Favorite Band at the Moment: The National

i've listened to this record (high violet) at least 3 times this week, give it a spin

Things That Bring The Happy, Vol. 1 - John Belushi

If there's one thing I know about this blog (and, considering our young age as a blog, I'm surprised I know one thing), it's that we aim to bring you the things that bring us happiness.  So, I figured it was about time that we start a new feature here on (O)PP, aptly named - "Things That Bring The Happy".  We've got like 50 of those things that bring at least one of us happiness pictured in the banner above, but there are probably wayyyyyy more of them out there that we need to feature here. 

This idea, like so many great ideas, was born in a bad place.  I'm having one of those evenings where I'm immensely annoyed, on my last nerve, and ready to hastily battle the forces that bring me this anger.  And I realize that we've all had those days.  Someone says/does/thinks/implies/reincarnates something that we disagree with.  And we freak out, because we know they're full of crap.  It's that age old "Hey, I know life's not fair, but you don't have to be ridiculous" moment.  And when we're pushed against the wall like so, we have certain things that we go to that take us out of that moment.  That's where the Things That Bring The Happy come in.

In my case, there's one thing that came to mind tonight immediately: John Belushi.  Here's the thing about the late Mr. Belushi - every time I see him on screen, I laugh.  He doesn't even have to say anything, I just start laughing.  If he moves, I laugh.  I can't explain it.

I started up my SNL Best of John Belushi DVD tonight (though I'm still mad the DVD cuts a few scenes I loved from the VHS version - which is in the other room, and I'm too angry to move), and I started laughing as soon as he showed up.  By the fourth sentence ("I am afraid we are out of badgers.  Would you accept a wolverine in its place?"), I was laughing out loud.

From his stints with The Blues Brothers (one of my favorite movies ever, too) to his ranting on Weekend Update to his portrayal of a coke snorting Beethoven (not the dog), I laugh, and laugh and laugh.  I also wonder how he could be so agile, and especially how he can control his right eyebrow so well.  I'm a left eyebrow kind of guy, and wish I could pull that off.

In fact, I kinda wish I could be John Belushi (without the drugs, of course, I enjoy being the me I've created too much for that stuff).  Somehow, he captures everything that I find hilarious.  Even the outdated jokes work for him - his impersonation of a drunken Joe Cocker is literally the funniest thing I've ever seen, and I wasn't even around in the '70s to see Cocker on stage.  Oh, and that brings up the issue of his musical talent, which cannot be forgotten. I so wish I could pull that off.

So here's to John Belushi for being a Thing That Brings The Happy.  You were taken too soon, but I'll continue to run through every DVD you ever appeared on until the end of time.  Whatever it was you had, I needed it tonight.