I made my first motion picture acting debut yesterday.  Actually, it’s highly unlikely that the film will make it to the silver screen, but I would imagine seeing my mug on the DVD is not out of the question.  The film is actually a documentary about the late, great show Arrested Development. I’m not really sure if they’ve come up with a name for it yet, but it’s currently being referred to as the Arrested Development Documentary Project.

The reason I was able to participate is because my friend Josh has a buddy who has purchased a ton of actual props used from the show.  The filmmakers caught wind of it and decided they wanted to swing through Kansas City while they made their way across the country interviewing other fellow A.D. dorks.  Josh was invited to join who then invited me to join.  The whole thing was pretty much what I expected.  We all took turns waiting around while other people got interviewed and then we had to answer a bunch of questions with it was our turn.  They asked questions like “Why would you recommend the show to someone?”, “Why do you think the show was canceled?”, “What are you favorite quotes?”, etc. Hopefully my answers were unique enough to make the final cut because the guy in charge of the shoot said they had interviewed around 90 people so far and were looking to interview between 120-150 fans by the time they finished.  I’ll have my fingers crossed.

I had heard that Josh’s friend had quite the collection, and he definitely does.  Apparently a ton of the props were sold on Ebay from the agency that deal with the show once it was canceled for good. Here’s a snapshot of just a few items:

                                       

The two books are books that were featured with Tobias (David Cross) on the show, and the box on the upper left actually contains Buster’s medal.  As expected, the “books” are really just book covers as there are totally different books inside each of them.  The most amazing prop of all, though, is the famed Aztec Tomb from the show.  It played a big role in the pilot episode and was used occasionally throughout the series in the attic of their house.  GOB (Will Arnett) used it to perform his magic tricks illusions.  It was pretty awesome to see it up close, but I can’t imagine paying thousands of dollars to keep such a giant thing in my house.  The trap door even swiveled around and everything, though. 

                                                         

After spending a couple hours talking solely about Arrested Development, I’ve decided I need to fire up the DVDs and run through them again.  Seriously, that show is brilliant.  It’s really a shame that the majority of what you see on TV now is either a game show, reality show, or some bland, generic sitcom.  I mean, seriously, the quality of evening program has to be awfully diluted to have Two and a Half Men be one of the highest rated shows.  Anyway, the trailer for the movie is below, and the date at the end should be for 2008, not 2009. 

Roughly a year ago, a small group of friends and I decided to spend a weekend in Minneapolis.  The reason for the gathering was primarily because our friend Austin was going to enter fatherhood very soon, and we all thought it’d be a good excuse to get together.  Why we settled on Minnesota in the middle of February I’m not quite sure.  It didn’t take long for us to regret our decision, though, because the Minneapolis area got dumped on the night before we were coming to town, and I was forced to cancel my flight.  The airfare was credited to my name, and I was told I had a year to use it. 

Flash forward to almost a year later, and I still haven’t used it.  I called American Airlines to get the details of how I could redeem my credit.  Lo and behold, not only do I have to purchase a flight to use my credit by February 17th, but I also have to fly by then.  The credit is only $220 so it’s not like it’s a ton of money, but I’d hate to have it go to waste.  I have President’s Day off this year so it’d make the most sense to fly out the weekend of the 17th, but I don’t really know where to go.  Plus, I don’t think enough time has really passed since my old job for me to view traveling as anything other than a major pain in the glutes.  I’d also have to make sure I could get a direct flight with American Airlines out of KC if I ended up going anywhere.  If anyone has any suggestions of where to go or what to do with the credit, please let me know.  I’m kind of at a loss with that to do.

Update (1/27/08): I’ve decided that I’m going to go to Nashville to visit my buddy Ryan the weekend of February 17th.  I’m pumped!

I’ve normally had pretty great vision most of my life which is something for which I’ve been very grateful.  That has been changing recently, though, as things have become less and less clear in the distance.  Even trying to see scores scroll across the bottom of the screen during football games have proven to be a challenge.  I decided it was time to get my eyes checked.  It was only the second time in my life I’ve had it done, and I was expecting the worst.  The doctor went through the usual tests and, even though I feel I can still function okay on my own, the doctor recommended I get glasses and contacts.  I picked out a cheap pair of glasses because I don’t really see the point in shelling out an extra $150 for something I’m not going to wear on a regular basis.  I’m not real crazy about them, but I suppose they serve their purpose. 

The next phase was the contact fitting, and it was pretty much the opposite of fun.  I am a complete wuss with it comes to my eyes.  I even have a hard time watch OTHER PEOPLE put contacts in.  The thought of touching my eyeball completely freaks me out.  The doctor insisted that he put them in my eyes instead of showing me how to do it.  I don’t really understand that logic because if there’s anything more messed up than me having to touch my eyes it’s some strange man doing it instead.  I was trying to sit still and calm with my head back and my hands on my knees.  My eyelids, however, had a mind of their own.  The doctor told me that my eyes are five times more sensitive than any of his “normal” patients.  What can I say?  I’m just a sensitive man.  Anyway, he got them in, and I couldn’t even look up at the chart on the wall.  My right eye wouldn’t stop watering and was in pain.  The doctor said he thought some dirt or something may have gotten in the contact and thought we should just give it a rest.  Sure enough, there was a big red spot next to my pupil proving his theory correct.  He had me schedule a time for the following week for me to get it taken care of instead of trying to work with a wounded eye.

I’m not the type of guy to get depressed, but I was awfully close to it on my way home from the eye doctor that day.  I was afraid that I was either going to have to suffer from blurry vision the rest of my life or I’d have to wear glasses all the time — both things I didn’t want to do at all.  The frustrating thing is that 99% of the people I know have worn contacts for so long that they can’t even remember what it was like when they had to start putting them in.  That meant that whenever I told friends my story, they’d react like I’m some nutjob.  Seriously, though, I’ve gone 27 1/2 years of my life without having stuff in my eyes.  It’s a total change.

I returned to the doctor last weekend who, after multiple attempts to get the contacts into my eyes, was finally able to get them in without me being too uncomfortable.  The only problem was that I felt like my eyesight was worse than before.  I told the eye doctor that things around the room were COMPLETELY blurry now.  He told me to just walk around the block a little and see if I noticed a difference.  I took my time, came back, and told the guy that something clearly wasn’t right.  Instead of offering to check out a different strength, he just turned to me and said, “Well I don’t think you’re a good candidate for contacts at this time.”  That’s understandable, I guess.  I mean, my vision was only 20/30 so it’s nothing to be too alarmed about.  What irritated me was the statement he made next: “When you decide you’re ready to give it a fair shot you just let me know.”  I seriously wanted to karate chop the man in the throat.  Last I checked, it wasn’t my fault you got my contacts dirty and inserted them into my eyes last week, and it certainly isn’t my fault that my vision was blurry with the contacts you inserted into my eyes this week. 

So now I have just one pair of glasses and no contacts.  I’m getting by, I suppose, but I know the time will come that I’ll have to suck it up and get used to sticking stuff into my eyes every day.  And when that time comes, I’m going to a doctor that a) doesn’t touch my balls and b) doesn’t make me feel bad for not liking the way my balls feel after he touches them.

                                  

Oh yeah, and he gave me quite possibly the lamest case for my glasses, too.  Just look at this thing.  They’re denim.  Like the back pocket of Levi’s jeans.  I hate that guy.

                                  

I was a huge fan of American Gladiators a kid.  I feel like I practically grew up with names like Laser, Ice, and Nitro.  In fact, I distinctly remember clearing out living room furniture at a friend’s house, placing an emtpy laundry hamper in the middle, and a bunch of us playing Powerball until we were too exhausted to move.  That being said (and as much as I’m embarassed to admit it), I was really kind of pumped for a new and improved American Gladiators to start back up again.  The previews made it look pretty awesome, and Hulk Hogan is one of the hosts.  I mean, seriously, how could you go wrong with pairing one of my favorite shows as a child with one of my biggest heroes as a child?  Well, unfortunately they did.  Big time.

The show debuted on Sunday night.  Like with literally every single show in television, I didn’t know it was starting.  No joke, if you asked me to name the time, night of the week, or station that any single show on television is on I wouldn’t be able to name a single show (and, no, I don’t own a Tivo or DVR because the cost of upgrading to digital cable and adding it just doesn’t make it worth it to me).  Anyway, I was at dinner Sunday night when I saw that a friend from high school texted me.  Soon after, I saw another friend from high school called me.  Soon after that, yet another called.  I knew something must have been up so I excused myself and listed to the messages.  They each told me the same thing: that a girl from my high school class was the first contestant on the new American Gladiators. 

I’ll admit, I kind of freaked out there for a minute.  I’m not sure if it was out of surprise, hilarity, or jealousy.  It was probably a combination of all three.  I called one of by buddies on the way home, and they filled me in.  Apparently, Jessie, the girl I used to have class with, was on the show for maybe two minutes before getting injured and replaced.  Apparently they chose her to be on the show because she’s a single mom of three.  She also apparently was a toilet paper salesperson before quitting her job to be on the show.  Jessie marks the fourth highschool classmate of mine to make it to a somewhat popular television show that requires no acting.  The first was our valedictorian, Matt, who made it to several rounds of College Jeopary a couple of years after we all graduated high school.  Since then, Scott, a buddy of mine, somehow made it on MTV’s Taildaters, and another girl, Erika, made it onto Judge Judy a couple weeks ago for suing her boyfriend for assult and loans.  We Iowans really dream big.

As for the show itself, my friend also told me another bit of information about the show when I called.  “Brad,” he said, “This show is horrible.”  My heart immediately sunk, and I hurried home to check it out for myself.  He was completely right.  This new version of American Gladiators makes WWE Wrestling seem like Shakespeare in the Park.  It’s like they took the regular show, got the writers from any MTV reality dating show to write it, and asked Jerry Bruckheimer to produce it.  The hosts are awful, too.  Muhammed Ali’s daughter acts like she can’t read a cue card, and Hulk Hogan proved he is completely incapable of saying a sentence without throwing in the word “brother”.  The characters on the show are completely ridiculous, too.  For example, there’s a guy on the show who goes by the name Wolf.  Whenever they announce his name, he…wait for it…wait for it…howls like a wolf!  It’s so bad.  The contestants are clearly given prearranged responses when being interviewed after each event, and it’s horribly cheesy.  No normal human being would ever say the things they say after having just competed in something.  As for the Bruckheimeresque production, the camera shots change so rapidly that you can’t even tell what’s going on half the time.  Thank goodness I’m not epileptic or I’d have started flopping on the floor within the first minute. 

The whole thing is sad to me because the show was highly anticipated and received really strong ratings.  I can’t wait to see how drastically those numbers drop off next week.  I give the series 5 weeks tops before it’s cancelled.  I don’t know how you could screw up something so awesome, but they certainly found a way.  Jessie, if you happen to find this, please throw a recommendation my way.  I’ll use my huge muscles and unbemazing athletic ability to give the crowd something to cheer about.  I’ll also use my intellect to point out each thing you have done wrong with the show.  There are a lot, but I’m a patient man. 

All in all, I thought 2007 yielded quite a few really good albums.  I also noticed it was a year when a large number of my friends who used to say, “Brad, you listen to weird music” started to actually listen to the same music I do which is pretty great.   Here are my favorites of the past year.  I’ve also included video for each selection. 

 

20)

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

I’ve never been a big fan of Modest Mouse.  I’ve always thought it was a little too weird, and I could never get past Isaac Brock’s horrible voice.  They deserved to get big, though, as they did thanks to the great “Float On” they released with their last album.  We Were Dead is my favorite Modest Mouse album because they just sound like a much tighter band.  If it weren’t for a couple of uncharacteristically overproduced/mainstream-sounding songs, this would have ranked a few spots higher.

“Dashboard” by Modest Mouse:

19)

Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Listening to this album makes you feel like you’re traveling with gypsies in some obscure part of Europe.  The amazing thing is that Zach Condon, the guy who is basically “Beirut”, is only 21.  The kid is immensely talented, and this album really shows it off.  If you appreciate music at all, the footage of he and his bandmates performing every song in random places around Brooklyn is an absolute must-see.  It’s unbelievable.  I’ve included one of them below.

“La Fete” by Beirut:

 

18)

Caribou - Andorra

Caribou, like Menomena below, are a band who aren’t very easy to take in at first.  Even though it’s a little strange, it’s an oddly fascinating listen.  They were in Lawrence not too long ago, and I regret not going to see the show.  

“Melody Day” by Caribou:

 

17)

Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!

Since first discovering them halfway through college, SFA has remained one of my top favorite bands.  They’re catchy, quirky, hilarious, have great harmony, and rock.  If these guys had been around in the early 70s, Lennon, McCartney, and Brian Wilson would have viewed them as their biggest artistic competition.  I’m convinced of that.  It’s also hard to believe that this is their eight album in their career.  I honestly can’t think of one other band who has churned out eight consistently great albums in a row.  These guys have.  I love how cheesy they made the video below, as well.

“Run Away” by Super Furry Animals:

 

 

16)

Dr. Dog - We All Belong

Dr. Dog is a band with a great classic rock sound, and We All Belong really turned me into a fan.  I read an interview once where Jeff Tweedy listed them as one of his favorites because they were so fun and loved to just sing their hearts out.  That’s exactly why I dig this album. 

“My Old Ways” by Dr. Dog:

 

15)

Patton Oswalt – Werewolves and Lollipops

I’ve been blogging for five years now and can only remember one other time I’ve included a comedy album on my “best of” list (the last album David Cross did).  I guess that means I consider this to be one of the top two comedy recordings of the past half decade.  It’s brilliant and funny and smart. 

 

14)

New Pornographers – Challengers

You know you’re a great band when your worst album is still pretty darn awesome.  Some fans of the band were turned off by them going for a more mature sound instead of their traditional sugary pop rock sound, but I found this one to be very rewarding after repeated listens.  There’s just more depth on Challengers than on their previous albums, and I think it took seeing them play these songs live to realize that.  I’ve always been a big fan of Neko Case’s voice, and friends of mine know that I think Carl Newman is one of the best songwriters of my generation (and that’s not just because I urinated next to him once in Lawrence and chatted with him after his solo show).  Long live the Porn.

“Challengers” by New Pornographers:

 

13)

Menomena – Friend and Foe

Ever since listening to Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I’ve been a sucker for music that takes “normal” sounding melodies, twists them around, and creates a song without really losing the melody.  This album didn’t grab me immediately because of the strange time signatures and lack of instruments where you would traditionally expect them to be, and vice versa.  I could tell, though, that I would like it in time, and that is exactly what happened.

“Evil Bee” by Menomena:

 

12)

A Band of Bees - Octopus

Upon listening to this album, you’ll be left convinced that the guys in this band have a time machine that lets them travel back to the 60s, steal master recordings of great songs, and then travel back to today to record them on their own without anyone knowing.  Just a really fun album.

“Who Cares What the Question Is?” by A Band of Bees:

 

11) 

Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

I have an ongoing discussion with friends about famous people you’d like to punch in the face.  While there are quite a few that would rank towards the top (Paris Hilton, Nancy Grace, our president, etc.), Conor Oberst definitely makes my list.  Even though his talented, he’s always come across as a whiner.  To make things worse, his live shows are infamous for having female fans screaming and crying for him like he’s a Beatle on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Nevertheless, his lyrics are intriguing and he’s always shown flashes of brilliance that critics have talked about for years.  Cassadaga, though, is a full showcase of that brilliance and is easily my favorite album of his.  Highly recommended.

“Four Winds” by Bright Eyes:

 

10)

Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I have a pretty big Andrew Bird man-crush.  The guy can do it all.  Lyrically, the subject matter of his songs are just a dark and twisted as his past material, and his music remains just as quality as ever.  It’s good to see that he found a bigger audience this year. 

“Imatosis” by Andrew Bird:

 

9)

Apples in Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder

The fact that this album isn’t being mentioned on more “best of” lists boggles my mind.  They upped the production this time around, but the quality of the songs still remains great.  They combine the best of any classic pop rock and put a modern twist to it.  If you even remotely like the Beatles, this is your album.

“Energy” by Apples in Stereo:

 

8)

The White Stripes – Icky Thump

I was having a debate the other night with some friends about who will be considered legendary in future generations.  There weren’t a whole lot, but The White Stripes was pretty much the first name everyone would say.  No one creates bluesy, soulful rock better than Jack and Meg.  As big as they are now, I don’t think they’ll be fully appreciated until they’ve stopped making music and released a greatest hits album.  I don’t know how Jack White keeps doing it, but I’m starting to think there may never be a time when he won’t.

“Icky Thump” by The White Stripes:

 

7)

White Rabbits – Fort Nightly

I’m surprised not many people seem to have heard of White Rabbits.  These guys, originally from Columbia, MO, created the best debut of the year, in my opinion.  In fact, Fort Nightly is quite possibly my favorite debut since Arcade Fire came out with Funeral.  I listened to this one tons in 2007 yet I can’t quite explain it properly to those who haven’t heard them.  They sound like a traditional rock band except they have a more dramatic sound as well as two drummers.  I didn’t hear of them until this past fall, and they apparently played the first slot at Lollapalooza this past summer.  I’m kicking myself for not seeing them because I’ve heard they put on a fantastic show.  They don’t have any actual videos produced so I had to grab some footage of a live show instead.

“I Used to Complain Now I Don’t” by White Rabbits:

 

6)

Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

If it weren’t for Arcade Fire, Band of Horses would have released the best sophomore effort of the year.  Each song is just as catchy as their first album, but the songs are considerably more diverse this time around.  On some songs, they really rock, some have a country stomp feel, some have reverb in the vocals, some don’t.  It’s obvious with Cease to Begin that this is a band who’s got it right. 

“Is There a Ghost” by Band of Horses:

 

5)

Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

These guys have become the epitome of an indie rock band becoming huge in just a short amount of time. You would think a band would surely choke when having to follow up what was arguably the best debut album of the 00s thus far. That clearly wasn’t the case.  Instead, Arcade Fire made a really solid album for their sophomore effort.  Granted, it’s no Funeral, but it definitely proves that the band is here to stay and is only going to get bigger.  And if the fact that Bruce Springsteen had the band come on stage and play with him at a show on his current tour is any indication, they could get huge.  I saw these guys three times this year, and their shows are some of the best you’ll ever see, too.    

“Intervention” by Arcade Fire

 

4)

Radiohead – In Rainbows

There’s really not a whole lot more I can say about Radiohead that hasn’t been said already.  They’re legends and Thom Yorke is one of very few artists whom is considered a genius by just about everyone who listens to music. If I were to factor in the creative marketing and distribution of In Rainbows it would be #1 on my list.  Without even listening to the music on the album one could still argue that it is one of the most important releases of the digital age.  It’s amazing to me that, if I were to rank all of the Radiohead albums in order, this one may not even rank in my top 3.  It’s still better than 99.9% of what’s out there, though.  These guys are that good. 

“All I Need” by Radiohead

 

3) 

Okkervil River - Stage Names

I was a big fan of Okkervil River’s last album, Black Sheep Boy, and have loved their latest one every bit as much.  In fact, this may very well be the most consistently solid album of 2008.  I listened to this again on my way home for Christmas and was just blown away at how good every single song on the album is.  Will Sheff’s style of folky rock manages to use quality production while capturing an authentic feel with good lyrics. 

“Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” by Okkervil River:

 

2)

The National - Boxer

I really loved The National’s last album, Alligator, and their newest has me really believing they are going to be household name before long if they aren’t already.  It took me a while to get into Boxer because it’s a much more mature-sounding album than its predecessor.  There are no anthems this time around and the melodies don’t seem to unfold until after several listens.  Once they unfold, though, you are more than rewarded for it. 

“Apartment Story” by The National:

 

1)

Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Not only is this my most listened to album of the year, but I also believe it is the best.  Spoon has started to become a much bigger band in recent years, and it is completely well-deserved.  Whenever I try to describe Spoon, I tell people that if they like “It’s Still Rock n’ Roll to Me” by Billy Joel then they’d like Spoon.  Since I think pretty much everyone can safely say they like that song, using the law of deductive reasoning, everyone should pretty much like Spoon.  Friends of mine think it’s an odd comparison, but if you listen to “Underdog” (the video below) I think similarities are dead-on.  One thing I’ve always liked about Britt Daniel (and, to be fair, Spoon as a whole) is that, even though the songs are relatively simple and the guitars aren’t exactly cranked up to 11, they are still pretty experimental at times and completely rock.  For a band that has consistently put out really solid albums, I consider this to be their best. It’s time Britt Daniel’s name starts getting mention among the top current songwriters. 

“The Underdog” by Spoon:

 

Honorable Mention (in no order):  The Go! Team – Proof of Youth, Pinback – Autumn of the Seraphs, Feist - The Reminder, Southeast Engine - A Wheel Within a Wheel, Bishop Allen - The Broken String, Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, The Little Ones - Sing Song, Iron and Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog

When I was a senior in high school, a friend of mine pointed out that, in the movie Armageddon, there isn’t a single shot that lasts longer than 3 seconds.  Upon finding out that information, we watched the movie and ended up counting out loud to 3 for each shot.  He was right, and it subsequently made the movie completely unwatchable for me ever since.

The same can now be said for watching college football games on Fox.  I read yesterday via Awful Announcing that Fox showed the band a whopping 58 times during the Fiesta Bowl a couple nights ago.  I was out with friends celebrateing a buddy’s birthday and told them about that crazy fact.  While watching the KU game, we proceeded to yell out “Band!” whenever the band was shown, and it pretty much blew our minds how many times we had to yell it.  In fact, had we decided to turn it into a drinking game, I’m pretty sure we would have all had to spend the night in the hospital.  Actually, now that I think about it, I guess that explains what Britany Spears was up to last night.  Anyway, Fox ended up DOUBLING the previous night’s feat, showing the band 110 times!  Unbelievable. 

Since we were at a bar, we couldn’t actually hear the game.  Apparently the audio was just as awful, as evidenced by this video…where, in addition to looking like a complete mess, they even mention the band.  I was originally looking forward to watching how the rest of the football season shaped up.  Now, I may have to do it while simultaneously gauging my eyes out with grapefruit spoons.

I, like most people, feel that the amount of fun you have on New Years is inversely proportional with how big of a deal it is hyped to be leading up to the event.  It is precisely for that reason why I didn’t really know what to expect this year.  I ended up going with a pretty large group of friends to VooDoo at Harrah’s to bring in ‘08.  I’d never been to the club before.  Heck, I’d never even Harrah’s before.  Gambling just isn’t really my thing unless it involves sports and taking my friends’ money.  Anyway, the event cost $30 (actually, it ended up being closer to $40 after Ticketmaster fees). Despite the fact that the price was basically just a cover charge and didn’t even include a champagne toast at midnight, there was supposed to be some live DJ and performance akin a cirque de soleil show throughout the night.  I really didn’t know what to expect, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised at how much fun we all had.

Before even walking into the place, some of us were greeted by some dancers.

                                  

Luckily, some people in our group got there early to get a table at a good location.  Our spot was great and served as homebase for the rest of the night.  It didn’t take long to see what they meant by the entertainment being like cirque de soleil.

                                   

                                                   

                                   

I spent a good majority of the evening just hanging out with friends and joking around.  Casey completely shaved his beard for the first time in about 7 months. The sad thing is, I didn’t even notice until I’d been talking with him for a while.  I’m clearly not the most observant guy.

                                  

Half of the fun throughout the night was just mixing it up with everyone.  Luckily, our group ended up being pretty sizable so that wasn’t too hard to do.

                                   

Once the clock struck midnight, balloons were dropped and people either cheered or grabbed someone to smooch.  I wasn’t going to just give it up to anyone, though.  My goods are at a premium.

                                  

All night, the dance floor was pretty packed with people shakin’ their groove things.  I’m not a real big dancer (those that have seen me dance can attest I have the biggest whiteboy moves ever) so I kept it real up above for a good portion of the night.

                                  

Of course, when some of us finally did make it down to the dance floor we were just too distracted by the ladies on the stage.

                                 

Saying goodbye to another year always comes with mixed emotions with me.  2007 was a great year, no doubt, but I’m looking forward to what 2008 will bring.  I can’t wait to chronicle yet another year of what it has in store.