Reuters - The Tribeca Film Festival opens on Wednesday, dampened by a U.S. recession that cut the movie slate by nearly a third, but organizers chose more upbeat films in a bid to cheer moviegoers. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 12:47 pm
Reuters - The Tribeca Film Festival opens on Wednesday, dampened by a U.S. recession that cut the movie slate by nearly a third, but organizers chose more upbeat films in a bid to cheer moviegoers. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 12:47 pm
AP - "One Tree Hill" actor Antwon Tanner has pleaded not guilty to involvement in a Social Security scheme. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 12:31 pm
AP - "One Tree Hill" actor Antwon Tanner has pleaded not guilty to involvement in a Social Security scheme. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 12:31 pm
AP - The 14-year-old son of rock singer John Mellencamp has won a division title in the Indiana Golden Gloves boxing tournament. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 11:50 am
Four men behind a Swedish file-sharing Web site used by millions to exchange movies and music have been jailed for a year for collaborating to violate copyright law in a landmark court verdict in Stockholm.
(AP)
AP - Brady Green turned up at television studios from coast to coast in search of Tyra Banks and said he and the supermodel "had a thing together."
LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese piano wizard Lang Lang says he brings music back to life. And if sponsorships help his reincarnations reach a younger, hipper audience, he's for them. Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Apr 2009 | 10:54 am
Reuters - Chinese piano wizard Lang Lang says he brings music back to life. And if sponsorships help his reincarnations reach a younger, hipper audience, he's for them. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 17 Apr 2009 | 10:54 am
'Genres are really starting to blend and it's becoming confusing,' he says of Asleep in the Bread Aisle.By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Tim Kash Asher Roth Photo: MTV News Asher Roth had... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Apr 2009 | 10:51 am
'You gotta have a college degree if you want to work for us,' says MC, who claims he never finished high school but went to junior college.By Shaheem Reid Cam'ron Photo: MTV News Cam'ron isn't... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 17 Apr 2009 | 10:51 am
Reuters - You don't often come out of a documentary humming its music, but James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo's "Every Little Step" involves -- and takes a fresh look at -- the longest-running musical in Broadway history, "A Chorus Line." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 17 Apr 2009 | 6:03 am
AP - Lost souls populate "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," August Wilson's magical, mystical tale of early 20th-century displacement that Lincoln Center Theater has brought back to Broadway for the first time in more than two decades.
When the popster's away, the fans shall play.
A camouflage-clad woman was arrested for trespassing Thursday morning after allegedly sneaking into Britney Spears' gated community...
Zac Efron can: get dirty, clean up nicely, dress up a hallway locker either way and open a movie that's not named High School Musical.
Check, check, check—and check back for...
Rihanna found herself caught in the middle last weekend. Of the country, that is.
E! News has confirmed that students who went to see N.E.R.D. on campus at the University...
Front Page: Show gives special attention to 'Wolverine' -- Twentieth Century Fox's TV and film studios are already playing nice under the new News Corp. regime -- but their first collaboration came by accident.
Front Page: Reese Witherspoon may star in dark comedy -- Fox Searchlight has acquired screen rights to Jen Sacks' "Nice," which will be developed as a potential star vehicle for Reese Witherspoon.
Despite all the casting news from that other franchise, this has been a great week for Harry Potter fans. First came the announcement of an earlier release date—July 15, only two days...
Tyson Apostol may have proved to be the somewhat evil and improbably psychic mastermind of Thursday's episode of Survivor: Tocantins, but Ben "Coach" Wade made sure all was digested...
Hulk Hogan said his comments to Rolling Stone magazine that he can "totally understand" O.J. Simpson -- the former football great found liable for the deaths of his wife and another man -- are being misunderstood.
• Everyone better watch Oprah tomorrow—she's going to tweet for the first time ever. Yeah, we know, pretty huge deal. She'll probably beat Kutcher (or Britney) to one million...
A couple of days ago, Stereogum quoted Dave Matthews announcing that “If this” — the forthcoming Big Whiskey and the GrooGux King — “is the last album that I make, it’s the only album I hope people listen to.” That’s fodder for the middlebrows who have dismissed him all along, of course, but it has us pondering whether the new single “Funny the Way It Is” might measure up to or even surpass “Crash Into Me” or “Stay (Wasting Time),” hits we think rate among the very best of the nineties. Like those two, this one’s deliciously sweet-and-sour, and what it lacks in frank allusions to sex, it makes up for in pure muscle — it’s got a bulletproof groove and the type of bounce that has marked the band all along. If this were his last single, people would know enough to put it in a mix with his other great hits.
E! Online - As John Travolta and Kelly Preston have been piecing their lives back together since the untimely death of their son, Jett, Bahamian prosecutors have been busily piecing together a case against the duo accused of trying to profit from their loss.
Former model turned rocker Jamie Burke shares the spotlight in his band, Bloody Social, with Jamie Biden, vice-president Joe Biden's nephew. But at the New Yorkers for Children gala last night, Burke told us that the Biden name isn't getting their band any more play. "We thought we might get a gig in the White House," he told us. "But not yet." View our Party Lines slideshow to see more hopeful wishes.
Dreier's friends always suspected his girlfriends didn't love him for him.
We’re not going to say we were expecting this. But when a certain balding, brutish, and short lawyer with a taste for yachts and beachfront property (and video art installations featuring Salma Hayek) gets caught allegedly creating $700 million in phony promissory notes and selling them to a dozen hedge funds, but then just as quickly claims to be completely penniless, one of the first things you have to ask is where the money went. Now, at last, we have another clue. Hollywood madam Jodi “Babydol” Gibson has kindly leaked Marc Dreier’s name from one of her little black books, claiming that in the nineties, the ambitious and aggressive white-collar lawyer, then embarking on his own solo practice, was regularly looking for partners at her escort service.
The madam had already named Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis in her 2007 tell-all book. They denied everything — as, through his lawyer, does Dreier. But those close to Dreier always had an idea that his much-younger lady friends weren’t with him for the brilliant conversation. “I was embarrassed for who he brought with him,” says one old friend of Dreier’s who has heard the escort rumors for a while. “I mean, she’s beautiful and tall and skinny, but stupid, just stupid. It was a little bit disappointing, frankly.” Said another friend, months before the madam went public: “The escorts rumor doesn’t surprise me. Dreier was always with women. He liked to be around good-looking women.” There were others whispering, too: Even the immortal Jason Itzler, self-styled “King of All Pimps,” told me a few months ago that Dreier was a regular customer, though he had nothing to back this up but a claim he was “a nice guy.” If Dreier himself ever heard the speculation, it didn’t seem to register. As recently as last year, people still saw him practically every night at the Le Cirque bar — his local watering hole, around the corner from his Beacon Court triplex — with different women, all much younger than he was, often two at one time.
What can we learn from all this? Aside from never giving sole-signatory power over client escrow accounts to a known horndog, perhaps it’s best to think of Marc Dreier as a transaction-minded fellow in every facet of his life. After all, this is the man who, according to prosecutors, gave his 19-year-old son Spencer the title to his two Hamptons houses as a birthday present last October. All the boy had to do, apparently, was agree to spend the summer with his dad. Ah, intimacy: Can you really put a price on it?
Model Coco Rocha enjoyed her E! reporting gig during Fashion Week, except for how she had to be pushy and intrusive and ambush people on red carpets (you know, kind of like we did to ask her about it). “For me to run up to people who have like, eight bodyguards was not my scene,” the model told us at the New Yorkers for Children spring dance last night. “I like to push my envelope a lot, but that was different. I don’t like to get into people’s personal space, I don’t believe in it, so I was like, whoa!” Rocha says she’s more comfortable doing prearranged interviews, but it was a great learning experience, and she intends to explore the field of journalism some more.
She’s also hooked on her red hair, which she dyed several months ago. “My mom is a redhead, and I always wondered how it felt,” she said. “At first it was very different, I felt like I was this walking stop sign. But I like it now — I don’t want to go back.” Rocha says modeling agents prefer a more extreme red. “In the modeling world it’s like they want it really, really red, but to live with really, really red is [like being a] character, so I try and balance in the middle, so we’re both pleased. So I can still walk into my house without looking like Bobo the Clown.”
When we first theorized about the exploding popularity of films in the genre we deemed the Blart, we had no idea that its burgeoning popularity would wreak so much havoc on one of our favorite genres, the highbrow adult drama. But as the Los Angeles Times points out today, State of Play (see David Edelstein's review) is likely to be trounced at the box office this weekend by decidedly lowbrow escapist fare like the body-switching comedy 17 Again and the totally insane fanboy spankbait pic Crank 2. And while some will try to place the blame on the rotund midsection of the unkempt Russell Crowe, Universal production chief Donna Langley realizes that the market for films like this is not commensurate with the budgets that it takes to make these type of star-driven projects.
And she should know; Despite a boatload of press, her studio's recent release of the Julia Roberts comeback vehicle Duplicity flamed out at the box office with a domestic gross of only $37 million (on a production budget of $60MM). It certainly didn't help the studio's margin that $20 million of that budget went to pay Julia Roberts, an actress whose star power is diminishing (Crowe got the same fee for State Of Play). "It will be awhile until there are a lot of really smart [studio] dramas," Langely conceded. Don't feel too bad for her, though; Universal was also the studio that funded Fast & Furious.
So what say you, VultureWatchers? Good riddance to films like this? Should big stars take smaller salaries to work in films like this? Is the indie-movie business model a better route to get "smart" stories on screen? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Last week, a known whale was seen lurking under the Verrazano Bridge. And last night, another one was spotted off of Coney Island. What is going on?!? This is starting to resemble the beginning of an alien-invasion movie — you know, where the animals can sense the bad vibrations in the cosmic ether. If for some reason you don’t already have them ready, get your shotguns. [Gothamist]
It's no American Idol or Dancing With the Stars in terms of ratings. But it is an 11-time Emmy winner.
CBS has renewed The Amazing Race—which, in addition to other wins, has...
Front Page: Are audiences ready to 'Play'? -- Another adult political thriller --Russell Crowe starrer "State of Play" -- dares the market today, but the Universal film will have a hard time keeping up with more escapist fare.
Illinois resident James Ricobene is suing JPMorgan Chase for invasion of privacy, among other things, alleging that a collection agency hired by the bank went so far as to send his daughter a threatening message through MySpace as part of their attempt to repossess his Mercedes. "Please contact our office immediately so we can discuss the peaceful recovery of the collateral," the message, which was posted on Gina Ricobene's wall, read in part.
Failure to contact me will result in further action against your father James Ricobene. Legal options range from having a replevin order served on you or even worse reporting the collateral as stolen to local authorities in Illinois under the A.R.S. act 18-5-504. Failure to comply with this notice of surrender is a class 5 felony and carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for two years plus all applicable surcharges. You must contact the writer within 5 days to prevent this action from taking place.
This must have been terrifying experience for Gina. Few things are scarier to a twentysomething girl than the idea of getting replevin. We're pretty sure that's something Yaz does not protect against.
As John Travolta and Kelly Preston have been piecing their lives back together since the untimely death of their son, Jett, Bahamian prosecutors have been busily piecing together a case against...
Fashion Wire Daily - The Daniel Swarovski collection - the high-end couture collection of Swarovski accessories generally found adorning celebrities on the red carpet - celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and with that come 20 new bag designs and 20 new pieces of jewelry to commemorate the brand's history.
Kimora Lee Simmons was seen eating lunch wearing the T-shirt you see at left. Isn't it clever? Baby Phat with an arrow pointing to her baby bump? Expecting moms everywhere can buy the tee online for $44. Kimora believes you should embrace your changing figure. Now, if only she'd create an entire line of maternity wear. Bedazzled stretch pants for all! [WWD]
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy did some shopping the other day at Cartier in New York City.
No, the real-life Ghost Whisperer couple weren't shopping for wedding bands. They...
GET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU...AFRICAN-AMERICANS: Dog the Bounty Hunter has joined the cast of NBC's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here alongside Rod Blagojevich. If they add one more ridiculous disgraced celebrity-criminal to the cast, the show is contractually obligated to move to VH1. (OK Magazine)
REVENGE OF THE LABEOUF: The MTV Movies Blog has an exclusive first-look at the Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen standee! I really could care less about the film, I just didn't know those things had official names. (MTV Movies Blog)
WHO? WHA: Breaking News - Makskm Cmekrtoskysbvw is NOT leaving Dancing With The Stars!!!! I guess anything is possible LOL!!! (Us Magazine)
SERIOUSLY WHAT IS WITH GOSSIP NEWS TODAY: Elton John is set to perform at Andy Roddick's wedding! They are totally people! (People)
IS NOT 'TOP TICKLE FIGHT': Stefan and Fabio from Top Chef are in the midst of a steamy Twitter bromance, and by "bromance" we mean "intensely sexual relationship." (Eater LA)
ACTIVISM: And speaking of gay marriage, FINALLY, here's an anti-gay marriage ad that truly gets it. I yelled "f*** yeah!!" after every one of these salient points. (Shoot The Messenger)
*Dog pic may actually be someone in a Dog Halloween Costume Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 10:30 pm
Why has the loathsome Crash clung to the top of Netflix’s top 100 chart like some preachy fungus? And why won’t it go away? Crazy bloggers are saying it has to do with quality or audience preference. We refuse to believe that this could possibly be true. Clearly, Crash has gamed Netflix's search engine in four despicable (if unintentional) ways.
1. Timeliness. Crash's success is distorted due to historic accident: It won Best Picture in 2006, just as Netflix's user base was exploding. It was likely one of the first films new users added to their queues. If Netflix had existed for twenty years, films made before 2004 might actually crack the top 10, thanks to long histories of user reviews and recommendations — but it hasn't, and old movies haven't.
2. Awards.
Despite the fact that Oscar ratings are plummeting and people seem to care less about award shows than ever before, awards seriously skew Netflix recommendations away from films people actually like and toward films that associations praise. Thanks to its confounding awards haul, Crash is linked to every other award-winning film in the database and sucks up referrals.
3. Keywords.
In the Gladwellian sense, Crash is a connector. Thanks to its massive cast of actors from disparate genres — most of whom have absolutely nothing to do with one another — it’s linked to hundreds and hundreds of other films. Via keywords like "Sandra Bullock" or "Don Cheadle," it's a single degree of separation from Miss Congeniality and Hotel Rwanda. (This is probably why it won the Oscar: Every voter in the Academy knew somebody in the film.) Yes, there are other films with large casts — but few are loaded with such an odd grab bag of talent, and such a perfect storm of factors.
4. The Bradley Effect.
Clearly, it doesn’t hurt that Crash has a nearly inexplicable four-out-of-five star rating based on 2.8 million user reviews. The only rational explanation for such positive reviews is a film-crit Bradley Effect, a self-flattering bias in the star ratings that pairs nicely with Haggis’s middlebrow self-righteousness (so what if you're a teensy bit racist, it’s not like racism is an institutional problem, and, according to Crash, you're no more racist than the next guy and, best of all, there's nothing to be done about it … ). Yes, the Bradley Effect was supposedly discredited in the last election — but can you really think of a more plausible explanation?
The implications of Crash’s Netflix dominance are scary. For decades, producers have been compiling crass and tidy charts of stars' global worth (box-office numbers broken down by country and region). This is one of the reasons bad Brits and Aussies often get good American parts, regardless of their talent for dialects (see: Jude Law in Cold Mountain and All the King’s Men). Now that search engines are driving sales of video and movie tickets, will the casts get bigger and the roles smaller? Is this slew of ensemble films (we're looking at you, He’s Just Not That Into You) a result of search-engine gaming? Is this why people keep casting 50 Cent, despite any evident talent? (See: the Crash-like ensemble drama Home of the Brave.) Is this why the similar, tastefully maudlin feel-bad message movie Babel is also perched at No. 13?
Could the problem with the vaunted Netflix recommendation engine be that it's best at serving up search-engine-friendly films, instead of films we might really like? Do the number of name actors, number of awards, maudlin message, and timeliness steer users toward Crash instead of better movies? If so, maybe the competitors in the million-dollar Netflix Prize contest would improve their algorithms by penalizing films for having big casts, preachy messages, recent production dates, and truckloads of statues.
How do the paparazzi know where the celebs are? Do they follow them to cities when they travel?
—Hannah via Twitter
As exciting as you find Beyoncé, with her...
Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer has been speaking with consultants regarding a run to defeat Kirsten Gillibrand in the next New York U.S. Senate race, and now he's formed a federal committee to explore the idea. He joins U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Carolyn McCarthy, and Steve Israel on the list of people thinking of trying to topple Hillary Clinton's replacement. [City Room/NYT]
Being a model and having to travel on an airplane is no easy task. At the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List party last night, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Melissa Haro explained the agony and hardship a genetically blessed creature like her faces. "Coach! Coach class! Always a horror story. You have these little cramped seats, and you have some guy snoring on your shoulder, and it always ends up being horrid," she said. "It’s usually one of the biggest problems I have, that I have these long legs that go on for days and they end up in my — my knees are in my face and digging into the seat in front of me and if they recline their seat it’s over with.” Sometimes she has to get up and walk around to get the kinks out. Does she do any weird stretches? "Nothing that you wouldn’t see like a cheerleader doing," she said, making us want to be her new bestie. Most clients fly her coach, you see, but every now and then big spenders like Sports Illustrated put her in business. “I don't understand paying that huge amount of money for a twelve-hour flight — I mean, that costs more than my apartment for 30 days," she said. So at least when she returns from Maui, or Bali, or wherever she's flying to get paid to frolic on the beach in a bathing suit, she can come home to at least a really nice studio apartment.
Model Sigrid Agren interviewed Karl Lagerfeld at a fitting for his Karl Lagerfeld show in Paris. Judging from her interview, she seems pretty precocious for an 18-year-old model. Witness:
Agren: Okay. How do you look when you wake up?
Lagerfeld: That’s why I sleep alone. My hair is curly, and that’s why I have my ponytail. I look like a madman, like something out of a horror movie! But I'm very impeccable and clean before I go to bed. It’s just like right before I’m going out. When I was a child, my mother always told me that you could wake up in the middle of the night and be deathly sick, so you always have to be impeccable. I laugh about it now, but I think everyone should go to bed like they have a date at the door.
Then she asked him for advice on being a supermodel. Because, let's face it, after Gisele who is the next supermodel? Sure there are lots of great models around the age of 20 — Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss — who are great, but who has longevity? Can a girl like Agren be the next Claudia, Naomi, or Cindy? Karl told her what the secret is:
Lagerfeld: It's not being perfect. What one needs is a face that people can identify in a second. That’s why the girls who were famous in the ‘90s can still work for advertising. People know their faces. The little blonde Russian, Sasha (Pivovarava), has a face people can remember instantly, but for other models today, people think, Is she this one or that one? It’s very difficult, but, you see, in fact there is no advice, because all circumstances are very different. It depends on what you are ready to give, the kind of life you bring, what may be exciting or disappointing … You can’t accuse anyone of not doing enough to help you, because, besides yourself, there’s nothing anyone can do. You have to be given what’s needed by nature, and what’s needed is to bring something new. But it’s the most … (hits hand on table) unjust … (hits hand on table) thing in the world.
BLAND OPENING
CRANKEE STADIUM
SPANKEDEE STADIUM
NO THANK YE STADIUM
BRONX BOMB
N-EWW YANKEE STADIUM
BOO YANKEE STADIUM
DE-BLEW
INSULTING WASTE OF MONEY ESPECIALLY IN TIME OF HISTORICAL ECONOMIC DEPRESSION AND BANKRUPT NY TRANSIT SYSTEM
A-FRAUD Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 9:45 pm
Update: So, as it turns out, we forgot a pretty big gerund movie. We can only hope that the $70 million success of Nicolas Cage's Knowing means that the curse is broken and that similar box-office results for Fighting will herald a new era in which audiences give all films an equal chance, regardless of the tense their titles are conjugated in.
You've probably already written off Fighting, the underground-boxing flick out next week, as cliché-riddled excuse for Channing Tatum to take his shirt off a lot. And while it may very well be, it’s also so much more: by opting not to name it Fighter or The Big Fight or Time to Fight or Fighting Time or Fight Fight Fight, the producers of Fighting have made it the latest entry in a cursed genre — the gerund movie.
Precious few movies have embraced the beautiful awkwardness of a solo gerund title, and none have fared well. 2005's Ryan Reynolds–Anna Farris romance Waiting ... seems to be the big dog, with $16.1 million. Next is 1988's Moving, Richard Pryor's comedy about moving, with $10.8 million. Michael Douglas's Running earned $6 million in 1979, and it all goes quickly downhill from there: 1992's Flirting ($2.4 million); 1970’s Loving ($2,100,538); 2000’s Swimming ($234,287); 1994’s Shopping($3,061 [!!!]).
There’s also the short-lived Fred Savage sitcom Working, the forgotten young–Keanu Reeves movie Flying, and the race-car drama Winning, which somehow failed to become a classic, despite starring Paul Newman.
So can Fighting break the dreaded gerund curse and top the box office next weekend? Maybe! No matter what happens, though, we're impressed with its bravery.
We thought we'd heard the last from newly signed Ford model Jesus Luz after Madonna left him behind to go after an even younger prize over in Malawi, but not so! The pop star met up with her Brazilian boy toy again in Manhattan this week, according to the London Sun:
[The pair] tucked into some Italian nosh at Morandi before leaving separately, only to link up once more in the back of Madge's waiting car. Earlier in the evening, they were seen leaving the Kabbalah center, once again avoiding being pictured together. The pair have yet to confirm whether or not they are still an item, but the Brazilian model is certainly a dab hand at perking up his reported missus following her recent adoption woe.
We have no idea what a "dab hand" is, but it sounds like exactly the kind of thing you'd want a 22-year-old hunk of Brazilian beef to do to you.
Jorge Garcia, who plays Lost's time traveling castaway (and apparent Empire Strikes Back screenwriter) Hurley, is on Friday's all-new episode of Best Week Ever with Paul F. Tompkins at 11pm on VH1.
MAKEUP
• Diane Kruger painted her lips a frosty pink last night for the New Yorkers for Children gala. Frosted lips are usually reserved for tacky "Malibu Barbies," says one reviewer. We think they look nice. [Beauty Department/Glamour]
HAIR
• News flash: Lady Gaga has purple hair now. [Jezebel]
PLASTIC SURGERY
• Real Housewife Jill Zarin had breast-reduction surgery to downsize her G-cup. "She feels 20 pounds lighter," says one of her associates. [NYP]
• A 50-year-old British woman spent thousands of dollars on plastic surgery so she could look like her 22-year-old daughter. [Daily Mail]
• The FDA was supposed to rule on whether a Botox competitor drug would be approved in the United States this week, but deferred the decision because it wants more information on it. [Cosmetics Business]
Why won't Barry eat the meal that The Four Seasons served to him during a CNBC interview? "They wouldn't let me," he mutters. "If I even take one bite of that, someone will put a fork in my neck." Oh, okay. Wait, no, that is insane.
This was the reaction from every. single. person in the office when looking at the above photo of someone whose face has been literally ruined by plastic surgery:
lskjdflskdflksjdfliwlkejflskdjflsjflksjdf!!!1!!!!1!
Can you figure out who it is? Here's a hint: There's no way you will figure out who it is. Answer ahead.
IT IS RUPERT EVERETT OMGOMGOMGLASDKFSLDFKJSDLKFJ!
(photo via Ohlala Magazine)
The formerly drop dead hot British actor fell into the Mannequin chipper and has come out looking like David Gest's hemeroid. A 49-year-old man should not look like the Angie Lanzies baby sister:
WHAT HAS HE DONE!!!! TAKE HEED RUPEE! TAKE HEEEEEED (echo) (fade to this picture)
The always-cantankerous, impossibly entertaining movie blogger Jeffrey Wells is a fount of classic quotes. Rarely a day goes by where we don't find ourselves doing a spit take after reading something he wrote. Take, for example, this quote from the introductory graf he wrote about Anvil! The Story Of Anvil: "It's not that I've always loathed metal, although I have. I also think you have to be a bit of a low-life to play it, much less be a fan ... right? ... Metal, for me, is still the reigning metaphor for the coarsening of civilization. It's for primitive, thick-fingered types who get high a lot and don't want to know any better. Sorry." Wells! [Hollywood Elsewhere]
Clockwise from left: a $1,400 Miu Miu burlap dress, the $595 Miu Miu burlap shoe, the $1,930 Fendi bag, and the $1,395 Burberry bag.
The Great Depression is back and it has brought its clothes with it, which is why we saw a lot of burlap fabric on the spring runways. Now that bling has made way for potato sacks, Lauren Bush's Feed bags represent only a small fraction of apparel items on the market made from coarse brown sack material. Raffia is another popular burlap-esque fabric for spring. It's made from dried palm leaves and is often used for place mats, but Azzedine Alaïa used it for skirts and wedge heels. Christopher Bailey made bucket hats and totes out of it for Burberry. And Karl Lagerfeld made handbags with it for Fendi. But just because we've gone back to making clothes from humble brown fibers that cost almost nothing doesn't mean the designer items made from them are any more affordable. For instance, Miu Miu's burlap dresses cost $1,400, while the label's burlap pumps cost $595. Fendi's sand fabric Peek-a-Boo bag is $1,930. And Burberry's straw patchwork tote bag is $1,395. But these price points make sense, you see, because we can't expect all those rich people who are currently embarrassed by their wealth to start shopping at Forever 21. They will know that they spent $2,000 on their Miu Miu burlap outfit, and that is all that matters.
"Elmo think Andy needs to call Sleepy's!" "Elmo! Ha ha! You said that night would stay between us!"
If you are a regular watcher of Live With Regis and Kelly, you know that Anderson Cooper has been sleeping on the same mattress for decades. Yes, that's the same Anderson Cooper who is a highly paid television personality and also a Vanderbilt heir. You'd think someone who has spent the night in his apartment over the past few years would have gotten fed up and made him change it, right? No — turns out the person pushing him to change the bed is his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. Buried in this (quite awesome) story about her decorating choices for her showroom in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House is news that the Manderson is doing some redecorating of his own:
[Vanderbilt's design partner Matthew Patrick Smyth] also had a unicorn painted on the side of the chest of drawers. He covered the headboard of the bed in a silver-blue moiré fabric that he had designed for Schumacher. (Ms. Vanderbilt reported that she had sent a swatch of it to Mr. Cooper, who she said is redoing his apartment. “It’s very subtle,” she added. “Anderson liked it.”)
Coop's getting a new bed! With silver-blue moiré fabric on the headboard, maybe! We hope they sent over the bureau with the unicorn, too.
Former MSNBC host turned PR man Dan Abrams is now trying to get young, impressionable media people to join his ethically questionable cabal with a tried-and-true method: free sweets. Per the Twitter of Abrams's emissary Rachel Sklar: "We got ice lollies, kids — and pickles!" @danielabrams just went to Gourmet Garage to stock up for his troops. It's fun here!" [rachelsklar/Twitter]
Front Page: Rawlings, Silverman named partners at agency -- Endeavor has upped agents Jennifer Rawlings and Megan Silverman to partner status, bringing the number to 28.
Probably not — but maybe! Certainly Dollhouse's low ratings, Joss Whedon's troubled history with Fox, and the fact that the network is refusing to air the thirteenth episode of the first season all bode poorly for the show's renewal prospects. But now that it's finally rid of the viewership-terminatingSarah Connor Chronicles as a lead-in, can Dollhouse rally? Whedon hopes so!
At Paleyfest yesterday, he acknowledged that the chance of a second season is "not very good" — but there is, technically, a chance!
"I've gone from a sort of place of ‘You don’t even care, nobody loves me’ [laughs] to a place of God, I can’t believe I’m saying this ... hope. We might actually get the chance to do what we’re dying to do, which is tell more of these stories with these crazy people because we have so many more yet to come ... Basically it’s what happens in the next few weeks; we have a new lead-in, we have a few more episodes coming up — whether it’s 12 or 13 — they are fierce ... We’re going to go out this season with a bang, and hopefully we’ll get to come back for Season 2."
Next week's episode of Dollhouse will air after Prison Break, which has already been canceled but is returning for six more episodes following a mid-season break. And its ratings this year are slightly better than The Sarah Connor Chronicles' (5.6 million viewers, on average, compared to SCC's 4.7 million). Still, we can't recall the last time that swapping one canceled show for another canceled show saved a third nearly canceled show from cancellation — but it's certainly kind of weird to hear Joss Whedon using the word "hope," isn't it?
What's black-and-white-and-red all over? Zac Posen and Coco Rocha (in a dress by Posen) at the New Yorkers for Children Sixth Annual Spring Dinner Dance. Would you ever coordinate outfits with your date?
New Brunopublicity photos are out, and while I'm not sure I have the energy for another full-on two month Watchmen-style viral publicity campaign for a movie I'm going to see anyway, I gotta admit, this photo made me laugh out loud (no time to abbreviate):
This isn't the first time I've brought up Future Mirrors, those small bits of viral video from around the web that are tinged with possibilities of seeing my very own future play out before my very eyes. Earlier this week, that Future Mirror was the now shark-jumped Susan Boyle, the overweight British virgin who -- thanks to morning talk show/evening news overexposure -- has now ruined one of my favorite Les Miserables songs.
Today's "Future Mirror" is of a similar ilk: A fat cleaning using a wall to help clean his massive, adorably spoonable carcass. You may wonder how this applies to my own future. Well let's just say it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities that I'll end up nude and bloated, leaning against the wall as I desperately try my best to brush rice cracker and Sun Chip crumbs off of my bare, exposed bosom. If you think about it really hard, it almost becomes sexy.
It's bridal season, and we're guessing by now that you have several save-the-date cards staring at you from behind their refrigerator magnets. And if you're ever so lucky — if that's the right word — you're in the bridal party, drama and all. The idea of buying a heinous dress that we'll never wear again makes us ill, which is why we searched for the best bridesmaid dresses for our latest Shop-A-Matic, just one part of our big wedding guide, which also features wedding gowns, hairstyles, cakes, bouquets, and stationery. We picked 110 options, from nontraditional little black dresses to bright-yellow springtime frocks that you'll want to keep in your closet, reusable for rounds two, three, or fourteen. Check out our top five picks below.
Whitney Dress by J.Crew Price: $375 Why we like it: A subtle print gives depth to the sleek chiffon column and adds a touch of bohemian whimsy. Your answer to what to wear to that destination wedding.
Off-the-Shoulder Silk Dress by Wren Price: $345 Why we like it: The soft ruffles and off-the-shoulder neckline are a romantic twist on the classic little black dress. It's equally elegant standing alongside the bride as on a night on the town.
Hushed Hamlet Dress by Maeve Price: $158 Why we like it: The stripes add a preppy spin, making this strapless number ready for any standard country-club affair.
Linen Tweed Deep V-neck Dress by ADAM Price: $345 Why we like it: With a defined waist, this dress is figure-flattering and comfortable. And the bright-pink hue is a nice complement to any summer tan.
Chiffon Halter Dress by Amsale Price: $320 Why we like it: Floaty chiffon dresses up a punchy-bright halter for an evening affair. The empire waist makes this silhouette flattering for all body types.
Shredding on Dimebag's guitar and bashing religion as the metal
vets prep their 10th album
Some things can be counted on at a Slayer
recording session. "Can I interest you in something fast and
aggressive?" asks producer Greg Fidelman. He's sitting beside
guitarist Kerry King at the Pass Studios in Los Angeles, where
Slayer are working on a still-untitled album planned for a summer
release, and cues up a new metal track with the working title
"Build Up." King is ready to thrash.
He's already tapped the Jägermeister machine upstairs, and
is now bent over a custom camouflage guitar,...
It's fair to say that, over the course of the last couple of years, Billy Corgan has gotten on our last nerve. Whether he's blaming the Cubs' collapse on Eddie Vedder, alienating his last friend from the glory days of the Smashing Pumpkins, or breaking his long-standing promise to never sell out, we've just about had it up to here with his antics. However, because we're gluttons for punishment and hopeful that he'll do something to reclaim his former glory, we can't help but continue to follow his travails. The latest twist in Corgan's bizarre career path involves him cutting a promo for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling association (or TNA for short), one in which he delivers a spoken-word version of "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" as a means of hyping this weekend's Lockdown pay-per-view event. As you might expect, steel cages are involved. This has to be seen to be believed.
Oh, that's Princess Anne? Wow, consider this one notch in the "Pro" column for inbreeding. We love Christopher Walken! Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 7:22 pm
Even with all the jet-setting and free-booze swilling, it's easy to see how celebrities might get bored with their lives: spending ungodly amounts of time staring at themselves, flipping the same old hairdo over their shoulders as they pose for photographers, becoming convinced their bankability is connected to the richness of their spray tans. Who wouldn’t feel the urge to rebel with a drastic (yet conveniently impermanent) makeover? But R&B singer Cassie took it to another level this weekend, shearing off exactly half her mane, like she's a Barbie that ran afoul of somebody's troubled younger brother. She inspired us to evaluate how a few other famous faces are faring aesthetically in 2009, whether they’ve made a big change or done nothing at all. Hey, just because we understand the itch to change doesn't mean we can't judge it.
Raekwon has signed a distribution deal with EMI Label Services for his ICE H2O label. The Wu Tang Clan rapper will release his long-awaited "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2" album through the joint venture in the United States and Canada this summer.
Looking for something to give your Twilight-obsessed, fangbanging sweetheart? These special-edition Sweetheart candies are arriving in stores a few months late for Valentine's Day, but in plenty of time for your nightly Twilight screenings on DVD. As you would expect, the candies have phrases like "Bite Me" and "Soul Mate" on them. What, was the character count for "Waiting for Marriage" too high?
[Cinematical]
"I'm already planning on it — practicing the rocking-chair-and-rifle routine." —Ben Affleck on readying for his daughters' dating lives [Today show via People]
"I am good at it. However, my scope as an actor is limited. Whenever it comes to debased, dysfunctional, hostile, violent characters, I'm very good — though that is not my nature." —Werner Herzog on not being a debased, dysfunctional, hostile, violent character [Guardian UK]
"I play a make-believe captain of a make-believe spaceship. Responsibility is only what you place on yourself." —Chris Pine on not feeling the pressure to be an awesome Captain Kirk [Men's Health]
"There's probably a lot of writers out there in the audience, so if you have any ideas, we're open." —Tori Spelling and her husband want to escape their reality-television show with a script by ... anyone [Female First]
"I found myself in the company of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, who had really quality music, much more so than mine. I'm sure there are people scratching their heads, going 'Wow, how is she still around?'" —Mandy Moore on having never recorded a quality song, until, she hopes, now [Female First]
“My new thing is that I always take my bubble baths wearing a tiara … I am a grown-up who bathes in a tiara. One that I got from Disneyland.” —Jennifer Love Hewitt on being a princess [Maxim via Fox]
More proof has surfaced that Rick Owensis becomingMarc Jacobs in terms of his increasing volume of media exposure. Nick Knight shot an awesome video portrait of the designer for SHOWstudio. It's mostly shots of his face, until the end, when his black robe flies up, revealing his finely tuned gym body — something else he has in common with Marc. The whole thing is perfectly set to minor-key opera. [SHOWstudio]
The following is a recap of Lost Season 5 Episode 13 entitled "Some Like It Hoth", originally airing April 15, 2009. If you continue to read on, I'll spoil more things for you than just the really stupid title of the episode.I WOULD'VE GONE WITH "NABOOTY CALL"The title of last night's episode, Some Like It Hoth, reminded me of when Radiohead revealed the title of Hail To The Thief and all of us had to be like "umm...well, we really like them, so let's just all agree to ignore how flagrantly retarded that name is, deal?" The title ultimately referred to Hurley literally writing the script to Empire Strikes Back in a Dharma composition book, as well as the overarching theme of Miles (Luke Skywalker) coming to grips with his estranged father Pierre (Wedge Antilles). Together with the help of Sawyer (R2D2) and Kate (The Rancor), they can unravel the mysteries of the island (the elephant from Jabba's saloon). In short, the metaphor was perfect.
The episode got going (after no "Previously on Lost" segment) with Horace welcoming Miles into his circle of trust (was this episode based on Empire or Meet the Parents?) Miles is employed to pick up a dead body of a man who "fell in a ditch" and ended up with a bullet in his skull and deliver it to Pierre Chang, Miles' plot-confirmed father (way to call that one, commenters like 15 months ago!) Hurley decides to tag along for total plot convenienceto deliver sandwiches for total plot convenience (had it right the first time), immediately discovers the body, then magically channels Cindy Brady and tells Pierre "don't worry, I won't tell anyone about the dead body...Oooopsies!!!!!" followed by a lengthy subplot about Hurley dealing with the gap between his teeth.
Hurley intentionally asks Pierre questions about his son while Miles is present, then asks Pierre about grabbing beers together with the two of them sometime and eventually drives Miles to admit that he has no interest in learning more about his father, because, as Hurley (and Empire) point out, he's afraid to humanize the man he's spent his whole life hating/ignoring. We're yet to learn the exact interaction between Pierre and his wife that resulted in Chang "abandoning" them by choosing to stay on the island ("I really want to get gassed, and I'd appreciate a little support from my wife!") The episode ends after Miles watches his dad reading Little Him a story, a moment so touching he decides to forego the lightsaber duel he was planning.
Still, I greatly prefer Star Wars references that I can actually get as they happen instead of reading online about how some episode mirrored the plot of a mythical 13th Century Egyptian scroll -- it's the same feeling when Jeopardy contestants finally run out of "Ukranian Literature" categories in a round and have to begrudgingly pick "Movies" for $200.
I CAN SEE DEAD PEOPLE FOR MILES AND MILES
"Some Like It Hoth" (still shuddering) marked a return to the conventional current plot/flashback style of Lost episode, opening with a glimpse of toddler Miles listening to a dead body who was "still talking," following Miles through his J-Punk phase and eventual recruitment by Naomi for the Charles Widmore Hateboat. My friend pointed out the obvious teenage Miles / Rufio comparison:
After a successful stint as a self-employed spiritualist, past Miles is approached by Naomi and taken to a dead body in a restaurant for his "audition" (sing "One Song Glory" to this body, then we'll do some scales) and accepts Naomi's $1.6 million offer to join Team Widmore in wacky "no thanks - MONEY - where do I sign up??" slapstick fashion -- Widmore's initially-targeted spiritualist, a Scott Boras client, signed with the Yankees for 5 years, $128 million. Miles is later abducted while eating a fish taco (snicker) by Bram and a team of Ben-goons who attempt to convince Miles that he's playing for the wrong team. Miles refuses, saying he's only interested in money, and (as we know) chooses the Widmore boat, though in one final flashback scene, we see Miles returning money to a customer whose son he falsely represented, showing a conscience deep beneath that rough, backtalking, dad-hating Miles exterior.
Also, now that his role on the show has been sharply defined, I'd throw Ken Leung among the elite group of Lost actors, alongside Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn -- he was outstanding again in last night's episode, and has delivered every time the show's given him the opportunity.
THE JIG IS UP - SOMEONE CUE STYX'S "RENEGADE"Good Roger has remained for a couple episodes now, exhibiting genuine concern and urgency for his son's well-being that we never noticed back when he was forgetting Ben's birthday every year and barely apologizing. I thought it was a strong plot decision for Ben's Dad to suspect Kate during her attempt to cheer him up -- between that and Phil's discovery of the Sawyer tape, the Present Day-ers (what should we call their group now? they're not just the Oceanic Six) are finally going to have to face the music and fess up to Horace and the actual Dharmas. Will they formulate a plan? Rat each other out? Join the Others? Hide out? Maybe a giant rumble will erupt and the smoke monster will have to intervene and break it up? Or will both sides just agree to kill Jack as a penance and go back to the way things are?
Also, between Sawyer and Don Draper, Patrick Fischler is really good at getting punched in the face. Any casting directors from the Three Stooges movie out there watching?
FARADAY RETURNED, BIG EFFIN' DEALI spent seven hours at the water cooler this morning talking about the earth-shattering reveal at the end that Faraday had returned. We didn't even have a water cooler -- I went and bought one off Craigslist from some office that hasn't needed it since Seinfeld ended just so I could discuss with other people how amazingly shocking it was that Faraday returned to the show.
I realize that his whereabouts will be a prime topic of discussion in the next ep, and that he probably holds the key to the time traveling stuff and him addressing Miles by name meant that he was present-day Daniel in the 70s not originally on the island Daniel (unless he recognized the baby), but still, almost every episode this season has ended with a twist that could barely merit a commercial break, let alone the dreaded "Lost" end titler that makes you want to yell "awww man, I can't wait til next week." I haven't felt that way at any point this season, and while I've mostly enjoyed the episodes individually, and I greatly prefer the show answering questions and proceeding in a logical fashion instead of throwing in more twists for the hell of it, I'm definitely feeling some Season 5 fatigue.
Episode thoughts, comments, theories, predictions, Star Wars jokes, and Hurley moments -- throw 'em all in the comments! Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 6:30 pm
Remember that classic "Diff'rent Strokes" episode when Arnold was nearly molested by Mr. Horton? Well this is what the show's theme song should have sounded like:
When this theme song says "Diff'rent Strokes", it really, really means it. It's like The Shining for little people. (via Buzzfeed) Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 6:18 pm
We've said this before, but we'll say it again: The way that Fox has scheduled Fringe this season has made it really difficult to remain a fan of the show. It reminds us a lot of how ABC used to handle Lost, before they wised up and started running the show in one long (mostly uninterrupted) block. That said, you have to give the suits over there some credit for their tremendous execution of a stealth viral-marketing campaign for the show that revolves around the show's most mysterious character, the Observer. As Variety points out today, the Observer has been making appearances on a whole slew of Fox broadcasts that don't have the word Fringe in their title, such as American Idol, NFL broadcasts, and NASCAR events. When the Observer appears on camera, he is never mentioned by name, nor does a Chyron pop up to signal viewers to "Watch Fringe on Tuesdays!" Maybe corporate synergy isn't such a bad thing, after all?
Just in case you're not an everyday Fringe watcher, here's a brief primer on the Observer for you:
This season, American Idol has introduced some new rules into the competition, namely the famous "Judges Save", a one-time only America-votes-veto from the show's judges to save the one contestant they believe deserves another shot. Originally, the announcement of this new rule was a welcome surprise -- each season, there is always someone voted off the show prematurely due to vote splitting or an unfortunate week. So, for example, if Allison Iraheta were to have be voted off the show this week, a Judges Save would be totally and completely understandable.
Since the season began, the four judges -- Simon, Paula, Randy and Theodore -- spend the last few minutes of each elimination episode dramatically deliberating whether or not they will use their one Judges Save and that week's contestant. And it's all show, of course. We knew they weren't gonna keep the blind guy around, because, well, American did him the greatest favor of his life voting him off, and clearly Megan Joy was flying -- literally -- back to her mobile palace in the sky.
So last night, all the background sis-boom-bahing of Kara and Paula in the world didn't make us think that this spectacle was actually going to go anywhere. After all, Matt Giraud was certainly cute... but he was basically terrible. His "Part-Time Lover" is what blind prostitute nightmares are made out of, and butchering Bryan Adams is actually considered a felony in Canada. There was no way the judges were going to save him or his oddly intriguing forehead wart.
And then, low and behold... it happened. Matt Giraud was safe. (Seriously, did the guy spend a few night's with Merv Griffin or am I missing something here?) And next week, two people go home. Allow us to take the take to pre-emptively wish Anoop a safe trip home (as much as I dearly love him.)
Which brings us to our Open Thread of the Day: Did Matt Giraud deserve the judge's one and only save?
Our answer is ahead:
PS: Don't get me started on Miley Cyrus' performance. I might actually be too hungover to form a cohesive thought about it, and I didn't even drink last night. Source: Best Week Ever | 16 Apr 2009 | 5:40 pm
It's been more than a year since a racial slur threatened to end the television career of Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman. But the incident still weighs heavily on his mind.
Two paintings entitled "Farmstead" (L) and "Farm Buildings On The River" by Adolf Hitler on show at the Weidler auction house in the southern German city of Nuremberg. The signed watercolours by Hitler... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 16 Apr 2009 | 3:16 pm
While there may be a fascination with Nadya Suleman and her brood, she is hardly the first. The "Octomom" is the target of much speculation as to whether she and her multitude will become the subjects of a reality show. But programming centered on large families has long been popular.
A woman watches a YouTube clip of Scottish charity worker Susan Boyle's appearance on television programme "Britain's Got Talent", in London. The 47-year-old who claims never to have been kissed has become... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 16 Apr 2009 | 2:00 pm
Jack White and company knocked out their first album as the Dead Weather during three weeks in January, and there may be even more to listen to when "Horehound" is released on June 16.
Actor-director Woody Allen has accused a clothing company of trying to harass and intimidate him with a "scorched earth" approach to defending itself against a $10 million lawsuit. Source: FOXNews.com | 16 Apr 2009 | 1:45 pm
U2's "No Line on the Horizon" (Mercury/Universal) moves into a sixth week at the summit of Billboard's European Top 100 Albums chart, while it's now eight weeks at No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles for Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" (Interscope/Universal).
After playing some showcase performances, including three at this year's South By Southwest Music & Media Conference, the all-star group Tinted Windows is facing the harsh reality of some "real" tour dates -- which is proving to be a challenge.
When the popster's away, the fans shall play.
A camouflage-clad woman was arrested for trespassing Thursday morning after allegedly sneaking into Britney Spears' gated community...
Zac Efron can: get dirty, clean up nicely, dress up a hallway locker either way and open a movie that's not named High School Musical.
Check, check, check—and check back for...
Rihanna found herself caught in the middle last weekend. Of the country, that is.
E! News has confirmed that students who went to see N.E.R.D. on campus at the University...
Despite all the casting news from that other franchise, this has been a great week for Harry Potter fans. First came the announcement of an earlier release date—July 15, only two days...
Tyson Apostol may have proved to be the somewhat evil and improbably psychic mastermind of Thursday's episode of Survivor: Tocantins, but Ben "Coach" Wade made sure all was digested...
• Everyone better watch Oprah tomorrow—she's going to tweet for the first time ever. Yeah, we know, pretty huge deal. She'll probably beat Kutcher (or Britney) to one million...
It's no American Idol or Dancing With the Stars in terms of ratings. But it is an 11-time Emmy winner.
CBS has renewed The Amazing Race—which, in addition to other wins, has...
As John Travolta and Kelly Preston have been piecing their lives back together since the untimely death of their son, Jett, Bahamian prosecutors have been busily piecing together a case against...
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy did some shopping the other day at Cartier in New York City.
No, the real-life Ghost Whisperer couple weren't shopping for wedding bands. They...
How do the paparazzi know where the celebs are? Do they follow them to cities when they travel?
—Hannah via Twitter
As exciting as you find Beyoncé, with her...
BLAND OPENING
CRANKEE STADIUM
SPANKEDEE STADIUM
NO THANK YE STADIUM
BRONX BOMB
N-EWW YANKEE STADIUM
BOO YANKEE STADIUM
DE-BLEW
INSULTING WASTE OF MONEY ESPECIALLY IN TIME OF HISTORICAL ECONOMIC DEPRESSION AND BANKRUPT NY TRANSIT SYSTEM
A-FRAUD
The title of last night's episode, Some Like It Hoth, reminded me of when Radiohead revealed the title of Hail To The Thief and all of us had to be like "umm...well, we really like them, so let's just all agree to ignore how flagrantly retarded that name is, deal?" The title ultimately referred to Hurley literally writing the script to Empire Strikes Back in a Dharma composition book, as well as the overarching theme of Miles (Luke Skywalker) coming to grips with his estranged father Pierre (Wedge Antilles). Together with the help of Sawyer (R2D2) and Kate (The Rancor), they can unravel the mysteries of the island (the elephant from Jabba's saloon). In short, the metaphor was perfect.
The episode got going (after no "Previously on Lost" segment) with Horace welcoming Miles into his circle of trust (was this episode based on Empire or Meet the Parents?) Miles is employed to pick up a dead body of a man who "fell in a ditch" and ended up with a bullet in his skull and deliver it to Pierre Chang, Miles' plot-confirmed father (way to call that one, commenters like 15 months ago!) Hurley decides to tag along 
Good Roger has remained for a couple episodes now, exhibiting genuine concern and urgency for his son's well-being that we never noticed back when he was forgetting Ben's birthday every year and barely apologizing. I thought it was a strong plot decision for Ben's Dad to suspect Kate during her attempt to cheer him up -- between that and Phil's discovery of the Sawyer tape, the Present Day-ers (what should we call their group now? they're not just the Oceanic Six) are finally going to have to face the music and fess up to Horace and the actual Dharmas. Will they formulate a plan? Rat each other out? Join the Others? Hide out? Maybe a giant rumble will erupt and the smoke monster will have to intervene and break it up? Or will both sides just agree to kill Jack as a penance and go back to the way things are?
Also, between Sawyer and Don Draper, 
I spent seven hours at the water cooler this morning talking about the earth-shattering reveal at the end that Faraday had returned. We didn't even have a water cooler -- I went and bought one off Craigslist from some office that hasn't needed it since Seinfeld ended just so I could discuss with other people how amazingly shocking it was that Faraday returned to the show.
I realize that his whereabouts will be a prime topic of discussion in the next ep, and that he probably holds the key to the time traveling stuff and him addressing Miles by name meant that he was present-day Daniel in the 70s not originally on the island Daniel (unless he recognized the baby), but still, almost every episode this season has ended with a twist that could barely merit a commercial break, let alone the dreaded "Lost" end titler that makes you want to yell "awww man, I can't wait til next week." I haven't felt that way at any point this season, and while I've mostly enjoyed the episodes individually, and I greatly prefer the show answering questions and proceeding in a logical fashion instead of throwing in more twists for the hell of it, I'm definitely feeling some Season 5 fatigue.
Episode thoughts, comments, theories, predictions, Star Wars jokes, and Hurley moments -- throw 'em all in the comments!
This season, American Idol has introduced some new rules into the competition, namely the famous "Judges Save", a one-time only America-votes-veto from the show's judges to save the one contestant they believe deserves another shot. Originally, the announcement of this new rule was a welcome surprise -- each season, there is always someone voted off the show prematurely due to vote splitting or an unfortunate week. So, for example, if Allison Iraheta were to have be voted off the show this week, a Judges Save would be totally and completely understandable.
Since the season began, the four judges -- Simon, Paula, Randy and Theodore -- spend the last few minutes of each elimination episode dramatically deliberating whether or not they will use their one Judges Save and that week's contestant. And it's all show, of course. We knew they weren't gonna keep the blind guy around, because, well, American did him the greatest favor of his life voting him off, and clearly Megan Joy was flying -- literally -- back to her mobile palace in the sky.
So last night, all the background sis-boom-bahing of Kara and Paula in the world didn't make us think that this spectacle was actually going to go anywhere. After all, Matt Giraud was certainly cute... but he was basically terrible. His "Part-Time Lover" is what blind prostitute nightmares are made out of, and butchering Bryan Adams is actually considered a felony in Canada. There was no way the judges were going to save him or his oddly intriguing forehead wart.
And then, low and behold... it happened. 
