Andy Samberg on The Huffington Post

Shy Ronnie: Rihanna & Andy Samberg's SNL Duet (VIDEO)

2009-12-06T09:03:38Z

Rihanna was SNL's musical guest this week and in addition to performing solo she unveiled a world premiere duet with "Shy Ronnie" aka Andy Samberg. It did not go well. Every time Rihanna threw to Samberg he mumbled incoherently into the mic. When she finally gave up on him and stormed out, Ronnie got awesome.

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Jonathan Tisch: Funny Business

2009-11-10T12:38:50Z

New York City can be a funny place. Last week the city was hilarious thanks to the sixth annual New York Comedy Festival, a week-long celebration of stand-up comedy founded by Caroline Hirsh and Andrew Fox. Some of the biggest names in the business like Steven Colbert, Dane Cook, Ricky Gervais, Bill Maher, Tracy Morgan, Andy Samberg, and many others, headlined at venues around the city from Avery Fisher Hall to Madison Square Garden.

Even lesser known comedians were in on the joke. Thursday night at Caroline's Comedy Club, owned by Caroline Hirsch and known as America's premier comedy nightclub located in the heart of Times Square, an unlikely group of comedians took the stage.

Caroline's hosted its 6th edition of David Moore's "Funny Business." The show was created by private equity investor and entrepreneur David Moore in 2003, in order to give business people the chance to prove they could be as witty as they are business savvy by performing stand-up alongside professional comics. That's right, business people. Certainly a gamble for a CEO to take on a heckler rather than a balance sheet, but a risk I was willing to take at the show's inception years ago and then again Thursday night. This time the comedic exploits would benefit The Mayor's Fund for NYC's Learn to Swim Program.

Joined that evening by Stephen Siegel, Chairman, Global Brokerage, CB Richard Ellis, Inc.; Stew Leonard, CEO, Stew Leonard's; and host David Moore, dubbed, "The World's Funniest CEO," I took center stage to a sold out crowd. I reminded myself that this would be easy if there were any truth to the saying, "comedy is just a funny way of being serious."

Of the four featured CEOs, I appeared last. In baseball, the fourth player in the batting order is of course "batting cleanup" and is usually the best hitter with the most power. However, I suspected Caroline's organized the CEO line-up alphabetically. My challenge was made even greater by the fact that I followed a professional comedian from SNL, Colin Quinn. Still I persevered and threw out my first joke.

"It's great to be here at the famous Caroline's Comedy Club as part of the 'Funny Business' night. Of course the stereotype is that CEOs aren't that funny, and I'm here tonight to prove that."

The audience laughed immediately (though I'm sure it helped that the room was packed with family, friends and colleagues). The entire week provided laughs for many New Yorkers and those visiting our city; and not just those who were kind enough to come to Caroline's to see my fellow comedians and me. In fact, it was another comedy show at The Town Hall on West 43rd Street that was likely the most important event presented by the New York Comedy Festival. It's called "Stand Up For Heroes."

"Stand Up For Heroes" is a unique evening of humor and tributes dedicated to our nation's injured service members, with proceeds benefiting the Bob Woodruff Family Fund. The night included special performances by Bruce Springsteen, Steven Colbert and others. All five living presidents sit on the event's Presidential Committee: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, President George W. Bush, President William J. Clinton, President George H. W. Bush and President Jimmy Carter.

NBC's Brian Williams hosted a night that reminded New Yorkers, and many others, of the debt of gratitude we owe the men and women in uniform. The evening's comic relief fetched laughter and cheers. But perhaps the greatest measure of success for the New York Comedy Festival was that fact that it was the servicemen and women from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who rightfully received the Festival's most thunderous and heartfelt applause.

Jonathan Tisch is Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, Co-Chairman of the Board for Loews Corp. and host of television's Beyond the Boardroom with Jonathan Tisch.

Rachel Sklar: SNL: Gaga for the YouTube Moments, but God Is in the Details

2009-10-05T18:37:05Z

What's more important to SNL, comedy or buzz? To the writers, players and guest hosts, it's probably the former; to Lorne Michaels and the suits at NBC, it's ultimately probably the latter. The show can't exist without being funny, at least some of the time -- that's its raison d'être. But it's also not on at 2:00 PM Saturday on Comedy Central for a reason: this isn't just about people being funny, it's about which people are being funny. A punchline knocked home by Sarah Palin is a knockout heard 'round the YouTube-o-sphere; it takes a little longer for the quality work of a Kristen Wiig or a Jason Sudeikis to penetrate.

But don't take that for granted, not for a second -- because surrounding those "OMG" YouTube moments (Madonna wrestling with Lady Gaga! Jenny Slate dropping the F-Bomb!). There's a reason last season was a banner year for SNL.

Short-term, the buzz will get people tuning in -- Who's the host? Who's the musical guest? Might this be one of the fifty episodes where Justin Timberlake cameos?). Long term, though, the repeat viewer will be drawn in by the quality, too (think "SNL isn't funny" vs. "Bill Hader/Andy Samberg/Fred Armisen/Kristen Wiig cracks me up, dude"). When the parade of cameos is over, at the end of the day there's got to be something else there to keep viewers giving a damn.

This episode is a terrific example of just that. The Madonna-Lady Gaga girlfight was the take-away moment of the "Deep House Dish" sketch -- but it also featured Wiig and guest host Ryan Reynoldsdo two of their own funny bits. Reynolds was an excellent, team-player of a host -- happy to play support and ensemble roles rather than being a greedy frontman -- and it showed. It was a big improvement over last week's slightly bland effort starring Megan Fox (maybe that's what happens when your sketches aren't all excuses to dress the hot host in sex-kitten outfits).

If you missed it -- you do have a life! -- here are all the clips from the episode, with my thoughts on what made them great. Darrell Hammond as Arnold Schwarzenegger or the "Family Feud" sketch riffing on Mackenzie Phillips didn't get the ink of Gaga or Madonna, and that's to be expected, but they were among my top moments in an pretty stellar episode ("So You Committed A Crime And Think You Can Dance" was another). Videos and recap below.

Cold Open: Obama on his Track Record

Ouch. Scathing sketch on what Obama has/has not accomplished in his 8 months in office (though realizing we're a month shy of the one-year-anniversary of his election is a shock). Armisen's Obama impression, which I've always liked but which others have impugned, is a little lax to start, but since he nails the "Nnno!" and that word gets lots of play during the sketch, it's a win. Also a win for the truth-hurts subject matter. (Though of course, to be fair, re: the Olympics and health care and even Afghanistan, who wants a president who signs on just because it's easy and he's sure he'll win? Come on.)

Ryan Reynolds' Monologue

Ryan Reynolds was a terrific SNL host. Did he have those break-out YouTube moments? Nope - that's because he was a total team player, through and through. There was no insistence on self-promo, no star-turn diva moments - he was there to partcipate and play parts across types and support the sketch as a whole, not just his screen time. The monologue is decent but I'm going to turn what I just said on its head because it's the one place he deserved that star turn - Reynolds has been effortlessly carrying scenes since Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place (once on the WE network right after Felicity - so yes, I watched it) - he would have been equal to anything they threw at him, and happy to do it. A musical number, a battling-Wolverine bit, or at least using the women in the cast to underscore his romantic lead status (a Definitely, Maybe nod?) -- amping up the energy would have made the monologue pop more. Still, perfectly decent.

70's Family Feud with the Osmond and Phillips Families

Yes, incest and child abuse is not a joke. Obviously. But how could SNL ingnore the Mackenzie Phillips story -- especially when she put it front and center on Oprah and across the rest of the dial? This handling of it was pitch-perfect, placing the joke within a larger context that allowed so much more opportunity for jokes subtle (sets, costumes, Osmonds) and and not so much ("Things You Do With Your Father!"). Hader was at his best creepy weirdo here, too; glad they played Mackenzie down; better to focus on the Osmond-love between Reynolds and Abby Elliott. Loved Sudeikis as Richard Dawson too. Only thing missing was the kissing (for you young 'uns - host Dawson used to kiss all the ladies).

Porcelain Fountains! With Scarlett Johanssen

Nice - bringing back Scarlett Johansson to reprise a sketch she did when she hosted SNL. Happy marriages are good for SNL ratings.

I Threw It On The Ground (Digital Short - Andy Samberg)

I am sure people out there got this -- I didn't, but I am not the target demo of the patented Lonely Island rap parody. (Confession: When I first saw, "I'm On A Boat!" I was like, this is stupid. Yeah, I'm in touch with the kids, all right.) I did double-take at Elijah Wood though. Frodo! Frodo on a boat would be even more fun. Free Willy!

>>>MORE: Weekend Update, Plus Madonna Taking Down Gaga By The Throat

More Sketches From The 10/3 SNL:
Deep House Dish, feat. Lady Gaga and Madonna
Mostly Garbage Pet Food (Commercial Parody)
Update: Darrell Hammond as Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger
Update: Mr. & Mrs. Ahmadinejad
Update: Charles Barkley
So You Committed A Crime...And Think You Can Dance
Norwegian Actor's Playhouse
Lady Gaga and Andy Samberg Wear The Same Outfit (and Kiss)
Lady Gaga: Paparazzi
Lady Gaga: Bad Romance/Pokerface/Love Game Medley

This post is a slightly modified version of one which ran earlier at Mediaite.com

On The Ground (VIDEO): Watch SNL's Latest Digital Short Featuring Ryan Reynolds & Elijah Wood!

2009-10-04T09:59:00Z

The Lonely Island team premiered a new SNL digital short last night called "On the Ground," which featured Andy Samberg throwing increasingly ridiculous things...on the ground. Host Ryan Reynolds, along with surprise guest Elijah Wood, got in on the fun by tasing the comedian after he threw their dinner on the ground.

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Andy Samberg-Lady Gaga Make-Out Session Thwarted By Huge Outfits (VIDEO)

2009-10-04T09:08:06Z

Lady Gaga performed on "Saturday Night Live" yesterday and took the opportunity to appear in a couple of sketches. Not only did she stage a cat fight with Madonna, but she poked fun at her own wardrobe choices in a sketch with Andy Samberg.

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HuffPost Game Changers: Who Is The Ultimate Game Changer In Entertainment?

2009-10-01T09:10:07Z

(VOTING IS NOW CLOSED)

HuffPost's Game Changers celebrates 100 innovators, visionaries, and leaders in 10 categories who are harnessing the power of new media to reshape their fields and change the world. With your help, we've picked 10 people who are changing the game in Entertainment. We honor and salute them.

Now it's up to you to pick the Ultimate Entertainment Game Changer. Click through the slideshow below, get the lowdown on why we chose them, then VOTE. We'll reveal the Ultimate 10 in November.

Jamie Frevele: The SNL Shorts: Part 2 - Reaching the Masses

2009-09-22T11:26:41Z

Yesterday, I talked about how the short films of Saturday Night Live have evolved since the show began. But what about reaching an audience beyond that of the show?

Gary Weis and Tom Schiller were sort of pioneers in their day because as Schiller notes, "There was hardly anyone writing and directing shorts on TV at that time." But would Schiller have wanted his films to go viral? "God, yes." He would also agree that TLI's shorts are a natural evolution for the SNL short film. "They reflect the humor of the moment, shape it even, in some cases. And because they're digital, [they] have a chance to go viral and be seen by more people ...The immediacy and look of digital suits the show right now."

Obviously, The Lonely Island shorts were not the first to go viral. Before they were on the SNL writing staff and cast, they were making videos under the radar just like many, many others. (Including me and my friends.) SNL merely made them mainstream. And you know what? That's pretty awesome. Now that they're on SNL, The Lonely Island has the budget and stage to produce and present what they've always wanted and get their stories told exactly how they want them. If they want "Laser Cats" to be totally craptastic, they can do it. If they want "I'm On a Boat" to look, feel and sound like an authentic, believable rap video, it will. It's enviable for those of us still finding our audiences, but when I take my 15-minute reprieves at work to watch their stuff, it makes me think, "Maybe, just maybe, I'll get to do this, too. Why not? It happened for them."

So, what's next for The Lonely Island? Now entering their fifth season, there's going to soon come a time when three minutes a week isn't quite enough. But since they're so varied, the shorts really aren't indicative of what kind of full-length films they'd make, at least not as a group. (For that I would refer you to Hot Rod, which I compared to The Wrestler earlier this year and about which I could write a full dissertation on why it's kind of a perfect movie. Seriously.) Adam McKay, whose shorts were the first to carry the "SNL Digital Short" label ("The H Is O"), has obviously found success in film. But Tom Schiller's feature Nothing Lasts Forever "went immediately to late night Dutch television." (Again, revealing my comedy nerd stripes, I have actually seen Nothing Lasts Forever. I haven't seen Gremlins, but I did see this Zach Galligan movie.)

Right now, Jorma Taccone is getting ready to direct the "MacGruber" movie, based on a Saturday Night Live sketch for which the premise is MacGruber being blown up before he can solve anything. I'm not going to sugarcoat this, but as a fan of Jorm, I'm worried. I'm sure there's a reason this has gotten as far as it has, and I will most likely not only see this, but see it on opening night out of my love for TLI and sheer morbid curiosity, but I have no idea how it's going to work. Akiva Schaffer is slated to direct The Adventurer's Handbook starring Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and Jason Schwartzman, which I think had the working title "OMG Look at All the Cute Jewish Boys" before they went with the actual book title. And apparently Andy Samberg is too cool to direct, unless he's waiting for someone to option the Freecreditreport.com screenplay, which is totally understandable. In the meantime, here's a plug for Andy Samberg! Now appearing in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs! Here, have another exclamation point! ------> !

Ball-busting aside, these are three talented guys, individually and as a team. Since their SNL shorts have taken off so astronomically, the expectations are high, but for now, I'm looking forward to another season of shorts that will get me through the day. So please, guys, do "Boombox." (And never, ever do anything like "Daiquiri Girl" ever, ever again. Ever. Your stuff always makes my day better, but "Daiquiri Girl" made it worse.)

And now, more videos:

"Schillervision Hidden Camera"

"I'm On a Boat"

And blatant self-promotion -- my incredibly elaborate and awesome TLI ripoff/fan letter, "I'm On a Date"

(In case you're worried, I just noticed a commenter said "I thought it was going to suck, but that was tight." Thank you, adrianisprelude.)

The 13 Funniest SNL Digital Shorts Of All Time: Pick Your Favorite! (VIDEO)

2009-09-21T15:52:52Z

With "Saturday Night Live" returning to air this weekend, we're counting down some of their funniest sketches of all time. In the past few years, many of those have been digital shorts produced by the Lonely Island. Here are the 13 best (in our humble opinion), tell us which are your favorites!

Jamie Frevele: The SNL Shorts: Part 1 - The Beginning of Creative Anarchy

2009-09-21T11:29:23Z

If there is anything worse than being unemployed, it's being trapped in a terrible job and having to remind yourself that you're lucky to have one at all, even if it means driving for over an hour in traffic with a knot in your stomach and a lump in your throat twice a day, five days a week, then spending the day convincing yourself that you're not alone in this toilety economy. And, in my case, taking a few minutes to sob about it all in the ladies' room.

But at least there's "Dick in a Box."

What? Oh, yes -- that's how I make my day better, at least for a few minutes at a time when I can steal them from the crushing ennui. I watch the SNL Digital Shorts.

I've always felt like Saturday Night Live's video sketches had a sense of creative anarchy about them, like some punks lifted a camera, busted out to film something, then brought it back and said, "Look what we did while you were working, suckers!" Not just for the current shorts, but going back to the show's first season. Gary Weis, the second SNL filmmaker after Albert Brooks, told me that when he was hired by his friend Lorne Michaels, he was given free reign over his films and "freedom to do what he wanted" with little censorship. Tom Schiller, who succeeded Weis in 1977, looks back on his time at SNL "as a 'golden period,' when I experimented and made, with a lot of creative freedom, my early short films." It's pretty clear that a great deal of creative freedom has been granted to The Lonely Island boys, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, or else we would have never been treated/subjected to "Laser Cats." (One vote for "treated.") Maybe it's living vicariously through that anarchy that cures my work ills, since I am seriously on the verge of gutting a fish on my desk.

But from what did the SNL Digital Shorts evolve?

Brought on as a "new, hip Charles Kuralt," Gary Weis' films all had a "truthy" feel to them, meaning that they weren't necessarily out for laughs, but offered up material from real people that couldn't have been scripted, like Andy Warhol staple Taylor Mead talking to his cat. (Maybe you've never heard of "Taylor Mead's Ass." Well, now you have. You're welcome.) While Weis was not out to deliver sketch comedy, his short Beatles-inspired mockumentary about "The Rutles" with Eric Idle prompted a full-length version called "All You Need Is Cash." Yes, comedy nerds -- Monty Python and the Not Ready for Primetime Players actually joined forces at one point. And I own it on DVD. Jealous?

Tom Schiller, on the other hand, had an entirely different MO. While he was part of the original writing staff and made occasional appearances on camera, Schiller was always a filmmaker by trade and wanted to make "miniature movies," he says. "I wanted to create stylized short films that had the atmosphere of my favorite directors," including foreign directors Federico Fellini and Francois Truffaut, as well as vintage American films. While Weis' films found humor in truth and reality, "Schiller's Reels" were an escape from format and, sometimes, the present. Produced specifically to stand out from the rest of the show, they were often shot with an old-fashioned feel, in black and white or intentionally scratchy. He also put the show's then-rising stars in roles the audience had never seen them in before, like John Belushi as an old man, dancing (sadly, ironically) on the graves of his predeceased castmates, Gilda Radner lamenting the woes of fame, and Bill Murray as a bum-turned-Shakespearean actor. (Though he actually did become a Shakespearean actor in Hamlet.)

Schiller's Reels and later Schillervision served to buck conventional sketch comedy temporarily and hijack other genres, which makes them comparable to TLI's Digital Shorts. While some of the best Digital Shorts are pretty traditional commercial parodies ("Lettuce," for example, which is so great because it's played so incredibly straight), the most memorable ones do what Schiller's Reels did and take over genres, in their case, music videos.

One rule I learned from writing sketch comedy was "In this dimension, this is how this happens." In our current dimension, there was Color Me Badd. In the dimension created by TLI, Color Me Badd sang, with just as much sincerity and without a hint of tongue in cheek, about putting their cocks in gift-wrapped cardboard boxes. Why? Because they can. TLI wanted to take Color Me Badd, lift the tactful veil of cheesy lyrics and put it out there -- these guys want to show girls their junk. But besides creative anarchy, both Schiller and TLI fulfill artistic desires. I know I've always wanted to be shot in grainy black and white. And I know I've always wondered if I could do a rap video. I probably have no business doing either, and, really, do these other suburban white kids? Who cares? They can. And they did. (And so did I.) And some of you probably wish you could, too.

What all of these SNL filmmakers have in common is storytelling. We tell stories to entertain ourselves, maybe distract ourselves, and some of us want to tell stories for a living because we know how much people love it. And need it, especially right now.

And nowadays, we can all see so much more of it, whenever we want.

For your viewing pleasure:

"Dick in a Box"

And Tom Schiller's "The Acid Generation: Where Are They Now?":

The_Acid_Generation_-_Where_are_They_Now__by_Tom_Schiller

Tomorrow: Going Viral and Feature-Length

Zorianna Kit: Movie Review: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

2009-09-16T00:48:27Z

The forecast for the animated feature Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs could very well be sunny with a chance of a big hit.

Based on the children's book of the same name about a town where food falls like rain, writer-directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord took the basic premise and brilliantly crafted an origin-type story. The result is an intricate, colorful and delicious world that is strong on character, big on laughs and clever on plot.

In Cloudy, aspiring inventor Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) creates a machine that makes it rain whatever foods he programs in to his computer. National Weather Network's Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) arrives to cover the phenomenon and the two become friends. Over time, the townsfolk begin to abuse the machine with requests that get grander by the day and the machine starts to behave erratically.

Hitting a boiling point, the machine unleashes a torrent of spaghetti tornadoes, giant meatballs and other foods in grotesque sizes that threaten to destroy the town. As everyone prepares to evacuate, Flint and Sam must try to stop the looming disaster. It's a fast-paced adventure with nary a dull moment, making the hour and half go by quickly.

In addition to the clever story-line, the characters in Cloudy prove to be a great strength here as well. All of them -- no matter how small or large the part -- are interesting, engaging and unique in their personalities. Flynt's technophobic and reserved father (James Caan), the gluttonous Mayor Shelbourne (Bruce Campbell), the town's local celebrity "Baby" Brent (Andy Samberg) and the over protective sheriff (Mr. T) are just a few of the folks who have their own personal story arcs in the film. Each one is neatly tied together by the end.

The world crafted by the filmmakers is both mesmerizing and scrumptious. Swimming pools of melted cheese, a giant Jell-O bouncy-house and peanut brittle as weapon-like stakes are nothing short of impressive. It brings to mind the type of richness and inventiveness Tim Burton brought to his version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, except this world is animated.

It's clear that much love and effort went in to bringing this book to life. Lord and Miller, along with digital effects supervisor Daniel Kramer, spent a lot of time replicating falling foods by studying their effects in real life before animating them. Their team filled a bathtub with Jello-O, for example, and dropped action figures into it to see how it would bounce and reflect light. Burgers were dropped from great heights and the different ways it would come apart upon landing was duly noted and incorporated.

This attention to detail results in the audiences' total acceptance of a world where anything goes, no matter how wacky things gets. (A monkey who speaks through a thought translator? Check. A flock of rat-birds? Check.)

First time feature directors Lord and Miller hail from the world of television, having served as co-executive producers on How I Met Your Mother among other credits. The duo makes a loud and splashy arrival with Cloudy, signaling a personal forecast that should be nothing but clear skies and sunshine.

Jamie Frevele: Red Is the New Pink

2009-09-10T14:18:53Z

Full disclosure: I didn't watch President Obama's speech last night. For one thing, I know where I stand on healthcare reform (in favor). For another, I forgot. This is rather irresponsible for someone who regularly follows and occasionally writes about politics, especially since healthcare reform is one of the most important issues that directly affects our lives.

But then I heard about the behavior of the Republican Party during a presidential speech to a joint session of Congress and I felt a lot better about myself.

Seriously - shouting "You lie" and then futzing around with your Blackberry? A member of Congress doing this while the President speaks? And not just that, but handmade signs, giggling, snorting and hissing? Hissing? Really? Dana Milbank pointed out that such guttural, primitive outbursts take place in Britain's House of Commons. So, have the GOP just gone old school, like really, really conservative as in "Screw the revolution - too changey"? Which, I guess, means that they wouldn't throw the Boston Tea Party and just let Britain tax them? No, that can't be it.

No. They're turning into Code Pink.

Code Pink was supposed to be an anti-war movement, but instead it turned into a coven of ineffective clowns. The birthers (remember them?) were on par, and so were the ill-informed squeaky wheels at the town hall meetings. They all filed into these rallies wanting to protest and voice their opinions, but then they became shrieking ignoramuses, spreading falsehoods and outrageously incorrect claims with bulging veins in their faces and unhinged vitriol. And guns. Guns!

But none of those people are elected officials on the federal level. They don't represent the government of the United States, they only spoke for themselves. Code Pink showed up looking like a bunch of Muppets when Bush spoke and made spectacles of themselves, and they were quickly dismissed by officials and the media. What the hell makes the GOP, a political party, think they can get away with the same shenanigans when Obama speaks? The double standard is astounding and disturbing.

Few people take Code Pink seriously outside of Code Pink. It's time to stop trying to appease this immature, attention-starved nursery school class and let the grown-ups pass healthcare reform without them.

So, now that my rant is over, Milbank also reported that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel confronted two GOP congressmen, saying "You know my number." I would like to think that those discussions went a little something like this:

Michael Giltz: DVDs: I Heart "Firefly"

2009-08-17T16:54:57Z

I would like to review Joss Whedon's Dollhouse Season 1 ($49.98 or $60.98 on BluRay; Fox) by actually reviewing Joss Whedon's Firefly: The Complete Series ($49.98 or $89.98 on BluRay; Fox). But first I'd like to apologize to Mr. Whedon. I loved Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Really loved it. Gobbled up every episode (until Whedon left after Season 5, when the show had clearly come to a conclusion but for financial reasons carried on for two more seasons). I wrote about it and touted it to my friends and watched it all over again on DVD. So I should have been a fan for life and given all your projects a chance. But Angel was an unnecessary spin-off that never should have happened (though it got better). And so once Firefly came around, my attention was elsewhere. I actually looked up the Friday night schedule and there was nothing on opposite it so I have absolutely no idea why I didn't sample it, at the very least. It slipped by. So did Dollhouse, which sounded confusing and awkward. But I watched the Firefly film spin-off/finale Serenity and found it fun. Friends kept raving about the show. And after re-watching Buffy and falling in love with your talent all over again, I sat down to watch Firefly from start to finish.

My G-d this is a good show. A western in space (down to the horses and gun battles), Firefly is quirky, with the offbeat and clever dialogue we expect from Whedon. But it's also wholly satisfying and fun from episode one. Our hero Captain Reynolds (square-jawed Nathan Fillion, since on Castle) is a rebel who fought against the Alliance and now commands a small ship that stays on the outer reaches of space, taking the occasional smuggling job and in the grand tradition of anti-heroes has a code of honor that always keeps him doing good. His crew includes the sexy, capable number two Zoe (Gina Washburne); her husband, the pilot Wash (Alan Tudyk, a dead ringer for Anthony Rapp); the ace mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite); the muscle Jayne (Adam Baldwin) and various passengers including a "companion" aka prostitute (Morena Baccarin) that the captain has a soft spot for; a doctor and his sister; and a Shepherd (Ron Glass of Barney Miller).

I felt obliged to name each and every character because they are so vivid and real and I couldn't bear to leave any out. Each episode is self-contained, often with a heist or con or job of some sort they need to complete. There's also an over-arching mystery about the doctor and his disturbed sister (Summer Glau) but it's a relief to report that this isn't some wildly complex super-plot with tons of detail and confusing flashbacks. It's just a quiet presence on the show with facts slowly revealed at just the right pace. Some episodes feel like Mission: Impossible with the team working together to, say, steal a precious item. Others have the larky feel of Maverick, the great comic western starring James Garner. Still others feel funny or serious or uniquely themselves. And there's not a weak one in the bunch. Not one. (By the way, if you're a fan of Mad Men, January Jones pops up twice here in a terrific role.)

And time and again I was surprised by the emotional moments contained in these highly entertaining plots. The characters behave in surprising and remarkable ways that are both consistent with who they are and yet astonishing. I actually believed some of them might kill one another at various points. (And maybe they do.) That's pretty rare in any TV show. This isn't some rare, cult-ish show with a narrow devoted following, It absolutely deserved to be a big fat, Nielsen-gobbling hit. I actually can't believe any network would be dumb enough to cancel it after just half a season. I find it even harder to believe no other network picked it up. It's so, so hard to get a show on the air and even harder to make it good. And Firefly isn't good. It's great.

Though it only contains 17 episodes, they are of such high quality and the conclusion feels so fitting and right, that I don't hesitate to say that it belongs among the great TV shows of all time, and certainly ranks with Battlestar: Galactica, Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X Files, Dr. Who and so on, as one of the best sci-fi shows of all time. Or you could rank it with Maverick and Gunsmoke as one of the best westerns TV has ever produced.

And yes, Mr. Whedon, I promise to watch every episode of Dollhouse and get ready for season two and watch at least the entire first season of every show you create in the future. I don't want to miss any more terrific television.

Other Sci-Fi Series Looking To Make A Name For Themselves:

Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 ($49.98; Universal) -- These final episodes brought this excellent sci-fi series to a satisfying conclusion after a shaky season 3. No, all the loose ends weren't tied up, but a lot of them were, the big reveals were sometimes expected but well done and the emotional journey of all the characters felt earned. Who would have thought such an awful artifact from the 1970s could have been the basis for such a fun show? Sadly, I didn't get the complete series on DVD ($279.98; Universal) or the BluRay version ($349.98; Universal) so I can't compare them to each other.

Torchwood Second Season ($79.98 on regular or BluRay; BBC Video) and Torchwood: Children of the Earth ($29.98 or $34.98 on BluRay; BBC Video) -- I've always had a fondness for this Dr. Who spin-off, but the simple truth is that Season One wasn't that special. The only aspect that kept me returning was the unusual emphasis on sex and sexuality. Sci-fi rarely deals with sex on anything other than the geekiest, most basic level so that really did distinguish the show. But other than the fact that the hero (the winning John Barrowman) was bisexual and hit on everyone in sight, there wasn't much to recommend it. Season Two was a leap forward in quality. It's still a save-the-world-again series, but the budget was upped considerably and the writing grew tauter along with the acting. Season 3 is really a five part miniseries that goes even deeper into the show's other distinguishing aspect: its bleakness. They might just turn this pretty good show into a great one after all.

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead ($14.98 or $19.98 on BluRay; BBC Video) -- This engaging self-contained episode is one of a batch David Tennant made as he said goodbye to the role of The Doctor. There's absolutely no reason to release them individually instead of in an inexpensive boxed set with all four one-offs. But they've always packaged and re-packaged Doctor Who endlessly with never a thought for the consumer so why should things change now? Fun episode, though.

Also Out On DVD:

I Love You, Man ($29.99 or $39.99 on BluRay; Paramount) -- OK, I've got a weakness for Paul Rudd, the effortlessly charming actor who came to fame in Clueless by snogging his sister (hey, hey, sister-in-law or step-sister or whatever, they weren't related). Here he plays a spin on his patented nice-guy with attitude character: a guy who gets engaged and realizes he's great with women (as in gal pals) but has absolutely no male friends. Even his dad prefers Rudd's gay brother (a fine Andy Samberg) to Rudd. So he starts going on "man dates" trying to find a male acquaintance he can buddy up with and it's all horribly embarrassing until Jason Segel (of How I Met Your Mother) stumbles into one of Rudd's open houses for a home he's selling and they hit it off. Rudd is hilariously funny when he tries to act cool here, awkwardly trying to give Segel a nickname or making some stupid abbreviated comment and then immediately cringing. I kept thinking I would get bored but the movie consistently held my attention and made me laugh and I was just about to declare it a winner when it came to a rather deflating finale. Nothing stupid or untoward, just kind of flat and unfunny. Besides, I doubt there's anything in this bromance worth watching twice. But it is an above average flick of its sort.

Shirley Temple & Friends and 1001 Classic Commercials ($14.98 each; Mill Creek) -- Sometimes, you get what you pay for. This bargain basement Shirley Temple set contains some Shirley Temple films and shorts (3 movies and 11 shorts, to be exact) and a lot of films (five more) and shorts ( another 4) that were apparently made by her "friends." You get 8 movies in all, plus 15 shorts and if you're really a Temple fan, you can get The Little Princess, the 1939 gem, in a much better print. Her shorts are harder to find so even though the quality of the print is highly variable, hardcore fans might enjoy this until something more definitive comes along. The rest is bargain basement stuff, though I have been waiting for the Nancy Drew movies to come out in a nice little set (Nancy Drew, Reporter is here). You might think, for $15 how bad can it be? But you're probably wrong unless you're the sort that tapes shorts off of TCM because you just gotta have them. On the other hand, the equally bargain basement compilation 1001 Classic Commercials seems pretty good to me. The picture quality, again, is highly variable and rarely better than tolerable. But you can skip from commercial to commercial, it's got 16 hours of them, they really are kind of hypnotically fascinating and culturally nifty and unlike Shirley Temple, I don't imagine anyone will be remastering old TV commercials any time soon.

Crouching Tiger on Blueray!

First the good news: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- one of the all-time great adventure films which ranks alongside The Adventures of Robin Hood and Raiders Of The Lost Ark but has an emotional complexity those films can't match -- is out on BluRay and looks smashing. Now the bad news: you can only buy it as part of a desultory boxed set ($92.95; Sony) that also contains the excellent House Of Flying Daggers and the dreadful Curse Of The Golden Flower. These films do overlap in a way, with some actors in two out of three of them. Two were directed by Zhang Yimou and Crouching Tiger of course was directed by Ang Lee. Two are excellent. But they in no way shape or form belong in a boxed set together. Obviously, Flying Daggers and Golden Flower could be boxed with Zhang Yimou's Hero since those are his three action spectacles. But both of his movies are available separately while Crouching Tiger is not. So anyone a fan of Ang Lee's film either doesn't want those two or has already purchased them, which makes it almost impossible for anyone to buy this boxed set and not feel ripped off in one way or another. Truly boneheaded and the great Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon deserves better. Now when is Ang Lee gonna film the two prequels and when is someone else going to translate the book it was based on into English?

Icons of Screwball Comedy

Two good, no muss, no fuss DVD compilations of some solid screwball comedies. Icons Of Screwball Comedies Volume One ($24.96; Sony) contains two Jean Arthur flicks and two Rosalind Russell showcases. Volume Two ($24.96; Sony) has two Irene Dunne and two Loretta Young titles. As so often happens, you need both since Arthur and Dunne are the two standouts with their movies slightly superior to the others. All are genial fun and none of them are either beautifully pristine or shockingly bad when it comes to print quality. But if I had to choose one, it would be Volume Two, because I especially enjoy Dunne as the author of a naughty bestseller in Theodora Goes Wild and my other weakness is for mysteries so the screwball-mystery A Night To Remember with Young is a two-fer.

Super Friends: The Lost Episodes

I suppose it's wrong of me to suggest that anything should not be collected on DVD. But these after-thoughts of a TV cartoon series (created after Super Friends was canceled and hidden in a vault until they aired a decade later) are certainly better off forgotten by anyone but historians. I'd almost blocked out the Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna and -- gulp -- their buck-toothed blue space monkey Gleek from my memory til this two disc, three hour compilation ($26.98; Warner Bros.) crossed my desk. That's certainly the low point, but everyone else here, like Superman and Batman and the Flash, is seen to much better effect both before and after this batch of routine episodes. Also just out is the equally forgettable Daffy Duck feature film Quackbusters ($14.98; Warner Bros.) from 1988. The three shorts included as extras easily outshine the film and let you know what Daffy was really about, especially Duck Dodgers and the Return Of The 24 1/2th Century.

Chris Isaak Greatest Hits Live

Chris Isaak is as winning a rock and roll talent as they come. He's got a marvelous voice, great skills as a songwriter and knows the territory he's staked out -- blue tunes of misery and heartache -- better than anyone since the heyday of Ricky Nelson and Roy Orbison. This all-too brief 68 minute concert film from the TV series Soundstage ($19.99; E1) captures the handsome devil in all his glory. When his career is over, he'll deserve boxed sets and a number of his albums will be seen as classics (such as his debut and San Francisco Days) but as a throwback to the Fifties, Isaak will best be remembered through a really smartly chosen, well-paced single CD greatest hits set that will become essential for any rock and roll fan. This show is a good first stab at that set list and fans will eat it up. But still, 68 minutes? They should have left the camera rolling.

Get Your Kicks... With Some Other TV Show

Rarely has a TV show been kicked around on DVD as often as Route 66, the anthology series in which two guys travel the country and stumble on compelling storylines with guest stars in a new town every week. The entire release has been a farce in one way or another. First they released just half of Season One, which drives me bonkers. No one in the world ever wanted half of a season of a TV series. To make matters worse, the picture quality was variable. Then they put out Volume Two and the picture was better but they ruined it by including fake "widescreen" imagery by chopping off the top and the bottom of the screen. Then they put out the entire Season One without the fake widescreen, so that anyone who bought it had to buy it all over again.. Then they put out Season Two in one complete set and did a pretty good job, so everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Now they've released Volume One of Season Three, which almost makes sense since one of the leads got sick and left the show. But this set includes the first 16 episodes and not the 17th episode, the final one in which George Maharis appears. To top it off, the entire Season Three was available in one set at Best Buy in an exclusive deal, but it's been recalled since all the discs from Volume Two proved defective. If that isn't enough to scare you off, I don't know what is. But as for the show itself, it's a solid anthology, with fairly hard-hitting topics and juicy performances from top-notch actors throughout. I assume they'll probably re-do the entire season three and put it out for everyone, but that's just because it's the most annoying thing they could do. G-d knows what will happen to season four.

Pushing Daisies Second Season

Unlike, say, Firefly, I'm not actually shocked that Pushing Daisies didn't become a massive, broad appeal hit. It really is an odd duck, which isn't to say that anyone with a love for classic Hollywood screwball comedies, whimsical mysteries, or offbeat fare like the edgier Arrested Development won't be thoroughly pleased by this series. The quality is high, even as they must have known the cancellation ax was being sharpened. Lee Pace is an utter charmer as a man with a disquieting gift -- he can touch dead things and bring them to life but if he doesn't put them back to "sleep" right away something else must die to take their place -- who uses it to solve crimes. He's brought his true love back to life and so now they're doomed to a sweetly platonic romance, which is surprisingly sexy when the woman is Anna Friel, another find. The supporting cast is top-notch, with Chi McBride and Kristin Chenoweth first among equals and Jim Dale's playful narration as the perfect touch. Cult hit couldn't have happened to a nicer show.

Also Out:

A Life Among Whales ($19.98; Indiepix), earnest hour-long documentary about the scientist who popularized the idea that whales "sing;" Pulling Second Season ($24.98; MPI), the rude, somewhat funny Britcom about a single gal stumbling through life; Prison Break: The Final Break ($26.98 and and $29.99 on BluRay), the ludicrous finale with our hero breaking his wife out of prison -- how Wentworth Miller maintained his dignity through all this I'll never know; London To Brighton ($24.98; E1), in which a prostitute finds an 11 year old girl for a mobster but thinks things have gone too far when he gets violent -- it's not kitchen sink drama so much as the gunk underneath the kitchen sink you find when you're trying to unclog a pipe drama; Fast & Furious ($34.98; Universal) the silly sequel even by the standards of this silly series about car thieves; Bad Lieutenant ($19.98; Lionsgate), a special edition of Harvey Keitel's coruscating performance as a violent cop; and Apres Lui ($24.98; IFC), with Catherine Deneuve's typically restrained performance as a bereaved mother who becomes obsessed with her dead son's (handsome) best friend.

On Bluray:

Here is a rundown of the latest BluRay releases and whether they're worth splurging on. (Studios, lower your prices quick to the same as regular DVDs and maybe there's still a chance that BluRay will catch on. Maybe.)

This Is Spinal Tap ($34.99 on BluRay versus $14.98; MGM) -- Ok, you simply can't pay too much for one of the funniest and most influential comedies of all time. Still, $7.50 on sale for regular DVD versus $22 at Amazon? Given the movie and how often people watch it again and again and again, this is worth it but perfectly illustrates how studios are killing BluRay. Except for landmark films and effects extravaganzas, people ain't gonna spend this much more money on BluRay.

The Class ($39.95 versus $28.96 on regular DVD; Sony) -- My favorite film of 2008, this French gem ranks at the top of films about the classroom. If you already own it, there's no need to upgrade. And if you haven't bought it, the $8 price difference (on sale) is pretty steep.

Sling Blade ($34.99 versus $14.99 on regular DVD; Miramax) -- Again, you have to pay twice the price to get it on BluRay (even on sale), which is way too much. But who would have expected this oddball drama to launch Billy Bob Thornton into the fine, multi-faceted career he's having? I thought he had one-hit wonder written all over him, but that's what I get for confusing the actor with the role.

Cutthroat Island ($19.99 versus $9.98 on regular DVD; Lionsgate) -- If you're gonna introduce some cheaply priced BluRays, it's no surprise they'd start with a notorious flop like this pirate movie starring Geena Davis. She's perfectly convincing as a swashbuckler but the film is bloated, as advertised. And even at $20, it's still twice as much as the regular DVD.

Wild Pacific ($34.99 versus $29.98 on regular DVD; BBC/2 Entertain) -- Nature documentaries have become so routinely stunning that something as simply gorgeous as Wild Pacific barely makes a stir. But it looks smashing on your TV and for a change the BluRay isn't wildly more expensive -- only $3 more on sale at Amazon.

Big Trouble In Little China ($29.99 versus $9.98 on regular DVD; Fox) -- A big flop a la Cutthroat Island but this supernatural spin on Escape From New York has a lot more character and a lot more fans. Too bad John Carpenter's cultish flick costs three times as much on DVD (and two times as much even on sale) as the regular disc. This is the sort of spectacle that deserves top quality.

My Cousin Vinny ($34.98 versus $14.98 on regular DVD) -- Marisa Tomei's Oscar-winning role (and no, it wasn't a mistake; she deserved it and has proved it since with fine turns in The Wrestler and elsewhere) in this amiable comedy that has grown in stature among the average fan over the years. (In other words, regular Joes love this movie, not just Joe Pesci.) But there's no compelling need for the BluRay upgrade unless you've got a Marisa Tomei poster on your wall.

The Towering Inferno ($34.98 versus $19.98; Fox) -- A genuine spectacle and a very influential movie, this Oscar-winning triumph from 1974 has the usual all-star cast, a stately pace and some awesome special effects that hold up a lot better than the CGI in Transformers and GI Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra will. The BluRay comes loaded with extras and on sale it costs $7 more, which for a spectacle like this is just about worth it. It's remarkable to me how so many of the plot points of this movie became conventions that would be repeated time and time again in disaster flicks to come. And at 2 hours and 45 minutes, it's a good reminder that over-long movies have been around for ages.

Thanks for reading.

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New York Comedy Festival: The Top Nine Reasons to Attend the New York Comedy Festival

2009-08-12T10:44:11Z

9. Patton Oswalt is even more endearing live than as a computer-animated, chef hat-wearing, talking rat.

8. You've always heard that Tracy Morgan is a lunatic on stage, but you've never experienced it for yourself.

7. "Wait, isn't Bill Burr the white guy from the Chappelle Show? And isn't Mike Epps the black guy from The Hangover? I love racial typecasting!"

6. Between Italian comedians Artie Lange and Mike Birbiglia, you'll feel like you're in one, big Olive Garden commercial.

5. For the ladies: Bill Maher does social commentary. For the guys: Chicks dig social commentary.

4. Liking Dane Cook is retro-kitschy-cool right now. Plus the guy has some pretty good new material.

3. You were too embarrassed to buy tickets to Justin Timberlake, but you spend long nights agonizing over missing Andy Samberg do "Dick in a Box" live.

2. You can finally see why all your jerk friends prefer Ricky Gervais' British Office to the American version.

1. The New York Comedy Festival has got the best lineup of performers and venues this side of the Hudson River, the East River, or really any river.

New York Comedy Festival Announces Line-Up: Andy Samberg, Artie Lange, Bill Maher, And Tracy Morgan To Perform

2009-08-12T09:53:57Z

The New York Comedy Festival announced a tentative line-up today that adds Dane Cook, Mike Birbiglia and more to an already venerable list of stand-ups scheduled to appear. The festival, now in its sixth year, is the largest of its kind in the United States.

November 4
"STAND UP FOR HEROES" a special benefit presented by NYCF and the Bob Woodruff Foundation at Town Hall

November 5
DANE COOK "Dane Cook and Friends" at Madison Square Garden, 7:00pm
RICKY GERVAIS "Out of England II" at Carnegie Hall, 8:00pm
MIKE BIRBIGLIA "I'm in the Future Also" at Town Hall, 8:00pm

November 6
BILL BURR "Let It Go" at Town Hall, 8:00pm
TRACY MORGAN "Tracy Morgan's Hard Knock Life" at Carnegie Hall, 8:00pm
ARTIE LANGE "Artie Lange Live" at Beacon Theatre, 7:30pm

November 7
MIKE EPPS "The Mike Epps Is Rottin' in the Apple Comedy Show" at Beacon Theatre, 8:00pm
PATTON OSWALT "Patton Oswalt Live" at Town Hall, 8:00pm
THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA - PANELS TBA, 2:00pm and 5:00pm

November 8
BILL MAHER "An Evening with Bill Maher" at Avery Fisher Hall, 7:00pm
ANDY SAMBERG "Andy Samberg and Friends Live from Town Hall" at Town Hall, 8:00pm

FOR TICKETS
Please visit www.nycomedyfestival.com to purchase tickets to all NYCF shows.

Jon Stewart's Funniest Guests: The Best Comic Moments From The "Daily Show" (VIDEO)

2009-07-05T15:57:10Z

Andy Samberg, Joy Behar, Eddie Izzard, Denis Leary, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Craig Ferguson, Norm McDonald, Mike Myers, Laura Kightlinger, Dave Chappelle, Richard Lewis, Brett Butler, Sandra Bernhard, Jerry Seinfeld, Tracey Ullman, George Carlin, Chris Rock, David Cross, Louis C.K., D.L. Hughley, Colin Quinn, Tina Fey, Caroline Rhea, Paul Rudd, Bonnie Hunt, Al Franken and more have stopped by the "Daily Show" set over the years to talk about their television shows, comic routines, films, and personal lives. Stewart's producers were kind enough to compile the best moments from these interviews for your viewing pleasure while Jon is on vacation.

Tina Fey revealed that when she worked in Chicago with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell, one of them was a notorious ladies' man. Richard Lewis took the same pair to task for their sartorial style. Martin Lawrence told Stewart why he likes to smoke comedy. Eric Idle sang. George Carlin mocked white people. Louis C.K. called a little girl an asshole. And Bonnie Hunt teased Stewart so much he fell off his seat.

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Andy Ostroy: "That's Me, Al Franken"

2009-07-01T09:52:19Z

Finally, the state of Minnesota has its second U.S. Senator after an eight-month legal battle following the 2008 election. Al Franken, the former comedian, author and political talk show host, ultimately prevailed over incumbent Norm Coleman in a knock-down, drag-out fight that ended Tuesday in the state's Supreme Court. Franken will join 59 other Democrats next week as the party has its first filibuster-proof majority in thirty years. Of course, it's a great day for Franken, the party, Minnesotans and comedians everywhere.

I remember the 1970's well. Saturday Night Live ruled the day. Franken was one funny (albeit dry, sarcastic and intelligent) dude. But whoever thought that 30 years later he'd become one of the most influential people in the world, holding one of 100 exclusive seats in America's most powerful legislative body? So it got me thinking: who do we have among today's young comic performers who could one day be making law in the Senate's prestigious chambers?

Will Andy Samberg be the first politician to run for U.S. Senator armed with an array of provocative digital shorts starring him and singer Justin Timberlake? Will Sacha Baron Cohen run? And if so, as himself? As Borat? As Bruno? Or what about Jackass's Johnny Knoxville? Think about all the genital-abusing pranks he'd bring to Washington. Just sit back and close your eyes and dream a little. The possibilities are endless.

Raymond Leon Roker: Eminem's MTV Fit Not Stuntin

2009-06-01T15:39:34Z

Personally, I was TIVO'ing my way through most of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. I just couldn't get into it (In comparison, this year's Oscars were so, so much better). Although mostly the same awards show we expect from MTV (lots of SNL humor and teen screaming), LeAnn Rimes singing a rendition of host Andy Samberg's "Jizz In My Pants" and Forest Whitaker's "Dick In A Box" were cringingly funny highlights.

But clearly the WTF moment of the night was Sacha Baron Cohen teabagging Slim Shady on national television. My colleague and URB editor Josh Glazer has some thoughts on Em's reaction:

By now, everyone's seen this clip of Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno putting his now famous man muffin on Eminem's chin and the rapper's subsequent storming out on the MTV Movie Awards. And while Cohen and MTV were obviously in on the joke, I had my doubts about Eminem (update: who allegedly admitted it was rehearsed)
It's not that I doubt the lengths to which stars will go to get attention by acting the fool. It's that having grown up just a few miles from the actual Detroit suburb where Eminem was raised (10 Mile, to answer your obvious question), I've known enough folks like Marshall Mathers to know that you can take the kid out of Warren, MI, but you can't take Warren, MI, blah, blah, blah...

Detroit, like so much of the Midwest, is rife with the sort of reactionary, humorless, impatient and aggressive characters that Eminem has come to embody in the American psyche. Sure, Em has played up that character -- Slim Shady being the ultimate id of such personality (dis)orders. But that doesn't mean it's not real. If anything, Marshall has emphasized the realness of this mentality in his own life. The troubled upbringing -- real. Having your best friend killed at an actual club on 8 Mile -- real. Responding to fame by sinking into a years long pill stupor -- real, and the entire basis for his long awaited comeback album, Relapse.
With all this realness, why are so many quick to jump on the belief that the anger shown by Em (a career homophobe, Elton John or not) would be staged? Obviously, we've gotten so used to celebrity misbehavior that we imagine there must be an element of self-awareness to the tomfoolery. There can't be that many accidental nip slips. And then there's the fact that despite everything, Eminem ~~was~~ is a major talent whom we want to embrace, but without facing all the unpleasant hang-ups, many of which we share with the protagonist. I frankly don't want Bruno's taint on my neck either.
It's easier to assume this is a character act than acknowledge that we like the highly unlikeable person that is Marshall Mathers. But I know in my gut that his anger is real, having spent way too many days of my youth with folks like Marshall Mathers -- hard, fronting, unpleasant, prejudice, homophobic, blue collar, hip-hop loving white boys -- to shrug it off as stagecraft. And even if I'm wrong. Even if Eminem was in on the whole thing, the character he plays is the real thing all over the country. He even said it himself:
"And every single person is a Slim Shady lurkin
He could be workin at Burger King, spittin on your onion rings
[*HACH*] Or in the parkin lot, circling
Screaming 'I don't give a fuck!'
with his windows down and his system up"
("The Real Slim Shady")

HuffPost blogger Brandon Perkins reviews Em's Relapse

This editorial was originally published on URB.COM

Cool Guys Don't Look At Explosions: Andy Samberg's Tribute To Action Stars (VIDEO)

2009-06-01T12:12:39Z

In addition to hosting the MTV Movie Awards, Andy Samberg shot several digital shorts for the show. The highlight of them was certainly his tribute to action movies and their stars, that featured Samberg, Will Ferrell and J.J. Abrams singing about cool guys who walk away from explosions without looking back.

Click here for more from the MTV Movie Awards.

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Forest Whitaker Sings 'Dick In A Box,' Rimes Sings 'Jizz In My Pants' At MTV Awards (VIDEO)

2009-06-01T09:56:58Z

Andy Samberg got three unexpected performers to sing some of his Digital Short songs when he hosted the MTV Movie Awards.

He first introduced LeAnn Rimes singing a classical version of "Jizz In My Pants," followed by Chris Isaak singing "I'm on a Boat" and a duet of "Lazy Sunday."

The highlight was Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker's operatic version, complete with a chorus and orchestra back-up, of "Dick In a Box."

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Funny & Fine: Who's America's Sexiest Comedian? You Decide! (SLIDESHOW) (POLL)

2009-05-27T16:31:31Z

We've selected 15 of the sexiest funnymen we know for a HuffPost poll of ridiculous proportions. They're all hilarious, they're all more comedian than actor (sorry Paul Rudd!), and they're all sexy as hell. Think we're missing someone? Complain about it in the comments section! Missed the ladies list? Click here and vote for them too!

Sean L. McCarthy: The SNL FAQ: #34.22 (Justin Timberlake)

2009-05-11T15:37:58Z

It's late. You have questions about last weekend's Saturday Night Live. We have answers.

Did they open with a political sketch? YES. Will Forte, as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, revealed that the feds had given the nation's banks a written test in addition to the "stress test" to see if they could remain viable. And some of the banks didn't take the test seriously enough, it seemed. About as funny as one could make a sketch about bankers.

How did the host do, and did he/she do anything outrageously funny? Justin Timberlake did exactly everything you'd expect from him -- which is both great and kinda predictable. Take your pick. Do you love JT? Then you loved him on SNL. But he did essentially reprise just about everything you had seen him do in his previous hosting gigs there. Lots of talent. Lots of energy. Little in the surprise department.

Who played President Obama? With the real-life Obama cracking jokes and getting ribbed at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night in D.C., perhaps this was a good time for an Obama-free SNL. Or the worst time?!

Was there a digital short? YES. JT and Andy Samberg produced a follow-up to their award-winning "Dick in a Box" with a gift for Mother's Day, "Mother Lover." Yes, they slept with each other's mothers for Mother's Day. The twist: Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson played the moms!

Was there a fake ad? YES. Also Mother's Day related, Jason Sudeikis helped sell a Mom Celebrity Translator. It was funny because it's usually true.

Did the musical guest lip-sync or otherwise do something worth mentioning? Ciara performed two songs, one with Justin Timberlake. Good. Let's move on.

Did my favorite character return? YES. Kristen Wiig's Target Lady was back to annoy the customers, but this time with a friend in "Peg" (Timberlake). We also saw the return of the Barry Gibb Talk Show (Timberlake with Jimmy Fallon), and Timberlake & Forte teamed up for a new spin on an old sketch, this time singing about Plasticville instead of Homelessville or Omeletville.

Were there any celebrity cameos? YES. In addition to Sarandon, Clarkson and Fallon, we also got a trio of Star Trek actors onto the Weekend Update desk, with Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine and Leonard Nimoy promoting their movie.

Did any celebrities get impersonated? YES. Jimmy Fallon returned to SNL to play Barry Gibb with Timberlake as Bee Gee Robin. That sketch had "celebrity" guests but were overshadowed so much by the "Gibbs" that you'd be hard-pressed to remember them.

Did any politicians get impersonated? YES. In addition to Forte's Geithner, Bill Hader as disgraced former New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer and Fred Armisen as current Gov. David Patterson returned to the Update desk to tell more New Jersey jokes, and Wiig appeared briefly as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

For the full recap and analysis of this episode of SNL, click here.

I'm On A Boat: Bert And Ernie Take On T-Pain (VIDEO)

2009-05-11T15:18:30Z

In March, T-Pain, Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer hit the open waters in the SNL digital short, "I'm on a Boat." Now Bert and Ernie are getting in on the act with a little help from video masher-uppers, Attack of the Show, who took some old "Sesame Street" footage and added a fresh beat.

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Motherlover: SNL, Justin Timberlake Digital Short With Susan Sarandon, Patricia Clarkson, Andy Samberg (VIDEO)

2009-05-10T00:05:30Z

In an SNL digital short sure to spread like wildfire and just in time for Mother's Day, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg, along with Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson, give a whole new take on what it means to celebrate one's mother.

Watch the Star Trek stars stop by Weekend Update here

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"Slaughter Shack": The Best Movie Never Made? (VIDEO)

2009-05-06T09:56:27Z

Thanks to our friends at the Daily What, we found this hilarious promo for the MTV movie awards starring Andy Samberg, Will Arnett and Bill Hader. It's a fake movie that's a fake nominee for best fight scene, but we are hoping it's like the Pinocchio of movies and will one day become real.

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MTV Movie Award Nominees 2009: Slumdog Leads, Faces Twilight - WILL THE KIDS COME?

2009-05-04T14:14:43Z

NEW YORK — It's "Twilight" versus "Slumdog Millionaire" at this year's MTV Movie Awards.

The vampire blockbuster took the lead with seven nominations and the Oscar-winning Indian romance received six, MTV announced Monday. Both popular movies were nominated for best film.