Attn: Restaurant Customers

Testicles.


That is all.

Too Many Superheroes

It's no surprise that I'm a fan of comic books, but after seeing the trailers to the two following upcoming television series, I've decided that comic books/superheroes are saturating the media. What's more, it's not even good superheroes, but rather stupid obscure comic books that are being adapted. If the following shows aren't canceled before their first season is complete, I'll be surprised.

Take a look and decide for yourself.

Time for a New Obama

I was never really impressed with Fred Armisen's portrayal of Obama on SNL, but after seeing him do it again on tonight's episode, I really feel they need to have someone else take over the gig. I think even I could do a better job.

Top Gear

For those of you who have never watched it, please do yourself a favor and check out Top Gear. It's a British television series about cars, but it's way more fun than you would think, which means you don't need to be a fan of cars to enjoy it. Each episode features amazingly beautiful, yet ridiculous, supercars, and hilarious challenges that you really need to see to understand. When I first discovered it last year, I instantly fell in love and hands down, it has become one of my favorite TV series.


Top Gear on BBC America. Watch it.

Laser Cat

There are many die hard fans of SNL out there, myself being one of them, but this guy has taken his love of Laser Cats way too far.


Add to that the fact that he has the 80s trifecta:

- Cheesy 80s outfit, including ugly sweater, pink shirt & over-sized glasses? Check.
- Rat tail hair style? Check.
- Futuristic laser background? Check.

The perfect recipe for awesome. Or awkward. Maybe both.

Sexism and Gender Roles

Earlier tonight, I watched NBC's new show, The Marriage Ref. I first saw the show last Sunday - when NBC brilliantly decided to interrupt the Olympic's Closing Ceremony to premiere an early episode - and it was surprisingly entertaining. There's something very intriguing about watching other people's relationship problems. Tonight's episode introduced a couple where the wife thought her husband should automatically know how to build a patio simply because he's a man. Surprisingly, Eva Longoria, one of the celebrity panel members, agreed with the wife. The husband argued that was ridiculous and that his wife was being sexist. If she expected him to just be good at manual labor because he was a man, then he expected her to serve him whenever he demanded. After all, that has been the "traditional" role of a woman.

This really got me thinking whether "traditional" gender roles and assumptions are as prevalent today as they were in past generations. Personally, I view the “proper” relationships of men and women as understanding that each gender has certain strengths, and that only by coming together can society be truly effective. For example, men are viewed as being more logical, while women are viewed as being more compassionate. Therefore, coming together ensures that multiple outlooks are used, as opposed to just one. This is not to say that men are incapable of feeling compassion, or women incapable of being logical. Not at all. I simply believe men and women are pieces of a puzzle, and only by equally coming together can the picture be complete.

I was raised in a family where both my father and mother were strong presences. My father was more of a traditional Mexican male, and from him I learned strength. Not physical strength, but the strength to be confident, stand up for oneself, and succeed in life. He taught this lesson to my younger siblings, but I believe he placed emphasis on me learning this. He expected my sisters to be strong for themselves, but he expected me to be strong not only for myself, but also for my sisters, mother and future family. To him, men are the protectors.

My mother, although also Mexican, had the outlook of perhaps more of a modern American woman; but combined it with an understanding of our Mexican heritage. She also placed emphasis on me being a strong presence for my sisters and future family, but instilled in me the importance of treating the women in my life with the upmost respect. It is perhaps more so from her that I learned the relationship between a man and a woman should be an equal partnership. The one thing that both parents taught me is that no matter what views people may hold, it is up to me to buy into them or be myself.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I agree with the husband. He shouldn't magically know how to install a patio simply because he's a man. That's ridiculous. That's like saying I'm magically amazing at soccer, simply because I'm Mexican.

Ridiculous.

The Road to Sochi

Well, the 2010 Winter Olympics are over, and they did not disappoint. Although these Olympic games started off with tragic death of an Olympian, they were also filled with their share of triumphs, upsets, heartaches, and uplifting stories; everything that makes the Olympics great. So now, as I prepare to watch the Closing Ceremony, I look forward to the next Olympiad in 2014, when the Winter Olympics make their way to Sochi, Russia, in 2014.






Luckily, I don't have to wait quite that long as we also have the next Summer Olympics: London 2012.

Winter Olympics

I love the Olympics. No, I mean it; I really love the Olympics. I don't have a DVR, but if I did, it would be full of every Olympics event it could record. My love of the Olympics is really a combination of three distinct reasons: it gives me a chance to watch sporting event I would otherwise probably never watch, my love of ancient Greek mythology, and what the games themselves represent.

I'll admit, I'm not a huge sports fan like many other guys. Sure, I'll watch baseball games whenever I can, but if you read my blog entry a week ago, you know that I only watch one football game a year: the Super Bowl. I'll also occasionally watch soccer, I rarely watch basketball, I never watch hockey, and if it's any other sport, forget it. However, when the Olympics are on - Summer or Winter - I watch everything I can. I don't care if it's Mens or Womens, individual or team events, or even if that event is popular or an event I've never even heard of, if it's on, I watch. The reason for this is easy; I can watch any professional sporting event and know I'll see some amazing athletes, but the Olympics have the best athletes in the world. So, when I see someone take the gold medal stand, it's not just a win; it means that person/team is the pinnacle of that event. In sense, a pinnacle of human perfection. To me, that is truly awe-inspiring.

Of course, let's not forget who started the Olympics: the ancient Greeks. We owe many things to the ancient Greeks, but one of the greatest contributions, in my opinion, are the Olympics, Started as a tribute to the Greek god Zeus, the Olympics were THE sporting event in all of the world, and I love the fact that they still are.

So, what exactly is the purpose of the Olympics? Well, if you ask me, I'll tell you that it's a global event celebrating the physical potential of mankind. It is a time when nations can put their differences aside, and athletes can compete in the purest form of athletic competitions, free from any form of political, corporate or financial agenda. The Olympics are a showcase of what a lifetime of dedication and training can accomplish. The Olympics are something greater than the individual nations or athletes competing; they are human history. Of course, all this is a very idealistic view of the Olympics, and I'm sure you can all make a great argument as to why it is what I say it is, but I choose to view the Olympics as what they were intended to be.

As I watch the Winter Olympics over the next two weeks, I look forward to seeing magic happen. I look forward to seeing defending champions win gold again; seeing underdogs come from nowhere to defeat said champions. I look forward to seeing athletes from small countries, with no real chance of medaling, compete for the pure joy of competing and being a part of the Olympics; to cross that finish line and say, "I finished". That, right there, is why I love the Olympics.

Long Live the West Coast!

One of my favorite shows for the past few years has been America's Best Dance Crew, on MTV. I love it for the exact same reasons I love So You Think You Can Dance; being a former dancer, the shows allows me to relive the excitement of dancing and being up on stage. But enough of me reminising...

For the past four seasons, the champions of ABDC have all come from the West Coast - JabbaWockeeZ, Super Cr3w, Quest Crew, and We Are Heroes - and that's a tough legacy to continue. Over the past two weeks, I've seen this season's new crews from the South and East Coast, and they have some good talent. I have to admit, I was a little worried. However, after watching tonight's episode and seeing the new crews from the West Coast, that worry is gone.

These new West Coast crews are amazing, particularly Heavy Impact and Poreotix. I've seen all the crews this season has to offer, and I think the West Coast is taking the championship again.

Smallville: Absolute Justice, Post-Show Analysis

Epic.

That's the only way I can describe tonight's episode of Smallville. I was so worried that I would be let down, but I was not; not in any way. It was amazing.

The first reassurance I had that this would be a great episode was the fact that it was written by Geoff Johns, possibly my favorite comic book writer. Johns has the amazing ability to tie in completely different storylines and strands of continuity, and make it appear like it's all been made to come together; like that's been the plan for decades. He understands comic book legacies and uses them to create new stories and new characters that instantly draw you in.

The same applies to tonight's episode. Smallville has always been very clear in that it takes place in a universe separate from the mainstream DC Universe, but tonight's episode was different. I really did feel I was watching a story straight out of DC Comics. The names, the costumes, the character dynamics; I was literally watching a comic book unfold before my very eyes; and it was good. Sure, some of the costumes were a little cheesy, as was some of the acting, but it was a good cheesiness. You can't have a story about superheroes and not be just a bit cheesy.

So many new characters, storylines, plot points, etc. were introduced, and every single one of them was not only straight out of the comic books, but each fit in perfectly within Smallville's continuity. This episode blew the doors of the Smallville universe wide open, and I for one can't wait to see what walks through in the future.

Smallville: Absolute Justice, Pre-Show Warm Up

In less than three hours, the most awesomest TV event in the history of awesome will take place; the two-hour movie event, Smallville: Absolute Justice!


OK, that's more than a bit of an overstatement, but it is still going to be awesome! We don't need to get into how big a fan of Smallville I am, and I won't write about why I'm so excited about tonight, because, frankly, I already have! So, instead, let me just repost that for any of you that didn't read it the first time:



"This is huge. Debuting in 1940, the Justice Society of America, or JSA, was the first team of superheroes in comic book history, and indeed the first time readers realized all their favorite superheroes existed in the same universe. They were the all-star team of DC Comics, if you will. No longer did readers have to buy separate comic book titles to catch the adventures of their favorite superheroes; they were now all together in one comic.

But enough of the history lesson. Although Smallville has introduced many guest characters from the pages of DC Comics before, this is the first time an entire team will be introduced, as well as the first hint at a larger superhero world outside of Smallville. Every prior introduction has been within the mythology of the show, but the introduction of the JSA is going to blow the doors wide open. We will know that there is an entire world of heroes, and that this is no longer a show set within Smallville or Metropolis, but indeed the entire DC Universe. I can't wait!"

..........

I can't wait, indeed! I'll check back in again after the show and write about what I thought. I really hope this episode matches my level of excitement.

Absolute Justice

YES!!! My nerd dial just went to 11. Hundred. I saw this and absolute-ly (bad pun intended) had to share.


And if that wasn't enough, check out this video with hints to the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl & Wildcat.



The Justice Society of America. It's going to be epic. I can't wait.

I'm with Coco

I would just like to take a moment to let you all officially know where my allegiance lies…

Artwork by Mike P Mitchell

Conan O'Brien.
The Man. The Myth. The Legend. The Barbarian.

Feeling Old, Part II

The fact that there has to be a Part II to last night's entry is just plain sad, but two more incidents happened today that were the final nails in the coffin of me feeling old.

The first occurred immediately when I woke up this morning; my body was sore. Now, it wasn't me being sore that made me feel old, it was the fact that I had no idea why I was sore. I get sore all the time, but I know it's because I did some sort of physical activity the day before; maybe I ran or spent the entire night tearing it up on the dance floor. Today I woke up and could not think of a single reason why I should be sore. Isn't that what happens when you get old? Doesn't your body hurt for no reason? I spent half the day trying to think of why I'd be sore... with no success. This was it; I truly was turning into an old man. Luckily, my sister came to my rescue and reminded me that I went bowling last night. Eureka! My soreness had its cause. Still, being sore because of bowling doesn't make me feel much better, and not being able to remember going bowling only the night before makes me feel like my memory is fading.

However, that wasn't the worse deciding factor today. The thing that really made me feel old, but in a sort of good, nostalgic way, was when I played Disc 1 of Season 4 of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon for my little sister. She had never seen watched it, so I thought it'd be good if I schooled her a bit in classic cartoons. We didn't even get through a full episode before she thought it was ridiculous. Even the opening theme song sounded old to her. I looked at her and couldn't help but laugh at the fact that she thought a cartoon I used to worship as a kid was now a relic. I have to admit, that cartoon has not held up kindly to the tests of time. As I watched the jumpy animation and heard the dated slang being spoken, I saw my childhood float away on the television screen.

It's official: I'm getting old.

Major Lazer's "Keep It Goin' Louder"

I love cartoons. I have to; I'm an animator. I'm almost positive that it's some sort of an animator law. And as an adult that loves cartoon, I of course watch the shows on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. That's a no brainer.

Well, most of them, anyway. There are some shows on Adult Swim that I find so mind-numbingly dumb, that they're like torture to watch all the way through. At the top of that list is Tom and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! I think that show is just ridiculous and I have never been able to watch an entire episode. Some people love it, and I can respect that, but I think it's just stupid.

That said, I have to admit that I think the music video for Major Lazer's "Keep It Goin' Louder" is kind of funny, considering that it's directed by Eric Wareheim; one half of the comedy duo responsible for Tom and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

It's the same sort of humor and graphics as the show, but somehow it works a lot better as a singular music video than it does as an actual TV series. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The Society Cometh...

I was originally going to wait a few weeks before I wrote this post, but my excitement has gotten the better of me. If you've been reading my blog, you know I'm a fan of the TV show Smallville. I've had a few posts dedicated to it, and now you can now add another to the list.

However, this post is like none before, because my nerd excitement level is through the roof. The Justice Society of America is coming to Smallville...


This is huge. Debuting in 1940, the Justice Society of America, or JSA, was the first team of superheroes in comic book history, and indeed the first time readers realized all their favorite superheroes existed in the same universe. They were the all-star team of DC Comics, if you will. No longer did readers have to buy separate comic book titles to catch the adventures of their favorite superheroes; they were now all together in one comic.

But enough of the history lesson. Although Smallville has introduced many guest characters from the pages of DC Comics before, this is the first time an entire team will be introduced, as well as the first hint at a larger superhero world outside of Smallville. Every prior introduction has been within the mythology of the show, but the introduction of the JSA is going to blow the doors wide open. We will know that there is an entire world of heroes, and that this is no longer a show set within Smallville or Metropolis, but indeed the entire DC Universe. I can't wait!

So, without further ado, here are some photos from the upcoming two-hour movie event airing the beginning of next year, as well as some screen caps from the promo; featuring Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Stargirl, Sandman, and a Green Lantern ring!







And for a look at the promo itself...

Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Sometimes, it's good to be a nerd.

We get excited over the little things. And tonight is one of those times, because tonight's episode of Smallville introduces us to Zan and Jayna, the Wonder Twins.

Yes, those Wonder Twins.

From the Super-Friends.

The ones with the pet monkey.

Why, you might ask, is Smallville introducing characters from a 70s cartoon show that never really had a presence in the comic books? Who cares?! Smallville is a reality in and of itself that doesn't need any connections to the comic books. As such, it is able to introduce any character with a fresh take - free from convoluted continuity - to be reintroduced into the Superman mythos.

So, let's learn a little bit more about Smallville's newest residents:

Together with their pet monkey, Gleek, Zan and Jayna are siblings from the planet Exxor, able to activate their powers by fist bumping and speaking the words, "Wonder Twin powers, activate!" Zan is able to transform into water at any state (liquid, solid, gas), as well as weather patterns involving water, such as a blizzard, a monsoon, or a typhoon. Jayna can transform into any animal, real or mythological, native to Earth or extraterrestrial.

So, there we go, a little info on the Wonder Twins. Who's next, Apache Chief and Silver Samurai? With Smallville, you never know.

Shark Tank Tuesdays

This installment of Shark Tank comes from the Canadian version of Dragon's Den. Enjoy.

Speedy

I love the TV show, Smallville. I'll admit it. A lot of people have given up on it, and I completely understand why, but as a huge comic book fan, I can't stop watching.

I wish I could quit you...

One of my fave things the show has been doing quite a bit in recent years in the introduction of several characters from DC Comics. In the last 3 seasons alone, we've seen the introductions of Bizarro, Supergirl, Black Canary, Plastique, Maxima, Doomsday, the Legion of Superheroes, Toyman, Zatanna, General Zod, Metallo, and the latest addition, Roulette.

However, tonight's episode gives up our latest introduction, Speedy. For those unfamiliar with the character, here's a little bio on her:

Once a teenage runaway involved with child prostitution, Mia Dearden was rescued by Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow, and became his sidekick, Speedy; an accomplished archer and hand-to-hand combatant.

I'm particularly excited about this character's introduction because a) it has the potential to be a recurring character, and b) a sidekick on Smallville would be awesome. Sidekicks have always been a staple in DC Comics. It would be nice if if there was one on one of its TV shows.

SYTYCD

I love this show. As a former dancer - back during what I call my "glory years" - this shows reminds me just why I loved, and still love, dancing. Season after season, I see performances that leave a lasting impression; whether it's for their humor, choreography, emotion, etc.

So, when it was announced that SYTYCD would be having a bonus season during the fall season, on top of its regular summer season, you can imagine how excited I was. As Wrigley and Chris Brown would say, "double the pleasure, double the fun."

Sadly, I am coming to realize that SYTYCD should've been left as a summer show. Having it compete with some of my regular fall shows has had me make some tough decisions. More importantly, it is having to take the backseat to baseball, which is forcing broadcast scheduling conflicts and the show's format to change. It's no longer the show I've come to love. Hell, I didn't even know who the Top 20 were until this week. If I don't know who they are, how am I supposed to care about them? How, I ask?!

I'll continue watching and I continue looking forward to more memorable routines, but I hope it goes back to just being a summer show after this season. Back to where it can have the attention it deserves. Back to where I can look forward to Wednesdays and Thursdays.