Hanging out with the real Al Pacino would be daunting, for anyone. You would fill your diaper at the thought. Hanging out with Saturday Night Live cast member Bill Hader – the best fake Al Pacino there ever was and ever shall be – would be less intimidating, from the looks of what he got out of his last week. Fancy yourself a devoted fan of this site and the hints that the second-year cast member gives regarding his interests below make it seem like there’s a chance we could all get along, share some cider and swap phone numbers. He enjoys Voxtrot, Beirut and Animal Collective side projects. He’d probably like Sparrowhouse, you’re thinking at home. Maybe you’ll see him at the next Grizzly Bear concert in New York City. You hold it against him, slightly, that he JUST NOW started being able to quote Swearengen and the rest of the “Deadwood” cast (or could we be honest and just say Swearengen?). Others who have yet to appreciate the fine art of intimidation and vulgarity (perhaps the link Hader sees in Swearengen and Pacino) Ian McShane dances with should be ashamed and hence belittled by friends and close associates, co-workers and utter strangers. Hader, the impressionist, has been one of the brighter points in a young cast that has been consistently good in a season that has been dominated by character development in skits and episodes featuring great indie rock bands (do The Shins and Arcade Fire really still count?). When a man, a comedian such as Hader can use laser cats and then moments later pretend like he wants to make out with Fred Armisen with such aplomb, it’s the diversity that we like to spend our precious moments of free time watching television. His impression of Vincent Price now seems like it wasn’t randomly chosen out of a hat, with a mention and a nod to the “Twilight Zone.” So, what I’m thinking is if Arcade Fire can be enticed in for a session, we’ll invite Mr. Hader to the studio. We’ll have plenty of Miller High Life chilled and ready for action (currently on sale at the Liquor Mart down the street) and then upon wrapping, we’ll all retire to somewhere and we’ll begin an all-night Deadwood marathon that will last at least until breakfast. We’ll know if the offers accepted should we see a Daytrotter T-shirt worn at the end of an SNL. We’d get along. We could all wear fake mustaches, dress up like Frankenstein and just listen to Odawas or The Delta Spirit as we tackled huge plates of gnocchi.

First — Arcade Fire played the show last week. I got to hang with them a little bit ([SNL Writer] Jorma Taccone and I shot a video featuring them watching Jorm dance in his underwear). After the show, they ran over to the stage and went right into “Rebellion” and the place went fucking nuts.

Or maybe I was just going nuts and everyone else looked crazy happy as a result. After “Rebellion” they played “Antichrist Television Blues,” then came down onto the floor and played an acoustic version of “Wake Up.” It was amazing. One of my wife an I’s first dates was seeing them at Spaceland in LA, so it was really special having her there. She leaned over to me and was like, “This beats Spaceland.”

Second — Discovered “Deadwood” last week. I’ve become obsessed with Netflixing TV shows. I’m all about “Deadwood” and “The Wire” at the moment. I’m also been obsessed with this British show called “Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place,” which might be the funniest show I’ve seen in years. You can buy the DVD on the UK Amazon. For a taste, there are clips on YouTube.

Third — There’s this great comic book called “Queen and Country” by Greg Rucka and Steve Rolston. Seth Meyers turned me onto it. Also enjoyed “Fancies and Goodnights” by John Collier. Collier wrote weird fiction in the thirties and forties and many of his stories were turned into “Twilight Zone” episodes. Perfect late night reading.

Fourth — Listening to Beirut – Lon Gisland, Voxtrot – Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives, and Panda Bear – Person Pitch. All great stuff.
I’m getting use to not having a car in New York. I’m so used to driving around and listening to music. Now it’s all about walking music (and at the moment, walking in the snow music). These albums (especially Voxtrot) are good walking music.

Fifth — The gnocchi at this place called The Neptune Room on the Upper West Side. We’ve eaten there before, but I don’t remember having the gnocchi and I had it last week and, even though I was sick with the stomach flu, I was very happy. I know gnocchi is probably the last thing you should have when you’re sick with a stomach flu, but let me tell you, it is.