Ned Flanders Can Only Take So Much

During The Simpsons' eighth season, a hurricane ripped through town and destroyed only Ned Flanders' house.  Here's his reaction once the townspeople rebuilt his house.  The most chipper (and religious) person in Springfield tries hard to contain his annoyance.  And when he finally explodes, it seems like the writers had a hard time cming up with his dialogue.


#SNL4kidz

More Prince and SNL

Prince's many appearances on SNL were compiled into a special the weekend after he died, but they left out one infamous moment in which he wasn't even involved.  In the closing credits of the February 21, 1981 show, just after Prince performed "Partyup," the cast gathered on-stage for the goodnights.  In one of the show's most infamous moments, Charles Rocket dropped an F-bomb.  This footage rarely seems to be online, but somehow, it's been posted here (scroll to the bottom).

As a bonus, here's a story from David Spade about Chris Rock, Michael Jordan and a Prince show... this is from the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, about a year before Prince died.

Destroying Bob Newhart on television

There are a few episodes of both "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart" in which things go awry on a TV talk show.  Bob (as Dick Louden) actually hosts a talk show on the latter series.  But my favorite is Bob (as Dr. Robert Hartley) trying to deal with a caustic host. My second favorite is from "Newhart," when Don Rickles guests plays an out-of-work actor who gets a talk show, and then gets Dick as his sidekick.  The final scene does not seem scripted, by the way (Newhart and Rickles are best friends in real life).

Homer Simpson eats chili, drinks beer

Despite many posts about Family Guy, my first animated loves were Bugs Bunny, and then Homer Simpson.  Here's a series of clips I have fashioned into a narrative: Homer eats chili, Homer goes to the Duff Beer Brewery, Homer has to use the facilities... each clip is a little story in and of itself, not just a gag (and most of it is safe for #SNL4Kidz, even if younger viewers may be confused).  As a bonus, here's someone's idea of the Best of Homer.

Peter Griffin v. the Chinese

Still more Family Guy... this time, involving their dry cleaner.  And just for fun, below that, more racism!

Stewie Griffin v. Queen

Here's all the clips of Stewie Griffin freaking out over the cover of Queen's "News of the World."

Peter Griffin v. Dustin Hoffman

Peter Griffin wants ice cream a la Kramer vs. Kramer.

The Beach Boys in Stereo?!

In the February issue of “Stereophile,” they published an article on the Beach Boys’ reissues in stereo. If you read the article, it raises a number of questions: Why should anyone be lauded for remixing these albums in stereo? Why is “Beach Boys Party” being considered part of the artistic run up to “Pet Sounds”? Why are the Beach Boys trusting someone (Mark Linnet) to do this who prefers the stereo mix of “Sgt. Pepper” to the mono? I, too, grew up on the stereo “Pepper” and listening to the mono sometimes conflicts with the imprint already on my brain.... But do you know why certain parts are in audible on the mono? Because the Beatles wanted it that way!!!!!

I did find it telling that the author of the article considered Brian Wilson a sort of combination of Lennon-McCartney-Harrison and George Martin... It's a very appropriate comparison and I've always felt that this is the reason Brian produced only a quarter of the masterpieces the Beatles did. The poor guy was working crazy overtime! Society’s loss, I suppose.

Mark Linnet deserves a lot of credit for organizing the Beach Boys’ legacy and producing the excellent 1993 boxed set.

But “Beach Boys Today” and “Summer Days” were chock full of relatively primitive singles that we are all used to hearing in mono -- bright punchy mono that renders them all the more powerful.  Is this stereo campaign some sort of weird Mike Love-inspired attempt to gain credibility with young people? Has anyone noticed that the Beatles, Bob Dylan and several other groups have recently released boxed sets of their mono recordings? Or that Brian's mentor Phil Spector always recorded in mono? Brian idolized Spector's career (except that last part-- yikes).

This is probably the reason Wilson did not return calls for comment to “Stereophile” regarding the stereo reissues. “Hey, let's colorize Casablanca! Let's improve the taste of Coke! Let's re-design the Ford Mustang for the gas crisis!” I guess revisionism is always going to be part of our desire for progress. Sad. I'll be sticking with my clean originals that I got for a buck a piece as a kid in the late 1990s when everyone was dumping their vinyl. Suckers!

The Monkees in the Rock Hall?

It's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame time again, and the unfairly(?) maligned Monkees are nowhere near the place.  Without re-hashing their story and trying to argue for/against their inclusion, I've just compiled a list of the better Monkees tunes.  If you're near a pile of used albums and find these, maybe you'll want to grab them and see if you agree.  As for defending them, I will use the same analogy that's been used by countless others: numerous Motown acts are in the Rock Hall (Temptations, Four Tops, Supremes) despite not writing, producing or playing on any of their hits.  The Monkees DID write, produce and play on SOME of their hits, and they also influence numerous kids who would grow up to slit their wrists in the alt rock '90s.  So that's something.

THE MONKEES
"(Theme from) The Monkees" - 2:18
"Saturday's Child" (David Gates) - 2:43
"Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" (Boyce, Steve Venet) - 2:39
"Papa Gene's Blues" (Michael Nesmith) - 1:57
"Last Train to Clarksville" - 2:44

MORE OF THE MONKEES
"She" (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) - 2:40
"Mary, Mary" (Michael Nesmith) - 2:16
"Hold On Girl (Help is on its Way)" (Billy Carr, Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh) - 2:29
"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (Boyce, Hart) - 2:25
"Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (Neil Diamond) - 2:16
"I'm a Believer" (Diamond) - 2:50

HEADQUARTERS
"You Told Me" (Michael Nesmith) - 2:25
"Forget That Girl" (Douglas Farthing Hatlelid) - 2:25
"You Just May Be the One" (Nesmith) - 2:03
"For Pete's Sake" (Tork, Joey Richards) - 2:11
"Sunny Girlfriend" (Nesmith) - 2:33
"Zilch" (Dolenz, Jones, Nesmith, Tork) - 1:06
"No Time" (Hank Cicalo) - 2:08
"Early Morning Blues and Greens" (Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller) - 2:35

PISCES, AQUARIUS, CAPRICORN & JONES -- this album is uniformly excellent! It should be on more "best of" lists!
"Salesman" (Craig Vincent Smith) - 2:37
"The Door into Summer" (Chip Douglas, Bill Martin) - 2:49
"Love Is Only Sleeping" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) - 2:31
"Cuddly Toy" (Harry Nilsson) - 2:38 (with an adorable video)
"What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Michael Martin Murphey, Owen Castleman) - 3:09
"Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" (Peter Tork) - 0:27
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 3:15
"Star Collector" (Goffin, King) - 4:28
"Daily Nightly" (Michael Nesmith) - 2:33
"Words" (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) - 2:52
"Hard to Believe" (David Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, Charlie Rockett) - 2:37
"Don't Call on Me" (Nesmith, John London) - 2:51

"Goin Down" was recorded with the "Pisces" album (and got two videos: one shot in Europe, and one classy studio production).  The song was released as the b-side of "Daydream Believer," and should have made the album!  One of my favorite Monkees cuts.


THE BIRDS, THE BEES AND THE MONKEES
"Daydream Believer" (John Stewart) - 3:00
"Writing Wrongs" (Nesmith) - 5:08
"Valleri" (Boyce, Hart) - 2:15


INSTANT REPLAY
"I Won't Be the Same Without Her" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 2:42
"You and I" (Bill Chadwick, David Jones) - 2:15
"A Man Without a Dream" (Goffin, King) - 3:04


I'm not sure I have the life expectancy to investigate their other albums.  You should comment below and tell me what's what!

Pea Tear Family Guy

You'll see...


 #SNL4kidz