When Life Writes You Lemons…

write some funny lemonade… and then rub it in the face of the people who don’t pay you what you’re worth. And so goes the writer’s strike out in Hollywood. I sympathize with these guys because they’re the true brains behind the success of television and it’s somewhat similar to the field I worked in prior to my current job at the church. Back when I worked in the advertising industry, the discrepancy that existed between how much the firm charged clients per hour and how much my salary translated into per hour was an ever widening abyss. And I’m sure the same argument can be made for many industries - the old “I’m not paid what I’m worth” defense. But because I worked in a really small firm, I had a front row seat, watching my work I made for $15 an hour turn around and get sold for $60 an hour. I’m not trying to be a pretentious graphic designer and say I deserved more of a cut - that’s not the point of this whole example. I loved working there and learned a lot and it was an invaluable experience. I’m just saying I can understand where the writers are coming from - they’re tired of sitting back watching their work get whored out to a slew of internet advertisers and not getting properly compensated.

With that said, the strike is probably one of the most interesting events I’ve ever seen. You see, America has this love affair with it’s television, and when something disrupts it, it’s like Marty McFly and the space time continuum all over again. In a ‘don’t look at that man behind curtain’ moment, the people with the real power in the industry are ironically also the ones paid the least, and the heavy-hitters of TV are left with a little egg on their face - no doubt they are funny, but apparently not funny enough to write their own material to keep their show out of perpetual reruns (i.e. Daily Show, Colbert Report, Leno, Conan, & Letterman, etc.). And then there are the cult-like followed dramas - Lost, Heroes, 24, etc. Fans are left out in the cold without their next installment in the fake world they love so much - the networks have no choice but to postpone (or in some cases cancel) the flagship programs of their network - as Larry Brey, Wade and Chunks quietly weep. And what happens when your actors are also some of the head writers? Well then you get an Office-like situation, where the famous faces are also the ones at the front of the picket lines. And their still funny through it all.

And then there is my favorite “salt-in-the-wound, you’re-nothing-without-us” move by the cast (and writers) of SNL and 30 Rock. In November, both shows were performed live at the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre off-broadway to raise money for the production crews, who, without shows to film, are without work and subsequently without paychecks. Michael Cera of Arrested Development, and more recent SuperBad fame hosted the show, which will never see the light of your television set. Here’s to stickin’ it to the man…

And how is America responding? Well, they haven’t quit watching television. How could they? What else would they do? How else would they justify the plasma and the DVR? We’ve basically resorted to watching whatever is on - people turned out in droves for the finale of Survivor 80: Chinatown and the finale of the downfall of a nation, The Hills.  So hows the current state of television? Well lucky us, this upcoming season promises a slew of new reality shows and game shows and reruns. What’s the one silver lining to the writer’s strike? Need you look further than the long-awaited, and totally justified, return of one of America’s flagships - baseball, apple pie and the American Gladiators. Hopefully Nitro and Zap will make some cameos…

Click here to keep up with the strike from the writers side. Go team.

Lights, Camera, Asylum

 

So last fall, a few people in Hollywood decided that it would be a good idea to film a horror movie on my college campus. I had heard they were looking for a bunch of ‘college student’ extras so me and all the people I work with sent in head shots to see if we could get in. I ended up being the only one who got called back - probably because I’m the only one who looks like a college freshman still - one of the few positives from having the facial hair of a 15 year old. I got most of the week off from work and got to spend a few days on the set being in the background of a bunch of scenes - a lot of fun, some bad extra food and a few brushes with C list celebrities. The movie was directed by the guy who did “Snakes on a Plane” so we figured that’s halfway legit - maybe we’ll make it on the big screen. And thus ended my brush with Hollywood greatness.

Fast forward to this week. After months of not hearing or seeing anything remotely related to the movie (except for a few messageboard posts that said everything from it was going to be released in February after showing at some film festivals to the whole movie was erased from the reels after going through airport security), I got a call from my old roommate who works down at the local paper who told me the movie was going to be released in two weeks - in a handful of southeastern cities. So its not Hollywood and there is no red carpet to roll out, but at least its not going to straight to the WalMart DVD bargain bin - though give it 2 or 3 months, I’m sure it will be there soon… especially since the only movie poster I could find of it was in German and DVD Video already on it. Awesome. Hey, who is that fuzzy guy behind that lazy-eyed Latino chick?

Top 10 Albums of 2007

so the year is wrapping up here soon and I don’t see any hot new releases on the horizon for the next two weeks - so I’m going to go ahead and lay down my top 10 albums of 2007, as well as a few honorable mentions. Most of these I’ve written about earlier this year, so there won’t be much of a reason behind my choices. And if you don’t agree, blame your own bad ears.

Top 10 Albums of 2007
10. Kanye West - Graduation
Yeah its rap, and yeah its probably the expected irony for kids who like indie rock to name drop a rapper every now and then to show that they’re hip with it, but I can’t help it - ‘Stronger’ is catchier than 24 hour stomach bug, the hypnotic synth line in ‘Flashing Lights’ is worth its weight in gold and Chris Martin’s reggae ooh ahhs on ‘Homecoming’ are genius.

9. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Free music from the closest thing my generation will have to The Beatles. What else do I have to say?

8. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
The songs drip pop goodness while exposing a few honky tonk roots, finally giving reason for California being out west.

7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Wilco most accessible album - also their most fun. Summers nights on the lake was made for music like this.

6. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Granted I was a late adopter of this Kings record, but I’ve made up for lost time by wearing the crap out of these tracks. ‘Knocked Up’ is potentially my track of the year and ‘True Love Way’ makes your veins bulge when you sing along in the car.

5. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
Finally giving people my age a glimpse of why American rock n’ roll has absolutely nothing to do with this guy or this guy. Thank you for the best sounding reminder I’ve ever heard.

4. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Possibly the best live show I saw this year - no doubt due partly to the fact that they played almost every song from this album. Familiar and intimate while still pushing the band a little further into the limelight, this time with a much larger crowd.

3. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
I haven’t loved Jimmy Eat World this much since the first time I heard ‘Lucky Denver Mint.’ While not groundbreaking, it delivers and never disappoints.

2. Feist - The Reminder
The iPod it-girl cemented her place in unlikely popstardom with the ‘1-2-3-4′ commercial, and ‘I Feel It All’ would make your dead grandpa smile and dance, but it’s in the quieter tracks like ‘The Park’, ‘So Sorry’ and ‘How My Heart Behaves’ where you find the real gems. Somewhere between a more moody Norah Jones and a more upbeat Cat Power.

1. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
What the Killers wanted Sam’s Town to be and what The Boss hoped his musical legacy would inspire when he wrote ‘Born to Run.’ From cover to cover, ‘Neon Bible’ builds tension, moving and vibrant with a dark energy, like thunder in the distance - emoting a mood that’s both ominous and invigorating.

Honorable Mention:
- Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
- Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
- John Fogerty - Revival
- Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
- Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

Must See TV

so i’ve been trying for two weeks to pull everything together for this killer Friday Free-for-all… but I’ve missed two Fridays in the process, so I’m going to break it up into installments. Consider this part A, a.k.a….

Four TV Shows I Should Have Been Watching A Long Time Ago:

1. How I Met Your Mother
2. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
3. Pushing Daisies
4. Friday Night Lights

So my roommate works for the cable company and we get a wicked good deal on a bunch of cable channels that I don’t hardly ever watch. But the one good thing we got with package was DVR - which I never fully appreciated until I saw what he was recording. I saw ‘How I Met Your Mother’ the other day for the first time and it was freakin’ awesome - way to come back strong Doogie Howser. Tons have people have been telling me to check it out, but I can’t remember what day it is, let alone remember when a TV show comes on. Cue the DVR… and cue the comparisons to this generation’s ‘Friends.’ If you think those are some mighty strong words, watch this.

If that doesn’t sway you - well now, you’re just being stubborn.

‘Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ on FX is another show I just saw for the first time the other day - and again, I laughed my pantelones off. I feel like I some how missed out on a little diamond in the rough. Consider my NetFlix cue now updated with the first season. Check back later for the final opinion, but its looking good so far… Danny DeVito hasn’t been this good since Twins.

Next is ‘Pushing Daisies’ - hands down the best thing ABC has going right now, and the biggest breath of fresh air I’ve seen on TV in a while. Imagine if Tim Burton took some Prozac or whatever those happy pills are and decided to make a weekly dramedy. The vibrant colors, characters and stories feel like all the good scenes from “Big Fish.” When I saw the first commercial for it, I thought - “Man, this is going to be a great movie!” - then I realized that it was going to be a weekly show, and every week you can almost sense the rest of television’s jealousy about not being as pretty and popular as “Pushing Daisies”

And finally, ‘Friday Night Lights’ - Even though the movie version of this is in my Top 10 Sports Movies list, I was kind of spotty watching this last season since I had Young Life on the night it came - which consequently was not Friday. But now that it is on Friday, I’m there and I’m waving my fake foam finger for the Dillon Panthers. It doesn’t matter that we DVR, and wait until Wednesday to watch it with Odie while reminiscing about the 919 days during commericial breaks.

And if you’re thinking - “TV makes your head turn to mush,” you’re probably right - but considering the amount of mush that television puts out, its good to know that there are still a few glimmers of hope, humor and originality left out there for my weekly viewing pleasure.