Lee Siegel’s new book, Are You Serious? How to Be True and Get Real in the Age of Silly, is out, so we thought it was as good a time as any to discuss the idea that few people are taken seriously these days, as levity is often valued over sober criticism. In one of the opening chapters, Siegel mentions the case of Socrates in order to show the difference between viewing seriousness as “reasoning power and moral courage” within individuals, and the public face of seriousness, which is displayed by stoic generals and heads of state. (And is generally considered to be self-important and boring.) He then mentions that 9/11 was supposed to usher in a new age of seriousness, but instead just brought military opportunism and the supposed death of irony, along with pomo nihilism, which just sucked the air out of the room.
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When your band is called the New Pornographers, chances are you’re going to have a pretty good sense of humor. Perhaps that explains the group’s new video for “Moves,” shot in the style of a trailer for a hilariously sensationalized movie about New Pornos main man Carl Newman’s life — and preceded by glimpse at a faux Judd Apatow-meets-Junior-style comedy called Expectant Dads. In addition to that film’s two top-billed stars, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader, the video includes cameos by just about every awesome comedian you can think of, from Daily Show all-stars John Oliver and John Hodgman to Todd Barry and the wonderful Julie Klausner (as fellow fire-haired diva Neko Case, of course). Indie rock fans, be sure to also keep your eyes peeled for Ted Leo (who recently made a similarly comedian-packed video) and Jon Wurster. Do these guys all hang out on a regular basis or something? If so, we’re very jealous.
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Today at Flavorpill, we found Julie Klausner totally uproarious as The Cat Whisperer. (Maybe she could help out this guy.) We felt like Denny’s new Fried-Cheese Melt could use some chicken tenders. We got even more excited for Julie Taymor’s adaptation of The Tempest after spying Helen Mirren on the newly-released movie poster. We were horrified to learn of the existence of an ET porno wherein she (?!) has sex with an Abraham Lincoln lookalike. We wondered what kind of a damage a giant robot could do in New York City. We learned how female superheroes are stronger than their male counterparts. We were tickled by a new blog that’s devoted to photos of people jumping in art museums. We thought this clip from Justin Bieber’s new cartoon show had some serious promise. We remembered why we always try to get to the movies a little late. And finally, we decided after reading this list of 11 revolting things that the government lets in your food, it was time to go home and possibly skip dinner.
In I Don’t Care About Your Band, Julie Klausner turns the clichéd dating-misadventure memoir into a hilariously self-deprecating romp through the pitfalls of modern romance.
The New York-based comedienne, writer, and standup performer presents a chronological overview of her failed dalliances, from early adolescent experimentation to getting bedbugs after an obligatory post-coital sleepover. But rather than whining and wallowing over these mishaps, Klausner revels in her experiences with a self-amused candidness that speaks to everyone — whether single, attached, or somewhere in between.
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