Portlandia

Cradles Broken Glass

I apologize if their is already a thread on this, but just in case there isn't one...I love this show!!! As an added bonus it stars the magnificent Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney. I'm sad b/c there probably isn't going to be a new show for a little while, but you can check it out on IFC if you are interested. Anyone else enjoy it?

Kilgore_Trout

IFC has tons of stuff on it i always want to watch but i dont get that channel... i think i might upgrade so i can see this, todd margaret, onion news network, and arrested development reruns

Cradles Broken Glass

Kilgore_Trout wrote:

IFC has tons of stuff on it i always want to watch but i dont get that channel... i think i might upgrade so i can see this, todd margaret, onion news network, and arrested development reruns

The Onion always comes on right before Portlandia on Friday nights, both are great. I'm also addicted to the Freaks and Geeks reruns. You should upgrade, I think it's one of my favorite channels, they also show some decent movies.

aspoonfulweighsaton

I REALLY wanted to love this show and was looking forward to it for a while when I had first heard about it. Unfortunately, it's just really not that good IMO. I might laugh twice in the almost 30 minutes. The funniest skits are when they play a couple and Carrie is the guy with the mustache and wifebeater. That low voice cracks me up. I mean I appreciate weird and off-beat humor as much as anyone, but most of the skits just leave me either shaking or scratching my head.

The Aimee Mann thing was pretty hilarious though.

TheGhost

It's way funnier if you're familiar with Portland. EVERYONE in town has an opinion about it. Personally, I'm proud that my town has a distinctive enough culture that it can be made into a cliche and mocked! Portland being described as "where young people go to retire" is priceless!

Cradles Broken Glass

aspoonfulweighsaton wrote:

I REALLY wanted to love this show and was looking forward to it for a while when I had first heard about it. Unfortunately, it's just really not that good IMO. I might laugh twice in the almost 30 minutes. The funniest skits are when they play a couple and Carrie is the guy with the mustache and wifebeater. That low voice cracks me up. I mean I appreciate weird and off-beat humor as much as anyone, but most of the skits just leave me either shaking or scratching my head.

The Aimee Mann thing was pretty hilarious though.

"Cocoa" is now a running joke around my house. I think it's hilarious when she plays a guy. I agree that not all of the skits are hits, but it's definitely a quotable show. I thought the Aimee Mann thing was funny too. Also, the feminist bookstore is great.

Wobbie

I just saw the EV episode. Portlandia is pretty much a :wtf: show.

81

imalive wrote:

I just saw the EV episode. Portlandia is pretty much a :wtf: show.

is it worth seeking out to view?

Sprunkn7

81 wrote:

imalive wrote:

I just saw the EV episode. Portlandia is pretty much a :wtf: show.

is it worth seeking out to view?

yes, worth watching....I thought it was funny. Rest of the show, meh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEqj68woTwA

LikeAnOcean

I've been watching the first season on Netflix..

Pretty funny, but I could see how some might not find it amusing. It pokes a lot of fun at hipsters and the indie music scene.

thefixer9

I really tried to like that show but I'm just not that into it.

LikeAnOcean

thefixer9 wrote:

I really tried to like that show but I'm just not that into it.

It's hit or miss with me. I don't laugh hard, but it keeps me amused.

thefixer9

Gob wrote:

thefixer9 wrote:

I really tried to like that show but I'm just not that into it.

It's hit or miss with me. I don't laugh hard, but it keeps me amused.

I mean it's ok to watch when there is nothing on to watch. It's not bad but it's not awesome...

musicismylife78

im both a hipster and a resident of the pacific northwest, so this show is close to home. I love the cameos by all the indie rock people. Colin Meloy, Corin Tucker, James Mercer, Aimee mann, Some jokes are so specific to the pacific northwest that i wonder if we are the only people that get it. The scene where they track down that guy who does the mixed drinks, and emerge from the car in California, and carrie says "what is that, why is it so bright (the sun was shining) and why is the sky and sun not covered by clouds." the bike references as well. Fixies are well known, but Portland is an especially bike friendly city. The mayor appeared for a quick second, as an aide for an actor who plays the mayor. but the real mayor of portland, sam adams has a George Washington type Isaac Brock in his office, and introduced the Decemberists this summer at their show in portland.

Its kind of interesting being the demographic and type of person they are mocking, but its a smart show. And plus its pretty damn meta, because the theme song, or song soundtracking the credits are Washed Out, a band thats popular with hipsters but fits the overused stereotype that its a band that is big with the indie folks but no one else knows who they are. And of course Carrie is a hipster herself, appearing on NPR, a resident of portland, and in two indie bands.

I personally think making fun of hipsters is old and tired. Its part of the reason, i flip out, or flipped out in that pitchfork thread i made a few weeks ago. People make fun of hipsters not because they really hate them, or dislike them, but because its cool and trendy to dislike and trash them. And the jokes that most people come up with are boring and cliche. Portlandia is self referential and smart and genuinely funny, plus you know its all tongue firmly planted in cheek because many of the cameos and the cast are all hipsters themselves. plus its damn accurate.

musicismylife78

plus if you arent familiar with any of the indie rock bands and ideas being referenced i think the show might seem pretty obscure and out there. The decemberists, the shins and Sleater Kinney as well as Aimee Mann, are all successful musicians, but how many people actually know what the band members look like, how many of the average viewing public would know what James Mercer or Colin Meloy look like? So I also think the show is pretty much written for and about hipsters. Washed Out appeared on a few best of 2011 lists, but again, how many people when they hear the theme song, pick up on that its Washed Out?

musicismylife78

oh yeah and how about them using jenny conlee who went by the name sparklepony in that skit? again, its so obscure im sure most people, even fans of the decemberists would miss it. Thats part of the fun of the show I think. Its lampooning and lambasting a segment of the population, yet throws a bone to the demographic in every single episode by referencing bands, or people or things only that demographic would be into or understand. As I said, millions of people know who the decemberists are, but how many people know what their accordian/keyboard player/piano player looks like?

LikeAnOcean

musicismylife78 wrote:

oh yeah and how about them using jenny conlee who went by the name sparklepony in that skit? again, its so obscure im sure most people, even fans of the decemberists would miss it. Thats part of the fun of the show I think. Its lampooning and lambasting a segment of the population, yet throws a bone to the demographic in every single episode by referencing bands, or people or things only that demographic would be into or understand. As I said, millions of people know who the decemberists are, but how many people know what their accordian/keyboard player/piano player looks like?

I caught James Mercer from the Shins and Corin Tucker in a season 1 episode..

musicismylife78

Gob wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

oh yeah and how about them using jenny conlee who went by the name sparklepony in that skit? again, its so obscure im sure most people, even fans of the decemberists would miss it. Thats part of the fun of the show I think. Its lampooning and lambasting a segment of the population, yet throws a bone to the demographic in every single episode by referencing bands, or people or things only that demographic would be into or understand. As I said, millions of people know who the decemberists are, but how many people know what their accordian/keyboard player/piano player looks like?

I caught James Mercer from the Shins and Corin Tucker in a season 1 episode..

i did too, are you a fan of those bands? and of the music the show lampoons? i think the point is, james mercer and corin tucker could be in a crowd of people and go unnoticed by the majority of the people in the crowd.

LikeAnOcean

musicismylife78 wrote:

Gob wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

oh yeah and how about them using jenny conlee who went by the name sparklepony in that skit? again, its so obscure im sure most people, even fans of the decemberists would miss it. Thats part of the fun of the show I think. Its lampooning and lambasting a segment of the population, yet throws a bone to the demographic in every single episode by referencing bands, or people or things only that demographic would be into or understand. As I said, millions of people know who the decemberists are, but how many people know what their accordian/keyboard player/piano player looks like?

I caught James Mercer from the Shins and Corin Tucker in a season 1 episode..

i did too, are you a fan of those bands? and of the music the show lampoons? i think the point is, james mercer and corin tucker could be in a crowd of people and go unnoticed by the majority of the people in the crowd.

The Shins are my second favorite band ever.

Wobbie

musicismylife78 wrote:

im both a hipster and a resident of the pacific northwest, so this show is close to home.

what makes you a hipster? I only hear the term but don't really know what qualifies one as a hipster. :?

dcfaithful

imalive wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

im both a hipster and a resident of the pacific northwest, so this show is close to home.

what makes you a hipster? I only hear the term but don't really know what qualifies one as a hipster. :?

Mamasan23

Saw the EV ep last weekend and loved it. The show is definitely strange, but I'm obsessed with both Battlestar Galactica and EV so I thought it was great. I'd definitely check it out again!

81

dcfaithful wrote:

Wobbie

dcfaithful wrote:

imalive wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

im both a hipster and a resident of the pacific northwest, so this show is close to home.

what makes you a hipster? I only hear the term but don't really know what qualifies one as a hipster. :?

why you posting your picture here? :?

musicismylife78

i think the generally accepted definition of a hipster, is a person in their 20's, who is into fashion, art and music. they shop at american apparel and urban outfitters. and they enjoy bands that are new and hip, but usually said bands havent made it into the cultural consciousness. Washed Out is a perfect example. Washed Out is on Sub Pop, they soundtrack Portlandia, but few if anyone outside the scene would be able to point out their music. Hipsters can be found in Portland, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Austin Tx. They read sites like Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan. They are fans of Palaniuk, Dave Eggers. They love Wes Anderson and Spike Jonze.

and its a movement and musical scene, but its one of the few i can think of, that has no agenda or political idealogy attached. hipsters arent out to elect a new president, or to change the system. its almost apolitical. \

the most common insult or sterotype is that they like bands before the mass population knows who they are. And when that band becomes popular, they quit liking that band, because now its considered cool. Ive found this pretty inaccurate. As indie has become increasingly popular, the term means less and less. The figureheads of the scene, bands like The Shins, Modest Mouse, Death Cab, Bright Eyes, Interpol, The Decemberists, Spoon etc.. are all wildly popular. Parents and kids alike are fans of these bands. So the idea that hipsters are jumping ship is pretty inaccurate, all you have to do is attend a show and see this isnt the case.

On of the most interesting and bizaare aspects musically of the last decade was the mainstreaming of indie and hipster music. These bands were started as independent and non mainstream musical moments, and somewhere along the lines, the music spread to teens, to parents, to mainstream and pop music fans, to mainstream rock fans and on and on. Someone like Bon Iver, who now is friends with Kanye. Or Arcade Fire, there isnt an unlikelier band to win a Grammy. Or Death Cab being mentioned on what was at the time the most popular show on television. Or indie bands being used on shows like Greys Anatomy or Scrubs or House.

musicismylife78

its still bizaare to me. I see Interpol or the Killers, or Iron and Wine and still see them as small, underground, unknown bands. But the truth is most if not all of the bands i discussed in the previous post, are mainstream bands that most people who are into music know.

dcfaithful

imalive wrote:

dcfaithful wrote:

imalive wrote:

what makes you a hipster? I only hear the term but don't really know what qualifies one as a hipster. :?

why you posting your picture here? :?

I admit that I might embrace a few hipster fashion elements. For instance, I wear a baggy beanie, sometimes wear a beard (always a shadow), I do have some crusty old shoes (they are converse, not vans) and most of all I do have a liking for "hipster" bands.

It shall be known though that I respect my palate and do not purchase Pabst, Natural Light, etc.

I also don't have janitor keys because, well... I'm not a fucking janitor.

I don't get trust fund checks either. So if I ever look broke or out of money, it is genuine.

Also, mymusicislife78, you should add Salt Lake City to your list of where hipsters can be found. I think they're taking over this city. Either that, or it's a pit stop between Brooklyn and/or Austin on their way to Portland.

Wobbie

musicismylife78 wrote:

i think the generally accepted definition of a hipster, is a person in their 20's, who is into fashion, art and music. they shop at american apparel and urban outfitters. and they enjoy bands that are new and hip, but usually said bands havent made it into the cultural consciousness. Washed Out is a perfect example. Washed Out is on Sub Pop, they soundtrack Portlandia, but few if anyone outside the scene would be able to point out their music. Hipsters can be found in Portland, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Austin Tx.

I've seen your type in Salt Lake City, too

not to piss you off, but this whole hipster thing seems kind of premeditated and manufactured i.e. not really spontaneous or being true to yourself. I guess any trend is manufactured and I guess my bell bottomed, long haired, paisley shirt look of the 70s wasn't exactly original, either....

dcfaithful

imalive wrote:

I've seen your type in Salt Lake City, too

not to piss you off, but this whole hipster thing seems kind of premeditated and manufactured i.e. not really spontaneous or being true to yourself. I guess any trend is manufactured and I guess my bell bottomed, long haired, paisley shirt look of the 70s wasn't exactly original, either....

It's definitely premeditated, as are a lot of subcultures.

Wobbie

dcfaithful wrote:

I also don't have janitor keys because, well... I'm not a fucking janitor.

I don't get trust fund checks either. So if I ever look broke or out of money, it is genuine.

hipsters probably don't have DIO stickers on their cars, either.

norm

imalive wrote:

I guess my bell bottomed, long haired, paisley shirt look of the 70s wasn't exactly original, either....

laughing my ass off because i can totally see this