Posted: May 11, 2007 | Author:mll | Filed under:Entertainment | Tags:videogames | 4 comments »
Last year, I blogged about the musical genre known as wizard rock, which is music based on the Harry Potter universe. This year, well, today, a friend caught me up to speed on World of Warcraft (affectionately called Warcrack), the massively multiplayer online game. I’d asked him about it because of a phenomenon I’d noticed on YouTube. Specifically, people emulating the Where the Hell Is Matt? videos.
“Where the Hell WAS Matt?” The original video, made in 2003-04.
Matt Harding really started a phenomenon with his video, which depicts him doing the same silly dance in various locations around the world (Mongolia! Summit of Kilimanjaro! Siberia!) with Deep Forest’s “Sweet Lullaby Dancing Remix” playing in the background.
In tribute to Matt, several people have created videos set in Azeroth, the Warcraft world, using characters from the game. By the way, you’ll appreciate the following videos more if you watch “Where the Hell WAS Matt?” first.
There’s “Where the Hell Is Rudinio” by Rudysin. Great transitions and his human character Rudinio’s dance moves are well timed to the music, the same music as in Matt’s video. What’s hilarious is the fact that other players occasionally wander across the screen. At one point, another player even jumps over Rudinio while he’s dancing. Rudinio at Ironforge.
Another favorite of mine is “Where the Hell Is Grylax” by bucko415. Grylax at Ragnarous’ Lair–The Molten Core.
I wish the character was a little closer to the screen. But Grylax the orc has got some great dance moves and even convinces his friends to join in at the end.
I got a kick out of the fact that the characters in World of Warcraft can even dance. There’s a whole page dedicated to dancing on the World of Warcraft Community Site. All the different races have their own gender-specific dances. And apparently some of those dances are based on “real” dances, like peanut butter jelly time.
Call me old-fashioned, but I think the “younger” Guybrush Threepwood looks cuter. Sometimes I get nostalgic for old computer games, with their heavy pixelation and rudimentary graphics. I especially loved the adventure games, like Sierra’s King’s Quest or LucasArts’ Monkey Island, in which the background would have to refresh everytime you moved your character to the edge of the screen.
On the subject of pirates (Guybrush being one), Tuesday the 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. YAAAAR! Check out the official site for pirate vocabulary and information on how to speak like a pirate in German, Spanish, or Chinese.
I started a dance class today. For an idea of how I felt, watch this clip from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, of when Aunt Vivian goes to a dance audition, and look at the expression on her face. My instructor would demonstrate a step, and it seemed like everyone else was able to pick it up and do it right away. Although the class was billed as an absolute beginners’ workshop, I think it would be hard for someone with two left feet or no sense of rhythm to keep up. I still had a blast, however.
“What’s Lost Is Found, Very Cheaply”–If you’re ever in Scottsboro, Alabama, be sure to stop by the Unclaimed Baggage Center. I’m not sure how people lose some of the stuff that ends up in the store. One shopper, called Allan, is quoted as saying, “When Jesse Jackson was running for president his suits came in here. And one year when M.C. Hammer was touring, his backdrop came in here from his concert stage.” Jewelry, skis, works of art. Nothing’s too priceless to lose. (Check out the interesting stuff section of the store’s Web site for more gems. I won’t spoil it for you.)
Driving Under the Influence–I’ve only ever seen a few minutes of Reno 911! And I will look back on those minutes fondly.
Ask MetaFilter–Have I ever mentioned that I love this site? All the discussions I’ve ever read on there have been surprisingly good (and spam- and flame-free). Get or share your answers to such timeless questions as “What exactly do people, especially young people (18-22) DO at the lake or beach all day?” I’m still trying to decide whether or not I want to pay the $5 one-time registration fee to be able to post comments.
Metropolitan Opera–This New York institution (see Moonstruck) is having its first-ever open house Sept. 22. For those with no obligations that Friday, you can attend the final dress rehearsal for Madama Butterfly, which will kick off the Met’s 2006-07 season. Tickets to the rehearsal are free and will be distributed Wednesday, Sept. 20 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Survivor–The next season of this reality adventure show will premiere Sept. 14, with four teams of five members each based on race. Which means that the show will boost the total number of Asians on TV to 5. (OK, that might be a little harsh. More like, 6.)
Pluto’s demotion–Did anyone stop to think about the astrologers??
Also, crazy story from my friend’s blog about her boyfriend, who was sent to a convention last weekend. When he checked into his hotel, they gave him the key to a room that was already occupied. He saw a sleeping figure, panicked, and didn’t even close the door all the way in his rush to get back to the elevators.
He told my friend, “How are they gonna send me, a black man, into someone else’s room? I could’ve gotten killed!” Which, as my friend observed, is sad but true.
