The Other Other Ellen Series Comes To DVD

If you, like me, can't get enough of Ellen DeGeneres, then you're (and we're) in luck!!

Earlier this summer, the complete series of The Ellen Show was released on DVD from Sony. This two disc set included all eighteen episodes of this short-lived sitcom, which also featured Cloris Leachman (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Young Frankenstein), Martin Mull (Roseanne, Hollywood Squares), Jim Gaffigan (Comedy Central Presents, That '70s Show), Emily Rutherford (Will & Grace, The New Adventures of Old Christine), and Kerri Kenney (Still Standing, Reno 911!). This show was really underrated in my opinion. The series is different than Ellen, Ellen's previous series from the mid-'90s, but that is not always a bad thing. Anyway, the series can be purchased from Amazon.com (and, if you act now, we'll include free support of this blog with every purchase!!)

In addition to that, as reported earlier in this blog, the fourth (and second-to-last) season of Ellen, Ellen DeGeneres' first self-titled TV sitcom, will be released on DVD from A&E Home Video later this year. One quick update -- the release date has been pushed back from August 29 to September 26, according to Amazon.com, where coincidently one may pre-order this season for shipment in late September while simultaneously supporting this blog. Okay, I'll try to cut down on my shameless promotional pieces.

Finally (and here comes the real news), TVShowsOnDVD.com has posted a news item that states Ellen's latest talk show series, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, will be released by Warner Home Video in a two-disc collector's edition best of set that will reportedly include two hours' worth of hilarious footage from the series. At this point, you might be asking yourself, "What, Mickey, no Amazon pre-order link for this set?" Nope, sorry, this set will be sold exclusively at Target stores at a retail price of $24.98 starting on September 19. This news is interesting since I wasn't expecting to ever see this series on DVD; it's upsetting to see that this set will only amount to two hours of content though. I'm holding out hope that there will be some (if not many) special features or bloopers of some kind. If not, I hope the set will be discounted when it is first released and that there will be at least one follow-up set. I'm always up for more Ellen goodness.

Oh, and hey, when is HBO going to release Ellen's two(?) One Night Stand stand-up comedy specials? I'm offering the money to you now, Home Box Office. You don't really want those shows collecting dust in storage, do you?

For more on Ellen, visit her talk show's official site.

Don't Download This Song... Or You'll Want More

It's almost time again for a Weird Al comeback that seems to take place about once every couple of years or so. In addition to the digital release of “You’re Pitiful” (see weirdal.com or my post from June 10) and the DVD release of The Weird Al Show (see my previous post), Al has some more surprises up his sleeve.

Al has premiered the first single off of his upcoming album, Straight Outta Lynwood, only at his Myspace.com page. The song, which can be downloaded for free, is entitled "Don't Download This Song." Oh, the irony! If that ain't brilliance, I don't know what is. Okay, I don't know what brilliance is. The point is, the song is styled after "We Are The World," and is another winner from the master of the song parody. I believe this song will be on his new CD, which will be in stores September 26 and is a DualDisc release, which means the album will be on one side of the disc, and special video features will be on the other (DVD) side of the disc, along with a better audio quality version of the album itself. Al's album will include a short documentary on the making of the album and (get ready for this...) SIX new music videos (and in related news, I now officially cannot contain my excitement over this album). Click here to pre-order the album from Amazon and to support the MkO blog.

More greatness should be here soon, as Al premieres the brand-new "Don't Download This Song" music video on Yahoo! Music tonight (or possibly Wednesday, according to Yahoo) at 10 PM Pacific time.

Src: weirdal.com (Where else?)

Weird Al Is Way, Way Moby

If you have no idea what it means to be way moby, then you have not seen every episode of The Weird Al Show (a.k.a. TWAS). Actually, neither have I (I still have to watch the last five episodes of its thirteen-episode run.) Don't blame me; it's been nearly impossible to see this show. As a child, I had only seen one episode, and the show was never rerun and had no home video release in the past. But now, SHOUT Factory (the geniuses behind the DVDs of SCTV, Home Movies, Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and many other TV shows) has answered the prayers of every true Yankomaniac by releasing The Weird Al Show The Complete Series on DVD, which is available RIGHT NOW. Okay, I'll give everyone a moment to stop reading, so that you can go to Amazon to order this fantastic series, and then come back here to read on. Click here to purchase The Weird Al Show on DVD and to support this blog/website.

Well, let's move on, now that you've ordered your copy (remember, we're on the honor system here). TWAS is presented in its entirety in this DVD set on three discs along with Fatman cartoon storyboards and concept art galleries, which are probably the only items that remain in existence from this nearly forgotten Saturday morning CBS children's TV series, as bonus features. Of course, there is also an audio commentary for each and every episode featuring Weird Al himself, along with several other cast and crew members. Truth be told, even though there are many great laugh-out-loud moments throughout the series, the commentaries are funnier than the episodes. In these audio commentaries, Weird Al, director Tom Frank, and producer Peyton Reed speak candidly about the history of the show and work together to point out why the show failed miserably, which was mainly because CBS wanted every line to teach something important to young viewers, each episode was forced to repeat the lesson of the day ad infinitum, and the series was poorly promoted by CBS.

When I first heard this series was planned for DVD release, I thought it was a miracle that any studio would be merciful enough to release this rare series (plus I buy anything involving Weird Al in any way, including all of his CDs, his UHF feature film DVD, his ultimate music video collection DVD, his live concert DVD, and now his TV series box set). Weird Al fans can finally rejoice. The only really sad thing about this series is that had it been just some strange primetime show, it could have been the greatest program ever, but since it was dumbed down for viewers as young as two years old, it's clear that Al's humor was compromised and that it became a show that nobody could really enjoy. What a wasted opportunity. Oh well, now Yankovic's fans only have to hold out hope that Al's Behind the Music special, (There's No) Going Home concert special, The Compleat Al mockumentary, and the numerous AL TV MTV and VH1 specials will someday make it to DVD. There's still a long WAY to go.