Pop Candy returns Sept. 2

Pop Candy is taking a Labor Day holiday and will be back Tuesday, Sept. 2. Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

The week in Pop: My favorite things

I feel like this week flew by, but I managed to do a little more than watch cable news coverage. Take a look, then share your own pop-culture picks in the comments:

Best TV show I saw: Gavin and Stacey. I've been hearing about this British comedy for years, so I'm glad BBC America finally started airing it this week. (Catch it Tuesdays at 8:40 p.m. ET.) It follows a long-distance couple that falls in love pretty quickly, and their strange family and friends go along for the ride. I became a fan within the first 15 minutes.
I also enjoyed: Weeds, The Daily Show (live from Denver), The Black List on HBO (awesome documentary from Elvis Mitchell)

Best movie I saw: That would probably be Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which is Woody Allen's best comedy in years. (I feel like people say that every time a new Woody Allen movie comes out, but it really is true!) The story is engaging, and the cast made me pant. I will never tire of Javier Bardem, even if he pulls a Cuba Gooding Jr. and starts making weird Disney movies with dogs in them.
I also enjoyed: Drakmar, which I wrote about this week; Avenue Montaigne; and The Gits, a great documentary about the band that ended so tragically. It just became available on DVD, so you should check it out.

Best CD I heard: Honestly, I've spent the week working really hard on this DJ thing. But a friend of mine told me about these new Okkervil River covers, and I think that's pretty awesome -- the band is getting other artists to cover songs on their upcoming album, The Stand Ins. Bon Iver's version of Blue Tulip is really sweet. (I played an Okkervil song in this week's podcast.)
I'm also listening to: The other night I was playing Inara George's new collaboration with Van Dyke Parks, An Invitation. It's a very sweeping, instrumental, emotional record that's unlike anything out right now. (Parks has been getting some ink because of his work on Brian Wilson's new album, but I don't think the Inara George thing has received too much press. She's one half of The Bird and the Bee. Here's some more info from the Wall Street Journal.)

Best thing I read: Air No. 1 by G. Willow Wilson with art by M.K. Perker (Vertigo, $2.99). This new comic has a positive review from Neil Gaiman on the cover, so I expected to like it from the start. It follows a flight attendant who, on the first page, jumps out of a plane. We then learn the story of a mysterious passenger, a terrorist plot and possibly some magic/Lost-esque strangeness at work. I can't wait for the next issue so I can start to figure out what the heck is going on. (As a special bonus, it's written by a woman!)
I'm also reading: I'm only a few pages into The Book of Lies, but I'm liking it so far ...

OK, let us know what pop culture you've been digesting this week in the comments.

Last night a DJ gig saved my life

Even though I only took a few hours of lessons, it was mighty fun being a DJ for a night. For one thing, I could get away with wearing jeans and a tank top. (Isn't that the typical DJ wardrobe? I sort of agonized over that decision.) For another, I could spend half the night in a dark little booth playing whatever music I liked ... and everyone else would just have to deal with it!

Here's my playlist from last night's Modernist Society event. Thanks to Pop reader Christina P. for taking photos, and thank you to everyone who came.

1. Pot Kettle Black, Tilly and the Wall. I opened with this rockin' song from the band's new album, O. You can hear it again when the band appears on the series premiere of the new 90210 Sept. 2.

2. Cheap and Cheerful, The Kills. It was hard to pick one Kills song, but this one always gets me moving. Of course, it's from the duo's latest (and greatest), Midnight Boom.

3. I Found That Essence Rare, Gang of Four. This is my favorite song from Entertainment!. I highly recommend the recently remastered version.

4. Mister Jung Stuffed, Man Man. This comes from the recent Rabbit Habits and is difficult to dance to, but it definitely makes people ask, "Who are these guys?"

5. Fake French, Le Tigre. One of my favorite Le Tigre songs. It's soulful, funny ("a conceptual stunt double!") and gets my body movin'.

6. Sponsor (It Didn't Mean a Thing), Quitzow. I played this in a podcast a few weeks ago. Quitzow is fun and a little Peaches-esque.

7. My Valuable Hunting Knife, Guided by Voices. One of my many favorite GBV songs.

8. Web in Front, Archers of Loaf. I definitely wanted to play some Southern college bands, and these Chapel Hill, N.C., guys are a classic. This is from the excellent Icky Mettle, released in '94.

9. Three-Way, Magnetic Fields. This opens the band's latest CD, Distortion.

10. Wintergreen, That Handsome Devil. I posted this song last week -- kind of Tom Waits with a kick. This is another one where people asked me for the artist's name.

Michael Jackson hits the big 5-0

All morning I've been thinking about Michael Jackson.

If I said that on any other day, it might prompt stares. But today is Jackson's 50th birthday, so it's OK to reflect upon the King of Pop and what he means.

For a moment, try to forget the plastic surgery and the scandals and Bubbles. Instead, remember the first time you saw the video for Billie Jean. Remember the day your mom told you to turn down Thriller. Remember the moment you realized just how hard it was to moonwalk, even though this guy made it look so easy.

I have plenty of positive Michael Jackson memories, and I prefer to concentrate on those when his name comes up rather than his bizarre, more recent behavior. Today, a story on MSNBC asks what's left for the singer and urges him to make more music. The Guardian offers 50 MJ facts, though this list of "weird" facts from a German website is more interesting.

Today, Jackson plans to celebrate the occasion with his kids. He says he still feels young.

What do you think Michael Jackson should do now -- make music? Live a quiet life? Do you have a favorite Jackson-related memory?

Somewhere, in my parents' attic, there's a rusty Thriller-era microphone gathering dust. Back then, no one could have imagined where the singer's life would take him, and it felt like we would all be young forever.

Pop Candy gets around

A few Candy-related features have popped up lately on other sites. These are just a handful worth noting:

- If you couldn't make it to Comic-Con, my panel with Brad Meltzer, Chip Kidd, David Goyer and Paul Feig is now online. We discussed how we bring our love of comics to film, journalism, novels, TV and other media. Thanks to Brad for posting the MP3.

- Last weekend I appeared on Weekend America, a show for American Public Media. The topic was "Coping with Olympic Withdrawal," and I offered some suggestions for what to watch after the Olympics. (I swear I talked a ton about Mad Men, but of course they used my comments about Army Wives, which I probably shouldn't have admitted to watching in the first place!) Weekend is a cool show, so you should check your public-radio schedule for airtimes or just listen online each week.

- This week Slate.com turned my post about my 23-month Netflix rental into a reader poll. I'm curious to see whether anyone can beat my record for Weekend. Stay tuned for the results.

Also, in case you haven't noticed, I put up a nifty promo for the Twitter comics created by Pop Candy readers. They've received lots of positive press from Newsarama, The Comics Journal and other outlets, including Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this project a success.

I'll keep you updated on any personal appearances, but if you see Pop Candy mentioned in the media, please drop me a line!

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Aside from having an excellent photo, today's reader digs Widespread Panic and a certain mustached '80s star. Read on:

Reader of the day: cmartin1851

Real name: Christa Martin
Where I live: Florence, Ala. (northwest corner of Alabama ... also known as the place where George "Goober" Lindsey went to college.)
Occupation: Marketing diva for a hospital
Website: myspace.com/clmartin

Favorite movie quote: Absolutely anything from Fletch. I quote Fletch on a daily basis. There’s a Fletch quote for every situation. For example, when ordering coffee: “Do you want cream or sugar?” “No, never, never.”

My earliest pop-culture memory: I’ve been a pop-culture kid for as long as I can remember. My first pop-culture obsession was Magnum, P.I. I might have been the only 5-year-old with posters of Tom Selleck on her walls. I had replicas of the cars, T-shirts, you name it. I even had the exact same Pac-Man game that he played on the show. Still have it. (It still works! My 7-year-old plays with it.)

Early buzz: Morrissey, 'Fringe,' Crispin, Death Cab, more

It's Friday! I'm thrilled to say my DJ event went smoothly last night -- I didn't have any dead air or embarrassing scratches the entire time. Thanks to everyone who came out, especially since I know you gave up some history-making TV to be there. Check back for photos and more details. (By the way, if you took photos, please e-mail them to me!)

A few headlines:

- Was the second season of Buffy the best? (I say yes.) This feature looks at the 20 best TV seasons of the past 20 years.

- We have a a story about the Coen brothers' latest, Burn After Reading.

- Don't forget to listen to Morrissey's appearance on KCRW today.

- Popular Science has an interview with J.J. Abrams.

- Sam Taylor-Wood is directing a John Lennon biopic.

- Salon interviews Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester.

- Here's a story about the Germs movie, What We Do is Secret.

- Ricky Schroder will direct a movie for the Sci Fi Channel called Hellhounds.

- Rumer Willis has landed a guest spot on Army Wives.

- Twilight author Stephenie Meyer is ... directing a music video?

- Here's an interview with Joshua Jackson about Fringe.

- Here's a quick Q&A with Crispin Glover. (Thanks, Scott.)

- Sean Penn talked politics this week -- and was apparently "exhausted looking" and "wild-haired."

- Here's an interview with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.

- What can we expect from the first two episodes of Heroes?

- A Smiths anthology is on the way in October.

- Sonic Youth is working on a new album.

- Office Space star Ron Livingston is doing another office comedy.

- Animal Planet is airing a show called The Grizzly Man Diaries about Grizzly Man's Timothy Treadwell.

- Fandango counts down the top 10 road trip movies.

- Has any Muppet been screwed over more than Grover?

- And finally, here are the "Top 10 Hard Rock Mustaches."

Radiohead plan a webcast

If you don't live in the D.C. area and are looking for something to do tonight, you could either a) watch Barack Obama's speech on TV; or b) tune in to a live Radiohead webcast!

The band will be webcasting their last American show from Santa Barbara, Calif. Pop reader Andy K. is super-excited, and I know a bunch of you are, too.

Writes band member Colin Greenwood: "It's one of our favourite places to play; I think we've ended tours there before, once even playing a cover of Cinnamon Girl.

The show is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET. There is an opening act.

Westerberg makes himself heard

Paul Westerberg seems to be in a very prolific phase right now, and we should take full advantage of it. The singer/songwriter has just posted more music online, and you can download it for just $3.99.

3oclockreep includes more than 23 minutes of new material. Previously, Westerberg posted a complete record called 49:00. The album was made available for download for just 49 cents and received some of the most positive reviews of his solo career. Unfortunately, it was pulled after two weeks. After that, another download called 5:05 was posted. The price: either 99 cents or $5.05.

Hopefully, the controversy surrounding 49:00 ends soon and it will return to Amazon. (There has been no official word as to why it was removed, but fans assume the mashups and potential copyright-infringement lawsuits have something to do with it.) In the meantime, it hasn't seemed to stop Westerberg from churning out good tunes, and that's a very good thing.

Looking back on 'Miseducation'

It has been 10 years -- yes, 10 years! -- since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released.

I owned this CD. You owned this CD. Pop reader Spikewitwicky called it "probably the closest thing Gen X and Gen Y will get to Songs in the Key of Life."

Like every great album, Miseducation has a long back story, and Rolling Stone tries to get to the bottom of it with this verbal history. They interview Hill's partner, Rohan Marley; Fugees bandmate Pras; John Legend; producer Che Vicious ... pretty much everyone except Hill, who has had her share of personal issues in the last decade.

The piece discusses the making of each track along with what the singer has been doing since her worldwide success.

"I think, in our own sweet time, we're gonna get into a room and talk to each other about all of our issues and make some music," Hill said in a 1999 Rolling Stone interview. "I have a huge amount of love for them, but I needed to learn some things about myself."

Chrissie goes country

The Pretenders are getting in touch with their roots.

After nearly 30 years as a rock band, Chrissie Hynde & Co. are preparing to release a country record, Break Up the Concrete, on Oct. 7. Though reports said the group was experimenting with Southern sounds, Pop reader Brad K. notes that it didn't really hit home until they became featured on CMT.com. Go there now, and you can hear an exclusive track from the album, Love's a Mystery.

Each week, the band is releasing one MP3 from the record on a different website. Right now you can hear two more songs on their MySpace page; Boots of Chinese Plastic is the most obvious example of the band's boot-scootin' transition. To find out where you can grab the weekly downloads, head to ThePretenders.com.

This week LAist posted a review of a recent Pretenders performance: "Introducing the brand-new Rosalee over a chorus of shouted requests, (Hynde) says, 'Just think, in 25 more years, this will be a classic, and you’ll be yelling for this instead of Brass In F---in’ Pocket!'"

We shall see. 

'Entourage' returns with more Drama

Here's a hilarious promo for the upcoming season of Entourage: a Viking Quest video game. Viking Quest is the fictional cult series Johnny Drama appeared on (remember the Comic-Con episode?), and the game lets you become Drama's character, Tarvold.

The website even offers a fake series DVD set and explains the game in pretty elaborate detail. Since its advertised as "coming soon to consoles everywhere," I'm guessing it may be part of the storyline next season.

Go here to watch some clips from the new season, which starts Sept. 7. In a fun marketing move, the show has also partnered with Virgin America airlines to brand flights from New York to Vegas "Entourage Air." Passengers receive special perks and get to watch the season premiere.

Giving props to puppet performers

Don't puppets make everything better?

I think I may have said that last week when recommending AfterEllen's L Word video recaps, which feature goofy/naughty puppet reenactments. But lots of musicians have incorporated puppets into their work, and this feature highlights some of the best.

The first glorious puppet video I remember is the clip for Phil Collins' Land of Confusion, but Weezer, Interpol and other bands have welcomed felt figures onscreen in the years since. Heck, Beck even brought puppets on his Guero tour.

Enjoy the videos, and thanks to Laura S. for the tip.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Before you meet today's reader, I have a bit of forum-related news: Frequent commenter Katie V., aka apronk, welcomed a healthy baby girl yesterday named Lucy Lynne. Congrats to apronk on the joyous addition to her family!

Now on to our featured face from Florida:

Reader of the day: kristinwfpc

Real name: Kristin Beck
Why I chose my screen name: My aunt chose it, actually. The suffix stands for "world's first perfect child."
Where I live: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Occupation: Marketing manager for a travel company
Website: http://kristinbeck-rambleon.blogspot.com

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Tom Waits, Frida Kahlo, Dane Cook and Paul Newman (one is deceased, so I slipped in an extra)

Best concert experience: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were awesome. But Hank III's country set with Reverend Horton Heat was great. Dick Dale because he played for two hours, signed every autograph and kissed every girl on the cheek afterwards. The first ever Lollopalooza! Ani DiFranco at JazzFest. Too many to choose just one. I'll stop.

Early buzz: Replacements, Facebook, 'Daisies' and more

Hey, everyone! It's Thursday, and I'm getting pretty excited about tonight's event. I hope some of you can make it -- I'll probably only DJ for about an hour so I can hang out afterward. There will be a Q&A segment, and I think we'll have some posters on hand, too. It should be a good time.

Some headlines:

- Drummer Steve Foley, who played with the Replacements at the end of their career, has died. He was 49.

- We go behind the scenes at the Daily Show in Denver.

- Michael Phelps will host the season premiere of Saturday Night Live.

- Aaron Sorkin wants to make a movie about Facebook.

- Here's an update on how fans are fighting to make sure Watchmen lands in theaters.

- NBC has already picked up a full season of Chuck.

- Pushing Daisies is going on a 10-city publicity tour ... with free pie!

- Marcel from Top Chef was arrested for DUI last weekend.

- Bjork wants to make sure she (and other female artists) get the credit they deserve.

- Purists are upset that the font used in the closing credits of Mad Men wasn't around in 1962. (Link via Fimoculous.)

- I didn't realize Allison Janney starred in 9 to 5: The Musical.

- Annoying hoax messages are popping up on Facebook and MySpace.

- Someone's gonna die on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

- Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger is working on songs for The Colbert Report's Christmas special, which I'm already looking forward to.

- What's in Sean Connery's autobiography?

- Todd Solondz is making a "quasi-sequel" to Happiness.

- A blogger was arrested for leaking Guns N' Roses songs.

- Dita von Teese is the new face of Wonderbra. (Wonderbra has a face?)

- And finally, start your day by hearing My Morning Jacket cover Rocket Man.

There's life after 30 for Lego people

This week I received the coolest package in the mail: a box of Lego minifigures, just begging to be assembled. How can I possibly work right now when there's a pile of heads, legs and torsos that need to be clicked into place?

This week happens to mark the 30th anniversary of the Lego minifig. The company is celebrating with a website (GoMinimanGo.com), Miniman T-shirts, a special 3-D video and more. Gizmodo is even holding a minifig contest that asks users to submit videos. The winners receive hard-to-find vintage Lego sets.

If you need some inspiration, I love this story about a guy who quit his job to become a full-time Lego artist. His works include a life-size Lego sculpture of Stephen Colbert, "a 10-foot-tall replica of the new Trump Tower being constructed in Dubai" and a large bumblebee commissioned by Pete Wentz. Here's a slideshow of some of his creations.

Lorelai? Buffy? Seth Cohen? Oh, my!

Today Warner Bros. launched TheWB.com, a snazzy new website that streams several of its classic series. Go there now to watch episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Smallville, The OC, Friends, Angel, Smallville, Roswell and many other shows you love.

While you can't watch every episode of every show, the site does kick off with a good selection. For example, the entire first season of Veronica Mars is online, and the first nine eps of The OC have been posted.

The site promises to launch original series as well. One, Sorority Forever, is created by McG, while Gossip Girl/Chuck creator Josh Schwartz will dip his toes into the web arena with a project in the coming months.

Extra features include the ability to make playlists, remixes and more. Check it out ... but prepared to be distracted for a long time.

Women hit the road for a new tour

This fall a cool tour will make its way across the country -- and it's chock full of talent and estrogen.

The Hotel Cafe Tour includes Ingrid Michaelson, Rachael Yamagata, Jenny Owen Youngs, Thao Nguyen and many other female artists I admire. (Don't write this off as any sort of Lilith Fair-y situation, though, because several of these women rock hard.)

The tour kicks off Oct. 9 in Santa Barbara, Calif., and it might be headed to your town. Since different artists appear in different cities, check the lineup before buying tickets. Thanks to Paul K. for the tip.

Rent this: 'Drakmar'

Last weekend I saw an inspired and weird documentary that reminded me of the awkwardness of youth, the importance of family and my enthusiasm for geeks.

Drakmar: A Vassal's Journey follows 14-year-old Colin Taylor as he navigates high school and the medieval land of Adria, a role-playing group where he works his way through the ranks.

Colin loves dragons, weapons and video games. He grew up without a dad, but he finds a father figure in his "knight" at Adria. At school, he's failing every subject except ceramics. And, not surprisingly, he is ostracized by his classmates.

The film is funny and educational -- I didn't know too much about the medieval role-playing scene -- but it also reminds viewers how impossible it can be to be a 14-year-old, and how sometimes teens can be much wiser than the adults around them. (At one point, Colin is talking about something he's passionate about, then he stops, noting his words must be "really hitting" the filmmaker ... "in the heart.")

Drakmar's DVD extras include a follow-up documentary with a now-17-year-old Colin. Here's the trailer. Below is one of my favorite scenes, in which Colin describes his perfect girl. It involves dragons:

If these cakes could fly ...

What's the coolest cake you've ever received?

I guess I'd place my wedding cake pretty high on that list, though the most fun cake I remember is when I turned 7, and my mother baked one in the shape of the Easter bunny. As any Ace of Cakes fan knows, pastries are always better when they look like they could come alive.

That said, Pop reader Larry Fire sent me a link to these amazing superhero cakes. While some may not be perfect, they're all inspired -- I think my favorite is the Spider-Man 3 cake.

If you have any good cake stories, feel free to share them in the comments.

Now, these are my kind of marathons ...

Lacking Labor Day plans? Why not sit on the couch, relax and hang out in front of the TV?

It seems like nearly every cable channel has a marathon planned this weekend, starting with TV Land's seven-hour marathon of Scrubs on Monday. (The network launches the series in a regular 9 p.m. timeslot starting Sept. 2.)

Elsewhere, you can see "80 Hours of the '80s" on VH1 Classic, starting Friday at 4 p.m. That special will include an A-to-Z showcase of videos, an 80 Greatest Songs of the '80s special and more.

TNT plans a 12-episode run of The Closer Monday, starting at 9 a.m. It ends with a new episode at 9 p.m. The same day TBS will air a massive 20-episode House of Payne marathon, if you can handle that, starting at 10 a.m. ET.

SOAPNet plans a 24-hour "mega-marathon" of Beverly Hills, 90210 that should be popular with the kids and adults. Spike TV plans a CSI marathon from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday. The Travel Channel will air a marathon of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, starting at 9 a.m. (that's my pick), and FX has a That 70's Show marathon on tap.

Also on Labor Day, the Discovery Channel airs a Dirty Jobs marathon from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. ET. ABC Family's all-day My Wife and Kids marathon starts at noon.

Over on AMC, set your DVR for a five-episode Mad Men marathon on Sunday. You'll be able to catch up on this season's new episodes, starting at 5 p.m. ET.

Whew! And yes, for the traditionalists, there's also the Jerry Lewis telethon. Whatever you pick, you're in for a long weekend.

Update: Pop reader MonaLucy adds that the Sci Fi Channel is airing a Star Trek: The Next Generation marathon from 8 a.m.-11 p.m.

Are you behind on 'Battlestar'?

I've heard from several readers who want to catch up on the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica before the series returns next year.

Good news: Universal HD will begin re-airing the eps starting Saturday. (Thanks, Tony H.) Tune in at 8 p.m. ET to catch the season premiere, and set your DVR to watch the remaining episodes. As you know, all of them aren't available online, and a DVD release date hasn't been announced.

In related news, expect BSG webisodes at some point, and go here to watch the trailer for Caprica, the spinoff prequel starring Eric Stoltz.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader will be happy to chat about Nip/Tuck or Bret and Jemaine ... and he might be able to answer questions about your phone service, too. Take a look at his profile, then say hello:

Reader of the day: ThatsMyPlayaaa

Real name: Jordy Mckever
Why I chose my screen name: I got it from a security guard at my dorm in college. I had a lot of female friends, and they'd come to visit. The evening security guard would always notice that, and would make a point to always yell, "There you go, playa!" when I'd come to the lobby.
Where I live: Columbia, S.C.
Occupation: Customer service for Verizon Wireless
Personal website: http://turtledizzle.livejournal.com

My earliest pop-culture memory: Back when it was a big deal to premiere music videos on network TV, Fox had premiered Michael Jackson's Remember the Time. I remember my mom getting all excited for it, and we were so in awe with how Michael turned into sand at the end of the video.

The last pop-culture item I bought: I got the Flight of the Conchords album from iTunes last month. Does that count?

Early buzz: 'Gossip,' Bourdain, air guitar and more

Hey, everyone -- I'm a little drowsy this morning because I was up late at the turntables, practicing my DJ skills. (The funniest thing about that statement is it's 100% true!) Let me tell you, I've developed a newfound respect for DJs. That job is harder than it looks, though it's also a lot more fun than I expected it to be. I'm still trying to come up with a cool DJ name.

A few headlines:

- AMC has decided to restore the fake Mad Men Twitter accounts and let fans have their fun.

- The CW has posted the first five minutes of the Gossip Girl premiere.

- Haley Joel Osment is going to Broadway. (He's 20 now.)

- Here's an interview with Anthony Bourdain.

- A Coco Chanel biopic is in the works starring Audrey Tatou.

- America has won the World Air Guitar Championships.

- Ryan Adams is writing a book.

- Neil Diamond is offering refunds to concertgoers who saw him perform  with laryngitis on Monday in Ohio.

- A new blog for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been launched.

- Here's a Q&A with new talk-show host Bonnie Hunt.

- Three members of Led Zeppelin are in the studio working on new material.

- The Cure's new album is called 4:13 Dream.

- Woody Allen has released his diary from the set of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Ha!

- Time interviews former porn star Ron Jeremy.

- Johnny Marr is playing with The Cribs now.

- Not only is Torchwood's third season in production, it will feature a character named Mr. Frobisher!

- NIcolas Cage is a man of many hairstyles.

- Hurry up and watch 30 Rock episodes before Hulu yanks 'em.

- And from The Onion: "Aaron Sorkin Announces New West Wing Animated Series at SorCon."

HBO kills 'Preacher'

I've received a bunch of mailbag questions about the status of HBO's Preacher. I'm sad to say that this week Comics Continuum reported the show is dead.

Said writer/director Mark Steven Johnson: "We were budgeting and everything and it was getting really close to going. But the new head of HBO felt it was just too dark and too violent and too controversial. Which, of course, is kind of the point!"

Preacher is a funny, action-packed series of graphic novels by Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon. It follows a possessed Texas preacher on a journey to find God, and its characters encounter quite a bit of blood, drinking, sex and controversy along the way.

If HBO won't take the series, perhaps another network will. Johnson said he has heard it could still be made into a feature film.

Thanks to Zack S. for the tip.

AMC gets 'Mad' over Twitter accounts

Yesterday I made a Mad Men reference on Twitter. Hours later, I noticed someone named "Peggy Olson" started following my updates.

Confused, I clicked on the account. As fans know, Peggy is a character on the show. It turns out nearly all of Mad Men's characters had Twitter accounts that were started by fans. Pop reader Tiffany M., aka okgirl_ok, was one person who loved reading them.

"It was really fun to get to chat with them and have some element of pop culture infused into my Twitter experience," she says. "We couldn't figure out if they were actually sanctioned by AMC or not, but still, it was a fun time."

Once AMC found out about the accounts, they asked Twitter to remove them. As of today, poor Peggy is "being investigated due to strange activity." The other characters are disappearing as well. (The guy who writes Paul Kinsey has been sharing his side of the story on his blog.)

"It's outrageous!" Tiffany says. "My thought is, why would AMC put a stop to some really great social media marketing for their show? At least perhaps they'd take a note from the success of the characters and take the project over themselves."

AdRants agrees, noting that "slapping down fervent supporters as opposed to forming a partnership does more harm than good."

So what do you think? Should AMC have stopped the fans' Twitter fiction, or should their fun continue? I'm sad my relationship with Peggy was so short-lived ... I really think we could've learned a lot from each other.

Belinda and her '80s friends: Don't you want them?

Have you heard about the Regeneration Tour?

Yeah, I know: The name is sort of weird. Every time I hear it I think of Doctor Who, but then I remember it has nothing to do with sci-fi -- it's actually a tour of reunited '80s acts like The Human League, ABC, Naked Eyes, A Flock of Seagulls and Belinda Carlisle. (Dead or Alive was supposed to appear, but Pete Burns had to cancel because of health reasons.)

The tour has been going strong all summer and has a handful of dates left. Last night Pop reader Kent B. saw them in Cincinnati and sent a positive report:

"It was almost like going back in time," he writes. "The venue wasn't even half full, but the crowd was on its feet the entire time." He says Human League delivered an "amazing stage show" but it was Carlisle who "basically put the crowd into hysterics. She looked and sounded phenomenal."

Kent snapped a pic of Belinda in action:

Great, now I'm going to have Heaven Is a Place on Earth in my head for the rest of the day. The tour stops in Vienna, Va., tonight before heading to Raleigh, Atlanta and elsewhere.

Cool stuff on DVD this week

I rarely say this, but it's a really great week for DVDs! Truly, it is -- we have lots of indie releases, some TV series, a guilty pleasure or two ...

Check it out, then plan your weekend viewing:

Release o' the week: Chicago 10. I saw this at a film festival and loved it so much I was certain it would be a box-office hit. Maybe now people will discover it on DVD, though -- the movie combines animation and documentary footage in a unique way to tell the story of the Chicago Seven. (If you liked the style of Richard Linklater's Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, that gives you an idea of what to expect.) Jeffrey Wright, Mark Ruffalo and Hank Azaria are among the actors who provide voices, and the storytelling is compelling throughout. It's definitely worth a rental and will linger in your head for a long time after you see it.

- Heroes: Season 2. While we didn't love it as much as the first season, it does have its moments ... and it's still required viewing before Season 3 starts.

- Entourage: The Complete Fourth Season. The chronicles of Medellin continue, with attractive ladies and Piven scattered throughout.

- Son of Rambow. I'm eager to see this comedy, which follows boys who are inspired by Rambo to make their own movie.

- Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. This two-disc collector's edition boasts tons of extras, including a making-of doc, Burton's short films and more.

- August. Josh Hartnett stars in this flick about the rise and fall of a dot-com.

- Redbelt. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in David Mamet's martial-arts flick.

- Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?. The title pretty much says it all in Morgan Spurlock's latest.

- The Shield: Season 6. Catch up before Chiklis returns with FX's final season Sept. 2.

Also out: The Best of Comedy Central Presents II, What Happens in Vegas, One Tree Hill: The Complete Fifth Season, Everybody Hates Chris: The Third Season, NCIS: The Fifth Season, Virgin Territory, Errol Flynn Westerns Collection, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning

Related news: WALL-E arrives on DVD Nov. 18 with a bunch of special features.

Next week: Funny indie The Promotion (with John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott) arrives.

Podcast: This mix will complete you

This week I wanted to knock your socks off -- no,  your shorts off -- with an amazing late summer/early fall mix. I think you'll be pleased with the result, which includes a few bands you've heard of and some that are new to you.

The rundown:

- Okkervil River. I'm guessing you liked 2007's The Stage Names, since it landed on just about every publication's "best of" list at the end of the year. The band is already back with a new record, The Stand Ins (out Sept. 9), and it's going to make you smile and dance. I play my favorite song.

- James. Remember the Brits who sang Laid and Sit Down and other alterna-poppy songs in the '90s? The lineup returns Sept. 16 with Hey Ma, and they're about to tour the U.S.

- Horse Feathers. I've written a lot about this Portland, Ore., group for the last couple weeks, so I figured I should play one of their songs. I think you'll enjoy it -- it's from their new album, House With No Home, out Sept. 9.

- David Byrne. Did you know that in addition to the album with Brian Eno his compositions are featured on a new soundtrack called Big Love: Hymnal?

- The Cute Lepers. These guys sing fun, Ramones-inspired punk. Their new CD is called Can't Stand Modern Music.

- Theresa Andersson. The more I hear her new record, Hummingbird, Go! (out Sept. 2), the more I like it. You'll hear my favorite track, which showcases her sweet and hopeful voice.

- Shwa Losben. This Pop Candy reader sent me a CD of his sharply written songs, and I liked them so much I wanted to pass them on.

OK! Enough chatter. Now it's time to use your ears:

- Download the free podcast on iTunes

- Stream this week's podcast (still free!)

Thank you so much for listening, and I hope the podcast makes your week a little brighter.

Pop Candy spins some tunes

If any of you will be in the D.C. area Thursday, I welcome you to come hang out and witness my DJ debut.

I can't believe I just typed that, but it's true: I'll be a special guest of The Modernist Society, a group that organizes cool monthly events. The evening kicks off with an interview and Q&A, so I'm sure I'll discuss a little bit about the history of Pop Candy, along with some of my favorite comics, bands and other pop-culture obsessions.

After the interview, I'll spin some of my favorite tunes. I've never done this before, so I'm taking lessons to ease my nerves. If you show up, please be kind, and I hope you'll dance!

There's no cover or RSVP required or anything, and you can check out the Facebook invite for more details. The fun starts at 8 p.m. at Bourbon, 2321 18th St. NW.

Click the poster to enlarge:

 

I hope to see some of you there! Let me know if you have any requests.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader hails from one of my favorite cities, and I enjoyed meeting him at this year's Comic-Con Candy meetup. Learn about him, then say hi in the comments:

Reader of the day: PopGeezer

Real name: Ken Rhodes
Why I chose my screen name: 1) name of my blog site; 2) more importantly, it’s the image I have of myself -- someone who's been rampantly consuming pop culture for over 40 years, is old enough to know better and has some pretty strong opinions on what's good now and what was better back then.
Where I live: Nashville
Occupation: Purchasing management in entertainment electronics wholesale
Personal blog/website/MySpace: www.popgeezer.com; myspace.com/corgidad46

A movie I can't stand (and why): The only one I’ve ever walked out of -- Sheena, starring Tanya Roberts. There just aren’t enough nude scenes in the world worth a film that actually performs a frontal lobotomy on you while watching it.

Coolest pop-culture item I own: Avengers No. 4 signed in person by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (separately, of course).

Early buzz: Fillion, 'Heroes,' Carrey, Merge and more

Morning, all! Last night I didn't do much aside from watch convention coverage and Weeds. It's kind of a rough transition to go from the excitement of the Olympics to the fairly tame conventions -- these guys could really benefit from a tumbling routine or something. Who knows, maybe that will happen tonight.

Your headlines:

- We have a story about the origin of Superman and the inspiration for Brad Meltzer's new book, The Book of Lies.

- ABC has ordered a new series starring ... Nathan Fillion!

- Michelle Rodriguez will appear on Lost again next season.

- Man, those Barenaked Ladies guys are not having the best luck this summer.

- If you want to play Scrabulous, you'll have to go to India.

- FX is going to start streaming episodes online in September.

- Shia LaBeouf's hand injury will be included in Transformers 2.

- The author of 100 Things to Do Before You Die has died.

- On this site, you can see bonus features from the new Heroes Season 2 DVDs and enter to win a signed set.

- Here's a Where Are They Now? feature on the cast of Saved by the Bell.

- The New Yorker Festival sounds great this year.

- Janeane Garofalo was among those who took part in a staged reading of The Hills.

- I didn't realize there had been 10 women on Entourage.

- A Brazilian magazine published these Watchmen covers.

- Here's a pic from Jim Carrey's I Love You Phillip Morris, which we can expect to be kind of a "Catch Me if You Can meets Brokeback Mountain."

- Merge Records is releasing a curated box set. Participants include David Byrne, Peter Buck and Amy Poehler (?).

- TV Land is going to start airing Scrubs. A seven-hour marathon runs on Labor Day.

- Wallace and Gromit make great fashion models, don't they?

- And finally, here's a list of the "5 Greatest (and 5 Most Ridiculous) Colorforms Playsets." I had the Muppet Show set, and it was awesome!

Maybe he'll bring luck in the kitchen ...

Have you ever watched Ace of Cakes on the Food Network and thought, "That Duff is so awesome. I wish I could carry him in my pocket!"

Well, now you can with the Duff action figure. The Ace of Cakes Minimate stands just two inches tall and comes with 10 accessories, including "miniature replicas of two of our more famous cakes." You'll also get a guitar, spatula, mixer and several other accessories I can't identify because I don't bake.

The action figure costs $8 and is now sold in the Charm City Cakes online store. Take a look:

Depp takes the stage this weekend

A couple months ago I wrote about Rock and a Hard Place, a new documentary about South Florida's music scene in the late '70s and early '80s.

A bunch of footage from that film was shot at a 2007 reunion concert with several bands from that era, including The Kids, a group that featured a very young Johnny Depp.

If you missed Depp's return the first time around, you'll have another chance Aug. 29 and 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when the second Sheila Witkin Memorial Concert reunites these bands again. Mad as Birds, The Reactions, Critical Mass and other groups will take the stage. Tickets are on sale now.

The KIds talked about the show in a radio interview last week. (Depp joined them by phone.) Go here to hear it.

If you see the show, try to snap some pics and tell us how it went!

Build a 'Playlist,' share the music

I welcome all ways to build online mixtapes, and the latest happens to coincide with an upcoming Michael Cera movie.

If you go to http://sproutbuilder.com/sony, you'll be able to create a widget for Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, the upcoming flick starring Cera and Kat Dennings that relies on an ultra-cool soundtrack. The site offers several widget options, but the best might be one that lets users create their own mixes and post them on their websites/Facebook pages/etc.

The mix offers songs on the soundtrack, but you can keep or delete those songs and add your own. Below, I've shown you some of the offerings, including the pre-chosen Submarines and We Are Scientists tunes, along with a few tracks I picked from the Imeem library. (Note: Sorry, but I didn't realize that Kills song was a remix!)

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist opens Oct. 3

Off-season action for 'The L Word'

Am I the only one who has been craving some Shane and Alice lately?

It feels like it's about time for another season of The L Word, though the series' final episodes aren't slated to premiere until early 2009. While we're waiting, Logo has been offering relief by airing the show's first season. Surprisingly, the episodes hold up pretty well outside of Showtime -- I mean, we see a blurred body part every now and then, but the tension still runs high, and Jenny is still annoying.

One of my favorite online guilty pleasures is We're Getting Nowhere, AfterEllen's video recaps of the series. During the regular season, the ladies chat about new eps, and I love that they've been recapping Logo's reruns all summer. It's silly, hilarious and involves puppet reenactments, so you'll definitely want to bookmark it.

As far as news goes, creator Ilene Chaiken has said she'd like to incorporate advertising into the plot of the final season. This doesn't come as a big surprise, considering brands have appeared on The L Word before ("Hey, are you doing the Subaru Pink Ride?"). And here's a recent interview with Cybill Shepherd, who has gone without plastic surgery so far ... but says she "will do what I need to do (to keep looking good)." Sigh.

How long do you keep Netflix flicks?

On Sept. 21, 2006, I rented a movie called Weekend from Netflix.

It took me almost two years to return it.

Yes, it's true: After an unprecedented 23-month rental, I'm proud to say I finally watched the film that had been collecting dust on my DVD player since Snakes on a Plane arrived in theaters. Was it good? Yes. Was it worth keeping for so long? Well ... probably not.

I'm not sure how this queue-tastrophe started. Initially, when I rented Weekend, I really was in the mood for a bizarre '60s Godard drama. But by the time it arrived at my house, my sensibility had changed. As the weeks/months/years went by, the feeling never returned, or, if it did, I was out of town having a wacky weekend of my own.

I'm not sure if you've ever been in this situation, but I was always amazed at the number of people who urged me to return the film without watching it. To me, this sounded crazy. Do they also return unread books to the library? Order food and then just let it sit on the plate? No matter what, I would watch this movie. If I didn't, I felt like Netflix would win ... even though they'd already won, thanks to inactivity on my account.

While Weekend was satisfying and surprising -- the continuous shot of the traffic jam blew my mind -- I now realize I was wrong about keeping movies for so long. From now on, I'm enforcing a two-week limit on rentals. If I don't watch them in two weeks, I figure the moment has passed.

The day I sent Weekend back to Netflix, I felt a little melancholy. In return, I even expected some sort of special certificate from the company, saying something like, "CONGRATS ON FINALLY WATCHING THAT MOVIE!" or "TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR 'WEEKEND,' WHITNEY!"

But there was no fanfare, no congratulations. Two days later, I just received the typical e-mail listing my next rental choice. Netflix has moved on.

And happily, so have I.

'Mad Men': Discuss last night's ep

This season of Mad Men just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

I've heard from several readers who'd like to discuss the series on Mondays, and this seems like the perfect time to start. Peggy had a huge night, thanks to a late-night call and a couple flashbacks, and the future seems brighter for Joan (unless she's headed for heartbreak). As for Don, it looks like he won't be getting any salt for a long time.

What did you think of the ep? Share your thoughts in the comments.

On a related note, Pop reader Paige G. recommends the fansite Basket of Kisses for Mad Men fans who are craving more info about the series.

"They analyze and discuss just about every important detail of each week's show and post links to every show interview, review or tidbit," she says. "It's run by two sisters whose last name is Lipp, so they use all kind of puns (weekly recaps are called the 'Lipp Gloss'). Anyway, it's worth a look for any fellow part-time Sterling Cooper employees."

I have many favorite moments from last night's show, but here's one -- it's the scene where Freddie Rumsen plays a symphony on his pants:

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader digs Hunter S. Thompson, The Wire, and many other cool aspects of pop culture. Meet him, then greet him:

Reader of the day: jokergonzo

Real name: Jay Smith
Why I chose my screen name: The Joker is my favorite comic-book character. Gonzo is my favorite type of new journalism.
Where I live: Los Angeles
Occupation: Comedian/office assistant
MySpace: myspace.com/jokergonzo

One famous person I've actually met: I have bumped into a lot of celebs living in L.A., but the coolest time I ever had with a celbrity was Richard Coyle, who played Jeff on the BBC show Coupling. I ran into him at a bar called Molly Malone's and was the only one in the placed that recognized him , and I told him how much I loved Coupling, and that Oliver sucked! (Oliver was the name of the character that replaced him on the show.) He really liked that, and we started buying each other shots. Before I knew it, I was sauced with this guy and all his mates, and we were having a ball.

Favorite movie quote: "I have so much love to give, I just don't know where to put it." -- William H Macy, Magnolia

Early buzz: 'Lebowski,' Superman, Blaine and much more

Hey, guys! I hope your weekend was spectacular -- I watched tons of movies, including Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It was kind of weird seeing so many pretty people in a Woody Allen film, but I thought it was his best comedy in years. I'd also be OK if Javier Bardem appeared in all movies that were released from now on. His presence certainly improves a scene.

A few headlines:

- We have a story about the return of Pushing Daisies. (It's not back until Oct. 1.)

- Kristen Bell has joined the cast of Astro Boy.

- The new issue of Rolling Stone has an article about the 10th anniversary of The Big Lebowski.

- We have an interview with Rebecca Hall, one of the stars of Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

- Watch the trailer for New York, I Love You -- it's the Big Apple version of Paris je t'aime.

- Warner Bros. plans to release a Superman movie -- but this version will be darker than Superman Returns.

- David Blaine is planning another stunt. This one is called the "dive of death."

- Defamer lists "7 MTV-Defining Stars Who Wouldn't Be Allowed on MTV Anymore." Says reader Gigi S.: "I miss Daria."

- Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme is producing new music from the Arctic Monkeys.

- The Hold Steady's Craig Finn plans to do an online chat with ESPN about sports.

- Coldplay is already planning another album.

- The Office's Angela Kinsey visits Oscar's house in a new video.

- Fox plans to stream the premieres of Fringe and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles online for college students.

- Yahoo has posted a trailer for Frost/Nixon.

- What are Rage Against the Machine going to do during the Republican Convention?

- The Daily News has an interview with Understanding Comics and Zot! author Scott McCloud.

- Cinematical looks at the best movies of Robert Downey Jr.'s career.

- Jelly Belly wants fans to help pick their next flavor.

- And finally, here's a gallery of comics-related tattoos. Some of them are really impressive!

The Candy mailbag: Answering your questions

The mailbag has had a few stumbling blocks today, but it has all been for your benefit! I'll try to get to as many questions as possible before the final bell rings. Let's begin:

Mailbag correction: Last week a reader asked about Season 2 of Pressure Cook on MOJO. New episodes premiere Sept. 22, which is earlier than I reported. Mark your calendars.

Have you considered doing a weekly thread for discussing each episode of Mad Men? I love the show and would love to hear/read other viewer's thoughts. Also, do you know of any blogs/websites that recap each episode? -- Amanda S.

I've heard from several Mad Men fans who would like to start talking about the series, so I will post a discussion thread on Monday. Now that Colin Hanks has joined the mix, there's certainly plenty to talk about.

As for recaps, I'm sure readers will have their faves, but Zap2It has been doing a pretty good job this season. TV Squad also recaps the show hours after the ep airs, though it's often more commentary than recap. And obviously, there's Television Without Pity.

I noticed that during your quest to watch new TV shows, someone suggested that you watch The Girls Next Door. It is one of my guilty pleasures, and I was wondering if you knew when or if a new season will be starting? -- Jennifer

Yeah, I'm still trying to forget about that show. A fifth season is scheduled to start in October: "The new season will reportedly feature trips to New York, Mardi Gras at New Orleans and snowboarding with Barbi Benton in Aspen, the search for the 55th anniversary Playmate and Bridget Marquardt's adventures in making a horror movie." Sounds scintillating.

The week in Pop: My favorite things

I had an overwhelming week, but I managed to escape some of the stress with a few CDs, movies and other pop-culture diversions. Check out what I recommend, then add your own picks in the comments:

Best TV show I saw: I hate to be so obvious, but I think I have to hand it to the Olympics. In the last week, we had the Phelps conquest, the wonderful Dara Torres, trampolines, pingpong players and so much more. This is the only time of the year (well, every four years) when I actually want to sit on the couch and watch sports.
I also enjoyed: Mad Men, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, The Colbert Report

Best CD I heard: I listented to a lot of stuff this week, but I'm quite fond of That Handsome Devil's A City Dressed in Dynamite. If you like Man Man and/or Tom Waits, you should listen to the song Wintergreen and dance around the room:

I'm also listening to: Matt A. suggested I hear the song She Ain't Me by Carrie Rodriguez. I did, and it's really good! So listen to it -- it has a pleasing swagger alt-country fans will adore. And Stereogum has been hyping this shimmering band called Fight Bite that I'm liking a lot. The song Swissex Lover helped me escape a minor panic attack earlier this week. Also, several readers urged me to get the new Bears disc, Simple Machinery. It's good, poppy stuff; hear Please Don't (my fave) and Wait and See on their MySpace.

Best movie I saw: This is a pretty random pick, but last night I watched this Elvis movie from 1969 called Change of Habit and I was riveted! I'm sure some of you have seen it, but it's Elvis' final screen performance (in a narrative film), and his leading lady is played by Mary Tyler Moore. The crazy thing is, Moore plays a nun, and Elvis is an inner-city doctor who doesn't know she's a nun. (Follow that?) Anyway, I could go on forever about why I loved it: Ed Asner pops up in a tiny role (pre-Mary Tyler Moore Show), General Hospital's Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine) co-stars, the plot includes spicy themes (for an Elvis movie, anyway) and Elvis wears a UT-Memphis sweatshirt in one scene. It pretty much rocked my socks off.
I also saw: Tropic Thunder. Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. are the two best parts of the film. I laughed out loud, though you'll be OK if you wait for the DVD. I also watched Electra Glide in Blue, though I missed the beginning, so now I think I need to rent it. (And whoa, how awesome is that ending?)

Best book I read: At Comic-Con I picked up Popgun Vol. 2 (Image, $29.99), a "graphic mixtape" of emerging/young cartoonists. Like a mixtape, some of the comics are fantastic, while others are so-so. It's a whopping 470 pages, and I definitely discovered a bunch of writers and artists that I'm sure I'll hear more about in the near future. There's really no singular style to Popgun; for instance, James Kochalka contributes a simple tale, but then you'll see a sharply drawn sci-fi story a few pages later, or a relationship comic shortly after that. (Preview tons of pages on the cool Popgun website.) The next time you find yourself scratching your head at the comic-book shop, this might be a good selection. It offers something for every craving.
I'm also reading: This weekend I plan on starting Brad Meltzer's The Book of Lies. I linked to the star-studded trailer this week ... and one comment was even left by Meltzer himself!

OK, your turn: What's on your pop-culture radar?

Shatner smiles for the Candy

Do you like William Shatner?

Well, William Shatner likes you.

During a recent autograph session for LiveAutographs.com, the actor was kind enough to put down his futuristic pen and deliver a personal message to readers of this blog. You can check it out on YouTube or below:

As I've written before, Shatner is one of several celebs who participates on the site, where you can order autographed merchandise and personalized video downloads. Right now merch from the Lost cast is available. Proceeds go to Stand Up to Cancer.

(And yes, popcandyvideo is my YouTube account. I hope to add to it in the near future.)

'Losers' looks like a winner at the theater

Some of my friends in New York and San Francisco have been raving about Beautiful Losers, a new documentary that spotlights a group of NYC artists who are "rooted in the DIY (do-it-yourself) subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti."

Several artists are profiled, and the most recognizable names are film/music video director Mike Mills (Thumbsucker), Shepard Fairey and writer/director Harmony Korine.

Screenings have inspired workshops on both coasts, and you should head to the website to find out when it's coming to your town. (You can also request a screening.)

In the meantime, check out the trailer:

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Be nice to today's reader, and she just might let you into her Elvis chamber. Learn more about her, then say hello:

Screen name: Snarkygirl08

Real name: Denae (Duh-Nay) Nichole. My mom kind of Frankensteined my name by taking her name (Debra) and her best friend's name (Renee) and cut/pasting them together.
Where I live: Jupiter, Fla.
Occupation: Office manager for a physical therapy office
Blog: http://www.snarkygirl08.wordpress.com

Favorite movie: I have a thing for musicals AND Marilyn Monroe, so my all-time favorite movie is Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I am basically a movie junkie and love ALL types of movies. A few are High Fidelity, Love Me if You Dare, Melvin Goes to Dinner, The Wedding Singer, Garden State, E.T., The Goonies, Big, The Neverending Story and pretty much anything with John Cusack, Adam Sandler or Marilyn Monroe.

One famous person I've actually met: I actually met Burt Reynolds when he started PT where I work, and just this past weekend when traveling back from Atlanta for my little brother's wedding, I saw Janelle Monae at the Atlanta airport, but I was too shy to say anything. I seriously think I was the only person who noticed her.

Early buzz: 'Stargate,' Metallica, Cosby, comics and more

We've made it to Friday! Man, I wasn't sure if this week would ever end. Last night the spouse and I finally found some luggage. Thanks to the readers who suggested Macy's -- you saved me much money by informing me of their spectacular suitcase sale.

Today I have lots to do, so let's kick things off with headlines:

- We have a story about comic-book heroes appearing in video games.

- Metallica's new single is streaming on MySpace.

- Nashville musician Will Hoge is in critical condition after a scooter accident.

- Sci Fi has canceled Stargate Atlantis, according to reports. However, the network is ordering a new series called Stargate: Universe.

- Here's an interview with Mad Men's John Slattery.

- The Decemberists are releasing a singles series this fall.

- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is going on a college tour.

- Your life isn't complete until you know the greatest Sasquatch films of all time.

- A 25th anniversary commemorative edition of The Cosby Show is coming out on DVD this fall.

- Kobe Bryant reads comics!

- London's Kerrang! magazine awards honored a bunch of metal acts. Jared Leto makes a bizarre Menudo reference in the video.

- Chromeo performs with Daryl Hall on the latest ep of Live from Daryl's House.

- Dido has a new album on the way and is giving away a song on her website.

- Jessica Lange has a book of photographs coming out. The intro is written by -- get this -- Patti Smith!

- The first issue of The Sword, a new comic from the Luna brothers (Girls), has been posted on MySpace. Thanks to Zack S. for the tip.

- What are hipsters doing this week? Criticizing Radiohead.

- Kevin Smith says he has seen Watchmen. (It's the last item.) "Even Alan Moore might be surprised at how close the movie is to the book," he writes. "March can't come soon enough."

- Fun fact: Dirty Jobs' Mike Rowe used to sell junk on QVC. Here are some of the highlights (lowlights?) of his career, and they are hilarious. (Thanks, Jennifer F.)

- Happy birthday to Tori Amos, who turns 45 today.

- And finally, Randy L. tells me I need this shirt. That goes for all Lebowski fans.

Lose a DVD? This site could help

Last week, a reader lamented how he misplaced one disc of a TV show. It can happen to anyone: You go on vacation and leave the DVD in a random player, or maybe you left it on the floor and the dog mistook it for a shiny treat.

Pop reader Chris H. points out a site called JusttheDisc.com can come to the rescue during such home-entertainment tragedies. It sells single discs from series and films without the packaging -- it also sells CDs -- so you can replace your collection at a discounted price.

"It's cheap!" he says. "But the selection is super-spotty."

Right now the site offers discs from The West Wing, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, The OC and other shows for $3.99 each. If you don't need the fancy box, it just might brighten your day.

Host a 'Secret' screening online

Talking about last night's TV over e-mail or instant-messaging is fun, though it's still not the same as actually watching the program with friends.

Lycos makes the experience a little more intimate with its online viewing parties. Each week, fans of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager -- you know, the show where Molly Ringwald plays a mom -- can set up screening rooms where they invite friends to watch and comment on it in real time. It's pretty cool, and the technology even allows moderators to pause, rewind or fast-forward the episode if needed.

Head to http://secretlife.lycos.com to create a party or watch the eps. If this concept takes off, I can see it becoming incredibly popular with shows that are even more talk-worthy. For instance, can you imagine how fun our Battlestar or Lost conversations could be if we chatted about them in real time, with the video onscreen?

Lycos Cinema allows users to create screening rooms for movies as well, and the library is still expanding. Not all films are free, but it's relatively cheap ($6.99 for 10 seats to Elvis '56).

No, I will not be performing at Macy's ...

Pop reader Patrick BG points out that Macy's is holding a very interesting event in Chicago tomorrow.

In celebration of the store's 150th anniversary, it's throwing a fashion show with performances by Cyndi Lauper and M.C. Hammer. The party continues at the downtown Macy's.

So what's the name of this retro shindig? The "Pop Candy Arcade."

It's funny: Despite the name, it seems my invitation was lost in the mail. Tickets are still available, though I'm guessing comic books, mustaches and Lost discussions will be hard to come by.

'Seinfeld' rolls onto campuses

Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George are in my city today.

Well, sort of. The 26-city "Seinfeld Campus Tour" rolls through Washington, D.C., today in a 60-foot bio-diesel-fueled bus. None of the stars are actually on board, though the tour does promise several Seinfeld-ian highlights, including:

- A mini-museum of items from the show, like costumes, props, scripts, an Emmy and the Fusilli Jerry statue!

- Seinfeld-inspired snacks, including Snapple, black and white cookies and a "Kramer's Yogurt Bar" with frozen yogurt;

- A lounge where visitors can try the new Seinfeld Scene It? DVD game;

- Games like "Monk's Dinner Plate Toss" and "Marine Biologist Hole-in-One".

Check the official site for the tour itinerary. Upcoming cities include Philadelphia; Scranton, Pa.; and Boston. The site also plans to post photos from each stop.

If you get a chance to step inside the bus, let us know if it was, er, spongeworthy.

Cool book alert: James Jean's 'XOXO'

One of my favorite Comic-Con finds was XOXO: Hugs and Kisses, a postcard book by artist James Jean.

Jean is an Eisner Award-winning artist who may be best known for his work on the series Fables, though his illustrations have been seen everywhere from the New York Times to Prada. (You can keep up with him via his blog.)

XOXO contains 30 of Jean's color illustrations on beautifully produced postcards. The book only costs $9.95, so I think a lot of fans will be buying one to keep and one to mail. When Jean signed copies in San Diego, the line caused quite a commotion on the convention floor.

Below, I've included a few images from the new book. You can order it on Chronicle Books' website and see a short visual demonstration on YouTube. More of Jean's artwork will be showcased in Fables Covers: The Art of James Jean Vol. 1 (Vertigo, $39.99), out in November.

Sweet treats we learn to hate

What's a "Pixifood"?

It's a food that tastes great when you're a kid, but horrible as an adult, according to writer Joe Posnanski. For example, Posnanski remembers liking Necco Wafers when he was young, but he likens them to "sidewalk chalk" now. The same could be said of pink snowballs, though I've always run far from those.

Spaghetti-O's, FunDip, candy cigarettes and Tang also make the cut. (I might disagree with his pick of Pop-Tarts. I still find those appetizing maybe twice a year.)

Are there any other foods you loved as a kid but hate now? Feel free to share -- I'll agree with the commenter who mentions sugary breakfast cereals like Cookie Crisp, Fruity Pebbles and the like.

Thanks to Matty R. for the magically delicious tip.

See Broadway's 'Rent' -- on the big screen

As you may know, Rent ends its 12-year Broadway run on Sept. 7. If you can't make it to the Big Apple, you can still see the show, though: The performance will be filmed and shown digitally in more than 500 movie theaters Sept. 24-28.

Go here for more details and to sign up for ticket updates. (Tickets go on sale soon.) A trailer just landed online, if you want to sample the production.

Have you seen Rent performed onstage? Let us know what to expect in the comments. (Of course, it was also made into a movie in 2005, though that received mixed reviews.)

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader lives in Milwaukee, which makes me wonder if she has seen the bronze Fonz statue yet. Get to know her, then say hello in the comments:

Reader of the day: Erinlee10

Real name: Erin Arkin
Why I chose my screen name: It is my first name, middle name and the number 10 was B.J. Armstrong’s number when he played basketball for the Chicago Bulls.
Where I live: Milwaukee
Occupation: Healthcare recruiter
MySpace: myspace.com/erinlee34

A movie I can't stand (and why): Hollow Man -- I don't know if it was the dialogue or just the fact that it was overall a horrible movie, but some friends and I went to see this for free and the only reason we didn't leave is that none of us were sure everyone hated it as much as the other person.

Coolest pop-culture item I own: Early high school memories give me flashbacks of the New Kids on the Block. I still have a box of stuff including the dolls and collectors cards. I wonder if I could sell them on eBay now that they are coming back.

Early buzz: More 'Watchmen,' 'SNL,' Weezer, Verve, more

Hello there! My day is already shaping up to be a busy one -- I have to go do a radio interview in a little bit, but it shouldn't take too long.

In the meantime, peruse these headlines:

- Not surprisingly, fans are outraged over Fox's Watchmen lawsuit. And this sounds a little crazy, but some want the movie to be really long.

- Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement has gotten married.

- We have an interview with Margaret Cho about her new VH1 show.

- Battlestar webisodes are coming.

- The Dave Matthews Band played an emotional show Tuesday night, hours after learning of sax player LeRoi Moore's death.

- AOL has an exclusive clip from Choke.

- SNL has a new cast member.

- Weezer's Brian Bell has a new band.

- SoapNet plans to air a 24-hour marathon of 90210.

- Lifetime is planning a reality show about women I tend to avoid: young socialites in D.C.

- The new record from The Verve is streaming on MySpace.

- Here's a Joss Whedon interview about his new series, Dollhouse.

- You've gotta love this shot of Lost's Hurley at the mic.

- Blender has a feature about Lykke Li.

- These My Little Ponies are intense, particularly My Little Joker. (Thanks, Andrea S.)

- Aquarium Drunkard has posted a cool feature with one of my favorite bands right now, Horse Feathers. In it, they name some of their favorite spots in Portland.

- Do you listen to music at work? (Personally, I can't write with music playing.)

- Chad D. points out that some grouches don't like manga avatars.

- And finally, this may be my favorite topic of the week: "Did a background extra expose himself in Teen Wolf?"

The best fest you've never attended

Austin may be best known for South by Southwest, but today the lineup for its annual Fun Fun Fun Fest was announced, and, by golly, I'm a little blown away.

First of all, there's a Dead Milkmen reunion. (This excites me to no end, since I was way too young to see them the first time around.) And Bad Brains! And Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! And Tim and Eric! Kool Keith! St. Vincent! The National! Yacht! Dengue Fever! More exclamation points!

Anyway, all of these acts and more are packed into two glorious days (Nov. 8-9) at Waterloo Park. Tickets go on sale "soon" for about $60.

Thanks to Austin-based Pop reader Greg V. for the tip. I wasn't planning on returning to the city until the spring, but now I'm tempted. Very tempted.

Introducing Ronald Chevalier

While we're waiting for HBO to premiere a second season of Flight of the Conchords, at least we have Ronald Chevalier to help pass the time.

Chevalier is a character played by FOTC's Jemaine Clement in the upcoming film Gentlemen Broncos. A hilarious viral website includes video, photos, messages and more from the sci-fi author. (Several bloggers have already pointed out that this flick resembles the cult show Garth Marenghi's Dark Place quite a bit.)

Gentlemen is directed by Jared Hess, so we'll see if it becomes as much of a cult hit as Napoleon Dynamite. Sam Rockwell and Jennifer Coolidge also star, and no release date has been set.

A must-see movie for musical gamers

So far I'm really enjoying Reformat the Planet, a documentary about the creators of chiptunes, or music made from video game systems.

Pitchfork.tv is hosting the doc for one week, so watch it while you can. It amazes me to see the work that goes into creating some of this music, not to mention the devoted chiptunes fans.

"It's pretty interesting and uber-nerdy," raves Pop reader Jerkstore.

For more information, visit the doc's website. The film focuses on the Blip Festival, which will be held again this year in Brooklyn, N.Y., from Dec. 4-7.

In the mood for mustaches?

It's been awhile since I've done a mustache-related post -- and hey, what do you know? 'Staches have totally dominated the news lately. Pretty soon they'll turn up as the next villain on Doctor Who.

Take a peek at some hairy links readers have uncovered:

- Pop reader Andy R. thinks the soundtrack for these posts should be Sparks' Moustache. Here's the video:

- Sherry M. points out that Croatia's Olympic water polo team grew mustaches as good luck charms. (My favorite quote: "It’s for good luck, but we can’t talk about it, it’s a secret, if I tell you, it will ruin it.")

- The Omaha World-Herald ran a story about the rising popularity of mustaches. (Thanks, Kevin, aka whateverhappened.)

- Jeanette S. told me about these fun mustache glasses.

- Bob Stencil, a man I can't help but love, made a video about how to grow a mustache. (Watch out for the spicy language.)

- Several people, including Pop reader kelyn, told me about this necklace, which can double as an emergency 'stache.

- Pop reader Mary H., aka Knitkitty, made this mustache-y craft.

- I only care about sports when the subject is mustaches.

- Ooh, last month the mustache got some bad press in Chicago! (Thanks, Nathan G.)

- And finally, if you haven't discovered the wealth of 'stache items at Fuzzy Ink, it's time that you did.

OK, until next time! Thanks for keeping the mustache love alive.

Need some comic-book therapy?

For me, the answer to the above question is almost always "yes."

I just discovered Kyle Piccolo: Comic Shop Therapist, and I can only hope more new episodes are on the way soon. The online series features a comic-store clerk who doubles as a helpful problem-solver. I enjoyed this recent episode in particular.

Head to the official site to see other eps. As you can tell, it's pretty well-produced; one person on the writing/directing team is none other than comics superstar John Cassaday (Planetary, Astonishing X-Men).

The series doubles as a promotion for New York's Midtown Comics. Just watching it makes me feel a need to run to my local shop ...

The Germs resurface in 'Secret'

Here's a cool event that takes place tonight: Cast members of What We Do Is Secret, the new movie about punk band The Germs, will do a live video chat at 7 p.m. ET.

Participants in the chat will include Shane West, who plays frontman Darby Crash. (You may remember him from Once and Again, A Walk to Remember and ER, too.) Cast member Bijou Phillips will be on hand as well, as well as the real-life musician she plays, bassist Lorna Doom. Drummer Don Bolles will answer questions along with the actor who plays him in the film, Noah Segan.

What We Do Is Secret has been in the works for a long time, but screenings have finally started across the country. The best place to see the trailer, get latest news and more is on the flick's MySpace.

West connected so much with the band during the making of the biopic that he began singing with The Germs on tour. In this interview, he discusses playing Darby and joining the band.

Below, check out a pic from the Aug. 8 premiere of What We Do Is Secret in New York. From left to right is Germs co-founder Pat Smear, Phillips, Doom, West and Segan.

Photo by Brad Barket, Getty Images

'Dexter' offers a killer test

Dexter is already a pro in the viral-marketing department: Last year's website that placed unsuspecting folks in the path of Showtime's serial killer was one of the creepiest/most creative promotions to come from a TV series.

Now, fans can go to this site to see if they have a "killer instinct." It offers an inkblot test and a sliding scale that asks users how each picture makes them feel.

My rating was a mere 28%. The site determined I'm "relatively well balanced" with "no deep-rooted psychotic tendencies." I guess that's a good thing, though 28% sounds pretty high to me.

Related post: I interview Dexter star Julie Benz

Monopoly takes over the world

Remember when we voted for cities for the first international edition of Monopoly?

Well, the World Edition has finally been revealed, and some of you may be disappointed to learn that Nashville, Cleveland, San Francisco and Washington have all been left off the map. In fact, only one U.S. city made the cut: New York.

Other cities include Paris, Montreal, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Barcelona and Rome. Bummer! Part of me really thought my hometown of Fredericksburg, Va., had a chance.

The Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition arrives in stores Aug. 26.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

For me, today's reader is a familiar face: We met at Lollapalooza, and he's got the picture to prove it. Learn more about him, then leave him a good word in the comments.

Reader of the day: strotherk

Real name: Kevin Hall
Where I live: Georgetown, Ky.
Occupation: Health department spokesman
Blog: strother.wordpress.com

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Bruce Springsteen, Clint Eastwood and Oprah. The first two because they're just the coolest, and Oprah because I'd hope to charm her and get her to endorse the book I'm never going to write. I'd also like to meet Stephen Sondheim, as I think he's a true genius.

One famous person I've actually met: Other than Pop Candy's Whitney Matheson, of course. I've never met anyone exceptionally famous, opting instead for middling levels of fame. This includes Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver, Peter Krause and Rachel Griffiths. I also danced with former University of Kentucky basketball Coach Tubby Smith during Mary's Place at a Springsteen concert. That was cool.

Early buzz: Rainn, Ellen, 'Veronica,' Brubaker and more

Hey, guys! Hope you're surviving the week -- last night I went on a mission to buy some new luggage, but the mission was abandoned once I realized how much luggage costs. Give me some canvas, staples and duct tape, and I just might make my own, thank you.

A few headlines:

- LeRoi Moore, the sax player for the Dave Matthews Band, has died.

- Sorry, Rainn Wilson: We do not give The Rocker a positive review.

- Here's what happens when Rainn plays word association.

- Rolling Stone reviews the new Byrne/Eno record.

- Abby Denson, a contributor to Pop Candy's Twitter comic, is profiled in the New York Daily News.

- The A.V. Club finds out what's on Lou Barlow's iPod.

- Some pics from Ellen DeGeneres' wedding day have landed online. She wrote a giddy entry on her website, too.

- What are the best Star Wars spoofs?

- The new issue of Paste spotlights emerging bands in a feature called "The Best of What's Next."

- Can we dare to dream about a Veronica Mars movie one day?

- I wonder if Ed Brubaker ever thought Tom Cruise would be interested in one of his comics.

- Firefly is coming out on Blu-ray with exclusive features. (Thanks, Nick F.)

- Check out the new song (and album art) from TV on the Radio.

- There's a new online commentary for the latest Venture Bros. episode.

- Cloris Leachman can never win too many Emmys in my book.

- Here are the "25 Greatest Legal Movies" -- chosen by the magazine of the American Bar Association. (Thanks, Elizabeth, aka bookgirly.)

- JT LeRoy update: Girlbomb author Janice Erlbaum has learned that one of her former roommates was Laura Albert, aka JT. (Note: That post contains spicy language. Thanks, Kirsten F.)

- Pop reader Jan H. sent me a link to these snazzy comic clogs.

- And finally, I don't really care about fashion, but I might care to peek at these fashion comics from Street Angel's Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca. (Thanks, Zack S.)

As if a cube isn't bad enough ...

Pop reader J'son wrote to me about a prank that was pulled in his office. I'm hoping no one in mine gets any ideas ...

"Not sure if this was a gift of creativity or completely unoriginal, but otherwise still hilarious," he writes. "An officemate of mine had the nerve to actually take a day off. His reward? A completley cardboarded office space, complete with tape dispenser, handset, new cardboard stapler in original packaging."

The photo:

"And yes, that is David Hasslehoff on monitor and laptop," he writes. "Priceless."

Shock the Emmys with your top TV moments

To commemorate the Emmys' 60th anniversary, the Academy is offering fans the chance to vote for our most memorable dramatic and comedic TV moments.

Now, if this were a call-in thing, I'd totally expect something like The Waltons or even Grey's Anatomy to take the dramatic category. However, because they're relying on the Internet, I do think Buffy the Vampire Slayer stands a chance. (Lost and The X-Files might also have a shot at winning, too.)

The comedy category includes expected fare like Seinfeld, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Cosby Show, but what could really make people gasp is if the controversial Scientology episode of South Park prevailed.

Thanks to Pop reader Ryan, aka hardyz55, for the tip. The Emmys air Sept. 21 on ABC.

Cool stuff on DVD this week

Now's the time to start catching up on those TV shows you meant to watch last season -- we only have a few weeks until the new one starts! Take a look at what's on shelves today, and hopefully Netflix won't have any more outages this weeK:

Release o' the week: Dexter: The Second Season. It's hard to believe the series could get any hotter after the Ice Truck Killer, but the drama intensifies in the show's second year. Fans shouldn't forget to hear my interview with co-star Julie Benz as well.

- Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season. Think of it as The OC on the East Coast ... with no Seth Cohen. Or anyone else with a heart, for that matter. But the clothes are pretty, and everyone drinks and has lots of sex.

- Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Season 1. Catch up with the tough (and popular) Fox series before it comes back.

- The Life Before Her Eyes. Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood star in this indie thriller involving school violence.

- Recount. See Laura Dern's insane makeup as Katherine Harris in this HBO movie about the 2000 election.

- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Frances McDormand and Amy Adams team up in this romantic comedy based on the 1938 novel.

- Dana Carvey: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies. The comedian stars in his own stand-up special.

Also out: An American Crime, Street Kings, House: Season Four, Transformers Animated: Season One, Deal, Prom Night, Camp Rock, George of the Jungle: The Swingin' 1st Season

Next week: Morgan Spurlock's Where In the World Is Osama Bin Laden? arrives on disc.

Aaaay, Fonzie is watching over you

It was an historic morning in downtown Milwaukee, where the new "Bronze Fonz" statue was dedicated after months of anticipation.

Henry Winkler was on hand to witness the tribute for himself, as were many of his Happy Days co-stars: Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Erin Moran, Anson Williams and Donnie Most. (Check out this morning's interview with the cast.)

"It's taller than I am," Winkler said at the dedication ceremony. "I've never actually been this tall, but I share every inch of this statue with my family with my television famly and with my adopted family."

Cast members will participate in a parade later today, then appear at a Brewers game tonight, where Williams, aka Potsie, will sing the national anthem.

Adds Pop reader ToastGirl: "I moved back to Milwaukee one year ago, and this just solidifies why I love this city."

Podcast: Chatting with 'Dexter' star Julie Benz

On the new season of Dexter, pretty much anything could happen to Rita, Dexter's trusting girlfriend. It's that kind of show.

But Julie Benz is used to surprising series -- she played vampire Darla on Buffy, then reprised the role on Angel. (One of my all-time favorite episodes was the one where she ... well, I hope you've seen it, too.)

Dexter's second season arrives on DVD today, so you have time to catch up before the third season debuts on Showtime Sept. 28. Last week, Julie called me to chat about the new episodes and answer some Pop Candy readers' questions.

I've included a portion of that Q&A below. You can hear the entire thing in this week's podcast; more details follow.

I'd be really interested to know how different it is for Julie to play a vulnerable character in Rita, vs. a strong one like Darla -- Devindra 

Benz: I think Rita and Darla are very similar at their core. They're both very damaged women by men: Rita at the hands of Paul, and the damage that she suffered from that. Darla, obviously, before she was made a vampire, was very damaged. She was a prostitute and had bad relationships and all of that. So, what's interesting is, at their core they're similar, it's just one chooses to turn left and the other chooses to turn right. Darla was a very vulnerable woman, she just masked it very well.

I'd like to ask her about doing two action pics (Rambo and Punisher) back to back. What's the attraction -- is it the scripts or the buff leading men? -- RandomTroy

Ooh. For me, I was an athlete growing up, and I love being challenged physically. ... It's exciting to try to do your own stunts and to see if you can face your fears. When I did Rambo, I had to run through a ball of fire. And I was like, "OK, I'll try it once." (Laughs)

Is it true that Sylvester Stallone is a huge Dexter fan, and that’s how you got the role in Rambo? -- BIG BUSINESS

Yes, that is the truth. He was a big fan of Dexter, and I got the call that he was interested in me taking on the female lead. And I was like, "Seriously? Wow." I mean, that's one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me.

Do you ever wonder what life would have been like if you were cast as Buffy? -- Melanism

No. I mean, I made the mistake years ago of mentioning that in an interview, that I auditioned for the role of Buffy. But so did 2,000 other women. And I wasn't right for the role, and it was obvious that I wasn't right for the role. I think Sarah's brilliant in the part. But that's how I met Joss (Whedon), was through that audition, and he liked my choices, I just wasn't right for the character. And that's how I got the role of Darla.

But I never wonder, because I believe everybody's path is different, and I love the path that my career's taken. So I'm very content, very happy.

Me: Do you still keep in touch with any cast members from Buffy?

I do. I talk to Charisma (Carpenter) almost daily. Jenny Mollen, I was in her wedding. Clare Kramer is a very, very dear friend -- I talk to her every day. Same with Robia LaMorte. Juliet Landau I speak with, J. August Richards ... all of them. We all kind of grew up together. And there's a connection there. It was all during our formative years in many ways, it was going from kid to adult, really.

Listen to the rest of the interview:

- Download the free podcast on iTunes

- Stream the podcast as a .wma file

This week' podcast also features awesome music from David Vandervelde, who has a new album out called Waiting for the Sunrise; the lovely Maria Taylor, whose latest is called Savannah Drive; and (believe it or not) Glen Campbell! We have a story about his crazy new covers record today. It includes his take on a Replacements song. Seriously.

A star-studded trailer ... for a book

Joss Whedon. Damon Lindelof. Brian K. Vaughan. Um, Christopher Hitchens?

What could possibly bring these four men together? Answer: The new trailer for The Book of Lies, Brad Meltzer's anticipated new novel. It examines two great unsolved murder cases: Cain's murder of Abel in the Bible and the 1932 killing of Mitchell Siegel, a man whose son went on to create the world's greatest hero: Superman.

Watch the trailer right here or on Meltzer's website:

The book arrives in stores Sept. 2, but you can read the first chapter online. It will also have a companion soundtrack coming out on iTunes and Amazon Aug. 26 that features everything from Mahler to R.E.M.'s Superman.

I just got an early copy, and I can't wait to dig in.

Last night with MMJ ...

Pop reader Pat R. sent me an e-mail about last night's My Morning Jacket show at Kansas City's Uptown Theater, which sounds like a performance to remember.

"Jim James went backstage and appeared on the private balcony up above to the right and rocked on a guitar solo," he says. "What a great show!"

Pat snapped a photo on his phone -- click to enlarge:

My Morning Jacket performs tonight in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Check MySpace for a list of remaining tour dates.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader is hanging out in Arizona right now, possibly quoting a Chevy Chase movie or reading Anthony Bourdain's latest blog entry. Learn more about him, then say hi in the comments:

Reader of the day: Robprelennon

Real name: Robby Gal
Why I chose my screen name: In a somewhat clunky way I fused John Lennon, Steve Prefontaine, and myself into my screen name. Creative, right?
Where I live: Casa Grande, Ariz. (35 miles south of Phoenix)
Occupation: Writer/researcher

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Paul Newman, Anthony Bourdain and Dan Patrick

One famous person I've actually met: Morgan Spurlock (in the photo, on the right). His mother-in-law taught with my wife in Eugene, Ore. He found out we were fans and invited us to the Portland premiere of his movie What Would Jesus Buy and gave us free passes, posed for pictures and answered all our questions about 30 Days. Great guy.

Early buzz: Cho, Chiklis, 'Watchmen' and more

Hello, all! Wow, it's crazy how this month is flying by. Last night I went out to dinner, then I came home to watch Weeds, which really wasn't that exciting. I hate to say it, but maybe it's time this series wrapped up for good. Agree? Disagree?

A few headlines:

- 20th Century Fox is suing Warner Bros. over the right to make Watchmen. Ultimately, they want to stop the film from being released.

- Annie Lennox is recovering from spinal surgery.

- Here's a story about bands inspired by Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

- Muxtape has been shut down.

- The Clone Wars' character of Ziro the Hutt -- a villain who sounds like Truman Capote and "wears make-up, feathers, jewelry, and is covered in body tattoos" -- is not sitting well with gay Star Wars fans.

- You can watch the first episode of Margaret Cho's The Cho Show online.

- VIBE.com is holding a tournament to determine the best rapper alive.

- The CW isn't offering screeners of the first episode of 90210. This isn't a good sign.

- Could The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last a whopping three hours?

- Here's a list of webcomics you should be reading.

- The Chicago Tribune has a chat with The Shield's MIchael Chiklis.

- We may get a new Wilco album in the spring of 2009.

- Fred Durst wants to be taken seriously as a filmmaker.

- Jimmy Fallon appears in Drew Barrymore's roller derby movie.

- Could Russell Crowe play Bill Hicks onscreen?

- Is G4's Hurl! the worst game show of all time?

- A new promo for Burn Notice is written in invisible ink.

- Gary Glitter has been released from prison.

- And finally, check out the "Top 7 Drug Moments" from The Colbert Report.

Will Dawson's 'Division' catch on?

Today another new web series debuted. What's different about this one? It has Rosario Dawson.

Dawson plays an undercover cop in Gemini Division, which you can watch via NBC.com, SciFi.com and the series' official site. It follows Dawson as she uncovers a world full of artificial humans, or SIMs. A 50-episode run is planned.

Smallville's Justin Hartley plays Dawson's boyfriend, and most of the background is generated by green screens. Wired wrote a big feature about the series, though this post explains the plot in more detail.

I thought the first ep was OK, but I'm not sure I can hang on to anything for 50 episodes, even if they're just five to seven minutes long. Dawson has some hard work ahead of her. Of course, I can think of far worse women for the task.

Hear the new Byrne/Eno record

Today the long-awaited David Byrne/Brian Eno album, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, popped up online. This is the duo's first collaboration in 30 years, and so far I like what I hear. I expected something pretty experimental, but it's catchy enough to get your toes tappin' in your office cubicle.

"For the most part, Brian did the music and I wrote some tunes, words and sang," Byrne writes on the album's website, where you can stream or download the whole thing. "It's familiar but completely new as well."

Physical CDs will be shipped in the fall. You can also stream the record below:

Prepping for a new batch of 'Iconoclasts'

The Sundance Channel has announced the lineup for the fourth season of Iconoclasts. I'm a big fan of this documentary series -- it pairs artists from different fields, and, more often than not, the results expose something about the subjects we didn't know before.

New episodes premiere Oct. 16 with a conversation between Desmond Tutu and Richard Branson. Other pairs include Stella McCartney and Edward Ruscha (sounds good!), Tony Hawk and Jon Favreau, Bill Maher and Clive Davis, Venus Williams and Wyclef Jean and, in the finale, Cameron Diaz and Cameron Sinclair (too bad Cameron Crowe was unavailable).

Some of my favoritie episodes in this series have included the one with Dave Chappelle and Maya Angelou (at her house, no less!) and the first-season chat between Michael Stipe and Mario Batali.

Sundance will air encore performances of the first two seasons starting Sept. 6.

Recreate your yearbook pic ... in a new era

For the next 15 minutes, YearbookYourself.com might be the best time-waster on the Internet.

The concept: Upload your photo, and the site shows what you'd look like in several decades, all the way up to 2000. If you choose the right pic, the results can be pretty hilarious -- I've included a retro image of myself. All that's missing is a dancefloor (and maybe Mr. Kotter?).

Once you're done, you can send a "homeroom" link of photos to your friends. It's safe to say this is far more entertaining than my actual yearbook photo.

Talkin' 'bout beauty across America

Esther Pearl Watson and Martha Rich, two talented artists with a lot on their minds, have set out on a "Beauty Road Trip."

While this may sound like some cheesy chick flick, it promises to be anything but: The duo is traveling across America to "interview people about their ideas on beauty" and share their findings, videos, photos, drawings and more on their new blog.

Writes Rich: "Earlier this year we applied for a research and development grant to create a multimedia exhibition on this topic, and we got it! I will be letting you know how it is going through this blog. ... This should be groovy and fun and interesting. I hope!"

The blog just kicked off, but so far it has taught me that there is a fake Prada store in Marfa, Texas, and maybe I put too much stuff on my face.

Speaking of Watson, I'm a big fan of her comics, and at Comic-Con I picked up her hilarious Romeo and Juliet book. It sets Shakespeare's classic in Wisconsin, circa 1995. While several plot points remain the same, it also teaches readers never to trust a guy named "Fried Larry."

On TV tonight: 'Thank You, Mr. President'

If you're looking for something to watch tonight, try flipping to HBO at 9 p.m. ET for Thank You, Mr. President, a documentary about veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas.

Directed by Rory Kennedy, the film interviews 88-year-old Thomas about her decades covering nine presidents. She speaks candidly about everything from being one of the only female journalists in the White House press corps to the Iraq War. (You can check out a trailer on HBO.com.)

"I personally have great admiration for journalism and journalists," Kennedy says in this interview. There have been times in my life when it would have been nice to have more privacy. But it goes with the territory. I think we all feel very lucky to have access to have people hear what we have to say."

"The role of the press is to seek the truth -- and that's what should be done," Thomas says in this Q&A on Newsweek.com.

I've seen the doc, and my main complaint would be that, at 38 minutes, it's way too short. The Washington Post's Tom Shales agrees, and he points out some things Kennedy omitted. Still, it's worth a look, and it sheds light on one White House figure we don't hear about every day.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader likes the Autobots and sounds like a pretty cool dad. Whatever you do, though, don't call him Davy Crockett:

Reader of the day: brbolin

Real name: Bryan Bolin
Where I live: Spurgeon, Ind.
Occupation: Computer Tech
MySpace: myspace.com/brbolin

Favorite album: The Transformers soundtrack from 1985. The cheesiest of hair metal and electro-drums. Also, the fact that my little 4-year-old son is hooked on it! On each song he asks, "What are the Transformers doing now?" What’s sad is ... I can actually answer him.

Best Halloween costume I've ever worn: My pic -- Ash from Evil Dead 2. As you can probably tell, it was homemade with my mad, kindergarten-like skillz. However, at the Halloween party we had at our house that year, my wife’s grandmother came up to me and asked, "Who are you supposed to be, Daniel Boone?" Then proceeded to sing Davy Crockett. Sigh.

Early buzz: Bill Murray, Weezer, '90210,' cookies, more

Good morning, everybody! I hope you had a relaxing weekend -- I stayed out of the sunshine for the most part and saw Tropic Thunder, which needs to stop hyping Ben Stiller and Jack Black and start promoting Tom Cruise's cameo. I also watched some episodes of Gossip Girl, then tried to reclaim my soul with Young @ Heart, which made me cry for 90 minutes.

And oh man, my Olympic fever is running so hot right now it may inspire me to learn how to swim. But first I must deliver these headlines:

- We have an interview with Rainn Wilson just in time for the opening of his new movie, The Rocker.

- Congrats to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who got married over the weekend.

- Bill Murray jumped out of a plane on Friday. And there's video!

- Weezer are looking for people in Los Angeles to be in their new music video.

- As I Twittered Friday, Twilight will now arrive in theaters Nov. 21 instead of Dec. 12.

- A new version of 1960s kids' show The Banana Splits is headed our way.

- A movie where Tina Fey and Steve Carell play a married couple? Sounds good to me.

- Here's the trailer for the new 90210 ... with Brenda and Kelly.

- Mrs. Fields may file for bankruptcy.

- Bonnie Hunt is preparing to launch a daytime talk show.

- Here's another interview with Woody Allen.

- Whoa, Taylor Hanson (one of the Hanson brothers) and his wife are expecting their fourth child.

- AC/DC is selling its new album exclusively at Wal-Mart.

- OK, this is weird: What if Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy were only sold at Wal-Mart or some other "big box" store?

- Family Ties' Michael Gross has a new role on ... The Young and the Restless? (Thanks, Secundra B.)

- Here's an update on another movie that doesn't need to be remade: Fame.

- Morrissey doesn't want fans to buy his new live DVD.

- Star Trek (the movie) now has a MySpace page.

- And finally, start your week with this new Wilco song.

The Candy mailbag: Answering your questions

The mailbag has returned! I have a bunch of your questions to tackle this afternoon, and I'll try to get to as many as I can in the next couple hours. If there's something on your mind, e-mail me. What I can't answer today I'll try to answer next week.

I read your posts daily and had a great time catching all the updates you posted and Twittered about during Comic-Con. My friends and I want to go to next year’s convention and we were wondering when we should start planning it. I know hotels fill up fast and tickets sell out. -- Niki D. in Chicago

Well, if you're hoping to attend all four days of the convention, you can go ahead and register. As for hotels, the reservations will open one day in early 2009 (usually sometime in February). That's how you'll get a good deal, though you really will have to call on that day, because rooms sell out so quickly.

Have you ever been to Burning Man? -- Kelly

No. Honestly, very little about that experience appeals to me. I'm all for spending a week making art, but I'd rather do it in my living room than under the desert sun for seven days. However, I have friends who go and swear it's a magical and unforgettable experience.

I have $5 on my iTunes gift card. What five songs are the can't-miss songs of the summer? -- Ryan T.

Hmm. Tape Song by The Kills. List of Demands by Saul Williams. Lykki Li's Little Bit. You could get some Girl Talk, but it's free! I'll let readers determine a fifth choice.

The week in Pop: My favorite things

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've delivered a rundown of my pop-culture favorites! I feel like I'm still recovering from my travels, but I did manage to squeeze in some new music, books and things when I wasn't cleaning out my inbox. Check 'em out, then please add your own picks in the comments:

Best TV show I watched: Mad Men. We had violent Don Draper, a spicy comedian and one of the best lines of the season ("It's just my people are Nordic"). There's no question this is my favorite show on the air right now.
I also enjoyed: Weeds, Live From Abbey Road and the Olympics! (By the way, how weird was Army Wives? The drug subplot, the kiss ... I don't know, it was starting to veer into Desperate Housewives territory for me.)

Best movie I saw: Last night I watched The Cool School, which is all about the art scene in Los Angeles in the '50s and '60s. A lot of it was new to me since the New York art scene generally dominates the attention -- it focuses on L.A.'s Ferus Gallery and the artists it helped cultivate. (One reason I wanted to watch: Andy Warhol's first solo exhibition -- the show of soup cans -- was at the Ferus Gallery in 1962.) Jeff Bridges narrates, and Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell provide some amusing commentary. It just came out on DVD.
I also watched: Honestly, I can't think of any other movies I've seen lately (no time at Lolla and Comic-Con), though I did like Pineapple Express. This weekend Tropic Thunder and Vicky Cristina Barcelona top my list at the theater.

Best CD I heard: Right now I'm really digging this band called Horse Feathers from Portland. While I was unpacking the other day, I put on their upcoming CD, House with No Home, and I ended up unpacking for a lot longer than I intended! They write these really cool songs with lovely instrumental arrangements. Truth be told, their wayfaring music almost made me want to re-pack my suitcase. The disc comes out Sept. 9.
I'm also listening to: On a totally different note, I had the soundtrack to The Wackness in my car this week. It's all '90s hip-hop and put me in an upbeat mood for the office. I'll still give love to Beck's Modern Guilt. And oh, I did buy the latest album from The Dutchess & The Duke. There's also this box set from Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians out next week called Luminous Groove. I've been liking it, all the way up to one of my all-time favorite tracks, So You Think You're in Love.

Best book I read: I can't believe it took me so long to read Demo by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan (Vertigo, $19.99), but I'm so glad I did! This graphic-novel collection contains smartly-told stories about contemporary youth. Some of them are heroes, and others are just heartbroken. The excellent writing is only matched by Cloonan's fantastic art -- I am astounded by her ability to switch styles so effortlessly. The paperback is in stores now, so check it out.
I'm also reading: I've gotten through an enormous stack of comics since Comic-Con, but I think I'll devote a whole post to those next week, so look for that. And yes, I'm reading the Stephenie Meyer series. I have many thoughts on it, but I'm reserving them for now. I'm halfway through New Moon.

OK, your turn. Let us know what you're watching/reading/liking in the comments so we have something to do this weekend besides sweat.

Got a second? Create a jingle

I highly suggest you risk embarrassment at the office today and check out The Jingle Generator.

This website creates a customized, rockin' jingle for any business or occasion. The guy behind it is a cheesy, fictional rock producer named "Tommy Silk" who looks like he stepped out of 1985. It's an appropriate vibe, though, considering my jingle is a goofy take on an '80s classic.

Go here to listen to the Pop Candy jingle. I'm not sure if they all sound like this one, but the blog-focused lyrics made me laugh out loud. After you've created a song, you can download it, send it to a friend and/or grab the link.

Songs that make Rainn rock

Rainn Wilson is busy promoting his new movie, The Rocker -- you got a taste of that this week with his viral website, FreeJennaNow.com.

Tonight he takes over Philly radio station WXPN to play some of his favorite songs. Some artists you'll hear include MGMT, The Raconteurs and Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

The show starts at 8 p.m. ET, and you can hear it online at YRockOnXPN.org. It will be replayed online Monday at 1 p.m. ET and then offered on demand. On the left is a pic of Wilson with XPN DJ Josh Landow and a treasured Dundie Award.

'BSG' fans make their own frakking Cylons

What does a Battlestar Galactica fan do during his/her summer vacation?

Make a Cylon, of course.

The winners of a "Design-your-own Cylon" contest have been announced, and none other than BSG stars Grace Park and Tricia Helfer picked the top 10. Contestants really went all out for this competition, devising working robots, elaborate costumes and lots of official-looking helmets.

(There's a little controversy brewing in the comments, though; some folks are upset that the grand prize winner earned praise for his "painted action figure sitting in a toaster.")

In related news, BIG BUSINESS recommends these homemade Cylon lawn ornaments, and rightly so. "The unicorn is frakkin' magical!" he says.

It's a mad, 'Mad' office

Tyler Riewer, a Pop Candy reader in Lincoln, Neb., had a pretty fun day at work yesterday.

"Everybody in my office is caught up in Mad Men fever, so a couple of us decided paid tribute to the show with a theme day at work," he told me. "Lots of bow ties, pocket watches, scotch, and butt slaps."

Here's a sweet photo of the gang -- they even brought booze, cigarettes and a pipe as props. (Or maybe that's an everyday thing, who knows.)

"Kidding about the butt slaps ... that's just the scotch talking," Tyler clarifies. "OK, kidding again."

Some more shots:

Something tells me we might be seeing a lot of Don Drapers and Joan Holloways at Halloween this year. Not that I'm complaining, of course ...

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader comes from Houston and will probably open a big glass of wine after her stressful week working at a hospital. Learn more about her, then send her a cheerful message in the comments:

Reader of the day: AppleFizz

Real name: Allison Brooks
Why I chose my screen name: One of my very first screen names when my parents let me on the Internet in middle school.
Where I live: Houston, Texas!
Occupation: Assistant to the medical director of the NICU and web manager for the Neonatology Department, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital

One famous person I've actually met: I worked at a teen club in my neighborhood while in high school. They had concerts occasionally, so I've seen/met Vanilla Ice, Sir-Mix-Alot and Gillette. George Foreman also lived in our neighborhood, so we would drive by his house for fun ... my brother got to eat Thanksgiving dinner with him and his kids in elementary school.

Best concert experience: Paul McCartney in November 2005. The man played for almost three hours. I got to sing along to my favorite Beatles/Wings songs. It was life-changing!

Early buzz: Clue, He-Man, Netflix, babies and more

Yay, it's Friday! I'm so excited to be in town this weekend that I'm not sure how I'll spend my time. I do think I need to see Tropic Thunder and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, so a double feature may be in order. And maybe I'll finally start watching that first season of Gossip Girl ...

Anyway, gotta do some work first:

- The game Clue has been updated with modern-day characters and more weapons. Are you excited about this or not?

- We have an interview with the best part of Pineapple Express, Danny McBride.

- In a dramatic twist, Army Wives creator Katherine Fugate is leaving the show.

- Netflix suffered a "severe system outage" this week, so you may not get your DVDs for the weekend.

- Here's some info on the the upcoming He-Man movie.

- Freaks and Geeks' Busy Philipps gave birth to a baby girl this week.

- The guys from Y Tu Mama Tambien are having kids, too. Diego Luna became a dad this week, and Gael Garcia Bernal and his girlfriend are expecting.

- The A.V. Club has a Woody Allen primer.

- Matthew Fox has negotiated a raise on Lost.

- Julia Child was a WWII spy?

- Original Rocky Horror star Barry Bostwick isn't thrilled about a remake.

- Rage Against the Machine will play a free show during the Democratic Convention.

- Here's a spoiler-y tidbit about Ted and Stella on How I Met Your Mother.

- Undeterred by the failure of The Love Guru, Quentin Tarantino has recruited Mike Myers for his new movie.

- Check out a deleted scene from Iron Man.

- Here's an interview with Mary-Louise Parker's new love interest on Weeds (you know, the one who got her naked a couple weeks ago).

- Our review of The Clone Wars isn't positive.

- Billy Bob Thornton as Freddy Krueger? Would've been an interesting idea.

- And finally, Wired.com has an interesting piece about True Dungeon, a "fantasy dungeon" constructed at this week's Gen Con in Indianapolis.

'SNL' stars put themselves on 'The Line'

I just spent a good chunk of my afternoon watching The Line, an online comedy series starring Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and more of our Saturday Night Live/comedy friends.

The guys came up with a perfect summertime premise: Hader plays a guy obsessed with a blockbuster film (the fictional FutureSpace) and arrives at the theater 11 days early to wait in line for it. State alum Joe Lo Truglio plays his sidekick, and Human Giant's Paul Scheer makes a funny appearance as "The Spoiler," a Big Gulp-slurping dude who lives for crushing nerds with movie spoilers.

According to the New York Times, Hader and SNL writer Simon Rich penned The Line during last year's writers' strike. It was filmed in Brooklyn this summer and financed by Broadway Video.

The seven-part series rolled out pretty quickly, and the whole thing is posted at Crackle.com. Go here to start watching the first episode, or see it below:

I can't say I've waited in line for too many movies, though there was a time when I waited in line for concert tickets. It's kind of sad those days are behind us ... I made a lot of friends in those overnight R.E.M. lines back in college.

A little Radiohead is better than none at all

Today I received word about the Choke soundtrack, which arrives Sept. 23 as a digital-only release. It will include seven songs from the film and "eight others that are significant to actor, director and screenwriter Clark Gregg's vision while he was making it."

News of the disc comes a day after Radiohead denied reports that they had scored the film. However, the band did allow its song Reckoner to be used in the movie.

Check out the tracklist below:

Ben Kweller - The Rules

The Natural History - Don't You Ever

Fiery Furnaces - Navy Nurse

Radiohead - Reckoner

Alap Momin - Sin Terror

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Satan Said Dance

Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict

Death Cab For Cutie - No Sunlight

Blitzen Trapper - Wicked

Ms. Tyree Sugar Jones - If You Feel It

My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt 1

Shout Out Louds - Bicycle

Twilight Singers - There's Been An Accident

Nicole Atkins - Crystal Ship

Said Gregg of the Radiohead track: "Like most people, I am a huge Radiohead fan. The adaptation took me years to write so I wrote it first to Kid A, then Amnesiac and then Hail to the Thief. Later, I learned from Chuck Palahniuk that he had written the novel while listening to their song, Creep. In Rainbows came out while we were editing and I used almost every track in my early temp cuts of the movie. They all fit really well, but I particularly loved Reckoner.

"Somehow ATO Pictures producer, Johnathan Dorfman, persuaded their manager to show the band some footage and to our shock, they were generous enough to let us use the song. It's a monumental addition to the movie."

Choke arrives in theaters Sept. 26. Over on the official website, you can watch a "red band trailer" and see a restricted, adults-only part of the site. Scandalous!

The CMJ lineup surfaces

Several of you have e-mailed me today about the just-announced lineup for the CMJ Music Marathon. It's pretty dang good and includes the following: They Might Be Giants, Lykke Li, The Rosebuds, A Place to Bury Strangers, Deerhoof, Juliana Hatfield and many, many more.

I haven't decided whether I'm going this year, but if you'd like to go, the fest lasts from Oct. 21-25 and also includes films and panels. (Think of it as NYC's SXSW, only you have to take some cabs and subways because all of the venues aren't as close together.)

More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

See The Kills perform 'Live'

I'm so excited about tonight's episode of Live From Abbey Road on the Sundance Channel because it features one of my favorite bands of the moment, The Kills.

The series features exclusive performances recorded at the legendary studio, and tonight The Kills play tracks from their latest record, Midnght Boom.

"We were like a two-person social group," singer Alison Mosshart says in an interview. "We didn't intend to be a band -- I don't even know if still if we even think of ourselves in that way. We just hung out. We did loads of things, and music was one of them."

Check out this clip from the sexy duo performing Getting Down:

The Fratellis and Sara Bareilles also appear on tonight's episode, which airs at 10 ET. On Aug. 21 the show welcomes The Subways, Gnarls Barkley and Herbie Hancock with Sonya Kitchell. Brian Wilson pops up on the Sept. 4 ep.

Revving up for a record-store road trip

When Paste magazine delivered its list of "The 17 Coolest Record Stores in America," we had fun listing all of the shops they omitted. (I still haven't forgiven them for leaving D.C. off the list entirely. We have records here, too!)

Despite the mag's oversights, it still highlighted several cool spots, from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville to Los Angeles' famed Amoeba Records.

Paste reader Sam Stroud decided to embark on a little road trip and visit all of the stores in the article.

"I am extremely excited to do it and document the whole experience in detail," he said. You can read his first dispatches from Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans and Atlanta on PasteMagazine.com.

See yourself in manga

Ever wonder what you'd look like as a wide-eyed manga character? The website FaceYourManga.com allows you to transform yourself into a manga superstar in several easy steps.

Here's what my pic looks like -- I could've gotten even fancier with tattoos and makeup, but you get the idea. At the end of the process, you can e-mail the image to yourself and turn it into your avatar.

Thanks to Lynn S. for the tip.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

It sounds like today's reader may have a few celebrity stories to share. Learn all about this Ohio-based Candy fan, then say hello in the comments:

Reader of the day: ericbroz

Real name: Eric Broz
Where I live: The heart of it all, Columbus, Ohio.
Occupation: Information Technology
MySpace: myspace.com/ericbroz
Website: www.ericbroz.net (my photography gallery)

One famous person I've actually met: I've met many, so I'll pick my top 5: Ronald Reagan (when he was president, at a military function when I was in the Air Force), Elvis Costello, David Ford (www.davidford.mu), Bob Mould, Drew Hastings (comedian/farmer).

My earliest pop-culture memory: Reading the crawl to the original Star Wars to my neighbor. I was 9, he was 5. June 1977. I think I made my mom take me to see it at least a dozen times. She never complained.

Early buzz: Sorkin, 'Coraline,' Sutherland and much more

Hey there! It's Thursday, and I'm trying to prevent my Lollapalooza sunburn from peeling. Last night I watched a little Olympics, though I became too invested in the book I was reading to watch very closely. (Demo by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan -- it's great! More on that later.)

Want some headlines? Here they are:

- Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter are working on a series for Comedy Central.

- What has Aaron Sorkin been up to lately? Here's an interview.

- Yahoo has the trailer for Body of Lies.

- Have you heard about the guy who read the dictionary?

- IGN is posting behind-the-scenes peeks at Neil Gaiman's Coraline this week.

- Will digital TV help bring back some of our favorite old shows?

- Kiefer Sutherland has no interest in the Lost Boys sequel. (His half-brother, Angus Sutherland, stars in the flick.)

- IFC and Spout have posted interviews with filmmaker Whit Stillman. His Metropolitan is now on Hulu.

- Check out this panel about The Wire featuring the show's stars and creator David Simon.

- Kanye West is bringing Fatburger to Chicago.

- Regis Philbin will guest star on How I Met Your Mother.

- StubHub has released a list of the "most rockin cities" of the year. New York tops it (no surprise there), while my city falls at No. 18.

- VMA host/Forgetting Sarah Marshall star Russell Brand talks pop culture in this Q&A.

- Could 30 Rock's Kenneth get a wardrobe change now that NBC pages now have new outfits?

- Grizzly Bear has been writing an entertaining tour blog for RollingStone.com. (Don't you want to eat burgers with Radiohead, too?)

- Here's a list of "10 Comics Creators We Wish Would Make Movies Instead of Frank Miller."

- Don't hold out hope for a Serenity sequel, says Joss Whedon.

- I predict this holiday season's hot item will be the invisibility cloak. (Thanks, Shannon B.)

- And finally, this guy is trying to earn money to (weirdly) attend John Stamos' birthday party. I hope he doesn't forget to bring a gift.

Jason and Wes go shopping

This video has been around for a little while, but I'm just seeing it now: It shows Jason Schwartzman and Wes Anderson wandering around Borders, recommending CDs and DVDs.

The clip lasts eight minutes, and the suggestions range from serious to downright silly. For instance, I think Schwartzman is being serious when he promotes Ben Lee, Islands and his own music from Coconut Records, but things get a little out of hand once he starts suggesting Huey Lewis and Phil Collins.

And Anderson? He likes Taps, The Right Stuff, Hud and 1967's Point Blank. At one point, he asks Schwartzman if he has seen The Notebook.

"It choked me up," the actor replies.

The duo ends with a spectacular double feature, one of which stars Bill Murray. I'd gladly hang out with them in a bookstore any day.

Thanks to Karen E. for the tip.

What really went wrong at Comic-Con?

Are we still talking about Comic-Con?

Yes, it appears we are. I think after four days of no sleep and nonstop stimulation, it may have taken a couple weeks to process what happened in San Diego.

I've read a lot of post-Con criticism, and the same things keep cropping up: This year's event was too crowded. The press wasn't treated fairly. And who let in all the movies/TV shows/things that had zero to do with comics?

I won't argue with the crowded complaint, and today's Newsarama op/ed came up with several interesting ways to deal with that. As for the press gripes, I didn't get into several panels/events, either (including Watchmen), but I'm over it. Comic-Con is so chock full of programming that I always had too much on my schedule, and, frankly, as a member of the press, I don't expect much from huge events like this one aside from entry to the Con.

As for the rage against non-comics material, I'm not on board with that, either. It's time to accept that Comic-Con is no longer a comics convention; it's a geek convention. I, for one, am happy to embrace that, and for a few days each year I'm in geek paradise, surrounded by some of my favorite TV stars, movies and funnybooks. (I guess that still doesn't explain why Prison Break got a panel, but what the heck. Let the captives party with the Klingons.)

While so much emphasis has been placed on crowd control and the media blitz, few people have mentioned some things that irked me at this year's convention, like the fact that maybe 90% of the panelists I saw were male. Seriously, I came home from San Diego with a suitcase full of Hamlet 2 swag and a head full of penis jokes, and I can't say I'm proud of either.

I look forward to attending Comic-Con again and watching it evolve, though I hope the fans can help it move in a diverse and positive direction rather than something out of that scary, corporate-controlled planet in WALL-E. Who knows, in a few years, maybe this convention could become the Nerd Utopia we all dream it to be.

Bad Veins continues to rise

Remember Bad Veins, the band I praised after seeing them at last year's CMJ Music Marathon?

Well, good things are still happening for this Cincinnati duo, starting with a great-sounding session just posted on Daytrotter.com. Go there to hear four exclusive tracks, including a stripped-down version of my personal favorite (and maybe yours), The Lie.

"I guess The Lie is probably our most popular song, perhaps because we open our set with it," says singer (and Pop Candy reader) Ben Davis. "After it, everyone leaves."

The guys also perform a newer song called Found and the unreleased Fake Baby and You Kill.

Over on MySpace, you can download the track Gold & Warm for free until Aug. 20. Congrats to the guys on their continued success.

Related post: My podcast interview with Bad Veins

The White House DJ battle: It's on

Does anyone else think it's a little surprising/bizarre that the presidential candidates are making so much time for pop-culture Q&As? The latest example comes from Blender magazine, which asked Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain for their top 10 songs.

The results include Kanye West's Touch the Sky (Obama), ABBA's Dancing Queen (McCain), Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire (Obama) and selections by Frank Sinatra (both!).

After the lists, Girl Talk and Randy Newman provide some hilarious analysis.

Says Girl Talk: "If there’s a candidate with Fugees' Ready or Not on his list, I have to vote for him."

You think you like ketchup ...

Chris Harne is a fool for condiments.

On his website, The Condiment Packet Gallery, you can view his insane collection of condiment packets: ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, whatever. (Warning: There are so many condiments, the page may take a little while to load.) If you see something missing from Chris' page, you can send him a packet.

On the site, he describes his process in great detail:

"I carefully remove the contents of my packets by slicing open the back along the bottom seam with a sharp blade. I rinse the inside of the packets thoroughly to ensure all traces of sauce are expelled. I then wait until the packets are completely dry before I place them in baseball card cases to preserve them cleanly and safely for many generations."

Well, everybody collects something. Thanks to Joanna B. for the tip.

Cult movies in the making

I love The Big Lebowski, Harold & Maude and Donnie Darko with all my heart, but sometimes it's fair to let other flicks have their moments of fame.

Here's a cool piece about "Non-Cult Movies Most Worthy of Rabid Cult Fanbases" that includes lots of helpful suggestions and video clips. I found several titles worth adding to my Netflix queue, so maybe you will, too.

The list includes the Roger Corman classic A Bucket of Blood, along with Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century, which the writer calls "the closest thing we'll ever get to a disco Bigfoot film." I'm particularly intrigued by Breaking Glass, a 1980 British punk-inspired musical. It is now my life's mission to get this movie released on DVD so I can see it.

Do you worship a film that no one else does? I kept thinking this Japanese flick called Kamikaze Girls would gain more of a cult following -- it's visually stunning, Tarantino-inspired and was turned into manga after its release. I've recommended it to all of my awesome ladyfriends, and they've loved it. (Here's the trailer.)

'The Rocker' puts Pam's safety in our hands

The Internet is abuzz with news of Jenna Fischer's kidnapping.

The culprit: none other than her Office co-star, Rainn Wilson.

It all started with a message on Fischer's MySpace blog:

"My name is Rainn Wilson and I've kidnapped the lovely Jenna, put her, bound, in the trunk of my firebird and logged onto her MySpace to send out this bulletin," Wilson wrote. " To free America's sweetheart, Pam Beesly, one half of the magic which is 'Jam', you must attend my new movie, The Rocker, which opens August 20th. As soon as the film grosses 18.7 Mil, she will be released and given a peach smoothie."

As if that wasn't enough to cause a stir (or promote the movie), a website with a ransom note, ransom video and more has been created at FreeJennaNow.com.

Keep an eye on the site for more breaking news. The site says a "special message from Slash" will be posted at 2 p.m. ET today.

What's on your list of things to do before you die?

Pop reader Cary H. sent me Esquire's list of "75 Things Every Man Should Do Before He Dies." It's a pretty macho list, and I'm not sure I'd want to meet anyone who has crossed off everything on it. ("Break a sheet of plate glass with a ball-peen hammer"? Really?)

However, I can say I've accomplished several items they name (not saying which!), so perhaps I should be proud. Some things on my list that they left off:

- Learn how to bake a pie.

- See the Eiffel Tower.

- Publish a novel.

- Play the banjo with Steve Martin.

What's on your list of things to do before you die? Share in the comments.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader loves Chucks (dudes named Chuck, not the shoes) and Lost and Simon Pegg. Her photo also cracks me up, even though I have no idea what she's doing. (Is that a Stella D'oro Breadstick, perhaps?) Learn all about her, then say hi in the comments:

Reader of the day: Patty The K

Real name: Patty McHugh
Why I chose my screen name: It's a tip of the hat to Bill Murray's character in the movie The Rutles. Plus, it sounds really sweeeeeet.
Where I live: Illinois
Occupation: Billing Service Rep. I basically make sure your bills go out OK.
Personal website: www.pattythek.com

My celebrity crush: Simon Pegg. I love him so. Let me just tell you how corny I am over him: I went out and bought my own Japanese peace lily plant and aptly named it Nicholas Angel, after Pegg's character in Hot Fuzz. Plus, I have pictures of him on my iPod, like he's a friend or something.

My earliest pop-culture memory: When I was young, all my friends had those awesome Barbie Styling Heads that you could sit for hours and apply make-up and put pretty barrettes in their hair. I begged my Mom for my own, and she did end up buying me one. Except it was Brooke Shields! I would get mad that I couldn't make her eyes up as pretty as Barbie, and I totally blamed her brows! I'm ashamed to admit that Brooke eventually met her fate when I gave her a bald cut and drew all over her face with a ballpoint pen.

Early buzz: Woody, Radiohead, Conan and much more

Hey there! I hated to skip another historic night of Olympics, but last night I had to catch up with a friend who'd just returned from a two-week trip to Peru. He was full of good stories, including one about the world's largest rodent and another about eating guinea pig. I'm not sure if it convinced me to ever travel there, but it was certainly fascinating.

Anyway, a few headlines:

- The A.V. Club has posted an interview with Woody Allen.

- John Lennon's killer has been denied parole again.

- Radiohead has written the score for Choke, the movie based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel.

- A Pink Floyd cruise is setting sail.

- Universal has acquired the film rights to Robert Jordan's best-selling Wheel of Time series.

- MTV.com has an interview with the charming Paul Rudd.

- The L.A. Times visits the set of Heroes.

- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is coming to DVD.

- Conan is returning to the big screen.

- The Cure is releasing a remix EP. (They also have a new album out next month.)

- Here's the blooper reel from Smart People, which just arrived on DVD.

- Entourage is now on iTunes.

- Metallica has announced a bunch of tour dates.

- Dane Cook despises the poster for his new movie.

- Remaking Rocky Horror is pretty much the worst idea of all time.

- Here's a story about the reissues of U2's War, Boy and October.

- John Mellencamp is holding a social-networking contest. The winner gets an autographed guitar.

- MSNBC didn't like The Clone Wars. The Associated Press is slightly kinder.

- And finally, the new Battlestar toaster may be cute, but does it make good toast? (Thanks, apronk.)

A 'Playlist' worth waiting for

Modest Mouse! Vampire Weekend! We Are Scientists! The Raveonettes! Band of Horses! Devendra Banhart!

I think the folks behind Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist are hoping the nothing-but-hits soundtrack is going to lure all the cool kids to the theater. Well, that and Michael Cera, who plays a cute (but kinda geeky) guy who has one crazy night.

Wait ... does that sound too much like Juno meets Superbad? Whatever, I'm sold. Here's the trailer:

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist arrives in theaters Oct. 3.

What are the top sports movies?

Rotten Tomatoes has compiled a list of the top 75 sports movies. What's different about this list is that it ranks the films by the best-reviewed, so it's not a subjective compilation.

Personal Best barely makes the cut at No. 75, and Dodgeball somehow squeezes in at No. 73. (That might make my top 10 of the worst sports movies of all time.)

I won't reveal the No. 1 flick, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it. I will say Raging Bull comes in at No. 5, Bull Durham ranks at No. 7 and Caddyshack falls all the way down at No. 64.

How many Aarons? I've 'Lost' count ...

Remember that story about the "Aaron reunion" -- you know, how all of the kids from Lost got together for a big baby picnic? Well, John P. just passed along this video from the event, and it's adorable. Just try to imagine a bunch of look-alike baby Aarons crawling around on the grass without an Other in sight.

(Before you start wondering why at least one of them is wearing a tutu, know that a few Aarons are female.)

The reunion took place in Honolulu. If you live nearby and have a "10- to 17-pound baby with blond hair and blue or green eyes," your kid could be featured on the show, too.

Cool stuff on DVD this week

TV fanatics might have luck wth this week's releases, which include a bunch of season sets. Take a peek, then go feast your eyes upon the titles:

Release o' the week: The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season. Fans have been waiting to complete their set with this final season, which focuses on one of my favorite subjects: the media.

- Dave's World: The First Season. I know some folks who have been waiting for the release of this show, starring Harry Anderson as the TV version of Dave Barry.

- Smart People. Ellen Page, Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church collide in this star-studded indie about a meandering college professor (Quaid).

- Tru Calling. Need an Eliza Dushku fix before Dollhouse arrives? Check out the complete series.

- South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season. This season included the "Imaginationland" trilogy, among other highlights.

- The Secret. Girl-of-the-moment Olivia Thirlby stars with David Duchovny and Lili Taylor in this "supernatural romance."

- Caroline in the City: The First Season. If you're in a mid-'90s kind of mood ...

- DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures. The 1960s incarnations of your favorite superheroes come to DVD, including The Flash, Green Lantern, Superman and more.

Also out: Prison Break: Season Three, Comedy Central's Kenny vs. Spenny: Vol. 1, How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer, CJ7, American Mall, Watching the Detectives, The Art of War II: The Betrayal, The Love Boat: Season 1, Vol. 2

The year's best in bad writing

Congratulations are in order for Pop reader Joe S., who is among the winners of this year's Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.

This may sound like an esteemed competition, and it is ... one of very bad writing. The Bulwer-Lytton contest honors Victorian novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, the guy responsible for starting his novel Paul Clifford with the line, "It was a dark and stormy night."

The contest challenges participants to "submit bad opening sentences to imaginary novels." Joe won in the science fiction category. His winning sentence:

"Timothy Hanson, Commander of the 43rd Space Regiment in the 52nd Battalion on board the USAOPAC (United Space Alliance Of Planets Attack Carrier) and second in command to Admiral L. R. Morris of the USAOP Space Command, awoke early for breakfast."

"My parents are almost proud of me," Joe says.

All of the winning entries are online. Take a look, and treat them as a guide for what not to do.

M&M;'s: Now with hair and shoes

So last week I was flying home from Lollapalooza, and I opened a magazine to one of the scariest advertisements I've ever seen.

Thanks, M&M's.

Apparently, the company's new ad campaign aims to humanize its candy more than ever before. I ask you: Is there anything more frightening than the sight of Mary Lou Retton ... as an M&M?

Bobby Flay also appears in M&M's new celebrity gallery, which has sparked some sort of new phobia within my soul that I've yet to name. Not only is it just wrong to see an M&M donning a hairpiece, but I can't help but wonder why the meltable version of Flay is perched next to an open flame.

Those who harbor no fear of human M&M's may be interested in the website's "Create Your Character" feature, which allows anyone to become Candy-ized. I've included mine above, poised to terrorize the world with her steely glare and bulbous, noseless face.

Catch the 'Chuck' comics

Pop reader Shellie P. e-mailed me to say she's enjoying the online graphic novels being posted for NBC's Chuck.

That's right, I said Chuck -- the series is doing something a little different this season by partnering with D.C. Comics for all-new adventures with Chuck, Sarah and the gang. In the latest installment, our hero travels to Tokyo.

Chuck's new season premieres Sept. 29. New comics are posted "as soon as they're available."

You're never too old for Big Bird

This week a new season of Sesame Street premiered on PBS. While this news is of particular interest to readers with small children, the rest of us have some reason to care, too: The show's 39th season welcomes fun guest stars, including Neil Patrick Harris (on today's show), Arrested Development's Will Arnett (Aug. 18), Feist (that's on YouTube), LL Cool J (Sept. 22) and many more.

Future eps will include appearances by Jonah Hill, Sandra Oh, Molly Shannon, Jessica Alba and others. They're even planning spoof segments called "Pre-School Musical" and "30 Rocks," which I hope will look as good as it sounds.

Check out the show's new website for more Sesame goodness. Celebrity moms Heidi Klum and Jenny McCarthy round out this week's guest appearances.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today we welcome another international reader, though you may see her on the worldwide comedy circuit soon. If you'd like to see your face in this space, it's easy: Just e-mail me a low-res photo with your username, and I'll reply with more info.

Reader of the day: LeishBlog

Real name: Aleisha McCormack
Where I live: Sydney, Australia
Occupation: TV writer/researcher, stand-up comedian (The photo is of me and Glenn Robbins, Kel from Kath & Kim, who I worked with this year on his own TV show! I can't wait to see the U.S. version.)
Personal blog: www.leishblog.com

One famous person I've actually met: Rowan Atkinson. We interviewed him for the radio show I used to work on. He was the most polite and well-mannered person I have ever met. With radio I have also talked to a lot of people on the phone: Harrison Ford, Steven Merchant and I got to interview Ben Elton, who called me darlin’ a lot. Loved it!

My 15 minutes of fame: I made it to the national finals of Raw Comedy, an Australian stand-up comedy competition. It was broadcast nationally. My act was about cancelling my wedding. It was all true. I have a new act now ... about being single! Ahhhhh.

Early buzz: Rage, 'Heroes,' 'Mad Men,' Moz, more

Good morning! I hope you're all feeling well -- last night I helped some good friends move into the city, so that was exciting and a little exhausting. (I'm jealous of their clawfoot bathtub.)

Check out these headlines while I eat breakfast:

- Protesters picketed last night's premiere of Tropic Thunder, upset by the film's portrayal of people with disabilities. Here's what Ben Stiller says about that.

- Seth Green is joining Heroes for several episodes.

- The L.A. Times has an interview with Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha.

- The Office's Angela Kinsey has written about motherhood on her MySpace blog.

- J.J. Abrams is working on an earthquake movie.

- Rumor has it that Bruce Springsteen will rock the Super Bowl halftime show.

- Did you know that Roxy on Army Wives is based on a real army wife? (Thanks, clarat1976.)

- What, Chrissie Hynde is going country? Say it ain't so!

- Morrissey has postponed his new album.

- Colin Hanks is coming to Mad Men.

- Joss Stone is recording a campaign song for Obama.

- IFC plans to air the videos from Pitchfork.tv.

- Here's a tiny bit of info about the season premiere of Lost.

- Kim Dickens from Lost and Deadwood is coming to Friday Night Lights.

- Vibe.com counts down "Bernie Mac's 10 Most Hilarious Moments."

- Mary-Louise Parker is returning to Broadway in January.

- Do we really need another version of Hawaii Five-O?

- Today Amazon is offering a deal on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

- And finally, you've gotta love David Byrne's bike racks, even if they aren't extremely practical.

Attention, 'Torchwood' fans ...

If you're behind on your Torchwood viewing, take note: Starting tonight, HDNet is airing the show's second season.

Check the schedule for times, but you should be able to catch a new ep each Monday. As many of you know, I thought the second season was twice as great as the first, and one of its best episodes is the season premiere (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang), which features a guest appearance by Buffy's James Marsters as the ruthless Captain John.

Don't get HDNet? Never fear: Torchwood's second season arrives on DVD Sept. 16.

Real shirts, fake bands

One of my favorite Threadless T-shirts is the one that proclaims, "I Listen to Bands That Don't Even Exist Yet."

It seems only fitting, then, that someone would start a website that sells shirts by fake bands. Over at FakeBandShirts.com, you can purchase a T-shirt from Canine Doubletake, Forsake My Sweetness, Certain Sons of Belial or Domino Flinch & the Meddlesome Three. And yes, all of these bands are made-up.

Why sell fake band T-shirts? "I don't know. Why do people buy shirts from Old Navy that feature fake baseball leagues or bowling teams or surf destinations?" the site asks. "Because they're cool. Because they're unique. Because the artwork is rad. There are plenty of reasons, and quite a few of them involve the word 'rad.'"

I'm not knocking the idea, though I do think they could've come up with better fake band names. (They all sound really jammy -- what about something like Bloody Tubesock instead?) Anyway, if any more spring to mind, feel free to share them in the comments.

Attacks on 'The Clone Wars'

"I hated the film. HATED IT. REALLY HATED IT."

That's a line from Harry Knowles' review of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated film that takes place between events in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Knowles, who runs Ain't It Cool News, posted his thoughts Sunday night. This morning, they mysteriously disappeared.

According to Moriarty, another Ain't It Cool writer, Lucasfilm chose "to enforce an embargo on reviews on our site." However, the original negative review has resurfaced in several places and has already started the buzz moving in a decidedly downward direction. (Another Ain't It Cool writer posted another negative review this morning.)

Knowles' criticisms included the introduction of two new characters, Rotta the Huttlett ("the worst character in the history of Star Wars") and Ziro the Hutt, as well as the film's score and animation.

Variety published its Clone Wars review Sunday, too. It's slightly more optimistic, though it includes tidbits like "characters have all the facial expressiveness of Easter Island statues" and "nothing sticks around long enough to resonate."

More reviews will pop up Friday, when the film opens.

If you're curious about the making of the movie, Scientific American has just posted a Q&A with director David Filoni. May the Force be with him at the box office -- it sounds like he's gonna need it.

A Q&A; with ... 'Office' and 'Pineapple' star Craig Robinson

I enjoyed a lot of things about Pineapple Express: the title song by Huey Lewis, the teepee on Saul's bed, every scene with Red.

But one of my favorite parts of the movie has to be that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg decided to name one of their villains "Matheson." Craig Robinson (Darryl on The Office) plays him to perfection, all the while adding another blockbuster comedy to his rapidly growing resume.

I called Craig recently to chat about Pineapple, The Office and his career. You can also see him in the Office webisodes over at NBC.com.

Me: So first off, I'd just like to say I think you did all Mathesons proud with Pineapple Express.

Robinson: (Laughs) Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that.

You were in Knocked Up as well, so now you're definitely in that Judd Apatow group of actors. How did you get hooked up with them?

I was introduced to Judd by Allison Jones, a casting director who cast many of his movies. She brought me in -- actually, I think I met Judd the first time on 40 Year Old Virgin, which I didn't get! Then I went back for Knocked Up, and the rest is history.

You have a lot of stuff coming up right now -- don't you have a part in the new Kevin Smith flick, too?

Yes. I play a character named Delaney, who is a financier or producer of porno that Zack and Miri and I are making, who are (played by) Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks.

I've noticed you definitely have a certain style to your comedy -- I mean, you're only in Knocked Up for that one scene, but the way you deliver those lines makes me laugh so hard every time I see it.

I appreciate that. I've always been a fan of deadpan, or a fan of Leslie Nielsen, when they're just acting like nothing's going on. One of the main things about Judd is he stresses reality. He's like, "Keep it real, make it real." So that was the focus on that last scene -- I think's what played more than anything else, was the reality of the situation.

Do you think film may allow you to showcase your style in a different way than TV?

You get to be a little freer. But I come from the comedy stage of stand-up, so I've been working on transitioning how I can bring the magic of stand-up without (having it) turn into acting. I think they both have their differences, but once the cameras are rolling -- especially nowadays, shooting The Office, which shoots like a movie, and I was on a show before called Lucky on FX that shot like a film: single camera, we didn't go directly in order of the script. So it's all different ways to showcase.

When I saw you in Scranton (for the Office Convention), you were performing music onstage. Do you play a lot during your free time?

Yeah, actually, I have a band in L.A., and we travel sometimes. It's really an extention of my comedy, because I play the keyboards in my comedy set. I've met some incredible players. So yeah, we'll do some parties as a band or whatever. It's a lot of fun.

By now you must get recognized quite bit. What do people say when they come up to you?

It's kind of funny, because you can almost tell who's an Office fan. Their face lights up -- it's really cute to watch. The comments I'll get are like, "You don't understand. No, I'm the biggest fan." They just love it, and it's an amazing thing to be a part of. The airport is crazy now, because so many different people from different places are appreciating it. It's a fun ride, I'll tell you what.

Are there any shows that give you a similar feeling?

I'm a big fan of Seinfeld. But stuff I can quote? I'm a big fan of Family Guy. I'm a cartoon kind of guy. So if I saw Peter Griffin walking down the street, I would probably freak out.

So what other projects are you working on, aside from The Office?

Have you heard of this sketch-comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know?

Oh, yeah.

Well, Zach (Cregger) and Trevor (Moore) wrote a movie called Playboys, and I was cast as a rapper, so that's gonna be a wild one to look out for next year. And also, I got a part as a DJ in The Goods with Jeremy Piven, directed by Neal Brennan next year.

So wow, you're staying really busy.

Well, that's the goal, to stay busy for as long as you can. I had a couple years in there where I wasn't busy at all, so I'm very excited and happy to be busy.

Fishing with Dean

Back in the early '90s, there was this great TV show called Fishing with John. It starred John Lurie, an actor and musician who has appeared in a bunch of Jim Jarmusch films. The premise was simple: Lurie, an avid fisherman, recruited some of his famous friends to go on fishing trips with him. Tom Waits, Dennis Hopper, Matt Dillon and Jarmusch were among his sidekicks. (If you've never seen the series, the Criterion Collection released an excellent edition on DVD.)

Anyway, I'm happy to see the concept is being revisited by none other than Dean Ween from the band Ween. Episodes of Dean's fishing show, Brownie Troop Fishing Show, are online, and he's always willing to chat about the sport with fans when he rolls through town.

The latest episode made me laugh out loud and provided a nice meditative moment. Watch Dean go fishing with none other than the Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes and Jeff Pinkus off of Asbury Park, N.J. Gibby catches some big ones! (Note: It contains some spicy language, so you may want to use headphones.)

If you like what you see, check out merch, pics and more from the series' main page.

Make a 'Midnight' video

Have you heard about the latest challenge from the Chemical Brothers? They're making a collaborative video for the song Midnight Madness that incorporates Google Earth.

Here's how it works: Upload a short film or photograph that somehow relates to the theme of Midnight Madness via the duo's website. (Tag your work to where you shot it.) Enter before Aug. 25, and you may see your contribution in the video.

The final project goes live Sept. 1. In the meantime, check out this fun clip that has already been released for Madness.

The story that led John Hughes to film

One of the greatest magazines you may not be reading is Zoetrope: All-Story, a quarterly publication that contains new and established voices in fiction. (It was founded by Francis Ford Coppola.)

Each issue features a guest designer, and the designer for the current issue is musician/artist/Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh. You can read his "Notes on Design" online:

"I constantly find myself wishing I could go back in time and take another path: I would have been a pretty good Neanderthal," he writes. "I react to the complications of being a modern human by drawing pictures every day of my life -- with rendering skills comparable to a caveman’s, too. These drawings sometimes make me feel like they add up to something, but I still imagine them all winding up in the city dump one day not long after my demise."

Pop reader Zack S. points out another highlight of the issue is a reprint of John Hughes' National Lampoon story that eventually became National Lampoon's Vacation, along with an essay by Hughes. (You can't read the story online, but here is his essay.)

Writes Hughes: "I wrote the first sentence -- 'If Dad hadn't shot Walt Disney in the leg, it would have been our best vacation ever!' -- and the rest was automatic."

The summer issue of Zoetrope: All-Story is on sale now.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader loves Broadway! And German film! And J.D. Salinger! I feel like if this were a 3-D blog she would pop right out of that photo and do a little dance. Get to know her a bit, then say hello:

Reader of the day: sweeton

Real name: Megan
Why I chose my screen name: It's a mash-up of my middle and last names, given to me in high school and destined to live on in usernames.
Where I live: New York, but an (Upper) Michigan girl at heart. Say Yah to dah UP & Go Blue!
Occupation: Graduate student in German Studies (film and 20th century art & literature)

Favorite movie: I wrote my thesis on editing in Run Lola Run, and despite seven months of close scrutiny, it's still my favorite. Also La Jetée, Rebecca, North by Northwest, anything with Katharine Hepburn, and MST3K: The Movie.

Coolest pop-culture item I own: A first edition of J.D. Salinger's Raise High the Roofbeams Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction. I saw it in the window and asked to see it since it matched an old copy I had of Franny & Zooey. I was going to buy it as a $5 used copy, but couldn't let it go when I found out it was a first, despite the price. So worth it!

Early buzz: 'Iron Man,' 'Fringe,' 'Trek' and lots more

Hey everyone, I'm back! I'm feeling pretty good, so I hope I can make it last as long as possible -- last weekend I went to Berkeley Springs, W.V.. to indulge in spa treatments and historic mineral baths. (It's "the country's first spa," you know.) Highlights include eating at Lot 12, getting a peppermint body wrap (sorry, no photos) and finding an awesome Batman glass at the antique mall.

Of course, today I have tons of stuff to write about, so brace yourselves. Let's start with some headlines:

- R.I.P., Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. What a sad weekend.

- Details about the Iron Man DVD have been revealed.

- You can preview the Fringe prequel comic book online.

- What are Scrabulous fans doing without their favorite Facebook app?

- Here's an inspiring story of how Stan Lee, Neal Adams and Joe Kubert have joined forces to tell the tale of a Holocaust survivor who is trying to reclaim her artwork.

- Check out the new posters for Star Trek.

- Here's an interview with the creator of Journeyman about what would've happened on the canceled series. (Thanks, Zack S.)

- Check out Entertainment Weekly's pop-culture interviews with Barack Obama and John McCain.

- Sci Fi has announced a Battlestar Galactica "two-hour special event" that will air after the series finale. Yay!

- Did you know Paul McCartney, 66, is taking a summer vacation on Route 66? Says Amarillo-based reader Justin S.: "Can you imagine having (him) sing Hey Jude to your 4-month-old son named Jude? Also, can you imagine him traveling Route 66 in a 1989 Ford Bronco?"

- Congrats to the Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr., who has gotten engaged.

- Ruby Tuesday's marketing ploy last week was pretty bizarre. Here's the video.

- Lost's Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly are renegotiating for bigger paychecks.

- This should come as no surprise to Lost fans: The show plans to introduce two new characters next season.

- Here are seven Batman books you should read if you liked The Dark Knight.

- This column has gossip about a possible Goonies sequel. (Thanks, Tim T.)

- If your TiVo is at 99%, here's an interesting piece on DVR expanders that offer more space.

- Pop reader Clifford1212 sent me a link to this movie poster quiz.

- And from The Onion: "Soundgarden Inadvertently Reunites at Area Cinnabon."

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Yes, I'm still taking some "me time." (Be back Monday, I swear!) However, you can still get to know today's reader, who seems like a very friendly and crafty person. Have a great weekend, and I'll be thinking of you while I'm relaxing at a place without Internet access.

Reader of the day: moxiedoll

Real name: Mandy M.
Why I chose my screen name: It's also my crafty business name. A moxiedoll is an attractive woman with aggressive energy, spirit and know-how (my definition).
Where I live: Forest Park, Ill.
Occupation: Pop-culture librarian/crafty entrepreneur
Personal blog/website: moxiedoll.etsy.com; genre-x.com

Best Halloween costume I've ever worn: A couple years ago some friends and I dressed like characters from Clue. I was Miss Scarlet in the library with the rope. I sported a short black wig, slinky dress and got to use a fancy cigarette holder all night.

My celebrity crush: Although I have had many, many (mostly short-lived) celebrity crushes over the years, I've held a flame for Jeff Goldblum for quite some time.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

I'm still taking a break, but the forum remains open. Get to know today's reader, then say hi to her in the comments:

Reader of the day: casie1143

Real name: Catherine "Casie" Neu
Why I chose my screen name: 11 is my favorite number and 43 is husband's favorite number.
Where I live: St. Louis
Occupation: Social worker
MySpace: myspace.com/casie1143

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Kevin Spacey, Jon Stewart and Tony Kornheiser

A movie I can't stand (and why): Titanic, because it robbed L.A. Confidential at Oscar time.

Pop Candy will miss you, too

I hate to leave you guys, but I need to take some time off to recover from these last few weeks of working nonstop. (I did write an Early Buzz this morning so you wouldn't have to go entirely Candy-free today, though.)

Pop Candy will return Aug. 11, rested and refreshed. Have a wonderful week.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader is a woman on the move, but let's hope she stops long enough to say hi in the comments. Take a look:

Reader of the day: Travelingmama

Real Name: Stacy Friedman
Why I chose my screen name: That's the name I chose for posting on the NYC forum for Trip Advisor. I'm a mommy who likes to travel.
Hometown: Pickerington, Ohio
Occupation: Full-time mom to 3-1/2-year-old princess

Fave book: Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story, not a book, but it's a fascinating read about a woman who seemingly goes insane.

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Grace Kelly, Patsy Cline and Bette Davis.

Early buzz: NPH, Garfield, 'Lost' and more

Good morning! I wish I had a captivating story to share here, but instead of attending last night's Tropic Thunder screening, I ended up falling asleep on the couch. I woke up to a Tori Spelling reality show and then spent the rest of the night cleaning out my closet. Exciting!

A handful o' headlines:

- Out magazine has a great interview with Neil Patrick Harris. Dang, guess I'm not the only one with a crush on Anderson Cooper.

- Speaking of Anderson, did you see him on Regis and Kelly yesterday? Hilarious!

- Stephen King fans should definitely check out N, an online animated series presented by Marvel and Simon & Schuster. (Thanks, MikeV.)

- Kevin Smith's new movie will be rated R, not NC-17.

- Here's a cute story about a reunion of all of the kids who have played "Aaron" on Lost. (Thanks, Gigi S.)

- Garfield Minus Garfield is spawning a book -- and creator Jim Davis is OK with it.

- You know you want the new song from David Byrne and Brian Eno.

- A free Bob Dylan MP3 is available on his website.

- Check out the trailer for the new Larry Flynt documentary, The Right to Be Left Alone. It premieres Aug. 7 on IFC.

- Here's an interview with Battlestar's Jamie Bamber.

- Wilco sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley last weekend! Awesome. (Thanks, Roger J.)

- Pop reader Zack S. sent me a link to these tributes to one of my favorite directors, Hal Ashby. Among them are thoughts from Wes Anderson, Judd Apatow and Alexander Payne.

- Here's a quick Q&A with Apatow about Pineapple Express.

- The It's Always Sunny gang went to Comic-Con, and this is what happened.

- Ha, I love this list of lame Doctor Who villains.

- This is interesting if you haven't already seen it: "The Top 20 Albums of All Time (For Real)." No. 1 isn't what you think it is.

- McSweeney's delivers "Hamlet: Facebook News Feed Edition." (Thanks, Crystal S.)

- Need a reason to date a unicorn? Here are 10. (Thanks, Jodi G.)

- And finally, check out Glengarry Glen Ross Jr. Thanks to David for the tip.

Apples come to 'Colbert'

Last night Apples in Stereo appeared on The Colbert Report, marking the first time a musical act has appeared twice on Stephen Colbert's program.

As you may recall, the band showed up before to play Stephen Stephen, a tribute to the host. This time, they played Can You Feel It?, a track from their latest album, New Magnetic Wonder. They also "taped another song for eventual use" with a mystery guest Comedy Central has yet to reveal.

Take a look:

Meeting Pop Candy Lolla-goers

On Saturday several Pop Candy readers met me in the "beer garden" for a quick, informal meetup. It was fun to see so many of you in one place -- here are a few pics from the gathering:

It's safe to say my elaborate sign was the main draw. I believe we attached it to a pole with some gum.

I enjoyed talking to Glenn and Vanessa from Kansas City, Mo. They actually spotted me onstage during the Mates of State performance and snapped a photo. They told me their favorite performances were Radiohead and Explosions in the Sky.

Here's Robin -- she's from Murfreesboro, Tenn., so we had lots to talk about. (My husband hails from the same town.) She brought her boyfriend, Doug, and told me her father (screen name: TheProfessor69) also reads Pop Candy every day.

Here, I'm engaging in a popular Lollapalooza pasttime: displaying the sunburn on my legs. Pop reader Redpac is also a fair-skinned festival-goer, so he understood my pain.

 

Jim, another incredibly nice reader, e-mailed me before Lollapalooza to say a) he'd be attending the meetup and b) he'd be wearing a black Burden Brothers T-shirt. When I saw him, I was impressed that he had planned his outfit so far in advance.

Here are Trisha and Erin, two delightful women who work with public libraries to fill their A/V collections with awesome DVDs, video games and the like. How cool is that? They raced from the beer garden to see MGMT perform.

Harry, aka hbdinwid, found me Friday and then came to the meetup Saturday with his wife. We traded a lot of the crazy Lollapalooza rumors, including the ones about Obama.

Harry also gave me the best present -- a cassette-shaped belt buckle! It made me wish I weren't wearing a skirt.

It was great to see everyone in Chicago, and I hope I won't be so sweaty the next time we hang out. I'd also like to thank Dan, who gave me a sweet T-shirt from Japan; Stefania, a Pop reader who boogied onstage with Girl Talk; and everyone else who approached me and said kind things.

Let's do this again next year ... in an air-conditioned tent, perhaps.

Cool stuff on DVD this week

It's a bit of a slow week, but that's OK with me, since I'm way behind on my theater viewing. (I haven't even seen Hellboy yet!) Take a look, and arrange your queues accordingly:

Release o' the week: Star Trek The Original Series: The Complete Second Season (Remastered). I know it seems like fans have bought this series multiple times on DVD, but this remastered edition features the cast looking sharper than ever. Plus, it contains The Trouble with Tribbles! That episode alone is worth the purchase.

- Robin Hood: Season Two. Thanks to my TV project, I discovered BBC America's cool, contemporary version of the classic tale. Catch up at home.

- The Killing of John Lennon. This scripted film, not to be confused with the Jared Leto flick, examines the time leading up to Lennon's death and what may have been going through the mind of killer Mark David Chapman.

- Code Monkeys: Season 1. G4's animated comedy focuses on employees at a video-game company.

- Nim's Island. Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin helm this family adventure.

- Strictly Background. This cute documentary profiles Hollywood background actors.

- "I Love the '80s" editions of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty in Pink and Footloose. The movies are great, but buy the original special editions unless you're hankerin' for bonus CDs of '80s music.

Also out: Masters of Science Fiction: The Complete Series, Get Smart: Season 1, Family Ties: The Fourth Season, Hotel Babylon: Season 2, Rogue, The Counterfeiters, Garfield's FunFest, Starship Trooper 3: Marauder, Aerosmith: Videobiography, Foyle's War: Set 5

Related news: The fourth season of Doctor Who comes out on DVD Nov. 18.

Next week: The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season arrives on disc.

Let's help Iggy Pop

This morning I mentioned how the Stooges' gear was stolen in Montreal. This is sad news for all Iggy Pop fans -- decades of history were stored in the Penske truck that was taken outside of an Embassy Suites hotel yesterday. It still hasn't been located.

I just received an e-mail that a website has been set up to help find the stolen goods. Go here to see photos and descriptions of the items, which include a bass that Mike Watt had owned since the '80s, guitars, amps and more.

The site also includes descriptions of the truck and contact info. Together, maybe we can retrieve some of the historic equipment belonging to one of our favorite bands.

More Lollapalooza photos (and tales)

Last night I intended to get some much-needed sleep. Instead, I stayed up telling my husband Lollapalooza stories -- some of which I shouldn't repeat here. (Ask me at the next meetup.)

Anyway, here's another batch of photos. Enjoy:

Like I mentioned before, I loved The Kills' set so much that I forgot to reapply SPF 30 beforehand. Alison Mosshart came out in this rockin' hat, which didn't stay on long in the oppressive heat. The set contained a bunch of songs from Midnight Boom, including my personal favorite, Tape Song:

 

There aren't a lot of bands around right now that numb me with their sex appeal, but this is definitely one of them. I wanted a photo of myself with the duo, and this was as close as I came:

On Sunday I caught the Black Kids on a smaller stage, though I think more people came out to see them than they did to see The Kills. It's amazing what a year of intense publicity can do -- their set was a lot more polished than the one I saw at last year's CMJ Music Marathon. A bunch of folks left after they played the big hit, though.

The Kidzapalooza area was more hoppin' than ever this year. I told Perry Farrell that it was outgrowing the space, and he agreed. (He also said he hopes Lollapalooza is one place where there is "no generation gap.") In this section, children can get temporary tattoos, punk-rock hairdos, learn about musical instruments, see family-friendly acts and get on the dancefloor.

When I went out there, a few professional breakdancers were showing off their moves and offering tips to kids, who were trying to copy them. It was hilarious and endearing.

Here's another pic of Whigs frontman Parker Gispert, who probably sweat a gallon during the band's performance. Though I tried to see as many bands as I could, I do have a few regrets: I wish I'd seen The Ting Tings, Bloc Party and Love and Rockets. Once you get to the fest, the first thing you have to do is accept the fact you can't see every band on your list.

Here's DJ Samantha Ronson, who happened to go onstage after Perry Farrell and Slash left. I don't know too much about her, but golly geez, some young ladies in the crowd certainly started making their way toward Lindsay Lohan when they noticed her standing a few feet from me.

As for Ronson, I'd say she has some skills, though the vibe of the crowd was a little bizarre, so it's tougher to make that judgment. While some folks were in the mood to dance, many were there to witness the personality onstage. I was surprised by how many older songs she'd throw in her set -- like, at one point, people were dancing to Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight, then a few minutes later it would swing to the Jackson Five. It's not really my scene, but it wasn't bad.

At one point during the chaotic Girl Talk show -- you know, the one with the toilet-paper guns and audience members dancing onstage -- this guy comes up to me and goes, "Hey, do you have a Sharpie?" Strangely enough, I did have a Sharpie, so I gave it to him. He proceeded to unbutton his shirt and write "GIRL TALK" across his chest.

When I put the Sharpie back in my bag, he noticed I was carrying a package of fake mustaches. (What can I say? They come in handy.)

"Hey, can I get a mustache?" he asked.

"Only if I can take a photo of you wearing it," I said. He happily obliged.

Unfortunately, the story took a sad turn when the guy -- his name is Alex -- attempted to jump onto the stage and was tackled by security. I blame my mustache for giving him a false sense of confidence.

An Obama "store" was set up on the grounds and always appeared to have a crowd. One crazy rumor that permeated the festival was that Sen. Barack Obama was actually going to appear at Lollapalooza and introduce either Wilco or Kanye West onstage. However, Kanye came and went, and Nobama.

FYE set up a record store in one tent next to an autograph booth. The T-shirt tent was another popular area, and I even hopped over the table to talk to some of the hard-working folks throwing cotton for 13 hours a day.

I asked Lolla employee Julie Hines why she chose to sling shirts, and she said the answer was simple: "It's $15 an hour. I have to move soon!"

A "Green Street" area sold green-friendly products and provided ecological tips. I have to tell you, stuff like this has been much smaller in years' past and hasn't attracted much attention. This year, however, attendees of all ages were generally interested in the booths and the cause.

I spotted Brazilian Girls doing an interview back in the media area and had to snap a photo. Such style!

Hey, it's the Ice Cream Man! Maybe you remember Matt Allen -- I wrote about him and his mission to give away free ice cream a couple weeks ago. I spotted him in the Kidzapalooza area, which seemed like an ideal spot. He told me he had already given away 4,000 frozen treats at Lollapalooza.

This is artist Mike Ming, who worked on a painting all weekend in the Dell Dome at the park. Some of his designs will be featured on new Dell laptops.

And here's a row of mounted police, lined up to stop anyone else from crashing the gates at Rage Against the Machine's set. I watched dozens of people race across Columbus Avenue and into Grant Park on Saturday to see the band. Police followed them on horseback, on motorbikes, on foot ... any way they could.

In the midst of my Nine Inch Nails high -- phenomenal versions of Closer, Terrible Lie, March of the Pigs, I could go on -- I turned around and snapped a shot of the crowd. Despite the Rage stories, the people here are generally a good, peaceful bunch and easy to talk to.

I have some amusing interview stories, but one of my favorites was when I was talking to this guy at Wilco's set. He told me he had brought a girl he was dating and was having a really fun weekend.

"So what bands are you and your girlfriend seeing tomorrow?" I asked.

The guy looked at me, then he looked at my notepad.

"She's not my girlfriend," he said. "She's just a girl I've been dating."

Correction noted ... and, for the poor girl's sake, I won't print his name here.

A parting shot of the messy park before we go:

Thanks to everyone for reading my stuff throughout the weekend. All of my Twitter updates are archived, so if you missed them, you should go back and check them out.

Watch a chain restaurant go kaboom

Ruby Tuesday is blowing up. Literally.

The restaurant is launching a new ad campaign by demolishing its last "old" location today at 3 p.m. ET. I'm not sure what exactly this entails, but the demolition will be broadcast live online, so it should be a spectacle.

Ruby Tuesday has been known for Tiffany lamps and old-fashioned decor since it opened in 1972. (Fun fact: It was founded by students at my alma mater, the University of Tennessee. My dad was at school when it was built, so he liked to share this information every time my family ate at a Ruby Tuesday when I was a kid.)

The chain has opted for a more modern makeover in terms of its menu and design. Once the dust clears, look for new food items and snazzier lighting.

Did you catch the 'Doctor Who' finale?

One of the first things I did when I got home last night was watch the season finale of Doctor Who. In some ways, it felt like a series finale: We had the giant mission to complete, an array of faces from the past and tearful scenes aplenty.

I know some of you have been itching to discuss this -- especially the overseas Pop readers, who saw the ep weeks ago. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

I'll refrain from saying anything spoiler-y here, though Alan Sepinwall posted a nice recap/roundup on his blog and Wired reminds us that Torchwood will indeed be back for a third season.

And yes, for the record, I still don't like Donna Noble ... though my disdain for her isn't as extreme as it was at the beginning of the season.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader coaches college football, and he also has a fondness for pop culture. If you'd like to be featured in this space, just e-mail me a low-res photo along with your screen name. I'll reply with more info.

Reader of the day: Coachswami

Real name: J.D. Shaw
Why I chose my screen name: I coach college football for a living, so that's the "coach" part.. My brother tagged me with the "swami" part, and my players at the time picked it up because I could predict what a team would do before it would happen. I'm a good guesser (and watch a lot of gamefilm) so I became a swami.
Where I live: Virginia
Occupation: College football coach


Favorite website (aside from the Candy): Homestarrunner.com, I share a lot of jokes from that website with my two kids. Anything you can use to connect with your kids is a good thing (plus, I do a pretty good Strongbad impersonation).

One famous person I've actually met: Jenna Elfman. I was in the airport in Orlando and she sat down next to me while someone she was travelling with went to the restroom. I was watching Timeline (wow, was that a stinker of a movie compared to the book) on my laptop and she asked what I was watching. I told her, and she sat and watched a few minutes. We chatted about the book some, and she smiled and left. She's really tall.

Early buzz: Iggy Pop, Wonder Woman, Metallica and more

Good morning, everyone! I'm thrilled to be back home for a few days, even though all of my clothes are dirty.

Take a look at these headlines while I continue to wake up:

- We give Pineapple Express three-and-a-half stars. (I think Danny McBride steals the whole movie.) Also, when you see it, make sure to look at James Franco's bed. That's all I'm saying.

- Mark Ruffalo has signed on for his directing debut.

- What loser would steal Iggy Pop's gear?

- Keane is offering a new song for free download. Thanks to Kari V. for the tip.

- BIG BUSINESS points out that Pop Candy readers aren't the only people who hate the "Bat-voice" in The Dark Knight.

- Queen guitarist Brian May has published his doctoral thesis on astrophysics.

- I'm eager to see Battlestar's "super-sized" episodes at the end of the season.

- A trailer for the animated Wonder Woman feature is online.

- Metallica has announced a release date for its new album.

- Robin Williams is going on tour.

- Joss Stone is joining the cast of The Tudors as the fourth wife of Henry VIII. How weird is that?

- Salon has a piece about What We Do Is Secret, the long-awaited biopic about punk band The Germs.

- Amy Sedaris will star in a Nickelodeon TV movie next month.

- Discussion of the week: Bromance.

- Margaret Cho has joined the cast of a new Lifetime series.

- A big NewsRadio box set is coming out this fall.

- I thought Sarah McLachlan had already released, like, 12 greatest-hits albums, but I guess not.

- Gotta love Aimee Mann.

- And finally, check out these Goonies sneakers!

My favorite Lollapalooza performances

I saw too many bands to count last weekend, but here's my top 10:

10. The Whigs. These guys from Athens, Ga., always put every ounce of energy into their live shows. Though I think they're best enjoyed in a smaller club, I love how they're never intimidated by a huge festival atmostphere. Here's singer Parker Gispert in a sit-down moment:

Fun fact: The guys played a Lolla after-party on Friday then flew to Philly on Saturday for a show there. On Sunday, they returned to Chicago for a daytime set in the park. That's dedication!

9. Spank Rock. I saw them at one of the Rock the Vote Lounge parties at the Hard Rock Hotel, which are always an amazing place to see cool acts in a small space (if you can get in). The lyrics aren't necessarily quotable here, but the crowd was definitely dancing and cheering, and many were allowed onstage near the end of the set. Good times.

8. The Kills. You know I'm a massive fan of their latest record, Midnight Boom. They delivered a sexy performance, even if they had to leave the stage 20 minutes early because of singer Alison Mosshart's apparent heat exhaustion. This performance occurred at what was arguably the hottest point of the hottest day (Friday).

Take a look:

7. Saul Williams. I was mesmerized by his stage presence, which included his Niggy Tardust makeup and constant motion onstage. If you haven't heard my podcast interview with Saul, now might be a good time. I walked backstage and spotted Kanye West enjoying the performance, too.

Here he is:

6. Bang Camaro. This retro-sounding metal act walked onstage with 11 backup singers! The live experience is something that must be seen to be believed. Each song consists of nothing but choruses and power chords.

5. Rage Against the Machine. Though I stayed away from the pit, I was still mesmerized by the reunited band, which sounded as good as they did in their prime. Between songs, singer Zack de la Rocha tried to keep the crowd as well-behaved as he could by telling them to step back from the stage and stop pushing each other.

4. Perry Farrell and Slash. I unintentionally caught this dynamic duo twice, and I thought their set at the kids' stage was the better performance. Children and adults alike were thrilled to hear the rockers duet on Knockin' on Heaven's Door and Stevie Wonder's Superstition. Also, I must add that I never tire of audience sing-alongs to Jane Says, though I think I've participated in at least a dozen by now.

Here's Slash smoking on the kids' stage:

3. Girl Talk. I knew we were in for a treat, but who expected toilet-paper guns, confetti and an onstage dance party? Security had a tough time handling all the folks who jumped over the barrier to join the fun -- it was sheer, glittery pandemonium. By the end, everyone was sweaty and coated in TP and party supplies.

2. Radiohead. It's an obvious choice, but it was just so darn good. Favorite moment: Fireworks going off during Fake Plastic Trees.

1. Nine Inch Nails. What can I say? I'm glad I changed my flight until Monday, because the final band of the festival really did me right. Lollapalooza marks the first time I'd ever seen Trent Reznor in person, so it was especially gratifying when I entered the frantic photo pit and stand just a few feet away from him:

Because of this wonderfully loud, familiar, lit-up set, I'm especially hoarse and achy today. As some poor souls are tasked with cleaning up Grant Park, I'm heading to the airport.

Stay tuned, because I have more crazy photos from Chicago that I'll post tomorrow.

Backstage with Mates of State

Last week I offered one reader the chance to meet Mates of State with me at Lollapalooza. The lucky winner: Jon S., a Chicago-based Pop Candy fan.

Jon is a proud father -- in fact, his kids are the same age as Mates' Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel's two young children -- and he was definitely psyched to meet the band.

During Mates of States' set, I managed to get Jon on the stage to watch them perform from a few feet away. It was awesome! They played all the hits, and we bounced and beamed.

This is the view when you're watching from the wings:

Jon and I took pictures of each other during the performance:

Afterward, we went to their dressing room and said hello. Gardner said her daugher had spent the day at Kidzapalooza, the family-friendly area of Lollapalooza.

"She came back and said, 'I silkscreened, I dyed my hair and I got a tattoo," she said. "I was like, 'Well, you've been to Lollapalooza.'" It wasn't a snazzy trailer by any means -- I think I spotted a pack of Chee-tos, and that was about it.

Here's a pic of the band with Jon (center):

They're currently busy touring, and you can see a long list of dates on their MySpace page. Gardner also writes a blog about rock 'n' roll parenting called Band on the Diaper Run. Their latest album is Re-Arrange Us.

Thanks to Mates of State and Jon for a fun Friday afternoon at the fest.

Rage at Lolla: View from the crowd

Some of you may have read yesterday's Twitter about Pop reader Robert, aka robertgold. He attended Lollapalooza as well, though he's probably much more sore than I am today.

Robert was one of many Rage Against the Machine fans who stood close to the stage on Saturday ... and was then caught among thousands of aggressive, pushing fans during the band's bombastic set. (As Perry Farrell told me the next day, "It was vicious and awesome!")

Here's Robert's side of the story:

"I made the sad mistake of being up front for Rage, thinking that it couldn't be that bad," he says. "Boy, was I wrong. It got bad during Brand New, then worse during Lupe Fiasco, but that didn't prepare me for the horrors that awaited me before and during the Rage set.

"It felt like thousands of people were pushing me at the same time, reducing the amount of space I had against the barrier to mere inches (and I'm not a small man). When they started, it just got worse. People were being pulled over the barrier almost non-stop. I made it as far as I could, which was when I got my head rammed against the barrier, and it started to bleed a little. Nothing major. After that, though, I gave up on being close and was pulled over the top.

"When I got back to my hotel room, I noticed that I had bruises all over my arms, chest and legs, plus a cut on my scalp. I've been in mosh pits before, and nothing has ever been as bad as this. I'm actually a little traumatized, and the worst part is that I didn't really get to enjoy the music because it was so bad."

Robert, I hope those cuts and bruises heal quickly. I also hope no other readers were badly hurt during the set -- I saw many folks get pulled out of that pit, and it wasn't pretty. (I saw people get pulled out of the crowd for Radiohead too, but that looked like mostly heat exhaustion.)

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Today's reader is seen posing in front of the 55-foot Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, Minn. If you need to take a road trip this summer, why not visit the big green man? Learn more about her, then say hello in the comments:

Reader of the day: tracye7

Real name: Tracy E.
Why I chose my screen name: I’ve had it since I first got e-mail in seventh grade. I couldn’t think of anything clever.
Where I live: St. Paul
Occupation: Analytics Assistant at a publishing company

Three famous people I'd love to meet: Ira Glass, Johnny Depp and the Dalai Lama. For mind, body and spirit.

My earliest pop-culture memory: Playing with my brother’s Star Wars action figures that he kept in his Darth Vader carrying case. I must have been no more than 4.

Early buzz: Colbert, 'Mars,' 'Lost Boys' and much more

Hey there, everyone -- I'm still in Chicago, and I'm quite achy and exhausted after a busy weekend at Lollapalooza. However, I did see some great bands and will take home many fond memories along with patchy sunburn and sore feet.

Photos and a recap will be posted soon, but check out these headlines first:

- The A.V. Club has an interview with Edgar Wright.

- A spider species has been named after Stephen Colbert.

- We have an interview with Pineapple Express' James Franco.

- Lisa Bonet has gotten a gig on ABC's Life on Mars.

- Largehearted Boy is keeping track of Lollapalooza downloads.

- Another live-action Scooby-Doo movie is going straight to DVD.

- Here's a "Where Are They Now?" feature about the cast of The Lost Boys.

- The Indigo Girls' Amy Ray answers fans' questions in this interview.

- The Strokes' bassist has put some of his solo music online.

- The New Yorker has a piece about the series on the USA Network.

- J.K. Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard is being published for charity, and you can pre-order it on Amazon.

- What's the greatest race in TV/movie history? (Thanks, BIG BUSINESS.)

- Prince of Persia with Jake Gyllenhaal has been pushed back to 2010.

- U2 is warning fans against a ticket scam overseas.

- Be Your Own Pet is breaking up? This is tragic!

- Note to Joss Whedon fans: Firefly and Serenity are coming to Blu-ray.

- Friday Night Lights is casting extras in Austin.

- Get ready for a Damages marathon Aug. 9.

- And finally, who are the 25 bands "making America cool again"? (I'd say I saw a bunch of them last weekend.)

Rock and sweat at Lollapalooza

Day 1 at Lollapalooza went well, despite soaring temperatures and a sold-out crowd at Chicago's Grant Park. (It's expected that 75,000 people will show up each day.)

As you may have read from my Twitter updates, highlights for me included Mates of State (with Pop reader Jon!), The Kills (in a blisteringly hot set), Bang Camaro and, of course, Radiohead. At the last minute, I was granted permission to stand in the photo pit for Radiohead's performance. Here's a taste of my view:

Needless to say, it was breathtaking. I had to take a few moments to simply appreciate the once-in-a-lifetime experience -- I was literally feet away from Thom Yorke. After There There, a drumstick even went sailing over my head within fingertips' reach.

Today I'm excited to see Rage Against the Machine and to meet a group of Pop Candy readers at 3 p.m. in the beer garden for some laid-back good times. Tune in Monday for lots of photos and a full report of the festival, but keep checking this page for Twitter updates and phone pics.

In the meantime, I'm off to mingle with people like this:

Wish me luck.

Pop forum: Meet today's featured reader

Note: The Early Buzz is taking the day off while I spend 12 hours at Lollapalooza. Keep an eye on this page for Twitter and Flickr updates throughout the weekend.

Today's reader of the day works in the comic-book industry and likes Tori Amos, so I'm guessing she already has a copy of Comic Book Tattoo (Image, $29.99), the new book of comics based on Tori songs. Learn more about her, then say hello in the comments:

Reader of the day: texasgal78

Real name: Celina Paquette (As far as the picture is concerned, that’s me on the left with my husband. This was taken on a trip to London a couple years ago.)
Why I chose my screen name: Well, I’m from Texas and I’m a gal, and '78 is the year that I was born. Not very original, but it works.
Where I live: Houston
Occupation: Senior editor for a comic book publishing company called Penny-Farthing Press.
MySpace: myspace.com/celpaq

Favorite movie quote: Harry Burns from When Harry Met Sally: “The fact that you are not answering the phone leads to me to believe that a) you are not at home; b) Home, but don’t want to talk to me; or c) Home, desperately want to talk to me, but trapped under something heavy. If it’s A or C, please call me back.”

The last pop-culture item I bought: A Kenneth the Page bobblehead when I went to NYC in April.