Today’s Flop Story!

Dan and Stuart are presenting a screening of the fun-but-dumb 2001 hacker action thriller SWORDFISH at Nitehawk Theater Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY on March 26 at 9:15 pm, as part of our friend Cristina’s often-referenced screening series Ridiculous<>Sublime. This isn’t a “Flop House show” — we’re just gonna give a brief intro before the film (no riffing or anything) — but please come on out and see a silly movie with us and say hi!

Extra, Extra! Man Has Headache! Shirks Work!

Last night John Hodgman and Jesse Thorn took Stuart and I (and our wives, who are whole human beings in their own right) out to dinner. Jesse was in town because they were doing two live Judge John Hodgman “Night Court” shows at the Bell House, and Hodgman was in town because, of course, he lives here.

It was a lovely night, but as often happens when I see Hodgman and/or visit a steakhouse, I had two martinis, which is arguably two more than a middle-aged man should have. Thus, today I have a headache, and was having trouble thinking of what the newsletter should be about, so the newsletter became about having a headache and having trouble thinking of what the newsletter should be about. I’m a regular Charlie Kauffman.

I ask for no sympathy, as this story essentially boils down to “man’s kind friends take him to dinner, and now, through his own choices, he is mildly impaired at work.” I simply offer this explanation for why the remaining part of this “body of the newsletter” section will be cut-and-pasted facts about pheasants.

• Rainbow Roosters: Male pheasants boast a stunning array of colours, like red, green, blue, and gold. These vibrant hues are a dazzling display during courtship rituals.

• Speedy Survivors: Don't underestimate these birds! Pheasants can take flight at impressive speeds, reaching up to 60 miles per hour when needed to escape predators.

• Masters of Many Mansions: Pheasants are surprisingly adaptable. They can thrive in diverse habitats, including farmlands, woodlands, wetlands, and even grasslands.

• Global Guests: While native to Asia, pheasants have been introduced to many other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom. This is due to their popularity as game birds

_{Source: 12 Fascinating Facts about Pheasants!}

Next on the Podcast

3/14 - Sorry all you ELLA MCKAY-heads out there. Sometimes we talk about a movie not because we’re mad at it or want to ridicule it, but because its flaws are so fascinating. We had a great time discussing a movie whose heart is in the right place, but whose good intentions don’t save it from being… kind of a mess.

3/21 - Stuart leads a mini all about stand up comedy in the movies. Which pictures get it right, and which are total nonsense? And to help us, we’re joined by Matt Koff, longtime friend of the show, former Daily Show colleague of Dan and Elliott, former web-series partner of Dan and winner of New York’s Funniest Stand-Up at the NY Comedy Festival.

And speaking of Matt and stand-up, Matt has a new stand-up special! MATT KOFF CAT MAN just premiered on VEEPS, an artist-friendly service that makes sure most of the ticket price for viewing ends up in the pocket of the performer! Wow, Matt launched a stand-up special right when we had him on to talk about stand-up! It’s almost like that was planned, to help him get the attention he deserves!

Plugging Away

Dan wrote a “chapter” for The Novelizers, a podcast where comedy writers turn movies into the novelizations that never existed. In this edition, the Joker takes a potshot at Jim Gordon in The Dark Knight, and the hilarious Mr. Chris Parnell (SNL, 30 Rock, Rick & Morty) reads all of Dan’s silly take on the material.

Check out Elliott’s book, Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense, his current run on DC Comics’ Harley Quinn, and his all-new original comic series, Barbarian Behind Bars!

Stuart paints Warhammer models/chats with viewers most Fridays on his Twitch channel, and the Jiggle Studio online store is now open, for all your body-positive exercise wear needs!

You Made it to the End!

Here’s Stu and Sharlene, as the “ringers” on Judge John Hodgman’s competition that was entirely legally distinct from The Newlywed Game.