A Couple Things: Chavez, Sitcoms and Survivors

-- Did yall hear about how the Hugo Chavez (Venezuelan President) straight set it on Bush? Better, yet, did you see it?!?!!!!!!!! It was a performance. I mean, I was sittin there at my desk, yesterday morning, watchin CNN and almost spilled coffee all over my robe. This dude called Bush the Devil! But then told those gathered at the UN that the Devil was there yesterday and Bush's devil steez is so strong, that the smell of "sulfur" had lingered. I mean, think about that contempt!!!! He was saying Bush is so evil and reprehensible, that he carries the scent of hellfire (btw: I don't believe in hell). That was such a powerful and comical image. It was delightful.

Then he mimed a cross and acted like he was kissing a cross-pendant, or whatever it is that Catholics do. Like I said, it was a performance. I mean, the wonderful gall of this man.

What's scary is the disdain that so many countries have for America. Thats not news. But I think more and more, foreign niggas aint drinkin the Kool-Aid anymore. The US is going the way of NYC hiphop. And I don't know if it's more disdain for the Bush Administration or just America. Because you can't even say its disdain for Western culture, because Western nations dislike America right about now.

And the disdain is also beginning to take on a good deal of incredulity, like "Who do you think you are." There's a jokish quality about the way the international community views the current state. Like, "Are you serious?"

Chavez said he could still smell sulfur!!!!!.....he greased Bush.

-- Is anyone else with me? Are we in agreement that sitcoms are experiencing a revitilization? I wouldnt have known this without TiVo...but Office, My Name is Earl, Everybody Hates Chris and the late-Arrested Development are downright hilarious.

Did you see last night's season premiere of The Office????!!! I couldn't believe how funny it was. It was off the richter scale funny, it was a comedic earthquake.

This might not be a new theory, but it all has to do with the fact that more and more sitcoms are losing the studio audience and laugh track. I don't watch random sitcoms, but sometimes, I might watch some syndication during the day or late night...and laugh tracks sound ridiculous to me now. Studio audiences seem utterly wack. Who would do that anymore?

The thing about studio audiences is that u have a bunch of rubes sitting in the stands wanting to be entertained and u have audiences at home wanting to be entertained, so the whole show is full of successive scenes and dialogue set up to head into an over the top punchline. So it's set up, punchline...set up, punchline. Then u have this dumb audience and laugh-track thats steering the ship more than the writing, because the writing is solely there for the setup-punchline thing. there is NO subtelty or reality in any of that.

Shows like Everybody Hates Chris and the Office, they just let u watch the show and they have far greater license to be naturally funny than the slapstick studio audience shows. Arrested Development was great at that.

I'm delighted. I mean, I can't begin to describe how comical last night Office was. If you don't have TiVo or DVR, it'll prolly be difficult to check these shows, since no one our age does the whole, be home at 8pm thing anymore -- unless it Sunday night with HBO -- but record a couple of these shows and peep the steez. Sitcoms are back.

-- Jazz Survivor Series is back in effect in a HUGE way. Dubb, text me your email addy, because ur joints always bounce back. I think Rick gave me your wrong joint, because bellsouth joint doesnt work.

-- yall know the reporters that uncovered the steroids scandal in baseball? They got a jail sentence for not giving up their sources, something they claim was protected by the 1st Amendment. The gov wanted to know who leaked grand jury testimony and the reporters didnt snitch, its something us journalist take seriously: the confidentiality of our sources.

I feel bad for the dudes. But I'm proud of what they did. Anyways, enought journo talk.

-- Also...i got some entertaining stories I need to tell, just not enough time today, Maybe this weekend, so stay tuned.