New strip, with more focused kvetching. We're nearing the end. Sort of. The last frame has already been described as "not funny" by one critic, so I invite you to draw your own conclusions.
While we're on the subject of meaningless endeavors, let me just say this: The Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper commercial where the woman is on the date is the greatest commercial ever conceived by man or beast. It's a commercial that's so great I didn't know what the product was for a while, until some persistent Internet sleuthing revealed it to be something that I will never ever consume in my life. I've always hated Dr. Pepper, because it tastes like ass, and adding artificial vanilla, cherry, and dietness is just more ass on the pile. Still, the commercial is solid gold.
In case you don't know what I'm talking about, you can view the commercial here by clicking on the "Media Gallery" link and then the TV icon on the left. The extremely (and characteristically) creepy Muppet source material can be downloaded here. It's a 1.8 MB file, so be warned.
I also managed to download the two-minute Return of the Sith trailer that was shown during this weeks OC, and is supposed to be available only to paying subscribers to starwars.com. But I'm not posting that since it's like 35 MB. Let's just say that it has a lot of cool shit in it.
i saw that preview while watching the oc. it was hella cool! the set designs were awesome.
You know there's light at the end of the tunnel when the Muppets start making it back to mainstream TV!
Hey, I laughed out loud from the last panel. I argue that you're critics are both harsh and are as persecutional as Romans ins a Mel Gibson movie.
I agree that the last panel IS funny, if only because I think it pokes fun at the fact that some law students seem to have unflagging faith that they'll make over $500k and/or single-handedly revolutionize human rights law. Although I think I'm still fairly optimistic about my future, I fully accept that I'll have to pay my dues for several-to-many years.
Before the Muppets made it mainstream, the "Mah na mah na" song was from the soundtrack of a Swedish soft-core porn "documentary"...
Info on the composer
Movie poster
I think its recent prominence in "The Office" is probably what brought "Mahna Mahna" back to the mainstream.
I wonder which came first, the Muppets Show version or the Sesame Street one?
"The film was banned in Sweden for featuring lesbian nightclubs, nudity and wife-swapping."
A porn film that got banned in Sweden? I knew there was a reason "Mah Na Mah Na" was always my favorite Muppet song.
It looks like the Muppets did it first for a live appearance on Ed Sullivan, and it subsequently aired on Sesame Street.
The fact that it was in "The Office" is disappointing somehow. But given the fact that Dr. Pepper is crappy in general I guess I shouldn't be surprised that their advertisers aren't so innovative. I retract my statement about the superlative goodness of the commercial. But it's still really good.
I've never seen "The Office." At this point I've heard so much about how great it is that I'd probably hate it.
I actually seized the chance to try new Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper when it was served at a party. The flavor was inoffensive, but oddly bland, as if all the elements had canceled each other out.
I was pretty sick of hearing praise for The Office, too. Reading people's raves about it made me want to hate it, just for spite. But I'll throw my hat into the ring full of annoying people and add that it is actually worth seeing.
At this point Star Wars should just relegate itself to exciting trailers and leave out the disappointing films entirely.
Is The Office a movie or a TV show? Or both?
I agree about Star Wars. The new trailer is essentially a two-minute version of the entire movie. No key plot elements are left out. You even see the extremely tortured symbolism of [SPOILERS!!!! STOP READING NOW!!!!] of the Emperor using the force to throw those hovering senate seats at Yoda. And of course the trailer ends with a shot of Darth Vader folding his arms.
Anyway...
a show. it's the newest craze to come out of britain. (so obviously we're turning it into an american version because we're lame and uncreative). it's pretty good, but not the best thing ever as most people seem to claim. it does have what's his face that's going to play arthur dent in hitchhiker's. he's pretty damn great. and the dood with the nose is good and the boss-man. the movie i confuse it with is office space. it's similar. sort of. being set in an office. ok, not so similar.
"The Office" is also sort of a meta-sitcom, in that it has a lot of references to other Britcoms and similar work. For example, they mention the layoff of a guy named "Pete Gibbons" in one episode.
So Ricky Gervais thinks it's sort of similar to "Office Space", at least.
I think that "Office Space" is much funnier than "The Office"... but I might be biased by the fact that no one in "The Office" is good looking. For office humor to really work, you need a Calista Flockhart or a Ron Livingston.
ah-ha. perhaps i would enjoy the office more if i was a meta-watcher like sean.
Wow, Kristina just compared "The Office" unfavorably to "Ally McBeal" AND called Calista Flockhart attractive, all in one sentence.
Ricky Gervais does probably triple Skeletor's weight, though, and that Keith guy might quadruple it.
Well, I WAS an "Alley McBeal" devotee when it was on, but it wasn't in any way related to Calista being attractive (or not)... I think I identified with her being small and neurotic more than anything. On the other hand, I rented the first 2 disks of "The Office" but gave up by the third episode; I just wasn't entertained.
Thought I'd share what I found, after some research,on the "Mah na Mah na" ditty Dr.Pepper is using lately (the later version by the Muppets):
As mentioned in an earlier post, a Swedish artist by the name of Piero Umiliani wrote and performed the original "Mah na mah na" in 1968 on the LP "Svezia,Inferno E Paradiso" (found this was re-released on CD in 1998, see Amazon). It was, indeed, a soundtrack to the movie mentioned...
Much of Piero's work was the soft somewhat vapid loungy music typical of late 60's cocktail bars and supermarket muzak.
But it brings back pleasant memories of my youth, all the same, whilst the Muppets version was just not the same. I also remember seeing a skit or two on TV, around 68-69, using the Piero Umiliani tune, and I have to guess it was on the Red Skelton show. Later, I'd wager "Benny Hill" used a version of it, as well (would have to see one of those episodes again before being positive, though)...
Piero Umiliani's "Mah na Mah na" reached #55 by September 6, 1969 on Billboard charts...
Looks like we were all 'right', after all, in one way or another... :-)
BUT,I did search for and locate the original late 60's ditty most of us 40-ish and overs will remember from OUR youth as the original "Mah na Mah na" song (WOO HOO!)...LOL
So...THANK YOU, Dr. Pepper, for indirectly leading my search,finally, in the right direction! :-)
I plan on driving everyone within earshot INSANE with this cherished little tune (sorry Muppets -- it's got to be the Real Thing for me...and, er, yep, I'm a Coke drinker)
:-)
Shea
Mah na mah na --
dee dee be dee be
Mah na mah na
dee deebe deet
Mah na mah na --
dee dee be dee be
be dee be
be dee be
be dee be
etc.