I never really enjoyed a TEDx talk until this one. Really inspirational, very touching. Starring Ted Travelstead, directed by Scott Jacobson.

Good Luck Everyone: Book Club

Get More Good Luck Everyone with Andrew Condell at andrewcondell.com.

Guests: Eric Smith and Yis Goodwin (Nosego)

Topics: New Orleans, Prostitutes, Video Games, Designing iPhone Apps, Murals, CosPlay, Horrible Weight Loss Tips, Geekadelphia, Tattoo Conventions, Tertiary Star Wars Characters, Chip Tune Music, Master Chief Armor, Penguin Disbelief, “Hunger Games,” and Art Inspirations.

Playlist: “Ruby” by Cheap Girls, “Chi-Town” by The Cribs and “UsedWigs” by Eli Braden.

Play Now: http://www.usedwigs.com/pod/podcast93.mp3

iTunes: Download, Listen and Subscribe

Website: UsedWigs Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

More: @usedwigs

For Fans of: Karl Hendricks, Armchair Martian, Long Winters, Overwhelming Colorfast.

Download: Free MP3 (from Rolling Stone)

Stream CD: music.aol.com

Website: cheapgirls.tumblr.com

Mid-Winter blahs, huh? Yeah, us too. That’s why we’re putting on this super exciting show with two talented lads who enjoy tech, art and entertaining the masses. Come on out and have a fun, a crepe and some drinks. The show is FREE and we’ll have GIVEAWAYS! We just ask you to bring your clapping hands and your laughing mouths. As usual, this show will be recorded for our popular podcast that will be available for download and live forever online or at least until the Cylons take over and build a better internet.

The Guests!

Eric Smith runs Philly’s “Guide to Everything Geek” website Geekadelphia, teaches and lectures about writing and social media at colleges and universities, does the marketing thing at the mighty Quirk Books, writes novels like Textual Healing and most importantly, owns a custom made Master Chief costume he wears out on the streets to fight crime and get bagels.

NoseGo is a Philadelphia-based artist with a passion for illustration and media arts. He mixes fine art with a contemporary style to deliver highly energetic work. His designs feature an assemblage of patterns, vibrant colors and characters derived from his imagination and his surrounding environment.

Let’s Do This!!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 – 8:00pm
L’etage
624 South 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Admission: FREE!

Past Shows!

• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 92: Bands Overcoming Novelty Songs, Bridesmaids, Technology Overload and Terrible Product Placements
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 91: Holiday Show with Molly Davis and Anna Goldfarb
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 90: Guests Madame Fromage and Nikki Walter
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 89: Guest Jon Solomon
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast: Mates of State Interview
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 88: Brian Seymour
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 87: Guests Kelly Vrooman and SM Shrake
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 86: Guests Doogie Horner and Maggie Serota
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 85: Guests Dave Hill and Nikki Walter

Topics: Bands Overcoming Novelty Songs, Bridesmaids, The Oscars, Technology Overload, Answering Machines, Party Lines, NPR Slinging the Guilt, Russ’s Spreadsheet Update, Punk Bands and Terrible TV Product Placements.

Playlist: “Waiting for Something” by Nada Surf, “Lightshow” by Plants and Animals, “Forever Won’t Wait” by the Steve Adamyk Band and “UsedWigs” by Eli Braden.

Play Now: http://www.usedwigs.com/pod/podcast92.mp3

iTunes: Download, Listen and Subscribe

Podcast Website: www.usedwigsradio.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Originally posted 2/23/11, updated 1/7/12.

Remember when comedian Dave Hill came to Philly last February at Connie’s Ric Rac and the March before that at the World Cafe Live during the UsedWigs Live Show and blew the doors off? And remember how much your sides, belly and palms hurt from laughing and high-fiving your pals during Dave’s killer set? Yeah, that was crazy! Well guess what laugh lovers? Dave is coming back to Philly this Thursday, January 12th, at the Tin Angel because he loves this city so god-damned much. UsedWigs pals, ball-busting Nikki Walter and the always elegant Daniel Eastman, will also be performing. A few tickets are still available, get em now.

I asked Dave what are his five favorites things about Philly. Here are the top 5 of the 73 answers he supplied.

1. That really big mural of Dr. J on that one building:

I have never really followed basketball, but I still totally know who Dr. J is and I think it’s really great that there is a seriously large painting of him on the side of a building right there in your town where pretty much anybody can roll up on him any time they want and just say to themselves or whoever else is with them at the moment “Look — there’s Dr. J, the famous basketball player, a man we still talk about to this day. Talk about scoring points — he was great at it.” I also like that Dr. J is dressed in a cool suit in this mural. It’s like he’s just hanging out or something, instead of dressed up in one of his professional basketball outfits. This makes him seem more approachable to me, even though he is two stories high and if a person were ever really that big they could crush you without even thinking about it.

2. This one store I went to:

A couple years ago, I got dim sum (the popular Chinese brunch-like meal) with my friend Maria (who pretty much just bitched about how much she hated Chinese food the whole time. Whatever.) Afterward, we wandered around town and happened upon this one store that sold all sorts of cool stuff. The guy who ran the store told us there was a whorehouse next door, which made us giggle. Anyway, I can’t remember the name of the store, but it had a stuffed hyena in it. Odds are they are out of business by now as the hyena wasn’t for sale and you can’t exactly have a hyena in your store and not expect everyone to want to buy it a whole lot more than anything else you might be selling. Anyway, I did end up buying something else anyway, specifically a DVD of a French movie called “Don’t Deliver Us From Evil,” which is about a couple French schoolgirls who decided to align themselves with Satan instead of listening to the nuns at their school, who are total bitches. As you can probably imagine, that one pretty much writes itself. The nuns lez out, the two Satany girls kill some guy with a log, and they even set themselves on fire at the end. In short, it pretty much has everything. Run, don’t walk, to see this movie.

3. Terry Gross:

I like that Terry Gross, host of the popular “Fresh Air” public radio program, is living right there in your town. I’ve never met Terry (what I call her), but I love the idea that by coming to Philadelphia it suddenly becomes a possibility that I might run into her, cool glasses and all, in her natural habitat. And if that ever happened, I’d probably just say “Hey, Terry. You want to go get a sandwich or something?” Most people probably would have stopped at saying hello. Not me though — I swing for the fences.

4. A low tolerance for bullshit:

Whenever I step off the train and into the train station in Philadelphia (You know —  the one featured in the hit movie “Witness” starring Kelly McGillis in the role of a lifetime and I think she takes her top off at one point) and then out into the streets of Philadelphia, one of the first things I am struck by is how much the people of Philadelphia pretty much have no time for bullshit. I wish I could say the same for the people of Baltimore. Those people are so crazy for bullshit it’s not even funny. Crab cakes at a baseball game? Bullshit. Get over yourselves, Baltimorians. Anyway, that shit and a lot of other shit would never fly in Philly because pretty much everyone there hates bullshit. And I love that they hate bullshit, because I hate bullshit too. When I come to Philadelphia this weekend, I hope to round up a bunch of Philadelphians and just stand around with them while giving the finger to bullshit in all its forms. It’s gonna be pretty great.

5. Non-cheesesteak food options:

A lot of people think cheesesteaks are the only food item available in Philadelphia. This is crazy. I’ve had all sorts of food here and it was delicious. And guess what- none of it was cheesesteaks. In fact, you know what? Fuck cheesesteaks- they are doing fine without me. Another thing is that Questlove lives in Philadelphia. He is a great drummer with great hair, which is great for him and a lot of other people. One time I played a show in Philadelphia with the Walter Schreifels Band at Chuck Treece’s rock club/arts facility place. Questlove was there and I was excited to tell everyone how Questlove was there but then he left. I have other stories. Not about Questlove, but stories in general.

More:

• Keep Twitter Funny: Follow Dave Hill, Todd Barry and Jon Wurster
• Interview with Dave Hill
• @mrdavehill

Christmas Eve is magic. Always has been, always will be in my book. (That’s because my book is entitled “Christmas Eve is Magic.”) It’s my favorite day of the year and it totally kicks the butt of Easter Eve and decimates Secretary’s Day Eve. The giddy anticipation of Santa’s visit culminates on this marvelous night and if I could bottle this wonderful feeling of good will (and slight greed), I would. And then sell it to you all at friends and family discount.

Growing up there was nothing I loved more than hitting the 7:00 p.m. mass at St. Rose in Belmar and seeing some of my favorite families all decked out in their spanking new sweaters and fancy dresses. The Keady, Dwyer, Nies and Jenkins families all sat on the right side (facing the altar); the Commesso, Dunn and Lyons clans camped out on the left. I found comfort in this expected order and looked forward to seeing everyone passing by on the communion line and chatting them up as we departed. Listening to my dad bellow along to all the Christmas songs in the pew, whether he knew the words or not, was also a highlight.

After mass, neighbors, cousins and family friends would gather at my parents’ house and the holiday cheer would continue. Mom would fire up the oven and shovel in the greatest assortment of frozen treats the local Acme had to offer: mini pizzas, mini pigs-in-a-blanket, mini Reubens and mini haggis (made that last one up). Lots of beer and wine were imbibed and stories were rehashed at a rapid pace. I loved standing behind the bar with Dad or brother DJ, making sure glasses were filled while Uncle Frank sat at the end making certain chops were busted.

We always ended the night with a raucous game of trivia. My wife Kelly was the ringer everyone wanted her on his or her team. The more we drank the less we knew and the more entertaining it became. And yes, cousin Bridget, we all thought Thomas Jefferson was the one “movin’ on up, to the east side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky.” Great clue, kid!

With the passing of my parents, those nights are no longer. I can’t express how much I miss them, but the 25 years of insanely fun Christmas festivities and memories I shared with them both continue to bring me joy and some solace.

Patty proudly wearing her “Ziggy” sweatshirt Christmas gift. Ziggy was our dog. Don was his best friend.

Luckily, with every tradition that passes, a new one arises. We now celebrate the night before Christmas with the Andrews and Galer families at Uncle Hap’s house in the Mount Airy section of Philly. Hap lives in a big old corner twin house: giant doors, high ceilings, ridiculously large Christmas tree, tons of antiques and my favorite: the back pantry which houses the perfectly chilled cases of beer.

Kelly’s family is equally as fun as mine, just not as loud (save for Heather). It’s always a great time at Hap’s, lots of kids zooming around, good conversation and many bottles of red adorn the dining room table. I look forward to eating a nice selection of cheeses in the kitchen while standing next to an old treadmill and pretending to know about hockey.

My single most favorite part of the evening is the peaceful drive home along Lincoln Drive, across the river and through the Wynnewood to our little house we go. The girls nod off, snug in their jammies while Kel and I enjoy some Christmas tunes on the radio and quietly discuss what still needs to be wrapped. It’s so calm, almost creepy calm and before I freak out I remind myself, “It’s not creepy calm, it’s magic calm. People are taking the night off from evil and nonsense because Santa sprinkled his magic Quaalude dust on everyone as his sleigh passed by overhead.”

Finally, home! I enjoy giving gifts much more than receiving (unless it’s a drum set, then gimme gimme!), so once Kel goes to bed I look forward to Scotch-taping the hell out of the last few gifts I saved and popping open another beer. I kick back, listen to some WPRB, fire up some Facebook (“Ooh, look who’s drunk posting now!”) and suck in all the magical goodness the night has to offer.

Merry magical Christmas Eve to all my friends who celebrate it and believe in magic!

– Originally posted December 24, 2010