That the sign above kind of looks like a crossroad just south of Sesame Street is, I think, no accident, because almost everyone on NBC's guilty pleasure summer reality show The Baby Borrowers acts like they were only watching Sesame Street just yesterday! I'm lovin' everything about Borrowers, though, from the bratty, naive teens who populate the cast to the network's ads that scream, "it's not TV, it's birth control!"
The Baby Borrowers centers on five just-out-of-high school couples (two from Texas; should I be proud or ashamed?) who think they're ready to have a baby. In a novel experiment (actually, it's based on a British TV show), the kids are each given a lovely home to live in and will be forced to spend short stretches of time taking care of those who can't take care of themselves -- from borrowed infants on up to the elderly.
In last week's debut episode, the couples' relationships started breaking down faster than you could say, "pass the Pampers." (One girlfriend threw a royal hissyfit just because she was told she'd have to wear a get-up that simulated a pregnant belly.) These teens are far from ready to nurture a child, and in fact, some of these girlfriends have got tons of growing up to do themselves! I feel sorry for the guys -- not only do they have a baby to care for, they also spend lots of time soothing their tantrum-throwing girlfriends. Still, I'm gonna have a hoot every Wednesday watching these kids deal with toddlers, preteens, teens and senior citizens. Addictive!
Did anyone know that Plano is home to the Cockroach Hall of Fame? Apparently, it's true. Today put together a list of some of the cool and wacky museums across our great country. All I'm gonna say is sex and mustard are involved. Check it out.
I saw Wanted over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It's kind of reminiscent of Fight Club, not so much in plot as in broad themes. In addition to some scripted laughs, I was entertained by a moviegoer a few rows up who, upon Angelina Jolie's first appearance onscreen, blurted out, "Damn! Angelina Jolie's sexy!" Her sex appeal proved too much for him on subsequent occasions as well, as he couldn't contain himself from voicing his approval.
Verne Troyer, best known as Mini-Me from the Austin Powers movies, is suing TMZ.com over the release of a homemade sex tape. The actor, who also appears in the recently released The Love Guru, says the tape was stolen, and he's seeking $20 million in damages.
For those who dare, a short clip that is not X-rated yet still has the potential to burn disturbing imagery into your memory for all eternity can be found here.
Farah passed along some distressing news - New York, a.k.a. Tiffany Pollard, is going to Hollywood to become an actress. She'll be holding down a long-distance deal with Tailor Made. Read the story, and see some disturbing pictures of her dressed as iconic Hollywood stars, here.
We all know it's hot, but are we suffering in our sweat more than other cities? Not more than eight others, according to Old Spice. Dallas was named the nation's ninth-sweatiest city. But we're not as sweaty as our neighbors to the south, Houston (No. 4) and San Antonio (No. 8). Phoenix was No. 1.
At his own concert last night in Washington State, country star Tim McGraw became part of the security detail! According to People magazine, McGraw saw a rowdy male concertgoer in the front row allegedly causing a ruckus and hitting a female fan, so McGraw at first called out for security. But then he took things into his own hands. Check it out ... you gotta love how after the melee, Tim just continues with the concert as if nothing happened. The show must go on, y'all ...
Superman #677: Writer James Robinson set a high standard with his Starman series in the '90s. Let's see if he can live up to it now that he's chronicling the adventures of the Man of Steel.
This picture of Sen. Charles Schumer hugging Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton upon her return to the Capitol appeared in today's Dallas Morning News. But the News failed to identify diminutive Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., as the meat in that New York Democrat sandwich.
People reports that former American Idol champ Ruben Studdard is having a big ol' Southern wedding this weekend in Alabama, complete with TWENTY groomsman. I think that's closer to the amount of people I'd have at my wedding.
The BET Awards have slowly but surely become the most entertaining awards show on TV, so you know we'll be front and center when the action starts in a couple of minutes. Keep refreshing for random observations and OMG moments.
7:02 p.m. -- Usher is lip-synching "Love In This Club," which kind of makes sense if he's required to do flips and hump the ground every few seconds.
7:05 -- The Usher performance was a little straightforward for the opening slot. I wanted him to kiss somebody random or something to that effect.
7:07 -- I didn't realize that Soulja Boy's name was actually Soulja Boy Tell Em. That is O.O.C.
7:11 -- Terrence Howard is trying to be Santana now. That guy can do anything.
7:13 -- Chris Brown takes the Male R&B award. I'm hoping he'll be able to hump the floor AND sing live at the same time later.
7:20 -- Young Jeezy wins the prize for first bleep-out of the evening. And now surprise guest Kanye West is, of course, trying to take that prize away by getting bleeped out six times and counting.
7:26 -- Now presenters are getting bleeped out. I thought this was cable?
7:34 -- Good to see you back, Lil Kim. Just when the Keyshia Cole song was starting to drag, there you were.
7:36 -- Nia Long looks good in her dress. It's just a few shades darker than the color now officially known as "Michelle Obama purple."
7:40 -- Now L.C. and Brody Jenner are pimping LG phones. I thought he was an iPhone guy. ... I know way too much about Brody Jenner.
7:43 -- Ne-yo reminds me of Michael Jackson. Except he's black. And not an alien.
7:46 -- Are those the mime dudes from Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew? I can't tell. I only ever watched the show for five minutes at a time.
7:47 -- Ooh, watch out, L.L. Ashanti might have a bloody knife behind her back!
7:49 -- The-Dream beats out Soulja Boy Tell Em for Best New Artist. There is a god.
7:57 -- Alicia Keys is obviously going through a Supremes phase. I ain't complainin'.
7:58 -- Glad the years have been kind to S.W.V. And En Vogue, too! I'm in heaven.
Jacob Arabov, the New York businessman mentioned in songs by hip-hop artists such as Kanye West, was sentenced to 30 months in prison Tuesday for lying to federal investigators.
In honor of Monty Python's Spamalot arriving at Bass Hall tonight, here's a look back at a classic Skin Flix episode. We shot this when Spamalot came to Fair Park Music Hall last year.
Go here, then scroll down to the Skin/Monty Python tease.
From today's issue, we look at the late, great George Carlin's landmark comedy routine -- the seven words you can't say on television. If you're unfamiliar with those original seven words, well, we can't print most of them. But here are some helpful clues. Can you name them all?
+ This is the last week to sing your heart out and qualify for the Voice of Pride competition. Visit dallasprideparade.com for prelim locations.
+ The Resource Center of Dallas is offering free HIV testing 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the Nelson-Tebedo Health Resources Center, 4012 Cedar Springs Road.
+ Support the Lady Killerz, heading to the ASANA Softball World Series this August in Seattle. The girls put on a show 9 p.m. Saturday at Buddies, 4025 Maple Ave.
I haven't watched it this season, but A Shot at Love 2 With Tila Tequila is coming to a close. Tila's again choosing between a dude (Bo) and a chick (Kristy). I might check it out just to see who she falls in love with before casting for Shot at Love 3 starts.
But they're not doing the finale tomorrow, instead choosing to air a reunion special tomorrow night at 9 before the July 1 finale. Here's the breakdown of what's happening in the next three weeks of Tila-land.
Amy Winehouse's father says the British singer has damaged lungs and an irregular heartbeat. She collapsed last Monday and spent the week in the hospital for tests. The lung damage is a result of smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes and has left the singer with only 70 percent lung capacity, Mitch Winehouse told The Sunday Mirror of London.
"The doctors have told her if she goes back to smoking drugs, it won't just ruin her voice, it will kill her," Mitch Winehouse was quoted as saying.
Today's random rankings: best quotes from The Usual Suspects. And above, one of those mildly humorous "recut" trailers that turns the dark thriller into something softer between Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Spacey.
1. "And like that ... he's gone."
2. "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
3. "How do you shoot the devil in the back? What if you miss?"
4. "Big, fat guy. I mean like Orca fat."
5. "I'm the guy that's gonna get ya. I just wanted you to know that."
6. "I'm telling you it's Keyser Söze!"
7. "Hand me the keys, you [expletive] [expletive]."
8. "Well, I believe in God. And the only thing that scares me is Keyser Söze."
9. "I can't feel my legs, Keyser."
10. "I used to be in a barbershop quartet in Skokie, Illinois."
How would you like to receive an enema from a 5-foot, 800-pound syringe? That's the size of a sculpture unveiled this week in Russia's Caucasus Mountains region, where dozens of spas routinely administer back-door cleansings.
"There is no kitsch or obscenity. It is a successful work of art," Mashuk-Akva Term spa director Alexander Kharchenko told the Associated Press. "An enema is almost a symbol of our region."
Sculptor Svetlana Avakina said she designed the $42,000 monument with "irony and humor" and modeled the angels on those in works by Italian Renaissance painter Alessandro Botticelli.
"This device is eternal," she told the AP. "It will never change."
Snoop Dogg has dipped his toe into the country music pool, creating a Nashville-tinged rap video called "My Medicine." Featuring cameos by Brad Paisley, Willie Nelson and Julianne Hough, it's a bizarre montage of Snoop dancing and singing and traveling. You kinda just have to see it for yourself to believe it ...
When you're done checking out that catchy bit of songcraft, check out this story on recent country/hip-hop collaborations ... which includes a link to country cutie Taylor Swift covering Eminem's "Lose Yourself." Fabulous!
Tiger Woods won't play golf for the rest of the year. So should you still watch the sport?
Chris Velez: There's really no reason to debate this. Tiger Woods' ACL surgery is devastating to pro golf. No Tiger = no golf.
Keith Courson: Devastating, absolutely. But there are other great personalities out on tour. Phil Mickelson had as many fans hollering for him at the Open as Tiger, maybe more. And by the way, remember Rocco Mediate? These guys aren't all boring.
Velez: Just because Mickelson is a lovable loser, doesn't mean he's fun to watch. I don't watch golf to see the gallery go crazy. I watch golf to see how Tiger will humiliate his "opposition" this time.
Courson: Tiger is good at that. You should at least watch the Ryder Cup this fall because it's the best event in golf, and Tiger always sucks in that anyway, so he won't be missed.
Velez: The reason Tiger blows in the Ryder Cup is the same reason he's worth watching on weekends: He only cares about padding his numbers. And he's darned good at that.
Courson: Watching K.J. Choi win the PGA Championship is gonna be must-see TV. Who am I kidding? When is our fantasy football draft?
Just to show how my mind works -- in the gutter, all the time -- I snickered at this line: The father is Casey Aldridge, a pipe-layer from Liberty, Miss.
It's summertime, and that means cold beers and juicy hamburgers on a patio (preferably with fans). Check out our latest Quick Bites story on classic burger joints here, and check out more below:
+ Goff's: 6410 Hillcrest Ave. 214-351-3336. This SMU-area staple offers juicy little burgers with Goff's special hickory sauce. You'll want way more than one.
+ Balls Hamburgers: 3404 Rankin St. 214-373-1717. Those SMU kids are in burger heaven. They also have this local burger joint, located in Snider Plaza, which has great patties and fries.
+ Burger House: 6248 Mockingbird Lane
214-828-2732. Talk about old school. This place has great shakes, burgers and fries that are famous for the seasoned salt. They have three other locations, so visit the Web site for more.
So where do you guys go when you really need that burger fix?
When I saw that Hunter in today's Quick called Pixar's upcoming flick Wall-E "just like Short Circuit but without ... a cheesy El Debarge song," my mind immediately flashed back to that song -- and my ginormous schoolgirl crush on El Debarge. So I raced to YouTube and thought I'd share the hit with everyone out there. Gotta love the fro-mullet.
If you're one of the many fed up with the high prices of stadium beverages, CoolerFun has a solution - the Beer Belly Cooler. Fill it up with your favorite brew, attach it to yourself, and you've got an instant bulge that not only satisfies your thirst, but also eases the drain on your wallet.
For ladies who don't want to sport a beer gut, CoolerFun has developed the WineRack, a similar contraption that inflates your chest when liquid is added. Ingenious, no?
A new study says that personal Internet use at work isn't so bad, which is probably a relief to most people reading this. The study says it isn't just slackers who use the Web at work -- it's everyone, senior management included. By handling personal matters online at work, the study's authors say, workers are freed up to focus on the task at hand.
Did you know that Japan has a thriving porn industry featuring elderly actors such as 74-year-old Shigeo Tokuda? What's that? You didn't want to know? Oh, sorry.
A lot of people are fired up about Dallas' proposal to change its animal control ordinance, which goes before the City Council for a vote next Wednesday. Here are some of the provisions of the new ordinance, should it be approved:
Enact $70-per-animal permit fees for breeders.
Limit a single house to six cats and/or dogs. Owners of more than a half-acre of land would be allowed eight. Present owners with a greater number of animals could apply to the city for grandfathering, allowing them to retain their animals without penalty.
Require dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered. But the ordinance would provide numerous exceptions. Animals younger than six months, a service animal or the property of a licensed breeder would be exempt. A veterinarian could also certify that an animal should be exempt for health reasons.
Allow the city to seize then impound a dog suspected of causing bodily injury to a person after a hearing. Now, such dogs are quarantined for 10 days, then often returned to owners.
Prohibit unsupervised dogs to be tethered to trees or poles except "for a period no longer than necessary for the owner to complete a temporary task."
Require owners to provide at least 150 square feet of space and a "building or properly designed dog house" for dogs confined outdoors.
In addition to the three Dallas-area dancers that are in the Top 20 on Fox's hit show So You Think You Can Dance, there's also a hoofer from Fort Worth.
Joshua Allen is a 19-year-old hotstepper whose forte is hip-hop, but who's versatile enough to have dazzled the judges with a ballet jump during Vegas callbacks.
But he made my personal top-dancer list with his performance last week with his partner, contemporary dancer Katee Shean. The pair wowed the judges -- and floored me -- with their fluid, emotionally charged performance (one Web recapper dubbed the style "interpretive hip-hop"), set to Jordin Sparks' "No Air." It was easily one of the best perfs of the night, and if you haven't seen it, check it out asap. Bet it'll have you rooting for our local guy, too!
Just saw on one of the Celtics blogs that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen will be appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight. 10:30 on Channel 11.
It's a flat-out awesome week for trade paperbacks:
Y: The Last Man Vol. 10: Today is like a holiday at stately Fanboy Manor. My favorite comic book series concluded back in January. But because I've never bought the individual issues, I've been waiting until today to find out how it ended.
Dynamo 5 Vol. 2: I really dug the first collection of this series about five illegitimate children of Captain Dynamo, a philandering superhero.
Atomic Robo Vol. 1: I don't know much about this book, but the promotional copy says the lead character battles everything from a 5,000-year-old steam-powered pyramid to Stephen Hawking.
Lou Ferrigno, the original TV Hulk, talked about all things green with USA Today.
On his souvenirs: "I have the largest collection of Hulk memorabilia in the world -- everything from toilet paper, wallpaper, bicycles -- all boxed up at my house in Northern California. I've had it for so long I think it might be time to sell it."
On transforming into the Hulk: "I was forced to stay in a refrigerated motor home so I wouldn't sweat. The hard contact lenses had to come out every 15 minutes. And the green wig was made of dyed yak hair."
Apparently there's a fruit that changes the way your taste buds respond to sour items, making them taste sweet. The New York Times wrote an article about this "miracle fruit" and the "flavor tripping" parties people hold to experience it. There was even one at Flavors from Afar in Dallas last Saturday, according to D Magazine's Sidedish blog.
You can get on the waiting list here. I bet it'll be hard to get in, but it'd be worth it to see what it's like to drink vinegar as if it were apple juice, or eat lemons as easily as candy!
Just five more days until Season 2 of The Two Coreys!
I know, I know. I should be shot for getting excited about this, but I kinda am. Sue me.
Supposedly, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman haven't talked to each other since their "dramatic" fight in Feldman's kitchen. Sunday night at 9 on A&E the fireworks begin again.
Think you know who'd win in a fight? See for yourself.
Finally! A Season 4 reunion! It's been so long since we saw the finale last week! All of the favorite (Spike) and not-so-favorite (Lisa) Top Chef contestants return to recap the season, hug each other, laugh at Andrew, and maybe bitch a little and hit things (Dale). 9 p.m. Wednesday on Bravo.
I know all our Quick readers know all the hot spots. So, readers where should I go close to get away. A three-hour or less trip. You figure it out, give me suggestions.
Tiger Woods won another U.S. Open -- his 14th golf major -- on a bum knee. Do you consider it one of the best performances by an injured athlete? Here are a few other notable performances, courtesy of SI.com.
It looks like some of our old favorites (12-Pack, Pumkin, Real, Mr. Boston, etc.) will compete in stunts for the chance to win money.
And why do they deserve this money? As Megan from Rock of Love tells you in the video above, she would use the money to "build a room with a glass ceiling so when it's cold outside, I can still tan." Someone get her a grant, please!
My toddler son and I watch Finding Nemo several times a week. So I went to the Internet Movie Database recently to answer a few nagging questions: Is that Willem Dafoe providing the voice of Gill? (Yes.) And who voices Mr. Ray? (Some guy named Bob Peterson.) But what I found most interesting is that the voice of Nemo himself, Alexander Gould, can now be seen on Weeds.
This week's Fanboy column on Viper Comics appeared in today's Quick, two days early, to coincide with the debut of The Middleman. When I was interviewing Jessie Garza, Viper's president and publisher, and Jim Resnowski, Viper's editor in chief and creative director, I asked each of them to name the three biggest moments in the company's history.
Jim "Mouth" Purol, 56, who once stuffed 290 straws into his mouth at the same time, is trying a new stunt. According to the Los Angeles Times, Purol will sit in each of the Rose Bowl's 92,542 seats, beginning July 7. The journey could take five days. It's all for a good cause: Donations and pledges will go to Outward Bound Los Angeles, which provides hiking trips and other outdoor adventures for low-income urban youth.
Respected political commentator Tim Russerthas died of an apparent heart attack in Washington, D.C.
Russert, who hosted Meet The Press, was named this year as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. He had just returned from a family vacation to Italy on Thursday.
NBA commissioner David Stern was adamant Thursday night that his officials don't manipulate games and "engage in the criminal conduct of which [former NBA official Tim] Donaghy has accused them of."
Readers seem to disagree. In an online poll conducted by the New York Daily News, 86 percent of readers who responded said they believed Donaghy, who has alleged that referees affected the outcome of two playoff series this decade.
That is, until Bravo rolls out Top Chef Juniors, featuring teen chefs, at a date to be determined.
Spoilers ahead!
I'm so happy Top Chef had it first female winner. You couldn't ask for a more humble or more deserving winner in Stephanie. She's someone that if I'm ever in Chicago, I'll be sure to visit her restaurant. She responded to a couple questions on Top Chef's Web site.
And I have to say, I was impressed with what Lisa brought to the table in the finale. This was the first time all season I actually wanted to taste her food. Even though she's a nasty person most of the time and I'm glad she didn't win, she can cook when it's on her terms.
But was this Top Chef Richard's loss or Stephanie's win? Although Stephanie's a great chef, she doubts herself too often, leading to miscues in the kitchen. Richard has been incredible all season, never doubting himself or getting rattled until the time it mattered most. He did choke, despite turning out BACON ICE CREAM. Someone, please put this in my life. I'm sure Richard's going to move on to do incredible things. What do you think - his loss or her win?
Cheeta, the 76-year-old chimp named the oldest living, non-human primate by The Guinness World Records, has a lot going for him.
He's retired. He lives in Palm Springs. And he's had prominent roles in a number of Hollywood hits during his lifetime, including the Tarzan movies and the 1967 comedy Doctor Doolittle.
So why is Cheeta sad?
Because he can't get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, despite trying six separate times. This year, his handlers have launched an online petition to get supporters to urge the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to give him a star in 2009.
The petition notes that Cheeta's canine colleagues Lassie, and 1920s stars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart are immortalized on the boulevard, along with fictional animals Kermit the Frog, Godzilla and Donald Duck.
Help Cheeta reach his dream here. You know he'd do it for you.
There's been a lot of talk lately about The Incredible Hulk, but we mustn't neglect the family of that other Hulk -- Hulk Hogan. His daughter, Brooke, says she's "totally freaked out" by her 48-year-old mother's new boyfriend. Why, you ask? Because not only is he 29 years her junior, but he's also a former schoolmate of Brooke's. "He was a grade under me," she says.
Linda Hogan filed for divorce from the Hulkster in November after nearly 24 years of marriage. The couple's son, Nick, is serving an eight-month sentence after pleading no contest to causing a crash that seriously injured his friend.
"You know, I thought we were one of the normal Hollywood families," Brooke says. "It's crazy watching it all fall apart, but I hope for the best."
OK! Magazine reports that Britney Spears is on the list of potential Emmy nominees for her appearances on How I Met Your Mother. The list includes 40 other actresses, but how did this performance manage to crack the top 50?!
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is turning into a spaceport this weekend, as the Hilton Regency DFW hosts FedCon, a science fiction convention that will feature stars of Farscape, Battlestar Galactica and, of course, Star Trek.
Representing Deep Space Nine will be Robert O'Reilly and J.G. Hertzler, who played the Klingons known as Gowron and Martok. And Garrett Wang, who played Ensign Kim on Voyager, will also be onboard.
But the Star Trek show with the biggest contingent will be the most recent one, Enterprise. Dr. Phlox, Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather -- a.k.a. John Billingsley, Connor Trinneer and Anthony Montgomery -- are all scheduled to attend.
In their honor, give a listen to this little ditty.
Skaar: Son of Hulk, a new comic book series written by Greg Pak, debuts today. To promote it, Marvel's Digital Comics Unlimited is offering a free summary of Pak's previous Hulk sagas, Planet Hulk and World War Hulk.
I saw an advance screening of The Incredible Hulk on Monday night with an audience full of comic geeks and movie fanatics who'd been in line since the morning. People really love that big, green hunk of anger! And they went absolutely nutzoid before the film started, when free t-shirts were thrown out. But you want to know about the movie, yes? Here's the lowdown:
How does it compare to the 2003 Hulk movie?
Hulk was an overlong, emotional thinker that focused on the science of the green monster's origin and felt more like a meditation on comics than an adaptation of them. The Incredible Hulk continues the story, but takes a completely different tone that will make fanboys and blockbuster buffs a lot happier. There are combat and explosions galore, with a little bit of a love story thrown in.
And the new stars?
Scrawny Edward Norton may seem an unlikely choice to play Bruce Banner, but like Robert Downey Jr., his brains matter more here than his brawn (and the brawn is well taken care of by CGI). Norton's facial expressions and mannerisms contain a subtlety that might not come easily to your average pretty-boy actor. As his love interest and partner-in-science Betty Ross, Liv Tyler perfects the wide-eyed -- yet slightly damaged -- comic book dame.
What about the supporting players?
William Hurt effectively transforms himself into the hard-hearted general, and Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother Where Art Thou) gives my favorite performance of the movie as a scientist who sets out to help Bruce Banner overcome his Hulkness. But everyone will be talking about Tim Roth, in the role of a British fighter who gets some gamma up in his system and decides he wants to be a monster, too.
There's another monster?
Yeah, and he. Is. Awesome. In case you can't tell from the trailers, he's the bad hulk to Hulk's good hulk, and both hulks fight in a climactic, hulkalicious scene. It's like WWE on crack.
Any other keen observations about the green guy?
Well, compared to the new villain, he's not as scary-looking. He actually has lovely teeth.
Does he say, "Hulk smash!"?
I refuse to answer that.
Are there many different locales featured?
Off hand, I can think of Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Virginia and New York City.
Are there any surprise cameos?
Depends on what you consider a surprise, but yes, there are cameos. Certain comic-book legends, former Hulks and even another blockbuster movie character pop up in unexpected situations.
How many times did the audience break out into applause?
I counted four, not including the insane free T-shirt incident.
How many audience members were wearing Minnie Mouse ears, inexplicably?
One.
How many audience members were painted green?
Sadly, none.
How many broadcast movie critics breezed into the theater seconds before the lights went down?
One. That Gary Cogill has this screening thing down to a science!
As you can tell from my review, I'm not a Hulk expert. But Dan Koller is, and you need to read his story from today's Quick on the many faces of Hulk.
Two updates on local comic book artist Brian Denham. He's drawing an X-Files comic that will be released next month to coincide with the new movie. And he's scheduled to appear at the FedCon science fiction convention this weekend.
I've watched the first two episodes of The Next Food Network Star, which features Lisa Garza of Suze restaurant in Dallas. She's competing for her own cooking show with several other chefs who... well... aren't the best chefs. No one on here is Top Chef material, but then, Rachael Ray never claims to be a gourmet chef, either. The point here is to be approachable and help people cook at home.
The problem is, I don't see Lisa as approachable. She wears heels and designer clothes in the kitchen (although she does look fabulous) and she was dubbed "the Diva from Dallas" in episode one. The other issue is that I don't see her style adapting to most home cooks. She wants to deconstruct fine dining, but I don't want to try to mimic fine dining in my little apartment - if I'm going to treat myself, I'm going to go out. Maybe to Suze.
She's keeping in touch with Dallas viewers by hosting watching parties at Suze and blogging for D Magazine. She reposted her blog in the comments at Unfair Park, and I have to say, I know I'm a copy editor, but I think others would be surprised to see some of its content. Please tell me she doesn't think tough is really spelled like that? Or that loose is interchangeable for lose? I know, I know. I'm a grammar snob.
It's a pretty sad indictment on society when a book that doesn't even exist is ranked No. 134 in Amazon.com searches just because Carrie Bradshaw (who is also fictional) reads it.
That is the case with Love Letters of Great Men, a book which Sarah Jessica Parker's character reads in bed with Mr. Big in the Sex and the City movie.
Apparently, hundreds of people have been searching for the title they saw in the movie only to find out there is no such book.
Just makes me wonder how many people would jump off a bridge if Carrie Bradshaw did?
We had a "remember when" discussion about Garbage Pail Kids in the office a few weeks ago. And you thought all we did was talk about news. Anyway, did you know you can now build your own Garbage Pail Kid and raise a virtual GPK? It's true, but you have to log in at the site.
Not too much going on the way of area runs and other activities this weekend, but for anyone who's up for a road trip (because gas is so cheap nowadays) the Dublin Dr Pepper Plant is hosting a 10-2-4K. Unless you're a super early riser, you'd probably have to get a hotel nearby the night before because it's more than two hours away, and the 10K and 4K start at 8 a.m. The 2K follows at 9:30.
In other running-related news, I was happy to see the signs designating your 911 location put up on the Katy Trail a couple weeks ago. I imagine their installation is in response to attacks and robberies on the Trail, but they're also great to have in case someone has a medical emergency, especially in this heat. Kudos to the Dallas Police Department and Friends of the Katy Trail, which is helping police train safety VIPs who will carry cellphones and observe activity while on the Trail. You can sign up for the training here.
Alanis Morissette (above) has nothing but nice things to say about her ex-fiancé Ryan Reynolds -- even though he's now engaged to Scarlett Johansson. "I'm really happy for him," the singer, who called off her engagement to Reynolds in 2007, told Newsweek.
This seems like a good time to point out the opening lyrics to her 1995 scorned-woman classic "You Oughta Know":
I want you to know, that I'm happy for you
I wish nothing but the best for you both
Robby Reed, the pseudonym for the otherwise anonymous author of Dial B for Blog, has some hot comics opinions on Final Crisis. I haven't seen Robby this fired up since he reviewed Infinite Crisis.
I have to wonder if someone with the show or with Bravo conspired to have part one of the two-part Top Chef finale turn out the way it did, with Antonia going home instead of show "villain" Lisa. They set it up that way from the beginning, with Lisa the last to join the other three finalists in Puerto Rico. And then Lisa has the audacity to demand a congratulations from Richard and Stephanie? That comment couldn't have been more obnoxious. I love how Richard mocked her in his interview, saying something like "OK, congratulations on your bronze medal." Her demanding that only shows her own insecurities, knowing that she's always in the weaker group of chefs and has little chance of beating Richard or Stephanie.
Eh, it makes for interesting TV though, doesn't it?
Seeing Adam Sandler movies is not something I do. And I definitely have been quick to dismiss You Don't Mess With the Zohan based on its trailers. But after watching this MySpace Artist on Artist chat featuring Sandler and co-star Nick Swardson, I think I might catch a matinee. These guys are so silly (especially Swardson) that it's hard not to love them.
I was scanning the AM radio dial as I drove home late the other night and caught an interview with Tom Wilson, a.k.a. "Biff" from the Back to the Future trilogy. He said he shared a house for a few years in the 80s with Andrew Dice Clay and Yakov Smirnoff.
Scream Queen #1 (of 5): This horror series with "an American Pie meets Friday the 13th sensibility" was written by Brendan Hay, a former producer of The Daily Show.
Barack Obama supporters can dress up their cubicles with this soon-to-be-released action figure. Sorry, it doesn't talk. But it probably bowls as well as the real thing does.
The DMN's movies blog has an interesting post on what seems to be a local appearance by Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen. He's been working on a film featuring his character Bruno, a gay fashionista from Europe. Much like Borat, Bruno likes to push people's buttons. And it sounds like he found an accommodating audience in Carrollton last week.
At one point, Cohen reportedly brought out a baby and told the not-too-happy crowd that he was planning to raise it as a homosexual from the earliest age possible.
Why, oh why, didn't I ever pick up the clubs as a kid? SI.com has ranked the 50 highest paid athletes, and two golfers lead the way. No. 1 Tiger Woods makes more than twice as much as No. 2 Phil Mickelson. But Lefty shouldn't be too sad -- his $62 million puts him way ahead of third-place LeBron James.
Interesting quote from Jenna Fischer's MySpace blog.
Question: Who would you go gay for?
Answer: I would go gay for Kate Winslet. I saw her across the room at a party once. She is the sexiest woman on the planet. She holds herself with confidence, she's smart and she's incredibly talented. She's also a mom. I like her style.
I'm blogging about this story not for the headline, but for another detail - Tila Tequila wants to adopt Brangelina's son Pax because he is Vietnamese, like her. Great idea, Miss Tequila! Because there aren't enough needy children, let's go adopt one from a gazillionaire who seems to be a good mother. Not that I'm advocating Tila adopt ANY child. In fact, maybe we should all adopt some babies to prevent her from doing so.
Sad news about the legendary Bo Diddley, who died today at age 79. I interviewed him about a decade ago, and I recall being saddened by his bitterness about not being paid like he should've been back in his glory years. It's an unfortunately common refrain among older soul and blues acts.
But he was still kicking ass with his live show, and I was blown away by his performance.
And yeah, the Bo Jackson commercial (below) -- "You don't know Diddley" --was funny, but there was a lot more to Mr. D than that.
I saw the new Indiana Jones movie last night. The acting was solid, and there's certainly something satisfying about seeing everyone's favorite archaeologist cracking a whip again. But even in a series where Indy has had his still-beating heart pulled from his chest and survived, this latest film set a new standard of implausibility. It was just one outlandish scene after another, and for me, that really detracted from the story.
Granted, I was a kid when I first saw the other movies in the series, so maybe I'm overlooking some of their more sensational aspects. But I don't think so. While the other films had elements of the supernatural linked to relics such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones was essentially just a mortal human being undertaking actions that, while perhaps unlikely, didn't defy the laws of physics. I was willing to accept the Ark melting someone's face, because everybody was desperate to get their hands on it, so it must be powerful -- right? That worked for the storyline. But the CGI special-effects overload in the latest film was just too much. Does anyone else think Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull strayed too far from reality? Or does anyone disagree?
I don't want to be a spoiler, so I'll list a few of the movie's most egregious examples after the jump.
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