The 1 thing
THE 1 FASHION GURU
Soap star Brenda Dickson’s ridiculously inane 1987 video seems aimed at teaching Reagan-era hausfraus how to wear gold lame evening gowns in their living rooms. Teleport into Dickson’s closet for such timeless advice as “Fashion is something that is acquired by looking at a lot of different fashions.” Inhale much Aqua Net, Brenda? There are multiple YouTube parodies, but Dickson remains the campiest of them all. See it at brendadickson.com. - CHRISTOPHER MUTHER
THE 1 GREAT CHARACTER
Kristin Wiig is all kinds of brilliant on “Saturday Night Live,” but most especially when she brings out Penelope the braggart. Tugging at her hair, letting her sentences trail off, Penelope is fabulously freaky. Not since “It’s Pat” have I been so willingly grossed out. - MATTHEW GILBERT
THE 1 CAREER CHANGE
During a five-minute clip on weezer.com, frontman Rivers Cuomo packs “Rocky”-style tragedy and triumph into the autobiographical tale of being a soccer-loving kid sidelined into rock stardom by injury. A call from Mia Hamm finds him on the field with his soccer heroes. Goooal! - SARAH RODMAN
THE 1 SONG OF THE MOMENT
The big news is that Portishead (with vocalist Beth Gibbons, left) is back with its third album after a 10-year lag. The big surprise is “Machine Gun,” a fierce tune propelled by a rat-a-tat drumbeat created from the rhythms of an old organ. Rock song of the year so far. - STEVE GREENLEE
THE 1 RECESSION BUSTER
Waist-deep in a downturn, a mustached prophet arrives with the answer: Barf bags as lunch sacks. By stealing a 30-year supply, you’ll save $126.19. Jeff Yeager, proudly known as “The Ultimate Cheapskate,” also offers a range of other DIY savings plans. Since his book will run you $10.36 on Amazon, go to his website, ultimatecheapskate.com. That’s free. - GEOFF EDGERS
THE 1 LAST CHANCE
Guy Maddin is the Federico Fellini of Manitoba, and “My Winnipeg,” playing tonight at 8 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, is his “Amarcord,” only it’s a pseudo-documentary and in black and white. See it, and more, on the next to last day of the Independent Film Festival of Boston (iffboston.org). - WESLEY MORRIS
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