Pop Culture Graphs

Yes they've been around for a while, but I can't help posting my favorite few:





via GraphJam

Adam Carolla's The Hammer

Adam Carolla’s movie The Hammer opens Friday, March 21st, on the west coast and in New York. My only issue is this isn’t Kafka in Brooklyn or Franz in San Fran. I will certainly buy the DVD, but I really hope to see a theatrical release here in the DFW area.
I’ve been a big Carolla fan for some time, as I’ve detailed elsewhere, but I can honestly say The Hammer’s trailer was very appealing. Something many movies aren’t these days, in my humble opinion. I, probably like many Carolla fans, am not a huge fan of the romantic comedy genre, but the trailer and other stuff from the website certainly sold me on the comedy and “achieving the dream” aspects. Being somewhat biographical of Carolla himself, it’s also a story of a lowly carpenter making good on his life’s dreams, something Carolla has literally done himself. Despite not being a professional or Olympic boxer his actual boxing skill comes across nicely, showing a side not yet addressed during his time on radio or TV.
If you are a fan of carpenter-achieves-dreams-in-truly-funny-romantic-comedy movies then The Hammer is for you; if you are enjoy any of those things you probably won’t regret the price of admission. Sure I’m biased, so check out the positive reviews by the real film critics: Hollywood Reporter and Village Voice. This isn’t another crappy "blockbuster" production puked out by another big studio, but a small independent work of love by a true comedic entertainer and simply put, that’s a good thing in my book.

Isn't Rap Dead Yet?

When I was in high school I listened to rap. Not exclusively, but I definitely put plays on Marilyn Manson, Metallica, White/Rob Zombie and other personal rock/metal favorites of the time. Now I almost look at that time with some shame, sometime rationalizing this as bass fodder for my truck’s “system” (a fairly ironic status symbol in small Texas towns such as my hometown, where my lily white friends and I blasted 1000+ watt subwoofers). It’s not that I actually think negatively of those rappers (mostly Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and smaller Southern artists/groups), but the state of rap today forces my retrospective shame.
In my humble [white bread] opinion, rap hasn’t said anything new in about a decade now. I might just be getting old (25), but it seems like the vacuous popular rap of today is even more meaningless and devoid of talent than it was even a few years ago. I readily admit I am no musical expert, certainly no rap aficionado, but who actually kicks back to enjoy a good rap album these days? Is it even possible to have such an experience with a newly released album from the genre?
When I was in high school rap was all about arrogance, perceived skill in rhyming, wealth, big assed women, with a sprinkling of aggression. Now it seems rappers can’t even realize those simple goals, instead resorting to just telling you how “hot” they are while attempting to (unsuccessfully) tell you why they are hot. Of course this is picking on a particular song, but really, why is this crap even selling? It seems the genre is meant for nothing more than expression how lacking you as the listener are in your mental faculties. When a song is composed from a 1st grader’s vocabulary it just seems they have given up. I can see and understand that, but why the hell would anyone pay money for it? I’m just hoping the next shift in popular music comes quickly. Can’t we please have a new trend put a bullet in the head of rap for good?

Obama's Change

What would this presidential race be without race/gender overtones? Obama’s main rally cry has been change: Yes We Can… Change! But what change are we actually expecting other than a different person in the White House? I don’t want to come off as totally apathetic (despite my – apathy – towards this race) but what has ever really changed? About the only thing I’m looking forward to in the case of Obama’s victory is proof that we aren’t as generally racist as we seem to think. I will find it refreshing, whether in this race or a future one, to put a non-honky and/or female president in power and finally learn… that they make the same mistakes as Colonel Sanders incarnate.
Of course this is not a knock against Obama, but it kind of is a knock on the fervent nature of Obama supporters; if they truly believe in capital C “Change” from any politician. Even if allowed to actually propose such changes by his advisors we can’t reasonably expect Congress and every other check-and-balance to allow it. That’s why some guy in a white horse hair wig named them “checks and balances”! Or so I’ve heard. Major political change does not come overnight from a single election, and to believe so is seemingly naïve. It might help set momentum, but even the President alone can’t Change that much. I don’t want to crap on anyone’s political ideals, as that would be wrong (and stink), but I do wish people would be a bit more realistic in their true motives and get out of their emotional frenzy. An effective politician makes you follow your heart into their cause, leaving the logical discrepancies/fallacies inherent to most political promises behind. Now that we as a nation are more than ever before connected to information, shouldn’t we use it, along with 200-plus years of American history?
In Quirkology, Richard Wiseman demonstrates how simple traits built into the human mind can guide voters to certain subconscious outcomes. Outcomes which very often have nothing to do with policy, debate, political experience, or anything else outside of explicit mental appeal. I just hope we could take what we know and think it out logically. Think about the advertisements, slogans, promises, etc and put it into context. In my mind an aware voter is actually a dangerous thing for politicians, simply because that elected official can’t repeatedly “slip up” and promise/apologize their way out each time. An aware voter remembers history, applies knowledge, and acts accordingly- something which I think is scary to politicians. Lucky for them, there aren’t that many of those voters out there, so the dog-and-pony/bread-and-games strategy continues.

My Damn Channel

My Damn Channel is a “new media” outlet, serving high production value video content online. I had heard things about them for some time, but 2 shows really locked me in: You Suck at Photoshop and Cookin’ with Coolio. You Suck teaches the finer points of Photoshop work with a definite comedic quality (mostly around the horrible life of your presenter), while Coolio demonstrates the real world involvement of cooking up actual meals. If you haven’t checked out these shows or My Damn Channel in general, you should. The way media is going these days I wouldn’t doubt if this model takes us far into the future.
*** If you prefer, check out their YouTube channel.

Adam Carolla Show Ratings Jump Post Bonaduce

In a turn which surprises no real Carolla fan, the Adam Carolla Show Arbitron ratings show a significant increase for the 1st month since the departure of Danny Bonaduce. I must say all of us Carolla fans believed this would be the case, because removing crap from an otherwise good show... only makes a better show. So let us review:
Adam Carolla Show - Bonaduce = large amounts of win (because Bonaduce sucks)