U N L O A D E D Will Return on July 13th

Well, the time has come for me to switch off the blogging gears for a bit and take care of some personal stuff. Now is as good a time as any and it's been long overdue.

If you really can't get enough of me then you can always stop by X.Dell's blog and catch the latest episode of The Golden Ganesh (featuring yours truly) which premiers July 3rd, so mark your calenders.

If you've missed any of the prior posts on this blog, nows the perfect time to catch up and weigh in.

Thanks for all the comments and support, see you soon.

The Death of Michael Jackson: Now I Understand What My Parents Meant About Elvis

The story goes like this: Elvis was attempting to stay relevant in the world of showbiz and had scheduled a tour to begin in August 1977. One of his tour dates would see him performing in Hartford, CT and my parents fought tooth and nail to get a hold of tickets. Elvis was an icon of their generation and no matter how poor his performance on stage was due to drugs and weight gain, they simply didn't care. Their affections for him, his music and all things Elvis canceled out all his shortcomings. This was a chance to see their hero live and in the flesh and that would make the milestone.

Unfortunately, Elvis died before starting that tour and my parents were devastated. They had each told me, on separate occasions, how gutted they were and just couldn't believe the news. They spoke of how they spent the next week (possibly longer knowing them) in a sort of catatonic state. How could such a thing happen?

Naturally Elvis was before my day but the level of sadness my parents felt at the time was still evident in their their voices years later. I knew Elvis was big and I knew he had issues and I could somewhat understand the devastation. My father was a musician and my mother, for all intents and purposes, was his groupie. Clearly they were both passionate about music. The visceral impact did not register with me because it was simply beyond my realm of understanding. I had not been able to know Elvis over the years such as they had. I did have another icon that was with me through the years to listen to and his name was Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson was the beginning and end of music for me and many others who grew up in the 80s. He was also a favorite of many of our parents who knew him as the energetic front boy of The Jackson 5. He had firmly planted himself in the collective consciousness of two generations and (arguably) even a third with his later follow ups. Thriller was the album to have. If you didn't have it, you were on another planet and it wasn't a good place to be. Every song was gold. I ran out and purchased his follow up, Bad, with my allowance money and loved that one too. Not as good as Thriller but still very cool. This is a man that MTV didn't want to have on their airwaves yet he went on to MAKE MTV what MTV is today. His videos weren't just videos, they were events not to be missed! High end spectacles of dance and special effects that stayed in the memory and had people talking. Everyone would try to moonwalk. No one succeeded. Men tried to capture his charisma by donning the jacket featured on the "Beat It" video and, if they were daring, sport the jerry curls. They all looked foolish. There was only one man that could pull off the look AND wear a glittery white glove with matching socks: Michael Jackson himself. And that's just the way it was.

Aside from shattering color barriers and getting everyone of every imaginable social strata up and dancing, he had troubles. We all know about the molestation cases and some people began to take the allegations as fact. I can understand that. It's a VERY bad idea for a man to be having boys over his house for sleepovers no matter how innocent it may have been. Jackson had his own issues growing up which created a deeply flawed man. While the very disturbing accusations dogged him throughout the 90s and into the millennium, there was part of me that remained unconvinced. Too many holes in the parent's stories and too much motivation to grab money as opposed to justice. If you look up the details of the cases, you can see how Jackson opened himself up to all sorts of legal woes if the wrong parents got their kids inside the Neverland Ranch.

In spite of all of this, countless celebrities flocked to his defense. His mainstream appeal faded but many of his songs lingered on my iTunes playlist. Yeah, Jackson's antics and never ending plastic surgeries overshadowed his music toward the end and made him the butt end of many a joke, he was too easy a target. But in the back of my mind, along with many others, lay hope. There was still one great album left, one final swan song, one crotch grabbing, moonwalking, spin around on the dance floor hit waiting to move us. Sadly, his sudden death didn't allow these hopes to come to fruition. Michale Jackson has left us and we have quite a musical legacy to to enjoy, they are wonderful gifts. I've been hearing so many of his songs that I grew up with on the radio lately and it's been an incredible trip for me. It took me back to a simpler time and I miss aspects of that period dearly.

You can tell me I'm superficial for lamenting the loss of The King of Pop or placing anything of pop culture into a category of importance. I've given you anything but superficial here over the years. You can bitch me out for feeling profoundly sad over the death of someone I didn't know personally. You can try to one up me by declaring what an important life you have and that it requires you to worry about "important" things. You can talk about how you don't care yet be a total hypocrite and wind up hitting the dance floor the second "Billy Jean" comes on, offending us further with your awkward, labored gyrations. You can ramble on about the criminal accusations if you must. There's one thing around the world that has risen above that nonsense and will always rise above it. It's something that's very real and won't die: it's his music.

Yes, now I understand what my parents meant about Elvis. And what a sad lesson it's been.

Farewell to the King of Pop and an American Beauty

North Korea's Kim Jong-il is a Cocksucker

Yeah, I know the title is in poor taste but that's my official response to North Korea's threat to wipe the United States off the face of the Earth. It's also my official response to its desire to fire a test missile at Hawaii. Basically it's my response to anything the leader of North Korea (Kim Hong-il) or the North Korean government has to say.

I'm sure a lot of people are thinking he's for real but you can relax. He has nothing. You skip your emergency trip to the grocery store for canned goods to load into your homemade bomb shelter. You know, that one you built to protect you from the Russian's. It's not going to happen. They're bluffing. You can go back to reading your latest issue of Guns and Ammo or go out drinking with that militia you joined to protect yourself from our own so called "oppressive" government. Things are so much like North Korea over here with our "scary" president, it's shocking!!!

(clearing throat)

I'll tell you what would be nice and can happen, and it's that Kim Jong-il (aka cocksucker) can maybe put some effort into feeding his people. Starvation was/is so bad that there's been tales of cannibalism. Nice.

And with that, I'm done with the political stuff for now. We will return to our normally scheduled programing shortly.

Would Iran's Green Revolution Really Change Anything?

I've been engrossed with the uprising going on in Iran and have been reading up about it quite a bit. The marches have calmed down for now but it's been ugly over there. Youtube is full of some very disturbing videos taken by people on the street with their cellphones. The violence against the protesters (like the Neda death) has been appalling.

I have never been a fan of Iran's government policies as I don't think building nukes to to blow up Israel (and possibly nice chunk of the US) is really productive. I find Iran's leader, President Ahmadinejad, to be a complete idiot who makes George Bush look worldly and intellectual. However, with all that being said, this nation was rightfully pissed at us for helping install the Shah of Iran. He wasn't a nice guy and was seen as a puppet of the west. So the Iranians revolted and installed their own group of not so nice guys who had religious ideologies consistent with the land and populace back 1979. Here we are in 2009 with a new generation angry at the rigged election and overall state of things. They want a new leader who is not so new. He was part of the not so nice guys who led the revolution 30 years ago.

Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the green revolution candidate, sounds pretty good on paper but he wasn't always warm and fuzzy. Could he have mellowed out? Maybe. Are the protesters, who risked life and limb, ready to turn the page with the west and cool the rhetoric of Ahmadinejad? I don't know but sure hope so. Was Ahmadinejad and the upper echelons of this theocracy ever really speaking for the people of Iran? Not sure, all I hear and see is groups gathering together shouting "Death to America and Israel" whenever a story on Iran is done. Who the hell were those people and why should I give a damn what happens if it's the majority opinion? Was the news too narrow in its scope of coverage? Mousavi still wants the bomb to get made. The government insists it's for peaceful purposes. I don't buy it. And enough already with with the antisemitism, holocaust denial and calls to destroy Israel. You (in the Iranian government) need Israel around so you can blame "the Zionists" when you catch a cold or get a flat tire. You know, it's what you did when this rigged election blew up in your face. You want accountability now? Sounds very strange to me. Not only that, it's why the rest of the world, save for some hate groups, can't take your current regime seriously. Nukes won't change that. The bright promise I see is that the average Iranian is not happy about their damaged reputation globally or the regime's hamfisted approach to things and, more importantly, the scaling back of their rights. I see an opening for great things to happen, but I'd need to know more about the "new" Mousavi before being convinced.

I hope that true change for the better in Iran does take hold. There's some terrible policies over there that need serious reform. Public hangings and the stoning of women belong in the dark ages. If you have a strong stomach, turn off the content filter on Google image search and type in something like "Iranian women." You'll gasp in horror at the sheer brutality and the photos will haunt you for some time. Yeah there will be some smut pictures mixed in with the results, but you won't be up for it. I'm hoping that beyond the people's desire to have the votes be counted properly, that the will to change these things is also truly part of the package. Or else, this was all sound and fury signifying nothing.

A Bitter Man at the Moment

Motivation is down to zero, anger is up and it won't stop raining outside. Went out last night to my regular watering hole and probed about getting into the business with one of the employees and a couple of the wait staff. Seems doable. Just have to keep applying. Spent more than I should have but I got hungry. I shouldn't be doing that. Have to tighten the belt.

Reading up on the situation in Iran. Looks like the government is going to gun down the protesters to keep their bullshit regime in place. Part of me wants to be shocked but the rest me says this is par for the course. It's all a tragedy, really. There's also a part of me that wonders if the people that do want change are the same people who openly chant "Death to America, Death to Britain, Death to Israel" when they gather for "prayers." If that's the case then karma has come back for you and your revolution. If not, stand up and fight for change. Take your country back and lets be friends. The current morons in charge are ruining the vibe.

Talked to a guy who apparently knows someone at a film company and asked to see one of my screenplays. I sent him a PDF of it. Not expecting it to go anywhere but what the hell? Can't win if you don't play.

I have yet to precisely pinpoint where the bitterness is coming from but it's great for the writing. Perhaps I should strive for this to be the look I usually wear. I thought it might have been the whole father's day thing, but really I didn't even recall it until much later in the day. Someone said something about it over the TV. YES TELEVISON! There I go again watching that evil, evil device. It's Videodrome all over again. If only there were a Deborah Harry like babe to go along with me in the saga. I can do without experiencing the other stuff in that film, but it was a damn good movie overall if you dig David Cronenberg. He's one of my heroes actually. Perhaps all of this angst will culminate in another screenplay or some other artistic endeavor. Bitterness can be used productively if you're smart about it.

Listening to Broken by UNKLE which is a damn good band that I've grown quite fond of over the years. Seems to fit the mood.

As for everything else, damn it all!! See? Told you I was bitter.

To My Readers Who Hate Television

I really can't help myself, so I'm going to dive right into this. Follow along with me.

Man who made his living working in the television industry attracts a majority of readers to his blog who refuse to watch television because it's "evil" yet support him in his acting pursuits which (if successful) will inevitably wind up on TELEVISION!!!!

Anti-television readers declare that TV signals rot the brain and tune you out of life yet want the writer of the blog (who watches TV regularly) to write a book about his life because it's interesting and is told he produces "thought provoking" posts. Their words, not the bloggers. Usually said posts are inspired by something he saw in life or....ON TELEVISION!!

Anti-television readers declare all TV to be a time suck yet the blogger wonders why so many of them are on the internet all day poking each other on Facebook. When are the hiking trips and picnics they talk about going to happen?

The blogger is told that TV watching will make him fat and out of shape but still manages to work out several times a week and (according to some observers) look reasonably fit.

Anti-television readers declare books are the only way yet the blogger wonders why you can't read AND watch your favorite show with proper time management. Anti-television proponents in the blogger's real life dodge the question by telling him they just finished reading Tropic of Cancer and remain silent when pressed about things like PBS. Anti-television proponents in real world change the subject when told that many TV writers were likely English majors and have degrees in it.

The blogger wonders if the effects of reading an endless stack of trashy books (as opposed to classics) would have any better effect than watching hours of Jerry Springer.

The blogger notes to ALL of his readers that everything in moderation is fine and it's about choosing what to read and watch that will bring enlightenment, not closing oneself off.

Finally, the blogger wants anti-television readers to know he still loves them no matter what.

Enough with Jon and Kate Plus 8

I'm begging you, all in the media: Leave me the fuck alone with the ups and downs of Jon and Kate. I DON'T CARE!!!!

Some of you may be wondering who Jon and Kate are, I had no idea who they were until the media decided I HAD to know about them and their extramarital affairs! Jon is banging an old friend and Kate is doing her bodyguard according to reports. Not only do I have to know about that, but I have to get bombarded with paparazzi photos of Kate on the beach with her eight kids and take note of the cosmetic surgery she had on her stomach every time I'm at the grocery store. Now I am bombarded with images of Kate slapping one of her kids around. What am I supposed to do about this? Why must I know? It's not nice, but please!! Let me come up for air!!!

Rise to Prominence

Apparently before the silly, self absorbed Octomom, there was Kate. Long story short, Jon and Kate had infertility issues and after going buck wild with fertility treatments, they had twins. But that wasn't enough. Jon and Kate wanted more. Screw adoption! Let's go buck wild with fertility treatments, AGAIN! Kate became pregnant with 6 kids in one shot and presto, they got a reality show. Wait, did I just say, reality show? Ah, that's why I have to know about them. They have a reality show! Silly me.

Each week we can follow Jon, Kate and the family doing familial things like vacations and big media tours. We need to "understand them." Hey, that's entertainment. Right?

End the Show!!

I would have been more than happy to let Jon and Kate go about their lives in front of the camera, potentially exploiting their innumerable children, but now it's personal. You have made my time in grocery store checkout lines uncomfortable. You have made big news outlets like CNN turn into TMZ.

Yes, America loves their tabloid distractions but when I purposefully avoid them and still get an ear and eyeful, something is wrong. And this one doesn't just fall on the media's shoulders, you two are getting off on the attention. It's why you made yourselves celebrities, right? It was never about us "understanding" you. It was about being in awe of you because you had tons of kids and that made you special. You wanted us to genuflect at your alter of self righteousnesses and fertility. To the women out there that think having kids makes them all knowing and godly, you're not. But you just might be a self obsessed wench with a sick need for validation via your hatchings.

Some people are calling for an end to the show for the sake of the children but not me. I want it to end so I can finally get relief from from the both of you. However part of me is tempted to watch your marital implosion unfold for nothing more than my own sick satisfaction. You have caused me pain and now I will revel in yours.