Edshugeo The GodMoor

Another piece of gold uncovered by The Undercover Black Man.

Labels: Awesome, funny-ass shit, Heroes, society, solutions?, Truth, youtube and other video

Even though he supposedly doesn't celebrate birthdays anymore.

Labels: Heroes, music, Prince, Songza, youtube and other video

Labels: death, Heroes, music, youtube and other video

From The NY Times;

Time Warner is no longer the sole proprietor of Superman.

A federal judge here on Wednesday ruled that the heirs of Jerome Siegel — who 70 years ago sold the rights to the action hero he created with Joseph Shuster to Detective Comics for $130 — were entitled to claim a share of the United States copyright to the character. The ruling left intact Time Warner’s international rights to the character, which it has long owned through its DC Comics unit.

And it reserved for trial questions over how much the company may owe the Siegel heirs for use of the character since 1999, when their ownership is deemed to have been restored. Also to be resolved is whether the heirs are entitled to payments directly from Time Warner’s film unit, Warner Brothers, which took in $200 million at the domestic box office with “Superman Returns” in 2006, or only from the DC unit’s Superman profits.

Still, the ruling threatened to complicate Warner’s plans to make more films featuring Superman, including another sequel and a planned movie based on the DC Comics’ “Justice League of America,” in which he joins Batman, Wonder Woman and other superheroes to battle evildoers.

If the ruling survives a Time Warner legal challenge, it may also open the door to a similar reversion of rights to the estate of Mr. Shuster in 2013. That would give heirs of the two creators control over use of their lucrative character until at least 2033 — and perhaps longer, if Congress once again extends copyright terms — according to Marc Toberoff, a lawyer who represents the Siegels and the Shuster estate.

Wow! That is awesome. Assuming it's not reversed on appeal.

The whole article at the NYT, plus another at Newsarama where I first read this news.

Labels: Awesome, comics, feats of strength, Heroes, nostalgia

Spoilers below.





This is one of my favorite television moments. Mandela is questioned (in 1990) about his controversial alliances with the likes of Castro, Arafat, and Qadafi and the possible negative consequences of proclaiming these men to be his comrades. Mandela's answer literally silences Kopell to the point that he has to break the ice to move things forward. Kopell's Adam West like response is a noble, yet ineffective effort to save face, but kinda adds to the hilarity.

Labels: Awesome, funny-ass shit, Heroes, nostalgia, politics, South Africa, Truth, tv, World Affairs

Labels: death, Heroes, music

I say about 5 bucks, roughly. I didn't know there was a new Radiohead album coming out, but it'll be released on the net in a few days. The band is offering it to fans and other interested parties. You name the price. From free to whatever.

I already know I like them (though, I'm not a huge fan), and that the record will most likely be decent. I always felt that for mp3s, ninety-nine cents was too expensive, and that CDs were too expensive at fifteen bucks (and up). Thanks to Amazon and some big box stores, most CDs can be had for just about ten bucks, which is perfect. And on eMusic, songs are about 25-30 cents-ish, depending on your plan. Not everything is available on eMusic, but I buy waaaay more music from them than any other way. Everything else are CD purchases from Amazon or in one recent case, the artist themselves.

I like Radiohead's plan. Their fans will pay for the downloads, if they aren't going for the CD/Vinyl package (which includes the downloads). As for those of us with casual interest? I dunno, but I already placed my order at 3.60 euro pounds, which is about $5.10 (or not), U.S. There was a small credit/debit charge of .45 euro pounds added. I was tempted to adust my price, but didn't.

edit: I should have adjusted the price, or double checked the conversion rates with a site other than the one linked to, as the total came up as $8.26 on my card. A bit more than I intended to spend.
MoEdit (Oct. 10 2007): I can't tell a euro from a British pound. There's my price confusion. Album's good so far, but I was reading back issues of Blood Sword on the bus while listening.

Don't expect Prince to go this route.

Thanks to The OdinsBlog.

Labels: downloads, good deal, Heroes, music business, online retailers, oops

The "$100 Laptop" (actually closer to $200.) project, aimed at getting computers to children in the "developing" world, is set to make them available to developed countries as well. The plan is to have consumers buy two. One for themselves and one for a child in a poor country.

I might be interested in this. If you are, leave your email address at xogiving.org, for a reminder. The program starts November 12th.

Via the BBC.

Labels: computers, good deal, Heroes, Linux, society, solutions?, technology

Thanks Valdermar and Housequake

Labels: covers, Heroes, music, music video, youtube

Kudos to Team M33 for picking up the torch from retired coder Dark Alex. Updated custom firmwares allow PSP users to both purchase contemporary commercial games and use their favorite homebrew programs. When faced with a choice between the two matters, I choose to keep homebrew, and not buy new games. Custom firmwares also allow piracy, which is a legit concern for Sony, but one I doubt they'll ever combat successfully.

If there were some way for Sony to allow homebrew (non-commercial programs created by enthusiasts) on official firmwares, it might, reduce piracy of current PSP software. However, some of the most popular homebrew are emulators of older systems. I don't know whether or not they constitute some form of piracy.

Anyhow, the battle rages on and users are winning.

Labels: civil rights, downloads, Heroes, PSP, video games

Swiped from Housequake from Music Week;

Sony BMG pull Prince album in covermount row
28 June 2007 - 17:03:03

Sony BMG has ripped up its UK contract to release Prince's (pictured) new album, Planet Earth, after it emerged that his management company has agreed a deal to give it away as a free covermount with The Mail On Sunday.

The newspaper’s Stephen Miron confirmed to Music Week today that the album will be offered to all readers, even before it ships to retailers in the UK. "The first time anyone will be able to hear Planet Earth will be exclusively through The Mail On Sunday," he said. "No artist has ever given away a new album by launching it free with a newspaper and clearly the music retailers will be up in arms."

Explaining the decision to renege on the deal, a spokesman for Sony BMG says, "Before the deal [to release his album through Columbia in the UK] was set in place, [Prince and his management] had a number of other deals in place, including the deal to give away the album to people attending his shows at the O2 in London.

"At that time the Mail On Sunday deal was not something that we were aware of - that came to light a few days ago. With that in mind it, we decided it was ridiculous to have a UK deal when 2m albums are going out free with papers. We don't want to muck around our retail partners, so out of respect for them we're not going to release the album over here."

"It doesn't change the fact that we're delighted to be working with him though," the spokesman adds, "and the global deal remains unaffected; this is a UK-only exemption."

News of the initiative caused widespread anger among many music industry executives at today’s London Calling conference in London.

Entertainment Retailers Association co-chairman Paul Quirk says, "It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career. It would be yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music."

Quirk also hinted that record stores may now boycott Prince’s back catalogue, quipping, "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores."

When I first read this I thought it was going to be packaged with the newspaper, The Mail on Sunday (meaning this weekend). Didn't realize the name of the paper was Mail On Sunday. I was hoping for an internet leak of the new album, soon.

I'll still buy the CD, assuming it's not complete crap, as I did with his last after getting an early download.

Update: Slashdot readers respond to music industry douche-bags.

Labels: funny-ass shit, good deal, Heroes, music business, Prince

I get it from my pops, 'cuz when a man's in the house, all the bullshit stops."

Chuck D (of Public Enemy)

Oddly enough, I can't remember what song that's from.

Labels: Heroes, society, solutions?

Dr. James Richards.

Labels: cats, Heroes

Gordon Parks (1912-2006)

Labels: death, Heroes, movies

I have a vague concept, still evolving in my head, for a sci-fi story that takes the form of a series of retro-ish (40s-70s), and perhaps contemporary Black comics stories. I was aware of Negro Romance type comics (though I've still not read any) and was wondering what else was out there. I came across this great article (via google) about a man named Orrin C. Evans. Check it out.

"This has been... a Black History Moment."

Labels: comics, Heroes, non music projects, possibilities for creative expression

Found out about this on Newsarama. TCM (Turner Classic Movies) are playing a bunch of films by Hayao Miyazaki every Thursday in January, starting tomorrow. His 65th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Miyazaki-Sensei!!!!

The schedule is as follows;


January 5
8:00 p.m. Spirited Away (2002) – English Dub
10:15 p.m. Princess Mononoke (1997) - English Dub
1:00 a.m. Spirited Away (2002) – Subtitled
3:15 a.m. Princess Mononoke (1997) Subtitled

January 12
8:00 p.m. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) – Dub
10:00 p.m. Castle In The Sky (1986) – Dub
12:15 a.m. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) – Subtitled
2:15 a.m. Castle In The Sky (1986) – Subtitled

January 19
8:00 p.m. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) – Dub
9:30 p.m. Porco Rosso (1992) – Dub
11:15 p.m. Whisper of the Heart (1995) – Dub
1:15 a.m. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Subtitled
2:45 a.m. Porco Rosso (1992) – Subtitled
4:30 a.m. Whisper of the Heart – Subtitled

January 26
8:00 p.m. Only Yesterday (1991) - Dub
10:15 p.m. Pom Poko (1994) - Dub
12:30 a.m. Only Yesterday (1991) – Subtitled
2:45 a.m. Pom Poko (1994) – Subtitled.

I don't have that cable channel. Matter of fact I don't have most cable channels, but I have seen most of the above films save Pom Poko, which I'll eventually get on DVD. Pom Poko, Whisper Of The Heart and Only Yesterday are Ghibli films not directed by Miyazaki, though Whisper contains his input via character designs and whatnot.

My Neighbor Totoro is the greatest movie ever. If you haven't seen it, YOU MUST!!! I recommend the others as well, though I'm not as crazy about Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke as lots of other people are. I thoroughly enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle, though. That one is not being broadcast this month, but should appear on DVD on March 7th along with Totoro and Whisper Of The Heart.

Labels: Anime, Awesome, Heroes, movies, tv

Words like genius and legend are too easily thrown around nowadays, but here was a man who, without effort (or seemingly so), lived up to those words. He was also funny as hell. His work influences me as an artist, musician, and in some ways, the manner in which I perceive the world around me, and laugh at it.

Labels: death, fun, Heroes, society

I sat in 9th grade English class in high school and heard the news. I knew who the Beatles were, but didn't know them by their individual names. So what I "heard" didn't make much sense (not that it could've anyway). I thought to myself "Shit! Jack Lemmon never hurt nobody. Why would anyone want to kill him? And why would his death affect a Beatles reunion?"
I didn't think much about it throughout the rest of the school day, but when I saw the paper at home, it all came together. I remember having the single Starting Over which had Yoko's Thin Ice as a B-side. I actually liked both. I don't remember for sure if I had the songs before Lennon's death, but I think I did, as I didn't initially realize the singer was an ex-Beatle. I remember watching their cartoons when I was younger as well as the animated film Yellow Submarine. In any case I thought enough of the situation that I saved the entire newspaper (Newsday Nov. 9th). Something I hadn't done before or since. As you can see, I still have it. It's a little yellower and has a tear or a few, but still in decent shape. I need to upgrade the storage bag it's in.
A quick glance at one of the articles inside notes that Lennon and Ono donated $1000 the previous year to the NYPD for bullet proof vests.
I spent the next few years getting acquainted with the Beatles.

Labels: death, Heroes, music

Alan Moore wants his name taken off all published material he doesn't own. This in addition to the distance he's placed between himself and all movies based on his work or characters (the upcoming V For Vendetta for example). Read this great interview... (found via bad librarianship)

Labels: comics, Heroes, movies

Always hated the A-Team, but always loved Mr. T.
This show could be promising, but I suspect it would've been better off on Comedy Central than on TVLand. I get neither channel at the moment, but I'm looking forward to downloading it.

December 5th, 2007 - Still haven't seen it. Also, the above links have expired.

Labels: fun, Heroes, tv

Jon Stewart of the Daily Show made an apparence on Crossfire last friday (October 15th) to promote his new book. Instead, he took the opportunity to explain to his two, gracious hosts, why their show and others like it, sucks.
I think it would be best to download this and watch it if possible. It's a great, hilarious show and Stewarts best performance outside of the Daily Show itself (he's usually not so great on the talk show circuit). He tore these two bitches (Bagala and Carlson) to pieces in front of their audience (with their obvious approval).
Tucker Carlson took the brunt of the abuse as he was more willing (but not able) to take on Stewart. Begala attempted to get in a few words, but didn't try very hard. May've had something to do with Jon being a Kerry "supporter". Also the charge of "partisan hackery" goes double for him and James Carville (not on this episode) who actually are on the Kerry payroll, if I recall correctly, and somewhat towards Robert Novak (also not present) who potentially endangered the life of an undercover agent as part of a Republican payback to her husband for spilling the beans on Bush's misinformation regarding Iraq.

Anyway, if you can't watch the program, here's the transcript from CNN.com. Click on the title link to read the entire show. The following is only from Stewart's part of the show:

As both of our loyal viewers, of course, know, our show is about all left vs. white, black vs. white, paper vs. plastic, Red Sox against the Yankees. That's why every day, we have two guests with their own unique perspective on the news. But today, CROSSFIRE is very difficult. We have just one guest.


He's either the funniest smart guy on TV or the smartest funnyman. We'll find out which in a minute. But he's certainly an Emmy Award winner, the host of Comedy Central's "Daily Show" and the co-author of the new mega best-seller "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction," at your bookstores everywhere.


Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the CROSSFIRE Jon Stewart.



STEWART: Thank you.


CARLSON: Thank you for joining us.


STEWART: Thank you very much. That was very kind of you to say.


Can I say something very quickly? Why do we have to fight?


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: The two of you? Can't we just -- say something nice about John Kerry right now.


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: I like John. I care about John Kerry.


STEWART: And something about President Bush.


BEGALA: He'll be unemployed soon?


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: I failed the test. I'm sorry.


CARLSON: See, I made the effort anyway.


BEGALA: No, actually, I knew Bush in Texas a little bit. And the truth is, he's actually a great guy. He's not a very good president. But he's actually a very good person. I don't think you should have to hate to oppose somebody, but it makes it easier.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: Why do you argue, the two of you?


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: I hate to see it.


CARLSON: We enjoy it.


STEWART: Let me ask you a question.


CARLSON: Well, let me ask you a question first.


STEWART: All right.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Is John Kerry -- is John Kerry really the best? I mean, John Kerry has...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: Is he the best? I thought Lincoln was good.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Is he the best the Democrats can do?


STEWART: Is he the best the Democrats can do?


CARLSON: Yes, this year of the whole field.


STEWART: I had always thought, in a democracy -- and, again, I don't know -- I've only lived in this country -- that there's a process. They call them primaries.


CARLSON: Right.


STEWART: And they don't always go with the best, but they go with whoever won. So is he the best? According to the process.


CARLSON: Right. But of the nine guys running, who do you think was best. Do you think he was the best, the most impressive?


STEWART: The most impressive?


CARLSON: Yes.


STEWART: I thought Al Sharpton was very impressive.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: I enjoyed his way of speaking.


I think, oftentimes, the person that knows they can't win is allowed to speak the most freely, because, otherwise, shows with titles, such as CROSSFIRE.


BEGALA: CROSSFIRE.


STEWART: Or "HARDBALL" or "I'm Going to Kick Your Ass" or...


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: Will jump on it.


In many ways, it's funny. And I made a special effort to come on the show today, because I have privately, amongst my friends and also in occasional newspapers and television shows, mentioned this show as being bad.


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: We have noticed.


STEWART: And I wanted to -- I felt that that wasn't fair and I should come here and tell you that I don't -- it's not so much that it's bad, as it's hurting America.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: But in its defense...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: So I wanted to come here today and say...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: Here's just what I wanted to tell you guys.


CARLSON: Yes.


STEWART: Stop.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.


BEGALA: OK. Now


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: And come work for us, because we, as the people...


CARLSON: How do you pay?


STEWART: The people -- not well.


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: Better than CNN, I'm sure.


STEWART: But you can sleep at night.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: See, the thing is, we need your help. Right now, you're helping the politicians and the corporations. And we're left out there to mow our lawns.


BEGALA: By beating up on them? You just said we're too rough on them when they make mistakes.


STEWART: No, no, no, you're not too rough on them. You're part of their strategies. You are partisan, what do you call it, hacks.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Wait, Jon, let me tell you something valuable that I think we do that I'd like to see you...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: Something valuable?


CARLSON: Yes.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: I would like to hear it.


CARLSON: And I'll tell you.


When politicians come on...


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: It's nice to get them to try and answer the question. And in order to do that, we try and ask them pointed questions. I want to contrast our questions with some questions you asked John Kerry recently.


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: ... up on the screen.


STEWART: If you want to compare your show to a comedy show, you're more than welcome to.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: No, no, no, here's the point.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: If that's your goal.


CARLSON: It's not.


STEWART: I wouldn't aim for us. I'd aim for "Seinfeld." That's a very good show.


CARLSON: Kerry won't come on this show. He will come on your show.


STEWART: Right.


CARLSON: Let me suggest why he wants to come on your show.


STEWART: Well, we have civilized discourse.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Well, here's an example of the civilized discourse.


Here are three of the questions you asked John Kerry.


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: You have a chance to interview the Democratic nominee. You asked him questions such as -- quote -- "How are you holding up? Is it hard not to take the attacks personally?"


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: "Have you ever flip-flopped?" et cetera, et cetera.


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: Didn't you feel like -- you got the chance to interview the guy. Why not ask him a real question, instead of just suck up to him?


STEWART: Yes. "How are you holding up?" is a real suck-up. And I actually giving him a hot stone massage as we were doing it.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: It sounded that way. It did.


STEWART: You know, it's interesting to hear you talk about my responsibility.


CARLSON: I felt the sparks between you.


STEWART: I didn't realize that -- and maybe this explains quite a bit.


CARLSON: No, the opportunity to...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: ... is that the news organizations look to Comedy Central for their cues on integrity.


(LAUGHTER)


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: So what I would suggest is, when you talk about you're holding politicians' feet to fire, I think that's disingenuous. I think you're...


CARLSON: "How are you holding up?" I mean, come on.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: No, no, no. But my role isn't, I don't think...


CARLSON: But you can ask him a real question, don't you think, instead of saying...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: I don't think I have to. By the way, I also asked him, "Were you in Cambodia?" But I didn't really care.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: Because I don't care, because I think it's stupid.


CARLSON: I can tell.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: But my point is this. If your idea of confronting me is that I don't ask hard-hitting enough news questions, we're in bad shape, fellows. (LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: We're here to love you, not confront you.


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: We're here to be nice.


STEWART: No, no, no, but what I'm saying is this. I'm not. I'm here to confront you, because we need help from the media and they're hurting us. And it's -- the idea is...


(APPLAUSE)


(CROSSTALK)


BEGALA: Let me get this straight. If the indictment is -- if the indictment is -- and I have seen you say this -- that...


STEWART: Yes.


BEGALA: And that CROSSFIRE reduces everything, as I said in the intro, to left, right, black, white.


STEWART: Yes.


BEGALA: Well, it's because, see, we're a debate show.


STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great.


BEGALA: It's like saying The Weather Channel reduces everything to a storm front.


STEWART: I would love to see a debate show.



BEGALA: We're 30 minutes in a 24-hour day where we have each side on, as best we can get them, and have them fight it out.


STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. To do a debate would be great. But that's like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Jon, Jon, Jon, I'm sorry. I think you're a good comedian. I think your lectures are boring.


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: Let me ask you a question on the news.


STEWART: Now, this is theater. It's obvious. How old are you?


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: Thirty-five. STEWART: And you wear a bow tie.


(LAUGHTER)


(APPLAUSE)


CARLSON: Yes, I do. I do.


STEWART: So this is...


CARLSON: I know. I know. I know. You're a...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: So this is theater.


CARLSON: Now, let me just...


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: Now, come on.


STEWART: Now, listen, I'm not suggesting that you're not a smart guy, because those are not easy to tie.


CARLSON: They're difficult.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: But the thing is that this -- you're doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great.


BEGALA: We do, do...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: It's not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. And I will tell you why I know it.


CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you're accusing us of partisan hackery?


STEWART: Absolutely.


CARLSON: You've got to be kidding me. He comes on and you...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: What is wrong with you?


(APPLAUSE) CARLSON: Well, I'm just saying, there's no reason for you -- when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy's butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It's embarrassing.


STEWART: I was absolutely his butt boy. I was so far -- you would not believe what he ate two weeks ago.


(LAUGHTER)


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: You know, the interesting thing I have is, you have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.


CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school, I think.


STEWART: You need to go to one.


The thing that I want to say is, when you have people on for just knee-jerk, reactionary talk...


CARLSON: Wait. I thought you were going to be funny. Come on. Be funny.


STEWART: No. No. I'm not going to be your monkey.


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: Go ahead. Go ahead.


STEWART: I watch your show every day. And it kills me.


CARLSON: I can tell you love it.


STEWART: It's so -- oh, it's so painful to watch.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: You know, because we need what you do. This is such a great opportunity you have here to actually get politicians off of their marketing and strategy.


CARLSON: Is this really Jon Stewart? What is this, anyway?


STEWART: Yes, it's someone who watches your show and cannot take it anymore.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: I just can't.


CARLSON: What's it like to have dinner with you? It must be excruciating. Do you like lecture people like this or do you come over to their house and sit and lecture them; they're not doing the right thing, that they're missing their opportunities, evading their responsibilities? STEWART: If I think they are.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: I wouldn't want to eat with you, man. That's horrible.


STEWART: I know. And you won't. But the thing I want to get to...


BEGALA: We did promise naked pictures of the Supreme Court justices.


CARLSON: Yes, we did. Let's get to those.


(CROSSTALK)


BEGALA: They're in this book, which is a very funny book.


STEWART: Why can't we just talk -- please, I beg of you guys, please.


CARLSON: I think you watch too much CROSSFIRE.


We're going to take a quick break.


STEWART: No, no, no, please.


CARLSON: No, no, hold on. We've got commercials.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: Please. Please stop.


CARLSON: Next, Jon Stewart in the "Rapid Fire."


STEWART: Please stop.


CARLSON: Hopefully, he'll be here, we hope, we think.


(APPLAUSE)


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


Now back to CROSSFIRE.


(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)


CARLSON: Welcome back to CROSSFIRE.


We're talking to Jon Stewart, who was just lecturing us on our moral inferiority.


Jon, you're bumming us out. Tell us, what do you think about the Bill O'Reilly vibrator story?


STEWART: I'm sorry. I don't.


CARLSON: Oh, OK.


STEWART: What do you think?


BEGALA: Let me change the subject.


STEWART: Where's your moral outrage on this?


CARLSON: I don't have any.


STEWART: I know.


BEGALA: Which candidate do you suppose would provide you better material?


STEWART: I'm sorry?


BEGALA: Which candidate do you suppose would provide you better material if he won?


STEWART: Mr. T. I think he'd be the funniest. I don't...


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: Don't you have a stake in it that way, as not just a citizen, but as a professional comic?


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: Right, which I hold to be much more important than as a citizen.


BEGALA: Well, there you go.


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: But who would you provide you better material, do you suppose?


STEWART: I don't really know. That's kind of not how we look at it. We look at, the absurdity of the system provides us the most material. And that is best served by sort of the theater of it all, you know, which, by the way, thank you both, because it's been helpful.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: But, if Kerry gets elected, is it going to -- you have said you're voting for him. You obviously support him. It's clear. Will it be harder for you to mock his administration if he becomes president?


STEWART: No. Why would it be harder?


CARLSON: Because you support...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: The only way it would be harder is if his administration is less absurd than this one. So, in that case, if it's less absurd, then, yes, I think it would be harder.


But, I mean, it would be hard to top this group, quite frankly.


(LAUGHTER)


(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)


STEWART: In terms of absurdity and their world matching up to the one that -- you know, it was interesting. President Bush was saying, John Kerry's rhetoric doesn't match his record.


But I've heard President Bush describe his record. His record doesn't match his record.


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: So I don't worry about it in that respect.


But let me ask you guys, again, a question, because we talked a little bit about, you're actually doing honest debate and all that. But, after the debates, where do you guys head to right afterwards?


CARLSON: The men's room.


STEWART: Right after that?


BEGALA: Home.


STEWART: Spin alley.


BEGALA: Home.


STEWART: No, spin alley.


BEGALA: What are you talking about? You mean at these debates?


STEWART: Yes. You go to spin alley, the place called spin alley. Now, don't you think that, for people watching at home, that's kind of a drag, that you're literally walking to a place called deception lane?


(LAUGHTER)


STEWART: Like, it's spin alley. It's -- don't you see, that's the issue I'm trying to talk to you guys...


BEGALA: No, I actually believe -- I have a lot of friends who work for President Bush. I went to college with some of them.


CARLSON: Neither of us was ever in the spin room, actually.


(BELL RINGING)


BEGALA: No, I did -- I went to do the Larry King show.


They actually believe what they're saying. They want to persuade you. That's what they're trying to do by spinning. But I don't doubt for a minute these people who work for President Bush, who I disagree with on everything, they believe that stuff, Jon. This is not a lie or a deception at all. They believe in him, just like I believe in my guy.


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: I think they believe President Bush would do a better job.


And I believe the Kerry guys believe President Kerry would do a better job. But what I believe is, they're not making honest arguments. So what they're doing is, in their mind, the ends justify the means.


(CROSSTALK)


BEGALA: I don't think so at all.


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: I do think you're more fun on your show. Just my opinion.


(CROSSTALK)


CARLSON: OK, up next, Jon Stewart goes one on one with his fans...


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: You know what's interesting, though? You're as big a dick on your show as you are on any show.


(LAUGHTER)


CARLSON: Now, you're getting into it. I like that.


STEWART: Yes.


CARLSON: OK. We'll be right back.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


BEGALA: Welcome back to CROSSFIRE. We are joined by Comedy Central's Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show" and author of No. 1 bestseller, "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction."


CARLSON: And a ton of fun, I like that too.


BEGALA: Some questions from our audience. Yes sir, what's your name, what's your name?


QUESTION: Hi, my name's David. I'm from Boston.


STEWART: Hi, David.


QUESTION: My question is, what do you think the hump on G.W.'s back during the debate was?


STEWART: Say it again?


QUESTION: What do you think the hump on George's back during the debate was?


STEWART: The hump on his back?


BEGALA: Oh, you're familiar? This is (INAUDIBLE) conspiracy theory. Can I take this one?


STEWART: Yes, please.


BEGALA: It was nothing, his suit was puckering. A lot of people believe he had one of these in his ear. If he was being fed lines by Karl Rove, he would not have been so inarticulate, guys. It's a myth.


(LAUGHTER)


BEGALA: It's not true. There's this huge myth out on the left.


(CROSSTALK)


BEGALA: Yes, ma'am.


QUESTION: Renee (ph) from Texas. Why do you think it's hard or difficult or impossible for politicians to answer a straight, simple question?


STEWART: I don't think it's hard. I just think that nobody holds their feet to the fire to do it. So they don't have to. They get to come on shows that don't...


BEGALA: They're too easy on them.


CARLSON: Yes. Ask them how you hold...


STEWART: Not easy on them...


(CROSSTALK)


BEGALA: ... saying we were too hard on people and too (INAUDIBLE).


(CROSSTALK)


STEWART: I think you're - yes.


CARLSON: All right. Jon Stewart, come back soon.


BEGALA: Jon Stewart, good of you to join us. Thank you very much. The book is "America: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction."


From the left I am Paul Begala, that's it for CROSSFIRE.


CARLSON: And from the right I'm Tucker Carlson, have a great weekend. See you Monday.


TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




I happpen to like shows like these, in general. I haven't seen much of Crossfire since it changed timeslots a while back. So I watch more of Hannity and Combs and The O'Really Factor, but as the election gets closer I find myself often unable to stomach that crap and I watch less and less of it.

Labels: funny-ass shit, Heroes, politics, tv

More nostalgia.

I recently purchased the A&E box set, Benny Hill, The Naughty Early Years - Complete and Unadulterated set one, 1969-1971. It's a three disc set that contains the first 11 50 minute episodes of his Thames television series. These episodes were syndicated in the U.S. as a half hour (24 minutes without comercials) program back in the mid to late seventies. There's also a documentary at the end (from the early nineties?) that includes a few clips from his BBC series from the fifties to the sixties.

The first episode was a bit of a letdown. Yes, I'd remembered all these skits and routines, but they weren't as funny as I recalled. The more I watched, though, the more I enjoyed. Either the show got progressively funnier with each episode, or I was finding myself being drawn deeper into the semi-juvenile mindset which made this nonsense acceptable. Maybe a little of both, but more of the former than the latter, I think. I look forward to future volumes.

There are other Benny Hill sets on the market, but I've not seen them yet. I think they're shows from the eighties, which if I recall correctly, don't represent Mr. Hill at his funniest. I will eventually get that material as well, once I've got all his classic stuff. I'd also like to see his early BBC material.

Labels: DVD, fun, Heroes, nostalgia, tv