Bad Art
When I was a kid, my orthodontist had a really bad painting in his office, which I had to stare at while he reshaped my mouth. Ever since then, I've been sensitive to Bad Art. I think the people responsible for creating Museum of Bad Art must have undergone extensive dental work too, because they've spent a decade collecting examples of Bad Art. The curators of MOBA explain their philosophy like this:
The pieces in the MOBA collection range from the work of talented artists that have gone awry, to works of exuberant, although crude, execution by artists barely in control of the brush. What they all have in common is a special quality that sets them apart in one way or another from the merely incompetent.
I especially enjoyed "Peter the Kitty" and the witty writeups that accompany the artwork. Need more Bad Art? Try Just Plain Bad Art. Oh, and Dr. G, if you're reading this article, please don't visit any of these sites. Your past, present and future orthodontic patients all thank you.)
Bad Literature
Do you think you're a really bad writer? Take heart, you could win a prestigious award for your drivel. The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has challenged entrants for over 20 years to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. Here's one of the first winners:
The camel died quite suddenly on the second day, and Selena fretted sulkily and, buffing her already impeccable nails--not for the first time since the journey began--pondered snidely if this would dissolve into a vignette of minor inconveniences like all the other holidays spent with Basil.
--Gail Cain, San Francisco, California (1983 Winner)
The deadline for this year's contest is June 30th, so if you think you're Bad Enough, feel free to submit your own entry for the 2006 contest!
Bad Album Covers
Brace yourself... for the Ten Worst Album Covers of all time. Ranging from from "really bad" to "crime against humanity", these album covers with clever commentary will make you laugh, cry or run from the room screaming.
Bad Songs
Blender Magazine's 2004 list of The 50 Worst Songs Ever distills the lamest popular rock-era records into one sonic landfill. Also from Blender Mag, the 50 Worst Things to Happen to Music lets you watch, listen, rank and test your knowledge of pop music's all-time lowest moments.
Bad Movies
Pay no attention to the critics... you know a bad movie when you see it. Visitors at the Internet Movie Database website have voted on The Bottom 100 -- the worst movies of all time. Click on any entry in the list to get the movie facts: plot outline, cast, trivia, and user comments.
Going From Bad To Worse?
If you haven't had your fill of Bad yet, try the absolute worst at Worst of the Web. Each weekday, your guides Buzz, Melvin and Chip feature a really awful site, and tell you why it stinks. If you want some examples of how NOT to design your web pages, browse here for a while.
Do have have a favorite "Worst Of" or "Bottom 10" website? Post your comments below...