Larry Gonick is a veteran American cartoonist best known for his delightful comic-book guides to science and history, many of which have previews online. Chief among them is his long-running
Cartoon History of the Universe (later
The Cartoon History of the Modern World), a sprawling multi-volume opus documenting everything from the Big Bang to the Bush administration. Published over the course of three decades, it takes a truly global view -- its time-traveling Professor thoroughly explores not only familiar topics like Rome and World War II but the oft-neglected stories of Asia and Africa, blending caricature and myth with careful scholarship (cited by
fun illustrated bibliographies) and tackling even the most obscure events
with intelligence and wit. This savvy satire carried over to Gonick's
Zinn-by-way-of-
Pogo chronicle
The Cartoon History of the United States, along with a bevy of
Cartoon Guides to other topics, including
Genetics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, The Environment, and (yes!)
Sex. Gonick has also maintained a few sideprojects, such as
a webcomic look at Chinese invention,
assorted math comics (
previously), the
Muse magazine mainstay
Kokopelli & Co. (featuring the shenanigans of his
"New Muses"), and
more. See also
these lengthy interview snippets, linked
previously. Want more? Amazon links to the complete oeuvre inside!
[more inside]
posted by Rhaomi
on Jun 6, 2011 -
29 comments
10 O'Clock Live is a show currently airing on Channel 4 in the UK. It could be considered a British take on the Daily Show, but longer, weekly, with more discussion, and performed live. MeFi favorite
Charlie Brooker is one of their presenters, along with David Mitchel, Lauren Laverne and Jimmy Carr. While focused on British issues, the show sometimes covers international topics, and is wildly funny. Here are some highlights:
Charlie Brooker: On Gaddafi - On Berlusconi - On the 'Big Society' - On Sarah Palin -
On the iPad 2 - On the English Defense League & the Daily Star - On Ed Miliband (Leader of the Labour Party, beating out his brother David) - On Prince Andrew
David Mitchell: On political hyperbole - On language in the media - On encouraging rich people to immigrate - On what to do with the Olympic Stadium
Jimmy Carr: As Berlusconi - On Product Placement
Lauren Laverne: Guide for new democracies - Inside the brain of Ed Miliband - British PR companies helping tyrants
Everyone on David Cameron on The One Show (this one's awesome) [more inside]
posted by JHarris
on Mar 24, 2011 -
84 comments
“There is one line in ‘Zero Hour!’ where a stewardess says, completely seriously, ‘The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this plane, but who didn’t have fish for dinner,’ ” Mr. Abrahams said. “That was the essence of the movie. We just repeated the line. We didn’t have to change a thing.”
Airplane! (known in Australia as
Flying High!)
turns 30 [more inside]
posted by crossoverman
on Jun 28, 2010 -
186 comments
"The Daily Show is no doubt entertainment, but it is entertainment, measurably, with a substantive point. It is, in its own way, another kind of No Spin Zone." The Project for Excellence in Journalism discusses
what is and is not journalistic (PDF) about
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
posted by Blazecock Pileon
on May 8, 2008 -
122 comments
Garry McDonald, aka
Norman Gunston, aka the "
little aussie bleeder," may be well known out Australia way. For most Americans, however,
Norman G remains far, far down under the radar. But he's the forefather of the UK's
Ali G; he's Canadian
Nardwuar thee Human Serviette's nerdier dad; he's America's
Lazlo Toth (US) with a combover and a microphone; he's
Jiminy Glick's
Jack Sprat.
Perhaps you saw Norman long ago in a segment on USA Network's
Night Flight variety
show.
[bonus: many many youtubes of Night Flight segments, courtesy of this awesome website.] But I bet you didn't know he released a
KIckaSS single (among
others), jammed with
Frank Zappa, and was at the right place and time
to upstage a piece of Australian History. Not bad for someone whom
Keith Moon dumped his drink on and called a "great pooftah." [more inside]
posted by not_on_display
on May 4, 2008 -
21 comments
Red State Update with Jackie and Dunlap. Comic good ol' boys shooting the sh*t and having a few hundred beers, while using satire and dead pan humor on the politics of the day.
posted by nola
on Jun 13, 2007 -
14 comments
"What are they talking about?" Was it just an April Fools' joke? Are they really gonna end
Red Vs. Blue: arguably the most successful
machinima series ever? Will Blood Gulch be silent of one-liners and snide comments once more, or is this a blatant attempt by
Rooster Teeth to drum up interest in their 100th episode? Considering the fact they started it four years ago
on April Fools Day, it's really hard to tell.
(surprise! no youtube links!)
posted by ZachsMind
on Apr 3, 2007 -
11 comments
The McPassion Get your free crown of thorns with every meal!
We're all going to hell but hey, with a vinegar sponge drink to keep us going and a handy game of Pin the Noose on Judas, the trip's gonna be a lot more fun..
A short comedy from
Benjamin Hershleder and
Rik Swartzwelder, but get it quick cause it won't be around forever!
posted by Nugget
on Mar 1, 2006 -
7 comments
Listen Up! It's a 'Synthesizor' masterclass.
And after this, if you still think you know about music, then take the pop quiz and be amazed.
posted by Chunky
on Feb 3, 2005 -
18 comments
I'm done with The Onion. I trusted The Onion and read their comedy for free for
years -- but after hundreds of issues of unbelievable comedy The Onion is now a "pay site" that charges
$30 a year for earlier access to each week's issue, plus awesome-sounding online news radio and special election coverage! I'm mad! Oh yeah!!!
posted by josh
on May 19, 2004 -
39 comments
The greatest TV show you will probably never see: Aunty Jack, a ten-foot tall, boxing-glove wearing, motor-cycling, moustached cross-dresser, was the star of
The Aunty Jack Show, which ran for thirteen episodes in 1972-73 on the
Australian Broadcasting Commission TV network (and was the first show broadcast on Australian TV in colour).
Many of the original episodes have been lost (but
records of them exist). Re-release on video or DVD of the remaining episodes is tangled up in copyright issues. The 1974 album
Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong was re-released on CD, and still seems to be available. It includes such classics as 'Fish Milkshakes' and 'Teenage Butcher' and the song 'Farewell Aunty Jack', which was a number 1 hit in Australia. Some samples can be found
here.
There were spinoffs from
Aunty Jack, most notably the
Norman Gunston Show, with Norman playing the prototypical terrrible interviewer and inspiring the much later
Ali G,
Dennis Pennis and many others.
I was two years old when the series aired: Aunty Jack's threat at the end of each episode, that: 'If you don't watch next week,
I'll rip your bloody arm off!' meant that I never, ever, missed it.
posted by chrisgregory
on Jan 30, 2003 -
33 comments
Last night's Brass Eye special was mysteriously pulled from the schedules, seemingly because it concerned "an army of paedophiles". Apparantly,
this is not the case
posted by Grangousier
on Jul 6, 2001 -
15 comments
