Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2170

This Short Doc Will Make You Want to Go to Clown College

“A clown falls down so we don’t have to.”

In Margarita Jimeno’s delightful mini-doc for American Theatre Wing, the vibrant and sometimes heartsick world of clowning comes into red-nosed relief. It’s a gorgeous peek into the vagabond lifestyle of joy and sweat, as well as a succinct history lesson of the profession that name-drops Shakespeare, Napoleon, and Buster Keaton.

It is an art worthy of our humanity, and this is a short film worthy of that art.

Working in the Theatre: Clowning from American Theatre Wing on Vimeo.

Clowning benefits from professionals Brent McBeth and Joel Jeske (of the Big Apple Circus), the legendary David Shiner, and Slava Polunin, extracting the usual talking head insights and interlacing them with wondrous performance clips to give us a clear visual of their philosophies in practice.

Above all, they display how clowning is rooted in using the goofy and silly to transcend to something true–beginning with real life observations as the basis for exaggeration and expansion until the surreal challenges us, dazzles us, and delivers us back to the real world.

The true star of the mini-doc is Slava, who appears both as learned scholar and as gray-haired toddler in a textured yellow onesie. He think deeply about the stuff that makes us giggle, but he’s also a living embodiment of the glory of human emotion flowing freely through open lines of communication when language isn’t necessary.

If clowning is a matter of the ordinary made magic, this doc should leave a big smile on your face and a train ticket to clown college next to your packed bags.

What do you think? Circus or stage? Fill out your clown college application in the comments.

Images: American Theatre Wing

GAME OF THRONES’ Valentine’s Day Cards Will Swear Your Love to the Old Gods and the New

It’s the most romantic time of the year again; the time when you want to let the moon to your sun and stars realize that even if you know nothing else, you know how much they mean to you. So how can you swear a sacred vow to the old gods and the new that they are the only person in the Seven Kingdoms you want to bring under the cloak of your protection? With the help of some officially licensed Game of Thrones Valentine’s Day cards.

HBO wants to combine your love for the show with the love of your life this February, with messages of romance only an admirer of Westeros can appreciate. And they have you covered whether your love song is one of ice or fire.

Because nothing says “Be mine” like a blue-eyed demon king of killer ice men leading an army of the dead against the living. (Actually, that is kind of true, if the legend of the Night’s King is to be believed.)

But maybe the one you desire doesn’t yet feel the same way. Don’t worry, there’s a way to help tear down The Wall between the two of you, with our dream pairing of large and lovable characters.

Of course, if the Catelyn to your Ned has a better sense of humor than Lady Stark ever did, she could swoon over a good joke. Well, we might think it’s too soon (and always will be), but considering it is a holiday of love, and few had the passion of the fiery Red Viper, this might be the one to send them.

We have the rest of the available cards in our gallery below, and you can get them through the official HBO site. And why wouldn’t you? What better way to tell someone you love them then through messages from a television show that routinely kills off characters we care about in the most brutal way possible?

Only maybe just stick to using them on Valentine’s Day and avoid giving them as wedding cards. No one wants to think about Game of Thrones at their wedding.

Which card is your favorite? Tell us the one you’d send to your Khal or Khalessi in the comments below.

Images: HBO

Are you more logical than romantic? Here’s some science.

The Slow Mo Guys Made a Rainbow out of Exploding Airbags

There are countless mediums an artist can choose to express themselves with, and while many elect to speak to the world through paint, only The Slow Mo Guys craft their art not with a brush, but with explosions. Which is why their latest piece, titled “25 Airbag Rainbow Explosion,” might just be their magnum opus.

Dan and Gavin are no strangers to using various forms of paint to craft some truly stunning visuals, but never before have they created something on this scale. Using 25 car airbags with makeshift tubs (aluminum foil!) full of powered paint (lots and lots of powered paint) right on top of them, the guys set each one off in a series of cascading explosions that sent the paint soaring, creating a beautiful rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet that looked even more beautiful in super slow motion.

Of course, if you are going to have a controlled explosion that looks this cool, you can’t pass up the opportunity to make yourself look good too. That’s why after the first test run proved to be safe(ish) enough to stand near, the guys did the next two with them in the shot, first in the background in silhouette.

However, as cool as that looks, it’s the final image that might just be their true masterpiece. Because while making an exploding powered paint rainbow would enough for some artists, only the very special ones recognize that their work requires them to be in the foreground, doing action hero poses.

That’s why this is truly their paint de résistance.

What do you think? Is this the greatest video from The Slow Mo Guys? Color our comment section with your favorite piece from Dan and Gav.

Images: The Slow Mo Guys

Scream at a Wall: HELLKEEPER, VIVIAN K, and IN THE COMPANY OF SERPENTS

Wipe the blood from your teeth and get in the pit; it’s time for a recap of this week’s best hardcore, metal, and punk rock. We dug through the record crates to find the new tunes we think you need to spin and rage to. Strap in, kiddies, it’s time to rock.

 

Hellkeeper are vicious. They just blasted out the track “Drown” and it’s a merciless pounding in the vein of Cursed and Heiress. This is hardcore punk with a hint of feedback-laced black metal: a thunderous mixture of blast beats, distorted vocals, and pulverizing breakdowns. In other words, this stuff is fan-freaking-tastic. Ghastly and savage, Hellkeeper hit all the right notes in the song of our dark, dark souls.

(Decibel)

 

If you find yourself searching for something unexpected, a lost traveler on the road of life, you may find that Vivian K is singing your song. Verses is a post-hardcore romance told through low-fi riffs and screams. In a lot of ways, this band carries the torch of ’90s emo. Listening to Vivian K invokes the image of a beat up boombox blasting a well-worn tape you’re playing for the thousandth time. This record is earnest and raw; it plays like a fresh wound, bleeding out every note and staggered harmony. There’s no one thing happening here, rather a cacophony of chaos that forms into something undefinable and beautiful. Check this band out, guys. You won’t regret it.

Verses by

Vivian K

 

Yes, we know it’s only February, but it has to be said that King Woman’s Created in the Image of Suffering is a contender for Album of the Year. Easily. With each new track it becomes clearer that this band has crafted a truly evocative and transcendent album. Their sound is redolent of darker times, like wisps of haunted places you used to tread. You can hear “Hierophant” below and get a small picture of why Created in the Image of Suffering is such a masterpiece.  It sounds like nothing else you’ve ever experienced, it’s gorgeous, and it’s heavy. We may have a long way to go in 2017, but it’s difficult to imagine something surpassing this record. It’s magnificent.

(CLRVYNT)

 

Iron Reagan delivered Crossover Ministry earlier this month and it’s a damn fine album. We told you several times to buy it, so let’s assume you have good taste and did just that. Now, to enhance your listening pleasure, we give you the music video for the charming tune known as “Fuck the Neighbors.” The video was directed and animated by Johnny McHone, who works on a little show called Robot Chicken. It’s a delightful clay number that perfectly captures the nuances of suburban life. Also, at one point, a dude gets his head cut off by a pizza. That’s poetic and stuff.

 

Our post-metal fuel tank is currently being refilled by In the Company of Serpents. They have a new album called Ain-Soph Aur coming March 10th and it’s great. They just released the track “Limitless Light,” a 12 minute journey through bleak and tortured territory. It’s reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City and early Neurosis. The band’s name sounds like a short story from H.P. Lovecraft, which is fitting given their big, mythological sound. In the Company of Serpents is tightly formed; they don’t waste a single second of this 12 minute track; everything is carefully structured and in delivered. Plus, they have some of seriously killer guitar tones. Just listen to that 1:17 mark when everything kicks in. It’s huge.

 

Power Trip is the soundtrack of the times. We live in a time of anger, resistance, and punishment. We need fierce riffs and circle pits now more than ever. On February 24th, Power Trip’s Nightmare Logic will come into the world, born of darkness and bitter defiance. The world needs to thrash. We need to get our hands dirty and listening to Power Trip oils the blood and fuels the fire. Get pumped up and inject some Power Trip into your soul.

 

That’s it for us this week. Throw some horns up and go wreak havoc. On your way out, make sure you hit up the comments below and let us know what grind, thrash, doom, hardcore, punk, and metal is filling your earholes currently.

 

Image: Hellkeeper

Gif: Ren and Stimpy/Viacom

Benjamin Bailey writes for the Nerdist and can be found on Twitter talking about Godzilla, comic books, and hardcore music.

 

Ricky Gervais Talks Bringing THE OFFICE’s David Brent to LIFE ON THE ROAD

I can’t say that I wasn’t nervous about getting on the phone with Ricky Gervais. Though eager to dissect the mind behind The Office and (one of my all-time favorite shows) Extras, I was in no way prepared to go head to head with the man who’d claimed a new level of infamy after eviscerating the crème de la crème of the Hollywood circuit as the host of the Golden Globes. What I realized only moments into our conversation was that Gervais was in no way interested in knocking me down a few pegs, but was indeed as kind, congenial, and thoughtful as any celebrity I’ve spoken to in recent memory.

Truth be told, you can see this “secret kindness” peer through in his latest project, David Brent: Life on the Road. While fans may remember Brent as unsympathetic and boorish from his role on The Office, the years in passing have indeed taken their toll on Gervais’ most iconic character.

“When you bring back a character, or even just continue a character, you have to move on a bit,” Gervais said. “Less in a traditional sitcom, where you can stay the same person. [But this] is a fake documentary built around reality, so he’s got to change a little bit.” Fans of The Office won’t be especially surprised to see that Brent has clung tightly to his obsession with the spotlight. What’s a bit more surprising, though, is the reality check his failed endeavors have dealt him. “So what I did is, I made him slightly less confident, because the world has beaten him up a little bit. I gave him a little nervous laugh because he’s had a breakdown. And the breakdown was about fame.”

But it isn’t only a tough run that makes today’s David Brent come off a bit milder in flavor than the man we remember from the early 2000s. Gervais asserts that a big part of this difference has to do with how the world itself has changed. “I wanted people to realize that Brent isn’t so bad by today’s standards,” he says. “He went from sort of like a villain to a bit of a hero, really. He’s nicer than most people in that office.” Fans may well notice a sharper hostility in Life on the Road‘s office setting than they did on The Office. Gervais says, “In [the new] office, in Lavichem, there’s clear Brexit vs. Remain, Trump vs. the ‘Liberal Elite.'”

The way Gervais explains it, it seems that the world has become crueler, or at least has begun to wear its intolerance on its sleeve. “In my standup, I usually play that sort of slightly bigoted pub boar who is confidently an idiot and says the wrong thing for effect,” he says. “Now I’m worried that half the population of the world agrees with those wrong things.”

Gervais continues, “I explain in my new standup: the problem is not everyone thinking they’ve got an opinion that’s worth as much as everyone else’s, which is true. It’s now, half the population thinks they’ve got an opinion that’s worth as much as fact.”

That’s not to say that David Brent’s defining flaws have faded to the backdrop in Life on the Road, but Gervais distinguishes Brent from the kind of bigotry he sees rampant in today’s world. “I don’t think he ‘s a bad person, he’s just out of touch,” Gervais says, “His jokes are from the ‘70s, when it was okay to say the word ‘Chinaman’ … But he thinks he’s doing the right thing with his song about the disabled. He’s accidentally offensive, because he wants to be PC, but he’s sort of hitting a line.” Accidental or not, Gervais’ ignorance does consistently betray his defining insecurity: “He wants to be popular and loved by everyone, so when he’s in the warehouse, he’s laughing at sexist jokes, but when he goes upstairs he’s lecturing people on what a great feminist he is. He wants to do right; he just doesn’t quite get it.”

This conflict comes into play in a big way in Life on the Road when aspiring musician Brent is paired with Dom Johnson, a young black man and up-and-coming hip hop artist (played by Ben Bailey Smith a.k.a. Doc Brown). “Brent wants to walk into a room and say, ‘I am not a racist,’” Gervais says. “He can’t get over that he’s got a black friend. It’s embarrassing. But he wants people to know that he’s okay. He’s not comfortable in his own skin. He’s not comfortable around difference because he’s afraid of it.”

In discussing Gervais’ affection for Brent, I was reminded of the famous ideological debate waged by writer Laura Z. Hobson in regard to the iconic sitcom All in the Family. In a 1971 essay for The New York Times, Hobson took issue with the series’ casual reinforcement that its main character Archie Bunker, a notorious bigot, could also be lovable. In one particularly memorable passage, Hobson wrote, “I don’t think you can be a bigot and be lovable; I don’t think you can be a black‐baiter and lovable, nor an anti‐Semite and lovable. And don’t think the millions who watch this show should be conned into thinking that you can be.”

Though apparently sympathetic to this message, Gervais was reticent to sign onto its black-and-white mentality. “I see the point that you shouldn’t make this or that likable, but it’s the word “shouldn’t” that worries me,” he said. “Art is really democracy. You’ve got to put down what your opinion of the world is.”

He continued, “I also like playing with the ambiguity of morality, because it’s not for me to lecture. I just create characters that are interesting … Everyone’s a mixed bag. Someone’s really funny, they’re kind to animals, then you find out they’re a homophobe. And then you meet someone who campaigns for gay rights and you find out they wear fur. And then you meet someone who’s really anti-racist, but he’s a misogynist. We’re all mixed up. So you have to confront those things.”

As we see in Life on the Road, Gervais isn’t interested in totally vilifying Brent, and less so in sanctifying him. “Personally, I do like a little bit of reward for my heroes, and a little bit of comeuppance—or redemption!—for my villains,” he says. “But when I say ‘heroes’ and ‘villains,’ there’s no extremes. They’re all in the middle. I don’t deal with murderers, rapists, or dictators. And I don’t deal with angels and cowboys in white Stetsons on the other. We’re all—or most of us, until recently—in the middle.”

As you can see, the would-be corrosion of society over the interim years between The Office and Life on the Road appears to be a big thinking point for Gervais. “There’s a new type of narcissism and it’s applauded,” he says in particular reference to the new extremes of reality television. “It’s like Terminator 2 compared to poor old Brent. Now you’ve got people who’ll go on The Apprentice and say, ‘I’ll destroy anyone who stands in my way.’” He adds, “We’re still laughing at the Elephant Man in the cage. And then we see the Elephant Man in the cage gets his own show, so we want to be in the cage.”

No matter what you think of Brent or the world around him, Gervais only wants you to be invested. “This is what comedy is, I think, in its essence: It’s an ordinary person trying to do something they’re not equipped to do,” he says. “That’s what we’re laughing at. That’s the joy and that’s the journey. It’s a journey for them and a journey for us. It can go lots of ways. We can love them for it, hate them for it, but we have to care.”

David Brent: Life on the Road is now available to stream on Netflix.

Image: Netflix

Now You Can Knit Like JESSICA JONES

We’ve all fallen in love with Krysten Ritter as Marvel‘s Jessica Jones, she made us laugh like mad in Don’t Trust the B in Apt. 23, and her Instagram pictures of her adorable and lovable dog are basically the best things, ever. But did you know she’s also a knitting maven? Yep, when she’s not kicking ass in Hell’s Kitchen, Ritter likes to unwind with some good, old-fashioned knitting. And while a lot of us have seen celebrities or our friends and family talk about knitting, it is a pretty foreign crafting practice to a lot of us.

Ritter is out to change that with her brand new knitting kit from We Are Knitters. She partnered with the knitting company to design a pattern for an adorable, oversized infinity scarf that can not only serve as a scarf, but it can double as a hood or snood. And while the pattern is an easy one, perfect for beginners, this isn’t some ugly scarf pattern that you’ll make and never want to wear. This infinity scarf is actually really adorable, and looks super cozy.

Of course the actual knitting is only half the battle when you’re just starting out. It can be super overwhelming to figure out what exactly is needed to undertake any sort of knitting project. Luckily, you don’t have to think about it. The kit comes with yarn, needles, the pattern, and just about anything you’d need to start your very first knitting project. And while Ritter is pictured wearing a black scarf, you can pick your yarn color. So if you’ve been looking for that perfect, gray infinity scarf to round out your Jessica Jones cosplay, what better way to obtain her scarf than by using a knit scarf pattern designed by Jessica Jones herself, right?

So what are you waiting for? The next time you need to unwind, why not grab a skein of yarn and try out knitting. After all, it’s like Ritter says, “Knitting is for everyone.”

Do you knit? What are some tips you have for beginners? Will you be getting yourself Krysten Ritter’s new knitting kit? Let’s talk yarn in the comments!

Image Credit: We Are Knitters

Create Magical Makeup Looks with HARRY POTTER-Inspired Eye Shadow

What’s a wizard without her spellbook? Every Hermione-in-training needs their own magical textbook to consult, and Storybook Cosmetics is here to deliver with a sneak peek of their Wizardry and Witchcraft eye shadow palette (although, shipping through the owl postal service might be pricy…)! If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the fantastical company conjured up some serious social media excitement after revealing their Harry Potter-inspired makeup brushes shaped like wands. Perhaps you used the wands to contour your nose–just don’t overdo it, or else you might resemble he who must not be named.

The Wizardry and Witchcraft palette has been designed to look like an actual leather-bound book (sans the dust), with an enchanting logo covered in gold foil. This is one volume that you won’t want to put down! Instead of containing spells, the palette includes 12 Hogwarts-inspired shades with names like “sorcerer”, “broomstick”, and “potions” to fill up your makeup library. With that kind of variety, you’ll be brewing up some magical makeup looks in to time.

Although the eye shadow palette is still in development with no set release date, Storybook Cosmetics has been generous in showing us swatches of each color on their Instagram page, as well as some other projects their alchemists are working on. This is a great addition to any aspiring spellcaster, and one thing is for certain: we won’t need to cast a divination spell to know that this palette will capture the hearts of Harry Potter and fantasy fans alike!

What do you think of these Harry Potter inspired eye shadows? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

Images: Storybook Cosmetics

Giant Robot Spiders Will Soon Rule Us All

Are you petrified of spiders? Do you constantly find yourself worrying about the inevitable robot uprising? If you answered yes to both of those then holy crap this story is not for you. However, if you aren’t afraid of either, then this video of a swarm of highly sophisticated robotic spiders, moving in unison to music befitting an evil dictator, is the coolest thing you’ll see this week.

These Wi-Fi enabled futuristic mechanical bugs are known as T8X Spider Robots, and they come from Robugtix. Each is equipped with 26 servo motors as well as their own proprietary motor, “which contains advanced robotics algorithms for controlling multi-legged walking robots.” This gives them “fine movements, programmability, and customizability,” allowing them to move like real spiders, all controlled by an app.

That’s right, you can buy one of these yourself–they are currently on sale for $855, down from their normal price of $950.00–to play around with. Or you can splurge and get a few thousand to overrun your town and rule it with an iron fist, an evil empire built upon the backs of robot spiders.

Either/or.

Spider-Man fans probably already had this same thought, but these look like real-life versions of of the Spider-Bots Doctor Octopus made when he controlled Peter Parker’s body. Though unlike in a comic book, we doubt we have to worry about these falling into the wrong hands.

We hope.

Because if this video isn’t just a super cool way of showing off some awesome technology, but instead it is a warning to all of us, we think we know what comes next.

Dear god. If there’s one thing scarier than robot spiders, it’s thinking about Wild Wild West.

What do these awesome robots make you think of? What would you do if you had one of your own? What about a few thousand? Crawl into the web of our comments section below to tell us.

Images: Robugtix

First Look at R.L. Stine’s MAN-THING #1

Next month, Goosebumps author R.L. Stine is staking his claim to the Marvel Universe’s dark side as he writes a brand new Man-Thing miniseries with artist German Peralta. It’s long been said that “whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch,” and if there’s anyone who knows fear, it’s Stine! Which means we’re, naturally, very excited for you to feast your eyes on this first look.

Naturally, if you don’t want to be spoiled on premise and overall plot, back away from this post right now!

Now onto the good stuff: for the new series, Stine is re-envisioning the Man-Thing by giving him a voice and by offering him a chance to reclaim the life of Ted Sallis, the man he was before he became something else. But that opportunity won’t be without a cost, as “an ancient and mysterious danger threatens reality, and [Man-Thing] will have to choose between his new life and the place he once called home!”

Marvel has released the first few pages of Man-Thing #1, which recount the title character’s origin. When he was still human, Ted Sallis was one of the world’s leading biochemists and he was said to be on the verge of recreating the formula that made Steve Rogers into Captain America. However, Sallis was forced to inject the experimental serum into his own body to keep it out of the hands of terrorists. The following page shows us what happened next.

You can find the rest of the preview pages in the gallery below, as well as the covers by Tyler Crook, Billy Martin, Francesco Francavilla, John Tyler Christopher, Ron Lim, and Stephanie Hans.

Man-Thing #1 will be released on Wednesday, March 8.

What do you think about these preview pages? Embrace your inner swamp monster and share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel Comics

The GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Are Finally Confirmed for AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

We all knew they’d have to be eventually, right? (I mean, this was kind of a huge giveaway.) Even though James Gunn has maintained that he was under no pressure, ever, to tie his movies into the main Marvel movie storyline, you don’t put Thanos in the first Avengers and the first Guardians and not have them all meet at last for the great big duke-a-roo planned for Infinity War. In the above video, mostly filmed on day one of the Infinity War shoot, Kevin Feige actually says aloud for the first time that it’s going to happen. Of course, he doesn’t just make announcements like this and leave it at that: we get to see a bit of what one of the sets looks like–twisted, burned-out rubble, basically, and it could be anywhere on Earth or another world. But Robert Downey, Jr., Tom Holland, and Chris Pratt are all there, with Holland as excited as you’d expect any kid who literally grew up watching Avengers movies should be.

The Russo brothers also reveal why they did Civil War as the prior film: they aren’t just about to face their greatest foe in Thanos, but to make it even tougher, they wanted to tear the team apart in preparation, so that they’re really-really not ready for the fight. Whether that means the Guardians will also face tension in the ranks in their next movie, we don’t yet know. Nor do we know if Star-Lord will be the one to find Earth, or if Iron Man and Spider-Man meet him out in space. Now that Doctor Strange can travel anywhere, anything’s possible.

Does this mean the Hulk-Groot battle Vin Diesel has been wanting is finally on? Will Peter Quill be the first guy to literally outwit Tony Stark in a war of words? Can the Milano fly faster than a Quinjet in the atmosphere? Maybe we’ll find out. What would you like to see happen when Earth’s mightiest mortals meet space’s biggest bunch of a-holes? Comment below with your wishlist.

Image: Marvel Studios/Disney

Now, Mr. Feige, can you also confirm any of this?