TVSquad

Albert Brooks turns 60 today.

Brooks is mostly known for his films (Defending Your Life, Modern Romance), but he was also a favorite guest of folks like Carson and Letterman back in the '80s. He never quite gained the notoriety of some of his contemporaries, but his reputation as a "comedian's comedian" and a little something called "actual talent" has kept him out of obscurity -- and deservedly so, because he's one of the smartest and funniest people working today, even if he is a few steps outside the limelight.

Younger folks know him best for his various guest roles on The Simpsons, one of which I've posted below along with an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman (in two parts).

(S01E09) This particular episode is excellent at playing with your emotions. You already have a good idea of what is going to happen at the end, but you still somehow continue to root for Number 6 to successfully escape from The Village and get back to his normal life.

You know, I'm getting sick of this. After every episode of The Office, I usually say that this one was the best one yet. At some point, you can't get any better, right?

Wrong! Last night's episode, which focused on Michael's birthday "celebration" at the office, was simply the best one yet. It was so brilliant and so right on that I can't give it any higher praise. If this show doesn't win an Emmy, then the voters should be arrested and deported.

How great/sad was it to see Michael describe some of his past birthdays, especially the one when he was 7 years old and his mother got a pony for his party which he couldn't ride because he got a rash? Even though Michael does his very best to come across as a visionary business leader, he still is at heart a very sensitive guy who has vulnerabilities just like everyone else. In addition, he so desperately wants approval from his staff, although his attempts to get people to acknowledge his birthday with any enthusiasm prove wanting, to say the least.

If you believe James Stuart Blackton's 1906 short "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" to be the first use of animation ever (and many do), then that means the artform hits the century mark in April of this year. Jerry over at Cartoon Brew mentions that, like Jazz, animation is a wholly American creation. He left out comic strips, but what can you do? In honor of Animation's birthday, I would now like to list every animated thing ever. Let's see, there's Cap'n Crunch; Speedy Gonzales; Mickey Mouse; Bugs Bunny; um, that tiny little ball that helps you sing along to songs... well, I'll finish the list later. In the meantime, let us raise a glass to this awesome artform. Cheers.