Tonight on The Independents: The Grouchy Oscars! Featuring Kurt Loder, Kyle Smith, Virginia Postrel, Linda Obst, and More

As is the Friday tradition, tonight's episode of The Independents (Fox Business Network 9 pm ET, 6 pm PT, with repeats three hours later) is organized around a theme: In this case, in honor of Sunday's 86th annual Academy Awards, we present our "Grouchy Oscars," a list of best and worst movies, performances, and historical Oscar picks. Helping out is an all-star panel of outstanding movie reviewers—the New York Post's Kyle Smith, and Reason.com's own Kurt Loder.

Also on the program is beloved former Reason editor Virginia Postrel, who will be talking about the intersection between Hollywood and the subject of her book The Power of Glamour: Longing and the Art of Visual Persuasion. Also, producer-author Lynda Obst will talk about her business-model book, Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business. And yes, we'll be talking about Hollywood subsidies.

Send your tweets to @IndependentsFBN throughout, use the hashtag #indFBN, and see you in your best gowns!

Comments

[Hugh Akston]

The Independents was better when Postrel was hosting it.

[Mongo]

Field of Dreams: easily the worst movie given all its cache and hype.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Conversely, Major League is the best (and most accurate, according to actual Major Leaguers) baseball movie ever made.

And Bernard Malamud's 'The Natural' needs to be remade with its original tone and ending in tact.

[BuSab Agent]

It's very bad to steal Jobu's rum.

[Warty]

The Natural

I think that movie, more than anything else, is why I hate Robert Redford.

[C. Anacreon]

OK Mongo, you didn't cry at the end of Field of Dreams? When Kevin Costner's character asks him to play catch? All real men cry at that part.

[Ted S.]

I cheered when Old Yeller had to be shot.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

Did you just out yourself as a cop?

[Ted S.]

Worst Oscar winner ever might be Going My Way, considering what it beat out: Double Indemnity, Laura, and Gaslight, among others.

[Don Mynack]

Worst (modern) best picture winner - The Artist. A movie nobody saw, starring a dog and a Frenchman, with no talking.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Kennedy's back?

[Matt Welch]

Yes.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Not afraid of getting the pink eye?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Back to being the bridesmaid, eh?

[Francisco d Anconia]

Wait till Postrel sees us...

...she HATES us!

[Winston]

we present our "Grouchy Oscars," a list of best and worst movies, performances, and historical Oscar picks.

BOOOOOORING.

I think Birdemic was snubbed at Oscar time.

outstanding movie reviewers

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[Francisco d Anconia]

we present our "Grouchy Oscars," a list of best and worst movies, performances, and historical Oscar picks.

Can't we just make fun of the entire premise of the Oscars in general?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

On come on FdA, it's been like what, 46 hours since Hollywood last honored itself?

Let them have their night after 5 months of constant awards shows.

[mad libertarian guy]

You not fond of circle jerks?

At least it's not as bad as the Tony Awards. The most certain way to assure your play/musical is given an award is to ensure that it is more left wing kooky/anti-religion than last year's winner. Your musical could suck, but if it's about the evils of capitalism or Christianity, you're assured a place at the table.

[Palin's Buttplug]

What if you are an atheist capitalist? Does that make you a socialist to Fox News?

[Winston]

You not fond of circle jerks?

And the Grouchy is...?

[Derpetologist]

It is fitting that an award given to anti-market simpletons is named after Tony.

[New West Republic]

I'll just leave this here for those without FBN.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

If you need a good laugh today: Robert Reich says he or Elizabeth Warren should run for president to make income inequality an issue

Asked during a conference call with the liberal group Democracy for America about the prospect, Reich said that it was more important that someone was speaking to issues like income inequality. But he also suggested that, if nobody does it, Warren or he could run.
"I think, though, if we don't get a candidate or a set of candidates in 2016 who are taking this issue with the seriousness it needs to be taken, I think that there will be a lot of people -- Elizabeth Warren, others, maybe even me -- who will toss our hats in the ring, because it has to be addressed," Reich said.

[...]

He also joked about being asked if both he and Warren would run.
"We're definitely not going to run together for president, because you can't have two presidents," Reich said. "Actually, maybe you could. I haven't looked at the Constitution recently."

A fake Indian and a fascist dwarf on the same presidential ticket. Could anyone invent something even better than that?

What would their slogan be?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Reich is a socialist. Fascism is a right-wing disease (see Dickless Cheney for example).

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Not worth engaging

[playa manhattan]

I still think the hippo helicopter shit does a better job of capturing his essence.

[playa manhattan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?f.....V8ZZ4#t=20

[playa manhattan]

I would like to state for the record that I like and respect Virginia Postrel. She should not click the above link.

[Francisco d Anconia]

8

[Tejicano]

Who wants cake?

[Francisco d Anconia]

They all want cake.

[seguin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PJddmfesaA

[Suthenboy]

I refuse t believe that this income inequality nonsense is anything but a cynical ploy to get the support of herds of people with IQs below 80.

That little fuck knows better.

[C. Anacreon]

As much as these folks talk about income inequality, no one has actually suggested anything that would do anything about it (as if it were even a problem in the first place). Raising the minimum wage and increasing taxes on higher incomes is not suddenly going to make the janitor and the CEO's salary in the same neighborhood.

Seriously, the Dems have looked at the train wreck of Obamacare and think their only chance to prevent a bloodbath this November is to talk endlessly about Income Inequality, an absolutely meaningless issue that only a totalitarian government could significantly change.

[Derpetologist]

Scene- a room filled with harried Team Blue propagandists

-Oh no! Our signature program is dog shit! We need to change the subject quick! You- what's your idea?

-Uh, distract them with something about inequality?

-Johnson, that's the dumbest idea I've ever heard- have it ready by Monday.

[SForza]

If he really cared about inequality, he could diminish height inequality by killing himself.

[The Late P Brooks]

Field of Dreams: easily the worst movie given all its cache and hype.

If I could go back in time and strangle somebody it would be that little girl.

"If you build it, they will come."

Bullshit. No, they won't. Fuck you, little girl.

[Winston]

You're Doing It Wrong.

"If you build it, he will come."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ay5GqJwHF8

[Matt Welch]

I feel very connected to you right now.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Ease his pain.

[C. Anacreon]

Worst line of the movie, though:

"He's the man who invented the saying, 'Make Love, Not War.'"

[The Late P Brooks]

I refuse t believe that this income inequality nonsense is anything but a cynical ploy to get the support of herds of people with IQs below 80.

Politics of Envy, always a popular strategy.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Mitchel...said initially he thought someone had tossed a kitten or a puppy into the dumpster. He also wondered if what was moving inside the bag might have been a rat.

"Then he says he heard something. Again, he thought it might be a kitten. With a heart for animals, he opened the bag, and was astounded to see a newborn baby inside, umbilical cord still attached."

http://www.12newsnow.com/story.....se-houston

[playa manhattan]

I don't get it. You support abortion rights as a means to prevent these sorts of tragedies?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

No, just that the mother may have been reading Peter Singer.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I can't wait to hear them praise Ben Hur...and Anchorman Part VII.

[Ted S.]

I get the heebie-jeebies thinking about Ben-Hur panned and scanned.

[sloopyinca]

Reason.com's own Kurt Loder.

I can't wait to hear how Reason.com's own Nina Blackwood and Mark Goodman feel about all things cultural.

[Episiarch]

Don't forget Adam Curry!

[Jerms]

Rockin Riki Rachtman

[Byte Me]

The Oscars: Another chance for people, who pretend for a living, to pat themselves on the back for the crap they produce.

I call it crap because it is visual effects that really make modern cinema. More often than not, the story just is not there. (or is entirely unoriginal.)

[Ted S.]

This is one of the things I like about old movies. Even though something like the George Sanders version of Village of the Damned has lousy special effects, it's got a really good story.

[DEG]

I received this today from the Innocence Project's e-mail list: new evidence in the Cameron Todd Willingham case.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The best movie of all time? I know what you're thinking. Armageddon. WRONG. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It will forever be the gold standard.

[Episiarch]

Sorry, FoE, but the greatest movie of all time was Young Guns 2. You can't deny it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Quote one line from it. Go ahead, I'll wait. BUZZZZZZZZ. Too late.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

You obviously haven't seen The Next Karate Kid.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Do people think I'm joking? STTWOK had perfect pacing, quality special effects, compelling themes and THE death scene by which all other death scenes are judged.

[Francisco d Anconia]

INDEPENDENTS ASSEMBLE!

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?f.....XppfX-mBsE

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

you can't tell me what to do

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"We're all independents!"

"I'm not!"

"Hush!"

[Byte Me]

I brought SoCo.

[SIV]

COSMOTARIANS CONGREGATE !

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Gentlemen, pour your cocktails!

[Episiarch]

How hard are you right now, SIV? Like, rock hard, or cut glass hard?

[SIV]

Ask your mom

[Episiarch]

She cut you off, remember? So since you're thinking of her, I have to assume it's diamond hard. How many times are you going to masturbate during this show? I'm going to go with three. Anybody else care to guess?

[SIV]

PROJECTION

IT'S NOT JUST FOR TEAM BLUE

[Francisco d Anconia]

The best movie of all time, is Jaws.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Jaws III

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Goldfinger has the highest rewatch value of all my favorite movies.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It's not even the best Bond film. The Spy Who Loved Me.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

No Bond movie starring Moore can be the best. Connery or GTFO.

It's why Goldfinger and From Russia with Love are neck and neck for the best Bond despite On Her Majesty's Secret Service being the best written film. Poor George Lazenby, he never got a fair shake.

[Francisco d Anconia]

The Spy Who Loved Me.

Seconded.

[Winston]

How come no one remembers that the Aston Martin is foiled by an old woman and a mirror?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

The glass was bullet proof to protect the driver, but not the Aston Martin body work itself.

And I'm guessing it also wouldn't have fared well in a head-on collision with another car.

[playa manhattan]

The Jaws ride at Universal Studios is closed for maintenance right now. Bummer, because I take my kids there as punishment.

[seguin]

Bull. It's Spies Like Us

[Winston]

Best Movie of All Time is Birdemic. Or Robot Monster.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Sohlpanels.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Here you are:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093833/?ref_=nv_sr_1

[Bam!]

Saw blade earrings.

[Byte Me]

The best movie of all time is Airplane!

[Fist of Etiquette]

WTF ARE THOSE?

[Episiarch]

I was thinking "horror from beyond summoning loops".

[Episiarch]

WHOA. What the hell are these earrings? Kudos for surprising us, Kennedy.

[kibby]

They're fancy dress earrings.

[Episiarch]

...that can connect to another dimension.

[kibby]

All the best earrings do, where have you been?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Monkey suits.

[Bam!]

Matt looks like a movie theater usher.

[kibby]

Thank you, I couldn't place it.

[GILMORE]

Cavuto just received a number of viewer compliments on his snappy attire.

He thanked his support staff @ FBN for helping him perfect his wardrobe.

I am assuming this is not a service provided to The Independents.

[Byte Me]

Kennedy's hoops scared away the pick eye.

[Byte Me]

pink**

[GILMORE]

DAMN

[Episiarch]

Matt looks like my butler in that tux. Hey Matt, get me a gin martini. BONE DRY.

[SweatingGin]

You just need good vermouth.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He wore that red vest before. I remember the valet jokes.

[Winston]

Patch Adams is so underrated. I mean Robin Williams does portray the embodiment of every 60-70s "anti-authoritarian" by being an annoying smug misogynistic douchebag statist.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Great, now the NSA knows this guy's picks.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Matt, if you want to be my hero, the next time you host, you gotta wear some big-ass hoop earrings for the opening segment.

[Matt Welch]

This occurred to me Wednesday....

[SweatingGin]

We've suggested it like twice a week.

[playa manhattan]

Did of those people really sign waivers?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Matt looks like a breadstick in a bow tie.

[playa manhattan]

Racist.

[kibby]

+ one Gyp Rosetti for you.

[GILMORE]

Yeah, despite my glowing kudos above, there is a weird sense that he might go from the show to making balloon animals at a Chuck E Cheese afterward.

Still, though. BOLD. DYMAMIC. NEEDS MONOCLE.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The only one I saw was Captain Hanks.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wolf of Wall St. was moronic. (I guess I saw that one, too.)

[The Late P Brooks]

Best movie ever?

The correct answer is Freaks.

I am watching Casablanca right now.

[kibby]

I don't think I've seen a single movie they're going to discuss tonight.

[playa manhattan]

Neither have I. In last 2 years, I have seen The Lego Movie, Planes, and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. That is all.

[GILMORE]

I take back half the nasty things I've said about Matt's attire. Bravo. The red? BOLD. DYNAMIC. STATING YOUR PRESENCE WITH AUTHORITY. LACKING ONLY A DIAMOND CRUSTED MONOCLE.

Kmele, I'm sorry but tonight you get the bronze.

Kurt? You look like Zombie David Bowie.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh, I didn't know there was going to be spoilers.

[Episiarch]

Since the Oscars are absolutely meaningless, maybe you guys could talk about some movies from this year that were actually good?

[GILMORE]

Shit, I havent' seen any of these things. Who cares? I'll catch them on Netflix in a year or so.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I didn't see 'Gravity'. I'm sure it's great, but I find Bullock annoying and it looks like its essentially her panting and screaming for 2 hours.

[Episiarch]

So Matt, you don't like Miller's Crossing?

[Fist of Etiquette]

You giving Welch the high hat?

[Episiarch]

My stomach's seizing up on me.

[Fist of Etiquette]

No Country for Old Men is not the issue here.

[Warty]

Well all the time ya spend trying to get back what's been took from ya, more is going out the door. After a while you just have to try to get a tourniquet on it.

[Byte Me]

An honest trailer of Gravity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzzLngXfCcI

[Winston]

So what is the best film of 2013?

12 Years a Slave for having a Important Message that will be used against Obama critics?

So foreign arty movie I have never heard of?

Or some hipster ironic movie?

Or something from the Asylum?

[GILMORE]

hey, I DID see Dirty Wars? I guess I can't claim complete and total disinterest. Was it actually nominated?

[Episiarch]

You know, this Oscars episode would be far more interesting if you were talking about some movies that were actually good or interesting. But then it wouldn't be an Oscars episode, would it.

[Winston]

some movies that were actually good or interesting.

And those are? Not being sarcastic.

[Soros' Wank-noose]

What, no love for Die Hard, bitch?!?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Not smart enough to wear a tux to Fox Biz.

[kibby]

Wait no I saw Blue Jasmine! IT WAS SO GOOD. I never knew I was actually really into Bobby Cannavale.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Seeing him get choked out by Gretchen Mol didn't turn you on to him?

[kibby]

So maybe I've sent some mixed messages about my sexual interests....

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Hey, you're posting anonymously on a libertarian forum. We (mostly) don't judge.

[Bam!]

Kennedy has a nice rainbow of pens tonight.

[Hyperion]

She also has earrings that may the first source for crafting a Dyson Sphere.

[SweatingGin]

Where we're going, we won't need earrings!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Seriously, 12 Years a Slave was good. People may try to make pro-Democrat points out of this, but they do that with the Bible, too.

[SweatingGin]

The Onion had a good review of it.

Didn't see it, though.

[Hyperion]

What would Jesus do? Pass Healthcare to see what's in it, obviously!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't know, do I want to buy a country that finds it necessary to advertise?

[Episiarch]

Grouchy Oscars? Come on, this is going to really be the Bitchy Oscars.

[Fist of Etiquette]

CHECK HIS GREEN CARD.

[The Late P Brooks]

"Honest? As honest as the day is long!"

[Fist of Etiquette]

After Earf wasn't terrible, but it just kind of existed.

[Francisco d Anconia]

A waste of Will Smith.

[Episiarch]

DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT HARMONY KORINE

[Francisco d Anconia]

After Earth had potential and sucked ass.

[Derpetologist]

OT: In all the articles from the MSM I have read about the Arizona bill, not a single one mentioned the incidents with the florist and the wedding cake baker.

Huh, I wonder why that is?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....66614.html

[Fist of Etiquette]

Elysium was about as bad as you can get.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

It's proletariat art, you gotta hit the audience hard over the head with the message so they 'get it'.

[GILMORE]

As *who* can get, fuckface?

[Episiarch]

American Hustle was playing a few blocks away from my apartment at a place that serves martinis directly to you as you watch the movie and stars Jennifer Lawrence and I still didn't go see it.

[Raven Nation]

Actually, I'm not a big movie goer but the girlfriend is. So we went to see AH and I found it surprisingly good.

It has a fairly strong anti-statist/anti-cop message.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh, please, Foster. Everyone has a crush on whatshisface.

[kibby]

*raises hand* I'll be honest -- I don't get the Ryan Gosling thing.

[Episiarch]

Dude, I think I had a crush on him after I saw Drive, but that was probably misplaced. I should have had a crush on the director. Fuck I love that movie.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Never saw it. Does it involve a meteor in any way?

[kibby]

I haven't seen that. Maybe it would change my mind?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Overrated. Nothing against Gosling, but I was unimpressed by that movie especially giving the fawning it got from critics and friends.

[Episiarch]

I'm so surprised that the 16-year-old didn't get all the homages to things like Michael Mann's Thief. kibby, try it. It's violent and fucked up and awesome.

[kibby]

I do like violent & fucked up -- Filth is my favorite thing ever right now. Okay, I'll check it out sometime next week.

[Cdr Lytton]

Just watch The Transporter. Better version of the same plot and a hotter chick.

[playa manhattan]

Ask Serious. He looks just like Gosling.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I never just like him, only a slight resemblance in one odd photo a friend showed me.

[playa manhattan]

You know this is never going away, right?

[Hyperion]

I'm at a disadvantage here, I have to make extra effort to see the teevee from here over a cacti in a really big pot that I don't feel like moving. I need to stream this... Damn, Matt looks more geeky like with streaming.

Matt, when are you going to take my advice to grow some facial hair?

[playa manhattan]

A cacti? Where are you?

[Hyperion]

Inside. You know, because it's really fucking cold outside right now.

[Episiarch]

Dude, be quiet! We don't talk about Matt's inability to grow facial hair! It makes him feel like even less of a man!

[Hyperion]

They do implants now. It's a popular trend now among girly men everywhere.

[Raven Nation]

Matt, when are you going to take my advice to grow some facial hair

He had beard around the time of Freedom Fest and it wasn't a great look.

[playa manhattan]

Did she try to do the magnum look?

[SweatingGin]

Nice Bob Seger bump music for all the Michigan Reasonoids.

[Hyperion]

Damn, the streaming is like a minute behind the TV.

[Derpetologist]

Why the Mafia is better than the state- by a cranky lady in a Xmas sweater:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IErlI34-0so

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

SweatingGin, what's a good vermouth?

[SweatingGin]

Sweet or Dry?

If you want an awesome martini, don't even bother with vermouth. Use Lillet Blanc. Especially with Hendricks, but nice with other gins, too.

For sweet, I freaking love Punt 'es Mes. Makes an awesome Negroni, and also an awesome Manhattan.

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

I'll give those a try.

[SweatingGin]

If you can't find Punt 'es Mes (I have to hit a specialty wine shop to find it in MI), Carpano Antiqua is an excellent sweet vermouth.

Lillet Blanc is awesome all around as a fortified wine. Use it in place of dry vermouth, drink it on the rocks with a slice of orange, drink it with soda.

Oh, and please, people, store your vermouth in the fridge after you open it. It's fortified wine, but it will still spoil.

[SweatingGin]

Punt e Mes. Just checked the label.

I'm actually considering trying a Negroni (or Manhattan) with Cabernet Sauvignon rather that vermouth at some point. I think it could work just fine.

[Byte Me]

Matt Damon vs. the Space Republicans

The homework assignment short story written by his kids in (Private) school.

[Bam!]

Given MATT DAMON is against guns, I'd wager that it's a short battle.

[Byte Me]

Against guns?! He does nearly nothing but "shoot 'em up" movies!..Oh, right, against guns for the average person like you and me.

[Episiarch]

Is everything better now that Postrel is here?

[SweatingGin]

Starting Monday, we can say "The Independents was so much better when Postrel was on"

[Francisco d Anconia]

Otis, my man!

[SweatingGin]

Postrel is on, don't be jerks.

[Episiarch]

I'm pretty sure that train has already left the station.

[Hyperion]

It's rollin down the tracks.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

That predator has already left the rape-dungeon.

[SweatingGin]

Put your gag back in.

[playa manhattan]

That train has sailed.

[kibby]

I scrolled past this three times & couldn't figure out what seemed off about it. Now I kind of can't stop laughing.

[SIV]

Turberville made us all look bad.

[Episiarch]

Oh look, SIV finished one of his masturbation sessions! Welcome to the party, dude! Next one starts in how many minutes?

[SIV]

I've had better looking stalkers.

[Episiarch]

No you haven't. Starting soon?

[Fist of Etiquette]

A remote feed isn't very glamorous.

[GILMORE]

Geez, Terri Garr has a horrible sore throat.

[Hyperion]

LMAO, that was good man, really good.

[Episiarch]

ZING

[Hyperion]

Damn, it's Postrel. De Cocktail Cruise Mistress.

[GILMORE]

The camera needs to cut to the men and reveal the "BOOOOOOOOOORING" look on their collective faces.

[Hyperion]

It's actually fear, they don't want her to put them in the makeshift rack like she does to the on the cruises.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Damn I loved the Kinks!

[Sunmonocle Backwards Tophat]

They are lovely. Foxygen's last album reminded me of the Kinks.

[kibby]

Men should maybe be barred from using the word "glamour" unless they're outrageously gay. It's weird.

[jesse.in.mb]

What if they're vampires? And not the sparkly kind...

[kibby]

What non-Twilight vampires use that word?

[jesse.in.mb]

Off the top of my head True Blood vampires.

It's used as a verb though.

BTW: I had kibby bait in PM Links.

[kibby]

Never seen it, so can't comment.

Ha! I am ashamed to say I've not read any Martial (original language or translation), because I'm a terrible Classicist. =(

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Humor takes many different forms, but alas, this isn't among them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Bill Shatner started his career on the stage, and you can't get more glamorous than the Shat.

[GILMORE]

Who is this cranky pretentious albino witch person?

[SweatingGin]

You are so uninvited from the cruises.

[Hyperion]

NO COCKTAILZ FOR YOU!

[SIV]

The best editor Reason ever had.

[kibby]

Oooo...Matt is gonna ban your IP.

[Hyperion]

She does look an awful lot like someone featured in the May, 2012 edition of albino witch milf magazine. Not that I saw that, my friend told me.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Didn't Postrel do some policy stuff once?

[Bam!]

Instagone Pro can make anything glamorous!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Why don't they make these things available in stores?

[Fist of Etiquette]

South Park's "Smug Alert!" nailed Clooney for his acceptance speech.

[Byte Me]

I suddenly envisioned a Prius driver that enjoys the smell of his/her own flatulence.

[Episiarch]

"Glamour" as a subject is like "philosophy" as a subject. It's so vague as to be pointless unless you drill into specifics.

[The Late P Brooks]

Glamorous? You want glamorous?

Ingrid Bergman, circa 1942.

[Winston]

Shacking up with Roberto Rossellini is far more glamorous.

[Bam!]

Grace Kelly, To Catch A Thief

[kibby]

Ugh, my flipping hero. I wrote the most ridiculous paper about her in junior high.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Audrey Hepburn for me. 'Funny Face' is one of my favorite movies because it has her and one of my other all-time favorites in Fred Astaire.

[kibby]

I don't know if I've ever seen a Hepburn movie -- my dad wasn't into her & he guided my old movie watching as a kid.

[GILMORE]

Audrey Hepburn

That is all.

[Raven Nation]

I'm on the Bergman bandwagon. First time I saw Casablanca, I was in love. Although Hepburn was a close second even though I only saw her in Breakfast at Tiffanys.

[seguin]

Gilda Radner, 1980.

[Damned Fool]

Only a deepening of the Bolivarian Revolution can save it.

And more leftist nonsense. Some guy I know posted an article from this commie rag on Facebook recently complaining about how environmentalism had distanced itself from the left (since when?). The fucker is standard SWPL material, rich parents, fancy schools, and a ton of white guilt. He likes to interrupt conversations at meals with inane statements about how white people and the American south suck. I'm not even white and I feel like I have a better opinion of white people than he does.

Anyway, my complaining about the leftists in my life aside, feast yourselves on this font of derp.

[Hyperion]

Yep, maybe this century communism can kill a billion people instead of a measly 10s of millions. Then it will work for sure.

[Warty]

The solution is not in unprincipled alliances with the opponents of Chavismo, nor in inviting in multinationals like Samsung to enjoy cheap Venezuelan labour in assembling their equipment. What can save the Bolivarian project, and the hope it inspired in so many, is for the speculators and bureaucrats to be removed, and for popular power to be built, from the ground up, on the basis of a genuine socialism ? participatory, democratic, and exemplary in refusing to reproduce the values and methods of a capitalism which has been unmasked by the revolutionary youth of Greece, Spain and the Middle East.

Oh.

[playa manhattan]

revolutionary youth of Greece, Spain and the Middle East.

I think they know what they are talking about. Just look at the economics.

[Raven Nation]

This guy also denounces modern environmentalism:

http://www.foxnews.com/science.....e-warming/

[Francisco d Anconia]

The Independents was so much better when Postrel was on.

[SweatingGin]

No hat tip? I'm used it after this morning's bitcoin hat tip snub.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Sorry. h/t GinDrunk

I copypasta'd from your post and waited till after the commercial break. Saw no need to wait till Monday.

[SweatingGin]

Fair enough, I just wanted to give you hell.

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

she looked hidious

[playa manhattan]

Only 1 in 10 will get the Madagascar 3 reference. "We call that the Dennis Miller Ratio!".

[Episiarch]

Oscar quotes? Are you going to ask who said "you really like me"? It was Marissa Tomei, right?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Sally Field winning for 'Norma Rae'.

[Episiarch]

Ha, trick question! It was Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy!

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

Direct TV plays commercials into the show

[Fist of Etiquette]

Some foreigner.

[The Late P Brooks]

Grace Kelly; good answer, but I'm watching Casablanca, not To Catch a thief.

[SweatingGin]

I'm about due for a watch of that.

Posted the French 75 recipe last night. The Nazi soldier orders one before he gets going singing the anthem.

[Episiarch]

Martin Landau is Kennedy's nemesis? I can see that.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Loder looks mortified that he's tied with a black man.

[Bam!]

I fear the cops will bust in and shutdown this illegal Oscars gambling game.

Hide the dog.

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

This interfasce sucks. I want to favorite that.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Instead a movie talk show can they just do a reenactment of famous Hollywood movies?

Like 'Chinatown' with Kennedy as Faye Dunaway and Kmele as Jake.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

RIAA wants a word with you.

[SIV]

Speaking of Miss Dunaway The Eyes of Laura Mars was on TV this week. Really cool casting of real late 70s supermodels.

[SweatingGin]

"why are you paying for someone else's failing film project?"

Because I live in Michigan, goddamnit.

I've been looking for the episode of family guy with Kurt Loder all through this. ("I'm so fucking old. Why am I here with these kids?!?") No luck.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I'm sure Flint could double for post-apocalyptic America in the next Terminator movie, among others.

[kibby]

Is there a Family Guy episode that does that? South Park did it pretty early on...Timmy 2000, IIRC.

[SweatingGin]

DAMNIT!

You're right. And I've thought it was Family Guy before.

I'm only bummed Kennedy isn't in there, too.

[kibby]

Color me disappointed in you, sir. South Park is superior, even in its worst seasons.

[Episiarch]

It's good to see that you have taste, kibby. I think you'll like Drive a lot.

[kibby]

If I fall hard for Ryan Gosling, I'm going to be really upset with you.

[playa manhattan]

I know that Family Guy is inferior. South Park told me so.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think that this commercial just promised one hundred percent payouts.

[Byte Me]

New New York. It's the same as the old one, but now with MORE CRONYISM!

[Bam!]

And suicide booths.

[seguin]

Also, tubes.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

For a second, I thought that Oscar statue was a cross. I was viewing it from the wrong angle.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Are you sure you're not at church?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I'm at your church, the pentagrams and Penthouse magazines were distracting me from the TV.

[Byte Me]

Is it just me, or did Mila Kunis make one fine wicked witch?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

yes

[Episiarch]

Mila Kunis makes a fine anything.

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

wow, substance

[Fist of Etiquette]

Fuck you, Welch. Cut spending.

[Hyperion]

Matt! Take off that fucking bow tie!

Kennedy, just rip that fucker off him right now! Someone, do something, don't just sit there!

[kibby]

BOW TIES ARE COOL.

[Hyperion]

Yeah, I know, sort of like rice pudding and sweater vests are cool.

[kibby]

Hey, I like sweater vests!

[Hyperion]

Plaid ones, right?

[kibby]

Argyle. Or solid color. Plaid is best left to suits on very select men.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Fuck, I like ALL THREE!

[jesse.in.mb]

Wow, kibby, I bet you were hoping nobody here would notice that little Doctor Who reference, weren't you?

[kibby]

Bow ties were cool long before Eleven.

[jesse.in.mb]

Were they?

[kibby]

I like 20s & 30s men's fashion a whole lot & they were quite popular back then...so yes?

[jesse.in.mb]

"I like" and "it is good" are two different concepts.

[Heroic Mulatto]

jesse, Imma going to explain this in simple, monosyllabic Anglo-Saxon, just so we're clear.

Don't. Fuck. With. Bow Ties.

[kibby]

What HM said. We are of one mind on this. JOIN USSSSSS....

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm pretty sure I haven't badmouthed bow ties at all. kibby just got defensive when I asked a question about them and then failed to answer my question in a satisfactory way.

/bo

[SweatingGin]

I've been really wanting to get a bowtie. Was looking for a perfect black/yellow striped one. No luck yet. Tried a lot of different online stores, and found things close, but nothing quite what I wanted.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Stripped like British Rep style?

[Heroic Mulatto]

*Striped even.

[SweatingGin]

Sir, you have outclassed me. I cannot define/identify British Rep style striping. A google search reveals some indications and ideas.

Something like that? I dunno. A bow tie to shock the squared, in black and yellow to shock those who actually know what the colors mean. Hardly any will.

Several months ago, some VC guy bitched about all the dirty anarchists at a bitcoin convention. I didn't, but wanted to reply with... "no, fucker, at the bitcoin convention, the anarchists are wearing bow ties".

[Heroic Mulatto]

British Rep ties are ties that have a certain striped color pattern that represent a certain military regiment or club. (Kind of like a plaid tartan)

While it's bad form to wear one that belongs to an organization you're not part of there are some that belong it extinct organizations (like the 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) that are now seen as ok for everyone to wear. Also, they become acceptable when the direction of the stripes are flipped, which is quite common for American fashion.

[SweatingGin]

Interesting, good to know.

I have a bit of understanding of tartans (second-gen on one side of the family) but not much outside of that.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Oh, and how about this?

[SweatingGin]

That might be exactly what I end up with.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Cool. Wear it in good health and channel your inner Rothbard.

[SweatingGin]

I just may.

[SweatingGin]

Are fez's cool? Would thisfez be cool?

What the fuck is the plural of fez?

[kibby]

Despite what DW fans will tell you, fezzes are just not cool.

[SweatingGin]

This one has an up glass and swords on it!

I'm not quite sure how it would work with the monocle, though.

[kibby]

No. Fez. Ever. At. All.

[SweatingGin]

As long as the monocle and (as yet hypothetical) black and yellow bowtie are okay.

[kibby]

As long as you post photos of this most libertarian of ensembles.

[SweatingGin]

No tophat or ivory cane(yet). And I have my paid cops (from the Pinkerton company) smash any cameras that come near.

[kibby]

Pardon me? You have no top hat? I can no longer associate with you, poser.

[Heroic Mulatto]

In a pinch, a homburg can do. I'm sure SG owns a nice felt homburg, right?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

It's all about the Panama hat.

[SweatingGin]

It's all about the Panama hat.

Still working on the seersucker suit.

[Heroic Mulatto]

You can get a decent seersucker from Jos. A. Banks. It's low-end, but with a decent tailor you can get it altered so it looks quite good. My seersucker is an Anderson-Little, which I was lucky enough to get before they went out of business for awhile. A-L is back, but they only make blazers now.

[SweatingGin]

You can get a decent seersucker from Jos. A. Banks. It's low-end, but with a decent tailor you can get it altered so it looks quite good.

Downright cheap, nice. I had no idea.

New goal: Acquire seersucker suit, upgrade monocle with gold chain, Kentucky Derby.

[Heroic Mulatto]

With a straw boater, of course. I keep a mint plant in my greenhouse specifically for juleps, and you should as well.

[SweatingGin]

I just told a co-worker yesterday, I'm about done with this winter thing. Soon. Soon my mint will grow again, and I will make juleps, and all will be right.

But the winter just keeps going. It won't stop.

[SweatingGin]

I have... a fedora that was too small that I never liked. I need a proper hatter.

"you have a shoemakerhatter?"

"do you not?"

[kibby]

Just make sure his name isn't Jervis & you'll be fine.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Nice, kib with a Batman reference.

[Francisco d Anconia]

What the fuck is the plural of fez?

fez
noun
noun fez plural noun fezzes

1. a flat-topped conical red hat with a black tassel on top, worn by men in some Muslim countries (formerly the Turkish national headdress).

[SweatingGin]

thank you!

Lazyweb wins again.

[Episiarch]

I think everyone but the filmmakers and the politicians think that subsidizing Hollywood is absurd. That's why they keep such subsidies pretty quiet.

[The Late P Brooks]

"Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."

I love happy endings.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I'm worried at the part where they deliberately arrest innocent people as murder suspects.

[GILMORE]

Everclear

[Derpetologist]

No Monty Python movie has ever won an Oscar. Let that sink in for a minute.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

They didn't like the blasphemy and nudity?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

ha ha, I crack myself up sometimes

[Derpetologist]

Well played, sir.

[Episiarch]

I just heard someone say "the asbestos fell like snow" in a commercial. I think I need to open the Bourbonic Plague I just bought now.

[playa manhattan]

Hmm, a respectable 94. I though you wouldn't travel for decent beer...

[Episiarch]

Going to a craft beer store in West Seattle isn't traveling. And I asked him if they had had the Hairy Eyeball and he said they had, but no more. I haz a sad.

That being said, all of Cascade's stuff is awesome. And absurdly expensive. But a good sour is a good sour.

[Derpetologist]

Indeed. Couvee de Jacobins is marvelous.

[playa manhattan]

I had a good run at Costco this week. Quad Oak something something. 11.8% ABV. I fell asleep really early.

[playa manhattan]

Right now, the main flavor is Lagunitas Sucks: Brown Sugga Substitute.

My local grocery store has had it reliably for the last 2 months.

[Episiarch]

Lagunitas Sucks sucks compared to their best stuff, but it's still better than most other beers out there. Now I want some Ayinger Celebrator.

[Derpetologist]

There's nothing better than Marston Oyster Stout. It restored my spirit.

[GILMORE]

"I know you are."

That's 'feminine speak' for = God you're boring.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I liked this person better the first time I saw here when she was Mary Steenburgen.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

She's back from the future where she aged 124.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Sorry, but her neck frightens me.

Yes, I said it.

[Hyperion]

And you bad person, too.

[Episiarch]

It's got to be ten times as scary when she swallows live rats whole. Did you know all executive producers can unhinge their jaws? True story.

[Byte Me]

I just imagined her and Kennedy going at it...

[Francisco d Anconia]

I may not masturbate for like a week. Thanks for that.

[playa manhattan]

So, like usual for somebody in their 40's.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Every day, my friend. Thank Al Gore for the internet.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Aren't you married? Isn't taking care of that like in the contract or something?

[Francisco d Anconia]

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Good one!

[playa manhattan]

You have a lot to learn about supply and demand.

[Byte Me]

...in a lightsabre duel.

[Hyperion]

When they stretched her face, why did they forget the neck?

Damn, I am so bad person, and not nice.

[kibby]

This lady is so exciting I might fall out of my chair.

[Hyperion]

So, id it the voice or that tortoise neck that excites you the most?

[kibby]

I think it's her condescending attitude, actually.

[jesse.in.mb]

True Detectives shout out.

[playa manhattan]

I caved in and added HBO to my fios. It was too hard to find the episodes on usenet.

[jesse.in.mb]

For just one show you should've risked uTorrent+peerblock and pulled the magnets from EZTV(dot)it

[playa manhattan]

I have assets to lose in a civil suit. I'll just pay the 9.99 next month and then cancel.

[jesse.in.mb]

I believe HBO has tacitly encouraged piracy. I do not believe they aggressively enforce their IP, but I understand your hesitancy.

I also would've had no problem pulling down the files and returning your dongle with them on it had I known.

[playa manhattan]

Do they actually let you download? I thought it was a copy-protected stream...

[jesse.in.mb]

No, they don't. I would've just grabbed it from EZTV for your convenience since you were such a mensch about the first few episodes.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I suspect this year's big blockbuster will be Nolan's 'Interstellar' starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway.

I'm confident this will be much better than McC's last sci-fi movie, 'Contact', which sucked.

[Episiarch]

Anything would be better than Contact. Plus, he'll be riding high on his amazing performance in True Detective.

[GILMORE]

Is that the one where Jodi foster played the sincere and passionate and devoted woman struggling to be appreciated by a male-dominated something....

[jesse.in.mb]

Don't forget the daddy issues.

I have fond memories of seeing Contact with my grandfather who introduced me to science fiction. I'd read his copy of Contact first, which was a massive mistake. There was no way the movie was going to live up to it.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Garrison: That movie was terrible! Sat through the entire movie to see the aliens and it was her goddamn father!

[Raven Nation]

Contact was not good BUT, I love the scene where Jodi Foster first hears the signal.

[Fist of Etiquette]

KENNEDY IS TRYING TO WRAP THIS UP.

[GILMORE]

There's no social criticism quite so biting as the complaints of a Hollywood executive producer of such timeless classics as "Sleepless in Seattle" about other Hollywood tripe.

[Derpetologist]

Whoa, whoa- you'll be in the 2 minute hate segment in a jiffy if you keep up this rotten attitude.

[GILMORE]

Matt will have to take up "air DJ-ing". He does a *mean* Terminator X, I hear.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oscar the Grouch! I just got that.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Life Alert is unapologetic - yes, it saved the lady who fell and couldn't get up, and they're proud!

[Fist of Etiquette]

THROW RED PAINT ON HER.

[SweatingGin]

I looked away from the show to put the ginlettes to bed.

Did Russia just annex Crimea?

Shit got real, yo.

[jesse.in.mb]

Pre-scheduled training exercises. No worries.

[SweatingGin]

No idea on the veracity of this source (retweeted by the doomsayers at zerohedge):

#Russian ultimatum:#Ukrainian troops in #Crimea must leave bases by 2am local time (4:38 now) - HromadskeTV |PR News

[SIV]

The Matrix was horrible.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

That will cost you some points on your geek license.

[SIV]

eXistenZ and The 13th Floor were far better treatments of the same theme that year.

[Derpetologist]

Not so. The Matrix trilogy is merely the Jaws of sci fi.

[Byte Me]

On the contrary. The first one was awesome. It was the second two that got the story so stuck up its own ass that it ruined it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, he is married to a European.

[Fist of Etiquette]

AH! Lou Dobbs.

[GILMORE]

AHH DOBBBS!!!

[Hyperion]

So, I was just noticing the point when they started to cut away and started up the short rap sequence, and Kennedy and Kmele are sorta grovin to the beat and Matt ... anyway, I was moving my mouse and the cursor wasn't moving, and then that's when I noticed that my mouse was sitting in a pool of slush. GDit!! Frozen beers that spew over really piss me off!

[Byte Me]

Does anyone here have any thoughts on The Fifth Estate? I may watch it tonight.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I heard it was terrible. You don't need to know from whom.

[Lady Bertrum]

Bruce Willis was in it, I think. Sucked.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You're thinking of Die Hard 5.

[Byte Me]

Cumberbatch doesn't trump Willis?

[Byte Me]

Incidentally, the last Die Hard was awful. It was just going through the motions.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

So who's going to play Edward Snowden?

[kibby]

Ryan Gosling? I dunno.

[kibby]

I gather that even Benedict couldn't save that mess.

[SweatingGin]

Not having watched it, but the wikileaks people were really down on it.

I'd highly recommend Andy Greenberg's book "This machine kills secrets"

[Heroic Mulatto]

You know, I always thought World War 3 would start in Asia, you know, like either in Kashmir or, perhaps, the Spratly Islands. Never in a million years did I think it would start off in Europe again

[Episiarch]

I guess they didn't commit one of the classic blunders. Now as long as they don't go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line, they'll be fine.

[SIV]

All World Wars start in Europe.

[Calidissident]

The Pacific War started before the European part of the war in WWII, it just didn't become a world war until the European theater started

[Calidissident]

*By Pacific, I should clarify that I mean the Asian-Pacific theater. The Second Sino-Japanese war started in 1937 and continued till the end of WWII

[Lady Bertrum]

Pleeeze. Obama isn't going to war to protect a bunch of Kulaks, literally, Kulaks.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

He might blunder his way into it. Red lines and all.

[SweatingGin]

No Putin to give him a nice out on this one.

[jesse.in.mb]

I had a twerk video in the PM links, but you weren't there.

*pulls a ThaneJarl and runs from room sobbing*

[Heroic Mulatto]

It's oddly...soothing.

[playa manhattan]

I wish there was a black inflatable tube right behind it. We had a visitor last night that would really have appreciated it.

[Heroic Mulatto]

*snicker*

[Bam!]

The U.S. is 'deeply concerned'? That's not even strongly worded.

[Francisco d Anconia]

What, exactly is our national interest in the Ukraine?

Have we really become so fucking arrogant that we actually believe we have some god-given fucking right to interfere in every fucking conflict on the planet?

Um...president Lincoln. This is czar of Russia. The United States Russians will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine the Confederacy.

WHAT THE FUCK?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Have we really become so fucking arrogant that we actually believe we have some god-given fucking right to interfere in every fucking conflict on the planet?

You've read some of the stuff that came out of the Project for the New American Century, right? The words of Colin Powell, they are truly "fucking lunatics".

[Byte Me]

Have we really become so fucking arrogant that we actually believe we have some god-given fucking right to interfere in every fucking conflict on the planet?

This notion has been prevalent in American politics for quite some time (153-ish years). Recall that you were taught, in gradeschool, that the US was "isolationist" before getting involved in WWI. (which is a farce, off course)

[creech]

Actually, the Czar' government was pro-Union and played a role in keeping Britain and France out of the Civil War.

[Lady Bertrum]

Today Kennedy did a segment with Shep Smith and Kmele did a spot with Greta on FNC. So, are they official on the payroll?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

This is good. It's like in high school when the popular kids acknowledge you exist.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

This is good. It's like in high school when the popular kids acknowledge you exist.

[Hyperion]

Shep Smith and Greta. Wow, we are really playing around in the big statist playground now, aren't we?

[Stimpy's Invention]

FUN FACT: Rachel Maddow's audience is 18X larger than The Independents'.

[Hyperion]

I don't see how they are putting down Putin so much for fucking around with Ukraine. I mean, you know, in light of the fact that he's only fucking around with a country that's right on his border, while we fly all over the planet to fuck around with other countries.

I'm not sticking up for Putin, don't get me wrong, but we're hypocrites if we continue our current foreign policy and yet criticize every other country who aspire to be just like us.

[Byte Me]

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Perhaps a framework for understanding the truth-avoiding goat rodeo the media participated in is in order. Here's one provided by Jon Swerens, which he calls the "OOOOOPSI" model:

"Opportunity...
Outrage...
Opposition...
Oversimplification...
Overreach...
Pendulum...
Silence...
Introspection...

"Even Reason, whose conception of liberty this week is not broad enough to include religious liberty, tweeted out this untrue statement about the [Arizona] bill:

" reason ? @reason
Follow

"Arizona Governor Vetoes Religious Bill Targeting #LGBT Customers - http://bit.ly/1dBAxRO
8:24 PM - 26 Feb 2014"

http://thefederalist.com/2014/.....-nutshell/

[Lady Bertrum]

So, in keeping with tonight's Oscar theme, I predict Matthew McConaughey will win for Best Actor. Mainly because at the age of 44, he's ripped and completely fuckable.

[Byte Me]

The thing about high school girls is; I keep getting older, and they stay the same age.

[Lady Bertrum]

Much like Matthew, a classic.

[playa manhattan]

I still accidentally had Dobbs on mute while I was eating pizza with the kids, and they just showed footage of the Syrians dropping a crowd pleaser on the rebel troops. Over and over and over.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Controversial social-issue bill defeated in state legislature.

"It would have required every insurance policy bought and sold in Washington State to cover abortion..."

Libertarian Web sites rejoice at this triumph for freedom of association!

Ahem...libertarian Web sites rejoice?

I'll check back later to see the rejoicing.

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/0.....ign=buffer

[Notorious G.K.C.]

A spokesperson for the state legislature said that a key factor in the bill's defeat were the boycott threats from big businesses and major sports franchises.

"They said they might reconsider doing business here if we tried to ram abortion down everyone's throat like this," said the spokesman, Toobadit Didnthappen.

[Hyperion]

They meant ignore, not rejoice. They just misspoke.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Don't blame dat chit on me mang! I wasn't even on that thread.

But I see YOU were...offending her in a foreign language.