Category: Popular Culture

2 crazy road trips, 1 wild ride: ‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World’ and ‘Honky Tonk Freeway’

L.T. HanlonLeave a comment
Fake photo craeted in Midjourney shows a poorly conceptualized Ethel Merman and Beau Bridges sitting on tires for a proposed crossover of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and "Honky Tonk Freeway" called "Don't Make Me Mad: Tickle Me Ticlaw."
Independent producer R.J. “Red” Bunnysucker uses Midjourney to poorly conceptualize Ethel Merman and Beau Bridges in his proposed crossover of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Honky Tonk Freeway” called “Don’t Make Me Mad, Ticlaw Me Pink.”

In the wild ride of movie history, two films stand out. They are “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” from 1963, a funny-as-hell fling from Stanley Kramer, and the darkly amusing 1981 flick “Honky Tonk Freeway” by John Schlesinger.

The first was a hit; the second a shit.

But both tell us a lot about America’s free spirit.

Both movies love the open road. The road trip, the ultimate symbol of freedom, is where all the human drama plays out. In “Mad World,” a mad dash for hidden cash is not just about the money but the journey. “Honky Tonk Freeway,” however, puts a little town named Ticlaw under the microscope, showing us a small slice of American capitalism, where an off-ramp from the freeway becomes a dream.

“Mad World” is all about how crazy people can get when there’s money involved. It pokes fun at our money-obsessed society with its colorful cast of comic stars, each showing a different side of our pursuit of wealth.

“Honky Tonk Freeway,” though, takes a different angle. It’s like a wild photo of 1980s America, full of excess. Ticlaw is a small town chasing after every tourist buck it can, even if it means selling its soul. It’s a funny but sad comment on how far we’ve taken the American Dream.

These two movies meet at the intersection of comedy and critique. They use the ridiculous to show us the real. If “Mad World” offers the mad rush after World War II to get rich, then “Honky Tonk Freeway” laughs at the neon greed of the ’80s. They’re like funny pictures of their time, showing us that the American Dream is often a wild chase after nothing.

But here’s the thing: Even while they’re poking fun, these movies still show love for the American Dream. They’re not making fun of the dream but how silly we can get about it. Both find humor in our mistakes and show that we never give up trying for something better. They’re not mean, but a therapy: laughing at ourselves helps us understand ourselves.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Honky Tonk Freeway” take a good, hard, but loving look at America and our love for the open road.

By showing us the human spirit chasing after success, they reveal our shared journey’s funny and silly side. So as we keep traveling our roads, let’s remember to laugh at the side trips, respect the speed bumps, and enjoy the wild show that is this crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy world.

Hey, y’all! It’s real-life ‘GTA’ in Arkansas!

L.T. Hanlon2 Comments
Midjourney-created line drawing of a highway patrolman standing next to his patrol car.

In an exciting example of the power of a positive public image, the Arkansas State Police have become online stars.

An assortment of YouTube videos features the state’s troopers immersed in law enforcement. These videos, offering an unfiltered perspective, provide a far more intricate view than popular TV programs such as “Cops.”

The videos, which seem to have been made accessible via Freedom of Information Act requests or, perhaps, a deliberate public communication plan, apparently are compiled and posted by YouTube channel owners, not Arkansas officials.

Among these videos, the high-speed pursuits grab viewers’ attention. Many conclude with a trooper skillfully executing a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) or a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI), successfully forcing fleeing vehicles off the road.

Trooper Jacob Byrd, affectionately known as “The Byrdman,” has earned praise from viewers for his impressive maneuvering. The guy’s an online phenomenon.

Naturally, the question arises: Why do drivers risk trying to evade law enforcement?

Outstanding warrants or legal issues — Individuals with existing warrants or legal issues might try to flee to avoid immediate apprehension.

Carrying illicit substances or objects — Those involved in unlawful activities or transporting illegal goods or substances might try to outrun law enforcement to avert detection and possible prosecution.

Lack of proper documentation — Drivers without valid licenses, insurance, or vehicle registration might try to escape, hoping to sidestep penalties for these infractions.

Impaired judgment — Substance abuse can lead to poor decision-making, and inebriated drivers may irrationally evade the police.

Fear or panic — Basic fear or a sudden panic response could cause a driver to flee the scene after spotting law enforcement.

They’re idiots — If you’re like me, you’ve long concluded that although people are basically good, they’re basically stupid. Don’t believe me? Just look around you. (I’ll wait.)

The world of high-speed police pursuits does carry a certain level of excitement. Who hasn’t been riveted while watching a car chase unfold in a film or broadcast live on TV? It’s akin to a high-stakes chess game on wheels, where every tactical move and countermove has immediate, real-world consequences.

It isn’t hard to believe that some police officers might even feel a grudging respect for the driving abilities of these audacious motorists, much like a seasoned athlete might respect a formidable adversary.

However, remember that while these situations might provide compelling action movie scenes or gripping news footage, they unfold on actual streets among real individuals. The risk factor is high, and law enforcement’s primary goal remains to ensure public safety.

In one Arkansas State Police video, after a suspect is pulled from his high-performance car, he declares: “I’m just saying I could’ve had y’all. Yeah, that was fun, though, wasn’t it?”

The troopers assure him it was not.

Suggested YouTube channels

Arkansas Police Activity

Code Blue Cam

Florida Cop Cam

Natural State Transparency

Police Pursuits

Who needs human writers? AI creates a sitcom

L.T. HanlonLeave a comment
Midjourney AI bot created this faux publicity shot showing the diverse cast of a nonexistent sitcom called "Eco Heights."
The cast of “Eco Heights” provides sustainable laughs and social relevancy. (Fake photo by Midjourney)

Everybody knows how much respect I have for Hollywood’s creative minds. The last thing we want to have happen is for this actors and writers strike to deprive the world of the original, fresh, creative ideas flowing from the business end of that woke firehose.

So, I gave ChatGPT the following prompt:

Create a 500-word pitch for a 30-minute sitcom designed to appeal to today’s streaming-content audiences. Include a diverse cast and suggest some culturally sensitive comedic situations.

The GPT-4 model came up something pretty good. Check it out:

Imagine the classic sitcom setup with a fresh, millennial-driven twist: “Eco Heights” is a delightful 30-minute sitcom designed to encapsulate the challenges and rewards of urban eco-living in today’s fast-paced, tech-centric world.

The plot revolves around an eclectic group of tenants who, united by their commitment to sustainable living, have moved into an eco-friendly, intelligent apartment complex named “Eco Heights.” With high-speed Wi-Fi running on solar power, communal vegetable gardens on rooftops, recycled water systems, and a sharing economy that even includes clothes, this setting brings unique trials, tribulations, and comedic moments. The humor emerges from the residents’ struggle to balance their desire for a low-impact lifestyle with the realities of living in a modern, connected world.

Our central character, Alex, is an enthusiastic but socially awkward tech innovator who has launched a green start-up. Alex’s struggle to connect with people and navigate the dating scene, combined with the effort to keep his fledgling business afloat, creates comedic gold.

Next, we have Mona, a fiercely independent, wise-cracking woman in her late 50s who practices yoga and adheres to a strict vegan lifestyle. Mona was a corporate executive before turning to sustainable living, leading to hilarious clashes between her business-minded past and her new green-lifestyle aspirations.

Other tenants include Gabriel, an Afro-Latino gay man known for his culinary experiments with organic food, often leading to kitchen disasters, and Jin, an Asian-American punk-rocker turned bicycle repair enthusiast, trying to go car-free in the city.

We also have Nadia, a Middle Eastern single mother and dedicated compost enthusiast, striving to raise her 8-year-old, tech-addicted son, Loomis while trying to teach him the benefits of sustainable living. The dynamic between Nadia’s traditional parenting and Loomis’ tech-centric world offers humor and relatability for a generation bridging two eras.

A regular character is Ravi, an Indian software engineer who lives virtually, constantly creating new apps to help manage the apartment’s eco-system, with often comically disastrous results.

Finally, the overly ambitious and slightly eccentric building manager, Susan, continuously tries to start new, sometimes unfeasible, eco-initiatives leading to a fair share of laughter.

“Eco Heights” delves into timely and culturally sensitive themes through a comedic lens. It explores the intersections of technology and sustainability, generational and cultural gaps, modern dating in a tech-centric world, and our struggle to balance our desire for convenience with our commitment to the planet.

Each episode features comedic situations, such as a fight over sunlit areas for solar charging, an unexpected mix-up in the clothing share library, misunderstandings about compost etiquette, or the absurdity of a silent disco powered by pedal electricity.

With its diverse cast and focus on eco-consciousness, “Eco Heights” offers a humor-filled reflection of our times, inviting the audience to laugh at our collective quirks while subtly raising awareness about sustainability. Its modernity, diversity, and cultural sensitivity make it a perfect fit for today’s streaming-content audiences.

Kerouac and Newman: Hot then, hot later?

L.T. Hanlon1 Comment
Navy induction photos of Jack Kerouac and Paul Newman. They're both attractuive young men.
Induction photos of Jack Kerouac (left) and Paul Newman.

I’ve recently noticed a continuing stir online over some old Navy induction photos of Jack Kerouac and Paul Newman from the 1940s.

People are losing it over how hot these two dudes look, which got me wondering: Were they that good-looking, or do they seem more desirable because they became famous in later years?

Beauty is a tricky thing; it changes with the times. In the ’40s, men were expected to be clean-cut and rugged, like the all-American boy next door. And Kerouac and Newman were all that and more. Looking at these photos, I can see why folks back then would have swooned over them.

But here’s the thing — we’re also being influenced by what we know about these guys now. It’s like this thing called the halo effect. We’re more inclined to find them attractive because they’re famous, and we know of their achievements later in life. Kerouac became the voice of the Beat Generation, and Newman was not just a brilliant actor but also a great guy who did a lot for charity. All this stuff makes them look even better to us now.

So it’s a mix of both. They were handsome guys back then, but knowing what they achieved makes them even hotter. It’s remarkable how beauty isn’t just one thing; it can change with time and be shaped by our feelings.

What do you think?