Big weekend coming up, and I only recently realized how many things I need to get done within the next, oh, say, like 36 hours. And it's because of that, that I will keep this introduction short. From the bottom of our hearts, we sincerely hope you enjoy the final day of (supposedly) the warmest month of the year, and we will see you back here, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, tomorrow morning. Remember: Always be respectful to others.
“Around The Horn” talked about the Mariotti business. Interesting. (The Big Lead)
Bob Bradley had his contract extended last night. Yes, that will be tomorrow’s post. (Boston Globe) The New York Times and using the F-word. (New Yorker)
Mike Wise gets suspended for a month from the Washington Post for claiming Big Ben’s suspension was reduced to five games. On Twitter. (Pro Football Talk)
Something that is often looked over, but never should be: A newspaper is now going to recognize same-sex marriages in its wedding announcements. (Editor And Publisher)
It’s just sort of funny. Demi Moore dances like she’s 22 and out after finals week. (TMZ)
Green Day is going to release a live album. People still like them, right? (Alternative Press)
Because I couldn’t really elaborate how happy I was with “Modern Family" and the Emmys yesterday. Check this out. (New York Times)
To begin Week 23, we offer a picture of both Jan Jones and Christina Hendricks at last year's Emmy Awards ceremony. And that, naturally, segues us into Monday's official "Mad Men" recap (as always, any and all suggestions/comments are welcome in the forum below). Before I begin - and because this was brought to my attention by the better half of this blog - keep in mind these recaps will contain spoilers. If you don't want to know what's going on with the show, kindly scroll to the links. You there yet? OK. Good. So last night, we got to relive when Don and Roger first met, and this, to me, provided some of the greatest moments of the entire series. To see how eager and wide-eyed Don was initially, and to see how dismissive Sterling was to him, was simply fantastic. Now to the award. Oddly enough, I felt this was the first real time we got to see Don's drinking (kind of) get in the way of his professional life. When he rushes back from the awards ceremony to pitch ideas to LIFE, all you can do is cringe as he mindlessly throws ideas against the wall to have nothing turn out well. And yes, the writers are way too smart for you to even begin to think that showing that kind of episode on the same night as the Emmys wasn't done on purpose. Peggy continues her "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore" moments, but - and I honestly hate to say this - there are times when she simply becomes more annoying than confident or empowering. For as bad as she treated Don's former secretary when she "needed to get over" the fact that Don slept with her and she wasn't happy with the fallout from that, Peggy needs to consider getting over a few things herself instead of pouting all the time. Still love her, though. And finally, Pete stood up for himself and laid a little bit of the law down. "He always looks like he's over-acting," my roommate said. He's right, but at this point, you have to think it's done on purpose. Have to. Whew. That was a lot. As you digest that, take some time to click on a few links and enjoy the second to last day of August. Be happy, friends.
John Wall gets crossed the eff up by Doc’s kid. Remember when I talked about ooking a kid a bunch of months ago? Yeah, watch this video. (The Big Lead)
A look at the best movies September will offer. Mildly excited for the new Clooney movie. (Popmatters)
Ooohhhh. ESPN travels to high school and treats everyone and the town like poo. You HAVE to read this. (Sacramento Bee)
So, exactly how many people turned out to that rally in D.C. over the weekend again? Depends on who you talk to, really. (Yahoo)
Emmys fashion. The young girl from “Modern Family” looked fab. Absolutely. (NBC)
And speaking of both of those above things, Ms. Christina Hendricks talks about how hard it is for her to find dresses these days. (New York Daily News)
Tiger stumbled back to assure himself another week on the tour Sunday afternoon. Here’s a recap of the People article that his ex-wife granted. (Bleacher Report)
I usually try to send you off into the weekend with a nice, "kick off your shoes, put on your dancing hat and let's have some fun because it's Friday and the weekend!" offering. Not that Mr. Rob Thomas can't do such a thing, but I had the weirdest dream last night about how I was informed he had died. It was super odd. Because it has stuck with me all day, I now offer this, a live version of a song I had no idea was, at one point, a single, "Mockingbird." Huge place in my heart for Mr. Thomas. Today, we say goodbye to Week 22 and to let you in behind the curtains for a few seconds (and only because we are all best friends around here, you know), this was tossed around as being the very final day of this blog's existence. If you haven't noticed, today, we celebrate our five month anniversary, and, it should be noted for those who are counting, that this is our 201st post. Over 200 posts, five months and thousands of page views (can't thank you guys enough for that), and because of other obligations, we contemplated the notion of giving it up. But alas, love prevailed in the end, and we shall push through until...well, until you guys stop reading. So, this is good news, right? You don't want us to do away, right? Come on, now. We need a little bit of our ego fed (more so than words can say), so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. All of that said, here's to another five months, eh? Now with the curtain swiftly being pulled in front of us again, we'd like to offer the following links to kick off the last weekend of August. Did you remember to check out today's Blogspot Banter? It's a goodie, you know. Give that a read, follow Ms. Indy Grrrl to her site to see what she has to offer, and as we wait to find you back here, ready to go Monday morning, I must remind you, the people who truly keep this operation going, love you, miss you.
So, Melo is gone, we know that. But he wants his extension, too? And Denver is honestly willing to blow the entire operation up once he leaves? Don’t really know if that’s necessary. (Yahoo)
Remember the Fox News guy we linked earlier in the week? You know, the one who was leaving to go to print? Yep. There’s a pay cut involved. (Media Matters)
People 50 and over love Facebook, too! Actually, they do, though. There are numbers to prove it. (Pew Research Center)
Good news! Week 17 is going to be our second themed week! Two exclamation points means business. For those of you who may remember, we first did such a thing here at The Ride back in April, when the showcased a video featuring the lovely Norah Jones each day. This time, and because no, I will not share the gamillions of stories I came by during my week away from you, the always-loved reader, we offer Soul Week, a week dedicated to soul music. Each day's Ride will contain a video that features various artists rooted in what everyone who knows me knows is my favorite kind of music: Soul music. This begins to today with (by my calculations) the fifth greatest song to ever be written and recorded in all of music (rock, pop, country, hip-hop, polka, etc.), Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Makin' Love." If only more videos of these artists existed, I would post live versions of these songs much like we did with Ms. Jones. But alas, such things are few and far between. Soooooo, with that behind us, how are you? How have you been? Did you miss me? Yeah, I didn't quite think you did. My friends always tell me how I should take vacations and how much I deserve/need them, but I don't think I've ever invested in that notion until now. It was so nice to press the reset button, make 5,000 memories, remove myself from the entire world (and this, I learned, also provided me with the time I most enjoyed not having a cellular phone), and stumble upon some of those rare slices of life you can only be so lucky to encounter every now and then. Goodness. Listen to me. I sound like a Christmas card. In any case, it's good to be back, and as July continues to fly by on this muggy Monday, take some time to check out a few links, enjoy the first installment of Soul Week and watch the season premiere of "Mad Men" again. Be nice.
Yes, sir. Michael Jordan says LeBron is stupid for playing in Miami with the overrated Chris Bosh, the bound-to-be-underutilized Dwayne Wade and Mr. James’ personal butler, Big Z. Have to love Mike. (New York Post)
Twenty questions with Gene Weingarten. If you care at all about newspapers or feature/humor writing in general, you really ought to check this out. Funny: “Q: You feel best in Armani or Levis or? A: Natalie Portman.” (Popmatters)
Geeky, but I have to offer it up. A list of winners for this year’s Alt Weekly awards. (Alt Weeklies)
Wasn’t able to get back in time last night to check out the first episode of this season so no spoilers please. That said, this guy talks about revealing too much when writing about the best show AMC will ever see. (Variety)
There was only one thing news story that leaked into my peripheral while I was gone and it was completely by accident. Here’s a discussion concerning the idea of George Steinbrenner being in baseball’s Hall of Fame. Think what you want about him, but I came across a priceless quote he once offered: “If you do something nice for someone, and more than two individuals know about it, then it wasn’t worth it.” (The Big Lead)
Tiger’s former mistress is going to be on the next installment of “Celebrity Rehab.” So, what’s the definition of celebrity again? (ABC News)
Glenn Beck is going blind. This one’s too easy. (Kansas City.com)
Comic Con begins this week. I only know what Comic Con is because of “Entourage.” Victory! (Washington Post)
Because I was gone and couldn’t link it then. Jason Whitlock’s take on LeBenedict. Dude got booed at the ESPYs? (Fox Sports)
Nerd alert for you all: I am a Harry Potter fan. Yeah, I said it – a Harry Potter fan. But not like a Harry Potter book fan, because those people are the real nerds, right? (kidding!) Regardless, I’ll stick with the movies; they haven’t failed me yet.
Anyways, you can only imagine my excitement when I heard the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows” trailer was finally out. My wife and I saw “The Half Blood Prince” the day it came out (half because we’re fans, half because we just wanted to see a movie and it happened to be playing that evening), and ever since then I’ve been looking forward to the final installments (the last book is two movies, if you didn't know).
Let me get deep on the HP story for a minute here.
The themes of this series have been interpreted and reinterpreted dozens of times – at its core the tale is one of life and death, good versus evil. But then we see the way Hermione is treated by the “elite” students and it becomes a commentary on prejudice and a faulty class system. We see the way Lord Voldemort thirsts for power and immortality and it becomes an observation on tyranny and totalitarianism. The possibilities go on and on and on. At some point you have to think when all is said and done, this series will have made many people – young and old – more well-rounded individuals.
Deep part over… did I mention that my wife and I dressed up as Harry Potter characters last Halloween? Before you judge me, keep in mind that we were on a tight costume budget and visited the costume store on, like, Oct. 29.
One thing I love is the fact that the movies have gotten increasingly darker as the series progresses. Harry, once an innocent, at times annoying little kid, has become a troubled, at times brooding young man who is learning his place in the world as well as the power he has to shape it. At times he’s the confident prodigy that he’s grown into, while other times he exhibits the naivety and trepidation of a fawn (baby deer, duh).
And in that respect, Daniel Radcliffe is seriously underrated… I’m not saying he should win an Oscar necessarily, but would a Golden Globe nomination at some point be out of the question? According to IMDB.com, the guy has had 20 nominations for various awards, five of which were for Saturn Awards by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA – woohoo. I think Danny deserves better for the complex character most of us have come to love and fear on some level. And no, I’m not talking about an MTV Moon Man for Best Kiss.
If any fellow semi-nerds (what the heck, even full on nerds) are still reading this, do me a favor and humor me. I can’t be the only 28-year-old Potter fan. Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure (2:32 I think). Let's dicuss afterward if you like - no spoilers though!
Oh, and just for those of you want a little chuckle, check out the video below. It's a song called "HP is HC" (hardcore) by a band called International Superheroes of Hardcore, which is made up of members of the band New Found Glory. I don't think there's any real foul language, but it is a screamy hardcore song. Enjoy!
Don’t forget to come get your Ride Home links at 4 p.m. Until then – Expecto Patronum! Look it up on Wikipedia. ☺
We begin week 12 with Jennifer Carpenter because I came across without a doubt, the best episode of "Dexter" I've seen in my short history with the show. Kind of ruined her when I found out she's married to him in real life while she plays his sister on the show. Can't get over how fabulous that episode was last night, though. Goodness, gracious. You want to know what else was fabulous? Drawing with England Saturday afternoon. We stole one there, friends. Let no one fool you. That said, if we don't make it out of group play now, I may never watch soccer again. Anyways, welcome to the middle of June, or, as some may call it, the last week before the first week of summer. Does it feel like summer yet? Just wondering. I can't really decide on that particular question yet, myself. We need more sun. It seems like it's been raining just a tad bit too much. Ahh well. I suppose you can't complain too much as long as the snow isn't approaching astronomical heights. And I like the warm. It makes things sexier. Speaking of sexy, the links below are mighty sexy. You ought to check one of them out before jumping in on our HBO debate that is clearly set to tear the world apart. Don't forget to be nice, now.
Camp kid asks Tom Izzo if he’s going to coach the Cleveland Cavilers. Izzo turns kid down. Question: Why did LeBron not comment on Mike Brown and Danny Ferry being fired, yet he now wants the world to know he’d be happy with Izzo coaching the team? (ESPN)
Somebody died at Bonnaroo. Somebody also died at the CMA festival. Bad weekend for music lovers. (The Tennessean)
An interesting take on when the mass media localizes its sports coverage. Hello, ESPNBoston.com. How do you do? (National Sports Journalism Center)
University of Chicago students give life to a magazine known for its nudity. Silly college kids. (Chicago Tribune)
A vote for the Grammys learning a thing or two about how to run an awards ceremony…from the Tonys. Still would like to see “Memphis.” (New York Daily News)
What? You didn't think we’d link something pertaining to the U.S. soccer game? It did a 6.1 rating. Not bad, though it would have been nice had the number been just a little higher. Who’s in for Friday morning? (USA Today)
Conan O’Brien ends his tour tonight in Atlanta. Naturally, he stopped by TBS today to make some news. (TMZ)
Jack Kevorkian has no regrets about anything he’s ever done. Why is this reporter so scared? (CNN)
Write these words back down!!!! Goodness, four exclamation points. Need to start the weekend off correctly, and it's hard to think of a better way than this classic Thursday tune. "Full Collapse" is one of the great (not good, great) records of the last decade. Still can't understand all the comparisons to Morrissey and The Smiths when they first hit. Silly music critics. Who needs them, right? We bring week 11 to a close with happiness. Why is that, you ask? Two reasons. One, the World Cup has officially kicked off. And two, we saw record numbers again this week. You make our hearts full of love. Love for you, the fantastically attractive reader. The only thing left that this week could offer is an American win tomorrow afternoon (coverage begins at 1:30. Watch it or be deported). Before we can move forward, though, we must offer these links and suggest you take a look at at least two-and-a-half of them. Also, if you'd like to join our conversation on this consistent flow of remade films, we'd love that as well. Either way, enjoy June, share a kiss or two and don't forget, dear, dear friends, love you, miss you.
Mexico had to rally late to draw with South Africa. Almost got excited. France/Uruguay is going to be an awfully interesting match to watch. (ESPN)
Jay-Z remixed M.I.A.’s “XXXO.” Check it out. (On Smash)
Slate wants to find better words to use in social commentary. Words up for discussion: “Tweet” and “Like.” Amen. (Slate)
Somebody says he can make Newsweek profitable again with 18 months. Honestly? (Business Insider)
We tried telling you about Coco and Jack White in Nashville. We tried. (Rolling Stone)
Hanson has been around for 18 years? Holy mmmbop. Neat read, especially if you root for these dudes, kind of like we do. (Popeater)
Angelina Jolie will play Cleopatra in a bio pic. Keep hearing “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is pretty good. Is it? (CBS 8)
Jan Jones was in a car accident. That’s what you get when you mess around on Don Draper. (Fox News)
The Tonys are this weekend. You ought to give it a glance if you can. Here’s a writer who thinks “American Idiot” has a shot at making some noise. (Los Angeles Times)
Also this weekend? Bonnaroo. If you happen to be in Tennessee this weekend, well, yeah. You get it. (The Celebrity Café)
This is your official reminder that the best show on television these days is going to do something unprecedented tonight: Broadcast a live show. That's right. "30 Rock" is going all "SNL" on us, and it's going to have a go at live television. I eagerly await this, though I have no idea if I'll actually be able to see it as it's happening, and that upsets me. It should be interesting, though. In any case, hello Thursday. How do you do? I got a good workout in this morning, though I feel as though there was more to do. I hate that type of feeling when you are coming home from the gym, don't you? Oh, you do? Good. We have something in common. Tomorrow marks the final day of the week, and the final day before a weekend that is supposed to be "fun" for me. But never invest too much into one thing, friends. You never quite know how it could turn out. Before the weekend comes, though, we must tread our way through today, and today means a few links for you to consider before you can finally let loose on the days that matter most. We sincerely hope you enjoy at least two of the following and from the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we hope you have a fantastic Thursday evening.
