Jimmy Fallon’s Emmy Night
Last night, late night host and comedian Jimmy Fallon brought much-needed energy and light-hearted wacky skits to The 62nd Emmy Awards. He took good-natured jabs at just about everyone, including an early swing at Conan. Fallon brought an SNL sensibility to the evening, using an acoustic guitar and vocal accompaniments by audience members including Amy Poehler and Kim Kardashian.
If Fallon had any insecurity about hosting, he certainly made it impossible for viewers to resist his opening sketch. The musical number featured all of America’s favorites rolled into one: Glee, Springsteen, Tina Fey, Betty White. What could be better?
Joined by Glee actors Chris Colfer, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Amber Riley, Fallon bounded through the intro sketch building a glee club ensemble that featured Tina Fey, Joel McHale, Jane Lynch, and Jon Hamm, and which included hilarious cameos by Kate Gosselin, Betty White, and Tim Gunn. The new all-star group then performed Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” live on the stage where Randy Jackson accompanied them on guitar. What an opener!
Like any young host (and as opposed to Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin’s veteran ease while hosting the Oscars earlier this year), Fallon had his moments of uncertainty and a few failed one liners. But his high-energy and fast paced evening kept it all entertaining, fun, and most importantly moving. Though, according to USA Today, “The entire evening felt uncomfortably rushed and flustered…” Fallon may be guilty of rushing the tempo, but it kept me engaged during that very long third hour – the HBO hour where the network saw wins for Temple Grandin (Claire Danes), the miniseries The Pacific, and You Don’t Know Jack (Al Pacino).
My favorite sketch was the musical farewell to three shows off the air this year: 24, Law & Order, and Lost. Dressed as Elton John, he delivered his own version of “Candle in the Wind” behind a pink grand piano in a bid to say goodbye to series “24″: “Goodbye 24/ Though I never watched you on TV/ I missed one episode/ Had to buy the DVDs.” Then, Fallon channeled Boyz II Men and adapted the lyrics of “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” to salute Law & Order. Finally, Fallon, performing as Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, brought out guitar and and a Billie Joe-style wig, to play ”Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” in tribute to Lost. “The island it was mythical, but in the end they died/ I didn’t understand it, but I tried.”
Though some of my favorite shows didn’t see the recognition they deserved (where were the Emmys for True Blood, The Good Wife, and Friday Night Lights?), the night was full of memorable and often hilarious moments.
What was your favorite Emmy moment?
All the news that’s fit to animate
When I received my first link to the Steven Slater CGI animation, a day after the new broke, I was impressed and intrigued by the quick turnaround time. Sure it wasn’t Pixar-worthy, but it wasn’t half bad, either. There was something satisfying about seeing a relatively realistic recreation of the working man’s Chesley Sullenberger grabbing two beers, dramatically exiting via the emergency slide, and arriving home to the loving arms of his shirtless boyfriend.
After sending the video to a few friends, it didn’t really cross my mind again until I opened the newest issue of Wired magazine. There, in substantial detail, was the story of Jimmy Lai–the tabloid king of China–and his newest venture: Next Media. The studio’s mission is to give us the thrill of video re-enactment when no live tape exists. Apparently I missed one of the studio’s first international hits, an unpolished rendering of the Tiger Woods car-crash incident. Since that rudimentary effort, however, Next Media has refined their skills, and the more recent offerings are quite sleek considering their less-than-24-hour turnaround time.
Here’s the video that launched Next Media onto the world stage: Tiger’s trials and tribulations:
Visit their official YouTube page for the full collection. May I recommend the hilarious Snookie vid, featuring a fantasy sequence of our favorite Jersey Shore cast member assaulting the the President over the tanning tax?
Live every week like it’s Shark Week
Started in 1987 by the Discovery Channel, Shark Week happens annually every summer. And every summer, fans get more and more obsessed. Shark Week has gotten so big that sharks have begun appearing on TV, in the streets and even on buildings. Take a look:
To start off, here’s a funny shark commercial that I really hope airs on Discovery Channel this week during the festivities:
It seems just about everyone can get into celebrating Shark Week. Here’s a pedicab riding around Manhattan during Shark Week in July 2008:
Even Discovery Channel, the sponsor of Shark Week, pulls out all of the stops at its national headquarters in Silver Spring, MD:
Also, Martha Stewart endorses Shark Week:
What better way to enjoy a Shark Week episode such as “Into the Shark Bite” (where you “…go on a wild ride as [the Discovery Channel shows] you the LAST thing you’d ever want to see in real life: close up views of attacks by the world’s most deadly sharks — from INSIDE their mouths!” airing Aug.5 at 10 pm EST on the Discovery Channel) than to watch while indulging in Martha Stewart’s clever shark and beach cupcakes?
And hand it to 30 Rock to mention Shark Week while also providing another hilariously quotable phrase.
In a first season episode, Tracy gives Kenneth some advice: “So, here’s some advice I wish I woulda got when I was your age: Live every week like it’s Shark Week.”
Happy Shark Week!
“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”: Exes Who Still Rock Together
Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Who knows—especially when you’re stuck 24/7 in a band with your former beloved. That’s why I give major props to bands like Paramore, who managed to stick together even when the romantic relationship between guitarist Josh Farro and singer Hayley Williams fell apart. Neon Trees is another one who soldiered through the love storm. Rilo Kiley, too.
And don’t even get me started on Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac.
If you ask me, being in a band with an ex-bf/gf is my idea of hell. However, if you can make it work—and manage to churn out some amazing lovelorn tunes in the process—then hats off to you. (This hat in particular.)
That’s why this post is for the lovers, Richard Ashcroft-style. Without further adieu, here are my top picks for bands who didn’t go through a breakdown after an internal breakup.
EXES: Jack White (vocals/guitar) and Meg White (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: When non-Detroiters started paying attention to the White Stripes, it was because of the Lego-rific video for “Fell In Love With A Girl,” off their peppermint-schtick sophomore album White Blood Cells—well, that and the fact that Jack and Meg White lied about being brother and sister. Yup, the dynamic duo tied the knot back in 1996 but eventually divorced in 2000. Despite their romantic parting of the ways, the Whites soldiered on and in one fell incestuous swoop, secured their place in rock ’n’ roll infamy. They’ve been playing side-by-side ever since—although Jack fools around with Raconteurs and Dead Weather in his spare time. The only one we hear Meg fools around with is Jackson Smith, Patti Smith’s son and Meg’s fiancé.
2. NO DOUBT
EXES: Gwen Stefani (vocals) and Tony Kanal (bass)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Unless you’ve been living under a boulder for the past 13 years—or, more than likely, you weren’t even conceived yet—everyone knows that Gwen and Tony used to date. Before the glitz and the g-L.A.M.B.-our, the two were your typical SoCal, Madness-loving, high-school sweethearts but, unfortunately, young love didn’t last and the breakup inspired Stefani to pen No Doubt’s biggest song “Don’t Speak.” Understandably, it’s gotta be awkward for Kanal to finger-pick the tune’s bass lines every night onstage; however, it seems like everyone’s moved on and is better for the heartbreak. After all, Stefani went on to marry babelicious Gavin Rossdale and pop out two illegally cute lil’ boys. Kanal, on the other hand, went on to marry… well… no one. (Sucks to be him!)
3. THE SOUNDS
EXES: Maja Ivarsson (vocals) and Fredrik Nilsson (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Back in 2004, when the Sounds started rocking out “Seven Days A Week” on Warped Tour, it was widely known in dance-punk circles that Ivarsson and Nilsson were an item. However, when the band returned to Warped two years later, the Swedish lovers were no longer together. The band was still a tight-knit unit, but it seemed like with the Sounds’ second album, Dying To Say This To You—complete with it’s suggestive lesbian-esque cover and song titles like “Queen Of Apology” and “Hurt You”—Ivarsson was also trying to say something to Nilsson and the rest of the world: She was a switch-hitter. (“She’s my first girlfriend,” admitted Ivarsson in an interview with Out Magazine regarding her three-year current relationship. “I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”)
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Kingston Rossdale and have him throw a temper tantrum on your collective tushes.
Three Things That Make Subways Fun
Tired of your morning commute?
Here are three things that make riding the subway just a little bit more fun:
1. Sometimes cool people are on the subways
2. Sometimes it’s like living life in the fast lane
3. Sometimes the New York Times will make pictures slideshows that feature your subway experiences. Click here.
The stories behind Mad Men revealed
The wait is finally almost over… the new season of Mad Men premieres July 25th on AMC. It’s about time. The recently released Season 4 poster has been getting a ton of attention including this in-depth examination and search for hidden meaning from TV Guide.
But to find out the real meaning behind the hit show you’ll need to read Mad Men Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America by Natasha Vargas-Cooper, the woman behind the highly popular blog The Footnotes of Mad Men.
In the book, Vargas-Cooper turns her eye to everything from Lucky Strike to Madienform, gray flannel suits to Burt Cooper’s Japonism, Grace Kelly to John Cheever — and examines iconic morsels from the show and the error. Very Short List agrees, Mad Men Unbuttoned is like a little time machine that takes us, as Mr. Draper so elegantly put it, ‘to a place where we ache to go again.’”
Still need more Mad Men in your life and on your computer screen? You can download two Mad Men wallpaper designs for your computer: What’s in Don Draper’s Desk and What’s in Joan Holloway’s Purse.
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or Books-a-Million.
I’m Lost Without You
Lost ended almost two months ago, and I’ve been fine until now. Though sad the show was over after six seasons, I was able to go about my usual TV business of catching reruns of Friends and That 70’s Show. But when I started sitting in front of the TV at 9 pm the past two Tuesdays in a row, wondering why the food at the grocery store didn’t have Dharma labels on it and noticing the numbers “4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42” popping up in day-to-day life, I realized this whole time I’ve been searching for something more. I came to the conclusion I need Lost in my life. Here’s a list of shows that I think will help me get my Lost fix.Fringe
Season 3 airs this Fall on FOX
In this sci-fi drama, Special Agent Olivia Dunham, institutionalized “fringe” scientist Walter Bishop and his son Peter from the FBI’s Fringe Division explore “The Pattern” – the unexplained phenomena and terrifying occurrences linked throughout the world.
Like LOST, Fringe’s producer is J.J. Abrams, and the show has character-centric plotlines and mystery. However, Fringe is being touted as the uncomplicated sibling of Lost:
“Lost has garnered a certain reputation for being a very complicated show and one that you have to watch every episode,” Abrams said in an interview. “Fringe is in many ways an experiment for us, which is, we believe it is possible to do a show that does have an overall story and end game, which Fringe absolutely does.”
From the producer of Lost but will answer all my questions? Sounds like a winner to me.
V
Season 2 airs this Fall on ABC
In V, a technologically advanced alien species comes to earth claiming peace. The Visitors want only a small amount of Earth’s resources in exchange for sharing their advanced technological and medical resources. However, the Visitors are not as peaceful as they seem. FBI agent Erica Evans (played by Elizabeth Mitchell, Juliet from Lost) finds out the Visitors are actually here to take over Earth and she along with the Resistance try to stop them.
I did catch a few episodes of this show when it came on immediately after Lost last season. An interesting show, but I felt like I didn’t have another hour in the week to invest in a new show that has aliens and other unexplained occurrences (remember the smoke monster?), just like Lost. However, now that I have an hour to fill, V seems promising, especially since Juliet…err…Elizabeth Mitchell is a main character.
Hawaii Five-0 remake
Season 1 airs this Fall on CBS
Set to air in the fall, the Hawaii Five-0 remake seems like fun. As an update of the classic cop drama, Jin, actor Daniel Dae Kim from Lost, plays Detective Chin Ho Kelly. And, like Lost, filming will be done in Hawaii. According to a recent press release, the show “will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology.” To that I say, “Book’em Danno!”
FlashForward
Honorable Mention
A mysterious event causes almost everyone on Earth to lose consciousness for 137 seconds. During this time, everyone sees visions of their lives six months in the future – a global “flashforward.” The characters struggle with unexpected or surprising revelations in their flashforwards.
FlashForward gets Honorable Mention because ABC cancelled the show after only one season; the good news is that there are 22 episodes to watch online. That should keep me occupied for awhile.
Also, FlashForward has Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) and Penny (Sonya Walger) from Lost. I never felt that I saw enough of Charlie in Lost and who doesn’t love Penny?
We want LeBron. And everything else!
New Yorkers are a spoiled bunch. If they see something they like, they’ll do anything it takes to get it. The masters of the universe didn’t move to NYC so they could drive a Ford Taurus to dinner at Applebee’s followed by a touring company production of Li’l Abner. They’ll take a chauffered Bentley to Jean Georges and front row seats at the Met, thank you very much.
That impatient, winner-takes-all attitude, coupled with the dismal state of the New York Knicks basketball team over the past several decades, has created a dangerous confluence of circumstances this summer. In case you haven’t heard, LeBron James is a free agent, and Knicks fans have set their sites on seeing him in the blue-and-orange this fall. In what some (okay, yours truly) would call an unseemly move for such a distinguished city, the mayor’s office has even started a online campaign devoted to luring LBJ to the Big Apple. Regular fans, and prominent locals like Matt Lauer and Mario Batali have put on the full court press (for lack of a worse basketball metaphor) to lure King James to our fair city.
I think when you’ve got Central Park, Lincoln Center, Per Se, the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium and, let’s face it, Scores, all within a few square miles of each other, you should let the city’s unrivaled amenities speak for themselves. If Lebron wants to live the high life, he knows where to find it. In fact, as a displaced Milwaukee Bucks fan, I don’t even have a horse in this race. But to tell you the truth, I’m pulling for the Brooklyn Nets to land the big fish. What could be better than LeBron, Jay-Z and a ballsy Russian billionaire teaming up to build a new empire across the East River?
Still, this is New York, and we take whatever we want, right? Spoils go to the victor and all that. So while we’re at it, why stop at LeBron? Here are a few other people (and things) we could use to help cement the city at the top of the ranks:
Chef Ferran Adria outside El Bulli restaurant
Ferran Adria is considered by most authorities to be the greatest chef of his generation. He’s already announced plans to close his landmark Spanish restaurant, El Bulli, so it’s time to try his hand in a new locale. We already have Batali, Vongerichten, White, Bouley and Dufresne. We want Adria! I’m sure Jeffrey Chodorow will be closing some ill-advised concept restaurant in the next few months so Ferran can scoop in and grab a good deal on a lease.
The Mighty Mississip
The East River and the Hudson are fine, if you like puny, also-ran bodies of water. Let’s move the Mississippi eastward. A city like New York deserves the majesty of Old Man River. Bonus: we’d definitely dominate the “best ____ east of the Mississippi” honor in every category henceforth.
I don't even exist
Unicorns should run free in Central Park. What’s that you say? They’re mythical creatures? Need I remind you that this is NEW YORK CITY? Donald Trump lives here. We can have whatever we want, damn it!
La Cage!
We want Nic Cage to be here 24/7. No more hanging out on his indoor motorcycle in Beverly Hills or in his Bavarian Castle. I want full time access to Nic Cage in Gotham. Make it happen!
Tell someone what you really think
The amazing SomeEcards.com have joined forces with the equally amazing Shit My Dad Says to bring you the perfect sayings from Sam Halpern fit to match any occassion (birthday, wedding, farewells, new baby and more).
Visit the Shit My Dad Says at SomeEcards.com store and let the truth be heard. Some choice examples:
Oh, and don’t forget to buy the # 1 New York Times bestseller Sh*t My Dad Says book.
No Country for PVC Men
Thanks to the prolific tweeter @ebertchicago for alerting us to the mashup masterpiece that is Cormac McCarthy’s Toy Story 3 by Ruben Bolling.
Read the whole comic here.
The Best of Both Worlds
Males and females are different. But that doesn’t mean we don’t like the same things.
Chuck Taylors are a classic shoe for any gender.
There are traditional, girly cupcakes with lots of frosting and sprinkles, but there’s also Butch Bakery, a bakery that makes manly cupcakes for manly men.
A fashion statement for anyone.
The universal power suit
Just face it. LOST was the show of the decade.
Everybody wants to help fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer
Girls swoon, boys admire.
Boys swoon, girls admire.
No one's shoe collection is complete without a pair of these.
Who doesn't blog?
It Books signs Sammy Hagar for Autobiography
PRE-ORDER now at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
NEW YORK, NY (June 24, 2010) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today a deal to publish Sammy Hagar’s autobiography in 2011. Hagar, the multi-platinum Red Rocker, is best known as the bombastic front man of Van Halen, one of the biggest-selling rock groups in history, and the lead singer of the hard rock group, Chickenfoot.
The book was acquired by Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development for HarperCollins from Frank Weimann, President of The Literary Group International. Senior Editor Matt Harper will edit the book.
Hagar will provide readers with incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his multi-platinum career, including his rise as a solo artist and his eleven years with Van Halen, after the controversial departure of original lead vocalist David Lee Roth. During Hagar’s time with Van Halen, the band released four consecutive No. 1 albums. From worldwide stadium concerts tours to private jets, Hagar enjoyed the trappings of fame and success with Van Halen until he was, as he puts it, “unceremoniously fired.” Hagar later thrived as a solo act, leading his band, the Cabo Wabos, before returning triumphantly to Van Halen for an historic reunion tour after which he set off on his own once again.
“I’ve been writing this book my whole life,” says Hagar. “It’s time to put it between two covers.”
Honest and compelling, Hagar’s account spares no one, least of all himself. Hagar’s autobiography reveals the inside story of one of rock music’s most recognizable voices, from his humble beginnings in the town of Fontana, California, to his incredible business success with Cabo Wabo Tequila and the Cabo Wabo Cantinas. The book will be co-authored by Joel Selvin, longtime pop music writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.
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About It Books:
Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie, I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks, and Satiristas by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion. Upcoming publications include Blow by Blow by Detmar Blow with Tom Skyes, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, How to Beat Up Anybody by Judah Friedlander, True Whit by Whitney Port, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss and Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary Lou Weisman. It Books is an imprint HarperCollinsPublishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).
It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
PUBLICITY CONTACT: Alberto G. Rojas, Senior Director of Publicity, 212-207-7891; alberto.rojas@harpercollins.com
YOURITLIST.COM CONTACT: youritlist@harpercollins.com
IT BOOKS CONTACT: itbooks@harpercollins.com
Hanging out with a Prairie Bitch
Alison Arngrim at the launch party for Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.
Most former childhood stars have not been pelted with a full cup of McDonald’s orange soda during a Christmas parade. For Alison Arngrim, it was an alarming, although not altogether surprising incident in her slew of bizarre encounters with her haters…/fans.
Nellie Olsen of Little House on the Prairie
Playing Nellie Oleson, everyone’s favorite brat on Little House on the Prairie, Alison has grown to not only accept, but love her status as America’s most hated child star.
It’s not surprising that her new book is entitled Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.
Last Friday I attended Alison’s comedy act at the West Bank Café, which was downright hilarious. The dimly lit basement was packed with middle-aged Prairie enthusiasts. The act included video clips of Nellie Oleson’s most memorable moments, including the time she was shoved down a hill in a wheelchair.
As blonde as ever, Alison discussed her unique upbringing (her mother played the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost, while her father managed Liberace), her encounters with celebrities – including none other than Grizzly Adams – and, of course, her experience on Little House, which has a surprisingly large worldwide fan base.
Grizzly Adams - the only celebrity that ever tried to sleep with Alison, she says.
Some of these fans, however, she said, are fans for the “wrong reasons.” “It’s like they have a homoerotic crush on Laura Ingraham,” she said. These people make a religion out of Little House and are inexplicably stuck in the era, constantly asking her, “Don’t you wish you lived in the 1800s?”
Well, does she?
“Fuck no! I like living in a time when I can get a botox injection and a green apple martini…preferably both at the same time.”
Alison pleased the crowd by answering all of their questions, written before the show on index cards, despite the fact that she gets the same ten questions every time (Do you keep in touch with the cast? What’s it like working with Michael Landon? What’s your favorite episode?, etc.).
Alison relishes being hated.
“Fuck likability,” she said. “It takes talent to scare the shit out of people.”
To purchase Confessions of a Prairie Bitch click here.
I came all the way to the World Cup, and all I got was this stupid vuvuzela
Everyone seems to agree that vuvuzelas are annoying. At about 130 decibels (more than a rock concert or chainsaw), experts are saying these long, plastic horns are even dangerous, causing hearing loss overtime.
This guy is double annoying
But as annoying as vuvuzelas are, they have come to symbolize the World Cup. When anyone hears the word vuvuzela, the World Cup is the first thing to come to mind. Whenever anyone talks about the World Cup, vuvuzelas are the first thing that come to mind.
That got me thinking…what are some other iconic sounds in pop culture today?
1. Doh! – Homer Simpson’s infamous catch phrase that in 2001 even made its way into the Oxford English dictionary under the definition “Expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish”
2. Beep in the hatch on the TV show LOST – This beep has come to represent the show that many believe has changed television forever. Hard to guess that it’s only just the beep of a grocery store scanner.
3. “You’ve got mail” – Though America Online’s heyday is long past, AOL’s cheerful greeting when logging onto the Internet back when dial up was the big thing has come to symbolize the early years of the Internet. There was even that famous movie with those two famous actors that glorifies the phrase and is appropriately named You’ve Got Mail.
4. Jaws theme – The Jaws theme, created by John Williams for the movie Jaws, has come to represent suspense, danger and sharks. Never have just two notes conveyed so much.
So maybe vuvuzelas are an iconic sound that will probably go down in pop culture history, but they’re still annoying. This helpful site provides a free download to get rid of those noisy-plastic-hearing-loss-inducing horns from the World Cup.
Raging Bully
While teenagers’ nightmares might be dominated by vampires and zombies these days, one need look no further than Gossip Girl and Glee to see that the good old-fashioned Mean Girl is alive and kicking.
So, it’s curious to note that in The Huffington Post‘s genius tribute to the teenage villain of yesteryear, the 1980s bully, the scoundrels are exlusively male. In this five-minute montage of put-downs, slaps, shoves, wedgies, and atomic wedgies, featuring footage from 25 films, including such classics as The Karate Kid, Top Gun, and Back to the Future, nary a female is in sight.
I won’t bother to speculate the reason for their absence but will instead celebrate that we are living in a time when little boys are not the only ones who have bullies to emulate. We women have cast off the shackles of modesty and become as bitchy, catty, and terror-inspiring as our blonde-haired, nerd-smacking male counterparts from the ’80s. God bless the little girl who is out there packing her Barbies in her Louis Vuitton bag and dreaming of becoming the next Blair Walforf.
Makeup inspired by Alice in Wonderland
One of our favorite books this year is Camille Rose Garcia’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. So when we saw the video tutorial below–posted on YouTube by Haleybean–we were super excited. We asked Haleybean to tell us more about why she chose to create this makeup tutorial inspired by Camille’s incredible artwork.
I recently did this make-up tutorial based off the cover art that artist Camille Rose Garcia did for a rendition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. To start with, Alice is my all-time favorite piece of literature so I’m always on the prowl for different ways people find to interpret the Alice stories. I was in a bookstore one day and saw Camille’s work and fell in love with it immediately. She presents Alice in a way that is so new and original it’s ridiculous. She holds true to the story while bringing in her own fresh new take on it.
I started google-ing more of her art and I really enjoy her work. I regularly do my make-up tutorials on YouTube, I have been doing so for the past 2 1/2 years or so and I get most of my inspiration from artwork and movie characters alike; I automatically pulled inspiration from Camille because it has all elements I love and presented me with the challenge to take in her interpretation and do something completely different to add that Haleybean twist to it.
If you liked my video be sure to check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on Twitter or check out my Facebook page.
We’d watch it!
Our beautiful and talented author, Rosa Blasi (Jock Itch–Winter 2011), is trying to get her very own talk show on Oprah’s new network. Rosa’s book is all about her early years as a serial jersey chaser–think Confessions of a Video Vixen for the SportsCenter set. She’s absolutely hilarious in a “witty, hot girl with a dirty mouth” type of way. If you like Chelsea Handler, you’ll love Rosa.
So head on over to Oprah’s website and watch the audition video and vote. Once Rosa’s winning smile is lighting up your television every day, you’ll be glad you did.
“I Want To Go To There”: Favorite City-Inspired Songs
A year and a half ago, I moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles. Ever since I watched the first episode of the original Beverly Hills, 90210, I fantasized about hoofing it West—and marrying Jason Priestly, of course. However, when the time came to make that dream a reality—the moving part, not the Jason Priestly part, sadly—I had no idea how homesick I would be.
Thankfully, I was able to find solace in a song like Limbeck’s “In Ohio On Some Steps,” which reminded me of home (without the gnarly winters.) Then, when I started to feel more at home in Pacific Standard Time, I started pumping tunes like Phantom Planet‘s “California” and Everclear‘s “Santa Monica” to get me better acquainted with my new HQ.
Without the help of those geographically desirable tracks, I might still be desperately missing C-Town, watching the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video ad infinitum in order to catch a fleeting glimpse of my former stomping ground.
Now that I’ve gotten over the homesick hump, I can listen to a bunch of other songs about other cities without feeling a knot in my stomach. Tons of bands have been inspired by various cities and produced some loving musical homages—like Fountains Of Wayne, Fall Out Boy and The Distillers. Take a peek below and see why long distance isn’t always the wrong distance.
1. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE‘s “Hackensack”: I was watching Just Friends for the umpteenth time on TBS this weekend and was immediately struck by this strange song played in the initial bar scene where Ryan Reynolds’ character connects with his unrequited love from high school. I only heard a couple chords and the chorus, “If you ever get back to Hackensack, I’ll be here for you,” but I was completely smitten. Since discovering that Fountains Of Wayne penned the track for 2003′s Welcome Interstate Managers, which launched the more-popular hit “Stacy’s Mom,” I also came to discover that Katy Perry covered the song for herMTV Unplugged special, as well. I’m not a super-fan of that version, but it still makes me wish I was from the Dirty Jerz—and how many songs can make you say that?
+ Listen to “Hackensack” off Welcome Interstate Managers
(Credit: Kazumichi Kokei)
2. FALL OUT BOY‘s “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago”: Before bassist Pete Wentz’s peter made him a household name and singer Patrick Stump lost a shit-ton of weight, Fall Out Boy was just a rag-tag group of pop-punk purists from the Windy City. Listening to this song is like taking a trip in the way-back machine to a time when jeans were skinny, song titles were unnecessarily long and “emo” wasn’t a four-letter word. Le sigh. I might live in Los Angeles now, but thanks to songs like this, I’m reminded that Midwest is best.
+ Listen to “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago” off Take This To Your Grave
3. THE DISTILLERS‘ “City Of Angels”: Like I said in the paragraph above, I currently live in Los Angeles and I can’t think of a better anthem for my new hometown than this angsty Distillers jam. No matter how many times I listen to it, I still can’t decipher everything frontwoman Brody Dalle is spewing, but that doesn’t really matter because I somehow manage to spit out a bunch of gobbledygook that sounds close enough to the actual lyrics. I haven’t seen a lot of dead wings in this city, but I’ve definitely seen more than my share of open condom wrappers in parking lots. That’s gotta count for something, right?
+ Listen to “City Of Angels” off Sing Sing Death House
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Brody Dalle and have her sink her coral fangs into you ’cause I totally will!
Friday Round-up
A couple of things to think about:
At long last, a tutorial on the space shuttle toilet (via VSL). Remember: “Alignment is important.”
Completely unrelated, our friends at Partners & Spade were instrumental in founding th
e new NoHo Design District in Downtown New York. As part of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, the district is throwing a neighborhood kick-off party this Saturday from 7-10 pm. With retailers like The Smile, Billy Reid, Oak and the aforementioned Partners & Spade, NoHo is one of our favorite places to shop.
Here’s how to get there.
A funny thing happened on the way to the SCOTUS
Couldn’t pass up sharing this with the world. Writer/Comedian Merrill Markoe points out (via her blog) :
“I predict that if Elena Kagan gets confirmed as the new Supreme Court justice, she will do for Patton Oswalt what Sarah Palin did for Tina Fey.” Touché.
Patton Oswalt photo credit: Erik Abderhalden
Amazing technology or Antichrist?
Remember way back in the day when Disney characters in parks were played by sweaty college students in stuffy costumes trying to make a few bucks over the summer? Apparently, those days are over.
I’m half fascinated, half horrified. I don’t think I would want to let kids around that thing for fear that it would malfunction and start eating babies, but hey that’s just me. What do you think?
“Get Your Gleek On”: Which Bands Should The Cast Of ‘Glee’ Cover Next?
I don’t know about you, but I was left speechless after last week’s episode of Glee. Partially, it was because stupid American Idol had cut off the last 10 minutes on my DVR but it was mostly because their homage to Madonna was completely off the chain, off the hook and off whatever-metal-object-you-can-imagine. According to Entertainment Weekly, the show already has a Lady Gaga-inspired episode in the can and there’s talk of taking on Britney Spears sometime soon.
With all these creative odes bursting off the small screen, I got to thinking. What if I was the music supervisor for Glee. Who would I have the cast tackle next? After a lot of playlist-scouring and soul-searching, I came up with the following picks: Bob Dylan, Death Cab For Cutie and Hole. I sure hope Sue Sylvester would approve!
BOB DYLAN: What Bob Dylan lacks in vocal dexterity (or coherence), he certainly makes up for in lyrical brilliance. After all, not only has the “Tambourine Man” penned some of most poignant songs of the 20th century, but he was even awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for creating “lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.” A ’60s-inspired episode would be aces and I’d love to see Glee get all folky on our collective asses. Why, I can even hear Mr. Schuester serenading Ms. Pillbury with the classic crooner “Lay Lady Lay” before the firs time they do it™. Swoon.
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE: Sure, Death Cab For Cutie‘s songbook might lack the pomp and circumstance of Bob Dylan, but their catalog remains equally poignant because I can’t think of another band in the last 10 years who has successfully tapped into heartbreak and heartache quite like this group of indie-rockers. Last summer, I actually had the great pleasure of seeing DCFC perform at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic orchestra. It was so rad to hear them get the classical treatment and I can only imagine what their songs would sound like if they were put in the Glee blender. Personally, I think Mercedes could wail on “The Sound Of Settling” or “A Lack Of Color” could be turned into a tortuous duet between Finn and Rachel.
HOLE: This pick is definitely my dark horse—much like Courtney Love, herself. Some might think Hole is a totally o-v-e-r, but with the recent release of their long-awaited album Nobody’s Daughter, they’re just getting started… at least until they inevitably call it quits again in another year or two. The lineup might be different but the band’s goal remains the same: to pen rocktastic anthems that inspire and empower. Judging from new songs like “Samantha” and “Skinny Little Bitch,” I’d say mission accomplished. After Quinn finally pops out the bun in her oven, it’d be great to see her re-embrace her inner awesomeness with a rendition of “Miss World” or “Celebrity Skin.” Now that’s a study in demonology I’d love to see!
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? I’m not scared to sic C. Love on your tush… and I don’t know if you’d live through that.
Ashley Fiolek is kicking up dirt
“Ashley Fiolek’s incredible story perfectly embodies the adage ‘the only thing that deaf people can’t do is hear.’ Fiolek is an inspiration to anyone who has a barrier to overcome. My hands are waving in the air, and I’m screaming for her; this book should not be missed.” —Marlee Matlin
Buy Kicking Up Dirt at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or an independent bookseller.
At nineteen, Ashley Fiolek is already the top female competitor in a tough men’s sport: motocross, a form of off-road motorcycle racing that is one of the most competitive and dangerous extreme sports in the world. Since going pro in late 2007, Fiolek has taken gold at the X Games, won the American Women’s Motocross Championship twice, and become the first woman in American motocross history to be signed to a factory team—the highest echelon of industry backing.
But Fiolek’s rise has not come without obstacles. Fiolek was born profoundly deaf, a handicap that makes everyday life difficult—and competition on the track downright dangerous. Originally misdiagnosed as “mildly retarded,” she was a painfully shy and introverted child—until her parents introduced her to the world of dirt bikes, which helped her escape the silence in her head and connect with others who shared her passion. She began racing at seven, and as her successes grew through hard work and no small number of broken bones, so did her confidence.
Fiolek has never believed her disability should stand in the way of her dreams. Nor has she allowed her gender to limit her career—motocross historically has been a men’s sport, but with the love and support of her dirt-obsessed family, including her “Grandpa Motorcycle,” her little brother, Kicker, and her dogs, Turbo and Rocco, Ashley has emerged as one of the sport’s most talked-about stars, changing the way the entire industry views women. Armed with her extraordinary talent, contagious grin, and deep faith in God, Fiolek continues to venture into unknown territory, relentlessly pushing herself—and women’s motocross—to ever-greater heights.
Kicking Up Dirt is a remarkable, inspiring tale of a young woman’s courage and determination to succeed in the face of truly challenging obstacles.
Read an excerpt from Kicking Up Dirt, follow Ashley Fiolek on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, and enter for a chance to win over $1400 in motocross prizes.
Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach
Sixteen years ago today the world learned of Kurt Cobain’s suicide. It was – and still remains – a massive loss to music and to an entire generation. It has all been said before, by people much more capable to capture this, so I won’t try to do that here.
For people who were not born when JFK was killed or when man first walked on the moon, Cobain’s death became the first “where were you when” moment. I was in eighth grade, biology class, a little before 2:00 in the afternoon. My friend Ken, appropriately dressed in a flannel shirt, walked into class, tossed down his bag and said “Kurt’s dead.” It was one of those moments.
MTV’s blog has a great post today about Cobain’s death - it seems appropriate to read it from MTV (remember MTV?) as I remember that day, sixteen years ago, going home and sitting in front of Kurt Loder on MTV for hours on end with news updates, tribute messages, videos and a few days later when Courtney Love talked about Kurt for the first time after his death and read parts of Cobain’s suicide note where he thanks his fans from the pit of his burning, nausous stomach and quotes Neil Young “its better to burn out than to fade away.”
The irony lies in the fact that by killing himself so young, at 27, he ensured that Kurt Cobain will never fade away.
