Several years ago, when Intel Chris was an unpaid summer magazine intern, he took a class at the Columbia Bartending School, hoping to land a paid gig for his spare time. After "graduating," he was sent out on several interviews, one of which was at the Village Idiot (R.I.P.). Being new to New York and not knowing the bar's reputation, he did his early aughts Sun-Inned hair, readied his résumé (including high-school grades!), and strolled in eagerly to ask for an audition. In very short order, he was laughed out of the place, and in the end wound up working more appropriately as a lifeguard at one of the city's rare, men-only naked pools. But had the Idiot had a sign outside like this one, snapped this week outside its sister bar, the Patriot in Tribeca, Chris would have probably saved himself a fair amount of public humiliation. At the very least, he would have worn something substantially different to the interview.

Wonderful Job Opportunity at Tribeca's Patriot Bar [Eater NY]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: neighborhood news, bars, bartenders, the greatest depression, the patriot, tribeca

Spencer: Heidi's surgery not my call

Saddle Shoes Shimmy Back Into Style

Spring shoes are tauntingly multiplying in stores, and amid the racks of platform sandals and huaraches, we’ve noticed another throwback trend: the fifties-style saddle shoe. In perhaps an inevitable progression from the oxford, we’ll all be looking like we’re on our way to a sock hop this spring. Vans launched its new Sophie shoe, Camper tacked on a chunky heel, Steven Alan is stocking Bass’s classic version in black and brown, Urban Outfitters has a leather lace-up, and Fred Flare delivers a canvas-sneaker style from Marais USA. (Various versions are also popping up for the men.) Would you rock the saddle-shoe trend? After scrolling through the Sponge’s brilliant tribute, we have to admit, we’re tempted. Though we suspect you also need model-esque gams to properly pull off those bobby socks.

Read more posts by Lauren Murrow

Filed Under: trends, shoes, spring 2010

Vulture Programming Announcement: We’ll Be Live-Blogging Conan’s Final Tonight Show

That's right! All of you out there who have canceled your plans in order to support Conan O'Brien on his final night as host of the Tonight Show are invited to join your friendly Vulture editor Mark Graham (that's me!) as I live-blog tonight's big finale. I'll be following in Ricky Gervais's footsteps and getting as drunk as I possibly can before hosting the affair (that is to say, drunk enough to be buzzed but not so drunk that I'll no longer have enough dexterity to properly type). As a way to prepare, I highly suggest you read this excellent piece from next week's New York on how Conan's firing has made him a fitting hero for these troubled economic times. See you in about six hours! (Okay, reverting back to the royal "we" starting ... NOW!) Update: Looking for the liveblog? It's here. [NYM]

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: no flipping, conan o'brien, late shifting, tonight show, tv

Los Angeles Judge Rules Polanski Must Return to U.S. to be Sentenced

An L.A. judge rules the director must return to the U.S. to be sentenced in a decades-old sex case.

Ke$ha Renounces Looking ‘Like a Whore’

Even if "Tik Tok" is annoying the crap out of you, as is the "$" in her name, there are things to admire about Ke$ha. She's perfectly comfortable walking around in flats and T-shirts most of the time. Also, she tells Entertainment Weekly, "I hope my record is saying you can be confident and sexy, and you don't have to wear a pushup bra and look like a whore and spend seven grand on a bag." We're not sure if that necessarily shines through in her lyrics, but the leggings with no side fabric might confuse the message. [NYDN]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: feels like p. diddy, kesha, quotables

This Week in Rap Beef: Rocket Launchers and Velcro Straps

Surprisingly, we haven’t run into that many actual dis tracks since we started tracking the beef weekly. This week, we get two! And one of them is pretty good!

2. Brisco versus Gucci Mane
Say What? Lil Wayne affiliate Brisco took offense at Gucci mentioning his name in an obscure, but still less than flattering manner on “Heavy,” and has now shot back via “Waka Blacka,” which attacks Gucci as well as his pals OJ da Juiceman and Waka Flocka Flame. It’s unclear why Gucci mentioned Brisco in the first place, but … and you stopped reading at “Waka Flocka Flame,” didn’t you?
The Takeaway: The song’s a dud, as Brisco mostly spends his time un-creatively and inconsiderately making fun of Waka for having recently been shot. This is probably the best line: “They shot me, I shot them/I call that shit my retweet.”

1. Joe Budden/Royce da 5’9” versus Benzino
Say What? Loyal readers of TWIRB will recall this rocket-launcher-centric feud from a few weeks back. It’s still flaring up, although once Benzino hears Budden and Royce’s punchy “40/40,” he might want to throw in the towel.
The Takeaway: Royce’s verse is really dope, with a bunch of highlights: “We can lace him up, pay per view, however you wanna do it/then donate the proceeds to Haiti”; “I’m bonkers, I’m cuckoo, I’m beyond gonzo/the rocket launcher is like a part of my ensemble” ; “My momma got fangs, my daddy got ducks feet/I was genetically predisposed to fuck freaks.” (Note: We’re not really sure what that last one means, but it sounds pretty tough.) Still, it’s kind of overshadowed by the talking part at the end where Joe Budden makes fun of Benzino for wearing shoes with Velcro straps.

Read more posts by Amos Barshad

Filed Under: beef, feud for though, music

Michelle Obama Debuts a Chic New Number With an Asymmetrical Empire Waist

We love Michelle Obama's dress today: a boatneck, three-quarter sleeve gray sheath that would be plain save for the button diagonal empire-waist detail. See the full look in the Michelle Obama Look Book.

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: mobama watch, michelle obama

So It’s Come To This: An Office Clip Show

The Office made its long-anticipated return to new episodes last night wiiiiiiithhh… a clip show featuring about six or seven minutes of new footage, five or six minutes of which existed solely to set up the clips.

Basically, it was the equivalent of your girlfriend/boyfriend being out of town for six weeks, returning, making dinner reservations, getting drunk, coming home, taking you into the bedroom, and showing you an Office clip show.

I found nothing particularly bad about the episode, at least in any conventional sense. The episode fit the plot established by the one before the break, the characters all acted believably in their eight seconds on screen, and most of the clips were funny (obviously), but the entire night just felt weirdly inessential; it was, almost literally, like sitting down and watching a repeat, which is fine, but only when you aren’t eagerly anticipating a brand-new episode and you’ve been given no indications not to expect one. Plus, with 30 Rock sitting on-deck on my DVR, watching old Office clips was more than a little patience-testing.

Granted, The Simpsons, my deity, has tossed out its share of clip shows over the years, some of them entertaining, some of them painful, but The Simpsons (which was more expensive to produce episode-wise than The Office and thus more desperate for a break) also managed to churn out one of the most self-awarely brilliant and entertaining clip shows ever, the 138th Episode Spectacular, using a combination of old footage, unseen footage, and a hilarious framing device. The Office tried only the former.

Don’t get me wrong: The Office clip show wasn’t offensive because it was a clip show — there’s worse things than being reminded of past Office moments in a thematic way — but it was disappointing just how lazily clip-showy it was. They didn’t have any fun with the concept, and it was essentially just every clip show ever (loose excuse for characters being reminded of the past), just with Office clips.

I assume we’ll be back on track next week, right fellas? Because frankly, I was a little disappointed by your most recent attempt to entertain me year after year for free.

Office clip show reactions? Leave ‘em in the comments.

Galliano asks whodunit with Holmes-inspired show (AP)

AP - Theatrical British designer John Galliano lived up to his reputation as a master showman on Friday with a Sherlock Holmes-themed fall-winter 2010-2011 menswear production that involved a gigantic magnifying glass, flame-throwers and laced-up London dandies in ladies' corsets.

Gucci and Christie’s Will Assess Your Vintage Finds

Now you no longer have to speculate about the value of your most recent vintage-store Gucci find (or, more likely, whether it's a knockoff). This week, Gucci and Christie's teamed up to launch Gucci Collector, an online service that allows visitors to upload photos of their dated hand-me-downs for appraisal by specialists at Christie's and in Gucci's archive department. In two to four weeks, you'll receive an auction estimate and a rundown of its origin. They'll also let you know if your item might be of interest for an upcoming Christie's sale (admit it: Anyone who shops at vintage stores has had this fantasy) or for display in Gucci's upcoming Florence museum, slated to open in 2011.

Read more posts by Lauren Murrow

Filed Under: vintage, christie's, gucci

Wyclef's Foundation Hires New Accounting Firm Following Controversy

Wyclef Jean's foundation says it had hired a new accounting firm the the organization acknowledged mistakes.

Jay Leno Prepares for Tearful Reunion With His Long Lost Desk

After being painfully separated from his trusty security blanket desk when he moved to the 10 p.m. time slot on NBC, it looks as if the brass over at the Peacock has given the green light for Jay to once again be able to rest his elbows on a flat, wooden surface when he returns to the Tonight Show in early March. NBC entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin told the Live Feed's James Hibberd that "I would be surprised if they didn't bring back the desk and a couch, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a new desk and couch." So, Los Angelenos, don't be surprised if you see the Chin wandering around the Burbank IKEA this weekend in search of a spiffy new desk and couch combo! [Live Feed/HR]

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: late shifting, furniture, jay leno show, nbc, talkshowpocalypse, tonight show, tonight show with jay leno, tv

Doug Kass on the ‘Zeitgeist of Dissatisfaction’

"The populist uproar is geared toward the incumbent, toward anyone in power. It does not run on party lines, nor is it focused on health care. It is the zeitgeist of dissatisfaction, a sign of the times."

"Maybe it's a function of high unemployment or the electorate ticked off at the wealthy and the largest institutions (especially of a banking kind). This dissatisfaction was expressed in the Democratic tsunami that brought Obama the Presidency, and it was seen in the Massachusetts Senatorial election that brought Brown the Senate seat. In other words, the mood of the country has been changing for a while, and it is being reflected in a very negative view toward those who have not suffered from high unemployment or from wayward derivative bets (and still got paid). And, as I have written before, this will lead to policies that are arguably needed but, generally speaking, are valuation deflating. While I recognize that historically political gridlock is generally seen as a market positive, it might not be this time as the nation needs sound direction and leadership, not legislative inertia. Given the complexity and scope of our country's fiscal problems, obstruction and the perception of continued divisive and partisan political agendas and the lack of an overall governmental community (which could thwart desperately necessary legislative solutions) might quickly be seen as a negative. In summary, on so many levels, it's different this time. "

Kass: Sell the News [Real Money Silver/The Street]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: nation of haters, the rich hunt, the zeitgeist of disatisfaction

Fear Not, Jeff Zucker: Career Help Has Arrived! [Job Hunting]

This is Conan O'Brien's last day at NBC, as you've probably heard. Unfortunately, the person who should be packing up his giant office today isn't: Jeff Zucker, NBC's ruinous president and CEO, who has pretty much destroyed everything he's touched over the past decade, from comedy (remember when Thursday night was "Must See TV"?) to drama (remember when ER and The West Wing were big hits?) to late-night (no explanation necessary). What happens to Zucker in the end is anybody's guess and ultimately up to his new bosses at Comcast, who gave him a new contract recently that will keep him in place through 2013. But given the events of the past couple of weeks—and the sense of panic that probably pervades Comcast HQ right now—it wouldn't be a bad idea for Zucker to polish up the ol' résumé. With that in mind—and because Zucker is a busy man and fully consumed with damage control right now—we took the liberty of getting things started. Why not, right? He's going to need some help, though. After all, he's spent his entire career at NBC (he joined the company as a lowly researcher way back in '86), so it's unlikely he's given his résumé any thought in two decades. But we're here to help. Below, Jeff's starter-kit résumé—along with a few instructions and suggestions—so he can get to work as soon as this weekend.

Click image to expand or click here.

For Jeff Zucker:
Don't delay! Download your resume right now and get started:

• Résumé - Jeffrey Adam Zucker (Microsoft Word format)
• Résumé - Jeffrey Adam Zucker (PDF format)

Lady Gaga’s Costume Designer Doesn’t Know What ‘Haus of Gaga’ Is

Zaldy Goco designs costumes for Lady Gaga, including the ones she wears on her current Monster Ball tour. "I had never really worked with anyone else who had someone like Nicola [Formichetti] or a creative director or that many advisers," he said. "But, the best thing about working with Gaga and meeting with her in the beginning was finding out how genuine those ideas were to her, whether or not it came from meetings with the Haus of Gaga." But what exactly is the Haus of Gaga? "I’m not even sure exactly what it is. As she explained it to me, it’s the collective of people who come together to work with her creatively. But, it’s not as if she’s going to launch a fashion line or anything — at least that’s what she told me then. But, I guess you never know." [Business of Fashion]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: disco heaven, divas, just pants, lady gaga, zaldy goco

What Do You Think of Leighton Meester’s New Single?

Yet another one of Leighton Meester's dance tunes has hit the Internet as a single. "Your Love's a Drug" is the second song off her album Love Is a Drug. We like this one better than her last one, "Somebody to Love." It's more catchy and has a more lively hook. In fact, if a D.J. throws in a little quicker tempo, stronger base, and brighter chorus, we can readily envision the gays at Barracuda, with their plaid shirts that are meant to look like hipster flannel but are really J.Crew Tailored Fit cotton, turning the front of the bar into a dance floor with this one. How do you feel about it? Obviously, beyond your basic gratitude that she's given us something with which to make it over the hump to March, when episodes of Gossip Girl return.

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: the greatest show of our time, gossip girl, leighton meester, music, tv, video, videos

Joaquin Phoenix Returns!

Ever since Letterman made him look silly on national television, we haven’t heard much about Joaquin Phoenix or his fake rap career. But now he’s back! The former actor has popped up, sans homeless-person beard, in a new YouTube video supporting the suicide-prevention nonprofit TWLOHA. Also in the video is his old flame Liv Tyler and (future flame?) Miley Cyrus. Not in the video? Any mention of Joaquin’s music. So what is going on with that, anyway?

Well, according to E!, the hip-hop mockumentary Casey Affleck was making is now in postproduction, which explains why Joaquin has broken character in the new video. It also means that, for better or worse, we won’t get any more poorly executed stunts from Joaquin. But will it mean we’ll get to hear an actual Joaquin Phoenix rap album? Hopefully it does, because apparently he is a musical genius. His buddy Julian Shah-Taylor, with whom he recorded eight rock songs in 2007, told E! that Phoenix is “a Beatles, Oasis, Bowie-style songwriter. I hold it in that high esteem ... coming out with a brilliant album of great music would not surprise anybody, and I think that's maybe why he didn't release it ... And I think it's better to have some secrets, and I think Joaquin's secret is his prodigious music talent." No word yet on whether his flow is more late-eighties Rakim or mid-nineties Biggie.

Check out the new Joaquin footage:

Inside Joaquin Phoenix's "Brilliant" Long-Lost Album [E!]

Read more posts by Amos Barshad

Filed Under: joaquin phoenix, casey affleck, movies, music

Milan’s Pimp Explosion: Man Fur IN for Fall 2010

The explosion of fur on the men's fall 2010 runways in Milan is a curious trend. Perhaps, though the collections were heavy on casualwear and things you might wear on a day off — which many unemployed men could have a lot of now — designers couldn't help but make room for a bit of decadence. We saw everything from fur-lined jackets to fur vests, stoles, and even a full-length fur dress at Gianfranco Ferré, where the animal skins were large and in charge. D&G gave us giant fur hats, while Pringle of Scotland gave us giant fur mittens. Maybe the point is that with the economy still in the dumps, and buyers still wary of novelty, men's designers will always find room for ridiculous touches here and there. And if you're no longer sartorially restrained by the daily rigors of business casual in an office, there is no better time to dress ridiculously. But also, men often need means to overcompensate for insecurities. Sports and pumping iron can get old, but fur clothing and accessories are a great alternative. Have a look in the slideshow.

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: the most wonderful time of the year, dg, fall 2010, gianfranco ferre, gucci, john richmond, milan mens fashion week, moncler gamme bleu, pringle of scotland, roberto cavalli, slideshow, trends, vivienne westwood

Jersey Shore Finale Smashes Ratings Records

Approximately 4.8 million juiceheads flipped the dial over to MTV last night to watch the season finale of Jersey Shore, and amazingly, four million of them stuck around to watch the reunion show. Those ratings are clearly great, but the show's 30 percent spike in the ratings from last week definitely makes you wonder: Why did MTV kill off its golden goose so quickly? [B&C]

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: i love the situation, jersey shore, mtv, tv

America’s First Legal Male Prostitute Violated

Last week, we were introduced to a young man called Markus, who had overcome what he told Details magazine was a "Rosa Parks"–like battle to become the country's first legal male prostitute. Now, we have learned that Markus has come up against another obstacle in his quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of pleasurin' ladies and getting paid for it: He has been forcibly silenced.

Jim Davis told The Associated Press that after reading the article, he and his wife decided that Markus doing interviews was bad for business.

If he was allowed speak, we bet he'd say that this makes him the Mahatma Gandhi of male hookers.

‘Prostidude’ starts work at Nevada brothel [MSNBC]
Earlier: America’s First Legal Male Prostitute: I’m Just Like Rosa Parks

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: freedom fighters, details, gigolos, markus, prostitutes

84-Year-Old Woman Reported Rescued From Rubble in Haiti

Conventional wisdom has it that past 72 hours after a devastating incident like last Tuesday's earthquake, rescuers digging through rubble are looking for bodies, not survivors. But a full ten days after the devastating incident, reports out of Port-au-Prince say that a woman was rescued from underneath the ruins of her collapsed house by her family and neighbors. Eighty-four-year-old Marie Carida Romain was freed after twenty hours of digging, and is in hospital care now. "She is very thin. She is in a state of shock and severely dehydrated," Dr. Louis Auguste, who works at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, told the Associated Press. Given her condition, age, and the length of time she was trapped apparently without food or water, her chances of survival are not great. But, Dr. Auguste pointed out, "There were always people who defy the norm."

Many flee Haiti capital, govt plans tent cities [AP]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: haiti earthquake, earthquakes, haiti, hope, miracles, natural disasters, port-au-prince

Anthony Hopkins Wishes That You Damn Kids Would Just Speak Up, Already

"Why don't people speak properly? There are a lot of young kids, good ­actors, but they are so macho they think it's sexy to whisper. I don't know what the hell they are talking about. They may as well put subtitles on them. I teach ­acting classes at UCLA, and I stand there and say: 'I can't understand one word you're ­saying, so how d'you ­expect me to sit in the audience?' … Clarity and courage, and just get on with it. That's my philosophy. Stop ­trying to impress people by mumbling, because it's boring, and stop belly-­aching. I don't waste time, you know." —Anthony Hopkins [Guardian UK]

“If I smear glitter on my face, you don’t have a choice — you will be more attracted to me. It’s part of our brand makeup. So anyway, then I started thinking, why just do my eyes? Why not my entire body? … It’s kind of like become my thing. … Have I made out with chicks? Hell yeah. Did I think it was awesome? Hell yeah. I wouldn’t call myself bi. Like, if I didn’t eat meat for a week, it doesn’t make me a vegetarian. So I like people, and that’s just it. I like people.” —Ke$ha [Music Mix/EW]

"The old-lady vampire really scared me even though she was just an actress. I wasn't messing with her because she really got into character. I respect senior citizens, but you keep your conversation to a minimum with someone who has a mouth full of pointy teeth. She was pretty spooky." —Tyrese Gibson on his Legion co-stars [Parade]

"I wouldn't trade her in for 20 Academy Awards." —Die-hard romantic Mickey Rourke on his girlfriend, Anastassija Makarenko [People]

“[I] get my fix for live performance with stand-up, but it would be fun to do a live staged performance like a play. Perhaps I could star in a Broadway version of R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet.” —Aziz Ansari [HuffPo]

“One thing I love most about living New York is that you can walk out of your apartment at any time of day, go into almost any type of restaurant, point at someone and fuck them in the bathroom with no questions asked. It’s so cool how up for anything New Yorkers are.” —Comedian Eugene Mirman [Heeb]

Read more posts by Edith Zimmerman

Filed Under: quote machine, anthony hopkins, aziz ansari, eugene mirman, ke$ha, mickey rourke, tyrese gibson

Not Everyone Thinks Mischa Barton's Career Is in Decline, Apparently [Rentals]

The Tribeca loft that Mischa Barton skipped out on—her old landlord is now suing her for $21,300—is up for rent: "Luxury loft formerly occupied by A-list celebrity. High ceilings, great light, beautiful columns, new kitchen. Incredible discreet block in Tribeca close to all transportation." [Streeteasy via Curbed]

The Smithsonian Won’t Be Bidding on the Miracle on the Hudson Plane

As we wrote earlier, the Miracle on the Hudson plane is up for auction, and though it may ultimately get sold for scrap or snatched up by a wealthy industrialist who stages fake plane crashes, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum seems like the best home for it. After all, we're talking about one of the most celebrated near-disasters in the annals of human flight. But the museum won't, in fact, be bidding on the Miracle plane. It's nothing personal, though — they don't bid on anything.

"We don't buy artifacts, and we can't comment unless it's offered to us," a spokesman told us today. Even if someone did decide to purchase the plane and donate it to the Smithsonian, a collections committee would then have to explore the plane's "historical significance" and determine whether it could physically fit it into the museum's "storage or conservation area" before accepting it, the spokesman says. So, who's going to step up to the plate for the Smithsonian? If only New York had a prominent billionaire philanthropist with a well-documented appreciation for the events of that day. If only.

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: miracle on the hudson, smithsonian, wealthy billionaires

O'Donnell moves in with gal pal

REVIEW: The Pee Wee Herman Show Fulfills Your Every Childhood (and Adult) Fantasy

Many years ago, when I was around 7 years old, my father took me to pick out my Halloween costume. Past years had been brilliant: My My Little Pony ensemble had the neighbors cooing at 6, and at the age of 5, I had donned a Garfield costume and spent the entire evening walking around my brother’s Halloween party on the floor meowing at guests. This was years before I even knew who Daniel Day-Lewis was, mind you. But this year, at 7, I went in a new direction. There, at Toys R’ Us, I found it: The Pee Wee Herman Costume. For only $19.99, you got a one-piece polyester smock printed to look like his signature grey suit with red bow tie, and plastic mask with that trademarked frozen grin underneath tiny, pin-sized eyeholes. It was adorable, and more importantly, highly flammable. I am also not going to pretend that I didn’t spend the night doing his laugh, because that would be a downright lie. Needless to say, it was many years before I had what would commonly be referred to as a “friend.”

Now, over 20 years later (kill me), the world has finally come full circle. Because last night, I attended The Pee Wee Herman Show, Paul Reubens’ masterful revival of both Pee Wee’s Playhouse and earlier live material, now playing through Feb. 7 at Club Nokia @ L.A. LIVE.

And let me assure you: By attending this show, every childhood and, admit it, adult fantasy you’ve ever had of being invited into Pee Wee’s acid trip of hilarity fun house will come true. Before the show even began, the energy in the theater was manic. I saw at least 4 elderly women donning Pee Wee costumes, and plenty of off-the-wall looking audience members standing alongside more suburban looking moms holding Pee Wee dolls. Together, we the audience would join forces in recreating some of our most palpable television memories from the 1980s.

The Pee Wee Herman Show and director Alex Timbers has spared absolutely no detail. We were in the second row, and the first moment you lay eyes on the man himself, you can’t help but notice: The man looks exactly f**king the same. Exactly. the. same. In other words, absolutely adorable with a Pollock-like personality smattering of something very clearly twisted inside.

And then the curtain lifted. And the set was revealed. And magic. The Magic Came Back.

We were in the Playhouse.

It’s hard to write this review without spoiling the many surprises that happen throughout the show, so I’ll try my best to be as vague as possible.

To begin, you will not stop laughing for even a moment. I snuck glances around the audience during certain moments, and the unbridled glee I was met with very nearly blinded me. Have you ever done acid? Me neither. Until last night. It felt like the walls were melting.

Almost every single beloved character was back: Jambi, Chairry, Clockey, Conky, Globey, Randy, Mr. Window, Magic Screen, and Pterri, forever my favorite, though it was sort of obvious that his signature French accent had turned into an altogether different dialect. The 90 minute show vacillated between a slew of old school Playhouse references and newer, darker, modern content, some twisted, some dirty, some downright absurd. There was a 3 minute bit involving a single balloon that was more of a post-modern performance art piece, and without a doubt had me laughing the hardest of anything in the show.

Oh, the humans were back too. Cowboy Curtis (looking less Lawrence Fishburne-y and more That Guy on MadTV-ey), Miss Yvonne (who despite looking actually her age — a shocking thing to see on stage — is still the most beautiful woman in Puppetland… and quite the flirt, as always), and the King of Cartoons (fly as ever). Those of you hoping for an S. Epatha Merkerson cameo will be slightly disappointed to find out her Reba the Mail Lady has been replaced by actor John Moody as Mailman Mike. Your disappointment will be short-lived, though, when you learn that Moody has served as a gag writer for Jackie Chan.

The humor throughout the show for the most part was top notch, the dialogue rife with PeeWeeisms, the visual gags cracking the bat out of the park. The feel of the show is twisted, absurd, at times damaged, and then glazed over with every psychedelic color of a happy universe. Here and there were a few jokes or ideas that felt a little forced, but this is like finding a flaw in the Hope Diamond, i.e. something only an assh*le would do. A running gag involving infomercials and As Seen on TV products had some surreal moments (yes, Chairry wears a Bump-It), but also felt kind of tacked on at other times (literally, in the case of the Bedazzler bit).

And, it is worth mentioning that Jambi’s entire character was way ahead of his time. Face this fact. Oh, and if you’re like me and spent the better part of the show thinking that the hunky fireman looked way too much like Seth Meyers to be a coincidence, good news! It’s his brother, Mad TV’s Josh Meyers.

There’s even a new character! Sergio, Pee Wee’s spicy Latin handyman, whose resemblance to Luigi from Super Mario Brother’s has got to be more than just coincidence.

Physically, the years have been kind to Paul Reubens; emotionally, we can only hope this show has brought him back to his brilliant comedic roots. The man is genius, stuff of legend, and has found a way, perhaps through laying low and the passing of time, to reemerge like a cryogenically frozen Walt Disney out of the icy ashes, and somehow come out on top. We can only pray and hope he keeps it up, so that our own kids will have their first acid flashback at 8 years old like we did.

If you do get a chance to see the show, and anyone within a 1000 mile radius has no excuse not to, try getting as close to the stage as possible. What never stopped amazing me and my guest that night (you know him as Ben from the Bsideblog) were the slight nuances in all of the characters, human or otherwise. Reubens’ own acting was impeccable; every slight wince, or grin, or carefully calculated face was on point. But who really stole the show for us was Chairry, who has become slightly more cynical these past 20 years. Her giant chair eyes and armrest arms are literally die laughing funny, and she is truly alive the entire show, not just when the spotlight is on her. Same for the flowers.

After the epicness of the show, I had the opportunity to meet the original Jambi, John Paragon. A good friend of mine from college grew up next door to him, meaning, in other words, I had the perfect Jambi icebreaker. This is by far the best Hollywood related thing to ever be given to me.

If you were worried, don’t be: The Pee Wee Herman Show spares ZERO detail. We’ll just go ahead and assume Floory was killed in some sort of freak buffing accident.

Fans of the show, buy your tickets now. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

From L to R: Myself, Jambi (John Paragon), and Yahoo’s Lyndsey Parker and Matt Whitfield.

“The Pee-wee Herman Show” is now performing at Club Nokia @ L.A. LIVE for a limited 4-week engagement, through February 7. Tickets on sale through Ticketmaster
by calling 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com (Show photo credits: Ed Krieger; Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com)

Haista Vittu! [Useful]

This list of how to curse someone out in 100 different languages should really come in handy if your travel plans will have you passing through security checkpoints at airports around the globe. [Buzzfeed]

VIDEO: Jimmy Kimmel Presents “The Late Night War – A Film By Ken Burns”

Of all the Late-Night parody videos spawned by the NBC / Tonight Show debacle, this video from last night’s Jimmy Kimmel, a Ken Burns-style documentary “The Late Night War”, is my favorite so far. At least, until Conan, Andy, Tom Hanks, and Will Ferrell literally and non-jokingly murder Jeff Zucker on the air Friday night.

Bernanke Confirmation Faces Last-Minute Hurdles

Not so long ago, it seemed like confirmation of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was a given. True: He had been asleep at the wheel as the subprime crisis mounted, and, in fact, during the entirety of his term during the Bush administration, but so was most everyone else, and at least Bernanke had managed to jerk awake at the last moment, pull the wheel over, and steer us all to safety (at least for the time being). But now, with populist rage hanging thick in the air and politicians desperate to convince their constituents that they are serious about Wall Street regulation, for real this time, it is seeming increasingly unlikely that he'll get the 60 votes he needs by January 31. This morning, Democratic Senators Russ Feingold and Barbara Boxer announced that they would join the growing band of senators voting against him.

Here's Boxer's statement:

“I have a lot of respect for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. When the financial crisis hit in late 2008, he took some important steps to prevent what many economists believe could have been an even greater economic catastrophe.“However, it is time for a change - it is time for Main Street to have a champion at the Fed. Dr. Bernanke played a lead role in crafting the Bush administration’s economic policies, which led to the current economic crisis. Our next Federal Reserve Chairman must represent a clean break from the failed policies of the past.”

Neither senator elaborated on who they have in mind for a no-strings, clean-break, genius of a Fed chairman (If Bernanke isn't confirmed, the post will be filled by Vice-Chairman Donald Kohn, a decidedly less distinguished academic and fellow Bush appointee, until everyone can agree on a replacement). But we're guessing the senator from California, at least, has an outside-the-box pick in mind. How about Conan O'Brien? He has some free time these days.

2 Key Senators Oppose a Second Term for Bernanke [NYT]
Senate Dems Not Sure They Can Get Enough Votes to Reconfirm Bernanke [Jake Effing Tapper/ABC]
Boxer Statement on the Nomination of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke [Official site]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: man of the eleventh hour, ben bernanke, business, man of the year, politics

Berlin designers hit catwalk — and twitter (AP)

AP - Two unique German designers with a hip take on youth culture in the nation's capital splashed the catwalk with wool caps, fire-engine red dresses and navy blues for men Friday evening at Berlin's fashion week.

Actor Mel Gibson

Director Michael Nash

The film studies the fate of climate refugees in the United States, those left destitute following Hurricane Katrina

Spotted [Out & About]

Alec Baldwin taking a coffee break on the set of 30 Rock  ... Mischa Barton leaving the Cooper Square Hotel with her dog in tow and getting into a waiting SUV ... Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony leaving the Gansevoort hotel ... Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz walking home with their baby ... Brendan Fraser getting out of an SUV in front of his hotel ... Matthew Broderick walking with his son James in the Village ... Harrison Ford arriving at the Late Show with David Letterman ... Chace Crawford on the set on the set of Gossip Girl ... and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi posing for pics outside the Wendy Williams Show.

Prince Releases Vikings Fight Song “Purple And Gold” To Confuse Saints, Everyone

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod… Prince’s new Minnesota Vikings fight song “Purple And Gold”… there are no words…

Actually, there’s a bunch of words, and they’re hilarious. And it sounds like a gospel chant recorded in the 30s. And it should clinch the Super Bowl for the Vikings, this year and every year in the future…

Scott Brown’s Wife Has Curious Hands

The early eighties were a sexy time for new Massachusetts senator Scott Brown and his wife, Boston TV reporter Gail Huff. In 1982 Brown posed nude as a Cosmopolitan centerfold, and two years later, his wife-to-be starred as a bikini-clad vixen in a music video for Digney Fignus's "The Girl With the Curious Hand." We don't totally understand the video's plot, except that Huff poisons somebody for some reason, and at one point causes a bottle of sunscreen to ejaculate.

Scott Brown's Wife Music VIDEO: Gail Huff's RACY 'Girl With The Curious Hand' (PHOTOS) [HuffPo]

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: god bless youtube, digney fingus, gail huff, girl with the curious hand, politics, scott brown

Big city left with no bookstore

Busy Friday for ABC, NBC and Fox

Pendergrass was 'Dad' to me

Britney Really Sticks It To Richard Nixon

Ohhhh snap!!! You are a DICK, Richard Nixon. Literally but also the other one!

What’s that? Nixon’s been dead for fifteen years and his presidency ended when Britney was still negative seven years old? Ah. Well, take that anyway! Dick. Hehehe.

(via Dlisted)

'Jersey Shore' Star Snooki Says She Is No Heidi Montag

Snooki says her similarities to Heidi Montag end with them working for the same network.

A woman checks out a booth at the 2009 MIDEM, the music world's largest annual trade fair

People visit a booth during MIDEM

People visit a stand presenting Chinese sounds during the 2008 edition of MIDEM

Acclaimed Indian actor Om Puri (R) listens as his wife Nadita Puri (L) reads extracts from his biography

'Tonight's' future: Jimmy Fallon?

Judge Could Decide if Roman Polanski Must Attend Sentencing

An attorney for Polanski's victim urged Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza to have the director sentenced in absentia.

Conan’s $4.8 Million Dollar Bit: Mine That Bird In A Mink Snuggie

Thursday’s Tonight Show wasn’t quite up to the vicious and hilarious standards of the rest of the week’s episodes (Robin Williams is never not at least slightly painful), but Conan did bring back my new favorite (and doomed to be short-lived) bit — wasting NBC’s money with the most expensive, pointless bits possible.

We loved Wednesday’s Bugatti Veyron Mouse. Next up – Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird wearing a mink Snuggie:

Although, if you’re a giant dork with DVR (what?), you probably noticed that’s it’s not an NFL game — it’s actually USFL footage from 1984 (thanks for getting my back, internet), but we’re also assuming he didn’t actually buy the horse, so who cares, it’s funny.

Any ideas what Conan might have in store for an expensive finale? It better involve Honus Wagner tobacco cards.

Smart Photo Op, Chris Brown

Here’s Chris Brown posing with fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, whose face appears to have been beaten. Who in the name of living f*ck thought this would be a good idea?

Oooh, oooh, I have another good idea! How ’bout we do a set of Phil Spector holding a gun in his girlfriend’s mouth? No, I don’t watch the news or have internet, what does that have to do with my idea?

Sundance 2010: 'Howl' premiere launches 'rebellion' - Los Angeles Times

Reuters

Sundance 2010: 'Howl' premiere launches 'rebellion' Los Angeles Times In what is certain to be regarded as a transitional year for Sundance -- at least, that's the idea evidenced by all the festival signage bearing such slogans as “This is the renewed rebellion” and “This is the recharged fight against the establishment ... YouTube gets into movie rentals at Sundance festivalReuters Sundance 2010: Change you can believe in?Entertainment Weekly Sundance notebook: 'Howl' too noisy; 'Catfish' deliciousFort Worth Star Telegram Bloomberg -Deseret News -DVDTOWN.com all 1,567 news articles »

Review: 'Tooth Fairy' bites

'Idol' Sensation General Larry Says 'Pants on the Ground' Being Stolen

"I need a copywriter to help me. They are stealing my stuff," he said.

While You Were Lovin’ Those Two New Minutes Of The Office

• The ‘miracle’ plane that Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed in the Hudson River is being auctioned off and will likely end up as scrap metal. Here’s hoping those future tuna cans are just as miraculous.
• Keyboard Dog? Really, internet? You’re a few thousand weeks late on this. And you can go ahead and cancel your plans for “Vanilla Rain”.
• Alex Rodriguez was photographed partying on a yacht with a “mystery blonde.” By our gossip story calculations, he’s one early playoff elimination from dating Jennifer Aniston.
• Urlesque has a handy guide to the most ridiculous “Jersey Shore” parodies. My favorite is the one that MTV keeps airing. BOOOM!!!! Still bringing my bag o’ zingers, even on Friday.

Malkovich: On stage, I feel alive

Dries Van Noten's Contrasting Moods (Fashion Wire Daily)

Fashion Wire Daily - It was all about contrasts in the men's ready-to-wear runway show by Dries Van Noten, Belgium's most successful designer, on Thursday, Jan. 21, in Paris.

Louis Vuitton Mittel European Mode (Fashion Wire Daily)

Fashion Wire Daily - Louis Vuitton showed a large take on the new patrician gentleman chic Thursday afternoon, Jan. 21, the first major show of the Fall 2010 men's collections in Paris.

Review: Stiglitz presents anti-recession proposals (AP)

AP - "Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy" (W. W. Norton & Co., 391 pages, $27.95): As a Nobel Prize winner, member of the cabinet under former President Bill Clinton and chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers, Joseph E. Stiglitz has some practical ideas on how to ease the pain of the Great Recession and maybe help prevent the next one.

Eco-chic fashion shows off stylish sustainability (Reuters)

Reuters - Models wearing alpaca fiber, bamboo and organic silk and cotton strutted down an "Eco-chic" catwalk to back a United Nations call for the sustainable use of natural resources.