Author: Christopher (Page 19 of 29)

I don’t know even know why I’m writing this post, but I’m going to use some strong language.

I’ve decided the Internets are a good thing. These tubes expose nuttery at record speed. No I’m not talking about Roswell aliens, global warming deniers, 9/11 conspiracy buffs, or even Illuminati. I’m talking about reptilians or reptiloids. Apparently youtube has exposed this sinister plot that there are reptiliacs among us. Just do a youtube search for reptilian.

How did I come uncover this? Glad you asked I was watching a video on how Fox News shows tits and ass on all their shows. I thought I was watching a Girls Gone Wild commercial. And I looked at the sidebar and saw this thing about reptilianids. So I clicked on it. I thought what the fuck is this shit and clicked on a few more.

There are three possible explanations. 1) These people are retarded and they watched too much V. 2) Brain parasites are causing these bizarre delusions. 3) Crab People want us to think that their are reptilite humanoids (see South Park) . I base all of this conjecture on absolutely nothing and just wanted to share the most bizarre thing I’ve come across the Internets lately. OK well the story about the preacher who suffocated in a wet suit in his living room with a dildo up his ass was a little more bizarre.

One of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies The Magic Christian uses the word ‘nipple’ to great effect.

The movie stars Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. Peter plays a rich Englishman, Sir Guy Grand, who adopts a homeless man played by Ringo Starr, Youngman Grand, and hilarity ensues. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, and Raquel Welch all make cameo appearances though the uncredited Yul Brynner’s cameo was the most surprising. Anyway back to the word ‘nipple’.

There is a scene where Sir Guy, his sisters, and Youngman are in their sitting room watching the telly showing lots of violence:

Youngman Grand, Esq. (Ringo): Dad, do you think words corrupt?
Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE (Peter): I don’t know, let’s try. (pause) Agnes?
Dame Agnes Grand: [looks up from the television] Yes?
Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: Nipple.
Dame Agnes Grand: Shh!
[turns back to the television]
Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE: [watches her a moment] Well, there’s no immediate physical change.

The first time I saw The Magic Christian I had no idea what the hell was going on. I came in on the middle of it during the pheasant hunt. “Over to you Red Leader One”. You cannot figure out what is going on unless you watch the beginning. Only then as you continue to watch the movie and re-watch it does it dawn on you what they are doing, which makes it even funnier.

Thinking back on the movie it is even more relevant today than it was when it was first made in the late 60’s. It is still one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Both Graham Chapman’s and John Cleese’s scenes were before they rocketed to fame in Monty Python’s Flying Circus. What struck me about the narration was that it very much reminded me of narrator’s voice from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I wonder if it inspired Douglas Adams?

One note about Raquel Welch. She was one of the bombshells I grew up with in the late seventies, though most of the movies I saw were made in the sixties before I knew what a bombshell was. I’ll probably end up writing another entry on the bombshells and other babes I grew up with: Raquel Welch, Shirley Maclaine, Barbara Eden, and I’m sure I could think of a few more. Hmm…nipple. I guess maybe words do corrupt.

Beyond Tomorrow was the title of a science fiction anthology edited by Damon Knight. I was already a fan of TV science fiction and a fan of comic books. That was the anthology that made me fall in love with science fiction and it has been a lifelong love afair. It introduced me to Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and Clifford Simak to name a few. “Desertion” by Simak is probably my favorite story from that anthology. It is certainly the most memorable followed closely by Don A. Stuart’s “Twilight”. Stuart was John W. Campbell’s pen name.

More nostalgia later. I thought of using that title for a new podcast. I’m already doing the Conestoga podcast to help promote the a science fiction convention. I’m not as plugged into science fiction as I once was. I am not a voracious reader. I read what I read. There may be months between novels. I’m slightly more plugged into movie and TV sci fi. What I’m saying is that if I do this podcast, I will not be on the cutting edge of “literary SF.” And I’ll be committing the big sin of nostalgia. And you know what? That’s OK by me.

After going through a lot of names I came up with Escape from Cubicle 17. It sounds cool but it doesn’t really hint at what it is. I have several episodes up. It will eventually be a variety podcast show. We’ll interview guests, we’ll entertain, we’ll talk about stuff. It’s not intended to be a sampler. It’ll be what interests me.

Note – I’m clearing out my backlog of wordpress post drafts and this one seemed done enough to publish.