Star Trek...with arias!

Who says we don't showcase the classy stuff here? "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"...the opera! Spock's ears are particularly lovely.

Nerd Man of the Month: Jim Parsons

Say, it's been a long time since we've had one of these: a genuine good old-fashioned Nerd Man of the Month! January's honoree, just barely sneaking in before the month comes to a close, is Jim Parsons, who plays the wildly popular Sheldon Cooper on the wildly popular "The Big Bang Theory." Yes, whether he likes it or not, Parsons has become something akin to the poster child of the new "nerds are cool" movement afoot. (A movement we, of course, heartily endorse.)

In addition to being the Neil Patrick Harris of "Big Bang" -- meaning he's pretty much the one we all wait to see on screen every week -- Parsons also gets bonus nerd points for having been something of a theater geek in his college days, founding his own non-profit theater company. And, according to Wikipedia, he was quite possibly voted "friendliest person" in his graduating high school class. We always give a big nerd flag wave to any and all skinny dudes voted "friendliest" anything. Plus, seriously, look at that picture. Who wouldn't want to pinch those cheeks and pretend you know about quantum physics with this guy?

Most importantly, he just seems like a sweet, shy, charming guy -- the kind of fellow we'd all watch from the back row of bio class and secretly pine for. Or perhaps not so secretly. If you need more convincing, just check him out here with Craig Ferguson. He even cites "Lost," bless him.

For representin' our geeky brethren with honor and makin' us proud, The Park Bench is pleased to name Jim Parsons as its Nerd Man of the Month.

Odds and Ends

+ Score one for our boy, Neil Gaiman. His "Graveyard Book" won this year's prestigious Newbery Medal. You can watch him read the book here.

+ Speaking of books, Britian's Guardian newspaper has taken a stab at creating a science fiction literary canon, compiling their list of must-read sci-fi and fantasy novels. If you're headed for a desert island, it's probably a good idea to check this one out before departure.

+ The New York Times had an interesting article on the upcoming Guy Ritchie version of Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Watson. Really, though, it's just an excuse for me to repost this picture:


+ I'm practically purring at this news -- Daniel Craig will be playing the villain in the new Tintin movie with "Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell as the title character. With Nick Frost and Simon Pegg already on board and a screenplay co-written by "Doctor Who"'s Steven Moffat and "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" co-writer Edgar Wright, well, I pretty much can't wait.

+ Very sad news for avid X-Files fan. Longtime X-Files director Kim Manners passed away Sunday night after a battle with cancer. He directed 54 episodes of The X-Files including the classics "Home," "Humbug," "Leonard Betts" and the underappreciated classic "Monday." He also directed more episodes of the CW series, "Supernatural."

Toys, toys and lots of toys!

I want it! I want it! I want it! Yes, I totally want this new Star Trek bridge replica. And it only costs $25! It's a total bargain. I can't wait to buy my own Simon Pegg and my own John Cho and, well, what I do after that really isn't important.

Did you have a favorite genre toy when you were a kid? My pride and joy was my Millenium Falcon and the Tauntaun that I could cram Han Solo into as he ventured off to heroically let Luke die quietly on Hoth. (I had my own version of "Empire Strikes Back.") I also loved my Tie-Fighter, but, in all honesty, the family dog kept piddling on it, thereby drastically reducing its resale value...and fun value, actually. I was partial, too, to my Breyer plastic horses although I wonder now if I just liked their chemical smell because I seem to remember spending a lot more time sniffing them than racing them. Horse huffing could explain a lot about my current mental capacities, now that I think about it.

So what toys did you love?

Odds and Ends

+ Check out this cool new "Watchmen" viral video celebrating the birth of Dr. Manhattan. Better blue than red, my friends.



+ So what'd you guys think of the Oscar nominations? I've only seen maybe three movies this year so I'm disinvested. Let me know what movies I should check out before the big day.

+ Need a bit of zombie goodness to make it through your Friday afternoon? Then check out this amusing video called "The Remnants" about Pringles, Wiis and life with the undead starring Ernie Hudson and Justine Bateman and a guy who looks just like a younger, thinner but equally hot Paul Rudd. If you have 12 or so minutes at lunch, check it out. It starts out slow but picks up:


The Remnants from John August on Vimeo.

+ "Bionic Woman" Michelle Ryan is going to be hanging out with Britain's top metrosexual clean guy David Tennant in the first of this year's Doctor Who specials, "Planet of the Dead." No word on whether this means she'll be the permanent companion for Eleven.

"I call my detachable bionic leg 'Pogo.'"