You may or may not know, that I am obsessed with One Direction. Y'know that boy band from England that all look like they're twelve. My favorite is Niall the blond one on the left. I was starting to worry I was turning into some old creeper, when yesterday in trying to come up with a theme for today's blog, I was checking out some celebrity blogs, when I cam across a picture of Niall shirtless and my reaction was horror not excitement. So whew! Not a pedophile! That's a relief.
But on that note, I already knew that Harry Styles the "one with the hair" had just turned 18 and also just broken up with his 32 year-old girlfriend. You do the math. Well, turns out that he also had an afair with another 32 year-old woman, who was married! And he was apparently the one that pursued her and according to a "source" "the sex was amazing. He knew exactly what he was doing despite the fact he was only 17." Raaaaooow!!! I don't know how to feel about that! Guess he has a type... and that's COUGARS! (Well, 32 is a cougar to a 17 year-old, I suppose.)
Moving on, the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon make great meaningless crap that you can just put on in the background and basically ignore. Wizards of Waverly Place was the best but I think it's over now. I guess there are still reruns, though. Another one I kind of like is Zeke and Luther. Yeah, I just like the Zeke half of the equation.
He's adorable and has pretty eyes. Oddly hairy, though. I shudder to imagine how he'll look at like 35. Like a sasquatch, probably.
Final semi-teen news:
This is alledgedly Josh Hutcherson's ass. DAAAAAAAYUUUUUUM!!! Can you say ghetto booty?! I'm not sure it's really him, though. The arms seem too small. Whoever it is looks great walking away!
Hasbro has partnered with Integrity Toys to FINALLY revive Jem!Their first offering? Hollywood Jem, based on the never produced doll that was intended to anchor the third year assortment of dolls.
Here is the official press release:
Integrity Toys, Inc. in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc. Announce JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS Collectible Fashion Dolls
First of the High-End Collectible Fashion Doll Line Based on the
1980s Animated Series Available at the 2012 Comic-Con International in
San Diego
Integrity Toys, Inc., under license from Hasbro, Inc., today announced a
brand-new series of high-end collectible fashion dolls based on the
1980's ground breaking animated series JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS, launching
at 2012 Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Inspired by the "TRULY OUTRAGEOUS" characters created by Hasbro over
two decades ago and cherished by fans and collectors alike ever since,
this nostalgic retro doll line is designed to pay homage to both the
animated series and its original companion doll line, originally
marketed from 1985 to 1987. Created for fans by fans of the rock 'n
shock pink haired pop-culture icon and her outrageous world, this
classic commemorative line will feature the high-end details, quality
accessories and ultra-limited edition sizes that fans of Integrity Toys
have come to appreciate through the years.
This first doll in this exciting commemorative collection will be JEM
AND THE HOLOGRAMS Special Edition Doll: HOLLYWOOD JEM, one of the most
requested animated-based looks. This doll will be available for purchase
at the HasbroToyShop booth #3329 during Comic-Con International in San
Diego at an approximate retail price of $125 and following the
convention, at www.HasbroToyShop.com.
The dolls, created by noted collectible manufacturer Integrity Toys,
will mark the debut of a newly sculpted fully articulated body and
likeness of the rock star wearing a high-end costume, delivered in
collector grade packaging. Future additions to the line will be
announced in the months following Comic-Con International in San Diego
via a dedicated web page located at http://integritytoys.com/jemandtheholograms,
which has been created to bring fans all the latest information about
the Classic JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS collectible line moving forward.
"As children of the 80's ourselves, working on this project with the
Hasbro team was a dream come true for our entire team. JEM AND THE
HOLOGRAMS has been a major influence for us," says Alain Tremblay,
marketing director of Integrity Toys, Inc.
"We wanted to remain true to the spirit of the original doll line,
while paying homage to the animated series, which is something that we
as JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS fans always wanted through the years," says
Vaughn Sawyers, Integrity's head designer.
JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS made a noted return on television in 2011 airing
on The HUB TV Network in the U.S., followed by the much anticipated
release of a sleek DVD box set last fall that features all 65 episodes
of the original animated series. "We wanted to pay homage to the
characters and offer collectible dolls to fans that would showcase the
essence of their favorite characters. We admire the high quality dolls
produced by Integrity Toys, so this relationship made perfect sense,"
says Bryony Bouyer, Senior Vice President, Global Franchise Development
for Hasbro.
Get ready for some serious glamour fashion and fame; it's show time Synergy!
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a
branded play company providing children and families around the world
with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the
Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to
television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a
comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global
customers with well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS,
LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE
GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and
produces television programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV
Network is part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S.
Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social
responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a
safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively
impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has
been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most
Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility
Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens."Learn more at www.hasbro.com.
Integrity Toys designs and markets a variety of fashion and celebrity
dolls and related accessories, with a specialization in high-end fashion
dolls. Founded in 1995, Integrity Toys' extensive experience and
capabilities in the field of doll making allows them to create products
and programs for many of the world's best-known retailers, consumer
products companies, celebrities and other intellectual property holders.
Integrity currently produces high-end fashion dolls ranging in size
from approximately 12 inches to 16 inches tall, under a number of
brands, including Fashion Royalty, the Dynamite Girls and Poppy Parker
among others. The Company's products typically retail from $60 to $250
each, with most of the products retailing in the $130-150 range. Their
products are known for their superior engineering, high-end aesthetics
and of course, fashionable, detailed clothing.
For more information about Integrity Toys, Inc. please visit www.integritytoys.com. PR contacts
This past Tuesday saw the release of "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" Season 3, the final nail in the coffin of this amazing series. Initially, fans balked at a lighter Batman cartoon, one not starring Kevin Conroy as the Dark Knight. But those that gave it a fair shake were delighted to find a high quality series that paid homage to nearly every interpretation of the Caped Crusader throughout his long history.
Named after the long-running comic book that featured Batman teaming up with various other DC stars, the show mimicked that format by pairing Batman with a seemingly random cast of characters... not just one per episode, but usually two, via the introductory bumpers at the beginning of each episode. But due to licensing, the producers focused on a small group of recurring characters, Aquaman, The Atom, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Plastic Man and Red Tornado.
Aquaman, in particular, broke out as a fan favorite and headlined his own episode "Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure" as well as other segments. This interpretation was more, ahem, enthusiastic about his adventuring than his stoic comic book source. His supporting cast included his wife Mera and their mopey teenage son Arthur Jr.
Perhaps the most fondly remembered episode is "Mayhem of the Music Meister" starring Neil Patrick Harris as the titular villain, featuring several musical numbers. The episode was so popular, the soundtrack was released on iTunes.
Speaking of musical numbers, this last boxed set includes the episode "The Mask of Matches Malone" which has never aired or been released in the US due to a racy song and dance by Black Canary, Catwoman and Huntress, where they poke fun at the various male heroes' sexual potency. In fact, the version included on the DVD is doctored. When Huntress refers to Aquaman's "little fish" in the original, she makes a gesture with her finger. On the DVD, the camera pans over to an aquarium! Are we that prudish, WB? Check out the original below:
Initially, the producers chose to focus on lesser known heroes... plus, they couldn't get permission to use Superman or Wonder Wonder Woman (although they appeared with their backs to the camera in a Justice League group shot). Superman kinda made an appearance in "The Super Batman of Planet X" where Batman encountered an extraterrestrial version of himself that bore more than a passing resemblance to the Man of Steel. Finally, the other big two popped up in Season 3. Wonder Woman debuted in an opening bumper, rescuing Batman and Steve Trevor from the Baroness Paula Von Gunther... to the original Wonder Woman theme song from the 70s! Superman appears next, in the full-length "Battle of the Super Heroes." Both heroes appear in "Triumvirate of Terror" facing off against their arch enemies, The Joker, Lex Luthor and The Cheetah.
But as I said, the thing the writers and producers prided themselves on was pairing Batman with the most off-the-wall DC characters they could think of, from B'Wanna Beast to Wild West cowboy Jonah Hex to future-dwelling Kamandi to the Haunted Tank to Detective Chimp and beyond. By the final season, however, it seems all bets were off, with Batman joining forces with Space Ghost, Scooby Doo, Wierd Al Yankovick, Jeffrey Ross and even Abraham Lincoln!
Not only were the character selections wild at times, but so were some of the concepts the creators chose to adapt. They adapted the famous Mad Magazine parody "Bat Boy and Rubin" and Jiro Kuwata's Batman Manga from Japan (in which the Dark Knight battled Lord Death Man).
The final episode is a meta look back, with Bat-Mite (voiced by Paul Rubens) trying to get "The Brave and the Bold" cancelled in favor of a darker Batman series. It's actually quite clever and the final gathering in the Bat Cave of all of the show's guest stars (including B'Wanna Beast, somehow alive again after dying in "The Seige of Starro") was a lovely send off.
This series broke the moldon what a Batman show had to be. It didn't have to be dark or dramatic. It could be lighter and funny and still be Batman. There is a new Batman show coming up, but I doubt any upcoming super hero series reaches the goofy but glorious heights of this show.
This weekend, Cathy and I watched Rock of Ages. We both had reservations. Neither of us has seen the stage musical. We're not exactly metal heads. Plus, the day before, I got the new Entertainment Weekly and they gave it a C. (I didn't read any further. I wanted to see the movie and form my own opinion.)
Well... we liked it! The reviews are tepid at best and it took in a disappointing $14 million, but we enjoyed it! I hate Tom Cruise and his singing voice is kind of odd, but he did a great job in the role of Stacee Jaxx, a thinly-veiled Axl Rose-type rocker that is so sheltered he's lost touch with reality. I was surprised that Stacee Jaxx was more of a supporting character. Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta are the real stars as dewy, fresh faced Sherrie and aspiring rocker Drew. They're an attractive couple. Diego, obviously was especially appealling to me.
Julianne's voice isn't the best at times. "Sister Christian" is borderline shrill. But the rest of the cast delivers some pretty tight vocals, considering most of them aren't singers. the exception is Mary J. Blige, who has a fairly small role, but she KILLS every line she sings! She seems tailor made for rock music. I would love her to do a whole album with a rock vibe! The best two musical numbers are the ones in Mary's strip club, where no one ever actually strips.
The plot isn't particularly fresh or... hell even that important. When I read the negative comments, I kind of shrug and admit I can't disagree with what they're saying. I just don't care. There are flaws, but it's just so much FUN! Great songs, fun choreography, just a fun, entertaining movie! I'm definitely buying the BluRay when it comes out!
Saw "Rock of Ages" this weekend and despite the tepid reviews, Cathy and I both loved it! It may be flimsy in the plot department, but it's just fun! And Cathy and I now have a new boyfriend, Diego Boneta who plays Drew in the movie.
