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TV Party: InterTubing Edition
Once a month Torontoist would like to encourage you to drag yourself off the couch and across the room to that nice, comfy swivel chair in front of your computer, to experience something from the wonderful world of streaming. Anyone who’s visited YouTube or eBaum’s World knows how gratifying watching two Asian kids lipsynch to Jessica Simpson can be! So in the interest of expanding your horizons (or at least giving you some way to kill time at the office without actually having to do any work), we’ll find some interesting, funny, or just plain stupid and entertaining way to amuse yourself with your computer (without the need for pornography).
This week, Torontoist was screwing around on YouTube and discovered an apparently undeclared contest by dozens of people around the world to see who could play the best home version of the Super Mario Bros. theme song. Now this probably sounds pretty geek-centric, but believe us when we tell you, it’s frickin’ amazing to watch! Just head over to YouTube and punch “Super Mario Brothers Theme” into their search box, and you’ll come back with pages upon pages of people from all around playing the tune on a variety of instruments.
Highlights include several guitarists who have figured out how to simulate the various sound effects (going down tubes, picking up coins) with their instruments, and a violin/piano performance worthy of Roy Thompson Hall. It also includes a performance by Martin Leung, AKA The Video Game Pianist, who recently performed his version of the theme, as well as a Final Fantasy medley, at Massey Hall while blindfolded(!?!) as part of Video Games Live in September. But the absolute, hands-down winner is not Leung, but a Mr. Zack Kim of Malaysia, and his DUEL GUITAR performance, at right.
Kind of makes you wish you’d stuck to those lessons and practiced when you were a kid, eh?
Back On The Couch
Tonight: Diet Confidential – CBC takes an in-depth look at the world of diet fads and how they’re marketed to the public. Our recommendation – stay away from any diet recommended by this skeleton. CBC, 8 PM
Friday: Behind the Camera: Mork & Mindy – Just what was it going through Mork from Ork’s head when he said Nanu-Nanu? Cocaine, apparently. This drami-sensationalization of the seminal fish-out-of-its-own-galaxy sitcom and the behind-the-scenes doings thereof is schlocky and cheese supreme – in other words, a good way to kill two hours on a Friday night. Global, 9 PM
Saturday: Hockey Brawl: Battle On Thin Ice – If you don’t want to watch a not-very-good Leafs team take on and probably lose to the Buffalo Sabres (ie. the best team in the Eastern Conference by FAR) but still need your hockey fix, you won’t want to miss this look at how Darryl “Beef” Wolski convinced Prince George, BC to allow him to stage his Battle Of The Hockey Enforcers pay-per-view goon-a-thon in their tiny community after every other place on the continent told him to take a hike. CTV, 7 PM
Sunday: Grease: You’re The One That I Want – Come on now, you know you want to watch the premier of NBC’s latest reality talent competition/craporama. We saw you doing that duet of Summer Nights at the Gladstone last Friday. Admit it, you’d give anything to be up on stage dancing with Danny Zuko, or making out with Sandy, or just chilling with Rizzo and Kenickie at the drive-in. Now go slosh some Brylcreem on that massive ‘do of yours and watch a bunch of wannabes vie to be in the Broadway production of the greatest musical ever to contain the expression “flog your log.” CH, 9 PM
Monday: Girl Racers – If ever there was a sport where the usual male claims of women not being physically able to compete with them would be impossible to make or take seriously, it’s auto racing. Of course, there are still assholes who will make “women are bad drivers” jokes, a la those Playboy cartoons from the ’60s, but this documentary series about the top female auto racers over the course of the 2004 season ought to put those guys in their place. Plus it’s narrated by Jason Priestly, who’s WAY dreamier on 90210 than Luke Perry ever was. I’m just saying. CH, 10 PM
Tuesday: Over The Top – In the ’80s you could make a movie about arm-wrestling, put Sylvester Stallone in it, and have a surefire hit. This is like a time-capsule on steroids. Ah, 1987, how I miss thee… Showcase Action, 7 PM