Episode 222: Packages from Marla & Mish, shout-outs, movies (Bet: Best/Worst Movie), Monkey Babies, New Favorites, What’s Up With That? (Larry the Cable Guy), Pet Stories, fuck offs and you rules, What We Would Do if We Won the Lottery.
Music: “The Hucklebuck,” performed by Otis Redding, Lee Rocker and Frank Sinatra.
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I’m late again!
Well, I’m late for last week, just fine for this week.
From last week:
Glad you remember the Can-Can jingle from Shop-Rite commercial, Sten–was stunned when I heard it on the radio back in January after all these years.
My 4-day intensive Japanese class went really well. It was a LOT of work and I have a LOT left over still to do (must review and practice what I’ve learned). But it was a great time and I managed to get a lot of the basics I’ve been missing all these years by trying to learn on my own. But it pretty much took up all my time and was actually kind of stressful. What’s worse is that now I just want to take more classes–this is bad because they’re a bit outside our current budget… but I made some new friends and I’m definitely more confident in my abilities and more capable than I was. My sensei explained that after this course we can all speak pigeon Japanese (my words, not hers, but that’s what she meant). In other words, we can speak the language just well enough to go to Japan and get mocked by stupid adults and school kids 🙂
FYI: Japan is 13 hours *ahead* of us on the east coast. So, they’re 18 hours ahead of LA. In other words, if it’s 12 noon in LA right now, it’s 3pm in NY and 4am tomorrow in Japan. It took me a long time to wrap my head around that.
I tend to agree with Siskita on QT. And just because he’s honest about stealing from other films and their makers doesn’t make it OK. It’s nice that he’s drawing attention to the originals, but it’s not *that* hard to put your own twist on other people’s basic ideas. Kill Bill doesn’t thrill me–I liked it much better when it was “The Empire Strikes Back”. And of course, Yoda was just a rip off of the same Kung-Fu Masters that Uma Thurman’s master was a rip-off of, but Lucas set his kung-fu master in space. I’ll shut up now since I swear I’ve given this “lecture” in the comments on a previous ep of the HB. (Aren’t you glad I’m listening again? ;P)
I will add one bit of irony here–I actually respect QT as a person. He understands the value of cinema and has done his best to expose folks to more of it. Sten, I assume you must have heard that he bought the New Beverly Theater, right? Apparently he told the management to not even worry about turning a profit. Just keep doing what they do. *That* is serious awesomeness. So, I respect QT as a fellow fellow fan of good movies, but as a storyteller, less so.
OK, I swear, I’ll shut up now.
I like just the Aflac duck. From back in the days when he’d just say “Aflac” and nothing else. I didn’t even know Gilbert had started doing his voice.
Sten, were you saying NPR is “fair and UNbalanced”? It sounded like that to me.
Did either of you see that comparison online between the cost of those missiles we fired into Libya and the cost of funding NPR? Let’s just say one was way more expensive than the other.
I am not on Facebook. I mean, I have an account but I don’t partake. But sometimes I hear about things from Sierra.
If I won the lottery, I’d do precisely what you’d expect I’d do: get a place in Tokyo. I’d also buy my Mom and step-dad a house where ever they wanted and pay my step-dad’s health care bills. If I had any money left, I’d just live off of it for the rest of my life comfortably. Oh and I’d also sponsor the Hucklebug 😉
Am I first?
If a million dollars fell in my lap, I’d buy my in-laws a house nearer to us, give my sister some cash, pay my folks back for loans over the years and the rest would go to college savings/trust funds for the kids. Plus maybe a new car. Sadly, I’m thinking a million doesn’t go as far as it used to.
How about $100 million? Jesus, you know how you always hear those stories about lottery winners who end up losing it all? I’d be terrified of that. So, first I’d retain a lawyer, and then, read up on Howard Hughes and do the OPPOSITE.
BEST WORST MOVIE is pretty great, but you should watch TROLL 2 to truly appreciate it. The acting is hideous, the pace is leaden, the effects are awful and you spend many moments just gaping slack-jawed at the screen, wondering how this movie even got made. But it’s hard to understand the love and humor displayed in BEST WORST without it. I’ll never eat corn on the cob the same way again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTZVvFn6rmo
Japan: Just too awful. No comment. Just make a donation.
Wisconsin: I don’t even recognize that state government any more. I understand that the state is “broke”, but I don’t understand how Gov. Walker can fail to negotiate with unions when they’re ready to concede. Instead, it came off as strongarm tactics, the worst kind of legislature there is, like adults punishing their children because they know what’s good for them. Some of my friends are Wisconsin teachers, and they got completely screwed by their state. And it’s not over: other states are taking notice.
There are some handy dandy payout calculators for the lottery. Put in the total and it will give you the lump sum after taxes. Payouts are about 1/3rd of the total. If you win $100 million you’ll only see $33 million. Remember to triple your dreams or your fantasy will come up short.
I’m with Patrick, I’m not sure Best Worst Movie would be as enjoyable without watching Troll 2 first. Since I collect bad movies I have it my collection but it’s strickly minor league. Troll 2 is nowhere near the lunacy of the classic bad films like Invasion of the Star Creatures or The Creeping Terror. Once you get past the trick-or-treat costumes worn by the trolls and the wooden acting (that all bad movies have), Troll 2 is mostly just boring. I don’t understand the cult following when there are many bad movies more outlandish.
Thanks for the YouRule! I believe I meant to type “from more” not “former” Hucklebug listeners!!!
Pete and I are planning a double feature of Troll 2 and Best Worst Movie soon (it’s on Netflix)!!!
With millions of $$$:
I would give my Dad 10% – it has been a standing contract that he’d get 10% after I made my first million, after all the Producing he’s done for my life (bills, attending shows, voice & acting lessons, fathering me, etc)!!!
I would build/augment a theater complex to create a MegaSpace with large, medium, and small performance spaces, dance and regular rehearsal rooms, cabaret club, classrooms, vocal warm-up kiosks, free wifi & computer/powering up stations, places to grab a nap (built in capsule hotel, charge by the hour), gym, and a 24 hr coffee/diner joint.
Pete would go immediately to Japan to live and write for his newly formed Anime company.
Marquee Five would go on tour, and record our 2nd to 6th CD’s. I’d also fully fund the careers of a book writer, lyricist, and composer to create a 5-person show for us to perform on Broadway.
I’d also produce my own production of Avenue Q for myself, Jay, and Kay ThePal to star in.
-S
Cary Grant? Really? *blush* BTW, here’s the YouTube link for anyone (who’s not a FB friend of mine) who couldn’t view it on Facebook. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw4L5Beq_gc
Speaking of FB and QT and George Lucas, I don’t know if anybody saw or followed the links that I posted a few weeks back, when Part 2 of “Everything is a Remix” came out, but I think it’s exceedingly good and very much worthwhile, especially for anyone who fancies him/herself a pop-culture connoisseur and/or a copyright scholar.
http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/
The filmmaker, Kirby Ferguson, spends a fair amount of time on QT and GL and the ways in which they cribbed from those who inspired them. In fact, he describes KILL BILL as Tarantino’s “remix master thesis” and the “closest thing Hollywood has to a mash-up.
In that regard, I’m inclined to agree with ThePete: Lucas’ source material and inspiration, at least in the original SW trilogy, is better integrated and more transformative. Unlike Tarantino, Lucas is not really interested in showing off his wide-ranging repertoire of obscure/foreign cinema references. There’s a lot more synthesis of disparate influences. It might not have QT’s hipster-cineaste cred, but it makes for a more imaginative–and, IMO, a more satisfying–viewing experience.
Late breaking shoutout! I’m glad the sock monkey kits arrived safely and I hope you have fun putting them together. Of course there is no sewing experience required! What do you think we’re trying to do to you? Also, the lady who sold them to us said to call her if you have any questions. She said “sewing should be fun!”
Happy Spring to all the Hucklebuggers.
I’m sure I’m too late for tonight, but I am thrilled you liked your sock monkeys!! I wish I could shower you two with gifts every week. Oh well, my undying love will have to be enough.
<3
marlamarlamarla