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At long last, the health care reform debate seems to be winding down. Obama, Pelosi, and the Democrats are declaring victory after months of squabbling and the first steps have been taken to implement what Vice President Biden called, “a big [bleep]ing deal.”
The anger felt over health care reform surprised me. I continue to believe that few in the United States legitimately thinks that some people deserve health care and others don’t. And while the issue seems to stem from the so-called “government takeover” of health care, few …
Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s “Telephone” music video premiered last week, and although it might not be the visual masterpiece that is “Bad Romance,” the campy pulp extravaganza has been viewed by over 20 million people.
A sequel to Gaga’s “Paparazzi” clip, “Telephone” finds Gaga in jail and Beyonce bailing her out before the two go on a Thelma and Louise-inspired mass killing spree. Homage to classic B-movies and Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill franchise (complete with the infamous Pussy Wagon), the video features plenty of crotch shots, wild fashion, …
by Eric Jost
Right in the middle of women’s history month, a woman made film history! At the 82nd Academy Awards, Kathryn Bigelow won Best Director for her film, The Hurt Locker. She was only the fourth woman to be nominated for the award. The night was also marked by another historic moment when Geoffrey Fletch became the first Black man to win Best Adapted Screenplay for Precious.
The fact that neither of these wins occurred before 2010 is astounding and the Academy should be embarrassed.
Bigelow’s award is …
After producing such quality television like Celebrity Fit Club and Flavor of Love, VH1 announced its latest reality endeavor, Transform Me.
Transform Me is much like any other makeover series — find a plain Jane, bring in a team of experts to humiliate her, and after a little blood, sweat, and eyeliner, the ugly duckling will turn into a beautiful swan. Transform Me’s gimmick comes in the form of its team of experts: rather than being hip fashionistas or flamboyant gay men, these experts are transgender women.
The transgender …
Last week, everyone’s favorite male figure skater, Johnny Weir, lost the gold to fellow American, Evan Lysacek. Weir not only missed out on the gold, but didn’t even get a medal — instead coming in 6th.
Lysacek’s win has been heralded as a "reclaiming" of the Winter Olympics, of sorts. Masculinity has again triumphed over effeminacy and a new generation of butch figure skaters is supposedly poised to take the stage. In the aftermath of his win, we’ve already heard Australian radio hosts mock Weir and the sport, …
Why are the pretty ones always insane?
For most of his career, I’ve been rather apathetic towards John Mayer. I wouldn’t change the radio if his music came on, but I also never went out of my way to find or purchase it. In fact, his greater purpose seemed to be serving as my eye candy (I’m sucker for tattoos) rather than establishing any kind of soulful connection. It was a shallow existence but it’s worked well for us.
And then he went and opened his mouth…
Earlier this month, …
As Jaclyn Friedman described over on her own Amplify column, CBS has been at the center of a firestorm recently for agreeing to air an anti-choice commercial during the Super Bowl. Not only is it an anti-choice ad, but it is produced and funded by Focus on the Family, one of the most conservative, sexist, racist, and homophobic groups in the US.
In an effort to counter the ultra-conservative ad, gay dating website, Man Crunch, submitted a commercial of its own promoting its matchmaking services. Not only was …
Following my encounter last weekend with MTV’s Jersey Shore, I woke up on Sunday surprisingly early and without anything to do for several hours. Reaching for the remote, I began flipping through the channels looking for something to hold my attention while my body struggled to wake up.
Enter Oxygen’s Bad Girls Club.
I cannot even begin to describe what this show is about as I couldn’t quite figure it out. As far as I can tell, the producers stick a dozen or so girls in a …
In honor of my birthday, my friends Alice and Sarah decided the most appropriate way to celebrate would be to take in a day long marathon of MTV’s Jersey Shore. Having been a little too involved recently with the teenage melodrama of Degrassi, I had remained oblivious to the latest reality TV craze that swept the nation.
Watching the antics of Snooki and her compatriots, I couldn’t believe that MTV had finally done away with all subtlety and crafted a show so unapologetically sleazy that it makes …
By Eric Jost
After months of speculation, it was finally revealed this week that Sarah Palin would be joining FOX News as a political commentator. Quickly following the announcement, Palin made her debut on The O’Reilly Factor Tuesday evening.
Palin’s move to the FOX News network is not particularly surprising. Despite her claims that the network is “fair and balanced,” it is the perfect vehicle for her to spout her puritanical views. In fact, if you watch the clip of her on O’Reilly, Bill reminds her that FOX …
As the film Precious sets up to sweep the awards season, I’ve been brushing up on reviews of the film before deciding if I want to see what promises to be one downer of a film. But amongst the praise being heaped upon the film by critics and audiences alike, I’ve been especially attracted to the rare, negative reviews that have surfaced as the film gains popularity. Unlike typical critiques, these reviewers don’t have a grudge against the acting or script, but rather, the film’s content and star.
Like …
I realized that I told a lie last week.
When I said I only watch four television shows, I realized I left one out. This one is quite possibly the most embarrassing (which is why I probably “forgot” to mention it) and I’m hesitant to admit it, but I am a loyal viewer of America’s Next Top Model.
Yes, I know it’s awful. I know that Tyra Banks just loves hearing herself talk and that’s why the show exists. And I am well aware that the show causes …
A good friend betrayed me on Sunday. Someone I thought I could trust, but apparently not anymore.
That’s right, I was let down by ABC’s Brothers & Sisters.
How did this happen, you might ask, and why am I taking it so seriously? Well without going into too much detail, one of the characters on the show discovered that she is pregnant.
Now you might still be wondering why this is so devastating. It is because I currently watch four television shows regularly – Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, …
Several weeks ago, Britney Spears unveiled her latest single, “3;” which, incidentally, became her third number one hit in the US. An unabashed Britney fan, I enjoyed this piece of unapologetic electro-pop in the vein of Kylie Minogue or Lady GaGa.
But upon first hearing the song, I experienced an emotion that I thought had died long ago: Shock. More surprisingly, I seem to be the only one who actually found the song scandalous.
If you haven’t heard the song yet, it can be summed up in one word: …
As this rather dull season of Project Runway winds down, I’ve noticed something about this group of designers: there’s no one I particularly dislike. Don’t get me wrong, I think the remaining males on the show are incredibly untalented when compared to the females (how is Christopher even on the show still?); but no one this season has elicited the kind of reaction that Kenley did for me in season 5, or Vincent in season 3.
The weeks continue to chug along and the eliminations continue to be …
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) just released its third annual “Network Responsibility Index,” a report examining the prevalence of LGBTQ characters on TV. What GLAAD had to say was mixed: they praised HBO, Showtime, and ABC for its abundance of LGBTQ characters; while at the same time condemning NBC, CBS, A&E, and SyFy (formerly Sci Fi) for its lack of diversity.
GLAAD also made sure to point out that, overall, most LGBTQ characters on TV lacked any racial or ethnic diversity.
While GLAAD and …
Last week the tabloid, Globe, outed Marie Osmond’s daughter as a lesbian. In addition to the revelation, Globe reported that Marie was distraught since she had been a staunch supporter of Prop 8 in California (banning same-sex marriage). With rumors swirling, the well-known Mormon called Los Angeles radio station, KOST 103.5 FM, to set the story straight. Yes, she confirmed in so many words, her daughter is gay – but she feels nothing but love and support for her. Additionally, she refuted Globe’s claims that she was against …
The internet has been abuzz with rumors recently that Neil Patrick Harris is in the running to star in the upcoming feature film version of the popular comic book, The Flash. While the announcement of yet another comic book caper being adapted for the big screen is hardly news nowadays, Harris’ possible involvement is.
…
Ten years ago, the pop music scene looked very different.
The Spice Girls brought their own brand of “girl power” to the US; and with them, pop hit the mainstream in a way that hadn’t been seen since the 1980s. Backstreet Boys’ and ‘N Sync’s takeover of the airwaves had officially begun, churning out hit after hit. And Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were gyrating their way to the top.
It’s now 2008 and Britney and Christina are still up to their old tricks (and still taking cues from …
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