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Steve Porter and “Orange Peanut”. Read on.

I have had the great fortune of interviewing Steve Porter in the recent weeks. I got to know him on a much more personal level and saw how seamlessly he transitioned from EDM king to master of the viral video world.

Although his plans are to go back to his roots this year, he is still focused on doing what has made him even more successful now- making viral videos. His most noted one is the “Slap Chop” video. Now he is back and already garnering a bunch of attention for yet another amazing remix he created.

This one is called “Orange Peanut” which is a remix of the “Bad lip reading” that tends to happen a lot in the NFL. The “Orange Peanut” one comes from a memorable slip up from Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson. There are several others in it that are absolutely hilarious, and Steve does an amazing job at putting it together. Take a look at the video yourself and let us know what you think! 5 star quality in my book!

Take a look at the video here!

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis top, J Tim gains on Billboard

by Ryan Shea

Two hip-hop songs emerge as victorious on the Billboard Hot 100 in a rather stale and non-movement week otherwise.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” featuring Wanz shot to number one this week, dethroning Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven” which spent a total of six weeks in the top spot, according to Billboard today. This is the first number one song for the duo, and it only took sixteen weeks to get to this spot. This is a relatively short time for an artist largely unknown in the typical top 40, poppish type songs that always seem to carry the number one spot, and a unique song as well. This is the first time also where a song about a thrift shop is number one. Yes, that is accurate.

Much of the reason why this song has hit number one is it’s gain in digital sales and that it currently sits at number one on streaming songs with 1.68 million in one week. Streaming pretty much means being placed on apps like Spotify and Rhapsody to name a few. This was a problem for Taylor Swift, where her record label refuses to put her song “I Knew You Were Trouble” on streaming. It sits at number five even though it was a huge success in radio and digital sales.

Justin Timberlake, who has had a triumphant return to music after a seven year hiatus, sees his song “Suit & Tie” skyrocket from number 84 last week to number four this week. The song features hip-hop legend Jay-Z and has been met with quite mixed reviews since it’s release. It opened on the digital songs chart with 315,000 copies beating his previous best for “Sexyback” by nearly 100,000 copies. Expect it to linger in the top ten for quite sometime.

Kroll Show Brings Lots of Guest Stars to the Table, Little Else

by Michael Tyminski

Kroll Show: 10:30 Eastern Wednesdays, Comedy Central

“Try to watch the Kroll Show in one sitting. It’s impossible.” — A personal friend’s Facebook status.

When I read that statement, I wasn’t entirely sure that any half-hour show could be truly that awful. I was only half wrong. As a result, I took the chance last night to watch a replay of the first episode and watch the second one live.

The sketch show loosely operates under the basic format of the Harold, which is commonly used in long-form improvisation and involved three different scenes being accessed at 3 different points in time. Generally the idea of this format is that it allows for rapid-fire bouncing between multiple isolated scenes with the hope of branching them together towards the end of the production. The show also differs from standard issue sketch fare by relying on a large list of guest appearances (the most visible in the first two episodes being Jenny Slate, Ed Helms, and Andy Milonakis) as opposed to a standard repertory troupe.

The reason I mention the structure in this case is because it really shows a lot of what is wrong with Kroll Show. I feel that the one thing many of the bits lack is a form of escalation. This escalation is critical because the dissipated structure of the show makes many of the sketches feel longer than they actually are, so when they stay on the same one joke through all three beats, it makes the show seem interminable. This lack of escalation was particularly apparent in the Ref Jeff sketch from episode 1 where the entire joke revolved around a referee trying to go out for drinks with players, but the antics never got out of that very basic level.

The other main flaw of this show is it often prioritizes pushing recurring characters over better and well developed jokes. The first two episodes alone gave us a one-note valley girl publicist (Liz G.), a one note club sleazeball that you’d find in your average Jersey Shore/Long Island club (Bobby Bottleservice), the Ref Jeff character mentioned above, the Rich Jerks (which of all the characters on the show were the strongest because there was slightly more to these guys than “we’re rich, and we’re jerks”, and Dr. Armond, Canine Plastic Surgeon (which fell flat because there just isn’t much of a character there period).

The show shines in those rare moments where it moves away from Nick Kroll’s characters as the focus of sketches. In particular, the ChikClub ad at the beginning of episode two was hysterical, as they advertised a chicken sandwich so good that people would sell out their beliefs for it. Similarly, the Sex in the City (for Men) sketch was equally strong, with its juxtaposition of the bubbly salaciousness of Sex and the City for the incredibly mundane conversation pieces of Sex in the City (For Men) while interspersing increasingly ridiculous bumpers in the middle every 10 to 15 seconds.

In general, the second episode seemed stronger than the first, though that may be because the Rich Dicks segment of the show escalated and twisted in a way that didn’t feel particularly trite (Rich guys need drugs, go to Mexico, get kidnapped, almost get killed, but then the head of the drug ring is one of the Rich Dicks’ friends from Manhattan so everyone goes home happy). The sketches also seemed to integrate together a little better (ChikClub found its’ way into all three main segments) I also happen to think that the writing seemed a little more focused (there was nothing that grated as badly as the argument in the PubLIZity sketch which devolved into full blown incoherence). Additionally, I find that the more that Jon Daly (the only consistent series regular besides Kroll) appears on the show, the funnier a sketch becomes, as he brings his trademark intensity and boorishness to every scene.

The Final Verdict: It’s not nearly as bad as my friend implied in the Facebook post at the top of the article, but it’s definitely not something I would go out of my way to watch unless it just happened to be on in the background while I was preoccupied with other tasks. The foundations for something greater are there, but the overemphasis on recurring characters was the sort of thing that also has turned me off to Saturday Night Live at points and that factor feels 100 times worse on Kroll Show. The end result is something middling and inconsistent, and if the show felt less like elongated versions of stand-up impersonations and more like the tight rapid-fire sketch show it aims to be it could be the perfect post-Workaholics anchor for Comedy Central.

Amour: A Masterpiece, or Just Plain Sad?

by Peter Foy

It won the Palm D’or at Cannes, received nearly unanimous accolades, and now it’s received the coveted distinction of having Oscar nominations for both best foreign language film as well as best picture. Amour is not just the most praised film to date to come from Austrian director Michael Haneke, but arguably the most acclaimed film to come out in years. In anticipation for the Academy Awards, BAMcinematech will begin showing the film tomorrow, and I strongly suggest that all serious movie goers (who haven’t done so already) to go see this heartbreaking, and vivid film, that is perhaps a masterpiece, and most certainly an unforgettable work of art.

As the title suggests, Amour is certainly a film about love, but it’s too dark to be considered anything romantic. The film centers on the elderly couple of Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) and Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant), two retired French music teachers who live around the Parisian area. There both in their 80s, but they still enjoy going to concerts, listening to music, and visiting with their daughter (Issabelle Hupert). Unfortunately, things all go for the worse when one day Anne slips into a catatonic state for a few minutes. They immediately go for medical attention and discover she has a problem with her brain. The movie then follows Georges as he tries to care for Anne, as her condition continues to grow more harrowing.

Seeing that the film almost takes place entirely inside the couple’s flat, one might wonder why Haneke didn’t option the film as a stage play instead. Thing is, Amour works beautifully as a film due to the articulate shots, and Haneke’s unique sense of direction. Although Amour has been receiving plenty of press for how different it feels from Haneke’s more sadistic films (I.E. Funny Games, The Piano Teacher), it’s important to note that the directors skill with the macabre is definitely in effect here. A minimalist film maker in every regard, Haneke uses trace amounts of light and color in this film, so as to let viewers feel the graveness. Also, the film has one or two dream sequences that definitely take a few pages from his time directing quasi-horror films. Some people I’ve talked to have even told me they feel that the film still has a cruel sense to it, but even if that’s the case with Haneke’s craft, it couldn’t be any less true with regards to the performances.

Both Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant are veteran French actors from the New Wave period, and it’s likely that this film will be seen as a latter career triumph for both of them. As mentioned before, Haneke directs his film’s with a minamalist’s eye, but it so complements the performances. Through Haneke’s POV we don’t necessarily get to see into the minds of his characters, but their actions and facial expressions give us all that we need. Trintignant gives a mighty performance, whose suggests that his grief is just as harsh as his ailing wife’s. Speaking of whom, Riva might even give the stronger performance of the two leads, which is most impressive seeing that she hardly does much of anything. For most of the film she is paralyzed and confined to beds, but her expressions of pain fully communicate her loss of consciousness. Issabelle Huppert (a previous collaborator with Haneke) gives a limited, but very weighty performance too. One scene with her character in particular resonates with the film’s message as a whole

Amour is a difficult film for sure, nor is it very easy to watch. Still, it’s a very vital film that pulls no punches with exploring the tumultous emotions and acts that come with coping with death, after a life that was so dedicated to love. It’s no wonder that the film has received so many accolades, as the elderly are more likely to have a stronger response to it than younger age groups would. Some people have theorized that the reason Amour received so much attention from the Academy is because many of the voters are of the same age as Georges and Anne, and that honestly doesn’t sound like a stretch at all for me. Despite the biased nature that some voters might have, Amour is a huge victory for Michael Haneke and another must-see for this year. Besides The Master, I feel this was the most accomplished film of 2012.

Top Level Domain Name Extensions Revealed

by Lane Campbell

Many people have questioned how they might come to own a domain such as a iam.john that could power their website. These folks have stumbled into extensions of the Top Level Domain Name (TLD) managed by ICANN the governing body of the Internet. Around two years ago ICANN allowed corporations to spend $100,000 to petition for their own names to be used TLD extensions. In non-tech speak these TLD extensions are better known as the .com that follows your favorit website name.

Why is this important today? As the Internet grows and scales to accommodate more and more users there will inevitably be more TLD extensions put into production. While this is a mostly an invisible process an unfortunate precedent has been set. With six figure requirements to set new TLD extensions there are fewer consumer benefits to this policy.

If you are curious and want to see This is a full list of Top Level Domain Name Extenions you can register your domain with any of these extensions at your favorite domain registrar.

Let us know what you think about this by commenting!

Confessions of an Online Shop-Aholic

by Ryan Shea

Hello fellow fashion lovers. My name is Jessica and I am an online shopping addict. Well kind of, my new obsession this year is online shopping. With so many apps for your phone and shopping websites it’s easy to “ball on a budget.” I decided I should share some of my favorite online shopping finds with all of you.

First of all, my favorite iPhone app for shopping is WANELO. It is free to download and displays pictures of trending items daily. It’s kind of like Pinterest (another addicting iPhone app) but you actually get to buy the amazing finds. Prices on WANELO items vary because they are posted off of many shopping sites. But if you are determined you can weed out the bargain buys.

Recently my preferred place to do my online shopping is www.Amazon.com. Amazon has EVERYTHING! I always thought Amazon was just books, but I just discovered the array of products you can purchase on the website. I bought most of my Christmas presents from Amazon.com, everything from jewelry to clothing to toys for my brother. Amazon offers free shipping and most orders ship immediately and get to you quickly. My most current buy was a teeth whitening gel and UV light. I will let you know how white my teeth get.

Another incredible online shopping site is www.Storenvy.com. Storenvy is like the Wanelo app, on the iPhone, except it is online and everything on there is reasonably priced. The goods on Storenvy are from merchants around the world, so the selection is considerable and the fashions are unique. Storenvy exhibits products for women, men, and babies. They also market art, media, and tech gadgets. I have bought numerous items I discovered on Storenvy and have no grievances. Although the delivery time can be pretty long when you purchase from out of the country, the products have all been perfect!

To end with, my latest discovery is www.Tidestore.com. Because most of the items are sold as wholesale items TIDESTORE is an online clothing store that can sell clothes at inexpensive and affordable prices. Some of the items must be purchased in large quantities but most do not. This is one more site with clothing from around the world. I recently received an oversized gray, turn down collar, hoodie and am absolutely in hoodie heaven. Thus far, Tidestore.com has met all of my online shopping needs and desires.

My online shopping addiction has not caused any negative repercussions, yet, and because of the aforementioned apps and websites, has not made a huge dent in my bank account. I recently gained weight and shopping for new clothes, which fit and look good, has helped me accept my new shape. I hope you guys got something from this and feel free to comment any sites I haven’t tried or your feedback with the ones I mentioned.

Nasty Pig- Edgy meets Fashion (and attractive men)

by Ryan Shea

If you live in New York City or are visiting, there is always the option to go to a variety of amazing clothing stores, both ones on a national level and ones that are local to the greatest city in the world. As great as the national ones are (and not so great) there happens to be one particular store located in the heart of Chelsea that gets it in many ways. What do I mean by it? Eye-catching, edgy, fashion-forward and above all customer service at its best. I am talking about none other than Nasty Pig, which is celebrating its 20th year in business next year.

I started going to this store roughly two years ago when I moved back to New York City from Rhode Island where I went to college. The store is moderately sized yet at the same time doesn’t need to be huge and have a zillion signs to get people to buy their stuff. It speaks for itself with the decor and amazing fashions that they have. I call it “kink meets edgy” because a lot of their clothing can work in a variety of venues yet still have a unique edge to it. They have a fantastic use of color and the pattern work is truly amazing.

The clothing ranges from the norm such a t-shirts, pants, sweaters, etc but it can go into a completely different realm with a variety of jockstraps and rubber gear as well. If you are local to NYC and happen to be going to, oh let’s say Boxers or Gymbar, they will have you covered. At the same time, if you are going to a particular night at the Eagle, they have stuff for that too. It really is versatile and have great pricing at the same time.

Overall, especially coming from someone who worked in customer service for 3 billion years, this store tops in in terms of that aspect. When people think of Chelsea, something that always comes to mind is bad attitudes amongst gay men, which happens to be true to a certain extent. Not in this situation. You are always greeted when you walk through the door and they are always willing to make that extra step and help you out. Go see guys like Jay and Chris for example. You won’t be let down.

Credit goes to Frederick Kerney at Nasty Pig

Dave Hughes, the VP of Marketing and Public Relations at Nasty Pig, had this to say about 2013- “In 2013 Nasty Pig has big plans to keep the serious growth we’ve experienced in the last two years going. At our NYC flagship we’re going to continue to offer our popular Choice Cuts limited edition items, and this year the line will expand to include hyper-limited-edition swimwear; we know that Nasty Pigs all over enjoy their time at the beach, so our swimwear program will also be extended to our wholesale accounts and website customers. Without getting too deep into the details, this spring we will partner with a major NYC-based LGBTQ charity on a project that we hope will raise a lot of money and a lot of awareness for some of our community’s most at-risk members. Additionally, we’re going to follow up the successful launch of our #iamNASTYPIG campaign with new video content throughout the year. And of course we’ll keep releasing plenty of hot gear that gets our customers laid, including our largest Spring/Summer collection ever and plenty of hot new underwear.”

So as stated before, if you are local to the NYC area, go and check it out. If you happen to be far, go on the site. You will not be disappointed.

Nasty Pig

265A West 19th Street

New York City, NY 10011

(212) 691-6067

www.nastypig.com

Beyonce- did she or didn’t she lip-sync? Stars weigh in.

by Ryan Shea

There has been quite a lot of hooplah over whether or not Beyonce lip-synched the National Anthem this past Monday at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration. One thing that is fact- Kelly Clarkson did actually sing (and got famously photo-bombed by Bill Clinton). Beyonce herself has been under quite a lot of scrutiny for not telling the truth over the past couple of years, most notably several people thinking her pregnancy was fake.

Several celebrities from Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and Aretha Franklin have come to the star’s side. Aretha said- “I thought it was funny because the weather down there was about 46 or 44 degrees and for most singers that is just not good singing weather…” she told ABC News. “When I heard that I just really cracked up. I thought it was really funny, but she did a beautiful job with the pre-record.” Preach Aretha, preach.

Jennifer Lopez, another star who has been in trouble in the past for her lip syncs, stated- “Sometimes it happens when you are in certain stadiums and certain venues and things, they do pre-record stuff because you’re going to have that terrible slapback,” on Jon Stewart.

This is going to be an interesting story for a while and will linger? Why? She is the freaking half time show at the Superbowl. Many artists in the past have to lip-sync in those types of atmospheres based off of how big the actual stadium is (Britney, I am not giving you a pass here). She is rumored to reunite with Destiny’s Child that night, which should make for quite an interesting show as she usually puts out all the stops in arenas like this.

My personal opinion? WHO CARES. Who really freaking cares if she did or not. She’s an amazing artist, we’ve all heard her perform live. She’s got a billion Grammy’s under her belt and has stayed relevant so effortlessly it’s hard to believe that she has been in the public personal for 15 years now since the days of Destiny’s Child. Is this gonna hinder her career? No. The haters need to stop and see how they would feel in that type of area. I wouldn’t mind Bill Clinton photo-bombing me though, so there might be some jealousy for Kelly there.

Clip-On Earrings: Not Just For The 65+ Babes

by Ryan Shea

Some of my clip-on earrings. Obsessed. Yes, I have them color coordinated. Guilty

GFs meet one of my fashion loves…. my costume/vintage clip-on earrings (I know I have a lot of clip-on earrings). Yes, I know 65+ babes only wear clip-ons and you have pierced ears. Which is exactly my point, no one else is! Be a trendsetter and rock a pair of clip-ons. These little time capsules are a classic look since they’re a blast from the fashion past. Honestly, I get compliments on my clip-ons all time… which why I know clip-ons will be making a comeback. MENTAL NOTE! Ladies, you’ve heard it from HonestFrugalChaos first .

Album Review – Vatican Shadow: Ornamented Walls

by Rio Toro

Vatican Shadow: Ornamented Walls

Score: 7/10

Similar artists – Pete Swanson, Demdike Stare, Andy Stott, Ital

Genre – Noise Techno, Hipster House, Dark Ambient

Dominick Fernow has been a lead contributor to the highly prolific noise scene through his many aliases (most notably “Prurient”). As opposed to his peers in the genre, such as Wolf Eyes or Black Dice, Dominick’s music has always been more harsh, more disorienting, and certainly more damaging to the eardrums. This is an artist who is not kidding around. His music is relentless and unforgiving, and many of his tracks have featured high pitched alarms and sirens that scrape and gnaw at your mind for dozens of minutes on end. This most likely does not sound pleasant, and it certainly isn’t, but there is also a not-so-easy-to-write-down aspect of his music that is rewarding and addicting; mark my words, after you have listened to one of his releases you will want more.

His newest release compiles nine highlights from a new military inspired alias. These tracks were previously released as singles/EP’s on his own “Hospital Productions” label, but in this collection they are being put out through the much-loved, and very modern “Modern Love” label. If you haven’t heard of this label, dark might be one word to describe its output, but a more apt phrase would be suffocatingly bleak.

This release’s sound fits right alongside label mates “Andy Stott”, and to an even greater degree – Manchester’s, “Demdike Stare”. Both acts craft harrowing soundscapes out of buzz-saws and dozens of other non-musical entities, as well as embracing influences from various cultures. These sounds are conjoined to create a morphed, and entirely un-danceable form of ambient-leaning techno/house. The difference is that Vatican Shadow does this at higher on average, bpm than Demdike Stare. Still, many of Dominick Fernow’s previous releases have seemed to exist in a category all their own, and this one seems easy to corner in comparison.

One could also lump this into the newly cited “Hipster House” tag (meaning no disrespect), which speaks of techno/house music being created by artists pertaining to non-house backgrounds. Fellow noise brethren “Pete Swanson” recently made his first foray into the techno scene with the fantastic “Man with Potential”, and his results were similarly un-danceable. For these reasons, Ornamented Walls is somewhat more accessible and predictable when compared to his earlier material – although clearly not in the traditional sense of these words.

As I’ve stated before, this is a compilation, not an album. I mean this in the truest sense, as this release has no discernible flow, and the highlights are all front loaded. Here lies the release’s main flaw, as this leaves for a very uneven listening experience. Despite this complaint, Ornamented Walls remains a successful and well done direction for the artist. When the project gets a proper, fully developed full length it will be much more deserving of our attention.

Track Listing

1.) Operation Neptune Spear Part 1 (Live Rehearsal Mix)*

2.) Operation Neptune Spear Part 2 (Live Rehearsal Mix)*

3.) Operation Neptune Spear Part 3 (Live Rehearsal Mix)*

4.) Cairo is a Haunted City (Mythic Chords)

5.) Nightforce Scopes

6.) Yemeni Telephone Number

7.) India has just Tested a Nuclear Device

8.) Church of All Images (Church of the NSA)

9.) Boxes Were Wired to Batteries then Loaded into a Brown Toyota Cargo Truck

*- Album Highlight

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