Cool Shit 4/30

The new Mad Max movie is shaping up to be insane. Here's a look at some of the vehicles that will be blowing each other up in it.

A map of all the executions in United States since 1978. Just in case you're planning to move and have trouble with the law.

A deep dive into the uncertainty of the DC movie universe and how that might spell trouble for the studio (Warner Brothers). It's kinda amazing to me that people don't take enough time to really figure these things out, and it's really not all that difficult.

An off-the-grid houseboat farm in Canada? I'm in.

Whoa - a documentary on what the Earth's response would be if aliens were to land here. Of course I'm a little disappointed I wasn't contacted. I wrote up a comprehensive plan about what we should do back in 2008.

There's a whole generation out there that doesn't understand what David Letterman brought to late night television, and his influence on comedy. And now he's leaving us.

Cool Shit 2/5

So it seems Sochi might not be as prepared as one probably should be when hosting a global event.

Speaking of the Olympics, here's a look at 8 new events debuting at Sochi. You know, if the Olympics still get pulled off.

Chris Carter has a new show out called The After. Though you will need to be an Amazon Prime member to watch it I think:



The relationship between David Letterman and Jay Leno is more complex than "they hate each other." In fact, it's far from that. Also, Jerry Seinfeld is involved!

Dr. Strangelove is 50 this year. Here's a documentary on it. Basically any documentary on a Stanley Kubrick film is worth watching.

Links of Interest 3/8

What's it like to audition for The Price is Right? (Via Pat's Papers)

A look at HBO's The Pacific.

Sports movies don't always focus on the winners.

Code names for blockbuster movies so us movie nerds don't ruin them.

Interview with Jonathan Katz, my brother's favorite person.

Change the television spectrum band, and change the world.

Alice In Wonderland based in the realm of mathematics?

David Letterman, before he was David Letterman.

No matter what your favorite Oscar joke is/was, it was probably written by Bruce Vilanch.

Sometimes terrorism can be so silly.

Links of Interest 10/27

The fight for “clean coal.”

Arrogance on tv. Why are they popular? Because some people like it, and some people don’t, and neither group turns it off.

Chuck Klosterman has a new book coming out. So he’ll be making the rounds…

Could Paranormal Activity kill the Saw franchise?

Diving into what made The Twilight Zone so good – the endings.

Tired of the same old way to search youtube for related videos? Check this feature out.

Looking at how Kubrick’s editing made The Shining that much scarier.

Scary ghost movies.

One day our society will realize the genius of Maury Povich, and give him the credit he deserves.

A female writer writes about working for David Letterman.

Links of Interest 10/2

Water – it’s more important than you think.

Think you have the clear picture of Iranian beliefs? Think again.

Well, Letterman’s show was interesting last night.

Interview with filmmaker, Michael Moore.

Yearbook signatures are awesome. I might have to go back and look at some of my old ones.

Television can have a lasting effect on the people who are on it.

Not your average McDonalds down the street.

Top SNL characters of the 90s.

Just a nice little story about stealing organs from corpses.

So…what does it take to be a secret service agent?

Links of Interest 9/8

What do your favorite tennis players listen to?

An article about jai alai – from 1979 - talking about the gambling problem behind it. (Thanks Sportsguy!)

Are Letterman and Leno still at it? Wasn’t the Late Shift enough?

Trent Reznor and his continued journey through angry music.

I love the thought of moonshinin’. It has such a romantic notion. And yes, I realize the reality of it is far from romantic. But what do you want from me? I watched Gator and White Lightning at a really young age.

Chuck Klosterman takes a look at the new Beatles box set.

Shows aren’t always ruined when characters hook up.

How can a Rambo lunch box be on a worst list?

In a similar vein, a C.H.U.D. shouldn’t be making a worst movie monster list either!

Add milk to the list of things we all like but now can’t enjoy because the system to get it to market is completely horrible.

Links of Interest 8/12

The director of District 9, Neil Blomkamp, is interviewed.

Well I’m certainly interested when Mitch Hurwitz and Will Arnett talk new project.

Sometimes when there’s an app for that, Apple wigs out.

How a black box in a crash can tell the story of what went wrong.

The food industry is evil. More evil than you even think.

V is coming back!

Beck interviews Will Ferrell. Of course.

Rainn Wilson speaks to Vanity Fair.

Why Letterman is better than Conan.

4chan. The website that can’t clearly be defined, but might just represent that last pure form of the Internet.

An Appreciation to Late Night Television - The rest of them

(Note: I realize that Carson is the king and that everyone pretty much from his point forward owe their careers to him. I watched and enjoyed him but my influential years were spent with Letterman. I'm an east coast guy and Letterman's sensibilities fit right into that. Anyway, that's my Carson rant.)

On the flip side, a collection of the others over the years...



Jay Leno

Say what you will about Jay Leno, the guy has done more than people routinely give him credit for. Us cynical Letterman fans just can't give him the credit he is due, and that's too bad, because he has seemingly created a late night empire that will propel him into prime time this summer when he takes his show to the 10 PM slot five days a week this summer.



Leno can definitely sell a joke, and his monologue is tight, professional and funny. He has risen from the ashes of The Late Shift (HBO movie on the whole Letterman/Leno/Carson thing) to become the king of late night.

Chevy Chase



Unfortunately, I trumpeted Chevy Chase as genius almost as much as Conan. But let me defend my self real quick. At that time, Chase could do no wrong. He was in Caddyshack. He was in Fletch. He had been an integral part of the success of Saturday Night Live. How could he be bad?



Oh well.

Arsenio Hall



While I realize he filled an important role as one of the first African American late night talk show hosts, I just couldn't get into him. Flashy without much substance, it wasn't my thing. He also had a tendency to really kiss up to his guests, something I definitely wasn't used to with Letterman's style and approach.



Pat Sajak



Anyone else remember that Pat Sajak had a late night television show? I'll admit, I didn't watch too much of this show. I can kinda see why someone might think Sajak would be a decent host, as he is fairly witty on Wheel of Fortune in an innocent way, but not for a late night show. Put him on in the afternoon and he might have had something special.



Alan Thicke



If you didn't remember Pat Sajak, you're definitely not going to remember Alan Thicke's show, known only for the awesome pun in the title. Apparently Arsenio Hall was Thicke's sidekick though, so he's go that going for him...

Single Topic Thursday - An Appreciation of late night television

Single topic Thursday is a chance to take a theme/topic/word/etc. and expand on it a bit more - more than one simple post. We'll see how it goes, and whether it gains any traction.

Today's topic:

Late Night Television

Dive in on the flip side...



I have a special place in my heart for late night talk shows. While it's hip and cool to say you're a night owl (versus being an early morning riser) it's also true for me. I hate the morning. You can ask pretty much anyone who has to deal with with me in the morning.

I also love TV. And when you put those two things together, you get late night television. And growing up in the late 80s, it meant one thing: David Letterman.



The perfect muddy, anything goes yang to Carson's detached, professional ying, watching Letterman's show sent a charge through your body. Anything could (and oftentimes did) happen. From the mundane to the sublime. From the (literally) stupid to the brilliant. But the best part of it was you never knew what you were going to get from show to show, and it was always a surprise. Where Carson was slick, sharp and subtle, Letterman was brash, brutal and biting.



I remember forcing myself to stay up for his monologue at the very least, causing me to be a zombie in school the next morning. But I didn't care, because Letterman was creating fresh, original programming that seemed to be specifically for me.



And regardless of whether a bit seemed to work or not, you could always count on Dave to make it funny.



Letterman also gave me my first taste of Chris Elliot, who won an Emmy writing on Late Night.



When Letterman was rumored to be leaving for the Tonight Show, and the whole weird late night "wars" between him, NBC and Jay Leno, a little part of me knew the genius of the show would be gone. 11:30 is a different beast than 12:30, and it seemed Letterman wanted to move away from the lunacy and craziness that made me love his show so much. While I still love Dave and always will consider him my favorite, I'm still a little nostalgic for those 80s shows I grew up with.

Up next: A man named Conan...

Links of Interest 2/2

These are some cool trees. No, seriously, even if you don't think much of trees, these are cool.

I believe Letterman revels in making people feel awkward on his show. I also think the tables can be turned occasionally. Here's a list of awkward moments from his show.

There is such a thing as over packaging when it comes to DVDs and whatnot.

The New York Times gives Rick Moranis a platform. I'm not 100% sure on what.

Don't follow me on Twitter? Well, read this to see if it's up to your liking, and then join the party!

Dolphin chefs!

In honor of Al Michaels' pirate "joke" last night. Did anyone else hear it?

Cars mean a lot here in America, but something a little different in the Soviet Union.

Tricycle stunt jump. This looks impressive.

A drug company doing the wrong thing. I'd be willing to bet this happens a lot more often than the general public knows.

Actors talking Oscars.

The Good...the Bad...the Beautiful #41

THE GOOD:



Dean Martin, John Wayne, tuxedos, probably a gallon of gin and song. You're welcome.

Bad and Beautiful on the flip side!



THE BAD:



So a porn movie needs a disclaimer like this? Talk about killing the mood. Although, it can only increase the sexiness of whatever comes next.

THE BEAUTIFUL:



Chris Elliot's Fugitive Guy from Letterman. It's beautiful to me dammit!