A filmed performance of Lemmings is available at NetFlix. This is probably the version that was available on DVD from the National Lampoon store on the official website (www.nationallampoon.com) a few years back, and previously on VHS in an ad in the last issue of the magazine (November 1998).

It’s a bit rough in terms of production quality, but it’s pretty cool to see John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Christopher Guest performing before they were famous. In my opinion, the LP version is much better, if only for the fact that you can hear the audience reaction, which is almost inaudible on the video, making it seem like none of the jokes are working. The sound quality is also better on the LP.

If you’ve got a NetFlix account, now’s your chance. (Thanks to Robert for the tip.)

A site devoted to Frank Zappa has posted an item about “College Concert Cut-Ups”, a piece by Michel Choquette from the September 1970 (Show Biz) issue, which featured Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. (Thanks to Slime O. for the tip.)

No idea how soon this will be released. You can read about it here. (Thanks to Rich for the tip.)

If you want to get a sneak peek at Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead, Rick Meyerowitz’s upcoming book about National Lampoon, you can see it here.

Nothing really new about the Answers page, except that now all the questions and answers show up in the monthly archive pages (that long list down the right side of the page over there).

A “Lemmings” T-Shirt worn by John Belushi is up for auction on eBay. Also included is a program from the show. Check it out… (Thanks to John for the tip.) Update: Sold! for $999.99.

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead, a new coffee table book all about National Lampoon by artist and long-time NatLamp contributor Rick Meyerowitz, will be published soon. The book focusses on the writers and artists who made the magazine great, and will include essays by many of those same people, excerpts and full reprints of many classic pieces, and lots of material and photos never before published. It’s available now for pre-order on Amazon.com at a discount rate. I think it would be safe to say that this will be the best book ever published about National Lampoon.

If you click on the small cover images in the Issues section, a much larger image will now appear. Click again to make it go away. (Not available yet in the Recordings or Books & Anthologies section. Soon.)

The 1973 Lemmings stage show at the Village Gate in New York City was promoted with a poster that was never seen in the magazine or used for the soundtrack LP. (Slight correction: A version of it did appear in the National Lampoon Songbook. Thanks, Jeff!) It featured a beautiful illustration by James Grashow. I remember seeing it in graphic design annuals back in the seventies. There is a copy of it on view at this auction site. (Thanks to Rollo for the link.)

Good news for those who happen to still have a copy of The Official National Lampoon Bicentennial Calendar: Starting March 1, 2010, you can hang it up again and pretend it’s 1976. From that date until the end of the year, the dates will all fall on the same days of the week as they did when the calendar was new. (Thanks to reader Jeff Goodman for the tip.)