Jeff Sperber really appreciates his new business associate, Conan O’Brien.
O’Brien last week had a little fun with Huck Finn’s Warehouse, Sperber’s Albany furniture store. The “fun” meant three minutes of national exposure for the Capital Region.
It’s been in local newspapers: Huck Finn is searching for homemade television commercials, and dangling prizes that include a $500 store gift certificate and a trip to New York to watch one of O’Brien’s “Late Night” taping.

O’Brien can finish the story better than I can — he’s a comedian, after all — so click HERE to see and read more about Huck Finn’s three minutes of national fame!

Marvel Comics is on a roll. First, the New York-based superhero factory makes fortunes (along with its cinematic partners) with the “Spider-Man” and “X-Men” film franchises. This past May, “Iron Man” showed up. The so-called “golden avenger” received terrific reviews and is still attracting fans six weeks into national release.

On Friday, “The Incredible Hulk” opened, and word on the review streets has also been positive.
I could tell from the previews this film would surpass Ang Lee’s 2003 dreary, ultra-cerebral take on the character. The new one just looks more fun; the creative team understood you can’t really build a Greek tragedy around a rampaging green strongman.
Edward Norton is a great fit for Bruce Banner, the scientist “belted by gamma rays, turns into the Hulk, ain’t he un-glamorous.”
The latter words are taken from the 1966 limited animation “Hulk” cartoon show. Five Marvel characters were chosen for late-afternoon stardom, and the theme songs were the most memorable parts of the shows. To view and hear the theme, click HERE.
Always wondered what a “monster clown” was!

The film festival closes with my blog’s new theme song. I’d like to say it was commissioned, tested with readers, tweaked and tuned, but none of those things happened. It was just swiped.
Click HERE to listen.

Coming attractions are also part of this post!

Hope people will page through the old Gazette on Sunday, as we talk to the winners of our recent “My Fabulous Father” contest.
We received a bunch of nice stories, and readers got the chance to read 10 of them last month. One story did not win, but Dana Parker lived an interesting life: He was an artist who once illustrated the famous cartoon character “Felix the Cat.” You can read a little extra about Mr. Parker and his pencils in the Sunday installment of “Type A to Z.”

It’s going to be a busy week on the blog! On Thursday, we’ll be posting photos of well-known local people from their high school days. The project has taken me weeks to put together, but it’s going to be a blast! You’ll see some pretty neat pix of Lydia, Liz, Jerry, Julie, Brian, Joe, LeGrande, Mona and even Jeff Wilkin.
I’m still negotiating with Carl Strock!