Damn it! If only I had seen this video yesterday, the day of my good friend Pha's birthday dinner. Instead of being a total enabler and giving her a Brookstone flask and shot glass set (she threatened to stop drinking a few weeks ago and I won't have that), I could have gotten her this classy gift, which every lady is sure to covet. Because, really, only the tacky store their shotguns on the floor.
Have you been following along with the "Gay Friday" saga. We're up to part 7 and the geniuses over at Invisible Engine are delivering. I love part 6: As Sarah Silverman's giant, orange neighbors might say, I'm totally gay for you, "Gay Friday." You can catch up by visiting GayFriday.TV
Do you play chess? Me neither. But maybe you have an older, less attractive friend or relative who does. If so, forward a link to this blog post because I'm spotlighting one of the dozens of free chess tutorial videos hosted on GUBA. Here 'tis: Find many, many more videos about chess tactics and rules here.
New music Tuesday, ya'll! First, I randomly caught folk-country-rocker Steve Earle perform a duet with his (much better looking and sounding) wife Allison Moorer on some godforsaken morning show yesterday. The song, "Days Aren't Long Enough," is slightly cheesy but beautifully sung, with really lovely, tight harmonies. Buy it through your music retailer of choice. Next, I recently saw among GUBA's new videos a clip from the group BLESTeNATION. The group is being billed as "hip hop for rock fans," with songs that combine samples of classic rock tunes such as Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" with a hybrid of rapped/sung lyrics. Check out this video for "Seed of Nation" and, if you're feeling it, click the link below for some free (!) music from the group. As promised, you can download the mp3 for the song "The Way It Is," which, incidentally, features ex-Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker (he of the Shanna Moakler love saga). Click here for the original version of the song. There's a clean version here, but really, why bother?
It's fitting that the first Blog Action Day is today and that, for the first topic, bloggers are asked to write about the environment. I love that the day comes on the heels of Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize win. It's interesting to me for a couple of reasons. First: Gore, the man who really was the people's choice to become president in 2000, has won arguably the most prestigious prize in the world -- an award for working toward a more peaceful, secure planet. Meanwhile, the man who really did sort of kind of steal the presidency, the man who holds the position that traditionally has been charged with leading worldwide peacekeeping efforts, is known around the world as a warmonger. What I also find interesting is the discussion stemming from Gore's win about whether working on environmental issues really is worthy of a prize related to peace. At first it did seem a little strange to me, but it really makes sense. As Bellona Foundation President Frederic Hauge puts it, "From our vantage point in 2007, I can see no other factor that can lead to more famine, instability, war and conflict than global warming. Big changes in the climate influence among, other things, food and water distribution and have far larger economic consequences. " (More here.) Check out what other bloggers are saying about this important topic. And because this is a site about online video and not the environment, check this out. It's one of the Project Phin videos, part of a series about flex fuel. I particularly love Sarah Silverman's poem:
"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." The title still makes me chuckle. Sacha Baron Cohen's hilarious look at America's most idiotic was released just about a year ago. For a while, I was on Borat overload. The character and the ridiculous impersonations by unfunny, untalented people were everywhere. But it's been a while and I'm ready to open my heart to Borat once again. In fact, bring on 999 Borats!
And by "best" I mean WORST. This video is a little bajiggity, but look beyond that, because it is, quite simply, the most brilliant video I've seen since Montgomery Flea Market. There are so (!) many (!!) things that go through my head when I watch this. First, some background: Stacy Hedger -- or is it Tonya Harding? -- is playing a wonderfully off-key trumpet solo of the "Star Wars" theme during the Miss Nebraska pageant in, I'm guessing, 1985 (but wouldn't it be funny if this were from 1999? I'm assuming it's from the '80s, but we're dealing with the Heartland here, so you never know). OK, first, she's playing a trumpet? Really?! And she's playing the theme of "Star Wars"? For realsies? Not only that, but a sort of disco/dance remix? And she's a half-step off-key the entire time?! And she's DANCING? I love it. It's so bad. And I can't decide whether being off-key is the worst bit. Because the dancing like a five-year-old in her first recital is also pretty terrible. As is the near total lack of applause at the end. OK, I think I'm all snarked out. My final thought is a more sincere one: It's kind of horrible that online videos are bringing people's worst memories out of the closet. Stacy's probably in her early 40s, married with kids, finally feeling good about herself after two decades of 'round-the-clock therapy and then one day her son is visiting some blogs and finds her mom's name all over the place, forcing Stacy to relive her past horror over and over again. How terrible for her. And wonderful for the rest of us.
Monday is a big day in the blogosphere. Well, it might be a big day. Blog Action Day, which takes place on October 15, aims to unite thousands of word nerds to focus their energy on one topic: the environment. Write whatever you want, as long as it relates to the environment. (I'm assuming you should talk about the dangers of continued global warming and not, like, how cute you think penguins are -- unless you also note that they're all going to be DEAD rilleh, rilleh soon.) The organization behind the day lists several high-profile blogs among the participants. Among them are Lifehacker, GigaOm and, that's right, the official GUBA blog. The goal, according to BAD cofounder Collis Ta'eed, is to "display the potential and the power of the blogging community, which is a disparate community but one with an amazing size, breadth and diversity. By bringing everyone together for one day, we can see just how much can be achieved, and how much we can be heard." If you don't have a blog, you're a total loser and freak. That said, you can still participate in Blog Action Day by making a donation to a BAD-approved charity, such as The Nature Conservancy, the Conservation Fund or the Sierra Club.
I know it's been super gay on ye olde GUBA blog, but, well, the gaity shall continue for at least one more entry. Some people in corporate America enjoy smoking breaks. I take video blog breaks. Yes, that's right. Like a good online video geek, I love to dive into the world of vlogs on the regular. I'm also a pop culture -- or, more accurately, a celebrity news -- junkie. So it's no surprise that when I swing by my coworker's office with my café au lait, we hit up Rosie.com (Jahero, anyone?) and Ross "The Intern" Mathews' NBC blog. It's slightly unhealthy. We kinda of, sort of, talk about Rosie, Ross and their vlog special guests as if they were part of our extended family -- similar to the way my college friends and I talked about Felicity, Ben and Noel. Anyway, I love Ross. So imagine my delight when videos featuring him began showing up on GUBA. So! Delighted! They're not totally about Ross the way his own vlogs are, but I think they give those unfamiliar with Ross' blog a decent taste.
This video's title is: "Kelly Clarkson Announced as Headline Performer for Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show!" Ugh. I love me some Kelly Clarkson (see ya'll at the San Jose State Arena next month!), but The Salvation Army, which is also featured in the video press release, is kinda ... evil. I used to write about gay groups' dissatisfaction with the very Christian and very anti-gay-rights Army when I worked at a diversity business publication. Read all about the SA here. That said, I do still enjoy videos featuring Ms. Clarkson. Scroll to the 3-minute mark for some cute footage of Kelly playing with the Cowboys -- and a major booty shake at 3:55. Adorable.
We recently flipped the switch on a huge batch of new titles from Image Entertainment, whose library of DVDs is exhaustive. Among the new GUBA offerings is everything from Extreme Chickfights" to comedy specials to really interesting documentaries. Check out what else is available. We also have some new Warner Bros. titles on the site. In an effort to follow up on yesterday's thought, allow me to feature the recently released special director's cut of "Troy."
This week Dove debuted "Onslaught," the follow-up to the company's super buzzed-about "Evolution" video. This one's not quite as powerful, but it certainly makes a good point. Check it out: Right on. I, for one, am all for decreasing the amount of ads featuring half-naked women. Bring on the half-naked men!
Everyone's been talking about Rosie and Britney, but when it comes to crazy, no one beats Crazy Coulter (although someone really should beat some sense into that fool)! Her new book, "If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans," features such witty observations as: “Hillary wants to be the first woman president, which would also make her the first woman in a Clinton administration to sit behind the desk in the Oval Office instead of under it.” A Clinton sex joke. How 1997 of her! Also: "God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, ‘Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.'" Don't forget about: "I am the illegal alien of commentary. I will do the jokes that no one else will do." This one really confused me. There are jokes in her commentaries? I mean, she *is* a joke in general. But her writing? Not funny at all. Just scary. Really, truly frightening. To celebrate the release of Coulter's new book (no link; if you want to buy it, find it your damn self), here's a video of her getting served a piping hot cup of sass by Al Franken:
I know, it's weird to have two videos that aren't really videos featured consecutively on the GUBA Blog, but this is one of the best mashups I've come across ... ever. Without further ado, "Gimme ... Shoes." Genius! (Thanks, Tim.)
This one is dedicated to all the poor chumps who've logged time as a telemarketer (that includes me, for a dark month when I was a senior in high school). I just hang up on telemarketers, but this guy literally went insane. Which makes me giggle. Especially with the accent. Silly man.
If you're not watching "30 Rock," won't you do yourself a favor and check it out when the new season begins on Oct. 4? It didn't win an Emmy for Best Comedy for nothing, people. (Although any show creator who can keep both Tracy Jordan and Alec Baldwin from going turbo-crazy on the set deserves some kind of award.) Here's a great video that speeds up lead character Liz Lemon's season-long journey to just over four minutes of funny (um, just ignore the slight video/audio sync issue).
The latest video from The Last Goodnight, for the group's single "Pictures of You" (from its debut album "Poison Kiss"), has been on GUBA for a while, but it just reentered my sphere a couple of days ago. I was catching up on my Tivo recordings when I saw the video's unique opening frames. Why, yes, this was during the closing of the "Brothers and Sisters" season 2 preview show. Stop laughing. Anyway, it's a really catchy pop tune and the video is very well done. Check it out:
The "Little Rock Nine" arrived at the city's Central High School this morning in a much different fashion than they did 50 years ago, when they were escorted to the door by federal troops. Melba Patillo Beals, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown Trickey and Thelma Mothershed Wair -- the first black students to attend the previously whites-only school -- arrived in limousines today. Their arrival to mark the 50th anniversary of the school's integration was celebrated around the country. As part of the remembrance, HBO is airing a documentary about Arkansas' historic integration battle, the nine students' lives and the school's transformation. Little Rock City Director Ken Richardson took HBO's cameras on a tour of the city, including neighborhoods that, as he put it, are reminders of how far Little Rock -- and the country -- still have to go: Check out additional clips from the show here and here. The documentary airs tonight at 8 p.m. on HBO.
A bunch of "leaked clips" from Steve-O's new show have made their way onto GUBA. Most of them are exactly what I would expect from the "Jackass" alum -- you know, painful stunts, chicks in bikinis and mild homoeroticism. But one clip truly shocked me. And since I'm a pay-it-forward kind of guy, I'm going to share the nightmare:
Look, I know everyone is just trying to get paid. And I certainly like getting my paycheck every other Thursday. But sometimes I wonder whether a business really needs to overcharge consumers for products as much as they do. I once was told that it takes less than $1 for a pizzeria to make a large pie. But how much am I charged at my favorite Berkeley, California, hole-in-the-wall? Close to $20! And that's with no toppings, people! I always suspected that batteries were horribly overpriced, but I didn't realize how much until I saw this video, which also serves as a rad how-to guide for saving a few bucks: Granted, almost everything I use these days comes with a recharageable battery, but all of those remote controls demand AA or AAA batteries. And, really, there's nothing (nothing, I say!) more frustrating for modern man than realizing his Tivo remote needs new batteries and finding none in the house (HGTV is the bomb, but sometimes I need a break from the horrible acting on "House Hunters").
Um ... ... what is going on with these girls? I started seeing these pop up on the site last week, but I ignored them, assuming that they were aimed at little kids. I mean, you read "Slumber Party Theater" and you think stupid versions of Disney musicals that you only watch if your little cousin is playing a talking crab. But when I saw the title of this clip I figured I should check it out. And, really, my initial reaction to ignore the videos was correct, although for a far different reason, it turns out. These girls ... might ... to some people ... come across like scandalous 18-year-old whores-in-training who enjoy making fools of themselves by uploading ridiculous videos. (I'm not saying *I* think that, mind you.) But it *is* kinda cute, you know? The 10-year-olds who attended Britney's first few tours are all grown up, ya'll. (All of that said, I vote for "Hustler.")
"Shoes," I think, will come to encapsulate the 2006/2007 online video phenomenon for me. Discovering Liam Sullivan's simple, snotty, infectious song and video proved to me how remarkable this medium could be. And the work really launched Sullivan into a legitimate offline career as well (see: "I Hate My 30s"). With the kind of success the "Shoes" video had comes pressure for follow-up success. To be honest, "Text-Message Break-Up" didn't blow me away. But his latest video, "Let Me Borrow That Top," is, in a word, hot. I'll spare you the Kellyisms and weak puns and just point you to the video:
GUBA recently developed a new partnership, this one with Starz Media, which has an extensive catalog of anime. Starz's content began appearing on the homepage, in the premium section, a few weeks ago. But we just rolled out shorter videos that GUBA users can watch for free. You can expect to see new videos in the GUBA Picks section as our partnership continues, but you can check out the entire library of free, ad-supported clips here. That collection's offerings will increase considerably as we move forward. Free stuff is great, of course, but do check out the premium content. For anime lovers there are some great titles that you can add to your collection for a solid price. Classics like "Ghost in the Shell," "Ninja Scroll" and "Astro Boy," among others. GUBA has developed a strong following among anime fans, so we hope users enjoy this new, legal content. Now check out one of those free videos: Tags: guba online+video tj+degroat starz+media starz anime astro+boy ninja+scroll ghost+in+the+shell
With all the talk of terrorism, wars, political scandals and natural disasters, we could all use a little more cheese in our lives, right? "Curb Your Enthusiasm" alum Jeff Garlin is behind the new film "I Want Someone to Each Cheese With." It's not a cheesey movie, per se, but it *is* a quieter one that is entertaining despite the lack of explosions, risqué sex scenes or even a ton of laugh-out-loud moments. The movie, which was made in 2005, has been getting a decent amount of media attention during the past couple of weeks. Garlin is the subject of this AP story, in which he makes this interesting statement: "Most comedy today is about bravado. I love low-status. I love when you're humiliated and the audience feels for you. In my standup, the only one who should ever look stupid is me." He definitely looks stupid in the trailer for "Cheese," a movie that is anything but stupid. Tags: guba online+video tj+degroat jeff+garlin sarah+silverman amy+sedaris curb+your+enthusiasm i+want+someone+to+eat+cheese+with
Speaking of New York City's past, check out what I dug up while looking through our ad-supported videos: "A bustling market of mainly Eastern European Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side of NYC on Friday morning, May 1st, 1903 . Copied at 20fps from a 35mm print preserved by the Lib[r]ary of Congress." Kinda fascinating, I think. Another reason to love the Internets.
A New Jersey native, I had just moved to San Francisco when the Twin Towers fell. I remember very clearly waking up after the second ignored cell phone call of the morning, wondering if something might have happened to a family member, prompting early-ish mom calls. Needless to say, my heart is in NYC today. I thought about putting this video on the homepage, but it seemed like it might be inappropriate to place it without putting it in context. For me, this image is a necessary reminder of how much this country has changed, some of it for the better but a lot of it for the worse. It's also a must-see clip because, while it was important to put those raw feelings behind us, we need a little of the pain to remain with us. After all, the collective memory of a society is very short. Tags: guba online+video tj+degroat september 11th 9/11 twin+towers wtc
Well, I guess I was right. "Out-of-synch lip-synching. Lethargic movements that seemed choreographed by a dance instructor for a nursing home. The paunch in place of Spears' once-taut belly." Well, I found something on GUBA today that will bring a smile to everyone's face -- even Spears' post-VMA face. BTW, does anyone else think this VMA debacle is as indicative of MTV's exploitative nature as it is about Spears' distorted views of reality?
Forget global warming! Breast cancer, you're yesterday's news! The new cause getting Hollywood's panties in a bunch is ... get ready for it ... excessive underarm sweating. Well, it might not be Julia Roberts' main philanthropic concern, but "Project Runway" runner-up Kara Saun is lending her D-list celebrity to the fight against ... excessive underarm sweating. I guess there's a real medical term for the condition (hyperhidrosis). And, let's keep it real, I wouldn't want my pits to drip like a leaky faucet. But it just strikes me as funny that there's a campaign for ... excessive underarm sweating. And if you watch this video press release about the campaign you can tell that it's kinda difficult for her to keep saying that heinous term without giggling or vomiting a little in her mouth.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, as the now-cliché advertising tagline goes. That won't be the case Sunday night. All eyes will be on MTV's VMAs, which will feature as its opening performer Ms. Britney Spears, the once-hot star who seems to have fulfilled her destiny to become a trailer park-looking, potty-mouthed, cigarette-smoking baby-maker. Spears' performance is bound to make headlines around the world. She's hoping it's a number that will help her recently launched comeback explode. My expectation? Total train wreck. I guess there's a chance that this live performance of new single "Gimme More" could be a fantastic spectacle that puts Spears' career back on track and wins over all the doubters. But it's much more likely that she blows the opportunity, as she has almost every other chance given to her during the past year or so. I actually think it'll just be a lame, boring performance featuring obvious lip-synching, cheesy dancing and a lack of originality. It all depends on which Britney shows up on Sunday night. I'm hoping it's this Britney: I don't know which Britney will take the stage in Vegas. But one thing's for sure: This will be all you'll hear about on Monday morning. Tags: guba online+video tj+degroat mtv vmas britney+spears, criss+angel las+vegas
I'm back from Colorado (up at 6 a.m. mountain/5 a.m. pacific to catch my flight) but I am still most definitely in a rainbow state of mind. But don't fear, this blog's "Planet Unicorn" quota has been met. Today I'm featuring something different, a premium title I just realized we had on sale a couple of hours ago. It totally brings me back to the mid '80s, when I was just a tiny tot whose parents, thankfully, had an HBO subscription. Give it up for Rainbow Brite and her "magical horse" Starlite. Yeeeah! You know you love it. I mean, check out that trailer! It's terrible in the best possible way. Tags: guba online+video tj+degroat rainbow+brite starlite cartoon 80s
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