Moving On: Life after HBO


Call me loyal. I tend to follow baseball players after they leave ‘my’ team (the A’s) on the money trail to greener outfields. Along the same lines, I am more apt to watch a show featuring actors who formerly starred on some of my favorite HBO series’, even if only for a guest stint.

Case in point…

DEADWOOD
Dayton Callie (Sons of Anarchy)
Kim Dickens (Lost)
Garret Dillahunt (Damages, Life)
Paula Malcomson (Lost)
Timothy Olyphant (Damages; 2009)
Molly Parker (Swingtown)
William Sanderson (True Blood)
Robin Weigert (Lost, Life)
Titus Welliver (Life)

EXTRAS
Ashley Jensen (Ugly Betty)

OZ
Kirk Acevedo (Fringe)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost)
Zjelko Ivanek (Damages)
Harold Perrineau (Lost)
Lauren Velez (Dexter)
Dean Winters (30 Rock, Rescue Me)
David Zayas (Dexter)

SIX FEET UNDER
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Peter Krause (Dirty Sexy Money)
Freddy Rodriguez (Ugly Betty)

SOPRANOS
Edie Falco (30 Rock, Nurse Jackie; 2009)
Drea De Matteo (Sons of Anarchy)
Michael Imperioli (Life on Mars)

Obviously there are more actors from these shows who have appeared on others, but even I don’t have time to watch them all. I tried but never got into Big Love or The Wire, and I did not watch Carnivale or Rome.

It’s quite sad that I only watch 2 HBO shows now: Flight of the Conchords and True Blood. With fantastic fare such as Dexter, Weeds and next year’s The United States of Tara on Showtime, I can only imagine the pressure behind the scenes at HBO these days.

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Read Before Viewing: WATCHMEN

You don’t have to be a fan of comic books and graphic novels to enjoy and appreciate reading Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen. It is easily one of the most engrossing reads I’ve ever experienced, and I recommend it to every teenager and adult, male and female. So order your copy now, give one to your favorite person for Christmas, and make sure to read it BEFORE the film comes out…

On March 6, 2009, the highly anticipated big screen adaptation debuts, and I am very much looking forward to director Zach Synder’s (Dawn of the Dead, 300) visual interpretation of the novel. In the meantime, I will not grow tired of watching the mesmerizing trailer!

Bookmark and visit the official movie site and also the official movie blog to view the ‘making-of’ Video Journals. You won’t be disappointed.

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Welcome to the ‘United States of Tara’ with Toni Collette


Toni Collette is the latest Academy Award nominee (Best Supporting, for The Sixth Sense) to make a career transition to the small screen and join a television series. I am a big fan of many of her films, especially Muriel’s Wedding and About a Boy, The Hours and Little Miss Sunshine, so her name alone is a huge sell for me.

The United States of Tara, debuting on Showtime after the holidays, is scripted and executive produced by author/ Oscar winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (Juno). The pilot was actually based on an idea by Steven Spielberg, and his involvement with the show appears to be as a co-executive producer.

As evidenced by both the trailer
and promo photo above, Collette plays a character who suffers from
dissociative identity disorder (no longer referred to as multiple personalities).
This series looks to be an intriguing dark comedy with great potential; it follows her family as they cope with the dysfunction caused by Collette’s behavior. Co-starring John Corbett (Northern Exposure, Sex & The City) as her husband, it will air in half hour episodes beginning January 18, 2009.

My interest is piqued and I will be setting a Season Pass. Watch the trailer and let me know what you think.

Happy Saturday!

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Tag, I’m It

meme
–noun
A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea,
that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to
another.
[Shortening of mimeme, from Greek mimēma, something imitated]

Well this is a first. I’ve been ‘tagged’ by a fellow blogger to participate in my first meme. That this challenge was issued by one of my favorite television writers (Jace from Televisionary) is an honor, so I enjoyed participating.

These are the only rules for the meme: share 7 facts about yourself (some random and/or weird) on your site, and then tag seven people at the end of the post by leaving links to their sites.

It was a challenge to think of seven vaguely pop culture related experiences (my choice; not a requirement) to share, but here are mine:

1. Close Encounters of the Celebrity Kind
Random celebrities I’ve met in person include poet Maya Angelou, pitcher Bert Blyleven, 3rd baseman Aaron Boone & catcher Bob Boone, author Max Brooks, singer Shawn Colvin, E! reporter Giuliana DePandi, actress Vera Farmiga, actor Michael Keaton, author Doris Lessing, singer Matt Nathanson, Rosie O’Donnell, actress Lori Petty, singer Bonnie Raitt, The Apprentice season 1 winner Bill Rancic, Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton, actress Katey Sagal, Heroes artist Tim Sale, 1/2 of the Indigo Girls – Emily Saliers, pitcher Fernando Valenzuela and singer Suzanne Vega. I’m sure there are more from my days in Southern California, but I’m having trouble recalling right now.

2. One Time, at Band Camp…
I played the clarinet briefly.  After junior high l I thought I was too cool to be in the band, so I quit (only to realize that being part of the drama club wasn’t much of a social climb up from there). Thankfully, being on the varsity soccer team and a member of student government improved my status over the years.

3. Extra, Extra!
One summer during college, I worked as an extra on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers near Los Angeles. I had to keep 10-12 different outfits in my car every day, none of which could conflict with the 5 leads; Red, Yellow, Blue, Pink, Black and Green were not an option. I spent a good deal of time standing around as a ‘friend of the Pink Ranger’ and she (Amy Jo Johnson, who would later star on Felicity) almost ran me over once in the parking lot on set. I’m pretty sure it was inadvertent.

4. Bonds, Barry Bonds
We were at PacBell Park in 2001 when he hit homerun numbers 71 and 72, breaking the single-season homerun record. One word: electric.
 
5. Prom Princess
Somehow, I was elected to the Prom Court during my senior year of high school. Yes, me.  To this day I’m convinced that it was some kind of practical joke.

6. I’m (So Not) Going to Disneyland
Growing up, our house was so close to Disneyland that we heard their fireworks every night at 9:30pm. I don’t miss that or the proximity. And FYI, we never referred to where we lived as The OC.

7. Screenings at Pixar
I have attended two education fundraisers featuring screenings of The Incredibles and Cars (before they premiered in theaters) at Pixar Animation Studios, both of which rank high among the greatest pop culture experiences of my life thus far.

And now here are the 7 fellow bloggers I have chosen to tag, should they choose to accept this meme:

  1. Annie in MN (even though she just moved to NY)
  2. Brian, Pavement Runner
  3. Cinematically Correct
  4. Ex-Everything
  5. The Four Toed Foot
  6. 2TooManyHats
  7. Jorge Garcia, Dispatches From the Island

Obviously the last one is a stretch (given that I don’t actually know him and he’s a tad busy filming a small show somewhere in Hawaii at the moment), but it’s worth a shot. 

Feel free to repurpose this meme, and if you don’t have a blog of your own but want to play along, leave your 7 random facts as a comment!
 

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No on 8: A Personal Perspective


Less than 24 hours after the election on November 4, I will be going in for major surgery. That my partner of almost 12 years will be able to accompany me until I’m wheeled into the operating room or allowed in recovery afterward is not a given. 

When you’re married and your wife or husband is sick or hurt, you don’t have to prove your relationship; without hesitation or question you accompany them in the ambulance or at the hospital. That is not the case for us, two adults who are employed, pay taxes, own a home and are committed to one another forever. We are also daughters, sisters, aunts, co-workers, friends and even role models. And we happen to be two women.

To be frank, that is why it is essential to vote No on 8 in California.

In a nutshell, Prop 8 changes the California Constitution to eliminate the rights of same sex couples to marry; it denies equal protections and discriminates
against me and us and members of your family, your neighbors, co-workers, doctors, technicians, landscapers, teachers, etc.

I look forward to the day when gay marriage is simply referred to as marriage, when I have the opportunity to wed the love of my life and refer to her as my wife. Until that time, all I can do is educate and encourage.

So if you’re registered to vote in California…as you fill out your absentee ballot or when you get into that booth in a few weeks, all I ask is that you consider mine among the many perspectives about this proposition. 

For more information, please visit the official No on 8 site.

Thanks for ‘listening’ on the rare occasion when the personal supersedes the pop culture.

- Jo



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