The
Dude on the Right saw
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" with someone who
doesn’t really like bugs, which, because The Dude is weird, actually made the
movie experience bring a bigger smile to his face, but in the end
it’s all about the review, and The Dude does what he does. Stu Gotz,
though, is back doing some typographical reviewing, maybe because his kids might
be a little too young to see the "Crystal Skull" movie, but that doesn’t mean
his family, or at least just him, can’t
get in shape thanks to the Nintendo "Wii Fit." Hopefully Mama
Gotz won’t let Stu shove the thing under the couch to collect dust bunnies.
The Dude saw movies and fireworks, Stu is probably trying to figure out
how to dry a sweater on a "Wii Fit." Such are different weekends.
Author: Andy Labis
“Wii Fit” Probably Won’t Help Me Lose Weight, but Thank God for those McDonald’s Trans-Fat-Free Fries!
By:
Stu
Gotz
I always knew the Wii had exercise potential…
Well over a year ago, when I woke up at 4:30am to be in line by 5am to try a
purchase one of a promised 12 available Wii units at my local Target, I never
thought the Wii could be anything more than the next generation, cool, video
game console. That notion quickly changed the day I brought the console home and
became out of breath after loosing 3 rounds of boxing to my 5 year old. I joked
to the wife that day that Wii Boxing was a great workout, and I should start a
regimen. Did I? No, and I’m still a lard-butt over a year later, but all
that’s gonna change!!!
Reading the Sunday sale’s ads in bed on a Saturday
night…
While checking out the weekend sales ads I stumbled across the newest, must
have, Wii accessory – Yup, there it was, the new Wii Fit, along with the
optional Wii Fit Yoga Mat, available exclusively at Target, and they were going
to be available on Wednesday. Perhaps now I could realize my fitness goals by
playing Wii games? Figuring that there would be a rush to get the new Wii Fit, I
planned my workweek to get me close to a retail outlet when the doors opened.
Would my Wii Fit dreams be dashed???
Wednesday came and I was running late. My Target store opened at 8am, and I
was pulling into the parking lot at 8:12am. That’s ok… In a worst case there was
a Best Buy across the parking lot, and they opened at 10am. I was feeling good
about my potential of getting a Wii Fit as I strolled past the automatically
opening doors of my Target, and I was faced by no less that 8 people checking
out with Wii Fits. As I walked the aisle to the game area I was passed by 3 more
people with Wii Fits tucked into their shopping carts. Then I saw the end cap…
There were only 4 left! I rushed to grab one and felt a sense of accomplishment
as I checked out with my new Wii Fit complete with Wii Fit Yoga Mat.
The Wii Fit family unpacking event…
After dinner I assembled the family together to unveil our new "game" to
them. At first the kids didn’t seem too excited about the whole thing until
their mom informed them that we could get a snow boarding game to play with the
Wii Fit, and suddenly they were onboard, so to speak. Setting up the Wii Fit is
simple, strait-forward, but does take a bit of time. One aspect of the set-up is
that the Wii Fit assigns you a "Wii Fit Age" based upon your height, weight,
age, and balance test. I faired better than the wife as I was assigned a "Wii
Fit Age" of 45 and she was assigned an age of 49. We’re both 40. The Wii also
took the customized Wii characters the wife and I had created, and in my case
porked "me" out while slimming up Mama Gotz.
What’s this thing gonna do???
The Wii Fit is set up to be a fitness partner in 4 training areas: Yoga,
Balance, Strength, and Aerobics. The family and I spent several hours
familiarizing ourselves with all the areas, and the first thing we have come to
find out is that we all lack balance, at least according to the Wii Fit.
Mama Gotz was the first to advance in the Balance Games and open the first bonus
game, "Tightrope," although now she seems to be stuck there, because, like many
other Wii games, the Wii Fit is set up to train the user and reward them upon
mastery of a particular skill.
Bottom line, is this thing really gonna work???
Yes and no. The Wii Fit definitely has the potential to add an additional
element to an exercise regimen, but if you don’t have a regimen already then I
really don’t see this thing being a motivational source for someone to start
one. Actually, I take that back, you’ll start one, but see my final paragraph,
"The real bottom line…," below. That being said, though, if the Wii Fit is
shared by people with a friendly sense of fun and competition, you might just
get motivated, but it just won’t be as much about reaching a fitness goal,
rather one of who can take 1st place in an area, or who can go on to
the next level, therefore opening a new game or exercise.
The real bottom line…
Go look in the mirror – Are you either fat or just in need of some muscle
toning? Now go look around the house – Do you have unused exercise equipment
(drying your sweater on the treadmill does not constitute use)? Now search your
mind – You can’t remember the last time you hit the gym or went for a jog,
correct? If you answered, "Yes" to 2 or more of the previous 3 questions, then I
have a feeling your new Wii Fit will be destined to collect dust bunnies under
your sofa. Prove me wrong!!!
I’m Stu Gotz! ‘nuff said!
What’s New? A Podcast of: The Best Singer on the “American Idol” Finale Didn’t Win, and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
The Dude on the Right is still flustered about yesterday’s “American Idol” finale during this podcast, and it’s not because David Cook beat David Archuleta. Nope, the The Dude is flustered at wasting 2 hours and 5 minutes watching a 2 hour and 2 minute commercial for Fox related programming, or singers we don’t care about. Luckily Ryan Seacrest was able to announce the winner before the TiVo programming ran out, but more luckily was that Renaldo Lapuz was given the chance to regale us all with his version of “We’re Brothers Forever,” or “I Am Your Brother,” or who cares, he was great. Other than “Lost,” the Spring TV season is now over. Hooray?
The Best Singer on the “American Idol” Finale Didn’t Win, and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
By:
The Dude on the Right
So, yes, I wasted two hours and five minutes of my life watching an over-bloated
finale of "American Idol," and even though I recapped it yesterday
in my blog,
for this podcast I’ve got some audio! Yup, product placement was all
over the place, the Idol people had two hours to tell us who was this year’s
"American Idol," but if Ryan Seacrest had held the suspense about 30 more
seconds, well, millions of TiVo viewers would have been (or at least me),
cursing hell and high-water because the TiVo broadcast would have ended with
"This year’s ‘American Idol’ is David…. bing ‘(Would you like to
delete this recording?)’". At least, thank God, they gave us the return of
Renaldo Lapuz, singing "We’re Brothers Forever," or "I Am Your Brother," or I
don’t care, because he was great, especially with the USC Marching Band, and I
can’t help but sing along! David Archuleta fans, I am so sorry, but David
Cook fans, well, one last "Hooray!!!!"
It is, though, the upcoming Memorial
Day Weekend, I almost came close to cancelling my cable TV service, and
hopefully the only TV show I’ll get sucked into this summer will be "The
Bachelorette!"
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
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David Cook: This is your American Idol!
By:
The Dude on the Right
For you west coasters, wondering who won "American Idol" this year, I would like
to apologize for spoiling it for you, but for the love of any God, space alien,
or cosmos wondering about how we are here on this planet, PLEASE DO NOT WASTE
YOUR TIME WATCHING THIS FINALE!!!!! (Although, if you TiVo it, head straight for
the one hour and eleven minute mark to hear the greatest Idol singer ever).
I watched (some) of it, and here’s how it went.
Yes, Ryan Seacrest bragged
about how many votes were cast (something like 97.5 gabajillion, or at least
97.5 million votes), split between 56% for David, and 44% for the other David,
they did a "here’s what’s happening in their hometown" clip, and then another
lame sing-a-long. Then David and David did a bad duet of Chad Kroeger’s
(he’s the lead singer dude from Nickelback) version of "Hero," and then a
bizarre, crappy, piece of shit, plug for the next Mike Myers film "The Love
Guru,", trying to say that Guru Pitka is actually a real person, influencing our
two finalists. Oh my f-ing God! What in the hell is this total crap?
Mike Myers, you are no Sasha Baron Cohen.
The Idol folks then let Syesha come
out to show she probably should be the winner, doing a duet with Seal of
"Waiting for You," with, of course, Paula Abdul dancing her butt off. And
after about about a 4 minute commercial break we got Jason Castro back, singing
"Hallelujah," again. Yippee, although most of us probably already bought
the Jeff Buckley version on iTunes. And here we go, it’s just want we want
to see after another song, a product placement commercial for some Ford cars!
Another "Yippee" is in order!
Now we get the girl contestants singing Donna
Summer’s "She Works Hard for the Money," in group fashion, only letting us
remember how hot some of these dudettes were before they got booted from our
memories because they couldn’t really sing that great, and then, for more
lameness, having Donna Summer come out looking almost dazed and confused singing
what is going to be her new single. Do we really want Disco back?
Out of the groove of her latest "hit," Donna’s now into "Last Dance," with her
having the excitement of, well, I’m sorry for being mean, but having none,
letting Syesha show that yes, she is actually a singer. And now, with the
Donna Summer debacle done we get a Diet Coke commercial from like what, 3
summers ago?
Uggghhh!!! (Can you tell I’m really flustered watching this
show?)
At least we got a T-Mobile commercial from like a year or two ago where
Dad says to his daughter "Maybe you should have uglier friends." And then
with another commercial break I TiVo’d through, we get Carly Smithson and
Michael John singing an overproduced and "why the hell is this being done as a
duet" version Joe Cocker/The Box Tops "The Letter."
And at the 43 minute mark,
thank the Lord for Jimmy Kimmel! Oh, my God, it’s only the 43 minute mark!
That means there is probably another hourish left before we actually get to find
out who is the next American Idol.
Now the guys get to sing Bryan Adam’s
"Summer of ’69." What the hell is it with having Ameircan Idol people sing
songs released when they weren’t even born yet, and now, yes, we actually get
Bryan Adams to sing something new from him, "I Thought I’d Seen Everything."
Don’t get me wrong, I like Bryan Adams, but Bryan Adams?
Yay, now David Cook
gets to sing with ZZ Top, doing "Sharp Dressed Man." For some reason, I
don’t think I can actually hear David’s guitar.
Oh my God, I just can’t take
it anymore, now I’m getting Graham Nash singing "Teach Your Children" with
Brooke White. Actually, I almost like this performance, but I still can’t
take it anymore, can’t blog about this anymore. I’m going to watch some
baseball now to see if the Cubs, White Sox, or Indians win, and will be back
later to just announce who won.
Thank God for TiVo!
Okay, yes, I couldn’t
resist, I checked back, seeing that the Cubs were losing, and I’m torn between
the White Sox and the Indians winning their game, and what do I see back on
American Idol, but the greatest singer of all time, the "I Am Your Brother"
dude, Renaldo Lapuz. I actually have him as ringtones for some of my
friends! Screw Fleetwood Mac, Renaldo singing "I Am Your Brother" with the
USC Marching Band is a hell of lot better than "Tusk."
It’s back to
baseball….
Okay, the baseball is boring, it’s back to Idol. Oh crap,
it’s Jordin Sparks showing, and damn, I hate to be mean again, but why can’t she
lose a couple of pounds to make herself a totally hot singer? There’s
that, and I’m no fashion guru, but what’s up with the outfit that explodes her
hips?
Oh, thank God, another "product placement" commercial filtered in to the
American Idol broadcast. Yup, there’s a movie coming out called "Tropic
Thunder," and you might know it now.
Okay, never mind, Carrie Underwood is now
on the show, showing why I might want to convert to vegetarianism, with a skirt
that, well, umm, I’m going to pause this really quick. Did I say I love my
Tivo yet?
Okay, I’m back, that was quick….
Another group song – it’s back
to baseball…
The Cubs are still losing, the White Sox are now beating my
Cleveland Indians with a home run, I guess I’m back to Idol…
Ughhhh!
Just give me the winner already! It’s been an hour and 47 minutes already!
This is really why I’m starting to hate this show. And oh my God, they
just brought out George Michael, who, surprisingly enough, has a tour to
promote, and he’s singing "Praying For Time." Okay, he did a nice job with
that. But, of course, we have to promote his tour!
Finally, please, oh
for the love of God, please, just tell me who in the hell is the winner!
Final
thoughts from me – get back to why we actually watch the show, quit with the
crap. The result’s shows should only be a half an hour long, the
contestants should be able to sing full versions of the songs and be given a
chance to be performers, and if you are getting mentors for these people, get
actual mentors.
And so, David Cook wins "American Idol." Good for him!
I’m tired, I have to get this posted, and I hope you didn’t waste your time
watching this two-hour, bloated, version of a finale, and just TiVo’d your way
to the end.
That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
Who Will Be Your Next “American Idol”?
By:
The Dude on the Right
Yippee! We are down to the two David’s, Mr. Archuleta and Mr. Cook, and
I’m only still here because, well, it’s a Tuesday, there really isn’t anything
on TV, and I’ve been doing this damn "American Idol" recap for the entire season
so I might as well hang in there for the last of the singing. Who will
win, who will you vote for, will any of them trip and fall on their face (God,
that would be great, wouldn’t it?), and how much did they have to pay Michael
Buffer to say "This… is… ‘Americaaaaan Idooool…’", so…
Let’s go…
First thought, quit with the "Oh, we need a theme, let’s make this like a boxing
match" motif. We don’t care. We just want to hear them sing, and why
are we still going back to Andrew Lloyd Webber? Yes, I admit, I like
"Cats" and "Jesus Christ Superstar," but how many 12 year old girls do?
Just frackin’ sing! And it took them over 14 minutes to get to the …
1st Round of Songs – Picked By Clive Davis
David Cook
– Sings "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For" by U2
– It finally looks like he might actually want to be a performer instead
of just a singer. He sounds good enough, is working the stage, and little
David might have some problems if big David keeps the night like this.
David
Archuleta
– Sings – "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on My" by Elton John
– This song so much fits into his wheelhouse, and he’s trying to keep his
eyes open and not squint, but he fades back and forth on the eye-squinting thing
that I just can’t help but notice it. He finally worked to break out of
his shell, also, actually being a performer, but you still see a little more
apprehension, mostly just from lack of experience, I suppose.
Here comes the…
2nd Round of Songs – From the Song Competition
David Cook
– Sings "Dream Big" by Emily Shacklton?
– David gets to play guitar, to a song I actually like, in the pop-rock kind of
way. Man, this could almost be a song by Jim Peterik for a "Rocky"
soundtrack. It’s kind of cheesy (in a good way), but one, with the right
band, could end up on every iPod of people who exercise for inspiration.
I’m guessing Simon isn’t familiar with any of the "Rocky" soundtracks.
David
Archuleta
– Sings – "In This Moment" by Ryan Gilmore?
– Oh crap, David A. is back into his "I need to be the next Josh Groban"
moment. The song is nice enough, but we know exactly where Mr. Archuleta
is looking to take his career – to an Oprah Winfrey performance hoping to
supplant Sr. Groban. He is still trying to open his eyes, but it still
isn’t working.
Here
comes the…
3rd Round of Songs – Picked By The Singers
David Cook
– Sings "The World I Know" by Collective Soul
– Dude, if you win this thing it will only because you have the most loyal fan
base because why in the hell do you pick a sort of obscure song for your finale?
Sure, you sang it nice enough, but do you actually think any of the viewers who
would actually vote for you know a song that was popular in, what, 1995?
Let’s see, the 13 year old girls weren’t even born yet. So much for
converting any of them to your side. I think Simon still realizes that
David Cook, right now, has the best potential for a music career.
David
Archuleta
– Sings – "Imagine" by, umm, duh.
– Oh, hell, who cares anymore? He still squints, he still "croons," and
the 13 year olds who aren’t voting for David Cook probably heard their parents
actually play the original version of this song, and are voting for this David
anyway.
Let’s wrap this up…
I think David Cook is the better performer, David Archuleta needs to really
learn how to open up his eyes (that comes with experience), but the more curious
thing will be to see, in the year 2013, who might still have a career? I’m
guessing it will be Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, and Kellie
Pickler. And maybe next year’s "American Idol." One of these David’s
will win, but I just don’t see long lasting careers in front of any of them.
Maybe they’ll prove me wrong.
That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
What’s New? A Podcast of: I Could Have Won $0.40, or even Millions, I’ve Got Too Much Stuff, and Here Comes Indiana Jones!
The Dude on the Right realized, over this weekend, that he has too much stuff, and some of that stuff should have been thrown out years ago, like a phone book from 1995, so for this podcast he laments on seeing a movie he didn’t care that much about, namely “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” how he didn’t win millions, or at least $0.40, and wonders why he still has a hand-held scanner that only scans in black & white. At least he still has a film idea on a 3 1/2″ floppy and his hope that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” will be good.
I Could Have Won $0.40, or even Millions, I’ve Got Too Much Stuff, and Here Comes Indiana Jones!
By:
The Dude on the Right
Boo hoo! I’m flying solo for this
"Weekend Wrap-Up!" podcast, and even though I could try to blame Stu, I’ve
really only got myself to blame. But that’s okay, because this upcoming
week brings the finale of "American Idol," which I’m predicting might have
the weakest ratings for any Idol final because do we really care if David or
David, as in Cook or Archuleta, wins? That said, this is a podcast about
my weekend, so my weekend brought about a chance, that I didn’t take, to make a
couple of million bucks (Sure, I would have needed about $10,000,000 to do it,
but hey?), a movie I didn’t care for (Maybe I should have
seen the first "Chronicles of Narnia," well, first?), and a revelation that
I have too much stuff (Do you want a Chicago Suburban Area phone book from 1995,
a movie idea on a 3 1/2" floppy, a "Southern Comfort" flag, or a hand-held,
black & white scanner?). It might be time to rent a dumpster.
And, oh
yea, here comes Indiana Jones, a crystal skull, and maybe some aliens!
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
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What’s New? DVD reviews of “Juno” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”
By:
The Dude on the Right
I don’t know if Stu Gotz and I will get together for a “Weekend Wrap-up!” podcast tomorrow, but I do know my weekend was filled with, well, I actually realized that my Dude-pad is filled up with too much stuff! It’s almost like I need to create my own “eBay Store,” only selling stuff I own, but now that eBay and Paypal changed the way people get paid, I don’t know if it will actually be worth it, or if I should just throw the stuff out. Thinking about it, who would actually want a 3 1/2″ floppy containing my original outline for a movie I envisioned back in, like 1989ish, a pair of pants that are too big for me and are a little bit worn, or a “Southern Comfort” flag? Tonight, though, are the Academy of Country Music Awards, and it kicked off with Carrie Underwood putting nearly every other “American Idol” to shame, and Reba McEntire letting her writers bring on the funny, even making funny of Roger Clemens (the joke, it was funny).
Today, though, other than realizing I have too much stuff, I did accomplish DVD reviews of “Juno” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Now if I could only figure out what to do with a giant, foam, cowboy hat.
That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
What’s New? A Movie Review of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”
The
Dude on the Right never saw the first Narnia movie, the one about the lion, the
witch, and the bedroom furniture, but he did see the
"Prince Caspian" one, and even decided to review it. He really wanted
to like it more, and had he actually been a fan of reading or had at least seen
the first flick, he might have liked it, but there are so many things that
confused him, like the Narnian’s ability to fight, that he finds himself
scratching his head. Actually it is the lack of fighting ability of the Telmarinians
that confuses him more. And you now what, actually it is the fact that
this movie is only rated "PG" that confuses him even more. All "The
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" did for The Dude on the Right was to
confuse him.
Narnia fans will probably disagree.