Feels like a lifetime since I've written an actual entry with words that aren't all soap related. Michael Jackson's funeral broke my pop culture heart. Brooke Shields almost made me cry. So did Usher, but it was MJ's daughter that just broke me. It took me two whole days to recover. It reminded me that while I and others like me go on and on about Jackson's place in music and his stasis as an icon/legend, what is really important here is that three young kids just lost their only parent, a family just lost their brother and a son. No matter how you may feel about Jackson as a person or as an artist, you can't deny that this just ain't right. No kid should have to grow up without parents. No parents should outlive their kids. I have a request for the American media, which I know, will be ignored, but for the love of God and all things holy and right in this world, please leave MJ's kids alone. I fear now that we know what they look like, they will be hunted as badly, perhaps worse than their father was. I know this will be ignored because I sense of custody battle brewing for MJ's two oldest kids and the media cannot resist the drama. These three kids have earned the right never to be heard in public (if they so choose) again. That said, anyone else think Paris looks like a young Rashida Jones? Just me. Okay, I'll shut up.

— Would you like to watch a clip from the never before seen thirteen episode of Dollhouse? Sure you do.

— The Swell Season, otherwise none as the duo featured in Once, is set to release their follow up. And all is right with the world, but I heard these two broke up in real-life, so this ... should be interesting.

— I've said it before and shall say it again. Vanity Fair always has the best photo shoots. Here is a glimpse of shoot recreating films from the Depression era.

— In case you haven't seen it yet, a new interview with Crystal Chappell recounting her time on GL.

And here begins a whole lot of shallow pretty...


Jason Batemen in Details. If you would have told me in 1985 that I would think he was hot when I was old, I would have told you you were insane.

Next up, new Mary-Louise Parker Esquire photo shoot. Yep, she's making pie.







Every time I look at her, I can't believe Billy Crudup dumped her for Claire Danes. This is a clear indication that men are the lesser of the sexes. 'Cause I would NOT give that up in a million years. Never. EVER!


And now for the Otalia section of this post. Yesterday, Jessica Leccia returned from maternity leave. Will now discuss spoilers and speculation freely under this cut, so beware...



pics by Swisher65

Those amazing super sleuths over at TWoP (thank ya, rocketchick and worldisflat33) managed to get dialogue off a script Jessica was holding to give us a glimpse of what is ahead:

Script begins with...
Natalia: I wasn't thinking about me and Frank. I was thinking about me and you.

And ends with....
Natalia: (too hard to read) ... It was only that one time.
Olivia: That's all it takes.
Natalia: I know. And I was stupid. And when I found out I was mortified and embarrassed and ashamed. I was so ashamed. I thought maybe God was punishing me for my feelings about you. Or maybe he was sending me a sign that I was supposed to marry Frank. I was so confused. But mostly I was scared. About what this would do to us.
Olivia: Why didn't you just tell me?

If this is Natalia's explanation for why she left, if I were Olivia, I'd be all "thanks, but no thanks. Where's Doris?" I understand why all this would be grounds for leaving in Natalia's eyes, but this is still no excuse for why she left town without a word to Olivia. I hope Olivia calls her out on that. I have to see how this dialog is delivered because, as of right now, colour me very unimpressed.

By the look of the pics, looks like the baby will be here to stay and it will be complication our girls will have to deal with. If the baby does stick around (which is looking more and more likely), my problem will be two-fold (and problem is not the word, more like seething HATRED) .. 1) this will tie GoodMan Frank to their storyline for the foreseeable future and for the rest of their time in the fictional Springfield universe and I do not like it. 2) You can pretty much say GOOD BYE to any shot of a love scene. I think Otalia holds the distinction of being the first lesbian couple in broadcast history to be stricken with lesbian bed death before they actually have sex ... or even KISS. AWESOME!

In a recent podcast Dan Kroll at Soap Central said the following about the direction of Otalia and this mythical "endgame":

"Apparently what the show is trying to set up in the finale is to have Olivia and Natalia come to terms with it and move out of Springfield to go off and make a life for themselves with their child..."

I believe this direction because it does jive with what Crystal said about the end that it was "hopeful". Leaving town as a couple for a better future is the fucking definition of ... hopeful. And to this I say BLERG. I will still be watching (and snarking on) this show, but for me canon Otalia ended with their sex conversation. From their they came out to Rafe. He was a dick, but came around. And Otalia spent the rest of the summer shagging like bunnies against, on, between and all up into every flat and/or comfortable surface in Springfield.


And finally for your YouTube Moment of Zen... a Jackson video. "Can You Feel It" is one of those MJ songs I completely forgot about until his death.

I loved this song as a very young kid. Back in 81, we all thought this video was CUTTING EDGE. The special effects... AMAZING. I remember thinking, "Michael created fire and rainbows... I buy it." My father had this album on vinyl. I wish he still did.