Tanqueray Rangpur, Anyone?

Meh.

Dear Readers: I feel like I’m calling the TBS Funny Line on this one.

Maybe I’m just off my game, but I just saw the commercial for Tanqueray’s newest Rangpur Gin and thought it a bit odd. Odd as in I wasn’t entirely sure if it was funny. This distresses me. Normally, I know what’s funny. Conan O’Brien is funny. Tina Fey is funny. Dr. Tobias Funke is funny. I feel like the spot was aiming for Wes Anderson-esque offbeat super-dry humor but didn’t quite pull it off.

Starring the brand’s current spokesman, Tony Sinclair, the spot follows a group of scientists who are investigating Rangpur limes in India. While I understand that Sinclair is supposed to be eccentric, he just comes off as annoying. Take a look and see for yourself. The official site is called Globe Probe … for what reason I’m not entirely clear. Regardless, there is a short film on the site that is a longer version of the commerical spot currently in rotation, complete with sadhus, snake charmers and assorted wackiness. Thoughts, anyone?

In related news, I definitely will be trying this out. The gin is distilled with Rangpur lime, ginger and bay leaf. Yum!

Alanis Got Mad Junk

(alanis-morissette.com)

I admit, after Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill, my interest in her declined—sharply. However, I may just decide to marry the woman and have all her babies after seeing her new mock-video on Best Week Ever.

In it, Alanis has decided to cover The Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps” (as in, my lovely LADY LUMPS) in a style that is classic Alanis. And she manages making this horrible excuse for a song sound almost pretty while sung veeeery veeeeery sloooooowly. Really.

Meanwhile, the video is deliciously low-budget, parodies the original and features a gyrating Morissette (styled, apparently, with clothes from G+G) with a bevy of rough-looking dudes all looking to, uh, touch her lady lumps. The Fergie bangs and outfit are absolute perfection and she is hilarious to watch. Watch the video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Ansari Excuse For Music

Have Aziz Ansari and his friends managed to create the world’s sh*ttiest mixtape? You be the judge—and be sure to visit Nirali Monday morning for the exclusive on Ansari and his new sketch comedy show Human Giant:

From Chico To The Man

Daily Show regular Aasif Mandvi weighs in on the Attorney General Alberto Gonzales mess:

Get The Door. It’s Aasif.

It seems our man Mandvi has a nose for pizza. Seen this?

Telug(h)umor

Stand-up star Hari Kondabolu’s late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live made waves last week (Sepia, The Stranger , NerdNYC).

But the comedian’s day job is actually far from being “funny.”

Kondabolu, a Bowdoin College graduate, recently spoke to his alumni magazine about working in Seattle for Hate Free Zone, a non-profit, founded after 9/11, to help immigrant communities cope with intolerance and backlash. Kondabolu describes the work as “depressing and tiring, but inspiring when it works out.”

Kondabolu’s routines are often based on what it means to be desi in America. Check out his take on speaking Telugu:

Tharoor On Colbert

Former UN Under-Secretary General Shashi Tharoor rolls through The Colbert Report. Hilarity ensues.

Kaling Snags SAG

Kaling (right, with bangs) at the awards-ceremony. (ImNotObsessed.Com)

Mindy Kaling and her “officemates” were recognized by the Screen Actors Guild Sunday night for their “outstanding performance” as “an ensemble in a comedy series (NBC’s The Office).”

Kaling, who plays Kelly Kapoor, also writes for the show.

Arj Barker Live

Following Shazia Mirza’s run at the Punchline Comedy Club in San Francisco last week is Arj Barker, who headlines there this week through January 27 before heading off to Australia. Barker, whose humor might be described as observational and/or absurdist (or, just judge for yourself) has performed on the late night shows of Leno, Letterman and O’Brien, performed twice on Comedy Central Presents, co-written The Marijuana-Logues, and has an animated web show starring his cat (Arj and Poopy). In addition, he is the President and Spokesman for Monobrow.com, which has featured film actress Kajol as its Queen.

More:
“Comic Barker deadpans his way through clubs, onto the stage”

Click Away the Pain

It’s a song about desire, unrequited love and poking.

Penn Masala’s latest track is an ode to online stalking–as the Nirali faves turn to the pages of Facebook for inspiration. The result (“Facebook Skit“) can be found on the group’s forthcoming album Pehchaan. Eat your heart out Enrique:

More:
Penn Masala on the Web
Nirali features Penn Masala on the group’s tenth anniversary
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