Game of Thrones - SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

This post will speculate about the last two episodes of Game of Thrones, so stop reading if you don't want to know what will possibly happen.

There are only two episodes left of Game of Thrones.  This season has seen many major things happen, but nothing will compare to the last two episodes when two key deaths will most likely occur.

First up is the episode called "The Rains of Castamere"  Normally this title refers to the song written about Tywin Lannister's victory over the House Reyne of Castamere.  In this case, however, it is likely referring to the Red Wedding, where Robb meets his untimely end.  It has been hinted, and sometimes even stated openly by Catelyn, that Robb's decision to marry Talisa instead of Rosalyn Frey will have disastrous consequences.  Robb tried to mitigate that decision by offering his uncle, Edmure, as the substitute groom, but as the book readers know, the Freys do not take kindly to take decision and Robb will pay dearly.

Now the question is whether Talisa will survive.  She doesn't exist as a character in the book, where Robb is married to Jeyne Westerling.  Jeyne stayed behind at Riverrun while Robb went to negotiate with the Freys, so she survived the Red Wedding.  However, in the show Talisa reveals herself to be pregnant in the episode "Second Sons."  George R. R. Martin himself penned this episode, and it's a guessing game as to whether he threw this tidbit in just to confuse fans, or if this will actually matter. 

The last episode is called "Mhysa."  Mhysa means "mother", and it is what the Yunkai people called Dany when she enters the city.  However, this episode will also most likely feature Joffrey's death.  In the book, he was poisoned during the feast after his wedding to Margaery Tyrell.  No one will particularly mourn Joffrey, who has become one of the most hated characters on television (poor Jack Gleeson, the actor who plays Joffrey, who seems to be a very nice guy in real life).  The worst consequence of Joffrey's death is the fall of Tyrion, who would be blamed for the death, but it was actually arranged by Littlefinger and Olenna Tyrell.   If Joffrey doesn't die in this episode, then he will most likely die in the beginning of season 4. 

Celebrity Sightings

I have seen quite a few celebrities in the streets of New York the past two days.

Yesterday I saw Tony Shalhoub exiting a limo and entering Carnegie Hall for the CBS upfronts.  The upfronts are where the networks present their fall schedule and shows to the advertisers and press, and they usually bring in the big stars.  Tony Shalhoub is starring in one of CBS's new comedies with Jerry O'Connell, "We Are Men."  This is CBS's official description of the show:

WE ARE MEN is a single-camera comedy about four single guys living in a short-term apartment complex who unexpectedly find camaraderie over their many missteps in love. Carter (Chris Smith), the youngest and most recent addition to the group, moved in after being ditched at the altar mid-ceremony, and is now eager to re-enter the dating scene and get on with his life with some guidance from his “band of brothers”: Frank Russo (Golden Globe and multiple Emmy Award winner Tony Shalhoub), a successful middle-aged clothing manufacturer and four-time divorcée who still fancies himself a ladies man; Gil Bartis (Kal Penn), a small business owner who was caught having the world’s worst affair; and Stuart Strickland (Jerry O’Connell), a speedo-wearing OB/GYN who’s hiding his assets until his second divorce is settled.
Jill (Rebecca Breeds) is Frank’s charming and attractive daughter, who stands as the one positive remnant from his failed relationships. Armed with a hot tub, pool-side barbeque and plenty of questionable advice, these losers in the marriage department take Carter under their wing to impart their own brand of wisdom about the opposite sex.

Emmy Award winner Rob Greenberg, Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Rob Greenberg directed the pilot.

I also saw Emma Stone and Edward Norton in Times Square filming the new movie Birdman, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu.  The movie also stars Michael Keaton, Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis.  Stone and Norton were talking by a crafts table in front of a Broadway theatre that had fake billboards up.  I was looking at the billboards first and was thinking that the guy looked a lot like Michael Keaton, but with a different name, and then saw Norton and Stone.  Then I realize they were filming a movie and the billboards were fake.  The dark comedy is about a former actor (Keaton) who once played a superhero and stages a Broadway play based on a short story by Raymond Carver to become famous again.  His plan was threatened to be derailed by his egotistical lead actor (Norton).  Stone plays Keaton's daughter/assistant who is just out of rehab, Watts is Norton's co-star in the play, and Galifianakis plays the producer.

Lastly, I saw Matthew Morrison walking with his girlfriend, Renee Puente.  I actually noticed her first, because even in just shorts and a casual shirt she walked like a model.  Matthew was talking on the phone about his cooking skills.  It was a funny, random conversation to overhear. 

The Mother Revealed on How I Met Your Mother

On last night's season finale of How I Met Your Mother, the titular mother is finally revealed in the train station buying a ticket for Farhampton and carrying a yellow umbrella.  I love the song introducing her - the Shins' "Simple Song."  The actress playing the Mother is Cristin Milioti.  She was the star of the Broadway show Once, based on the movie of the same name, and was nominated for a Tony.  Here is a clip of her singing Falling Slowly with co-star Steve Kazee.  She also guest-starred on the Sopranos, Nurse Jackie, and 30 Rock.  She will be seen soon as Leonardo DiCaprio's wife on The Wolf of Wall Street. 

I think she's perfect for the role.  She looks exactly like the kind of girl that Ted would fall for - cute, quirky, and has the indie-hipster look.  She and Josh Radnor also look like they could be the parents of Lyndsy Fonseca and David Henrie, and I can see Cristin fitting in nicely with the gang.  I appreciate that the producers didn't go for stunt casting - I think that would have been too distracting and too hard to keep a secret.  It's nice in this day and age that they can still keep something back until they want to reveal it.  

I can't wait for the ninth and final season of the show. 

Game of Thrones' Bronn as a Pop Singer

On Game of Thrones, Jerome Flynn plays the badass sellsword Bronn.  He is a mercenary hired by Tyrion who was knighted after the Battle of Blackwater, naming himself Ser Bronn of Blackwater.

It turns out that Jerome Flynn has a not-so-badass past as one half of Robson & Jerome, a British boy band in the 1990s.  Check out the picture and the story here. 

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is a bright spot in an otherwise terrible start to the Dodgers season.  This Grantland article spotlighted the pitch that got him noticed during spring training, complete with a Vin Scully call.  My favorite part is the Kershaw Bet: "The first person to go over to Kershaw and ask him their hand-picked goofy question during one of those between-innings scenes would win the entire pot."

The 2013 Met Gala

As usual, the red carpet at the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts did not disappoint its reputation as fashion's Oscars.  There are some wild and interesting looks on display.

My top five favorites:

1) Anne Hathaway went to her favorite, Valentino, for this creation, and she looked incredible.  I also love the punked-up blonde hairdo. 

2) Beyonce did not disappoint with her Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci outfit.  I like the matching printed boots. 

3) Emma Watson looked amazing in her Prabal Gurung dress.  The overall effect is sexy, but understated.

4) Blake Lively wore a gorgeous Gucci dress with fantastic earrings.  This is how you bring drama without going overboard.

5) Only Sarah Jessica Parker can pull off this Giles Deacon dress and the custom Philip Treacy hat.


My bottom five:

1) Katy Perry donned Dolce and Gabbana, and I actually think the dress itself might have been OK, but the crown and the earrings caused the outfit to go overboard. 

2) Allison Williams's Joseph Altuzarra dress is wrong from top to bottom - the mix of different textures and shapes ended up being too busy.

3) Kim Kardashian wore a flowered bedspread custom-made by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci.  I get cross-eyed just looking at that dress for more than a second.

4) Christina Ricci wore a McAndrew Tartan corset gown from the Vivienne Westwood Couture collection.  I think the dress would work better if it just sticks to one length.

5) Madonna in Givenchy - just no.

Plants vs. Zombies 2

I got addicted to the original Plants vs. Zombies thanks to Mr. Y, and I was very excited when it was revealed that the sequel will be released in July 2013.  There is something very soothing about shooting peas and using other vegetations as weapons to defeat zombies.
Check out the trailer here.

Historical Figures As They Would Look Today

The British TV Channel Yesterday commissioned digital artists to create portraits of what historical figures would look like today.  The figures include William Shakespeare and Henry VIII.  The results are pretty interesting.

The TV channel did this project to promote their new series "the Secret Life Of... which delves deep into the lives of historical figures and dishes the dirt on their hitherto unexplored secret lives."