This theme-park video from a "Star Wars Weekend" at Disney's Hollywood Studios is, well, special. Anyone who would like to take a crack at the semiotics of a theme park stage show imitating a TV reality show while using characters from the "Star Wars" movies dancing to music from the '80s ("Footloose," "Thriller") is encouraged to do so in the comments. I would really like this explained to me so maybe I can stop seeing it every time I close my eyes. Whimper.
Tip of the crack pipe to TV By The Numbers for putting this horror in my head.
Interesting juxtaposition in TV news today - and yes, I know I can be fined and suspended for using a word like juxtaposition in a TV blog, unless I'm analyzing the symbolism in "Lost."
First up was Frazier Moore's AP analysis in which he takes stock of this moment in television - an entire season carrying an asterisk due to the writers strike, declining ratings, and increasing technological competition for broadcast TV, even from the networks' own web sites.
Moore finds that in responding to these challenges, the networks are spending all their innovative power on delivery and shorting the content creation side. In other words, the network remakes of "Knight Rider" (left) and "90210" will soon be available for live streaming to your iPhone 3G. What's wrong with this picture?!?
Then I read a Variety story that said HBO has bought a stake in Will Ferrell's FunnyOrDie.com and commissioned 10 half-hour comedy installments from the web comedy outfit as part of the same deal. This is a smart move for the cabler, as FunnyOrDie gets about 3.2 million unique visitors a month with its try-anything comedy approach. I think this puts them ahead of the networks on both sides of the curve. Just as FunnyOrDie.com is one of the first online original-content venues to make a mark in Hollywood, HBO may be the first big TV outlet to have a hit show drawn from the web.
Just to seal the deal, here's FunnyOrDie.com on the special appeal of the iPhone 3G:
Our former MeeVee colleague Aaron just posted this insane piece of Indian video on his blog and I have to share it with you here. As Aaron wrote, "Oh my god there are people dancing in his mouth!"
It's the video of the day, but it's not as funny as it could have been. This Funny Or Die movie parody takes the solemn "Into the Wild" story - of a young seeker who journeyed to the wilderness to find himself and found death instead - and saddles the kid with the presence of Matthew McConaughey. Dude definitely screws up the solitude. But this would have been a lot more laff-o-riffic if the guy playing McConaughey was a) brunette-ish like McConaughey instead of platinum blond b) cut like McConaughey and c) shirtless like McConaughey.
In the relentless race to fill the 24-hour news channels, there's nothing worse than a slow news day. This hilarious video is even worse than a slow news day, it's a no-news day. This better be the video of the day, since obviously nothing else at all is happening.
Yep, nothing going on. Sorry. Maybe go outside for a bit?
I can't tell you how many times I would be willing to watch this video of Mr. Redlegs, the Cincinnati Reds mascot, being decapitated in a tragic/wacky accident, because I've watched it at least twenty times already and it's still funny. I mean, it's no bug sex, but then again you can watch it without feeling like a pervert.
WTF! is in this case literally appropriate, because "Green Porno" is about insect - and worm, and spider, and snail - sex. It's the most mind-bendingly strange work I've seen lately. You'll have to see it for yourself to believe it. Isabella Rossellini wrote, stars in, and often directs this series of shorts first shown at the Sundance Festival and now available for streaming on the Sundance Channel site. It's also available on mobile phones via Helio. In fact, "Green Porno" was conceived both out of thoughts about ecology and a desire to experiment with art for mobile. Seriously, this is wonderfully strange stuff, with the still quite beautiful actress ("Blue Velvet") applying her abundant charm to topics like worm anuses and fly humping. She acts them all out by herself, in full-body costumes so simple yet so vivid as to be almost abstract, like the sets. "Green Porno" made me think of everything from German expressionist filmmaking to 1960s kid shows. Did I mention the worm anus?
You'll have to be 18 and log into YouTube to see this, and it's barely (joke!) worth the effort, because you'd need to enhance it like the Zapruder film to see anything but cheek. But it's, um, fleshy enough that I'm not going to embed it. There's something surreal about seeing hundreds of naked college students run past the camera enjoying an annual ritual at Tufts University. Given the Grinchy tidings emanating from all the writers strike talk, I thought you'd enjoy it. Not that I think you're pervs or anything.
In our erratic and totally random quest to occasionally bring you interesting bits of non-mainstream video entertainment, a mission made somewhat more urgent by the writers strike, let me offer you the amusing comic short "The Feminist Bookstore." It comes from ThunderAnt, the team of Fred Armisen ("Saturday Night Live") and Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney). Unrepresentative sample line: "You're making your anus special by not wanting it talked about."
Bonus: I found out about it on the NY Times books blog, which is actually way cooler and more fun than you might expect.
Comedians Waco and Roger have produced the following Larry Craig parody video. It contains rude language and offensive jokes about homosexuals, Matt Lauer, congressmen, and sexual congress, but it is kind of funny, especially if you think awkward and inappropriate sexual advances on journalists are hilarious.
MySpaceTV now has its own show. It's not any good. Its about eight college friends who graduate and move to LA, four of them living in the same house. Says one, "it's gonna be wild, and sexy, and crazy, and dramatic." You mean, it's like "The Real World," only on a webcam? Wow. Just what I've always wanted!
Wordless animation from French art students isn't the usual fare here, but this short from a group calling themselves Twit-Twit is incredibly clever. You get a family-friendly old-west story, plus robots, plus a subtle criticism of the corruption of power. And the production is fantastic, too: Every shot is well composed and the level of detail is a lot greater than what you see in other animated shorts online.
Via BWE, here's a great video of some dude getting the crap tasered out of him for videotaping a police search:
I love these sorts of videos for two reasons. On the one hand, they have a sort of "Jackass" or "Cops" appeal: people are doing stupid crap and get hurt. It's funny to watch other people get hurt, because it isn't me. But also, I can feel good about watching it, because this man isn't just a dumbass getting hurt for my entertainment. He's a victim of police intimidation and abuse of power. And by watching it, I am a witness, standing up for the right of people to videotape cops doing their jobs. I have to admit, though, if that was me, I'd have set the camera down next to me and left it running.
Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature yesterday, but she seems to regard all the attention as something of a hassle. She's significantly less excited than the "Price Is Right" contestant we showed yesterday, and all she got was an invitation to play Plinko. But I guess you don't become a candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature by getting excited about prizes- you do it by hiding in a cave and writing a dozen or so great novels.
The New York Times, of all things, pointed me to "Afterworld," an online-only serial movie. It mixes static images, animation, and live-action filming to tell the story of a man trying to get home from New York to Seattle, alone, without any technology, after some kind of mysterious disaster that kills almost everyone and disables all electronic systems. No, it's not "Left Behind," any more than it's Cormac McCarthy. At least, not so far. They say there are 130 episodes coming, one per day. Here's the first:
Every TV blog around is linking to the Danny DeVito cameo on Funny Or Die, where all his co-stars discover that the third-season contract is far, far dirtier than they remembered signing. It's amusing, but it's still just a joke about Danny DeVito's penis, and I don't really want to think about that. And what is Fred Savage doing there, anyway?
If you want something a little more work-appropriate, try this one, in which a girl tries to pick out tattoos by drawing them on herself with a marker:
You know how people always pass around links to freaky, hilarious, or terrifying videos, and sometimes you miss one, and people make a joke about it at a party and you totally don't know what they're talking about? I found a ten-minute compilation of every one over at MetaCafe. It's just short clips of dance mishaps, car crashes, sports disasters, googly-eyed babies, and stunning pranks, one after another. The soundtrack is a series of hard rock songs that aren't really related to anything, but that's kind of an advantage: you can turn the volume down and watch it at work.
If you want to bet on what's going to be the next bizarre, hilarious thing to flit its way around your office, you'd do worse than picking 14th Dimension ER, made by a group calling themselves The Nursery:
This decade's "Teletubbies" is definitely going to be "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Nick. It's got bright colors, dancing robots, and guest stars like Elijah Wood and Tony Hawk. Yes, Elijah Wood. Teaching robots to dance at dancy-dance time! Here's the video:
Anybody here old enough to remember "Thirtysomething?" If you were too young the first time around, has VH1 got a show for you. "I Hate My 30s" is about a bunch of who are in their 30s and (surprise!) don't like it.
I'd watch it, but I'm afraid it would make me feel too old.
Give Me My Remote offers what will no doubt be the YouTube champion of the week, footage of Miss USA Rachel Smith taking an embarrassing tumble during the big Miss Universe pageant on Monday night.
The Office season premiere airs tonight. For we Dunder-Mifflin fans it couldn't have come sooner. All summer we've been obsessing over what's going to happen next for Jim and Pam. TV being TV, I expect a long drawn-out seasonal arc of will they or won't they. That's fine. Just give me a fix.
News Flash! Rachel Bilson (Summer from The O.C.) has been cast as Wonder Woman. A perfect, albeit unexpected choice... and ironic. If you recall, in season one's Chrismukkah episode, Summer donned a Wonder Woman outfit (complete with golden lasso of truth) as a gift for Cohen. This of course backfired when Anna, cool ass comic-book chick, interrupted the steamy moment. Here's the clip.
Bruno from Dancing with the Stars discusses his favorite moments from last season and what's next for this season, which premieres tonight. Be afraid Jerry. Be very very afraid.
Last night, ABC aired Part I of The Path to 9/11 and everyone seems to have an opinion. The right-wingers are in love, the left-wingers are up in arms. The five hour "docudrama," which attempts to chronicle a decade of domestic and international events, implies that members of the Clinton Administration, specifically former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, missed their chance to kill Bin Laden. Additionally, it suggests they were responsible for the attacks themselves. One thing is clear, no one can accuse Hollywood of being full of bleeding heart liberals.
Based on the telenovella, Yo soy Betty, la fea, Ugly Betty is a show about an insecure Plain Jane working at a fashion magazine. Instead of making herself over a la Andy in The Devil Wears Prada, Betty, played by critically acclaimed America Ferrera (Real Women Have Curves, Sisterhood of Traveling Pants), wears her dorkiness on her sleeve, braces and all. In this clip, Lucy Davis (Dawn from The Office UK) describes her performance in the pilot.
Fun game I like to play: count the number of times she says "Brilliant". It's like paying British Bingo.
Tonight marks the season premiere of one the most anticipated programs to return this fall--House. We had the pleasure of interviewing Lisa Edelstein who plays Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the show last weekend at the Emmys. Check out her take on how the show's going to be different from last year's.
YouTube superstars, OK Go! have truly arrived. First an appearance on Letterman, and now a live performance at the MTV Music Video Awards (flawless I might add). With originality being such a rarity in this day and age, team treadmill deserve all that's coming to 'em.
Hurry! It's not too late to get your Emmy scraps. Here's host Conan O'Brien's opening sketch that's chock-full of nominees and nomi-nots. Cameo-phobes beware!
Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of Rock Star: Supernova (sorry flyingpuck). I tuned out because it was all super styly beautiful people lacking any stage presence, but after viewing this clip featuring newly crowned "Dark Horse", Ryan Star, I think I might have to start tuning in again.
It’s officially the Fall season. My FAVORITE time of year. Cliffhangers are revealed, favorite characters return, and possible new classics debut. Yes, the Fall TV season is a thing of beauty. And lucky for us, the first show back is none other than last year’s breakout hit, Prison Break.
When we last saw the eight escaped convicts of Fox River State penitentiary, they were on the run. And Season 2 picks up just where Season one dropped us off. Michael and his band of merry men (minus Haywire, Tweener and T-Bag who they ditched along the way) are hauling ass in the woods staying just a few steps ahead of Bellick and the other police involved in the massive manhunt.
No amount of Febreze can cover up the stank from K-Fed’s first live "performance" last night at the TCA. But, in the interest of science, we're bringing it to you anyway. Brit--I'm so sorry.
Award show hosts are typically chosen for their on-stage articulation, humor, and overall cool, but MTV's choice of Jack Black as this year's VMA moderator means one thing--lots and lots of hilarious movie spoofs. Check out this Lord of the Rings parody that Nacho did in his first hosting gig and you'll see what I mean. The 2006 Video Music Awards air on Thursday, Aug. 31 on MTV.
If I were to choose one person in the world to have dinner with, I'd choose two: Dan Castelleneta and Harry Shearer (voices of the Simpsons). Call me crazy, stoned, or downright immature, but I'd much rather have a conversation with Homer Simpson and Monty Burns than Brad and Angelina or GW and Dick (although I do have a bone to pick with Branjelina spawning the whole Hollywood Humanitarian thing). Check out our clip of the day as the guys from the Simpsons stop by Con-nan, and show off their vocal digs.
Our apologies for not bringing you our usual witty snarf-enducing VotD. It seems that YouTube's been, "sweeping out the cobwebs and zapping a few gremlins" for the past two days. Yeah right. C'mon, we know they're just pulling a MySpace.
If you ask a person under the age of 35 who Mike Douglas is they’d probably think you were talking about Catherine Zeta's better half, which is a shame. Part Carson, part Oprah, his daytime talk show (aptly named The Mike Douglas Show), was as popular as Ed Sullivan and seemingly a whole lot cooler. Instead of the standard desk and sofa chairs, Mike preferred a panel-like format where random guests like Johnny Cash and sex expert Dr. Deborah Phillips could engage in progressive discussions about human sexuality.
In honor of his recent death we bring you a priceless clip of Mike, Totie Fields, Evil Incarnate (Gene Simmons), and a prize-winning kissing marathon couple.
The Shat’s scored some major success in the past few years what with Boston Legal and his very own SciFi DVD club. But, there was a time, somewhere in between Rocket Man and Priceline.com, The Shat was reduced to some pretty low-rent ad gigs (and remember this was before Hip Hop made celebrity endorsements cool). Check out these priceless gems...
How psyched are you for NBC’s new show, Hopelessly Devoted? Not like there’s a shortage of reality talent shows, but c’mon this is Grease people – the movie I watched every day after school for a year.
In anticipation of this blessed event, I bring you the film’s pedal pushin', Shake Shack rockin’ finale.
For showtimes and details on Grease visit MeeVee.com
Eighties children rejoice! An unauthorized THS-esque movie about Diff'rent Strokes is reportedly in the works. Not only have Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges agreed to participate (unauthorized my ass), but--and it gets so much better--there’s gonna be drama-ti-zations. We can only dream of the possibilities. Kimberly sporting a ski mask, Willis on a coke run, Arnold out campaigning/beating up fans, Li’l Sam’s shuck-and-jiving in the corner, and Mr. D. talking to anyone who will listen to him....
Backstabbing, bitch slaps and incontinence of the No. 2 variety were on display in this weekend’s season premiere of the Flavor of Love, a surefire sign this season’s hoochie factor's gonna beat last season's. (You know I'm talkin' about NY and Pumpkin.)
We’ll spare you the less than amusing incontinence clip--instead we present you with the first in what's sure to be many many kitty fights this season.
"You better stop interruptin' my prayers before God directs me to whoop yo ass!"
For showtimes and details on Flavor of Love visit MeeVee.com
....Ugh, Mel Gibson’s arrest just happened and I am SO OVER this story. Seriously, with everything go on in the world, the media is focused on the dude from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?! Really?
Leave it to the Gods at The Daily Show to show us the lunacy in the coverage of this story by the national media...
For showtimes and details on Daily Show visit MeeVee.com
Think Ashley Olsen’s anorexia was bad? Try Stephanie Tanner’s secret love of crank. Apparently, Full House’s oh-so-sweet Jodie Sweetin developed a major meth habit while living in the 'burbs as a bored cop’s housewife. It took an intervention last year from her former FH co-stars to set her on the straight and narrow! Joey: "Cut-it-out."
Like all good celebrity drug stories, Ms. Sweetin appears to be on a comeback, now hosting FUSE's strip-tease reality show Pants-Off Dance-Off!
Will Ferrell has starred in some real bombs lately--Kicking and Screaming, Melinda and Melinda, Bewitched, but I’m thinking (hoping) that Talladega's not going to suck. Judging by this clip from the ESPY Awards I’m pretty sure we’re in for a good ride. Get, it? ride. (Ahhh I crack myself up.)
For showtimes and details on The ESPYs visit MeeVee.com
In 1981, MTV debuted on a single cable system in Northern Jersey. Despite its tiny reach of only a few thousand viewers, the network’s surging popularity over the next few years proved early on that the kids were starved for attention. 25 years later, MTV's still rockin' out (except now its audience is in the billions, corporate sponsors are the norm, and TRL's ADD countdown remains the only semblance of music on air). In honor of this blessed anniversary we bring you the clip that started it all--the first five minutes that changed the course of music forever.
Kevin Pollak is one of those actors that you kinda recognize, but you’re not sure from where. Late night fans don't seem to have this problem--thanks to his dead-on impression of Christopher Walken. In this clip from Conan, Kevin describes his face-to-face meeting with the man himself. Check out a glowing Rosario Dawson, who had confessed earlier that she can't resist a man who can do a mean CW.
For showtimes and details on Late Night With Conan O'Brien visit MeeVee.com
