November 22, 2009 8:15 p.m.

"Shoot him again. His soul is still dancing."

The film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans has just been released, and I think that we can all agree that I need to see this movie, probably immediately. Putting aside that it is directed by the brilliant and probably crazy Werner Herzog. Forgetting for a moment that it appears to star the Leaving Las Vegas Nicolas Cage, and not the National Treasure Nicolas Cage. Utterly ignoring its implicit claim, however tenuous, to the sensibilities of the insane over-the-top original Bad Lieutenant. Or even the return of Val Kilmer. Watch this trailer and tell me that you don't have a strong desire to catch this flick promptly. Because then I will know never to hang out with you.

November 19, 2009 9:53 a.m.

Everyone has a past. I was reminded of mine when my friend Mike wrote the following e-mail about his new interest in an the 80's band Loverboy and their song "Working for the Weekend":

I was not necessarily a big fan of this song when it came out, or even years later when 80's rock started coming back to the radio. Second, I generally do not care for cover bands. Nevertheless, I totally rocked out when I heard a cover band play this song a couple of months ago at the Clarendon Grill. Now I can't stop listening to the original. Am I just nostalgic? Also, is that Will Ferrell playing guitar? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E82ozXyNjk&feature=related

My response:

I saw these guys live in ’83 at the Brendan Byrne Arena in Jersey in ’83. I am not even kidding. I had seventh row seats. I was there for the opening act, a band called Zebra, a Rush wanna-be group that had some moderate success during the nascent days of MTV (you know, back when they played videos). You can look them up on YouTube--their “hit” was “Who’s Behind the Door?”, and I used a lyric from it for my high school yearbook quote. I wish I was making even part of this up. Having been there, though, I can attest to the fact that women loved these guys. By the second half of the show the first twenty rows had essentially rushed the front of the stage. They would have stepped over their grandmother to catch a drop of sweat from the bass player. Totally incomprehensible in retrospect.

Someday I'll be telling my kid, "I saw Def Leppard in '82 back when Rick Allen had two arms." I'm pretty sure it won't end well.

November 13, 2009 9:54 p.m.

For six years, every time I go grocery shopping, I see this and it makes me smile. And I don't even like yogurt.

November 5, 2009 8:19 p.m.

Dear Mom:

Howdy. Thanks for dressing me up like a gay cowboy. I really appreciate it. I guess they don't sell assless chaps at Babies R Us. You know, I think I'm a little young to be trying out for the Village People. Just a thought.

Love, your son

Dear Mike:

I know we haven't met yet, but this isn't me. You have to trust me on this.

Cheers, Jude