The Oxford Comma →

Rick Mueller:

I began to wonder what other authors thought of the Oxford Comma. I created a Twitter handle named Celebrity Oxford Comma and began to ask away.

I started off slowly, first targeting just authors. As it turns out, I’m not familiar with a lot of authors. So I expanded. Asking actors, musicians, athletes, and people of note. Each time I would tweet the same message: Super important question: Where do you stand on the use of the Oxford Comma?

I wasn’t expecting much of a response. The fact is, I thought this was a little silly. Who is going to take the time to respond to me? Well, it took a little bit, but then it started.

The Oxford Comma is one of those things that nobody talks about, and I've always felt I was in the minority when it came to using it. Seeing this list of celebrity writers, authors, and actors that also use the Oxford Comma makes me happy.

Kobe's Fadeaway Inspired by Cheetahs on Discovery Channel →

Kobe:

When you watch me shoot my fadeaway jumper, you’ll notice my leg is always extended. I had problems making that shot in the past. It’s tough. So one day I’m watching the Discovery Channel and see a cheetah hunting. When the cheetah runs, its tail always gives it balance, even if it’s cutting a sharp angle. And that’s when I was like: My leg could be the tail, right?

The greatest minds find inspiration from anything and everything.

"This is Our Fucking City" →

Paul Kafasis:

Last week was hellish. The unconscionable Boston Marathon bombings on Monday were followed on Thursday night by a rampage through Cambridge and Watertown, and a full-day lockdown of the area. Ultimately, one suspect was killed while a second was captured alive on Friday night. Now we must attempt to return to some semblance of normalcy.

And so it was that on Saturday, the Boston Red Sox returned to Fenway Park for their first home game since the bombings. A very moving ceremony was held prior to the first pitch to memorialize the victims and honor many of those who aided the wounded and eventually caught the perpetrators. As it was wrapping up, David Ortiz took the field for the first time in 2013. He gave a brief speech, one which was both impactful and explicit:

This jersey that we wear today doesn't say "Red Sox". It says "Boston""¦This is our fucking city! And nobody's gonna dictate our freedoms. Stay strong!

Frankly, though the park was full of children and the game was airing live on TV, it was exactly what needed to be said. After seeing pictures of bloodied victims missing limbs, we can cope with a little salty language. The crowd, roaring in appreciation, certainly agreed. Watching at home, I laughed and clapped along with them, but I also wondered what might happen as a result. The FCC doesn't generally take kindly to expletives being broadcast on television.

An answer came shortly, via a tweet from FCC chairman, and Boston-area native, Julius Genachowski:

Yasuteru Yamada BBC

Old People Line Up to Clean Radiation in Japan →

Mr. Yamada:

I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live. Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer.

Basically a group of 200+ retirees are volunteering to expose themselves to high levels of radiation so the younger men and women don’t have to.

Making the ultimate sacrifice to protect the lives of their children, and their children’s children. <3

Conan's Closing Words

Conan O'Brien, Final Episode as Host of The Tonight Show:

"Before we end this rodeo, a few things need to be said. There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can't say about NBC. To set the record straight, tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this:

Between my time at Saturday Night Live, The Late Night Show, and my brief run here on The Tonight Show, I have worked with NBC for over twenty years. Yes, we have our differences right now and yes, we're going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.

Walking away from The Tonight Show is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Making this choice has been enormously difficult. This is the best job in the world, I absolutely love doing it, and I have the best staff and crew in the history of the medium. But despite this sense of loss, I really feel this should be a happy moment. Every comedian dreams of hosting The Tonight Show and, for seven months, I got to. I did it my way, with people I love, and I do not regret a second. I've had more good fortune than anyone I know and if our next gig is doing a show in a 7-11 parking lot, we'll find a way to make it fun.

And finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous creativity on the internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational.

To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I'll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere.

Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen..."

Stay classy, Conan.

Conan: "People of Earth..."

In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I've been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.

Yours,

Conan