The real talent here is the photographer who captured this magic moment: Bladwin's double-chin and paunch have disappeared, but his ass and reactionary violence are looking better than ever!
Plus, it's really irritating when some asshole says, "I don't even own a tv.", then proceeds to interject commentary into conversation about every tv show that I am talking about with some other couch potato who also 'owns' a tv. "Oh, I stream the episodes. . ." says the asshole. "Listen, I'm the asshole here, asshole." says me.
Sorry RJ, that was my incomprehensible attempt at more mockery of s-gum for dishonestly overplaying the merits of the album. Kind of a response to the query on the "Top 25 albums so far" about EP's being fair game for inclusion.
But I'll still disagree with you. Six of the tracks are too long.
Not sure how those quotes are out of context. Keep trying to defend indefensible positions by making loud statements, failing to provide evidence, then backing away with weak insults. I showed you mine, where's yours?
Let me put it a different way, since "Community" is the zenith of comedy and therefore untouchable. You mentioned '30 Rock'. Look at the two buffoons on that show, Kenneth and Tracy. Kenneth is likable because of his innocence, a classic character-type. Tracy is likable only because he is not threatening. The Tracy that the audience sees does not match the Tracy that we hear about through backstory and other character input. Tracy is the epitome of racism captured in television. For me, that doesn't mean that the show isn't clever or funny, it just isn't my thing. Tracy Morgan is one of my favorite cast members from SNL, and I think that he is a great supporting guy. But watching his stand-up is painful. He has been relegated to caricature. It also works a lot better for 30 Rock because they have actors who can really act.
A show that I didn't/don't care for, but that allows people to be people regardless of race is The Office. The characters who happen to be black, white, Indian, etc. are characters outside of caricature. The show doesn't deal with race by letting the 'black guy' tell all the race jokes, or simply involving a character of color in a scene to take advantage of race. To argue that 'Community' doesn't practice that strategy is disingenuous.
I know I'm talking to a fanboy here, and attempting to reason is futile, but I'll make one last point. You mentioned Carlos Mencia. He is the perfect example of someone who isn't funny because his routine is all about the character that he is trying to craft. It's fine to use race and to make fun of stereotypes, or to reinforce stereotypes, for that matter. In a less abrasive way, Glover is doing the same thing. All of his jokes are related to character experiences. Some comics can pull this off (Louis C.K. comes to mind). Some comics just make it tedious (Kathy Griffin). What I originally meant by "pseudo blackness" is that I think Glover believes that he has to act a certain way or talk a certain way in order to pander to the audience. It's just a bit of transparency that breaks through the fourth wall in jarring fashion. I would say the same thing about Oprah Winfrey.
Since I keep replying on JJ's post, though I didn't actually reply to him, I am not trying to trash Glover as a person. I'm sure he's a great guy to get a beer with. I also respect that he has found success in what he's doing. I have spend way too much time responding negatively toward a person that I am fairly ambivalent toward. Nothing gets me going like fanboys and downvoters. However, McHale is a pussy. I've been watching Talk Soup since the Kinnear days, so I also watched Roger Lodge, and suffered through the Skunk Head Henson days. McHale is the worst. After this week's episode, I am giving up on that show. I was okay with him not being able to read cue cards that well, but he has really turned into an arrogant shit since he has been doing Community (I think that his characters have collided). The last straw was his response to the granny skydiving video (which is not usually Soup stuff, but hey, you gotta keep pace with the Toshes of the world). Of all the jokes to make about that clip, he chose to make fun of an elderly lady for having floppy back skin. Alright. Oh, and his stand-up is like watching your grandmother give birth to puppies. Fuck that guy right to hell.
To the editor: Touche, and thank you for your thoughtful response. I was kind of just riffing on HKT's query. I am proud of the lowest-rated comment this week. Thanks to all the downvoters. However, I am a bit dismayed because I have made much worse (offensive, trollish, stupid) comments that have gleaned far more downvotes. Maybe that means that this was a good, positive week.
Anyways, I hate talking about me, and maybe this is old news (I'm sure this dropped on V-gum like two years ago and I missed it), but I just saw a tailer for a movie with Abraham Lincoln fighting vampires. It was during the NBA playoffs, which told me that this was either a real movie or I was having an acid flashback. Anyway, can a monster give me a link?
Yeah, well I'll tell you about this fucking week:
eldave: Underscore, here, have a Snickers, man.
Michael_: Why?
eldave: Because you kind of turn into an adolescent emo attention slut when you're hungry.
Also,
Stereogum: We started a band that we want all of you to know about. It's called Cloud Nothings. We're super excited about it. We have a great new album out.
eldave: Is it one of those where there are like two good songs and the rest are kind of shitty.
Stereogum: No, no, no, no, no. It's great front to back.
Later. . .
eldave: The album is like eight tracks long.
Stereogum: But the tracks are really long.
eldave: So, it's like a concept album?
Stereogum: No, it's just a powerfully expressive statement about the frustrations of youth.
eldave: You guys must have really liked Greenday, huh?
Stereogum: No, why?
eldave: No reason. Anything else going on?
Stereogum: Well our sister is in this band and they have a really great album, too. They're called Chairlift.
eldave: Is that like recording M83 and Beach House holding hands while taking a shit in an airport bathroom?
Stereogum: Downvoted.
I'll second the "damned disappearing reply button", but this is for you, nathan. First, my apologies. I wasn't aware that the President of the Donald Glover fan club was here. I was trying to research "racism", but I think that I might be too racist to understand racism. However, I did find some of that genius you were talking about:
Troy: My uncle put his finger in my no-no!
Troy: My uncle never put his finger in my plop-plop. I know, I'm bummed about it too.
Troy: I'm auditioning for Professor Garrity's all-black production of "Fiddler on the Roof." It's called "Fiddlah, Please!"
Troy: According to our polls, the campus is almost evenly divided. Now keep in mind, the margin of error on this thing is about 98%.
Abed: Could be higher. We don't even know how to do margins of error. We talked to two people at a vending machine.
Abed: For Greendale College Television, I'm Abed Nadir.
Troy: And I'm Troy "Butt Soup" Barnes. What? That's my name.
Troy: I wanna go to rehab and compare penises with famous people.
Troy: I wish I was a book. She could pick me up, flip through my pages. Make sure nobody drew wieners in me.
Sorry for my criticism of this completely fleshed-out character. By "flesh" you must have meant dick and ass jokes in addition to skin color jokes. I don't think it's racist to say that I'm not a fan of exploitive comedy (unless it involves dick and ass). To repeat, I'm glad that Mr. Glover is able to exercise his racial dexterity (which a fair portion of his schtick is indebted to [I don't really have time to discuss the implications of the character that Mr. Glover has created here and how it indeed reinforces stereotypes, but you have clearly already looked it up]), his brand of humor is just not for me. Nor is his music. Nor is his "acting".
And, oh yeah, fuck downvoters.
Not that bad covers indicate the "goodness" of a song, but the kind of people who attempt bad covers just might be some kind of indicators. . .Not that I'm opposed to eating dirt and boogers, but I draw the line at the Wiggles. Three year olds love the Wiggles. Oh yeah, and then there's the Glee version of this P.O.S. song, but I'm probably posting in the wrong venue for criticism of Glee.
I just think that sometimes when one is surrounded by kids all day, she begins to behave like a child. Like believing that it will be really cool to re-enact a violent scene from a movie with a child as the victim. In this case, prior to the sentencing, I think that the appropriate thing to do here is to let each child from the class get in one slap across the face piece, with the final slaps (twice the original #) coming from the victim. The entire proceeding should be filmed via camera phone and uploaded to the YouTube. Justice.
Also, this might start a "teacher slapping" phenomenon and further help society weed out the impulsive before they become adults and have the chance to re-enact violent movie scenes in inappropriate contexts.
Yeah Levi, like the way that people talented people use natural gifts or developed skills to achieve success and untalented people use things like plays on race and gender to establish a schtick. I'm not saying that it's ethically or morally wrong; I'm just saying that I'm not into that kind of thing. I'm glad that Glover can straddle racial identity in order to find his niche the way that Andrew Dice Clay used misogyny or Chris Rock used "WHAT"S THE STORY WITH WHITE PEOPLE?" jokes. Nothing wrong with it, but I feel that it's the hallmark of untalented comedians. They don't really have any "jokes" beyond the character identity. I mean, don't you ever feel (if you watch Community) that the gags are more directed at Glover than they are him delivering humor? It's the same buffoonery directed toward countless comedians of color in formula-centric shows and movies.
I think that he was just misusing the equally provocative hip-hop "no homo" reference. Like, "No homo, but I love Jesus."
Seriously guys, grow up a little.
Patriot, I got much respect fo ya from the v-gum side, but I'm going to have to side with Chevy Chase on this one. Community kind of sucks except for the occasional fun site gag. McHale is a complete fuck, and Glover is the kid that everyone told he was talented just to mess with. His self-referential comedy and pseudo-blackness are offputting for me.
But I do love the moniker. Great rap name.
Okay, let me explain it. Any list titled "Top 100" anything (besides maybe white rappers) that has, not only multiple M & M nods, but also The Streets (and a particularly limp-wristed track by 'em) is technically 'Brit heavy'.
I think that the Red House Painters material was a lot more accessible. I have respected MK for taking chances on his Sun Kil Moon and solo material, but I haven't found that those chances pay off as frequently. However, the moments that he is able to capture in some tracks are worth those that haven't resonated.
Good points all. I'm comfortable with laughing at people for saying misguided things. I think that it's laughable to call out children. Nothing going on here is "sad". We live in a society that most of us benefit greatly from. I'm not a "love it or leave it"-type person, but you have to accept that the world is full of horrible people. Some of them live in the US, have internet access, and post videos to YouTube. Laughing at that is cynical and snarky. Hey, I'm cynical and snarky. But that door swings both ways. You shouldn't just laugh at the dumb shit you disagree with. The dumb shit you do agree with is also funny.
Because that's how v-gum rolls. Calling a child childish. Let's review: This poster is a sixteen year old girl on YouTube. "Childish hate-monger" is a good description of 9 out of 10 sixteen year old girls. She's just decided to move on from "hate mongering" toward her parents. Haters be hatin'. That what they do. And yes, this sixteen year old blond white girl from the suburbs is sooooo scary. What violence, what unrepentant hatred! Let's all freak out! Or just insult her. Yeah, that's better. Let's insult how childish children are.
I had an idea for a gameshow (non-singing, sorry!) in which people competed to win $1,000,000. The challenge is using hyperbole frequently and inappropriately. Then I gave up on it when I realized that Kelly would be unbeatable.
My girlfriends keep telling me that this is what happens when the homos and "n-word"s take over the schools. I thought they sounded kind of bigotted, but the evidence don't lie. . .
Until Anderson can deal with the scummy underbelly of the human population with the detachment and pseudo-interest of a Maury, I'm not tuning in. (Plus, I need a chicken tetrazine [I have no idea how to spell that] reference or two thrown in there, Anderson!)
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