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HAPPINESS IS A SIZE 12

Jesssica Simpson Targeted for New Buxom Figure

Trolls Trounce On Jessica For Weight Gain, But Science Suggests She's Happier

By Crabby Golightly

AS THEY PICK AND PULL AT HER FOR ADDING A FEW POUNDS, WHAT THE BLULTURES OVERLOOK IS THE WIDENESS JESSICA SIMPSON'S SMILE.

Okay, the leopard-printed belt was a mistake, and the pants may be some kind of fashion faux pas, but Crabby wouldn't know. In my view, high wastes are far and away a better option than letting love handles spill over lowriders.

And in these days when you have to choose between eating and being cool, Crabby always opts for the chow.

In Crabbytown, aging is not a sin for which one must perform 10 Hail Marys and 3 hour workouts out as penance, but rather an inevitable fact of life. God help all those fading stars in Hollywood's vast firmament now subjected to the "Memba hims?" on TMZ.com.

But...do you notice how wide Jessica's smile is? She doesn't seem so unhappy performing her honky tonk on the road. Crabby wonders whether it's possible that she even might be happier?

That's what a study done by the makers of Special K suggests: that women who wear size 12s (Size 14 in the UK) are the happiest with their lives and looks.

According to the study, girls in size 12s reported the highest levels of happiness than women wearing any other dress size.

These full-figured lasses rate their general happiness higher than any other group of women, with a quarter of them reporting being extremely happy.

More than 43 percent of this group also reported being happy in their careers; a third said they couldn't be more content with their love life, according to the Huffington Post.

The second largest group of happy females wore size 10 (or 12 in the UK), with three out of four saying reported being "completely" satisfied with their friendships.

That said, of the 3,000 women surveyed, 48% of them professed being disatisfied with their with their bodies. And no wonder, what with the scrutiny that media trolls put women under.

In case we have to remind you, Simpson's Daisy Dukes was just a 'character,'' for which she "had to work out six days a week, two and a half hours a day. I was on a South Beach diet. I cut sugar out," she told reporters.

The full-figured model Emme points out that it's impossible for any woman to keep up that routine long-term, and she takes offense at the brouhaha that Jessica's weight has created.

"If you really think about how hard it is for her to keep the weight she had before, it's unattainable," Emme said. "You would have to live in the gym."

"First of all," "Jessica Simpson in these pictures...looks beautiful. She really does. Maybe she's not working out four hours a day in the gym... We don't need any of this body bashing, especially with these images that are so beautiful." Jessica's brother-in-law Pete Wentz also chimed in with, "I think the media puts too harsh of a spotlight on women in general...It's bad for young women. I see it affecting young girls who come to our shows and that's a bummer. Real beauty is on the inside, man."

And beau delicious reality TV star Kim Kardashian also got's Jessica's backend.

"Call me crazy, but when I saw the picture, I was like, 'Oh my God, Jessica looks hot!,'" Kardashian told People.com. "I actually love the outfit. I think she looks amazing. I love high-waisted jeans, I loved that belt, and her hair looked fabulous."

We say to Jessica: Your best revenge against the trolls is to tune them out.

January 31, 2009

JUST LINKS

The Governor Arrives Home After Being Ousted From Office

News Bites: Blago's Out! Elizabeth's Preggers! Brangelina's "Too Busy" To Celebrate

By Crabby Golightly

IT'S RANT-FREE FRIDAY! JUST LINKS FOR YOUR ENLIGHTENMENT.

Illinois' sad-sacked Governor Rod Blagojevich gets the heave-ho from office. The Illinois Senate tossed him with a vote of 59-0. Have they ever agreed on anything unanimously before? It's worth investigating.

As the sign says on the front door of The Guitar Works in Evanston, Ill., "One Down, Two To Go."

The next two names on its list? Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, King Clout in the Windy City, and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, who like all Chicago pols was appointed, in his case by his ill father who preceded him in the job.

Yo, snoop dog Patrick Fitzgerald, can you sniff these two out of office?

Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., their old chum President Barack Obama verbally spanks Wall Street for handing out $18.4 billion in bonuses last year. Like, um, he's going to shame them into prudence? Alas, nothing but higher taxes against the wealthy will do.

The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck is pregnant with her third child. The baby's due in August. Thank God the election was last November; can you imagine Elizabeth's tears if she was all pumped up on baby hormones?

A 93-year-old Veteran froze to death in Bay City, Mich. home, after the local electric company limited his power due to $1,000 in unpaid bills. More evidence that America's bungling bureaucracy has gone astray.

The volcano Mount Redoubt in south-central Alaska is ready to blow. Sounds like a metaphor for the world as we knew it. Poof! It's all up in smoke.

And, what's in a name? Turns out clues to criminality. Or so says researchers at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, who compared the first names of male juvenile delinquents to the first names of male juveniles in the population. Turns out that kids with unpopular names more likely engaged in criminal activity among both blacks and whites. But here's the funny line from the story: "The findings could help officials' identify individuals at high risk of committing or recommitting crime, leading to more effective and targeted intervention programs."

What does that mean? That cops are going to start compiling names of kids with weird names? That's just a wee bit too Minority Report-ish to me.

Finally, news that Brangelina is (are?) just too busy to celebrate their respective Oscar nods. Hmmm. That's funny. They've been to all the shows so far this award season, and Brad's attended Newsweek's Oscar Roundup. But so far both have gone home empty-handed. Could it be they are beginning to sense they may not be keeping Oscar company this year?

January 30, 2009

'TIL DIVORCE DO THEM PART

Ron & Kelli

Getting Tips For The Big Day From "My Big Redneck Wedding"

By Sophia Ulmer

I'M GOING TO BE FRANK. I HATE REALITY TV.Sophia

I love to hate it because it's shameful to love. It is a futile passion best enjoyed behind closed doors, much like an éclair.

When I got engaged almost a year ago, of course I was very excited. But I didn't know the inevitability of wedding shows, perhaps the most humiliating sub-genre of reality TV.

To date, I think I have seen them all -- Platinum Weddings, Bridezillas, Rich Bride Poor Bride, Bulging Brides, and Martha Stewart's Weddings Show.

Each is fascinating enough, I suppose. Rich Bride Poor Bride has given me budgeting tips and Bridezillas gives me stunning examples of what not to be. Martha Stewart, in all her tempestuous glory, has sterling do-it-yourself suggestions.

But, in the midst of the cake toppers and bouquets, Country Music Television's My Big Redneck Wedding is by far the most compellingly bizarre wedding show I've witnessed. I can't get enough of it; I confess that I succumb to viewing reruns online.

The nuptials of Melissa and Bradley, from Van Wert County, Ohio (a location embarrassingly close to my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana), is especially trash-worthy TV.

There was the mud-jousting and pig-chasing, the pudding-filled diapers and the bed of a pick-up truck standing in as a wedding altar.

Bradley wore a wife beater with a bowtie and buttons drawn in black marker. His handwritten vows had desperate echoes of Snoop Dogg.

Melissa's first draft of vows (read: demands) included sex "wherever, whenever I say" and "wiping my ass when I can't reach it." Immediately following the ceremony, a buxom Melissa tore off her dress to reveal her own wife beater and some really, really low-riding cut-offs. Did I mention that Tom Arnold provides "comedic" narration to the show? Really, it's sickening.

Of all the wedding shows I've consumed, BRNW takes the horse-shit-shaped cake. (Note: see Anna and Carl's wedding from Season 1, Episode 1.)

I think I'm in danger of having all this 'klass' rub off.

Because while I may not spend my first married night in a Winnebago with "Honeymoon Sweet" painted on it, I haven't dismissed the possibility of a Harley-Davidson-riding preacher.

Sophia Ulmer is a creative writing major at Columbia College in Chicago. She enjoys drinking copious amounts of wine, riding her vintage bike, and snuggling with her kitty-cat, Gretta. You can check out her cooking blog at feckinfranchtoast.blogspot.com.

January 29, 2009

HYPE

Today's Watercooler Chatter: Newsweek's Oscar Roundtable

By Crabby Golightly

THE IRONY OF BRAD PITT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE "PUBLICITY MACHINE" as he sits down with Newsweek for an "Oscar Roundtable" seems lost on Hollywood's favorite cover boy.

"There's this whole other entity that you get sucked into,'' he complains. "You have to go and sell your wares. It's something I never made my peace with. Somehow you're not supporting your film if you don't get on a show and talk about your personal life."

This seems the ideal time for the reporters in the room to point out Brad's savvy past media manipulation for his gain; that perhaps he's there because he wants to win an Oscar.

But then again maybe there weren't any reporters in the room? For even so-called august media outlets like Newsweek don't want to bite the hands that feed it newsstand coffers, and and so we end up with a self-congratulatory Q&A with La La Land's shiniest (and in at least one case, this means greasy) stars of the moment.

Yet perhaps because of the collegial company, the Oscar contenders Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) reveal more than they might realize.

The most obvious observation at least in my eyes is that the most flawed individuals -- Mickey Rourke and Robert Downey Jr. -- are the most intriquing. The scars on their spirits are palpable, with Mickey self-conscious of the punch line he's become, Downey always the joker when confronting his past addictions.

Despite both making "comebacks," I get the sense that both men could slide back into the comfort of failure and its lack of expectation. Real pain is always a better story.

"It's been way over 10 years since I gave everything to anybody,'' Rourke said of his character in The Wrestler.. It was a good feeling at the end of the day. I'd forgotten what it felt like.''

"You might have had a slow 10 years,' Downey says later to him. "But I basically wasn't in my body for 25, and I have like 65 credits during that period of time. I think the work kept me grounded, and having a call sheet was the only stability in my life. I have a much more relevant question. Mickey, will you please consider being in "Iron Man 2"?"

Pitt, despite living at the top of Status Mountain, seems oblivious to the caricature of a Hollywood A-lister that he's become.
"I have nothing to prove anymore,'' Pitt says at one point in the interview. Whereas every day Rourke and Downey still need to prove something, even if not that their among the greatest performers on screen.

Yes, Pitt can act, but he has the cocksure judgment of someone for whom things have come too easily.

Perhaps his good luck and good looks have led him into thinking that life is oh so manageable, and that it's everybody else's fault if they weren't born so handsome. Even with the enmity of his imploded first marriage, Pitt lacks the human quality that connects; he's just the king at the top of the hill looking down everyone else, bragging that he doesn't even "know how to use a computer."

Perky Anne Hathaway is this generation's Julia Roberts -- cute but no grande dame of acting. Not now, nor will she be. Langella is the granddaddy in the room (and quite a handsome grandpop too.

And Sally who? The assembled seem as if Newsweek was trying to meet EEOC regulations, except that Downey only played a black man.

What does the reader learn from this indulgent interview?

For one, sexual expletives like "fuck you" and "suck my cock" are the universal equivalent of literary smack.

For two, despite the mess that he's become Mickey Rourke is a giant among actors. Time and again, Pitt and Downey rightfully pay homage to Rourke's earlier work. "When I started out, trying to figure out acting, I had three gods,'' said Pitt. "It was Penn, it was Oldman, it was Rourke."

And Downey, the most emotionally honest person in the room, gives a nod to Rourke's performance in 9 1/2 Weeks with Kim Baysinger. "When [I] saw that -- and I'm way too self-important to blow smoke up your ass right now,'' says Downey. "That to me was the sexiest, most mysterious, complex, smart, layered man's role I've seen. It kind of screwed me up, because I was like, that's what the people who really know what they are doing do."

Newsweek also comically asks these screen idols about the very modern vanity of Googling themselves.

"Never," snaps the infailable Pitt. "No,'' answers Hathaway, before confessing moments later that she just lied. Langella contributes that "it can be painful and it can be self-aggrandizing."

Only Downey gets the question's irony and humor. "Oh, I love all that shit, personally. Sorry. I just love it. Because it's a hoot. Some people overstate their support, like they know you. Other people are busy doing something else and just want to go on this chat site and say some despicable character assassination, which I honestly think they kind of nailed it. I do have that shortcoming. It's really fun."

He's the man I'd want to have a drink with, that is if he still drank.

January 28, 2009

BULL

Fireworks Crackle Over Beijing During New Year Celebrations

The Year Of The Ox

By Crabby Golightly

H

APPY NEW YEAR! In case you missed the celebration, yesterday was the first day of the Chinese New Year, and 2009 is the year of the Ox.

Chinese astrology follows Jupiter's orbit around the sun in a 12 year cycle, and is based on legend that 4,500 years ago the Emperor of Heaven invited animals to his birthday party. The lucky beasts who got to attend included a rat, an ox, a tiger, a rabbit, a dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that "the animal of our birth year is thought to define and influence us as, according to a Chinese saying, it "hides in our heart."

According to Chiff.com, those born in the year of the Ox are "are the supremely self-assured, and as a result are noted for inspiring confidence in others. Generally patient and thoughtful, they measure their words, and will speak clearly and concisely often when it matters most."

Oxen are also supposed to be "obstinate, pouty, truthful, motivated, friendly, apathetic, genuine, [and] quick-tempered."

Coincidentally (or not?) the man of the moment President Barack Obama was born under the sign of the Ox. And Chinese astrologers are having their moment in the sun predicting what the new year will bring for the new President.

According to USA Today, Obama "is taking office in a particularly bad year for his Chinese astrological sign. The ox sign is in direct conflict this year with a traditional Chinese divinity called the "God of Year," considered a bad omen." And being the U.S.'s 44th president does not bode well for him "because "four" is pronounced the same as "death" in Chinese."

Astrologer Alion Yeo even went so far as to say that Obama will not have "good luck this year. His honeymoon will only be short-lived."

But like everything in life, there are two sides to the story. And Dora Nipp, who heads up the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, sees the Chief Ox "sowing the economic seeds this year so that next year, the year of the tiger will show growth."

"Obama was born a metal ox, so he's very confident and strong-willed and he's not afraid to speak his mind. He's honest, dependable and doesn't promise more than he can deliver and sets about objectives with dogged determination," Nipp told Canada's Edmunton Sun.

It will be interesting to watch.

January 27, 2009

KEEPING TABS

National Enquirer Targets Dr. Phil

Tabloid Trash Talk

Tell-All Threatens Brangelina, Brit Buys Into New 'Hood, and Johnny Depp's Fiance Trades Up

By Vegas Vegas

OH OH OH OH OHHH OOOOBAMA! Who needs Hollywood when there’s a new President to cover? We do! Let’s go to the tabloids!

In Touch Weekly

On the cover, a bland looking Brangelina might be breaking up over a tell-all book. Also, this just in: Michelle Obama is proud of her husband.

Inside, Angie’s former bodyguard is planning to publish an exposé on all of her evil deeds. The details are vague but there’s some stuff we all already knew too: Brad lied about not hooking up until after his divorce from Jen Anniston. Angie likes sex toys and may still like girls! And, you know, other boys. If it actually makes it to publication I’ll pick up a copy to see if any of it is actually salacious. But right now it sounds like regurgitated tabloid fodder.

OMG! Cam and Drew have totally broken up as besties! It’s the age old tale of one dumb girl letting her boyfriend get in the way of a friendship. OK, in this case it’s two dumb girls.

Britney Spears bought her dream home out in Calabasas, Ca. It’s huge and 20 minutes away from where K-Fed is reportedly shacking up with his new lady. Let’s hope she puts a fence around that pool.

Read more Tabloid Trash Talk here.

Vegas is a gambler who always loses money on craps. She spends her time in Chicago with her husband, two cats and various artistic endeavors which are beginning to take up way too much space in her house and hard drive. She blogs at jensaysanything.blogspot.com.

January 26, 2009

THE LOW LIFE

Credit: Horsehoe Casino

Bret's Love 'Bus' Rolls Into Windy City's Armpit (That Would Be Hammond, Indiana)

By Miz J Miz J

IGOT THE BIGGEST KICK OUT OF ROCK OF LOVE BUS tonight because the roaming skank mobiles were headed to my toddlin' town.

“Off to Chicago!” the postcard from Bret (I know, I didn’t think he could read or write, either!) announced.

Of course, we see the road signs and maps that point to the Windy City, but then we see them pull up to the Horseshoe Casino. My brother, in town visiting, did one of those head-cocked-to-the-side things and looked up for an answer, as there are currently no casinos in the city.

We arrived at the same conclusion: they’re actually in HAMMOND, which is in INDIANA, which is a whole other STATE. It is NOT CHICAGO AT ALL. Probably because, as scummy as our government is here, they know that these broads are much more toxic to the public, and didn’t allow Bret’s white trash menagerie in to entertain the masses at the local ampitheaters.

Tonight’s episode revolved around the booze-soaked Horseshoe show, which the girls worked as roadies. They show up to the unfinished set in some of the skimpiest sleazewear possible. And I’m just shaking my damn head, because tits are popping out of shirts, cameras are being mooned and Penthouse Pets are busting their moneymakers on the edges of the stage.

Read the full story here.

Miz J, who works in advertising, has tons of opinions and a big mouth to broadcast them across the globe; however, the Internet saves her the trouble of yelling. Check out her blog at Miz J

January 25, 2009

CHANGE WE BELIEVE IN

Commander in Chief

Obama's First 100 Hours: A Seismic Shift In Government

By Crabby Golightly

WHIPLASH NEVER FELT SO GOOD, nor was it ever so welcomed.

Of course we're speaking in the political sense: During President Obama's first 100 hours in office, I could feel the Earth's rightward tilt reverse itself with a quick jolt back in balance.

With a dance across paper, Obama has already junked Bush policies that had transformed America from human rights' sentinel to scourge. To wit, he:

* Signed executive orders setting new ethics restrictions for political appointees and limiting "executive privilege" to only the president, and required executive staff to sign a pledge "restricting their interactions with lobbyists and their ability to rotate employment between goverment and industry."

* Implemented a salary freeze for White House staff earning more than $100K annually, saying that "in these austere times, everyone must do more with less, and the White House is no exception."

* Ordered the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, closed within a year. The center has become a purgatory for mostly Muslims men rounded up during America's reaction to 9/11, with those imprisoned having no rights to criminal trials. The center became a worldwide symbol of the Bush administration's blithe disregard for the ideals upon which America was founded.

* Signed Executive Order 13440 prohibiting government officials from relying on legal advice on interrogation (code for 'torture') issued between September 11, 2001 and January 20, 2009. He also forbade the CIA to operate detention facilities in the future. "This is the right thing to do morally, diplomatically, militarily and Constitutionally,'' said John D. Hutson, a retired admiral and law school dean who witnessed the signing.

* Repealed limits on funding for international organizations that promote or provide abortions, reversing one of the first orders that Bush implemented when he took office. (The restriction has see-sawed in and out of favor, depending on the political party in office, dating back to Ronald Reagan's order in 1984.) “For the past eight years, they have undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries,'' Obama said. "For these reasons, it is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development.”

* Released a memorandum dictating more "transparency" from governmental agencies, with the first line reading, "A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."

Among the memo's other edicts: "All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure"; "Agencies should take affirmative steps to make information public. They should not wait for specific requests from the public. All agencies should use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government": and "Disclosure should be timely."

And that's not all! The icing on this party's cupcake is Obama dissing Rush Limbaugh by telling Republicans they need to stop listening to the Hatemeister if they want to get things done.

Finally, in a study measuring blacks' performance on a standardized test, "Researchers pinpointed that Black Americans who did not watch Obama's nomination acceptance speech lagged behind their White peers, while those who did view the speech successfully closed the gap."

I'm still finding my equilibrium with the plate tectonic shift in the country's direction. But there's been an immediate change for the better: my frown has turned upside down and is now a smile.

January 24, 2009

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Heeding The 'Signs' In The News

By Travis Bland

WHILE I'VE BEEN ON VACATION DURING THE LAST MONTH, I have immensely enjoyed the nihilistic splendors of sitting around in my underwear and watching Three’s Company marathons.

But my unabashed apathy also had me worried about my journalistic future.

As I perused papers, websites, blogs, nothing seemed to pique my interest. I began to have an existential crisis that not even John Ritter’s predictable pratfalls could qualm.

Then -- lo and behold -- a godsend in my local paper: “Missing signs—lots of them,” read the headline.

Seems a local college student had lifted about 30 metal street signs and plastered them over the walls of his apartment. The signs, described as "legitimate government, business and street signs,” were discovered by a maintenance worker cleaning up after the student moved out.

The story went on to point out that possessing such signs could constitute “felony possession,” carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison.”

This guy’s facing three years in the slammer? Yeah, we don’t fuck around in Cali; We’re pretty hardcore about the well-being of our signs. But what the fuck do I know? The crime seems more like comic mischief to me.

But I will advise that next time you're cruising down 69th Street and get a flash of interior design inspiration, squash it. The threat of three years in prison ain’t worth it.

(But, hey dud, thanks for helping me turn off Suzanne Somers.)

Travis Blandis a freelance reporter and literary delinquent living on California's Central Coast. He currently resides in a tin shack, sustaining himself on a healthy diet of sourdough bread crust, Wild Turkey, and Jack Cafferty blog posts. You can reach him at trbland@gmail.com.

January 23, 2009

THE ENEMY WITHIN

Mickey Rourke As 'The Wrestler'

Mickey Rourke: Beating His Own Worst Enemy Back To The Ring

By Natalie Melendez

Natalie MICKEY ROURKE'S THE WRESTLER IS A DOWN-AND-OUT TALE OF A HAS-BEEN BOXER TRYING TO CLIMB his way back to the top.

The general premise is strikingly similar to the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa. But whereas Rocky lives a middle-class existence, owns a restaurant and cashes in on his residual glory, the main character in The Wrestler is a colossal mess of a man, just barely able to afford the rent on his trailer.

And who better to play The Ram than that marvel of hopelesssness and shame, Mickey Rourke.

While many reviewers have pegged The Wrestler as Rourke’s “comeback” film, Rourke has in fact been acting fairly consistently since he caught his first big break in Barry Levinson’s Diner (1982) alongside Kevin Bacon.

It was in Levinson’s film that Rourke displayed an untamed quality compelling critics to label him the next Marlon Brando.

Rourke, like Brando, exuded a calculating, sly, pensive edge hidden beneath an almost angelically beautiful and boyish exterior. He was a walking contradiction, a character whom with one glance could read your game plan and beat you at it.

After proving his acting chops in such movies as Angel Heart, and Rumble Fish, it looked like Rourke was destined for leading-man stardom, but something derailed along the way. Word circulated that Rouke was “difficult.”

Alan Parker, director of Angel Heart, said that "working with Mickey is a nightmare. He is very dangerous on the set because you never know what he is going to do."

Yet offers continued to come in for lead roles in Beverly Hills Cop,The Untouchable, Rain Man and Silence of the Lambs. Rourke rejected them all, opting for more risky roles in films such as 9 ½ Weeks and Wild Orchid.

Rourke turned his back on Hollywood's vision for him. Half resentful of his fame and half in love with it, Mickey “quit” Hollywood in 1991 to pursue boxing, a sport he claimed to have grown up doing. He was no longer a viable option for leading man status, and any chance he had for substantial roles seemed to disappear.

Still, he never disappeared entirely. Most recently he was Kiera Knightley’s mentor in Domino, and the deformed misfit-villain, Marv, in Sin City. But the The Wrestler makes even more perfect use of his battered face, now beaten and bloated, the byproduct of boxing and too many reconstructive procedures. And yet, in context of the film and its subject matter, it’s a face of pure poetry.

Read the full post on Mickey Rourke here.

Natalie Melendez is a work in progress. Currently she resides in an undisclosed mountainous California location, where she spends her time studying, writing and roasting chestnuts by the fire. You can email her here..

January 22, 2009

CHECKS AND BALANCES

Credit:

Michelle's Smirk Keeps Obama Grounded

SexyChattyCattyI'VE SEEN A LOT OF INTERVIEWS WITH MICHELLE AND BARACK OBAMA. They love each other, she's his rock, blah, blah.

But I think I got some real insight into that relationship on Inauguration Day. It was my favorite moment of the day.

As the president was being sworn in, Chief Justice Roberts flubbed the oath, making Obama trip over the words. Meanwhile you see Michelle... smirk. She seems to swallow a chuckle.

If millions around the world weren't watching I'm sure she would've let out a hearty "Ha!"

That tells me a little more about their relationship than any of the interviews they've given so far. It suggests equality and a true friendship. And I loved it.

Oh, some days she may feel like throwing a shoe at him, and he may deserve it. But you can see that she's got his back, and serves as his equilibrium. And he'll need that kind of support in the challenging years ahead.


SexyChattyCatty comments at CrabbyGolightly.com on TV, America's favorite snack food.

January 21, 2009

PROMISE

First Daughters Sasha, 7 and Malia, 10

As They Move Into White House, First Daughters' Obituaries Are Written

By Crabby Golightly

WORDS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO CAPTURE THE EUPHORIA AND HOPE that sweep America and much of the world today as Barack Obama gets sworn in as the U.S’s 44th president. I am not going to even try; I’ll leave that task to the reporters-of-record.

Rather, my mind is on two little girls who move into the White House today under the shadow of their father.

Can Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, comprehend at their tender ages that the first lines of their obituaries are already written? “Daughter of the first African-American president.”

The spotlight will put immense pressure on them to acquiesce to our projections. Already the pundits posit them as “fashion icons,” toy trendsetters and “new heights of cuteness" among Presidents’ children. And they haven’t even moved in yet!

Fame has a way of reflecting what we want to see in celebrities, forgetting the complexity of the persons behind the images, exalting but also imprisoning.

Yet in a column in the Wall Street Journal today, Jenna and Barbara Bush, twin daughters of George W. and Barbara Bush, give advice to the Obama girls, recount their own times as the daughters and granddaughters of Presidents, and said of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., “there is no doubt that it is a magical place at any age.”

Susan Eisenhower, daughter of President Dwight Eisenhower concurs. “It’s like a dream," Eisenhauer told SKYNews. Malia and Sasha’s lives “will never, ever be the same again. There are very few presidential families in the country so it comes with a great deal of ongoing responsibility, and I don't think those young girls have any idea of what is going to happen to them."

Here’s my wish that they grow up to become whom they choose to be, free from our demands that they fulfill our fantasies.

January 20, 2009

FIRST!

The First Daughters At Swearing In Ceremony

Malia & Sasha: Just Like You & Me

By Danielle Cadet

FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, BLACK CHILDREN will laugh and run through the halls of the White House today as "First Daughters."

News anchors will comment about how adorable and innocent Malia and Sasha are — because who knew black kids could be cute and innocent too?

And little black girls and boys will see them on TV and really know for the first time that it's possible to grow up to be the president.

Amid Tuesday's pomp and circumstance, it's easy to forget that these are just two little girls. And while they're father's excellent adventure has landed them on TV and magazine covers, their eyes lack the bored look of spoiled children. They haven’t felt the sting of the past, and their eyes glitter with promise.

“A part of what this family is going to do is to show that families of color are not so different,” Nikki Brown, an assistant professor of history at the University of New Orleans, told the New York Times.

“That’s what I see, when I see them on TV: a working father, a working mother, a grandmother that cares for the babies, children that are doing well in school,” Ms. Brown said. “That’s a narrative that the country is still trying to create a language for, normal families of color.”

And because of the Obamas, and two little girls, millions of eyes shine brighter today.

Danielle Cadet is a Danielle is a journalism student Northwestern University who likes to write about fashion and popular culture catastrophes.

THE LOW LIFE

Credit: VH1

Brittany Gets Kicked Off The Love Bus

By Miz J Miz J

ALRIGHT, BEFORE I GET TO LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE, can we talk about Bret Michaels shilling for Time Life collections? Seriously, once you start hawking the greatest hits from the 80s hardest rockers, you would think that you are too old/washed up for groupies.

But I overestimate women. The Love Bus is proof, and this time the ladies (I’m using THAT word loosely here) hit the road for Champaign, IL.

Here the challenge is a variation of the Stroller Derby game from the second season, except this time it’s on ice, it’s a lot more violent, and tit implants are popped like so many day-old birthday balloons. The winners of this challenge get to spend an enchanting evening at Big Al's strip club with Bret, competing for his affections with other women who lose valuable tips when they do. So you can bet that the inside of that place looks and smells like a porn shoot. That might be why Bunny Boiler is having such a good time, in spite of her rambling proclamations of being done with porn, yada, yada, yada. I like how she’s gone from “doing porn” in the first episode to "being a producer/director of porn" in the third. Now, I’ve been saying there’s something off about this chick since the beginning, but it seems to finally be dawning on Bret, who ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, folks.

The chicks start picking on Bunny Boiler for stealing used socks (really, don’t make me get into the details, it’s completely stupid) until Melissa gets caught talking shit about Bret to her boyfriend on the phone. Someone please explain why you’d go on Rock of Love and try to be Bret’s one and only, complaining about the competition…and then have a boyfriend back home. I think the peroxide and leaking silicone are fucking with her mentals.

Other notable (and I use THAT term loosely too) moments: Maria breaks the record for usage of the phrase "retired model." Does she DO anything else on this show? And furthermore, is anyone familiar with ANY of her alleged portfolio? Yawn, what a waste of airtime.

Ashlee thinks she’s cute, but has anyone else noticed that the bitch looks like a beat-down Juliette Lewis?

Naturally, the two that made for the most interesting TV are gone, with Bret ditching Bunny Boiler and berating Melissa for criticizing him and having a man. Wait. Weren’t you just using your date with her and TWO OTHER GIRLS as an excuse to ogle STILL MORE GIRLS? This guy is such a douche!

Clearly, VH1 and Michaels were at least clever enough to pick women who won’t pick up on that fact.

Miz J, who works in advertising, has tons of opinions and a big mouth to broadcast them across the globe; however, the Internet saves her the trouble of yelling. Check out her blog at Miz J.

January 19, 2009

AMERICANA

QVC's Barack Obama Throw

Barack Obama Is For Sale: Check Out These Websites

By Crabby Golightly

EVEN CRABBY, A JADED FADING POLITICAL JUNKIE, IS SWEPT UP in the good vibe of the impending Obama Inauguration.

I watched C-Span's coverage of the Whistle Stop Train Tour to Washington, D.C., whispered a "Happy Birthday'' to my astrological sister Michelle, and prayed that the goodwill inspired by Obama will last beyond the first 100 days.

He'll be our Rock Star President, a political celebrity engendering slavish support from adoring fans. He's sleek and smart and even hipper than President Elvis. Of course, everyone wants a piece of him.

Alas, not everybody's lucky enough to get a golden ticket to the Inaugural Ball. So we'll have to buy our piece of history.

Fortunately, souvenirs of the inauguration of America's first black president and 44th president are in ample supply. So here for your shopping ease are some websites from which you can purchase commemorative stamps, plates, coins -- anything to let you own a little bit of "Our Rock, Barack."

Crabby has discriminating taste, so for me the only choice is the HOPE poster created by Shepard Fairey, and now part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery. Amazon has numerous available from private sellers ranging in price from $1.99 to $14.95.

QVC is offering a variety of items to commemorate President Obama's taking office. Opt for the Commemorative Cover w/3 Stamps and 1/20/09 D.C. Postmark, yours for just $24.99, plus $3.97 shipping and handling.

There's also the Barack Obama Framed Ltd. Edition Inauguration Speech With Photo, with the introductory price of $75.48 (or yours for just $83 on QVC).

And my favorite --- the Commemorative Barack Obama 50" x 60" Cotton Throw, an essential for those who want to feel the safety of Barack's warm embrace. QVC's Price: $41.00.

The nation's most valuable network C-Span is selling video hightlights of inaugural events. It's a steal at $12.95; order your copy now! Or for just $19.95 you can order a two-disc CD set that includes inaugural highlights along with Obama's greatest speeches.

Read about more Obama commemorative products here!

IRONY

Credit: Splash News Agency

Oprah Reveals That Lies Get "Bigger and Bigger"

By Crabby Golightly

IN WHAT SURELY IS ONE OF THE MOST CLASSIC FREUDIAN SLIPS OF ALL TIMES, Oprah Winfrey released a statement yesterday saying she was "very disappointed'' that Herman Rosenblat's faux Holocaust memoir was really just about an angel in his imagination.

But here's the kicker, here's the funny part: Oprah follows up by saying, "That's what happens with lies. They get bigger and bigger and bigger."

Crabby just about lost her breath with the truthfulness of Oprah's statement, because it is clear, at least to me, that she is subconsciously talking about herself and not Mr. Rosenblat.

Scandals are popping up all over the place against Saint Oprah: the headmistress of her South African school sues for slander; ex-lover Randolph Cook pushes his book revealing a sex-and-drug-fueled affair with the Media Maven 10 years after she admitted to one; a man accused of attempting to extort Oprah files a $180 million lawsuit claiming she made false statements about him that led to his arrest by the FBI; mom Vernita gets sued for not paying a clothier, then has the audacity to countersue the company because it was legally bound not to extend her credit.

Cook, the ex-lover who's dying of esophageal cancer, says "Americans have placed Oprah on a pedestal that has been seemingly invincible until now." Well, she's not been knocked down yet, Mr. Cook, and good luck trying.

Is it a coincidence that Oprah has ballooned as these revelations have hit the news pages? Don't think so.

And neither, apparently, does Oprah's subconscious.

January 17, 2009

AT THE BOX OFFICE

Credit:Bauer-Griffin.com

Boring 'Bride Wars' Panders To the Chic Flick Niche

Credit: Marc Sakol's Sweet DreamsBy Marc Sakol

HERE'S A FEW CAPSULED REVIEWS TO HELP DECIDE WHICH MOVIE TO SEE THIS WEEKEND.


Bride Wars
Starring Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Johnson, Bryan Greenberg, Candice Bergen. Directed by Gary Winick.


Lazy is a good way to describe this movie; the writer's were lazy, the actor's were lazy and the director was lazy. It feels like everyone involved just phoned it in.

The movie delivers cheap jokes, insipid sight gags and a thin plot. It's clear that this movie was nothing more than a studio trying to cash "chick flick" phenomena.

The movie follows the story of two very beautiful women (Hudson and Hathaway) who play best friends who plan to have their weddings at the same place on different days. But a snafu leads to both weddings being booked for the same day, and one has to change their plans. Hijinks ensue as each woman tries to get the other to change their wedding date; hijinks perhaps, but no hilarity here.

The main problem with this movie is that it took a concept made popular on TV's (Bridezillas) and then tried to make a movie out of it.

Overall: This movie is awful -- but the studio gets what it wants: a lock on the female audience. If it was up to me, It would toss it in the trash with the rest of the floor popcorn.


Read reviews on Revolutionary Road and The Unborn here!

Marc Sakol understands the kindness in strangers, which is why he abandons hope of actually getting to know people. He spends his time falling head first into video games, watching every movie ever made and writing for his blog Sarcasm Not Included.

January 16, 2009

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

Credit: Ryann Flynn

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

Photos by Ryann Flynn

THE STILLNESS OUTSIDE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DIPS BELOW ZERO illustrates perfectly the meaning of the phrase "dead of winter."

Credit: Ryann Flynn Despite subhuman conditions, the snow and cold offer the temporary white-washing of the world's grim news and grime.

For a little while, the world looks pure and beautiful, and for as long as the fresh snow lasts, there is peace.

I say let's all call in sick from our jobs tomorrow, make sure the doggies and kitties are safe inside, and enjoy the calm while it lasts.


Ryann Flynn is an avid recycling, Gimlet-drinking, Chicago Cubs-loving art director trying to bust into advertising. You can check out her work at ryannflynn.carbonmade.com.

January 14, 2009

Pornographer Larry Flynt Tries Crashing Congress' Spending Orgy

By SexyChattyCatty

SexyChattyCatty<I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN I HEARD A RADIO REPORT ABOUT LARRY FLYNT and Joe Francis' request for federal bailout money. I laughed so loud and so hard I could have rear-ended somebody. (Ha ha.)

I work for a porn site. And just weeks ago, my company threw a lavish Christmas soiree at a high-end restaurant overlooking the Delaware River. They rented the entire restaurant where the waiters served canapes, the bar was open, and the bartenders refused tips!

On the menu there were seafood and sushi, lamb and fish, prime rib and filet mignon. And I still can't forget that divine dessert bar!

Since our daily wear is little better than pajamas, it was nice to see my colleagues all spit and shined. Some of them were almost unrecognizable.

That was seven days before Christmas. Five days before Christmas, 40 of us got on a chartered New York-bound bus where we were treated to a Broadway show. (Just in case you didn't feel like fighting New York City Christmas traffic). Then the day after Christmas the bonuses were handed out. I was orgasmic with joy.

Does porn need bailout money? You tell me.

Speaking to a Shreveport, La. KSLA-TV reporter on the subject, adult store owner Glenn Wilson said he's ready for his. "Business has been going down constantly just like anything else when people lose their jobs. They don't have that much money to spend so this is ...one of the first places to go. But we're holding our own." We never lose our sense of humor in pun, uh, porn.

The report also quotes Mr. Flynt who calls the request a joke. Flynt said he's asking for the $5 billion "to show how irresponsible Congress can be when it comes to dealing with taxpayer dollars. I'm dead serious about making Congress look stupid."

Larry Flynt -- my hero.

SexyChattyCatty comments at CrabbyGolightly.com on porn and TV, America's favorite snack foods.

AMERICAN IDOL

Credit: American Idol

'American Idol' Returns After Tragic Lesson In Obliging Obsessed Fan

By Nicki R Nicki R.

IF YOU PUT A FEW DRINKS IN ME, THROW ME IN A KARAOKE BAR, I'D be belting out Livin' on a Prayer within the hour. But no matter how many Coronas I downed, I would never be smashed enough to audition for American Idol.

As Idol opens its eighth season tonight, take pity on the innocents who flee the audition room sobbing or cursing because the judges didn’t like their vocal stylings.

Every season it’s the same thing: a pretty girl butchering a Mariah Carey song; some guy overdressed to compensate for his lack of vocal range; a wannabe country crooner.

What these misguided risk-takers have in common is that someone once told them they were great singers. So they took a chance at fame, only to find themselves mocked before a televised audience by the ruthless Simon Cowell.

This season, Idol producers are tweaking the show that has dipped in ratings by adding a new judge -- songwriter and producer Kara DioGuardi.

And then there's the promise of spending less time exploiting bad singers, a presumed consequence of the suicide of Paula Goodspeed, an Idol reject and obsessed Paula Abdul fan who overdosed in her car outside of Abdul's home in November. Abdul has publicly lashed out at Idol's producers for allowing the obsessed Goodspeed to audition.

In an interview with TV reporters last month, Cowell disingenuously deflected suggestions that the judges' withering criticism played any role in Goodspeed's suicide. "I have thought long and hard about this,'' he told USA Today. "I think we will continue in the way we've always done it. In the main, we've tried to have a sense of humor over the whole process. You assume everyone who enters American Idol kind of knows the score. If you're not great, you're going to get criticism."

It will be interesting to see if Cowell becomes more self conscious of his harsh commentary this year and how well the show adapts to its new twists.

But here’s my advice to would-be singers who want to take that stage: Take vocal lessons, perform at open mic nights, and karaoke while you’re sober -- anything to get an honest assessment before stepping into the national spotlight. Because not every one who checks into Hotel California gets to be an American Idol.

Nicki R. is a Southern girl living in the big city of Chicago. She loves quiet evenings a home watching horror films with her dogs Jezebelle and Zombie. She can be reached at nickiret@hotmail.com.

January 13, 2009

WORLDS COLLIDE

Beyonce Strikes A Pose

On The Red Carpet, The Cheesy Stands Alone

By Natalie Melendez

THE 66TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES USHERED IN TINSELTOWN'S high season for award shows. And thus, celebrity gossip fiends like me also fete. Natalie

I found myself torn between the networks' red carpet coverage: I could watch NBC’s cheese-fest with Brooke Burke, Tiki Barber, and Nancy O'Dell or the E!, staring the human fruit fly Ryan Seacrest and his sidekick, Giuliana Rancic.

The deal breaker came via TV Guide's hosts Joey Fatone, formerly of N’Sync and Lisa Rinna. Wow! Let the cringing begin!

Lisa Rinna did her best Joan Rivers-shtick as the standard loudmouth, obtrusive, foot-in-mouth host, while Joey Fatone was, actually...not that bad. A great deal more enjoyable than ol' fruit fly over at E!

Who looked absolutely stunning, as usual, was Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. I don’t seem to recall a time when Kate hasn’t dressed appropriately, but correct me if I’m wrong.

Glenn Close looked like Standard Glenn Close, dressed in the same general ensemble we’ve seen for the past 15 years of award shows: a gold St. Johns-esque pantsuit in a print that I swear I've seen previously on Macy's catalog couch. Oh well, at least she “looked her age,” which is a phrase I would not apply to Rita Wilson.

Oh Rita, did you pick that little number up at Nancy Sinatra’s garage sale? Sadly, Lisa used her obligatory “bleep” of the night to inform Rita that she looked “fucking gorgeous,” which, in an odd way, was Lisa at her most charming.

The ever-adorable Elisabeth Moss of Mad Men was overshadowed during her interview when Brad and Angie arrived looking every bit the hollow showroom mannequins. Maybe that's why they ignored Ryan Seacrest's repeated overtures. Oh, Angelina, the humanity! The hypocrisy!

While Angelina could easily win "the most beautiful" title among Hollywood women, she could also win "worst dressed." Angie has a knack for sort-of-kind-of nailing it. In this instance, she appeared to be wearing a beige flour sack.

One of the best moments came when Lisa Rinna got hold of Tom Brokaw, a veritable fish out of water amid the sunny, amiable California vibes. Visibly dismayed by Lisa’s attempt to “talk shop” on the woes of being a news correspondent, Brokaw explained, “This is not my normal line of work.”

Joey seemed to fare a bit better with Eva Longoria, who looked tanned and lovely in a becoming red gown. I don’t want to like her, but I have to give credit where it’s due.

One delightfully awkward moment occurred when Lisa got her claws on Susan Sarandon, who nearly abandoned her son while fleeing.

The camera kept panning to a lonely and melancholic-looking David Duchovny. Even Lisa Rinna adopted a soothing, sympathetic tone for their brief interview, “So, how are you?”

Tony Shalhoub channeled the ghost of George Harrison with a “Beatles goes to meet the Maharishi” get-up.

After Lisa cornered Debra Messing and gushed how she’s like to be her in a next life, I’d had enough. Time for the real show to begin.

Natalie Melendez is a work in progress. Currently she resides in an undisclosed mountainous California location, where she spends her time studying, writing and roasting chestnuts by the fire. You can email her here.

January 12, 2009

WINNERS

Kate WinsletMickey Rourke

In The Land Of Make-Believe, Beauty And The Beast Win Over The Fairest Of Them All

By Crabby Golightly

ANGELA WHO? THAT IS FUCKING FUUNNNY!

Crabby did not watch last night's Golden Globes but I've got a good nose to recognize the night's best blurb.

The gracious "beauty" Kate Winslet, 33, took home both the Best Actress and Supporting Actress categories for her turns in Revolutionary Road and The Reader. She beat out Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Meryl Streep (Doubt), and Kristin Scott-Thomas (I've Loved You So Long).

Brad & Angela When the winner was announced, Kate screamed, she cried, and when she got the to the stage she uttered what she seemed like an apology the other nominees -- "I'm so sorry Ann, "Meryl, Kristin, oh gawd who's the other one? Angelina!"

I wonder if a woodsman has been hired to bring home Winslet's heart in a box today?

But the good news is that Brangelina had four shoulders to cry on when Brad lost for Best Actor (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) to none other than actor-turned-boxer-turned-that-beastly Mickey Rourke, who won for his performance in The Wrestler.

The other nominees for Best Actor were Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) and Sean Penn (Milk).

Thank god for those Europeans, for whom the art of marketing comes second to acting, and who reflected something refreshingly different through TV's magic mirror.

THE LOW LIFE

Credit: Poison

Penicillin, Anyone? You'll Need It On This 'Love' Sick Tour

By Miz J Miz J

LET''S TAKE 20 SKANKS WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS and put them on the road in a bus to see what happens. If you’ll recall, last summer, what happened was that one of the crew members on this mobile fuckfest slammed into another car on I-57 in Illinois and killed two 19-year-old women.

No word on whether Bret tried to resuscitate them with what we can only guess is an STD-infected tongue. He did ask VH1 to halt production on the show, though…you know, for a few days or whatever.

However, since he’s not one to bow out (he reserves that for relationships that might actually lead him somewhere besides the free clinic), Michaels is back in full swing, and this time, it’s 10 times nastier, skankier and more disgusting than anything we’ve previously seen.

In all frankness, I wonder sometimes if Bret Michaels just pops penicillin daily to keep the nasty fully contained. Is there, like, a battle raging inside this tormented soul? A battle, say, of his white blood cells against the sharp-fanged offspring of Gonorrhea? God – no, scratch that – SATAN only knows.

I won’t even get into the petty shit, because neither you guys nor I have the time or energy. What I will address from the first episode is the shot heard ‘round the world. I speak, of course, of the *ahem* coochie shot. Holy shit, Gia. You actually managed to disgust Bret Michaels.

Read the full story here!

Miz J, who works in advertising, has tons of opinions and a big mouth to broadcast them across the globe; however, the Internet saves her the trouble of yelling. Check out her blog at Miz J

VIRAL VIRTUE

YouTube's Sideshow To Brit's 'Circus'

By Crabby Golightly

IT BOGGLES THE MIND TO THINK THAT YOUTUBE HAS ONLY BE FILLING THE VOID SINCE 2005.

Imagine the billions of funny, pointless, desperate, violent and or existential moments from strangers' lives that we've missed seeing over centuries! I guess that's why people used to read.

I confess: I am not one to sit around and watch videos of kitties swatting at bottlecaps or time-lapsed season changes.

But as my luck would have it, this observer was in the vicinity of an entertainer perusing YouTube for covers of Brit's new Circus."

This duo undeniably has the best rendition. But what do I know; I'm just a wannabe in the back seat.

January 11, 2009

EARLY EDITION

 

Tabloid Trash Talk

Baywatch, Botox, Breakups And Britney Are On The Menu

By Vegas Vegas

SOME PEOPLE SAY DIVORCE IS A HUMAN TRAGEDY. You know what I say is a human tragedy? Perez Hilton’s book. Let’s go to the tabloids!

In Touch Weekly

On The Cover: "Who’s Had Plastic Surgery.'' It’s not a question. In Touch actually knows! No they don’t. In Touch fails to understand the difference between facial expression and hours in the makeup chair covering wrinkles.

Apparently so does Megan Fox. Insiders report the 22-year-old has already started “preventative” Botox injections.

And speaking of facial expressions: What’s up with this picture of Suri on page 25? It looks like they photoshopped a tired, old lady’s face onto her body. Or maybe she should give up that Scientology baby-formula.

If the meltdown of J-Lo and Marc Anthony’s marriage teaches us anything, it’s that celebrity couples shouldn’t take vacations together. There’s a sidebar story on how long other celebrity couples have stayed together after romantic vacations. (Verdict: Not long.) The Puerto Rican getaway this couple has been on could prove to be The End.

The story about the Travolta family tragedy also doubles as a retrospective of Kelly Preston’s hairstyles. Wait, I think that’s Meg Ryan in one of these photos.

Also, Spencer Pratt didn’t realize weddings need to be legalized. (Lucky for Heidi Montag!) He also believes in Santa Claus.

This is the sort of thing that makes me bow down before my TV set. VH1 will be airing Confessions of a Teen Idol, featuring a bunch of washed up 90s “side kick” actors. This story about meth-faced Jeremy Jackson, a former hottie of Baywatch, asks “Is There A Baywatch Curse?” Yes, it’s called Baywatch.

Read more tabloid trash here!

Vegas is a gambler who always loses money on craps. She spends her time in Chicago with her husband, two cats and various artistic endeavors which are beginning to take up way too much space in her house and hard drive. She blogs at jensaysanything.blogspot.com.

January 10, 2009

SNAP REVIEWS

 'Dirty Harry' In Detroit</b>

'Dirty Harry' Is Retired And Living In Detroit

Credit: Marc Sakol's Sweet DreamsBy Marc Sakol

Here's the low-down on some recently released movies.


Gran Torino
Starring Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Geraldine Hughes, Dreama Walker. Directed by Clint Eastwood.



Dirty Harry is back. At least, that's how Gran Torino looks to me with the familiar mix of action, black humor and some "thought-provoking" moments.

It's never a question of whether Eastwood is going to deliver in a movie -- he almost always brings his A-game. Now one of Hollywood's elder statesman, he's one of its best actors and directors.

It's clear that in Gran Torino, Eastwood borrowed some ideas from Million Dollar Baby. Here, his character Walt is a leering loner surrounded by strangers who threaten his comfort zone and his racial stereotypes. It's a character that Eastwood inhabits effortlessly, so I won't complain. Yet Torino doesn't live up to Eastwood's epic dramas of the last few years, despite its surprising end twists.

Summary: Worth $15 for a ticket and popcorn on a Saturday night, but don't expect Clint to keep Oscar company next year.

Read the full post here.

Marc Sakol understands the kindness in strangers, which is why he abandons hope of actually getting to know people. He spends his time falling head first into video games, watching every movie ever made and writing for his blog Sarcasm Not Included.

January 09, 2009

MEDIA NEWS

EGM Finally Loses Its Game</b>

Revered Gamers' Mag 'EGM' Captured And Killed

Credit: Marc Sakol's Sweet DreamsBy Marc Sakol

GAMERS RECEIVED A FIGURATIVE KICK IN THE NUTS TODAY when it was announced that the granddaddy of gaming media -- Electronic Gaming Monthly, or EGM as it was known – is dead. February’s final issue will ship later this month.

The news broke this morning that EGM’s publisher, Ziff Davis, was sold to UGO Entertainment and its parent company, Hearst. Included in the buy are the gaming sites 1UP.com, GameVideos.com, MyCheats.com, and GameTab.com.

EGM had its start in Chicago and survived against a steady stream of competitors. Rumors of the buyout have been around for months, but the impending death of the magazine was only confirmed this morning on 1UP’s site.

Founded in 1989 by Steve Harris, EGM was for years the only gaming magazine around, maintaining the best street cred for on target reporting. Today’s announcement included word that about 40 1UP/EGM staffers will lose their jobs.

EGM was my personal favorite among game magazines since the late 1980s, and it inspired me to want to be a gaming journalist. Even now I relentlessly follow 1UP.com as a gaming news source because of its reliability and credibility. I frequently listened to their podcasts on iTunes, wrote letters to its editor and even posted comments on the site. In an ironic twist, I listened to a 1UP podcast last night with staffers talking about what a great year 2009 was going to be.

My departing words: Shine on, you crazy diamonds; I’m betting I’ll catch your sparkle somewhere else in the new year.

Marc Sakol understands the kindness in strangers, which is why he abandons hope of actually getting to know people. He spends his time falling head first into video games, watching every movie ever made and writing for his blog Sarcasm Not Included.

January 07, 2009

LOSS

Credit: Travolta.com

The Travolta Tragedy Reminds Us: In The End, We Are All Equal

By Crabby Golightly

I F YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES, THE WISDOM OF JOHN TRAVOLTA'S SON BEING CREMATED becomes crystal clear, particularly if there is no gravesite at which morbid curiousity-seekers can gather to suck life from the dead.

(Frankly, the world would be a better place if there were fewer mawkish televised visits to the gravesites of celebrities. That's a hint, Larry Birkhead. )

It doesn't matter whether you liked John Travolta or not, knew anything about his son Jett, heard the whispers of some secret illness, the boy's death must be a crushing blow to his family and we feel sick for his loss.

The Travoltas are just the latest to meet the limits of celebrity: The Los Angeles coroner announced this week that an overdose of heroin and morphine killed Andre Young Jr., Rapper Dr. Dre's 20-year-old son, who was found dead in his bedroom last August.

The news media will be filled for days debating the sins of these fathers.

Did John Travolta ignore a life-threatening illness? Was or was not Jett attended by a nanny during the hours before his death? And isn't it ironic that Dr. Dre's long-promised and last album is entitled Detox?

I don't want to fathom -- nor can any of us ever really know -- the answers.

POLITICS

Obama's Stimulus Package Is Akin To Plugging A Damn With A Thumb

Obama's Stimulus Package: A Quick Fix to Systemic Illness

By Crabby Golightly

WHAT A FIX WE'RE IN. With the economy in a free-fall, and HOPE's Washington arrival only days away, I've got an uneasy feeling about the latest $775 bailout being readied for President-elect Barack Obama to sign into law.

Okay, something's got to be done. But this RX seems frighteningly reminiscent of what was once derisively termed "voodoo economics" when the same economic logic was practiced by none other than Ronald Reagan.

As Reuters reports, "Despite such challenges as the ailing economy, two wars and an estimated 46 million Americans without health insurance, the opening day of Congress promised to be something of a victory party for the Democrats who expanded their control of the Senate and House of Representatives in the November election."

Surely it won't be hard to get the Dems to sign-off on more spending; ditto the Republicans' on a reported $310 billion in tax cuts for businesses and the middle class.

Obama has already shown on the campaign trail that he can win support from both sides of the aisle; what he hasn't proven is that he can hold Congress' accountable.

It's easy to print more money and throw a welcoming party, but so far there's a lack of evidence that the country has the discipline to wean itself off oil and endless credit.
I'm ready for the celebration of new leadership in Washington. Heck, I may even buy some commemorative Obama stamps from QVC come inaugural weekend. But the clock is ticking, the bill is ballooning, and I can't help but ask: where's our finacial fix if we forever refuse to pay up?

I'll try to be patient but someone needs to remind Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid not to get giddy yet. Washington needs to implement legislative and systemic changes to our economy -- i.e. more business oversight, increased ethics legislation, a reward system for improved efficiencies and better products -- and not just a thumb in the dyke.

January 06, 2009

SELLING CELEBRITY

Credit: In Touch Weekly

Tabloid Trash Talk

Ang Races Jen To The Altar! Katie's Gets A Scientology 'Cleansing.' And Frances Bean Grows Up

By Vegas Vegas

BACK TO WORK, FLACKS!

It's only January 5th and the dream weavers have already been very busy getting their clients -- adults and toddlers alike -- in the tabloids. Or doing a really pissy job of keeping them out!

OK! Weekly

OK's cover screams that doctors warn Angelina Jolie she’ll be risking her life if she gets pregnant again. Angie might have to channel her inner Laura Croft if she and Brad want more biological children. Complications during her previous pregnancies have led doctors, who don’t treat her, to report that she shouldn’t risk having any more kids. Good thing the Third World is so big. There are plenty of babies for this altruistic couple to adopt, though there's no doubt progeny from their gene pool advances evolution.

Also: What the fuck is Alanis Morissette doing in the tabs? Well, isn’t THIS ironic? The feminist icon for every “wommyn” in my sophomore dormitory has finally jumped on the body image crazy train with an interview about dropping 20 pounds.

Hers isn’t the only body OK! is offering up to ogles.

A six page article of nine of 2009’s “Hottest Bodies” puts Britney at #1. Killer abs will get you everywhere! Nicollette Sheridan likes nude housework as a workout. There are some things you just shouldn’t do naked, and vacuuming under the coffee table is definitely one of them.

Star

Nicole Richie is ready for baby No. 2! Nicole and Joel are planning a sibling for little Harlow in 2009. They’re aiming for a big brood and hoping for twins, which run in the Madden family (Joel’s twin, Benji, famously dated Paris Hilton for a hot second.) I think it’s just an excuse for Nicole to launch a new maternity clothing line, because the world needs another unaffordable celebrity clothing label.

Also: It’s The Year of the Baby and Star reports that Lance Armstrong’s “secret” girlfriend and Molly Ringwald are both expecting. Sadly for Lance, Molly is not his secret girlfriend. That would be news.

Read more of this week's tabloid trash talk here.

Vegas is a gambler who always loses money on craps. She spends her time in Chicago with her husband, two cats and various artistic endeavors which are beginning to take up way too much space in her house and hard drive. She blogs at jensaysanything.blogspot.com.

January 05, 2009

SPACE LITTER

Credit: SkyMall

Sky Mall: The Fix For Strapped-In Shop-A-Holics

By Miz J

Miz J ALL ACROSS AMERICA, BORED FLIERS ON THEIR WAY HOME FROM HOLIDAY TRIPS ARE PERUSING THE UNINTENTIONAL HILARITY THAT IS THE SKY MALL.

I had the pleasure this year of window-shopping during a long, sweaty return flight from Florida in order to distract me from my biohazardous brother as he fought the good fight with strep throat.

As my brother whined and wheezed, I flipped through the pages and encountered products that can only be construed as breakthrough genius....or a waste of Earth's resources. You decide.

Bed rest
MASSAGING HEATED BED REST
This is for the person who reads, eats, watches television, writes letters, cries, keeps a journal, essentially does everything in bed -- except have sex.    $125.00

Hair visor
FLAIR HAIR VISOR
I know what you’re thinking. Is that…can it be…? Yes. That is douche-y, Gotti- kid hair GLUED into the visor. And the worst part is that there’s a version for kids too. $24.99

Forest faces
FOREST FACES
A sort-of modern totem pole for the crazed sports fan. Or maybe just a substitute for leaving your mark by pissing. Available with baseball and football team logos. These are freaky. Do not buy them. $19.99.

Read about more unique products here.

Miz J, who works in advertising, has tons of opinions and a big mouth to broadcast them across the globe; however, the Internet saves her the trouble of yelling. Check out her blog at Miz J.

January 03, 2009

NEW AT THE BOX OFFICE

Owen Wilsin in 'Marley & Me'

Marley & Me: The New Bambi

Credit: Marc Sakol's Sweet DreamsBy Marc Sakol

Arundown on some just-opened flicks.

Marley and Me
Starring Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin. Directed by David Frankel.


In the words of everyone's favorite fishheaded admiral, "IT'S A TRAP!" I'm warning you now -- this is not a happy, fun dog movie. This film is guaranteed to leave your little one in a puddle of tears as you're walking out the theater.

OK, so Marley is an adorable dog that causes all sorts of mayhem. That's the entire plot. It's simple and easy and would have made for a decently good dog-comedy. Unfortunately, the movie hits and misses when it comes to the jokes.

Dramatically, Marley doesn't do much except die. The best thing I can say is that the Wilson and Arkin are great and it's good to see Aniston on the big screen. I just wish they were in a better movie.

Summary: Don't take impressionable little kids or you may scar them for life. Sort of like what Bambi did to my generation.


It's Raining Gumballs in 'Bedtime Stories'
Bedtime Stories
Starring Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, and Courteney Cox. Directed by Adam Shankman.


Adam Sandler has come a long way from his days as retarded screw-up (see: Billy Madison). If anyone had asked me back when Happy Gilmore came out if I could ever see Sandler doing a Disney movie, I would have laughed and then slapped them, probably with some sort of fish.

But now we have Bedtime Stories, about an uncle who tells stories to his niece and nephew which then come true upon waking. It's a decent kids film, with enough color and movement to keep the little ones entertained, and enough plot to keep the tweens engaged.

Summary: Sandler has proven once again shown that you can basically throw him into any "white guy" role and watch him pull it off. This movie is a pretty good placeholder for Sandler fans while they wait for next years Funny People. A better choice for the little ones than Marley & Me.


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton. Directed by David Fincher.


I won't lie: I'm a huge David Fincher fan. Seven is easily in my top five favorite movies. Fight Club? Not so much, but that's another story. Anyway, you've been forewarned that I'm going to go overboard on my praise.

Benjamin Button is one of those really... interesting films. You hear the plotline and you think "WTF?" A movie about a person born as an 80-year old man and then ages backwards sounds just a bit too oddball for John Q. Public. Not to mention that it clocks in at just under three hours.

Don't let those facts scare you away from the movie though. Fincher proves once again that he is a great storyteller. The movie draws you in so well that you don't even notice the time passing.

Brad Pitt again shows how fantastic of an actor he really is. I hear a lot of people that they won't even bother with a Pitt movie just because he's in it; that makes me cringe. Just because he's in the celeb mags doesn't mean he isn't worth the screen time. You can hate him for his good looks and talent while watching this movie.

Summary: This flick is fun and original and worth the ticket price.

Marc Sakol understands the kindness in strangers, which is why he abandons hope of actually getting to know people. He spends his time falling head first into video games, watching every movie ever made and writing for his blog Sarcasm Not Included.

January 02, 2009

NEW YEAR

Credit: TheLittleChimpSociety.com

Unbelievable WTFs! Celebrity Predictions for 2009

By Crabby Golightly

GOOD RIDDANCE TO 2008. In 19 days, Mr. Obama Goes to Washington, credit will flow freely, men will stop warring, and sex won't be a sin anymore.

Okay, we're exaggerating. Crabby does not buy into the "messiah" promise. But things have bound to be better. Could they be any worse than they were in 2008? Is it possible for President Barack Obama to underperform President Bush? We're betting not in a millenium.

With all those good tidings, what conflict will motivate us to read?

We'll always have La La Land, eternal home of make-believe. So here's some predictions of Hollywood headlines in the New Year!

Brangelina Auction Off Twins Vivian and Knox To The Highest Bidder!
Because Brad and Ang really really really want to fund their charity to build greener houses, clear Third World countries of landmines, and deprive two rich white kids of entitlement.

Oprah Goes To Washington
And the Secret Service puts her on the watch list for stalking the new President, trying to breeze her way into the White House by calling herself The First Lady.

Starlet Tila Tequila Stars In New Bi-Reality Show
Audience members use the vote-o-meter to decide which sexual position elicits Tila's best fake orgasm.

Miley Cyrus Poses For Playboy
Meets cradle robber Hef during photo shoot. In his desperate rebound from Holly, he moves her into Playboy Mansion and artificially inseminates her with a little horny Hef.

Lindsay Lohan Downscales, Moves Into Closet!
Because that 'gay' thing wasn't such a turn-on when people didn't seem to care.

Mimi and Nick Carter Get A 'Quickie' Divorce, Remarry
Because they decide they deserve a million-dollar wedding splashed on Life & Style's cover after all.

Britney Spears Meets, Marries Gray-Haired Judge
She devises it's the only way L.A.'s courts will let her out of indentured service to Daddy.

Seth Rogan Makes A Porn
Confesses that Zack and Miri was really just sloppy foreplay.

Larry Birkhead's New Surreality Show Hits The Airwaves
It's called the The Ghost And Mr. Birkhead

Happy New Year! And we can be sure that the real 2009 will deliver us unimaginable celebrity mash-ups.

January 01, 2009