Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Great Times To Come
This has been a roller coaster ride of a year, hasn't it? The Gays, the election, Obama, and the drama!
But through it all, y'all been there with me. Thank you for joining me in this journey, and I hope all of y'all have a Happy New Year!
WHAT IF Bryan Singer never left X-Men 3?
As some of y'all can tell, my heart was broken with X-Men 3. Brett Ratner ruined this for me and although it's been about 3 years, I'm still bitter about this.
But today, I thought about how it would've been if Bryan Singer would've stayed, instead of leaving for Superman Returns.
For Bryan, it was a opportunity of a lifetime to do a Superman movie. However, if he stayed on the X-Men this is how it would've turned out.
Jean Grey would have returned. The White Queen would have been introduced and use her powers to control Jean. Magneto takes notice and also tries to gain control of Jean with the White Queen's help. But their meddling causes Jean to lose control and go all Dark Phoenix. Overwhelmed by her powers, Jean makes Cyclops kill her, but her spirit survives and becomes a "Phoenix".
No Morlocks.
No "Cure".
No Twink ass Angel.
No overarching plotlines.
Just a story, a different story, but a better story than the mess we got.
It also hurts, really hurts, to know that if Joss Whedon was free from the Wonder Woman debacle, he could've directed the movie.
Ugggh!
Burris is being PIMPED!
When Rod got up on that stage and named Burris for the Senate, I knew there was something wrong with it. He's under all this drama and folks are trying to impeach him...why would he appoint someone in the middle of this mess?
And Burris...why would he accept the offer while Rod's under all this investigation? He should have waited until all of this is over.
Burris says the Rod Drama has nothing to do with him, but it does. It looks shady and it acts as a way to buy Baloney Sandwich time. Burris should be smarter than this. I feel he's letting his dreams get in the way of reality. I know he's qualified, that's not the issue and his race isn't an issue either (you hear that Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush). Integrity is the issue. If Burris has any sense, he will step aside until the mess is done.
Pleading on TV and acting like nothing is going on with your appointment is foolish and shady, Burris. You need to trust in the system and step aside. A man of your stature should not be made a fool of.
Atheists Assemble!
The attack of the Atheists begins here. This week, they are aiming to remove the words "so help me God" from the end of the president's oath of office. And it doesn't stop there, they also want ministers gone as well.
Michael Newdow,who tried this "ban" in 2001 and 2005, is joined by the American Humanist Association, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and other super atheist groups in the new attack.
The new lawsuit says in part, "There can be no purpose for placing 'so help me God' in an oath or sponsoring prayers to God, other than promoting the particular point of view that God exists."
Newdow said references to God during inauguration ceremonies violate the Constitution's ban on the establishment of religion.
I wish them good luck, but it's not likely they will win. Still, I applaud their efforts.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
2009 begins with a Bitter Divorce of Time Warner & Viacom
I can't believe this is happening. Cable may not be the same after tomorrow.
Media giant Viacom Inc. said its Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and 16 other channels will go dark on Time Warner Cable Inc. at 12:01 a.m. Thursday if a new carriage fee deal is not agreed upon by then.
The impasse over carriage fee hikes would mean "SpongeBob" and other shows like "The Daily Show" will be cut off to 13 million subscribers, said spokesman Alex Dudley, a vice president at Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable operator.
Viacom has asked for fee increases of between 22 percent and 36 percent per channel, an amount that could increase customers' cable bills, Dudley said. Viacom spokeswoman Kelly McAndrew said the requested increase was in the very low double-digit percentage range.
"The issue is that they have asked for an exorbitant increase in their carriage fees and their network ratings are sagging," he said. "Basically we're trying to hold the line for our customer."
Viacom said the increases would cost an extra 23 cents a month per subscriber _ which works out to $35.9 million more in total. It said that Americans spend a fifth of their TV time watching Viacom shows but its fees make up less than 2.5 percent of the Time Warner cable bill.
Madness...How am I doing to watch my girl, New York find love? How am I going to deal with losing Dr. sexy ass Drew and I Love the 80's?
Who wants to see Lil Abner's baby?
Another reason why we are in recession...mess like this.
Paying for the pics of Blister and Lil Abner's baby boy, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.
According to one source, bidding for the baby photos began at $100,000. People won out in the end, but In Touch was the only other weekly to make serious bids, according to several sources involved in the process.
The price didn't soar immediately, according to the sources, because Sarah Palin stories just didn’t sell all that well for the weeklies on newsstands. The drug-related arrest of Johnston's mother, however, caused the price tag for the photos to go up.
How high? $300K.
Really. I'm sure if you stand on the Brooklyn Bridge or the Manulife Building in L.A., you can see their baby in the crib.
Who could be Catwoman? My picks
Selena (Catwoman) was from the streets. A petty thief/prostitute-like person who wanted more in the world of crime. I think this version would give her some meat as a character. The actress that plays her should carry the look and style of the Catwoman most of us know and love.
So here are some actresses, I think, could pull it off.
Olga Kurylenko- from Quantum of Solace
Zoe Saldana
Rosario Dawson
Morena Baccarin- from Firefly
Sen. Diaz Sr.'s Letter of Mess
One of the Gang of 3 and all around cretin, Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. has written an open letter that could be considered a bit manipulative.
He's responding to negative ads taking over the Bronx about his actions ( joining the Republicans in a vote to block Malcolm Smith from becoming Senate Majority Leader because he supports gay stuff).
In Diaz Sr.'s letter, he accuses Gov. David Paterson of disproportionately hitting the poor and minority New Yorkers with budget cuts and assuming Smith will do the same. Then he has to reiterates his feelings about making gay marriage legal in New York.
So he's trying to tell the poor and minority folks that gay marriage and budget cuts will destroy the Bronx and the rest of New York.
NG also talks about this madman on his blog. I tell you this cretin is pure eco-frendly mess.
Moo-Donna Bankrupted the US
There were 3 reasons why folks were broke in 2008. One, was the economy. Two, was the lost of jobs, and three was spending over $200 for a Moo-donna concert ticket.
In fact, folks made her "Sticky & Sweet" concert the biggest-grossing music tour of 2008 in the US, raking in $105.3 million bucks.
Just when I thought she was done...I wish Janet has such luck.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Blast from the Past
Yes on Prop 8 Supporters can't take the Flames
I believe that if you donate to a cause, you stand behind it, support it to the uttermost degree, right? And when you are called out about your stance, you stand for it without hesitation, right? Not if you are Yes on Prop 8 donor.
These donors are upset their info was put on blast and hate the heat they're getting from us. But really, how are they complaining? They believed they were right, they believed they had to donate to stop us. Once the list was made public, these crybabies want to be victims when the backlash started. And now there's a call to keep donors on the DL.
From Wall Street Journal John R. Lott Jr. writes:
We have secret balloting for obvious reasons. Politics frequently generates hot tempers. People can put up yard signs or wear political buttons if they want. But not everyone feels comfortable making his or her positions public -- many worry that their choice might offend or anger someone else. They fear losing their jobs or facing boycotts of their businesses.
And yet the mandatory public disclosure of financial donations to political campaigns in almost every state and at the federal level renders people's fears and vulnerability all too real. Proposition 8 -- California's recently passed constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage by ensuring that marriage in that state remains between a man and a woman -- is a dramatic case in point. Its passage has generated retaliation against those who supported it, once their financial support was made public and put online.
They should have realized the consequences of their actions.*CRAZY EXAMPLE MOMENT* If I donated money to remake X-Men 3 against Fox studios and later on, I'm in an interview at their studio, I should be aware that my donation issue may come up. And if it does, I would stand firm with my decision.
Okay, maybe not the best example, but my point is, they are not the victim, we are. While they lost business or jobs, we lost a basic right. So suck it up Yes folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride for awhile.
The US will Fall in 2010...according to a Russian teacher
Igor Panarin is a dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's academy for future diplomats, a former KGB analyst, and a fortune teller. His powers are predicting an economic and moral fallout that will lead into a civil war and the destruction of the U.S.
Sounds like a comic book storyline, but he's gave this idea a lot of thought. Igor begins with the notion that wealthier states (I guess NY and CA) will strangle funds from the federal government and break away from the union. The poor gets mad and a civil war will arise. Then we split along color lines, and foreign powers will move in. Interesting.
Then it gets fun...
California will form the nucleus of what he calls "The Californian Republic," and will be part of China or under Chinese influence. Texas will be the heart of "The Texas Republic," a cluster of states that will go to Mexico or fall under Mexican influence. Washington, D.C., and New York will be part of an "Atlantic America" that may join the European Union. Canada will grab a group of Northern states Prof. Panarin calls "The Central North American Republic." Hawaii, he suggests, will be a protectorate of Japan or China, and Alaska will be subsumed into Russia.
"It would be reasonable for Russia to lay claim to Alaska; it was part of the Russian Empire for a long time." A framed satellite image of the Bering Strait that separates Alaska from Russia like a thread hangs from his office wall.I guess Sarah Palin was on to something. She could become the Duchess of mess. So does this have any merit? I hope not, but we need to get on track soon. I couldn't imagine the South to be all European. Then again, that could be an improvement.
If you see any Vampire movie it should be this one...
Let The Right One In is the bomb! I can't believe this was in limited release. Funny, it has the same premise as Twilight, (two young folks against the world, one just happens to be a vampire) but there's so much more in the movie!
A young kid, Oskar is not a popular boy. He misses his dad, kids pick on him, and he's kinda falling into Dahmer state of mind, until he meets a weird and mysterious girl named Eli, who's his new neighbor and only comes out at night.
The film is dark, haunting and intriguing. The flow of the story is a steady pace and there's so much happening in the scenes. As normal, I will keep this vague, but I highly recommend this movie. It's creepy, horrific, and great. I am very pleased with this film and pray they will never remake it. Love this movie.
Question of the Day: Skip being the new Black...Are Gays the new Evangelicals?
I love different views and opinions about anything. And I also love challenging different views and opinions. So in the spirit of doing such stuff, I have a question/situation for y'all.
In several conversations with fellow gay folks, I've learned we're all over the place about Obama's Rick Warren drama, appointing LGBT folks to the cabinet, and the infamous Prop 8. "We are the new Black" motif is slowly becoming a new T-shirt of the year.
However, some folks are saying that we are not the new Black...We are the new Evangelicals. When I asked why, I was told we are acting like the uber-Christians back in 2004 when Bush won his 2nd term. They demanded so much stuff from prayer in schools to a constitution amendment to ban gay marriage. And later they claimed they were betrayed.
I thought it was an interesting concept. Are we jumping to fast? Do we have a reason to be this upset? I think we should be upset, but I think we need to focus our energies in long term planning and goal setting. But I want to know what y'all think. Are we becoming the new Evangelicals?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Mamma Mia has taken over the UK
Thank Athena this didn't happen here...well, it did in DVD sales, which still baffles me. But the UK thing is fascinating! They gave us Doctor Who, A Beautiful Thing, the original and better Queer as Folk, and Psylocke. However, they supported the fledgling N'SYNC and Backstreet Boys, gave us the Spice Girls, and Trance music.
I saw Mamma Mia and thought it was horrible, it was a poor man's Xanadu and nowhere near Dreamgirls. So what was it? What made this movie THE movie. Maybe it was the belief that Abba would get back together...I don't know. I shouldn't hate on this movie, but I'm still in shock.
Interesting Quote: Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul and Mary
Obama is not a candidate. He is the President-Elect, and this song insults the office of the Presidency, the people who voted for him, as well as those who did not -- and taking a children's song and twisting it in such vulgar, mean-spirited way, is a slur to our entire country and our common agreement to move beyond racism. It is almost unimaginable to me that Chip Saltzman who sent the CD, would seriously be considered for the top post of the Republican National Committee. Puff, himself, if asked, would certainly agree.
Yarrow is the co-writer of the original Puff the Magic Dragon
Frankie says Let Go, Let Flow
Frank Rich wrote an opinion piece about the Secret "Rick Warren" Invasion. In all, he wants us to move on and fight for another day.
He said...
Since he’s not about to rescind the invitation, what happens next? For perspective, I asked Timothy McCarthy, a historian who teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and an unabashed Obama enthusiast who served on his campaign’s National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Leadership Council. He responded via e-mail on Christmas Eve.
After noting that Warren’s role at the inauguration is, in the end, symbolic, McCarthy concluded that “it’s now time to move from symbol to substance.” This means Warren should “recant his previous statements about gays and lesbians, and start acting like a Christian.”
McCarthy added that it’s also time “for President-elect Obama to start acting on the promises he made to the LGBT community during his campaign so that he doesn’t go down in history as another Bill Clinton, a sweet-talking swindler who would throw us under the bus for the sake of political expediency.” And “for LGBT folks to choose their battles wisely, to judge Obama on the content of his policy-making, not on the character of his ministers.”
I agree, we need to judge him on more than Ricky's mess. We are wasting too much ammo on him and leaving nothing for the bigger battles ahead. Let's skip fighting The Toad and Mastermind and move on to Magneto. I had to throw in a X-Men reference in there.
More of Frank's opinion piece is here.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
I got to Get in Shape
Okay, I need to get in shape. I'm in Weight Watchers and I'm not taking it seriously. However, I've been doing better. I just need to keep it real with myself.
I need to set goals and stick to a plan. I usually jump to something new if the current plan isn't working the way I want it to. But no more excuses, this begins my track back to fitness. I even bought running shoes today and bypassed Pink's, which is my greatest weakness next to Long John Silvers and Louis Vuitton.
The 1st of the 3 RNC Blacks speaks out against Chip Sh**man, while the 2nd one defends him
It is time we all grew up and exhibited some sophistication in how we act as it relates to this Republican party we supposedly love and support. Racist actions and deeds have no place in the party. The lack of sensitivity in understanding the historical election we just had and the challenges this nation faces as we must bind our wounds as well as bring our people together requires that we set aside our biases and search out those constitutional principles inherent in our nation's foundings and our parties operation which must undergrid us as we move forward.
This is the party of Lincoln and it was founded on the backs of the oppression of blacks. If we are to be the leading party we had better understand that and act responsibly in addressing the needs of all of the citizens as we strive for more inclusiveness.
Ada M. Fisher, MD
NC Republican National Committee Woman
However Black person no. 2, Ken Blackwell, who's running for the RNC chair position defends Chip saying:
"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-Elect Obama being the first African-American elected president. I don't think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."
Personally, if I was Blackwell I would join Dr. Fisher and oust Chip. What better way to get the chair position, than to get rid of "bigot" of the RNC...just saying.
The Spirit didn't Move
I wanted to see this movie and I wanted to believe that it had a shot in hell, but I guess I was wrong. The Spirit saved nothing in the theater.
In fact, it came in 11th place, behind movies that were released a couple of weeks ago. What went wrong? What it the unbelievable hero, the overuse of femme fatales, or Samuel L. Jackson?
I still may see it, but if I can get it bootlegged version first, I'll save $10 bucks.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Curious Case of Getting Shot when Talking at the Movies
Last Night, my partner and I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Great film, I highly recommend it. But during our night out at the movies, I sat next to a talkative idiot and his wife. I "shhhed" them and things were good.
Too bad this didn't happened at the Riverview Theatre.
A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.
James Joseph Cialella Jr., 29, of the 1900 block of Hollywood Street is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons violations.
"It's truly frightening when you see something like this evolve into such violence," said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.
Police were called to the Riverview Theatre in the 1400 block of Columbus Boulevard about 9:30 p.m. where the gunshot victim, a Philadelphia man who was not identified, told police a man sitting near him told his family to be quiet and threw popcorn at his son.
After exchanging words, Vanore said Cialella allegedly got out of his seat to confront the family when the father got up to protect them. That's when the victim was shot once in the left arm, sending others in the theatre running to safety.
Cialella then sat down to watch the movie. Police arrived a short time later and arrested Cialella and confiscated his weapon, Vanore said.
Scary stuffThe Not So Good Stuff in the LGBT World 2008
This year was interesting year to say the least. We saw good stuff and bad stuff, then there were things we couldn't done without. So to follow with other 2008 lists, I've put together a list of some not so good stuff in our world.
- Fall of the Icons. Very rarely our divas put out CDs around the same time, but when they do I expect the competition to be on. But it wasn't, it was uber-off. Mariah, Janet, and Moo-donna put out their CDs and you could tell it was all about the money. I was deeply hurt with Janet, I expected so much as the failures of the Damita Jo and 20 Y.O. However, this CD was just rehashed mess from All for You. Mariah was suppose to ride on the success of Mimi, but that MC2 just equaled muck. Moo-donna's CD was more of a Ghost Town DJs CD minus My Boo.
- The continuation of The Lair and Dante's Cove. These shows are mistakes in the gay horror/supernatural world. I hate to think there are powerful ideas floating in limbo, while these "shows" continue to plague the screen. Both series are jokes with hot bodies and no substance. They are embarrassments to the gay geeks.
- Prop 8. We lost and because of poor planning we are still screaming, blaming, and lallygagging with no set plans or goals. Hopefully, this will change soon.
- Racism. After the lost of Prop 8, we witnessed hidden racial tension. Also we had a few speakers for the minority communities who views were mistaken for the overall communities' views. These speakers were given the limelight to spat off their opinions which didn't help anything at all.
- Rise of assaults. This year we lost a lot of family due to violence and ignorance. A transsexual was murdered in Memphis, a man was beaten to death in New York on the belief he was gay, 3 gay men were killed in New Orleans, then a gay teen was killed in his dorm room by a guy who just wanted to say he murdered someone.
- Rick Warren. This man is like Magneto. While some of us are upset, others are ready to hunt this man down. He stirred up so much stuff he's beyond human, he's like a virus. I'm sure this was the last thing he wanted when he got the call from White House.
- The Mormons. We didn't see them coming. They were the thieves in the night, raising tons of money to halt our marriage rights. It's so hard for me to look my favorite Donny & Marie performances the same way since Nov. 4th.
- Bitterness & Bitchy. I've noticed that the gays in power seemed to be bitchy and almost evil. I remember reading some of Perez Hilton's stuff about outing stars. Would he had wanted someone to out him when he wasn't ready? No! So why would he do the same? Here's more on this topic that is dead on. It sad to see gay power beset by such bitterness and mess.
- Katy Perry made bank from her fauxmosexual song, I Kissed a Girl. It was insulting.
- ManHunt's Repub love. Johnathon Crowley, co-owner of the gay hook-up site, ManHunt donated money to McCain's campaign. The fallout lead to his resignation, but it didn't hurt the business.
- Hiding in Hip Hop: Terrance Dean's book of debauchery. I wrote a lot about this book and its purpose to out major stars and R&B artists for the sake of might dollar. This book was not what it seemed, nor anything worth buying. It was actually a slap in the face to the LGBT community.
Who are the Batmen?
Chip Saltsman is a F**ktard!
Seems like the Repubs never learn their lesson. With racism being one their biggest obstacles, fools like Chip Saltsman just keeps the Jim Crow's fires burning.
Stupid ass Chip, who's a candidate for the Republican National Committee chairmanship sent the committee members Christmas goodie bag with a CD which includes a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro". When he was called out about it, he quickly jumped to the "it's a joke" defense.
He said "I think most people recognize political satire when they see it. I think RNC members understand that."
Really Chip? I guess if we made a CD with songs called, "Chip Saltsman the lover of Kiddie Porn" or Chip beats his wife" that would be a joke too.
Are you that stupid, Chip? Have you been asleep for 20 years? You just lost your bid for RNC chair. Do you think they want an idiot like you to be a chair, servicing under the "Magic Negro"?
Sweetie, you just doomed yourself.
You better get your resume together.
Fox may be the Grinch that Stole Watchmen
This may not be good if you are a Watchmen fan. Quick recap, Fox owned the rights to Alan Moore's masterpiece, Watchmen, but did nothing with it. Then Warners made a movie with Fox fully aware.
But once the fans fell hard for it during Comic Con, all of a sudden Fox gives a damn. So they sued and I hate to say it, but they won.
In a surprise ruling, a federal judge in Los Angeles said he intended to grant 20th Century Fox’s claim that it owns a copyright interest in the “Watchmen,” a movie shot by Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures and set for release in March. The decision was disclosed in a five-page written order issued on Wednesday.
Gary A. Feess, a judge in the United States District Court for Central California, said he would provide a more detailed order soon. Fox has been seeking to prevent Warner from releasing the film. The superhero adventure, based on the “Watchmen” graphic novel, is being directed by Zack Snyder (who also directed “300”) and has shaped up as one of most eagerly anticipated releases for next year.
A Warner spokesman, Scott Rowe, declined to comment on the ruling and the studio’s plans. At an earlier hearing, the judge said he believed that issues in the case could be settled only at a trial, which was scheduled for late January. On Wednesday, however, Judge Feess said he had reconsidered and concluded that Fox should prevail on crucial issues. “Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the ‘Watchmen’ motion picture,” the ruling said. Fox acquired rights to the “Watchmen” graphic novel in the late 1980s for the producer Lawrence Gordon, but eventually dropped its own plan to make a movie from its story, about the underside of life for superbeings.
Mr. Gordon later pursued the project with Universal Pictures, and then with Paramount Pictures, before shooting it with Warner and Legendary under an arrangement that allows Paramount to distribute the film abroad.
In ruling on Wednesday, Judge Feess advised both Fox and Warner to look toward a settlement or an appeal. “The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review,” he said.
This should prompt artists and creators to keep their stuff on lockdown so mess like this won't happen. Fox had every right to sue, but it still comes off very shady. Both studios should work something out and make sure this movie is released on time. They need to know that we, the fans, are in middle of this. If this battle gets ugly, everybody suffers. So I hope this can get solved and settled soon.
Thanks to Latino Review for the news.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Favorite Toy Commercials
I almost miss playing with toys
Horror in Real Time
This story is all over town. I'm getting e-mail from my friends in Kentucky about this.
Stinging from an acrimonious divorce, a man plotting revenge against his ex-wife dressed up like Santa, went to his former in-laws' Christmas Eve party and slaughtered at least six people before killing himself hours later.
Three people were listed as missing after Bruce Pardo's rampage — his ex-wife and her parents — and it was feared their remains were among the ashes of the home, which Pardo set ablaze using a bizarre homemade device that sprayed flammable liquid.
Pardo, 45, had no criminal record and no history of violence, according to police, but he was angry following last week's settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year.
"It was not an amicable divorce," police Lt. Pat Buchanan said.
The massacre began when an 8-year-old girl answered Pardo's knock at the door. Pardo, carrying what appeared to be a large present, pulled out a handgun and shot her in the face, then began shooting indiscriminately as about 25 partygoers tried to flee, police said.
A 16-year-old girl was shot in the back, and a 20-year-old woman broke her ankle when she escaped by jumping from a second-story window. Those two, and the 8-year-old, remained hospitalized Christmas Day.
The gift-wrapped box Pardo was carrying actually contained a pressurized homemade device he used to spray a liquid that quickly sent the house up in flames, police said.
When the fire was extinguished early Thursday, officers found three charred bodies in the living room area.
"They were met with a scene that was just indescribable," police Chief Kim Raney said. Investigators found three more bodies amid the ashes later in the day.
None of the dead or missing have been identified.
Following the shootings, Pardo quickly got out of the Santa suit and drove off, witnesses told police. He went to his brother's home about 25 miles away in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. No one was home, so Pardo let himself in, police said.
Police were called to the home early Thursday, and officers found Pardo dead of a single bullet to the head.
Great Loss: Eartha Kitt
A great woman, actress, and entertainer has died today. Eartha Kitt has passed on.
A family friend says Eartha Kitt, a sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has died. She was 81.
Andrew Freedman says Kitt died Thursday of colon cancer and was recently treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York.
Kitt, a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr, was one of America's most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and getting a third nomination. She also was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Grammy.
I hope her family are fine...She will be missed
Back Flash Video Thursday: Holiday Version
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thank Hera for Small Favors 3
To the true Horror fans/geeks, Platinum Dunes is the Devil. They have been on a remake frenzy for a while and every Horror movie from the 70s and 80s are in danger of their retouch. I'm sure they are nice people, but they have to know they are pissing off a huge amount of folks.
However, Hera smiled on us by telling producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form not to remake Rosemary's Baby! They had a plan to remake the demonic classic but something...happened.
Is there a horror film that just cannot be done again and why do it again? I see that you’re doing “Rosemary’s Baby” and that seems like one.
Andrew: We are not doing “Rosemary’s Baby”.
Brad: No, no. I mean… “Rosemary’s Baby” was announced and it’s like a little bit like we’re taking about with Freddy. We went down that road and we even talked to the best writers in town and it feels like it might not be do-able. We couldn’t’ come up with something where it felt like it was relevant and we could add something to it other than what it was so we’re now not going to be doing that film.
Good, good indeed
Interesting Quote: Michael Thielen leader of the Republican National Lawyer Association
"As you may know, the precinct recount phase of the Minnesota Senate race was won by Sen. Norm Coleman on Election Day. But Al Franken still won't concede. Instead, Franken raised millions of dollars from liberals in New York and Hollywood to fight a "legal" battle to undo the will of the voters. He even got the Minnesota Supreme Court to order canvassing boards to consider about 1600 previously rejected and questionable ballots. Now, Republican Norm Coleman has until December 31st to fight against Franken's liberal legal team to keep his Senate seat. RNLA and Norm Coleman are fighting for every vote -- literally!"
Repubs are scared to death that Franken may "steal" the election.
Basically, Disney's saying IT SUCKS
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" will have to sail without Disney.
This was no surprise, but I thought I would post it.
While declining to elaborate, Disney and Walden Media confirmed Tuesday that for budgetary and logistical reasons the Burbank-based studio is not exercising its option to co-produce and co-finance the next "Narnia" movie with Walden.
The third entry in the series, based on the classic books by C.S. Lewis, was in preproduction and set for a spring shoot for a planned May 2010 release. The development puts the participation of the talent attached in doubt. Michael Apted was on board to direct a script by Steven Knight. The key players of the second installment, "Prince Caspian" -- Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell -- were to return for the third film.
Walden has a strong relationship with the Lewis estate and will shop "Treader" in hopes of finding a new partner. The most likely candidate at this stage is Fox, which markets and distributes Walden fare under the Fox Walden banner.
It is rare for a studio to pull out of a planned trilogy in midstream, but the number-crunching showed a franchise on a downward trend. "Lion" roared to $292 million domestically and another $453 million internationally in 2005. This year, "Prince Caspian" grossed a healthy $141 million in North America and another $278 million internationally, but that was well off the "Lion" take.
People watched it, but it was nothing like Harry Potter or LOTR. I guess folks had their fill of the fantasies
Following Queerty's lead...6 More Shows LOGO should Produce
Queerty has given me an idea. Today in their post, they talked about 3 shows Logo should produce. Like them, I agree that their programming needs a good stirring in the creative pot.
So I'm going to continue their idea and pitch some shows as well.
- A "Gay" View. I would love to see or be a part of a LGBT version of The View. It would be cute to see a diverse crew of LGBT people talking about our world and everything else around it.
- A good, good drama show like Six Feet Under and NOTHING like Queer as Folk. Ex: After a rude awakening, a nightlife impresario decides to change his life and start a LGBT home for troubled youth.
- A supernatural show that does not make a joke out the genre, Joss Whedon-like writer would be great. Ex: A young gay outsider falls for another outsider who happens to be half-demon.
- Continue the Can't Get a Date series. It's good to see other LGBT folks dealing with dating issues.
- Have a Midnight Special variety hour. There are a lot of LGBT musical artists. It would be nice to see them perform.
- Create a series called Everyday, that highlight the great things LGBT folks are doing. We don't see that enough in the media.
A Musical? Really?
George Lucas has signed off on Star Wars: A Musical Journey, a two-hour live musical event featuring a Stormtrooper kick line and singing Wookiees John Williams' Oscar-winning score.
Premiering next year in London's O2 arena, the production will be performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in sync with movie clips from the six live-action films. The show will play in chronological order, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.
The production will blast off April 10 in the U.K. and then embark on a European tour, complete with an exhibition of rare Star Wars collectibles including never-before-seen models, props, costumes and production artwork. No word when it will visit America.
Why? George don't need the money and I don't think we want the show.This should be reminder
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
"His Name was Jason" Trailer
Get Excited
Star Trek: The Gay Experience
Picture it, 1988,“Blood and Fire” was rejected by the Star Trek: The Next Generation folks. But 20 years later, “Blood and Fire” is back in the Star Trek: Phase II series.
Carlos Pedraza rewrote this with David Gerrol's blessing. Here's more from Carlos:
David Gerrold gave me free rein in the rewrite, though I strove to stay as true to his original concept as possible. However, I found the original’s blood transfusion metaphor for the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s too dated, so the story’s villains — and heroes, for that matter — got a major update. By the way, the episode guest stars Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar from TNG).
David was so intrigued by the possibilities in my rewritten script that he added more material, turning “Blood and Fire” into a two-part episode. Today’s release will be followed by Part 2 in 2009.
Juicy stuff... please go and check it out here
And thanks to Carlos for making this real
I'm going to hang out with Rick Warren
Since Ricky is doing photo ops in Gay L.A., I'm going to find him and hang. Hopefully, I can talk him into dropping his Ex-Gay program at the Saddleback Church, or buying me a LV bag.
Tucker Bounds...This was NOT a Good Year for you
Tucker, honey, take this time to strengthen your skills, okay. And I will take this time to showcase your "greatest" moments.
Tucker...maybe you will be ready in 2012.
CW is getting their Asses Beat by a Network made up of Reruns
This is irony, payback, revenge, and karma. Y'all know I despise CW for their programming foolishness: getting rid of most of their minority shows and replacing them with rich, white teen shows that only promotes self-important zombies. A bit much I know.
But the news is MyNetwork TV, a channel consisted of canceled shows, movies of the week, and English-language telenovelas has beaten CW in ratings for the past 3 weeks. MyNetwork TV used to average about 700, 000 viewers last season, now they average around 1.76 million viewers.
But how is this network cobbering CW? Easily, they don't gear their programming to one type of viewer. Remember, CW wanted to focus on women, as if there are no We, Oh, or Lifetime channels floating around. MyNetwork TV hits mostly families which means something for everyone.
And speaking for everyone, MyNetwork TV is very racially diverse in its programming. They hit hard with Latino and Black shows (I'll let that horrible Flava Flav slide). Also, they avoid the reality competition and dating crap. Then they stick with the classics like COPS, Jail, and those Funny moments caught on Tape shows...I guess they still work.
So CW, look at this very closely at this. I've said it before, your stragety works, but doesn't make any waves. This is proof that you need to shake it up and get back to basics. Remember Veronica Mars, Dawson, Buffy, Girlfriends, Angel, and One on One. They were quality shows, you get back to that and maybe your viewers will return.
Interesting Quote: Moose Mess Palin
The biggest mistake made was that I could have called more shots on this: the opportunities that were not seized to speak to more Americans via media. I was not allowed to do very many interviews, and the interviews that I did were not necessarily those I would have chosen. But I was so thankful to have the opportunity to run with John McCain that I was not going to argue with the strategy decisions that some of his people were making regarding the media contacts. But if I would have been in charge, I would have wanted to speak to more reporters because that’s how you get your message out to the electorate.
Sarah's answer when asked: What was the biggest mistake made in the ’08 campaign?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thank Hera for Small Favors...part 2
DList is a useless hook-up site with too many self-important queers and not enough smart lovable geeks. But guess what? It's done, the worthless site will be gone by the beginning of the year.
Why? Well, for true logical reason of course.
The creator, Daniel Nardicio said that “Dlist is pretty much dead. I moved on emotionally when I realized I’d partnered with the wrong person," Nardicio revealed. "So I’m developing the next, new exciting version of what I wanted for DList! It'll incorporate all my original ideas from DList, but move the whole venture into live, real contact.”
A new version? Well I guess everyone looking for an empty hook-up will have to return to Gay.com for their pleasure.
Thank Hera for Small Favors
The bane of the Black man's existence, known as 50cent, is feeling the heat of the Obama age.
MTV did an odd thing; they dropped a stupid show, but not any stupid show, 50 cent's stupid show. His “The Money and the Power” pimp mess was dropped. Apparently somebody told them 50cent has no power anymore and Black men want to be more than fake Gs.
“Our new shows will feature themes of affirmation and accomplishment,” says Brian Graden, president of entertainment at MTV Networks music channels and president of Logo. “Our shows are going to focus less on loud and silly hooks and more on young people proving themselves. These are themes that are consistent with the Obama generation.”
Really?That remains to be seen, but I applaud them for setting standard. It's time for the Theo Huxtables to rise up. Thank you, MTV.
P.S. I HATE that pic!
Are we ready for Sexy She-Wolves series?
Check this out:
Talk about a hairy "Sex and the City." The Fox network is developing "Bitches," a dramedy about a quartet of female friends in New York who are werewolves. The project, which has received a script plus penalty commitment from the network, hails from feature writer Michael Dougherty and Warner Bros. TV.
TV writing duo Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts have come on board to supervise Dougherty. The two also will serve as executive producers alongside Dougherty if the project, described as a quirky urban fairy tale, goes to series. "Bitches" continues the werewolf theme from Dougherty's recent horror flick "Trick 'r Treat."
Love Michael Dougherty, but I'm not feeling this yet. I'm bias about werewolves, yet I'm open about this, it could be a hit.
The OTHER Rev. in the Room
Instead of talking about Ricky, let's talk about the other Rev. in the room, Rev. Joseph Lowery. This man has done so much in his lifetime and he's truly an example social justice and good faith.
Rev. Lowery start his journey right after Rosa Parks made her historic stance. He help lead boycotts and protest in Montgomery and with Dr. King founded founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which he was president for 20 years.
Lowery also co-founder and leader the Black Leadership Forum. This group were active against the Apartheid and he was among the few to get arrested at the South African Embassy in during the Free South Africa movement.
Later he became a pastor in Atlanta and remains very active in the civil rights movement. In fact, he is huge supporter of LGBT rights and our right to marry. He has received many awards for his work and he is dedicated in the fight for social justice.
This choice was a wise choice for Obama. I hate that through all of this hype, we barely hear about the Rev. let alone the accomplishments Lowery has achieved. I only hope to do as a fourth of what he's done in my lifetime. So please everyone, look at Joseph Lowery as the balance to Rick Warren. Let his message, his work, and his purpose speak loudly that night and hopefully beyond.
A Fan's Devotion: Wormy T
He has a terrific "trailer" for a ThunderCats movie
And Superman
I hope to see more from Wormy T, the work is really good.
Interesting Quote: Jasmyne Cannick
"Instead of denouncing Obama's choice to invite Warren, gays should be hailing it, as it shows a continued effort on Obama's behalf to reach across the aisle in an effort to bring everyone to the table, the very thing that the gay leadership hasn't even made an effort to learn how do post Prop. 8. You would think that after running a horrible campaign that was predicated on assumptions about how Blacks would vote that the gay leadership would have learned that preaching to the choir will get you about a far as West Hollywood."
The madness continues....great Hera
The Stuff
- Wonder Man
- Viktor is a small town southern boy living in Los Angeles. You can find him on Twitter, writing about pop culture, politics, and comics. He’s the creator of the graphic novel StrangeLore and currently getting back into screenwriting.