Picture this. 4 comedians agree to play an unsuspecting game of tag. For 24 hours. Receiving punishment if caught. What could go wrong, right?

This is the premise of an episode of Owarai, a new Japanese variety comedy show on Hulu.com.

I received an email from Erin over at GakiAttack.com (what up Erin!) promoting the launch of Owarai on Hulu.com. Owarai consists of various “channels,” one of which is Gaki, described as the the Japanese version of Jackass.

So when I watched the clip from the 24 hour tag episode, I knew full on what to expect…guys being guys and putting themselves into blatantly masochistic situations our mommas told us not to do. Apparently, this type of action gets you PAID! (I’m sure half of the Jackass salaries went to taking the barbell out of Steve-O’s ass. Steve-O, you’re one tough MOFO!)

Side note: I must be hiding under a rock because I didn’t even know Hulu.com existed before this. There are tons of free videos to watch, including television series and full feature movies. If I go on a sudden “non-productive” streak, I know who to blame. (How did Hulu.com know about my infatuation with Robocop?!? I’ll buy that for a dollar!)

Sorry about that tangent. Back to Owarai. As a fan of Jackass, I was interested in seeing what this Gaki channel was all about. We all remember playing “tag” when we were little. But Owarai took the game to a whole different level.

24 hours. Being chased by an “it.” Receiving punishment if caught. Sounds like a bad S&M experience. But who would sign up for this…or maybe all this was in the “fine” print. (You producers are sneaky, eh? Whatever, it’s good for the ratings!)

You have to watch the clip. I love how unsuspecting these contestants are. They actually seem a little cocky and a bit too casual for what they are going to experience.

But when you watch the first “it” comes out to tag the contestants, you get this “oh sh*t” feeling, kind of like the first time you talked back to your Dad and you saw him reach for the belt. (or Taser in some cases)

What ensues is full of hilarity and random violence, always a great combination. I can’t explain why watching innocent men receive senseless beatings is so damn entertaining. For me, maybe it’s because I knew the “punishments” weren’t really going to inflict severe damage, but just enough to make these guys feel the sting. And their reactions are what brought tears to my eyes.

You can see it in their faces. The whole “fight or flight” instincts kick in, and well, let’s just say they definitely don’t fight. They almost give in and accept what’s coming to them. And that’s the funniest part — watching them attempt to escape, run out of gas, then fall to the ground and take the beating. Classic.

Each “it” comes out with a “punishment” of higher degree that makes you want to keep watching to see what it’s store for the contestants. I have my favorites, and some are just plain sick. Head butting, really?

So click here to watch the clip. I’m curious what y’all think, so please leave a comment below.

Meanwhile, check out the strip below for my take on the whole Gaki tag game.

Photo credits:
Gonemovies.com
Flixster.com
Hulu.com/gaki

Miley Cyrus in the news. Racy photos. We’ve heard it before.

But this time it’s not “professional” topless pictures of the 16-year old Disney queen (Is that even legal?) Instead, a photo has surfaced with Cyrus and friends apparently making the oh so original stereotypical “slant eye” gesture.

Cyrus has denied the intent of the picture saying, “In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me.”

She went on to say, “Well, (I’m) sorry if those people looked at those pics and took them wrong and out of context!”

Ah, the famous words…”those people.” I suppose the picture could have been taken out of context when you were just acting goofy. Who knows, maybe the flash was really bright and they all had to squint? Gotta love Angry Asian Man’s rant on this picture. (BTW, keep up the good work over there brotha man)

Being Asian American, I took a look at the picture to see what the fuss was all about. I saw the photo, and I believe that Cyrus meant no harm. It’s not her fault, her dad IS Billy Ray Cyrus.

But taking another look at the photo, I was actually surprised that anyone could think this photo was in any way a reference to Asians. Not everyone will feel the same, so in Cyrus’ defense, I took the liberty of pointing out some things that clearly show no reason for anyone to associate this picture with anything Asian. (except for the Asian guy, which I’ll get to later)

Here’s the famous picture, with my observations. (see below for my notes)

1. It’s pretty obvious that this guy is not making fun of Asians. He’s stretching his eyes downward, not upward, which means he’s actually a Star Trek fan trying to look like Spock. Got give it up to a guy confident enough to come out of the “geek closet” and out himself as a Trekkie. (But come on, a real Trekkie would bust out the Vulcan greeting)

2. Same guy. He’s wearing a cross. We all know that the majority of Asians are Buddhist and don’t wear crosses. So, he can’t be making fun of Asians. I think this guy is just really confused. Come on, he’s wearing dogtags. I bet they say something like “Starfleet Commander” (see #1)

3. The famous Peace sign. Yes, Asians do use the Peace sign in photos, but this guy is doing the “bunny ears.” So this guy is definitely not making reference to Asians. Asians don’t do “bunny ears.”

If Asians do anything “animal-related” in photos, we’re usually hugging our Hello Kitty dolls.

And the hand-on-mouth gesture? Again, yes, Asians are famous for that (it’s a cultural thing). But by the look on his face (and on the girl’s next to him), he’s probably dealing with a little “backfire” from the girl’s “tailpipe.” (he must know about this tip to lower everyone’s blood pressure)

4. This guy is definitely not making fun of Asians. It’s painfully obvious that he has an infatuation with Robert Pattinson (of Twilight fame) and is trying to do his best impression. But he just ends up looking like a broke-ass Josh Groban instead.

5. Where do I start? First of all, I have some questions.

Dude, you’re obviously over 18 years old so why do you have an underage girl on your lap?

What’s up with the “O” face?

Oh yeah, it’s all good because you’re her “boyfriend“…

This guy isn’t making fun of Asians…he has bigger plans. He’s only 1 roofie away from executing “Operating sMiley”…

6. An Asian guy! Miley obviously can’t be racist because she is hanging out with an Asian guy…or at least let him stay after delivering the take-out…or after he fixed their computers (BTW, where’s your Geek Squad outfit?)

Photo Credits:
Sue Bauman
Paramount

With Super Bowl XLIII (that’s 43 for reference) happening on Sunday, it made me think about how differently things can turn out from what you expected.

Turn back the clock to the 2006 NFL draft. There was Matt Leinart, considered to be one of the top players in the draft, waiting for his name to be called. A few drops of sweat and some fake smiles later, Leinart was selected 10th by the Arizona Cardinals.

The hopes of the Cardinals immediately fell on the left arm of Leinart. Fast forward to that fateful game in October 2007 against the St. Louis Rams where Leinart is tackled by Will Witherspoon of the Rams, fracturing his collarbone. Out for the season. Ouch.

Enter Kurt warner. I mean, GRAND ENTRANCE Kurt Warner. After becoming the starting QB, Warner hasn’t looked back. His resiliency and veteran awareness has endeared him to his teammates and has made Larry Fitzgerald into a star. But that’s not the point.

Poor Matt Leinart. We definitely didn’t expect it to be this way. It was supposed to be YOU leading the Cardinals to the Promised Land. Warner was only supposed to guide you there. Like Cap Rooney to Steamin’ Willie Beamen (thank you to those who understood the Any Given Sunday reference).

But instead, here we are. What a difference a rough rookie season, broken collarbone, and an unexpected Warner revival make, huh?

Don’t worry, Matt, there is still so much to be fortunate about. After all, you are an NFL quarterback on a team playing for the Super Bowl. And soon enough, you’ll be the starting QB again. You just have to keep Warner away from the Fountain of Youth.

And avoid the hot tubs.

Check the strip.

Photo credits:
deadlinehollywooddaily.com

You now have the green light to fart anytime, anywhere.

Why?

A smelly rotten-egg gas in farts controls blood pressure in mice, a new study finds.

The unpleasant aroma of the gas, called hydrogen sulfide (H2S), can be a little too familiar, as it is expelled by bacteria living in the human colon and eventually makes its way, well, out.

The new research found that cells lining mice’s blood vessels naturally make the gas and this action can help keep the rodents’ blood pressure low by relaxing the blood vessels to prevent hypertension (high blood pressure).

What does this mean?

Bean are the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot.

And tooting can save a life or two…

Check the strip.

Photo credits:
www.lifedynamix.com
dirtybutton.com
doublespeakshow.com
aol.com
hooked-nussu.org
www.ratemyeverything.net
takepart.co

A recent study listed out the jobs with the best perks. Among the jobs, was being a pharmaceutical sales rep.

The pharmaceutical industry is predicted to grow 23 percent by 2012. You’ll probably get a company car and cell phone, and maybe even receive lodging, airline, or other travel discounts, along with gym memberships.

You get to wine and dine doctors at the fanciest restaurants, take them to sporting events, even go to strip clubs…all on the company dime.

Here’s a little something I put together to promote this profession.

Check the strip.

Photo credits:
praetorianservices.ca
comedy central
media.commercialappeal.com
www.damnimcute.com

What a way to end a trip to the strip club. A Florida man went to a strip club to blow off some steam and ended up getting more than he bargained for.

Apparently one of the strippers got carried away during a pole dance and kicked off her shoe. It hit the club’s mirrored ceiling, and both mirror shards and the shoe rained down on the unfortunate patron. He ended up with facial cuts, a nosebleed and grounds for a day in court.

If he gets paid a huge settlement in court, what are the odds that he blows all the money right back into the club. What a consolation prize…

Check the strip.

Photo credits:
redsevenleisure.co.uk
Ralph Fountain

History was made at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Pennsylvania. Brad Sciullo of Uniontown, Pa., polished off a 15-pound cheese burger with five-pounds of toppings including bun, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, mild banana peppers and a cup each of ketchup, mustard, relish, and mayonnaise. Sciullo finished the concoction in 4 hours and 39 minutes…

And all he got was a t-shirt and certificate…and a future full of clogged arteries.

Check the strip.

AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi
AP Photo/Logan Cramer
REUTERS/Jim Bourg
Wireimage

Well, it looks like we have another celebrity hookup on our hands. Serena Williams, tennis superstar, and Common, rap artist/actor, have been seen on the town…and even hittin’ the waves together. I gotta say, this is one of the oddest couples I have seen…but then again, Serena was dating Brett Ratner before and THAT was weird.

But hey, if they have found love then let them have it!

Check the strip!

Ready or not, here they come! The New Kids On the Block are making a comeback after a 14-year hiatus. The group will release a new album this summer and go on tour this fall. How big is this? YouTube is already buzzing with old videos featuring Jordan’s nut-clenching falsetto voice. I’m cringing just thinking about it.

BUT…

35-year olds across the country are taking boxes out of storage and dusting off their favorite NKOTB pins, t-shirts, and varsity jackets!

To put this into context for the youngbucks reading this, NKOTB was ‘N Sync before ‘N Sync, Backstreet before Backstreet, the Jonas Brothers before the Jonas Brothers.

Honestly, it should be a good move for the group members. Of course, the New Kids – Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Knight, and Danny Wood – aren’t exactly “kids” anymore, either. The youngest of the bunch, McIntyre, is 35, and the oldest member, Jonathan Knight, is 39. But this tour will probably bring in some good revenue for the band, and should supplement the $50 that Jordan Knight received for appearing in “The Surreal Life.”

I wish them luck…and will now move aside to avoid the stampede of 35 year old teeny boppers.

Check the strip.

Technorati Tags: new+kids+on+the+block, music, pop+music

Disneyland is coming to Venezuela?!?

Ok, so there might not be an ounce of truth in that statement. But I found this picture that inspired this thought. Just check out the picture, which is one of many recent pics that put government officials in a funny light. The best part of this pic is that it is pure coincidence.

So enjoy the picture, and the strip.

Check the strip!

Technorati Tags: hugo+chavez, disney, disneyland, mickey+mouse, venezuela, venezuelan+government, venezuelan+president