Philadelphia better get ready for Hollywood Babble-On with legendary filmmaker, writer, storyteller, Kevin Smith and actor, man with many voices, and radio show host, Ralph Garman. Nothing in Hollywood is safe from ridicule when Kevin and Ralph step up to the mics. Monday October 17th, you can watch these two record Hollywood Babble-On at World Cafe Live!

In addition to making the jarringly visceral horror movie Red State, Kevin Smith has recently created a podcast empire called SModcast Internet Radio (S.I.R). Featuring dozens of shows, S.I.R provides more laughs per minute than anything else on the internet.

Hollywood Babble-On is made up of Kevin and Ralph commenting on the weekly goings on in Hollywood. They start every show with shout-outs to people who have come a long way to see them. Ralph entertains each fan with a shout-out in a voice from his enormous bag of impressions. From the awkward pauses of Shatner to the exclamation of “WHOOAH!” from Pacino, Garman never fails to deliver the laughs. He even has an Ed Wynn impression that always likes to remind us that “life is for the living.” If you ever wanted to hear Sean Connery talk dirty or simply hear Ralph scream his famous movie line, “DAMN YOU SHARKTOPUS!”, then Babble-On is the show for you.

Kevin and Ralph are huge geeks themselves and can’t resist having a segment entitled “Geek News” complete with a Batman-esque theme song. These guys highlight the only news that is really important to us geeks. Sure the Greek economy has collapsed, but who cares when some dude in Oregon is riding a unicycle in a kilt while playing the Star Wars theme on bagpipes!

Join the legion of Kevin’s fans and enlist in the Garmy while you try not to fall out of your seat laughing when you are at World Cafe Live! October 17th. Ralph is from Philly, so show the returning local boy some love. Just don’t get it on him.

Tickets are $50 & $60 Which you can purchase here.

Hollywood Babble-On @ World Cafe Live
Monday, October 17th, 2011
Ticket Details: Here

There was a new addition to the collection of fossilized bones, stuffed animals (not the cute and cuddly kind, the ones that used to be alive), and butterflies at The Academy of Natural Science this past weekend. Seashell collectors from around the world gathered to show off the plethora of beautiful shapes and colors that nature has made out of some calcium and natural variation.

The exhibition featured all sorts of shells mounted and classified for you to peruse and enjoy. Deep sea conch and scallops have been brought up from far beneath the waves for you to enjoy. What struck me was the sheer variety of shapes and colors of shells gathered here for the show. Being from the seashore myself and more at home in the water than on land (well, not really at home, just less awkward and gangly), I thought I had seen most of the varieties of seashells. Boy, was I wrong. (more…)

Medium Bob’s is certainly a curiosity nestled snugly in South Philadelphia just off of Passayunk Ave. This little shop has a bit of everything, including an interesting story to tell.

Travis Kerestesy and Roey Levkowitz started up Medium Bob’s after Travis’s grandfather passed away. He left tons of unique knick-knacks and a plethora of clothes, all of which, if you bothered to look at the labels, were size medium. They had found a name for their store.

In addition to family trinkets, Travis and Roey comb through friends’ attics, yard sales, and anywhere else they might find a gem to polish and sell. The range of stuff in the tiny store is staggering. Everything from shoes to jumpsuits, records to vintage polaroid cameras (yes hipsters, start salivating). They also have vintage boardgames, old Nikon cameras, and unused 70’s kitchen appliances (the ones you unbox, look at, read the instructions, and still have no idea what they do). They even have Star Trek action figures for your geeky pleasure. (more…)

Who doesn’t love puppies? They are cute, clumsy, and love you more unconditionally than anyone, including your family. It is time to rally the geeks around an adorable and noble cause.

New Leash On Life USA is a non-profit organization right here in Philadelphia that has prison inmates socialize and train dogs so that they will be more readily adopted. The program, which has just started this summer, has been a resounding success. There has never been more of a win/win situation. Prisoners move along with their rehabilitation while at the same time giving an animal a chance to find a loving home. Not only are the dogs adopted by the public, but in the future many will be trained as companion dogs for veterans and other people with disabilities. Everyone needs a helping paw now and again.

On September 1st, New Leash on Life will be hosting the “Dog Days of Summer” Happy Hour at Gunners Run at the Piazza. There will be a puppy kissing booth so you can be smothered to the brink of death by cuteness.

If puppy smooches aren’t your style, you can enter the raffle, Chinese auction, or gorge yourself on food and delicious beer. Just $5 will get you a beer and some delectable appetizers. 40% of the proceeds will go right to New Leash on Life USA. There’s no cover, but slipping 5 bucks into the donation can is always encouraged. Gunners Run has a special dog food menu just for your pooch so bring your four-legged pal along with you.

So come have a drink, kiss a puppy, and have some fun. You might be helping to save more than one life.

New Leash on Life
newleashonlife-usa.org

Gunners Run
1001 N 2nd St # 3 (19123)
(215) 923-4600

Jason Mewes. You all know him as the lovable trash-talking jester in the duo of Jay and Silent Bob. He has made appearances in Clerks, Dogma, Mallrats, and among many other cinematic romps. And although there aren’t going to be anymore Jay and Silent Bob movies, they live on in audio form on SModcast Internet Radio (S.I.R.).

Mewes took some time to answer a few of my questions. Being from New Jersey myself, Jason Mewes is a bit of a legend and I was quite nervous giving him a call that morning. But, all my qualms were laid to rest when he answered the phone with a resounding, “HELLLLOOOOO!”

How has it been collaborating with Kevin to get S.I.R. off the ground? Weekly podcasts are one thing but a whole radio station has to be a whole new beast.

It has been a lot of fun. I’ve been digging it. Credit goes to my wife Jordan. Jordan and Kevin go back and forth on iChat with ideas and sort of get everything going. There are also the interns that work on the technical stuff. It really is a team collaboration with Kevin’s assistant Megan and her fiance too. I try to come up with ideas that Kevin hates. I know he hates them but I try to just stick them into the live show anyway. But, I really have been enjoying it. They actually had me set up here in the old copy room of a school so we could stream the show while I’m here in Canada filming. But yeah, really enjoy it. (more…)

Do you ever find yourself wanting to wander Sherwood Forest in a pair of green tights while singing cheeky songs? Well go and watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights then. If you want to know the whole story of Robin Of Loxley, watch Robin of Sherwood, the most complete retelling of the Robin Hood legend.

The Robin of Sherwood Boxed Set 1 on Blu-Ray chronicles the transformation of Robin of Loxley into the thieving scamp we all know as Robin Hood. Michael Praed turns in a quality performance as the Prince of Thieves. Many of you more seasoned TV geeks (Hey! I didn’t say older!) may remember him from Dynasty. Amongst Robin’s merry men is the hot headed Will Scarlet (Ray Winstone). Winstone has been working a bit more recently and you might remember him from The Departed and The Kindom of the Crystal Skull. (Which, according to me, doesn’t exist. Indy was last seen riding off into the sunset on horseback with his dad, Marcus Brody, and Sallah.)

Follow Robin through his most harrowing adventure yet to save the sweet Maid Marian. Robin of Sherwood does not hesitate to delve into the darker depths of the Robin Hood legend that is full of pagan mysticism. I found it to be one of the most interesting adaptations of the tale. The entire series was shot on location in the English countryside which allows it to evoke a feel of authenticity.

The set is not lacking in bonus features. There 3 blu-ray discs are packed with the first 13 episodes from series one and two. But the final disc is loaded with over 8 hours of bonus features. So if you are like me, and bought the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions and watched all the bazillion hours of behind the scenes documentaries…twice, then you will want for nothing.

Robin of Sherwood came out on June 7th and you can get it from www.acornonline.com for $79.99.

You probably won’t run through a tunnel 28-Weeks-Later-style. It’s nice to dream though.

Do you enjoy the occasional 5K run? Do you like to party like it is the end of the world? Most importantly, would you prefer to keep your brains in your skull and out of the gnashing jaws of a cerebrum hungry zombie? Then you need to prepare…and what better way to do that than to Run For Your Lives!

Run For Your Lives is the first-of-its-kind 5K obstacle course complete with zombies gnawing at your heels. You will need to run, jump, dive, and crawl to make it out alive. Just imagine how much time you could shave off that high school track record if you had the walking dead chasing you!

If you survive the 5K ordeal and make it through the finish with all your limbs intact you can still stick around for the Apocalypse Party featuring undead (that means live) bands, an awards ceremony for the survivors, and lots of stuff to buy with Nukacola bottle caps. Cause the dollar is worthless after the zombies eat our government.

For $67 you get a snazzy tee shirt to use as a bandage for your zombie bites, a racing bib, a medal (survivor or zombie depending on if you still have your brains at the finish line) and admittance to the Apocalypse Party.

The apocalypse starts on October 22 just outside of Baltimore, MD. For more information, visit the official website.

Although the name might be a mouthful, the Mophie Juice Pack Air is certainly not a handful. This little gadget will protect your 4th Gen iPod Touch while at the same time providing twice as much time playfully slicing fruit out of the air like a ninja or knocking down some porker’s home.

This sleek case not only protects your precious Apple product, but gives it almost twice the amount of play time. It will keep your iPod playing music at the party for 34 hours after everyone else’s Touch has been gasping desperately for an outlet.

I put this extra battery/protective case through the bootcamp. Give or take a couple hours, the pack does exactly what it says it will do. It keeps your iPod touch playing continuously long into the next day and the day after.

The extra six hours of video time is perfect for those of you taking a plane ride to Australia. I even took the time to give my iPod a good toss down my wooden staircase. Those of you with butter fingers will be happy to know that this case gives you some much needed protection from the occasional drop from the 3rd floor. FYI the iPod touch still works perfectly. (more…)

If James Bond worked for Hellboy’s Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense he still wouldn’t be as cool as Matthew Dee.

Dee is a combat mage working for Majestic Intelligence, a secret organization created to protect the earth from invaders from another dimension that had been sealed off long ago by the legendary mage from Camelot, Merlin.

Dee has the hard job of casting spells while spouting one liners. Dee and the rest of Majestic must stop the prophecy of the Pendragon from coming true. They have to protect their world at all cost.

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2 Electric Guitars + 1 Electric Bass + 1 Drum Kit + 1 Hacked NES from 1985 = Anamanaguchi

Get psyched, 8 bit music enthusiasts. Anamanguchi will be in town playing at the legendary North Star Bar on Thursday, July, 21st. Tickets will only run you  $10-$12. To learn more about the band and to listen to some free tracks, visit Anamanaguchi’s official website.

So come have your face blown off by a hacked NES. We’ll see you there.

Anamanguchi @ the North Star Bar
2639 Poplar Street (19130)
(215) 787-0488
www.northstarbar.com

“A long time ago and far far away,
A story was told of an epic space fray
The good and the bad
In the life of a lad,
How he was lost but then found his way.”

So begins the journey of one man to encompass the entirety of Star Wars into limerick form. But how can one person contain all of the Star Wars universe into a few stanzas with rhyme and meter… and in a format usually reserved for dirty poems? Well it is possible. I have seen it. And it is good. Surprisingly so.

This Death Star sized project is currently right in the middle of Attack of the Clones and is moving along at a clip.

Prepare to experience Star Wars like you never have before… and I’m not talking about the Special Editions with Han Solo stepping on a digital Jabba’s tail. Ugh that squeal.

Check it out.

Star Wars Retold in Limericks
starwarslimerick.blogspot.com

Dust off that old Gameboy because it is time to make some music. Chiptune is an up and coming music genre that repurposes all that old video game hardware you have cluttering up your attic. Take all those nostalgic sounds from your childhood and rock the black rimmed glasses off of the masses.

There is a gathering of chiptune musicians every month in West Philadelphia. Studio 34 is a yoga studio by day, but one night a month it strains to contain the 8-bit madness of 8Static, a gathering of local and touring chip musicians.

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