The Dapper Lad

I’ve never felt so ashamed of my country.

OK, we realize that recommending a show that is already off the air is a little (fine, a lot) like recommending this sweet jam band that we just came across called the Grateful Dead, but it is so unbelievably good.  The first episode is a little heavy handed and it left us wondering about the taste of dozens of reviewers and many friends whose opinions are generally spot on.  But then it starts getting better and better and then like a crackhead in the towers you are hooked.  This opening sequence from the start of the 8th episode of the 2nd season (the one in the port) (NSFW after McNulty asks if he can get scrapple with that)

is the best sequence we’ve seen on TV since the “San Francisco cocksucker” scene from Deadwood:

The Wire is an unbelievably strong show and we’re pumped for Generation Kill (done by the same guys) to come out on DVD or for one of our friends to get HBO.

In the words of McNulty: “Pour it!”

Having never seen the film Star Wars, this photo confuses the hell out of us.

As Dapper Lad’s resident family man I’ll take it upon myself to review the latest films targeted to families. The big hit from Pixar, WALL-E, can be reviewed by my oldest wee-one in four words: “Do it again please.”  Pixar has succeeded in making a great motion picture that is accessible to children rather than just writing a piece of crap and tricking kids to come because they don’t know any better.

The downside is that since Disney bought Pixar in 2006 the viewer has to succumb to what Eisenhower warned America about before your grandpa’s pubes turned grey: The Disney-Media complex. I don’t know the length in time of WALL-E since I was floating on a cloud of disbelief for the entire movie. There was no war in Iraq, no floods, no recession - the only thing that existed was me, my son, my wife, and a couple of robots falling in love. Before the movie I experienced the longest one minute thirty seconds of my life.  So before pressing play on the trailer below for BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA get some provisions because it’s gonna be a while.

For Emma, Forever Ago.

Can we just take a moment here to talk about music without sounding like complete jerks?  We know that you’re busy, we know you’ve got a lot of stuff on your hands these days, and we know that you may not have the time, energy, or inclination to actively seek out new and fresh sounds to play from the speakers in your car, computer, or home.  We know this.  But this is what you have us for.

This is the first time we have recommended music here on The Dapper Lad and we’d like for you to know that our recommendation does not come lightly.  So, here goes.

This album is worth your time.  It was recorded by one man using ancient recording equipment in an old creaking hunting cabin, deep in snow-covered Wisconsin during the dead of winter.  It has a sound which goes as perfect with your coffee in the morning as it does with the last couple beers at the end of the night. It’s soulful, profound, heartfelt, and deeply significant.  Go get it.

To say anymore would simply delay your purchase and subsequent enjoyment of this masterpiece, and we wouldn’t dream of doing that.  It is available for download on Itunes, and if you don’t want to risk the 10 bucks based simply on what we tell you, that’s fine (coward), just do yourself a favor and download “Skinny Love”, and then you’ll see what we mean.

You are welcome.

Boy George has canceled his North American tour because he couldn’t get a visa. We are despondent at the news, but at least we are suddenly free July 18th.

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“The very existence of flamethrowers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, “You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.”’

“Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky, who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer and burn and scream until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you and he needs money.”

“So I say, “Live and let live.” That’s my motto. “Live and let live.” Anyone who can’t go along with that, take him outside and shoot the motherfucker. It’s a simple philosophy, but it’s always worked in our family.”

Rest In Peace, George Carlin.  You were a giant.