judge ito

A.V. Club: The Ballad of Liz Lemon

in: viewing room

Phillie Phanatic and Liz Lemon on NBC's "30 Rock"

I’ve never been one of those gals who gabs endlessly about my deep connection with Liz Lemon. I mean, the woman’s hilarious, a true comic heroine, but never before have I felt so tied to her. Until now.

Last night, NBC Thursday aired two “30 Rock” episodes, the first a continuation of last week’s plot and the second, the positively hysterical “The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell.” And it was, far and away, some of the best minutes of television I’ve seen in quite some time. Mostly, the latter had me rolling – actually rofl’ing – because of two key things.

First, Jack brought Phillie Phanatic to the office as part of the one year business-versary of Kabletown’s acquisition of GE Sheinhardt NBC Universal. Phillie Phanatic, y’all. If I were ever to get a major sports team’s mascot tattooed on my body, it would absolutely that guy (tramp stamp, tongue furled into the mouth-thing). I am so pleased that The Best Mascot in Sports had a cameo – with speech. PHILLIE PHANATIC SPEAKS!, though it’s a little disappointing he, it seems, is in fact a he. Sorry, Liz.

In the same two-minute clip, Jack rips on “TGS,” citing the show’s recent poor quality. The skit they cut to? TRACY MORGAN AS JUDGE ITO. The five-year-old version of me (and the stuffed animal I still sleep with named after the Simpson trial judge) is jumping up and down and clapping in utter joy.

Enjoy the clip at the link below, as I can’t get embedding to work right now, and I’m grumpy with it.
http://www.hulu.com/embed/reZz0x7xLakCTMd-mu6y5g/690/833

The Dunce Cap: March 21, 2011

in: heavy rotation, in: the press

Ju·gee·toe

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 31: ‘Cause they’re gonna be cool happy genius heroes. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “When U Love Somebody” – The Fruit Bats
2. “All the Beautiful Things” – Eels
3. “Ambling Alp” – Yeasayer
4. “Always On My Mind” – Phantom Planet
5. “Santa Clara” – The National
6. “King of Carrot Flowers, Pt.1” – Neutral Milk Hotel
7. “Keep Fishin’” – Weezer
8. “Oregon Girl” – Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
9. “Dancing Choose” – TV on the Radio
10. “Last Flight Out” – Butch Walker

I’ve got to say – I feel really guilty, you guys. Not only has The Girl With the Dunce Cap only produced a handful of entries this year, this is only the second Dunce Cap mix of 2011.  I have to be totally honest, though, and admit it’s been a pretty tough year thus far. So tough, in fact, that I’ve taken to watching “Fancy Feast” commercials for warmth in my heart.

Okay, that last part was a fib. But wouldn’t that be sad and indicative of my inevitable and massively disastrous cat lady future?

Anyhow. It’s spring break for the itty bitty kitty ‘Cats like myself, and it could not have come at a better time. This quarter honestly felt like a terse struggle for survival, and I’m ripe for an explosion. That was fairly melodramatic, sure, but winter is always the hardest. This winter was particularly tough, what with that ridiculous blizzard, incredible overcommitting, a deplorable gluttony of Netflix instant and a still-mending broken heart. But it wasn’t all bad. I think I learned a lot more about myself and what I want. I gained a greater understanding of the healing power of time, and I really, truly think I figured out what it is that I want. And I’m strong enough to risk it all to get it.

This mix is a testament to the long overdue start to spring. It’s ultra-warm down South, and I am loving the heat waves. I like these songs because they make my feet tick and the corners of my mouth turn up, and I want to let the wind in my hair and the sun on my skin, and that is the feeling I think I’m constantly coveting. God, I’m starting to sound so sappy. But I’m truly confident about what lies ahead, and I’m really learning to count on myself. I’m still very much in love, perhaps with what used to be, but I have a good feeling. There’s still more to come.

OH. AND THE PHOTO. If you ever experience a lull in conversation with me, ask me why Judge Lance Ito is important to me.

Stray additions:

  • My favorite line of the week came from Thursday’s quite excellent 30 Rock. “I miss my weird love,” says Angie about Tracy, and I’ve got to say – I totally understand where she’s coming from.
  • I bought this hat. It’s possibly the best thing to potentially ever happen to anyone anywhere in the history of the universe (thank you, Leslie Knope!), and I plan to wear it at every opportunity, including but not limited to (my first actually attended) crush party, Dillo Day and my 21st birthday epic bar crawl. For the record, that’s not me in the photo. I know. You thought wrong.
  • I’m living like Eloise all week long! Seriously. I’m residing in a hotel instead of my childhood home because of a big ol’ fire – yeah, that sucks. -, and it’s actually really cool. Plus, there’s a tap of cheap beer at my disposal.
  • Dude. Last week’s NBC Thursday night television? Totally excellent. My crush on Adam Scott deepens. And my favorite use of Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker’s “American Girl” ever. I can’t explain to you how hard I laughed when I saw Swanson on that li’l train, with Tom taking up the rear. Even better use of the song than in that seriously creepy scene in Silence of the Lambs!
  • I like Memphis. And I like Twitter. Happy 5th birthday, Twitter!
  • I’m particularly intrigued by the whole debacle happening in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communication (yawnx10,000 to the name change) with renowned Medill Innocence Project Professor David Protess. Check out the coverage in the Sun-Times.

Alright, y’all. Happy listening, and happy pretty weather & frolicking & springtime! The Dunce Cap will be back in a big way this quarter, with mixes out every Monday and regular pop culture updates from the mouths of (this) babe. Thrilling!