In this week’s installment of my AOL Jobs advice column: Is it OK for people to brush and floss in the office bathroom? Plus, awkward elevator encounters with unfriendly executives.
Where Future Seasons of ‘Community’ Will Air
In a surprise move, it was announced that the television sitcom Community will return for a sixth season, on Yahoo, after five years on NBC. Embracing this era of non-traditional content delivery, the show’s producers have also revealed broadcast plans for future seasons of the program.
• Season seven: broadcast in the reflection on the side of your toaster
• Season eight: Community: The Radio Drama
• Season nine: Japanese puppet theater
• Season ten: a communal dream by Patrick Duffy, Bob Newhart, and the kid from St. Elsewhere
• Season eleven: episodes spread coast-to-coast by children in an extended game of “telephone”
• Season twelve: the tweeted year
• Season thirteen: distributed on flyers slipped into plastic gift bags
• Season fourteen: semaphore flags
• Season fifteen: injected directly into the bloodstream
• Season sixteen: USA Network
My Internet Radio Playlist, 7/1/14
EPISODE #135: REQUESTS VIII
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Wang Chung — “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” [for Deb F.]
Allan Sherman — “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” [for Deanna]
Blondie — “Picture This” [for Brad Kleiman]
Billy Bragg — “A New England” [for Chico]
XTC — “Earn Enough for Us” [for Deb C-O]
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes — “Talk to Me” [for Audrey]
Steve Forbert — “Goin’ Down to Laurel” [for Suzanne]
John Prine — “All the Best” [for Joe]
Daniel Johnston w/ Yo La Tengo — “Speeding Motorcycle (live on WFMU)” [for Pat]
Hoodie Allen — “Song for an Actress” [for Caren Lissner]
All About Eve — “Martha’s Harbour” [for Kate]
Ultrafine — “Going Somewhere” [for Mike Daly]
Bern & the Brights — “Sleepless Aristotle” [for Terry McCarthy]
The Band — “Ophelia” [for Greg]
The Replacements — “Can’t Hardly Wait” [for David]
Life in a Blender — “In the USA” [for Dave]
broadcast live from Hoboken, NJ, on “Jack’s Aquarium”
Tuesday, 7/1/14, 10:00-11:15 a.m. eastern time
Movie Review: Jersey Boys
2 stars out of 5
I felt almost legally obliged to see a movie called Jersey Boys. And as it began, I thought, “This is for me.” It’s 1951 in Belleville, New Jersey. Hey, Belleville is right up the street from me! And there’s Lucky Luciano from Boardwalk Empire! Now Christopher Walken is getting a haircut from Bobby Bacala! Throw in some of our beloved good-time oldies, and this is going to be a fun Jersey time at the movies.
Except, here’s the problem. You see, I never felt obliged to see the Broadway musical Jersey Boys. Several people told me they enjoyed it but it just didn’t seem like my sort of thing. Musicals can be… corny. You know what I’m talking about: “Hey there, mister! Now you’re walking, don’t you think you can? Left foot right foot, you can do it, walkin’ like a man!” But movies—I like movies. You can strip out all that weird “people randomly breaking into song” stuff and just leave behind, in this case, the compelling true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. And Clint Eastwood was directing. OK, his directorial track record has had its ups and downs, but the guy loves music, and he was alive through the era—this could actually be a good fit.
But maybe I should’ve read up on the movie. Because the guys who wrote the musical—they also wrote the screenplay. And they didn’t see any reason whatsoever to tamper with their award-winning formula. If it ain’t broke, right? So if you are expecting any subtlety at all—fuhgeddaboudit!! For starters, Frankie and his buddies are mid-century Italian-Americans. Ay! Oh! Stugots! Etcetera etcetera. As Tommy, Vincent Piazza’s over-the-top accent may work in Boardwalk Empire in limited doses, but it gets tiresome quickly here.
John Lloyd Young, reprising his Tony-winning role as Frankie Valli, does a nice job. Yes, at age 38 he has to start the film playing a 16-year-old, but it works. There’s a sadness to him and a vulnerability that fits the character. Too bad the script is so Broadway-phony. Set-up, punchline, set-up, punchline. Tommy to judge: “Frankie’s a better singer every day!” Judge: “Then just wait till you get out of jail—six months!” Badump-bump. Frankie’s new girlfriend: “You got a nickel?” Frankie: “Yeah?” Girlfriend: “Well call your mutha, you’re gonna be home late!” Oh! Stugots! That’s a spicy meatball! Songwriter Bob Gaudio, watching a movie: “She’s going to cry.” Record producer Bob Crewe (who is gay in a conservative era! what fun!): “No, big girls don’t cry.” Gaudio’s eyes light up; I think I gots an idea for a song! Uggh.
And it goes on like that. And on. And on. Hey, it’s this character’s turn to sing! And now this character. “And that guy… was Joe Pesci.” Eastwood annoyingly decides to use extremely muted colors throughout because, I don’t know, life was nearly black-and-white in the olden days. And he uses a rotating narrator thing (is that in the show also?) that really doesn’t work. Then they turn on a TV and there’s young Clint! It’s an inside joke!
For a while the movie is corny but watchable, a guilty pleasure, but it draaaaaaags, through the sixties, into the seventies…. “things are bad, my family is in turmoil, if only we had a hit song… ay, oh, it’s a hit!” And it’s exhausting. Valli and Gaudio produced the movie so these two are portrayed very, very positively. Music history, white-washed, with a big dumb singing-and-dancing finale to boot.
Didn’t everybody who wanted to see this musical already see it? Wasn’t there a road company? “You’re not too good, to be true, can’t wait to take my eyes off of you….”
My Internet Radio Playlist, 6/24/14
EPISODE #134: SUMMER 2014
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Laura Stevenson — “Runner”
Fountains of Wayne — “The Summer Place”
The Incredible Casuals — “Summertime”
Ella Fitzgerald w/ Louis Armstrong — “Summertime”
The Explorers Club — “Summer Days, Summer Nights”
Bob Dylan — “Summer Days”
Ceremony — “The Summer The Sun”
The Go-Betweens — “Summer’s Melting My Mind”
Art Brut — “Summer Job”
Future Bible Heroes — “Real Summer”
Shoes — “The Summer Rain”
Magic Kids — “Summer”
The Cars — “Magic”
Aislers Set — “Summer’s Reprise”
broadcast live from Hoboken, NJ, on “Jack’s Aquarium”
Tuesday, 6/24/14, 10:00-11:10 a.m. eastern time
What I’ve Been Watching: Edition VIII
It’s summer! The perfect time of year to sit at home in a darkened room hypnotized by the television. But before you paint the windows black and settle into the Barcalounger, check out my bi-annual list of the shows I’ve been watching.
LOVED
Friday Night Lights (DVD/Netflix) No, you didn’t accidentally click on a link from 2006. I never watched this back in the day, as I don’t really do teen shows, and high school football ain’t my bag. But people I really trust kept recommending the series. So thanks to the kindness of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, I was able to “binge-watch” all five seasons. What wonderful television, with so much heart! (Full hearts, one might say.) Sure, it got a little soap-opera-y from time to time, but the stellar performances top-to-bottom kept things true. That they were able to transition to a mostly new cast for the last two years without a drop in quality was quite impressive.
The Eric Andre Show (Adult Swim) Here’s another one I had to catch up with after the fact. The promos I’d seen confused me. And who was this guy? Am so glad I finally checked it out. As soon as Eric Andre demolishes his set in the opening minutes, you realize this is not your father’s talk show. It’s f-ed up, surreal, and hilarious. I have laughed out loud at least once an episode, often staring at the screen wide-eyed in amazement. It was also interesting to see how the show found its footing from the first season to the second.
LIKED A LOT
Fargo (FX) The Coen brothers are my boys, so I was worried that this series wouldn’t live up to their extremely high standard. My worries were unfounded. Very strong casting helped a lot (hooray for Allison Tolman), as did sharp writing. Maybe things got just a little too dark sometimes, and there were a couple of loose ends they never did resolve. But I am really looking forward to spending future seasons in these snowy, polite environs.
True Detective (HBO) Moody, creepy, funny—a genuine sense of place—and wow Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were GOOD, weren’t they?
The Spoils of Babylon (IFC) Very clever and out-there spoof of 1970s miniseries. Tobey Maguire was very funny as the lead, and Will Ferrell’s boozy introductions were excellent. And always good to see Haley Joel Osment getting work.
2014 FIFA World Cup (ESPN/ABC) Messi! Neymar! Stoppage time! Nil-nil! I’m caught up in it once again and will likely remain so even after the United States inevitably gets knocked out.
2014 Winter Olympics (NBC) I prefer the Summer Games, and Bob Costas’s pink eye was kind of unnerving, and there was all that controversy about Russia, and I was annoyed that the debut of Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show pushed back the second week of my beloved late-night coverage. But come on—it’s the Olympics! Must-watch TV.
Lucas Bros. Moving Co. (FOX) Part of the “Animation Domination HD” block on Saturday nights that is clearly a rip-off of Adult Swim, right down to the 11-minute shows. I’m usually watching Saturday Night Live in this slot so didn’t discover the show until last week. Apparently there have only been six Lucas Bros episodes and I’ve now seen half of them. There’s a low-key, smart friendly weirdness that I appreciate, and I’ve found myself smiling a lot.
LIKED
24: Live Another Day (FOX) It stinks that this only 12 hours—come on! this is 24!—and would somebody please wipe that ridiculous makeup off Chloe’s eyes? She is not remotely convincing as a goth. But still, Jack Bauer and the show’s classic tropes remain a dependable guilty pleasure. Very glad to have them back.
Getting On (HBO) I thought this improved as the season went on. Lauri Metcalf anchors the show with a quirky performance, and there’s just a nice mellow mood to the proceedings—gently funny and sweet, even when there’s tension.
Orphan Black (BBC America) My friend Sue recommended this last year. I started DVR’ing it but screwed up. So now through the magic of on-demand I’m finally working through it. So far I’ve only seen season one, but I like what I see. I don’t love it but I do like it. Tatiana Maslany is pretty amazing as a wide variety of characters. But aside from her sassy gay sidekick, the supporting cast leaves a bit to be desired, and there’s a cheapness/phoniness to the production that I don’t really care for (including the world’s least realistic police department). Still, the show is pleasingly screwy, has a nice loose take on sexuality, there’s some cool camera work now and again, and you do have to give them credit for casting Max Headroom.
Ja’mie: Private School Girl (HBO) After stretching himself a bit too far in Angry Boys, this was a return to form for Chris Lilley. He is hilarious as overprivileged mean girl Ja’mie, who we last saw in Summer Heights High. Will also be nice to see Jonah From Tonga again when that series reaches the U.S., but I do hope Lilley trots out a new character or two.
DIDN’T LIKE
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim) Though I was happy to hear Justin Roiland’s voice again in this animated series, after enjoying him in Out There, it ultimately made me realize how much superior Out There was as a coming-of-age comedy. This series just tries too hard, likely influenced by Family Guy. It clearly wants to appeal to the section of Adult Swim’s audience that I do not care for: fans of goofy, over-the-top, often sexist sci-fi. I gave up after a couple of episodes.
ONE AND DONE
Kirstie (TV Land) There was the nostalgia curiosity factor: Kirstie Alley, Michael Richards, Rhea Perlman. But this Disney Channel-esque cookie-cutter sitcom was absolutely crummy.
Chozen (FX) I like Bobby Moynihan, and was excited that Danny McBride was involved. But the animation and writing were sub-par, and this just came across as a poor man’s Eastbound & Down.
YES, I’M STILL WATCHING THE SIMPSONS
It’s true.
LOOKING FORWARD TO
The Leftovers on HBO looks interesting—more so than the leftovers in my fridge. Will try Welcome to Sweden. Final season of Wilfred, return of Nathan for You, and baseball, baseball, baseball….
WHAT I USED TO WATCH AND IN MANY CASES STILL DO
Links to Edition I , II, III, IV, V, VI, or VII.
Album Review: ‘Rock River’ by Deena
4 stars out of 5
Click to purchase on iTunes or CDBaby
Back in 1987, before I’d been to Maxwell’s, before I’d been to Hoboken, there were the Cucumbers. I remember hanging out in my buddy Jeff’s room in central Jersey, listening to their song “My Boyfriend” on the radio. It was on MTV too. Bouncy and catchy and funny. We liked it.
Cut to 1994, I’m newly living in Hoboken, and at last the Cucumbers have another album out. Now I got to see them play live, at a little store called Blackwater Books. (This was before Barnes & Noble came to town, which is before Barnes & Noble left town.)
Deena Shoskes and Jon Fried of the Cucumbers may not live in Hoboken anymore, but they are in the DNA of the city’s music scene. And they’re not far away so i see them quite a bit—whether playing at a Sandy fundraiser or Pete Seeger tribute—or just showing up in support of another artist, such as young Jack Skuller. They seem like real good people, Deena and Jon, always smiling.
Well, now it’s your turn to smile, because Deena has a new solo album out, and it’s a perfect listen for a bright summer day. Even as a seasoned artist with a mature outlook, there’s a youthful innocence in Deena’s voice, and it’s absolutely infectious. (I want to say I’m reminded a little of Lisa Germano, but Deena was gettin’ it done long before Lisa wanted to wear dresses.)
And fear not, a solo record doesn’t mean there’s trouble in CucumberLand; Jon appears on 5 of the 12 tracks, providing guitar and backing vocals.
But this is definitely Deena’s show, as she follows the advice of opener “My Own Advice” — shaking off malaise and heading out to explore. Like a handful of songs here, there’s a gentle country lilt to this track, but it’s still rooted in pop.
Elsewhere there’s Deena’s take on the blues in “All She Wrote,” with background vocals from ‘Jersey Girls’ Rebecca Turner and Elena Skye (of the Demolition String Band). And “My Friend Superman” is jazzy, upbeat pop, pushed along by punchy horns. Hmmm, I may have uncovered the secret identity of Superman, throwing his cape on the floor. Could it be “My Boyfriend” all grown up, the fellow who wouldn’t wash the dishes? Somebody call Perry White!
“We’ll Take It From There” is a sweet declaration of being happy in a low-maintenance relationship. And the song has a beautiful bridge featuring glockenspiel from co-producer Rob Friedman. (His musical contributions throughout, including lap and pedal steel, really flavor the album.) Loss also creeps into some lyrics, such as “Always Tomorrow” — a sad tale of dwelling on yesterdays — and the soaring closer “When I Fall.”
Perhaps my favorite track is the mid-tempo rocker “Mr. Nobody” (more loss!), complete with chiming guitar and sunny organ fills. Ooh, and an E-Bow! But there are so many good songs, it’s hard to choose. Call me crazy, but in the bright “Bring It All,” I hear a hint of Springsteen’s “Incident on 57th Street.” (Hey, this is New Jersey, after all.) And the lovely country lament “I Will Never Be Your Valentine,” driven by twanging guitar, seems like it could’ve been torn from the Amy Allison songbook.
There are co-writes and strong musical support from friends, but in the end this album is 100% Deena, adding a few new tricks to her familiar charm. Smiles all around!
Q&A: Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & the Gang
Reading Will Hermes’ Love Goes to Buildings on Fire, I was surprised to learn that Kool & the Gang got their start in Jersey City. Doing some additional research, I was further surprised to learn that 2014 was the band’s 50th anniversary. So I pitched the idea to New Jersey Monthly and ended up interviewing Robert “Kool” Bell himself.
Ask Jack: Bug a Freelance Boss, Online Dating, and Job of the Week
In this week’s installment of my AOL Jobs advice column: what to do when your freelance boss doesn’t reply to your messages, and can you contact a coworker you see on an online dating site?
My Internet Radio Playlist, 6/17/14
EPISODE #133: CASEY KASEM TRIBUTE
Casey Kasem’s first broadcast of American Top 40 aired on July 4, 1970.
“The New Scooby-Doo Movies” [ALTERNATE THEME]
The Jackson 5 — “The Love You Save” [Billboard No. 1, 6/27/70 – 7/4/70]
Edwin Starr — “War” [No. 1, 8/29/70 – 9/12/70]
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles — “The Tears of a Clown” [No. 1, 12/12/70 – 12/19/70]
George Harrison — “My Sweet Lord” [No. 1, 12/26/70 – 1/16/71]
The Temptations — “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” [No. 1, 4/3/71 – 4/10/71]
Rolling Stones — “Brown Sugar” [No. 1, 5/29/71 – 6/5/71]
The Bee Gees — “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” [No. 1, 8/7/71 – 8/28/71]
Paul & Linda McCartney — “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” [No. 1, 9/4/71]
The Who — “I Can See for Miles” [long-distance dedication]
Sly & the Family Stone — Family Affair” [No. 1, 12/4/71 – 12/18/71]
Al Green — “Let’s Stay Together” [No. 1, 2/12/72]
Harry Nilsson — “Without You” [No. 1, 2/19/72 – 3/11/72]
Neil Young — “Heart of Gold” [No. 1, 3/18/72]
The Staple Singers — “I’ll Take You There” [No. 1, 6/3/72]
Bill Withers — “Lean on Me” [No. 1, 7/8/72 – 7/22/72]
Gilbert O’Sullivan — “Alone Again (Naturally)” [No. 1, 7/29/72 – 8/19/72 and 9/2/72 – 9/9/72]
Michael Jackson — “Ben” [No. 1, 10/4/72]
broadcast live from Hoboken, NJ, on “Jack’s Aquarium”
Tuesday, 6/17/14, 10:00-11:10 a.m. eastern time
Jack Silbert, curator