Drivers start your engines, I get Paunched again!

As many may have picked up, or not, I Greg am quite the motorsports aficionado. One of my favorite days of the year is Sunday, Memorial Day Weekend. This year, while recovering from my 70 mile bicycle ride, I’ll be glued to the set for the 92nd Indianapolis 500. Well, while the action has been going on in Indiana for the last 2 plus weeks, you’d think to see it you’d have to fly out to Indy, right? No! On Monday, May 19, they flew the full field of 33 drivers (30 guys and 3 ladies) to New York City, right over the river from me. They all took part in a group photo op. next to the Charging Bull sculpture downtown on Broadway at the Canyon of Heroes.

The only problem was A) I didn’t find out until afterwards, and B) I was too busy at work to go anyway. But argggggghhhhh how annoying! Paunch Luck again. The next closest Indycar race is 4 hours away in Watkins Glen, NY. What other chance would I have to see the entire field of drivers though for the Indy 500 without being there? Rats! NASCAR does the same thing, having their actual cars ride through Manhattan in December. I’ve yet to see it, because I always forget when it is, so I can take off from work.

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=11417

Indy 500 drivers in NYC

PS: The Dush (Eliza Dushku) has been in NY a lot lately promoting her new show Dollhouse I assume, but I never know where beforehand. Paunched!

Transformers: Animated…The Movie that Wasn’t

Transformers: Animated

Many moons ago, we commented on Cartoon Network’s Transformers: Animated show. It debuted on December 26, 2007, although I’ve yet to see it because I’m still asleep at 10:30 Saturday morning. However, aside from it using the current animation style of Batman, Star Wars Clone Wars, and Justice League, it seems like a really good representation of the G1 show. There are many characters from the classic show, almost all with their same personality, color scheme, and vehicle mode. They include Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Prowl, Ultra Magnus, Jazz, Ironhide, Blurr, Arcee, Elita One, Grimlock, Snarl, Swoop, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, and more. They have the Ark (Autobot ship), the Nemesis (Decepticon ship), Cybertron, Teletraan I, the original transforming sound effect, the purplish neon energon cubes, and even the original Transformers theme song! Voice actors include Corey Burton, John Moschitta Jr., Weird Al Yankovic, Lance Henriksen, and Bill Fagerbakke (Dauber on Coach). I have yet to see an actual episode, but the videos on the websites below are interesting. It seems as if the flow and dialogue is very close to the original show.

Cartoon Network Official Site
Another Official Website

Corey Burton, the voice of G1 Shockwave, now plays Megatron. David Kaye, the voice of Beast Wars Megatron, is now Optimus Prime, who he also played in several of the recent TF cartoons. Welker said he nor Cullen were offered a role. I have to think that the reason is Cartoon Network preferred to use people it’s worked with extensively before.

The People Vs. George Lucas

George Lucas

There is some sort of indie or fan film project underway, due out in 2009, seeking to flesh out and understand why there is such divisiveness among Star Wars fans. More specifically, their feelings towards the choices made by George Lucas following the original Trilogy. The structure will be based on several hot topics of debate. Seems as though they have been accepting fan submissions of videos. The writer/director is Alexandre Phillipe. I guess we should make a video?

www.peoplevsgeorge.com
www.myspace.com/peoplevsgeorge

Celebrity Death: Roy Scheider from Jaws and Seaquest

Roy Scheider

Yahoo! News – Roy Scheider of Jaws dies at 75

Sad news is that Roy Scheider died yesterday, at the age of 75. Roy is best known as Chief Martin Brody in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws and Jaws II. I also remember him from The French Connection, 2010 (sequel to 2001 Space Odyssey) and many years later, as Captain Nathan Bridger on SeaQuest DSV on NBC. Roy actually was born in Orange, NJ, and attended Columbia High School in Maplewood. Pretty much the Paunch Stevenson neck of the woods. The guy was a terrific actor and one of those who you instantly recognize on screen and who’s personality is very authentic and real. One of my favorites and will be missed.

Roy Scheider, November 10, 1932 – February 10, 2008