Now Showing on Netflix: “Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)”

My only exposure to Jen Kirkman until now has been on Comedy Central’s late night game show @Midnight hosted by Chris Hardwick, but she’s always done really well on there so I was excited when I saw that she did a special for Netflix. Also, I hadn’t watched many female comics until recently, and the only way I was really introduced to them was through @Midnight, and Hardwick’s Nerdist Podcast.

I knew Kirkman’s comedy wasn’t the Jeff Foxworthy-type stuff that’d I’d grown up to listening with my family in the car (although we did listen to quite a bit of Lewis Black), but I had never seen her actual act on stage — until now. And I really enjoyed it.

She didn’t hold back on anything: being divorced, not wanting kids, what turning 40 did to her, and many more subjects. She’s probably considered a dirty comic. Now, not dirty in the Bob Saget way, but it’s not something I’d watch with my family (I still refuse to watch the American Pie franchise with my parents). I would go into details, but you should just watch it for yourself (there’s also a good chance people I know may read this, and there are some things I don’t want brought up in conversation. Although this side comment could prove very counterproductive in my attempt to make sure those things aren’t discussed.)

The other thing I liked about her set was that she was very lively; she didn’t just stand by the microphone stand the whole time. She worked the stage very well, constantly moving from side to side. Her mixture of storytelling and revealing what her inner monologue was at the time made for some of the best parts due to how seamlessly she switched from each one. There were also plenty observations she made that made you think of the topic in a different way (the one on alternative parenting styles was particularly enjoyable).

If you don’t normally watch female comedians, then this is a great place to start. And she’s only 40, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch her perform. Her special is available on Netflix now.

Book Review: “American Gods”

This was my first adventure into a Neil Gaiman novel, and it’s definitely different from anything I’ve ever read in recent memory. But in a good way.

The book follows Shadow, a man just released from prison who finds out his wife was killed in a car crash just days earlier. On his way home he meets a man who calls himself Wednesday, and offers to hire Shadow to travel with him, and help him on some trips. Little does he know that Wednesday — who has some secrets of his own — is getting ready for a big war between the Old Gods (Old Norse mythology) and the New Gods (money, technology, fame, etc.).

The book took me a lot longer than planned to read, but it was well worth it. When Gaiman once answered the question of where he gets his ideas from by replying, “I make them up,” I believe it 100%. The book is full of detours through time, and there’s a good chance I may have to go through it again. It’s a weird story, but it really only makes me excited for the miniseries currently in development.

I think it’s definitely worth a read if you’re into sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery. It will definitely take you on a ride you’ll be thinking about for a while. But it does have some very explicit content, so be aware if you don’t like that stuff or are looking at books for your kids.

Book Review: ‘WAYLON’: The Autobiography of Waylon Jennings

I didn’t grow up on country music so my knowledge of Waylon Jennings was limited to stories about him told by other artists, whether they were real or just part of some myth. When I did make the full dive into the genre around 16 I was listening to stuff like Rascal Flatts, and hadn’t even begun to tap into the older artists who influenced today’s chart toppers.

I was always had the notion that he was some purist who shook his fist at the new influences infiltrating the genre so may hold dear. Then I started reading WAYLON, and was very surprised. Like that he played the bars in Arizona before heading to Nashville.

Waylon was a man who all he wanted was to play music, and didn’t like anyone telling him how to go about doing it (like Nashville execs). They wanted him to go a more polished route with studio musicians, and he wanted to record with his own band. He thought the polished sound took some of the authenticity out of the song.

And believe it or not, he was all for country music’s progression in terms of outside influences, and didn’t like being told that something he was doing wasn’t country.

Another thing he was very honest about was his drug addiction. He didn’t really even kick the habit until the mid 1980s. And there’s a good chance he never would’ve successfully kicked it without the help of the love of his life: Jessi Colter. Even through his darkest days she stood by him. I’m sure it involved a lot of praying.

WAYLON is like a very long country song; only he’s not singing to you. He’s just talking to you, from one human being to another. And man, does he have some stories.

Article Link: Super Bowl Halftime Show 2016 Hopes

It’s been a while since country music has made an appearance on the Halftime stage at the Super Bowl, and with the genre more popular than ever I figured it’s time to country things up a little bit. I wrote an article discussing it for Minnesota Connected (click link for article).

Feel free to share and comment! Thanks.

Movie Review: Snowpiercer

Chris Evans took some time away from being Captain America to lead a powerful cast in the dystopian action-thriller Snowpiercer. He plays Curtis, a member of a large group of people at living at the tail end of a train carrying the last of humanity.

One the train everyone is kept on a certain class in the train, and everyone at the tail end is at the bottom of the food chain. The only thing they’re given to eat are black protein bars made out of something mysterious.

The synopsis isn’t that original: the bottom class is tired of being treated like they’re nothing, and Curtis leads the people in devising a plan to gain entrance to the rest of the train. What took me by surprise was how quickly it happened, because usually that’s the main event of the movie and it’s a two-hour movie. But they spent a good amount of time making their way towards the front of the train which resulted in some very intense scenes including a very bloody battle scene.

While it was great to see Chris Evans play a darker character it was Tilda Swinton who got the scene-stealer award for being pretty unrecognizable as Mason. With a majority of the cast looking like they’d been living in a coal mine she looked like a strict elementary school teacher from the 80’s who did not belong being around children. Granted, you definitely wanted to see her get hit a few times for her cold heart, but that’s just a compliment to Swinton’s ability to disappear into her character.

The movie as a whole was good, and even though it dragged on in parts it definitely had some moments that took you by surprise.

Movie of the year? No. But it’s definitely worth checking out.

The Power of a Song: Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”

Every concert has music blaring out of the speakers before the band goes on, and normally people don’t pay too much attention. But this was different.

I was at a Little Big Town concert recently reviewing it for a blog I write for, and this really catchy and exciting song started playing. I didn’t really take too much notice until I looked around, and saw people dancing to it. Granted, some had probably been filling their bodies with various kinds of alcohol, but this song them feeling good (I’m guessing the alcohol did, too).

It seemed to go on forever, but no one seemed to care. They were too busy being in the moment. And as soon as the song ended something else unexpected happened: everyone clapped and cheered. It’s almost as if they just saw it performed live.

When I got home, I looked it up and found out the song was “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson. When I wondered how a song like that could turn a room full of country music fans into dancing maniacs I remembered an old song by Tim McGraw called “Things Change” that had a line that said: “Some say it’s too country/Some say it’s too rock ‘n’ roll/But it’s just good music if you can feel it in your soul.”

Trust me, these people felt it DEEP down in their soul.

I guess it’d time to put another concert on my list. Who knows, I may even dance (alcohol, thank you in advance).

Here’s the video for “Uptown Funk”: