Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.
For anyone like me who is tired of those tiny keyboards on smart phones, Google is introducing Gmail Tap. “Morse code is perfect. It’s just a dot and a dash. What’s simpler than that?”
Happy April 1. For another holiday video from Google, check out YouTube’s new collection of videos on DVD.
What are your favorite April 1 videos? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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Last night, Jonah Hill hosted Saturday Night Live, lending his comedy chops to some of this season’s funnier segments. One of the funny bits was his send up of himself and Hollywood egos. Hill, who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the excellent serious film, Moneyball (2011), lets a camera crew follow him on the SNL set to illustrate that the nomination has not gone to his head.
The behind-the-scenes clip starts at the 1:45 mark, but you might also watch his monologue that introduces the clip starting from the beginning (well, except for a short commercial NBC makes you watch; if you are at work, turn down your speakers first). The video segment includes a funny exchange with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Kristen Wiig, and if you stay to the end, you will see two-time Oscar-winner Tom Hanks appear on the stage with his awards, “The Kick-Ass Twins.” [2014 Update: Unfortunately, the NBC video no longer works. FYI, If you are looking for Jonah Hill’s more recent appearance on SNL in January 2014, check out this link, which works as of today.]
If your sense of humor prefers someone getting hit in the groin, the NBC website has a digital short from the show of Hill repeatedly getting hit by a tennis ball.
What did you think of Jonah Hill’s performance on Saturday Night Live this week? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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After hearing that Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was devoting a whole show to Bruce Springsteen, I had little doubt that they would reprise a Niel Young-Bruce Springsteen duet like they did on an earlier show with “Whip My Hair.”
But last night, instead of a Born-to-Run-era Springsteen, the Boss got out his old bandana and came as Born-in-the-USA Springsteen. This time, they sang LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It,” with Springsteen in on the joke making fun of his former muscle-shirted self exchanging his usual “whoa, whoa, whoa” with “wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.”
(May 2012 Update: The link from NBC apparently no longer works, but you may also see the video on YouTube here.) If you missed the show and wish to see the Springsteen interview as well as his performances with the E Steet Band of two new songs from the new album — “Death to My Hometown” and “Jack of All Trades” — as well as a rousing “E Street Shuffle” with the Roots, you may find them at Consequences of Sound and at Blogness on the Edge of Town.
What do you think of the cover of “Sexy and I Know It”? Funny or just a retread of “Whip My Hair”? Leave your two cents in the comments. If you like the post, retweet it!
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This season some of the highlights from Saturday Night Live have come from returning show alum, like when Jimmy Fallon hosted the show. This week, the show had several highlights thanks to the return of former cast member Maya Rudolph as host. Although producers recognized it would be inappropriate for Rudolph to reprise her Whitney Houston impression, she did pull out her Beyoncé.
In the skit, Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed several celebrity guests, including “Prince,” stopping by to give their respects to their new baby, Blue Ivy. Other guests stopping by include LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, and Brangelina.
One of the highlights of the segment is Justin Timberlake’s cameo as Bon Iver. His imitation is so good, one suspects that he must be a Bon Iver fan, which was confirmed by Timberlake’s appearance at the show’s closing with a sign, “I Heart Bon Iver.”
What was your favorite part of the skit? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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For our funny video of the week, check out the highlight from this week’s Saturday Night Live where the real Nicolas Cage appeared with Andy Samberg’s version of the actor. In several past episodes, Samberg has appeared on his “Get in the Cage” segment during Weekend Update with other actors as a running joke about Cage’s acting style, poor choice of movies, and legendary craziness.
Sure, Cage is promoting Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012), where like all classic Nicolas Cage action movies: (1) “all the dialogue is either whispered or screamed;” and (2) “everything in the movie is on fire.” But he was a good sport for going along with the funny segment, which was one of the best parts of Saturday Night Live this week. [2024 Update: Unfortunately, the video of the segment is currently not available.]
Does Cage seem a little subdued about the bit? What is your favorite Nicolas Cage film? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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