And it has got me thinking … which Muppet would you want to be? I know, I know, it’s an obvious question. But an important one—because your answer says a lot about you. For all you Elmos and Beekers out there, I’d personally choose Animal … the drummer in the Muppet’s band, “Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.”

Sure, Dr. Teeth is cool because he plays the piano. But Animal definitely knows how to rock on those drums. Plus, he’s got some pretty sweet hair. It’s true.

But like everyone else, we probably fall into a rut every once in a while. Occasionally, it’s easy to overuse a certain kind of rhythm … or stick with a favorite effects pedal for a little too long. Sooner or later, though, we have to shake the temptation to be unoriginal, and then push ourselves to the next level.

Which has got me thinking about (in my humble opinion) one of the most unoriginal artists of all time. A lot of people love Frida Kahlo, but I’m not a big fan. You’ve seen her painting … the one with that uni-brow woman looking all serious.

I say “her painting” because, to my eyes, she simply did the same thing over and over again. She was a one-trick pony—riding that poor horse to exhaustion. In nearly every piece she created, Frida Kahlo painted herself as the subject. In one shot, she might be sitting … while in another, she may be walking or standing. But it’s always the same, old theme. It seems Ms. Kahlo was totally in love with herself (… um, and monkeys).

But my question is “How can you create true greatness when you’re staring at yourself in the mirror all day?” My opinion might offend some people right now. But hey, it’s just an opinion. Either way, how can we avoid the “Frida Syndrome.” To really get the inspirational juices flowing, does anyone have any special tips?

But like any of this man’s great plotlines, today’s quiz has a slight twist. And that is, which movie is known as the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made? In other words, what famous movie is commonly mistaken as a Hitchcock classic—even though it was directed by someone else? Is it:

a) “To Catch a Thief”
b) “The Birds”
c) “Charade”
d) “The Man Who Knew Too Much”

If you answered “Option C,” you are correct. Each one of these films is by Alfred Hitchcock—except the thriller “Charade.” Directed by Stanley Donen in 1963, it was an instant cinematic hit.

Everything about this movie feels like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The suspense, the dark lighting, the plot twists, and even the leading man. (Cary Grant starred in multiple Hitchcock masterpieces.)

But a big reason “Charade” feels like the “real thing” is because of its music. Every note of this film’s haunting melody—composed by Henry Mancini—is brilliant. Like it was written for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s own stories. As far as theme songs go, “Charade” has one of the very best. But watch out—this song is so catchy, it might actually kill you.

1. It’s summer
2. It’s Friday (… although every day is pretty cool)
3. I just got Paul McCartney tickets

The third reason is the best of all. You see, Macca recently announced he’s added another concert to his current “Up and Coming” tour. And I’m going.

The cool thing is that my nephew will be joining us. He knows a lot about music, The Beatles, and media … so it should be fun. And speaking of fun, check out this performance of “Coming Up” to celebrate the good news about the upcoming concert.

Just in case nothing comes to mind, here are a couple of options:

a) The Traveling Wilburys
b) Them Crooked Vultures
c) Sonny and Cher
d) Princess Leia and “The Force” All-Stars

If you chose “option c,” that’ll work … but “option d” is even better. And here’s the painting that proves it:

For some reason, the Rebel Force is performing in concert … which is hard to explain. And Darth Vader decided to lend his support on bass guitar. If you’ve ever seen the Star Wars® movies, then this image is pretty cool (and strange). It’s fitting that R2D2 and C3PO are on electric keyboards, and Princess Leia is looking a little like Gwen Stefani. But why is Chewie on drums?! (Is that supposed to be an insult to all the drum players of the world?) Ha!

Anyway, I just saw this picture—called “Star Wars Rocks” by artist Hugh Fleming—for the first time when my friend, Mike, showed up wearing it on a t-shirt. As a major fan of the movie series, Mike was happy to model his shirt for the camera. (Sorry ladies, he’s married.) Here are a few pics from the photo shoot. Enjoy!

That’s right, we’re looking at a giraffe sculpted from this woman’s hair. It’s crazy. I was hanging out with my friend, Google, the other day when we found these images. The late Nagi Noda was an artist/director from Japan who specialized, among other things, in making “hair hats” for women. Talk about some serious skill—the walrus is especially cool, with it’s super-long tusks….

All of these pictures are amazing! Seriously … who thinks of this stuff? (Well, Ms. Noda, of course.) Every single piece must have taken hours to make. Ahhh, but it’s all in the name of art, you know? Anyway, I’m feeling inspired. So now, all I have to do is figure out how to write a song that sounds like this:

According to legend, this is the most popular audience request during any concert. In fact, it’s even a running joke with a lot of people. The next time you’re at a concert, try to listen for it. Because, without fail, somebody will yell out “Free Bird!” Even if the performer plays a completely different style of music. What can I say? It’s a tradition.

Anyway, one famous group in Las Vegas has decided to be totally prepared for the occasion. The Blue Man Group, which performs at the Venetian Casino, is always ready for a laugh. So once somebody in the audience screams “Free Bird,” they jump right into the song without missing a beat. They’ve actually worked the clichéd song into their nightly show. Check it out. (Oh yeah, and beware … you’ll probably get this same song request a thousand times, too.)

This time around, he’s scheduled only a few shows (including a couple at the Hollywood Bowl). But the last time I saw him, it was part of his huge world tour—covering the entire globe over several months. McCartney’s last major tour was highly publicized and sponsored by Lexus (you know, the luxury car maker).

As part of the promotion, Lexus announced that they’d be giving away a free sports utility vehicle (SUV) to one lucky fan. Like anybody else, I’d take a free car … especially if it was a Lexus. But there was a catch. The car had a special wrap job—featuring Paul McCartney’s classic Hofner bass. Sure, the guitar looks awesome … and so does the SUV … but together? I’m not so sure.

Only the biggest super fans could drive that car down the street. No, the winner of that giveaway probably made a quick buck on eBay. (But I do have to admit that it looks pretty cool.) Anyway, would you have taken the prize? Or can you think of a better contest idea? Oh yeah, and if you see Paul McCartney in concert this year, enjoy the show. It’s awesome!

The compilation album I’ve been eating up is excellent … seriously. Track – after track – after track is brilliant. I’d probably pay $5,000,000 (USD) to pick their brains on songwriting. Honestly, I’d do it … $5,000,000 cash … in small, unmarked bills.

One of the best things about this band is their polished recording style. Every song sounds like it suddenly appeared—fully formed and already perfect. Like four corners of a solid square, the singer, guitarist, bassist, and drummer balance each other out. Each one adds just the right stuff to make each song shine.

And if you don’t believe me, then check out this video of the song, “Killer Queen” … which is one of the best bits of music ever made. By the way, what is your favorite Queen song?