They Made a Willy Wonka Game Show

I'm not mad. I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed.

Mr. Wizard - What is a Fuse?

I really missed out on Mr. Wizard. I'm old and this was still interesting.

The fuse makes sense but how do circuit breakers differ such that you can use them over and over?

There are two main types of circuit breaker tripping mechanisms:

Thermal Protection (Overloads): A bimetallic strip inside the breaker heats up as current flows through it.  Because the two bonded metals expand at different rates, excessive current causes the strip to bend. This bending movement triggers a release mechanism that separates the contacts, breaking the circuit. This process is slower, allowing for brief current surges without tripping.

Magnetic Protection (Short Circuits): An electromagnetic coil generates a magnetic field proportional to the current.  During a sudden, massive spike in current (such as a short circuit), the magnetic force becomes strong enough to instantly pull a lever or armature. This snaps the contacts apart almost immediately, preventing dangerous heat buildup and fire hazards. 

Norm Documentary Trailer

Netflix has made a Norm Macdonald documentary, to be released October 16th.

Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool (2026)

 

There's a new Mr. T documentary on Netflix, it's part of a series of documentaries called "Untold" so the title differs depending on whether people treat it as a movie or a TV episode. As someone who did a Mr. T retrospective on this blog, I was interested.

At 48 minutes (including the ridiculous Netflix credits), it's very brief and skips over quite a few things. They cover some of growing up, as it shapes who the character of Mr. T is, but don't mention what happened to his father or T's time in the army. 

They cover his rise to success but don't explore the idea that it all may have gone to his head, that he may have gotten a little ego-maniacal (slightly), aside from showing clips and allowing us to guess for ourselves.

When his popularity starts going south they mention everyone suing him, including family members, but no details are given at all. We hear from his daughter for the first time but don't get a good sense of her experience.

It covers Mr. T being diagnosed with cancer and that plot point is dropped as quickly as it arises. I suppose since we know he's still alive, we're supposed to figure it out for ourselves.

All these criticisms are admitted and yet I do recommend the film because it's a documentary about Mr. T and it's what we have - I don't think a better one is going to be made.

In true Mr. T fashion, he has called the film "garbage." I can't speak for Mr. T but as far as I can tell, he's upset about how it focuses on his tough guy persona and doesn't explore enough of his personal life. From all the criticisms above, I can mostly see his point but, again, I don't expect a better Mr. T documentary is coming.

Late Night - The Andy Blitz Apartment Saga

First, Conan helps writer Andy Blitz shop for an apartment:

Then, Conan helps writer Andy Blitz decorate his "new" apartment:

Making a Lost Seinfeld Episode

In Seinfeld's Season 2, writer Larry Charles wrote an episode that was never made because the cast refused to make it. In the above, someone takes that script and, using voice actors and animation (and not AI, for some reason), has "filmed" the episode.

I suppose this is the closest thing we have to a new Seinfeld episode in 16 years.

My thoughts... Did this deserve to make it into the official canon? It's not an exceptionally funny episode but it's important to remember that that was the norm in Season 1 and 2. Plus, so much of the humor came in the performances, which just can't be reproduced by voice actors. I suppose it marginally doesn't belong as an episode - to me, it's all the jokes about murder that don't fit the tone of the show. But I don't feel strongly about it either way - it's Season 2.

WATP - Jerry Banfield's Date

I've been wondering how to introduce Jerry Banfield. 

Jerry Banfield makes videos about how to become a successful youtuber and his videos get very few views. He makes videos about relationship advice and he's divorced. He makes videos about dating advice and he's not particularly good with women. He makes videos about how to make money in cryptocurrency and has lost a lot of money in cryptocurrency. He's hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, actually, but believes he needs to keep spending money to turn it all around. He recently claimed to convert to Christianity - to get a girl - and immediately weaponized it against her. She broke it off. He also does gaming videos - I don't know anything about that.

You might think that he's failing at life, but it's interesting that you might think that... He has a service where you can sign-up to learn from him and even ask him questions 1-on-1 - for a fee, of course. Jerry Banfield's whole brand is convincing others that he has all the answers and also, he's obsessed with asking AI for advice as if it's a god.

Oh, and one more thing, he has tried stand-up comedy. I suppose that brings you up to speed.

Craig Finn - Luke and Leanna

[As with most songs on youtube, just ignore the video.]

I was driving and this came on. I was immediately captured by the story and, to some extent, the nice 80s groove.

I won't go into the details, but even in the age of AI, finding a song you heard on the radio is still a test of will power.

Aside from belonging to the "Song with a Story" category, I find I love songs like this one that have a driving, constant, almost monotonous, perhaps droning rhythm.

If that kind of thing interests you, here are two other examples.

Miracle Legion - All For The Best

Radiohead - Cuttooth

If this is an existing genre, let me know the name.

September Morn

Tha Crossroads - What Are the Actual Lyrics?

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released "Tha Crossroads" in 1996 and it's been stuck in my head on-and-off pretty much since that time. But in those thirty years, I never bothered to look up the lyrics... not even once... not until now.

So I thought we'd formalize it - comparing my version of various snippets with the actual lyrics to see how close I was.

It should be noted that I found different sites have different lyrics. I'm just going to go with SongFacts. I'm also going to be changing around some of the formatting to make things easier to follow.

First off, the song starts with them singing "Bone, bone, bone..." as in the name of the group. That's the first surprise - I never knew that's what they were saying. Then later...

Me: Now tell me what you gonna do (when there ain't no where to run) 

when judgement comes for you 

when judgement comes for you? 

Now tell me what you gonna do (when there ain't no where to hide) 

when judgement comes for you, 'cause it's gonna come for you.

 

Actual: Now tell me whatcha gonna do (When there ain't no where to run)

When judgment comes for you,

when judgment comes for you

And whatcha gonna do? (When there ain't no where to hide)

When judgment comes for you ('cause it's gonna come for you)

This is a pretty easy one. It's pretty clear and obvious. 

A little later...

Me: Fool, what can I do?

It's all about offending, and how we rule. 

Can I get a witness, lighting the fool,

We living our lives we turn in our soul.

Actual:

Ooh, what could I do?

It's all about a family and how we roll

Can I get a witness? Let it unfold

We livin' our lives to eternal our souls...

Well, that last line doesn't make grammatical sense but whatever.

Me: Now follow me roll Stu. Weather is still savvy. So think of the people that's on their Ritz...

Actual: Now follow me, roll stroll Whether it's Hell or it's Heaven Come, let's go take a visit to the people that's long gone...

Man, this is hard.

Me: Instead of people with their family, exactly how many days we got lasting, why you laughing? We're passing- passing away.

Actual: And still keepin' up with they family Exactly how many days we got lastin'? While you laughin', we're passin', passin' away.

Not optimal but ok.

Me: He was long gone, all he did was come home but when he gotta die, gotta go bye-bye all the little thug could do was cry cry.

Actual: Now Eazy's long gone Really wish he would come home But when it's time to die, gotta go, bye-bye All a lil' thug could do was cry, cry

Fair.

Me: Why they killed my dog and man I miss my Uncle Charles, ya'll. He shouldn't be gone. In front of his home. What they did to boo was wrong. Mooo wrong.

Actual: Why'd they kill my dawg? Damn, man, I miss my Uncle Charles, y'all And he shouldn't be gone In front of his home, what they did to Boo was wrong  Oh, so wrong...

The subtle difference between "dog" and "dawg" makes a lot of sense now. They didn't kill the guy's pet. For years I thought his pet dog was killed.

But on the other hand, you're never going to convince me that "Oh, so wrong" is said anywhere. The lyric is very clearly "moo wrong" - the song clearly has a bovine element that they've been trying to cover up for years. Listening again, it sounds like maybe "Hewww wrong."

Back to another easy one:

Me:

And I'm gonna miss everybody

And I'm gonna miss everyloddy

And I'm gonna miss everyloddy

And I'm gonna miss everyloddy

And I'm gonna miss everyloddy

And I'm gonna miss everybody

Actual:

And I'm gonna miss everybody (x6)

Nope. You lost me, Bone Thugs. I have ears, and that's not what you're singing.

Me: Livin' in a hateful world, sending me straight to Hell. That's how we roll.

Actual: Livin' in a hateful world sendin' me straight to heaven That's how we roll.

Oh, interesting. Slightly off, so close, but it's ok, I think I can nail the next one. Let's see...

Me: On libbin, on sibbin, on gebben nintendo, on wibbenese. When we come again, again and again. Now tell me what you gonna do?

Actual: You know while we sinnin' He intendin' on endin' it when it ends He comin' again and again and again Now tell me, what you're gonna do?

Man, I really thought I had that one. I'll take the "L," it's just surprising.

Me: Can somebody, anybody, tell me why we die, we die. I don't want to die. Moo wrong, moo wrong, moo wrong.

Actual: Hey, can somebody, anybody tell me why we die, we die? I don't wanna die (oh, wrong) Oh, so wrong Oh, wrong

We covered "moo wrong" already, I don't want to beat a dead cow.

So that's it. I can make no guarantees that the next time the song comes to me I'll be singing the right lyrics but a few mysteries were solved. I want to make it clear that the phrase "Moo wrong" is said multiple times and RIP Uncle Charles, ya'll.

Game Grumps - Oregon Trail

Nothing crazy or extravagant, just two dudes playing The Oregon Trail.

RLM - Wheel of the Worst #32

Another "back to form" video, this time a Wheel episode.

I had a query about the hair video. I recognized the idea, I remember things like that being developed at the time. I may even have seen that exact thing, who knows. But I don't understand how there are no labels for each hairstyle. Like, if you watch the video and decide the fifth hairstyle is the one you want, how do you then communicate that to a barber? I don't understand.

Oh and the "I'm with ya too" line was a constant in my childhood. I still think about it today.

Inappropriate Usage of Holiday Road

WATP - The Podcaster Who Passes Out

WATP breaks down the video of Joe Cronin, the host of a wrestling podcast, who's so unenthusiastic about wrestling that he simply falls asleep on-air.

Late Show - The David Letterman Story

A Late Show Classic: The David Letterman Story - a fake documentary about the life of David Letterman.

Popcorn in Bed - Dr. Strangelove

Popcorn in Bed watches "Dr. Strangelove."

I've watched a lot of classic movies in my time. I think the #1 thing that disqualifies me from cinephile circles is that I hold no special regard for "The Godfather." But perhaps #2 on the list is that I have no special appreciation of Stanley Kubrick.

But one movie I don't dissent on is "Dr. Strangelove." I do like "Strangelove" and I do think it is a classic. And it's so rare that a comedy ages so well. 1964 here. 

When I was a kid, they showed "Dr. Strangelove" on PBS and I remember being shocked and somewhat traumatized by Slim Pickens sitting on the nuke as it drops from the bomber. The whole idea of comedy/satire was beyond me, I just found it scary. 

WATP - Harrison Young Interviews a Model

Harrison Young is a Public Access talk show host - or maybe he's only on the internet these days - I don't know.

The Stephen J. Cannell Vanity Card

The history behind that video at the end of shows in the 80's where a man is typing on a typewriter, pulls the paper out and throws in on a pile.

The Smashing Pumpkins Ft. Barry Williams - It's a Sunshine Day

Speaking of The Brady Bunch... Barry Williams joins The Smashing Pumpkins for a performance of "It's a Sunshine Day."

Late Show - Staff Life Mistakes

Late Show staff tell the stories of their biggest or most embarrassing life mistakes.