Wednesday, June 18, 2008

News of the Day -- Wednesday, June 18

+ This is such a weird headline from MSNBC: "Eight Great Extinct Species." In my head, I want to finish that sentence with "...That Taste Great Together" but that seems even more wrong.

+ David Sedaris answers Ten Questions for Time Magazine. Has anyone here read his new book yet?

+ An interview with my straight girl crush Mary McDonnell.

+ Did anybody else catch AFI's "Ten Top Ten" special last night on CBS? It was their ranking of the ten best films in ten different genres. I contend that they were high and stupid with half the lists -- "City Lights" as best romantic comedy? Really? Yes, it's a great, great movie and one of the classics of all time but "romantic comedy"? Over "It Happened One Night" and "Annie Hall"? Can you hear my voice getting higher and higher with indignation? Dogs hate me right now. Oh, also, including "Harold and Maude" on the romantic comedy list? What the hell? (Spoilers ahead) Again, it's one of my all-time favorite movies but let's stop and think for a moment about the premise of this film: young man obsessed with death falls in love with free-spirited Holocaust survivor who kills herself at the end! Ah, yes, that one has romantic comedy written all over it. I can see Anne Hathaway in the remake now....

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Loved the David Sedaris piece - not read the book, bought it for my husband last week and he's reading it first. My summer book club selected it for July so I'm excited to read it.

Thanks for the interview with Laura Roslin! I love her - can't wait for the final 11 episodes. :) Even if that means it has to end. :(

Jenny Grace said...

Finished his book on Monday. There was one essay that I didn't care for but other than that, it was just as good as his previous works. LOVE HIM. Plus he goes to Hiroshima to quit smoking. Which is just perfect.

Oh, that girl again... said...

Engulfed in Flames is, as expected, excellent. However, I must caution my fellow Benchers - if you read the New Yorker, Harper's or Esquire, you've read most of the book.

Trey said...

"I contend that they were high and stupid with half the lists"

I completely agree. I submit that they pick their lists to cause commentary and disgruntlement, and for clever TV transitions.

Anonymous said...

I actually did "LOL" at your extinct species comment - it reminds me of the "Flair" button I just added on Facebook (it's an application based on "Office Space" flair idea) - "Meat is murder. Tasty, tasty murder."

And David Sedaris is a genius - was thrilled beyond words to meet him at a booksigning following an appearance in MPLS last fall - but to my great nerdy girl disappointment, I didn't get the chance to even tell him how much I worshipped him, as he gave out kitschy dollar store gifts from a plastic bag at his feet (I got hand lotion) and didn't let you get a non-directed word in edgewise. I thought it was a shy defense mechanism (or a way of distancing himself from potentially creepy fans). Reading he loves it surprises me. Cause he missed out - if I'd gotten the chance to actually throw off a pithy yet inspired sentence or two, I just know he would have liked me. Of course that kind of thinking actually does make me creepy and to be avoided, doesn't it...