Comedic trends tend to shift every 5-10 years, meaning a new batch of comedians can bring a fresh style of laughs to the franchise. The bawdy ‘80s would give way to the infantile ‘90s before the gross-out ‘00s led to the awkward ‘10s.

Think of the previous possibilities:

Despite efforts to make Kevin James "the new Chris Farley," that's simply never going to happen

2000: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Anna Farris. Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans

2005: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate (and yes, this is just the cast of Anchorman, but tell me you wouldn’t go see Police Academy 2005 starring Ron Burgundy and Company). Directed by Adam McKay

2010: Members of the Judd Apatow mafia, like Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd (in fact, from this point on, I’m making Paul Rudd the continuity between all the films; he’s the new Guttenberg), Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Martin Starr, Leslie Mann. Directed by Judd Apatow (duh).

I’m guessing the 2015 version will feature Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy as the leads.

There’s even a built-in market for the direct-to-DVD knockoffs, including Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White and Jeff Foxworthy in Sheriff’s Office Academy.

As I said, I think we can all get behind this idea, so please consider Kevin Hall in 2012 (and beyond) as you make your presidential selection. (Cue Michael Winslow to make sounds of cheering followed by “Hail to the Chief.” Exit stage).

Postscript: It’s worth noting that an alternate title for this blog was A Clockwork Banana Stand & “John Martin.”

Maybe you like the black box and the emptiness that accompanies it. Maybe you like being part of a soul-sucking void.

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Support the “End Piracy, Not Liberty” cause today by signing the petition.

I’m at about the halfway point of converting the films, but I’m now faced with a dilemma as I move toward my favorite titles/directors: Do I keep any hard copies of the movies from my favorite directors? There’s something about having the actual DVDs from Scorsese, Eastwood, Anderson (both P.T. and Wes), Tarantino, Spielberg and others that I find comforting.

In some cases, I like having the DVD because of the special features, even though I rarely, if ever, watch them. More importantly, though, I like having the movies on a shelf, as if they’re miniature trophies to show the world: “Hey, these are the movies and directors I find important.”

It’s a way for you to walk into my room, scan my titles and make a quick judgment on my taste in film, which is fairly important to me. My close friends and I share similar taste in movies, and I’ve often wondered (and this is true for our musical favorites) if we like the same movies because we like each other or if we like each other because we like the same movies.

So, I continue to debate on keeping the titles vs. completely going digital. Do I hang on to the feeling the hard copies give me, or is that just my pack-rat tendencies surfacing? Or, and this is kind of a big deal, am I scared that the hard drive might completely wipe out and then I’d lose the titles for good? I guess I’ll keep pondering.

In the meantime, here is the updated list of movies I can handle parting with ($5 each, except where noted, or five for $20):

Kevin’s List O’ Movies
Citizen Kane
Dirty Harry
Mystic River
Million Dollar Baby
Gran Tarino (Blu-ray; $8)
Batman

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
Ed Wood
Sleepy Hollow
Planet of the Apes
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Corpse Bride
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Say Anything
Jerry Maguire
Vanilla Sky
Elizabethtown
Lonesome Dove ($10)
The Office Seasons 1-4 ($10 or $30 for the set)
Beavis and Butt-head Vols. 1-3 ($10 or $25 for the set)
Futurama Season 1 ($10)
Eastbound & Down Season 1 ($10)
30 Rock Seasons 1-2 ($10 each)
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ($10)
Undeclared ($10)
24 Seasons 1-5 ($12 each or $45 afor the set)
Shrek
Shrek 2
Babe
Babe: Pig in the City
Stephen Sondheim Collection (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Follies in Concert, Passion, Sweeney Todd in Concert, A Celebration at Carnegie Hall) ($30)
From Dusk Til Dawn
The Foot Fist Way
Robot Chicken: Star Wars
SNL: Best of Will Ferrell Vol. 1
SNL: Best of Will Ferrell Vol. 2
SNL: Best of Steve Martin
Elf
This is Spinal Tap
There’s Something About Mary
Kingpin
Shallow Hal
Groundhog Day
Bad Santa
Eddie Murphy Delirious
Jerry Seinfeld: I’m Telling You for the Last Time
Comedian
The Original Kings of Comedy
V for Vendetta
Austin Powers
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: Goldmember
50 First Dates
The Wedding Singer
Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
Big Daddy
Old School
The Abyss (Special Edition)
Terminator
Terminator 2
Terminator 3
Hulk
Spiderman
Spiderman 2
The Silence of the Lambs
The Blair Witch Project
Apocalypse Now Redux
Blazing Saddles
Mary Poppins
Walk the Line
Chicago
Once
Moulin Rouge
Across the Universe
True Romance
Bound
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix Revolutions
Gangs of New York
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations
The Great Outdoors
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Wedding Crashers
Dodge Ball
Freaked
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Knocked Up
The Thin Red Line
Glengarry Glen Ross
Heat
The Insider
Collateral
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
L.A. Confidential
As Good as it Gets
About Schmidt
Being John Malkovich
Field of Dreams
Good Will Hunting
The Sixth Sense
Unbreakable
Signs
The Truman Show
Jacob’s Ladder
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Good Night, and Good Luck
Die Hard box set: Die Hard, Die Hard 2, Die Hard with a Vengeance ($12)
Rocky box set: Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V ($12)
Lost in Translation
Sideways
Amelie
Garden State
Serendipity
Superbad
Superman Returns
Donnie Darko
Young @ Heart
Murderball
Shut Up & Sing
Children of Men
Donnie Brasco
Sin City
Forrest Gump
Road to Perdition
Spanglish
Pearl Harbor
Fight Club
Seven
Independence Day
Dark City
The X-Files: Fight the Future
Speed
Strange Days
Total Recall
Predator
Shaun of the Dead
Curb Your Enthusiasm Seasons 1-7 ($10 each or $50 for the set)
Extras Seasons 1-2 ($10)

The line in question is at the 1:20 mark.

I later learned the mistake was my own. Everlast did not, in fact, have more rhymes than Madonna’s got songs. Instead, the actual lyric is that he has “more rhymes than the Bible’s got psalms.”

Oh.

My friend Cory Graham, who fancies himself knowledgeable about rap (and to his credit, he DID host a late-night rap program on WSKV, Stanton, Ky.’s country/bluegrass/gospel radio station), made much fun of my mistake. To this day, he still gives me grief.

Earlier today, my friend Daniel Kelley posted a Facebook status talking about his lyrical confusion over another piece of work by Everlast (it’s worth nothing that I originally kept referring to him as “Everclear,” which is yet another round of confusion), thinking the song “What It’s Like” had the line “God forbid you had to walk in my linen shoes.” This made me think of my own confusion, which then caused me to realize that by now, I’m actually the one who has been proven right.

The Bible has 150 psalms.

Madonna has, by one estimate, about 260 songs.

But does he have more rhymes than Madonna’s got arm veins?

Now, it could be reasonably argued (if you find it reasonable to argue about such matters, and I clearly do) that each of the psalms has individual lines, but Everlast doesn’t say he has more rhymes than the Bible has lines in each psalm. Going strictly by his phrasing, it appears he means the 150 psalms and only the 150 psalms.

It’s also worth noting that either way, Everlast should probably have aimed for a higher level of rhymes. Perhaps he’s too busy stitching together a pair of linen Nikes.

The past few years, I have started January with a list of fun pop-culturey things to do in the following 12 months. The list can range from eating a one-pound hamburger to watching four movies in a theatre in one day (both of which I proudly accomplished).

Last year, though, saw the completion of only 60 percent of my list:
1. Watch all the episodes of Seinfeld, in order
2. Listen to all the Beatles albums
3. Watch the Twilight movies
4. Read Great Expectations (or A Tale of Two Cities)
5. Record an album

I successfully finished the first three (loving the Seinfeld and Beatles moments, not so much the sparkly vampires), but I came up short on the final two. I really have no excuses other than I read a bunch of other books in 2011 and have no real musical talent.

So there’s that.

I’m still working on it, but for now I have the following on my official Things to Do in 2012 List:

1. Listen to all the Pink Floyd albums
2. Rewatch the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Godfather movies
3. OK, since writing an album didn’t work, I’m going to aim for writing and recording a song. One single song.
4. I’m still debating which food-type challenge to select.
5. Delete some numbers from my phone’s contact list.
6. Watch My So-Called Life7. Watch the Dirty Harry movies

As always, your thoughts and suggestions are encouraged for the list. Leave your ideas in the comments section.

In case you aren’t aware, I run the Georgetown Jedis. This, of course, means I have now won three consecutive titles and four in five years in this league (I give a special shout-out to my friend DK, who I often text for lineup advice, only to go with my initial instinct despite his answers). I wrote about our league on draft day (check it out here), and it’s worth noting that in the comments section, two different people thought Cats Love Michael Vick would finish second. The prognosticators were spot-on there, as that team, owned by one Cory Graham, placed second (Speaking of Cory, he got a cool consolation prize: a mention in Matthew Berry’s fantasy football column on ESPN’s website. Go here and scroll down to “Honorable mentions” under running backs).

Shane Carpenter’s squad, the Mighty Coulters, finished last. Again.

Oh, and for those who care about this sort of thing, my final lineup looked like this:
Aaron Rodgers
Adrian Peterson
Frank Gore
Steve Johnson
Calvin Johnson
Victor Cruz
Jason Witten
San Francisco D/ST
John Kasay

My bench was: Andre Johnson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Chicago D/ST, Matt Forte, Eli Manning and Toby Gerhart.

The two primary waiver wire moves I made were picking up Cruz and the 49ers D/ST, both of which (whom?) came up huge down the stretch.

So, another year of fantasy football ends, and while some of my friends have moved on to an NBA league, I’ll just wait for the real league to begin with our draft next August.

See ya, suckas.

So, instead of the usual “best of” format, I’m going to borrow from Stephen King (who happens to be on this list) and include the things I loved in 2011. Other than being grouped by category with a No. 1 leading the way for each, they’ll be in no particular order.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you …

The 2011 List of So … There I Was’ Favorite Things

TV

Breaking Bad: This is not only my favorite thing in television of 2011, it’s my favorite piece of entertainment in any field for the year. It’s also now on my very short list of Favorite TV Shows of All Time, and based on how it wraps up the series next year, it could very well find itself atop that list. No other show combines acting, directing, writing, cinematography, musical selections and editing quite like this piece of cinematic television. In the fourth season, every actor on the show gave an award-worthy performance, and fans were rewarded with a stretch of episodes so intense it was common form to yell at the TV or pause to allow emotions to cool.

Louie: The first season was great, but this second season achieved brilliance few shows have ever reached. The comedy is often so dark, it’s not always easy to watch, but it’s always worth watching.

Parks and Recreation: Funniest show not starring Louis C.K. (who, as it happens, is returning in a guest role to Parks and Recreation in 2012).

Community: I didn’t like the first season, mildly enjoyed the second season and fell in love with the third season just in time for NBC to unceremoniously yank it from the midseason schedule without any clear indication as to when it will return. If it’s any consolation, Community, keep in mind Arrested Development only got three years, too.

Childrens Hospital: This 15-minute show packs more gags, one-liners and general outrageousness (and, of course, laughs) in one episode. Surreal and really funny.

Fringe: OK, so the current season is, well, not that great, but the third season was awesome enough that a letdown was all but inevitable.

Modern Family: It’s getting hit with a backlash that was to be expected after back-to-back Emmy wins, but the show still causes massive guffaws on a weekly basis.

Cougar Town: Yes, everyone (including the creator) agrees the title is still terrible, but the show has turned into one of the best ensembles on TV. When it returns, give it a chance and learn to love Pennycan.

Happy Endings: For a late-season fill-in for Cougar Town that was promoted as a raunchier Friends, Happy Endings has quickly become a consistent comedy, led by the fantastic chemistry of its cast. The Halloween episode (“Spooky Endings”) was an instant Hall of Famer.

Homeland: This Showtime drama is the season’s best new show, and I hope more people soon catch up on a well-acted look at terrorism in the U.S.

Friday Night Lights: The final season brought total closure to the series that you might have thought was about Texas football but was really about life in a small town and relationships. Clear eyes, full hearts …

Men of a Certain Age: Unceremoniously canceled by TNT, this drama showcased fine, subtle acting from Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula. It was one of the best looks at adult male friendship I’ve ever seen.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: If only for the “Palestinian Chicken” episode, which is likely going to end up the funniest in the show’s illustrious (and hilarious) history.

Albums

The Whole Love by Wilco: First of all, anyone who knows me knows this pretty much a “duh” pick, but in Wilco’s defense, it’s pretty much a masterpiece. The album’s bookends (“Art of Almost” and “One Sunday Morning”) are among the finest songs the band’s ever recorded, and the entire album feels like a band simultaneously settling into a groove and pushing beyond its limits.

Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West: Expectations were, to say the least, high. Still, they somehow delivered, with both master showmen combining to make an album about living the excessively rich good life somehow relatable to those who are not.

So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon: I’ve always respected Paul Simon, but I wasn’t a huge follower of his records, but after seeing him perform a couple of tracks on Saturday Night Live, I was hooked with this new work. It’s musically and lyrically amazing.

El Camino by The Black Keys: Just straight up, balls out blues rock as consistently made as ever by the pride of Akron, Ohio. The band has never sounded more alive and unleashed.

David Comes to Life by Fucked Up: The growling vocals take some time to get warmed up to, but once you do, you start caring less what he sounds like and more about what he’s saying. You’ll have the phrase “dying on the inside, dying on the inside, dying on the inside” stuck in your head for a long time.

The King of Limbs by Radiohead: OK, I realize this is going to sound very hipsterish, but I mean it in the most sincere way possible – for those of you on the fence about the new Radiohead record, listen to a vinyl copy and tell me you aren’t captivated. It truly comes further to life in that format. It’s worth noting I hate skinny jeans.

I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle: I’m not sure anyone alive today can right a better love song. Or a protest song. Or a song about New Orleans recovering from Katrina. Or any type of song.

Elsie by Horrible Crowes: The side project of Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fellows, Horrible Crowes quiets most of Gaslight’s electric guitars for a quieter look at love (both good and bad). The final track, written for his wife, will haunt you long after the album ends.

Celabrasion by Sleeper Agent: Highly energetic punk pop (or is it pop punk?) debut from a Kentucky band. Go buy this now.

Concerts
J Roddy Walston (Newport, Louisville twice and Nashville): I traveled with friends to see a show in Covington, but after learning that was sold out, we decided to head over to Newport to see J Roddy based solely on a random reference from an acquaintance. The opening act was pretty terrible, and my friends and I sat in the balcony level hoping something, anything, would liven the night.

And as soon as J Roddy Walston and the Business took the stage, I made the correct decision to get down among the small but faithful crowd, where my friends joined me soon after. We danced and shouted, and when it was over, we vowed to catch him anytime he came anywhere close to the area.

Three shows later, we still haven’t regretted that decision.

Wilco (Nashville): Back-to-back nights at the historic Ryman Auditorium? That pretty much says it all.

Steve Earle (Lexington): Great seats. Great friends. The man continues to impress.

The Week of Legends: It all came together too perfectly to pass up, so the first week of August, I saw a Beach Boy on a Tuesday, a Beatle on a Thursday and a Bob on a Friday.

The seats for two of the shows weren’t too bad, either.

In the span of five days, I saw Brian Wilson (second row), Paul McCartney (great seats but not that close) and Bob Dylan, (front row). Yeah, I was pretty happy.

Movies (note: I haven’t picked a favorite movie yet)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: The epic battles might have brought to life the visuals JK Rowling’s writing had created in our heads, but the quiet, personal moments showcased the franchise’s true heart. The discussions immediately following the film weren’t too bad, either.

The Tree of Life: I’m not going to pretend that I understood what it all means, or, in this case in the hands of Terrence Malick, What It All Means, but The Tree of Life was pure visual poetry.

Hugo: In the hands of master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Hugo shows how 3D can be used to enhance a film instead of being a cheap novelty designed to milk a few extra bucks from the audience.

The Descendants: Honestly, I’m not sure how to fully rate this film because I never got the emotional payoff I expected at the end of the movie. This was not the film’s fault, though. Instead, I blame it on the guy who conducted not one but two phone calls during the movie’s climactic final moments. Thanks, dude.

Bridesmaids: Too much was made about how “it’s not a chick flick” and “women can be funny, too.” Who cares about all that? Funny is funny, and Kristin Wiig (and particularly Melissa McCarthy) provided the best laughs of the year.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Will it win (or even be nominated for) an Oscar? Not a chance. Was it the most surprising movie of the summer? Yes it was. Also, the DVD cover is really cool.

Super 8: J.J. Abrams’ ode to Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi movies of the late ’70s and early ’80s reminded me of the joys of teenage summers. Pure fun from start to finish.

Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol: It’s the best action movie of the year, with nothing coming close to the sequence on the hotel skyscraper or the fight in the parking garage.

War Horse: Yes, it is probably the most manipulative movie I’ve ever seen, with every scene designed to elicit an emotional response, but it works. Oh, does it work. Director Steven Spielberg has created an old-fashioned family film, a throwback to the 1930s and ’40s, in terms of acting, sets/locations and emotions. It also contains a sequence that might very well be the most visually stunning piece of filmmaking Spielberg has ever put on film.

Books
Life Itself by Roger Ebert: The rest of the world is discovering what Aaron Saylor and I have known for years – Roger Ebert is one of America’s best writers. You don’t have to like movies to enjoy his book; you just simply need to enjoy a master writer having his way with words.

11/22/63 by Stephen King: King goes straight up sci-fi with this tale of time travel and alternate timelines. I’m sure King, who was a huge fan of Lost, had a blast writing this one, at least when his head wasn’t hurting while trying to maintain a clear, plausible narrative.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach: Set at a small, Midwestern college, Harbach’s debut novel is a character study featuring baseball and the pursuit of perfection (and of the things we can’t have). It brings to mind the works of John Irving, who just happens to be my favorite author.

Miscellaneous
Fantasy football: I claimed my third title in a rowe and fourth in five years. Go Jedis!

Karaoke: For the first time in my life, I sang karaoke (it’s worth noting I as stone-cold sober), with an, um, interesting reaction from one “fan” (read about it here).

Cory Graham readies to rock.

One question: what happens, though, if we make the purchase and one friend’s elderly grandfather says the order isn’t in the best interest of our basketball wardrobe? Does NBAStore.com’s return policy cover that? I’d hate to think anything affiliated with the NBA could completely screw over someone like that.

Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Kevin Hall