MamaPop™

A Day Late and a Dollar Short with Eels

I didn't want to like this album.  I feel that it's my duty to forsake all new music. Is that close minded?  You bet your ass.  Is it a safe bet?  Hells yea.  So, when I was awake well past my bedtime to see the fine folks of Trailer Park Boys on Jimmy Kimel Live, who should be the musical guest?  Non other than Eels, playing a ball-stomping track from their latest effort - Hombre Lobo.  I was slack-jawed.  Musically, it wasn't great, and the lyrics were better than passable, but, there was a Something that stuck with me.  When I woke the next morning, I checked the ever faithful Youtube to see if maybe the Cold Medicine and the weed were playing tricks with my good Reason.  The cold medicine and the weed played no part in my decision to like Eels new album.  There was Something there.

ABC's Shark Tank: Blood on the Boardroom Floor

Reality TV is the misshapen Cousin It of the TV world. Its name is Legion, for it is many: the artistry and elegance of Top Chef, the grotesque attention-seeking of American Idol, the manufactured drama of every fucking dating show ever produced (and I say that with affection), and the world-shaking genius of Wipeout. Each year brings new, mutant variations to the genre — horrifying and unprecedented affronts to good taste, common sense, and all that is pure and decent about this world.

And once in a great while, something actually comes along that doesn't suck. Witness: ABC's new Shark Tank.

Debra Tate Says Roman Polanski's Rape of a Drugged, 13-Year-Old Girl Was Consensual

Debra Tate, sister to Roman Polanski's late wife Sharon Tate, went on television this morning to let everyone know that Polanski didn't really rape Samantha Geimer in 1977, telling Matt Lauer on the Today show this morning that "it was rape, but it wasn't rape."

Phew! Well, that just clears everything up, doesn't it?

I have this weird idea that a 13-year-old girl is still a minor and that she is not of an age to give consent to vaginal and anal intercourse while under the influence of drugs and alcohol during what is supposed to be a professional photo shoot. Debra Tate, on the other hand, pulls her card as a victims advocate and says that, in Samantha Geimer's case, she could. Seriously. If you don't believe me, here is Debra Tate's interview with Matt Lauer:

The MamaPop Pop Culture Confessional: Fussy Edition!

Welcome to the MamaPop Pop Culture Confessional, where we receive confession of any and all pop culture pleasures, guilty or otherwise!

Today, we take confession from the extremely awesome Eden of Fussy and the incomparably genius Let's Panic About Babies!

Herewith, her not-so-guilty pop culture pleasures, in her own words:

Here's one thing that drives my brother nuts: I've never actually been to confession. I grew up Catholic but when I was preparing for my Confirmation (it's like a bat mitzvah except for the theme is Jesus) and everyone was lining up to go sit in the dark little booth and spill their guts, I just went and sat in a pew like I'd already done it, and nobody ever checked. See, that's the thing about lacking respect for authority, you learn how to make it look like you're following the rules, when actually you're just sitting there wondering if your mom will pick you up in time to make it home to watch the show about that Roman emperor who has sex with his sister.

Anyway, *if* I felt guilt about anything, it probably wouldn't be the fact that I like to watch PBS.

Quick Pic: Christina Aguilera, Yao Ming, & Shaq - The Greatest Photo Ever Taken

Okay, so "greatest" might be stretching it a bit. But SERIOUSLY:

I have no idea when or why this photo was taken. And, frankly, none of that matters. Because I feel like I'm experiencing vertigo, and may pass out at any moment.

halp.

Win Vs. Fail: The New Season Premieres

We start out running with a FAIL: I *think* I understand why CBS Monday has created the schedule it runs, and I'm not happy about it. The schedule sandwiches two positively dreadful shows (Accidentally on Purpose and Two And A Half Men) between How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory, which are fantastic shows. That way, you tune in at 8 for HIMYM, and stick around through the two bad shows to watch BBT at 9:30. 

Pretty sneaky, sis, but I'm not happy about it. Let's see what else is going on in the new season thus far; Win vs. Fail style!

Mel Gibson Wants DUI Expunged

Mel Gibson's lawyer is asking the court to expunge his DUI conviction from his record because he has completed his mandatory 3 year probation.  And before you are all, pshaw, celebrity favoritism, this is actually done all the time in first offender DUI cases.

Jon Gosselin Fired From His Own Show! Rejoice!

So Jon finally got the boot, not only from Kate's bed, but from his show. "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" which will soon be re-named "Kate Plus Eight." and Jon is out on his man-whoring ass. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little giddy about this whole thing. 

Because seriously, Jon, how much of your douchebaggery were the producers of your TLC show supposed to put up with? 

Jon Gosselin's Favorite Pick-up Line is Three Syllables and Not True

It looks like the art of picking up hotties has once more emerged from the forge of douchery, tempered and gleaming and even dumber than ever.  Jon Gosselin, that latter-day Arthur wielding his Excalibur of Sexiness to slay the Dragon of Not Bonking Blondes, has discovered the magic lines that grant him an all-access pass to women who clearly don't know enough to stay away from the Jon Gosselins of this world.

How does he do it?  I mean, aside from faking sincerity.

DJ AM's Death Ruled Accidental

From the so very very sad files: the New York City Medical Examiner has determined that the death of Adam Goldstein - DJ AM - was accidental due to substance abuse.

RIP Lucy of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"

One day, forty-some years ago, a young girl named Lucy O'Donnell sat at school with her friend, Julian. Lucy and Julian discussed all of the fantastical things that four-year-olds discuss and then retired to do some drawing. Julian took his drawing home to his daddy, John, and showed him the picture that he drew of his friend Lucy. John asked Julian about the picture and John explained that it was, "Lucy, in the sky, with diamonds."

Roman Polanski is a Rape-Rapist

*Disclaimer:* This article describes sexual violence that may be triggering to some readers. 

Quick poll: what word or phrase would you use to describe the act of inviting a 13-year-old girl to your friend's mansion, giving her champagne and quaaludes, and then penetrating her anally and vaginally while she protests and drifts in and out of consciousness? I'm guessing a lot of you would categorize those acts as rape. Some of you might actually not be able to form words for that sort of thing, because you're too sick to your stomach imagining such a thing happening to your child or the child of a loved one. 

Now let's say you're Whoopi Goldberg. Well, then I guess your answer is something like, "it wasn't 'rape-rape.'" Interesting.

Renee Zellweger Opts For Fat Suit Over Weight Gain For Next Bridget Jones Movie

In the interest of full disclosure I must admit that many of my fantasies involve getting paid to eat pizza.  Dipped in ranch dressing. So, I'm not too sure where Renee Zellweger is coming from here.

But, reportedly Renée will be opting for padding over gorging to play Bridget Jones in the upcoming third installment of the movie series.

As a big fan of Bridget Jones, I find this very disappointing.  The extra weight is a huge part of the character (rimshot!).  Plus, Renee actually looks halfway attractive when she puts on a few pounds transforming her trademark eye squint from alienish to endearing.  (Although the pursed lips get even pursier so maybe it's a trade off.)

According to a source close to the set:

"Renée will be wearing a fat suit in the third film as it took her a while to lose the weight last time. She's also thinking about the effect quickly putting on and then losing 30 pounds has on her body."

(God forbid she be a size 8!  Oh, the torture for the craft.)

Renee has complained in the past about how "whacked" her body was after her weight gain for the last two Bridget Jones movies.

Mad Men Open Thread: Seven Twenty Three

Hello. kdiddy here, filling in for Sweetney for this week's Mad Men open thread.

I am pleased that no limbs were lost during this week's episode. However, the general WTF theme of this season was going strong.

There are two overall things that I want to address before we get into the meat of this episode...

Plaid Horse Game Review: Wet

Authored by super special guest contributor and honorary MamaPop Bestard, Plaid Horse

Ever want to play an action movie? Now you can. Despite the unfortunate name, Wet (short for Wetwork) is not a first person shooter of the Girls Gone Wild variety. Though Rubi, the game’s protagonist, is a girl-gone-wild with bloodlust, you’re not going to see flashes of barely legal unmentionables. Make no mistake, Wet does know what it is; imagine if Robert Rodriguez collaborated with Rockstar Games with the goal of redefining Laura Croft… well, Bethesda beat everyone to the punch.
 

George Was A Nerve On Grey's Anatomy's Spine, So He Had To Be Killed

Dead dead death. George O'Malley is dead. But we knew that already because we knew TR Knight quit.

But sometimes you know your grandma has cancer. And then she dies. Did knowing she had cancer soften the blow? No.

Oh, George.

What will I do? Will I wail in agony? Will I act like nothing happened? Will I find someone with whom to have compulsive anonymous sex? To hell with Elizabeth Kubler Ross. Reactions to death are like fingerprints.

Help MamaPop Kick Ass

ETA: Please remember you can VOTE ONCE PER DAY until 10/9, and keep those votes a-comin'! Might I also suggest an additional vote for MamaPop as BEST OVERALL BLOG, too?

MamaPop has been nominated for a BaltSun Mobbie Award in the Best Pop Culture Blog category (WOOT!), and it goes without saying (I hope) that we can and should win this thing, in the name of all that is right and good in the world... In the name of Mad Men, and True Blood, and NPH, in other words. cough.

Voting is open until 10/9, and you can vote once daily, so won't you please take a moment to vote for us? Your support keeps MamaPop strong, and means the unicorns and glitter will keep on flowing, unlike those shity gettho pop culture sites that FORCiBLY redirect your Sidekick LX to a crappy mobile site. WHICH WE WOULD NEVER DO, BY THE WAY.

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PS: Sweetney is also up for a Mobbie, in the Family category, and obviously if you wanted to vote for me too I'd have NO PROBLEM WITH THAT WHATSOEVER.