I feel bad for Steve Wynn. Not the casino mogul, but the musician. Wynn led a band called Dream Syndicate in the 1980s and has carved out a nice solo career over the past two decades. My real familiarity with…

Earlier this month, R.E.M. announced the remastered version of “Fables of the Reconstruction,” the third of the band’s early albums to get this treatment. Like the first two, this July 13 release will include a bonus CD. But they are…

I had a hankering for some comedy at lunch yesterday and decided to watch an old episode of Newsradio on Hulu. It was the one where Jimmy James faked his attempt at flying around the globe in a hot air…

A photocopy from a 1998 “Word of the Day” calendar hangs on a wall in my workspace. The word for January 13 of that year is “schadenfreude.” enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others I bring this up because I…

I have had satellite radio for some time now. The main comedy channel plays a fascinating variety of performers. Once in a while, they will play an old routine from Steve Martin. On first listen, you might think he’s bombing….

After almost 10 years, I have simply accepted my commute to Baltimore as a fact of life. I don’t even notice when co-workers talk about sleeping in until 7 a.m. or get a chance to run home to grab something…

NBC announced its new fall schedule over the weekend. The good news is that we are in the post-Jay Leno experiment era. The bad news is that the people who run the network still have the critical thinking skills of…

I don’t remember if I learned about Mil Millington through his website or his book first. Both have the same title – Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About. The premise had very little depth. Millington, a British writer,…

I don’t like yard work. I spent a number of years trying to find euphemisms to look less lazy, but I have come to grips with this reality over the past few years. Some people enjoy getting their hands dirty…

Some things sound too good to be true. Take, for instance, the pairing of Steve Carell and Tina Fey in “Date Night.” They both have honed their skills on well-regarded TV shows. Carell has taken his shtick to the big…