Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sha90n share alike
I'm naming three this time, just 'cause...y'know...I can.
1990:
Sharon Stone.
Face it, Sharon Stone was Hollywood in the 1990s: Sexually uninhibited, sick, and scary.
Of course, I may be drawing an unfair parallel between Stone and her sex-symbol characters, but if the underwear (doesn't) fit...
Nowadays she's facing a $1 billion dollar lawsuit for her less-than-well-thought-out remark that the China earthquake which killed 70,000 people was "Karma," as well as facing being an "older woman" in Hollywood. I wonder which is more threatening to her self-esteem?
Penelope Ann Miller.
Always on the cusp, this one. She had roles in films that were well-regarded or successful, but rarely both, and she never quite got the role that would've pushed her over the top.
This is a crime. A petty crime, perhaps, but a crime nevertheless. She seems now to have vanished from the scene.
And:
1990:
Sharon Stone.
Face it, Sharon Stone was Hollywood in the 1990s: Sexually uninhibited, sick, and scary.
Of course, I may be drawing an unfair parallel between Stone and her sex-symbol characters, but if the underwear (doesn't) fit...
Nowadays she's facing a $1 billion dollar lawsuit for her less-than-well-thought-out remark that the China earthquake which killed 70,000 people was "Karma," as well as facing being an "older woman" in Hollywood. I wonder which is more threatening to her self-esteem?
Penelope Ann Miller.
Always on the cusp, this one. She had roles in films that were well-regarded or successful, but rarely both, and she never quite got the role that would've pushed her over the top.
This is a crime. A petty crime, perhaps, but a crime nevertheless. She seems now to have vanished from the scene.
And:
Thirteen happiness
My investigations into Zen and Alan Watts and meditation and the Tao & Philosophy give me some happiness. At fleeting moments, it makes me feel in touch with the universe. This is brilliant. Even if it's bullshit, it's brilliant (many things are one and the same all at the same time...in fact, you could go so far as to say it's true of humanity).
It makes me feel OK and comfortable (again...this is at its best, or perhaps I should say at my best).
It makes me feel OK and comfortable (again...this is at its best, or perhaps I should say at my best).
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wow.
It takes a special person to talk about a married man who had an affair and still be more in the wrong than the married man.
I'm talking about, sadly, the Edwards, about whom Rush Limbaugh had this to say:
I repeat: Wow. Leave it to Rush "the abuses at Abu Ghraib were no worse than a Madonna show, and I like to pick on little girls" Limbaugh.
Once you get past the stunningly insulting nature of this, you get to what a perfect x-ray it is for the kind of guy Limbaugh apparently is, which is the kind of guy for whom smart plus funny plus woman equals no suggestion of sexuality whatsoever.
I'm not saying I'm surprised...
Obviously, John Edwards' halo is not just tarnished--it's laying at his feet in pieces. But even if Edwards is no longer a hero, I’d like to thank Rush Limbaugh for reminding us all just who's wearing the black Spider-Man suit nowadays.
I'm talking about, sadly, the Edwards, about whom Rush Limbaugh had this to say:
"We know -- we've been told that Elizabeth Edwards is smarter than John Edwards. That's part of the puff pieces on them that we've seen. ...It just seems to me that Edwards might be attracted to a woman whose mouth did something other than talk."
I repeat: Wow. Leave it to Rush "the abuses at Abu Ghraib were no worse than a Madonna show, and I like to pick on little girls" Limbaugh.
Once you get past the stunningly insulting nature of this, you get to what a perfect x-ray it is for the kind of guy Limbaugh apparently is, which is the kind of guy for whom smart plus funny plus woman equals no suggestion of sexuality whatsoever.
I'm not saying I'm surprised...
Obviously, John Edwards' halo is not just tarnished--it's laying at his feet in pieces. But even if Edwards is no longer a hero, I’d like to thank Rush Limbaugh for reminding us all just who's wearing the black Spider-Man suit nowadays.
Amazons of '89
1989 : Kim Basinger. Unfortunately in the news more these days because of her knock-down-bare-knuckle custody fight with Alec Baldwin than her movie roles, Basinger has all this...
...and talent, too. I take my hat off to her (in fervent hopes that she'll return the salute).
And speaking of salutes, for my second glorious woman today I would name Kylie, who back in 1989 was just the girl who'd had that novelty hit with the cover of 'The Locomotion.' Trouble is I talked about Kylie just a few days ago. So I'm gonna go with:
Now, to be absolutely fair, I have to admit that to me personally, Janet (Miss Jackson if you're nasty) was sexiest a few years earlier; during the Control era...I like her better when she's bouncy.
But she was still looking like someone it'd be fun to work up a sweat with in 1989. 15 years later...well, let's just say to me the worst thing about her breast popping out at the superbowl was
the anticlimax.
...and talent, too. I take my hat off to her (in fervent hopes that she'll return the salute).
And speaking of salutes, for my second glorious woman today I would name Kylie, who back in 1989 was just the girl who'd had that novelty hit with the cover of 'The Locomotion.' Trouble is I talked about Kylie just a few days ago. So I'm gonna go with:
Now, to be absolutely fair, I have to admit that to me personally, Janet (Miss Jackson if you're nasty) was sexiest a few years earlier; during the Control era...I like her better when she's bouncy.
But she was still looking like someone it'd be fun to work up a sweat with in 1989. 15 years later...well, let's just say to me the worst thing about her breast popping out at the superbowl was
the anticlimax.
Twelve happiness
(This is very PD)
Consciousness. My consciousness brings me happiness. Not all the time, no, but given a choice I'd rather have consciousness than not. Which rather goes without saying, but this post is turning out to be quite stream of...consciousness.
Early this year I was thinking about two kinds of consciousness. There's the monkey mind and then there's the human mind. Another way of thinking about it is what Alan Watts called spotlight consciousness vs floodlight. Spotlight is what you do because you're thinking about it, floodlight is what you can do without thinking about it.
Here's another question. Is our social consciousness linked to our private consciousness? I don't have a fully worked-out answer, but I shall close with a quote from Elvis:
Consciousness. My consciousness brings me happiness. Not all the time, no, but given a choice I'd rather have consciousness than not. Which rather goes without saying, but this post is turning out to be quite stream of...consciousness.
Early this year I was thinking about two kinds of consciousness. There's the monkey mind and then there's the human mind. Another way of thinking about it is what Alan Watts called spotlight consciousness vs floodlight. Spotlight is what you do because you're thinking about it, floodlight is what you can do without thinking about it.
Here's another question. Is our social consciousness linked to our private consciousness? I don't have a fully worked-out answer, but I shall close with a quote from Elvis:
it's the damage that we do
And never know
It's the words that we don't say
That scare me so
Monday, August 11, 2008
my friends say she's a dumb blonde, but they don't know she dyes her hair. she thinks the fighting in Central America's easily solved ..
but what to wear to Bel-Air premieres
is a problem she could never resolve...
Of course, you can take it too far (Anna Nicole Smith), but have I ever mentioned that some women (Tonya Harding...in 1994) have that white trash thing going on I find so attractive?
None of this is to be taken as a slur on the reputation of this innocent young woman who is, for all I know, quite intelligent.
But were I to judge her by her dress (and eye make-up)...I might well leap to an entirely unsupported conclusion.
From a suggestion by Corey K.
Done.
I like this because it reminds me of sort of a Muppety Dr. Seuss thing.
That's the most shaming, reproachful-looking dog I've ever seen.
I just like this.
Done.
Suggested by Corey K.
That's the most shaming, reproachful-looking dog I've ever seen.
I just like this.
Done.
Suggested by Corey K.
That's strange...all of a sudden, I feel like a snow cone...
(Yes, that was Eva Amurri tit joke number god-knows-how-many-of-god-knows-how-many-to-come. I would stop, but baby, look what I'm working with...)
Debbie n88ked
Ok. I decided I want to do kind of a reverse of the "Women my own age" thing I did last year. So what I'm gonna do each day between now and September is go back through the past 20 years.
For each year, I'll name two women who were--let's not be coy--making me hard at the time, with "where are they now" updates.
So, we'll start with:
1988:
Debbie (never Deborah, I don't care what she says, she'll always be Debbie to me) Gibson.
Musically, Gibson looks like an under-appreciated genius only when compared to the likes of say, Tiffany or Britney Spears.
But she always had that girl-next-door, slightly prominent nose thing goin' on, and I dig that. Plus, who knew that some 15-odd years later...
Elisabeth Shue. She's just a full-on woman, you know what I mean?
Shue has a role in Hamlet 2, opening next week, as...well, watch the trailer if you haven't yet, it's really funny.
(and in a case of Christians further becoming parodies of themselves, the movie is reportedly being protested by a"growing list of churches and Christian ministries." This, as we know, motivates me to see it just a little bit more.)
For each year, I'll name two women who were--let's not be coy--making me hard at the time, with "where are they now" updates.
So, we'll start with:
1988:
Debbie (never Deborah, I don't care what she says, she'll always be Debbie to me) Gibson.
Musically, Gibson looks like an under-appreciated genius only when compared to the likes of say, Tiffany or Britney Spears.
But she always had that girl-next-door, slightly prominent nose thing goin' on, and I dig that. Plus, who knew that some 15-odd years later...
Elisabeth Shue. She's just a full-on woman, you know what I mean?
Shue has a role in Hamlet 2, opening next week, as...well, watch the trailer if you haven't yet, it's really funny.
(and in a case of Christians further becoming parodies of themselves, the movie is reportedly being protested by a"growing list of churches and Christian ministries." This, as we know, motivates me to see it just a little bit more.)
RFB hiatus blogging two
Got a good suggestion or two last week, so just like then, leave 'em in the comments.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
By a remarkable coincidence, said List has just been updated
For those who may wish to know, two pieces of information (and an ask).
One, my birthday is September First.
Two, if you look over to the right there and click the View my complete profile link you'll find, among other things, a link to my Amazon.com Wish List.
If you're amazed at the quality of posts on this site (I know I am), please consider making a small donation to the Buy Ben DVDs, Books and CDs Fund. I thank you.
One, my birthday is September First.
Two, if you look over to the right there and click the View my complete profile link you'll find, among other things, a link to my Amazon.com Wish List.
If you're amazed at the quality of posts on this site (I know I am), please consider making a small donation to the Buy Ben DVDs, Books and CDs Fund. I thank you.
Soul Man
Isaac Hayes, the great songwriter and actor, has died. Here's just a few ways to remember him.
A great recording of "Look of Love" (coupled with a not-so-great slideshow...you might want to just listen to this one)
This one though, you should watch. The man's a picture of music and form in motion. Here's Hayes at a jazz festival in 1997 bringin' the funk to a little something called..."Shaft!"
(Note to self: Watch Carpenter's "Escape From New York" tonight.)
And finally, I'm sorry Hayes left South Park under such a cloud of dispute. Here's a short clip from the episode "Die, Hippie, Die." His role in it is small, but he delivered it perfectly, as he almost always did.
Rest in peace, big guy.
*(I would've embedded the clip, but Comedy Central's embeddable player sucks beyond all previously accepted definitions of sucking)
A great recording of "Look of Love" (coupled with a not-so-great slideshow...you might want to just listen to this one)
This one though, you should watch. The man's a picture of music and form in motion. Here's Hayes at a jazz festival in 1997 bringin' the funk to a little something called..."Shaft!"
(Note to self: Watch Carpenter's "Escape From New York" tonight.)
And finally, I'm sorry Hayes left South Park under such a cloud of dispute. Here's a short clip from the episode "Die, Hippie, Die." His role in it is small, but he delivered it perfectly, as he almost always did.
Rest in peace, big guy.
*(I would've embedded the clip, but Comedy Central's embeddable player sucks beyond all previously accepted definitions of sucking)
Ten happiness
If you've been reading my blogs even a few months, you know how I feel about Godspell, so I'm not going to take you through it all again. I do want to say a few words of introduction to the song I'm about to embed, however.
It's called "Beautiful City," and it was first written for the film version (which is the clip you're going to see). In the days after September 11, 2001, the song became a popular choice for use in memorial services and benefits for victims of the attacks.
Writer Stephen Schwartz became unsatisfied with the lyric he had written in later years, and wrote a new one which was used in stage productions that incorporated the song thereafter. I respectfully disagree with Schwartz on this point.
He reportedly thinks the original lyric is "too sentimental." I know what he means but for me a huge part of the appeal of Godspell has always been that it goes over and around all cynicism. For me, it can't be too sentimental.
Here's "Beautiful City."
It's called "Beautiful City," and it was first written for the film version (which is the clip you're going to see). In the days after September 11, 2001, the song became a popular choice for use in memorial services and benefits for victims of the attacks.
Writer Stephen Schwartz became unsatisfied with the lyric he had written in later years, and wrote a new one which was used in stage productions that incorporated the song thereafter. I respectfully disagree with Schwartz on this point.
He reportedly thinks the original lyric is "too sentimental." I know what he means but for me a huge part of the appeal of Godspell has always been that it goes over and around all cynicism. For me, it can't be too sentimental.
Here's "Beautiful City."
Good lord...
Anybody else remember when Scarlett Johansson used to act in good films a bit, instead of just periodically reminding us all how fine, real and hot her breasts are?
Yeah, me neither.
Yeah, me neither.
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