ENTERTAINMENT: Bender, A True Hero

This in from the In Character blog on NPR.org. - OlderMusicGeek

Your Turn: Bender Bending Rodriguez
From Futurama, created by Matt Groening
Nominated by Travis Larchuck

The short-lived and then revived animated program Futurama features a futuristic New York populated by aliens and mutants. So it's ironic that the most human character on the show is a robot by the name of Bender Bending Rodriguez.

Bender was designed only to bend steel rods, but he would much rather sit on the couch and watch TV all day. He fuels himself by drinking beer. He swears. He's addicted to gambling and pornography (which consists of computer circuitry diagrams). He dreams of becoming a master chef, taking over the world and killing all humans. Who among us can't identify with those urges?

Despite his flaws, Bender has a heart. He stays true to his best friend, Fry. And when he is accidentally launched into space and gets to meet God, the lesson he learns ("you can't count on God for jack") is something we can all use.

Tags: Animation | Comedy | Comics | Movies | Science Fiction | TV

2:33 PM ET | 02-14-2008 | permalink

A link to the original post

A link to the In Character blog


Al Gore is cool to me because he appeared in Futurama not just once! But twice! And once when he was still vice-president!

Admittedly, his daughter was a writer on Futurama, but still...

HUMOR: The Donkey and the Raffle

Another email from my girlfriend, The Sassy Witch. - OlderMusicGeek

The Donkey and The Raffle

A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died."

Kenny replied, "Well then, just give me my money back."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

Kenny said, "OK then, just unload the donkey."

The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him?"

Kenny, "I'm going to raffle him off."

Farmer, "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

Kenny, "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he is dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"

Kenny, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece and made a profit of $898.00."

Farmer, "Didn't anyone complain?"

Kenny, " Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back."

Kenny grew up and eventually became the chairman of Enron...