It's the Guys' Turn...

Wednesday night the guys performed live for the first time and once again I was slightly disappointed. Maybe it was the nerves, song choices (there were some bad ones), but these performances made me more nervous that we're not going to find the perfect Idol. There weren't any wow moments. It comes down to song choice, song choice, song choice. Don't pick songs by these stylized performers: Coldplay, The Fray, One Republic, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Jason Mraz. Theses guys who are on the radio all the time...you will always have a poor man's version of these songs. Don't pick predictable songs like "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John. It's been done a million times. Don't sing Stevie Wonder. Randy will hate it and tear you apart. Idols: watch the show. There are simple rules.

Since this show has started, I've sat from my couch wishing I was a song selection coach for American Idol. I wish that was a real job. Armchair Diva, SSC. So that's what I'm gonna be from my couch. And for the whole season, you are going to hear me suggesting songs I want these contestants to sing and ripping them for the poor ones they choose.

Here's what I thought of the guys:

Todrick Hall (Song Choice: Since U Been Gone)

Yes, that's right. "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Seemed so strange to me. Do I love it? Do I hate it? I'm so confused. Yesterday, I thought it was okay, but today I think I hated it. I love a contestant who takes a risk, but this was too out there. You can't change a #1 hit by a former Idol winner so much it becomes unrecognizable. It was Indulgent city and far too risky. Simon said it was stupid, and that may seem extreme. I love that he said he heard in his head. It takes big balls to do what he did and you have to respect that. This kid can perform and is adorable, so hopefully he can come back and redeem himself next week and we can actually hear him sing.

Aaron Kelly (Song Choice: Here Comes Goodbye)

This kid is adorable. And I love anything by Rascal Flatts so he won me over big time. Not the best vocals in the world and he's so humble that America will fall in love with him. But to take on a song by this group and sung by Gary LeVox is a tall order. No one can sing quite like Gary, he has a very special voice. He hits notes most men can't hit. Hoping Aaron sticks around one more week at least. Not sure if he can sell out a crowd or walk a red carpet, but he's got Disney TV movie written all over him. There's definitely a market for him. Love his spikey little haircut, the smile, young girls will love him. He could be this year's Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais.

Jermaine Sellers (Song Choice: Get Here)

This guy with the suspenders and the different colored socks, shoes....I don't know this song and didn't learn to love it. Seems like a nice kid, I judged him based on his front suspenders at first, but his rendition of this Oleta Adams song was not good. Too much screaming, too many runs, just too much. He's in trouble. Maybe the jacket and the tails will help. But I doubt it.

Tim Urban (Song Choice: Apologize)

Can you say High School Musical??. Zac Efron Part II?? Adorable kid, great floppy Troy Bolton hair. Not a great singer. This is the perfect example of what I was talking about...If you don't have a falsetto, don't sing a song by Ryan Tedder. A One Republic song is a tall order unless you are David Archuleta or Kris Allen. Might be time to say goodbye to my little Disney TV movie star.

Joe Munoz (Song Choice: You and I)

Great choice of song and actually pulled off Jason Mraz. I love this song and he absolutley knew his voice and not to oversing the song. Only problem, he was in the middle of the pack and it didn't actually wow anyone. I was pleasantly surprised by Joe, after that piece where he kept forgetting his lyrics. I think a lose a few years off my live watching Idol waiting for them to remember their lyrics. Why is this so hard for them? I admit to being terrible with lyrics, I never know what I am singing. "Hold me closer Tony Danza".. yeah that's me with Tiny Dancer. But you better believe I am going to remember my lyrics when I only have 90 seconds to sing for the opportunity of a lifetime. Ever year... EVERY year this is a problem. I will never get it.

Tyler Grady (Song Choice: American Woman)

THIS guy.... Let's call him "The Chin". I've never seen anything like it. He gives Jay Leno a run for his money in the chin department. He's just so big, so blocky. Big head on such a lean body. Cute guy and likeable, but I'm intimidated by him. I can't really watch him and I'm thinking this is gonna be a problem. And forget the chin, I can't get passed the Vinny Barbarino wardrobe. He does look like he came out of a time machine and has posters of Jim Morrison and Farrah Fawcett on his bedroom walls. And American Woman was such an obvious choice for him. He needs to switch it up and do something unexpected. I'll keep him around for another week.

Lee DeWyze (Song Choice: Chasing Cars)

My favorite of the season based on about 20 seconds of an audition piece. He didn't get much air time, you didn't get to know his story, but as soon as I heard him sing, I knew he was goin to be my boy. He has that The Fray, James Morrison vibe which I love. Give a guy an acoustic guitar and a graphic tee-shirt and I'm in. I love Snow Patrol, but didn't really love the song "Chasing Cars" for his voice. I would've loved to see him sing a Gavin DeGraw song - "I Don't Wanna Be" (an Idol early audition fave) or "More Than Anyone". Hoping he sticks around next week to sing something like that. Something about this kid's eyes makes me like him. I love that he's humble. I agree with Simon, we should expect big things from Lee.

John Park (Song Choice: God Bless the Child)

This song should be banned from Idol. It's depressing, it's slow, it sucks. My immediate reaction was hotel lounge, hotel lounge, hotel lounge. This guy was Shania's favorite in the early audtions, and he can blow, but this was just the wrong song for him. It's the wrong song for everyone... unless you rock it like Micaela Gordon season 4, her best performance. John could be in trouble.

Michael Lynche (Song Choice: This Love)

This guy's a charmer and he had a nice back-story with his baby being born during the auditions, but the producers need to stop milking this story. It's getting annoying. It was risky to do a Maroon 5 song, Adam Levine owns that song. His big body was swallowing that little guitar; it looked like a uekele or a violin in his arms. He's just too scary big. Good chops, he's infectious, and America will love him. America always votes in that big loveable, teddy bear footbally player guy. I'm dubbing him this year's Michael Sarver (season 8) or season 2's Matthew Rogers.

Alex Lambert (Song Choice: Wonderful World)

I LOVE this song. Love James Morrison. I think this kid is adorable and quirky, and he has an amazing voice. He has raw talent, this rich tone to his voice. All that.. and zero stage presence. If you closed your eyes and listened it was great. But he was awkward in every move he made. Hoepfully he can get another chance and make up for it, but it might Alex's time to go.

Casey James (Song Choice: Heaven)

When I heard this guy was singing a Bryan Adams song, my first reaction was "Oh F*ck. Not another dreadful Bryan Adams song". I don't think I would've been able to take it if he sang "Summer of '69". I would've ran out of the room, buried my head in the pillow. That song would've been Idol suicide... can you say cover band? Well, that's what Simon would've said. I f*cking hate Bryan Adams. I really do. But really it's Bryan Adams post-Reckless I don't like. "Heaven", "Summer of '69", and "One Night Love Affair" are all good songs. But any of that Robin Hood crap, I just can't handle. I don't want anyone singing "Everything I Do" or "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman". Hate hate hate those songs. Anything from Robin Hood or that damn Don Juan DeMarco. Unless you are Chris Daughtry or David Cook, you can't sing those songs. Ultimately, Casey James was the best of the night and sounded really good. I was a little embarrassed for him and uncomfortable with the Kara-Casey sexual tension. Brought back memories of season 2's Paula and Corey Clark controversy. Casey is like a good-looking Bo Bice, he is what America wanted Bo to be. I think America is realizing they had beer goggles on with that guy. Casey hould do very well in this competition. No doubt, Top 12.

Andrew Garcia (Song Choice: Sugar We're Going Down)

Andrew's performance was probably the most higly anticipated of the night (of course, he went last just like Katie Stevens did, another early favorite). And I think he disappointed. I loved the risk of taking a rock song by Fall Out Boy and making it acoustic, but some songs aren't meant to be switched up that much. Doesn't really matter though, America already fell in love with him after his acoustic rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" which would've made Paula proud. Hoping he leaves his guitar at home, and just takes the mic and sings next week. We'll be seeing him for many weeks to come.

And We're Live!!

Finally, We are live! The top 24 of American Idol is finally performing live and most importantly I have a say in the outcome. The voting begins! Let's cut through the clutter and find America's best and favorite new artist! I just love Idol, it's like a drug to me. All day on Tuesday, I was in this super excited mood. If something was going wrong...didn't matter. Idol is on. I'm running late, forgot my lunch, had a bad hair day.... doesn't matter. Idol is on. Starting now, I will be in a great mood every Tuesday and Wednesday through May.

The ladies kicked off the top 24 competition, and overall I wasn't impressed and thought they underperformed. I'm now just that much more excited for the men to sing tonight. Every year, I think we are finally going to get some clued in contestants, people that have actually watched the show and will learn from past contestants horrible song choices and mistakes. Every year I'm wrong. There are some very basic rules of Idol that these people need to abide: DON'T sing a song by the following artists: Mariah, Celine, Whitney, Christina. Don't Sing "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", it will always sound like a cheesy cheap rendition. It's Whitney's worst song and a terrible choice. Don't sing "All By Myself" unless you seriously think you can bring the house down LaToya London style (season 5).

Don't sing "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles (great song, don't sing it), don't sing Alicia Keys "Fallin'", don't sing "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. Don't sing anything by Elvis. You know "A Little Less Conversation". It will be awkard and I will feel uncomfortable. Don't sing anything by Al Green. Don't sing anything by Earth, Wind & Fire. Don't sing anything that people equate to Hotel lounge music. Basically 70's R&B should be off limits. If you sound like Janis Joplin, don't sing Janis Joplin. Be different, sing outside the box. Just don't be obvious. Nothing is worse than obvious. Don't sing a song that a former Idol winner has on one of their albums, especially one they've received Grammy's for. For example: LaKesha Jones singing "Jesus Take the Wheel". Danny Gokey singing "Jesus Take the Wheel". Everyone: Just don't sing "Jesus Take the Wheel". Watch the show: you will learn. Another: Lisa Tucker singing Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You".

Here's what you SHOULD do: Take a song that we know but forgot how much we like and make it your own. Remind us why that song was good. Make us go to iTunes and download it. For example: David Cook singing "Hello". Brooke White reminding us why "Love is a Battlefied" is such a great Pat Benatar song and teach us that an acoustic version could be pretty cool. If you take a Beatles song, be amazing (David Archuleta's "Imagine"). Season 9's Andrew Garcia already won me over with his acoustic rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up". It was brilliant and the other 23 contestants need to take notes. Here's the breakdown of the ladies on Tuesday:

Paige Miles (Song Choice: All Right Now)

I really liked Paige. She got zero air time during auditions, so you didn't get to know what she was like, a back-story on her, but she proved why she was there. She's gorgeous too, kind of a Kerry Washington look-a-like. I just absolutely hate the song "All Right Now" by Free. It's a crappy song and for some reason, it's an Idol favorite...but usually sung by a guy (wasn't even that impressed with David Cook's version during his early audition process). She has a cool voice and I liked her performance. I'm interested to see what she brings next week if she sticks around and survives the curse that who goes first. Could be a bottom 3 just based on that. But I'd agree with Simon that out of all the girls, she may have the best voice.

Ashley Rodriguez (Song Choice: Happy)

Gorgeous girl and I loved her in the auditions. Has the look and everything, sort of a Rosario Dawson look-a-like. She goes "Happy" by Leona Lewis, which is a big ballsy song to choose. Leona being Simon's girl and all. I give her credit for taking on a big song, but she may need to stay in her league a little more. Add Leona to my list of don't touch those artists.

Janell Wheeler (Song Choice: What About Love)

I've been a big fan of Janell in the early auditions when she sang the acoustic version of Estelle's American Boy. Love love loved it. I love that I didn't recognize what song it was right away. I had to keep listening and finally figured it out at the end. I love the raspiness in her voice and the originality. Then she chose to sing Heart (What About Love) on Tuesday, and just didn't deliver. She was super-pitchy. Now I have to admit: I love Heart. LOVE them. My rule for Idol: If you can sing Heart, you're IN mine. Ann Wilson is a rock goddess and if you can deliver those notes, you've won me over. But Janell was a little out of her league with that song, it was too big for her.

Best Heart moments on Idol: Carrie Underwood singing Alone (her Idol coming out party when she looked liked Jon Benet Ramsay but sounded perfect); Alison Iraheta singing Alone in last year's early auditions. She sealed her way into the top 12 with that performance. Crazy on You sung by Carly Smithson.

Hopefully America will keep her around for another week.

Lily Scott (Song Choice: Never Heard of It)

Now this girl is just a breath of fresh air. Everything about this girl is cool. The hair, the style, the peacock/dreamcatcher earrings, the voice. It's something different. While watcing with my friend, she and I have developed big expectations for Lilly. Her name is Lilly Scott. She's meant to be a musician, meant to be famous. She's cool, different, she showed her identity. Couldn't tell you the song she sang, but she sang it well. It may not be your cup of tea, but thank god for something new. I'd like to see what else she can sing.

Katelyn Epperly (Song Choice: Some Beatles song)

Love this girl. Hated her song choice. These words came to mind: lounge singer. wedding singer. lobby bar. And the feather didn't help. Come on girl, watch the show. Pick better songs. But I still like her and really want to show what else she can do. She does know her voice and has such a cool tone, hopefully she does something stronger next week. I'd like to see her go far. And I agree and disagreed with Kara's comments on her style.. I love that she's diverse and a bit of a chameleon with her style... soft and pretty, earthy then dark, hip.

Haeley Vaughn (Song choice: I Want To Hold Your Hand)

Sorry, I'm just not a fan. If she makes the top 12, she will get on everyone's nerves the first or second week. Her voice is grating. And I did not like this performance, it made me uncomfortable. I didn't know how I was suppose to feel. She should stop playing the guitar. She knows 4 notes.. (Another rule of Idol: Do not play an instrument if you don't play it well) When choosing her song "I Want To Hold Your Hand", I think her thought process went something like this: "I want to play the guitar in my performance. I only know 4 notes. What did I learn in guitar class? "I want to hold your hand". Great, I'll sing that." Beyond that, why would you choose that song?

Lacey Brown (Song Choice: Landslide)

Oh Lacey. You came so close last year and lost out to Megan Joy, so I was rooting for you. But this was just not a good performance. The nerves just got to her and she couldn't shake them off. I really wanted it to be over. Not much else to say here... beautiful girl with potential. Hopefully America will see that?

Michelle Delamor (Song Choice: Fallin')

Surprise, surprise. She sang Alicia Keys' "Fallin'". Seriously, every year the Syesha Mercado's of this competition come out and perform this song. It's so safe, so boring that I blogged about how boring it is while listening to it. Gorgeous girl, got the looks, got talent. Not sure about the personality. Lacking a little bit of charisma for me. It's a bit of a snooze-fest. She sounded okay, but there was no wow moment. It just kind of flatlined. Middle of the road and forgettable. People may not vote for middle of the road. Didi Benami (Song Choice: The Way I Am)

I've been a fan of this girl from early on when she sang the Kara Dioguardi's song "Terrified". She's a bit of an Avril Lavigne look-alike, sound-a-like. Didi sang "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson and sounded pretty good...and sounded Exactly the same as the original unfortunately. She was good, but safe and that won't get you votes. Crossing my fingers for Didi!! Cool tone to her voice, nice sweet girl. She has my vote.

Siobhan Magnus (Song Choice: Wicked Game)

Hey, Demi Lovato's twin sister tried out for Idol. A little Demi, a little Claire Danes. She's quirky and cool. I loved this performance. Wicked Game....Um, it was wicked GOOD. For me, this was the best of the night, the most original. What woman sings Wicked Game? Awesome, just awesome. A very smart choice for Siobhan. She stays. Her personality is a little wackines so hopefully America embraces that and can get past the pained faces she makes when she sings. However, I can't sing a lick and if I have to make ugly faces to have a beautiful voice, then so be it.

Crystal Bowersox (Song Choice: Hand in My Pocket)

This girl is just cool and one that America will pull for. She's different and unique and can hopefully think of herself as an American Idol and not an average coffee house singer. She is just the kind of singer that I would point out in a bar and after a few drinks, tell her how she should try out for Idol (this has been done before people). I really liked this performance, and I loved that he picked Alanis Morrissette. I would've picked a different song for her (maybe "That I Would Be Good"?), but I'm so glad she chose something other than the obvious Joplin or Etheridge song. Smart choice. Wish she laid off the harmonica a bit so we could hear her sing more.

Katie Stevens (Song Choice: Feeling Good)

This girl could be the winner. She's been an early early favorite. I thought she sounded great, but this song choice was more than predictable. Of course, she sang Feeling Good. It's the perfect song for her to sing, one she's probably practiced a million times in her room. And it's an Idol favorite, one that everyone has sung. Adam Lambert season 8. A.J. Tabaldo and Leslie Hunt in Season 6. AJ and Leslie who?? Exactly. It's a great song, but old fashioned for the Idol audience. My biggest criticism of Katie is her style. The prom dress from Deb or some other store in the mall. The cheap earrings from Target. She's 17 and dressed like she's 13. She'll make the top 12 and I can't wait for the make-over. She seems to have it all - the face, the chops, and maybe a new stylist. I'm cheering for the girl from the Nutmeg State.

Fashion Loses Royalty

The fashion world lost an icon on Thursday morning as 40-year old designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his London home. And the red carpet will never be the same.

It is too early to tell why Alexander McQueen is gone. Some might say he died of a broken heart. He passed just days after his mother Joyce died and three years after his best friend Isabella Blow, a fellow designer who discovered him and helped launch his career, committed suicide in May 2007. It has not been reported how McQueen left the fashion world, but those that knew him are shocked and beyond devastated.

If you aren't familiar with Alexander by name, you would certainly recognize his eclectic work. Every one of his looks made a statement, drew your attention; He was a red carpet staple. Sometimes you loved it, sometimes you hated it. But nonetheless his looks made you look twice. You remembered them. He was the epitome of a fashion designer. He took risks. You might remember Sarah Jessica Parker's green dress at the London premiere of Sex & the City. You know...when she rocked the bird-like thing on her head (McQueen did not design the hat). Or SJP's Scottish-inspired gown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (McQueen was her date to the event). Alexander was a favorite of our Carrie Bradshaw. Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, Thandie Newton, Sienna Miller, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Mischa Barton, Naomi Campbell, Miranda Kerr, Kate Bosworth have all rocked his designs on the red carpet. Even as recently as the 2010 SAG Awards in which Sandra Bullock stunned in his black and blue gown, and of course took home the Best Actress award that night.

He was known for this exquisite, couture-like, over the top fashions, but his designs go beyond his red carpet looks. He had an extensive line of shoes and they rocked. McQueen also teamed up with PUMA to create a line of training shoes called Power. Before he made a name for himself he the head designer at Givenchy in 1996, then joined with Gucci, and they ultimatelylaunched his line. He teamed up with MAC in 2007 and was the first designer to be involved with the promotion of cosmetic releases created by fashion designers. The line was called McQueen and was egyptian-style inspired by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. Shows why the man was named British designer of the year four times between 1996 and 2003. And he left too soon.

Do a Little Damage

True story: Damages might be my favorite drama series of ALL time.

And if you aren't watching it, you are missing out.

Yes, it's a bold statement. Sorry Lost fans (and I'm one too). This is not your average legal drama. I just can't understand.. why aren't any of my friends watching this show? I ask them...they say no...and ask what it's about. It's just brilliant, nailbiting, edge of your seat drama, is what it is. The third season of this series premiered a few weeks ago on FX and it's everything you want a drama to be. I am obsessed with this show. Each season is amazing, but that first season?! OH. MY. GOD. I really think it's the best season of a show ever. Okay, you get it. I like it. It premiered in the summer of 2007 and I was hooked from the opening sequence:

Ellen Parsons (played by Aussie Rose Byrne), a young enthusiastic lawyer, walks out of her apartment building in broad daylight covered in the blood of her fiance' David and she is immediately arrested, interrogated...blamed for this murder. Are you intrigued? Just a little bit?

Flashback to 6 months prior and you'll meet Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), a brilliant yet ruthless litigator who will stop at nothing to win a case. Patty hires protege' Ellen Parsons at her firm, Hewes & Associates, and she is immediately thrust into a class-action suit against billionaire Arthur Frobisher (played by Ted Danson). This role is not your Cheers' Sam Malone. Danson plays a coke-snorting, prostitute-loving sleazebag accused of insider trading and cheating his employees of their life savings. Yep, Ted Danson is a bad guy. And it's awesome.

Now, Glenn Close first scared the crap out of us as Alex Forrest in the thriller Fatal Attraction back in the 80's. Let me tell you, Alex Forrest has nothing on Patty Hewes. She's not exactly boiling a rabbit in this series, but close. Murder is not out of the question for Patty. Anything to gain a witness. This is what I love about this show: The "good guy" (Patty) can be more corrupt than the "bad guy" (Frobisher). And Hewes and Frobisher go back and forth with every evil move. Patty is willing to go to extreme, going unethical and illegal lengths to win her case. There is always an ulterior motive behind every action. No one can be trusted. No character is spared. There are flashbacks. You blink and there is a plot twist. It's the quickest hour of television. I literally can't fast forward fast enough through the commercials. Patty Hewes is the best female character to grace television. She is the ultimate ice queen.

So how does this Frobisher case link up to the murder of Ellen's fiance'?? Well, I told you Patty is capable of just about anything. But to really know this story, you have to watch. Sorry, no spoilers here! It's just too much to tell. So I'll treat it like I was giving a 6th grade book report ( "If you want to know what happens next, you have to read the book"). In this case, "If you want to know what happens, go to Netflix and put this series in your Queue". Seriously, do it. Don't be lazy. Each season is a quick 13 episodes. Start it on a Friday night, Patty Hewes will be a part of your life by Sunday.

And that's just the first season. The second season revolves around Patty's relationship with a man from her past (William Hurt) and how she is thrown into a new cutthroat case against a big energy company, while Ellen seeks revenge against Patty. The third and current season introduces a new story that's timely where a Bernie Madoff-like character, Louis Tobin, has swindled millions of dollars from thousands of victims and Patty is hired by the government to represent the people who lost their money in Tobin's Ponzi scheme.

If you aren't intrigued yet, check out thist cast: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson, Tate Donovan, William Hurt, Timothy Olyphant, Marcia Gay Harden, Martin Short, Peter Facinellii , Zeljinko Ivanek (Emmy winner for this role), a very creepy Darrell Hammond, Campbell Scott, and Lily Tomlin. Some list, huh? Here you have two Oscar winners (Gay Harden and Hurt), a 5-time Oscar nominee and Two-time Emmy winner (Close for playing Patty), the guy from Singles (Scott), the guy from Twilight (Facinelli, Jenni Garth's adorable husband), and three famous comedians (Short, Hammond, andTomlin) two of which are SNL alums. And the comedians play the bad guys. It's just exceptional casting to go along with incredible storytelling.

Still not convinced? When you do finally watch Damages, pour yourself a glass of red wine... Patty Hewes-style. I swear, a glass of Merlot or Cabernet has never looked so good on television. This is when Patty ponders her best schemes. Sitting on her couch listening to classical music in her New York apartment sipping on a glass of Merlot. It just looks so cozy. She just makes it look so good and makes you want to do it too. So do it. Have a drink with Patty. I think it's a perfectly good reason to watch a show.

So set your Netflix for seasons 1 and 2, then catch up and coze up with some vino on Monday nights at 10pm on FX. Trust me.

The Peter Pan of Pop Culture

As I have written before, I love to know what all young people are watching, what is trendy, what is popular. Whether it's 3-year olds watching High School Musical or teenagers listenging to Vampire Weekend, I want IN. I mean, I keep up with Kardashians. In the last year, I have become obsessed with keeping up with my friend's 15-year old niece. I have known her since she was a baby and have watched her grow up. And she's at that perfect age, where you just want to know what the kids are up to...what she is watching, what her friends are listening to, who's going out with who, how are kids dating these days. Are they texting? Are they facebooking? I just want to join the party. Every time I see her I bombard her with questions and it's a little obnoxious. I'm sure she just rolls her eyes at me.

Well, I got confirmation of this eye rolling.

At my best friend's wedding this past year, the drinks were flowing and we were on the dance floor and every song that played, I felt this urge to teach her about it, give her some schpeel that somehow related to my childhool. Def Lepard comes on. "Oh, Pour Some Sugar On Me is my favorite song! I remember at my 8th grade dance in 1989... ". "Oh, you don't know a lot of Bon Jovi? Oh, I'll make you a mix CD with all the best Jovi songs!".

UGH. I wouldn't stop. I mean, come on... Do you really think this 15 year old girl wants a CD from a girl in her 30's who clearly can't deal with not being young anymore? I mean, I'm cool.. but I'm not young. Another round of drinks please. Then it happened. She got up from the table to dance to "Jesse's Girl", and I almost flipped my lid. She likes this song?! I LOVE THIS SONG! I can tell her about Rick Springfield on my wall and how I loved him on General Hospital. This was my moment. So excited that she knew and LOVED this 80's song. I darted right for her. Of COURSE I had a story to tell her... I really believed it was a good one. "I remember being at the bus stop in the 80's and this song was playing on Lana Holloman's walkman....". She just looked at me. Why wouldn't I stop? I COULDN'T stop. These stories I was telling her sucked. She didn't CARE. And I REALLY wanted her to care. I really thought the next day she was going to tell her Aunt/my friend "Wow, she is really cool. She's going to make me a CD of all her favorite music from the 80's. I can't wait to make copies for all of my friends". That's what I wanted her to say. YET, it didn't quite go like that....

It went something like this:

"Your friend was REALLY drunk last night. She kept telling me all these old stories from the 80's and how she was going to make me a mix CD." Insert eye roll.

Dammit! So close. I thought I was in. Next time, next time...

I've since realized why I care so much. I loved my childhood, I loved those years in middle school and high school when you are discovering yourself, when we were truly growing up. Every moment. Every birthday party, soccer game, school dance, when you liked a boy and you wanted him to ask you out. I remember what I was wearing, what song was playing and I look at these young kids and I'm jealous. Straight up jealous. I want them to savor every moment and appreciate it like I did. I'm like the Peter Pan of pop culture. I don't want to grow up. I wish I could be a teenager forever. So this girl got off easy. Wait til my 3-year old niece turns 13, she is going to get the 50-year old version of this and I feel very very sorry for her. It's going to be scary.

A Little Something Unexpected...

The CW/WB/UPN (whatever it's called) network is back.... and I have a new favorite show. Okay, a "favorite" is pushing it. It did just make it to the season pass on my DVR, so let's call it a very nice surprise. The CW hasn't had a good unique scripted drama since UPN and the WB have merged. (The new 90210 and Melrose Place do not count as they are complete rip-offs of old favorites... yet I watch both and completey enjoy them. Confession: They too are on DVR season pass). Over the last 5 years, I've had to question "Where did Dawson go?" "Felicity...where are you?... Please come back to the network". I'll even take short-haired season 2 Felicity. Dawson-Joey-Pacey...Miss you. Ben-Felicity-Noel... Love you. Those were solid shows of teen/college angst. I loved every storyline, every song played, every character, every moment at Capeside, every cup of Joe at Dean & Deluca.. They spoke to us in the late 90's, early 00's. And I've been searching for something like it. I THINK I may have found it...

Life Unexpected is the new drama on The CW and it has completely struck a chord with me. It's a pretty simple concept: Thirty-somethings Cate Cassidy(Roswell's Shiri Appleby) and Nate "Baze" Bazile (The North Shore's very hot Kristoffer Polaha) had a baby in high school and gave her up for adoption. She was the class president, goody two-shoes who had sex with the high school quarterback. (They were only about 15 at the time, so you won't be turned off from the story) Cate is now a successful local DJ and Baze is a not-so-successful bar owner. Fifteen years later, after spending years in foster care, their daughter, Lux, knocks on the doors of her birth parents in an effort to become an emancipated minor. (Lux is played by a very talented Britt Robertson who you may have seen in the the Steve Carrell film Dan in Real Life.) Somehow Baze and Cate are granted temorary custody of their daughter, and once they all re-connect, you start to fall in love with them and this show. It is then, they start to give Lux the family she's always wanted. Right away, you are hoping Cate and Baze will re-unite and fall in love, their chemistry is fantatic... BUT of course every good show has the perfect formula: There has to be a love triangle and in this case it involves Ryan, Cate's fellow radio show DJ and boyfriend, Ryan (played by a gorgeous and older Kerr Smith, Dawson Creek's gay Jack McPhee). And you LIKE Ryan... so of course, you have a perfect little drama. It's simple: It's about family...a family that got a late start. It is witty and FUNNY and I find myself smiling from start to finish. Maybe you will too. AND it looks like I have my new love triangle.. it's no Brenda-Dylan-Kelly, but it definitely makes me happy.

Check it out... Life Unexpected... Mondays at 9pm on The CW!

Kell on Earth

Meet your new guilty pleasure. Her name is Kelly Cutrone.

You may recognize her as the mega-bitch boss to The Hills' LC. Or the mentor to The City's Whitney Port. Personally she is my new favorite bitch to love on TV.

Cutrone is the star of the new Bravo reality series Kell on Earth, and the owner of People's Revolution, a branding and public relations firm that produces fashion shows all over the world. Her firm is responsible for getting press for their clients, taking the clothes out of the showroom and onto the pages of the magazine and putting them on their clients. People's Revolution has over 40 clients including Vivienne Westwood. And Cutrone owns it all. She is a ruthless, no-nonsense fashion and PR mogul. She tells it like it is. She does not F*** around. I'm thinking she makes Anna Wintour look like a vacation.

Watching this show makes you appreciate all the hard work, all the detail that goes into making a fashion show go off without a hitch. And the firm consists of about 10 people working their asses off to make this happen. Invites, seating charts, RSVP's, credentials, clients, celebs, paparazzi, showrooms, models, clothes...details, details, details. Who cares, right? Normally this would seem pretty boring. But I assure you, it's not. Kelly explains how a simple seating chart can be everything to a fashion show: You can't sit Harper's Bazaar next to Vogue because they are competition. You can't sit the paparazzi behind the celebrities so they can hear what they are saying. They have to sit across form the celebs so they can take their pictures. You only have 100 seats in the first 3 rows (the only rows that matter), but there are 200 people that want those seats. And it's so wonderfully dramatic.

Within the first ten minutes of the premiere, Cutrone explains to her staff that she is "playing for blood mother-f*cking keeps". She is constantly threatening to fire people and explains that there is no room for crying. "If you need to cry, leave. I do not give a f*ck. This is not group therapy." Her staff is relentless. Every one of them looks tired. They look like they haven't slept in days and don't wear an ounce of make-up. You want to nap FOR them. Each person is thrown into the fire, no one has time to train a newbie. And that's the drama of it. Some of them literally eat, sleep, and breathe work.

There are 4 people on Cutrone's staff you'll get to know: Robyn, a partner in the firm, known as "snow white with razorblades". Robyn works so hard she has her own bedroom at the office. Emily, a partner in the firm, who Kelly refers to as a "small town girl but a slayer". She refers to herself as a major bitch. Stefanie Skinner, Kelly's former assistant turned Jr. Account Executive. Stephanie works harder than anyone and pays for it more than anyone. It's only the first episode and this girl needs a vacay. Andrew, Kelly's new assistant, who is completely green to the business and should provide a lot of entertainment this season. I'm betting he gets chewed out in episode 3. As powerful and down-right mean Kelly is, you get to a see a softer side of her as well. You see her as a single mom to a 7 year-old Ava and everything she does is for her daughter. They live on the third floor of her office, so she can be a mother and a mogul all in the same place. It's incredibly inspiring. The downside? As high profile as Cutrone's clients are, they didn't make an appearance in the premiere. Unless you count Ashley Dupre', the call girl made famous in the Eliot Spitzer scandal. I mean...really? Cutrone is friends with her and completely supports her, and then 5 minutes later she tells her not to come near her fashion shows. Now that's pretty freaking funny. Join in on the fun so we can bitch about it! Kell on Earth... Mondays at 10pm ET on Bravo!

And the Oscar Should Go To....

The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, was released over the summer 2009 and I finally had the chance the see it when it came out on DVD in the last couple weeks. The film is based on the accounts of embedded freelance journalist Mark Boal who spent time with a U.S. Army EOD unit in Iraq. The film follows the experiences of three members of a U.S. bomb squad and the last days of their tour in Iraq. The characters are played by Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty and each of these actors is fantastic. Renner was nominated for his first Oscar today and was also honored with a Golden Globe nomination. All of his accolades are incredibly well deserved. He is incredibly intense in this role; you are holding your breath in every scene he is in. He reminds me of a young Russell Crowe. I've loved Anthony Mackie for a couple years now. You might remember him as Papa Doc in Eight Mile, Tupac Shakur in Notorious, and from We Are Marshall... and I've had my eye on him ever since. Brian Geraghty gives an honest and heartfelt peformance. (His character may remind you of Jeremy Davies' character in Saving Private Ryan, another amazing performance.) Some smaller roles in the film are played by Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly, and Guy Pearce. This film is amazing. It stays with you. The story, the characters, the direction, the acting...all of it is so compelling. There hasn't been a film about the War in Iraq that has been so real and provides a glimpse into what the soldiers of Iraq are going through. It is not easy to watch at times. There are moments when you have to look away. You are uncomfortable. But it's real. Kathryn Bigelow directs the film and is now only the fourth woman to be nominated for an Academy Award. She is the first woman to win the Director's Guild Award for a motion picture...and she is brilliant. She also happens to be the ex-wife of another Oscar nominee.. Mr. James Cameron. Can you think of anything better than beating your ex-husband out at the Oscars? Forget seeing Avatar for the 5th time, see The Hurt Locker.