Flashback Wednesday: Possibly the Worst Movie ever made…The Wicker Man
It’s the second edition of Flashback Wednesday. This time we’re flashing back to 2006. I know, I know, six years ago is a brief flashback but believe me it’s worth it. We’re diving into The Wicker Man, starring the one and—thankfully—only, Nicolas Cage. This is perhaps my favorite, agonizingly terrible movie ever made. Ever.
Let’s get caught up for those of you who haven’t been initiated. Nic Cage’s character, a sheriff, goes searching for a lost girl who lives with a local group of neo-pagans residing off the cost of Washington state. (Do you know how fun it is to type “neo-pagans”? Answer: exceedingly.) The neo-pagan’s economy is based around honey and they’re having a slow production year. (Let’s not overlook the fact that THEY HAVE AN ECONOMY BASED AROUND HONEY.) Since honey production is down, the neo-pagans are getting cranky. Like any good neo-pagan culture, they have a bunch of weird rituals that seem foreign to the earnest and befuddled sheriff. Add amazing homespun costumes, burning people alive, and character names like “Sister Summersisle” and you’ve got a film that’s worth flashing back for.
If you’re not convinced, you’re about to become obsessed. If you do one thing this week, you must watch this video—a montage of the best scenes from The Wicker Man. Get ready to become a believer (aka a diehard neo-pagan).
Highlights for your snickering pleasure:
0:07 seconds – In a land where bikes are scarce, sometimes you need to take your transportation into your own hands.
0:18 seconds – I particularly like how Nic is trolling around this cult group, on a barely inhabited island, in a suit. Here he’s a dandy on a bike and I respect that.
0:27 seconds – Ah, the age old question, how did it get burned? I’m a big, big fan of repeating a question ad nauseum.
0:36 seconds – Surprise!
0:43 seconds – Nic gets to do what we all want to–kick a teenager in the chest.
1:05 seconds – Best cinematic reveal since Psycho. And it looks so real–the kind of real that you only get with neo-pagans.
1:10 seconds – Watching Nic Cage whisper from within a thatch of bear hide made me feel like a true woman in a way that I haven’t in years. I’m just saying.
1:22 seconds –The coward in me always responds to a sucker punch. Go Nicholas Cage!
1:40 seconds – Sometimes I wish I could be a screen writer but I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to come up with dialogue as good as, “killing me won’t bring back your god damn honey.” I’m giving up before I start.
1:52 seconds – Looking back, I’m surprised that beards made entirely of honeybees didn’t become all the rage in 2006. Nic looks so rugged and stingy.
And fin.
I’ve actually never met someone who watched this film from start to finish. I’ll confess that I skipped whole sections because I was feeling too much. Anyone out there watch it? Is it worth a Netflix rental? Or should we just stick with the montage?
Sincerely, your neo-pagan sister goddess
In Case You Missed It…
Don’t have time to troll the Internet for fun links and videos to send your friends and family so they think you’re cool and hip? Don’t worry, we have you covered. Here are some of our favorite Internet stories, links and videos from this week.
Charlize Theron apparently didn’t have teeth until she was 11. Pics or it didn’t happen, am I right? There’s no way that woman was ever ugly.
Undercover. Ben Howard brilliantly reimagines Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” Also check out the A.V. Club series Undercover as bluegrass band Trampled By Turtles takes on Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies)” and Justin Townes Earle covers Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.” And don’t forget to check out this pretty sick cover of LMAFO’s “Sexy and I Know It.”
Listen to Tina Fey on this week’s episode of the Nerdist podcast. She discusses important things like how she likes broccoli way more than asparagus.
Coffee break. 1. A new study finds that people who drink 6 or more cups of coffee per day are less likely to die. 2. Competitive eating champion Takeru Kobayashi drinks 42 cups of coffee, and yet it’s still not as gross as watching him consume hot dogs, meatballs, pasta, hamburgers, or Twinkies (Thanks, Wendy Williams, for that last gem).
Refinery 29 brings us the 17 most weird, creepy and bizarre NYC Craig’s List postings from this past week.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth (and/or stomach) is. Celebrity Chef (and HarperCollins author) Mario Batali and his family spent the week eating off a food stamp budget in “protest of potential cuts pending in Congress to the benefit program used by more than 46 million Americans,” according to the AP.
Amazon released its annual list of the most “well-read” cities of America. I’ll spare you from my editorializing of the results…
No. Apparently, Band-aids do not really do anything other than save others from looking at your festering wound.
Excited to see Battleship this weekend? If your answer was yes, we can no longer be friends. Just kidding! Come back!! I love you. But really, an acceptable answer would have been something like, “Maybe, but only because of Taylor Kitsch. Texas forever.” Anyway, in anticipation for Battleship, The Week shows us 7 more ridiculous movies based on board games. I’m still waiting for the movie pitch based on the Easy Bake Oven.
Like Good Will Hunting, only not really. In a heartwarming tale, a janitor, who has worked at Columbia University for nearly two decades while taking night classes, has finally finished his degree in Classics.
The Beautiful Game. Watch as FC Barcelona’s beautiful style of play gets dissected with slow motion video and pretty geometric triangles.
In case you were looking for a World Record to break and Kobayashi’s eating records aren’t exactly attainable for you, David DiDonato just broke the record for world’s longest guitar solo, twenty-four hours and 18 minutes. Start thinking of something else.
35 Photos of Olympians stretching. I’m more than a little upset Ryan Lochte wasn’t included on this.
When Gotye gets road rage.
Flashback Wednesday – 1988 Aerobic Championship
Flashback Wednesday is here and we’re jumping back in time to 1988. Shall we?
STOP WORKING OUT AND WATCH OTHERS WORK OUT. Now, I must admit that I’m not above watching workout shows. There’s something almost mystical about watching a random, early morning cable show where a lone woman is crushing her gluts in the sun. I love watching them while eating coco puffs. It’s the kind of self hatred that I can get behind.
But the Crystal Light National Aerobic Championship? This is a national competition with a sponsor and a celebrity host! (Not to get all Seinfeldian on you, but what the hell happened to Crystal Light? I remember drinking whole buckets of that crap, or should I call it by its real name, Tangy Cancer Water. Man, I miss it.)
This video clip is an oldie but a goodie. It is a time capsule of awesome. Watch and let’s discuss.
First of all, there’s a noticeable lack of ”grapevine” happening here. (For those not in the know about aerobics, grapevining is a staple move in any aerobics class.) I feel the absence to my core.
00:14 seconds - Synchronized clapping is a much under appreciated skill. Without it we cannot take aerobics as a sport seriously.
00:27 seconds – This song CLEARLY is a ripoff/homage to the dance contest song/scene in Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the classic 1985 film starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt. PS Girls Just Want to Have Fun is a better film than its fellow romcom Casablanca. Girls = daring and dance-y. Casablanca = boring and dialogue-y.
00:44 seconds- Alan Thicke’s hosting duties announced. Sob with happiness–for him and his family.
00:45 seconds- Wait, Alan Thicke, the actor and singer, is an honorary chairperson of the National Fitness Association? Really? [Puzzle and mutter to yourself.]
01:08 seconds – Satanic chanting by contestants. [Join in.]
01:16 seconds – Crazy eyes! [Cheer!]
01:38 seconds – Reigning aerobic champions take the stage and begin rocking out–which consists of jogging in place. Competition seems less fierce than originally hoped.
01:56 seconds - Contestants pose for individual mug shots straight to the camera. Lots of pointing, winking, and muscle flexing. Fans are back on board! NOTE: Donna Davis (2:04 seconds) really lets us down with a lukewarm performance as a normal person. Shame on you, Donna.
02:19 seconds – 2 synchronized humps, perfection!
02:42 seconds – High kicks!
02:47 seconds – Finger snaps! Wow, they’re really taking it to the next level, physically.
03:07 seconds- Check out the guy on the right’s smile. Someone please speed dial Crest Whitestrips, because they have found their new creepy, tumblr stalker.
03:19 seconds – 3 women dancing their hearts out. My favorite is the bulky girl on the left. She looks like she should play Rugby but instead is trying to fit in with the mean girls from high school. What a sacrifice! That’s what sports is all about.
03:25 seconds – Aerobics meets community theatre. Grease is the word.
04:42 seconds – Hands down favorite. Slow groove right into by double-time run in place? GENIUS.
04:51 seconds – Who else thinks that Peter Dale’s jump is followed by an off-camera fall?
05:35 seconds – ALAN THICKE IS IN THE HIZZY! And yes, he is wearing a pink polo with a dove grey blazer. Oh, and he declares that this competition is the Superbowl of aerobics. He nailed that comparison.
05:52 seconds- Way to ab lib, Alan. I didn’t even notice.
06:03 seconds- A stand up routine about the history of fitness by Dr Jason Seaver. I don’t want to give anything away but Dr Seaver can deliver a good pun.
And. We. Are. Done. I feel like I just ran a race and came in third from last. It’s quite the high.
Bonus track! Alan Thicke wears a windbreaker and gets sexy.
In Case You Missed It
A week on the Internet is like 10 years in real life, which is actually like 53 years in dog years. 53 WHOLE YEARS!!! The point is, a lot can happen. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite links, memes, videos, and other crazy Internet things from this past week…
Henri, the existential cat. Because apparently all white cats are idiots and just beg for cheeseburgers.
Whether you like it or not, Hillary Clinton’s “cool” factor has totally shot up in the past few months. She drank and danced in Colombia. The Texts From Hillary Meme blew up. (Then, she thanked them for the “Lolz.”) She got introduced by Meryl Streep at the Women in the World Conference 2012. And now, she’s so hot right now that she had to reject Jason Segel’s proposal to share the big screen together. Although, she says, if she does eventually do it, Muppets must be involved. Non-negotiable.
“Are you playing the queen or the witch today?” In a fantastic piece in Interview magazine, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe interviews his co-star, the always fabulously eccentric Helena Bonham Carter. Although it’s unclear on whether or not she wore matching shoes during the interview, she opens up and reveals “’F*ck it’ is my guiding philosophy.” She may just be my new hero.
Channeling her inner-Kanye (the rapper part, not the “Hold on, Imma Let you Finish” part), tennis star Serena Williams releases a clip of her rap skillz.
What Makes You Beautiful. The One Direction Parody. And the Harvard Baseball team jams out to “Call
Me Maybe.”
Obama voiced his support of gay marriage this week. Politico rounded up their favorite tweets after the announcement.
My Heart WON’T go on. James Cameron announces that his film company will now solely focus on developing Avatar sequels. Say it ain’t so, JC! Somewhere on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, Jack Dawson is crying ice cold tears.
Lolz. The Pittsburgh Tribune accidentally tells their readers to…in less delicate terms, defecate themselves.
Books. Lies. And Rock&Roll. Okay, just kidding. No rock and roll, just books and lies. These New York Times Magazine editors reveal what books they lied about reading.
Nerd Love. Ever wondered why every in foreign language you pretended to learn in high school, words had genders? Slate delves into how the English language lost its genders.
Learn to be more photogenic. I know we all wish we could be as photogenic as Courtney Stodden, the 16-year-old teen bride to 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison, but we just can’t. (Don’t put it on me, girl.) Lifehacker teaches us a simple trick to look better in photos.
Weekly stupid. Some people…are just idiotic.
Met Gala. Well, it happened on Monday. Now, I get that the Met Gala is supposed to be “Fashion’s Most Glamorous Night” – a time for high fashion that I don’t always understand, but seriously. I think 80% of the celebrities were just a little off… I mean, what is THIS!?! Angie’s leg v 2.0? And THIS? Also, I don’t care what anyone else says, Kristen Dunst looked like Santa Claus. And, someone, please for the love of God, give Vera Wang and Rachel Zoe a sandwich.
Rob Lowe is Untouchable (B*tch)
I’m sure you all remember the made-for-TV Lifetime movie, Untouchable, starring Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson that aired this past January. Like all Lifetime movies it deserves to be watched, re-watched and then committed to the temporal lobe of the brain NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN.
The trailer (otherwise known as 30 seconds of visual bliss) upon first viewing looks like a Saturday Night Live spoof but spoof it is not. Rob Lowe earnestly performed the best line of dialogue ever delivered on the small screen (watch the video below, if you don’t believe me). His silver pompadour, fake moustache and use of a garage door opener was pure gravy. This is why we love Rob Lowe, the man doesn’t take himself too seriously.
So it’s delightful news to learn that Rob has signed on for another Lifetime original film. Lowe is on-board to play the prosecutor, Jeff Ashton in “Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony.” I don’t know how anything can compare with the nefarious Drew Peterson role–the dashing Jeff Ashton, of course, was never accused of murder and is a well liked lawyer (Ashton has 7,000+ “likes” on facebook, if you don’t believe me). But a girl can dream, hope, and continue to watch
Note: The book, Imperfect Justice by Jeff Ashton, was published by William Morrow–a sister imprint of ours at HarperCollins.
Pop Culture’s Best Teachers (Slide Show)
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and in honor of all those fictional teachers who had little or no impact on our lives, we salute pop culture’s best.
The Avengers! (Spoilers Not Included…sorta)
So last week, I luckily received 2 tickets to go to a screening of The Avengers (YESSSSS, I know!) from my roommate, who received a very inopportune out of town visit from a few friends. As nice as I am, I took those tickets and ran…far, before he could change his mind. Knowing how these screenings go, I arrived 2 hours early, only to see that there were about 150 people already lined up in the rain. Why?? Who are these people? Don’t they have jobs? Lives? Needless to say, I was giving everyone in front of me the side-eye, as I walked to the back of the line.
Without giving away too much, so that I don’t ruin the movie for everyone, or for that matter, get shot as I walk out of the office, I will say that for me, this movie was even better than the first time I ever tried a pb&j sandwich. And let me tell you, that as a 4-year old, that was pretty life changing.
There’s a S#*! load of explosions, knuckle-busting, smashing, pummeling, and aliens…oh so many aliens. And the back and forth one-liners and banter, mostly baited by Tony Stark, with Captain America, Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Nick Fury, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, was hilarious. There are also moments of sweet sweet vindication against an egomaniac super-villain, Loki, Thor’s brother, who wants to take over the Earth. There is one part, you will know when, where you will probably annoyingly clap and whistle and clap and whistle some more, as I did.
Was I the only one, you ask? No, thankfully. I did however, as a result, get death stares from the friend that I picked out of ALL my friends to come with me, just like Charlie Bucket picked his grandpa Joe out of his mother and the rest of his bed-ridden grandparents to go to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
So should you go watch it? Yes, go! Run if you have to. Not today, of course, but tomorrow. And let us know what you thought of it.
In Case you Missed It
A week on the Internet is like 10 years in real life, which is actually like 53 years in dog years, which is over half a dog-year century. The point is, a lot can happen. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite links, memes, videos, and other crazy Internet things from this past week…in case you just woke up from a weeklong comatose.
50 People You Wish You Knew in Real Life. [Via BuzzFeed] Yup, that guy on the left is on there. So hot right now.
The Mustachifer. Please buy this for all the babies you know. They will thank you later.
Where’s Ken? Girl tries to look like a real-life Barbie doll and succeeds. Her waist looks to be approximately the same size as my foot width.
There’s a picture of Ke$ha in the dictionary under the word “classy.” And, it’s probably the photo that Ke$ha apparently tweeted of herself peeing in the street last Wednesday night, writing “pee pee on the street. PoPo come n get me if u can find meeee. I blame traffik.” Keep it klassy always, Ke$ha.
So Bad, It’s Good. If you were on the Rebecca Black train last year and/or the “Call Me Maybe” train this yea
r, you will probably love this. “Justin Bieber’s Girlfriend” by Michaela Wallace (not to be confused with Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend”). I may or may not have personally contributed at least 200 of the almost 3 million YouTube views. With lyrical gems like, “bass is pumpin’ with the rhythm of my own heartbeat,” what’s not to love about this spunky 14-year-old singing her heart out the Biebs?
“The Preezi of the United Steezy” Move over, Brian Williams. While appearing on an episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last Tuesday, President Barack Obama helped Fallon slow-jam the news.
Under the Sea. Amazing underwater photos from David Doubilet on the New York Times Lens Blog.
On Social Media: If you were really honest about your Pinterest boards. And what if Instagram were text-only? Check out the results on Twitter – with quips like, “Coincidentally autofocused raindrops” and “Condensation forms on a tasty beverage as folded sunglasses rest nearby.”
If Lifetime hasn’t already optioned the movie rights to the ESPN-Sarah Phillips-con artist story, then I’m not entirely sure if the sky is blue.
Finally. Being 24 and awkward has it’s own rap song. [via Mashable] “Yeah, I’m not young, but I’m not that old.”
Too much cute. Toronto Zoo’s 2-month-old polar bear starts crawling.
Do yourself a favor and watch NBC’s Best Friends Forever. It’s amazing. Oh, and listen to Norah Jones’ new album Little Broken Hearts. It’s also amazing.
Tattoos. Sometimes Forever Is Too Long
If you’re like me, you are a reluctant sports fan unless it’s tennis. (I believe all sports should be able to be watched live while eating sushi and drinking high-end vodka, hence my eternal love for the US Open, but I digress.) So it was with great trepidation that I got suckered into watch a NBA playoff game. But between me zoning out and eating a delicious, creamy white bean dip, a revelation happened. Basketball is really enjoyable to watch if you stop focusing on the game and instead start noticing THE GOD AWFUL, RIDICULOUS, LAME TATTOOS the players are sporting. My eyes, they bleedth.
This dropped me down a rabbit’s hole of tattoo Google searches. Sadly, basketball players, while notorious, are not alone with their terrible, celebrity ink. There several categories of awful. Let’s go on a journey together.
First up, THE MUSICIAN.We get it, you’re a rocker. That doesn’t mean you need to have cliche tattoos but it seems like a prerequisite. My suggestion: play music, don’t put a crucified Jesus on your back. After much research, the winner, however, was clear…Fred Durst, front man for Nu Metal band Limp Bizkit. Somehow I don’t think Kurt Cobain and Elvis want to hang out together…on Fred’s chest.
Runner up, boy band friendly Nick Lachey. If Zack Morris had a tattoo, this capri sun surely would have been it. 
Next category, THE HOOCH. These tattoos are meant to be titillating and are usually located in coy places near the breast, back of the neck, ankle or the lower back (affectionately known as the tramp stamp). The competition was fierce but in a tight race…Mena Suvari wins! Oh, honey. Lions and words of wisdom do not belong on the nap of your neck. Obviously, Mena had a very profound trip to the zoo. Next time I suggest a long journal entry. 
Runner up, Eve with her paw prints. Part of me sort of likes the sexah-ness of the look but mostly it looks like she’s got some schmutz on her front parts and I want her to wash it off.
Next category, CELEBRITY CHEFS. This one was a doozy–too many to choose a winner. It seemed too easy to select a food-themed tattoo (there’s a lot of pork/white meat references out there) but then I stumbled upon Hell’s Kitchen contestant Tommy Stevens’ forehead and the decision was made for me. Straight from the artist’s needle to your plate.
And the final category of awful, BASKETBALL STARS. There are no words and so, I leave you with pictures.
Don’t be a Plebeian, You Plebeian
This past weekend I got gussied up and went with some friends to a terrific new restaurant in my neighborhood. Dinner at Alobar was fantastic. The cuisine was delicious New American, the drinks were magical (Bacon Whiskey Sour, yes!), and the conversation sparkled. Sparkled? Yes, sparkled.
Little did I know that during the entire meal I was a rebel trampling on important restaurant etiquette. According to The Gentry Man: A Guide for the Civilized Male—the best of GentryMagazine, articles published between 1951-1957—my manners were no better than a cowhand who picks her teeth with a chicken bone and blows her nose on the table cloth. Yee-haw!
Here are a few of my favorite rules “for the polite diner” from The Gentry Man…
#2 “Don’t just drop into a restaurant and order a meal. Go to the restaurant of your choice and make all the arrangements with the proprietor or headwaiter a day or two in advance.”
#6 “Don’t brand yourself as a rank plebeian by seasoning your food before tasting it. Many a chef’s brain child has been smothered with condiments, when it should have been showered with compliments.”
#9 “Don’t demand music with our meals. Table conversation is the only suitable accompaniment of good food. Dinner dancing is an abomination and holds no place with the bon vivant.”
I’ve always loved books like this. They’re a hoot to read and make me nostalgic for those classier, more restrictive days of pocket squares and comfy girdles.
Too young to die, too talented to forget
One of the best parts of working in publishing is getting to read a book early, before everyone else. “Na-na na-na boo-boo” my brain always chants as I crack open a fresh manuscript. This weekend while sitting on my unfinished (ie illegal) roof deck, I reveled in the job perk as I read Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse—a heartfelt account of what went right and wrong with the incredibly talented Amy Winehouse.
With a soaring music career right out of high school and a distinctive, gorgeous voice that sounded mature beyond her years, it is easy to forget that Amy’s success and death all happened before her 28th birthday. But Amy’s legacy lives on. There’s a recently launched foundation in her honor and, of course, her music. While reading the book, I was compelled to listen to her albums and while it is hard to choose my favorite song–in Amy’s short life she wrote and sung with such skill and brutal honesty–there are some top contenders. RIP Amy and her famous beehive hairdo.
#5 - Valerie. Though not technically an Amy Winehouse song (it was written by Mark Ronson), it was her vocals that skyrocketed the song to fame.
#4 - Rehab. Perhaps her most famous song, its message is dark and, sadly, prophetic. It is a true pop song in the best sense–playful, catchy and a tad dangerous.
#3 - Love Is A Losing Game. A sultry torch song that thrills as it breaks your heart.
#2 – Tears Dry on Their Own. A brutally honest conversation about loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Reading about Amy’s relationship with Blake, you see how she wrote this song from experience.
#1 - You Know that I’m No Good. This. Song. Is. An. Anthem. Amy’s soulful 60′s musical style is imbedded in your head after one listen.
Remembering Titanic: 100 Years Later
HarperCollins Marks Centennial of Titanic Sinking and Re-release of James Cameron’s Blockbuster Film, Now in 3D, With Six Remarkable Books
James Cameron’s Titanic by James Cameron
The #1 New York Times bestselling official illustrated companion chronicling the production of the film, now with a new foreword by Cameron and never-before-seen images from the film and Cameron’s personal archive.
Titanic and the Making of James Cameron by Paula Parisi
The behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, from a Hollywood journalist who covered James Cameron for over a decade.
Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic by Everett Marshall
A collector’s edition of the classic 1912 volume of contemporary accounts of the tragedy, with specially commissioned illustrations, vintage packaging, and photographs from The Titanic Historical Society archives.
Voyagers of the Titanic: Passengers, Sailors, Shipbuilders, Aristocrats, and the Worlds They Came From by Richard Davenport-Hines
A magnificently written new history of the people onboard and involved with the famous ship, from acclaimed writer Richard Davenport-Hynes.
How to Survive the Titanic: The Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay by Frances Wilson
A brilliantly original new investigation of the life and lost honor of the Titanic’s owner, from award-winning writer Frances Wilson, now in paperback.
Kaspar the Titanic Cat by Michael Morpurgo and Illustrated by Michael Foreman
A heartwarming, illustrated novel about a cat who traveled aboard the Titanic, from the award-winning author of War Horse.
Fateful by Claudia Gray
In Fateful, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray delivers paranormal adventure, dark suspense, and alluring romance set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic’s first—and last—voyage.
Our Favor!te Things: Jen Schuster
It’s that time of the year….RECAPS. We asked many of authors, friends, families, coworkers, and some random people on the street what a few of their favorites have been. And we’re posting them here! Starting off with our very own It Books Editor, Jennifer Schuster!
Favor!te Film: Bridesmaids
Favor!te Album: Adele – 21; Jack’s Mannequin – People and Things
Favor!te Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith; Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling
Favor!te Designer: DVF, Tory Burch
Favor!te TV sho
w: Homeland, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Up All Night, New Girl
Favor!te Twitterer: Mindy Kaling; Sophia Rossi, Khloe Kardashian
Who do you most want to smooch on New Year’s Eve? My husband, this is our first New Year’s Eve as husband and wife!
What do you want the most as a holiday gift? Garmin Forerunner GPS watch for running, so I can track my pace and distance accurately. I could have used one in the NYC marathon this year, so hopefully it will inspire me to run some big races in 2012.
Perfect gifts for everyone on your list…
Your It List presents our top picks for gifts this holiday season for everyone on your list.
Harry Potter Page to Screen by Bob McCabe
Coming in at over 500 amazing pages, Harry Potter: Page to Screen opens the doors to Hogwarts castle and the wizarding world of Harry Potter to reveal the complete behind-the-scenes secrets, techniques, and over-the-top artistry that brought J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed novels to cinematic life.
Buy Harry Potter Page to Screen or watch a video.
How I Got This Way by Regis Philbin
In this entertaining memoir, the irrepressible Reege—consummate talk-show host, man-about-town, loving husband, father, and yes, obsessive sports fan—looks back at his years in show business and is filled with stories of lessons learned—and elbows rubbed—with extraordinary, and often unsuspecting, teachers.
Buy How I Got This Way or read an excerpt.
Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis by David Wills
In Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis, David Wills has gathered spectacular, museum-quality work from Marilyn’s key photographers to create this dazzling portfolio of images from every period of Marilyn Monroe’s adult life, from her wedding day in 1942 till just weeks before her death two decades later, this stunning collection pays homage to her continually evolving style and extraordinary beauty.
Buy Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis or read an excerpt.
100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein
100 Unforgettable Dresses is filled with the stories, secrets, intrigue, and insights behind the most indelible dresses in our collective memories. This book celebrates the staying power of these gorgeous, sleek, sultry, and outrageous creations as well as the lasting impact they’ve had in fashion, popular culture, and our own lives.
Buy 100 Unforgettable Dresses or read an excerpt.
Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon
With unparalleled honesty, Dyan Cannon shares the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of her magical romance and stormy marriage to screen legend Cary Grant. He was the ultimate star, defining Hollywood glamour as well as cinematic achievement. She was a bright new actress, beautiful and funny. What could possibly go wrong?
Buy Dear Cary or read an excerpt.
The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories by hitRECord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
To create The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1, Joseph Gordon-Levitt directed thousands of collaborators to tell tiny stories through words and art. Reminiscent of the 6-Word Memoir series, The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 brings together art and voices from around the world to unite and tell stories that defy size.
Buy The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker by Camilla Morton, illustrated by Manolo Blahnik
International bestselling author Camilla Morton reimagines the classic “Elves and the Shoemaker” fairytale, blending elements of famed shoe designer Manolo Blahnik’s life story into the fabric of the immortal “Once Upon a Time” favorite, complete with original illustrations from Blahnik himself.
Buy Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker or read an excerpt.
The History of the World According to Facebook by Wylie Overstreet
Now, for the first time, a full-length history of the world, from its creation up through present day, as if Facebook had existed all along and Abraham Lincoln had written a status update about “taking the missus to the theater” and Ben Franklin had done the same alerting his network that he’d signed the Declaration of Independence. Filled with hundreds of real-life historical figures and thousands of not-at-all-real Facebook statuses, this is the definitive humor book for a new generation of scholars.
Buy The History of the World According to Facebook or read an excerpt.
The Art of The Adventures of Tintin by Weta Workshop
Go behind the scenes and explore the movie-making magic that comes alive on screen in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film The Adventures of Tintin, shown through text, photos and illustrations from Weta Worskshop, the ground-breaking and Academy Award-winning visual effects team.
Buy The Art of The Adventures of Tintin or read an excerpt.
Menagerie by Sharon Montrose
Celebrated author and photographer Sharon Montrose presents a compendium of wild and domestic animal portraits displayed in unusual and innovative ways-the perfect gift for the legions of fans of cute animals everywhere.
Buy Menagerie or read an excerpt.
The History of American Graffiti by Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon
Unprecedented in scope, The History of American Graffiti is the definitive story behind the most influential art form of the last one hundred years. With more than one thousand photographs from more than two hundred photographers, The History of American Graffiti captures the look and feel of a genuine American art form with exceptional clarity and detail.
Buy The History of American Graffiti or read an excerpt.
Tebowing
Forget planking.
Forget owling.
Now there’s Tebowing.
It’s an homage to former Heisman trophy winner quarterback at the University of Florida and starting QB at the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow.
According the the website, Tebowing.com, the act is defined as: to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone around you is doing something completely different. You can see more user-submitted photos on their site.
Tebow is well-known for his Christian beliefs. His book THROUGH MY EYES was a New York Times bestseller.
Don’t Knock the Hustle
HBO’s hip series How to Make It in America is in the middle of its long-awaited and very strong second season. The show is a snapshot of young ambition and energy in NYC – it follows Ben and Cam, aspiring clothing designers as they try to launch their line, and their network of friends. (HBO Sunday nights, from executive producer Mark Wahlberg)
Here are 5 reasons to tune in…
1. Kappo
Eddie Kaye Thomas plays David “Kappo” Kaplan, a nerdy high school classmate of Ben’s who’s hit it big in hedge funds. He’s at once desperate for Ben’s friendship and also trying to be as cool as he perceives Ben and Cam to be. You know Thomas best from his role as Finch in the American Pie franchise.
2. Music
From the opening credits, which features the song “I Need A Dollar” by Aloe Blacc, music supervisor Scott Vener (aka Broke Mogul, also behind the sounds of Entourage) establishes the soundtrack as a pitch perfect balance between the gritty streets of the Lower East Side, and Cam and Ben’s big time dreams of making it.
3. Victor Rasuk as Cam Calderon
He started as Ben’s sidekick but as season two unfolds, he’s evolved, partly inspired by his crush on friend and shop-owner Lulu. As he gets out from underneath the reign of his neighborhood kingpin coustin Rene (played by Luis Guzman), he gets his own place (see #5) and he proves his metal as a hustler worthy of Ben’s artistic talents.
4. Lake Bell
Her character Rachel Chapman started as the typical recent ex-girlfriend of Ben, but this season has evolved into a more complicated woman, hooking up with their mutual friend, dogwalker/pot pusher Domingo (played by Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi).
5. New York City
Not since Sex And the City has New York been such a powerful character in an HBO show. The city comes alive in all the ways that SATC, especially when Cam finally scores his own apartment, a vast improvement from his childhood bedroom that had a view of the dumpster-lined alley. His new pad has a terrace and views of the East River, a gem in the Harlem projects.
Why do you watch How To Make It in America?
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS ACQUIRES NEWMARKET PRESS NAME AND CATALOG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS ACQUIRES NEWMARKET PRESS NAME AND CATALOG
Esther Margolis to Join the It Books Imprint
New York, NY (October 24, 2011) HarperCollins Publishers today announced that it has acquired the rights to the majority of titles published by Newmarket Press. As part of the agreement, Esther Margolis, Founder, President, and Publisher of Newmarket Press, will join the HarperCollins It Books imprint as an Executive Editor, where she will continue to acquire entertainment-related books to be published under the imprint Newmarket Press for It Books. The move is part of HarperCollins’s continuing expansion in the areas of pop-culture and entertainment publishing. The changes are effective immediately.
“For years, Newmarket Press has been the industry’s leading publisher of film-related books. Its list of screenplays, making-of books, tie-ins, and other titles on cinema is second to none. Esther Margolis is a highly respected veteran of both the publishing and the film industries, with unparalleled relationships with countless studios and filmmakers. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in publishing to this audience will be an invaluable asset to the growing It Books list,” said Cal Morgan, Senior Vice President and Publisher, It Books.
“HarperCollins Publishers makes a great home for the Newmarket list,” said Margolis. “The resources of HarperCollins and the It Books team will allow the Newmarket backlist to flourish in all channels and formats while enabling me to add to the list going forward.”
Newmarket Press was founded by Margolis in 1981. During its 29 years, the imprint has published more than 200 books in the areas of film, theater, and performing arts, including official tie-in books for films that have garnered more than 300 Oscar nominations and nearly 100 wins. Newmarket Press is especially noted for its illustrated books on such films as Milk; The Matrix; Gladiator; Moulin Rouge; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chicago; Sense and Sensibility; Saving Private Ryan; and Dances with Wolvesand for its acclaimed Newmarket Shooting Script® Series, including screenplays for King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine; Sideways; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; American Beauty; and Shawshank Redemption, among others. Other notable Newmarket titles about moviemaking include The Jaws Log, Final Cut, and Making Tootsie.
In addition, the Newmarket Press list has included more than 100 titles in the fields of parenting, psychology, health, biography, history, business, and fiction, including such popular and acclaimed books as the two-million-copy bestselling What’s Happening to My Body? series of puberty education books by Lynda Madaras; Daphne Oz’s national bestseller The Dorm Room Diet; Suze Orman’s national bestseller You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It; Dr. Georgia Witkin’s The Female Stress Syndrome; Gene Hackman & Daniel Lenihan’s first novel, Wake of the Perdido Star; Stuart Avery Gold’s international bestseller Ping: A Frog in Search of a New Pond; Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, winner of the National Jewish Book Award in nonfiction; The Words of Gandhi and The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and six works by William Wharton. All non-film-and-entertainment-related Newmarket Press titles acquired by HarperCollins will be published as trade paperbacks under the William Morrow Trade Paperbacks imprint.
Esther Margolis received the 2008 Poor Richard Award from The New York Center for Independent Publishing, given to a publisher who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of independent publishing. A member of the Women’s Forum, the Women’s Media Group, and Writers Guild of America, Margolis serves on the Trade Executive Committee of the Association of American Publishers, and the American Advisory Committee of the Jerusalem International Book Fair. She originated Bantam Books’ publicity operation in the 1960’s, later becoming Bantam’s first division head for marketing, publicity and communications worldwide, and worked closely with such authors as Jacqueline Susann, Maya Angelou, Louis L’Amour, Gail Sheehy, and E.L. Doctorow.
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 the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by MollyRingwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. It Books is an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; 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.
About HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott. Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement HarperCollins is the first publisher to digitize its content and create a global digital warehouse to protect the rights of its authors, meet consumer demand and generate additional business opportunities. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at http://www.harpercollins.com.
Exclusive Offer if You Pre-order Harry Potter Page to Screen!
Attention Harry Potter fans! You already know that we’ll be publishing a brand new book Harry Potter Page to Screen, which tells the complete story of how all eight films were made. It goes on sale October 25, but right now we have a special perk for anyone who’s already pre-ordered the book: through the link below, enter your proof of purchase from the store, and you’ll get exclusive access to never-before-seen 20 pages from the book. In addition, once you’re on the entry site, there’s one more bonus for you (maybe this?), so get going, already!
Click here to get access to the brand-new set of 20 pages:
I pre-ordered Harry Potter Page to Screen, now show me the exclusive excerpt!
And we don’t want to leave out anyone who may be waiting to get Page to Screen as a gift, so feast your eyes on and enjoy these additional 2 excerpts:
The Making of Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
The Art of Harry Potter
Enjoy these sneak peeks, and we promise you, the full book is worth the wait!
It Books author Carré Otis Discusses her new book, BEAUTY, DISRUPTED
Throughout her career, supermodel and actress Carré Otis has been celebrated for her striking physical beauty—but in this brazenly honest memoir she revisits the ugliest parts of her past to reveal the events that ultimately brought her to strive for, and champion, the kind of beauty that can only be found within. In Beauty, Disrupted, Carré details the triumphs and challenges of her career in modeling, her rise to fame on the covers of Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire, her battle against eating disorders and drug addiction, and her infamous marriage to Mickey Rourke. Beauty, Disrupted is her inspiring and personal memoir, a story of difficult lessons learned and inner beauty rediscovered, by a woman famous the world over—not only for her face but, now, for her fighter’s spirit.
See her here, as she gives a few thoughts on her book:
It Books Acquires Rights to Amy: My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
It Books Acquires Rights to
Amy: My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
NEW YORK, NY (October 10, 2011) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today that it has acquired Amy: My Daughter, a heartfelt and revelatory memoir by Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father. Amy will be published worldwide in summer 2012.
Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins, acquired North American rights for It Books. The deal was negotiated with Robin Straus of the Robin Straus Agency acting in conjunction with the Hanbury Agency in London. The book will be edited by Senior Editor Matt Harper.
The now-legendary life of Amy Winehouse needs no introduction. A multiple Grammy-winning recording artist, Amy touched millions with her music during her short but extraordinary life. Following her tragic death in July, Mitch Winehouse is now ready to tell the incredible story of the Amy the public never got to know and understand. From her mischievous early years, through her rise to stardom, to her much-publicized struggles with addiction, Mitch will bring the many layers of her life together—the personal, the private and the public—to create a fitting tribute to his beloved daughter and best friend.
All proceeds from the book will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, the charity that Mitch has founded in Amy’s name to help children and young adults, especially those who are in need by reason of ill health, disability, financial disadvantage or addiction.
“Amy Winehouse could have been anyone’s daughter,” said Lisa Sharkey. “She was Mitch’s pride and joy and he did everything he could to save her life. Now he celebrates her extraordinary talent by giving us insight into the woman that he and the world lost way too soon. This will surely be the definitive book about Amy. Nobody else could write it.”
Mitch Winehouse said, “I feel that I need to write this book to tell the true story of Amy and to help with my personal recovery. I also want to raise as much money as possible for Amy’s foundation, so all proceeds from the book will go directly to help children who are disadvantaged through illness and substance addiction. I believe that, through Amy’s music, her foundation, and this book, her name will live forever.”
In the United Kingdom, Nick Canham, Editorial Director, Harper Non-Fiction bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Maggie Hanbury at The Hanbury Agency.
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 the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci, The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos, and current bestsellers Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Being Kendra by Kendra Wilkinson. It Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; 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.
(photo from Associated Press)
Grab The Remote – It’s Fall!
Fall is my favorite time of year… the leaves start fading into beautiful autumnal hues, day trips for apple and pumpkin picking, and — most importantly – a new crop of TV shows are ready to delight audiences. Here’s a roundup of what I’ll be watching this fall.
Ringer – CW, Tuesdays at 9pm starting 9/13
Sarah Michelle Gellar makes her triumphant return to the small screen in this drama about a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister after she disappears – only to learn that her sister’s seemingly perfect life is more complicated and dangerous than meets the eye. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect vehicle for SMG, I don’t know what you all are waiting for.
2 Broke Girls – CBS, Mondays at 8:30pm starting 9/19 (series premiere is at 9:30pm, before returning to regular slot on 9/26)
Kat Dennings finally gets her own show. You may know Dennings from her roles as brooding, sexed up teens in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. The show’s about two down-and-out waitresses – one from humble background (Dennings) and the other cut off from her wealthy family (relative newcomer Beth Behrs) – who work at a Brooklyn restaurant in hopes of saving up to open their own cupcake shop. Let’s hope the creators Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City creator) and comedian Whitney Cummings can deliver.
New Girl – Fox, Tuesdays at 9pm starting 9/ 20
Zooey Deschanel is invading our living rooms weekly! After a surprise breakup with her model boyfriend, she eventually finds a new place to stay when she moves in with three single guys, who try to teach her a thing or two about men and love.
Whitney – NBC, Thursdays at 9:30 starting 9/22
Chelsea Handler-regular Whitney Cummings stars in this eponymous comedy about a happy, committed relationship that’s not on the fast track to marriage. As Whitney takes stock of the relationship, she tries some unusual ways of spicing it and seeks help from friends around her.
Pan Am — ABC, Sundays at 10p starting 9/25
A stylized, sexy show about flight attendants and pilots in the ‘60s, starring Christina Ricci. The women are newly empowered in the feminist movement sweeping the country and they’re looking for the opportunity to see the world and grab it by the balls.
Hart of Dixie – CW, Mondays at 9pm starting 9/26
A medical drama about a NYC doc (Rachel Bilson) who lands in backcountry Alabama when she can’t find a job. Exec producer is Josh Schwartz, the man behind the O.C., Gossip Girl, and Chuck.
Terra Nova – Fox, Mondays at 8pm starting Sep. 26 (first episode is 2 hours)
This is more of a TV event than another Fall show. From Spielberg and Peter Chernin comes an epic story taking place in the year 2149. Life on Earth is near extinction and, in an effort to save the human race, scientists develop a time machine that takes settlers 85 million years back in time to prehistoric Earth. Terra Nova is the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway and it is in the middle of a group of carnivorous dinosaurs.
How to Be a Gentleman — CBS, Thursdays at 8:30p starting 9/29
An etiquette columnist is told to put a modern, sexy twist on his conservative column or be fired. He enlists the help of an old friend, reformed “bad boy” played by Kevin Dillon, who shows him how to loosen up. This should provide your fill of bro humor between reruns of How I Met Your Mother.
What will you be watching?
Countdown to Uniqlo in midtown!
In a short 24 hours, New York Fashion Week (excuse me, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) will begin and Lincoln Center will be abuzz with fashion editors, designers, models, and other artists. However, I believe the less couture-oriented among us will appreciate this other fashion tidbit: Uniqlo’s coming to midtown!
Uniqlo flagship store to come, 5th Ave at 53rd St.
Opening on Friday, October 14, the Fifth Avenue location (at the southwest corner of 53rd St.) will be the Japanese retailer’s largest global flagship store. Yes, Fifth Avenue has plenty of flagship stores, but Uniqlo will be a great addition to It Books’s little stretch of the avenue, saving us from Hollister/Gap/H&M fatigue. Come the holidays, tourists will no doubt choke up the sidewalks even more, but I for one am happy to have another mid-market shop. And it’s always nice to see an empty store front find a new store to call it “home”!
Win a Signed copy of Tabatha Coffey’s It’s Not Really About the Hair
Enter for Your Chance to Win a Signed Copy of:
Tabatha Coffey, the star of popular reality show Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, shares her compelling life story with fans, revealing not only the events that have made her so outspoken, driven and admired today, but the personal tenets that keep her centered and thriving.
Casting !t: Just Kids
It was announced yesterday via MediaBistro that rock goddess and National Book Award winning author Patti Smith with be helping adapt her amazing memoir Just Kids (my Favor!te book of 2010) for the screen alongside screenwriter and Tony Award winning playwright John Logan.
If you haven’t heard (I can’t see how you haven’t), Just Kids is Smith’s memoir of arriving in New York in 1967 and the then 20 year old’s chance encounter with Robert Mapplethorpe, another 20 year old aspiring artist. It’s her story of their love, their friendship, their art and a New York few would recognize today.
So the question goes out… who would you cast as Smith and Mapplethorpe?
Kristen Stewart (age: 21) and Robert Pattison (age: 25)
Surely these two will be at the top of studio exec’s wish list. Stewart, proved that she could rock in her transformation into Joan Jett in the film biopic The Runaways and the resemblance between the two [rumored] real-life couple to the originals is uncanny. But the fit and the two megastars’ ties to the mega-Twilight-franchise may not hit audiences (or Ms. Smith) the right way.
Frances Bean Cobain (age: 19) and Ezra Miller (age: 18)
The Princess of Grunge as the Godmother of Punk? Can Miss Cobain act? Who knows? But if she can – and would want to step up into the Hollywood world, the photos by Hedi Slimane that recently were released prove she has the look – and the balls – to play Smith. I’d cast the currently almost famous Ezra Miller as Mapplethorpe against Cobain’s Smith. He has the East Village circa 1967 thing down already – and if his performance in the upcoming We Need to Talk About Kevin is as amazing as is being predicted, this could be the massive follow-up he will be looking for.
Emma Watson (age: 21) and Nicholas Hout (age: 21)
Former Harry Potter student Emma Watson seems poised for an image-crashing turn in to catapult her out of Hogwarts. I’d pair her with fellow Brit Nicholas Hout, who came to fame years ago in About a Boy and crashed his own child-star image in the amazing British take on Gossip Girl (but dirtier and better) Skins. His follow-up to that, playing the lovelorn college boy pining for a night with professor Colin Firth in Tom Ford’s A Single Man.
Jennifer Damiano (age: 20) and Eddie Redmayne (age: 29)
Perhaps the modern day Smith and Mapplethorpe might be found forty blocks north of The Village and on Broadway. Jennifer Damiano got amazing attention for her originating role in Spring Awakening. Followed by her Tony-nominated role in Next to Normal. Currently she’s starring in Spider Man. So she should be looking for a new job soon. The Mapplethorpe to Damiano’s Smith? Eddie Redmayne, the Tony award-winning star of Red and the upcoming film My Week with Marilyn.
So who do you think should be cast as Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe in Just Kids?
