Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 12

 

I went to the mall this morning.

It was depressing--as all trips to the mall are.

Every time I go, I am bracing internally for which stores have closed, which ones are clearly going out of business, and which table-side vendors are going to be trying to entice me if I make the mistake of accidentally making eye-contact with them as I walk by.

What was I going to the mall for? No . . . it wasn't for pre-Thanksgiving Christmas purchases.

I was there to drop off about six old iPhones at the Apple store to (hopefully) get the parts recycled and other items responsibly disposed of. These technological relics had been riding shotgun in my car for months and I finally decided to take care of getting rid of them.

BUT . . . while I was there, I ran across some really choice items that--while I would not want to own them myself, it does provide blog fodder for some counter-programming.

My theme?

And people say that men are hard to shop for . . .

I start with this one because it is slightly different in theme than the rest. It's so masculine and I just love Pacino's Tony Montana centered front middle--specifically posed with his little friend. I note internally that while I has only watched the Godfather movies and Goodfellas out of the media listed here, it is all immediately recognizable to me.

If you buy this for home display, it feels like it is best located in a basement Man Cave bar or in a shot garage or something. But what do I know? Maybe it hangs in your downstairs half-bath. You be you.

Next up we have this beauty.

This is the one that immediately caught my eye as I walked past the display area the first time. (Make of that what you will.) And I circled back to it on the way out to photograph it and the others. Lots to "love" about the idea here. (And there if there was a similar "Who's Your Batman" version amidst all of the other pictures, I sadly missed it.

I don't see Cesar Romero's Joker from 1966 on the wall behind these modern Jokers--which is definitely a shame. Especially since they are calling out famous Joker art and iconography from so many famous comics and graphic novels along the way. And I like that Nicholson's 80's Tim Burton Joker is acting as the patriarch of this evil trio--not getting his hair cut but dispensing wisdom to his fellow Joker-come-latelys.

This one is less Easter-eggy than the Jokers. There are fewer items on the wall behind. (Or maybe I'm just less familiar with what is there.) But I find it noteworthy that Bryan Cranston's Walter White has graduated into the pantheon of these murderous heavy-hitters. (What would Jessie think?) 

Swerving into a more wholesome direction we have this combo. The funniest part of this combination is obviously the Hulk calmly waiting for a haircut. (I guess the barber chair is made of vibrainium or adamantium or something? No way a stock chair will handle Hulk's bulk. Or maybe not even the Iron Man armor either.) 

And I hope Stan has a soap box to stand on when trying to get the shear's at the top of Hulk's head.

What is Cap thinking about as he relaxes on the right? Probably Peggy I guess. Or maybe Bucky. But he seems disengaged in the conversation. He has memories and experiences that the others in the scene don't . . . so I guess it makes some sense.

Now . . . the larger question is, why these three? Three appears to be the magic number in these picture designs. But are Black Widow and Hawkeye just not good enough (again)? Is Thor just not interested in Earthly haircuts? Or are his locks not cuttable by Earth's Best Equipment? (Or maybe the Stan Lee space barber scene in Thor: Ragnarok has already covered this territory suitably?)

Finally we have this.

And first off, it must be said that Snape needs to get a severe shampooing before any barber is going to cut his hair. Because it is well know--according to many students--as being greasy. But also . . . why couldn't we get a Three Joker's-style image with Harris's, Gambon's, and Law's Three Dumbledores? (Are the Fantastic Beasts movies so out-of-favor that it won't be considered?)

The answer to that last question is yes.

And why is Professor Flitwick being forced into--as Malfoy has said--"servant stuff" cutting Hagrid's hair?

Anyway . . . there you go.

I think that staring carefully at these images will definitely provide suitable diversion against college football. There are lots of details to delight in here. And I have only raised a few of many questions that can be confronted with this art. All of which are more interesting and diverting that whether or not your corner back is going to overcome his academic problems to make it onto the field today.

So boo to college football and yay to mysterious media art!

See you next week.

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 11

I've been travelling this week. I spent time in SEC country--where all of the conference promotional commercials tell me that "It just matters more." 

So, I'm deep in the heart of Football Programming on a Saturday, trying to counter-program against the thing that Matters. More.

Every week that I try to distract you from the siren song of Saturday College Football is hard enough. But the circumstances are stacked against me this week. Maybe more than even I can hope to overcome.

But in the spirit of the place where I am right now, here is my attempt.

***

While driving on Interstate 75 the other day, a white Dodge Charger passed by me on my left. It was a newer model--the basic body design and style that has defined the Charger for maybe the last decade or so? But whenever I see this car, it always and only calls to mind one car: the Duke Boys "General Lee" car from the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard.

The prominent use of the Confederate flag iconography on the paint job of the car--not to mention it's name makes it a problematic item. But I certainly watched the show growing up as a kid. And I owned the Hot Wheels General Lee car. (My neighbor down the street had a Bo and Luke poster on her bedroom door as I recall.)

***

But, my question to you is . . . what are iconic cars of your youthful memory? What car makes/models are burned into your brain for whatever reason? Maybe it is a different TV show. Maybe it was featured in a movie or a music video. If you are older, maybe Steve McQueen drove it down the streets of San Francisco?

Whatever it is. Stop and think about it. What made that item important to you? What memories does it bring up in your brain now?

And maybe it isn't a car. Could be a plane, a helicopter (for any Air Wolf fans out there) a motorcycle (Street Hawk!) or any thing else.

Leave me a comment and chime in with your choice and your memories.

And remember . . . there is no car that is going to be able to save your team today when they are fighting chancy November winds. So it is best to get into your car, drive away from your TV, and take a walk in the woods.

Until next week.

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 10 Bye Week

 I skipped last weekend because I was sick. Because I was isolating. Because of many things.

But I'm endeavoring not to "skip" this week. At least not in the sense that I am putting something on screen. Not in the sense that I am putting extensive content down. But I didn't want to miss two weeks in a row.

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 8

I'm going to busy most all of today with a trip across Ohio and back for a marching band competition.

So I'm keeping today's FC-P short.

Here is a video from last night's halftime performance of the Play Ball! 2022 competition show. The only things that are missing from this are a. the competition (baseball) uniforms and b. the audio samples. (And the absence of the samples hurts the narrative of the show a bit. But hopefully it will all be there today.)

No matter what YOU are doing today, make sure it isn't football-related. (And yes, I will be in a football stadium, but there will be no football happening in it.)

Until next week!

Football Counter-Programming 2022: Week 7

It's good news for me today (Saturday) because The Ohio State Buckeyes are not playing today. So I don't have to work as hard (in this part of the world) to football counter-programming.

Rather I have to work hard to get in my apple-picking, pumpkin patching, leaf piling, corn mazing, or whatever else (covered bridging?) that constitutes Autumnal Bliss in this Instagram world. (Fun fact reader, I'm doing none of those things today. In part because all of Ohio is doing so as a result of the aforementioned tOSU lack of game.)

But I'm still sort of taking the day off by reducing my word count. (Really, I am. Despite that last paragraph.)

Instead of my words, I'll leave you with this video of an excellent concert that I attended on Tuesday. Grace's first concert band performance at Ohio Wesleyan. 

Yes, it is long, but it is absolutely 50 minutes well spent. 

And besides, you shouldn't be watching football anyway.

 Valdres (1904) by Johannes Hanssen

"A Letter to Herman Melville" by Karen Poremski, OWU Emeritus Professor of English

Of Sailors and Whales (1989) by Francis McBeth

    I. Ishmael

    II. Queequeg

    III. Father Mapple

    IV. Ahab

    V. The White Whale

Blues for A Killed Kat (1987) by Jack End

Schwanda, The BagPiper (1928) by Jaromir Weinberger

    I. Polka

    II. Fugue