Bill Hader & company do a fantastic job at poking fun at the world’s most incredulous commercial for “weights.” SNL is a little late to the game with this one, but at least they got it right. Oh, it’s real.
Category Archives: Entertainment
Lost finale night just got bigger
Sunday, May 23 is the day Lost ends. But thanks to a recent change in plans, the show is looking forward to going out with a bang. Before the 2 hour finale episode airs, an upgraded two hour retrospective (clip show) starting at 7PM ET will journey us back in time and make us relive how it all started and how we got to the events leading up to “The End.” Following the finale (and local news) is a one hour special edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live called “Aloha to Lost”; it promises to include an analysis of the finale and interviews with a number of casts members. Previously it was mentioned that executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carton Cuse would join in on the discussion. However, they announced on this week’s Lost podcast that they will not attend the live special. In fact, they plan on going “radio silent” post-finale. The episode “will be speaking for itself,” says Lindelof. (Note that Darlton will appear as regular guests on JKL on Friday, May 21; they plan to tape a special video for Lost fans that will air on the special just two days later.) In sum, ABC is dedicating 5 hours of Lost on May 23. Lost finale night just got bigger, didn’t it?
Oh, but there’s more. On Twitter Cuse announced there will be a special event called “Lost Live: The Final Celebration” at UCLA’s Royce Hall on May 13. It will feature a live orchestra conducted by Lost composer Michael Giacchino and several cast members, plus Darlton, will be in there. A private screening of the second-to-last episode will air for the fans in attendance. Tickets are not on sale yet. In addition, comedy troupe the Upright Citizens Brigade plans to host two Lost events on May 22, the night before the finale, in Los Angeles and New York. Special guests like cast members and celebrity fans plan to be in attendance. UCB member and well-known Lost fan Paul Scheer is working on making it all happen.
Update: Tickets for “Lost Live: The Final Celebration” go on sale Friday, April 23 at 10AM PT at at uclalive.org and ticketmaster.com. It had been confirmed that composer Michael Giacchino will conduct a live orchestra and play songs from the show and that the following cast members will make an appearence: Nestor Carbonell (Richard), Michael Emerson (Ben), and Jorge Garcia (Hurley). All ticket proceeds will go to the Colburn School of Performing Arts. After the concert, a screening of the penultimate episode will air for the attendees to experience together. Note that if you’re there, you will be part of a select group of Lost fans to watch this episode a full five days before the rest of the world. Think about it. Tickmaster states in big bold letters “NO CELLPHONES ALLOWED.” So you can forget about sharing the juicy details of the episode on Twitter and Facebook during the screening. [Via IGN]
The image above is called “Final Flight.” It is the final cast photo. *tear*
HBO renews How To Make It In America for a second season
YES! Now that the excitement is out there let me tell you what it’s about: HBO has renewed How To Make It In America for a second season! HTMIIA, produced by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Rob Weiss (Entourage), follows 20-somethings who are trying to make it big in the fashion industry in New York City.
Although it attracted an average of less than 1 million viewers at its Sunday night spot, HBO obviously still believes in its potential, and so do I. Though the plotlines are nothing to rave about, it’s the character developments and relationships that get you invested in the show. Main protangonists Ben (Bryan Greenburg) and Cam (Victor Russek) play believable characters set in a real world environment and situation. The show uses the streets of NYC to its advantage by injecting a big shot of realism into everything that goes down around the characters. By the end of the 8-epsiode run I was really pulling for Ben & Cam and I’m excited to see what the writers have in store for them (the same goes for Cam’s cousin Rene, played by Luis Guzman). I’m glad we haven’t seen the last of Rasta Monsta! The rest of the ensemble, including Rachel (Lake Bell), Kaplan (Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Domingo (Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi), make for a great supporting cast.
How To Make It In America is expected to return to HBO sometime during summer 2011 with another 8-episode run.
[Via EW-HollywoodInsider; LATimesBlog]
Stewart & Colbert extend contracts with Comedy Central
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report aren’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Both political satirists have extended their contracts with Comedy Central, making the network their home for at least the next few years. Stewart, who became the host of The Daily Show in 1999, will stick with it at least until June 2013 and Cobert will man his position through 2012. Staying with cable instead of jumping to the big networks makes sense for the dynamic duo; the cable environment allows for more creative freedom and less restriction on lambasting politicians and celebrities alike. Something Conan is fervently looking forward to, I’m sure of it.
[Via IGN]
Kid Cudi decides to make next album a sequel, changes its title
Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution is no more. Sadly. What an awesome title, right? In an unsurprising move, rapper Kid Cudi recently had a change of heart and decided to take a whole new direction with the album. It will be called Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. He made the announcement on his blog:
i started making this project like a collab album, filled with fun and upbeat records that for the most part left you with jack shit when you were finished listening. i took a step back, went on tour, and realized im where im at because of the type of songs i write. every time i read a comment from someone saying ive touched their lives in some way is what made me want to stop fucking around and continue pouring my life into my music. MOTM2 is dark by nature and instead of bringing you into my dreams like my first album, im bringing you into my reality. good and bad. it will explain more of who iam aswell as pushing the envelope musically. this project will focus on many dark, fun, and ignorant moments in my life since ive been kid cudi in a exciting and cinematic nature continuing the MOTM theme.
Right off the bat, I’m not diggin’ the name change since the first title was so awesome; it just rolls off the tongue, you know? Hopefully he’ll save it for album #3. Anyway, making his sophomore album a sequel to Man on the Moon makes sense due to its content. The first album brought us inside Cudi’s dreams and nightmares. MOTM2 will venture us into his “reality.” If it’s anything like the first go-around, which it promises to exceed, expect greatness.
[Via DatNewCudi; KidCudiBlog]
Kid Cudi college concert @ Bucknell University [video + pictures]
On April 9 Kid Cudi visited Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, another stop on his nationwide college tour. I was there, so naturally I took videos and pictures to share with you. Cudder knows how to put on a concert. He really draws in the entire crowd and interacts with some of them. He feels the music when he’s performing and you can tell; that’s a special quality only few artists have. If you get the opportunity to see him live, don’t miss out.
Cudi performed 17 songs total, including tracks from his debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day and his mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. He also performed Groovin’, an unreleased track he said we’ll find on his next album tentatively titled Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution.
The video below is Part 1 of 3; look after the break for Parts 2 & 3. Or you can visit my YouTube page. While you’re there, check out my coverage from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show at Las Vegas. In June I’ll be traveling to Los Angeles to cover E3, the biggest video games trade show in the world, so be on the lookout for that.
Continue reading Kid Cudi college concert @ Bucknell University
DJ transforms Nike running shoes into musical instruments
DJ Daito Manabe was hired by Nike to create this viral video to promote Nike’s new Free Run+ running shoes. Daito and crew effectively turned the shoes into controllers and used them to create slick beats and alter sounds by tapping, bending, and twisting them in all sorts of ways. How’d they do it? In an interview Daito said “he used flex sensors and accelerometers to make the shoes interactive. He then processed the control signal and converted it to sound using the modular visual programming environment Max/MSP and Ableton’s Max for Live.” The result is what you see in the video above. Freakin’ awesome.
[Via CreateDigitalMusic; Engadget]
The Pale Blue Dot, narrated by Carl Sagan
This is an expert from the book Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. In it astronomer Carl Sagan talks about the the famous picture of the Earth, our “pale blue dot” taken by Voyager I on February 14, 1990. The short film adds a layer of classic movie scenes to the narration; it was put together by David Fu. Really puts things into perspective. We are but a speck in the vastness that is the universe.
[Via Gizmodo]
WarGames IMSAI 8080 for sale
“Shall we play a game?”
That’s the eerie question this aged personal computer asked David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) in the classic 1983 film WarGames. The IMSAI 8080 is the computer Broderick used to connect to the defense department’s W.O.P.R. supercomputer. He thought he was playing a game about global thermonuclear war, but in reality he was bringing the world ever so close to nuclear devastation. The IMSAI 8080 has been perfectly preserved since it was used as a prop in the movie. Currently appraised at over $25,000 it is about to be sold on the market. Whoever manages to win the Ferrari from Ferris Bueller should try to snag the IMSAI 8080 and create a next-generation KITT. Wouldn’t that be something? Check out a recent photograph of the device after the break.
Lin Yu Chun belts out Whitney Houston, is this guy for real?
Lin Yu Chun was a contestant on Super Star Avenue, a Taiwanese talent show. People call him the next Susan Boyle; he’s got that same “how is that voice coming from that body” experience that Boyle shared with the world on Britain’s Got Talent with “I Dreamed a Dream.” Chun’s performance of Whitney Houston’s classic love song “I Will Always Love You” made this guy an Internet sensation. I mean, just watch it! (I am aware this is a few weeks old now, but I just couldn’t let it go unnoticed.)
Are you a Gleek? There’s an app for you.
Designed by Smule (the musical geniuses behind Ocarina, Leaf Trombone, I Am T-Pain, and Magic Piano apps), the Glee music app puts you behind the mic and lets you belt out your favorite songs from the FOX hit show. Here’s how it works. You got your iPhone or iPad, right? Plug in some headphones to get the background music pumping. Hit start and music plays in the ‘phones while the lyrics scroll across the screen. Now sing. There’s a live pitch meter that let’s know if you’re in tune or not. But it doesn’t end there. Say you can’t sing all-natural and need some help. The app automatically auto-tunes your voice and generates harmonies from your voice. Neat-o, right!? Once you’re done recording a song, you can share it with friends on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or email (or the entire Glee app network) and listen to other Gleeks rocking out. Everything is stored on Smule’s servers for easy access right from the app. If you choose to “broadcast” your recorded song, other app users can find the track and sing on top of it, creating a band-like experience. A world-wide Glee Club, if you will.
The Glee app is available at the App Store today for $2.99. It comes with three tracks (“Rehab”, “Somebody to Love”, and “You Keep Me Hanging On”) and Smule promises to add new tracks every week. They will appear as in-app purchases. So far, the Glee “music store” includes the following additional songs: “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, “Imagine”, “I’ll Stand By You”, “Lean On Me”, and “No Air”. The social aspects work over WiFi and 3G. Well, what are you waiting for!? Gleek out! (See how it’s done after the break.)
Kanye West Foundation is back for another round
The Kanye West Foundation, created by Kanye’s late mother Donda West, is all about keeping kids in school. As an incentive to keep kids in school, they are given this ultimatum: if they improve their grades, attendance, and behavior they are offered free tickets to see Kanye West perform at the Chicago Theatre at the end of the school year. Last year more than 2,500 students improved their grades and attendance and were able to see Kanye perform live in a televised concert (broadcasted on FuseTV) in their honor. Currently the Foundation focuses on public high schools in Chicago, Kanye’s hometown.
This trailer promotes the second annual performance by Kanye. Ever since his “imma let you finish but” incident with Taylor Swift, Kanye has ducked out of the limelight and into the studio. He’s currently working on his next album rumored to be called Good Ass Job. With the goal of diminishing student dropouts in the Chicago area, his foundation spreads a good message that hopefully resonates with the rest of the nation. Thing is, he might just have to go on a nationwide Foundation tour to give more kids the incentive to stay in school and improve themselves. Or you can just be really smart and set goals for yourself, then watch the performance when it airs on FuseTV this June.
[Via KanyeBlog]