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.
We’re Going to Miss You, Dick Clark
Dick Clark. I feel like I’ve known him my whole life. I have if you think about it. He was around every New Year’s Eve, rockin’ it in with good cheer. And while I’m a little young to have been an “American Bandstand” devotee, I’ve seen clips and there wasn’t a more dashing host. I should be too young to have been a fan of his game show “Pyramid” but in fact, I began watching it in utero and loved him ever since. That Clark was eternally young—before the world knew about chemical peels and Botox—made him a real life super hero. Eternal Teenage-Man!
Of course, his devastating stroke in 2004 didn’t stop him a bit. Sometimes hardship only illuminates how courageous a person really is. So, sadly I quote the man himself, “For now, Dick Clark…so long.”
The 90′s are BACK!
The 90′s are back but in the best possible way!
As a child born in the late 80′s and raised in the 90′s I feel it is my duty, nay, my honor to share with you the joy that Nickelodeon gave to me in my childhood years (dramatic much?). This week Teen Nick launched “90′s Are All That” promoting the late night 90′s shows that are now back at Nickelodeon. These shows include: All That, Kenan & Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, and Doug (a personal favorite).
It is rumored that the executives over at Nick are open to suggestions for other 90′s favorites to be added to the late night list. Personally, I wouldn’t mind Rugrats, CatDog, Hey Arnold!, The Secret World of Alex Mack, or my favorite, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, to be added to the line-up.
Did I stay up late last night giggling like the child I was over the epic shorts from All That?
You bet your bottom dollar I did!
If you are like myself, and many other kids of the 90′s, then what are some of your favorite shows from way back when?
Tardy to the Party: Veronica Mars
A few weeks ago, an event even more exciting than someone else getting to marry a prince took place: I finally got Netflix. (Sorry, Hulu. We’ll always have White Collar.) Based on my TV-loving BFF’s suggestion, I started with the first episode of Veronica Mars….and didn’t stop watching until I reached the end of the series, um, five days later. Please don’t do the math on that.
How had I never seen this show before? It is AMAZING. If you don’t believe me, believe Buffy creator/most brilliant TV writer ever Joss Whedon, who said, “Best. Show. Ever. Seriously, I’ve never gotten more wrapped up in a show I wasn’t making, and maybe even more than those….These guys know what they’re doing on a level that intimidates me. It’s the Harry Potter of shows.” (Full rave here.)
IMHO, the sadness of Veronica Mars ending after only three seasons may be second only to the tragedy of Firefly’s cancellation after slightly less than one.
Watch it if you like: Buffy, Glee, Freaks and Geeks, My So Called Life, Nancy Drew, badass blondes, mysteries, internet stalking, high school drama, wrong side of the tracks drama, complicated will they/won’t they? relationships, amazing writing, good TV in general
And if your experience is anything like mine, you will:
1) not sleep until you’ve watched every episode, including the unaired season 4 pilot
2) start thinking that everything is a potential mystery to be solved (by you)
3) feel a strange urge to talk on the phone more, just because Veronica does
4) improve your sassy quip skills by at least 45 percent
(Also, you don’t even have to have Netflix! The WB has seasons 1 and 2 online here. You’re welcome.)
‘Glee’ Does New York, and Your It List Loves It.
(OK, so we are slightly biased towards our own city.)
Glee’s sophomore season concluded on Tuesday with the much-anticipated finale, “New York.” It’s amazing what shooting on location does for a show. The NYC outdoor scenes just felt so free and BIG. (I’d like to see them try to film on Fifth Avenue during the holiday season.) Co-creator/exec producer/episode director Brad Falchuk told EW.com that they normally keep the camera very tight on the action, since they don’t want a stray SoCal palm tree wandering into the Ohio-set scenes. But during the “I Love New York/New York, New York” mash-up, we got to see New Directions use Times Square, Lincoln Center, Washington Square Park, and Central Park as their huge stages–and it was GREAT! Here are our favorite moments from the finale:
Rachel’s hair: Ms. Berry had a great hair episode. From the neat but not overly curled ponytail at Tiffany’s to her sweet low side knot during her date with Finn, New York did wonders for Rachel’s style.
Love the hair AND the flowers. (Photo from PacificCoastNews.com via EOnline.)
Puck on the accordion: Yes, the scene was cheesy, but hello, this is Glee. Rachel and Finn had just finished dinner at Sardi’s, met Patti LuPone, and were on their rom-com-worthy walk through the West Village (these kids travel all over town, and quickly). Thank you, Glee, for cutting the cutesy romance with the absurdity of Puck playing an accordion, and the guys singing “Bella Notte.” I still don’t know if they were meant to be surreal background music or actually there, stalking Finnchel on their date.
Puck, you are one talented guy. (Photo from daemonstv.com.)
Rachel and Kurt’s Wicked visit: These two are such cute friends, and their duet of “For Good” from Wicked was endearing and touching. It had much more weight than their first duet of “Defying Gravity”, and part of that was thanks to their being in the actual Gershwin Theatre! Yay for the gruff-but-indulgent security guard who let them have their 15 minutes on the Broadway musical’s stage. (If only all NYC tourists were so lucky as Rachel, Kurt, and Mr. Schue.) Listen to the studio version here–but I highly recommend watching the video clip (it adds so much more). [ETA: you can now watch it on Hulu; the Wicked scene starts at 15:24.]
Rachel and Kurt sing from Wicked again, this time "For Good."
Thank you for a great second season, Glee! Hope you get to Nationals again next year, and I can’t wait to hear more about how Kurt’s summer project goes: he’s writing Pip Pip Hooray, a musical about the world’s favorite maid of honor, Pippa Middleton.
Cool Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Your It List presents our eleven top books to give this holiday season.
Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Lifeby Justine Picardie
Richly illustrated with hundreds of color and black and white photos, Coco Chanel illuminates Chanel’s path from little-known seamstress to the aristocracy of style in this stunning look at the fashion icon.
Perfect Gift for anyone who loves Chanel in all it’s forms – clothes, perfume, jewelry, bags, shoes –as well as all those who loved Audrey Tautou‘s award-winning role of Gabrielle Chanel in the film Coco Before Chanel.
Buy Coco Chanel, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
The # 1 New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the hit CBS sitcom, $#*! My Dad Says, starring William Shatner, Justin Halpern’s memoir of his dad is laugh out loud hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. You’ll never think of little league, Denny’s or your dad the same way again.
Perfect gift for your Dad, for fans of the show and followers of Twitter.com/ShitMyDadSays.
Buy Sh*t My Dad Says or read an excerpt.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
One of the biggest bands in the world, The Red Hot Chili Peppers finally bring fans an audacious look back at their thirty-year odyssey, in their own words and accompanied by over 300 photos.
Perfect gift for all RHCP fans, past and present, and those who can’t wait for their next album.
Buy The Red Hot Chili Peppers or read an excerpt.
The Tattoo Chronicles by Kat Von D
The New York Times bestselling follow-up to High Voltage Tattoo, The Tattoo Chronicles delves deep into Kat Von D‘s personal journals and notebooks to reveal one tumultuous year in the life of the star of TLC’s LA Ink and contains photos taken and drawings made by Kat herself as well as the stories behind some of the most meaningful tattoos Kat has ever created.
Perfect gift for fans of LA Ink and lovers of tattoos.
Buy The Tattoo Chronicles, read an excerpt or watch a video.
How to Beat Up Anybodyby Judah Friedlander
An instructional and inspirational Karate book by the World Champion and star of 30 Rock, Judah Friedlander. Learn how to beat up street gangs, attackers with weapons, ninjas, dinosaurs, and gangs of street ninjas with weapons riding on dinosaurs! With over 500 photographs, this is a book that could quite possibly save your life.
Perfect gift for fans of 30 Rock and anyone wanting to survive.
Buy How to Beat Up Anybody, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley
The official, behind the scenes guide to ALL the Harry Potter Films, including the recently released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Volume 1 AND the upcoming Volume 2, Harry Potter Film Wizardy shows fans why Yule Ball ice sculptures never melt, where Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts are really “minted,” how to get a Hippogriff to work with actors, the inspiration behind Hogwarts castle, and why Dementors move the way they do.
Perfect gift for all Harry Potter fans.
Buy Harry Potter Film Wizardry, read an excerpt or watch a video.
The Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide by Matt Groening
At 1,200 pages, this cromulent compendium provides a comprehensive synopsis of every episode for the past twenty years, including every couch gag, every “D’oh” and “Mmm…” Homer has ever muttered, every song ever sung by citizens of Springfield, over 400 character profiles and lots more stuff you may have missed!
Perfect gift for all Simpsons fans.
Buy The Simpsons World or read an excerpt.
Designs on Film by Cathy Whitlock
Open the curtain on movie magic and explore the set designs of the biggest films in movie history including The Wizard of Oz’s yellow brick road, Cleopatra‘s ancient Egypt, the Dakota apartment building in Rosemary’s Baby, Norma Desmond’s “white elephant of a place” from Sunset Boulevard and the vast world of Pandora from Avatar.
Perfect gift for fans of classic films and those interested in behind the scenes details of their favorite films.
Buy Designs on Film or read an excerpt.
The Art of Classic Rock by Rob Roth
For many, the items lovingly cataloged in the pages of The Art of Classic Rock will evoke nostalgic memories of their youth—of blazing lights, drifting smoke and of the all-pervading power of their favorite rock concerts.
Perfect gift for fans of classic rock, especially the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Queen, Alice Cooper and Elton John, as well as fans of album and music poster art.
Buy The Art of Classic Rock, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary-Lou Weisman
A biography of Al Jaffee, creator of the massively popular MAD magazine “fold-in” delves deep into the artist’s life and brings readers from the shtetls of Lithuania to the streets of New York and deep inside the world of the top cartoonists of the 20th century, fully illustrated by Jaffee himself.
Perfect gift for fans of MAD magazine and readers interested in 20th century America.
Buy Al Jaffee’s Mad Life, read an excerpt or watch a video.
The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs by Larry Marion
A revealing look at the earliest days of the legendary Rolling Stones, captured in a collection of personal, never-before-seen photographs—the largest single trove of such important rock images ever uncovered—shot as the band were on the brink of international stardom.
Perfect gift for all fans of The Rolling Stones and readers of Keith Richards’s memoir Life.
Buy The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs or read an excerpt.
Written in indelible Ink
In case you haven’t noticed, we have a thing for books, and for tattoos. We just had to share this great video featuring THE WORD MADE FLESH: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide by Eva Talmadge and Justin Taylor. Just released by our friends at Harper Perennial, this book is a beautifully packaged full-color collection of literary tattoos and short personal essays.
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?
Meet Kat Von D
We are thrilled to announce the following appearances where Kat Von D will meet fans in conjunction with the release of her latest book The Tattoo Chronicles, on sale Tuesday, October 26, 2010.
If you’re unable to meet Kat on tour, pre-order your copy of The Tattoo Chronicles today.
Complete schedule after the jump.
(more…)
Susan Lucci to Pen Autobiography
New York, NY (July 28, 2010) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today that it will publish television legend Susan Lucci’s autobiography in 2011. As the most famous face in daytime television history, Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful “woman you love to hate,” Erica Kane on ABC-TV’s All My Children.
The book was acquired by Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development for HarperCollins from Mel Berger of William Morris Endeavor. Vice President and Executive Editor, Hope Innelli will edit the book.
In her autobiography Lucci will recount her forty year-long career on All My Children, playing the beautiful and controversial character. As Erica Kane, Lucci has experienced many intense moments on screen: married many times on air, was one of daytime’s first working mothers, and has dealt with many of life’s greatest tragedies. In addition to providing readers with an exciting and satisfying behind the scenes look at her career, Lucci will devote much of the book to her personal life off-camera. Lucci will reveal information on her devastating car accident, her miscarriage, and the joy that came with finally winning an Emmy in 1999 after eighteen previous nominations. She recounts her experiences on Broadway, performing to sold-out audiences across the country as a cabaret, nightclub performer, and as a celebrity dancer on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Named one of Barbara Walters’ “Ten Most Fascinating People,” Lucci will give readers an intimate look into her life as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, philanthropist, entrepreneur and iconic actress.
“I am so excited to share my life experiences with my fans,” Susan Lucci said. “It Books gave me the extraordinary opportunity to tell my story.”
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.
PR Contacts:
Alberto G. Rojas, Senior Director of Publicity, 212-207-7891; alberto.rojas@harpercollins.com
Joseph Papa, Associate Publicist, 212-207-7326; joseph.papa@harpercollins.com
Sex and Drugs and Guns N’ Roses
Steven Adler, the infamous former drummer for Guns N’ Roses, kicked off his book tour to promote My Appetite for Destruction tonight at Book Revue in Long Island to a rapt crowd of fans.
In his memoir, Adler shares the shattering untold truth of GNR and his own personal struggles with addiction, as seen on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Adler bares it all in My Appetite for Destruction including:
- His childhood: As a young teen Steven was lured into a private party where he was sexually assaulted and beaten. Never before has this shocking, harrowing tale been told. Steven emerged a less trusting, but wiser 14 year-old. He reveals how he discovered a way to learn how to play from some of the best rock drummers in the world.
- His love life: One of Steven’s lovers, thinking Steven was leaving her, tried to commit suicide by jumping out a fifth-floor window. And his first wife went out with one of her girlfriends one night, never to return…
- His health: Steven delves into the brutal depression and humiliation borne of his botched suicide attempts, his drug-related heart attacks, and the debilitating stroke that caused him muscular paralysis and permanently slurred speech.
- His band-mates: How Slash, against all reason, reached out to help Steven one last time after the rest of Guns N’ Roses had given up on him. How Duff snubbed Steven, humiliating him in front of thousands of fans at Farm Aid. And what Slash and Axl Rose did to Steven that can never, ever be forgotten.
- His heroics: How Steven discovered a seemingly unconscious and non-responsive Nikki Sixx all alone, and saved his life.
- …and his endless antics: How Steven managed to earn the seething wrath of Axl Rose, Eddie Van Halen and Rod Stewart. And incredible accounts of how Guns N’ Roses’ endless partying made virtually every night a gamble on whether they’d make it to the stage or to the morgue.
*Expires October 27, 2010.
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.
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.
Molly Ringwald gets the pretty back
The iconic Molly Ringwald shares intimate stories and candid advice in Getting the Pretty Back, a fun, stylish, and sexy girlfriend’s guide to life.
Buy Getting the Pretty Back today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or an independent bookseller.
To her millions of fans, Molly Ringwald will forever be sixteen. As the endearing and witty star of the beloved John Hughes classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, Molly defined teenage angst, love, and heartbreak. While remembered eternally as the enviable high school princess Claire, or the shy, vulnerable Samantha, Molly has just celebrated her fortieth birthday. Facing a completely new, angst-inducing time in her life, she is embracing being a woman, wife, mother of three, actress, and best friend with her trademark style, candor, and humor.
In Getting the Pretty Back, Molly encourages every woman to become “the sexiest, funniest, smartest, best-dressed, and most confident woman that you can be.” She shares personal anecdotes and entertaining insights about the struggle to get through the murky milestones and identity issues that crop up long after the prom ends. Whether she’s discussing sex and beauty, personal style, travel and entertaining, motherhood, or friendship, Molly embodies the spirit of being fabulous at every age, and reminds us all that prettiness is a state of mind: it’s “the part of you that knows what you really want, that takes risks.”
Lavishly illustrated by Ruben Toledo, Getting the Pretty Back is sure to charm women of all ages with Molly’s unforgettably personal, refreshingly outspoken take on life, love, and, of course, finding that perfect red lipstick.
Read an excerpt from Getting the Pretty Back, view Molly’s favorite fondu recipe from Artisanal Bistro, read an interview with Molly on Tonic.com and become a fan on Facebook.
Rebel with a gun
Fifty-six years ago two young actors appeared together in a twenty-three minute episode of General Electric Theater. Today, both men have reached heights of popularity and cultural significance neither could have predicted. And after more than half a century “The Dark, Dark Hours” starring James Dean and Ronald Reagan has been discovered.
The Atlantic has the video – edited down to 6 mins – of James Dean portraying a rebel with a gun (10 months before the premiere of Rebel Without A Cause) holding a doctor (Reagan) and his family hostage while trying to get medical attention for his wounded friend.
What struck me most about this short film is the hint of roles to come in Dean’s performance, most notably the conversations between Dean (calling Reagan ‘Dad) and Reagan (calling Dean ‘Sonny’) and the physical altercation between the two followed by the emotional breakdown of the younger actor.
The physical altercation between Dean and Reagan plays out much in the same fashion as Dean’s altercation with Jim Backus, who played his father, in Rebel Without a Cause – though this time it’s the father figure attacking the younger man.
Reagan attacking Dean quickly escalates into Dean’s emotional breakdown – mimicking, almost exactly – the scene Dean may already have been preparing for in East of Eden, when he, as Caleb Trask, tries to buy his father’s love (Raymond Massey) only to be rejected, sending him into a tailspin of self-destruction.
In many ways ”The Dark, Dark Hours” can be seen as a sort of screen test for Dean, working through many of the themes and acting styles that he will then bring to the three film roles he left behind, in Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden and his final picture, Giant.
Give it to me in stones!
“Fat Actress” devotee Pam Cesarec shares her thoughts on Kirstie Alley’s latest show, debuting Sunday, March 21, 10/9 Central on A&E.
For the other ten people in the universe who continue to hold out hope that Showtime (or any network really) will pick up “Fat Actress” for a second season—well, it’s been five years. Suppose we should give up on that pipe dream, BUT there is a new Kirstie Alley show that also centers on her weight and it premieres this Sunday on A&E.
“Kirstie Alley’s Big Life” is a reality show that, unfortunately, feels a little too contrived. I’m speaking as a big Alley fan, but as a bigger “My Life on the D-list” fan, I gotta say these first two eps of “Big Life” can’t begin to compare to Kathy Griffin’s hilarious (and oftentimes surprisingly heartfelt) Emmy-winning show. In terms of how “real” reality shows are, c’mon, it’s 2010–by now most of us know that most reality shows are manipulated, but we get sucked in nonetheless, right? Alley’s voiceovers seem too rehearsed and sometimes when she’s interacting with the people in her life, it feels very scripted. But Instead of dwelling on the boring stuff– like how much weight Alley hopes to lose (80 lbs) or how she seems to have a genuinely nice and real relationship with her grown kids, let’s talk about the fun stuff. Like how whack this chick is. Her house is like a zoo, complete with a lemur cage the size of my first flat, filled to the brim with wild animals. (P.S. she sits in the cage holding the lemurs like a person would hold a human infant.) In other news, she’s got a brand new assistant, Kyle, who’s known for his two day-long siestas (his word, not mine), and is probably the most entertaining supporting character thus far.
For those of you who watched “Fat Actress,” take note of the miniature doors in Kirstie’s house (I like to think it’s a reference to the episode “The Koi Effect” guest starring a perfectly-cast Wallace Shawn and Leah Remini) and the baby voices she uses with her pet lemurs—reminiscent of the way she spoke as an honorary little person hanging out in a plastic children’s house with a group of dwarfs (also in that episode). Timeless stuff! Overall, I still think Kirstie is wildly amusing and I’m happy to report that “Big Life” vastly improved between episodes one and two, so I think it’s got potential. I’d stick it out and see what kind of batty stuff she pulls this season. I’m definitely crossing my fingers for some wacky Scientology plotlines—- and maybe even a Rachael Harris cameo!
Photos courtesy of A&E. Credit: Brian Doben (Kirstie Alley) and Richard Knapp (Cast)
Bon Jovi, it’s their life
Bon Jovi, America’s favorite band, has a busy fall coming up.
Their new single, “We Weren’t Born to Follow” is currently playing on every station. Their new studio album The Circle drops on November 10th, they just announced today a tour in early 2010 (including the first concert at the new Meadowlands in May), Showtime will air a behind-the-scenes documentary about the band on October 24th and on top of all of that the band has a book coming out November 3rd - Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful – which celebrates their 25th anniversary with never-before-seen photos and stories from Jon, Richie, David and Tico.
The book is available now to pre-order and you can get an exclusive, early SNEAK PEEK INSIDE THE BOOK before it goes on sale.
Check back with YourItList.com as we will be releasing more information about the book and the band over the next few weeks.
Just three frames
I love the idea behind the site Three Frames. It’s essentially exactly what it sounds like…three frames from a movie or TV show, in order and shown in rapid succession on a loop. The results are hilarious, amazing and sometimes scary (in my humble opinion). After I came across the site I found myself getting sucked in and going through the entire archive. It reminds me of those cameras that have four exposures, so the final photo has just a hint of motion in it.
Also, if you have any idea what movie these stills are from, post it in the comments section because topless machine guns = movies I must see.
Seminal moments on television (circa 1986 to 1989) Part I
www.htmlgiant.com
Thanks to Matthew Simmons over there at HTML Giant, I just had the most vivid flashback I’ve ever had that did not stem from some mind altering drug.
Simmons brought me back to when worlds collided and Diff’rent Strokes’s Arnold (Gary Coleman) snuck onto the set of Knight Rider and meet David Hasselhoff as he’s filming an episode. There the lines of fiction vs. reality blur in head-hurting detail, which Simmons eloquently explains in his evaluation.
This then brought back a flood of images and episodes of various programs I will loosely define as circa 1986 to 1989 (being that I must have seen these episodes during that time regardless of it they were new or repeats).
In no certain order, I present Seminal Moments in Television (circa 1986 to 1989) Part I:
Punky Brewster – Cherie in the Fridge
www.rottentomatoes.com
Poor Henry. Old, slow, broken, not as cool as once was. I’m talking about his refrigerator, of course. Off to Sears to buy a new one. Cart the old one off into the backyard. Let’s just put it here beneath the tree house where all the neighborhood kids will be playing.
Punky: Hey Cherie, let’s play hide-and-seek!
Cherie: She’ll never find me if I hide out in this old refrigerator!
Fast forward: There’s no air in the fridge! Cherie is unconscious! Punky will use her Punky-Power! (and CPR class) to bring her back to life… and a generation of people will never throw away a fridge without unscrewing the door again. Video.
ALF – The be continued (still waiting)
http://alf.fanspace.com
I remember the first episode of ALF. September 22, 1986. My 6th birthday. But that is not the seminal moment in this classic sitcom…
After years of struggle on this stupid earth-planet Gordon Shumway (derogatorily nicknamed ALF by the non-cat-eating humans) is finally able to return back to Melmac and to his long-lost love “Help Me” Rhonda. As our hero makes his way through the woods, into the clearing to finally have the chance to be free he is seized upon by the FBI, the CIA, the damn Tanner family and their indentured servitude contract. The space ship appears… the flood lights turn on… the guns are pointed… and… and…
To be continued.
A classic cliff hanger. Children across the country screamed. And then… cancellation. NBC pulls the plug. The resolution episode never airs. And Gordon will remain in perpetual limbo for all of time (note: ignore the horrible made-for-tv-movie Project ALF that came years later). Video.
Valerie (aka Valerie’s Family; aka The Hogan Family) – Where’s Mom? She’s dead. But here’s Sandy Duncan.
http://timstvshowcase.com
Seriously, NBC. People in the mid-to-late eighties watch your cheesy little sitcoms to be drawn into the perfect, funny little world Ronald Reagan kept telling us existed. A world where the dad’s a pilot, the fat-red-headed neighbor Mrs. Poole brings over brownies, the older brother is obsessed with girls and his hair and there are stereotypical twin boys (one jock, one brain). Ya know what we don’t tune in to watch? Death.
We know, we know it must have been tough re-negotiating that contract with Valerie Harper. She’s tough. Look at all the times Rhoda sabotaged Mary Tyler Moore’s dinner parties. So lets just kill her off, rename the show, bring in Peter Pan and all will be good. Not good. If I wanted to be all dark and depressed and cry I’d just look at my own family. This one’s not even worthy of a video link.
And so ends Seminal moments on television (circa 1986 to 1989) Part I. Stay tuned for Part II where we’ll explore the day nucleaur war threatened the peaceful tranquility of Our House (not to mention rocky relationship between Shannen Doherty, Chad Allen, Deidre Hall and the Quaker Oates guy), the often-forgotten spin-off of Who’s the Boss starring Halle Berry and Leah Remini, that episode of Facts of Life where Blair tries to kill her friends (and everyone ignores this guy) and more!
