Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah

London Town is a flick coming out soon:

The coming-of-age film tells the story of Shay (Daniel Huttlestone), a budding, Clash-obsessed punk who happens to meet Strummer on several occasions (including once in a jail cell). The new clip, however, finds Shay marveling at his hero onstage as he attends a show with his love interest/punk guru, Vivian (Nell Williams).

As you people know, I love The Clash and I love Joe Strummer. The dude playing him looks nothing like Strummer, but we'll see how he does. In the words of my longtime buddy Dish upon seeing this trailer, "please don't suck  please don't suck  please don't suck  please don't suck  please don't suck  please don't suck  please don't suck."

Fingers crossed!

Yes This Makes Me Better Than You

The other day I mentioned a book I was loving, Down and Out in Paris and London. And VOILA! just today Anthony Bourdain wrote that the book was single-handedly responsible for his own classic Kitchen Confidential:

During those times, Down and Out in Paris and London sustained me. It made me feel I was not alone, that I was part of something, a tradition, a cult, a secret… something… that stretched back to the 1920s in Paris, and beyond. It held me together, gave me the strength to show up again the next day and the next, until they did give me my name back and I went home having won, for the first time in my life, a modicum of respect from other human beings whose respect I wanted. I went home respecting myself—another first.

My Live-Tweeting from Last Night's Debate for You Losers Who Don't Follow Me On Twitter

Debate

No idea why Hillary won't release Trump's high school yearbook photo.

KG History

I'm not a video game guy but it's apparently a big deal that Kevin Garnett retiring means there are no more active players from he 16-bit game era.

But this is really amazing:

To give you an idea of how long Garnett’s video game basketball career was, above is a shot of him going up against Kobe Bryant in NBA Live 97. Below is how Garnett appeared in NBA 2K16.

(Note: I have both below)

Thoughts. I Have Them.

Is anything ever debunked except myths? Is anything ever blithering except an idiot?

Tonight's Debate

So if Trump manages to make it through the debate without calling Hillary a c*nt, he wins. Awesome.

Friday Night Thoughts

I find it hard to believe Tim Riggins would really sign off his radio show with "cheers." #fridaynightlights

Friday Night Thoughts

Matt Saracen may be the only teen to have fewer laughs than Anne Frank. #lightenupfrancis #fridaynightlights

Memories!

2017 Goals

Write a sitcom in which every episode features a variation of "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." #thegodfather

This Guy Must Really Know His Football

Thanks Obama

2016

Obama still has to answer for his not making a Friday Night Lights sequel called "The Riggins Boys" happen.

Writers Being Writers

You're Welcome

I was gonna make a "hope he doesn't eat it!" joke here, but decided to show some empathy and take the high road instead.

I'm So Glad We Have This Time Together

Sweet, Naive Optimism.

Heads Up, DC Palisades

My new street gang. Look out, losers!

Friday Night Thoughts

Matt Saracen's Wiki resume seems rather exhaustive. #fridaynightlights

Friday Night Thoughts

I've noticed that as the school's athletic director the only sport other than football Coach Taylor ever mentions is girls volleyball. #fridaynightlights

Friday Night Thoughts

Buddy Garritty, two paraplegics in a fistfight and The Replacements' I Will Dare all in the same scene in a helluva thing to behold.

Bruce Springsteen Was the Worst Altar Boy Ever According to Bruce Springsteen

You Down with BBC?

Twice this year, HERE and HERE, Vulture has recommended 13 BBC sitcoms. As a newfound superfan of the BBC, I will now rank each.

IN THE PANTHEON OF BBC GREATNESS
ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES
The IT Crowd
Fawlty Towers
Absolutely Fabulous
I'm Alan Partridge
Peep Show
The Inbetweeners
Blackadder
Father Ted
Fresh Meat
Vicar of Dibley
Rev.

PRETTY GOOD
Twenty Twelve
Friday Night Dinner
The Thick of It (Peter Cipaldi is amazing, but a lot of it's hard to follow.)
The Trip
Green Wing

HAVEN'T WATCHED
That Mitchell and Webb Look
Spaced
Gaven & Stacey
Little Britain
Jeeves and Wooster
Saxondale
Monty Python's Flying Circus (I LOVE the movies, but have never sat through the shows. I know as a BBC guy, this is sacrilege.)
Mr. Bean
Coupling
Outnumbered

Eight Days a Week

As a Beatleholic I can't say I learned anything new in Ron Howard's Hulu documentary about the band's touring days. But it's a delightful romp through the years, with great footage and new interviews with Paul and Ringo. The film serves as a reminder of how not just funny they all were, but how much the genuinely liked and cared about each other. Above all, however, I was reminded what a miracle it was that nobody died during all the mania, be it one of The Beatles, the crazed fans or the cops who surely were horrified they had to beat back crazed crowds. What a nightmare of a scene.

Book du Jour

A coupla weeks ago in Leesburg I was at one of those amazing book fairs which offered as many books as you could stuff into a bag for $10. I saw this book, a book I'd never heard of, and grabbed it. Not because I like Orwell - I loved Animal Farm but hated 1984 - but because in the previous months I'd visited both Paris and London (thanks, Brothatime!!)

Last night I pulled it out and...frankly, it's intoxicating.

“It is a feeling of relief, almost of pleasure, at knowing yourself at last genuinely down and out. You have talked so often of going to the dogs - and well, here are the dogs, and you have reached them, and you can stand it. It takes off a lot of anxiety.”

There's something about this notion that reminds me of all the years I spent at 100 Metro...living like a rat, but with the comfort of knowing it was as bad as it got, and I was fine.

"The Paris slums are a gathering for eccentric people - people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying to be normal or decent."

A stunningly honest, wound-opening book that is beyond wonderful right now.

Only Fools du Jour

Thoughts. I Have Them.

Saw this and thought wow, how much would I be freaked the fuck out if I was dropped in the middle of the ocean before thinking well, if this shark found itself dropped in the middle of the line at Burger King it'd be just as freaked out, so.

I Love NYC, Year 2001

Shortly before this was recorded, Op & I got a big laugh from Ryan Adams outside the Lakeside Lounge explaining how I was kicked out of the Marah show the night before at the Mercury Lounge. 😜

9/11

I tend to try & not obsess about 9/11; as someone who was there, I selfishly feel lucky that I didn't lose anyone I knew personally, and it's also a reminder to myself how lucky I was to live there for almost 15 years. I do like to share one memory, tho. I remember the day after 9/11 when we were all at the Turkey's Nest, collecting ourselves and making sure everyone was okay, and listening to the tales of a regular who'd been there. He was running from rubble covered in WTC dust; we were dumbstruck as he told us stories of seeing falling bodies and running past body parts - we all, including him, marveled that he'd survived.

But one thing I'll remember for all my years, no matter how long I live, is what he said at the door as he was leaving. Muttering under his breath, I don't think anyone else even heard him but me, as he pushed open the door he said "Now after all that, watch me walk out the door right now and get hit by a fucking bus." 

Ride on, everybody.

35 Years Ago Tonight!

35 Years Ago Tonight

Only Fools and Horses debuted!  Here's the first promo  :)

Crying, Waiting, Hoping

Always loved this version from Marshall Crenshaw for the movie The Buddy Holly Story. Definitive.

Top 10 Buddy Holly Slices

Down the Line
Rave On
Peggy Sue
True Love Ways
Rock Around with Ollie Vee
Word of Love
It's So Easy
Blue Days Black Nights
Oh Boy!
It Doesn't Matter Anymore

Happy 80th Birthday Buddy Holly

And yes, I really did try to call his parents.

Thoughts. I Have Them.

I  just realized I've owned Buddy Holly cds for more years than he was alive. Trippy.

Here's to Buddy Holly

In 1958, Buddy Holly arranged Jennings' first recording session, of "Jolie Blon" and "When Sin Stops (Love Begins)". Holly hired him to play bass. During the "Winter Dance Party Tour," in Clear Lake, Iowa, Holly chartered a plane to arrive at the next venue. Jennings gave up his seat in the plane to J. P. Richardson, who was suffering from a cold. The flight that carried Holly, Richardson and Ritchie Valens crashed, on the day later known as "The Day the Music Died."

Wilson Boys!

Wilson Boys Conversations:

"Is this DuPont Circle?"
"Dunno. Can't see anything."
"This sign says DuPont Circle."
"Then it's DuPont Circle."

Memories.

Thoughts. I Have Them.

Mildly curious re: people who waxed poetic about Ali after his death who are now furious at Colin Kaepernick.

State du Moi

You people may leave now. Thanks!

"Area police threaten to make protestor's point for him."

Paddy Mac!

Just a coupla academics having a Saturday. #harvard #MIT #familymeal

Thoughts. I Have Them.

Pumpkin spice creep is the new Christmas creep. Ugh.

I Hope It Wasn't a Puppy.

Happy 80th Birthday Buddy fucking Holly

Born to oh Who Gives a Shit Anymore

As part of the latest Springsteen memorabilia project, The Castile's Baby, I is included:

Co-written by Bruce Springsteen and George Theiss (Castiles) and recorded with the band at the BrickmallShopping Center (Mr Music Inn, Bricktown, N.J) on 18 May 1966, these were the first studio recordings Bruce ever made.

Surely I can't be the only person in the world who thinks that the B-side is WAY superior??!???!

#unfortunatetabs

WTF MORE CAN PIZZA HUT DO FOR YOU PEOPLE