2011 Vent Haven Ventriloquist ConVention part 1

Last weekend was the 35th Annual Vent Haven Ventriloquist ConVention held in Fort Mitchell Kentucky. Yes, I did say Kentucky. Fort Mitchell is the home of the Worlds biggest and best collection of Ventriloquiana. Founded by William Shakespear Burger and now maintained by a board of advisors it continues to provide a wonderful history of our art of Ventriloquism.

Tamara and I were able to attend and enjoy the festivities along with..get this..536 total in attendance. This was a record for attendance and the reason is simple..The theme of the ConVention was 70 years of entertainment by non other then Jimmy Nelson. As mentioned in the previous post Jimmy Nelson is responsible for many ventriloquists of today getting into vent.

As I have mentioned, the focus of this years event was a celebration of Jimmy Nelsons 70 years in entertainment and it was titled "70 Years of laughter". Unlike other years where the focus is tips and techniques to improve as a vent the focus this time was all about Jimmy. Of course there were lectures and shows as always but the primary theme was Jimmy and Betty Nelson. Tom Ladshaw put together a video presentation called "70 minutes of laughter" as a highlight reel and it was fantastic to watch! Along with that there were a boatload of great items given to registrants who joined in to celebrate. There was a shoulder bag, a 4 pinback set depicting Danny O'Day, Farfal, Humphrey Higsby, and Fatatateta, a huge book with a biography of Jimmy as well as a treasure trove of photographs, a poster(not shown in photo as it is safely rolled and stored awaiting framing in the coming week. All of these things were organized and Coordinated by Tom Ladshaw who deserves tremendous kudos for all his hard work and effort.

In upcoming posts over the week I will share the highlights of the cenvention from my perspective along with additional photos taken at the event.

Stay tuned....

2011 Vent Haven ConVention

Well here it is, Saturday July 16th and it's the last day of what has been a Great ConVention here in Fort Mitchell kentucky. The theme of the Convention has is a tribute to Jimmy Nelson. A great Ventriloquist but more over a great human being. Jimmy has influenced SO many people young and old alike. He has touched the hearts and created laughter for 70 years as an entertainer.

Through his course "Instant ventriloquism" he has inspired some of the great vents of today. Jeff Dunham, Jay Johnson, Terry fator, Tom Ladshaw, Dan Horn and the list goes on and on.

We have taken lots of pictures and met lots of great Vents this year....

Off to the final day of fun..more to come..

Three Stooges Movie

Well its in production The Three Stooges Movie and I, much like many I assume, do not know how to feel about this. Is it possible to recreate something that is so iconic in our culture as the comedy teams of old? The Three Stooges are a classic to many, young and old and being nostalgic as I am I fear it might not be doing the franchise much help. However, having said that it may also help to bring new fans aboard..did you see what just happened right there? I waffled and began to rethink my original point. Not really. As a Stooges Fan I think anything that will put our favorite knuckleheads in the spot light is a good thing. I hope it creates a resurgance like no other and we see those laughable, lovable, nut jobs everywhere...and the Stooges too! ;)

Lets give it a chance and hope it makes everyone a Three Stooges fan!

Have a Great Weekend!

Happy Independance Day to everyone from CJ and the Gang

As we celebrate the Independance of our Great Country lets also celebrate those who help to keep it free. Starting with the Soldiers who protect our land with their very lives. This is a great country and we need to keep that in mind before we complain about our rights and freedoms. If we are not happy with something then we have to stand up and make our voices heard. Our founding fathers who put it all on the line to establish this country as a free country would have worked in vein if we just sit by and do not take a part in our own governing.

Enough soap boxing for me..lets make today a GREAT day and enjpy the freedom we have and spend time with those we love.

HAPPY 4th of July!!

Ventriloquist Ronn Lucas

Ronn Lucas, straight man to such comedy genius' as Buffalo Billy, Scorch the teenage dragon, and Chuck the punk rocker. Ronn is truely entertaining with tremendous "Ventriloquial mechanical skills" (hehe bet ya never heard that one before eh? ) Ronn is also a geniune guy. I had the chance to meet him a couple times at his show in las Vegas and he took time at the end of the show to chat "Vent" and talk about the show. He was Honored in 2005 with the Askins award from the International Ventriloquist Association. Check out his youtube page for some great clips.



Check out Ronn's web site too.

Ronn with Buster and I at his show in Vegas.

Willie Tyler and Lester Goodness

Willie Tyler is a talented Ventriloquist and a joy to see perform. Year ago I was able to see a show he did in the Detroit area and his show was great. He can sing wonderfully and Lester is always fun.

Here is a video of some of his stuff as he did on the David Letterman show. His Hambone is very cool and I can't imagine doing that.

More Michael Finney

This is a great routine. His stage presence and wit is great!

Love this one.

Michael Finney Magic

Michael Finney is a great Comedy Magician and a great heart. His wit and talent show is this clip. Michael and his wife Lori also run a Cherity golf outing every year called the Dry Heat Classic which help raise money for great causes.

Take a look at this video and enjoy.

Time to Geek out for the Hobbit

Well it's looking like more and more great information is becoming available for the latest Peter Jackson Installment in the J.R.R. Tolkein's Middle Earth. I first read the Hobbit when I was in 7th grade. I remember the school year ending and there I was, mid June early 1980's and I was sitting out in the yard under a tree reading the Hobbit. Of course i did eventually finish the book and spent lots of time at the lake a bike riding but the whole time I was thinking about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and how much i wanted to be a Hobbit myself. I did favor them a bit with my ever constant barefeet and love of fine foods. heh. Of course ever since the Hobbit I have always had a fondness of Hobbits. Most all of the characters I ever played in Dungeons & Dragons have been halflings. The character I play in Lord of the Rings online is a hobbit. I guess deep down I am a Hobbit stuck in a 6 foot tall mans body. ;)

Enough about me lets take a look at a video Peter Jackson has put out at the beginning of production of The Hobbit in new Zealand.

Sir Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Wizard and the role of Bilbo Baggins being played by Martin Freeman. Andy Serkis will reprise his role of Gollum and a host of new faces for the throng of Dwarves. The full list can be seen on this IMDB listing.

Without further ado here is the video blog of Peter Jackson during the days leading up to the start of filming. Enjoy.



Now go out and pick up a copy of the book and find a tree to sit in the shade and enjoy.

See you in the Shire!

Drinking and Driving

I was thinking now that the summer is here and there are a lot of parties and open houses for grads we need to be aware of the potential for drinking and driving. In 2006 I had the opportunity to work with a High School SADD group on a Mock accident to impress upon the kids the dangers of drinking and driving. It's a good program but I think we all need to be mindful and responsible.

"It's fun to have fun but you have to know how"- The cat in the Hat

have a great summer..and a safe one. Volunteer to be a Designated Driver(DD)

Howard the Duck!!

Remember this movie from the 1980's? I loved it then and we watched it a few months ago and it still held up to me as a blast from the past. Lea Thompson, Tim Robbins, and Jeffrey Jones round out the cast of co-stars to Howard.



Go watch it..it holds up. I think the Howard suit/makeup was darn good. Not sure who did it though..I looked at the IMDB but didn't see who made the Duck suit.

have fun.

Check these out!

Here are the blogs for Nathan and Joshua Flynn. They are Stop motion animation students and their blogs have some fantastic behind the scenes creations of their film project, "Night at the Opera".

Be sure to check each of their blogs as they both are taking on different characters and tasks of the film. Such great talent.

Super 8

Went to see this new movie by J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg tonight. I loved the retro feel of the late 70's early 80's along with the fact the kids in the film were making a film. I loved Super 8 when i was young and have a few of the cameras to this day. I won't go any more in to the story other then to say if you like Sci-Fi-esque films this is a must see!

I was specifically loved the fact that one of the kids in the film did makeup and makeup fx and when asked where he learned how to do it he says he learned from the Dick Smith Monster makeup handbook. Score one for the film makers on this Homage to the great makeup master of our time, Dick Smith.

One other note is that one of the characters has a Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist dummy in his bedroom which I thought was a cool touch. J.J. Abrams has a Ventriloquist figure of himself that was made by noted Figure make Tim Selberg. Nice touch Mr. Abrams.

Adam and Eve by Nick Hilligoss

ok, we have learne dhow to make a head and some shoes for stop motion animation over the past few days, now sit back and watch this great animation from Nick Hilligoss. A great piece of story telling and animation.

to see more of Nicks work you can go here

Enjoy

Stop motion puppet shoes

Here is another tutorial from Nick Hilligoss, stop motion animator from Australia. He makes it all look so easy and creates methods that result in a great prop with an eye on practicality and budget.

Enjoy

Great Stop Motion animation face Tutorial

Nick Hilligoss is a great animator from Australia with a lot of great tutorials on his youtube page. His animations are fun and well executed with smooth animation and character.

This is a tutorial for making a stop motion animation face.

Enjoy

Jewels and a New Car!

Am I lucky or what? OK here's the skinny. I had the opportunity to spend 1 hour and 10 minutes swinging yesterday..swinging a metal detector coil that is. It was a fun diversion from a long day. I was workign in a downriver city and decided at the end of the day to stop at a local park I have been eye balling for months. Well in just over an hour I had managed to dig up 26 coins in total for a whopping $2.69, along with a 2010 Mustang and a bracelet. probably the most I have dug in such a short period of time. It was a nice break from a long day but it was a HOT out.

Happy Hunting to all.

Geico Civil war commercial- Classic!

This is great.

I imagine when he says "clumps hill" he means Culps Hill. Does make me wonder if they are mocking reenactors or just having fun. As a reenactor I am not offended and find this commercial very funny!

Magic the Movie

A true Classic horror film that continued to give Ventriloquists a bad name and convince everyone that we're crazy. Or are we?

Great Magic!

Mike Finney is a Fantastic Comedy Magician. About 7 yrs ago i had the great opportunity to meet him briefly at Chris Reesamans Encore Magic which was in Flint Michigan at the time and he was very kind and funny. I am a huge fan of his magic as it is greatly entertaining. He also runs a charity event every year called the Dry Heat Classic which raises money for chariable organizations.

Here is one of his great routines. Enjoy.

Civil War Remembrance days at GreenField Village 2011

Here is a nice video of some of the weekend at Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan during Civil War Remembrance weekend over the memorial day holiday.

I was able to attend on Saturday for the day. Was a good time.

Walters Wit!

Jokes.com
Jeff Dunham - Walter Haunted House
comedians.comedycentral.com
Jeff Dunham Videos Walter Achmed

Memorial Day

Wanted to share this with the Memorial Day Holiday coming up.  Please take a moment to think about those who sacrificed all to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today.  Is this country perfect?  No. But if we don't fight for her she certainly will never be.  Say a prayer and give thanks for those you made it possible to do so.

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead". While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

General John A. Logan Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
 
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."
 
The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.
But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
 
(website this came from http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html)

The Musical Chicago

Loved this scene from the movie Chicago.  Of course the Ventriloquist theme is the main reason but over all it's just fun.  had the opportunity to go see the musical on may 19th at the Fox Theater in Detroit and it was great.  Be sure to check it out if it comes to your town, well worth it.

What next?

So I was working in the field last wednesday and was behind this truck at a light.  Talk about multi tasking everything.  I didn't get to see what the side fo the truck said but it was a work van so i am guessing his job wasn't to just drive around looking for potential clients looking for a divorce lawyer.  I guess it struck me funny and sad at the same time.

I am NOT promoting the site I just thought is was something else the lengths some will go to.  Like sites prmoting cheating..I guess they go hand in hand eh?  The cheating web sites and the divorce ads. heh.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

=)

True Friends

Lesson of the day

sometimes, we try too hard to get to the greener grass.

And in the process, we can end up in trouble.

And when you find yourself in trouble...

And you're stuck in a situation that you can't get out of...

There is one thing you should always remember……

...........

Not everyone who shows up

is there to help you

Happy Easter To all!

Wishing you all the best with your loved ones today!

May the Jelly Beans never run out!

"Argh..ther be treasure in them ther waters"

ok..not so much treasure and not so much IN the water..but close and close.

Went out earlier this week to get some fresh air and took the Metal detector down to the lake picnic area.  Spent about 1 1/2 hours digging junk and had a great time!  Was refreshing to get some air and some added excercize.  It worked out be a cup of various trash items such as foil and glass and such trash.  The end result was $1.68 worth of coins dating from 1959 to 1990. (4 quarters, 6-dimes, 8- Pennies)

I was using the Fisher F2 metal detector and the fpoint pin pointer which was handy but you have to pretty much touch the object with it to find it.  But, in dirt findin a copper coin or even the other coins were oxidzed so much they blended in it did help. Anywhooo...the best part was gettign out and about after this long cold winter.  Now I can't wait to get back out and get my hands dirty again.

Above all else..enjoy yourself it whatever you do.

(missing the makeup and animating but this summer plan on building a shed and getting some room in the garage to rebuild the work area.  )  =)

Great Words from a great friend

I received this from a great friend a number of years ago.  Every now and then I find it in my e-mail and read it again.  I know I get all wound up in work and forget to stop and make time for others alot of time.  Maybe I need to get this tatoo'd to my forarm...ok maybe not..but is worth reading and rereading again and again.

---------------------------------------------------------

When  things in your life seem
almost too much to handle,
when 24 Hours  in a day is not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar
and 2 cups  of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and  had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large
and empty mayonnaise jar
and  proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students
if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The  professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the  open
areas between the golf balls.

He then asked
the  students again
if the jar was full..
They agreed it  was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it  into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He  asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded
with  an unanimous
"yes."

The professor then produced
two cups  of coffee from under the table
And poured the entire  contents
into the jar, effectively
filling the Empty space between  the sand.
The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor,
as the laughter subsided,
"I want you to recognize that
this  jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things -
God, family, children, health,
friends, and Favorite passions --
things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained,
your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other  things that matter
like your job, house, and car.

The sand is  everything else --
the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into  the jar first,"
he continued,
"there is no room for
the  pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you  spend all your time
and energy on the small stuff,
you will never  have room for
the things that are
important to  you.

So...

Pay attention to the things
that are  critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to  get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.
Play  another 18.

There will always be time
to clean the house
and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first --
the things that really matter.
Set your priorities.
The rest  is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand
and  inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.
"I'm glad you asked".

It just goes to show you that no matter  how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of  coffee with a friend."

Please share this with
someone you  care about.


I JUST DID.

Jeff Dunham: All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed, and Me

Hey gang I just wanted to remind you if you haven't read Jeff's new book  "All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed, and Me" it is a great read with a lot of funnny stories and and a wonderful insight into the world of a comedian.  The trials fo the road and the dedication it took for Jeff to get to the top of his game.  He has busted his a$$ and I admire his tenacity in doing so.  I read the book when it came out and I am now listening to the autio book while driving back and forth to the office.  Both well worth getting.

And then don'f forget his DVD's Arguing with myself and Spark of insanity.  Good comedy and fun times.

Now, grab some popcorn and a drink and go enjoy the fun of Jeff and the gang.

Catching up in 2011

Wow here it is already February 21st and it was Christmas just last wek. (or so it feels)

2011 is off and running with a lot in store for Cj and Buster.  We are making plans to get back to Fort Mitchell Kentucky in July for the annual Ventriloquists ConVention which will be a tribute to the wonderful  ventriloquist and great all around person, Jimmy Nelson.  C'mon..we all know the jimgle...N-e-s-t-l-e-s Nestles makes the very best...."Chawklit"!  Danny O'Day and Farfel are sure to be there along with his wonderful wife Betty. 

Be sure to check out the daqtes and schedule http://www.venthavenconvention.com/

In other areas of the varied and odd habits of a strange one I will be building a shed this spring for storage so i can reclaim my garage to have my workshop set up.  My animation table has been used as a storage stabd for 2 years now and I need to set up animation Buster's home again and get those 3 short snippets moving.  Not to mention setting up an oven to bake foam latex in and having a space to work on my molds for puppets and make ups, which is one other thing I swore I needed to do this year, more make ups. 

So with all that in the works and having the full + time day job we all know how it is easy to fall behind on personal projects..this is the new year and I will be getting those things off and running again.  After having such beautiful weather last week then getting dumped on yesterday with 10+ inches of snow it also makes me realize if I want to be able to have my workshop again it will need heat..oh yeah.  hehe

Happy Belated New Year to all and stop in again for the mishaps and misadventures of a Man and his Bear.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all.
May all your Christmas wishes come true.

New Christmas Stopmotion Show

Stumbled onto this the other night while putting up the christmas tree.  Was a good show, well animated and fun to watch.  Found some behind the scenes footage too and will try to get that posted as well.

I haven't watched the show before so might need to check it out.

Enjoy'

November update:

Hope everyone has had a wonderful November and a very Happy Thanksgiving. My November saw the return of CJ and Buster doing a Magic Show for a Red Hat Group. It was fun and Buster was the star of the show once again. They enjoyed the magic but as soon as Buster crashed the party everyone enjoyed it even more. Guess it goes to show Buster is is no dummy when it comes to entertaining the ladies.  Of course Buster had to show up with a Red Hat to show his support as well as gain brownie points with the ladies.

Winter is upon us here in the Great North and we're rapidly preparing for the snow and cold nights.

In the coming month I need to take 2 life casts and perpare some silicone prosthetics for a short film being directed by my Son Zach. This will be a nice renewal into makeup for me. I did finally use the zombie appliance I made last year for Halloween this year and it was fun scaring the trick or treaters. Heh.

Cool Card trick

OK you must watch this. ALL of it. I found this pretty astonishing really.

I would love to hear your thoughts after you have watched it.

OK, Now this is hilarious!

We sat here laughing until we could not breathe. I know I know, it's "fart humor" but ya know what? it's funny!

It's ok to laugh.

4th of July Weekend

Hope everyone have a happy Independance day weekend.

Beautiful sunrise

Had the oppertunity to work on a movie set this weekend(Saturday the 3rd) so my son Nick and I went. The film is a period piece set during the Civil War. A group of reenactors were needed in Saline Michigan for the battle scenes. We were up before the crack of dawn to make the 1.25 hour drive. Arrived at 6:30am and then proceeded to sit. We then had the chance to sit some more. And then it got real exciting, we had our make-up applied, and then back to sitting. About 11:30 we were loaded into the bed of a flat bed truck like cattle and driven tot he set where the filming was to take place, and...sat some more. Finally we all took the field, they did two passes of a Union battle line scene and then broke for a 30 minute lunch which took about an hour and fifteen minutes. Finally it was time. We donned our gear and hit the field shooting for the next 4 hours or so pretty non stop, in wool in 88 degree weather. We drank a LOT of water to keep our fluids replenished during the sweat fest. Sounds glamourous doesn't it? Ultimately we were done and headed out and talking about our day and we both agreed if we had that chance to do it over would we? YEP! It really was a good time and helped us see what goes on behind the scenes a bit more since we both love film and aspire to work in it more.


Who is that Union Soldier?
This guy? Oh he is just a poser since later int he day he turned rebel. (ok I have to be honest. We ALL were asked to take on Confederate roles that day. Can you say, Cross dresser?)

Not sure when the film is slated to be released or if it will be direct to video ro not but it was fun and as fo now the title is "War Flowers" and will star Christina Ricci, Tom Berenger, and Jason Gedrick. Check it out if you get a chance when it comes out.

Heaven Los Lonely Boys

Here is a live performance. I Like the group and this is a great song.




FandA

I'm no Dummy

Well Gang here it is! I'm no dummy went on sale last week and I have to say if you like Ventriloquism, Ventriloquists, or just a great show, here it is. You will learn so much more then you thought you knew and you will enjoy doing it. No there won;t be a quiz when your done, I won't be askign 20 questions to see what you think about it ;)

Lyn Trefzger, Jay Johnson, Jeff Dunham, Jimmy Nelson and more. Learn history and background from Tom Ladshaw THE premier ventriloquist historian.

Pick up a copy today from any number of places, Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon.com. Let me know what ya think. =)

Have a great Spring!

Kids..Stay in "School"

Just a reminder why getting an education is so important.

1996 movie Belly Talkers

A friend recently sent me this link to Sandra Luckows film Belly Talkers and I wanted to share it. I recall when they were making this WAY back when and have never been able to see the film. If anyone has seen it let me know how and where please. I checked Amazon.com for it but did not see it there for sale. This clip/exerpt is great and I would really like to see the whole film.

Belly Talkers (excerpt) from Sandra Luckow on Vimeo.

Rush, Neil Peart interview

Rush has been my favorite band since I was but a wee lad. Hmm..I must have been 12ish..and now, at 42 I still admire their skill and love their music. The creativity and talent they possess is beyond measure to me. In an interview last wednesday January 13th Neil mentions new songs and new ideas. HE also talks about his new version of the Canadian Hockey theme. Take a look .

Neil Pert from Rush Interview here.

Here is the Video:

Wes Anderson NAtional Review Acceptance speech.

This was a great way to accept this awar for his latest film "The Fantastic Mr. Fox".

Happy New year and other various and sundry items

Welcome to the new decade! Several things to talk about but first wanted to wish everyone a VERY happy New Year. I hope 2009 was a great year and wish you all the best for 2010!!

My last post of 2009 was about the Fantastic Mr. Fox and at the time I had not seen the movie. Since I have been to see it twice and must say it is a great movie. I love stopmotion animation and they did a great job with this one. I have been reading the making of the Fantastic Mr Fox book and it has some really good behind the scenes information as well. Anyone who knows me know I love to see what goes on behind the finished work as much as the finished work itself, yet in doing so does not detract from the enjoyment of the movie.

the post which is now below this one due to embedding issues is a cool award acceptance speech by Wes Anderson for the national board of review award. How creative. =)


ahh..heck fire ...tryting to post this from work and now with interuptions my train of thought has derailed.

More to come soon.

CJ

Bergen Blooper

Recently stumbled onto this while trying to find a different Bergen blooper.

New Wolfman Movie for 2009 Rick Baker Interview

Check this interview out with Rick Baker. Can't wait to see this film!

Cool Animated show Pilot; Nerdland

This show pilot was great! Check it out. The animaton was very good and the characters were great. Please go check it out.

Have a great weekend all!

Cool Stop Motion Commercial

Always fun to see Stopmo in the media. This embed seems to have the lip synch off a little but you get the picture. Good Stuff!

Halloween 7.5 : The Rehabilitation of Michael Myers

how funny is this!?!?! LOL

Great stuff!


Halloween 7.5 : The Rehabilitation of Michael Myers

Steve Johnson FX

This is sexciting stuff! Be sure to keep and eye out for more. Steve Johnson is a Top Notch artist and him sharing this information is awsome! Thanks Steve!



With Halloween having just passed thought this would fit in nicely here and his timing..well now that I think about it maybe thats why he released this when he did...Hmm..

As for myself and Halloween, well I had to work and for Saturday I decided I wanted to dress up so planned on using a zombie outfit I made a few years ago and had no makeup planned, sooooo I sculpted an appliance over an old lifemask uaing wed clay, first time trying to do an appliance makeup with Wed and it was different, will try more soon. I sculpted and made the ultracal 30 mold and made a Platsil Gel 10 appliance..but alas did not have enough time for application. But, I must say Platsil Gel 10 is very cool..I see why everyone is falling in love with it. I will get some pics up of the makeup once it's installed..I dind't have my camera when I did the sculpt so no progress pics.

HOpe eveyrone had a GREAT halloween!

Chris

DirecTV adds with Chris Farley

Found this and must say I disagree. IF the Proper permissions were granted then why is it a problem to perpetuate the memory of a comedian who has passed?

Here is the print and the commercial:

"Some viewers are upset with DirecTV's newest commercial, a recreation of a scene in "Tommy Boy" that combines new footage of David Spade interacting with Chris Farley, who died of a drug overdose in 1997. In the classic scene from the 1995 comedy, a present-day Spade dismisses Farley's antics with the sarcastic remark, "Never gets old." Viewers on YouTube called the spot "distasteful" and a "stupid idea.""

Songs and how they affect us

I love music, and the lyrics. This song is Sad but hopefully makes us stop for a minute to realize how we need to make time for the little things..the little one..the loved ones.

Of course we all have songs that speak to our hearts and souls and some are great memories and others are sad memories. Above all else, smile, it causes a good feeling to spread through your body and helps to cheer you up. All of us have a limited amount of time to leave our mark on this Earth and to teach our children all we can to help them along their way.

If nothing else today, tell those you love just how much it is that you love them. Smile for a moment when you feel upset or angry and feel how it changes everything.

SMILE, LOVE, and LIVE.


I wish I could have been there- John Anderson


When our baby Kate was born it was the biggest day of my life
Lying there, little bows in her hair
In the loving arms of my wife
I was the proudest papa in the USA
Makin' a living on the road somewhere a thousand miles away

It was a happy day, but kinda' sad
I wish I coulda' been there
I wish I coulda' been there
I wish I coulda been there for that

Little Bobby hit his first home run
He was the hero of the home town crowd
Two to one, it was a winning run
Everybody was cheering loud
And mommy she was smilin' saying he's a chip off of the old block
But I was on the road somewhere between Memphis and Little Rock

It was a happy day but kinda' sad
I wish I coulda' been there
I wish I coulda' been there
I wish I coulda' been there for that

Now Bobby and Kate are all grown up
And moved away
They stay in touch
We're proud of the two good kids we raised
And it's hard to believe we are celebrating our twenty fifth year today
This party's nice but the kids aren't here
At least they called to say
Congratulations mom and dad

I wish we could have been there
I wish we could have been there
I wish we could have been there for that
It was a happy day, but kinda' sad
I wish they could have been there
I wish they could have been there
I wish they could have been there, for that

Zombieland Movie

My son and I saw this over the weekend, fun movie!

If you like comedies, I know your thinking, "but Chris it's a Zombie movie", it's a comedy folks! VERY fun, memorable scenes, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll tell your friends about it. Ok maybe not, but you will laugh!

Worth the price of admission.

now go, stop surfing the net, go see this movie. If we don't go to the movies who will make them and then what will we have..Monopoly on friday nights? GO GO GO

=P

The Peanut Show with Jeff Dunham Trailer

Jeff Dunham Show

New Jeff Dunham show set to air on Comedy Central October 22nd at 9pm.

Be sure to check it out!

Here is a clip of Jeff and Walter from the Gotham. Great Stuff what a great entertainer.

Enjoy!

Jokes.com
Jeff Dunham - Broadway
comedians.comedycentral.com
Walter Achmed Jeff Dunham Videos

September 11th

Our country may have it's flaws and issues, but let us not forget it is our country.

Today of all days lets remember what it takes and thank those who defend the freedoms we do have. It's not about the politicians who make the decisions, it''s about the front line defenders doing their job to allow us a safe place to raise our children, a safe place to speak our opinions, and a safe place to call home.

"Sometimes people wanna try"

That was the wisdom form my 2 year old this weekend when I asked her to let me put on her sandals. I was floored at first..then realized she did indeed say that and I proceeded to allow her to finish. She made me realize that sometimes I need to be a bit more patient and allow her to be a big girl.

Had a great weekend playing games with the kids and trying to go to the Michigan State Game, only to realize there were no tickets to be had, Sooooo..we walked to the local B'dubs and enjoyed some wings and "pops". A Blow OUT! 44 to 3 MSU over Montana State. Spent what may well be the last trip to the lake by the house this season as well since the weather will be changing soon. Was great fun. =)

Will be appearing 2 days this week at Applebees, Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th and will not have an appearance Tuesday the 15th as i will be attending the Server Olympics with the staff from our store competing with other stores. Looking forward to it. =)

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day to all.

Have a restful day and try not to labor too much. ( Well unless it is actual labor..then there really isn't much you can do about that sorry ladies.

Have a HAPPY DAY!

Chris

New Ronn Lucas Safety Video

Ronn is such a talented entertainer and always a joy to watch. Also be sure to check out his website.

Selling on-line- why does it cost SO much?

Just a quick rant:

Recently decided to sell some items I have. In an attempt not to sound like I am attacking a specific on-line auction company I will just say it rhymes with "Fee Bay". The item I sold ended up costing me over $32 in fees between "Fee Bay" and it's Sister company "play Pal". I guess my gripe is that is has been a while since I have used "fee Bay" and do not recall the fees being SO high. I guess now I see the alure of people using Craigs List to sell things.

Maybe I am whining but I cannot even get to the money left for as much as 21 days!! I get to reach into my pocket to pay the "Fee Bay" Fees and the shipping in hopes that they will release my money before 21 days!!

I know this is really of no issue to anyone but I needed to Vent for a moment. I feel these charges are very high and digs into anything I stood to make on this item.

What have been your experiences?

Halloween II !!!!

WOW

How the H*ll did I not know this was about to be released?!?!?!?Too much work and not enough play makes Chris not know what is going on in the world. I am VERY excited about this news!
So much so I added the count down timer to the right with some cool links built into it. =)

Tim..are you ready for this one pal? We will be in the front of the line. ;)

Pigeon Pilfer

You MUST go see this animation. This is an awsome animation posted by a member of stopmotionanimation.com forum.

Go there now, I'll wait..............

2009 Vent Haven Ventriloquist ConVention

Well the 33rd Vent Haven Ventriloquist conVention has come and gone but the memories made and the inspiration from other vent will carry me thourhg until next years gathering. Tis year as with the past it was SO night to catch up with old friends and make new ones. The group that attend this convention are truely genuine nice people. This year also saw Jay Johnsons appearance(Super nice), Kevin Johnson was in attendance (Great guy!!), Sammy King presented his final performance for those in attendance and his partner Fransisco will retire to the Vent Haven Museum. Jeff Dunham was there friday night for a saturday lecture he presented on originality. As always his advise is gold for those of us wanting to learn to be better performers.

CJ with Kevin Johnson

Buster and I meet Jay Johnson

Busters new best buddy Sammy King.
CJ with Jeff Dunham

Satruday after Jeffs lecture he also announced he had made tickets available for those who would like to go see his show Sunday night in Louisville. Sooooo..how do you not take him up on that. And we went to see his show and it was a good time.

I also made a new publicity photo for Buster and I. Here is a quick one sheet I made for Applebees to use to advertise our appearances on Tuesdays.

I will be posting a page on the website soon so keep your eyes peeled..and if you don;t want to peel them..you can just keep an eye out for the new pages..or..if keeping an eye out sounds painful..just remember to check back from time to time..I will let everyone know when the new stuff is up. ;)

Take care!

CJ and Buster

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier..

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I'm going to be near the mailbox
when I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the Coke aside
so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Coke is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,
but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill..

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water,

there is still only 1 check in my check book,

I can't find the remote,

I can't find my glasses,

and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day,
and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail......

Princess Bride-love this movie

Charlie McCarthy Detective Movie Trailer

Watch CHARLIE McCARTHY DETECTIVE TRAILER 1939 in Comedy View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Go detroit Red Wings!!

It is exciting to say that our Detroit Red Wings are returning to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Not only that they will be reliving the finals last year with Pittsburg Penguins.

Will be a great series!

GO WINGS!!!

In other news:

I have been performing Tuesday nights at the local Applebees restaurant in White lake MI since April 8th and it has been going great. If your local stop in and say hello.

Went to Greenfield Village over memorial day and had the great pleasure of catching up with the 17th Mi Co. E civil war reenactors and began the steps for Nick and I to rejoin the group after several years hiatus due to work/family oblgations. Look for more to follow once we get the wool back out and start popping off the muskets.

I hope everyone is having a great spring/early summer!

Keep checking back for the latest and greatest ..ok maybe just the latest..well some are sorta great..well...YEah it ALL great!

=)

Memorial Day

Please take a moment this weekend to remember those who gave all for us.

Spending time outside, grilling and playing horse shoes is wonderful but please take a moment to acknowledge the reason for this wonderful weekend.

Have a Great Holiday.

Be safe.

J.J. Abrams Star Trek

WOW!

ok I know this is a geek post but still! Went to see the new Star Trek on Saturday night..umm..GREAT MOVIE! I watched some of the original show when it was in reruns (really, I am not that old =P )as well as the next generation show..and enjoyed most of the movies..but hold the bus..this new film refreshes the whole "Final Frontier" for what looks to be a great ride. You don;t have to be a Trek fan to like this film, you don;t have to be a sci-fi fan to like this film...if you like a good story, and a stunning visual, coupled with great acting..this IS the film to see.

Plus..a very cool appearance of an old enterprise crew member we all love.

Worth the price of admission.

Terry Fator- Ventriloquist

Truely a talented entertainer.

If you get the chance you have to see him live...DO IT!



He is appearing at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

1776

A musical classic. William Daniles, Ken Howard, and the reast do a great job in this 1972 classic.

a laugh a day....

Keeps the Doctor away.

Chris Farley always good for a laugh.

Have a great day!

From Crackle: tommy boy - fat guy in a little coat

Jeff Dunham Videos

Jeff Dunham is such a talent. Love revisiting his DVD's for a laugh and inspiration.

If you haven't watched his comedy specials, pick em up and settle in for some great laughs. He creates such fun characters and the materials is fresh.

This 'n That

Well Tuesday night was week number 2 doing walk around magic at the local Applebees and it went well. It wasn't as busy as the previous week so next week we'll try 6:30 instead of 7:30 in hopes of more families. It was fun though and I kept busy with the folks that were there. It is good experience and exposure ..........
NOT THAT kind of exposure people!! Sheeeeh!! =P (hehe could not resist..you know me)

Also just found a cool thing on the Fangoria website. It's a live streaming viewer of the weekend of horrors vent going on this weekend. Should be cool.

As for some other things..I have not given up on Busters animated adventures and I recently built my new counter/table on which to put my animation table. Space is at a premium so i am working on ways to double duty the space I have.

Oh I was at a Dollar tree store recently and found 2 dvd's of Davey and Goliath episodes for a buck! Being as they are stop motion and since alot of folks from stopmotionanimation.com have talked about them and animated ON them..I could not pass it up..a buck each! Woot!

Tonight marked the first of what will hopefully be many nights of walk around magic at a local family restaurant. It was well recieved and I had a great time. I am slated for Tuesdays from 7:30-9:30 and will be mixing magic, ventriloquism and balloons. Tonight I brought along Buster but he never made it out of the bag as we were having too much fun with the magic and balloons.

It will be a fun challange to have new material to add each week as well as learning new short routines suited for walk about ventriloquism as well as new quick and easy balloon creations.

Of course this also showed me the importance of gettgin a better picture for these applications. Will need to do that at the conVention in July if not before.

=)