Ads You Like It.

I was certain that the Superbowl was going to be shown on tv here in Japan today but it's not on any channel that I get. Of course, I don't even know what teams are playing! The only reason to watch this would be for the Half-time show and the ads.

I watched Prima Donna Pre-Gaga Madonna and apart from a stumble, she really struts her stuff! This may prove to be the Year of the Madonna!

 

(Aside: I don't think I've ever told this story before. When I first arrived in Japan, I worked for NOVA in Tokyo and a fair portion of the employees for that firm were of the "Don't ask, Don't tell" persuasion. I was persuaded to go to a party with several co-workers and the host of the shindig was an incredibly weathy man. The mansion had a couple of floors and there was a surprisingly large amount of uncloseted gentlemen enjoying each others' company which is a side of Japan I hadn't witnessed before or since. My straight colleagues and myself pretty much stood by the sidelines and just relished in the surrounding glory, but after several drinks I decided to break away and make use of the karaoke microphone in centre stage. The audience was thoroughly enjoying my performance of "Like a Virgin" and I enjoyed vamping it as well. A few days later, I became privy to a couple of photos that were taken of my showcase. Much to my surprise, I discovered why everyone was applauding so profoundly. Throughout the tune, there was a young man with his nose sniffing my butt the entire time!!! I wonder if those pics will ever surface on the internet?

I found some video of my performance!

Back to the ads...
According to an official Superbowl Commercials site, here are their picks for the Top Ten:
#10 was an ad for a Samsung mobile. My impression: meh.

Their pick for #9 was pretty darned good. I saw a truncated version last week and I couldn't tell you what was added. I'd have rated it higher if only for the awesome cameos.

#8 is for Bridgestone and features some Basketballers silently dribbling. Big deal, I silently dribble all the time. Btw, did you know that Bridgestone is a Japanese company? I didn't until I got here. Bridgestone comes from a calque (word-for-word) translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese.

#7 is yet another car ad. Good thing we're cutting down on all those emissions! Done by a troupe of amateurs, it's fairly well done. Is that Richard Belzer's kid at the 30 sec. mark?

Wow, hard to believe, #6 is a car ad as well but you'd be hard pressed to realize it.

#5 is not all that different from #6, but at least it shows a car actually moving.

Apocalypse Chevy! #4 is cool, I wonder if Michael Bay had a hand in it.

I like #3 but had they used Newman instead of Leno, I'd have enjoyed it more.

WooHoo, Ferris Bueller is back! Obscure if you haven't seen the movie, but who hasn't?

@#1 is Clint yattering on about the US economy. It has already been pulled but I managed to watch it on my phone earlier in the day. It was okay but I wish I could have seen it on more than a 2-inch screen.

There are several more categories in the above website and I'll peruse them eventually. Personally, I would have added this spot for John Carter...it looks incredible!

But who are we kidding? The only reason I wanted to see any commercials at all was for the minute sneak preview of The Avengers! I do hope it'll come to Japan in a timely fashion, I had to wait several months for Cap and Thor!



Avengers Assemble!

RIP: ハービー・ピーカー

氏死去　米漫画原作者


　ハービー・ピーカー氏（米漫画原作者）ＡＰ通信によると、１２日、米オハイオ州クリーブランドの自宅で死亡しているのを妻が発見した。７０歳。死因は不明。警察当局者によると、ぜんそくや高血圧症を患っていた。
　３９年、クリーブランド生まれ。７６年、病院の文書係をしていた自分の日常生活をシナリオ化、友人のアンダーグラウンド・コミックス作家、ロバート・クラム氏らが漫画にした短編連作集「アメリカン・スプレンダー」の出版を開始。同作品は同名の映画となり、日本では０４年に公開。（ニューヨーク共同）

You can always surf elsewhere for an obit in English, suffice to say that a truly great and original man passed away, Harvey Pekar. I first came acquainted with his work via his wacky appearances on David Letterman,



To be honest, I haven't read all that much of his stuff, I'm mainly acquainted with it via American Splendor and his collaborative work with Robert Crumb.

Anywho, a very strange cranky man who will be missed. I plan to be extra cranky to make up for the void.

In other news, I saw Predators today and I was duly unimpressed. You have to put your cerebral cortex on hold and just enjoy the visceral pleasure of viscera. Only complaint...it needs more Danny Trejo!!
Iwas looking real closely amongst the trophy corpses hoping to see an Alien and much to my surprise, you will see this image! Awesome!



ps. I'm lying about Wall・E, I just wanted an excuse to make another Pixar reference.



Hey, I just read that George Steinbrenner has passed on as well. It's a heart-breaker!

Leader of the Packs!

Since the Rat Pack was named by Lauren Bacall at Bogey's home, that alone puts them at the Top of the Heap. But there are other lesser important Packs out there. Here's a few...

The Frat Pack: core members include...Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Jack Black, and Steve Carell. Coined by USA TODAY a few years back, this outdated chart outlines the various criss-crossing of careers for your convenience. I've seen many of their efforts and find them more amusing than annoying, but a fine line does get tread there occasionally. The only movie of theirs that I own is Dodgeball, which I picked up for a mere fin on St. Patrick's Day at a flea market.

The one member, whose career I've followed the longest, is Ben Stiller's. I first remember him in an eponymous Fox show called The Ben Stiller Show that only lasted a short time when Fox was still in its infancy. But I was aware of his parents for decades prior to that from appearances on Ed Sullivan, Tonight Show, etc. Their marriage has lasted over 50 years...a milestone by Hollywood terms! Jerry Stiller is best remembered as George's dad, Frank Costanza on Seinfeld and I have fond memories of Anne Meara from her days on Archie Bunker's Place as the nasty waitress. If the pack can be considered a Fraternity, than these two can be considered their Den Parents for they've made several cameos in Frat Pack movies (my favourite being Zoolander! Maury Ballstein: I've got a prostate the size of a honeydew and a head full of bad memories.)
Here's the Gas Fight...



The Power Pack: cheesy kids comic from 1984 that lasted 60ish issues. I bought the first couple of dozen and enjoyed their innocence. After one two many Wolverine x-overs, I gave up on them. I understand they've been revamped a few times, but I don't know anything about that.
















The Scat Pack...Head up by Mr. Hankey, it also includes Winnie the Pooh and this trio from Japan...ウンチ (unchi). I'm not serious about this last one, but it'd be cool!





Coming up next, the iconic 80's Pack (and the reason I'm posting this stuff in the first place.)