Roger Ebert is having a nice run lately, coming as he is off his stirring profile in this month's Esquire, his satisfying swats at the Hollywood Right, and now an audience with Oprah, his longtime friend and protege. Airing tomorrow, his appearance will debut the new computerized voice programmers have developed using the commentary tracks he provided for movies like Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and his own Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. He calls the final product Roger Jr., and while it could be "smoother in tone and steadier in pacing... the little rascal is good."
Can't wait until tomorrow? Then maybe this video on YouTube, made with that easy-to-use animation software everyone was playing with way back in the days when RedBull Cola didn't exist, might tide you over. It seems to be some kind of angry response to Ebert's pro-A.A. column celebrating his 30th anniversary of sobriety. But if you can tune out the stuff about blowing lines with Stephen King (though if that happened, high five!!) and just wallow in its digital beauty, it really is kind of prescient and cosmically of the moment! It's Oprah! It's Ebert! It's EBERTAR!