Paraphernalia

“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That's why they don't get what they want.”

Madonna

First of all, a big WOOT WOOT to Madge/Esther Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone for being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. How awesome would it be if she told Jesus to suck it at her acceptance speech!? Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure she wont, I think she's moved on.

Truth or Dare was on TV the other day. I understand not everyone is as big a fan of her as us gaybos. I know she's not the best singer or dancer or most talented performer or artist. But while watching the movie the other day I realized how silly all her antics seem now and how ridiculous all the furor and controversy was that surrounded her.

Frankly, I think she deserves mucho credit. She was very vocal about the hypocrisies and dangers of the Catholic church. She stood up for free speech and artistic expression (regardless of content) when MAJOR forces were trying their best to shut her up. When her drive and ambition rubbed people the wrong way, she was labeled a bitch; she pointed out that when a man is decisive and demanding he's venerated and respected instead of insulted. She talked about AIDS compassionately when it was taboo and feared. She unapologetically expressed her sexuality - when her Playboy pictures surfaced, she said "So what?" and that was the end of the drama.

She was also one of the first people in my, albeit limited, world to promote a positive image of homosexuality. It made a huge impact on me even though I wouldn't be coming out until about 3 or 4 years after the movie came out (as Lady Raptastic would say "Do not judge."). Her experimenting with gender rolls and fluid sexual orientation was revolutionary.

I could go on and on. But I wont. I'm just going to highly recommend netflixing Truth or Dare and then shut up.

One thing led to another, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Part 3 : Tangents

The homepage of "This American Life" has a blog entry by Ira Glass promoting his recent appearance on another Public Radio show called "The Sound of Young America".

Much like TAL, The Sound of Young America is a cool radio show on Public Radio that is also available as a podcast or streaming from the website. Unlike TAL, you can download the archived episodes for free. Another big difference is that while TAL has a human interest, storytelling, documentary feel, The Sound of Young America is an interview program.

The host, Jesse Thorn, a.k.a. "America's Radio Sweetheart", interviews people from the world of art and entertainment. Although, seems like most of them are entertainers. Lots of comics, actors, musicians, etc.

Ira likes (among others) the ones with Dave Foley, John Hodgman (the "PC" from the mac commercials and a regular contributer on The Daily Show) and the interview with Henry Rollins. I enjoyed the interview with Ira; it was an interesting look behind the scenes of This American Life. I also liked the interviews with  Steve Agee and Brian Posehn from The Sarah Silverman Program and They Might Be Giants.

In the interview with Ira he discusses the book he edited, "The New Kings of Nonfiction," which is a collection of some of the best magazine-style reportage of the last fifteen years or so. He mentions one of his fave articles in the book is, "Jonathan Lebed : Stock Manipulator, S.E.C. Nemesis -- and 15" one by Michael Lewis for the New York Times.  I have to agree, it's a very well written, interesting article that I recommend reading if you have a chance.

Happily Ever After...

It didn't get universally good reviews (although a quick look on Netflix shows a 4.3 out of 5 star rating) and I'm not sure anyone else I know has seen it, but I really enjoyed Stardust. It's a fairytale. It's funny, twisted, visually stunning, suspenseful, heartwarming but not particularly cheesy and quite entertaining. Just watching the trailer while composing this post makes me want to see it again.

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Bible Schmible

As someone who was raised Mormon, born gay, and turned out vehemently anti organized religion it probably comes as no surprise that I'm no fan of the Bible. Unfortunately, I'm in the minority on that. It's a fact of life that I have to confront daily because this ancient collection of stories is used to justify hate, discrimination and violence against me and the people I love. I read this great book "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality" in the interest of educating myself on the common biblical arguments against homosexuality and how they have been misinterpreted and twisted to justify people's ignorance and fears.

The other night we went to see For the Bible Tells Me So which was amazingly well done. The most frustrating part is that the people that really need to see it are precisely the people that will never see it.

Sociopathetic

Continuing the theme of TV shows I enjoy that feature people with no conscience or innate concept of normative societal behavior; I present to you Sarah Silverman.

The first season of her show, The Sarah Silverman Program (the page for her show on Comedy Central is strangely missing considering season 2 starts October 3), was brilliant (in that "NO SHE DI'IN't?! kind of way). Here's a clip that will give you the general idea.

Next is a clip from her movie/musical Jesus is Magic.

Hope on the Horizon

I don't generally consider myself much of an activist type. But recently there have been a few hot button topics that I'm feeling passionate about. And this is MY blog after all.

I also have that rule that I only talk about things that make me happy on MY blog.

An Inconvenient Truth is a movie based on Al Gore's PowerPoint Presentation on the Environment's losing battle against mankind. What could possibly make me happy about something so dismal? Al Gore. His devotion to educating as many people as possible on a subject important to every being, a subject that is often swept under the rug, is inspiring. I may be jaded but I find it near awe inspiring that a politician can be this focused on a cause that doesn't benefit his own personal agenda.

Please, go see the movie.

It's Not Plagerism if I Tell You Who I Stole it From

I wanna write about the movie Shopgirl. But I'm feeling really lazy and unimaginative.  So instead, I'm going to borrow lines from other people's reviews online. But really, rent it, it's a good one.

' 'Shopgirl' has a knack for showing people caught between their farthest-ranging dreams and the needs of the moment." Orlando Weekly

"' 'Shopgirl' is a very strange little movie, and not just because its vision of an empty, rain-swept Los Angeles is a depressive's version of the real thing." The Boston Globe

"With visuals, score and production design to die for, the result oozes class from every pore." BBC

"...the film is elevated by superb camerawork by cinematographer Peter Suschitzky , and by an elegantly rich music score by Barrington Pheloung – you might find yourself absorbed by the film’s peculiar mood" Cinecon

"With her lithe frame and wonderfully expressive face and body language, Danes excels in conveying that sad, slightly desperate vulnerability non-verbally rather than through her spare dialogue. Her performance's fragile openness stands in poignant contrast to Martin's closed-off nature, which gives the film a beguiling, pervasive melancholy." AV Club (the Onion)

"Wowie-zowie, did this movie reek up my living room." Spooky Chick on Amazon

Yeah, what they said. Except for Spooky Chick, she's just bitter.

Die Screaming Motherf*er!!

Apparently I'm late discovering Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) starring Gena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson. Miriam was telling me it's one of her all time favorites of the Hot-Chicks-Kicking-Ass genre of movies. I put it on Netflix and watched it last night and OMG what a fun movie!

Gena stars as a woman who woke up on a beach 8 years prior, pregnant and with amnesia. She's built a new life as a frumpy, small town school teacher/mother/girlfriend in upper-middle class suburbia. After her Christmas party soiree she suffers a head injury and it all starts to come back. Turns out she was an extremely deadly government assassin for the CIA. (See before and after shots above.)

Now the fun starts. It's non-stop action until the end.

Settle down, Focus, Catch Up

I think I've seen Haiku Tunnel four times.
Josh Kornbluth is a depressive, solitary, middle aged, odd looking guy who's "just a temp". His agency sends him to big time law firm Schuyler & Mitchell (S&M) where he's promptly asked to go "perm". Meanwhile, he's got 17 important letters to mail out but somehow, day after day, they don't make it on to the mail cart.
The movie is dark, witty, a bit corny, and often laugh out loud funny.
Watch the birthday dinner scene carefully, someone is struggling big time not to laugh, but I'm not one to name names. I think anyone who's worked in an office will relate.

Quotation for the day :

"In the pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added." Tao Te Ching