The color version of the Tyrant of Nephelokokkygia, the Hoopoe.
Putting him here is a direct to Aristophanes play where he is the King of the Birds because in Greek Mythology King Tereus of Thrace had been turned into one.
As a fan of the Birds I’d played around with designing him many times but generally went more anthropomorphic making it more of a man wearing a bird costume rather than an actual talking bird.
For today’s contribution of Christmas cynicism and mockery we move on to Stephen Colbert‘s “A Colbert Christmas: A Colbert Christmas”. It’s a fun show that directly spoof numerous annual celebrity specials with the usual cameos that are all fun (I especially like the Feist as an angel who leaves a recorded response to God’s prayers) But the best part is Stephen and Willie Nelson as the “Fourth Wise Man” spoofing the Bing Crosby/David Bowie “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Peace on Earth” Duet with “Little Dealer Boy” I am absolutely amazed how they both kept a straight face while doing this.
Being part of the first generation who grew up on Sesame Street from it’s beginning I am very fond of it’s Christmas special “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street” Watching it today it comes off as a bit schmaltzy but still fun. But then no countdown of Christmas cynicism would be complete without Oscar the Grouch.
Enjoy
For today’s dark Christmas song is “Fairytale in New York” By the Pogues & Kirsty MacColl. Mainly because I like the Pogues but also because this one is delightfully viscous.
Enjoy.
I’m not the biggest fan of Family Guy. Most of the time I think it consists of the adventures of a sociopathic man-child being enabled by his slightly smarter friends and family… But the music’s generally good. Seth Macfarline seems to share my liking for old Broadway soundtracks and displays it as much as he can get away with.
The “Road to episodes” are especially fun each with a pretty good songs. So for today’s darkly cynical, satirical Christmas Song is “Christmastime is Killing us” from “The Road to the North Pole” episode
This is something I’ve just thrown together and is a short list for this year (perhaps next year I’ll actually think about it.) Having to hear it ad nauseum starting a few days before Thanksgiving I regard most of the popular Christmas music out there as pure torture. The remaining holiday music that I like fits into two categories; the extremely traditional (mostly medieval) and the darkly cynical.
The darkly cynical is more fun to share.
Let’s start out with South Park. While I enjoy South Park I won’t pretend to be it’s biggest fan, but it’s Christmas material is fun. The songs in their Christmas episode are all very good I especially like their version of “Oh Holy Night” even with Cartman’s singing. My favorite song from it is Satan singing “Christmastime in Hell”
Enjoy
