5 – Bill Cosby — Walking through Meijer at midnight on a Thursday, I discovered a copy of Bill Cosby’s “Himself” in a bargain bin and purchased the DVD for a mere $10. Twenty-four hours later, I could do nothing but watch again and again. Cosby’s delivery and expressions knocked me off my feet — he can easily destroy the majority of today’s comedians.
- Ken Srdjak
- (Courtesy of Warner Bros.)
4 – American Hockey League — With the current lockout, minor league hockey has seen a huge boost in popularity. Even with the lack of show-stopping players and uncanny offensive strikes, the AHL All-Star Game was unbelievably interesting. After a grueling overtime and a do-or-die shootout, Planet USA rallied against Team Canada to a 5-4 win.
3 – Menomena — Their debut album, I Am The Fun Blame Monster, has been shafted by critics, but it showcases the best aspects from a plethora of genres: pop melodies, R&B bass lines, hip-hop beats, rocking guitar riffs and ambient keyboard drones. At first listen, this combination could be a jumbled mess, but Menomena succeeds on every track of this phenomenal album.
2 – The Grammys — Even though they haven’t gotten anything right in nearly 30 years, giving Kanye West only three out of 10 awards was a start. The Grammys got a few other things right as well. Brian Wilson won Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow” and Best Alternative Performance went to Wilco for A Ghost Is Born.
1 – “Constantine” — Although it hasn’t yet been released and may simply be jumping on the comic book-to-movie bandwagon, “Constantine” looks astonishing. Its special effects and religious themes may garner “The Matrix” references, but this looks like a credible film. Apart from the stunning visuals, “Constantine” casts a boyhood hero of mine, Gavin Rossdale of Bush, in a major role.