Superbest

A Tree in the Woods Just Fell

2011-08-30T23:13:00.004-04:00

Anyone around to hear it? I'm curious...

Death By T-Shirt?

2010-07-22T09:51:00.005-04:00

I know, I know... we've been quiet for a while. Hell, I haven't logged in to X Box Live in at least two months. It's a sorry state of affairs.

So you knew it was going to take something really cool/funny/interesting to bring us out of hiding and get another entry fired up. And I think I've just found it.

Check out this story on the "upcoming" (read: "Please, God, when will it finally be here?") Gears of War 3 and how some of the major plot points are going to being decided. Good idea? Next Big Step forward in game development? Lame gimmick? Let the debate (and buying of avatar tees) begin...

Wait, Now Star Wars Doesn't Suck?

2010-06-17T13:13:00.004-04:00

I mean, damn... if the first three movies had looked like this, I might have actually enjoyed them. Two new trailers from the ongoing E3 conference: The Old Republic and The Force Unleashed II.

Avatar Days

2010-06-03T09:19:00.004-04:00

Fun piece shot and finished in only four days (four?? try it in two, baby!!) about MMORPG players living their everyday lives. I love the reveals at the end... click here to watch.

Circuit Breaker (Tribute to Zelda)

2010-05-21T19:45:00.001-04:00

Thought this was fun in a retro/goofy kind of way... a tribute to Zelda and other 8-bit nostalgia. Enjoy!

Resident Evil 5 Print

2010-05-16T12:52:00.006-04:00

Came across these on a design/marketing blog... fun series of overseas print ads for the Resident Evil 5 release that provides nutritional information for the people pictured. Nice.

Inception Trailer 3

2010-05-16T12:41:00.006-04:00

Wow. I know the details of this movie have been closely guarded for a while now, but last week saw a little bit of the cat getting out of the bag in the form of a third trailer for the upcoming Inception.

Seems like Christopher Nolan can do no wrong at the moment, and this looks like another epic in the making. I'm a huge fan of the music as well... definitely looking forward to seeing this one in July!

Whoops... Here's the New iPhone!

2010-04-19T22:17:00.004-04:00

I don't love this story as much as I love the story behind this story. Hilarious.

Gears of War 3 Trailer!

2010-04-13T13:31:00.003-04:00

The strange part? The trailer made its debut last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as part of a visit from Epic Games guru Cliff Bleszinski. Jimmy Fallon? Really?

Release date is one year from now, but you sense the countdown has already started. I know I'm excited! If the step up from the first game to the second is any indication of what to expect, part three should be amazing. I like the fact that everyone just looks weary from the fight. I also like the use of the final title to confirm that this is, in fact, The End of the story.

The real big news, though, is this: 4 PLAYER STORY CO-OP. Hot diggity. Stay tuned for more, I'm sure!

iCade

2010-04-08T13:50:00.003-04:00

I didn't really have an iPad on my radar. And then I saw this.

I still don't want one, but you gotta admit... this is a pretty great idea. And I love the fact that you can get Qbert and Dig Dug. Hipster watch, clever coffee mug and chubby fingers probably not included.

Pixels

2010-04-08T10:06:00.006-04:00

This is one of the coolest clips I've seen in a while... so playful, and so well done. Pixels invade New York, and Old School mayhem ensues. Fantastic.

What? I Wanna Be Invisible!

2010-03-31T10:19:00.003-04:00

The first of the Ghost Recon games that I played didn't grab me as much as the Rainbow Six: Vegas series, but that was admittedly a few years ago. And I don't remember anything about the ability to become invisible!

Check out the trailer for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, due out this fall... looks like there could be some cool stuff to play with...

Man Plans Special Weekend To Reaffirm Commitment To Xbox 360

2010-03-25T16:53:00.003-04:00

From the Onion...

Nintendo 3DS Coming...

2010-03-24T09:32:00.006-04:00

I guess this is big news?

Nintendo has announced that they'll be rolling out a 3D handheld device in 2011 (along with Sony's new 3D console, it seems), and plan to have a model ready to demo at the E3 expo in June.

I enjoyed watching Avatar as much as the next guy (though not as much as some...), but I'm not sure there's a real revolution to be had here just yet... more of an industry buzz bandwagon at the moment. I think I'll wait until 3D merges with something like Project Natal before I get too excited. But maybe that's just me? There are plenty of folks who seem pretty jazzed about it...

Cat Fancy to the Nuts!

2010-03-23T21:59:00.006-04:00

LET THE MAN HAVE HIS CHAIR!! YOU'RE BRINGING ALL OF THIS ON YOURSELF!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY WON'T YOU JUST LET THE MAN HAVE HIS CHAIR???

(Click here to watch the awesomeness.)

Killer Spots: Brink

2010-03-22T12:58:00.004-04:00

Found this snooping around on a design site this afternoon... pretty cool little collection of chaos for the upcoming Brink produced by AKQA. Enjoy!

Still Got It.

2010-03-15T12:56:00.005-04:00

I've met the man. Mike and I have actually written for the man. And it's great to see that success still hasn't changed the guy who got fired from QVC. Twice. God bless, Mr. Rowe...

R.I.P. Captain Oveur

2010-03-15T12:45:00.003-04:00

Avatar vs Pocahontas

2010-03-10T14:21:00.001-05:00

Ouch!

Killer Spots: Bioshock 2 Teaser

2010-03-05T23:07:00.005-05:00

This was posted to a motion graphics site I visit... forgot how cool it was.

I have a design book from the company that did the launch campaign for the first Bioshock game (I gave one to Brian, too), and some of the concept art is beautiful. Not sure if the same guys did this one, but the bar certainly didn't get lowered any for round two.

There were other spots that used gameplay footage and had more punch, but this was the one that stuck with me the most.

Please Stop Making People's Lives Miserable

2010-03-05T22:58:00.006-05:00

This was found on the wall in one of the classrooms in the elementary school we rehearse in. I loved the fourth one down...

The Final Countdown

2010-02-23T16:02:00.004-05:00

"This is a song... a song about counting."

Gotta give it to 'em. This is pretty great. We've taken the stage to the same song, but never like this...

In other news, thanks to everyone who came out this weekend for our performance at the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival. We always have a great time, and it was really cool to hear from so many people who are fans of the show. Thank you!

North Carolina: Feels Like the First Time

2010-02-17T09:55:00.004-05:00

Remember that song? Not the North Carolina part... the First Time part. Foreigner? Anyone? They had some good tunes, man... not that one in particular, but some other really good tunes. Look 'em up.

Anyway, we're all headed down to the Chapel Hill area for our first show since the Richmond festival in November. And while that would usually make me a little nervous, it almost feels more like a reunion show somehow, which is awesome. Like the world is brand new again and full of possibilities. Or something.

We'll be playing at the DSI Theater on Saturday night at 9:30 if anyone wants to drop in and check us out... I can promise we'll be having fun, which is usually contagious...

From the Lads...

2010-02-12T12:15:00.003-05:00

Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday this year. For football fans in the UK, that's Game Day. So what to do?

Puma has a simple, classy, touching solution... send your gal a song from the pub.

Sure, it's a crap song. But don't the ladies love those? I dig the tagline at the top of the site... "They want to be in your arms, you want to be in the stands." Problem solved.

Avatar: Holy Shit

2010-02-07T01:23:00.005-05:00

In L.A. for work and just went to the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood to (finally) see Avatar in 3D.

Damn, dude. Just... damn.

Killer Spots: Dante's Inferno Super Bowl

2010-02-04T17:27:00.004-05:00

Already famous/notorious for getting rejected by CBS (the version that will air on Sunday actually ends with "Hell Awaits" instead), the Super Bowl Spot for Dante's Inferno is pretty tight. Great move getting the Bill Withers track... I dig it.

Killer Spots: Vanquish

2010-02-03T10:39:00.007-05:00

Wow. Gorgeous new trailer for Sega's Vanquish produced by the gang at Logan.

The bad news is that this genre has so many games in it that all of them start to look like Halo after a while. And I'll admit that it's been entirely too long since I logged on to Live, so maybe I'm just the last guy to see this, but I'm really impressed with the spot regardless.

The surface textures, lighting and movement at the end remind me a lot of District 9, and I've always been a sucker for detail shots of power suits being assembled (Iron Man didn't do much to curb that enthusiasm. By the way, check out Danny Yount and Prologue's amazing schematic end titles from that movie if I never posted them before...).

Shades of the Gears of War 2 trailer at the top as well, although fans have apparently already been talking about the praying mantis moment in different terms than that (something to do with an alien invasion?). I'll have to look in to the story a little more to see whether or not the title is worth checking out, but it seems the promo has already done its job... here I am talking about it!

Movie Moments You Didn't Know Were Improvised

2010-01-28T15:00:00.004-05:00

Been a while. Saw this list and had to post it for the obvious reasons... courtesy of Spike TV.

Oh yeah, and we're gearing up for our show at the NCCAF in a few weeks. Write it down.

Turn Around...

2010-01-04T17:08:00.004-05:00

Don't know how I missed this the first time around, but you've got to love the balls on this guy. I'm just impressed at the effort and the showmanship. Unless he staged the whole thing with a friend of his... in which case, screw 'em both!

Man, am I skeptical, or what? Happy new year, by the way...

Superbest DK

2009-12-20T22:40:00.004-05:00

Son of a...

A friend of WIT snapped this pic on her travels in Denmark. Evidently, a Danish grocery store has tried to hitch a ride on our comedy coat tails. Those bastards! I suppose that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Thanks to Cara for forwarding the shot...

The Art of the Mario

2009-12-13T23:29:00.004-05:00

Frock Band

2009-12-02T10:19:00.005-05:00

Love this... shots of grandparents playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band. And probably hurting themselves. Somehow.

Credit The Faster Times with the original idea, but List Of The Day added a few more shots that really took it to the next level...

A Blushing Virgin Groom

2009-11-30T18:08:00.004-05:00

So... some guy in Japan married his video game sweetheart. And I don't mean that he married someone he met online playing video games; he married a character from a video game. She doesn't actually exist.

Insert honeymoon joke here. And by the way, check out some of the reaction videos over on the right... also pretty funny.

Holy Crap

2009-11-18T09:15:00.005-05:00

Apparently, this is not a joke. Be sure to check out the controller.

Modern Warfare 3

2009-11-11T14:41:00.002-05:00

From the Onion. Awesome.

Killer Spots: More Modern Warfare 2

2009-11-10T14:27:00.006-05:00

Saw this during the Broncos' loss last night (still stings), and promptly jumped off the fence and on to the side of buying the game. Immediately.

Wow, right? The track, the footage... just a great little launch day promo (you might remember the teaser spot as well). The people who keep track of these things are already anticipating that this will be the biggest media debut of the year. Not just for games; for all media. I was going to wait for Brian to try it out before I committed, but not any more... my copy is waiting for pick up at Best Buy this afternoon.

Thanks, Richmond!

2009-11-09T13:35:00.004-05:00

We had a blast this weekend at the Richmond Improv Festival. The shows were great, the weather was awesome and Zach's team did a bang-up job putting it all together as always. We can't wait for next year... thanks, Richmond!

Saturday. Richmond. Be there.

2009-11-04T10:03:00.003-05:00

Superbest heads back to River City as part of the second annual Richmond Improv Festival this Saturday night. We'll be playing in the very cool new CenterStage building downtown... if you're in the area (or up for a road trip), check us out.

Price of Persia Trailer

2009-11-04T09:39:00.004-05:00

Fans of the game will (possibly?) be happy to know that the first trailer for Disney's Prince of Persia movie has been released.

First impression? Looks like Pirates of the Caribbean Goes to the Desert. Handsome-but-parent-friendly leading man? Check. Dainty-but-capable (and suitably clothed) love interest? Roger. Mysterious treasure with supernatural power? Yup. Jerry Bruckheimer? Got it. I personally prefer the non-speaking, very-hairy Jake Gylennhaal to the oiled-up, muscle-bound version, but maybe the ladies will feel differently.

So what do you think? Another Good Game Ruined? Or The Movie Version You've Been Waiting For?

George Brett Has a Story...

2009-10-28T14:23:00.004-04:00

Does it have anything to do with gaming? Nope. Improv? No sir.

I could maybe stretch things and say that the Auto-Tune tie-in somehow relates to technology and gadgets, but the truth of the matter is, this link is posted here because this is probably the funniest thing I've seen on the internet in months.

It isn't for everyone (definitely NSFW audio), but good lord was I laughing hard when I found it. Courtesy of List of The Day.

Oh, Hell Yes...

2009-10-23T14:38:00.005-04:00

New "leaked" trailer for Left 4 Dead 2 from the folks at Break.com.

Fan-tastic. File under NSFW.

Donkey Kong vs Mortal Kombat

2009-10-22T09:43:00.002-04:00

Sometimes simple is funny.

Killer Spots: FIFA 10

2009-10-20T14:28:00.005-04:00

Not super-crazy about the music choice, but I love the writing and the idea for the new FIFA 10 spot from EA. There's a U.S. version airing now that ends with "ten billion Blancos, ten zillion Donovans", but I like the U.K. version better. So you'll just have to deal if you don't know who Xavi is. Cool? (You can see the U.S. cut here.)

I was a fan of earlier FIFA games when I had roommates, but it's been harder for me to get in to the more recent versions on the 360... somehow playing with someone over the headset isn't as much fun as doing it in person. Maybe I'll give this one a shot, though... the gameplay features look amazing.

Make Your Phone Awesome

2009-10-14T12:21:00.003-04:00

Some cool cell phone tricks from The 2.0 Life. Not sure how many of these come with charges attached, but the list is worth a look either way...

Offensive Gamertag

2009-10-14T11:14:00.004-04:00

Do I hear our friend Zach from The Landlords on this?? Listen at around the 13 second mark...

DVD Extras You Must See

2009-10-14T10:59:00.004-04:00

Very cool list of some of the best/most innovative/actually worth watching DVD extras around (including some Easter Eggs I'm guessing you'd never know about otherwise). Courtesy of Empire online.

ODST?

2009-10-13T17:05:00.005-04:00

So our friend Colin wants to give the new Halo ODST four-player co-op a shot.

I've only seen the kick-ass trailers... anyone got a recommendation one way or the other? Have you played the game? Should we jump in, or wait for Modern Warfare 2 to hit the shelves?

Kill the Kindle and a Corporate Gig

2009-10-09T10:57:00.005-04:00

Technology joke! Technology joke!

I love a good Office Space reference. And yeah; I'd imagine there's an old school that's not too happy about the new school in the literature deparment.

Speaking of workplace parodies, Superbest has a corporate gig tonight. Which I suppose means we'll need to keep things clean?

Return to Richmond

2009-10-09T10:48:00.004-04:00

Has it really been a year already? Superbest has just been confirmed for the 2nd Richmond Improv Festival, and will be playing on Saturday November 7 at 9pm. Tickets will be available on the festival website shortly.

Live News is Awesome

2009-10-09T10:40:00.002-04:00

Snicker snicker. Click here to see the clip...

Lenin. Stalin. Mario.

2009-09-15T17:39:00.003-04:00

One of the best things I've seen in a long time. If I can find it as a poster, I want it in a frame.

Killer Spots: Beatles Rock Band Outro

2009-09-15T09:24:00.006-04:00

The opening cinematic to The Beatles Rock Band was a thing of beauty... here's the bookend to that, which I think is every bit as cool (and moving?). If anyone comes across a downloadable version, please let me know!

Pictures from Richmond. Kinda.

2009-09-10T17:49:00.005-04:00

Well, we never got the big kid versions of them, but the Richmond Improv Festival's Facebook page has pics from last year's show in a smaller size (pages 2 and 3). We're planning on going again this year... maybe we'll get a few full-res images of that in time for 2010...

Happy B Day

2009-09-09T14:41:00.005-04:00

B being The Beatles, apparently. Today's Rock Band release has everyone waxing nostalgic and singing the praises of the Fab Four.

I've heard that you're able to download and play full albums all the way through (with some studio banter between the lads filling in the pauses between the songs). Sounds like fun...

Killer Spots: Halo ODST

2009-09-09T11:46:00.005-04:00

Nice follow up here to the "Believe" campaign for Halo 3 from a couple of years ago. Story-driven, beautifully shot... I love the decision to go with a foreign language, too. Puts the emphasis on the emotional in a really simple way. Any time you can get kids thinking about why they're running around shooting hundreds of aliens, you've done your job.

If the on-again/off-again Halo movie looks half as good as the spots the marketing team has been coming up with, we'll be in for a treat.

Superhero Starter Kit

2009-09-05T12:05:00.005-04:00

Someone's seen Ironman a few too many times, I think. Impressive though it may be, this can only end poorly. Found by Today's Big Thing.com.

Worst British Accents Ever

2009-08-27T17:20:00.003-04:00

Funny list from Empire online...

100

2009-08-24T10:50:00.005-04:00

This is our 100th post. Something of a milestone, I think.

And to celebrate, here's a link to Truck Spills.com, a website devoted entirely to photos of things spilled from trucks on to highways around the world. Makes sense, right?

It was that or a photo of Willard Scott wishing someone a happy 100th birthday. Consider yourself lucky.

Haven't I Seen This Already?

2009-08-22T09:21:00.004-04:00

For all of the hype surrounding James Cameron's supposedly-groundbreaking Avatar universe, this game trailer sure looks like familiar territory for Halo fans.

Sure, there may be bigger creatures and flying dragons and a completely new story line, but the whole Future Army vs Aliens in The Jungle scenario doesn't exactly reek of a brand new idea. Sorry, Jim... I'd been promised a revolution, but the first impressions aren't blowing me away...

There, I Fixed It

2009-08-12T14:56:00.004-04:00

I just stumbled across There, I Fixed It, which may be my favorite new website. Cut from the same glorious cloth as FAIL Blog...

Mario Just Blew My Mind

2009-08-11T12:29:00.005-04:00

Holy crap. A bunch of wicked smart people are taking part in an Infinite Mario AI competition with some pretty impressive results. Today's Big Thing wrote it up this way:

"Infinite Mario Bros is a flash game that endlessly generates random levels. Right now there is a competition going on to program the best AI to play Infinite Mario. This is one of the entrys. The interesting part is that the AI is only aware of what's on the screen and it doesn't have a lot of time to compute, so having a faster computer will actually make it better at playing Mario."

Well said. But it doesn't have the same impact as watching the clip, when suddenly the idea becomes clear. And cool!

Come Back with my Protein Powder!!

2009-08-07T09:06:00.005-04:00

Thanks (I think?) to List of the Day for sharing this hilarious little cultural gem that isn't gay at all. "NICE MUSCLE!!!"

Superbest at Source

2009-08-06T14:55:00.003-04:00

Catch Superbest in action this Friday and next Friday (8.7 and 8.14) at 9:30 at Source as part of WIT's late-summer run.

You should probably also come and see DC's Neutrino Video Project as part of the 8:00 lineup on Fridays and Saturdays... Brian is an actor and Mike and I shoot the shows. Click here for tickets and more information.

When Home Entertainment Goes Too Far

2009-08-06T14:43:00.005-04:00

Came across this great list of game-inspired furniture. Enjoy.

Spoiler Alert: It's For Guitar Hero 5

2009-07-30T23:56:00.010-04:00

Came across this web spot at work today. Naked girls? No revealing product details or call to action in sight? I love a good teaser campaign.

(As mentioned in a few of the posts, this is a tribute to/knock off of a French music video that also features naked girls with stylish black bars...)

Left 4 What?

2009-07-27T11:57:00.004-04:00

Found this image while looking for Comic-Con stuff; someone in an England hat wailing on a (zombie?) Aussie cricketer with what might be a bat. Looks like it a still from Left 4 Dead 2 that was treated for a panel? Maybe for a little international flavor? Made me laugh...

Comic-Con Links

2009-07-27T11:19:00.004-04:00

"You had to be there" are the words that come to mind. But I wasn't there, so even that information is second hand!

All I know for sure is that loads of stuff was said and shown and swooned over at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego, and the only responsible thing I can do is provide links to some of the people who were there.

There were plenty of gaming panels, from Gears of War (and the GOW movie) to Assassin's Creed 2 and Dante's Inferno. James Cameron was on hand to talk Avatar (the movie and the game) and the cast of Iron Man 2 showed some hot new footage to some very appreciative fans.

It's all here and here and here. Geek out!

Mystery Team Trailer

2009-07-26T17:50:00.005-04:00

UCB's Derrick made the list over at Today's Big Thing this past Wednesday with the trailer for their upcoming independent release, Mystery Team.

These guys played the receSs gig with us back in May and they were pretty f-ing phenomenal. If their movie can capture half of the quickness and spontaneity of their live show, they could be set for even bigger things (pun).

Take a look at the trailer (and check out the movie when it hits theaters this fall!) and also keep an eye out for Trust Us, This is All Made Up, a documentary featuring Chicago's TJ & Dave that's currently looking for distribution...

Comic-Con 2009

2009-07-22T22:18:00.005-04:00

Those of you who went out and bought the director's cut of Watchmen yesterday already know.

For everyone else, Comic-Con 2009 kicks off tomorrow in San Diego; an annual gathering of comic, gaming and movie fanboys/girls who like take the whole thing really seriously.

Hot girls in costumes mingle with not-so-hot girls in costumes, making this yearly unveiling of New Stuff To Look Forward To an equal-opportunity enticer. If anything big Superbest-related "drops" over the next three days, we'll give you our read on it here.

Superbest at Improvapalooza

2009-07-22T22:10:00.006-04:00

Catch us in action as part of WIT's annual improv marathon, Improvapalooza. Superbest will be doing a short show on Friday, July 31st at Source (probably at around 10:30), but you owe it to yourself to check out the rest of the shows in the lineup as well (including the instant-movie phenomenon, DC's Neutrino Video Project, which features all three of us).

Tickets on sale here shortly...

First Person Shooter Disease

2009-07-22T22:03:00.004-04:00

Thanks to our friend Dan in NYC for sending this link... our last post reminded him of this video some friends of his put together. Check it out!

First Person Shooter

2009-07-16T16:29:00.004-04:00

Cool idea... not sure I want to be caught playing with it, but you have to dig the potential. I can't imagine the free time this dude must have...

Ah, poor-ah Luigi...

2009-07-01T15:30:00.007-04:00

It seems as though someone at collegehumor.com (no, I'm not linking to them) was sitting in our audience a couple weeks ago. This video is very similar to our Superbest show from June 6th. Too similar?

The Zombies are Coming!

2009-06-30T15:11:00.007-04:00

Given the level of excitement Brian and I are feeling for the November release of Left 4 Dead 2, this video seemed entirely appropriate. It's one in a series of great little animated product spots from Wagglemax Technologies. Loads of fun references, and a great sense of humor... I love the restart at the top of the spot.

Also check out what looks to be a nod to Gears of War's Lancer rifle, The Lacerator.

Wow. How About That.

2009-06-30T14:27:00.006-04:00

Our buddy (and former Jackie player) Zack in NYC sent us this game-themed link over the weekend. It reminded me of two things:

1) Anyone with a camera and a computer can put a video on youtube. There was a time when that fact seemed like a wonderful leveling of the playing field which would give everyone a creative voice and an opportunity to express themselves. But now? Not so much.

2) This clip from the Onion News Network on the same topic. Enjoy.

Thanks for thinking of us, Zack! Anyone else with a link or a thought to share, feel free to drop us a line on mail@superbestimprov.com.

LEGO Rock Band? Really?

2009-06-28T12:31:00.008-04:00

Thanks to our friend Sarah for sending this link after our last LEGO-themed show (LEGO Indiana Jones, to be specific). We were laughing about totally inappropriate movies and shows that the LEGO games could make versions of (LEGO Cannonball Run, for example), and Sarah found it funny that they've already got a version of Rock Band in the works.

Really? LEGO Rock Band? Does that add anything to the existing version of Rock Band that anyone thought was somehow missing? Thanks again, Sarah!

Black Dynamite

2009-06-19T02:24:00.003-04:00

'Nuff said. I'm in.

A Guy Thing?

2009-06-18T23:23:00.003-04:00

I only get rid of boxer shorts when they are literally in tatters. So long as there's a waistband and two leg holes, I say they still count as underwear.

Super Mario on Conan

2009-06-09T14:58:00.005-04:00

Nice. Did we mention, by the way, that we got Super Mario Brothers as the starting point for our show on Saturday?

Gotta Know?

2009-06-08T09:13:00.010-04:00

Today at 10AM San Francisco time, Apple kicks off their yearly Developers' Conference with a keynote address. Rumor has it they'll be unveiling the new iPhone, and I'm considering getting on to the Apple site and following along.

But why? I can't buy the new iPhone today, and even if I could, I already own a perfectly good one that doesn't need replacing. No, it isn't about the having of the thing... it's about the hearing about it. I realized over the weekend that something troubling is happening to me...

Last Monday I actually logged on and watched live streaming video of the Microsoft presentation at E3. I spent my mornings for the rest of the week snooping around the GameTrailers website for a first look at the latest videos. I even hit refresh a few times in the hope that something new would post while I was there... just for me.

What the hell? I'm usually not like that. Nine times out of ten, I'm the last to know and the first to admit that I'm okay with it... Brian sends me an email or tells me what I'm missing when we're in the lobby of some multiplayer shoot 'em up on Live. But I've discovered lately that there's something kinda cool about being there (or at least watching) when the word breaks. And I think I'm becoming addicted to it.

So what's next? Will I be one of those guys who logs on to a forum just to post "First!"? Will I actually GO to a gaming expo or tech conference just so that I can say that I witnessed the origin of the Next Big Thing? Will I get strung out on updates? Trade sexual favors for breaking news? God help me, will I subscribe to Twitter??

No, I've got to be strong... I'm relatively plugged in. I'll hear about the what's new or next soon enough, right? I won't... miss anything, will I?!?

Maybe just this one last announcement. You know, to help with the shakes. I'll quit after that, I promise...

Killer Spots: The Beatles Rock Band

2009-06-04T10:55:00.004-04:00

Wow. Maybe I'm biased since I grew up on the Beatles, but watching this video felt kinda like something warm washing over me. This is the same guy who created the animation for Gorillaz... absolutely gorgeous stuff. I love it.

Oh yeah, and the game will probably be a lot of fun, too.

E3: Left 4 Dead 2 Walkthrough

2009-06-03T22:56:00.005-04:00

Following up on Brian's post below, here's a look at the first part of the Developer's Walkthrough for Left 4 Dead 2 from E3. Seems to be an improvement on the original in just about every way so far... bigger story? New multiplayer modes? Incendiary ammo? Melee weapons? I'm in!

Gaming Shots

2009-06-02T13:54:00.005-04:00

So I was going back over some old emails and I came across these images from our first official Superbest gathering online. Brian had grabbed them from a Halo 3 multiplayer session, and I figured I may as well put them up.

I'd forgotten what a cool feature this is... beat the hell out of your friends and then go back through the footage, pick your camera angle and capture a still of your buddy's untimely demise. What a great way to elevate the art of smack talking!

Of course, half of the charm of these lies in the fact that Mike and I are completely clueless about what we're doing... Brian's captions point that out rather nicely.

Superbest. Flashpoint. Saturday.

2009-06-02T12:52:00.004-04:00

This Saturday, catch Superbest with WIT's Jackie at Flashpoint in downtown DC. The show starts at 8, and tix are $15 here...

E3: Project Natal

2009-06-02T12:36:00.006-04:00

I'd heard it was going to be called Fluid, but I suppose Project Natal sounds cooler if you're in to the whole shrouded-in-mystery thing. I personally think it's a fancy way of saying "not ready yet," but time will tell.

Here's the "product vision" for Microsoft's new controller-free interface. Some of the ideas look like a blast (like full-body fighting) and others seem like they're probably still a ways off (like scanning your gear for use in the game). If this is gonna work, though, we're all gonna need bigger living rooms...

A Geek Gauge

2009-06-01T22:37:00.007-04:00

As I mentioned earlier, the parts for my new PC started arriving today. This is the box for the video card (yes, the photo was taken in the bathroom, for lighting purposes):

I posit the following:

A person's level of geekiness is inversely proportional to their answer to the question "How silly is this?"

Let me know your results. In my case, the answer is: only slightly.

It's an Exciting Time

2009-06-01T19:49:00.005-04:00

As posted by Tyler, E3 kicked off today and I've only just had time to watch a few trailers for the big games we have to look forward to this year. My favorite surprise so far is that we'll get Left4Dead 2 in November. Take a look at the teaser (be warned, it's zombie-bloody) and see if you can't help smiling by the end like I did.

I'm sure there's plenty more awesome out there that I haven't watched yet.

Today is also the day that boxes from Newegg started arriving. I'm building a new computer completely from factory-new parts, something I've never done before. I'll post if anything awful happens. The rig it's replacing is over six years old, which is like 90 in human years. Sit quietly for a moment and you'll hear it wheezing.

On top of all that, Sears is coming on Thursday and Friday to completely redo our kitchen. I'm taking both days off to stay home in case anything comes up. Nothing will, of course -- they know what they're doing, I know. But two days off! With my new (ideally, functional) computer! I'm giddy.

E3

2009-06-01T11:55:00.005-04:00

Oh, it's on.

New games, new technologies and new newness abound at this week's E3 Expo in L.A. Later this morning, XBox is expected to reveal details about their new Fluid system, which will read the movements of your body without the use of a controller (take that, Wii!). The potential for sports titles is obvious, but what about fighting and shooting games? Someone make THAT happen, please... I'd like to take cover behind my couch in the near future.

I won't pretend to be on top of this in any way (we couldn't afford to send a correspondent), but stay tuned to your favorite gaming sites for all the latest buzz from this annual creative kick in the gaming ass. We'll all post new hotness as it becomes available.

Literal Music Videos

2009-06-01T09:33:00.011-04:00

Oh, you like your comedy with a bit of meta, do you?

Click here for the literal version of the music video for Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart (she would be the handsome woman in the photo above for those of you too young to remember). Worth a look on the strength of the first two minutes alone. Falls apart a bit when the "funny" voices start up in the middle, but the see-say lyrics are laugh out loud funny.

Also check out the same treatment for Meatloaf's Anything for Love (I gotta admit, "The po-po are goin' through my stuff!" made me snort a little), but do yourself a favor and ignore the wacky voice over until the singing starts.

Empire's 100 Greatest Games

2009-05-29T15:11:00.004-04:00

Empire online (a pretty slick little UK-based site for movie geeks) has posted their list of the 100 Greatest Games of all time.

Sure to stir up controversy in one way or another (how exactly do you go about comparing The Sims to Grand Theft Auto IV?), it's a fun stroll down memory lane and a good way to kill about 20 minutes at work on a Friday.

Set phasers to stun? Really?

2009-05-20T17:19:00.005-04:00

Cool story from the BBC that lines up nicely with the release of the new Star Trek flick...

Prototype: Ooooh.. tasty.

2009-05-18T21:06:00.006-04:00

Apparently this is the opening scene from Activision's Prototype. I hadn't been paying attention to this particular title before, but I am now! If the rest of the game looks half this sick, it's definitely worth a try...

Greatest. Movie. Ever.

2009-05-13T12:22:00.004-04:00

Lorenzo Lamas, Deborah (Debbie) Gibson, a Mega Shark and a Giant Octopus.

Quite possibly the greatest achievement in the history of cinema. No, scratch that; EASILY the greatest achievement in the history of cinema.

Coming soon to a DVD player near you. And yes, that's a giant shark biting the Golden Gate bridge.

That Was Easier Than Expected

2009-05-11T21:54:00.004-04:00

After a few weeks and six - eight cups altogether, I am finally, at the age of 33, a coffee drinker. I am told by Marjorie that it is Good For Me, and by Colin that one cannot work in law enforcement without drinking a lot of it. Towards the latter, if what I've seen on American Justice and Cold Case Files is any indication, I also have a big, bushy mustache in my future.

As far as acquired tastes go, this one was way easier than beer. What's next then? I imagine and shudder.

The experience of Rakirovka inspired me to start playing chess again. So far I've been sticking to the AI "personalities" built into Chessmaster Live and they've provided an acceptable level of increasing challenge. I'm a pretty decent player, I think, and I've been feeling an urge to impart the knowledge I have to another. So if there are any novices out there that would like to learn more about the game, drop me a line. I'd really enjoy bringing someone else into the fold.

Most Bassass Epitaph Ever

2009-05-06T14:11:00.003-04:00

Great list of these on BuzzFeed...

See These Three Jackasses at GW

2009-05-05T15:10:00.003-04:00

This Friday night, Superbest will be headlining the Slate Festival at George Washington University in DC.

Hosted by resident improv troupe receSs, Superbest will take the stage as part of the 10pm lineup with WIT's onesixtyone and Anant Nag. Tickets are available at the door.

The show is a bit of a homecoming of sorts, as Brian was a member of receSs way back when. What does that mean to you? Why should you care? Because it means Brian will be fired up and bringing his A Game. That's why.

What the Hell is Brian Doing??

2009-05-05T14:58:00.006-04:00

Good question, right? If you want to find out, come and see WITFilms' latest 48 Hour Film Project this Thursday night at the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring MD.

(A quick clue: the team drew Foreign Film as a genre.)

I <3 Burger King

2009-04-30T23:13:00.006-04:00

Yeah, it's bad for you, I get it.

But what if getting there and back is a 42 minute walk both ways over pretty serious hills? It balances out, right?

The Mushroom Swiss Steakhouse burger and I say yes. Yes it does.

Little Sydney = Awesome

2009-04-29T23:45:00.011-04:00

Wow. Australian photographer Keith Loutit has apparently found a shooting technique that makes parts of Sydney look like they were built in miniature.

My mind is officially blown... I love it, and I have no idea how he's done it. Look for this to turn up in a commercial or music video soon... it's too cool not to be a Big Deal. Check out the Mardi Gras clip in particular.

Holy Crap: Two Shows Online!

2009-04-26T17:36:00.010-04:00

As part of our recent application to the Out Of Bounds improv festival, we needed to submit one of our previous shows electronically.

Turns out it was the best thing for us, as we finally had to get off of our collective ass and upload a couple of gigs to the interweb.

So after months of talking about it, here at long last is some video to look at. Check out our recent Street Fighter 4 performance at the Comedy Spot in Arlington along with our Tower Defense show from Flashpoint in late 2007. Crappy camera work aside, we hope you enjoy 'em... come back next week for the Katamari show from this year's NC Comedy Arts Festival.