I just wanted to crow that one of my former improv teachers, Ms. Jean Villepique, will have a small guest spot on THE OFFICE this Thursday night (in the episode called “Cocktails“). Apparently, my classmates and I drove her to flee New York City in horror just months after our final class performance.

So far, since landing in Hollywood, Jean’s booked small roles on THE OFFICE and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (the CURB episode won’t air until later this fall). Not too shabby; those are two of the funniest shows on TV right now. I wish her well.

Another of my former improv teachers, Ms. Rachel Hamilton, recently joined the cast of 30 ROCK for it’s inaugural season. She plays one of the staff writers for the show within the show. Go Rachel! Make Aaron Sorkin your bitch!

From what little I’ve seen, 30 ROCK is pretty funny too, and it features the talents of two of our most hilarious Americans — Hall-of-Famer Alec Baldwin and improv upstart Jack McBrayer.

A voting machine used in Brooklyn for the 2006 elections.

All those choices before pulling the lever… and the instructions aren’t much help…. [Silent]

Click here to watch the video.

Who killed Houdini? The answer is surprising. [Silent]

Click here to watch the video.

If I may slightly paraphrase, they’re not doing this because they’re greedy. The Bears are doin’ it to feed the needy.

That’s right, y’all! You are looking at a fuzzy representation of the original “punky QB,” Mr. Jim McMahon. And you’re just one click away from that popculture trainwreck known as THE SUPERBOWL SHUFFLE, recorded by the Chicago Bears “shufflin’ crew” on their way to the Super Bowl in 1985.

Oh, the humanity!

Click here to watch the video, via Google Video. But hurry. YouTube has already been forced by the copyright holders to take it down. I’ll try to keep the link alive, but there’s only so much that one man can do!

For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, read this article. It features a brief interview with the guy who probably embarrassed himself the most in the video (and that’s saying a lot!) — Yale grad Gary Fencik, aka “Mr. Clean.”

And don’t forget that brilliant Onion piece:

‘85 Chicago Bears Return To Studio: Shufflin’ Crew begins work on long-awaited follow-up album

February 3, 1998 | Issue 33•04

CHICAGO—In an announcement that has electrified the music world, the Chicago Bears Shufflin’ Crew confirmed Monday that it is reuniting and will soon begin work on its first new material since the seminal 1985 “Super Bowl Shuffle” single.

Confirming the recent swirl of music-industry rumors regarding a possible reunion, Shufflin’ Crew lead singer Willie Gault told reporters: “After nearly 12 years of solo gigs and side projects, we decided it was time for us to work together again.”

Gault went on to strongly deny rumors that the Crew was returning to the studio looking for trouble.

“We didn’t come here looking for trouble,” Gault said. “We just came to record the long-awaited follow-up to the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle.’”

According to Shufflin’ Crew member William “Refrigerator” Perry, he, Gault and punky QB Jim McMahon have already sketched out rough demo versions of 10 to 15 songs, which will, over the next two months, be fleshed out in the studio with producer Steve Albini.

Perry said fans should expect the new album to be “darker and more introspective” than the group’s “Shuffle”-era work….

Click here to read the entire Onion article.