5. ‘Family Guy’ Enters the Real World
New York Comic Con 2014 is long over, but this week a video surfaced featuring what has to be a contender for greatest cosplay of all time. Robert Franzese donned round glasses, green pants and a Quahog accent to become a perfect real world Peter Griffin, the boneheaded patriarch of the hit animated sitcom Family Guy. Franzese was a big hit at Comic Con, high-fiving fellow cosplayers and making wisecracks—about Meg, of course.
4. Clippers Owner Grooves to Fergie
At Wednesday night’s Lakers-Clippers game, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer couldn’t control himself when Black Eyed Peas siren Fergie performed. We should all strive to feel as passionately about something as Ballmer does about “The Dutchess.”
3. Disney Villain Arm Wrestles Girl
As far as Disney villains go, Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston is one of the lamest. Possessing neither the sorcery skills of a Jafar or a Maleficent, nor the claws and sharp teeth of a Scar or Shere Khan, he’s just a smug jerk who messed with the wrong hulking man-beast.
So, it’s not that frightening to see him skulking around Disney theme parks, challenging children to arm wrestling matches. It’s also not surprising that he was bested by an 11-year-old girl. Either she was a superhero in disguise or the Beast’s victory wasn’t all that hard-won.
2. A ‘Pot Quiz’ on the Venice Boardwalk
No one ever accused potheads of being politically engaged, but Jimmy Kimmel decided to drive the point home again this week. This bit uses the well-worn Kimmel strategy of preying on average Joes who are out for a walk. As you might expect, these Venice Beach stoners know a lot more about Doritos than politicians—some cannot name a single U.S. Senator—but the Renaissance painter question takes the cake. Meanwhile, an even more confounding question persists: why did these people sign the waiver?
1. When Sia Met Shia…
Pop star Sia ended 2014 with one of the year’s biggest YouTube music videos, the unforgettable, Grammy-nominated “Chandelier.” For her new video, “Elastic Heart,” Sia ups the ante. Maddie Ziegler, the waifish tween dancer from “Chandelier,” makes a return appearance, this time with a partner: Shia LaBeouf.
Is it high-concept art or super-creepy: you make the call.
