@MadMen_AMC latest episode: I am sixteen going on seventeen...

Finally, someone else realises that Don and Dawn sound the same with an American accent. First, Erin and Aaron on Criminal Minds...and now Mad Men... Not just my ears then!

@CSI_CBS / @CrimMinds_CBS should take better care of their female cast & characters, and why Garcia is our saving grace

CSI Catherine Willows' replacement seems about a decade younger but pretty much a photo-fit. They even kept her wardrobe to clothe the newbie, who continues the sassy attitude. Aren't Miss Fox and the blonde chick annoyed that another female was brought in for flavour? Weren't they considered enough? Shouldn't they be booted up the roster? At least we are getting more gender equality with more female characters, plus the representation of an older female is handy... But I can't help be perturbed that the show echoes the storyline where the long-serving cast/staff are passed over for fresh meat. Replacing Gil Grissom was necessary, but they should have promoted Catherine, then added a new weirdo (á la Laurence Fishburne and Ted Danson).

Now, Criminal Minds is not doing much better. All their marketing shows Rossi, Hotchner and Morgan centre-stage, the women on the periphery: See their Twitter, their website section describing the show, even the front page of the website without a single picture of the female case. After the furore over reducing Pager Brewster's episode number and completely letting go of, the equally lovely, A.J. Cook, we have Emily and J.J. back from the dead and the Pentagon, respectively. But now Miss Brewster has decided to leave the show entirely of her own accord. Whilst we had a brief hissy fit over the introduction of that Agent-in-Training-daughter-of-serial-killer, Ashley Seaver, as a (presumably cheaper on the pay role) replacement for the older women, this was swiftly corrected at the beginning of this season. Now there is the threat that Paget's final (yes, definitely this time) exit will leave producers tempted to add in fresh talent of the younger, blonder variety. Now, as a young blonde myself, I am not against these women, but I think we need more diversity. Why not get alcoholic Chief Erin Strauss (anyone else continually confused when these American actors say Aaron and Erin in EXACTLY THE SAME WAY?) demoted from her role and required to serve time as an agent in the field, so that the team has to teach an old dog new tricks? [Sorry, neither actress nor character are a bitch or ugly, as far as I know.]

Actually, I'd prefer Garcia (and the resident queer actress portraying her) to have a larger part to play. She is diverse in appearance, size, personality, not wanting to jump at marriage with her guy; yeah, she is pretty a great role model for girls: smart, great job, funny, sensitive to the horrific crimes she helps solve, recognises her weaknesses, not afraid to stand up for her beliefs or the people she loves. What a superstar.


Budget constraints cannot be ignored, but they could easily invite new faces to the show who aren't necessarily new to the industry. Maybe this is already sorted, but if not, here are my suggestions:

Kiersten Warren (though she seems pretty loved up with her gorgeous husband and daughter, so she might not be interested in a part)

Meredith Eaton (who may be contracted to NCIS)

Jennifer Beals (since Chicago Code didn't work out, she might be tempted by a role as a whip smart agent...who could tempt Garcia into a lesbian tryst! Hooray!)

Could the new character please be something different? Reid is the boffin; Morgan has the swagger; Hotchner has the gruffness; Garcia has the zaniness; Rossi has the...saginess(?)...sagacity! The new face should not be another trainee, or some old hand brought in from retirement, but something else... hmm, maybe, an agent on an international agency-swap, someone from Britain! Yes, that's it! Prentiss says since being 'back' she's never quite settled so she's taking the offer of swapping with another agency for 'sharing best practice' purposes and taking Sergio to live in Blighty!

Californication Season 5: Behind the Scenes Teaser

Dominant handedness, hoover socks & natural emotions

1. Whenever I have to do a physically taxing task, I'll take the brunt of it on my left side, which is strange as I am right-handed. I hear that your stronger hand is your dominant hand, so why am I using the other one? I've worked out that I take the weight/difficulty in the left arm so that the right is ready for more complex processes like turning door handles, holding onto stair rails, etc.

2. If you spill something multi-pieced (beads, glitter, sequins, cornflakes) but don't want to hoover them for disposal or sweep carefully to retain them, you can do a bit of both! Put a sock (without holes!) over the vacuum nozzle as you would if cleaning your keyboard. Let the sock get sucked in 2/3 and hold onto the remainder around the nozzle end. Hoover up the wanted items; switch off and then pull sock out of the nozzle - all spilled items are handily retained in the sock!

3. Jane Rizzoli in Rizzoli and Isles is marvellous for LOTS of reasons, but today I realised that this character is allowed to show her femininity by expressing emotions, without losing the respect of colleagues, being called out on it, being embarrassed, or gushing overtly - she remains strong and butch(ish). I welcome representations of emotional expression that do not denigrate the character; when Rizzoli is interviewing children and gets teary-eyed, no-one makes a big deal. No zoom into her tortured face to emphasise the brutality man enacts on man. No ribbing from (male) colleagues for being girly or unprofessional. She doesn't angrily wipe away the tears or hide her face, run to the bathroom to ball her eyes out. She handles her emotions and so does everyone around her. They are as natural as breathing. It could be a useful investigative tool; show empathy for someone and they might reveal more to you.

After all this contemplation, I feel like my day is already full of productiveness so maybe I should skive off!

Televisual treats! Question: Is Keesha the new Shane?

What a day! Rizzoli and Isles, The Closer and The Big C [Andrea: “I don't see myself as skinny, but I do see myself as a lady so you best come correct.” LOVE IT!]... and the delectable UNICORN PLAN-IT - - there was so much to adore about this new series that I have made a list of my favourite moments. This isn't so much a recap as a top-10 of the awesomeness!

• Episode #101 VaGchat 00:00 - 1:06 - It was just like the best bits of The L Word, perhaps Liquid Heat S5E9

• Episode #101 VaGchat 1:07 - So, was her boot still outside the morning after? She (Vick) took time to pull one on whilst still in their house... I can understand kicking stiletto heels off on the way to a serious rumpus session; you don't want those bad boys intermingling with the lady-loving... But pulling off one boot, before getting inside? Am I missing something? Is that what LA queer ladies do? Sexy-time with one shoe on? Clearly it is, because there was at least one risk-lover in the room that night: see Exhibit A.

Exhibit A from VaGchat

• Episode #101 VaGchat 2:47 - J: "..and by let's I mean you."

• Episode #101 VaGchat 3:24 - Scissors Bump! 

Scissor bump! Hmm, plural or singular... scissors

• Episode #101 VaGchat 4:54 - J: "...why didn't you just tell my face?"

• Episode #102: Bang it Out! 2:53 Vick: "...I gayly respect tradition, the gender binary and my mother."

• Episode #102: Bang it Out! 3:51 Keesha: "I do taste delicious"

• The marvellous music created in-house!

• The super-clever writing skillz! 

• The gorgeous gay women (and Amir Levi!) filling the screen...

But I have questions... actually just one question:

Is Keesha the new Shane?

I know Vick is being set-up as the lady-killer character, but I get the vibe from Keesha that she will turn out to be the wicked heart-breaker. OR MAYBE... Vick and Keesha were characters written for Sarah Croce and Ashley Reed respectively, but they switched them to spice things up - since we would all be expecting the brunette with the heart-throb blue eyes to be the trouble-maker.

Mostly my feelings about all this can be summarised thusly: click here to hear!

5 reasons that I feel AWESOME today

Numero Uno: Blog posting over the past few days has reinvigorated my writing ethic, so I might actually be productive and get my damn thesis finished! Huzzah!

Numero Dos: Four people have declared romantic interest in me... Now all I have to do is choose...

Numero Tres: Despite the weather being rubbish, I am feeling pretty chipper - so much so that I don't mind a friend getting a job which would have been my dream job (had I known about it, bothered to apply and been selected).

Numero Cuatro: UNICORN PLAN-IT premiered last night and it was AMAZING! I'm so glad I posted about it yesterday!

Numero Cinco: There is yummy pasta for lunch - - time to reheat it, methinks!

UNICORN PLAN-IT: It's so close now, I can almost touch it!

Thanks to Alice for this image from the gif competition

Hip-hip-hooray, UNICORN PLAN-IT starts today!

Yes, my lovelies, the exciting new webseries by the gorgeous people at Autostraddle and their beauteous pals has already garnered accolades, tweets and posts aplenty - - and it hasn't even started yet! No need to wait! Yup, Monday August 1st (TODAY) is the world premiere of this scripted show's first two episodes.

Here is how it all started...

Temped to tune in? You should be! Need more persuasion? Here is a synopsis of the show and the teaser video where Ashley explains The Ho Bag!

"The show centers around an events planning office in LA, lesbian owned and operated. It's character centered, around J (Sherri D. Sutton), the boss, her lover Harmony who is also a spiritual healer (Haviland Stillwell), and her employees, player Vick (Ashley Reed), emotionally promiscuous Keesha (Sarah Croce), and the lone gay boy (Amir Levi). The business and the relationship are at a crossroads, so Harmony brings in a big piece of business -- her former college "roommate" Bambi (Catherine Wadkins) is getting married, and the UNICORN PLAN-IT team has to get their shit together and plan it! We refer to everyone as Unicorns, because gay people love them, because they are magical and lovely, and also, they are really just lesbian horses. Obvs. Holler. UNICORN PLAN-IT...Get horny."

Already love it? Good! You should check out Unicorn Plan-It's facebook page, youtube channel and twitter feed! You want to know more RIGHT NOW? Okay, how about this? Insider info, from a starlet in the know, reveals that the show is made by almost entirely gay ladies (crew, cast, etc.). So if you want to support it just because it has great queer and feminist ideals, then that would be wonderful, too!

Let's take a closer look at these wonderful people...

SARAH CROCE (actress, Girl Talk, Autostraddle's Miss April)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook twitter tumblr youtube model portfolio
Top Google search suggestions:

ASHLEY REED (writer, upcoming film HARTS LOCATION)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook twitter
Top Google search suggestions:

HAVILAND STILLWELL (TV/Broadway actress, recording artist)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook Facebook page Facebook group twitter website
Top Google search suggestions:

SHERRI D. SUTTON
Fascinating facts: Sherri was six years in a cult, fighting her queer identity but luckily for her (and us!), she went through "lesbian remission" and is now a successful comedian and theatre teacher. You can stalk her here: Facebook

The other cast members include: Amir Levi (Facebook Facebook page twitter), Catherine Wadkins (Facebook), Malcolm Devine and Rachel Paulson.

 

Last but by no means least: Sara Croce guarantees a ride on her invisible horn in exchange for cashola! Ooh, the sauce! You heard it here - - verbal contracts are binding! Want to contribute and secure that magical moment avec La Croce? It's too late! *sad face* but you'll have the link for when they start fundraising for season 2! Click here to help the lasses and see a bigger version of this wondrous rainbow-pooping beast!

The girls in La La Land are SO excited about their new show; let's make it a success... And if you happen to be near M Bar 1253 Vine Street, Los Angeles tonight head to the premiere party!

Homosexy people! Use the force of the queermos to get the word out!

[*This delectable delving into the latest endeavour by the creative wonders at Autostraddle.com was meant to go live over the weekend, but then 'Blogger autosave' tried to ruin my world. Luckily I found out about pmdump.exe and strings.exe, so whilst a lot was lost, at least I learned a new retrieval skill!*]

Lie to me...and to yourself

Lie to me is a newish show starring English actor, Tim Roth, and a smattering of familiar American faces. Roth plays the lead protagonist, Dr Lightman, in a manner which is most reminiscent of Cap'n Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean fame, with a dash of the ex-lead Detective Robert Goren in the TV series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, played by Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio.


The cheeky-chappy Londoner and ex-coke-fiend-style jitterings of Sparrow with the head-tilt of Goren. A match made in heaven...

Images via Wikipedia

When will the Ceefax personnel be sacked? Has it already happened?

With the switch-over to digital, the Ceefax and Teletext services are being cancelled :(

What will I do without Bamber's questions on Channel 4?

Next the football scores ticker will be dropped and we'll be one step closer to the Apocalypse.

Televisual treats: Amish gap years, homocidal University staff and parental gender desires.

• Rizzoli and Isles had a storyline about a murderous pimp who happened to be a residence advisor - beware all those heading to University this fall - your local, friendly helping-hand could be your worst nightmare!
• Amish: World's Squarest Teenagers was another fly-on-the-wall documentary where the participants were clearly prepped about what controversial things to say or do, yet it was still eye-opening and warming, unexpectedly so. I learned about bundling, the different types of Amish clothing options (and how Becky wore shorts on the beach!) and how dancing for joy (and to glorify God) can be life changing.
• 8 Boys and Wanting a Girl talked about PGD and the controversy. But no-one mentioned whether it was selection of a foetus based on gender, for which I can understand people's concerns. Or whether it was sperm selection (using centrifuge to spin off the light from the heavier sperm, since one type is mostly male) and then swamping a syphoned ovum in that selected sperm, or whether they actually selected a specific spermatozoa to implant in an ovum. This latter technique seems less controversial, but presumably it is more expensive. Also the feature was about women wanting girls in a family of men. I have two questions:
• Do those with gender disappointment tend to wish they had girls? Are there more mothers wanting mini-me's than there are fathers wanting little girls? Are there a similar number of dads in feminine families wanting some male company?
• Do these parents realise that even if they do conceive the longed for daughter or son, that they may turn out just the same as the other children - tree-climbing, gun-loving, football-playing, or doll-dressing, tea-making, pink-wearing? There is no assumption that the preferred gender will meet the cultural desires the parents want fulfilled. Mummy may not be able to go shopping for girly dresses with the daughter - she might want combats. Daddy may not get to go camping with his son, if he would rather stay home and play house. Do they prepare for this mentally? What if the kid is gender dysmorphic or sexually queer? Are they prepared for this? Does fulfilling the desire for a certain gender simply mean that the child must have the right genitalia? Would these mothers be happy with a gay son who wants to go to the gymkhana, discuss hair styles, or whatever else these women assume their imagined daughter would do? Would a father be okay with a butch daughter who can throw a ball, rugby tackle and make armpit burps with the best of them? I guess not. I think these parents are longing for a cultural stereotype that is unrealistic. They are hoping for a certain stereotype of personality rather than the genetic gender. Would any of their children feel pressure to be other than their current gender - do any of them consider transvestism or a transgendered identity more readily due to familial pressure? 

Okay, I have four questions actually: 

• Why don't any of these families consider adoption or fostering? Do they want a little version of themselves so badly?

•  What happens if the child is sick or disabled? They would be the right gender but the parents wouldn't be able to do all the 'gender-appropriate' activities - is that child still valid in their eyes as fulfilling the category they so badly desire? Would another healthy child of the right gender be needed to adequately satisfy this hunger?

How ridiculous is it to find last night's Futurama emotionally compelling?

A sappy story of the history of the world and enduring love, with an alcoholic robot as comedic relief - bliss.

Wiki entry on the episode: 'The Late Philip J. Fry.

So where were we...?

Ages ago I read some interesting things and meant to upload some links. I failed. So to fix matters, I have created the list. Here it is:


Bromosexuals: gay men gravitating towards masculine drag, getting mistaken for straight (NY Observer):

The clinical name for the bromosexual shift is enantiodromia, a Jungian kind of law of physics: Too much of anything makes its opposite grow in popularity. Hippies become yuppies, private-school alpha brats become slacker trustafarians, housewives become cougars.

Thank goodness for the the Norwegians! A real seed vault is being planned in case of Day After Tomorrow-type apocalypse happens. Species will not be wiped out - the plants will survive. Hooray!


From porn to fashion magazine: the Dutch-duo show how it's done. Butt's owners have branched in Fashion Man and most recently, The Gentlewoman - a ladies' version. This new addition to the stableblock is edited by Penny Martin, who was with ShowStudio for seven years and is the Rootstein Hopkins Chair of Fashion Imagery at the London College of Fashion.

This web page at the NY Times has a beautiful slideshow of Alexander McQueen's final collection. You really need to see these garments - they are works of art.


No, it wasn't April Fools Day - I checked. This article describes how kind words and a more positive attitude might help one appear younger and more radiant. The research was based on work by Dr Emoto, which of course, sounds like a fake name that someone looking into the power of emotions would choose when logging into a healthy and beauty chatroom. However, being nicer to oneself is a recommendation I can wholeheartedly get behind.


Ugly Betty's nephew played by Mark Indelicato celebrated his 16th birthday with castmates. Two things to note here: a) His outfit is rocking! b) His co-stars look like lots of fun and as if they really care that he has a nice time. Now it could all be a PR stunt and the whole thing was only 20mins long, but still - it looks great.


How much does Juanita W. Goggins (pictured here in an Associated Press shot in 1974, when she became the first black woman elected to the South Carolina legislature) (who sadly died in low temperatures) look like Dr Bailey (Chandra Wilson) from Grey's Anatomy? The answer = LOADS!

Finally, two music items. Lady Gaga and Beyonce's official music video premiere and Florence and the Machine "DOG DAYS ARE OVER" Music Video from LEGS MEDIA.

I like it - - Rizolli and Isles: the review.

Rizzoli and Isles - an Irish/Italian-American show based in...Boston (who woulda guessed?!) with two females leads, after whom the show is named. One homicide detective - brusque, messy, limited people skills (think cynical NY cop, not Monk), the other is a medical examiner - stylish and socially-obtuse (think Brennan from Bones). Plus there is a neighbour and a mother - more ladies, the latter of whom is the indomitable Lorraine Bracco . There are male characters, too: brother, old partner, current partner, FBI romantic interest.

I get that their personalities are stereotypical - it helps the audience connect (ooh, I know or have seen someone like that before), it is obviously difficult to get your source material/inspiration out of your head, and stereotypes are often based on real experiences - e.g. cops drink coffee.

However, I can get past this because I like female protagonists getting a chance to tell the story. Plus they aren't secret lesbian lovers, best friends since kindergarten, sisters, etc. which places their friendship/acquaintance in the realm of emotive connection, feelings, feminine attributes of nurturing and protecting. These women happen to work together, have become close, perhaps friends, but aren't afraid to be combative if necessary to get one's job done. There have been ploys of 'please, do this for me' when going against policy, or skipping out for Bloody Marys and talking about clothes, and I hope there will continue to be lessof this.

My only beef is the same in every cop show and variant thereof, when a woman is in a crime scene, please cover/tie up your hair (you are contaminating evidence!) and wear appropriate clothes (and for that matter who wears heels around their home, or to come help tidy a ransacked house?). Apart from that, the show is good.

I like it; I really do.

Seriously? More cripping?

I didn't like it when Glee did it; I don't like it now that Covert Affairs is doing it. Ugly Betty's on-off boyfriend is a blind CIA operative. Why?

If Ed can employ an actor who really does use a wheelchair and Roadhouse can employ a real blind musician, then I don't see why this nonsense needs to happen.

Movie connections

Katherine Parkinson was Marion Whittaker in Easy Virtue (2008) - an adaptation of a Noel Coward play. She was also in Doc Martin as Pauline Lamb (she currently stars in The IT Crowd). Her co-star was Martin Clunes as Dr. Ellingham. His manner with patients - supercilious, patronising, unsympathetic - is like Gregory House, as played by English-man Hugh Laurie. Mr Laurie portrayed a bumbling, buffoon of a country gent early in his career in Jeeves and Wooster.

I predict good things

This little guy is fabulous. He looks like an angel and can act. I hope Buddy Handleson goes far!

Sensationalism

There is a thirst for the fantastical to entertain and divert. We have a long history of wanting to know more about, but mostly just clap our eyes on, the weird and wondrous. We have P.T.Barnum's freak show acts and other famous people with unusual attributes that made their 'fortune' by displaying their 'talents'. They are called Human Marvels by one website, which is peculiarly generous and detailed in its cataloguing of these persons. Is is censure or celebration to remark on their stories like this?

Today we have Big Brother and other reality TV shows that focus on people, who may not be deformed or disturbed, but are definitely unusual in their desire to be made infamous by having their personal, private selves gawked at by all and sundry. Their fame is rarely one of support and positive appreciation; they are generally reviled and pilloried for putting themselves out there, up on a pedestal, expecting to be adored, or at the very least liked, and instead they are heckled and torn down for making a show of themselves and thinking themselves more interesting than the rest of us. In fact, if these modern fools are providing rich entertainment which wouldn't be available without their consent.

Non-consenting people still have to ultimately agree; Candid Camera and Punk'd (with the eponymous Ashton Kutcher) still have to get release forms to agree that the images and film may be used for commercial purposes. The only ones allowed to take photographs and movie now and not ask permission are the neo-Gonzo journalists, who are blogging and putting their work on Vimeo and YouTube. Citizen journalism is all the rage, but is it helping with debate or informing us of news?

Still further there are the shows that are not just entertainment, people straining for stardom. there are shows that purport to help. Let us fix your failing marriage/botched DIY/crumbling business/uncontrollable children/crappy eating habits/terrible fashion sense/wonky nose! Let us film it and your emotional rollercoaster ride, then let us put it on TV, sell adverts in between 13minute segments and maybe sell the series on internationally if we get the ratings! It will be free, or at least you'll get travel expenses, or we'll make sure you realise that this is your one-off chance at a cure/answer and if you don't want to be part of the TV programme, we'll take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and give it to someone else!

Emotional blackmail much?

Who are they targetting in their participant recruitment? The poor, the ill-educated, the substance abusers? Do they seek out the ugliest, fattest people with alcohol/nicotine/drug addictions, who do too much eating and too little exercise? Who would be their ideal subject? Incest-survivor who is heroin-addicted with bratty child by artificial insemination, being dumped by their ethnic-minority partner, thusly losing their home and needing a fashion makeover to help with their enormous belly?

How many times in the shows do you see someone and think, "that could be me"? I hardly ever identify with any of the participants. I am thusly seeing them as 'others'. I am therefore forced to think that the conditions or situations that make their cases televisually interesting are therefore unique to people not like me. Is it that if the idea of someone like me had to face these problems it would be too distressing, too close to home? Are we deliberately making these unusual situations worse by labelling those involved as exotic or somehow other than me? Do the participants realise that they are being invited to be on the show because they are weirder than other people? How are these researchers selling the idea? Do they think they are raising awareness of these problems and thereby maybe raising money for the cause? Will their lives improve my nationally explaining the situation and making people less likely to stare and be less cruel? Wont the focus be on them more from them making themselves more widely known? Will their attitude to the situation change from being one of disadvantage to making them think they are somehow special? Will that make them less accepted in their own communities? 'I had a telly show made about my bad foot, so please excuse me cutting the queue in the supermarket and yes, I don't mind switching in the Christmas lights in Middling-on-Sea'.

How self-aware are these participants in putting themselves on display? Do they have a choice? Like, PT Barnum's circus folk, could they make a living, a life any other way? Could the fixative promised be gained any other way?

Even media that is supposedly totally news oriented are becoming opinion providers and gossipers. For commercial success or even just survival, newspapers are having to concentrate on that which titillates and that which cannot be gotten elsewhere more easily or cheaply - namely celebrity updates. Wired explains the situation with clarity but the matter is all the more alarming for its frankness - we are being directed to being consumers of tat and there isn't much we can do about that.

Gothic gems

Foucault was mentioned twice in Law and Order: Criminal Intent this week. They used his work on 'limit experiences' to talk about a goth girl's murder. I was going to write that I wish he was use in more mainstream scenarios, but I guess Foucault himself would appreciate being used in extreme circumstances with 'othered' persons.

TV hello :)

Marvellous machinations created new TV genius and I didn't notice!

The Big Bang Theory has teamed Darlene and David from Roseanne - apparently, this isn't new news! They have been in three previous seasons together - hope am I SO out of the loop?

TBBT has also just introduced Blossom into the mix - TV heaven!

What other superb 80s/90s TV references will they make?

Will Carlton Banks come visiting?

TV bye-bye :(

Shows I've loved and lost since being at uni:

ER
Friends
Will and Grace
The L Word
Without a trace
Numbers
The OC
Buffy
Sex and the City
Cold Case
GhostWhisperer
Scrubs
Better Off Ted
Reaper
Defying Gravity
Monk
Ugly Betty

:(