Favorite Youtube Videos

Picture it: Sicily, 2013...
You're with a new group of friends. (I know, hard to imagine for those of you that don't move more often than seasons of Dancing With the Stars air, but work with me.) Anyway, you're with a bunch of people that don't know you very well, and therefore don't know your shameless plug of Youtube videos. I never know how it starts, but I do know that it regularly ends with the same streak of favorite Youtube videos being played on various devices (though most often a huge HD TV these days).

Since I keep a running list of them in my head, and since you only really read my blog to kill time, I figured I'd find a place like this to list them. Again, if you are an avid reader of my Facebook feed, none of these should surprise you. I'll even break them into categories, for your viewing pleasure.

Funny
Since meeting Annie, I"ve been turned into quite the soccer fan. High school me would call me 'gay', but high school me grew up a long time ago. I was just introduced (Saturday night during the Timbers win) to this NBC attempt at getting more 'mericans to watch soccer, and it is so on point!

Key & Peele is a sketch show. Sketch shows aren't typically good. In general, K&P is no exception. However, the East vs. West college bowl is hilarious from beginning to end (except for 3 players). Keep in mind that I collect names that I find absolutely ridiculous. The current list is topped by greats like: La-a ("Ladasha") & Abcde ("Absiddy").

I can't really remember how I came across this (my apologies for whomever originally introduced me), but the premise for this series of videos is great. A new father remakes random conversations that he has had with his daughter, but casts the role of his 2-yr-old to another full-grown man. This is my favorite episode that they've made so far.

"Because I am naked, I am the boss."

Bringing together my favorite 2 things:  ignorant religious fanatics and 90s pop culture.

Unfortunately, this went big when it was picked up by McDonald's. That fact frustrates me so much that I almost linked their version of Russian Unicorn instead, but I've learned through experience that you have to be familiar with Michael Buble's music and videos to really get the full enjoyment of its lip reading. So, here is A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL.

For Men Only
Girls can watch this, but they're not going to like it. They probably will not get it, either. Neither will boys. Men will.

Music
OMG, how many times have I posted this?! This is still my favorite moment from any vocal reality show ever. 2-minute musical orgasm, commence.

Susan Boyle was a great moment in reality TV history. I'm a sap. What can I say? I fell in love with 11-yr-old Bianca Ryan on America's Got Talent. All that said, Jonathan from the Britain's Got Talent's 2012 audition is probably my favorite unsung hero of inspiring musical performances from reality shows. Look how much he's shaking! To top it off, the moment where he says he'd rather keep around that leach of a pop-soprano than to go on without her will put a ball in your throat. It helps that I like me some opera.

"We've come on here as a duo, we're going to stay..."

Les Mis is an epic musical/opera. If you only have one musical that you ever go see performed, it should be Les Mis. Fuck Phantom. Les Mis has lasted the test of time for a reason. Aside from that goddamn Jonas brother, I was extremely pleased with the most recent anniversary release of the concert version of the musical. The extras took it up a step, when cast originals showed up to sing songs with the current cast. Then Alfie Boe sang with 3 other Jean Valjeans, and my heart exploded. (This isn't the same version, since it was pulled from Youtube, but it's representative.)

I'm still hoping that Pentatonix gets big. I think everything that they do is really cool, and it'd be really hard for me to pick a single performance from their season of the Sing Off, but I'm going to have to. Just like you have to pick your favorite child sometimes. Here goes. Skip to 1:30.

Finally, Beauty and the Beast gets an urban remake.

LaWasha. LaDrya. Love.

Just Interesting
Do the Test. How many passes?

Enjoy,
~RoB

The Voice > American Idol Seasons 5+

So, last night Javier Colon won the inaugural season of The Voice on NBC.  This is significant for many reasons.

First of all, I called it.  I wasn't the only one, but it was clear to me that he was a solid finalist the moment he first sang Time After Time in the blind auditions.  After he sang Angel, I told everyone that he would win.  A few weeks later, it turns out I was right.  That hasn't happened since Carrie Underwood in Season 4 of American Idol.

Secondly, the most talented and deserving singer won the singing competition.  I feel like it would be more appropriate to point out that the least talented singer did not win.  That hasn't happened in American Idol in years.  Kelly Clarkson was the clear winner.  As was Carrie Underwood.  Fantasia was debatable, but I love her after her role in Broadway's Color Purple.  Ruben is a big teddy bear, but that was the first year where the runner-up had overwhelmingly more success.  Ever since Carrie, the Season 4 winner, and the onset of movements like Vote for the Worst, things have been a mess.  Look at the last 6 AI winners:

Seriously, which white guy here matters?

Now look at some of the unbelievable voices all the awkward white guys above (and Jordin) had to 'beat' in the ears of America to win:

I believe that, vocally, every lady shown above is better than every single American Idol winner since Season 4.  I left off some honorable mentions, because they weren't rock solid vocalists, like Blake Lewis and David Archuleta (that season was rough).  I didn't watch more than a few minutes of this season, so I can't really defend anybody's ability, other than discrediting the winner.  Annie and I started boycotting this season as soon as Simon left, especially after we heard there was going to be immunity-winning challenges and other crap like that.

Anyway, I was really happy with The Voice, as a whole.  As happy as I was with both seasons of the Sing Off.  I hope it returns, and I hope America continues to make the right decisions.  Though, Dia Frampton did get scary close just for being cute.

Thank you, NBC, for helping me fill the void in my soul that American Idol left when it got all shitty,
~RoB

The Voice

The Voice is the new vocal competition on NBC.  I Love it.  It's filling the hole that American Idol left when Simon departed, much like NBC's Sing Off.  For those that don't know, I was one of those crazy AI freaks.  For the past few years I ran a bracket where my friends and I competed to guess who was going to be voted off each week.  It was a great time.  It was hard enough seeing Paula leave, so I pretty much boycotted this season when all the other worthwhile judges departed (especially after hearing they were going to have challenges and crap like that during the best week of all, Hollywood week).

Anyway, The Voice is all about blind vocal judging, with some of the most popular voices of our time as judges/mentors.  Somehow they turn it into a competition between the judges, but I'm not really worried at all about that.  I'm just excited to see how it proceeds.  Let's hope that they don't start letting America decide, because people like VFTW really frustrate me.  (Though I do kind of like VFTW, because they're really big AI fans, though they pretend not to be.)

Try and find the cool version of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy sang by the 4 judges, since it is no longer in the previews on the website.  Also, though I'm always frustrated by the sappy stories each contestant has to have to get into a competition these days, holla to my girl Frenchie Davis for never giving up!  How great was it that Cee-Lo recognized her!?  I know some people have said she's had too many chances.  Let's be serious, people, she got booted off Idol for a teenage mistake.  She's got a great voice.  She inspires me.

One thing bothers me, though.  Can we please get rid of Carson Daly?  Sorry, Carson, but you look too old (and skinny, wtf?) which makes me feel old.  Did your head always look like that?  You are forever supposed to be trapped on MTV hosting TRL dating Jennifer Love Hewitt.  You were on top of if as we rolled over to Y2K.  You have nothing to complain about.  Sorry.

Soon 37-yr-old Zack Morris will be trying to come back,
~RoB

Oh shit, Raising the Bar!