16. Rodney Dangerfield

I really miss Rodney Dangerfield. That's saying alot, considering I was all of nine years old when he died.
 A master of comedy and the star of my favorite movie Easy Money,  Dangerfield's fame has dwindled in recent years.

I love any performer who can make it big despite their lack of "perfection". I've never related well to celebs like Tom Cruise, Gwen Paltrow, or Nicole Kidman. The flawless skin, perfect hair, and godly physiques make for outwardly appealing people with no relatiblity whatsoever. Rodney Dangerfield defied the mold.

Honestly, he was unattractive.  A bulbous nose set between bulging eyes, leathery skin, and years of bad hair gave him a slightly off appearance. But he was real. He was funny, self-deprecating, and un-airbrushed. He was someone's uncle, someone's neighbor, someone's college friend. Dangerfield embodied the role of a celebrity and turned it on it's head, claiming he "got no respect" whilst making a name for himself in perfection-obsessed hollywood.

He told one-liners, made a shitty song, and acted in Caddyshack, (which makes him a legend).
He became famous in his 60's. He was  the first entertainer to have his own website.  He has his own display at the Smithsonian Museum. He even made an album of love songs titled ROMEO RODNEY.
While a Frank Sinatra he was not, Dangerfield was always funny and inspired scores of other comedians. 
The entertainment world is lucky to have had such a spirited talent.

15. The People Who Make You YOU. (a difficult post to write)

It is often said that our time here on Earth is short. Countless quotes and songs urge us to "live like we're dying" and "live every day like its our last". Too often, it takes a devastating event for people to wake up and realize that nothing is guaranteed. The people and things we love can be stolen from us in the blink of an eye.

Last Thursday, September 23rd, during the late evening, my father lost his battle with colon cancer. It was a hard fight; his courage and bravery kept him alive long after his body had been defeated. Watching him suffer over the past few months has renewed in me the idea that we must not take the people we love for granted.  The friends and family who have shaped our lives won't be around forever, and it's important that we cherish and appreciate the people who made us who we are.  My father was my best friend and my hero, and I only wish I could have had more years with him to continue to learn and grow under his loving care. I know he has been behind me every step of the way and he will be watching over me always. He is the person that made me who I am.

I'm writing this to urge everyone to appreciate the people they love. Show your family and friends how much they mean to you. Kiss them, hug them, and cherish spending time with them. Don't let anything stop you from expressing your true feelings to important people in your life. You never know,  it could just be the last time you get to say goodbye.

14. The Antoine Dodson Interview/Bed Intruder Song

If Antoine Dodson's interview with a local news station marked a new dawn for the YouTube-sensation era, then the Bed Intruder Song that followed is evidence of how amazing/entertaining that era will be.

There are so many things to love between the song, the interview, and Antoine himself that I dont even know where to begin.


First, I'll give the backstory for those of you who aren't familiar.
 Antoine Dodson and his sister Kelly Dodson were victims of a home invasion, during which the perpetrator climbed into bed with Kelly and attempted to rape her. Antoine intervened and the man fled. Normally, this wouldn't be a funny situation in any way; and it wasn't, until Antoine gave this interview to a local newscast :





Obviously, Antoine is seriously funny. But the laughs and good tidings don't stop there. Some creative, musically talented people got their hands on this interview and turned it into an extremely catchy song. Thus, the Bed Intruder Song was born. Listen:




The Bed Intruder Song has become a sensation on iTunes and YouTube, turning Antoine Dodson into an overnight superstar.

This is a modern day fairytale. A terrible event takes place, which then turns into a hilarious interview/rant and a great song. Antoine has star power, and whoever mixed the song deserves a Grammy award. The red bandanna also added a positive effect to both videos.

What do I really enjoy about this? Well, now there is an attempted rapist with an entire song written to him. Millions of people are singing along, referring to him as "homeboy" and no one even knows his identity. It's creepy and wonderful and is the perfect ending to what began as a sad story.

All ends well, because Antoine and his family are making money off of the Bed Intruder Song and probably won't have to live in the projects anymore.
Things like this are why I love the internet.

13. Freedom Writers

Freedom Writers, the true story of a teacher's quest to educate a group of inner city kids, is an awesome movie with an awesome theme song by Common. Like the rest of America, I saw this movie a couple years ago in theaters and then completely forgot about it.  But now, thanks to MTV showing it fifteen times in the past two weeks, I am reminded of  how truly great this movie is.

At it's heart, Freedom Writers sends a message that all people deserve respect because you may never know what someone has been through and what difficulties they are facing.   

     Hilary Swank did a fantastic job playing the role of the caring, passionate teacher and the stereotypical troubled teens were very believable and well-casted. The addition of Mario's sexy ass as a troubled student didn't hurt the film either.

And then, of course, there is the perfect song; "I Have A Dream" samples part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic speech set to a catchy beat and Common's uplifting verse.

It's a win-win situation. Great movie, great song, great-looking Mario. Rent it and feel inspired.

12. Tivo Slide Remote

If you think the coolest gadget on the market right now is the iPad, you obviously haven't seen the life-altering vision of technology that is the Tivo Slide Remote.

It's just what it sounds like; a remote that slides down into a full QWERTY keyboard. It's lighter, thinner, and easier to use than the typical TV remote. Most importantly, you can feel like a total badass while you channel surf in your snuggie alone.


This remote does have some drawbacks. It doesn't actually do anything that a normal remote doesn't, which is kind of disappointing. You look at it and expect it to do something mindblowing, like send messages to outer space or at least send e-mails and texts. The Slide falls a bit flat on the functionality end.
This raises many questions, such as; isn't it completely unneccessary to have a remote with a full keyboard? Yes, yes it is. No one is going to type words into their TV on a regular basis. If you're that into browsing and discovering new shows, you need to stop spending so much time with your TV. You may have a problem a remote is not gonna fix.


But it looks cool, and that's almost always enough reason for me to buy it. Its 90 dollars, so I say go for it. Buy the Tivo Slide and may all your remote-related dreams come true.

11. The Whisper Effect

Imagine this : You're on the phone with your best friend on a Tuesday night (I like tuesday nights.) It's a normal conversation, just shootin the breeze with someone you've known for years. And then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere and almost always inexplicably, your best friend whispers something. Maybe it's something he/she couldn't say loudly because someone would overhear, or maybe they've entered a place where they are not supposed to be talking. Whatever the case, the person on the other end of the line drops their voice and scandalizes the conversation.

Here's where it happens: The Whisper Effect takes place. For no apparent reason and with no logical explanation, YOU start whispering too. You could be sitting alone, or stuck on a deserted road with no other inhabitants and absolutely no need to lower your tone of voice, but you do it anyway.
I think it's happened to all of us, and I'm spreading the word about it. You no longer need to feel like a dumbass everytime you whisper back to someone who is whispering (i explained that well, didn't I?). Well next time it happens, remind yourself that everyone does it and we all secretly like it.

I'm naming this strange habit The Whisper Effect, and it is awesome.

10. Wal-Mart

If Heaven was a place on earth, it would probably resemble a giant Wal-Mart. A large stone building, spacious and brimming with hope and frugality, with giant white letters and three entrances. What could be a better reward for a life spent doing good deeds than a one way ticket to Wal-Mart?

God would be the store manager, slightly grumpy but tirelessly overseeing this wonderful place to ensure that every customer saves their well-earned money; the angels would be the under-paid workers in blue smocks who never know where anything is located;  the clouds would be the blessed pavement upon which Wal-Mart lies; and the magic, the thing that really makes Heaven the stuff of legends, would be found in the ridiculously low prices that only Wal-Mart can offer.

Call me crazy, but a store that offers popular products for a drastically low price has to be blessed by some type of spirit. EVERYTHING is cheaper at Wal-Mart. And EVERYTHING can be found at Wal-Mart.

Pet food? sure. A treadmill? Aisle 16. Curtains? Fertilizer? Shampoo? Desk Chairs? Stereos? All yes.

It's a wonderful place to be. Like all perfect things, critics try to find fault with Wal-Mart.

"Why is the lighting so flourescent?" They whine. "Why does it smell like old hot dogs?"


Well, I think we should ignore these people and let them go waste money at Target.

Wal-Mart is all about convenience! Simple convenience. The lighting is flourescent so you can peer down next to the prices and see how much money they're saving you. It smells like old hot dogs because there is a small food court inside, in case you become hungry while you're SAVING MONEY.

Wal-Mart deserves a round of applause, not a round of complaints.

I'll grudgingly admit that Wal-Mart doesn't provide the best "in-store atmosphere". While inside, you might not feel as overwhelmed with joy as the commercials would indicate. But when you exit the store, carrying all your purchases and happy to be in fresh air, you'll start to understand. Maybe you'll reach your hand into your pocket and still have a couple dollars lying around, because Wal-Mart didn't suck you dry like every other store did.
That, we can all agree, is something to love.