X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment.com A Proud UGO Affiliate
X-Entertainment loves Christmas and will not stop talking about it, ever.
« [Main Index] »

Monster Rap.

Hello!

I was going to post this as a comment, but considering that the last thread is nearing 1000 comments (all positive) and takes about seventeen minutes to load, we may as well start anew.

I'm alive and unchanged. Seriously, I've just been working. A lot. It's been a less-than-ideal grind and I very much look forward to the current wave passing so I can get back to doing what I love to do best: Nothing, with a side of you.

Some of you have expressed interest in an early return for the Halloween Juke. I couldn't agree more and will try to include this soon as a partial mea culpa. I've been listening to that shit constantly, though I don't know if it has as much to do with me wanting Halloween as it does the fact that Geico's "Somebody's Watching Me" commercial airs 772 times each hour.

Also, there was an a site in circulation that evidently attempted to redirect users to a bad place. I cannot lie: I thought you guys were mistaken, but you were right, and the ad guys at UGO (and me) really, sincerely apologize for any trouble it caused. It's been eradicated and you should have no further trouble.

I finally watched that Clone Wars movie. Now, I was as hard on the prequels as anyone, but despite what seemed to be common opinion, I really didn't think it was bad at all. Granted, I fell asleep halfway through, but I'm assuming it grew no more offensive from there. Plus, the first reveal of Jabba's son, suddenly crawling out and goo-goo gah-ing with absolutely no build or fanfare, cracked me up so much that I had to rewind the scene seven times before watching the rest of (or the rest of the first half of) the movie.

Very odd to hear an ice cream truck's jingle playing during a thunderstorm in early April, but I swear, I just did.

Posted by Matt on 04/06/2009. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 568 comments
1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 23

No laugh track, but still very much a traditional sitcom and underrated: My Boys. This may sound like faint praise, but it’s kinda like Sex and the City back when it was good, but better.

I have been jonesing for some original UK Office recently, I should bust open that DVD. I do love the American version, but the Brentmeister General is one of the greatest characters ever and as awesome as Steve Carell is, it will always be hard not to compare the two characters. Plus Martin Freeman >>> JKras.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 04/09/2009 8:43 PM

I got a good feeling in two days!

Chestnuts roasted by SNT Prediction. @ 04/09/2009 9:37 PM

I’m a HUGE fan of My Name is Earl!!! Alot of the people I know are EXACTLY like the people on the show. lol
Matt: Since your gonna bring the Halloween jukebox back extra early, are you gonna add any extra songs?

Chestnuts roasted by ULTRAMAN @ 04/09/2009 9:39 PM

The Office is not really a “re-make” in the traditional sense. It is totally different than the British one. That is why I don’t compare the two. Makes it much more enjoyable.

I love My Name is Earl because of Jason Lee. He is awesome. Hey Crabman!

Chestnuts roasted by drew do @ 04/09/2009 9:55 PM

I was at the grocery store today and in the ice cream topping section they had squeeze bottles of Dr. Pepper Cherry Dessert Topper. It seriously looked like pure syrup form of the soda… tempting but also freaky.

I’m pretty jazzed cuz tomorrow the Caribbean lady that sits across from me at work is bringing me curry chicken. I’ve never had curry chicken before but I hear it’s good shit.

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 04/09/2009 10:16 PM

If anyones looking for the ghostbusters toys, they are made by Mattel and are only sold online at their site at Mattycollector.com. Thing is though, they aren’t being released yet and the first one coming out is a slimed Egon with Slimer and is a San Diego comic-con exclusive (could be available online though after the con). They are making both 12″ and 6″ scale figures! Really cool stuff this year for ghostbusters. Hope everyones doing well and have a great Easter!

Chestnuts roasted by Jokercard @ 04/09/2009 10:45 PM

I don’t like The Office for the simple reason that I don’t think it’s funny. I guess the humor is too dry for me.

I saw My Name Is Earl a couple of times and it was pretty amusing. But I did kind of lose some respect for Jason Lee after he did Alvin and the Chipmunks of all things. I guess he needed a paycheck.

Chestnuts roasted by Annette @ 04/10/2009 12:26 AM

Eh, The Office hasn’t been good since this time last year, in my opinion. Ricky Gervais limited the British version to two seasons because he knew that, because of the nature of the plot, the show could only sustain itself for so long before it would begin to sputter out the way that the American version is now.

Chestnuts roasted by Hey I'm Jeff @ 04/10/2009 1:13 AM

Love love love the British Office – it is dry, witty, awkward, well-acted and very true to life. The depressing moments grounded it in reality, while the American version is completely fantastical and unrealistic; making it a whole different type of comedy.

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 04/10/2009 1:14 AM

I think there is interest for Ghostbusters on the social sites. I just posted a link on twitter a few days ago where the new Ghostbusters game has similar gameplay to Gears of War. Some may not like that but I think it could work for that type of game. When I read about that comparison, I “Jizzed in my Pants.”

Chestnuts roasted by Berdo @ 04/10/2009 1:21 AM

Woo…My poor computer got the conficker virus. It’s all better now kind of. I mean at least it’s letting me on the internet. Granted I have to put it in VGA mode, but hey, it’s better than nothing.

Hmmm Easter plans this year are shot to hell. My mom’s in rehab with her knee replacements, my Uncle has just come down with Shingles, which lasts 4 to 6 months.

I SO do not want to go to my Sis in laws. She’s a sweetheart, and I love my niece and nephew and their dad is cool, but sis in law is not a good cook. Somehow my husband got the cooking genes in that family.

My birthday is on Wendsday and my 4th wedding anniversary is the day after that. Depending on the cash I get as gifts…I want a Wii fit or a DS lite, since the new DSi doesn’t let you pirate games, and my old DS has the top screen hanging by one hinge, causing the screen to have a greenish tint til I shake the shit out of it and and tilt the whole unit at an awkward angle.

Chestnuts roasted by mandy_22.6 pounds lost in 10 weeks_Reeves @ 04/10/2009 3:56 AM

Shingles only really lasts about 4-6 weeks

Chestnuts roasted by drew do @ 04/10/2009 8:16 AM

I agree with [b]drew do[/b] that the traditional sitcom is dead. Everything now is just middle of the road, with the really good stuff being in the relatively new “Arrested Development” style (“The Office” and “30 Rock” also share this format).

I believe that the 80′s and 90′s had four types of sitcom:

1. The cheesy ones like “Full House”, “Family Matters”. You could love then for their awfulness, they were so bad they were great and the cast and crew knew it. I still think it was an inside joke to the crew of Full House to cast a foul-mouthed bastard like Bob Saget as the fun loving dad. Classics to compare would be “The Waltons” and “Leave it to Beaver”.

2. The out there ones like “3rd Rock from the Sun” and “That 70′s Show”. Sitcoms that took a real odd premise and ran with it for a whole series. Classics like “Bewitched”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “The Munsters” and “Hogan’s Heroes” can compare.

3. The truly hilarious sitcoms like “Newsradio”, “Seinfeld” and “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. Shows that depended on a solid comedic cast and smart writing rather than crazy premises and cheesy jokes. “Green Acres”, “Get Smart”, “I Love Lucy” and “Mary Tyler Moore” compare. I feel that these types of sitcoms are dead, replaced by the “Arrested Development” style mentioned at the beginning of this post.

4. The last type is the middle of the road sitcom. Not too smart, not too out there, not too cheesy. Just sort of there, like a chair in the corner of a room. Imagine how many family or workplace sitcoms have come and gone, relying on maybe one or two stars to carry the show. Middle class dad with a bitchy mother in law, middle class single dude in an office, middle class single woman in New York, etc. etc.

Chestnuts roasted by Barry @ 04/10/2009 9:00 AM

I agree with your assessment aside from Fresh prince, that show was cheesy as hell. Unfortunately not even one of those shows ended on a good note for one reason or another. Especially That 70′s show. It was really hard to watch by the end. And News Radio should have bowed out after Hartman’s death.

Man talking about Family Matters and Full House reminds me of TGIF… Sooooo terrible to think I loved that block of TV so much as a kid.

Chestnuts roasted by drew do @ 04/10/2009 9:07 AM

Fresh Prince is a tricky beast. On one hand it has that goofy overly sentimental Family Matters vibe. Who doesn’t mistake Uncle Phil for Carl Winslow?? But I think the writing was really top-notch, and Will and Carlton were hilarious characters played by some talented comic actors.

Chestnuts roasted by Barry @ 04/10/2009 9:47 AM

DarkSideofBrightness this is for you!

Basically, I became severely injured and needed to stay off the computer. I’ve had neck problems for a while, but never a lock-up like the one I had. It was horrible.

Stand up for a second, and look down at your shoes without bending over (giggity!). That’s right, just your neck. Now have a friend push your neck even further forward. Hold it! Now walk around like that for a few weeks. Oh, don’t forget that you can’t move your neck in any direction and are stuck like that. If you want to look left to right you have to sasquatch it.

You are now experiencing what made me leave unexpectedly, only I did you a favor and left out the element of excruciating pain.

I tried Physical Therapy and after about 18 sessions it actually seemed to be helping. But then I got out of the shower one morning and put the towel to my head to dry my hair. Pinch, snap, and we’re right back to hunchback position. Oh, hello, pain! I missed you!

There is a happy ending to this story. Only recently (maybe 2 months ago) I received a call from my sister in law asking me how I was feeling. She wanted to tell me about a friend of hers who, one day, woke up and couldn’t walk anymore. Good morning, world! She tried everything, saw doctors, got physical therapy and basically was down to her last resort of “Horrible, invasive surgery that might not even work”. With the failure of physical therapy, this just so happened to be exactly the same boat I was in.

The answer? Acupuncture. Her friend tried acupuncture on a whim, and after the first session, she could walk again. A few more weeks and she was running charity marathons again. I figured what the hell. I got the number from her and called them up, made an appointment. Bingo! After two sessions there was noticeable difference. At this point I’ve been to at least 25 sessions and I feel better than I have in years. I’m at about 85% mobility and that’s insane considering I’ve been moving around like a Yeti most of my life.

I guess I worked a little too hard on those E.T. Stickers after all. In the process of attempting to make them I ruined a perfectly good table (the concentrated pine oils stripped the finish right off), destroyed about 6 perfectly good paintbrushes, wasted 2 bottles of elmer’s glue, purchased a heat gun that didn’t end up working and lost the receipt, and wasted company paper that I ended up direly needing the next day for something that wasn’t E.T. Stickers (had to pretend I didn’t know where our stock went).

Oh, by the way – the stickers largely unsuccessful on top of everything else, in case you were wondering. I tried many techniques and suggestions I found all over the net and from craft store personnel, but I just couldn’t get E.T. stinkin’ right.

If I just go buy you some regular, functional, factory-made scratch-and-sniff stickers I can still get that pie you promised, right? *fingers crossed*

>_<

Chestnuts roasted by Morfnblorsh @ 04/10/2009 10:08 AM

I think the sitcom simply reversed the formula.

In the past, sitcoms were about relatively normal characters (for the most part) reacting to situations in a comedic way.

Nowadays, sitcoms are simply about quirky characters reacting to normal situations in their quirky ways. Oh look, Michaels Scott is a lovable doofus, Jim is sarcastic, Dwight is a moron, etc.

Chestnuts roasted by King JLA @ 04/10/2009 10:25 AM

I also disappeared shortly after Christmas due to an I-need-oxygen mountain-sized mass of work, so I feel ya Matt. Hope yours clears up soon.

Hoping to be around a bit more as life returns (more or less) to normal. *waves* Missed the discussions.

Chestnuts roasted by Reni @ 04/10/2009 10:31 AM

The last sitcom I even enjoyed was Frasier, and I’m talking about the older episodes before Niles and Daphne got married. After that it just wasn’t the same anymore (hey, kinda like real life!). That’s the problem with sitcoms– they almost always overstay their welcome.

Another problem with sitcoms in the last ten years or so is that they rely too much on the dumb lazy husband/smart bitchy wife thing. I hate that shtick and the writing usually isn’t clever enough to save it.

…I think I’m gonna go to Hulu and watch some more Mary Tyler Moore now.

Chestnuts roasted by Annette @ 04/10/2009 10:45 AM

Hey Reni, welcome back! You too, Morfnblorsh, glad the acupuncture is helping.

I’ve been feeling like the US Office has been stagnating a bit lately, but in the last few episodes I feel like they’ve finally started moving past the storylines the UK version handed them in a meaningful way.

Honestly, I feel like the mockumentary format is getting pretty played out. Even Spinal Tap are taking their wigs off now, you know? But in the post-YouTube world, I think it’s here forever, for better or worse.

I’ve been watching Malcolm in the Middle reruns lately. I’m pretty bad about nitpicking shows that I once loved that became terrible (you do NOT want to watch That 70′s Show with me) but even I can’t find much to complain about with that show. Bryan Cranston is a genius.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 04/10/2009 10:52 AM

I can’t believe I missed a Star Wars discussion. Here’s my quick review of each movie:

Phantom Menace – hate Jar Jar, tolerate Anakin, love just about everything else. I think it’s unfairly hated on–it’s actually a fun, imaginative little adventure.

Attack of the Clones – I dug it when it first came out, but really doesn’t hold up on repeated viewings. Worst dialogue, acting, and special effects of the entire series, IMO. The action sequences lack the visual punch of every other movie in the series. I’m not sure what went wrong. :(

Revenge of the Sith – if it weren’t for nostalgia, this would be my favorite Star Wars movie. I seriously don’t get the hate for this one. It’s emotionally engaging all the way through, the action sequences are top notch, and the art design is as good as any of the other movies. Just a well made movie all around, if you ask me. Great way to end the series.

Clone Wars – I’m glad you liked the movie, Matt. I hated it, which is tough because I’m a huge Star Wars fan.

Oddly enough, the TV series is incredible. I can’t tell if it’s really improved or if it just feels better because I’m not paying for it, but man! It is a terrific show. The animation is so much better than anything else on TV. The stories have been good overall, and the action is intense. Classic Star Wars. Those animators are all geniuses.

——-

I don’t believe the hype of Lucas having episodes 1-6 all planned from the beginning. If you read his original Star Wars drafts, it’s pretty clear that he just had a crazy script that mashed together WAY too many scifi ideas into one movie.

So he simplified it, and said “ok, here’s the good guys, rebels and jedi. bad guys, Vader and empire. let’s have the good guys save a princess, blow something up, and then call it a movie. If we make a sequel, then I’ll start introducing the other crazy stuff like force powers and clones and padawans and whatever else.”

Also, for those of you who were wondering – Star Wars was retitled “Episode IV – A New Hope” in 1978 or ’79. Before ESB. Again, I’m not someone who believes he had it all planned out from the beginning. But his desire to make a prequel trilogy was clear very early on.

Chestnuts roasted by Casual Jeff @ 04/10/2009 10:53 AM

My favorite Mary Tyler Moore moment is when she was trying to take a bath and Ted Baxter (for some reason) barged into her home to tell her something. If memory serves, he wrote it down on a piece of paper because he “wasn’t used to speaking unless it was from a memo handed to him last-minute”.

In the course of his awkward speech in view of a very nude Ms. Moore he dropped his note into the bathtub by accident, reached for it, but was halted by Mary screaming a defiantly naked “DON’T….YOU…DARE!”. I seem to remember two or three other people from work barging in and standing there next to her soapy body. Had I not been 8 or 9 at the time, this would have totally been a raging boner-fest.

I remember this fondly not because it was a nude Mary Tyler Moore, but because I was trying to tell my parents about it the next day and the only reaction they had was “Why were you watching her bathe? Was this on HBO or Cinemax? I don’t want you watching those channels at night, we’re changing your bed time to 9pm”.

They completely did not believe me that it was Nick at Nite and that I was totally safe from filth.

Chestnuts roasted by Morfnblorsh @ 04/10/2009 11:01 AM

I think sitcoms USED to be about clever writing and STORIES, but now they’re more about the characters. For example, you don’t really remember the great STORY that was The Office last night, but instead remember the reactions and one-liners of the characters.

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 04/10/2009 12:14 PM

I disagree. At some point almost every sitcom becomes about a particular character.

Chestnuts roasted by drew do @ 04/10/2009 12:21 PM

Morfnblorsh- No stickers necessary. After all you’ve dealt with, you deserve a nice piece of caramel apple pie a la mode.

I agree with Barry’s assessment of the sitcom. I wonder what factors contributed to its downfall. Are we just running out of ideas/creativity? Or is it that Hollywood is stifling them? Maybe there is something more sinister afoot…..

Chestnuts roasted by DarkSideofBrightness @ 04/10/2009 12:22 PM

1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 23

Add A New Comment!


This entry was posted on Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 3:05 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.