House Rats

Occasionally, network television surprises me by slipping in pop culture references that few viewers will catch. Or, maybe the writers bank on the fact that those geeky enough to enjoy their show will dig the same stuff they did as teenagers. I never thought it possible before Arrested Development brought Bud Court in session. Thankfully, House has temporarily filled the void.

The setup: Dave Matthews plays a music savant whose hands suddenly seize up in concert. House, fascinated by how the brain can access musical ability, wheels a piano into the savant's room to test him. First of all, it's gratifying to see piano played on television and know that indeed, the actors are actually playing. Trump this with House's musical choice: the intro to I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats. Street cred up the ass.



Jeez, Bob, quit playing with your hair.

I love early videos that don't know whether or not to take themselves seriously; where they strung together a semblance of narrative in the absence of budget, effects, and bounteous booty. Though, as you can see from the multiple setups, they're already catering to the short attention span.

The B-Rats were from Dublin, and it was 1979: days rife with the righteous social anger that makes rock so bitchin'. The song is based on the story of 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer (they all sound more wholesome with the middle name Ann), who took her father's gun one day and started shooting at her San Diego elementary school across the street. Her spree killed the principal and custodian, and injured eight students. When asked why she did it, she said,"I don't like Mondays."

Somehow, we all conveniently forgot this in time for Columbine to take us by complete surprise. All just a little bit of history repeating. Meanwhile, lead singer Bob Geldof went on to star in the movie of Pink Floyd's The Wall, organize Live Aid, become an activist for international poverty, and get a knighthood. But some will always love and remember him has the scraggly dude with snakes coming out of his checkerboard pants (that's the video for Up All Night).

You know that idea was Hugh Laurie's. Thank fucking god you're on American television, Hugh.