Top 5 Games To Watch Other People Play

In the interest of stirring things up, what games are the most fun to watch other people play?

Back in the day, nothing frustrated me more then watching other people play videogames. I thought such strong feelings would subside with age but alas, no. Now I'm frustrated watching other people play pool, eat, fill out forms, wait in line, type, and yet I actually can sit on a couch now and watch someone else play COD4 or Little Big Planet for about an hour (until I reign blows upon them, take the controller, and finish the game with 100% superhuman accuracy with which they have never seen).

And nowadays there's a whole line of programs totally dedicated to streaming videogames live. Livestream is one. Who knew? What a majestic time to be alive. Here's my top 5 list at the moment. Fight me on it. I dare you.

1. COD4 - Any multiplayer for that matter. Even Mariokart. But the more grenades and childish name-calling, the better.

2. Street Fighter 2 - Obvious. Should this be #1?

3. River Raid - Watching other people play this infuriates me, but in the way old people complain about kids with facial piercings. They don't like it but without them they'd have nothing to complain about.


4. Wii Sports


5. Zelda - Ocarina of Time - Wonder! Merriment! Flutes!

What say you, Internet? Have you a voice?

Robot Sweatshop - Episode 25: Violence in Comics and Other Fun Stuff

Another brand new episode of Robot Sweatshop! The main topic of discussion in this installment is Violence in Comics, but there's also lots of talk on Futurama, Movies That Make Us Cry, Batman and Robin #1, and tons more. So give a listen, subscribe at iTunes, and leave us an iTunes review. We'll be your friend forever. Swearsies.

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Hands Across The Water, Heads Across the Sky

While perusing YouTube for Paul McCartney and Beatles clips some time ago, I discovered a dude who goes by the name of PENNYWHO: a Japanese musician who can seemingly play everything Paul and Beatles related. You can tell from his charming performances -- which usually feature one or more of his kids scampering around or singing along -- that he really loves this music. Here's his rendition of the great "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" from the colossal Ram album:

Robert Crenshaw Reviews His Brother Marshall's New Record

One of my favorite musicians on the planet, Marshall Crenshaw, just came out with a new album called "Jaggedland." I hadn't gotten around to picking it up, but just placed my order with Amazon after reading a review written on Marshall's message boards by his brother, Robert. Robert is a fantastic drummer who played on many of Marshall's best albums; he didn't play on "Jaggedland," but the guy who did ain't half bad either -- Traveling Wilburys drummer Jim Keltner. Here were Robert's thoughts:

I have a very complicated relationship with Marshall's records. For that matter, I have a very complicated relationship with my brother Marshall.
When we were kids we used to play in our basement sometimes. When we got older and he started writing songs, occasionally I would played on his demos. Those are memories and experiences I will forever treasure as times we shared being creative together.
When I was 17 and still in High School, I had a gig where I could play at night, sleep in my own bed, and make as much money as a line worker at GM. Marshall was working on the road and really having to work a lot harder for much less.
When I think of bringing Marshall (MC) as an offering to an Oldies band, it's kind of like bringing a wheelbarrow full of diamonds to a small business. It was pretty hard for people to even grasp what they had, but they did understand, it was something very special.
Some of you know that we ended up doing lots of stuff together for a decade of so. When we made records, we tried to have fun and make records that reflected the image that MC had in his mind for the song.
As an artist (and I know many of you are artists), you start out with the raw materials of the piece, but once you start the process, the journey has its own environmental considerations that can (and sometimes magically) shape the outcome dramatically.
Talking to MC, I know he had literally a wonderful time making this record. It was a real life experience with all of the twists and turns, joy and sorrow you’d expect from a high risk, potentially lucrative endeavor.
When I hear MCs voice on this record, I know that he was being as true to his Art as a person can be.
It's like if you went to someone's house for dinner and they baked the bread, served you vegetables from their garden, and hand- made all of the furniture in the room; all with the help of the most world renowned crafts persons and chefs they could engage.
The beauty of a well crafted song is that it reflects a shared human experience in a way that pulls you in, but it makes you ponder the experience in a way that adds depth to the reflection.
I think this writing is honest and clever. This is not music for people who think or wish that life is a linear path. This is Art with dissonance and release, this is Art that reflects the simple joys and life, but understands as well the fruits of life’s sorrows.
Jaggedland is the product of a real life complicated person, making a substantive effort to bring something worthwhile to fruition.
I’ve spent a lot of time driving long distances this week, and it has afforded me the luxury of listening to a lot of music while traveling long stretches of Interstate Highway.
I love the new record, and I enjoy taking in the nuance of the lyric as well as breathing in the sophisticated yet accessible auditory cornucopia. ( I apologize for the wine-like description)
It reminds me how much I love records and music. And it reminds me how much I love that complicated, talented person who is my brother Marshall. For anyone who has complicated loving feelings for their brother and sisters, you know that in itself is like a wheelbarrow full of diamonds.

Spew into this: 100 Best Movie Lines in 200 Seconds

Just made my Friday... Any favorites missing? I thought "inconceivable" from Princess Bride would definitely be on there...

Robot Sweatshop - Episode 24a: Stars & Skype

Another episode from those lovable scamps who are too lazy to travel out to Kensington, Brooklyn. Or as Frank thought it was called, “Netherlands, Brooklyn.”

Please note: We tried doing this one over Skype and rather than edit it all, we purposely went for a Waholian approach and left it all in for all those flies on the wall. Download it now because it will probably end up on the Robot Sweatshop chopping block/atom smasher in a week or so when we realize how jury-rigged it all is. Special appearance by Road Rally Ali.

Discussed: Mike’s lack of age, Dan’s wedding, Frank’s weekend - excited yet? Then some small pondering on Terminator:Salvation, Let The Right One In, Great Adventure, Indian caste system, Wolverine, Star Trek, and plenty of false endings. But mostly, it’s a fun mess of a show.

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