Archive for the ‘entertainment’ Category

No Doubt I’m too old for this shit

While I am a self-proclaimed douchebag, I am a pretty good boyfriend.

For boqueen’s birthday, I bought tickets to see her favorite band, No Doubt, play in Tinley Park. boqueen was born in late May, so it was a gift of delayed gratification.  After weeks of anticipation, the show finally arrived on Saturday. 

As a bloke in my late 20s, concertgoing is not a regular experience for me.  When I was a younger lad, concerts were a regular part of my summertime experience.  As I grew older, I became farther removed from radio play and popular music.  I feel like an old man: I cannot recognize, nor enjoy, the vast majority of music that is played on the radio today. 

Pop in a Sublime, Michael Jackson, Ice Cube or even a Beatles record, and I am good.  Tune in to a Top 40 radio station, and I am lost.  This is precisely why boqueen, who is several years younger than me, refers to me as “Captain Greyballs.” 

continue reading…

Don’t compare Michael Jackson to Elvis, you fucking retard.

For a brief moment, I thought that Michael Jordan was dead.

“MJ is dead,” boqueen announced as I awoke from my afternoon nap. Instantly, my mind pictured pushing off of Bryon Russell in Utah before draining a jumper to win the 1998 NBA Finals. As Jordan watched his shot sink through the net with his hand extended in the air, I wondered whether we were talking about the same person.

“MJ?” I slowly repeated.

“Michael Jackson,” boqueen replied, fully understanding my confusion.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, my syllables prolonged by disbelief, “he was only 50.”

continue reading…

Is 24 sexist?

I am a big fan of Fox’s sublime action drama series, “24.”  The show maintains high ratings in its seventh season and, if the message boards on the Interwebs are to be believed, fans are still riveted by the exploits of protagonist Jack Bauer as he races to save the world from yet another terrorist threat.

Season seven has been a reboot of sorts for “24.”  For the first time, the setting is not Los Angeles; this season takes place in Washington DC with a revamped cast.  Jack’s former employer, the Counter Terrorist Unit, has been shut down, and the FBI has taken the lead in stopping the latest terror plot.  The Commander-in-Chief always plays a big role in the show’s storylines, and this season, a new President now occupies the Oval Office.

President Allison Taylor is played by Tony-winning actress Cherry Jones.  Taylor is the first female President in “24’s” progressive universe; since the show began in 2001, two black men have already served as the leader of the free world.

Jones’ portrayal of President Taylor has been the catalyst of much debate among fans of the show.  If message boards and activity on Twitter are any indicator, many find her acting to be absolutely terrible.

continue reading…

Bashing M*A*S*H

On April 2, NBC’s long-running medical drama “ER” came to a close.  The ratings for the finale were somewhat disappointing; nearly 16.4 million Americans tuned in, a far cry from the ratings for the finales for other hit NBC shows, such as “Seinfield” and “Friends.” 

A historic analysis of these numbers can be difficult. Factors such as the growth of satellite and cable television and the Interwebs have given consumers a wider range of entertainment options. Population growth renders raw viewership numbers an ineffective means of comparison.

However, a single television episode stands alone atop the list of most-watch television events: the series finale of “M*A*S*H.”

I find this fact to be quite depressing, much like the show. It is an indictment of our collective tastes in art.

continue reading…

Euro Euro bill y’all

From the bokeen vaults: this post originally appeared on my short-lived Blogger page. This was written one year ago.

Last night, I saw the music video for the song “Blue Magic” by Jay-Z. On the surface, there was nothing extraordinary about the video. However, about 90 seconds into the video, an image appeared on the screen that shook me to the core, and I now feel incredibly insecure about the future of our country.

The video included gratuitous shots of large amounts of money – a staple of hip-hop videos. At one point, a briefcase is opened to reveal tidy stacks of euros.

Keep in mind that the video is set in New York City, not in a European locale.

continue reading…

Please stop making “Bush is stupid” jokes

Open Letter to All Late Night Talk Show Hosts

To all late night talk show hosts,

I would like to propose an immediate, permanent moratorium on jokes that refer to former President George W. Bush (R-Big Oil) as an idiot.  While I realize that this type of joke has been the bread and butter of your respective comedy routines for the better part of the last decade, these jokes have become trite and uninspired for several reasons.

The Bush administration was a nightmare for all Americans, one which we hope to soon forget.  References to Bush – and his intelligence – pour salt on the collective national wounds that we hope soon heal.

continue reading…

    Newer Entries »