pop-culture

Article

Klinginem - Rapping Eminem Songs in Klingon (Seriously)

So here's a guy who goes by the name Klinginem, rapping the Eminem jam "Without Me" in Klingon (I'm sorry, tlhIngan Hol for you native speakers). This is possibly the nerdiest thing I've seen all year. The one thing I'll say for it is that it handily demonstrates that the Klingon language is indeed fully-developed...once you can rap in a language, it's legit. Enjoy the video, including lots of performance shots of Klinginem and his crew. (I would post the Klingon word for 'crew' but all the online... READ ON

Article

Conrad Hilton's Advice to the American People

If you've been watching Mad Men lately, you've seen a fictionalized version of Conrad Hilton, the hotelier and great-grandfather of Paris Hilton. The "Connie" Hilton seen on Mad Men is quite eccentric (even loony at times), though the real-life character was apparently motivated mainly by his experience in the Great Depression, his Catholic faith, and his deep commitment to charity. (Though yeah, he arguably might have wanted a Hilton Hotel on the moon.) Anyway, my friend Will Maier was reading Herzog... READ ON

Article

How to Not Kill Yourself and Still Be a Writer

In February 2009, writer Elizabeth Gilbert gave a funny, inspiring talk at the TED conference in California. In her talk, Gilbert reflects on her experience after writing the hit memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" and what happened afterwards -- how everyone expected her to fail at her next project (or at least not duplicate that success). She talks about how everyone seems to assume that writers will be tortured, blocked, or otherwise mentally disturbed...and how she vehemently disagrees with this presumption,... READ ON

Article

Mr. Rogers: The Crayon Factory

Remember when Mr. Rogers explained how Crayons were made? I have heard this Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood segment referenced by friends as a sort of touchstone of their youth, but I had never seen it until now. Interestingly, it looks like Mr. Rogers himself never actually went to the Crayola factory, but he does narrate the whole process. This rare clip has suddenly popped up on YouTube, so I thought I'd link to it before it disappears: For more Crayon-making goodness, see How Crayons are Made, which... READ ON

List

9 Famous College Dropouts

Conventional wisdom tells us that a college degree will get you much further than only a high school diploma. But what about those who choose to cut out while pursuing their higher educations and go it alone, free from the constraints of academia? Do they ever prosper? Here are some individuals who succeeded, and how. 1. Steven... READ ON

Article

3 Killer Songs About Vincent van Gogh

Did you know that Vincent van Gogh has inspired (at least) three great songs? The first I want to share with you is by Jonathan Richman with the Modern Lovers backing him up (iTunes link), and it's really sweet -- smart, funny, and even moderately educational. Here's a music video a fan made on YouTube: "Vincent van Gogh" - Jonathan Richman w/the Modern Lovers Some sample lyrics: Have you heard about the painter Vincent van Gogh, Who loved color and who let it show. Now in the... READ ON

List

Ten Pigs We Love

Pop culture is full of cute, smart, and talented pigs that we love. Sure, you adore bacon, but this list is going whole hog! One thing you won't find here is swine flu, because we don't love that. 10. Pink Floyd's Flying... READ ON

Article

David Letterman's Top Ten Numbers From One to Ten

This is goofy and awesome. Casey Kasem and David Letterman count down Dave's Top Ten Numbers From One to Ten. I think you'll be surprised which number comes out on top. (Via... READ ON

Article

The Late Movies: Musicians and Their Awesome Sesame Street Appearances

I keep coming across musicians who have appeared on Sesame Street (usually singing the Alphabet Song), and the performances are uniformly awesome. (One of the best videos from my Late Movies segment last week was Stevie Wonder live on Sesame Street, and in a previous week, Paul Simon was on Sesame Street.) I've collected some favorites here for your viewing enjoyment. Feist, "1 2 3 4" Feist performs her hit "1 2 3 4" with a twist -- it's now more specifically about counting than about growing up.... READ ON

Article

Dr. Strange Will Kill Us All

It is with much trepidation that I send this blog to you via Morse Code from Mystery Island. I'm terribly concerned that scientific genius Dr. Strange is running amok with his Projector Beam Ray. Strange is intent on world domination, and if his awesome cape is any indication of his power, I pray for all of us. Below, I bring you an important video demonstrating the Projector Beam Ray weapon and its effects on Mystery Island. Fortunately our heroes, flying above the island in their aircraft Nimbus,... READ ON