Amoeblog

(In which Job is a commercial.)

I’m always on the lookout for two things: hilarious TV and a man with an African-shaped birthmark on his right shoulder. Hilarious TV because it lowers my stress level and inspires me; the man with the birthmark because he orphaned me at age eight and burned my farm down.

Both are equally difficult to find.

Thanks to today’s plethora of cable TV stations (Hot Glue & Margarine Channel, anyone?) there has been an outcropping of novel shows. I tend to enjoy comedy that pushes the boundaries of acceptable (South Park, Strangers With Candy) or are chock full of non-sequiturs (Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Aqua Teen Hunger Force). You get me, right? We’re all on the same page here.

One show that many of you don’t seem to have seen/noticed is “Upright Citizens Brigade”. It’s not brand new. It ran for three seasons on Comedy Central (1998-2000). One star of the show many of you will know is Amy Poehler, who my friends tell me is on something called Saturday Night Live? I dunno, I’ve never heard of it.

Anyway, the premise is that a team of four people, the Upright Citizens Brigade, are waging a secret battle against all-things-average and mundane in the world. They bring chaos to conformity. (In this respect, they mirror the customers who shop the DVD section of Amoeba Music Hollywood.)

It’s sketch comedy. The material is garnered from the troupe’s live shows, originally based in Chicago, now in NYC. In this respect, the show is similar to The Kids in the Hall, though the style of it – the way it ebbs and flows – feels more like Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

If you like any of the titles I’ve dropped above, I would expect you to also adore this too-overlooked gem. Unfortunately, only season one is available on DVD.

Do yourself a favor and snag a copy. Then do me a favor and, if you see the man with the birthmark, shoot a tranquilizer dart in his neck, restrain him, and give me a ring-a-ding. Thanks!

Posted by Job O Brother on May 1, 2007 at 11:08am | Comments (3)

(In which Job gets high and complains of his illness.)

I don’t want you to think I’m an overly critical person, but frankly, I can’t think of very many nice things to say about ear infections.

It’s my first time having one, so I’m probably not the best person to speak with authority on the subject. Because it’s all so new, I hate to draw too many conclusions. I generally think of myself as open to new experiences.

When it comes to food, for example, I am practically compelled to taste a dish, if I never have before. Whether it’s sea urchin at a sushi bar in Sacramento or sweetbreads at Musso & Frank Grill or chilled monkey brains with my underage sidekick… oh wait… That was “Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom” - I always get that and my life confused. (It’s easy when you work on the mezzanine at Amoeba Music Hollywood – but we’ll get to that later.)

The point is… um…

Okay, you need to know right away that I am hopped-up on loads of Vicodin. It’s one of the many things my doctor prescribed for the aforementioned ailment.

If you’re like most people found at a swell music store such as the one I work at, you probably just got all warm and fuzzy at the mention of Vicodin. You maybe even got a little jealous of me.

“Oh, lucky,” you think. But I hate it. For one thing, it makes writing a blog almost impossible.

“But Job,” you protest, “You seem to be doing a fine job. Your prose is witty and accessible; smart and grammatically deft. Why, you’ve even managed to find a clever way to sneak in usage of the words ‘ecchymosis’ and ‘zizith’ in the same sentence!”

Well, I return, you’re very kind. But what you don’t know is that I’ve been working on this entry for eight hours without a break (unless you count the lost-time from my fainting spell immediately after I typed out the word grammatically).

Posted by Job O Brother on April 26, 2007 at 08:33pm | Post a Comment

Silence of the Lambs


               INT. JOB'S APARTMENT - DAY

               JOB, (early 30's) sits at his computer, his head propped up
               by his left hand.

               He stares blankly at the screen.

               He types everything you just read.

               Then he types this.

               Then he sighs.

                                   JOB
                             (to camera)
                         I have an earache.
                             (beat)
                         I've never had an earache before. I
                         mean, this is going on one week.
                         And the last two days it's been
                         especially bad.
                             (beat)
                         It makes writing a blog especially
                         challenging, because the pain is
                         distracting me. Plus, pain is not
                         funny... usually.
Posted by Job O Brother on April 24, 2007 at 12:47pm | Comments (4)

You have to believe we are Magic ...

Nothing can stand in our way!

Tonight, join us at Space Gallery
1141 Polk Street at Hemlock in SF, 9pm
as Club Unicornbread presents
a night of decadence and innocent yearning:


 Ladies and Gentlemen of the world, join us in a celebration at what lies at the heart of all we do day in and day out:
the Muse of Creativity (above, changing my world and yours!) and the music of
Electric Light Orchestra!

Join this famous and talented cast as they give tribute
to what is arguably
  The Best Pop Musical of the 1980's!

We call it Xanadu ...
      Ding!
                             Ding!
Posted by The Bay Area Crew on April 19, 2007 at 06:25pm | Post a Comment

Cat People


               INT. JOB'S APARTMENT - MORNING

               CAMERA PANS, SHOWING JOB'S IMMACULATE AND ECCENTRICALLY
               APPOINTED LODGINGS. SHOT ENDS ON JOB.

               JOB, (early 30's) is in bed, sleeping.

               At his feet, curled into a black round, is his cat, FANGS.

               ZOOM IN ON JOB'S FACE.

               His mouth and brow twitch slightly; he is dreaming.

                                                       DISSOLVE TO:

               INT. JOB'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

               Job is in bed, sleeping.

               He tosses.

               He wakes suddenly, from a nightmare.

               He looks around, dazed.
Posted by Job O Brother on April 17, 2007 at 01:12pm | Post a Comment
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