America’s Funniest AI Home Videos
I know it’s not for everyone, but man… I really love the bizarre hallucinations AI spits out when generating video. There’s something so deeply surreal and dreamlike about the way objects and people glitch, melt, and morph into completely unrelated things. None of it makes sense, and that’s kind of the point. It’s the uncanny valley dialed up to 11, and I’m here for it because this America’s Funniest AI Home Videos clip is brilliant.
It’s like watching a computer try to mimic human reality after only being shown a stack of old VHS tapes, a Salvador Dalí painting, reruns of Tim & Eric, and a fever dream.
If someone ever decided to make a full show out of this America’s Funniest AI Home Videos idea, I would 100% binge it. Just hours of AI-generated mayhem. Sounds like perfect background noise for the slow unraveling of civilization. Or maybe for some, just a regular Tuesday night.
This particular video that caught my eye came from “Darri3d,” an Icelandic-born director and 3D generalist now based in Norway. He’s worked with big names like Snoop Dogg, the BBC, and Xbox—but it’s these strange, viral AI clips that really show off the weirder side of his creativity.
If you want to see more of his work, you can check him out on his website, YouTube, or Instagram. Just be prepared for a little bit of beauty, a little bit of chaos, and a whole lot of “what the hell did I just watch?”
Why John Wilson Can’t Stop Filming
The Museum of Modern Art‘s Why John Wilson Can’t Stop Filming offers a rare peek into the brilliantly awkward mind behind one of my favorite comedy TV shows of the past few years, How To with John Wilson. Wilson, who has been filming since he was a kid, treats the camera like an extension of himself—capturing the weird poetry of everyday life. He’s not chasing perfect shots; he’s chasing the unfiltered moments that make life feel real.
The video also reveals one of Wilson’s bigger dreams: opening a tiny movie theater. True to form, it wouldn’t just be a place to watch films—it would be a cozy shrine to lost VHS tapes, oddball finds, and everything a little broken but a lot loved. One highlight: Wilson proudly shows off a lumpy papier-mâché E.T., rough around the edges but full of heart. In Wilson’s world, imperfection isn’t a flaw—it’s the whole point.
Confuse Your House Guests with This Official “I Think You Should Leave” Doormat
Fans of I Think You Should Leave will appreciate this new officially licensed doormat inspired by Tim Robinson’s cult-favorite sketch show. The mat, which simply says “I Think You Should Leave” in bold letters, feels like the perfect welcome (or warning) depending on who’s at your door. It’s a simple but hilarious nod to a show that has built one of the most loyal and meme-savvy fanbases in recent years. You can grab one now over at withtimrobinson.com.
Background Noise, Vol 126: Jon Huck
I’ve followed the art of Jon Huck for a few years now, after discovering it via my Art Openings LA Instagram account. I believe he was part of a group show that was happening in town, and I was taken by his simple yet surreal watercolor paintings. They almost had an “outsider art” feel to them in the way they were painted. From then on, I was hooked. I’d see his name pop up in other local group exhibits, as well as some solo exhibitions of his work (which I have yet to see in person). It’s great stuff.
I’ve had him on my wishlist of people to reach out to for this Background Noise series for a while now, but it wasn’t until I was filing records at my recent part-time stint at Fingerprints Music here in Long Beach that I discovered Jon was also part of a band I’ve enjoyed for years called Thelonious Monster. I used to watch their music videos when I’d stay up late on Sunday nights to watch MTV’s 120 Minutes, a show that played a big role in shaping my musical taste in my teenage years.
I think it was their major label debut Beautiful Mess that was out at the time, but they had released a few records prior to that in the mid-80s on Epitaph and Relativity Records, respectively. Their first record, Baby…You’re Bummin’ My Life Out in a Supreme Fashion, had a whole bunch of notable friends involved. Not only was the cover art done by the legendary Fab 5 Freddy, but the album itself featured “guest producers” such as Anthony Kiedis, Flea and the late Hillel Slovak of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Norwood Fisher of Fishbone, Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, Spit Stix of FEAR, and also featured some guest guitar courtesy of K.K. Barrett, drummer of synth-punk legends The Screamers.
When visual artists I admire are also musicians, it’s a no-brainer when it comes to reaching out to them to see if they’d be interested in participating in this project. The two obviously go hand in hand. I’m honored that Jon quickly said yes to answering a few of my questions for this.
What was the first album you bought?
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River.
My sister and I used to watch this kid show every Sunday morning called Wonderama. They had a dance segment that was like American Bandstand for 7 year-olds. “Green River” (the song) was on regular rotation at the time. I think it appealed to me because it was kind of spooky. I probably played just that single track for a long time before I managed to get to the rest of the record.
What was the last album you bought?
I can’t remember the last LP I bought, but I know that I bought a single of Nick Gilder – “Got to Get Out” this year. I mostly buy 45s these days.
First concert?
David Bowie at The Forum here in LA. It was the tour that the David Live album came from so I guess it was 1973 or ’74.
Last concert?
Kraftwerk at Disney Hall.
Was there one album that made a significant impression on you?
Too many to single one out. A few that spring to mind that changed the way I think about music :
Young Marble Giants – Colossal Youth
X – Los Angeles
David Bowie – Low
Gang of Four – Entertainment!
Talking Heads – Fear of Music
Harry Partch – The World of Harry Partch
Who is your musical hero?
I have a long list of heroes, musical and otherwise, that I add to all the time. It’s getting unwieldy and I should probably alphabetize it. I guess I don’t have just one particular.
How important is music to your creative process?
It’s very important for inspiration even though I don’t listen to music a lot when I’m painting. I listen mostly while driving or walking but I get a lot of ideas while doing so. If I do play music while I paint, it’s mostly kind of ambient/arty/experimental stuff. Nothing with lyrics. If I’m doing a larger piece, or one with a lot of frenetic activity, I listen to something more angular and aggressive like Miles Davis – On the Corner. Basically, one long, freak-out jam with different movements.
BONUS: What is your favorite album cover of all time (and why)?
I don’t know that these are my absolute favorites, but I always found them compelling. In 2017, some friends at Showboat Gallery in Highland Park put on a really fun group show of artist-reinterpreted album covers.
I picked these three to paint:
Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Music – Where he’s sitting in this little red wagon. It’s such a great photo and he’s really poking fun at the pomp & hubris of the “artist” cover and, even though he’s making fun of it, he still manages to look incredibly cool.
X-Ray Spex – Germ Free Adolescents – Great art direction that perfectly fits the album and the band’s sensibilities.
John & Yoko – Two Virgins – Simple and confrontational. I remember it was controversial when this was first released, not just because of the nudity, but the record was unlistenable. I think this was a big fuck you to everyone who harassed them over the years and the cover communicates that really well
On a side note, it was fun to paint pubic hair. I don’t have much occasion to do that in my regular work.
All of the above really convey the artist’s spirit with just a single image. That is quite a feat and I’m always impressed when somebody nails it.
BONUS #2: Any visual artist(s) you’d like to see answer these questions?
Dave Muller
Francesca Gabbiani
Curt Lemieux
Katrien De Blauwer
Jeremy Shockley
Klas Ernflo
Marnie Weber
Tied & Tickled Trio – The Long Tomorrow
Johnny Pate – You Can’t Even Walk in the Park (Opening Theme)
Aksak Maboul – (Mit I) Saure Gurke (Aus I Urwald Gelockt)
Glyders – Geneva Strangemod
La Sécurité – Detour
Fleetwood Mac -Albatross
Whitefield Brothers – Safari Strut
Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’77 – País Tropical
Cate Le Bon, Group Listening – The Light
Ramsey Lewis – Money in the Pocket
ASS, Andreas Söderström – Escape from NY
Getdown Services – Head Down for the Conversation
Art Jerry Miller – Finger Lickin’ Good
John Martyn – May You Never
Flin Flon – Ukraina
Buzzcocks – Whatever Happened To…?
Bob Weaver – I Think You Two Should Leave
Talking Heads – Drugs
Public Body – Reset My Password
Brian Eno – By This River
The Monochrome Set – Eine Symphonie Des Grauens
The Runaways – American Nights
Acid Pauli – Intellijel Bell
Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’
Dwight Twilley Band – Could Be Love
Family Fodder – Cerf Volant
Whatever The Weather – 12° C
Faces – Pineapple and the Monkey
Heart – Lovemaker
Gal Costa – Vou Recomeçar
Traffic – Light Up or Leave Me Alone
Nick Lowe – 36 Inches High
Bill Callahan – Diamond Dancer
Graham Nash – Better Days
Walter Wanderley – Call Me
Brightblack Morning Light – Fry Bread
Broadcast – Man Is Not A Bird
Check out Jon’s playlist below on Spotify. Be sure to like Background Noise on Facebook for updates on future episodes. You can browse ALL the Background Noise episodes right here.
See more of Jon’s work at his website or on Instagram.
The Original Inspiration for LCD Soundsystem’s “Dance Yrself Clean” is Making the Rounds
This one’s been popping up on a bunch of Instagram accounts this past week, and I’m honestly kind of blown away that I’m just now hearing about it—15 years after LCD Soundsystem’s classic album This is Happening dropped.
The track is called “Jamaica Resting” by The Pool, a project of the late multi-instrumentalist Patrick Keel out of Austin, Texas. It’s a gem in its own right, but it also happens to sound very familiar to fans of LCD Soundsystem. Specifically, it seems to have directly inspired the opening track of This is Happening, “Dance Yrself Clean.”
I like to think I’m pretty dialed into old minimal synth and new wave, but I’m always hunting for those overlooked gems I somehow missed. And this one? It’s exactly that.
A lot of the comments online about this track are calling out how clearly James Murphy lifted from it—without any credit to Keel. And honestly? It’s hard to ignore the similarities. Sure, originality is a murky thing these days, but this one doesn’t feel like a coincidence. The fact that most people are only just now connecting the dots kind of suggests Murphy was content to let it stay buried. Or maybe I’m just late to the party.
Turns out, Dark Entries Records reissued the 6-song EP this track came from back in 2016, so maybe more people knew about this than I thought. Regardless of the backstory, it’s a beautiful piece of music, and I’m glad it finally crossed my radar. Even if Murphy might’ve hoped it never would.
While you’re here, check out the other notable song from the same EP, “Dance it Down”.
Longmont Potion Castle Returns with New Prank Call Album “Alive in ’25”
Longmont Potion Castle, the mysterious prank call artist known for his surreal and absurdist phone calls, has released a new album titled Alive in ’25. This is his 25th studio album over a 37-year career.
The album was released on March 21, 2025, through D.U. Records, both digitally and as a 3-CD package.
A hilarious preview track from the album, “Drug Dumpling,” which features LPC confusing and unnerving folks by asking them to gather their unused drugs/medications for collection, was released on D.U. Records‘ YouTube channel.
The album features 15 tracks, including titles like “Auto Body Experience,” “Breadstick Rabbit Hole,” and “Alive in ’25 Theme 1.”
For more information and to purchase the album, you can visit D.U. Records’ official store.
