|
Links
Blogs Watch Listen Play Boards Archives
|
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Oh No.
7/31/2008 11:02:00 PM Hollywood has sent up yet another signal that Armageddon is nigh! MTV is currently working on a bastardized version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Variety reports that the network is planning a remake, replete with new music. It's a sacrilege against camp and queers everywhere to touch Rocky Horror. Folks have widely speculated on the casting but I like Tracy Gilchrist's suggestion for an all L Word remake of Rocky Horror, if we must have one, hahaha. "Here’s my casting agent expertise at work. Shane as Riff Raff, Alice as Colombia, Kit as Magenta, Tina as Janet, Max as Brad, Jenny as Dr. Scott and we’d have to bring back Dana as Rocky. I gotta say...Crazy Jenny as Dr. Scott would be hilarious. Hell, Jenny Schechter as any character with a Ph.D. would be comedy gold. Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Lovely Ladies of SNL
7/30/2008 05:47:00 PM Good News! Even though tv was really suck this past year (aided by the writer's strike of course), this coming season NBC's line-up looks promising. And mainly because their standard Thursday night "Must See TV" will be filled with these gals:  Molly Shannon, Anna Gastayer, and Cheri Oteri were my all-time favorite females of Saturday Night Live for a good period of time, and when they left (along with Will Ferrell and Chris Cattan...rounding out my fav overall cast) there was a void. Luckily, two other chicks stepped up and brought the funny and the fabulous comedy-chemistry back to the show. I've never loved Weekend Update, but I did when Amy Pohler and Tina Fey co-hosted it. Now, Poehler, Fey, and Shannon are lined up side-by-side with their own comedies. Tina Fey will, of course, be back as Liz Lemon for the third season of "30 Rock"  Molly Shannon will be staring alongside Selma Blair the remake of the popular Australian comedy "Kath and Kim" about a dysfunctional mother-daughter team.  and finally, Amy Poehler has signed on to headline a sitcom from Office-creator Greg Daniels (originally it was reported that Poehler would star in the rumored Office spin-off).  I'm excited! And I'm willing to bet there will be cameos from Oteri and Gastayer, and perhaps even Megan Mullally (just cause she's also a good friend of Shannon's) on Molly's show. Monday, July 28, 2008
Really Papi...really?
7/28/2008 02:24:00 PM Native American child banned from kindergarten Since when do schools dictate hair length? And for 5 year olds? Racialicious (original post at Shameless) 5 year old Adriel Arocha is being banned from his Houston-area kindergarten class. Why, you ask?
Yee points out that growing your hair is a tradition in many Indigenous cultures: "Long hair carries our life experiences and reminds us about the teachings we've received along the way." But apparently that's not good enough for Superintendent Curtis Rhodes, who says, "I was trying to find out what recognized religion they are that discusses they cannot cut their hair and the information I received then was basically it's their choice." What the hell. I know plenty of mothers who would cut a bitch before cutting their son's hair...and those are kracker-white-ass folks without a reason as founded as cultural tradition (unless being a red-neck counts). This superintendent sounds like a real jack-ass. Sure "Native American" is used as more of an ethinic/racial identity than a religious one, but obviously they hold their own set of spiritual beliefs--that doesn't mean they have to have an organized church or label to prove so.
1 Comments:
Friday, July 25, 2008
Favorite Movie Musicals
7/25/2008 08:57:00 PM Following Mamma Mia last weekend--well, technically following the Dark Knight and Wall-E on Sunday (Janie and I pulled a double feature) I was still caught up in the ABBA musical madness so I also watched "Muriel's Wedding" which, though technically not a musical, was full of all ABBA tunes as well. Apparently "Cinemania" here in St. Louis has 4 weeks in the summer where they have a free outdoor film series, and this year it's musical themed. Unfortunately I only found out about it this week, so I've already missed An American in Paris, Funny Girl, and West Side Story, but tomorrow is Moulin Rouge so I'm planning to make it to that one. Anyway, all this musical business got me trying to think of my favorite. Which of course is near-impossible for me to decide. So I decided to list a few, in no particular order...cause even ranking those that made the list was too hard. Since it's up for review tomorrow night, we'll start with Moulin Rouge I absolutely love the look of the film, but moreso, I love that Baz Luhrman recycled old pop classics and gave them a truly musical feeling, and managed to thread them into the narrative, so they weren't completely out of place. "El Tango de Roxanne" Grease This movie does what every film/play/performance strives to do, and stands the test of time amazingly well. Generations have, and will continue to fall in love with this film for eternity. "You're the One that I Want" Chicago another gorgeous film, another favorite tango sequence of mine... "Cell Block Tango" Mary Poppins I love this movie so much, even searching for a clip to include was a major task. There are so many to choose from...Step in Time, Jolly Holiday, Chim-Chim-Cher-ee, Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious, Spoonful of Sugar...the list goes on. Regardless, I finally settled on one of my favorites (even though they're all favs) "Feed the Birds" Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory I'm noticing a pattern, I seem to fall for the big dramatic (tango) numbers, and the gentle soft ones. Like this one. "Pure Imagination" Sound of Music Though not my favorite Julie Andrews feature, no doubt her career-defining performance was as Von Trapp family's big voiced governess. Strangely enough, cause I again couldn't choose between songs like "So Long, Farwell", "Do-Re-Mi" or of course "the Sound of Music", I chose one that my beloved Dame Julie didn't sing at all. This song can be absolutely gorgeous if you've ever heard a real vocalist sing it. "Edelweiss" West Side Story Romeo and Juliet transposed onto the gangs of New York. What more could you want set to some singing and dancing? "Tonight (Ensemble Version)" Wizard of Oz My theme song at times, "If I Only Had A Brain" White Christmas I love Rosemary Clooney, but Bing Crosby in semi-drag singing to her? That's the clip that wins. "Sisters" and for the more unconventional modern musicals: Once I think we all know how much I love this movie, this soundtrack, these performers (seriously, if you get the chance to see the Swell Season on tour, do it!) "When Your Minds Made Up" Cry Baby Even Johnny Depp gets in on the cheesy-self-mocking-musical fun. And I love every bit of it. "King Cry Baby" Nightmare Before Christmas The fact that memorabilia from this film still fill teen mall shops like "Hot Topic" and rock/pop/punk bands continue to release their covers of "This is Halloween" prove how much even the kids who are too-cool-for-school aren't too cool for this musical. "What's This?" Rocky Horror Picture Show Epic. What else is there to say? "The Time Warp" Since I started with the movie I'm seeing next, I'll end with the most recent one I've seen. Hedwig and the Angry Inch ...and the tranny movie marathon continues. This weekend I finally saw it after watching a short documentary on the history of the play/show. They had a big viewing/sing-a-long party a few months ago at Webster, but it was during finals and I had too much going on to make it. The punk numbers were great fun (especially coming from a drag queen) and sounded like singles from a rock group, but I gotta say I really liked the softer touches like "Midnight Radio" and "Makeup (Wig in a Box)" even though they were the more typical "musical" sounding of the bunch.
In case you noticed a few particular movies you were expecting, allow me to explain. Even though they often make these lists frequently, I just can't put Disney films on here, when most of the songs in the films are actually quite racist, sexist, and ethnocentric. And then, I have yet to see Bette Midler's Gypsie or Barbara Streisand's Funny Girl, and I was never that into Annie or Rent, so most of these are just the ones that stick out most in memory. Monday, July 21, 2008
Ponderings
7/21/2008 11:01:00 AM It's strange. Those moments when you are consciously aware of the different paths layed out in front of you that control which direction your life will take. A lot of times you just do what you do, and the outcome is whatever the outcome is. I mean, in the back of your mind you know that the decisions you make shape your world. But the big'ns...those are the ones that, although you might not see coming, you take pause for. You stop. Consider where each road might lead you. Decide whether those are journeys you want to go on, and if they will ultimately lead you to a destination you'll be happy with. And you move forward. Sometimes looking back. Sometimes not. Sometimes the answers are clear. Sometimes they're not. Right now I am at a crossroads. I have no idea what lies ahead of me should I remain on the path I'm currently following, nor can I predict what results lie ahead should I decide that now is the time to veer off. For me, sometimes the not knowing is what gives me the extra push. The adrenaline rush that comes from taking risks, and trying to satisfy my craving for new experiences. I admit I'm scared. But in the past, when I've felt the scared in the way that I do about this decision, that's when I realized those where things I should do. Opportunities to seize. Closing doors is what causes regrets. I've yet to regret any off the times in my life I've jumped off cliffs. (Okay maybe that whole taking pictures on the rocks in Ireland, but makes a good story now, so it's gained it's worth over time). The worst that could happen is that it would be a learning experience, from which I would learn and move on. Or move back, haha. Am I ready for another drastic change in scenery? "What makes humans human is precisely that they do not know the future. That is why they do the fateful and amusing things they do: who can say how anything will turn out? Therein lies the only hope for redemption, discovery, and--let's be frank--fun, fun, fun!Alice Munro- People Like That Are The Only People Here Saturday, July 19, 2008
Mamma Mia!
7/19/2008 06:41:00 PM  Was fabulous. It was soooo damn campy and cheesy, but if you're gonna do a musical, you gotta go all out, because if you half-ass it or try to actually take yourself too seriously it never works.  This was pure popmusicalfluff and I loved it. Besides sitting in a theater filled with the sounds of ABBA (or A*Teens, for the younger crowd who might appreciate the same songs, lol) my other favorite part was of course....Miss Meryl Streep. I fell even more in love with her for doing a musical. Especially one like this where you can tell all these veteran actors are just about having a laugh and enjoying themselves for a change.  Before I even got to the theater, she was on "the View" that morning, and Barbara Walters was asking her ridiculous questions about her age, and how in the world she was able to jump around on the bed (seriously Babs...she's not like...your age). And Meryl responded by saying that of course she did the jumping herself, saying they wouldn't have been able to afford a wire stunt team or anything on their budget...which was "nowhere near the budget for Batman, Spiderman, or ANY Man film". I love this woman. I already knew she could sing (Prairie Home Companion, The Deer Hunter) but damn woman, those opera lessons as a child weren't for nothing. Her big diva number before the wedding killed. Plus, not only was she singing, but dancing?! And in a fun -definitely not taking herself too seriously way. I just enjoyed watching it. And the soundtrack is so damn addicting. The only thing I would have liked changed would be another actor replacing Pierce Brosnan's part. There was just something too laughable when he sang. Either his facial expressions, or the fact that he you know...can't...really sing.  The credit sequence is the best. Meryl asks the camera slash us, the audience, if we want some more. Of course, I yelled "Yeaaaahhhhh!" in response, for myself and everyone else in the theater. I apparently could never get enough of the shiny glittery outfits, and silly choreography--speaking of which---I could have sworn that Toni Basil choreographed this thing, but alas, when the actual credits rolled up, her name was nowhere to be found. Besides the Pierce Brosnan bit, the only other thing I was slightly dissapointed in was the fact that no one was dancing in the isles. I know this is common reaction during the broadway/west-end/theatre performancs, and I was kinda hoping it would translate to the the movie audiences as well. However, it was probably best that it didn't, because with my ankle injury I only would have been jealous, and tried to get up and dance too, and ultimately hurt myself more. I might buy this one on dvd when it finally comes out. I already downloaded the soundtrack, and I'm sure I'll be listening to it all week.
Oh, good! Our economy ISN'T suffering!
7/19/2008 06:26:00 PM It's just all in our minds. America just needs to jointly seek phsycological help. Friday, July 18, 2008
Yay! A new sexist ad! Thanks BMW!
7/18/2008 03:37:00 PM Jesusfuckmyface. What brilliant marketing team came up with this one? "You know you're not the first. BMW Premium Selection Used Cars."  A really charming message: Because lots of other men have Get it? Used cars, used women?
Better Than Red Bull?
7/18/2008 12:03:00 PM *First of all...update on the ankle* It's most definitely sprained. I was a little drunk last night, so I'm sure that aided my confusion over how bad it actually was, in addition to the adrenaline that surges to the injury initially. I finally went to bed last night at 4:00 am, and woke up this morning at 8:30, because there was too much pain. But it's wrapped, and I'm hobbling around on it (my crutches, braces, and boot are in Nebraska--oh yeah, I got everything a doc would give me...only in another state) which I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be doing. But I'm going to see Mamma Mia tonight, so I'm gonna have to drive, and at least walk through part of the mall. So I think I found a new favorite drink. I only bought it cause the bottle looked pretty.  But it actually tasted good AND I could actually feel the "up" that it promised. Let's face it, I developed a high tolerance for Red Bull long ago. Only I became so addicted, I don't even drink it for the effects anymore (cause I never notice them anymore), but out of habit. Or even the taste (which sounds insane, believe me, I know). So I didn't really know if this "Bawls" was even an energy drink or just a soft drink. It kinda tastes like cream soda. But the bottle claims it's a "Guarana Beverage". I don't even know what guarana means. Or is. ----okay, so I just looked it up, and apparently guarana is a plant, one seed of which contains approximately five times as much caffeine as coffee beans. Ummmm...this doesn't sound so safe. It IS used in sodas (mainly Brazilian) AND energy drinks. I still don't know which one I'm consuming at the moment. Though apparently, in rats, guaraná increased memory retention. Hell, I could use some of that. Hmm, however, in excessive consumption of energy drinks, guarana may contribute (alone or in combination with caffeine and taurine) to onset of seizures in some people.------ Oh no. I just went to their website and found this: BAWLS BUZZ - Spiked with the same high-caffeine Guarana that fuels our BAWLS soft drink, BAWLS BUZZ is a fizzy, sweet candy that is the first candy to help you stay up all night. They make energy candy!! And call regular candy consumers babies? Now I'm a little scared.
1 Comments:
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Bad Education
7/17/2008 06:24:00 PM  This week Will and I watched yet another tranny movie (I feel like it's now a tradition following "Victor/Victoria"...I think we're planning on watching "The Crying Game" next), Pedro Almodovar's "Bad Education" starring love of my eyes, Gael Garcia Bernal. Oh the hotness. He even looked sexy as a drag queen, no?  and a little bit like Juliette Lewis?  I adore him. Anyway, back to the film. It was good, and got really interesting toward the end. However, like most trans stories, it ends in tragedy. These films break my heart, I'm ready for some happy endings. Both in real life and Hollywoodland, if the trans person themselves isn't killed (Boy's Don't Cry) someone who loves them is (Soldier's Boy). Addendum: It's now 2:00 am, and I'm just getting back from Will's, where I went following the So You Think You Can Dance results show---let's face it, once Kherington was kicked off, some drinking was in order. Of course, along with the drinking came dancing, and watching old music videos. After Celine and Toni Braxton's motorcycle man videos, Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window" (ft. Juliette Lewis, as mentioned last week) and Madonna's "Like A Prayer", we decided we need some Dolly Parton 9 to 5. Naturally, what followed was Steph dancing to her seat, and of course with the aid of alcohol, it's not surprising that I fell down and sprained my ankle. Random, I know, but what else do you expect from Steph. I'm pretty sure it's sprained. I've had ice on it since the incident occured...(at least 2 or 3 hours ago, cause we watched more videos and an episode of the L word before I left)...and it's still really swollen. Oh well. What are you gonna do about it. Kat and Will wanted to take me to the hospital, but they won't do anything, and I'm broke and looking for a roomate, so....I think I'll just wrap it and go home. I've had plenty of experience in the injured ankle department. Though I think it's actually been a couple years since the last one. Which would have been the time I snapped three ligaments and fractured it falling on some rocks in Ireland. Now I'm actually impressed it's been this long since my last ankle injury. I guess it was about time.
Favorite Funny Ladies
7/17/2008 05:01:00 PM ...and by funny I mean, rude, crude, and anything in between (or beyond). Because that's the kind of inappropriate humor I adore in people *ahem*abby*cough*. Anyway, here are some of my favorites: (I'm sure there are more women who could be on the list, but these are some of my favorite moments from my own stand-up collection--minus Julie Goldman, if she's put out a dvd I'm unaware of it, and you should tell me). Kathy Grifin I live for "My Life on the D-List" during the summers. My weeks would not be complete without Kathy's self-deprecating recaps of her life in Hollywood, her main gays, and occassionally meeting up with Cindy Lauper and Margaret Cho to go drag shopping ("You GOTTA have the crown!!") or pet kangaroos with Lance Bass(no joke). One my favorite stories: Brooke Shields wedding, Mamma Shields drunken speech, grabbing Kathy's cooch, and telling off the groom's mother: "Shaddup you fucking cunt" Kathy's run in with Mary-Kate: "What's up fat-ass!" Sarah Silverman What's more funny than someone who's criticizing society? Someone who does it almost exlusively via social taboos and controversial topics like racism, sexism, and religion. I love that her act is centered around mocking bigotry and stereotypes, however, it is kinda sad that often this type of humor actually re-inforces those stereotypes ironically, for that section of idiot/actually-prejudice viewers. But I still love her. Jesus is Magic: "I hope the Jews did kill Christ...I'd do it again" Sarah's open letter to Martin Luther King: "Guess what...I had a fucking dream too!" Wanda Sykes Wanda is great because she also brings up stereotypes in her act, but the way she manages to diffuse them with her blunt observations, turns some serious issues that people might not like her opinion on into simplified statements that are hard to argue with. Managing to bring up how ridiculous it is that women have to be scared of being alone at night for fear of being raped, by making a pussy joke? Genius. "Wouldn't it be great if our pussies were detachable?" "The biggest threat to marriage isn't same-sex couples. The biggest threat to marriage is divorce...that's what fucked up my marriage." Margaret Cho I've noticed there's another common theme running among this group of women. No doubt are they hilarious, and controversial, but they are all also very intelligent. Margaret Cho is probably the prime example of that. Her acts are full of political and cultural commentary, and I love it. Besides being a comedian, and actress, she's also an activist, and is frequently standing up for the issues she jokes about on stage. It's awesome. Fuck Wave, Morning After Pill: "Half the work force will be lost, because we'll all be generating a huge pussy cyclone" "So you shine a Chinese Restaraunt menu in the sky and I'm supposed to swoop down? Dunna-nana-nanna-na Chinky!" Julie Goldman I can never get enough of the founder of "Offensive Women". What comedy show sounds more perfectly tailored for me? Especially after seeing this list. Her approach and phrasing in her stand-up slay me, because let's face it...inappropriate noises, facial expressions, and gestures, also count. Plus her interviews and vlogs are just as entertaining as her skits on "The Big Gay Sketch Show". Stand Up for PoliticsTV: One of the first stand-up gigs of hers I saw. "You like that? You like that, chair! You like a vag on you do ya? I don't care, Suzanne. I've had 16 Jack & Gingers, I'm fucked up! Although it was completely unintentional, I just noticed this is like the list of diversity. We got a white girl, a jew, a black lady, asian woman, and a dyke. It's like a rainbow of dirty female comedians. I love it. and even though she couldn't be more non-offensive, silly, and just warm and cuddly...who doesn't love Ellen? Meeting God Ellen sings Salt-N-Peppa & More Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I Am A Machine
7/16/2008 03:20:00 PM Not a fembot or anything like that. No machine-gun jubblies for me. I feel slightly frantic, a little stressed, but also impressed. With myself. Because I'm a post-production machine. I kid you not, I'm literally doing 8 things right now. For serial. For cereal? I was only supposed to come in for 3 hours today at work, and I had three different bosses all run at me with projects to work on. I gotta say, it's not pretty watching grown people fight over you. However, because I excel at my ADD...I mean, multi-tasking prowess, I think I'm gonna be able to accomodate everyone. By 5:00pm. Fingers crossed. On top of that, during a 10 minute wait, while discs were burning, labels printing, videos exporting, and compressing, and even uploading to the web...I had time to update my blog. Shit. I heard a beep. Somethings done. Gotta go. Tuesday, July 15, 2008
London Reunion?
7/15/2008 09:18:00 AM So my gal pals are trying to convince me to move to San Francisco.... I may be crazy...or just crazy in love (tm Beyonce) with them and desperate enough to get out of St. Louis, that I'm seriously contemplating the issue. Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Magic of Teen Dramas
7/13/2008 03:57:00 PM What is it exactly? Why are tv shows centered around high school so damn appealing? Not just to youngsters but to viewers in their 30s and beyond? I was thinking about some of my favorite tv shows and couldn't ignore how many of them were teen dramas...not only that I loved as a teen, but still enjoy now. I'm sure there's something to the formula that works because it's something everyone can identify with (well, everyone who's experience high school), but it still seems strange that so many people of all ages find them addicting. Not only are they guilty pleasures for many people, but some of them rank among some of the best tv shows period. FREAKS & GEEKS  I love, love, love this show. I cannot fathom how it wasn't picked up for more than one season. Linda Cardellini rocked, and obviously all the male stars (James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, and Martin Starr) have gone on to find success in Judd Apatow's other creations (Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall). MY S0-CALLED LIFE  Amazing. Again, how did this only run for one season!? Well, I guess it could've had something to do with the fact that most family series don't include child abuse, homophobia, teenage alcoholism, homelessness, adultery, kinky sex, censorship, and drug use, among their themes (okay, drug use has become pretty popular--wasn't it the backbone of the O.C.?) Still Claire Danes was brilliant, and I am still in love with Wilson Cruz for his portrayal of Rickie. Jared Leto...well, he was nice to look at. POPULAR  I loved this show. Another that ended too abruptly, although this one made it past the one season curse, and actually got two! How can I ever thank them for introducing me to the amazing Leslie Grossman. Oh, Mary Cherry. I shall never forget you. Or you, Carly Pope. BUFFY the Vampire Slayer  Obviously this is a drama set in high school with a twist. Um. Mainly the entire slayer/vampire premise. This show is such a cult-classic, I'm afraid to even discuss it. There's too much to dissect. I think one of the initial strongpoints that stood out right away in the first season was that the way the characters ineracted and spoke with eachother was much more realistic than the scripted manner we'd been used to seeing on television. Joss Whedon is a genius, there's no doubt about that. Dawson's Creek  Though I'm not a big fan, obviously this show was huge. The 2nd coming of 90210. Crazy. But it did introduce music to these series in a new way that became a trend to follow. I can't imagine how many soundtracks were released by this show, and later "The O.C.". 90210  Totally 90's. Classic. Defined it's time. Probably ran a little too long. Yet, unforgetable. I'm a little horrified that they're bringing a new version to the CW. SAVED BY THE BELL  Who in this country (and probably many others) would not know what you were talking about if you dropped the names, "Screech" "Zack Morris" "Kelly Capowski" "A.C. Slater" "Lisa Turtle" or "Jessie Spano". I like to think that everytime the Pointer Sisters song "I'm So Excited" plays, someone in the room re-lives Jessie's pill-popping breakdown in their mind, heehee. DEGRASSI/Jr. High/High/Next Gen  It doesn't matter how this series comes back, it's always there. Like a constant source of weekly PSAs embedded in cheesy drama that you can depend on. As much as you like to make fun of it, you know you enjoy(ed) watching it, and you gotta give those Canadians credit for tackling some big issues in the early 80's. I even started watching a new teen show this year... SOUTH OF NOWHERE  I think this one was so interesting because it's the new generation of these teen shows. Even though it also dealt with the more stereotypical issues explored in other shows, but this show uses it's main characters to bring up the issues, rather than a guest character or the friend of a main character who only gets the spotlight for that specific storyline for an episode or two. The first season broke a lot of new ground, actually exploring a mixed race family from the adopted kid's perspective (as opposed to the families' and society's), and the "gay teenager" storyline wasn't devoted to a background character, it's practically the most central charcter of the entire show. And again, though this show has already hit it's cult classic status among fans, and the obligatory "Save [insert show name here]" movements begun, the show will finish its final run this fall with a half season. Conclusions: You know, I suppose the problem with so many of these good shows that get cancelled so soon is that for "teen" shows, they tend to push a lot of buttons (and boundries). Now that I think about it, these shows are probably also repsonsible for the most cast diversity on screen as well. So I applaud them, yet remain confused as to why networks cancel them after things get to risky...yet replace them with another teen drama the following year. Secondly. All of these shows have great theme songs, that stick with you forever. I swear I heard the Saved By the Bell: College Years guitar sounds coming from another room the other day. Honorary mentions: A couple family-centric shows, with teens. Gilmore Girls  Even though this show was more focused on the mother-daughter relationship, the early seasons were still definitely that high school setting (a private one at that). Plus, the dialogue between Lorelei and Rory could have easily occured between two teens. But the timing and rhythm they created with their unique brand of humor was genius. The first season is still one of the best. ONCE & AGAIN  Another short-lived series, but I found out this year that apparently the same team behind "My So-Called Life" was responsible for this favorite of mine as well. Which doesn't surprise me. It too dealt with serious issues in a serious way, where they're not brought out and wrapped up in a neat little package all within one episode *cough*7thHeaven*cough*. The main thing I loved about this series was, I think, the fact that it captured relationships so well, and presented a realistic portrayal of families seperated by divorce. I could never identify whole-heartedly with "Step-by-Step" or other comedies that touched on the subject as a kid. But with this show, I completely understood what the characters where feeling watching their parents date, and living back and forth between parents, etc. It really went to the dark places of divorce, blended-families, and single-parenting. All the characters were real because they weren't good or bad, or black and white. Complex characters, and heavy intense relationsips. Sounds enough like high-school, even when talking about the parents. Footnote: You may have noticed I mentioned "The O.C." twice (three times now), but that's because I felt obligated, and couldn't actually bring myself to write about it specifically. Really, what good did it do anyone?
1 Comments:
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Feminist Fuck You John McCain
7/12/2008 05:50:00 PM McCain "forgets" that he that he voted against requiring insurance companies to cover birth control for women. He doesn't know enough about the issue to discuss it on camera, but he knew enough about it to vote on it? Jackass. Ann's response: Of course, while Obama's been making appearances with Hillary Clinton, making statements like, "...let's be clear: these issues - equal pay, work/family balance, childcare - these are by no means just women's issues. When a job doesn't offer family leave, that also hurts men who want to help care for a new baby or an ailing parent. When there's no affordable childcare or afterschool programs, that hurts children who wind up in second rate care, or spending afternoons alone in front of the TV. When women still make just 77 cents for every dollar men make - black and Latina women even less - that doesn't just hurt women, it hurts families who find themselves with less income, and have to work even harder just to get by. " McCain is also trying to woo the female voters--despite his support for companies' decisions to discriminate against women and people of color, his deeply anti-choice views, and his occassional wife-beating joke.
Ala Raimy...
7/12/2008 05:28:00 PM Take a look at these sex laws... they defy logic: 1. Oral sex is illegal in 18 states, including Arizona. 2. In Virginia, it is illegal to have sex with the lights on. 3. It is illegal for husbands in Willowdale, Oregon, to talk dirty during intercourse. 4. Sexual intercourse between unmarried couples is illegal in Georgia. 5. Engaging in any sexual position other than missionary is illegal in Washington, DC. 6. In Connorsville, Wisconsin, it is illegal for a man to shoot off a gun when his female partner is having an orgasm. 7. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it is illegal to have sex with a truck driver inside a toll booth. 8. Having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal in Florida. 9. It is illegal in Utah to marry your first cousin before the age of 65. 10. Sex with animals is perfectly legal for men in Washington state, as long as the animal weighs less than 40 pounds. [Source Buzzfeed via College Times] Ok, still with me? Now read this: [LINK] "Same-sex couples from Wisconsin who go to California to marry could find themselves facing criminal charges when they return home. I find it insane that some of these innocent Wisconsinites may be charged with a criminal offense for getting married, while murderers and rapists--even those sitting on death row--are still granted that right. Friday, July 11, 2008
New Musical Interests
7/11/2008 01:59:00 PM 1. Adele I saw her perform on Letterman a couple weeks ago, and enjoyed the song I heard ("Chasing Pavements") and then a few days later heard another song of hers, "Hometown Glory" used in a Mia Michaels contemporary routine. For your listening pleasure: Her voice is in line with the trend of bluesier, soulful sounds coming from ladies out of the UK recently, kinda reminiscent of Duffy and Amy Winehouse. 2. Got Love to Kill (remix) - Juliette & Licks Speaking of trends, there's also that of actresses starting bands and/or releasing records (forget the Lindsay/Hillary business, I'm talking about Jada Pinkett-Smith, Scarlett Johanson, etc. etc.) Anyway, one of these I'd heard of but never listened to was Juliette Lewis's band, "Juliette and the Licks". Of your typical group of actresses I could actually see Juliette Lewis being an awesome front-woman. Or maybe that's just me projecting based on her more crazy characters (remember that Melissa Etheridge video?) Regardless, I'd come across one of their tunes without realizing it and actually found myself enjoying it. I gave a few of their other songs on their myspace a listen, but none of them really grabbed my attention. Still, this song has been in my playlist all week. Perhaps now, I'll consider giving Shannon Sossoman's band "Warpaint" (I've heard they're comparable to Bat for Lashes who I enjoy) a listen or perhaps "Toni Colette and the Finish"...and I've heard good things about Zoe Deschanel's duo "She & Him"... Thursday, July 10, 2008
Reporter Lara Logan becomes the Story, but it ain't News
7/10/2008 03:01:00 PM Some excerpts of a good piece brought to my attention courtesy of Ms. Dorothy Snarker "We want certain things from our newscasters. We want them to be honest, we want them to be fair, we want them to be intelligent, and we want them to be just attractive enough to spend an hour or so in our living rooms every evening. This poses a bit of a problem for CBS foreign correspondent Lara Logan. If you read The Washington Post earlier this week, all you'd really know about Lara is that she is pregnant by a married man. Columnist Howard Kurtz wrote what amounts to a tawdry tabloid tell-all masquerading as serious journalism. We learn that she has been separated from her husband for a long time, and then started seeing her current partner, a federal contractor who is also separated from his wife...He then reassures us that Lara and her partner “plan to get married eventually.” Whew, what a relief — I couldn't possibly get my news from an unwed mother who was living in sin. The trouble for Lara really started last month with her appearance on The Daily Show. Watch the whole interview and you see a smart, strong, tough, tenacious, passionate and pointed woman who represents everything you want in a good reporter. She's also funny and cusses like a sailor. If I were to watch the news that you hear in the United States, I'd just blow my brains out because it would drive me nuts. Of course this kind of real straight-talk express didn't sit well with the right-wing pundits. They started to go after Lara in droves after her Daily Show appearance. I guess when they couldn't find any flaws in her actual reporting, they went straight for her private life. Ah, the old “Don't listen to her, she's a tramp” defense. That Madonna/whore complex just never goes out of style. You know, it's not like there aren't countless male newscasters with complicated private lives. Bill O'Reilly (loofah, anyone?), Keith Olbermann (a 25-year age difference with his 24-year-old live-in girlfriend) and Anderson Copper (come Out, come Out wherever you are) spring immediately to mind. But do they get the Woodward and Bernstein treatment from The Washington Post about their bedroom behavior? Of course not. Men have clearly separated personal and professional lives. That is just understood. The sad truth is that some men simply don't know what to do with a beautiful woman who insists on having brains, so they either dismiss her as dumb or brand a hussy. Lara is neither. She's just a damn good reporter." Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Work is Brutal
7/09/2008 06:05:00 PM Not in general. But this past week specifically. It's perhaps the main reason I haven't been online much in the past few days. I've been so burnt out at work that as soon as I'm off, I just head home make dinner and avoid pointing my eyes at any sort of LCD screen or monitor. I don't know if I mentioned it here or not (I'm sure plenty of you who I actually speak to in person, or by phone have heard about it), but I've been working on a giant project that was plopped in my lap recently. Literally, nearly plopped. In the lap (if that's possible with a digital/non-tangible idea/project). Anyway, basically my boss handed complete control over a new account to me and Jonathan at work a couple weeks ago. We knew nothing about the client, what they wanted, or what the project was to be used FOR, yet, Jonathan was appointed Producer, and myself Editor. The whole shebang ended up being a bunch of videos (and a big longform video) about a bus tour company and the locations they provide tours of. They wanted videos about each of their 17 tours. No joke. And multiple videos focusing on aspects of their company itself like the history behind it, one focusing on personal service, one on the idea of carefree travel, etc. etc. So I finally turned in a draft to my boss yesterday (who's only words of wisdom, by the way, when handing this assignment over were "Impress Me.") and for the most part he was pleased as punch (I'm not sure I've ever used that phrase, and I don't know if I ever will again, but it suited this situation). He thinks it's a lot better than what the client is expecting, but I made some changes today at his suggestion, and he'll turn 'em over to the client tomorrow. For now, I'm finally feeling a moment of peace. That is of course, until I come to work on Monday and recieve the feedback, and begin drafting round 2. But currently, I'm taking a moment to feel somewhat pleased with myself for stepping up to this challenge. Sunday, July 06, 2008
Yay! She's back!
7/06/2008 09:38:00 PM "Ah, the old needles in the face." Target Women: Botox Express yourself, by removing parts of your expression. How to get pretty without using any ugly words. It's like I've been walking around saying, "Don't listen to me! I'm a form of punctuation that signifies an aside". I Love it.
Nevermind Finding a Dog
7/06/2008 09:14:00 PM Finding a new roomate takes priority. Thursday, July 03, 2008
I'm getting a dog.
7/03/2008 05:29:00 PM It's not like I have it planned and am going to pick one up today or anything, but I can tell that my mind has already decided, so it's almost certain that I will be getting one soon. The puppy pains have been coming on since early this year, and now that I'm in a house with a yard they're just getting too strong. I need a canine companion. Let the shelter search begin! |
Previous Posts
tagboard
Extra
|
nooooooo! they CANT make a different RHPS. its far to classic. i'm actually really sad about this. and new music? what? no! what about the props and callback lines that everyone loves so much? how about just a revival of the classic? yes? anyone?
Post a Comment