Ty Watches "Cunk on Earth"

Over the past week I watched the show "Cunk on Earth". I loved it. It was that dry British humor that I really enjoy when done right. Let’s discuss.

I like the whole idea of making a serious talk show, then flipping it on its head. This is akin to a prank show. Philomena Cunk is there to ask some of the dumbest questions one could hear on subjects like the renaissance or religion or social media to experts. She does all of this with a very straight face too. That makes it even funnier. But I'm not here to talk about the show today. As I said, I think the show is great and everyone should watch it. If it didn't have swear words I'd recommend they show it in schools. It's very informative. What I want to talk about today is the character of Philomena Cunk.

The actor that portrays Cunk is named Diane Morgan. I don't know of anything else she has ever done. This character is the first thing I've seen her perform in. But this is one of the most memorable and funny characters I've ever seen on tv. Philomena Cunk wants to be an expert in certain fields. She has all the questions one could want the answer to, if one was a child. She goes out there and asks some of the dumbest questions I've ever heard, but the way she phrases them, and how straight of a face she can keep, it is a true work of art. She is stoned faced the entire time. She never, ever breaks character. There was a moment in an episode I watched yesterday where she made the expert and the crew laugh, but the whole time she kept asking why everyone was laughing and this was a serious thing. She kept that going for a full minute before they went to the next shot. She kept it going so much that I felt that the expert felt bad for laughing. And this is what she does in every episode. She was talking with a gentleman that was playing music out of a phonograph, and the questions that followed were uproarious. She asked a line of questions that were all about sending a message to the singer of the song coming out of the phonograph. The gentleman seemed so frustrated and confused. But Cunk kept at it. She wouldn't let up. It was great. I like when she asked about Lincoln continuing to be president after he was shot at Forbes Theater. The expert there seemed annoyed, but she never let up. Stuff like that cracks me up. Another thing she did in every episode was make some kind of joke when they were doing shots of her "thinking". She would look at her phone from time to time, only to rush to put it away when she realized the camera was on her. She would read a book and complain about how boring it is. She would make up an entire scenario and act it all out, which was fantastic to see. But I think the thing that made me like this character so much was how hard Morgan commits. She never lets up. She seems destined to have this be what she's remembered for in her career. I don't think she cares about being pigeonholed. I believe she has created something unique and damn near perfect.

If you're contemplating watching the show, do it, simply for Morgan's transformation into Philomena Cunk. It is a sight to behold. 

Ty

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

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Japan Knows How to Make Interesting Kit Kats

kit kat

Earlier today my dad and I did some grocery shopping at Global Foods. It's a local market in STL that sells goods from all over the world. They have aisles for many different countries. They will put similar food items with countries near each other. The store isn't too big, but it has a bunch of cool stuff.

I went today because I wanted to get some things from the Japanese aisle. I grabbed a few things from other spots, but the Japanese aisle was my main focus. They had a bunch of stuff I had been searching for for quite a while. They had the 2x spicy chicken Buldak ramen. I found ponzu and gyoza sauce. I got a recipe for miso soup and I needed a dashi starter, which they also had. I got some matcha ice cream sandwiches I had seen and was craving. But my main goal was to get some of the cool Kit Kat flavors they do in Japan.

Japan takes its chances with their Kit Kat choices, and I was bound and determined to try some. I was able to find their Kit Kat spot and grabbed a few bags. The two I decided to get were the strawberry and chocolate orange flavors. As soon as I got home from working out, the Kit Kats were the first two things I tried. I went with the chocolate orange ones first. These were wonderful. I am a big fan of citrus flavored things, and when you add chocolate to it, forget about it, I'm going to be a fan. I think what made me really like these was how strong the orange was in the candy. You can really taste it. It is forefront and it is very noticable. I took one bite and said, to no one, "this will do just fine". I loved it. It was like eating one of those chocolate oranges that you have to crash against a table to break into pieces. I don't know what I was expecting, but this flavor exceeded any expectations I may have had. When I try something that claims to have orange flavor in it, I really want to taste it. This is ever present in these Japanese orange chocolate Kit Kats.

The other flavor, strawberry, was equally as good. I bit into it expecting to taste mostly chocolate, but the strawberry is definitely there. You cannot miss it. I was hesitant before my first bite because I thought it may be too sweet, and have an almost white chocolate flavor. It did not.This was a quality Kit Kat that happened to be strawberry flavored.

I like Kit Kats because they're light and airy. The chocolate is there and the wafer lends a nice texture contrast. I do enjoy mint chocolate Kit Kats and I like their dark chocolate variety. But some other flavors are misses. The glazed donut one is no good. The birthday cake one is far too sweet. The white chocolate one doesn't need to exist. But I think those are no good for me because they're too sweet and I don't really get the flavors they're promising. But these Japanese ones are dynamite. They offer the actual flavor that they're advertising. And that flavor hits strongly, as it should.

So, if you want a good quality Kit Kat that isn't an original one, go buy some of the Japanese varietals, they are pretty damn tasty. 

Ty

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

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Seek Out and Watch "Wyrm"

I recently finished a movie that caught my attention simply due to the poster. While looking at streaming services for a movie to watch, I came across this movie called "Wyrm" on plex. The poster is a younger kid with a 90's background, akin to a JC Penny photo shoot, and after the title of the movie, the tagline reads, "simply looking for love". This was all I really needed. It had the odd vibe that I enjoy in indie movies and I was all in. After my buddy explained it a bit to me, that gave me the final push I needed.

Right off the bat, I really enjoyed this movie. It was weird and simplistic, in the best ways. It was funny and surprisingly heartfelt. The performances were pretty damn impressive. As I was watching the movie, I got vibes of "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse". The movie, in its lead roles, has smaller name actors that I hadn't heard of. When you look at the cast in the opening credits there are recognizable names, but those actors play small roles. Names like Rhea Seehorn, Paula Pell, Jenna Ortega, Lukas Gage, Natasha Rothwell, Rosemarie DeWitt and Dan Bakedahl pepper the cast. But the lead roles are from Theo Taplitz, as Wyrm, Lulu Wilson, as Izzy, Sosie Bacon, as Lindsay and Azure Brandi, as Myrcella. These actors are tremendous in this movie. Azure Brandi plays Wyrm's sister, and she is mean and bossy and loving in her role. Sosie Bacon is terrific as the other person in the car accident that led to Myrcella and Wyrm's brother's death. Lulu Wilson is weird and wonderful as Izzy. She has two dance sequences that are rad. And Taplitz absolutely steals the show as the title character. He is mousey and quiet. He is your typical introvert. He is a quieter Napoleon Dynamite. He has more feelings that he's struggling to deal with as a young teen. Taplitz was a revelation to me, and I will be looking to see more of his work.

The movie's plot is an interesting one too. This movie takes place in an alternate reality in the 90's. Kids who have never been kissed wear a big collar around their necks. When they get that first kiss, their "collars pop". That leads to bracelets and other contraptions as you get older and experiment more. But this isn't a typical movie about young kids trying to "score". There's the death in the family. Wyrm and Myrcella's parents are dealing with grief in their own ways. The kids live with their uncle and his girlfriend. School is a whole other monster that they have to deal with, by which I am referring to the collars. Everyone is very straightforward and no nonsense. And while the first half has its funny moments and got some big laughs from me, the more they dive into the dramatic stuff, the more I liked this movie. As I said before, this movie has heart. This movie is telling a story. This movie is a true coming of age movie that we haven't seen in quite some time.

I highly recommend checking this movie out if you come across it somewhere. It's different and unique. While it may have vibes of other movies, this is its own telling of a funny and, at times, a very sad one. Go and watch this. You won't be disappointed. 

Ty

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

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The Arkadin is Must Visit in St. Louis

Yesterday a buddy of mine treated me to a Lifetime movie that we watched with some other people. The movie was called "A Deadly Garage Sale". This was a bad, bad movie. Let's not get it twisted. The writing was poor, the actors, while going for it, are clearly second or third rate, the action was boring and dull and it was absolutely insane. I don't make it a point to watch Lifetime movies, and last night's picture was a prime reason. But, the setting, the people I was with, the comic roasting the movie while it was going on and the venue made this one of the more fun nights in my life. I had an absolute blast watching this movie with other people that were there for the same reason as me and my friend.

First off, the movie was held at a place here in STL called The Arkadin. This is a cool new spot for me. I had never been here before. But, walking out of the screening last night, I will assuredly be back. The vibe was akin to a lowkey bar with a movie screen inside of it. When we walked in there was a little bar to get drinks and concessions. There was also a table where a local business was selling some of their food. Then you walk behind a curtain and are met with about eight rows of seats that lead way to a decent sized screen. The first six rows were typical movie theater seats. The next two rows were way cooler. The row we sat in was nice comfy lazy boy chairs. They didn't recline, but man were they cushy and cozy. The row behind us was a bar with some bar seats. I feel like we had the best seats in the house. The screen, while not as big as a typical movie theater screen, was still bigger than the tv in my house. It was the perfect size for the room we watched the movie in. Next to the theater was an exit and some restrooms. It was not the biggest theater, but it was the perfect size for what they are doing there.

Another cool thing I noticed about The Arkadin. Before the movie they were advertising upcoming movie nights they were having there. They're showing the original "Blade Runner" this Friday, followed by some kind of uncut body dysmorphia sci-fi movie that looked terrifying. That was only seven dollars to get into. They have theme nights. We went to Knifetime last night, which shows a bloody Lifetime movie. They have sci-fi nights. They had something called vaporware night. They have family friendly movie nights. They even have a VHS night. That entails bringing in a VHS, the staff picks one to show the audience, and the person who brings the winning tape gets free concessions during the screening. I love this idea. In fact, I love everything they're doing at The Arkadin. It's cool to go see old time movies or kitschy things to make fun of with a crowd. I like how involved they want the audience to be. I like the whole idea of the community they're trying to build in this place. I was looking at their website when I got home last night and more times than not they had something going on that I would love to see.

I cannot say enough good things about this spot. My buddy that suggested this made my night with this viewing. He knows I like this type of thing and it was right up my alley. I'm positive we will be returning in the very near future. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you have a cool place like this near you, please go and support. We need more stuff like this. It's a nice little escape and it's fun to be around other people who may be into the same nonsense that you're into. I'm stoked we have The Arkadin here in STL. I'll be back there many, many more times. 

Ty

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

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The Future is Now for the Washington Commanders

I come here today to heap some praise on the Washington Commanders.

I was a bit skeptical of their regular season. I felt like I've seen this story before. A team comes from out of nowhere to make a deeper playoff run that most thought. Hell, I didn't even think they'd be in the playoffs. I was certain they'd have another high pick in this upcoming draft. I liked Jayden Daniels coming into the draft, and when they stole Mike Sainristil, my preseason pick for defensive rookie of the year by the way, I was stoked. But still, they looked like a team starting their year or two rebuild in the right direction. I was wrong. So was almost everyone else.

The Commanders are here, and they look here to stay. Daniels is legit. He is a younger Lamar Jackson. Jackson is still young, but Daniels is younger. Jackson is also currently better, he is my favorite QB to watch in the league right now, but Daniels looks to be on his way. He has a poise and calmness you don't see in any rookies. No matter the score, with his arm and legs, he can keep his team in any game. The Lions have a better roster, but Daniels figured something out and went to the well over and over and over again. And it worked because he is hyper talented. He plays the game with joy, he seems to love doing what he's doing and I cannot wait to see him do this for the next decade plus.

Sainristil, for those that don't know, is also legit. He was a receiver his first couple of years at Michigan. He made the switch to nickel corner and it benefitted him and the team. They won a title last year, and a lot of the defensive success they enjoyed was due to his play. He made this change and it worked out for everyone. It worked out better than anyone else could have ever imagined. He parlayed that into being a high second round pick and day one starter. He has made gradual progression all season long and it culminated in his best game as a pro. He had two interceptions and five tackles. He made big plays in the state of Michigan once again. I was torn because I have a ton of family members that are diehard Lions fans, but I loved seeing the things Sainristil was doing on the field. He is only going to get better and it looks like the Commanders have their two main building blocks on offense and defense for a good long while. Sure, they're are ten other players who are important playing with both of them, but these two are the standouts, and they're rookies. This kind of success this early on is amazing. It's also unheard of. I don't want any bad injury or anything to derail their growth. And they both seem to have good heads on their shoulders, so that is not that big of a worry to me.

Watching them both play this weekend was pretty glorious. I like when I don't have a rooting interest because I can focus on certain players that I may not have watched much during the regular season. The Bills and Eagles impressed me with how they won their games, but the Commanders were the highlight for me. I didn't expect this from them, but I'm not mad that this is where they're at right now. I'm not sure how they'll play this weekend facing the Eagles in the NFC title game. But, I'm done betting against them at this point. They've done more than enough to prove they belong and that they will be perennial players moving forward. And I give a good portion of that credit to Daniels and Sainristil. They're so much fun to watch and I will be rooting hard for them this weekend. What a story. 

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 "A Complete Unknown"

Yesterday my mom and I went to see "A Complete Unknown". Let’s discuss.

I was a bit skeptical going into this movie. I usually enjoy music biopics, but when it's an artist that I like, I get a little hesitant. I have yet to see the Bob Marley fictional biopic "One Love". Marley is my favorite artist of all time, I have watched documentaries about him, I have dove about as deep as one can into his music catalog. He is too important to me to watch someone else play him. I know that I would be too hypercritical about a fictional movie centered around Bob Marley. And while I adore Bob Dylan, he is not on Marley's level for me. I've also kind of fallen off a bit from music biopics. I thought the Freddy Mercury movie with Rami Malek was bad. I have not seen "Rocketman", and don't know if I'll ever see it. I rewatched "Ray" during COVID and it didn't hold up for me like the first time I saw it. I am a snob about music, and when the story is fictional and given the Hollywood treatment, I tend to tune it out. But, with a push from my mom, and my newfound fandom of Timothee Chalamet, I decided to give this one a go.

I'm glad I did. I appreciate my mom urging me to go with her. I thought this movie was excellent. I should have known with James Mangold directing that the audience was in good hands. He did great with "Walk the Line" and "Logan" is my favorite "superhero" movie. He is a good director, and he knows how to shoot musicians. Chalamet is a revelation here. He could have made his version of Dylan a cliched impression. He could have just used a funny voice and kind of walked his way through this movie. He didn't do that. As my mom said, he embodied Dylan. He became him. From his look to his voice to even playing guitar and singing the songs himself, Chalamet absolutely knocked it out of the park.

My mom also said something else that really stood out to me after the movie too. She said that she could see Chalamet becoming a new age Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant. This kid is hyper talented. He seems to pick good movies most of the time. I love his portrayal of Paul Atreideis in both new "Dune" movies. I thought he did a superb job as a young Willy Wonka in "Wonka". I like his stuff in movies like "Don't Look Up" and "Ladybird". And after seeing him play Dylan, he is now one of my favorite actors working today. And he definitely had help.

Scoot McNairy, as a sickly Woody Guthrie, helped move the story along. I thought Ed Norton did great things with his version of Pete Seeger. Elle Fanning was great as Dylen's first partner after he moved to NYC. Monica Barbaro was wonderful as Joan Baez. Boyd Holbrook was convincing as Johnny Cash. I mean, pretty much everyone in this movie seemed to understand the assignment and ran with it and did some great things.

I also liked that the story of the movie was Dylan's early rise to fame and him playing at the Newport Folk Festival up until he goes electric. And I thought the way they handled the whole ordeal of him going electric was perfect. This movie never got cliche and sappy. They showed Dylan's genius, but also how tough it would be to collaborate or be in a relationship with him. I felt bad for Pete Seeger after Dylan's rise to fame because he became a second hand person in his life.

I loved this movie. The reason to see this and watch it again and again is Chalamet's performance. He is dynamic and I hope he continues to do cool stuff in his acting career. He is a talented dude. 

Ty

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

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Bob Uecker Made My World a Better Place

Bob Uecker, the iconic voice of the Milwaukee Brewers and one of America’s most cherished entertainers, passed away today at the age of 90. Affectionately known as “Mr. Baseball,” Uecker was far more than a sports figure—he was a cultural icon whose humor, wit, and charm transcended the game. 

We already knew all of that.

Outside of Bob’s less than mediocre professional baseball career, his longtime duties as the voice of the Brewers, and his movie/television career, Mr. Baseball was someone who impacted my life in a very positive way. I already miss him dearly.

Bob Uecker has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. His Miller Light ads in the early 1980s were everywhere, and while I was far too young to drink the product, Bob made me laugh. “I must be in the front row” is something I always say when I go to sporting events. His role as Harry Doyle in “Major League” and its sequel delighted me as a kid, and now my own son quotes him. My son says “juuust a bit outside” on any bad pitch. After a particularly bad Reds outing this season, I said to my wife “two goddamn hits, hell no one’s listening”. I did not really watch Mr. Belvedere, but I had a close childhood friend reach out today and say that Bob Uecker on that show is the dad he always wanted. Later in life I discovered Bob’s legendary visits on Johnny Carson, and I love to tell the story of Uecker and Bob Gibson holding hands in the Cardinals team photo. Bob was a Gen X/Millennial comic legend.

I was lucky enough to meet Bob Uecker one time. Back in 2005 I was working in Milwaukee. I was at an event where Bob was the guest speaker. He took time to talk to each person and he was as funny as he always was. When I had my time with him I mentioned that I was from St. Louis. He asked my age and I told him I was young enough to not be around for his playing days but old enough to appreciate his after baseball work. He then said to me that I looked old enough to drink Miller Light but young enough to strike him out. I laughed and said thanks for the compliment. Immediately after my remark, Bob turned around and said it was no compliment to me but the truth of his abysmal hitting. His comic timing was perfect, and Bob Uecker gave me a memory for a lifetime.

I loved Bob Uecker. I already miss him. The world was a much better place with Mr. Baseball bringing us joy. Bob’s last call ever, a Brewer’s playoff loss to the Mets, the legend said at the end of the game “I’m telling you. That one (pause) had some sting on it”. Bob Uecker always knew what to say.

Thank you for a life well lived, thank you for the memories, and thank you for decades of entertaining this boy from St. Louis, but today (pause) has some sting on it.

RD

RD is the creator and Head Editor of SeedSing. He also does a bunch of podcasts. Find them here.

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Squid Game Once Again Makes Us Care for Doomed Characters

I'm four episodes into season 2 of "Squid Game" at the moment. So far I'm enjoying what I'm seeing. Let’s discuss.

This show is good, it knows what it is and everyone has completely bought in. I have liked the direction of this season as well. I didn't know how they'd do it, but what I've seen in four episodes has kept my attention as well as season 1. But there's one thing that has really stuck out to me watching this new season. And I found myself feeling the same way when I saw the first season.

What "Squid Game" does so well, I'd go so far as to say better than almost any other show, they make me, the viewer, care about characters that I am certain will not make it to the next season. For people that may not know, there's only one winner in "Squid Game". Everyone else is "eliminated", or murdered. It's tough for those people. This is a fictional show too, for anyone that may still be confused. But what the writers do so well in the show is give the main and side characters reasons to root for them. Even the people I may not like, they have some kind of redeeming quality or moment that has me wanting them to make it. In season 1 there was the "couple" that constantly yelled at one another. At first I found them to be annoying and rude. I thought they belonged in the Squid Game arena. But then the woman showed her good side and I found myself rooting for her. And when she, spoiler alert for season 1, grabbed her ex and held him while they both fell to their death, I thought she had a great sendoff. The same can be said for some of the other contestants when they played the marble game. That was a tough episode to watch, and some fan favorites were killed off, but I still was hoping that somehow, some way, they would miraculously make it out. And when they got to the final three in season 1, I didn't really know who I wanted to win. I had an idea who was going to win, but I still found myself rooting for the others. But none of them made it except for one.

I was going into this season trying to figure out if the writers could pull this off once again, and I'm today to say that they've achieved that goal once again. After watching an episode last night, that ends on a cliffhanger, I found myself saying to my wife, man I hope so and so makes it out. And then I'd say, oh this person is bad, but I am waiting for their redemptive moment when I will unexpectedly stand up and cheer. After watching season 1, you know the outcome, you know how brutal it's going to be, you know 99.9 percent of the contestants are not going to make it. But, I still find myself getting involved. I want to know their background. I want to know what led them to this game. I want to see what they plan on doing with the money if they make it. But in the reality of the world the show has created, only one can win and the rest will be "terminated".

It really impresses me when a group of writers are so good at their jobs that they make me have visceral feelings for fictional characters. I tip my hat to those people and I am excited to see where the show goes from here, and what ends up happening to each character episode to episode. 

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 "Kinds of Kindness

After over three days of viewing it, I just finished Yorgos Lanthinmos' latest movie, "Kinds of Kindness". This is a movie I was looking forward to after watching "Poor Things" and falling in love with it instantly. I also happen to be a Lanthimos fan. I like "The Favourite", "The Lobster" is one of the most underrated movies, and as I previously mentioned, "Poor Things" was amazing. I was going into "Kinds of Kindness" with high hopes. The cast was also pretty stellar. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley are all in this movie and I enjoy most of their work.

With all that being said, with all the expectations, this was one of the weirder movies I've seen in a long, long time. That doesn't mean I disliked the movie. I enjoy weird movies. I like movies that sit with you after you see them. I want a movie to challenge me from time to time. I want to go back and read multiple things about some of these movies to see what I may have missed. "Kinds of Kindness" gave me all of that.

The movie also frustrated me too. And that's fine. I think what frustrated me most, outside of the 164 minute runtime, was how disjointed the finished product was. This is a movie told in three parts, with three different stories and the actors playing multiple roles. That's all well and good, but I almost wished Lanthimos just decided to make three shorts. Or he could have chopped this up into one two hour long very good idea of a movie. The movie is also unexpectedly gory and sexual. There are some things in this movie that made me uncomfortable to watch. I'm becoming more squeamish the older I get, but some stuff in here felt a little gratuitous. There's a lot to ingest with each story and it comes at you in shocking and wild ways.

Outside those few complaints I had, this is an okay movie. Plemons is doing a masterclass here. His performances in the three different stories are pretty damn great. When he is given solid material and doesn't always have to play a creep, he can do some good things. I especially loved his performance in the second story. It's quite clear that Emma Stone trusts and respects Lanthimos and he seems to bring out some of her best work. The third story, which follows a cult and its members, is where Stone really buys in and pulls out all the stops. She is tremendous there. Dafoe and Chau don't have as much screen time as Plemmons and Stone, but when they're on screen they're great. Qualley is in and out of the first two stories, but she pulls double duty in the third one, and she goes toe to toe with Stone. The movie is, while still very odd, very thought provoking. I was getting a little sleepy eyed with about 40 minutes left, but then some stuff started to happen which jarred me awake. I had to see what was going to happen next. The movie kept my attention better than others. I also appreciate the fact that Lanthimos went a little sci-fi with the second story. I understand that "Poor Things" is about reanimation, which is very sci-fi, but in this movie, which is a hard drama, he adds a little sci-fi spice and I like that. I like when people take chances.

All in all, "Kinds of Kindness" is a good movie. It has all the tools to be good. Hell, it has everything it needs to be great. But, it is incredibly weird. The movie is niche. It can be shocking here and there. It has unsettling things happening left and right. I will most likely never watch the movie again. But, I'm glad I was able to see it, finish it and write about it today. I don't know if I'd recommend it to everyone though. If you do watch it, what I will say, expect the unexpected. And go in with an open mind. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the "Abbott Elementary" "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" Crossover

My wife and I just got caught up on the newest episodes of "Abbott Elementary". That means we saw the crossover episode they did with "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". Let’s discuss.

I adore both of these shows, but each for very different reasons. "Abbott Elementary" is wholesome and sweet and also happens to be incredibly funny. The show is so well written and well acted and it's one of the best on all of tv. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is also hilarious, but it's also dark. I like that show. They take chances and they're allowed to take chances because of the network they're on. FX lets these shows do their thing, and "IASIP" is dark and bleak and laugh out loud funny. So, when this crossover was announced, I was a little skeptical. I didn't know how they would pull it all off. I assumed it was going to be on ABC because there's no way they could do this on FX. "Abbot Elementary" is too sweet of a show to be on FX. So, with that being confirmed, I didn't know how they'd pull off the usual tone of each of the main characters from "Always Sunny".

Well, after watching the episode, they nailed it. I was cracking up the entire time and I want them to do more and more of these episodes. The common thread in the show is that both take place in Philadelphia. But pretty much everything else is opposite of each other. As the episode started, the teachers from Abbot talked about the volunteers coming in to help out. This was a simple way to introduce the "Always Sunny" characters. When they showed up it was on from there. Charlie had a storyline where Melissa, Jacob and Barbara teach him to read. It was funny and nice. When Charlie was asked what he liked he mentioned beer, milksteak and bird law. Those are some classics from him. We also got to see Barbara teach like the pro she has shown us she can be. Jacob was the first to notice this problem. And Melissa, not only did she help with the reading, but she also stated that she had been to Paddy's Pub in the past, and I fully believe her character would have gone there before. Dee ended up working with Janine as her teacher's assistant. At first she loves the help and loves Dee, but then Dee meets Gregory. This changes their whole dynamic. Dee is constantly hitting on Gregory, and we see a little jealousy coming from Janine. I loved seeing all this play out. It was great. Frank goes to work with Mr Johnson and Gregory in the school garden. The back and forth between Mr Johnson and Frank is amazing. They're clearly at odds with one another from the jump. I heard from my mom, and then read online, that they cut a storyline where Frank and Mr Johnson had dated the same woman in the past. That would've been epic. Dennis made sure he was off camera the whole time, which he explains by saying he knows all about filming. He has that one line, but nothing else is needed from him. All of us that watch "Always Sunny" know exactly what he's talking about. And Mac is doing all he can with Ava so they can get their time card filled out for their community service. He is willing to do anything and everything to get this job done so he can move on to his next venture that he's interested in. It's pretty perfect. 

I think what made this work so well is they let the "Always Sunny" gang be themselves. They didn't curse or go way overboard like they do on FX, but they were still criminals and they still had bad intentions from time to time. They didn't muzzle them or make them out to be more than what they created on their own show. And that was probably the only way to make this work. It's clear that the "Abbott" crew knows and probably watches "Always Sunny". They knew how to write these characters on their show and it came out pretty wonderfully.

If you watch either of these shows I definitely recommend checking out the crossover episode. Like I said, I was on the fence but I love how it turned out. I think you'll feel the same way if you tune in. This was good stuff. It gives me hope for big network TV. 

Ty

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

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LEGO Building is Not Part of My Programming

Let’s talk about LEGOs.

Earlier today my daughter finished a LEGO set she was given for the holiday. She has finished quite a bit of LEGOs since the holidays in fact. So has my wife. My son used to do them as well, and he was a fast worker when putting them all together. And these aren't the easy Duplo LEGOs. My wife and daughter both made a Dobby LEGO. My daughter finished a roller skate that can turn into three other things by putting the pieces in different spots. My wife likes the big bouquet of flowers. She has also done roses with our daughter. My son has put together multiple superhero figures. And my daughter is currently working on a sorting hat from "Harry Potter", which she is currently taking a break from because she says it's very hard. It is aged 18 plus on the box and she is only 9. My mom is also a good LEGO builder. She has picked it up since she retired and she has her stuff out in the open for all to see at her house. It's damn impressive and I feel like she has a newer, bigger one each time I see them. I say all of this because I'm jealous and envious that all these people in my family are so good at building LEGOs.

I must not have that part in my brain on how to build things. And, it's not just LEGOs. I struggle to build almost anything. I need to be talked through a building project step by step. I need the tiniest detail explained to me. My mother in law has helped me put stuff together in my home, and even by her admission it takes longer than normal because it takes me a good amount of time to fully put together what I'm being told. My brain must not function that way. But, I thought with LEGOs it would be better because they do have step by step instructions. They leave no stone unturned. They have pictures and everything. But, the few times I've sat down to do LEGO or LEGO like products, it ends with me being frustrated, saying I'll do it later and putting the box in storage to never be touched again. Last year I was gifted a Michigan Stadium LEGO. It looked cool and I thought, because of my love for Michigan football, I would be able to figure it out. Well, I got the base built and nothing more. Every time I looked at it I felt like I was reading a foreign language. I couldn't get the pieces to fit. I'd drop and almost break some of the smaller bits because I have monster hands. I would get frustrated and sweaty and that transformed into anger. I would say, to no one mind you, "why won't you fit!", and just walk away. I went at that stadium for about two hours before I wrapped it up and put it away. It now lives in our laundry room. But, when I see my wife and kids or my mom do these LEGOs, they seem calm and they whip right through them. The roller skate took less than an hour. The Dobby took about 90 minutes. The bouquets my wife makes seem to take half an hour. I've seen my mom put together multiple sets in the span of the 3 hours I go over to her house to have coffee with my dad. My brain just doesn't seem to work when it comes to building these things. I have tried to figure out why, but the reasons begin to pile up and that makes me frustrated.

I guess I'm going to have to be an admirer of the work the people in my family do because whatever function or skill is required to put together these sets is not something I'm equipped with. I'll just stick to watching people build. 

Ty

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

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Try Not to Cut Your Finger

Today I had an accident. Let’s discuss.

Earlier today I was cutting vegetables for jambalaya tonight. The recipe I had called for a good amount of veggies, as is the case with any jambalaya I assume. As I hunkered down to get the prep work done, after cooking the andouille, I started in the veggie prep. I grabbed my bell peppers and one cut into the first one, I nicked my left index finger. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then I noticed some blood pooling on my hand. I looked down and saw that the cut was starting to drip. Luckily none of it got into the veggies, but it was enough to make me stop and clean the cut and grab a band aid.

As I went along with the rest of the veggie prep, I noticed it was more difficult than normal. Cutting veggies and stuff isn't normally difficult, just time consuming. I got a bit of both today. I'm a right handed person, but I use my left hand to control food while slicing and dicing it. The nick in my finger was making this a problem. I naturally just started to move my left hand for fear of cutting it again. The cuts weren't as uniform as normal. Some pieces of pepper were bigger than others. Then I started to feel the heartbeat in my cut. This caused me to shift focus. I wasn't paying enough attention to the primary stuff that needed the right attention. My mind wandered. Every new veggie gave me the thought of possibly cutting myself again. I was intent on the heartbeat in my finger. I lost track of cook times and getting everything in the right place. This was making my OCD kind of go through the roof. I hunkered down and gave the food enough focus so I could finish the job.

Everything tasted fine. After cleaning up my mess, re-cleaning my cut and dressing it for the second time, I sat down to write this. And this is causing issues with my finger now. I'm having to constantly go back and fix more grammar and spelling mistakes than I'm used to. If I hit the keys in a weird way, I fear blood may come from my cut, which is no longer bleeding mind you. I keep looking at the new bandaid and focusing on that.  My kids are interested in it. It is a pain.

I guess what I've come here to say today is, even with a minor cut on your finger, a nick from a knife can do damage. It's a frustrating thing that I should be used to by now. When I started working as a teenager I worked in sandwich/bagel shops. I've cut my finger a million times. But with each new cut comes some form of OCD that will take away from what's important. I know this cut will heal within a day or two, but I'm going to be heavily focused on it until then. I have a basketball practice tonight that I'm running and I cannot fathom what kind of nonsense will occur with this cut. The practice isn't for another five hours, but here I sit already annoyed.

These are minor inconveniences that I shouldn't be griping about here. I want everyone in California to be okay and I'm sick of the snow that is blanketing the midwest right now. But, I feel like because of these other things, any little unnecessary thing that frustrates me is going to be heightened. And this cut has definitely put me in a mood. I know it will be fine and I'll be fine. I guess I just wanted to vent to everyone as opposed to just my wife and kids. Little cuts from knives are avoidable, but when it happens and it causes a communication breakdown, it can be very frustrating. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on Jimmy Butler's Last Days in Miami

It appears Jimmy Butler's time on the Miami Heat is going to come to an end. He has asked for a trade, the team has suspended him for "conduct detrimental to the team", he has been very candid about wanting out and it just seems like a matter of time now.

I'm conflicted here. I love Jimmy Butler. He is one of my modern day favorite players. I like how aggressive he is on defense, everywhere he goes he helps that team win and become relevant, he has been to multiple finals and all star games and it appears he makes good coffee. But, the reasons that have been floated about as to why he wants out makes no sense to me.

I guess, from what has been reported, he didn't like the way Pat Riley called him out during last year's playoff run. Butler missed the first round, where the Celtics took the Heat down in five games, and he said that had he been out there it would have been different. Riley must have heard this and said something along the lines of, he needs to be on the court to prove what he says. It all seems very mild and mundane to me. Butler doesn't seem like the type of guy that would get too riled up about comments like that. Riley is also a known asshole. He always has been and always will be. But, what made this partnership so promising, and it almost paid off, was the fact that these two guys were pretty much the same. They both want the same things when it comes to basketball. I assumed Butler would finish his career with the Heat. I thought he would ride off into the Miami sunset and start a whole chain of coffee shops within the Miami area post basketball. But I guess that is not the way it's going to end. I still don't know that the comments from Riley were the only reason he wants out, but who's to say.

When I pull back and look at who might be able to trade for him, it's slim pickings. The Heat are going to go about this like they always do. They will want the deal that best suits them. They aren't going to trade him just because he wants out. This has nothing to do with representation or "trying to do right" by a player. The Heat want to be relevant and they want to compete. Butler may have preferred destinations, it seems like Phoenix is his number one spot, but if the deal from the Suns doesn't get better, the Heat aren't just going to trade him to get rid of him. I know the Heat have said they don't want Bradley Beal, and that makes sense to me. He isn't the player he once was, and he is so often injured. But other than Beal, the Suns cannot offer much. They don't have picks or any young guys that could be intriguing. I saw the Grizzlies were interested, and I got hyped on this news. It wasn't too much later that Butler publicly said he doesn't want to play there. I wish that weren't true. I think Butler would be a fine addition to the Grizz. I'd love to see a starting five of Ja, Desmond Bane, Butler, JJJ and Zach Edey. I love that lineup. And the Grizz could give the Heat picks and younger, more intriguing guys. Maybe Butler will reverse course on Memphis. I saw the Warriors had minimal interest, but that has seemed to wane. They cannot part with too much talent if they want to stay competitive, and they don't have much in the way of picks. Outside those three possible contenders, not too many other deals make sense. Denver doesn't need him. Neither do the Thunder. The Cavs are cruising with their core guys and they seem to have it all figured out. The Hawks are going young. The Knicks are set and the Magic are too young for him. The Mavs and Clippers could make a push, but they'd have to give up too much in my opinion. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but Memphis makes the most sense to me, next to the Suns. The Grizzlies have better assets and appear to be a better team.

Time will tell, but I'm interested to see how this all plays out. 

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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The Patriots Were Wrong to Let Jerod Mayo Go

The Patriots relieved Jerod Mayo after one season as the head coach. Let’s discuss.

This is a bad, bad look for this franchise. I don't know anyone, including super fans and even members of the team that thought the Patriots would be a playoff threat this season. This had rebuild written all over it. The rebuild kind of started in Bill Belicheck's final season. They were worse that year than they were this year. They seem to like the QB they drafted in Drake Maye, but this was going to take time and I don't think Mayo got a fair shot. I was kind of stunned when I saw the headline after it was announced. I remember saying to RD that they need to give him time, that this was going to be a process. I believe I said that to him on a podcast record. But, for some inexplicable reason, the Patriots now find themselves in search of a new head coach.

I don't really know what Mayo did wrong either. They came out in week one and beat the Bengals in Cincy. That's a pretty big deal if you ask me. We all saw how both teams finished, but that was a big win. The Patriots also seemed to like playing for Mayo. The defense was better than it had any right to be. They have some pieces there and it seemed to click with Mayo running the show. The offense was bad, but again, it was a bunch of young dudes seeing massive amounts of playing time. It didn't take Maye too long before he supplanted Jacoby Brissett. Rhamondre Stevenson has issues with fumbling, but he is also an okay enough running back. Maybe he shouldn't be a starter though. The receivers are not good. They've tried to take chances, but nothing has worked out yet. How this collection of players managed to scrape together four wins is amazing to me, and I give a ton of that credit to Mayo for having them prepared to play. It has to be demoralizing stepping onto a pro football field knowing that almost every other team has better talent than the Patriots do. But Mayo and his staff, at the very least, had them ready to go out there and put up a fight. They're also going to be drafting high in the upcoming draft, one full of talent, and that should have been exactly what the fans and front office of the Patriots expected. Hell, I'd say they should have been ecstatic at the fact that they have a top five pick.

When I pull back and look at it, Mayo did the best he could with what he inherited, and he had this team going in the right direction. They have a QB they like. They have a defense that seemed capable at times. They were going to get a very, very good college football player to come in and hopefully help right away. The o line wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. A rebuild takes time and the Patriots were just getting started. Mayo deserved much more of a shot. Hell, he definitely deserved more than one season. And to see Robert Kraft say that he felt the team "regressed" under Mayo is nonsense. Kraft gave him nothing and expected the world out of him at his first try as a head coach.

I hope Jerod Mayo catches on elsewhere and gets a real shot again as an NFL head coach. This may end up being the best for him. But, it does feel like a slap in the face to a guy that played and coached there and was finally getting his first chance to run a team. People expect too much too quick, especially in the sports world. Jerrod Mayo deserved way more time. 

Ty

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

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Ty Predicts the NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs are set and I'm here today with my playoff predictions and Super Bowl winner. I'll also pick the MVP of the Super Bowl. The one seeds are the Chiefs and Lions, which is not really much of a surprise. There are some teams returning that seemed like they were going to be shooting for a high draft pick as opposed to being back in the playoffs. And for teams like the Bengals, sorry RD, they were too little too late.

I'm going to start with the AFC.

The Chiefs have the bye. The 2-7 matchup features the Bills facing the Broncos. The Broncos are a nice story. Bo Nix has been better than I thought, Sean Payton can coach and the defense is pretty damn good. All that is great, but the Bills are going to roll them. Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level. Their run game has been solid. The defense is as advertised. I also think this Bills team is different. They're playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Bills win big. The 3-6 game has the Ravens and Steelers. The Ravens are surging while the Steelers are tumbling. The Steelers offense is worse than before and the defense is tired. The Ravens are putting up big numbers from Lamar Jackson, once again staking his claim at another MVP, and Derrick Henry has been as good as we all thought he would be when he signed there. The defense had some bumps along the way, but they seem to have righted the ship. The Ravens also get this game and home, and while it may look close for a half, the Ravens should win rather easily. The 4-5 game is intriguing, with the Chargers playing the Texans. I had high hopes for the Texans this season, but they have looked stuck in the mud. The offense isn't as electric and the defense is middling. The Chargers are playing with house money and have been on a tear as of late. Jim Harbaugh is also coming off a NCAA football title where Michigan won that game in Houston. I'm going with the Chargers here. They're playing looser and look to be having way more fun.

So, the second round will have matchups of the Chargers facing the Chiefs and the Bills facing the Ravens. The Chiefs are going to find a way to beat the Chargers. That's what they've done all year. Some miracle incident will occur and they will end up in the AFC title game. The Ravens and Bills game should be epic. This is between the two legit MVP candidates. Both teams play similar styles. Both defenses are gelling at the right time. The coaches seem in the groove. I'm going to give the slight edge to the Bills simply due to home field advantage. It's going to be frigid and the Ravens have a tendency of playing poorly when that happens.

That puts the Bills and Chiefs in the AFC title. This year though, I'm going with the Bills. The Chiefs luck is going to end soon, and this version of the Bills seems more than prepared to take over. I don't care  that the game is in KC, I don't care about postseason records between these two teams, the Bills are the better team and they will show that. The Bills will be the AFC's Super Bowl representative.

On to the NFC.

The Lions cruised against the Vikings last night to secure the 1 seed. The 2-7 game features the Eagles and Packers. I'd love for the Packers to win this game. It would be rad to see Jordan Love go into Philly and steal one. But, Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts have been better than advertised. Jaire Alexander is done for the year, so Hurts can beat them through the air. Love's best wideout, Christian Watson, tore his ACL yesterday. I'm all in on this Packers team, just not this year. The Eagles will most likely cruise into round 2. The 3-6 game has the Buccaneers playing the Commanders. I can't really get a feel for this game. The Bucs offense is okay, but inconsistent. The Commanders have a great rookie QB and a solid defense. The coaches are both capable. The game is in Tampa Bay, but I don't think that really matters much. I'm going to go with the Commanders simply based on how great Jayden Daniels has been all year. The kid has shown everyone what he is capable of and I think he continues to do that in this game. The 4-5 game has the Rams playing the Vikings. Give me the Rams all day. I have been really amazed at what the Vikings have done this year, but last night's game was telling. The lights were bright and they no showed. The Rams have veteran leaders and a Super Bowl winning coach. The moment won't be too big for them. I fear it might be for the Vikings though.

In round two we have the Lions playing the Rams and the Eagles facing the Commanders. The Lions are going to lay waste to the Rams. A home playoff game for a franchise that has been this stuck in the mud is going to be electric. The Lions proved they belonged last year, and this year I think they're out for blood. They should show no mercy, and I expect that from them. The Lions roll the Rams. I also feel like the Eagles-Commanders game will be similar. This time the Commanders will be shell shocked. I could see both Barkley and Hurts running for 100 yards. I also think the Eagles defense will shut down Daniels. The second round in the NFC won't be near as much fun as the AFC.

That leaves me with the Lions and Eagles in the NFC title game. This should be epic. I love this matchup. Playing in a dome makes it more likely that it will be a barn burner of a game. This could have a final of 38-35, and I see the Lions coming out on top. They're on a mission this season and they're going to play like it.

That means my Super Bowl is between the Bills and Lions. What a game huh? Are there two fan bases that deserve this more than them? Some fans are going to be thrilled while others will have to still wait on a title. As for which franchise I think will be happy, I'm going with the Bills. This is where the injuries will hurt the Lions. If they were fully healthy maybe I'd think differently. But, they aren't and that means I'm going with the Bills. They have something to prove and I think they finally rise above and do it this season. Josh Allen will also be the go away Super Bowl MVP. I can see him doing something incredible late in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. 

Can’t wait for these playoffs.

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 "Aaron Rodgers: Enigma"

During the holiday break my family, all of my family that is, went to stay at a nice cabin in a local town to celebrate. During the down times I'd sit and watch tv with my dad. One show we came across was "Enigma" on Netflix. This is the three part documentary series about Aaron Rodgers. It tells the story of his time in the NFL, his injuries, recovery and how he spends his free time.

I've made no bones about my feelings for Rodgers. I despise him. I loathed him when he was the QB for the Packers, was bummed when they drafted him and the whole deal with him now makes me sick to my stomach. This show does the job of showing that side of him, but they glorify him. From moment one I was angry watching this. There's a ton to make you gruffled and angry, but his whole attitude and demeanor is enough to make people dislike him. The way he speaks, how he talks about himself and the people around him is gross. He is always calling himself a "perfectionist". He calls football a "craft". When he goes on his ayahuasca retreat, more on that in a minute, it is the most cliche nonsense you will ever hear in your life.

Now, full disclosure, I only watched one and a half episodes. I had to call it midway through the second one because it was making me visibly angry to my family. I went and played pickleball to wash the taste of this terrible show out of my mouth. But, what I did see, what I gathered from almost two hours of tv, Aaron Rodgers is a prick. I think my dad said it best when he said, "Aaron Rodgers is going to die an angry, sad and lonely person". That is the best way to put it. When he talks on this show it is all about him and all about his wants and needs. He backtalks trainers. He explains away why he can't have any romantic partners. He makes mentions to his family in the past tense. He "thanks" them for treating him like he was soft when he was a kid. When he has people over to watch games with him, we never see them and it is never any of his teammates or people he works alongside with. During the ayahuasca retreat, he is there solo. No one wants to come with him. When they're in a big drum circle, he seems like he is lonely. When they go into the tent to sweat out their toxins, explaining that they're using nature's medicine, which is nonsense, I go run outside to sweat out a cold, he doesn't interact with anyone outside of the tent. He doesn't let people in because he seems to know that he will push them away. There was a scene where he went to a doctor and he basically ran the show. Everyone around was telling him that he wasn't going to play that year, but he kept insisting. His insistence looked like such a heavy weight that one of the people he was with just sighed and kind of gave in. They didn't want to fight anymore. That is how some people deal with toddlers, but Rodgers is a fully grown adult. I found him to be miserable and boring. When he and RFK went on a hike together and talked politics it was one of the dumbest conversations to ever be recorded. RFK and Aaron Rodgers are two of the dumbest, wannabe smart guys around. When that moment happened, that was a telling sign to me that I wouldn't be finishing this show. I found it abhorrent and thought it was glorifying this mean and gross person.

I don't know what Rodgers goal was with this show because all it did was make me angry. My dad said it best and I couldn't agree more with his sentiment. Rodgers is a miserable person who will have no one to yell at or tell what to do when he is out of the limelight. I do not recommend this show. Not at all. 

Ty

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

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Better Late than Never on "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror"

On the heels of seeing Robert Eggers “Nosferatu”, I decided I needed to go back and watch the original from 1922. That one is called “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”.

Now, going into this movie, I knew next to nothing about it. I knew Eggers based his movie on this story and that he used elements and images from the original. I should also mention that my dad told me to watch it as well. He remembered liking it, and his opinion hold a ton of brevity for me.

As I settled into this movie, I didn’t realize what a treat I’d be in for. “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” is a very good movie. I didn’t know it was a silent movie, my first, but that didn’t matter. This movie is scary. I found myself jumping here and there while watching. The actors are so good with their body movements and facial expressions that it’s easy to get context from all of that. There’s also cards that flash that help guide you along the story. The cards have written words on them and they tell anyone who may not know what is going on. Eggers did use the same character names. Ellen and Thomas Hutter are the main characters. These old time actors are great. They do so much without saying a single word. Ellen Hutter is exceptional. She has a lot to do and she nails it. Knock is creepier in the original. He’s small and squirrelly. He’s menacing. He has an odd mouth shape and the actor used it well. The seamen and doctors have the perfect look. But this is truly all about the actor playing Count Orlok. This is the original on film vampire. This guy is creepy as hell. His whole aura had me scared. From his hair to his teeth to his fingers, it’s all a great vampire look. He also makes some great facial expressions and really goes for it. Watching him float in and out of scenes was wild. Seeing him carrying a coffin was nuts.

This was so worth going back to see where this idea all started. There’s a real reason why this is considered one of the great scary movies. The music and tone are perfect. The actors are great. The scenery is eerie and well used. It’s an achievement when you realize this movie is over 100 years old. I cannot get over how much I liked this movie. I’m not the biggest fan of older movies, but this one has made me rethink that and now I want to go back and watch some more. If you like Eggers “Nosferatu”, go watch “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”. You’ll love it ad much as I did. I also recommend seeing it anyway because it’s pretty damn good.

Ty

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

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Bo Nix and the Vikings are the Surprises of the NFL Season

Today I have come to eat crow on two NFL things I wrote in my preseason preview from earlier in 2024. Let’s go.

The first comes from my 2024 draft preview. In lieu of doing picks one by one, I always talk about five prospects I like and five I think have the most bust probability. In my five busts part, I was pretty certain that Bo Nix was going to flame out and flame out fast. I even doubled down on it when the Broncos named him the starter for the season and released Russell Wilson. Nix has proven me very, very wrong. He is a more than capable starting QB in the NFL. He is not going to be the ROY or the MVP, not by a long shot. But Nix has proven himself to be far more than just a game manager. The Broncos may not have won their game the other night, but it wasn't due to Nix playing poorly. He kept them in the game from start to finish. He made play after play. He went toe to toe with Joe Burrow. And I understand that the Bengals defense is porous, but Nix has done this all year. He led a drive that should have led to a game winning field goal earlier this season against the Chiefs. He has won games from the start for the Broncos. He has done everything he has been asked to do by his staff, and the Broncos, while not a Super Bowl caliber team yet, seems to have found their starting QB for the next five to ten years depending on health. I thought he was going to look like most rookie QB's who are thrust into a starting role, but he has looked confident and capable. I'll be interested to see if this trend continues over the next few years, but I'd be shocked if he didn't improve over the seasons and become a pro bowl level NFL starting QB. I was wrong about him.

The other thing, and I was very aligned with a ton of people on this one, I thought the Vikings were going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this year, and I thought they had the makings of one of the worst teams in NFL history. I looked at their offseason, who they got rid of, who they traded up to draft and who they signed to be their veteran QB and it all screamed two or three wins, at most to me. I was also not a firm believer in Kevin O'Connell as a NFL head coach. I told RD as much via text and conversations while recording the podcast. He is a Vikings fan, I'm a Packers fan, and I think maybe he even thought that the Vikings were going to be awful too. I was even more certain when they traded up to nine to draft Michigan QB JJ McCarthy. I adore that kid. He helped Michigan win the title last year. But, Michigan was all about their top tier defense and their excellent run game. McCarthy could make plays here and there, but that team won as a team, not because of their QB. But, when the NFL season started, not only were the Vikings winning, they were beating the snot out of their opponents. I figured it was just an early season surprise and they would come crashing back down to Earth soon. But that never happened. The Vikings are still killing it. They're playing for the number one seed in the NFC this Sunday. Sam Darnold has been great. He will be getting paid this offseason. Aaron Jones has been mostly healthy and playing well. Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson are amazing, and Jefferson may be the best wideout in the NFL. But it is their defense that has been the big surprise and main reason why they've been able to sustain their high level of play. Brian Flores has done a masterful job with a defense that doesn't have any real stars. He has gotten the best out of that unit and he is more than deserving of a shot at being a head coach again. I'm astonished at how well they have played all season, and I am going to give most of that credit to Flores for putting them in the best position possible. As for O'Connell, he has earned my respect, not that he really cares. He has what it takes to be a NFL head coach, and what he has done with Sam Darnold is more proof that he is a "QB whisperer". The Vikings, as stated a few sentences ago, have a shot at the 1 seed. I assumed they'd be more likely to pick first overall in the upcoming draft. And as much as it stings to say this being a Packers fan, the Vikings are legit and they terrify me heading to the playoffs. They're a damn good football team with an excellent defense. 

That’is it. Now time to cook up some crow.

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 "Nosferatu"

I'm a Robert Eggers fan. I have three of his four movies now, and all 3 I have enjoyed very much. Last week my dad and I decided we were going to see "Nosferatu". We try to see a movie during the holiday season and this was one that we both wanted to see. I had high expectations because I love "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman" is one of the coolest movies that has ever been made. The early reviews were also very favorable. As we settled in and sat back, I was ready to love Eggers vision for "Nosferatu".

And, it delivered on every level for me as a movie goer. This movie was an absolute homerun. I have only recently seen the original from 1922, and Eggers and crew do that movie some solid justice. The story is pretty much the same, but they added dialogue and made it a little more understandable. We also get to see Count Orlok early on in this movie, and we get to hear his horrifying voice. Bill Skarsgaard does an admirable job as the Count. He plays him menacingly and unforgiving. He is a truly wretched being, and Skarsgaard nailed it. I am more impressed with each role I see him in. He is a good actor and he seems to have found his niche in Hollywood. Lily Rose Depp is undeniably great as Ellen, the one whom Orlok is obsessed with. She is pitch perfect here. The convulsions and visions also felt very real to me. Depp never dives into cliche stuff with this role. She embodies this sickness and it shows on screen. Nicholas Hoult is very good as the husband. You buy his naivete at first, but then when he encounters Orlok, his whole outlook on the world changes, and Hoult embraces the madness incredibly well. You can see the agony and fear on his face when he goes to sell the Count the new home he is purchasing. Aaron Taylor Johnson and Emma Corrin give very good performances as the married couple friends of the Hutter's, who take on Ellen when Thomas is sent away. They have a family and a life, but all that is on hold when Ellen comes to stay with them. You see their grief and frustration. Ralph Ineson, a buddy of Eggers I presume, is wonderful as the doctor trying to help Ellen with her issues, but he won't buy into the occult. Instead, he enlists his former professor, played excellently by Willem Defoe, to take on the patient. Defoe is magnetic. I loved every single second he was on screen. Defoe is one of my favorite actors, and he is more than game for this role in this movie. From his dusty jacket to acting with live rats, Defoe nails it here. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Simon McBurney as Knock. He is Orlok's pet so to speak. Everything he does is in service to Orlok, and he will go to great lengths to get the job done.

Outside of the cast, the cinematography and the story are dynamite. There are some shots in this movie that are impeccable. When Hutter meets the chariot that takes him to the castle at a fork in the road, that was an amazing shot. Every time we get more of a glimpse of Orlok, it gets spookier and spookier. The castles are big and beautiful to look at on screen. The story is simple enough, but the actors have totally bought in and they really sell it to the viewer. I was on the edge of my seat the entire two plus hour long runtime. I didn't want to miss a thing. For as gross and gory as some of the stuff in the movie was, it was all needed to move along the plot and let us know why we were in certain situations.

"Nosferatu" is truly an achievement and a movie I think a lot of people should see on a big screen. I cannot recommend this movie enough. 

Ty

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

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The World, and Baseball, Was Better with Rickey Henderson in It.

Welcome back everyone. I decided to take a week off for the holidays, but I'm back and ready to write. Unfortunately, I'm starting the week off on a sad note. The family and I were hanging out when I got a notification on my phone that Rickey Henderson had passed away.

I couldn't believe it. I had no idea he was sick or anywhere close to passing. He seemed like he was okay. I saw him catch the opening pitch from his daughter at The Coliseum earlier this season. But, now he is gone.

This one has hit me pretty rough. I know I dog on baseball on this site a lot now, but when I was a kid I loved baseball. I also loved Rickey Henderson. He was so fast. I had never seen anyone move on the base path like him. I am too young for Lou Brock, and I was only coming into my own during Whitey Ball, with guys like Vince Coleman and Willie McGee stealing bases left and right. Henderson was my first experience with a baseball player that, if you let him on base, he was going to swipe a bag or two. I instantly fell in love with his base stealing ability. But then I started to really watch him, and the A's, and I loved his game even more. Henderson was the type of player that could lead the game off with a homer. Or, he would slap a sharp line drive to the outfield for a single, then turn that into a triple or a double. He was also boisterous and talkative, which I had zero issues with as a kid. I liked it. I liked how sure of himself he was when he was on a ball field. There's many famous quotes from Henderson, but the one I go back to all the time is, "I don't care that John hit .316, Rickey hits .330". He didn't know the whole verse or anything that the fan was trying to say, all Henderson knew, which was so rad, was he was a better hitter than John. That was one of the best things I will ever remember about him. He was also a great outfielder to go along with his hitting. He could track a flyball with the best of them. He had a pretty good arm. He was smart and knew how to get to the baseball if he needed to catch it. He ended his career with a .279 career batting average, had over 3,000 hits, had over 1,100 RBI's and stole over 1,400 bases. He was the best base stealer to ever do it in the pros. He was a ten time all star, won two World Series titles. won an MVP and is, of course, enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame. His number 24 is also retired by the Oakland Athletics. Henderson did all that anyone could ever want from a pro ball player, and he did it his way with his style. Some may say that they were "rubbed the wrong way" by him, but I don't buy it. You either bought in or you were left out. I would have loved to play the game of baseball with someone like Henderson. He loved it so much and he brought out the best in his teammates. He wouldn't let you slack either. You had better be all in if you were his teammate. I love that.

This one is tough. Henderson was young, 64 years old. He was about to celebrate his 65th birthday before he passed. I guess he had pneumonia, and it got the best of him unfortunately. Henderson is going to be missed by many, many people, myself included. Rest in Peace Rickey Henderson. I hope you're stealing bases wherever you may be right now. 

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.