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Category: Strange Bedfellows (81-90 of 131)

Jun 20 2008 05:00 PM ET

Stars in roles that make you uncomfortable

Categories: DVD/Video, Movies, Science, Strange Bedfellows, Things That Make Me Die Inside, What's Weirder?

Isabellarossellini_l I had heard about Isabella Rossellini’s new role as a "insect-sex (insex?) advocate" on Sundance’s educational Green Porno series, but it wasn’t until a friend sent me a link to the website — which has posted the short films for streaming — that I really got uncomfortable. (And of course had to watch them all, you know, so I could write this post with the journalistic integrity required of a PopWatch scribe.) Anyway, do check ‘em out if you think you’d enjoy watching Rossellini dressed in a variety of insect guises doing what the birds and the (you got it!) bees do. It’s sort of SFW, in the way that the Team America marionette-sex scene is SFW. (I’d link to it, but I can’t seem to find it online… curious, that.)

Here’s my question about the Green Porno films — who’s their intended audience? They can’t be for kids, despite the cutesy outfits and soft colors. The "Snail" film (pictured) has more in common with Secretary than with Sesame Street. Especially the part where she informs us, graphically so, about where the snail’s, er, anus, is unfortunately positioned. (I’m sure there’s a Love Guru joke in here somewhere.)

So! If you’ve watched Green Porno, do you feel any differently about the former Lancome model (who, granted, has starred in some pretty out-there films)? Besides Rossellini, are there any other stars that have played roles that make you similarly uncomfortable?

Jun 17 2008 07:17 PM ET

Please explain Forbes' new celebrity power list (Starring Ashley Tisdale!)

by Gary Susman

Categories: Apropos of Nothing, Beyoncé, Harry Potter, Oprah Winfrey, Reality TV, Strange Bedfellows, The 'Eh' List, Those Crazy Kids!, To Care or Not to Care, Water Cooler

Forbes has put out its annual celebrity power list, and as usual, it’s a puzzlement. The big shift this year is the addition of many tween stars, including some names you might expect (Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron) and some you might not (Ashley Tisdale, Lauren Conrad). Other shifts, closer to the top of the pecking order, are similar headscratchers. Radar does a good job of deconstructing the list, but other questions remain, such as: Why is Beyoncé (pictured) ranked No. 4, just below Angelina Jolie? She out-earned Angelina last year by a factor of six, and besides, if La Jolie is so powerful, how come she couldn’t sell tickets to A Mighty Heart? Oprah ranks at No. 1 (natch), yet J.K. Rowling out-earned her this year (the Harry Potter author took in a staggering $300 million) and has to settle for ninth place. Anyway, read through the list, then come back and see if you can explain it to the rest of us.

Jun 12 2008 07:21 PM ET

Gev gets political on 'So You Think You Can Dance'

by EW staff

Categories: Current Affairs, Reality TV, Strange Bedfellows, Television, Those Crazy Kids!

An astute reader (thanks "Elipsos B"!) has pointed out that during his pre-taped rehearsal and interview, Gev wore a shirt with the unmistakable image of one of the hooded Abu Ghraib prisoners with electrodes on either hand and draped in an American flag. Watching it again, it is literally all I can look at, but somehow I missed it the first time through:

I don’t feel too bad about that though, since apparently no one at Fox (Fox!) caught it either — and I really cannot believe this network in particular would let something so baldly political come anywhere near their summer cash cow. (Heck, last year Nigel felt it necessary to apologize for Wade Robson’s "Waiting on the World to Change" routine, and all the dancers wore then were t-shirts with the words "peace" and "compassion" written on them.)

Did you catch Gev’s shirt? Do you think rehearsals for a disco routine (or for that matter, any form of reality TV programming) are an appropriate place for such a statement? And do you think it affects Gev’s chances of making it through to the next week? — Adam B. Vary

Jun 6 2008 10:50 PM ET

The greatest (worst) 'Survivor' audition of all time?

by Whitney Pastorek

Categories: Strange Bedfellows, Tech, Television

Never one to let my friends embarrass themselves in silence, I am proud to bring you the Survivor audition tape of my pal Lindsay Robertson, co-proprietor of Videogum, and quite possibly the worst candidate for that show in the history of ever. Of course, this isn’t quite serious — she did it on a dare — but there are still several things to recommend it. I particularly enjoy the copy of Infinite Jest sitting oh-so-casually on the coffee table, as if to say "Oh that? It’s just a 1,079 page PoMo novel that I not only read years ago, but keep nearby in case I want to flip through it again." See for yourself:

And now, PopWatchers, it’s confession time: Ever tried out for Survivor (or any other reality show)? More importantly: Got video? If I see enough honesty in the comments, I may be persuaded to embarrass myself very publicly here next week, so c’mon, kids, cough it up.

Jun 5 2008 07:51 PM ET

Should I see 'You Don't Mess With the Zohan'?

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Mel Gibson, Movies, Strange Bedfellows

Zohan_l_2 Wait, wait, don’t have me committed! I’ve been planning on steering as clear as humanly possible from Adam Sandler’s latest attempt to destroy the fine legacy he built with classics like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. Another movie based on borderline-homophobic stereotypes, and this time he had the boundless chutzpah to jack his title from a Big Lebowski catchphrase (link very NSFW, but oh so necessary)? No thanks.

Then today I caught sight of an online report (h/t) that Zohan features "a two-pronged attack on Mel Gibson for his anti-Semitic comments of a couple of years ago." Hmm…as an inveterate Gibson-hater, this certainly appeals to me. Still, I feel like I might have gotten that urge out of my system somewhat by loudly booing every time I saw the Apocalypto trailer in theaters throughout 2006 (true story) and adding a masterful treatment of the Gibson question to my DVD collection. There’s gotta be something more to get me interested in this horrendous-looking Sandler movie. Something like the following revelation from the same report: Gibson’s "movies are used to underscore the neo Nazi rantings of a redneck" — wait for it — "played by rocker Dave Matthews."

Whoa, whoa, whoa! The Dave Matthews? As a virulently bigoted film buff?! I might be tempted to pay money to see that, just for the head-spinning cognitive dissonance of it all. I can hardly imagine how Dave — that frat-tastic yet politically outspoken bundle of contradictions — interpreted a racist diatribe, let alone a defense of Mel Gibson’s offensively bad oeuvre. Does he play it funny or straight? Does Dave Matthews, the man, the legend, really have a problem with Mel Gibson (as well he should), or was he just going along with the Sandman’s directions? Everything about this casting choice boggles the mind.

What do you say? Should I take precious time out of my weekend to see this no-doubt-awful movie for that one scene — or just wait til it shows up on YouTube? (Note: Under no circumstances should this be construed as encouraging PopWatchers to bootleg the relevant portion of Zohan with their cameraphones and put it up on YouTube. Don’t do that!)

Apr 30 2008 11:03 AM ET

Lori Loughlin moving to 90210

by Amy Wilkinson

Categories: Strange Bedfellows, Television, To Care or Not to Care

Ll_l Remember last week when we said Hilary Duff might be joining the cast of the new 90210 spin-off? Well, it looks like that’s not happening so much. According to E! Online, the 20-year-old singer/actress has passed on the role of Annie Mills to expand her image through more grown-up opportunities.

Call me crazy, but I was actually surprised when Duff was offered the role, because I already think of her as a grown-up (is that wrong?). I know it’s de rigueur for 20-somethings to play small screen teens (see: Gossip Girl, Smallville, One Tree Hill, etc.), but I miss the days when actual teenagers played teens. But just as I was beginning to lose my faith in casting, the heavens parted and manna began falling from the sky in the form of 18-year-old Shenae Grimes. This real-life teen and Degrassi: The Next Generation alum (does anyone watch this show besides my colleague Lisa?) will take on the theater-nerd role. But it gets even better. Her mom will be played by none other than Aunt Becky. Yes, that’s right, Lori Loughlin (pictured) from our favorite ’90s sitcom Full House (my 12-year-old self may have cried when that show ended).

So what do you think, PopWatchers? Are you excited Loughlin has a new role since Summerland was canceled? Are you one of the few people who actually watches Degrassi?

Apr 26 2008 01:25 AM ET

Hilary Duff heading to 'Beverly Hills, 90210'?

by Joy Piedmont

Categories: Strange Bedfellows, Things That Make Me Die Inside, To Care or Not to Care

Hilaryduff_l According to E! Online, Hilary Duff has been offered the role of Annie Mills on the Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff. Maybe I’m crazy, but Hilary Duff + 90210 seems kind of brilliant. The girl is definitely shrugging off her squeaky-clean Disney image (um, scorpion down her pants?), and 90210 will certainly offer plenty of opportunities for her to be less than wholesome. If she accepts the offer, she’ll be playing a emo-listening teen who is also into theater. While the whole idea of a 90210 spinoff makes me want to die a little, if Hilary Duff is in it, I would check out at least one episode, just to see how she does.

What about you, PopWatchers? Excited about this latest 90210 casting rumor, or are you over the idea of the show’s remake already?

Apr 23 2008 02:00 PM ET

You take Harry Nilsson and a ringtone rapper, and you mix 'em all up...

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Hip-Hop/Rap, Music, Strange Bedfellows

How great is it that Tyga’s new single, "Coconut Juice," prominently features the rap newcomer belting out the hook from Harry Nilsson’s 1971 hit "Coconut" (a.k.a. "the ‘lime in the coconut’ song") over some supercharged synths? Very great indeed, say I. That simple sample elevates an otherwise mediocre tune into something I can’t stop listening to — the first 30 seconds or so, anyway. Not sure why no one else seems to be thrilling to this bit of re-appropriative genius yet; as I write this, a Google blogs search for "tyga nilsson" turns up exactly one hit, and it’s a snarky one. I mean, is Tyga into "Coconut" because of Reservoir Dogs? Was the song’s producer just a really big fan of Nixon-era singer-songwriters? Whatever — I’m just happy this happened. (Check out the video — featuring moderately entertaining cameos from Lil Wayne, Pete Wentz, and Tyga’s cousin Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes — below.) Don’t you agree?

Apr 4 2008 05:04 PM ET

Breaking: Jimmy Kimmel eats crap, can do push-ups

by Annie Barrett

Categories: Dancing With the Stars, Strange Bedfellows, Television

For his latest guest star-laden publicity stunt, the late-night host celebrated episode 1000 with personal trainer Richard Simmons in clip that I personally think should have been even more Big Lebowski-esque in scope than it already is.

Eh. I much preferred Simmons’ last visit to ABC, during which his sheer emotional intensity made DWTS contestant Jennie Garth cry. I must say, though, I’m pretty psyched that Richard Simmons and I are members of the same, exclusive Loserish Personas Who Carry Magic Wands In Web Videos club. I knew we had a lot in common!

Apr 3 2008 05:52 PM ET

Mike Gravel may be a lover, but he ain't no dancer

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Current Affairs, Download This, Music, Strange Bedfellows

All this time, I thought Mike Gravel was just a crazy-old ex-senator whose purpose was to provide comic relief (and occasional flashes of demented insight) during the Democrats’ televised primary debates. Boy was I wrong. Turns out Mike Gravel is a crazy old ex-senator whose purpose is to provide comic relief for the whole Internet! I mean, check out this insane cover of the Beatles’ "Helter Skelter" that he just posted on YouTube. (Hat tip to Matthew Yglesias. Warning: Video contains disturbing images of warfare and gratuitous abuse of green-screen technology.)

Apparently, this is not a joke. And I can’t stop playing it. Those wild Whoos! Those deadpan Yeah, yeah, yeahs! I’m convinced that Gravel is a Shatner-level interpretive genius. That, or a covert member of the Manson family. "Do you, don’t you want me to love you?" How can I be any clearer: I totally want you to love me, former Sen. Gravel! Anyone else wish they could go back (to the top of the slide) and re-cast their vote for the candidate with the hands-down best viral-video team in the race?