Around the Tubes: 7/1/2017

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Scared Famous, Cloves, Neurotica, Wild Castles, Second Nature, Chatty Catties, and PodcastOne.

- VH1 this week announced the new spine-chilling competition series Scared Famous will premiere on Monday, October 23rd at 9PM ET/PT. Legendary rapper Redman is named the Master of Scare-a-Monies for 10 of the biggest reality stars as they try to endure gruesome challenges and terrifying scares that pay homage to recent horror hits. Over 2 weeks, these celebrities will move into an eerie estate in Savannah, Georgia, one of America’s most haunted cities, and test their limits for a chance to donate $100,000 to his or her favorite charity. They must rely on alliances, strategy and friendships, but supernatural forces beyond their control may be their true undoing.

- Tune in to the AT&T* AUDIENCE Network concert special "CLOVES" airing Friday, September 1, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and on-demand through DIRECTV NOW. In this episode, the 21-year-old London-via-Melbourne singer/songwriter CLOVES with series host Ted Stryker for an in-depth interview.

- In the new IFC Comedy Crib series Neurotica, a plucky dominatrix named Ivy struggles with her OCD and fights to maintain her business when a fancy new MegaDungeon opens in her small town, which could easily be mistaken for Stars Hollow. Created by and starring Jenny Jaffe and produced and directed by Jetpacks Go!.

- The abandoned castles of Europe are magnificent markers of the continent's tempestuous history, but where they once hosted royalty, these empty, hulking structures are now overtaken by the wildlife and rich natural environments flourishing around them. From the exquisite brown bears and aquatic salamanders of Predjama Castle, to the Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired the fictional fortresses of some of Disney’s most iconic princesses, explore the curious history of these imposing European structures and the creatures that now call them home. New episodes of WILD CASTLES will premiere on Smithsonian Earth each Friday, starting today.

- Second Nature was directed and co-written by Seattle's Michael Cross, and was shot in Cross' hometown of Ellensburg, WA with an entirely Northwest-based crew and supporting cast. The film aims to bring light to gender inequality by showing how the rivalry between men and women is alive and well. When mayoral candidate Amanda (Collette Wolfe – Interstellar, Hot Tub Time Machine) uses a magic mirror to reverse the gender roles in her small town, she gains the upper hand on her womanizing opponent, Bret (Sam Huntington – Superman Returns, Sully). As each experiences life in the other’s shoes, they must decide which reality they prefer before they’re stuck in the flipped world forever.


- Following a successful, multi-city theatrical run this past Fall, Pablo Valencia's award-winning comedy, Chatty Catties, featuring Deaf actor John Autry (GLEE) as the voice of Leonard the Cat, is coming to iTunes and Amazon this Tuesday!

- PodcastOne, America’s largest advertiser-supported podcast network, is launching a new, premiere line-up of original sports programming under the banner of PodcastOne Sports.
PodcastOne Sports debuts September 5th with the launch of Attack Each Day: The Harbaugh’s Podcast. Hosted by University of Michigan football coach, Jim Harbaugh, Attack Each Day will feature regular visits by family and friends, including Baltimore Ravens Head Coach and brother, John Harbaugh, former coach and father, Jack, and former University of San Diego player, J.T. Rogan.

I Want My Music Television: 8/29/2017

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift


At first listen of the song you knew the video would be built around the old Taylor is dead line. Still I spent most of the video missing the Our Song era of Taylor. People have been making a lot out how this is “dark Taylor Swift” but it does not sound much different than her last two albums. To me, dark Taylor would sound more like Safe and Sound. Unfortunately the Civil Wars no longer exist; instead she is making another record with the dude from Bleachers who is getting kind of stale (he recently did the underwhelming Lorde sophomore album). If there is a silver lining is that Taylor’s first singles are the worst song off the album, hopefully that is the case here.


The Sky Is a Neighborhood - Foo Fighters


I think like many people around the eclipse, I watched Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart video, apparently so did the Foo Fighters who weirdly are using the same eye-light effect.


Every Little Thing - Carly Pearce


I am a long proponent of sad bastard songs and this one by Carly Pearce is the saddest of 2017 so far.


Batdance - Prince


I cannot count the number of times I went to YouTube searching for Batdance only to remember, oh yeah, Prince hates the internet. A month or two his estate has slowly putting his music videos on the site and last week, we finally got an offiial version of Batdance. I am so happy.