THE JOY MACHINE

here's my recap of my Daily Show With Jon Stewart experience, I really recommend watching the full episode first here, as I don't want to ruin the great jokes for you. Pre-show I found Sand-Rock Obama, who was under the awning of the Ritz-Carlton, but still got rained on a little. Post-show, they let you take pictures of the stage. I was six rows away from the magic, and it was the best. 

Okay, 32 minutes later, (after you've seen the show in all its glory, and wished so many people weren't also wearing green shirts so I could find myself in the crowd)...

Hot Politics

Before the show starts, Jon Stewart comes out and talks to the crowd and answers questions. It’s so difficult to pick a favorite part of the night, but the pre-show Q&A was right at the top of the list. A sampling:

Q: Which president would win in a fight?  A: “ Lincoln, no question. He was like 8 feet tall! Why, who would you pick?” -guy says Taft- “Why would you pick Taft? Lincoln would crush Taft!”

Q: How many staff members are from NC? “I think, two. I only keep track of how many Jews I have.”

Q: something about how he should give equal time to Dems/Reps on his show. “I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m a comedian. My show is a satire. I don’t have to give equal time to anything. Just because I told a Jewish joke, doesn’t mean I now have to tell a joke about black people. I get to tell jokes about what I think is funny.” He went on to say how this whole Dem/Rep divide is false anyway, that we shouldn’t have this Us vs. Them mentality. Good serious stuff.

Q: What was your most awkward interview? “Desmond Tutu, he hit on me.” But seriously he talked about Harry Reid, who was on the show to promote his autobiography, you know, the story of his life, and everything Jon pointed out from the book seemed to be a surprise to him.

Q: Do you like the show Newsroom? “I haven’t seen it. I have an 8 year-old and a 5 year-old. The only thing I’ve seen in the past 3 years is Tangled.”

Q: something political about Paul Ryan. Jon refused to talk about Ryan’s politics because he is too ridiculously handsome, and ended his description of those deep pools of blue eyes by saying that he’d (sleep with) Ryan.

And with that, the show starts. It was so interesting to see the process of the show behind the scenes. Before the start, and during commercial breaks (as Springsteen’s new album was playing), Jon has a huddle at his desk with producers (Rory Albanese, for instance) and at one point John Oliver came up to his desk to consult as well. The set is beautiful, and this episode included Samantha Bee, John Oliver, and two new “anchors” – Al Madrigal and Jess Williams, aka part of the Best News Team Ever. The guest was Tom Brokaw, who is surprisingly funny, and brought a lot of history to the event, as he’s been reporting from conventions for over 20 years.

The screens/graphics that we see on TV next to Jon’s head are actually on the left and right side of the theater, so it’s difficult at some points to look at that and also look at Jon to get the full effect. Basically, I was staring at Jon the entire time, so it took me a second to get some of the jokes with corresponding graphics.

Now I’m going to lead you through my favorites from each segment:

1-      (re: the American people understanding nuance) “No, the American people don’t understand! Here’s what we understand – that getting a free sandwich, is a good reason for buying 10 other sandwiches! Here’s what we, the American people, understand – that Malcolm X…was the leader of the X-Men!”

2-      (re: Chuck Norris) “One man stands between America , and 1,000 YEARS OF DARKNESS. And that man…is 72” The whole Chuck Norris video was insane.

3-      (re: the “Yes We Can” song parody)…so the news anchors (John Oliver & Jason Jones, mainly) went out among the delegates to try to find a new slogan for Obama for 2012. This was a pre-taped piece, which again means I wasn’t fully watching it as I was looking at Jon watching it, which was even more hilarious. He was trying not to laugh because after the taped piece is shown, they’ll immediately cut to him to throw to commercial or introduce the next segment. Right when Jason starts singing, he completely lost it and almost fell out of his chair from laughing so hard. It was amazing.

4-      Also during that first commercial break he talked about the news team and we all cheered and that’s when the anchors came out for the “field reports” aka green screen. Samantha Bee is stunningly beautiful in person, and of course I love John Oliver. He and Samantha were on my side of the stage so I could see them even with huge cameras in front of them. This was my favorite because we all booed John’s segment where he disparaged North Carolina BBQ.

Jon: “Why are you trying to calm the crowd, you’re outside!”

John: “I can hear these peasants through the wall!”

5-      Tom Brokaw –cool to see him in person as well. A lot funnier than I expected.

Jon: “They have locked this city down, though I’ve never been here, maybe that’s just what it’s like in Charlotte ”

Tom Brokaw: “That’s so the bankers can’t leave”

So they ended up doing an extended interview, which was amazing, though Brokaw’s mic stopped working at the end of the 1^st segment, so there was a 2^nd segment that they didn’t end up putting online, because his mic stopped working again. I honestly can’t remember what he said, though it was serious political stuff for sure, because I was staring at Jon the entire time. The 3^rd mic finally worked (this is why he noted the Chinese satellite interference). More time with Jon on stage is fine by me.

6-      Okay, Moment of Zen was quick and I didn’t look at the screen, but I see now that it was  

Joe Biden saying over and over “Bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive!”

Jon took his mic off and went backstage and I thought it was over.

7-      Pretty sure this doesn’t happen very often in NY, but he came back on stage and thanked

us profusely for giving the show so much energy and saying it propels them to do the

show better and sustains them when they’re on the road. Someone demanded he bring out

John Oliver to settle the BBQ score, and Jon explained that John Oliver can only handle

porridge-based food. Jon thanked us again and told us we were a lovely crowd, and that

was the end.

Aural Velvet Twenty-Oh-Eleven Edition

I'm going to attempt to write more in the new year, and I've read all the year-end music lists and think most of them are missing my favorite artists.  Hence, I present the music that kept me sane amidst the last 12 months.


January: The Decemberists The King Is Dead
Origin Of Discovery: heard the 8-minute "Mariner's Revenge" epic on college radio, and have been in love with Colin and his mutton-chops ever since.
Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? For the most part, although I didn't really start playing any of it until the summer.
Helpful Hints: "Rox in the box" is actually, like, "rocks" and about mining.
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Down By The Water", "Don't Carry It All"
Beard: Not currently


February: The Civil Wars Barton Hollow
Origin Of Discovery: this year, probably on a music blog or something
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? not normally, as it's too much bluegrass for me to handle in one sitting, but they're great
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Barton Hollow", "I've Got This Friend"
Beard: Yes


also: The Submarines Love Notes/Letter Bombs
Origin Of Discovery: I've had random songs of theirs for a few years, but this is the first whole album I've heard
Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? yes, it's very pop-oriented and probably the most "mainstream" band of the albums I heard this year
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Shoelaces"
Beard: No


March: New Numbers Vacationland
Origin Of Discovery: the drummer is in KD's band, the singer is formerly of The Jealous Girlfriends, who toured with KD
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? yes, very great get-through-the-workday type of album
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Hinterlands"
Bonus Endearment: their genre is listed as Big Beat
Beard: No


also: River City Extension/Kevin Devine split EP
Origin Of Discovery: KD was on tour with them in March
Featuring: KD's acoustic version of "Between The Concrete & Clouds" and the best cover ever of Tom Petty's "Walls"; RCE's "Ballad Of Oregon" -I actually didn't like them live but their recorded stuff is nice
Beard: Yes, all


April: Cass McCombs Wit's End
Origin Of Discovery: KD covering his songs
Most Common Word Used To Describe Him Since He Doesn't Tweet His Every Move: enigmatic
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I listened to the album a lot whilst in-flight, as it's very calming and slow, but mostly I listen to "County Line" on repeat
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "County Line"
Beard: No


May: Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues
Origin Of Discovery: probably on a music blog or something
Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I listen occasionally, but mostly the title track on repeat.
Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Helplessness Blues", "Grown Ocean"
Beard: Yes


also: Okkervil River I Am Very Far
Origin Of Discovery: probably on a music blog or something

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I listen occasionally, but mostly "Wake And Be Fine". I also saw them in concert for the first time this year and it was lovely.

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Wake And Be Fine"

Beard: Yes


also: Manchester Orchestra Simple Math
Origin Of Discovery: toured with KD

Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes.

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Simple Math", "Pensacola", "April Fool" "Virgin"

Bonus Endearment: every conversation I've had with Robert "Rob Blondie" Gobotron McDowell; these guys + KD are in a band called Bad Books also

Beard: Yes, are you jealous of Andy's beard?


also: David Bazan Strange Negotiations
Origin Of Discovery: as a teenager, I listened to Pedro The Lion every day (his former band)

Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I recommend the whole album but there's not much variation in his song style.  However, he has incredible lyrics, always, like "you can't be right about the future if you're wrong about the past"

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "Virginia", "Future Past", "Wolves At The Door" "People"

Beard: Yes


September: Blind Pilot We Are The Tide
Origin Of Discovery: probably on a music blog or something

Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I listen to the first four songs which actually sound like them and then skip the end because it is very slow and quiet

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "We Are The Tide" "Half Moon" "Keep You Right"

Beard: No


also: A.A. Bondy Believers
Origin Of Discovery: KD covering his songs, but then I realized I knew him in his former life in the grunge band Verbena

Most Common Word Used To Describe Him Since He Doesn't Tweet His Every Move: enigmatic

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? I listened to the album a lot whilst in-flight, but I haven't really delved into specific songs yet

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: "The Heart Is Willing"

Beard: No


also: Kevin Devine Between The Concrete & Clouds

Origin Of Discovery: Pandora, circa 2004

Is This A 10 Song, Pop Version Of Their Normal Stuff That Seems To Be The Theme This Year? Yes

Do I Listen To/Recommend The Whole Album? Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes

Standout Tracks To Endear You To Listen: the playlist ones are "11-17" and "I Used To Be Someone", otherwise don't make me choose

Beard: Yes
Thoughts That I Wrote Back In September:
The album seems to identify a shift in tone - less personal, and instead more society-at-large, a
more visceral reflection on the choices we make every day, the specific decisions we make amidst the background of the intrusive world around us. The themes remind me a bit of David Bazan's new album - trying to break out of the cycle of default thinking, of cynicism and obsession with the past, and moving on toward change and redemption. "Leave 10 years ago 10 years ago" and the refrain feel like a continuation of some of the Bad Books song themes, really making an effort to not get so set in our ways that no one can startle us out of them. I think the album is challenging us to not be afraid of the future, to somehow find a way to function amidst countless tragedies, and to discover how to keep the people we've lost at the forefront of our memories, but maybe not so prominent in our daily choices. His lyrics seem more straightforward this time around, and really motivational, like if everyone tried to do their best every day, and take responsibility for themselves, then maybe society and even religion would get better, and we would stop blaming those institutions for all our problems. The music style reminds me of Phantom Planet's first album ("is Missing") and also of some R.E.M. melodies, with a bit of The Pixies or The Ramones mixed in there, very jangly, folky. I'm really glad "Awake in the Dirt" made the cut, it's such a poetic reflection on such a lovely book (Roth's American Pastoral). The "Part of the Whole" and "Luxembourg" singles are gorgeous as well. 


Conclusion: Okay I just realized I also know about Okkervil River because KD covered "Black Sheep Boy" so yeah, I pretty much listen to all the bands he covers/recommends because they are all ridiculously talented. Let's all not get sued by Courtney Love in 2012.


I made a playlist of all the standout tracks (you may need a blip.fm account)
thanks, musicians.

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.

Albums of the year /making twenty-oh-nine palatable

Brother's Blood, by Kevin Devine

Poetic literary aural perfection. Looking for communion.

"A flaming ferris wheel spun where the sun used to be"

"All those foxhole prayers full of fear you shared with a bored and distant sun"

"You're burnt sky, the fever moon that makes the sun jealous at night"

"The hungover sun sneaks back in the sky"

"Stubborn sun spites the hallways, paint chips blink yellow, white"

"Every morning the sun comes - to shuttle you back to your man"

[those were just the sun lyrics, see: "the entire album"]

From Sumi to Japan, by Brian Bonz & The Dot Hongs

Ambient wonder. Makes me happy. Growing up.
"The pattern of dependence has got me down"
"And you're pushing three decades with that bottle now"

Mean Everything to Nothing, by Manchester Orchestra

Emotional. Spiritual. Whilst entirely rock and roll.
I may or may not have listened to The River my entire 13 hour trip back from Lollapalooza.
"I guess it's true you never knew the passive power of the truth so cut me loose"
"So I prayed for what I thought were angels, ended up being ambulances"
"I'm gonna leave you the first chance I get"

Curse Your Branches, by David Bazan

Just gorgeous. Questions, theology, faith.
"And it's hard to be, hard to be a decent human being"
"Causing the doubt to begin to spread like original sin"

The Hazards of Love, by The Decemberists

Mutton chops and suspenders.
I think the songs work on their own but it was nice to see the entire album performed as well.
"And the wanting comes in waves"
"And I'd wager all, for the hazards of love"
"Tell me now, tell me this, a forest's son, a river's daughter/So let's be married here today, these rushing waves to bear our witness/And these hazards of love, nevermore will trouble us"

The Life of the World to Come, by The Mountain Goats

Thematically sound. Retrospective. Love my nasal singers.
"I used to live here"
"In the burning fuselage of my days"

When The Devil's Loose, by A A Bondy

Haunting. Ocean. Harmonicas.
"This is the light that shines, and I can see the pines are dancing, this is the leaving of another love..."
"And when I come, I will come on like a dream, with the crimson moon shining down upon my devil's ring"


Just released, and/or just started listening:

Height, by John Nolan

"Well I'm a born disciple, but I'm inherently suspicious"
"I keep trying to think of clever ways to say: that I don't believe you. But nothing comes to mind so I'll just make it plain: I don't believe you."

Daisy, by Brand New

It's a trip so far.

Interesting how we compare: I've never heard #3 and #7 but otherwise similar (and wasn't sure what year Mini Ts came out and forgot about Koufax since I didn't see them live- but they are lovely and Czech!)