Blog

UP WITH PEOPLE (2000)

I once spent a drunken evening attempting to explain to Kurt Wagner how much I loved this song. In retrospect, I think the man took my point.

Miscellaneous Amusing Items I’ve Come Across #3

HEADLINE OF THE YEAR…

Since Barack Obama came into office in January, headlines on the Huffington Post have frequently been funnier than those on The Onion. I’m an Obama fan myself, but the site’s excessive fawning over the new First Family is really embarrassing. And, when it comes to the Obama kids, also slightly creepy.

Still, who can stay mad with them when they continue to come out with such surreal efforts as: Obama’s First 50 Days In Ties: Find Out Which Color He’s Worn Most.

The answer (if you’re deranged enough to care) is… Read the rest of this entry »

THE BEKAN SUPREMACY

Before I begin this week, I’d like to address a few words to the Garda Traffic Bureau: Officers, lads… I know we’ve had our differences down the years. We’ve both said things that, in the cold light of day, we probably regret. But look what you’ve reduced me to. I’m using public transport. Dear God, hasn’t this madness gone far enough? Read the full article here.

SOLITUDE (1941)

Another all-time favourite track.

BANK ERROR IN YOUR FAVOUR?

HOW WOULD you react if a substantial sum of money was mysteriously lodged to your bank account one day? Would your first phone call be to your bank manager or your travel agent? Would you attempt to find out where the money came from? Or would you cross your fingers, do nothing and pray that no one ever noticed?

It’s not an abstract question. Read the full article here.

Miscellaneous Amusing Items I’ve Come Across #2

When Bertie Ahern stepped down as Taoiseach last May, I think it sent out a clear message to the world: the Irish people will not stand for their leaders murdering Polish people. Brian Cowan, take heed!

(Incidentally I once interviewed Bertie.)

“AND THEN, BADA-BING!, YOU GOT HIS BRAINS ALL OVER THAT NICE IVY LEAGUE SUIT OF YOURS…”

I’ll never look at you the same way, polar bears.

WHO WILL WATCH THE WATCHMEN (…NO, SERIOUSLY?)

After some savage early notices, the critics seem to be warming to Zach Snyder’s Watchmen movie. Roger Ebert in the Chicago-Sun Times gave it this glowing review. Here’s my interview with Snyder from yesterday’s Ticket.

It wasn’t the forum to offer my own opinion on the film. (Donald Clarke was reviewing it.) But for the record, I thought it was tedious, overlong and preposterous. I saw it in L.A. and was jet-lagged at the screening. Frankly, it was a struggle to stay awake.

“You’ve heard of the Loch Ness monster, right? The fact is that there are dozens of these lake creatures all over the world…”.

For the last year or so I’ve been doing a Q&A interview each week at the front of the Irish Times Saturday Magazine. This is the only one they’ve ever refused to print. It was with a preacher who was about to address a creationism rally in Lucan. The Irish Times refused to publish it on the grounds that the guy was clearly insane. My position was that of course the guy was insane, that was why I interviewed him in the first place. Sanity prevailed, unfortunately… Read the interview here.