Since Obama’s landslide victory, I have received lots of incredibly racist, hate-filled, ignorant emails, comments, and messages for my political videos. There have been a few emails that were so filled with hate and rage, they sounded like the works of a terrorist. Hey, racist guy that emailed me that apocalyptic diatribe. Guess what? Terrorists don’t call themselves terrorists. They are outraged and filled with hate and are so convinced they are right, too, just as you are, that they think they’re entitled to seethe with hate for people that don’t think like them. JUST LIKE YOU ARE DOING. So guess what, guy who emailed me that pile of hate this week? You have all the makings of a terrorist, much more than our President Elect. So to all you racists out there who are up in arms and are so filled with ignorant hate, chill the hell out and practice that breathing exercise your anger management counselor taught you. And for god’s sake put DOWN your gun or plumber’s wrench or whatever weapon you picked up in a rage, and consider maybe picking up a book. How about a dictionary. It’s called MELANIN, you terrorist. Or even better, pick up your precious Bible and read a few of Jesus’ words. You know, the ones where he urges you to love all people equally and do unto others, and all that. All people are people, people. Life is too short for all this hate and fear. The world is a big, diverse, interesting place. You should keep your eyes open and appreciate it in all its beauty while you can. Because before you know it, you’ll be gone. [More] [Less]

This video is about a social issue, even though it’s light-hearted. Here’s my issues this week for my web talk show: A disturbingly large number of girls dress slutty on Halloween. Sexy nurses. Sexy cats. Sexy nuns. Sexy schoolgirls (worst). These are what they call their costumes. To me, there’s nothing remotely sexy about them. To me, they’re just slutty. Sexifying an otherwise normal stereotypical outfit – when did Halloween turn into that? These costumers are just cheap ways to get the wrong kind of attention, fast. But I guess some girls are so desperate for attention that they’ll take it any way they can get it. And I, personally, just don’t get it. This was the main point behind my funny video for Halloween last year, and boy did I hear feedback both supporting and hating on me. I stand by my point, still, and this year I’m going to add to it. Instead of just begging the ladies to grow some self-respect and not slut out for Halloween, I’m going to beg the ladies to grow some self-respect AND originality, and not slut out a Sarah Palin outfit for Halloween. Being slutty is cheap; being Sarah Palin is unoriginal. K. Let the lashings begin anew on my web talk show. [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]

So, the economy in the United States is taking a beating, to the point of becoming the most pressing social issue. People are losing their houses, banks are closing, and the government is taking a socialist approach while vehemently denouncing socialism in any shape or form in the presidential election arena. Whatever to THAT. Anyway...the cause of this economic crisis boils down to one thing, and it's one thing of which the US government and the American people are both guilty: overspending. We've all been buying stuff on credit. We want the big-screen TV, the 5-bedroom house, the range rover, the SkiDoo, the control over oil in the Middle East, all of it, now. And because credit is doled out left and right in this country, even encouraged by our market, we were all able to grab the whole ball of consumerist wax into our greedy clutches. We were living a buy now, pay later lifestyle. Looks like we're beginning to see the massive amount of interest we've accrued. We're, just now, starting to pay for our sedentary, gimme lifestyles, which we've been living for decades. And while we've been living it, our culture and our waistlines have gone bust. The silver lining to me of this economic crisis, then, is this: I think we're going to see the rise in diabetes slow down, more attention paid to finding alternative fuel and energy sources, and a bit more focus on what I think is most important to begin with, which is family. This economic crisis is going to force people out of gluttony and into circles of people gathering together using their collective resourcefulness to try and work this out. So America, here's hoping we've all learned the lesson on financial responsibility and its correlation to our culture and society. Let me know your two cents on this social issue. [More] [Less]

The economy is slowly or swiftly tanking, depending on your income level. No matter what your bracket, though, there's a good chance you're starting to feel...well...broke. Personally, I don't think John McCain or Barack Obama have any idea how to fix the problem just yet. so instead of spending another minute hounding them for an economic plan they just don't have, I thought I'd share these incredibly helpful money-saving tips. Because the bottom line is, it's your money. We all have a social responsibility to behave fiscal-ier. You deserve to hold onto every last, gold-free penny, and anyone who wants to tax them away from you to go to schools and other programs can go straight to hell. That's the Christian way, right, right-wing conservatives? Where was I...? Oh right! Watch this week's video! What are your thoughts on this social responsibility issue? [More] [Less]

Aside from a few magical numbers on health care and taxes, it was just another pile of rhetoric. Short little political video for ya here.

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]

The economy is slowly or swiftly tanking, depending on your income level. No matter what your bracket, though, there's a good chance you're starting to feel...well...broke. Personally, I don't think John McCain or Barack Obama have any idea how to fix the problem just yet. so instead of spending another minute hounding them for an economic plan they just don't have, I thought I'd share these incredibly helpful money-saving tips. Because the bottom line is, it's your money. We all have a social responsibility to behave fiscal-ier. You deserve to hold onto every last, gold-free penny, and anyone who wants to tax them away from you to go to schools and other programs can go straight to hell. That's the Christian way, right, right-wing conservatives? Where was I...? Oh right! Watch this week's video! What are your thoughts on this social responsibility 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]

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]

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 heartfelt personal video might be my all-time favorite of my web talk show. For real, yo! This video was my first bona fide YouTube homepage feature. They ran it on the top of their homepage on the day Kurt died. And honestly, if there was any video I would have chosen myself to share in such a high-profile way, it would have been this one. So thanks YouTube. But more so than that, thanks, Kurt. I read a lot, and Kurt is still my top favorite author. I like to go back to old favorites over the years to see if they still hold up. Some of them do, and some of them don’t. John Updike is an amazing writer, and while I respect his awesome talent and proliferation of work, I can’t say his work held up for me personally when I recently re-read the Rabbit series. It’s not that the work isn’t superlative: I just found it incredibly depressing this time around, and its messages didn’t resonate as much. I’ve had similar experiences with other writers over the years. But never with Kurt’s work. Maybe one day I’ll go back to it and feel like it’s not as perfectly right as I’ve always felt, but so far, by far, he’s still my number one. So this video for my web talk show is a little reading I did of his, coupled with my own commentary. It’s from his work, “A Man Without a Country”, a really great book about the culture of the United States and how he feels about it. [More] [Less]

I love the band, System of a Down. Again, one of my personal, heartfelt favorites. And their song, “Lost in Hollywood”, speaks to me personally about our culture in the US today. I am super-creeped out usually when I spend more than 4 days out in LA-LA-land (Los Angeles for all of you non-US viewers), so the lyrics to this song, well, ring true. Super ghetto and grassroots, I know. Still I think this video rulz. [More] [Less]