Normally, it’s a bad idea when celebrities blog. They typically have nothing to say, can’t seem to figure out the shift key, and use sentences that run on like a marathon athlete. There are, however, a few exceptions and this is certainly one of them.
I know Trashwire always has much love for My Chemical Romance, but after reading lead singer Gerard Way’s review of The Pick Up Artist 2, you’ll understand why I’ve become totally addicted to the revamped My Chemical Romance blog (RSS) and twitter posts.
I gotta admit, I got the chills when I heard Mystery say that in last night’s season finale of The Pickup Artist 2.
I don’t even know how I started watching this show it’s first season. I think it may have had to do with the fact I was hooked on Rock Of Love and they would play this afterwards. I think that’s a very old method that networks use called “piggy-backing”, and would explain why shows like “How I met Your Mother” or “My Fair Brady” even make it to their 2nd seasons.
But this show is quality.
And even more interesting than the contestants, challenges, and the orange spray-tan club goers of Scottsdale, Arizona (of COURSE this is where the show is filmed) is Mystery’s wardrobe.
This is a man that knows how to take RISKS.
Mind you, these aren’t risks that I would ever take but you gotta respect a guy thats Ren-Faire from the neck down and fighter-pilot meets X-Games roadie from the neck up. With Gladiator boots.
And can we talk about how likable this guy is?
This is a man that eats his own cereal in the morning if you know what I’m saying.
I felt that Simeon was a strong contender after the last few episodes, having clearly built up a momentum, and adopting a straw cowboy hat seemed to make a big difference. Did he win that in a reward challenge from Mystery? Like some sort of +5 Holy Avenger? (You PUA2 contestants know EXACTLY what I’m talking about)
I also felt Matt was a strong player as well, but I felt they both should have been penalized for their continued use of the same openers in the finale.
I would also like to point out that Matt’s best friend, Chuck, on the previous episode, was not only totally fucking awesome, but also a really amazing comic book artist, who does a book Black Metal for Oni Press. I actually met Matt at the Eisners, as he was friends with Gabriel and had also taken home an Eisner for his comic. I found it interesting they made no mention of him being a comic artist in the episode, but I assumed Mystery felt this would have only hurt his chances in the club, although I feel “Hey I draw comics” is a much better opener than “My friends and I just completed a caper”. But what do I know about this stuff?
One of the reasons I like this show is the fact that it is the least competitive reality show on television. There is no drama, just dudes having each other’s back, and they are genuinely sad when one of their competitors gets the axe. This is an emotional, life-changing journey for these dudes.
The same cannot be said of Rock Of Love: Charm School or Paris Hilton’s My New BFF. Lots of claws flying around.
Charm School had it’s worst episode yet last night, but then again how do you follow an episode where the ladies have degenerated to spitting and plate throwing, drunk the whole time (suprise!). And I back Sharon Osborne, she is fun to watch, but the sock puppet thing didn’t hold me.
Paris Hilton’s New BFF we stopped watching after Kaylee got booted. That girl knew how to party, dress, live life, be fabulous. We think she would have made an excellent BFF. What’s that leave? Bikini Corey? Please…
Some of you may be asking yourselves, “Does reality T.V. make you dumber?”
My answer to this is “Absolutely, yes”.
The ride is not often joyous, but it is intensely interesting and, at times, emotional. The documentary, made by film makers Chris Bagley and Kim Shively, tells a very personal story of an oversized man, who has faced oversized adversities in his life in Chicago. A diagnosed schizophrenic who creates a following on a near cult status in the punk rock world, Wesley Willis works his way into people’s lives. Beginning with the art supply store, where they let him draw and paint, until he has an “episode” and they must ask him to leave, to the sidewalks of Chicago where he sells to a loyal clientele. One of the people he builds a bond with later becomes his band mate and his lyrics and style fall right in to place with the punk rock mind set. Like a mentally challenged Gil Scott-Heron, he yells repetitious lyrics that entertain and cause us to think how the world affects a person like him. While there are times when you begin to think he is being taken advantage of, you later see that he is really more in charge then you would expect.
Like the art hardware shop keepers, or the band mates, you get a sense that the film makers are genuinely attached to this unusual entrepreneur. You also get the sense that Willis knows his story needs to be told and loves letting us all in, even on the bad days. It seems as if he needs us all; the filmmakers, the punk kids, the art lovers, the Kinko’s copy girl, the windy city tourists and we the movie audience. We should all go on at least one ride with Wesley Willis.
The 31st Starz Denver Film Festival is in full swing and, this year, I’ve had a very inside look at all the behind-the-scenes action. With my new job at the Denver Film Society, I’ve been able to watch this year’s fest grow from a tiny seed into a gigantic tree of cinematic enjoyment.
Zack and Miri seems to follow the recipe for a great comedy. It takes one part View Askew cynical humor, one part Seth Rogen, a sprinkle of familiar faces from the Judd Apatow universe, and a little bit of romantic comedy sweetness, all garnished with a dash of full-frontal Jason Mewes, to make something that achieves what Clerks II only wished it could.
Rodney King and Gary Busey walk into a bar… Actually, they don’t walk into a bar because they’re both patients on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
Yes, this new season brings us another cadre of dysfunctional celebrities trying to get sober, or rather, to get more screen time. The patient list includes Busey, King, model/actress Amber Smith, former American Idol contestant Nicki McKibbin, celeb spawn Sean Stewart, former hood ornament Tawny Kitaen, drummer Steven Adler and even an encore performance from everyone’s favorite bumbling train wreck, Jeff Conaway….
All spotlights seem to be focused squarely on Tina Fey every weekend as America fervently tunes in to see her portray Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But is this good for the Obama/Biden campaign, or simply adding more fuel to the Palin mania sweeping the nation?
Danny McBride is like the bacon on a cheeseburger. Without it, the burger is still good, but there’s just something even more delicious when you slap a couple pieces of bacon on top. Like the extra flavor from the bacon, McBride brings that extra level of funny to everything he touches.
I first took notice of McBride way back in Hot Rod, the critically panned comedy starring the guys from The Lonely Island about a guy with a moped who longs to be a stuntman. McBride played Rico, a crass member of Rod’s crew, and instantly captured my attention with his overly serious and incredibly hilarious delivery.
He was also one of the main reasons I went to see Tropic Thunder, the Ben Stiller/Jack Black/Robert Downey Jr. action comedy about a group of actors who find themselves in the midst of actual warfare. Though I wanted to see the film anyway, I was over the edge when I heard that McBride played a pyro crew guy opposite Nick Nolte. Again, I wasn’t surprised when McBride stole all his scenes, though I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t in more of the film.
McBride solidified his place as my favorite comedy cheeseburger garnish with his stellar turn in Pineapple Express. Like the cheeseburger, the film was excellent to begin with, but every scene with McBride as Red had me laughing so hard I couldn’t catch my breath.
Naturally, I ran home ad added The Foot Fist Way to my Nexflix queue, anxiously awaiting the DVD’s release. Yesterday, I finally received it and popped it in the DVD player. [...]
Watching the VMAs last night was, in a word, torture. The only saving grace was Russell Brand, who managed to actually be entertaining during the ignominious joke of a ceremony we were all watching.
At times it was more like the Kids Choice Awards then the VMAs, but during the Lil Wayne performances it sunk down to some kind of “Pimps Up, Hos Down Convention” in Vegas.
I was also left feeling like hip hop should really take a long hard look at itself. I used to be a big fan of rap; Dr. Dre, Snoop, Eminem, and Jay Z were played in my car every day, but then it all took a left somewhere and now we have Lil Wayne and T-pain and nothing can make me run from rap music faster than watching dudes whose main talent is knowing how to work a synthesizer yell into microphones while holding their man junk like it’s about to fall off.
I really don’t’ want to know which underwear brand Lil Wayne prefers. I don’t want to see every lyric sung while limping around the stage holding on to his balls. I can’t decide what bugs me the most the clothing style or the lyrics. Rap of today is not even classy enough to be played at truck stop strip clubs.
Someday, can we make fun of that trend like we do of the giant hair bands of the 80’s? Why wait–let the ridicule begin now!!!
Lastly, on Britney Spears’ awards that just kept coming: It is apparent MTV felt really guilty about putting Brit on stage last year when they knew she had more than one wheel in the sand. This year they piled up awards on her and hoped that would make it all better. To be honest, her competition was pretty weak, but right on for Britney and let’s hope it keeps her from sporting the pink wig and going down the rabbit hole again.
Next year, unless I have a lobotomy, I won’t be watching!
The tag line for the star-studded Coen Brothers film ‘Burn After Reading’ is “intelligence is relative”. Certainly that statement is very fitting for this smart film about stupid people.
If you’ve heard anything about Hamlet 2, it’s probably that the film was co-written by South Park alum Pam Brady. While some of the Jesus jokes and musical numbers might be reminiscent of everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed fourth graders, the film actually has little in common with the iconic animated show.
Yes, this new season brings us another cadre of dysfunctional celebrities trying to get sober, or rather, to get more screen time. The patient list includes Busey, King, model/actress Amber Smith, former American Idol contestant Nicki McKibbin, celeb spawn Sean Stewart, former hood ornament Tawny Kitaen, drummer Steven Adler and even an encore performance from everyone’s favorite bumbling train wreck, Jeff Conaway….
Danny McBride is like the bacon on a cheeseburger. Without it, the burger is still good, but there’s just something even more delicious when you slap a couple pieces of bacon on top. Like the extra flavor from the bacon, McBride brings that extra level of funny to everything he touches.