I was once at an ice cream place where they had one flavor called "peanut butter," and another called "peanut butter fantasy." A friend asked me what I thought was the difference between the two. I said, "Peanut butter is peanut butter, but peanut butter fantasy is Jack Davenport feeding you the peanut butter."
Isn't Lacy's husband long dead, after sighting the Bachman's Warbler?
The JD in question is the actor who plays Steve on Coupling -- a painfully funny BBC sitcom. In one episode, he is busted by his girlfriend with a video titled Lesbian Spank Inferno. ("It's a feminist movie, really, about a women's film collective...")
Well it's yer basic gender-balanced-group-of-pals sort of comedy that takes place in a situation, isn't it. Doesn't help that the characters themselves are pretty standard-issue.
Black's Books isn't invulnerable to that criticism (though derived from a different Ursitcom), but at least the charracter Black's misanthropy isn't all that derivative. Plus it takes place in a used bookstore in disarray! And he, like, hates his customers! How novel.
Given how much I've been surfing the internet rather than working, I essentially have quit my day job. I don't mind formulaic and derivative, so long as the writing's funny.
I suppose that criticizing something for being derivative is counter to my Official Position that originality is overrated. (Formulaic is another question.) I just didn't find the writing that compelling, then.
Late to a thread on my own blog. Coupling, as we've noted here, is awesome and Wolfson will come to see that in time. Jack Davenport rates a mention here.
And, of course you're all right about the vicarious gangbang...
It's such a shame that none of these young men will ever be able to run for high office after this.
Whatev, I predict (and this can go on the prediction-monitoring-blog) that by the time I'm 45, we will have had a President who it is widely known participated in a frat orgy.
This fraternity will be dealt with in an unmistakably firm fashion
Thank you sir! May I have another?
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 12:43 PM
"Paul Zingg stars in College Invasion 7: Fraternity Spank Inferno"!
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 1:29 PM
Is that a Jack Davenport reference I see?
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 1:34 PM
But of course.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 1:43 PM
I was once at an ice cream place where they had one flavor called "peanut butter," and another called "peanut butter fantasy." A friend asked me what I thought was the difference between the two. I said, "Peanut butter is peanut butter, but peanut butter fantasy is Jack Davenport feeding you the peanut butter."
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 1:53 PM
Jack Davenport? Is he Lacy's husband? Isn't he like ... 60+?
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:05 PM
What kind of weirdo wants a bunch of fratboys going "woo!" in his porn? I don't get the market for this.
Posted by Brian | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:07 PM
Isn't Lacy's husband long dead, after sighting the Bachman's Warbler?
The JD in question is the actor who plays Steve on Coupling -- a painfully funny BBC sitcom. In one episode, he is busted by his girlfriend with a video titled Lesbian Spank Inferno. ("It's a feminist movie, really, about a women's film collective...")
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:10 PM
Coupling's kind of eh. Black's Books is quite good.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:14 PM
LB:
I thought he might be, but after the flea thread, I was hesitant to either condemn or tacitly approve necrophilia. .
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:16 PM
Coupling's kind of eh.
Them's fighting words -- it's about the only TV show that actually makes me involuntarily laugh out loud. Never heard of Black's Books.
(And while I adore the show, Jack Davenport the actor doesn't do much for me. The guy who plays Patrick might, in a different role...)
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:24 PM
JD is pretty; Patrick is more rugged.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:29 PM
Well it's yer basic gender-balanced-group-of-pals sort of comedy that takes place in a situation, isn't it. Doesn't help that the characters themselves are pretty standard-issue.
Black's Books isn't invulnerable to that criticism (though derived from a different Ursitcom), but at least the charracter Black's misanthropy isn't all that derivative. Plus it takes place in a used bookstore in disarray! And he, like, hates his customers! How novel.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:29 PM
Get it? Takes place in a bookstore? "Novel"? I should quit my day job.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:30 PM
Have you ever seen This Life? I preferred JD in that.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:34 PM
Given how much I've been surfing the internet rather than working, I essentially have quit my day job. I don't mind formulaic and derivative, so long as the writing's funny.
JD is pretty; Patrick is more rugged.
Mmmmm....
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:40 PM
I suppose that criticizing something for being derivative is counter to my Official Position that originality is overrated. (Formulaic is another question.) I just didn't find the writing that compelling, then.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:42 PM
The episode where wossname got a gay haircut was pretty good.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:42 PM
Steve: "What, specifically, did you tell your hairdresser?"
Patrick: "I said I wanted a hard man."
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 2:46 PM
I am quite bummed to discover after some searching inspired by tis thread that they've given up on ever doing a 5th season.
Posted by Chopper | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 3:22 PM
What kind of weirdo wants a bunch of fratboys going "woo!" in his porn?
Fratboys. This is all about vicarious gangbanging.
Posted by ogmb | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 3:42 PM
Mmhm. I should expect that the intent is to convey to the audience that "Fairy tales, could come true, it could happen to you..."
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 3:46 PM
Oh absolutely, LB. "Pale guys eveywhere, you too can receive a mechanical blowjob from a woman pretending to like you!"
It's such a shame that none of these young men will ever be able to run for high office after this.
Posted by Scott | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 4:00 PM
Wouldn't a mechanical blowjob fall into an entirely different category of porn -- something about molesting vacuum cleaners?
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 4:05 PM
Or with an exhaust pipe.
Ok, there's no suction, but that link is worthy of being disseminated.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 4:45 PM
or is that de-semen-ated?
Posted by Austro | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 5:05 PM
That is the origin of the word.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 5:05 PM
Same as "seminal".
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 5:06 PM
Late to a thread on my own blog. Coupling, as we've noted here, is awesome and Wolfson will come to see that in time. Jack Davenport rates a mention here.
And, of course you're all right about the vicarious gangbang...
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 5:07 PM
ouch. I ll just go sit in the corner, then. It's late already.
Posted by Austro | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 5:10 PM
As a newcomer to the blog, I should clearly read the archives.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 6:22 PM
It's such a shame that none of these young men will ever be able to run for high office after this.
Whatev, I predict (and this can go on the prediction-monitoring-blog) that by the time I'm 45, we will have had a President who it is widely known participated in a frat orgy.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 9:07 PM
Good thing you added the qualifier "widely known" or your prediction might've already come true.
Skanks and Boners, season 6?
Posted by ogmb | Link to this comment | 03-30-05 9:58 PM