MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been reading, listening to, watching?

Deb recommends the new Harry Potter but has some questions.
Lewberry recommends the book "Kitchen Confidential" if you're into cooking or restaurants; he also says stay as far away from Alexander as you can.

Rest in Peace
Not just Peter Jennings who I liked ok, but also Ibrahim Ferrer of Buena Vista Social Club. He was 78.

Hoping to see
Jim Jarmusch's new film, "Broken Flowers" with Bill Murray. Wait, I don't mean I hope to see it with Bill Murray. I mean the film has Bill Murray in it, and I hope to see it. Slate has a review I haven't read but skimmed enough to know they liked it. What are you hoping to see? Will the new Broadway version of The Producers be any good? I loved the original so much I kinda hate to see it redone.

More on Gore TV
Douglas Rushkoff, a former Current TV insider, blogs about the idealism that gave rise to the idea, and his disappointment in the outcome. (via BoingBoing)

It wasn't a cable channel we were talking about, but a movement. And those of us who were ready to lend a hand - everyone from Steven Johnson to Scott Heifferman - were imagining something more like Feed.com or meetup.com than MTV. In fact, the whole idea of putting the thing on television seemed rather superfluous. Why not let this thing evolve more naturally online, where people can post text, photos, or video, and where collaborative filtering could be used to select front-page pieces?
....
Then, from what I can tell, the opportunity arose to buy a cable TV channel. And then focus shifted a bit towards raising the money, making the deal, and becoming a real cable channel. And I'm sure there are realities to all this that are far beyond what I can imagine. I've never raised money, never done a multi-million-dollar project, never had to deal with investors. But television is a powerful force - a powerful medium. A very strong flavor to bring into the recipe.

But it's also *last* century's big medium. It's not the best platform for a participatory media movement. And so the priorities of the project, understandably, shifted to the priorities of TV: looking cool, creating an aspirational culture, and so on.

Gigantic
I finally caught the They Might Be Giants documentary a few nights ago. Not the most professional looking doc you'll ever see, but lots of good stuff, clips and interviews. I wasn't really aware, or else had forgotten, the role they played in early MTV, when all the videos were headbanging bands and then this quirky duo playing music like nobody else suddenly was pushed into heavy rotation.

Weekend Box Office
1. Dukes of Hazzard (ugh)
2. Wedding Crashers
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (still?)
4. Sky High
5. Must Love Dogs