The Jane Ellen Experience Podcast Summary #9 03.20.09

Jim Herrin sat in on the podcast with me again today and they started out the show by discussing the President's appearance on Jay Leno's show. This is the first time that a seated president has appeared on a comedy show. Now, I think this is not unusual at all to him. "Sock it to me?" Anyone, anyone? Ok, I'll move on, but he wasn't president when he was on Laugh In and the point is, in this electronic age, Barack, is, in my opinion, used to seeing very public figures in a very accessible forum. And seeing someone on with Leno is good PR. However, as with any broadcast event, there is always the room for error. The President had been using the White House bowling alley and complained his score was 129. The perfect score is 300. So 129. Not so good. He said it's "like Special Olympics" which got a laugh, and then the apologies started from his media people. Wonder if it will be his last appearance on a comedy show.


Speaking of comedy, I remarked to Brien that the house was clean. Once a month we pay someone to do it for us. Jim feels it is my responsibility, being that I'm the wife. In that case, I wish we had the money to have someone come in every other day. Well, she cleaned on Thursday and I told Brien he should come over right away, the house was really, really clean, he'd never seen it in that condition. Of course, he agreed and said, "take a picture." Jim also agreed. Both of them know it won't last. Sigh.

Speaking of Brien, we have a new video, of sorts, out together. No, not that type of video. One you can watch with your children. At this writing it is on my Facebook page and www.myspace.com/thejaneellenpodcast look under videos on that page. When Brien gets home from his real job tonight, it will be on the Watch Jane part of http://www.thejaneellen.com/. You'll get to watch and hear both Brien and myself. Let us know what you think.

Three big movies rolled out today. They are Duplicity, a romantic comedy rated pg-13 with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Jim is not one of those smitten by Julia. He thinks she looks like a man with a wig on. I am all about me some Clive Owen. One of the reviews I read said that he has smirked his way through his past few movies and actually has a twinkle in his eye in this one. Which, to me, implies something that he's not going for in this film. But I digress. They play spies who plan to steal millions from the companies that employ each of them. They are also extremely paranoid.

Knowing is a PG-13 sci-f flick with Nic Cage in it. It starts with a time capsule at a school in 1958. A little girl seems to be putting in random numbers. 50 years later the capsule is opened and Cage realizes these weren't random numbers they were disaster dates and death tolls. And some haven't happened yet. So he tries to convince people that he has advance knowledge. Because knowing is half the battle.

The comedy of the weekend is I Love You, Man, rated R of course, with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Paul Rudd is newly-engaged but has no close male friends and needs a best man. So he goes on a series of "man dates" to find a man friend. And he ends up finding a guy friend who he spends more time with than his girl friend. And comedy ensues. I have a friend who has very few guy friends. And he's a guy. One could theorize. Oh, never mind, I'm not getting paid for my therapy sessions today.

Speaking of movies, MSN, made a list of their top ten worst sequels. Here's their list:
Staying Alive
The Sting II
Legally Blonde II
Highlander II The Quickening
Clerks II
Caddyshack II
Weekend at Bernie's II
Grease II
Speed 2: Cruise Control

Speed 2 and Grease II--hilarious. Oh, not supposed to be? There was a Sting II? Nothing wrong with Highlander II even though there can be only one. OK, if you don't get that reference you probably didn't like The Quickening. Some people saw Staying Alive in the theatre and bought the soundtrack and know that Sylvester Stallone directed it so it shouldn't even BE on the list. Clerks II is saved by Wanda Sykes. Jim thinks the whole donkey thing brings it down. The others, I didn't even know they existed. Oh, and we both agree. Best. Sequel. Ever. Star Trek II Wrath of Khan. Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Weird stuff. Guy in Romania was eating his salami. For real. Not an urban myth, his luncheon meat. Found a dead mouse in it. Bomb disposal units had to evacuate buildings in east London over a Monty Python prop. Jim didn't know what it is. But he had never taken the holy hand grenade of Antioch and lobbest it at his foe. Didn't know you could get it on eBay. And, get a load of this, a computer programmer from Finland lost half of his finger in a motorcycle accident. OK, that's not funny. However, he has built a special prosthetic finger that is a two gig USB drive. When he needs it he takes the finger off and plugs it into his computer. Good thing it was his finger and not another body part that got amputated, eh? Would be a little awkward to use that USB in public otherwise.


While I'm thinking of it, I happened to catch a few minutes of The View today. Whoopi Goldberg's closing remarks were sparked by a TV Guide spread regarding her fashion, or lack of fashion sense. And she said she is to be judged not by what she wears but by what she says. I like that. However it really did make my day when a stranger stopped me on my way into the grocery store to tell me she loved what I was wearing. I've had people tell me that at events. When I was all dolled up. But this was something I had "just thrown together." Brien even remarked that he "liked the ensemble." and then said yes, he just used the word ensemble. It was a teal and purple number. Jim has no memory of it at all. Jim doesn't even know what I'm wearing right now. And I am wearing clothes.