Monday, October 24, 2011

Adrienne

Sometimes I seriously enjoy Adrienne Maloof. She's level-headed and levity (soaping up that chicken was a-maz-ing).

But, sometimes, she reminds me of my very rich, very terrifying, paternal grandmother who would give you a little faint smile, a little squinting judgment, and a whole lot of unamused.

Monday, October 17, 2011

In favor of being in favor of Community

Loved this essay defending Community as a response to this essay on The Tangential today.  While I don't agree with Becky Lang's negative take on Community (at all!), I really appreciate that her blog hosted such a thoughtful point/counterpoint about it.

My take on Community: It is sheer bliss.

I loved the last episode, "Remedial Chaos Theory," so much that I wanted to write a blog post that consisted entirely of "wow, that was brilliant," but I talked myself out of it on the basis that just deeming things brilliant isn't "content." But, seriously, the construction of that episode? Crazy genius. And Brita's "me so hungee" dance stole my heart forever.

fact

By Ted Mosby's standards of evaluating people I am a cool girl because I like Annie Hall.

I wonder where the phase I went through about ten years ago of watching Annie Hall every night, falling asleep to it, and waking up to find it still playing because my miniature TV/VCR combo kept restarting it fits into all of this. I'd imagine favorably. Quite favorably.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

almost buried alive under a pile of blogs

I was just weeding through my Google Reader subscriptions, trying to thin them out a little. I might be a blog hoarder. (I have to save them all in case I need them one day!).

When I got to eat.sleep.wear. I thought I might throw it in the toss pile. I have a lot of lithe, young hipsters on my roster already. But then I opened it and the first post that came up was named "Hat-urday." Awww. And she was smiling this warm, friendly smile and I just had to keep her. (apologies for making her sound like a puppy.)

Then Wil glanced over and asked why she's dressed like Bob Forrest from Celebrity Rehab. I don't know why, Wil,
I don't know why.
p.s. I really like Bob Forrest. He said something on the show once, I think to Amy Fisher, about how if you don't want people to think you're crazy, prove to them you're not. Change their opinion with your consistent behavior. That's some solid advice.

[photos: eatsleepwear and backseatcuddler]

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Mindy and Kelly

I just found out that Mindy Kaling has a new blog, The Concerns of Mindy Kaling, which is good news because I heart her so much. Her whole cute, smart, un-cynical, jealousy-inducing-amount-of-talent thing makes me want to heart things (and cry a little).

She also has a book coming out soon which I will undoubtedly read most of at Barnes and Noble, feel guilty about and end up buying.  Overall, Mindy Kaling is doing great. 
Mindy Kaling looking gorgeous.
But what has happened to Kelly Kapoor? I'm worried about Kelly Kapoor.  Kelly Rajnigandha Kapoor (she hates it!).  

Kelly has seemed kind of sullen to me this season. When she does speak anymore, which is rare, she is usually complaining about something. Who is this dour new Kelly who does things like calmly point out that a pizza party needs another component besides pizza to be a party? Yes, she participated in the planking, somehow getting stuck on top of a bookshelf and unable to get down. Classic Kelly! But, remember when she hugged a pile of bras at Victoria's Secret? Remember when she spontaneously started dancing when Michael and Andy sang "Stayin' Alive" during the CPR demonstration? Fashion show at lunch?

Kelly singing "We Belong."
I miss that Kelly. I want her giddy and gossipy again. I want her to take a seriously considered stance on Beyonce's pregnancy scandal.   Is she still upset about her brief marriage to Ryan that ended in non-amicable divorce a week later? Did that really happen? Wikipedia thinks it did.  I just hope she's okay.

[photos: Go Fug Yourself and NBC]

sometimes I watch the internet

Here are two internet series that that make me feel as warm and smiley as those pumpkin spice lattes everyone is so obsessed with.  (I can't drink sugary drinks anymore because my body is a loser.  Enjoy one in my honor!)

Both of these 'net shows are distantly, obscurely related to TV which makes it okay for me to write about them.  (Painting myself into a corner is one of my cherished muses.)  (My other muses include doing things as inefficiently as possible and mania.)  (I'm aware that my use of parenthetical asides has gotten completely out of control.) (Oh, well!)

7 Minutes in Heaven
http://www.youtube.com/user/7minutesinheaven

"It's simple, it's fun, it tells a story about someone walking into a building." -Mike O'Brien about Flo Rida's "Get Low."

Mike O'Brien (an SNL writer with a gentle manner and Ironic Geeky Old Man clothes), interviews celebrities in a closet for a few minutes.  It's basically just a few minutes of pure nonsense that somehow elicit more natural and uninhibited interviews than, um, any talk show ever?  You don't need me to describe it for you.  Just click on it and give a few seconds.  You will either be entranced by the gentle comedy stylings or become impatient and annoyed and not "get it."  If the latter happens, it's okay, it just means that I failed at recommending things.

2 Man Chain Gang
http://vimeo.com/23515096

I have a crush on Rich Juzwiack's writing, especially his blog fourfour.  He writes about pop culture in such a thoughtful, provocative, hilarious way.  It's dreamy.  His writing is dreamy.  I would totally write him a fan email if I didn't know for a fact that I would become so embarrassed about it that I would never be able to read his blog again.  I really can't risk that.

He's also really funny on-camera.  I love this series he did with Max Silvestri (look up what else Max Silvestri has done?  Nah, can't...effort).  It's just two smart, funny guys eating at chain restaurants and describing them with the detachment of a sociology experiment but also a kind of disgusted fondess.  It's hard to describe.  I mean, it's hard for me to describe pretty much anything because I'm not...uh...writing...good at.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Naomi Clark's patriotic outfit


[image via http://curtdanhauser.com/AG_Collecting/Mol.html]

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

commenting on comments about a reality show (is a totally valid thing to do)

When she's not busy executive producing reality competition shows with notably repetitive names, Sarah Jessica Parker sometimes pops up on Watch What Happens Live and makes everything happy with her precisely chosen words and (almost painfully long pause) effervescence.  

I got a kick out of her description of Dana's game night dessert spread, with the four bread sticks arranged in a "lattice" fashion to convey a sense of, perhaps, countless bread sticks.  She was right, too, about how it was an almost darkly absurd episode. There was all this "ramping up," with over-sized chocolate chess pieces (an homage to the concept of games!) and "What does one wear to game night?" and ceremoniously moving to a second location so they could...play Celebrity. Um, stodgy* much, ladies?

Also, I loved that she said she doesn't use Twitter because she doesn't have the "constitution" for it. Me too, SJP. Me, too.

Lastly, I was really pleased that Andy mentioned the ridiculously talented artist David Gilmore and his website Pretty On The Outside which I've been enjoying for years. Andy likes something I like! (I'm part of things?!) (no.)

*Just found out that "stodgy" means "Heavy, filling, and high in carbohydrates" in addition to "Dull and uninspired." Awesome! I'm more excited about this than almost anything that happened on RHOBH last night. Oh, except for when the Richards sisters pointed and snarled in unison.  Perfection.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

reminiscing about yelling at Parenthood

about two weeks ago:




me: Lorelai, stop fucking everything up!

episode of Parenthood I yelled at: ...

if the episode of Parenthood could have spoken: Lauren Graham's character on this show is named Sarah.  Stop calling Lauren Graham Lorelai all the time.  Also, she is not "fucking everything up" with John Ritter's son.  It will be okay.  I mean, not really, but for now, totally. 

if I could express to Parenthood how fond of it I am:  I just want you to know, Parenthood, that I love you.  I'm in.

Sarah Jessica Parker Never Forgot Sarah Marshall



Work of Art: The Next Great Artist is an amazing show title, and by amazing I mean as close to Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime as we'll ever get in real life.

Photo Source: Bravo, via realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com