The Paunch Stevenson Show

August 20, 2008November 18, 2018

Episode 109: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Paunch Stevenson Show episode 109

In this episode:

our movie review of The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008) starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson,
Chris Carter’s other TV shows (The Lone Gunmen, Millennium, and Harsh Realm),
the unpopularity of sci-fi on TV,
our movie review of Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D (2008) starring Brendan Fraser,
computer generated dinosaurs,
Rob’s problem of forgetting movies a few years after watching them,
our movie review of Tropic Thunder (2008) starring Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr.,
celebrity deaths (Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, thanks to www.deadoraliveinfo.com),
Jim Henson,
Morgan Freeman’s car crash and injuries,
the curse of The Dark Knight (2008),
Michael Caine,
upcoming movies in 2009 (Fast and Furious starring Vin Diesel, The Evil Dead directed by Sam Raimi, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen starring Shia LaBeouf),
Michael Bay,
Richard Dreyfuss suing his father and uncle for $870,000,
and the unreleased Super Nintendo video game Steven Seagal Is the Final Option.

Download this episode:
49 minute MP3 file – 22.4 MB (right-click to save)

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August 10, 2008November 18, 2018

Episode 108: Sunday, August 10, 2008

In this episode:

special guest Esteban from Please Save Me Robots (pleasesavemerobots.blogspot.com),
Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA,
the upcoming movie The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) starring Keanu Reeves,
Ringo Starr,
the BotCon Transformers convention,
video game grading services,
gasoline octane ratings,
obsessed collectors,
the upcoming movie TR2N (2010) starring Jeff Bridges,
funny videos of The Wicker Man (2006) on YouTube,
the Japanese origin of the Transformers toy line,
Ironhide and Ratchet’s horrible robot forms,
3D movies (Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Star Wars),
holographic video,
putting your face in HD DVD movies,
Esteban’s experience as a weather observer in the United States Air Force,
his UFO sighting in Korea,
the Alamo in San Antonio, TX,
watching Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) in Turkey,
Esteban’s experience at McMurdo Station in Antarctica,
Antarctic roads and speed limits,
and a celebrity death (Estelle Getty, thanks to www.deadoraliveinfo.com).

Download this episode:
84 minute MP3 file – 38.5 MB (right-click to save)

Listen to this episode:

August 3, 2008

Gary Coleman, Minor League Baseball “Player”

Coleman Ejected

Gary Coleman, one of our first Hall of Lamers, decided to be yet another in the long list of celebrities trying their hand at perhaps the most difficult professional sport, baseball. Coleman was thrown out of the game before he even got to bat for the Madison Mallards up in Wisconsin.

Here’s the story from The Wisconsin State Journal:

Herbert determined the (pine tar) amount was illegal and — after Coleman offered to “wipe it off” — also found the bat to be corked. The umpire pulled out a piece of black rubber on the end of the bat and watched several “super balls” spill out of the bat.

“Looks like you’re going to have a short night,” Herbert joked as he threw Coleman out of the game.

Coleman took more offense with the short joke than he did his ejection, bumping the umpire to the delight of the 5,000-plus in attendance. Eventually, Coleman set up shop behind the third-base bleachers, signing autographs (at $20 a pop) and posing for photos (those were free).

So the whole thing was a joke? We’re not laughing. Billy Crystal earlier this year in spring training, did the same kind of stunt, with the Yankees, at age 60, getting one at bat. Garth Brooks spent a whole spring with the Padres in 1999 and the Mets in 2000, although he at least looked the part. Why do these celebrities try these things when they are old, fat, out of shape, and washed up?

July 27, 2008

That Asian Thing in NYC

As discussed in episode 107, Greg and I saw the documentary film That Asian Thing in NYC today, July 27, 2008, as part of the Tribeca Cinemas Independent Features Film Festival. It was written and directed by our longtime friend and Paunch Stevenson Show guest Jonald Reyes.

The film was thought-provoking and humorous. Good job! Afterwards, Jonald held a questions-and-answers session with the audience, during which a woman was being projected onto the movie screen via webcam. That part was unnecessary and confusing. Who was she and what did she have to do with anything?

For updates regarding That Asian Thing, visit www.thatasianthing.com. You can also check out some pictures I posted:

Flickr – That Asian Thing, NYC 7/27/08

July 25, 2008May 23, 2020

Nicolas Cage: Unintentionally Hilarious

Several times during the history of The Paunch Stevenson Show, we’ve joked about Nicolas Cage’s goofy acting style and voice. As recently as episode 107, we goofed on how he has become this sort of cult joke, similar to Steven Seagal or Tom Cruise. How can even his serious films, let alone his horror films, be taken seriously?

Well, here are some photos and videos from two instances, Grindhouse (2007) and The Wicker Man (2006). In the Grindhouse double-feature, Rob Zombie contributed a mock trailer called Werewolf Women of the SS. At the end is a cameo from Mr. Cage, dressed as the infamous 1950s B movie character Dr. Fu Manchu. He starts screaming and yelling and doing this horrible laugh:

The Wicker Man: again, this was supposed to be a horror film? Cage is dressed in a bear costume, stung in the head by thousands of bees, keeps punching women in the face, and finally is set on fire and burned alive: