The Marx Brothers and Bugs Bunny were my heroes growing up. I loved their crazy, over the top anarchic approach to life: If its not working, blow it up; if possible pull it off with a clever quip. Chico was a fantastic, gifted pianist, he was so much fun to watch; Harpo the brilliant physical comedian; Groucho the master of the non-sequitar. And Bugs. What can we say about Bugs that hasnt already been said? Not much, except to note that Bugs wouldn't have lived if it weren't for Groucho, his obvious influence. Not that that last point matters much, it truly doesnt.

As a kid I was an addict for the Warner Bro's cartoons. The then black&white, later color, cartoons populated by rubber bodied characters engaged in the most ridiculous of antics completely appealed to my pre-adolescent self. Its a strange dichotomy being put out in these cartoons, rather simple morality tales involving horrendous acts of violence - guns, cannons and explosives constantly going off in someone's face/beak/hand - that are casually dismissed with a joke, a knowing shrug or arched eyebrow (Bugs is the master of this). When I grew up a bit the Marx Bro's became one of my teenage obsessions; I wanted to be Groucho so bad. I remember reading a Marx Bro's biography that told the tale of how they would pretty much demolish the backdrops and sets of their plays on Broadway, every night. That kind of life completely appealed to me; that and the way they would send up and satire the everyday hypocrisy we endure in our lives.

I bring this up for no other reason than to talk about both Bugs and Marx Bro's in the same post. It does feel like it dates me, that I grew up being able to remember a time when both black & white Marx Bro's movies and color Bugs Bunny cartoons could be found on tv fairly easily. Now, speaking of being dated, the radio is playing "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians. What a great, almost perfect, pop song.

-daniel