ThisKevin

by Kevin on January 22nd, 2013

Thanks everyone who came to see NERD NITE.

My presentation, “I LOVE 1984: GEORGE ORWELL VS. VH1” was very well received. And fittingly, I took the stage just as the new season of Best Week Ever premiered on VH1. (How’s that for counter-programming?!)

Also, in true KEVIN GEEKS OUT fashion, my 20-minute talk clocked in at 35 minutes.

At some point I’ll either post video from the presentation or I’ll do it again at another show. (Let me know if you can suggest a venue for pseudo-academic memoirs.)

by Kevin on January 9th, 2013

Here’s the GROWN-UP WORDS guide to receiving bad gifts.

GROWN-UP WORDS: Cordial Responses for Gifts You Do Not Want

from Kevin Maher on Vimeo.

Episode 5 of Kevin Maher’s GROWN-UP WORDS, an original video series created for NICK MOM. Featuring Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen.

Editor: Eric Hendricks
Director of Photography: Jeremy Carr
Additional Material: Jo Ann Kamuf Ward, Rusty Ward.
Wardrobe Consultant: Alison Roberts.

by Kevin on January 8th, 2013

I’ve been a longtime fan of the NERD NITE lecture series, so I’m excited to finally appear at one.

Nerd Nite

Friday January 18th
9:15pm (doors at 9pm)
. . . . .

Galapagos Art Space
16 Main Street, Brooklyn
A/C train to High Street or
F-train to York Street
** Buy tickets here **

The evening consists of three 20-minute presentations.

My talk is titled “I LOVE 1984: George Orwell Vs. VH1″

Description: People throw around the term “Orwellian”, but could it be that basic-cable pop-culture clip-shows best capture the spirit of Orwell’s dystopian future? Kevin Maher shares his personal experiences writing for talking-head clip shows, comparing the popular format to the “perversions and swindles” that George Orwell feared. The presentation includes awesomely bad double-speak and a visit to Kevin’s own version of room 101.

Bio: Kevin Maher is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer whose work has been censored on VH1, CNN, AMC, Bravo, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Critics have compared Kevin’s work to the comedy of Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters, but his highest praise came when Tiger Beat called him “funny!”

by Kevin on January 3rd, 2013

December is lovely in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn, partly because so many of my neighbors decorate their front yards.

Every day I’d walk by this inflatable penguin and think of something else for the sign to say (i.e. “Global Warming is REAL!”)

I decided to ask the Facebook community to help photoshop this image.

I asked if anyone would recreate the iconic scene in NORMA RAE where Sally Field’s character calls to unionize. (If you haven’t seen the movie, you should.)

Within a few minutes the awesome Heather Young made it happen:

Then I joked that Tom Blunt would adapt this scene like he did on his blog:

Sure enough:

And then a little while later Jeff Eyres threw his hat into the ring with this one:

What’s next?

Will YOU photoshop something funny on the Penguin’s sign?

by Kevin on January 2nd, 2013

Warning: they know everything about what to expect.

GROWN-UP WORDS: The Pregnant Couple

from Kevin Maher on Vimeo.

Episode 4 of Kevin Maher’s GROWN-UP WORDS, an original video series created for NICK MOM. Featuring: Tara Schuster, Lucas Zachary Hazlett, Sheilah Smiley, Anna Moore.

Editor: Eric Hendricks
Director of Photography: Jeremy Carr
Additional Material: Rebecca Rogers Maher and Ritch Duncan
Wardrobe Consultant: Alison Roberts

by Kevin on January 1st, 2013

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New York’s 92Y Tribeca is screening a Don Coscarelli double-feature with his new film JOHN DIES AT THE END and his cult classic PHANTASM.

The director will be there in person and I’ll be moderating the Q&A.

It’s Wednesday January 9th at 7pm. Come on by, get tickets here.

I haven’t been this excited since I went to PHANTASMANIA at the Alamo Draft House. (c. 2000)

by Kevin on December 18th, 2012

How to talk to your friends with kids.

GROWN-UP WORDS: Ice Breakers for Non-Parents from Kevin Maher on Vimeo.

Episode 3 of Kevin Maher’s GROWN-UP WORDS, an original video series created for NICK MOM.
Featuring Kate Jones, Anna Moore, Don Hooper, Rob Kaye, Ryan Fidrick and Polly Simon.

Editor: Eric Hendricks.
Director of Photography: Jeremy Carr.
Wardrobe consultant: Alison Roberts.
Additional Material: Rebecca Rogers Maher and Ritch Duncan.

by Kevin on December 17th, 2012

Kindertrauma is one of my favorite places on the web. While most “retro” culture sites look at movies with an air of superiority, Unkle Lancifer respects the power of old media. (In my case the traumatic power of a Saturday morning cartoon.)

It’s easy to ridicule a cheap b-movie for its cheesy special effects, bad acting or implausbile plotlines. But the writers at Kindertrauma recognize that there was a time when a simple TV commercial was the stuff of nightmares.

I’m happy to have made a contribution to the site, you can read it here. I write about a scary episode of SuperFriends where the heroes are turned into Hobbit-like trolls.

by Kevin on December 14th, 2012

Sometimes even a bad movie has a good trailer.

And then there’s the bad movies with GREAT trailers.

I put together a list of five such films for TheFW.com

Watch them here and let me know if there are any you’d add to the list.

by Kevin on December 13th, 2012

Look out, people want to give you parenting advice!

GROWN-UP WORDS: Dodging Advice from Kevin Maher on Vimeo.

Episode 2 of Kevin Maher’s GROWN-UP WORDS, an original video series created for NICK MOM.

Featuring: Wendy Mays, Bill Farrow, Robert Ankers, Ramen Cromwell, Michele Carlo, Lisa Hinshaw, Shyaporn Theerakulstit.

Editor: Eric Hendricks.
Director of Photography: Jeremy Carr.
Additional Material: Rusty Ward, Rebecca Rogers Maher.
Wardrobe Consultant: Alison Roberts.

Orwell presentation

GROWN-UP WORDS: Cordial Responses for Gifts You Do Not Want

Upcoming Show – Friday 1/18

Photoshopped Penguin Signs

GROWN-UP WORDS: The Pregnant Couple

Don Coscarelli Double-Feature

GROWN-UP WORDS: Ice Breakers for Non-Parents

Traumafession: my first entry at Kindertrauma

Awesome Trailer, Not So Awesome Movie

GROWN-UP WORDS: Dodging Advice