HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Spotted...

Today I found myself on a work-related mission at Target and Best Buy in West Hollywood. The work part went smoothly and on the walk between stores I spotted Ryan Kwanten from True Blood. After a double-take, I was sure it was him and he was sure I had spotted him. I never mean to be rude or obvious when I spot a celeb...so I am sure he was much relieved when I went about my business without asking him about his stint working on The WB's Summerland.

I headed into Best Buy to continue my task and I stopped dead in my tracks, which in hindsight was probably completely obvious. For one brief second, I thought I was standing right next to Tyra Banks. Was I about to experience all of the crazy from Top Model first hand? During the next second I realized it wasn't Ms. Banks. Sigh, but it was someone I recognized. Who? Who was this striking woman taunting me with her statuesque Tyra-like beauty? Think, think, think. AH! It was Amber Stevens (Ashleigh) from Greek! I kept going as she continued to peruse the iPhone accessories isle.

I have a crazy sixth sense for spotting and recognizing stars, quasi-famous folk and other miscellaneous random folks about town. Stay tuned...

As Seen On TV

Ok, here are some random TV thoughts. Spoilers ahead.

The Office has been uneven this season, but I did thoroughly enjoy the wedding of my beloved Jim and Pam. Last week's mafia episode was almost completely unfunny. The honeymooning Jim and Pam were sorely missed. It was kind of sad that the funniest bits were when Jim and Pam were on the phone. How many times do I plan to type Jim and Pam in this paragraph?

Yes, Michael is a dolt, but I just don't buy that Dwight and Andy believed that the insurance salesman was actually in the mafia. Really? It was too big of a stretch to believe that they'd believe it and that they were also able to convince Michael too. Fail.

On a side note, Cartoon Network is airing the original British version of The Office during Adult Swim every Friday.

Say what you will about the shorty season of Top Model, but this edition features some of the most model-esque candidates to date. Nicole, Laura and to a lesser degree Erin and Rae...I'm talking to y'all! This competition is entirely Nicole's to win. If she can't manage it, as she does have some quirky personality issues, then country sweetheart Laura will surely prevail.

Karma isn't the only bitch on this show. There is a clique of girls who constantly bad mouth the rest of the models. Ashley, Kara and Sundai continually trash the other girls and they seem oblivious to their own poor performances. Ashley is gone, Kara just got the boot and Sundai was in the bottom 2 and now stands alone. Clique party of one, clique party of one...

Best o' the week: The Vampire Diaries and The Big Bang Theory tie. The Vampire Diaries Stefan/Katherine/Damon origin story was amazing! The Big Bang Theory also wins for the best use of Wil Wheaton on TV since Star Trek The Next Generation. Worst o' the week: Saturday Night Live. How can the dress-rehearsal-blooper-flashbacks from the years gone by be the funniest part of the entire show? How?

Rain

Ok, so it is raining in Los Angeles.  It rains so seldom here that with each occurrence there are always multiple "storm watch" reports on the TV news and radio.  Mind you, the amount of rain we actually get would only really be considered a storm by ants.  Drizzle watch is so much more accurate.

Anyway, this rainy weather always reminds me of Rain by Madonna.  My mind then flashes to Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion at the thought of Rain and rain.  I just grabbed dinner at Swingers with my friend Pete, which is where Romy and Michelle were reviewing their high school yearbook.  They reminisced, from their red plaid booth, about Danny Weller lodging a complaint because alphabetically he was supposed to be pictured between them (yep, their senior photo is shared) in the yearbook.  "Didn't he die?" Michelle so eloquently wondered...

I love the rain...I never know where it will take my mind.

2 Vampires, A Wedding and A Moon Bombing...

Ok, so The Vampire Diaries is my surprise TV obsession of the 2009 season.  The show delivers on action, suspense, romance, quippy crackling dialogue and the age old tale of good and evil between two vampire brothers.  The stakes are raised with each episode and I really like how the series is developing.  Yeah, I know...I'm like a 12 year-old girl.

Jim and Pam finally got married on The Office!!  I'm not gonna lie, I have been excited about this wedding since they appeared on the cover of Entertainment Weekly a couple of weeks ago.  The promo campaign snatched me by my heartstrings too.  Dysfunctional shenanigans abounded at the rehearsal dinner and wedding featuring Andy, Michael, Dwight and even Kevin.  Thankfully, Jim and Pam remained the heart of the event.  Jim's rehearsal dinner fumble was an unexpected layer.  The "plan c" was a nice touch and a perfect start for Mr. & Mrs. Halpert.

Wait, we are blasting the moon?  Doesn't anyone remember Space 1999?

Sex Sell Outs...

Ok, so the ratings are down for both Heroes and Gossip Girl.   NBC and The CW are freaking out, respectively.  Instead of writing better scripts to improve the story-telling, they've decided to entice with desperate tawdry tales.  

Heroes will rely on the tried and true lesbian college tryst.   Gossip Girl plans to slip into something a little more comfortable and showcase a menage a trois with three main characters. These story conventions are fine if used within the natural progression of the story, but this reeks of desperation. 

Sex sells.  

Sell outs.

Whipped!

Ok, so I saw Whip It and loved, loved, loved it.  Drew Barrymore created a funny and heart-warming film filled with great performances.  No one can rock a United States Postal Service uniform like Marcia Gay Harden.  No one.

Yeah, it is a story we’ve seen a million times, but Drew added subtle nuances that give a funny and fresh spin to the familiar coming-of-age tale.  Each character is given a moment or two to shine…especially Kristin Wiig, Alia Shawkat and Juliette Lewis.

 I hope this movie, which opened to a quiet box office last weekend, finds its legs and skates on.