- Stephen Colbert's "Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat":
Why I like this: Colbert exposes that for Christians to be selective in choosing whom they provide for in the name of compassion, they are not following the actual words of Jesus. Not only that, but the clip is just plain funny in a completely ironic way. In some respects, one can get the impression that Colbert is suggesting a connection between Jesus and Obama, I don't think he's trying to be sacrilegious--I think he's merely trying to further the idea that the stereotypical liberal perspective which tilts toward socialism (which is supposedly held by Obama) is more in line with Jesus' teachings that the attitude of only taking care of people if they deserve it. Additionally, his conclusion is gut-wrenchingly spot on.
- Lady Gaga's "Speechless" (live)
Why I like this: Since her plunge into fame, Lady Gaga has received a host of drastically different responses to her music, videos, costumes, choices, etc. While I by no means would suggest that her music (for the general rule) is innocent or even clean, nor her life choices necessarily moral, I honestly admire her boldness and determination to be as dramatic as she wants to be. You may think that her oddness is a plea for attention, but I think it is (or at least part of it is) a desire to be a walking piece of avant-garde art. Perhaps for her its not enough to make art--she wants to be art as well. It is this overwhelming artistic-ness that draws me to her, and in the case of this song and video this element is very obvious in her costume, the stage props (killer piano!), and the dramatic way of singing.
- Vimal's "Make Art, Not War"
Why I like this: I'm a big fan of Deviant Art, there are many times when I will just go on there and browse the newest submissions for the sake of enjoying the artistic abilities of people from all over the world. Other people's artwork can easily be a spark of creativity for one's own artistic endeavors. This particular picture, was created by an artist from India named Vimal (I included the link to his page in the title above--he has many lovely pieces of art on there). To me, this painting symbolizes the desire to create beauty (art, not war), even to the extent that one desires to wear and be beauty--so the boy paints birds on himself.
- The Onion's "Is Using a Minotaur to Gore Detainees a Form of Torture?"
Why I like this: The Onion is a continual source of hilarity for my life. This video is just plain absurd--which is why I like it.
Is Using A Minotaur To Gore Detainees A Form Of Torture?
- Arcade Fire's interactive The Wilderness Downtown
Why I like this: If I was forced to pick a favorite band, Arcade Fire would probably win because of their outstanding talent, uniqueness, and intrigue. Most musical artists make music videos--Arcade Fire included--but to make an interactive website to one of your songs is a step up in creativity.
Why I like this: I first saw this video when my American Religions professor at the University of Washington showed it to the entire class. Since then, I've returned to it to watch it again and again and it never ceases to put a smile on my face. Not only does Ferguson have an awesome accent, but Dr. West is a magnetic personality with no apparent sense of "polite distance"--everyone is truly his brother. His ability to eloquently express his beliefs in such a genuine and non-condescending way, even though he is extremely educated, inspires me. Also, I would completely recommend his autobiography Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud and also the incredible rockumentary Call+Response: The World's 27 Million Dirtiest Secrets he is featured in. - Conan O'Brian's "Tofurkey Hunting"
Why I like this: Its just funny...and more than a little ridiculous.
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