That Was One Hell of an NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline came and went and it was a doozy. I thought after the Kyrie trade things were going to be quiet. They were not. Not by a long shot. Things started wild and finished wild. I already spoke about the Kyrie trade and today I want to hit on a few others before I talk about the blockbuster of all blockbusters that happened last night.

First, James Wiseman is now on the Pistons. Gary Payton II is back with the Warriors. There were a few other players moved in this trade, but these are the big names. I like this move for the players and the teams. Payton returns to where he thrived, he is being paid and he is healthy. He also brings grit and defense. Wiseman gets to go to a spot where he will play with other players the same age and he will get tons of minutes. He will be allowed to learn while he plays the rest of the season. He wasn't going to get that in Golden State. This is a fresh start for him, and next season he will get to play with Cade Cunnigham, Jaden Ivey and maybe, just maybe, Victor Webanyama. He and Jalen Duren could be a fun front court too.

Saadiq Bey was moved to Atlanta, and this will fit him well. I like Bey and he will bring stability and defense to a team that needs both.

The Nuggets traded Bones Hyland to the Clippers for picks. I love this move for the Clippers. Hyland brings instant offense off the bench. He is better at scoring than anyone else they have on that bench now. He also doesn't have to play a ton of defense because the Clippers have that in waves. If the Clippers are ever truly healthy, this is a good trade for them.

Jae Crowder was traded to the Nets and then the Bucks came calling with five second round picks to scoop him up. I remember two years back when the Bucks won the title they traded for PJ Tucker to shore up their elite defense. Jae Crowder is a better PJ Tucker. Crowder is a solid defender, can handle the ball and is a far superior shooter to Tucker. He is a legit 3 and D guy and Giannis and Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, if he is ever fully healed, will find him in open spots everywhere. I get strong vibes from two years ago. This is a homerun trade by the Bucks.

The Lakers, T'Wolves and Jazz were involved in a big three team trade. The Lakers got Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt. This is a nice haul for them. They got younger and better at shooting with Russell. Beasley was coveted and he can shoot from everywhere. Vanderbilt is a fine backup big. The T'Wolves got Nickeil Alexander Walker, Mike Conley and picks. The Wolves got rid of an unhappy player in Russell and replaced him with the quintessential veteran point guard. If anyone can calm the seas in Minnesota it is Conley. Alexander Walker was thrown in and doesn't add much. But at least Minnesota got some picks back. They are going to need them. The Jazz got Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano Anderson, Damian Jones and the Lakers 2027 first round pick. I do not know if any player will stay, I'm almost certain Westbrook is going to be let go, but that pick was gold. The Jazz have gotten so many picks and this one was heavily wanted around the league.

Josh Hart was moved to the Knicks for peanuts. Hart and Jalen Brunson are reunited. Brunson was pumped after this trade was made. This is a very good, very smart move by the Knicks. Hart is a consummate pro, does all the little things and is a fan favorite everywhere he plays. I love this deal for the Knicks.

And now for the big one.

Sorry to all the other trades I didn't mention, but this one needs its own space. Kevin Durant and TJ Warren were traded to the Suns for Mikail Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson and five, count them five, unprotected picks. The Nets may have lost two super duper stars, but they won the treasure trove of picks. They got so many picks in their two big trades. Picks are coveted and, next to the Thunder and Jazz, the Nets have the goods. They also got some solid players. They did move Crowder, as mentioned before, but the other two players they got are solid. Johnson is a good shooter and an above average defender. He should thrive with more playing time. Bridges is a perennial all first team defense player. He has been up for Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. He has also become a solid shooter, can kind of create off the dribble and is fun to watch. I am a Mikail Bridges fan. The Suns got the biggest name. I thought it was odd this offseason when he wanted to go to Phoenix, but now he is there and the Suns title odds have jumped all the way to second. Their projected starting lineup features CP3, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, TJ Warren and Kevin Durant. That is a damn good starting lineup. That is a murderers row of future hall of famers. CP3 and KD are all but guaranteed to be there. If Booker keeps up his play he will be there too. Ayton is proving to be a very solid big man that can stretch the floor. And Warren is a microwave. That dude can score the basketball. The bench isn't bad but it isn't great either. Saben Lee and Cam Payne are backup point guards. Lee barely sees the floor, but Payne is a very okay backup. He has his moments. Damion Lee and Landry Shamet are the backup 2 guards. I mean, that is very ho hum. Both are decent shooters but they don't do much else. Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie are the back up 3's. I mean. Craig is big and Okogie was a lottery pick, but neither really move the needle for me. Ish Wainwright backs up KD and I don't know anything about him. And I watch a ton of NBA. And Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo are Ayton's backups. Landale is mediocre and Biyombo is old. Look, the starting five for the Suns is lethal, if healthy. That is a big if. KD is still not back from injury. Booker just got back from injury. CP3 is old and having a bad season by his standards. But all of that can change when they all get back.

I think it was a great trade for the Nets and a good one for the Suns. But I also think my response to a question my son asked me this morning was pretty telling as to how I truly feel about this trade. He asked, "this means the Suns are the favorites now in the West right?". Without hesitation I said, "nope". I think their starting five may be the best in the league, but they have a ton of ground to make up and the teams at the top are good. The Nuggets have a healthy lead and a good squad. The Grizzlies are young and athletic and brash. I love that team so far. The Kings are clicking. The Mavs made a massive trade. The Lakers are clearly buying in and trying to make the playoffs. The T'Wolves are kind of figuring it out. And the Clippers are always lingering. We will see is all I am saying.

This deadline was pretty wild and I loved every second of it. This is just another thing that makes the NBA the best. Keep all the movement coming. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Congrats LeBron

LeBron James broke the all time NBA scoring record last night. What a career for him. I mean, Jordan is still my all time GOAT as far as NBA players go, but James is firmly number two. No one else can touch him at the moment.

I had a feeling LeBron was going to break the record last night. I don't watch the Lakers, I am not a fan, but I kept close attention to this game. I watched for a half and then I kept checking Bleacher Report to see how he was doing. I love that he did it with so many celebrities in the crowd. I love that he did it with his family there. I love that he did it in the Lakers home arena. I love that he was confident enough that he was going to do it last night that he told his kids when he was at 20 points that he was going for it. I love that they stopped the game down and gave him his flowers. I loved his speech after breaking the record. That was epic. I love all the love he was getting from other athletes. I love that it has kept going into today. This is a big deal.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar's scoring record felt like one of those almost unbeatable records. You needed the longevity, the health, the consistency and the level of superstar that both James and Kareem are. LeBron has been doing this for 20 plus seasons now. He has been at the top of the modern NBA for 20 years. Other players have been proclaimed, a good amount from me, the current best player in the NBA, but LeBron has always been the constant. When Kawhi was deemed the best, he was compared to LeBron. When Giannis was the best, he was compared to LeBron. With the younger guys now, like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant, they are all put up against LeBron. This was like all the 90's players being compared to Jordan. Every guy I watched during Jordan's first retirement or actual retirement was always compared to him. That is what is happening in the modern era now with LeBron.

LeBron is a different player though. He is a mix of the old and new school. He can pass like Magic. He can control the paint like Barkley. He can shoot like Pippen. He plays defense, when engaged, like Gary Payton. LeBron James brings the best out of the old and new eras. He combines them perfectly. He made the transition from Jordan being the face of the league to himself seamlessly. It all worked out perfectly. James also brought about the era of super teams, and I am not saying that in a bad way. I love player empowerment and these adults doing what they can to make the most money they can and play basketball with the dudes they want to play with. I have no problem with him leaving Cleveland to go play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. I loved when he went back to Cleveland and got them to trade for Kevin Love. I have zero issues with him asking the Lakers to give up all kinds of picks to get Anthony Davis. It resulted in a championship. LeBron James brought about a fun and exciting new era of basketball that I highly enjoy watching. I am a fan of 90's basketball, but I'm not like other people my age who bemoan this new style of play. I adore it. I like to see these guys score in bunches. It is part of the reason why James was able to break this record and look good doing it.

I am also stoked that he did it with one of his signature shots. That spin into a fadeaway jumper from the freethrow line was quintessential. It was like Jordan's shot over Bryon Russell in the Finals. It reminded me of the Tim Duncan side bank shot. It brought about memories of Shawn Kemp's ferocious dunks. Hell, it is as iconic as Kareem's skyhook. LeBron James has stayed healthy enough, been as consistent as ever and more than earned the scoring record. He is one of the greatest to ever do it.

Congrats LeBron. You more than deserve all of the accolades you are going to get and have already gotten. I tip my hat to you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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If Joe Perra Comes to Your Town, Go to His Show

Over the weekend me and a buddy went to see Joe Pera at The Pageant here in Saint Louis. Let’s discuss.

I am relatively new to Joe Pera. The same friend told me to watch his show, as did RD, and I devoured all three seasons in less than a week. Each episode is only about 11 minutes so it wasn't some big undertaking. But I watched as much of the show each day as I could. I kept wanting to watch more and more. The more the show progressed the more I got into it. Joe Pera has this calm way about him. The show was great but also very unpredictable. "Joe Pera Talks with You" had a simple premise. Pera would bring up a subject he liked and try to talk to the audience about it. He would start his presentation and something wild would happen. That was what drew me into the show. I also appreciated the fact that the show took place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That is where my parents are from and a lot of my extended family still lives around the UP. It was easy for me to relate to the people, the accents and the general idea.

I did not know what to expect from an hour long standup show from Pera. I purposely stayed off the internet leading up to the show. I did not want to know anything that might be coming my way. I wanted to experience it all at the moment. That is one of my intentions in the new year. I want to get the full experience for the first time. That was the right thing for me to do.

Dan Licata, who wrote for the show, opened the night up. He did a solid 15 minutes. He was funny, fast and had some really interesting joke deliveries. He owned his lot in life. He made fun of family and friends. He did some very good crowd work. He was a little more upbeat and hyper than Pera. It was a nice yin to Pera's yang. I enjoyed his set very much. And without any wait he introduced Pera and Pera took the stage.

This crowd was perfect. We all cheered loudly, but respectfully when he walked on stage. We all knew his cadence and how he would deliver jokes. We know because we are all fans. And when he slowly walked on stage a giant smile grew on my face. I have found that, since COVID, I am nervous in enclosed spaces with a lot of people until the person I have come to see steps on stage. When Pera took the mic and started his show, all that fear washed away and I was in the moment.

Pera did not disappoint. He read an intro that killed, in his usual slow cadence. It was hilarious. He made joke after joke while reading the intro. I loved it. He did way more crowd work than I expected and it was tremendous. He would start a bit and then go out to the audience to get our take. His bit about feeding pita chips to a squirrel was made all the better because of his crowd work. He would openly laugh at some of the stuff the people were saying, but then he would use it. He is a pro at crowd work and it showed tenfold on Saturday night. I was blown away. He told a great bit about writing a love column for the New York Times. It had his typical outlook and joke telling presentation. Then, near the end of the letter he got real blue. I was caught totally off guard in the best possible way. I did not expect him to say the words that he was saying and I was cackling all along the way. And it wasn't like a shock comedian or anything. The swear words were needed for the joke and Pera used them expertly. He brought Licata and another actor who was on the show with him and they did a solid bit to close out the night.

This show was everything I wanted it to be, but it was so much more. I was blown away by what I saw. I am an even bigger fan than I was a few days ago. Joe Pera is a top notch alternative comic. I definitely recommend seeing him if he is near or in your time. He is more than worth the price of admission. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Nets Won the Kyrie Trade

Kyrie Irving got his wish. He is no longer a Brooklyn Net. He wanted a trade before Thursday and the Nets front office obliged. I was kind of curious to see if he would actually sit out, but who knows with this narcissistic asshole. He is the worst. But, he was traded. He is gone. He is on a new team that he might end up corrupting, as he is wont to do.

Irving and Markieff Morris were traded to the Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and a shit ton of picks. The picks are not going to be lottery picks, but they are picks nonetheless. Picks are coveted by teams nowadays in the trade market.

When the news broke that Irving had been traded I wasn't surprised. I knew he wanted to be moved, I read the Nets were going to move him and they wanted a haul. What took me aback was the fact he was traded to the Mavs. I was damn near certain he was going to go to the Lakers. Apparently they put up their future picks and a few players. Joe Tsai wanted nothing to do with the Lakers and I respect him freezing them out. The NBA doesn't have to help the Lakers just because they are the Lakers. There were better offers to be had and Tsai wanted one of those. I saw the Clippers offer, which what was reported seemed pretty awesome, but Tsai turned that one down too. I guess he really did not want to send Irving to LA. Again, I respect that. I know a few other teams were involved but those were never actually going to happen. But the Mavs came out and threw a haul at Brooklyn. They got picks, a very solid, young 3 and D wing and Dinwiddie could be decent there, or he could be bought out and the Nets can get someone else.

I like this deal for Brooklyn. They got some nice pieces to surround KD with, if he doesn't ask to leave. Finney-Smith is a good player. While on the Mavs he guarded the opposition's best offensive player pretty much every night. And he did a formidable job. During the playoffs last season Finney-Smith made life hell for the Suns. He blanketed Devin Booker when asked. Chris Paul had one of his worst playoff series ever, and Finney-Smith would guard him from time to time. Even on the rare occasion I watch the Mavs, I do not like them, Finney-Smith may not have been making his threes as much, but his defense was still on point. This will take a bit of pressure off KD and Nic Claxton. Adding a defensive minded player was a smart move for the Nets. This was an underrated move on their part. Dinwiddie, if he stays, can add some solid bench scoring. He and Seth Curry, while it could be rough on defense, can score buckets of points. Dinwiddie also played his best professional basketball on his first go round with the Nets. He can also be moved again for more picks or a younger player. This was a nice addition. And the picks, from what I have read, are going to be used for trade bait. The Nets want to build around KD and teams want picks. The Nets can go to some bottom feeders, like the Pistons and Rockets, and try to lure a player like Bojan Bogdanovic or Eric Gordon. This was a good trade for the Nets.

For the Mavericks, I do not know. I do not like Dallas. I despise Luka Doncic. I hate all the undo love he gets. I don't think Jason Kidd is a title caliber coach. Mark Cuban is a blowhard. I also do not like that they had to put Finney-Smith in this trade. Look, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are going to make for a deadly backcourt on the offensive end. There is only one ball and both guys are ball dominant, but Irving has shown he can play without the ball after playing with LeBron James and KD. I despise Irving as a person, but the dude can hoop. But this is a bad defensive backcourt. Defense is supposed to be what Kidd excels at coaching, but this is going to be a tough sell. Neither of these dudes want to exert much energy on defense. I also wonder how Kyrie is going to feel going to a team that has a clear driver. Luka Doncic is the face of the Mavericks. There is no doubt about that. Dallas fans seem to like his clunky boring style of basketball. I don't get it, but I am not a fan. I think it will work for a bit, but Kyrie Irving will get frustrated at some point. It's what he does. The Mavs also do not have much defense outside of Reggie Bullock now, and he is slipping. I already mentioned their piss poor backcourt defense. Tim Hardaway Jr, a player I adore, has never been a defensive minded guy. Christian Wood is only an offensive player. He is also on an expiring contract. He doesn't care about defense, he cares about numbers. Bullock is okay, but not as good as a year ago. JaVale McGee can't get on the floor. Jaden Harvey is a rookie and that wall is coming. Dwight Powell is soft. Davis Bertans is trash. Frank Ntilikina can't get any minutes. It looks rough. This team is going to have to outscore opponents. Which they are equipped to do. But it is going to be hard. The Mavs are currently 28-26 and 6th in the West standings. They are nine games behind the 1 seed, Denver Nuggets. But they are within striking distance of the 3 or 4 seed. They need to start winning and winning now. I am curious to see how they play together, but I do not have high hopes. I do think they can stay within the top 6 and miss the play-in, but that has more to do with the conference, not their talent.

I am lukewarm on this trade for the Mavs. I don't trust Irving and I don't like Luka Doncic. I do like the trade for the Nets though, if they can keep KD. He has some solid young talent around him at the moment. We will see, but I am glad that the NBA trade season is alive and well. It makes the deadline fun. I cannot wait to see who is moved next. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Kyrie Irving is Not Worth All the Headaches

After going for a run with my buddy this morning I got home and saw that Kyrie Irving had requested a trade from the Nets. I saw it and thought it was fake. I figured it was a joke. The Nets have been playing better, KD will be back sooner rather than later and, as much as I dislike him, Irving is playing well. Why rock the boat I thought?

Then I remembered, this is Kyrie Irving we are talking about. He is not a team player. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He puts out cryptic tweets and signs them as "Hela". He sages courts. He is anti semitic. He is anti vaccine. He seems to be a miserable person to be around and play basketball with.

So why would this new request be a surprise to me? When he went to the Nets it was because he spoke with KD and they decided they wanted to play together. They both got their wish. Then they got the Nets to trade away young guys like Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert. They got the original coach fired. They insisted the front office hire Steve Nash. Then they got the front office to trade for James Harden. This was all done to appease KD and Irving. None of it has worked. The Nets have never been past the second round of the playoffs. KD constantly gets hurt and misses time. The vets have moved on. Nash was fired. And then COVID hit and Irving thought he was smarter than doctors and scientists. He refused to go to the bubble. He refused to get vaccinated. He yelled at people who asked him simple questions as to why he wouldn't get vaccinated. He made it all about himself. The selfishness and narcissism hit a new high. He was eventually allowed to play again last season, but it was too late. The damage he started was not reversible.

Then we had antisemitism. He shared a tweet that was anti semitic. He pushed a movie that is highly anti semitic. When he was asked a very reasonable question by a reporter he got all up in arms and moody. He was then suspended and issued a fake apology. It wasn't until his money was being taken away that he did what he assumed was a real apology. Charities wouldn't even take his money. That is how bad this all got. But then people kind of forgot about it. The Nets started to win and all was forgiven. Irving played well enough to be an all star. They even won some games against good teams. Then the Celtics buried the Nets, Irving got booed mercilessly and now he wants to be traded.

It may seem odd, but when you think about it, it does all add up. Things are hard for him in Brooklyn now so he wants out. He doesn't like the media in Brooklyn so now he wants out. KD is still hurt so now he wants out. He has also stated that he wants a very favorable contract that he controls.

I cannot, for the life of me, think of a team that wants him and can actually meet the Nets wild demands. I know I would have a very high asking price. I saw the Lakers were mentioned because Irving wants to play with LeBron. If I'm the Nets I want those picks and Anthony Davis. No Russ. Don't want that contract. I also wouldn't want to help the Lakers like that. If the Blazers wanted him I'd ask for Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Nassir Little and picks. And I would not budge. If the Pelicans were chasing him I'd want all those unprotected picks they have and both Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. If the Knicks wanted him the deal doesn't even start unless Jalen Brunson is on the table. If Denver comes callin I'm looking for Jamal Murray, Bones Hyland and all the picks they have. Basically any team that calls would have to give me a king's ransom if I was running the Nets.

Irving is the true definition of a cancer in the locker room and for the teams he has played for. Every team has been better off since he left. After winning a title with Cleveland he demanded a trade. The Cavs sent him to Boston. After he left both teams they are both better off now. Boston is the best team in the NBA. And the Cavs are one of the most fun teams. They are also pretty damn good too. The way both teams got good was letting Irving go and using the picks they got in deals for him to draft young players who have helped them. The Cavs were also able to go out and trade for Donovan Mitchell because of what they got for Irving. I assume the Nets will trade him, or he will sit out, and they will be just fine. KD will be back soon. Nic Claxton is playing great. Seth Curry can shoot. Cam Thomas is coming along. Jacque Vaughan is a good head coach.

The Nets will be better off when they get rid of Kyrie Irving. Just ask the Celtics and Cavs. But get as good a deal as possible Brooklyn. Do not settle for Russ, as much as I like him. Get the king's ransom. Don't settle. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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The Only Good Thing About Groundhog Day is the Movie "Groundhog Day"

get back in your hole

Today is Groundhog Day. I never "celebrate" it because who cares if it is going to be colder longer or who? It doesn't really matter. In Saint Louis it is going to be cold until late March or early April anyway. But I was over at my folks house this morning, one of my coffee hangouts with my dad, and my mom was watching "Groundhog Day".

I adore this movie. It is one of my all time favorites. I enjoy the tone of the movie. I like the whole idea of reliving the same day over and over again. The cast is damn near perfect. I am a Harold Ramis fan and I enjoy his directing. I also love how dark the movie gets. When my dad and I got back to his house we got to see the moment when Bill Murray's character realizes what is going on and he sees what happens when he dies. For a comedy this is bleak. He drives a car off a cliff. He gets in a bathtub with a plugged in toaster. He steps in front of a moving truck. That is some dark stuff. But it is played for comedy and it works. When he grabs the toaster from the lady at the restaurant in the hotel, she is confused. Then the lights kind of flicker and she just nods and moves on. When Chris Elliot and Andi McDowell are identifying his body after the car crash, Elliot is bringing funny faces and one liners. And even when he realizes that suicide won't work, the way he starts to treat some people is hilarious. The back and forth with him and Stephen Toblowski is comedy gold. Toblowski is such a great character actor and he goes toe to toe with Murray. When he is mean to McDowell she gives it right back to him. She is strong and not going to take his BS. And even when the "lesson is learned" in the movie, it isn't hokey or corny. It is sweet. It works. The chemistry Murray and McDowell have felt real. I bought it.

I adore "Groundhog Day". I know Murray has had some problematic stuff come out recently and that stinks. But dammit I find his movies funny and wonderful. "Scrooged" is my favorite Christmas movie. "Caddyshack" is one of the greatest comedies of all time. I was a humongous "Ghostbusters" fan as a kid. I think he is one of the best "SNL" cast members of all time. And "Groundhog Day" is another homerun. I also know that he and Ramis fought a ton, and apparently they did it a lot on the set of this movie. But they made a damn good, classical comedy movie with "Groundhog Day". It works and they work. They were a comedy dream team.

Watching the movie this morning made me miss Ramis too. He died too young, too soon. It was tragic when he died. I go back and watch his movies a lot more now and it was cool to revisit one of his best today.

Again, I think making today a "holiday" is nuts and we all know it is not a real holiday. My kids are at school today. My wife is working. We aren't exchanging any gifts or giving out any treats. But if you do want to celebrate this day, if you are looking for something to do, watching "Groundhog Day" may be the only real solution there is. And that is a damn fine solution to come to. "Groundhog Day" is a classic made by comedy geniuses with a tremendous cast. And the movie totally holds up. Go watch it. It rules. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Paul T. Goldman"

I just finished the Peacock series "Paul T Goldman". I loved it. I heard about the show when Jason Woliner was guesting on "Comedy Bang! Bang!" I love that podcast and I am a fan of Woliner's. The fact that he had a new series piqued my interest for sure. I loved his shows like "Eagleheart" and "Last Man on Earth". He did some "Nathan For You" episodes. He directed the reboot of "With Bob and David". He directed the second "Borat" movie. The guy does comedy, comedy that I like and I have been a fan for some time now. After listening to "CBB" I did some research on the new series. I was immediately interested in the show.

For people that may not know, "Paul T Goldman" is a show about a guy who claimed to be married to a madame of a big time sex worker ring and how she took his money. The twist of all of this is, Goldman played himself. Woliner wanted to do the story, he wanted to get it out there so we all could get our eyes on this wild story. He agreed to let Goldman, who's real name is Paul Finkleman, play himself. So the series follows this story based on a book that Goldman wrote called "Duplicity" Throughout the six episode run we see Goldman recreating the scenes in the book with real actors and directors. The only thing unchanged is the words that Goldman wrote and the fact that he is playing himself. The actors that they got to work on this show are real actors. There are some big names involved in this show. Frank Grillo is in an episode. Melinda McGraw plays the madam. W Earl Brown plays the supposed "pimp". Dennis Haysbert has what turns out to be a cameo. Paul Ben-Victor plays a mob boss. I mean, these are working actors who have been in some big time shows and movies. I have to believe this is due to Woliner's name being attached. And they all appear opposite Goldman.

Goldman is a weird dude. That much is on display from the start. He continually tells everyone to laugh at his story while constantly claiming it is true. At times I feel bad for him but that will switch quickly to me not liking him at all. He seems desperate. He wants to be liked. He doesn't leave people alone. He makes stuff up in the book and when he is asked about it by Woliner, he tries to change the subject. He is rude to his first wife. He claims his son is unhappy when he is clearly happy. He treats people poorly and that makes me not believe his story. People he hired, PI's lawyers, the FBI, they all end up leaving him when it becomes too much. The show is presented as a true crime series, but it is funny. When he shows it to a focus group they all make fun of him and flat out do not like him. There are times when it looks like Woliner has had enough. He wants to be done with it. And without him, this would've never been made. Goldman reminds me of an even less certain Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau has at least owned the fact that his movie is trash. Goldman is so delusional that he doesn't seem to realize how outlandish all this sounds. I am leaving out main points because I think people should watch this show for many reasons.

The story is nuts. Goldman is a wild television character that will be talked about for years. It has Woliner's signature all over it. It is a very well done show. Check it out. It is worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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"Reboot" Adds to the List of Great Shows Canceled Too Soon

A ton of tv shows and some movies are being canceled left and right lately. This is a disturbing first world trend. There has been finished stuff, fully completed, that will not see the light of day. People went and worked on these shows, movies, whatnot and they will not see their hard work come to light. There have been plenty of movies and shows that were about to go into production that were shut down with no warning. That stinks.

I was stoked about the "Workaholics" movie, but that isn't happening at the moment. Paramount Plus shut it down a few weeks before they were going to begin filming. I think the problem is, there is too much content. There are too many choices. Every network and streaming service and website seems to have new content going up by the hour. And most of that content is "reality" tv stuff. These shows are cheap, they don't need actors and can be done almost anywhere. It is a problem. It stinks. There is no creativity. Nothing is new. It's a bummer.

One such show that just got the axe is "Reboot". I devoured the first season. I thought this show was very well done. It was a neat concept. It worked in the modern television era. It was a spoof of a remake. That is money in the bank. There are reimaginings, reboots, remakes galore now. "Reboot" jumped on that idea and made it their own. Rachel Bloom had this wonderful idea and made it come to life. Bloom is a genius comedy writer. She had this show and she made it her own. I love the idea of taking a goofy sitcom from the 90's and making it grown up. These actors are real people with real problems. The cast of the show was spot on as well. Johnny Knoxville was great as the stoner goofball who gets into network nonsense. Keegan Michael Key was perfectly cast as the wannabe dramatic actor who took this role thinking it was just a starting point. Calum Worthy was great as the child star who grew up in a bubble and had to live in the real world now. And Judy Greer, such a pro and underrated in my opinion, was just great as the female lead who made some interesting choices while on the original running of the sitcom. To see them come back to this show, this new idea for their old show, was awesome. Key had no luck in landing any real roles. He was subjected to helping out his girlfriend with her wildly successful playwright career. He was over helping and over sharing at all the wrong times. Knoxville was trying to clean up his act, he had gotten sober, but he was still making other poor choices. Worthy still acted like a kid and still seemed to live in his bubble. He was hilariously inept. And Greer was simply the best. She married a prince who cheated on her and she was trying to find her way back to fame. And we had Bloom who perfectly took on her role as the daughter of the original creators show. She wanted to make this show to show him how horrible of a father he was. Who played her father you ask? Paul Reiser. And he was exceptional. This show was excellent. The first season was funny and touching at the same time. The actors were great. The writing was spot on. I loved all the scenes in the writers room. Those were special. This show may have been ahead of its time. Hulu gave up on it too soon.

All these cancellations need to slow down. These networks and streaming services need to give them time to grow and get a bigger audience. "Reboot" was excellent and deserved more time. What a bummer. Give these shows a real chance. Be more like FX. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Some Thoughts on the Eagles Chiefs Super Bowl Matchup

The Super Bowl is set. I was wrong in my prediction. I figured the Bills were going to win based on their talent and them playing for Damar Hamlin. But, as I said last week, the Bengals went into Buffalo and rolled the Bills. Yesterday was not the same though.

I was rooting for the Bengals. Full disclosure folks. I wanted them to win for a myriad of reasons. I like Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase. I like how boisterous they are. I love that they went to Buffalo and trounced the favorites. I like how much trash they talked after they won. They are a fun team to root for. I also wanted my nephew and brother to be stoked for a return trip to the Super Bowl.

That didn't happen. They looked worse yesterday. They played as poorly as they have all year. And they still had a shot. But Kansas City, who has so many injuries and hurt players playing, toughed out a victory. Travis Kelce played pretty well with as injured as he was reported to be. Patrick Mahomes played on one leg and looked as dynamic as he normally does. The Chiefs defense, long their achilles heel, played one hell of a game. They had two interceptions and something like eight sacks. They put them in the position to win the game. But it was a good game. It wasn't a blowout. Both teams traded blows. The Chiefs went up 10 and the Bengals came right back. The game went down to the wire. The Chiefs kicked the winning field goal with 3 seconds left. It was, for someone who had no real rooting interest, a good game.

The NFC title was not. The 49ers, who I could not have been more wrong about at the start of the season, luck ran out. Brock Purdy got hurt right away. Then Josh Johnson got hurt. The Eagles imposed their will. I have to admit that I loved seeing the Eagles run the ball right down the "vaunted" 49ers defense. They did what they wanted when they wanted. Miles Sanders scored twice. Gainwell had a nice TD run. Jalen Hurts proved even further that he should be the MVP. This game was over at halftime, and the 49ers did nothing in the second half to make that change at all. I get that they were down to Christian McCaffery at QB, but at least try to throw the ball. Philly barely had to prepare for any adjustments in the second half. This game was a wash and the correct team from the NFC is going to the Super Bowl.

I'm pretty pumped, again I have no rooting interest for this matchup. I think the two best teams are playing for the title. They have both been consistent and played well enough to get where they are today. This matchup is great. The Chiefs have a high powered high flying offense. The defense is coming along nicely, but make no mistake, the Chiefs go as Mahomes goes. He is the key to winning the title. The Eagles are awesome on defense, can run the ball which controls the clock and have been consistently the best team in the NFL all year. Jalen Hurts is a star. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are two of the best wideouts in the game. Miles Sanders is an elite running back. That D line, with Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat is amazing. Hasson Reddick is a bull coming off the line on the pass rush. Darius Slay is one of the best corners in the league. The Eagles are as complete a team as there is in the NFL. The Super Bowl is strength on strength. The Eagles defense is one of the best in the league and the Chiefs offense is elite. The Eagles have a very good offense as well, but the Chiefs D just played a humongous game and look to be heavily improved. I cannot wait to watch. I have a feeling it could be a classic game with a memorable ending.

In the end I will take the Eagles to win and Hurts to take home two MVP awards this season. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I am Not in a Hurry to See the New "Avatar" Movie

In preparation to watch the second "Avatar" movie whenever it comes to Disney +, it may be on there now, I have no idea, but my wife turned on the original "Avatar" the other day. We watched about 90 minutes of it before we went to bed. Let’s discuss.

I have been saying on this site and the podcast ever since it went up that I did not care for "Avatar" when it first came out in 2009. I saw it in the theaters with a very good friend who really wanted to see it. I figured I'd go because it was getting a ton of buzz, the critics loved it and we had a chance to see it in 3-D. I found myself bored and not enjoying it. Granted I was 26 at the time, a movie snob and was predisposed to not like it. I am not a James Cameron fan. I find him off putting. He seems like he is very arrogant. And with some stories that have come out about him, I do not feel bad saying this. I also only like two of his movies. I love "T2" and "Aliens". Those are legit excellent movies. But I have not liked much else he has directed. "Terminator" is fine. I do not like a single second of "Titanic". I have no desire to watch stuff like "Aliens of the Deep" or "Ghosts of the Abyss". I openly dislike "True Lies", much to my wife's chagrin. But I went into this rewatch of "Avatar" with more of an open mind. I decided I was going to let my predispositions wash away and just view the movie as a "critic". I was not looking to poke holes in anything. I wanted to see if, with 16 more years of life added on, that maybe I would enjoy it more. I am also a little curious about the new movie. Maybe it is the hype train again and maybe I will be fooled again, but people I listen to seem to like the new movie. Even people who disliked the first one seem to like this new one. And I am not being one of these fans that is just hating on "Avatar" to hate on it. I could literally careless if it is good or not. I do not care about the box office. None of that stuff matters to me. I just wanted to rewatch the first one to see if I was wrong, or what I was wrong about, and to see if it made me want to see the sequel.

So, as previously stated, we got through 90 minutes of the first one. This was not due to boredom or lack of not wanting to finish. We have two kids, my wife works a full time job and we only have time to watch a little bit of something before we both get tired. Yes, I get it, we are old. But in this 90 minute rewatch I noticed a few things. First off, the movie looks incredible. It is beautiful. Even on our home television it looked stunning. The effects look modern. And that is something that Cameron has always had a good hold on. He knows how to do special effects maybe better than anyone in the business. He is a genius when it comes to that. This was a part that I did not appreciate when I first watched this movie. It is visually stunning. That is about where my praise ends though. Well, Sigourney Weaver is wonderful in the movie too. I like how badass she is. It is like her character from the "Alien" franchise moved into the world of "Avatar". Okay, that is where my praise stops. Other than Weaver and the effects, the movie still bored me. I do not care about the military storyline. The bad guy, or guys in this movie, are cliche. You can tell just by looking at them. Then when they speak the point is further driven home. Sam Worthington is not great here. He is dull and boring and not the leading man I want to root for. Zoey Saldana is so underused. She is too put upon and not given nearly enough to do in the movie. The actors they put in the movie to be the comedy relief are using tired and dumb jokes. Nothing in this movie made me laugh. I do have to say, the last hour is supposed to be when the movie really picks up, and we get the big battle scene, but I have not had the urge to go back and watch it yet because I don;t really care what happens. I also kind of remember it being ridiculous. I remember "The Simpsons" doing a parody of it, and that was a million times better for me to watch. My wife also made a good point while watching. She kept saying that the original "Avatar" is a lot like "Pocahontas". She is 100 percent correct. I mean, watch them side by side and I bet you can see far too many parallels.

At this point, I do not know if I will ever watch "Avatar 2". I enjoyed the visuals of the first movie. But the story and most of the acting fell flat. For me. Time will tell, but right now, at this very moment, my desire to finish the first and watch the second are nearly null. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Now I Have an 11 Year old

My son turns 11 today.

I am kind of in shock still.

I feel like he just turned three a few days ago. He is still my baby. He is my first born kid. When my wife went into labor he was the baby that didn't want to come out. He was supposed to be born on the 25th. He stayed in the womb as long as he could though. He was content there. But ever since he was born, 11 years ago today, he has been an absolute delight. We have our squabbles, as all kids and parents do, but Miles is a damn good kid. He doesn't cause trouble. He is never looking to stir it up. He wants everything to be amicable. He wants everyone included and everyone to be friends. He wants nothing but peace. Miles has never been in any real trouble in school. He is not a disturbance. The only thing I get on him at home about is how messy his room is. Again, he is 11.

This is the kid that made me a dad, and eventually a stay at home dad. I was there for his first steps, first words, first time using the bathroom, his first hit in baseball, his first basket in basketball, his first tackle, I have been there and loved every second of it all. He has an endless wealth of knowledge on the things he loves. You want to know a certain basketball player from the 80's, Miles is your guy. He knows players I don't even know. He has recently gotten heavily into football and his knowledge of the sport knows no bounds already. He is already asking me about guys that came and went when I was his age. He loves music of all kinds. He likes the stuff his friends like, but he will listen to Kendrick Lamar and The Black Keys with me happily. He calls it "old people music", but I can tell he likes some of it. Hell, he has admitted as much. He is a video game fiend. He loves them. From NBA 2k to Pokemon to Mario Odyssey and Paper Mario, the kid is a wizard at those games. I am not good at video games, and when I watch him play I am amazed at how good and how smart he is. He picks up those things so fast. He is an excellent student as well. We just had a parent teacher conference and his teacher was singing his praises. He is fast and should take a little more time on his work, but he knows the answers to all kinds of stuff in his many different subjects. He has been smart from day one. As mentioned above, he plays football, basketball and baseball. He is an okay catcher. We have things to work on, but he readily committed to being a catcher when he was young. He devours all things basketball. He wants to learn the game from the inside out. Basketball is tough, but he is coming along. Football was a revelation this past year. He played flag football before, but this year he played tackle football and he was good. Real good. He likes to tackle and block guys. He likes taking them to the ground. He plays with an edge. I didn't know what to expect when he started playing, but I was hyper impressed with his improvements from day one to his team winning the title in their division.

Most of all, the thing that makes Miles Miles, he is totally 100 percent himself. There is nothing phony about him. He is very happy with the person he is becoming and he is proud of it as well. He is uniquely himself. There is no other Miles out there like our Miles. He is truly one of a kind. The best kind.

I love you buddy. You are growing up too fast, but there is nothing I can do about that. The sun shines and sets with you buddy. Keep being you and keep doing your thing big guy. You rule. Love ya. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Liquid Death is Worth the Life of Your Thirst

Whenever RD and I record a podcast we always have a drink. You gotta keep that throat clean. You need to liquid because we talk so much. We don't want to dry out. I'm simple, for the most part. I have either water or coffee, depending on the time we record. We do these virtually as well. I live in Saint Louis and RD is in Ohio. It is easy and we have found out how to make it work. So I always see his drinks. I usually see zero calorie Gatorade or Diet Mountain Dew or some other diet soda varietal. He also has water from time to time.

Recently though he was drinking a can that looked like a tall boy. I thought he was maybe drinking a beer. I am not one to judge. We also do the recordings, for the most part, in the afternoon. More power to RD I thought. So I asked him why he was drinking a beer the first time I saw this. He told me he wasn't having a beer, he was having something called Liquid Death.

I scoffed. I made fun of the name. He told me their slogan is "Murder your thirst", and that made me cackle. I was judging this product without knowing what it tasted like. I was doing the thing I try not to do. He had it again during another record and I gave him the business again. I could see the full can now, and I saw the skeleton head they had on the can and I judged it some more. To RD's credit, he sang Liquid Death's praises. He loves it. He told me he orders cases of it all the time. I was still skeptical.

One day while my daughter and I went on an after school adventure we ended up at Five Below and they had some Liquid Death in a cold case. I wanted something cold and they had no zero calorie sports drinks. I had also had a good amount of flavorless water, the best drink in the world, throughout the day. I did not want any soda either as I am trying as hard as I can to cut back on diet soda. I do not drink full sugar soda. So I grabbed the Liquid Death and laughed to myself. I figured I was going to be right and RD was going to be wrong. I thought it was going to be a run of the mill sparkling water. I did not expect it to "murder my thirst". I got the lime flavored can and we checked out. I popped the top and took a swig as we drove off.

I was stunned at how much I liked the flavor. I could really taste the lime. It was strong. I like that when it comes to sparkling water. I want to taste the flavor. That is why I prefer AHA, and even more so, Spindrift to La Croix or Perrier. I want the water to be flavored. I want my lips to pucker a bit. The more I drank the lime flavored Liquid Death the more I realized I was wrong. RD was right. This stuff was awesome. I could not believe that I liked it. I also could not believe how much I liked it. All the past discretion and shade I threw Liquid Death's way was totally misplaced. I was wrong and I could not be happier to be wrong.

My daughter and I hit up Five Below yesterday and they had mango flavored Liquid Death. You better believe I grabbed a can. I drank it so fast that when my daughter asked to try it, I had to tell her it was all gone. She responded with "ALREADY DAD!!!, YOU MUST REALLY LIKE THAT STUFF!!".  She was shocked at how quickly I took down the 16 ounce can. I loved the lime, but this mango flavored one is an absolute home run. I love mangoes and mango flavored candy and drinks. This mango Liquid Death is right up my alley. I was such a happy camper drinking it.

I am sorry to RD and to Liquid Death for being such a hater. This stuff is good, and it does a good job of quenching my thirst. I am a fan and a convert. Now I think I'm going to buy a case. I suggest you do too. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Never Than Late on "The Kingsman"

Over the weekend we watched the two sequels to the movie "Kingsman". Let’s discuss.

I liked the first movie quite a bit. My wife did too. It is fun, gross, funny, action packed and has some good music. The story is also well done. As is the directing and acting. Colin Firth is really amazing in this movie. It is a departure for him, and he totally crushes it. He is the true star of it to me.

The second movie is okay. It is a solid sequel. It keeps the fun and ups the gore. The addition of Julianne Moore was solid as well. She chews the scenery, but that is what I assumed they asked her to do. The meat grinder in her village is wild too. But, it is not as good as the original. Most sequels aren't as good as the originals. There are exceptions, but the second "Kingsman" is not one of them. But still, I enjoyed my time watching the movie.

The newest one, a prequel called "The King's Man", was unnecessary. It is streaming on HBO Max and we had a free night at home Saturday. My wife really wanted to watch it to complete the trilogy, so we watched it. This movie is so different from the first two. There is no more of the fun. This one takes itself incredibly seriously. I don't know that I could pick out one single joke from the whole two plus hours. That is to be expected when Ralph Fiennes is the star of your movie, but he proved in "The Menu" that he can do jokes. He has decent comedic timing. But he is a more serious actor. But why place him as the lead in a movie trilogy that is supposed to be loud and goofy and silly and violent? That was miscasting in my opinion.

The story is also weird and hard to follow. There is a family in the beginning and the wife gets killed. Common story. But instead of going into the whole spy world thing that "Kingsman" has become known for, they focus on war. This is pretty much a straight ahead war movie. I did not expect that, and for me, it did not work. They have some wild follies, but even they came off as boring. Each bad guy was bland, except for Rhy Ifans. He played Rasputin and I feel like he was the only one that had seen the previous movies. He looked to be having the time of his life, but it also made him feel wildly out of place. He does have the best fight scene in the movie too, but it happens so fast and so early that by the end I had forgotten he was in the movie at all. The plot with Fiennes and his kid was so after school special-y as well. He wanted to go to war, his dad wanted to protect him, his dad loosened the strings and then his son, spoiler alert, dies carelessly in the war. It was so odd and felt like it was in a totally different movie. Even as they build the whole spy world, far too late in the movie, it felt tacked on. It felt like Matthew Vaughan, a director I really like, forgot what movie he was making until the very last few minutes. The major fight scene at the end with Fiennes and Djimonou Hounsou was boring. They also sorely under utilized Honsou. He could have been great in this movie. And then, when they were quickly wrapping things up, they tried to bring in fans of the original. They used the codenames, they gave them the look, but at that point it was far too late. They also introduced three characters, characters that seemed like they have big plans for the future, but it just fell flat.

I was not a fan of this movie. It lacked all the fun of the first movie. It lacked the gore of the second movie. They changed the tone far too much. I did not expect to see a hard war drama, but that was basically what we got. Oh well, they can't all be winners I guess. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Bengals and Cowboys are Two Franchises Going in Different Directions

I was watching the NFL playoffs with my son yesterday and I found that I had some new and interesting insights.

First off, the Bengals looked fantastic. I assumed with all the Damar Hamlin love and the talent that the Bills would be playing with more oomph. Maybe they did, but the Bengals matched and surpassed it immediately. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The refs took a TD away from Jamar Chase, he definitely caught that ball, but it still didn't matter. They got a field goal on that drive and took a 10 point lead into half. Then they only gave up 3 more points en route to a 27-10 victory and a second straight AFC title game matchup with the Chiefs.

What I noticed about this game, besides the thorough beatdown, was the confidence this team has. They play with a swagger. Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Joe Mixon, Dax Hill, Sam Hubbard, Semaji Perine, they have this unmatched confidence. They never play like an underdog. They go into these games expecting to win. The Bengals have been a pretty moribound franchise since their existence. Not anymore. These guys are good, they know they are good and they have proof of winning big games to be considered good. I was in awe of their performance yesterday. I did not watch much of any regular season NFL so maybe this is new to only me. But I was highly impressed with this team. I was impressed with Burrow and Chase the most. They need to sign those two to big contracts because they could be the face of the league as soon as next year. The Bengals seem very legit.

As for the Cowboys, well, they have some soul searching to do. The Cowboys did what they do now. They have one good season sandwiched in between multiple mediocre seasons and their fans go nuts. They always think they will win the Super Bowl that season. I constantly hear the whole "How bout them Cowboys!" on ESPN during the regular season. And then they get in the playoffs and choke it away. That final drive was so frustrating, and I have despised this team my whole life here on Earth. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I remembered that Mike McCarthy is their head coach and it all locked into place.

What struck me personally was how I felt afterward. I used to get all into the trolling of teams I don't like on social media. I'd always have something to say. I haven't done that these past two years and I continued to not do it yesterday. But I read comments. Boy oh boy were some of those comments frightening. But what I got from all of it was how bad I felt for these guys as individuals. Dak Prescott played a bad game. He has definitely regressed the past couple seasons. But who else do the Cowboys have at QB? Who else is going to get them into the playoffs? I mean, they are not very good to begin with, but to now question if Prescott should be the guy is laughable to me. Hopefully he can go somewhere he is appreciated because Cowboy fans don't deserve Dak Prescott. He is too good for them. Tony Pollard broke his fibula. He was clearly taking over for the overrated Ezekial Elliot, and then this happens. I mean, that is brutal for him. The NFL is unforgiving enough, and it is even worse to backs who have injury history. That kicker got the yips. There is no doubt about it. But it is not his fault they got beat. He made two field goals after missing four extra points. I mean, yikes.

This all really goes down to how poorly McCarthy manages the clock and the team in big moments. He did the same nonsense in Green Bay. The Packers were loaded with talent and he only got one ring, which he tried everything he could to not get it. The way the last two seasons have played out for the Cowboys with McCarthy leading the way should terrify the fans. He is a poor game manager.

That was how I felt watching these games yesterday. One team is ascending while the other is still looking for the heyday of the 90's. That is life in professional sports I guess. At least we got the two best matchups in the conference title games next week. Those four teams are very deserving. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Office Space" is Still an All Time Great Movie

Last week I was looking for an older comedy to watch. I have been revisiting movies that I thought were classics when I was a teen. The return rate has not been great for me. "Dodgeball" did not hold up for me. I have talked at length with people about how awful the "American Pie" movies are. They are very problematic.

So when I turned on "Office Space" last week I truly did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised that there were only a few problematic things in the movie. There are some not so savory words said by Michael Bolton. But other than that, that movie holds the hell up. I found myself laughing as hard as I did when I was 17.

The whole idea of the movie is very present as well. Most people hate their jobs. Most people don't want to go in on their day off. Most people have had the thought of getting rich quick. That is all here in the movie. I was so happy that it still made me feel the same way. When Ron Livingston recites the line, "I did nothing and it was everything I hoped it would be", it made me roll around laughing as much as it did twenty plus years ago. The stuff with his neighbor, and how he can hear everything and just comes over on a whim, excellent. When he tells Peter what he would do with a million dollars, and just blankly stares at him, loved it. When Michael Bolton is rapping at the beginning, while in traffic, that is super relevant and super hilarious. All the people mispronouncing Samir's name, that stuff is still going on today. Americans refuse to learn names that appear too tough for them to say. When Michael Bolton goes off on his name, Funny or Die has done a skit wherein Bolton plays himself saying the lines. That sketch came out only a few years ago. Bolton is in on the joke. I haven't worked in an office in eight plus years, but my wife does and I hear stories from her all the time. They may not have the same words or people, but the story is always the same. When people ask Peter if he has "a case of the Mondays", that most definitely is still going on I bet. I have to imagine most people do not like their boss, or they talk about them behind their backs. Bill Lumberg is the epitome of a crummy, no good, power hungry boss. He has such little power and tries to wield it with some kind of humongous authority. The way he treats Stephen Root's character is what I have to imagine most bosses do when they feel threatened. Peter is challenging Lumberg and getting away with it, so Lumberg takes Milton's stapler and keeps moving his office. It is a pathetic show of authority. Gary Cole does a masterful job in this role. This is an amazing performance. Jennifer Aniston is not doing her "Friends" thing, and I feel like this is one of her best roles ever as well. She is funny, powerful and commanding. She doesn't take any nonsense. She goes toe to toe with Peter.

The best thing, the thing that makes "Office Space" relevant still is the inner office dynamics. I used to work in an office and I know all of these people. Again, my wife has told me countless stories about all of these same people. The office clothes are so familiar. The way people speak to one another about TPS Reports is all too real. Having multiple different bosses is still a thing. And my personal favorite thing, the thing that I was howling at, is the one dude always nodding his head during an all office meeting. That person is an annoying teacher's pet and Mike Judge nailed it.

"Office Space" is a great movie and I am happy that it is not as problematic as some other movies from my teenage years that simply do not work. "Office Space" is definitely worth a rewatch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Remember When We Danced and Did Not Care Who Was Watching?

Driving to school this morning I was made a witness to something I had yet to see, but was waiting for. My son goes to school early on Thursday's, so it is just my daughter and me for regular dropoff. I usually pick the music because I am an adult and I want to. Sometimes I do let my kids pick, and that happened this morning.

My daughter is really into these Netflix movies called "Zombies". I have only seen bits and pieces of one of these movies. She usually watched them downstairs by herself. This is by choice. I once asked why and she told me she "needs to focus". I cannot imagine the story is that intriguing, but she is 7 and she loves it. I guess there is a ton of music played during these movies as well. She did a one day show choir camp last week and one of the age groups danced to a song from the "Zombies" franchise. When the song came on my wife said that if she had this song she would have gone nuts. That was the song I put on for her this morning.

The song is called "Fired Up". As soon as the song started, she started to vibe out. She was dancing like no one was watching. But I was paying close attention. As soon as the song came on she started to bounce back and forth in her seat. She was going off. She then started to tell me all about the song and the movies. She asked me if I would watch with her. She told me all about the song. I learned everything from who was singing it to how that singer is revealed, spoiler alert, to be an alien. She was amped. Then she went back to dancing.

It was at this moment that I realized she was so into this song that she didn't care what anyone saw. I have had this feeling before. I know you all have had this feeling before. It happens to us all, and it seems to happen more the older we get. Her reaction to this song was like the first time I heard The Black Keys. I didn't care who saw me vibing out and dancing to their music. I went out and learned all the lyrics to every song on every record since then. I even learned some of their songs on guitar. The first time I heard Kendrick Lamar blew me away. I remember just bobbing my head back and forth to "Backseat Freestyle" and thinking it was one of the best rap songs ever created. I still do. That was the mindset my daughter had this morning. It was so awesome to see. She likes certain songs, but not like this. She will listen to Arctic Monkeys or Run the Jewels with me, but she has never reacted to any of their songs the way she did this morning. She will listen to artists like Emmy Meli and Karen O with my wife and I, but has never been grooving like she was this morning. And I am so pleased I got to see it in person. To see her having the time of her life, dancing the way she was dancing, having the time of her life, it made me so happy.

Music is a big deal to me. I love music and have very strong feelings about the music I like. Maybe this was my daughter's way of letting me know she will be the same, and I love that. It is so awesome to see your kids being kids and vibing out and having a good time. It is even better when you can see it in a venue or area you have interest in as well. This was a moment that I will never forget. This is a memory I will have forever and share with everyone close to me. This has made my day and been my favorite moment of 2023. It was the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Reads "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir"

Over the holiday I got Bob Odenkirk's memoir "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama". I have been a fan of his for quite a while now. I find him funny, charming, likable and a comic genius. I loved "Mr Show". I enjoyed "With Bob and David" very much. I like his bit roles in movies like "Nebraska" and "The Spectacular Now". I like when he shows up in shows like "Fargo". Or his bit parts in "The Office" and a ton of Tim and Eric stuff. He is just very good at what he does. Obviously I loved him in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" is one of the best shows of all time. There is not much that I have seen Odenkirk in, or that he has written for, that has not landed for me. Hell, "Nobody" is an amazing action movie. More people need to see it.

When I got the book I was pretty pumped to read it. I know a lot about him, but this memoir is even more eye opening. From start to finish this book is as fun a read as there is out there right now, especially for comedy fans. The book entails it all. From his start at Southern Illinois University, to filming the final season of "BCS", it is all there. The book is a fast read too. There are about 270 pages, I am a slow reader, and I finished it in less than a week. Every time I picked up the book I would read more than I planned. That is the sign of a good book to me. When I pick it up and do not want to put it down.

The comedy nerd in me was in delight with every page. I love hearing about the early days of "SNL", and there is a good amount of "SNL" talk in the book. It was also eye opening to read the Chris Farley stuff. Everyone has their own take on it, but to hear someone who was close to him, who really knew him, reading Odenkirk's take was surprising, to say the least. I also enjoyed reading about his relationship with Robert Smigel. Smigel is a funny dude, but from what I have read, can be prickly. Odenkirk got along with him from their first meeting, and it was nice to hear a pleasant take on Smigel. The Del Close stuff was interesting to say the least. He seemed like a messed up individual, and Odenkirk touches on that. But he also talked about his influence on improv comedy. I was fascinated hearing about him meeting with people like Andy Dick, Janenne Garofolo and, most importantly, David Cross. The relationship he and Cross had seemed very amicable. They worked real well together. I'm sure they had fights, but nothing ever seemed to get out of hand with the two of them. They were a match made in comedy heaven, and they made some of the best comedy TV in the history of TV. I guess, with what Odenkirk said in the book, they were both similarly curt, so it worked.

I was most fascinated by his work on "BCS" and "BB". These are two of the greatest shows to ever exist. They did some wonderful things on TV and they changed the game as far as dramatic TV goes. I liked hearing how Odenkirk thought about passing on Saul Goodman. That would have been nuts, but luckily he was steered in the right direction. Then someone on the "BB" set talked about a Saul Goodman spinoff and everyone laughed. To hear about that joke, then to see the show come to fruition was pretty remarkable.

What I liked most about the whole book was how real Odenkirk was. He did not pull any punches. He did not censor himself. He told his story, warts and all, and that is nice in a memoir. He could've left some personal stuff out, but he didn't. He kept it in there and it helped me to understand why he went the direction he did. I appreciate that.

I recommend this book. It is great and Odenkirk is incredible. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "MILF Manor"

I mentioned a show awhile back that I was upset was being made, but said I would most likely watch it. That show is "MILF Manor", and I did in fact watch it last night. My wife recorded it, I was doing dishes and she mentioned that we had a surprise TV show to watch. I did not know what she was talking about because I had already forgotten about it. When I finished the dishes she showed me the show on our DVR and I just sighed and then laughed. She smiled and asked if I was ready. I was and we watched it.

This show is bad. It is very, very bad. I wanted it to be so much like "MILF Island" from "30 Rock". Unfortunately only one contestant got the memo of how absurd the whole thing is. Everyone else had some kind of story. One contestant spoke of her dead daughter. That was sad and felt unnecessary. Another lady talked about meeting her husband so young and "not being ready" for marriage. It just gave off vibes of a show that is actually trying to be a legit dating show. Again, this show has eight self proclaimed MILFs and they expect to meet young men that they can date, and, ugh, fall in love with.

When it is revealed, very early on in the pilot episode, that the men on the island are their sons, it doesn't land like it should. TLC didn't do this supposed "twist" justice. They just kind of played it off and moved on way too fast. Again, all eight of the women on the show have sons, ranging from 20 to 30, who like older women. They even ask a mother son duo about the show and they act as if this is all news to them. They are "shocked" by the fact that they are on the same island. I guess they each thought they were going on different dating shows on the exact same island. How stupid do you have to be? These people aren't that good at acting either. They don't sell the fact that they maybe knew what was going on before filming began. It is obvious when you see them doing interviews together. And after the whole mess of the meet and greet, they have their first challenge. This was some Oedipus level shit thought up by the masterminds behind this show. They had the moms wear blindfolds and made them feel up each male contestant. If they guessed which one was their son, they got the nicest room. Whoever guessed which body was their son's first got the nicest room. And each room got worse from there on down. Not that the rooms are bad, they just get less fancy the further down you finish. I mean, the whole idea of a mom not only feeling you up, but seven other young dudes. Come on, that is wild. I told my wife there is no way I would be comfortable with this if I were somehow duped to be on this show. And then to see these moms act the way they did, it is not a good look. They get way too drunk too fast. They openly hit on other moms' sons with no regard. The things that come out of some of their mouths are gross. I am as sex positive as it gets, but to hear a mom say that she has an "extremely high libido", knowing her son is going to watch, that is no good. To watch this one mom, the only one I feel got the memo about this show, tried to kick her son out of their room so she can have sex with another dude, and then tell her son to "stop cock blocking me", that was a bridge too far.

This show is bad. They do not have much of a story to go on. They are taking themselves far too seriously, especially considering the material. I am curious to see how long this show lasts, but I cannot imagine it will be around for more than a season. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it a full season. "MILF Manor" is bad, and what is worse, they aren't in on the joke. They think this is a real dating show, and not some messed up experiment being done by TLC. Oh well, let's see where it goes from here. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "The Menu"

Over the weekend my wife and I watched "The Menu". I went into the movie not knowing anything, purposely, and that is the best way to watch.I will do my best to keep my review spoiler free.

The plot of the movie is rather simple. There is a restaurant on a secluded island and only the select few get in. I believe there were a total of twelve diners at the restaurant in the movie. The chef is devious, does some messed up stuff and makes the diners watch it all unfold. There is mystery, intrigue and even some good laughs. The movie is also scary at times. I found myself jumping here and there at certain points. The scares are not out of place either. They are not shoehorned in to frighten the viewer. They were necessary and crucial to the plot.

I really adored this movie. Being three days removed from watching it, I find myself still thinking about what I saw. I have also read a number of reviews and theories online since finishing the movie. The writer is stellar. As I mentioned, there are jokes in this movie that made me laugh out loud. I did not expect that from this film. There are also well made points about the fine dining world and how unnecessary that whole crowd has become. The acting was top notch as well. Anya Taylor Joy is becoming one of my favorite actors. She is excellent here. Her attitude and the way she carries herself was wonderful. Nicolas Hoult played off type, for him, in this movie. He is an asshole. He is one of these "foodies" who thinks he knows better than everyone else. Even the actors with bit parts, Judith Light and John Leguizamo to name a few, crush the scenes they are in. With this movie, and "Encanto", Leguizamo is having a real moment, and I'm here for it. But Ralph Fiennes is superb. He is so eerie, so emotionless, so scary. It is such a great role for him and he absolutely crushes it. My wife even said she thought this was right up there with Lord Voldemort as far as creepiness goes for Fiennes. He even gets off jokes and they absolutely land.

What I love most about this movie, what I keep going back to, is the way they send up the highfalutin restaurant world. This restaurant is on a secluded island that you have to take a yacht to get too. Sp pretentious. The cover to get in is astronomical. I believe Hoult's character says "1250 a person". That is nuts. The way the sous chefs all act is so ridiculous and cultish. I love a show like "The Bear", but even that takes itself too seriously with the food at times. "The Menu" is, for all intents and purposes, spoofing that world. They are making fun of that world. They are poking a hole in the theory that fine dining has become this show of fulfillment and how rich or poor you are. The lady who plays the restaurant reviewer is so perfectly skewered by Fiennes' chef. Her lackey is what I imagine all lackeys are like in real life. Hoult is as douchey as these upper crust "foodies" can be. He is always pooping out his phone to take pictures and then explaining why this food is so next level. Even Judith Light and her husband are awful. They are considered "regulars" here, but they cannot even remember dishes from previous meals. They continue to go to show off their status. It is too perfect.

I like this movie. I enjoy how scary and funny it can be at times. I thought they paid excellent detail to this renaissance in fancy dinner culture. They skewer it better than anyone has to this point. I have been watching a ton of "Top Chef" lately, and when I watched this movie I thought of how Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicheccio would have acted if this place were real. It would be hilarious. Watch this movie. It is on HBO Max right now. I cannot recommend it enough. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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For Some Reason Ty Decides to Watch "Morbius"

A lot of the movie podcasts I listen to have been talking about "Morbius" lately. A lot. It has been a very big topic of conversation for some odd reason. All this talk had me intrigued. I obviously know about this movie. How can you not at this point? I am also fully aware of the bad press and critical reviews it got after its release. None of this is news to me. But hearing funny people I like talk about how wild this movie is, it piqued my interest. I had to know what all the fuss was about.

So I watched it. I did not know where I was going to find it, but it is right there, front and center, on Netflix. I turned it on the other day and was floored by what I watched.

This movie is bad. Really, really, really bad. There are no redeeming qualities. There wasn't a single part of this movie that I found likable. I didn't get what they were trying to do with this little known character. I should have known something was off when it said "In association with Marvel". Marvel has given their name to crap like "Venom", but they only wanted "association" with "Morbius". Then, as the movie unfolded, I found myself quite bored. That is the best way I can describe my main emotion watching this hunk of junk. The movie is dull. It is gray and dreary. The dialogue is slow and quiet. The action sequences are filled with slow motion and stuff that every other movie before it has already done. I saw Keanu Reeves dodge bullets in "The Matrix" while I was still in high school. I've seen way cooler vampire imagery in "Blade" and "What We Do in the Shadows". I've heard better quips in every single other Marvel movie. This is just a flat out bad movie. I do not like Jared Leto. Never have, never will. I think one of the few movies where he is the main character that I enjoy is "Requiem For a Dream". He is barely in "Blade Runner 2049", and that is a good thing. He won an Oscar for "Dallas Buyers Club", but go watch his performance. It is offensive. Other than that he is not good in his movies. And "Morbius" is no exception. He is rough. He walks with crutches and that feels offensive. His line readings are dull and tired. He has no chemistry with anyone on screen. And he was supposedly real tough to work with on this set, which should surprise no one. Matt Smith, who is a very good actor, is given no favors here. His dialogue is bad. The direction he was given is wrong. He is being led astray in this movie. His talents are useless here. The female lead is a stereotype. She is just there to be a female voice. She is the only actor here who is any good, but she is given so little to work with. Much like Smith, her talents are wasted. Tyrese Gibson and Al Madigral are no good as the cops. They seem to care too little about vampires and their facial expressions never change. Madrigal is a brilliant comedian, but he is left to be the straight man in this movie. Again, another talented person being asked to do the things that they don't do well.

This whole thing is a mess. I finished it the other day and fell asleep for a few minutes during the final battle. That should tell you all you need to know about this dreadful movie. I was moved by people much funnier than me talking about this movie, but it was a total waste of time. I see why the critics were so critical of this movie. I hope they stop right here and do not make any more of these because they will not make any money. "Morbius" is bad. Even at 1 hour and 47 minutes it feels LONG. Don't watch it. Save yourself the time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.