It's as unauthorized as a "Calvin pissing on ___" sticker, and like those stickers, exists in multiple versions: http://tinyurl.com/2cht84.

Sorry—I figured that had been around long enough that all its soul-crushing power was drained. Allow me to offer an apology in the form of Lasagna Cat: http://tinyurl.com/ozzwjy.

Sadly, "noise-canceling" and "cheap" don't really go together, but I'd recommend Audio-Technica's QuietPoint model. They run about $120 on the Internet, and they've always served me well on Austin city buses. Plus, you can tell people they're A.V. Club-approved, as Scott Tobias and Christian Williams use them as well.

@ElDan Who left TT Zop out? Because I definitely didn't.

She's the voice of the show's omniscient narrator, the titular "Gossip Girl," if you will.

Ah yes, but you may remember from high school civics class that a congressman is also a member of the House Of Representatives. But thanks for reminding me that I not only misspelled the character's name—I also forgot to put his title in proper AP Style.

Ron Howard and Mitch Hurwitz are both in Austin for the Austin Film Festival this week, and I can't imagine a better time for them to share some news about an AD movie that isn't "Oh, we're working on the script."

I'm an avid SOUND OF YOUNG AMERICA listener, but I've never checked out JORDAN, JESSE GO!, despite Jesse Thorn's recorded, near-weekly pleadings for me to do so. Any episodes you'd recommend for the novice?

Five A.V. CLUB demerits to myself…
for not making a "Sonic Youth is in my cooler" reference.

Yeah, play on the baked beans, that's the ticket…

Another addendum
My answer should have included sketches that air during the last 30 minutes of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, a.k.a. the period of time when Lorne Michaels stops caring. It not only gave birth to Wayne and Garth, but also provided a spotlight for some of the show's most surreal writers, like Jack Handey. Check…

Nor did I. You get a T.V. Club Golden Star, Messy Jessi.

@the calf fiend: I've proudly represented for the Scandinavian spelling of "Erik" (despite having no Scandinavian heritage) since 1985.

My love of GOSSIP GIRL is 95 percent ridiculousness-based, 5 percent Chuck Bass mancrush-based. Sorry if that didn't come across in this recap—I will indeed try to "step it up" in future entries. This season's premiere didn't give me a whole lot to work with.

A "Stray observation" I forgot
I cracked up when Serena identified one of the polo players as "Nacho," but it turns out the dude's a real-life polo star and Ralph Lauren model. (Appropriately, he's the face of Lauren's Polo fragrances.) This is the type of knowledge to which we living outside the UES are not privy.
http…

Sure, the Poppy Lifton Ponzi scheme storyline was generally lame, but I think the season finale made up for it, especially the Georgina-Blair roommate cliffhanger. I have my doubts as well, but I'm interested to see if the show survives going to college, seeing as that's one of the many factors that killed THE O.C.

Blame it on a growing poptimist streak…
but I was kind of perturbed that American listeners wanted to hear "Hold On" more than "Vogue" at some point in time. However, the Wilson Phillips song is not as bad as the song that eventually replaced it at the top of the Billboard Hot 100: Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love."

No, Austin is TX.

Indeed I am. Thanks for the kind words.