Pop Culture Closet's Summer Media Mishmash

Back by popular demand (Read: no demand at all) is the Pop Culture Closet’s Media Mishmash! If you’re unfamiliar with this amazing feat of blogdom, it is when I, the ever opinionated K, write little blurbs about several of pop cult’s juiciest morsels, instead of just riffing crazily on one topic. Aren’t you excited? I know I am. Let’s begin!

1. Kathy Griffin: “My Life on the D List” and her GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING CD, “For Your Consideration.
This season of “My Life on the D-List” is the best one yet! Kathy performing on a 14-hour Pink flight to Australia; went to the zoo with Lance Bass; marrying a cute, fun couple from New Jersey with a foulmouthed ceremony; Kathy “popping off” with real, live Bad Girls! It doesn’t get much better than that. The show has seriously made my summer. Also help making my summer is her first-ever comedy CD. As I listened to her zingers that ranged from her own mother to newly-named deity, Oprah Winfrey to Marie Osmond, I wondered why she hadn’t recorded a CD before, and why she doesn’t do weekly podcasts. I’d gladly buy ‘em!

2. LEAVE JAMIE-LYNN ALONE!!!?!
Britney’s younger sister isn’t the first teenager to get pregnant and she won’t be the last. The Spears family has dished up a crapload of crazy in the last decade, but Jaime-Lynn has seemed more balanced than her older sister and even her mother. She even handled her unexpected pregnancy with more poise than Britney did with her own. It angers me that the media has named her predicament and “Juno” as the cause of a spike in teen pregnancy, instead of using them to make a dialogue about teenage pregnancy newsworthy again. It has been a problem for years, and it always will be, especially when our government approves hundreds of millions of dollars to spend on abstinence campaigns—a technique that has been proven to not work. The entertainment industry has gone from cute, sexual innuendos to pure raunch, weekly sextapes, and Bratz dolls complete…of course our kids are having sex earlier.

3. “The Hills” Are Alive With Stupidity.
I normally watch various forms of entertainment news shows while I’m cooking dinner or writing this blog, but lately they’ve been inundated with inane “stories” on the girls from “The Hills”—a show I loathe almost as much as She-Who-Won’t-Be-Named (rhymes with Blaris Bilton). I tried to watch the show, and I was appalled and offended by the stupid dialogue, whiny nasally voices of the girls, and they’re ridiculously manufactured drama. It’s damn obvious that three twenty-somethings who haven’t gone to college couldn’t possibly live in a mansion, manage huge events, magically finance clothinglines or pay for all of that plastic surgery. The fact that these girls are making serious bank because daddy bought them reality shows makes me even angrier! And entertainment is my escape. So get this shit off my shows! Get it off the air! Tht includes you too, Dina Lohan and Denise Richards!

4. Christie Brinkley is a woman scorned, and she wants everyone to know it!
And we all know they have fury to spare! She happily has allowed her custody hearing to be open to the public (opposing a motion by her slimy, cheating ex-husband to close the proceedings), thus airing their dirty laundry and Brinkley’s “emotional” cheesy recaps of the end of their marriage to the entire nation. Now cheating is obviously a disgusting, hateful act to commit against the person you vowed to faithfully share your life with, however, it does not mean that you should willingly let the details of your marriage be disclosed for voracious public consumption. It is sullying the name her children’s father, which is a selfish and heartless thing to do to your children ontop of naming one of them SAILOR. I know you live in the Hamptons, but what the fuck is that about? I’ve never been the biggest fan of Brinkley, who looks great for her age, but you can be right without getting even. Her children are ultimately paying the price for her parents mistakes.

5. The Dark Knight starts at Midnight…
I have decided to attend my fair city’s midnight screening of “The Dark Knight” in just a couple of weeks. I’m insanely excited about it after falling prey to all of the Oscar-hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s final performance. I’m also a sucker for a good Superhero movie, and “Batman Begins” was amazing! I’m aware that this confession makes me the biggest geek with a blog, but I don’t care! Oh, and I’m going alone. I know, I can’t even look at myself in the mirror. LOL!

6. Hancock gets my seal of approval…
Because it honestly wasn’t that bad. On Friday, I headed out to see “Hancock” with my sister who just wanted to ogle Will Smith in a leathery/vinyl body-glove…and honestly, who can blame her? I was a bit nervous after reading many a review that hollered about shoddy writing and the weak dramatic turn. After seeing it, I admit “Spiderman” it is not, but all of the other superhero movies have had decades to sculpt a unique and dramatic mythology. Time also allowed those series to edit and re-craft its own history. “Hancock” is a modern superhero created probably as a vehicle for Will Smith. With that said, I enjoyed the movie. It is a flufftastic, lighthearted movie that boasts amazing special effects and is a fun way to spend a Friday night, judging by the $107 million it took in in five days, a lot of other people thought so too.

Will Smith is even more entertaining when he’s rough around the edges, surly, and threatening little kids and old ladies. The complaint that the villain is forgettable is completely true. But this movie isn’t about the villain’s. The writers have (stupidly) made Hancock seemingly invincible, so it’s not about subduing a mere mortal human with a hook-hand. Also, the major, dramatic turn in the movie wasn’t telegraphed by the writers so much as it was the casting. But who could say no to the sexy and talented Charlize Theron? I don’t blame them for casting her, but I think if they cast another, less empowered female lead, the twist would have been far more unexpected. However, all of the cast, which includes the ever-adorable Jason Bateman, had fantastic chemistry and while this movie will never be a “Batman Begins,” all involved did a GOOD JOB!