Distraction 187: Who Did This Mess?

Dogs are awesome.  :)


For once, I agreed with the AFV judges; this is good stuff. 




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Distraction 180: The World's First Tickling Spa

Make your reservations now!  The world's first tickling spa is now open in Spain.  I'm not sure if it's meant to relax or torture.

As I was imagining what the place must be like, Tex Avery's "Shhhh!" popped into mind; about a poor jittery man just trying to relax, despite the crazy folk in the room next door.  It's based off of "The Laughing Record #1," originally from Okeh records, but can also be found on the cd "Only in America" from Arf! Arf! Productions.

Distraction 177: Green With Envy Trailer [HD]

Ooooh, can't wait!  Can't wait!  Can't wait!






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Distraction 176: Fair Today

"Pardon me... Have you seen my little boy?"

All of the puns and the timing make it hard to believe that Tex Avery wasn't involved somehow.  This cartoon is so similar to Avery's "House of Tomorrow" and "Car of Tomorrow."  Walter Lantz is great too though.

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Distraction 174: Stefon

Do you know who Stefon is?
Saturday Night Live - Weekend Update - Stefon - Video - NBC.com


A bunch of silly websites have popped up where you can create your own Stefon club promo.  Here are a couple:
Stefon Mad Libs
The Stefonator!






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Distraction 164: Best Judge Judy Ending Ever

Where to begin?  This clip is ridiculous, it's really ridiculous OBVIOUSLY, I feel like my whole life is ridiculous really.

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Distraction 141: My Favorite Python

I love Michael Palin; favorite member of Monty Python (sorry Terry Gilliam), actor, writer, reality show traveler and oh, so cute & wacky!!


"Yes, I love the ocean...  God, how I... how I love her.  She's so... so damn..."
"Wet."
"Wet, yes.  Yes.  So damn, damn... wet."


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Distraction 140: The International Silver String Submarine Band

These kids are pretty good on their junkyard instruments, but I wonder how they would do pitted against Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids band...  Fat Albert plays one hell of an airbag radiator.  Nah, nah, nah, gonna have a good time!

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Distraction 137: Donald Trump's Credentials and Breadth of Experience

The whole video is funny, but my favorite part begins around the 4:00 mark.

"... These are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir. Well handled."

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Distraction 133: "It's too piercin', man, too piercin'."

The first time I saw this short was on The Great Space Coaster.  The original content of that show was awful, but it featured a lot of fun independent animation.




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Distraction 130: Jet Screamer

While a tremendous amount of music used in kids programming was, and continues to be, garbage, the stuff in The Jetsons and The Flintstones was always fun.

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Distraction 123: Portlandia - Put A Bird On It

PUT! 

A! 

BIRD!

ON! 

IT!

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Distraction 120: The 3 Little Bops

You gotta get hot to play real cool!




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Distraction 114: The Middle Ground Between Light & Shadow

Image by Dave Perillo

Rod Serling was a master story teller.  Even the introductions to the "Twilight Zone" were wonderfully written if you actually think about what's being said.  (Imagine!)  My favorite is the third one listed below.  



"You're traveling through another dimension; a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind.  A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination.  That's the signpost up ahead!  Your next stop: the Twilight Zone!"


"You unlock this door with the key of imagination.  Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind.  You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into... the Twilight Zone."


"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.  It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.  It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge.  This is the dimension of imagination.  It is an area which we call 'The Twilight Zone.'"




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Distraction 113: Kurt Cobain as Moz

Want to feel old?  Kurt Cobain died 17 years ago today.  If you like to sound well read, you could instead say he escaped this mortal coil 17 years ago.  Or if you're just odd, you could point out that's a high school senior ago.


I never saw the above clip until today.  It features Kurt doing his best imitation of Morrissey and made me laugh out loud.  Please to enjoy...






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Distraction 112: Dead Lazlo's Place (Laverne & Shirley)

I knew Andrew & I were destined to be buds when he leaned in to the microphone at Stacks and said simply, "Betty, please."  Lol






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Distraction 108: The Maxx

The homeless guy that used to hang out at the park near my house died a couple weeks ago.  We nicknamed him "The Maxx," after the comic book series (and subsequent animated series) created by Sam Kieth.  

Viacom's removed all clips of the show from YouTube, but it's available streaming on the MTV website (with lots of ads) or on DVD.  I strongly suggest watching it from beginning to end.  It's so beautiful and sad.

Rest in peace, homeless guy.

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Distraction 106: John Astin as Gomez Addams

The Addams Family is one of my all-time favorite tv shows.  Though all of the players were wonderful, I've determined that Gomez is the best character, hands down (no pun intended, Thing).  He consistently had the best lines and John Astin mastered the role with unmatched manic zeal.

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Distraction 104: Uncle Pecos

I love Uncle Pecos' three-sheets-to-the-wind interpretation of "Frog Went a Courtin'," actually sung by Shug Fisher.




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Distraction 104: Scopitone

Have you ever heard of Scopitones?  They're a type of jukebox that featured a 16mm film to accompany the music, popular in the 50s & 60s.  The Joi Lansing short above, as featured on Cinema Insomnia, is what piqued my interest.

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