http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Thu, 7 Nov 2002 04:59:44 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/11/07/045944.php Madison Slade Aaron said he didn't have any clarity. Perhaps that had something to do with how drunk he appeared during two of his three dates. The nose was a lovely shade of blush with Helene in Aspen and his whole face was beet red with Gwen in San Francisco. I chuckled as he struggled to open the envelope containing a key to the love shack but instead handed it to Gwen, "here you read it," he slurred.He knew exactly what it said having opened and read an identical note on the last date, but certainly he's bright enough to recognize he was in no shape to read anything on national television.In all fairness, I've found him to be much more likeable than my first impression, as expressed here on the site. Marc and I sat and speculated that Gwen, whose femininity we question, was the least compatible with our fine bachelor. What does a 31 year-old divorcee want with a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 28 year-old anyway? Surprisingly he once again made what I saw as the best choice. And so Gwen headed home. Someone better suited awaits her, I'm hopeful.But no wonder this round of elimination was so challenging for Aaron -- the dates were among the blandest I've ever seen. Given the choice of any of the three activities shown on tonight's episode, I'd pick a night at home with the cats and a pizza anytime. I'm fairly sure that his pleas for an extra five minutes with each lady was arranged by the producer in order to fill the hour long show which was shockingly devoid of content. Especially given the "intimate" nature of these overnight dates. It reminded me that this is not so much a reality show, but more a game show. And sometimes, the host needs to fill up some time. Weakest Link style. At least Chris, the show's *ahem* fine host doesn't say, "you've been voted out of the mansion, please extinguish your torch, which here in malibu represents your desireability and potential for marriage with a rich 28 year-old." And only a week to wait for the reunion show where we see Christi scream, "I've NEVER boiled a bunny!!" THIS is quality programming, folks.more moxie available here Video1725@blogcritics.org Thu, 7 Nov 2002 04:59:44 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/09/23/030543.php Madison Slade The 2002 Emmys are over. We all remember that last year the Emmys were postponed. Twice. I don't remember the 2000 Emmys, I sure as hell have already forgotten this year's show but the 1999 Emmys will always be unforgettable. I was sitting at home with a bag of potato chips watching the post-ceremony party coverage. Sarah Jessica Parker and her hubby Matthew Broderick were arriving at Spago for the HBO party. Celebrity after celebrity walked down the red carpet. The media was swarming and it was better than the actual awards.I can't adequately explain what happened next or why. I went into my closet and found the Donna Karan gown I had bought on sale a few years prior and never had an occasion to wear. My hair was dirty so I piled it on top of my head with a few hair pins, applied some lipstick, black eyeliner and walked out the door.In my gown I pulled off the targa top and headed towards Spago. A few blocks away the traffic was backed up...they had closed off a bunch of roads to "non famous vehicles and their drivers." An SUV full of guys shouted at the blonde gown-wearing girl in the silver Porsche, "hey gorgeous...can you get us into the party?"Holy shit! That was me. Having reached the police check point the cops stopped the SUV full of guys and told them to get lost, while waving me through the barricades. Seriously folks, I almost peed my pants. One challenge down, two to go.I relied on my full faux confidence and pulled up to the curb. Three valets scrambled to eagerly open my door; they took my hand and assisted me in getting out of a car I successfully got out of unassisted everyday.Not even thinking I went right over to the table at the start of the red carpet. The ladies smiled at me and I smiled back, "I'm Moxie," I said without a quiver."Glad you could join us Moxie. Hmmmm, your name isn't listed, are you a guest of someone else?""Yes, I'm embarrassingly late, look under Jonathan Tsen" Great, I have to make up a name and instead of picking something Jewish and successful sounding I pick that."I don't see his name either. What's the name of his company?""He does PR for one of the HBO shows, but I don't know the name of the company" I lied."What was your name again? Roxie? Maybe I missed it.""MOXIE. and I just completed filming a pilot for HBO."A tuxedoed security guy complete with headset walks over to me and asks if he can help. So I launch into this diatribe about how I was supposed to meet John here over an hour ago, but my hair and makeup folks were running late and I had to make an appearance at the NBC party first. And how Jon's listed under his company's name, which I don't recall. I said all that without taking a breath.Calmly, he suggests I wait a few minutes outside here, because he assures me it will be harder to find him inside. So I stand there and people are taking pictures of me while I scan every face for the fictional Jon Tsen.Five minutes pass, then ten. Mr. Headset walks over to me and touches me gently on the elbow. "Why don't you go on in, I'm sure he figures you bailed on him for those NBC types."And I walk down the red carpet next to some celebrity I recognized but couldn't name. My heart was pounding, I had been focused so long on the "I'm meeting someone here" that being thrust into this bevy of beautiful people it really hit me. I didn't know a single person here. I wasn't meeting anyone.Camryn Manheim walked by smiled at me and told me I looked beautiful. I told her she did too. So I head over to the food table thinking I might as well eat. Robert Wuhl was just in front of me. He turned and introduced himself and we started gabbing. I told him I was meeting someone but appear to have been stood up. He suggests that he introduce me to a guy he knows who won an Emmy and was also dateless.It wasn't a love connection but he introduced me to loads more famous people and invited me to the after party.At the end of the night as we were leaving my "date" was tired of holding his Emmy. Oh cry me a river. He asked if I'd carry it out for him on the red carpet. Of course I would! I winked at the security guy who let me in as fans behind the barricades screamed, "we love you!!!" Once again multiple flashes were blinding me as people photographed the mystery woman holding the Emmy. I bet that caused some confusion for the photo editors the following day."Huh? Who the f*ck is this?"Since I was probably the only one who didn't arrive by limo the valets knew exactly which car to retrieve. We hopped in the Porsche, threw the emmy in the back and sped off to the after party at the Four Seasons. written by Moxie Culture751@blogcritics.org Mon, 23 Sep 2002 03:05:43 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/09/04/181349.php Madison SladeIt is with some regret that I note I have more than a few things in common with Ann Coulter. For instance, we are both blonde women who graduated from Cornell University. We both have a distaste for Katic Couric, who's countenance reminds me of the effects of chronic constipation. Fortunately the simliarities end there.When Kevin Holtsberry bought Slander - Liberal Lies About the American Right for me off my Amazon wishlist I thought, this should be interesting.Interesting it was. I liken the entire reading experience to overhearing drunken ivy league sorority girls ramble on about world events and who would be elected president of the Delta Gamma house.Sorority Girl: Dija hear how David Geffen said he loved paying taxes?Coulter: [Yeah that's] "intended to convey the information that he has more money than God....no matter how much the government takes, they will still have enough money to keep drinking Dom Perignon and making out in the hot tub." {page 30}Sorority Girl: Anna Banana, what do the liberals say about folks like us?Coulter: [Sister, according to them left wing schlumps] "Republicans are also dumb and ugly. If Republicans are so stupid (and poorly dressed!), it's hard to understand why Democrats haven't been able to get as much as 50 percent of the country to vote for them in any national election in the last twenty-five years" {page 16}Sorority Girl: Yeah Democrats say we're dumb and ugly. Pass the rum.Coulter: "Even polished wealthy, Harvard-educated, attractive women will be attacked if they get in the Democrats' way" {page 18}Sorority Girl: No one picks on Janet Reno, she's nasty looking. {Burp}Coulter: "...because Al Gore was a sore loser, liberals promptly launched sadistic attacks on [Katherine] Harris' looks" {page 18}Alas I just found out that Coulter was a member of Delta Gamma at Cornell. This isn't surprising, simply another reason my choice to avoid the greek system was the right choice. I wanted to hate this book, I really did. Sometimes we get our wishes. While I agree with some of her more general points (such as that liberals and conservatives don't get along) she did nothing less than engage in the same behavior for which she chastises the Democrats.Primarily name calling. Though I agree that some men are most accurately described as "penis-heads" {page 121} I question her use of the hyphen. Penishead? Penis head? Penis-head? This was one of the things I found most thought provoking in the 200+ page book. Someone go get my AP style handbook, will you? Some of the words that appear in the pages of Slander seem inappropriate to use in a book intended to be taken seriously.But a serious book it is not, "Another way liberals think women should be like men is in the relentless pursuit of casual sex. Of all the fictional devices used by Hollywood, the rampant promiscuity of beautiful women is the most ludicrous.... Casts of entire shows ought to have the clap by now" {page 28}More fun than a night at a comedy club. At least for me. Most jokes in our universe consist of a set up and a punchline which wraps it up. The conclusion of the book was no more conclusive than the first chapter of the book. But liberal, conservative or nihilist...Coulter's set ups are good for a laugh just don't expect many punchlines.When I turned the last page of Slander I felt kind of tipsy and much like a night spent with sorority sisters it was a long meandering journey without any real direction. {burp}Scribbled by Madison from moxie.nu 413@blogcritics.org Wed, 4 Sep 2002 18:13:49 EDT