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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
  The Incandescent Brain of Jeremiah McDonald

How do you follow Will Elder? A tough act to follow. So the logical choice is ultra-talented Jeremiah McDonald, the man of multiple identities who was once labeled "The Best YouTuber." Imagine Lee Evans meeting Doodles Weaver as directed by David Lynch. Imagine lightning over water as directed by Dziga Vertov.

Better do this post now before the mainstream media offers him big bucks. But how do I pick just one? Okay, even though embedded on other blogs, the logical choice is Jazz Dispute (2:28). Posted November 2006, it is now approaching 400,000 views on YouTube. The recording (from 1950) is "Leap Frog" by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Field hollers, call and response... and all that jazz. Jeremiah, gonna take us highah, highah.


Not too much has been written so far about McDonald. Here's an article by Jason Wilkins from the Boston Phoenix (March 21, 2007):

Since the Lord is reportedly present throughout creation, it stands to reason that he pervades the World Wide Web. And lo, His cyber-prophet has emerged in Maine.
The Church of Blow emerged a few months ago, and has issued more than 30 video-sermons to its growing flock. They all feature a young man in a purple robe decorated with green hearts. He has a Biblical beard and a bug-eyed look. “Hi, I’m Reverend Cornelius Blow,” he lightly drawls. “I have had a vision... I was instructed: ‘Cornelius, it’s time to start a church... on YouTube.’” Eagle-eyed fans of local theater may have already identified the RevCorBlow (“that’s my hip-hop name”) as Jeremiah McDonald, who has graced Portland-area stages with his laser-sharp comic timing. McDonald is also a filmmaker who has embraced the Web as a way to hone his craft while finding an audience.

Second choice: The self-referential Bernard K. Smith: My Part in His Downfall (Part One) (6:06) is more recent, from February 2008. It cites the above Jazz Dispute and gangs up on a gang of doppelgangers. Haven't we meta before? Perhaps last year in Marienbad? Don't blink or you'll miss the quick flash homage to Film (1965). Imagine Donna Tartt and Samuel Beckett as filtered through Ken Nordine. Bernard K. Smith is effervescent. Did you effer see him when he effervasn't?:


In 1965, the filmmaker Fred Mogubgub painted a towering cartoon woman down the side of a Manhattan building alongside an immense sign that asked, "Why doesn't someone give Mogubgub Ltd. two million dollars to make a movie?" McDonald doesn't need to go to that extreme, since his talent speaks for itself. But I'll say it anyway: Why doesn't someone give Jeremiah McDonald two million dollars to make a movie?


Click title heading at top to hear jazz and blues on Concertzender.

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Comments:
All hail to thee, appreciator of Spike Jones and Classic MAD.
 
This guy's great. How do I find You Tube?
 
Try this or that.
 
Hey boss! I just discovered this, and I'm deeply flattered. If you know anybody with two million dollars please let me know.
 
You think Jeremiah McDonald is good? You should check out SMPfilms! (It should help confirm your suspicions.)
 
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