In Better Than The Machine’s latest sketch comedy video, Christina is running for her life. We have unleashed “Prowler.” Can you resist it?

The answer is, of course, “no, you cannot.” Discover the truth for yourself:

Directed by Ballard C. Boyd last week. Edited this evening. I wrote it and I was the bottle master (I found the bottle, I bought the bottle, I kept the bottle safe, I delivered the bottle to the hands of the director… phew, a hard day’s work)! The sketch turned out different than I imagined it, somehow. Which is fine; I think Ballard and Christina did a really good job of making the whole thing drip with suspense. Matt Gallo looks like the worst wrestler ever, but I’ll let it pass since he has a giant knife. Good work, all three of you!

Despite my wishy washiness (or, perhaps, due to my wishy washiness), I think I want to start directing some sketches again. Not a ton, but here and there, I think it might be gratifying.

We started rehearsing for Philly tonight. We’re gonna do a lot of singing. I think we picked out all the sketches we want to do, and everyone seems in general agreement about them. There were only one or two vetoes that I heard. One was for a sketch from the half of unLEVINed to which I did not contribute any writing or ideas. It features the cast as pigeons. I thought it was really funny and visually interesting when I saw the show. I’m glad I got to see a BTTM show–I just wish everyone else in the group could see one too! It certainly gave me a totally different take on sketches I had been in when we first started writing the show. Even though the pigeons may feel crazy, they looked great and were funny!

Make sure to check bttm.net next week for a brand new sketch comedy video!

–Reid.

“Sometimes it’s necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly.”

-Edward Albee, American playwright.

Believe it or not, you will always be a part of me.

–Reid.

A crisply ironed shirt says, “Hey World, I’m an important enough person to wear an ironed shirt!” Iowa Training Films would know.

Hurray, another video with me in at last! Aaand I’m headed out to NYC soon to shoot some more. Huzzah!

This latest entry into the Iowa Training Films series was directed by Paul Syracuse (in fact, it was the first BTTM sketch Paul shot on his new hi def ultra camera 9000), edited by Paul Syracuse and me, Reid Levin, with visual effects by me, still Reid Levin. Matt and I came up with this one afternoon in July when I was visiting The City. We wanted to do something quick, and we did. We shot it in my hotel room.

We (Paul) also ran to a nearby store to buy a brand new shirt ’cause I didn’t have one. We proceeded to attempt to burn the shirt with the iron, but we couldn’t get it to burn well enough to look funny on film, only badly enough to never be able wear the shirt again. Though I suppose it might be funny to wear around if it wasn’t thrown away. We also had some mishaps with some chocolate cupcakes getting into the iron somehow… hmmm. Good times.

Normally, Matt runs these through a VCR to give them a sort of intentional crappy fuzzy blurry noisy look. This time, though, I wrangled control of the video away (through mostly non violent means) from those folks in NYC at the last minute so that I could tighten it up a bit, tinker with the audio and work on the “visual effects.” Then there was no time to get it to Matt. I don’t consider not crappifying the video a huge loss.

I am happy with the visual effects, but I will state right here, right now, for the record that Paul thought they were distracting. If people comment about that, this is an admitted confession that it was my doing and that Paul did everything he could do to deter me from adding smoke and stuff. Paul has an incredible knack for picking up on things people will complain about. I, on the other hand, have little sense and just like tinkering with composting.

I need to specifically thank Ballard for holding my hand through exporting this video and for giving some good input on how to keep two men’s dream about making a sketch comedy video about ironing alive. Even when he’s not involved with a BTTM video, Ballard’s involved with a BTTM video. I think we’re better off for that. Thanks, BCB!

Enjoy your sharp, crisp, warm new look and make sure to check http://bttm.net next Monday for a brand new sketch comedy video!

–Reid.

I just watched last night’s episode of The Daily Show. The guests were from the band Jack’s Mannequin, whose lead singer/songwriter/pianist, a guy who is only a year older than me, was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia while mastering an album in 2005. While he was in the hospital, he added to and rewrote the album. That album, The Glass Passenger, was released in September ’08, which, given that he is a survivor of the same kind of cancer I have, would mean it was released at about the same time his chemotherapy treatments ended.

I downloaded the album, which is really quite amazing. I am particularly moved by a phrase from the song “Swim”:

There’s no shame in drifting
Feel the tide shifting and wait for the spark
Yeah you’ve gotta swim
Don’t let yourself sink

“Drifting” is exactly what I feel like I’ve been doing, and it is something I punish myself for all the time. It is something about which I feel very ashamed. It is really quite something to hear a song like this that is inspirational anyway–but is also so very specific about a thing to which I can so completely relate. Like the Guitar Man says, I’ve “found myself a message and some words to call my own”. I feel a lot of connection to the whole album, which makes a lot of sense.

While I was waiting for the album to download, a message appeared in my inbox from an old friend from another life. An old SV friend who wanted to make sure he was giving a gift to the right hospital this year to “thank them for keeping me alive”. My eyes teared up, just like they’re doing now that I’m writing about this. I am moved in a way that I can’t put into words. Thanks, Keep.

A truly amazing cosmic alignment of understanding, heart, friendship… these are the things that give me strength when I feel I cannot possibly have anymore left.

–Reid.

—————-
Now playing: Jack’s Mannequin – Swim
via FoxyTunes

Today I was excited to learn that a federal court will be reviewing California’s Proposition 8, which bans homosexual couples from being married in the state of California. While this is indeed great news and while I hope dearly that Prop 8 is struck down, I think we have a lot farther to go than many might think.

A few years ago, Better Than The Machine made a video satirizing the widespread and totally nonsensical fears over gay marriage. Recently, this video has been the target of incredibly intolerant, indignant and lewd attacks against LGBT folks. Imagine saying that people should die just because they want to be given the same economic, social and patriotic rights as everyone else.

The video is in the style of a 1950′s newsreel and is fittingly called “Gay Marriage Propaganda”. You can check it–and the attacks on it–out here.

The offensive comments below that video make me quite certain that there are many people who will not be happy until all LGBT’s are completely dehumanized. Better Than The Machine’s way of fighting that is through comedy. I hope we can help make a difference.

–Reid.

A documentary about the last clone of Hitler. What’s he gonna do? Live it up in Williamsburg, drink lots of Pabst Blue Ribbon, and hate on all the stuff you think is cool, you poser. He’s not just a hipper hipster Hitler–he’s Hipler.

This was Carlos’ brainchild. He’s wanted to make some sort of hipster documentary for many, many years. Somehow, it turned out that Paul as Hitler was the missing ingredient, and that mixing Hitler in was just what it took to get Carlos’ hipster documentary sketch made. Looking back on it, it was so obvious! They say every sketch comedy group has to have a Hitler sketch. Or is it that “every bad sketch comedy group has to have a Hitler sketch”?

Well, I’m not sure about that, but I am sure that I’m really happy with how it turned out. Ballard worked his magic in the directing and editing departments, and I think I caught a glimpse of Christina and her boyfriend Alex making cameo appearances. It all came together very well.

Now, let’s just hope that it creates lots of controversy, and, in turn, lots and lots of hits!

–Reid, laughing a megalomaniacal laugh!

Today, for the first time in a long time, I’m really feeling quite excellent. Consider this an official announcement that the unidentified vicious mutant H1N1 clone fluey cold H2Reid3+ virus disease that has been plaguing me for a month is, at last, dead.

Unfortunately, my dad just tested positive for H1N1.

Fortunately, I just called the clinic and was able to reserve an H1N1 vaccine.

Unfortunately, I won’t be protected from H1N1 for up to three weeks.

Fortunately, I am feeling quite positive today–I think I’m gonna be okay.

I’m off to get inoculated!

–Reid.

Who says men and women can’t be best friends? Better Than The Machine officially does, if you are to believe all my other controversial postings of this video. “But what do you think?” I say, in an attempt to reel people in to post responses to our video. Check it out (the video, not my pitch)!

I find this sketch to be just totally and utterly and completely and delightfully awkward. I really can’t put it any other way–and believe me, I’ve tried. I really have to give actor Carlos some super credit for his amazing acting in this sketch, because, like, you can totally feel the character Carlos’ emotions like he’s actually been through this before. Which is amazing, because this situation would never happen to the real Carlos in a million years.

This is the third of four sketches Better Than The Machine created to be a Jim Beam Bourbon ad, and the third of four Better Than The Machine sketches that Jim Beam did not air. It was delightfully directed and edited by Ballard C. Boyd.

Make sure to check bttm.net next Monday for a brand new video!

–Reid.

1) Good news to bring light to a dark day that really needs it should definitely come first. Raquel and James Bedell are the proud new Aunt and Uncle of a beautiful baby girl, who James’ sister gave birth to several days ago. Congratulations to both of you and especially to James’ sister’s family! This is truly joyous, wonderful news! I am glad I found out about it today of all days. Thank you Raquel.

2) Reports on television indicate that the leader of the shootings at Fort Hood was a Major Malik Nadal Hasan. I have few words with which to express the horror and sorrow I feel about this horrendous act of violence. Unfortunately, the 24 hour television news networks seemingly have even fewer words. With no further information available at the moment, news commentators seemingly have nothing else to do beside dancing around this man’s heritage. “I know we should be PC but…” and “I know we shouldn’t speculate about his name, but…” and worst of all, “I know we should wait for more facts, but…”. We get it: he’s Arab. He’s probably Muslim. So what? I fear the tide of racism rising. Whether that wave be visible or under the surface, we must not allow one man’s (or two or three men’s) actions, no matter how horrific they may be, to define an entire group of people.

3) My cousin is in Fort Hood right now. We are awaiting news from her. My thoughts and my prayers are with you, Kristina. Please be safe.

4) Psychological care for the men and women of our armed forces is in pathetic shape. To anyone that knows someone who has been deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, this is not news–this is one more in a long list of failures to help those in need of psychiatric help. While today’s slaughter has been far worse than anything we’ve seen at a base in the United States, there have been issues of spousal abuse, issues of the inability to readjust to normal non-military lives and too many issues of suicide among soldiers for many more years than many will want to admit. These are people who risk their lives for us, and today, we have truly failed them.

5) “Absolutely despicable” is the only way to describe Wall Street institutions getting the H1N1 vaccine to inoculate their employees while high risk people across the country are still unable to so much as find somewhere to wait in line just for a chance to get vaccinated. Absolutely despicable.

6) Even as a staunch left-wing, commie, pinko, Jewish, fag-loving, liberal, progressive, Democratic, part-time New Yorker, I would prefer President Obama serve only one term and ensure health care for all Americans, ensure equal rights for all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Americans, enact measures to ensure the future health of our planet, and ensure that our soldiers get the psychological care that they need–rather than have him serve two terms and miss enacting even one of those four things. No more bullshit about needing 60 votes to do anything. What is needed is the courage and the wisdom to do the right thing, which might mean “the thing that makes you lose your next election”. Step up, Mr. President and step up, Sirs and Madams of the United States Congress. It is long past the time to put your responsibilities to the citizens of this country before your own personal interests.

–Reid.