A more genÂtle verÂsion of George CarÂlin, Fry’s views appear heartÂfelt while parÂtakÂing of seriÂous irony. He claims that in order to propÂerÂly appreÂciÂate our present lives, “even if it isn’t true, you must absoluteÂly assume that there is no afterÂlife.” ChoosÂing his posiÂtions to argue as much for their rhetorÂiÂcal audacÂiÂty as anyÂthing else, he argues for polyÂtheÂism in favor of monotheÂism, and he treats the issue of the divine presÂence in nature by refÂerÂencÂing the life cycle of a parÂaÂsitic worm. He seems an apt voice to add to the new atheÂist debates, at least as amusÂing as Dawkins and much moreÂso than Sam HarÂris. This clip is added to our colÂlecÂtion of 250 CulÂturÂal Icons.
He looks like Bob Dylan. He sings like our birthÂday boy Bob Dylan. And yet he’s covÂerÂing perÂhaps the cheesiÂest 80s sitÂcom theme song ever made — which makes it all the more hilarÂiÂous…
Back in 1964, Peter SellÂers (aka Chief InspecÂtor ClouseÂau in The Pink PanÂther films) made a cameo appearÂance on “The Music of Lennon and McCartÂney,” a teleÂviÂsion proÂgram proÂduced at the height of BeatÂleÂmaÂnia. The schtick? To read the lyrics of A Hard Day’s Night in a way that comÂiÂcalÂly recalls LauÂrence Olivier’s 1955 perÂforÂmance of the openÂing solilÂoÂquy from Richard III. It starts famousÂly “Now is the winÂter of our disÂconÂtent …” (See full text here.)
Forty years after George CarÂlin first stopped by The Tonight Show (1966), he made one of his last appearÂances, delivÂerÂing a rap/poem that’s clasÂsic CarÂlin, a hypÂnotÂic riff on modÂern life and sociÂety. The lyrics appear right below.
I’m a modÂern man,
A man for the milÂlenÂniÂum,
DigÂiÂtal and smoke free.
A diverÂsiÂfied mulÂtiÂculÂturÂal postÂmodÂern deconÂstrucÂtionÂist,
PolitÂiÂcalÂly anatomÂiÂcalÂly and ecoÂlogÂiÂcalÂly incorÂrect.
I’ve been uplinked and downÂloaded.
I’ve been inputted and outÂsourced.
I know the upside of downÂsizÂing.
I know the downÂside of upgradÂing.
I’m a high tech lowlife.
A cutÂting edge state-of-the-art bicoastal mulÂtiÂtasker,
And I can give you a gigaÂbyte in a nanosecÂond. (The rest after the jump…) (more…)
What can we say about Gary ShteynÂgart? The novÂelÂist appeared last year in The New Yorker’s 20 Under 40 FicÂtion Issue (which listÂed authors “who capÂture the invenÂtiveÂness and the vitalÂiÂty of conÂtemÂpoÂrary AmerÂiÂcan ficÂtion.”) He teachÂes writÂing at ColumÂbia UniÂverÂsiÂty and counts James FranÂco as one of his stuÂdents. And he’s willÂing to husÂtle a litÂtle to sell a book. When his novÂel Super Sad True Love StoÂry came out last sumÂmer (find NYTimes review here), the quirky Leningrad-born author (key to underÂstandÂing what comes next) released a satirÂiÂcal, self-depÂreÂcatÂing trailÂer to proÂmote his book. JefÂfrey Eugenides, Jay McInÂerÂney, Edmund White, Mary GaitÂskill and FranÂco himÂself all get in on the joke … which gets betÂter as it goes along.
ShteynÂgart’s book just came out in paperÂback last week. To mark the occaÂsion, Fresh Air re-aired an interÂview with him (sans accent) last week. His book is also availÂable as an audio downÂload via Audible.com, and here’s how you can snag a free copy…
There is no exact date for this silent home movie shot at the ReseÂda, CA home of Stan LauÂrel’s daughÂter, Lois. But the year must have been 1956, because, durÂing that year, OlivÂer Hardy, the othÂer memÂber of the great comÂic duo, lost more than 150 pounds, resultÂing in a comÂplete change of his outÂward appearÂance. Hardy had a mild heart attack in 1954 and startÂed lookÂing after his health. But letÂters by Stan LauÂrel indiÂcate that OlivÂer was also sufÂferÂing from canÂcer. In SepÂtemÂber 1956 — probÂaÂbly not long after this movie was made — OlivÂer sufÂfered a major stroke, which left him unable to speak and conÂfined to bed for sevÂerÂal months. Then, at the beginÂning of August 1957, he had two more strokes and slipped into a coma from which he nevÂer recovÂered. He died on August 7 that year.
ExactÂly one week after OlivÂer’s death, Stan gave a rare radio interÂview and recountÂed the moment when he and OlivÂer met for the first time. The full, one-hour interÂview can be enjoyed here. Stan died on 23 FebÂruÂary 1965 after sufÂferÂing a heart attack of his own. He was buried at ForÂest Park MemoÂrÂiÂal Park in BurÂbank. Footage from the funerÂal shows celebriÂties such as Dick Van Dyke, Buster Keaton and George ChanÂdler in attenÂdance. Stan’s friend Dick Van Dyke delivÂered this movÂing euloÂgy.
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