Idolator
For those of us with no particular affection for Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump and even less of an affinity for Law & Order, last night's season premiere of the NBC stalwart, in which Stump had a role, was not at the top of the to-do list. But I was just curious enough this morning to search for clips of it on YouTube, and luckily for me, there were already ten good old-fashioned bootleg videos—made by people who pointed their video cameras at their TVs, and hoped for the best—posted on the site. But which was the most watchable? In today's fast-paced world we can't be expected to pay for music or watch TV shows on a television set, so here's a handy guide to the best and worst Stump/Law & Order bootlegs on YouTube.
The very left-hand side of the picture is cut off, but other than that this is of sufficient quality. The sound is good, and the camera is steady. There are a few faint and cryptic reflections in the screen—the one to the left of the picture that looks kind of like a robot face is particularly distracting—but it's a small price to pay for such clear and audible footage of Stump emoting sans hat.
Would I buy it for $5 in the subway? Yes, but I'd try to bargain it down to $3.
While this one's got the framing down better, it fails in almost every other way. The buzzing high-frequency sound overpowers the dialogue, and the picture quality is grainy and high-contrast. What's a Law & Order bootleg if we can't see Jeremy Sisto's beautiful face?! Then again, this person did go to the trouble of adding a text intro and fancy transitions with Windows Media Maker. This either somewhat redeems the video or puts the final nail in its coffin, depending on your perspective.
Would I buy it for $5 in the subway? No.
Shaky camera, off-kilter framing, and too short. But the picture quality is excellent. Is it better to see Patrick Stump's sideburns clearly for thirty-eight seconds, or view them at a lower resolution for two-and-a-half minutes? Tough call!
Would I buy it for $5 in the subway? No, but only because it's too short.
This one's really got that authentic bootleg feel: the volume being adjusted, the annoying light reflection in the middle of the screen, the tinny sound quality. It's just a tad too bunko for comfort. Plus, it doesn't include the courtroom scene.
Would I buy it for $5 in the subway? Absolutely not.
Best for last! Not only is this one poorly framed, and completely inaudible, there's actually a running commentary from the videographer, complete with weird sneeze-like sound at the very beginning. She takes issue with the detectives picking on Patrick Stump, telling them to "Shut up! Don't say that to him!" She also can't contain her general Stump love, exclaiming, "Oh my God, he's adorable." The crazed whispery voice is downright creepy, and for all practical purposes this video is useless.
Would I buy it for $5 in the subway? You couldn't pay me to take a copy.
So now you have a representative sampling of your Law & Order bootleg options. I hope it's helpful, though if you cared enough about seeing Patrick Stump without a hat, you probably would have just watched the episode on TV last night. You're probably just a stupid prep who doesn't really care about Fall Out Boy anyway.
Comments
"even less of an affinity for Law & Ordeeven less of an affinity for Law & Order"
you're fired.
i wish i could say that i cooked a special dinner and curled up in front on the tv for 2 hours of L&O just to see patrick stump during the final 15 minutes of the second episode.
alas, i totally forgot he was supposed to appear.
Like it or not, he may be the lead singer, but he's not the frontman.
That episode would only be entertaining if he had murdered Pete Wentz.
Ok, so I totally spazzed on the fact that Stump was supposed to appear on the show. To his credit, he played the typical guest star perp pretty damn well. But no one, and I mean no one, can top Chevy Chase calling someone sugartits or Kevin Smith appearing simply as a warehouse worker who sold liquor to some minors in hopes of getting a piece of ass or Stephen Colbert (on Criminal Intent) as a murdering forger working for the Catholic church. Stump will never be of their caliber damn it.
And yes, I am well aware of how sad it makes me because I have never missed an episode, I even saw the premiere the day it aired. If it aired on a day I was giving birth, working late, or in the hospital - I'd call someone to record it (before the days of TIVO people). If I missed recording it, I would call up west coast friends to VHS it so I could have it by Friday at the latest. I have episodes on my DVR that I've seen tons of times but they are faves. I watched all of the marathons on TNT, USA, and Bravo over the holidays despite seeing each episode at least 4 times. I watch all of the shows, from the original flava to something sexual (SVU) to Sherlock Holmes with Asperbergers (CI). I am an addict to these shows.
I'm sure I could pull a Kevin Costner in "Mr. Brooks" by attending AA and just saying I'm an addict but I'm just not ready to stop yet. My poor child watches with me (she likes the ones she has not seen but reruns drive her nuts at 10) and the commercial on USA stated, "We know what you're thinking - another Law and Order: CI marathon." My child said, "That's exactly what I'm thinking - why another one? WHY USA NETWORK, WHY??!!"
@jessdolator: I like it fine and all but I don't LOVE it. I prefer SVU.
@mandelion: it's nice to see that there are others like me. i'm just waiting for the L&O cable network.
@kaate: Eh, not me. Something about the non-stop and predictable onslaught of rape and child molestation on SVU is too bleak. But it is exciting when there is an episode that deals with neither.
I am probably the only one on here who likes Criminal Intent? I am the only fan of a lot of things around here. Sadness. :(
@silkyjumbo: or at least an on-demand channel! i guess the dvds can sorta count as this, but man that would be the perfect thing for
@Moimeme: i LOVE LOVE LOVE criminal intent (although alicia witt's character = v. annoying). favorite episode is still the one about the nanny who thinks she's living in a soap opera--plus it has maddie corman as an uptight rich wife!
@silkyjumbo: I would pay a gabillion dollars for that channel.
@maura: er, for a rainy day.
@Moimeme: CI is the bestest Law and Order, but only when it's got Gorin in it. That guy is kooky.
As a fellow L&O addict (SVU, orig, CI -- in that order), I feel like a Debbie Downer saying this, but I am not digging the new line-up with the non-McCoy lawyer-dude. Bad move, Dick Wolf.
@mandelion: Well, it didn't hurt Stumpy's case that he pretty much already looked like Your Company's Computer Guy/Homicidal Kidnapper. But I'm still not sure how to feel about this season of Law and Order: Original Recipe. The second episode was certainly interesting, but it didn't quite feel like Law and Order.
@mandelion:
No particular obsessive reason for asking, but what would a person need to do to get a copy of that Colbert episode?
Stump is such a fitting name for that kid, all lumpy and awkward.
In other music related TV news, did anybody else catch a snippet of LCD's "Someone Great" in freakin' Gossip Girl?! Who greenlighted that appropriation?
I have to admit that I don`t normally go for crime shows or medical shows...for this episode of L&O,I definitely made an exception! :-)
The character fit Patrick so perfectly, and he is actually a very impressive actor in his own right. I mean, who knew that fish-obsessed, homicidal IT "Geeks" could be so fascinating, or adorable?!
@nonce: it's on the third-season dvd of criminal intent (the episode is called 'the saint').
or you could just keep your tv tuned to usa at all times; it'll turn up eventually.
@Nicolars: Ha! I would've made it a point to TiVo it (and watch repeatedly) if that really happened.
@Lost_X_Horizons: Patrick as an IT Geek (homicidal tendencies and fish obsession notwithstanding) could be a good thing. And I'm not just saying that because I've got a crush on him that has me at risk of losing my lesbian cred card or anything...
excuse me, uhm, mr. pete wentz hater.
i would like to say that you deffinetly
shouldnt be bashing pete, patrick or the
fact that patrick stump isnt the front man
of the group...because honestly, that doesnt
matter. so if you want to go ahead and tell
people "it would only be entertaining if it
was a story were he murdered pete wentz", go
ahead and make a fool of yourself for something
that the both of them, (pete and patrick) have
dedicated themselves to and have worked so hard
to achieve at. i dont think that you or even
most people understand what they have bbootthh went
through. and hey, KUDOS to pat. he worked hard
for his singing career and got a guest spot on
a tv show that he loves. go him.
now, in my own personal opinion. i loved it.
and not just because patrick stump was in it.
but hey, think what you want.
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