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John Denver and the Muppets Christmas Special

Posted by Nate Brown on Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 10:41 am

No Christmas was ever complete without listening to the John Denver and the Muppets Christmas album. Thanks to some youtuber archivists, some highlights from the TV special.

Rowlf and John sing the understated and amazing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Duet”

The story of Alfie the Christmas Tree, and Kermit’s wish.

Scooter and John sing a great duet creepily in front of a live audience.

Everyone sings “Silent Night” in German in front of a captive audience of overdressed children who are now in their late 40s.


Category: Animals, Covers, Creepy, Freaks, Music Videos, Performance, Specials, TV & Film, Vintage	No Comments »

The Biggest Viral Video Sensations that I somehow missed

Posted by Pete Berg on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 2:05 pm

A guy name Greg Rutter has created a website called You Should Have Seen This, which features a “Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced On The Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something.”

It’s a list of 99 of the most famous online videos and memes that Greg believes everyone should have seen. I scored 93 / 99, and for the most part, I think this is a good list. (The 6 videos that I hadn’t seen are posted below.)

I would, however, say that some items aren’t nearly on the same level as others. Some of the clips below have only 60,000 hits — which is peanuts compared to the 114 million that true viral hits like “Evolution of Dance” have. Not to mention the the thousands of excluded YouTube videos with millions of more views…where are the more popular web hits like LonelyGirl15, Smosh, Shoes, Yo Dawg, Ninja Cat and Cooking by the Book?

Anyway, Give it a try! How many have you seen?

(Thanks to Jason Sheridan for sending this along.)

Flirting With Magic

Unintentionally hilarious commercial for a magician how-to tape…aimed at playas.

Gay Referee

Flamboyant referee — look how he runs! This one is really funny.

The Pet Penguin

A Japanese family has adopted a pet penguin, who wears a backpack and can walk to the fish market on its own! Incredible!

Sepultura – Refuse resist (cover) By Gauchos

Children’s two-piece band is remarkably good for their age!

Cop Shoots Himself in the Foot

…while giving a gun safety talk at a school.

Taking the ‘Chair’ out of Chairperson

Nhlanhla Nene, chairperson of the south african parliamentary finance portfolio commitee in an interview….


Category: Awesome, Memes, Specials	No Comments »

The Top 15 Viral Videos of 2008

Posted by Pete Berg on Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 at 11:19 am

Two-thousand-and-eight was one epic year for viral videos!

Delicious 2008 Pie Slice This is a list of our favorite viral videos of 2008. These are not necessarily the most viewed or most meme-inducing clips (though some of them are) — just the ones that we here at Pie Heaven had the most fun watching.

We shied away from Election ’08 related videos (the most viewed video of 2008 according to Viral Video Chart was will.i.am’s “Yes We Can” tribute to Barack Obama) and the so-called “viral videos” that are created by the mainstream media for other formats, and just happen to go viral. (“I’m F*cking Ben Affleck, for instance…or all those Sarah Palin SNL sketches that got huge.)

To see a list of the most viewed videos of 2008, check Viral Video Chart’s Top 100 of 2008, or the most viewed tab on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy our selections! If you think we’ve left anything out, post it in the comments section below. And have a HAPPY NEW YEAR! There’s no doubt that 2009 will be just as virally awesome as ’08 was.

15. Maru The Cat dives into boxes

Maru the cat is a sensation in Japan — a house cat that loves diving into boxes, and getting stuck in things — has his own blog with daily videos of his antics. The video above, of him diving into boxes, gave him his (much-deserved) 15 minutes of fame.

14. Will Jones’ Turbo Cardio

The ultimate workout plan. Pre-teen Will Jones will regret this video for the rest of his life.

13. Jesus Is My Friend by Sonseed

Christian music was never so awesome.

12. Boston Dynamics Big Dog

The creepy walking robotic “dog” made by some geeks at Boston Dynamics went insanely viral in 2008, and scared a whole lot of people. It also inspired tons of awesome spin-offs and quickly became a new meme. In fact, Pie Heaven even had an original take on the Big Dog (made by Ram Calley) as our April Fools Day prank Boston Dynamics Big Dog Evolves Again.

11. Fat Guy Shoots a Little Gun

The shortest video on the list, but I dare you to watch it just once. I don’t know why it is so ridiculously amazing, but that’s why the Internet is awesome.

10. The Hardest Mario Bros. Level Ever

Hilarious 23-minute attempt at the most frustrating Mario level ever conceived. This probably wouldn’t have made the the list, except for the sole fact that this was the #1 MOST VIEWED PIE HEAVEN VIDEO OF THE YEAR. I really don’t know why this took off, but it was visited over 7,000 times…making it the undoubtedly the most popular video on this little blog by far. I thought that it deserved a place in the top 15 for that alone.

9. Dogs that hate their lives

I would try to comment, but I think the pet owner’s own description of the video sums it up best. The last line in particular.

http://chris.pirillo.com/ – This year, our two puppies are getting dresed up as Princess Leia and Darth Vader. My wife, Ponzi, came up with the idea.

One minute after I recorded the video, Pixie peed in place and Wicket bit my left hand.

I can’t believe people like this exist. But I’m glad they do. For my own amusement.

8. The Final Countdown on KazooKeylele

Epic cover of an epic song. Bonus points for using the word “KazooKeylele.”

7. Japanese TV: Situps Challenge with Monkey and Dog

Probably the most talked-about (in person, with me), video on Pie Heaven. All of my friends who visit Pie Heaven thought this was as amazing as I did…and I honestly can’t get enough of it. Especially the BIG REVEAL toward the end (you know what I mean!)

6. Ninja Cat

Incredible! Cat sneaks down the hallway without moving. This video got huge, and there are about 500 different versions of it, set to different background music. I chose the one with the Jaws theme for this post, but the most viewed version has ninja techno music.

5. Sexman, aka Pruane2forever

Pruane2Forever, AKA “Sexman”, is my favorite video blogger of all time. This kid is so awkward…so foul-mouthed…and so ridiculously hilarious. I have watched every edition of his video blog that he’s released in ’08 (to much lulz), and posted quite a few of them here. The video above is when he reveals that he got BRACES….OH MAN, dental plan! Almost all of the comments he gets are negative, and people can’t help but pick fun at the kid…which sets him off even more! I love it.

In fact, there was one night this spring when I was walking (drunk) through the streets of Hollywood and heard some kids quoting Sexman. Suffice to say, I had to get in on that. We ended up shouting his best one-liners at each other from opposite sides of the street for a few minutes. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Sexman also does movie reviews…which are high comedy. (His thoughts on 10,000 BC and the new Rambo were particularly good.) And don’t miss the fan remixes of his videos. The remix of his braces announcement is my fav.

4. Jones’ Big Ass Truck Rental & Storage

Let Toby Jones store yo’ shit for you.

3. Toby y Sheila

The most fucked up video of the year (possibly ever). Toby the puppy loved the duck Sheila…and was heartbroken when she died. So what was the obvious solution? Watch the video to find out!

The music choice is amazing, and you don’t need to be able to read the Comic Sans Spanish subtitles to catch the drift. Wow. Just….wow.

2. Bill O’Reilly Flips Out

FUCK IT! WE’LL DO IT LIVE!

What an insane blow up! Bill O’Reilly is a living parody of himself, I swear. This video was a new meme within moments of when it was posted, and it got millions upon millions of views (as well as masterful remixes). Half of Facebook had their status set to a quote from this the morning it dropped, and with good reason. This video is an internet legend.

1. Lazytown Feat. Lil Jon – Cooking By The Book

Indeed, it is a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake.

If there’s one thing I learned in 2008, it’s never use a messy recipe (that cake will end up crazy!) It’s hard to believe that this most improbable mashup resulted in the BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR — but this is the one video that I have watched more than any other in 2008, and can’t get out of my head. Who thought that Nick Jr. and hardcore hip hop could mix to form such a perfect synthesis? Congratulations, Internet. You win.

BONUS: The Rickroll (RIP, 2007 – 2008)

I had to do it. 2008 was the year of the Rickroll — its awkward beginning as an inside joke on 4chan, its propulsion into worldwide fame, and its unfortunate, untimely death due to oversaturation. But if you count the number of hits from all the different Rickroll videos all over the Internet, it’s an order of magnitude higher than any other video. And that’s why it is here.

Honorable Mentions

Christian The Lion
The greatest reunion in animal history.

Stormtrooper dancing in Tokyo
One of my favorite videos of 2008…a guy dressed in a Star Wars costume dances to the dance hit “Ai No Corrida.” I didn’t put it in the top list because it actually got big in 2007, not ’08.

Who Needs a Movie? – Fred And Sharon Movies
Commercial for the greatest video production company in the world.

Bert & Ernie Gangsta Rap
The original Bert & Ernie gangsta rap mashup, which inspired tons of sequels — and also, I suspect, the genius Muppets Rickroll, which exhibits probably the best editing in the history of YouTube.

Pretty much everywhere, it’s gonna be hot.
Thanks, Arthur. I watched this on loop for hours, and I have no idea why.

Ah fuck. I can’t believe you’ve done this.
Webcam pwnage. Another 10 second vid that I watched over and over and over again.

Keeping your refrigerator stocked will get you many women
How to set up yo’ crib to get tons o’ pussy. This video is too good to be true!

Young@Heart
The documentary about the senior citizens’ chorus group was one of my favorite films, and the also released several amazing music videos to accompany the movie. This links to my favorite, a cover of Road To Nowhere by the Talking Heads — but their versions of Stayin’ Alive and I Will Survive also deserve acclaim.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008)
High-def remake of the classic world traveling and dancing video…this time with corporate sponsorship.

Tom Cruise on Scientology
This creepy internal Scientologist video, featuring Tom Cruise rambling to the Mission Impossible theme on loop, is what singlehandedly started the mobilization of thousands of internet geeks in the Anonymous vs. Scientology protests. Scientologists demanded that the video be removed from the Internet due to copyright complaints. And they soon learned that you DON’T MESS WITH THE INTERNET.

I bet you can’t laugh without smiling
One of the stupidest…and funniest…comedy sketches of the year.

Renaldo Lapuz – “I Am Your Brother”
We’re brothers ’til the end of time. I wouldn’t say that a video that originated from the #1 show on television, American Idol, can be called “viral”… but this is the most amazing audition ever, with an original song that inspired hundreds of online video remixes. It’s one of the year’s best moments, so it at least needs mentioning!

Between Two Ferns
A spoof on “Inside The Actors’ Studio” and local access TV by Zach Galifianakis. It’s an amazing web series specially made for Funny Or Die, and it is hilarious.

Jump Roping Dogs
Japanese TV clip, and possibly the cutest thing ever.

Brenda Dickson – Welcome to My Home
Soap opera star Brenda Dickson’s infomercials and soap moments…dubbed over with what she’s really thinking.

The Wrong Trousers – Video Killed the Radio Star
Amazingly awkward cover by the nerdiest high school band ever.

Sarah Palin Turkey Incident
The greatest living cartoon character of the year at her most shining moment. Watch turkeys get slaughtered as Palin reflects on her botched 2008 vice presidential campaign.

Hamster on a Piano (Eating popcorn)
Music video by Parry Gripp…of exactly what you think.


Category: Awesome, Specials	9 Comments »

Pete Berg’s Top Ten Songs of 2008

Posted by Pete Berg on Saturday, December 27th, 2008 at 11:39 am

Everyone else in eternity is making year end music lists, so I thought I’d make my own. Because I’m douchey like that. These are my personal top ten songs of 2008. I’m not saying that they’re THE BEST, they’re just my favorites. And half of them weren’t even really released this year, but it was what I listened to for the last twelve months. I also included some honorable mentions at the bottom. Enjoy!

10. Vampire Weekend – M79

Vampire Weekend has been releasing singles for damn near forever, but they finally dropped their full length debut album this year. M79 is an amazing song, and my favorite from Vampire Weekend. I really love the violin.

9. Tim Fite – Big Mistake

Tim Fite released an awesome album in 2008, and this song really resonated with me. Since I made a lot of big mistakes. And this made me feel better about it. (Thanks for the mix, Rachel!)

This video is a fan animation to the song.

8. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

The Fleet Foxes broke out this year, and “White Winter Hymnal” is a unique and haunting song. Plus the foxes have the coolest beards and lumberjack shirts ever. I’m jealous.

7. Eddie Vedder – Rise (from Into The Wild)

Into The Wild was the best movie of 2007, but I didn’t get the soundtrack until 2008. Eddie Vedder created a masterpiece that I couldn’t stop listening to. And this song is the one that really gets to me. When I listen to this, hitchhiking around the world makes perfect sense.

6. Estelle – American Boy (feat. Kanye West)

I actually prefer the Hood Internet remix vs the Ting Tings, “Shut Up, American Boy” to the original, but Estelle and Kanye West’s American Boy is super catchy and one of the year’s best pop tracks.

5. Olympic Theme Song – “Beijing Huan Ying Ni” (Beijing Welcomes You)

As an Olympics attendee, “Beijing Welcomes You” holds a special place in my heart. It is ridiculously cheesy, has amazing (translated) lyrics. It was also pretty much the only song I heard for about two weeks when the world convened in China for the Olympic Games. It was EVERYWHERE.

4. M.I.A. – Paper Planes

I first heard Paper Planes in a dance club in Brooklyn on New Year’s Eve, 2007. This song that helped me ring in 2008 became, without a doubt, the definitive dance / club song of the year. It is completely badass, has great lyrics, and really never gets old.

Bonus: Check out the Survivor: Leo Carrillo trailer edited by Brad Milison to Paper Planes. This is from a Survivor event I ran in Malibu in April for Reality Rush Adventures. No funny business.

3. The Mountain Goats – Sax Rohmer #1

The Mountain Goats are my favorite band of all time — you can tell if you look at my Last.fm play charts — and this was my most played song of the year. TMG released their album Heretic Pride at the beginning of ’08, and I listened to it a zillion times. In fact, my Facebook “Religion” status has been set to “Heretic Pride” ever since I got this album. Sax Rohmer #1 (and the music video that goes with it) are friggin amazing, and defined the first few months of 2008 for me.

2. Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

WARNING: IF YOU CLICK PLAY ON THAT VIDEO, YOU WILL TOTALLY RICKROLL YOURSELF. (AND I BET YOU’LL DO IT ANYWAY.)

Rickrolling BLEW UP in 2008, was totally awesome, and then became mainstream and officially died. But for the first few months of ’08, there was nothing better than tricking people into listening to Rick Astley’s #1 hit from 1988.

My friends and I rickrolled karaoke bars, the Big Bear ski resort, Scientology, the internet at large, and each other. And it was amazing while it lasted.

1. MGMT – Time to Pretend

Time to Pretend is epic. When I heard this song, I think I made my decision to live fast and die young. Frankly, its lyrics outline a way of life. It was the song that played in my head as I spent 5 months backpacking through Asia…and, I’ll be honest, it was one of my reasons for going in the first place.

True, it’s not a 2008 song. “Time To Pretend” was originally released on a 2005 EP by MGMT, and re-issued on their 2007 album Oracular Spectacular in 2007. I even listened to it quite a bit in 2007…but in 2008 it became my favorite song. And that’s why it’s my #1 pick.

Honorable Mentions:

Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor – Best electronic track of ’08.

The Mountain Goats – Commandante – My second most played song of the year, though it was originally released in 2002. The lyrics still run through my head several dozen times a day. (It’s a pretty obscure song with no video, so this links to a crappy video of a 2007 live performance of it with slightly modified lyrics. But you get the idea.)

Lazytown REMIX feat. Lil’ Jon – Cooking By The Book – Amazing mashup that only the Internet could create.

Loudon Wainwright III – Grey in LA – Good for those days in LA when everything’s not perfect.

Kanye West – Love Lockdown – A lot of people dissed Kanye’s latest album, but this song is amazingly catchy. I usually don’t dig made-to-be-sold Billboard hits, this is the latest in a long line of gold released by Kanye West.

Uniting Nations – Ai No Corrida – Dance pop hit made famous by a YouTube video of a Star Wars stormtrooper dancing in Tokyo. I rocked out to this song pretty hard at the beginning of ’08, then found myself in Shibuya, Tokyo a few months later, replicating it.


Category: Awesome, Music Videos, Specials	5 Comments »

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