THE BIG SHOW- July 27, 2007

We have our very first two-time winner, and it's Alex Byrnes! We're as shocked as you are.

And guests? You betcha. Bindi Irwin? Check. Merry Miller? Si. And of course, Bitsy dropped by to drop some science about Skits & Bittles new anti-war show "Ironic Curtain." Whoot.

We're off this week, but we're back in black for the rest of the Fridays in August. Come cap off a hot-ass day with a nice cold beer and some wise-ass comedy.

AND YOU COULD WIN MONEY YOU GUYS!

Be a contestant. We love you. thefridayforty@gmail.com

There but for the grace of God...

My conscience nagged me about posting this (and about playing it for a live audience), but then it hit me: this woman is not burdened by feelings of insecurity. She has no idea what she's doing, and she does not care. "Oh- you want me to ask Holly Hunter a question? I was just going to greet her 18 more times, but you're the boss." Brill.

Please keep her in the limelight so I can keep being Merry Miller in shows. True-true-true.

The Danger of Internet Jukeboxies

This glory of technology allows you to play Tullycraft and deep cuts from "Distant Early Warning" in public. Awesome, right? But it's a loaded gun, my friends. And stupid people with loaded guns are dangerous. You can very easily wind up with a song that sounds like a computer getting a hernia exam or hardcore Tejano-Carribean rap or Metallica's "One." The wonderfulness of democracy is not absolute.

No, I'll take the finite list of boring, predictable classics, thanks. "Piano Man?" Fine. "Sweet Home Alabama?" No problem. "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night?" Really? Okay? Sure. At least I know I don't have to drink a beer to System of a Down's "Chop Suey."

Second Singles By One-Hit Wonders, Part Three: Rockwell Needs To Fucking Relax

In 1984, Rockwell bravely overcame the considerable handicap of being the son of Motown founder Berry Gordy- not to mention the vocal assist from mid-"Thriller" Michael Jackson- to top the charts with "Somebody's Watching Me." The single was pure audio Monet: lovely and hooky from a distance, baffling up close. The not-quite-danceable beat? The paranoia? The pre-Tony Sinclair posh British faux-accent that comes and goes?

So it's no surprise that Rockwell came face-to-face with the Law of Diminishing Returns when he went back to the well for single #2, "Obscene Phone Caller." Though the video does illustrate the song's gender confusion nicely. Enjoy, Mister or Miss!

ONE WEEK...

...and then we're BACK!

Next Friday Forty:
Friday, July 20, 10pm
$10
IO West.

Go make some news, and maybe you'll be a question.