Nick Nadel's Web Presence

New Tumblr blog

2009-09-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

I will be posting new writing and videos on Tumblr from now on. Come visit!

New FiLife Article and Is Madea the Next Ernest?

2009-09-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

My latest financial funny for FiLife.com is your guide to fall entertainment on the cheap.

Meanwhile, over at Asylum, I ask a question for the ages: Is Tyler Perry's Madea the Next Ernest? When Madea saves Christmas, we'll know cinema has officially ended. (Link love courtesy of Star Pulse.)

New Episode of HBO's "Got No Game"

2009-09-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here's another installment of "Got No Game," the HBO Sports comedy series I wrote for. This time, we explore what really happens in the football referee booth. Listen for me in a voiceover cameo doing my best "Mr. Moviefone."

Marvel/Disney Humor and College Life

2009-09-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

Recently I started writing for ComicsAlliance, AOL's excellent new comics blog. With news of the Disney/Marvel merger, I took a look at Marvel's strange business history and also what a certain angry Green Goliath thinks of the buyout.

Changing gears, my latest piece for FiLife.com shows you how to save money by living like a college freshman.

Finally, on the AMC front, my recent comic book movie columns have tackled the best supervillain quotes and the 20th anniversary of Tim Burton's Batman. Oh, and I managed to piss off an Ann Coulter fan. So I've got that going on, which is nice.

More of HBO's "Got No Game"

2009-08-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Two new installments of the HBO Sports comedy series I wrote for. This time, we take a look at what really goes on in the referee booth. Check back every Friday for new episodes.

New Installment of HBO's "Got No Game"

2009-08-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

The latest episode of "Got no Game," the HBO Sports web series I wrote for, explores the secret history race in sports. The cinematography on this one is gorgeous, and it was a blast to film. Look for a cameo by tennis pro/Olympics commentator Mary Carillo.

Recession Reality TV, Cool World, and More!

2009-08-04T22:32:00.000-07:00

Recently I wrote my first piece for FiLife.com, a collaboration between the Wall Street Journal and IAC. The piece takes a look at how reality TV is being affected by the recession. From "Top Ramen Chef" to "Flip This Haunted House," the fall is going to be cheap and depressing, just like "The Jay Leno Hour."

Also for my AMC column, I counted down the best movies about comic book artists. You'll also find some of the worst movies on this subject as well, including the aforementioned "Cool World." Oddly, it's not the worst thing Gabriel Byrne's had his name attached to.

Also, if you're still in the Comic-Con mood, check out these memorable moments from cons past for AMC and a comic-con schedule that tells the truth for Asylum.

HBO's "Got No Game With Paul Mecurio" Launches

2009-07-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

The new HBO Sports comedy series I've been writing for, "Got No Game with Paul Mecurio," launches today. The series is available on HBO.com, iTunes, and YouTube. New episodes premiere every Friday throughout August. Check out the interview with Michael "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" Buffer, and a behind-the-scenes look at fight night in Vegas below.

Stan Lee's Best Cameos, Liberian Girl and More

2009-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of recent writing for AMC and AOL's Asylum you might enjoy...

Stan Lee's Best and Worst Marvel Movie Cameos

Actors Who Should Stop Singing

Best and Worst Woody Allen Stand-Ins

Michael Jackson's Video Vixens (featuring the '80s celeb-studded "Liberian Girl")

10 Celebrity Commercials We're Sold On (Shatner shilling for Commodore is classic.)

Also, Videogum posted the clip of Barbara Walters interviewing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that I featured in my recent column on the 25th anniversary of the franchise. Thanks to Tim Carvell for tweeting it.

Barbara Walters Makes Donatello Cry

2009-06-01T01:15:00.000-07:00

I wrote my latest AMC TV column on the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and included this gem:

There's so much right here, I don't know where to begin. First off...

-The set. Since the interview, from one of Barbara's pre-Oscar specials, exists solely to plug Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of Extending Vanilla Ice's Career Past 'Ice Ice Baby', I'm going to assume she's visiting them on set. However, it looks pretty chintzy, even for a quickie sequel. Was the set constructed specifically for this interview? Did some poor union guy go from working on "Twin Peaks" or "Covington Cross" to building a fake sewer for Barbara Walters to chat with the Ninja Turtles on for three minutes? Right now some set designer could have "Underground sewer lair, Barbara Walters Special" on their resume.

-Babs calling Donatello, "Donatella." You might remember Donatello's later years as an Italian fashion designer with leathery, reptilian skin.

-The brilliant twist on the creaky "everyone cries on Barbara Walters specials" gag. That Jim Henson Creature Shop can do anything.

-Donatello shaking his head at Barbara's attempt to adopt Raphael's "urban" slang. Yes, Babs isn't hip enough to hang with a bunch of white guys in rubber suits.

Besides the occasional Muppet mingling with Matt Lauer, this kind of thing never happens on TV any more. I would kill for a DVD of journalists awkwardly interviewing cartoon characters and puppets. It's a rite of passage for news anchors: you're nobody in the TV news biz until you've bumped fists with Raphael or gotten hit on by Miss Piggy.

Summer Movies and Pig Sickness

2009-05-12T14:43:00.000-07:00

With summer movie season in full swing, it's time for my AMC column to look at the season's comic book movie offerings. First up, I teamed up with pal Matt Manning (author of the new Wolverine guide from DK Publishing) for five fun facts about everyone's favorite pointy-haired mutant. How does he get his mutton-chops to stay so sharp?

Next up is a look at the secret comic book movies of summer. Turns out Transformers: Revenge of Michael Bay and the Hayden Panettiere career-killer I Love You, Beth Cooper have comic book connections.

Also in the summer movie vein is my look at the many terrible upcoming chick flicks that no man should be dragged to for AOL's Asylum.com. Oh, Nia Vardalos. What sort of cultural stereotypes will you perpetuate this time?

Finally, my piece on the 10 pigs we'll always love, swine flu be damned, has gotten love from everyone from Neatorama to The Pig Blog. Any excuse to make a U.S. Acres reference.

New AMC Columns

2009-04-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

Fans of stupid movie villains (like Faye Dunaway's campy witch from Supergirl) and Megan Fox stalkers will want to check out my latest comic book movie columns for AMCTV.com First up, I look at the dumbest supervillains in comic book movie history. Poor noble Doctor Doom. He's only an almighty despot in the Marvel Comics universe. Three movies under his belt, and he's about as threatening as Snidely Whiplash.

Next up,comic book movie bad girls get their due as I separate the truly "bad girl" movies from the just plain bad movies. Seriously, Sheena is one of the greatest movies ever made. Where have you gone, Tanya Roberts?

On the AOL front, I recently put together fun galleries on famous geeks of yore and a potential cast for the live-action Thundercats movie.

As usual, check out my daily gossip and entertainment news roundups for AMC and AOL's Asylum.com. And should Faye Dunaway try to steal your Omegahedron, just distract her with a bright shiny object.

Come to Superhero Night

2009-03-15T01:49:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday is no ordinary night...it's Superhero Night! I'll be cohosting Scifi Screening Room: Superhero Night live at Under St. Marks Theater on March 18th at 7pm. Kevin Maher (AMC's Scifi Department) and I have a ton of fun clips, guests, and special surprises planned. If you enjoyed the Batman Night we put on a few months back, this show promises to be even better. Details below. Hope you can make it!

SCIFI SCREENING ROOM: SUPERHERO NIGHT!

From the people who brought you HULK Night and KISS Night comes the ultimate video cavalcade of off-beat Superhero clips.

Featuring stuff you won't find on TV, YouTube or Hulu... including scenes from The 1979 cartoon show FRED & BARNEY MEET THE THING.

...scenes from The Spirit TV movie

...Roger Corman's Fantastic Four

...David Hasselhoff's Nick Fury TV movie

...and a view-master reel of Superman Vs. The Computer Crook.

Special guests include James Dean Conklin, the animator of WONDERMAN (TV Funhouse)
Professor Geoff Klock (who contribued to MOMA's Superhero fashion book)
Matthew K. Manning (writer for DC's Batman Strikes)
M. Sweeney Lawless (curator of BIGFOOT Night)
Jay Stern (producer of FRANKENSTEIN Night)
Craig Wichman (who played Batman in BATMAN Night's Fan Fiction)

It all happens this Wednesday, March 18th @ 7 PM.

UNDER St. Mark's
94 St. Mark's Place (between 1st Avenue and Avenue A)

Tickets are $7 (admission includes a Hostess Fruit Pie)

(We are already featured on a David Hasselhoff fan site. Come for the Hoff, stay for the fruit pies!)

Alan Moore Is Angry and Belinda Carlisle Is Still Crushworthy

2009-03-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

With Watchmen finally hitting theaters on Friday, my latest comic book movie column for AMCTV.com explores the many reasons why Alan Moore hates the movies based on his work. Fingers crossed Watchmen changes Hollywood's track record of turning Moore's brilliant comics into unwatchable garbage. Early reviews seem to range from "this movie will change your life" to "meh," which is never a great sign.

Meanwhile, over at AOL's Asylum, you can check out my gallery of crushes from the '80s. Find out what Mia Sara and Kirk Cameron's girlfriend from Growing Pains have been up to. (Also check out the UK version of my piece, which tosses in Samantha Fox for good measure. Hey, naughty girls need love too.) I also put together a fun gallery of lesser-known Saturday Night Live Cast members from the '80s and '90s. Any excuse to work in a Danitra Vance reference.

AMC Comic Con Report, Valentine's, Oscars, and Walken

2009-02-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

Another NY Comic Con has come and gone, and I was there covering the geekery for AMC TV. Highlights include posing for a photo with William Katt (aka, The Greatest American Hero) and watching Stephen Baldwin attempt to plug his terrible Christian crime comic. Or maybe it's a Republican crime comic. Either way it's terrible, and he has Miley Cyrus tattooed on his arm. On the Baldwin level of crazy, Stephen's about an 8.

I also have several new pieces for AOL's Asylum, including "'80s: Where Are They Now?," and a look at the most questionable Oscar winners of all time.

(Want more of my recent work for AMC? Go here. And go here if you want Asylum to be more Nick-centric.)

As for that mind-meltingly wonderful image of Christopher Walken hypnotizing a cat, it's from the 1988 family film Puss In Boots, featuring the Deer Hunter star as an "all singing all dancing" tabby . (His costar was Jason "son of Sean" Connery.) And it's pretty much sheer insanity from start to finish.

Latest AMC columns

2009-01-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

I have several new comic book movie columns for AMCTV.com currently up. This week's, about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, takes a look at the new images released and ponders whether the character is getting crowded out of his own movie.

Last week I broke down the legal battle over Watchmen for fans. A couple days later, the lawsuit was resolved. Coincidence? I think not.

A few weeks ago, I shared my thoughts on the pros and cons of Frank Miller's ascendancy in Hollywood. Con: The Spirit. Pro: Moviegoers realize what comic book fans have known for years--that Miller has turned into a self-indulgent hack.

Finally, get your entertainment news every day with my daily round-up for AMC News. Cause lord knows there's a lack of snarky news on the Web.

Column links:

Coming Soon, Hugh Jackman Co-starring in Wolverine

Casualties Mount Over World War Watchmen

Frank Miller is Great! (Sin City) Frank Miller Is Lame (The Spirit)!

PC World Shout Out and New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

PC World, the nation's top source for information related to reliable character actress Patricia Clarkson, I mean, personal computers, has chosen the Wonderfully Geek Moments of 2008 list I wrote for AOL's Asylum.com as one of the year's best tech lists.

A "best of" list for "best of" lists? Are you listening Charlie Kaufman? I think we found the follow up to your last meta brain-melter.

And since today is a time to reflect on what we hate about ourselves and plan to change for the new year, please enjoy my list of New Year's resolutions inspired by the movies of 2008 for AMC. Happy New Year!

Lots of new AMC and AOL writing...

2008-12-11T15:01:00.000-08:00

I wrote a big year-end piece for AOL's Asylum.com, The Most Wonderfully Geeky Moments of 2008.

And for AMC, here's a fun little piece I did on movie titles that sound like horror but actually aren't. Here's one example..

Monster's Ball
The concept of a fancy-dress function designed specifically for monsters could've made for a truly terrifying moviegoing experience. Imagine the poster: Several well-dressed monsters glower at you; the tagline asking, "Will you accept the invitation?!" Blood-curdling! Of course what we got was a dark Halle Berry-Billy Bob Thornton drama set in the rural South. Come to think of it though, Thornton's nude scenes were pretty scary. (Runner-up: Monster, about a real-life monster, not the fun kind.)

Also, here are some recent comic book movie columns:

Frank Miller is Great (Sin City)! Frank Miller Sucks (The Spirit!)

Five Original Movie Superheroes That Are Better Than Hancock

After Coraline, Hollywood May Finally Tackle Neil Gaiman's Comics

Can Marvel's Knights Ever Compare with The Dark Knight?

Onion headline

2008-11-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

An old Onion headline of mine is on the front page currently. View it here, or here.

Celebrity Spies for Asylum.com

2008-11-23T00:04:00.000-08:00

Wrote a new gallery piece for AOL's Asylum.com, on real-life celebrity spies. This is probably the most informative piece I've written for the site, and the one with the least digs at anime fans.

Twitter

2008-11-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

Alright, now I have a Twitter account. One minute in and I already don't see the point. But, anyway, I've now joined 2007.

This Just In Videos On Funny Or Die

2008-11-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

Hey, remember Funny or Die? You know, that Will Ferrell comedy website with the sass-mouth tot video that was all the rage for a couple of months back in 2007? Well, it's still around, and I now have a page on it. Here you can view several videos I worked on with the amazing Jessica St. Clair and Colby Hall while at HBO, and also several somewhat dated web shorts that I also wrote and helped produce. (Incidentally, I have some new web comedy stuff for HBO Sports coming soon. Just filmed a sketch over the weekend featuring former tennis pro/current Olympic correspondent Mary Carillo.)

Putting together the Funny or Die page made me nostalgic for those halcyon days when Barack Obama was just a guy with a very good shot at the presidency. Below are two of my favorite videos from my time working for HBO's defunct comedy website ThisJustIn.com.

The first, "Korporate Komedy," was incredibly fun to shoot. Jessica's performance is fantastic, and we were lucky enough to have The Message's Bashir Salahuddin (currently a writer for Chocolate News on Comedy Central)in town to play the part of the boss. Everyone was nice enough to interrupt their workday for our shoot, and it really made a difference. The result is the piece I'm the most proud of from my time at Home Box Office. (Do they still call it that? They should!)

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Next up, is a sketch that I always loved, even if perhaps others did not. "Tell Someone" features one of my favorite Jessica performances, and is probably the only parody of the "Tell Someone" Gardasil ads on the World Wide Intertubes. I'm happy to see it's finding a second life on Funny or Die. (Also, The Break Room was a short-lived show idea we were developing. And,yes, the opening music cue is the theme from Tootsie by Stephen Bishop.)

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

New AMC and AOL stuff

2008-11-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

New column for AMCTV.com just went up. Vote for which X-Men character should get the next spin-off movie. Blob, Dazzler, Skin from Generation X--so many minor characters, so little screentime.

Who's Next for X-Men Origins? Vote Now!

Also, check out the latest gallery I put together for AOL's Asylum.com on real-life celebrity spies. Celebrities were so much cooler in the old days. Today's stars are so lazy.

Way to Go, Kid!

2008-11-14T14:15:00.001-08:00

The new Batman: Brave and the Bold cartoon premieres tonight. Could be fun, if for no other reason then it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. '60s style Batman fighting aliens with current Blue Beetle? I suppose. Not to mention it stars (I never thought I'd write these words) The Drew Carey Show's Diedrich Bader as The Caped Crusader!

Still, I gotta wonder...does this show mean anything at all to the youth of today? Sure, the recent Fisher-Price-esque Super Friends toy line introduced kids to the peppy, Dick Sprang-era Batman. But wouldn't they want a Batman who at least slightly resembles Christian Bale? From a brand management standpoint, I can't help but think that Warner Bros. would want to have a dark (at least in look) Batman toon on the air right about now. Dark Knight has only earned a billion dollars worldwide, in large part due to multiple viewings from kids and tweens.

Back in 1992, the groundbreaking (and still unsurpassed to this day) Batman: The Animated Series debuted a couple of months after Batman Returns, giving older and younger fans alike a Batman that was at least tonally similar to the one they saw in theaters. Seamless corporate synergy which resulted in the best animated Batman in the character's history.

That said, while this new show appears to be a blatant answer to the "Batman is too dark for kids" argument, it also looks like a lot of fun. And way more exciting than Clone Wars, a show which somehow manages to replicate the experience of watching paint dry while on Nyquil and being repeatedly hit over the head.

New AOL list

2008-11-12T14:46:00.001-08:00

New list for AOl Men's Asylum.com, on the 10 guys you don't want your sister to date. Also, check out my daily round-up of celebrity gossip. You know you're wondering what Lilo has been up to. (She's causing adorable trouble with Stitch in Hawaii.)

New AMC columns

2008-11-11T00:47:00.000-08:00

The Highs and Lows of Politics In Comic Book Movies

(An enterprising geek comments that I should have included V For Vendetta. Eh, I suppose. Does anyone even remember that movie? It was supposed to make this big statement, and then...nothing. The V masks turn up at Scientology protests, but that's about it. And Alan Moore hates it. Anyway, I discuss the terrible straight-to-video Captain America movie from the '90s in this column, the one starring J.D. Salinger's kid as the Star Spangled Avenger and Ned Beatty as his intrepid sidekick.)

Could Wanted's Mark Millar Become the Next Frank Miller?

For the record, I'm a fan of Millar, even though he shoots off his mouth a bit too much. His run on Ultimates is great, and Kick-Ass is a lot of fun so far. Marvel 1985 was a bit of a letdown, despite the fantastic art. Still, he needs to cool it with the Superman movie talk. It ain't gonna happen, Mark.

Recent columns for AMC

2008-10-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Latest columns for AMCTV.com

Doctor Strange Is Ready For His Close-Up

Will Punisher War Zone Avenge the Crimes of Past Punisher films?

And two blog posts on movies airing on the network you might enjoy...
Constantine
Commando

Everybody Loves Palin

2008-10-23T01:21:00.000-07:00

I contributed a few jokes to this video made by fellow St Andrews alums Ben Stein and Gabe Pacheco. They did a great job with the animation, and I have a feeling it'll go viral before the election.

New episode of AMC's "SciFi Dept."

2008-10-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Kevin Maher's AMC web series "The SciFi Dept" is loads of fun, and one of the best of its kind on the Web. (Note to AMC: start running it between movies on the network.) I've been lucky enough to co-write a few episodes. In the latest, Kevin tries to get people to see the movie "Reign of Fire." Look for a reprise of my role as "disgruntled office worker annoyed by Kevin's antics." (Featured on Topless Robot, one my favorite blogs.)

Also, check out my latest column for AMCTV.com on how to bring Wonder Woman to the big screen with dignity. (Thanks to my old MH pal Daniel Radosh of Radosh.net for linking to it.)

Embarassing Celebrity Commercials for AOL

2008-10-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

New gallery for AOL's Asylum.com. (Links to the YouTube videos are embedded.) In this election year, what could be more topical than a collection of cheesy ads from the '80s and '90s featuring the likes of Matt LeBlanc and Paul Rudd? You owe it to yourself to click!

Embarassing Celebrity Commercials from Yesteryear

New AMC and AOL writing

2008-09-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've done a number of recent columns for AMC TV, and several gallery pieces for AOL's men site Asylum.com. You can check some of them out below.

Asylum

The 10 Most Questionable Emmy Award Winners
Funny Lord of the Rings costumes
Best and Worst Celebrity-Driven Comic Books

Boyhood Idols: Where Are They Now?
The Weirdest Olympic Events

AMC (The home of Mad Men!)
Watching Watchmen with Director Zack Snyder
Chuck Norris, Cartoon Hero
Top Five Comic Book Movies that Outdo Their Origins
The Rocketeer and Other Comic Book Movies Worth a Second Look

X-Files Video for AMC

2008-07-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the X-Files video I helped write for Kevin Maher's AMC web series The SciFi Department. While you're there, check out my unfavorable review of the film.

I also have a new column on predictions from the 2008 Comic Con. Check back every Tuesday for new installments. BTW, so far I've seen Dark Knight twice. I am aiming for at least two more times. The last time I saw a movie in the theater this many times it started with Ghost and ended with Busters.

New lists for AOL

2008-07-18T12:06:00.001-07:00

To get you ready for Dark Knight, here are two galleries I put together for AOL's Asylum.com. Please enjoy Batman and Robin in Love, and The 10 Weirdest Foreign Superheroes.

T-minus 28 hours until I see Dark Knight...

Another Installment of AMC's SciFi Department

2008-07-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

Here's another bit I filmed for AMC's web series, the Scifi Dept. This time, Kevin Maher hits "Blobfest" 2008. Look for the upcoming X-Files episode I helped write soonish.

Video for AMC's SciFi Department

2008-07-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I recently filmed some bits for Kevin Maher's excellent AMC web series, The SciFi Department. Check out the latest installment on "creepy clown cinema." Also look for the upcoming X-Files episode which I helped write. Oddly, I had never heard of Clownhouse. But unfortunately, I do remember Powder.

Choices pitch video

2008-07-09T01:07:00.000-07:00

Last year I had the great fortune to work at HBO with the very talented Jessica St. Clair and Colby Hall. Together we came up with "Choices," the greatest talk show you've never heard of. Until now. The video below is a pitch for the Choices pilot currently being shopped around. (Made with Mike Gibbons of Talk Show with Spike Feresten.) Hopefully the show will get made so I can work with these amazing folks again.

Choices - Behind the Scenesfunny videosFunnyOrDie.com

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

My column for AMC

2008-06-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been writing a weekly column on comic book movies for the AMC channel's website. You can see the latest Hulk-centric installment here. Also, check out previous installments here, here, and here. And also here. And maybe here as well.

I also wrote a couple fun list pieces, one on Dracula 2000 and another on the Sex & the City movie for AOL's Asylum.com.

Wednesday Night is Batman Night!

2008-06-03T11:07:00.001-07:00

This Wednesday June 4th I am cohosting an installment of the live comedy screening show the Scifi Screening Room at Theater Under St Marks. The theme for June is "Batman Night." Kevin Maher (AMCTV) and I will be showing rare Batman-themed videos, including a hilarious short film starring Sam Rockwell and Justin Long as the Dynamic Duo as well as the fabled "Lord of the Rings" episode of the "Superfriends" cartoon. (Batman as a Hobbit! Not on DVD and not to be missed.) Plus lost Adam West screentests, Batman trivia, prizes, Bat-comedy, and a live interview with Batman Strikes writer Matthew K. Manning.

We are a featured pick on Gothamist and the Bat Blog!

Afterwards we'll journey to The Hanger Bar (217 E. Third St.) for Batman-themed cocktails and Bat-utility belt snacks. Riddle me this: What's the best night of the year? Batman Night!

Hope to see you there!

WHAT: Batman Night!
WHEN: Wednesday June 4th, 7pm
WHERE: Theater Under St. Marks
94 St. Mark's Place, btw 1st Ave and Avenue A

Afterparty at The Hanger Bar (217 E3rd St.) starting around 10pm.

New piece for The Huffington Post

2008-02-25T02:03:00.000-08:00

My piece for 236.com, An Open Letter to Diablo Cody, was recently featured on The Huffington Post's entertainment page.

It has also been linked to by the Los Angeles Times, Defamer, BuzzTracker, and some site that collects every reference to the actress Phoebe Cates.

Also, go see There Will Be Blood before the countless "I drink your milkshake" parodies ruin it forever.