I don't watch Oprah because in my market she comes on directly after Ellen. Seeing Ellen with her positivity and her sardonic cynicism towards celebrity and her flippant attitude toward the concept of celebrity culture, and then seeing Oprah gush over her "friends" who are famous who she feels the need to namedrop as such, is just kind of deflating. The two women are also the exact same age, and yet one is immensely more approachable than the other, which might be where a lot of her viewership is migrating. Ellen's show has a consistent format too that she follows every single episode, which is somewhat predictable and comfortable to older viewers, who tend to skew towards things that have the same order every episode rather than something with sporadic and diverse themes and forms of editing, like Oprah, which switches from hack science to new age spirituality to celebrity redemption stories to the power of natural disasters that kill hundreds of thousands, all in the span of a week and all with the same level of reverence paid to each.
@ampersandparade: I managed to get last-minute tickets to Oprah the summer that Bill Clinton's book came out. He was the guest that day. Before the show she comes out to talk to the audience and really couldn't help herself from letting us know that she's usually at her California home in the summer, but she flew in late last night on her private jet after dinner with Travolta's just to interview Clinton --- it was that BIG OF A DEAL.
@ampersandparade: I think viewers are also getting tired of her constant parade of bad medical advice, and I can't say I blame them.
People can only listen to a certain amount of "advice" like treating fibroid tumors with positive thoughts or curing thyroid problems not by a trip to the endocrinologist but with a juice fast and trip to Hawaii before they starting tuning out.
I realize the American public has a high tolerance for ridiculous bullshit but I do think Oprah crosses the line into snake oil salesman for many people.
Alec Baldwin is right, and to the Pussycat Nicole: You are better off. My boyfriend just broke up with me because he is a commitment-phobe, 51 and never been married. I assured him I don't want to get married again, but he ran anyway.
And because I am an old and like Alec don't listen to popular music--I have a question: What is this song by Beyonce about? From the title, it sounds like it's telling all single girls to get engaged and married? Is that right? Because if so, I don't like it and I think it's sending a bad signal to young girls. If that's not what it's about, ignore the above.
@cocobanal: Nah, it's about a lack of commitment on the guy's part and then him getting upset when he sees that she's moving on. Hence, "if you like it, then you should've put a ring on it." I played it a ton when I broke up with my commitment-phobic ex.
@cocobanal: It is about a girl who goes to a club after she and her boyfriend break up. Her ex is there and gets upset when he sees her flirting with other guys. She tells him that she doesn't care what he thinks anymore and if he really wanted her that badly he shouldn't have been scared to make a commitment.
MTV and Kanye West are both shitting themselves with glee for making the VMA's interesting again. I still don't care about them except I have just moved from "on the fence" with Kanye West to "shut the fuck up, you overrated blowhard, nobody cares what you think."
@ElleL: It really was amazing -- and not just her part, the entire tribute, from Madonna to Janet's sorrowful look upwards at the end of her performance. When they dropped to the low angle and she danced next to her brother again, I just burst into tears.
"We wanted to subvert the classic horror model of women being terrorized"
Yeah ..okay.
Hey Diablo ...EVER heard of Joss Whedon?? He did exactly THAT in BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER...
You know...taking the pretty girl out of the Victim-context and making her the bogeyman to all things that go bump in the night. You should watch it sometimes ..it's awesome (except for big parts of season six).
So please don't try to sell me "Jennifer's body" as a totally new and innovative way of expressing feminism, okay??
I will watch your movie...but don't pretend that this is a new idea you cooked because it's been done before ...and better...
Okay ..rant ends here
@silkbabe: Unfortunately, Joss Whedon is more of an exception than the rule. While there are a few other examples of horror as a way to demonstrate female empowerment through action and sexuality (Bloody Chamber being the main example to come to mind), more often than not, Diablo is right. I think it's totally fair for her make that statement. She didn't say that she was the first person ever to do it. She referred to overturning the "classic horror model," not every horror story ever told. Buffy is just one (albeit great) television show...Diablo Cody has every right to explain her goal.
@Laines: It's not so much that I Don't think she isn't right. Of course there aren't enough strong parts for Women in Hollywood. I just don't that she somehow makes it sound like SHE just came up with how to circumvent the Horror-cliche of the stupid girl who gets eaten by turning said girl into the monster ...when others have done it before her and better. Of course Joss did not invent the strong women idea, but neither did she ... and she makes it sound like she just came up with this revolutionary idea of turning the tables....
In one of the scenes very first episode of Buffy you have tiny, blond, softvoiced Darla walking through the empty school, seemingly afraid and looking for the boy who took her there...only to devour him. In fact BUFFY is full of women who try to eat men ...just ask Xander.
Sooo her comment just rubs me the wrong way
Another reason to hate the Jay Leno Show. God I'm so sick of these NBC promos. When they announced during the game last night that Bob Costas would be talking live to Leno, I changed it. Way to be assholes, NBC. You announce Conan as his successor, you should be ready to stand by him even if your precious Jay and his vanilla comedy moves to another channel. All these commercials with the "Jay is TV's favorite personality!" and such make me feel a little sorry for the Cone Zone, although I think he'll turn out fine.
@EdnasEdibles: Stuff like football on Monday should beat him handily. Same with CSI on Thursday. The other stuff, I don't know. I have a bad feeling this could be on the air for a while, as an article I read said that this is so much cheaper than a scripted show the bar to clear for profitability is a lot lower.
@unmoldednicole: I was so meh on Colin Farrell until seeing Cassandra's Dream, then I was like, "whoa, talent!" Now I have In Bruges in my NEtflix queue.
@sarah.of.a.lesser.god (aka Mrs. BrutallyHonestHobbit): Check out A Home at the End of the World. I always thought he was really cute but thats when I really fell in love, great acting! And you will LOVE In Bruges
I {heart} Michael Kelso. Not many Hollywood actors seem to know their limitations. Ashton is realistic and self-deprecating in a way that's almost refreshing.
hellosunshine promoted this comment
Edited by femaledwightschrute at 09/14/09 9:42 AM
femaledwightschrute was starred
femaledwightschrute was unstarred
@femaledwightschrute: He was a biochemical engineering major (or something like that) at U of Iowa before he began modeling, so I get the impression that he's not a dumb guy, just... kinda fratty.
@dreamweave: I've never liked the guy (couldn't stand That 70s Show), but that made me like him a little bit. I like someone who knows his talent (or lack thereof).
I absolutely *love* Nigella Lawson's recipes and attitude. That quote really points out how distorted our image of "fat" or "plus sized" is. Instead of meaning "carries an unhealthy excess of weight for their body shape/size" it just means "isn't skinny." I take it there's no happy medium anymore?
Am I alone in thinking this is a lot of manufactured outrage at the Kanye incident? I actually think its kinda funny.
1. This is the MTV Video Music Awards, awards given about by an outfit that shows nonstop reruns of The Real World & The Hills, its not the Grammy's people.
2. This is what the VMA's were designed for. I remember the first few VMA's and this is all that went on. Everyone was drunk, having fun and generally taking the piss out of awards shows.
@erinna: I don't know if he's the biggest piece of shit on earth, but it was a shitty thing to do. Last year, everyone was so respectful to him when his mom died. And this was obviously so crushing to Swift, who had just gotten through saying that she'd dreamed about that moment her whole life. Also, his half-assed apology, in which he basically tells Swift that giving Beyonce her award is the "real" thing to do, was just irritating.
@erinna: I think the outrage is based on Kanye doing it to such a sweet girl and on behalf of Beyonce, a classy woman who can clearly hold her own. I love, love, love Taylor Swift, and it just broke my heart because you could see her entire stomach drop, and she had no idea how to react. I wonder if he would have done that had Pink or Lady Gaga won. Probably not. Then you cut to Beyonce mouthing "Oh, Kanye." She does not need him to fight her battles. She could care less that TS beat her out for a VMA.
I don't like Kanye, and I think Taylor Swift is a tuneless, talentless wonder (although very pretty), but I still felt sorry for her. She was clearly excited, which is a bit sad since MTV never even plays videos, never mind hers, but still. Kanye is all ME, ME, ME. He's pathetic.
Russell is correct about the drama at the VMA's being good publicity. Kanye's blatant stupidity has given this show an entire weeks worth of internet fodder. I wonder if Kanye is having some type of "breakdown".
I mean, what was he thinking? Iam wondering if he will show for Jay Leno tonight.
I love Oprah, but she seems to love a good tragedy. I have seen the trailor for this movie(depressed me I must admit), and cannot imagine where she saw herself in that character.
The thought of wearing anything that had been designed by "Sheree" from the Real Housewives "trilogy" is appalling. Why would I support her?? Sheree is cold, and insensitive. I shudder at the thought of even minimum sucess to her over inflated ego.
@PogoStick09: Yes, but Oprah always seem to focus on these sad, depressing movies, books etc. I assume that since she has so much success in life, she must be reminded of how far she has come. Life is tough for so many, she needs to enjoy her blessings, ohh.... and maybe send me some money!!
The Times is spot-on. It doesn't matter what happens and whether it's staged or not, MTV craves that kind of boorish, nasty bullshit because it will ensure that their award show gets talked about for a few extra days. Viacom execs are likely reading all the blogs, twitters and wraps ups today and cackling.
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People can only listen to a certain amount of "advice" like treating fibroid tumors with positive thoughts or curing thyroid problems not by a trip to the endocrinologist but with a juice fast and trip to Hawaii before they starting tuning out.
I realize the American public has a high tolerance for ridiculous bullshit but I do think Oprah crosses the line into snake oil salesman for many people.
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And because I am an old and like Alec don't listen to popular music--I have a question: What is this song by Beyonce about? From the title, it sounds like it's telling all single girls to get engaged and married? Is that right? Because if so, I don't like it and I think it's sending a bad signal to young girls. If that's not what it's about, ignore the above.
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Not that I would ever watch Leno, but I will be going out of my way NOT to now.
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F that.
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Yeah ..okay.
Hey Diablo ...EVER heard of Joss Whedon?? He did exactly THAT in BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER...
You know...taking the pretty girl out of the Victim-context and making her the bogeyman to all things that go bump in the night. You should watch it sometimes ..it's awesome (except for big parts of season six).
So please don't try to sell me "Jennifer's body" as a totally new and innovative way of expressing feminism, okay??
I will watch your movie...but don't pretend that this is a new idea you cooked because it's been done before ...and better...
Okay ..rant ends here
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In one of the scenes very first episode of Buffy you have tiny, blond, softvoiced Darla walking through the empty school, seemingly afraid and looking for the boy who took her there...only to devour him. In fact BUFFY is full of women who try to eat men ...just ask Xander.
Sooo her comment just rubs me the wrong way
I will still watch the movie though
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I love Colin Farrell
Kanye West continues to prove he is the worlds biggest ass... oh well then I just saw that part about Chris Brown... nevermind
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1. This is the MTV Video Music Awards, awards given about by an outfit that shows nonstop reruns of The Real World & The Hills, its not the Grammy's people.
2. This is what the VMA's were designed for. I remember the first few VMA's and this is all that went on. Everyone was drunk, having fun and generally taking the piss out of awards shows.
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I mean, what was he thinking? Iam wondering if he will show for Jay Leno tonight.
I love Oprah, but she seems to love a good tragedy. I have seen the trailor for this movie(depressed me I must admit), and cannot imagine where she saw herself in that character.
The thought of wearing anything that had been designed by "Sheree" from the Real Housewives "trilogy" is appalling. Why would I support her?? Sheree is cold, and insensitive. I shudder at the thought of even minimum sucess to her over inflated ego.
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