Thursday, July 30

Jimmy Kimmel Speaks About Cecil The Lion




If you've been anywhere remotely near the Internet this week, you've heard about Cecil the Lion, who was a local favorite in Zimbabwe. Cecil was kind to humans and would even pose calmly for photographs.

Of course, we can't have nice things, so Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer paid $50,000 to go with a pair of guides and shoot and kill Cecil. Never mind that Cecil was illegally baited out of his habitat, shot with an arrow and then tracked for 40 hours before finally being shot and killed. For his part, Palmer has stated he didn't know Cecil was a beloved lion until the end of the hunt, and he felt everything was done legally. But this is also the same guy who was arrested for a felony in 2008 because he lied about where he killed a bear, and also just seems like a general terrible human being, so I'm not taking much of what he says seriously.

Jimmy Kimmel spoke of the incident on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and even got a little choked talking about Cecil. He encouraged viewers to turn this into a positive thing, and suggested visiting www.wildcru.org to learn more and donate to wildlife conservation. For someone who's made a living off of generally juvenile (though often very funny) videos, this was a mature, thoughtful response to a terrible situation. Way to go, Jimmy.

Tuesday, July 28

Ohio State Coach Pranks Players




The Ohio State coaching staff pulled a little summer fun recently. In this prank video, a coach dresses as a ProCombat Dummy, and startles incoming players with a yell. Sometimes he'll say "got em," which I suppose is quite an accurate statement in this case. Cardale Jones has the best reaction, for sure, though a few players' nerves seem a bit more steeled than others. Enjoy.

Monday, July 27

Classic Case of "Whodunnit" In An Officer And Owl Standoff




My goodness, who can resist a corny pun like that title? Terrific job, Joey.

Anyway, this video, in which a Boulder County sheriff chats with an owl, is one of many that has gone viral despite making my eyes hurt with its black bars around the content. Don't shoot in portrait mode, kids. It makes everything smaller in addition to just looking dumb. But the owl is pretty cute, even if it didn't peck an eyeball out like I was expecting. Guess there's still some mystery left in the world after all!

Sunday, July 26

Miss Piggy Sings "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna




Rihanna seems to be embracing some kind of psycho alter ego lately with her radio singles. It started with "FourFiveSeconds," an acoustic trio with Kanye West and Paul McCartney about wilin' on some folk. That tune was very catchy and featured quite the awkward Grammy performance.

A more recent release is "Bitch Better Have My Money," a song that is insanely easy to get stuck in your head, even though the premise is ridiculous. But hey, Ri Ri didn't get rich by handing out loans everywhere, so you may as well pay her.

Anyway, a genius named Mylo the Cat released a remix of this song for Vulture Remix, which apparently has four episodes now. It features Miss Piggy as Rihanna, and the matchup of lyrics with Piggy's flapping gums is quite magical. To both queens, we salute the search for money.

Friday, July 24

Harry Potter = Eminem?


Daniel Radcliffe was hanging out at Cameron's Pub in Half Moon Bay, CA, when karaoke night began. Naturally, he decided to show off his rapping skills, and chose a solid song in "The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem (though I'd personally choose "Without Me"). He certainly gets a little off-rhythm a few times throughout the performance, but hey, it's still pretty impressive overall.

What is not impressive is girlfriend Erin Darke's contribution to the song. The dancing is fine, sure. But the shouting in the chorus is kind of loud and obnoxious. Having hosted karaoke, I've seen many a drunk person do this very same thing, so I shouldn't be too surprised. Also big thumbs down to the camera lady for filming in vertical, though she's actually made a comment about it on the video itself, threatening to disable the comments because so many people have criticized her about it. I guess perhaps people like seeing a video instead of black bars? Sorry boutcha. Enjoy the performance!


Tuesday, July 21

Nick Offerman Stars In A Commercial For A Pizza Farm




Funny or Die has released a fantastic video with Nick Offerman, who's pitching the concept of a pizza farm. Because after all, if it's on a plant, it's good for you. It doesn't matter how it got there. Watch as he picks some of the most natural pepperoni slices from the earth. Mmm mmm, nutrition.

Monday, July 20

50 Cent Has Fascinating Insights About Dating And Being In The Bedroom




50 Cent has been in the news a lot lately because he recently filed for bankruptcy, leading many folks to believe he's actually broke. That's not how it works, and Fiddy has been making the various talk show rounds to talk about...well, life in general, really. He appeared on Conan recently to discuss how he listens to his own music when he's getting his freak on, his odd nickname for Chelsea Handler, and the possibility of signing former One Directioner Zayn Malik. It's chaos, and it's beautiful.


Sunday, July 19

Patrick Stewart Recites Taylor Swift's Lyrics, Improves Song By At Least 400 Percent




Sir Patrick Stewart is one of the greatest. That's really all that needs to be said as an introduction. As a teaser to his August 20th appearance on NPR's Ask Me Another, the legend read the lyrics of one of the most prevalent pop songs of the year: Taylor Swift's "Blank Space." It takes the crowd a few lines to recognize what's happening, but when they do...it's magical. Enjoy.


Friday, July 17

Zach LaVine Rates Dunks On The Starters



As reigning Slam Dunk Champion, Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine has some credibility when it comes to rating jams. In fact, you might say his credentials are a slam dunk!

Okay, I'll see myself out. Watch as LaVine rates some famous dunks, some infamous ones, and some that are just terrible and will likely never see the light of day again. Good times all around.


Tuesday, July 14

Road Rage Caught Live On Camera Is Wonderful




Of course this would happen in Canada. A policeman appears to be in the middle of an interview for a TV segment when two drivers get out of their cars to yell at each other. The policeman scolds them like schoolchildren, and it is wonderful. Way to be, Toronto.

Paul Rudd and Jimmy Fallon Play Drinko, A Parody of Plinko




Jimmy Fallon was absent from The Tonight Show for two weeks due to a horrifying "ring aversion" injury. Do not Google it. It's not worth it. Basically his finger came off and was sideways after he got his wedding ring caught on a countertop while he was slipping on a rug. Ouch.

Fortunately, he's recovered now, and is able to play Drinko with Paul Rudd, which appears to be a parody of Plinko from The Price is Right, which requires the host and Rudd to drink things. Also ouch. This whole thing gets a thumbs up from me for Rudd's obscure 2XL reference. I loved that toy growing up.

Monday, July 13

This Man's Russell Westbrook Impression Is So Good It's Uncomfortable





This man B.A., who goes by BdotAdot5 on Twitter and other social medias, has some terrific basketball videos in his arsenal. Most recently, he made one of Russell Westbrook, and it is the most spot on thing. From the dunks to the attitude, it's remarkable. Even if you somehow don't know Westbrook's game, this should still crack you up. Well done, Bdot. Well done.

Sunday, July 12

First Annual Let's Play Expo in Plano Set To Rock The Classics



Remember the days when you'd bring your friends over to check out the latest video game, and everyone would gather around the TV and watch you play? You felt like royalty--their eyes glued to your every move, asking you questions, reacting with oohs and ahhs when you did something amazing. Well, that feeling hasn't gone away, but instead, it's manifested itself in another medium: Let's Plays.

My favorite Let's Play is this one of Super Mario 64 by Durden77, just because he's such a goofball and very relatable--this is how I felt playing arguably the greatest game of all time (certainly my personal favorite). In fact, the footage even helped me round out my "Some Flights" video. Shameless plugs for the win! 

That sense of gaming community is going to be strong at the Let's Play Gaming Expo in Plano, TX on August 1 and 2. 

"There's something for everyone here," says Jadd Garcia, the organizer for the Let's Play Gaming Expo. "We'll have classic games like Centipede and Defender. You'll be able to buy vintage collections. We'll have a Smash Bros. tournament and Tetris tournament. You can actually win money playing video games."

New and old gamers alike will meet at the first of what Garcia hopes is many events.

"It's the first one we've ever done, but it's going to be the best," Garcia says. "It's just going to be a joy because it's all people who love games. You're talking to a guy here who has 5,000 games."

If you can play that many games during the weekend, I will personally high five you. In total, the Let's Play Gaming Expo has a ton of stuff to check out, provided here in handy list form:

·         TETRIS World Championship Southern Regional Qualifying Tournament
·         Smash Bros Tournament
·         Mortal Kombat X Tournament
·         75+ Free-play arcade cabinets
·         Gaming Panels and Discussions
·         Artists, Developers & Special Gaming Guests
·         Retro Gaming Stations
·         Live Streaming on Twitch
·         Video Game Auctions
·         Vendor tables to buy, sell, and trade video games

Want to attend? Here's everything you need to know:

Let’s Play Gaming Expo
Aug. 1-2 (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)            
Plano Centre
2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway
Plano, Texas 75074

Single day passes are $15 and weekend passes are $25. Let's play!

Friday, July 10

Jennifer Lawrence Sings Cher On Conan O'Brien




Jennifer Lawrence is one of those celebrities who genuinely seems shocked at how stupid Hollywood can be. And it's wonderful. She appeared on Conan along with her castmates Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hensworth, I guess to promote Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2? Even though it doesn't come out until November. Makes sense.

Conan and crew are talking about music, and J-Law suggests she could release a song of just farting noises and her mumbling "Hunger Games" and it would shoot up to number one on the charts. Her costars then say she does in fact like to sing, and coerce her into performing Cher's "Believe." The impression is nearly spot on, and the hand motions are the cherry on top. Well done all around.

Thursday, July 9

Key And Peele Is Back...Yes!




Key and Peele returned to Comedy Central last night, and once again brought sketches like this one. Sometimes a football game makes you a little too hyphy. Key, Peele, and the rest of the squad find themselves biting off more than can chew in their pre-game pump-up. Look out, you could be the next person to get hyped up!

Wednesday, July 8

Pampers 'Pooface' Ad Is Brilliantly Gross




Pampers recently released an ad debuting the "pooface," which in essence just shows a bunch of babies right at the moment of soiling their diapers. It's daintily disgusting, though the babies' faces are quite fantastic. And of course, it's played over an epic soundtrack. Kudos all around.

Tuesday, July 7

U.S. Women's World Cup Goal In Spanish Makes Everything Better





As I said in my post yesterday, I'm not a big fan of soccer. I barely watched any of the Women's World Cup, in fact. Someone suggested this is because of some bias against women. No. I watched the same amount of soccer during the Men's World Cup, which is to say, barely any.

Either way, there may be a solution here: legendary Spanish broadcaster Andrés Cantor should be on every single broadcast of every single soccer match. His "GOOOOOOOOOOOAL" call is amazing, and makes things better. Let's make this happen.

Monday, July 6

Carli Lloyd Scores Hat Trick In 16 Minutes, U.S. Women Win World Cup




Again, I'm not going to pretend like I enjoy watching soccer. But it was pretty cool seeing the U.S. beat Japan 5-2 to clinch their first World Cup victory since 1999 technically only three World Cups were played in between then and now, but the length of time sounds so much cooler with the years involved.

Game MVP goes to Carli Lloyd, who scored less than three minutes into the game. Litchrally seconds later, she added another goal.




Then, less than 16 minutes into the match, the U.S. got their third goal from Lloyd, and fourth of the game. This one was from freakin' midfield.




Way to go, ladies. Doing our country proud. U-S-A (x 100).

Saturday, July 4

Coheed and Cambria Sing Justice Scalia's Dissenting Opinions




Last week the Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing gay marriage in all 50 states. It's a monumental decision for sure, but it was also a 5-4 decision. That means four Supreme Court justices are against this; one of them is Antonin Scalia, who's made quite a name for himself in terms of long, pretentious, vitriolic word choices when delivering his opinions on a subject. In fact, you can create your own Scalia criticism using this generator.

Scalia's dissent for this most recent Supreme Court ruling included the words "mummeries" and "judicial Putsch." Good luck deciphering that. Most of us need some help, so Coheed and Cambria (of Coheed and Cambria fame) have taken the time to sing out his dissent. It may still not make any sense, but boy, does it sound good.

Conan O'Brien Crashes A "Magic Mike XXL" Ladies' Night




Once again, Conan absolutely delivers on a fantastic remote segment. In this one, he goes to see Magic Mike XXL with the women from his office, and the results are hilarious. Conan believes he's seeing a movie about an extra large magician, but he quickly learns the true subject matter. Then he tries to learn how to dance. There are probably more quotables in this remote than any one in the past six months, so enjoy!

Thursday, July 2

England Breaks Hearts Everywhere With Terrible Loss On Own Goal



I'm not going to lie and pretend I enjoy watching soccer, or even say I've really followed the Women's World Cup. But this is an absolutely heartbreaking way to lose. 


That's England defender Laura Bassett attempting to clear the ball in the 92nd minute of play against Japan. Unfortunately, Bassett's shot was a bit low, hitting the crossbar and going across the goal line. That gave Japan a gift goal, and when the whistle blew less than a minute later, the 2-1 victory. Japan moves on to face the United States on Saturday in a rematch of the 2011 Women's World Cup championship.

Bassett was understandably a wreck afterwards, but this is apparently the farthest the women's English team has ever gotten. Plenty of pride in that. They'll play Germany in the third place game.

Colin Cowherd Interview With Jim Harbaugh Is The Most Awkward




Have you ever tried asking someone a bunch of questions and they only respond with "I don't know," or even worse, straight up silence? Well, that's exactly what happened when Colin Cowherd tried to ask new Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh about everything under the sun. And Harbaugh, who's notorious for being kind of a hard-ass, reacts accordingly. By that I mean he barely gives any answers. Granted, some of these questions are terrible, but Harbaugh is not putting in much effort. The interview ends with Cowherd saying "I love ya, but this just isn't working" and hanging up on the coach. Remarkable.