babar the king elephant in a green suit.

I saw the Silver Jews last Saturday. Great show. Classic. 

I haven't heard much of the new album but it has this amazing cover:

Here are some related images:

I don't know much about this elephant except that I had one book about him when I was a kid that involved an elephant ghost. Also, I remember a TV show that was really boring. I guess you run out of things to do when you don't have fingers. 

I can't say it enough

this kid is a genius.




OBAMA 08 and the SEXMAN for MAAAAYORRRRR!!!!!!

2.5 hour Charlie Kaufman interview

I've been listening to this driving back an forth from work all week and just finished it. 

Here's a link: 

http://blog.wired.com/storyboard/2008/09/the-complete-in.html

This is the audio for an interview that will eventually end up as an article in Wired Magazine. For fans of Kaufman's writing this is definitely a treat as he has a reputation for being reclusive (which he debunks) and tends to shy away from any DVD extras on his films. My favorite, Adaptation, is a pretty barebones package and offers little insight into the thought process of the film. Maybe it's better that way.  

 Those who would like some of the mystery revealed should check this interview out.  The sections on his life as a sitcom writer are classic. I also get the feeling this is the first of a couple big publicity pushes he's going to make to promote Synecdoche, New York...for better or worse.

VEGAS!

Two weekends ago I went to Las Vegas to attend the wedding of my future in-laws Clint and Rebecca (congrats guys!) The whole experience was interesting but there is an 80% chance I will never go back. Here are some highlights:

Here is me and my fiancé. Yes, I am engaged to a giant green M&M. DON'T JUDGE ME!

Remember when Paul got pissed in '85 that Revolution was used in a Nike Commercial? Well I'm sure he loves the fact that its now a giant brown and neon pink sign/bench chairs in a casino.  The spirit of the 60's is alive and well!

I had to get a new job to pay off my gambling debts. 

The best thing I saw all weekend: a little boy with his hand stuck in a coke machine with tons of shoppers and workers freaking out calling 911. Of course, this was IN THE COCA-COLA STORE, a place where bottles of coke are literally sitting on every table and shelf.  I probably could have closed my eyes reached around and drank two bottles while the whole staff was freaking out. 

The second best thing I saw: a XXXL sparkly shirt of Spider-Man with Ben Franklin's head grabbing wads of cash with his left hand and shooting gold webbing in the shape of a dollar sign with his right hand. 

My hopes are that some one sees this and writes an actual comic from it. Here's what I think the plot should be:  Spider-Man must figure out who has been impersonating him while robbing a series of banks around NYC and only taking all the $100 bills.  As the plot unfolds we find out that the jolly inventor persona of Ben Franklin that we know from history is just a myth and that he was really an evil egomaniacal genius who invented a time machine (out of a kite and key) in order to stop his image from floating around on modern day currency.  When he tries to put the blame on Spider-Man he eventually gets unmasked and dukes it out with our favorite wall crawler. 

Are you paying attention writers of Spider-Man 4?? Let's make this happen!

VIDEO OF THE DAY

First of all I'd like to congratulate Ryan and Jennifer Anderson on the birth of their new baby girl!

No doubt she will grow up to have amazing finger picking guitar skills and classic drawing techniques!

Second of all here is one of the best vids I've seen all week:

Last night I slept on my arm weird, woke up at 5 am and couldn't go back to sleep so I watched I AM LEGEND in the dark 

which is probably the best possible viewing conditions for that film.

my arm still hurts.

I like it when...

IMDB.com lists the films that play during amusement park rides. What makes it even better is when people review said "movies."

For example: take this review of Akbar's Adventure a mid 90s ride at Busch Gardens Tampa, FL starring Martin Short and Eugene Levy. User TVX writes:

Not worth it, 13 July 2001

Author: tvx from Florida

Akbar is no longer at Busch Gardens Tampa, and that's a good thing, because it really was not worth the wait. Martin Short was funny, but it really was a shame that at one point in his career, such a funny man was stuck doing the movie for a motion simulator ride at a theme park. The ride wasn't fantastic, and with Montu (giant inverted Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster) right next to it, I would have rather ridden Montu twice than Montu once and Akbar once. If you didn't get to go on this ride, don't worry about it. Travel over to Islands of Adventure, which isn't too far away, or Universal Studios, and ride Spiderman or Back To The Future: The Ride, for GOOD simulators. Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, just got a fantastic new simulator, Corkscrew Hill, so maybe Busch Gardens Tampa will follow in its footstep and get something to replace poor old Akbar.

Thank you TVX! I was seriously considering starting a petition to put the video from this ride on Blu-Ray so that I can see this long lost golden sketch from Short and Levy, but since you've told every one you don't think it compares to MONTU or the rides at Universal Studios I'll have to put my time and effort into something else. 

stealing things from blogs I read this morning

 

'Synedoche New York' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

Lastly, I've been eagerly waiting for this movie for a while. I'm a big fan of all of Charlie Kaufman's scripts (who isn't?) and reading the description of this just makes you scratch your head and wait for the trailer. At first look it instantly seems inspired by Tati's Playtime, a movie that constructed giant city blocks inside a studio in order to film a Where's Waldo type of movie where everything happens at once. That film ruined Tati's career and it looks like a similar production will ruin the life of P.S. Hoff's character. We'll see.

video of the day

Thanks for coming to the show last night! What a great send off to a great drummer! Yes, its true, John Dodecapus Rex Dr Octatoledo Kristalkis Clardy III is moving on to bigger things. It's not the end of Fishboy though, we've got a new long form experimental EP wrapped waiting to be mastered and pressed (Fishboy vs. The Om Nom Noms.) More info on that soon. In the mean time check this out:

Why? Mount Eerie and Fishboy

Next week we are playing YET AGAIN at the amazing Granada Theater making it the third awesome show since July. This time we will be opening up for not one, but TWO of our favorite bands ever. 

I've seen WHY? a couple of times and we even got to open for them back in 2005. Since then their albums have only gotten stronger and stronger bringing us up to the new one which is Alopecia.  Here is a rad video Justin "Sixlettes" Lloyd took of their performance at this years SXSW.

Our first show with Mount Eerie goes back even further to the last tour under the name The Microphones in 2004. This was back when SLAPBRACELET was on drums and before the band even considered having a bass player.  Before the show I talked to Phil and asked him if he would like to sit in with us on guitar. Sure enough, he loved the idea, plugged his electric in direct and randomly noodled through the whole set while sitting on stage. At this point most of Denton had yet to come to a Fishboy show so there was a mass of confusion. It was great! afterwards Phil told me that was the first time he'd ever played a guitar solo.

 I totally forgot that my girlfriends camera was rolling that night and a couple of months ago she surprised me with this: PHIL ELVRUMS FIRST GUITAR SOLO:

Fishboy w/ Phil from the Microphones from carleenjean on Vimeo.

You guys like that thumbs up I give him at the end? Quick! some one call the forkcast! 

"Nerd in cape gives Phil Elvrum unnecessary encouragement after witnessing his first guitar solo"

todays best videos

first, a hilarious grape related news accident:

second, my three favorite youtubers all have new vids. Some are better than others but here they are!