Les Miserables

Mr. Y and I caught the last part of Les Miserables' 25th Anniversary Concert Special at the O2 Arena in London.  It featured Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Nick Jonas as Marius, Katie Hall as Cosette, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras, Samantha Barks as Éponine, Matt Lucas as Thénardier, Mia Jenkins as Young Cosette, Robert Madge as Gavroche and Earl Carpenter as Bishop of Digne.

I am a big Lea Salonga fan and have seen her twice - once in Miss Saigon and once in Flower Drum Song.  She had also played  Éponine, but in this concert she plays Fantine.  It's disconcerting to realize that she is old enough to play Fantine, because I still remember her as the young Kim in Miss Saigon.  But she is now 41 years old, so she is clearly more of a mom than the young urchin.

Nick Jonas was a revelation. I never followed the Jonas Brothers, and I didn't realize he can sing like that.   Apparently he was in musical theatre when he was younger and played Marius at the West End between Jonas Brothers gigs.  I knew he was basically the frontman and musical genius behind the Jonas Brothers, but this is the first time I truly heard his voice.

The one who is about to break out as a star is Samantha Barks.  She plays  Éponine in the concert, and she has been cast as  Éponine in the big screen version of Les Miserables the musical (as opposed to the movie version of the book), beating out Taylor Swift, Lea Michele, and Scarlett Johanssen.  The big screen version will star Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Eddie Redmayne as Marius, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, and Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the Thénardiers.  Samantha is hugely talented, so she should be able to hold her own among these amazing actors.

True American

In an episode of New Girl a couple of weeks ago, the gang played a game of True American with Jess's current boyfriend, Russell (played by Dermot Mulroney).  It's a totally awesome drinking game.  Here are the rules:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/true-american-is-the-next-big-drinking-game

Got it?  Go play!  :)

FDR!  JFK!

Fox's 25th Anniversary Special

Fox aired its 25th Anniversary Special this past Sunday.  I thought it was both too long and too short.  Too long because it focused too much on crazy reality shows like When Animals Attack and disaster dating/marriage shows like Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire and Joe Millionaire.  Too short because we only got a few reunions - That 70s Show, Married with Children, and three Wayans brothers from In Living Color.  I wish we had seen more reunions like 90210, Melrose Place, and the X-Files.

One of the funniest part of the special is the re-airing of parts of Family Guy's "ode" to the FCC.  Hilarious.  The Married with Children clips were also awesome.  It's amazing how long ago that show was.  I watched a lot of it, and a lot of the humor went right over my head back then.  Same with In Living Color.  I remember it being very funny, but watching it back now, I definitely didn't get some of the humor.

I watched many of the shows for the first few seasons, but then gave up on them after they started going  bad.  90210 wasn't the same after Shannen Doherty left, and Melrose Place just became insane.  Ally McBeal was interesting the first few seasons, but then all the characters just became caricatures of themselves.  But I appreciate that Fox does take risks, even if it does push the boundary of good taste.

Day After Tomorrow

The Day After Tomorrow is one of those so-bad-that-it's-good movies that I can't help but watch when I see it on TV. It's on FX at the moment.  The science is laughable, the script is pretty bad, and there are wolves!  Surprisingly, though, the special effects hold up relatively well, and there are actually good actors in the movie.  Jake Gyllenhaall and Emmy Rossum when they can still pass as high school students, Dennis Quaid as a climatologist, Sela Ward as his ex-wife and Jake Gyllenhaal's mom, and Ian Holm as another scientist. Tamyln Tomita also showed up as a NASA hurricane expert.  Granted, this movie is not the highlight of any of their careers.

My favorite part is when they were choosing books to burn at the New York Public Library, and a man and a young girl was arguing about whether Nietzsche was worth burning.  Then Arjay Smith's character, Brian, said they can stop arguing because there's a whole section of tax law to burn.  I can relate to that - tax law is awful.  A close second, especially in terms of sheer ridiculousness, is when Dennis Quaid's character saved his colleague by dropping into a Wendy's and turning on the deep fryer.  Everything else is freezing, including fuel, but the steel door stops the freezing and the deep fryer still works?  Awesome.  Oh, and did I mention that Jake and two of his friends tried to get penicillin from a Russian ship that had moved to the middle of the street in Manhattan, and had hungry wolves chasing after them?  Like I said, this movie is so ridiculous that it's good.

Flight of the Conchords

I was reading about Men In Black 3 and found out that Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords is playing the main alien baddie.

The boys from Conchords have been doing separate projects for a little bit. Bret McKenzie just won an Oscar for Best Original Song. He wrote "Man or Muppet" for the latest Muppets movie with Jason Segel, and was also the music supervisor for the movie. He has a role in the upcoming movie The Hobbit, and his dad is playing Elendil.

Jemaine, who was previously nominated for an Emmy for his work on Conchords' HBO show, did voiceover work on Despicable Me and Rio, in addition to the upcoming Men In Black 3.

The good news is that they are supposedly planning a reunion tour and a movie. It would be great to see them together again.

Taiwanese Analysis of NHL Playoff Violence

Hi, it's Mr. Y here.  Mrs. Y asked me to guest blog after I showed her a particularly surreal and hysterical video debating the rising amount of violence in this year's NHL playoffs. To set the context, first, I am a huge hockey fan (as Mrs. Y has mentioned previously when she discussed Canadian television's awesomely bad Battle of the Blades) and have been watching the playoffs with some trepidation as my Devils are back again.

Second, there really have been a lot of suspensions these playoffs for various cheap shots and vicious hits, culminating in this particularly nasty one from Raffi Torres of the Phoenix Coyotes on Marian Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Third, this video that I am referring to is from Taiwan, a region that's not exactly known as a hockey hotbed.

Fourth, this is probably the most over-the-top, surreal and hysterical thing I've seen on hockey since Slap Shots.  Did I say that already?  Well, it needed to be said again.  Anyway, here's the video.

Max Greenfield

Mr. Y and I like the show New Girl.  Well, I like it from the beginning, but Mr. Y took some convincing.  After the last couple of episodes, he has finally admitted that he likes the show.

The best part of New Girl is Max Greenfield.  He makes Schmidt so hilarious and relatable, despite the douchey-ness.  In real life, Greenfield is married to Tess Sanchez and has an adorable two-year-old daughter. Look at this awesome picture:

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/max-greenfield-2-year-old-lily-is-some-sort-of-savant-2012194

Max's wife, Tess Sanchez, is a rising star in her own right.  She was promoted to Senior VP of Casting at Fox last year after her mentor, longtime Executive VP of Casting Marcia Shulman, decided to move back to New York and take on an independent consulting role with Fox.  So now Tess is the big honcho when it comes to casting for Fox.  Clearly she has a great eye for talent, because her husband is absolutely perfect as Schmidt.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-reorganizes-casting-department-179111

What To Expect When You're Expecting

I recently saw the trailer for the movie What To Expect When You're Expecting.  This movie is inspired by the best-selling pregnancy book of the same name.

I got the book when I was pregnant, and stopped reading it because it was so exhaustive that I got overwhelmed, and also couldn't stop thinking about all the bad things the book says can happen to you and/or your baby.  It's a good reference if you want to look something up, but I would not read it cover to cover. 

The movie is about five couples who are expecting babies in different ways, and it stars a lot of people: Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, Jennifer Lopez, Rodrigo Santoro, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, etc.  The most hilarious part of the trailer was when Rodrigo Santoro's character attended a fathers' group, and they told him the real truths.  Mr. Y said he can definitely relate.  I can relate to Elizabeth Banks's character, who hated being pregnant. 

Most of the main cast don't have kids.  Only Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Banks have kids.  Lopez has 4-year-old twins, Max and Emme with her estranged husband Marc Anthony, and Elizabeth Banks has been open about welcoming her son Felix through surrogacy last year.   

I'm not usually a fan of these movies with a large cast (Love Actually is the only exception), but the trailer had its funny moments and I like most of the cast.  So I might see this one when it comes out on DVD or on TV. 

Gotye

I realize I'm totally behind the curve on this, but have to share my newfound love of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know," featuring quirky New Zealand singer Kimbra.

It's an insanely catchy song about heartbreak that makes good use of a xylophone. I first read about Gotye in EW's latest music issue. They included him as one of the top 30 greatest artists right now (Kimbra made the list too). Then Blaine and his brother Cooper (played by the incredibly handsome Matt Bomer) sang this song on Glee, and Elise Testone and Phillip Phillips sang the song on American Idol.

Gotye (real name Wouter "Wally" De Backer) is a Belgian-Australian artist who has been pretty popular in Australia and Europe. Happy that he finally hitting it big here.

Check out the freaky video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Jeremy Lin

The phenomenon that is Jeremy Lin has died down for the season with the news that Lin needs knee surgery, and will probably not play again this season unless the Knicks have an unexpectedly long playoff run.  Now the speculation begins as to where he will go next season.

Lin is a restricted free agent, which means that New York has the best chance of signing him.  Under the current rules, restricted free agents who have only played two or fewer years in the league cannot be offered more than the league's average salary (around $5 million) for the first two years of the contract, and their current teams can match the offer sheets even if they are over the salary cap.  Under these restrictions, New York will probably offer him the $5 million mid-level exception.  However, there are also rumors that New York might make a play at Steve Nash, which would make Lin expendable. 

There are a couple of other teams out there who might want to make a run at Lin.  The most intriguing is the New Jersey Nets, who will be moving to Brooklyn next season.  What better way to make a splash by signing Lin away from the Knicks?  Of course this hinges on Deron Williams not coming back to the Nets. 

Another possibility is Toronto, who has been struggling with fan attendance.  When Lin came to town this season, they had a sold-out arena when many Asian fans come out to see Lin.  Toronto also has a sizable Asian population that will be thrilled if they acquired Lin.

One final possibility is Dallas, if the rumors are true and Jason Kidd will retire after this season.  Mark Cuban would love to get his hands on Lin, who is a hard-working, young basketball player with more marketing upside than anyone else in the league right now. 

From Lin's point of view, it would probably make sense to stay in New York.  His gaudy numbers nothwithstanding, he's still a young player who hasn't played that many games.  He needs time and steady play, and Mike Woodson (if he comes back) appears to be willing to give both to him.  Plus he will look loyal and that cannot hurt his marketing side. 

Jennifer Lawrence

This photo has been making the rounds on the internet, but I thought it was so cute that I have to share it.

Jennifer Lawrence, the star of the Hunger Games, was nominated for an Academy Award last year for Winter's Bone.  The picture below is of her reaction when she found out that she was nominated.



How awesome was her reaction?  Plus she looked so normal in her PJ and cardigan.  Her parents are even wearing matching robes.  The guy behind her is her brother, and the other guy to the left is her boyfriend, Nicholas Hoult.  They starred together in X-Men First Class.  I do wonder why he's in roller-skates, though...

This picture was supposed to be in the Rolling Stone magazine feature of her, but didn't make it in the final issue.  However, the caption that was supposed to accompany this picture has also been making the rounds:

“On the morning the Oscar nominations were announced, someone snapped a photo of her and her family just as her name was being read. The look on her face, she said, was ‘like I’m being sent off to jail.’ Zoe Kravitz says she loved teasing her: “‘You’re up against Natalie Portman; you don’t stand a chance!’ and she’d go ‘You’re right! I don’t!’” (Lenny said he did catch her in the library at his house in Paris, though, holding one of his Grammys and giving a practice acceptance speech.)”

I really like her.  I hope she will continue to have a long and wonderful career.

Game of Thrones - Season 2, Episode 1

Season 2 of Game of Thrones started last night with the episode "The North Remembers."  Full disclosure: I never read the books, but Mr. Y has read all of them way before they become the pop culture hits that they are now. 

Poor Daenerys is struggling across the Red Waste desert with her new dragons and her people, whose numbers are dwindling. 

At King's Landing, Joffrey is still a twit, and Tyrion was sent by the head of the Lannister clan and the father of Tyrion, Cersei, and Jaime, Tywin Lannister, to be Joffrey's Hand of the King.  That did not make Cersei or Joffrey very happy, but yay for more Tyrion.  He's easily the best character in the whole series.  Sansa Stark is in a dangerous situation with Joffrey, but is slowly learning her way around.  Joffrey is spending his time redecorating the throne room, watching people kill each other for his birthday, and killing King Robert's illegitimate children.  Good times. 

I'd probably rather be Arya than Sansa right now, even though Arya's situation is also pretty dire.  She escaped King's Landing and is masquerading as a boy while heading north with a group of people, including a young blacksmith Gendry, another one of King Robert's illegitimate children.  Love Maisie Williams, though. 

Jon Snow is up north with the rest of the Night's Watch, and met a creepy Wilding (more below). 

Robb Stark and Catelyn Stark have Jaime Lannister as their prisoner, and are demanding quite a bit from Cersei and Joffrey in exchange for Jaime: the bodies of Ned and Ned's men returned, Arya and Sansa returned, and Joffrey and Cersei must release the North.  There is no way Cersei and Joffrey would agree to the terms, even in exchange for Jaime.  In an effort to create a bigger army, Robb also sent Catelyn to enlist Renly Baratheon (younger brother of Robert and Stannis) and his troops, and sent Stark's ward Theon Greyjoy back to his father to rally him to the cause. And just for kdipity: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20470532_20583479,00.html#21139620

Bran is in charge of Winterfell with the rest of the Stark family scattered, and can't use his legs.  He is being carried around by Hodor in a backpack.  When they saw a comet, Bran's Wilding nanny Osha helpfully explained that a red comet means dragons. 

There are a few new characters introduced in the first episode:

- Craster - played by Robert Pugh.  He's the creepy Wilding who are housing Jon Snow and the rest of the Night's Watch.  He has 19 daughters who are also his wives.  Craster hates Jon Snow, who couldn't hide his disgust at Craster's living situation. 

- Stannis Baratheon - Robert Baratheon's brother and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.  Ned Stark told him last season that all of Cersei's kids are products of incent and not Robert's kids.  Stannis is extremely dour and follows the rules to the letter.  He's played by Stephen Dillane. 

- Melisandre - a witch who advises Stannis and eggs him on to war.  Mr. Y thinks Carice van Houten doesn't look exotic enough to play Melisandre, who's described in the book as being someone from the East.

- Davos Seaworth - former smuggler and one of Stannis's supporters and nicknamed the Onion Knight.  He is played by Liam Cunningham.  Why the Onion Knight? 

SPOILER ALERT

When Robert Baratheon was leading the rebellion against House Targaryen, Stannis and his troops were stuck defending Storm's End, the main seat of House Baratheon.  The opposing troops laid siege on Storm's End, and situations were getting desperate.  About a year into the siege, Davos smuggled in onions and other foods into Storm's End, enabling the people to hold on long enough for Ned Stark to come and break the siege.  Stannis was grateful and knighted Davos.  However, because Stannis is a strict rule-follower, he also cut the first Davos's first joint from each finger of his left hand as punishment for his crimes.  Davos kept the bones of his joints in a pouch around his neck because he believed they were lucky, having bought a future for his family.