Michael Allan Patton is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techniques, wide range of projects, style-transcending influences, eccentric public image and contempt for the music industry, Patton has earned critical praise and influenced many contemporary singers. In addition to his most popular endeavor, Faith No More, Patton is also co-founder and lead vocalist of Mr. Bungle, and he has fronted and/or played with Tomahawk, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Fantômas, Moonchild Trio, Kaada/Patton, Dead Cross, Lovage, Mondo Cane, the X-ecutioners, and Peeping Tom. Consistent collaborators through his varied career include avant-garde jazz saxophonist John Zorn, hip hop producer Dan the Automator and classical violinist Eyvind Kang.
Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California, in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout its career, the band is best known for its experimental rock period. During this time, it developed a highly eclectic style, cycling through several musical genres, often within the course of a single song, including heavy metal, avant-garde jazz, ska, disco, and funk, further enhanced by lead vocalist Mike Patton's versatile singing style. This period also saw the band utilizing unconventional song structures and samples; playing a wide array of instruments; dressing up in masks, jumpsuits, and other costumes; and performing a diverse selection of cover songs during live performances.
Alternative comedy is a term coined in the 1980s for a style of comedy that makes a conscious break with the mainstream comedic style of an era. The phrase has had different connotations in different contexts: in the UK, it was used to describe content that was an "alternative" to the mainstream stand-up of the day which took place in working men's clubs, and was characterised by unoriginal gags often containing elements of sexism and racism. In other contexts, it is the nature of the form that is "alternative", avoiding reliance on a standardised structure of a sequence of jokes with punch lines. Patton Oswalt has defined it as "comedy where the audience has no pre-set expectations about the crowd, and vice versa. In comedy clubs, there tends to be a certain vibe—alternative comedy explores different types of material."
The Adventures of Pete & Pete is an American sitcom created by Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi for Nickelodeon. It focuses on two brothers, both named Pete Wrigley, and their humorous and surreal adventures in suburbia among their equally eccentric friends, enemies, and neighbors.
Patton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom The King of Queens (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom The Goldbergs (2013–2023) as adult Adam F. Goldberg. After making his acting debut in the Seinfeld episode "The Couch", he has appeared in a variety of television series, such as Parks and Recreation, Community, Two and a Half Men, Drunk History, Reno 911!, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Archer, Veep, Justified, Kim Possible, Modern Family, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He portrayed Principal Ralph Durbin in A.P. Bio (2018–2021) and Matthew the Raven in the TV series The Sandman (2022–present).
"The Couch" is the 91st episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the fifth episode for the sixth season. It aired on October 27, 1994. In this episode, George joins a book club, Jerry buys a new couch which acquires an unsanitary stain, Poppie and Kramer collaborate on a pizza-making business, and Jerry puts Elaine's stance on abortion to the test in social situations.
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a 2007 American jukebox musical comedy film directed by Tim Hill from a screenplay by Jon Vitti and the writing team of Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi, based on the characters of the same name created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.. The film stars Jason Lee, David Cross and Cameron Richardson, while Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney voice the titular Chipmunks. The film follows the Chipmunks, who move in with struggling songwriter Dave Seville after they lose their home. When Dave discovers they have rare singing talent, he has them perform in front of JETT Records executive Ian Hawke, who then plans to trick them into living with him to profit off their success with a world tour.
Never Not Funny is a podcast hosted by American comedian Jimmy Pardo, since spring 2006, currently releasing two episodes a week. He and producer/co-host Matt Belknap have appeared in every episode. Comedian Mike Schmidt appeared as co-host for season one, except for the final episode of the season, when his departure was announced.
"Waking the Demon" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The song is released as the third and final single from their second album Scream Aim Fire. The video for the song was written and directed by Max Nichols.
Greg Sestero is an American actor, filmmaker, model and author, best known for his role as Mark in the 2003 cult film The Room, as well as for his well-received memoir The Disaster Artist, detailing his experiences making The Room, which itself was later adapted into a 2017 film.
Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories by R. K. Narayan published in 1943 by Indian Thought Publications.
Edward David Pepitone is an American character actor, stand-up comedian and podcast host. He is known for his dark comedy style.
"Right There" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, featuring American rapper Big Sean. It was released on August 6, 2013 by Republic Records as the third and final single from Grande's debut studio album Yours Truly (2013), It was written by Grande, Harmony Samuels, H. "Carmen Reece" Culver, J. "Lonny" Bereal, James "J-Doe" Smith, Al Sherrod Lambert, Jeff Lorber and Sean. It features a prominent sample of the jazz instrumental song "Rain Dance" (1979) by The Jeff Lorber Fusion. The song is a throwback to R&B music of the 1990s, a sonority that predominates the production of Yours Truly and the first single "The Way", which Grande considered "Right There" as a sequel to, that uses heavy programmed snare drums, snaps and synthesizers as complement of its sound. In the lyrics, Grande expresses her passion to her love interest affirming that she will always be there for him, with Sean responding to her affirmation while using several double entendres in a more sexual perspective.
Mandatory Fun is the fourteenth and most recent studio album by American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. The self-produced album was released by RCA Records in the United States on July 15, 2014. Yankovic had previously released Alpocalypse in 2011 and was touring in support of it when he first spoke of his next record. When he began to work on Mandatory Fun, Yankovic found himself listening to older acts, many of which he stylistically spoofed on the album.
"Foil" is a song by American satirical singer "Weird Al" Yankovic from his fourteenth studio album, Mandatory Fun (2014). The song is a parody of the 2013 single "Royals" by Lorde. It begins as an ode to the uses of aluminum foil for food storage, but becomes a parody of conspiracy theories, the New World Order, and the Illuminati in its second verse. "Foil" received positive reviews from music critics, and peaked at number three on the Billboard Comedy Digital Tracks. The song's music video stars Yankovic as the host of a cooking show, and features cameo appearances from Patton Oswalt, Tom Lennon, and Robert Benjamin Garant.
"You" is a song recorded by R&B singer Keyshia Cole featuring American rappers Remy Ma and French Montana. The song is also produced by Harmony Samuels. It was released on January 27, 2017, as the first single from her seventh studio album, 11:11 Reset (2017), through Epic Records. The song serves as her debut with Epic Records and Sony Music Entertainment.
"The New Deal" is the first episode of the seventh season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows a Life Model Decoy of Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they race to stop the Chronicoms from unraveling history in 1931. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. The episode was written by George Kitson and directed by Kevin Tancharoen.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a 2022 American biographical musical parody film directed by Eric Appel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Al Yankovic. The film is a satire of biopics and is loosely based on Yankovic's life and career as an accordionist and parody songwriter. It stars Daniel Radcliffe as Yankovic, along with Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson, Toby Huss and Julianne Nicholson in supporting roles.
