Giving the store away...

Some flotsam and jetsam topics that weren’t addressed yesterday…

Topic #1: It was correctly pointed out that if I am going to start reading Shakespeare’s histories then I should read Richard II before the Henry plays since they occur in that order. I still need to make a decision on this. While Richard II would be the correct way of doing it, Henry IV features Falstaff and as a rule I can only read Shakespeare when it involves a drunk or a woman impersonating as a man or a case of mistaken identity involving twins. Falstaff gives me the first and possibly the second, depending on how drunk he is at the time. Basically, I have to decide if the Henriad is like the Godfather trilogy or like Star Wars. Even if it is like Star Wars, getting Jar Jar out of the way early might not be a bad thing.

Topic #2: Ok, I really do need to write about the Brittney Spears upskirt pictures from last week. There’s just no way I can stay in good standing as a pop culture critic without addressing this issue. (No, I’m not going to post the pictures. They are easy to find on your own.) First of all, it’s kind of difficult to call these pictures upskirts. It’s more like “up a rather large belt”. This is why it is so obviously a publicity ploy. I mean, you are being hounded by the paparazzi so you go out in the shortest skirt possible, don’t wear any underwear and get out of the car by spreading your legs wide right in front of the guy with the zoom lens. Yeah, not subtle at all.

(The best part about the pictures are the expression on Paris Hilton’s face. She looks kind of like Yoda when Luke first learned to levitate the rocks. Actually, Paris looks a lot more like Yoda than I would like to admit. Maybe this is how she is escaping the clone army by appearing to be as dumb as possible. So I guess that would make Brittney her Padwan and Lindsay Mace Windu.)

Anyway, this is a huge mistake for Brittney and is going to end up costing her millions. Not because it is going to ruin her teeny-bopper image. That was lost a long time ago. Two kids will do that to you. No, what’s dumb about this is she gave this all away for free. Let’s be honest, no one gives a damn about her for her music or her dancing. The attraction is that she was a vaguely attractive popstar. Put Brit on the cover of Playboy and it would sell a ton of issues. Now the thrill is gone (as well as the opportunity for some much needed airbrushing). If you’re going to go out and whore yourself, you might as well go to the highest bidder.

Topic #3: I’ve added this to my links on the right but I have to mention it here. Mainly because this might be the entire reason the internet was invented. About two weeks ago my choice for the best band on the planet (The Frames) performed a concert at this club in the Netherlands on a Tuesday night. It was taped and the entire thing is available as a streaming video stream. It’s just what this club does for bands that come to town and it is the smartest thing I’ve heard of in years. Free publicity, a concert film that you could later sell as a DVD, all at no cost to the band. And this show by The Frames is just insane. Just click on Seven Day Mile or People Get Ready or Revelate and you’ll understand what I am talking about.