Books is the drug I'm thinking of

'Nother Amazon review:

Love Is the Drug: A Novel
by Sarahbeth Purcell

Join us, Megan...join us...

Megan McCain is too sane to be a Republican.

All together now: Aw, cute...

As you may have heard, a few weeks ago actress Alyson Hannigan gave birth to her first child, a daughter. She and husband/sometime co-star Alexis Denisof have named the girl Satyana Denisof (cool name!)

A photograph was released to the press today.

Tea Hee (updated)

Or, OK, the "tea bagging" thing.

As you know if you've been watching Countdown, The Daily Show and so on, the likes of Keith Olbermann and Jon Stewart have been having the time of their lives.

They've been playing with the double-entendres inherent in the allegedly anti-tax, but really anti-Obama, allegedly nonpartisan, but really GOP-dominated "tea parties," you see.

A writer named John Lillpop noticed this too. Among other places, Lillpop writes for the Canada Free Press.

(You'll remember the Canada Free Press. They're the (allegedly Canadian, but really awfully interested in what we're doing down here*) conservative wingnut paper among those taken in by a fake Michelle Obama interview, last October.)

Writing about a recent appearance Janeane Garofalo made on the Olbermann show in an Op-Ed for a site called "News Blaze," Lillpop accuses her of

"Racial Profiling, [and a] Gay Slur in Attacking Tea Parties"

By racial profiling, he means that Garofalo said the protests were racist in nature, which she did--as it happens, I saw the appearance.

I wasn't sure about that statement of hers myself (I go back-and-forth about Garofalo). I am quite sure that racism played its part (if you doubt that, look at these), but whether it was the motivating factor for all, or even a majority, as opposed to the fringe whack-jobs, I'm not sure.

But regardless, unless you think Garofalo's point was that white people cannot protest against the actions of a black person without it being racial in nature...it wasn't racial profiling.

And I don't think that was her point. I think she was arguing that since the protests don't make sense politically, financially, or historically....

This is not about bashing Democrats. It's not about taxes. They have no idea what the Boston Tea party was about. They don't know their history at all.

...then the conclusion she draws is that

It's about hating a black man in the White House," she said.

As I said: I'm not sure about that, but I think it was her point.

Now, what about the gay slur? I've usually got a pretty good ear--considering that I'm straight--for that sort of thing, and I didn't remember anything Garofalo had said hitting me that way. So what is Lillpop talking about? This:

Any reasonable person (white or not) would study the facts and ask some probing questions before accusing millions of strangers of engaging in tea bagging, which is actually a homosexual practice not understood very well by straight Americans, a condition Barney Frank hopes to correct with tens of billions of "education" dollars in the next stimulus package.

Emphasis, need I add, mine.

Ah heh. Ah heh heh. Ah heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh...

So, this guy--who lives, would you believe it, in San Francisco--thinks "tea bagging" is "a homosexual practice," and to "accuse" someone of it is to hurl a gay slur.

Now, I'm quite sure that none of you, my gentle readers, have ever done such a thing in a straight partnership (neither have I...). But I feel I can say with some confidence it is a sexual (not homosexual, not heterosexual, just sexual) practice understood perfectly well by sexually healthy Americans straight, gay, or indecisive.

And to have it suggested that you engage in it--well, I don't see where that's a slur, gay or otherwise. Hell, in some circles, that would be a badge of honor...I imagine.

Of course, no one has been seriously suggesting all these protestors engage in the practice anyway (though many of them assuredly do). Some have just been having fun with the fact that the GOP organizers of these events, apparently unknowingly, left them open to the double-entendre.

Is it sophmoric? Of course. But it's not a gay slur.

"Morning, faggot!" is a gay slur.

Saying Rep. Barney Frank wants to include teachings about this practice, as part of a stimulus program...because Rep. Barney Frank, as you may know, is gay (shudder)...is a slur.

Just so we're clear.

*No play on words intended.

I think...I feel good about this

I'm quite pleased, actually, and thankful to the girl who made it...

Wolves rule.

That is all.

I know you know this, but: I'm really gonna miss this show.

I hope the new movie sucks.

(Bitter? A tad.)

Artwork by MikEvil .

Is it just me, or when looking at this photo promoting the "Weeds" television show...

...does anyone else find themselves thinking of the "Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" segment of Creepshow?



It is just me, isn't it?

A bee; dalek, dancing with a dragon and the Buddha

Just a random image I liked

I actually like this more than the movie

Sad to say, I didn't like most of the new Futurama movies (the exception was "Bender's Game") as much as I've come to like the series. But I like this video somebody calling themselves Playhard put together to a remix of the theme; using clips from the first movie, "Benders Big Score."

FUTURAMA REMIX by Saturn Smythe

Mother of god, the Death Star is real

"A montage of distant images of the small inner satellites of Jupiter taken by the Galileo spacecraft's Solid State Imaging camera in November 1997. The top two images show the moon Thebe."

That's no moon...

"Darwin's theory of evolution and survival of the fittest, based on his little trip to the Galápagos, no longer applies on this planet."

On his director's commentary for Saw IV, Darren Lynn Bousman observes that the actor who plays John/Jigsaw, Tobin Bell, is so "gangster" that he can always appear disturbing. Even when dressed, as he is in one scene in the film, in a black velour v-neck shirt.

He's right. Which leads one to the conclusion that no matter what you put Tobin Bell in, or what music you put to him, if he wants to, he can still scare the shit out of you.

This next video, tests that little theory...

(click it. Don't be squeamish. There's not even much gore.)



Still compelling. Gotta love it.

This happened last year, but it's pretty cool

First pictures of new planets. Be sure to check out all the photos.

Robert J. Elisberg is in love with Michelle Obama

Not that he's alone.

...what's remarkable about Michelle Obama's popularity is not how popular she is (72%-17%), but how popular she is only eight months after being demonized by the Republican Party. Barely half a year later, she's almost double the then-43% approval. And this didn't occur through any significant event that changed peoples' opinion of her. It's that after eight months... people got to see her with their own eyes, unfiltered by right-wing talk radio and Fox News. The American public didn't know her before, they only had reports on how they were supposed to feel about her. But seeing her in action, seeing her grace, charm, intelligence, kindness and warmth -- seeing how incredibly well-raised her children were -- seeing someone who tells children in school, as she did those girls in London, "I liked getting A's... I thought there was nothing cooler than being smart" -- Americans saw for themselves, got to know her themselves, and made up their own minds.

Goddamnit.

Fox set to terminate 'Sarah Connor Chronicles'

"It's done," maintains a source close to the show. "Everyone has pretty much known for a couple of weeks." Adds a network insider: "Consider it canceled."

The one bright spot? Despite horrific ratings, Fox isn't ready to declare SCC dead and buried -- at least not officially. "No decision has been made yet," insists a network rep. "We will be announcing our fall schedule on May 18."

Not like this is unforseen, but: Goddamnit. A smart show with strong women that I loved (the show and the women). And I don't know if this'll show you why, but because I loved it, here's the season 2, and now apparently series, ending.

Goddamnit.

She also once offered to do Larry King between segments of his radio show, but they don't mention that

Marilyn Chambers dies at 56

Okay, Efron, I'll give you this one

No longer being a teenager and never having been a girl, I don't really care that much about Zac Efron one way or the other. "High School Musical 3" beat Saw V at the box office, however, and as you can imagine this just sickens me.

However, I will say this: He doesn't suck in this SNL sketch, which itself, doesn't suck...with the exception of Darrell Hammond who pretty much always sucks.



MTV wonders if Efron will ever work for Disney again after this sketch. I'm thinking yes. If they looked past the Vanessa Hudgens photo scandal...

Dear Miley: Don't be hatin' on my Alice...

Disney's 1951 adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland is not considered to be wholly successful by most critics and historians but in its way, it's one of my favorites. So you can well imagine my reaction when reading (via ONTD)...

Despite being the studio’s reigning teen idol, Miley Cyrus isn’t a fan of Disney’s 1951 animated classic Alice In Wonderland.

“It’s such a perverted movie,” the Hannah Montana star says in the May 2009 issue of Teen Vogue. “It’s all about Ecstasy. I swear! Look it up online.”

The fantasy film–which was released several decades before ecstasy use became popular–is based on the 1865 book by Lewis Carroll.

Sigh. It's called an imagination, Miley. Maybe you'll have one, one day...

Well. This is upsetting (and something to keep an eye on) EDITED WITH ADDITION

From the blog of the Seattle PI:

Amazon under fire for perceived anti-gay policy

Users are angry about a perceived anti-gay policy that removes lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender books from appearing in sales rankings.

a response from Amazon.com Advantage member services...says:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.

Hence, if you have further questions, kindly write back to us.

Why yes, I have one or two questions. First of all, since when does "gay, lesbian, etc" translate automatically to "adult," meaning (in the context you're using) porn; sex?

I'm hardly an expert but I feel comfortable saying that in gay books, yes there are some porno sex titles but I can't imagine there are more than there are in straight books.

Should you exclude Stephenie Meyer from your lists because someone anonymously hacks out the kind of novel in which buxom redheads with names like "Wylde" are captured by scruffycool pirates; tied to the mast and ravished?

(Of course, for all I know, the books Stephenie Meyer writes are that kind of novel...I just named her because she's near the top of the Amazon lists at the moment and AFAIK, writes "straight" books)

Finally: I was going to say that as someone who's written a "lesbian" novel that couldn't possibly get a higher than "PG-13" rating if it were ever filmed-

Created by OnePlusYou -

See?

-I objected. But then I realized. This is exactly how the MPAA works. They assign ratings with an apparent lack of rhyme or reason, with no consistency and often to fit a political agenda. And famously, violence and killing is acceptable (do you think Grisham or Kellerman are being knocked off the lists?) while gay and lesbian sexuality is not.

Good role model, Amazonians.

ETA:

A "glitch" on Amazon.com has caused the sales rank to be removed from gay- and/or lesbian-themed books by James Baldwin, Gore Vidal and others.

"There was a glitch in our systems and it's being fixed," Amazon's director of corporate communications, Patty Smith, said in an e-mail Sunday.

As of Sunday night, books without rankings included Baldwin's "Giovanni's Room," Vidal's "The City and the Pillar" and Jeanette Winterson's "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit."

Apparently, word getting around that your movie presents a rapist as the hero not so good for the bottom line

NYTimes:

It was a disappointing weekend for Seth Rogen. His “Observe and Report” opened in fourth place with an estimated $11.1 million. The movie, written and directed by Jody Hill, may have suffered from poor word of mouth. Reviews were sharply mixed, with some critics arguing that the picture, from Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures, made light of date rape.

Theatre People

E-mailing with pal Corey Klemow reminded me that I hadn't written about Party Down since its premiere. The show's been uneven in the way that many loosely-written shows are uneven to me: A tendency to resemble a bunch of actors all standing around in a circle jerk.

This Friday's episode was stronger (and funnier) than the last two or three, however. It was also the first to have its screenplay credited solely to my sometime hero Rob Thomas, who looks ahead to Kristen Bell's appearance here.

There will be a "marathon" of the first four episodes this Thursday night.

I'm definitely liking it more than the revival of Thomas' Cupid. Bobby Cannavale, I knew Cupid. I watched Cupid. Cupid was a favorite of mine. Bobby Cannavale, you're no Cupid.