We've been to West Virginia many times and are happy to report that there are lots of smart, progressive people there. Despite what you've heard, not everyone there is a racist redneck. That's just Hillary's base: [via Rumproast]
While we're on the subject, this video (if you missed it) is even more disturbing.
What happened to Hillary's happy supporters:
The good news is, despite her victory yesterday, Obama just picked up more superdelegates.
God, we sure hope so. You know, so we can make fun of them. From Gothamist
Entering its 21st season, MTV's The Real World returns to New York for a third time...but for the first time it's headed to an outer-borough. That's right, the seven generic, good-looking roommates will be heading to Brooklyn.Of course, this would all be very ironic since MTV threatened us with a lawsuit for running this parody/hoax back in 2000.Shooting begins this summer, and will result in 12 hour-long episodes. In the press release we received, Jon Murray, co-creator of the show, says "The Brooklyn season, like the Hollywood season, will focus on what people loved about 'The Real World' when it launched in 1992 - genuine people, meaningful conflict and powerful stories." Really Jon? We're sort of betting it'll be more about the cast taking over bars, fighting with locals, getting drunk and sleeping with roommates -- all as they take their amazingly overpriced living quarters for granted.
The big question now is: Which part of Brooklyn will have the distinct pleasure of welcoming the new residents? Our guess is they'll be taking over a few luxury condo units in Williamsburg. Perhaps this will unite the hipsters and anti-hipsters of the 'nabe? Either way, get ready to see the production taking over McCarren Pool Parties this summer.
Rapture thrillers, '70s style!
Given all the craziness in the world right now--war, cyclones, earthquakes, the plummeting dollar--the Jesusy lunatics at RaptureReady are worried that the end may be near. In fact, the Rapture Index is currently at 170. That's seven points higher than the record highs of 2006 and 2007 and just 12 points beneath the all-time high of 182, which occurred in September of 2001. It's time to get your rapture letter mailing list in order.
Here's some of the reasons the RaptureReady.com gives for the sudden jump in the probability of the Apocalypse's arrival (below). Ironically, some of the shit they list is the result of the polices of their patron saint, George Bush:
-- False Christs - A gentleman in Florida has made news by claiming to be Christ.
-- Inflation: Consumer prices continue to soar.
-- Debt and Trade - The U.S. federal debt reaches the $9 trillion mark.
-- Ecumenism - A key Italian political leader proposed the creation a "palace of religions" in Rome.
-- Beast Government - The EU pens a new treaty.
-- Volcanoes - Chaiten volcano has erupted in southern Chile
-- Wild Weather- Bad weather is putting millions of people at risk.
-- Plagues - A new drug-resistant strain staff has been linked to sexually-active gay men.
After the jump, another hilarious rapture video.
We have absolutely no idea what to make of this trailer, but we'll see anything starring Zach Galifianakis as George Washington or Nathaniel Buckner.
This is our favorite new site to emerge since Stuff White People Like. It's hard to believe, but yes, McCain is older than Mount Rushmore, Alaska, and Teflon. More here.
These two videos are completely unrelated, save for the fact that they're both hilarious and deeply disturbing.
We're totally going to see this just-released film Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, via Buzzfeed
Of course, the movie would have been better if some of those zombie chickens were unleashed on O'Reilly. [via HuffPost]. UPDATE: Youtube pulled the clip. You can watch it here.
Someone needs to read Hillary the writing on the wall. From ABCNews
ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: For the first time this campaign season, Barack Obama has surpassed Hillary Clinton's support among superdelegates, according to the ABC News delegate estimate.Meanwhile, Bill continues to be a train-wreck:Sen. Obama, D-Ill., picked up two superdelegates this morning giving him a new metric to tout in addition to his current commanding leads in pledged delegates, popular votes, states won, and money raised.
Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., switched his endorsement from Clinton to Obama and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., endorsed Obama. DeFazio was previously uncommitted.
With these endorsements, Obama has the support of 267 superdelegates and Clinton has 265 superdelegates.
Jose Saramago’s book "Blindness" is one of our favorites in recent memory. We're excited to hear there's going to be a movie:
When a sudden plague of blindness devastates a city, a small group of the afflicted band together to triumphantly overcome the horrific conditions of their imposed quarantine. BLINDNESS, starring Academy Award-nominee Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, Mark Ruffalo, Sandra Oh and Danny Glover, is a psychological thriller about the fragility of mankind. Adapted from Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago’s masterwork, the film is directed by Academy Award-nominee Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”) from a screenplay by Tony Award-winner Don McKellar (“The Drowsy Chaperone”).It's slotted for release this Fall. Check out the new Blindness trailer here.
In other movie news, we're also excited about HBO's "Recount," which premieres this month. Despite her lack of boobage, we can't imagine better casting than Laura Dern for the role of Katherine Harris. Watch the trailer after the jump.
Remember when the Hildabeast's crowds were handpicked for the cameras to make her campaign look vibrant and diverse? Those days are over. Apparently her core constituency now consists of flesh-eating, zombie, cult members who have had all the blood drained from their bodies. Image c/o Gawker:
We don't know if this is real, but when it's this funny, it kinda doesn't matter. Via Flickr
We just posted the full schedule at McCarrenPark.com.
If you missed part 1, you may want to watch it first. On second thought, it doesn't really matter since they're both utterly retarded and make almost no sense. We mean that in a good way, of course. Via Best Week Ever and Buzzfeed
Rapping about bling and bitches is played out. What's next for aspiring rappers? Rapping about The Economist. [via The Guardian]
The Economist's bid to appeal to more youthful readers seems to be paying off after two 17-year-olds created a rap about the business title, while a Facebook fan group created by a teenage schoolgirl has enjoyed a surge in popularity.We can only hope they tackle The New Yorker next. Grab the MP3 here or listen to an excerpt here. [Hat Tip Gawker]The rap, created by US students Ike Edgerton and Chris Misa under the name Psikotic, is a tribute that includes samples of Economist journalists such as Edward Lucas and Anthony Gottlieb from the title's audio podcasts.
The chorus of the rap runs: "He reads the Economist so he can get the gist, its solid competence gives him confidence that his intelligence is correct."
Other lines praise editorial standards such as "The style in which they write is simple and concise, how do they get their sentences so precise?"
The rap finishes with the defiant statement: "I guess reading it makes me kind of boring. Well if that's the price I pay for being well informed - too fucking bad."
Anti has the full list of tour dates posted. [hat tip BrooklynVegan]
Since lots of people have been asking, yes, Gogol Bordello are confirmed. As are M.I.A., Ween, Death Cab For Cutie, Devo, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist, and the Black Keys. Tickets and more information can be found at mccarrenpark.com. We're still waiting to hear more about the free JellyNYC Pool Parties, so stay posted.
Gogol Bordello, Wonderlust King
UPDATE: Part of this video, according to filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker, has been doctored. See the original here. Still, where the racial slur seems to be a fraud, Kantor does in fact refer to Indianans as "shit."
This is fucking weird, but don't worry, the video is bizarre but carnage-free. [hat tip Buzzfeed]
From the Washington Post
The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer. The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years."We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."
By his own admission, John McCain is breaking the law. His latest spending report has him $4 million over the limit he imposed on himself when he accepted public financing. Make McCain comply to FEC laws by signing this petition.
Last May, three potentially great blockbusters came along and broke our hearts. This month four movies with the same potential (well, maybe not Speed Racer) are in play. Are we ready to love again?
MAY 2
MADE OF HONOR
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
My Best Female Friend's Wedding
WILL IT SUCK?
Hey, I'm as big a Michelle Monaghan fan as the next guy, but even I have my limits. From the director of such classic sequels as City Slickers II and Leonard Part 6. Two of the writers did Surviving Christmas and The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas but, to be fair, they also did Can't Hardly Wait and the underrated Josie and the Pussycats. Early buzz not good.
By the way, is this not the goofiest film promotion of late? I mean, who wouldn't want to get married at a movie premiere?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Counterprogramming only works if your movie doesn't suck balls. Just ask License to Wed. $44mil.
------------------------------------------
IRON MAN
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
He is Iron Man. Duh-de-duh-de-duh-duh. Vote for him.
Peter Beste has a new book out documenting the Norwegian Black Metal scene in pictures. It looks amazing. These dudes are the real deal and make pseudo-satanic poseurs in America look like pussies. The lead singer of Gorgoroth, Gaahl (pictured aboved), actually did time for torturing a dude and drinking his blood. Here's what the publisher (Vice) has to say about Beste's book:
Documentary photographer Peter Beste has spent the last five years working in the milieu of the Norwegian black metal scene. This scene, with its notorious events of murder, church arson, and self-mythology, is absolutely sealed to outsiders. The international black metal fan base is one of the most devoted, fanatical, and proprietary in the world. Beste’s access and insight into this world is unprecedented and has yielded an amazing photographic journey
Check out the amazing video series by VBS after the jump.
[Hat Tip Gawker]
Our contest is over, but our friends at Rumproast are giving away another pair of tickets for Thursday's show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. Get 'em while they're hot.
We must admit we're surprised, but her new record sounds pretty good thus far:
We can't wait to see David Cross' new show David’s Situation. Currently in production, Vanity Fair has the scoop:
It’s taken 10 years, but Bob and David are finally have a new show of their own. They’re returning to HBO this fall with David’s Situation, a sitcom about a standup comic named David Cross (played by--wait for it--David Cross) who leaves Hollywood to live in the suburbs, where he writes for in-flight airline magazines and argues with his roommates, one of whom is a bleeding-heart liberal and the other a fire-breathing conservative. Co-written with Odenkirk, who also directs, the show is a big departure from the sketch-based madness that made them cult-comedy gods. Still, in a sign that they haven’t completely abandoned their Mr. Show roots, every episode will be interrupted by parodies of commercials. “There could be ads for scissors or a new fictional movie or a public service announcement,” Cross said. “It could be anything.”Looks like the rumored Arrested Development movie will never happen:
David Cross: Take something like Arrested Development. I wish it wasn’t the case, but I do have some empathy for the network. Fox is not a charity. As much as I hate the idea that commerce should come ahead of art, it’s true. I wish they could say, “Hey, let’s just take some of that Simpsons money and put it into Arrested Development,” but that would be the dumbest fucking move ever. That’s not how a business operates.
More information at mccarrenpark.com.
We always found the videos on Funny or Die to be hit or miss. Thankfully, we discovered the Will Ferrell filter. All of Will's favorites are, well, completely retarded, but in a good way. Here's our favorite:
We've said it before and we'll say it again: no one will mobilize the Republican base like Hillary Clinton. That's why the GOP is preparing to run ads like this:
Make her go away. Meanwhile, Hil has a little preacher problem of her own.
UPDATE: The queen of sleaze gets sleazier by claiming she's won the popular vote thus far. We can only hope Howard Dean will do his job and start calling her on her bullshit.
Brazilian Girls will perform Friday, July 11
The schedule is a bit underwhelming, but here it is. We'll definitely be checking out the Carolina Chocolate Drops on June 26:
This promises to be a great show. The temple is amazing and I'm From Barcelona are a ridiculously fun live band. The show is May 1st at 7:30 and tickets are available at TicketWeb.
Best of all, we have A PAIR OF FREE TICKETS available via Boost Mobile.com. To win, be the fifth person to email us with the subject line "I'm from Barcelona." [we have a winner]
At least their editorial page did. While many in the media spin her "enormous" victory in PA, most strangely fail to mention that Obama (according to many polls) actually moved up ten points in the state, despite Team Hillary's GOP fear-mongering tactics. From NY Times
The Pennsylvania campaign, which produced yet another inconclusive result on Tuesday, was even meaner, more vacuous, more desperate, and more filled with pandering than the mean, vacuous, desperate, pander-filled contests that preceded it.Voters are getting tired of it; it is demeaning the political process; and it does not work. It is past time for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to acknowledge that the negativity, for which she is mostly responsible, does nothing but harm to her, her opponent, her party and the 2008 election.
If nothing else, self interest should push her in that direction. Mrs. Clinton did not get the big win in Pennsylvania that she needed to challenge the calculus of the Democratic race. It is true that Senator Barack Obama outspent her 2-to-1. But Mrs. Clinton and her advisers should mainly blame themselves, because, as the political operatives say, they went heavily negative and ended up squandering a good part of what was once a 20-point lead.
On the eve of this crucial primary, Mrs. Clinton became the first Democratic candidate to wave the bloody shirt of 9/11. A Clinton television ad -- torn right from Karl Rove’s playbook -- evoked the 1929 stock market crash, Pearl Harbor, the Cuban missile crisis, the cold war and the 9/11 attacks, complete with video of Osama bin Laden. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” the narrator intoned.
Do you really want a candidate who invokes Republican scare tactics?
Tickets go on sale Fri, 04/25/08 10:00 AM. More information at mccarrenpark.com.
Devo on Letterman, 1992:
Using appropriated footage from a single episode of "Charlie Rose," filmmaker Andrew Filippone Jr. creates something both disturbing and farcical in "'Charlie Rose' by Samuel Beckett.":
From WSPA.com
Pastor Roger Byrd of Jonesville Church of God put the sign up which reads "Obama Osama humm are they brothers?" Pastor Byrd says the sign is not meant to be racial or political but rather to make people think. "His name is so close to Osama I have a feeling he might be Islamic therefore he doesn't recognize Christ," Pastor Byrd said. Jonesville Church of God does not have any African American members.
From TONY
TONY has it that Southpaw owner Matthew Roff, currently involved in the final stages of opening new Prospect Heights beer garden Franklin Park, plans to sign a lease tomorrow on the Galapagos space in Williamsburg.
The name: Natural Selection. “We’re all fans of Darwin, obviously,” says Roff, who will partner with the owners of popular South Slope watering hole Bar Four. “We were originally going to call it Madagascar but we thought that might be too much of a slap in the face.”
Roff plans to retain the location as a performance space, and tells us the transformation could be “weeks away.” Galapagos, as has been widely reported, will relocate to Dumbo sometime in 2009.
Since lots of people have been asking about McCarren Park Pool, here's the short answer. Yes, the venue will once again be hosting shows this summer. Sadly, this will be the last summer to enjoy live concerts. [Full story here]. We'll be maintaining the calendar at www.mccarrenpark.com.
Beginning in June, JELLYNYC and Helio will be hosting free Pool Parties on Sundays. Meanwhile, Ticketmaster will be selling shamefully overpriced tickets for the shows they represent as well. Hopefully, Live Nation won't be transforming McCarren Park into patchouli-infested hacky sack land again this year by booking jambands.
Confirmed shows thus far include Wilco, M.I.A. and Hold Steady. There are some pretty cool rumors circulating too. Visit mccarrenpark.com for the full schedule.
[Note: this will also be our last summer to maintain www.mccarrenpark.com, so attention real estate moguls, we're accepting your highest bid on the site.]
Via HuffPost
Tonight I had an opportunity to ask Barack Obama a question that is on the minds of many Americans, yet rarely rises to the surface in the great ruckus of the 2008 presidential race -- and that is whether an Obama administration would seek to prosecute officials of a former Bush administration on the revelations that they greenlighted torture, or for other potential crimes that took place in the White House.Meanwhile, the Hildabeast continues to morph into a Republican. We were delighted to see Stewart call bullshit on her "elitism" charges: "Not only do I want an elite president, I want someone who's embarrassingly superior to me."
Obama said that as president he would indeed ask his new Attorney General and his deputies to "immediately review the information that's already there" and determine if an inquiry is warranted -- but he also tread carefully on the issue, in line with his reputation for seeking to bridge the partisan divide. He worried that such a probe could be spun as "a partisan witch hunt." However, he said that equation changes if there was willful criminality, because "nobody is above the law."
If you haven't seen it, this is essential: Baracky: The Movie [via Rumproast]
