| Archives of Nolan's Pop Culture Review | ||
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 THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW "Walk The Line" by Mike Smith | ||
COUCH POTATO CONFESSIONS Sony Hacked My PC by Vinnie Blesi | ||
MIKE'S RANT Bastards!...Just The Facts, Ma'am....Funny Guy....Jaws: The Story, Part 42 by Mike Smith | ||
LETTERS | ||
Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our sixth calendar year!
Number 295 (Vol. 6, No. 46). This edition is for the week of November 14--20, 2005.
NEW SECTION ON CF NEW PCR TOP 10 CHALLENGE From Mike Smith: It's been more than three years (issue #117) when readers of the PCR listed their 10 favorite cover songs. So, what could be next? Of course, how about the WORST cover songs you've ever heard. I'll give you a hint...one of mine is from a former Hardy Boy!
When I made this challenge a few weeks ago, I wasn't talking about William Hung singing "Achy Breaky Heart" or William Shatner reciting "Rocket Man." I was talking about actual singers who, for one reason or another, decided to butcher a classic. Here are the 10 WORST Cover songs I've ever heard, in reverse order:
10. "Something" - Frank Sinatra. The Chairman of the Board called this George Harrison classic the greatest love song ever written. Except for when he sings it. Frank once introduced this song as having been written by "two kids called Lennon and McCartney." To make matters worse, when he got to the bridge he made the song "his" by singing, "You stick around, Jack, she might show." Still, a nice song anyway. And in other news...
PAT ROBERTSON vs DOVER, PENN: GOING TO HELL? Just as last week's PCR was being "put to bed", word came in that the perennially insane televangelist condemned the town of Dover, Pennsylvania for "rejecting God" because they voted to exclude Intelligent Design from the school curriculum (by voting off board members who supported it). He went on to say if disaster ever struck Dover "don't look to God for help".
"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."
"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.
I wanted to say last week, and before any of the faithful flew into a panic over Robertson's remarks, that this is the same guy who, together with his buddy Jerry Falwell, told America that 9/11 happened because of rampant homosexuality (among other things)! I haven't read any retractions or apologies concerning his remarks about Dover, so I assume it's being left to stand.
To the residents of Dover from yours truly: GOOD ON YA! Count me in as a supporter. As per the certifiable Mr. Robertson, his bullying tactics, like those of his soul-mate Jerry Falwell, should never be an influence in deciding schooling issues, except where they have to do with organized religion.
RALPH EDWARDS ("THIS IS YOUR LIFE") PASSES AWAY AT 92 Edwards started "Truth or Consequences" on radio in 1940. He introduced legendary emcee Bob Barker to the world on the TV version of "Truth or Consequences" in 1956 (of which I was I faithful follower of the 1960's syndicated version).
Arguably "This Is Your Life" is Edwards' most revered creation. Introduced on radio during the '40s and later continued on television, "This is Your Life" spotlighted the lives of ordinary people, and some celebrities, by surprising them with people from their past during the show.
"The People's Court" made a celebrity of retired Judge Joseph A. Wapner, and for all intents and purposes, introduced (or reivented might be the better term) the real-life, prime-time court drama. ("The People's Court" was mentioned several times during Rainman as Dustin Hoffman's autistic character would count down the minutes to "Wapner".)
So another legend from television's (or radio for that matter) Golden Age has left us. Ralph Edwards was 92.
EDDIE GUERRERO 1967-2005 by Chris Woods For those of you who aren't wrestling fans, Eddie
Guerrero was a huge star in the world of wrestling for the past ten
years. He was a top star in the WWE till the time of his death,
holding many titles including the World Heavy-Weight Championship.
Instead of talking about Eddie's death, I want to talk about how he
lived. Guerrero was born into a wrestling family in El Paso, TX. His
father and two brothers were wrestlers. Also his nephew Chavo is a
wrestler. Eddie first entered a wrestling ring at about the age of
four or five (The family had a ring in their backyard). He became a
big star in Mexico and made his first big impact in America in the
mid-nineties in ECW and later in WCW. At the turn of the century,
Eddie entered the Mecca of them all, The World Wrestling Federation
(now known as World Wrestling Entertainment) where he became an even
bigger star and wrestling at many of the top pay-per-view events like
Wrestlemania.
Guerrero also overcame many demons in his life. His
battles with drugs and alcohol, his family leaving him at one point in
his life, and loosing his job for a short time with WWE. But, Eddie
fought his demons and made a huge comeback. Getting clean and sober,
getting his wife and kids back, and getting to wrestle again.
Eddie
was a great influence in the Hispanic community, with wrestling fans,
and people from all likes of the world, who, too, have fought with their
own personal demons and overcame them. Eddie was also very religious
and would always try to inspire others with his new faith.
Eddie was
also a local here, living in the Tampa Bay area for years until
recently when he moved his family to Phoenix.
Eddie Guerrero was
honored by his fellow wrestlers this past Monday on WWE's Monday Night
RAW. The WWE put on a top-notch show which featured great matches and
segments with Eddie's peers saying their good-byes. Wrestlers like
Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, and Chavo Guerrero, who have
known and wrestled with him his entire career, broke down in tears when
remembering their fellow brother. Eddie, our thoughts and prayers go
out to your family. You have entertained and captivated us all, and
you will truly be missed.
For more on the Life of Eddie Guerrero, go
to www.wwe.com.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to John Lewis, aka, "The Creature From Clearwater" who turns 51, Monday, October 21st. Many Happy Returns!
While perusing the PCR Archives recently on an unrelated matter, I discovered an embarrassing birthday oversight: A BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY to master comic artist and story-teller Scott A. Gilbert who turned 44 September 18th. Woops! Sorry, Scott, but Many Happy Returns anyway!
Our old friend Rick Gershman of the St. Pete Times has honored me and the Guzzo Bros with a very entertaining write-up in the paper's online personal blog regarding the re-location of the Coffeehouse Film Review in Ybor. While you're on the site, read Rick's bio, it's really funny.
Plus...
• Tampa Giant Comic Con this Sunday
THE WORLD OF NOLAN
I am very happy to announce my much-delayed internet video series, The World of Nolan, is finally back on track after a year's delay! Please find the link at the top of this page to the current show (the Creature Feature commentary) and let me know what you think. I'm commited to making TWON more regular for many reasons, not the least being it's mainly why this website came into being in the first place!
Future episodes will feature interviews with local filmmakers and will include clips and trailers. Also in the works are "At The Movies"-type review shows with guests; other episodes will likely be round table discussions of pop culture topics.
More like an new archives page than a new section (at least for the moment), the "UFOs and Paranormal" section of Crazed Fanboy will debut later this week. It will be a compendium of links to anything and everything we ever wrote on the topic or ever will write. In time, I can see articles and research being done for this section exclusively.
Mike Smith's newest Top 10 challenge has not gotten any feedback yet, so I'm bumping it up to the front page in case not enough of you saw it in The Rant.
9. "American Pie" - Madonna. Perhaps this is what Don McLean meant when he described "the day the music died."
8. "Sweet Child O' Mine" - Sheryl Crow. No wonder Axl Rose stopped singing.
7. "Dream, Dream, Dream" - Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal. Sadly, unlike "Dallas," this wasn't a bad dream. Gibb died after this song was released. Not sure if this song had anything to do with it.
6. "Shaft" - Sammy Davis, Jr. I hear this dude Shaft is a bad mother...SHUT YOUR MOUTH! No, Sammy, I'm serious. Shut your mouth!
5. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - Britney Spears. And she tries. And she tries.
4. "I Saw Her (Him) Standing There" - Tiffany. Before Britney there was Tif. Now if only Mrs. Federline will follow the '80s mall queen to the pages of "Playboy!"
3. "Behind Blue Eyes" - Limp Bizkit. No one knows what it's like to kill a Who song? Why, Fred? Why?
2. "To Love Somebody" - Michael Bolton. Or "(Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay" or "Yesterday" or "When a Man Loves a Woman." Take your pick, Bolton's killed them all.
And the worst cover song of all time:
1. "Once Bitten Twice Shy" by Shaun Cassidy. That's right. Joe Hardy (or was he Frank) started his career with a cover of "Da Doo Ron," and pretty much ended it with this one! Has to be heard to be disbelieved!
First of all, I want to thank all of you who wrote in and made your feelings known regarding the recent Evolution vs Creationism debacle. Like always, I learned a lot about how everyone thinks and why they reach the conclusions they do. Well...actually that doesn't apply to everybody. I still haven't figured out what makes televangelist Pat Robertson tick and I'm not likely to.
Passings...
The legendary producer (This Is Your Life, Truth or Consequences, The People's Court among many, many others) died in his sleep at his West Hollywood home Wednesday.
The world of professional wrestling has lost one of their greatest. On
November 13th, Sunday morning, Eddie Guerrero passed away in his hotel
room in Minneapolis.
TAMPA GIANT COMIC AND TOY CONVENTION THIS SUNDAY
Just a reminder to Tampa-area fandom that the next Doubletree Inn Con is this Sunday, November 20. For more information regarding guests, directions and the like please log onto http://www.comicbookconventions.com/tampaconvention
