• President Obama still leads in hypothetical political matchup, despite economy
• Syria defies Obama, shooting 21 in fresh protest retaliation
• Al Qaeda deputy vows to continue Bin Laden's work

This Saturday, funnyman John Oliver will be performing his own personal brand of stand up, offering us a glimpse of the world through his unique point of view. If his name doesn’t ring a bell for you, then perhaps you don’t watch a little thing called “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” Of course, he’s more than a comedian, or reporter, or even an actor. He’s…well, forget it, we’ll let him tell you. more ›

They Might Be Giants have been making music as a band since 1982. Their odd but endearing mix of accordian, saxophone, and guitars coupled with witty lyrics earned them a huge college radio following from the mid-80's on. Songs like "Don't Let's Start" and "Birdhouse In Your Soul" even became hits, and the duo toured and recorded ad infinitum. A second chapter of their story is quite unusual: TMBG are now famous in children's circles. In 2002, the group released "No!", a kids record they had recorded years earlier for fun. The record was a surprise smash, leading to deals with both Disney for a series of children's music CD's and Simon and Schuster for the CD + book Bed, Bed, Bed (which also features a pre-Juno Kimya Dawson). Having conquered the grownups and the kids, They Might Be Giants have also become in-demand composers for TV, doing the themes for "Malcolm In The Middle", "The Daily Show", and even some Dunkin' Donuts ads. We're unsure when the group sleeps, because they seem to be awfully prolific. more ›

Photo by Bret Brookshire, courtesy Hyde Park Theatre Thom Pain (based on nothing)Through 12/22, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmHyde Park Theatre (511 W. 43rd. Street)Reservations: 479-PLAY[info]Every so often when doing a review, we’ve gotta own up to something from our past. In this case, it’s that we used to be in a cult. In our defense, it was a good cult. Back in college we were part of the American Forensic Association*—"forensic" meaning “having to do with... more ›

Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan blames President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for efforts to mislead the public about the role of White House aides in leaking the identity of a CIA operative. Police Chief: "Missing Student Ignored Due to Race." A drunken man broke into a central London park and attempted to have sex with a fence: Daniel French, 24, made "sexual motions" towards metal railings in Leicester Square Gardens... more ›

[This review courtesy of new Austinist contributor Anna Hanks! -Ed.] As much as we'd like to change a few things about our first time, we regret we’ll never be able to repeat the experience. We also can’t change history, so catching the currently playing, slick incarnation of the Rude Mechanicals' Get Your War On also wasn't our first time. (We reviewed the show last January as well.) Directed by Shawn Sides, Get Your War... more ›

The nicer the weather gets, the busier we get across the Ist-A-Verse. But we like being busy. Here's a peek at what we've been up to since last week! Chicagoist had an interview with Audrey Niffenegger, whose popular book, The Time Traveler's Wife, was based in their fine city. They also had a heated discussion about Rush Limbaugh's controversial Barack Obama parody, talked about whether Uncle Julio's Hacienda is a good place to get... more ›

Ever since he dropped out of NYU Law School — to the initial chagrin of his family — Demetri Martin’s star has been on the rise. His success as a stand-up comedian in New York City led to a writing gig on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien." After honing his skills on O’Brien’s show, Martin moved over to Comedy Central, where he has worked as a contributor on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."... more ›

We hardly think Wal-Mart will help revitalize anything. Say goodbye to the little shops in North Austin. Save Terra Toys! Dunkin' Donuts better step on the bandwagon. They're going to lose their biggest market to some greasy burgers. Anticipate headlines that read: Murders, Pedophiles and Stalkers on the Rise in Japan. They're getting MySpace. Soccer moms not the US Military will soon invade Iraq. Its safer than the suburbs. The FCC has decided that... more ›

While you sit on the couch tonight, toasting democracy, check out these resources to pass the time. Also, feel free to use the comment section as an open-thread all night long. Your friends tell you they voted? Don't trust them? Check on them. We're surprised this is even legal! | link Can't wait for Rather or Blitzer to let you know what's going? The Secretary of State lets us watch the real-time election results roll... more ›

Hey, did you all hear that Haley Joel Osment pleaded no contest to drunk driving and drug possession charges? Can you imagine being in an AA meeting with that kid who saw dead people? Man, he is totally that guy now. Sad. Anyway, on to this week's new movie releases, which feature actors whose careers may or may not eventually take a turn for the worst! *Flags of Our Fathers Clint Eastwood's son makes... more ›

Perhaps you've heard that the comedy scenes in both LA and New York are excellent these days. You might have gotten a taste of this when Eugene Mirman and Aziz Ansari rolled through town in March for SXSW. If you've been wishing for an NYC weekend to catch a show or two, don't book that ticket just yet. Several of the best acts are heading right here for Austinites to watch this fall... Michael... more ›

I just figured out what will save our country from its current path of sure-fire self-destruction. I don’t want to make a scene about this, because I need to find a way to get some dosh off it first. I’m pretty sure it’s milkable, and I’m pretty sure I’m the first person to even see the opportunities presented here. I’m thinking: book deal, Midwestern town square tour, and a guest spot on The Daily Show where I’ll try to be serious about everything even though I’ll look like a total tool, because THAT’S how much I need to look like I believe it. I’ve seen the light. more ›

With an HBO special, Red, White and Screwed, and a book tour to supplement his already demanding road show and TV obligations, it’s been a busy year for Lewis Black. We caught up with Black over the weekend at BookPeople, where he was to promote the paperback release of Nothing’s Sacred. Having been subjected to seven hours of interviews a day and arriving in a new city every afternoon, it’s a wonder he wasn’t... more ›

This has been a rough week for your -ist pals, though you wouldn't know it from the great posts all over the network. Plagued with server problems, our tech team (led by the great Neil Epstein) toiled around the clock to solve the glitches as they arose. Seriously, we've said, typed, and thought the phrase "server problems" more in the past week than we have for the last 35 years combined. Why not say it... more ›

A surprisingly hefty offering of new releases today! Trim the fat and take our recommendations to heart, won't you? Basic Instinct 2 It's not possible for us to care less about Sharon Stone's latest attempt to "get back in the game," as it were. You can already download the "sex" scenes from the internet, but honestly, why would you want to? It's like voluntarily searing your own retinas with white-hot needles. *Ice Age: The... more ›

The summer movie season is over, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any good flicks to look forward to. In fact, we’ve found that they often save the best ones for last. You know, just in time for Mr. Oscar (well, in some cases. Sorry, Jessica Alba). We’re pretty excited about a couple of the films being released today, which we’re sure will be apparent in our completely biased summaries of them.... more ›

Although we know you like to boogey and we know you like to booze, but sometimes you need a change of pace. With that said, there are five movies being released in Austin theatres this weekend and a host of first-runs worth checking out if you have not already taken our advice. *40-Year-Old Virgin Contrary to semi-popular belief, this is not a film about us. So save your jokes. The Daily Show and Second... more ›

Daily Show correspondent, Samantha Bee and her team of sound guys and camera men will be in Austin today (or more specifically, Round Rock). They will be filming a segment for the Daily Show about locally-run website, Happy News. Website owner and Italian jewelry magnate, JJ Kent was nervous to go head-to-head with Bee, concerned that she would later alter his wording. However, our inside source tells us that The Daily Show has insisted... more ›

The Texas cheerleading reform bill which was passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the State Senate on May 3rd is getting precisely the amount of time and consideration from the Education Committee that it deserves. more ›

The celebrity whose name we are now embarassed to type because we've typed it so many times in the last few days has gone and talked about Austin on national television again. We thought she was out on the road to promote a movie or something, but apparently she just wants to gab ad nauseum about our favorite city. This time, Ms. Bullock -- we couldn't resist! -- was on the Daily Show talking with... more ›