April 17, 2009

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent or Don't judge a book by it's cover???

So, little less than a week ago, another reality show, another ITV Simon Cowell brain baby, 'Britain's Got Talent' started it's third series. After last years winner, George Sampson, dancing onto kid's television and straight off rather quickly (with his debut single entering the chart at 30 and slowly disappearing), I again was unsure how to approach this seemingly apparent way to make money, get ratings and to perhaps give Cowell yet another ego boost- Oh! did I forget to mention Cowell's underlings? Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, this seems like nothing other than a orgy of fun where the only celebrity endorsements are those with bad press and arguments. And finally not forgetting ITV's golden boys, Ant & Dec, just another show where ITV can plug them- show that all the money that is being spent on them is going to good presenting.

Anyway, you may be able to tell that I am rather disinterested in Britain having any talent, disinterested in the fifteen minutes of fame and disinterested in the Royal Variety- maybe the point is to start at home, to clean ourselves up and out of this rut we find ourselves. I don't mean about some of the talentless baboons our country and others push onto the rest of the world but instead the education some find themselves in or for that matter uninterested in, the financial status we find ourselves in... any of this ring bells with anyone???

Susan Boyle, 47 was a prime example of judging a book by it's cover, which of course we are told at the primary never to do. Read the back, take a ponder at the first few pages but never just look at the mundane picture at the front. This was exactly what the audience of last week's 'Britain's Got Talent' did... did I say audience, I meant the three judges as well. These celebrity judges are meant to uphold the standards by which we are meant to live, we see them in the newspapers, we see them on our televisions, we follow their dramatic lives and we try to replicate what we see- these people enforce our dominant ideologies of the country and culture we live in today and therefore when Susan Boyle came onto that stage, the cheeky chappies offstage were grinning larger than the Cheshire cat and Simon, Amanda and Piers looked just about ready to click their buttons to reprimand this woman for wasting their time and wondering what she is doing on stage, let alone our television sets. A yet something wonderful happened, after quite enough laughter from those in the room, Susan opened her mouth and out came the most wonderful voice, 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Mis ripped through the room and literally the mouths of everyone dropped, from laughter to applause to three 'yes's' from the judges.

Susan became an overnight sensation and her fame spread by links posted on the Twitter website, including praise from celebrity couple Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. When told about this Boyle was said not to have heard of Kutcher and although recognised the name 'Demi Moore' knew little about her but thanked them for their support. The video has also attracted the attention of Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore. Following her performance on Britain's Got Talent, Boyle was a guest on STV's The Five Thirty Show.She was interviewed via satellite on CBS's Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America, and via a telephone interview on FOX's America's Newsroom. In an interview, Simon Cowell said Boyle had received an invitation to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show and predicted that if she did appear "there's every chance Susan Boyle will have the number one album in America".


The most popular YouTube video submission of her audition garnered nearly 2.5 million views in the first 72 hours. As of April 17, 2009, the video had been viewed more than 20 million times, making it the most viewed video of the month worldwide.

Commenting on the audience's reactions before she started singing, Boyle stated:
Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. ... There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example.

—Susan Boyle, The Washington Post

After Boyle's performance, Holden stated:

I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical and I think that's the biggest wakeup call ever. And I just want to say that it was a complete privilege listening to that.

—Amanda Holden, Britain's Got Talent


And so, here I suppose is my point- how wonderful it is to be able to see something with genuine talent, who hasn't pushed herself into the limelight and people's face and who has lived a steady and blanketed life practising what she loved. Then one day, she surprises people and suddenly has acclaimed international stardom. Where are the other Susan Boyle's for today- those people who show a little glimmer of hope for humanity and that through solidarity and living a life not consumed by celebrity and leisure, one day your dreams may come true.



Susan Boyle Stuns Crowd with Epic Singing - Watch more Funny Videos

April 15, 2009

Lindsey Lohan's eHarmony Profile at funnyordie.com

"A little bit about me. I'm an actress, a singer, an entrepreneur and according to the state of California, an alcoholic and I single-handedly kept 90% of all gossip websites in business."

Wise words from a young lady, as actress Lindsey Lohan has recorded a spoof dating advert, shortly after her split from Samantha Ronson.

In the wake of their break-up, Lohan appeared on the front cover of Us magazine, and said she was "so alone".

The 22-year-old makes reference to this by sitting on a sofa and reading the magazine during the video.

Lohan jokes that she is looking for someone to spend the rest of her life with, "or at least the rest of my probation with".

Lohan's video is a parody of adverts that appear on internet dating site eHarmony, complete with wayward camera work.

The Funnyordie website was created by comic and film star Will Ferrell.

Last year it hosted a spoof video showing Paris Hilton hitting back at US presidential candidate John McCain after he referred to her in one of his campaign ads.

PS. Watch out for the 'Parent Trap' theme playing in the background, a wonderful final touch!





I just want to say, congratulations to Lohan for being such a good sport and so damn funny, 'because c'mon we've read about' her!

April 10, 2009

Dollhouse News: Episode 13 not airing

'Dr. Horrible’s', Felicia Day twittered earlier, ""Man, day getting worse and worse. Found out my Dollhouse ep, #13 isn't gonna air. Only on DVD. Such a great part too. Thx Fox. :( ..."

And so the story begins... or shall we say ends? Cleverly annoying network, FOX has decided to cut the 13th episode, "Epitaph One" directed by Whedon from the first season of Joss Whedon's 'Dollhouse', leaving Day's appearance to be scattered into the pile of DVD extras or online bonuses.

The 'Dollhouse' closer airs May 8, titled "Omega," and represents the show's 12th episode aired.

Reps from the 20th Century Fox studio and from the network declined to comment, but sources say the network has a different point of view on this news.

Many are arguing that FOX's entire season order was filled as the original pilot was never aired, another of the network's fantastic decisions (another nail in the coffin) and so therefore with the network's retooling, Whedon reshot the pilot. Therefore, the argument is that if "Epitaph One" airs it's almost as if the studio are paying for 14 hours instead of original 13.

Sources say the story in the "Omega" season finale is more or less Whedon's original vision for how the season would end, so fans watching the show should have some degree of closure.

Except fans of the show (including myself) are now thinking, there is yet another episode out there which won't get shown on television- despite the slowing increasing numbers in the ratings.

All parties, including the nuturing FOX, have insisted this is not the cancellation of 'Dollhouse' though the network declining to air an episode isn't encouraging. The most recent episode of 'Dollhouse' earned a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49, with companion 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' pulling a 1.3. Sources say the odds of 'Terminator' surviving are pretty slim, but the closed-door verdict on 'Dollhouse' is not in yet.

Producer Tim Minear, says the episode will definitely be on the DVD and confirms FOX's "we're gonna count the scrapped pilot" stance: "Okay. So maybe I can help clarify this somewhat. Because we scrapped the original pilot -- and in fact cannibalized some of its parts for other eps -- we really ended up with 12 episodes. But the studio makes DVD and other deals based on the original 13 number. So we created a standalone kind of coda episode. Which is the mythical new episode 13. The network had already paid for 13 episodes, and this included the one they agreed to let us scrap for parts. It does not include the one we made to bring the number back up to 13 for the studio side and its obligations. We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it’s awesome."

"Omega" finale description: "Alpha's reign of terror continues as his obsession with Echo endangers Caroline's survival. Ballard must make a life-changing decision, and one Doll is permanently deactivated while another's shocking past is revealed."

To see 'Dollhouse' not come back for a second season would be a catastrophe, rumours say that production costs would be less as sets are already built and despite a slow start, a following for this show has already begun and recent episodes have shown strong numbers because the show is finally starting to explore some of it's inherent mythology. The thing about 'Dollhouse' and the reason why the Network and unaccepting fans wouldn't give the show a chance is because it's new- it was trying to find its feet and explore slowing, giving time for an audience to build and for us to be able to care about the characters. Let this not turn into another cult classic from those FOX people like the amazing 'Tru Calling' or 'Drive'.

If you have feelings about the last episode not being aired, check out:

DollVerse

Further articles can be read here (via @foxbroadcasting) :

HitFix

E! Online

The Hollywood Reporter