Health Care, Green Hornet, Halloween gig, Bob and Ray and The Beatles

Well the head of the Democratic what ever Senate committee finally offered up his bill for health care and other than the insurance companies who will love it, everybody thinks it stinks – even the Republicans which is sad since everything objectionable to the GOP was removed. Not unexpected but hell for all that effort the good senator might as well have been playing World of War craft instead – at least by now he’d up to level 80 for sure with his magic healer.

I’ve noted with some amusement the stops and starts of the project Green Hornet film – the original director and Kato (same person) left – then the movie’s relapse date was moved back to December (a dead zone for super hero films) and then Nicholas Cage – America’s answer to Michael Cane (I’ll be in any thing as long as I’m paid) left the film right after one of the Black Beauty Stunt cars crashed on the first day of shooting.

The project’s had a few problems and a few shifts in direction but one constant is Seth Rogen will be playing the Hornet (well he wrote the script) which to me (and others) seems like at the best a problem and more likely a hideous piece of miscasting.

Nothing against Seth but he looks like an unmade bed. He’s not right for the part – to be fair I’m not either. And it’s kind of telling we have not seen Seth in costume yet – maybe they want to surprise us or more likely Seth just looks absurd in the get up.

For those who appreciate bad movies this looks like a winner. I’m thinking Spirit maybe even Bloodraye badness.

Anyway speaking of artists who’s egos are too big the band has a gig on Halloween per the ever generous Astoria Arts and Music people – spooky songs and other treats galore and more.

Got a new electronic toy – one of those flip video cameras so easy even a lead singer can use it – so expect self absorbed videos to be part of the Bob Muir and the Enemy Below experience.

Meantime got two of the re-mastered Beatles – Abbey Road and Revolver – haven’t really had a chance to listen to them just yet so no word on the quality or what not.

Been listening a lot to some recordings done by Boy and Ray a rather low key comedy duo that were on the radio in various forms from the 1950’s to the 80’s. An obvious influence on folks like Bob Newhart and the Firesign Theater their work is hard for me to describe other than say it paints man as too hopelessly absurd to survive – ideas make no sense, interviews go completely array- a famous routine has Bob as the president of the Slow Talkers of America who talks so slowly that it drives Ray right over the edge – and things and people just never connect - add a element of absurdity – an interview with a promoter of Professional Hide and Seek and a spot on take down of soap opera clichés it’s conformist America view from the perspective of two people who were part of it but for some reason saw the utter craziness that lay just underneath.

You know there might be link in a weird way with the Beatles – bob and ray started in the 50s’ and their satire till the end was of Eisenhower’s America – The Beatles for an instant in time pointed out ‘you don’t have to live like that” which has spawned a whole industry that doesn’t like the 60’s and works very hard to say no you have to live like that (that was a real book from the 60's fyi). Even now even so many years after the band has gone.

Weird.

Peace, love, hang by your thumbs