Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – In which I rant about an Anakin Skywalker PEZ dispenser
Writers never know what will spark their memory and inspire them to pick up their pen. For Li-Young Lee, eating a persimmon sparked a vivid memory and led to a classic poem. For Joel Murphy, an Anakin Skywalker PEZ dispenser caused him to launch into a funny tirade.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Giving Cher my meat purse: The 2010 VMA’s
Whether you watched last Sunday’s VAM Awards or not, you definitely want to make sure to check out Courtney Enlow’s recap. She offers a minute-by-minute liveblog of the festivities that is far more entertaining than the actual VMAs.

Positive Cynicism – Old Man Davis had a virtual farm
Aaron R. Davis can often be a bitter, cynical man. His tirades about Batman, his annoying neighbors and his annoying family members are the stuff of legends. So it may surprise you to know that he really, really loves Farmville.

Hobo Radio 149 – Talk Like a Pirate Day 2010
Joel Murphy and Lars don’t have much to look forward to in their lives, but the one day every year that is marked on their calenders with smiley faces is September 19 – International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Not only is it a day that they get to call up their friends and shout “Arrrrrrrrrrrrr!” but it is also an excuse for them to call the world’s most lovable pirate, Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers.

Box Office Preview – September 17, 2010
Joel Murphy and Lars break down this week’s new releases, including The Town, Easy A, Devil, Alpha and Omega, Never Let Me Go, Jack Goes Boating and Catfish. They also pick which new release is your best bet this week.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – Beating an undead horse
After hearing the news that a college will begin offering a class on zombie comics and films, Joel Murphy has finally had enough. He’s sick and tired of the proliferation of zombies in popular culture. He’s ready for this craze to die … and stay dead.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Fantasy fall-ball
Courtney Enlow has combined fantasy football with the new fall season to create “fantasy fall-ball.” She breaks down the rules and structure of this new game in her column. If you are looking for a nerdy activity, but aren’t a sports fan, make sure to check it out.

Guest Blog Post – Overcoming a wardrobe malfunction
Former HoboTrashcan columnist Ann Marie Weinert returns to the site with a special guest post this week. Now a burlesque dancer, Weinert shares a funny story about an on-stage wardrobe malfunction. She also shares some photos.

Hobo Radio 148 – Chock full of nickels
If Joel Murphy and Lars had a nickel for every time they belittled David Spade, they would be very rich men. Luckily, this week Lars envisions a scenario in which they can finally collect those nickels.

Box Office Preview – September 10, 2010
Joel Murphy and Lars break down all of the new films debuting this week, including Resident Evil: Afterlife, The Virginity Hit, I’m Still Here, The Romantics, Bran Nue Dae and Legendary. Then they tell you which film you should see.

From the Vault – One on One with the guys from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
In 2008, we sat down with Rob McElhenney (Mac), Glenn Howerton (Denis) and Charlie Day (Charlie), the creators of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, to talk about egg salad sandwiches, The Night Man and their dream of one day working with Kurt Russell. If you missed it then, enjoy it now:

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – Boob Tube Breakdown 2010
Joel Murphy has a full breakdown of all of the new shows in his fourth-annual “Boob Tube Breakdown.” As always, some of these shows will be good, some will be bad and quite a few will be promptly canceled.

Outside of the In-Crowd – 2010 Emmy Liveblog
Whether you watched the Emmys last Sunday or not, you definitely want to check out Courtney Enlow’s coverage of the event. Enlow gives a minute-by-minute account of the festivities with her always amusing liveblog.

Positive Cynicism – The movie is beside the point
In Aaron R. Davis’ eyes, Camp Rock 2 is a microcosm for everything that is wrong with Disney. The marketing blitz and promotional tie-ins got out of hand before the movie was even released.

Hobo Radio 147 – Water, water everywhere
Wasting water, the pointlessness of the Emmys, the stupidity of the Fantastic Four’s origin story and “the mind of M. Night Shyamalan” are all things that send Joel Murphy and Lars into angry tirades this week. They also break down Forbes list of the ten most profitable actors.

Box Office Preview – September 3, 2010
In a brand new feature, Joel Murphy and Lars share their thoughts on all of the films debuting this week. They break down The American, Going the Distance, Machete, A Simple Noodle Story, Last Train Home, The Winning Season and White Wedding.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

It’s been a busy week here on HoboTrashcan. In case you missed the announcement, to celebrate the site’s five-year anniversary, we brought back five defunct site features.

Personally, it’s been a lot of fun to stroll down memory lane and to revisit with these great former contributors. I can’t help but feel a little misty eyed when thinking about it now, but that may be because Ned Bitters got pepper sprayed at the Hobo Headquarters office party and, since I was next to him, a little bit of it ended up in my eyes as well.

I hope you all have been enjoy the festivities as much as we have. If there were features that you really enjoyed seeing again (or ones you thought were missing), please let us know.

Also, make sure to check out our newest feature, Joel and Lars’ Box Office Preview.

Happy anniversary, everyone. Thanks for five great years.

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Chicken and Milk
Jeremiah Wentz’s unique photo comic, which originally ran on the site from November 2007 to September 2008, returns with two brand new installments this week.

Just Friends – Nicole 2010
Our editor-in-chief Joel Murphy has a lot of hot women resting comfortably inside his “friend zone.” When HoboTrashcan first began, we showcased those friends. This week, the feature returns with the lovely Nicole.

Note to Self – Why your team won’t win the Super Bowl 2010
With preseason officially underway, football fans across this great nation are convincing themselves that this could be their team’s year. Brian Murphy returns to the site to explain why they’re wrong.

Overrated – Local pride
Before Aaron R. Davis moved in as HoboTrashcan’s resident curmudgeon, there was Ned Bitters. Bitters returns to the site this week to take local pride down a peg.

Tales from the Road
In the early days of the site, we would post a monthly outdoor photo in a segment called Tales from the Road. This week, professional photographer Neil Greenberg helps bring that segment back.

Box Office Preview – August 27, 2010
Trying to decide what movie to see this weekend? In an all new feature, Joel Murphy and Lars breakdown the five new films hitting theaters today and recommend the one that they believe is the safest bet.

Murphy’s Law – Things that piss me off 2010
What do Sonic, Jimmy Fallon, Channing Tatum, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and that ridiculous Nissan Cube have in common? They all piss off Joel Murphy.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Spencer Pratt, you magnificent bastard
Most people assume Spencer Pratt is a worthless douchebag, but could he actually be an evil genius? Courtney Enlow investigates in this week’s column.

Positive Cynicism – I’m not dumb enough to enjoy Family Guy
When he bashed The Family Guy, one counterargument Aaron R. Davis didn’t expect to hear was that he was too intelligent to enjoy the show’s humor. Davis responds to this “personal attack” this week.

Hobo Radio 146 – Ben Stiller is getting Ratnered
When you think of great actor/director combos in Hollywood today, you might think of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese or Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. But a new actor/director powerhouse has been formed and Hollywood may never be the same – Brett Ratner and Ben Stiller.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Monday is HoboTrashcan’s five-year anniversary.

I’ve been sworn to secrecy about what exactly is in store for all of you this coming week, but I think you all are really going to enjoy it. So make sure to stay tuned to the site for a few surprises.

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – Scott Pilgrim vs. The Expendables
The Expendables may have won the battle at the box office, but is it a better film than Scott Pilgrim vs. The World? Joel Murphy has seen both films and he believes that even if you are looking for nothing more than a fun action movie, Scott Pilgrim is still the better choice.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Charlie Sheen might be the devil
This week, Courtney Enlow takes a look back at Charlie Sheen’s extensive list of transgressions, starting with his tumultuous relationship with Kelly Preston back in 1990. She then openly wonders why Sheen continues to be rewarded for his behavior and why people continue to watch his unfunny television show.

Positive Cynicism – Your complaints are hollow, Star Wars fans
Star Wars fans love complaining about George Lucas almost as much as they love the franchise itself. The constant tinkering and retooling of the original three films, the lackluster new trilogy and the constant barrage of merchandise are all sore subjects for fans of the series. This week, Aaron R. Davis attacks these fans for their constant complaining.

Hobo Radio 145 – Lars finally peaks
It’s not easy being Lars. For years, he has toiled away in mediocrity, overlooked and ignored by the world at large. When glancing at his pasty skin and boney arms, people typically don’t expect much from him. But this past week, like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, Lars saw an opportunity for greatness and he seized it. This week, he recounts that glorious moment.

From the Vault – One on One with Lisa Lackey
In a world of superheroes, it’s tough to be an average citizen stuck at home caring for your superbaby, especially when your mind reading husband is still harboring resentment over the fact that you slept with his partner. All that aside, Janice Parkman does her best to keep her chin up and roll with the punches.

Playing Mrs. Parkman on Heroes is Australian actor Lisa Lackey, who sat down with us last year to talk about working on Heroes, accidentally serenading David Lynch and how being Australian is nothing like what you’ve seen on TV. If you missed it then, enjoy it now.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

I hope you all have something fun planned for this Friday the 13th.

I’m hanging out with my friend Jason. Apparently he wants to play hockey with me, since he just arrived here in a goalie mask. Not sure why he brought the machete though. I guess he couldn’t find a hockey stick.

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – Oh boy, a Bakula-less Quantum Leap
For a Quantum Leap fan like Joel Murphy, the news that they are adapting the franchise into a movie was incredibly exciting … until he found out that, according to the powers that be, Scott Bakula is now too old to reprise his role as Dr. Sam Beckett. This week, Murphy argues that they should reconsider, since Bakula was the heart and soul of the show.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Regretful Adoration Theater: Grease 2
Courtney Enlow is on a mission to go back and revisit movies from her childhood that she at one time loved unconditionally. Some of these movies she continues to enjoy as guilty pleasures, others she now regrets ever having been smitten by. The final movie up for review in “Regretful Adoration Theater” is Grease 2.

Positive Cynicism – An entire movie studio dedicated to flaccidity
When last we heard from Aaron R. Davis’ friend Harlan, he was arguing that all of Steven Spielberg’s movies are really about “conquering or mastering the penis.” This week, Harlan returns with his theory that all of Pixar’s films are truly about sexual inadequacy. Harlan explains his theory while Davis provides a voice of reason in this week’s column.

Hobo Radio 144 – This cookie tastes funny
A research team in Tokyo has created a way to change the taste of a cookie using virtual reality technology. While trying to discover a practical use for such an invention, Joel Murphy and Lars inadvertently stumble upon the greatest prank of all time. It’s an incredibly juvenile and unpleasant prank, but one they just can’t stop laughing about.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

One on One with Lauren Stamile
It’s not easy being a home wrecker. Luckily, Lauren Stamile, who has been the wedge between McDreamy and Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy and Jeff and Britta on Community, is so charming and lovable that it’s impossible to stay mad at her for keeping these great television couples apart. We recently talked to Stamile about the medical accuracy of Grey’s Anatomy, the philosophical underpinnings of Community’s finale and the fact that, deep down, she is really an 88-year-old grandmother.

Murphy’s Law – Thinking inside the box
At this week’s press tour, the creator of the new Fox show Lone Star said that comparing your show to Mad Men or Breaking Bad during a network pitch meeting is typically the kiss of death since networks view these shows as low-rated, inferior cable programming. Joel Murphy believes this is what’s wrong with network television these days.

Outside of the In-Crowd – Live every week like it’s Shark Week
Most of the time, when people think of sharks, they think of a Jaws-like scenario where swimmers are being devoured left and right. But once a year, there is a magical time known as “Shark Week,” where we pay tribute to these majestic beasts in a series of TV specials. This week, Courtney Enlow honors Shark Week.

Positive Cynicism – Triceratops (not triceratops)
This past weekend, news broke that John Scanella and Jack Horner, two of the world’s preeminent paleontologists, now claim that the triceratops isn’t a unique species of dinosaur, but is instead a juvenile form of the lesser-known torosaurus. Internet communities are very upset about this latest development, but Aaron R. Davis urges them to chill out in this week’s column.

Hobo Radio 143 – A little less conversation, a little more action
Lawrence Fishburne may be upset right now that his attractive 18-year-old daughter has decided to release a sex tape, but Montana Fishburne is confident that eventually her father “will view it as a positive.” Joel Murphy and Lars, two fans of the actor, do their best to put a positive spin on this for Fishburne this week.

From the Vault – One on One with Jonah Hill
All it took was one small scene in The 40 Year Old Virgin to become a fan of Jonah Hill for life. What’s not to love about a guy who wants nothing more than to be able to buy a pair of hooker boots with goldfish in them? If it really is about the simpler things in life than Jonah’s got it made.

Of course, since that moment when he stole our hearts, Hill has gone on to star in comedy hits like Superbad, Funny People and, most recently, Get Him to the Greek. In 2006, Hill kicked off his boots and sat down with us to talk about life as a writer-turned-actor. If you missed it then, enjoy it now.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

I know it’s only July, but I figured out what I’m asking for for Christmas – an army of gun-toting monkey soldiers.

Hopefully I can be a good boy the rest of the year.

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – When animals attack
A Chinese newspaper recently reported that the Taliban trained an army of monkeys to fire automatic weapons at U.S. troops. Luckily, scientists have since debunked this myth, but Joel Murphy still thinks that animals may be useful on the battlefield, which is why he recommends we train Colorado black bears to drive our humvees.

Outside of the In-Crowd – A house full of lies
Most Full House fans grew up thinking that the Tanners were a perfect television family governed by wholesome values and a healthy appreciation for the importance of cleanliness. However, beneath the surface, the Tanners were much more troubled than we ever realized. This week, Courtney Enlow shows us who these characters really were.

Positive Cynicism – Another journey through the hate mail
Some writers like to take time out of their busy schedules to answer the pleasant messages that pour in from their adoring fans. Aaron R. Davis, on the other hand, prefers to respond to the hate mail he receives. This week, he opens up the big ol’ bag of hate and responds to each insult and personal attack.

Hobo Radio 142 – Oliver Stone sucks at life
Oliver Stone, who is working on a film that will supposedly allow viewers to “walk in Stalin’s shoes and Hitler’s shoes to understand their point of view,” recently claimed that Hitler is an “easy scapegoat,” Stalin was essentially a hero and the reason these facts are distorted is because of the “Jewish domination of the media.” It’s tough to find a silver lining in these hateful comments, but Joel Murphy and Lars have found one – it’s now okay to openly hate Oliver Stone. After years of hating his movies only to have people try to convince them Stone is a misunderstood genius, Joel and Lars will sleep better at night knowing that the pompous director is a terrible person who should be disliked.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – Don’t quit your day job, Hef
In a desperate attempt to stay relevant in a world where magazines are dying and hardcore porn is readily available at the click of a button, Playboy has launched a safe for work website called The Smoking Jacket. The site finally gives fans a chance to prove that they really do read Playboy for the articles. However, there is just one problem – the articles on TSJ suck.

Outside of the In-Crowd – The madman with a box: In celebration of the Eleventh Doctor
Doctor Who fan Courtney Enlow had a hard time letting go of her beloved tenth Doctor, David Tennant. However, once she gave eleventh Doctor Matt Smith a chance, she couldn’t help but be impressed. Thanks to great writing and great acting by Smith, Enlow fully endorses the first Tennant-less season of the show.

Positive Cynicism – Tumblr, I’m very disappointed in you
Last week, Aaron R. Davis was praising Tumblr for being a cutting-edge social networking site. However, after seeing how the site treated an 11-year-old girl called Jessi Slaughter, Davis couldn’t help but see the dark side of Tumblr. This week, he shares Slaughter’s story and speaks out against the site.

Hobo Radio 141 – It’s French for “The Bruce”
It’s not every day that you see a “video art zombie film” about a man convinced he is an alien zombie roaming the streets of L.A. on the prowl for brains and gay sex. Unfortunately, moviegoers in Australia won’t be seeing the film anytime soon, since L.A. Zombie has been banned from being screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. This week, Joel Murphy and Lars praise L.A. Zombie for its originality and urge Australia to reconsider.

From the Vault – One on One with Kenneth Johnson
It’s not every day that a celebrity is willing to go on the record and say he could crush Sylvester Stallone. Anyone willing to step up and make that kind of bold statement is our kind of guy. So when Kenneth Johnson, of The Shield and Saving Grace fame, promises he could beat Sly in less than a second, that’s not something we’ll soon forget.

In 2008, we caught up with Johnson to chat about working with one of the biggest names in porn, getting killed off of a major television show and being the second-best arm wrestler in the world. If you missed it then, enjoy it now.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.

Hobo Stu

Hello everyone,

I don’t usually consider HoboTrashcan to be a scary place, but reading all of the content on the site this week, I can’t help but feel worried. Joel Murphy has me worried that I’m a bad person because I root for villainous scum on TV. Evan Redmon has me worried that giant talking rats are going to accost me the next time I take public transportation. This week’s Hobo Radio podcast has me worried that my marriage proposal to Betty White is a actually bad idea. And, worst of all, Aaron R. Davis has me worried that Prince is right about the Internet being over and soon I will be out of a job.

I’m sure these feelings of fear will pass soon, but for now I’m writing this update on a laptop from under my bed, where I am currently cowering in fear.

Here’s what’s new on HoboTrashcan.com this week:

Murphy’s Law – TV is making me a bad person
Thanks to shows like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and Dexter, Joel Murphy has begun to wonder if television is slowly turning him into a bad person by manipulating him into rooting for drug dealers, mafiosos, adulterers and even serial killers. This week, he wonders why he roots for these awful people and what exactly it says about him as a person.

Positive Cynicism – But if the Internet is over, how am I writing this?
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, pop music legend Prince declared the Internet dead. Prince, who has been frustrated with the Internet for years, is convinced that it is nothing more than a fad that will soon fade away. Internet columnist Aaron R. Davis begs to differ with the artist formerly known as a symbol.

Guest Blog Post – No complaining
Former HoboTrashcan columnist Evan Redmon returns to the site this week with a special guest blog post. Redmon uses the space to vent his frustrations about a few things that have been irking him lately. First and foremost is the DC Metro, a horrible means of conveyance that is both overpriced and underwhelming.

Hobo Radio 140 – Jodie Foster’s Beaver
It’s been a big week for free speech. First, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the FCC’s indecency rule, which was put into place after the infamous Janet Jackson nipple fiasco, is unconstitutionally vague. Then, E!’s Marc Malkin, clearly feeling emboldened by the court’s decision, exercised his first amendment rights by posing the question: “How Will Mel Gibson’s Latest Rants Affect Jodie Foster’s Beaver?”

From the Vault – One on One with Bruce Campbell
In 1979, Detroit friends Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell raised $350,000 for their low-budget film, Evil Dead and the rest is history. Raimi, the director of the film, went on to direct three blockbuster Spider-man films and Campbell, the star of Evil Dead, has become nothing short of a B-movie legend.

From scene stealing cameos in all three of Raimi’s Spider-man films to a hilarious series of Old Spice commercials that include him singing a lounge version of “Hungry Like the Wolf,” Campbell’s career continues to soar. In 2007, as Campbell began his run on the USA spy show Burn Notice, he took a few moments out of his busy schedule to talk to us. If you missed it then, enjoy it now.

- Hobo Stu

Hobo Stu’s Weekly Recap is also available as an email newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter to ensure you never miss an update, send an email to newsletter-subscribe@hobotrashcan.com.