Does This Look Infected?
Since when did blogging become such a requirement? I get emails...not to say hi. Not to see how I am doing. Demanding blogs! So here I am, 12:21 at night, on my way to bed (early for me!), trying to scratch out something interesting to sate the appetite of an incessent public.
So, it is official: My ass can cook! Yeah, I finally started making more than the same old stir fry and chicken breasts. Expanding my horizons. It's good to have a human garbage disposal for a roommate. I swear, this guy's olfactory glands are mutant. I can't make food in this house without his nose leading him down the stairs. I used to get annoyed, you know, it's like, dog, how come you only get hungry when Im cooking? But, I have adjusted. I now make extra food just in case. Cause Im cool like that! I was making turkey-meatball sandwiches the other day, and my roomie comes down, and says, damn, that smells good! Im all, good to hear, because I made you one. You'd have thought I saved his life. He was like, oh man, that is so nice! Im like, hey, nothing makes me happier than to do something for other people. Tonight, I made pizzas. Homemade dough, the works. Came out pretty good.
Ok, I am addicted to sit coms. I watch reruns all the time! So, in light of the fact that I am an absolute expert, here is TJs 10 Greatest Sit Coms of All Time. I recommend renting the DVDs to these if you can...(note that this is totally biased, and there are a lot of popular shows I ahve never seen)
10. DIFF'RENT STROKES: Barely edges out alot of great shows. Good Times, The Jeffersons, Friends, Just Shoot Me, Larry Sanders and others. Gary Coleman carried this show. Nothing like a 25 year old man playing a 5th grader. An absolutely formulaic comedy, but the unintentional comedy based on the exploits of the cast post-show makes this a classic. "What chu talkin bout, Mr D?" Show fell apart when they brought in that little red headed dork.
9. FAMILY TIES: In honor of my boy Jin. Alex P Keaton, an all-time great. This show never really jumped the shark. Had potential, but was clearly carried by Michael J Fox, who was comedy genius on this show. The supporting cast was average at best.
8. M*A*S*H: A real hybrid show, perhaps the first of its kind. Deftly combined slapstick comedy with real drama. As funny as the surgeons of the 4077 could be, a show based on a MASH unit in the Korean War can only go so long before the drama kicks in. The writing was sharp, and the characters all real and tangible. A great ensemble, all characters were well developed, something missing in the crappy sit coms of today.
7. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: A sitcom by form, but not by substance. Reportedly, the show is almost entirely improv. But the situations, and the persona that Larry David has carved out is so incredibly unbelievable that it becomes believable. The show hits home, and before long, you are cringing before Larry says word one, because you already know his reaction. He can thank the lack of restrictions on cable for most of the success of the show. I can't imagine Friends would do an episode where a main character picks up a hooker to ride in the carpool lane, or buys pot for his ailing father, or has his genitals bitten by a family dog. This past season, centered around his casting in The Producers, was the most consistently funny storyline I have seen in a season of a show since the Sam and Diane realtionship from Cheers.
6. THE SIMPSONS: Yes, I am calling it a sit com. Many people consider it the funniest show of all time, a show that never jumped the shark. While Homer has remained the funniest "man" in America, the show has lost alot of it's bite. In addition, being a cartoon, it has alot of room to explore alot of jokes that regular shows can't.
5. FRASIER: The smartest live action comedy to ever grace the air waves. Sharp writing combined with the immensely talented Grammar and Pierce created one of the few comedies that refused to play to the lowest common denominator. It always amazed me that NBC created a smart comedy, with sharp, dry wit, totally opposite of the usual slapstick farces that end up on weeknight primtime, and it became the most awarded comedy of all time (31 Emmys). Meanwhile, no one has tried to emulate that success. The constantly resort to the same crappy, formulaic productions. Boggles the mind. Trivia Note: Originally cast to play Roz, Frasier's producer, was Lisa Kudrow.
4. COSBY SHOW: The ultimate family sit com. A formula that has been the cornerstone of television comedy finally done right. As a bonus, it was really the first show to portray the African American household as anything but a struggling unit, keeping just above water, scraping by in the ghetto. Sure, The Jeffersons was revolutionary, but after Good Times, Sanford and Son, Whats Happenin....the Cosby Show was great relief from the shuckin' and jivin' of 70's black family sit coms. Bill Cosby became America's father figure. Running the type of household that everyone wanted to be a part of. The show was always funny, but combined moral lessons as well as a true feeling of love. One of the most important shows to ever be on TV.
3. FAMILY GUY: Call it a wild card entry. Only a limited run on Fox has kept this gem from becoming the new Simpsons. After offending just about everyone, the show was removed from the Fox lineup. A recent resurgence as a re-run on the Cartoon Network has elevated it to cult status. Pop culture references, genius writing, diverse and ludicrous characters....nothing on TV will bring out more consistent laughs. A true "must rent."
2. SEINFELD: I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. It's humor was predicated by the absolutely evil quartet the show was based on. We don't admit it, but the fun of the show was delighting in the misery the characters experienced, and dished out. There was an bit of identification with the characters, and then a total disassociation at other times. They were both real, and unbelievable in the same breath. The writing was great, but the beauty of the show was how everything, no matter how separated, came together at the end. Then, to parody itself, and create a story line where these characters, from a show about nothing, write the pilot for a show about nothing. What can I say, genius. Another example of what can happen when you divert from the norm, and take chances. People will reward you with ratings, so it is a wonder more shows don't take similar chances.
1. CHEERS: I could literally go on for days about this show. I have seen every episode at least 3 times, and never grow tired of it. It is one thing to know the lines to a movie, but when you know the lines in every episode of a show, you might have a problem. The place where "everyone knows your name" truly lived up to that mantra. Never before have characters become so intimate with the audience. You knew everything about everyone, even the minor characters. I could easily rattle off the personal history of Norm, or Cliff, or Sam....they were real, tangible people. The jokes were real, and never felt set up or forced. You could actually believe the situations. So ridiculous sometimes, that they had to be real. I admit, as Kirstie Alley went from the hot new chick to the fat whiny broad, the show lost some of its luster. But that's what happens when shows wind down. They get out of control, and the plot lines run off in different directions like kids scattering after a baseball goes through a window. Then, everyone gets reeled in for the final episode. This show is a masterpiece, and will never be topped.
Ok, I didnt finish last night, so I will wrap it up this morning....just wasnt very amusing last night. All serious. Rereading my sitcom list, not a funny thing in there. How ironic.
Mmmmmmm, pancakes and bacon. Yum.....
I have been so flakey at work lately. I feel bad. But, I enter deed information into a computer data base all day for 10 bucks an hour....I guess every now and then it dawns on you that you aren't exactly working on the cure for cancer. Im a little more fired up now, you know, work ethic and all that crap, but Im not expecting miracles. Hey, at least Im honest. What is that saying, if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life? Um, I am working double shifts then....
If one more person cuts in front of me to avoid the long wait in a traffic line, you know, superceding everyone who waits forever...I swear, Im going to.....who am I kidding, Ill honk, flip em off, then stare at their rearview for a mile like I always do. Reallllll threatening. "Hey honey, I think that guy behind us is upset. He is staring! Maybe I should let him pass...." I hate these people, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them.....
Well, new Law and Order and a new CSI. This time, Law and Order: Trial by Jury, and CSI: New York. Is it me, or is this out of hand? Can't wait until 5 years from now, when my TiVo will be full of reruns of Law and Order: A Bailiff's Life, and CSI: Bakersfield. Stop the madness, people.....
People always make fun of Shaq for being a terrible actor. Is he really the one to blame? If you couldnt act, and someone put you in a movie anyways, wouldn't you jump at the chance? I don't blame Shaq one bit, or any of the other famous people who stink up the big screen. Why don't we blame the real bozos, the producers, the movie studios, and the directors who dare to make this schlock? You want a loser? Look at the cast for these movies. I notice that the movie Steel, starring Shaquille O'Neal, featured a back up performance by Judd Nelson. Former brat packer, John Bender-Judd Nelson. And now, he is second fiddle to a 7 foot hack. This after a tv stint as supporting actor to Brooke Shields! I can't make this stuff up. So, next time you want to be an actor, remember that you are always a paycheck away from starring opposite Steven Segal in Under Siege 11: Terror at Starbucks. Fame is a cruel bitch....
T Shirts From Hell. Just go there. If you don't buy anything (and you will), you will at least laugh you ass off at some of this crap. T Shirts That Suck is equally offensive.....
Visit Mussopini's blog today, as he and I will be doing a tandem blog over the course of the day....it should be updated every couple hours or so.....the link is up and to the right. Up, and to the right. Up, and to the right. Up, and to the right.....
So, it is official: My ass can cook! Yeah, I finally started making more than the same old stir fry and chicken breasts. Expanding my horizons. It's good to have a human garbage disposal for a roommate. I swear, this guy's olfactory glands are mutant. I can't make food in this house without his nose leading him down the stairs. I used to get annoyed, you know, it's like, dog, how come you only get hungry when Im cooking? But, I have adjusted. I now make extra food just in case. Cause Im cool like that! I was making turkey-meatball sandwiches the other day, and my roomie comes down, and says, damn, that smells good! Im all, good to hear, because I made you one. You'd have thought I saved his life. He was like, oh man, that is so nice! Im like, hey, nothing makes me happier than to do something for other people. Tonight, I made pizzas. Homemade dough, the works. Came out pretty good.
Ok, I am addicted to sit coms. I watch reruns all the time! So, in light of the fact that I am an absolute expert, here is TJs 10 Greatest Sit Coms of All Time. I recommend renting the DVDs to these if you can...(note that this is totally biased, and there are a lot of popular shows I ahve never seen)
10. DIFF'RENT STROKES: Barely edges out alot of great shows. Good Times, The Jeffersons, Friends, Just Shoot Me, Larry Sanders and others. Gary Coleman carried this show. Nothing like a 25 year old man playing a 5th grader. An absolutely formulaic comedy, but the unintentional comedy based on the exploits of the cast post-show makes this a classic. "What chu talkin bout, Mr D?" Show fell apart when they brought in that little red headed dork.
9. FAMILY TIES: In honor of my boy Jin. Alex P Keaton, an all-time great. This show never really jumped the shark. Had potential, but was clearly carried by Michael J Fox, who was comedy genius on this show. The supporting cast was average at best.
8. M*A*S*H: A real hybrid show, perhaps the first of its kind. Deftly combined slapstick comedy with real drama. As funny as the surgeons of the 4077 could be, a show based on a MASH unit in the Korean War can only go so long before the drama kicks in. The writing was sharp, and the characters all real and tangible. A great ensemble, all characters were well developed, something missing in the crappy sit coms of today.
7. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: A sitcom by form, but not by substance. Reportedly, the show is almost entirely improv. But the situations, and the persona that Larry David has carved out is so incredibly unbelievable that it becomes believable. The show hits home, and before long, you are cringing before Larry says word one, because you already know his reaction. He can thank the lack of restrictions on cable for most of the success of the show. I can't imagine Friends would do an episode where a main character picks up a hooker to ride in the carpool lane, or buys pot for his ailing father, or has his genitals bitten by a family dog. This past season, centered around his casting in The Producers, was the most consistently funny storyline I have seen in a season of a show since the Sam and Diane realtionship from Cheers.
6. THE SIMPSONS: Yes, I am calling it a sit com. Many people consider it the funniest show of all time, a show that never jumped the shark. While Homer has remained the funniest "man" in America, the show has lost alot of it's bite. In addition, being a cartoon, it has alot of room to explore alot of jokes that regular shows can't.
5. FRASIER: The smartest live action comedy to ever grace the air waves. Sharp writing combined with the immensely talented Grammar and Pierce created one of the few comedies that refused to play to the lowest common denominator. It always amazed me that NBC created a smart comedy, with sharp, dry wit, totally opposite of the usual slapstick farces that end up on weeknight primtime, and it became the most awarded comedy of all time (31 Emmys). Meanwhile, no one has tried to emulate that success. The constantly resort to the same crappy, formulaic productions. Boggles the mind. Trivia Note: Originally cast to play Roz, Frasier's producer, was Lisa Kudrow.
4. COSBY SHOW: The ultimate family sit com. A formula that has been the cornerstone of television comedy finally done right. As a bonus, it was really the first show to portray the African American household as anything but a struggling unit, keeping just above water, scraping by in the ghetto. Sure, The Jeffersons was revolutionary, but after Good Times, Sanford and Son, Whats Happenin....the Cosby Show was great relief from the shuckin' and jivin' of 70's black family sit coms. Bill Cosby became America's father figure. Running the type of household that everyone wanted to be a part of. The show was always funny, but combined moral lessons as well as a true feeling of love. One of the most important shows to ever be on TV.
3. FAMILY GUY: Call it a wild card entry. Only a limited run on Fox has kept this gem from becoming the new Simpsons. After offending just about everyone, the show was removed from the Fox lineup. A recent resurgence as a re-run on the Cartoon Network has elevated it to cult status. Pop culture references, genius writing, diverse and ludicrous characters....nothing on TV will bring out more consistent laughs. A true "must rent."
2. SEINFELD: I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. It's humor was predicated by the absolutely evil quartet the show was based on. We don't admit it, but the fun of the show was delighting in the misery the characters experienced, and dished out. There was an bit of identification with the characters, and then a total disassociation at other times. They were both real, and unbelievable in the same breath. The writing was great, but the beauty of the show was how everything, no matter how separated, came together at the end. Then, to parody itself, and create a story line where these characters, from a show about nothing, write the pilot for a show about nothing. What can I say, genius. Another example of what can happen when you divert from the norm, and take chances. People will reward you with ratings, so it is a wonder more shows don't take similar chances.
1. CHEERS: I could literally go on for days about this show. I have seen every episode at least 3 times, and never grow tired of it. It is one thing to know the lines to a movie, but when you know the lines in every episode of a show, you might have a problem. The place where "everyone knows your name" truly lived up to that mantra. Never before have characters become so intimate with the audience. You knew everything about everyone, even the minor characters. I could easily rattle off the personal history of Norm, or Cliff, or Sam....they were real, tangible people. The jokes were real, and never felt set up or forced. You could actually believe the situations. So ridiculous sometimes, that they had to be real. I admit, as Kirstie Alley went from the hot new chick to the fat whiny broad, the show lost some of its luster. But that's what happens when shows wind down. They get out of control, and the plot lines run off in different directions like kids scattering after a baseball goes through a window. Then, everyone gets reeled in for the final episode. This show is a masterpiece, and will never be topped.
Ok, I didnt finish last night, so I will wrap it up this morning....just wasnt very amusing last night. All serious. Rereading my sitcom list, not a funny thing in there. How ironic.
Mmmmmmm, pancakes and bacon. Yum.....
I have been so flakey at work lately. I feel bad. But, I enter deed information into a computer data base all day for 10 bucks an hour....I guess every now and then it dawns on you that you aren't exactly working on the cure for cancer. Im a little more fired up now, you know, work ethic and all that crap, but Im not expecting miracles. Hey, at least Im honest. What is that saying, if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life? Um, I am working double shifts then....
If one more person cuts in front of me to avoid the long wait in a traffic line, you know, superceding everyone who waits forever...I swear, Im going to.....who am I kidding, Ill honk, flip em off, then stare at their rearview for a mile like I always do. Reallllll threatening. "Hey honey, I think that guy behind us is upset. He is staring! Maybe I should let him pass...." I hate these people, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I hate them.....
Well, new Law and Order and a new CSI. This time, Law and Order: Trial by Jury, and CSI: New York. Is it me, or is this out of hand? Can't wait until 5 years from now, when my TiVo will be full of reruns of Law and Order: A Bailiff's Life, and CSI: Bakersfield. Stop the madness, people.....
People always make fun of Shaq for being a terrible actor. Is he really the one to blame? If you couldnt act, and someone put you in a movie anyways, wouldn't you jump at the chance? I don't blame Shaq one bit, or any of the other famous people who stink up the big screen. Why don't we blame the real bozos, the producers, the movie studios, and the directors who dare to make this schlock? You want a loser? Look at the cast for these movies. I notice that the movie Steel, starring Shaquille O'Neal, featured a back up performance by Judd Nelson. Former brat packer, John Bender-Judd Nelson. And now, he is second fiddle to a 7 foot hack. This after a tv stint as supporting actor to Brooke Shields! I can't make this stuff up. So, next time you want to be an actor, remember that you are always a paycheck away from starring opposite Steven Segal in Under Siege 11: Terror at Starbucks. Fame is a cruel bitch....
T Shirts From Hell. Just go there. If you don't buy anything (and you will), you will at least laugh you ass off at some of this crap. T Shirts That Suck is equally offensive.....
Visit Mussopini's blog today, as he and I will be doing a tandem blog over the course of the day....it should be updated every couple hours or so.....the link is up and to the right. Up, and to the right. Up, and to the right. Up, and to the right.....
