Mark Sanchez Super Bowl Commercial

Ok, I couldn't resist. The Mark Sanchez Super Bowl commerical is here.

Enjoy!

My Favorite Super Bowl Ad

Google's Super Bowl commercial was my favorite this year. It was so sweet! Check it out here.

Coming in a very close second was the Mark Sanchez ad in which he encouraged me (really, female football fans everywhere, but I could have sworn that he was talking to me) to maintain a healthy heart.

Oh, and the Saints won! My dad owes me a bag of Haribo peach candies.

I Love The Golden Girls

Thanks to WE's dutiful rotation of The Golden Girls reruns, I have been reminded of just how much I loved this (Emmy award-winning) show! It was All in the Family meets Maude meets the South Florida early bird special. And what I've now come to realize is that while The Golden Girls may have been a half-hour situation comedy, Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche and Rose tackled some pretty heavy issues -- homelessness, racism, euthanasia, HIV -- and that's just what I've seen over the past few weeks of reruns. I'm pretty sure I didn't realize how socially relevant this show was when I managed to catch bits of an episode just before my bed time (circa 1989).

So, let's see . . . at the moment, my favorite things include tending to my houseplants (they're still alive!), trying new recipes (my cooking has improved dramatically over the past few months) and watching The Golden Girls on WE. Am I a 27 year old golden girl? Gasp.

Olbermann and O'Reilly: A Truce?!?

As I've mentioned on several occasions, I like to keep Stilettos on the Gridiron a politics-free zone (for the most part). So I'll keep this short. And neutral...

As a semi-regular cable news viewer, I cannot believe that I didn't realize that Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly had reached a truce of sorts (courtesy of informal negotiations that followed a cordial conversation about the Olbermann/O'Reilly banter between network hotshots Jeff Immelt and Rupert Murdoch).

The NY Times is reporting that Mr. Olbermann and Mr. O' Reilly stopped their years-long on-air feud in June, after executives at MSNBC and Fox decided that the war of words had become a lose-lose for both networks.

I really don't have anything more to say about this, other than that I am totally shocked I didn't even realize that the fighting had ended until I came across the NY Times piece. But now that I know, I think I'm going to miss it.

The Bright Side

It's been such a strange and sad week. The news cycle ( Iran, Gov. Sanford, the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and Billy Mays) has left me reeling. And a little numb.

Last night, I took a break from 24 hour news and popped Rachel Getting Married into my DVD player. I loved it. What everyone's said about Anne Hathaway's performance is true (she was great). And the cinematography, the set design and Rachel's wedding (spoiler alert: in the end, Rachel actually does get married) were just perfect.

In other positive news, this weekend my brother and I got working on a little project that has been in the works (on a very basic level) for some time now. The project is still in its infancy, but once it's ready to launch I will share the news here. It combines my interest in design with my brother's interest in social entrepreneurship and community development, and I'm confident that it will be fantastic. Stay tuned!

P.S. I'm watching the Food Network's shameless "interpretation" of Bravo's Top Chef as I watch this. And guess what? It's not that bad! I think I might like this show. . .

The Funniest Thing I"ve Ever Seen:

Simon (in skintight red pants) dancing with Ramona on the season finale of Real Housewives (NY). Hysterical. I'm still laughing.

Man, I'll miss this show. The Real Housewives of New Jersey better deliver.

Charles Barkeley Is Still on TNT

TNT's coverage of the NBA Playoffs is well underway. I really haven't been keeping up (but I will start -- soon). All I know is that the Lakers have been playing pretty well and that the Hawks won tonight. Oh, and that the Spurs are done (ouch!).

I'm conflicted about Charles Barkley's return to TNT. As we all know, he had an unfortunate run-in with the law several months ago. Should he have returned so soon? I, for one, am having an incredibly hard time taking him seriously. Something about this is just wrong.

Five Reasons to Love Gabriel Byrne

My cable was out for 2 days this week. To compensate me for my troubles, Time Warner Cable has gifted me with a $4 credit to this month's bill and one free month of HBO, HBO2 and Showtime. One hour into my free month of premium channels and I'm suddenly reminded just how much I miss Gabriel Byrne in In Treatment. Here's why:

1. In Treatment is such an amazingly authentic depiction of raw, unfiltered emotion. Gabriel Byrne delivers a compelling performance in every episode.

2. Byrne began his acting career at 29 -- he worked as an archaeologist, bullfighter and teacher before turning to acting full-time.

3. He works as a UNICEF ambassador.

4. Today, he calls Brooklyn home.

5. And finally, my personal favorite: Gabriel Byrne once dated Naomi Campbell!

(Random facts courtesy of Wikipedia.)

A Tale of Two Jimmys

Jimmy Fallon's late-night show is growing on me. I caught a few episodes during his first week, and the secondhand embarrassment was almost too much to take. Jimmy F. was incredibly nervous, and it showed. But he's gotten so much more comfortable with the show, and I'm really starting to like it! He's had some great guests ... Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, Robert DeNiro ... and it certainly helps that Fallon snagged The Roots as the house band every single night. (aside: 3 years ago, my brother and I caught them in concert at Radio City Music Hall. That concert still ranks as one of my top 3 entertainment experiences of all time. Hands down.).

I felt similarly about Jimmy Kimmel's show when it first aired in 2003. I didn't like it at all, but somewhere between laughing at Uncle Frank and "This Week in Unnecessary Censorship," I was sold.

While we're on the subject of late-night talk show hosts, here's hoping that Jay Leno feels better and returns to television soon.

Four Reasons to Hook up my TIVO this Spring/Summer

1. Lifetime's Army Wives. Maybe it's because I'm an Air Force brat. Maybe it's because I love nighttime soaps. Whatever the reason, I am obsessed with this show. I've seen every episode at least twice. It makes me nostalgic for my childhood. New season premieres in June.

2. Bravo's Real Housewives of New Jersey. Enough said. New season premieres in May.

3. Bravo's, err Lifetime's Project Runway. Finally, PR has been freed from the unrelenting grip of that nasty legal battle over the show's move to Lifetime. New season premieres in June (?).

4. WeTV's Bridezillas. This show is outrageous and I love every minute of it. I think it's addictive. I've even convinced my mother and grandmother to watch. (This, I might add, is no small feat. It is very hard to convince them that any reality television show other than Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Mathis, The People's Court or Divorce Court is worth watching.) New season premieres in June.

No More Roses. Please.

Jason "I accidentally gave this rose to the wrong girl" Mesnick

Jillian "I hope I pick the right guy the first time" Harris

Part 2 of the "After the Final Rose Ceremony" special was a joke. Jason and Molly are (allegedly) happy together. Melissa kept it classy and stayed far away from the show. Jillian (runner up #2) is the new "Bachelorette."

I'm totally over this show. I was never a huge fan, but I started watching it ages ago when I was in college and I appreciated it for the mindless entertainment it offered at the time. Now that I'm a little older, I realize that the show is ridiculous, if not cruel and exploitative.

The next chapter in this never-ending saga begins on May 18 with a new installment of The Bachelorette (featuring Jillian). Seriously? Haven't we all had enough? I have. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to sneak a peek when the new season rolls around. What can I say? Old habits die hard.

The Most Dramatic Rose Ceremony Ever. Real Talk.

Usually, ABC is lying when it claims that an upcoming rose ceremony on The Bachelor will be "the most dramatic ceremony ever." But today, ABC did not lie. I literally fell off the couch and hit the floor hard while watching tonight's episode. Oh.My.Word. ABC's bachelor, Jason Mesnick, dumped Melissa shortly after proposing to her in New Zealand. I thought they were so in love! And to make matters worse, he has now started a relationship with Molly, the 24 year old department store buyer from Grand Rapids, Michigan (Jason dumped her shortly before proposing to Melissa).

I am speechless. I actually liked Jason! He seemed like a really sincere guy. Maybe he is sincere, and maybe something happened between Jason and Melissa that totally explains this baffling development. I just don't get it. I was really shocked when Molly basically welcomed Jason back with open arms soon after learning that he had shown Melissa the door. I really hope that things work out for Melissa. She was always my favorite. Team Melissa!

Until We Meet Again. Plus, Flickr Fun.

I've done a lot of blogging this weekend. And as much as I'd like to blog a little more (especially about Tim Tebow's announcement that he's returning for his senior season, the NYT article on President-Elect Obama's basketball game, and Congress' most recent attempt to declare the BCS an unreasonable restraint of trade), I think I'm going to have to call it quits for the evening. I've got to get ready for my day job! But before I go, I wanted to post a link to my flickr slideshow. That's right, I learned how to use flickr today. I've already posted all of these pictures to the blog, but I couldn't resist posting a link to my new favorite web toy.

The real world will be re-introducing itself to me tomorrow morning. This week is shaping up to be a busy one at work, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow, I may make it home in time to catch The Bachelor (the original guilty pleasure ...).

Obama on "The View"

Barack Obama was the marquee guest on one of my favorite television shows on Friday. He was both serious (discussing the Reverend Wright issue and Iraq) and light-hearted (joking that Brad Pitt received the "good-looking" genes from their shared gene pool--according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the two are distant cousins) while chatting with the women of "The View."

For an in-depth analysis of the non-verbal communication among Obama and the co-hosts, see this NY Times article. Juicy highlights include a discussion of the way that Barack Obama "patted Joy Behar's arm" and "whispered so intimately in Barbara Walters's ear." (As an aside, my Tivo and I were able to confirm that both of these things happened, but the gestures were so subtle and happened so fast that I probably wouldn't have noticed them had I not been primed by the article before I watched the episode...)

Update: Michelle Obama Will Not Appear on The View

Today on The View, Whoopi Goldberg announced that Michelle Obama will not appear as a guest co-host on December 5 after all. It seems that both Michelle Obama and John Edwards canceled scheduled appearances on The View to demonstrate their support for the television writers' strike. Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters clarified that The View is able to continue despite the writers' strike (and presumably without offending the strikers?) because the show doesn't rely on writers--there's no monologue (unlike Leno, Letterman, Kimmel, and Ellen), and as we all know, the banter among the co-hosts is unscripted.

Michelle Obama and John Edwards are obviously free to schedule and cancel appearances as they please, but I'm not sure that their respective appearances (Obama as a guest co-host, Edwards as a guest) would have been interpreted as not supportive of the writers' strike. Then again, perhaps there's a complex television industry issue here that I just don't understand and that would have made their appearances entirely offensive to the strikers' efforts. I guess Hillary Clinton was lucky to make her appearance of The View before any of this began...

Project Runway Gets Bitten!

The lovely Sarah Jessica Parker was the surprise style icon for whom the designers would be working on tonight's episode of Project Runway. And she really did look lovely--she was fresh, modern, and also incredibly kind to the contestants.

The designers' task this week was to create a two-piece outfit for Bitten, SJP's affordably priced line for Steve & Barry's. (As an aside, the reviews for Bitten have been mixed. My entirely unprofessional opinion is that both a keen eye and a willingness to try at least one, maybe two sizes larger than usual are absolute prerequisites for a successful Bitten shopping experience. After some trial and error, I stumbled upon two winners-- a wool funnel neck pea coat in eggplant and a fitted corduroy blazer in olive. At $20 each, I've already gotten my money's worth.)

I wasn't totally wowed by the winning design--a rather complicated black (or was it smoky gray?) dress with a long necktie/bow/distraction attached at the collar. The dress was paired with a cropped, plaid racerback vest. I actually preferred the dress/cape combo designed by Elisa, the eccentric multimedia artist. On the other hand, I did agree with the judges' decision about the losing design. While I can see where this design may have been headed, the wannabe bohemian dress definitely looked more like an itchy blanket than a fashionable and affordable garment that would appeal to a wide range of women. Heidi Klum commented that it looked like it came from someone's basement. Or a trash can. That was harsh, I thought. But not entirely inaccurate.

Michelle Obama to Co-host The View

Here's some fun television news: On December 5, Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, will be the guest co-host on The View. I cannot wait for this! Michelle Obama has been one of my favorite figures in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, and I am sure that this Princeton and Harvard educated attorney and former Vice President for Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals will do an amazing job as co-host. It's too bad that Elisabeth Hasselbeck will still be on maternity leave when Obama visits--it would have been really interesting to see the two of them host together. Of course, when Hillary Clinton appeared on The View as a guest a few weeks ago, she and Hasselbeck seemed to get along just swimmingly. And just in case there was any doubt, on today's show Barbara Walters revealed that Clinton had sent Hasselbeck a lovely gift congratulating her on the birth of her son. Very thoughtful! Or political. Either way, it was a nice gesture.

15 days until Michelle Obama's appearance on The View!

Shocking Football Games Wait for No One!

I'm ashamed to say that it's been over a week since the last post. This time, I'd be lying if I said that academic obligations alone kept me away. I may have squeezed in a (fantastic) mini-vacation during this past week as well. But just because I was resting doesn't mean that the football season was resting, too. And so, I may be late, but I am nevertheless compelled to comment on two *crazy* things that happened this past weekend:

1. In college football action, the top-ranked, previously undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the Fighting Illini on Saturday, 28-21. Ohio State's loss paved the way for LSU (9-1) to make its way back to the top of the BCS Standings and the AP Top 25, while Ohio State (10-1) fell to #7 on both lists. This is a tough break for Ohio State. I feel for the Buckeyes, and I'd probably feel even more if I weren't distracted by Florida's steady climb back toward the Top 10 (#12 BCS, #14 AP Top 25) following last weekend's convincing win over South Carolina, 51-31.

2. In professional football action, Adam Vinatieri chose an incredibly inopportune time to miss a 29 yard field goal on Sunday night. The Colts were playing the Chargers in San Diego, and they were down 21-23 with 1:34 left in the game. Vinatieri kicked, missed, and the Colts lost. It was heartbreaking.

The moral of these stories is this: In the coming weeks, the television writers' strike may force tons of shows into reruns prematurely. I support the writers' position. It is an absolute shame that the writers are not getting an equitable share of the profits generated via new distribution channels for the shows that they bring to life, and I truly hope that there is a swift and fair resolution. In the meantime, it's comforting to know that, at least for the next few weeks, football upsets and flukes just might provide otherwise deprived television fans with a little unscripted entertainment.

Highlight from the Democratic Debate

The City of Brotherly Love hosted tonight's Democratic Debate. The candidates discussed several serious and important issues, including Iraq, Iran, immigration policy, and health care.

While I tuned in to hear the candidates discuss serious issues, here's what I want to discuss: Dennis Kucinich's UFO sighting. According to Shirley MacLaine's new book, Kucinich spotted a UFO while visiting MacLaine at her Graham, Washington home some years ago. When Tim Russert inquired about the sighting tonight, Kucinich didn't exactly deny it. Instead, he made what I think was a joke about opening an office in Roswell, New Mexico.

The really funny part is this: After Kucinich finished his response, Tim Russert turned to Barack Obama and basically asked Obama if he believed in aliens. With a look of utter astonishment on his face, Obama responded (and I'm paraphrasing here) that while he wasn't certain about life anywhere else, he was certain about life on Earth. And life on Earth was his primary concern.

I'm realizing that this might not be nearly as funny here as it was on live television. But trust me. It was funny.

More:
Dennis Kucinich's Close Encounter

Non-Reality TV Is the New Guilty Pleasure

ABC's Dirty Sexy Money is one of my favorite new fall shows. After a healthy (over)dose of reality television, a quirky, and slightly over the top scripted show is a refreshing change. And while the intricately woven social lives of the Darlings ("New York's wealthiest family") are almost too much for even the most attentive viewer to follow, I end up challenging myself to do so each week. (Spoiler Alert: Spoiling begins now.)What amazes me about this show is its delightfully fast pace and endless supply of surprises--I thought for sure that it would be weeks before Brian's wife discovered that the orphaned child that she and her husband had been caring for was actually the child that her husband fathered with another woman. Karen and Nick were secretly engaged when they were nineteen!!--who knew?? (Nick's wife, Lisa, certainly didn't.) And Natalie's really not pregnant with Jeremy's child? Definitely didn't see that coming. Although maybe I should have...

Next up: We'll learn which of the Darling children isn't really a Darling. Patrick will have to reach some resolution about his Senate campaign and his extramarital affair. And after the strong lead-in, it seems inevitable that Blair Underwood's character is about to shake things up...

More:
Dirty Sexy Money 101 (ABC)