After 8 years of doing my web talk show, I thought it was time to share some outtakes and bloopers. And what a better time to do it than the holidays, right? Usually for my Christmas Spectacular I like to hit the streets and cause some Christmas-y mayhem, but this year I thought some bloopers might make a better gift to ya’ll, my peeps. Because what’s more fun than watching me mess up and make even more of an idiot out of myself than usual, right? So grab a nice big mug of cocoa, sit back, relax, and click play. Time to watch The Resident Lori Harfenist try really hard to make it work. Snippets are from the following shows: Responsibility of Wall Street, Six Ways to Save, How the Auto Bailout Can Save Our Country>/a>, 10 Differences Between Obama and McCain, Mass Media Sucks, How to Environment, Stop Buying Gossip Magazines, and more from my work on NBCNewYork.com. [More] [Less]

In this political video, I hit the street to ask the good people of Brooklyn what change specifically they expect President-Elect Obama to bring. Some people had good, solid answers that seem feasible. Some people just had colossal expectations short only of the Second Coming. And those people will be greatly disappointed, I’m afraid. I voted for Barack Obama because I want to see a change in this country’s god-awful culture. For too long, we’ve been worshipping celebrity, ogling material goods, fattening our waistbands, and not giving two craps about any other culture or peoples. To me, that’s been one of the worst problems in our country. And to me, just having a liberal, leftist, African-American president immediately shifts that. Someone who isn’t an old white man can be president, it means, and that alone is a fact that bends the cultural norms of this country. So I’m satisfied with my choice already. And, I’m not expecting him to change all THAT much else, to be honest. Because at the end of the day, that one man is going to have to work with a whole lot of crooked, old politicians who all owe lobbyists and special interests up the yin-yang. That hasn’t changed, and that’s a big piece of the puzzle. So to all the people waiting for Obama to turn this country into a Utopia, I say: chill. It ain’t going down like that. And to all the people sneering at those people saying, we told you he wasn’t a savior, I say: chill. He HAS made a big impact already, and at least let him start the job before your leer becomes permanent. [More] [Less]

President Elect Barack Obama ran on a platform of change. It’s been a month since he was elected, and though he hasn’t even taken office yet, the world – led by the media – is already demanding to see this change. This is annoying to me, so I thought it was time for some political commentary. People! He hasn’t even taken office yet! Why are we already standing in judgment of how Obama is doing on the job when he isn’t on the job yet? Once again, the real reason is the media and their lovely way of trying to dig a story out of thin air. I know everyone has sponsors to answer to and with the advent of 24-hour news channels, it’s really hard to always be good and always be ethical. But still. Can’t we be a little more creative than to criticize a President Elect? That’s just lame. Once he starts the job in January, then it’s the time to judge him. If he starts screwing up on the job, by all means, critique away. I’ll be the first in line, actually. But let’s just wait til he gets into office, ok? Ok. Thanks. That’s my political commentary for this week. What’s yours? [More] [Less]

It's the holidays, people. I am taking the week off. But I still thought I might try to make you laugh with this funny video. Because what's better to help you digest Thanksgiving Turkey than watching someone punch someone else hard in the face?

This is some classic alternative news reporting right here for you. I thought I’d hit the streets to ask people how they are handling the global economic recession, and the responses I got were a whole lotta fun. Most people are starting to cut back in sensible ways, like going out to eat less or not buying crap they don’t need. And hey, we could use less crap on the planet anyway, right? So that’s one positive about the recession, right? Ok, so yes, it really sucks that people are losing their homes and many are having trouble putting food on the table. I’m having a really rough time of it right now myself. But the bottom line is, if we reach down within us deeply, we can usually find stores of energy and resources that we hadn’t yet tapped into. And there is something really beautiful about that, I think. I’m not going to say that the recession is a good thing, even though I’m tempted to for reasons like we don’t buy so much crap and that’s better for the environment and blab la bla. But I will make this funny video to lighten the mood for a little, and to remind people that they can and will survive. Godspeed people. [More] [Less]

This one is ripe for political commentary. If you haven’t heard yet, the US government is considering expanding the recent bailout…excuse me…rescue plan…to include fund allotment to the failing US auto industry. Companies like Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler will receive funds to help them sustain an industry that supports over 250,000 jobs in the US, plus another 4 million related jobs in our economy. To me, this seems like another knee-jerk reaction, a quick band-aid with no thought of a long-term plan, checks and balances, or anything else I would expect to be present when devising a multi-million dollar plan. I, for one, have an idea of how we can kill two birds with one stone. This is a great opportunity to both help the auto-industry, which has failed us for years, and to help our country get off its dependency on foreign oil. Ever hear of the Manhattan Project? That’s the kind of plan I’m talking about. So I decided to hit the streets of New York City to get some political commentary from passersby on the issue. Watch the video to hear my plan and people’s reactions. [More] [Less]

Personally, I don't know anyone who hasn't decided for which candidate they’re voting in the 2008 US Presidential Elections. And yeah, they’re all voting for Obama. I can’t imagine not having made up my mind at this point, either way. How could you not know enough yet? We’ve watched three presidential debates, we’ve seen their stumpy speeches all over the TV, web, and for some of us, even performed live on our streets. Everyone should know the rhetoric and the campaign promises by now. If you don’t, here’s a quick rundown of 10 issues where Obama and McCain have clearly different viewpoints and intentions. But seriously: Do you really trust a campaign promise to come true? I don’t. History kind of proves that, once a candidate gets into office, promises go out the window and reality barges in without knocking. The president has to work with the legislative branch to try to get anything done. Initiatives and bills are bundled, making it almost impossible to keep track of who votes for what. It’s all a big mess down there in Washington, and I can’t imagine wanting the job. So, while I genuinely like Obama’s platforms, I don’t really think they’ll happen quite like he promises. I’m not going to blame him for it; that’s just the way our government works. The real appeal of Obama for me is less about his campaign promises and more about his persona. He speaks in a language that makes sense to me. He doesn’t talk in circles, he doesn’t giggle at inappropriate moments. He doesn’t try to divert my attention away from the issue at hand. These are rare qualities in a politician in our government, and they’re ones I would absolutely love to see in our next President. Not to mention he’s a minority. It’s about time we try someone who isn’t a rich old white dude in the Oval Office. So yeah. I’m voting for Obama. If you still don’t know for whom to vote, maybe this political video will help. [More] [Less]

Go green. Environmentally friendly. Eco-conscious. Environmentally sound. Environmentalism. Our culture is on this social responsibility bandwagon, folks, and there is no getting out of it at this point. Now, I personally believe that we all should be better inhabitants with cleaner habits. I never litter, and I always make my bed. I'm generally a neat person, so it just makes sense to me that we be neat wherever we tread. And I also believe there is no denying that our consumerist ways have created more carbon dioxide emissions, which in turn are bad for the planet. The extent of human-caused damage is arguable; the fact that we could do better is not. But man, I just hate trends. And this green social responsibility trend is just getting started in our society. So, I thought I'd take some time out to poke fun at it. Because some of the tips I'm starting to hear basically suggest that we regress into caveman behavior - using the sun to cook rice and all that. Yes, we need to be better global citizens, but does that mean we give up on all that separates us from the cro mags? What do you think, guys? [More] [Less]

As the US plummets into an economic recession, many bad side effects are being felt by all: the higher cost of gasoline and oil is translating to a higher cost of everything. This sucks. But, I can't help but wonder: is there a glaring positive side to this social issue for our culture and society, too? That might sound really unpatriotic, and I'm sure I'll be accused of being a countercultural traitor of some sort, but to me it rings true. We SHOULD be biking to work. We SHOULD be figuring out ways to cut our dependency on foreign oil, sinking resources into alternative, renewable, eco-friendly fuel sources. We SHOULD be sinking less money into other environmental, cultural, and social pollutants, like paper products, gossip magazines, and seven hundred dollar handbags. A recession will make us stop and think about where we dispose of our disposable income, since we'll have less of it. And we might just make a lot of choices that are better for our planet, for our culture, for our global status. No one likes us anymore, America: so maybe we need this economic time-out to figure out why. So now, go ahead: call me a big fat traitor. I'm used to taking the abuse. Let me know your two cents on this social issue. [More] [Less]

How/whythefuck is it legal to inflate the value of homes, property, or other assets to the point where a market downswing would mean the disappearance of trillions of dollars? To me, that sounds like nothing more than the behavior of someone with a gambling problem. Except this addict just happens to be a collection of bankers who just pissed away all our tax money. And that pisses me off. I certainly don't take high risks that might cost other individuals their homes. Why/howthefuck can these suits? And how can the government think a bailout will be anything but a band-aid, and a cheap, generic one at that? You know, the kind that falls off after an hour of minor bending? Seriously, doesn’t the government and Wall Street have a little more social responsibility than that? I don't want to see this country fall into a depression any more than the next citizen, but it seems like it was this kind of irresponsible risk-taking that got us into this mess. I don't think it's going to get us out. We need to change our behavior here - as a nation and as individuals - and until that happens, we're just going to continue to keep sliding further into debt, until Mexican pesos finally are worth more than our dollars. Just my devalued two cents. [More] [Less]

At the start of this summer, I took a break from my web talk show and went to Cozumel, Mexico, where I stayed at the house of a friend for 10 perfectly awesome days. While I was there, I made sure to check out as much of the local culture and favorite places as possible, including their beaches. One day, I was relaxing at a quiet, secluded beach restaurant (bar), eating some ceviche mixto, enjoying a leetle drink, and I noticed that some good music was wafting from their speakers. Some REALLY good music. It was my first introduction to Cumbia, the dance music from Colombia. A variant of the African Guinean cumbe music, Cumbia is highly rhythmic and full of emotion. I loved it. In fact, I bought the CD from the bartender right then and there with the pesos I had. The CD has been the backdrop of my entire summer, so I thought I would do a video on my leetle web talk show for my favorite song on it. It's a song called Cuerpo Sin Alma, and it rules. Enjoy. [More] [Less]

This is a fun political video if I do say so myself. No one would deny this is a pivotal election year in the United States. Since each American has to choose which candidate gets his or her vote, you'd think our media would focus on presenting helpful information to inform citizens' voting preferences for the betterment of our country. You know, like, FOCUS ON THE ISSUES?! But no, all of our media outlets continue to focus on the sensational, the scandalous, and the sexy parts of the candidates' offerings (the latter of which, a stretch). Instead of talking about Lipstick on a Pig, TV news might consider outlining each candidate's step-by-step plan for healthcare reform. Or how the candidates intend on rescuing us from dependency on oil. But no, it's much more interesting to talk about what designer jacket Sarah Palin was wearing during her fluff speech, right? And that's really going to get our country out of this financial crisis and cultural cesspool, right? Riiiiiight. So, to the American mass media that remains bent on primarily covering the superficial and distracting facets of the election, I salute you, with this incredibly sarcastic political video. [More] [Less]

So I read a social issue study, which said that we as a society now say we have a lot more friends through social networking websites than we had before the Internet, but that they’re not CLOSE friends. And in fact, in our culture we have fewer close friends than we had before the Interwebbage. With so many more media alternatives out there, HOW are we growing smaller in our social circles? It’s the old quality versus quantity thing going on in this here study, folks. I tend to agree that friends known to us solely online can’t possibly be good, close friends, because much of our communication is lost in Internet translation. Humor, sarcasm, and the depth of real emotion are all lost in email, IM, texts, and otherwise. However, I have definitely connected with more people on a lesser level online, and made some relevant, meaningful connections. And no, I’ve never Internet dated so just RELAX on that tip. That’s a whole other social issue. I think Internet relationships are all good and fine and people should continue exploring this new social phenomenon. However, we really shouldn’t confuse online relationships for real, face-to-face ones, nor should we forget how import those carbon-based connections are. [More] [Less]

This is just great. Watch this grassroots, ghetto clip. So, I love watching Dr. Phil, because he is both grotesquely self-involved enough to be giving advice on national TV and pretty much right about human behavior, all at the same time. He has ingrained himself in our culture over here in the good ol’ US of A as therapist to EVERYONE IN OUR SOCIETY. He absolutely profits off of the misfortune of others, and yet those lame others actually seek his help and want to be used by him. What’s a good doctor to do? Suck his dentures a lot, I guess. Sorry for the grassroots style of reporting here, but sometimes ripping crap off TV is just too tempting. [More] [Less]

The gaming industry. It is a cultural behemoth. It is pervasive. It is also rich in social commentary. Let’s face it: the game industry is a great place to find out about where our culture is at, because what kids are playing reflects their likes, dislikes, and general mindset. The industry has grown exponentially since its inception as a countercultural side-note in the 70s. Kids be playing GAMES now, son! So when I got invited to check out 2005’s E3 Convention to create an alternative news report for them, I was incredibly psyched. A: free trip. B: paid to do what I like. C: E3 is a total trippy experience. Thanks so much, UGO.com! nyway, walking around the convention was an absolute sensory overload. It was so loud and bright and flashing and huge and BOOB infested, I didn’t know where to look first. Housed at LA’s Staples Center, the convention was a testament to all things in American society: it was super-sized, super-loud, overdone, and a helluva lotta fun. Violent games? Check. Large-breasted women trying to sell you stuff? Check. Huge sums of misallocated funds? Double-check. Maybe that last reason is why E3 is no more: it was simply too big or too expensive to keep up with its own bad self. Either that or they DIDN’T SELL TICKETS TO THIS GAMING WONDERLAND TO THE SOCIAL PUBLIC AT AFFORDABLE PRICES. Whatever. I’m just glad I got to experience the cultural phenomenon that was (America) E3 before it was no more. Update: I hear it’s coming back. Let’s hope I cover it again! [More] [Less]

The OJ Simpson case was at least seven-kinds of culturally significant. A famous black ex-athlete/loved celebrity accused of violently murdering his white ex-wife and her current lover. What’s NOT to be culturally significant and worth of my web talk show about this case in a society still affected by not-too-distant centuries of the enslavement of kidnapped Africans? The guy still insists on saying he didn’t do it, even though he named a new book “If I Did It”. Way to cash in on your ex-wife murder! The whole thing was a travesty, including the way race relations became the focal point of the trial commentary. The perception was that all black Americans believed him to be innocent, the yet-another victim of racism in this country, and that all white Americans believed him to be guilty, because they are all racist assholes. To me, it seemed like all the evidence pointed to him being very, very guilty. But who am I, other than a racist white asshole, right? That’s what I must be, and not a social commentary video-maker, right? Anyway, when OJ starting talking about his book “If I Did It”, I thought it would be good to hit the streets of Brooklyn for my little web talk show to find out who all thought he committed the murder and whether or not it was such a black and white case. Watch the video to find out. You might just be surprised. [More] [Less]

I’m totally a tech-geek, I’ll admit it. Well, ok. I’m an everything-geek, and technology is no exception. It’s necessary for all the social commentary, I think: to be tapped into geekdom. So I went to check out Wired’s NextFest to do a little grassroots reporting and see what people had in store for the future of technology, and boy was I…well…disappointed! I really love Wired magazine and even subscribe like the nerd I am. I get all my geeky info from alternative news sources as much as possible. But there just weren’t that many cool gadgets at this convention. A freaggin robotic bartender? Didn’t someone try that in 1950? Does our culture need this? I feel like I’ve seen a black and white TV commercial on some old-timey special that showcased such a product. And this is what Wired NextFest offers in the year 2006. LAAAAME. A hug shirt??? WTF??? I did, however, get to ride that cultural phenomenon that is known as a Segway, which sucked but was HILARIOUS, especially since GOB drives one. You never did change the way people scoot about in society, now, did you Ginger? And there were some revved up astro-nerds to talk to, and I like talking to them a lot. But overall, I give this exhibition a C. Average. And I expect so much more from the future, Wired! Catch ya next year for another grassroots report. [More] [Less]

Ok, so K-Fed totally played Webster Hall this one Saturday night, so my friend and I figured we had to stand outside to talk to all his weirdo fans to see why they liked him so much for my web talk show. The second-best part of the night was finding out that no one was going into the club to see him, they were there for the 80s night party on another floor. And even those were few and far between. The best part of the night was that this concert happened two days before Britney announced she was divorcing K-Fed. Which means I was so. Right. On the social commentary money. The worst part about the night was that K-Fed had a concert. Who in our society lets this happen? Who pours money into such talentless creatures? Does it never occur to these people that hey, we’re kind of feeding into the downfall of our culture and society here, so maybe we shouldn’t promote this talentless douchebag in hopes of making some cash and then dumping him in the nearest mall parking lot when we’ve used him up? Obviously, no. This doesn’t occur to these people. The question is, is that because they’re malicious and money hungry, or is it just that they’re plain old stupid? In either case, this was a funny video to make for my web talk show! [More] [Less]

This is also one of my favorite personal videos of my li’l web talk show. Please note: you should know my sense of humor right now, ok? Ok. So. I totally know the root of all our problems in this world. Isn’t that cool? We are a culture of symptom treaters. We are really lax on prevention. But wouldn’t it be great if we treated the cause instead of the effect? This is a gross generalization I realize, so of course there are going to be a myriad of exceptions. But, GENERALLY, we tend to focus on the aftermath of a problem instead of the cause. Take immigration. People are super focused on deporting all the illegal immigrants from here instead of focusing on why the hell we have so many illegal immigrants here. Here being where I live, the USA, I mean. We have so many illegal immigrants because we have a lot cushier life than a lot of people who risk their lives to come here. Since the grass is so much greener, people are going to continue to immigrate here whether we like it or not. So deporting ones that get here illegally is not going to fix the problem. We need to revisit work visa programs, allow for more and easier immigration, and enforce regulations for employment and taxation for anyone here. That’s just one example. Any example is the same, though. If we focused on fixing the problems themselves in our culture and society instead of dealing with the effects of the problems — a more preventative approach — things would be a lot better on this here planet. But that’s just this Resident’s two social commentary cents for my web talk show. What’s yours? [More] [Less]

So, I admit it: I have a pea-sized bladder. And I actually wrote “pee-sized” at first, by accident, and now I have to go have a laughing fit for a while. Pardon me… Ok, I’m back to my web talk show here. Now, where was I? Oh yeah! I totally have to go to the bathroom like, every half hour. That’s a realistic ballpark, unfortunately. It’s a combo of a small bladder and the fact that I drink a ton of water to keep myself really hydrated. I have this theory that people are like sponges. Picture a petri dish. Then picture a spongy tissue hanging out in that petri dish. And stuff like Dorito dust and smoke keeps getting dumped on that spongy tissue. It’s getting all shriveled up and nasty, right? Then a dropper comes along, drips water on the spongy tissue, and the tissues bounces back into shape and all the bad crap flushes out of it. Yeah, so I like to hydrate my spongy tissue, and that’s the mental picture in my head that reminds me to drink a lot of water. That’s my social commentary on that issue… Anyway. All this drinking water leads me to a lot of public bathrooms. Because if there’s one thing all New Yorkers do a lot, it’s walk around. Walking is my main mode of transportation, and I just have to pull over to pee quite often. And if you’re a tourist in this city, I guarantee you that at least once, you’ll be looking for a public bathroom on your trip. Well, look no further, folks! Your pea-sized bladder-having host has compiled a lovely list of great public bathrooms here in the fine city of New York, in this here video for this here web talk show. You’re welcome! For even more great pee spots around the world, check out The Bathroom Diaries. Have any great ones of your own? Do share, do share! [More] [Less]

People be having plastic surgery all the time now. It’s completely socially acceptable for someone to get fake boobs in our culture. There are a lot of grotesqueries about plastic surgery, but right now I’m just going to focus on fake boobs. Girls who implant silicone or I forget the other type, into their bodies, big floating jelly sacks, right onto their chests, so that they look like they have bigger boobs. What the hell?! How did our culture get here? How did this become the world we live in, and when was it that it sounded like a good/rational idea in the first place? Some people justify it with a warm-fuzzy approach: if getting breast implants helps a girl with her self-esteem and confidence, then it’s a good thing. Talk about a SHORT CUT and yes that’s a PUN INTENDED.Come on. There are so many other ways to work on your self-esteem and self-confidence other than risking your life by going under and implants some pretty silly stuff into your chest. It’s just silly to me. And I don’t think it’s because of the usual reason that I am a countercultural person by nature. Alas, I do believe we are heading to a culture where girls get their boobs for their 16th birthday as a regular rite of passage. For real. That’s where we’re headed, make no mistake about it. Unless the economy truly bottoms out or the environment really messes with our whole social infrastructure, fake boobs will become not just completely accepted as they are now, but the norm. You heard it here first on this online show. Now watch the funny video where I stuff my bra in Times Square! Talk about a grassroots experiment on a social issue. This is as budget as it GETS. [More] [Less]

The Residential Definition: -noun. a method of reading and spelling on the Web based upon phonetic interpretation of ordinary spelling. IMHO, grammar and spelling are pretty durn important to our society and culture as a whole. So as I’ve seen more and more people adopt Webonics into their everyday writing, I’ve gotten discouraged. It’s not really that much harder to include apostrophes, periods, or initial caps, is it? Much of Webonics just seems like it’s based out of laziness, then. But now I’m taking a harder look at the phenomenon. Because, in just my li’l lifetime, there have been many changes in grammar rules, new words have popped up, and alternate spellings have become acceptable. The world is changing quickly right now, what with super-fast digital communication increasing exponentially. So why wouldn’t the language reflect that? Moreover, isn’t a good thing that so many people are writing again? So, going against my usual liberal viewpoints, I was initially annoyed at Webonics…but then, well, just watch the alternative news commentary video. [More] [Less]