Sundance Channel

The Gr8 Debate

Paul Ohan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:20:50 +0000

Photo by Jennifer Morrow, used under a Creative Commons license. No one gets a crowd to mingle and chatter better than the Gays, stereotypes be damned. So when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Proposition 8 was just a hate monger of a bill that looked to treat a section of tax paying Americans and their families as second class citizens, the bull horns and boutique hand soap boxes came out of the closet faster than the freshman class of High School for the Performing Arts. Everyone got to talking, tweeting, instagramming, and expressing them selves in anyway they felt prudent.

Has Anyone Said This Sh*t? (Yes.)

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:47:50 +0000

Not since Rebecca Black have I seen a meme go from hilarious to amusing to downright-shoot-me-annoying as quickly as the seemingly neverending "Shit [People] Say" videos. Jumpstarted seemingly centuries ago with a little celebrity juice thanks to the involvement of Juliette Lewis, the meme was birthed with this video titled "Shit Girls Say." By now you've seen this and all the countless copycats. If you've been pulling a Rip Van Winkle who just woke up and have no idea what we're talking about, what I'm referring to are series of viral videos which are basically a supercut of stereotypical expressions and phrase associated with different groups (not without some controversy). People quickly tired of them and vocally expressed their annoyance on Facebook or Twitter, but were quick to retweet and share any new variation that happened to fit their particular niche or interests: for example, as soon as the "Shit New Yorkers Say" video hit the web, it seemed as though every single one of my New Yorker friends posted it on Facebook (often right after having stated their irritation of these videos only the day before). For you Van Winkle's here's a sampling of others:

Agenda 21: First, they came for the light bulbs

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:07:12 +0000

Remember when threats of a global government were symbolized by black helicopters and implied by the phrase "New World Order." They're so 20th century, it turns out: these days, the phrase "Agenda 21" and compact fluorescent light bulbs are the new signs of "They're coming to get you." Agenda 21 - it does sound a little spooky. You might think of it as a plan for world domination cooked up by a cabal of wealthy evildoers in a dark backroom. In truth, it's much more innocuous: Agenda 21 is the title of a non-binding plan released at the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development in Rio. No secrets or backrooms here: Agenda 21 even has its own UN website.

A comedian that will melt your liberal bleeding heart

Em and Lo — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:00:49 +0000

We both enjoy playing Texas Hold 'Em, but of the two of us, I (Lo) enjoy it a little too much. So much so that when I just need a night away from it all, I go to Foxwoods to play the low limit table with a bunch of 65 year old men, half of whom have a drinking problem, the other half of whom have a gambling problem. It's not as sinful or sexy as Vegas, naturally, but it does the trick.

This week’s top 5 trending viral videos

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:03:03 +0000

If you're completely sick of all the coverage leading up to the Super Bowl, I'm here to provide you with some relief (9 out of 10 bloggers recommend it) with this week's YouTube videos that seem to be gaining steam on the viral Internet train. 5. From the hilarious minds of one of my favorite channels on YouTube is this catchy and easy-to-sing song "Hapi Berth Dey." It's "about an Egyptian river god who finds a place to sleep atop two sheep" that also possibly doubles as an expression of his outrage of the misappropriation of copyright laws which legally also applies to a popular song traditionally sung to celebrate birthdays. Feel free to sing this new song coincidentally at your next birthday party!

It’s you, perfected!

Em and Lo — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:44 +0000

There are many reasons not to read women's magazines. One of the biggies? All the retouched photos. The genetic mutants we call models and celebrities can beat the shit out your average Jane's self image, but Photoshop can chop it up with chainsaw. This before and after cover of Red Book from a few years ago thanks to Jezebel.com says it all. In fact, Jezebel has made one of their crusades exposing the evils of Photoshop (here's their most recent "unveiling"). One of the funniest commentaries on how fucked up Photoshop is when it comes to setting impossible beauty standards is this recent parody of a beauty product commercial by Jesse Rosten on Vimeo: "Just one application of Fotoshop can give you results so dramatic, they're almost unreal...istic."

The Internet’s Super Bowl preview

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:17:24 +0000

The country can be divided this week into those who care about the Super Bowl and those that don't. I unfortunately fall into the former category in a big way as my favorite team somehow did its part to find itself one of two teams standing at the end of the season. Unfortunate because I'm so freaking nervous for this game, especially since I'm in unfriendly territory as a Patriots fan (Go Pats!) in NYC . Thankfully the Internet, as it always does, has been providing some levity leading into this weekend to help calm my nerves.

Tom Brady (or as some readers might know him better as: Gisele Bündchen's husband) has a doppelgänger. No word yet on whether the doppelgänger has also has a Gisele lookalike wife.

Matthew Broderick explains a bit about his Ferris Bueller teaser that only just ended up being a Super Bowl ad and in the process broke our hearts about a possible sequel. Then again maybe a sequel isn't a good thing after all after seeing how the actual ad depicts a free-spirited Ferris growing up to just be yet another office worker serving the The Man. Yikes, depressing stuff.

Revitalizing the mentor

Sundance Channel — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:07 +0000

History is filled with stories of inspiring mentor-protégé relationships, from XX and the painters Camille Pissaro and Paul Cezanne to fictional accounts like Don Pedro and Claudio in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Mentorships are a time-tested way to for an artist to develop their vision and their craft. They, traditionally, give someone time learn, grow and create under the watchful eye of someone who has already blazed a trail. Rolex is dedicating to reviving the tradition of mentorship by pairing young, promising artists with leaders in their fields. It’s easy to see what the protégés have to gain. They get a year of time to learn from their mentors. But, a truely successful mentor-protégé relationship benefits both parties. As we take a look back at the results of these exciting relationships, let’s take a look at what some of the Rolex Arts Initiative mentors have gotten out of their year collaboration:

Here’s what the Oscars can learn from NYC nightlife pageants!

Michael Musto — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:58:50 +0000

This year's Oscar telecast (set for February 26) has been on a hopeful track ever since they announced that an actual comic was going to be the host. But even Billy Crystal can only do so much. All the stuff around him needs to be spruced up pronto to ensure that the whole Oscar machine doesn’t become as obsolete as silent movies (except for THE ARTIST, of course). And I know the answer. For a lifeline, the producers need to venture into New York's wildest nightclubs and learn some valuable lessons about how to put on a show.

This week’s top 5 trending viral videos

Matthew Rodriguez — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:07:45 +0000

The talk and focus this week is (rightfully so) on all films that made their rounds at the Sundance Film Festival. But the Internet meme machine never sleeps (its theme song: Can't Stop, Won't Stop), festival or no festival, so without further ado here are the top five videos starting to trend, and as the kids say "get its swoll on" this week. 5. If you're a violinist and you are interrupted by an audience member's cell phone loudly ringing during your solo performance, this is how you respond in a classy manner and in other words pwn this rude cell phone owner.

Transplants: Rolex mentor and protégé Tracy K. Smith & Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Sundance Channel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:29 +0000

In many ways, they couldn’t be more different, a young California transplant writing poetry in Brooklyn and a titan of German thought. She is a professor at Princeton and he has made a public point of eschewing institutional life. But the year Tracy K. Smith spent with her Rolex Arts Initiative mentor Hans Magnus Enzensberger has transformed her literary life. The award-winning poet (author of collections including Life On Mars & The Body’s Question) has, under Enzensberger’s watchful eye, turned to prose and is writing a memoir.

A year of discovery: Rolex mentor and protégé Peter Sellars & Maya Zbib

Sundance Channel — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:00:56 +0000

Peter Sellars and Maya Zbib shared a year and circumnavigated the globe. The enfant terrible of the American stage is best known for his contemporary treatments of classical plays, including an industrial take on King Lear, and his groundbreaking direction of new operas. Both Sellars and his Rolex Arts Initiative protégé, Lebanese actor, writer and director Maya Zbib, believe that theater can do much more than entertain. They agree that it is an agent for social change. To emphasize this point, Sellars brought Zbib to the Congo. She brought him to Beirut.

The Sundance Review Revue: FILLY BROWN

Matt Singer — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:46:59 +0000

Critics are divided on FILLY BROWN, but they agree on Gina Rodriguez, the actress who plays Filly and is being hailed as one of the breakout stars of this year's Sundance Film Festival. Response to FILLY -- a drama about a young woman trying to navigate the morally murky waters of the hip-hop game -- has been decidedly mixed, but response to Rodriguez has been decidedly positive, suggesting she is one to watch, even if the film itself might not be.

Achieving something undiscovered: Rolex mentor and protégé Ben Frost & Brian Eno

Sundance Channel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:20:28 +0000

Given Brian Eno stature in the music world, it would’ve been easy enough for him to simply play the producer role for his Rolex Arts Initiative protégé Ben Frost . It would’ve been a huge deal for the young, Australian composer and musician to get the same treatment as bands such as Talking Heads, U2, Robert Fripp and Coldplay, but the father of ambient music wanted to do something entirely new.

Snitches of Downtown Abbey

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:31:19 +0000

I feel like King Solomon on Sunday nights lately where I have to make the difficult decision as to whether I want to watch some NFL football or the latest pop culture rage (at least in some pastoral corners of the blogosphere). It just so happens to air on PBS, something you don't hear too often. You know it's a sensation when the New York Times does a trend piece on it, which they did with a recent article about viewing parties being held for this show. This phenomenon is a British import called Downtown Abbey.

Naked news: Sex and the City, high school cougars, and gaydar

Em and Lo — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:00:59 +0000

High school team can't call themselves the Cougars because of its association with sexually-active, single, middle-aged women.
Speaking of cougars and high school: Sex and the City pre-quel pilot on the CW is a go.

Robert Redford, Sundance and the State of the Union

Michelle Byrnes-Carney — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:41:23 +0000

America has got some issues and this year's slate of Sundance films is full of stories about 'em. Festival founder Robert Redford stopped by to talk with Sundance Channel about those issues, and he's got some valuable insights into the role independent cinema has to play in sharing stories about them.

ARBITRAGE hopes to sell high at Sundance ’12

Matt Singer — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:39:06 +0000

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "arbitrage" is "the nearly simultaneous purchase and sale of securities or foreign exchange in different markets in order to profit from price discrepancies." I don't really understand what that means, so I am providing an alternate definition for the intelligence impaired. ARBITRAGE is "a dramatic thriller set in the world of high finance that is also one of the most buzzed about titles at this year's Sundance Film Festival." That's a lot easier to understand, right? I think so. Let's give Mr. Merriam and Lord Webster or whoever it is a ring and tell them it's time to update that book.

This week’s top 5 trending viral videos

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:45:05 +0000

Sorry kids, the Shit People Say videos still aren't going away (just this Wednesday a "Shit New Yorkers Say" appeared on the Tubes and of course was instantly shared by every New Yorker across the Twitbook), but here are five other videos trending this week that I think, nay guarantee that you will find equal to if not more entertaining. 5. One of my favorite YouTube channels belongs to someone who goes by the literal name of "LiteralMSPaint." As the name suggests they apply their MS Paint skills to create music videos to inane pop dance songs and interprets the song lyrics literally. The MS Paint skills might be lacking but the comedy level is expert. Their latest takes on the inescapable LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and I just lost it and began LMFAO at the 1:00 mark.

And you thought Mississippi was conservative? Meet Mitt, Ron, Newt, & Rick

Em and Lo — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Women's reproductive rights haven't been this threatened by a group of Republican presidential hopefuls in decades. As Rachel Maddow summarized brilliantly the other night, Rick Santorum, "libertarian" Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Perry have all signed pledges backing the Personhood movement that aims to make all abortions illegal (even in the case of rape and incest) by defining fertilized eggs as people, which would in turn ban most forms of birth control. Mitt Romney hasn't signed anything yet, nor did he attend the Presidential Prolife Forum in South Caroline this past Wednesday like all the others, but he did tell Mike Huckabee last October that he "absolutely" would have supported a personhood amendment to his state's constitution when he was Governor of Massachusetts. Rick Santorum is the only one -- so far -- who's actually said out loud that birth control is "not okay" and is a dangerous problem in this country, but that kind of thinking is basically built into the personhood movement (whether these candidates, who will say anything to appease their religious base, realize it or not). So you know where these guys stand.

GOP candidates summarized in hand signals

Matthew Rodriguez — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:05:20 +0000

BuzzFeed (going increasingly political with their recent hiring of Ben Smith from Politico) has a hilarious photo recap of the recent GOP debates that's focused on simply their hand gestures. My favorite is the one above of Romney displaying the "He Was THIS Tall" expression.

Valentine’s Day cards that don’t suck

Em and Lo — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:00:06 +0000

Instead of waiting til the last minute like usual, why not get a jump start on some Valentine's Day card ideas, you know, before Monday, February 13th sneaks up and cupid-arrows you in the ass?

From Someecards, the king of irreverent greetings: e.g. "Sorry the only ring you're wearing this Valentine's Day is a contraceptive in your vagina" (that's just one of 99 hilarious ones)
Five DIY Valentine's Day cards to make with the kids, collated by LilSugar.

Gay hip hop is here to stay: Syd tha Kid digs in

Paul Ohan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:30:58 +0000

Last week, Odd Future affiliate, DJ, producer, singer, and overall badass Syd tha Kyd decided to do what young urban punks do in an interview, she flew off the handle giving her unedited opinions on the state of culture. And that’s a polite way to say Syd is frustrated at the lack of gay role models in urban music. She went as far as to question the legitimacy of Alicia Keys' marriage, along with Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot’s sexuality. “You know she loves her some bitches,” is an exact quote.

Faces of rejected bachelorettes

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:49:42 +0000

No, Faces of Rejected Bachelorettes is not an antonomasia for the upcoming rom com BACHELORETTE starring Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, and Lizzy Caplan (Party Down crush!) and premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Instead, FoRB is actually devoted to one of my shameful, guilty pleasures: Hi, my name is Matt and I'm addicted to the mainstream pop culture television phenomenon The Bachelor, which has had a rousing start to its new season.

Your weekend horoscope: Recharge your battery & and watch STAGE DOOR

Sundance Channel — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:00:58 +0000

Aries: There are those who seem to enjoy watching the world pass by, like sweet retirees in Boca Raton, and then there’s you, Aries, who has a similar approach to life, just without all the floral hats and accessories. But this week is ripe for the social networker in you to succeed. So put down the sunscreen, turn off the television and go on out and mingle. With all the major planets in forward rotation the energy around you is bursting with positive energy. Dust off the screenplay and shop it around again, you may have better luck this time. Eccentric people have entered your life recently and this can mean all the difference. You never know, someone might ask you to write the next CARNAGE. So hustle, baby.

Top 5 that have nothing to do with s#!* people say

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:30:44 +0000

Oh-em-gee, the Shit Girls Say copycat videos aren't going away. If you're sick of them, here are five brand-spankin' new videos burning up the Internet and set to go "viral" this week thanks to our collective boredom and tendency to procrastinate (not me though). 5. Quadron's cover of Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor," you know, only one of the greatest songs of our generation, is super and the reactions of my friends who I forwarded this to have been "wowwww" on one end and "why am I tearing up" on the other of the spectrum. I love the stripped down sound of their version. Also, a killer voice of Coco O. on vocals doesn't hurt it either.

Newt Gingrich at sites of great tragedy

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:07:14 +0000

The Atlantic highlighted this odd, to say the least, photo found on Newt Gingrich's website of the suited up presidential hopeful and his wife Callista posing in front of the gates of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp. This might seem like a cheap shot at a presidential candidate, but regardless of the individual, there's a weird tone-deaf vibe and lack of awareness to this photo that gives me the same discomfort I feel whenever I see tourists posing with bright smiles in front of somber sites or memorials of great loss. Many Internet memes belong to the subgenre of image macros that includes superimposing a certain Photoshopped picture (most recent example: Pepper Spraying Cop) With the above, unfortunate photo Newt Gingrich might enter a pantheon that is even more indelible than being POTUS: A new meme.

The slow but (hopefully) steady erosion of our gender stereotypes

Em and Lo — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:00:22 +0000

For our book club, we're reading the 2003 novel "We Need to Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver.* I, Lo, knowing nothing about the book or its author, began reading and was amazed that a male author could create a female narrator that sounded so authentic and convincing, especially regarding childbirth and motherhood. That is, until halfway through the book when I happened to catch a glimpse of the author photo on the inside back flap: turns out Lionel is a woman.

Legalizing The Gays

Paul Ohan — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:46:09 +0000

A lot of people think the end of the world is something that will happen abruptly when no one’s expecting it, like a great flood (Katrina), or massive earthquake (there’s a big one yearly—Haiti, Virginia all the way up the east coast—but who’s counting) or even an alien race intent on genocide before plunging the planet’s natural resources. But good social conservatives, and the occasional homophobe, have been seeing the warning signs for decades. Slowly but surely equal rights have been granted to homosexuals in America. Can you believe it? They want to be like everyone else. Here are a few highlights from the past that make this eschatological theory plausible.

Occupying the mountaintop–Tennessee’s prayers for the planet

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:09:49 +0000

While those of us following the Occupy movement online or on television may see it as a fairly conventional protest movement, complete with marching and chanting, a quick look at various encampments (or remnants thereof) around the country shows something quite different: alternative communities that value the input of all participants. Those communities themselves are the real protest: by living something quite different, even temporarily, Occupiers are able to highlight the absurdities of the current political structure.

Hey, Oscar! Don’t forget these performances!

Michael Musto — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:56:08 +0000

The illustrious Oscar nominations will be announced on January 24, which gives the choosers ample time to read my urgent plea for them to not leave out some of my favorite people! After all, I care about the Oscars more than life itself, so ignoring my longings would be as sadistically ill-advised as some of the performances that are already locks. So now that I have the nominators’ attention, I’ll step up and scream the following:

Naked news: the frothy mixture edition

Em and Lo — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:00:38 +0000

With Santorum's recent surge in the polls, it's important to take time out to remind ourselves what a crazy sex-police zealot he is:

Writing about Santorum's "Google problem," a New York Times writer says Dan Savage's prank was in response merely to the senator's opposition to gay marriage, so Dan Savage sets him straight (try Santorum's comparison of homosexuality to bestiality and child rape); the writer corrects his mistake.
On Funny or Die, Dan Savage comedically threatens to change the definition of the name "Rick" if Santorum doesn't agree to stop attacking gay people during his campaign.

The Ricks: Santorum’s boy toys & Perry’s customary greeting

Paul Ohan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:32 +0000

Image credit: Gage Skidmore Like any good reality show, the 2012 republican primary race is riddled with hypocritical and anachronistic characters that couldn’t be more entertaining if they were scripted. What makes them so buzz worthy is that they believe in a lot of the rhetoric they’re dishing out. But what’s even more mind blowing is they’re really speaking on behalf of their constituents, who in turn will defend the candidate. So color me, and my log cabin, crazy because I recently found out that Rick Santorum has gay men coming to his defense. I don’t really have a log cabin, it was just the obvious reference, but apparently Rick Santorum might.

10 bromances that could have been more

Alida Nugent — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:21:51 +0000

Forget romantic comedies—bromances are the new central relationship in film and television. The fist bumps! The six packs! There’s nothing like two awesome dudes getting along so well they consider themselves best bros for life. Til death do they part. However, as many guy/guy relationships are played out to be platonic, we can’t help but wish for more from some of our favorite dude pairings. Here are the ones that have the most potential to cross over from the throes of bro to gay.

Rick Santorum’s twin: McLovin

Matthew Rodriguez — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:36:17 +0000

While digging through the Internet time capsule, someone found Rick Santorum's high school yearbook photo and apparently he is the twin of "McLovin", the memorable awkward character played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse in SUPERBAD (actually all the characters were pretty awkward, weren't they?). Along with the unfortunate looks, maybe this presidential hopeful's (sorry, just threw up a little in my mouth at that thought) odious views are some form of repressed retribution for his own frustrating, sad high school social experience, theorized this arm chair psychotherapist.

Hip reads for 2012

Paul Ohan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:37:27 +0000

We know it’s hard to invest in a story, play, or essay these days. But with Kindles, Nooks, iPads, old fashion print, and audio books, there are convenient ways to keep your brain stimulated and find time to text. Besides, looking like you care about something other than a video game score during your morning commute totally increases your sexy points in the voyeuristic eyes of fellow passenger. Here’s a list of new releases for 2012 that should keep you current, occupied, and slightly out of reach from all your fans.

“The first dating site for humans”

Em and Lo — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:00:41 +0000

It seems like just yesterday the two of us were out on the fire escape of the Nerve.com office, smoking (smoking!) and coming up with the profile questions for the original Nerve Personals (you may remember "______ is sexy; ______ is sexier"). The Nerve Personals had a meteoric rise, signing up affiliate partners like Salon and The Onion left and right. It was so successful, it spun itself off into a purely personals company called Spring Street Networks. But what goes up must come down: the personals network was eventually sold to Friend Finder long after we'd gone and the whole thing just seemed to fizzle out, at least on Nerve's end.

Not without my daughter

Paul Ohan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:00:13 +0000

They met, they fell in love, they rented a U-Haul. It’s the classic lesbian story arc; two law enforcement officers find their soul mate and set out to forge a life together on the sunny Florida coastline. To complete the picture—in what could be considered the ultimate two-mommy move—the couple decide to co-create a child. One woman donates her fertilized egg to be implanted into her infertile partner, who then carries the child to term; and out pops a baby girl with a hyphenated last name. Picture perfect. Except in the end the couple decided to split. Cue the U-Haul.

Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s resolutions

Matthew Rodriguez — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:49 +0000

What are your resolutions for 2012? Please, something other than "go to the gym" because, let's not kid ourselves: we know that's not going to happen. I recommend adding "regularly read SUNfiltered" to your resolution list. If still looking for an inspiration for resolutions, get inspired by this timely and brilliantly whimsical list of 33 new year's resolutions set by folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1942 or as it should be called "life rules" because it's a pretty good guideline for living a virtuous (yet fun) life, especially number 26: Dance better. Overall, there's also a certain sense of prudence and levelheadedness to Guthrie's goals that recalls this sensible to-do list written by Johnny Cash (My favorite: 2. Kiss June), which I blogged about here earlier.

The frothiest comments on Iowa GOP results

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:26:15 +0000

The big political news in the States this morning is Rick Santorum's resurgence in the GOP race (otherwise known as the hilarious new reality show The Amazing GOP Race) with his nearly come from behind upset over Mitt Romney, which may please the Santorum campaign and supporters (did they celebrate with some orders of Santorum salad?), but it sure freaked everybody else out. At least it made the Internet gleeful for all the NSFW pun opportunities. It's not a big secret that the number one return when you Google search "Santorum" is an explicit sexual definition, which was payback initiated by columnist Dan Savage following the senator's hateful comments on homosexuality. Here are some of the best comments I've seen so far this morning from various corners of the Internet and friends on the Iowa GOP nomination results:

Puritan mating rituals & a free monologue for a new year

Em and Lo — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:00:45 +0000

This morning our inbox had an email from Mike Daisey titled "A free monologue for a new year." Daisey is the writer, director, ex-Amazon employee best known for his extemporaneous monologues. He just performed a sold-out show at Boston University's Huntington Theatre on New Year's Eve as part of Boston's First Night festivities. What caught our eye in the description of the monologue was the "elaborate mating rituals" of New England Puritans (of course), but what kept our attention was the mention of advice for having a New Year's Eve that doesn't suck -- humanity's eternal dilemma. Admittedly we haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but anything that makes fun of Boston in the first two minutes can't be half bad. Here's the set up from Daisey:

FREAKS AND GEEKS on Sundance Channel — Watch your favorite episodes with creator Paul Feig

Michelle Byrnes-Carney — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:01:28 +0000

Happy New Year! And if your 2012 resolution is to watch every episode of FREAKS AND GEEKS, then you are in luck. Starting tonight at 7 PM et/pt, Sundance Channel will air them all -- including the ones that never saw the light of broadcast. This is the perfect opportunity to reminisce about a time before TV got all Real Housewives and Teen Mom (1999-2000, to be precise). It’s also your chance to get that one friend who has never seen the show hooked. To help us dig deeper into one of the most beloved (by us indie nerds, at least), short-lived TV shows, SUNfiltered spoke to the show’s creator, Paul Feig (BRIDESMAIDS), over the holidays.

“Bounce That Dick,” feminist or not?

Em and Lo — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:00:22 +0000

When we were sent a link to the new YouTube video "Bounce That Dick" on the Jenna Marbles channel, we didn't know what to expect: some kind of safe-for-work sexual technique advice video by a porn star turned educator? Then, during the first 30 seconds, our hopes were raised, as the young "blogger and entertainer" began a rap parody, stating with much braggadocio, "I've been told since the day I started growing pubes to shake my ass. Well, guess what, my ass is fucking tired as shit. This time it's your turn to wiggle your man junk for me. I wanna see you shake your muthafuckin penis, bitch."

We prefer New Year’s Eve songs — Just like Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Michelle Byrnes-Carney — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:11:26 +0000

The 500 DAYS OF SUMMER festival faves may have not made it together on the big screen, but they’ve been good friends for years. Now, they are stepping out as musical collaborators with a charming (OK, adorkable) cover of Nancy Wilson’s “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve“? New Year’s Eve songs are so much [...]

It’s the end of the Universe as we know it — Your 2012 cultural horoscope

Sundance Channel — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:26:39 +0000

2011 may have been insane, but 2012 is shaping up to be downright frenetic. With all the buzz around the Mayan calendar, and our obsession, once again, with the end of the world in mind, here is a brief overview of what to expect in 2012 (if we get through it, that is). Not since the cultural revolution and the swinging 60’s have the planets above been in such a similar positioning—remember that whole age of Aquarius ditty? Assuming we don’t engage in senseless nuclear warfare with our enemy du jour, 2012 is looking to be like one for the books. Aries: As the year kicks off, the biggest influence for Aries comes courtesy of the planet of change, Uranus. This is looking to be an exciting year as long as you’re willing to roll with the punches. That laissez faire act you have been holding on to is going to be tested. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to learn to sit with the anxious energy you’re scheduled to feel the entire year. Try not to fill your time with your normal stockpile of chores and activities. Reflect on who you are and the way you choose to express your voice. This is an excellent time to revisit old projects you thought had been developed to the hilt. It seems there is a chance to breathe new life into it, just like Jennifer Saunders has in reviving the Absolutely Fabulous franchise into a movie. We have to admit the world is a lot more colorful with Patsy and Edina back in play. Go with the flow this year. You’ll thank us.

End of the year list…list

Matthew Rodriguez — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:32:38 +0000

Photo by Kent Shiraishi taken at Biei, Hokkaido, Japan.

Can you freaking believe 2011 is, for all intents and purposes, over? That means it is time for all of those end-of-year lists. So many lists, so little time left to read them; so I've compiled my own list of lists that will hopefully amuse, and at the very least distract, you.

For fans of MAKE and DIY culture, here are the top 10 "most important" people on Etsy, the popular online shop and community for independent handmade crafters.

For an exercise in guilty schadenfreude in 2011 here is a supercut of the best fails this year on YouTube. If you laugh at any of them you are a horrible, horrible person. I am a horrible, horrible person.

A rewrite-the-ending-contest to affect social change

Em and Lo — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:03:24 +0000

Through our friend, Lynn Harris, writer, co-creator of Breakup Girl, and now communications strategist for something called Breakthrough, we heard about a "Rewrite the Ending" contest (which ended last month):
Show of hands- How many of you wish that: - Andy (Pretty in Pink) had ended up with Ducky? - After Willy dies (Death of a Salesman), his wife gets a great sales job without having to play the "poor widow" card? - When Simran's father finally releases her hand (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge), she runs for the train to Goa and finds happiness on her own? - Ariel (Little Mermaid) had kept her voice and won American Idol. In other words: How often have you been enjoying a book, movie, play, or TV episode...when all of a sudden things take a turn for the sexist, misogynist, needlessly violent, or worse? Have you ever wished you could jump into a story, shout at the characters, grab the pen (or keyboard) of the writer, and make it turn out the way you think it should?
Of course we have! So I (Lo) entered the contest (you could do it via Twitter, Facebook or email, from 140 characters up to a couple hundred words). Here was my entry:

Trend of elaborate marriage proposals. Stop!

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:22:03 +0000

Meme Proposal | Tim * Audrey from Crazy Monkey Studio on Vimeo.
One of my closest friends proposed to his girlfriend over the weekend. He did it neatly and simply. There was a time when a guy was ready to propose to his future wife, it was relatively simple for most: a walk somewhere or maybe at the restaurant of their first date, drop to your knee like Tim Tebow and bust out the ring. But nowadays, thanks to the Internet, some of the more creative fellas out there with their elaborate videos are starting to set people's expectations of the proposal, to paraphrase Jimmy McMillan, too damn high!

The rituals of Christmas morning on YouTube

Matthew Rodriguez — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:11:55 +0000

Well, another Christmas has come and gone: The excitement, traditions, and rituals of Christmas morning which were private and unique to each family has now become a source of public entertainment thanks to YouTube, Facebook, online communities, and the countless other vehicles for information sharing and connecting on the Interwebs. We all remember popping up on Christmas morning as a kid (at an ungodly hour in retrospect) with a rapturous and feverish glee, forcing our parents to wake up, and then euphorically opening the presents which had contained all of our hopes and dreams at the time. The difference nowadays is that this crackhead-like (if I may use that phrase here) exhilaration and joy of children on Christmas morning is now a source for millions of views on YouTube. Unless you're a modern day Rip Van Winkle, you've all seen this priceless reaction video of this kid opening his Christmas present to discover a Nintendo 64 or as he screamed "a Nintendo Sixty-Foooooour. OH MY GAWD." Yeah, that video has over 15 million views on YouTube. Bookending the Nintendo 64 kid is this classic video where a new Nintendo Wii on Christmas morning is too much to handle for the lucky boy or in this instance, utter hilarity for the adults. Like these two videos I mentioned, each Christmas brings the rest of us a few more videos that enters our collective consciousness.

5 perfect gifts for your “I’ve already seen that on the Internet” friend

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:00:49 +0000

I know for a fact that most of you have not finished (or even started) your holiday shopping due to that deadly virus known as procrastination. Well I'm here with a few unique gift suggestions for your impossible-to-shop-for loved ones. 1. For your "foodie" chef who is also obsessed with designers' trendy incorporation of brass knuckles, I recommend this brass knuckle shaped meat pounder. 2. One of my favorite online memes to emerge has been the Sad Keanu Reeves meme, and if you're shopping for a "Redditor" or someone who hasn't met a meme they didn't like (hint: me), then this toy model of Sad Keanu Reeves is perfect.