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James Dean to Be Digitally Resurrected and It’s Tearing Me Apart

By Mike Julianelle
James Dean Digitally Resurrected
(Warner Bros YouTube/Sinema Tutkunu)

I remember a vacuum commercial that featured a CGI version of Fred Astaire dancing with the household appliance. I also remember the hullabaloo that followed, from people worried that icons of film and television would soon, through the magic of computer technology and special effects, have their images sullied by being digitally resurrected for all manner of nefarious, i.e., commercial reasons.

It’s been a while since that commercial aired, and special effects have come a long way since then. And yet there hasn’t been a huge surge in the usage of dead celebrities. Unless you count Tupac’s hologram. Or The Irishman.

But now the nightmare those naysayers feared seems to finally be coming to pass with the news that Hollywood legend and Rebel Without Cause James Dean will indeed be digitally resurrected as the star of a new film about the Vietnam War.

Despite dying in a car crash in 1955, at the young age of 24, the star of just three Hollywood films (Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant), looks to be headlining a fourth. Some 65 years after he passed. And it’s tearing me apart.

Directors Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh decided they needed the dead actor to play a lead role in Finding Jacks, a drama about a soldier who is forced to leave his canine companion behind – along with 10,000 others – when the U.S. military pulls out of Vietnam after the war. It’s based on a novel by Gareth Crocker.

“We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean,” Ernst told the Hollywood Reporter.

Ernst’s production house, Magic City Films, got permission – not from a Ouija board, but from Dean’s family.

“We feel very honoured that his family supports us and will take every precaution to ensure that his legacy as one of the most epic film stars to date is kept firmly intact. The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. We do not intend to let his fans down.”

We’ll see?

“[A] realistic version of James Dean” will be created using “full body CGI” based on existing footage and photos.

This, of course, may bring about the very thing Fred Astaire’s vacuum commercial presaged, and based on comments from Mark Roesler, CEO of CMG Worldwide, which represents Dean’s family and nearly 2000 other celebrities, dead and alive. “This opens up a whole new opportunity for many of our clients who are no longer with us,” he said.

This is indeed a disturbing universe. We can only hope Dean doesn’t show up looking like the train conductor in The Polar Express, with those lifeless eyes. Black eyes, like a doll’s eyes.

Other actors have already started to voice their digital disapproval:

Guy Fieri Launches Fund for Restaurant Workers Affected by Coronavirus

By Mark Chalifoux
Guy Fieri Launches Fund
(Getty/Scott Dudelson)

Few industries have been gutted by the pandemic quite like the hospitality business, and specifically, restaurants. With governments demanding people stay at home, even carryout business at most places has slowed to a tragic trickle. Restaurants have laid off the majority of their staff, and it’s a bad situation all around. Their livelihoods have been taken away overnight. And Guy Fieri wants us to help him help them.

The Mayor of Flavortown announced he is partnering with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to create a Restaurant Employee Relief fund. The goal of the fund is to give people a place to donate to help those workers and to disburse $500 grants to impacted workers.

It is open for workers who hit all three criteria of working in the industry for at least 90 days, had a primary source of income in the industry, and have experienced a decrease in wages after March 10th. So, that applies to almost every restaurant worker everywhere.

The Food Network host said the restaurant business has always been a part of his life. “I’ve also spent the better part of the last 15 years traveling this great country meeting other folks who’ve dedicated their lives to this business and let me tell you something, they are the hardest working, most real deal workers you’ve ever met…the heartbeats of their communities,” he said in the press release. “But they need our help and with Restaurant Relief America, we can serve up some support when these restaurant employees need it most…right now.”

You can apply for a grant (or donate money) at rerf.us (It’s back up now having been down for a while earlier last week).

And also, let this awesome move serve as another reminder that you were wrong about Guy Fieri. He was so easy to make fun of, but the guy is nothing but a fearless achiever, creating his own world and becoming a minor government official in it.

If, somehow, you are still on the fence about Guy’s character, please reference this classic stand-up bit from the very funny Shane Torres, and change your mind forever.

One Dad’s Quest To Save His Hair

By The Dad
Keeps Hair Treatment

I’ve always had pretty good hair. I’m bad at brushing it and have no idea what to tell the nice old Russian lady on Lorimer Street who cuts it, but I’ve always had a decent amount of it, and it’s always been pretty easy to maintain. But, like a lot of guys my age, I started noticing that…well, it’s not falling out or anything, but there’s some shiny scalp showing through up top there.

I know there’s no cure for going bald, but I also know that hair loss prevention products have been around since I was a kid, and it seemed like if they were just snake oil, that business model would have dried up.

So I decided to look into it, and here’s what I learned.

Natural Options

You can find guys on the internet claiming that anything from caffeine to ice baths cured their baldness, but most natural hair loss treatments don’t have a ton of scientific evidence behind them. Hair loss vitamins, for example, don’t work unless you have a deficiency in the nutrients they contain. Pumpkin seed oil and rosemary oil are good places to start if you’re looking for a DIY treatment with a decent chance of actually working, but the bottom line is that you’re not likely to get mind-blowing results by going the homeopathic route.

Science Options

The FDA has only approved two treatments for male pattern hair loss: finasteride (generic Propecia®) and minoxidil (generic Rogaine®). Finasteride is a prescription pill you take every day that stops hair loss or increases hair growth in up to 90% of men. Minoxidil is an over-the-counter topical treatment you apply to your scalp twice a day. Unlike natural options, finasteride and minoxidil are clinically proven to be effective.

But I Don’t Want To Ask For Bald Medicine At The Pharmacy

Some companies have popped up in recent years that all claim to help you keep your hair from the comfort of your home. Like the elder millennial that I am, I was intrigued by the idea of a subscription service, which is why I landed on Keeps. Full disclosure: they have that minimalist marketing design approach that I appreciate, so I thought, why not?

Keeps only offers the FDA-approved medications for hair loss, and they are the only hair loss treatment company offering minoxidil in both foam and solution.

Treatment plans with Keeps cost anywhere from $30 to $105 every three months, and are delivered directly to your door in discreet packaging – no pharmacy runs or doctor appointments required. You can choose your treatment plan and have your selection verified by a Keeps doctor or speak with a Keeps doctor first who will help you land on the right treatment plan for you. 

The Bottom Line

I don’t know if I’ll have flowing locks when I’m pushing my 90s, but Keeps isn’t snake-oil. The medication is legit, the results are noticeable, and I don’t have to go shopping in the old-man aisle at the pharmacy. If you’re concerned about losing your hair and know that you won’t pull off being a hat guy, Keeps is worth giving a try.

Comic Book Writers Rally for a Marvel/DC Crossover With #PleaseMarvelDC

By Mike Julianelle
#PleaseMarvelDC Crossover
(CBR.com)

As the global pandemic rages and people are forced to stay home in an attempt to stem the tide, the economy is suffering as many businesses have been forced to close and/or cutback. Social distancing requires that people don’t gather in large groups, which both limits the ability of consumers to consume, and of workplaces to employ staff.

All four major sports leagues have suspended play, concerts, and movie releases have been postponed or canceled, and restaurants, bars, and stores and shutting down until the public is able to be public again.

Even the comic book industry is suffering, with the primary distributor of comics books for both DC and Marvel shutting down shipments as of April 1. One writer has an idea to get fans excited again.

Gail Simone, a comics writer well-known for her work on Birds of Prey and Batgirl, tweeted out a suggestion to drum up enthusiasm for both DC and Marvel comics, if and when the industry opens up again. And as someone who remembers a few of the epic crossovers she’s referencing, I’m all for it!

While the idea of such a crossover seems impossible for the respective Marvel and DC cinematic universes – certainly for DC, whose relatively small Justice League team-up didn’t exactly set the world on fire – the two superhero houses have done it in print before. The last time was more than 20 years ago, in the 90s.

Gail has a few ideas for potential crossovers and shared them under a #PleaseMarvelDC hashtag.

Several other comic book writers jumped onto the hashtag and suggested crossovers they’d like to see – and write.


Fans love crossovers, and while both companies are pretty stingy with such major events, the resumption of business after the quarantine is lifted seems like the perfect opportunity to make a big splash and reinvigorate readers.

One writer had an idea featuring one of the most popular superheroes of all taking on… all the other superheroes.

Obviously, crossovers like these are few and far between, but if there were ever a good time for one, it’s when the quarantine is lifted. What better way to make a big splash and reinvigorate readers than with a major event featuring unlikely pairings and rivalries.

Here’s home Simone’s #PleaseMarvelDC hashtag delivers! What crossovers do you want to see?

Freddy Kruger and Kyle Reese Want You to Wear Gloves and Stay Home

By Mike Julianelle
Kruger and Reese Covid-19 PSA
(Twitter/RobertBEnglund YouTube/TheTerminatorFans.co)

By now, everyone should know the drill.

Stay home, don’t go out unless you absolutely have to, stay 6 feet away from other people, wash your hands, and wear a mask in certain situations.

Of course, not everyone is adhering to these guidelines, despite the fact that experts and scientists and healthcare professionals have been shouting them from the rooftops for weeks now. Some people need a little more motivation. Some people need to be scared straight.

Well, they’re in luck. The actor responsible for one of the most terrifying characters in movie history came out of the woodwork to exhort people to wash their hands and wear their glove. And he knows a little something about that, having worn a special one for much of his career.

Robert Englund is best known for portraying Freddie Kruger in Wes Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street and its ensuing sequels. Just ahead of the True Terror marathon on the Travel Channel, his new show which depicts “journeys into the darkest corners of America’s past to uncover stories that are as terrifying as they are real,” he took to Twitter to make a public service announcement, not in costume but definitely in character as his famous monster.

If that doesn’t convince you, maybe a warning from a soldier from the future will.

Michael Biehn, best known for portraying military bad-asses in James Cameron movies, and who will appear as a bounty hunter the second season of Disney+’s The Mandalorian, channeled his most famous character to remind people to stay home.

In The Terminator, Biehn plays Kyle Reese, a soldier from the future sent back to protect Sarah Connor. At one point, he explains to her just how relentless Arnold’s Schwarzenneger’s killer robot is, and over the weekend the actor repurposed his iconic speech to drive home the dangers of the Coronavirus.

Between Freddy Kruger and Kyle Reese, 80s kids should be plenty convinced by now. Stay home, and wear gloves and a mask. Or face their wrath!

Here at The Dad, we hope you, your families, and communities stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the latest information, please utilize online resources from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization to remain as informed as possible.

Netflix Teases New Tiger King Episode With Joe Exotic Interview

By Mike Julianelle
(Twitter/Netflix/redturn2)

Hey all you cool cats and–

I’m sorry, I can’t finish that with a straight face. But you know the rest. If you don’t, proceed with caution as there are spoilers ahead.

Obviously, like everyone else I binged Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries, about the flamboyant and absurd Joe Exotic, his zoo, his vendetta, and the various people in his orbit. Including, obviously, Carole Baskin, who her rivals claim is responsible for the disappearance of her missing husband.

The series was seven episodes long, and it lit social media on fire. Viewers couldn’t look away from the train wreck, which began by focusing on Joe Exotic and his zoo, but quickly became about the seemingly hypocritical Carole Baskin, an activist attempting to end the captivity of big cats even while she ran a zoo of her own. The show got weirder and weirder as it went, with various crimes, an accidental suicide, a run for governor, and multiple phone calls from jail eventually helping fill out the run time.

Turns out, the show wasn’t over. Jeff Lowe, the sketchy Affliction-wearing angel investor who took over/stole Joe Exotic’s zoo right out from under him, shared the news that a new episode of the doc was coming.

Justin Turner, of the Los Angeles Dodger, share Lowe’s video, which apparently originated on Cameo. In the video, Lowe says that some brand new Tiger King content is coming.

“Netflix is adding one more episode. It will be on next week. They’re filming here tomorrow,” Lowe said in the video.

No word on exactly when the new episode will drop, and there’s been no news from Netflix yet, but seeing as Tiger King was their #1 show as soon as it premiered and has been consuming social media during this quarantine.

Netflix did recently interview Joe from jail, where he seemed in good spirits as he answered some questions.

Obviously, the series ended with Joe Exotic in jail – for animal abuse and attempting to carry out a murder-for-hire plot against Baskin. Whether the new episode will feature more phone calls from jail or more insane music videos, is yet to be seen. But we’ll be watching to find out!

Father Figures: Better Versions

By Mike Julianelle

“For a long time I didn’t want kids. Being raised by strict parents, and being the youngest of four, I saw how my family fell apart through my mother’s agony.

Feeling so misunderstood in a Mexican-American house, I strode out the most. My folks always made me feel like I was the worst version of them. Being the scapegoat for their failures, I became independent, at 16.

I struggled to understand family. I’d see my friends go through traditions that I found useless. They didn’t understand what I was going through cause ‘how could a mother ever do that to her son?’, making me realize that not all people that are called ‘parents’ deserve that title.

How things not only change, but evolve. Seeing other parental figures, the consoling and advice. The help I received when I only had one pair of shoes and three socks and no home. Surviving addiction, depression and homelessness, through a light that shined and guided me.

It was hard for me to understand how to be a dad, but when my older boy came, my future (once filled with uncertainty) was suddenly filled with hope. I don’t know what the future holds, but I have hope now. By the names of Logan and Santiago. And that gave me a reason to be a better man, a better husband to an amazing wife, and a better human.

Working tirelessly so my boys and their futures are good, especially in these weird times. Always acknowledging that sometimes as a parent we don’t always need to be in their business, but just need to be aware of how they are. That’s what we are raising. Better versions of us.

I saw post recently about being angry and a parental figure is normal to have that emotion. It really is. Cause once you let that anger go, that’s where you grow!”

– James Galeana

Want to share a story about fatherhood? Email [email protected]

Check out the previous editions of Father Figures here

The Rise of Teleworking Is Causing the Sale of Pants to Drop

By Mark Chalifoux
Teleworking Causing the Sale of Pants to Drop
(Getty/South_agency)

The American worker is quickly adapting to the brave, new world out there. With travel limited only to the most essential for us, offices across the world are moving online. And with the rise of telework and video conferencing comes other new adjustments to the economy. Namely, the sale of pants is plummeting.

In a world where your co-workers and meeting participants can only see your top half (even then, mostly just a face and part of your shirt), people are dropping their pants. Sure, you can throw on a nice shirt, but you better believe there are sweatpants on under that sharp blazer. Yeah, your co-worker is dressed in a lovely sweater, but if you could tilt the video down, you’d see he’s wearing it with lacrosse shorts. Never before in American history have so many people been working in yoga pants.

“We’re seeing increased sales in tops, but not bottoms. People who are concerned, obviously, from the waist up,” Walmart’s VP told Yahoo. “These behaviors are going to continue to change and evolve as people get accustomed to this new lifestyle.”

Other retailers and clothing stores are reporting similar results. Shirts, definitely up. And their pants are down. Especially when it comes to dress pants. They’re seeing an increase in loungewear, such as sweatpants, leggings, etc.

Save the pants for the essential workers out there, they still need to be in public. The rest of us can chill through quarantine, taking our meetings in our favorite raggedy pair of college sweatpants. Once reserved for lazy Sundays, sweatpants are getting the call up from the bullpen and added to the starting rotation. It is their time to shine. I can even envision a future where sweatpants are divided into categories, such as your everyday sweatpants and your “nice” sweatpants.

It’s also important to embrace all the offshoots of the sweatpant, including track pants, athletic shorts, and every other kind of bottom you can’t get away with wearing when you talk to your boss at the office.

New York Is Cheering For Healthcare Workers From Their Windows

By Mark Chalifoux
(Twitter/seanmcque_n/Blitz_N_Me)

The COVID-19 pandemic has most of us stuck indoors, struggling to school our children, work at home and generally remain sane. Some of us have essential jobs, which require you to be out and about to help keep the country running. But no one is on the frontlines quite like first responders and healthcare workers, and people have been getting creative with their show of support.

At 7pm, as hospitals go through their shift change, New Yorkers have begun cheering and clapping from their apartment buildings, praising the healthcare workers for putting it all on the line. And what started as a one-time morale boost has grown into a regular tradition.

The show of solidarity comes at a time when New York City is besieged by the virus. The U.S. hotspot accounts for a quarter of the country’s cases, and the bravest of healthcare workers are heading to the city to provide some relief to the overwhelmed doctors and nurses.

And the applause is spreading. Boston is the latest city to join the mix, as word spread on social media late in the week to organize the movement over the weekend.

Others are following suit, both here and abroad, in places like Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Spain and Turkey, and many others. The languages may change, the locale change, but the sentiment does not. It’s a simple way to say we see you, we appreciate you, and we are with you.

Here at The Dad, we hope you, your families, and communities stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the latest information, please utilize online resources from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization to remain as informed as possible.

The 6 Best Doorbell Cameras and Funniest Ring Doorbell Videos

By Kyle Schuman
(Ring.com)

Video doorbells offer plenty of advantages, such as being able to see who is at the door when you aren’t home and protecting your Amazon packages from porch pirates. The best doorbell camera is a key component in creating a smart home.

But we know their true purpose: To give us f***ing hilarious videos we can share on social media. Whether we want to watch a kid use the doorbell cam to call dad for help with the TV or a dad putting his daughter’s date through the ringer while he waits outside the front door, funny Ring doorbell videos are well worth the cost of a WiFi doorbell camera.

We’ll help you find the best doorbell camera for your needs, so you can keep your home safe. But before we do, we’ll share some videos that show you the more laugh out loud purpose of these cameras.

6 Funny Ring Doorbell Videos

6 Best Doorbell Camera Products

Ring Video Doorbell 2

The king when it comes to the best doorbell camera is the Ring brand, and this is the latest version. It has a 160-degree field of view with motion detection and infrared for night vision. It also integrates with most smart home systems.

It has a rechargeable battery, which is handy if you don’t want to hardwire it into your home’s electrical system.

This model enables two-way conversations, which makes it so much more convenient to create funny Ring doorbell videos. Plus the system records video in full 1080p HD video, so you’ll have the excellent quality you’ll need for receiving the most possible likes on social media when your delivery person does something crazy.

Buy for $169 on Amazon

Eufy Security WiFi Doorbell Camera

When you want the best video doorbell, no subscription needed, this Eufy doorbell is an excellent option. Eufy gives users a few different items for free that other companies charge extra for, so you won’t have hidden costs.

You can have two-way conversations with visitors at the door. The Eufy stores videos in its internal memory for up to 30 days each time the motion detector senses human movement in the field of vision of the lens.

We do have to mention the Eufy has an extensive artificial intelligence algorithm installed. (Sounds fancy.) The AI only enables the motion detector when it senses a human, rather than a random bird or cat, which preserves the internal storage space, but which cuts down significantly on your chance to capture a hilarious video. Trade-offs are a bitch.

Buy for $160 on Amazon

Amcrest Video Doorbell Camera Pro

If you want a cheaper alternative when picking a WiFi doorbell camera, this Amcrest model costs quite a bit less than some other models.

With a 140-degree field of view, two-way audio, night vision, and a full 1080p HD video recording, the Amcrest has plenty of great features, despite its low price.

You will need to have some know-how to wire this device into your home’s electrical system, as it does not have a battery backup option. Just be sure someone is filming you trying to do the installation, just in case something funny happens. Might as well get your funny video doorbell videos started before the unit is even installed.

Buy for $100 on Amazon

August Home Video Doorbell Camera Pro

If you (or your wife) hates the look of the typical best doorbell camera, this model from August has a squarish design that looks less like a skinny iPod and more like a … well, a squarish, bigger iPod. But at least it looks a bit different than the usual model.

The August video doorbell excels at night, using a floodlight to create full-color HD video, rather than relying on a grainy infrared image.

For a video doorbell, no subscription needed, this model provides basic video storage for 24 hours without a fee. You also can upgrade to a premium subscription package for up to 30 days of video storage.

If you pair this with smart door locks from August, you can use the combination to see who’s at the door and then let them in, all from your smartphone. God knows what your toddler will be able to do with that combination, once he or she starts pressing random buttons on your smartphone, but we’re sure that hilarity will ensue.

Buy for $198 on Amazon

Arlo Video Doorbell

If you have tried WiFi doorbell camera hardware in the past, but you hated the constant alerts on your smartphone every time a bird flew within 30 feet of it, this Arlo model is made with you in mind. It is able to ignore items that it doesn’t detect as human, so you don’t receive as many false alerts.

You will need a video doorbell subscription with Arlo to achieve the more precise monitoring and motion detecting, but at least it’s a low priced subscription.

It has a 180 degree field of view, which minimizes blind spots. Another aspect of the Arlo WiFi doorbell camera that sets it apart is that it records video in a square format at 1536×1536 pixels.

Yeah, we also find it weird that the Arlo has rounded edges yet records square video. Somehow it all works, though. It’s almost soothing. Kind of like how a particular restaurant places square hamburger patties onto round buns. Looks weird as hell, but it’s oddly comforting. (And, yes, this is a shameless attempt to see if Wendy’s infamous Twitter account is paying attention.)

Buy for $130 on Amazon

Ring Video Doorbell

When you want the best doorbell camera brand — it’s Ring, in case you haven’t figured it out yet — but you can’t stomach shelling out the cash for the latest version, the original Ring is still being sold … and at a bargain price.

The video quality is limited to 720p HD, but if you have an older smartphone (that’s covered in scratches and fingerprints from letting your kids play with it regularly), you probably won’t notice the difference.

You can see what is happening outside your door with Live View.

We do have to make one thing clear. Sometimes having old tech becomes cool, like an original Nintendo NES or a handheld electronic football game. At this point, having an old Ring is not considered cool. But once Ring Doorbell versions 5 or 6 are out, the original Ring may become a collector item, so consider it a good investment.

Buy for $100 on Amazon

Although we only recommend picks we really love, we may earn a commission on purchases made through links from our site.