'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm
Vote For Me, It's A Joke
By Baron Dave Romm
Art Paul Schlosser keeps plugging away.
He fearlessly plunges in to a whole new set of songs in his own unique musical styling. His latest CD is Vote For Me, It's A Joke. Like The Best Of reviewed here a few months ago, it's more than an hour of music comprising 30 cuts. Unlike the other CD, it's not available from anyone but Art at the moment, so if you want a copy you have to e-mail Art Paul.Maybe I'm getting used to his singing (he sounds sort of like Bobcat Goldthwait) and his music (which is sort of like Monty Python's repetitious I Like Traffic Lights but on a broader range of subjects), but I liked these songs better and have played several on the air. Of course, it helps that they're political just as the election is heating up. I still can't actually listen to the whole thing at once (and haven't listened to all of it yet anyway), but the fun stuff is pretty fun. He's taken to doing spoken political intros in front of otherwise unrelated songs, such as How Do They Like My Pet? about his Tyrannosoraus Rex. I'm not going to go so far as recommend Art Paul, but he's probably worth checking out to see if you share his sense of, um, proportion.
Dimpled Chad and the Disenfranchised are more directly political in their EP American Way. Bush, Schwarzenegger and company are skewered in the parody of five rock songs. While I feel the songs go on a bit too long, you might like the 8 minute parody of the 8 minute American Pie that is the title track. American Way takes you from the stolen election of 2000 through Afghanistan and Iraq to the present election. Parodies of Bachman Turner Overdrive, Supertramp, The Eagles and The Beatles are the other four cuts. My favorite is the shortest and most succinct, In 2004, the parody of When I'm 64. "Do you believe me or will you relieve me, in 2004?".
Since the Republicans are sure to cheat in the election (Republicans don't actually believe in Democracy...), I'm going to cheat a bit and review a CD from a fellow Fresh Air Radio programmer that you can only get from him.
Dean Johnson's Originals is a self-published CD in a slim-line case. Seventeen short songs, all with Johnson singing and playing the guitar by himself. He writes a pretty fair folk song. I liked World's Largest Twine Ball, a different take on the same real life tourist attraction that Weird Al sings about in The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota. Betcha didn't know that Scandinavians invented the blues, eh? Lutefisk Blues will correct your impression. And of course, with all the talk of WMD and missing WMD that you can't really be sure that they might not maybe have had, sort of, perhaps we should all have our own Atom Bomb. That would really fix Saddam's wagon, ya shure. Dean ranges from the MInnesota Ice Palace to the World's Largest Catsup Bottle to his dad's This Old Hat. Dean Johnson's e-mail.
Dean is also part of the upcoming Minnesota Fringe Festival, August 6-15 here in Minneapolis. The Fringe is a series of 850 performances of 175 shows in 19 venues. The (usually) one-hour live shows range from great to okay with a wide variety of potential audiences. I try to make at least a few every year (I've talked to people to try to see the all... *whew*) and will have some Fringies on Shockwave for the next several weeks. Even if you want to live vicariously from out of town, the web site will have reviews and comments from attendees. There's likely to be some politically oriented offerings, hee hee hee...
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here, you can order Shockwave Radio Theater CDs, and you can hear the last two Shockwave broadcasts in Real Audio here (scroll down to Shockwave). Thanks to everyone who has sent me music to play on the air, and I'm continuing to collect extra-weird stuff.
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Reader Humor
Dubya & The Queen
When Dubya met The Queen, he said:
"As I'm the President, I'm thinking of changing how my country is referred to,and I'm thinking that it should be a Kingdom". To which the Queen replies, "I'm sorry Mr Bush, but to be a Kingdom, you have to have a King in charge - and you're not a King."
George Bush thought a while and then said: "How about a Principality then?", to which the Queen replied "Again, to be a Principality you have to be a Prince - and you're not a Prince, Mr Bush".
Bush thought long and hard and came up with "How about an Empire then?" The Queen, getting a little angry off by now replied " Sorry again, Mr Bush, but to be an Empire you must have an Emperor in charge - and you are not an Emperor."
Before George Bush could utter another word, The Queen said: "I think you're doing quite nicely as a Country."
Thanks, Bruce!
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Still hot, still humid, still cranky.
Here's a link to the Complete List of Emmy Nominations - 2004
Shown is billboard design art to be used by Project Billboard, who have settled with media giant Clear Channel, on Thursday, July 15, 2004, a dispute over an anti-war billboard that would have loomed over Times Square during the Republican National Convention and until Election Day. The Berkeley, Calif.-based activist group has agreed to two billboards to run during the convention. A dove decorated in stars and stripes, shown in this photo, will replace the one that would have shown a stylized bomb and fuse.
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The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Would Fight Fines Over Janet Jackson
Leslie Moonves
Viacom Inc. co-president and CBS chairman Leslie Moonves vowed on Sunday to fight any fines levied against CBS-owned TV stations for airing Janet Jackson's breast-baring Super Bowl performance in February.
In defiant remarks to television critics at their annual summer meeting, Moonves said the government's crackdown on indecency on the airwaves since Jackson's notorious flash of nudity on his network is "coming dangerously close to infringing" on free speech.
He said the notion of fining stations for airing the live Super Bowl halftime telecast on Feb. 1 is "patently ridiculous, and we're not going to stand for it."
"We're going to take it up to the courts if that happens," Moonves said, when asked about media reports that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission staff has proposed fines totaling $550,000 against 20 CBS-owned stations over the Super Bowl telecast.
Leslie Moonves
A model displays a brass top and mask created by Uganda's fashion designer Sylvia Otwiri in Nairobi during Kenya's Fashion Week July 17, 2004. Picture taken July 17, 2004.
Photo by Radu Sigheti
London Premiere
'Thunderbirds'
Stars of the movie version of children's science-fiction series "Thunderbirds" greeted fans in London on Sunday at the UK premiere of the film.
Puppets played the heroes in Gerry Anderson's 1960s television original, but for the big screen U.S. director Jonathan Frakes used a live cast to recreate the adventures of the secretive Tracy family and International Rescue.
British actor Ben Kingsley, who plays arch-enemy The Hood, posed for fans next to one of the series' most famous props, the six-wheeled pink car owned by aristocratic British spy, Lady Penelope, played in the film by Sophia Myles.
The sleek limousine still sports the number plate FAB 1, but during the translation from television to cinema has changed from a Rolls-Royce to a Ford.
'Thunderbirds'
Sticks to Humor at Miami Event
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby avoided his recent criticism of some segments of the black community, instead sticking to humor and praise for parents during a charity event for at-risk children.
Many in Saturday night's crowd had expected Cosby to continue his series of remarks urging blacks to stop blaming others for social problems such as teen pregnancy, poverty and academic underachievement.
Cosby appeared before a packed crowd at Zo's Summer Groove, which is organized by former Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning.
Before Cosby's speech, Mourning said he did not hesitate to invite the entertainer.
"No, because it's the truth. The truth is confrontational," Mourning said.
Bill Cosby
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Cuts Commercials to Gain Ad Dollars
Clear Channel Radio
Clear Channel Radio, the largest U.S. radio station chain, will significantly reduce commercial time sold on its stations to stem pricing weakness and convince marketers of the value of radio advertising.
John Hogan, chief executive officer of Clear Channel Radio, owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc,, said by next year the company's more than 1200 stations across the country would cut commercial and promotional time and limit the number of ads aired during each break.
Promotional time will be reduced as of October 1, while new limits on commercial time would take effect no later than January 1, he said. Hogan said he hoped the new strategy will have a positive effect on revenue in 2005.
Clear Channel Radio
People come to pay tribute to Czar Nicholas II and his family, murdered by Bolsheviks 86 years ago, at a mining pit where the remains of the royal family were unearthed, near Yekaterinburg, Ural Mountains, some 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, Saturday, July 17, 2004. The last Russian czar, his wife and five children are commemorated in Russia on Saturday.
Photo by Alexei Vladykin
Laments Broadway Musicals
Sandy Duncan
Perennially perky Sandy Duncan is slamming what she considers the sorry state of Broadway musicals.
She said an industry once run by producers with vision and heart has devolved into a business run by "money men who don't have an eye for the product."
"It used to be that producers would make a profit, with the idea that they would put that money into a new show," Duncan told the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
"Now, they want to make a killing, and so they're flogging these shows into 10-, 12-, 14-year runs. It hurts the whole creative community."
"A lot of what's coming out of New York is dreck; they should be touring them in theme parks," Duncan said. "And then on top of that, they do it on the cheap so they can make more money. It's immoral, and it tricks the public."
Sandy Duncan
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Calls Dems 'Girlie Men'
Ahnold
A spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Philanderer) said Sunday that the governor would not apologize for calling lawmakers "girlie men," despite criticisms from Democrats that the remark was sexist and homophobic.
Democrats said Schwarzenegger's remarks were insulting to women and gays and distracted from budget negotiations. State Sen. Sheila Kuehl said the governor had resorted to "blatant homophobia."
Schwarzenegger's criticism of Democrats stems in part from their support of one bill prohibiting schools from contracting services with private companies, and another giving workers authority to sue their employers to enforce labor laws. Each side accuses the other of caving in to special interests.
Ahnold
Eight young girls race carry wooden buckets on their heads during a traditional shepherd festival in the village of Wildberg, about 30 kilometers south of Stuttgart, July 18, 2004. Since the 18th century Wildberg celebrates a festival including different races to remember the traditional profession of shepherds.
Photo by Michaela Rehle
Opening Upscale Sex Shop in Florida
Larry Flynt
Hustler Magazine publisher Larry Flynt is expanding his pornography empire to South Florida, opening an upscale sex shop despite opposition from this city's mayor and others.
"In every city we open a store there is always some politician who needs to showboat before his religious or conservative constituents about keeping us out," said Flynt, 61, who's currently on a national 19-city book tour.
Flynt insists that politicians know his Hustler Hollywood stores are not sex stores in the traditional sense.
"These are upscale shops where sexuality is presented in a clean, healthy, natural way, which is why 50 percent of our customer base are women," Flynt said.
Larry Flynt
'Mission' Needs New Director
Tom Cruise
"Mission: Impossible 3" has a new mission: finding a replacement director for the blockbuster Tom Cruise franchise.
Joe Carnahan ("Narc") has dropped out of the director's seat because of "creative differences," the standard Hollywood explanation in such cases.
Tom Cruise
Used As Weapon
Alligator
A man is facing battery charges after sheriff's officials say he swung a three-foot alligator at his girlfriend during an argument.
David Havenner, 41, was scheduled for a bond hearing Saturday in Volusia County; he was held overnight Friday at the county's Branch Jail on misdemeanor charges of battery and possession of an alligator, officials said.
Sheriff's officials said Havenner was keeping the gator in his bathtub and swung it at his girlfriend, Nancy Monico, 39, during an argument Friday morning.
Monico told investigators that Havenner beat her with his fists, then grabbed the gator and swung it at her as she tried to escape. The gator struck Monico at least once, after which time Havenner threw empty beer bottles at her and then kicked her out of their mobile home, she told investigators.
Alligator
Thanks, Ed!
A butterfly sifts through flowers for nectar early Monday, July 19, 2004 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Photo by Apichart Weerawong
'The Osbournes'
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