February 4, 2007

Black Books

Here's something to have your Tivo fetch for you: I've become addicted to Black Books on BBC America, the tale of a prickly Irish bookstore owner and his crapulous antics with friends, customers and unsuspecting bottles of wine in London. The humor is hateful and biting but never too dark. Dylan Moran is great as Bernard Black, and Bill Bailey does a massively amusing job as Bernard's hapless sidekick, Manny.

BBC America is cycling through series one now, which is helping me fill in the blanks from the second and third series, which I've already seen. This is one of the funniest BBC America series I've stumbled across since Canada's Trailer Park Boys.

Posted by Bob Benz at 7:06 PM | Comments (0)

I see London I see France ...

Caroline Weber launched an awesome opening paragraph in her review of "Paris: The Secret History" in today's New York Times Book Review:

"Years ago, while strolling through a Parisian flower market, I was accosted by a man with a posy in his hands and a poem on his lips. “Here are some fruits, some flowers, some leaves and some branches,” he declaimed, quoting the poet Paul Verlaine, “And here is my heart, which beats only for you.” At which the stranger dropped his bouquet, unzipped his pants and presented me with an organ quite different from his heart. In Paris, I reflected as I hurried away, the boundary between lyricism and squalor is as fragile as a rosebud, and as permeable as a man’s fly."

Nice. I've also added Andrew Hussey's "Paris" to my reading list. Sounds like a fascinating book ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 7:04 PM | Comments (0)

September 6, 2004

Six Feet Under ... my theory

For Six Feet Under Fans ...

At the close of last week's episode, there were previews of the season finale, during which Nate has a eureka moment looking at a photo of Lisa on the beach taken shortly before she died. Someone had to take the photo, right? And that person would be a suspect? Maybe Lisa didn't die by misadventure or her own hand.

My theory, which came to me yesterday as I watched Ozzy in yet another fruitless squirrel pursuit at the lake:

Lisa was murdered ... by Billy, Brenda's wacko brother. Here's the method to my madness. Billy is a photographer (thus the photo). He has tangled with Nate in the past. His incestuous feelings toward Brenda resulted in a major rift with her. In Billy's twisted mind, he decides that if he kills Lisa he can get back near Brenda again. Lisa's death paves the way for Brenda and Nate to get back together (which has happened). Basically, Billy decided that if Brenda is with Nate and happy, he has a better chance of circling back and re-establishing his relationship with her. A happy Brenda is a Brenda more likely to re-bond with Billy. And Billy has re-established his relationship with Brenda. Also, kinda interesting that Billy shows up as the new instructor for Claire's class. Coincidence? I think not. Now Billy just needs to deal with Nate ...

Or maybe my interpretation is as empty as Ozzy's pursuit of the squirrel, which by the time I had hashed out my theory was dancing merrily in the branches above a frustrated Osbourne, taunting him wihtout pity.

Posted by Bob Benz at 9:08 AM | Comments (5)

July 5, 2004

There's a Mingus among us ...

Snapped up a copy of Charles Mingus' "Mingus Ah Um" the other day. It's incredible. This is the remastered version with some new stuff added. I highly recommend it, even if you have only a passing interest in jazz.

Other cool, recent finds:

Trailer Park Boys: This Canadian show on BBC America is a scream. After three episodes, I'm officially hooked. It's shot like a reality TV thingy, and the characters are constantly talking directly to the audience and making reference to the sound and cameraman. Keep an eye out for Bubbles, the Trailer Park Buddha behind the Coke-bottle glasses.

During one of my regular surfs of Cruel.com, I came across IWorkWithFools.com. Some pretty amusing stuff in there, and I get the frightening feeling it's not fiction.

Now Playing: Ooh Bop Sh'Bam from the album Charlie Parker Carvin The Bird by Charlie Parker Carvin The Bird

Posted by Bob Benz at 1:56 PM | Comments (9)

February 15, 2004

Janet Jackson and H.R. Pufnstuf

Two great pieces in the New York Times Arts & Leisure section this morning. Registration required, but worth it.

In My Hero, Janet Jackson, Frank Rich comes out with a fantastic defense of Jackson and an indictment of the hypocrisy surrounding the furor over that Super Bowl breast thing. I was tired of that story about five minutes after it broke, but a defense of Jackson was something I couldn't pass up. And it was worthwhile. Rich writes: "You can argue that Ms. Jackson is the only honest figure in this Super Bowl of hypocrisy."

In The Evil Geniuses of Kiddie Schlock, Emily Nussbaum looks at all those incredibly strange, oddly psychedelic Saturday morning kids shows from the '70s, including Pufnstuf. "The weren't making shows that parents could watch with their kids. They were making shows that kids could watch alone, while severely addled by Cap'n Crunch." Yup. Been there. Done that.

Posted by Bob Benz at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)