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If you ever feel like you're losing your mind, like you're hanging by your toenails on the brink of insanity, watch some videos of Harmony Korine from the late 1990s. Not only will you realize, okay yes, I am probably selling my lucidity short, but also, if there's anyone who can turn manic energy and a deranged psyche into something brilliant, it's Korine. And in 1998, the absurd realist filmmaker, writer, photographer, and artist sat down with David Letterman for one of many strange and hilarious appearances on his show to promote his new novel, A Crack Up at the Race Riots. 

For the countless hours I have spent watching videos of teenage Harmony Korine on the internet, some of my favorite moments have come from his uncomfortably wonderful appearances  on David Letterman. And last month, when we learned that Drag City would be re-releasing Korine's 1998 novel A Crack Up at the Race Riots, we recalled the episode in which he went on the show to promote his new work:

Kate Upton, who dons bikini bottoms and a puffy white jacket on the cover of Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issue, admitted before the cover's reveal that the Antarctica-based shoot nearly killed her. "I don't think you can go to Antarctica and stand in a bikini without that happening," she said. "But I didn't die, and I'm OK now." Well, thank goodness, because who else could possible smash their boobs together on the cover of a magazine? Upton has taken the practice to a new level. Of course, the editors at Sports Illustrated see nothing wrong with the fact that their editorial vision nearly killed a half-naked woman.

As many a Harmony Korine fan will tell you, the absurd realist filmmaker dabbles in just about every medium. Whether it's putting out some of the most controversial films of the last twenty years, photographing abandoned parking lots or writing novels, Korine's unique and bizarre voice spills into many territories, always filled with a radical view on life. And this April, his first novel A Crack-Up at the Race Riots—originally published in 1998—is being re-issued on paperback. "It's about a race war and it happens in Florida. And the Jewish people sit in trees. And the black people are run by M.C. Hammer. And the whites are run by Vanilla Ice. I wanted to write the Great American Choose Your Own Adventure novel," said Korine on his premiere work. 

The thought of Harmony Korine and Gaspar Noe hanging out together seems like a absurdly wonderful and probably dangerous combination. Appropos of nothing in particular, but necessary viewing if you’re a fan of the two director friends' work—and with the anticipation surrounding Spring Breakers, it’s never a better time to get reacquinted with Korine in all his bizarre glory. The good folks at Indiewire have posted a video from back in 2010 when the Korine and Noe took part in a German series, Durch die Nacht mit...(Into The Night) which "essentially pairs up two artists, and basically rolls film." The results are definitely entertaining to watch as the they spend the day "goofing off in Nashville, where they go a gun range, visit a junkyard, attend a screening of Korine's Trash Humpers, go have some chicken and talk about all manner of topics. Oh yeah, there's also a random cameo by David Berman of The Silver Jews."

"It's a little fat girl who kinda looks like Jonah Hill and she keeps taking her clothes off and it kind of feels like rape," said Howard Stern in an attempt to describe Lena Dunham's Girls. Quite a classy move! Obviously, people got a bit upset, as they are wont to do when a dude calls a woman fat in public, and Stern has already apologized for his comments. Kind of. 

It's a good night for television tonight, folks. The Golden Globes are finally here, but if you're not one for scrutinizing outfits on the red carpet or just over awards season already, it's also the premiere of the much-anticipated second season of Girls. According to Lena Dunham, who spoke about the show with David Letterman on Thursday night, this season "all the girls get new boyfriends, all the boys get new girlfriends, and then we're just bringing' the drama." She always went on to say, that if you hated the first season, "you'll hate this one—a lot."

James Mercer has a lot of ground to cover on The Shins credibility reclamation tour, especially because he's the only original member of the band still available to do interviews. But his new record, Port of Morrow, seems to have been warmly received by critics, and he's still getting booked on late night shows. How hard can it be? Last night, the band took to Late Show with David Letterman to perform "Simple Song," one of the better songs off the album. Watch him hit all of those high notes after the click, via Stereogum.

Remember Joe Halderman? Back in 2009, he tried to blackmail David Letterman with knowledge of the late night host's extramarital affairs. Letterman sort of got out of the fiasco -- he told the world that he'd cheated, underwent the requisite bout of public scrutiny, and went about his way. Halderman, on the other hand, was sentenced to prison last year, because blackmail is illegal and also not very cool.

Most celebrity feuds are pretty boring to follow. Someone Tweets something rude, someone Tweets something back, they bicker and snipe through statements given to E! until reconciling on a giant pile of money. But when comedians go at each other? They don't kid around. On his show, David Letterman made fun of Rosie O'Donnell's recent engagement, cracking, "The woman she is marrying, her fiance, was driving and her car broke down. And guess what happened? Rosie pulls up right behind her in her tow truck.” In response, Rosie didn't whine about the unfairness or the double standard or what have you, though she could have. She simply used her talk show to get even.