Joss’d

Over at Jane After Dark, writer Jane Boursaw tells us that she just watched Buffy for the first time, and lists her top five fave moments.  Wow.  I haven’t actually met anyone who discovered Buffy just recently (although I try to convince all the kids I teach that all major life lessons can be learned in the Buffyverse .

Anyway, that got me thinking.  How would I convince someone to watch Buffy today?  It might help if that someone were already a fan of some of Joss’s recent work, like Dollhouse or Dr. Horrible.  If not, how do you suck someone into the World of Whedon?

I found the list Jane created a bit surprising.  I mean, most Buffy fans I know would list “Once More, With Feeling” in their top five!   That doesn’t mean, however, that my faves would make good choices for an “Intro to Buffy” course.  I had one rather pathetic attempt to create a Buffy fan that involved “Hush” (my second favourite episode).  There is a moment that was a bit too much for my friend where someone’s head explodes.  I obviously hadn’t thought that far ahead.  Hmm.

So, after some thought, here is my list of introductory episodes.  Please don’t yell at me.

Prophecy Girl
Surprise
Band Candy
Earshot
Fear, Itself
The Gift
Normal Again
Help

Let me know your choices and if you have had any success sucking people into the land of Buffy.  Also, if you could only pick one episode, what would it be?  That question was too hard for my brain.

Buffy’s old demonic roommate Kathy, played by Dagney Kerr, is in several commercials, the latest of which features her hocking some delicious Land O Lakes butter.  If you are a big fan, you can catch her in other commercials.  She was in one of those corn syrup commercials where she got schooled by a lady who loved corn syrup.  Having nothing else to say, she started talking about the lady’s top. 

I could not find a clip of the Land O Lakes commercial, so I found an amusing clip of Dagney Kerr performing some poetry and doing some interpretive dance.  It is funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Sh3HoYeow

Most possibly the best acceptance speech in the history of mankind.

Or Fy Sy kind.

According to The Late Late Show website, Nathan Fillion is scheduled to be on the show May 6th. If you’re going to be in LA, you’ll want to be there! If you go, come back here and tell us all the details!

If you’ve listened to Joss’d for a bit, you know we’re big fans of NBC’s Chuck, a quirky comedy-drama starring Adam Baldwin (Firefly/Angel). The show is apparently on the bubble for renewal (along with our beloved Dollhouse) and fans are trying to be smart about getting the show picked up. Instead of sending thousands of peanuts or pencils they’re encouraging people to watch, buy, share and write to get the show continued.

I know what you’re saying “another save my show campaign?” But Chuck creator Josh Schwartz said this in a recent New York Times interview:

The difference between being a hit show and being an on-the-bubble show is so small now. The metrics have become so narrow that everything does help. If you do have a loyal fan base that really can make a difference. Now, more than ever, that kind of fan support can really have an impact. The cost of launching a television series is as high as it’s ever been. And obviously the odds have never gotten any better. If you look at NBC they’ve had a history of being patient with “The Office,” “30 Rock.” “Friday Night Lights” is a show where they’ve found a way to maintain its audience. Word of mouth is the most old-fashioned trend in entertainment and it still holds true. To sustain and hold onto our audience would be significant enough.

Part of the fan campaign is showing that the advertisements work. In a recent episode a Subway’s sandwhich was featured (quite prominently) so fans are rallying to go into Subway this Monday and buy sandwiches (before the Season Finale of Chuck). From ChuckTV.net:

To reward and incentivize Subway for their product placement support of Chuck, on the evening of the season finale, April 27th, go to your local Subway to purchase a $5 FOOTLONG. Drop a note in the comment box at the franchise letting them know you’re participating in the ChuckTV.net campaign to save NBC’s Chuck, of which Subway is a product placement sponsor. If you plan to do this, be sure to include that intent in your letters to Ben Silverman and Angela Bromstad at NBC.

For a full list of what YOU can do to help Chuck (and Adam Baldwin) please visit ChuckTV.net’s page.

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In this episode Tabz and Kim discuss this American Life showing (which is tonight April 23, 2009 or May 2nd, 2009). They congratulate Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen on their wedding. They welcome our new trivia gal – Liane! The news makes up for being gone last week by packing in twice as much zany. Kim and Tabz talk about how awesome How I Met Your Mother is (without being too spoilery) and why you should be watching. Then they interview Xander from Twitter! Emma reviews a Dr. Horrible/How I Met Your Mother fanfic and seems to implicate herself in the mystery around the missing trivia people. Tabz talks about the Streamy Awards, Paleyfest and PJ Haarsma’s book signing. Dollhouse Season 2 prospects are also discussed, Kim reminds people to keep watching (or restart watching). Who from the Whedonverse is Twittering now? Liane survives through the entire episode (and so did Cliss our editor). Be sure to email us at jossdpodcast-at-gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

This episode was edited by Cliss

Host Links:
This American Life
This American Life Live!
Cool Refreshing Zima! (The Podcast)
How I Met Your Mother
Barney’s Blog
Barney’s Video Resume
The Bro Code
Tabz’ Review of the Streamys
Tabz’ review of the Dr. Horrible @ Paleyfest
Harper’s Globe
Joss’ First Twitter
www.twitter.com/nathanfillion
www.twitter.com/alydenisof
PJ Haarsma
Softwire (PJ Haarsma’s book series)
Kids Need to Read
Tabz at PJ’s book signing
Tabz and Kim’s Epic Spike vs. Angel discussion continues on Happyland

News:
Alyson, Alexis, & daughter Satyana
Anthony Head’s list of special people in his life
Short Video of Dr. Horrible panel at Paleyfest
IGN Dr. Horrible @ Paleyfest Post
Tabz’ review of the Dr. Horrible @ Paleyfest
Five page preview of Angel #20
Sneak peak at Angel #23
Fran Kranz interview by Scifi Wire
BookBanter podcast interviews Amber Benson
Interview with James Marsters
Pre-order Dollhouse
Cast of Dollhouse talks to Kristen from E-online
Nathan Fillion And Alyson Hannigan on Twitter
www.twitter.com/nathanfillion
www.twitter.com/alydenisof
Joss Whedon interviewed by wizard.com
Joss interview with Scifi Wire

Interview:
Xander (on Twitter)
Land of Karn
Dragavan Games
Twitter Fakers
Voltaire

Fanfic Review:
Some Kind of Hero (fic)
The Horrible Awards

When I mention Seth Green, what do you think of? That’s right, “Greg the Bunny”. Wait, you thought about Oz, from “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer”? Or Scotty Evil from the Austin Powers trilogy? Sure that’s his old stuff, what about recent schtick, like “Robot Chicken” or “Family Guy”? Not me. I still immediately think of that awesome, short-lived FOX comedy “Greg the Bunny”. (Yeah, FOX can’t deal with Whedon alumni in sitcoms, either.)

“Greg the Bunny” is a brown bunny puppet… er, Fabricated-American, who first broke into showbiz on a NY cable access show called “Junktape”. His charm and wit caught the attention of the Independent Film Channel, who gave him his own show, “The Greg the Bunny Show”, where he and fellow puppets introduced various movies and parodied films.

Eventually, in 2002, those wily execs over at FOX gave Greg his own sitcom and paired him with Seth Green, who played Greg’s roommate, Jimmy. In the FOX show, “Greg the Bunny”, the premise is that puppets live side-by-side with people, though albeit as second-class citizens. Greg gets the chance to live out his lifelong dream of acting on public access children’s television show, “Sweetknuckle Junction”. Jimmy’s dad Gil, played by the incredible Eugene Levy, is the producer of the struggling kid’s show, and Greg’s naïveté helps give it new life.

“Sweetknuckle Junction” is hosted by Junction Jack (Bob Gunton) and Dottie (Dina Waters), and is home to many puppet characters. Amongst the puppet cast are Warren Demontague, aka Warren the Ape, Tardy the Turtle, Susan the Monster, Rochester Rabbit, and my favorite, Count Blah, the has-been vampire. Behind the camera there’s Jimmy and Gil, but also Alison, played by Sarah Silverman, as one of the studio execs.

The core of the sitcom is Greg and how he deals with his fellow fabricated-Americans, especially Warren, who is a classically-trained thespian forced to work on a kid’s show to make a living, and is often upstaged by the new kid, Greg. Jimmy’s friendship with Greg is also very important, because this helps us cement the idea that puppets are people, too. Count Blah really steals the show, not just because he is a caricature of Sesame Street’s Count, but because he delivers some great material.

Tragically, the FOX series “Greg the Bunny” was cut short in its first season and suffered from having the episodes played out of order. (Where have we heard that before?) Moreover, it suffered from the studio not knowing what to do with the show. It is evident from the writing that there was a sharp edge to the material, but the studio dumbed it down for the masses.

Eventually, Greg, Warren, and Count Blah made their way back to the IFC for a couple years, irreverently lampooning great cinema, uncensored and unfettered. You can find the FOX series on DVD, as well as two DVDs featuring a collection of shorts from the IFC years. You can also find some videos still online. I highly recommend watching them all, especially if you become a fan of Count Blah like I have. If what you really want is to see Seth Green having a lot of fun, the FOX series DVD will be a winner for you.

5 year old Australian Calvin has an evil laugh.

David Boreanaz talks about Booth as a character and a spoiler for the end of this season.

In last night’s Family Guy, Peter Griffin makes a Neil Patrick Harris reference and asks the question I’ve always asked about How I Met Your Mother…

Sorry if you’re not in the US and can’t see Hulu clips.

(If you remember Neil Patrick Harris has appeared on Family Guy – playing Barney in 2007).