cosigned, COSINE!

Her encouraging women to go beyond the stereotypes was more than just "be more feministy," it truly makes for better comedy—relying on stereotypes is just soooo fucking lazy. Going "blue" at UCB was also looked down on for the same reason at least at the time. It's been almost 15 years since I took the stage.

Please please please let these be released into the civilian wild. I am a sucker for ugly, questionably functional sciencey shoes (you can pry my Vibrams from my cold, dead feet).

I'm going to make you jealous now because I have met her—I took classes at UCB when they first started in NYC back in the 1990s. I never took her actual class because I ran out of money and talent before I reached her upper-level course, but my interactions with her were always pleasant. She had a reputation for…

See also: Martin Sheen/Charlie Sheen

He is so good in it too. I suspect he could end up having a more "serious" dramatic career in the long run than his father, who had to wade through a boatload of crappy comedies before being taken seriously as an actor in The Philadelphia Story

I wonder if Martin Sheen and Tom Hanks have conversations about their respective two sons. From what I know (which is quite limited), Emilio Estevez is a decent guy, or at the very least, not quite the public embarrassment his brother Charlie is. Colin seems like a pretty thoughtful guy, or again, at the very least,…

Hmmm, here's one and it appeals to American history nerds (and those who can still hum the preamble via Schoolhouse Rock)—

Any excuse to post this Jon Safran segment:

Imagine actually receiving a letter from St. Paul:

I cannot recall being bitten for well over a decade. I know I was tasty as a child, but I never seemed to get quite as many bites as my friends. A sciencey friend suggested that I was likely being bitten, but just not having the same histological response as other people. I'm not willing to do a lab test, so I'll…

OH GOD, BOTFLIES!! My only experience with them is virtual—via gross YouTube videos or ER shows on the basic cable health channels.

Every time I see/hear the word "wellness" I mentally substitute "unsubstantiated, untested claim."

Ahh, the high stress, low income diet. I was in the best physical shape of my life in grad school because the only entertainment I could afford was going to the gym. I was also in the worst psychological shape of my life so...

Those look like my two little black kits—one with the 1000 yard stare and the other making 'what are you looking at' face. The only difference is they would shred me to bits if I tried holding both of them at once like that.

As active as I am in the secular and skeptic community, I owe quite a debt to the priest who strongly discouraged my mother from baptizing me with the middle name Fanny. (As it is, I have a super-duper Jewish first and last name that is all well and good in and of itself, but caused quite a bit of confusion throughout…

I'm old enough to remember the first time a commercial was shown in a movie theater. For about the first six months, audiences booed, but then it just became part of the moviegoing experience. Check some of your books too though—product placement can find its way into literature as well.

It's safe to come out now? Count me among the "I thought I was the only one" crowd.

(sad trombone).

Totally not the point I know...but is it even physically possible for Iranians to produce ugly children? I have never met a single Persian/Iranian that wasn't drop-dead gorgeous.