Here's our final part of the "catch-up" from last week, after being at The Happiest Place on Earth... we've covered Idol, we've covered Survivor (featuring JT from Samson). Our last stop, at least for these batch of episodes, is The Amazing Race, followed by a television oddity called "Solitairy".
I've been watching The Amazing Race since its 3rd or 4th inception, and while it sometimes lacks the drama of Survivor, it is an equally good show... perhaps in some ways, better. I've often told The Lovely Steph Leann that were I given a choice, I would probably go on The Amazing Race for one factor only... its not a social game. What I love about Survivor is that not only do you have to be skillful in challenges, you have to play a people game--while that is fun to watch, I'm not so sure I'd be crazy about being in the midst of it. With The Amazing Race, its not social... its "first one there wins, last one there is out". Its a race, pure and simple. Oh, socialability plays into it, as there are many times you have to deal with other teams, negotiate, even help each other out, but for the most part, its "get there fastest, and your safe".
Don't get me wrong, though--if given a chance on Survivor, I'd be on that faster than President B. Hussein Obama would sign more legislation to take my hard earned tax dollars to give to someone who doesn't work. And if you think that I took way to long on that analogy because I'm a little bitter, than... you'd be right.
(searching the DVR for The Amazing Race... flipping past other programs that have been recorded already... flipping past "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"... flipping past "Pan's Labrynth"... flipping past some ridiculous Hallmark movie The Lovely Steph Leann recorded... flipping past three episodes of WWE Raw... flipping plast eight episodes of "Great Weekends With Samantha Brown"--oh, I do love me some Samantha Brown...)
(still searching, beginning to be concerned... and... sigh... I knew I didn't set the DVR to record last night's episode of The Amazing Race, but surely I set it to record the first one, last Sunday while The Lovely Steph Leann and I were watching "Wishes", the incredible fireworks display at The Happiest Place on Earth)
(has now come to the sad conclusion that I've missed the first two episodes of The Amazing Race... and also sad with the knowledge that while Survivor is available on CBS' website and on iTunes--how I watched the first episode last night--for whatever reason, The Amazing Race isn't available anywhere)
Well, this just sucks. So... I guess I'll surf on over to EW.com and read what I missed. Oh, but good news... there's only been one single episode! Here's the recap from the episode, and apparently I missed what might have been one of the greatest challenges in The Amazing Race history... says EW:
The best Detours and Roadblocks are the ones that truly break their contestants. Learning a local dance? Feh. Eating a big pizza? Phooey. Being briefly driven underwater in a Jeep? Back to Feh. But this was something special. Each team had to climb to a cheese ''aging shack'' at the top of a large, slippery hill, and then collectively carry four 50-pound wheels of cheese down the hill on an incredibly rickety backpack-type contraption. At first it seemed like it would be a simple relay race of brute strength, but then the carnage started.
The cheese was heavy, the backpacks were fragile, and the hill was slippery with wet grass and animal poop. It was glorious. The cheese racks splintered into pieces, and the cheese fell to the ground and roll all the way down the hill into the woods at great speeds. At one point Luke lost his balance and his legs began pinwheeling down the mountain as he desperately tried to keep upright, until he finally tumbled to the grass, his cheese flying out of his hands. Mel, who had said he'd prepped for the trip by doing pushups and sit-ups, suffered a groin injury and could only slowly inch down the hill on his butt, cheese in his lap: if only he'd done some groin-ups! And all the while, locals below laughed and laughed, much like the Russian marching band when frat guy Dan attempted to master marching last season.
Its a shame I missed it...
That brings us to Solitary, or as this season is called, Solitary 3.0--meaning the third season. Now this is a show you can only catch on Fox Reality (unless you download it, which I had to do with the first episode, to watch on The Happiest Interstate in Florida to The Happiest Place on Earth). The fact that its on Fox Reality should tell you something... shows that appear on this channel, and shows that keep getting renewed to appear on this channel are bottom feeding shows that you wouldn't believe.
For example, if one were to flip to Fox Reality right now, channel 250 on DirecTV, you'd be treated to a few hours of "Divorce Court", followed by "Ex-treme Dating", a show in which people are paired up with former loves, then "The Worlds Most Incredible Animal Rescues" and "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol". Later, "Smile Your Under Arrest" and "Battle of the Bods".
I think I discovered Solitary on iTunes during one of those "free episode" chances... it actually turned up as the 87th Coolest Thing of 2007, and you'll want to flip to this link to not only read up on this, but also for #86, where you'll see a link to one of my favorite music videos ever, Kenny G's "Don't Make Me Wait For Love"... I mean, the manifest destiny potential of this clip is just unchartable. Seriously.
Now, we've already had a few episodes of this show go by, so I'll give you the best recap I can... the first episode does something no other season has done--they are blindfolded upon being put in their "pod", that being the little room they'll be confined in, and when they pull their blindfolds off, they see another contestant in front of them. The pods are octagonal, with one little "food slot", or door they open to get something to eat, or whatever else they have to use. There is another little "isolation room" they have for bathroom use, and on the wall is a green button and a red button. At any time, if they choose to quit, they can press the red button. The green button is only used when they finish a challenge.
We have Katie, 19, an actress... we have Jennifer, 36, a chainsmoking pin up model... big tattooed Jason, 30, a bouncer... we have Jen, 38, a web designer... we have Ceon, a senior citizens home director... Maureen, 31, a former tv reporter, and so far, my personal favorite and possibly the hottest... Andrew, 20, a college student... Rob, 38, a computer programmer, and a guy who loves this show so much, he built his own pod at home... then there is Karrie and Trizz, who's ages and professions I didn't get.
Anyway, the first challenge for them to do laps around the small room, with the floor being covered in rocks. They complete as many as they can with shoes, then with only socks, then barefoot, each in 30 minute intervals. First they face off, pod vs pod, then finally, with 10 contestants and only 9 pods, the first to get bounced is 38 year old Jen.
And here's the Pod Rundown... #1 Pod Jen, the pin up model, is obsessed with serial killers. #2 Ceon runs a home for senior citizens. #3 Katie is a 19 year old kickboxing streaking actress. #4, RobRob, is stupid just cause he goes by that name. #5 is Maureen, who I did, even though I'm usually not an Asian chick fan. #6, Trizz, 27, is a cashier, a former foster child, hates technology and loves chick flicks. #7 is Andrew, 20, and an ametuer magician. #8, Karrie, is 28 and had a husband died in jail. And finally, #9, Jason, the bouncer, who loves bacon and hates old people.
Val, the computer voice who tells them what to do, gives them a chocolate bar for dinner, and then makes it about 98 degrees in the pod. Consider they also have not slept for over 24 hours. All for $50,000. This is a show I would not go on.
The first challenge involves a stool. They sit on the small wooden stool for an half an hour, or so, no big deal, even though they aren't allowed to put their feet on the footrest. Well, the next hour, they have to sit on a bicycle seat for half an hour. Then, for the next round, its a bowling ball for 45 minutes. This looks very, very painful...
Finally... they have to sit on a small round stool, perhaps four inches in diameter, for 60 minutes. To quit, you press the red button--but the trick is, you don't know if anyone else has pressed the red button yet, so if you can't take it, you can gamble that someone else has already quit. Within 60 seconds, Trizz, Katie and Big Jason pressed the red button... but its whoever is first that is gone. Trizz is now gone, the #6 pod goes dark.
Having been awake for over 40 hours, a bed slides out from the wall. They all get excited, but beware... I've seen Val give them as few as 10 minutes of sleep--without telling them they only get 10... this time, they get 30, before being rudely awakened by a loud alarm. We do this whole "speak to your loved one" for a segment (blah) and then onto the next challenge... in the pod, there are 8 weights, each with the exact weight of another contestant. They must match up each pod's contestant with each weight... there are over 40,000 possibilities... though knowing their own weight, it reduces the possibilities to only 5,000. Of course, several of them are getting their own weight wrong.
Finally, Val relents and instead of telling them "incorrect", she'll tell them "incorrect, you have four correct". Over 45 hours with only 30 minutes sleep, a chocolate bar to eat, and three hours into this challenge, #2 Ceon gets it right, only a few minutes before #1 Jen gets it right.
The next challenge is a big bowl of white rice... with one grain of orange rice. Using chopsticks, without tipping the big bowl over, find the orange grain and hold it up. RobRob, #4, finds it, but not before #2, Ceon, holds it up, making it 2 for 2 in challenges. His reward is a big plate of teriyaki chicken and rice--sometimes the rewards are pretty good, actually.
Everyone else wanders around their pod being silly, hungry, tired and stupid. And the next challenge is a pinching one. The contestants are required to place harsh metal pinchers on their body all over, in specific directed places, from faces to thighs to legs to arms to stomachs to fingers... Ceon, #2, gets to skip the challenge and also gets to make another (he chooses #9 Jason) put on 2 extra clips.
And the clips go on. My dear #5 Maureen, starts with her stomach. Others go for the legs. Some on shoulders. Another goes for his knees. Imagine a potato chip bag clip, times a thousand.
So, Fox Reality is showing all these shows that probably cost next to nothing to make, and seriously, how much could the syndication rights to "Celebrity Mugshots Exposed" actually cost? And yet, only $50K to the winner.
Karrie, #1, puts the clips on her fingers... bad, bad news. Ten clips, twelve clips, fifteen clips. Forty in all. Jen, #1, puts clips on her fingers too. Very bad. And finally, #1 Jen pushes the red button, hoping that someone else had done the same thing. The #1 pod goes dark, and red headed pin up model Jennifer leaves forever.
The bad thing about this challenge is not just the clips, but what happens when you pull them off. After so long on the skin, the skin deadens, but when the clips come off, blood rushes to the area and it causes great, great pain.
Alright, well, 2 episodes in, and I have 3 more to catch up on... and I'm not going to watch them all right now, frankly cause I want to do some other stuff.
Tonight... American Idol's first 12 contestants sing, and apparently, the top 3 go on to the Finals. And coming Sunday, the annual Oscar running diary... until then...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Reality Roundup Part 2: Surviving Samson
Its another fine season of Survivor, and though I normally haven't been keeping tabs, at least via blog, on Survivor like I do with American Idol, this is a little different. The difference is, I know someone who will be on the show.
I hail from a small, small town, with a population of about 2,200. I graduated with around 43 or 44 people, I'm not exactly sure--I could find out if I dug out my grad program in my Memory Book (do they still have those? or is it called "facebook" now?) and counted, but thats upstairs, I'm down here, and frankly, you don't really care, I'm sure.
Well, with a town that small, you can't so much as sneeze without half the town saying "gahblesyu" and the other half gossiping about who might have given you the cold and what you were doing at Five Points at 3 in the morning to have gotten that cold... for those of you reading this in Birmingham, or familiar with the B'ham area, when I say "Five Points", I don't mean the downtown bustling bar, club and restaurant area... no, I mean this point near Cindy Howell's house, Cindy being my high school girlfriend, between Samson and Coffee Springs where five roads come together. Thus, five points. You can't miss it for the chicken houses... no, I'm not kidding.
So, I get an email from Derek Weeks, who is a friend of mind on Facebook. Granted, I don't think I've ever actually met Derek Weeks, but hey, if he's from the Samson area, I'm sure I know his kin. Derek tells me, and the others on the mass email, that JT Thomas is going to be on Survivor. JT... JT... that name strikes a bell... then, I figure out... its Tammy Thomas' little brother.
I think most of us have people in our past that, upon thinking back, you just wish maybe you'd kept in touch with more, or perhaps were a little better friends with, perhaps because you think, "Man, they were really good to me back then..." Tammy is like that for me. She was very friendly, very loyal, and very supportive of whatever I was doing, which was usually writing some lame story that I came up with that week. Tammy has a little sister, Jamie, who I do remember, and a little brother that I also remember after thinking about it for a long time... of course, JT had to be like, four or somethine the last time I actually had seen him...
All this is to say, JT Thomas is going to be on Survivor. And I want to be here blogging about it, as much as possible... maybe I'll throw some Samson stories your way, maybe I'll name drop randomly (Chris McCall! Rona Mock! Claudia Sorrells!) or maybe not, who knows. The first episode of the new season premiered last Thursday, about the time The Lovely Steph Leann and I were heading towards Fort Wilderness Lodge to eat at Artist Point, where she chowed on a $43 steak and I had scallops the size of my hand, but that's beside the point.
The magic of DVR isn't so magical when you forget to set the stupid thing, but luckily, I have iTunes. I downloaded the show, and am now sitting in The Cabana, with my computer ready to play Survivor, and The Lovely Steph Leann's computer next to it, allowing me to type. Man I'm a geek.
THIS IS... SURVIVOR
We're in Brazil, in one of the most deserted spots in the world--the Tocantin region--where temps top 120 degrees, and is apt to have random, sudden storms. They've been traveling for 3 days, and haven't been allowed to speak to each other... but we see them talking to the camera in "off-interview confessionals", already telling us who they like and don't like...
There are two tribes, the Jalapao tribe and the Timbira tribe and JT is in the first. The game is on, as they have 60 seconds to pull every supply they can off of the truck, with feed, rice, pans, wood, rope, tarps, etc... the host, Jeff Probst, tosses them a map and a compass, and tells them that their tribes are four hours away by walking. And suddenly, each tribe has to vote for one member to "not make the trip". And the Jalapao tribe votes out Sandy, the oldest lady of the tribe, and she's pretty hacked off--as well she should be.
Timbira takes out the young blonde Sierra, who is suffering from strep throat... heck, I'd toss her out for the contageous illness going on. Then Probst informs them that the two, Sandy and Sierra, will be copter'd to their tribe camps, and would just miss the walk.
Four hours, walking through the Brazilian wilderness in 102 degree heat. JT is carrying a watermelon, and says, "I'm 24 years old, from Samson Alabama, and I managed a cattle ranch." Shout out to SAMSON! Just for the record, I haven't seen Tammy Thomas in... well, since we walked off the graduation field, and let me just say, if you are watching this show and hear JT speak--that is EXACTLY how Tammy speaks, he just has a lower voice.
Grandma Sandy arrives at her camp, whining and crying about how she was voted for first. Then she finds a note that says she can either start setting up the camp for the forthcoming tribe, or she can find an idol that would give her immunity for the first challenge... and she takes the idol search. Sierra gets to her tribe, finds the same letter, and chooses to set up the camp.
Grandma Sandy didn't find the idol. The tribe arrives, she hides the note in her bra. I subsequently throw up in my mouth. They all put on a front, welcome her warmly, but behind the scenes, they wonder why she didn't do anything and Sandy wonders why they expect her to try when she knows they are going to vote her out. And Timbira arrives to find Sierra, having already built they shelter.
JT is helping to lead the construction of the tribal shelter, while Sandy hustles to the beach to find that idol... and she finds the next clue... it says "ten paces you should walk from the lone palm tree..." and she says, out loud, "I wonder what a pace is?" Then she starts walking around randomly, with a single, tall palm tree behind her. They could have tossed the idol onto the beach next to Claudia Sorrells in her Samson High majorette uniform and given Sandy a clue that said "Look next to the hot chick in sequins" and I don't think Sandy would have found it.
Over in Jalapao, Tyson the Naked Mormon is just that... naked in the water, carrying water. So I had a stomach flu last week at The Happiest Place on Earth, and I think I just got it back. At least he wasn't wearing that goofy, thin black tie.
Its time for the first challenge of the season, and it involves sand hills to climb, water to wade through, puzzle pieces to achieve, a ladder to build, a maze to get done and a flag to raise. Typical Survivor. And its 120 degrees.
Our old Monday Night Bible Study leader, Nathan Tutor, always refused to watch this show. He said, "It's not real Survivor until someone dies."
And the challenge winner is... Timbira, featuring the formerly ousted Sierra, a big black Army Sgt, and this odd ball ruffneck named Coach... and let me just tell you, Coach has the sweetest hair this side of Slaughter's "Up All Night" video... its like, Steven Seagal in "Hard to Kill" or "Out for Justice" or "Kick Some Butt" or whatever three worded crappy movie he was in from 1987 spawned Coach's hair. Love it. (I was thrilled, by the way, when I discovered the EW.com made the same comparison...)
Back a Jalapao, its my observation that its difficult to give great wisdom that will be heard when you are curved like Carolina, and standing in a Brazilian lake in your underwear. Amy McL, don't get your feathers ruffled. For any "hey!" that might be thought by seeing Carolina in her unmentionables, its countered by a "aaaahhhh!!!!" because Grandma Sandy is in the same Brazilian lake in her underwear as well. There should be laws.
Cut back to Grandma Sandy, thankfully fully clothed, on the beach trying to figure out what "ten paces" means. Seriously? I mean, my kids on my drama team may not know what "ten paces" is, in the same way that they may not understand what "Sweet Emotion" is, or who Desi Arnez is... but this lady? She should know the term "ten paces".
Here at tribal council, Sandy is babbling. Honestly, get rid of her. She's just annoying. JT, hailing from Samson Alabama, votes first! Go Samson! Sandy gets a vote, Carolina gets two votes, then Carolina gets the next two, and then, the final, eliminating vote.
Next week, we see that JT wraps up Tyson the Naked Mormon in a rain soaked game of Brazilian b-ball.
Perhaps this might be an interesting season, perhaps I only find it interesting because on of my native boys is on it, but either way.... THIS SHOW ROCKS!!
I hail from a small, small town, with a population of about 2,200. I graduated with around 43 or 44 people, I'm not exactly sure--I could find out if I dug out my grad program in my Memory Book (do they still have those? or is it called "facebook" now?) and counted, but thats upstairs, I'm down here, and frankly, you don't really care, I'm sure.
Well, with a town that small, you can't so much as sneeze without half the town saying "gahblesyu" and the other half gossiping about who might have given you the cold and what you were doing at Five Points at 3 in the morning to have gotten that cold... for those of you reading this in Birmingham, or familiar with the B'ham area, when I say "Five Points", I don't mean the downtown bustling bar, club and restaurant area... no, I mean this point near Cindy Howell's house, Cindy being my high school girlfriend, between Samson and Coffee Springs where five roads come together. Thus, five points. You can't miss it for the chicken houses... no, I'm not kidding.
So, I get an email from Derek Weeks, who is a friend of mind on Facebook. Granted, I don't think I've ever actually met Derek Weeks, but hey, if he's from the Samson area, I'm sure I know his kin. Derek tells me, and the others on the mass email, that JT Thomas is going to be on Survivor. JT... JT... that name strikes a bell... then, I figure out... its Tammy Thomas' little brother.
I think most of us have people in our past that, upon thinking back, you just wish maybe you'd kept in touch with more, or perhaps were a little better friends with, perhaps because you think, "Man, they were really good to me back then..." Tammy is like that for me. She was very friendly, very loyal, and very supportive of whatever I was doing, which was usually writing some lame story that I came up with that week. Tammy has a little sister, Jamie, who I do remember, and a little brother that I also remember after thinking about it for a long time... of course, JT had to be like, four or somethine the last time I actually had seen him...
All this is to say, JT Thomas is going to be on Survivor. And I want to be here blogging about it, as much as possible... maybe I'll throw some Samson stories your way, maybe I'll name drop randomly (Chris McCall! Rona Mock! Claudia Sorrells!) or maybe not, who knows. The first episode of the new season premiered last Thursday, about the time The Lovely Steph Leann and I were heading towards Fort Wilderness Lodge to eat at Artist Point, where she chowed on a $43 steak and I had scallops the size of my hand, but that's beside the point.
The magic of DVR isn't so magical when you forget to set the stupid thing, but luckily, I have iTunes. I downloaded the show, and am now sitting in The Cabana, with my computer ready to play Survivor, and The Lovely Steph Leann's computer next to it, allowing me to type. Man I'm a geek.
THIS IS... SURVIVOR
We're in Brazil, in one of the most deserted spots in the world--the Tocantin region--where temps top 120 degrees, and is apt to have random, sudden storms. They've been traveling for 3 days, and haven't been allowed to speak to each other... but we see them talking to the camera in "off-interview confessionals", already telling us who they like and don't like...
There are two tribes, the Jalapao tribe and the Timbira tribe and JT is in the first. The game is on, as they have 60 seconds to pull every supply they can off of the truck, with feed, rice, pans, wood, rope, tarps, etc... the host, Jeff Probst, tosses them a map and a compass, and tells them that their tribes are four hours away by walking. And suddenly, each tribe has to vote for one member to "not make the trip". And the Jalapao tribe votes out Sandy, the oldest lady of the tribe, and she's pretty hacked off--as well she should be.
Timbira takes out the young blonde Sierra, who is suffering from strep throat... heck, I'd toss her out for the contageous illness going on. Then Probst informs them that the two, Sandy and Sierra, will be copter'd to their tribe camps, and would just miss the walk.
Four hours, walking through the Brazilian wilderness in 102 degree heat. JT is carrying a watermelon, and says, "I'm 24 years old, from Samson Alabama, and I managed a cattle ranch." Shout out to SAMSON! Just for the record, I haven't seen Tammy Thomas in... well, since we walked off the graduation field, and let me just say, if you are watching this show and hear JT speak--that is EXACTLY how Tammy speaks, he just has a lower voice.
Grandma Sandy arrives at her camp, whining and crying about how she was voted for first. Then she finds a note that says she can either start setting up the camp for the forthcoming tribe, or she can find an idol that would give her immunity for the first challenge... and she takes the idol search. Sierra gets to her tribe, finds the same letter, and chooses to set up the camp.
Grandma Sandy didn't find the idol. The tribe arrives, she hides the note in her bra. I subsequently throw up in my mouth. They all put on a front, welcome her warmly, but behind the scenes, they wonder why she didn't do anything and Sandy wonders why they expect her to try when she knows they are going to vote her out. And Timbira arrives to find Sierra, having already built they shelter.
JT is helping to lead the construction of the tribal shelter, while Sandy hustles to the beach to find that idol... and she finds the next clue... it says "ten paces you should walk from the lone palm tree..." and she says, out loud, "I wonder what a pace is?" Then she starts walking around randomly, with a single, tall palm tree behind her. They could have tossed the idol onto the beach next to Claudia Sorrells in her Samson High majorette uniform and given Sandy a clue that said "Look next to the hot chick in sequins" and I don't think Sandy would have found it.
Over in Jalapao, Tyson the Naked Mormon is just that... naked in the water, carrying water. So I had a stomach flu last week at The Happiest Place on Earth, and I think I just got it back. At least he wasn't wearing that goofy, thin black tie.
Its time for the first challenge of the season, and it involves sand hills to climb, water to wade through, puzzle pieces to achieve, a ladder to build, a maze to get done and a flag to raise. Typical Survivor. And its 120 degrees.
Our old Monday Night Bible Study leader, Nathan Tutor, always refused to watch this show. He said, "It's not real Survivor until someone dies."
And the challenge winner is... Timbira, featuring the formerly ousted Sierra, a big black Army Sgt, and this odd ball ruffneck named Coach... and let me just tell you, Coach has the sweetest hair this side of Slaughter's "Up All Night" video... its like, Steven Seagal in "Hard to Kill" or "Out for Justice" or "Kick Some Butt" or whatever three worded crappy movie he was in from 1987 spawned Coach's hair. Love it. (I was thrilled, by the way, when I discovered the EW.com made the same comparison...)
Back a Jalapao, its my observation that its difficult to give great wisdom that will be heard when you are curved like Carolina, and standing in a Brazilian lake in your underwear. Amy McL, don't get your feathers ruffled. For any "hey!" that might be thought by seeing Carolina in her unmentionables, its countered by a "aaaahhhh!!!!" because Grandma Sandy is in the same Brazilian lake in her underwear as well. There should be laws.
Cut back to Grandma Sandy, thankfully fully clothed, on the beach trying to figure out what "ten paces" means. Seriously? I mean, my kids on my drama team may not know what "ten paces" is, in the same way that they may not understand what "Sweet Emotion" is, or who Desi Arnez is... but this lady? She should know the term "ten paces".
Here at tribal council, Sandy is babbling. Honestly, get rid of her. She's just annoying. JT, hailing from Samson Alabama, votes first! Go Samson! Sandy gets a vote, Carolina gets two votes, then Carolina gets the next two, and then, the final, eliminating vote.
Next week, we see that JT wraps up Tyson the Naked Mormon in a rain soaked game of Brazilian b-ball.
Perhaps this might be an interesting season, perhaps I only find it interesting because on of my native boys is on it, but either way.... THIS SHOW ROCKS!!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Reality Roundup Part 1: The Idol 36
Wow! Back! Lots to catch up, so let's try and shoot through this reality television first...
THIS IS
AMERICAN
IDOL
The Lovely Steph Leann and I have already watched the single performance round... this is where the Idol wannabes sing one by one for the judges, and they make notes, nod, smile and at the end of the day, they place everyone in four groups--then go to each one and tell them if they move on or not...
Ryan informs us that the judges won't comment or say much, they'll just make up their minds one by one. However, the good contestants get Paula standing, Kara cheering and Randy going "yeah yeah!" and Simon with a slight grin. The bad ones don't get any of that, just silence. Yeah, that's fair.
Making it includes Anoop Something, an Indian who sang Bobby Brown, which was bizarre, as did Lil Rounds, who sounds like a Little Debbie cake. The Blind White Guy is also moving on, and Nate the Pansy and yes, Norman Gentle goes forth.
Well, we are on the next episode, and there's a twist... some will make it straight through... others will be rejected... and some will be brought in for a "sing off". They will sing something to impress the judges one last time... and they don't know they'll be in a Sing Off. And yes, they'll go against someone else, in the same room.
See, this is an awesome idea... yes, I'd prefer them to love me so much, they'd send me on through, but if they don't know, I'd love to get one more chance to prove myself. And if that guy next to me sings better upon the asking, then good luck to him, he deserves it. This is supposed to be a singing competition... let me earn it.
The first of the 36 spots has been filled with Anoop Haberdashery, or whatever his name is. The second is taken by Von Smith, who looks like Frankie Muniz, and causes The Lovely Steph Leann to laugh and say, "Why does he keep yelling?"
Cody is up against Alex is the first sing off, and though Cody looks more of an Idol, Alex sings much better. The winner? Alex gets the third spot, Cody goes home. Cody looks like a gay version of Mitch from Dazed and Confused.
Adam Lambert comes up. In the previous round, he sang "Believe" by Cher, one of the songs I hate the most in the whole entire world. Oh, I dearly detest that song. Adam's fate? He takes the fourth spot.
Seacrest calls it "The Final Judgement", like its an execution... I guess it is, in a way. The Lovely Steph Leann says, "I love when they showcase people that either we've never heard of, or have barely seen". Thus is the case with Taylor Oompaloompa, or whatever her name is. And she makes it. I guess I will need to learn her actual last name.
Jasmine Murray also gets through. Arianna Afsah makes it. Casey Carlson makes it. Megan Corkrey makes it. Mishavonnahansen makes it. Stevie Wright makes it. Thats now 11 spots down, 25 open spots left.
Joanna Piscitti comes up, and since we haven't had anyone "not make it", at least onscreen, so things aren't looking good for Joanna. In the last round, she blah de dahhed her way through "Ain't Got You", the cardinal sin of forgetting the lyrics. She says, "I still don't think they've seen my best", and to me, we should have already seen her best. And she makes it. I'm a little surprised by it... she is knocked out in the first two voting rounds, I'll bet.
And now the montage of people who don't make it, exiting one by one, with their dreams crushed. As we see in the preview before the commercials ("I don't like the previews," laments The Lovely Steph Leann) things don't look so rosy for Kendall Beard. She's crying already, even though Paula has only started to talk. However... Kendall makes it to the next round. Crying.
But we've got a Sing Off! Jennifer Corbett and Kristen McNamera face off, womano a womano. Jenn Corbett sings "Not Ready to Make Nice", another song I can't stand, while Kristen goes in to earn her way through. She's the chick who was with Nate the Pansy and The Black Nancy Wilson. So, what does she do? She pulls out the Whitney for the playoff. You don't go for Whitney, chick... geez...
The winner, by a knock out? Is it the knock out? Or the other chick? Well, now that they show her up close, she's not really a knock out, but the other chick is definately the other chick between the two. What am I trying to say? I'm telling you that Kristen McN is going to the next round, and Simon says, "I completely disagree with this decision." Me too.
Alexis Grace, pink hair and all, is coming up now. She makes it. That makes 15 down, 21 spots left. The Blind Guy comes up, and I cannot imagine this guy not making it... seriously... and I'm write. So, #16 on the show is Scott the Blind Guy!
Another chick I can't imagine not making it is Lil Rounds. Is her name really "Lil"? Who names their kids "Lil"? I mean, if she were a boy, would she have been "Big'un"? She takes the 17th spot.
An hour into the 2 hour show now, and Felicia Barton didn't make it. Ashley Hollister didn't make it. Devon Baldwin didn't make it. I comment, "I liked her... well... no, I don't really remember her..."
And its a Sing Off! Frankie, who went to Hollywood, is facing off first. She's a chick, by the way, Frankie Jordan, and for her playoff performance, she sings, "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. She looks like an ethnic version of Janice from Friends. Simon says, "Well, that makes it easier, thanks", which sends Frankie J walking out in a panic.
Jesse Langseth sings next, "Wishing Well", and though she looks better, Simon says, "That was a horrible song." When Jesse leaves, Randy says, "We have to take a vote" and Simon responds, "No you don't".
The winner? Jesse Langseth goes on, and Simon says, "If its any consulation, Frankie, you wouldn't have won anyway... and Jesse, if you sing like that, you don't stand a chance either."
Shera Lawrence didn't make it. Derik Lavers didn't make it. He cries when he sees everyone downstairs.
Remember when I said there were those that we've never even heard of? I give you Allison Iraheta. She threw down on "Because of You" in the previous round, and now? She's #19.
Danny and Jamar have a great Bro-mance, being all BFFy and such, and now, they are both in the final round before the Top 36. I'm kinda hoping they don't do a Sing Off... that would be just cold.
Danny Gokey is up now, having sung "I Hope You Dance", one of The Lovely Steph Leann's favorite songs ever, in the previous round. He moves on, almost slipping as he runs out. Jamar actually tears up when Danny comes down. So, here comes Jamar Rogers... will he join his Brother From Another Mother in the Top 36? No. He comes to the end... of the road... though I can't let go... its a natural... you belong to me... I belong to you... sorry, Boyz II Men got me.
The whole room moans and is unsettled when Jamar doesn't make it. One guy in the back of the room wipes his eyes. Danny is shocked, Jamar gives him a hug and the whole room does a standing ovation.
Ricky Braddy becomes #21. Matt Giraud is #22. Ju'Not Joyner is #23. Jorge Nunez is #24. Brent Keith is #25. Ten spots left.
Stephen Fowler, who forgot his lyrics and fumbled on the keyboard before finally starting over, then just walking offstage with a wave, sits in front of the judges now. He makes it through to become the #26 contestant.
And for some reason, Nick Mitchell, who likes to portray "Norman Gentle", this freak show alter ego, is still here. Have the judges ever heard of Vote For the Worst dot Com? This is a disaster if he makes it, of monumental Sanjaya proportions.
And he makes it. This is a terrible, terrible day. I dunno if the shark has been jumped, but its in sight.
Here comes Jackie Tohn, who I do remember, and I do remember liking. She also sang "I Hope You Dance", and The Lovely Steph Leann closes her eyes and smiles. Then throws up. Anyway, for Jackie, she's #28.
Tatiana the Annoying Laugher is next... ohmigosh I cannot stand this chick. I mean, holy crap. Yeah, she can sing so-so, whatever, at least Norman Gentle makes me laugh some. The Lovely Steph Leann rolls her eyes. Simon says, "Just try for once to not be annoying." No way. Paula gives her some jewelry, they banter... and Tatiana becomes #29. The Lovely Steph Leann and I both groan loudly at the same time.
The Lovely Steph Leann says, "She's like some of those children we heard squealing at Disney World", and when she (Tatiana, not The Lovely Steph Leann) comes out of the elevator yelling, only Nate the Pansy claps, albeit while rolling his eyes.
Speaking of Nate the Pansy, he's in a Sing Off! He's up against Jackie Midkaff (a dude), who he befriended in previous rounds. Oh, those scheming Idol producers, placing friend against friend. Nate the Pansy, remember, wants this really badly, and has been through alot, and music means so much to him. This is what makes him different!
Nate the Pansy throws out some "Already There", combating Jackie's "When a Man Loves a Woman". Now, the judges rule... Nate the Pansy cries in the waiting room. Seacrest looks like he's trying his best to not blow up with laughter. And the winner? Nate the Pansy.
So, six spots remain. Jeanine Vailes is #31. Kai Kalama is #32. Anne Marie Baskovich is #33. Kris Allen is #34.
Much to The Lovely Steph Leann's chagrin, two of her favorite contestants Matt the Welder and Michael the Oil Rigger, are in a Sing Off. Matt the Welder sings first, and you just can't help but like this guy. Michael the Oil Rigger sings next, and seriously, why couldn't they just put both guys in and drop Nate the Pansy, or Norman Gentle, or Tatiana the Annoying Laugher?
The Lovely Steph Leann leans towards Michael the Oil Rigger. The judges? Simon and Paula like them both, but are not sure that either could win the competition. So what do they do? They put both through (which makes sense, because Seacrest said that only one spot remained, and I only counted 34, and I double checked, and since its a Top 36, I was confused... The Lovely Steph Leann says, "you know most people at home aren't counting, dear...")
So who is the favorite? I have no clue. Stand outs for me are Scott the Blind Guy, Lil Rounds, Jackie Tohn and Kai Kalama, but its still way to early... too many names, too many faces, too many chances for favorites to flame out, too many spots for underdogs and no names to rise up and rule... so we shall see.
THIS IS
AMERICAN
IDOL
The Lovely Steph Leann and I have already watched the single performance round... this is where the Idol wannabes sing one by one for the judges, and they make notes, nod, smile and at the end of the day, they place everyone in four groups--then go to each one and tell them if they move on or not...
Ryan informs us that the judges won't comment or say much, they'll just make up their minds one by one. However, the good contestants get Paula standing, Kara cheering and Randy going "yeah yeah!" and Simon with a slight grin. The bad ones don't get any of that, just silence. Yeah, that's fair.
Making it includes Anoop Something, an Indian who sang Bobby Brown, which was bizarre, as did Lil Rounds, who sounds like a Little Debbie cake. The Blind White Guy is also moving on, and Nate the Pansy and yes, Norman Gentle goes forth.
Well, we are on the next episode, and there's a twist... some will make it straight through... others will be rejected... and some will be brought in for a "sing off". They will sing something to impress the judges one last time... and they don't know they'll be in a Sing Off. And yes, they'll go against someone else, in the same room.
See, this is an awesome idea... yes, I'd prefer them to love me so much, they'd send me on through, but if they don't know, I'd love to get one more chance to prove myself. And if that guy next to me sings better upon the asking, then good luck to him, he deserves it. This is supposed to be a singing competition... let me earn it.
The first of the 36 spots has been filled with Anoop Haberdashery, or whatever his name is. The second is taken by Von Smith, who looks like Frankie Muniz, and causes The Lovely Steph Leann to laugh and say, "Why does he keep yelling?"
Cody is up against Alex is the first sing off, and though Cody looks more of an Idol, Alex sings much better. The winner? Alex gets the third spot, Cody goes home. Cody looks like a gay version of Mitch from Dazed and Confused.
Adam Lambert comes up. In the previous round, he sang "Believe" by Cher, one of the songs I hate the most in the whole entire world. Oh, I dearly detest that song. Adam's fate? He takes the fourth spot.
Seacrest calls it "The Final Judgement", like its an execution... I guess it is, in a way. The Lovely Steph Leann says, "I love when they showcase people that either we've never heard of, or have barely seen". Thus is the case with Taylor Oompaloompa, or whatever her name is. And she makes it. I guess I will need to learn her actual last name.
Jasmine Murray also gets through. Arianna Afsah makes it. Casey Carlson makes it. Megan Corkrey makes it. Mishavonnahansen makes it. Stevie Wright makes it. Thats now 11 spots down, 25 open spots left.
Joanna Piscitti comes up, and since we haven't had anyone "not make it", at least onscreen, so things aren't looking good for Joanna. In the last round, she blah de dahhed her way through "Ain't Got You", the cardinal sin of forgetting the lyrics. She says, "I still don't think they've seen my best", and to me, we should have already seen her best. And she makes it. I'm a little surprised by it... she is knocked out in the first two voting rounds, I'll bet.
And now the montage of people who don't make it, exiting one by one, with their dreams crushed. As we see in the preview before the commercials ("I don't like the previews," laments The Lovely Steph Leann) things don't look so rosy for Kendall Beard. She's crying already, even though Paula has only started to talk. However... Kendall makes it to the next round. Crying.
But we've got a Sing Off! Jennifer Corbett and Kristen McNamera face off, womano a womano. Jenn Corbett sings "Not Ready to Make Nice", another song I can't stand, while Kristen goes in to earn her way through. She's the chick who was with Nate the Pansy and The Black Nancy Wilson. So, what does she do? She pulls out the Whitney for the playoff. You don't go for Whitney, chick... geez...
The winner, by a knock out? Is it the knock out? Or the other chick? Well, now that they show her up close, she's not really a knock out, but the other chick is definately the other chick between the two. What am I trying to say? I'm telling you that Kristen McN is going to the next round, and Simon says, "I completely disagree with this decision." Me too.
Alexis Grace, pink hair and all, is coming up now. She makes it. That makes 15 down, 21 spots left. The Blind Guy comes up, and I cannot imagine this guy not making it... seriously... and I'm write. So, #16 on the show is Scott the Blind Guy!
Another chick I can't imagine not making it is Lil Rounds. Is her name really "Lil"? Who names their kids "Lil"? I mean, if she were a boy, would she have been "Big'un"? She takes the 17th spot.
An hour into the 2 hour show now, and Felicia Barton didn't make it. Ashley Hollister didn't make it. Devon Baldwin didn't make it. I comment, "I liked her... well... no, I don't really remember her..."
And its a Sing Off! Frankie, who went to Hollywood, is facing off first. She's a chick, by the way, Frankie Jordan, and for her playoff performance, she sings, "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. She looks like an ethnic version of Janice from Friends. Simon says, "Well, that makes it easier, thanks", which sends Frankie J walking out in a panic.
Jesse Langseth sings next, "Wishing Well", and though she looks better, Simon says, "That was a horrible song." When Jesse leaves, Randy says, "We have to take a vote" and Simon responds, "No you don't".
The winner? Jesse Langseth goes on, and Simon says, "If its any consulation, Frankie, you wouldn't have won anyway... and Jesse, if you sing like that, you don't stand a chance either."
Shera Lawrence didn't make it. Derik Lavers didn't make it. He cries when he sees everyone downstairs.
Remember when I said there were those that we've never even heard of? I give you Allison Iraheta. She threw down on "Because of You" in the previous round, and now? She's #19.
Danny and Jamar have a great Bro-mance, being all BFFy and such, and now, they are both in the final round before the Top 36. I'm kinda hoping they don't do a Sing Off... that would be just cold.
Danny Gokey is up now, having sung "I Hope You Dance", one of The Lovely Steph Leann's favorite songs ever, in the previous round. He moves on, almost slipping as he runs out. Jamar actually tears up when Danny comes down. So, here comes Jamar Rogers... will he join his Brother From Another Mother in the Top 36? No. He comes to the end... of the road... though I can't let go... its a natural... you belong to me... I belong to you... sorry, Boyz II Men got me.
The whole room moans and is unsettled when Jamar doesn't make it. One guy in the back of the room wipes his eyes. Danny is shocked, Jamar gives him a hug and the whole room does a standing ovation.
Ricky Braddy becomes #21. Matt Giraud is #22. Ju'Not Joyner is #23. Jorge Nunez is #24. Brent Keith is #25. Ten spots left.
Stephen Fowler, who forgot his lyrics and fumbled on the keyboard before finally starting over, then just walking offstage with a wave, sits in front of the judges now. He makes it through to become the #26 contestant.
And for some reason, Nick Mitchell, who likes to portray "Norman Gentle", this freak show alter ego, is still here. Have the judges ever heard of Vote For the Worst dot Com? This is a disaster if he makes it, of monumental Sanjaya proportions.
And he makes it. This is a terrible, terrible day. I dunno if the shark has been jumped, but its in sight.
Here comes Jackie Tohn, who I do remember, and I do remember liking. She also sang "I Hope You Dance", and The Lovely Steph Leann closes her eyes and smiles. Then throws up. Anyway, for Jackie, she's #28.
Tatiana the Annoying Laugher is next... ohmigosh I cannot stand this chick. I mean, holy crap. Yeah, she can sing so-so, whatever, at least Norman Gentle makes me laugh some. The Lovely Steph Leann rolls her eyes. Simon says, "Just try for once to not be annoying." No way. Paula gives her some jewelry, they banter... and Tatiana becomes #29. The Lovely Steph Leann and I both groan loudly at the same time.
The Lovely Steph Leann says, "She's like some of those children we heard squealing at Disney World", and when she (Tatiana, not The Lovely Steph Leann) comes out of the elevator yelling, only Nate the Pansy claps, albeit while rolling his eyes.
Speaking of Nate the Pansy, he's in a Sing Off! He's up against Jackie Midkaff (a dude), who he befriended in previous rounds. Oh, those scheming Idol producers, placing friend against friend. Nate the Pansy, remember, wants this really badly, and has been through alot, and music means so much to him. This is what makes him different!
Nate the Pansy throws out some "Already There", combating Jackie's "When a Man Loves a Woman". Now, the judges rule... Nate the Pansy cries in the waiting room. Seacrest looks like he's trying his best to not blow up with laughter. And the winner? Nate the Pansy.
So, six spots remain. Jeanine Vailes is #31. Kai Kalama is #32. Anne Marie Baskovich is #33. Kris Allen is #34.
Much to The Lovely Steph Leann's chagrin, two of her favorite contestants Matt the Welder and Michael the Oil Rigger, are in a Sing Off. Matt the Welder sings first, and you just can't help but like this guy. Michael the Oil Rigger sings next, and seriously, why couldn't they just put both guys in and drop Nate the Pansy, or Norman Gentle, or Tatiana the Annoying Laugher?
The Lovely Steph Leann leans towards Michael the Oil Rigger. The judges? Simon and Paula like them both, but are not sure that either could win the competition. So what do they do? They put both through (which makes sense, because Seacrest said that only one spot remained, and I only counted 34, and I double checked, and since its a Top 36, I was confused... The Lovely Steph Leann says, "you know most people at home aren't counting, dear...")
So who is the favorite? I have no clue. Stand outs for me are Scott the Blind Guy, Lil Rounds, Jackie Tohn and Kai Kalama, but its still way to early... too many names, too many faces, too many chances for favorites to flame out, too many spots for underdogs and no names to rise up and rule... so we shall see.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Next Stop: The Happiest Place
Hey kids!
The Lovely Steph Leann and I are headed to Disney World for a week... I'll hopefully blog a bit while I'm down there, and will upload pics into Facebook when I can... American Idol has been updated below... may all your dreams and wishes come true! Or something like that!
By the way, for those of you (brand or fairly) new to the blog, you can read Yours Truly and The Lovely Steph Leann's guide, written in July before our fall trip, to doing a Disney trip the cool way by clicking here! (note: the pictures don't show up like they should--at this very moment I type this, my picture site is down for maintenance, so I cannot go fix it... however, if you know me on Facebook, you have a billion pictures to peruse)
The Lovely Steph Leann and I are headed to Disney World for a week... I'll hopefully blog a bit while I'm down there, and will upload pics into Facebook when I can... American Idol has been updated below... may all your dreams and wishes come true! Or something like that!
By the way, for those of you (brand or fairly) new to the blog, you can read Yours Truly and The Lovely Steph Leann's guide, written in July before our fall trip, to doing a Disney trip the cool way by clicking here! (note: the pictures don't show up like they should--at this very moment I type this, my picture site is down for maintenance, so I cannot go fix it... however, if you know me on Facebook, you have a billion pictures to peruse)
Adieu, Libby Lu (and other stuff before I go)
Because I just feel like I've blogged about nothing other than American Idol and 2008's Coolest Stuff, I thought I'd leave you a real blog this time around... when I say "leave you", I mean that on Friday, I'm taking The Lovely Steph Leann to The Happiest Place on Earth for an 8 day adventure...
If you are wanting Wednesday night's Idol in Hollyweird, then scroll down to the same post as Tuesday night, where I continue the fun. If you missed the Super Bowl, the running diary blog is here.
So I figure I'd send some random thoughts your way...
The Super Bowl was A Number 1 awesome. I mean, it was just incredible... one of the best Super Bowls I've ever seen--much better than last year, by the way, only because last year was so disappointing. I really wanted the Patriots to win the game, not only because I wanted to see an undefeated season in my lifetime, but also because they truly were the better team--just not that one night.
The Steelers should have won the game, but Arizona made them earn it. Yes, I think that last play might have been an incomplete pass and not a fumble, but at the same time, the Cardinals made some really stupid penalties that cost them mucho. Anyway, excellent game.
Random Kellie Pickler music video. Its from her second CD, "Kellie Pickler", which I have listened to several times in the last few weeks, and really like.
I love me some Pickles. Totally Ashley Judd Club.
Made mention of my friend Erin the Marine Wife, and she finally has her website up and running. Its called "Many Kind Regards", and I wanted to give her a plug for it. Go check it out, her perspective from the military family side, especially with a husband who's frequently at war, is great. I'll be adding the link on "d$'s Recommended Blogs" on the right side, so you can check it out.
Other blogs I frequent and enjoy? Hannah Pruitt, the absolute coolest person I know, usually posts pictures on her blog, while Jess Hawbaker (coincidentally, one of the receipts of the Pruitt Cool Award) loves to write about cooking and such, at least lately. Scotty Latta has his Kangaroo Song, while McQ has her Struggle Strength going on too.
Another chick I ran into at The Happiest Place in the Mall a week or so ago, Melissa Hall, has a blog which makes me smile. Its kinda random, and amusing too. I knew her as Melissa Hogue, this funky, feisty chick who had this attitude and this "ain't no man gonna bring me down" air about her... well, she went and got herself a man who didn't bring her down, kept the feist and had a baby, Anna Charlotte, who is just about the cutest thing I ever did see. Seriously. Love me some Melissa Hogue.
So, Libby Lu closed.
Libby Lu was across the hall from The Happiest Place in the Mall, and while I appreciated the niche they provided, I have to be honest. They were obnoxious.
I had only been in the store once, when I was spending the afternoon with my niece Madeleine. She drug me in there, and I kinda hung back while she toured the racks of lip gloss, High School Musical make up, Hannah Montana hair extensions, way too tight clothes and such. I dared not go in there by myself for any reason, lest I be greeted by Dateline's Chris Hansen, asking me to have a seat on the makeup stool, and inquiring what I was doing here, while holding pages of text transcripts in his hand.
From an article in The Washington Post, columnist Stacy Garfinkle writes:
The problem was that the club's version of dress-up involved hooking girls as young as 3 on glittery tube tops, tight pants, boas, nail polish, lip gloss, tiaras and runway modeling. Princesses and pop stars -- hence sex -- were in. So, dress-up was cool and fun, if it was sexy. No pilots or doctors or astronauts or firefighters to dress as in this place.
I learned all about The Lu, though, when I joined The Happiest Place in the Mall... they liked to play "The Cha Cha Slide" alot. A lot. A whole, whole lot. Like every few hours, I was treated to "two steps this time... two steps this time... now slide to the front... now slide to the back... now Criss-Cross! Criss Cross!" and they played it really, really loud--to the point that we could hear it across the mall's hall and all the way in the back of our own store, drowning out our videos of whatever live action talking animal disaster was making its way to theaters soon.
Shutting their doors
But, last week, Libby Lu had its final Cha Cha. They got to the point where they were just selling stuff for a buck... bracelets, trinkets, doo-dads, crap, whatever... and by mid-afternoon, I guess they were out of stuff to sell, because they pulled the gates down. The employees started slowly trickling into the empty store, and after a while, they were throwing one last party. I saw cake being brought out, they did some sort of team huddle, there were tears and then, finally, wouldn't you know it, they did that freakin' "Cha Cha Slide" one last time, and they did it loud.
The song is like, six minutes long, but finally, it ended. The Libby Chicks opened the gate, one by one drifted away, the gate was pulled down, and darkness set upon the Tween Paradise. "To Catch a Predator" finally pulled its cameras up, and they left too. Libby Lu was gone.
Bye.
You'll never guess who sent me a comment on my blog post on Facebook? None other than Jennifer Herndon. Yes, the one from "Pretty in a Jennifer Herndon sort of way" fame. She told me she enjoys reading what she's read so far, and might dive into the blog. Glad to see you here, Jennifer. Enjoy.
President B. Hussein Obama's stimulus package is a terrible, terrible plan. Absolutely terrible.
Here's a funny link to a list of 18 really bad music CD and movie DVD packaging gimmicks... I have #8 and #11, and agree, and totally have over 150 of #12
I will warn you that there is some language in the article.
YAY! Lorelei Gilmore is getting another series! I'm a guy... and I really, really enjoyed "The Gilmore Girls". Mostly because Lauren Graham is hhhhhhhhot. No joke.
Forty is a good age. Some of the hottest chicks I know are over 30, and many of them are 40 or older. Which means The Lovely Steph Leann is only going to get better with age. Like Lorelei Gilmore has.
A great little bit on how the old Soundwave is much better than the new Soundwave. Check out the Super Bowl diary for the new Transformers preview.
We watched "Slumdog Millionaire" this past weekend... ya know, I was actually pleased with it. My initial reaction right after the film was "it was pretty good", but as the days have gone by, I can say that "Slumdog" is a very good film.
Its hard to have an immediate reaction sometimes to a movie, though The Lovely Steph Leann usually will say as the credits are rolling "What did you think?" about any movie, and if I don't instantly say something positive, she thinks I'm stalling because I didn't like it.
"Slumdog" has a simple premise, for those of you who don't really know much about it... I knew about the guy who was on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", but to give you a little more detail without spoiling it for you, the main guy, Jamal, has been arrested at the beginning of the movie, because the authorities feel like a guy from the slums cannot possibly know all the information he knows.
The police play back the video of the show, question by question, and Jamal tells the story of each question, giving us a flashback into his life of how he found out the answers to these questions. Now, for whatever reason, I thought it was more of a comedy, but it is not at all. Its got some funny moments, but it definately falls into the drama catagory... and its a good film.
That being said, I don't want it to win Best Picture.
Alright, another blog ramble comes to a close, as my eyelids will come to a close in a few. This will probably be the last blog before we head to The Happiest Place on Earth, and hopefully, I will be able to post and blog at least once from there. We're staying at Pop Century, which doesn't have free interweb, though we'll pay for it just to check email and stuff, and upload pics into Facebook.
Before I go...
A pic for The Lovely Steph Leann...
I only post that for equal time, as I was planning on posting my own random The Goddess pic...
Cause there's never a bad time for a The Goddess pic...
If you are wanting Wednesday night's Idol in Hollyweird, then scroll down to the same post as Tuesday night, where I continue the fun. If you missed the Super Bowl, the running diary blog is here.
So I figure I'd send some random thoughts your way...
The Super Bowl was A Number 1 awesome. I mean, it was just incredible... one of the best Super Bowls I've ever seen--much better than last year, by the way, only because last year was so disappointing. I really wanted the Patriots to win the game, not only because I wanted to see an undefeated season in my lifetime, but also because they truly were the better team--just not that one night.
The Steelers should have won the game, but Arizona made them earn it. Yes, I think that last play might have been an incomplete pass and not a fumble, but at the same time, the Cardinals made some really stupid penalties that cost them mucho. Anyway, excellent game.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Random Kellie Pickler music video. Its from her second CD, "Kellie Pickler", which I have listened to several times in the last few weeks, and really like.
I love me some Pickles. Totally Ashley Judd Club.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Made mention of my friend Erin the Marine Wife, and she finally has her website up and running. Its called "Many Kind Regards", and I wanted to give her a plug for it. Go check it out, her perspective from the military family side, especially with a husband who's frequently at war, is great. I'll be adding the link on "d$'s Recommended Blogs" on the right side, so you can check it out.
Other blogs I frequent and enjoy? Hannah Pruitt, the absolute coolest person I know, usually posts pictures on her blog, while Jess Hawbaker (coincidentally, one of the receipts of the Pruitt Cool Award) loves to write about cooking and such, at least lately. Scotty Latta has his Kangaroo Song, while McQ has her Struggle Strength going on too.
Another chick I ran into at The Happiest Place in the Mall a week or so ago, Melissa Hall, has a blog which makes me smile. Its kinda random, and amusing too. I knew her as Melissa Hogue, this funky, feisty chick who had this attitude and this "ain't no man gonna bring me down" air about her... well, she went and got herself a man who didn't bring her down, kept the feist and had a baby, Anna Charlotte, who is just about the cutest thing I ever did see. Seriously. Love me some Melissa Hogue.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
So, Libby Lu closed.
Libby Lu was across the hall from The Happiest Place in the Mall, and while I appreciated the niche they provided, I have to be honest. They were obnoxious.
I had only been in the store once, when I was spending the afternoon with my niece Madeleine. She drug me in there, and I kinda hung back while she toured the racks of lip gloss, High School Musical make up, Hannah Montana hair extensions, way too tight clothes and such. I dared not go in there by myself for any reason, lest I be greeted by Dateline's Chris Hansen, asking me to have a seat on the makeup stool, and inquiring what I was doing here, while holding pages of text transcripts in his hand.
From an article in The Washington Post, columnist Stacy Garfinkle writes:
The problem was that the club's version of dress-up involved hooking girls as young as 3 on glittery tube tops, tight pants, boas, nail polish, lip gloss, tiaras and runway modeling. Princesses and pop stars -- hence sex -- were in. So, dress-up was cool and fun, if it was sexy. No pilots or doctors or astronauts or firefighters to dress as in this place.
I learned all about The Lu, though, when I joined The Happiest Place in the Mall... they liked to play "The Cha Cha Slide" alot. A lot. A whole, whole lot. Like every few hours, I was treated to "two steps this time... two steps this time... now slide to the front... now slide to the back... now Criss-Cross! Criss Cross!" and they played it really, really loud--to the point that we could hear it across the mall's hall and all the way in the back of our own store, drowning out our videos of whatever live action talking animal disaster was making its way to theaters soon.
Shutting their doors
But, last week, Libby Lu had its final Cha Cha. They got to the point where they were just selling stuff for a buck... bracelets, trinkets, doo-dads, crap, whatever... and by mid-afternoon, I guess they were out of stuff to sell, because they pulled the gates down. The employees started slowly trickling into the empty store, and after a while, they were throwing one last party. I saw cake being brought out, they did some sort of team huddle, there were tears and then, finally, wouldn't you know it, they did that freakin' "Cha Cha Slide" one last time, and they did it loud.
The song is like, six minutes long, but finally, it ended. The Libby Chicks opened the gate, one by one drifted away, the gate was pulled down, and darkness set upon the Tween Paradise. "To Catch a Predator" finally pulled its cameras up, and they left too. Libby Lu was gone.
Bye.
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You'll never guess who sent me a comment on my blog post on Facebook? None other than Jennifer Herndon. Yes, the one from "Pretty in a Jennifer Herndon sort of way" fame. She told me she enjoys reading what she's read so far, and might dive into the blog. Glad to see you here, Jennifer. Enjoy.
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President B. Hussein Obama's stimulus package is a terrible, terrible plan. Absolutely terrible.
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Here's a funny link to a list of 18 really bad music CD and movie DVD packaging gimmicks... I have #8 and #11, and agree, and totally have over 150 of #12
I will warn you that there is some language in the article.
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YAY! Lorelei Gilmore is getting another series! I'm a guy... and I really, really enjoyed "The Gilmore Girls". Mostly because Lauren Graham is hhhhhhhhot. No joke.
Forty is a good age. Some of the hottest chicks I know are over 30, and many of them are 40 or older. Which means The Lovely Steph Leann is only going to get better with age. Like Lorelei Gilmore has.
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A great little bit on how the old Soundwave is much better than the new Soundwave. Check out the Super Bowl diary for the new Transformers preview.
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We watched "Slumdog Millionaire" this past weekend... ya know, I was actually pleased with it. My initial reaction right after the film was "it was pretty good", but as the days have gone by, I can say that "Slumdog" is a very good film.
Its hard to have an immediate reaction sometimes to a movie, though The Lovely Steph Leann usually will say as the credits are rolling "What did you think?" about any movie, and if I don't instantly say something positive, she thinks I'm stalling because I didn't like it.
"Slumdog" has a simple premise, for those of you who don't really know much about it... I knew about the guy who was on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", but to give you a little more detail without spoiling it for you, the main guy, Jamal, has been arrested at the beginning of the movie, because the authorities feel like a guy from the slums cannot possibly know all the information he knows.
The police play back the video of the show, question by question, and Jamal tells the story of each question, giving us a flashback into his life of how he found out the answers to these questions. Now, for whatever reason, I thought it was more of a comedy, but it is not at all. Its got some funny moments, but it definately falls into the drama catagory... and its a good film.
That being said, I don't want it to win Best Picture.
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Alright, another blog ramble comes to a close, as my eyelids will come to a close in a few. This will probably be the last blog before we head to The Happiest Place on Earth, and hopefully, I will be able to post and blog at least once from there. We're staying at Pop Century, which doesn't have free interweb, though we'll pay for it just to check email and stuff, and upload pics into Facebook.
Before I go...
A pic for The Lovely Steph Leann...
I only post that for equal time, as I was planning on posting my own random The Goddess pic...
Cause there's never a bad time for a The Goddess pic...
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Idol in Hollyweird (con't with Night 2)
Its the biggest season yet. They've traveled across the country, and auditioned over 100,000. Now, 147 of the best singers in the nation take the stage at the Kodak Theater. In a few short months, one of them will be voted the next American Idol, and this year's talent is truly unbelievable. Getting by the next five days will be the toughesst challenge of their lives.
Its a test of courage. Its a test of stamina and strength. You only get. One. Shot. One chance to make yourself stand out. Cause in the end, there can only be one American Idol.
Get ready for Hollywood Week.
This.
IS American.
IDOL.
Sorry about that. I figured if Seacrest can say all that, while showing footage of crying kids and weeping contestants using bleep words, then I can say what he said to get you pumped up!
Personally, I'll be glad when American Idol goes back to just two episodes per week--the performances and the cuts--so I can blog normally. I gots much to say about much topics, but stupid Idol is keeping me pre-occupied! But, I continue on, because Mindy D'A expects me too. And Scott Latta. Do you still read Idol updates, there, Scotty?
The judges come in, seeing all 147 contestants on stage. Honestly, I vaguely remember some of them. Simon informs them that they have one single shot this particular day. And they are giving each Idol wannabe a make over, and tips from a vocal coach to help them be better--something they had not done before.
And who should stop by but the man who writes the songs, the man who makes the whole world sing, the man who can't smile without you... No, not Brad Latta, its Barry Manilow! And like Brad, I'm a Fanilow. I just can't help myself.
The day works like this--half of the contestants are on one day, half are out sightseeing, and tomorrow, vice versa. They take the stage in groups of 8, passing the microphone one to the next, singing whatever they want, a capella. And, as Seacrest says, "They are either in. Or they are out."
This is kinda brutal... I'm digging it! And it begins...
Lil Rounds attempts to sing "I Will Always Love You", always a mistake. Lil Rounds--she has a name that sounds like a bad rapper--and she does well with it. The next guy takes on Stevie Wonder, "For Once In My Life". Always another mistake. After each group performs, they put them in two lines... one line stays, the other goes home.
Asia, Alexander and Lil Rounds make it from the first cut. The other five are cut. And gone immediately. Dennis, the guy who just blew it with Stevie, comes out on stage and... tries to sing. And he curses Simon all the way up the aisle out the theater. "America is gon' be made cause y'all cut me" is his final words. I know I'm freakin' steaming right now.
They show some footage from the other group touring Hollywood, including one girl who should NOT be wearing a bikini. Back in the Kodak Theater, nerves are killing the contestants. Kara praises Lil to Seacrest, but she and Paula say they have very little to work with so far.
Nathaniel Marshall sings "The Anchor Holds" by Ray Boltz. Ya know, when Boltz came out of the closet, that killed his credibility with me completely. Nate goes on this whole tangent of "Music holds me like an anchor when I'm freaking out in my life, music is on my skin, its just bursting out of me..." I really want to pimp slap him. I officially can't stand Nate.
Anoop, our first Muslim comes out, as does Jasmine Murray. Finally, Rose Flack... and they give her a backstory for her rehearsal, and how they didn't go well! Seriously? Rose is just struggling to find her own voice in the midst of so much talent. I'm struggling to not laugh in the midst of so much crying. Is that bad?
She tries "Dock of the Bay", which I cannot hear without thinking of that Hines Root Beer song. Do they even make Hines anymore? "Sittin' on the dock o'the bay drinking Hines"
The entire group of 8 make it to the next round, including Nate. Sheesh.
Von Smith is in an upcoming group, with Steven Fowler and Jorge Something or Other. Fowler, who sounds like John Legend, does his thing... I like this guy. I'm digging on the Fowler, and he sang STEVIE and did it right! Fizzy in the Hizzy!
Jorge Nunez wails on some Jon Secada's "Angel" and does it right. Jorgizzy in the Hizzy! Von Smith comes up and wails on some... thing. I don't really know what the song is, but he's screaming it. Simon just trashes it, as Fowler and Jorge step back. As does Von. Those three make it through, the other five don't. Vizzy in the Hizzy... barelizzy.
Song selection apparently is killing the performances. We see one after another coming out of the theater, saying, "I picked the wrong song." Nick, aka, Norman Gentle, is up next. His real name is Nick Mitchell, but he's here as "Norman Gentle" again. He sings something indecipherable, mumbling and grumbling and moaning and something. Actually, he doesn't sing all that bad... he just puts on the terrible act.
So, I gotta wonder... is this guy being pushed onto the producers? For the sake of entertainment, are the people in charge pushing him through? Cause he makes it. And if he makes it to the semi-finals, HE WILL MAKE IT TO THE FINAL 12. That's just how this works, folks. The people of this country will vote for him. I mean, look at our president... the worst guy will get the votes.
The fact that Sanjaya made it as far as he did already kicked Idol's credibility in the shins. If Nick Norman Gentle gets to the Top 12, he'll make it to at least the Top 6 or 7. And screw the shins, Idol's credibility will be have a cap popped in its a*# by a glock. Just sayin'.
The second half of the contestants take the stage finally, after half the Day 1 contestants are gone.
We get a glimpse of Jackie Tohn, who I vaguely remembered liking in all the ways I hated Simba last year. If you aren't standing in Jackie's line when they make the decision of the group, you have to think you're screwed.
Another montage of "That was the wrong song" and "This isn't going to work" and "I don't think you've got it". And this leads up to Danny and Jamar, BFFs... Danny is the one who lost his wife. Youch.
Jamar is singing a soul version of "California Dreamin'". Danny says, "Hello, Simon, Randy and, uh, Kara, I'm going to sing 'Kiss from a Rose'" while Paula looks around in confusion. Being a Seal fan for many years, I can say that Danny's version was pretty spot on. Liked it much. And they go on to the next round.
Here's a montage of "You are staying" and "You are great" and "You are what we need in this competition", but we know this goodwill won't last.
Coming back from break, who do we have but Bikini Girl, Katrina. Simon loved her. Kara didn't. Just to be clear, Kara is a billion times better looking than Bikini Girl. She's singing "Breathe" by Faith Hill. And not very good, mind you. Kara says, "I thought you were better than the last time at first... but then, I think I was right." Bikini Girl and Kara and Paula argue, while Simon laughs while he practically drools on himself, as does Randy. And the entire group makes it through. Yuck.
Jessica Furney, taking care of her granny, didn't make it. Patricia Roman didn't make it. Shelby Wilbur didn't make it. Remember Jeremy Starver? He was the oil guy... and he's got a great voice. Jesus Valenzula comes up, sings "Lately", by STEVIE and Jodeci (I like the latter's version better, honestly).
And Jeremy makes it through, and they cut Jesus. How do you tell Jesus that he can't sing? I'm not going to be the one to do that.
Finally, the last line of the day takes the stage. David Osmond, of that Osmond family, comes up. As does Erika Wesley, then Emily Hughes, the punk chick from Phoenix. She's going to sing "Put a Spell on You" from the 40s... but then on stage, she changes her song to "Excuse Me" by No Doubt. A song she hasn't rehearsed at all. And the judges tell her they are disappointed.
She makes it through, though, with Osmond and a few others. But not Erika. Who has spent her whole life being a fighter. Who stays onstage to beg for another shot. She was the only one of the group of 8 to not go through. She argues with the judges. The judges argue with themselves. They tell her no. She walks off.
The dream is still alive for 104 contestants. So only 43 got sent home?
TOMORROW... its the group day, one of my favorite episodes of the entire season... where egos collide, where drama overflows, where personalities clash and breakdowns break down. Dig it!
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On the eve of our 5th Anniversary Vacation at The Happiest Place on Earth, The Lovely Steph Leann and I (wow, thats a lot of capital letters...) are doing what is important... packing? No! Paying bills? No! Finishing off the rest of the milk that, by the time we get back, will be expired by five days? No!
THIS IS
AMERICAN
IDOL!
We start off on Hollywood Day 3... after the first two days of Cut 'Em Fast Outta the Line, its group night. The people are scrambling to form their groups, and if you remember Bad Laughing Girl (ah heh heh heh ah heh heh heh), she's driving her group nuts.
Montage of groups practicing... some feeling the love... others falling apart. Young Rose is in a group with Bikini Girl, which is a bad mistake all the way around. Personality clashes abound, name calling prevails and while Danny & Jamar's group sound insanely good, some of them are having meltdowns.
"This is everything to me!" Bad Laughing Girl cries, "This is not a game to me!" which is good because everyone else is really not taking this seriously. Bad Laughing Girl runs to another group--one girl tries to take her in, Nate the Pansy says no, as does another girl who ain't having none of it.
Bad Laughing Girl then leaves the new group who ends up taking her in... she rejoins her old group, and her new group has a fit. Get rid of them all. So, both teams can move forward... cause I was sweating it.
Nate the Pansy, The Blond Chick and The Black Nancy Wilson finally seem to be working it all out. Bad Laughing Girl (I think her name is Tatiana, but frankly, it doesnt matter...) is still having issues with her group, at 230am on the balcony. Perhaps they should just toss her over the side. I kid! I kid! Ah heh heh heh Ah heh heh heh.
And one of the chicks is just calling her out, in front of the others. Love it...
Wait... back in the other group, Nate the Pansy is the mediator between The Blond Chick, who wants to rest her voice, and The Black Nancy Wilson, who wants to keep working. There is yelling. There is tears. There is Nate the Pansy.
Over in Team Bikini, she doesn't seem to care, but Young Rose is just freaking out. And crying. And as they show the subtitles of what is being said in the room, Katrina (Bikini Girl) says something... then "roomate" says something. I look at The Lovely Steph Leann and say, "Wait... roomate is spelled roommate, right? Two M's? So a top five television show broadcast across the country can't spell roommate?"
All this, while Nate the Pansy is at his pansy best, crying his eyes out about his dreams and hopes. I just threw up. Laughing.
Its the next morning, everyone is waking up, some barely having slept at all, while The Lovely Steph Leann rolls her eyes when Bad Laughing Girl laughs. The Idol Bikini Team goes and wakes up The Bikini Girl who isn't feeling good...
For me to say The Blond Chick is the most sane of her group, a group that includes a black chick named Nancy Wilson, about ten shades darker and 200 pounds lighter than the Nancy Wilson from Heart, and Nate the Pansy. The Idol Bikini Team leave Bikini Girl in her bed, conked out.
Thankfully, there are some groups that are actually working together, and sounding pretty good. Even Bad Laughing Girl's group seems like they have their crap rollin'. During roll call, Bikini Girl doesn't show up... but lo and behold, here she comes... she's whining about how tired she was, and how little sleep she got, whining to a group that collectively probably got about four hours sleep amongst the other three.
"Teach me what I missed," Bikini Girl says. And two of them... no three of them... get up and leave.
Finally, its show time! And just when you thought things couldn't get worse, Simon lays down the smack... "Forget the words--you're out." FINALLY! Thank you for this, Simon... this was annoying to see someone who can't remember the words during the early rounds continue to go through.
White Chocolate gets up (group name, not an insult) and does some Jackson 5, "I Want You Back" and sounds AWESOME! Paula is up, Kara is clapping, Randy and Simon smile, putting all four of them through.
Seacrest: "The contestants in the audience are clapping outside, but inside they are saying 'damn'"
And we witness an obliteration of "Get Ready" from Smoky Robinson... two make it, two don't. And Nick, aka, Norman Gentle, make it. Sheesh.
The Action Squad group are up now. They are singing "Don't Stop" from Fleetwood Mac, and doing a pretty decent job at it. Simon doesn't look pleased, though, and some words are forgotten. Now, the judges are laughing... except Simon. Two people make it, two people don't, including Emily, who I can't tell you who she is except that I liked her in previous episodes.
Group day is taking its toll on the contestants, including the judges. We see a montage of Simon throwing out "terrible" and "horrible" and "excrutiating" and "blankity blank" to the groups and the other judges.
And Danny and Jamar are up now, and I really like these guys... their group is singing a capella and doing a great job on "Somebody to Love". As a matter of fact, it was fantastic. Simon even loved it. All four make it to the next level.
Another group gets cut. And another. And another. Oilrigger Jeremy is up with his group, with a few guys we've seen before, and this chick, Jesse... I like the whole group. "Some Kind of Wonderful" is their tune, and it was awesome.
So, now its The Idol Bikini Team up next... Lauren, Bikini Girl ("I hate the way she sings" says The Lovely Steph Leann), Young Rose (who forgets the words) and Jasmine are singing "Mercy". Simon says, "I guarantee you didn't work together last night." Simon asks them to name some names of who's to blame. Who makes it? Jasmine stays. Everyone else, including Young Rose and The Bikini Girl (who posed) are out. Kara calls her a name.
As they start to say goodbye, Bikini Girl just blows them off. The Lovely Steph Leann calls her a dirty name. Okay, she doesn't it, but you get the picture.
Even the Osmond kid got cut. Austin Sisneros is out. Deanna doesn't make it. Young Rose doesn't make it.
Bad Laughing Girl's group get up, trying to sing "I Want You Back"... and sounding like total crap. Like, me, Mikey, KT and Mindy D'A with a head cold could do a slambang job compared to this. And the result? They all go through... wha...? And Bad Laughing Girl cries on television.
Here comes The Blond Chick, The Black Nancy Wilson and Nate the Pansy, who tried his hardest and this is his dream and this means so much to him and music is what he leans on and.... sorry, I just put a fork in between my fingers. To stop the pain.
Duffy's "Mercy" is their song, and Nate the Pansy is singing in all his gayness glory. The Black Nancy Wilson tries to take it on, while The Blond Chick wants to bring it home. Simon accuses them of blowing the backup vocals on purpose... The Blond Chick leans over to pat The Black Nancy Wilson on the arm, and The Black Nancy Wilson shrugs her off... and Nate the Pansy and The Blond Chick made it. As Nate the Pansy hugs The Black Nancy Wilson, she throws him off, curses at The Blond Chick and exits the theater.
So... group day is over. Seventy five people made it to the final day of Hollywood. This is where they sing individually, then they put them in different rooms and tell each room whether they made it or not...
I'll do a recap of that when I get back from The Happiest Place on Earth, as well as Survivor and The Amazing Race!
Its a test of courage. Its a test of stamina and strength. You only get. One. Shot. One chance to make yourself stand out. Cause in the end, there can only be one American Idol.
Get ready for Hollywood Week.
This.
IS American.
IDOL.
Sorry about that. I figured if Seacrest can say all that, while showing footage of crying kids and weeping contestants using bleep words, then I can say what he said to get you pumped up!
Personally, I'll be glad when American Idol goes back to just two episodes per week--the performances and the cuts--so I can blog normally. I gots much to say about much topics, but stupid Idol is keeping me pre-occupied! But, I continue on, because Mindy D'A expects me too. And Scott Latta. Do you still read Idol updates, there, Scotty?
The judges come in, seeing all 147 contestants on stage. Honestly, I vaguely remember some of them. Simon informs them that they have one single shot this particular day. And they are giving each Idol wannabe a make over, and tips from a vocal coach to help them be better--something they had not done before.
And who should stop by but the man who writes the songs, the man who makes the whole world sing, the man who can't smile without you... No, not Brad Latta, its Barry Manilow! And like Brad, I'm a Fanilow. I just can't help myself.
The day works like this--half of the contestants are on one day, half are out sightseeing, and tomorrow, vice versa. They take the stage in groups of 8, passing the microphone one to the next, singing whatever they want, a capella. And, as Seacrest says, "They are either in. Or they are out."
This is kinda brutal... I'm digging it! And it begins...
Lil Rounds attempts to sing "I Will Always Love You", always a mistake. Lil Rounds--she has a name that sounds like a bad rapper--and she does well with it. The next guy takes on Stevie Wonder, "For Once In My Life". Always another mistake. After each group performs, they put them in two lines... one line stays, the other goes home.
Asia, Alexander and Lil Rounds make it from the first cut. The other five are cut. And gone immediately. Dennis, the guy who just blew it with Stevie, comes out on stage and... tries to sing. And he curses Simon all the way up the aisle out the theater. "America is gon' be made cause y'all cut me" is his final words. I know I'm freakin' steaming right now.
They show some footage from the other group touring Hollywood, including one girl who should NOT be wearing a bikini. Back in the Kodak Theater, nerves are killing the contestants. Kara praises Lil to Seacrest, but she and Paula say they have very little to work with so far.
Nathaniel Marshall sings "The Anchor Holds" by Ray Boltz. Ya know, when Boltz came out of the closet, that killed his credibility with me completely. Nate goes on this whole tangent of "Music holds me like an anchor when I'm freaking out in my life, music is on my skin, its just bursting out of me..." I really want to pimp slap him. I officially can't stand Nate.
Anoop, our first Muslim comes out, as does Jasmine Murray. Finally, Rose Flack... and they give her a backstory for her rehearsal, and how they didn't go well! Seriously? Rose is just struggling to find her own voice in the midst of so much talent. I'm struggling to not laugh in the midst of so much crying. Is that bad?
She tries "Dock of the Bay", which I cannot hear without thinking of that Hines Root Beer song. Do they even make Hines anymore? "Sittin' on the dock o'the bay drinking Hines"
The entire group of 8 make it to the next round, including Nate. Sheesh.
Von Smith is in an upcoming group, with Steven Fowler and Jorge Something or Other. Fowler, who sounds like John Legend, does his thing... I like this guy. I'm digging on the Fowler, and he sang STEVIE and did it right! Fizzy in the Hizzy!
Jorge Nunez wails on some Jon Secada's "Angel" and does it right. Jorgizzy in the Hizzy! Von Smith comes up and wails on some... thing. I don't really know what the song is, but he's screaming it. Simon just trashes it, as Fowler and Jorge step back. As does Von. Those three make it through, the other five don't. Vizzy in the Hizzy... barelizzy.
Song selection apparently is killing the performances. We see one after another coming out of the theater, saying, "I picked the wrong song." Nick, aka, Norman Gentle, is up next. His real name is Nick Mitchell, but he's here as "Norman Gentle" again. He sings something indecipherable, mumbling and grumbling and moaning and something. Actually, he doesn't sing all that bad... he just puts on the terrible act.
So, I gotta wonder... is this guy being pushed onto the producers? For the sake of entertainment, are the people in charge pushing him through? Cause he makes it. And if he makes it to the semi-finals, HE WILL MAKE IT TO THE FINAL 12. That's just how this works, folks. The people of this country will vote for him. I mean, look at our president... the worst guy will get the votes.
The fact that Sanjaya made it as far as he did already kicked Idol's credibility in the shins. If Nick Norman Gentle gets to the Top 12, he'll make it to at least the Top 6 or 7. And screw the shins, Idol's credibility will be have a cap popped in its a*# by a glock. Just sayin'.
The second half of the contestants take the stage finally, after half the Day 1 contestants are gone.
We get a glimpse of Jackie Tohn, who I vaguely remembered liking in all the ways I hated Simba last year. If you aren't standing in Jackie's line when they make the decision of the group, you have to think you're screwed.
Another montage of "That was the wrong song" and "This isn't going to work" and "I don't think you've got it". And this leads up to Danny and Jamar, BFFs... Danny is the one who lost his wife. Youch.
Jamar is singing a soul version of "California Dreamin'". Danny says, "Hello, Simon, Randy and, uh, Kara, I'm going to sing 'Kiss from a Rose'" while Paula looks around in confusion. Being a Seal fan for many years, I can say that Danny's version was pretty spot on. Liked it much. And they go on to the next round.
Here's a montage of "You are staying" and "You are great" and "You are what we need in this competition", but we know this goodwill won't last.
Coming back from break, who do we have but Bikini Girl, Katrina. Simon loved her. Kara didn't. Just to be clear, Kara is a billion times better looking than Bikini Girl. She's singing "Breathe" by Faith Hill. And not very good, mind you. Kara says, "I thought you were better than the last time at first... but then, I think I was right." Bikini Girl and Kara and Paula argue, while Simon laughs while he practically drools on himself, as does Randy. And the entire group makes it through. Yuck.
Jessica Furney, taking care of her granny, didn't make it. Patricia Roman didn't make it. Shelby Wilbur didn't make it. Remember Jeremy Starver? He was the oil guy... and he's got a great voice. Jesus Valenzula comes up, sings "Lately", by STEVIE and Jodeci (I like the latter's version better, honestly).
And Jeremy makes it through, and they cut Jesus. How do you tell Jesus that he can't sing? I'm not going to be the one to do that.
Finally, the last line of the day takes the stage. David Osmond, of that Osmond family, comes up. As does Erika Wesley, then Emily Hughes, the punk chick from Phoenix. She's going to sing "Put a Spell on You" from the 40s... but then on stage, she changes her song to "Excuse Me" by No Doubt. A song she hasn't rehearsed at all. And the judges tell her they are disappointed.
She makes it through, though, with Osmond and a few others. But not Erika. Who has spent her whole life being a fighter. Who stays onstage to beg for another shot. She was the only one of the group of 8 to not go through. She argues with the judges. The judges argue with themselves. They tell her no. She walks off.
The dream is still alive for 104 contestants. So only 43 got sent home?
TOMORROW... its the group day, one of my favorite episodes of the entire season... where egos collide, where drama overflows, where personalities clash and breakdowns break down. Dig it!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
On the eve of our 5th Anniversary Vacation at The Happiest Place on Earth, The Lovely Steph Leann and I (wow, thats a lot of capital letters...) are doing what is important... packing? No! Paying bills? No! Finishing off the rest of the milk that, by the time we get back, will be expired by five days? No!
THIS IS
AMERICAN
IDOL!
We start off on Hollywood Day 3... after the first two days of Cut 'Em Fast Outta the Line, its group night. The people are scrambling to form their groups, and if you remember Bad Laughing Girl (ah heh heh heh ah heh heh heh), she's driving her group nuts.
Montage of groups practicing... some feeling the love... others falling apart. Young Rose is in a group with Bikini Girl, which is a bad mistake all the way around. Personality clashes abound, name calling prevails and while Danny & Jamar's group sound insanely good, some of them are having meltdowns.
"This is everything to me!" Bad Laughing Girl cries, "This is not a game to me!" which is good because everyone else is really not taking this seriously. Bad Laughing Girl runs to another group--one girl tries to take her in, Nate the Pansy says no, as does another girl who ain't having none of it.
Bad Laughing Girl then leaves the new group who ends up taking her in... she rejoins her old group, and her new group has a fit. Get rid of them all. So, both teams can move forward... cause I was sweating it.
Nate the Pansy, The Blond Chick and The Black Nancy Wilson finally seem to be working it all out. Bad Laughing Girl (I think her name is Tatiana, but frankly, it doesnt matter...) is still having issues with her group, at 230am on the balcony. Perhaps they should just toss her over the side. I kid! I kid! Ah heh heh heh Ah heh heh heh.
And one of the chicks is just calling her out, in front of the others. Love it...
Wait... back in the other group, Nate the Pansy is the mediator between The Blond Chick, who wants to rest her voice, and The Black Nancy Wilson, who wants to keep working. There is yelling. There is tears. There is Nate the Pansy.
Over in Team Bikini, she doesn't seem to care, but Young Rose is just freaking out. And crying. And as they show the subtitles of what is being said in the room, Katrina (Bikini Girl) says something... then "roomate" says something. I look at The Lovely Steph Leann and say, "Wait... roomate is spelled roommate, right? Two M's? So a top five television show broadcast across the country can't spell roommate?"
All this, while Nate the Pansy is at his pansy best, crying his eyes out about his dreams and hopes. I just threw up. Laughing.
Its the next morning, everyone is waking up, some barely having slept at all, while The Lovely Steph Leann rolls her eyes when Bad Laughing Girl laughs. The Idol Bikini Team goes and wakes up The Bikini Girl who isn't feeling good...
For me to say The Blond Chick is the most sane of her group, a group that includes a black chick named Nancy Wilson, about ten shades darker and 200 pounds lighter than the Nancy Wilson from Heart, and Nate the Pansy. The Idol Bikini Team leave Bikini Girl in her bed, conked out.
Thankfully, there are some groups that are actually working together, and sounding pretty good. Even Bad Laughing Girl's group seems like they have their crap rollin'. During roll call, Bikini Girl doesn't show up... but lo and behold, here she comes... she's whining about how tired she was, and how little sleep she got, whining to a group that collectively probably got about four hours sleep amongst the other three.
"Teach me what I missed," Bikini Girl says. And two of them... no three of them... get up and leave.
Finally, its show time! And just when you thought things couldn't get worse, Simon lays down the smack... "Forget the words--you're out." FINALLY! Thank you for this, Simon... this was annoying to see someone who can't remember the words during the early rounds continue to go through.
White Chocolate gets up (group name, not an insult) and does some Jackson 5, "I Want You Back" and sounds AWESOME! Paula is up, Kara is clapping, Randy and Simon smile, putting all four of them through.
Seacrest: "The contestants in the audience are clapping outside, but inside they are saying 'damn'"
And we witness an obliteration of "Get Ready" from Smoky Robinson... two make it, two don't. And Nick, aka, Norman Gentle, make it. Sheesh.
The Action Squad group are up now. They are singing "Don't Stop" from Fleetwood Mac, and doing a pretty decent job at it. Simon doesn't look pleased, though, and some words are forgotten. Now, the judges are laughing... except Simon. Two people make it, two people don't, including Emily, who I can't tell you who she is except that I liked her in previous episodes.
Group day is taking its toll on the contestants, including the judges. We see a montage of Simon throwing out "terrible" and "horrible" and "excrutiating" and "blankity blank" to the groups and the other judges.
And Danny and Jamar are up now, and I really like these guys... their group is singing a capella and doing a great job on "Somebody to Love". As a matter of fact, it was fantastic. Simon even loved it. All four make it to the next level.
Another group gets cut. And another. And another. Oilrigger Jeremy is up with his group, with a few guys we've seen before, and this chick, Jesse... I like the whole group. "Some Kind of Wonderful" is their tune, and it was awesome.
So, now its The Idol Bikini Team up next... Lauren, Bikini Girl ("I hate the way she sings" says The Lovely Steph Leann), Young Rose (who forgets the words) and Jasmine are singing "Mercy". Simon says, "I guarantee you didn't work together last night." Simon asks them to name some names of who's to blame. Who makes it? Jasmine stays. Everyone else, including Young Rose and The Bikini Girl (who posed) are out. Kara calls her a name.
As they start to say goodbye, Bikini Girl just blows them off. The Lovely Steph Leann calls her a dirty name. Okay, she doesn't it, but you get the picture.
Even the Osmond kid got cut. Austin Sisneros is out. Deanna doesn't make it. Young Rose doesn't make it.
Bad Laughing Girl's group get up, trying to sing "I Want You Back"... and sounding like total crap. Like, me, Mikey, KT and Mindy D'A with a head cold could do a slambang job compared to this. And the result? They all go through... wha...? And Bad Laughing Girl cries on television.
Here comes The Blond Chick, The Black Nancy Wilson and Nate the Pansy, who tried his hardest and this is his dream and this means so much to him and music is what he leans on and.... sorry, I just put a fork in between my fingers. To stop the pain.
Duffy's "Mercy" is their song, and Nate the Pansy is singing in all his gayness glory. The Black Nancy Wilson tries to take it on, while The Blond Chick wants to bring it home. Simon accuses them of blowing the backup vocals on purpose... The Blond Chick leans over to pat The Black Nancy Wilson on the arm, and The Black Nancy Wilson shrugs her off... and Nate the Pansy and The Blond Chick made it. As Nate the Pansy hugs The Black Nancy Wilson, she throws him off, curses at The Blond Chick and exits the theater.
So... group day is over. Seventy five people made it to the final day of Hollywood. This is where they sing individually, then they put them in different rooms and tell each room whether they made it or not...
I'll do a recap of that when I get back from The Happiest Place on Earth, as well as Survivor and The Amazing Race!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
The 100 Coolest Things of 2008... 20 thru 11
The Super Bowl was awesome this year... scroll down or click here to read the annual running diary...
One more note... if you are on Facebook, the numerous videos are not going to show up. Click on over to Clouds in My Coffee, then bookmark the page. Then check it daily. You never know what might pop up.
The Introduction and Recap
The 100th thru 91st Coolest Things of 2008
The 90th thru 81st Coolest Things of 2008
The 80th thru 71st Coolest Things of 2008
The 70th thru 61st Coolest Things of 2008
The 60th thru 51st Coolest Things of 2008
The 50th thru 41st Coolest Things of 2008
The 40th thru 31st Coolest Things of 2008
The 30th thru 21st Coolest Things of 2008
20. Rhett Barnette
He's this guy I know in KidStuf, the children's theater program at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship). He's married to Amarylis, he's got a daughter named Catalina, and Rhett, without going on and on, gets the title for Funniest. Guy. Of the Year.
He's dry, he's a hick kinda guy, he's just hilarious in a room. He's the kind of guy that, when watching The Jesus Painter, stood and made quiet jokes about the program while many were in deep worship. Seriously, funniest guy of the year.
And somehow, this picture fits him perfectly
19. ESPN's Pardon the Interruption Podcast
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon... Tony... the Celtics just won the world champion over the Lakers! How hard did party and who did you party with?
Oh, I partied alone... unless you count that tryist with Bea Arthur!
So begins an episode of ESPN's PTI, via podcast. Typically, the hosts--Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser--start off bantering back and forth on the hot topics of the day, mostly sports but sometimes will dive off into other topics of the day. They will spend about 1:30 on each one, but may go over or under. The topics are listed on a scroll on the side of the screen.
Mike and Tony, discussing the woman who tried to use a fake One Million Dollar Bill at Wal-Mart
Next, they'll usually do "Five Good Minutes" with a guest, or they'll just keep talking sports, but in the middle of the show is my favorite. They'll do various bits weekly, sometimes Over/Under (they predict the over/under of a certain number like "Over/Under on the number of home runs Pujols will hit this season") or they'll do Oddsmakers (guessing the percentages of a certain event happening, like "chances that Roger Federer will win two or more Grand Slams before he retires") or my personal favorite, Role Play... they'll play a few beats of what can only be described as "porn music" and one will assume the role of a sports figure--Mike will "be Aaron Rodgers" and Tony will say, "Aaron, how mad are you that you were booed off the field this week at Lambeau?"
I downloaded it every day, missing very few episodes, and would sometimes go back and listen to a day or so old episode in case I missed something. You can get it on iTunes via a podcast... in fact, I very seldom every actually watch the show. Its always on iTunes.
18. "The Dark Knight"
Much to the dismay of my friend Lori Land, there are a couple of films I hold in higher regard than this one, but finishing the 18th coolest thing of 2008 is not too bad.
This was an amazing movie. You've heard the hype, you've heard about Heath Ledger's performance, and you've probably heard the mystique surrounding the film. And I am here to say... its all true and its all deserved.
"Batman Begins" was a re-start of the Batman franchise that succeeded on so many levels, and so the anticipation for "The Dark Knight" was only building to crazy heights. When Heath Ledger died in January of 2008, it only further fueled the anticipation for the movie. And the entire time, I was enthralled by what I was watching.
Ledger's portrayal of The Joker is absolutely brilliant. No attempt is made to really discover where he came from, he's just The Joker, a super villain to Batman. If I had any complaints about the movie at all, it is first that I think the Harvey Dent-into-Two-Face story was rushed... I think he would have been a great villain alone, but he did compliment The Joker well. Secondly, that Rachel Dawes met the fate she met. I mean, its Maggie Gyllenhaal... she's awesome!
Maggie rocks
Did you know that Katie Holmes was set to reprise the role of Rachel, a role she did well in in "Batman Begins"... but she dropped out to make... "Mad Money" with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah. Yes, Katie, how'd that work out for ya?
Anyway, I'm going on the assumption that just about everyone reading this has seen the movie, so I don't much to add to it, other than it was a slambang awesome film, and Ledger is an incredible Joker.
17. FaceBook Connections
I wrote about this not too long ago.. well, it was July of last year... and I said simply, "So, on Facebook, somehow I've managed to find almost everyone that I ever met. Well, actually, I've met a ton of people, so the 508 people whom I call friend on Facebook probably doesn't come close to the amount of people I've met in real life."
Well, since that time, 508 has turned into 774 friends, and just when I think that there can't be many more, another one sends me a friend request. I have now decided that I just don't send friend requests anymore, they can find me...
Over the year, as mentioned in the note from July, I've managed to find The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, The Angel (click to read The Angel Mud Boxer Story), Blair Andress, Dixon Brock, Dayla Ellison, Spring Tolson (also click to read The Spring Tolson Moment) and even more, and though the bigger "friend" news lately is the addition of The Official Clouds in My Coffee Samson High School Crush Julie Wise, that didn't happen until about a week or so ago, so it will be mentioned on The Coolest Things of 2009.
But there's more than that. This seemed to be the year Facebook just exploded, at least to me, from my perspective. More local friends joined--Cindy Warner, Melissa Clark, Emmy & Jason Turnbow--and more Troy friends joined--Amanda Hawkins Casey for one--and more Samson Friends joined--Claudia Sorrells, Jennifer Lambert... Jennifer Herdon--and then there was the Great Rejection of 2008, that being Angiejay, who told me after knowing me for 20 years, "I can't accept your friend request, because I don't know you very well". But I'm not bitter.
However, therein lies the danger, as mentioned last week... I will have to make some slight changes to some previous posts, as now I'm aware of who's on the site.
Also have to say a big hello to Mindy D'A, this incredibly cute and at the time unapproachable Alpha Delta Pi at Troy State, who I had spoken about two words to ever... and now she's a Coffee Drinker. Who knew?
17A. The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott McCauley
She rocks. Through Facebook, not only have I been able to chat with The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, we were able to have lunch a couple of times as she came through town. She's just as short as I remember, just as cute as I remember, and just another reminder of Garth Brooks' "Unanswered Prayers" song. Anyway, she was worth mentioning. Hope to see you again soon, one day to meet The Lovely Steph Leann.
Found this adorable pic of The Official Clouds In My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, though it was before I really knew her.
16. ESPN's College Football Podcast
Like the PTI podcast mentioned at #19, this was also one I listened to daily. A 30 minute show hosted by Andy Gresh, it gave a rundown of the college football headlines and news to know after a weekend's worth of games, and leading up to more games the next weekend.
The show would start with "The Playbook", which was a report from different ESPN bloggers, each giving news of the six major BCS conferences--SEC, Big XII, Big 10, Pac 10, Big East and ACC--and one blogger, Graham Watson, talking about The Independents & More, which mostly, at least this season, gave news on the sorry state of Notre Dame football and the rise of the Mountain West's Utah, BYU and TCU's programs.
Andy Gresh would have different guests on certain days, like Bruce Feldman on Mondays, Ivan Maisel on Tuesdays, Todd McShay on Thursdays and Mel Kiper Jr on Fridays. On Wednesdays, the show would be hosted by Ivan Maisel and would feature the Dean of College Football, Beano Cook. Personally, though I enjoy Ivan and Beano's take on the games and appreciate their love of the history of the games, I liked Andy hosting much better.
It makes me sad, though, that Andy Gresh left the podcast after this past season and will join Sirius Radio's NFL channel for a new show. You will be missed.
The podcast continues even in the off season--it is available for download every other Wednesday all the way through the spring and summer, to pick back up for daily podcasts in August--presumably with a new host. I'm rooting for Todd McShay.
15. Rush Limbaugh
Ya know, I'm not going to do into detail on this one. I don't feel like defending him. I know he's right, and I agree with about 98% of what he says. He's critical of just as many Republicans as he is Democrats. He plays the audio of who you need to hear, he gives you the resources to listen to the entire bite, and honestly, listening to three minutes of his show isn't enough. You've got to listen to it regularly. Only then will you get the humor, only then will you understand what conservatism is, only then will you figure out that really, liberalism fails.
And then you'll be free. You won't be a mind numbed, believe everything the media tells you, if its written in the NYTime or if Keith Olbermann says it it must be true, robot. You'll get it. And we need as many people to "get it" as possible.
14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater
During the 2006-2007 season, I was highly disappointed that the dinner theater we had planned for that June. I was losing talent like Courtney Maddox and Jess Heckman, and I felt not only defeated, but like a failure.
By that time, I had been doing middle school drama for about 8 years, and we had pulled off 5 dinner theater performances. The reason we didn't do the other 3 years is because either I couldn't, or was not doing drama that summer. Some of the kids grumbled, some of the kids understood, but either way, I had no confidence in our team. We cancelled it because really, many of the kids didn't learn their lines on time.
So, when the new team came around, my "seniors" this time were Hannah Robillard, J Pinky, Grace Mintz, Erin Taliaferro, Davis Reynolds, Grant Adams and Emily Griner... one of the strongest line ups we've had since the murderer's row of Scotty Latta, Jana Blackwell, Laura Posey and the like.
We had a great year, and planned for our dinner theater, entitled "By Faith", in July. And it was masterful. It was a one-night-only affair, done in our middle school area known as "the Big Room", and we had a completely sold out audience. Some of our drama moms, including WalkAbout Mom of the Year Melissa Robillard, helped put dinner together, while the WalkAbout Asst Director and Mom of the Year in 2007, Paula Maddox, helped get the show done.
Awesome. Grace Mintz did this monologue called "Unafraid", and brought the audience to tears, but strangely, I think the skit of the show was a little ditty called "Debbie Gibson & the Foolish Chick", based on the parable of building your house on rock and sand. Starring Kimmy Hasha, Hannah, Emily and a special appearance by Matt McG and Algore, it brought the house down.
14A. Paula Maddox
She's was given the 20th Coolest of 2007 rank last year, and I went back and forth as to whether have her appear on this list or not... after all, she did get a rank last year. She was on the list of possible nominees for a Hannah Pruitt Cool Award as well, but I went differently with that.
Here's Paula, singing with a very waxy Celine
Anyway, she's awesome. She was totally my lean-on during the WalkAbout season, and my venting post as well (as she vented to me her own thoughts). I'm proud to call Paula my friend and if WalkAbout opens up to high school as well, as we are discussing, I am excited that she'll be back to help out. Well, she and Melissa Robillard.
13. "American Girl" by Estelle, feat. Kanye West
Take me on a trip I'd like to go someday... take me to New York I'd love to see LA... I really want to come kick it with you, you'll be my American Boy, American Boy.
I really don't care for Kanye West all that much... and whoever Estelle is, I'm not really sure I'll dig on her music all the much either. But this song? Love it? Got played a ton on my iPod this year, and its just cool. Here's the Wiki on it.
12. "Ironman"
Yes, yes, I thought "The Dark Knight" was great. But I am a Marvel fan through and through, so when I found out that Tony Stark would be played by Robert Downey Jr, I was sold. I was eagerly anticipating the film, and was not disappointed at all.
Its got a perfect mix of humor and action, with a great story and effects, and never gets dark and brooding like "The Dark Knight" was. As a matter of fact, I think I liked just about everything about this movie.
In case you didn't stick around after the credits, here's what you missed. Any comic book fan will be elated at this 35 second scene.
Haven't seen the movie? Here's the rundown...
Tony Stark gambles at a Las Vegas casino, leaving his deceased father's friend and business partner, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) to accept a prestigious award for him. As Stark leaves the casino with his entourage, he is approached by reporter Christine Everhart (Leslie Bibb), whom he charms into a one-night stand at his Malibu house. When she awakens the next morning, she is asked to leave by Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Stark's personal assistant.
Stark flies off to Afghanistan with his friend and company military liaison, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (Terrence Howard), for a demonstration of Stark Industries' new weapon, the "Jericho" cluster missile. On the way back, however, his military convoy is attacked. In the ensuing firefight, his escort is wiped out and Stark himself is knocked unconscious by one of his own company's bombs.
Waking up hours later in an Afghan cave, he discovers an electromagnet embedded in his chest, placed there by fellow captive Dr. Yinsen (Shaun Toub). It is powered by a car battery and keeps shrapnel from working its way to his heart and killing him. Stark has been captured by a terrorist group known as the Ten Rings, whose leader orders him to build a Jericho missile for him.
Instead, during the three months of his captivity, he and Yinsen begin secretly building a crude suit of power armor, powered by a miniature "arc reactor" invented by Tony's father, Howard. Finally, the terrorists grow impatient and give Stark 24 hours to finish. Unfortunately, the armor isn't quite activated when the deadline expires, so Yinsen makes a suicidal attack in a desperate bid to buy time. Once the armor is ready, Stark charges through the caves. Near the entrance, he comes across a dying Yinsen, who tells him not to waste his life. Forever grateful to Yinsen, Stark burns all the munitions the terrorists have accumulated and then flies away, only to crash in the desert. Stark survives, but his suit is in pieces. After being rescued by Rhodes, Stark declares at a press conference that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Stane tells him shortly thereafter that his decision is being blocked by the board of directors of Stark Industries.
Stark focuses his energies on building an improved version of his power suit, while making an improved arc reactor for his chest. Potts gives Stark a gift: his first miniature reactor encased in glass and bearing the inscription, "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart". (courtesy of the interweb)
See this movie!
11. Joining the VCM
Way back in the day, Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) had an awesome college ministry. It was called Common Ground, and there were, on any given Sunday morning or a typical Monday Bible study night, anywhere from 25 to 40, maybe more, college and career minded folks. This is the place where I met some of my best friends and most cherish people, like McQ, Valdmanis, Shawn Sharp, Jenn Adams, The Good Doctor Earl, Amy McL and so on...
But over time, and a few various events, things happened here, things happened there, and Common Ground was no more. The subsequent attempt at the college ministry following Common Ground wasn't successful, and for years, our church languished without it. You could go all the way through preschool, grade, middle and high school and have a ton of groups and activities to be involved in. When you are in your 20s and single, or "young married" or beyond, you have tons of things to do. But the gap between high school graduation and your single mid-20s, nothing.
So it was exciting when Philip and Jill Waters, Jillip, was going to re-start the college ministry. The Lovely Steph Leann and I had been reading in our church bulletin that it might be starting up, so in service, I looked over and asked her, "Do you want to help? Should we get involved?"
Sometimes, The Lovely Steph Leann gets excited, sometimes she doesn't, but usually when she is excited, it usually involves choir or singing. Imagine my surprise when she says, "Yes. I think we should go!"
We walked down to the new college ministry room, and were excited a few of the kids there already, along with Jillip, who expressed excitement that we were there.
The Lovely Steph Leann and I talked with the group, and just told how much the ministry had impacted our lives--heck, we met there--and how we wanted it to impact their lives too. Over Christmas, we saw attendence leap up to over 20 per Sunday, and the word was spreading of the fact that Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) had invested in the college groups.
And so The Lovely Steph Leann and I are here now, in the VCM (Valleydale College Ministry). Its a little sad that we have left the Turnbow class on Sunday mornings, because of how many people there we just love, but we're happy to at least be helping in something that we know is going to grow and make a huge impact! Yay God!
So that leaves 10 more spots. And several events that rank among them... find out the Top 10 Coolest Things of 2008...
One more note... if you are on Facebook, the numerous videos are not going to show up. Click on over to Clouds in My Coffee, then bookmark the page. Then check it daily. You never know what might pop up.
The Introduction and Recap
The 100th thru 91st Coolest Things of 2008
The 90th thru 81st Coolest Things of 2008
The 80th thru 71st Coolest Things of 2008
The 70th thru 61st Coolest Things of 2008
The 60th thru 51st Coolest Things of 2008
The 50th thru 41st Coolest Things of 2008
The 40th thru 31st Coolest Things of 2008
The 30th thru 21st Coolest Things of 2008
20. Rhett Barnette
He's this guy I know in KidStuf, the children's theater program at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship). He's married to Amarylis, he's got a daughter named Catalina, and Rhett, without going on and on, gets the title for Funniest. Guy. Of the Year.
He's dry, he's a hick kinda guy, he's just hilarious in a room. He's the kind of guy that, when watching The Jesus Painter, stood and made quiet jokes about the program while many were in deep worship. Seriously, funniest guy of the year.
And somehow, this picture fits him perfectly
19. ESPN's Pardon the Interruption Podcast
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon... Tony... the Celtics just won the world champion over the Lakers! How hard did party and who did you party with?
Oh, I partied alone... unless you count that tryist with Bea Arthur!
So begins an episode of ESPN's PTI, via podcast. Typically, the hosts--Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser--start off bantering back and forth on the hot topics of the day, mostly sports but sometimes will dive off into other topics of the day. They will spend about 1:30 on each one, but may go over or under. The topics are listed on a scroll on the side of the screen.
Mike and Tony, discussing the woman who tried to use a fake One Million Dollar Bill at Wal-Mart
Next, they'll usually do "Five Good Minutes" with a guest, or they'll just keep talking sports, but in the middle of the show is my favorite. They'll do various bits weekly, sometimes Over/Under (they predict the over/under of a certain number like "Over/Under on the number of home runs Pujols will hit this season") or they'll do Oddsmakers (guessing the percentages of a certain event happening, like "chances that Roger Federer will win two or more Grand Slams before he retires") or my personal favorite, Role Play... they'll play a few beats of what can only be described as "porn music" and one will assume the role of a sports figure--Mike will "be Aaron Rodgers" and Tony will say, "Aaron, how mad are you that you were booed off the field this week at Lambeau?"
I downloaded it every day, missing very few episodes, and would sometimes go back and listen to a day or so old episode in case I missed something. You can get it on iTunes via a podcast... in fact, I very seldom every actually watch the show. Its always on iTunes.
18. "The Dark Knight"
Much to the dismay of my friend Lori Land, there are a couple of films I hold in higher regard than this one, but finishing the 18th coolest thing of 2008 is not too bad.
This was an amazing movie. You've heard the hype, you've heard about Heath Ledger's performance, and you've probably heard the mystique surrounding the film. And I am here to say... its all true and its all deserved.
"Batman Begins" was a re-start of the Batman franchise that succeeded on so many levels, and so the anticipation for "The Dark Knight" was only building to crazy heights. When Heath Ledger died in January of 2008, it only further fueled the anticipation for the movie. And the entire time, I was enthralled by what I was watching.
Ledger's portrayal of The Joker is absolutely brilliant. No attempt is made to really discover where he came from, he's just The Joker, a super villain to Batman. If I had any complaints about the movie at all, it is first that I think the Harvey Dent-into-Two-Face story was rushed... I think he would have been a great villain alone, but he did compliment The Joker well. Secondly, that Rachel Dawes met the fate she met. I mean, its Maggie Gyllenhaal... she's awesome!
Maggie rocks
Did you know that Katie Holmes was set to reprise the role of Rachel, a role she did well in in "Batman Begins"... but she dropped out to make... "Mad Money" with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah. Yes, Katie, how'd that work out for ya?
Anyway, I'm going on the assumption that just about everyone reading this has seen the movie, so I don't much to add to it, other than it was a slambang awesome film, and Ledger is an incredible Joker.
17. FaceBook Connections
I wrote about this not too long ago.. well, it was July of last year... and I said simply, "So, on Facebook, somehow I've managed to find almost everyone that I ever met. Well, actually, I've met a ton of people, so the 508 people whom I call friend on Facebook probably doesn't come close to the amount of people I've met in real life."
Well, since that time, 508 has turned into 774 friends, and just when I think that there can't be many more, another one sends me a friend request. I have now decided that I just don't send friend requests anymore, they can find me...
Over the year, as mentioned in the note from July, I've managed to find The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, The Angel (click to read The Angel Mud Boxer Story), Blair Andress, Dixon Brock, Dayla Ellison, Spring Tolson (also click to read The Spring Tolson Moment) and even more, and though the bigger "friend" news lately is the addition of The Official Clouds in My Coffee Samson High School Crush Julie Wise, that didn't happen until about a week or so ago, so it will be mentioned on The Coolest Things of 2009.
But there's more than that. This seemed to be the year Facebook just exploded, at least to me, from my perspective. More local friends joined--Cindy Warner, Melissa Clark, Emmy & Jason Turnbow--and more Troy friends joined--Amanda Hawkins Casey for one--and more Samson Friends joined--Claudia Sorrells, Jennifer Lambert... Jennifer Herdon--and then there was the Great Rejection of 2008, that being Angiejay, who told me after knowing me for 20 years, "I can't accept your friend request, because I don't know you very well". But I'm not bitter.
However, therein lies the danger, as mentioned last week... I will have to make some slight changes to some previous posts, as now I'm aware of who's on the site.
Also have to say a big hello to Mindy D'A, this incredibly cute and at the time unapproachable Alpha Delta Pi at Troy State, who I had spoken about two words to ever... and now she's a Coffee Drinker. Who knew?
17A. The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott McCauley
She rocks. Through Facebook, not only have I been able to chat with The Official Clouds in My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, we were able to have lunch a couple of times as she came through town. She's just as short as I remember, just as cute as I remember, and just another reminder of Garth Brooks' "Unanswered Prayers" song. Anyway, she was worth mentioning. Hope to see you again soon, one day to meet The Lovely Steph Leann.
Found this adorable pic of The Official Clouds In My Coffee Troy State Crush Tiffany Abbott, though it was before I really knew her.
16. ESPN's College Football Podcast
Like the PTI podcast mentioned at #19, this was also one I listened to daily. A 30 minute show hosted by Andy Gresh, it gave a rundown of the college football headlines and news to know after a weekend's worth of games, and leading up to more games the next weekend.
The show would start with "The Playbook", which was a report from different ESPN bloggers, each giving news of the six major BCS conferences--SEC, Big XII, Big 10, Pac 10, Big East and ACC--and one blogger, Graham Watson, talking about The Independents & More, which mostly, at least this season, gave news on the sorry state of Notre Dame football and the rise of the Mountain West's Utah, BYU and TCU's programs.
Andy Gresh would have different guests on certain days, like Bruce Feldman on Mondays, Ivan Maisel on Tuesdays, Todd McShay on Thursdays and Mel Kiper Jr on Fridays. On Wednesdays, the show would be hosted by Ivan Maisel and would feature the Dean of College Football, Beano Cook. Personally, though I enjoy Ivan and Beano's take on the games and appreciate their love of the history of the games, I liked Andy hosting much better.
It makes me sad, though, that Andy Gresh left the podcast after this past season and will join Sirius Radio's NFL channel for a new show. You will be missed.
The podcast continues even in the off season--it is available for download every other Wednesday all the way through the spring and summer, to pick back up for daily podcasts in August--presumably with a new host. I'm rooting for Todd McShay.
15. Rush Limbaugh
Ya know, I'm not going to do into detail on this one. I don't feel like defending him. I know he's right, and I agree with about 98% of what he says. He's critical of just as many Republicans as he is Democrats. He plays the audio of who you need to hear, he gives you the resources to listen to the entire bite, and honestly, listening to three minutes of his show isn't enough. You've got to listen to it regularly. Only then will you get the humor, only then will you understand what conservatism is, only then will you figure out that really, liberalism fails.
And then you'll be free. You won't be a mind numbed, believe everything the media tells you, if its written in the NYTime or if Keith Olbermann says it it must be true, robot. You'll get it. And we need as many people to "get it" as possible.
14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater
During the 2006-2007 season, I was highly disappointed that the dinner theater we had planned for that June. I was losing talent like Courtney Maddox and Jess Heckman, and I felt not only defeated, but like a failure.
By that time, I had been doing middle school drama for about 8 years, and we had pulled off 5 dinner theater performances. The reason we didn't do the other 3 years is because either I couldn't, or was not doing drama that summer. Some of the kids grumbled, some of the kids understood, but either way, I had no confidence in our team. We cancelled it because really, many of the kids didn't learn their lines on time.
So, when the new team came around, my "seniors" this time were Hannah Robillard, J Pinky, Grace Mintz, Erin Taliaferro, Davis Reynolds, Grant Adams and Emily Griner... one of the strongest line ups we've had since the murderer's row of Scotty Latta, Jana Blackwell, Laura Posey and the like.
We had a great year, and planned for our dinner theater, entitled "By Faith", in July. And it was masterful. It was a one-night-only affair, done in our middle school area known as "the Big Room", and we had a completely sold out audience. Some of our drama moms, including WalkAbout Mom of the Year Melissa Robillard, helped put dinner together, while the WalkAbout Asst Director and Mom of the Year in 2007, Paula Maddox, helped get the show done.
Awesome. Grace Mintz did this monologue called "Unafraid", and brought the audience to tears, but strangely, I think the skit of the show was a little ditty called "Debbie Gibson & the Foolish Chick", based on the parable of building your house on rock and sand. Starring Kimmy Hasha, Hannah, Emily and a special appearance by Matt McG and Algore, it brought the house down.
14A. Paula Maddox
She's was given the 20th Coolest of 2007 rank last year, and I went back and forth as to whether have her appear on this list or not... after all, she did get a rank last year. She was on the list of possible nominees for a Hannah Pruitt Cool Award as well, but I went differently with that.
Here's Paula, singing with a very waxy Celine
Anyway, she's awesome. She was totally my lean-on during the WalkAbout season, and my venting post as well (as she vented to me her own thoughts). I'm proud to call Paula my friend and if WalkAbout opens up to high school as well, as we are discussing, I am excited that she'll be back to help out. Well, she and Melissa Robillard.
13. "American Girl" by Estelle, feat. Kanye West
Take me on a trip I'd like to go someday... take me to New York I'd love to see LA... I really want to come kick it with you, you'll be my American Boy, American Boy.
I really don't care for Kanye West all that much... and whoever Estelle is, I'm not really sure I'll dig on her music all the much either. But this song? Love it? Got played a ton on my iPod this year, and its just cool. Here's the Wiki on it.
12. "Ironman"
Yes, yes, I thought "The Dark Knight" was great. But I am a Marvel fan through and through, so when I found out that Tony Stark would be played by Robert Downey Jr, I was sold. I was eagerly anticipating the film, and was not disappointed at all.
Its got a perfect mix of humor and action, with a great story and effects, and never gets dark and brooding like "The Dark Knight" was. As a matter of fact, I think I liked just about everything about this movie.
In case you didn't stick around after the credits, here's what you missed. Any comic book fan will be elated at this 35 second scene.
Haven't seen the movie? Here's the rundown...
Tony Stark gambles at a Las Vegas casino, leaving his deceased father's friend and business partner, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) to accept a prestigious award for him. As Stark leaves the casino with his entourage, he is approached by reporter Christine Everhart (Leslie Bibb), whom he charms into a one-night stand at his Malibu house. When she awakens the next morning, she is asked to leave by Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Stark's personal assistant.
Stark flies off to Afghanistan with his friend and company military liaison, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (Terrence Howard), for a demonstration of Stark Industries' new weapon, the "Jericho" cluster missile. On the way back, however, his military convoy is attacked. In the ensuing firefight, his escort is wiped out and Stark himself is knocked unconscious by one of his own company's bombs.
Waking up hours later in an Afghan cave, he discovers an electromagnet embedded in his chest, placed there by fellow captive Dr. Yinsen (Shaun Toub). It is powered by a car battery and keeps shrapnel from working its way to his heart and killing him. Stark has been captured by a terrorist group known as the Ten Rings, whose leader orders him to build a Jericho missile for him.
Instead, during the three months of his captivity, he and Yinsen begin secretly building a crude suit of power armor, powered by a miniature "arc reactor" invented by Tony's father, Howard. Finally, the terrorists grow impatient and give Stark 24 hours to finish. Unfortunately, the armor isn't quite activated when the deadline expires, so Yinsen makes a suicidal attack in a desperate bid to buy time. Once the armor is ready, Stark charges through the caves. Near the entrance, he comes across a dying Yinsen, who tells him not to waste his life. Forever grateful to Yinsen, Stark burns all the munitions the terrorists have accumulated and then flies away, only to crash in the desert. Stark survives, but his suit is in pieces. After being rescued by Rhodes, Stark declares at a press conference that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Stane tells him shortly thereafter that his decision is being blocked by the board of directors of Stark Industries.
Stark focuses his energies on building an improved version of his power suit, while making an improved arc reactor for his chest. Potts gives Stark a gift: his first miniature reactor encased in glass and bearing the inscription, "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart". (courtesy of the interweb)
See this movie!
11. Joining the VCM
Way back in the day, Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) had an awesome college ministry. It was called Common Ground, and there were, on any given Sunday morning or a typical Monday Bible study night, anywhere from 25 to 40, maybe more, college and career minded folks. This is the place where I met some of my best friends and most cherish people, like McQ, Valdmanis, Shawn Sharp, Jenn Adams, The Good Doctor Earl, Amy McL and so on...
But over time, and a few various events, things happened here, things happened there, and Common Ground was no more. The subsequent attempt at the college ministry following Common Ground wasn't successful, and for years, our church languished without it. You could go all the way through preschool, grade, middle and high school and have a ton of groups and activities to be involved in. When you are in your 20s and single, or "young married" or beyond, you have tons of things to do. But the gap between high school graduation and your single mid-20s, nothing.
So it was exciting when Philip and Jill Waters, Jillip, was going to re-start the college ministry. The Lovely Steph Leann and I had been reading in our church bulletin that it might be starting up, so in service, I looked over and asked her, "Do you want to help? Should we get involved?"
Sometimes, The Lovely Steph Leann gets excited, sometimes she doesn't, but usually when she is excited, it usually involves choir or singing. Imagine my surprise when she says, "Yes. I think we should go!"
We walked down to the new college ministry room, and were excited a few of the kids there already, along with Jillip, who expressed excitement that we were there.
The Lovely Steph Leann and I talked with the group, and just told how much the ministry had impacted our lives--heck, we met there--and how we wanted it to impact their lives too. Over Christmas, we saw attendence leap up to over 20 per Sunday, and the word was spreading of the fact that Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) had invested in the college groups.
And so The Lovely Steph Leann and I are here now, in the VCM (Valleydale College Ministry). Its a little sad that we have left the Turnbow class on Sunday mornings, because of how many people there we just love, but we're happy to at least be helping in something that we know is going to grow and make a huge impact! Yay God!
So that leaves 10 more spots. And several events that rank among them... find out the Top 10 Coolest Things of 2008...
The Super Bowl XLIII Running Diary
926p... AAAAANNNNDDD that's all we're going to say about Super Bowl XLIII... thanks for joining us for the 4th Annual Super Bowl Blog. Our next running diary will definately be at Oscar Night, February 22nd. Night!
925p... Santonio Holmes won the Super Bowl MVP. He gets his hardware, The Lovely Steph Leann laments that Larry Fitzgerald should have gotten it.
922p... NFL Commish Dan Goodell is handing Steelers owner Dan Rooney the trophy. Dan Rooney is about 128 years old. We make the obligatory "oops, I crapped my pants" joke.
920p... Here's the trophy presentation, given by a very rough looking Joe Willie Namath. I hear "He's probably drunk", "Is he even sober?" and "I wanna kiss you..."
916p... Awaiting the MVP award announcement, plus the handing off of the Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.
909p... And it was a fumble. Pittsburgh Steelers 27. Arizona Cardinals 23. Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XLIII Champions. Pittsburgh Steelers, winner of 6 Super Bowls now.
908p... Warner takes several seconds, goes to throw, loses the ball, its a fumble. Pittsburgh gets the ball back. And... it might just be over.
906p... Final timeout. Arizona is at the 50 yard line, :15 seconds left in the game.
905p... 22 seconds, Fitzgerald the Inhuman just caught a missle from Kurt Warner. Arizona timeout.
904p... 29 seconds remain. Oy.
9p... Homeslice catches the ball for the Steelers, both feet in, right at the corner of the end zone. The question is, did he catch it? And yes, he did. Pittsburgh 26, Arizona 23, extra point pending. So, now, Kurt Warner has about 35 seconds to go the length of the field.
855p... This game has become so fun that even The Lovely Steph Leann is cheering loudly, for Arizona. She never does this unless its Alabama football. Maybe its the red jerseys that are inspiring her.
853p... Another exchange:
Jill J: Three point spread!
Yours Truly: You have no idea what you're talking about
Jill J: I just repeated whatever I heard
850p... Matt Leinart gives Larry Fitz some love. I can only imagine this exchange:
Matt Leinart: Hey, we're gonna win this!
Fitzgerald: You've done nothing. Shut up.
847p... Here's our scene. Tom J, Jenn Adams, or should I say The Quiet Hotness Jenn Adams, John, Mikey, Holloway and Mr. Ken are absorbed in this game. Andy and Kristi are also watching. Lil Sister Ashley and Stephanie are talking in another room, Amy McL is doing something in the kitchen and Jill J and Jenn Powell are chatting about cross stitching.
And Kurt Warner just tossed a line drive to Fitzgerald (there is no reason this guy should ever, ever be open), who broke wide open and scored... Arizona Cardinals 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20.
844p... HUGE PENALTY. Ben Rottenburger tossed it out, completed the pass, looked great... and a holdingin-the-end-zone penalty on the Steelers gives Arizona a safety... and the ball back.
839p... And in three plays, we just watched Kurt Warner collapse. Whether it was his fault or his O-line, it was pretty bad. Do they punt and pin them deep? They do. They punt, the ball is down at the 2 yard line, another flag is thrown, and another flag is thrown... and its another personal foul, this time on Pittsburgh, which puts the ball on like, the 4 inch line.
And suddenly, this game gets reeeeeealy interesting.
835p... Arizona is back on offense, gets the ball, throws for a gain and... flag. Seriously? Wait? Wait? Its on Pittsburgh! Seriously?
833p... "McGruber" commercial. Fresh from Saturday Night Live, its a Pepsi commercial, and actually has Richard Dean Anderson in it. Classic.
825p... Larry Fitzgerald gets a touchdown catch in the Super Bowl! We're waiting for the flag... and nothing! Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 14.
821p... Another flag on the play--but this time on Pittsburgh. We've spent the last few minutes coming up with the ridculous penalties that we feel that the refs have been calling--"Harsh language at the line on the offense!" and "Touching the quarterback" and "Intention to tackle!"
812p... Random question... "Wasn't it Lavar Burton who was the main guy in 'Roots'?" The answer? Yes. He was Kunte Kinte.
808p... Okay, so if Arizona loses this game, I'm thinking part of it will be because of the really stupid penalties they've accrued in the last few minutes. Running over the holder, personal fouls like crazy... its terrible...
802p... I'm wondering what would happen if I met Tim Tebow and then met Kurt Warner... who would change my life more, according to the announcers? If I met them both at the same time, I might just ascend into Heaven automatically. Just sayin'.
801p... Lil Sister Ashley just arrived. Yay!
8p... We just saw the new Transformers trailer. The entire room went nuts.
757p... My brilliant observation... Arizona can still win this, but they have to score more points.
754p... Penalty on Arizona on the field goal attempt... "running over the holder". And in the replay, the poor Steeler holding the football got steamrolled. And Pittsburgh is close to scoring again.
744p... They show Cuba Gooding Jr in the press box. Is it sad that for the Arizona Cardinals, the greatest football moment really was when Rod Tidwell scored the go-ahead touchdown against the Cowboys in 1996... in the movie "Jerry Maguire".
741p... Here's the preview for "Race to Witch Mountain", from Disney, but more importantly, starring THE ROCK. Caaaaaaaaan you smeeeellllllll what the Rock is cooking?
Any excuse to show a The Rock WWE clip:
737p... Denny's is giving away a Free Grand Slam breakfast on Tuesday. I miss Denny's. I used to go there all the time back in the early decade, because there use to be one across town. I miss Denny's and Steak-n-Shake, two greasy dives that I miss intensely.
Arizona turned the ball over, but it seems like a incomplete pass and not a fumble. The call is overturned, Arizona gets the ball back. Pittsburgh still leads 17-7.
733p... The Lovely Steph Leann, while discussing the "GI Joe" movie with Andy, middle school pastor at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) says she's excited because it has Dennis Quaid in it. Then she turns around and solidly informs me, "Dennis Quaid? Totally Colin Firth Club."
727p... Its the beginning of the 2nd half and the room has cleared. Some have gone home, some are Rock Banding it upstairs... but being a trooper down here is Jenn Adams, John, Mikey, The Lovely Steph Leann, Daniel & Jenn Powell, Kristi Murry, Mr. Nipp and Yours Truly.
Of course, The Lovely Steph Leann, holding the spawn of Amy McL and Tommy Mac and feeding her Fritos, is discussing scrapbooking with Jenn Powell, who is cross stitching a pattern for their new nursery for the upcoming baby.
720p... While Bruce sings, Daniel took a room shot:
There's Mr. Nipp's legs in the front, with Jenn Powell talking to The Lovely Steph Leann on the couch, Yours Truly, Mikey on the next couch, his pop-in-law John, Jenn Adams (always forget how good lookin' she is), Shawn, Jill, and Tom J on the floor. Photo by Daniel Powell.
713p... He's singing "Born to Run", which is pretty cool. Early Bruce is great, late Bruce is too political.
And if he has a wardrobe malfunction, I might throw up in my mouth.
711p... Just had plate of queso dip and it was roody poo awesome, let me tell ya. We're now watching Bruce Springsteen perform here on the halftime show. He did a knee slide across the stage and almost took out a cameraman.
Glad that wasn't in 3D
7p... Going to eat some more. back in a few
656p... The magic of 3D brings everyone together. Halftime Pittsburgh 17, Arizona 7
652p... Turnover, Pittsburgh gets the ball, runs it back and Arizona misses about 382 tackles as the guy runs the entire length of the field, and then falls hard on his head right on the goal line.
650p... We're all downstairs now, even breaking from Rock Band, to see the new trailer for "Monsters vs Aliens", as its going to be in 3D. We've all got the glasses, we're all ready to see the aliens and monsters leap off the screen. Then a lame commercial staring the Sobe Lizards from last year, then a preview of "Chuck", in 3D--a 3D triple play.
And... its a guarantee that we'll have a bajillion people coming into The Happiest Place in the Mall asking for "Monsters vs Aliens" merchandise. Cause if they still ask for "Kung Fu Panda" stuff, I know they'll ask for this.
646p... Ah, a good night. People, friends gathered around, the game is actually really good thus far, the party is alive as everybody over here, everybody over there. The crowd is live enough as I pursue this groove, party people in the house move (next in line) groove (watch me all night... the music hits my mind...)
642p... And who shows up but Andy & Kristi Murry. Andy is the middle school pastor at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship)
640p... Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen is performing at halftime. Personally, I think Bruce is past his best days, and is kinda overrated... but like U2, he's so universally loved, he could sing the IRS list of people who is over 180 days past the tax payment deadline, and win accolades and awards. Well, that is unless he became a Republican. Then he'd be washed up.
636p... So far, best commercial of the night... E*Trade kid is back, this time with a friend who busts out a version of "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister. Hiiiiiiiilarious.
631p... This exchange
Mikey: I don't think Matt Leinart should get a ring if Arizona wins
Me: I wondered about that. Maybe he'll do the honorable thing and give it back
Mikey: He'll probably give it to Paris Hilton
The Lovely Steph Leann: Who's that?
Mikey: Exactly.
630p... The appeal of Rock Band upstairs has caused the group to splinter. Mikey's woman Ashleia has already gone upstairs with a few people, and we figure Drewski is heading that way. Huge punt return by Shawn Breaston for Arizona.
628p... The Enchanting Nikki Brown will be proud. Somehow, Mikey and I end up singing a rousing version of "To all the girls Drew (morris) has loved before...."
621p... God loves Kurt Warner. He stumbles, fumbles, bumbles, and still gets the ball tossed up and its caught by Ben Patrick, the appropriate reciever for Arizona. Pittsburgh leads 10 to 7.
618p... Tom J recommends The Fire and Ice restaurant, as he and Jill went there for their 5th anniversary a few days ago. Also celebrating their 5th, Hannah Pruitt Cool Award Winners James & Jessica Hawbaker. Congrats!
611p... One of the first times in recent memory, EVERYONE is actually watching the game, or at least in the same room as the television. Usually, only a few of us stay the whole time in front of the tv, some come in and out, and others are around the house playing Wii, cards, games, etc.
609p... Pittsburgh into the end zone! Touchdown Steelers! Okay, so I might think of revising my pick of an Arizona win, though Denver went up 10-0 in Super Bowl 1988, and Washington won, like, 50 to 10. Here's a commercial with guys being hit in the head with various objects, and another starring wild animals, encouraging us to adopt pets.
608p... Two commercials (Doritos and GoDaddy.com) and two chicks in various states of undress. One of them was Danica Patrick. Um. Bad! Bad! Yeah, its bad!
603p... Also saw a preview for the show "Medium". Heard there will be a spin-off, shortened version called "Small". And a movie version, called "Large". Ha!
602p... Just saw a great car commercial with Potato Heads, then we see an until now unemployed Vin Diesel in the preview for "Fast and Furious".
555p... The arrival of Tom & Jill Johnson stirs the crowd, but not nearly as much as Tommy Mac and Amy McL, who trump the Johnsons by bringing in their daughter, Sophie.
552p... Score is still 3-0 Pittsburgh. We now have our 3D glasses, and we just saw the hysterical trailer for "Year One", starring Jack Black & Michael Cera.
550p... This exchange:
Jenn Powell: Mrs. Lynn, what are you doing?
Mrs. Lynn (tearing apart 3D glasses): I'm separating 3D glasses for the upcoming 3D commercials
Someone in the room: How do we know when to put them on?
The Rev'rn Ty Coffey: When the tv gets blurry.
548p... Here's the trailer for GI Joe:
544p... Who all just showed up? Daniel & Jennifer Powell are here, Sybil & Dan just came in, The Holloways have been here all day apparently.
543p... In the commercial front, "Angels & Demons" trailer just came on, with Tom Hanks weird hair making a triumphant return. Jason Statham appears in an Audi commercial... I think its always a good decision to have Jason Statham in a cool commercial.
541p... Okay, just loaded up on chicken wings, a taco, a big fat roll with slightly melted butter, sausage balls and several pigs-n-a-blanket. In the game, Pittsburgh apparently scored but Big Ben (Pittsburgh's QB) fell short of the line, via a coach's challenge. The Steelers got a field goal.
528p... Eating. Back in a few.
522p... Its the trailer for "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra," and stars Dennis Quaid. It comes out in August and the entire room went silent for it.
521p... Mikey is rooting Kurt Warner all the way, because "Ben is a professed athiest. Can't be having that."
519p... Jennifer Hudson is now singing "The Star Spangled Banner".
516p... Our picks tonight? Mikey goes all Arizona... Rev'rn Ty says, "Who's playing? Seriously..." Shawn's pick? Faith Hill, currently singing "America the Beautiful". Jennifer Adams picks? "Who's playing? Steelers? I'll go Steelers."
514p... We are here! We are blogging live from the Nipp Household, that being Ken & Lynn Nipp, parents of the infamous Mikey, good buddy from Deuce Days. Here right now is The Lovely Steph Leann, Mikey and Shawn Sharp. In the kitchen, brewing up some good eats for us all is Ken & Lynn. In comes is The Rev'rn Ty Coffey and entering the home is Jennifer Adams (I never get to see her, so I always forget how hot she is...)
318pm.... Well, it hasn't begun just yet. I am on my way to WalkAbout (middle school drama team) practice. Then back to The Cabana to pick up The Lovely Steph Leann, then off to the Super Bowl...
My early prediction? Arizona 31, Pittsburgh 26. I called it right here.
925p... Santonio Holmes won the Super Bowl MVP. He gets his hardware, The Lovely Steph Leann laments that Larry Fitzgerald should have gotten it.
922p... NFL Commish Dan Goodell is handing Steelers owner Dan Rooney the trophy. Dan Rooney is about 128 years old. We make the obligatory "oops, I crapped my pants" joke.
920p... Here's the trophy presentation, given by a very rough looking Joe Willie Namath. I hear "He's probably drunk", "Is he even sober?" and "I wanna kiss you..."
916p... Awaiting the MVP award announcement, plus the handing off of the Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.
909p... And it was a fumble. Pittsburgh Steelers 27. Arizona Cardinals 23. Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XLIII Champions. Pittsburgh Steelers, winner of 6 Super Bowls now.
908p... Warner takes several seconds, goes to throw, loses the ball, its a fumble. Pittsburgh gets the ball back. And... it might just be over.
906p... Final timeout. Arizona is at the 50 yard line, :15 seconds left in the game.
905p... 22 seconds, Fitzgerald the Inhuman just caught a missle from Kurt Warner. Arizona timeout.
904p... 29 seconds remain. Oy.
9p... Homeslice catches the ball for the Steelers, both feet in, right at the corner of the end zone. The question is, did he catch it? And yes, he did. Pittsburgh 26, Arizona 23, extra point pending. So, now, Kurt Warner has about 35 seconds to go the length of the field.
855p... This game has become so fun that even The Lovely Steph Leann is cheering loudly, for Arizona. She never does this unless its Alabama football. Maybe its the red jerseys that are inspiring her.
853p... Another exchange:
Jill J: Three point spread!
Yours Truly: You have no idea what you're talking about
Jill J: I just repeated whatever I heard
850p... Matt Leinart gives Larry Fitz some love. I can only imagine this exchange:
Matt Leinart: Hey, we're gonna win this!
Fitzgerald: You've done nothing. Shut up.
847p... Here's our scene. Tom J, Jenn Adams, or should I say The Quiet Hotness Jenn Adams, John, Mikey, Holloway and Mr. Ken are absorbed in this game. Andy and Kristi are also watching. Lil Sister Ashley and Stephanie are talking in another room, Amy McL is doing something in the kitchen and Jill J and Jenn Powell are chatting about cross stitching.
And Kurt Warner just tossed a line drive to Fitzgerald (there is no reason this guy should ever, ever be open), who broke wide open and scored... Arizona Cardinals 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20.
844p... HUGE PENALTY. Ben Rottenburger tossed it out, completed the pass, looked great... and a holdingin-the-end-zone penalty on the Steelers gives Arizona a safety... and the ball back.
839p... And in three plays, we just watched Kurt Warner collapse. Whether it was his fault or his O-line, it was pretty bad. Do they punt and pin them deep? They do. They punt, the ball is down at the 2 yard line, another flag is thrown, and another flag is thrown... and its another personal foul, this time on Pittsburgh, which puts the ball on like, the 4 inch line.
And suddenly, this game gets reeeeeealy interesting.
835p... Arizona is back on offense, gets the ball, throws for a gain and... flag. Seriously? Wait? Wait? Its on Pittsburgh! Seriously?
833p... "McGruber" commercial. Fresh from Saturday Night Live, its a Pepsi commercial, and actually has Richard Dean Anderson in it. Classic.
825p... Larry Fitzgerald gets a touchdown catch in the Super Bowl! We're waiting for the flag... and nothing! Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 14.
821p... Another flag on the play--but this time on Pittsburgh. We've spent the last few minutes coming up with the ridculous penalties that we feel that the refs have been calling--"Harsh language at the line on the offense!" and "Touching the quarterback" and "Intention to tackle!"
812p... Random question... "Wasn't it Lavar Burton who was the main guy in 'Roots'?" The answer? Yes. He was Kunte Kinte.
808p... Okay, so if Arizona loses this game, I'm thinking part of it will be because of the really stupid penalties they've accrued in the last few minutes. Running over the holder, personal fouls like crazy... its terrible...
802p... I'm wondering what would happen if I met Tim Tebow and then met Kurt Warner... who would change my life more, according to the announcers? If I met them both at the same time, I might just ascend into Heaven automatically. Just sayin'.
801p... Lil Sister Ashley just arrived. Yay!
8p... We just saw the new Transformers trailer. The entire room went nuts.
757p... My brilliant observation... Arizona can still win this, but they have to score more points.
754p... Penalty on Arizona on the field goal attempt... "running over the holder". And in the replay, the poor Steeler holding the football got steamrolled. And Pittsburgh is close to scoring again.
744p... They show Cuba Gooding Jr in the press box. Is it sad that for the Arizona Cardinals, the greatest football moment really was when Rod Tidwell scored the go-ahead touchdown against the Cowboys in 1996... in the movie "Jerry Maguire".
741p... Here's the preview for "Race to Witch Mountain", from Disney, but more importantly, starring THE ROCK. Caaaaaaaaan you smeeeellllllll what the Rock is cooking?
Any excuse to show a The Rock WWE clip:
737p... Denny's is giving away a Free Grand Slam breakfast on Tuesday. I miss Denny's. I used to go there all the time back in the early decade, because there use to be one across town. I miss Denny's and Steak-n-Shake, two greasy dives that I miss intensely.
Arizona turned the ball over, but it seems like a incomplete pass and not a fumble. The call is overturned, Arizona gets the ball back. Pittsburgh still leads 17-7.
733p... The Lovely Steph Leann, while discussing the "GI Joe" movie with Andy, middle school pastor at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) says she's excited because it has Dennis Quaid in it. Then she turns around and solidly informs me, "Dennis Quaid? Totally Colin Firth Club."
727p... Its the beginning of the 2nd half and the room has cleared. Some have gone home, some are Rock Banding it upstairs... but being a trooper down here is Jenn Adams, John, Mikey, The Lovely Steph Leann, Daniel & Jenn Powell, Kristi Murry, Mr. Nipp and Yours Truly.
Of course, The Lovely Steph Leann, holding the spawn of Amy McL and Tommy Mac and feeding her Fritos, is discussing scrapbooking with Jenn Powell, who is cross stitching a pattern for their new nursery for the upcoming baby.
720p... While Bruce sings, Daniel took a room shot:
There's Mr. Nipp's legs in the front, with Jenn Powell talking to The Lovely Steph Leann on the couch, Yours Truly, Mikey on the next couch, his pop-in-law John, Jenn Adams (always forget how good lookin' she is), Shawn, Jill, and Tom J on the floor. Photo by Daniel Powell.
713p... He's singing "Born to Run", which is pretty cool. Early Bruce is great, late Bruce is too political.
And if he has a wardrobe malfunction, I might throw up in my mouth.
711p... Just had plate of queso dip and it was roody poo awesome, let me tell ya. We're now watching Bruce Springsteen perform here on the halftime show. He did a knee slide across the stage and almost took out a cameraman.
Glad that wasn't in 3D
7p... Going to eat some more. back in a few
656p... The magic of 3D brings everyone together. Halftime Pittsburgh 17, Arizona 7
652p... Turnover, Pittsburgh gets the ball, runs it back and Arizona misses about 382 tackles as the guy runs the entire length of the field, and then falls hard on his head right on the goal line.
650p... We're all downstairs now, even breaking from Rock Band, to see the new trailer for "Monsters vs Aliens", as its going to be in 3D. We've all got the glasses, we're all ready to see the aliens and monsters leap off the screen. Then a lame commercial staring the Sobe Lizards from last year, then a preview of "Chuck", in 3D--a 3D triple play.
And... its a guarantee that we'll have a bajillion people coming into The Happiest Place in the Mall asking for "Monsters vs Aliens" merchandise. Cause if they still ask for "Kung Fu Panda" stuff, I know they'll ask for this.
646p... Ah, a good night. People, friends gathered around, the game is actually really good thus far, the party is alive as everybody over here, everybody over there. The crowd is live enough as I pursue this groove, party people in the house move (next in line) groove (watch me all night... the music hits my mind...)
642p... And who shows up but Andy & Kristi Murry. Andy is the middle school pastor at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship)
640p... Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen is performing at halftime. Personally, I think Bruce is past his best days, and is kinda overrated... but like U2, he's so universally loved, he could sing the IRS list of people who is over 180 days past the tax payment deadline, and win accolades and awards. Well, that is unless he became a Republican. Then he'd be washed up.
636p... So far, best commercial of the night... E*Trade kid is back, this time with a friend who busts out a version of "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister. Hiiiiiiiilarious.
631p... This exchange
Mikey: I don't think Matt Leinart should get a ring if Arizona wins
Me: I wondered about that. Maybe he'll do the honorable thing and give it back
Mikey: He'll probably give it to Paris Hilton
The Lovely Steph Leann: Who's that?
Mikey: Exactly.
630p... The appeal of Rock Band upstairs has caused the group to splinter. Mikey's woman Ashleia has already gone upstairs with a few people, and we figure Drewski is heading that way. Huge punt return by Shawn Breaston for Arizona.
628p... The Enchanting Nikki Brown will be proud. Somehow, Mikey and I end up singing a rousing version of "To all the girls Drew (morris) has loved before...."
621p... God loves Kurt Warner. He stumbles, fumbles, bumbles, and still gets the ball tossed up and its caught by Ben Patrick, the appropriate reciever for Arizona. Pittsburgh leads 10 to 7.
618p... Tom J recommends The Fire and Ice restaurant, as he and Jill went there for their 5th anniversary a few days ago. Also celebrating their 5th, Hannah Pruitt Cool Award Winners James & Jessica Hawbaker. Congrats!
611p... One of the first times in recent memory, EVERYONE is actually watching the game, or at least in the same room as the television. Usually, only a few of us stay the whole time in front of the tv, some come in and out, and others are around the house playing Wii, cards, games, etc.
609p... Pittsburgh into the end zone! Touchdown Steelers! Okay, so I might think of revising my pick of an Arizona win, though Denver went up 10-0 in Super Bowl 1988, and Washington won, like, 50 to 10. Here's a commercial with guys being hit in the head with various objects, and another starring wild animals, encouraging us to adopt pets.
608p... Two commercials (Doritos and GoDaddy.com) and two chicks in various states of undress. One of them was Danica Patrick. Um. Bad! Bad! Yeah, its bad!
603p... Also saw a preview for the show "Medium". Heard there will be a spin-off, shortened version called "Small". And a movie version, called "Large". Ha!
602p... Just saw a great car commercial with Potato Heads, then we see an until now unemployed Vin Diesel in the preview for "Fast and Furious".
555p... The arrival of Tom & Jill Johnson stirs the crowd, but not nearly as much as Tommy Mac and Amy McL, who trump the Johnsons by bringing in their daughter, Sophie.
552p... Score is still 3-0 Pittsburgh. We now have our 3D glasses, and we just saw the hysterical trailer for "Year One", starring Jack Black & Michael Cera.
550p... This exchange:
Jenn Powell: Mrs. Lynn, what are you doing?
Mrs. Lynn (tearing apart 3D glasses): I'm separating 3D glasses for the upcoming 3D commercials
Someone in the room: How do we know when to put them on?
The Rev'rn Ty Coffey: When the tv gets blurry.
548p... Here's the trailer for GI Joe:
544p... Who all just showed up? Daniel & Jennifer Powell are here, Sybil & Dan just came in, The Holloways have been here all day apparently.
543p... In the commercial front, "Angels & Demons" trailer just came on, with Tom Hanks weird hair making a triumphant return. Jason Statham appears in an Audi commercial... I think its always a good decision to have Jason Statham in a cool commercial.
541p... Okay, just loaded up on chicken wings, a taco, a big fat roll with slightly melted butter, sausage balls and several pigs-n-a-blanket. In the game, Pittsburgh apparently scored but Big Ben (Pittsburgh's QB) fell short of the line, via a coach's challenge. The Steelers got a field goal.
528p... Eating. Back in a few.
522p... Its the trailer for "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra," and stars Dennis Quaid. It comes out in August and the entire room went silent for it.
521p... Mikey is rooting Kurt Warner all the way, because "Ben is a professed athiest. Can't be having that."
519p... Jennifer Hudson is now singing "The Star Spangled Banner".
516p... Our picks tonight? Mikey goes all Arizona... Rev'rn Ty says, "Who's playing? Seriously..." Shawn's pick? Faith Hill, currently singing "America the Beautiful". Jennifer Adams picks? "Who's playing? Steelers? I'll go Steelers."
514p... We are here! We are blogging live from the Nipp Household, that being Ken & Lynn Nipp, parents of the infamous Mikey, good buddy from Deuce Days. Here right now is The Lovely Steph Leann, Mikey and Shawn Sharp. In the kitchen, brewing up some good eats for us all is Ken & Lynn. In comes is The Rev'rn Ty Coffey and entering the home is Jennifer Adams (I never get to see her, so I always forget how hot she is...)
318pm.... Well, it hasn't begun just yet. I am on my way to WalkAbout (middle school drama team) practice. Then back to The Cabana to pick up The Lovely Steph Leann, then off to the Super Bowl...
My early prediction? Arizona 31, Pittsburgh 26. I called it right here.
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