Alanis Morissette covers BEP’s “My Humps”
Yesterday, recording artist Alanis Morissette, who is best known for her unique vocals and memorable lyrics, released a video on YouTube in which she parodies both the song and video for the Black Eyed Peas’ club bumper “My Humps”. The video is funny, but it’s her cover of the song that really shines, exposing the pure absurdity of the lyrics in “My Humps”. It is difficult to pay close attention to the song when watching the video, in which Alanis mocks the booty-shaking Fergie of Black Eyed Peas, however if you do, you’ll notice how great a cover it actually is.
According to Wikipedia, the video welcomed an astounding 200,000 hits in its first day, and as of posting this, has nearly 1,000,000 hits, not including the duplicates that have cropped up across YouTube. That a video can reach more than a million people within 48 hours of being published is yet another great example of how YouTube is changing the way we obtain and share new sources of information and entertainment, not only online, but in our lives in general.
Cover revealed for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Bits of information regarding the final installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, are finally being released and it’s getting me increasingly excited for the book’s release on July 21st. A few days ago it was revealed that the U.S. version of the book will stretch a wonderful 784 pages, making it second in length only to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This was, of course, incredible news to any Harry Potter fan, letting us know that our final journey with Harry, as the series comes to a close, will be plenty long to enjoy for hours, or days, of reading.
Also revealed today, and this is the really exciting part, was the cover art for the U.S. child, U.K. child, and U.K. adult versions of the book! The U.S. version, done by Mary GrandPre, has a few firsts, including the first time the cover is a wrap-around, as well as the first time it features none other than Lord Voldemort himself (on the back). I’m not as big a fan of the U.K. children’s versions, which tend to lack the mysterious feel provided by the look and themes of the U.S. versions. I am somewhat familiar with the U.K. adult version, having purchased Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in London last month, and I like the more “grown-up” feel their covers give the books. People unfamiliar with the stories tend to stereotype them as “children’s novels,” however, particularly in the last few installments, this is far from true, and the covers for the adult versions help to reflect that. I’m still only 20 so I can definitely relate, but I have no doubt that the stories, with their themes of love, family, friendship, courage, adventure, and adolescence, will continue to resonate with me as I grow older.
Cool photo alert: Exploded whale in streets of Taiwan
Out of Taipei:
Residents of Tainan learned a lesson in whale biology after the decomposing remains of a 60-ton sperm whale exploded on a busy street, showering nearby cars and shops with blood and organs and stopping traffic for hours. MSNBC
As usual, the pictures speak louder than words. Check them out.
Oh, by the way… Best part of the article?
Once moved to a nearby nature preserve, the male specimen — the largest whale ever recorded in Taiwan — drew the attention of locals because of its large penis, measured at some five feet, the Taipei Times reported.
Emma Watson officially signs on for final two Harry Potter films
And I couldn’t be more excited! I am a huge Harry Potter fan, of both the books and films, and recent speculation that Emma Watson, who plays Harry’s best friend Hermione Granger, was reluctant to sign on for the final two films had me rather disappointed. There’s no doubt in my mind, or anyone else’s for that matter, that the series would not be complete without all three of its leading stars. Today, however, Warner Brothers officially announced that Emma has followed co-stars Radcliffe and Grint by signing on for the final two films.
She has done a fantastic job portraying the reliable know-it-all, first in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and has continued to grow into the role ever since. I cannot wait to see her, as well as Daniel Radcliffe as Harry and Rupert Grint as Ronald Weasley, in this summer’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, due out July 13. It is one of the best books in the series thus far, with an incredible plot and edge-of-your-seat climax. While I am really disliking the current trend in which every other movie released seems to exceed the two hour mark, often stretching two-and-a-half hours or more, Order of the Phoenix is one film that I would be glad to spend more than two hours watching. (In an IMAX theater, no doubt.) I’m crossing my fingers that the screenwriters and producers included as much of J.K. Rowling’s captivating details, from what is the longest book in the series, as possible.
Anyways, here’s to Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson sacrificing their childhoods so that we Harry Potter fans have the luxury of enjoying a seven movie series, spanning what will be some ten years of production and promotion, that is consistently starred by the three kids that started it all.
Holy Sh*t, David O. Russell
Alright, this video is definitely NSFW, or if you’ve got kids around, but I had to share it. It’s from the set of I ♥ Huckabees and shows director David O. Russell’s meltdown, including cussing and defacing the set, after he gets in a spat with Lilly Tamlin regarding his directions. Keep an eye on the crew member on the right by the door. You can almost hear his/her thought process: “Should I stay? Should I go? I’ll go this way. Crap! No, this way, out the door! RUN!” Anyways, you know what they say: “The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success.”
Awesome new Incase Canvas Sleeve
Incase has released a really stylish new protective case for laptops and Apple notebooks, including one for Apple’s 13″ MacBook and one each for the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro.
The cases are sewn out of a washed canvas material that gives them a great look with, in my opinion, a lot more personality than Incase’s typical nylon or neoprene sleeves, while still maintaining a thick layer of protection on the inside. The new sleeves, available at Apple’s Online Store, feature a “plush fur interior” (cozy!), a large exterior pocket for loose documents and accessories, and a zip enclosure. I would love one of these for my black MacBook!
Pirates of the Caribbean 3 Trailer
Apparently the trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, due out May 25, has leaked but is being quickly removed by sites such as YouTube. For now you can watch a dubbed version of the trailer in Flash format. The quality is pretty bad, but it gets the point across. Check it out before it gets pulled! Looks like it should be a great closing to the Pirates trilogy, including what looks to be a scene of a ship sailing across… desert dunes? It’s Pirates - anything should be expected.
My latest directorial project
Here it is, my latest project: a music video for my best friend, Stephanie K, an up-and-coming recording artist out of Michigan. She’s an incredible musician with so much talent and I was so excited to collaborate with her on this video. The promo is for her pop/R&B ballad titled “It’s You”, and while the style is very different from my first music video for Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”, the two carry the similar theme of a girl with a terribly broken heart that deals with it in her own unique way.
I produced and directed the video, as well as shot it on my new Panasonic AG-DVC30. The shoot lasted two days, one day per location. I edited it in Final Cut Pro on my black Macbook and have uploaded it to YouTube, as well as to the site in HQ format.
I truly hope you guys like it, and would greatly appreciate any feedback and comments, either here or on the YouTube page. Thanks!
Download QuickTime Movie 50.0 MB
You can also watch the video on MusicNation, where Stephanie and I have entered it into a video music competition for independent artists. If you liked the video, the song, or both, and would like to support me and Stephanie, we would both appreciate it very much if you could take the time to vote for it at MusicNation. It only takes a second to register and you vote for it by giving it stars. (Hint: the more stars, the better!) You can also vote by texting VA77 to NATION (628466).
We are currently placed 10th out of 359, so help us keep that momentum going. Thank you from both me and Steph!