Remember this story? It’s a Whopper – and what a Whopper!

The 1,000-Slices Cheeseburger!

Yep, a Burger King cheeseburger with 1,000 slices of cheese! That can’t be beat – can it?

The 1,050 Slices Bacon Cheeseburger!

Of course it can – by the 1,050 slices of Bacon Cheeseburger! Here’s my original story about these two monstrous creations:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/14/the-1050-slice-bacon-whopper-a-thousand-slices-of-cheese-wrap-me-in-bacon-bacon-excess/

Burger King Is Back!

Well, Japan’s Burger King has gone mile high again!

In a country where Burger King routinely offers up items like the 5 patty Whopper, there is a singular food fanatic who has one-upped them again!

The Grilled Onion Whopper!

It begins innocently enough, with Burger King offering grilled onions on their Whoppers, and a special deal for extra onions:

Thanks to the great writers at “A Hamburger Today”, we know that Japan’s RocketNews24 Reporter Mr. Sato has struck again!

Burger King’s Onion Bomb!

Burger King Japan has just released the Bakudan Oniteri (Onion Bomb) burger – a Whopper that is topped with five slices of grilled onion and drizzled with teriyaki sauce.

Mr. Sato once again took on Burger King’s deal and decided to repurpose the extra onion for making gyudon.

The video of this entire process lives here:

Thanks again to “A Hamburger Today” for finding this masterpiece of onion excess! Check out their whole story, as well as other burger reports!

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2013/03/wtf-burger-king-bakuoni-burger-topped-with-100-slices-of-grilled-onion.html?ref=excerpt_readmore

New a new foot? No problem, I’ve got just the vending machine for you! Or, you need a quick pick me up? We’ve got you taken care of!

Yes, it seems since the beginning of time, we’ve found a way to stock a machine full of the stuff we covet!

Got A Quarter? Get A Meal!

I love vending machines. I MISS vending machines. There as a day when you could get a pack of smokes anywhere you were!

And if you needed a cold piece of fruit? Done!

Want That With Pepperoni?

Or maybe you just need a hot pizza – NOW!

Let’s celebrate the most obscure things to ever have been vended from a vending machine!

The world’s first vending machine apparently dates back to the first century, when Hero of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician, devised a coin-operated mechanism that would dispense holy water.

Fill ‘Er Up!

Now this is a machine I could make use of! Just a sip to take the edge off the day, anytime you needed it!

Need A Paperback?

Well, here you go, all the reading you need at your fingertips! I love the idea that anything was yours as long as you had a pocketful of change…now, only certain cities covet the vending machine…like Tokyo, for example:

What A Disguise!

That’s right, the machine to the far right isn’t a machine, it’s a person!

You can read all about Tokyo’s obsession with vending machines here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/14/cheeseburger-vending-machines-vending-machine-disguises-and-more-stick-a-quarter-in-that/

Gold Vending Machine

This is a great new vending machine from Germany: GOLD!

The gold from the “Gold-to-Go” vending machine comes with its own gift box, and at a price 20% cheaper than what customers could get at a German bank.

The Body-O-Matic! A Replacement Body Parts Vending Machine!

To highlight the consequences of poor work safety practices, WorkSafe Victoria brought to life the terrifying nature of work place incidents with this striking installation. A vending machine designed to sell spare body parts. They call it “The Body-O-Matic.”

The Pizza Vending Machine!

Wonder Pizza is developing a vending machine that cooks and serves 9″ whole pizzas in just under 2 minutes.

Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes!

You Want Gravy With That?

Yes, this is my all-time favorite: the mashed potato vending machine!

I wrote all about this new trend right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/17/mashed-potato-vending-machines-intuitive-machines-coffee-jelly-hairy-crabs-viagra-vending-what/

And finally, my favorite thing of all time – now being VENDED!

Behold The Cheeseburger Vending Machine!

Here is the entire story of the japanese restaurant now dispensing cheeseburgers. Stick a Quarter in that!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/04/17/cheeseburger-vending-machines-fries-too-mcbaguettes-jimmy-page-burger-news-galore/

Enjoy the new wave of vending deliciousness!

Time Out Tokyo – and my son Jeff – both uncovered a crazy new entertainment option for Tokyo:

Bikini Clad Women Staging Giant Robot Wars!

Welcome To Tokyo’s Latest Entertainment Craze!

I have posted many stories about nightlife in Tokyo…and have included a few links here as well. As you know, nightlife in Tokyo is colorful, vibrant and exciting!

Every night in a basement in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, bikini-clad women stage mock battles using enormous robots!

Customers pay a ¥4,000 charge, and there are three hour-long shows each night, in which the nubile staff take to the floor on giant robots, including a neon tank and enormous female ‘borgs – complete with pneumatic busts.

Hot Tears of Shame TV – Tokyo Robot Restaurant

And of course, thanks to youtube, you can actually see all of the crazy, colorful action inside!

Well, if I was in Tokyo I would HAVE to check this out – it’s over-the-top entertainment that only Tokyo can provide…and just another reason I love this city so much!

Alex Sim-Wise and Rachel Irving Love Tokyo Too!

As you know, I’ve posted many nightlife segments from Tokyo, several capturing the adventures of Alex Sim-Wise and her friend Rachel…

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/08/alex-sim-wise-explores-tokyo-nightlife/

Here are several links to those fun stories as well!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/19/alex-sim-wises-tokyo-blue-hair-adventure-tokyo-nightlife-in-color/

And of course, here is the link to Sim-Wise’s craziest adventure – inside Tokyo’s 6-story sex shop!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/06/alex-sim-wise-her-tokyo-sex-shop-adventures/

But maybe you just need this!

タンバリンマスターＧＯＮＺＯ　フレンズ2013(仮)

Or, as I like to call it, “Japanese Tamborine Man!” Enjoy this crazy video – entertainment as only Tokyo can provide!

Hey Olivia, what’s going on besides the latest season of “Jerseylicious”? Oh, that’s right, YOU’VE GOT A BOOK!

The GLAMOUR STATE!

The “Jerseylicious” stars are now published Authors! Olivia and Anthony Lombardi, along with Karl Giant, have created a love letter to the garden state of New Jersey!

Congrats, Ant!

As you’ll see soon, Anthony wanted to create a book that celebrated everything about the Garden State, and since Frank Sinatra was a good Jersey Boy, Ant dressed up just like him! Great shot by Karl Giant!~

Amazon’s Got It!

Click this link to order a copy!

Behold the terrific photographic work of Karl Giant!

Karl is featured regular on “Jerseylicious”, and an amazing photographer/art director/fashion photographer, and so much more…for example, the work he has done on the cast is amazing! Here are some shots of Karl and the cast from the style Jerseylicious fan page!

Karl shot the front cover of the book, of course, as well as great shots of the cast for the interior of the book..here is Karl in action:

Karl shot all of the great shots in the book, like the cool cover – and here is the back cover!

There is a ton of press out right now to promote the release of the book – here is the great article from OK magazine that just hit stands!

‘Jerseylicious’ Stars Anthony and Olivia Talk New Book ‘The Glamour State’
By Kelly Bryant

Photography by: Karl Giant

If you think the cast of Style Network’s Jerseylicious only loves drama, you’re wrong. They also have major adoration for their home state. In honor of Jersey’s 225th birthday this year, cast members Anthony Lombardi and Olivia Blois Sharpe, along with series guest star Karl Giant, set out to create “The Glamour State”, a book paying homage to the area’s major achievements since its inception.

Bravo, Anthony!

“I’ve been wanting to do a book for a couple of years now but I wasn’t sure what to do,” says Anthony. “I stumbled on this story that New Jersey is turning 225 years old and I was like, ‘I’m on a show about New Jersey. I’m a proud New Jerseyan. How can I somehow incorporate the state that I live in and still keep it in the world of fashion and makeup?’

I approached Olivia about it and we came up with doing a retrospective of New Jersey through the years. It was too impossible to get everything so we picked out some key things, iconic figures and brought it all back to the hair and beauty industry.”

Aside from well-known New Jersey icons like Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi, what else can the Garden State claim? Glitter, for one! Here is Olivia laying glitter on Michelle for the book!

“One fact that really made me happy and made complete sense is that glitter was invented here,” says Olivia. “I had no idea but it makes sense because we love glitter. There’s glitter in everything we do.”

The Jerseylicious cast supported Anthony and Olivia’s project so much that they offered themselves up to be photographed in an array of wild, but stylish, scenarios, and even set their personal conflicts aside for two days to make it happen.

Gigi’s Cranberry Dish!

Yes, Gigi braved the cold cranberries for the sake of art!

“Everybody was so cool and whatever we told them to do, they did,” says Anthony. “I’ve been around these people for a long time and I’ve seen them freak out over the stupidest things but this couldn’t have gone smoother. The only one that gave me a problem was Alexa not wanting to be in the book because at the time she was 8 ½ months pregnant. The one thing I’ve learned is you don’t mess with an 8 ½ month pregnant woman because you’re not going to win that battle.

When she told me no I tried to convince her a little bit but she didn’t really love the way she looked and, like I said, I get it.

Here Is Alexa And Her Husband Danny!

Back To Anthony:

I thought Gigi was going to give me a problem with getting into the pool of cranberries. No, she put that bathing suit on and jumped in that tub without a second guess.”

What a terrific shot by Karl!

When it comes to choosing a favorite image from the book, Olivia admits she just can’t do it.

“All of the pictures are so amazing,” gushes Olivia. “I really love every single one of them. I really like the cranberry one because I think Gigi looks flawless and phenomenal in it. I love that she’s bathing in cranberries but, overall, I really love every single one. There wasn’t one picture where it was a nightmare to do. Every single picture I had a blast. We had two days to get all of those shots in and we accomplished it and everyone had a good time. It wasn’t easy but I had so much fun with every single picture.”

“The Glamour State”, which will be available for purchase on Amazon beginning March 31, already had a fabulous book launch party that was filmed for this Sunday’s episode of Jerseylicious.

You will also see great pics of Tracy DiMarco, along with Gayle and Christy, Filipo and his Mom…the whole gang from the show!

And read Karl’s thoughts on putting together the amazing photo shoot – from this interview on the style website!

http://www.stylenetwork.com/articles/Karl-Tells-His-Side-of-the-Glamour-State-Story/10709

Catch all of the drama on Jerseylicious, airing Sunday at 8/7c on Style. And here is some additional fun “Jerseylicioius” stuff!

Olivia’s Cheeseburger Cap!

Well, it’s actually my wife Alex’s hat, thanks to the terrific knitting work of Alex Sim-Wise…you can read more about Sim-Wise’s handiwork HERE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/19/alex-sim-wises-tokyo-blue-hair-adventure-tokyo-nightlife-in-color/

Alex Sim-Wise makes great knitted stuff, and of course, Olivia just HAD to try on my wife’s Christmas present: a knitted Cheeseburger cap!

Get Even MORE Jerseylicious!

Here is my post of previous Jersey fun facts and behind-the-scenes pics:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/22/jerseylicious-season-5-sneak-peeks-fun-facts-olivia-sings/

Welcome To Tokyo’s Underbelly!

As you know, I love Tokyo – the most beautiful night lights EVER – and of course, some of the world’s most unique food products:

I have had the opportunity to travel to this unique and fascinating city four separate times, and each time another part of the city unfolds:

Alex Sim-Wise embraced all of Tokyo’s unique culture as well, dressed up as a cosplayer in order to embrace that culture…and of course, it’s all about the amazing nightlife:

If you want to more about what goes on BEHIND THE LIGHTS, you should read this book NOW!

Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan – by Jake Adelstein

What a great book! ANd just announced, it will be made into a movie!

Daniel Radcliffe is set to star in Tokyo Vice, a thriller that music video and commercials director Anthony Mandler will direct from a script by playwright JT Rogers. Le Grisbi Productions’ John Lesher and Adam Kassan are producing, and production will start early 2014.

Radcliffe will play American reporter Jake Adelstein who, while working at the Yomiuri Shinbun newspaper in Tokyo, covered the crime beat and locked horns with yakuza boss Tadamasa Goto, called the “John Gotti of Japan.

From the only American journalist ever to have been admitted to the insular Tokyo Metropolitan Police press club: this is a unique, firsthand, revelatory look at Japanese culture from the underbelly up, by a Reporter who experienced it all.

At nineteen, Jake Adelstein went to Japan in search of peace and tranquility. What he got was a life of crime . . . crime reporting, that is, at the prestigious Yomiuri Shinbun. For twelve years of eighty-hour workweeks, he covered the seedy side of Japan, where extortion, murder, human trafficking, and corruption are as familiar as ramen noodles and sake.

Life And Death Reporting!

This book is a fascinating inside look at life in Tokyo – including an amazingly dangerous encounter, when his final scoop brought him face to face with Japan’s most infamous yakuza boss — and the threat of death for him and his family!

Adelstein decided to step down . . . momentarily. Then, he fought back.

This is a great look at the real world behind the lights…for example, this is an adults only store in Tokyo’s Kabuki-Cho district…I took this picture while filming there…

In “Tokyo Vice”, Adelstein tells the riveting, often humorous tale of his journey from an inexperienced cub reporter—who made rookie mistakes like getting into a martial-arts battle with a senior editor—to a daring, investigative journalist with a price on his head.

The book offers a vivid, visceral description of crime in Japan and an exploration of the world of modern-day Yakuza – and it is a insider’s view that even few Japanese ever see.

“Tokyo Vice” is a fascinating book, so check it out!

Of course, we explored the safer side of the city, and Alex Sim-Wise embraced all of the fun aspects of the city:

Check out her adventure in the six-story sex shop here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/06/alex-sim-wise-her-tokyo-sex-shop-adventures/

And of course, if you just want to try some of the craziest food ever sold, you can find my story about wacky Tokyo food HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/23/crazy-tokyo-food-coffee-jelly-meat-fish-mix-octopus-bar-almond-fish/

Thanks Tokyo for giving us so much to talk about!

And Pigs Will Fly!

What could be more inspiring than this? Well, how about someone setting THIS down on a table in front of you?

It certainly appears that somebody has quite the appetite today…but, as usual, there are people around the world today who are doing things to burgers – and bacon – that will either make you laugh or cry….let’s get to the bigness of it all!

And remember: if you need some help getting your bacon to the right people, here’s an enterprising young man who has just the solution: the bacon bazooka!

Let’s begin first with something a bit more palatable:

The Cheeseburger Tower!

Fast food chains in Japan have always been at the forefront of bigness: I mean, who else but the Japanese thought of doing THIS?

Say Hello To The Burger Masters At Lotteria!

There is a chain of restaurants in Japan called Lotteria, and they have always had a thing for big burgers…look at this ad:

In the past, Lotteria has brought us five-patty burgers, seven-patty burgers, and now – get ready for it, they have unleashed the nine-patty burger!

And They’ve Got The Fork To Prove It!

According to “A Hamburger Today”: “Lotteria is releasing this limited-time cheeseburger tower to promote the Blu-Ray and DVD release of Evangelion: Q. As for what nonuple-patty burgers have to do with it, the letter Q sounds like the number nine in Japanese, kyuu. The “Q Level Burger,” along with a two-pronged “Spear of Longinus” fork, can be yours for ¥1,280 (about $12.90) from April 24 to May 31.”

Well, how can you argue with that? Not to be outdone, the “Dude Food” guys have come up with a little something for you as well:

The Bun-Less Doublee Bacon Cheesebun Cheeseburger!

Here what they have to say: “Last month, Nick of DudeFoods.com made a 100 percent cheese grilled cheese sandwich by replacing the bread with bread cheese.

This week he used the same idea in this bread cheese bacon double cheeseburger, but he didn’t just replace the buns with cheese; he replaced the buns with bread cheese grilled cheese sandwiches. So it’s like a double bacon cheeseburger bread cheese Fatty Melt…

In Nick’s words:

“For the top and bottom grilled cheese sandwiches I used the smoked bacon bread cheese—or Brun-uusto as they call it—from Brunkow Cheese. The middle grilled cheese once again consisted of the same Carr Valley bread cheese that I used for my original sandwich. Rounding things out were two 1/3 pound ground beef patties—also topped with cheese—and a total of six slices of bacon.”

And It Packs A Caloric Punch!

According to the story, one of Nick’s friend calculated that this cheese-n-beef-n-bacon tower packs in 4,300 calories.

Read the entire story of the dude food adventure here:

http://dudefoods.com/bread-cheese-bacon-double-cheeseburger/

Thanks as always to the great burger site “A Hamburger Today” for highlighting these burger stories – check it out for the latest burger news and reviews!

And Finally…The Bacon Bazooka!

Yes, someone has taken the time to create a bacon bazooka – and you can experience it right here:

Keeping alive its semi-annual Bacon Day tradition of building freaking ridiculous weapons out of bacon, “This Is Freaking Ridiculous” constructed a 3-foot-long battery-operated bacon-encased BA-Zooka “capable of launching model rockets and summer sausages.”

But of course…I guess i’ll believe in this the day that pigs can fly…oh wait…

Double Prosperity Is Upon Us!

Time to celebrate prosperity! And what better way than to overload a burger with lots and lots and lots of meat! Well, that’s how they do it at McDonald’s in China! Let’s check out several new examples of big meaty burgers from China!

And it seems the newest burger craze in China involves double loading – meat and more meat – let’s jump on a plane and head to China to check it out!

McDonald’s Chinese Sausage Double Beef Burger!

McDonald’s China has released a sausage double beef burger! Talk about loading up on the protein! Let’s take a closer look at this meat monster….

McDonalds in China has released this monster sandwich – which is made with two sausages sitting proudly atop two beef patties, with just a drizzle of mustard and a bun. That’s all you need…check out the ad for this new burger airing in China:

Well, how can you argue with that ad? It’s all about unique flavors in China, as you can see by these “special” potato chip flavors:

That’s right – these unique chips are now available in China!

Hot And Sour Fish Soup Potato Chips!

If you want to see more of this crazy chinese food, check out my post here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/08/fortune-cookie-chop-suey-saga-sour-fish-potato-chips-yak-yak-yak-chinese-food/

OK, time to head back between the buns for another unique menu item:

Holy Tamago!

Yep, the next time you go to Asia, you can utter these great words when you order your food:

And Don’t Forget To Hold The Tamago!

Yes, head to any McDonalds in Asia and order the “Tamago Double Mac!” This mighty burger contains two quarter pound patties, topped with a fried egg and bacon.

Hard to argue with the honesty and integrity of this…and from integrity, let’s head to PROSPERITY!

The Double Prosperity Burger!

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, McDonalds Asia has introduced the Prosperity Burger (it is also sold in Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and Singapore)…

So what exactly is a prosperity burger? Well, let’s get to it! The “Prosperity Burger” is an elongated beef or chicken patty coated in pepper sauce on a sesame seed bun. The chicken patty gets topped with shredded lettuce while the beef patty gets sprinkled with chopped onions.

Get McFizzy With It!

As with all McDonalds, you can order this as part of a value meal – so you will get a prosperity burger, an order of fries and the “Prosperity McFizz”! Yes, it’s a fizzy Minute Maid blend – all of this magic costs $7 SGD ($5.57 USD).

So this is what McDonald’s is up to in China…and across all of Asia – just another example of burgers marching to new heights around the world…enjoy!

“Grand is the name, and, uh – money is the game. Would you care to play?”

If you haven’t heard of “The Magic Christian”, you are missing out on one of the 60′s most acidic looks at the corrosive power of money – with LOTS of Beatles involved!

Ringo!

You may have heard the joke that Ringo is “the luckiest man in rock’n'roll” – but to many MANY more fans he is revered as a great artist and performer – there is ample proof of Ringo’s important role in the music of The Beatles – which I will get to in a moment!

Ringo is, of course, one of the Fab Four – the greatest musical group of all time…and, as his recorded work with The Beatles shows, he is a truly great rock drummer!

But let’s not forget that Ringo was also an Actor – a quite proficient one – yes, he starred in “Caveman”!

“Back When You Had To Beat It Before You Could Eat It!”

Yes, this is considered by many to be one of Ringo’s most hilarious performances – and of course there are many more as well – this picture shows that he will always be “lovable Ringo” to Beatles fans!

But in the late 60′s, Ringo would star with one of England’s greatest comic Actors – and a myriad of star cameos – in the film version of Author Terry Southern’s social satire masterpiece!

The Magic Christian

Here is one of the craziest farces ever made – thanks to the British, of course – and it starred Ringo Starr AND Peter Sellers!

The movie states it’s purpose in this opening statement, as a ten pound british note appears onscreen:

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is what is commonly known as money. It comes in all sizes, colours, and denominations – like people. We’ll be using quite a bit of it in the next two hours… luckily I have enough for ALL of us.”

Here is the movie’s trailer:

“The Magic Christian” tells the story of Britain’s richest man, Sir Guy Grand – played by Peter Sellers. Grand adopts homeless bum Youngman to be the heir to his obscene wealth – and Youngman is Ringo!

“Grand is the name, and, uh – money is the game. Would you care to play?”

The father-son team decide to prey upon people’s greed by use of the vast holdings of the Grand empire…and the movie is a series of sketches that show just how far people will go in pursuit of cash…

They leave no stone unturned as sporting events, restaurants, art galleries, and traditional pheasant hunts turn into lurid displays of bad manners and profiteering. Things climax at the social event of the season, the inaugural voyage of the new pleasure cruiser “The Magic Christian.”

Early Monty Python!

Two of the writers on the movie were John Cleese and Graham Chapman of Monty Python fame.

Sir Guy Grand: [on being told a Rembrandt might fetch £10,000 at auction] In that case my final offer is thirty.

Mr. Dougdale (John Cleese): [stunned] Thirty – thousand – pounds? Shit! I beg your pardon, I do beg your pardon.

Yes, John Cleese has a small role in the film as well – as the befuddled Auctioneer…just another hilarious sketch in a film full of them!

Hello Raquel!

Yes, my favorite sex symbol, Raquel Welch, also shows up in the movie with one of her most outrageous performances ever – as a Dominatrix!

As you can see from the movie poster below, the film had a very memorable cameo from Raquel Welch – one that was so outrageous they needed to add it to the film’s poster!

In one of the most dramatic moments in the movie, a group of passengers, fearing they are on a sinking ship, burst into the cruise ship’s “engine” room – only to find THIS!

Yes, Raquel Welch is shown “whipping” a group of topless women who are ROWING THE SHIP!

It is a hilarious bit that seems to have been as much fun to film as to watch – as you can see by this behind-the-scenes moment between Raquel and Ringo!

According to the great website IMDB, during the filming of scenes with the topless “slave” girls rowing the ship, the actors kept deliberately flubbing their lines just so they could watch the girls!

And Check Out Yul Brynner!

And yes, legendary Actor Yul Brynner shows up in the film as well – LOOKING LIKE THIS!

“The Magic Christian” is a crazy movie – hilarious and profane, full of big stars doing crazy things – all to poke fun at the way that money corrupts…and the movie has plenty of Beatle influence as well!

And Now The Fab Four Connections!

The role of Youngman Grand was originally offered to John Lennon, who was tempted to perform the role but eventually had to decline due to legal difficulties related to his October, 1968 arrest for possession of marijuana.

Macca’s “Badfinger” Soundtrack!

One of the most memorable aspects of the movie is the musical soundtrack. In fact, the theme song of the movie is by apple’s band “Badfinger” – performing a song that Paul McCartney wrote specifically for them!

Here they are performing the song:

Of course, on the Beatles Anthology, you get to hear Macca’s note by note rendition of the song – he recorded the song and then told the band to perform it exactly the same way he did – and they did!

Speaking of music: check out this story I previously posted to see how important Ringo was to the post-Beatles era! It’s full of facts about Ringo’s incredibly successful solo career in the 70′s:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/03/exclusive-the-lost-beatles-album-the-fab-fours-solo-songs-remixed/

And of course, here is my post about the “lost” Beatles documentary – here is a look at “Let It Be!”

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

So much great Beatles stuff to share – and of course, lots of reason to celebrate the great Ringo Starr and his role in the Fab four!

If you recognize these two, then you have enjoyed one of the funniest movies ever made!

“Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma”

And of course, if you know that line, then you know that Steve Martin has NEVER been funnier:

Time to celebrate one of the best comedies ever:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels!

Before we delve into the brilliance of this comedy, watch the hilarious trailer:

AND NOW, THE “TRAILER” ANECDOTE!

This is great trivia, courtesy of IMDB:

An entire day was spent shooting the trailer, which does not appear in the film! The trailer shows Freddy and Lawrence walking along the boardwalk, politely moving out of the way of other people, etc, with a voice saying something like “There are numerous distinguished gentlemen in the world… refined, cultured gentlemen… nice men… but nice men finish last”. As these last few lines are spoken, Freddy pushes an old lady into the water, and Lawrence shoves a kid’s face into his cotton candy!

And the scene never appears in the movie!

What a great tease for a great comedy! Let’s get into the details:

Steve Martin and Michael Caine are perfect as two con-men who meet on a train in the south of France…

Michael Caine is Lawrence Jamieson, a sophisticated man about town…Steve Martin is an idiot, but an idiot who could be dangerous… To protect his territory, Caine has Martin arrested, and Martin delivers a brilliant attempt to remember his “friend’s” name, while the Cop waits patiently outside his cell.

Freddy Benson: “I know somebody here! I met him on a train! His name… is… his name is… James. No. His name is… James Josephson. Lor. No, no, no. James Lawrence. LAWRENCE… Lawrence. Lawrence Fells. Lawrence Feings. Forest Lorenston. Low. Lars. LARS. Lawrence. Lawrence. Luch. Lawrence. Tuh. His name is James Jesenthon. Lawrence Fell. Lawrence Jesterton. LAWRENCE JESTERTON.”

Inspector Andre: “…Lawrence Jamieson?”

Freddy Besnon: “YES! We’re like this!” (he crosses his fingers)

And It Was ALL IMPROVISED!

According to the DVD commentary, when Freddy is in jail trying to remember Lawrence’s name, the entire scene was improvised by Steve Martin. Director Frank Oz was crouched out of camera range and tapped actor Anton Rodgers on the foot to interrupt Martin when Oz felt that he had gone as far as he could with the improvisation!

This is one of the greatest acting performances Martin has ever given…

Michael Caine decides to take Martin under his wing, so they begin to con older rich women out of money – with Caine the sophisticated Playboy, and Martin his idiot brother…

Lawrence Jamieson: You’ve been banging on your pots again, haven’t you? I’ve told you… if you keep on doing it, you won’t have any pots left!”

This hilarious exchange ends with Steve Martin grabbing his pot and hitting it over and over as he runs around the room, yelling the classic line: “OKLAHOMA! OKLAHOMA! OKLAHOMA!”

Another terrific moment happens as they are wining and dining a rich woman…as they are about to serve dinner, Steve Martin speaks up:

[Sitting at the dinner table]
Freddy Benson: Excuse me. May I go to the bathroom first?
Lawrence Jamieson: Of course you may.
Freddy Benson: [after a pause, and with relief on his face] Thank you.

They unsuccessfully attempt to work together only to find that this town (on the French Mediterranean coast) isn’t big enough for the two of them. They agree to a “loser leaves” bet. This bet brings out the worst in each of them…

In what is, to me, the single funniest scene in the film, Steve Martin winds up in a wheelchair…and Michael Caine has delicious fun with it…to tell more would give away a moment that always has me crying with laughter…

And from there, it just gets better and better – this is, without a doubt, a tour de force in comic acting from both Michael Caine and Steve Martin – a classic comedy film!

I love Japan! I love the people, the culture, and the neon! It is a city alive with energy and innovation – and of course – I love the food!

You can buy the greatest food on food carts everywhere you turn – or you can sit down in one of Tokyo’s classic ramen restaurants for a bowl of steaming noodles…

So Let’s Go To The Ramen!

If you love the eastern flavors of traditional ramen – but also love a good burger, then it was just a matter of time until we got TO THIS!

Wha- wha- WHAT?!? Take a look at this: it’s the sight of two cultures clashing – ON A BUN! Yes, it’s time for breaking Japanese burger news, thanks to the great website “A Hamburger Today!”

Behold The Ramen Burger!

Fast food chain Lotteria in Japan is teaming up with famous ramen chain Menya Musashi to bring you the Menya Musashi Ramen Burger!

Menya Musashi Ramen Burger! – “East Meets West!”

Yes, the brilliant imagination of the food-obsessed japanese has led to a new unique food item. The “Menya Musashi Ramen Burger” is a seasoned, lightly charred ramen patty, topped with stewed barbecue pork (chashu), and mayo on a burger bun. Yum yum yum!

According to AHT: “This unique “east meets west” sandwich will be available for a limited time from May 20 to mid-June for ¥‎634 (about $6.40) and comes with a side of bonito-flavored soup.

The name Musashi refers to the legendary samurai but is also shorthand for the number 634, hence the price. You can also get an extra ramen patty with soup for ¥‎100.”

Now, if you want to see how this masterpiece is made – here is the video from Japan that showed you how it’s done!

As always, thanks to the innovative Japanese for taking our taste buds to a whole new level. And of course, thanks to AHT for keeping us updated.

Here is the entire story from “A Hamburger Today” – a great write up of the entire experience….check it out!

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2013/05/ramen-burgers-coming-soon-to-lotteria-japan.html?ref=excerpt_readmore

The Future Is Now – And It’s Cloned!

I have covered many unique aspects of japanese life, but this is the craziest ever! People are going through a process by which their cloned image is being put on – well – everything!

First of all, a special thanks to Chris Gore, who shared a story about this online! That led me to several fascinating articles about this new trend!

Cloning! Cloning! Cloning!

According to one story, the cloning service is popular among Japanese women looking to preserve a special moment in their life – such as their wedding day, by cloning the hair & makeup – and even the dress they wore!

Sit Fido, Sit!

Oh, you can do the same thing for your animals too! And when you do, someone will take a picture of it, and that picture will look LIKE THIS!

This is quite a disturbing, fascinating new trend – I find the pictures to be unsettling yet impossible to look away from! If you need to see all of the detail on how it works – and you do -

Read the entire, extremely disturbing story here – it’s a mesmerizing article:

http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/05/17/human-doll-cloning-is-so-hot-right-now-in-japan/

Danny Choo Is Doing It Too!

We shot with Danny Choo once in Tokyo – he’s known as the “Dancing Stormtrooper” – and can be seen in the Shibuya district of Tokyo – here he is dancing with Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira when we filmed a story there:

Danny has posted an in-depth story about the entire process – it’s fascinating – click on the link to see it!

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26119/Human+Cloning+in+Japan.html

It is clear that technology doesn’t stop – and here is the proof!

Now THAT’S A Bloody Mary!

If you mouth just dropped WIDE OPEN, then you know the power of the internet. I found this picture – as well as many others soon to follow – and it’s all due to the worldwide web’s ability to share information, entertainment….and more.

If you don’t recognize this image, then you haven’t seen the greatest homemovie ever posted online…and I will show it to you soon. It’s all because the internet is home to funny stuff, heartwarming moments, and disturbing food finds – like this:

Yes, we are here to celebrate the outrageous, the profane, and the just plain funny…crazy pics of crazy things that made me laugh…or in this case - HUNGRY!

The Food-tastic Bloody Mary

first, here’s a great trend – food and drinks combined into a massive glass of goodness, starting with this “ALL-IN” Bloody Mary for hungry Milwaukee Brewer baseball fans…VERY HUNGRY FANS….

The quest to create the most insane Bloody Mary of all time just got taken to the next level in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. This is the epic creation that belongs to O’Davey’s Pub, a Bloody Mary garnished with popcorn, peanuts, sausage, a soft pretzel, nachos, green beans, pickles, bacon, cheese curds and, why not, some cheeseburger sliders.

The food nerds of Reddit unearthed this gem, which the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports only costs $5 and is available on the first Sunday of each month from 11:30 a.m. until supplies run out.

Cheeseburger Bloody Marys!

This is unbeatable: enterprising bar owners putting their food right onto their drinks: I don’t know if I really need an asparagus spear as well, but who’s to argue? At the end of the day, a cheeseburger attached right onto the Bloody Mary is unbeatable! Oh wait: IT IS BEATABLE!

Cue The Tater Tots!

That’s right: this enterprising bar owner took it to a whole new level – he added tater tots AND bacon! The next time I go to this bar, I am going to have a tough decision to make…but I certainly won’t leave hungry!

Now on to something that is exploding on the internet for all the right reasons:

The Beatles Live On!

This video is amazing: a father teaches his young son to sing along with the Beatles classic “Don’t Let Me Down”…click to watch and feel your heart fill with joy:

I love this video SO much – and kudos to the father who loves music, and wants to share it with his son.

There are, however, those who would rather go in a different direction:

The Octopus Baby!

I can’t imagine what was the inspiration for this: but it is unsettling to say the least:

Yes, someone was inspired to put a baby doll’s head on top of an octopus. I’m sure it is art…or something like it. We’ll leave it there…in fact, I need something that puts me in a better mood….

Happy Sharks!

Well, these guys are in a good mood, and this picture cheered me up as well! I’m glad they are happy – NOT HUNGRY – but if they were, just one question:

Hey, Where’s That Pizza I Cooked A Week Ago?

That’s right – IT IS STILL IN THE OVEN.

Oops, these two pizzas may need to be scraped off a bit…remember, sometimes the internet entertains, and sometimes it disturbs…but at least you have these happy sharks!

Behold The Flying Sushi!

Eater.com Rules!

That’s right, the great Eater.com website has once again uncovered a crazy food trend – and this one is flying high!

Here is the story that eater just posted:

“UK-based chain Yo! Sushi is testing an airborne “flying waiter” that could soon be used to deliver orders to customers. To celebrate the release of its Yo! Burger, the company has created the iTray, an iPad-controlled food delivery drone that is flown in the direction of a party’s table after being loaded with food!”

According to the UK newspaper The Daily Mail, the iTray is equipped with four rotors and can travel at up to 25 miles an hour, more than six times a waiter’s usual walking speed.

According to the paper, early customers/test subjects seem to be intrigued. Says diner Mark Rose, “It was delivered as if by magic, like an alien flying saucer bringing food directly onto my table.”

And of course, here is the video!

So, this is just ANOTHER reason to explore the world and all of its unique charms! I mean, how much fun would it be to have a flying tray deliver your food?

And if this isn’t cool enough for you, try these!

That’s right, “Sushi Poppers!” Click the story below to read all about the latest sushi trend in a tube!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/19/the-future-of-sushi-behold-sushi-poppers/

Yum!

And finally, here is a story I posted about Chinese robots who deliver your food as well!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/28/robot-chefs-robot-waiters-look-at-this-chinas-robot-restaurant/

In the mood for a real mouthful of food?

Behold The Krispy Kreme SLOPPY JOE!

Time once again to shake off your preconceptions about food and bite down hard on this! It’s a “Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe!” It’s all thanks to Chef Charlie Boghosian – let’s meet this visionary “state fair food” King!

California’s Chicken Charlie’s!

Chef Charlie Boghosian runs Chicken Charlie’s in Del Mar, Calif. Chef Charlie sells lots of unique fried food at state fairs across the country. Look at his great state fair booth!

Taking It Up A Notch!

Chef Charlie decided to take it up a notch this year, and just unveiled a sloppy Joe sandwich made with a Krispy Kreme doughnut. This magnificent creation features meat, cheddar cheese and two halves of a glazed doughnut, and it recently debuted at the San Diego County Fair!

It really is simplicity in a bite: A hefty portion of classic, saucy Sloppy Joe filling is covered in shredded cheddar cheese and sandwiched between two halves of a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut.

Bring On The Bacon-Wrapped Pickles!

If you spot Charlie’s red and white flags at your local state fair, brace yourself for a menu of Krispy Kreme chicken sandwiches, bacon-wrapped pickles, deep-fried – wait, wait WAIT! BACON-wrapped pickles???

Yes indeed! But that’s not all! You can also get deep=fried Twinkies, deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and deep-fried balls of battered red Kool-Aid. Again, look at his booth and see some of the creations on the board!

OK, OK, Must Have Now!

That’s exactly what I’m thinking too! If you are looking to get your “sloppy joe” on, Chicken Charlie’s is scheduled to serve up its deep-fried food at the Orange County Fair from July 12 to Aug. 11 and at the Los Angeles County Fair from Aug. 30 to Sept. 29.

And Don’t Forget The Original!

Charlie’s not alone in playing around with Krispy Kreme…Krispy Kreme itself recently rolled out a breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon and cheese – all housed within a krispy kreme doughnut. And that’s not all – it has gone deep-fried crazy at state fairs everywhere!!

Chicken-Fried Bacon!

State Fairs have a history of rolling out the deep-fried crazy food, and this year will be no exception. If you really want to explore the craziest fair food, check out my story about “chicken-fried bacon” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/29/bacon-to-cheer-you-up-chicken-fried-bacon-deep-fried-coke-crazy-fried-state-fair-food/

And Don’t Forget Your Breakfast!

Yes, you can also get deep-fried TRIX! A whole new world of crazy deep-fried food began showing up at fairs, and all bets are off! Read all about deep fried Trix, Coke and more by clicking HERE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/08/16/deep-fried-bacon-deep-fried-cereal-county-fair-bacon-fried-food/

And remember – deep frying just makes food bettter – let me know your greatest deep fried taste!

Ready For Some “Hairy” Fashion?

OK, if that fashion isn’t enough, what about THESE?

What in the name of Armani is going on here?!?!?

The World’s Next Big Fashion Trends!

Well, it’s all part of the never-ending world of fashion…and the story that just broke was all about these:

Chinese Hair Stockings!

These hairy tights are called “super sexy, summertime anti-pervert full-leg-of-hair stockings” by @HappyZhangJiang on China’s Twitter equivalent Sina Weibo, who adds they are “essential for all young girls going out.”

So they were actually designed to protect young women – which is a very good thing! Now, over in Japan…

Imagine walking down the street and seeing this! Yes, it’s a new fashion craze from Tokyo – and has now begun to sweep throughout all of Asia!

Only in Japan do these trends get started – and this one began to open eyes in Tokyo before spreading to Hong Kong and beyond – this is a new fashion craze that is sweeping across all of Asia, and the only question is – will it ever make it to the US?

Tokyo Rules Technology Again!

If Tokyo is known for anything, it’s their love of technology – and willing to push it to the extreme! Remember, Japan is the place where human cloning has begun – for Dolls!

You can read all about this crazy trend by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/21/human-doll-cloning-is-here-japanese-cloning-doggy-style-check-this-out/

And now, in the latest trend to sweep through Asia, women are “letting it all hang out” with provocative see-through fashion!

In an era when “anything goes”, some enterprising fashion designer in Tokyo created the newest look for women: a look that says “check me out!” This new trend has become so popular that it jumped to Hong Kong!

I can only imagine the commotion this must cause in shopping malls and on the streets – as these see through skirts show up on the streets of your town!

Oh, and just one more thing to point out:

It’s All A HOAX!

That’s right, folks, this is a classic bit of Japan myth come to internet life! As opposed to the very real Chinese hair stockings you see here:

Japan’s See-Through Skirts Are Fake!

That’s right! The pics of supposed “see through” fashion have been floating around the interweb for a few years now, becoming a japanese urban myth that refuses to die!

Thanks To “Japanesestreets.com!”

This great blog – that discusses contemporary japanese culture – wrote this story about the “see through skirt” hoax:

“Images of skirts purportedly printed to look a whole lot more breezy than they are have been widely e-mailed, written about online and the subject of at least one newspaper story in recent weeks. They have become the latest trend that never was.”

“They (the pictures) are quite common in Japan. There are a lot of cheap porno magazines that use them,” Kjeld Duits, 43, says in an interview from Ashia, near Osaka, Japan, where he works as a journalist and runs a street fashion/trend Web site called japanesestreets.com. “The only time you see these scenes are in photographs in porno magazines. There’s nothing like this in the street,” Duits says.”

If you search online, you can find dozens of photos purporting to be the latest fashion trend – but as the article points out, it was just a funny idea perpetrated by an adult japanese magazine for men! So there you have it – another fashion craze up in smoke – or in this case – covered up!

This is the look of a real “C-C-C-Catfight!

The two News Anchors you see above you DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER. If you don’t believe me, I will prove it to you in just a second…forget how nice and composed this official newsroom photo is:

It’s a Newsroom “c-c-c-catfight”, which means only one thing:

It’s “News Blooper” Time Again!

I used to work in local news. The “funny reel was the best thing in the newsroom: a secret collection of mistakes, gaffes, live mics capturing the wrong words…you get it – the best of local TV!

Well, get ready for some new local news blooper classics!

F-Bombs Galore!

This is the latest blooper classic – watch this TV News Anchor’s surprise when the reporter on location swears on air!

Fox News Reporter Lindsay Nadrich Drops F-Bomb On Live TV –

Spiders Welcome!

Oops! Well, I guess someone is going back into the edit bay! Still, there is nothing better than live TV – such as this moment, when a Weathercaster gets caught off-guard by a live “visitor” to the set….

Meteorologist Kristi Gordon was surprised by a spider on the weather camera as she did her Noon News forecast!

At least they all had a good laugh, which is more than you can say about this!

Anchor C-C-C-Catfight!

Someone was smart enough to put together a reel that is titled, simply:

“TV News Anchor Nicole Brewer and Weather Girl Carol Erickson Fighting On Air”

Wow! Talk about a tense set! Then again, you could go down under to Australia, where they try to mix light on-set interviews with hard news, and it results in THIS:

Aussie Giggles!

Co-Anchor Mat Doran was trying to match-make Irishman Allan Dixon with Co-Anchor Natasha Exelby. After some flirtatious banter with Allan Dixon, Channel Ten newsreader Natasha Exelby got a case of the giggles while reading some very serious news stories.

And that’s a look at local News around the world! Aaron Sorkin’s TV series all about TV News, “The Newsroom”, premieres on HBO next month….

And if you want to read about the best movies ABOUT TV, check this out!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/18/ron-burgundy-is-back-tarted-up-tootsies-getting-mad-as-hell-and-aaron-sorkins-newsroom/

First, THIS is Poutine – thanks to Badhappy:

The classic canadian dish, as created by Badhappy Poutine in Chicago: thick cut fries drenched in a rich brown gravy and topped with cheese curds. From that standard beginning, Badhappy lays on everything from a fried egg to truffles to pork belly and more…

More on Badhappy in a moment…but from the masterpiece you see above you, let’s take a trip to the far north and see what is going on there AS WE SPEAK:

Behold The Poutine Pizza!

Well, I guess it had to happen: Poutine has been abused AGAIN! I offer as evident the Cheesy Beef Poutine pizza from Pizza Hut in Canada.

Pizza Hut Canada announced the arrival of the “Cheesy Beef Poutine Pizza”, which takes classic Canadian poutine (French fries topped with cheese curds and slathered with gravy) and transforms it into a pizza with “shaved seasoned steak” and mozzarella.

Behold The “FrankenPizza!”

Eater calls it a “frankenpizza” – and says that it is part of the Pizza Hut’s five-pizza limited edition “Something for Every Canadian” menu “inspired by Canada’s cultural diversity,” and is available only in Canada. I can only imagine how excited food fans in Canada are about this…

According to Eater, there is more than just one poutine pizza for you. Other flavors include Creamy Butter Chicken, Asian BBQ (with the “sweet and bold flavours of Asian BBQ sauce”), Grilled Chicken Club (a “tribute to Canada’s perennially popular sandwich”) and Smokey Maple Bacon (Alfredo sauce, maple bacon strips, mushrooms, cheddar).

I have to say, on the poutine pizza pics shown here, those look A LOT like regular frozen french fries…Badhappy Poutine in Chicago must be rolling over in its fryer right about now…

Congrats to the “So Good” blog!

A terrific blogger with a very strong stomach took on the challenge to actually EAT this thing…you can read the entire review, with more great pictures, by clicking HERE:

http://www.sogoodblog.com/2013/06/20/quick-bite-pizza-huts-poutine-pizza/

And Now, A CLASSIC Poutine!

And of course, read about the world’s GREATEST Poutine, being served up by Badhappy Poutine in Chicago, by clicking HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/14/poutine-bliss-so-happy-about-badhappy-pork-belly-foie-gras-and-poutine-to-you-too/

Welcome To Seoul!

One of the most beautiful sights is Seoul, South Korea at night…

I had the chance to travel to Seoul with an amazing team of people: Morgan Webb, Vinny Rutherford, Wade Beckett, Jen Nelson, Mike Dunn and Aaron Murray – and our terrific Seoul Producer Kathy Paik – the greatest group to work with, travel with, and even do a bit of this!

And it wasn’t all “giant” beer drinking, although Wade did enjoy his giant mug – well, we ALL did – but Wade seemed to eye it just a bit more than the rest of us…

That last shot may accurately reflect how we were all feeling by the end of the night. Seoul is unique: it has underground tunnels – we were actually in one of the many restaurants that live UNDERNEATH the city streets…so you can avoid the cold weather above you while still enjoying a nice refreshing beverage!

Soju To You, Too!

And yes, we drank our fair share of “Soju” as well – a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and is traditionally made of rice.

Most brands of Soju are made in South Korea. Right, Mike Dunn? We see you peering through the bottle…

Always Eat Local!

Whenever we traveled, we ALWAYS ate the local food – and in this case, that meant a lot of korean BBQ:

Mike and Aaron were skeptical – they LOOKED at more of the plates than they actually ATE. But that’s OK, I don’t eat any of the hot stuff, and there was plenty of that as well…

Seoul BBQ was everywhere, so we ate A LOT of it…and the guys were a bit reluctant to even TRY most of the stuff on the table:

The rest of the group had no problem digging in – and that was due, in large part, to the overwhelmingly friendly reception we received in Seoul – this is an amazingly friendly country, even though you’d be hard pressed to find anyone speaking english…but it didn’t matter when the food was this good…

Bibimbop!

No, this isn’t the name of an early Hanson CD – Bibimbap is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means “mixed rice”. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.

We grilled our own meat, added one of dozens of side dishes like kimchi, and ate our way through the city…which is hard to do considering the size of the place!

Seoul is the capital and largest city in South Korea, with a population of more than 10 million. Seoul Capital Area, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province, is the world’s second largest metropolitan area with over 25.6 million people.

Here is a shot of Wade, getting some b-roll of this teeming city:

We wanted to capture everyday life in South Korea, and that meant one thing:

SEOUL STREET FOOD!

Yes, bacon has shown its face halfway around the world! These are bacon-wrapped hot dogs, one of many street treats we sampled in Seoul! Click on the video to see some of these unique bacon dogs bubbling away…

As you can see, the street food was plentiful…in fact, here we are holding two of those bacon-wrapped hot dogs…not the best shot of me, but I will suffer that indignity in order to showcase the food!

Wade and I dug right into these breaded, grilled sticks of what we thought were chicken – we will never know, but they sure tasted good! And remember, you can also just order the corn dog embedded with fries:

The street food in Seoul was unique – in fact, as unique as the city streets themselves…it put us all in a good mood, especially Kathy as she “posed” with Vinny:

Seoul’s Answer To N’Sync!

There is action everywhere you look in Seoul – here is some footage of a walk down the teeming streets at night – when you end up walking into a “Street” performance by their version of N’Sync!

Click on to see this impromptu performance!

As you can see, the streets are packed with people…and you can find yourself on any small side street filled with tiny shops and stalls:

Here’s Jen Nelson along with Morgan Webb, checking out the shopping…Jen might be the only thing in focus, but it’s still a cool shot…

Tie Your Fish Up!

We also found a great Seoul street market – a fascinating place to wander…where locals shop for all sorts of unique items, like fish that has been tied up with rope, or dried and flattened in a fan shape…

Noryangjin Fish!

I loved this place – a huge, bustling fish market where they sold a number of unique items, like tied up dried fish…here is a video that shows piles of dried fish, plus tied up fresh fish as well – nicely bundled in bright yellow rope to carry home easily: click on to see these fish being sold!

Korea’s DMZ!

We also did some serious stories while we were in South Korea, like the day Morgan and a small team went to the DMZ!

The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea which runs along the 38th parallel north. It was created as part of the Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea, the People’s Republic of China, and the United Nations Command forces in 1953.

The Bridge To Nowhere!

Located in the Joint Security Area (JSA), the so-called “Bridge of No Return” was used for prisoner exchanges at the end of the Korean War in 1953. The name originates from the claim that many war prisoners captured by the United States did not wish to return home. The prisoners were brought to the bridge and given the choice to remain in the country of their captivity or cross over to the other country. However, if they chose to cross the bridge, they would never be allowed to return.

Here is a shot of Morgan Webb on the “bridge of no return.” The North Korean soldier watched her closely as she filmed her segment…

One Way Ticket To Yangyang!

The team also toured the legendary Yangyang International Airport in northeastern South Korea. It was built to serve the nearby areas of Sokcho, Gangneung and Pyeongchang. But since 2008, the airport has had no scheduled flights due to the diplomatic standoff between the two countries!

Here are Mike and Aaron at the infamous deserted airport….

Just A Song Before You Go…

Of course, we had to end the trip with the national sport: karaoke! I will spare my co-workers too much indignity, but here are Wade and I doing a duet to – and therefore sincere apologies to The Beatles – as we butchered “A Day In The Life”.

As you can see above, there are the lyrics for the song…and here is Aaron belting out what must be, according to the lyrics on the screen behind him, a TERRIFIC version of “Sweet Caroline.”

Morgan, Vinny and Wade sang some sort of song together – can’t remember which one, and I’m not sure they would admit to it anyway…

And Vinny either performed a duet with Mike, or just likes having his picture taken near a microphone – either one is extremely plausible…

As I said, we were filming until late that night, and it seems the only person who wasn’t captured “at the mic” is Jen Nelson…you were lucky, Jen!

What A Trip!

There was so much more to this trip, but this was just a taste of the unique aspects of South Korea – a great country filled with nice people, great food, energetic city life, and lots of karaoke…and some very mysterious crackers…

Every night, Wade would wake up in his hotel room to find it littered with broken crackers…a mystery that hasn’t been solved as far as I know…but there were certainly a few choice suspects…

We also got to watch the Super Bowl that year at 8a in our hotel restaurant – live in south korean at that early hour… just another unique aspect of this unique country, and so much fun to explore…as you can see, Wade was exhausted by the end of the trip:

Finally, I always loved this picture of Wade and Morgan…every time I see it, I think they look like the latest alt-pop duo – and this is their CD cover: thanks to the whole gang for letting me share this adventure!

Time to get your “horror milkshake”!

Yes, only in Japan can you find THIS:

“The Ring” Horror Milkshake!

Starting July 27, Japanese burger chain Lotteria will once again go crazy with their food – this time offering a limited-time lemonade!

Here’s the story from Rocketnews24: “The bizarre concoction is themed after classic Japanese horror icon Sadako – the unmistakable and absolutely horrifying long-haired ghost girl from The Ring.

The cool blue color of the lemonade (actually a slightly different Japanese variation called ramune) invokes Sadako’s ghostly blue dress, while a squiggly topping of chocolate sauce and a black straw are meant to conjure the ghost girl’s signature jet-black hair.”

As always, the RocketNews24 people have a way with words!

Behold The “Milkshake Ring!”

Be aware that this tasty “Ring Milkshake” is different than a “Milkshake Ring”, which looks like this, and is also available in Japan:

God bless the Japanese for once again offering the most innovative food-based products, and thanks to our friends at Rocket24 news for their constant vigil on all cool things Japan…check out their website for the whole story and more!

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/07/19/lotteria-to-offer-bizarre-the-ring-themed-milkshake-flavor/

More Lotteria Madness!

Don’t forget that our Lotteria friends in Tokyo love to SUPERSIZE their food! Click HERE to see the entire story of their “Monster Burger!”

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/25/bacon-bazookas-monster-burgers-massive-slabs-of-meat/

Ramen Burgers!

And don’t forget, it was Lotteria who came up with the Ramen burger as well – click HERE for that story!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

All I can say is this: “keep it up Lotteria! Keep it up!”

“Make yourself a sandwich, drink a glass of milk… Do some fuckin’ thing.”

RIP Dennis Farina!

That classic movie line was uttered to perfection by iconic character Actor Dennis Farina, a real-life Chicago police officer who went on to star in a slew of classic films and TV shows – and who has tragically died at age 69.

According to his publicist, Farina died Monday morning in a Scottsdale, Ariz., hospital after suffering a blood clot in his lung. For movie and TV fans, this is a huge loss – Farina has a long list of classic performances…and I want to celebrate him by focusing on what I think are his three best!

Farina played leading roles in many films and TV shows, but his smaller roles were, I think, even more memorable – his character were loud, profane, angry and hilarious – usually at the same time…beginning with his small role in Guy Ritchie’s classic british crime thriller, “Snatch!”

Snatch! – 2000 – Directed by Guy Ritchie

Meet Turkish and his close friend/accomplice Tommy – and yes, Turkish is Jason Statham:

[first lines in the film]
Turkish: [narrating] My name is Turkish. Funny name for an Englishman, I know. My parents to be were on the same plane when it crashed. That’s how they met. They named me after the name of the plane. Not many people are named after a plane crash. That’s Tommy. He tells people he was named after a gun, but I know he was really named after a famous 19th century ballet dancer.

These two small-time crooks get pulled into the world of match fixing by the notorious Brick Top. These are the bad guys, and they are BAD:

In Snatch, a huge diamond heist takes place, and a fistful of motley characters enter the story, including ‘Cousin Avi’, ‘Boris The Blade’, ‘Franky Four Fingers’ and ‘Bullet Tooth Tony’.

Mary Fucking Poppins!

The word “fuck” is said 163 times in this film, many times by Dennis Farina, who plays Cousin Avi, who is interested in a very special diamond…

Avi: Eighty-six carats.
Rosebud: Where?
Avi: London.
Rosebud: London?
Avi: London.
Avi’s Colleague: London?
Avi: Yes, London. You know: fish, chips, cup ‘o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fucking Poppins… LONDON.

This movie is profane, bloody, hilarious, and violent – everything you want in a great movie….or as Dennis Farina says…

Customs official: Anything to declare?
Avi: Yeah. Don’t go to England.

Dennis Farina seemed to relish playing the bad guy, particularly a nasty mobster from Miami who ends up chasing after John Travolta in Hollywood in the classic “Get Shorty”…

Get Shorty. 1995.

Sadly, this was also one of James Gandolfini’s great supporting performances…he plays a wannabe movie stunt man who works as “muscle” for a small time hustler…

Look at this cast: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, James Gandolfini, Dennis Farina and Danny DeVito – tackling Elmore Leonard’s novel that sees mobster Chili Palmer head to Hollywood to collect a mob debt.

Dennis Farina played Ray “Bones” Barboni, who just wants money that is owed to him, and isn’t too impressed by Hollywood:

Limo Driver With Sign: Mr. Barbone? Welcome to L.A., I’m Bobby, your driver. I hope you had a pleasant flight.

Ray “Bones” Barboni: Yeah well, I hope you drive better than you fucking spell, jack-off. My name is Barboni, not Barbone, okay!

And this is his interaction with Chili Palmer, played by John Travolta:

Chili Palmer: How did you get in here?

Ray Bones: It was easy. I told ‘em I was you, I acted real stupid and they believed me.

And “Bones” lays it all out for Chili moments later – in hilariously profane fashion:

Ray “Bones” Barboni: Let me explain something to you. Momo is dead. Which means that everything he had now belongs to Jimmy Cap, including you. Which also means, that when I speak, I speak for Jimmy. E.g., from now on, you start showing me the proper fucking respect.

Chili Palmer: “E.g.” means “for example”. What I think you want to say is “I.e.”.

Ray “Bones” Barboni: Bullshit! That’s short for “ergo”.

Chili Palmer: Ask your man.

Bodyguard: To the best of my knowledge, “e.g.” means “for example”.

Ray “Bones” Barboni: E.g., i.e., fuck you! The point is this: is that, When I say “jump”, you say “OK”, okay?

And, in what I think is his best work ever, Farina played mobster Jimmy Serrano, who is after Charles Grodin in the classic action comedy, “Midnight Run.”

Midnight Run – Directed by Martin Brest – released in 1988.

“Why Are You So Unpopular With The Chicago Police Department?”

People cheered on the internet recently when it was announced that, almost 25 years after the initial release, “Midnight Run” would have a sequel. Even though it was only a modest success, the cult has grown for this funny, touching, and action-packed buddy film.

Robert DeNiro shows his comedy chops as Bounty hunter Jack Walsh, who is sent to find and return bail jumper and former Mafia accountant, Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas. Charles Grodin is deadpan hilarious as “The Duke.”

Yaphet Kotto plays frustrated FBI Chief Alonzo Mosely, who is also looking for Grodin.

Alonzo Mosely: “Let me tell you something, asshole. I’ve been working on this Jimmy Serrano thing for about six years; Mardukas is my shot. I’m gonna bring him into federal court, and I don’t want any third-rate rent-a-thug who couldn’t cut it as a cop in Chicago bringing him to LA on some bullshit local charge. Do I make myself understood?”
Jack Walsh: “Can I ask you something? These sunglasses, they’re really nice: are they government-issued, or all you guys go to the same store to get them?”

Getting Grodin back to LA, of course, isn’t easy, and helps form a “bickering friendship”…

Jonathan Mardukas: “Why are you so unpopular with the Chicago police department?”

Dennis Farina plays foul-mouthed Mobster Jimmy Serrano, who wants “The Duke” dead, and can’t stand it when his two incompetent hit men keep screwing up the job:

Jimmy Serrano: “You and that other dummy better start getting more personally involved in your work, or I’m gonna stab you through the heart with a fuckin’ pencil. Do you understand me?”
Tony Darvo: “You got it, Jimmy.”
(He hangs up the phone)
Joey: “Hey, Tony… he ain’t mad at me, is he?”

“Midnight Run” is a cult classic because it gets better with every viewing…with a ton of memorable quotes, like: “I’m just saying…if I WERE your Accountant”…and the classic interchange when Grodin drives DeNiro crazy by not letting up on his personal life:

Jonathan Mardukas: Did she hurt you, Jack?
Jack Walsh: Yeah, she did.
Jonathan Mardukas: I’m sorry.
Jack Walsh: What’re you sorry about?
Jonathan Mardukas: I’m sorry you’re hurt.
Jack Walsh: I’m not hurt.
Jonathan Mardukas: You just said you were hurt.
Jack Walsh: I’m not hurt.
Jonathan Mardukas: I just asked you if you were hurt and you said “Yeah, I’m hurt.”
Jack Walsh: That’s because you made me say that.
Jonathan Mardukas: Jack, you’re a grown man. You’re in control of your own words.
Jack Walsh: You’re goddamn right I am. Now here come two words for you: Shut the fuck up.

And here, thanks to youtube, is a collection of Jimmy Serrano’s best lines from “Midnight Run”!

RIP Dennis Farina, and thanks for leaving us such a great body of work!