MamaPop™

This Week In Covetousness

Join us over at MamaPop's sister site, We Covet, for better living through consumerism! A taste of this week's goodness:

GIVEAWAY OF THE WEEK: We Covet Milky Mellow Win one of two different products from this purveyor of "tees and accessories for lively happiness."

Adorable Ponchos For Kids We Covet  It's like wearing a great big comfy blanket, fer crissakes!

We Covet Modern Art Mornings  How civilized it would be to pour the milk and pluck the sugar cubes with this sophisticated stainless steel set?

We Covet Optimism Maybe if you write with a pencil that says you have charisma everyday, you WILL have charisma.  Give one to everyone you know.

We Covet Snakes on a Frame How could I resist that one, seriously?

We Covet Dem Bones Quite apart from the potential startle factor, these bone-shaped salt and pepper shakers are actually kind of lovely, in their own paleontological kind of way.

FINALLY, today is the final day you can be entered in our SUBSCRIBERS ONLY giveaway of a Sony DPF-V900 9" Digital Photo Frame valued at $249.99!. Go HERE for more details!

I've Got a Bee in My Bonnet, And Its Name Is Dr. Phil

Before I get into my issue with a specific episode from this week's "Dr. Phil", I need to make two things very clear so that we can lay them aside and get on with the topic at hand.

Firstly, I am well aware that his is an entertainment show like any other, and it has to maintain its ratings like any other show does, so I am not surprised when he chooses controversial topics and controversial guests.  It is to be expected.  This is how he keeps viewers interested and attracts advertisers.

Secondly, let's also put aside the fact that Dr. Phil himself is not known to be the most stellar example of honesty.  His license for private practice was revoked by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists in 1988 after he was allegedly in what was termed an "inappropriate dual relationship" with a 19-year-old employee who was also his patient.  His line of diet shakes, energy bars, and nutritional supplements called Shape Up! came under scrutiny when its claims to effect weight loss came under fire.  His past business practices have also been heavily criticized.

So, now that we have established that "Dr. Phil" is as ratings-grabbing a talk show as any other and is led by a man with a somewhat spotty professional history, our expectations of the show can only be so high, and yet I am still bothered by Wednesday's episode, "Gender Confused Kids", and his treatment of the controversial issue of childhood gender identity confusion.  It was heinous.

What is Wrong with Priscilla Presley's Face?

Forgive me Elvis, may he rest in peace, but I am scared that iconic Priscilla Presley is turning into Jocelyn Wildenstein. A couple of new photos show her looking more like Priscilla, Gothic Mistress of the Dark, instead of the naturally beautiful woman I knew her to be in the 80s and 90s.

Photo In Search Of A Caption: Katy Perry & Friends

Friday Eye Candy: Monster Mash

So here's the problem: I've overdone the whole monster/vampire hottie (hotty? sp?) thing here at FEC Headquarters, and now Halloween is here and I don't know how to do a Super Special Friday Eye Candy Great Pumpkin Edition without retreading totally over-trodden (trod?) ground.

I mean, seriously: you all already know, too well, about my crushes on Spike and Angel and Dr. Horrible and - lest we forget - EDWARD. So where's a girl to go from there, monster-wise?

Well...

There's always new vampires:

Bill from True Blood. He's cute, but if you've read the books, you know that he actually becomes a bit of a pussy...

Because If You're Dressing Up As Sarah Palin For Halloween, You're Missing A Golden Opportunity

Seriously. Why would you just throw on a red suit, bouffant wig and glasses when you could do so much more with this opportunity to dress up?

For example:

I mean, you might get beat up, but still. Think of how much candy you could shove in your big red purse.

23,000 Big Macs and Nary a Coronary In Sight

A dude in Wisconsin has eaten Big Macs nearly every day, that's almost EVERY DAY for the last 36 years, reaching the 23,000 mark last month. Every. Day. Oh, and in case you're wondering, he's in super health, not overweight, and walks ten miles a day. He's even writing a book about it.

Besides the crippling nausea I am now feeling, WHAT is WRONG with this picture???

Governor Charles Barkley?

Do you think that Charles Barkley understands that when people call him "Sir Charles" that he wasn't actually ever knighted?

I ask because on Monday he told CNN that he was going to run for Governor of Alabama.

I am also wondering because while I think he is an excellent basketball player and even a pretty good basketball commentator, I'm not sure he even has a college degree.

Scary Movie Guide, Part III: The Impending Sugar Crash

Ohhhh, kids. Are you ready for tomorrow? I'm armed with a metric ton of Reese's cups. Also, I'm turning 30 tomorrow so I foresee some heavy drinking. WOOOOOO!

Guy Ritchie Had Pansy Contract with Madonna?

I'm growing increasingly less amazed with the headlines coming out of the Ritche-Madge bust-up. Quite honestly, if tomorrow's headline reads something to the effect of "Guy Says Madge Eats Orphaned Children for Breakfast, Calls Her 'Feaster of Souls'" or "Guy Owns Way Too Many Tan Oxfords" I will continue to graze on my Toaster Pastry as though nothing happened.

The newest "bombshell" from Camps Ritche and Ciccone concerns a listy list Madge reportedly drew up ad posted all over the house.

It's A Brave New World: MTV Introduces The "Music Video"

Gather 'round, children, and let Granny Banshee tell you about this relic they put right next to the dinosaur bones in the museum. It was called "the music video" and those crazy kids with their hair and their "rock and roll" music and their "MTV" used to watch them aaaaall day long in the prehistoric age called "The 80s." Well thanks to your "interwebs" you too can see, well, U2 in all their mulleted glory, thanks to a website called mtvmusic.com.

Let's go to history class!

Britney Spears' Conservatorship Extended Indefinitely

The court extended Britney's father as conservator forever.  Does that mean he can still ground her?

Britney did not object to the move.  "I've met several times with [Britney] and she requested that I not object to the permanent conservatorship," her court-appointed lawyer Samuel Ingham said in open court.  Commissioner Reva Goetz stated that the permanent conservatorship was "necessary and appropriate." She said she was granting the permanent conservatorship in part because Britney Spears has shown she is "susceptible to undue influence."

Why Lipstick Jungle has me asking “Carrie Who?”

Before you throw your giant flower pins or ghetto glam necklaces at me hear me out. I loved Sex And The City. Loved it. But, like all past relationships at a certain point it’s time to let go.

So tell me, does having a “type” mean you're too predictable? (Me, channeling Carrie)

Sex And The City and Lipstick Jungle were both created in Candace Bushnell’s stilleto-wearing image. But they’re like more like cousins than identical twins.

Sex And The City was, at its heart, a comedy and Lipstick Jungle is a dramedy.

One of my beefs, as I look back with a more critical eye, is that the SATC characters where often caricatures—

Samantha: Honey, when it comes to diamond and guys, size does matter.

Miranda: Why do I have to put my marital status on an eye exam? Do single eyes function better than married eyes?

Charlotte: No you guys he was really sweet.. When he had a premature…you know what…he apologized. That’s the polite thing to do.

Carrie: (gazing into the window of a shoe store) No, God bless Choo.

Seriously, Why Aren't You Watching Mad Men?

Despite being a critical darling, winning the Emmy for Best Drama a few months ago, featuring prominently in the pop culture zeitgeist via Saturday Night Live, Jeopardy, and The Simpsons, and influencing fashion from Target to Saks Fifth Avenue, AMC's Mad Men is seriously lagging in numbers.

Fellow Nerds Rejoice! It's the MST3K 20th Anniversary!

Y'all hold on to your butts, because I am about to nerd out on you HARDCORE.

Picture it. Minneapolis, 1988. Some guys who love bad movies make a bunch of puppets, sit down in silouette, and create what will be one of the greatest pop culture phenomenons of the last two decades.

I am speaking, of course, of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and put your letters to Santa away, because all your gift giving (and receiving) needs will be taken care of with the 4-disc 20th Anniversary Edition of MST3K.

Let's hop on the Satellite of Love and take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

KFC Advertising Execs Don't Know How Grocery Shopping Works

Pictured above is a KFC Famous Bowl. It's not directly related to this post, but I'm displaying it for purposes of full disclosure. Comedian Patton Oswalt describes said bowls as "a failure pile in a sadness bowl." Because I have no dignity, I ate one of these during a long drive and 45 minutes later found myself sweating in the dirtiest gas station bathroom in the backwoods of Virginia, swatting sci-fi proportion horseflies away from me as my digestive system howled in protest.

I just want to be upfront about the fact that I'm a little bitter toward KFC, so my critique of their latest, ridiculously stupid campaign might be biased.

Madonna Guy Ritchie Divorce Getting Nasty, or Should I Say Staying Nasty?

Guy Ritchie recently turned down a settlement offer of 20 million pounds which is roughly over 30 million U.S. dollars as he and Madonna continue to bicker over homes and custody of their children.  Rumor is that they have stopped talking and only communicate through lawyers.

I just feel bad for their children.  How awful for them.  Especially since they are now gathering evidence on each other's parenting skills in preparation for a custody fight.  Domestic staff members have been asked to provide statement by both sides.