Jimmy's Juke Joint

Solving The Killing on AMC

I'm digging AMC's new mystery show, The Killing. Revolving around the killing of "Rosie Larsen" and the investigation following. Who dunnit? 

I know who killed Rosie Larsen. How? 

I'm Batman.

Things What I Like Lately

I recommend stuff on my podcast, COMIC NEWS INSIDER, each week. But, thought I'd start doing that here as well. Because, you know, all of you listen to me and think I'm brilliant. That being said: 

Isle of 100,00 Graves by Jason and Fabien Vehlmann. I like pretty much everything by Norwegian cartoonist Jason. His anthropomorphic style manages to capture both the funny and serious side of his story. To my knowledge, this is the first time he has taken on a co-writer. Great tale of a little girl in search of her missing father who only has a reluctant pirate companion and her wits to do so. They stumble upon the island of the title, and comedy and horror ensue! Go get it.

Coke Money by Natasha Legerro. No, she's not a rapper. She's a comedian! First saw her on Chelsea Lately and always found her funny. Her new album does not disappoint. Recorded live in Denver, she does her set and manages to get some digs in on the rowdy audience as well. Playing up the "socialite" she pretends to be to humorous effect. 

The Adam and Joe show has been around for years on BBC Radio 6 in the UK. They had a podcast of their best stuff from their Saturday show that I listened to weekly. Very funny guys! Alas, the show went on a long hiatus. But, it's back! As of a few weeks ago, they are filling up our earholes with hilarity. The podcast is available in the U.S. through iTunes or directly from the site. Funny, funny LOL stuff!

Bob's Burgers animated TV series on FOX. I'm loving this show. Stand out is Kristen Schaal as the young daughter, Louise. And the always awesome voice actor H. Jon Benjamin as Bob rocks it too. Silly fun. 

Tina Fey's new autobio Bossypants. Whoa! I actually read something without pictures? Nope! I got the audio book version as read by Tina herself. It's really funny and covers some very poignant moments in her life as well. I'd be very interested in hearing her do another autobio 20 years from now. I always recommend audio books (especially autobio ones if they are read by the actual person). You get the inflection from the actual person! 

So much more to recommend but I'll leave you with that. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think. 

 

Chloe Bell: Great Niece or Greatest Niece?

While most of you are lamenting about getting your taxes done on time, April 15th will be a special day for my sister's family and I. On this day last year, after spending 7 months in the NICU, my niece Chloe was able to go home.

For those just joining in, my sister went into labor 4 months too early and popped out my niece. She was 1 1/2 lbs and 11 3/4 inches. That's not a typo. This is how she looked.

I don't think she was supposed to make it. It was tenuous for months. She spent 7 months in the NICU and had all sorts of complications. Finally, after many delays, she was able to come home on this day last year. She's a fighter and has beaten a lot of odds to be in this world. The world better watch out! 

How can you say "No" to that face? I know I can't. Mad love to my baby girl Chloe, her big brother Maximus, my bro-in-law Bob and my amazing sister who is stronger than anyone I know. 

 

Improv-ing My Life

After seeing the very funny and talented Grace Helbig in her improv show last night, it got me remembering my time studying improv with the great Martin de Maat (pictured above) of the famed The Second City in Chicago. He came to NYC a few times a year to teach and I always took classes. It was at this studio where I started out taking soap opera acting classes (yes, soap opera) in the mid 90’s. The owner was friends with him and had him teach there. She encouraged me to take his class and I gave it a shot. Of course, everyone instantly fell in the love with the man. One of the kindest and most inspirational people I have ever met. Always positive with nary a negative thing to say.

I remember getting frustrated with an improv partner. First rule of improv is “Yes, and”. She kept taking over scenes without really sharing or following along on paths we had already created. And a bunch of us didn’t like the choices she made. That Tina Fey. What a bitch! Just kidding! It was someone who isn’t famous now. Anyway, I complained to him about it and he found a way to help me get over it. I did see it in the eyes of a few performers last night though. Not anger but just that look of, “Aww, I had something funny I was about to do and someone else took the lead”. 

We all used to go out after class and I considered him a good friend back then. He even gave me great advice about this girl I was pursuing in the class. Who knew he was a love guru too? I was pretty lucky and did about 3-5 shows a year (often out of town) so sometimes I would miss his classes. I probably hadn’t spoken to him in a good year or 2 before his death in 2001, but he left a mark on me for sure. Here’s to his memory! And here’s to Grace for encouraging me to possibly get back involved with it all. Stay tuned!

 p.s. If you want to actually improve your life and learn more about acting-related degrees, check out great online schools! Tell 'em I sent ya and then "act" like that means something. 

Some More Formspring Answers

Got a few Formspring questions to answer, so here goes:

What music are you listening to currently? from TitaniumRain, 

-I have a pretty eclectic music taste and listen to lots. I buy about an album a week or so. I just downloaded the new Foo Fighters, The Kills and Jessie J. Digging Lil' Wayne and Beastie Boys new singles too.

If an artist creates something that 25 years later is put up for auction by someone who neither owned, nor purchased the artwork, nor intends on profit share ($500,000) w/ artist who created it, then how is that considered a legal, ethical biz exchange? from gidgetwidget

-I am no legal eagle so I have no idea. But it does seem pretty wrong. Did the person steal it/was given it/found it? Some credit to original artist, I would think. 

Can you name ONE celebrity style/fashion, genre press, pop culture reporter/editor who has commented coherently on politics? (Note: Individual must still be alive. The Daily Show doesn't count.)from gidgetwidget

-Uh...out of my depth. Why doesn't Daily Show count? I realize it's humor but some of that is better reporting than so called "real" journalists. This, of course, coming from a Fajournalist (faux journalist) like myself. If I could name one? Hmmm....Jillian Barberie-Reynolds. ;) 

What do you think of when you listen to music?from ComicsPeriod22,

-Depends on the music. If it's very personal, then I'll think of someone in my life (or out of my life). If it's just fun, I could think of nothing. Let's experiment w/ my iTunes. I'll go through and pick randomly. (Fair warning: I have ALL types of music!)

• Jump, Jive & Wail by Brian Setzer Orchestra: I think of the times when swing dancing was in and I used to go a couple of times a week. I had a swing partner and everything. (Wattup, Carrie!)
• Wat Pomp? by Die Antwoord: I first heard of them on Attack of the Show so I think of the video for their other song and the reactions of the hosts to it. 
• Home by "Belle" from Original Broadway Cast of Beauty & the Beast: I think of walking in the snow down the road from work to my Aunt's house in New Jersey. It was when I first moved from Florida in 1994 and I felt pretty alone and was questioning if I made the right choice.
• Are You Gonna Go My Way? by Lenny Kravitz: This is embarrassing but funny. I loved this song. And when I did musical theater I sang rock songs for certain auditions. Decided to do this song without ever practicing with a piano. (I only sang along to the track). So when I put the music in front of the piano player & he started playing...it wasn't the same. Instead of the hard guitar sound, this bright piano melody came out. I practically crooned the song. Needless to say, I didn't get the part. 
• Bad Boy For Life by Mark Curry/P. Diddy/Black Rob: This actually makes me think of a girl I dated. A friend invited me to a party & this girl who looked like the actress Patricia Velasquez from The Mummy movies was there. It was her birthday and I ended up being her present. (Hey, I was in much better shape back then!) This song was playing at one point and we had a whole chat about how it was gonna blow up the charts. 
• Uncle Fucka from Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for South Park: Reminds me of the summer of 1999 when I was doing West Side Story in Virginia. The movie had come out and the cast saw it a bunch of times and we even incorporated little subtle bits into our show to make each other laugh. 
• Girls by Beastie Boys: High school. Senior year. A few pals and I did this song (along with Brass Monkey) for an air band competition. Yes, we had those back then! 
• Fuck You Gently by Tenacious D: Ugh. Makes me think of an ex-girlfriend. We use to sing this to each other jokingly. It was funny. Too bad she was a lying/cheating whore. 
• This Woman's Work by Maxwell: Yes, I know it's a remake. But I think of when I worked at a speakeasy bar and this song came on. It was near the end of the night so it was pretty sparse. Some weird drunk or drugged out girl started doing an "interpretive dance". We all watched in horror. She really believed she was that good. She wasn't. 
• Any Queen song: The 1980 Flash Gordon movie. Cuz I loves it so. 

Seems like a bunch were just sense memory. Huh. Anyway, you get the idea. 

 

For Jamie Smart

WRONG!

 

 

wrong harmony...kinda

 

Comic News Insider Episode 325 - MoCCA Madness with Sarah McIntyre/Kean Soo/Tory Woollcott

 
Comic News Insider: Episode 325 is now available for free download! Click on the link or get it through iTunes! Sponsored by Dynamic Forces.

Reviews:  Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38, Blue Estate #1, Fear Itself #1, Herc #1
Being Human (UK) Series 3 finale, Being Human (US) Season 1 finale

Get those earplugs/headphones out as we recorded on the digital recorder this week! Writer Jonathan Baylis (So...Buttons) joins Jimmy as guest co-host. It's a big MoCCA Festival recap. Interviews with Sarah McIntyre (Vern and Lettuce) and Kean Soo/Tory Woollcott (From Toronto to Tuscany).  News includes: Kapow Comic-Con announcements, Zod is cast for Snyder's Superman film, John Layman and Sam Kieth working on secret project, Pekar's Cleveland finds a publisher, and 2011 Eisner Nominations are in! The guys give their impressions of the recent MoCCA Festival and the ethics of how much to charge for mini-comics. Listener feedback and more! Leave your iTunes comments! 5 stars and nothing but love!

Also, get a hold of us!

212 501 6246

Email

Facebook

CNI Forum

Comic News Insider

Thanks for listening!

 

The Art of the Hug

A friend posted recently how she misses the fact that people don’t hug any more. And she’s right. I am an affectionate person. Or at least I used to be. Actor types tend to be very touch/feely. Not in a creepy way. (Well, some are a bit creepy). Just very loving. When I did shows, the casts were all over each other constantly. It was purely innocent and fun. Though I am not an actor type any more, I still have that same feeling. Unfortunately, I am not around people who feel the same way. I spend a lot of time at work, obviously, and several people there just aren’t into it. I totally respect that. And some social circles I travel in aren’t as female heavy. Not that I’m against hugging another dude. I do it with many of my male friends. But it’s more often a female friend who shuns the love. 

Some make you feel like, “Oh, it’s just fatty wanted to cop a feel”. Actually, no. It’s scientifically/medically proven that a good hug from someone you like (in a platonic way) can make you feel better. If someone is wounded from their past and the touch of another is forbidden, then I suppose I understand. It’s the cold and icy folks who clearly have some issues deep down. Not hating on them but just feel sorry. 

While we’re on hugs, I’ll briefly cover the kiss too. I’m also a kisser type. There are friends I kiss on the lips and some on the cheek. But if you’re one of those air kiss types, just stop. It’s really annoying and is just subterfuge and pure theater. What’s the sense? I get that kisses are more intimate than a hug, so no big deal if someone doesn’t want to do it. 

On the “air kiss” note…a tepid hug is just as stupid. When you barely hug back or just pat someone on the back, why bother? I’d rather not even do it. 

Back to the hugs. Most of you need to get over it. I’m not trying to paw on you or get some cheap thrill out of it. Yes, I make lecherous jokes on occasion but I’m very respectful when it comes to someone’s “space”. Often, I overcompensate with friends who are “anit-huggers” by completely not touching them. Not even a handshake for fear they may get offended. Which is bullshit. 

All I’m saying is give it a shot. If someone always expects one and is a bit “handsy, then don’t do it with them. If others see you hugging someone but you don’t hug them, well maybe they don’t deserve it. That’s okay too. You don’t owe anyone anything, of course. But maybe try hugging your friend every once in awhile. You might find it makes YOU feel better too. 

Now come here, ya big lug! BEAR HUG!!! 

 

MoCCA Stash!

I went to MoCCA Festival yesterday and all I got was these lousy AWESOME comics! Can't wait to crack 'em open!

MoCCA Festival 2011

See you all there on Saturday! I'll be roaming around buying books, doing interviews and catching up with friends. How about you?