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JANUARY 7TH
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COMEDY CENTRAL

Not "The Daily Show," but "A Daily Show"

Casey Albridge not the baby daddy?

There are increasing rumors that Jamie Lynn's baby does not belong to Casey Aldridge as claimed before. MSNBC says there are sources that he has been cheating on her and that she is upset. Other rumors are that he is not the father and Jamie Lynn is mum on the identity of the baby's father. There is another rumor out there saying that the real father is an older gentleman.

Sources:
Showbiz Spy
Thaidain News

MSNBC

Related Topic: Another Spears Oven is Baking

Why make an American Live-Action Sailor Moon?

I refer to Sailor Moon as the 'gateway drug' of Anime, because it was the first show that got many Anime fans hooked into Anime in the 90's. Anime was prominent in the West before then, but not as much as it became by the end of the 20th century. When Sailor Moon was dubbed by DiC in 1995, young Americans were unfamiliar with Anime and I remember it was mostly sneered upon and unpopular. Now, Anime is seen everywhere and common in children's animation. Anime is so respected nowadays, it inspired the style of "The Boondocks" and other animation. And such classics such as "Astro Boy" and "Lupin the 3rd" are shown after midnight on Adult Swim. Unfortunately, Sailor Moon didn't get the porcelain treatment shows have gotten recently. Fans can agree the dubs (even the ones from Cloverway) are a double-edged sword. If it was never made, fans would never be aware of it.

Many professionals (both the show producers and analysts) claim it was difficult to transliterate or adapt the Animated metaseries (the five 'seasons') because of the many taboos and/or controversies. Yes, DiC did edit and censor a whole lot of things like 'inimitable' behavior (spitting, etc.) but of course, as I always cover LGBT issues... I have to focus on LGBT... a whole lot of lesbian, gay, and transgender characters. The most popular being Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune of course. Who, after years between Sailor Moon R and Sailor Moon S got adapted, the fans were already aware of their relationship. So when Cloverway decided to call them 'cousins,' it just wasn't respected. Creator Naoko Takeuchi vouches they are indeed lesbians and always meant to be women. They were controversial as well in Japan. Other LGBT characters include Zoicite and Kunzite who became female Zoycite and Malachite (name change reason unknown). In the Manga, Zoicite and Kunzite were not romantically entangled. Fisheye (gay male to female) and Zirconia (female to male) switched genders as well. And in Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Anime, the Sailor Stars transformed from women to men which surprised Naoko because she meant them to crossdressing women. All Sailors are female. That Anime may never get adapted to English. In Italy, the Sailor Stars and their male counterparts were split.

Okay, I digress! As some might know, in 2003 there was a Live-Action Sailor Moon produced by the Japanese. In fact, the same company that produced the Anime series--Toei. Some fans, or many of the North American fans were not happy that they used Japanese actors for the series. I find this ridiculous. One of my close friends says, "If a movie is based in [Germany], we get [German] actors!" Which I don't find completely true. Sometimes Germans play Russians and Mexicans play Cubans. Anyhoo, it only makes sense a show set in Japan created by a Japanese person targeted toward Japanese children to star Japanese people. Now, yes they might look a bit ridiculous in wigs, but GET OVER IT! I love the Anime, but I love the Manga most of all as the source. The Live-Action series followed the Manga for the most part and then started spinning into its own original stuff. Fans only familiar with the Anime, would sort of get lost when it came to the 2003 series. Rei's grandfather was not present and she wasn't as boy-crazy as in the Anime, Minako was drastically different from both the Anime and Manga in mood and Motoki (Andrew) was more of a nerd. It's called "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon," the only Japanese series to have an entire English title and the only to be called 'Guardian.' Fans call it PGSM.

PGSM was great because it focused on the girl's lives, relationships and fears. I could just ignore the stuffed doll cats, so-so CGI graphics and wigs, it was great. What was awesome about PGSM storyline was the dualism between Sailor Moon; they made a point of introducing Princess Sailor Moon (above--she never smiled in the series), an absolute power--only concerned in saving her love Endymion (Darien). In one episode, Usagi (Serena) met Princess in her mind and tried to reason with herself. It was Princess Sailor Moon who destroyed the world in the past. Where in the Manga, Usagi killed herself after her Prince was killed. In the Anime, her mother sent everyone to the future to be resurrected to live on. So I felt it was a metaphor for your potential to go over the edge, to the point of no return. Everytime she used her Moon Crystal, it would give the enemy Metalia (Negaverse) more power. Not to mention Dark Mercury or how some fans called her Darkury. Sailor Mercury, being one of the fan favorites, became evil temporarily. Luna became Sailor Luna, a little girl in a wig in place of Sailor Chibi-Moon, being that PGSM was only based on the first arc.

Back when, perhaps 1997 or something (not sure), there were rumblings about a North American Live-Action Sailor Moon movie. Especially since Disney owned DiC for a while, there were expectations Disney would do it. That ultimately fell through. Last year, there was a nasty rumor Lidnsey Lohan would star. Then there was the one Joss Whedon would direct. All has been proven to be untrue. I doubt Lohan is on any casting director's mind right now. As much as I love Joss Whedon, Sailor Moon is a major task to ask someone. I understand why some Whedon/SM fans would want him to direct something like SM, because they know he is dedicated and will do the best job he can do. And he understands super heroines. I think after dealing with big franchises, Sailor Moon would too much of a hassle for Joss. I don't even think he has seen the Anime. I think there would be major expectations from Sailor Moon fans for a project like I am suggesting. And I believe those expectations are justified because we have been hassled so much.

So why do it at all? I don't know. In my own whacked out mind, I think we (fans) deserve a decent representation of why we love Sailor Moon so much. Sailor Moon is the only original superheronie, not based on a male predecessor other than Wonder Woman. I think it would be fun. Sailor Moon can build on the popularity of Disney Princesses and also be the much need superhero role models for girls. Marketing would be great, I already imagine little girls in odangos and princess crowns. I also think it shouldn't be exclusively directed towards children and also portray Sailor Neptune and Uranus' relationship honestly and truthfully. Now you may asking yourself, isn't that crazy? Well, there are plenty of adult movie properties that has been popular with children: Aliens, Predator, Shadowman, Jurassic Park, and Robocop! Now why a movie? I think a live-action series is too much of a hassle for American producers and they wouldn't agree to it (money) as much to as a movie. I think a film company would agree more with a movie because they can test it out to see it is a hit. I believe if they make the research and carter a movie to fans, they can grab big audiences. I think Sailor Moon fans are as great in number as Harry Potter fans. You can not only attract little girls, young women, anime fans, but also many of young males. You won't believe how many Straight males love Sailor Moon. The Manga and Anime came in 5 arcs but some fans imagine 6 movies. Hey, if there is gonna be 8 Harry Potters, why not 6 Sailor Moons? I think if an American movie is made, it should follow in storytelling and mood of the live-action PGSM. Of course, there would be lots of debate over how the cats should be handled.

I brought up Disney before. The interesting thing is that recently Toei and Disney have already been collaborating. As mention before on this blog in posts about the Power Rangers, Disney has been working with Toei—who produces the source of Power Rangers (Super Sentai) since 2002. I heard nothing of Disney talking to Toei about Sailor Moon, but I think it could have been done. Unfortunately, ties between Disney and Toei may strained now that Disney may be not producing live-action Power Rangers by 2009. Besides, Toei has closed any chance of anyone obtaining the rights to Sailor Moon. The broadcast syndication license for the Anime in North America expired in 2003. and it is no longer shown on television in any English-speaking country. Toei currently has a lockdown on all Sailor Moon licenses, but Geneon (who did those big DVDs) may be interested if the situation changes. As for the live-action series, it has not been broadcast in any country outside of Japan and Toei has no plans for it to be adapted. Interestingly enough, Toei has decided to let their American company Cloverway develop Kamen Rider Dragon Knight to re-vamp the Masked Rider franchise that Saban 'ruined.'

Related: My Sailor Moon Dream Cast

About a year and half ago, I made my own dream cast for Sailor Moon. I might make some changes to my own cast choices.

Eastern Promises DVD Review

Okay, here I go. David Cronenberg serves up a window to the Russian mob in London, with midwife Anna (Naomi Watts) leading us in. When a 14-year old girl dies from childbirth on her table, she involves herself with finding the baby's family. No name was left, only the girl's diary. Her father was Russian but she doesn't read it, she understands it well enough. She asks her stuffy uncle Stefan (Polish Jerry Skolimowski) to translate but he then refuses. So then she foes to restaurant owner Semyon (German Armin Mueller-Stahl), who seems nice. Stefan warns Anna about 'these people,' but it is too late when 'driver' Nickolai (American Viggo Mortensen) takes interest in her. He is super chummy with Semyon's shady son Kirill (French Vincent Cassel) who not doubt is involved in the mob. The story plays the 'more than it seems' game mixed in with 'I told you sos.' It isn't super predictable but the 'plot twists' don't the impact they should have. The atmosphere Cronenberg creates is enjoyable and entertaining, while the 'thrills' of a 'triller' fall flat.

The only squimish and thrilling part of the movie is the naked fight scene between Mortensen and two thugs. This is no doubt Mortensen's movie. He made the research, he sparks and shines everywhere. He steals every scene, and even if it was his and all eyes are focused on him. Watts plays her part as always, not anything new in this performance. Mueller-Stahl said he wanted to play something different than other mob bosses in cinema, even though he respected those like Marlon Brando. It is ahrd to snap out of what they established. He does try to make his own spin, but how much can you do with the now-old shtick of making a mob boss sympathetically and charismatic. The DVD has two short documentaries, no audio commentary and that's it. If you wanna see it, you won't be disappointed (especially Viggo nude). If you are not sure, it is worth a look but nothing to shout out loud for. And if you are violence fan, there is plenty. Although there is only about three deaths in movie, it is done memorably and artistically. The ending is pretty vague and feels it ends prematurely. Some things, I feel it should have been expanded more into. If you let us in, then why not show us everything?

Homosexual Analysis of Eastern Promises

Instead of doing my usual review of a movie, I have decided to do a critique on the portrayal of same-sex attraction in the movie. I may do a regular review later. Director David Cronenberg doesn't like summing up his movie's plot, so I don't like summarizing it. So I will skip and you can read it somewhere else.

Bascially there is no fully out character but there is Kirill (Vincent Cassel), who sent for a friend to be killed after running around the rumor that he was 'a queer.' His father was a big drama queen about this realization. This is basically Viggo Mortensen's movie. He plays Nikolai, Kirill's driver and right-hand man, dirty work guy. Kirill basically forces Nikolai to have sex with a teenage girl to prove he is not a 'queer.' He then proceeds to watch it. Near the end of the movie, where Kirill is about to kill a baby girl, Nikolai convinces him out of it in an embrace.

Christiananswers.net says: "Here in 'Eastern Promises' the young gangster’s homosexuality (the need to watch his driver engaging in a sex act--the cheek to cheek reconciliations) lacks the humor of the earlier film and is merely sinister--it harkens back to some of the old Bertolucci movies ('The Conformist' or '1900') in which sexual perversity was equated with personal and especially political corruption. It was stale then and it’s stale now."

David Cronenberg of AfterElton.com says:
"With his new film, the violent Russian mob drama Eastern Promises , Cronenberg has once again elected to explore homosexuality, this time in the context of a patriarchal, aggressive crime underworld. In including a deeply closeted gay mobster in his colorful ensemble, Cronenberg is, on the one hand, giving us another in an unfortunately rich cinematic history of gay villains. But the film’s refusal to condemn the character for his sexuality or to associate his sexuality with his criminality is notable, and the sensitivity with which the story is explored is unexpected and refreshing. The film may be brutal, but it is not cruel."

Francis of the blog Lessons from the School of Inattention says:
"In Eastern Promises, Cronenberg is again examining the role of geography in his theme of identity. When Semyon gains knowledge of his son's supposed homosexuality, he blames London as the primary cause for the sudden and alarming shift in gender preference within his family line. Cronenberg is careful not to make Kirill's homosexual tendencies obvious and apparent, instead he conceives Kirill as utterly troubled and divided: supposedly convinced that he is straight, in accordance with the necessity of continuing the familial machismo that is inherited from Russia, but internal and external factors pull him towards the fractured sexuality which Nikolai apparently exploits. Cronenberg never discloses whether the homosexual tension between Nikolai and Kirill become consummated but the atmosphere of ever-changing stances in identity overpowers, especially nearing the end of the film when Kirill finally breaks from his moral and sexual gray area and surrenders to Nikolai's moral and sexual ascendancy over him (as exemplified by the uncomfortably close embrace with Nikolai after deciding to turn over the baby to Anna) in the concrete banks of the Thames River."

I personally did not find the embrace between the two in the end of the movie as uncomfortable. They had close embraces before and seemed comfortable. I did feel that Nikolai was exploiting Kirill a bit to get what he wanted. His actions didn't seem sincere and Viggo does it wonderfully. Nikolai does seem to love and appreciate Kirill. It's like he is okay with him being who he is and may love him but loves Anna (Noami Watts) more. How he kisses Anna after that seems more significant. It is like he is sacrificing himself. She can't be part of his world. Like the director says, they are two trains that pass in the night.

I do agree with some of the points above, about Kirill being trouble and divided, it being good that the movie doesn't condemn the character for his sexuality, and Nikolai's sexual ascendancy. Also, about all this being a bit stale about 'ooohhh he is homosexual!'; covering old hostilities and prejudices and stereotypes within mafia may bit a bit stale and how it is handled, it could have been do a bit more quicker and less 'big issue.' There isn't a lot of information. And the movie is about that, not knowing everything about the characters, but I guess it was necessary.

For more caps of Viggo click here

Updated 1/11/08

Miss Teen South Carolina Spoofs

The viral video of Miss Teen USA that rocked the country.
Miss South Carolina's Answer

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Even when she says 'Some of' sounds like 'Osama.' AOL has listed various parodies.

Check out all the spoofs on AOL Video.

The second one with the girl calling 911 is hit or miss, it is ambitious an nicely done but the video seems to be longer than the joke should be. There is one of cartoons running through her head has the same effect. The one with her 'parents' is cute. The one 'Miss Teen SA vs. Bush' is pretty good but the 'scratch' effect is annoying. The blonde imitator in the yellow-toned video seems to be too smart to be playing her and doesn't have the rant good. The one that has the ranting good is in the rawvegas.tv video. The trick to talk crazy is to believe it yourself. There is some logic to her ramblings.

This is from the Today Show, where the lady reporter saying she was nervous and protecting her. Here she says she was overwhelmed. In this interview, she does still make some rambles. Her 'answer' here again is funny to me because she still says "Well personally."



For me, it proves the question. Product of the American Educational system.