Culture Greyhound

The New Yorker – Obama and Osama

The New Yorker – Notes of the Death of Osama bin Laden

Huffington Post – Curtains For bin Laden’s Freak Show

The Onion AV Club Review – The Office: “Goodbye Michael”

Slate – Steve Carell’s Achievement

Rolling Stone – Steve Carell Has Left the Building

SXSW Pro-Tips – Last-Minute Considerations (AV Club Austin)

20 Tips For Surviving and Thriving SXSWi (Wired)

Anticipating SXSW 2011 (The Horn)

10 SXSW Tip Posts Worth Reading (and a funny video worth watching) (CenterNetworks)

The War For Late Night, Bill Carter’s journalistic expose on the latest debacle in late night television, is surprisingly riveting.  Carter, of course, wrote the book for the first big go-around back in the 90’s, the bestseller Late Shift, which was made into a pretty awesome HBO movie.  That first book gave an inside perspective on the events dealing with the Tonight Show “scandal” between David Letterman, who lost out and moved to CBS, and Jay Leno, who ended up the “king of late night,” depending on who you ask.

The new book is even better, particularly because the story is juicier this time around.  Conan gets the Tonight Show promised to him, Jay is moved to prime time out of fear he won’t “retire” as promised and move to ABC – the ratings for both programs drop dramatically.  NBC proposes moving Jay back to 11:35 and Tonight to 12:05; Conan refuses out of respect for the flagship program and moves to TBS.  Meanwhile, the drama unfolds in front of millions on television, and Letterman, Kimmel, Ferguson, and the rest take it all in, but not without cracking jokes about it.

That’s the main focus, of course, and it seems like Carter talked to EVERYBODY about it, from insiders to the stars themselves.  Deep knowledge is made known about Team Jay, Team Conan, Team Dave, and the executives at the major networks.  Not to mention the book contains a vast amount of info on other late night stars not necessarily involved in the main plot, but interesting nevertheless (Stewart, Colbert, Fallon, et al.)  We learn alot about the late night/television business through the eyes of the entertainment, producers, presidents, everybody, and Carter remains objective throughout.  A fantastic read, I wasn’t able to put it down.

This year my New Year’s resolutions (or at least one of them) was to read more books.  I’m doing pretty good so far, and it doubles as content for Recommeded Reading posts, so there ya go.  Two birds and one stone, y’all.

Let me say for the record I don’t consider reading novelty books written by a fictional character aimed at marketing for a television show as fulfilling my resolution.  As you will see in future RR posts, I’m reading stuff of more substance.  But The Playbook, an hour-long read (maybe), was the first book I’ve completed in 2011.  And it’s funny too, especially if you’re a fan of Neil Patrick Harris’ womanizing character who always has a clever strategy or phrase to describe the attitudes and actions of the opposite sex.  Stinson has narrowed the craft of “scoring chicks” down to a science, as you will soon discover, and you will laugh along the way.

Also recommended, because, hey, I’m a completist, is the famous Bro Code.  It really is essential reading for both men and women; the latter will enjoy the defining of stereotypes, but they will have to stop reading in order to constantly roll their eyes.  It’s a friendship book (straight up Dale Carnegie shit), plain and simple, and as Barney declares, even chicks can be bros.  I live by the Bro Code….kinda.  And Bro On the Go is basically the Bro Code condensed to a smaller, not-so-pocket-sized handbook for when you need to adhere to the rules right away.

So yeah, they are marketing gimmicks that always sell well, due to the popularity and hilarity of How I Met Your Mother, but they are also well-written and funny, so pick ’em up so you can start picking up something else…..you know…….girls. Duh, bro.  You’re such a Ted right now.

4 Reasons to Close Your Bank of America Account

A Holiday Message From Ricky Gervais: Why I’m An Atheist

Net Neutrality Haters Love FCC Rules

A Civil Rights Icon Calls For Net Neutrality

Palin’s Haiti Trip Fraught With Religious and Political Baggage

Religion’s Secret to Happiness: It’s Friends, Not Faith

15 Steps to Becoming the Next Indie Buzz Band

Waning Support for College Radio Sets Off a Debate

Sony Music: A New Breed of Piracy

What Is Classic Rock Today?

Sarah Palin’s Endless Contributions to Literacy

Kanye West Shapes the Message His Way

JFK: The Assassination of Democracy

Pitchfork 2010 Gift Guide

Pitchfork Review – Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (10.0) – I give the review a 7.6

Paul McCartney More Advanced Than John Lennon

The Who Concert Disaster – 12/3/79

Poll: Enthusiasm Gap Favoring GOP, No Myth

The New Republic: Democrats Twisting In The Wind

DADT Conflict Explained: Why Obama Administration Lawyers Fight For A DADT Policy Obama Opposes