Archive for July, 2010
THE INTERNET ANIMAL ORCHESTRA
Jul 31st
Is nothing sacred from the monster that is Autotune?
Check out the Internet Animal Orchestra, the latest viral video doing the rounds that I’m sure you’ll be hearing lots about over the next few days.
The premise is simple – take a selection of (sometimes) cute animal noises, mix them all up and add a heavy dose of Autotune – and voila, a new music sensation is born!
It’s a neat idea, though I don’t think it quite comes off – after 30 seconds it kind of gets annoying. And a little technical tampering definitely goes a long way (take note Ke$ha!)
Anyway here’s the Orchestra in all its glory – check it out – and start sending over your thoughts…
LADY GAGA ON QVC?
Jul 31st
Has it come to this already? Is Lady Gaga really shilling her goods on QVC? Well I guess someone has to pay for those expensive stage props and disco sticks!
Obviously it’s all a gag – put together by the guys at Electric Spoofaloo who imagine what might happen if pop star extraordinaire Lady Gaga was to take up residency at the world famous shopping network (here renamed the Quality Shopping Channel)
It’s a fun idea and pretty well played, although some of the gags are overdone and the ending becomes a bit too broad. I really like the ‘Lady Gaga Starter Kit’ – and the funny thing is they probably COULD sell something like this at the moment given just how huge Gaga is…
COMING SOON: RUBICON
Jul 30th
When Does It Start: Sunday 1st August at 8pm / 9c on AMC (the first episode is a 2 hour special)
In A Nutshell: Is there a grand conspiracy behind some of today’s most dramatic world events – and who’s manipulating whom – and why?
What’s It About: Following the tragic death of his wife and daughter on September 11th, analyst Will Travers goes to work for a federal agency. But Will is no ordinary analyst and as he rises through the ranks of the organization he becomes aware of a shadowy conspiracy between big business and government that manipulates world events on a grand scale. Also in the mix is Miranda Richardson as Katherine Rhumor, a woman mourning the loss of her husband who discovers the man she loved wasn’t who she thought he was…. Who can they trust and what’s really going on behind the scenes of power?
OBAMA ON THE VIEW: JON STEWART’S TAKE!
Jul 30th
I held off on posting about Obama‘s appearance on The View yesterday, simply because it seemed to be ALL anyone wanted to talk about in the media.
And then along comes Jon Stewart with his take – and suddenly all those other talking heads just seem so… foolish!
I’m not a regular viewer of The Daily Show but there are times when Stewart and his team are absolutely MAGNIFICENT!
What I love most about this clip is how Jon defends Obama’s appearance on the daytime talk show. It would have been so easy as a comedian to take the easy way out – making fun of the President and the ladies – but I love that the likable host provides a fresh – and very funny take on the subject.
Sure there are plenty of zingers along the way (‘the misadventures of the world’s unluckiest couch’, Bush with Dr Phil, the Whoopi Supreme Court gag) but Jon’s point is solid – and speaks volumes about the media’s sexism and disdain for certain audience segments…
The clip drags a bit by the end when Stewart starts talking healthcare – but ends with a great gag – so stick with it….
And start sending over your thoughts… do you think Obama More >
AMERICAN IDOL – THE END OF ELLEN
Jul 29th
Apologies for the lack of postings today – it has been a CRAZY day!
Of course I leave Remote Patrolled for a few hours and everything happens… Obama guests on The View, Snooki takes over The Today Show and then tonight Ellen announces she’s leaving American Idol...
Of course on the latter front my reaction is one of profound relief. Thank you Ellen for being woman enough to do what really had to be done. I love Ellen and think she’s a very talented, warm and funny lady – but her presence on the Idol panel was pretty much a disaster from Day One. The experiment had to end for the survival of the show.
Actually to be fair, Ellen was pretty good in Hollywood Week back in February. She seemed sharp and critical and took the competition a lot more seriously than any of us really expected. But as soon as the live shows started a couple of weeks later it all fell apart.
SONS OF ANARCHY – SEASON 3 TRAILER
Jul 28th
Check out the brand new trailer for Sons of Anarchy season 3, coming Sept 7th to FX
I’m actually quite surprised the show is at a third season already… it’s just one of those shows that have passed me by a bit – aside from Katey Sagal’s controversial season 2 storyline which garnered a lot of attention…
I think one of the reasons I’ve avoided the show is due to my aversion to its lead, Brit actor Charlie Hunnam. I interviewed Charlie 11 years ago, when he starred in the original UK version of Queer as Folk. Well actually ‘interviewed’ would be a bit of a stretch – he kept us waiting for 2 hours on a freezing cold street in Manchester, then came out of his trailer and gave a 2 minute interview consisting of one word answers. I believe he had a grudge against the show I was working on for some reason – but I remember the show’s publicist rolling her eyes after the interview and apologizing for his behavior. Apparently he’d been a nightmare at a recent photo shoot as well.
Anyway that’s by the by. Maybe Charlie was having a bad day! Who knows?
But back to Sons of Anarchy… More >
THE VIEW: ELISABETH’S LESBIAN LESSONS
Jul 28th
Oh Elisabeth, when will you learn… sometimes it helps to actually THINK before you open your mouth…
Here’s Ms Hasselbeck on yesterday’s edition of The View, explaining her theory as to why more and more older women are beginning lesbian relationships.
Now in Elisabeth’s head it’s because men of the same age are dating younger women so there’s a shortage of men… so of course women would turn to other women! Sexuality for Elisabeth is clearly something you can turn on and off like a tap. Man, this kind of thinking is so frustrating on so many levels and is kind of insulting to the gay community (to be fair to Elisabeth I do think she’s just a bit ignorant at times, rather than genuinely bigoted)
Thankfully Joy was on hand to talk a bit of common sense and explain to Elisabeth that two women together is more than just holding hands and going for dinner…
Check out the clip below to see the full conversation… what do you make of Elisabeth’s comments…
MAD MEN: EVERY CIGARETTE SMOKED!
Jul 27th
Here’s a great little video making the rounds at the moment – a remix of every cigarette smoked over Mad Men‘s first three seasons!
Like everyone else, I remember the first time I saw Mad Men and was stunned by all the huffing and puffing – at work, on planes, at the doctor’s surgery – and in front of the kids. With what we now know about the effects of cigarettes and second hand smoke it was frightening stuff!
Well now you get to relive every single puff along the way. The video is cleverly put together by the guys at Whirled Creative – and I love the end shot of Betty hacking up! Yuck!
SHERLOCK HOLMES GOES MODERN DAY
Jul 27th
Check out Sherlock Holmes, the new BBC crime series that launched last weekend in the UK.
As you can tell it’s not all Victorian England and foggy streets – this Holmes has been reinvented as a present day detective. He even uses texting and the internet to solve crimes! However not everything has changed. Sherlock is still accompanied by his partner in crime Watson, still lives on Baker Street, and still faces off against the evil Moriarty.
The BBC has commissioned three 90 minute episodes so far with Doctor Who writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat overseeing the series (check out their interview below). Playing Holmes is Benedict Cumberbatch, largely unfamiliar to US audiences, but known in the UK for playing Stephen Hawking in a 2008 BBC drama. Watson meanwhile is played by Martin Freeman, star of the UK version of The Office and the movie The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy (a cult show in Britain but which died a death at the box office)
PBS are co-producers on the show – so look for the series to come to the ‘Masterpiece‘ strand later in the year. And since the premiere episode scored a strong 7.5 million viewers, expect a second, longer More >
COOL COMMERCIAL: LEVI JEANS / WALK ACROSS AMERICA
Jul 26th
Here’s a great little commercial you may not have seen yet… it’s a viral ad for Levis featuring a guy as he literally walks across America.
It’s a really cool idea and well executed – and I have to admit I actually find it quite moving. Even though I’m a Brit I consider the US my home now and I’m fiercely loyal to my adopted country – and the amazing sights and landscapes it has to offer…
If you want to know how they did it just check out the behind the scenes video below. It’s a combination of Stop Motion and Time Lapse photography – hence the wonderful juddery effect. Surprisingly low tech actually – I just hope Levis paid the guys well for all their time… it looks like it took forever to create…
Anyway here’s the final result… but what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts…
