‘Cruising With Ruben & the Jets’ Is Zappa’s Reverently Satirical Take on the 1950s
OnWhat better way to follow up your avant garde musique concrete classical LP? Why with ‘Cruising With Ruben & the Jets,’ a doo-wop record, of course!
‘Shop: A Pop Opera’ Is Tops, Full of Bops, and You Should Watch Chop-Chop
OnThis last week, Adult Swim posted Jack Stauber’s Shop: A Pop Opera, a collection of short songs about groceries in a weirdly Sparksian vein.
Ronald Reagan: Success or Failure?
OnAn essay on Ronald Reagan and whether or not he’s the hero folks make him out to be (Spoilers: No, he’s not. Not at all.)
‘Catwalk’ Is a Light, Breezy Trip to Canada’s Best Cat Shows
OnRecently, Netflix got ‘Catwalk: Takes From the Cat Show Circuit,’ and it’s a lovely little film about adorable cats showing off their stuff.
MAD #346 Has Its Claws Out For Pat Buchanan, Newt Gingrich and a Pre-Coming Out Ellen DeGeneres
OnIn MAD #346 from June 1996, the lead parody is a spoof of ‘Ellen’ BEFORE Ellen DeGeneres came out, along with a look at ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus.’
Frank Zappa’s ‘Lumpy Gravy’ Was the Composer’s First (Official) Foray Into ‘Serious Music’
OnLumpy Gravy, Zappa’s third or fourth album, depending on how you count, was originally for Capitol’s classical music label, but it’s still definitely Zappa.
If You’re Not Watching ‘Those Who Can’t,’ You’re Doing TV Wrong
OnTruTV’s ‘Those Who Can’t’ recently entered its third season, and if you’re not watching, you’re missing out on one of the best sitcoms running.
The Ongoing Manga Yotsuba&! Is The Most Delightful Comic You’ll Ever Read
OnThe slice-of-life manga Yotsuba&! is an utterly delightful look at a single father raising his adopted 5-year-old daughter.
The Comeback Documentary ‘Bros: After the Screaming Stops’ Is Excellent, Even If It’s Not Terribly Kind to Its Subjects
OnThis Winter, the BBC aired the documentary ‘Bros: After the Screaming Stops’ about the hit London ’80s boy band’s 30-year comeback concert.
The Lost 1983 Game Show Pilot ‘Malcolm’ Was Surprisingly Innovative With Its Puppet Sidekick
OnThough it didn’t get picked up, the NBC-commissioned game show pilot Malcolm put Alex Trebek onstage with his announcer — an animated puppet.