About The Bioshock Infinite Cover...

A few weeks back I mentioned on Twitter that I hoped that English actress Olivia Colman received payment for her likeness rights on the Bioshock Infinite cover art

Like it can't just be me who sees the resemblance, but it seems no one else has mentioned it at all.

Here is the character of Elizabeth as presented on the cover of the game:

And here is Olivia Colman from some of her sketch comedy work in the early part of the 2000's:

I mean, the same chin, similar eyes, eyebrows and lips. I saw the resemblance immediately. And the strange thing is, Elizabeth doesn't look like Olivia Colman in the game... just on the cover.

Dave Chappelle and Fan Entitlement

It had occurred to me earlier this evening that I hadn't heard too much about of Dave Chappelle in a long time, and I decided to look him up on the IMDB. I hadn't been living under a rock when he had his much publicized parting from Comedy Central, but I had thought that he had still done a few projects over the years, and it turns out that I was mistaken.

Anyway, while I was there, I happened to start reading threads that people had started about him.

Now first, don't do that. While it is moderated, it is like a cleaned up version of Youtube comments, which means that a lot of stupidity remains.

Case in point, a thread calling his a coward for abandoning his fans.

There is a huge difference between saying "I'd like to see Dave Chappelle start doing tv again," and saying "Dave Chappelle is a coward who is letting down his fans."

Because really, Dave Chappelle doesn't owe you or me anything. If he doesn't want to do television or make movies anymore, then he is free to do so. If he wants to retire to Ohio and raise a family outside the scrutiny of TMZ, then he is entitled to do so, and he doesn't have to explain himself to anyone.

He made a decision, like Bill Watterson did, to pull back from the limelight and do what he wants to do with the rest of his life, and while I miss seeing him do standup on TV, I respect the decision he's made.

If you were his fan, don't be an ass and demand that he entertain you so more. If he wants to come back and do something, he will. Until then, be patient.

Do You Ever Confuse Two Similarly Named Celebrities

I always mix Karl and Keith Urban up.

I know they have similar names and all, but come on, one was in the excellent RED and who would most likely play fellow blogger Lee Sargent in a movie, the other is a country singer.

I mean, with other last names, I don't mix celebrities up. Like I don't mix Emily and James Blunt up, or the various Allens, Jones, Smiths and Atkinsons up either.

What is it about "Urban" that has that effect on me. Perhaps I will never know.

But are their any celebrities which confuse when seeing their names?

I Nominate Heidi Klum As The Queen Of Halloween

There are lots of things you can say about Heidi Klum, but one of them can't be that she doesn't love Halloween.

I think she commits to the holiday like few other celebrities.

If you haven't seen her costumes, you've missed out, and I warn you, the last one is one you should avoid while eating.

*slow applause*

The Paparazzi Should Be Chasing New Targets

It never really occured to me to think about it this way: basically we have an army of people chasing other people around when they are off work. I mean, they are chasing entertainers, people who jape and strut for our amusement when they are working.

I've been of the opinion that if someone is following you around with a camera all the time and you happened to punch them, that is justified since they are technically harassing you and you are defending yourself.

Do you know what I think of when the image of people being unwillingly pursued by reporters and cameramen when they aren't currently at work?

I think of news stories about corporate presidents and CEO's who had defrauded or harmed a great number of people with their products, corrupt politicians who lined their own pockets at the expense of their constituents, and even on a local level, contractors and the like who have left their honest customers in the lurch. And in every case, they do not want to discuss the matter with a member of the media, so the journalist crafting the story goes to their place of business and usually chases them to their car, asking them questions that their target will not answer.

And I am just thinking... how much different the world might be if those people spending their lives laying in the gutter trying to get upskirt shots of young female celebrities and chasing them down the street were doing that to people who really deserve that kind of attention... the kind of people investigative reporters used to harass and expose: the corrupt, the criminal and the incompetent.

Sunday Video: Christopher Walken Reads The Three Little Pigs

There has been a running gag across a lot of different cartoon series regarding Christopher Walken reading a story to children.

I didn't know video of Walken actually reading a children's story existed.

It is a lot more fun than the parodies, that's for sure.

The Comedy Central Roasts: Who Should They Really Be Roasting?

With the Roast of Charlie Sheen airing tonight, it seems to me that my thoughts about the Comedy Central Roasts in general would be especially relevant.

To me, most of the people they do the roasts for on Comedy Central aren't worth the effort. I mean, David Hasselhoff and Flavor Flav? Really? I don't like Larry the Cable Guy, but I totally get why they roasted him, and William Shatner made sense too.

But there are people who seem so obvious to me, it seems weird that they haven't been roasted already. Here are a few of them.

Jon Stewart: He is on Comedy Central, he has appeal outside the network and on The Daily Show, he has worked with quite a few people who have gone on to projects of their own. This one seems like the most obvious one.
On the Dais: Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Garry Shandling, Dennis Miller, Ricky Gervais, Bruce Springsteen
Surprise Guest: Bill O'Reilly

Louis CK: A comedian's comedian and one with a successful cult television show, and he would be hilarious when he was tossing back the insult during the final act.
On the Dais: Chris Rock, Conan O'Brien, Jim Norton, Opie and Anthony, Marc Maron, Ricky Gervais (he isn't going to be on all of them, but yeah, this one too), Nick DiPaolo
Surprise Guest (though not so surprise now): Dane Cook

Bill Clinton: Come on, you know there are still a lot of jokes floating around a bunch of comics heads that haven't been told just yet. And I don't think GWB would agree to do one, especially after the infamous WC Dinner ripping from Colbert.
On The Dais: Talk Show Hosts... it would be fun hearing Conan/Letterman rip on Leno to his face too. Plus Jon Stewart/Colbert
Surprise Guest: Jimmy Carter

Bill Cosby: You have a grandmaster of comedy, one who was instrumental, along with a few other pioneers like Dick Gregory, helped mainstream black comedians for the American public.
On the Dais: Dick Gregory, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Patrice O'Neal, Paul Mooney, Larry Wilmore, Alonzo Bodden
Surprise Guest: Phyllis Diller or Joan Rivers

Now I wonder, who would you like to see Comedy Central roast?

Am I The Only One...

...shocked that the whole expensive Kardashian wedding over the weekend was actually profitable for the couple?

I mean, how many people actually make money on their own wedding? That's just bizarre. And a little sickening truth be told.

Does This Look Like Someone Famous To You?

I installed a graphics mod for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind last weekend, and when I happened to visit a particular Mages Guild, I ran into this NPC.

My question is, am I the only one who noticed that this character has more than a passing resemblance to Olivia Wilde?

Oh, and if you have Morrowind for the PC, the graphic mod, which is awesome, can be found here. And you can watch a video to see what the mods look like together too.

Gene Simmons Is Getting Married?

Anyone else think it is strange that after 25 years Gene Simmons popped the question to long time girlfriend Shannon Tweed.

I don't generally write about this sort of thing, but it is just weird.

I mean, aren't they technically married due to common law anyway?

Part of me (ok, most of me) thinks that this is just something that they have cooked up for that stupid reality show Family Jewels. It has to be. Because really, why would he suddenly have this massive change of heart.

The other reason I can think of is he feels intensely guilty about something he has done recently and he is trying to make amends without disclosing the actual deed in question.

In either case, it seems sort of suspicious for one reason or another.

James Franco Blames Everyone But Himself For The Oscars

Gah! James Franco just keeps playing the blame game when it comes to his cohosting stint at the Academy Awards.

First he sort of insinuated that Anne Hathaway was the problem at the Oscars during an appearance with David Letterman, which wasn't cool.

Now he is blaming the writers. Granted, there may have been some problems with the material, and I am not denying there were some execution problems, but still... he is protesting way too much.

I am thinking about some of the other people who went down in flames hosting an awards show and you know what... they almost all totally own it and they laugh about it, but Franco isn't.

If James Franco owned it, people would let it go. But because he keeps trying to pass the buck on everyone else, it is just making it worse.

Snoop Dogg Wants To Play Benny Hill

I don't have a problem with Snoop Dogg, and I am not a fan of Benny Hill, but the news that the former wants to play the latter just rubs me the wrong way.

If Snoop Dogg wanted to play Dave Lister from Red Dwarf, I think I'd be all over that (or ooh, what about Dave Chappelle).

When I first read the headline of the story, I thought Snoop wanted to recreate the show... but that doesn't seem to be the case.

No... he wants to play Benny Hill in a biopic.

If it happens, I'll have to see it just because it sounds so bizarre.

Sunday Video: Samuel L. Jackson Reads Go The F*ck to Sleep

Well, it is a match made in pop culture heaven. A tongue in cheek (though coated in truth) and profane book about getting an active child to sleep meets a man who is known for his brand of swearing.

For some strange reason, I want to hear Jeff Bridges read this too.

Does Anyone Else See This?

Is it just me or does this almost look like a before and after ad for some form of facial treatment?

Strange Thing To Note

I just realized that today, on the day of Michael Cera's 23rd birthday, he is now as old as the titular character in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

But he likely isn't fighting evil exes tonight.

The Sarandons

The Sentinel was on today and I started to think about the life and work of its star, Chris Sarandon.

I wonder if Chris Sarandon is jealous of his ex-wife Susan's success with his last name?

Especially since she got her first acting job accompanying him to an audition.

Yes, he has played some iconic roles, including his work in The Princess Bride, but Susan Sarandon has placed a much deeper impression on pop culture. Being in a midnight movie that just won't die tends to do that.

I wonder if it eats away at him now or if he is happy for her and her successes.

Express Checkout: M Night, LARPing, Sex Toys

-There is currently a campaign spearheaded by three disillusioned fans to raise 150K to send M. Night Shyamalan to NYU film school to improve his craft, or barring that, start a scholarship under his name to send a film student who wins a film festival of their own devising to NYU in his place. I support that second option wholeheartedly. Currently they have raised under a grand for this project.

-There is a movie coming out this year called The Knights of Badassdom which will deal with the fictional conceit that Summer Glau does Live Action Role Playing... err, rather that a group of Live Action Role Players accidently summon a demon and they must then try to defeat it. See, when I think of LARPing in movies, the way it is portrayed Role Models seems to be the version that has stuck with me since I believe that the characters involved would actually do that.

-Apparently there is a company in China that thought that the best person they could think of to use to brand their sex toys was Mischa Barton. Oh China... you so crazy! And the idea that somehow she was going to file legal action against a company in rural China who is creating and selling this particular device is even funnier (and I am not laughing at Barton's predicament... it is just a lost cause in my eyes).

Fun Fact

Did you know that Melanie Chisholm (aka Mel C, AKA Sporty Spice) third on the list of the most UK number-one singles by a British co-writer. Who are the people ahead of her in this regard?

Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

See, I would have thought Jagger/Richards might have been near the top of that list too.

Midweek Video: James Ellroy on Conan in 1999

The man is a real storyteller.

I think the origins of a particular Dave Chappelle sketch are in this Ellroy interview.

Does Anyone Care About The Royal Wedding

I say this as a citizen of a commonwealth nation, so there is some measure of respect here: does anyone really care about the upcoming royal wedding? Seriously, anyone?

I don't know these people, I've never met them and in all honesty, since they don't do anything which is remotely entertaining, I really don't care that they are getting married.

And my third point is the reason I bring this up: they aren't in entertainment, and yet it seems that a lot of entertainment related shows are just running with this wedding. Why?

Are they making a movie out of it... is it going to be the basis of a reality show?

I know, I am not the demographic some of these shows may be looking for (thank you entertainment websites for filling that void that entertainment shows used to fill), but honestly, if you personally aren't getting married this year, why do you care what the bride's dress look like or if the royal couple has a prenuptial agreement. Hard news stations are talking about the prenuptial agreement, and those news directors deserve a punch in the nose for that. Are they going to get money from that divorce if the relationship goes south? Am I? No? Then it isn't news. Or at least it isn't first half hour of a local newscast news.

Maybe I am still bitter about a particular day from my youth where our entire school went on a field trip to a local park during one of the Queen's visits to Canada. Do you know what happened? We were told to wave at the Queen as she drove by. The car had tinted windows and I deeply suspect that she was holding a few fingers in our general direction while sticking out her tongue.

I'm just sick of hearing about it... and knowing it is just going to become more and more prevalent across the news spectrum as the date approaches makes me a little angry.