Paul littered the cat studio with junk food. That is all.

Today’s hot topics include; it is now the Year of the Dragon, Politics/Schmolotics, some sports stuff, Paula Deen gets diabetes then signs an endorsement deal, this coming season’s Survivor includes a gay Republican, and a dwarf who was paralyzed after being tossed asks those responsible for an apology.

This week’s featured song is “Big Mouth” by Santigold. You can grab the track for free on her official website!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxdQ_uD5IWk[/youtube]

* * *

We are halfway through January, y’all! On today’s show, Danielle bares all for photographer Marne Lucas, Jon Attacks the Block, and Paul gets political.

Hot topics include : Ship sinkage, YouTube teabag controversy, Gov. Perry thinks the handling of the marine/YouTube controversy is “over the top,”  a woman was born with 2 vaginas, a FaceBook campaign calls for a bald Barbie, an orchestra conductor stops the show after an audience member’s cell phone rings, and a woman coughs up a tumor.

This week’s featured song is “Stay Awake” by The Globes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX75SQoUkL0[/youtube]

* * *

The ladies of Secretly Timid interviewed mixed media and installation artist Gabriel Dawe in the cat studio over coffee and gummy cola bottles. The trio discussed his work, what it means for a work to be considered an installation, and the artist residency Centraltrak. Dawe later shared his extensive exhibition schedule. If you are able to see one of his shows firsthand you will not be disappointed. Speaking from experience (and this is Jon typing) his installations created feelings of awe and joy. But like most things beautiful-you can look but please don’t touch. Check out a small sample of his work below. For a more extensive gallery and for more information, please check out his official website.

plexus no. 5

plexus no. 9

eye ii

Full Bio : (via gabrieldaw.com)

Gabriel Dawe was born in Mexico City where he grew up surrounded by the intensity and color of Mexican culture. After working as a graphic designer, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 2000 following a desire to explore foreign land. In search for creative freedom he started experimenting and creating artwork, which eventually led him to explore textiles and embroidery—activities traditionally associated with women and which were forbidden for a boy growing up in Mexico. Because of this, his work is subversive of notions of masculinity and machismo that are so ingrained in his culture. By working with thread and textiles, Daweâ€s work has evolved into creating large-scale installations with thread, creating environments that deal with notions of social constructions and their relation to evolutionary theory and the self-organizing force of nature.

After seven years of living in Canada and gaining dual citizenship as a Mexican-Canadian, Gabriel moved to Texas to pursue graduate school at the University of Texas at Dallas where heworked on an MFA in Arts and Technology. His work has been exhibited in Dallas, Houston, Montreal, Toronto and Barcelona.

Upcoming Exhibition Schedule :

Until January 15 – Plexus No. 10 at The National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, UK

January 20 to February 24 – “Plexus No. 12” The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery at the Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX.

January 21, 2012 to July, 2013 – East Wing X at the Courtauld Institute in London, UK

April 12-15 – the Dallas Art Fair

April 12 to mid-June – Solo show at Lot 10 Gallery in Brussels, Belgium

April 28 to the end of 2012 – Plexus No. XX” Louisiana State University Museum, Baton Rouge, LA

June 23 to July 31 – Solo show at Conduit Gallery in Dallas, TX

Happy Secretly Timid Tuesday! On today’s show, Jon is a racist, Diane got some “no-no” hair, Danielle wants to travel through time and PAUL PROMISED TO BAKE US A CAKE!!!! The crew rap about this dude-bro named Tebow and Jay Z and Beyonce’s offspring.

Hot Topics include : A new phone etiquette game may earn you a free lunch, a woman rubs her booty-hoe on a pricey work of art, a man uses his i-Pad to cross the border, and the White House denies the CIA teleported President Obama to Mars,

Photo By Shervin Lainez

This week’s featured song is “Which Side are you on?” By Ani DiFranco. Be sure to pick up the album, ¿Which Side Are You On?, when it drops January 17th!

Check out Ani and Melissa Ferrick performing the song for a rowdy Brooklyn audience below!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooduDkmIzjA[/youtube]

* * *

Hope your 2012 is proceeding well. On today’s show Diane does some good, Danielle becomes Marcella, Paul cooks, and Jon cusses.

Hot topics include : An arsonist sets fire to L.A. (Alonso and Dave from the Linoleum Knife podcast are among those impacted), a would-be juror uses FaceBook to get out of jury duty, Miami’s federal jail is being overrun by strippers, and a man killed by a train can be sued over bystander’s injury.

****EDIT****

At the time of the recording there had been no arrests in the serial arsonist case in California. That, as we all know now, has changed. Please consider helping Alonso and Dave. We love the Linoleum Knife and hope them the best through this challenging time.

This week’s featured song is “Miami” by Animal Heart.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tk0fWBmnRw[/youtube]

* * *

What a year it has been! Without further ado, let’s unveil the cast’s picks for the best music, television, film, books, and news event! Frankly, let the record show that technically Paul and Jon followed the rules, and the X X chromosomes just couldn’t choose ONE work in some categories. Ugh…girls!

MUSIC

Paul – The Muppets, The Green Album

Danielle – The Naked and Famous, Passive me, Aggressive you

Diane – Brett Dennen, Loverboy

Jon – P J Harvey, Let England Shake

Film

Paul – Attack The Block dir/wr by Joe Cornish

Danielle – Bridesmaids dir by Paul Fieg, wr by Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo

Melancholia dir/wr by Lars von Trier

Diane – Winnie the Pooh dir by Stephen J. Anderson & Don Hall, wr by Stephen J. Anderson & Clio Chiang

Water for Elephants dir by Francis Lawrence, wr by Richard LaGravenese adapted from the novel by Sara Gruen

Jon – Red State dr/wr by Kevin Smith

Television

Paul – Doctor Who (series 6)

Danielle – American Horror Story

Community

Psych

Diane – Portlandia

Modern Family

The Sing-Off!

Jon – The Walking Dead

Books

Paul – The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas by Alonso Duralde

Danielle – Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Diane – Vivian Maier : Street Photographer

Jon – The Uncanny X-Force

News

Paul – (Tie) The Death of Osama Bin Laden/Rep. Gabby Giffords 20/20 interview

Danielle – (Tie) The Occupy Wall St. Movement / $trippers for Christ

Diane – The Rapture that wasn’t

Jon – (Tie) The Occupy Wall St. Movement/ The Death of Steve Jobs

Personal Moment

Paul – Anniversary with Michael at Jackson Sq

Danielle – Starting her own dance company

Diane – Finding Cool, IA. (View a new portfolio of her project Between Here and Cool )

Jon – Secretly Timid’s successful 2nd year.

Whew….what a year! So…what were some of your favs? Let’s toast to 2012!!!

Artist Andy Amato joins Danielle and Jon at the Cat studio on one rainy day. The trio tell ghost stories and make s’mores over an open flame. No…I lied. On today’s show an uncircumcised penis confuses Danielle, Jon hates Elton John, Paul races blizzards, Diane raises babies, and Andy will stick it…but not lick it. OH, and we leave the fine ladies over at the Greetings From Nowhere podcast a voicemail. It would behoove you to check out their show. OH, and Jon appeared on the From the Edge podcast. Check both of those shows out!

Hot topics include :  Neti Pot Deaths linked to brain-eating amoeba found in tap water,  escort offers ‘Toys for Tots’ discount to Johns, a high school prank causes the internet to yell, “INCEST!,” and the Duggars share a photo of their miscarried fetus.

This week’s featured song is “Silent Nights” by Scott Matthew with Sia.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiU_Twi7uWs[/youtube]

Some Photo References :

* * *

Beer! On today’s show Diane and Jon argue about coffee, Danielle gets an eye full, and Paul has a great eye for video. Later Danielle shares her evening of escort watching and Jon says he would strip to Melissa Ferrick’s “Drive,” and Paul helps Diane decide whether or not her daughter is old enough to attend The Nutcracker. 

Hot topics include : A nine-year old is NOT a good choice for a designated driver,  pole dances pushes bid to be an Olympic sport, a model/blogger loses her hand by an airplane propeller, a woman is charged in NJ’s man’s death from botched penis injection, a website promises to “find his porn,” and Jezebel asks, “Can you tell the difference between a men’s magazine and a rapist?”

This week’s featured song is “Major” by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour 

* * *

Oh mah lord! 2011 is almost over! On today’s show Jon shares an embarrassing story, Paul plays with FaceTime, and Diane brings the humble.

Hot Topics include : A women burns down her friends house because her friend “un-friended” her on FaceBook, 11 luxury sports cars are totaled in a massive traffic pileup, a black college student’s display of the Confederate flag raises a few eyebrows, a condom manufacturer advertising campaign finds them sending men FaceBook friend requests from their unborn children, and an Indian snake charmer releases the cobras in a tax office.

This week’s featured song is “Whale” by Yellow Ostrich.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KCsOT1VaM[/youtube]

* * *

Welcome back, turkey stuffers!! On today’s show Paul cooks, Diane wears a scarf, Danielle teaches topless, and Jon hates the A-List. The cast share Thanksgiving stories and discuss the terror that was Black Friday.

Hot topics include : an open letter from a dancer explaining why she refused to participate in a performance created by a famous performance artist, and yet another A-List Dallas cast member is assaulted.  Jon talked so much shit about the show that he is going to have to watch it. Anyone know where he can purchase some tranquilizers?

This week’s featured song is “Maracas” by Mates of State

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbqrO9oxc7E[/youtube]

Be sure to check out Jon as he hangs out with Big C on Bear Crawling live this Thursday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern/8:30 Central.

* * *