3/22/08 – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta

Photo by Aaron Haley, not from this show though. From another show. But they still basically look like this. Honest. Source.

I was at the show last year when Paul and Storm and Jonathan Coulton hit Atlanta for the first time. It was pretty much a packed house at a smaller club called the Five Spot, which was an excellent venue, seeing as how you couldn’t be more than fifty feet from the stage, it seems.

The success of that show brought them back to a larger venue, the Variety Playhouse, and from what I could tell, they filled more than 2/3 of the seats. This will no doubt increase on their next visit: during a show of hands as to who had seen them at the previous show, enough people raised their hands that I swear the entire audience from that first show came back and brought friends. So by that math, within four years time, and given a show every six months, a Paul and Storm/Coulton show will be on a scale that even Hotblack Desiato would find impressive.

Paul and Storm and Coulton (which is this close to sounding like a demented law firm) make for a great team. Coulton’s songs have a surprising amount of sadness in them. Not to sound like one of those over-analyzing pricks who try to ruin everything, but I mean, damn, “Shop Vac,” for all of its bouncy fun, is about two profoundly miserable people who bought into what they figured was the American dream only to get to their destination and say, “Um.” I mean, honestly, “You can cry and I probably won’t hear you because it’s loud with the shop vac on.” We laugh at the song but we also understand where the characters are coming from. Perhaps a little too well.

Some songs stay at that level of almost what we would call morbid whimsy, but some start off with a great profound message and then veer into the profoundly silly. “The Future Soon” is a geek revenge anthem that goes from the standard geek alienation to dreaming about the future and when we’ll be able to change ourselves however we want to”¦killer robots stomping over mankind. Is there a single man in that audience who wasn’t nodding on some level and thinking, “See, Laura, this was all your fucking fault.”

That’s not to say Coulton is a somber individual. Far from it. He’s a crapload of fun, even when jetlagged from flying back from London. And there’s no other musician alive who can have, at the previous gig, people singing along perfectly with a song called “Mandelbrot Set.” This time around, two young ladies got up and spontaneously danced up towards the stage left side of the house.

Yes – dancing to songs about fractals. People wearing animated pong shirts and the animated reacting-to-sound-levels shirts and distracting the musicians (where, at any other gig, they would have asked politely, would you please turn that shit off). The guy with the animated sound shirt was using the light of it to sign Paul and Storm’s mailing list signup. Coulton can get a laugh at a line about a “taxonomical hit and run.” Or “Laugh it up, vertebrates.” A song about Pluto and Charon (the planets, mind you) is actually an excellent love ballad and goes over perfectly with the crowd. Welcome to the audience for one of these shows.

Update: Well, somebody had posted a song from this show, but then they had to go and freaking remove it. Weasels. Here’s something from another show that makes me feel fan-fucking-tastic.

What was I saying? Oh yes, teamwork. You see, Coulton is great, but for a “nerd” musician, his songs are surprisingly deep. Paul and Storm make a great counter to that.

Now – before I get anybody pissed off at me, I’m not saying Paul and Storm crank out nothing but fluff. But they are a Comedy with a capital C duo, and they know what’s funny. Putting Bob Dylan down a well is funny. Jingles about kitty litter are funny. References to “Storm Juice” are funny. Sea chanties that inspire the audience to bring along a visual aid (letters spelling out ARRR! – and yes, somebody was holding up an exclamation point). That’s pretty goddamn funny.

So together they’re”¦well, they’re the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups of nerdcore music. You got your peanut butter in my”¦wait, I don’t have to explain that reference with this crowd. Anyway.

(Although for future reference, folks: you missed a golden opportunity to turn the damn ARRR! around to make RRRA! for “Re: Your Brains.” I mean, come on.)

Paul and Storm actually open with a song called “Opening Band” which caused a pantystorm to erupt from the audience. The line is “And, sad to say, as of today, no panties have been thrown,” which was quickly updated to be “eleven panties.” (Atlanta now holds the record.) They play with the audience well, and get lots of response to songs like “Nun Fight” (well, it’s a gregorian chant, but that counts).

They also played a song I hadn’t heard live before, called “A Better Version of You.” This song relates the story of parents breaking it to their five year old son that he’s going to be a big brother soon. “Thanks to the five years we’ve had you to practice on/ Now we know what not to do”¦ Can you imagine the things he’ll achieve/ As a doctor or lawyer or Indian chief?”

For the record, my younger brother is five years younger and an extremely successful lawyer. Me? I write for websites like this. Conferring with Paul and Storm after their set, I learned that they are both younger siblings. And for writing that song, they are also both bastards. And I cried myself to sleep. I hope they’re happy.

The high point of the evening was “Soft Rocked,” where Paul and Storm (who take the stage with Coulton to provide back up vocals and other shenanigans) were doing vocals and also acting as horn section. Now, I can’t tell if this was staged or not, or planned, but Storm hijacked the song. Suddenly, the song became “Tequila Sunrise.” I don’t think it was planned, or if so, what followed certainly was not, as Paul and Storm dragged Coulton laughing through a medley of hits, including “Blue Bayou,” “Hey Jude” and finally finishing up with “Stairway to Heaven.” They never even made it back to the original song. It might be the funniest thing I’ve seen so far this year.

Seeing the three of them perform is an absolute hoot. It’s no wonder that everybody (or seemingly so) came back for the second Atlanta show. They are having a blast on stage and it’s infectious. There’s nothing like the feeling of having a huge sing along, in a room full of geeks, of “Sweet Caroline.” Where else can that happen? No place else.

If they’re coming to your town, you do yourself a disservice by not going. Paul and Storm’s website is here. Give them love. Jonathan Coulton’s website is here. He needs love too. Their tour schedules are here and here respectively. Tell them we said hi.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains less foul language than usual. I’ll do better next time, sorry.

The sites I pimp in the podcast are: Needcoffee.com, Colors Are Overrated, and The Daily Kicksplode. You should pimp them too. It’s good karma.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

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Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a blatant disregard for OSHA regulations.

The sites I pimp in the podcast are: Needcoffee.com, Colors Are Overrated, and The Daily Kicksplode. Gnaw on them at your leisure.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

[display_podcast]

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a content warning that’s so good apparently people can rip it off to use on their own podcasts.

DOWNLOAD: The link is below. Scroll, my minions. Scroll.

All the box office nonsense I could tolerate, assuming there’s any at all, is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

I’m not done with Speedball/Penance. Now you can buy a t-shirt.

P.S. Yes, I know I refer to Identity Catharsis as Infinite Catharsis. The mega-mondo events kind of ooze together into one big glob for me.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

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[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a strobe light effect that has been shown to cause spontaneous outbreaks of Tourette’s in groups of nuns.

DOWNLOAD: The link is below. Scroll, my minions. Scroll.

All the box office nonsense I could tolerate is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

Here’s the hilarious rant about Speedball/Penance, that’s funny because it’s true. That was found via The Beat.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.
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[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a vicious disregard for whale suffrage.

DOWNLOAD: The link is below. Scroll, my minions. Scroll.

All the box office nonsense I could tolerate is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at WidgettWalls.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

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[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a complete and utter lack of references to 18th Century Russian literature.

DOWNLOAD: mp3 Format (35.4 MB)

All the box office nonsense I could tolerate is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

The MPAA Hates You. Yes. They do.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and stale bread crusts.

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All the box office nonsense I could tolerate is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

Interesting defenses against RIAA lawsuits.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Howdy folks. Miss me?

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and MSG.

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All the box office nonsense I could tolerate is in the podcast. For more, check out Box Office Mojo.

How not to sue someone for copyright infringement.

Like The Office? Thank iTunes.

Comedy Central blows it by yanking their YouTube clips.

MySpace cracks down on copyrighted songs. Fun.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Howdy folks. Miss me?

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and decaf coffee.

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Terribly busy watching horror movies. No time for box office mess, since basically all you need to know is that you can expect Saw 4 next Halloween. If you need more, find it at Box Office Mojo.

Universal’s anti-fan prickish ways.

The Browncoat Invoice.

Disney-ABC speaks sense at last.

The Clicker talks about entitlement.

Boy Scouts have no clue how to “Respect Copyrights”.

YouTube crackdowns begin.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Howdy folks. Welcome back to my little corner of the forgotten pantry down on the basement level of a ten-story apartment building that was condemned back in 1946 and is home for nothing but squatters and the occasional giant mutated rat…of the Internet. Let’s do this.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and artifical sweeteners. And may contain nuts too. And maybe some bits of tree bark. I dunno.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, I’m doing that in the podcast now. Only fair to those listeners in drivetime. Find the full skinnee at Box Office Mojo.

Limewire slaps back.

Lucas speaks sense.

Bonus article: Long Tail discusses the worst box office grosser of 2005.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Howdy folks. Welcome back to everyone’s favorite waste of time. Let’s do this.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and trans fats. A veritable shitload of trans fats.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, I’m doing that in the podcast now. Only fair to those listeners in drivetime. Find the full skinnee at Box Office Mojo.

Mark Cuban vs. YouTube.

Cringely’s columns on the PBS site.

Knowledge Adventure’s Books By You.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Howdy folks. Hope you survived the weekend with a quorum of brain cells intact. Let’s do this.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and subliminal advertising for Cheez Whiz.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, I’m doing that in the podcast now. Only fair to those listeners in drivetime. Find the full skinnee at Box Office Mojo.

Tuffley’s column at Needcoffee.

Warner Music signs with YouTube.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back, my five listeners. We are going to set the controls for the heart of the sun, with plenty of side trips to stop for pizza.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a host who can’t stop saying “Um” no matter how many times he shocks himself with a car battery.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, I’m doing that in the podcast now. Only fair to those listeners in drivetime. Find the full skinnee at Box Office Mojo.

Cory Doctorow’s commentary on Amazon Unbox.

Jeff Jarvis’ response to Universal Music on the YouTube situation.

Cory Doctorow’s commentary on copyright. Found via Boing Boing.

Top Ten Things That Will Happen to TV and Newspapers.

The whistleblower video and the the update.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. All five of you. Yee-hah.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a self-medicated host, hopped up on NyQuil and Twinkies.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, well…I’m bored. So I went through it in the podcast. Find the full skinnee at Box Office Mojo.

Cinematical’s article on Mummy 3 is here.

Amazon Unbox is here.

Heroes is here. I just noticed how much their “group shot” is a Lost ripoff. Ha! And…wait, what the hell? I mentioned it in the WGO as in trouble, but Joey is already cancelled! Awesome! This just in–Joey is still cancelled! Christ, I’m tired…

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. We survived DragonCon 2006, and as a result we provide you this very odd Giant-Sized WGO Annual with a slew of guest stars.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a bunch of exhausted, punch drunk geeks.

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As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, well…Jesus, did you see the box office? Boring as hell. Never mind. Go check out Box Office Mojo.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. Please don’t sneak up on me like that again.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a recipe for blueberry pound cake (when played backwards)

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Cruise vs. Paramount article here.

Yahoo vs. Google stuff here, found via Boing Boing.

Here’s my original stuff for the challenge, where’s yours?

As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, listen to the podcast. Follow along here at Box Office Mojo.

Join us next time when we’ll see if Warner Brothers can do something right.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. Assuming that you actually did come back and I’m not talking to myself in an empty room again.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and a very pissed off sea anemone.

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Check out the Cringely article I mention here.

As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, here we go. Follow along here at Box Office Mojo.

Talladega Nights surprises by holding on for a third weekend as the film keeps heading for profitability, which as we’ve discussed multiple times, isn’t going to be an issue.

Snakes–I ranted about this in the podcast. Listen.

World Trade Center is performing very well. Look at that: 40% drop. That’s impressive for any film in this day and age. And for this subject matter–the fact is did so well is due to the praise it’s received, all of which made some mention of Stone’s restraint. Almost guaranteed.

Step Up still holding up well–but considering it’s already raking in the dough–again, testament to the spending power of young girls–no worries. All they need is a double-dip DVD strategy and they’re in business. Well…more business.

Barnyard is on its way out, starting to head for DVD where it will do its real money, followed by more pushing on Nickelodeon. These kids…they’re such marketing sponges, aren’t they?

Little Miss Sunshine is the real success story this weekend: look at those per screen numbers. More than twice of anybody else. And it’s still going wider, I would think. They’d be crazy not to. Amazing–you mean people will make it a point to come out and see good movies, despite the shitty cinema experience? The devil you say!

Pirates 2 has broken $850 million worldwide. Not only is Pirates 4 in the works, but so is Space Mountain. Don’t even laugh. Christ, they tried Country Bears, didn’t they?

Material Girls. Now I don’t know what to say about this one, since I didn’t see any marketing for this or Step Up, but obviously this one did something wrong. Casting the Sisters Duff? Can’t speak to that one, though it’s a good theory.

Pulse wanders off to the rentalverse. It looked interesting, but again–“rental.” And, in the cases of people who know about such things: “Rental…of the Japanese original.”

Join us next time for when we’ll see…well, who knows? We’ve got Wahlberg remaking Rock Star as a football movie and the new Broken Lizard flick (which actually looks pretty damn funny, I’m scared to say). Those are the only two opening wide, so that means we’re in post-summer doldrums officially! Dump the horses overboard, matey! Woooooo! I’m tired. Go away.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. You did bring pizza this time, right? Because I distinctly remember it was your turn to bring the pizza.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and high fructose corn syrup.

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The article on the RIAA and lawsuits and everything the layperson needs to know about them is here.

Here’s the Boing Boing listing regarding the blog covering various and sundry Creative Commons gems.

As for your Monday Morning Quarterbacking session, check out the podcast. Follow along here at Box Office Mojo.

Bonus Link: The musician Pink apparently has borrowed quite a great deal from Martin Elmond. Check out the full skinnee here. Thanks to Keith for the headsup.

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.

Welcome back. Where the hell have you been, anyway? Never mind. Here we go.

[CONTENT WARNING] This podcast contains foul language and ideas whose expry date was last June.

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DJ B-Naut does have a MySpace page. People have been bugging me for the link, so here it is. Enjoy.

Here’s the article about Limewire getting sued.

That’s right, kids, that means it’s time for another session of Monday Morning Box Office Quarterbacking. Make sure you follow along at Box Office Mojo.

Talladega Nights does pretty much the business I expected it to, topping even Elf for Ferrell’s best opening weekend ever. I expect it to have decent enough legs and of course, it’s a Will Ferrell flick, so the DVD sales will be formidable.

I was honestly surprised that Barnyard did as well as it did, although it’s a Nickelodeon property, so they were no doubt marketing the shit out of it on that channel. And, you know, throw enough mediocre-looking CG animated films at the wall, something’s got to stick eventually.

Pirates 2 is about to top $700 million worldwide. Incredible.

Miami Vice…well, this has got to be embarrassing. It’s dropped over 60% in its second weekend. Hell, it dropped to #2 and let Pirates 2 have the #1 spot for at least one day this past week. So that $135 million production budget will be looming over them for some time. Don’t expect a sequel.The Descent has gotten surprisingly good critical response for a horror flick. This is the guy who did Dog Soldiers (which Bailey bought me a copy of, he wants me to watch it so bad), so that’s fascinating. We don’t know its budget, but horror flicks are typically not bank busters. And they do well in DVD.

John Tucker I wish I could say I took the days since we last talked to find out more about it, but I’m a lazy bastard. So look it up yourself. All I know is it will shortly be profitable, so they must have done something right.

Monster House is leaving with a respectable take, though it didn’t come close to breaking even. I would imagine the DVD sales will be brisk, though, as you can do a single-disc then a special edition and double dip. And it’s a kids’ film, so they’ll fall for it easily, dragging their parents along with them.

Ant Bully got fried under a magnifying glass and limps to video. I wish I knew the budget on this one.

Dupree readies a video thrust as well, where I’m sure it’ll do well. Especially in rentals. “Hey, it’s got that funny Wilson guy in it? Wait, which one is he again?”

And Night Listener just shows that Robin Williams needs to stick to shitty family friendly movies if he wants to do big box office, sadly. He’ll be following Steve Martin’s footsteps soon enough, I’m sure. His last non-comedy decent opening was Insomnia in 2002. Which was pathetic in its own right. So.

Join us next time for when we’ll see Will Ferrell no doubt keeping the #1 spot, because, really, what’s there to stop him?

Special thanks to Exit Mindbomb for letting me use “Godzilla Will Rule You” from their album Happy Accident for my new WGO music. Check them out on MySpace here and I tried to link up as many songs as I could here.

Widgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Needcoffee.com. He’s also the author of Mystics on the Road to Vanishing Point and Magnificent Desolation. His personal blog is at OneTusk.com, which he updates when he feels like it. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. He hardly ever sleeps.