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Obsessed with Modern Romance
This will be an eventful weekend for stand-up comedy.
First, Aziz Ansari will be performing his new stand-up, Modern Romance, at the Palace Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Then, on Sunday night at 10:00 p.m., Comedy Central will premiere Jim Gaffigan’s new comedy special, Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed.
Until then, it is Friday and if this blog can offer just one piece of advice for today and the weekend ahead, it’s this: avoid kale.
Need more convincing?
Okay, here you go…
His perspective on this vegetable is as sound as his perspective towards Hot Pockets.
“Hot Pockets…”
Kale, your days are numbered.
What’s Up with the Space Above the Ground?
There are “Throwback Thursdays” and there are “Throwback Thursdays.”
Remember the time when street magician David Blaine levitated on the street?
No big deal, right?
Obviously, there’s a trick to this. One really needs to see it and experience it live, but it’s certainly entertaining and a surreal sight nonetheless.
Technically, is this kind of magic an ancient throwback to the past or a pioneering nod to the future of illusions for the 21st century?
Either way, at least we know today is Thursday.
No trick there.
Redefining Immortality
(Source: Wikipedia)
Transcendence will project on movie screens all around the United States today. As a science-fiction thriller, first-time director (and acclaimed cinematographer) Wally Pfister and his all-star cast (Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy, Paul Bettany) will pose surprisingly relevant questions about the current state of mankind and womankind and whether racing on the autobahn of developing increasingly personal technologies and building machines with only “pure upside” is the road we should be taking. Or, at the very least, at the speed innovators appear to driving their savvy imaginations in this day and age.
Can (or should) humans live forever, consciously, inside a computer?
The term “the grid” is taking shape and evolving in ways many of us either didn’t think was possible or were, quite frankly, fearful of. Once this mainframe is built (or perhaps it already is), is it even possible to dismantle it?
There are infinite questions to be pondered from this movie and other science-fiction thrillers. For instance: What does artificial intelligence look like today? What is its true reach? Is that reach good or bad?
Some may think that technology is tinkered with in basement facilities with pale walls, computers, wires and varying degrees of limitations. But what if the concept of “the cloud” is as unlimited and open as its sounds?
This blog has written about technology before, including its benefits and drawbacks. Without seeing Transcendence, an opinion cannot rightly be rendered. But this film presents a couple hours to escape into a creative and entertaining story of artificial intelligence and the pursuit of advanced technology on a Friday or Saturday night, as well as to take a moment to pause and reflect on the subject matter.
How long until we are in the “age of transcendence” as defined by Pfister and Co.? What does this mean for society as individuals, as well as the collective? Is the infinite space above and all around us becoming finite and controlled without us knowing? Should it be if it’s guided by a genius?
There’s one way to find out and it’s called Transcendence, playing in a theater near you.
Maybe we should ask Siri about transcendence…
Dude is Going to Look Like a Lady Again
Normally, there isn’t so much news about sequels made within the same 2-week period, especially when it concerns follow-ups to beloved ’80s and ’90s classics.
Strangely, the latest scoop of a man dressing up as an old Scottish nanny has the potential to revive Steiner Street to its 1993 golden presence.
It was recently announced that famed scribe and director Chris Columbus put his hands up in the form of an “L” and reverse “L” and joined his thumbs together for a vision of a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel in the joyfully eccentric northern California city of San Francisco.
Oh, and this is happening with the wonderfully crazy, wild and spontaneously hilarious Robin Williams.
It’s impossible to doubt the comedic fire he’ll surely bring to this sequel.
While we’re not experiencing hot flashes at this news, we’re all experiencing flashes of our favorite scenes from this story of a marriage and family of three children broken up by divorce in a funny, yet very real fashion. And the fact that the 1993 original was funny, sweet and painfully real with the tugging of our heart strings throughout was a defining dynamic that perfectly complemented the unforgettable comedic one-liners of Robin Williams and, of course, a stellar cast.
There is no release date, but that shouldn’t stop our cautious optimism of what will eventually be projected on the silver screen for multiple generations to enjoy.
Thankfully, somebody boxed the trailer from Mrs. Doubtfire and then shipped it onto the Internet (that process can get confusing).
“Could you make me a woman [again]?”
“Honey, I’m so happy!”
And Uncle Frank, maybe make an extra mask or two…just in case.
P.S. I’ll never forget when my family and I were at a cafe in Kauaʻi several years ago and my sister and I were ordering food just feet from somebody who looked very familiar…
Yes, he was 007. And yes, he was super nice. But, he was also the hapless Stu Dunmeyer.
Incredibly, I believe he was driving a Mercedes!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 