What is the worst thing you’ve ever picked up/purchased accidentally — or been given as a gift mistakenly? Here’s why I’m asking. Yesterday, I’m walking by the giveaway table at EW HQ and I think I see a Yanni CD. (I liked "Santorini" and "Reflections of Passion." Sue me.) By the time I realized it was actually an album by an independent artist named Yann (right), it was too late. It was in my hands. The only consolation, or so I thought, was that the track list included a song called "Hunky." If only I was into really horrendous club music. Or people who sing like "Weird Al" Yankovic but don’t have the decency to try to be funny.
Your turn. I wanna hear about that time that you rented My Left Foot in high school because you’d just seen The Last of the Mohicans and wanted to ogle Daniel Day-Lewis some more. (Whoops! Should’ve read that box.) And while you’re in confession mode: Who else likes liked Yanni (rockin’the ‘stache, left)?
A friend of mine in high school went to the local mall and scored a copy of 2 Live Crew’s “As Nasty As They Wanna Be.” Or at least he thought he did. Once he got home, he ripped through the packaging (big cardboard boxes for CDs back then) and played the music. To his shock and dismay, there were no crude lyrics or curse words. He picked up the jewel case and discovered the reason. In his rush to buy the dirty CD, he had accidentally picked up the “clean” version, “As CLEAN As They Wanna Be.” No wonder the clerk never checked his ID.
When I was in junior high someone bought me the soundtrack to The Wiz. It was, shall we say, not to my taste. I’m not sure what they were thinking.
When my younger sister was a toddler, we came home from shopping and found a Kathie Lee Gifford Christmas CD in one of our bags. Apparently she had grabbed it and put it in with our other items and it got checked out without us noticing. It got returned ASAP.
Oh, and a friend of the family bought her daughter Kid Rock’s first album thinking it was rock songs for kids as in Kid Bopz or whatever they’re called. Would’ve loved to see her face when she actually gave it a listen.
My good friend and I had just seen “A Time to Kill” and had annointed Matthew McConaughey our newest guy crush. For my birthday that year, she gleefully presented me with a VHS copy she’d found of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” featuring a young Matthew and Renee Zellweger. GOD AWFUL movie, but she was so proud of herself for scoring this gem, I watched it a couple of times with her in a row. I still have it buried in a box somewhere at home. Thankfully Matthew’s added to his ouvre since then (and don’t get me started on the Operation Dumbo Drop movie).
My Duran Duran obsession from the early to mid 1980′s that haunts me to this day. First and Second albums notwithstanding. Shudder.
I just listened to 30 seconds of that “Hunky” song and have to wonder if that isn’t some kind of joke. That poor guy can’t possibly think that’s good music.
I am ashamed to admit, I do have a David Hasselhoff CD in my collection. I got it in my mis-guided youth when I was morbidly curious to hear if he was really as talented as all the Germans seem to think he is. This was before I knew about CD burning or how to find it for free by “other means”.
I did like Yanni. Actually, while we’re being truthful, I still like Yanni. I’ve been to many a Yanni concert – and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Whenever I’m out shopping for DVDs and my girlfriend is unfortunate enough to be with me, I always make a point to say I buy widescreen. She got me a couple of movies one time (I think for Valentines) and they were both Fullscreen.
I felt like a huge jerk because I was happy to have the movies, but kind of annoyed that they were fullscreen. So I did what any rational person would do: I dug through her trash, found the Best Buy receipt and covertly exchanged the two DVDs (Bruce Almighty and Intolerable Cruelty…they both have sentimental value, don’t ask!) for of the exact same copies in widescreen.
I need professional help.
I flipped out in the store when I was in the 9th grade and came across the soundtrack to NEWSIES.
I love it. It’s in permanent rotation on the ipod. don’t be jealous.
I don’t think there’s anything uncool about Yanni. The guy is a brilliant musician. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves. It’s been a while since I’ve heard much from him though. Anyone know what he’s up to these days?
My sister rented a copy of Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban and put in the “family friendly” dvd without looking at it. She soon realized she was watching Y tu mamá también. Quite a different movie…but by the same director! I have to wonder if some bored/witty (depending on how you look at it) employee thought it would be a great joke.
is that michael cera in a wifebeater with headphones?
The landlady at my boarding house in college often rented videos for us. One time she brought home “Slumber Party ’57″, featuring a young Debra Winger. A topless Debra Winger in fact – it was soft porn. Being that it was a cold February night, we watched (and mocked) it anyways.
Nothing springs to mind, but… I have to jump in here in defense of My Left Foot. No, it does not feature the lovely DDL at his most ogle-worthy, but it is a great movie nonetheless. Brenda Fricker is such a treasure, and she reminded me so much of my long-deceased grandmother that I nearly cried every time she was on screen the first time I saw it (okay, the circumstances of the film are fairly tearjerking in their own right, but man, her blue eyes…)