Author: Kim du Toit

Best Comedy TV (Part 5)

Entertainment

Arrested Development

I first became aware of this show through Son&Heir and #2 Son’s howls of laughter as they watched it in the kids’ upstairs living room.  “What the hell were you two laughing at?” was my question when they eventually came downstairs for breakfast the next morning.  Well, they told me, and intrigued, I had to watch Arrested Development — whereupon a second outburst of helpless laughter filled the house.

Good grief.  This was a Married… With Children-style dysfunctional family, only with blacker humor and razor-sharp cruelty.

Michael: [after George Sr. has been handed a jail sentence] They’re going to keep Dad in jail until this whole thing gets sorted out.
[silence amongst the family]
Michael:  Also, I’ve been told that the company’s expense accounts have been frozen…
[everyone gasps]
Michael:  …Interesting. I would have expected that after “They’re keeping Dad in jail.”

#2 Son bought me the series on DVD for Christmas several years ago, and I re-watch it about every eighteen months.

This was the show, I think, where Jason Bateman finally (!) shed his child-movie-star persona and became a serious grownup comedy star — his lines delivered with a deadpan monotone which would have had Buster Keaton delivering a standing ovation.

Lucille:  You tricked me.
Michael:  I deceived you. “Tricked” makes it sound like we have a playful relationship.

And:

Buster:  Mom is becoming a little controlling.
Michael:  What tipped you off? When she locked you out on the balcony again?
Buster:  That was half my fault. I thought I saw a Graham Cracker out there.
Michael:  [to his mother]  You baited the balcony?
Lucille Bluth:  Prove it.

And speaking of Lucille Bluth, don’t even get me started on the exquisite Jessica Walter (on whom I’ve had a crush ever since the 1960s).

And from the show:

Petulant Assholes

Gummint

Still thinking about that elderly Brit who shot a local bureaucrat who’d come to have the old guy’s “illegal” cottage torn down, when I saw this cheery little snippet from Toronto:

A man spent his own money on building some stairs so elderly people could climb up this steep path. However, he fell foul of officials who tore them down.

Note the price difference:

I’d say more, but I first have to wait for the Red Curtain Of Blood (RCOB) to subside in my eyes.  In the meantime, some kind soul should put a pot of tar on to boil and gather the feathers… I’ll oil the rope

5 Worst Places To Lose Your Car Keys

Friday Feature, The Worst

Ranked in order of foulness / inconvenience:

  • inside your mistress’s apartment when you have to get home quickly to take your daughter to her school ballet performance
  • down your kitchen sink when the garbage disposal is running
  • when it’s 1am and you’re inside a parking garage in downtown Johannesburg
  • down a public toilet in Mumbai, India
  • inside a Kardashian.

Your suggestions in Comments.

Finally, Fall

Weather

Looks like today (September 20) is going to be the last day of summer, temperature-wise (91°F) here in north Texas.  Unless the weather folks have cocked it up completely, temps are dropping into the 70s over the weekend (with autumn showers coming in), and it seems unlikely that the mercury will climb much over 80°F even after the showers have gone.

Yes, British- and Euro Readers:  a daytime high temperature in the high 70s and low 80s (22-27 in your stupid Celsius thing) is what passes for autumn Over Here.  You may now eat your livers.

At least we’ll henceforth be spared the stench of lizards frying on the sidewalks.  Until next May, that is.

I am SO glad summer has passed.  Even by our standards, it was a monster.