Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1934
October 13, 2017
Porgs Sing the STAR WARS Theme in This Adorable Fan Video
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is still two months away from release, but the porgs are already enjoying a warm embrace from many fans. Yes, it’s true, some fear that porgs are the second coming the Gungans and Ewoks, plenty have fallen fast and hard for these adorably bizarre birdlike creatures. Now, one porg-loving fan is taking things to the next level by using only porg sounds to cover John Williams‘ iconic Star Wars theme.
This Star Wars theme cover was created by Volpe Music, using only the noises from the new porg toys. Once The Last Jedi is released, there may be many more porg sounds to choose from. And if this catches on, there could actually be porg albums, kind of like the way that recordings of dogs and cats have been turned into Christmas records. And if you think that Lucasfilm would never allow a Star Wars holiday album, then it means that you’ve probably forgotten about Christmas in the Stars!
Now imagine if that awesome Ralph McQuarrie painting was remade with porgs taking the place of the droids. It might be a funny visual, but listening to an entire album of porg-inspired covers might challenge the sanity of any musically inclined fan. One way or another, it seems pretty safe to say that we’ll be seeing and hearing a lot from the porgs for years to come.
What did you think about the porgs’ Star Wars cover? And would you be up for a Christmas album with covers by porgs? Let us know in the comment section below!
Images: Lucasfilm/Rhino Records
More porgy goodness!
Could porgs actually be The Last Jedi‘s Force-sensitive heroes?
The internet’s best reactions to The Last Jedi trailer
Watch what happens when you combine porgs with Studio Ghibli
Hound Tall #38: What It’s Really Like in Prison
Moshe is joined by Big Herc from the “Fresh Out” series on youtube to discuss what life in prison is like. Herc spent more than a decate in prison for bank robbery and now makes a show where he answers peoples questions about the realities of life on the inside. Hint: avoid getting your wig split or your cheeks busted. Comics Jonah Ray, Baron Vaughn and Barbara Gray join too. It’s funny , fascinating and at times brutal. Listen and split your sides not your wig!
Follow @MosheKasher on Twitter!
Pimple Popping Cake Doesn’t Understand Concept of Being “Appetizing”
Cake is about as unassailable a food item as you can find. Everyone might not like every kind of cake, but there’s some form of it out there for everyone. But what I can’t quite figure out is who in the world has been yearning for a cake that looks like it has real pimples you can pop.
A post shared by The Cakescape, Kuala Lumpur (@thecakescape) on Oct 9, 2017 at 7:34pm PDT
We came across this bizarre foodstuff at BoredPanda, and it comes from The Cakescape Bakery in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. They created a birthday cake that looks like a human face covered in big, gross red zits (which look more like the kind of open sores you get before a zombie outbreak). If that was the end of it, it might still be a perfectly fine, humorous cake. But no, because it’s so much more disgusting than that. That’s because when you squeeze the pimples with your fingers, it “oozes” a pus-like filling.
Warning: don’t watch while eating, especially while eating cake.
I understand logically that all I am seeing is tasty cake, which is totally my thing, but I can’t get over how vile that looks. This is the real life equivalent of the Game of Thrones cut when it went from Sam curing Jorah’s greyscale to Arya tearing into one of Hot Pie’s pot pies. No one turned off that episode and said, “I need a chicken pot pie right now!”
A post shared by The Cakescape, Kuala Lumpur (@thecakescape) on Oct 9, 2017 at 5:09pm PDT
This was a “prank” birthday cake for someone named Evelyn, but giving someone the least desirable cake of all time seems like they went a little too far. You should never make cake that is unappetizing to everyone.
Would you eat this, or is it a little too gross looking even for cake? Take a bite out of our comments section below and let us know.
Featured Image: 20th Century Fox
More Confection Curiosities
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6 STRANGER THINGS Details You Missed in the Final Trailer
The final trailer for Stranger Things season 2 is here, and it’s bringing the Upside Down to Earth. 1984 looks like it’s going to be an even crazier year within the world of the show, and that’s just scratching the surface. Today’s Nerdist News is turning things up to Eleven as we break down the six things you may have missed in the final trailer!
There are potential spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 2. It’s all from the trailer, but it’s easier to overlook these clues when they go by so quickly. Consider this your last warning to stay out of Hawkins until the 27th!
Join host, and the Dig Dug champion of Hawkins, Jessica Chobot, as she dives into the return of Eleven, which evokes a similar scene from the pilot episode. When the Demogorgon took Will, it also unlocked a door telekinetically. One of the most popular theories is that the Demogorgon was actually a manifestation of Eleven’s shattered psyche. And there may be something to that, if this shot is any indication.
Do you want justice for Barb? It looks like Brett Gelman’s character may be more deeply involved with that storyline than we previously suspected. We’ve been told that Gelman is playing Murray Bauman, a former journalist turned conspiracy theorist. But given the level of detail in Murray’s Barb board, we’re starting to wonder if he’s actually Barb’s father as well.
Next up are two important details about this year’s big bad. For the first time, the Shadow Monster has been shown outside of the Upside Down or Will’s visions. And it actually looks like it is made of shadows. A scene with Paul Raiser’s Owens suggests that not only is Hawkins Laboratory aware of the Shadow Monster, they’ve also managed to obtain some samples of it.
It looks like season is going to be a big one for Sheriff Hopper, as we see him taking a blowtorch to some of the Upside Down materials last seen in the Hawkins Lab. He’s also wearing scrubs like the ones Joyce Byers and Bob Newby (Sean Astin) are seen in, which suggests that all three are together as they try to sneak Will out of the hospital.
Finally, Will’s drawings have been among the first clues going back to the Super Bowl trailer for season 2. But what we assumed to be a picture of the Shadow Monster appears to be something else entirely. Instead, we think it’s a map, and that may explain how Mike, Will, Dustin, and Lucas will eventually make their way to the Upside Down, as seen late in the trailer.
What did you think about the newest trailer for Stranger Things? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Images: Netflix
MORE FROM STRANGER THINGS!
There’s now a Stranger Things card game
Meet Stranger Things‘ new character: Max!
Man, the Stranger Things government is really bad at coverups
Hot Toys’ Jedi Training Rey Has a Light-up Lightsaber and Porgs!
We’ve come to expect the best quality from Hot Toys, and their latest offerings are always impressive. But the new Jedi Training Rey from Star Wars: The Last Jedi may have reached a new pinnacle. This 1:6 scale figure not only features a terrific likeness of Daisy Ridley‘s popular heroine, it also includes a light-up lightsaber that looks amazing in these newly released pictures.
Perhaps we should specify that Rey’s LED light-up lightsaber also comes with an interchangeable lightsaber blade that makes it appear that it’s in motion. The following pic is not a special effect. This is what it really looks like!
This is also our best glimpse yet at the new costume that Rey will wear during The Last Jedi, and it seems like a nice upgrade from the outfit she wore in The Force Awakens. But just because Rey is strong in the Force, it doesn’t mean that she’s leaving behind her quarterstaff or her blaster. Both weapons will be included with Rey’s figure, and that’s not all!
That’s right, Rey’s bringing the Porgs! And as far as we can tell, these might be the first 1:6 Porgs to get an official release from Hot Toys. But probably not the last time, if history is any indication. You can find more pictures of the Jedi Training Rey in the gallery below.
The Jedi Training Rey is currently available for pre-order at Sideshow Collectibles, but it won’t be shipping until sometime between July and September 2018. The price is $228, and it absolutely looks like its worth it.
What do you think about the new Rey figure from Hot Toys? Take your first steps in the comment section below!
Images: Hot Toys/Sideshow Collectibles
Get more Star Wars for the weekend!
The Last Jedi‘s force-sensitive porgs might be the heroes we need!
Will Rey turn dark in The Last Jedi?
Everything you missed in The Last Jedi trailer!
Cast and Crew of AMERICAN VANDAL Tell Us About Making the True Crime Parody
“Who drew the dicks?” Not since we took Freshmen Health has so much been at stake with that question as it is on Netflix‘s hilarious (and surprisingly touching) new true crime parody American Vandal. And on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back we welcomed the cast and crew to tell us all about it.
Geek and Sundry‘s Amy Vorpahl (in the most amazing pepperoni pizza dress EVER) was in the host chair today, where she and Bizarre States‘ Andrew Bowser welcomed American Vandal‘s co-creator Dan Perrault and star Tyler Alvarez to the set. We had lots of questions for them about the show, but first we got big comic book fan Dan’s thoughts on the The New Mutants trailer and its apparent shift from traditional superhero films. And since the final trailer for season two of Strangers Things just dropped, we also asked about their sister series at Netflix and what they are most looking forward to. Are we excited that it looks like it will make the story even bigger, sort of like Aliens did with the franchise?
But then it was time to get into American Vandal, and we had a lot of questions. Where did the idea come from? What drew them to true crime? What sort of research does a dick-drawing whodunit require? Was this based on a true story? Could anyone keep a straight face on set? Did Netflix take a hands-on approach? How was this different from a normal comedy? And what might we expect from season two?
Because we need a season two.
Nerdist News Talks Back was live today at 1:00 p.m. PST on our YouTube and Alpha channels. Just like it is every weekday. Tune in and get in on the conversation with us. Because we also need your help answering the big questions, and none are bigger than “who drew the dicks?”
It’s also the funniest.
We still want to hear from you, so talk back to us about today’s show by drawing up your thoughts in the comments below.
Images: Netflix
More of the nerdiest news!
>The Addams Family is getting an animated film from the director of Sausage Party!
Our Goodbye Christopher Robin review explains why growing up is so sad!
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THE ADDAMS FAMILY is Getting an Animated Film From SAUSAGE PARTY Director
It’s been nearly twenty five years since The Addams Family had their last appearance on the big screen, but everyone’s favorite macabre family is overdue for a comeback. Now, it may finally be happening, courtesy of Sausage Party co-director Conrad Vernon.
Via The Hollywood Reporter, the long-gestating Addams Family animated movie is going forward with Vernon at the helm. Vernon previously co-directed Shrek 2, Monsters vs Aliens, and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Corpse Bride and Monster House screenwriter Pamela Pettler wrote the new script for The Addams Family; which will be based upon the classic comics written and drawn by Charles Addams for The New Yorker.
There have been several adaptations of The Addams Family, including two animated series. But the ones that are still closest to our collective hearts are the original TV series from 1964 (with its amazingly catchy theme song) and the two ’90s live-action films headlined by Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, and the late Raúl Juliá.
If the original Addams Family comics are the sole source of inspiration for the new animated film, there should still be plenty of material to draw upon. The key thing that we want the new movie to embrace is that the Addams aren’t monsters or evil creatures. They simply don’t care what other people think about them, and that is part of their appeal. We would also suggest that the Beetlejuice animated series could also help Vernon and his collaborators find the right tone for The Addams Family. Beetlejuice was definitely softened for television, but that series managed to make the wonderful weirdness of Tim Burton‘s film more accessible for animation.
There’s currently no release date set for The Addams Family, but we’re eager to see how it comes together!
What do you want from the new Addams Family animated feature? Snap your fingers and share your thoughts below!
Images: MGM
Keep it spooky, fam!
Jason, Michael Myers, and Ghostface get turned into slashers with silly voices !
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do a very creepy cover of John Carpenter’s Halloween theme !
You guys, The New Mutants trailer is a superhero horror movie!
Why Melissa Joan Hart Wants a CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL Reboot
With Sabrina the Teenage Witch‘s return to television in the form of The CW’s forthcoming Chilling Adventures of Sabrina adaptation (thanks to Riverdale), it’s no surprise that the original embodiment of teen witchitude has some thoughts. Actress, producer, and director Melissa Joan Hart played Sabrina from 1996 through 2003, and though she’s happy to see the character she made iconic get new life, she’s more interested in seeing another of her old characters get her due: Clarissa Darling of Clarissa Explains it All. And it’s not just because of our ’90s nostalgia obsession!
We sat down Hart, who has recently directed Lifetime’s The Watcher in the Woods remake, to talk about her film and the legacy she left behind from her TV days. In the course of admitting our own fondness for Clarissa, Hart actually explained why hers is a story worth revisiting—maybe even more so than Sabrina’s.
To be frank: we totally agree with her! While we love and are happy to see Sabrina return, Clarissa was the first-ever female lead for a series on Nickelodeon, and the ways in which she dealt with adolescent issues was groundbreaking for the time. (I mean, hello—she played VIDEO GAMES TO SOLVE HER PROBLEMS and didn’t put up with her pesky little brother Fergwad, erm, I mean Ferguson). Besides, the series’ creator Mitchell Kriegman wrote a book in 2015 called Things I Can’t Explain about Clarissa navigating her 20s. So you really could go myriad ways with it!
But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor, creator/host of Fangirling, and resident Khaleesi of House Nerdist. Find her on Twitter!
Want More Sabrina News?
Here’s everything we know about The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina adaptation.
Here Melissa Joan Hart talking about the Sabrina reboot.
And finally, hear Sabrina the Teenage Witch Nell Scovell talk about the series creator !
Image: Nickelodeon
Will the New STAR WARS Trilogy Ultimately Redeem Kylo Ren?
Though all signs point to the clear protagonist of the new Star Wars trilogy being Rey, it’s not unreasonable to think that Kylo Ren’s arc will also be very, very important. From the glimpses we got in The Force Awakens we know that Kylo’s struggle between the light side and the dark side is one that defines him, and the latest trailer for Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi focused heavily on the reflections and relationship between the two young characters, which makes us think that that Kylo’s journey is likely going to be just as important as Rey’s. We also know from Star Wars canon that struggles like Kylo Ren’s usually only end two ways: redemption or death. (Well, sometimes both.)
One of the main criticisms waged against The Force Awakens was that it echoed the story of A New Hope too closely. Even if you felt like it was a perfect balance of homage and invention (like I did), using that criticism as a jumping off point gives us a solid place to start thinking about Kylo’s potential redemption. Star Wars is at its heart a family saga based around the loves, lives, and losses of one family and those who connect with them.
In the case of The Force Awakens, we met Ben, a living monument to the union of two original characters, Han and Leia. If we look at The Force Awakens as a reimagining of A New Hope, it makes sense that the rest of the trilogy will share thematic threads with the original films. If so, Kylo’s potential redemption could easily be one of them, echoing the final moments of his grandfather Anakin.
Just as Rey’s journey is one of discovering her burgeoning power, Kylo’s is one of dealing with his own. The pair’s stories could easily be inversions of each other as we go forward into the franchise. If, as we believe, Rey may stray from the Jedi path and become a new kind of Force user, it makes sense that Kylo too may stray from the dark path he’s chosen.
If we’re assuming that The Last Jedi will be the new trilogy’s Empire Strikes Back, then it’s incredibly likely that this film will see both Rey and Kylo moving closer to the dark side, with Kylo presenting Rey to Snoke. We already know from the trailer that she is at one point in his grasp; wouldn’t it make sense if Kylo, just like his grandfather before him, was the one who took an unsure Rey to his master to show her the power that they could both share?
In fact, creating a close relationship with Rey might just be the spark that Kylo needs to truly redeem himself. If a young woman with a direct connection to his old life and family—and possibly even a deeper link than meets the eye—is suddenly put in danger, couldn’t that be the thing Ben needs to finally realize he’s on the wrong path?
Though nothing’s set in stone, we’d be pretty surprised if Kylo doesn’t at least make an attempt to do what he thinks to be right. So don’t be shocked if, after learning his grandfather sacrificed himself for his family, a guilt-ridden Kylo tries to do the same thing.
What do you think? Will Kylo eventually turn to the light? Will he and Rey team up to bring balance to the Force once and for all? Let us know in the comments!
Images: Disney, Lucasfilm
More on Star Wars!
Might we see Rey and Kylo Ren team up?
Rian Johnson gets hilariously sassy with Star Wars fans
This may be the weirdest The Last Jedi theory yet
The ‘Magnificent Bryozoan’ is a Snot Monster Living in a Pond Near You
Right now in your nearest pond, lake, or other moderately sized body of fresh water, there could lurk something garishly green, bulbous, and slick, made from the assemblage of thousands of little organisms that wiggle and feed off their surroundings. And the name of that unmoving, yet ever-expanding organism who’s waiting for you and your beau to go swimming past?! Pectinatella magnifica! Or the magnificent bryozoan. And the strange ball of slime is basically… a real life Blob in your backyard!
While the magnificent bryozoan may look like a harmless snot ball that just hangs out and blobs around in fresh water bodies, do not be fooled. Because while it is completely harmless to humans, as well as pretty much anything else that you don’t need a microscope to see, the magnificent bryozoan still exhibits very strange behaviors that you may find disturbing and even… alien-like. Or at least fairly interesting.
When you look at a bulging, gelatinous Pectinatella magnifica, like the one in the picture below, what you’re really looking at is an immense colony of individual Pectinatella magnifica that have all decided to build a giant gelatin ball together so they can all live on it in little colonies and use their lophophores — rings of finger-like tentacles — to grab and eat things.
Pectinatella magnifica zoon. Image: Wikimedia / Triclops200
The whole big ball of gelatinous slime is referred to as a zoon (pronounced zoh-on), and individual Pectinatella magnifica are referred to as zoids. And here’s the kicker: when an individual Pectinatella magnifica, or zoid, hatches from its “statoblast,” or hard casing in which its born, it sprouts a number of identical individuals. Very much in the same way a Mr. John A. Zoidberg did when he was a a young crustacean.
But what makes this oozing glob of 90% water so alien-like is this: According to the Encyclopedia of Life, “young [zoid] colonies can propel themselves across the slippery surface of their gelatinous substrate by creating water currents with coordinated beating of the ciliated tentacles on their crown-shaped lophophore organ[s]…” Individual zoids work in unison to move atop a gelatinous ball that they decided to build together for some reason. Whatever the collective purpose of these balls covered in little moving colonies may be, Gaia has clearly worked strange magic here.
Creepily narrated video of Pectinatella magnifica distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
If you’re worried about running into Pectinatella magnifica in the wild, you needn’t fret, as they’re only native to North America, and again, totally harmless. (They have been found in Asia and Europe and their numbers have grown across the U.S.) But they can clog drains and water pipes much like the dreaded fatberg.
They could even be oozing into your room as you read this article right now — look out behind you! No, just kidding. These blobs are super gentle. This is how they feed after all:
What do you think of the Pectinatella magnifica? Have you ever held one of these gelatinous blobs in your hand and felt the wiggle of thousands of little lophophores across your skin? Give us all the creepy details in the comments below!
Images: Wikimedia / Jomegat
Welcome to Nerdoween! Throughout the month of October, we’ll be celebrating everything spooky, macabre, and just plain weird. Nerdoween 2017 is presented by Alpha, our interactive membership service, which offers you exclusive content from Nerdist and Geek & Sundry, as well as a 10% discount on all of our merch.
Stay Spooked
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