+ Casting rumors are floating around for "The Hobbit" with James McAvoy, Daniel Radcliffe and David Tennant all mentioned for the role of Bilbo Baggins. I'm about to utter a nerd blaspheme here but I kind of hate the idea of Tennant as Baggins. It's not that I don't think he'd be great, it's just that I...well...I don't like "The Hobbit." There, I've said it! I can't help it. I've never liked that book. Anyway, word is that the casting might be announced at Comic-Con.
+ Did you see this article about Harry Potter fans forming their own version of Dumbledore's Army to raise money and just generally do good things in support of some very worthy causes. Thanks to Minerva for submitting the link!
+ Here's a nifty new interview with Joss Whedon on "Dr. Horrible"'s Emmy nomination and various and sundry other things.
+ Speaking of interviews, here's a fairly extensive and kinda funny chat with Eve Myles, talking about Torchwood, Captain Jack and where she keeps her vases.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Emmy Awards: good news and bad news
For about five minutes this morning, I was really excited because I confused the Emmy Awards with the Oscar Awards and thought that the Emmy's were the ones that were doing 10 categories for best what-nots this year. For a brief moment, I thought, "Surely this means 'Battlestar Galactica' will get a best drama nomination now that there are 10 slots!" But then reality set in and I realized that no, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences had to keep their snooty pants on and ignore BSG so it could give yet another nod to a somnalent season of "House" which pretty much blew last year. (Sorry, Hugh Laurie, you know I still love you.)
Perusing this year's Emmy nominations, there were several bright spots on the landscape though. For example, "30 Rock" earned 22 nominations which means Alpha Girl Nerd Tina Fey should have a chance to make several more semi-surreal acceptance speeches this fall...which is awesome. And perhaps even more awesome, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" earned a nod in the Outstanding Special Class Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs category, which I think is a category they just made up so they could nominate "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" for something. Better yet, I just heard a rumor on Twitter that perhaps members of the "Dr. Horrible" cast might perform a number on the Emmy show itself. Let the prayers of the nerdy be heard!
Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory" earned a nomination for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series, a category which also inexplicably includes Charlie Sheen AGAIN. He -- and let's face it, Tony Shalhoub -- have to be sleeping with somebody important and doing a very good job of it to be getting these nominations year after year. Honestly. On a brighter note, Jemaine Clement got nominated for playing some guy named Jemaine Clement on "Flight of the Conchords" which means Bret McKenzie may well be crying himself to sleep somewhere right now. That makes me sad.
In other news, "Robot Chicken" got an Emmy high-five for its "Star Wars: Episode II." Stop-motion animators, you are mighty and you are loved. That guy who did "Clash of the Titans" would be totally proud.
Speaking of mightiness, the bad-ass cinematographers of "The Deadliest Catch" got nominated, too, in a category I think should be called the "Holy shit, there's a 40-foot wave coming at me what can I possibly hold on to besides the detachable limb of an angry crab oh my God I'm not getting paid nearly enough to do this" category. Maybe they could shorten it into some sort of acronym.
What did you think of this year's nominations? Any that made you particularly happy or were egregiously disappointing?
Perusing this year's Emmy nominations, there were several bright spots on the landscape though. For example, "30 Rock" earned 22 nominations which means Alpha Girl Nerd Tina Fey should have a chance to make several more semi-surreal acceptance speeches this fall...which is awesome. And perhaps even more awesome, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" earned a nod in the Outstanding Special Class Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs category, which I think is a category they just made up so they could nominate "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" for something. Better yet, I just heard a rumor on Twitter that perhaps members of the "Dr. Horrible" cast might perform a number on the Emmy show itself. Let the prayers of the nerdy be heard!
Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory" earned a nomination for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series, a category which also inexplicably includes Charlie Sheen AGAIN. He -- and let's face it, Tony Shalhoub -- have to be sleeping with somebody important and doing a very good job of it to be getting these nominations year after year. Honestly. On a brighter note, Jemaine Clement got nominated for playing some guy named Jemaine Clement on "Flight of the Conchords" which means Bret McKenzie may well be crying himself to sleep somewhere right now. That makes me sad.
In other news, "Robot Chicken" got an Emmy high-five for its "Star Wars: Episode II." Stop-motion animators, you are mighty and you are loved. That guy who did "Clash of the Titans" would be totally proud.
Speaking of mightiness, the bad-ass cinematographers of "The Deadliest Catch" got nominated, too, in a category I think should be called the "Holy shit, there's a 40-foot wave coming at me what can I possibly hold on to besides the detachable limb of an angry crab oh my God I'm not getting paid nearly enough to do this" category. Maybe they could shorten it into some sort of acronym.
What did you think of this year's nominations? Any that made you particularly happy or were egregiously disappointing?
Thursday Odds & Ends: Radcliffe, Iron Man 2, Sense and Sensibility...sorta
+ More "Harry Potter" goodness: TIME Magazine has 10 Questions for Daniel Radcliffe and don't forget, tonight on ABC at 8 p.m., there's a documentary on a year in the life of J.K. Rowling. And IGN has compiled their list of the Top 25 Harry Potter Characters.
+ Topless Robot has some spoilery but cool pics of Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johannson in "Iron Man 2." I really hope this movie lives up to my (very) high expectations of it.
+ This was making the rounds on Twitter yesterday but if you haven't seen it, hold onto your sailor hats. First there was "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and now there's -- perhaps inevitably -- "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters." Jane Austen must be spinning like a carnival ride in her grave right now...
+ The trailer for Drew Barrymore's upcoming roller derby flick, "Whip It" is out now. I kinda want to see this. Anyone else?
+ And finally, I was thrilled to be a guest on this week's "Wasted Words" podcast, where the entire panel drinks heavily and then talks about a topic -- in this case, how a man named Shek broke his arm and received better care at his local bar than at the hospital. We're pretty much at the forefront of the national health care discussion on this one, like The McLaughlin Group but with LESS drinking.
+ Topless Robot has some spoilery but cool pics of Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johannson in "Iron Man 2." I really hope this movie lives up to my (very) high expectations of it.
+ This was making the rounds on Twitter yesterday but if you haven't seen it, hold onto your sailor hats. First there was "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and now there's -- perhaps inevitably -- "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters." Jane Austen must be spinning like a carnival ride in her grave right now...
+ The trailer for Drew Barrymore's upcoming roller derby flick, "Whip It" is out now. I kinda want to see this. Anyone else?
+ And finally, I was thrilled to be a guest on this week's "Wasted Words" podcast, where the entire panel drinks heavily and then talks about a topic -- in this case, how a man named Shek broke his arm and received better care at his local bar than at the hospital. We're pretty much at the forefront of the national health care discussion on this one, like The McLaughlin Group but with LESS drinking.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Nerd Apocalypse Survival Kit
While all the run-of-the-mill survivalists out there are stockpiling soup cans and ammo, shouldn’t we nerdy types be preparing our own provisions? Aside from the food and water essentials, here are a few items I’d suggest putting aside in case the aliens land or the sun starts bleeding unicorns anytime soon:
Dice – Perfect for a quick game of D&D or a cavalier method of deciding who lives and who dies.
Shaun of the Dead DVD – Likely to be more of a “how to” than a “zombie rom-com” at this point.
Your inflatable David Boreanaz doll – Now I’m not saying you have one of these but if you did, it might make sense to pack it in case, you know, it floods or something and you have to ride it to safety. NO JUDGING!
A copy of Strunk and White – Being survivors of an apocalypse doesn’t mean we care less about adverb use. We are not animals…unless you’ve been bitten by a werewolf in which case, sorry.
Martin Sheen – Rebuilding society is TOTALLY our opportunity to put Bartlet in charge. Plus the dude survived “Apocalypse Now.” Prepared? I think so.
Lightsaber -- Some dinky flashlight from Costco or a giant beam of Jedi-fueled brilliance that makes cool noises in the dark? Exactly.
“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” soundtrack – I always picture the end of the world as a prolonged camping trip but with fewer marshmallows and more existential despair. And what would perk up the worst camping trip of all? Holding hands around the dying embers of civilization and belting out a rousing chorus of “Bad Horse.”
The cast of Bravo's "NYC Prep" – Nine times out of ten with these apocalypses, there’s gonna be human sacrifice. I’m just sayin’…
Lassie – We know she’s a hero when Timmy gets trapped in a well. How will she perform when Timmy gets trapped in the 9th circle of Hell? My prediction? Woof-tastically.
Your Comic-Con ticket – When the banking system goes offline, all we’ll have left is barter. I know it’ll be hard to part with – do I buy a bag of life-sustaining rice or go see what’s left of the “Torchwood” panel? Sometimes the apocalypse is about tough choices.
The cast of “Mythbusters” – When the zombie hordes come running at you and you have to blow up that propane tank to stop them, do you want some guy who lights sparklers once a year rigging your explosives or do you want the experts? You’re gonna want the experts. Plus, they always tell good jokes before the shrapnel flies!
T-shirt with sarcastic saying – EVERYONE’S going to be a sarcastic bastard when the world ends. Save yourself the effort of wordy quips – you’ll need to preserve your energy for escaping those packs of wild dogs -- and just put your nihilistic world view on a t-shirt. Cute and functional!
A spatula – Would you really want to stumble upon a box of Bisquick and not be prepared?
Anything I've missed? Please add it in the comments.
Dice – Perfect for a quick game of D&D or a cavalier method of deciding who lives and who dies.
Shaun of the Dead DVD – Likely to be more of a “how to” than a “zombie rom-com” at this point.
Your inflatable David Boreanaz doll – Now I’m not saying you have one of these but if you did, it might make sense to pack it in case, you know, it floods or something and you have to ride it to safety. NO JUDGING!
A copy of Strunk and White – Being survivors of an apocalypse doesn’t mean we care less about adverb use. We are not animals…unless you’ve been bitten by a werewolf in which case, sorry.
Martin Sheen – Rebuilding society is TOTALLY our opportunity to put Bartlet in charge. Plus the dude survived “Apocalypse Now.” Prepared? I think so.
Lightsaber -- Some dinky flashlight from Costco or a giant beam of Jedi-fueled brilliance that makes cool noises in the dark? Exactly.
“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” soundtrack – I always picture the end of the world as a prolonged camping trip but with fewer marshmallows and more existential despair. And what would perk up the worst camping trip of all? Holding hands around the dying embers of civilization and belting out a rousing chorus of “Bad Horse.”
The cast of Bravo's "NYC Prep" – Nine times out of ten with these apocalypses, there’s gonna be human sacrifice. I’m just sayin’…
Lassie – We know she’s a hero when Timmy gets trapped in a well. How will she perform when Timmy gets trapped in the 9th circle of Hell? My prediction? Woof-tastically.
Your Comic-Con ticket – When the banking system goes offline, all we’ll have left is barter. I know it’ll be hard to part with – do I buy a bag of life-sustaining rice or go see what’s left of the “Torchwood” panel? Sometimes the apocalypse is about tough choices.
The cast of “Mythbusters” – When the zombie hordes come running at you and you have to blow up that propane tank to stop them, do you want some guy who lights sparklers once a year rigging your explosives or do you want the experts? You’re gonna want the experts. Plus, they always tell good jokes before the shrapnel flies!
T-shirt with sarcastic saying – EVERYONE’S going to be a sarcastic bastard when the world ends. Save yourself the effort of wordy quips – you’ll need to preserve your energy for escaping those packs of wild dogs -- and just put your nihilistic world view on a t-shirt. Cute and functional!
A spatula – Would you really want to stumble upon a box of Bisquick and not be prepared?
Anything I've missed? Please add it in the comments.
Wednesday Odds & Ends: Apollo 11, Strunk and White-reading monkeys, Futurama and Bridget Jones
+ This is very cool. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has created a website that allows visitors to relive the flight of Apollo 11 and the Moon landing. Called We Choose the Moon, you can follow the mission from pre-launch to blast-off to the actual Moon landing on Monday. Quite nifty.
+ Speaking of nifty, did you know that today is the 210th anniversary of the Rosetta Stone discovery? I've always loved the Rosetta Stone. It was the first thing I scampered off to see when I visited the British Museum. I gawked at it for about 20 minutes. Nerd. Thanks to David Manly for the tip.
+ I'm not shocked by this at all: monkeys can recognize poor grammar. It's probably why they don't read my blog.
+ One of this girl nerd's favorite guilty pleasures will be returning to the big screen soon: yes, there's another Bridget Jones movie in the works. More Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, please, thank you.
+ Ooh, even more good news on the "Futurama" front. Not only will it be returning to our small screens, now you can get "Futurama" toys!
+ And finally, apropos of nothing except the fact that I watched a lot of YouTube videos yesterday, here's a funny Comic Relieft skit involving British comedienne and Doctor Who alumna Catherine Tate and James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. It cracked me up.
+ Speaking of nifty, did you know that today is the 210th anniversary of the Rosetta Stone discovery? I've always loved the Rosetta Stone. It was the first thing I scampered off to see when I visited the British Museum. I gawked at it for about 20 minutes. Nerd. Thanks to David Manly for the tip.
+ I'm not shocked by this at all: monkeys can recognize poor grammar. It's probably why they don't read my blog.+ One of this girl nerd's favorite guilty pleasures will be returning to the big screen soon: yes, there's another Bridget Jones movie in the works. More Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, please, thank you.
+ Ooh, even more good news on the "Futurama" front. Not only will it be returning to our small screens, now you can get "Futurama" toys!
+ And finally, apropos of nothing except the fact that I watched a lot of YouTube videos yesterday, here's a funny Comic Relieft skit involving British comedienne and Doctor Who alumna Catherine Tate and James Bond himself, Daniel Craig. It cracked me up.
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