Reno 911! Canceled...Yet Another Fav Show Bites the Dust

Of course this is belated news as well, but some of you may not know: Reno 911! has been canceled - and we aren't even going to get a farewell episode. Now, the cast change for season 6 probably had something to do with it - getting rid of three of the original cast members (especially Clementine and Garcia) was a mistake; they were totally fucking hilarious. But who can resist cracking up to Dangle in his shorts? If you miss Dangle, don't worry - you can keep up with him (Thomas Lennon) on Twitter.

Although it will most likely be ineffective, there is a "Save Reno911" group where you can sign a petition, etc etc...and hell, why not? They even have a little logo to embed on your site.



Adios, Reno - I'll be doing a post soon about my fav episode - Reading Ron - with Brian Unger.

Adam Yauch - a.k.a. MCA of The Beastie Boys...a lil' note.

This is belated news, but since I've just been belated on everything in relation to my blogs (except my postings at The Fab Marquee as a theatre reviewer - and even then, my editor has a few things to say about my *cough* punctuality), but I'd like to belatedly make note of how devastated I am that MCA of The Beastie Boys, aka Adam Yauch, has a cancerous tumor in his salivary glad - and subsequently had to cancel their All Points West gig - which, I was only thinking of going to see them, for I try to not miss them when they are anywhere near the Tri-State area. My mother worked with playwright Israel Horowitz - King Ad Rock's (Adam Horowitz) father many times, and I was always pissed I never got to meet Ad Rock - but MCA was always my favorite (I love all three of them, but maybe it's my penchant for older men, whatever).


He has come out of surgery, bless his heart, and had a note for fans that you can see here at the NY Times - however, he sent it to the B-Boys fan group (yes, I'm in that email blast, thank you very fucking much) and it was so precious. He's had the surgery, but the poor thing has to undergo all the chemo, radiation, etc that one would have to post-op to make sure the damn thing stays gone.

I'm sure many of you have seen Jay-Z perform "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" at All Points West in honor of the Beasties - there are several recordings out there - my pal Chris Gordon picked this one out - it's the best I can find. Amazing. I saw them w/ Dale two years ago when they played their first show in Brooklyn ever - and when they played it, it had UBER significance.

Well, when I got the email from Yauch, it's from a "no-reply" address...which, I'm hip; dude probably would blow a server from all the emails. So I simply have this to say:

Adam -

I adore you and have loved you for years. My prayers, or whatever good gris-gris that you want to take, is with you. You have always been a source of love and musical pleasure for so many - and an inspiration, from your Tibet work to the simple love of your family, music, and your fans.

Just know that so many of us are breathing a collective sigh of relief that you are better, and that many of us (I am not an atheist, obviously) have you in our prayers.

You're a tough mofo - I've seen you on stage only a few feet away, playing your bass and being the musical genius that you are...a lil' cancer ain't gonna take you out anytime soon, man. You have a long life ahead of you.

Get better! Get rid of that cancer! And then rest....and THEN - get your fuckin' ass back on stage, yo.

Love, Strength, and Peace (of Mind) -

Billychic

Robot Cats and Electric Sheep

I thought this article was fascinating this week...and one of my favorite parts is that they actually talk about the correlation of a robotic cat to Phillip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - the story behind the cult classic (and one of my favorites of all time) Blade Runner.

The simple idea of having a robotic pet - and one that can assist the elderly, for instance - is entertaining, fascinating...and a little scary, still. However, for those who are older, who just can't make the commitment to a live animal for fear that they may not outlive the pet - but yet are still lonely and need something besides the sounds of their tv or radio to keep them company (I can totally fucking relate), then perhaps it's a good idea. Especially if it has devices that can alert medics, etc to help assist said elderly individual. Yet...it still ain't the real thing.


Although it's not as disturbing as a possible I, Robot, scenario, with someone running for their lives when the humanoid electronic buddy decides it's payback time to the strains of Won't You Be My Girl, Sally by The Police in the background, it still gives me pause.

Hey, I'm a tech geek, a sci-fi nut, and interested in all of this very much; but I'm also an animal activist. I just hope that something like this doesn't give the planet earth incentive to say it's okay to continue doing lab experiments and euthanize animals if their response is "well, hell...we can always make one out of a tonka toy kit." Hopefully that won't happen in my lifetime, or our children's...but if things keep going the way they are, more than just polar bears and bengal tigers are going to be extinct.

Song of the Day Is Back: Led Zeppelin - Sick Again

Led Zeppelin - Sick Again

From the album Physical Graffiti

Possibly one of the sexiest songs by one of the sexiest bands...again, pulling from it's blues roots..."...ya said you dug me since you were 13..." - always with the love, sex, sweat, and that amazing unit that was the band of Led Zeppelin. Not a wasted drum beat or guitar riff.

Glad to be back. Don't know how regularly...but more so than for the last year, I can bet your ass on that.

Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick - Bozo The Hippie

My new pal Jack at work...being a nutcase. He's gold, man - gold.

RIP Robert Novak

Although he more often than not differed with my politics, I have always had respect for Robert Novak. He stuck to his guns, and didn't waver. I remember hanging out at my parent's place and watching Crossfire, my Dad (ever the conservative) would always hoot n' holler when Novak did his thing.

He died of brain cancer today.

What I dug about him was that he was a wee bit o' a maverick; he disagreed with Republicans almost as much as he did the democrats.

And regardless, he was a helluva journalist.