Yesterday, I ran some errands, went to the gym for a few hours to play some ball and work out, got my projector TV back, and broke it in by watching a few things. Oh…and cooked myself some delicious pasta. Hot, right? The first movie I watched was "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" starring the likes of Ron Perlman (the man born to play Lockjaw in the new He-Man remake), Selma Blair and a bunch of others. If you've seen the first Hellboy, then you've pretty much seen this one. It's about a baby devil or something…that was found in 1955 in Scotland and raised by a secret US department called the Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense or something like that…and basically they're mystical people that fight mystical bad guys. In this installment, they go against an Elf prince who thinks humans suck…and wants to control an army of giant golden robots…but has to complete a crown remote control to all of them. That being said, it's a pretty good movie if you know what to expect. Lots of special effects, lots of action, lots of one-liners, and the crazy costumes and effects that you expect from Guillermo del Toro movies like the first Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. It's okay. Not great, but okay.
Then I started watching the first season of "Flight of the Conchords" and it's absolutely hilarious. It's about two Kiwis (New Zealanders, not the flightless birds or delicious fruit) who are a band in Manhattan. It's basically a lot of musical numbers as they go through their daily lives…and the topics are quite ordinary…but for some reason, I can't stop laughing when I watch this show. I don't really know how else to explain it…but you should definitely give it a look-see-hear. It also convinces me that I need to learn how to play the guitar better so that I can make some songs like this and impress the ladies…since the magic thing doesn't seem to be working. Check it out. How can I sell this…okay, it's basically like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" but with more musical numbers and accents. There…and then I slept…so here's the news...
Tom Hanks vs. Mel Gibson - While support for an actors' strike was already running thin thanks to the industry-wide burnout still being felt from the 100-day writers' strike in 2007-08, the current state of the nation's economy has Hollywood up in arms over what could be another potentially disastrous work stoppage. A select group of A-listers is in favor of authorizing a strike, should SAG leadership choose to go that route, but nearly 150 big-deal actors have now gone ahead and publicized their avowed opposition to such a move. George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin, Cameron Diaz, Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Charlize Theron, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman and Eva Longoria Parker are among the boldfaced names found on a petition that was sent to SAG National President Alan Rosenberg asking the board to cancel a strike-authorization vote scheduled for Jan. 2. "We feel very strongly that SAG members should not vote to authorize a strike at this time," the petition read. "We don't think that an authorization can be looked at as merely a bargaining tool. It must be looked at as what it is—an agreement to strike if negotiations fail. We support our union and we support the issues we're fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work." Other signatures include Ewan McGregor, Sally Field, Michael C. Hall, Felicity Huffman, Rob Lowe, Kevin Spacey, Josh Brolin, Pierce Brosnan, Glenn Close, Donald Sutherland, Billy Crystal, Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Edward Norton, Tobey Maguire and Helen Hunt.
Then again, plenty of A- and B-listers are in favor of authorizing a strike, having signed a "Statement of Support" for Rosenberg & Co.'s studio-fighting tactics. Among the 30 prominent thespians who will stand by SAG if it chooses to play even harder ball are Mel Gibson, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, Martin Sheen, Sandra Oh, Jerry O'Connell, Rob Morrow, Hal Holbrook, Dixie Carter, Ed Asner, Elliott Gould, Valerie Harper, Robert Hays, Justine Bateman, Scott Bakula (he's still a working actor? Huge Quantum Leap fan back in the day) and Diane Ladd. SAG's contract with the studio-representing Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers expired June 30 and actors have been working under the terms of their own deal ever since. Now, I'm not gonna lie. I had to google a few of those supporters after Jerry O'Connell. So with that being said, I think that the strike isn't going to go through…but that's not why this intrigues me. It's because I started wondering, who would win in a fight between Tom Hanks & Mel Gibson? Now, both are charming men are in their fifties…and though Gibson's been in more action movies and has that rowdy Australian heritage, he's also a drinker (and anti-Semite). Tom Hanks may not seem like the kind of guy that you'd want on your side in a bar fight…but then again, he was pretty ripped in "Cast Away" and he took on a volcano…so he's obviously got balls. Anyway, I'd watch it…and I think this is gonna be shut down because basically it breaks down to a Justice League of actors including Billy Ocean, the Shadow, one of Charlie's Angels, Elektra, Aeon Flux, Jason Bourne, Obe Wan Kenobi, the Flying Nun, Kaizer Soze, James Bond, Cruella DeVille, Beast, the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman…against William Wallace…and Saving Grace? Even a Braveheart speech couldn't save them. Sure, maybe a young Ed Harris or an Apocalypse Now Martin Sheen could lend a hand…but I’m not going to war with the fat kid from Stand By Me. Yeah, enjoy that image for a moment.
Columbo Has Alzheimer's - A court document filed by Peter Falk's daughter says the Emmy-winning actor is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Catherine Falk is seeking a court's approval for a conservatorship of her 81-year-old father, who she claims no longer recognizes people. A hearing has been scheduled for late January. Falk is familiar to most audiences as the star of the television series "Columbo," for which he won four Emmys. He was also nominated twice for Academy Awards for movie roles in 1959 and 1960…and as most of you know, was the grandpa narrator of "The Princess Bride." The petition filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court states Falk lives in Beverly Hills with his wife and recently had hip surgery and requires constant care. Our prayers go out to Peter Falk and his family…but you can't deny the mild sense of irony in this story, right? I mean…the guy's famous for being one of the smoothest detectives in television history…and he always looked like he was a little confused...though that was just part of his game to get the suspect to slip up...and now he's got Alzheimer's. "Thank you for your cooperation…but just…one more question. Why ugh…why were we talking again?" "You were asking me about the missing diamond necklace that was stolen last week by a six-foot man with an anchor tattoo on his right forearm." "Ah-ha, I didn't say anything about a tattoo." "Yes you did. You said it was on the surveillance tape…and you heard that I was a former employee with a similar tattoo…and I told you my alibi…but that there was an old Navy buddy who…" "Excuse me. Would you mind writing this all down so that I can read it later?" "Actually, it's already in your hand. You were taking notes earlier." "Oh. Son of a…thank you. Ugh…just one more question. Did I drive here…and where am I? Sorry, that's two questions." Yup, I'm definitely going to Hell…but don't blame me. I highly support stem cell research to help combat Alzheimer's and make those Golden Years that much better…because without your memories, what is there really? Well, I guess you could live every day ignorantly blissful like my step-great-grandma…but yeah, stem cells.
Big Bird Loose on Rhode Island - Emer the errant emu is home after roaming free across northern Rhode Island for a month. The fugitive was profiled on television broadcasts. Authorities, area residents and owner Pamela Hood had tried to capture him yet he managed to outlast tranquilizer darts, traffic, freezing temperatures and hunger. Finally on Saturday a Burrillville woman spotted Emer sauntering up her driveway, so she walked the 6-foot-tall, 130-pound bird into a horse stall. Four-year-old Emer was 16 miles away from home. His trek began after a pig nuzzled open the gate on Hood's livestock enclosure. Emer took off the same night his mate laid an egg. It falls to male emus to sit on eggs for incubation. With its father back, the egg has a better chance of hatching. It just sounds like this emu had some issues with commitment and becoming a father and needed some time to think. It happens…a lot unfortunately. Oh well, all's well that ends well, right? Very impressed that this giant bird from the vast regions of Australia was able to survive a New England winter for a month…but who knows, maybe it was eating McNuggets out of the trash and hanging around warm areas of downtown Providence with nobody noticing. Whatever happened, I'm sure there'll be a Disney movie about it someday.Sex or Google? - Nearly half of women would rather give up sex for two weeks than go without the Internet, according to a survey released Monday. Far fewer men would choose to go without sex, according to the survey of 2,119 adults carried out by the online research firm Harris Interactive and sponsored by Intel Corporation, the world's biggest computer chip maker.
- 46% of the women polled said they would rather go without sex for two weeks than give up access to the Internet for the same period of time
- Only 30% of men said they would rather forgo intimate relations than cyber ones
- 95% of those surveyed said it is "very important, important or somewhat important" to be able to access the Internet
- 65% of those surveyed rated Internet access above other discretionary spending items such as cable television subscriptions (39%), dining out (20%), shopping for clothes (18%) or a health club membership (10%)
- 61% of the women surveyed said they would rather give up watching television for two weeks than give up access to the Internet for one week
Harris Interactive and Intel said the survey was conducted November 18-20. They did not provide a margin of error for the results. Well at least one thing's still reassuring about these survey numbers. Women are still more interested in sex than in television. Thank God. That Sex & the City scared me for a bit. Anyway, just thought you all might be interested in those numbers…and frankly, I'm a little unnerved. Sure, if I had sex as often as I used the internet I'd probably have carpel tunnel syndrome in my groin…which does have it's advantages and disadvantages…but what's the reason that most of us are on the internet? To feel in touch with the world, up to date, and connected. Isn't there a better way to do that? Might I suggest…a sexier way to do that? There are a lot of good guys & gals out there just freezing their asses off alone tonight…and they should be hooking up. I'm not saying go out and do whoever, whenever…but I'm just saying, don't be afraid to go out there and see who there is. I don't know…just spread the Love. It's easy to say and so much harder to do…but give it a shot. You may be surprised. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check to see if I was left any dirty messages on my message board. Sigh…nothing. Oh well, better get out there and keep trying.
Anyway, that'll do it for me for today. A lot of work to be done since I only did a half-day yesterday (and tomorrow) and I'm covering for a few coworkers while they're taking time off too. No biggie. It's what I do to pay the mortgage…or rent, I guess. It's Business Time. Check out "Flight of the Conchords" if you haven't already. Have a great day everybody!!!
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