BUT.

When I heard that Mike, Kevin and myself were invited back this year to do a gigantic night at the San Diego Comic-Con (approx. 700,000 seats!), and that our host would be none other than our good friend, the high priestess of geekery Ms. VERONICA BELMONT — well, it’s was time to fire up the WordPress.

Here is the 411:

RIFFTRAX LIVE!

Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett (RiffTrax.com, Mystery Science Theater 3000) return to Comic-Con to perform another live, hilarious riff to a classic short! The panel is hosted by Veronica Belmont (host of Tekzilla on Revision3 and Qore on the PlayStation Network). Join the riffers for fun, laughs, and the latest news from RiffTrax.com, the site where MST3K-style humor meets mainstream movies, TV shows and vintage shorts. At RiffTrax.com they don’t make movies, they make them funny!

Friends, I have nothing to add except: come join us, wolves be damned!

Because it was such a success, the Rifftrax Live show from Nashville WILL be rebroadcast in theaters around the country sometime… in the FUTURE!

(The very near future, actually. Stay tuned for details.)

Thursdays of the future will feel ashamed when they look back on the glory of this coming Thursday, August 20, 2009, the date of RIFFTRAX LIVE across the U.S.A.:

Help shame future Thursdays! (Which is a dream we all share…)

Come to Rifftrax Live!

Know that during our 8/20 Rifftrax Live show, Kevin, Mike and I will perform contortions that put these woman to shame!

(…Wait, that’s NOT a selling point?)

LIVE in 433 theaters across the U.S.A.

More info HERE from our producing partners at Fathom Events.

And Conor has even more 411 HERE on the Rifftrax Forum.

Stay tuned!

Ah, memories. A few things jumped out:

– I can’t believe I used to wear such a small red bow tie! Roughly a third the size of the red bow tie I wear these days.

– Kevin has always danced like a dream, and this video proves it. It’s hard not to turn around and watch whenever he pops up next to me and starts a-moving!

– We hadn’t quite worked Mike into the act yet, but I think his debut appearance at roughly 1:57 shows the superstar he was destined to become.

(* And many millions of other people.**)

(**OK, so we’re not the center of the universe. Fine!)

(via Topless Robot)

Who won? Everyone who read these gems. Some very, very funny stuff, and it made my job way too hard. What in blazes was I thinking?

Still, when I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself at the difficulty of choosing between these, I was laughing a lot. And while a whole bunch of your entries could have won, this one ultimately edged it out:

“36

Phelps on Jun 10, 2009 at 11:19 am

Eight year old Kevin was enjoying his nice suburban life when his parents callously abandon him a week before Christmas in the middle of Chicago. Now, he is forced to fend for himself, navigating a world world made for adults in a desperate attempt to survive on his own in a world of orphanages and abusive foster homes.

When things are just looking up, Kevin finds himself to be the target of two maniacal home invaders (Joe Pesci of Goodfellas and Casino and Daniel Stern of Very Bad Things) hell bent on taking everything Kevin has left… and threatening to murder him in the process. What will you do when you are… Home Alone?

Critics rave, “It’s David Copperfield meets Panic Room!”

…for me, it was that last line that sealed the deal. Very funny!

Well done, Phelps. Please email Erik at Rifftrax dot com, and he’ll set you up with a freebie.

And many thanks to everyone else who played. There were lots of truly hilarious entries. If you haven’t looked them over, give yourself a treat.

THE CHALLENGE: Make an existing comedy into a drama, or vice-versa.

DETAILS: Pick an actual movie, from any era. Re-pitch it as a comedy if it’s considered a drama, OR if you’ve chosen a drama, re-pitch it as a comedy. Stick as closely as possible to the actual characters and plot of the real movie, but completely change the tone…. and do it in 150 words maximum (down below in comments).

DEADLINE: Friday June 12, 11:59 PM.

PRIZE: A free Rifftrax of your choice.

Godspeed!

*****

[UPDATE: Please do me a solid and include the title of the movie somewhere in your comment, artfully or otherwise, even if you think it's clear. You must never underestimate my thick-headedness.

It won't even count as part of your 150 word limit. So those of you who were planning to use THIS MOVIE or even, God help us, THIS MOVIE need not worry.]

OR?

I’m so torn! The first one is shorter and to the point.

The second one, on the other hand, has a certifiably terrifying sheep with a gigantic tongue.

So perhaps you can see my dilemma?

First, the original (post-Moldova, that is), starring chubby guy in chair Gary Brolsma:

Next, a mini-documentary on the matter, and internet memeology in general:

Finally, Mr. Brolsma’s attempt to re-Numa, and also Numa:

That’s it! No more!

I know YOU will beg and plead for more Numa Numa over the next few days, but I’m done!

THIS is the original. THIS. You won’t recognize it until approx. 45 seconds in, but then your day will be made (for approx. 45 seconds more):

Yes, I’m probably WAY behind on my internet memes, and everyone has already ironically downloaded this to their iPhones. What can I tell you? I’m old.

FYI: The skinny men in the video, a.k.a. O-Zone, are from Moldova, and reportedly bitter to the point of distraction at being eclipsed by a chubby American kid lip-synching their work without ever getting up from his chair.

***CONOR ADDS***

Don’t forget this video from recently incarcerated rap artist T.I.  I wonder if the producer just kept his fingers crossed that T.I. didn’t recognize the sample and get furious for someone trying to get him to rap over the Numa Numa song.

Who loves you so much that he’s posting delightful spoken-word versions of songs by BREAD?

Who loves you so much that he’s posting delightful spoken-word versions of songs by BREAD as performed by master chef Tom Colicchio?

Who loves you like that? I really want an answer, damn it. (Hint: the answer is ME.)

But with God as my witness, I will not let Kevin escape this.

2) Instructions:

3) Becoming a Danish pixie-type is optional, but recommended.

*****

(h/t: Michael Kupperman)

William Shatner and Adam West in ALEXANDER THE GREAT:

…And as quickly as it began, the dream vanished.

Right out of camera range: big Hollywood producers, scions of the Corn industry, and Lord Voldemort (who works part-time for Corn as well! SO CONNECTED!!).

Picture courtesy of THIS IS PHOTOBOMB. Very funny site, though often NSFW.