Laying Down with Scarlett Johansson
Listen: Scarlett Johansson, Anywhere I Lay My Head
Throaty. Husky. Seductive. Scarlett Johansson is the embodiment of temptress, in that classic Hollywood sort of way. Of course, her boobs don't hurt much either. And when we first heard her sing, albeit karaoke alongside Bill Murray in the film Lost in Translation, we had to admit she did a pretty good job. But now comes her new CD, an 11 song compilation - 10 of which are Tom Waits covers and one is an original. Is it good? We think so. But don't just take our word for it. Tom Waits has proclaimed to like it. And so has David Bowie, who adds backing vocals on two of the tracks. Do you want to go against David Bowie? No one messes with Ziggy Stardust.
Actors, Singers, What's the Difference?
Play: William Shatner's "Rocket Man"
If there's one show on television (and DVD) that has its finger on the pulse of pop culture and blitzes its audience with a non-stop bombardment of hilarity, it's Family Guy. Of course some references are obvious, like when Peter impersonates a Ghostbuster and zaps Patrick Swayze from Ghost and then proceeds to charge Demi Moore for the service of ridding her of her "paranormal pest." Others make you have to think (or worse yet: Google) to get the reference, such as when Mayor West sent Quahog's finest out in search of the kidnapped sister of Joan Wilder (the fictional character played by Kathleen Turner in the film Romancing the Stone). Some are blink and you'll miss it, and some others are just... out there.
In the episode "And the Weiner is..." Stewie does this bizarre rendition of Elton John's "Rocket Man", where he's sitting on a stool, smoking a cigarette and not so much singing as throatily speaking the lyrics. The in-joke here is that the animators and innovators behind Family Guy are having Stewie do a mock-up of that true punchline rocket man, William Shatner, when he did a live rendition of the song at a 1978 Sci-Fi/Fantasy awards show. Check it. It's too good to miss. youtube.com
Surf: Wiggum for President
The W is out. Stepping up to take his place is either a woman who was already the president for eight years, the first African American to be President since Dennis Haysbert on 24, or a Republican that no one can seem to remember is even in the race. Not impressed with the choices? Step out of this problematic and controversial political box and vote for someone who we can rally behind, someone who is guaranteed to get things done. Why not elect someone we can trust? Someone who's familiar? Someone whose face and character inspires us? Someone we've known for just under 20 years now? This is a democracy after all. Vote Ralph Wiggum. The son of a police chief, Ralph is honest, reliable, dependable, and yes, maybe a little bit of an oddball. But doesn't it usually take an eccentric to get things done? wiggumforprez08.com
