Your Comedy Moment

For Friday's "Your Comedy Moment" I've culled my archives for one of my all-time favorite comedy moments.  The Late Show with David Letterman has provided us with many funny moments over the years (though recently not so much).  I always enjoyed when Dave would leave his studio and do pre-recorded bits at various establishments, screwing with their customers.  Today's video takes us to Taco Bell where Dave decided to work the drive thru.

If anyone ever questions Letterman's comic genius, then have them watch this clip and prove that though Dave may have turned that comedy into cantankerousness in his older age, he used to be one of the funniest guys on the planet.

Name the Cartoon Contest

So who thinks they know the name of this cartoon?  Shouldn't be too hard if you were as obsessed with TV as I was.  Never really watched this show past its opening credits, but I've been told it wasn't half bad.  Leave your answers in the comments.

Top Ten 80s TV Themes - Number 2

In case you aren’t as obsessive about the blog as I am, you likely missed Mr. Tickles’ comments regarding the Top Ten countdown.  I addressed his concerns there but felt the need to mention a mistake I made in this process. A mistake that will likely stay with me for the rest of my life. Something I cannot shake.  I left the Dukes of Hazzard theme completely out of the countdown.

What an unbelievable oversight on my part.  Unfortunately, I had locked my original list away in a safe and thus must stick to what it says.  Still, here’s Mr. Waylon Jennings and the Dukes.

Now, for the runner-up to our TV themes competition. Should the winner be unable to fulfill its duties as the champion of our competition, the title and glory will fall to this theme. 

Your Comedy Moment

We're turning to the good folks at Comedy Central for today's clip as we take you live to the Racial Draft from Chappelle's Show.  It's too bad Chappelle cracked because his show was unique in its voice and consistently hilarious.  Surprisingly, six years have passed since this clip first aired (and the focus for making fun of Tiger Woods really hammers home that fact), but the humor is still strong.  The link is a little different for this one, but hope you enjoy anyway.

Video Games | | The Racial Draft

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Live Music on the Television

For today's "Live Music on the Television," we're going to travel back to the public broadcasting of 1997 and a little show called Sessions at West 54th.  Preparing for the release of their second major studio album, Ben Folds Five took the stage to perform a nice chunk of their catalog.  We'll start with the finale of the show and work our way back through three great performances.



link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d-mLKlEuQY

Your Comedy Moment

From our friends at 30 Rock comes today's "Your Comedy Moment" as we feature my favorite cutaway they've ever done.  It's random, crazy, and slightly genius. It's "Werewolf's Bar Mitzvah."



If you thought that was funny, here's the full version which is even more insane.

Top Ten 80s TV Themes - Number 3

If you’ve been following the Top 80s TV Theme countdown, you know that there has been some controversial picks and placements of themes #10-#4.  Today’s theme choice will likely lead to further discussion between the blog devotees as to what themes could possibly be in the Top Two. That’s because the number 3 theme song of the 1980s is:

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPx1lPoYtSU

“Theme From Cheers (Where Everybody Knows Your Name)” resonates with anyone who watched television in the 1980s (and early 90s).  Similar to the other best themes of the 80s, it starts with a catchy, memorable intro.  In this case it’s the piano that provides the sole instrumental support for writer Gary Portnoy’s dulcet vocals.  Somehow the simple chords combined with Portnoy’s melancholy lament create a song that’s not only emotionally effective but also a perfect summation of the show you’re about to watch.

It’s really quite amazing that the Cheers theme is so popular when you consider the depressed undercurrent that runs below it.  The opening stanza expresses the depression of your average joe who hates his job and feels that his life is not living up to his once high expectations.  In fact, the only place this guy can turn to for salvation is his local bar. How depressing is that?

Of course, once the refrain comes in we’re no longer depressed but uplifted by the powerful chords and “everybody knows your name” lyrics that convey the benefits of being a regular at the neighborhood bar.  These people are friends not because of a deep past with one another but because of their circumstances – sharing each other’s sorrows and grief over a pint of the finest domestic swill.

Think of the characters that Cheers gave us: a washed up former major league relief pitcher, a well-to-do grad student, a homemaker, a mailman, an accountant, a psychiatrist, and a country bumpkin (I’m even excluding Coach – a former coach – and Rebecca – a businesswoman of sorts – from the discussion). These are people who for all intents and purposes wouldn’t cross paths with one another if not for their own depressed reality. And yet we take joy in watching their interactions at the bar.  Moreover, they find solace in their lives because of enjoying one another’s company at the bar.

Some mention of the beautiful, classic bar-related pictures that are shown to accompany the theme must also be made. Cheers ignored the common practice of featuring scenes from the show in the intro, instead choosing to use uniquely colored paintings (what are these called?) that effectively showed the enjoyment one could experience while drinking with friends.  Even if Cheers gets knocked for being a little dated in re-runs, the intro remains timeless in large part because of the picture choice.

I love the “Theme From Cheers (Where Everybody Knows Your Name)” if for nothing else than its ability to stick in my head for days.  It’s a beautiful song that perfectly encapsulates the show it was written for. In fact, it was so good that a full version was made (though a little heavy on the synthesizer).  Still, there are two better songs ahead of it. Stay tuned to find out who they are.

And Now For Something Completely Different

This post isn't television related, but damnit, it's awesome.  Most fun I've had at a website in a long time: http://www.instantsfun.es/


I like "YEAHHHH!" and obviously "Sad Tuba" the most.

Your Comedy Moment

For today's "Your Comedy Moment," I wanted to feature a scene that made me cry laughing the first time I saw it.  I still find it funny to this day, but maybe not quite to the degree I originally did.  It is a shining example of gross-out humor done in a humorous way AND of humor that could likely not have been as funny were it not animated (though SNL has done some great vomit gags in the past).  From Family Guy, here's "Your Comedy Moment."



link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYSpIz2FjU

Porno Parody Profile - That 70s Show

The fourth edition of Porno Parody Profile will be less in-depth than previous ones but hopefully still entertaining as we go back in time to the 1970s where film looked duller, people wore hideous clothing, and, according to this parody, everyone liked to screw.  Presenting the Porno Parody Profile for That 70’s Show: A XXX Parody.

Your Comedy Moment

In the spirit of continuing to mix it up with our comedy moments, I figured I’d take you to a little hospital known as Sacred Heart for today’s feature.  Scrubs was never my favorite comedy, but it always provided me with a few hearty chuckles and laugh-out-loud moments.

JD’s day dreams were probably the most consistent source of laughter for me, and today’s comedy moment is no different. One part pop reference and one part absurdity combine to form a very memorable, and hilarious, daydream.

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI38hJ1m-5Y

Live Music on the Television

If you need a description for the feature, go check out the last post and my response to the comment.  We're trying to feature some enjoyable, interesting performances from different eras of music that show how entertaining watching music on television can be.  

Over ten years before recording Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King at the Piety Street Studio, Dave Matthews Band was "Crashing the Quarter" for MTV at the State Palace Theatre on May 6, 1996.  Peppered throughout the performance were interviews with Dave and the rest of the group.  These interviews help the viewer get some insight into the band as well as give a little perspective for the performances they're going to see.  I'd love to see an official release of the entire concert, but I think the boat has sailed on that one.

The clips will feature both the performances and some interviews.  More clips when you click "read more."

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAEUSNhoHzU