Wannabe Sex and 'The City'?

I caught The City in a rerun last night. Because this show is blatantly aspiring to be a Carrie Bradshaw-esque vehicle for Whitney Port, let's pretend we are watching Sex and the City and imagine we are enagaging in a ritual that leads and finishes with the first word in the title of the show, shall we?

First impressions:

Jay is Justin Bobby, Olivia is a bitch (who looks like Julia Roberts), and Erin looks like Heidi's colleague at Bolthouse Productions (seriously, can't tell the difference between the two).

Courtship:

Jay has a pretty spot-on irritating American accent, Olivia is a big phony ("hiii Elizabeth, how are yooou?"), and the cast members (not to mention the producers) are very irrelevant for casting themselves as "uptown" vs. "downtwown" folks (this is not West Side story!)

First Kiss:

Whitney and Jay's first on-camera kiss!

Foreplay:

Some fashion work stuff, Alex accusing Jay of being a Justin Bobby, and Olivia being more bitchy by asking Whitney "Where's Jaaay?"

Climax:

1. Jay proving he's not so bad by showing up at the lame, uptown, dinner party to pick up Whitney! 2. And Kelly Cutrone being awesome as usual! Yay!

How to Help Idol

Agreed with a LOT of these. You too?

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20007164_20008532_20202209,00.html

Specifically,

1) no more "mosh pit"
2) budgeting more for the style of the show
3) more mentoring with old Idol contestants
4) half hour result shows
5) "newer" songs!

C'mon, this was the most exciting show in America! Don't let it get predictably cheesy!

Hills Finale

I will write this blog as one that goes from "better or for worse" moments. Ahaha.


Best moment: The Heidi and Lauren reconciliation.



I teared up when Heidi teared up and could really relate to Lauren feeling she knew how to be best friends with Heidi, or enemies, but not in between. I thought this was a shockingly genuine moment for the show.

Next best: Spencer agreeing not to marry Heidi in a courtroom! I mean, he probably negged at it in the last minute because he wants to get MTV to pay him huge bucks to do an actual ceremony...but in the end, the ends did justify the means, and it was the right thing to do.

Worst moment: all the scenes involving Audrina and JB. Ew, ew. You know, I actually liked Audrina at some points this season, but everything about the last few episodes reminded me what a dead-eyed airhead she is. JB is smarter than she is, but it's still like looking at Dumb and Dumber. Check out how unarticulate I am writing this paragraph while I think about them. See, their stupidity is contagious. OK, I feel mean. On a positive note, it was nice of JB to get Audrina a piece of metal to signify their, uh, relationship?

OK. Until next season. (Let it be the final one--please!)

Dunno about you, but if I ever wanted to know the details about birthin' a baby, I would ask this woman...

because she has 18 children!



She said she stopped taking birth control after it was balmed for causing a miscarriage. Now it's 18 kids later...

DAY-UM!

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20247340,00.html

What BS, Heidi and Spencer!!

I almost did not want to write about this, not because I don't watch The Hills, but because I do not want to be another person directing her attention through the media to Hills-related news. I have some standards. But if this is true, this might be MTV taking it one step waaayyy too far into manipulating reality. And what are our reality shows if they are not authentic, America?!

Read:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20247406,00.html

Summary:

They filmed a scence for the show pretending to legalize thier marriage, when in fact, they went to the court after hours and did not legalize it.

Did You Know...

That this guy (Peter Facinelli), who plays the dreamy doctor patriarch Dr. Cullen of Twilight is Jennie Garth's (Kelly Taylor) husband? Huh.

I Personally Cannot Get Enough of This Jolie-Pitt-Aniston Triangle!

Check this out (and Jen):

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/jennifer-aniston-on-angelina-jolie-no-daggers-through-the-heart/16424

And, I'm a little irritated by Brad confirming that he fell in love with Angelina during that movie. We all know it's true, but we don't need it affirmed while Jen is alive and all.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20245759,00.html

Another Grey's Shocker--Now George Wants Out!

According to multiple sources, TR Knight has asked Shonda Rhimes to give him the pink slip. We can only speculate as to the reasons why, (Lack of "Emmy-worthy" material? Bickering co-stars? Sick of the anti-gay vibes?) but IF this is indeed true, I say it's another jump-the-shark moment...and stupid on his part. Grey's a still hit show--does he really think he's going to be a movie star now or something?

Because of those reasons, I still sense this story may be a stinker.

Update: It's not a stinker!!! He's leaving because he's unhappy with the storyline.

http://tv.yahoo.com/grey-39-s-anatomy/show/36657/news/urn:newsml:tv.ap.org:20081209:tv_grey_s_anatomy_knight__ER:72264

Leno To Stay on NBC!

He will now we doing a nightly show at 10 pm (9 pm CST) instead of his later gig. So, now he will be working in primetime. And what does that mean...?

He basically got a promotion, bitches.

He's not my style really, but the man brings in ratings! And NBC needs ratings.

The Best of Britney: A 10-Year Recap

Now that Britney is "back" (basically meaning she is seemingly normal again and her abs are in tip-top shape), I have been thinking and reflecting upon her 10-year pop star career a lot. The way the media has onslaughted you with coverage, I think you have been thinking a little more about her than usual too. To me, Britney is one of those pop girls who you can look back on and appreciate because, like Madonna, she is timeless. I view her relativity as simply as this: Britney will always be a girl, ocassionally a woman, who suffers heartbreak and happiness like the rest of us and can somehow entertain us with those episodes through her dance or the surprisingly emotive stylings of her voice and images of her sweet face. With that, I compiled some of my personal Britney faves while taking into account overall public effect and the stamp of her musical individuality.


Best Britney Videos (Top 5)

5. Don't Let Me The Last To Know. She is just a beautiful girl on a beautiful beach with a beautiful boy and you watch them, captivated, by guessing the nuances of their love story based on the slow music in the background and images of Britney's plainitive face and unresisitable rock hard abs.
4. Stronger. Good Britney song, set to great chair dancing, and you really, really believe through this simple song and dance that she is stronger than yesterday.



3. Baby One More Time. The video that launched her career looks a little cheesy after all this time, but you still can't look away from her sad, sad face and then her joyous, slightly manic face when she is unexplicably dancing in various school scenes--and let us not forget the school girl outfit.
2. I'm A Slave 4 U. This launched Britney 2.0--sexy, non-schoolgirl, pop princess who wears her underwear wherever and however she feels like!! Need we mention the sweat, the groping, the complete in-your-face dirtiness?
1. Toxic. This video epitomizes what Britney is to me. A playful, charming, little minx who uses her sexiness to take over the world. It's her simple gifts like being able to make a stewardess sexy fun with the beyond adorable "boob" dance, spilling of cocktails, and tiptoeing with the beverage cart. Oh yeah, and her dressed in just diamonds and as the red-headed revengestress in other scenes are other role-playing dreams come true. It is worth noting this video was realized shortly after the "Cry Me a River" mess with Justin, and this career reignition video was her best revenge.



Best Britney Songs (Top 10)

10.Crazy. Crazy fun, early Britney pop complete with her pop-defining persona "oaws."
9. Everytime. Britney is sad in this song and we feel for her, and this song perfectly captures the sound of her angelically high timbre and slowed articulation.



8. Breathe On Me. Britney's little-known hot dance song from her In the Zone album that now clearly showed what kind of songs we can expect from her in the future.
7. Unusual You. Off her latest album Circus, this song is already garnering a lot of critical praise--it is not only a sweet ballad but it has a very Britney pop sound that we have all come to expect.
6. Oops I Did It Again. This teen sang it, and we thought it. The newly crowned pop priness came back with this single from her second album, and we sang it and shook it for the next year.
5. Toxic. Another producer staple, Britney made it work with her original vocals and easy sexiness.
4. Piece of Me. This song came of her most critically acclaimed album, Blackout, (during the lowest point of her personal life), and we loudly and cleary hear "Ms. Bad Media Karma" give it to us straight while churning out her whimisical sound.
3. Stronger. I said it once, I'll say it again, we really believe she is stronger than yesterday in this single. And we love her more for it.
2. Baby One More Time. Her first single really defined who she was, what her sound was, and why we would become eternally fixated on her.



1. Break the Ice. From the the quintessential Blackout album, I think this song would have been one the biggest hits of her career if she just sold it to the media. You have her new Danja-inspired sound with the big chorus sound, breathy backgrounds, and clear as ice vocals. This song more than ever showcased her growth as an artist in its artistic maturity.

More to Come...

Stay tunes for posts on Big Love, the Office (eventually, when the show timing is right), Gossip Girl, and some other stuff I need to catch up on.

Major L Word Spolier--Guess Who's Dying?!?!

Jenny!!!

HBO Season Finales

True Blood



Highlights:

Killer is discoved. Sookie whacks him with a shovel and then impales him with it.

Both Sam AND Bill come out to rescue her (Sam becomes a collie again and Bill nearly burns himself to death, coming out into the light!!) Damn that lucky girl!! I love both those guys and want them as boyfriends. (Maybe Sam a lil' more. He is sweet and alive and all.)

A bunch of other stuff that doesn't really matter yet until next season.

Entourage



Highlights: Well, well, well. Everything is coming up Vinny AGAIN. But also, Eric, Turtle, and Drama.

Vinny finally throws his first fit that I can remember and fires Eric. (And then rehires him.)

Johnny now is a proud ownner of a Queens bar--"Johnny Drama's" OF COURSE!

Vince is employed in a Martin Scorcese flick. (Gosh, couldn't they have made him suffer a lil' more?!)

Don't like the Jaime-Lynn Sigler plot. Probably because Boyfriend keeps telling me he wants to marry her.

Megan Fox is One Sexy...Man?!

She's also one funny-ass bitch.

Her fiance, Brian Austin Green says this in response to her appearance GQ's Men of Year party:

"She is one hell of a man, Megan Fox, he covers all of it. She’s honored for everything. She should be."

And Megan says this:

"Zac Efron is my obsession, we’re the same person. We’re not actually here, it’s like Janet and Michael. He just puts on his wig and a dress, and it’s me, and you don’t know that. It’s the greatest mystery of all time."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455827,00.html

We're Onto You, Jolie...

I knew that she had to be a crafty woman. This article details how Angelina Jolie has carefully carved out her public persona throughout the years.

http://www.popeater.com/movies/article/angelina-jolie-controls-how-we-see-her/256563

Here are a few highlights:

"Jolie doesn't have a publicist or an agent, so the interviews she gives and the photo opportunities she provides are often facilitated by the star herself. Other editors in the celebrity-driven media allege that Jolie has long dictated terms to magazines on how she and her family should be presented and covered and often creates her own photo situations.

After her divorce to Billy Bob Thornton in 2003, Jolie was sought by Us Magazine for an interview and photo shoot. She declined, but according to the Times, later offered the magazine a chance to photograph her playing with her adopted son, Maddox, in a paparazzi-like situation. The resulting image kick-started her public transformation from a dark and eccentric actress to a loving young mother."

Also...

"QUICK, CHANGING THE SUBJECT!
Jolie is also a master at taking a possible sticky situation, like the fallout from when she began dating Pitt, and instead flooding the media with positive stories to drown out negativity. When she was being portrayed in the tabloids as a home wrecker who stole Pitt away from Jennifer Aniston, Jolie ramped up her charity work.

She visited an Afghan refugee camp, met with the president of Pakistan, and later she and Pitt made a trip to Kashmir to bring attention to earthquake victims there.

'Presto, they come out looking like serious people who have transformed a silly press obsession into a sincere attempt to help the needy," publicist and author Michael Levine told the Times. "People don’t realize the complexity of what Angie is doing,” he said, while reminding that “a lot of her charity work is done quietly and not in front of the media.' "

Am I mad at her? Nah. It just reminded me how personally publicity-driven some of her public events have been--like did you have to keep kissing your brother like that while wearing Morticia's dress?

B Spears

Britney Spears' new album, Circus, has leaked online!



My initial thoughts upon hearing some of the songs is that it is similar to Blackout in its dance friendly, electro rhythms, but that it is a little more commerical and light-hearted. Blackout was my favorite Britney album, and it was one of those albums that grows on you, and I feel Circus is the same.

I recommend checking out Mannequin, Unusual You, and If You Seek Amy.

PS: Listen this line in If You Seek Amy:

"Love me, hate me, say what you will about me, but all of the boys and all of girls are beggin' to if you seek amy."

Doesn't make sense? Dont't pay attention to the lyrics, but the sound of the lyrics...

Bad B!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVVBqyuk1zs

AI update

Now that msn.com is reporting on it, I would like to comment on the possible exit of Paula Abdul from American Idol.

I'm staring to think it is likely. One, Paula has openly expressed that she wasn't sure if the American public was going to accept a 4th judge. Two, Simon Cowell, is a judge on the X-Factor, had a similar situation where he had 2 female judges, and basically ended up getting rid of one of them that no longer fit in in his mind. Three, Paula knows she's a basketcase and Idol producers could get rid of her any season.

Paula is useless, nonsensiscal, and embarrasing on American Idol. But she is a major part of the show. After the contestants and Simon, I would say she is the next most important part of the show. She is more intergral to watercooler chat, to contestant morale, to the memories of the show than Randy and Ryan are.

Unless Simon and the new judge have major chemistry or the contestants are off the wall entertaining, I think the audience won't be gravitating as much to the show.

9021-Oh NO!

So I tried to watch 90210 last night--not at work in front of the computer--but actually sitting down in front of the TV, concentrating (heh). Before I give my opinions, I must tell you that I have taken an interest in the show because I am fan of the first show and have an avid curiosity in Shannen Doherty.

OK. I just can't get over how lame I think this current show is! I will just discuss last night's episode to make my point. The main character, Annie, thinks a way to be relatable to the teenage audience is to whine at points of exasperation; smile really wide and scrunch her eyes when she's happy; and display chemistry with her current love interest by cutely showing her dismay by holding her gaze down, moving her hands a lot, and make her voice shake tepidly in plight of the situation. While these characteristics are not entirely annoying when given in small doses, given to us all them at the same time is. She is no Brenda, who could be an angry little thing at times, but at least you felt she wasn't thinking, "hmm, how can I be cute at THIS moment?"




Annie's love interest, Ethan, has the personality of a folding chair (or some equally inantimate object that opens and shuts really easily--take that however you want). Next.

Last night, a moment of "fun" was when Silver and Dixon performed karaoke to "When the Saints Go Marching In." Oh Reallly??? What high schooler doesn't do that?

The only acceptable moments are when Kelly, Brenda, and I guess that younger teacher are on screen. Wait, I like the "bitch" Naomi too. She can play a bitch well.



Writers, please save this show! Either have Kelly and Brenda on every episode or have Annie turn into a scandolous ho--just no more cute, and no more safety.

Um, Hello!

Read this bitches:

http://perezhilton.com/2008-11-11-new-details-more-from-maniston-on-angelina



Mentally comment. And discuss.

Jen's right, you know. Ange should not have assumed that it was OK to discuss details about someone's still-relatively-freshly-divorced ex-husband like that. Someone who you basically stole from his wife.

Those wounds take years to heal, baby.

Open Up This Set

Have you ever seen promos for that show on Vh-1 with that tall, clad in a fur hat (or something equally awful) man and a bunch of non-quite-primetime-TV-looking boys?



Yeah, that's The Pick-Up Artist. Surprisingly, the uglyish, fur-wearing man is a charmer who goes by the name of Mystery and has rules on picking up women that actually work and he teaches them weekly to these boys, culminating in the next pick-up artist.

This show is fun to watch with the right cast. The show needs guys with no game but also a certain amount of endearing qualities to make you root for them. To name a few, there is Greg, who after they cut his hair and removed his glasses, turned into a total Swan babe but is still shy around women (aWwWwwww). Then there is Matt, who is a complete nerd and says words like "caper" in regular conversation but yet is cute and sweet. Lastly, and to some probably most importantly, there is Brian, an Asian kid with a crazy fro and equally crazy personality. He says things like "I like pickle juice" just to get a reaction out of the ladies but needs to not just get a reaction but actually interest them in him.

I have to give Mystery credit tho--because unlike every other reality show--he doesn't just keep guys on the show because they're entertaining to the audience; he needs to actually see some improvement from them to have the show progress with them. This makes it sad because we lose some of our favorites, but I guess it mean Mystery takes his craft seriously. Anyway, catch this show Sundays at 9:00 PM.

Uh, what the hell is wrong with the people in charge of Grey's?

Fire Brooke Smith, Erica Hahn? You have got to be kidding me. After "the glasses" scene??

I'm sensing bigotry of some sort--maybe not against lesbian charcaters, they have a few gay characters on ABC--but maybe against strong, atypical-looking characters (or their strong, atypical-looking actors). Grey's has more behind-the-scenes drama than the damn show, shoot.

Quit firing people!

Hollywood and Seattle

Do you feel Entourage and Grey's Anatomy are back to their creative potential this year? I for one, do.

Basically, I feel Entourage is hitting its stride in all Ari plots. I feel this is his season of "heart," and surprisingly, his little bit of heart may be taking him a long way. Yes, it may have been crazy of him to not take the studio head job, but it could turn out to be very profitable for him buying Gary Cole's charcter's company (with all those writers!) And to think, that decision mainly came out of his desire to create a little worth for an old friend.




So, Adrian Grenier is not a good actor. But he has charm, even when acting pathetic, which he is right now. But his patheticness and lack of respect in Hollywood, I think, is a greater thrill for the viewer than his unidentifiable ascent in La La Land. Think Britney. People paid more attention to her during her troubles because, one, there is a certain fascination with a train wreck and, two, people can understand problems with divorce more than vacationing happily on some private island. Well, there is certainly a fascination with both of those aspects of fame, but there is something addicting about watching a fallen star trying to deal with life on a level that commoners must. Vince not getting respect on his job is something we all understand, and we are rooting for him, while simultaneosly wishing he suffers a little like the rest of us.

Grey's is back to giving us what we want--excitement! We are excited about Christina's new love interest and Seattle Grace's hot doc, Major Hottie, we are enthralled by Callie's and Hahn's exploration (and the involvement of McSteamy), we are giggling over the prospect of the 2 hottest people on the show, Izzy and Alex, making an opposites-attact pairing rife with plenty of strife.



And we are happy with the subplots of doctors doing well and saving lives. Why are we happy to see doctors doing well in this profession but not Vince being a easily succesful actor? Uh, can you sit comfortably putting yourself in a position of screwing up someone's life (or having your life screwed)? No, no matter how tough life can be us for us commoners, we don't really face life-and-death situations daily so that's why we want success in Seattle Grace's oprations.

Well this blog was certainly assumptive about your thoughts! Well, I can only assume, y'know. Stay tuned for pop psychology of TV shows with ME!

Truly Bloody Good

Are you in need of a new TV show to watch? Do you have HBO (or at least the Internet)? Let me recommend True Blood for you!

Premise: Vampires exist and are now lving beside humans. Why? A Japanese scientist has created synthetic blood that vampires can now drink and then techincally live harmoniously with humans because they won't need to attack humans. In the meantime, 25-year-old virginal Sookie falls for vampire Bill; chaotic events ensue.


Why is this show good? First, the supposting cast is really strong. You have a comedic character in Jason Stackhouse, Sookie's dim-witted but well-meaning brother:


Strength and support in Tara, and mystery and a smitten quality (for Sookie)in Sam Merlotte (and a really awesome plot twist secret involving him we just discover!):


This show is set in Lousiana, so you get a fair share of smoldering Southern accents. Basically, the show feels drenched with Southern spirit and
swamp-y sexiness, and I will be sure to spit some substance about it regularly.

Back to the East Side

I promise you this won't turn into my Gossip Girl blog. But I gotta give you what the kids are talking about...;)

It takes me awhile to watch the show because I'm busy Monday nights, don't have TIVO, so I catch it online when it's put up--so, sorry for not striking when the iron is hot.

First I want to address the rumor that someone is going to die on the show--Entertaintment Weekly and Kelly Rutherford (Serena's mom) have confirmed it! All I gotta say is: not Nate. Talk about jumping the shark if they do that. Kill Serena's new stepdad or Useless Vanessa.

Speaking of Nate, who is not pleased with his attraction to Jenny? Yeah, me too.



They definitley don't have the heat Chuck and Blair have, nor the warmth Serena and Dan have--not even the little, baby sparks Vanessa and Nate had. Whatevs. Jenny needs to cool it with the "edgy" make-up. Dark eyeliner has not ever made a rockstar; it doesn't make a fashion designer either.

Who loves Dorota the Housekeeper? The Polish Sterotype Herself walked into the Adolescent Blair's bedroom in the wee morning and caught her...doing what Blair needs to do to keep her cool after having a hot dream about Chuck and remarks: "Remember, God is always watching you." Oh Blair.

So what's the latest with her and Chuck? You know, "say three words to me first," maybe then I'll let you seduce me," lingering looks and pouting lips...the usual. In the end, Chuck reminds Blair (and the audience) that even if they say the truth, that they both love each other, what's next? Them going to the movies, holding hands? Would they get bored with each other? Are they mature enough to handle a loving relationship? Can the audience deal with finding nothing to get heated about with the show any longer? Nope, so they're quitting their seduction games (for now). Let's post a pic for the memories:



Also, I want to dress as Blair for Halloween...because she's marvelous and I love her. (Yes, I am 25). This is what I'm aiming for; maybe I'll post a pic or 2 of myslef later:

Sad

After Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found killed this weekend, they went on the search to find her nephew, Julian King.

He has reportedly been found dead 14 miles from the crime scene. His father has allegedly been in connection with these crimes.

This all occured on the Southside of Chicago. Even if this is a domestic dispute, one has to recognize that if Julian lived in a safer part of town, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe.

Does anyone else think that part of the crime here is this deplorable, police-ignored section of town? Someone being killed in this part of the town is about as constant as rain falling in the city, and for the most part, this news is shrugged off by the media and others as "that's the Southside for you." Maybe because an Oscar-winning homegirl is involved will cause more focus on this part of the city. Maybe.

My First Blog...XOXO Gossip Girl

I'm not a HUGE fan of Gossip Girl, but Monday's episode (that I caught online while working on Thursday) was awesome! It had it all. There was Dan Humphrey, who was so excited to have found a boy-friend in Nate that he could not stop boy-gushing in a series of "man" and "bros" directed to Nate while on the phone in hopes that the two of them would find some time to play soccer togther (?!). Then there was Serena, who found it unfair that as a 17-year-old teenager living in New York, her mother and step-father were now imposing a 1 am curfew on the weekends. (I thought there were laws saying you had to me home earlier that that...?) Serena was in her usual flaxen-haired glory of finding time to party with socialites, drinking martinis with the also 17-year-old Blair at the Waldorf household, and...speaking while everytime sounding like she had a load of (insert word of phrase here) in her mouth. Here is a picture to perhaps demonstrate this:



But the best part of the show was of course Chuck and Blair. Or shall we say Sebastian and Catherine? Yes, it was a very Cruel Intentions/Dangerous Liasions kind of show, and I won't bore you with the please-seduce-that-troll-Vanessa plot, just know that favors of the biblical kind were promised (by Blair to Chuck, natch)and know that this is all Blair can do to allow herself to be seduced by Chuck, lest her very precarious ego be damaged by Mr.Bass's occassional very cruel ways. Chuck (also 17 years old, mind you) still is in hot pursuit for Miss Blair's heat, so he will accept any challenge to bring him closer to the fiy-ah (hehe)! Of course they end up in bed togther (parents are apparently never home), but do they do it? After Chuck asks Blair to say 3 choice words to coax his mood (and ego) and she refuses,

Chuck: "I've chased you long enough, now it's your turn to chase me."

And so Gossip Girl has found a way to keep the show's hottest duo still hot for each other!



So yeah, and this was my first blog on the website. I've decided to write about some of my favorite topics (TV shows, celebrities, and an occasional "news" story) here, and I hope some of you enjoy reading me! :)