The Prestige

Last night some coworkers and I caught a sneak preview of The Prestige--Christopher Nolan's new film with Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, and Christian Bale. While the movie was good, it wasn't great. A) The narrative was unneccesarily confusing. Nolan's directorial style tends to trip up itself, like in Memento which felt way too contrived. B) Scarlett is becoming a worse and worse actress--at least when it comes to period pieces. And the most damning let-down? C) No shirtless scenes with humpy Christian Bale.

Another Reason to Watch Grey's Anatomy

T.R. Knight (who plays the shy shy George) on Grey's Anatomy just released a statement to People magazine saying he's gay. Knight says, "I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there. While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me." Wow...cahones, my friends, cahones.

So...this might explain the big fight on the Grey's set a week or so ago when Isiah Washington got into an argument with Knight and then let loose a tirade of ugly words (you can only imagine) and pushed him. The fight got even jucier when a Patrick Dempsey (Dr. McDreamy) stood up for Knight and got right back in Washington's face.

Rock on Dr. McDreamy. There is no room in Hollywood, in America, in the world for homophobes.

Project Runway Fallout?

I wish... Actually just a good article from Salon.com about the finale of the show. They wanted Uli to win but weren't all that unhappy about Jeffrey winning on his "talent." While I disagree with that, I do agree with most of the article and the main point: how did Jeffrey win if he was over budget and his clothes were ugly?

DISGUSTED

Not that I'm going to spend more than 5 minutes thinking about it after tonight, but I'm pissed that Jeffey won Project Runway. His stuff is ugly. He was terrible to all the contestants--just rude. And I think Uli makes prettier, more flattering, and wearable clothes. Alas...

More Gap Love

The Gap brings us Chris Evans looking just as smoldering as Jeremy Piven. Grrr...

Project Runway Finale Tonight

I used to be betting on Uli, but now I think that Laura might pull a win out of her ass. I admit everything she does is impeccable. It's just that her stuff isn't all that imaginative. There is also speculation that Jeffrey gets kicked off the show, even though his collection still appears at the Bryant Park shows. It sure looks like it to me.

Also, there is a stink about the Project Runway models. Evidently they don't get paid and it's causing a bit of an uproar from fans and the like. I get that it's a contest for them too, but really a shot in a mag isn't like a check for $100,000 like the winning designer gets. I think after the show became a hit, (somewhere in the middle of the 2nd season), Bravo should have started giving the models some kind of honorarium. It's not like they live for free in a nice NYC apt building like the designers. Maybe the model interviewed for the story is exaggerating, but if not, that's too bad for Bravo.

Angelina Jolie as Atlas Shrugged Heroine?

Ugh. It nearly makes me sick to my stomach to think of it: Angelina dragging her big-ass lips around the screen as Ayn Rand's classic heroine Dagny Taggart. I don't think she's the worst actress ever, but she sure hasn't done anything of note in years. I'm sad sad sad about it. Maybe she'll pull through and it'll be okay.

But wouldn't Rachel Griffiths have been great? Or Cate Blanchett?

Jake Gyllenhaal and Me...

...Kind of. See those Americans for the Arts banners behind Jake, Lance Armstrong and Robert Downey, Jr. in this pic? Well I designed them with coworkers Heather and Liz. Sadly I was not in New York for the event to add yet another sexy star to the number I have met with, drank with, or eaten with. Alas...

A Few TV Notes

I wish I could tell you how much I liked Heroes and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip last night but you see, my Comcast Cable went out for the THIRD TIME IN A WEEK last night. It was out from 9:20 to midnight. So yeah, $33 cable sure is a bargain! Thanks Comcast!

But...Heroes repeats on Friday and I do know a few new tv tidbits:
1) Brothers and Sisters got picked up for a full year run yesterday. This is a good thing because with the stellar cast and the great new writer and showrunner (Greg Berlanti of Everwood fame), the show can only get better.
2) Kristin on E! online is launching a Save Our Show campaign. This campaign helped save Veronica Mars last year, so it can work and it certainly holds a special place in my heart. All you have to do is visit her site and pick the show you want to be saved. Right now the ratings for Studio 60 and for The Nine and Six Degrees aren't so good. And these shows are quality.
3) This Thursday Justin Hartley (picture to follow tommorow or Thurs) stars on Smallville as the superhero Green Arrow. Justin is scrumptious.
4) Speaking of tv hotties: this week I'll be posting my Foxy Fellas of Fall TV column. You shouldn't miss it.

I Heart the Gap

You have to love The Gap for getting this picture of Jeremy Piven.

Support Madonna!

I really haven't weighed in on the whole Madonna-adopts-a-new-African-baby-thing until now because honestly I didn't think it was that big a deal. But after reading all the horrible things people are saying about my Madge, I'm getting a bit pissed off.

• Sure Madonna does a lot of stuff for publicity, but adopting a baby? I don't think you can pin that on her as a savvy PR move. She had to have known there would be a backlash against her adoption because she's Madonna. She doesn't have to copy Angelina Jolie to get good press--she's fine with her own ideas thank you. And just what would she be promoting? She has no new book or album.
• I think Madonna has grown up--you can see it in interviews, in how she talks about her children and her spirituality. And isn't it just too super easy to bash her for her wrecklessness or ruthlessness early in her career? And despite her past, she did get where she is now by willpower and a real dedication to what she does. You can't overlook that.
• Rocco and Lola seem like great kids. Everything we've seen so far shows that she's a devoted mother and fierce protector of her children.
• As for the background of her Malawian child--you have to know that Madonna wanted to adopt a child whose life she could better. Even switching to a new culture, clearly "David" is better off with a mother who loves him and will grow with him than in an orphanage.
• The last point is that anyone who knows a smidge about Madonna, knows how profoundly the loss of her own mother affected her life and growth. Can we maybe give her the benefit of the doubt by suggesting that she is trying to help another child who lost his mother early?

Bush's Faith-based Lie Revealed on 60 Minutes

Did you catch David Kuo on 60 Minutes last night? It was astounding. David was in the office of Faith-based Initiatives for President Bush for a number of years and just wrote a book about how completely insincere and disapproving the Bush White House really is about the religious right.

Granted, Kuo is trying to sell a book, and yes, I am happy for any unpleasantries that come Bush's way, but what Kuo said was pretty damning. Evidently the Bush White House holds great disdain for the leaders of the religious right and barely tolerates them just to win election. Kuo mentioned some leaders by name and said that top White House officials called them "nuts," "whackos," and "crazies."

The two most daming parts of the piece came when Kuo argued that Bush only spent roughly $16 million on supporting poor Americans when he promised to spend $8 billion. And the said that the Republicans and the Bush White House used the Faith-based Initiatives program to help campaign for Republican candidates in tight races. Yep, that's our tax money that was funneled through churches to help elect Republicans.

WWJD

I'm not a huge fan of rock and roll. And I've only been to see one show at CBGB in New York (and it was like 10 years ago). But it is a little sad that the famous rock venue is closing after 33 years. A nd I love that after playing on stage on Saturday, Patti Smith said CBGB was a "state of mind" that would continue for future generations, and then noted it was 33 years old, the same age as Jesus.

Heroes Tonight

I have been watching Heroes even though it's been uneven. But from what I hear, tonight's episode is supposed to be amazing. Tv critic after tv critic is saying don't miss tonight. So I'm not.

Battlestar = Wow

So we're only two episodes into this season of Battlestar Galactica, but I'm convinced more than ever this is the best show on tv. Period.

I spend the entire episode biting my fingernails and just a wrecked ball of nerves. Who would have thought that a) I would feel sympathy for a cylon (Sharon); or more importantly, b) that Lucy Lawless (ex Xena) is actually a great dramatic actor?