Birthday Girl
April 15, 2008 10:57 AM Subscribe
Birthday Girl is a catchy song/video from The Roots and Patrick Stump which stars Sasha Grey, an adult film star.
It is an amusing literal portrayal of the relationship between internet pervs and weirdos everywhere and the online personalities that humor them.
This isn't a great song or video, and this post is pretty meh.
posted by nasreddin at 11:16 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by nasreddin at 11:16 AM on April 15, 2008
But Sasha Grey has damn good taste in music.
posted by nasreddin at 11:18 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by nasreddin at 11:18 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I don't know how she managed to keep a straight face during the unwrapping scenes.
posted by Skorgu at 11:22 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Skorgu at 11:22 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
She, um, takes more than the unwrapping scenes in her film career. I imagine keeping her composure is a good skill to have in her profession.
posted by Talanvor at 11:28 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Talanvor at 11:28 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
So... are any of these links actually safe for work?
posted by Slothrup at 11:31 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Slothrup at 11:31 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
See, it's not a music video made so guys can anonymously watch sexy girls, it's a video commenting on how pervy it is for unattractive anonymous guys to watch sexy girl videos. Kinda like when Fox News reports how internet porn is ruining the moral fiber of America's teenagers, while replaying the sex video over and over and over, albeit with black bars protecting us. A titillation and moral high ground to-fer.
posted by tula at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by tula at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
So... are any of these links actually safe for work?
All of them, unless I missed anything.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:48 AM on April 15, 2008
All of them, unless I missed anything.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:48 AM on April 15, 2008
The video is technically SFW but features strong visual innuendo.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:00 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:00 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
so am I lame for watching porn? What are you trying to tell me, ?uestlove?
posted by shmegegge at 12:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by shmegegge at 12:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Hey, that dude in the 4AD t-shirt...
Is that Kottke?
posted by rusty at 12:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Is that Kottke?
posted by rusty at 12:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Sasha Grey >>> anything else (even bacon).
posted by darkripper at 12:03 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by darkripper at 12:03 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I guess I can see the confusion, by literal I didn't mean graphic, I meant artificial and silly.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 12:04 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by furiousxgeorge at 12:04 PM on April 15, 2008
Birthday Girl is a catchy song/video from The Roots and Patrick Stump which stars Sasha Grey, an adult film star. It is an amusing literal portrayal of the relationship between internet pervs and weirdos everywhere and the online personalities that humor them.
posted by designbot at 12:16 PM on April 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by designbot at 12:16 PM on April 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
But Sasha Grey has damn good taste in music.
I assume you mean her having a Coil track on her profile page, not her appearance in a Roots video?
posted by opsin at 12:28 PM on April 15, 2008
I assume you mean her having a Coil track on her profile page, not her appearance in a Roots video?
posted by opsin at 12:28 PM on April 15, 2008
I assume you mean her having a Coil track on her profile page, not her appearance in a Roots video?
No, the fact that she apparently likes Joy Division, the Durutti Column, Gang of Four, and Magazine as well as Aesop Rock and Wu-Tang. That's, like, boner-inducing even without the porn star aspect. (points off for Tori Amos and She Wants Revenge, but who's counting...)
OP, why did you favorite every comment in this thread?
posted by nasreddin at 12:33 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
No, the fact that she apparently likes Joy Division, the Durutti Column, Gang of Four, and Magazine as well as Aesop Rock and Wu-Tang. That's, like, boner-inducing even without the porn star aspect. (points off for Tori Amos and She Wants Revenge, but who's counting...)
OP, why did you favorite every comment in this thread?
posted by nasreddin at 12:33 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Although to be honest I've never met anyone who actually liked the Durutti Column rather than pretending to like them after having seen 24 Hour Party People.
posted by nasreddin at 12:35 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by nasreddin at 12:35 PM on April 15, 2008
OP, why did you favorite every comment in this thread?
Not all, clearly. Just the ones I like.
Roots fans also see:
Get Busy
75 bars
posted by furiousxgeorge at 12:37 PM on April 15, 2008
No, the fact that she apparently likes Joy Division, the Durutti Column, Gang of Four, and Magazine as well as Aesop Rock and Wu-Tang.
She listens to Aesop Rock? Shit, that is hot.
posted by shmegegge at 12:48 PM on April 15, 2008
She listens to Aesop Rock? Shit, that is hot.
posted by shmegegge at 12:48 PM on April 15, 2008
I think that video would be great to bookmark and save for when you are reading a comment string in Metafilter that refers to sexual innuendo to post there.
FPP? Not so Much. Best of the Web? Not even close. I just do not see the relationship of those links to make this any more interesting than a one link Youtube post. Sorry.
P.S: Love The Roots!
posted by paddysat at 12:49 PM on April 15, 2008
FPP? Not so Much. Best of the Web? Not even close. I just do not see the relationship of those links to make this any more interesting than a one link Youtube post. Sorry.
P.S: Love The Roots!
posted by paddysat at 12:49 PM on April 15, 2008
I think that video would be great to bookmark and save for when you are reading a comment string in Metafilter that refers to sexual innuendo to post there.
FPP? Not so Much. Best of the Web? Not even close. I just do not see the relationship of those links to make this any more interesting than a one link Youtube post. Sorry.
P.S: Love The Roots!
Utterly average comment, might be good in a metatalk thread on this subject, but otherwise a waste of time. User must learn last word in sentence should not start with uppercase letter.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 1:02 PM on April 15, 2008
FPP? Not so Much. Best of the Web? Not even close. I just do not see the relationship of those links to make this any more interesting than a one link Youtube post. Sorry.
P.S: Love The Roots!
Utterly average comment, might be good in a metatalk thread on this subject, but otherwise a waste of time. User must learn last word in sentence should not start with uppercase letter.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 1:02 PM on April 15, 2008
furiousxgeorge, if you could not moderate your own thread, that'd be great. It's usually not something that bodes well.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 1:06 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by kittens for breakfast at 1:06 PM on April 15, 2008
Heh, I'm just joking with you guys, feel free to flame away, I've had worse FPP's by far.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 1:08 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by furiousxgeorge at 1:08 PM on April 15, 2008
Man, the Roots have fallen off, haven't they? I mean, this sub-Sublime bullshit with the one-note acoustic guitar and the crooned chorus? Hey, dorm-room hip hop fans!
Ooh, plus a video that's as topical as the trenchant commentary of RHCP's Soul to Squeeze!
Sorry, I'm pissed off because I wasted four minutes hoping that there'd be some sort of payoff that justified this bullshit. This is almost as much of a wasted FPP as that Taco Bell bullshit from earlier.
posted by klangklangston at 1:29 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ooh, plus a video that's as topical as the trenchant commentary of RHCP's Soul to Squeeze!
Sorry, I'm pissed off because I wasted four minutes hoping that there'd be some sort of payoff that justified this bullshit. This is almost as much of a wasted FPP as that Taco Bell bullshit from earlier.
posted by klangklangston at 1:29 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
No, the fact that she apparently likes Joy Division, the Durutti Column, Gang of Four, and Magazine as well as Aesop Rock and Wu-Tang. That's, like, boner-inducing even without the porn star aspect. (points off for Tori Amos and She Wants Revenge, but who's counting...)
OP, why did you favorite every comment in this thread?
posted by nasreddin at 9:33 PM on April 15 [+] [!]
I wasn't aware liking Pitchforked-approved "indie" bands meant you had 'good' taste in music. Duly noted!
posted by nonmerci at 1:42 PM on April 15, 2008
OP, why did you favorite every comment in this thread?
posted by nasreddin at 9:33 PM on April 15 [+] [!]
I wasn't aware liking Pitchforked-approved "indie" bands meant you had 'good' taste in music. Duly noted!
posted by nonmerci at 1:42 PM on April 15, 2008
I wasn't aware liking Pitchforked-approved "indie" bands meant you had 'good' taste in music. Duly noted!
Ouch! A moment of weakness on my part. A chink in my armor. Need more obscure bands to like.
posted by nasreddin at 1:49 PM on April 15, 2008
Ouch! A moment of weakness on my part. A chink in my armor. Need more obscure bands to like.
posted by nasreddin at 1:49 PM on April 15, 2008
Well uhhh, come on. Liking Joy Division now means you have 'good' taste in music? So every 18-year-old high school loner who came across 'post-punk' on Wiki has great taste?
Regardless, I'm not surprised that nerdy dudes are turned on by the porn star whose tastes expand further than Rihanna. ;)
posted by nonmerci at 1:53 PM on April 15, 2008
Regardless, I'm not surprised that nerdy dudes are turned on by the porn star whose tastes expand further than Rihanna. ;)
posted by nonmerci at 1:53 PM on April 15, 2008
So every 18-year-old high school loner who came across 'post-punk' on Wiki has great taste?
As a former 16-year-old high school loner who came across 'post-punk' on Allmusic, I would say, more than likely.
posted by nasreddin at 1:57 PM on April 15, 2008
As a former 16-year-old high school loner who came across 'post-punk' on Allmusic, I would say, more than likely.
posted by nasreddin at 1:57 PM on April 15, 2008
User must learn last word in sentence should not start with uppercase letter.
No, I don't.
posted by paddysat at 2:11 PM on April 15, 2008
No, I don't.
posted by paddysat at 2:11 PM on April 15, 2008
I'd never heard The Roots before, and this post has led to my having a rocking afternoon, so thanks george.
posted by rusty at 2:29 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by rusty at 2:29 PM on April 15, 2008
I'm surprised you didn't link to any of the controversy.
They apparently recorded the song and video with the intention of including it on their new album and using the video to hook in the Pete Wentz guyliner crowd to expand their fanbase and cross into a new market.
However, the video hit the forums and the Roots fans hated it and called the group sell outs. The fan reaction was so hot that they turned around and said the song wouldn't be part of the album because it didn't fit into the theme carried by the rest of the album.
So the collaboration will go no further than an internet download and youtube.
posted by FunkyHelix at 2:30 PM on April 15, 2008
They apparently recorded the song and video with the intention of including it on their new album and using the video to hook in the Pete Wentz guyliner crowd to expand their fanbase and cross into a new market.
However, the video hit the forums and the Roots fans hated it and called the group sell outs. The fan reaction was so hot that they turned around and said the song wouldn't be part of the album because it didn't fit into the theme carried by the rest of the album.
So the collaboration will go no further than an internet download and youtube.
posted by FunkyHelix at 2:30 PM on April 15, 2008
According to Billboard, this song has been bumped from the tracklisting of Rising Down. I'm choosing to read that as a good sign.
On preview: thanks, FH. I had no idea.
posted by box at 2:34 PM on April 15, 2008
On preview: thanks, FH. I had no idea.
posted by box at 2:34 PM on April 15, 2008
Okay, now that I've actually watched this, am I the only person who thinks its message is kind of...muddled? As in, to the point of incomprehensibility? I didn't really follow what twerpy white guy was getting all breathy about, but from what I could glean of his section and the rap, it seems to be something about how young girls look good, but are too immature to get involved with. This is a fair point, although twerpy white guy doesn't exactly look mature himself, but whatever. Somehow this seems, I guess, to dovetail with porn? Because maybe relationships with much younger women are about as meaningful as whacking off on the internet? Or something? I have no idea? And also you should grow up and get over porn and/or younger women and have a real relationship, and here's a porn star giving mock-head to stuff to show you how? I mean, what the fuck, is this like the video equivalent of Thomas Pynchon, I need to work this hard to decode what the fuck is supposed to be happening in it? Jesus. Plus, are those really supposed to be losers from the internet? Because, I dunno, I just looked up some of this woman's clips, and they don't look that much different from the guys who are actually fucking her in them. Can somebody explain this whole thing to me, please? TIA --
(PS: I kinda like the song, though...)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
(PS: I kinda like the song, though...)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
I wasn't aware liking Pitchforked-approved "indie" bands meant you had 'good' taste in music. Duly noted!
Has anyone on the internet actually read pitchfork or are they only familiar with it as a way to make sweeping generalizations about music they've never heard of?
posted by StopMakingSense at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2008
Has anyone on the internet actually read pitchfork or are they only familiar with it as a way to make sweeping generalizations about music they've never heard of?
posted by StopMakingSense at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2008
is this like the video equivalent of Thomas Pynchon
Sasha Grey is actually five different people, and they're ALL on top-secret government hallucinogens! In the eighteenth century!
posted by nasreddin at 2:55 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Sasha Grey is actually five different people, and they're ALL on top-secret government hallucinogens! In the eighteenth century!
posted by nasreddin at 2:55 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Sasha Grey is actually five different people, and they're ALL on top-secret government hallucinogens! In the eighteenth century!
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:56 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:56 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Sasha Grey is actually five different people
super seekrit agent codename: gassy hare
posted by juv3nal at 3:06 PM on April 15, 2008
this video makes me want to point out the unrelated fact that today is Emma Watson's 18th birthday.
Stay classy.
posted by jessamyn at 5:20 PM on April 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
Stay classy.
posted by jessamyn at 5:20 PM on April 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
jessamyn, that's klassy.
posted by exlotuseater at 7:41 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by exlotuseater at 7:41 PM on April 15, 2008
this video makes me want to point out the unrelated fact that today is Emma Watson's 18th birthday.
Actually that fact is completely related in that the post is to a song about creepy older guys lusting after inappropriately aged girls. At least I think that's what the song is about. And I'm hoping that was the point of bringing up Emma Watson.
For anyone who's unfamiliar and wants to know why this song kinda blows, here's what The Roots sound like when they're rocking out properly. The Seed 2.0
posted by billyfleetwood at 8:52 PM on April 15, 2008
Actually that fact is completely related in that the post is to a song about creepy older guys lusting after inappropriately aged girls. At least I think that's what the song is about. And I'm hoping that was the point of bringing up Emma Watson.
For anyone who's unfamiliar and wants to know why this song kinda blows, here's what The Roots sound like when they're rocking out properly. The Seed 2.0
posted by billyfleetwood at 8:52 PM on April 15, 2008
I don't like 'The Seed 2.0' all that much (too much Cody ChesnuTT (is that the right weird capitalization? I forget), so here's a better Roots video: 'What They Do.'
posted by box at 7:14 PM on April 16, 2008
posted by box at 7:14 PM on April 16, 2008
(The version that Universal uploaded to YouTube doesn't include the captions.)
posted by box at 7:15 PM on April 16, 2008
posted by box at 7:15 PM on April 16, 2008
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posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:15 AM on April 15, 2008