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New York, 3:02 AM
Tue Dec 8
50 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #alanball more →

    True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!

    Evan Rachel Wood's Vampire Queen Swings Both Ways

    Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child

    Coens, Cops and Tyler Perry Take on 'The Women' in Fall's First Battle Royale

    Alan Ball's New HBO Show About People In Coffins Fails To Grab Viewers

    'Towelhead' Apologies Break New Ground in Studio Cynicism

    'Twilight' Star's Hairy Chest Frightens The Tweens As Alan Ball Preps Hotter, Cooler Vampire Series

    'Towelhead' Trailer Conveniently Distills Repugnant Alan Ball Effort to Two Minutes
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of TheologicalSong TheologicalSong
    08/28/09

    In reply to True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!
    True Blood lures you in with its flamboyant salaciousness, keeps you there with compellingly crafted characters, and then, while you're lulled into submission, subliminally impacts you with its insidiously woven societal critiques. a masterpiece of pop phantasmagoria. indulge and enjoy, guiltlessly.
     Reply
    TheologicalSong was starred TheologicalSong was unstarred
    Image of resipsaloquacious resipsaloquacious
    08/28/09

    @TheologicalSong: During all of this, there is an opposite force: Ms. Paquin's acting, which begs the viewer to hurl the remote through the TV.
     Reply
    Edited by resipsaloquacious at 08/28/09 9:47 AM resipsaloquacious was starred resipsaloquacious was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    08/28/09

    @resipsaloquacious: You do understand that she's supposed to play a bubbly-but-oddly-cynical-and-sharptongued, deep-fried Louisiana hick, right?

    Can we please direct the acting critiques toward the Ray Allen in "He Got Game"-esque loser who plays "Eggs"?
     Reply
    Edited by skt.smth at 08/28/09 10:57 AM skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of resipsaloquacious resipsaloquacious
    08/28/09

    @skt.smth: Yes. I understand. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the show. But I feel that her acting is so forced. I find it grating. However, you have a point, if her character is supposed to be an annoying person -- she nailed it.
     Reply
    resipsaloquacious was starred resipsaloquacious was unstarred
    Image of TheologicalSong TheologicalSong
    08/28/09

    @resipsaloquacious: hey, y'all. thanks for weighing in. for my part, as a trained, working actor, I want to say that commentary on actors' performances in general, while undeniably valid in terms of instinctual response, really is a subjective thing. the ensemble on True Blood is comprised of, in my opinion, a carefully selected group of, in many cases, rigorously trained stage and other acting veterans, whose intrigue and vibrancy chemistrywise, for me, comes in fact from the eclectic nature of the styles of craft therein, and how they collide freely. I won't comment too much on the individual performances for diplomacy's sake, but will say, that I find just about all of them to have their charms. the actor who plays Eggs (Mehcad Brooks, apparently), for example, has found that all important actorly truth, warmth and sincerity in his character that appeals. that being said, there are some performances, like that of New York stage veteran Sam Trammell, that are deeply poignant, consistently surprising, and sometimes breathtakingly courageous.
     Reply
    TheologicalSong was starred TheologicalSong was unstarred
    Image of Mariallena Mariallena
    08/28/09

    @TheologicalSong:
    "Compellingly crafted characters????"

    Ana Paquin's character can read minds, but she is somehow so dumb that she hasn't been able to use that incredible gift to lift her out of the waitress job she hates so much.

    That barmaid with an attitude (what's her name?) is such a pathetic charicature of African Americans that I am surprised the NAACP hasn't kicked up a fuss. Oh, and she wouldn't last in her job for 2 days if she treated her customers like that.

    Add to that that the "vampires" can heal the sick but, somehow, nobody else knows. What??? How long before someone tells the Enquirer??

    Puh-leeze! Tru Blood is true crap!
     Reply
    TheologicalSong promoted this comment Mariallena was starred Mariallena was unstarred
    Image of TheologicalSong TheologicalSong
    08/28/09

    @Mariallena: well, somebody's obviously been paying scrupulous attention! perhaps you oughta tear yourself away if it's so unbearable, my dear. for my part, I'd say, one has to let go of one's rigid hold on reality to get exhilaratingly swept up in fantasy, wherein, revelations await. but to each his/her own!
     Reply
    TheologicalSong was starred TheologicalSong was unstarred
    Image of Mariallena Mariallena
    08/28/09

    @TheologicalSong:
    It doesn't require "scrupulous attention" to notice the gaping plot holes of True Blood. Just staying awake through 3 or 4 episodes is enough.

    I understand the whole suspension of disbelief thing, but True Blood is really childish and the characters are just bad bad bad charicatures.

    I mean, if this was done by 14-year-olds in the Drama Club at my local high school I would think it was great, but coming from Alan Ball it is really disgraceful.

    6" Under was a brilliant show but, sadly, Alan Ball has run out of ideas. Now if he could only retire quietly to enjoy he millions he made, we would all be better off.
     Reply
    Mariallena was starred Mariallena was unstarred
    Image of The Defeatery The Defeatery
    08/28/09

    @Mariallena: Six Inches Under? That's a different show entirely.
     Reply
    The Defeatery was starred The Defeatery was unstarred
    Image of Mariallena Mariallena
    08/28/09

    @The Defeatery:
    It's the iPod version.
     Reply
    Mariallena was starred Mariallena was unstarred
    Image of NexusRanger NexusRanger
    08/28/09

    In reply to True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!
    "A Congressional candidate who makes vampire bashing (read: gay bashing) part of his platform is buying V, vampire blood with a Viagra effect on civilians, from a drag queen on the black market."

    The drag queen in question is the character Lafayette, who has never dressed in woman's clothes. Apparently this awful writer thinks all homosexuals are drag queens.
     Reply
    skt.smth promoted this comment NexusRanger was starred NexusRanger was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    08/28/09

    @NexusRanger: He's not a drag queen, but he's definitely a queen, no question about that.
     Reply
    skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of Adah Adah
    08/28/09

    In reply to True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!
    True Blood is softcore vampire porn. Not that I'm complaining, since Ryan Kwansten and Alexander Skarsgard are involved. But if softcore vampire porn is an allegory for nearly every strain of tension in American life, then I am living in the wrong America. There is no naked Alexander Skarsgard in my bed, God damn it.
     Reply
    DeadliestSin promoted this comment Adah was starred Adah was unstarred
    Image of DeadliestSin DeadliestSin
    08/28/09

    @Adah: I'm more of a Bill (Stephen Moyer) person... but the idea of getting cosy with Skarsgard isn't so bad.
    They're all from foreign countries, maybe America needs some more exotic blood in the mix.
    Heh.
     Reply
    DeadliestSin was starred DeadliestSin was unstarred
    Image of Matt Cherette Matt Cherette
    08/28/09

    In reply to True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!
    You can make a convincing argument that any TV show is an allegory for American life if you try hard enough.
     Reply
    Matt Cherette was starred Matt Cherette was unstarred
    Image of Dickdogfood Dickdogfood
    08/28/09

    In reply to True Blood More Than Just Television — It's This American Life!
    This is absolutely amazing because people have done allegories about little things like seeds and noodles and baby birds but never a WHOLE COUNTRY until now! Gosh! I get tired just thinking about it all!
     Reply
    Edited by Dickdogfood at 08/28/09 12:14 AM Dickdogfood was starred Dickdogfood was unstarred
    Image of jupiterspaw jupiterspaw
    08/27/09

    In reply to Evan Rachel Wood's Vampire Queen Swings Both Ways
    Yum, it's not even 9 am and i'm already having a sex fantasy about Eric/Alex Skarsgard. I't gonna be a good day!
     Reply
    jupiterspaw was starred jupiterspaw was unstarred
    Image of labyrinthine IS DOING THIS labyrinthine IS DOING THIS
    08/27/09

    In reply to Evan Rachel Wood's Vampire Queen Swings Both Ways
    hey look, Homer shot her with his makeup gun!
     Reply
    pufflehuff promoted this comment labyrinthine IS DOING THIS was starred labyrinthine IS DOING THIS was unstarred
    Image of pufflehuff pufflehuff
    08/27/09

    @labyrinthine IS DOING THIS: He just set it to "Oh NO, girlfriend."
     Reply
    pufflehuff was starred pufflehuff was unstarred
    Image of pureblarney pureblarney
    08/26/09

    In reply to Evan Rachel Wood's Vampire Queen Swings Both Ways
    This week's episode climaxed in like the first five minutes. Which is to say, it made me climax in the first five minutes. Bring on the Queen!
     Reply
    pureblarney was starred pureblarney was unstarred
    Image of MissNormaDesmond MissNormaDesmond
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    Oh, no, having seen Andy Dick disport himself in public on occasion, that account of his private behavior seems, if anything, restrained. You haven't seen embarrassing until you've seen a shitfaced Mr. Dick try to rappel his way up the side of Patrick Warburton.
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond was starred MissNormaDesmond was unstarred
    Image of Baroness Baroness
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    Whatever's going on with Mischa Barton, that lizardy producer bad-mouthing her deserves a hearty cockpunch, or razory gallstones. So she couldn't stand on the red carpet for your shit movie. Let the girl get it together, trashing her right now is just vile.
     Reply
    Baroness was starred Baroness was unstarred
    Image of MissNormaDesmond MissNormaDesmond
    07/18/09

    @Baroness: "Bingo Gubelmann told Usmagazine.com at the premiere. 'It's frustrating, but I'm not going to sit here and trash her because we're young as a company and we've got to live and learn. ... I don't want to be known as the producer that will turn on any actress at the drop of that hat.'"

    Too late, assmunch. Also, Bingo Gubelmann? Bingo Gubelmann?
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond was starred MissNormaDesmond was unstarred
    Image of SarahHeartburn SarahHeartburn
    07/18/09

    @Baroness: And I'm sure it was no news or surprise that the young woman had chemical issues. How about helping her between wrap and premiere? Or not hiring her and spending some of your dopey zillions and send her to rehab first? Too busy packing your own nose, pops?
     Reply
    SarahHeartburn was starred SarahHeartburn was unstarred
    Image of Trixie from Toronto Trixie from Toronto
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    Lucas Dick is also somewhat attractive. I cannot believe someone actually had sex with Andy Dick and then, shockingly, produced a cute and intelligent spawn.

    http://cdn.sheknows.com/celebrityphotos/2008/07/andy-dick-and-lucas-dick-sarah-marshall-premiere.jpg
     Reply
    Trixie from Toronto was starred Trixie from Toronto was unstarred
    Image of MissNormaDesmond MissNormaDesmond
    07/18/09

    @Trixie from Toronto: Unfortunately, it looks like you have to either tinyurl or do the html if you want to give people a long link.
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond was starred MissNormaDesmond was unstarred
    Image of Trixie from Toronto Trixie from Toronto
    07/18/09

    @MissNormaDesmond: I see that now. Sorry!
     Reply
    Trixie from Toronto was starred Trixie from Toronto was unstarred
    Image of SarahHeartburn SarahHeartburn
    07/18/09

    @Trixie from Toronto: One of the few benefits of the pre-internet days in the early 90's when I was first overseas was total Andy Dick news blackout. Unless your mom sent you old copies of people. Now, of course, you can live in Achooistan and know what panties LiLo or Britbrit or Xtina or Mischa aren't wearing tonight. This is why I spend more and more time watching C-Span.
     Reply
    SarahHeartburn was starred SarahHeartburn was unstarred
    Image of topsy topsy
    07/18/09

    @Trixie from Toronto: I actually had to reread the words 'Andy Dick's son' because I was positive I misread them the first time. Is Lucas Andy's son like Blanket is Michael's?
     Reply
    topsy was starred topsy was unstarred
    Image of mfnher mfnher
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    It's been some time since Jermaie Dupri produced a big record, but the ones he did were huge. Unless he pulled a Scott Storch, he's got a ton of cash.
     Reply
    mfnher was starred mfnher was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    07/18/09

    @mfnher: This is true. The Kris Kross sophomore effort royalties are probably worth more than my life's projected revenue.
     Reply
    Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of LatestBy LatestBy
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    I want to throw the OctoKids and that Jon Gosslin thing into the mix together and see what sort of TLC magic we can make.
     Reply
    LatestBy was starred LatestBy was unstarred
    Image of MissNormaDesmond MissNormaDesmond
    07/18/09

    @LatestBy: I want to throw the Octomom and Kate Gosselin into a pit of alligators. Maybe we can work something out.
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond was starred MissNormaDesmond was unstarred
    Image of SaraRueful SaraRueful
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    Andy Dick has a son? I will never, ever complain about my parents again.
     Reply
    SaraRueful was starred SaraRueful was unstarred
    Image of MissNormaDesmond MissNormaDesmond
    07/18/09

    @SaraRueful: Amen.
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond was starred MissNormaDesmond was unstarred
    Image of NinaHagen NinaHagen
    07/18/09

    In reply to Tom Cruise Defies The Gravity Of Katie Holmes And Their Destiny Child
    Drunkie McPlastered is better than Punchy McDrunk.
     Reply
    NinaHagen was starred NinaHagen was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    07/18/09

    @NinaHagen: Or Pukey McBLAGHHHHHHHHHHHburpHGHHHHHH.
     Reply
    Edited by Foster Kamer at 07/18/09 1:05 PM Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
    Image of Bedheadjc Bedheadjc
    07/18/09

    @Foster Kamer: Is the "HGHHHHH" part of McBLAGHHHHHHHHHHHburpHGHHHHHH the sound you make because the stomach acid is burning the back of your throat after the burp and does it consist of taste/feel horror or just OMG I puked horror? Or both?
     Reply
    Foster Kamer promoted this comment Edited by Bedheadjc at 07/18/09 6:24 PM Bedheadjc was starred Bedheadjc was unstarred
    Image of Foster Kamer Foster Kamer
    07/18/09

    @Bedheadjc: It's kind of the continuation of the first sound and the horror of it all.
     Reply
    Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred
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