"Eddie, Are You Kidding?" Reborn As a Column

Online, August 18, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Inspired by a 1970s Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention song, online entertainment e-zine Back Page Magazine recently introduced a new column entitled "Eddie, Are You Kidding?" focusing on bizarre news stories that "Make you shake your head. Or shake your fist."

Back Page Magazine Founder/Publisher Kevin Wachs knew he wanted to have a "news of the weird" column, covering a number of the crazy stories that he personally was interested in: "Most people who get their news from the internet like items that are quick and easy to read, but also give you that instant reaction - usually laughter, or anger, or plain disgust at the state of things. Eddie stories sometimes give you all three reactions at the same time," says Wachs.

Editor Jeff Cazanov adds: "These fast-food stories are perhaps not the most nutritious kind of journalism, but they speak loads about how ridiculous our culture can be. 'Eddie stories' are like car-crashes -- you can't not look at them."

When it came for a name for the column, Wachs and editor Jeff Cazanov wanted something that described the "face-slap to the forehead" in words. Cazanov says "we started with "Are You ***** Kidding Me?!" and then we remembered that cool tune by Zappa that we both loved."

The song "Eddie, Are You Kidding?" appeared on the live album "Just Another Band From L.A." which featured the vocal histrionics of "Flo & Eddie" (Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan) who also co-wrote the song with Zappa. Its lyrics are an homage to Edward "Eddie" Nalbandian, a 1970s television clothing pitchman who claimed his prices were so low that "people always ask me - 'Eddie are you kidding?"

The column has already covered topics as diverse as Britney Spears' bodyguard, the Pimping Physicist, Zombie Apocalypse at the CDC, the Severed-Hand cell-phone, and the Breast-Feeding baby doll.

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