I sometimes have creative urges after 10pm. They are not all well conceived.
Thanks to torley for the background.
Made in the 70s
Monthly Archives: April 2008
Why Saturday Night Live Does Not Suck
I’ve watched SNL for as long as I can remember. It was one of my earliest comedy influences growing up. It was one of the few times my mom would let me stay up and she’d watch it with me. My friends and I would crack ourselves up doing our Church Lady or Hans and Franz impressions to each other.
You see a lot of comments like “SNL used to be good back in the <inset decade>.” or “SNL was better when <insert list of performers> were on the show.”
Saturday Night Live is a wonderful phenomenon. On a Tuesday, a team of spectacularly talented people get together with someone who’s famous but probably not funny. On Saturday, they put on a 90-minute variety-comedy show. That show showcases their talent, even when the sketches run on a bit long or are unfocused. It runs live on television, the only fictional program that does so in the United States. The stakes are high, and even when something falls flat, as it often does, it’s a great ride, buoyed by the best performers of their kind.
Casual Face Hair Friday
I ended up doing something similar to what I did before. I am at work like this today. I expect to get looks. Also, before I shaved the chin area, I looked like General Zod’s jewish brother.
How JUNO Sounded to Me
JUNO was a big hit, right? Oscar for best screenplay, right? Everybody loved it, right? Well. There were several aspects that I enjoyed about it. e.g. I thought it was the best performance I’ve seen from Jennifer Garner. But Juno’s dialogue. It just tried waaay too hard to sound like a hip teenager to me. That’s why I loved this re-write. A sample.
They take the chair, then ELLEN sets up an entire living room
set in front of MICHAEL CERA’S HOME.MICHAEL CERA
Ellen, hey. I like the couch on my front sidewalk, it’s incredibly quirky of you.
ELLEN PAGE
Yeah, well I’m pretty quirky.
MICHAEL CERA
So what are you doing here? Do you need someth-
ELLEN PAGE
Wait, hold on. Your track team is about to come running by and I need to do a voiceover narration for no particularly reason, even though I only do it like three more times in the entire movie.
ELLEN PAGE (V.O.)
Whenever I see the track team, I can’t help but picture their penises, because doing so allows me to explain that fact in a voiceover narration that I can end with the very hip term “pork swords.”
ELLEN PAGE
Alright, sorry about that. What were we talking about? Oh right, I’m pregnant and it’s yours.
MICHAEL CERA
Rather than freak the hell out like a typical high school student, I’m going to sputter around for words awkwardly and barely finish complete sentences. It’s kind of my thing.
There are several more funny bits in there.
What Ridiculous Thing Should I Do With My Beard?
I’ve been letting my beard grow because 1) I’m lazy and 2) I think it fits the character for the one act play I’m doing. After the show on Wednesday, I plan to shave.
The question is, what fun and interesting thing to (temporarily) do with it? Chops? Mustache? Lightning bolts carved in the sides? Keep in mind I already did the trucker ‘stache.
Leave your ideas, votes, and shenanigans in the comments.
4.18.08 Comedy Extravaganza
Tonight is the show. ON THE MAIN STAGE IN MCCOMAS. Improv, sketch, stand up, a new Good Commitment video sketch and more. You won’t get more laugh for your buck anywhere else. 7:30pm. One Show. $5 tickets. Due to construction, the balcony will be closed. Get there early.
With the Good Commitment video, we’ve already filmed parts of it and we’ll film the audience doing certain things before the show. Then Graham will edit it together during the show and we’ll debut it at the end.
The Lab Rats haven’t had a main stage show in over a year so tonight promises to be special. Be there.
Acting Again
So I’m currently in rehearsals for a student directed one act called THE PROBLEM by A.R. Gurney. It’s a two person play with a male and female. So this is pretty much my first leading role. I’m playing the male; it is a stretch.
It is really short but I love it and it reads like an improv scene. The characters basically “yes, and” each other through out. This is perfect because I first met the female lead, Jonette Wilburn, through the local improv troupe the Lab Rats. We’ve been having tons of fun playing and exploring the characters.
Our director, Markii Bout, has been great to work with as well. She’s guiding us towards the vision she has for the show but also letting us play while we get there.
Alas, I’m afraid it will all be over too soon. We have our one and only performance April 23rd in the lab theatre in McComas Hall. You will come. You will enjoy it.
Arrested Development
I just finished the last episode of Arrested Development. Thanks to Jesse Thorn for a tip over at MaximumFun.org, I caught a one day special on amazon and got all three seasons for $30.
I really enjoyed it. The characters had such distinct voices and the actors were so consistent in bringing those voices to the audience. The call back jokes, sometimes reaching back a few episodes or more, were always a delight. The re-occurring chicken dances were superb. The family was just so horrible for the most part yet you found yourself pulling for them anyway.
If the rumors of a Arrested Development movie are true, I will be thrilled. Do yourself a favor and buy, NetFlix, or borrow the DVD sets and enjoy.