Oh he'll entice grown men all right

Brando's grandson scares me. But Versace thinks he'll sell some clothes!

Col. Tigh is still ticked. I am too!

Michael Hogan -- how did this man never appear on US television before Battlestar Galactica? -- is "'not happy about being a Cylon at all'" and Aaron Douglas -- Chief! -- isn't either. "'I had felt it was really marginalizing him,' Douglas said about his character. 'It was taking away all the human stuff.'" But in reconciling himself to the new plot twist, does Douglas inadvertantly reveal something: "'now I don't mind going down in history as one of the Cylon gods.'" A god? Did we know that?

[Via TVTattle.]

Can't a hard-working girl from Miamisburg just have some fun?

You know how it is. You love your job -- but sometimes it feels so dull. You love your boyfriend -- but his family is another matter. So when someone new comes along and pays you a little attention, it's exciting. You figure you deserve this: a few laughs, nothing serious and no one will ever know. Then Castro and the CIA go and ruin everything.

Happens all the time in the burg.

"Hello Mister Johnny"

I think New York Magazine has it all wrong. This isn't a "Japanese TV interview." No. It's an opium dream Johnny Depp experienced 5-7 years ago and now -- thanks to some sort of new breakthrough in brain-scan technology -- we can all share in the fun!

"I mean, the thing is shiny, has an apple logo on it and it TURNS THE INTERNET SIDEWAYS!"

Seriously? The closer we get to June 29 -- at 6pm local time -- the less jazzed I feel. I can't exactly say why. Maybe it's the wise advice from my favorite cable television darling. Maybe it's the off-putting obsessiveness of the camping-out crowd. Or maybe I just don't feel worthy.

I don't know but I'm thisclose to saying, "fuck it. I'm getting a Jitterbug."

Those wacky Georgians

The country not the state has a new TV spot that's just, well, it's startling. Have you seen it? How'd they know to spoof SportsCenter? How'd they know humor would stand out? It seems so youthful -- the antithesis of what these economic development campaigns always are.

And then I read this in the June Monocle: "When Mikeil Saakashvili assumed Georgia's presidency in 2004...he brought with him a team of young supporters. Three years later, they are runnning the country....the country's young politicians -- the majority of whom were educated in the US and Europe -- have a particular finesse in dealing with the West." I'll say. And the Minister of Economy, whose office seems responsible for the TV spot? He's 29.

I'm such a failure.

A week later and this is the best I can do

Former tennis champ Boris Becker is apparently the father of Sanjaya.

Sopranos and cultural warfare: it's all about closure

It's not the ending but how you use the ending to draw conclusions about all those poor bastards who are so obviously inferior to you.

If you loved it, you can save valuable time by following this simple Gawker template: "I'm sure every literal-minded person on earth is gonna be apoplectic that they were denied some sort of visual closure, but it hit exactly the right note for me."

Did you hate it? No problem! There's an argument for you too and it has the added bonus of sounding kinda sorta authentic: "'Maybe if you're from Oklahoma or California you don't care, but if you're from New Jersey, you want some closure.'"

David Chase is a genius!

Good thing it's Friday

Because everyday this week, I woke up and heard this conversation in my head:

Peter: I'm just gonna stop going.
Joanna: When did you decide all that?
Peter: About an hour ago.
Joanna: Oh, really? About an hour ago... so you're gonna get another job?
Peter: I don't think I'd like another job.
Joanna: Well, what are you going to do about money and bills and...
Peter: You know, I've never really liked paying bills. I don't think I'm gonna do that, either.

Probably doesn't mean anything. Like a bad jingle, it's just stuck in my head.

Let's talk about Michelle Wie's wrist. And her endorsement deals.

Did she fake an injury in order to avoid being banned from the rest of this year's LPGA tournaments? Is she alienating sponsors? If she can't win a tournament soon, will her mass appeal suffer? Can Sorenstam take her in a fist fight?

It's just money

Promoting the Fantastic Four sequel: 20th Century Fox "hired the Franklin Mint, a private company that manufactures scale models, statuettes, pocket knives, medallions and collectibles, to place a full-color image of the Silver Surfer, complete with Web address, on the backs of 40,000 California statehood quarters." I was about to agree with Nikke Finke on this -- lame? maybe illegal? -- but if "collectors have paid as much as $149" for these on eBay, maybe not. Probably not. Yeah: definitely not.

"Piaf means the war, the street urchin, the cabaret, the circus, the other war, the casual adultery, the drinking and melodrama and awe for beauty"

Though I fear the Coco Chanel biopics, I will go see La Vie en Rose based solely on this review. My goodness.

And here's a random story: I first learned of Edith Piaf while reading a Sports Illustrated story about Olga Korbut. I was very little. The exact sentence escapes me now but it was something like "this was her Piaf moment" and I spent the next few weeks searching every dictionary in my home, school and library for the definition of "Piaf." (There was no internet then! I walked to school in driving snow! You punks today!) Finally I discovered this was a person -- a woman -- and I think I bought an album of hers in a used bookstore. Pretty eye-opening for a grade schooler. What with the casual adultery and everything.

You no longer have to be embarrassed

Rose wines: they're OK! Although one snide comment in a hot indie movie and all bets are off.

Allen Questrom as Wal-Mart's new board member? Wow

I mean, seriously: wow. Not only does Questrom have "the most enviable résumé in the industry," not only is he "a master of merchandising and retail," but most impressively, Questrom is a favorite of the very knowing Anonymous. This is going to be interesting.

Who's getting a show on Fox News?

Because Fox News will only talk about Rosie O'Donnell and because they will only talk about her with Donald Trump, I assume the channel is about to give a new show to one of them. Or both? Hmmm. And look! The Bancrofts will meet with Murdoch.

This is the longest I've gone without Melinda Doolittle

The first time I saw her perform Sway, I couldn't get past the fact she was singing the ultimate Dean Martin seduction song. Didn't seem right. Now, re-watching Melinda, I love her all over again. Kinda Della Reese-y. Exactly what I would like to hear at the Melinda Doolittle Meyerson Center concert, which is scheduled for sometime in late 07. In my dreams.

This wouldn't be happening if I ruled the world

Projects that should never have been funded: "Diane English has a solid cast and an Aug. 6 start date for 'The Women,' the remake of the 1939 classic that she adapted and will direct. Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing and Candice Bergen have either signed or are near committing to star in a contemporized version of the George Cukor-directed film....The project's less-than-$20 million budget has been financed by Inferno Entertainment, Picturehouse and soapmaker Dove, which will make 'The Women' a major cog in a marketing campaign for its female-friendly brand."

Really: Dove and Meg Ryan? I feel very, very, very sick right now. The original film is a perfect movie, something that became obvious the first time someone remade it back in 1956.

Other films currently in the works and that may suck: two Coco Chanel bios. Maybe they'll succeed where Katherine Hepburn failed. Maybe I'm too sentimental about the subject to approve. But the biopic I'd prefer to see would be of Elsa Schiaparelli, the woman who gave us dyed-to-match zippers (think about it), Dali fabrics (for surreal), shocking pink (which begat Barbie pink) and who inspired many of Rosalind Russell's outfits in "The Women" (the perfect original). I know this might be fashion blasphemy -- fashphemy, if you will -- but wasn't Schiaparelli brainier than Chanel? I think so. And, evidently, meaner. Smart, abusive, angry -- c'mon! Who wouldn't want to watch a movie about this woman?

Goes without saying I'd cast Johnny Depp in there somewhere.

Re-examining the Brooke Shields Tupperware party

Make the logo bigger's comment yesterday -- that Brooke Shields is now a mommy blogger -- made me realize exactly why Tupperware's Chain of Confidence is so very worthy of scorn: It's unnecessary. Also: it needs jokes.

Chain of Confidence describes itself as "a place to contribute your experiences" and invites you to "inspire others by sharing stories of how your friends have helped you to be more confident....share your thoughts to help build our network of confident women." So just in case iVillage or blogs or the Oprah message boards seem emotionally unavailable to you, Tupperware is here. At long last.

Since Tupperware is now selling cosmetics as well as bowls, I can only assume this is their attempt at a Mary Kay-ish sisterhood. But Mary Kay Ash was real, with a built-in personal story that's still compelling and loveably quirky. The Chain of Confidence site is a creative brief with photos. It follows the same template -- you know, the 7-point template -- for talking to a woman that says you have to show photos of other women, tie in to nurture-themed social causes and celebrate her friends. Apparently because facts might confuse her. It was a lifeless approach even by the time American Airlines copied it. I'm only offended that no one ever tries to make a girl laugh. Why can't the TV spots during Ugly Betty be as entertaining as the show?

As for Brooke Shields: obviously Tom Cruise's anti-drug rant was the best thing that ever happened to her -- endorsement deals ensued! as did Congressional testimony! -- but it happened to her, she didn't achieve it. Is that confidence-building?

Paper or plastic or your trendy eco-tote made by child labor?

Sometimes? Saving the environment is just so hard: "The 'I'm not a plastic bag' comes with a blue tag which explains the bag offers an alternative to plastic bags which 'have a negative impact on the environment.'" It's also "a must-have fashion item....made by leading designer Anya Hindmarch and they are changing hands on eBay for £225. Today Sainsbury's was accused of hypocrisy after it admitted the bag was made in China and was neither organic nor fair trade."

You'd think that would be a sort of scandal. A high-profile designer, a venerable retailer -- how could they recover from the lies? According to Fashionista, though, no worries: "It's true that the bag is hypocrital [sic, swear], and it's unfortunate that it doesn't follow the standards it wants to set. However, if it's driven hundreds of thousands of women to carry it - or any reusable bag - instead of requesting plastic bags in supermarkets and shoppinging [sic, can you believe it?] centers, isn't that the whole point?" Well, sure. Especially when the $340 is already gone from your PayPal account.

Still, isn't this greenwashing? If so, shouldn't Fashionista readers be more upset? I mean, didn't the Town & Country green issue -- my God, right there on p 177 of the special recylced paper section -- warn everyone about that? When did it become OK to be hypocritical? And is this proof that authenticity does or does not matter?

Leftovers

Be honest. When you read today's Rush & Molloy -- the part where "Brooke Shields, the new spokeswoman for Tupperware's Chain of Confidence campaign (aimed at fostering female friendships), sent a bag of the burping plastic bowls to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes" -- you couldn't go on until you learned more.

Me too!

Strangely, though, the Chain of Confidence site isn't too helpful. There's lots to read but I can't seem to find the part that explains what is actually going on. Tupperware somehow supports Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Somehow, being a Tupperware saleswoman can give you confidence. Somehow, Brooke Shields approves. Other than that, I'm stumped. I don't even know if I should "Purchase a Tupperware Commuter Mug to continue to foster positive connection between young women."

Oh wait -- it's an online community! And Brooke Shields really will throw a Tupperware party. Well, OK then. I already feel more confident just for figuring that out. Now, I can't wait to hear what Katie stores in her new bowls.