Category: parody

Monday Earworm: Psychostick

On By angeliquejamailIn humor, Monday earworm, Muppets, music, parody, Psychostick2 Comments

This weekend my family went to California for our niece’s wedding. It was an absolutely marvelous whirlwind of a weekend, and we’re so happy we went! The wedding was beautiful, our kids got to hang out with cousins they haven’t seen in years, I’m delighted by how grown-up and capable our niece has become, and her new husband is really great. It’s been way too many years since we were out there, but we won’t let so much time pass before we go out there again.

Anyway, my earworm tonight comes from the trip, wherein my husband and Han found this Psychostick video after reminiscing about Tiny Beowulf’s spontaneous death metal version of “The Bear Went Over the Mountain” when he was four. (And no, he hadn’t seen it before then, he just came up with it on his own because he thought his voice was funny when he sang it that way.)

So finding this little Muppet parody happened on Friday afternoon. I kid you not, coming back through the airport in Houston at 2:00 this morning, they were still singing this song.

Allow my earworm to become your earworm. You’re welcome.

And also, I’m sorry. But it has to go somewhere. I cannot keep holding onto it by myself.

Enjoy. (Try. It makes it easier.)

Monday Earworm: Jack Black and Jimmy Fallon

On By angeliquejamailIn Extreme, Jack Black, Jimmy Fallon, Monday earworm, music, parodyLeave a comment

Perhaps some other time I will write an essay about my feelings around this song, which are complicated and bound up in cultural conditioning and social expectations and gender roles. The essay has been cartwheeling around in my head for a really long time, but I’ve yet to commit it to paper or screen. At some point I probably will.

But I’m going to share this earworm now anyway because last night I saw Bullet Train and am still reveling in its slow-burn humor. That movie is absurdist archetype theatre, and it’s worth watching for that reason alone. (But perhaps go in with that understanding to enjoy it more.)

Anyway, this video is absurd. It’s Jack Black and Jimmy Fallon recreating the official video for Extreme’s “More Than Words,” and they are really faithful in their commitment to the self-conscious and, dare I suggest from the perch of hindsight, pompous original. And they are also really adept at playing and singing the song. And I love both videos for different reasons.

So first up is the parody, and after that is the original. Do enjoy.

 

And for comparison and nostalgia’s sake…

Monday Earworm: Dustin Ahkuoi

On By angeliquejamailIn Dustin Ahkuoi, Monday earworm, music, parody, politics, teaching2 Comments

My brother who lives in Hong Kong sent this to me recently, and not only is it hilarious and smart and well done, it also encapsulates some of the reason I’ve stepped back a little from some of my usual social media platforms. (The other reason is time. I’ve been swamped at my day job lately, which is perhaps more rightly to be called a days-nights-and-weekends job, and I’m also trying to finish edits on my next book so it can go into the print queue and be released this spring. Yay!)

Anyway, this parody is rich and entertaining. Do enjoy. (For my part, I’m getting back to work.)

“I Am Worried About My Grade”

On By angeliquejamailIn final exams, grading papers, high school, Human Condition, humor, parody, stress, summer, teachable moments, teaching, teenagers6 Comments

Today I finished my semester.  Grading finals is always a manic marathon accompanied by an earworm devised by my frantic brain.

Grading, grading, grading,
gotta do my grading,
get those finals graded, rawhide!  YA!

Have you ever noticed that manic activities are frequently backgrounded by some lyrically-varied version of “Rawhide”?

Maybe that’s just me…

Anyway, one of my colleagues sent this cartoon to me, and it cracked me up.  I’ll refrain from saying “story of my life” because, frankly, most of my students are awesome kids I really enjoy teaching.  But situations like this do come up on occasion.  They are admittedly rare at the school where I teach, but I’m told I have a reputation for being a frightening teacher, so maybe I’m just lucky and don’t have to deal with it so much.  (This sort of thing used to happen pretty often when I taught at a local college, back in the day.)

Check it out.  Enjoy the end of the school year, all those of you affected by it.  And have a good Memorial Day weekend!

Voting for the Silliest Thing Contest

On By angeliquejamailIn Byronic Man blog, cimate change, contest, crazy lady, humor, insanity, Jedi, myths, parody, Ronald Reagan, Snobbery blog, teachable moments, writing2 Comments

So not too long ago I launched another contest, this one rather spontaneous and impromptu based on something asinine SJ over at Snobbery had alerted me to that day.  (Thanks, SJ!)  Lots of people entered with truly inane contributions, some of them more than one.  Yay!

So now it’s time for you to vote on the following entries to my Silliest Thing You’ve Ever Heard Contest, and the winner of the most votes will be offered a guest blog spot on Sappho’s Torque this summer!  (Details to be negotiated with the winner at a later time.)  If you want to read the original posts from participants in this contest, just click on the link above, in this paragraph, and read the comments section of the original post.  (You can find working links to some of the entries there as well, in case the ones in the poll itself don’t work for you.)

You may vote every day if you like.  Be sure to tell others about this incredibly unscientific poll as well.  I look forward to finding out who wins!  The poll closes in one week.

May the best crazy-talk win!

The New Twelve Days of Christmas

On By angeliquejamailIn carol, children, Christmas, festival of lights, Hanukkah, holiday, houseguests, humor, parenthood, parody, stress, Twelve Days of Christmas, Yule16 Comments

My husband and I rewrote “The Twelve Days of Christmas” for your holiday enjoyment.

***

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me

A whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Two bossy six-year-olds

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

One the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Eight ornaments breaking,

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Nine candles dripping,

Eight ornaments breaking,

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Ten latkes burning,

Nine candles dripping,

Eight ornaments breaking,

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Eleven lights a-shorting,

Ten latkes burning,

Nine candles dripping,

Eight ornaments breaking,

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Twelve minutes resting,

Eleven lights a-shorting,

Ten latkes burning,

Nine candles dripping,

Eight ornaments breaking,

Seven shoppers macing,

Six kids a-screaming,

Five unwrapped gifts,

Four crowded malls,

Three houseguests,

Two bossy six-year-olds,

And a whining four-year-old boy.

***

Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Yule, Happy Human Day, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Saturnalia, and Happy New Year!