Speaking of Reality TV
 

(weren't we?)

Boys won RW/RR Challenge. Mr. Personality lacked one.

My Monday nights seem to be freeing up...

Ketchup overrated -- Caviar, Brad Pitt, Streisand, (was) Brobeck, anything involving Marketing/Sales, Chicago, that last Nirvana song they released last year, American Idol, Boxer briefs, Standing.

n(time for bed)cs

Overrated/Underrated
 

1. Food: Sushi. It's just not very good, but so many people think it's both tasty and trendy.

2. Actor: Jennifer Garner. Remember that only three years ago, she was hoping to get Dude, Where's My Car? She does have the most underrated publicist in Hollywood. I know she's on the laminated lists of some posters, but there are twenty actresses that I could name off the top of my head that are more attractive. Runner up: Melanie Griffith, who never had any talent and doesn't deserve Antonio Banderas.

3. Singer/Band: Madonna. Madonna is so overrated that Camile Paglia is overrated-by-proxy for praising her in academic circles. She can't sing, play an instrument, or read music. She doesn't dance particularly well, and she's not beautiful, yet, she's the most popular and powerful female singer of my lifetime. Runner up: The Grateful Dead. An excuse to take drugs, wear tie dye, and travel around the country in a VW van masquerading as a musical group.

4. Law Firm: All BIGLAW. Pretty straightforward.

5. Occupation: BIGLAW Associate. Not the least bit glamorous, requires far too high a debt burden, and impresses no one.

6. Movie: LOTR. According to the Internet Movie Database polls, Lord of the Rings is the fourth-best movie ever made, losing out only to Godfathers I and II and Shawshank. They are fucking hobbits and elves, people, and Citizen Kane is an amazing film. It's only overrated in that it's the stock answer for people who don't know how to answer the question, "What is the greatest American film?" That people happen to be right, but doubt their answer, is a tragic coincidence. Runner ups include The Wizard of Oz and Metropolis. Yes, I understand all of the original symbolism in the novel and the film; and yes, I did see the most recent re-release, not the Giorgio Moroder techno-tinted version. Neither film is as good as advertised. And I wish a whole day's worth of laughter subtracted from the day of the person who said that The Big Lebowski was overrated.

7. Song: All Song of the Year Grammy Winners. You can check them out at Grammy.com if you doubt me. The only worthwhile ones since they started handing out statutes are "Every Breath You Take" and "Michelle."

8. TV Show: Sopranos. I'm reminded of the fake SNL promo where the announcer says, "Unh. Unh. Unh. SO-PRAN-OOOHS!" It's good, but not the defining work of the past 100 years.

9. Article of Clothing: Hats. Jack Kennedy didn't need them. Neither do you.

10.Sexual Act: Swallowing. Swallowing really adds little value to the oral sex. If you can't perform oral sex well, then I'm not going to climax, and you're not swallowing anything, are you? Conversely, if I did climax, then swallowing didn't do anything to make the climax more intense, did it?

Here are the following underrated selections for the list, which I propose for Tuesday's poll:

1. Cheerios. They're tasty. They're good for you. You can eat them for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Plus, you don't need to cook them.

2. Morgan Freeman. They did some analysis of films of the past 10 years, and found that he was the most bankable star of the 90's. Always a solid performance, never flashy or hammy.

3. Neil Finn. He was in Split Enz and Crowded House, his solo stuff is great, and everyone who works with him seems to love him. He's never gotten the commercial attention that he deserves, even though his songs are well-crafted and catchy as hell.

4. I don't think any law firm is underrated. Public Defenders in the Bay Area are underrated. I've seen criminal defendants represented by total hacks that they paid good money for, but most PD's seemed like they were on the ball. (I'm sure in other parts of the country this doesn't apply.)

5. Lobbyist. I've never met a strugglng lobbyist.

6. I considered Broadcast News or Out of Sight, but my choice is The Man Who Wasn't There. It was in black and white, but glorious black and white from Roger Deakins. Great acting all around (as expected for a Coen Brothers film), and a meditative pace that isn't currently popular but was quite effective.

7. "Last Train to Clarksville." Yeah, I know the Monkees sang it first, but listen to Cassandra Wilson's version. Damn it if she doesn't make the song feel utterly poignant and moving.

8. Newsradio. Phil Hartman, Dave Foley, and Stephen Root were hilarious together. This show never got credit for being as clever as it was. It was always overshadowed by Friends and Seinfeld. Also, the Later show with Bob Costas. Just two people talking for a half hour. That means you need good guests and a good interviewer. Later had both. I remember that there was a Richard Lewis taping that was never aired because Bob was laughing so hard that he nearly fell over his chair. So they had Lewis on again for a make-good, where he spent most of the time kvetching about the last show, so they included clips of Lewis cracking Costas up, so you had all the good parts anyway. Will we ever see a late-night lineup like Carson, Letterman, and Costas again?

9. The over-the-calf sock. They may seem dowdy, but every time I watch a talk show, and the male guest crosses his leg, revealing a big patch of leg hair, I just shudder. It's even worse if it's an interview in real life. Yecch.

10. Cunnilingus. Sebby thinks it's boring, but I can't disagree more. You're right there. How does it get any better than right there?

edited for grammar and readability

Tonight's Alternative to AI
 

First I need to tell Jack Manfred that I loved his overrated/underrated lists.

And second, for those of you who don't watch AI, there's an interesting alternative on TCM tonight; here are excerpts from and a link to Tom Shales's column in today's Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2003May5.html

"Complicated Women" is a documentary about women portrayed in Hollywood movies of an enlightened moment known as the "pre-Code era." ...

"'Complicated Women,' showing at 8 and again at 10:30 tonight on Turner Classic Movies -- classiest of all cable channels [Paigow are you cringing?] -- celebrates pre-Code films not for their raciness, though there are good examples of that, but for the multidimensional way women were portrayed in them. The [Production] Code, which was the work mostly of men, put the kibosh on that. ...

The documentary will be supplemented by a festival of 26 pre-Code movies on TCM this month -- including, tonight, "The Divorcee" at 9, "Design for Living" at 11:30 and "Anna Christie," with Garbo of course, at 1:15 a.m. Obviously, it will be another stimulating as well as royally entertaining month on TCM, which qualifies as the Tiffany's of cable the way CBS, long ago, was the Tiffany's of broadcasting. "Complicated Women" is another reason why. "


If you're still listening, you may have noticed that for Tom Shales, classiest = Tiffany's. (TCM = classiest, TCM = Tiffany's, therefore ...)

Indiana Jones on DVD
 

They are releasing the trilogy on DVD on November 4.

Indiana Jones Finally Comes to DVD
By Brett Sporich

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The "Indiana Jones" trilogy, one of the most requested film series for the DVD format, is finally slated for worldwide release Nov. 4 as "The Adventures of Indiana Jones -- The Complete DVD Movie Collection," a box set that will include a fourth disc specifically dedicated to bonus materials.

Full text: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp.../film_jones_dc

Bored Board Poll - Addendum
 

10. Sexual Position/Activity - As of last night, CUDDLING, especially when you don't end up gettin' any. WTF?

Indiana Jones on DVD
 

That's cool, but I can't believe it's taken them this long. And talk about typical bullshit marketing -- we're supposed to get moist over a DVD set that isn't coming out for six months? Harrison Ford will be collecting social security by then.

Overrated/Underrated
 

I just put that movie on my Netflix list two days ago. A friend of mine thought I would like the soundtrack and bought it for me (which I do, it has Sonata Pathetique (a favorite) and is really well put together - at least to my untrained ear), and I listen to it all the time. Very meditative, as you say. Glad to hear the film is good too - I look forward to it.

As an aside, I really like sushi - have liked it for years. I really like the texture and the taste and eating with chopsticks. It's fun food.

And this is a little story for Paigow - if she is out there (because it involves minor celebrity and umbrellas). Dominick Dunne (who is apparently very short) whacked me in the head with his unnaturally large Gucci (I think) umbrella on the street today. I glared at him and he said "I'm so sorry" in a sort of spaced out way.

Inside the Actor's Mind and how many shoes do we REALLY need
 

I watch actor's studio on occasion, but not too often. And yes, I find actors frequently have a bit of an odd perspective on the world and how they get in touch with their emotions.

Now as far as shoes. I like shoes. I like my shoes to match my outfits. However, I never plan an outfit around my shoes, I plan my shoes around my outfits. When I bought a light tan suit I knew I couldn't wear my black heels with it, for example, so I went out and got darker brown shoes. These shoes match a purse I already own, and are of a sort that I can wear them when I dress business casual as well. Whenever I have to get new shoes I always make sure I can wear them with several different things.

I buy shoes on two occasions. 1. When my old shoes are wearing out and I need to replace them. 2 When I have purchased something that requires different shoes. Oh I lie, there is a third occasion. If I am out shopping for something else and I see a good sale for shoes I know I will need soon anyway, I will buy them then.

The only shoes I have ever owned that I couldn't wear with other outfits were the hideous shoes I had to get for my sister's wedding. She was offended for some reason when I never took those shoes or the dress from my parent's house. She said you don't want them? I just sort of looked at her and shook my head.

Taste, clearly, is a relative thing. As is the necessity of a closet full of shoes.

Overrated/Underrated
 

He was probably thinking about all the names he'll drop in the next Vanity Fair.

Indiana Jones on DVD
 

They're billing it as a 4-DVD set... In my home, it will be a 3-DVD set with a limited edition "Temple of Doom" coaster...
:whip:

Overrated/Underrated
 

I agree with you. Sushi is not overrated. It is delicious. The problem with most people is that they don't know where to get it. If you get average sushi, I can understand why you would think it's overrated. But great sushi is divine.

If you're in New York, I suggest trying Tomoe sushi on Thompson. The best sushi I've ever had and it's cheap. It will ruin you for all other sushi restaurants. Nobu has the best tuna in the world. Yama, Blue Ribbon and Sushi of Gari are all good, but you would be surprised at the difference in taste and texture between Nobu's tuna, Tomoe's fish and the rest of the sushi restaurants. I wish someone could explain it to me, since I would assume that there couldn't be much of a difference in the preparation of fresh, top quality, raw fish. But there is. Haven't been to Sushi Samba yet, but it sounds good.

Thurgreed(left-yellow-tail)Marshall

Overrated/Underrated
 

Right on. Amazingly, every character was funny in his/her own way. The show died when Phil died, but not b/c he was the show, but b/c he was necessary (as they all were) to maintain the synergy. 2nd best sitcom ever behind Seinfeld.

Oh, I and I love sushi as well. I'm pretty sure it's no longer trendy. Quite possibly passe...and delicious...

Someone almost let the wizard out of the hat
 

"Publishers of author J.K. Rowling's latest boy wizard saga launched an investigation Tuesday after The Sun newspaper reported that advance copies of the much-anticipated fifth instalment were found in a field in eastern England. "

From CNN


http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/book...und/index.html

Bored Board Poll
 

Food- guacamole. tasteless green mush. I would rather put semen on my nachos

Actor- Colin Farrell. I have only seen him on the Oscars, but I don';t think I would notice him on the street. Honorable mention for Halle Berry. Very pretty but in a bland way.

Band or Singer- I think lifeime achievement goes to the no talent Liz Phair whose name I just saw here. Clay Aiken is up there.

Law firm- all of them. bunch of bitter pricks who are turning the next generation into a bunch of bitter pricks bc the previous generatino turned them into a bunch of bitter pricks.

occupation- pilates instructor. please, you are teaching an abs class that doesnt resemble the original thing. get over yourself. host of american idol is a close runner up.

movie- where to start. recent overrated movies I have seen include Five Easy Pieces, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Royal Tenenbaums. Lifetime achievement to Easy Rider- unwatchable dreck. Also, anything with Austin powers in it

song- that annoying piece of shit song by Justin Timberlake that I keep hearing at the gym.

tv show- This season's episode of the bachelor has been a clanging example of boring. I haven't made it through a single episode which is unusual given that I loved the other three episdoes. I would say Mr Personality except I watched it last night and am starting to find it entertaining. That motivational speaker is sexy in a creepy sort of way. I doubt the hypnosis is working- its just the sexy voice, green eyes nad all eyes on Ione Skye or whatever her name is.

article of clothing? hybrid underwear. You look like a poor man's gay underwear model for Sears, no matter who you are.

sexual position or activity- cunnilingus. maybe I just havent met the right guy, but untless someone is sticking three fingers or a dildo into me at the same time, it is about as interesting as Bacehlor number three.
.

edited to fix code. e/o

Overrated/Underrated
 

A very thoughtful pair of lists, Jack.

I had to chime in about Shawshank. I just love that movie. In fact, just the other day, I was saying to my husband that, whenever it is we finally buy a DVD player (and join the 21st century), that is one of the three movies I would like to purchase.* I would have included it in your second list, but I see that it is not underrated, as many people have it up there as a great film if it ranked #3 of best movies ever made! I didn't realize it was so popular.

Now, as to your second list, great call on Morgan Freeman. He always rocks (n.b. his performance in the aforementioned Shawshank.) Even in otherwise crappy movies, he's good (I'm thinking of two pretty indistinguishable movies in which he starred with Ashley Judd -- very forgettable movies, but he always gives a believable and thoughtful performance.)


*(My other two movie purchases will be Sense & Sensibility and Trading Places.) I love the Emma Thompson S&S adaptation (well-deserved Oscar, that) and think Alan Rickman is juan-der-foool. To certify my geekhood, I will now confess that I am a member of the Jane Austen Society and subscribe to an Austen "academic-y" sort of chat-list. There is always much hand-wringing amongst the members over the various film adaptations of Austen's works (especially Mansfield Park -- the most contentious of her works -- at least among her aficionados), but that's a whole other can of worms. Of course, I think we can all agree that the selection of Trading Places speaks for itself.