So I Don’t Walk Funny Pills
Thanks to Lindsay Harbert for the help!
Add comment | May 20th, 2010
Blow Out Sale
Featuring Danny Pudi, who plays Abed in Community (One of the funniest shows on TV.)
4 comments | May 20th, 2010
Instant Competition
Starring:
Barak Hardley
Ethan Newberry
Parker Quinn
David Scales
Brad Basham
Kevin Tabatabai
Tom Rice
Bradley Hasemeyer
Kiersten Lyons
1 comment | May 19th, 2010
President #41
Hey kids! It’s time for Harry S. Truman FUNFACTS! Did you know…
Harry ran a habberdashery?
His middle inital “S” doesn’t stand for anything?
Harry had the highest and lowest approval ratings of any president until the 1990’s?
Harry killed his father and married his mother?
Harry’s unit fired some of the last shots of World War I?
Harry is the only person to ever order a nuclear weapon to be used?
The Great Depression caused his habberdashery to go bankrupt?
Harry still watches you through your windows when you sleep/dream?
Harry was a 33˚ Mason?
Harry’s super-Southern mother refused to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom?
He popularized the phrase “The buck stops here”?
The movie “Ghostbusters” was based off of Truman’s real-life paranormal adventures?
Thank you Wikipedia!!
2 comments | May 9th, 2010
May Flowers (and/or Showers) mixtape
Airplanes - Local Natives
Animal - Miike Snow
So Insane - Discovery
Little Shadows - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Solitaire - Wilco
Winter Fawn - Matt Pond PA
Sleep Whale - Josh Likes Me
Sleepymouth - Volcano Choir
Curs In The Weeds - Horse Feathers
Sunday Afternoon - Rachel Yamagata
2 comments | May 3rd, 2010
President #5 Re-do
I wasn’t terribly happy with my original John Quincy Adams. Although I still admire the fact he was a spider.
It’s still a toss-up which one I like more. Let me know which one you like.
4 comments | April 30th, 2010
It’s Over… WHEN I’M DEAD
Detective Kramer has been walking these streets for 15 years, cleaning up scumbags like you, Babcock. Now you get what’s coming. Oh, you’re going to run, huh? Well, he’s right behind you.
Watch in HD at Vimeo!
Starring Rob Zabrecky and Barak Hardley
Director of Photography Noah Lamberth
Stunts by Noah Lamberth
Written and directed by Barak Hardley
8 comments | April 27th, 2010
President #40
President Thomas Jefferson did not believe in meteorites. So take whatever you want from that.
Acrylic on Canvas, 30″ x 40″
8 comments | April 20th, 2010
A few more photos from my family vacation
Also, here’s a nice big slideshow of em… here.
1 comment | April 13th, 2010
A few photos from my family vacation… pt. 1
The young ladies from the airport photos are, sadly, not in my family.
1 comment | April 6th, 2010
Walking Around the Block
I put a desperate call into the city to get some things fixed in my neighborhood.
Parker Quinn handled the camera ably.
4 comments | March 30th, 2010
President #39
James Buchanan was the last of the American Presidents to placate against the growing tide of resentment and anger over the issue of slavery. For decades they had sought to compromise and capitulate and calm the southerners and the northerners, not knowing the terror that was slowly, inexorably sweeping towards them.
How were they to know this was the wave that would drown them all? That would cause the south to secede and the north to violently say, “No!” The presidents could see the sea was rough, but hadn’t it always been choppy? The presidents had fought against the French and the Spaniards, and had grown and flourished during the brief skirmishes. It was just a wave. They had tariffs to argue about and roads to build. Slavery was just another thing to paddle through, or from.
How could Buchanan have seen that this was the end of everything? That cities would burn, that brother would rise against brother and six hundred thousand men would be thrown in shallow graves in forests and swamps and mountaintops?
We stand at the coast and look out only to see an eternity of whitecaps rushing towards us. A thousand have already broken around our ankles and yet we stand. It is only when we realize, too late, that the shore has pulled far away that this is something new. The ocean had been gathering itself, the tsunami is suddenly upon you and it will sweep everything you know away.
I wonder what terrible things are headed towards us? The prophets of Israel walked through their towns and spoke of doom, yet none would heed their words. The citizens thought they were mad. There was peace. Then God struck the land with armies and plagues.
I, too, see the modern doomsayers scream from the street corners and televisions, yet I look to the sea and glimpse nothing but storms we can weather. I am hopeful and confident that we can overcome whatever the oceans have in store for us. Some day, though, the tide will pull back and show the sand bars and the reefs and the sunken ships it has claimed, and we will look up and see that something terrible is upon us and it is too late.
5 comments | March 29th, 2010
A special request
This is a very specific request my neighbors asked me to draw. They’re getting married and wanted to give this as a present to someone in the bridal party who would legitimately enjoy this, in a non-ironic way.
I weep sometimes for the human race.
1 comment | March 16th, 2010
President #38
One of the remarkable things about our American society is our willingness to put aside whatever facts there are about a person for a more prurient and expedient fact. Or vice versa. We want to worship our heroes and will defend them against all naysayers, until the moment we are bored. Then we just need a hint of a rumor to get us to the garage so we can grab our pitchforks and torches.
President Richard Nixon ended the draft, got America out of Vietnam, established a treaty with the Soviet Union to reduce nuclear weapons, brought Israel back from the brink of war with Egypt and Syria, an almost single handedly opened up China to the rest of the civilized world. Domestically, he instituted one of the most dramatic environmental programs and tough new anti-crime laws.
But all we have time to remember him for is Watergate.
And what is even more shocking for me, more than all of this, is that we somehow elected a man whose nose looks like a penis. Remarkable.
5 comments | March 13th, 2010
The Good Roommate
A short film I wrote and directed.
Starring Gian Molina as Murphy and Alex Backes as Dave.
Director of Photography Seth Dalton.
Sound by Jeff Trent.
Produced by Ashleigh Nichols.
6 comments | March 4th, 2010
Mixtape for February
Home- Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Good Day- Jukebox the Ghost
Rogue Machine- The Daylights
I’m So Tired- The Beatles
The Rain- The Swell Season
November Rain- Guns N’ Roses
Seaweed- Fruit Bats
California Stars- Billy Bragg & Wilco
Cherry- Ratatat
Jolene- Ray LaMontagne
I’m Not In Love- 10cc
1 comment | February 24th, 2010
President #37
After John Adams first met his future wife Abigail, he sent her a letter detailing her “Faults, Imperfections, Defects, or whatever you please to call them.” It ranged from criticisms on the way she played cards to the way she walked on her “Leggs,” from how she hung her head like a Bullfish to his thoughts that she was too prudish and a terrible singer. She loved it. Player, player.
John Adams was a fiery and brilliant man, who was recently portrayed by the equally brilliant actor Paul Giamatti in the HBO miniseries. Which brings me to this small request- If I ever lead the kind of life where in later years someone wishes to make a miniseries about me, please please please don’t let Paul Giamatti portray me. Seriously. Please. Dude is not attractive. At least make it Steve Buscemi or something. Paul Giamatti… yikes.
(As always, click to enlarge.)
8 comments | February 19th, 2010
I tell Shaun White he is wasting his life.
Look, don’t get all mislead by his Olympic gold medals and video games and sports cars and millions of dollars and “success.” I set Shaun straight- time to grow up.
2 comments | February 18th, 2010
Superbowl Commercial
There is so much dignity in what I do.
There’s a sixty second version floating around. Maybe you can see some more of my award winning legs when that appears.
3 comments | February 8th, 2010
Mixtape for February
All You See- J. Tillman
Got Nuffin- Spoon
Heart Skipped a Beat- The XX
Heroes and Villains- Brian Wilson
My Body’s a Zombie For You- Dead Man’s Bones
The Re-Arranger- Mates of State
Backseat- Carina Round
Action- Clem Snide
Flagpole Sitta- Harvey Danger
Love Is Only Sleeping- The Monkees
Changed Your Mind- Chris Isaak
4 comments | January 29th, 2010
The Hope Is
Made this my first year in LA, when I was naive and hopeful. I’m much more mature now; naive and hopeful and with decent representation.
The song is by the best band ever, The Daylights. Song used without permission. Eat it, Daylights.
3 comments | January 28th, 2010
First preview of my movie
Going up to the Slamdance Film Festival next week where they’re premiering a film I’m in. Here’s the preview… (Oh, and it has the f word in it, mom. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)
7 comments | January 19th, 2010
President #1 (Do over)
(My first president came about when I had maybe one drink and drew Lincoln in photoshop. You can see it here. Now that I’ve done a bunch more, I wanted to do it again, hence….)
A piece of campaign literature once incorrectly claimed that Abraham Lincoln was so super self-educated that he read the writings of first century Roman historian Plutarch for fun, though he had never read them. Since he was such an upright guy, and not wanting to be thought of as a liar, he naturally went right to the first century historian bookstore down the street and proceeded to read them all.
So basically you could claim Lincoln had done something, and in his quest for integrity would proceed to do it. With that realization I will now claim things and expect Abe to rise from the dead and prove me wrong.
1) Lincoln once fought Bill O’Rielly in Madison Square Gardens. He threw the fight in the third.
2) Lincoln drank a gallon of milk in three minutes and then ate a box of saltines and whistled.
3) Lincoln gave me $400 and told me I didn’t need to repay it.
4) Lincoln once gave a long lecture to Andy Dick about proper behavior and etiquette and turned that young man around.
5) Lincoln found out how Lost was going to end and totally spread it over the internet, ruining it for everyone.
6) Lincoln went to the Ford corporation and politely asked they take his name off their cars. Except for the Navigators, which he said were badass.
7) Lincoln once danced with Elizabeth Shue, real slow, real sensual. And then told me all about it later, high-fiving the whole time.
8) Lincoln totally powned some Generals on Modern Warfare 2 like it was NOTHING.
9) Lincoln appeared in a series of commercials as the Kool-Aid man, painted entirely red and bursting through walls.
10) Lincoln once parachuted into Kandahàr and settled some shit.
Balls in your court, Abraham.
And now, Lincoln getting shot by Jack Ruby:
1 comment | January 19th, 2010
Human Torches
I’ve made more stencil pieces based off this quote from Brennan Manning. If you’re interested in one, let me know. barakportfolio@gmail.com. They are $200, plus shipping.
1 comment | January 15th, 2010
President #36
Eight months before the world economy had its worst crash in human history, and a year or so before most of the dirt in America decided to take some time off from growing food, Herbert Hoover was elected president. Up until that point he had done a pretty proficient job at the kicking-of-ass and taking-of-names part of life.
After both his parents decided to die when he was nine, Herb took his GED, which at that time involved holding a full time job and then going to school at night. He became the first student at Stanford, which must have been nice, not having older upperclassman hazing him and selling him elevator passes. He got a degree in geology and promptly started digging holes in Australia and China. I believe they were called mines.
While in China the Boxer Rebellion broke out, and even though I know its not accurate, I still like to think of Sugar Ray and James “Clubber” Lang running around punching everyone. In reality it was people with guns. Herb took it upon himself to just about quell the whole thing and solve several humanitarian crises as he saved the lives of innocent babies. No big deal for a geology major.
After those hi-jinx, he decided he would slow it down and just become a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and universally admired public servant. Then came the big crash, caused by (based on my knowledge of the 20’s) the stock market, flapper girls, Al Capone, speakeasies, prohibition and Tommy guns.
Even though Hoover fought hard to battle the growing depression swallowing up the world, he refused to let government carry the responsibility, instead insisting that the people themselves lead the way, through their own generosity in their communities and volunteerism. He believed the people could rise above their circumstances and altruistically help others, just as he had time and time again, like his days in China.
And there lies the greatest failure of Herbert Hoover, believing that everyone was just like him. Sober and responsible and good.
They are not. They are more like me. Lazy and distracted, waiting for some organization to come solve all the problems of the world, and desperately wanting a drink to help forget it all.
4 comments | January 14th, 2010
Keeping Mine Pearl Jam Degrees
A little dumb thing with Nick Thune. And I guess Brandon Dickerson would want a directing credit.
3 comments | January 5th, 2010
The Car That Ran Out of Gas
Directed by Alex Beh, with him, Joe Nunez and me. Also the lady who called the cops on us, saying there were two black guys robbing the gas station. And the cops who showed up with their guns drawn.
I am never shooting a “robbery” scene again. Cops always show up with their guns drawn.
1 comment | December 21st, 2009
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