Author: brian
‘Ello Guv’nor, Put the Telly on the Lift
One night in college, my friend Jeff and I had a little too much to drink. I do not recommend this course of action, but it happens. We walked to a party at some point and found ourselves a corner…
Big Ten Network Drops the Ball
Throughout the collegiate sports season, the Big Ten Network features a concept called Student U. This supplements the network’s normal coverage of conference athletics with broadcasts produced by university students. Since many of the schools have outstanding communications programs, this…
ITEOTWAWKI: Best Songs Covered By R.E.M.
In anticipation of the release of “Collapse Into Now” next week, Paste Magazine took a unique look at R.E.M.’s legacy by posting a list of the 20 best cover versions of the band’s work. I loved this piece because I…
Borrowed Sunshine
I don’t expect a lot from my TV shows. Make me laugh, develop interesting characters and successfully navigate the minefield of well-worn topics as best you can. We know sitcoms can only break so much ground so at least try…
The Rest of The Brians
A day late, but here are the “minor awards” from the movies I saw last year. This is my favorite part of The Brians, even if this year did not have as much rich material. Best Music: “Hot Tub Time…
Move Over Oscars, Here are The Brians
Nine years ago, I had an idea. I decided that since I had no connection to the movies honored by Hollywood at the Oscars, I needed to come up with my own awards. That’s how I decided to start The…
ITEOTWAWKI: Getting Closer
One of the reasons R.E.M. continues to fascinate me is their commitment to openness. They seem genuine and honest when they sit down and discuss how they do what they do. They don’t put on airs even though Stipe can…
Becoming Relevant
At times, I have scared people with my knowledge of television and movie trivia. I don’t aim to know minutiae about my favorite shows. It just happens sometimes. But even while I can recite lines from any number of “Friends”…
Cold, Cold Go Away
NOTE: I wrote this column a while back when it was really cold, but never posted it. Since it was in the single digits this morning, I thought I’d finally get around to doing that. I know it also snowed…
Family Viewing Options
We have a ton of options on television these days. Personally, I love this fact. I can do nothing but scroll through the options over and over again seeing what I could watch if I really wanted to settle on…