Morning Paper

YouTube Today: The Server

The under-tipping, or worse - the NON tipping - customer is every water's worst nightmare. You work your butt off serving a table of six, they are demanding and rude, the bill comes in and its $150 and you figure well at least I get paid for my torture. And they leave you a fat tip of - $1.

Can anyone spell revenge?

Dominic Pace has written, directed and starred in (triple-threat anyone?) a great little comic short film about a man who gets just that, The Server is a superhero who, along with his Mexican busboy sidekick Sancho, tracks down bad tippers and makes 'em cough it up! Very funny. Stereotypes are exploited here so don't get your panties in a twirl.

Watch The Server

The Presidential Race in the 3 Bad Acts: Pt. 2 The Globalist Warmonger McCain

Ever been a waiter? Then you know how bad it can get when people refuse to cough up the tippage! Dominic Pace has written and directed (and starred in - triple threat anyone?) a very funny short film about a superhero who, along with his Mexican busboy sidekick Sancho, tracks down the bad tippers and collects! Warning ethnic stereotypes present!

Check out The Server

YouTube Today: David Bowie enters the Presidential race!

Changes. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.  Presidential elections are about change, and as we all know, the change never comes. Still. pols know what sells. So with a little help from David Bowie, the 2008 presidential wanna-bes spell it out for you. Very funny.

Watch it

 

YouTube Today: A "Coupling" Obsession

Some of us around MorningPaper (myself at the top of the list) have become obsessed with the BBC show "Coupling". All the episodes airing quite regularly on BBC America so its easy to get your fix. It was a British answer to "Friends", but its unfair to compare - because "Friends" isn't as good. They tried to transfer it to the US, with a US cast but the same scripts, but it didn't work.

The show revolves around six friends (Sally, Susan, Jane, Steve, Patrick and Jeff) who become entangled int he first episode. Eventually of course there is some "coupling" among them. Sally is the uptight brainiac, Jane the nympho-bisexual, Susan (also sex obsessed) is the sarcastic one, Steve the floundering male, Patrick is called Donkey for sexual reasons and is the group gigolo, and Jeff...ah Jeff well he's the dim-bulbed genius of the group.

The men are all obsessed with boobs and lesbians, and the women...are not. Except maybe Jane. The shows are all hysterical. Here are a few to give you an idea. But the true joy is in watching them all the way through.

Unflushable is from the first episode, where Steve is trying to dump the un-dump-able Jane so he can go out with Sally. Jeff here explains what he calls women you can't breakup with.

The Breakup is also from the first episode, and shows Steve trying to breakup with Jane.

Jeff and the Israeli Girl. Ahh, the genius of Jeff. Here he tries to talk up an Israeli girl who speaks no English. Sex obsessed and unable to chat a girl up, it goes where only Jeff can go.

The Man With Two Legs in which Jeff again tries to chat up a girl. A female, whose leg is all he has seen to date on the train, sits opposite him. His nervous breakdown is the opening to one of my favorites.

Sarcastic Susan is again from the first episode. Jeff is determined to go out on Steve and Sally's first date so she doesn't share any embarrassing details about him with his friend.

If You Like Animals is a very short clip. Pissed at her therapist, Jane makes fun of her for being a vegetarian.

4 1/2 Minutes

YouTube Today: The Byrds

Called the American Beatles when they first appeared, the Byrds are some would argue the greatest American rock band of all-time. They went through many line-up changes that included key figures in American rock including: Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Gram Parsons, Clarence White.

Their jangley sound, owing much to McGuinn's unique 12-string guitar style, influenced many, not least of which were the Beatles. Through Hillman, Parsons, and the latter line-ups of the band, they were in many ways the godfathers of marriage of rock and country in the 70s and on. No Byrds, no Eagles - though the band is likely embarrassed by that link.

Here are some great vids I dug up...

Mr. Tambourine Man - from 60s TV with the original line-up

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - features the last line-up of the Byrds doing the Dylan song they covered, featuring bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs and his sons.

David Crosby and Roger McGuinn harmonise in 1967's Monterrey Pop Festival on He Was a Friend of Mine - Crosby when he was good.

Chimes of Freedom also from Monterrey

The incomparable Gene Clark sings lead on I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better

A hard to find live version of Turn Turn Turn from 1965

Mr. Tamberine Man from the Byrds reunion, and Bob Dylan walks on to join in on his song. Technically not the best, the magic is undeniable.

Mr. Spaceman from the Smothers Brothers show.

YouTube Today: Tom Petty

Tom Petty used to be called the "poor man's" Bruce Springsteen. Almost 30 years down the road from when he  burst onto the scene with "American Girl", it's more appropriate to call Springsteen the "poor man's" Petty.

It's hard to argue that any rocker has been more consistent, and truer to the roots and essence of rock 'n roll than Tom Petty. And he's done it while shifting stylistic and retaining what's his greatest about him, leaving a lengthy trail of hit songs and classic rock songs along the way.

The Heartbreakers have been one of the best bands, and least affected by member  changes. After well over 30 years together, there is not a tighter outfit to be found.

Today the TP and clan play the Super Bowl half time show. In honor, here are a couple of great vids from princes of rock.

Saving Grace from Petty's last, and excellant disk, didn't get the airplay it deserved. It's a great lyric coupled with a churning Bo Diddley-esque groove.

An early live clip, from TV show the Midnight Special in 1978, doing their current hit at the time, American Girl

Classic Petty - The Waiting

The tripped out vid for the Jeff Lynne produced Don't Come Around Here Anymore

TP and boys rocking out at the Fillmore on Bo Diddley's Mona with the legend hisself!

Early on Petty got compared to the Byrds and Roger McGuinn particularly. Many thought "American Girl" was McGuinn when it came out. Here they tear through the Byrd classic So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n Roll Star

Beatles go into outer space

NASA is beaming the Beatle's song "Across the Universe" into deep space Monday. It will be the first song transmitted by the agency's Deep Space Network. Deep Space is a network of sattelites around the world that help support the exploration of the universe.

The song will travel 431 light years at 180,000 miles in its voyage to the North Star. It's Feb 4 launch will mark not only the 50th anniversary of Deep Space, but more importantly to some the 40th anniversary of the release of "Across the Universe".

In a message to the agency Sir Paul McCartney said: "Amazing! Well done, NASA! Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul."

Beatle fans (is that an organization?) have declared the day "Across the Universe Day" to commemorate the anniversaries. People can participate by joining millions of other in playing the song at the exact time of transmission - 7:30 PM EST on Feb. 4.

For more on the Deep Space Network check this.

YouTube Today: Apollo Sunshine says Today Is the Day

Comprised of hot players from the Berkely School of Music, Apollo Sunshine's pedigree may sound too good, but music hooky as all git go. This song has been around a while, though I've never blogged it before. It's one of my favorites and a great way to start your day. Really!

Watch it now

YouTube Today: Cloud Cult and chemicals

Cloud Cult leader Craig Minowa lost his young son several years ago. The residue of pain and grief of this most tragic of happenings has been the source of the creative impulse of his latter music. The band's latest disk. The Meaning of 8, refers to what would have been his son's 8th birthday. But downer music this is not. Bubbling creativity in song structures, instrumentation, combine with Minowa's light vocals and semi-solid lyrics to create a thing of beautify. This is my favorite song from the disk, "Chemicals Collide".

Watch it now

Josh Brolin has an actor moment...

...at the 2008 Screen Actor's Guild awards last night.

Receiving an award for "No Country For Old Men", in which he delivered a stand-out performance, the edgey actor took the long way home during his thank-yous. When Woody Harrelson (a much mellower guy, one suspects due to a smoking habit) tapped on the shoulder to remind him to thank the Coen Brothers. Heck the guy had been going forever.

Brolin told him to "back off...I’m taking my time, man. This is my fricking moment.” While you could argue he was taking to freaking long with his moment, there's no arguing he was being a bit selfish. The award for ensemble acting, which means all the actors behind him were having their moment as well.

“The Coen brothers are freaky little people and we did a freaky little movie, whether you like the ending or not.” Yes, he did say that.

And he also said: “The studio system is backfiring awfully and it is fun for us actors to watch.”

Hell of a moment. He might have forgotten that studio backed the little movie - Disney's Miramax and Paramount's Vantage. Wonder if they'll be backfiring his checks?