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By CJ Tiernan Adele was born exactly 2 weeks before me, in May of 1988. Her album titles are, or have been to date, named for the age at which she writes and composes her albums, though they're usually released a year or two after that. That means it is very easy for me to track what age Adele is when she releases these albums and compare myself at that same age to her. (Yikes! I changed my mind. I'm not interested in doing that.) Her first album was 19. Her huge, game-changing album was her second album: 21. It was released in 2011. I had just graduated college, I was unemployed. She released one of the greatest albums of all time at the age of 22. Comparing any further will just hurt my feelings. I love basically every single part of this album. All the songs are tremendous, emotional, and powerful. I listened to this album on my iPod over and over again while mowing my parents lawn in the summer of 2011 (ah, the iPod. What a time to be alive!) I clearly wasn't alone, because it was the best selling album of the year in both 2011 and 2012. Worldwide! Below is a list of my 11 favorite songs on the album (spoiler alert: there were only 11 total songs on the album, if you don't count deluxe releases and exclusive bonus tracks). Kristopher Harris from Charlotte, NC, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 1. Someone Like You 2. Rolling in the Deep 3. Set Fire to the Rain 4. Turning Tables 5. Take It All 6. Don't You Remember 7. Rumor Has It 8. One and Only 9. He Won't Go 10. I'll Be Waiting 11. Lovesong Final Thoughts Raw emotion seems to permeate this entire album. Adele herself referred to this album as a break-up album. You can feel the power of her vocals and her words in each and every song. Interestingly, the song I ranked last here is the only one she was not involved in writing. It is a cover of a song by The Cure. Apart from "Chasing Pavements" from her album "19" and "Hello" from her album "30," this album contains every single one of her best songs (an argument could be made to also include "Skyfall," as that song did earn her an Academy Award for best original song). That is pretty great praise for an all-time great vocalist. Please let me know in the comments if you feel I have these in the wrong order. Now get out of here and go rock out to one of the greatest albums of all time again on your audio streamer of choice. Thanks!

Robin Williams was a remarkable actor. He brought an unrivaled energy and enthusiasm to his performances. While rightly remembered for his comedic chops, he was so good at bringing a tenderness and humanity to his characters. Robin Williams is one of my very favorite actors of all time. Below are my 11 favorite Robin Williams movies of all time. John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 1. Good Will Hunting (1997) Good Will Hunting is a beautiful story of a young man (the title character Will Hunting, portrayed by Matt Damon) working as a janitor at MIT. He is discovered by a professor to be a genius in the field of mathematics. The movie is full of humor and hope, two of the strongest emotions a human can possibly feel. Williams plays Dr. Sean Maguire, a therapist charged with cutting through Will's very thick Boston armor. He helps to lend a gravitas to the film, serving as a Mr. Miyagi to Matt Damon. Robin Williams offers up some all time great lines in this movie while bringing his trademark wit and heart. It's one of the best movies of all time and the role earned Robin Williams his only Oscar. 2. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) This is Robin's best role. It feels perfectly crafted to his skill set. He plays a voice actor who loses custody of his three children to his ex-wife and masquerades as an old-lady housekeeper in order to be able to see his children. It is a role that perfectly encapsulates his range. He gets to be over-the-top funny, showcasing his physical comedy, and he gets to be human and vulnerable. According to Robin (a biography by Dave Itzkoff), he was also the driving force behind the way in which the movie ends. He fought to ensure the ending was realistic and the divorced parents didn't get back together at the end. He felt it was important for kids to see divorce portrayed realistically in film, as he was a divorced father himself. 3. Jumanji (1995) Jumanji is the story of supernatural board game that seems to have a mind of its own and forces the players into jungle-like hazards as the game goes along. Robin Willams plays a man-child, an adult who was pulled into the jungle during the game as a kid and forced to survive there for many years all on his own. It offers another opportunity to showcase his physical comedy skills. He also works along side child actors, bringing a tenderness to the performance. 4. The Birdcage (1996) Robin Williams brings all the energy to this one. He plays one half of a guy couple (with Nathan Lane) who have to throw together a dinner party and pretend to be straight to gain the approval of their son's fiancé's conservative parents. Hijinx ensue! This is a non-stop laugh riot and highly worth the watch. Hank Azaria, Gene Hackman, and Dianne Wiest round out a fantastic cast. 5. Night at the Museum (2006) Robin Williams is a star. A bonafide star. He is the leading man in almost every movie he is in. This movie is the only one on my list where he is neither the main character, nor essential to the heart of the film. The movie itself is a lot of fun, though. Featuring Ben Stiller as a nightwatchman, the story takes place in a NYC history museum where the exhibits come to life at night. Williams portrays the Rough Rider himself, Theodore Roosevelt. It is a great family flick. 6. What Dreams May Come (1998) What Dreams May Come is a fantastical story of love and loss. Robin Williams plays a doctor named Chris who, along with his wife Annie ( Annabella Sciorra), lose their two children in a car accident. Several years later, Chris dies in a separate car accident. Annie is left broken and alone, while Chris watches on helplessly from the afterlife. Annie eventually succumbs to the grief and takes her own life. Chris then sets out from his perch in heaven to save her from hell, the place where people who die by suicide go. It is a gripping, devastating story with a beautiful performance from Williams. 7. Hook (1991) Man-Child Alert! In this Spielberg flick, Robin plays a version of Peter Pan that has left Neverland, grown up, and forgotten he was ever Peter Pan. He has to return to Neverland to save his children, who have been kidnapped by Captain Hook. Another great showcase for Robin's energy and tenderness, this movie is a really fun one to watch. Rufio! 8. Aladdin (1992) This is the only animated movie on my list. Robin Williams plays the Genie. This role is so totally and completely Robin Williams. It feels a lot like a PG-version of his stand-up comedy. This role and his role in "Good Morning, Vietnam" are probably the two roles that showcase how amazing an improviser he was and how mile-a-minute his mind operated. This performance is energetic and hilarious. 9. The Fisher King (1991) Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams are both fantastic in this one. It is directed by Terry Gilliam (Monty Python, 12 Monkeys, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) so it is understandably difficult to quickly distill the plot. Williams plays a homeless man in pursuit of the holy grail whose status and mental state were altered by a traumatic event fomented, in part, by Bridges character. It is one of Robin Williams most human and vulnerable performances. This movie is worth a watch. 10. Popeye (1980) Popeye was Robin's first starring role in movie. It was really his first feature film period. The energy in this movie is insane, although seeming explainable . The comedy is broad and physical and the makeup and costumes are pretty true to the comic strip the movie is based on. Those forearms are ridiculous! Also, it's a musical! Check it out. The whole thing takes place in a coastal town (that they built from scratch) in the beautiful island country of Malta. 11. Dead Poets Society (1989) "O captain, my captain" and "carpe diem. Seize the day, boys!" are two of the lasting and poignant quotes from the movie. Williams once again deftly portrays a sculptor of the young mind, this time as John Keating. His character offers the hope of infinite possibility to his young pupils, rattling the cages of conventions of the time. The movie is beautiful and tragic, hopeful and humorous. It is Robin Williams. Final Thoughts Comedy doesn't always translate to acting. Sometimes people are too sardonic to be vulnerable. It just doesn't work. That wasn't the case with Robin Williams. He always had a gleam in his eyes. It was magical. He operated on screen with such humanity. His loss was felt my so many. He was in so many great movies that I'm sure your list differs from mine. How great a compliment is that to the great Robin Williams that we can't agree on which of his films were the best because he did so many wonderful ones? Below is a ranking of the rest of his movies I've seen. I haven't seen them all, so if I missed any winners, please let me know. Thanks! Patch Adams (1998) Flubber (1997) Absolutely Anything (2015) Jack (1996) The World According to Garp (1982) Awakenings (1990) Insomnia (2002) Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) One Hour Photo (2002) FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) Bicentennial Man (1999) Robots (2005) World's Greatest Dad (2009) Man of the Year (2006)

By CJ Tiernan Suave. Debonair. Handsome. This actor oozes charisma and charm. He also happens to have starred in some great motion pictures. The following is a list of my Top 11 favorite movies featuring George Clooney and the dulcet tones of his deep voice. 1. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Why You Should Watch It: This is the greatest stop-motion animation film I've ever seen. It proved to be the perfect canvas for director Wes Anderson's unique color palette. From anthropomorphic animals to slapstick comedy, I don't know that I've ever laughed harder at a movie. George Clooney's Role: Clooney plays the titular Mr. Fox, an instigator in rising tensions between human farmers and the nearby animal denizens. His endearing charm is on full display even though he lends only a voice to this role. Mr. Fox is crafty, smooth, sly like a... you know.... fox. 2. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) Why You Should Watch It: When George Clooney partners with the Coen Brothers, the Audience wins. He teams up with Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro as a jailbreak trio in search of treasure in the 1930s American South. They also stumble backward into recording a hit song. The movie is loosely based on Homer's Odyssey, but the departures from the source material's time and place lead to pure comedy gold. George Clooney's Role: Clooney goes broad here. Really broad with the comedy. It's over the top and wildly expressive and I couldn't stop laughing. His eyes are so expressive and wild. He plays Ulysses Everett McGill, a chain gang escapee rushing to dig up buried treasure before the area it is buried is washed away in a flood. 3. Ocean's Eleven (2001) Why You Should Watch It: It's a remake of a movie I've never seen. Some people say that one is better. I really like this one. I'm a sucker for a heist movie and this is a very satisfying heist movie. Did I mention it also has Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, and Matt Damon. It's stacked and it's good. What more do you need? George Clooney's Role: He plays Danny Ocean, the puppet master behind the elaborate heist, who has to appear hands-off as he is a wanted man by the casino owner. He exhibits effortless charisma in this one. 4. Out of Sight (1998) Why You Should Watch It: Another crime comedy. Another must watch. J-Lo and Clooney, on opposite sides of the law. You can't look away, man. George Clooney's Role: Criminal Jack Foley, who kidnaps government agent Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez), in a saucy Steven Soderbergh flick. 5. The Perfect Storm (2000) Why You Should Watch It: In Literature, they say there are several different flavors of conflict: Man v. Man, Man v. Self, Man v. Animal, and Man v. Nature. This movie is an excellent example of that last one. Action on the high seas. This is a white-knuckler. It also has the benefit of supporting players, John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg, and Diane Lane. George Clooney's Role: Clooney plays the Captain of a commercial fishing vessel, Billy Tyne, caught in a storm off the east coast of the US. It takes place in the Fall of 1991, and is based on a true story and packs all the commensurate emotion. 6. Spy Kids (2001) Why You Should Watch It: This is not a George Clooney Movie. This is a movie that has George Clooney in it. It is a delightful kids movie that I love in no small part because I was a kid when I first saw it. I still quote this movie and it is a great source of entertainment. George Clooney's Role: He plays Diego Devlin, the head of the Organization of Super Spies. He pops up as a talking head. This is a cameo appearance. It is a buttoned-up, straightforward performance. He is not the reason to watch this movie. 7. Burn After Reading (2008) Why You Should Watch It: Coen Brothers Again! Crazy-eyed George Clooney again! The funniest Brad Pitt has ever been. This movie starts crazy, and then goes off the rails. Also features, J.K. Simmons, Francis McDormand, John Malkovich. George Clooney's Role: George plays Harry Pfarrer, a US Marshall. and hijinx ensue. 8. Up in the Air (2009) Why You Should Watch It: Back to Suave George! This movie features the talents of Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, and Anna Kendrick and the director of Juno and Thank You for Smoking. It is a hearting delight and features a shoutout to Dubuque, Iowa (my hometown). Worth the watch. George Clooney's Role: He plays Ryan Bingham, a man who flys all over the country to help companies fire people. His life gets shaken up by the advent of video conferencing. 9. Intolerable Cruelty (2003) Why You Should Watch It: Coen Brothers again! This one features George going head to head with Catherine Zeta Jones in a delightful romantic comedy. This one also features Billy Bob Thornton and Geoffrey Rush in juicy roles. George Clooney's Role: George Clooney plays Miles Massey, a divorce attorney with a stellar track record. He manages to win in court against Catherine Zeta Jones' Marylin Rexroth and she sets forth a plan for revenge. 10. Gravity (2013) Why You Should Watch It: This is a Sandra Bullock movie. George Clooney lends some emotional gravity to the proceedings (ha, see what I did there?). It is also a visual marvel from the maker of Children of Men. George Clooney's Role: He plays Matt Kowalski, an astronaut and coworker of Sandy B's Ryan Stone. 11. Tomorrowland (2015) Why You Should Watch It: This is a movie based on a Disney Ride. Well not a ride, per se, but a land in a theme park where rides are located. The story follows Casey, a brilliant kid played by Britt Robertson, on a quest to reach Tomorrowland, a seemingly idyllic land of the future. It also features House, M.D. himself: Hugh Laurie. George Clooney's Role: George is Frank Walker, a previous denizen of Tomorrowland who begrudgingly helps Casey. This is a jaded and cantankerous George. It's fun! Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Final Thoughts I am willing to concede that my rankings my not align with your own. Watching movies can elicit an emotional response in us that links to our enjoyment of the film. How fun is that! We're different. We've had different experiences. That's pretty cool. Things like how old you were and who you saw the movie with can impact your opinion. Below is a list of the remaining movies I've seen that have George Clooney in them so you can have a little more context for my rankings. Feel free to offer up your own rankings in the comments section. Michael Clayton (2007), Hail, Caesar! (2016), South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999), Ocean's Twelve (2004), The Descendants (2011), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), IF (2024), Batman & Robin (1997), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (2003), The Ides of March (2011), Leatherheads (2008), The Midnight Sky (2020)

By CJ Tiernan The opening scene of a movie can be used in so many different ways. It can be used to drop you into a new world, introduce an important character in an impactful way, or sometimes it's just B-roll with the credits rolling by. I love being transported into a world to see or feel something different from what I know. Most of the movies I have on the list below establish a tone or tension that carries well past the opening scene. The beginning establishes a tone that carries throughout the rest of the picture. Here are my 11 favorite opening scenes in movies that I've ever seen. 1. Up (2009) - Montage Pixar is notorious for churning out banger after banger. They have created a great number of animated movies that impacted adults just as much as they did kids. "Up" is the story of an old man attempting to save his home from being demolished and ending up in a retirement home. To establish who this man is, and why the home is of so much importance to him, we get an opening montage of his relationship with his late wife. In less than 5 minutes, we are left so teary-eyed and heart broken by the monumental loss that this man has suffered, we feel like we understand his every action. The adventure that follows feels true to both characters, and builds off the relationship established at the beginning. Plus, that Russell kid is hilarious as an accidental stowaway. 2. The Dark Knight (2012) - Bank Heist From the one-note score of Hans Zimmer, to the what-is-going-to-happen-next nature of guys in clown masks on the same team offing each other one after another, this movie starts with a bang. The opening scene is a bank heist introducing us to the crown prince of crime: The Joker. A delightful, tone setting scene to set up not only one of the greatest villains in cinema history, but the best Christopher Nolan movie period. 3. Inglourious Basterds (2009) - Interrogation This entire scene is a masterclass in tension-building. Christoph Waltz, as Colonel Hans Landa, is relentless in his pursuit of Jewish people during World War II. His character is literally nicknamed "The Jew Hunter." The sprawling, wide-shot landscapes create an impression of isolation and a sense that there will be no escape. The interior shots, alternating between the people hiding under the floor and the interaction between Landa and the farmer, further heighten the sense of claustrophobia. The scene feels like it lasts forever and leaves your stomach tied in knots, perfectly establishing the villain and the stakes of the film. It works so well even though we all know coming in that Nazi = bad guy. Waltz's performance is one of my very favorites of all time. Also, Quentin Tarantino crushed it as the writer/director of this one. 4. The Lion King (1994) - Circle of Life I won't pretend I know how to pronounce the opening lyrics to this song, but that doesn't stop me from singing along. The movie opens on the African plains as baby Simba is introduced to the pride, and the rest of the food chain, as the heir to Mufasa. He is hoisted aloft by Rafiki right as the music crescendos. It is such a powerful moment, a perfect balance of animation and music, that kicks off the film and establishes the hierarchy in the animal kingdom. The movie sets up the world and some of the characters all at once. 'Tis beautiful cinema. 5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Coconuts This movie is ridiculous. If you're not into a ridiculous tale set against the backdrop of Arthurian legend, you are provided a very early exit ramp. The movie opens in a foggy countryside, with Arthur, King of the Britons, riding in on a horse. Only he is not actually on a horse, he is pretending he is riding on a horse while his trusty servant, Patsy, bangs two coconut halves together behind him. Arthur is in search of the Holy Grail (you read the title, you probably knew that) and he is moving across the land asking various tenants if they have any information on its location. The opening scene devolves quickly into speculation on where they could have possibly gotten the coconuts, as they're not indigenous to the area. Every scene in this movie is dynamite, as would be expected from my favorite movie of all time. Watch it! Rewatch it! It's so funny! 6. The Devil's Rejects (2005) - Shootout/Midnight Rider This is the second film in a trilogy, following Rob Zombie's 2003 film "House of 1000 Corpses." It is also the second of three films on this list that are the middle film in a trilogy. If you haven't seen the movie, it is a fairly graphic horror movie with a smattering of comedic elements sprinkled in. The opening scene starts with a disfigured member of the titular villains dragging a dead woman naked through the woods. He is bringing the body back to this ramshackle farm where the rest of the crew is asleep. It is revealed that they are believed to have killed like 75 people and a whole mess of law enforcement officers descend upon the farm they are staying at early in the morning. There is an incredibly exciting shootout between the two sides and not everyone makes it. However, a couple of the crime family members escape and steal a car and initiate a dramatic car chase. The opening credits begin, with the The Allman Brothers' Midnight Rider blasting. Every time there is a gap in the guitar part, the screen freezes. It is how the opening credits begin. It is really cinematic and a joy to watch. In my opinion, the beginning and ending scenes are the two best in the whole movie. 7. Baby Driver (2017) - Get Away Music is such a fun part of so many of these opening scenes. This particular one is an all-timer. The opening scene features the titular character as the getaway driver for a bank heist. The song BellBottoms by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion blares diegetically throughout the scene, courtesy of Baby's iPod earphones. Writer/director Edgar Wright, of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame, perfectly synchs the music with several action points throughout the scene. It is tense, dramatic, exciting, and offers insight in to the title character. We se him as smart, talented, and unflappable, while also getting a slight peek at his vulnerability. It is a chase scene for the ages. 8. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017) - Dance/Fight This is one of the funniest and most joyous opening scenes I've ever seen in a movie. The title characters are in a dramatic fight for their lives with characters being thrown all over and the "big bad" villain creating a real struggle. However, the camera is focused on Baby Groot, the tiny version of Groot (whom we last saw dancing in a pot at the end of the first installment). He is rocking out to Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra while the rest of his crew is battling to the death out of focus in the background. Am I out over my skis in saying it's one of the most fun fight scenes ever? 9. Drive (2011) - Car Chase Another car chase! What a brilliant way to start a movie. In this one, Ryan Gosling plays a getaway driver for a robbery in LA. He oozes a cool/aloof hybrid every second he is on screen, a man of very few words and a sick jacket. The opening scene sees him opt for a stealthy attempt at a getaway. We hear the Clippers game on the radio and at first it seems the tension of a close finish is just matching the tension of whether or not he is going to successfully evade the police pursuit. Then we see him pull into a parking garage right as the Clippers game ends and exit the car and get lost in the crowd. It is a level of cunning that feels so calculated. The rest of the movie is a little slow for my taste but this opening scene is perf. 10. The Suicide Squad (2021) - Beach Fight/Team 1 & Team 2 This is the second James Gunn movie on the list. Does this guy know how to kick off a movie or what? Technically there is a little bit of movie before this scene, but I couldn't leave this one off the list. If you haven't seen it, STOP! Spoilers Ahead! There is a nighttime beach invasion with a clearly defined A-team and a clearly defined, sacrificial, Team 2. However, due to a slight case of betrayal, the roles quickly become reversed. Not only is this scene both hilarious and extremely violent, it also creates a beautiful misdirect. I love this one so much. 11. The Player (1992) - Long Take I had to shout out a single-take scene here. I am a sucker for a long, unbroken shot. The so-called "oner." Robert Altman opens his movie dropping us in on the hustle and bustle of a Hollywood studio lot. In The Player, Tim Robbins stars as a film studio executive who is in fear for his life because he is being sent death threats. He ends up confronting, and sorta kinda accidentally killing, the man he believes to be behind the threats. The scene is like 8 straight minutes of just people pitching ideas. It even has a couple of characters commenting on opening a movie with a long, unbroken shot. The vibe is very Aaron Sorkin-esque (the first movie he wrote, "A Few Good Men," was released this same year). I like how this just completely drops you into the life of the main character, and you get a sense of not only how many people he interacts with (or fends off) in a day, but also how many people may want a piece of him. This movie is worth the watch and also has like 60+ celebrities make cameos as themselves throughout the movie. Final Thoughts While I feel the ending of a movie can make or break the whole thing more than the beginning, the opening scene is so exciting. So pivotal. It can be tension-filled, a laugh riot, or just paint a vivid picture of the world in which you're about to spend 2 hours. Based on my list, it seems the key to good opener is a lot of tension, violence, a car chase, or make it musical. The opening scene of "The Usual Suspects" (where the titular suspects are in a police lineup) and the opening scene in "Children of Men" (where you find out the youngest person in the world was both 18 years old and just killed) are the two movies that just missed my list. Please let me know if I left any of your favorite movie beginnings off of my list in the comments below. Thanks!

By CJ Tiernan To quote Michael Scott: "Pizza. The great equalizer. Rich people love pizza. Poor people love pizza. White people love pizza. Black people love pizza." Pizza is awesome and everyone that doesn't have some allergy to one of its ingredients, loves the stuff. Below I've crafted a quick list of my 11 favorite toppings on a pizza. 1. Pepperoni This one is the best and it is the most popular for a reason. It's weird because, unlike a lot of the other things on this list, pepperoni doesn't really occur much in the wild. Outside of an Italian sub, pizza is really the only place you see a pepperoni. I don't know who decided this, but as long the pepperoni pizza doesn't go extinct, I'm good. 2. Sausage Sausage: The great 1-2 punch to accompany pepperoni on a pizza. It works great on its own, but is even better when it partners with the 'roni. Sorry to those of you allergic to fennel, sausage is dope. 3. Salami This is basically the cousin or step brother of the pepperoni. I highly recommend it. It has a similar taste and texture. Usually, the slices they put on a pizza are a lot larger in diameter than a pepperoni. How fun is that!? 4. Bacon This is a topping that lives well outside of the surface of a pizza. It has carved out a pretty profitable niche as a breakfast food, and it's doing okay in the burger-topping business, but I highly recommend it on a pizza. There is nothing like the taste of bacon. 5. Meatball Don't worry, they don't usually serve this one the same way on a pizza as they do with a plate of spaghetti. They dice it up. The meatball is a great addition to one of those pizzas where they just throw all sorts of different meats on there. The more the merrier I always say. 6. Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers Hey there vegetarians! If you stuck it out this far, good for you. I'm not a big "vegetables on pizza" guy, but I do like a bit of a kick. One of these peppers, diced and sprinkled on the 'za, is an absolute delight. 7. Diced or Sliced Tomato I didn't include tomato sauce or cheese on the list because they are basic ingredients of pizza. It is not a topping, it is super necessary, dare I say: essential. However, topping the pizza with some tomatoes that are either thinly sliced or diced really hits. 8. Buffalo Sauce Buffalo sauce is another great way to add kick to your pizza. Some pizza places will offer a buffalo chicken pizza, where you can dip you toes into these waters. I actually like adding it to a pepperoni pizza as well. It adds some pizzaz to pizza. So I guess it, like, adds a third 'z'? I don't know, man. Try it! 9. Crushed Red Pepper When you go to a pizzeria, you will often get some shakers put on the table with parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper. If you like a little kick on your pizza, I'm sure you're no stranger to this one. It helps zhuzh it up. 10. Pesto This is great option if you're looking for a replacement for the tomato sauce base. You usually break out the pesto for a white pizza or something with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes on top. Maybe some basil or garlic? Maybe something to give it a little kick? I don't know, go wild! 11. Pineapple Controversy Alert! I know some people say pineapple doesn't belong on pizza. I don't believe in legislating another man's pizza toppings. If you're a Hawaiian pizza guy, do you're thing. I'm not a big Canadian bacon guy (it's a texture thing) but I will absolutely say "aloha" to a pepperoni and pineapple pizza. My siblings and I enjoying pizza from the friendly confines of a Ford Econoline. Florida - 2001 Final Thoughts Obviously, most of the toppings on this list don't live alone. A pizza is a concert of different flavors and textures. Have it your way (wait that's Burger King). Please let me know in the comments if I left any of your favorite toppings off the list (if your answer is mushrooms, I did that on purpose). Thanks!

By CJ Tiernan During the pandemic that began the first half of 2020, (C'mon! You remember the one I'm talking about!) I decided to try and memorize the flags for the different countries of the world. I don't really pay attention to world affairs and History was my least favorite subject in school (to quote Rafiki: "It's in the past. It doesn't matter). I wanted to become a dash more worldly wise, but in a manner that fit my vibe. I don't have all the flags memorized, but I did see all of them over and over again and started to develop my favorites. The following is a list of my 11 favorite flags. These are all of countries, I didn't include any states or anything like that. I ranked them purely on aesthetics and wont pretend I know the symbolism behind them. 1. Bhutan To quote South Park: "It's got a dragon painted right on the blade." The bright, happy colors coupled with the ornate, crazy-faced dragon is so much fun! This flag is larger than life, and I love the fun juxtaposition of bright yellow and orange with the monochromatic dragon. Bhutan is located in the eastern Himalayan mountain range between China and India. There is just a splash of China between western Bhutan and eastern Nepal. 2. Sri Lanka There is a lion holding a sword on this flag. Look at those human-like fingers wrapped around the hilt. Sick! Plus the colors on this are so fun. You've got the University of Miami stripes off to the left (Is The U back?) and then the Gryffindor aesthetic with the maroon and gold throughout the rest. I also like that this flag breaks free of the usual flag dimensions. Way to go Sri Lanka! Sri Lanka is an island nation located off the southeast coast of India. Poor India. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. 3. Vatican City Vatican City is famously the smallest country in the world, a mere .17 square miles located entirely within the city of Rome. As the home of the Pope, there is a clear and obvious Christian influence going on here. There are crosses all over the place and even the keys to the kingdom or heaven or whatever are crossed. The ornate, Papal headdress is also pictured. Silver and gold keys have a regal nature but I like the clean yellow half and the blank white space on the right half as well. 4. Brunei Brunei is a small Asian country on the island of Borneo that's basically completely surrounded by water and Malaysia. The color scheme of black/white/yellow is fun here and the red in the middle really pops. I won't pretend to know what the flag says but it is odd that the message is written in Arabic and the two most spoken languages in the country are Malay and English. Well, I guess the dollar bill has latin written on it and that's not one of the most spoken languages in this country (at least outside of a courtroom). The hands and wings are cool symbols and if you look close you can see a little flag on the flag. Flag-ception! 5. Montenegro Montenegro is an eastern European country just on the other side of the Adriatic Sea from Italy. It is nestled in just south of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. You know, just north of Albania. Don't pretend you can't picture the exact spot in your mind. Anyway, this flag has a double-headed eagle rocking a Flavor Flav-esque crest of a Lion on it. Awesome! The two heads are sharing a single crown, which I see ending badly but, what do I know about a unitary parliamentary republic? Did I mention the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch in the left hand/talon? 6. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A Caribbean Island nation comprised of several islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is located south of St. Lucia, west of Barbados, and north of Grenada. The Diamonds making a V-shape is a really clean and simple look. The Blue/Green/Yellow is also a great color combo. It is always wild to me when countries get mash-up names. Saint Vincent is the largest and northernmost island composing this country and the remaining part is the northern two-thirds of a string of 32 islands known as the Grenadines. However, the southern third of the Grenadines is a separate country known as Grenada (Spoiler Alert: It appears next on this list). Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saint Kitts and Nevis, São Tomé and Príncipe , and Antigua and Barbuda are other such multihyphenate nations. 7. Grenada While I was trying to memorize the many flags of the world, I attempted to create mnemonics to help trigger the name of the country by something I saw on the flag. With the country of Lebanon, for example, there is a large Cedar tree in the middle of the flag that is all green and is reminiscent of a Christmas tree. I remembered it because in the NBA, LeBron James always plays on Christmas. LeBron ---> Lebanon. Can you guess what I used for this flag? It might be a stretch to some, but the object on the left looks like flame. I saw it is as flame projectile that I extrapolated as a grenade. Grenade ---> Grenada. It is separate from the mnemonic for Montenegro, which has a holy water vessel that I call the Holy Hand Grenade from Antioch from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty ---> Montenegro. Sorry for delivering a tangential slice of brain cake. Tangential Slice of Brain Cake. Dibs on that as my band name! 8. South Korea I took karate as a kid (That's right! Junior-Grade Brown, son!). It was Tae Kwon Do, a Korean martial art. This flag was hung on the wall in the dojo and I've always enjoyed the aesthetic. Each of the sets of 3 lines in the corners are meant to be elemental symbols (clockwise from top left: sky, water, earth, and fire). The white background represents light and purity, and it has a modified blue/red Yin-Yang in the middle. The real question is who had it first: South Korea or Pepsi? 9. Spain So where is Spain? It is a western European nation on the Iberian Peninsula and there's a very real possibility it's one of the first one or two countries on this list that you have heard of and/or could find on a map. Another flag to employ the Gryffindor maroon and gold, it looks very elegant. It possess a crown-topped crest with a castle and a lion (also wearing a crown) on it and two robust pillars (also sporting crowns). It is a clean look, and it feels like they're giving out crowns like Oprah gives out cars. 10. Seychelles Seychelles (pronounced SAY-shelz) is the smallest African nation, a collection of 115 islands well off the east coast of where Tanzania and Kenya meet the Indian Ocean. It is northeast of Madagascar. I love the flag for not only the breadth of color but the way that it radiates out of a single point in the bottom corner. It almost creates an optical illusion that makes the right edge look longer than the left edge instead of appearing as a true rectangle. The country is an archipelago, which is a dope word we just don't get to use often enough in everyday life, like sesquicentennial or rhubarb. 11. Cyprus The Republic of Cyprus is a Middle-Eastern Island nation south of Turkey and west of Syria. It makes my list for a very fun reason. They put the actual shape of their country on their flag. The orangish-brown swordfish floating above the olive branches is the exact outline of their country as it roams free in the Mediterranean Sea. What a fun and unique idea! And so much less aggressive than the decision to put an AK-47 atop an open book, as was the choice on the Mozambique flag. Final Thoughts There are 195 countries in the world, so if you make your own list it may very well appear quite different from my own. There are a lot of very colorful ones and a lot of unique and meaningful symbolism sprinkled in. Barbados has a trident. Uganda has a crane (the bird) with a mohawk. Nepal has a flag that isn't rectangular or squarish. There are also some flags that look frustratingly similar to others. Chad and Romania look basically identical. Côte d'Ivoire (a.k.a. Ivory Coast) and Ireland have the same flag, just flipped 180 degrees. Malaysia and Liberia have flags that look suspiciously like our own. And don't get me started on Monaco, Indonesia, and Poland. In case you're curious, Jamaica and North Macedonia are the flags that just missed my list. Thanks for reading!

By CJ Tiernan This list, as most lists are (at least on this site), is pretty arbitrary. Left Field Alert! I have selected celebrities with varied histories and put them up against one another without really revealing my criteria. They're just people whose names and/or bodies of work I enjoy or respect. Heck, I might just be digging on their vibes. Anyway, here is a list of my 11 favorite celebrities that have an animal in their name. 1. Robin Williams Birth Name: Robin McLaurin Williams Animal: Robin - Bird Reason They're Famous: Actor/Comedian Reason They Made My List: Williams is one of my favorite actors of all time. He could go so big and so broad with his humor, but he could also be so sincere. His dramatic roles were so powerful. His range was unbelievable. He started as a comedian and had one of the fastest minds ever, and was a wiz at improv. His body of work is unique for its breadth and, when watching one of his movies, you will inevitably feel his warm presence. 2. Flea Birth Name: Michael Peter Balzary Animal: Flea - Bug Reason They're Famous: Musician/Actor - Bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers Reason They Made My List: Okay, so he wasn't born Flea, but he was called Flea since he was a teenager for his inability to sit still. He was likened to a Flea and the name stuck. He grew up in Australia, which is cool, but he makes my list because of his ability to "Slappa da Bass!" His funk/slap bass skills with RHCP reign as all-time epic. Plus, he appeared in the Back to the Future sequels. 3. Tony Hawk Joseph Gall, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Birth Name: Anthony Frank Hawk Animal: Hawk - Bird Reason They're Famous: Professional Skateboarder Reason They Made My List: Tony Hawk has had a really delightful post-career presence on Twitter. He is an observer of life who is able to very comedically deliver a snapshot of the world around him. In his playing career, he was an innovator and a winner. He created an incredible number of tricks in the vertical and street skateboarding arenas. He also lent his namesake to a great series of video games. As a bonus, his nickname was "Birdman," so he checks the animal box two times. 4. Snoop Dogg Birth Name: Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. Animal: Dog(g) - Mammal Reason They're Famous: Rapper/Actor Reason They Made My List: Pure vibes here. Snoop has appeared most in my life as a pitchman, which is kind of a weird turn for a rapper and marijuana enthusiast. Weirder still was his team-up with fellow reformed criminal Martha Stewart. I'm not someone who listens to his music, but I'm absolutely a fan of the vibe he puts into the world. Bonus: one of the many nicknames he has gone by was Snoop Lion, another animal. 5. Michael J. Fox Birth Name: Michael Andrew Fox Animal: Fox - Mammal Reason They're Famous: Actor Reason They Made My List: He starred in one of my favorite movies of all time: Back to the Future. Everything about that movie was cool, which means that he's cool. He has transitioned largely to activist in the latter half of his life after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. For most of us, he is the face and voice for a disease that we don't fully understand and has no cure. But I buried the lead: He goes by Michael "J." Fox and his middle name is Andrew. What!? A cursory glance through Google reveals that the choice stems from the weird rules The Screen Actors Guild harbors that prohibit multiple actors going by the same stage name. "Michael Fox" was already taken, and our boy, a Canadian born actor, feared the jokes of Michael "Eh?" Fox if he opted for the "A." Whoa, this is heavy. 6. Jamie Foxx Birth Name: Eric Marlon Bishop Animal: Fox(x) - Mammal / Marlon - Fish (Marlin) Reason They're Famous: Actor/Comedian/Singer Reason They Made My List: I haven't really followed his career as a stand-up comedian or his music. However, I have found him to be a tremendous actor. Obviously, I'm not going out on a limb calling a guy a great actor who has twice been nominated for an Oscar (Winning in 2005 for his portrayal of Ray Charles in "Ray"), but I've enjoyed him in a bunch of films. Horrible Bosses, Collateral, Soul, Baby Driver, and Django Unchained are a handful of his greatest movies. He is great at flipping between comedy and drama, as one would expect from a man with so many slashes in his bio. 7. Tiger Woods Birth Name: Eldrick Tont Woods Animal: Tiger - Big Cat Reason They're Famous: Professional Golfer Reason They Made My List: The greatest golfer I've ever seen! If he was playing, then golf was worth watching on TV. If he wasn't, it wasn't. From the Sunday red to the killer instinct he was, to swipe a tag line from the Colorado Avalanche, built different. Now he did have a pretty epic fall from grace, so I can't have him too high on my list, but he was a real treat to watch. His dad called him Tiger as a kid and my dad called me Tiger as a kid, so I happen to hold a soft spot in my heart for this guy. 8. Sheryl Crow Birth Name: Sheryl Suzanne Crow Animal: Crow - Bird Reason They're Famous: Musician - Singer/Songwriter Reason They Made My List: The radio was littered with her songs throughout the '90s and into the aughts. From "All I Wanna Do" to "Soak Up the Sun," she was out there spitting soft rock hits. "Everyday is a Winding Road," "If It Makes You Happy," and "Strong Enough" are more of her many hits. She was great at creating musical optimism, and won 9 Grammys in the process. Respect! 9. Seal Birth Name: Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel Animal: Seal - Aquatic Mammal Reason They're Famous: Musician - Singer/Songwriter Reason They Made My List: Another Musician! And Seal was actually his birth name! (along with a handsome number of other names that make me glad I'm typing this instead of having to butcher those names aloud. You know, the ones between Henry and Samuel). I feel like I only know "Kiss From a Rose" by him, but that one has had some staying power. He has a beautiful voice and a very distinct face. Apparently, those scars are a result of a flavor of Lupus. Omar Epps would have never guessed. 10. Raven-Symoné Birth Name: Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman Animal: Raven - Bird Reason They're Famous: Actor/Singer Reason They Made My List: "That's So Raven" is the reason she made the list. A Disney Channel TV show that ran while I was in High School, this show starred Raven as Raven. She was a high school student with psychic abilities that gave her flashes of the future. I don't know that I'd enjoy it today, but back then: it slapped. She did also have a recurring role in the TV show Black ish , which was great. 11. Newt Gingrich Birth Name: Newton Leroy McPherson Animal: Newt - Amphibian Reason They're Famous: American Politician Reason They Made My List: Confession time: I don't really follow politics. Like, at all. I don't appreciate the binary nature of a two-party system and the divisiveness that inherently foments in our country. I do, however, like a sweet name. Newt is an awesome name. Even though I don't know anything about his politics, and I don't care enough to Google it, he sneaks onto the list. Final Thoughts Your list could differ dramatically from my own. Isn't that fun! I considered a smattering of other celebrity names, which I will list below, but these 11 were my faves. Please feel free to include your own in the comments. It is a weird and unnecessary topic, which is right up my alley. Thank you for your time! Megan Fox: Fox - Mammal John Cougar Mellancamp: Cougar - Big Cat Kat Dennings: Cat - Mammal Teri Garr: Gar - Fish Bear Grylls: Bear - Mammal Cat Stevens: Cat - Mammal Lance Bass: Bass - Fish

By CJ Tiernan The Coen Brothers, comprised of actual brothers Joel and Ethan, have created an untouchably eclectic oeuvre. They can go broad and slapstick or dark and understated. They have a very unique sense of humor that helps to cut their often violent films' tension to pieces with a wood chipper. They can just as easily pull the rug out from under you. Apart from recurring cast members, you never really know what you're in for when you plop down on the sofa to watch one of this teams works of art. Below is a list of my 11 very favorite movies created by Joel and Ethan Coen. I have had the pleasure of watching every single movie they've done together and 10 of them fall in my Top 500 movies of all time. These guys know what they're about and they deliver time and again. 1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) The main trio of George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson are a non-stop riot. This movie is a loose adaptation of the Odyssey. The Coen brothers transport the tale to the southern U.S. in the 1930s, and manage to add musical numbers and a menagerie of scene-stealing character actors. Come for the music (the soundtrack won album of the year at '02 Grammys), stay for the beautiful cinematography courtesy of Roger Deakins (16-time Academy Award Nominee, won for 1917 and Blade Runner 2049). 2. Fargo (1996) William H. Macy gives one of my favorite performances ever in this movie. The story is so delicious. His character attempts to ransom his own wife for money from his boss, who is also his father-in-law. As has been known to happen in a Coen Brothers movie, things go sideways. The Minnesotan accent takes the steering wheel and veers toward the pancakes house in this delightful flick. Oh, and Frances McDormand won an Oscar for her portrayal of pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson. She is an all-timer! 3. The Ladykillers (2004) This is probably my most controversial pick on this list (having The Big Lebowski as low as I do is probably the only other legitimate candidate). The Coen Brothers go broad in this one. Really broad. But I need you to understand that I absolutely love that. Tom Hanks and J.K. Simmons are so much fun in this movie. Caper that goes awry. Check. Movie star with a delightfully ridiculous accent. Check. If you want to write a book report: go watch Tenet. If you want to laugh: watch this movie. 4. No Country for Old Men (2007) "Aw, hells bells. They even shot the dog." This quote provides insight into one of the greatest villains in film history: Anton Chigurh. Javier Bardem rightfully won an Academy Award for his portrayal, but the Coen Brothers brought this monster to life in such sinister detail. The opening murder scenes give way effortlessly to the coin toss scene, which is so deliciously Coen Brothers it belongs in a museum. The way the sprawling Texas landscape lends to the isolated feeling that there is nowhere to hide from this evil man is good to last drop. 5. Raising Arizona (1987) This movie features Nic Cage and Holly Hunter as a young married couple comprised of a cop and a robber. That is actually about the least weird thing in the movie. They can't conceive, so they attempt to steal a baby from a wealthy couple with a perceived surplus. And off to the Coen Brothers-flavored races we go! Alright you hayseeds: do yourself a favor and a lot 94 minutes of your life to watching this movie. 6. Burn After Reading (2008) Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, J.K. Simmons, and George Clooney. If my goal here is to list reasons to see this movie, I just gave you five. The Coen Brothers take a misunderstanding and turn it up to 11. Pitt and McDormand serve as 2 air-headed gym employees who happen upon what they believe to be a disc containing government secrets and attempt to spin a profit. Hijinx ensue. 7. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) The Coen Brothers co-wrote this movie with Sam Raimi, he of Evil Dead and Tobey Maguire Spider-Man fame. As such, we are treated to the presence of Bruce Campbell in this one. Yay! In this film, Tim Robbins (who released The Shawshank Redemption the same year) plays an effervescent, if dimwitted, mailroom clerk that is elevated to company big-wig in a crooked stock price scheme. He cheerfully brandishes a hand-drawn circle to anyone who will listen and utters simply, "you know: for kids." His wholesomeness juxtaposed against the greed of the capitalistic and opportunistic board is very satisfying. 8. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) Hand up. This was my introduction to Adam Driver. I could not get enough of him in this movie. The scene where they're recording "Please, Mr. Kennedy" is a real treat. If you enjoy his comedic chops, be sure to do yourself a favor and watch "Logan Lucky." The music in the film is so beautiful, and the melancholy of the main character, played to arresting perfection by Oscar Issac, haunts every track. Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan are also great. The story of a man, whom you follow for 2 hours only to end up right back where he started, is devastating but poetic. 9. The Big Lebowski (1998) When I was in high school, I watched this movie for the first time. It opened up my eyes to an endless stream of quotes that my friends had been hurtling at one another that kept whipping over my head. It's possibly one of the most quotable movies in history. I could start listing a bunch of them but I gotta shout out John Goodman. I've gotten this far on a Coen Brothers list and haven't given a shout out to the man featured in like half-a-dozen of their movies (second only to Frances McDormand, who is married to Joel, in number of collaborations with the Brothers Coen). His turn in this one, as a Vietnam War veteran named Walter Sobchak, steals the show. At least, that's just, like, my opinion, man. 10. Intolerable Cruelty (2003) A third Clooney joint! George Clooney never has crazier eyes than when he stars in a Coen Brothers movie. This is a pretty true-to-form Rom Com. Clooney plays a lawyer who specializes in ironclad prenups. Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as a gold-digger. Sparks fly between them. Worth the watch for their performances, plus those of Geoffrey Rush, Edward Herrmann (the dad in Richie Rich), and Billy Bob Thornton. Also, spoiler alert: there are twists along the way.. 11. Hail, Caesar! (2016) Channing Tatum is a scene-stealer in this one. He gets to flex is dance skills (as showcased in the Step Up and Magic Mike movies) and his comedy chops (as showcased in 21/22 Jump Street). The movie takes place during the heyday of Hollywood in the '50s, and follows a fixer (Josh Brolin) who attempts to keep stories about his studios' stars various indiscretions hush-hush. The movie also features Jonah Hill, George Clooney (again!), Tilda Swinton, and introduces us to Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story). As usual, the Coen Brothers masterfully balance high stakes with hijinx. Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Final Thoughts The Coen Brothers are adept at tapping into seemingly any genre and extracting a unique perspective on humanity and 2 heaping scoops of humor. I love the weirdness of their movies because they showcase the reason movies are great: they entertain us while allowing us to see something new in something old. If you've never dipped your toes into the Co-Bro waters, I highly recommend it. If you have, hopefully I've suggested something new for you. As I said at the top, I've seen all of their movies, so I will leave my ranking of their remaining movies below. Please feel free to share your own rankings in the comments. Thanks! True Grit (2010) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) A Serious Man (2009) Barton Fink (1991) The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) Blood Simple (1984) Miller's Crossing (1990)

By CJ Tiernan Amusement parks are the bees knees. The proverbial cat's pajamas. I have been to Universal multiple times over the years and have always loved my time there. Now I haven't been to Universal Studios Florida in several years, so I haven't gotten the chance to explore DreamWorks Land. I've also had the pleasure of attending dating back to the early '90s, so I have several attractions on this list that no longer exist (insert sad face emoji here). This list doesn't include any rides from Universal Islands of Adventure or the newly opened Epic Universe (future lists en route). Here are my 11 favorite rides at Universal Studios of all time. Studio Sarah Lou, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 1. E.T. Adventure This ride is a nostalgic delight. More and more, rides are utilizing screens and discontinuing animatronics. Keep the animatronics, please! They create such a uniquely magical experience at theme parks. This ride starts with a queue that weaves through impossibly tall trees. Then you get to hop on a bike and fly through the air to aide the titular alien in getting home after he's already made the call. Soaring over a tiny town is always fun (Peter Pan in Magic Kingdom lets you do the same thing) and then there's the end. E.T. thanks you for your help. By name! It was such a cool wrinkle when I was a kid, even though he kinda butchered my cousin Siobhan's name. To be fair, that one gets most of us from this planet as well. Check this one out next time you're there. I don't think you'll have to worry about it being replaced anytime soon like some of the other rides on this list. Legend has it, as long the theme park remains, this ride is contractually obligated to exist. Yay! 2. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Full disclosure: I only ever got to ride this one once and now it's gone forever, so I don't have quite the sample size of most of the other rides on this list. However, my one experience was all time great. My sister, 2 of my brothers, my brother-in-law, and my dad were just getting to the lockers before the ride and stowing our valuables when an employee went up to my dad (who looked a lot like Santa Claus at the time) and asked us to come with them. We didn't know what was going on, but we followed to an elevator. At the top, we had a small area to stow our effects, and then came around the corner and the ride was right there. We were chosen like the 3-eyed alien in Toy Story (sorry, wrong IP) and got the VIP treatment. It was magical. We called it a Christmas miracle because it was Christmas Eve. The ride itself starts with a full 90 degree vertical climb and then it's off to the races. I found out after the ride you can also choose your song from a pretty long list of options. I went default. No regrets. If you got a chance to ride this one, be thankful. If you're looking for the VIP treatment, go with Santa. 3. Revenge of the Mummy This is an indoor roller coaster. It is based on one my Top 20 favorite movies of all time. When I rode it in 2021, they announced that it would be undergoing a revamp, so I don't know how different it is now, but when I was on it, it was sick! Even my mom loved it and she doesn't do roller coasters. My favorite part is when you're in a room and then the entire ceiling lights on fire and you can feel the burn. How cool!? 4. Jaws This ride is also extinct. If you got a chance to climb aboard, cherish it. This ride has shades of Jungle Cruise, as you would hop on a boat and someone would talk to you as they led you around. They would take you to spots where there were shark attacks and show you the sights, but then there is a distress call over the radio and the game is on. Don't worry! Your skipper has a frickin' grenade launcher. Aw man, I wish this one was still in play. 5. Earthquake: The Big One This ride gave you the opportunity to live out an 8.3 earthquake while in a train car in San Francisco. It was so cool to watch the infrastructure crumble above and around you (and not feel like you were going to die). There was a semi-truck that came sliding down at you from the road above and a giant flood of water came rushing by. There was a second version of the ride that I don't remember, but this first one, based on a '70s movie I never saw, was so much fun! 6. Transformers: The Ride 3D The 2007, Michael Bay-helmed movie was tons of fun. It transported these animated robot cars into the real world. This ride took it a step further, by placing you in that world at the same time. In 3-D! This ride is very reminiscent of the Spider-Man ride in Islands of Adventure, as the style of the ride is quite similar, but the action and sound-effects are a real treat. Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, two of the greatest vocal performers of all time, go head-to-head as Optimus Prime and Megatron and we come out the winners. Check this one out. It still exists! 7. Back to the Future - The Ride Nerd fantasy became a reality with this ride as you had the opportunity to hitch a ride with Doc Brown in the DeLorean (An 8-passenger, convertible facsimile) to try and catch Biff Tannen as he runs amok in the space-time continuum. Alas, it has gone the way of the dodo, and the effects would seem pretty crude by todays standards, but man was it a real treat back in the '90s. Speaking of treat, just outside the queue for this ride, a youthful 6 and a half year old me was about to bite into a footlong hotdog when a seagull swooped in and Bogarted about 10 inches. Core memory. 8. The Simpsons Ride The entire Simpsons world (Springfield, U.S.A. ) is a really cool thing to see. There are several landmarks from the show and who doesn't love the idea of Duff Beer topiaries. The ride itself takes you through Springfield and puts its cast of zany characters on full display. It's pretty cool. They take you to a little room with the Simpsons car parked in it. Then they raise the car up into the air and you get to view a giant domed screen as the story plays out. The car you're sitting in does whip around a lot, so make sure to keep your head pressed against the head rest or you'll look like Sideshow Bob after he steps on all those rakes. 9. Hogwarts Express The Hogwarts Express is both a ride and a mode of transportation. It allows you to travel between Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. The train looks just like it does in the movies from the outside, but the bigger surprise is that it becomes an attraction while in motion. There are silhouettes of Harry Potter characters that talk as they walk by the train corridors, and the window is a screen that allows you to watch some Harry Potter characters and easter eggs play out. Plus, it gives a different show depending on which way you're traveling. And yes, you get on to the train at platform 9 ¾. And yes, you can have a butterbeer (or 10) when you arrive. 10. Men in Black: Alien Attack Can you tell why I like this amusement park? After Back to the Future was in my Top 10 favorite movies of all time, and The Mummy was in the Top 20, Men in Black makes the list and is in my Top 30. The queue alone is so fun for this ride as you get to parade through the starched-white walls of the Men in Black headquarters. You even get to eavesdrop on the little smoking worm aliens as they hang out in the break room. Once you get on the ride, it is a shoot-'em-up adventure. You are out there shooting the bad aliens (remember, they're not all bad) and trying to rack up a higher score than the person next to you. You don't get Noisy Cricket, but you still get to wield a lot of fire power. Check it out while it lasts! 11. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Back to the Potterverse, y'all! This ride allows you to hurl through Gringotts bank in a mine cart. As the title would suggest, it's not a leisurely stroll. The ride is a lot of fun, even if it is a little too reliant on video screens. More animatronics, please! The queue for this ride is the greatest queue I've ever experienced. You enter through the big, marbled lobby of the bank before descending into the bowels of the operation. Every Harry Potter fan ought to be given the chance to live a day in this universe. From the immersion in Diagon Alley (with a fire-breathing dragon) to the chance to team up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the ride, this place is an honor and a privilege. Unlock your next trip right now! Alohomora! Final Thoughts All of these rides were so much fun. If you are someone who makes an annual pilgrimage, or frequents this park even more often than that: Jealous! I had the great fortune to attend several times with my family, and it forged memories I wouldn't trade for anything (except maybe a frozen butterbeer on a hot July afternoon). I hope you get the chance one day. Plus, I even had to leave some great attractions off my list. Kongfrontation was a really cool King Kong ride where you rode an aerial cable car during an evacuation of New York due to the presence of an oversized gorilla. You would get to play witness to Kong himself, as well as the carnage he wrought. Twister...Ride It Out was also cool. Like Earthquake, it gave you an opportunity to ride out (eh, see what I did there?) a natural disaster without all the pesky imminent demise vibes. Imminent Demise Vibes! Dibs on that as my band name! Anyway, please let me know in the comments what your favorite rides in the Universal Studios park are. Thanks!

By CJ Tiernan Romantic Comedies, or Rom Coms, are the dessert of the movie world. They're delicious and put a smile on our face without all that pesky nutritional value. I have assembled a list of my Top 11 favorite Rom Coms of all time and I'm willing to bet it differs from yours. That's all right. We all like different things. The thing we can agree on is a happy ending. A happy ending is a delicious morsel that I'll take a bite of every time. 1. The Princess Bride (1987) A lot of the movies that came out this long ago have an inaccessibility to me. They just feel a note off, as though inside jokes are whipping over my head. But, this one is perfect. The fantasy elements and the action are perfectly woven together with a litany of larger-than-life characters. The six-fingered man, Wallace Shawn, and a giant? As you wish. 2. The Big Sick (2017) Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons I was a huge fan of Kumail Nanjiani's stand-up comedy and loved him in Silicon Valley, so when I found out he was gonna be in a movie, I was so in. Then, it turned out that movie was a deeply personal story of how he met his real-life wife written by the two of them. That alone is moving. But the story itself? Oh boy is it a beautiful ride. 3. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) This one is also written by the star of the film (Jason Segel) but apart from the famous "naked breakup" scene, it isn't based on a true story. It is, however, a delightful story following the aftermath of a breakup in a very comedic fashion. Featuring puppets! 4. Wedding Crashers (2005) Wedding Crashers is one of the most quotable movies I've ever seen. It's also one of the funniest. It is largely a comedy, but there is a fun love story in the middle with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. It also unleashes Vince Vaughn to go full Vince Vaughn up against a stage-5 clinger. And I could be wrong, but I think this is the movie that introduced the world to Bradley Cooper. 5. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) This is a fun one. A hit man (John Cusack) returns to his 10-year High School Reunion and bumps into the one that got away (Minnie Driver). He also has to fend off a rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) all while his handler is in his ear (John's real-life sister Joan Cusack). Definitely worth the watch. 6. Little Shop of Horrors (1986) If you don't count the singing Dracula in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (although how could you not?), this is the first musical on the list. It's an adaptation of a stage play, which was a musical adaptation of a previous Little Shop of Horrors movie. A musical in a small floral shop down on Skid Row may sound like a tough spot for music glory, but you'd be wrong. The guys behind the music (Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) went on to team up for the music and lyrics in The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). They know how to tickle the heart-strings. 7. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021) A time loop Rom Com. What more do you need? How about being stuck in a time loop and finding a fellow time looper. This movie is fun and simultaneously inventive and familiar. Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen are enchanting as the teenagers at the heart of this one. 8. Palm Springs (2020) Another time loop movie? Heck yeah! This movie has some of the melancholy of the O.G. (Groundhog day) while also harboring the comedy you'd expect from a movie with Andy Samberg. It's heartfelt and genuinely funny. That's the definition of a Rom Com. 9. Dan In Real Life (2007) Meet cute. Check. Widower. Check. Falling for someone you can't be with. Check. This baby is out here checking Rom Com boxes left and right. It also has great performances from Steve Carrell, Juliette Binoche, and (perhaps surprisingly) Dane Cook. Definitely worth checking out. 10. About Time (2013) Alright. I admit it. I have a type. Yes this is another time loop/time travel movie. What do you want me to do? I can't leave it off the list and if you've seen you know it belongs here. A beautiful Rom Com about a man who inherited the ability to travel through time genetically. Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson are beautiful in this. 11. Hitch (2005) Man, Will Smith is so good. This is toward the tail end of his epic run of blockbuster smashes, but it is great. He plays the titular Hitch as a man who coaches other men on the art of wooing women. He is great at what he does and it's all going well until he falls for Eva Mendes' character. This movie also has a top-notch Kevin James as the perfectly named Albert Brennaman, who hires Smith's Hitch to help him get a date. Very fun movie and another movie that is very easy to quote over and over. "This is home." A Heartfelt Finale There are many great reasons to watch a movie, but ultimately we seek entertainment. Whether it's the wish fulfillment of a happy ending, the immersion in another world, or the joy of seeing things from inside someone else's shoes, movies have the power to move us emotionally. I love the opportunity to escape for a couple of hours and live through things that don't or can't happen in reality. Below is a list of some of the wonderful movies that just missed making the Top 11 list. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) Superbad (2007) The Fall Guy (2024) Jerry Maguire (1996) Meet the Parents (2000) Knocked Up (2007) Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Hit Man (2024) Her (2013) Bridesmaids (2011) Definitely, Maybe (2008) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) Midnight in Paris (2011)

By CJ Tiernan As a person who goes by CJ, I'm a fan of a nickname. I'm really a big proponent of having fun with what you call people, as long as said people are in on the fun. I'm also a sports fan. Athletes have had a long list of excellent nicknames dating back to way before ESPN ever showed highlights or dropped a "Boo-Yah!" Below, I've created a list of my favorite nicknames in all of sports. 1. The Minister of Defense - Reggie White Position: NFL Defensive End Team(s): Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers Years Active: 1985-2000 Full Disclosure: I'm a Green Bay Packers fan. I feel confident that was a factor in ranking this one as high as possible. I love this one because not only is it unique, but it also hits on accuracy. He was first given the nickname in college, as he became a Baptist minister while enrolled. He was a minister that played on defense. They nailed it. 2. The Galloping Ghost - Red Grange Position: College/NFL/AFL Running Back Team(s): Chicago Bears, New York Yankees, Illinois Fighting Illini Years Active: 1925-1927, 1929-1934 This nickname is awesome. It's so awesome that I chose an athlete who played like 100 years ago. Obviously, I never saw him play. Which was too bad because he was up to some weird stuff. He helped invent a football team and named it the New York Yankees. What!? He also played in College Football and Pro Football in the same season. As a bonus, he was born Harold Edward Grange so "Red" is a nickname too. 3. The Flyin' Hawaiian - Shane Victorino Position: MLB Outfielder Team(s): San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, LA Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Years Active: 2003, 2005-2015 Another spot-on nickname. He was from Hawaii and he flew around the outfield to the tune of 4 Gold Gloves. Plus it rhymes. You'll pretty much always get bonus points from me if you make something rhyme. 4. Sultan of Swat/Colossus of Clout - Babe Ruth Position: MLB Outfielder/Pitcher Team(s): Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Boston Braves Years Active: 2003, 2005-2015 If the movie "The Sandlot" is to be believed, this guy was like the king of nicknames. I didn't even include "The Great Bambino," "The Titan of Terror," or "The King of Crash." Babe Ruth was famously one of the best baseball players of all time. Can you imagine not knowing one of the best players' of all time actual name? Surprise: Babe is a nickname too. He was born George Herman Ruth. 5. The Gravedigger - Gilbert Brown Position: NFL Nose Tackle Team(s): Green Bay Packers Years Active: 1993-2003 Alright, now my Green-and-Gold tinted glasses are really showing. But how sick is this nickname? And it came with a move! When he made a sack or a tackle behind the line of scrimmage he would pantomime holding a shovel and digging dirt from the ground. Epic! I need more grave digging and less Griddy dancing in my life. 6. The Hick from French Lick - Larry Bird Position: NBA Forward Team(s): Boston Celtics Years Active: 1979-1992 I like this one for several reasons. One, it's just a straight-up insult and Larry was just too midwest nice to say anything (If you're hip to his epic trash talk during his playing days, you may push back a little there). And two, he is one of the best NBA players of all time and this name makes him seem like he backed into success or something. He was also known as "Larry Legend," which is like how you call LeBron James "King James" at 18 because greatness is as inevitable as it is unassuming. French Lick is a small resort town in Indiana, by the way, where Larry went to High School. 7. The Law Firm - BenJarvus Green-Ellis Position: NFL Running Back Team(s): New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals Years Active: 2008-2013 This is my kind of nickname right here. The cadence to his name sounds like a list of several names (like the title of a law firm), so someone called him "The Law Firm" and it stuck. Like how, as an adult, you have people in your life you call by their last name because you played sports with them in Elementary School. This nickname is unquestionably the most memorable thing about his career, although he did finish with exactly double the number of career rushing touchdowns that Red Grange had. Veronica Belmont, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 8. The Flying Tomato - Shaun White Position: Snowboarder/Skateboarder Team(s): USA Olympian Years Active: 2002-2022 If you're gonna suffer the indignity of being named after propelled produce, you're gonna need a good sense of humor. Shaun is laughing all the way to the bank as an all-timer in the Olympics and at 2 different board sports. He received the nickname because he's a red head. How 'bout that: red heads are people too. 9. The Wizard of Westwood - John Wooden Position: College Head Coach Team(s): Indiana State, UCLA Years Active: 1946-1975 Whelp, I cheated. I sought to play an honest game but here I've gone and put a coach on the list. Technically, he was a 3 time All-American at Purdue, so he didn't not play. But obviously, he's famous for coaching. Specifically, he's famous for winning 10 college basketball national championships in a 12 year span, including 7 in a row. Westwood refers to a neighborhood in LA where the campus resides. 10. Slash - Kordell Stewart Position: NFL Quarterback/Gadget Guy Team(s): Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens Years Active: 1995-2005 Here's another fun nickname. Slash refers to the backslash (/) that one would use to divide various positions, as he managed to play many different roles for his teams. He could pass, run, and catch. He even punted in a playoff game once. He was an early prototype for what some of the very best QBs of today excel at. 11. The Round Mound of Rebound - Charles Barkley Position: NBA Forward Team(s): Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets Years Active: 1984-2000 Here's another nickname that we slapped on a great player that feels like an insult. Today, Chuck plays a caricature of himself on TV. Back in his playing days, oh man. I would not want that smoke. While the name clearly attacks his weight, he does also have the nickname "Sir Charles" in his back pocket for special occasions. Plus, the nickname does also highlight the fact that he was a demon on the boards. Final Thoughts There are tons and tons of nicknames for athletes and it was so hard to pare it down to a Top 11. I'm sure I left off more than a few of your favorites. Please let me know who I missed. I will leave you with a small list of the athletes that just missed the cut on my list. El Mago - Javier Báez The Baltimore Bullet - Michael Phelps The Splendid Splinter - Ted Williams The Akron Hammer - LeBron James The Greek God of Walks - Kevin Youkilis Wilt the Stilt - Wilt Chamberlain The Greatest - Muhammad Ali Magic - Earvin Johnson The Playmaker - Michael Irvin Night Train - Dick Lane The Refrigerator - William Perry

By CJ Tiernan When you think of parodies, you think SNL on TV, Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker for movies (Airplane!, The Naked Gun, Hot Shots!) and "Weird Al" Yankovic for music. He has managed to lampoon the hit music of the day for preposterously long time. Listening to "Weird Al" is a joy, a delight, and fun for the whole family. Here is a list of my 11 favorite studio albums by "Weird Al." Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons 1. "Running with Scissors" (1999) Best Songs The parody of Don McLean's "American Pie" about Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace called " The Saga Begins " is not only the first and most famous track from this album, but it might be in the running as his most recognizable song period. Other winners on this album include " Grapefruit Diet ," a parody of "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies, " Pretty Fly for a Rabbi ," a send-up of The Offspring's "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)," and " It's All about the Pentiums " spoofing Puff Daddy's "It's All About the Benjamins. Reason it Rocks My favorite song of all time by Weird Al is the final track on this album, an 11 minute and 22 second epic called " Albuquerque ." It's not a direct parody, but written in the style of, among others, The Rugburn's song "Dick's Automotive." It's largely spoken word, apart from the chorus, and is a meandering tale with delightfully little rhyme or reason. 2. "Poodle Hat" (2003) Best Songs The first track is a parody of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem called " Coach Potato ." It goes through and lists a bunch of TV shows that were on at the time. A parody of "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne called " A Complicated Song " and " Ode to a Superhero " a parody of Billy Joel's "Piano Man" about the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man. Reason it Rocks The second track on the album is a "Weird Al" original titled " Hardware Store ." It's a delightfully fast-paced song extolling the virtues of having a new hardware store open in your town. There is a moment towards the end wherein he musically blows through a list of a bunch of different possible purchases at a break neck speed that I cannot get enough of. 3. "Straight Outta Lynwood" (2006) Best Songs " Trapped in a Drive-Thru ," a parody of "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly, is a long, meandering tale with a delicious ending. It draws out the difficulty of deciding what's for dinner, wringing it out for every drop. " Canadian Idiot ," a send-up of Canada lampooning Green Day's "American Idiot" and a song about the pancreas in the style of a Beach Boys founder (Brian Wilson), aptly titled " Pancreas ," also hits the spot. Reason it Rocks The unquestioned star of the show here is " White & Nerdy ." An anthem for all of us who check both boxes, this spoof of Chamillionaire's "Ridin'" hits the spot. A call to arms to let your freak flag fly. It was also the only "Weird Al" song to every chart inside the top 10 (9th) on the US Billboard Hot 100. 4. "Bad Hair Day" (1996) Best Songs " Amish Paradise " is on this album. Spoofing Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" leads to one of "Weird Al's" best ever genre/subject mashups. I'm also a big fan of the spoof of the Presidents of the United States of America's "Lump" about Forrest Gump titled " Gump " and " Everything You Know is Wrong " in the style of They Might Be Giants. Reason it Rocks Step aside "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." "Weird Al" would like a word. In the style of Soul Asylum's "Black Gold," "Weird Al" offers up " The Night Santa Went Crazy ." As the title would suggest, Kris Kringle snaps and there is a handsome amount of Christmasy carnage. 5. "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D (1984) Best Songs This album starts with a bang. " Eat It ," a parody to Michael Jackson's "Beat It," is the first track and was his second highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100 (12th). I'm a sucker for " Mr. Popeil ," a parody in the style of the B-52's about direct response marketing guru Ron Popeil. "You could even cut a tin can with it, but you wouldn't want to" gets me every time. I also love the send-up of the Police's "King of Pain" titled "King of Suede " and "Weird Al" original " Midnight Star " about the various headlines you see in the tabloids at the supermarket checkout line. Reason it Rocks The final track on this album is another "Weird Al" original called " Nature Trail to Hell ." It lampoons both slasher flicks and the 3-D glasses fad that movie theaters have gone through several times now in their history. This album also features a cameo appearance of the late, great Don Pardo on the song " I Lost on Jeopardy ," a spoof of "Jeopardy" by The Greg Kihn Band. The song is about the game show "Jeopardy!," of which he was the original announcer and the longtime announcer on SNL. 6. "Dare to Be Stupid" (1985) Best Songs Madonna's "Like a Virgin" was ripe for a parody and our boy Al delivered with " Like a Surgeon ." "I was last in my class, barely passed" is not what one wants to hear from their surgeon, but remember that every medical class has someone who graduated last. Just let that fester during your next elective surgery. My favorite track on this album is " Dare to be Stupid ." In the style of Devo, it delivers a delicious mantra for all of us introverts to rally around. I'm surprised "Weird Al" hasn't already produced a mockumentary entitled "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." Reason it Rocks Al's first foray into the Star Wars waters absolutely delivers. Coupled with "The Saga Begins," " Yoda ," a parody of "Lola" by The Kinks, used to be a frequent set closer/encore for "Weird Al" concerts. 7. "Even Worse" (1988) Best Songs " You Make Me " in the style of Oingo Boingo and " I Think I'm a Clone Now " lampooning Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" both hit on this album. That being said, the unquestioned headliner is the opening track, a spoof of "Bad" by Michael Jackson titled " Fat ." He goes back to the parody-a-Michael-Jackson-hit-by-discussing-gluttony well and it's an absolute delight. Reason it Rocks My favorite track on this album is the final track and it's such a fun one because of its left-turn shock value. " Good Old Days ," in the style of James Taylor, sounds like a down-home sweet and innocent song. Until it isn't. It makes me smile every time. " Melanie ," a "Weird Al" original is in the same vein. 8. "Mandatory Fun" (2014) Best Songs This is "Weird Al's" last studio album (I'm not crying, you're crying) and he goes out with a bang. He has some really fun concepts like " Mission Statement ," in style of Crosby, Stills & Nash, that drowns the listener in corporate jargon and " Sports Song " in the style of college fight songs that rambles through rooting for sports in a gloriously general manner. Reason it Rocks The best execution of these fun concepts is " Word Crimes ," a parody of "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke (son of Growing Pains patriarch Alan Thicke). The song runs through grammar usage and its many pitfalls and misuses. As someone who only speaks English, I make a concerted effort to speak it as good as possible😁. As such, I am someone who harbors many of the grammatical pet peeves touched on in the song. It SPEAKS to me while also entertaining me. 9. "Alpocalypse" (2011) Best Songs " Skipper Dan ," in the style of Weezer is so great. It follows someone who wants to be the pinnacle of acting but it's hard out there so they end up as a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise ride. " Party in the CIA ," which may be his greatest effort in conveying both the subject of the song (CIA) and the source of the parody ("Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus) within the title. He also lampoons Lady Gaga with the one-two punch of using her song "Born this way" to list her many unique style choices with " Perform this Way ." Reason it Rocks The second track on this album is in the style of The White Stripes and is about panelist regular on Match Game Charles Nelson Reilly. Titled " CNR ," this song sings of a larger than life figure à la Chuck Norris facts. This is my second favorite "Weird Al" song behind "Albuquerque." 10. "Off the Deep End" (1992) Best Songs "Weird Al" original " When I Was Your Age " and a parody of "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer titled " I Can't Watch This " are strong entries. A send-up of Gerardo's "Rico Suave" called " Taco Grande " and a song about the middle of an Oreo aptly named " The White Stuff " parodying "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block also represent on this album. Reason it Rocks The pièce de résistance here is " Smells Like Nirvana ." A parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, it largely lampoons the unintelligibility of Kurt Cobain's words in the song. Top notch! 11. "Alapalooza" (1993) Best Songs " Livin' in the Fridge " is one of "Weird Al's" very best. A parody of "Livin' on the Edge" by Aerosmith, it chronicles the aftermath of leaving leftovers to their own devices. " Franks's 2000" TV " in the style of R.E.M. and " Bedrock Anthem ," a Flintstones song parodying Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away." I'm also a glutton for "Weird Al" original " Talk Soup ." Reason it Rocks Jurassic Park was the biggest movie released in 1993. " Jurassic Park " was also the best song "Weird Al" released that year. It was a parody of "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris. Let's break this down. "MacArthur Park" is the ridiculously delicious song that prattles on about someone leaving a cake out in the rain. Even more pressing: this Richard Harris is the same Richard Harris that played Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. [Insert exploding mind emoji here] Final Thoughts "Weird Al" had a career that spanned an incredible length of time. He has touched a number of different genres and styles, both timeless and incredibly moment-in-time. I've always gotten joy listening to him, ever since I was first introduced to him by my childhood best friend's older brother. This might be an overly broad statement, but I feel like everyone was introduced to "Weird Al" via a big brother. "Weird Al" ended up releasing 14 total studio albums. Below is a quick list of the 3 albums I left off my list. Please feel free to share your list in the comments. "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983) Best Song: "My Bologna" - "My Sharona" by The Knack Polka Party! (1986) Best Song: "Dog Eat Dog" - style of Talking Heads UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff (1989) Best Song: "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" - style of Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot