Yo…I’m digging Project Blue Book. The writing could be tighter and the atmosphere creepier (the characters never feel like they’re in danger and even Batman gets licks you know?) but here’s something I’ve been thinking about.

There’s a polar bear outside my office window and they ain’t shooting Coke Christmas commercials: Hit-Girl’s cold assessment of the weather is accurate…

(Art by Eduardo Risso from (ironically) Hit-Girl In Canada)

Honestly?

My Summer Lair Chapter #101: Would You Go To A Christmas Party With Carly Rae Jepsen and Theory of a Deadman?

Stand up comic Harris Anderson released his comedy album Above and Beyond on 604 Records the same label as Carly Rae Jepsen and Theory of a Deadman; toss in Carly’s BFF Tom Hanks and you got a classic jam.

Above and Beyond is a classic comedy album showcasing Harris’ stand up bits (my favourite is the Stephen Hawking track!) covering a variety of topics that echo the conversation I had with him: movies, books and all manner of popular pop culture like horror.

Not chess though…he confesses he likes to play chess on the road so it remains to be seen if he can work in a solid chess bit or two into his act.

The lead single from Above and Beyond is Hometown a parody slightly mocking of those classic Bruce Springsteen tunes…here’s the video as with every joke watch to the end for the punchline:

My interview was the first time he was performing outside British Columbia so hopefully, he comes back real soon.

Harris Anderson @ W • T • F

Photography by Sammy Younan

Recorded: Friday January 29, 2019 at 6:30pm at WeWork

Sunday, January 27
The Circus: Inside the Wildest Political Show on Earth: Season 4 (8pm / Showtime) – The Circus is fantastic: every Sunday it presents a weekly recap of American politics with impressive access to influential individuals while being an engaging civics lesson. I don’t need/want “hot takes” or Gifs or memes or Twitter commentary or CNN’s rehashing: just tell me what happened in 30 minutes and we can go from there. Amazing: highly recommended show.

Monday, January 28
I Am the Night (9pm / TNT)
The Kings (9pm / PBS) – The latest documentary Eugene Jarecki the director who gave us Why We Fight and Reagan. (He also gave us The Trials of Henry Kissinger which looks super cool but I haven’t seen it…yet) is yet another classic American movie. Elvis and Chuck D in one movie…it’s happening! I’m 100% in for this. This is the documentary that criticizes Elvis for “stealing” from black culture while at the same time selling the American Dream. Oh yes…let’s get into it. (Sammy)

Tuesday, January 29
Ant Man and the Wasp (Netflix) – The final Marvel movie?! before Disney+ is on Netflix today. This movie is a lot of fun…the characters are cheezy and disposable so it’s a sweet break from the heavy Avengers movies. How many of the Marvel movies have you seen twice or more?

The Kevin MacDonald #Whitney #documentary is now on #Netflix. (Didn’t see this one…I saw the Nick Broomfield Whitney doc because…Nick is a #GOAT.)

Sad tale of yet another miserable 80s pop star who ODed. (How is Madonna still alive?!)

Wednesday, January 30
Incredibles 2 (Netflix) – So…I did not see Incredibles 2 because I did not enjoy The Incredibles. It didn’t make any sense…how do the good guys just retire in the first 10 minutes and then what…the bad guys just stop?! If Batman retires the Joker will stop being bad too? Brad Bird is one of us he should know/do/be better! The Incredibles 2 is on Netflix today…I’ll give 10 minutes. Convince Me.

Thursday, January 31
Deion’s Double Play (9pm / ESPN) – Man I lived through Magic, Jordan, Kobe, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders and people are wasting my time with LeBron’s 3 rings. Get outta my face with that noise! I saw greatness! Prime Time IS on Prime Tonight! Oh Yes. (Sammy)

Friday, February 1
Velvet Buzzsaw (3am / Netflix)
Folklore (HBO To Go) – I have a good news update: Folklore is now on HBO to Go starting today. From HBO Asia Folklore is a six-part horror anthology original series exploring Asian folklore from six different Asian countries: Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. All those countries got some nasty deep and dark folklore so this should be fascinating. This mother came out October 7 overseas but nobody here in the West is writing about it. Fools. (Or perhaps they did see it and didn’t live to talk about it…so once again with a different connotation: Fools.)

Saturday, February 2
Nothing – Valentine’s Day is coming up…might be time to get a date. Have you considered Tinder?

-28-

Listen to My Summer Lair @ W • T • F

Is this good?
Will this be good?
Every movie trailer answers or challenges those 2 questions. The ham-fisted rebuttal comes swiftly, however: no you don’t need to always see a movie to know it’s tank.

Do you really need to sit through a Michael Bay Transformers movie to know for sure? Tank is Tank. And Fresh…well Fresh is always Fresh. I’m down like I’m Brown for that.

Some positive Michael Jackson news: “a documentary series which will expose media and showbiz corruption.”

Checking in as a new year prompts reflection…life adjustments and wholesome goals. Here’s where I’m at after an 80s decade consuming movies, tv shows and comics…what I’ve left to achieve and a sweet humblebrag!

My Summer Lair Chapter #100: Remember Run-D.M.C.’s huge old school hit My Adidas?

At the time that was a novel way to promote the shoes and the 3 Stripes Brand. Cut to today and companies and design agencies like Jam3 use augmented reality (think Pokémon GO but for sneakers) at non-traditional retail settings like ComplexCon.

The first half of my conversation with producer Michael Dobell explores how his agency Jam3 partners with companies like adidas to tell stories and provide fantastic experiences for sneakerheads.

It is a unique collaboration-slash-smoothie of consumers, corporations and technology. We spoke at the Interior Design Show which is why our time was limited but thankfully Michael agreed for a follow up interview: this stuff is so fascinating I want to get deeper into it.

For the second half I visited Michael at Jam3 and after I got the sweet tour he and I elaborated on themes from our Interior Design show conversation: from delicious chicken wings to their latest work with Postmates (it’s a robot that brings you food! The future isn’t just incredible…it’s delicious!)

Michael Dobell @ W • T • F

Photography by Chlöe Forsyth (who gave me an outstanding Jam3 tour) & Sammy Younan

Friday January 18, 2019 at 10:00am at the Interior Design Show & Monday February 4, 2019 at 1:30pm at Jam3

This is not a solid week of television…I put stuff down but I’m not gonna watch most of this. Pure? Snoop Dogg Presents the Joker’s Wild? Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’? This isn’t exactly Must See TV.

Is this good?
Will this be good?
Every movie trailer answers or challenges those 2 questions. The ham-fisted rebuttal comes swiftly, however: no you don’t need to always see a movie to know it’s tank.

Do you really need to sit through a Michael Bay Transformers movie to know for sure? Tank is Tank. And Fresh…well Fresh is always Fresh. I’m down like I’m Brown for that.