For my NY Times Defense I chose to critique “A Rock Group With a Frontman Who Takes Up a Lot of Room,” by Jon Caramanica. From what I gathered, Caramanica has been writing for the NY Times since 2005 strictly as a music critic. He has written reviews on very well known artists including Weezer, Regina Spektor, and Mark Ronson. Caramanica has also been writing for the LA Times and has published 79 articles with them since 2003.
The review in Tuesday’s NY Times is on a live performance of a group called Los Campesinos! Caramanica is obviously a fan of the group’s music but the tone of the review gives the impression that he was disappointed with their live performance. Although the review is short, Caramanica manages to include a lot of information about the band and also succeeds in putting the live performance in a context by comparing it to their recordings.
Caramanica gets some humorous anecdotes in his review and really tears down lead singer Gareth Campesinos! He shows his familiarity with the group by referencing numerous songs and talking about various members of the band. While there isn’t really a “but” in the review, Caramanica successfully gets his point across that the band’s live performance was a disappointment overall even though they did have their moments.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Slumdog Steals the Spotlight
Beginning with Hugh Jackman, who was the host for the night, singing a comical opening number, the stage was set for a successful 81st annual Academy Awards. While many movies, directors, actors, and producers were honored with nominations, Slumdog Millionaire stole the spotlight by winning eight Oscars, including Best Picture. Despite this award being the last to be announced, the Slumdog cast and crew seemed to be the focus of the entire night.
Shot in Mumbai, India, Slumdog Millionaire used children who have lived in the slums their whole lives as the stars of the movie and they were all in attendance at the Kodak Theatre for the Oscars. Probably the first time these kids have ever left Mumbai and the first time many of them have ever been on an airplane, they were well received by Hollywood society. The awe in these children’s faces seemed to be inspiring to everyone watching and gave a remarkable sense of innocence to the show. Slumdog’s run began with the third award of the night, which was Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted from Q & A by Vikas Swarup), and continued right on through the end of the night when they upstaged the host (and sexiest man alive) by rushing the stage after winning Best Picture.
Along with Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was also a big winner on the night with three Oscars. While this would normally be a huge honor, Button enthusiasts were inevitably disappointed since the movie was nominated for 13. Other movies to win included Dark Knight, Milk, and The Duchess. None of these movies however, could compete with Slumdog Millionaire and its winning of a third of all the awards given and winning eight of the nine awards possible.
Because of the film’s origins, in the slums of Mumbai, it was hard not to feel excited for the cast and crew of the movie. The final award of Best Picture seemed very fitting as a cap on the night and it was great that the kids from Mumbai got to be in the spotlight for all to see. As the camera kept cutting to Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and their huge grins, everyone watching could feel their excitement and it became contagious. The excitement of the young children reached more than just the Kodak Theatre, for when it was announced, several viewers squealed and clapped their hands in the Hicks Center and Kalamazoo College and this was likely the response of millions of viewers worldwide.
The 81st annual Academy Awards were a huge success and it would be a shame if the viewership did not reach at least its 2007 levels of 40 million people. While they were extremely well choreographed, reasonably well written, and immaculately designed, the awards owe most of their success to the success of Slumdog Millionaire and the vast support that the movie has found in America.
Shot in Mumbai, India, Slumdog Millionaire used children who have lived in the slums their whole lives as the stars of the movie and they were all in attendance at the Kodak Theatre for the Oscars. Probably the first time these kids have ever left Mumbai and the first time many of them have ever been on an airplane, they were well received by Hollywood society. The awe in these children’s faces seemed to be inspiring to everyone watching and gave a remarkable sense of innocence to the show. Slumdog’s run began with the third award of the night, which was Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted from Q & A by Vikas Swarup), and continued right on through the end of the night when they upstaged the host (and sexiest man alive) by rushing the stage after winning Best Picture.
Along with Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was also a big winner on the night with three Oscars. While this would normally be a huge honor, Button enthusiasts were inevitably disappointed since the movie was nominated for 13. Other movies to win included Dark Knight, Milk, and The Duchess. None of these movies however, could compete with Slumdog Millionaire and its winning of a third of all the awards given and winning eight of the nine awards possible.
Because of the film’s origins, in the slums of Mumbai, it was hard not to feel excited for the cast and crew of the movie. The final award of Best Picture seemed very fitting as a cap on the night and it was great that the kids from Mumbai got to be in the spotlight for all to see. As the camera kept cutting to Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and their huge grins, everyone watching could feel their excitement and it became contagious. The excitement of the young children reached more than just the Kodak Theatre, for when it was announced, several viewers squealed and clapped their hands in the Hicks Center and Kalamazoo College and this was likely the response of millions of viewers worldwide.
The 81st annual Academy Awards were a huge success and it would be a shame if the viewership did not reach at least its 2007 levels of 40 million people. While they were extremely well choreographed, reasonably well written, and immaculately designed, the awards owe most of their success to the success of Slumdog Millionaire and the vast support that the movie has found in America.
Monday, February 9, 2009
LAST COMIC STANDING LIVE TOUR LIGHTS UP MILLER WITH LAUGHS
Last Comic Standing’s goal of finding the funniest comic on the planet seems to be complete. With no plans for a 7th season of the show, the live tour that performed at Western Michigan University’s Miller Auditorium on Saturday will likely be the very last live show ever. Featuring the top five finishers of Season 6, the Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great way to spend a Saturday evening.
Since the first season, Last Comic Standing has put countless comedians on the fast track to fame with their country-wide search for the funniest comedian on the planet. Comedians from more than 20 different countries have tried out for the show, legitimizing the “on the planet” part of their mission statement. LCS has been the springboard for many popular comedians since their first season in 2003, examples include Dat Phan and Ralphie May (season 1), Alonzo Bodden (season 3), Josh Blue and Gabriel Iglesias (season 4), John Reep, Lavell Crawford and Amy Schumer (season 5), and this season’s winner, the only female to win the title of Last Comic Standing, Iliza Shlesinger.
The best act of the night seemed to be the third-place finisher, Jeff Dye. The young heart-throb from Hollywood, CA warmed the crowd with a hilarious mix of gym humor and some bits about his mother. Dye’s most popular joke of the evening began with a brief story about his mother and her cats. Much like many parents, his mom suffers from the empty-nest syndrome since Jeff and his siblings all went off to “bigger and better things.” As a way of coping, his mom holds conversations with the cats and acts as though her cats are her children, even pretending that they have voices. Jeff then goes on to describe how, during his last visit home, his mom kept telling him what the cats were thinking, things like, “Who is this stranger? We haven’t seen this guy in forever!” Simply to spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff adopts his mother’s “cat voice” and tells her that the cats are saying, “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” It is at this point that his mother informs him he’s crazy and that cats can’t talk. It was these easy-to-relate-to jokes that made Jeff Dye the crowd favorite at Miller.
Along with Dye, Iliza Shlesinger, Louis Ramey, and Marcus all put on hilarious performances and succeeded in their goal of making the audience laugh. The only disappointment of the night came in the tall, bald form of Englishman Jim Tavare. Tavare had his moments during his 20-minute performance, commenting on how big everything is in America compared to England, “cars, meals, houses, this American violin,” (he was holding a bass). These comedic pearls proved few and far between during the time Tavare had the stage and his dry humor and monotonous delivery left the crowd unsatisfied.
The final Last Comic Standing Live Tour was definitely well worth the $30.00 students had to pay for the tickets. The auditorium was packed and everyone in attendance seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the company of four great comedians.
Since the first season, Last Comic Standing has put countless comedians on the fast track to fame with their country-wide search for the funniest comedian on the planet. Comedians from more than 20 different countries have tried out for the show, legitimizing the “on the planet” part of their mission statement. LCS has been the springboard for many popular comedians since their first season in 2003, examples include Dat Phan and Ralphie May (season 1), Alonzo Bodden (season 3), Josh Blue and Gabriel Iglesias (season 4), John Reep, Lavell Crawford and Amy Schumer (season 5), and this season’s winner, the only female to win the title of Last Comic Standing, Iliza Shlesinger.
The best act of the night seemed to be the third-place finisher, Jeff Dye. The young heart-throb from Hollywood, CA warmed the crowd with a hilarious mix of gym humor and some bits about his mother. Dye’s most popular joke of the evening began with a brief story about his mother and her cats. Much like many parents, his mom suffers from the empty-nest syndrome since Jeff and his siblings all went off to “bigger and better things.” As a way of coping, his mom holds conversations with the cats and acts as though her cats are her children, even pretending that they have voices. Jeff then goes on to describe how, during his last visit home, his mom kept telling him what the cats were thinking, things like, “Who is this stranger? We haven’t seen this guy in forever!” Simply to spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff adopts his mother’s “cat voice” and tells her that the cats are saying, “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” It is at this point that his mother informs him he’s crazy and that cats can’t talk. It was these easy-to-relate-to jokes that made Jeff Dye the crowd favorite at Miller.
Along with Dye, Iliza Shlesinger, Louis Ramey, and Marcus all put on hilarious performances and succeeded in their goal of making the audience laugh. The only disappointment of the night came in the tall, bald form of Englishman Jim Tavare. Tavare had his moments during his 20-minute performance, commenting on how big everything is in America compared to England, “cars, meals, houses, this American violin,” (he was holding a bass). These comedic pearls proved few and far between during the time Tavare had the stage and his dry humor and monotonous delivery left the crowd unsatisfied.
The final Last Comic Standing Live Tour was definitely well worth the $30.00 students had to pay for the tickets. The auditorium was packed and everyone in attendance seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the company of four great comedians.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Last Comic Standing Ends with Success
In this day and age, one might think that a black guy talking about tazering a beautiful young woman and throwing her in the back of his rental car would be cause for a quick three-digit dial on your cell phone; Louis Ramey proved that it is actually a very funny joke. Who knew?! From the moment Louis stepped onto the Miller Auditorium stage at Western Michigan University on Saturday night, the crowd knew they were in for a laugh-filled evening.
The show began with fifth-place finisher Louis Ramey, of Atlanta, Georgia, who served as the MC for the night. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, it seemed as though Ramey might have been the season winner, if only Kalamazoo were voting. Between his jokes about giant boobs and wanting women “in the worst way… standing up in a hammock,” Ramey managed to carry the show and segue hilariously between the other four comedians.
Englishman Jim Tavare was second to take the stage at Miller, and his dry humor definitely dried out the crowd. Compared to the laughs induced by the other comedians, Tavare’s performance raised questions as to whether or not he deserved his fourth-place title. This is not to say that he didn’t have his moments. Lugging his 7-foot-tall bass onto stage, he cleverly quipped that this wasn’t actually a bass but an American violin, since everything is so much bigger here than in England. Tavare certainly has a unique style and unquestionably is a funny guy, but he was not a crowd favorite in Kalamazoo.
Next up, following a flattering introduction from Ramey, was the Last Comic Standing heartthrob, Jeff Dye. Dye quickly became a huge success on the show, combining his good looks with his self-awareness of being a skinny guy to give a pleasing mixture of gym humor and some hilarious bits about his mother. Perhaps the most memorable of these jokes was when he began telling the audience about how, now that all the kids are gone, his mother holds conversations with the cats, and actually pretends that the cats have voices and talk back. When Jeff goes home to visit, his mom always tells him what the cats are apparently wanting to say to him, things like “Who is this guy? We haven’t seen this stranger in ages!” To spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff simply adopts the same squeaky cat voice and tells his mother that the cats are saying “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” at which point his mother informs him that he’s crazy and cats can’t talk.
The final performance of the night was the winner of Last Comic Standing Season 6, Iliza Shlesinger –the only female comic to ever win on the show. Her routine was a hit with the crowd and eliminated any reservations one might have had about her first-place finish. Her unharnessed enthusiasm and obvious sexual appeal make it impossible not to like her and, while she does have a few sexual jokes under her belt, she does not rely on the misfortunes of men for her act. Possibly the most popular joke of the night actually made fun of women and how only a couple inches can mean the difference between a sexy model with beautiful flowing locks and a long-haired religious nut.
The show at Miller was undoubtedly a huge success among the sold-out Kalamazoo crowd as people were still laughing while walking out to cars in the freezing cold. This tour was most likely the very last live tour ever for Last Comic Standing because, as of right now, there is no plan for a seventh season. While this is certainly a disappointment, the show has catapulted many great standup comics to more fame and riches than they could have ever have hoped to know just playing bars and local clubs in their home cities. The Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great show and made for a hilarious and fun-filled evening for all who braved the elements, including the unfortunate man who decided it was a good idea to wear a squirrel hat to a comedy show and quickly became the target of numerous jokes.
The show began with fifth-place finisher Louis Ramey, of Atlanta, Georgia, who served as the MC for the night. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, it seemed as though Ramey might have been the season winner, if only Kalamazoo were voting. Between his jokes about giant boobs and wanting women “in the worst way… standing up in a hammock,” Ramey managed to carry the show and segue hilariously between the other four comedians.
Englishman Jim Tavare was second to take the stage at Miller, and his dry humor definitely dried out the crowd. Compared to the laughs induced by the other comedians, Tavare’s performance raised questions as to whether or not he deserved his fourth-place title. This is not to say that he didn’t have his moments. Lugging his 7-foot-tall bass onto stage, he cleverly quipped that this wasn’t actually a bass but an American violin, since everything is so much bigger here than in England. Tavare certainly has a unique style and unquestionably is a funny guy, but he was not a crowd favorite in Kalamazoo.
Next up, following a flattering introduction from Ramey, was the Last Comic Standing heartthrob, Jeff Dye. Dye quickly became a huge success on the show, combining his good looks with his self-awareness of being a skinny guy to give a pleasing mixture of gym humor and some hilarious bits about his mother. Perhaps the most memorable of these jokes was when he began telling the audience about how, now that all the kids are gone, his mother holds conversations with the cats, and actually pretends that the cats have voices and talk back. When Jeff goes home to visit, his mom always tells him what the cats are apparently wanting to say to him, things like “Who is this guy? We haven’t seen this stranger in ages!” To spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff simply adopts the same squeaky cat voice and tells his mother that the cats are saying “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” at which point his mother informs him that he’s crazy and cats can’t talk.
The final performance of the night was the winner of Last Comic Standing Season 6, Iliza Shlesinger –the only female comic to ever win on the show. Her routine was a hit with the crowd and eliminated any reservations one might have had about her first-place finish. Her unharnessed enthusiasm and obvious sexual appeal make it impossible not to like her and, while she does have a few sexual jokes under her belt, she does not rely on the misfortunes of men for her act. Possibly the most popular joke of the night actually made fun of women and how only a couple inches can mean the difference between a sexy model with beautiful flowing locks and a long-haired religious nut.
The show at Miller was undoubtedly a huge success among the sold-out Kalamazoo crowd as people were still laughing while walking out to cars in the freezing cold. This tour was most likely the very last live tour ever for Last Comic Standing because, as of right now, there is no plan for a seventh season. While this is certainly a disappointment, the show has catapulted many great standup comics to more fame and riches than they could have ever have hoped to know just playing bars and local clubs in their home cities. The Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great show and made for a hilarious and fun-filled evening for all who braved the elements, including the unfortunate man who decided it was a good idea to wear a squirrel hat to a comedy show and quickly became the target of numerous jokes.
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