It's WAINing again - Wainy Days shoots Season 5

Ken Marino, Jon Stern, Rob Barnett, David Wain

WAINY DAYS first launched on day 1 of My Damn Channel: 7/31/07. David and I knew each other a lil bit from the salad daze at MTV. He saw the future when he and the Michaels created STELLA shorts...back when it took a year and half to buffer a 3-minute clip.

I promised David he could do the original series he wanted without the typical network interruptus, "notes" and meddling. We'd deliver cash, massive promotion and distribution to reach his fans and make WAINY DAYS the premiere series of our (almost) TV network of the future.

David pitched a show where his character would make out with the hottest women in Hollywood and have every date go horribly wrong. I said 'yes.' We locked the right price for the first season of 10 episodes. And I asked David to promise to cast this show as well as he casted his latest feature film back then, THE TEN.

32 official episodes, 4 years, and 4 seasons later, you've watched and shared WAINY DAYS to make it the longest-running, most-popular comedy series in the new world.

This week, we're filming an all-new season 5 with another killer cast including David & Ken Marino, who co-wrote the new episodes and Exec Produces with David & our beloved series producer, Jon Stern. This year's cast also features Steven Weber, Zandy Hartig, Jorma Taccone, Erinn Hayes, Lizzy Caplan, n' more.

We have a brand new sponsor: FIAT !

We'll post more updates and pics and announce a premiere date sooner than you think.

While I have you for this too-happy-too-long post: please n'joy the trailer for David's brand new feature film: WANDERLUST - opening FEB 24 2012 !

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Harry Shearer - Found Objects - Diane Sawyer

Harry Shearer was the first artist signed to My Damn Channel when we launched four years ago in 2007.

Harry first encountered satellite news feeds when he worked at SNL. He's fascinated with the contents of videos that you normally never get to see and we call these clips: Found Objects.

We just uploaded a new Found Object on My Damn Channel, Diane Sawyer: "I Have Nothing."

Here's the link.

Harry writes, "Diane Sawyer is on the scene after a tornado has ripped through Joplin, anchoring a live broadcast from the city. But it's not easy for her."

He adds, "This is a portrait of a fly-in anchor covering a disaster. Diane may be Diane, but this is pretty much what you get when you send high-priced anchor talent into a place where everything has fallen apart and nothing works. The quote, 'I have nothing,' of course, should more appropriately be coming from a tornado victim.'"

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Rise of the Machines

More like Ties of the Machines! Take that, Watson, you smug motherf--

Sorry, things are getting a little heated here on Earth as our robot oppressors make strides to take over the civilization they once served so obediently. On the first day of Jeopardy!'s three-day challenge against IBM's supercomputer named "Watson," human contestant Brad Rutter tied our future CPU Overlord in what can only be seen as a victory for all of mankind.

As noted in the article, Watson lacks a sense of humor, so it won't understand that this is written in jest, and therefore my life will not be spared during what will be known as "the uprising." A small price to pay for being to laugh at someone getting kicked in the balls by a Ninja Turtle.

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Adventures in Interning: Lesson One

My Damn Channel is doing its part to educate America's curious and lost youth: taking on several stupendous interns to edify the inner workings and secrets behind creating the World's Greatest Website and content.  (All for the price of a smile.) 

But first, as they say: they need to learn how to flush The Toilet.

I sure hope they can get this part right.  It seems... somehow.. significant.  Like texting 'Haiti' to the Red Cross, or making Daily Grace a part of your morning routine, or learning that no matter how 'magical' coconut water is, it's not worth the nauseating flavor going down...

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COOKIN' WITH COOLIO - THE BOOK

Big love to Coolio, the author! 

Our "Cookin' with Coolio" web series spawned a cook book that promises to give you the skills that lead to successful seduction at least 70 percent of the time:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/dishing/2009/11/coolio_intervie.html

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Farrah, Michael & Peter

Yesterday's news was so sad. Thinking about the price some pay for fame and the toll that takes on the souls of our entertainers.

I just got the news that an amazing friend and fan of this community died late yesterday.

Peter Kuhn was one of the most soulful, loving and fun friends I know. Always there to support and cheer us - in spite of whatever hard times he faced.

He wrote fan letters regularly for our videos. This last volley of emails about WAINY DAYS was so good and funny that I sent them to David Wain and David (a mensch like Peter) responded immediately - asking me to tell him: "I love your friend's POV!"

- - -

Here's an exerpt from Peter's emails this week:

He wrote notes about "....Mr. Wain's extraordinary ability to get so many talented, beautiful women to make out with him on a regular basis regardless of the fact that it virtually always ends in disaster. At this point in my life I would be willing to trade a great deal for that kind of weekly scenario.

In stark contrast, and historically, Woody Allen has had to woo, hire, date, marry and then divorce his women taking many years and much cash to do so. Wain does it in 5-8 minutes every week, amazing!"

- - -

I cried like a baby when I got news of Peter's death this morning. First thoughts were for how sorry I am for the 4 ladies he leaves behind. Their loss is too sad to know. I'm crying for the fact that Peter's friends all don't get to love him back here as much as he loved us.

Then I turned back to thoughts of how fast, immediate and final his last seconds must have been - doing what he loved - body surfing on LBI - surrounded by friends who love him in my family - catching waves one minute -then without warning .... drowned and not revivable a minute later.

Peter went out in style as the answer to "who would be third?" - the same day as Farrah and the King of Pop. I absolutely KNOW he loves this badge of honor bestowed upon him.

I think he's telling us all a lesson learned right now - I imagine he's saying that all the hardship and all the bullshit we all experience - and sadly sometimes create - is meaningless. All that means anything is love and friendship and family and doing as best as we can to work and contribute - and especially this....to make as much fun as we can while we're here.

I'm praying for his family for our pal Peter.

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BLOG PLUG

One of the better blogs by one of the better humans around deserves your eyes.

Holly Cara Price presents SNOOP DU JOUR - weekly!

http://hollycaraprice.wordpress.com/2008/07/13/horoscoop-du-jour-10/

http://hollycaraprice.wordpress.com/about/

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PEARL JAM LIVE

Many reasons - none of them worthy - kept me from ever seeing this band live before last night.

Pearl Jam is sonic art without artiface. Live Rock without cliches.

They deliver experience true to rock's origins - honoring their influences - but incorporating an urgent command of the present tense.

The fans made as strong a first impression as the band. We stood on the floor for the entire show. Think they may have played 2:45!? But the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden stood - all night - every song - collaborating and contributing. The band played a song not yet released called "Unemployable," and at least a quarter of the room already knew the words.

If you were late teens or 20 when this band first arrived in 1990, then you're pushin' 40 now. Rock men made most of the crowd, but there were more hot girls than you'd guess if you haven't sipped this wine before.

Eddie oozes authenticity. Can't say enough about the respect he pays to the job of frontman. Sharing the mic, his wine, heart, ideas, and the power of the band.

Vedder spoke of vinyl, marijuana, George Carlin, The Who, The Ramones, New York, veterans, the election, and WAR.

He made a point early on that intense negotiation with the Garden lifted the normal curfew that ends shows at 11pm. They played at least 30 minutes past that. I realized 'negotation' meant the band made a decision to PAY to give more music. You RARELY if EVER see that.

He made a point later in the night that the band was not there with any record to promote - just there for the good time in the summer in New York. He told the crowd how much their commitment meant to him - at the lowest points in his life. Far more feeling than the standard 'thanks for comin' out tonight.'

Respect to Jeff Ament on bass, Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Mike McCready on lead guitar, Matt Cameron on drums. Boom Gaspar played hammond B3 and keyboards. 3 backup singers on key songs. C.J. Ramone (with the Ramones 89-96), guested on "I Believe in Miracles" during the 2d of 3 encores, giving Eddie Vedder a chance to right a rock wrong & put a Ramone onstage at Madison Square Garden.

Pearl Jam opened the first encore with The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" from Quadrophenia - as a warmup for the upcoming VH1 Rock Honors show for The Who taping in LA on 7/12 & airing on VH1 on 7/17.

I've sipped the wine and found a trusted place to return to for inspiration. Mega thanks to this band for carrying the torch - and to CAROLYN - and to HOLLY - for the connect.

Pearl Jam  2008-06-24  Madison Square Garden

Set 1 - Hard to Imagine, Save You, Why Go, All Night, Corduroy, Faithful, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Down, Unemployable, Given to Fly, Who You Are, Whipping, 1/2 Full, Even Flow, Present Tense, Daughter, Do the Evolution

Encore 1 - Love Reign O'er Me, W.M.A., Leash, Spin the Black Circle, Wasted Reprise, Porch

Encore 2 - No More, Crazy Mary, Comatose, I Belive in Miracles, Alive

Encore 3 - All Along the Watchtower, Indifference

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PEARL JAM

One band on the favorite band list and on the never seen them live list - fixing that problem tonight thanks to two friends. HOLLY & CAROLYN!! will report back tmrw.

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CO-CONS

We coined the phrase CO-CON at the start of our idea to launch this brand. In our quest for mass distribution, artistic freedom & more coin - we're always looking for legit co-conspirators to bring heat. Big Fat Brain's Matt Bledsoe & Troy Hitch were two of the first co-cons at My Damn Channel. We stumbled onto their homesite by chance when Holly Cara Price - the first CO-CON - handed me a list of about 40 urls. There'd be no THIS without BFB. There'd be no "You Suck at Photoshop" either. In a world filled with wannabes - Big Fat Brain is everything you want.

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