Tag Archives: National Lampoon

Tracey Ullman

Fame is a funny thing. When it gets too big, it works against you, and you become overexposed. You’ve seen it time and time again; a company pushes a performer or a movie so hard, you can’t recall a time when you weren’t sick of them. Even their positive qualities become tiresome.

Then eventually, we acknowledge their talents, allowing that they were revealed during a time of intense corporate saturation.

Before 1986, there were three television networks; CBS, NBC, and ABC. Then in October of that year, Fox became the fourth, co-founded by the tyrant Rupert Murdoch. Fox would introduce a slate of unusual programming over the following two years, which included Married… With Children, The Arsenio Hall Show, 21 Jump Street, and a variety program (with animated bumpers) called The Tracey Ullman Show.

tracey1 Continue reading

Comments Off on Tracey Ullman

Filed under Animation Analysis, Bad Influences, Faint Signals, Girls of BIUL, Nostalgic Obsessions, Thousand Listen Club

I Go CRAZY

The venerable satire magazine MAD has had countless imitators during its lifespan. CRACKED, one of the strongest, went from a gag periodical to an online site in 2007, and is now devoted to politically correct clickbait in numbered list form. But the best MAD rip-off came and went in a scant ten years. It showcased artists and ideas too edgy and weird for Will Gaines’ flagship “of idiots”. Like many great things in life, it was called CRAZY.

IT WAS THE SHIT.

IT WAS THE SHIT.

Continue reading

Comments Off on I Go CRAZY

Filed under Bad Influences, Comix Classic & Current, Faint Signals, Idiot's Delight, Magazine Rack, Nostalgic Obsessions

The 10 Funniest Movies Ever (Plus 5)

The most powerful force known to our world is laughter. This is why films that make us laugh are so precious. We carry them through generations on numerous formats, and celebrate the comedians who’ve since left us. We share them with friends and loved ones, so we can laugh together. And since humor is subjective, we love to bicker over which movies are the funniest. Continue reading

Comments Off on The 10 Funniest Movies Ever (Plus 5)

Filed under Bad Influences, Faint Signals, Girls of BIUL, Movies You Missed, Nostalgic Obsessions, Saturday Movie Matinee

The Beatles

BIUL_Beatles
If my anti-Star Wars rant alienated you, this’ll send you running for the safety of the Huffington Post: I fucking hate the Beatles.

Sharing the things you love with your children is a dangerous thing. Your passion becomes their default setting. While I was growing up, everyone, parents, teachers, counselors; EVERYONE ADORED THE BEATLES.

Everyone, of course, except me. Continue reading

Comments Off on The Beatles

Filed under Bad Influences, Comix Classic & Current, Faint Signals, Late To The Party, Nostalgic Obsessions, Thousand Listen Club

Oh, The Guilt

OhTheGuiltIt’s 2015, the year of the second Back To The Future. That movie got a few things right, but I’d say the most accurate predictions appeared much earlier, in George Orwell’s 1984. That’s a book, something dullards use to prop up tables or batter their spouses.

You see, if the average millennial would crack a copy of that book, they’d see the horrible fact that we now live in that world. Free speech is literally under assault. Citizens shame other citizens- oftentimes their friends or family- and cast them out merely for their opinions. Government intervention is practically begged for, in every facet of life, if it sustains the manufactured conveniences people have convinced each other they need. The most popular media is toothless and gutted by political correctsmanship and inoffenspeak. And everyone knows what everyone else is doing.

Never forget to think for your goddamn self. That’s what the bad guys are waiting for. That’s when they’ve got you.

Comments Off on Oh, The Guilt

Filed under Comix Classic & Current, Magazine Rack