Getting ready for bed

But just thought I should put down that today, on my 9th wedding anniversary, Lacey and I watched, after many urgings from others, Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog. Very fun, but I'm glad I watched it streaming over on Hulu rather than downloading from iTunes.

Speaking of Dr. Horrible and Neil Patrick Harris, turns out some wag has turned Doogie Howser's old web journal from the TV show into a blog/

http://doogiehowsermd.blogspot.com/

Hat tip, Roy.

The Red Balloon

Hey, if you're in Austin and you haven't seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to go check out Tounge and Groove's production of the Red Balloon. I saw it tonight and it's fantastic. But don't just take my word for it.

Story of a Sign

Courtesy of Brenner, a very sweet little short film. Enjoy.


HISTORIA DE UN LETRERO (THE STORY OF A SIGN)

Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction

I've been remiss in posting these. I'm not a Halo player, but I've been working for the past few months for the really cool dudes at Rooster Teeth Productions on their latest Red vs. Blue series, RvB: Reconstruction. Take a look. I play Agent Washington in the series. I'm having a blast doing it.

Chapter 1

Hmmm. No embed code. You can check it out here.

Chapter 2



Chapter 3



Chapter 4



Chapter 5



Chapter 6



Chapter 7



Chapter 8

Montreal so far

No pictures since I didn't get an iPhone this past weekend--Austin was all sold out before I left. So far my impression of Montreal is that it's a pretty sweet city. Went to a restaurant last night with the guys where the service was Europeanly paced. I ordered the lamb. Then walked over to the Hyatt where the check in for the festival is and happened to end up getting interviewed for the local XM Radio Comedy Channel. Also, we are obsessed with the nearby convenience store Couche-tard, which is like a Canadian 7-11. The expression means "go to bed late," but because we are juvenile comedians we are calling it the Couch Tard.

Also, saw Chelsea Peretti coming out of the hotel. Then I ran into Chuck Watkins from Austin, which was a surprise. He was looking royally hung over.

Off to tech and rehearse and meet Bob Odenkirk and Bill Hader.

Just for Laughs

So, I was going to post this over on the improv forums, but then I thought it's better to just leave this little musing here where I can let creep out a little anxiety rather than just have it look like I'm tooting my own horn.

So, Backpack Picnic was one of three or four sketch groups selected to attend the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, and we depart tomorrow. Our shows are on Wednesday and Thursday. Two 15(?!) minute sets, and no video projection, thus robbing us of our most distinctive troupe aspect. Actually, as a stage troupe we hardly exist, but as an online troupe, we are one of the most prolific in the country (36 sketches and 1 TV pilot in the last year, baby). By far, this will be the biggest industry event I've ever been to, and I think that and the fact that Backpack has a TV Pilot in the can with Fort Ricky is making all of us a little anxious at the prospects of what might happen. I don't think anyone is letting it go to their heads, but still it's hard not to get a little curious about what this might all mean. Bob Odenkirk and Bill Hader are hosting the show, so even from a meeting cool folks standpoint, it'll be pretty rad. Our recent road pals the Apple Sisters will be playing as well, so it will be good to see them, too.

Actually, it's kind of weird how not nervous I am. Excited if something good does happen, able to roll with new projects if something doesn't. Maybe this is because I'm so peripheral to the whole Backpack endeavor that I don't have too much of my reputation wrapped into this thing. Or maybe it's because I've been having weird and good breaks lately, a run of good luck, that makes me not worry about it that much. Or rather, I think that the luck is the result of just being in a good headspace--like how they say you always find a relationship when you're not particularly hungrily looking for one. Let's hope it's something like that, eh?

Wish me luck.

A Power Stonger Than Itself

A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music by George E. Lewis

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was pretty much a perfect little non-fiction book (ok not that little, it clocks in at over 500 pages) for me. An oral history of an artistic moment I'm totally intrigued by and which is not written about enough, a meditation on and observation of the intricacies of creating and sustaining an artistic community, and a scholarly but not overly academic and abstract work about the socio-economic forces involved in the production and reception of art. Primo. George Lewis, in addition to being a great trombone player and composer, is a natural and fluid writer.


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Prolific Beat era artist Bruce Conner dies

Dang. I really like Bruce Conner's work. There's a great section on him in Greil Marcus's The Shape of Things To Come. Prolific Beat era artist Bruce Conner dies

My quick take on Dash Shaw's Bottomless Belly Button

The Bottomless Bellybutton by Dash Shaw

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'd give it more of a 3.5. It's weird, I really liked the book and like Shaw's style, but the payoff was a little thin for me. Also, checking out his other work, the guy's got the most lush sense of color of anyone in indie comics today, so it's a little disappointing that this work was so monochrome. Thematic choice? Maybe, but I think his usual varied palette could have done even more thematic work. Decent, but not mind-blowing. Definitely a cartoonist I'll be watching, though. Damn kid's only 25 and has a really solid grasp of sustained narrative.


View all my reviews.