The Cheeseburger Show

A few months ago, I was asked to take part in something truly awesome... a TV show about cheeseburgers. How could I resist? The project is the brainchild of Kevin Pang from the Chicago Tribune. He reached out to me after hearing that I was a cheeseburger fan. Guess good, beefy, cheesy, bacon-y news travels fast. Kevin's mission: to scour Chicago for the most delicious, succulent, juicy burgers and have fun doing it. GENIUS. The debut of The Cheeseburger Show is more than two weeks away, but you can see a sneak peek of it now. Enjoy - and thanks, Kevin!

Lost: He's Our You Pt. 2

I'm ready now.

• OFF THE ISLAND: There is travel and intrigue. I didn't need to see little Sayid kill a chicken back in Tikrit. Assassin Sayid in Moscow is kinda hot, though. Ben's hat... not hot. In Santo Domingo, Ben lies about Locke's death and tells Sayid he's a killer, as if the little scene with the chicken didn't prove that point. Hey, is Ben wearing blue contacts? I rewound the scene a couple times, and I'm starting to think the creepy blues aren't real. Anyway, on the pier, Sayid doesn't want to run into Ben again because it will suck for both of them. This is what we call foreshadowing.
• Sayid and Not Ana Lucia met at a bar! Just like Jack and REAL Ana Lucia! That's Widmore's scotch he's drinking, by the way. Sayid's the kind of guy who turns ON the light. Kinky. Then there's kicking and fighting, and this petite lady kicks the crap out of Sayid. This is what we call "not effing likely." On the Ajira plane, Sayid carefully spells out his intense loathing for the monster that is Benjamin Linus.
• ON THE ISLAND: Baby Ben brings Sayid another sandwich and the book "A Separate Reality". He clearly expresses his desire to be a Hostile. Then Horace comes down to interrogate Sayid, but come on now. No one breaks Sayid. Especially not a long-haired hippie mathematician and his jumpy nerd burger pal.
• Ah, bacon. You got me on my knees, bacon. Unfortunately, not even bacon can ease Juliet's worried mind. Before Oldham the psychopath can get to him, Sawyer wants to know how Sayid is doing. "A twelve-year-old Ben Linus brought me a chicken salad sandwich. How do you think I'm doing?" WE GET IT. YOU HATE HIM. Not wanting to live in Dharmaville and play house results in Sayid getting tased (bro) and being brought to the mysterious Oldham. They had tasers in 1977?
• Hurley made dipping sauces for the ham. Of course he did. I love how he has to spell out Sawyer and Juliet's relationship for Kate AND remind her that she's not really allowed to sulk. She did the same thing with Jack, just without Dharma jumpsuits and time travel. When she and Juliet have their Girl Talk moment, I can't help but feel like they're lying to each other. While I accept that Juliet has softened during her time on the island - looking wistfully at babies and playing house and what not - she's still capable of manipulation. She probably does want Kate to stay away, and I don't blame her.
• The sounds of Billie Holiday outside the patchwork teepee gave me a distinctly "Stealer's-Wheel-in-Reservoir-Dogs" feel. So who's Oldham? "He's our you." Episode title! Sayid gets a mouthful of sugar truth cube, and secrets come slipping out of his mouth. The truth sounds so absurd that even the psychopath thinks he's gone too far. I'm from the future! You're all going to die! Keep an eye on your new portly chef, he'll suck your ranch dressing dry! After Amy makes a tearful plea for the future of her wittle baby Ethan, there's a unanimous vote to kill Sayid. I don't think I like her.
• Sawyer wants to help Sayid escape, but he will not be moved. Sayid has a purpose now, you see. This confuses Sawyer. His leader hat is starting to look a little frayed. He asks Kate why they came back. Kate knows why she came back. Then a well-timed burning bus stops them from getting any more schmoopy, and everyone joins forces to put out the fire. Go Team Dharma!
• The final scenes with Sayid and Baby Ben just destroyed me. At this point in time, he's just a lonely kid with a lousy, abusive, sandwich-hating father. He trusts that Sayid will help him, and instead, Sayid shoots him. Last week I wondered if Ben could be swayed from the path of evil. What if it was this moment that pushed him over the edge? The universe has a way of correcting itself. When Ben shot Locke, Locke lived: the island wouldn't let him die. Was that event an echo of Ben's own past? Also, JIN?!?

Lost: He's Our You

Soooooo, I have some thoughts and observations about tonight's Lost. However, all I can think right now is "holy S**T!" I'm going to have to digest this. What the heck happens next?

90's Movie Madness!

March Music Madness is underway, and as always, IT'S AWESOME. While we at Q101 are forcing bands to do battle, Best Week Ever is doing the same thing with 90's movies... and it's ALSO AWESOME. Can't Hardly Wait vs. Jurassic Park! White Men Can't Jump taking on Bad Boys! Forrest Gump battling Batman Forever! Not only am I entertained, but I also have a full slate of movies to add to my Netflix queue. Go reminisce and vote for which movie best embodies the 90's. Thanks, Best Week Ever!

Also, I can't believe I forgot that Free Willy existed. That is not going in my Netfix queue. But just for old time's sake, here's the Michael Jackson song from the movie:

Puppets Are Funny

Before we watched Craig Ferguson's Comedy Central stand-up special last night (so good), the man and I caught about 20 minutes of Jeff Dunham. If you don't know, Jeff Dunham is a ventriloquist. He uses a variety of puppets, including a jalapeño on a stick. I found myself strangely entranced by Jeff's routine. I mean... he's a grown man playing with puppets. In this modern and cynical age, his act shouldn't be engaging. BUT IT IS. Maybe it's because Jeff's characters and voices are genuinely funny. Maybe it's because he is aware of and self-deprecating about his unusual choice of props. Or maybe it's because we all become a little more childlike and innocent when wondering just how the heck he does that. Everyone can use an occasional distraction from the daily difficulties of being an adult, right?

Whatever the reason for his success, Jeff Dunham has been rewarded for his brand of comedy. He just scored a six-episode Comedy Central series, a new stand-up special, and a DVD, all planned for 2010. ¡Viva Jalapeño!

NEW NIN - and More!

Today feels a little bit like musical Christmas. The official NIN/JA 2009 Tour page went up today, and you can download a free six song sampler from the three artists on the tour RIGHT NOW. Trent is such a giver. Besides the exclusive tracks from NIN and Jane's (which Trent produced, by the way), there are two songs from Street Sweeper, Tom Morello's new band. It. Sounds. Amazing. Seriously. I'm stunned. Go listen and enjoy!

Vintage Dharma Ads

Here's a little morning-after Lost action for you, courtesy of King Megatrip. It's a collection of "vintage Dharma ads," allegedly found in magazines from the 70's and 80's. Either the creators of Lost are MUCH better planners than we're giving them credit for, or it's a clever Photoshop project. They're still cool to look at.

Lost: Namaste

• No "previously on Lost." Weird. An unusually tense Pilot Wolf is listening to his co-pilot prattle on about how OMG the fat Oceanic Six guy is on their plane!!! The plane shakes. A flight attendant sails through the cabin. Wolf miraculously lands the plane on the small island (a runway? really?), and his chatty friend gets a tree branch through his gut. That'll teach you to distract Wolfie when he's working! Cesar wakes Not Ana-Lucia, who asks for someone: Cheryl? Shanna? No idea. Don't really care about these two yet. Sun didn't get sucked into 1977, just to prolong the time she and Jin are apart. Ben pretends like he doesn't have any idea why the others aren't there. If you believe that, I have a lovely unit in the Chicago Spire to sell you! Don't worry, I'm sure it will be ready soon.
• IN THE PRESENT: Wolf is playing the part of Season One Jack: The Leader with the ragtag crew of survivors. Cesar is sort of like Season One Sawyer: The Malcontent. Meanwhile, Ben is casually wandering away, and Sun is following him, and Wolf is following them, and couldn't this have been expedited to make room for "previously on Lost?" It's been two weeks! I needed a refresher! Anyway, Sun gloriously whacks Ben in the head with an oar, and all is right with the world.
• Alright, fine, the world is still pretty effed. Especially when the main island looks like its been ransacked, and Smoky McMonster may or may not be lurking in the shadows. Also, Jack's dad is living in the old recruitment hall. He identifies himself as just "Christian," because calling himself "Christian Shepard" would eliminate needless mystery and be SO unlike Lost. He tells Sun "you have a bit of a journey ahead of you," as he shows her a picture from the past. The fine smoky mist that swirls in through the open door wigs me out. I know you're out there, Smoky. WHAT ARE YOU?
• 30 YEARS EARLIER: the gang's all here! (Except for Sun, as we've discussed, and Locke who's dead, and Sayid, but we'll get to him momentarily.) The Hurley bear hug makes up for the icky romantic music that urges us to please, please, care about Sawyer's long-buried feelings for the perpetually greasy-haired Kate. Sawyer breaks the news that it's 1977. Hurley speaks for all of us when he says, "uh... what?" Isn't that pretty much what Hurley is for? To speak to and for us, the bewildered Lost audience? He's like a Greek chorus, but with an insatiable hunger for fried chicken. To further illustrate my point, he tells Jin: "dude, your English is awesome." The happy reunion doesn't last, though, because Jin has to go find Sun, and Sawyer has to concoct a plan/not tell Kate about his relationship with Juliet. Not that WE get to see, anyway.
• Guess who doesn't seem really happy about this development? Juliet! But she comes up with the "get our friends on the sub" plan, which is pretty good on short notice. On the ride, the Greek chorus points out that the Dharma Initiative gets wiped out: shouldn't someone warn them? You think the new and improved Sawyer hasn't thought of that, Hurley? Apparently Daniel, my grieving physicist, has some theories about what they can and can't do with regards to changing the past... but he's not on the island anymore. Where exactly did he go - and why?
• Now that they're "off the sub," it's time for the "new recruits" to "get some jobs." And look, the man of many names gets to tell Jack that he's a janitor. Every fiber of Dr. Shepard's being clearly objects to this, and it's hilarious. Kate is oddly not on the recruitment list, because Juliet wanted to remind her who's washing Sawyer's clothes these days. How ANYONE could pick Kate over Juliet is beyond me. And I usually love brunettes!
• In the Flame, we meet Radzinski, who is building a hatch-shaped model. A frantic Jin asks him if he's heard anything about a plane landing on the island. Radzinski, like so many nerds, is indignant at the suggestion that he doesn't know everything about everything. Jin roughs him up, but there's no sign of the plane. There is, however, the Muppet Show on one of the Flame's screens and a "Hostile" tripping a sensor. Paul knew it was Sayid before I did and pointed out: "Sayid is less shocked about the gun in his face than the fact that Jin can speak English so well."
• I would have loved to watch Sawyer interrogate Sayid, but Nerd Burger objects. He's seen the Swan! He cannot live! There is a great show of shoving Sayid past the new recruits and into a cell. As soon as my TV screen showed the silhouette of a lanky lad bearing the gift of a sandwich, I knew it was young Ben. Has he already made contact with Richard in 1977? That could explain why he's being kind to Sayid the "Hostile:" he's anxious to become one of them. Have the seeds of evil been permanently sown in his mind? Could our heroic castaways manage to shift his path away from wrong and avert the Purge, which is fifteen years in the future? If only Daniel hadn't mysteriously left the island so I could find these things out.
• Jack's reaction to Sawyer and Juliet is politely baffled, but his mood turns angrily sarcastic once he sees Sawyer calmly reading a book. Jack wants to resume being the leader, but Sawyer is no longer a malcontent. Instead, Sawyer drops a Churchill-inspired beating on his ass, and I applaud. Think. Don't just react. Bravo, show. If only this scene hadn't been ruined by unnecessary Sawyer/Kate googly eyes. At least she seems to have washed her hair.
• Final thoughts: 1) I am very worried about Phil the security guy. 2) MICHELLE DESSLER GAVE BIRTH TO ETHAN NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Muppets Sing Danny Boy

I'm baaaaack. It was a lovely vacation, but it's time to get back to work. Work means bringing you several beloved Muppets singing "Danny Boy." Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Watchmen Cocktails

The Watchmen movie is finally here!!! One of my favorite blogs, Pop Candy, has provided a collection of Watchmen-inspired cocktails that I must pass along to you. My favorite concept is the "Full Frontal Manhattan," although I'd actually prefer to drink the Black Freighter. I realize that I have not posted my review of the movie yet, even though I was lucky enough to see a screening of it on Tuesday. I'm still mulling it over. There's a lot to digest in the film... and a lot of full frontal Manhattan. I will say that I enjoyed the experience overall, despite the changes from the book. I could have used more Bubastis, though.

Thanks Pop Candy!

Lost: LaFleur

It's been a tumultuous couple of days at work. If you want to read about it, you can. The twists and turns of this recession have touched so many of us. All we can do is take a deep breath and look forward to better things.

So I have to apologize for not offering my usual lengthy Lost blog. I will offer the following:

• An episode full of Sawyer makes me happy, even if he shaved his beard once he became Dharma's head of security. His conversation with Mr. Eyeliner - sorry, Richard - was teh awesome, and I appreciated his use of the Black Rock when he explained his "shipwreck" to Horace. Also, I thoroughly approve of the Sawyer/Juliet combo: when they playfully bantered on the dock, I knew they'd end up falling for each other. Their relationship seems to have built naturally during three years of mutual respect and admiration... so I am already angry with Kate for (presumably) messing it up with her return. Stupid dumb Kate.
• I love that Michelle Dessler is alive and on the island. Who's her baby? Someone we know?
• That four-toed statue looks elven to me. Maybe it's the long hair, odd headgear and tunic. Maybe I have played too many video games in my time. NERD.
  
• My poor fidgety physicist looked heartbreakingly sad when he saw toddler Charlotte, and he was not shown living happily amongst the Dharma Initiative. I would guess that he had to spend some time amongst the crew, given the opening scene of the season, right? So where is he now?
  
• Jin's improved English makes me happy... which reminds me, where are Sun and Sayid?
• I am so glad that the nose bleeds are gone. I couldn't take any more.
• Is young Ben wandering around somewhere, just waiting to go bad? And this war that Widmore talked about... has it happened already? Say, in the 70's, after an uneasy truce comes to an end? Could Widmore possibly have wanted Locke and company to change an outcome he doesn't like - or to change Ben?
  

Public Enemies Trailer

Remember last year, when we were all atwitter about Johnny Depp and Christian Bale being in town to film that John Dillinger movie? Time to take a look at it. The trailer for Public Enemies is here!

Poor Indiana never gets any respect. I have a feeling this movie is going to be a good one.

Avenged Sevenfold and Jimmy Eat World: Two Reviews In One

I had two very different concert experiences this past weekend. In fact, I'm still recovering, thus the late reviews. Avenged Sevenfold, Buckcherry and Papa Roach put on a RAWK show on Friday, full of sweaty frontmen and countless f-bombs. I was pleasantly surprised by Papa Roach and pretty disappointed by Buckcherry. A7X closed out the night, and though a good chunk of people left the Allstate Arena after Buckcherry played, the smaller crowd matched the band's energy and intensity. Synyster Gates had a good five minutes of alone time on stage and absolutely slayed with his mad guitar skills. Sauce suspected that his solo portion of the evening was designed to give M. Shadows a vocal breather. Given the troubles he's had in the past (see: their cancelled Block Party '08 performance), I think my man is right. Our reward for staying to the end of the night: seeing "A Little Piece of Heaven" performed for the first time on the tour. Awesome.

Saturday night's Jimmy Eat World show was a much more personal night for me. Clarity is not just my favorite disc from their catalog: it's also one of my top ten favorite CDs of all time. I never dreamed that I'd see some of those songs live, so it was very special for me to be part of their tenth anniversary and hear Clarity start to finish. I'll admit that it was pretty emotional to stand on Metro's balcony and sing along to lyrics that define a very specific time in my life. The ability to conjure up such vivid memories and moods... that's the most magical aspect of music to me. I'm lucky to have had incredible experiences seeing so many of my favorite bands, and the Clarity tour ranks right up there. I will now stop being a ridiculously giddy fangirl.

Here's video of one of the older songs Jimmy Eat World played in their encore, and here's "A Little Piece of Heaven" from A7X's recent DVD. Enjoy.