2008-01-10

A Pointless Comparison Between Three Random Shows

There are three American shows that I watch at random intervals: Letterman, Leno and Conan O'Brien. Which one is the best? I don't have an opinion on that specific subjection but I have a lot of opinions on what they're good and bad at. Here's my list:

  • Best Interviewer. It's definitely Conan. He can be both serious and hilarious during the same interview and he usually has good questions. Letterman is second with Leno a boring third.
  • Best Band. I think it's impossible to grade musicians, all the bands are good. However, there is one band that plays the best music by far and that is The Max Weinberg 7, Conan's band. I'd say Leno's band comes second and Letterman's a distant third.
  • Best Writers. All shows have a crew of writers to write the funny parts in between the interviews. Leno has by far the best writers. They're doing some real comedy on that show. It actually makes you laugh. Letterman comes second here. It's not that funny but not as poor as for Conan O'Brien. His writers staff should be fired immediately. It's mostly just absurd, gross or stupid, only once in a while funny.
  • Best Sidekick. This is rather a matter of who is the least bad side kick. Kevin Eubanks is quite OK as a side kick for Leno. Max Weinberg mostly does weird stuff but he is not as annoying as Paul Shaffer.
  • Funniest host. Conan O'Brien win this one hands down. The way he can make jokes ad lib is second to none. He is totally hilarious on a regular basis. Letterman comes second here I think. I just don't think Leno is that funny without a manuscript.


I don't have a winner although Letterman has never been a favorite of mine. I think it will be interesting to see how it goes when Conan takes over Leno's show next year. Hopefully they can take the good thing from both shows to create something thoroughly entertaining.

How come I watch these shows? We don't have anything like these shows in Sweden and some channels show the American shows at times which suit me quite well. But I don't watch the regularly.

2008-01-07

The Future of Science

From Kevin Kelly, former editor of Wired via Phil Wadler's blog.

"Technology is, in its essence, new ways of thinking. The most powerful type of technology, sometimes called enabling technology, is a thought incarnate which enables new knowledge to find and develop news ways to know. This kind of recursive bootstrapping is how science evolves. As in every type of knowledge, it accrues layers of self-reference to its former state."

2008-01-01

What I got for Christmas

This Christmas I got a lot of toys or toy like stuff. I thought I'd give a sample of what I got:



It feels like a bit of a jackpot. Lot's of fun stuff to play with.