This is one of my all-time favorite Mr Show sketches. Great performances by Jack Black and David Cross.

The latest episode of the BS Report has Bill Simmons chatting with author Chuck Klosterman about writing, German supermarkets, and Bill's success. This is worth listening to even if you aren't a sports fan. If you're a Chuck Klosterman fan, you should also check out An Evening with Ira Glass and the New Kings of Nonfiction in the TAL store.

Just watch it...

If you're a fan of the films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) then you NEED to see the TV series "Spaced." I ordered the complete series box set from Amazon.co.uk a few weeks ago and it took a few episodes before it really started getting good, but once it did, it was great! It really seems like the movies proceeded naturally from the TV show since much of the show consists of homages to other films.

If you order it the import DVD set you'll need a region-free DVD player, but it's worthwhile just to watch this series.

Yes, it's true.  For all of you candy freaks out there, Skittles has added chocolate to their rainbow of flavor.  The mix includes:  vanilla, chocolate caramel, chocolate pudding, s'mores, and brownie batter (!).  On first try, I thought they were OK, but a little weird.  You don't expect to bite into something chocolate-flavored with that Skittles consistency.  On the whole, my co-workers and I didn't really like them that much - too much of a chemically aftertaste.  For Skittles fans, though, you may be able to share and enjoy - at least more than I did.

Being both a drummer and a long-time Rush fan, I just wanted to offer my condolences to the family and friends of original drummer John Rutsey.  John only played on the first Rush album, and quit before the first big tour due to health concerns (primarily diabetes).  Although overshadowed by his replacement Neil Peart, who is still with Rush, John's drumming on the first album is exciting and a great fit for the music.  His playing will live on with Rush's legacy, and will be heard on the radio for many years to come.  Thanks John!

Sorry to all of you big American Idol fans out there, but please - a person can only take so much.  Once the only person with an ounce of actual talent gets booted off (Carly), it's just a ridiculous popularity contest.  Now with the end finally in sight, I can look forward to my morning work conversations turning back to things that matter -  like Tila Tequila and Brett Michaels.

Although I'm not a huge cereal eater, Life has always been one of my favorites.  Occasionally they come out with new flavors, with Maple and Brown Sugar being the latest.  I was a bit wary when I picked it up, having been disappointed with the recent evil "Vanilla Yogurt Crunch" variation.  Still, my hopes were high, so after eating it for breakfast the last couple of days, my final opinion is...not bad, not great.  It's a little too sweet for my taste.  Bottom line, stick with original or cinnamon, they can't be beat!  

If you haven't read Stephen Colbert's book I Am America (And So Can You!), than you aren't patriotic at all.  In a series of well-researched and thoughtful chapters, Colbert touches on all aspects of American life in the 21st century, including: religion ('Protestants...they're a single Pope away from reaching their full potential'), the media ('I like my Truth like my coffee: Black or White'), and even animals ('Once you've selected a pet and named it, it's time to bend the animal to your will').  Winner of The Stephen Colbert Award for the Literary Exellence.  You too can be America!

After reading my cohort's must-see list, I felt I needed to offer up a comment or two.  It is an admirable list, to be sure, although I would definitely place Top Chef over Project Runway.  A lot more action, and slightly less whining.  I really like both BSG and The Office but I'm slightly behind on both, so no comment there.  Now, as far as the best host on the The Soup?  Sorry, there can only be one, and that was definitely John 'Skunk Boy' Henson from the old Talk Soup days.  I will admit though that Joel McHale falls solidly into the #2 slot.

In this age of Tivo and dozens of cable channels there are very few shows that I actually need to watch at their regularly scheduled time. It's not always the best shows that fall into this group, but rather they're the shows that build suspense from one week to another.

• Top Chef/Project Runway
  I have to see who gets kicked out and why on these two stand-out reality shows. Project Runway is the show that I look forward to the most.
• Battlestar Galactica
  There's a lot happening in this fourth and final season of BSG and I'm on the edge of my seat.
• The Soup
  Before season four of BSG started, The Soup was something I really looked forward to watching at 10 on Friday nights. And Joel McHale? Best Soup host evah!
• The Office
  The suspense over the Jim/Pam storyline made this show must-watch from the beginning. Although now the Dwight-Angela-Andy triangle is more compelling.

Since I gave the new Beowulf movie a less than wonderful review, I thought it would be a good idea to let readers know about the fairly recent (2001) and excellent verse translation of Beowulf by Seamus Heaney.  If you saw the movie and enjoyed it, or are just interested in the original source material, Heaney's translation is a great book to pick up.  Beowulf has had the reputation of being dry and dull over the years, and some translations certainly bear that out.  Heaney brings the original Old English to life, and vividly describes the emotions and action of this early medieval masterpiece.  The original Old English text is provided on facing pages for comparison.

OK, OK, so I know I'm way behind on the whole Lost bandwagon.  After being badgered by both co-workers and relatives, I am now watching the show on DVD, and am nearing the end of Season 2.  I'm trying to get in 4 or 5 episodes a week, and I'm totally loving it!  Once I'm caught up, then I'm going to have to get back into Battlestar Galactica which I've only seen throught the end of Season 1.

Last night both Bob and I attended the live (well, live on the east coast, 3-hour delay on the west coast) This American Life event last night. Besides clips from the second season of the Showtime show there were segments cut from the upcoming season and some hilarious out-takes. One of the funniest bits was the a clip from the first show of the first season where Ira was interviewing Ralph Fisher, the guy with the cloned bull, and, rather than being a continuous shot of the interviewee, it was intercut with shots of Ira nodding his head. Apparently, when they started shooting the TV show they weren't sure what to do with Ira so they filmed him during the interviews, but when they cut it together with him included it just looked ridiculous.

The YouTube clip above (animation by Chris Ware and John Kuramoto) was shown last night and is from the upcoming season. It's about the role anecdotes play in a relationship and it's told (in part) by Robert Krulwich, who is the co-host of the other great NPR show, Radiolab.

The second season of TV show premiers on Showtime on Sunday, May 4 at 10pm.

I'd never really listened to Elliot Smith until a few days ago when I found a couple of his albums on a co-worker's shared iTunes library. Since then, I've just listened to those two albums, Either/Or and XO, over and over again.

There are so many great songs on these albums, but the two that really stand out to me are the last two songs on Either/Or: "2:45 AM" and "Say Yes." The former seems like the most melancholy moment of the album but it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and it leads so perfectly into the quietly hopeful "Say Yes."

Both of these albums are brilliant and I can't recommend them enough.

Buy these two albums on iTunes:

• Elliot Smith: Either/Or
• Elliot Smith: XO