Kaleidoscope

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Published: Aug 3, 2010

"Hotly anticipated podcast" isn't a phrase you hear often, but I gotta say I'd been looking forward to The Pod F. Tompkast for a while. Famous comedian/Philly expat/former employee of Hats in the Belfry Paul F. Tompkins has been popping up on the pods of his fellow comedians for years, and was always the funniest guy in the room. The totally free and smartly produced Tompkast — episode one features Tim Meadows, Jen Kirkman and some classic and classy PFT tangents — does not disappoint. (More info at twitter.com/Pod_F_Tompkast.)

Quirky Philly hairstylist Julius Scissor brings his over-the-top personality to everything he touches — including his "soft sculptures," created out of hair taken from his salon floor. "He has 30 bags of hair stored in his basement," says Bambi Gallery owner Candace Karch. "His art is wacky, very different and crazy — that's why I gave him the whole front room, so he can take advantage of the high ceilings." Scissor's exhibit "Converted" opens at Bambi Friday (Aug. 6, bambiproject.com).

Anonymous Theatre sounds like a Russian sleeper agent's theatrical wet dream: A play is written in secret. Actors never meet each other, working solo with the director, and never even tell anyone that they're participating. On performance night (Mon., Aug. 9, pdc1.org), they blend in with the audience until cues bring them to life. The Philadelphia Dramatists Center adds even more interesting twists, including characters from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in an absurdist conflagration.

Max Headroom — ABC-TV's '87-'88 sci-fi comedy series about ace reporter Edison Carter (Matt Frewer) and his jittery computer-generated alter ego — had more on its mind than quick quips and cyberpunk dazzle. It was also a fascinating comment on TV, news and media conglomeration. The pilot centers on blipverts, compressed ads that prevent viewers from changing the channel but can also cause fat people to blow up. Think about that next time an ad pops up at the bottom of your screen. Max Headroom: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) series make its DVD debut Tuesday.

'Stache from the Past
Westward Ho!
Such Great Heights
Going Green