Every Blog Needs a Purpose, Right?

This blog will be read by few and certainly enjoyed by even fewer. I am fine with that, I am creating this blog out of some sort of desperate need to re-organize my thoughts in a way that can be easily archived. I would write a diary but my uncle once told me "Diaries are for fruits"

Monday, September 26, 2011

Why I Must Shove This Down Your Throat Pt. 1

Because I love you, that's why.  I only strongly recommend media that I find to be unique or just plain quality to the people in my life I know are capable of dissecting and appreciating quality in anything.


Everyday we are bombarded with shitty TV, shitty radio, shitty music, shitty books, and shitty journalism.  It's not cynical to say this, it's just an inevitability. The amount of entertainment we have access to is so voluminous that quality ultimately suffers.  We laugh at comedic entities that are witless and obvious (2 And A Half Men/Larry the Cable Guy), music that is emotionless and non-expressive (Little Wayne/Nickleback), and political commentary that is unsubstantiated and without research (Rush Limbaugh/Janeane Garafalo).


Don't get me wrong I understand fully the concept of objectivity in regards to art, "to each his own" is absolutely essential if we are to have endless variety.  That doesn't mean that you can deny the basic laws of quality in art or entertainment, unique ideas/thoughts/images, vivid expression of those ideas/thoughts/images, and ability to reach or touch people of different age/race/gender groups in some meaningful way.  Would it be pretentious to say that I just made those rules up and  I am quite fucking proud of how much sense they make?


That is why for the next few blog posts I must now show you ----- things that are just plain QUALITY.  So that, form this point on...we (I mean you three subscribers) can understand each other and stop wasting each other's time recommending obvious bullshit.

The Wire


The Wire is one of the greatest television dramas ever created and will forever (in my opinion) be the GREATEST take on our modern civilization's methods of self-government, human frailty, and ability to completely forget who we are & how we treat each other as human beings in our search for power. 


The Wire is such an eclectic mix of young actors ranging from elderly black women that warm your heart in their earnest demeanor to 4th graders that make you tremble with fear for the hopelessness of today's inner city youth.  The scene below is one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever seen.  It shows how fucking ugly we can be as humans and yet continue to wear, for 99% of our time awake smiles for one another.

Warning: Spoiler Alert
Also, if you are a child....I don't really care if you see this.  Seriously why would a child be reading this half ass blog?











This show will force you to sit in stunned silence numerous times throughout it's six season run.  I can't applaud the shows creator David Simon enough for his adherence to strict topic research and willingness to let the chips fall where they may in regards to character development.  If you are worried about your favorite characters dying or disappearing from sight, The Wire isn't for you, real life isn't for you.  In real life sometimes the people we adore the most aren't around forever just because we love to see them, The Wire embraces this reality and it really adds to the unpredictability of the story lines.


Another brilliant aspect of The Wire, is the down right hilarious jokes and satire that is so brilliantly woven into the fabric of what turns out to ultimately be a very dark show.  I found myself laughing at least half of the time at the characters as they live their daily lives, but not in a cheesy sitcom kind of way.  The people in the Wire truly remind me of real people I have met over my 27 years in various industries and social settings.  these characters are fucking funny as hell.  From the drunk, womanizing, fuck up, idiot savant Jimmy McNulty, to the murderous homosexual homeless hit-man Omar.  Examples you say?




In all The Wire is absolute quality as far as television entertainment.  I can guarantee that you will rent/buy season 1 and watch it in a 48hr period.  Especially if you're like me and you love hiding from your friends and family.


If you are an HBO subscriber you can find every episode of The Wire at www.hbogo.com


P.S. I was originally going to make today's post about the Sopranos, but I figured if you don't realize that is the greatest TV show of all time, you probably died in 1998.







Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The First Post is the Deepest




This is the first post of what I hope is many.  I have always enjoyed the blogs of others so this is a natural step for me.  I will try my best to make you laugh and if possible I will make you cry or shit your pants while dry heaving.