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    FRIDAY FOLLIES: On Sheen, Cryer, Franco, Oscar, Boehner, and small triumphs where we find them

    Okay, this was the week of Charlie Sheen.  He was all over the place (in more ways than one) and actually set a Guinness World Record  by opening a Twitter account and getting a million followers in 25 hours and 17 minutes.  (Thereby giving some credence to his semi-delusional "Rock Star of the Planet" claim.) 

    But there are a few of us who would rather be talking about his "Two and a Half Men" co-star, Jon Cryer.  William K. Wolfrum (known affectionately as "Wolfie" to a teeny-tiny contingency) set aside his vast storehouse of wild Charlie Sheen events and went digging for the real Jon Cryer, instead.   Yay and yay--and may I say?  Yay.

    ***


    I have a confession to make.  It has to do with my addiction to the Academy Awards, so if you're not interested, or if you think it may drastically change your image of me for the worst, then it's on to the next piece with you--with my blessing.

    I have never missed watching the Oscars since their very first telecast on March 19, 1953.  Not one.  I've slept through parts of them, and groaned through many of them, but I have a reputation to uphold now, and I guess this is how it will be until the end of (my) time.  In my small circle it is known as "Mona's Only Claim to Fame", and I hang onto it for dear life.

    So this year I sat through it, and only fell asleep for what I'm guessing was about 5 minutes, 31 seconds.  If I could have timed my naps to James Franco's appearances, I would have been almost as happy as I was when "The King's Speech" won best picture.  I like the guy and I hate to add to the pile-ups on whatever the heck he thought he was doing up there, but man, he was dreadful.  (Anne Hathaway clearly saw she was in the middle of a train wreck and was trying not to panic, but there were moments when I thought she was going to tear off one of her many dresses and run screaming out of the theater.)

    But for Franco, it wasn't over even when it was over.  He got into a Tweet war with a 20-year-old fellow Yalie (He's working on a Doctorate in English at Yale), and she posted this about him in her blog:  "Combined with his Oscars hosting performance and in accordance with the opinion of commenter's [sic] on my last blog, I'm becoming convinced that James Franco's whole life is a form of postmodern performance art. In that context, his Twitter fits right in."    Oh, ouch.  That's harsh. 

    ***


    Here, I'll insert the joke that has gone so viral I think I saw it on a banner streaming off the back of a plane the other day.  It's too long for a bumper sticker, otherwise it would be there, too.  It's everywhere, and now it's here because I love it: 

    "A public union employee, a tea party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table in the middle of which sits a plate with a dozen cookies. The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the tea partier and says, 'Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie.'"



     ***


    But on to the serious political stuff:  John Boehner's House is dumping the Green, cornstarch-based tableware in the House cafeterias and replacing it with the petroleum-based, non-biodegradable plastic of the olden days.   Take THAT you Greenies!  Take THAT, Nancy Pelosi!  Want more salt rubbed in those wounds?  The contract for the Styrofoam cups went to a former Koch Industries executive.  It's just one thing after another, isn't it?

    ***


    But there are lemons and then there is lemonade.  Ever wondered how you could get that grin off of John Boehner's happy/sad/happy/sad/happy face?  As often happens in periods of adversity there comes a shining moment of resourceful brilliance.  This was just one little sparkle, but I'm in awe of the person who started this one:  On the Planned Parenthood donation page there is a link to "Honorary Giving".    There is a button for "I would like to make this gift in honor of"  Then a fill-in the-blank where John Boehner's name could go.  Then an address block where an acknowledgment will be sent to:  John Boehner!

    So. . .Donate $5 to Planned Parenthood and do it in John Boehner's name.  He'll receive as many acknowledgments from Planned Parenthood as there are those of us who decide to do it.  So come on, let's do it!

    Fill in the blanks with:

    John Boehner

    Washington, D.C. Office
    1011 Longworth H.O.B.
    Washington, DC 20515
    (202) 225-6205
    (202) 225-0704 fax

    See? That felt good!

    ***

    This was another week where Wisconsin labor kept the lights on.  I can't let this go without bringing in a bright moment from that on-going effort to defend the rights to representation for people in Wisconsin and all across the country.  This is Marge Holicek, a 92 year-old woman who was a proud member of the union and is still out there fighting for their rights:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAfVONQtZ8A&w=640&h=390

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    Cartoon of the week:


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    (Cross-posted at Ramona's Voices)
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    Comments

    I like this idea.

    Irony is more fun in practice of course. hahahaha

    PP's from Boehner. hahahah


    I confess to developing a grudging respect for Carlos Estevez.this week.  

    Never paid that much attention to him before.  And that show Two and a Half Men is probably the epitome of what I dislike about broadcast tv so I never watch it.  Even so it was all but impossible to avoid the escalating scandal.

    Last week it looked like the jackals of Hollywood had Sheen down and he would soon to be history.  Then he turned and charged with the most over-the-top and outrageous statements proving that he does indeed know his audience well.  

    Congratulations, Charlie, you beat the paparazzi at their own game.. Now the really hard part.  You have to figure out how to keep your family from locking you away.  Good luck! :)


    Hey, gotta love that vatican assassin warlock...thanks for another great Friday night, Ramona.  Smile


    Oh, and, um...I didn't watch the Oscars.  But I did judge the Red Carpet.


    Fun!  I was just over there voting for my best and worst.  And putting in a plug for the great Colin Firth.


    Darcy


    LIKE!!

     


    That's the Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. I prefer the Mark Darcy of Bridget Jones.Wink

    But why quibble, they're both hot. Still, nothing like like the Bridget scene of Darcy and Cleaver fighting in the street with "It's Raining Men" playing in the background.  You know, Hugh Grant used to be just as juicy before he started to get the more foppish Hollywood roles. Check him out as Chopin in Impromtu or in Maurice.

    I am such a big fan of so many British male actors....they have this it thing I don't know what it is and it applies to a range of talent from astounding to just good... like Burton, Drik Bogarde, Hopkins, John Hurt, Alan Bates, Oliver Reed, Jeremy Irons, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Daniel Day Lewis, Kingsley, Fiennes, Neeson, Branaugh, Clive Owen.....even Ricky Gervais when he's acting and not doing standup.

    It is not the accents--I've worked for Brits and am quite cynical about that--and it's not the acting traditions of the Redgrave's and the Olivier's, I'm appreciative of that but not so crazy about it. It's just something about a British type of masculinity, the way it's expressed, even with the gay ones. Sometimes I think it might come from the Welsh, from their genes, influencing the others. That is where the real hotties are, even a lot the ordinary Welsh guys I've met got that it factor.

     


    It's the Celts.  Welsh, Irish, Scots....  They are still a little wild. :)

    I liked the Bridget Jones Darcy as well.  And the fight.  But Mr. Darcy is what I remember Firth first for.

     

     


    OMG, Oliver Reed.  He was...yum.  Black hair, blue eyes, and brooding.  Who could ask for more? 

    Gary Oldman, when young, was gorgeous too, but in a different way.  Give me a boy who has both those qualities, and i'm his for life.

    ;)

     


    Your list of Brits is pretty much my list--except for Oliver Reed.  Never was a big fan.  I would add Lawrence Olivier as Heathcliff.  Alan Bates was a sexy devil, for sure.  And Richard Burton in his prime.

    Puttin' in a plug for one of my all time favorite Feel Good movies, "Love, Actually".  Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman (What IS there about that man?), Hugh Grant--all in the same movie along with the INCOMPARABLE Emma Thompson.  And Bill Nighy, too.  Pure heaven.


    Okay, can I admit this?  I used this pic as my wallpaper for a while.  Oh.  Yeah.


    So, that's Colin Firth, eh?

    Meh.

    He has girl hair.

    He's okay, I s'pose, but he ain't no Tommy Lee Jones.

    Cool


    Flower!  Our first falling out.  I could just cry over this. . .

    (I love Tommy Lee Jones as an actor but I do prefer those girlie-looking men.  All of my favorites when I was young turned out to be gay:  Farley Granger, Tab Hunter, Rock Hudson, and maybe even Tyrone Power.  Never liked Bogart or Wayne or any of those guys who looked like they'd been out in the desert too long.  I did like Robert Mitchum, though. And Alan Ladd.)


    Oh!  Do not weep, my Yooper friend!  Although you and I may not see eye to eye on ACK-tors, you would have a marvelous conversation and meeting of the minds with my daughter, who shares your appreciation for the English brand.  There's a whole list of 'em she loves...Alan Rickman easily comes to mind, as does Tim Curry (must be the voice).....and also she has some fascination with Leslie Howard, even though he's been dead for many decades.  I gave up trying to figure out her choices when she was fourteen and fell in love with Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.

    Smile


    Ha!  My daughter loved Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend and Keith Moon (The Who) and Mick Jagger.  Those were NOT movie star faces!

    But my youngest daughter was an Andy Gibb fan.  He was cute!


    Oh, wow.  Seeing those quotes all laid out. . .Is he certifiable or is he the Greatest Living Showman?  Only time will tell.


    Maybe both. 


    Haha, awesome and done!


    Great blog as always, Ramona.  I could comment on all the posts, but I will just say that "Love Actually" is at LEAST an annual viewing Chez moi.  Although it is a Christmas movie, I love it so much I watch it any time I need a little bucking up.  

    Is it decent to lust after all the men in one movie?  Either way, I am guilty.  I love every minute of that movie.  

    But since I am on movies, I just want to recommend one that most people have never heard of:

    THE LEGEND OF 1900

    It is GREAT!  Black & White, with fantastic music and a wonderful story.  I streamed it on Netflix --  you should too!


    Another "Love, Actually" fan!  I might have known. . .Cool

    I'll look for "The Legend of 1900"  I haven't heard about it but if you recommend it, I know I'll like it.

    Thanks.


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