This ad has been carpet-bombed on TV, and vexing me for weeks: The music is Billy Idol’s cover of Tommy James & The Shondells’ hit Mony Mony: That they used a cover rather than the original is the first thing that pisses me off. My favorite Billy Idol song is “Dancing With Myself” which, while… Continue reading Nissan-Sentra and the Tyranny of Rocking Out
Category: tv
Olive Kitteridge Music & the synchronicity of chord changes
The new HBO series “Olive Kitteredge” is great television, and the music, composed by Carter Burwell provides a lot of the moody atmosphere for the show.: [audio:http://www.cornwarning.com/xfer/CarterBurwell-OliveKitteredgeTheme.mp3|titles=Olive Kitteredge Main Theme|artists=Carter Burwell] But I was sure that I’d heard the main theme music before, or something very similar to it. It nagged me all day and… Continue reading Olive Kitteridge Music & the synchronicity of chord changes
Double Plus Butter, Double Plus Un-Butter
A new product at my Supermarket is called “Move Over Butter.” I thought this was so hilarious I bought some. OK on toast but not as good a butter replacement for cooking as Smart Balance. In researching a post about this topic, I found that there’s actually a definitive post on SeriousEats about stuff people… Continue reading Double Plus Butter, Double Plus Un-Butter
In Praise of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
This post has been making the rounds this week and I had to respond. Not so much because it needs defending, but because I believe this post fundamentally misunderstands Peanuts and A Charlie Brown Christmas. “F*ck You, Charlie Brown.” Poor Charles Schultz would cringe to see that; he was a pretty old fashioned guy for… Continue reading In Praise of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
Subway says Pepperoni Makes You Gay
The fuck? Watching this commercial makes my brain hurt: If I understand the scenario, two guys are eating sandwiches at a Subway restaurant. They enthuse about the flavor-enhancing qualities of adding pepperoni to a sandwich. They are then launched into a shared hallucination where they’re being poled along a canal in Venice by a gondolier.… Continue reading Subway says Pepperoni Makes You Gay
He watches Project Runway so I don’t have to
My Brother Ian, Preaching on the value of Niceness Among The Ambitious “…you’re never going to sell a book entitled “The REAL Secret: The Universe Doesn’t CARE What You Want” but I’ve seen enough nice guys (and girls) finish first to wonder why everyone else is being such a dick about it.” I’ve resolved to… Continue reading He watches Project Runway so I don’t have to
Dana Carvey, Unfunny Racist Motherfucker
I had the misfortune to catch Dana Carvey for a minute on the Tonight Show last night. Check the second video at that link where he comes across with his Ching Chong squinty Chinese voice and Kwiki-Mart-grade Indian accent. Can you imagine anyone ever thought this shithead was funny?
Old Spice — Best Ads on TV?
Harry Allen posted about this, but it’s too good not to share. This ad is the culmination of the barmy series of ads that started with Bruce Campbell singing “Hungry Like A Wolf.” Not only are the ads really funny, they are a mirror maze of masculine signifiers, parodies of masculine signifiers, and affirmations of… Continue reading Old Spice — Best Ads on TV?
TV Advert Volume: Threat or Menace (PS APPLE STFU)
This article got mentioned on Slashdot, and just last night I was bitching to M. about how commercials are louder than programs. I like how the FCC responded to complaints saying there was ‘no fair way’ to define loudness. Apparently, even though they regulate broadcasts, including radio, which is all audio, they’ve never heard of… Continue reading TV Advert Volume: Threat or Menace (PS APPLE STFU)
Dear Local TV Weathermen: Fuck Right Off MKay?
Jebus — every time there’s bad weather in Iowa, they preempt network shows for local weather dudes to gabble on and on while they fiddle with their fancy weather displays. JUST PUT A WARNING IN THE CORNER OF THE SCREEN DUMBASS. Maybe the scariest thing is that the underlying assumption that everyone is going to… Continue reading Dear Local TV Weathermen: Fuck Right Off MKay?