Scott Bateman, author of the forthcoming book Scott Bateman’s Sketchbook of Secrets & Shame (see item below), is creating a new animated movie every day for an entire year. He recently animated a little ditty sung by Kevin Murphy. You can see (and hear) “Aluminum & Beer” at http://www.batemania.com/bateman365/day256.html (Macromedia’s Flash player is required).

You may remember that several months ago we posted a picture of a MST3K-themed float from the Soulard Mardi Gras parade. The band pictured on that float has finally come forward. They are Bonedaddy & the Blues Shakers and you can find out more about them at http://www.bonedaddy.info.

The Weekly Blurb. ‘Nuff said.

Finally, our own Sampo was recently interviewed by the guys at Reel to Real Radio. You can download the show at http://www.reeltorealshow.com/archive/ReelToReal_060426.mp3 or listen to the streaming version at http://www.reeltorealshow.com/archive/ReelToReal_060426.m3u.

Recently, author Jack Mangan interviewed Mike Nelson as part of his second podcast ever. Among other topics, Mike shared some private details about his struggle to get Death Rat published. Listen to it here:
http://libsyn.com/media/dragonpage/JM_Deadpan_Ep002.mp3 (The interview with Mike starts at about six minutes into the podcast.)

For some reason, it seems that at times we go days (or weeks) without anything new to tell you, then suddenly we’re barraged with a flurry of items. This is one of those times.

Who is the best TV dad? Gillian Flynn of Entertainment Weekly’s “Ask the Critic” column gives a (not so) surprising answer. Find out why she thinks Joel Hodgson fits the bill at
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1180592_3_0_,00.html

Speaking of Joel, he and his brother Jim are supervising producers for the Discovery Channel’s show Everything You Need To Know. You can catch it on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific Times.

Meanwhile, over at National Public Radio, Kevin Murphy has recorded a commentary discussing the pros and cons of the two new competing high-def DVD formats. You can listen to it at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5302229

This is essentially an audio version of the column from his web site, which you can read at http://www.ayearatthemovies.com/kwm_writings.htm

Last, but not least, Mary Jo Pehl has contributed an essay to the forthcoming book Scott Bateman’s Sketchbook of Secrets & Shame, a collection of what Scott calls “300 or so of my very best cartoons.” The book will be available in August, but if you preorder it from Scott’s web site, he’ll send you a personally autographed copy at least six weeks before it hits stores, plus an original sketchbook sketch. You can find out more at http://www.batemania.com/sketchbook/book.html