Thursday, March 31, 2011

Wait, there's nothing shooting out of Katy Perry's chest in her latest music video?


I'm actually really surprised with the lack of cleavage and exploding bosoms in this music video! In her last two videos, she had candy and then fireworks shooting out of her chest. I really expected an alien or something to explode out of her chest; it had the makings to be her trademark in music videos!

But besides the lack of cleavage and blasting bosom, I really like this song and music video. I featured this song a while go on a Music Monday, so I've been waiting for the video. It's got two of my favorite Top 40 artists, so how could I not like it? Check out the trippy alien video after the break and let me know what you think in the comments.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

My ABC's of Television

I did the ABC's of movies earlier, and me being a huge TV fan I knew I had to do this for the gems of the small screen. I feel like this list was even harder than the film one, since so many shows are close to my heart. While some letters had weak competition (allowing the newbie show NIKITA to take the letter N), there were a number of letters that were stacked. FRIENDS vs. FIREFLY vs. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS vs. FREAKS AND GEEKS? ANGEL vs. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT? Shows that are all so different, but so strong in their own way. Any glaring omissions? Let me know in the comments!

A is for ANGEL

B is for BUFFY

C is for CHUCK

D is for DOLLHOUSE

E is for EXTRAS

F is for FRIENDS

G is GILMORE GIRLS

H is for HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

Find out the rest of TV choices after the break.

My ABC's of Cinema

There's a meme going around the movie blogosphere, posting your ABCs of Cinema. You can check out other movie blogger's lists on CitizenRobot, I Are Movies, and Rupert Pupkin Speaks. One favorite movie for every letter of the alphabet. I'm not saying it's the best for that letter, it's just my personal choice either for entertainment value, lasting impression, rewatchability, etc. Don't agree with my movie choices? Make your own list and put the link in the comments! I really want to know!


A is for ATONEMENT
B is for BACK TO THE FUTURE

C is for CLERKS

D is for THE DARK KNIGHT

E is for ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

F is for FIGHT CLUB

G is for THE GOONIES

H is for HEATHERS

Find out the rest of my alphabet after the break.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

MTV's TEEN WOLF should have a different title


MTV is getting into the supernatural genre. I'm a huge fan of the original TEEN WOLF movie, starring Michael J. Fox from the 80s. It was just a fun, totally 80s look at the supernatural angst of being a werewolf. I mean, he used his wolf powers to excel at basketball and van surfing! There was no threat or danger from the change. This incarnation seems NOTHING like that. It's a more serious look at the hard life of a teen wolf. Check out the previews below:



TEEN WOLF premieres on MTV on June 5. Will you be watching? I think I'm going to wait to see how critics and twitter react. My Mondays are already packed with good TV like CHUCK, BEING HUMAN, and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.

[MTV]

Monday, March 28, 2011

ABDC Spotlight: IaMmE's I'm ill


I just watched the latest IaMmE video and I am so excited for this season of America's Best Dance Crew! While this video doesn't feature the whole crew, it's awesome to see a girl keeping up with Philip Chbeeb's hard hitting moves. Watch the short video below:



ABDC premieres on MTV Thursday, April 7.

Michael Bay presents a live-action, intense ANGRY BIRDS trailer


So this isn't really a movie directed by Michael Bay. But, don't tell me it doesn't fit right in with the current state of the film industry today. It almost hits too close to home to be funny. What am I saying? This thing is hilarious! Watch the trailer below: 


Would you watch this if it were a real movie? I could see it making some serious dough at the box office. 

Music Monday: Chomp and Change by The Black Keys

The Black Keys are blowing up the rock stations here in LA, with their new track "I'm Howling For You." While it's a great song, my favorite track of theirs is "Chomp & Change" which I originally heard off the TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE soundtrack (yeah, I am not ashamed!).


Saturday, March 26, 2011

Good Deal: Any 2 Jamba Juice Smoothies for $5

While it may not be summer weather just yet, you can get in a summery mood with a delicious and discounted Jamba Juice. From now until March 30, stop in at your local Jamba Juice with a print out of this coupon and enjoy any 2 smoothies for just $5.


[Thanks Taryn!]

Facebook Break Up Song (That's Actually Good!)


There are a lot of videos online featuring songs about facebook and making fun of it, but this one takes the cake! Not only does it smartly incorporate Facebook lingo and norms into the lyrics, it's actually a great post-break-up song that reflects modern relationships. Check it out:



Hailing from Australia, Kate Miller-Heidke started in classical music but started incorporating pop and pop culture elements into her tracks. This is the first I've heard of her, but with this song blowing up online, we could be seeing her in the states soon.

If you like the track, you can download it from Amazon here:


What do you think of the track? Can you relate to it?

[SocialTimes]

Friday, March 25, 2011

Linkulous: Rebecca Black, Paul Feig, Adulthood, New Words, and more



It's time for your weekly roundup of interest articles! Happy Friday everyone!

Not *That* Fun: Rebecca Black Gets Played Just 12 Times on Radio - Well, at least there's that.

THE MOST DEPRESSING ARTICLE EVER - Yup, adulthood can be pretty terrible sometimes.

Paul Feig-directed Ford viral ads hit - this is the freelance project I've been working on this week. I'm promoting this video online, have you seen it yet?

LivingSocial Says It Will Overtake Groupon in January 2012 - I like LivingSocial more already, so I'm hoping this will play out.

OMG, Oxford English Dictionary Added New Words - OMG, I <3 this, LOL. Also noteworthy, "Banh Mi" is now in the dictionary too. Mmm Vietnamese food.

Your Twitter Connections Say More Than You Think [Study]

USC's Neon Tommy draws a larger audience than any other Web-only college news site - Damn, it's good to be a Trojan. :)

89% of People Who Bought Groupon Movie Deal Would Not Have Seen THE LINCOLN LAWYER Otherwise  - Given its success, you can expect more initiatives like this will spring up for flicks.

Did you read any interesting articles this week? Feel free to share them in the comments!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Movie Title Montage


Not to be confused with the "Movie Title in Movies" montage, this features some great credit artwork. Check it out:


A Brief History of Title Design from Ian Albinson on Vimeo.


While I love movie title artwork, I think it's definitely fading out and being replaced by artwork in the end credits. Movies want to just start with the action already, fearing the audience will tune out if you don't jump in quickly enough, and then use the end credits to either showcase more information (like THE OTHER GUYS' use of financial stats) or to just expand a little more on the world the film created (like the bloopers after many Pixar films).

Which style do you prefer: opening credits or end credits?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

One Man Disney Movie


So, this is the pretty much the best thing EVER. Watch Pixar animator and YouTube singer Nick Pitera act out every stock role in a Disney flick — from heroine to chorus member to villain:




His description:
Music from Disney films has made a huge impact on me, and has been the source of inspiration for many years. Since I was 5 I have dreamt of voicing a character myself, and this is me doing my best to pay homage to a few of my favorites. I had so much fun making this video and I hope you enjoy it!
I can't get over how impressive this is!

He's done a lot of other Disney covers, as well as contemporary songs, so be sure to check out his YouTube channel.

[Mashable]

Monday, March 21, 2011

Vote for Chuck in Hulu's Best in Show!


Hulu's Best in Show March Madness Bracket is down to the Final Four! I'm pulling for Chuck to take it all, but it's got some serious competition against the fanatical fanbase of Community. But how can you not love Chuck after watching this awesome fanmade credit sequence?



Reminds me of 70s sitcoms a bit, what do you think?

You can vote for Chuck here: Hulu's Best in Show.

[Sepinwall]

Music Monday: She's Got You High by Mumm-ra

I had a lot of trouble picking a song for today's Music Monday post. I just haven't had a song that's been stuck in my head lately. What's up with that? Maybe I'm just too busy with the job hunt and interview prep to focus on music? 

But luckily, Facebook to the rescue! I asked on my personal page and on my blog's page for recommendations and people responded with some great songs I had never heard before. 

Check out this track from Mumm-ra, She's Got You High: 

You can download the track from Amazon below: 

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Honk For Japan


I'm sure everyone has heard about the disaster in Japan. There are a few ways you can help right from the comfort of your own home. 
I'm sure everyone has heard about the disaster in Japan. There are a few ways you can help right from the comfort of your own home.

You can text REDCROSS to 90999 to Give $10 to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief. This will be added to your bill at the end of the month, so it isn't necessarily the best way to donate, but it is the easiest. You can also donate by visiting the RED CROSS website.

Say you donate what you can, but still want to help more? YouTube star Nigahiga took to the streets with a couple friends to get people to "Honk for Japan." For every honk, he would donate $10 to Red Cross. After an hour, he had gotten enough honks for $600, and immediately donated it. In addition to that, he created a video of his experience and for every 1,000,000 views he'll donate another $600+ to Red Cross. While he could just donate the money without the video and views, he has a good reason why he chose to go about it this.

Here's what he had to say:
People keep saying "why don't you just donate the money instead of trying to get people to view it?" My biggest strength right now is that I'm fortunate enough to have a following. The purpose of this video was not only to support Japan myself, but to encourage others as well. I could have easily donated the money and not made a video about it, but I think its a lot more important to get support from all over the world. I personally can't donate a million dollars, but if millions of people watch this and decide to chip in, it is possible... I'm just trying to help in the best way that I can.
Money Donated so far: $1925
3/14 - $600 (honk!)
3/16 - $650 (1 million views)
3/17 - $675 (2 million views)

Watch the video below to add to the view count:
 

Being Human gets a 2nd Season Order


Being Human has become a regular part of my television schedule. I'm a sucker for supernatural stories, so of course I had to check out Being Human when it premiered. While shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries focus more the on the mythology and the feud between the different beings, Being Human is all about the dramatic struggle to blend in and find meaningful relationships. With this focus, it's no wonder it's the most female-skewing audience on the Syfy schedule. 

While the ratings haven't been outstanding, they're solid enough to keep the show around and strong in the key demographics. Television has remained a more female-friendly medium, as compared to films. 

No word yet on when the second season would premiere, but the current season will end on April 11. 

Have you guys been watching this show? 

World's Greatest Extra



I recognize him most as a Buy Moron from Chuck, but he's been in a loooooot of big projects. Seriously, how does one guy get to be in so many things and rarely, if ever, speak? I feel like this guy might just be real life Ricky Gervais's character from Extras. Check out his extra work in everything from Chuck to The Social Network to American Pie:



Friday, March 18, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

America's Best Dance Crew: Season 6 Crews Revealed!


Dance TV season is gearing up and I'm so excited! We just got news about So You Think You Dance, and now America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC) has revealed the 10 competing crews!

TVLine has the full breakdown on the crews, but I already have a hunch on which crews I'll like based of their style and hometown.

Being from LA, I'm obviously a big fan of the West crews. And given the fact that a West crew has won every season, it seems America is too!

My favorite crews sight-un-seen:
Instant Noodles | Say hello to this season’s b-boys. The Los Angeles-based crew, with roots in Taipei, Taiwan, aims to build on the already unique style and share what makes them distinct.

Asian, from LA, and B-Boys - YES PLEASE. I'm expecting some pretty great things from them.

Eclectic Gentlemen | With their focus on being clean-cut and well dressed, these suave hoofers from North Hollywood bring a professional style to the stage. The crew currently teaches workshops and has traveled the world with big-name musical acts, but hopes to attain individual recognition on ABDC.

I'm a sucker for clean-cut boys, so it'll be nice to see them pulling out some great hip hop moves while looking good too. Plus, their high-profile background gives them the edge on live performance.

Street Kingdom | Despite their rough pasts in inner city Los Angeles, Street Kingdom’s co-ed members have made a fresh start — and it’s all because of a shared passion known as KRUMP.

I wasn't a fan of Krumping until I saw it down right on SYTYCD by Twitch. If they can live up to that (which will be hard) they could just blow everyone away. Plus, everyone loves a rags-to-riches story about inner city kids overcoming all the odds to make it big.

ReQuest | These New Zealand ladies are currently riding high as the 2010-11 World Hip Hop Dance Champions. They hope to showcase their moves while fusing cultures together and inspiring girls around the world to dance.

The only non-west coast crew to make my list, I have to root for the ladies! Plus, with that big title under the belt, you know they can move.

For more info on all the crews, visit TVLine.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Please watch this very important PSA:

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March Madness Begins!

USC plays tonight in March Madness! I'm so excited, I'll be pigging out and cheering loudly at LA's newest Buffalo Wild Wings. In honor of the occasion, check out the best NCAA March Madness moments, as reenacted by Legos. 



[LA Times]

So You Think You Can Dance: Season 8 Premiere Set for May 26


My little blog has grown a lot since last summer, so my newer followers may not know just how big a fan I am of the show. I'm a fan of dance shows in general, but So You Think You Can Dance takes the cake for talent and entertainment.

After crowning Lauren Froderman winner of Season 7 in August, they've been auditioning across the country to find the next major dance talent. And finally, on Thursday May 26 in a 2-hour premiere, we'll see some of what's been cooking for the past few months. They haven't announced if they'll repeat the All-Stars format, or have a Top 20, but no matter what they go with I will be glued to my screen.

One confirmed change is that Ballroom judge Mary Murphy will be back! While she is by far the most annoying judge, I actually missed her last season. Her enthusiasm kept the critiques lively, but she has had concrete criticism on how they could improve. Mia was just too harsh, which threw off the balance of the critiques. You can't tear these kids down after a poor routine, the critiques should end on a high note with how they can improve. With Nigel, Mia, and Adam Shankman on the judges panel, there was no knowledgeable voice for the ballroom routines either. It will be nice to have that balance back. I'll tolerate the shrieking more now, knowing that this show really is better with her.

Monday, March 14, 2011

BONUS Music Monday: Friday by Rebecca Black



I can't believe this is real. How is this NOT a parody about the declining complexity and depth in today's Pop Music lyrics? I know it's horrible, but try to tough it out until the bridge, where it literally just tells you the order of the days in the weekend. It's so horrible, I have to laugh to keep from crying.

SNL Highlight: Canadian Scoop

As an entertainment news junkie, this skit cracked me up!

SNL Highlight: Digital Short Zach Looks for a New Assistant

Music Monday: Bite Back by Zowie


The big music/film/interactive convention SXSW is going on RIGHT NOW and I wish I was there sooo hard right now. But, wishes can't become reality over night, so maybe next year I'll be lucky enough to attend. To help ease the pain, I've been following along on Twitter and watching YouTube videos of showcase artists. While I saw Zowie a few months ago for The Audio Perv, she's been doing more shows in America and getting her name out there. Now she's got a new track, Bite Back, that's blowing up on the live circuit. Give it a listen below:

SNL Highlight: Zach Galiafinakis Opening Monologue

This weekend was super busy, so sorry for the delay, but you NEED to see this opening monologue from this weekend's SNL host Zach Galiafinakis.



The above version doesn't have the best part because of lame copyright or digital distribution laws. WEAKSAUCE. Here's the unedited version, watch it for as long as it lasts:

Friday, March 11, 2011

Linkulous: Banksy, How I Met Your Mother, Social Media, Groupon Remorse, and more


Trent Reznor won't be involved in ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER  - Disappointing news.

Which Social Sites Are Best for Which Marketing Outcomes? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Banksy’s Oscar “response” is a fake!

Will 'How I Met Your Mother' End in 2013? Co-Creator Carter Bays Tells All 

Why a pregnancy drug used for half a century will suddenly cost women thousands of dollars more. - Seems like some pretty BS reasoning to me...

10 Community Manager Tools You Might Not Know 

The U.S. has the highest bipolar rate, according to this 11-nation study

Do you suffer from "Groupon remorse?"

13 Potential Breakout Apps To Watch at SXSW 2011 - I want to go to SXSW sooooo badly. Maybe next year?

Too Interesting For Twitter gets a facelift!


If you've been following me through Google Reader or another RSS method, you should click on over to check out the new design! With a lot of help from a fellow Gordon and the Whale writer, Jim Napier from Napier's News, I've got a new layout, a sweet banner, and even a new icon that shows up in the browser bar!

Also, if you look to the left, the sidebar has been moved AND you can follow this blog on Facebook. Since the beginning, I've had my blog posts automatically post to my personal facebook page, but now it'll go to this public page just for the blog. This will hopefully allow me to keep my facebook page more personal, which will be nice. Also, I'm gonna try to brainstorm some fun things to do with just the facebook page to keep interesting. Please follow me there :)

I've also added new sharing buttons to the bottom of each post, I think they look a bit nicer and are easier to spot than the last ones I've had.

This blog is a constant work in progress, so if you have any suggestions or critiques they are ALWAYS welcome. I'm no expert when it comes to this stuff, I'm just working off the basics here, but love learning more about what you guys think works and what doesn't.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Zach Galifianakis needs his nose back in this SNL promo

Zach Galifianakis is hosting SNL again this weekend, and I'm sure it'll be a great show. His last hosting gig was hilarious and ridiculous. While there were a couple dud routines (like the Bidet sketch), that just means there's room for improvement! Watch the promo with Zach and Andy Samberg below:

      

Sassy Gay Friend helps Nina from BLACK SWAN

Sassy Gay Friend helps out another lady in need! Watch the video below but ONLY if you've seen BLACK SWAN or don't care about spoilers, because this gives away everything.



[The Daily What]

"Diva Dance" from The Fifth Element

Last night I caught a snippet of THE FIFTH ELEMENT on cable and was reminded just how much I love that movie. Then my friend TrojanSasha pointed me towards this video of a girl who can actually sing the opera performed by the Blue Alien Lady. Check it out below:



Also, you can check out some more awesome videos at my friend's blog, TrojanSasha vs. The World.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Why I applied to be a #winning #TigerBloodIntern for @CharlieSheen


There has been so much news about Charlie Sheen that I’m just going to assume that everyone knows about the media blitz that has been going on in the wake of his suspension and subsequent firing from Two and a Half Men, so I won’t go in to detail about all of that.

I will say that I applied to become his social media intern, along with probably thousands of other applicants. Why would I want to work for a known drug addict and porn star aficionado?

Well, you can’t get a social media personality more high profile than this right now. He broke the Guinness World Record for fastest twitter user to 1 million followers (less than 24 hours, beating @ConanOBrien’s previous record) and already has over 2 million. His Ustream web show Sheen’s Korner had over 1 million viewers in the two airings so far. Like I said, you can’t get a more prolific social media presence to work with.

It’s basically a fail proof gig. If anything goes wrong, will anyone blame the intern on this one? Really? Everyone will be too focused on the trainwreck that has become Charlie Sheen’s life. His long-term Publicist resigned because he was off doing his own thing, spouting how special he is curing addiction with his brain and tigerblood. His publicist couldn’t contain him, there’s no way a social media intern will be able to. So if the social media accounts go off the deep-end, well people will know who to blame.

There’s no such thing as bad publicity. If Charlie Sheen has taught us anything, it’s this. This was common knowledge, but then with technology and google searches, it seemed like the old saying wasn’t true anymore. But Charlie Sheen has some of the worst PR Buzz going on right now and he’s more famous than ever, doing interviews left and right and even accomplishing something that few have been able to – monetizing his online notoriety. Whoever Charlie selects for his intern will become the news story. When people will think of a social media intern or coordinator, they’ll think of the lucky (or poor depending on your view point) kid who was Charlie Sheen’s intern. With that type of publicity, after this you might not even have to job search. The jobs could come to you.

And, to top it all off, it’s something I actually want to do. I am currently job searching for social media positions, so this fits right in my skill set. I wouldn't recommend applying to this job if you don't actually want to do social media. I just don't see how this would further any other career, except maybe for people who want to springboard this notoriety to reality television stardom. And even that is a long shot, because it's not like the social media intern will be getting a lot of air time. Social media work is behind the scenes, adopting other people and brand's voices so people don't even realize someone is working.

Do you think I’m crazy for applying? Let me know in the comments!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Music Monday: The Show Goes On by Lupe Fiasco



The first track of his new album is pretty awesome. The record drops tomorrow, you can order it on iTunes or from Amazon below.

Let's Rock this Week!

Another week, another Monday. Let's all attack this week and make the most of it! Here's some motivation for you:

Sunday, March 6, 2011

SNL Highlight: Our Time with Taboo and apl.de.ap

SNL Highlight: Beastly Trailer



I hope this becomes a reoccurring bit! Between this one and the one they did for THE ROOMMATE, they look like they'd be more entertaining than the actual movies.

SNL Highlight: Disney Channel Acting School

Miley was pretty one-note as a host, and I mean that in terms of her singing talents as well as acting. And after this skit, it all makes sense!



It's hilarious because it just rings a little too true.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Linkulous: RUBBER Red Band Trailer, Elder Porn, How I Met Your Mother, and More



Share a YouTube Video? Go to Jail

Cultural Exchange: A porn star at 76

A Renewal for How I Met Your Mother Is Close: But Why Has It Taken So Long?
HIMYM is the No. 13 show in all of TV with viewers under 50 and one of two anchors holding up the Eye's Monday night comedy block, not to mention the youngest-skewing show on the network's entire schedule (HIMYM's average viewer is 44; the median age of a typical CBS viewer is 55).
Microsoft Begs Users To Stop Using IE 6

Social Media Bubble: Who Stands to Cash In at Facebook, Twitter and Groupon

Did your kid just swallow poison? Don't call poison control. House of Reps just voted away that luxury

Does Hollywood discriminate against young black actors?

The Celluloid Ceiling in full effect

Behind the Scenes of the latest "Old Spice" ad

The Old Spice ads are viral video hits! They cram so much humor in with their branding message in these 30 second spots that it's no wonder everyone gets a kick out of watching them. But how do they make these videos seem so seamless? Watch this behind the scenes video to see all the movie-making tricks required:



[Mashable]

Thursday, March 3, 2011

If you're reading this, you're probably not a typical person

National Geographic has come out with this great infographic video detailing what the "typical person" in the world is like, based of averages and medians from the world's statistics.

You may think you're "typical" or "average" but watch this to find out exactly what the typical person is like today:



[Social Times]

Jimmy Fallon's WINNING Impression of Charlie Sheen

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Watch "Earano" by Oscar Winner Luke Matheny

TVWeek has a great article up about the newest talent on the block: Live Action Short Film Oscar Winner Luke Matheny.

While he used to work at TVWeek, he eventually left his editorial assistant position to start making movies. His graduate thesis film "God of Love" won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film and can be purchased on iTunes. Can't spare the money? You can watch his short film from his sophomore year, EARANO. A play on the familiar tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, it gives a hint at his talent that's still finding a voice.



[TVWeek]

Good Deal: Free Pancake Day!


This snuck up on me! Typically it's been about a week later, but this year IHOP just couldn't wait. Visit your local IHOP for some free pancakes. No print out needed, no coupons or secret code. Just enjoy some pancakes and then maybe donate a few bucks to charity. Easy peasy and delicous!