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Posted by Robsam at 01:27 AM

November 16, 2006

The Men Who Are James Bond

With the release of the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale, this week, BBC has an overview of all the actors who have portrayed the world's most glamorous spy on film, from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan and the newest British thespian to take the role, Daniel Craig. It's got lots of factoids, bio details and famous lines of dialog (Shaken, not stirred, of course).

Posted by Robsam at 12:31 AM

November 15, 2006

Tasty Celeb Gossip Linkage for the Mid-Week ...

Supermodel Naomi Campbell Tries to Plea-Bargain Her Way Out of Jail Sentence ...
Porn Producer Offered Alleged Sex Tape of Britney Spears and K-Fed ...
Tom Cruise Reportedly Too Fat to Fit INto His Wedding Suite ...
Nicole Richie Denies Talk of gastric-Bypass Surgery ...
Paris Hilton Goes Out on Date in London ...
The What Made Lindsay Lohan Call Paris Hilton the C-Word ...
The OC's Mischa Barton "Tired" of Being Skinny ...

Posted by Thurston Ali at 11:59 PM

November 12, 2006

Delectable Celebrity Gossip Linkage to Kick-Off the Week ...

BRITNEY SPEARS FOUND K-FED WITH OTHER WOMAN WEEKEND BEFORE DIVORCE
Charlie Sheen-ex Denise Richards Throws Laptop at 91-Year Old Lady ...
Oh, It's On Again: Lindsay Lohan Spits C-word About Paris Hilton ...
Madonna Disses Her Fellow Celebs ...
Snoop Dogg in Trouble with the Law Again ...
Nicole vs Nicole: Nicole Appleton Disses Nicole Richie for Being Too Skinny ...

Posted by Thurston Ali at 03:34 PM

How "Snakes on a Plane" Ended Up Promoting It's Hype More Than the Movie

Last summer's most talked-about and anticipated movie was argubly "Snakes on a Plane," the campy action thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson and, er, lots and lots of slithering serpents and on a passenger jet. After all the buzz and hype about the movie, the film was widely released theatrically with a sense of cocksure inevitability in its own financial box office glory. But the film, while not a flop, was only moderately successful and failed to match its expectations. In the end, the marketing behind "Snakes on Plane" created too much buzz for its own good. "SOAP" was a case of movie hype "helping" the promoting the buzz machine (the blogosphere, media, etc.) more than the film itself.

Posted by Robsam at 02:41 PM

The Definition of "Shizzolator"

Just to make gosh-darn sure we're all on the same page with our use of Snoop Dogg-inspired hip-hop patois
here is the definition of "shizzolator," which may differ with some popular, generally accepted interpretations of the term's meaning.

Posted by Supercore at 02:23 PM

November 11, 2006

Yet Another Cool Sony PlayStation 3 TV Commercial

This one is the "eggs" television spot for the soon-to-be-realeased (Nov. 17) Sony PlayStation 3, or PS3. Loving this ad campaign.

Posted by Supercore at 02:44 PM

November 10, 2006

Rubik's Cube Stars in Another Cool New Sony PlayStation 3 TV Ad

Here's another one of those cool new television commercials for the soon-to-be-released PlayStation3 game console. Like the baby-doll TV spot, this one is set in a stark-white, empty room. A Rubik's Cube levitates in the presence of a new PS3, which stands monolith-like and seems to be emanating some invisible, supernatural force that solves the Rubik's Cube puzzle. Cool.

Posted by Supercore at 02:34 AM

Sony's Creepy PlayStation 3 Baby-Doll Commercial

We find this new television commercial for the Sony PlayStation 3 a strangely compelling piece of advertising even though it's totally creepy. In the 30-second spot, a baby doll appears mesmerized and demonically possessed in the presence of a new Sony PlayStation 3 machine, while the new game platform starts to levitate. Word has it that Sony embedded some "clues" within the commercial for the hardcore gaming massive to discover when they watch the ad in frame-by-frame slow motion. (Arigato to Jess for the tip.)

Posted by Supercore at 02:21 AM

November 08, 2006

It's the End of Britney Spears and K-Fed As We Know It -- Britney Files For Divorce!

That's right, kids. Britney Spears and her husband of roughly two years, Kevin Federline (or "K-Fed") are getting a divorce. You'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind and holed up in a remote Himalayan mountain village not to have known this was coming. My, oh my, how times have changed -- and so very quickly, too -- since the day Spears and Federline announced their love to the world on their Web site. We remember thinking then about Federline what we still think now -- Eeeeewwww!!! His whole background reeked, but nothing more so than the fact that he left his then pregnant girlfriend (preggers with their second child) to be with Spears. He was a back-up dancer who could claim to have appeared in a Target television commercial in addition to have danced in Spears' performance troupe. As for Spears, well, in spite of whatever talents, real or otherwise, that she may possess, there's no denying that she is a pop star. But maybe we should re-phrase that -- she was a pop star. Since K-Fed entered her life, her singing career has mostly been non-existent, while her public image has imploded. She has become a celebrity joke. As a brand, she went the way of tabloid trash. But now she's making a comeback. After the recent birth of her second child with Federline, she's reportedly slimmed down, fit and ready to re-enter the spotlight with a new album. However much we can't stand her music, her persona or pretty much anything she stands for, we have to wish the girl luck. Britney, you go girl!

Posted by Thurston Ali at 03:42 AM

November 07, 2006

Can Lady Sovereign Make It in America?

We're fans of U.K. rapper Lady Sovereign. Buzz about her has been building among the underground music cognoscenti in America for well over a year now. But it is with her second disc and her first full album on Def Jam (approved by Jay Z himself) that she formally and finally makes her big debut in the U.S.A. The question is can she make it as a star in America? Or will she meet with only moderate success and remain an indie hip-hop star, in spite of much critical acclaim. This was the case with several British hip-hop and rap artists to hop the pond, as it were, in the past few years, notably The Streets (aka Mike Skinner), Dizzee Rascal, and M.I.A. We love the music of all of these artists, especially M.I.A., whose music, courtesy of DJ Diplo, is some of the freshest we've heard in years. But none of them have managed to appeal to an audience much wider than the urban hipster base in the U.S. Lady Sovereign might change that. We'd love to see her on BET.

Posted by Supercore at 11:17 PM

Video: The Workspace "Idea Catcher"

Love what Ethan, a copywriter in New York, has done to his workspace at an advertising agency. With a little help from some colleagues, he's created what has been dubbed the "Idea Catcher," a web of blue tape used to "snag" paper and objects of inspiration. Cool.

Posted by Supercore at 11:01 PM

Borat is Number One at the Box Office

Given the hype, the many funny, much talked-about television appearances and all the YouTube publicity is it really a surprise that the Borat movie came in with the biggest box office receipts of the past weekend? Well, actually, yes, it is a surprise. It's a surpise that this kind of film did this well of an opening weekend. That is to say, we expected the movie to have some degree of financial and critical success, but just not on this scale. On Sunday, we popped by our local movie theater in downtown New York City and saw that Borat had sold out at least a half-dozen screenings, while outside the cinema the lines trailed down the block. The film was produced for only $11 million, so the execs at Fox must be laughing all the way to the bank on this one because, like the Jackass movies, profit margins on low-production (non-"high-concept") movies productions like these are huge. Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) most certainly will not "be execute" (sic) back in his country when Borat's theatrical run ends.

Posted by Robsam at 09:52 AM

November 06, 2006

Choice-Cuts Gossip Linkage to Start Off Your Work Week ...

Lindsay Lohan Allegedly Dating Son of Diana Ross ... Baby, baby, baby, baby don't ...
Paris Hilton Would Rather Eat Than Have Sex ...
Nicole Richie Supposedly Stops Rehab for Shopping Spree ...
George Clooney Has the Hots for Cat Deeley, Allegedly ...
Kanye West is a Sore Loser or Prankster at Euro Video Awards Show ...

Posted by Thurston Ali at 12:24 AM

Bamboo is the New Black

In this week's "Consumed" column in the New York Times Magazine, Rob Walker looks at how bamboo is becoming known as kind of miracle textile and being used ever more widely by designers and architects. One of the things that makes bamboo attractive is it's eco-freindliness, though in some instances using it when shipped from China might be less environmentally sound than use locally produced lumber. But bamboo's real appeal seems to lie more in its aesthetic and practical qualities.

Posted by Robsam at 12:18 AM

November 03, 2006

Yum Yum ... Juicy Gossip Linkage for the End O' the Work Week ...

Scarlett Johansson's Cleavage in Full Effect
Topher Grace and Ivanka Trump Allegedly Involved with Each Other
Hong Kong Concert Promoter Calls Mariah Carey a "Diva Bitch"
Sharon Stone's See-Through Cocktail Dress
TomKat Update: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to have "Wacky" Traditional Scientology Wedding

Posted by Thurston Ali at 03:39 AM

Video: Kenny Powers' Quest to Jump Car Over the St. Lawrence River

In the early 1970's Kenny Powers, a Canadian daredevil, attempted one of the most idiotic stunts known to humankind. Powers tried to drive a rocket-powered and winged Lincoln Continental off a massive ramp and over the mile-wide St. Lawrence River and the border between Canada and New York state. The stunt cost an estimated $1 million and resulted in ... well, you've just got to watch the video. Note: watching this we were reminded of the incidental music used in an South Park episode about the founding and beliefs of the Mormon religion ... dumb dumb dumb dumb duuuummb dumb!

Posted by Robsam at 02:34 AM

November 02, 2006

Video: Borat Meets David Letterman

The Borat publicity juggernaut goes full throttle with yet another television appearance by Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen), this time on the Late Show with David Letterman. Good stuff.

Posted by Robsam at 02:13 AM

November 01, 2006

The World's Largest Skateboard Mega Ramp ...

Brazilian pro skateboarder Bob Burnquist has built the largest skateboard ramp in the world in the hinterlands of suburban San Diego. It's called a "Mega Ramp." Get this: it's about eight stories tall, 360 yards long and has a 70-foot gap boarders must sail over. Here the video clip that accompanies the New York Times article on the ramp.

Posted by Supercore at 11:06 PM

October 31, 2006

Video: Borat Opening Sketch on "Saturday Night Live"

Live from New York ... Borat does SNL. Freaking hilarious, kidz!

Posted by Thurston Ali at 02:22 AM

October 29, 2006

Tasty Weekend Celebrity Gossip Linkage ...

Nicole Richie Enters a "Clinic"
Actress Jessica Alba Getting Hot with Boy Toy in the Sea
Kate Moss Chugs Champagne in Her Underwear
Actress Tara Reid Talks About Her Breasts Issues
Ashlee Simpson Has a Bad Hair Day

Posted by Thurston Ali at 03:08 AM

October 26, 2006

The Style of 1993 Lives On in 2006

A New York Times Style Magazine article looks at style trends inspired by the fashions of 1993, when the grunge look emerged from the music underground of Seattle. We're not quite sure we see it. But some of the make-up (or, rather, the lack of make-up) and clothing of the grunge era have become a part of the contemporary style kit. We can't see flannel shirts coming back in a big way anytime soon, but Nirvana's "Nevermind" will always be a part of our MP3 collection.

Posted by Robsam at 11:53 PM

October 24, 2006

Borat Invited to Visit Kazahkastan

In an ongoing campaign to diffuse what it sees the as the tainting of their nation's image at the hands of British actor-comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, the government of Kazakhstanhas now officially invited Cohen/Borat to visit the country. Borat, the fictional TV journalist from Kazakhstan as portrayed by Cohen, is an anti-semitic, sexist rube who the Kazakhstan government fears is making their country seem like a backward place full of similarly anti-semitic and sexist people. Whether Cohen/Borat will take up the invitation is yet to be seen.

Posted by Robsam at 09:59 PM

Celebrity Portraits on Toast

We've all heard of people selling toast with images of the Virgin Mayry, et. al., on eBay, but now there's an artist creating toast with celebrity images burned into the bread. And he's making a small fortune selling these creations to collectors. Dude, we are in the wrong business. Time to get a new toaster.

Posted by Supercore at 09:18 PM

Paris Hilton Backlash Vol. 18: Nick Carter Calls Paris Drunken Prude with A Secret Teddy-Bear Stash

Former Backstreet Boy and idle, irrelevent celeb Nick Carter has spoken of that which happens in the grotto, so to speak. Or rather, he's kissing and telling, spilling the beans and dirty dishing on ex-girlfriend Paris Hilton. According to Carter, the Hilton Hotel heiress and celebutante was a herb-burning drunk whose prudish nature in the sack was only overcome with lots of pot and alcohol. Carter has reportedly said that Paris was so addicted to the wacky tobacky that in order to always have it available when traveling overseas, she would stash some in her teddy bear plush toy. And who said she as a total idiot? She may not have class, but she isn't completey stupid.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 09:04 PM

October 23, 2006

The Best Bad Review of Paris Hilton's Music Debut

Leave it to veteran music scribe Aidin Vaziri writing in the San Francisco Chronicle to pen the funniest and best negative review of Paris Hilton's recently released self-titled CD. This is one of the cheekiest and most irreverent pans of an album we've read in a long time. Good one, Aidin.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 07:58 PM

Starbucks "Salon" Brings Culture to the Latte-Set

Satrbucks recently opened a new type of coffee shop called Starbucks Salon. We visited the one in SoHo, New York City, recently and it's a big, impressive, and arty two-floor Starbucks space complete with coffee bar and an added professional performance space and stage. The Seattle-based coffee retailer and chain has been putting and out selling CDs for years and recently entered the movie business. This is the subject ofan interesting New Times article about the "Starbuck's aesthetic." Which makes us wonder about the extent that a business like Starbucks can play a role as arbiter of popular cultural tastes and patron to the arts. For many Starbucks plays a unique role in their lives. It's not only a place to buy and consume coffee but it has become for many people an extension of their living room, den, study or library. The very spaces that we often relax and consume culture in their homes.

Posted by Supercore at 07:38 PM

Celebrity Perfumes Are a Dime a Dozen

The past couple of years have witnessed a sharp rise in the number of new perfumes and colognes being brought to market. As Rob Walker explains in his always illuminating "Consumed" column in the New York Times Magazine, many of the news scents are being launched by celebrities or for some celeb's as a line-extension of their existing clothing label. A lot of new parfums fail and for those branded with a famous actor's or pop singer's name the track record is bad or the popularity of the bottled scent is short-lived.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 07:34 PM

October 20, 2006

The Comedy of Demetri Martin Goes on the Road and the Web

Demetri Martin is one of the funniest young stand-up comedians in America today. He is truly an original comic. His style brings to mind the deadpan, clever one-liner observations of Steven Wright. You may have seen Martin's concert special on Comedy Central in the past year or caught him doing a segment on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he is an occasional guest reporter and "expert." Though Martin has been playing clubs around the country, he's now on a proper comedy concert tour and has a promotional Web site called Clearification.com that has some of his short sketch comedy videos and audio clips of his routine. Great stuff.

(A big domo arigato to Sam. C for the tip.)

Posted by Supercore at 01:51 AM

There's a Blog About ... Tuna!

Seriously, folks, there's a blog about tuna ... ya' know ... the fish. Well, it's not so much about the fish in and of itself, that is, about the species, but rather about tuna as a food product, and specifically in it's canned form. Tunablog.com is a web site put together by the United States Tuna Foundation (naturally, that's the U.S.T.A. to you and us). The Tuna Blog title is qualified by the tagline "Everything You Need to Know About Canned Tuna in the U.S." We kid you not. (You can't make this stuff up!) Apparently, there's a lot one needs to know about tuna.

Posted by Supercore at 01:49 AM

October 15, 2006

How Friendster Failed and 13 Other Social Networking Sites Won

Remember back in 2003, homies, when Friendster was all the rage? Since then it has quietly dispappeared from the buzz around social-networking, while copycat and better social-net sites likes MySpace emerged, built up a massive base of registered users and were bought for over half a billion dollars by News Copr. in 2005. Freindster practically pioneered the the social-networking phenomenon as we know it. Within a year of its launch in 2003 it was offered $30 million by Google, which the new start-up turned down. From there it gradually failed to capitalize on its momentum and failed to become a huge moneymaking dotcom success story. So much so that it was recently ranked number 14 in social-networking sites. Oh, how those giant egos at Friendster have fallen.

Posted by Supercore at 12:40 PM

October 13, 2006

The End of CBGB's

Though by now it's no surprise, the official last day and final performances at legendary downtown New York City music venue CBGB's have been confirmed. The club is closing after 33 years in business due to the end of its lease. The full cryptic name of the club is CBGB OMFUG, which few seemed to know were initials that stand for "country, bluegrass, blues and other music for uplifting gormandizers." The club has still been a very active venue in the decades since it was the epicenter of the downtown new music scene, the place most associated with the rise to fame in America of bands such as The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Television and Patti Smith. Sting and The Police, as well as the Sex Pistol's Sid Vicious, had once played the club on early US tours. And many famous acts have played there early in their careers, including the Beastie Boys and The Strokes. But the most important and relevant venues for New York's underground and emerging music scenes have long since moved to other clubs thoughout downtown Manhattan and, more notably, throughout Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which seems to have more musicians either living, recording, rehearsing or performing in a half mile radius than anywhere else in America. Everyone is mourning the closure of CBGB's, but in a sense it died a long time ago. CBGB's is now a brand that can be found on t-shirts worn in suburban middle America to suburban Tokyo. That owner Hilly Kristal is considering re-opening CBGB's in Las Vegas says everything about the value of the name and its future. Neverthless, the club is a New York institution and an icon of underground music. CBGB's Gallery, an adjacent space, has already shuttered it's doors for the last time. This weekend CBGB's will too, R.I.P.

Posted by Robsam at 12:21 AM

October 06, 2006

Man Sets Record for Wearing 154 T-Shirts at One Time

Yup, it's true. Matt McCallister, a radio DJ in California, has officially set a Guiness record for the most t-shirts worn by a person at one time. That total number of shirts is 154. As the video above documents, that's a helluva lot of cotton tee bulk.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 03:04 AM

September 28, 2006

Paris Hilton Backlash Vol. 17: Paris Charged with Drunk Driving

It's now official. Heiress Paris Hilton has been charged for driving under the influence of alcohol and is now a defendent it what will be a formal court process starting with her arraignment in Los Angeles. According to reports, Hilton was charged Tuesday with two misdemeanor counts stemming from her DUI arrest earlier this month. The latest news is that her actual arraignment will be in December after a formal postponement was made by the court.

Hilton could be sentenced to up to six months in prison if found guilty, though we think the chances of that happening are the same as the chances of Ashlee Simpson suddenly not sucking. We speculate that Hilton will get a slap on the wrist, do some community service and -- before you can say "It's Hot" -- she'll be tearing up the streets of West Hollywood again, high on Red Bull and vodka and hunting for the nearest In-and-Out Burger.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 12:14 AM

April 19, 2006

How to Make Star Wars X-Wing Fighters Out of Paris Metro Tickets

Seriously, some people have way, way, way too much free time on their hands. A French bloke has taken purple Paris Metro tickets, which are small, yet made of a heavy, thick paper stock, and used the tickets to make Star Wars X-Wing Fighters. This page is in French but has lots of photos of the things, which is all you really need to appreciate this droll and unusual kind of ephemeral pop-culture artifact.

Posted by Supercore at 12:01 AM

March 29, 2006

Mexican Coca Cola as Underground Consumer Trend in U.S. Say "Hola!" and Drink Up!

There's a story popping up in the media (here and here). about the increasing popularity in the United States of Mexican Coca Cola, which reportedly tastes differently from the American-made counterpart bottled and distributed throughout North America. Mexican Coke is starting to be increasingly smuggled into small retailers and restaurants north of the border, as customer demand for it rises. Coca Cola made in Mexico is said to be made with "real" sugar and thus tastes sweeter and "better." According news reportage, Coke says there is no difference. Hmm. Interesting fact: Mexico has the highest rate of consumption per capita of Coca Cola in the world.

Posted by Thurston Ali at 02:08 AM

March 13, 2006

Red Bull Energy Drink Buys a Soccer Team

Arguably the world's best-known and fastest-growing energy drink brand, Red Bull set it sights on diversifying by buying an Austrian football, er, "soccer," team last year when they snappped up what is now called Red Bull Salzburg. But Red Bull, which is an Austrian company itself, has expanded its mini-sports empire. The company has paid about $100 million for the hideously named New York New Jersey Metrostars. (Seriously,"New York New Jersey Metrostars," that is the club's name, or, rather, that is what it was. Red Bull has wisely renamed the club "Red Bull New York." Despite the corporate name, it rolls off the tongue quite nicely. However in a very New York sort of irony, the new New York team will continue to play in New Jersey, and, in fact, the club is currently building a brand new stadium in NJ. Not that too many people care about this development, nor that too many people have cared about the Metrostars themselves. New Yorkers care more about Manhattan potholes than about their professional soccer team. Anyway, the Red Bull purchase is a step in the right direction. Go, Red Bull New York! Go!

Posted by Thurston Ali at 09:18 PM

October 06, 2005

The J. Crew Flip Flops of Britney Spears

Britney Spears is auctioning a whole lot of personal wardrobe items online in the name of charity. Among the many clothing items are several pairs of flip flops, including the pair of J. Crew flippers pictured above. Proceeds go to victims of Hurrican Katrina. The auction is admirable and generous on Spears' part, and it's a nod to her Louisiana roots. But, dude, you've got to draw the line somewhere. And that somewhere is a degree less personal and more hygenic than, say, undergarments. (Unless, of course, you're one of that subset of middle-aged Japanese salarymen with a panty fetish who pay top dollar that sort of thing.) We draw the line at footwear -- sneakers, socks, sandals, flip flops, basically anything that can be affected by fungi or become permanently malodorous is off limits. We mean, people, look at those gross foot stains on those J. Crew flip flops Spears is offering. We don't care if she wore these while gving birth to her first child last month. Hmm ... now we wonder, will there be a spike in the sale of (new) J. Crew flip flops due to the publicity of Spears' auction? And, by the way, who would have thought of Britney wearing anything by J. Crew ... it's just so not-Britney!

Essential Links

Spears Opens Closet to Help Storm Victim [AP/MetroMix]
Britney Spears Official Website
EBay

Posted by Thurston Ali at 08:46 PM

August 12, 2005

Meet Gameboyzzz, Handheld Music Nonstop

You could call Gameboyzzz Orchestra Project an art experiment. You can simply call it a band. More precisely, you can call them an electronic music ensemble from Poland. And while that's enough to qualify them as "unusual" in the global scheme of things, they are not the only collection of digital musicans to produce beats and bleeps in the former East European nation that brought us Kilbasa and a recent Pope.

No, what set Gameboyzzz apart and makes the group truly unique in this world is their chosen musical instrument. It's that very finest of gaming handhelds dreamed up many years ago by visionary otaku in Kyoto, Japan. Gameboyzzz make music using the Nintendo Gameboy. Or, rather, a collection of Gameboys. The group's musical output is something akin to Kraftwerk, but minimalist and stripped down to a Super Mario sonic palette.

Check out their site via the link below. Once there you can download MP3s of recent live performances and watch video of some TV appearances in Europe.

Gameboyzzz Orchestra Project Website

Posted by at 12:38 AM

May 04, 2005

It's the Paris Hilton Podcast! Uh, Whatever ...

Podcasting has been receiving tons of attention in 2005 -- and rightly so -- though the media paradigm for on-demand MP3-based programming is still nascent. So we were a little surprised when Adam Curry announced in his Daily Source Code podcast last week (which we listen to religiously) that Paris Hilton would have her own podcast called, naturally, The Paris Hilton Podcast.

The Hilton podcast would be part of Paris's efforts to promote the new movie House of Wax, in which the celebutant co-stars in what is largely seen as her first true film-acting role to date. (Paris has appeared in other films and on television shows, but those appearances have been mostly cameos or her appearing as herself.)

We were surpised by the news of her podcast not so much because it's Paris Hilton, but because the people who "handle" her and the marketing folks working on House of Wax -- a stew of corporate suits and MSM marketing "creatives" -- jumped on the podcast idea so quickly and for such a highly visible mainstream media product, er, ya' know, big Hollywood studio movie with a mega-huge marketing budget. The very appearance of the Paris Hilton podcast link on the House of Wax website and the hype ensures positive exposure for the podcast meme in general. And as ex-con Martha would say, it's a good thing.

So what's the Paris Hilton podcast really like? We're mixed on it. But that said, you've got ot hear it at least once (which may be all that it takes to make this a hit in its own small, movie-marketing niche way). In the first episode, Paris records her podcast intro while sitting in the green room of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City just minutes prior to her apearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

The bulk of the podcast is closer to what might be called a "sound-scene tour." It's basically audio-verite of Paris and her handlers making their way out of the Ed Sullivan theater after her appearance with Dave. We get to hear her as she talks about the plan to work a crowd of adoring fans and paparazzi waiting outside the theater. She poses for the mass of screaming photographers and signs autographs for hysterical fans before ducking into a car to head out for dinner at fabulous downtown Manhattan restaurant Cipriani.

Prediction: Paris and the podcast will be a limited thing for now. That is, its just for the movie and won't have a life of its own beyond the first week of release. Which is shame, because a regluar Paris Hilton podcast could be a very good thing for podcasting. On the other hand, the first Hilton podcast suggests that beyond focused promotion and the aural voyeurism of backstage sound scenes, a Paris Hilton podcast would have little to offer listeners in so far as sustainable, compelling and engaging content. But ya' never know, kids.

Related Links

Paris Hilton Podcast [House of Wax Movie]

http://houseofwaxpodcast.com/rss.xml[URL for Podcast RSS Feed]

House of Wax Movie Reviews [MetaCritic]

Paris Hilton Biography [Wikipedia]

Posted by Supercore at 12:26 PM

March 29, 2005

NWA and Straight Outta Compton Go Acoustic

You remember NWA, right? Dr. Dre and Ice Cube were the most notable spawn of this ground-breaking late 1980's hip hop group from the LA ghetto-burb of Compton (or, the C.P.T., as the locals call it). NWA was the first true gangsta rap act (the real OGs) to the extent that they largely and inadvertantly defined the sub-genre with their sudden success and in doing so helped to establish the foundation for the gangsta pose and the West Coast style, which would dominate hip hop a few years later.

The seminal and break-out NWA tune is their classic "Straight Outta Compton," an angry and defiant pop cultural shot across bow of complacent Bush-era America (the first Bush-era, that is). The stark song was infused with violent and threatening lyrics that raged against the authorities and the inherent dangers of daily life in the hood. In this case, the hood was gangs-, guns- and drugs-ridden South Central Los Angeles. "Straight Outta Compton" was as hugely controversial as it was successful. Initially an small, underground hit, once college radio and -- later -- MTV got a hold of it, it was a massive hit.

Fifteen years later, the song is an underground hit again, but it a different way. (And by "underground hit" this second time around, we should say it's an "viral internet hit.") A folky, acoustic guitar-driven remake by Nina gordon has brought "Straight Outta of Compton" back into the radar again and even with some degree of controversy as well.

Nina Gordon is a singer-songwriter best known as vocalist and guitarist of 1990's alt-indie-rock poster kids Veruca Salt. In her surprisngly poignant, lightweight and very white-sounding rendition of "Straight Outta Compton" she sings only the first stanza of the song, the part originally rapped by Ice Cube. (There's a link to the free MP3 of the song after the jump below.)

The song was churned out during recent recording sessions for Gordon's new solo album and seems to have been recorded more as a throw-away cover than for serious inclusion on her future CD. The MP3 has been floating around the Net for almost a couple of months now. We first heard it when Internet podcast guru-entrepeneur (and former MTV VJ) Adam Curry played it on the Daily Source Code, his regular podcast, a couple of weeks ago.

Since then, we've played the song back at least a few dozen times and even re-listened to the original NWA version, which -- no matter how good the Nina Godorn cover verison -- is still boss.

Tell 'em where ya' from! Straight outta Compton!

RELATED LINKS

Unauthorized Video of Nina Gordon's Straight Outta Compton

Official Nina Gordon Website

MP3 of Straight Outta Compton by Nina Gordon

Nina Gordon Biography [MTV]

Full Lyrics to Straight Outta Compton [Lyrics Cafe]

NWA Biography [VH1]

Ice Cube Biography [MTV]

Ice Cube Official Website

Veruca Salt Biography [VH1]

Posted by at 08:34 PM | Comments (1)

March 05, 2005

Bathing Ape Massive is a GO!

Bathing Ape Massive is a GO! It's official. The Air Massive is launching a new spin-off weblog section called Bathing Ape Massive to chronicle development and media coverage of global, East-West design. This is an area we have leaned towards often enough on the Air Massive site.

In the Bathing Ape Massive (BAM) section, we will focus on design, whether its in the form of street style, sneakers, t-shirts, graphics, art, tech gadgets, lifestyle gear, media or even furniture -- from Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas sneakers and accesories to graphic t-shirts, from Zoo York skateboards to Muji chairs, from iPods and iPod cases to toys from Kubrick and Kid Robot.

The coverage will be tilted more on the street-level tip, but anything that strikes our design antennae is fair game. Check out our introducory post and meet the editors by clicking through to the new directory, Bathing Ape Massive.

One last note, an important disclaimer: Bathing Ape Massive, this new online design journal of Air Massive, is in NO WAY directly nor indirectly associated with the brands A Bathing Ape, BAPE, or Busy Work Shop.

Thank you, our readers old and new, for your continued support and feedback!

Posted by at 11:49 PM

January 30, 2005

iPod Socks: Colorful Footwear for Your Apple iPod--"iSocks," Anyone?

Okay, so what was the brainstorm session like that gave birth to this cute and absurd accessory? Like just about everything that Apple makes, we feel strangely compelled to run out to the nearest Apple Store right away and spend money on it. (Damn you, Apple!)

The "Socks" sell in packages of six in an equal number of bright colors for $29.00 and will fit all iPod models from 1G to 4G. As the product copy says on the Apple Web site, "Dress your iPod up in any one of six vibrant color socks (green, purple, grey, blue, orange, and pink). This set of knit socks provides a stylish, fun, and practical way to protect your iPod. Fits all iPods."

But as if that wasn't enough, Apple goes out of the way to make it clear how to use the socks by adding: "Forgive us if we're stating the obvious, but here's how it works: Just slide your iPod into the sock to keep it safe and warm. Slide it out to dock or change playlists. It's as easy as... putting on a pair of socks."

No kidding. (You could probably actually wear them on your feet, too!)

The idea of an accessory for protecting your iPod isn't new. As we've seen, the design and manufacture of iPod cases is in itself a growth industry. What's novel and, depending on your point of view, either clever or nauseating is the brand/product naming: "Socks." Well, technically, "iPod Socks." Each sock even has its own prominently placed Apple logo tag.

This Socks idea is good. It's DAMN good! In fact, it's fucking brilliant! This might actually sell quite well ... I mean--damnit!--dress me in all-black right now, give me a British accent and a RISD degree, move me to Cupertino, California and give me the credit for this product concept! (And while we're making demands, give me a promotion and a raise, too.)

(Of course, we're sure a certain insanely great, mock-turtle-neck-and-blue-jeeans-wearing vegetarian CEO/genius had something to do with the final approval of iPod Socks product line.)

No diss intended to folks who work at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino. After all, we've spent enough money on Apple Computer products over the years to pay the Ivy League education of several children. (Ahem ... not our children--we don't have kids--but hypothetical children. But we did, they'd use Apple products, too--but we digress.)

Apple's exceptional hardware and sofware has served us exceptionally well. They just keep getting better (case in point, the remarkably crash-free OS X and Airport Express). There are few exceptional issues (iPod battery replacement) that continue to be a thorn in our side.

Apple never ceases to innovate with technology and design in big, important ways, as well as (as the iPod Socks suggest) ridiculously small ways. You could make a strong argument that Apple has continued to innovate as importantly in its marketing, from its groundbreaking "1984" commercial introducing the Macintosh computer to its "Think Different" campaign to its instantly recognizable ads for iTunes and iPod.

Now if only they could do something honorable about dealing with that iPod battery-life/replacement problem. Then the "iLife" would be several steps closer to perfection.

RELATED LIINKS

Apple Computer, Inc. Web Site

Posted by typhoon at 12:04 PM

August 09, 2004

B-Boys Makin' with the Freak-Freak! Break Dancing Returns to the Streets of NYC!

Talk about a retro fad that won't go away (or, rather, goes away, but then keeps coming back, then goes away again, etc.), break dancing returns to Union Square Park in New York City and--hold onto your seats--The New York Times recently looked into the matter! It's enough to make us put in an order for the "Breakin'" DVD next time we rent from NetFlix.

Break dancing, kiddies, as of course you already know, was one of the three pillars of old-school hip-hop culture, the other two being rappin' and writin' (as in graffiti writing), naturally.

Breakin', or B-boying (from the street term "B-Boy" for "break dancer"), was covered by the media shortly after the trend emerged back in the late 70's and during the early 80's just as rap music started getting mainstream attention.

B-boying was often described as a new way for rival gangs in the South Bronx, where hip-hop was born, to face off against each other without resorting to violence.

But the media usually missed the larger story, which was that the break dancing battle was often the precursor to full-on street warfare outside the club.

But hey, out of such chaos of the streets emerged a forceful cultural phenomenon. What matters now is how break dancing lives on nearly 25 years later in TV commercials, such as the recent one for Starburst candy, in which a racial mix of clean-cut Black, Asian and White pseudo-hipster kidz are breakin' with giant boombox in tow. The Starburst commercial gives us a nice socially inclusive and politically correct Gen Y portrait of break dancing as run-of-the-mill after-school hobby in suburban middle America.

But such commercialization/exploitation in the name of target-marketing to the Generation Y demographic is a far cry from the days of early B-Boy culture in the South Bronx and the likes of hip-hop godfathers like Afrika Bambaataa and early break dance troupes like the Zulu Nation and , later, Rock Steady Crew.

Not that Bambaataa, the Nation and hundreds of other inner city youth weren't interested in exploiting the commerical possibilities of the nascent dance genre to get ahead, get out of the ghetto and make a buck or two or a few hundred.

But Zulu Nation was also part of a genuine grass roots community effort to deal with gang violence and a roiling population of poor, disenfranchised minority (mostly) male youths trapped in the urban nightmare of what was then (and in some ways still is) America's worst slum.

What's cool about the Times' article is that it dwells less on the faddish retro-hipster appropriatation of break dancing and more on the true story of inspired ghetto kids struggling to actually earn a semi-living from the B-Boy life, right here, right now in 2004, for real money on real streets, complete with real hassles by real police. That's what's really returned: break dancing to break out of the ghetto and open up the road to a better life.

Here's the permanent archive link (that means NO registration required) to the New York Times story.

--A. to the T.

RELATED LINKS

What Spins Around Comes Around [NY Times]
Zulu Nation Official Web Site
History of Break Dancing [Jahsonic]

Posted by at 01:52 PM

June 19, 2004

Spiderman Takes Gotham: Marketing of Movie Sequel Brings Giant Spidey to NYC High-Rise

Guess who's coming to New York? Yes, that's right, your favorite arachnid-human mutant turned crime-fighting superhero: Spiderman! Though real-life Gotham (not Gotham City--that's for Batman, kids) is Spidey's stomping ground on celluloid, on June 30th he swings in to megaplexes worldwide in Spiderman 2, one of the most-hyped movies of summer 2004.

But before the tsunami of television ads and billboards gathers full force and steals a bit of your precious mindshare, the marketing geniuses for Sony Pictures have come up with a clever form of advertising. If you passed through Union Square, in New York, recently, you may have caught an an eyeful of a super-sized Spiderman clinging to a high-rise. (See above photo.)

The larger than life Spidey is a balloon like the ones in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but way cooler. Instead of floating down Central Park West pulled by a platoon of handlers, this balloon is crawling along the side of a Manhattan apartment building.

The above photo was snapped by Air Massive's generalissimo, Ivan Corsa, and was originally posted on the Global Graphica Web site.

We don't have the 411 on whether this giant Spiderman is appearing on skyscrapers in cities other than New York, either across the country or around the world. So if you've spotted the webbed wonder elsewhere, please drop us a line at the Massive or post a note below.

As for the Spiderman 2 movie itself, we've heard through the grapevine that it's awesome and has some surprising special effects. Tobey Maguire, of course, is back as Peter Parker and Spiderman. Kirsten Dunst is back as his leading lady. This being a sequel, we expect things to heat up a bit more between them on screen this time. Will Spiderman make the booty call? Find out June 30, kids!

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