Zappa Week: Day 2.

Zappa Week continues, with this appearance on "Crossfire" from 1986. Enjoy him arguing circles around Novak and company in this discussion on rock lyrics during the height of PMRC mania. We certainly need someone like him now.

(Just a work of warning -- this is the whole episode, so it runs over 21 minutes. But it's worth it.)

Zappa Week Begins!

For absolutely no good reason, I've decided to declare this week to be Zappa Week here at the 'Tube. Everyday, we'll be sharing a little bit of the genius of Frank Zappa, from the sublime to the ridiculous. And this definitely qualifies as the ridiculous. It's FZ doing a guest spot as a drug dealer on "Miami Vice." The episode is "Payback," from 1986:

Hall of Fame Special: "Fancy Curves."

With the baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. today, what better time to revisit the antics of that HOF charter member, Babe Ruth. In this vintage short, the Babe tries to teach some babes to play baseball:

A Nice Hot Towel.

You know, you really can't go wrong with classic Letterman. Forget watching the current shows and just trawl YouTube for the old clips. Like this one of Larry "Bud" Melman handing out free towels at the bus station:

Jukebox Friday: Sonic Youth.

I've been feeling awfully nostalgic for the music of my youth lately. So, here's Sonic Youth's video for "Dirty Boots" -- one of my favorite SY tunes, with a cool video to match. Oh, to be 20 again...

More Funny.

Again, just like yesterday's post, simple premises turn funny when kids are involved. And again, Will Ferrell is less funny than one of his co-stars.



[via Funny or Die.]

Pimp My Stroller.

What's a tot to do when they're wheels ain't fly? Why, you get Mommy to meet up with the boys from East Coast Hooptie Transformation Services, of course:

The Mean Streets of Sesame.

More movie trailer mashup fun today with this Martin Scorcese-ized version of "Sesame Street":

Bollywood Monday: Chirru Does "Thriller".

You've probably seen this one before, since it's been everywhere, but here it is again. (Just for the sake of completeness? Maybe.) Anyway, it's our man in the '80s, Chirru, doing his take on Michael Jackson's "Thriller":

The Shat's Rules of Love.

William Shatner shares some advice on how to handle women, the only way he can -- with a shiny shirt, rhyming couplets and plenty of '70s ham:

Bitch, Please.

Seriously... Bitch, please!

Jukebox Friday: "Turns Out the Eye Patch is A-OK."

It's screaming across the Internets as we speak, so far be it from me to jump on a viral bandwagon. Here's Jonathan Coulton's new video, a tribute to some photos he found on Flickr:

Screamin' at Screamin' A.

Why heckle Stephen A. Smith? C'mon, why not?

Almost Like It's 2006 All Over Again.

What do you get when you combine the "Snakes on a Plane" mania from last year with the "All Your Base" mania from a couple years before that? You get snakes on a muthafuckin' meme, that's what you get, as seen in this old video that I just felt like revisiting:



As a companion piece, here's the Cobra Starship video, just because I love the song so damn much:

Farewell, Sonny.

Today comes the news that the great Sonny Chiba will be retiring from movies at the end of the year. (Of course, he is 67 years old, which makes harder to administer righteous ass-kickings anymore.) He was the butt-whuppin' master, and will be missed.

Here he is in action in "Return of the Street Fighter":

Bollywood Monday: Katilon Ke Katil.

This week, let's take a break from the Bollywood music to enjoy the cheesy, nougaty goodness of "Katilon Ke Katil." Thrill to the alien Sasquatch wannabe laying the smack down in the lowest-budget way possible!



[via Monkeys for Helping.]

Evil Beatles.

Giving the "British Invasion" a whole new meaning, it's "A Hard Day's Night of the Living Dead":

Jukebox Friday: Whale.

Time to warm up the jukebox again. This time, it's a favorite of mine from waaaay back in the day -- "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe" by Whale.

The Many Deaths of Wilhelm.

For you movie buffs out there, here's a compilation of just some of the many films featuring the famed Wilhelm Scream:



And here's a bonus featurette on the history of the scream:

Battlefield Baseball.

Once again, the National Leaguers killed me with their play in last night's All-Star game. Maybe they should have played with this attitude:

Babe Ruth, All-Star Slacker.

With the MLB All-Star game set for tonight, what better time for this special message from Babe Ruth. Remember, kids -- stay out of school! (And don't forget to partake of the hot dogs, booze and loose women!)

Bollywood Monday: Beverly Hills Chirru.

Our main man from the '80s, Chirru, delivers a groovy version of Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel F." (Sorry, no info on the movie's title.)



[via Monkeys for Helping.]

Fight Night at the 'Tube.

After seeing Ronald Reagan get the what-for yesterday, let's keep going with this scene from "Undefeatable" that is simultaneously cracktastic and unforgettable:

To the Moon, Ronnie!

Ever wanted to punch Ronald Reagan. I certainly know I have. Well, lucky John Cassavetes got to actually do it:



(I love how the play button centers directly over Angie Dickinson's eyes to look like a really creepy mask.)

Jukebox Friday: Walk It Out.

While it may not quite be the phenomenon of the Jay-Z Black Album mixes, there are still plenty of video mixes of UNK's "Walk It Out" to go around. First, here's the original:


And here's Gwen Verdon struttin' it out with some Bob Fosse choreography:


Then there's the penguins from "Happy Feet":


The Teletubbies do it how dey do it:


One more time, with feeling:


Even Barney loves to walk it out:

Japanese Air Eating.

Want to see some competitive eating without the chunks? Leave it to the Japanese to make it surreal:



[via Japan Probe and TV in Japan.]

Damn Lemon-Headed Terrorist Pussies.

Don't you just love local politics? Because, every once in a while, in between all the mind-numbing urban planning mumbojumbo, something like this surfaces. On this Independence Day, let's all remember the gift of free speech.

A Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name.

Now, this is the movie I want to see:

Bollywood Monday!

What better way to perk up a dreary Monday than a little blast of Bollywood cinema? Because, where else but India would you find a spastic Mark Cuban clone leading a band of Beatlemania knockoffs?



(Sorry, no info on the name of the movie. Anyone?)

[via WFMU.]

W-E-T- P-E-T-S!

When in El Sobrante, be sure to visit Wet Pets. Word!