I frequently find myself watching the Weather Channel. I come for the updates on current and upcoming conditions, but I stay for the music. Typically, it is just that elevator music-style jazz, but occasionally I am treated to something like the Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” or “Theme from Shaft.” But even when one of those rarities is not playing, the light jazz is enough to keep me around in a soothing, meditative daze. There is a slightly melancholy feel to it – a sense that this is Life, this is Truth. At that moment, it feels like the 3-hour Doppler loop is all that needs to be known. Everything for those 5 to 10 minutes is simple and comforting.
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/27/10
November 27, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
The Perry(i) sisters are 1-2!
Original Version
1. Katy Perry – Firework
2. Christina Perri – Jar of Hearts
3. Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are
4. Rihanna – Only Girl (in the World)
5. P!nk – Raise Your Glass
6. Mike Posner – Please Don’t Go
7. Nicki Minaj – Right Thru Me
8. Michael Bublé – Hollywood
9. Linkin Park – Waiting for the End
10. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – Bottoms Up
11. Kings of Leon – Radioactive
12. Kid Rock – Born Free
13. Bruno Mars – Grenade
14. Sugarland – Stuck Like Glue
15. Maroon 5 – Give a Little More
16. The Script – For the First Time
17. Keri Hilson – Pretty Girl Rock
18. Nelly – Just a Dream
19. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – Paris (Ooh La La)
20. Kanye West ft. Pusha T – Runaway
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Runaway
4. Paris (Ooh La La)
5. Firework
6. Jar of Hearts
7. Waiting for the End
8. Just the Way You Are
9. Grenade
10. Please Don’t Go
11. Right Thru Me
12. For the First Time
13. Pretty Girl Rock
14. Born Free
15. Give a Little More
16. Just a Dream
17. Hollywood
18. Stuck Like Glue
19. Bottoms Up
20. Raise Your Glass
SNL Recap November 20, 2010: Anne Hathaway/Florence + the Machine
November 23, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Anne Hathaway, Florence + the Machine, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, SNL, SNL Season 36 Leave a comment
As y’all probably heard, I’m sexy now.
Cold Opening – The Rachel Maddow Show
This is a step in the right direction for political cold openings. A parody of a cable news talk show is always an apt setup for a forum of craziness, although this time around the craziness was a little jumbled, with the Charlie Rangel parts not really having much to do with Boehner/Pelosi. B-
Anne Hathaway’s Monologue
Another monologue premised on the physical attractiveness of a female host and the possibility of nudity? It would have been funnier if Anne had not admitted to K-Wiig that she was not being serious with the guys. B-
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/20/10
November 20, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Songs that have appeared on both Top 20 Countdown and Cinema Sounds (the music that plays between movies at the theatre) this year: “Tighten Up,” “Mine,” and now, “Paris.”
Orignial Version
1. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
2. Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are”
3. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
4. Katy Perry – “Firework”
5. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
6. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
7. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
8. Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
9. Michael Bublé – “Hollywood”
10. Nicki Minaj – “Right Thru Me”
11. Kid Rock – “Born Free”
12. Kanye West – “Runaway”
13. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
14. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
15. The Script – “For the First Time”
16. Travie McCoy – “Need You”
17. Bret Michaels – “Riding Against the Wind”
18. Keri Hilson – “Pretty Girl Rock”
19. Plain White T’s – “Rhythm of Love”
20. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – “Paris (Ooh La La)”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Runaway
4. Paris (Ooh La La)
5. Firework
6. Jar of Hearts
7. Waiting for the End
8. Just the Way You Are
9. For the First Time
10. Pretty Girl Rock
11. Please Don’t Go
12. Need You
13. Born Free
14. Right Thru Me
15. Hollywood
16. Stuck Like Glue
17. Bottoms Up
18. Raise Your Glass
19. Rhythm of Love
20. Riding Against the Wind
SNL Recap November 13, 2010: Scarlett Johansson/Arcade Fire
November 16, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Arcade Fire, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, Scarlett Johansson, SNL, SNL Season 36 Leave a comment
Middle East: quit goofing around!
Cold Opening – G20 Press Conference
This was so identical to last year’s Obama/Hu Jintao press conference sketch that I almost thought I was watching a rerun. Logically, I knew that that could not be true. I knew that I was watching a new episode and that Bill Hader had not played Hu in the last sketch, but perception is not always completely rational. Anyway, last year’s sketch was strongly decent; this one suffered from being exactly the same. B-
Scarlett Johansson’s Monologue
The premise of ScarJo keeping it classy was promising enough. I guess. Maybe. Abby’s Ke$ha was right on, but I don’t think she really fit in this bit, because I don’t think Ke$ha particularly cares if she appears classy or not. B-
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/13/10
November 13, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Taylor and Daughtry finally fall off the list, and with Rihanna at the top, my number 1 matches up with the original number 1 for the first time since I have been making my revisions (though it should have also matched up when “Teenage Dream” took the lead).
Original Version
1. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
2. Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are”
3. Usher ft. Pitbull – “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”
4. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
5. Flo Rida ft. David Guetta – “Club Can’t Handle Me”
6. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
7. Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
8. Katy Perry – “Firework”
9. 30 Seconds to Mars – “Closer to the Edge”
10. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
11. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
12. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
13. Michael Bublé – “Hollywood”
14. Kanye West – “Runaway”
15. Plain White T’s – “Rhythm of Love”
16. Kid Rock – “Born Free”
17. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
18. Nicki Minaj – “Right Thru Me”
19. Bret Michaels – “Riding Against the Wind”
20. Travie McCoy – “Need You”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Runaway
4. Firework
5. Closer to the Edge
6. Jar of Hearts
7. Waiting for the End
8. Just the Way You Are
9. Please Don’t Go
10. Need You
11. Club Can’t Handle Me
12. Born Free
13. DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love
14. Hollywood
15. Stuck Like Glue
16. Right Thru Me
17. Bottoms Up
18. Raise Your Glass
19. Rhythm of Love
20. Riding Against the Wind
The Current State of Politics on Saturday Night Live
November 12, 2010
Saturday Night Live, Television Leave a comment
A few weeks ago I was watching an episode of SNL from the year 200o on VH1. That one episode featured all of the following sketches: the Presidential Couple (the cold opening in which Bush and Gore declare that they are both going to be president, in an Odd Couple-type scenario), Al Gore’s discussion of the Florida ballot (“the single most confusing … document ever produced”), and the CBS Sports update from Dan Rather (in which NBA game winners were projected in the style of election coverage). These were three of the most classic sketches inspired by the 2000 election. And they all originally appeared on the same episode!
When I consider the state of politics on SNL in 2010, my conclusion is that that would never happen now. To be fair, 2000 may have been the most fruitful and serendipitous year for American political comedy ever. SNL benefited from having all-time classic impressions of two perpetually memorable candidates, and the recount ensured that election-themed sketches could last for nearly forever.
2010 only featured a midterm election, so I have not expected anything near the level of 2000. But this year has not been lacking for characters. Christine O’Donnell was a bit of a fringe candidate, but that hardly meant that she did not provide ample material for parody. Unfortunately, SNL simply went through the motions and only took on the “I’m not a witch” angle. O’Donnell’s botched understanding of the Constitution could very well have led to something in the vein of Katie Couric interviewing Sarah Palin. The only truly memorable election-centric moment this year was Kenan’s gonzo take on “The Rent is Too Damn High” candidate Jimmy McMillan (and that was only an Update bit).
This post is not meant to bemoan the current state of SNL in its entirety. This is a diversely enjoyable cast with some promising newcomers. The relative lack of political edginess is most likely due to a (not necessarily bad) change of styles. The buzz about SNL is dominated by the digital shorts, often rightfully so. Accordingly, the show has taken on a more surreal, rather than satirical, bent. Both of these styles are enjoyed by me, and many others, and SNL has been adept at both for most of the show’s history. But SNL has also always seemed to have a naturalness when it comes to political humor- more character than idea-driven, and thus, more parodic than satirical. Nonetheless, it is a good niche that SNL has filled well, but that naturalness seems to be lacking today. I do not demand that SNL be dominated by p0litics, nor do I even demand that each episode features at least one political sketch (and if it is not working, don’t force a message from the president cold opening). I merely expect that the writers and cast know how to handle an opportunity like Christine O’Donnell when it is placed squarely in their laps.
The Best Television Episode Synopsis Ever
November 11, 2010
The following is a synopsis of the Hannah Montana episode “It’s a Mannequin’s World,” which originally aired May 12, 2006. I love its description of classically silly sitcom situations.
“Miley hatches a really kooky and elaborate scheme that involves her posing as a clothing store’s Hannah Montana mannequin in an effort to obtain a hopefully un-lame birthday gift from her father.”
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/6/10
November 7, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Fireworks are popping out of everyone’s chest.
Original Version
1. Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are”
2. Flo Rida ft. David Guetta – “Club Can’t Handle Me”
3. Taylor Swift – “Mine”
4. Usher ft. Pitbull – “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”
5. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
6. Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
7. 30 Seconds to Mars – “Closer to the Edge”
8. Daughtry – “September”
9. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
10. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
11. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
12. Plain White T’s – “Rhythm of Love”
13. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
14. Katy Perry – “Firework”
15. Bret Michaels – “Riding Against the Wind”
16. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
17. Mumford & Sons – “Little Lion Man”
18. Michale Bublé – “Hollywood”
19. Jack Johnson – “At or With Me”
20. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Firework
4. Closer to the Edge
5. Jar of Hearts
6. Waiting for the End
7. Little Lion Man
8. Just the Way You Are
9. Club Can’t Handle Me
10. Hollywood
11. Please Don’t Go
12. DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love
13. Stuck Like Glue
14. At or With Me
15. Bottoms Up
16. Mine
17. Raise Your Glass
18. Rhythm of Love
19. Riding Against the Wind
20. September
The Women of SNL Recap
November 2, 2010
Saturday Night Live, Television Leave a comment
For last night’s primetime special, The Women of SNL, I will not be doing my usual lengthy, in-depth episode recap. Instead, all I have to say is, Nora Dunn is 58 and she looks great – better than she has ever looked.
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