I Did Not Give Up Chocolate for Lent!

Thank goodness!  My fried, Jay Hudson, ate all the Malley’s Chocolates that came to the studio for Valentines Day, when I was on vacation.  He enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries and grapes and potato chips and was sure to text me in Canada to tell me what I was missing!  One thing he heard about, but didn’t get to try, was the chocolate covered Twinkie.  After some unsuccessful attempts to get one, he was despondant, wondering if they were like the elusive unicorn, just a whisper on the wind. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the chocolate covered Twinkie.  If you, too, were shut out at Valentines Day, they are now available at your local Malley’s.  And Jay, thinking he might have made too much of the chocolate I missed, was nice enough to pick me up a box!!  Good friends are good. 

It's All About the Pants!

I’m sorry, did you say something?  I can’t hear you over the pants!

You may have seen me tweet a picture of the Norwegian Curling team on the first day of preliminary rounds at the Olympics, last week.  The pants were especially striking, because all the other teams (and when curling is going on, there are four lanes with two teams each, going at it at the same time) were wearing black plants.  Apparently, Christoffer Svae, one of the guys on the team, found the pants online.  As you can imagine, they’re totally backordered now.  Even the KING of Norway has a pair.  But, you might want to book mark this site for future giftgiving, because Loudmouth Golf pants (YEP, that’s the name of the company) are sure to become a “thing.”  Once you’ve prepared yourself, click this link to check out some pants that will melt your eyeballs!!  I guess there’s even a Facebook page devoted to The Pants. 

It’s All About the Pants!

I’m sorry, did you say something?  I can’t hear you over the pants!

You may have seen me tweet a picture of the Norwegian Curling team on the first day of preliminary rounds at the Olympics, last week.  The pants were especially striking, because all the other teams (and when curling is going on, there are four lanes with two teams each, going at it at the same time) were wearing black plants.  Apparently, Christoffer Svae, one of the guys on the team, found the pants online.  As you can imagine, they’re totally backordered now.  Even the KING of Norway has a pair.  But, you might want to book mark this site for future giftgiving, because Loudmouth Golf pants (YEP, that’s the name of the company) are sure to become a “thing.”  Once you’ve prepared yourself, click this link to check out some pants that will melt your eyeballs!!  I guess there’s even a Facebook page devoted to The Pants. 

American Guy-dol

It’s funny.  It does seem like every year, at about this point in the competition, all the American Idol critics say all the contestants are terrible.  They usually say it’s either the girls or boys year, “SOOO lopsided!” and invariably, someone from the other group wins.  This is why I don’t join the proceedings until they have the roster set.  But, I just had to see how this new judge lineup was going to affect things. 

Yeaaaaah, it’s all just the same.  And frankly, Kara is scaring me just as much as Paula ever did.  While she doesn’t slur her critiques, she does tend to ramble ridiculously.  And, the slobbering over the good looking contestant.  Ech.  I don’t find that funny or entertaining, at all.  It’s creepy. 

Here’s something you might want to try next week, just to liven things up.  Do what I did, last night.  I got home about 9:15.  The boys were already watching the show, so I ended up seeing the last 5 guys first.  I wasn’t impressed with any of them, except Andrew.  But, when I watched the end of show montage, I realized they were not as bad as I thought, not nearly as bad as the first seven guys!  Again, I am only going on what I saw last night.  I don’t know any of their back stories or previous performances.  These are the six I’d like to see more of:

1.  Andrew Garcia
2.  Lee Dewyze
3.  Michael Lynche
4.  Alex Lambert
5.  Todrick Hall
6.  Joe Munoz

Let me know if we see eye to eye, or why I’m way off.  All of the feedback I got from my girls list made me feel like I have a pretty good handle on who is going to stay.  The one girl that seems to really be dividing the audience is Haeley, so it will be interesting to see how long she’s around.

Ladies Short

I am so glad I was able to tune in and out of the Olympics, as well.  And, I think I caught the important parts of the Ladies Short Program, Figure Skating.  If you ever needed an example of the global nature of things, witness the Japanese girl who trains in New Jersey, Brian Orser coaching the girl from Korea, and so on.

I absolutely love little Mirai Nagasu.  Look, she’s even adorable with a bloody nose.  But unfortunately, the blood started flowing about a third of the way through her short program, and it threw her.  I think she still skated beautifully, but she was really down, after.  She told reporters she’s out of the medals.  I hope her coaches and family and friends get her head on straight before the free skate, because she is still in this thing.  I was not a fan of Rachael Flatt at Nationals.  I just thought she was wooden and robotic.  But now, she’s one of OUR girls.  And, how cute was the video of her skating as a three year old??

Sure, barring crazy strangeness, this will ultimately be a battle between Kim Yu-Na and her longtime rival, Mao Nasada.  But the night belonged to Joannie Rochette, because she found the courage and the strength to show up and compete.  Not only was she going to be blown away, as all the Canadian skaters have been, by the level of support from her countrymen at the venue.  She was getting the support of a global Olympic audience, anyone who has lost someone, everyone with a heart.  Joannie’s Mom died on her journey to watch her daughter compete at the Olympics, quite unexpectedly, right there in Vancouver.  Of course Joannie would want to go on, because her Mom would want her to go on.  But, could she do it?  I don’t think I breathed, during her routine.  She ended, in tears.  And, she’d skated to a personal best and third place going into the long program.  The crowd was crying, Scott Hamilton was crying, I was crying.  Therese Rochette?  If she was crying, somewhere, it was with joy and pride.

American Idol Girls

What a rough night!  A very important Cavs game, the Olympics (of course!!), American Idol, Lost… plus, there’s dinner, laundry, and I have to talk to my family, at some point, am I right?  Whew.  So, I missed much of the Olympics coverage, but it was a weak night, in terms of interest, for me, thankfully. 

My family has been watching most of the American Idol audition process.  I have simply refused to get caught up in the emotional manipulation of it.  I don’t want to start caring for someone who isn’t even going to get a chance to compete.  But, I taped the first live performance of the season, just to get a feel for what’s going on and the judge dynamic, with Ellen.  Those girls had to be so nervous, and I thought there were some very interesting singers, with a lot of potential.  I fast forwarded, a lot, but here are my top six.  I hope we get to see more of them.
1.  Lilly Scott
2.  Haeley Vaughn
3.  Michelle Delamor
4.  Didi Benami
5.  Crystal Bowersox
6.  Katie Stevens

Sorry if I spelled any of those names wrong.  How did I do?  Am I on track?  Totally off track?  Are you watching?  Are you going to watch?

Oooh! Winter and Summer Olympics Combine!

So many of these Olympic stars we come to love and support are young and single, with a narrow minded focus, be the best at their sport.  So, it doesn’t leave much time for romance.  And yet, if you follow Evan Lysacek on Twitter, you might have noticed some sweet chirping from another decorated Olympian, Nastia Liukin, our gold medal gymnast from the Beijing Games! 

“So proud of you @EvanLysacek. Enjoy this amazing time of your life. You deserve every second of it! XO”

And look!  She posted a pic!!

Cuuuuuuute, right?  Apparently, they met at one of those Ice Meets the Mats, check out your faves from the Olympics-type events, back in 2008, and they’ve been getting to know each other and develop their friendship, since then.  I think he’s much more handsome without the Dracula hair and the snakes!  Oops, though, I guess Nastia doesn’t like all this speculation and attention.  Here’s her tweet from today:

“The media: such a love/hate relationship. Wish people would just mind their own business.”

 

Past Life

If you’re one of the millions watching American Idol, and if you have not fast forwarded through every commercial break, you have probably seen the commercials for Past Life.  It seems like this is a weird time to be starting a new series, but Fox is likely trying to capitalize on the American Idol lead in.  There is a one hour introduction to the show on Tuesday, February 9, which is Ellen’s first night on Idol.  Then, the Series Premiere of Past Life is Thursday, Feb 11, at 9pm.

As much as I’ve railed on Fox, in the past, for not supporting new shows, they just seem to keep pumping out new dramas.  It’s not like they’re just doing franchises (ala Law and Order and CSI).  But, Past Life is a procedural, with a supernatural twist.  There will be inevitable comparisons to Fringe.  Look, there’s a blonde actress, new to TV, playing a strong lead.  In fact, actress Kelli Giddish read for the part of Olivia and really wanted it.  It didn’t happen for her, but the Fox door opened with Past Life and the character of Dr. Kate McGinn.  She’s a psychologist working with patients at the Talmadge Center in Texas.  She helps people with regression issues, repressed memories from a past life.  Kelli says Kate is a tough gal who drives a big ole pickup truck and would seem to be down to earth.  Richard Schiff plays Dr. Malachi Talmadge, her boss and mentor.  Nicholas Bishop is a former police detective who ends up helping Kate with her cases.  He’ll be providing the skeptical and caustic lines.  I’ve loved writer David Hudgins’ work on Friday Night Lights, so I’m definitely going to check out Past Life.

Kelli Giddish called the studio, and I should have a podcast of our conversation, but I was having technical issues.  I’m so sorry you don’t get a chance to hear her talk about the show.  Take it from me, she’s adorable.  And, she’s really excited about it.  If you’ve watched Fringe or the X-Files, these kinds of shows, you know the main character didn’t just get passionate about the edgy element out of nowhere.  Kate McGinn has had a personal past life experience that has shaped her interest, but Kelli says we won’t really find out about it for a while.  It’s only hinted at, as she tries to solve crimes from her patients’ past lives. 

She says she has a great chemistry with Nicholas Bishop, that they were both cast about the same time.  I was wondering if she was cast first, then tested with other actors to see how they meshed, but Kelli says the producers knew what they wanted from each character and cast them, and fortunately, it works. 

She had never seen The West Wing or any of Richard Schiff’s work, so she wasn’t intimidated by him, at first.  Then, as they worked, she realized he’s amazing.  I told her that a lot of the message board stuff I’d seen about the show was people writing that they would at least check it out, just for him.  She says they won’t be disappointed.

Past Life is inspired by the book, The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose.  Kelli has read the book.  She also underwent regression therapy, in preparation for her role.  I asked if she believes in past lives, and she answers an enthusiastic yes!  I’m not sure if she was serious or not.  At first she said she was Calamity Jane in a past life!  I said, didn’t you see Deadwood?  That’s not a good thing!  She laughed and mentioned some other previous lives she remembers now, a young boy in an Alaskan fishing village, someone in Florida.  She says she’s very much of a mind that we’re all just recycled energy.  She has definitely bought into the whole Past Life paradigm.  I don’t even know if the word “paradigm” really fits there, but she was using it a lot, so I thought I’d throw it in.

New to See on DVD!

A real mixed bag at the DVD store, this week, but there are a few real winners that I missed at theaters, last summer, so I’m planning to check them out, tout suite!

Zombieland – My son rarely goes to the movies, unless I drag him.  But, he and a friend tried to see Paranormal Activity at the theater, one weekend, and it was sold out, so they saw Zombieland.  They really liked it.  Woody Harrelson is quietly adding great performance after great performance to his resume (The Messenger and No Country for Old Men come to mind).  Here, he and Jesse Eisenberg are just a couple of guys trying to survive in a world overrun by zombies.

The House of the Devil – A college student takes a strange babysitting job that coincides with a full lunar eclipse.  Eventually, she realizes her clients plan to use her in a satanic ritual.  Yikes!

Ong Bak 2 – Tony Jaa stars as a young Thai boxer learning life skills and fighting skills.

More Than a Game – Another big regret of mine is missing this preview screening.  This is the documentary about LeBron James and the Fab Five of St. Vincent St. Mary in Akron, directed by Kristopher Belman.

Amelia – Biopic starring Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart, the amazing, trailblazing woman who attempted to fly around the world in a plane in 1937, only to disappear over the Pacific Ocean.

Adam – About a lonely man with Asperger’s Syndrome who develops a relationship with the cute girl upstairs.  Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne star.

Love Happens – You’d think Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart in a movie together would be a good thing.  I didn’t hear anything good about this one.  Promising story.  He’s a widower who wrote a self-help book about coping with loss.  He meets her and is interested, but first she helps him realize he hasn’t really come to terms with losing his wife.

New York, I Love You – Might be a better bet, if you’re looking for something romantic, this weekend.  It’s an anthology of short films, love stories in New York City, starring Shia LaBeouf, Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Blake Lively, Robin Wright Penn, Ethan Hawke, and on and on.  There’s bound to be something of use here!

Whatever She Wants – Je’Caryous Johnson seems to want to go the Tyler Perry route, here, writing and directing a movie about a woman who is trying to re-discover herself, mid-life.  Vivica A Fox and Richard Roundtree star.

As It Is in Heaven – Swedish movie about a successful symphony conductor who drops it all to return to his small childhood village.  He ends up trying to help the local church choir, and relationships develop.

The Whale Warrior:  Pirate for the Sea – Documentary about Paul Watson, who takes the law into his own hands on the open seas, taking on threats to whales, seals and sharks.  He was the youngest founding member of Greenpeace.  

No Boundaries – A woman enters the United States illegally, wanting to make enough money to help her ill mother.  She ends up making friends and falling in love with a man who works for INS.

• ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’ – Vol. 3
• ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ – Season 9
• Doc Martin – Season 3
• ‘Doctor Who’ – The End of Time, The Waters of Mars, and The Complete Specials
• ‘Dynasty’ – Season 4, Vol. 2
• Evelyn Walsh Collection
• ‘Family Feud’ – All-Star Family Feud with Richard Dawson
• ‘G.I. Joe‘ – A Real American Hero: Season 1.3
• ‘Head Case’ – Season 1, Vol. 2 and Complete Series
• ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ – Season 6
• ‘Match Game ’73’ – Best Of
• ‘Mister Ed’ – Season 2
• ‘Murder, She Wrote’ – Season 11
• ‘Password’ – Best Of
• ‘The Price is Right’ – Best Of
• ‘She-Wolf of London’ – Complete Series
• Spectacular Spider-Man – Vols. 6 and 7
• ‘Tom and Jerry’ – Greatest Chases: Vol. 4
• Wanda Sykes – I’ma Be Me
• ‘Wolverine & The X-Men’ – Vol. 4

Team USA!

I am a freak for the Olympics.  Love ’em.  Summer or winter.  The Opening Ceremonies, the pageantry, the sportsmanship, the global unity, the underdog stories, the brilliant performances.  The big question, to start the Games, is will the United States of America shine in the Parade of Nations?  You tell me.  Ralph Lauren just released pictures of all the outfits he’s designed to dress Team USA.

For the Opening Ceremonies, I believe the team is wearing the turtlenecks and down jackets.  Ralph reportedly took inspiration from the fashion the team sported in Lake Placid in 1932.  I do love the Fair Isle knit hats!

For the alpine folk, apparently, there is an alternate red ski jacket.  And, of course, these looks are all available online and in Ralph Lauren stores.  Though, I think he should wait to sell the collection until after the Games, or at least after they’re unveiled at Opening Ceremonies!

I do like the shawl collar sweaters.  And, I am curious about the tartan pattern he used for the shirt.  This kid looks much more from the UK than the USA!

I would expect to see this sort of warm up ensemble in the speed skating and short track speed skating venues.  Not loving that hat, but face it, the model could wear anything and make it look good.  I like the casual, “yeah, I’m just gonna plant my flag here,” pose.

Cable makes it nearly impossible to work, during the Olympics, because NBC had different events on all day, every day, with MSNBC, USA, CNBC, all their channels.  So, I am taking some time to watch the Olympics.  In fact, a week from Friday, I’ll be making a lifelong dream come true, God willing.  I’ll be standing in the stadium in Vancouver, BC, watching the Opening Ceremonies live and in person.  I’m almost afraid to speak it, it’s just too big.  I haven’t talked about it much at all, to anyone.  I just really want it to be a magical experience.  I will post pictures when I’m allowed on the boy’s laptop!!