The final installment of Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 is here - The Marc with a C/Sci-Fried Power Hour. Get comfy and watch two fan-favorite acts at Nerdapalooza command the stage for over a solid hour!
Setlist:
Marc with a C: Since I left My Baby I Can't Stop Flossing I'm In Love With Everyone I Know You're My Princess Love My Little Squiddy
Marc with a C + Sci-Fried: Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin' Nerdy Girls Foiled Again
Sci-Fried: Evil Dead Guy Geek Rock LV 426 Away Team Fifty One Chosen One
Marc with a C + Sci-Fried: Hash Pipe
Sci-Fried: Fett's Vette
Once again, a huge thanks to everyone along the way who made Nerdapalooza 2011 an awesome weekend. You guys know who you are. Let's do this again real soon. Say, about a year from now?
The penultimate installment of Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 features the entire performance by Mega Ran and K-Murdock on July 17. The duo go through some well known songs and a couple of surprises!
Setlist: The Rock Avalanche Player Two Dream Master The Ruler's Back (NEW) For The Gamers (with Int-80 of Dual Core and Schaffer the Darklord) Splash Woman Freestyle Grow Up
Count3rCu1ture @ Nedapalooza 2011 conhtinues today with festival opener, crowd pleaser, and all around great guy, MC Cool Whip. Tune in for an interview with Cool Whip, and then excerpts from his opening slot of Nerdapalooza 2011.
Now then, for the next couple days...the "Minisodes" get a lot bigger.
For Friday, July 29, we have Random (aka Mega Ran) and K-Murdock. For Saturday, 07/30, Marc with a C and Sci-Fried are the featured performers.
Both of these episodes will feature their Nerdapalooza sets in their entirety.
Get comfy over the next couple days and enjoy a full show from three artists.
Thanks to technical difficulties, better late than never, I suppose..
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues today with Adam WarRock and Tribe-One. The duo unite one again for this year's festival, turning in a dazzling set.
A quick note about the rest of the C3C1 @ NAP2011 programming, if I may. Tomorrow's episode with MC Cool Whip will feature an interview - the only one I was able to do at the festival. However, it will be formatted like the rest of the episodes have been. For uniformity's sake, I decided it was the best move.
For Friday? I'd suggest getting a big bucket of popcorn and an ice cold beverage ready for that.
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with MadHatter, HD Ninja, Emergency Pizza Party, and an announcement of the newest addition to the Scrub Club family! Breaking news here!
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with the event's emcee turned MC, Schaffer the Darklord. Never at a loss for charisma, Schaffer performs some brand new material as well as his hit, "The Bender".
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with the beginning of The Protomen's "Act I" live. Get a good look at why The Protomen's live set is one of the most epic by anyone who's seen them in person.
What I really wish I would have gotten on video? The covers of Queen's "Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)" and "Princes Of The Universe" that they absolutely dominated as their encore. Between the theatrics and their natural talent, this is one hell of a band to take in live.
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with Metroid Metal. Stemage and the crew make a rare Central Florida appearance and spring a surprise cover that I couldn't have been happier with!
Thanks to Stemage and the guys for coming out. I've waited four years to see these guys live. Consider that item crossed off the bucket list.
Oh, and it's official. I can now confirm the format of these 11 Nerdapalooza episodes will see some changes near the end of the run. And I promise you'll love me for what will happen.
Avast ye! Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with a performance from Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew. If you've never seen pirates rap, stop whatever you're dojng and watch this now! As an added bonus, there's also exclusive footage of the Pirate/Ninja war at Nerdapalooza 2011!
Very big thanks to Captain Dan and his crew. Met the good Captain for the first time here and he's just a great guy. Another tip of the hat to Aaron "Masauro" of the Krondor Krew, another awesome gent who went above and beyond to make this year's festival a wonderful time - including getting involved in the battle royale you'll see (the last few minutes of) below.
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 continues with a sampling from brentalfloss.
I wanted to spotlight this one because it is a great example of a performer overcoming his circumstances. As you hear in the video, "technical difficulties" reared their ugly head. However, brentalfloss not only overcame this, but totally won the crowd.
Of course, the moment I stop taping is the moment technology decides to cooperate with his set. Such is life.
Anyway, have some fun and enjoy brentalfloss in C3C1 @ NAP2011, Part 02.
You were warned this was coming. Hope you got a little extra cardio in this morning.
Count3rCu1ture @ Nerdapalooza 2011 kicks off right here, right now, with three songs from The Bossfights set on Sunday. It was great to meet and hang with ZeaLouS 1, Doc Awk, Bishop, Kevonious, and Juggernaut (that big lovable beast). Thanks to those guys for making this year...just that much cooler.
Sit back, relax, try to keep your face from getting all over the ground and stuff...and enjoy C3C1 @ NAP2011, Part 01.
Oh, and a couple things about how this goes down from here:
1) What I have is being unleashed in alphabetical order so's to be fair to everyone I did catch footage of.
2) The exact content, format, and order of the episodes may slightly change. More on that as I get word as well.
First of all, I have a metric ton of people to thank for making Nerdapalooza 2011 a greater time than I could have even hoped for. Those people, slowly but surely, will all be thanked in due time, a little at a time. Minisode by minisode. I'll explain that in a moment.
Now then, I have somewhere in the neighborhood of eight hours worth of footage from this event. I would have had more - including more interviews - had several issues (including vehicular) not come up. So, I got one. And because I managed to sit down with MC Cool Whip before things took a south turn, he will be the focus of the only regular episode to come out of Nerdapalooza 2011.
But, what about all that footage, then? You'll see a lot of it. Starting tomorrow morning, you'll see a performance a day, as "minisodes" of Count3rCu1ture - for the next ten days. Then, the MC Cool Whip episode. A grand total of 11 (for 2011, get it?) shows - though some of them are much shorter and not in the usual format - to come from Nerdapalooza. Starting Wednesday, July 20.
And you may want to eat your Wheaties for the first minisode. The Bossfights are up first and they will melt your face.
It’s been a running gag in many circles how evil Fox News is. This month, however, the laughter has stopped.
British Tabloid News of the World (where do you think the title of the Queen record came from?) printed its final edition this past Sunday after an amazing 168-year run. The paper was closed after accusations (please note the source...kinda odd, no?) that reporters and others associated with the paper had hacked the voicemails of over 4,000 potential victims ranging from family members of missing people to royal dignitaries, all in an effort to “get the scoop”.
The owner of News of the World? That’s right. Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News.
And it gets worse. US Senator Jay Rockefeller (D, WV) is now calling for an investigation as to whether or not Murdoch’s bastions of public trust employees have done the same on US soil. UK tabloid The Mirror has reported that 9/11 victims may have had their voicemails and other private communications hacked as well. The culprit here is pointed out to be The Sun tabloid, owned by...go ahead and guess...
I’m keeping this one brief because I still have a lot to get done before Nerdapalooza this weekend (ZOMG~!), but there’s no way to keep quiet about this. After all, the spirit of Count3rCu1ture is to stand up against corporate media and the garbage it feeds us on a daily basis. If the coverage of theCasey Anthony Trial showed us anything, it’s that corporate media can’t be trusted to do anything except poke a hornet’s nest with a sharp stick in the name of getting those ratings and that almighty dollar.
With the closing of News of the World and the potential investigation in to Murdoch’s practices in the US as well, it’s now known just how far corporate media will sink for ratings and money. And now you also know why none of them should be trusted.
Another edition of Count3rCu1ture Audio is upon us.
This edition features my interview with “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce conducted on July 5, 2011. For those that may not be familiar with the name, some background information can be attained right here (courtesy of this very site!).
When that lead-in was initially written, I was under the impression that Pearce’s “One Last Ride” was to be a frewell/retirement tour. Shortly after that post, Pearce somewhat corrected me - and a closer look revealed that that was not quite the case.
So, what is Adam Pearce’s “One Last Ride”? How did he get in to wrestling in the first place? And what exactly is “old school”? The answers to those questions and many more can be had by simply clicking on the picture below to download Count3rCu1ture Audio - Episode 02 - “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce.
Consider this an addendum to ”Guilty Until proven Innocent: Casey Anthony and the Media”. In that piece, I decried how none of this media circus - much less the “outrage” expressed in the wake of the verdict - was about “Justice for Caylee” at all.
How do I know this? Simple observation.
Casey Anthony was sentenced earlier today (July 7, 2011) to 12 days in jail on four counts of Lying to Investigators. The State of Florida (probably looking to save face after such a bungle) is filing a motion to be able to pursue Anthony for costs incurred during the investigation due to being found guilty of the above charges. The State claims it is looking to recoup the costs of that investigation - including possibly suing Anthony, who may profit in the form of interviews, book deals, movie deals, you name it. Naturally, the State (as well as many other whom we’ll get to in a moment) are “outraged that Anthony would profit from the death of her little girl.
Meanwhile, lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton was not at the sentencing hearing this morning in the Orange County Courthouse. He announced his resignation after the acquittal on July 5, stating that he would remain on duty through July 7. Yet, he wasn’t in Orlando. So, where was Ashton during the sentencing hearing?
In New York. He had already appeared on The Today Show (NBC) and on Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell (HLN) on July 6. He appeared today on Good Morning America (ABC), Piers Morgan (CNN), Nancy Grace (HLN), and Joy Behar (HLN) making the media rounds. It’s safe to say that, just like Casey Anthony would be, that Ashton was paid for every one of those appearances.
So, if the State wants its investigation money back so bad, why doesn’t Ashton (still an employee of the State of Florida during his media appearances) donate his earnings to the state to recoup those costs? There is no plan to at the moment, leading to the conclusion that Ashton is profiting off of the death of Caylee Anthony just as much as Casey Anthony stands to. Those networks that had him on have had a fit with the idea of Anthony making money off of this ordeal, but have no qualms about paying Jeff Ashton, who skipped town the moment it was over to get his face on television. And yet, absolutely no one has called him on it.
The obvious hypocrisy is in the media and the State of Florida overlooking a State employee who failed to get the job done making money off of failing to provide “Justice for Caylee” while decrying Casey Anthony – who was found not guilty of any charges of murder or manslaughter, mind you – for doing the exact same thing. If the profiteer is one of the “good guys”, then it’s all good and fine, right?
That’s how I know that none of this entire ordeal was about “Justice for Caylee”. And, with that, I’m done dealing with it.
I feel this should start with a significant disclaimer. A few of them, actually.
One, we’re obviously about to venture outside of Count3rCu1ture’s normal realm of conversation, that being the lesser-noticed elements of entertainment/pop culture. Just for this piece, the scope is about to broaden to lesser-noticed elements of mass-media - which there could certainly be justification in covering as far as this site is concerned.
Two, this is not a discussion about whether or not Casey Anthony murdered Caylee Anthony. A verdict on that has already been reached by those much more qualified than myself. It’s over and done. This is not the particular time or place to have that particular discussion. More on why that is will be below.
And finally, three: what you’re about to read, just like everything else said about this by anyone who wasn’t involved in the case, is merely opinion and conjecture. Feel free to take it as the same gospel word or with the same grain of salt as everything else that’s been said or written about the Anthony case.
In the case of State of Florida vs. Casey Anthony, the defendant has been found not guilty on all but four counts of lying to investigators. It is the culmination of three years worth of sensational posturing, fake outrage, tears, and bold statements of opinion. And that’s to say nothing of the Anthony family themselves.
The phrase about seeing a case “tried in the media” has never been more prominent than it was with the case of Casey Anthony. And yet the nation is shocked when the real verdict...the one reached by an actual jury...is far different from what the media has pounded in to our consciousness for three years straight. Everyone from Nancy Grace and Jane-Velez Mitchell to local “reporters” (such as WFTV’s Kathi Belich) has proclaimed Anthony guilty as sin from day one and never stopped.
The press, putting themselves in a position of righteous indignation, have caused much more harm than good. The “lynch mob/pack-dog” mentality has been fostered for a full three years now, to the point where the public is ready to take Casey Anthony down vigilante-style despite the fact that the justice system held in such high regard along with the rest of this country’s values has done what it was intended to do.
The reaction to the actual verdict after the media had spent that much time sucking up to the decency standards of the public has resulted in...well, have you seen Facebook or Twitter at all in the last couple days?
Speaking of that, an aside if I may. David Boreanaz just became my hero. Sharon Osbourne just reinvented the pot calling the kettle black. And does Kim Kardashian fail to realize that her own father was on OJ Simpson’s defense team?
The problem is, not many in our realize that the “news media” is just another business looking to make money. Their revenue comes from ratings and ad sponsors just like any other television show. Because of coverage of the Anthony trial, HLN doubled its ratings last month from the year prior. That’s great news for sponsors who all want to jump on board the Nancy Grace gravy train.
Be that as it may, she’s not alone. And please don’t think that she or any other “media watchdog” did this for any sort of “justice for Caylee.” Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Geraldo Rivera, or any of the rest of ”the incompetent talking heads” that defense attorney Cheney Mason lambasted after the trial was over (good for you, dude!), all of them were after the same thing. Anyone can feign shock at anything when there’s this much money to be had.
The “news” anchors (I notice I’m having to use an awful lot of quotations in this piece) did their job. They fed the public what they wanted to hear, became “outraged” whenever the case looked like it might even remotely favor Casey Anthony, and kicked the hornet’s nest of public consciousness every time it came time to pop a rating. Now we’re left with a call for blood for a woman who has been acquitted by the same justice system we point to as one of the reasons we’re the best country in the world. Though, judging by social media, there seems to be a bit of a backlash against this sort of practice. I can only hope I’m right about that, because this is one of the main reasons I hate mass media.
It’s times like this I’m even ashamed to admit I’m in media (on whatever miniscule level that may be) because of the “media assassins” and their refusal to own up to their rhetoric when they’re proven wrong. Unlike many other pundits who suddenly disappeared from the public eye once they realized they had to eat the foot they stuck in their mouths in the past three years, I have no real opinion on “who did it” or what may have happened or any of that. This isn’t about Caylee Anthony - but then, much of the past three years of absurdity hasn’t really been about ‘Justice for Caylee’, either. The only difference is I’ll admit my motives up front, and that’s the examination of trial by media.
Musically? Very good question that I don't know can be answered yet.
Personally? I think Mike Portnoy's an idiot.
It almost sounds to me like he wanted to leave to be part of a more popular band and then had to come crawling back when the more popular band decided to honor the original agreement of a temporary working relationship. And, instead of being honest about it, he gives this big dramatic speech about how he wanted to take a break and whined that the rest of Dream Theater were meanies...only to ask for his spot back three months in to his supposed five year break from the band.
Nevermore to be held down By the weights against me Nevermore to be cast aside This day is mine
If only I'd waited a week to start doing audio, huh? But then, really, would it have mattered?
CM Punk is in the news again. And the shortsightedness that has resulted is staggering.
The promo that Punk cut at the end of the 06.27.11 Raw completely detonated the internet. He said the word - *gasp!* - wrestling! He mentioned Ring of Honor! And New Japan Pro Wrestling! He name-dropped Colt Cabana...and then John Laurinatis! Wow! And, oh my God, did he go off on the McMahon family or what??
Needless to say, the resulting storm was almost as entertaining as the promo itself. Speculation and discussion has run rampant on whether the promo was part of the story (“herein known as “work”) or if Punk completely went out and freaked out the powers-that-be in WWE on his own (known from here on out as “shoot”, for those unfamiliar with “insider” terms). The eternal question of “work-or-shoot” seems to be what roughly 90% of that fallout is focused on. The other 10% is all about whether WWE can keep the story this fresh and exciting or if the promo is simply used to provide yet another family-friendly happy ending and thrown away within three weeks. Those angles are the only two being discussed because, again, hardly anyone is looking at the bigger picture.
How many guys have willingly called an audible and ventured outside the confines of World Wrestling Entertainment? Despite the fact that it is the largest and best company in the world marketplace for the pro wrestling industry (is that term even allowed anymore?), a lot of guys have walked away. Even when Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling was nipping at WWE’s heels or even overtaking them for a brief period, WWE was still the top of the mountain. Fast forward to now, where there really is no viable alternative and WWE is the top company in the world. That kind of stability and security is not available anywhere else...and yet, at least ten top stars within the last five years didn’t give a damn about that.
Since 2006, WWE has seen guys the company to pursue other dreams, while some simply hated working for WWE and didn’t want to be there anymore. We’re not counting stars that retired from wrestling altogether, such as Edge, Shawn Michaels, or JBL. Nor are we talking about also-rans like Zach Ryder who never got a chance in the first place; we’re talking major stars. Main-event players. Kurt Angle. Ric Flair. Mick Foley. Dave Batista. Jeff Hardy. Rob Van Dam. Chavo Guerrero Jr. MVP. Chris Jericho. All. Gone. Because they couldn’t stand being in such a sterilized, suffocating environment anymore.
CM Punk Could very well be the next to go. The word has been for months now that Punk was unhappy under the WWE banner and wanted out. His promo on Raw, planned or not, certainly shows just how miserable he is. On the June 27, 2011 edition of “Right After Wrestling”, former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas stated that, whenever it came for a talent to “shoot”, the talent in those situations were virtually given carte-blanche to talk with no restrictions. Korderas said that it would be fair to guess that Punk had that same leeway when he spilled his bile this past Monday. If that is the case, and what Punk said was truly from the heart...oh, yeah. He’s so leaving WWE.
Sure, the argument could be made whether or not Punk is actually leaving. If this is all a work and Punk has already worked out a deal to stay and WWE has the guts to run with such an edgy story as so many internet wrestling fans are hoping for? Great. Congratulations. I’ll be the first to admit ya got me. Show of hands - how many people actually think the McMahon family, Johnny Ace, and Kevin “The Beaver” Dunn the powers-that-be WWE would put themselves in a position to look weak for even a split second? They have families to cater to! And that’s because they have shareholders to please now! Who on earth thinks that WWE will carry through on a story this outside-the-norm? You really think they’d turn around the status quo?
Because, let’s face it, they have no real reason to. There’s no way they’d act on something this buzzworthy just to please guys that they don’t give a damn about despite having watched their lousy product for so many years like me. CM Punk called himself “just a spoke in the wheel”, and this is the first guy that’s gotten WWE mainstream attention (which they so crave) simply by doing a storyline. What does that make us, then? People that have worked in the business alongside us internet nerds who just write these stupid little blogs (because, let’s face it, that’s how they see us) who are on the outside looking in now are just that. Outsiders. Our opinion doesn’t matter whether we have a resume or not. If you think it does and they just might go outside of their little PG-Era, we-know-how-it’s-done-because-we’re-the-only-game-in-town box to make more money, then you’re as deluded as they come.
Now that we have all that nonsense, can we look at a bigger issue? Well, if you read between lines like so many have done this week with Punk’s promo, they you might realize we kind of already have.
What is it about WWE that is making so many top stars want to leave? How some guys are presented on television and treated backstage, in comparison to their overall worth to the company (or even perceived self-worth), seems to be a motivating factor for hauling ass. Backstage politics are an accepted part of the business, and not being used to full potential when it’s obvious the company is missing the boat on what talent has to offer can get frustrating in any line of work. Once egos get involved? Instant problem. Especially with a company that has every right to believe its way to do business is the only way because they’ve survived the test of time and competition.
There’s the frustration of company practices possibly in places, but that can also reach to encompass creative aspects as well. WWE produces a very specific product that has become stale and boring. Their pay-per-view numbers reflect that much. Yet, because they have several other revenue streams and no one’s even close to competing with them in the current marketplace right now, they have the power to produce their current product a very specific way. But what about those that enjoy more creativity and freedom than that stifling atmosphere is willing to give them? Guys like MVP, Chavo Guerrero, and Low-Ki? They were willing to give up the big guaranteed salaries in order to pursue that. The ethos of “do it yourself” is more possible, viable, and possible than ever thanks to new technology. To hell with wrestlers – more and more people overall are realizing that this is a prime time to strike out on your own without having to answer to anyone. Everyone from me to Colt Cabana to Dave Lagana are taking that route because we have all the freedom we need to say and do whatever we want.
The talent roster is as thin now as it has been in recent memory, and losing names like CM Punk have to come as a blow to the company’s ability to make money. For WWE’s sake, they should hope the talent bleeding stops soon. The company could possibly be less restrictive on policies and creative freedoms, but it is unlikely as that direction has led to more mainstream acceptance, which has always been Vince McMahon’s big fantasy. The trade-off seems to be that WWE is losing major stars that would rather be part of pro wrestling than an entertainment company. After this past Monday, it’s safe to say that CM Punk is among those stars that are willing to leave it all behind in the name of personal fulfillment.
Meanwhile, lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton was not at the sentencing hearing this morning in the Orange County Courthouse. He announced his resignation after the acquittal on July 5, stating that he would remain on duty through July 7. Yet, he wasn’t in Orlando. So, where was Ashton during the sentencing hearing?
In the case of State of Florida vs. Casey Anthony, the defendant has been found not guilty on all but four counts of lying to investigators. It is the culmination of three years worth of sensational posturing, fake outrage, tears, and bold statements of opinion. And that’s to say nothing of the Anthony family themselves.
The problem is, not many in our realize that the “news media” is just another business looking to make money. Their revenue comes from ratings and ad sponsors just like any other television show. Because of coverage of the Anthony trial, HLN 
Since 2006, WWE has seen guys the company to pursue other dreams, while some simply hated working for WWE and didn’t want to be there anymore. We’re not counting stars that retired from wrestling altogether, such as 