By now you’ve seen the Wendi Deng pimp-slap that defended her bewildered, old-ass husband Rupert Murdoch from a shaving cream pie prankster. ‘Twas the smack heard round the world, and it’s spawned a gaggle of spoofs and tributes, including this delightful number from Grumpy Panda Films.
YO PUNK AZZ JUST GOT GOT! Total booty-shakin’ material. I expect to hear this up in the clubs by the weekend.
Thanks Lanlian!
WHY do people think it’s a good idea to keep making robots that do human things — like singing pop songs or acting as a proxy for loved ones? (I know this particular robotofuckery is almost a year old, but we have a “Robots” category here at BCB that obligates me to bitch about it anyway).
These lovebirds have been developed by the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and are “theatrical robots” named Thomas and Janet. Y’ know, just doin what regular ol’ THEATRICAL ROBOTS do — like practicing their method acting, playing Story Story Die, and rehearsing the kiss scene from Phantom of the Opera.
Hold up. Is there some sort of market out there creating demand for android thespians (and don’t we already have enough unemployed human actors)? I mean some actors do deliver their lines like they were programmed into them, but at least they are generally pleasing to look at. These robots aren’t even hot. Look at their slack-jawed stupid rubbery faces! Something is terribly wrong with that dude-robot’s sinewy neck and his matted, low-hanging hairline. And the girl-robot is giving us some serious Arnie Grape face .
And you call that a snog? That’s like the Kevin-Winnie pre-teen Wonder Years kiss. There’s no jawing, no tongue, no repressed gagging — and we’re supposed to be convinced?!? It’s called “sucking face” for a reason.
Thanks robots, for ruining an activity that I enjoyed partaking in on a thrice-yearly basis (I demand that people smooch on me on my birthday, Jeebus’ birthday, and Samhain. Say! Did I mention my birthday was just a couple days…where are you going?).
via Buzzfeed
photo: Laura Morton / LA Times
Some of you may remember UC Berkeley law professor and civil rights advocate Goodwin Liu’s nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit back in May. Although he had the backing of many APIA community groups and individuals, those meddlin’ Repubes in the Senate blocked the nomination (with a number of racially charged comments, such as Sen. Grassley’s outlandish claim that Liu wants to turn American into “communist-run China”).
Well today, CA governor Jerry Brown nominated Liu to the California Supreme Court. Gov. Brown has already forwarded Liu’s name to the State Bar’s Commission of Judicial Nominees Evaluation, but the appointment won’t become final until the Commission on Judicial Appointments confirms the nomination. Organizations such as Chinese for Affirmative Action will be keeping a close eye on the process to make sure there won’t be a repeat of the first time around. Let’s hope Goodwin becomes “Judge Liu” before long!
I ASSURE YOU ALL. THESE ARE NOT TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE BOMBERS AND SHOOTERS WERE OF “NORWEGIAN ORIGIN” WHICH MEANS THEY WERE DEFINITELY NOT TERRORISTS. ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU DID NOT HEAR, THESE FOLKS ARE WHITE. WHICH MEANS THEY’RE NOT TERRORISTS. THANK YOU- WORLD WIDE MEDIA.
(author’s note: for the non-regular BcB readers, this post is intended to be sarcastic nonsense. The Oslo attacks are terrorism. No question about it.)
Norway attacks might not be terrorism, expert cautions – MSNBC
My friend sent me these magical videos earlier this week, and I’ve been watching them approximately 17 times a day. If you are a fan of ’90s R&B, hip-hop, slow jams, or procrastination — then you’ve gotta bum a ride on the Turquoise Jeep:
Que Romántico!
Pretty Raheem here is sportin’ one of my favorite looks, what I like to call “Steve Harvey Wearhouse Couture”. The pop singer/drag queen street dance duet is also the best since MJ’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”.
Although I gotta say this anthem by dancin’ machine Flynt Flossy is my favorite:
Which reminds me of another BCB darling that LIKES TO DANCE:
NATHANIEL, bitches! Now Prance, I said!
Thanks Alex!
I probably don’t have to convince you that Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most captivating, influential, and lush filmmakers on the face of the planet. He’s made some of my most-worshiped films, like Fallen Angels and Chungking Express. I also love his movies for featuring equally breathtaking actors — like Wong Faye, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Michelle Reis.
So of course I’m juiced about this newly released trailer for The Grand Masters — Wong’s biopic of Wing Chun legend and Bruce Lee’s Sifu: Yip Man.
A gung fu period piece is a departure for Wong, but I can’t wait to see his trademark cinematic style applied to a genre and character that I’m already a fan of (Donnie Yen in Ip Man and Ip Man 2 makes me go all woot woot and pump my fist like I’m at an MMA match, y’all).
While there’s been a buttload of films made about Yip Man in recent years, I’m sure Wong Kar-Wai’s treatment will blow most of them out of the water. And true to casting tradition, The Grand Masters stars a timelessly hot Tony Leung (Little Tony) as well as Zhang Ziyi.
This is Wong’s first film since 2007, and unfortunately isn’t going be released until sometime in 2012. Til then, I will entertain myself with another type of “Grandmaster”:
That’ll do.
Thanks Princess!
Looks like the NYPD is up to more of its trademark “community policing” — this time kicking out street vendors in the busy green market on Forsyth Street along the Manhattan Bridge.
image from Bowery Boogie
Some people think the practices of vendors are foul, and that the sweep makes the streets cleaner and more sanitary (some vendors are accused of selling without a license, selling rotten produce, or leaving out trash overnight). Others believe the thousands of people who shop there every day attests to the necessity and quality of food, and that the crack down is egregious and destroying the merchants’ livelihood.
image from Bowery Boogie
I gotta say, while the market’s location right under the bridge lends some appearance of shadiness, I’ve bought fruit here before — and it was perfectly fine. Even if there are a few sketch vendors, they are the ones who should be targeted, as opposed to busting up the market as a whole. Many folks in the community rely on these merchants for produce — not everyone can skip on over to Whole Foods for their dietary needs.
image via Bowery Boogie
Since incidents of harassment of locals has reportedly increased along with the rising gentrification of the area (like the violent arrest of an elderly musician in Columbus Park in May), one has to wonder if this is just another effort to reinforce the interests of new, wealthier residents to make Chinatown more aesthetically pleasing and a sanitized, trendy clone of the Lower East Side (plus, as The Bowery Boogie points out, the timing of it all is rather shady, with plans underway to construct a new park on the bridge).
Who are the boys in blue really serving and protecting? They should be making the neighborhood safer to live and work in for vulnerable poor and working class immigrants — not messing with folks who are contributing to the economy and fabric of the community. Let’s hope that the vendors get to return eventually. For more info on street vendor issues and advocacy, go to the Street Vendor Project.
Thanks Char!
Annie Ling’s photos were was featured in a New York Times slideshow today, focusing on Chinese residents of the 81 Bowery tenement who occupy 64 square foot cubicles, with room for little more than a mattress. Some tenants have been there for over a decade, and make up the neighborhood’s kitchen workers, laborers, and elders.
photos: Annie Ling
While living in Manhattan’s Chinatown, I continually saw hipsters and other cultural tourists stick their cameras in the faces of residents for their latest exotic art project and whatnot. It’s refreshing to see respectful photojournalism about elderly and low income Asian folks that demonstrates sensitivity to the reality and resilience of their daily lives, and makes a connection to important community issues.
photo: Annie Ling
Annie Ling’s website includes more excellent portfolios related to Chinatown tenants. “Shut In” concerns migrant worker elders who, due to poverty and poor health, live in indoor isolation. “Tenements” was shot after a tragic fire broke out in a St. James St. building where Ling lived — killing two and making over 200 homeless. This was only one of a series fires over the past couple years — many of which I remember seeing the flames or smelling the smoke — that have devastated hundreds of Chinatown families and businesses. Often, these buildings had several fire violations and were poorly maintained.
81 Bowery has also had problems with fire hazard and unsafe living conditions, which resulted in the City’s sudden eviction of over 50 residents in 2008. CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities was able to mobilize actions to get the tenants back in the building and advocate for safer tenements.
photo: Tara MacIssac/The Epoch Times
Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident, but had occurred in at least 6 other buildings within the 6-month period, and is part of the larger context of increasing gentrification in Chinatown (as well as countless other urban neighborhoods) , which incentivizes displacement of low-income, indigenous residents and new constructions and renovations to bring in higher-paying renters. CAAAV released a report in 2008 which found that 75% of Chinatown residents had experienced some form of landlord harassment or received a serious housing violation within the previous year. To learn more about CAAAV’s work to preserve Chinatown as a community for working class Asian immigrants through their Chinatown Justice Project, go here.
Thanks Char Char!
Because it’s still early in the week and we’re just tryin to get through, I figure y’all could use a big dose of bawwww with a side of chuckle:
Hey Korean internet baby — your ludicrous cuteness is bringing out my reticent maternal instinct so strongly that I would like to borrow you for a few hours then give you back. Stop it, you!
Shifting gears to another muse of the info superhighway: Cats!!
This new video from Freddie Wong (of Wong Fu Productions) proves that even though your house cats may seem like aloof, preening bitches — they will come through for you when it really matters — like in a brutal gunfight. Medal of Honor Cat is sure to join the ranks of acclaimed war classics such as Saving Private Ryan and Platoon. Meeeyaaaaah!
Thanks DJ Char Char Binks!
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