Tuesday, April 28, 2009

LOST is new again!


After a one-week hiatus, I am so anxious for tomorrow's new episode of LOST! It should be an interesting one with the return of Daniel Faraday. Who knows what he will bring back to the island. Oh yeah, where was he anyway? Hopefully, these questions and more will be answered. "Watch with Kristin" already has some sneak peeks, so check those out. EW.com's "Totally Lost" also has a recap video from the last episode.

(photo via E!Online)

DWTS Week 8

Last night's Dancing with the Stars was interesting. The dances were good, but I wasn't blown away by any one of my typical favorites. I did love watching Chelsie Hightower with Ty Murray though. She really worked that salsa. After an injury, Melissa Rycroft did not dance and the couples split in to two teams—Team Mambo vs. Team Tango. Gilles Marini and his partner Cheryl Burke danced the Lindy Hop, Shawn Johnson and Mark danced the samba and Chuck Wicks and partner Julianne Hough danced the cha cha. For a full recap, click here.





Thursday, April 23, 2009

I am now a job-search blogger

I've been a bit absent from my social networking world this week, but it's because I've just started a new literary adventure.

In the hopes of finding a full-time job after graduation (in four weeks AH!), I am now contributing to the UWIRE-sponsored "Help Wanted: From Graduation to Gainful Employment" blog. Be sure to read updates on my personal job search (as well as two others' searches) and news articles about the fears of graduating in a down economy. I am contributing an average of three to five posts per week, so check it out and pass it along to anyone you know who is looking to hire ambitious new talent!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Guilty pleasure Week 7

I'm not completely sure why, but I absolutely loved Dancing with the Stars last night. It could be because of the group dance or Shawn Johnson's fun and flirty cha cha with Mark! She let loose and was so great to watch! Melissa Rycroft and her partner Tony danced a fiery Argentine tango, and Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough were HOT in their samba this week. Check it out below:





Wednesday, April 15, 2009

New LOST!

Another new LOST tonight! Check out the sneak peeks from "Watch with Kristin" and the recap/teasers from the EW.com guys.

Can't believe this isn't over

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

First Dog's first day


It was Bo Obama's first day at the White House today! He is so cute with his new owners. I hope the first daughters like him! Make sure to click on the link because there is a video in addition to more photos.

(photo via whitehouse.gov)

Guilty pleasure Week 6

Shawn Johnson's Rumba last night on Dancing with the Stars had my jaw drop. She looked absolutely beautiful! I loved her pale pink, rhinestoned costume and her poofed hair. I thought she did a fantastic job with such a sensual dance (I mean, come on, she's only 17). The leaders were a little bit mixed this week, with Lil' Kim and her partner Derek garnering the highest scores, Melissa Rycroft and Tony taking second, and Shawn and Mark, Gilles and Cheryl tying for third. Lil' Kim's jive to "Jailhouse Rock" was extremely high energy and entertaining! Check out their dances below (sorry if the sound is really quiet), and read the full recap from EW.com:




Monday, April 13, 2009

MTV's College Life

If you're by a TV, turn it to MTV and watch "College Life," a "real" reality show self-filmed by UW-Madison freshmen. It's so bad, and the freshmen drama is so dumb, that it's great. The show has caused quite the controversy on campus, with the university putting out a statement of disapproval. Dean of Student Lori Berquam said the below in a statement:

“We understand the power of MTV and were initially honored to be considered for a program that could showcase our unique experience. But the ‘College Life’ they’re selling is nothing more than a stereotype that disrespects our students and harms our institution and the value of a UW-Madison degree.”

I agree with Berquam that the show gives a poor "reality" of UW-Madison, but as a student I wouldn't go as far as saying it harms the value of a UW-Madison degree. I am embarrassed for these particular freshmen because they are so full of unnecessary drama. Freshmen make mistakes, and hopefully this show is one such mistake. The show follows eight people out of a total of 40,000+ on this campus. Outsiders should NOT see this as a reflection of the entire student body, and I don't think they will. Seriously, the network has it bookended with "The Hills." How realistic could it be?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

EW's exclusive look at Alexis Bledel's new role


Entertainment Weekly has a first look at "The Good Guy," a new movie with Alexis Bledel (Rory from Gilmore Girls). Seeing her in ER a couple of weeks ago made me realize how much I've missed her from leading roles in both TV and movies. I can't wait to see how this movie does at the film festivals. Hopefully it will be a hit.

(photo via EW.com)

The Obamas get a Portie

The wait for the First Dog is over! According to reports Sunday, the Obama's new pet will be a Portie named "Bo" after singer Bo Diddley, and is a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy. The pet's first day at the White House will be Tuesday. So cute!

Zac Efron hosts SNL

Zac Efron of High School Musical fame made his SNL hosting debut Saturday night. The show wasn't that funny, but his HSM sketch made me laugh. Check it out below:

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Interesting....


Vanity Fair pointed out this interesting cover of Lexean magazine, which features President Barack Obama. According to VF:
"The president, envisioned as the head of the Celestial Kingdom, wearing what appears to be the ceremonial robes of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Qianlong reigned for 60 years, from 1736 to 1795, and (cheap irony alert!) was known for his poetic speech, his fiscal policy of economic growth through government spending, and his four-volume compilation of the history of China known as The Four Treasuries."

(photo via VF)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Comedy's leading ladies


What do Isla Fisher, Cheryl Hines, Anna Faris, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Emma Stone and Rashida Jones have in common? They are featured among Entertainment Weekly's online list of "The 25 Funniest Women in Hollywood." Did your favorite comedic actress make the cut? Check out the full gallery to find out!

(photos via EW.com)

Mad world

Ok, it's been a few days since Adam Lambert became my favorite idol contender with his performance of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World" but I am still haunted by how well he sang it. I fell in love with the song after a version by Gary Jules appeared in the movie Donnie Darko. Adam's rendition sounded very similar to the movie version and now I can't stop listening to it. Absolutely beautiful. Watch here.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

EW's top 50

Kate Winslet leads the pack in EW.com's list of "50 Actors We'd Watch in Anything." I agree with much of the list, which also includes Amy Adams, George Clooney, Neil Patrick Harris, Mary-Louise Parker and Alec Baldwin, among many, many other acting greats.

Waiting all day

I've been waiting all day for the "Totally Lost" recap/teaser video from the EW.com guys, and finally it's been posted. Sterling Beaumon aka "Little Ben" visits the guys to talk about what he thinks is in store for his character and the older version in tonight's episode. Sterling Beaumon, what a cool name! Check it out.

Kal Penn goes to Washington

After heavily stumping for President Barack Obama during the campaign season (he even came to UW-Madison), Actor Kal Penn is joining the new administration as the associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison. In an interview with EW.com, Penn explains why he's leaving acting for politics:

"I've been thinking about [moving into politics] for a while. I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more. But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service. I went to a performing arts high school, but I still took a bunch of those dorky political science classes. It's probably because of the value system my grandparents instilled in me. They marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement, and that was always in the back of my head. So the past couple of years I thought about it a little more. And in '06 I started this international studies program at Stanford, where they actually let you do most of the course work online. So it was something I could do while I was acting. And I thought this might be the right time to go off and do something else."

CNN also confirmed the news.

(photo via CNN.com)

Shoutout to Mom


A post to wish a very Happy Birthday to my mom! Hope your day is full of sunshine and drinks.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Emily Blunt's VF portraits


Actress Emily Blunt looks absolutely regal in her recent Vanity Fair photo shoot. She currently stars in the film "Sunshine Cleaning" with Amy Adams and "The Young Victoria", a biopic on Queen Victoria of England, which has only been released in the UK thus far. She's gorgeous! 

(photos via VF)

LOST's judgment day

It's Judgment Day on LOST, as karma may come back to haunt Ben in Wednesday night's episode. E!Online's "Watch with Kristin" has some eery sneak peeks this week. Can't wait to see what's behind that door in Dharma's old barracks! 

(photo via E!Online)

DWTS Week 5

Performances for Week 5 of Dancing with the Stars are done, and Gilles Marini and his partner Cheryl are still at the top of the leader board. The two performed a sexy pasa doble last night. Shawn Johnson and her partner Mark performed the Viennese waltz, and Melissa Rycroft and her partner Tony performed the pasa doble as well. Shawn's was definitely better than Melissa, but these dances have never been my favorites. EW.com has the full recap.

 


Monday, April 6, 2009

That dress!


Carrie Underwood wowed the Academy of Country Music awards crowd last night, not only for her Entertainer of the Year and Top Female Vocalist wins, but for her choice of dress during the "I Told You So" performance. Thoughts? I think she looks great in anything, but this might have been a little too much.

(photo via EW.com)

Lauren Graham on Late Night, The View

Gilmore Girls fav Lauren Graham, currently starring on Broadway in the revival of "Guys and Dolls", went on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Friday night. Check it out below:



Graham also visited the ladies of The View April 1st:

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Britney's back!!





There is no doubt about it, Britney Spears is back! Having traveled from Madison, Wis., to Minneapolis Friday with six of my friends for her concert at the Target Center, we expected her to be great. And she was! With a combination of our favorite songs ("Circus", "Womanizer", "If U Seek Amy", "Hot As Ice", "Do Somethin'", even "Hit Me Baby One More Time"), her lavish costumes and cirque-style sets, Britney gave a solid BSpears performance! Since we've never been a fan of Britney for her vocal ability, she dazzled as she does best—simply by keeping us dancing. For a full review from the Star Tribune and photo gallery, click here. They labeled her the "ultimate showgirl." The Pussycat Dolls performed as Brit's opening act and brought the sparkle and dance jams that I expected. It was a fantastic show and we had a lot of fun! I've included some of my personal photos as well. 

(top photos via takethelede, bottom photo via STrib)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

EW's exclusive with Ms. Hudson


Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive interview with Jennifer Hudson! In it, Ms. Hudson talks about her family tragedy and her first tour.

(photo via EW.com)

Gaga on Idol

Lady Gaga performed on American Idol last night! She was fantastic, and got a standing ovation! I absolutely love that she can sing live.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The greatness of Gaga


So, I missed Lady Gaga's performance on American Idol Wednesday because of my LOST obsession, but I'm very happy to see that her newest single "Poker Face" has hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. According to Entertainment Weekly, Gaga's back-to-back chart-topping singles are quite a unique accomplishment, seeing as "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" are her first two singles, respectively. Christina Aguilera was the last artist to have such success with her first single "Genie in a Bottle" and second single "What a Girl Wants." Gaga was my favorite new artist of 2008 and continues to impress at concerts around the country. Get it Gaga! Go for the three-peat.

(photo via EW.com)

OK, not the best ... yet

Though I had some 'wow' moments in tonight's LOST, it was not the best of the season as I had previously predicted ... only because the implications of last week's episode did not fully play out. So, I'm not backing down and saying I was wrong, but I will say that the episode's greatness just isn't fully established yet. But the good news? It's coming! Can't wait to read some of the analyzes of the episode tomorrow from EW and "Watch with Kristin."

Happy April Fool's Day

Happy Joke Day readers. May all your scheming go according to plan.