Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Today on Boing Boing tv, we continue our SPAMasterpiece Theater series, featuring author, PC, and minor television personality John Hodgman, whose new book, MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU REQUIRE launches next week. Hodgman himself describes this series as the dramatization of "true tale[s] of romance, adventure, infamy, and low-cost prescription drugs, all culled from the reams of actual, unsolicited emails, received here by us and people like you -- what we call SPAM." Today's installment: Barrister Abbey and Diana Khan in "Wuthering Wire Transfers," a tempting tale of financial transactions and naked lust that requires your soonest response. A note from our musical director: The adaptation of Jean-Joseph Mouret's "Rondeau: Fanfare" (1735) which opens today's episode was remixed in flagrante 8-bit by Hamhocks Buttermilk Johnson. * Previously on Boing Boing tv: SPAMasterpiece Theater, Vol. I Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. BBtv is launching a series of episodes featuring author, PC, and minor internet personality John Hodgman, as the world waits breathlessly for the launch of his new book, MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU REQUIRE . We have read it, dear viewer, and it is splendid. Today, the debut installment of Boing Boing tv's SPAMASTERPIECE THEATER, which Hodgman himself describes as the dramatization of "true tale[s] of romance, adventure, infamy, and low-cost prescription drugs, all culled from the reams of actual, unsolicited emails, received here by us and people like you -- what we call SPAM." We'll be releasing more of these in the coming weeks. Each one is composed exclusively of actual, unadulterated, unsolicited email. Like virtual raw foodists, we would not think of cooking perfect fruit that falls so gracefully from the internet's tree of life. We hope you enjoy. { fade to black, fade in Hodgman in the library chair, surrounded by spam ephemera} A note from our musical director: The adaptation of Jean-Joseph Mouret's "Rondeau: Fanfare" (1735) which opens today's episode was remixed in flagrante 8-bit by Hamhocks Buttermilk Johnson. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Today's dose of Boing Boing tv is an experimental rock animation oddity featuring one of our favorite directors, Syd Garon. It's a music video for To My Surprise, a band led by The Clown (Shawn Crahan) from nu-metal heavyweights Slipknot. The video was directed and animated by Syd Garon and Eric Henry with illustrations by Doug Cunningham (of Morning Breath), Lee Ballard, Cristie Henry and The Clown's daughter, who was 6 years old at the time. Part of what makes this so interesting to us is the crazy backstory. Syd explains: The record was produced by Rick Rubin and had some pretty good Beatles-inspired tunes on it if memory serves. The Clown had a bizarre list of things -- completely unrelated to our treatment -- which we were required to have in the video. The items were so strange we decided not to even try to fight it. That is why the final video has a pilgrim and a turkey, a rubber dog head, and a rat eating a taco among other oddities. In addition to "the list" we had to incorporate a bunch of black and white drawings made by his 6 year old daughter. Oh yeah, the drawings had to be playing dodgeball. We actually had a conversation with an assistant at the record label and spoke the words, "yes there is a rat eating a taco in the video". One of the band members refused to have his cartoon likeness anything other than completely realistic. That is why a goddamn imaginary band has a robot with bunny ears, a three eyed Rastafarian and one totally fucking normal guy. In retrospect, having one normal guy makes the band even stranger in a way I never would have thought of. So, hats off to you, normal guy. To our surprise the video didn't totally work. The kids drawings were actually awesome and if I had a time machine I might go back and try making a video just around them instead combining our ideas with The Clowns. We made this video with the mighty Doug Cunningham at Morning Breath and it was fun to get the Wave Twisters crew back together again. Also: Previous BBtv episodes featuring the work of Syd Garon. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. John Hodgman is known throughout galaxies far and wide for transcendent wit and bookish LOLs. You may know him from the Apple ads, the Daily Show hijinks, his blog, or his book, Areas of My Expertise (Amazon link), which begat the Internet Hobo Craze of The 21st Century. What you may not yet know about him is this: he has a new book coming out October 21, 2008, titled More Information Than You Require (Amazon link). The new compendium will include mole men. And, frankly, it's pretty sweet. We visited with him during a hotel hole-up at the Chateau Marmont, and interrupted his writing flow. He forgave us, and offered us a ham sandwich with some Soylent Green. Please to be watching. (Ed. note: We aired a mole-man-centric cut of this visit late last year, but we're revisiting again to reveal more undiscovered Hodgmanic goodness. Stay tuned for all-new fun with this guy, planned soon.) Less

This is an amazing piece of music, under three minutes long, consisting of a fugal recitation of geographical place-names by a four-part chorus using speaking tones rather than singing. You should listen to it. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Boing Boing tv is taking a week off for organic yak-yogurt wrestling on a private Himalayan island; we leave you to enjoy some of our crew's favorite past episodes in the meantime. "Gem sweater diva" and midwestern maven Leslie Hall has appeared twice on our show. The video featured above is a tour diary she recorded just for us. If you like that, check out our backstage visit with her during a stop in San Francisco, below. "With these shoulder pads, I have the strength to destroy villages, homes and crops." Original BBtv posts: * Leslie Hall: Dear Diary * Leslie Hall: ceWEBrity, gem sweater diva, jammer of jams. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Today on BBtv, Austrian art collective monochrom return with a new episode of their subversive puppet show: "Kiki and Bubu and the Good Plan." Our socked crusaders explore the connections between Michael Bay, the military-entertainment complex, Web 2.0 business cocktail parties, and the impending collapse of the American economy. * BBtv: Monochrom's "Kiki, Bubu, and the Self" * Nazi Petting Zoo * Fisch Interview * Orwell's 1984 deconstructed by puppets * Monochrom's Marxist sock puppets * Monochrom: MyFaceSpace, the musical * Monochrom: Campfire at Will * Monochrom: Falco Stairs * Monochrom: Bar code artist Scott Blake / Falco stencil memorial * Human USB Hack / Very Simple Motor * Mark's Curie Engine / Monochrom's love song for Lessig Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Austrian subversive art collective monochrom present an all-new installment of the philosophical sock puppets Kiki and Bubu on today's episode of Boing Boing tv. These fuzzy logicians ponder the true nature of individual identity in capitalist societies, and connect the dots between Star Trek fandom, Sesame Street characters, Broadway musicals, and racy jpegs. Previously: * Nazi Petting Zoo * Fisch Interview * Orwell's 1984 deconstructed by puppets * Monochrom's Marxist sock puppets * Monochrom: MyFaceSpace, the musical * Monochrom: Campfire at Will * Monochrom: Falco Stairs * Monochrom: Bar code artist Scott Blake / Falco stencil memorial * Human USB Hack / Very Simple Motor * Mark's Curie Engine / Monochrom's love song for Lessig Less

zaproot, green, Prius, wind farm, nantucket sound, urinal, weird, driving, oxbow inc., cloning, dogs, Toyota Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Today on Boing Boing tv, "Nazi Petting Zoo," a new piece of political theater by Austrian art prankster collective monochrom, who explain: In 1938 Austria joined the Third Reich. Millions cheered Hitler and in the referendum 99.75% said 'yes' to 'Greater Germany'. But after World War II, many Austrians sought comfort in the idea of Austria as "the Nazis' first victim". Factions of Austrian society tried for a long time to advance the view that it was only annexation at the point of a bayonet(te). But it's time to embrace history. It's time to remember the feel-good days of 1938. It's time to let our real feelings out! It's time to hug the Nazi, Austria! Finally! Previous Boing Boing tv episodes featuring monochrom: * Fisch Interview * Orwell's 1984 deconstructed by puppets: monochrom * Monochrom's Marxist sock puppets * Monochrom: MyFaceSpace, the musical * Monochrom: Campfire at Will * Monochrom: Falco Stairs * Monochrom: Bar code artist Scott Blake / Falco stencil memorial * Human USB Hack / Very Simple Motor * Mark's Curie Engine / Monochrom's love song for Lessig Less

Yes, this is a real sport. Don't believe me? Read this article. I'm glad someone is doing their part to keep competitive shin-kicking alive and well. Thanks to Monica for the heads up. Less

…and by Weird Show we mean The Weird Show. Chuck and Mark (the Encaffeinated one of the The Weird Show podcast) hang out one night and have a sorta informal interview/chat. Whatever you call it, we hope you enjoy. Less

…and by Weird Show we mean The Weird Show. Chuck and Mark (the Encaffeinated one of the The Weird Show podcast) hang out one night and have a sorta informal interview/chat. Whatever you call it, we hope you enjoy. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Today, BBtv is proud to share a sneak peek at the new "Improbable Research Collections" internet tv series. The Improbable Researchers are a group of scientists who collect and conduct research to provoke both laughter and thought. They publish a bi-monthly magazine, "Annals of Improbable Research;" they award the coveted " Ig Nobel Prizes;" and they oversee the exclusive and ridiculous Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists ("for scientists who have, or believe they have, luxuriant flowing hair"). They launch an online series of offbeat videos this week, and like all they do, these 'net shorts are an amalgam of science, technology, and history with Monty-Python-esque irreverence. In the Researchers' own words: Each collection — each episode — is about three minutes long, composed of bits and pieces and people from the magazine Annals of Improbable Research , from Ig Nobel Prize lectures and ceremonies and other live events, and from many other sources. We have been collecting this material for almost twenty years. Bonus (or punishment?) at the end: real scientists in real lab coats singing real bad musical comedy. Like Boing Boing tv, the Improbable Research Collections videos will be released under a Creative Commons license (Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives). Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Rockabilly accordion vampire Count Smokula was born 496 years ago in Smokesylvania. Herbal remedies and excellent squeezebox tunes have empowered him with eternal life. BBtv caught up with him at a recent accordion music shindig in Los Angeles to explore the mystery behind his miraculous powers of entertainment. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Rockabilly accordion vampire Count Smokula was born 496 years ago in Smokesylvania. Herbal remedies and excellent squeezebox tunes have empowered him with eternal life. BBtv caught up with him at a recent accordion music shindig in Los Angeles to explore the mystery behind his miraculous powers of entertainment. Less

Can't see the video? Watch this video now in a browser or download this video now. Sock puppets (real, not metaphorical) deconstruct the symbolism of George Orwell's 1984 in the latest BBtv afterschool special from Austrian subversive art collective monochrom. Kiki and Bubu explore the age-old question of whether sexuality exists on the internet, and the soft-sculpture proletariat struggle continues. Previously: * Monochrom's Marxist sock puppets * Monochrom: MyFaceSpace, the musical * Monochrom: Campfire at Will * Monochrom: Falco Stairs * Monochrom: Bar code artist Scott Blake / Falco stencil memorial * Human USB Hack / Very Simple Motor * Mark's Curie Engine / Monochrom's love song for Lessig Less