RIP Gallagher

Posted on November 13, 2022 by Steve

It was pleasant to see many contemporary comedians writing nice things about Gallagher’s passing as he had been ridiculed as a hack stand-up for the last 30 years. However there was a time I remembered clearly when he wasn’t the low-brow prop comedian smashing watermelons on stage. Growing up in the Seventies, Gallagher was a regular stand-up doing a few minutes on The Mike Douglas Show or whenever a prime-time variety show had a comic. He even had a couple memorable jokes (paraphrased):

Since the Olympics will be in LA next year, the Soviets are training the athletes for our city’s standard conditions by making them run through a forest fire while breathing through a muffler.

The people of California are like a bowl of granola. Whoever aren’t fruits and nuts are flakes.

I didn’t say they were good jokes. They were timely and considered funny in their day. As for the props, those crept in later and by the mid Eighties came the schtick which lost him the masses and respect. I will readily admit I was probably amused the first couple times but I know before I finished high school, destroying perfectly good food was lame. It made money with a certain population like all those people pissing away money next year to see the unfunny Jeff Dunham.

Gallagher’s career wasn’t all bad. His storming off of Marc Maron’s podcast WTF was the incident I think that re-ignited Marc’s shot at having a third act. I remember hearing all about the incident even though I’ve never bothered to listen to the episode. Having heard it on NPR’s Fresh Air with the overrated Lou Reed’s temper tantrum with, of all hosts, Terri Gross, was enough for me to get the idea how it went down. In return, I followed Maron’s show for a few years.

Farewell Gallagher, thanks for the laugh during my childhood. You sure had a distinctive look and told jokes I repeated at school. Although, your shift to prop comedy wasn’t my cup of tea, you did what thought you had to do to make a living and compared to some other more egregious and unfunny people (Dave Chapelle, Dennis Miller, Fox News and Elon Musk), is forgivable.

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RIP Kevin Conroy

Posted on November 13, 2022 by Steve

Sad to hear the person who was the voice of Batman for several decades passed away. Adam West put his mark on the character but Kevin really made Batman synonymous with him since he landed the role for the 1992 afternoon cartoon. He never felt typecast as he continued to provide his acting and spin on into the Superman and Justice League shows which followed. Then he was the go-to voice actor for the numerous video games I played Batman on my PlayStations. Kevin’s take definitely influence how others played the Dark Knight too: Diedrich Bader and and Will Arnett bring it down without growling so I wished Christian Slater got coached by Kevin as the movies were just ridiculous. “Umm, Batman, do you need a lozenge?”

Kevin was at the recent Austin Comic Book Convention I went to this Summer, the biggest attraction was Billy Dee Williams. I regret not bothering to get an autograph and all. I had no clue the great guy was ill. Most pictures and YouTube movies of him performing I saw…he was always thin. It’s OK though. The memory of his fantastic acting and being well loved by the voice acting community moves him into the company of immortals, alongside Mel Blanc, June Foray and Daws Butler.

Thanks for everything Kevin!

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HIATUS IS OVER FOR NOW

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Steve

I’ve taken some time off from life in general; work, my hobbies, my routine, etc. to reflect on whether or not to keep going forward with life, the universe and everything. I was in a pretty awful, awful mood in general with all the same things.

Am I better?

It remains a-wait-and-see matter. Working closer with the doctor and therapist plus an additional medication to help me not really care…so much about everything.

The Midterms being over only helped a little. I really hate politics in Amerika. Nothing can go forward or well due to how it’s rigged to keep petty, regressive, wealthy bigots and their flunkies in power. Ergo, each cycle is an exercise in how much worse will it be this time since after Black Nixon, there’s never going to be someone who will turn the tide back as FDR did. Fascists are going to just keep banging on the gates until they get in…so they can change the rules to stay in power until there’s a coup, revolution, civil war or invasion by a greater power.

Putting Amerika’s Dysfunction aside, I have been pulling myself more together and Jennifer has been a huge help. The cats, they do their part by being cats. They love you regardless since you make them feel safe, loved and important. A couple trips to the dentist and medical doctor are helping. I don’t put too much stock into my Watch telling me to call for help when my heart rate hits 120+ bpm yet I can’t help worrying, “How is this possible while I’m sitting down?”

Other productive things to pass the time while heal up: I got myself down to just one storage space and assembling those awesome shelves I had built which leads to my home office being less and less cluttered. Hell, I can walk straight to the closet from my desk and/or the entrance now!

I’ll close with one last positive incident helping me push toward bringing Picayune back. Finally meeting and talking to comedian Blair Socci. I found out she did read my entry about her last year for Italian Heritage month! So the message in a bottle does wash up on a worthy shore on occasion!

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GOING ON INDEFINITE HIATUS

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Steve

After 32 years of this and 25 online, I have decided to give up and say, FUCK THIS! It has mostly been throwing thousands of messages in a bottle with little response. Few of if anyone gives a shit given what a self-absorbed civilization we’ve become watching morons via TikTok, taking pictures of their stupid food or thing FeceBook is an actual interaction. Meanwhile, I’m moving on…getting ready to embrace the human race’s demise since we’re just fire ants.

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Good joke about a rather lame episode and casting issue

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Steve

This is a dig at a rather disappointing episode from the early Nineties Next Generation period called “The Chase.” If it were done today via the Paramount+ regime, the execution would more likely be a more satisfying mini-arc within Strange New Worlds or a joke in Lower Decks…yeah, Picard and Discovery would continue to make this suck.

The point is, back when ST:NG was a syndication-only show, the writers were from the two main genres Hollywood specialized in for TV: SitComs and Procedurals. Guess what kind of crap Star Trek got? So this galaxy-shattering idea stating why all the dominant star-faring races are humanoid, yet Terrans received no special foreheads (Klingons, Cardassians), nose ridges (Bajorans) or pointy ears with a love of Pete Rose’s haircut (Vulcans)?

The additional joke is the awesome actor Jeffrey Combs has been in at least three of the shows (DS9, Enterprise and Lower Decks) as the Andorian Shran, two Ferengi, an evil AI and the cloned Vorta Weyoun. He’s just a great actor and he’s probably patient with sitting in a makeup chair.

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Lucky Logan

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Steve

Currently, the laziest and most popular screed we’re subjected to is either “the MCU is played out” or Star Wars, take your pick if you think it will make you sound smarter than you really are. One such critic is Martin Scorsese. As much as I love his past work, he should STFU since he’s been making the same movie for most of his career.

The correct answer is Heist flicks are the ones Hollywood needs to give a rest. The Heist Story is a sub-genre of Action, Comedy and Thriller, often combinations of any of these three. Many suck big time including the revered, original Ocean’s 11 with the Rat Pack, it’s a long commercial for Las Vegas minus Elvis and Ann-Margaret. Recently, I got schooled through Dave Anthony and Josh Olson’s podcast The West Wing Thing on a major plot device used for them I had never given much thought; If the characters don’t waste our time with a boring exposition covering their plans, they will succeed in getting the money, jewels, etc. When they do the blah blah blah, it’s a warning to the audience; Get ready folks! Shit will fall apart! Not every movie does this but it’s a common practice to prevent accusations of pulling a deus ex machina. I hate such dull movie filler, it’s right there with the D&D players who overthink an adventure. This ircles back on why I also think the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie starring Chris Pine will suck elephant dongs, the trailer lets you know, it’s not a Fantasy movie, it’s a tired Heist movie with a Fantasy “skin” on it, you know, how J.J. Abrams’ crap Star Treks were shitty Action films with Star Trek set designs and costumes. We can’t have a real D&D movie entail a Fantasy/Action story despite millions enjoying the Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings prequels.

Thankfully, Lucky Logan breaks out of this overdone story. What’s the most amazing part about Lucky, it was directed by the person who is responsible for my complaint! Steven Soderbergh. Yeah, the man behind the remake of Ocean’s 11 and its three terrible sequels. He redeemed himself up to the point he took the check for Ocean’s 8.

Let’s get back to Lucky and why it’s worth watching. First up, the cast. Soderbergh utilizes this group of A Listers very well to shore up how weak Channing Tatum and Katie Holmes are in general; those two are immediate warnings saying, “Avoid this movie!” Daniel Craig polished his Southernness here before playing it to excellence in Knives Out and I can’t wait for him to return in the follow-up, The Glass Onion. Adam Driver is no slouch neither as Channing’s reluctant, Gulf-War Vet brother, roped into a harebrained scheme: stealing the cash from all the concession stands at a NASCAR track. It’s all devised shortly after Channing’s character is fired from the construction site tasked with shoring up the land under said race track. The contractor fires him due to a slight injury they fear will become a lawsuit (let’s hear it for Amerikan Exceptionalism! with our healthcare and too many lawyers). Then his ex-wife informs him she’s and her second family are moving further away, reducing his visitation rights to their daughter he adores. He can’t afford a lawyer to fight this, she’s aware of this.

Once Channing and Driver are in agreement on this plan, they need to enlist Craig who is a demolitions expert. Craig immediately refuses…he’s in prison already. Besides, he’ll be out in a year so the scheme is a hard pass up until they inform him how his ex-wife found his hidden stash and took off with a trucker. The brothers enlist their sister who employs her beauty-parlor skills and she’s no slouch at driving; Craig’s two dumber brothers are part of the deal too. They only agree for weird, moral reasons which are comical.

I won’t go on about the heist element, you have to watch. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

What makes Lucky a well-spent two hours are the other subplots and supporting cast. Seth MacFarlane shines in a minor role which is what he should stick to; he’s like Bill Murray, good in small doses yet I’m pretty certain he isn’t an utter asshole on the set with others…like Bill Murray. Sebastian Shaw is MacFarlane’s team driver, a weird guy who is way into New Age stuff, namely not endorsing the shit MacFarlane is paying him to promote. Dwight Yoakam was surprisingly hilarious and hard to recognize as the warden of Craig’s prison. Being a NASCAR-based movie, there’s cameos of people involved the “sport” to make the diehards happy. Hilary Swank is near the end as an FBI agent trying to piece together the aftermath since not everybody in the community tells the truth for varying reasons.

Lucky Logan was on Hulu until the end of August. If you have Showtime, it’s there until further notice.

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My first root canal

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Steve

Contrary to this hilarious scene starring Steve Martin in one of his best supporting roles, the operation to kill the nerve under my lost filling went with little difficulty. Now I have to wait until the original dentist I was seeing can install a crown, put an end to my immediate suffering. The pain requiring three-to-four ibuprofen pills (200 mg each) every six hours to calm it down; it never goes away; and the other part I hated, the constant flossing emergencies usually caused by meat and certain vegetables getting stuck.

Sadly, thanks to the upcoming recession induced by Grampa’ Brunches’ masters, fixing my front teeth to stop me resembling a meth addict, keeps getting kicked down the proverbial highway.

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Comedy doesn’t work with knuckle draggers

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Steve

This dig at MAGAts is courtesy of a clip making the rounds…

Some pretty uncivil shit right there and yet the Centrists who still can’t make up their mind on who they should (or will) vote for, wag fingers of tsk tsk at us Lefties whenever we don’t respect these assholes. Whenever I go to a stand-up show, do I boo or get nasty if the comedian makes a dig at Atheism? No. How about deep-dish pizza, something Jon Stewart had a tirade over? No, I continued to watch his tenure of The Daily Show. Now when James Adomian does an accurate impression of Bernie Sanders which shows the grumpy senator in an unflattering (yet funny) light? Certainly not. We have to laugh at ourselves or else we get crazy/too serious. The types who can’t handle it? Tyrants. Bullies. Psychos. Why? Being ridiculed hurts their fragile egos and they go coo coo bananas wanting it to stop. Their followers share this problem but what’s upsetting them is it makes them question their decisions to follow such horrible leaders. I’m with writer Dave Anthony who once said, if Al Franken weren’t drummed out of the US Senate by shitbirds Schumer, Gilliband and their screaming NeoLiberal flunkies, he would have been a more effective counterpuncher to Girth Vader during the term.

It’s not isolated to just politicians Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos lose their shit when they’re mocked. The former’s rebuttals to his critics are equally pathetic. They remind me of the responses bullies gave me when I pointed out their low IQs…oh yeah! Just shut up or I’ll kill you…you fag! It’s how people spoke in the Seventies and Eighties, so Mills/Gen Z, get over yourselves.

Lastly, I paid to see the person on the stage (or screen). I didn’t come to see the hecklers or wannabes, the latter is a huge problem in Austin with stand-up and concerts. I’m looking at you, that rude asshole at Weird Al who kept shouting, “Do Party in the CIA!” Give the entertainer their time and your respect. You don’t like what they’re saying. Quietly leave, preferably when they’re finished. Don’t make a scene since doing something so childish. This is what feeds a comedians love of attention! When you get home, also take a long look at yourself and your mindset. Comedy, especially the best kinds, is supposed to be thought provoking and pushing boundaries of taste, norms, etc. Then punch yourself in the face if you ever believed there’s been a genuinely funny, Far Right comedian, especially to anyone with an IQ over 90. The IQ factor helps debunk any responses encompassing never funny and convicted felon (drugs)  Tim Allen.

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It’s time for Kaitlin’s 31 Days of Halloween Costumes!

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Steve

I’ve been so far up my own ass I almost forgot about this cool tradition started by a friend I made named Kaitlin. I usually see her with or without her equally awesome husband, at Austin’s comedy festivals, the nicer parts of downtown and the Renaissance Fairs. With the local soccer team doing well, I think we’re in the playoffs and not sure how it works. Win or go home or is it a series?

It’s not relevant. Click the link and check out Kaitlin’s Twitter feed which offers other stuff, see what sneeto outfits she has crafted to get the spirit of the holiday rolling.

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1997: The Cartoon Network matures! Part 2: New shows!

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Steve

The Header should be showing significant changes that reflect all the shows the Cartoon Network began to add and/or create year by year. In 1997, the channel was now home to brand new material created by the Hanna-Barbera Studio thanks to Ted Turner bringing it back from its zombie state.

After launching Dexter’s Laboratory the year before as it was the first winner of the What a Cartoon Show! Other past candidates made their debut to form a cool prime-time block: Johnny Bravo, Cow & Chicken and I Am Weasel. Rounding out their newer stuff were syndicated gems everybody loved: Animaniacs, Freakazoid! and Speed Racer. They began branching out into Anime with Gundam, Sailor Moon, G-Force and Vampire Hunter D.

Many other lovable shows would follow: The Powerpuff Girls (the network’s first licensing bonanza); Courage the Cowardly Dog; Ed, Edd & Eddy; The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Evil con Carne, Time Squad, Sheep in the Big City, Kids Next Door, My Gym Partner is a Monkey, Samurai Jack, Camp Lazlo, etc.

Eventually, all the new stuff was often premiered on showcase program called Cartoon Fridays amongst “reruns” of the back catalog they accrued. For a while, a character like Johnny Bravo or Bubbles would be the host. Years later, Cartoon Network added young adults to MC with kids in the audience, similar to Nickelodeon’s weekday afternoons. Before Fridays ceased, a cool band was booked to perform a couple songs: I think OK Go was on but the only one I remember by name clearly was Cute Is What We Aim For.

As the Twenty-first century was under way, the Cartoon Network began to stealthily test the waters with their more “adult oriented” fare by airing new and daring shows in the middle of the night, when only insomniacs or graveyarders were watching. After ten years,  The Simpsons, King of the Hill and South Park’s success proved that American adults were good with animated SitComs for the first time since The Flintstones in the Sixties.

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ACL Fest is back to ruin Austin further

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Steve

One of the downsides to COVID being “over,” the return of this bullshit. What’s even more pathetic is how the lineup for ACL Fest is 90% the same as Coachella, Lolapalooza and every other gathering Ticketmaster devoured. So if you’ve been to the one in your area, please avoid Austin and don’t come here. It’s also the first step assholes make before they move here and keep driving the prices up to Californicator levels.

These festivals are really designed for the socially backward who only go to one concert a year. They’re the same assholes who take off their flip flops to stink up the whole airplane on a four-hour flight. Last year, to strengthen my hate of these attendees, KUT/KUTX did a stinger with this dill-hole talking about how he met his girlfriend at ACL Fest, years later they got married and now they’re taking their fucking infant with them to this. There should be a law stating, if you bring any kid with you under 14, all the DINKs get to punch you and the other parent in the head for doing something selfish and rude.

As I try to find the silver lining, I did. Death Cab for Cutie is coming back in February to give Austin a proper show.

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Loretta Lynn addendum

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Steve

As the cliché goes, “don’t speak ill of the dead,” but I’ve always thought that was bullshit especially when the dead person was a monster (David Koch, Phyllis Schaffley, St. Reagan, etc.). Now Loretta wasn’t a monster or even close. However, as brought up by NPR, she was big on helping “legitimize” Republicans such as the inbred Bush Family and beyond inbred Trump clan as “country” to her fans. Loretta’s fans were adults and they can vote anyway they wish yet I find it pathetic and sad that these Northeastern shit bags needed cover in such a manner. If you’re going to back someone, you can point out the platform, issues, etc. Claiming, oh well, they may have been raised in obscene levels of comfort while you’ve struggled from paycheck to paycheck all your life, but vote for them since they’re going to continue the status quo! Meanwhile, they’re gonna’ fix the issue you think needs fixin’, bashing in the heads of those long-haired, disrespectful Hippies and uppity non-whites! Remember, vote against your economic interests because somebody you don’t like might be getting laid and having fun!

Sadly, this coincided when Country Music and elements of the American Working Class shifted their allegiance from the Democrats to the Republicans over the Vietnam War, The Civil Rights Movement and the many Inner-City Riots. Tricky Dick initiated the GOP’s transformation (more like a return to its original, racist roots) towards being the Redneck Grievance Party as the Democrats purged (rightfully) the Dixiecrat faction. Thus, Country Music had a hard time for decades being accepted as music by city dwellers since it came with rather hateful, jingoistic baggage. Remember all the crap Country Music cranked out after 9/11? No recollection of any pointing the finger of blame at their preferred POTUS who refused to have his month-long vacation interrupted to read the intelligence report which warned him.

Good thing Loretta died as the shift has begun. Many, younger Country artists are taking back the mantle of it being a genre for the oppressed and downtrodden. Not what it has become: loud, dumb anthems for frat boys and Susies wearing cowboy hats. Country has openly Gay and non-White performers in its ranks. Eventually those hiding behind the label of Americana for the Drive-By Truckers, Amanda Shires, Rosanne Cash and Lyle Lovett can rejoin the larger family without fear of being associated with Country’s ugly image since the Seventies…violent, ignorant Hillbilly Music. It never really was, hundreds of thoughtful songs have been written and performed but a loud element of the fan base sure made it look that way.

One day, this ugly chapter of Loretta’s legacy can be just an, oh well, she saw the social upheaval of the Sixties, got scared and threw her support behind those who amplified them instead of alleviating them.

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Rest in Peace Judy Tenuta

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Steve

Crap! We lost the giver goddess, petite flower, Diet Dr. Pepper spokesperson, accordion aficionado and all around hilarious person. I had been following her on her Twitter feed so I knew Judy was undergoing treatment for cancer. I didn’t know it was at a very serious nor dangerous stage. I foolishly assumed her doctor caught it early and she’d be on the mend soon.

Judy came on the scene in the Eighties amongst so many during the Eighties stand-up comedy boom but unlike the hackey majority (*cough! Bill Mayer) she had a more unique presence via the persona she created. I stumbled upon Judy’s act while on Summer break at my parents’ in 1987 when they generously paid for HBO. She was in a showcase of up and coming women comedians. I’m confident Rita Rudner was part of it too, a funny and talented person in her own manner. Judy definitely stood out. The funny gown, flowers in her hair (like a crown) and the accordion. She called the audience pigs. She claimed to be a living goddess. She talked about her fictional roommate Blowsanne (a dig at the Rosanne Barr). She sang funny songs about how looks don’t count while playing her instrument. I would say Judy landed the breakout spot Sam Kinnison got two years earlier to launch his (short-lived) career. It didn’t go that way since show business is notoriously unfair. Still, I’m glad she never quit and pressed on!

Later in the year, I met Emo Phillips backstage at his dual-billing with Rita Rudner, thanks to my position in WMUR (my alma mater‘s “radio station.”) We were talking a bit after he autographed a record I was giving my brother for Xmas. He gave me a recommendation for another album and comedian. I wish I still had his handwritten note saying, “Buy This Pigs! Judy Tenuta.” Now Judy was locked into the “front of my brain.” It worked! I found a copy on vinyl by the Spring of 1988 and some of her bits were used on my best WMUR show I had with classmate Sheila. (Sorry José, I loved our show too but our chemistry never developed, timing is hard to synch to.) I only found out a decade later about Judy being married to Emo. What a great spouse to help promote a career!

She went on to be a bright spot during the exhausting, eventful Summer of 1988! Judy got to star at Summerfest’s comedy stage and with my friend Helen in tow, we saw her! I even got her to personally autograph said piece of vinyl in which I told her was part of my show. I do remember Judy telling the crowd when I raised the record, “This guy has the right idea!” How I wish I had a photo alongside how much easier it is to do now.

Fast forward some years. Judy continued to make appearances on late night shows, the Dr. Pepper campaign she starred in and cameos in movies. Judy was a regular character on Weird Al’s Saturday Morning show (pre-lasik) and music videos. A patient on Dr. Katz. A recurring character on the underrated Duckman cartoon. I loved how she got to play her stand-up persona as an insulting mermaid on Johnny Bravo. On Chowder, she came by to play mahjong as Empanada (a good food). Judy continued to keep working until last year.

Thanks for everything Judy! I’m going to be sad for a while as I recently saw Weird Al in concert with Emo as the opener. Part of the VIP experience I had came with being at the Weird Al Jeopardy show. One category was Famous Accordion Players, I figured next to Frankie Yankovic, Lawrence Welk, Flaco Jimenez and John Linnell of They Might be Giants, I was hoping Judy  would be amongst the “answers.” Sadly, no. As a joke, they were all Weird Al since the average American doesn’t know many unlike say Austrians or Mexicans. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing all the great stories about you, all the people you inspired and the thousands of hours of joy you hosted.

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Nerf® gets in on ST:NG‘s 35th anniversary!

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Steve

I stumbled upon these during Hasbro’s online convention going on about the Selfie Action figures. My original reaction was, oh yeah, Hasbro bought the Nerf people years ago. OK, I have no recollection when they did since all the major companies I grew up with are either a part of Hasbro, Mattel or licensed by LEGO. The price tag was low enough, I pissed away the money on the pre-sale and should have them by Thanksgiving. You get both the hand phaser and the cool rifle rolled out in First Contact and I think Voyager had them. They’ll shoot the little darts with suction cups on the ends. Sadly they have to be colored garishly to prevent children from being murdered by the cops when we all know it’s the (skin) color of the “shooter” that determines who the fuzz will shoot at. I guess I will have to watch Voyager to find an explanation on why the rifle has Borg assimilation markings.

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RIP Loretta Lynn

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Steve

I’m still not a big fan of Country Music, especially the mass-produced, over polished style nicknamed Nash Vegas as per Webb Wilder. Yet I have respect for Loretta given how she wrote a song called/about “The Pill.” A rather taboo subject when it was released. Nice to know a star at the peak of her power use this clout to push forward on social progress unlike many today. Sure Madonna and Taylor Shit will say something, just not anything as risky as a song and they’re all too scared given the backlash the (Dixie) Chicks suffered for criticism Dubious Bush.

As per many, I learned about her via the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter. I guess my parents thought it was going to be alright for kids until that creepy honeymoon evening she had with her husband Oliver. Ewwww! It beats Revenge of the Nerds for inappropriateness, despite them being married. The rest was amusing enough to keep me from being bored. It didn’t change my mind much about Loretta’s music because it was all the WMAQ crap dad listened to.

Loretta did influence many. The only one coming to mind is Jack White. He produced one of her last albums and appeared with her at an awards show. I’m confident Loretta had a positive effect on the many female artists doing what’s called Americana I enjoy: Rosanne Cash, Amanda Shires and Brandi Carlisle. It’s what Country I respect has evolved into. It has the Country sound elements while maintaining the parts the genre used to have until Tricky Dick found a way to hijack it into his camp.

Thanks for everything Mrs. Lynn. You did push the needle further in a good direction for women, music and to some extent, where you came from.

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