Mario Batali and Michael Stipe: BFF
Michael Stipe and Mario Batali are old friends, but nevertheless, it seems odd to have Mario Batali interviewing Michael Stipe for the Sundance Channel's Iconoclasts. In what sounds like a live-action Interview magazine, the famous interview the other famous, presumably in their mansions or whatever, to talk about how "unique" they are. Salon gushes:
Sundance's "Iconoclasts" is refreshing because it affords us a look at visionaries who are worth knowing regardless of whether they're in the news at the moment. Instead of focusing on sensational aspects of their stories, the series intelligently explores exactly those inspired, unconventional aspects of their personalities and their work that make them such fascinating subjects. Upcoming shows feature actress Renée Zellweger interviewing Christine Amanpour, Robert Redford interviewing Paul Newman, and chef Mario Batali interviewing REM frontman Michael Stipe. You heard me right: Batali interviewing Stipe. Hats off to the weirdo who dreamt up this series!
The Robert Redford/Paul Newman pairing is sort of obvious, but promises to be pretty decent. Otherwise, I can imagine the conversations being along the lines of "Why is your music so brilliant, Michael Stipe?" "Well, Mario Batali, I can't say for sure. I know that I reached a turning point creatively when I tasted your cooking for the first time. In fact, our album Monster is a direct result of me not being able to eat Mario Batali's italian cooking, because that's what I become- a monster."
Posted at 11:39 AM
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First post bitches.
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Who the hell is Mario Batali? Oh wait, this post is by Jed, I expect that kind of shameless, arcane name dropping.
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what's weird is that michael stipe is a vegetarian and batali tries to put pork in everything he cooks. but batali is definitely of the '80s alternative spirit.
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everyone knows stipe doesn't eat.
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Mario Batali is one of the most famous chefs in America. He's had TV shows, written cook books, opened a bunch of restaurants... hardly an "arcane" reference. And by the way, Nil, merely mentioning someone isn't "name dropping." If I'd written, "So I was out pricing prosumer-level espresso machines with my good friend Mario Batali, with whom I am good friends, and we ran into Michael Stipe, who I hadn't seen in absolutely forever," that would be "name-dropping."
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Batali wears orange clogs...
Next, Rachael Ray interviews Lemmy.
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Jed, this blog is only for mentioning things that 100% of its readers have heard of. Please refrain from mentioning ANYTHING Nils might not have heard of.
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It is really weird - I don't know where this friendship came from, but stipe has definitely moved down a few notches in my book. Batali seems like a pompous asshole (I've watched his show before), and he cooks with a lot of veal too, I wonder how stipe reconciles that with his supposed "strong" beliefs...that's what you get for having beliefs, can't be friends with anybody.
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The "Iconoclasts" idea sounds very similar to the BBC's "Chain Reaction" series:
Chain Reaction was a simple idea for a highly entertaining radio series on BBC Radio 4. A well-known figure from the entertainment industry begins the series interviewing the person of their choice. The following week the interviewee becomes interviewer and chats to their chosen guest. And so on and so on.
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to the commenter who has placed stipey down a few notches on the respect level because mario batali cooks with veal: ha ha. my stomach hurts from laughing. i know you can't be serious with that.
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This is nothing new. Dinner for Five on IFC is basically the same show already. And Inside the Actor's Studio is more or less the same thing, though Lipton is more famous now than at the beginning, of course. To me, knowing it's Mario Batali and Michael Stipe sounds like a warning to stay away, but Salon is nuts as usual. Butt kissers.
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As the owner of Stereogum, Scott must travel in Mario/Michael-level circles. After all, his blog is worth more than $1,000,000.00!
http://www.business-opportunities.biz/projects/how-much-is-your-blog-worth/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stereogum.com
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Michael will always be cool in my book. I just hope the next R.E.M. album gets made quick, and that it's actually the rock record they've claimed it might be.
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yeah, but would mario actually eat at 'the grit'?
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In 2003, I sat directly in front of Mario at a REM concert at MSG. He knew the entire crew, and was talking to them as they set up for the band.
But fuck him, I was in the front row, and he was in the second row. Booyakasha.
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That is just too weird for me to comprehend. There are lots of things I expect to see, but Michael Stipe riding a moped with a TV chef is not one of them.
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Mario Batali = live-action Comic Book Store guy from the Simpsons
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lol...he's TOTALLY comic book guy.
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stipe is proof positive that sometimes its not always bad when your heros die early. i'll trade him for jimi or kurt back any day.
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Stipe is off the sprout wagon. Last year New York mag ran a piece on his shopping habits. Given $3018.86 he'd purchase "a helmet for the Mister," but really he only bought fish and chips.
And what did the fish buy? Nothing, because he's DEAD.
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WORST. POST. EVER.
Speaking of which, who won that Thrice contest?
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This doesn't surprise me, Stipe was a guest on "Molto Mario" a few years back. When I first saw the episode I had to do a double-take before I was convinced it was Stipe.
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Isn't Mario Battali the Iron Chef America? I love that show!
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Mario Batali little baby veal's leg recipe (moo.)
http://www.italiankitchen.com/recipes/whole_veal_shank.cfm
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i think its a cool pairing. stipe could use a few lbs. mario's show is usually pretty good.
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Don't confuse the $200.00 a pound carefully caged and anemic stuff they sell in Japan with American veal, here it is just regular cows less than a year old. Here beef is just veal that lives a little longer before they kill it, if you think cows in captivity is cruel then beef is more cruel than veal because it is tortured longer.
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will someone kick REM in the ass and buy them a DRUMMER. most bands are not the same without their original drummer, but man, who would have thought that much wind would be lost from their sails without him. testament to the power of eyebrows...
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I will bet anyone a million dollars that Batali eats Stipe by the end of the interview. And I mean that literally - not as a sexual reference.
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Christy, thanks for that visual, even if you didn't mean the sexual reference. I will now go throw myself onto the subway tracks.
Goodbye Cruel World!
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I don't think cows in captivity is cruel. The point is Michael Stipe does.
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I was at the 2003 REM show in Madison Square Garden as well. We spoke to Mario before the concert and he was very friendly - since my friends and I went to Rutgers, Mario chatted about working at Stuff Your Face restaurant (a college hangout) in the early days. Sat a row behind him and he was dancing like a man possessed!
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Someone needs to make a video where they superimpose Mario Batali onto the Mario from Super Mario Brothers (the original one, natch) and we can all watch as he saves the princess. That's must see TV.
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i think batalli and stipe are an item.???
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November 2005 issue of Gourmet magazine has an ad for these interviews on the Sundance channel, and Mario and Stipe are holding hands. Anyone wish to comment further?
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I really love michael, and every think he does is cool. How i can get in touch with him??? ;)
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Nah, he holds hands with all his friends, even Courtney Love (ie 'she who can do no wrong').
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