Cool Shit 2/5

A look at the random roles of Patrick Warburton. Or as you probably know him, Puddy.

From The Big Picture, stunning photos of the sky.

Do you suffer from Future Shock?

Florida has what they call The Python Challenge. And it's exactly what you think it is.

Here is directory where you can access everything Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) ever said on 30 Rock.

Cool Shit 1/31

If you're a Nic Cage fan, you're going to want to check out this site.

An excerpt of Vanity Fair's oral history of Pulp Fiction.

This may be the worst/greatest trailer I've ever seen for anything, anywhere. Empire of the Apes!



We won't have 30 Rock anymore, but we will always have the Jack Donaghy insult generator (until its hosting runs out I guess).

An article about Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall and Gene Hackman struggling to make it as actors in New York City during the 1960s.

Powerpoint - it's not just for business presentations. Use it to proclaim your undying love!

Links of Interest 11/6

Tina Fey’s favorite 30 Rock moments.

You never know what Google Street View is going to find.

What’s your “drop everything” movie?

Sure animated films usually skew to a younger audience. But that doesn’t mean they also can’t be creepy for an older audience.

You might argue, but the Big Mac is not the craziest thing McDonalds sells. It’s the second craziest thing.

Want to be the most awesomest person in a kids life? Get him/her one of these gifts.

It’s always shocking to learn an NBA star can’t rap.

There’s a reason why Nicholas Cage is broke. He bought ridiculous things.

Steve Albini writes about what’s wrong with today’s music.

Cool islands seen from space.

LSD and the US Army.

Links of Interest 6/9

Scary islands.

Yes it’s in Russian, but I think it’s still viable. Soviet arcade games.

When in doubt, argue what fictional band was better.

Check out how bizarre these series ended.

Is 30 Rock nothing more than a real life Muppet show? That's what this article suggests.

Are you as shocked as these people about the Emmy nominations?

Awesome maps of underground tunnel networks.

The most important year ever?

If it’s about time travel, I’ll link to it.

So you’re telling me Oz was realistic?

Links of Interest 5/19

I’m not gonna tell you this doesn’t have a romantic notion to it. Obviously it rapidly becomes unromantic when faced with the reality of it. Especially, I’m assuming the daily debate of where to shit.

Though out of context, here’s a funny list of everything Tracy Morgan (Jordan) said on 30 Rock this season.

Quick music news… Radiohead is working on a new album, while Dangermouse is trying something different.

Talking to SNL’s Abby Elliot.

Scientists suggest there have been 5 big extinctions. Are we currently in the sixth?

A history of white people in rap. Calling it out as something special seems mildly racist, but who am I?

Huh, who would have thought mining in the mountains of Bolivia would be such a dangerous job?

Some of these explosions maybe shouldn’t be labeled “greatest,” (more like horrific) but I didn’t write it.

At first, this time lapse video of the Milky Way passing over Texas made me feel a bit of vertigo. But then the big event came to be. The Milky Way resembles many things. 2 came to mind immediately – one was a knife scar. The other, well I’ll let you decide.

Links of Interest 12/1

What's more important: how to run a con, or how to prevent a con being run on you? Methinks whatever you decide says something about you. (from Fimoculous)

It used to be hip to hate on the things people like. Now I guess it's cool to be kind of whatever about things people like. There's no way I can keep up. Enjoy the article on 30 Rock and make your own conclusions. (from The New Yorker)

Enjoy your Norwegian Black Metal? Or perhaps you need an introduction into the scene. Here you go. (LA Weekly)

I just watched JFK for the umpteenth time this weekend, and then I stumble across this link. Coincidence, or something more? (Vanity Fair)

NaNoWriMo Update: 11/13

It's been a roller coaster. After breaking the 7000 word mark, I of course went back and fiddled around with some stuff, and dropped back down to around 6600 words. I really wanted to be at 10000 by the end of tonight; that seems like a pipe dream. I mean, 30 Rock is on - and this week Jennifer Anniston guest stars.

She's back on Thursday nights!

Anyway, I still am not 100% sure of my plot - story of my life - and I've tinkered with some conversations and who's having them. Have I mentioned this thing is like 90% dialog? I'm not sure if that's good or not. My voice stinks, and my grasp of third person limited narration certainly needs a brush up. Also, I really wanted to keep a Dabney Coleman reference in (a response to Buffalo Bill) but my protagonist is supposed to be 18. And the person making the reference was an 18 year old girl. You can start to get an idea of how this is going to turn out with these clues, right?

Maybe I'll just up the ages of everyone. There are a lot of swim clubs with 30 year old guards, right?

Alec Baldwin - Be Happy!

It's no mystery that we here at the Popcorn Trick love Alec Baldwin. Though we obviously don't know him personally, he appears to be a regular person. He has a passion that sometimes may go too far, an intelligence that probably gets him into more trouble than it's worth, and a propensity to speak his mind, which definitely has caused him heartache.

Here's the thing...what normal, sane person doesn't act the same way? His weaknesses give him more humanity, and therefore make him more human, which lead him to some of his better performances. Performances that while he may not think are great, still demand the attention of us all. Because whether or not he believes he is gifted as an actor, or that his performances have been uneven, he has brought joy and entertainment to countless audiences.

The reason for this Baldwin outburst is this article in The New Yorker, in which Mr. Baldwin comes across more human than ever. Midlife crisis? I have no idea, but I certainly felt as though I could have one after reading it. So instead of allowing such a sour, dour taste to linger until the new season of 30 Rock starts (end of October I believe), I say we should rinse our mouths with happy Baldwin and celebrate the genius performer with a few clips of him performing. Perhaps not the funniest ones (I purposely excluded Schweddy Ball and Canteen Boy) or his finest performances (nothing from the Oscar nominated The Cooler) but I believe that this collection is a nice cross section of who Alec Baldwin really is...

Glengarry Glen Ross



Sure it may be a cliche to put this on the list, but c'mon. Talk about a performance that jolts the movie. Baldwin is on screen for roughly 7 minutes, and in those seven minutes, he delivers lines that are probably used to this day in any sales office. He spits Mamet's dialog out all over the other actors, (none lightweights themselves) and takes what could have been a flashy, over-the-top character and delivers the malice so that it's real. I'll even add the SNL parody that Baldwin did of it...



The Departed



It's funny - though the dialog is roughly similar, with a few different nuances, Baldwin goes from playing a winner in Glengarry Glen Ross, to playing more of a buffoonish loser here in The Departed. This is included simply for the last line and the way he delivers it so matter of factly and all at once. It makes an otherwise overrated movie somewhat enjoyable.

30 Rock - Therapy

How easy do you think it is to steal a scene from Tracy Morgan? How easy do you think it is to out crazy Tracy Morgan? Bladwin does both while playing 5 characters, interchanging each at the drop of a dime. He even does a spot on Tracy Morgan, with a hint of Jimmie Walker AT THE SAME TIME!

Malice



For the longest time, this is how I thought Alec acted in real life. Hey, I was young and naive.
Anyone else rooting for Baldwin in this one? I mean c'mon, that Paxon fella was kinda generic, no?

Boxing Gary Shandling

Part 1:



Part 2:



Alec's Andy Kaufman moment, compliments of Gary Shandling. Don't ask me what's going on here, all I know is that it's an extra on a Larry Sanders DVD, so I can't be sure how much is real and staged. Baldwin certainly looks like he knows what he's doing though in the ring.

Saturday Night Live - Bossa Nova



Such a throwaway skit that more than likely aired around 12:50, yet Baldwin is great in it. I'm just surprised so many people turned down Ric Corman.

Saturday Night Live - Inside the Actors' Studio



Alec Baldwin playing Charles Nelson Reilly? It's like I died and went to heaven. I imagine with CNR's overly dramatic gesticulation, it would be easy to mimic him, still I applaud Baldwin for going all the way with it.

30 Rock - 29



Rapid fire sexual tension between two skilled liars trying to dupe the other. Brilliant delivery of the last line.

30 Rock - Showdown



Impersonator isn't one of the skills you think Baldwin has, but he's dead on here. And if you don't know who he's doing, you suck.

Saturday Night Live - The Tony Bennett Show



It can't be easy playing the master next to the master.

30 Rock - Garkel



Included simply for the last line.

Primetime Glick




Straight man to wild man Short.

And finally, while I can't embed it, it's worth the click. I won't give anything away, except that I doubt you've seen it.

Maybe he doesn't have the resume of Jack Nicholson, but that's not the point. Baldwin has nothing to be ashamed of in this life, and very much to be proud of. I hope one day he sees that, and accepts it. I know that I'll still keep watching him.