Even more telling, Tea Party activists in the middle of the country are skirting the fiscal showdown in Congress and turning to narrower issues, raising questions about whether the movement still represents a citizen groundswell to which attention must be paid.
The Tea Party NEVER represented a “citizen groundswell” to which attention must be paid. That was a media-concocted fantasy. Stupid liberal media.
Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn
Mrs. Pantload is having her mom over (like I say, we’re very low key about the day), and we just cranked up Planes, Trains & Automobiles over bowls of spaghetti & marinara.
Actually, my fave Xmas flick is LA Confidential, but there’s a bit too much testosterone in it for the Mrs. — Steve Martin and John Candy a very workable compromise.
We do too. We call it the Wand of Power. But honestly, husband is so hilarious about it, he’s been known to carry it around the house with him. It’s like a subconscious thing.
19.
cathyx
@Southern Beale: That’s what he may tell you but it’s not subconscious at all. He doesn’t want you to have it.
20.
andy
Was over to a friend’s house for a Christmas luncheon and after we all sat down and watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Not exactly Christmas-y (though there are scenes with snow), but I find Christmas movies ultra lame and this was a good choice. One of the other possibilities was Dr Zhivago but that would have been a real assbuster for length not to mention it’s cold out and not that warm in his den either.
I’ve got it buffering on the DVR and will get to it shortly. I laughed to see that the villain is the Posh Nosh guy. Check out those videos on YouTube. Hilarious fake cooking show.
@The Thin Black Duke: You win. Checking IMDB now, this was definitely the first bomb in his career, despite the awesome cast. Since it was written and directed by Murphy, it seems easy to see that he fell prey to the “too successful” bug like many successful people do – you come to believe you have no flaws.
Vampire in Brooklyn, on the other hand, came 5 movies later, with a string of duds between. But this movie was also his nadir (wasn’t there also a prostitute scandal at this time?), as his next movie was “The Nutty Professor” and while I never saw it and don’t care to, it was successful, and began a fairly consistent stretch of successes, notably with voice work in cartoon movies – Shrek prime among them.
Man, Eddie’s SNL career was hilarious. I got to see him live on the Raw tour in that red leather suit he wore back then. Awesome sauce.
@The Thin Black Duke: hey I like Harlem Knights, for Della Reese and Red Foxx alone. And Arsenio Hall with his lil pea shooter while everyone else using tommy guns.
31.
Raven
Tornado freakout here.
32.
lamh35
Welp, got off at 8pm made it home 25 minutes later (15minutes longer than I usually do) DFW area has ice and snow for Christmas. I’ve never been so happy to live close to work (my next apartment is literally across the street from my new job). I already know my tires and brakes aren’t “winter weather” ready (not hopelessly messed up, just needed repairs/tuneups).
Now sitting down to eat left over hot wings and pizza. Just lovely…lol.
I’ll be home in 14 days so I’m, actually fine with working Chrsitmas, but then my cousin sent me a picture of my grnadmother’s brother who we haven’t seen in like 5 YEARS! He’s the last living relation we have of that generation. My grandmother and her other brother has been long dead. So Uncle Benny is our last link to her.
I don’t know where it stacks up chronologically, but I have always loathed boomerang. What an amazingly hypocritical film in which the woman who gives Eddie Murphy’s character a taste of his own medicine is supposed to ultimately be the bad one in the film.
Plus, I’m kind of stunned Murphy has been able to keep making films with all of his flops, but I’m assuming the successful films must have made so much money it negates the money spent on the bombs.
34.
kindness
Back from the family. Only ate one plate of food. That is a good thing, I don’t feel ill from eating too much. Still early too (west coast here).
I’ve been out of it lately. Out of the MSM loop. I see NPR is still jacking ‘fiscal cliff’ 24/7. OK, so that’s not new or different. Frankly I’m approaching the ‘fiscal cliff’ like Election Day. I was so tired of hearing all the crap out there I just wanted it to be over. Yea, I know, this one is different. We’re going over, I’m convinced and I don’t mind. I don’t mind if I end up paying another $100 a month in taxes. I won’t like it but I’ll pay it just to shut those deficit scolds up. The sad thing? It’ll come down hardest on those closest to the edge already. It isn’t right but with Republican ‘opposition’ (really they are Confederates who haven’t left yet) there is just a whole world of not right. OK, too much time on the soapbox.
Does it make me a jerk that I’m kind of hurt two of my closest friends (and I have very few friends, so this isn’t a meaningless label) didn’t send me anything for Christmas? I mean…I know the holidays are about more than STUFF and it’s not really the idea of OMGZ GIMME PRESENTS but more just that it feels weird to feel forgotten. I sent gifts to both of them which I know they got a few days ago. I mean, hell, even if they’d slipped and didn’t think to buy and ship something, which I can certainly sympathize with, it’s the easiest thing in the world to send an Amazon gift card or something, you know? Just feels…strange, and like the friendships are not as important to them as to me :(
36.
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: And although Eddie made a truckload of money, his success will never buy him the careers that former comedians such as Jamie Foxx or Bill Murray are having right now. Tragically, as brilliant as Eddie Murphy was in his prime, he could have been even better. He coulda been a contender.
@Hal: He was perhaps the biggest star of the 80’s, and if not the biggest, in the discussion with Arnold and Stallone. Certainly in comedy. That still draws attention if he’s in a movie, even today, even if you think he stinks. I’m speaking from ignorance since I’ve not really seen any of his movies in the last 15 years, or any movies, really. Caveat Emptor and all that.
You’re absolutely right, though. Murphy was a comedic genius and certainly had the range to do serious roles, or action roles, or musical roles, or any kind of role. What happened to him? Drugs? I honestly don’t know and don’t want to look it up.
@Raven: Yeah, I figure it’s possible something will turn up in the mail tomorrow. I hope so. It doesn’t feel good to think someone’s stopped giving a damn about you, you know?
42.
Yutsano
Happy Boxing Day dear. :)
43.
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: No, not drugs. However, as you referred to earlier, ego. Monsters of the Id. But if you want to take a look at What Could Have Been, check out his role in Dreamgirls. He’s damned good, and should have won an Oscar for best supporting actor that year. Unfortunately, that was also the same year he did Norbit (shudder), which overshadowed his brilliant performance as James “Thunder” Early. Y’know, Eddie, sometimes money isn’t everything, especially when you’re already rich.
44.
Rosie Outlook
My favorite Christmas movie is the George C. Scott “Christmas Carol.”
45.
SectionH
No BBCAmerica here. :-( Don’t know ow long Cox would take to add whatever package I’d have to order to get it. I was able to download Season 7 episodes from iTunes 24 hrs after they first were broadcast, but there’s not a hint of when this special might be available. Boo.
46.
Suzanne
@Alison: No, that does not make you a jerk. But if it’s a one-time slip-up, it seems like a forgivable offense to me.
Scenarios like that are why I hate gift-giving except to my kids and husband, though. Bleh.
I never have to fight for the remote any more. I just retire to the man-cave and watch whatever I want on my iPad. Between WatchESPN and the Time Warner app, I am about 95 percent good to go, and the remaining five percent is Premier League matches on Fox Soccer that I can record.
49.
Raven
@Alison: Well I do but our dear friend Tom Petty likes to say “Most things I worry about never happen anyway.
50.
poco
@Steeplejack: Thanks–just laughed at an episode of Fish & chips. Had no idea the villain was the same guy.
51.
lamh35
I personally think Eddie Murphy was robbed the year he was up for an Oscar for Dreamgirls. I saw Little Miss Sunshine and Alan Arkin was great, but Eddie Murphy was way better in Dreamgirls. He really was great as Jimmy Earvin. In fact, I think one of the reasons he didn’t win was because I believe another one of his crappiest movies “Norbitt” came out right in the middle of Oscar ballots being turned in (Oscar telecast happened on Feb 27, Norbit was realeased on Fev 9th.
Up until that time I believe Eddie Murphy has been up for a lot of the film awards back then and won a good bit of them. Norbitt torpedoed his Oscar chances, IMHO
@Suzanne: Oh, certainly forgivable, of course. Not saying I’d cut them out of my life over it. And yeah, I know what you mean about gift-giving, but for me, it really is just a way to say to someone, “Hey I like you so I got you something that will make you happy” – especially people we don’t see often. I honestly like giving gifts more than receiving them, really, but it just does poke at me a bit to put out the effort and not have it reciprocated. But again, not like I’d stop being their friend or anything…
Are you starting some kind of war on New Year’s Day?
No war on the Gregorian Calendar’s New Year’s day.
Have some Beef Jerky Time to relax.
56.
Joel
@redshirt: I think the downturn in his career coincided with him getting busted for soliciting transvestite prostitutes. For a guy who made his bones with homophobia being a staple part of his act, it probably cut him down a few notches.
I liked Eddie Murphy at his best, but he was a product of his era in many ways (not all of them good).
57.
Joel
To be fair, we could also ask about what happened to Chevy Chase, or even Steve Martin. Lots of those comedians didn’t make the transition.
@Joel: Steve Martin certainly did for awhile, but seems to have chased the money in his later years. He’s still funny, so I don’t know what’s up with him.
Chase was great in Fletch, and of course Caddyshack. But he wasn’t really acting that much, and his shtick was pretty thin.
60.
The Thin Black Duke
@Joel: What happened to Chevy Chase was that he turned down American Beauty. I don’t know if Kevin Spacey ever said “Thanks, Chevy”.
Chevy’s not an actor, but rather one of those lucky few – who get paid to play themselves on TV.
Hello Vince Vaughn!
63.
normal liberal
@cathyx: There is a simple solution – two identical remotes.
MAD for TV control dominance issues. I highly recommend it.
64.
danielx
Expecting 10-15 inches of snow by tomorrow night, along with 40 mph winds. Usual hysteria on television…however, teh authorities say not to travel unless absolutely necessary and to make sure you have a will on file if you do travel, etc etc. We are prepared – plenty of food, coffee, beer, wine and a bottle of Black Bush most gratefully received as a Christmas present. I suspect even Mrs. X’s beloved Outback will be hard pressed to get out for a day or two, so my personal survival plan involves taking lot of naps….
65.
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: Yeah, Chevy could have been atrocious, but we’ll never know. Every actor has at least one opportunity in his/her career to redefine themselves. After all, who woulda thunk that Bill Murray was ever going to be good enough to do Lost In Translation after Stripes? Then again, Mad Dog and Glory gave audiences a tantalizing hint of the Murray’s future ascension.
@Alison:
It’s possible they didn’t think you could afford gifts for them and didn’t want to send you one because if would make you fell obligated. I doubt they were leaving you out.
@danielx:
We only have spot of rain so far in NJ. We’re north of the central east US storms.
I wouldn’t go out in your weather. And drive? That’s crazy.
Glad you have food stocked.
@The Thin Black Duke, redshirt:
Murphy really hit his peak in the Raw tour. I remember reading a great essay in one of the mags comparing the revenue from that- one man on a stage, compared to the cost of the first $50mm movie.
I think the green stamps always came first with Eddie, and for a while he could call all of his shots, even after the mis-steps. Then later on he could phone it in, and did. Shrek and Dr Dolittle was a predictable eventuality.
Some of his SNL work was as good as that show ever got. James Brown in the hot tub.
69.
The Thin Black Duke
@jayboat: Exactly. Heck, I believe Eddie single-handedly saved SNL from cancellation since the ratings were at their lowest point back then. Ironically enough, Eddie got hired when Lorne Michaels took a two-year hiatus from the show. To be blunt, I don’t think Mr. Michaels would have ever had Eddie on SNL in the first place. I wonder why.
@jayboat: To this day, decades later, when the shower’s too hot I cry out “IT’S TOO HOT IN THE HOT TUB!”
And then I get wet. Yeah.
72.
Steeplejack
My internal clock is messed up. This has felt like Sunday all day. I am not prepared for it to be Wednesday tomorrow.
73.
JohnK
Jeebus Sarah P&T, you kill me you crazy old lady! That video was the funny.
74.
Brachiator
Went to the movies. The first 3 screenings of Les Misérables were sold out, something that I have not often seen in the age of the monster multiplex.
Went instead to see Django Unchained, the feel-good movie of the holiday season. I was especially glad to see it early, since right wing pundits and radio talk show hosts are going to lose their shit over this film.
Tarantino delivers more than a homage to spaghetti westerns and genre films (though there is plenty of that, including red titles, rack zoom shots and incredible Western vistas). More than this, he pulls his Great American director’s dick out and pisses all over the myth of the genteel, honorable Confederacy, and actually deals with some surprising depth with one of America’s sins, the slave trade.
And yet the movie is also wicked funny. And the acting is outrageously good. There is some violent imagery (the film is rated R for a reason), but damn this may be a freaking masterpiece.
I have seen somewhere that Spike Lee thinks that the film is “disrespectful.” But he may be smarting over the fact that Tarantino was more audacious than Spike has been lately.
We were debating between Django and Silver Linings Playbook and went with SLP. I absolutely loved it. It was funny and touching. I can see why it is expected to get many Oscar nods. Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro were excellent in this movie.
SLP was sold out at the theater as was just about every other movie today. The theater was a madhouse all-around.
We were debating between Django and Silver Linings Playbook and went with SLP. I absolutely loved it. It was funny and touching. I can see why it is expected to get many Oscar nods. Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro were excellent in this movie.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about SLP. It had a very odd role-out, with its first weeks in limited release despite good reviews, good word of mouth, and the hotness of Jennifer Lawrence, coming off of her good work in The Hunger Games and other films.
I was recently listening to the BBC film review program with Mark Kermode. Evidently, UK audiences are taking to this film as well.
I think I saw somewhere that Jennifer Lawrence is going to host SNL in mid January. Hopefully, Silver Linings will still be in theaters and able to benefit from this PR boost.
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Southern Beale
As per usual, husband puts a lame-ass movie on the TV then promptly goes to sleep.
SIGH.
Oltrol
@Southern Beale:
Turn it down, or off, that usually wakes them up. But fast forward just before the end.
elisabeth
I read it as “Feliz Nadal” and wondered where the connection to tennis came in.
Southern Beale
@Oltrol:
Usually he dozes off with the remote clutched in his hand.
Anyway, he’s awake now. We’re watching Trading Places, an old movie with Eddie Murphy. I am not impressed. Must be a guy thing.
poco
Isn’t anyone watching the season premiere of Doctor Who?
JoyfulA
@Southern Beale: Trading Places is about my most favorite movie!
redshirt
@Southern Beale: MERRY NEW YEAR!
Southern Beale
Stupid New York Times, their story on the decline of the Tea Party contains this ridiculous sentence:
The Tea Party NEVER represented a “citizen groundswell” to which attention must be paid. That was a media-concocted fantasy. Stupid liberal media.
Southern Beale
See you kids, this is what happens when you get married. You end up arguing over the remote.
:-)
cathyx
@Southern Beale: I call the remote “The Power Stick”. He who has it, has all the power.
redshirt
What was the first “bad” Eddie Murphy movie? And don’t you dare say “The Golden Child”.
He was gold there for awhile. Without resorting to IMDB, I’m recalling some Black Dracula movie or something.
freelancer (iPhone)
@poco:
Already did. Already have a huge crush on the Doctor’s new companion.
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: Harlem Nights. Sigh. In some respects, that was the beginning of Eddie’s slow and sad decline.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@redshirt: Vampire in Brooklyn. And it was indeed awful. As in damn did he lose a bet bad.
magurakurin
@JoyfulA:
“Sounds to me like you guys a couple a bookies.”
elisabeth
@redshirt:
Sequel to Beverly Hills Cop was meh.
Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn
Mrs. Pantload is having her mom over (like I say, we’re very low key about the day), and we just cranked up Planes, Trains & Automobiles over bowls of spaghetti & marinara.
Actually, my fave Xmas flick is LA Confidential, but there’s a bit too much testosterone in it for the Mrs. — Steve Martin and John Candy a very workable compromise.
Southern Beale
@cathyx:
We do too. We call it the Wand of Power. But honestly, husband is so hilarious about it, he’s been known to carry it around the house with him. It’s like a subconscious thing.
cathyx
@Southern Beale: That’s what he may tell you but it’s not subconscious at all. He doesn’t want you to have it.
andy
Was over to a friend’s house for a Christmas luncheon and after we all sat down and watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Not exactly Christmas-y (though there are scenes with snow), but I find Christmas movies ultra lame and this was a good choice. One of the other possibilities was Dr Zhivago but that would have been a real assbuster for length not to mention it’s cold out and not that warm in his den either.
magurakurin
@Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn:
I like that movie, too.
Steeplejack
@poco:
I’ve got it buffering on the DVR and will get to it shortly. I laughed to see that the villain is the Posh Nosh guy. Check out those videos on YouTube. Hilarious fake cooking show.
andy
@Southern Beale: Obviously you need the One Remote to rule them all.
PeakVT
@redshirt: MERRY NEW YEAR!
It’s “Happy New Year.” Are you starting some kind of war on New Year’s Day? /bored wingtard
To be honest, I declared war on Thanksgiving last night. Or at least the actual date of Thanksgiving. I do not foresee victory anytime soon.
Downpuppy
Verizon doesn’t carry BBC America.
Unforgivable.
Oltrol
@Southern Beale:
Jamie Lee Curtis
Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn
@magurakurin: She is Lana Turner.
redshirt
@The Thin Black Duke: You win. Checking IMDB now, this was definitely the first bomb in his career, despite the awesome cast. Since it was written and directed by Murphy, it seems easy to see that he fell prey to the “too successful” bug like many successful people do – you come to believe you have no flaws.
Vampire in Brooklyn, on the other hand, came 5 movies later, with a string of duds between. But this movie was also his nadir (wasn’t there also a prostitute scandal at this time?), as his next movie was “The Nutty Professor” and while I never saw it and don’t care to, it was successful, and began a fairly consistent stretch of successes, notably with voice work in cartoon movies – Shrek prime among them.
Man, Eddie’s SNL career was hilarious. I got to see him live on the Raw tour in that red leather suit he wore back then. Awesome sauce.
Raven
@Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn: I see her mom in the drug store from time to time. Local color.
lamh35
@The Thin Black Duke: hey I like Harlem Knights, for Della Reese and Red Foxx alone. And Arsenio Hall with his lil pea shooter while everyone else using tommy guns.
Raven
Tornado freakout here.
lamh35
Welp, got off at 8pm made it home 25 minutes later (15minutes longer than I usually do) DFW area has ice and snow for Christmas. I’ve never been so happy to live close to work (my next apartment is literally across the street from my new job). I already know my tires and brakes aren’t “winter weather” ready (not hopelessly messed up, just needed repairs/tuneups).
Now sitting down to eat left over hot wings and pizza. Just lovely…lol.
I’ll be home in 14 days so I’m, actually fine with working Chrsitmas, but then my cousin sent me a picture of my grnadmother’s brother who we haven’t seen in like 5 YEARS! He’s the last living relation we have of that generation. My grandmother and her other brother has been long dead. So Uncle Benny is our last link to her.
Hal
@redshirt:
I don’t know where it stacks up chronologically, but I have always loathed boomerang. What an amazingly hypocritical film in which the woman who gives Eddie Murphy’s character a taste of his own medicine is supposed to ultimately be the bad one in the film.
Plus, I’m kind of stunned Murphy has been able to keep making films with all of his flops, but I’m assuming the successful films must have made so much money it negates the money spent on the bombs.
kindness
Back from the family. Only ate one plate of food. That is a good thing, I don’t feel ill from eating too much. Still early too (west coast here).
I’ve been out of it lately. Out of the MSM loop. I see NPR is still jacking ‘fiscal cliff’ 24/7. OK, so that’s not new or different. Frankly I’m approaching the ‘fiscal cliff’ like Election Day. I was so tired of hearing all the crap out there I just wanted it to be over. Yea, I know, this one is different. We’re going over, I’m convinced and I don’t mind. I don’t mind if I end up paying another $100 a month in taxes. I won’t like it but I’ll pay it just to shut those deficit scolds up. The sad thing? It’ll come down hardest on those closest to the edge already. It isn’t right but with Republican ‘opposition’ (really they are Confederates who haven’t left yet) there is just a whole world of not right. OK, too much time on the soapbox.
Alison
Does it make me a jerk that I’m kind of hurt two of my closest friends (and I have very few friends, so this isn’t a meaningless label) didn’t send me anything for Christmas? I mean…I know the holidays are about more than STUFF and it’s not really the idea of OMGZ GIMME PRESENTS but more just that it feels weird to feel forgotten. I sent gifts to both of them which I know they got a few days ago. I mean, hell, even if they’d slipped and didn’t think to buy and ship something, which I can certainly sympathize with, it’s the easiest thing in the world to send an Amazon gift card or something, you know? Just feels…strange, and like the friendships are not as important to them as to me :(
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: And although Eddie made a truckload of money, his success will never buy him the careers that former comedians such as Jamie Foxx or Bill Murray are having right now. Tragically, as brilliant as Eddie Murphy was in his prime, he could have been even better. He coulda been a contender.
Raven
@lamh35: A change is gonna come. . .
Raven
@Alison: Give it some time.
redshirt
@Hal: He was perhaps the biggest star of the 80’s, and if not the biggest, in the discussion with Arnold and Stallone. Certainly in comedy. That still draws attention if he’s in a movie, even today, even if you think he stinks. I’m speaking from ignorance since I’ve not really seen any of his movies in the last 15 years, or any movies, really. Caveat Emptor and all that.
redshirt
@The Thin Black Duke: Or Will Smith. ;)
You’re absolutely right, though. Murphy was a comedic genius and certainly had the range to do serious roles, or action roles, or musical roles, or any kind of role. What happened to him? Drugs? I honestly don’t know and don’t want to look it up.
Alison
@Raven: Yeah, I figure it’s possible something will turn up in the mail tomorrow. I hope so. It doesn’t feel good to think someone’s stopped giving a damn about you, you know?
Yutsano
Happy Boxing Day dear. :)
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: No, not drugs. However, as you referred to earlier, ego. Monsters of the Id. But if you want to take a look at What Could Have Been, check out his role in Dreamgirls. He’s damned good, and should have won an Oscar for best supporting actor that year. Unfortunately, that was also the same year he did Norbit (shudder), which overshadowed his brilliant performance as James “Thunder” Early. Y’know, Eddie, sometimes money isn’t everything, especially when you’re already rich.
Rosie Outlook
My favorite Christmas movie is the George C. Scott “Christmas Carol.”
SectionH
No BBCAmerica here. :-( Don’t know ow long Cox would take to add whatever package I’d have to order to get it. I was able to download Season 7 episodes from iTunes 24 hrs after they first were broadcast, but there’s not a hint of when this special might be available. Boo.
Suzanne
@Alison: No, that does not make you a jerk. But if it’s a one-time slip-up, it seems like a forgivable offense to me.
Scenarios like that are why I hate gift-giving except to my kids and husband, though. Bleh.
Mnemosyne
@Southern Beale:
All those gay people don’t know what they’re in for. ;-)
G always falls asleep in front of the TV, but he usually consults me about what we watch because he knows he always falls asleep halfway through.
burnspbesq
@Southern Beale:
I never have to fight for the remote any more. I just retire to the man-cave and watch whatever I want on my iPad. Between WatchESPN and the Time Warner app, I am about 95 percent good to go, and the remaining five percent is Premier League matches on Fox Soccer that I can record.
Raven
@Alison: Well I do but our dear friend Tom Petty likes to say “Most things I worry about never happen anyway.
poco
@Steeplejack: Thanks–just laughed at an episode of Fish & chips. Had no idea the villain was the same guy.
lamh35
I personally think Eddie Murphy was robbed the year he was up for an Oscar for Dreamgirls. I saw Little Miss Sunshine and Alan Arkin was great, but Eddie Murphy was way better in Dreamgirls. He really was great as Jimmy Earvin. In fact, I think one of the reasons he didn’t win was because I believe another one of his crappiest movies “Norbitt” came out right in the middle of Oscar ballots being turned in (Oscar telecast happened on Feb 27, Norbit was realeased on Fev 9th.
Up until that time I believe Eddie Murphy has been up for a lot of the film awards back then and won a good bit of them. Norbitt torpedoed his Oscar chances, IMHO
Here he is in Dreamgirls: http://youtu.be/53o7_NqrTQA
If you can, I may be biased, but Dreamgirls really is a pretty darn good musical movie
ETA: SHOOT, @The Thin Black Duke: ALREADY SAID ALL THAT…LOL THAT’S WHAT I GET FOR NOT READING ALL THE COMMENTS.
Joel
@redshirt: Harlem Nights, but the decline began in earnest with Boomerang.
Alison
@Suzanne: Oh, certainly forgivable, of course. Not saying I’d cut them out of my life over it. And yeah, I know what you mean about gift-giving, but for me, it really is just a way to say to someone, “Hey I like you so I got you something that will make you happy” – especially people we don’t see often. I honestly like giving gifts more than receiving them, really, but it just does poke at me a bit to put out the effort and not have it reciprocated. But again, not like I’d stop being their friend or anything…
The Thin Black Duke
@lamh35: Great minds think alike, eh?
gene108
@PeakVT:
No war on the Gregorian Calendar’s New Year’s day.
Have some Beef Jerky Time to relax.
Joel
@redshirt: I think the downturn in his career coincided with him getting busted for soliciting transvestite prostitutes. For a guy who made his bones with homophobia being a staple part of his act, it probably cut him down a few notches.
I liked Eddie Murphy at his best, but he was a product of his era in many ways (not all of them good).
Joel
To be fair, we could also ask about what happened to Chevy Chase, or even Steve Martin. Lots of those comedians didn’t make the transition.
maven
Marry me; you Rich Crazy Old Woman.
redshirt
@Joel: Steve Martin certainly did for awhile, but seems to have chased the money in his later years. He’s still funny, so I don’t know what’s up with him.
Chase was great in Fletch, and of course Caddyshack. But he wasn’t really acting that much, and his shtick was pretty thin.
The Thin Black Duke
@Joel: What happened to Chevy Chase was that he turned down American Beauty. I don’t know if Kevin Spacey ever said “Thanks, Chevy”.
NotMax
But – but – the calendar ends on Monday!
Oh.
Never mind.
:·)
redshirt
@The Thin Black Duke: Heh. He would have been terrible in that movie.
Chevy’s not an actor, but rather one of those lucky few – who get paid to play themselves on TV.
Hello Vince Vaughn!
normal liberal
@cathyx: There is a simple solution – two identical remotes.
MAD for TV control dominance issues. I highly recommend it.
danielx
Expecting 10-15 inches of snow by tomorrow night, along with 40 mph winds. Usual hysteria on television…however, teh authorities say not to travel unless absolutely necessary and to make sure you have a will on file if you do travel, etc etc. We are prepared – plenty of food, coffee, beer, wine and a bottle of Black Bush most gratefully received as a Christmas present. I suspect even Mrs. X’s beloved Outback will be hard pressed to get out for a day or two, so my personal survival plan involves taking lot of naps….
The Thin Black Duke
@redshirt: Yeah, Chevy could have been atrocious, but we’ll never know. Every actor has at least one opportunity in his/her career to redefine themselves. After all, who woulda thunk that Bill Murray was ever going to be good enough to do Lost In Translation after Stripes? Then again, Mad Dog and Glory gave audiences a tantalizing hint of the Murray’s future ascension.
Maude
@Alison:
It’s possible they didn’t think you could afford gifts for them and didn’t want to send you one because if would make you fell obligated. I doubt they were leaving you out.
Maude
@danielx:
We only have spot of rain so far in NJ. We’re north of the central east US storms.
I wouldn’t go out in your weather. And drive? That’s crazy.
Glad you have food stocked.
jayboat
@The Thin Black Duke, redshirt:
Murphy really hit his peak in the Raw tour. I remember reading a great essay in one of the mags comparing the revenue from that- one man on a stage, compared to the cost of the first $50mm movie.
I think the green stamps always came first with Eddie, and for a while he could call all of his shots, even after the mis-steps. Then later on he could phone it in, and did. Shrek and Dr Dolittle was a predictable eventuality.
Some of his SNL work was as good as that show ever got. James Brown in the hot tub.
The Thin Black Duke
@jayboat: Exactly. Heck, I believe Eddie single-handedly saved SNL from cancellation since the ratings were at their lowest point back then. Ironically enough, Eddie got hired when Lorne Michaels took a two-year hiatus from the show. To be blunt, I don’t think Mr. Michaels would have ever had Eddie on SNL in the first place. I wonder why.
Steeplejack
@poco:
“So if you hear someone banging away in the bedroom–”
“That’ll be a first.”
ETA: Actor is Richard E. Grant. And I’m in love with the Doctor’s new companion. Mrow!
redshirt
@jayboat: To this day, decades later, when the shower’s too hot I cry out “IT’S TOO HOT IN THE HOT TUB!”
And then I get wet. Yeah.
Steeplejack
My internal clock is messed up. This has felt like Sunday all day. I am not prepared for it to be Wednesday tomorrow.
JohnK
Jeebus Sarah P&T, you kill me you crazy old lady! That video was the funny.
Brachiator
Went to the movies. The first 3 screenings of Les Misérables were sold out, something that I have not often seen in the age of the monster multiplex.
Went instead to see Django Unchained, the feel-good movie of the holiday season. I was especially glad to see it early, since right wing pundits and radio talk show hosts are going to lose their shit over this film.
Tarantino delivers more than a homage to spaghetti westerns and genre films (though there is plenty of that, including red titles, rack zoom shots and incredible Western vistas). More than this, he pulls his Great American director’s dick out and pisses all over the myth of the genteel, honorable Confederacy, and actually deals with some surprising depth with one of America’s sins, the slave trade.
And yet the movie is also wicked funny. And the acting is outrageously good. There is some violent imagery (the film is rated R for a reason), but damn this may be a freaking masterpiece.
I have seen somewhere that Spike Lee thinks that the film is “disrespectful.” But he may be smarting over the fact that Tarantino was more audacious than Spike has been lately.
askew
@Brachiator:
We were debating between Django and Silver Linings Playbook and went with SLP. I absolutely loved it. It was funny and touching. I can see why it is expected to get many Oscar nods. Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro were excellent in this movie.
SLP was sold out at the theater as was just about every other movie today. The theater was a madhouse all-around.
Brachiator
@askew:
I’ve heard a lot of good things about SLP. It had a very odd role-out, with its first weeks in limited release despite good reviews, good word of mouth, and the hotness of Jennifer Lawrence, coming off of her good work in The Hunger Games and other films.
I was recently listening to the BBC film review program with Mark Kermode. Evidently, UK audiences are taking to this film as well.
I think I saw somewhere that Jennifer Lawrence is going to host SNL in mid January. Hopefully, Silver Linings will still be in theaters and able to benefit from this PR boost.