« February 2005 | Main | April 2005 »
March 31, 2005
Mitch Hedberg dead at 37
“If you’re a fish, and you want to be a fish stick someday, you have to have really good posture.”
I was driving home tonight when I noticed that I had a missed call on my cell phone. Brian Edwards had called to tell me that Mitch Hedberg, a comedian that Brian and I both LOVED, had died. Mitch was painfully funny at times -- and painfully unfunny at others. Watching him every chance I got and listening to his material over and over like I've done, it was quite obvious that he "liked to party." His last audio release for Comedy Central seems awfully rushed. The last time he appeared on NBC's Late Friday was similar. But other times -- MOST times -- he was impeccable. He would've had to have been to have appeared on Letterman 10 times.
Brian and I have often sat around thinking of jokes we could sell to Mitch. Brian has a great one. Ask him to tell it to you sometime.
I am seriously bummed. Comedy is extremely hard, and the people who make it look easy don't deserve to die in hotel rooms before they even reach the age of 40.
He will be sorely missed. Here's an L.A. weekly article from last year that does a great job of capturing the man.
Posted by colrus at 09:07 PM | TrackBack
March 28, 2005
Battle on the Border
A group called The Minutemen is planning a vigil to "observe" immigration patterns and report them to U.S. Border patrol officials.
But a central-American gang vows to attack the vigil.
The ACLU will be observing the militia group in order to make sure that the rights of the illegals aren't infringed upon.
A quote from Ira Glasser Racial Justice Fellow Ray Ybarra from the above link: "Perhaps someday we will live in a society where no human being will have to face death and hatred in pursuit of work that this country requires, but until that day comes the experiences of undocumented immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico Border needs to be highlighted in order to demonstrate the fact that this is one of the grossest human rights violations in the history of the United States. Hundreds of people die annually in the desert and the American public chooses to turn a blind-eye.”
Dear sir, I know how feel. For years, I've been trying to tell people that hundreds of thousands of illegals enter our country each year and that there are at least 12 MILLION illegals living in our country as we speak, but everybody turns a blind-eye to me, too.
In reference to whole situation, Mexican President Vicente Fox -- in a stroke of evil genius -- made the statement last week that "We totally reject the idea of these migrant-hunting groups. We will use the law, international law and even U.S. law to make sure these types of groups, which are a minority, will not have any opportunity to progress."
Law? Did he say LAW? EVEN U.S. LAW? Does he mean the same law he's wanting thousands of his people to trample on each and every day?
Uh Huh. OK.
...to be continued.
Posted by colrus at 02:15 PM | TrackBack
Precious Comedy Find
Last night, while organizing my home office, I stumbled across a stack of notebooks containing comedy material that I'd written years ago -- either by myself or with members of the various comedy "groups" I've worked with.
It was a glorious find, as the original scripts for several pieces that were never given their due were sitting there in front of me in their full, hilarious glory.
Most notably, I found the ORIGINAL script for Fresh Air, the last-ever skit performed at the last-ever Faces gig at the now-defunct David's, in front of a highly-disruptive frat party crowd (the club was accidentally double booked that night) that wasn't in the mood to hear comedy.
I am so sure that nobody could actually hear the actual performance that I have no reservations about using the piece again, should the opportunity arise.
Posted by colrus at 11:22 AM | TrackBack
March 17, 2005
Why I am not celebrating St. Patrick's Day...
I am not celebrating St. Patrick's Day today because for the first 25 years of my life, certain members of my family spent every day celebrating St. Patrick's Day -- if you know what I mean. I am about a half Irish, but I have no interest in celebrating that fact.
The last St. Patrick's Day that my family ever celebrated was in 2000, when Melissa and I went with my aunt, my dad, my step-mom and a bunch of other relatives to enjoy(?) a feast of corned beef and cabbage (think Irish soul food) prepared by my aunt's friends...who were Chinese and who own a Chinese restaurant in Hamden, Connecticut. It was just about the weirdest thing ever. My aunt chose the place because, like I said, they were her friends. (They actually became her friends, however, due to the fact that my aunt doesn't drive and the restaurant was located right across the street from her condo. After being a regular visitor, she struck up a friendship. I think the man who owned the restaurant has since passed away, however.)
Other St. Patrick's Days were previously "celebrated" at the local Irish club in East Haven, Connecticut where I spent long, boring evenings watching various members of my extended family carry on in various stages of inebriation. Many of these family members have since died from drinking-related illnesses.
The fates of these people is probably the strongest reason that I have never really developed a taste for alcohol.
But you go on and party. I'm not your mother.
Posted by colrus at 11:12 AM | TrackBack
March 14, 2005
New DVD(s), Video ideas in the works...
Well, as time continues to slide by, I have realized that, yes, I would like to FINALLY finish (sound familiar???) the "On The Other Hand" compilation video I started while still in my twenties...
Two small versions of the video have been shown at film festivals in the last couple of years, and people are STILL asking for their very own personal copies, so I have decided to gather up all the master tapes and put the final touches on the 60-minute version, which is actually 90% finished. This will be the best way to get SOMETHING out there. The attempt at the 2-hour version with commentaries and extended deleted scenes proved too daunting a task to complete (due to repeated technical issues) and I'd rather devote more creative energies to NEW ideas than repackaging old ones...
ALSO, a 30-minute reel of FACES material (the show that came before On The Other Hand) is being sketched out and will either be made available as bonus material on the OTOH DVD, or as a separate DVD. There is considerably more FACES bonus stuff out there -- including an entire taped live performance -- which would make a FACES standalone disc worthy of its own life. The clips are already prepared for editing, which would make the disc easy to put together...
We'll see how it goes. I just have SO LITTLE interest in video anymore...
Posted by colrus at 12:25 AM | TrackBack
March 09, 2005
And So I Leap Into the 20th Century...
Since yesterday, my home has been awash with technology.
First, after 3 years without it, I had cable television installed. And just as I figured we would, Melissa and I spent a great portion of the evening flipping back and forth between things like: old Raymond episodes, a horrible movie on Lifetime, baby shows on Discovery Health, American Idol, Cold Case Files on A&E;, some other crime investigation show on Court TV, and the WORST prosperity ministry garbage I HAVE EVER SEEN on the Inspiration(?) Network. A generic gospel choir (repeatedly singing the word, "Yes") accompanied a "pastor" (sorry, I refuse to remember his name) who was urging viewers (and praying to not only Jesus, but viewers as well, it seems) to give $1000 to plant an "uncommon seed" to reap an "uncommon harvest." Unfortunately, this crap is not as "uncommon" as previously thought... No wonder people don't take Christians seriously.
I also had my DSL hooked up yesterday, and it sure lit a fire under the ol' iMac. The installation was a bit skunky, but after 20 minutes -- and help from a nice Middle Eastern tech support expert -- I was wasting the remainder of my free time...with amazing speed.
In other news...
I have now collected FIVE free iTunes bottle caps from Pepsi products over the last two months. I have won about 60% of the time, which is good, because I hate Pepsi and wouldn't be buying their products if they weren't running this promotion. Yes, I'm a sucker.
My in-laws are coming into town on Saturday to visit for a few days, and I think we're going to ask my father-in-law to put down some new tile in -- and maybe even wallpaper -- the bathroom. He loves doing that kinda stuff, and since I don't anything about it, I'll let him have at it...
Posted by colrus at 09:34 AM | TrackBack
March 04, 2005
Anyone else listening to this new Mars Volta album?
I'm trying to decide whether it is jawdroppingly brilliant or an overly self-indulgent embarrassment. I'm leaning towards brilliant. It's gonna take a few more spins, but already it's rivaling (if not surpassing) OK Computer in terms of dynamics (VERY well recorded) and it's nice to hear an album with chops and not full of overly introspective and overpriveleged-yet-melancholy white boys who play four chords and stare at their shoes. Of all the discs that have passed though my hands so far this year, this is the first one that made me stop the car. The artwork by Storm Thorgerson (Dark Side of the Moon) is a nice touch, as well.
Posted by colrus at 12:19 AM | TrackBack
March 02, 2005
Dear NewsPinion Minions
If you didn't know, The Pulse Blog is now up and running. I will maintain both blogs until I pass out, or there's nothing left to talk about. Whichever comes first.
Posted by colrus at 09:07 AM | TrackBack