I find this story oddly disturbing . . .

LONDON - Daniel Radcliffe will strip off his Harry Potter eyeglasses and robes for his London stage debut next year.

The 17-year-old actor, who plays the bespectacled schoolboy wizard in the Hollywood adaptations of J.K. Rowling's novels, will star as a troubled stableboy in Peter Shaffer's "Equus."
. . .
In one scene (Radcliffe) is required to simulate sexual ecstasy while riding a horse naked. But Davies said nudity was not the focus of the play.

UPDATE:  Upon further review, the entire concept of a male human attaining sexual ecstacy while on horseback is . . um . . well, use your imagination.

Ouch.

Captain's Quarters reports that Mike Nelson has a new project--Rifftrax!

From the Captain:

Mike has launched the beta version of Rifftrax, a clever way to have an MST3K experience on demand. Mike will create podcasts that match up with our favorite films (meaning our favorite cheesefests), designed to be played along with a DVD that the viewer rents or buys. The site will eventually have downloads of many films, but right now Rifftrax users can download Mike's commentary for Roadhouse, a Patrick Swayze laugher that somehow included Ben Gazzara and Sam Elliot. (It also has Kelly Lynch, which seems about right for this classic cheeseball.)

From the Rifftrax web site:

Do you feel that some of the movies coming out of Hollywood are just, well, missing something? At RiffTrax, you can download Mike's running commentaries and listen to them along with your favorite, and not so favorite DVDs. It's like watching a movie with your funniest friend. And it's easy to do. Just check out our FAQ; more than likely, you have the tools to do it already.

It won't be the same without Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo, but it'll have to do until some network picks up Mystery Science Theater:  The Next Generation.

The Kansas City Star is asking. (I'd link to the story but I can't find it on their web site kansascity.com. Oh, well . . . )

Me, it would be Mystery Science Theater 3000, hands-down. No other show would even be close. Maybe Farscape as a distant second place to MST3K.

Send an e-mail to showtime-at-kcstar.com with your favorite (replace the -at- with @ of course)...and drop in a comment here, if you do! (Registration is of course required).

"Have you seen this, have you heard about this?"

On Wednesday's ninth-season debut, Hayes' character, Chef, pops up in an episode which creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are devoting to his mysterious return to "South Park." They are expected to poke fun at his religion, Scientology.

While details are scarce, Comedy Central officials say the duo are putting the finishing touches on the episode (Wednesday, 10 p.m.) -- which, like many others, is being written and animated in less than a week.

Bristol, UK wants to put up a statue to the animated inventor and his ever-suffering canine sidekick:

Matthew Symonds, a local councilor in Bristol where Nick Park and Aardman Animations created the now-famous pair, said it was time to recognize the contribution that Wallace and Gromit have made to the city in southwest England.

"Everyone loves Wallace and Gromit and everyone I've spoken to on this matter agrees that we should thank Aardman in some way for what they have done for the city," said Symonds.

80's rock group Blondie gets into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Let's all wish our favorite S-shaped dragon-man-Burninator a happy Trogday!

TROGDORRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Image from the Homestar Runner Wiki

The red slippers worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz have been stolen from a Grand Rapids museum:

Investigating officers observed that a window on an emergency exit door had been broken out and the glass display case that contained the ruby slippers was broken into and the slippers were removed. The incident is being further investigated by Grand Rapids Police Investigator Gene Bennet who said there have been five leads as of Tuesday.

There's no place like home.

Funny thing #1: There is a Kansas city named Lenexa. Funny thing #2: Lenexa holds an annual spinach festival.

On Saturday over 100 arts, craft and antique booths will be set up. A fun filled days of activities is planned for the whole family. Popeye and Olive Oyl will arrive on a vintage 1930's Belgian farm truck to mix the world's largest spinach salad. Numerous activities for all including, petting zoo, pony rides, games, quilt show, antique tractor display, green rock skipping, largest sunflower, cane pole fishing, paddle boats and more. The finale for this day of community fun comes at 5:00 pm with a quilt drawing from the Lenexa Historical Society.

Or both? The Kansas City Star discusses:

It is by all accounts the world’s filthiest joke. Filthy not because of what’s in it, but because nothing is in it, and each teller is expected to dredge his darkest recesses to fill it up.

A man walks into a theatrical agent’s office and announces that he has the most amazing family act ever. He then goes on to describe an unyieldingly lurid performance involving himself, his wife, their young children and perhaps a grandparent and a family pet. No bodily function goes unmentioned, no sexual perversion is omitted.

When it’s over the agent is aghast: “That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard. What do you call this act?”

The man swells with pride: “The Aristocrats.”

Hey, it's got Penn and Teller in it. Snookums and I may have to go check it out for ourselves . . .

For you Doctor Who fans--a quiz to determine which Doctor you are:

The Doctor... a renegade Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, roaming time and space in his stolen TARDIS, crusading for liberty, individuality, and civility wherever his adventures take him. This quiz will tell you which of the first seven Doctors (sorry, folks, I'm only using the ones with established bodies of televised stories) you most resemble.

Filbert discovers he's the Fourth Doctor:

You are the Fourth Doctor: A walking Bohemian conundrum with a brooding personal magnetism and a first-rate intellect concealed somewhere beneath your charmingly goofy exterior. You are perhaps the most terribly clever of all the Doctors, though your occasional bouts of childishness get you in trouble. You never go looking for a fight, but when someone messes with you... good heavens, are they ever sorry they did.

via De Doc.

I received this via e-mail--it was sufficiently amusing to post:

I'm not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate. Read the full description before looking at the picture.

The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress level at St. Mary's Hospital.

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study of a group revealed that in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical; a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins. If there are many differences found between both dolphins, it means that the person is experiencing a great amount of stress.

Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation.

I've never particularly cared for the Rolling Stones. Now I've got one more reason:

They haven't had a No. 1 album since "Tattoo You" in 1981.
. . .
But the most searing moment, on a song called "Sweet Neo Con," isn't personal but political. "You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of s—t." "It is direct," Jagger says with a laugh. "Keith said [he breaks into a dead-on Keith imitation], 'It's not really metaphorical.' I think he's a bit worried because he lives in the U.S." Jagger smiles. "But I don't."

Ooh, how edgy, how daring. No rock band has ever done anything remotely like this before. The same people who huff "don't question my patriotism" will undoubtedly line up around the block to buy this groundbreaking work of art. The Stones are like, so hip and relevant. I'm suitably impressed.

Via Reason Hit and Run.

The Houston Chronicle was not impressed:

Repeating segments on a cable station isn't unusual, but what is surprising is that the material isn't that current.

The hacking of Paris Hilton's Sidekick in February prompted a segment that also introduced host Justin Gunn. Most of the pods appeared as though they were produced in the spring.

I may attempt a liveblog of this thing later today. Stay tuned.

Rowling apparently has said that when she started writing the Harry Potter books she didn't realize that she was writing fantasy.

Pratchett, in typical form, replies:

"I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds, jumping chocolate frogs, owl mail, magic food, ghosts, broomsticks and spells would have given her a clue?"

Over the long run, my money's on Pratchett. The Potter books are mildly diverting at best. I have all of Pratchett's books on my bookshelves, where they all get re-read every year or so. I sold off the first three Potter books at a garage sale, and I might someday go to the library to check out the newer ones. If you want more and better, read Pratchett's Discworld books.

Kansas City is holding a Fringe Festival this weekend. What's a fringe festival? kcfringe.org has the answer:

Our roots trace to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, which spontaneously erupted in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947. Eight groups, not invited to perform in the larger Edinburgh Festival of the Arts, created makeshift theatres on the outskirts - or "fringe" - of the established festival. Soon the Fringe Festival gained a large and loyal following, outstripping the mainstream festival.

Fringes around the world have adapted a simple formula that was created in Edinburgh. The main principles were to provide all artists (both emerging and established) with the opportunity to produce their play no matter the content, form or style, and to make the event as affordable and accessible as possible for the members of the community, empowering audiences with the ability to decide for themselves the truly great productions from the good, the bad, and the gloriously disastrous.

From the US Postal Service (hat tip fark.com):

Hippos

You'll need:

* 1,000-gallon tank per hippo
* 1,000 gallons of water
* Crane
* 1-pound sedative
* Soothing hippo music
* 2 Aspirin (for you)

How to pack:

1. Fill your tank with 800 gallons of water. Start yesterday. Remember, a medium-sized hippo takes up at least 200 gallons. (Just out of curiosity, why do you have a hippo, anyway?)

2. Apply sedative. Take two Aspirin.

3. Hold it, hold it - put the hippo in the tank, first. Start with soothing hippo music, followed by a large winch and crane.

4. Now go relax in a hot bath before the forklift arrives.

WAIVER: We in no way advocate moving a hippo or any animal without the express advice and consent of your local vet or zoo keeper. If you'd like advice from a veterinarian on moving with pets click here.