This Week in NYTimes Arts, 11/28-11/30
What have you found of interest in the NYTimes Arts section? Remember to save your comments on your own computer, in case of any future crash.
PS You might be interested in reading Ben Brantley’s review of the show we’ll be seeing on 12/4
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Frank Cieciorka, does the name ring a bell? I doubt it. Most of you have probably never heard of him. Well, maybe Zoe has: they’re both graphic artists. Chang might’ve heard of him too: Chang knows everything. Mr. Cieciorka died Monday, mostly unrecognized for his firm grip on civil rights.
It was 69 years before emphysema took his life. During those 69 years, Cieciorka accomplished much in the way of civil rights. He first took his stance during the Vietnam War, where he was a strong supporter and member of the socialist party. His experiences during the War led to his position on civil rights. After helping introduce the “fist” symbol into the socialist party, Mr. Cieciorka was firmly determined to bring about social equality to all human beings. This “fist” was featured in a lot of media, but Mr. Cieciorka was rarely given credit. He didn’t mind so much; it symbolized his own passion for equality. He wrote a book for civil rights titled “Negroes in American History: A Freedom Primer,” featuring a cover picture with one fist and four open hands. He didn’t stop there though. Mr. Cieciorka continued his quest for fairness by shifting his attention to labor unions, where he began to make posters for the movement.
Many people pass by these articles unless they recognize the name. It took some time for Frank Cieciorka to get his proper recognition, but he finally got some on Friday in, “Frank Cieciorka, Designer for the Left, Is Dead at 69.”
Don’t you think it’s so sad for people to be remembered after they die, Walter? It’s so sad that Cieciorka doesn’t ring any bells when heard, even if he was a prominent civil rights supporter.
Anyway, unlike Frank Cieciorka, Lang Lang is famous at age 26. He is a piano player with a rough past, but continues to strive to the top. What’s interesting is that, Lang imposes an interpretation to the pieces he play ever since he started playing. He would somewhat “distort” the real piece by putting feelings into it, making high notes lower, changing parts to echoes, etc. However, because of his technique, some people criticize his work and claim him to be immature. Through time, his work became better and people assumed that he appreciated famous works more. Just this past summer, Lang played in the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
It is interesting that Lang had such a tough past. He was forced to leave his mother and study piano in Beijing. Lang worked very hard under a very strict teacher. When he missed practice, his father would tell him to jump off the balcony and continuously tell him that he is worthless. Reading this makes me sad; do some parents really want their children to die? Playing the piano is a way for Lang to relieve his stress and he pours his feelings onto it. It must be amazing to be able to do something you love and still be able to help yourself in a way.
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Books, books, books. Erasmus once said he valued books over nourishment (though not in such uncouth words). Thoreau went to the woods with barely anything, but couldn’t “live” without a book. I just recently made good use of a Barnes and Noble giftcard, careful to select books that would encapsulate my teenage quasi-intellectual period, just like the science-fiction period before that, and the scary-stories period before that, and so on. The article “The Well-Tended Bookshelf” is a great read for anyone who has a large collection of books, or intends on having one in the future.
Personally, I think books should scatter my room because 1) my room is an extension of me, and the books that litter this place are like pieces of knowledge I really couldn’t do without; making each section and corner of this hell a bit more interesting, and 2) I’m lazy. From the schools of thought discussed in the article, I fall into the former. The scholar of pendantry who will conspicuously place Nietzsche, Ayn Rand, Thoreau by the desktop, while hiding the “How to Impress Your Friends in 3 Easy Steps” under the bed (not a real book, but I’ll write it if you guys will buy it).
On the subject of the reference books, I keep an Almanac around my house, just because. The same reason I carry a dictionary around, just because. Sympathizing with the author, I feel that one of the tragedies of technology is the lack of interaction. Google, an entity that you can never touch, is omniscient and has put to retirement the necessity of reference books. With computers, if you accidentally close a tab on an e-book, it’s retrievable and painless. If you flipped through your encyclopedia for the entry on D. Farinae, and cut your finger, you will have just felt exactly what men a thousand years ago felt: a small sacrifice for the pursuit of knowledge. And though I have digressed and used a poor example, the depersonalization between man and books is painfully apparent. So while I sit here on a Sunday morning clicking my way through the NYT website… I’d rather get the paper. Then again the Sunday Times is a ripoff, so forget it.
I found the article “From Fake Newspaper to Real Serious” by Dave Itzkoff to be very interesting.
Did you ever wonder what happens to professional wrestlers after they retire? Probably not. Their problems can be quite a bit more difficult than you would first assume. Wrestlers face a lot of obstacles once their careers end. They become muscle-bound, steroid addicts with the same significant problems that all humans face in old age. Many of us might find the setbacks that a professional wrestler faces beyond his career to be comical, however, in Robert Siegel’s movie, “The Wrestler”, Siegel points out these problems and interprets them in a serious manner.
Robert Siegel spent many years of his life writing for a popular newspaper hoax, “The Onion”, which many of us have seen before. You would expect a man who used to write for such an unrestrained newspaper to find his own movie at least a slight bit comical, but after so many years of humor, Mr. Siegel wants to sober up his career. Although he admits that his movie has some serious similarities to “The Onion”, he says that it is definitely not a parody of wrestlers like he would have written during his newspaper career. After looking at the short trailer, it becomes very apparent that the movie is not what you would expect. It seems like it is going to be nothing like a comedy, but more like a heartwarming love story and drama.
Computer animated movies have drawn large audiences and have grossed large profits. It is unusual to see any animated film not aided by computers in this age, but there are still some artists who attempt to. In the article, ” Cartoons Without Computers? Silly Animators!” we are introduced to animators who use their pencils to make their films. Mr. Plympton is the best-known of these types of animators, and his films include the “The Tune”, “I Married a Strange Person” and “Hot Dog”. He uses the same technique that Disney used in 1936, which shows how outdated his method is. He draws about 100 drawings a day and hopes to eventually reach 300 drawings a day. Other artisits include Henry Selick, Don Hertzfeldt and Signe Baumane. However, they have not gotten many opportunities to showcase their films to the general public.
From the Friday NYT I found “Her Job Is Herding Mice in Toeshoes” to be interesting. This article is about the Nutcracker that is going t be performed at the New York State Lincoln Center. I’ve never watched the Nutcracker live but I’ve seen snippets of the show on television. This article talks about the little girls that perform in the show. I cannot believe some of the girls are only 7 years old. That’s amazing! I wish I had the luxury of going to dance lessons when I was a little girl. It basically talked about the day to day summary of how practices were the girls. I was amazed by the numbers given by NYT, “One hundred and five children. Seventy-one roles. Twelve angels. Sixteen soldiers. Eight mice. Eight candy canes. Party scene boys and girls (six of each, plus two teenagers). Eight Polichinelles. One bunny. Hundreds of rehearsal hours. Forty-six performances. And only one Ms. Whittle.” Ms. Whittle is in charge of the rehearsal for a huge cast. I hope the performance goes well and maybe if the tickets are insanely expensive I will go see it!
The Friday NYT also briefly mentions that MTV will be holding a ball for Barack Obama! MTV’s event will be called “Be the Change Inaugural Ball” and will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington on Jan. 20.
I just couldn’t but help comment that it’s going to be crazy and amazing because he’s so popular. Also MTV will be inviting many young people to celebrate the large turnout of young voters for this election. I hope the event goes well!
“Oh Give Me a Home Where the Cowboys and Kangaroos Roam”
This title immediately caught my eye because I’ve been told that I look like a kangaroo and I knew I’m waiting to see the new movie Australia. I honestly know NOTHING about the movie but I’ve been dying to go to Australia for years now so that was a good enough reason. Anyway, Australia is described as combination of some of the greatest stories ever told. I wonder how good that could be considering people combine various features in plastic surgery and come out looking like a cadaver or something. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman (named sexiest man of the year) act as lovers in this movie.
I also read ‘Family Guy’ Sidekick to be Spinoff Star, not because I like Family Guy but because I hate it. HATE HATE HATE. You know that round black guy with the little mustache (aka Cleveland)? Yeah, he’s getting his own show. Of course, Cleveland will have a family, crazy neighbors and most likely, a vulgar sense of humor. Maybe something’s wrong with me…I just hate Family Guy. There’s no point to this comment by the way. I’m just very irritable right now. See you all tomorrow!
🙂
The unique headline of the “cartoons Without Computers? Silly Animators!” article captured my attention in the NYT Sunday Art Section. It is true that today with movies like Shrek, Madagascar, Wall-E, people have more expectations of high definition and animated cartoon rather than the old-fashioned Walt Disney films like Snow White or the Mickey Mouse series. However, there are still many artists today that make thousands of drawings to create an animation film. Others use Flash or use of clay models to devise their version of film. What’s considered animated in today’s world? One of the artists got refused by animal film festivals because his work was not considered as “animated.” I believe that it doesn’t matter whatever way animation films are produced, either through the “hard way” or the “advanced” way, all that matters is the story line. As long as the plot captures people’s heart, the animation film will surely succeed.
It was very interesting to read that Diane HATES family guy! I personally don’t mind it. Of course it is stupid and silly…most of the time, but c’mon it IS very entertaining. But REALLY? Cleveland is having his own show? Very interesting…i wonder if it will become as well-liked as the Family Guy.
Also, in response to Walter’s comment on Robert Siegel. Although i am somewhat surprised that he won’t stay on the comedy track with his film, it is not unusual. The Onion newspaper is very interesting and i think that even if the movie is nothing near comedy, I am sure it is still going to be very attractive.
“Chance and Circumstance” reviews a book that I had looking at recently, “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell. With a short bio of Gladwell’s life, Leonhardt links the topic of Outliers to the circumstances of Gladwell’s own life and decisions. The book surrounds the controversial topic of opportunity and what society deems to breed success. While everyone holds the American ideal that diligence will lead to success, it is only half the story, and people greatly underestimate the influence of one’s circumstances.
This had struck me initially because I, often the pessimist, will shoot down people’s whose idealistic views inspire them be the next Bill Gates or Warren Buffet with the notion that it was purely their wits and efforts that got them to where they are.. A quick glance at this article, or a long read through any writing about these two individuals will show that although they were intelligent and made sharp decisions, their family lives and status allowed for such ingenuity to burgeon.
Although this post steps out of the artistic/cultural and more into the social-political, I feel that this is a statement that had to be made. I’m sure many of us could have chosen to gone to more prestigious (read: expensive) schools, but have been limited by our circumstances. I look forward to picking this book up soon; not to reaffirm my views, but to perhaps make the best of my circumstances.
For some reason I thought Friday’s NYT was shorter than usual. I read the art in review for Neil Jenney. I think it is great how artists can change styles and paint different things and get involved in different areas of art. It makes them more diverse and if the artist is good at everything it shows more of their talent. I think I would like the painting with the clouds. I like paintings that involve nature and I think Jenney takes nature and expresses it in a more special way.
I also looked at the classical music CDs. It is true that less people are buying CDs. More people download music either legally or illegally. But I still like collecting CDs of music I really like. But along with everything else CDs prices are rising. I like classical music and usually I like the famous ones that I recognize and it is nice to see a lot of classical CDs out.
I also read Where Every Room’s a Holiday, by Design. I would love to take a look at the antiques. I like modern designs and antiques so if I were to design a room it would be a mixture between a modern and an antique design. Designing sounds really fun but hard. I know what kind of design I like when I see one but it would be really hard to design something. Show houses seem fun and different from the arts we have been looking at.
The first paragraph of “Irving Berlin’s Snow Business” made me think of my piano learning experience. I was always told to make my fingers round like I was holding an egg in my hand. The story of Berlin made me think how some mistakes become inventions. He was making a mistake by not playing the piano the “correct” way but this became famous. I think there is no “correct” way in music, there are just different styles. No one can judge what sounds right or nice because everyone has different taste.
The article “Theater Director With a Filmmaker’s Eye” was interesting. It probably may be better for the director to not watch the movie so something new may come out. If he does plays by Tennessee Williams, I hope he does “A Streetcar Named Desire”. I am reading that play for the second time now and I saw the movie. I would love to compare it with the theater version. I like the idea of kind of combining theater and film because they are very different. Also I think the performance would be more real to the audience if they are sitting on the stage.
For the Sunday NYT I read “Is It a Talk Show if the Host Sings? ” It about a musical talk show hosted by Elvis Costello. Its about music, talking, and music oriented talking. Usually Constello would end up performing for or with all his guests. That’s so interesting because I’ve never heard of a talk show host who performs with their musical guests. However I think if i watched the show I probably would not know what they are talking about especially when it comes to music-oriented talking. The plan is to have less talking and more performing in order to get in longer numbers that are about 7 minutes long instead of just 3 minutes. Mr Costello is planning to even have Eminem on the following season of Spectacle. There are also possibilities of getting Beyonce on the show as well. I would definitely like to watch the show if he gets more interesting guests. He said the goal is to make this program a type of historical reference for the future. I think that’s a very clever idea!
I think everyone knows that films and movies have been relying heavily on computers and technology more than ever before – especially in the animated film industry, when creating films with the traditional hand-made process is often too inconsistent and time-consuming for the likes of most big studios. “Cartoons Without Computers? Silly Animators!”, (which Calvin and Joyce also posted about) however, shows that not everyone has chosen to rely on this expensive – and even somewhat unoriginal – method. One animator, Bill Plympton, still does all his animations by hand, using pencil. While it’s admirable that he undertakes such massive projects by himself, there’s always something morbid about it, too. Plympton claims that it took about 25,000 drawings for one of his latest movies – about 100 drawings a day, about 10 an hour, for about 250 to 300 days. And while I love drawing, even I have trouble seeing how he’d keep up that kind of motivation. (He claims it’s a “zen thing”, but when “zen thing” involves not doing emails or phone calls, getting up at 6am and immediately starting to draw without showering… sure, Plympton, maybe novelists do it to, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any less strange…) Still, I admire his (and many other artists’/animators’) devotion to a film form that’s rapidly disappearing in our technologically savvy age.
What also caught my eye is the article “From Fake Newspaper to Real Serious”, which Walter also wrote about. It’s about Robert Siegel, and former editor in chief of The Onion (which I usually find somewhat ridiculous, but mostly hilarious) and his new work. He wrote the screenplay for a film called “The Wrestler”. While I can see the merits of his story (which is about a professional wrestler whose glory days have long since passed), I hardly think that it’s ever going to “elicit comparisons to films like ‘Amadeus’” with its focus on “the creative genius who’s somehow tortured by their art”. I think “The Wrestler” and “Amadeus” don’t exactly have the same class of subject… but maybe that’s just me. Nevertheless, it’s hardly foreign to my mind to have an editor of a silly newspaper become a screenwriter for a serious movie – creative people think in creative ways, and just because you know someone for one particular thing doesn’t mean that that’s all they can do. It’s ambitious – although I still wouldn’t put a movie about a wrestler on the same level of tortured-creative-genius-subject “Amadeus”, even if it is just as a good a movie.
I’d just like to say, I can’t believe Diane doesn’t like Family Guy.
That’s craaazy.
I’m enjoying how funny Diane is when she’s cranky. I loved the plastic surgery-Frankenstein remark.
So this pianist named Lang Lang wants to be taken more seriously. The first thing he should do is drop one of the Langs. OR….he could always call himself Lang Squared. I’d download…er…I’d buy a CD from Lang Squared more readily than I’d buy one from Lang Lang. Imagine if Bach had actually been named Bach Bach….or if Chingy decided to call himself Chingy Chingy. IT JUST WOULDN’T WORK THAT WAY.
That being said, I recently read a Times article entitled “Lang Lang: His Life So Far.” It’s basically a profile of Lang Lang’s life (how’s that for alliteration?) At 26, the world famous pianist has written an autobiography and had it published in 8 different languages. This completely goes against my belief that no one under the age of 43 should venture out to write an autobiography, but I won’t hold that against him.
Lang Squared’s story is like many others though–his parents were very strict, and he was placed on a rough regimen of discipline at a very young age. I strongly believe that Mr. Lang Lang shouldn’t be complaining–regardless of where he came from, this is where he is now, a world renowned musician. Why complain?
I personally feel that the Times article is way too melodramatic. The author goes on to provide an anecdote of Lang’s life, in which his father became very angry with him and wanted him to kill himself. While the raw emotion associated with this moment is indeed intense and captivating, I don’t see it as belonging in a Times article relevant to Lang maturing in terms of his musical style.
I think at 26, Lang Squared has a lot to learn. He had a rough upbringing, and I think he should use that as inspiration in his pianist endeavors. Let him channel the raw emotion out into every stoke of the ivory. Let him show the world the fury, the emotion, the passion….of Lang Lang.
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Let me just begin by saying this: Leonardo Dicaprio is an amazing actor. Just about every film I’ve seen in which Dicaprio plays a role is superb. I recently saw The Departed, and my jaw is still on the floor. I was also taken aback by his portrayal of Jack Dawson in Titanic, where he starred alongside a captivatingly beautiful Kate Winslet. I was surprised to find out that the two would once again be starring opposite one another in “Revolutionary Road.” I was even more surprised to find out that “Revolutionary Road” was generating considerable Oscar buzz.
“Hollywood’s Bull Market in Ego” is a Times article about the movies currently in contention for Oscars this year. The article asserts that the Oscar season will go on despite the economic hardships and political turmoil our country has recently had to endure.
Personally, I’m a huge movie buff. I forego having a social life to watch films. As a result though, I’d like to consider myself decently versed in the matters of cinematography and acting, also having taken a film class in high school. I have yet to see many of the movies currently in contention, but it did also take me 2 years to see Crash. It’s a slow process.
The article made one point that I hadn’t previously thought about–there was a scarce amount of decent films released during the Election. I concur. I mean, although I have strong beliefs that High School Musical 3 should be up for Best Picture, there was an astoundingly small amount of good films to be seen in this time frame.
Furthermore, I’d very much like to see another film the article talks about called “Australia.” I believe that Nicole Kidman and Hughe Jackman will have incredible on-screen chemistry, comparable to that of Leo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet.
I was also shocked to find out that Kate Winslet had never won an Academy Award. This is a great injustice, but there can be no greater injustice than the fact that celebrated director Martin Scosese hadn’t won Best Picture for either Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver or Casino. I do feel that Kate Winslet was SUPERB alongside Kevin Spacey in “The Life of David Gale.” I would say she’s definitely due for the honor.
This year’s Oscar season is shaping up to be a good one.
I’d also like to point out that Mr. Ben Brantley of the New York Times has made a typo.
“Mr. Hoch a specialist in placing invisible people in the line of vision of folks who might otherwise never see them.”
That is all.
After I saw Titanic, I wrote a letter to Leonardo DiCaprio. Don’t ask me where I got his address from. I was only in 4th grade? Anyway, I told him that he was the first boy I ever liked and that I loved him. He never replied.
I hate him.
Just to add on to this, I also wrote to the man who wrote “Island of the Blue Dolphins,” in 4th grade. He didn’t reply either. Then his wife wrote back… he’d been dead for a few years.
The day before Thanksgiving, “Australia” was released on to the big screen. With a cast made of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, I expected the movie to be great. Another factor that determined my pre-show opinion is that the director had directed one of my favorite movie, “Moulin Rouge.” Reading the review by Manohla Dargis, titled, ‘Oh Give Me a Home Where the Cowboys and Kangaroos Roam.’ Reading this review, I now have my doubts. I sense a sort of sarcasm towards the film. He uses the word “kitsch” in the beginning, the middle and the end of his review. “Kitsch” means art, object or design considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way. He relates the characters of Kidman and Jackman to classical romance film characters such as ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ‘Scarlet and Rhett’ and ‘Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.’ To finish off his review he write: ““Australia” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Some bloody violence, many stampeding hooves.” It isn’t fully clear until the last four words that I knew Dargis did not really have a positive view on “Australia.” Will his review discourage me from watching the film? Doubt it.
Aww Diane….
I wrote to Britney Spears when I was in third grade. She never wrote back either, despite the fact that I had all of her albums AND her poster on my wall.
It’s a good thing nobody will ever find out about that.
Bel canto is a form of Italian singing. Quite beautiful and pleasing to listen to, Bel canto has been considered by Gioachino Rossini to be “lost.” In ANTHONY TOMMASINI’s article “Bel Canto: Audiences Love it, But What is It?” Tommasini tries his best to describe the what bel canto is and gives the reader a history on it. With the article there is a video clip Tommasini playing the piano to give a audio example of bel canto. It is really quite lovely to listen to. The way he describes the beauty of bel canto makes me want to and Youtube some songs and just listen to it as I lay and rest. It is a shame that not many people do listen to opera style music or even classical music these days. My sister actually takes vocal lessons and currently she is practicing italian opera. The music is just so beautiful. Although I don’t understand the words, I still can feel it through the tone and the dynamics of the piano. I don’t know if these songs would be considered bel canto. Perhaps I should research more on bel canto.
I’ve been playing piano since I was 4 yet its been a while I’ve really sat down and practiced it. On the other hand, renowned pianist Lang Lang is already playing sold-out concerts and garnering acclaim at the age of 26. I’ve heard about him quite a lot from my parents and other adults in my community first because he’s Asian and second, he’s every Asian parent’s dream child. At 26, he’s had phenomenal record sales, played at sold-out houses, released his own books and played at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics before a television audience estimated to be 36 million. Now, who can claim to have done all of that at such a young age? In his autobiography, we learn how his youthful years in China shaped him into the great musician he is today. Although not as severe, I think that many Asian kids can relate to his relationship with the piano because I know a lot of people who have had to learn how to play since they were very young and continue to do so at the bid of their parents. I’d love to see Lang Lang play at Carnegie Hall or Avery Fisher Hall one of these days.
Nobody will dispute that books are a form of luxury, and they come in quite a range of shapes and sizes. “Don’t Bother Waiting for the Paperback” is about the construction of a 62-pound handmade book, titled “La Dotta Mano” (“The Wise Hand”), that cost $100,000 and took six months to build. The front cover is made of white marble from Michelangelo’s favorite quarry, and the binding is covered with velvet made by the same Italian shop that made the stage-curtains for the Metropolitan Opera. The book contains photographs of Michelangelo’s pictures, especially his work with the Sistine Chapel. One copy of the book was donated to the New York Public Library, and it goes on public display on Tuesday. More than 20 copies have already been sold. This 62-pound piece of art must be impressive indeed. It’s a wonderful way to use art, creating a piece that has both contemporary and historical value, and I would definitely like to check it out.
Obama’s presidential victory certainly had its effects in political circles, but his victory has changed American television as well. “TV Casting May Feel an Obama Effect” explores the possibility that TV will experience a surge in the number of black actors with lead roles in television dramas. Historically, the majority of black actors have only held small supporting roles—comedies with black actors have becoming something of a network staple, but few black actors get to lead in television dramas. The most successful black actors include Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones, and Andre Braugher, but even they did not have extremely long-lasting roles. Ultimately, networks like NBC and ABC have started pushing for projects starring minorities. I agree with the tone of the article, and it’s time that black actors started to get the same amount of screen time as their white peers.
CBS or NBC? “The Mentalist,” although a show that is rated top 10 each week, I was did not choose to watch it. The Mentalist is about a man who has sharp skills on observation, and uses them to solve crimes. His name is Patrick Jane. Similar to Jane, Chuck in the show “Chuck” on NBC, has an intercept which gives him intelligence on all sorts of information. Chuck is a CIA agent and also helps solve crimes and investigations. Although at first, I was looking forward to watching “The Mentalist,” my opinion switched after comparing the two shows. “Chuck” seemed to have more comedy and seemed a little more interesting. (And of course, the pretty girls played a role in my decision). Seeing that the Mentalist is on NY times with great reviews, and with the protagonist saying that the character fits him well, I am interested in maybe taking my time to watch both The Mentalist and Chuck. Although a bit mad that “NBC’s sleuth series has gone nowhere but down,” I will not be ignorant into trying new sleuth shows. The show “Chuck,” however, will always be in my favorites list.
I also read an article “TV Casting May Feel an Obama Effect.” I thought it was interesting how Obama’s victory had an effect not only on politics but also on the American television as well. This reminded me of “D.L. Hughley Breaks the News,” a CNN weekend show hosted by black comedian D.L. Hughley. An advertisement for this show always had a line, “yes, we can give a black man a show.” After reading this article, I am curious to find out whether the numbers of lead black actors will increase significantly over next few years. Although the majority of black actors are supporting actors, I believe that their acting skills are as strong as those of white actors. The change has been made in the American politics, now it’s time for the change to occur in entertainment business.
By the way Diane you are not the only one who hates the Family Guy.
I used to hate it, and I still don’t like it.
I’m going to have to start off by saying this: Diane… You’re a terrible person! haha, well I don’t really mean that, but come on! Cleveland getting his own show is the best idea ever. I can’t imagine Quagmire or Joe getting his own show. But Cleveland is a different story. The way he talks, and how his voice changes when he sings, those things are just the start of his few amazing traits. I love, and LOVE whenever he talks about Loretta, his wife. It is just hilarious, and although Loretta and Cleveland never seem to be shown together often, Cleveland seems to pull it off without her. ‘Family Guy’ Sidekick to Be Spinoff Star, with Cleveland as the protagonist, and having his own family be like that of Peter and his family in a different way. It seems like I am just rambling on and on, but this is to show my excitement. Cleveland is by far my most favorite character in Family Guy, and I am always sad to see that he has the least parts in the show (although that is what probably makes him so funny).
Corey, we should get together and watch this together. And possibly celebrate.
p.s.Family Guy is AMAZING and Diane isn’t invited.=)
just playing, you’re invited Diane, Miji isn’t invited=)
I’m being a jerk. Everyone is invited.
YEA YEA Joe. Don’t try to cover it up by saying “Everyone is invited.”
Ahhhh my IDC comment just got erased because I exited out of it before saving it. I am so sad. In addition, I cannot find last week’s NYTimes comment so I have to rewrite it. I think I am little upset so I am just complaining. Sorry guys :[
Recently I downloaded the Disney classics in reminiscence of my childhood memories. I was listening to various songs from movies such as “Aladdin”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and more. After listening to some of the songs, my older sister, who shares the room with me, said, “Those were the good times for Disney.” This story ties to an article “Cartoons Without Computers? Silly Animators!” This article focuses on the animators who embrace the hand drawn animations in the technology-based society. Lately most of the animated films are made from computer graphics. I do not think that the quality of those movies are any different from the hand drawn animations, but I certainly do believe that those movies somehow lack friendliness and comfort that old movies can provide.
I was also impressed by Plympton’s devotion in drawing. He finishes about 100 drawings a day, about 10 an hour, for about 250 to 300 days. I understand the “zen thing” he is talking about when he is focused, but I cannot live without e-mailing or phone calling. Artists like Plympton should be admired for their continuation in basic foundation of animation. In the future, I wish more animations like old Disney animations will be made. It’s been a while since I cried watching an animation!
Er…Joe…I don’t really think the Cleveland spinoff will be a good idea. I mean….look what happened to that show “Joey.” “Friends” was great, but “Joey” was teeeerible.
I’d also just like to reaffirm my strongly held belief that Family Guy > Simpsons.
I think Cleavland should stay where he belongs, on “Family Guy.” Fox is just exploiting another hit show. They’ll drain it for all its worth, just like they always do. “Family Guy” has already had 2 movies, enough is enough.
And for the record,
Simpsons >>> Family Guy
There really isn’t any comparison.
Family Guy is a superior show, in terms of story-line and wit. Its dry humor is impeccable, its flashbacks are remarkable.
End of story.
Story-line? Wit? Yeah I see where you’re coming from…
Cool hwhip, farts, chicken fights, each episode ending up where it started off…
Can we just ostracize Corey already?
Hmm.. Although a tough decision, I think Simpsons>Family Guy, only because Family Guy takes it’s ideas from The Simpsons. And they also waste too much time with each joke, which may be funny at times, but most of the times, is just stupid. I still love Family Guy and Simpsons.
As for what Walter said: I am not suggesting that Cleveland leave the show Family Guy. I just think Cleveland having his own show will be hilarrrious. I mean come on, has there been a time where you haven’t laughed when it was Clevelands part in the show? He gave at LEAST a chuckle.
And yes, I agree to the ostracism of Corey. Only because he is not a Cleveland fan. Cleveland MAKES Family Guy. His own show will definitely be a good idea. (I really hope I don’t get proven wrong when the show airs).
In the Friday Times I read “Lang Lang: His Life So Far.” At just 26 years old, Lang Lang’s musical performances are as far-reaching as they can be. The article mentions him performing in outdoor concerts and during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Despite his talent, he has often been criticized for his excessive expressions and distortions. His current success is not without past painful memories though. As a child, he was forced by his father to take piano lessons in Beijing. At times this may seem harsh that parents push their kids to the extreme sometimes and force them to do things they really do not enjoy. But in the end the path the parents choose may be the right one and looking back the kid may not regret it but will actually thank his parents in the future. When I was younger, my mom forced me to take piano lessons. I cannot really say I hated taking piano lessons because at one point I really tried to appreciate all the music from the classic composers such as Chopin and Mozart. But then my mom said I did not have that much talent even though she was the one who made me take piano lessons in the first place. Being me, I was really rebellious when I was younger, and I just stopped practicing and by the time I reached freshman year in high school I had totally stopped taking piano lessons. But looking back now, like Lang, I still thank my mom for putting me through piano lessons. Lang spends more time now with his parents then ever. When my mom said that not everyone has this opportunity to take piano lessons at such a low price from a professional instructor, I just shook off what she said completely. But now when I am older I have come to learn to appreciate this wonderful opportunity my mom gave me and the vast amount of time that my instructor put into teaching me since he said I had potential. I never became a professional pianist but I was not bad at one point. Now I really do not know if sitting back down in front of a piano I will be able to replay all the classic pieces I learned.
It is amazing how Lang uses his skills to play the piano to express his bottled up feelings. If I had never taken piano lessons, I would not be able to understand how he is able to do this. But being that I did take piano lessons, I have come to understand that the piano and all other musical instruments as well are great ways to express your bottled up emotions. It would be much more constructive to express anger, for example, by playing the piano rather than yelling at an innocent bystander.
In the Sunday Times I read “Theater Director With a Filmmaker’s Eye.” It is about Ivo van Hove who adapts the film versions to their theater forms on stage. I am also very excited as well if he does do Streetcar Named Desire in theater form since he does plays from Tennessee Williams. This is my second time reading the play as well and I have never read it with greater analysis than my English professor now made me do. It is so much different and better when you watch the movie on the play and pause it every now and then to reflect on the different camera angles and their effect on the characters. Just stopping to analyze sheds a whole new light on the characters. If the movie was good, I wonder what it would be like to see this play in theater form.
I’d have to agree with Sophia. I took a film class in high school, and juxtaposing the film with the written play was truly an experience. I thought Mr. Brando was absolutely phenomenal.
I’d like to refute Chang’s claim that each episode of Family Guy begins where it starts off. In a short period of about 20 minutes (without factoring in commercial time), the viewing audience gains valuable insight into the lives of the Griffins, examining the dynamic of a truly unique family. It is through this insight that we may gain deeper meaning into the familial relationships of our own lives. The episode doesn’t end where it begins, but rather breaks the seemingly endless loop of which you speak and allows the audience to enjoy watching these fictitious characters grow up before its eyes.
In response to Joe, you’re just plain wrong. You sir, have not provided substantial evidence to support your claim that the spinoff show revolving around Cleveland will be even as remotely successful as Family Guy. Cleveland was meant to be a secondary character–his brief quips are scattered throughout various episodes, for the most part, peppering them with a unique blend of comedic genius. Cleveland, however, cannot and will not survive on his own.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Corey, although you say that Cleveland will not be able to survive on his own, it seems as if you are assuming that Cleveland will be on the show only by himself. I’m assuming this show to be like Family Guy, where there will be secondary characters. So instead of having Quagmire, Cleveland and Joey being the secondary characters, this spinoff with Cleveland will maybe have Joey, Quagmire, and Peter as secondary characters. Although to be honest, I am a LITTLE BIT skeptical that a whole show based on Cleveland will do well, I believe that the combination of those secondary characters AND Cleveland will be a great combination and will do well. So therefore, Corey, I am NOT plain wrong=). Although there is a chance that the show might not be “as remotely successful as Family Guy,” I believe that it will be even better than Family Guy.
Joe,
Need I refer to the sitcom “Joey,” which was a spinoff of “Friends” based solely around Matt Leblanc’s character? The show failed epically, due to its poor writing and the fact that Joey couldn’t survive being the show’s protagonist.
I shall also refer to “American Dad!” which is another comedy from Seth McFarlane. The show, for anyone who has seen it, fails in comparison to Family Guy, continually earning lower ratings. It’s humor cannot begin to rival that of Family Guy.
Put short and simple: Spinoffs are destined to fail.
Hello Corey, (I hope this argument does not crumble our friendship, because I love you)
First, I would like to say that although it is understandable that you are comparing the Cleveland show to the sitcom, “Joey,” I still feel that it is a terrible comparison because one is a cartoon, and one isn’t. Also, they have two totally different concepts and types of jokes.
“American Dad” is a show that was an original whereas the Spinoff is one that can relate to Family Guy. So once again I would like to point out your terrible comparison.
However, if you would like to use those kind’s of comparisons, what about “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy”?
Family Guy is like a spinoff to The Simpsons, and was a complete success.
“Put short and simple:” Spinoffs are NOT destined to fail.
Brah,
There are exceptions to every rule, Family Guy being one of them. Although the show was cancelled in its second season, it came back due to popular demand. Like a phoenix, it rose from the ashes, shedding whatever lame style it had taken from the Simpsons and became a show of its own.
Family Guy’s revival gives hope to an ailing nation. We can only hope the economy has such a resurgence as Family Guy.
Chang: Family Guy is jam-packed transient one-liners and flashbacks with no relevance to what little plot each episode has.
while the Simpsons, WOW the Simpsons.
Corey: Apples and oranges in terms of plot and storyline fragmentation.
The jam packed transient one-liners and the flashbacks of which you speak are merely staples of the show, as the extensive and sometimes excessively large character library of the Simpsons is a staple of THAT show.
Chang: A family guy episode is like a bad night where you can recollect a particular moment of cheap laughs while the experience has a whole has weak links throughout. But a Simpsons episode is intricate and connected, no moment more memorable than the other, synergistically combining the elements to create a stronger work as a whole. However, if you like cool whoowip…
Corey: Well sir, the format of a typical family guy episode, as we have both agreed upon, is fragmented and filled with these aforementioned “transient one-liners”–such a format is characteristic of the traditional way that humans encode information to memory, allowing the show’s format to relate more personally to the viewer. The one liners are like bullets penetrating a proverbial shield of prudence that surrounds viewers of the show…they serve to provoke water-cooler talk and provide topics of online discussion boards. A scholarly individual such as yourself who frequently peruses the internet can surely appreciate that….
Chang: That argument is more rhetoric than substance. Adherence to the show’s structure makes the dangerous assumption that the audience is unable to follow a cohesive storyline. If one intends to watch a show for the point of discussion, they would most likely watch of intricacies rather than one where the sacrifice for 15 seconds of laughter is a plot that starts where it started: nowhere.
Chang: However, I will concede that I can see how many people might enjoy the show. The chicken fights, the unnecessary and often unfunny songs, and running gags like Buzz Killington and the 1920s piano-performers duet is a breath of fresh air, every….time. Right, Johnny…
Corey: Please sir, allow me to retort. I do concede that my argument consists almost entirely of rhetoric. However, one must take a step back and view the situation from a broader perspective. The purpose of comedy is to entertain, in whatever way a general public is entertained. The Three Stooges entertained with physical humor….Friends entertains with an extremely elaborate plot and individual episodes that have humorous witty quips….Family Guy accomplishes this goal with a fragmented plot, one liners and a plot that starts nowhere–The Simpsons accomplishes this goal with the running couch gag (which is inherently pointless and irrelevant to plot to which you refer) and through the plethora of characters the show has popularized. We’re both right.
Chang: The disparity between the couch gag on the Simpons and the one-liners on Family Guy is exactly as you said: the gag is inherently pointless to the plot. On the other hand, the one-liners on Family Guy are absolutely pivotal to each episode to the extent that it’s dependent on the one-liners. I have conceded that I can see how people might find Family Guy to be amusing; however, your argument basically holds the premise: if it entertains, it’s good. Your argument fails due to several reasons. 1) the show doesn’t entertain a mass audience, hence its past cancellation. 2) the show’s history has been hit-or-miss, unlike that of The Simpsons and 3) that it can continue to operate on the cheap laughs that it’s build its reputation on
The only thing ascertained is that the foundation upon which you lay your argument is the same of that which Family Guy lays its ideas – on a narrow step precariously positioned on the sole hope that one line may keep it going.
Corey: Well sir, that which is entertaining is subjective. Different people like different styles and forms of entertainment….and the very fact that Family Guy returned after a short cancellation hiatus is indicative of its popularity. It is widely known by “fans” of the Simpsons that the storyline of which you speak has faltered in recent years–the jokes have simply become bland and repetitive. The show has attained seniority on the FOX network, outliving shows like Seinfeld and The X Files. It’s entertainment value is high…but that’s irrelevant in terms of content and format. A majority of Simpsons episodes are predicated on the same jokes–How many times must one endure Smithers’ homosexual tendencies? How many times must the creators poke fun at Mr. Burns simply for the fact that he’s old? Family Guy introduces the elements of the talking dog, the sadomasochistic baby, AND originality.
Chang: The elements of seniority and the repeats are inherent characteristics of each other. However, the show isn’t exactly going to turn Smithers heterosexual and compromise a decade of character building to create a cheap laugh. When a viewer wants to see sacrificial comedy, they should turn to Family Guy. Talking dogs are hardly new… oh a young’n with a dark side, that’s…that’s good, a stupid husband who gets himself into trouble, a wife who tolerates each of his shenanigans, an unpopular sister. Wait this sounds a lot like a show Family Guy who accused of ripping off in the first place…
Corey: Well it’s fair to say that there’s no more originality left in this world. The premises of all shows are predicated on pre-established ideas. What one SHOULD focus on, however, is the show’s writing. I believe firmly that different people have different senses of humor, and consequently, different styles of a comedy show appeal to different people. There is no objective way to prove whether or not Family Guy IS in fact better than the Simpsons. I do believe, sir, in America-an American where people can choose what shows they wish to watch, an American where people are free to laugh whenever they choose to do so. Are you, sir, denouncing this freedom?
Chang: Don’t strawman me. There is a fundamental difference between denouncing a freedom and denouncing Family Guy – that difference being that the former requires insolence and the latter doesn’t require much at all. There is also a fundamental difference in evaluating which show is better (especially without operational definitions) and evaluating the merits of the show. Your argument has switched from Family Guy’s appeal to the public to now a defense of liberty among those who have different tastes in entertainment. The inconsistencies make me wonder if you’re perhaps on a writer on said show.
Corey: It is, sir, physically IMPOSSIBLE to determine which show is “better.” One may look at ratings, but ratings are mere statistics by which one measures the degree to which “word of mouth” has played a role. One may not evaluate the merits of a show without first operationally defining what makes a show “good,” or even “great.” I do believe, sir, that your dictatorial argumentative style, in which your ego allows you to believe that your opinion is the only right opinion, is wrong on many levels. You, sir, are a communist.
Chang: fail to see the connection between ego and communism. If anything I’m an objectivist, or perhaps a self-appointed Übermensch…
Corey: Sir, I think you should take your communist lingo back to North Korea.
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