Okay, in my original Eurovision post, I dismissed the Russian entry, “Believe,” as being “too lame to embed here.” But after the song’s victory, I watched it again. And I realized that when something is lame enough, it becomes camp, and camp is very much worth embedding.

So now I invite you all to enjoy a truly silly performance, Dima Bilan (a man that Reuters describes as “lithe“) singing “Believe” — after the jump. more »

I also learned that the next time I see Robert Downey, Jr. looking all pale and ragged, it’s because Jeff Daniels stole his nuclear heart, not because he was ODing on something and how dare you insinuate that.

Also, Wikipedia says Iron Man is from Long Island. WE WIN.

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Since you are no doubt eagerly awaiting news of your favorite ex-Broadway show, the NYT has done a post-mortem on Glory Days (obligatory joke: “Don’t you mean… Glory Day? Ha!”). From the article:

But neither Mr. Blaemire nor Mr. Gardiner [the show's barely-legal writing team] seems to be rattled; both said they were not nearly as upset about the whole experience as their mothers were. They are, in fact, working on their next show.

“If you look at it from the outside, these guys were in a fast situation, moved a show that wasn’t ready, it flopped and they’re a failure; I could see how you would think that would not be worth anyone’s time,” Mr. Blaemire said. “But from our perspective, we got a chance to learn everything about what it takes to put on a Broadway show.”

Oh good. Our protagonists have learned to wipe Mom’s tears and stoically get back on the bike. Cheesy enough to be the plot of a Broadway flop.

I’m being snotty (duh, it’s teh inturwebz), and of course I would probably give several toes for the opportunity to have even a failure with that high a showbiz profile. Actually, as I read it, the article lays most of the blame on a producing team who pushed the show too far too fast (or just too far) rather than on the writers, who come off sympathetic,

Fleeting Stage Glory, Savored and Survived [NYT]

On Saturday, the finals of Eurovision 2008 will take place in Belgrade. This mother of all talent shows has been organized by the European Broadcasting Union every year since 1956. Each European nation gets to send one singer or band, to perform one original song. Over 100 million people watch the show, and everyone gets to vote for the winner via phone (but you CAN’T vote for your own country).

Okay, let me take you back a couple years, get you up to speed. more »

I have had a love-hate relationship with Family Guy. Or, more precisely, a love-indifference relationship. Honestly, it wasn’t even on my radar during the first Fox run, though I was of course aware of occasional gems. I didn’t watch it on Adult Swim or buy the DVDs.

My indifference was never informed by anything like a moral stance. Contrary to the impression I may have given, I’m not prudish in the least, and frankly relish comedy that is blatantly offensive. (Click at your peril. It gets worse and worse.)

In fact, I think that the supposed “offense” actually does more to reveal and ironize the double-dealing — from subtle forms of self-deception to the most blatant hypocrisy — that is a daily feature of life in the world’s only current superpower. (Do you hear me, China? Your souls are in peril! Sarah Silverman tried to warn you!) I’d actually like to talk about offensive comedy more, but that’s for another post.

Long story short, I got into the show when it returned to Fox last year, and it is in a spirit of profound admiration that I offer you the following clip, which may be the most perfect comic artifact the show has produced. Video after the jump. more »

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Overthinking It bids a fond farewell to Robert Rauschenberg, who passed away last Monday at the age of 82.

Honestly, his stuff isn’t so much to my taste. But there’s no denying that he was an important guy. You’ve got to imagine that overthinkingit’s de jure favorite artist/mancrush/obscure object of desire/fetish object Matthew Barney’s style would have been a lot different if Rauschenberg hadn’t cranked out this bad boy

in 1959.

BY THE WAY

One of Rauschenberg’s main teachers was Josef Albers, whose paintings mostly look like this.

Which just goes to show: either Rauschenberg paid NO damn attention in class, or Albers couldn’t teach.

Seriously.

It’s called “Gov Gab,” and it’s just awesome. It’s a product of the Office of Citizen Services and Communications, a little eddy of the bureaucracy that Wikipedia doesn’t even know about. It exists to help explain the rest of the bureaucracy to average Americans, which is ironic because its own website is pretty useless. But presumably that’s because they’re putting all their energy into Gov Gab.

Now snark aside, having a website that tells people useful stuff (opting out of credit card offers, finding a good mechanic, when your rebate check will get there) isn’t a bad idea. But there is something inherently snark-worthy about the idea of a “government blog.” It’s like Dr. Evil trying to do the Macarena.

Anyway, make sure to check out the contributors page. Who’s YOUR favorite gov gabber? Mine’s Colleen.