"Between Two Ferns" Is Still Comedy Gold

Recently I have been going back and watching a ton of older "Between Two Ferns" shorts. I watched most when they came out and I have seen the movie multiple times.

I am a longtime fan of this little talk show. I think it was the fact that Zack Galifinakis was the host and that Scott Aukerman had his hand in a lot of the business, even directing the movie. It also had a ton of comedy people I really like attached to it. And add on the fact that it was a Funny or Die product, it felt like it was made with my comic sensibility in mind. Earlier today I was watching a blooper reel of some of the stuff from the movie and it made me laugh even harder. It also made me sit back and think about how much fun this show had to be to make.

For people that may not know, "Between Two Ferns" was a talk show that Galifinakis hosted on public syndication in a small town in North Carolina. He got celebrities to come in and he would roast them with his questions. The movie was the same thing with a story that the viewer followed. It is a simple yet hilarious premise. And when I say Galifinakis would roast the guests, I mean he ROASTS them. There is some very, very funny stuff that has happened on this show. Go back and watch the Paul Rudd stuff from the movie. It is classic. You can go back and watch the show when it first started and look at the way they go after Jon Hamm. The Matthew McCoungahy stuff is gold. When they had Barack Obama on he roasted Galifinakis more than he could roast him. They did a full sit down with Oscar nominees one year and the stuff that came out of that is genius. I love it all. The movie was a great way to get a bunch of people on and do what felt like a "best of" as well. It was a good decision to let them make a movie so you could pack in all kinds of new interviews that would for sure go viral.

That is what made me sit back today and look at the brilliance of the show this afternoon. To be able to get these questions off and keep a straight face has to be nearly impossible. I cannot even fathom how many takes just to get through a short interview. The blooper I saw with McCoungahy today featured him laughing the entire time. They had another on with David Letterman where neither he nor Galifinakis could keep it together. So to be able to do a show like this, to get something that is ready to view for the public and that comes off like there were not multiple takes, that takes a good amount of work and it impresses me very much. I love going back now and watching the older episodes and thinking about how much fun it was to make them. The Jerry Seinfeld and Cardi B episode is great. Seinfeld gets made fun of over and over and over again and just sits there taking it. And then Cardi B comes on and Galifinakis is sweet and nice. He makes Seinfeld the butt of even more jokes. Seinfeld is one of the world;s best stand ups and he is such a pro that he knows how to not mess up on film. The same could be said for the Steve Carrell episode. Even when he acts like he is mad and goes hard at Galifinakis, Galifinakis gives it right back to him and they were able to get enough to make a full episode. That is amazing. I love the Brie Larson interview and how uncomfortable it gets. But then you watch outtakes and you can see Larson is having a damn good time. I guess it impresses me when these comedy people get together and make something wonderful while having the time of their lives. I know it isn't something I could do so I like watching people more talented than me pull it off like the pros they are.

I am glad that "Between Two Ferns" is back in my life. Go watch it if you haven't yet. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The "Zombies" Don't Offer Much for the Parent Viewer, Except for the Incredible Dancing

My daughter has recently gotten very much into a trilogy of movies called "Zombies". I have had the great pleasure of watching two of them this past weekend. We had planned on watching all three but we couldn't find the time. Let’s discuss.

These movies are by no means bad, but they are not great either. There is some stuff to like and some stuff I would give a hard pass to. I think the actors do a fine job with the poor material they are given. The plot is a very thinly veiled attempt at desegregation. The actors are much older, for the most part, than the characters they are playing. The acting can be hammy in spots but decent in others. The movies are clearly made for kids. These are definitely just for kids. There is really nothing here that is for the parents that are watching along. But my daughter loves them and I love spending time with her doing things she likes.

During my time watching the first two movies something struck me though that I really do appreciate though. There are dance numbers galore in these movies. These are pretty much musicals for all intents and purposes. The soundtrack for each movie may be more important than the movies themselves. And the dance numbers are integral to what happens with the plot. It is like a music video with each new song. A lot of the actors are singers or have singing in their background. They are also dancers or trained in dancing at some point. That much is blatantly obvious. But these dance numbers, they are a spectacle. They are big and bold and boisterous. They are fun. I find myself tapping along and singing with some of the songs. I watch the actors dance and am endlessly impressed by what I am seeing.

I guess, what I am trying to say is, the dance numbers in these movies make them worth a watch if you are a parent. While watching the second movie over the weekend there was this very intricate cheerleading dance number and I said to my wife, she was watching with us, how impressed I was with the whole sequence. There was a humongous stage. The actors were lock and step with one another. No mistakes came across on camera. Some of the actors were doing some highly acrobatic things that had me sit up in my seat. The way they bounced on wires and made wall climbing look balletic was so cool. I was extremely interested in how all of it came together and how well everyone was doing. I cannot fathom how many takes it took to get it all, but they got what they wanted and it looks wonderful on film. I read, as stated above, that a lot of the actors come from musical backgrounds, but what they are doing in these movies is amazing. Like, this is close to Olympic level gymnastics they are doing here. And the dancing is so damn good. I like when the zombies dance. They look like zombies but they all have really good moves. The werewolves in the second movie dance even better than the zombies or humans in the first one. The humans, namely the cheerleaders, are highly impressive. I was blown away by what I saw. There is a scene in the first one where the main human goes to zombie land and does a full on dance number with all the zombies and it is great. It looks like a steampunk arena and the dance moves are awesome. The school president scene in the second movie is dope as well. I don't know, I am just intrigued by what I watched when it was a dance number in these movies. I like that they are able to do these highly athletic things.

It is these dance scenes that make these movies watchable for me. My daughter loves it all, from start to finish. And while I may not be into the movie much, the dance numbers are worth the 80 minutes each movie lasts. They are that enjoyable. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Kinda Watches the NBA All Star Weekend

NBA all star weekend was this past weekend. I love the NBA. It is the best professional sports league in my opinion and they do the most for player empowerment. Besides college football, basketball, mainly the NBA, is my next favorite sport to watch.

For the past few years I have been really glued to the TV for all star weekend. I love the camaraderie, the spectacle, the events and, for the most part, the game. The three point contest has become the best event for me to watch, but some of the other stuff is cool too. Even with the dunk contest being kind of blah, there have been one or two that have been solid. And this new skills thing is very cool. I enjoy that very much.

I also think, due to the pandemic, that I am prone to be home more on the weekend. That gives me a reason to sit back and watch. Basketball has also been a stress reliever for me since the pandemic started. I can get lost in the action and not think about COVID or the awfulness that happens every day. But this year has been different for me. I go out a little more than I have since 2020. I have gone back to a few concerts. I have been to a couple NBA games. I have seen some movies in the theaters. I have even gone to a restaurant to have a meal inside occasionally.

Point is, I was not as attentive to all star weekend as I have been in the past. I did watch some of it, but other things and more important people got in the way. And I am happy about that. I did not watch a second of the Friday night stuff. I usually skip this anyway. I'm not interested in the celebrity game or the open practices that they broadcast live. That stuff is boring to me. Even when I am familiar with some of the celebs, that game is not watchable. And I do not know who a lot of the current celebrities even are anymore. I'm officially old. I do like to tune in to the Saturday night festivities. This is when they do the skills challenge, the three point contest and the dunk contest. This year I only saw the final round of the dunk contest. My son had an 8pm game and I coach his team. I also forgot that the skills stuff starts at 7, but we were out the door by 7:15 anyway. So I missed the entirety of the skills and three point contest. I did get a notification that Dame won the 3 point contest, which is dope, but it wasn't until Sunday morning when I saw the Jazz were the skills champs. I didn't even bother to look at highlights of either as well. We missed the first two rounds of the dunk contest and it was mere coincidence that we watched the final round. My son got cleaned up and asked if he could watch the dunk contest before he went to bed. I said yeah and told him I'd watch with him. I don't even remember who Mac McClung went up against, I think it was Trey Murphy, but that final round for McClung was dope. I was highly skeptical of him being in the field, but he showed out and did some cool stuff. That 540, or maybe 720 dunk was incredible. I was in awe just like all the NBA players watching courtside. He earned that dunk title and the mythology around his leaping ability was answered on Saturday night.

Sunday is the game and I usually tune in for at least a half. I love the Elam ending, so I always want to watch that. And my son and I watched the whole draft before the game. I love this new format. I like how they switched it to be like you are on the playground. I have to imagine it is so much fun for these superstars to do something like this. It has to make them feel like a kid again. And you could see how cool Giannis and LeBron thought it was to pick their players live. And to see the guys waiting to be picked was cool too. It was neat to see them get their team jersey and take their picture in that same exact moment. This is one of the many things I love about the NBA, their willingness to try something different. I was all about the draft and figured we'd watch a bit. But it was dinner time right after that. Sunday night we turn off the TV and eat at the table. Last night was no different. My son said something about watching after dinner and we both agreed we would, but we forgot, and I did not mind forgetting. The all star game is devoid of defense anyway until the end and it is a glorified dunk contest. I like how high scoring it gets, but it also does get a bit boring after a few minutes. So after dinner my son went downstairs and my wife and I watched other shows. I basically forgot the game was on. My son watched for a bit but he too came upstairs and said the game was kind of boring. He hung out with us until he went to bed. And I never turned the game on. I went to bed and fell asleep, totally forgetting about the all star game. I woke up and watched highlights and saw that Jayson Tatum put up incredible numbers and was the well deserved MVP, Tatum is so great at basketball, but I have no real urge to go back and watch. My son recorded it and watched a bit this morning before turning it off and playing NBA 2k instead.

I guess it is good that I am getting back out into the world and sports isn't the end all be all it was before, but I am kind of kicking myself for not tuning in too much this weekend. My love for basketball is still alive and well, but maybe my love for all star weekend is fading a bit, and that is okay. But believe me, I will be tuning into the second half of the season because we are down to the nitty gritty and it is going to be a fun push to the playoffs. That I will most definitely be watching. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The White Lotus" Seasons 1 and 2

Over the past couple weeks my wife and I have been watching "White Lotus". A bunch of people we know have told us to watch and we finally decided it was time. The show is very good. It is worth the hype. It is all very well deserved. I look forward to watching a new episode every night. We are almost caught up and that bums me out. We are going to watch "Last of Us" next, but I still find myself wanting more "White Lotus". Everything about the show works very well but the one thing I want to point out today is the cringe factor that makes this show next level awesome. I will be spoiler free, don't worry, but the time has come for me to talk about this show in some kind of form, and this, the cringe factor, is perfect.

We have two episodes left in season 2. We are just about caught up. What I noticed last night when we watched was a conversation between two of the couples in season 2 talking at dinner. They were talking about sexual escapades of the past and the whole time I was uncomfortable. I'm not a prude, not by a long stretch. But to see how this whole conversation unfolded, I looked over at my wife and said how uncomfortable I was just watching this all go down. There was alcohol involved, some indiscretions were alluded to and the way the husband of one couple and the wife of the other were batting the words back and forth was a masterclass in cringe. The way they spoke made me shudder. The way the husband was rubbing her leg under the table made me turn away. When she smiled at him after pulling her leg away made me wildly uncomfortable. Everything about it made me want to stop watching. But I couldn't stop. I am so into it that I do not care how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I want to see how this all gets wrapped up. I want to see what happens next. I want to see how this resolves.

The cringe is a credit to this writing staff and the creators of this show. They take these glamorous areas of the world and put these supposedly happy and glamorous people in there, and they make it get very, very weird. It takes me aback to see how miserable and crummy these beautiful people can be. It shows their true colors. I know this is a fictional show but I have fully given in and look at them as real people. The way Aubrey Plaza handled this as Harper, her character on the show, is a wonderful example of how great an actor she is. And it is not just her character this season. This show has been doing this for two seasons now. Everytime Jennifer Coolidge speaks I get queasy. She is amazing on this show and she is the shining star. But everytime she speaks with Jon Gries, or Belinda from season 1, or Portia or the friends she made in Italy, she is the cringiest of cringe. And it is wonderful and uncomfortable to watch. The stuff with Albie and his dad and the sex worker this season is an achievement in making the viewer uncomfortable. To know what they know about each other is wild. Michael Imperioli and F Murray Abraham have some of the worst father son conversations in the history of talking. Every interaction in season one with the newly married couple is wildly hard to watch, especially when his mom shows up on their honeymoon. Steve Zahn does a masterclass in cringe factor throughout season one. Murray Bartlett is my favorite character to date and his whole journey in season 1 is wildy uncomfortable. The stuff with Albie and Portia makes me terribly uncomfortable. I could go on and on and on. But I think this is my favorite part about this show.

The show is amazing and everyone should be watching it, especially for the cringe factor. I'm in awe of how they put this across on screen and I cannot wait to watch more tonight. "White Lotus" is an achievement in making cringe television and it should be celebrated for that, among many other things. What a great television show. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Today I Had My First New York Style Bagel and Now I Can Never Go Back

I go out for coffee twice a week, at least, with my dad. Tuesday and Thursdays are the official days we are on unless one of us is sick. Today my mom joined us and that is always such a nice surprise.

We went to my dad's favorite local shop, Shaw's, this morning. I love this place too, but my dad is their biggest fan. He is always impressed with their Americano's. He talks about how it tastes like full caff coffee even though he drinks decaf for the most part now. I had their raspberry mocha, in honor of Valentine's Day, and it was equally as good. My mom got a frozen coffee and we each had a bagel. I don't eat bagels much anymore but when I do I indulge. Today I had an everything bagel and some plain cream cheese with it. It was excellent. They toasted it and the cream cheese spread pretty easily. It was a very solid bagel.

When we left Shaw's my dad wanted to stop by a new bagel shop in a different part of town. The shop is called Bagel Union. My dad has been talking about this spot for a bit now. It is right next to the first house my wife and I bought and my dad goes over that way quite a bit. He likes to go on drives, and when he and I go out for coffee we head that way more times than not. He told me a few weeks back that Bagel Union had a soft opening and when he showed up the line was out of the shop all the way down the sidewalk in the neighborhood. He did not want to wait, so he took off. We went there a week ago but they hadn't fully opened yet. But after he saw the bagels that my mom and dad had at Shaw's, it piqued his interest. I was driving today and he asked if we could stop by there to get some bagels for him to taste.

When we walked in they had a line but it wasn't crazy. There were still a lot of people there, especially for a Thursday morning at 11am. But the wait was less than 10 minutes so we waited. It was right then and there that I decided I was going to eat a second bagel. I haven't had two bagels in that short amount of time in a long while. But these bagels were different. These bagels are made New York style. They soak them in water and try to mimic the way famous bagel shops in New York make them. I ordered the salt bagel because I have always wanted to try one and I figured this place was going to make the best one close to my home.

This might be the best bagel I have ever eaten. I've worked in a few bagel and sandwich shops, I've had bagels in other places, but I have never had a bagel like this before. This bagel had a wonderful crisp on the outside. It felt like it was almost hard on top. When I broke it apart to taste it was almost difficult to do. But when I did, the inside was soft like a pillow. My dad and I were saying to each other how it was like eating a pretzel. It was so crunchy outside and so soft inside. The biggest difference from a pretzel was the salt. You could taste the salt in the bagel, but it wasn't overwhelming. It added the needed salt but it did not take over. It was not a salt bomb, not by a mile. The bottom of the bagel had some excellent flavor due to some kind of flour or grain it was rolled in right before baking. I took the bagel thinking I would only eat a few bites. I finished it before I dropped my folks off at their house. That is only a 10-15 minute drive. I could not stop. It was so good. It was everything I had ever heard about New York style bagels. The hype is real. It is the best way to make any type of bread. I want to try pizza and sandwiches on dough made this way.

I definitely recommend finding a place that makes bagels like this if you do not live near New York. It is the best bagel I have had and think I ever will have. I will for sure return to this shop in Saint Louis. It is pretty wonderful. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is Still Comedy Heaven

I read recently that the show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" may be coming back. I'm excited by this news because I loved that show so very much. When I first moved out and moved in with my brother I watched a good amount of Adult Swim because I had sleeping issues. Adult Swim used to calm me down and I found some great stuff on there. "Aqua Teen" hit differently though. It spoke to me more than any other show I had watched to that point. I loved the absurdity and weirdness of the show. I also liked how darkly comedic it got at times too.

As the show went on the creators went further and further with their comedy. I even saw the movie they made in theaters on opening weekend. Ask my wife. I took her, more liked begged her, to see it that weekend. I loved it, she was not as big a fan. Then I kind of just forgot about the show. Life happened really. I got married, bought a home and we started to have kids. I was either too tired or too busy to stay up and watch Adult Swim anymore.

Then the news that it may be coming back had me trying to find "Aqua Teen" streaming somewhere. Luckily for me I have HBO Max and they have all the Adult Swim stuff. I have been going through "Aqua Teen" all over again for the past week. I'm currently on season 2 and I am here to say that this show holds the hell up. It is still as absurd as I remember it being. The characters hold the same weight for me as they did back then. Master Shake is still as loud and arrogant and hilarious as before. Meatwad is tiny and silly and loves to dance, and still cracks me up. Frylock is smart and runs the house, but he also has his moments. Frylock is more of the dark comedy that I enjoy so much about this show. And Karl is still, by a wide margin, the funniest one on the show. I often think the writers decided to write how they would act if they grew up in New Jersey and lived next to this madness. Like, they got over the fact that they live by food that is sentient and the character of Karl has just accepted his fate. It is one of the best written TV characters of all time. Full stop. I will debate this with anyone anytime at any place.

Then we have the auxiliary characters. These are the ones that show up from time to time but are not regulars like Karl. The Mooninites are rude and mean and are a bad influence on Meatwad. Wayne the Brain is one of the best one off TV characters. I adore characters like Rabbot, the leprechauns that are not actually leprechauns, Ol Drippy, Dr Weird, MC Pee Pants and Sir Loin, Happy Time Harry and Oog, among many, many more.

I also like the animation of the show. It is old school and modern with how they went about creating it and the characters. I like how smooth it all looks. I think it is hilarious and well written and a very well done show. I know it is odd and not for everyone, but it is definitely right up my alley.

I am so glad I found it streaming, that it still holds up and that they may be making new episodes. I know there is a newer movie, which I will be watching soon enough, but I want to get caught up on all the old episodes. I recommend you do the same too, if you can. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Knock at the Cabin"

Last weekend my wife and I went back to the theater and saw "Knock at the Cabin". I have not been inside a theater for a movie since early 2022 when I saw "Everything Everywhere All at Once". My wife had the day off and wanted to go out for lunch and a movie. She picked lunch and I picked the movie. She was also pretty adamant that we went to a theater. It was cool. There was us and two other, older couples for a noon showing.

I have wanted to see "Knock at the Cabin" since I first saw a trailer about two or three weeks ago. I have liked, or at least been into, the past couple M Night Shyamalan movies. "Glass" wasn't great, but at least all the "superheroes" in Shyamalan's previous movies got together and made something that had stuff that worked. "Old" crumbled at the end, but up to that point it kept my attention. And "Split" is a very good movie, full stop. So "Knock at the Cabin" had won a place in my brain. I wanted to see this movie. I am a big Dave Bautista fan and to see him playing this type of character really piqued my interest. He is usually used as Drax or as a big guy that is there for comedy relief. I did like his character in "Glass Onion", and his small role in "Blade Runner 2049" is extremely memorable. Those are about the only time he has ventured away from typecasting and they both worked. So seeing him playing this soft spoken doomsdayer type really pulled me in. I then read what the movie was about  and that made me even more amped.

The long and short is a family goes on a vacation and they are met by four people who say they have to kill one of their own or the apocalypse will occur. Pretty easy premise to follow. It is like a thriller version of "Sophie's Choice". Bautista is the lead. Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird and Abby Quinn play the doomsday people. They each explain that they have had visions and they came together to try and stop the apocalypse. Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge and Kristen Cui are the family that has to decide if they will live alone with the three of them as the world ends, or if they will make an awful sacrifice to save the world.

I really wanted to love this movie going in. I had high hopes. The movie got solid reviews as well, so I was hyped. The movie, for me, fell a little flat. There are things I love in this movie. The creepiness, the quietness, the sacrificing, the stories being told, the tension, that stuff worked and worked very well at points. Groff and Aldrigde played great off each other. They had wonderful chemistry and they were tremendous in this movie. The little girl was exceptional. She has a very bright future. And Dave Bautista was phenomenal. He was quiet and spoke very matter of factly and that made him even more frightening. Even a good amount of the twists and turns work very well. But it was some of the other stuff around the movie that didn't totally hit for me. The twist was predictable. For a director like Shyamalan, even in his bad movies, the twists usually work and I have a hard time seeing them coming. This one was pretty easy to follow. Some of the disasters and diseases were a little on the nose. They pulled a lot from COVID and modern news. I think I wanted a fresher take. Some of the stories the doomsayers told were familiar and tired.I get why they were inserted into the movie but I wanted a different point of view.

I think mostly, for me, the biggest problem was my expectations were far too high. I should have lowered them a bit. My wife said she liked the movie okay, but it was a little flat at points. I wish I had gone in with her point of view.

"Knock at the Cabin" is an okay movie with a great performance from Bautista. But I wish I had waited until it was streaming to watch. At least I got to have a date with my wife and that made it worth it. But the movie just didn't fully hit me the way I was hoping it would. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches The Chiefs Beat The Eagles

That was a pretty fun game last night. I watched the Super Bowl, as I do every year, but this time seemed a bit more fun to me. I didn't have any rooting interest. I don't like or dislike either team. I like both teams' QB's quite a bit in fact. I think the coaches are fine. I live in Saint Louis, but am in no way a Chiefs fan. Philly has some wild fans, but I do like the Eagles uniforms and they have one of my all time favorite Michigan players. I like both Kelce brothers. Both teams have dudes that are easy to root for. I don't know, it was nice to watch a game where I wasn't rooting for or against either team. I was cool with any outcome.

And we got a doozy of a game. It felt like it was going to be good to great when both teams marched right down the field and score on each of their opening drives. I was ready for a good, close game after that. And after the College Football Final being such a blowout, this was a nice and wanted refresher. I like a good close game when a team or teams I'm not rooting for are playing.

Patrick Mahomes was dynamic. He proved time and time again last night why he was the MVP and why he is the best QB in the game. After he got hurt in the first half I was nervous for him, thinking he may not return. Not only did he return, he was amazing in the second half. He beat the Eagles defense with his arm and legs too. He played a wonderful game. Eric Bienenemy called a fantastic second half. I don't know that he has ever had a better half as a play caller. The fact that he is not a head coach is wild to me. He was so on point last night. He found plays that worked and finessed and used them in multiple ways. It was masterful. Travis Kelce was not the star receiver last night and he did not let that bother him. Isaish Pachecho had a solid game at running back. Guys like Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore had big plays in the biggest game. It was cool to see those dudes show up with other guys out.

The Eagles showed the hell up as well. Jalen Hurts was incredible last night. I was already a fan of his, and he played a wonderful game. He used his arms and legs and really played a great game. I know he had that costly fumble, but he did more than enough to get his team a ring. AJ Brown was running slants over and over and constantly getting open. I don't think Dallas Goedert dropped anything thrown his way. Devonta Smith keeps showing everyone how elite he is. He has got to be a top three wideout in the league. That O line was phenomenal. This team showed up ready to play last night. I do think the Eagles got a little screwed at the end with that holding call, but the corner admitted he held the wideout, so I guess it was the right call. The Eagles did get away with some holds earlier in the game anyway.

All in all this Super Bowl was what I want every Super Bowl to be like. It was high scoring with teams going blow for blow. The stars for each team played very well. The QB's more than lived up to the week long hype and played great games. The coaching staff for both teams called very good games. The halftime show seemed fun. I know my wife really liked it. The commercials were fine, but also forgettable to me because I do not pay too close attention. The food I had at my home was very good. My son is very into football now and he stayed up for the whole game. This was about as perfect an evening of football as I could have wanted.

Congrats to the Chiefs on their second Super Bowl in the last four years. They have the makings of a possible dynasty and it looks like the important guys will be back to defend their title next season. And congrats to the Eagles on a great season. This team has the makings of a perennial playoff and title contending team. A very, very good night of football last evening. I could not have asked for more. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "That 90's Show"

When it was announced that they were rebooting "That 70's Show" I was skeptical. I loved that show. It was appointment viewing when I was younger. I fell in love with the characters, the setting and the story. I followed that show all the way until the bitter end, which was not great. So, as I said, a reboot taking place in the 90's had me on edge a bit. I watched the promos, read interviews with the cast and crew and they all assured fans that it was going to pay homage, but not be the same. I was still on the fence.

Recently my best friend said he binged it in a night. That is high praise coming from him. He doesn't binge a lot, and for him to watch all ten episodes in a day is a feat. Then my folks binged it. It took them two days, but still, that is a good sign coming from them. Last week I decided it was my turn to watch.

I was still reticent going into it but coming out, this show works on every level. Obviously I'm speaking of "That 90's Show". I am all in on this new series. It is a reboot, but things have changed in a good way here. There are cameos, of course. Eric and Donna are in an episode together and Donna shows up a few more times. Kelso and Jackie are here but only for the briefest of cameos. And Fez is, it looks like, going to be around, but that is cool with me because I enjoy Fez. But the people they kept from the original series, the true stars, are Red and Kitty.

For me I always gravitated towards Red when the show first aired. He was funny and reminded me of my dad just a little bit. I liked his curmudgeonly attitude, but they always cut it with sweet moments here and there. And Kitty is a delight. She is so bouncy and happy and wants to make everyone around her happy. She opens her home to everyone and everyone is her best friend, even if it is just for a moment. That is exactly how they are in the new series. They are older but they still have fun. They still let their grandkid and her friends hang out in the basement. They still have a tremendous amount of love for one another. They both still have their moments and it comes off as excellent as it did in the original series. I couldn't be happier with the way these actors reprised these classic characters. The writers and producers did a bang up job to keep Red and Kitty essentially the same, just aged a bit.

The new kids are fantastic. That is what this show is supposed to be about anyway. It is the way these kids grew up in this little town in Wisconsin in the 90's, just like the original, only that took place in the 70's. That is what makes this show so much fun to watch. I am a child of the 90's. I was younger than the kids in the show at the time, but not by much. I was 13 in 95, they are all either 15 or 16. It is easy to relate. I remember doing things that they did on the show. My friends and I hung out in my basement when I was in high school. I lifted too much like the jock. I was kind of aloof like the young Kelso. I wanted to party with my friends. It is all there and it all works so well. One aspect from the original series I was afraid they were going to screw up was when they all get high and sit in the circle. Not only did they not mess it up, it brought back nice memories of me cracking up while watching it the first time. This all works. They hit a homerun here. Putting it on Netflix was a genius choice because they can be a little more crass with the humor. The "live studio audience" doesn't bug me one bit.

I am all in on "That 90's Show". It has already been picked up for a second season and they added 6 more episodes. Go watch this show, especially if you were a fan of the original. This is how reboots should be done. What a great show. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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That Was One Hell of an NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline came and went and it was a doozy. I thought after the Kyrie trade things were going to be quiet. They were not. Not by a long shot. Things started wild and finished wild. I already spoke about the Kyrie trade and today I want to hit on a few others before I talk about the blockbuster of all blockbusters that happened last night.

First, James Wiseman is now on the Pistons. Gary Payton II is back with the Warriors. There were a few other players moved in this trade, but these are the big names. I like this move for the players and the teams. Payton returns to where he thrived, he is being paid and he is healthy. He also brings grit and defense. Wiseman gets to go to a spot where he will play with other players the same age and he will get tons of minutes. He will be allowed to learn while he plays the rest of the season. He wasn't going to get that in Golden State. This is a fresh start for him, and next season he will get to play with Cade Cunnigham, Jaden Ivey and maybe, just maybe, Victor Webanyama. He and Jalen Duren could be a fun front court too.

Saadiq Bey was moved to Atlanta, and this will fit him well. I like Bey and he will bring stability and defense to a team that needs both.

The Nuggets traded Bones Hyland to the Clippers for picks. I love this move for the Clippers. Hyland brings instant offense off the bench. He is better at scoring than anyone else they have on that bench now. He also doesn't have to play a ton of defense because the Clippers have that in waves. If the Clippers are ever truly healthy, this is a good trade for them.

Jae Crowder was traded to the Nets and then the Bucks came calling with five second round picks to scoop him up. I remember two years back when the Bucks won the title they traded for PJ Tucker to shore up their elite defense. Jae Crowder is a better PJ Tucker. Crowder is a solid defender, can handle the ball and is a far superior shooter to Tucker. He is a legit 3 and D guy and Giannis and Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, if he is ever fully healed, will find him in open spots everywhere. I get strong vibes from two years ago. This is a homerun trade by the Bucks.

The Lakers, T'Wolves and Jazz were involved in a big three team trade. The Lakers got Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt. This is a nice haul for them. They got younger and better at shooting with Russell. Beasley was coveted and he can shoot from everywhere. Vanderbilt is a fine backup big. The T'Wolves got Nickeil Alexander Walker, Mike Conley and picks. The Wolves got rid of an unhappy player in Russell and replaced him with the quintessential veteran point guard. If anyone can calm the seas in Minnesota it is Conley. Alexander Walker was thrown in and doesn't add much. But at least Minnesota got some picks back. They are going to need them. The Jazz got Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano Anderson, Damian Jones and the Lakers 2027 first round pick. I do not know if any player will stay, I'm almost certain Westbrook is going to be let go, but that pick was gold. The Jazz have gotten so many picks and this one was heavily wanted around the league.

Josh Hart was moved to the Knicks for peanuts. Hart and Jalen Brunson are reunited. Brunson was pumped after this trade was made. This is a very good, very smart move by the Knicks. Hart is a consummate pro, does all the little things and is a fan favorite everywhere he plays. I love this deal for the Knicks.

And now for the big one.

Sorry to all the other trades I didn't mention, but this one needs its own space. Kevin Durant and TJ Warren were traded to the Suns for Mikail Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson and five, count them five, unprotected picks. The Nets may have lost two super duper stars, but they won the treasure trove of picks. They got so many picks in their two big trades. Picks are coveted and, next to the Thunder and Jazz, the Nets have the goods. They also got some solid players. They did move Crowder, as mentioned before, but the other two players they got are solid. Johnson is a good shooter and an above average defender. He should thrive with more playing time. Bridges is a perennial all first team defense player. He has been up for Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. He has also become a solid shooter, can kind of create off the dribble and is fun to watch. I am a Mikail Bridges fan. The Suns got the biggest name. I thought it was odd this offseason when he wanted to go to Phoenix, but now he is there and the Suns title odds have jumped all the way to second. Their projected starting lineup features CP3, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, TJ Warren and Kevin Durant. That is a damn good starting lineup. That is a murderers row of future hall of famers. CP3 and KD are all but guaranteed to be there. If Booker keeps up his play he will be there too. Ayton is proving to be a very solid big man that can stretch the floor. And Warren is a microwave. That dude can score the basketball. The bench isn't bad but it isn't great either. Saben Lee and Cam Payne are backup point guards. Lee barely sees the floor, but Payne is a very okay backup. He has his moments. Damion Lee and Landry Shamet are the backup 2 guards. I mean, that is very ho hum. Both are decent shooters but they don't do much else. Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie are the back up 3's. I mean. Craig is big and Okogie was a lottery pick, but neither really move the needle for me. Ish Wainwright backs up KD and I don't know anything about him. And I watch a ton of NBA. And Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo are Ayton's backups. Landale is mediocre and Biyombo is old. Look, the starting five for the Suns is lethal, if healthy. That is a big if. KD is still not back from injury. Booker just got back from injury. CP3 is old and having a bad season by his standards. But all of that can change when they all get back.

I think it was a great trade for the Nets and a good one for the Suns. But I also think my response to a question my son asked me this morning was pretty telling as to how I truly feel about this trade. He asked, "this means the Suns are the favorites now in the West right?". Without hesitation I said, "nope". I think their starting five may be the best in the league, but they have a ton of ground to make up and the teams at the top are good. The Nuggets have a healthy lead and a good squad. The Grizzlies are young and athletic and brash. I love that team so far. The Kings are clicking. The Mavs made a massive trade. The Lakers are clearly buying in and trying to make the playoffs. The T'Wolves are kind of figuring it out. And the Clippers are always lingering. We will see is all I am saying.

This deadline was pretty wild and I loved every second of it. This is just another thing that makes the NBA the best. Keep all the movement coming. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Congrats LeBron

LeBron James broke the all time NBA scoring record last night. What a career for him. I mean, Jordan is still my all time GOAT as far as NBA players go, but James is firmly number two. No one else can touch him at the moment.

I had a feeling LeBron was going to break the record last night. I don't watch the Lakers, I am not a fan, but I kept close attention to this game. I watched for a half and then I kept checking Bleacher Report to see how he was doing. I love that he did it with so many celebrities in the crowd. I love that he did it with his family there. I love that he did it in the Lakers home arena. I love that he was confident enough that he was going to do it last night that he told his kids when he was at 20 points that he was going for it. I love that they stopped the game down and gave him his flowers. I loved his speech after breaking the record. That was epic. I love all the love he was getting from other athletes. I love that it has kept going into today. This is a big deal.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar's scoring record felt like one of those almost unbeatable records. You needed the longevity, the health, the consistency and the level of superstar that both James and Kareem are. LeBron has been doing this for 20 plus seasons now. He has been at the top of the modern NBA for 20 years. Other players have been proclaimed, a good amount from me, the current best player in the NBA, but LeBron has always been the constant. When Kawhi was deemed the best, he was compared to LeBron. When Giannis was the best, he was compared to LeBron. With the younger guys now, like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant, they are all put up against LeBron. This was like all the 90's players being compared to Jordan. Every guy I watched during Jordan's first retirement or actual retirement was always compared to him. That is what is happening in the modern era now with LeBron.

LeBron is a different player though. He is a mix of the old and new school. He can pass like Magic. He can control the paint like Barkley. He can shoot like Pippen. He plays defense, when engaged, like Gary Payton. LeBron James brings the best out of the old and new eras. He combines them perfectly. He made the transition from Jordan being the face of the league to himself seamlessly. It all worked out perfectly. James also brought about the era of super teams, and I am not saying that in a bad way. I love player empowerment and these adults doing what they can to make the most money they can and play basketball with the dudes they want to play with. I have no problem with him leaving Cleveland to go play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. I loved when he went back to Cleveland and got them to trade for Kevin Love. I have zero issues with him asking the Lakers to give up all kinds of picks to get Anthony Davis. It resulted in a championship. LeBron James brought about a fun and exciting new era of basketball that I highly enjoy watching. I am a fan of 90's basketball, but I'm not like other people my age who bemoan this new style of play. I adore it. I like to see these guys score in bunches. It is part of the reason why James was able to break this record and look good doing it.

I am also stoked that he did it with one of his signature shots. That spin into a fadeaway jumper from the freethrow line was quintessential. It was like Jordan's shot over Bryon Russell in the Finals. It reminded me of the Tim Duncan side bank shot. It brought about memories of Shawn Kemp's ferocious dunks. Hell, it is as iconic as Kareem's skyhook. LeBron James has stayed healthy enough, been as consistent as ever and more than earned the scoring record. He is one of the greatest to ever do it.

Congrats LeBron. You more than deserve all of the accolades you are going to get and have already gotten. I tip my hat to you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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If Joe Perra Comes to Your Town, Go to His Show

Over the weekend me and a buddy went to see Joe Pera at The Pageant here in Saint Louis. Let’s discuss.

I am relatively new to Joe Pera. The same friend told me to watch his show, as did RD, and I devoured all three seasons in less than a week. Each episode is only about 11 minutes so it wasn't some big undertaking. But I watched as much of the show each day as I could. I kept wanting to watch more and more. The more the show progressed the more I got into it. Joe Pera has this calm way about him. The show was great but also very unpredictable. "Joe Pera Talks with You" had a simple premise. Pera would bring up a subject he liked and try to talk to the audience about it. He would start his presentation and something wild would happen. That was what drew me into the show. I also appreciated the fact that the show took place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That is where my parents are from and a lot of my extended family still lives around the UP. It was easy for me to relate to the people, the accents and the general idea.

I did not know what to expect from an hour long standup show from Pera. I purposely stayed off the internet leading up to the show. I did not want to know anything that might be coming my way. I wanted to experience it all at the moment. That is one of my intentions in the new year. I want to get the full experience for the first time. That was the right thing for me to do.

Dan Licata, who wrote for the show, opened the night up. He did a solid 15 minutes. He was funny, fast and had some really interesting joke deliveries. He owned his lot in life. He made fun of family and friends. He did some very good crowd work. He was a little more upbeat and hyper than Pera. It was a nice yin to Pera's yang. I enjoyed his set very much. And without any wait he introduced Pera and Pera took the stage.

This crowd was perfect. We all cheered loudly, but respectfully when he walked on stage. We all knew his cadence and how he would deliver jokes. We know because we are all fans. And when he slowly walked on stage a giant smile grew on my face. I have found that, since COVID, I am nervous in enclosed spaces with a lot of people until the person I have come to see steps on stage. When Pera took the mic and started his show, all that fear washed away and I was in the moment.

Pera did not disappoint. He read an intro that killed, in his usual slow cadence. It was hilarious. He made joke after joke while reading the intro. I loved it. He did way more crowd work than I expected and it was tremendous. He would start a bit and then go out to the audience to get our take. His bit about feeding pita chips to a squirrel was made all the better because of his crowd work. He would openly laugh at some of the stuff the people were saying, but then he would use it. He is a pro at crowd work and it showed tenfold on Saturday night. I was blown away. He told a great bit about writing a love column for the New York Times. It had his typical outlook and joke telling presentation. Then, near the end of the letter he got real blue. I was caught totally off guard in the best possible way. I did not expect him to say the words that he was saying and I was cackling all along the way. And it wasn't like a shock comedian or anything. The swear words were needed for the joke and Pera used them expertly. He brought Licata and another actor who was on the show with him and they did a solid bit to close out the night.

This show was everything I wanted it to be, but it was so much more. I was blown away by what I saw. I am an even bigger fan than I was a few days ago. Joe Pera is a top notch alternative comic. I definitely recommend seeing him if he is near or in your time. He is more than worth the price of admission. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Nets Won the Kyrie Trade

Kyrie Irving got his wish. He is no longer a Brooklyn Net. He wanted a trade before Thursday and the Nets front office obliged. I was kind of curious to see if he would actually sit out, but who knows with this narcissistic asshole. He is the worst. But, he was traded. He is gone. He is on a new team that he might end up corrupting, as he is wont to do.

Irving and Markieff Morris were traded to the Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and a shit ton of picks. The picks are not going to be lottery picks, but they are picks nonetheless. Picks are coveted by teams nowadays in the trade market.

When the news broke that Irving had been traded I wasn't surprised. I knew he wanted to be moved, I read the Nets were going to move him and they wanted a haul. What took me aback was the fact he was traded to the Mavs. I was damn near certain he was going to go to the Lakers. Apparently they put up their future picks and a few players. Joe Tsai wanted nothing to do with the Lakers and I respect him freezing them out. The NBA doesn't have to help the Lakers just because they are the Lakers. There were better offers to be had and Tsai wanted one of those. I saw the Clippers offer, which what was reported seemed pretty awesome, but Tsai turned that one down too. I guess he really did not want to send Irving to LA. Again, I respect that. I know a few other teams were involved but those were never actually going to happen. But the Mavs came out and threw a haul at Brooklyn. They got picks, a very solid, young 3 and D wing and Dinwiddie could be decent there, or he could be bought out and the Nets can get someone else.

I like this deal for Brooklyn. They got some nice pieces to surround KD with, if he doesn't ask to leave. Finney-Smith is a good player. While on the Mavs he guarded the opposition's best offensive player pretty much every night. And he did a formidable job. During the playoffs last season Finney-Smith made life hell for the Suns. He blanketed Devin Booker when asked. Chris Paul had one of his worst playoff series ever, and Finney-Smith would guard him from time to time. Even on the rare occasion I watch the Mavs, I do not like them, Finney-Smith may not have been making his threes as much, but his defense was still on point. This will take a bit of pressure off KD and Nic Claxton. Adding a defensive minded player was a smart move for the Nets. This was an underrated move on their part. Dinwiddie, if he stays, can add some solid bench scoring. He and Seth Curry, while it could be rough on defense, can score buckets of points. Dinwiddie also played his best professional basketball on his first go round with the Nets. He can also be moved again for more picks or a younger player. This was a nice addition. And the picks, from what I have read, are going to be used for trade bait. The Nets want to build around KD and teams want picks. The Nets can go to some bottom feeders, like the Pistons and Rockets, and try to lure a player like Bojan Bogdanovic or Eric Gordon. This was a good trade for the Nets.

For the Mavericks, I do not know. I do not like Dallas. I despise Luka Doncic. I hate all the undo love he gets. I don't think Jason Kidd is a title caliber coach. Mark Cuban is a blowhard. I also do not like that they had to put Finney-Smith in this trade. Look, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are going to make for a deadly backcourt on the offensive end. There is only one ball and both guys are ball dominant, but Irving has shown he can play without the ball after playing with LeBron James and KD. I despise Irving as a person, but the dude can hoop. But this is a bad defensive backcourt. Defense is supposed to be what Kidd excels at coaching, but this is going to be a tough sell. Neither of these dudes want to exert much energy on defense. I also wonder how Kyrie is going to feel going to a team that has a clear driver. Luka Doncic is the face of the Mavericks. There is no doubt about that. Dallas fans seem to like his clunky boring style of basketball. I don't get it, but I am not a fan. I think it will work for a bit, but Kyrie Irving will get frustrated at some point. It's what he does. The Mavs also do not have much defense outside of Reggie Bullock now, and he is slipping. I already mentioned their piss poor backcourt defense. Tim Hardaway Jr, a player I adore, has never been a defensive minded guy. Christian Wood is only an offensive player. He is also on an expiring contract. He doesn't care about defense, he cares about numbers. Bullock is okay, but not as good as a year ago. JaVale McGee can't get on the floor. Jaden Harvey is a rookie and that wall is coming. Dwight Powell is soft. Davis Bertans is trash. Frank Ntilikina can't get any minutes. It looks rough. This team is going to have to outscore opponents. Which they are equipped to do. But it is going to be hard. The Mavs are currently 28-26 and 6th in the West standings. They are nine games behind the 1 seed, Denver Nuggets. But they are within striking distance of the 3 or 4 seed. They need to start winning and winning now. I am curious to see how they play together, but I do not have high hopes. I do think they can stay within the top 6 and miss the play-in, but that has more to do with the conference, not their talent.

I am lukewarm on this trade for the Mavs. I don't trust Irving and I don't like Luka Doncic. I do like the trade for the Nets though, if they can keep KD. He has some solid young talent around him at the moment. We will see, but I am glad that the NBA trade season is alive and well. It makes the deadline fun. I cannot wait to see who is moved next. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Kyrie Irving is Not Worth All the Headaches

After going for a run with my buddy this morning I got home and saw that Kyrie Irving had requested a trade from the Nets. I saw it and thought it was fake. I figured it was a joke. The Nets have been playing better, KD will be back sooner rather than later and, as much as I dislike him, Irving is playing well. Why rock the boat I thought?

Then I remembered, this is Kyrie Irving we are talking about. He is not a team player. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He puts out cryptic tweets and signs them as "Hela". He sages courts. He is anti semitic. He is anti vaccine. He seems to be a miserable person to be around and play basketball with.

So why would this new request be a surprise to me? When he went to the Nets it was because he spoke with KD and they decided they wanted to play together. They both got their wish. Then they got the Nets to trade away young guys like Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert. They got the original coach fired. They insisted the front office hire Steve Nash. Then they got the front office to trade for James Harden. This was all done to appease KD and Irving. None of it has worked. The Nets have never been past the second round of the playoffs. KD constantly gets hurt and misses time. The vets have moved on. Nash was fired. And then COVID hit and Irving thought he was smarter than doctors and scientists. He refused to go to the bubble. He refused to get vaccinated. He yelled at people who asked him simple questions as to why he wouldn't get vaccinated. He made it all about himself. The selfishness and narcissism hit a new high. He was eventually allowed to play again last season, but it was too late. The damage he started was not reversible.

Then we had antisemitism. He shared a tweet that was anti semitic. He pushed a movie that is highly anti semitic. When he was asked a very reasonable question by a reporter he got all up in arms and moody. He was then suspended and issued a fake apology. It wasn't until his money was being taken away that he did what he assumed was a real apology. Charities wouldn't even take his money. That is how bad this all got. But then people kind of forgot about it. The Nets started to win and all was forgiven. Irving played well enough to be an all star. They even won some games against good teams. Then the Celtics buried the Nets, Irving got booed mercilessly and now he wants to be traded.

It may seem odd, but when you think about it, it does all add up. Things are hard for him in Brooklyn now so he wants out. He doesn't like the media in Brooklyn so now he wants out. KD is still hurt so now he wants out. He has also stated that he wants a very favorable contract that he controls.

I cannot, for the life of me, think of a team that wants him and can actually meet the Nets wild demands. I know I would have a very high asking price. I saw the Lakers were mentioned because Irving wants to play with LeBron. If I'm the Nets I want those picks and Anthony Davis. No Russ. Don't want that contract. I also wouldn't want to help the Lakers like that. If the Blazers wanted him I'd ask for Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Nassir Little and picks. And I would not budge. If the Pelicans were chasing him I'd want all those unprotected picks they have and both Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. If the Knicks wanted him the deal doesn't even start unless Jalen Brunson is on the table. If Denver comes callin I'm looking for Jamal Murray, Bones Hyland and all the picks they have. Basically any team that calls would have to give me a king's ransom if I was running the Nets.

Irving is the true definition of a cancer in the locker room and for the teams he has played for. Every team has been better off since he left. After winning a title with Cleveland he demanded a trade. The Cavs sent him to Boston. After he left both teams they are both better off now. Boston is the best team in the NBA. And the Cavs are one of the most fun teams. They are also pretty damn good too. The way both teams got good was letting Irving go and using the picks they got in deals for him to draft young players who have helped them. The Cavs were also able to go out and trade for Donovan Mitchell because of what they got for Irving. I assume the Nets will trade him, or he will sit out, and they will be just fine. KD will be back soon. Nic Claxton is playing great. Seth Curry can shoot. Cam Thomas is coming along. Jacque Vaughan is a good head coach.

The Nets will be better off when they get rid of Kyrie Irving. Just ask the Celtics and Cavs. But get as good a deal as possible Brooklyn. Do not settle for Russ, as much as I like him. Get the king's ransom. Don't settle. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The Only Good Thing About Groundhog Day is the Movie "Groundhog Day"

get back in your hole

Today is Groundhog Day. I never "celebrate" it because who cares if it is going to be colder longer or who? It doesn't really matter. In Saint Louis it is going to be cold until late March or early April anyway. But I was over at my folks house this morning, one of my coffee hangouts with my dad, and my mom was watching "Groundhog Day".

I adore this movie. It is one of my all time favorites. I enjoy the tone of the movie. I like the whole idea of reliving the same day over and over again. The cast is damn near perfect. I am a Harold Ramis fan and I enjoy his directing. I also love how dark the movie gets. When my dad and I got back to his house we got to see the moment when Bill Murray's character realizes what is going on and he sees what happens when he dies. For a comedy this is bleak. He drives a car off a cliff. He gets in a bathtub with a plugged in toaster. He steps in front of a moving truck. That is some dark stuff. But it is played for comedy and it works. When he grabs the toaster from the lady at the restaurant in the hotel, she is confused. Then the lights kind of flicker and she just nods and moves on. When Chris Elliot and Andi McDowell are identifying his body after the car crash, Elliot is bringing funny faces and one liners. And even when he realizes that suicide won't work, the way he starts to treat some people is hilarious. The back and forth with him and Stephen Toblowski is comedy gold. Toblowski is such a great character actor and he goes toe to toe with Murray. When he is mean to McDowell she gives it right back to him. She is strong and not going to take his BS. And even when the "lesson is learned" in the movie, it isn't hokey or corny. It is sweet. It works. The chemistry Murray and McDowell have felt real. I bought it.

I adore "Groundhog Day". I know Murray has had some problematic stuff come out recently and that stinks. But dammit I find his movies funny and wonderful. "Scrooged" is my favorite Christmas movie. "Caddyshack" is one of the greatest comedies of all time. I was a humongous "Ghostbusters" fan as a kid. I think he is one of the best "SNL" cast members of all time. And "Groundhog Day" is another homerun. I also know that he and Ramis fought a ton, and apparently they did it a lot on the set of this movie. But they made a damn good, classical comedy movie with "Groundhog Day". It works and they work. They were a comedy dream team.

Watching the movie this morning made me miss Ramis too. He died too young, too soon. It was tragic when he died. I go back and watch his movies a lot more now and it was cool to revisit one of his best today.

Again, I think making today a "holiday" is nuts and we all know it is not a real holiday. My kids are at school today. My wife is working. We aren't exchanging any gifts or giving out any treats. But if you do want to celebrate this day, if you are looking for something to do, watching "Groundhog Day" may be the only real solution there is. And that is a damn fine solution to come to. "Groundhog Day" is a classic made by comedy geniuses with a tremendous cast. And the movie totally holds up. Go watch it. It rules. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Paul T. Goldman"

I just finished the Peacock series "Paul T Goldman". I loved it. I heard about the show when Jason Woliner was guesting on "Comedy Bang! Bang!" I love that podcast and I am a fan of Woliner's. The fact that he had a new series piqued my interest for sure. I loved his shows like "Eagleheart" and "Last Man on Earth". He did some "Nathan For You" episodes. He directed the reboot of "With Bob and David". He directed the second "Borat" movie. The guy does comedy, comedy that I like and I have been a fan for some time now. After listening to "CBB" I did some research on the new series. I was immediately interested in the show.

For people that may not know, "Paul T Goldman" is a show about a guy who claimed to be married to a madame of a big time sex worker ring and how she took his money. The twist of all of this is, Goldman played himself. Woliner wanted to do the story, he wanted to get it out there so we all could get our eyes on this wild story. He agreed to let Goldman, who's real name is Paul Finkleman, play himself. So the series follows this story based on a book that Goldman wrote called "Duplicity" Throughout the six episode run we see Goldman recreating the scenes in the book with real actors and directors. The only thing unchanged is the words that Goldman wrote and the fact that he is playing himself. The actors that they got to work on this show are real actors. There are some big names involved in this show. Frank Grillo is in an episode. Melinda McGraw plays the madam. W Earl Brown plays the supposed "pimp". Dennis Haysbert has what turns out to be a cameo. Paul Ben-Victor plays a mob boss. I mean, these are working actors who have been in some big time shows and movies. I have to believe this is due to Woliner's name being attached. And they all appear opposite Goldman.

Goldman is a weird dude. That much is on display from the start. He continually tells everyone to laugh at his story while constantly claiming it is true. At times I feel bad for him but that will switch quickly to me not liking him at all. He seems desperate. He wants to be liked. He doesn't leave people alone. He makes stuff up in the book and when he is asked about it by Woliner, he tries to change the subject. He is rude to his first wife. He claims his son is unhappy when he is clearly happy. He treats people poorly and that makes me not believe his story. People he hired, PI's lawyers, the FBI, they all end up leaving him when it becomes too much. The show is presented as a true crime series, but it is funny. When he shows it to a focus group they all make fun of him and flat out do not like him. There are times when it looks like Woliner has had enough. He wants to be done with it. And without him, this would've never been made. Goldman reminds me of an even less certain Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau has at least owned the fact that his movie is trash. Goldman is so delusional that he doesn't seem to realize how outlandish all this sounds. I am leaving out main points because I think people should watch this show for many reasons.

The story is nuts. Goldman is a wild television character that will be talked about for years. It has Woliner's signature all over it. It is a very well done show. Check it out. It is worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

"Reboot" Adds to the List of Great Shows Canceled Too Soon

A ton of tv shows and some movies are being canceled left and right lately. This is a disturbing first world trend. There has been finished stuff, fully completed, that will not see the light of day. People went and worked on these shows, movies, whatnot and they will not see their hard work come to light. There have been plenty of movies and shows that were about to go into production that were shut down with no warning. That stinks.

I was stoked about the "Workaholics" movie, but that isn't happening at the moment. Paramount Plus shut it down a few weeks before they were going to begin filming. I think the problem is, there is too much content. There are too many choices. Every network and streaming service and website seems to have new content going up by the hour. And most of that content is "reality" tv stuff. These shows are cheap, they don't need actors and can be done almost anywhere. It is a problem. It stinks. There is no creativity. Nothing is new. It's a bummer.

One such show that just got the axe is "Reboot". I devoured the first season. I thought this show was very well done. It was a neat concept. It worked in the modern television era. It was a spoof of a remake. That is money in the bank. There are reimaginings, reboots, remakes galore now. "Reboot" jumped on that idea and made it their own. Rachel Bloom had this wonderful idea and made it come to life. Bloom is a genius comedy writer. She had this show and she made it her own. I love the idea of taking a goofy sitcom from the 90's and making it grown up. These actors are real people with real problems. The cast of the show was spot on as well. Johnny Knoxville was great as the stoner goofball who gets into network nonsense. Keegan Michael Key was perfectly cast as the wannabe dramatic actor who took this role thinking it was just a starting point. Calum Worthy was great as the child star who grew up in a bubble and had to live in the real world now. And Judy Greer, such a pro and underrated in my opinion, was just great as the female lead who made some interesting choices while on the original running of the sitcom. To see them come back to this show, this new idea for their old show, was awesome. Key had no luck in landing any real roles. He was subjected to helping out his girlfriend with her wildly successful playwright career. He was over helping and over sharing at all the wrong times. Knoxville was trying to clean up his act, he had gotten sober, but he was still making other poor choices. Worthy still acted like a kid and still seemed to live in his bubble. He was hilariously inept. And Greer was simply the best. She married a prince who cheated on her and she was trying to find her way back to fame. And we had Bloom who perfectly took on her role as the daughter of the original creators show. She wanted to make this show to show him how horrible of a father he was. Who played her father you ask? Paul Reiser. And he was exceptional. This show was excellent. The first season was funny and touching at the same time. The actors were great. The writing was spot on. I loved all the scenes in the writers room. Those were special. This show may have been ahead of its time. Hulu gave up on it too soon.

All these cancellations need to slow down. These networks and streaming services need to give them time to grow and get a bigger audience. "Reboot" was excellent and deserved more time. What a bummer. Give these shows a real chance. Be more like FX. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Some Thoughts on the Eagles Chiefs Super Bowl Matchup

The Super Bowl is set. I was wrong in my prediction. I figured the Bills were going to win based on their talent and them playing for Damar Hamlin. But, as I said last week, the Bengals went into Buffalo and rolled the Bills. Yesterday was not the same though.

I was rooting for the Bengals. Full disclosure folks. I wanted them to win for a myriad of reasons. I like Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase. I like how boisterous they are. I love that they went to Buffalo and trounced the favorites. I like how much trash they talked after they won. They are a fun team to root for. I also wanted my nephew and brother to be stoked for a return trip to the Super Bowl.

That didn't happen. They looked worse yesterday. They played as poorly as they have all year. And they still had a shot. But Kansas City, who has so many injuries and hurt players playing, toughed out a victory. Travis Kelce played pretty well with as injured as he was reported to be. Patrick Mahomes played on one leg and looked as dynamic as he normally does. The Chiefs defense, long their achilles heel, played one hell of a game. They had two interceptions and something like eight sacks. They put them in the position to win the game. But it was a good game. It wasn't a blowout. Both teams traded blows. The Chiefs went up 10 and the Bengals came right back. The game went down to the wire. The Chiefs kicked the winning field goal with 3 seconds left. It was, for someone who had no real rooting interest, a good game.

The NFC title was not. The 49ers, who I could not have been more wrong about at the start of the season, luck ran out. Brock Purdy got hurt right away. Then Josh Johnson got hurt. The Eagles imposed their will. I have to admit that I loved seeing the Eagles run the ball right down the "vaunted" 49ers defense. They did what they wanted when they wanted. Miles Sanders scored twice. Gainwell had a nice TD run. Jalen Hurts proved even further that he should be the MVP. This game was over at halftime, and the 49ers did nothing in the second half to make that change at all. I get that they were down to Christian McCaffery at QB, but at least try to throw the ball. Philly barely had to prepare for any adjustments in the second half. This game was a wash and the correct team from the NFC is going to the Super Bowl.

I'm pretty pumped, again I have no rooting interest for this matchup. I think the two best teams are playing for the title. They have both been consistent and played well enough to get where they are today. This matchup is great. The Chiefs have a high powered high flying offense. The defense is coming along nicely, but make no mistake, the Chiefs go as Mahomes goes. He is the key to winning the title. The Eagles are awesome on defense, can run the ball which controls the clock and have been consistently the best team in the NFL all year. Jalen Hurts is a star. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are two of the best wideouts in the game. Miles Sanders is an elite running back. That D line, with Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat is amazing. Hasson Reddick is a bull coming off the line on the pass rush. Darius Slay is one of the best corners in the league. The Eagles are as complete a team as there is in the NFL. The Super Bowl is strength on strength. The Eagles defense is one of the best in the league and the Chiefs offense is elite. The Eagles have a very good offense as well, but the Chiefs D just played a humongous game and look to be heavily improved. I cannot wait to watch. I have a feeling it could be a classic game with a memorable ending.

In the end I will take the Eagles to win and Hurts to take home two MVP awards this season. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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I am Not in a Hurry to See the New "Avatar" Movie

In preparation to watch the second "Avatar" movie whenever it comes to Disney +, it may be on there now, I have no idea, but my wife turned on the original "Avatar" the other day. We watched about 90 minutes of it before we went to bed. Let’s discuss.

I have been saying on this site and the podcast ever since it went up that I did not care for "Avatar" when it first came out in 2009. I saw it in the theaters with a very good friend who really wanted to see it. I figured I'd go because it was getting a ton of buzz, the critics loved it and we had a chance to see it in 3-D. I found myself bored and not enjoying it. Granted I was 26 at the time, a movie snob and was predisposed to not like it. I am not a James Cameron fan. I find him off putting. He seems like he is very arrogant. And with some stories that have come out about him, I do not feel bad saying this. I also only like two of his movies. I love "T2" and "Aliens". Those are legit excellent movies. But I have not liked much else he has directed. "Terminator" is fine. I do not like a single second of "Titanic". I have no desire to watch stuff like "Aliens of the Deep" or "Ghosts of the Abyss". I openly dislike "True Lies", much to my wife's chagrin. But I went into this rewatch of "Avatar" with more of an open mind. I decided I was going to let my predispositions wash away and just view the movie as a "critic". I was not looking to poke holes in anything. I wanted to see if, with 16 more years of life added on, that maybe I would enjoy it more. I am also a little curious about the new movie. Maybe it is the hype train again and maybe I will be fooled again, but people I listen to seem to like the new movie. Even people who disliked the first one seem to like this new one. And I am not being one of these fans that is just hating on "Avatar" to hate on it. I could literally careless if it is good or not. I do not care about the box office. None of that stuff matters to me. I just wanted to rewatch the first one to see if I was wrong, or what I was wrong about, and to see if it made me want to see the sequel.

So, as previously stated, we got through 90 minutes of the first one. This was not due to boredom or lack of not wanting to finish. We have two kids, my wife works a full time job and we only have time to watch a little bit of something before we both get tired. Yes, I get it, we are old. But in this 90 minute rewatch I noticed a few things. First off, the movie looks incredible. It is beautiful. Even on our home television it looked stunning. The effects look modern. And that is something that Cameron has always had a good hold on. He knows how to do special effects maybe better than anyone in the business. He is a genius when it comes to that. This was a part that I did not appreciate when I first watched this movie. It is visually stunning. That is about where my praise ends though. Well, Sigourney Weaver is wonderful in the movie too. I like how badass she is. It is like her character from the "Alien" franchise moved into the world of "Avatar". Okay, that is where my praise stops. Other than Weaver and the effects, the movie still bored me. I do not care about the military storyline. The bad guy, or guys in this movie, are cliche. You can tell just by looking at them. Then when they speak the point is further driven home. Sam Worthington is not great here. He is dull and boring and not the leading man I want to root for. Zoey Saldana is so underused. She is too put upon and not given nearly enough to do in the movie. The actors they put in the movie to be the comedy relief are using tired and dumb jokes. Nothing in this movie made me laugh. I do have to say, the last hour is supposed to be when the movie really picks up, and we get the big battle scene, but I have not had the urge to go back and watch it yet because I don;t really care what happens. I also kind of remember it being ridiculous. I remember "The Simpsons" doing a parody of it, and that was a million times better for me to watch. My wife also made a good point while watching. She kept saying that the original "Avatar" is a lot like "Pocahontas". She is 100 percent correct. I mean, watch them side by side and I bet you can see far too many parallels.

At this point, I do not know if I will ever watch "Avatar 2". I enjoyed the visuals of the first movie. But the story and most of the acting fell flat. For me. Time will tell, but right now, at this very moment, my desire to finish the first and watch the second are nearly null. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Now I Have an 11 Year old

My son turns 11 today.

I am kind of in shock still.

I feel like he just turned three a few days ago. He is still my baby. He is my first born kid. When my wife went into labor he was the baby that didn't want to come out. He was supposed to be born on the 25th. He stayed in the womb as long as he could though. He was content there. But ever since he was born, 11 years ago today, he has been an absolute delight. We have our squabbles, as all kids and parents do, but Miles is a damn good kid. He doesn't cause trouble. He is never looking to stir it up. He wants everything to be amicable. He wants everyone included and everyone to be friends. He wants nothing but peace. Miles has never been in any real trouble in school. He is not a disturbance. The only thing I get on him at home about is how messy his room is. Again, he is 11.

This is the kid that made me a dad, and eventually a stay at home dad. I was there for his first steps, first words, first time using the bathroom, his first hit in baseball, his first basket in basketball, his first tackle, I have been there and loved every second of it all. He has an endless wealth of knowledge on the things he loves. You want to know a certain basketball player from the 80's, Miles is your guy. He knows players I don't even know. He has recently gotten heavily into football and his knowledge of the sport knows no bounds already. He is already asking me about guys that came and went when I was his age. He loves music of all kinds. He likes the stuff his friends like, but he will listen to Kendrick Lamar and The Black Keys with me happily. He calls it "old people music", but I can tell he likes some of it. Hell, he has admitted as much. He is a video game fiend. He loves them. From NBA 2k to Pokemon to Mario Odyssey and Paper Mario, the kid is a wizard at those games. I am not good at video games, and when I watch him play I am amazed at how good and how smart he is. He picks up those things so fast. He is an excellent student as well. We just had a parent teacher conference and his teacher was singing his praises. He is fast and should take a little more time on his work, but he knows the answers to all kinds of stuff in his many different subjects. He has been smart from day one. As mentioned above, he plays football, basketball and baseball. He is an okay catcher. We have things to work on, but he readily committed to being a catcher when he was young. He devours all things basketball. He wants to learn the game from the inside out. Basketball is tough, but he is coming along. Football was a revelation this past year. He played flag football before, but this year he played tackle football and he was good. Real good. He likes to tackle and block guys. He likes taking them to the ground. He plays with an edge. I didn't know what to expect when he started playing, but I was hyper impressed with his improvements from day one to his team winning the title in their division.

Most of all, the thing that makes Miles Miles, he is totally 100 percent himself. There is nothing phony about him. He is very happy with the person he is becoming and he is proud of it as well. He is uniquely himself. There is no other Miles out there like our Miles. He is truly one of a kind. The best kind.

I love you buddy. You are growing up too fast, but there is nothing I can do about that. The sun shines and sets with you buddy. Keep being you and keep doing your thing big guy. You rule. Love ya. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.