Gulty Pleasures Are My Thing...

Ok, I'll openly admit it. I am addicted to the ABC Family adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You. If you're a regular reader, you know I am practically living the life of Julia Stiles' role of Kat Stratford from the 1999 movie...minus the Mr. Verona...but none the less, watching the movie is like watching a home video in my house hold. I have a younger sister, who looks nothing like me coluring wise, she's blonde I'm brunette. She's blue eyed, I have hazel/gold-ish. She's tall, (six one ish) and I am short beyond belief. She's Miss Sunshine. I'm a realist. We just differ on some things. It goes without saying she is the Bianca to my Katarina. Anyway, off me, back to the show. It's great, I can't get enough of it. I thought the making a show out of a teen classic eas a bad choice but in my eyes, it has done exceptionally well. Let's start off with who absolutley makes this show awesome.

Larry Miller. I know, I know, he's older but hey the guy does a great job as reprising as Mr. Stratford. The overbearing and "severely unhinged" Walter Stratford is a source of not only comedy but the logic and parental force behind Kat and Bianca. In one episode he states, "I don't understand how someone who is so concerned with universal healthcare is so careless about her sister's feelings." It's statements like this bring the girls back down to reality and make them see the big picture for all of five seconds before running off into some other witty shennanigan. Larry Miller-Win.

Nicholas Braun. This kid is a whole lot of adorable in one very tall package. He is absolutley endearing as the lovestruck Cameron in this adaptation. After Lucientio in the original play, Cameron very much likes Bianca and wants her to notice him in more than a friend way and does everything in his power to ensure that he gets to spend some time with her and work up the nerve to ask her out and make plans. It's the cutest thing in the world to watch a guy who's gaga for a girl try and win her heart when she is so self absorbed when she looks in the mirror she sees a sea sponge. The girls is so self involved she doesn't realize the sweet boy Cameron is standing right in front of her. He's also the comedy of the show for the most part. Any part with Nicholas in it you can guarnatee a good chuckle to a hearty belly laugh. I found myself doing the later of the two with this brilliant line, "Ever since I saw Bianca my mind's been filled with rianbows...and Enya." His references to Harry Potter were also knee slappers ("Crap Voldermort's got her.") So yes, Nicholas Braun (who took Joseph Gordon Levitt's character Cameron) is also a very nice addition to the show, If you're going to watch it for anyone imparticular, watch it for this kid, you won't be disappointed.

Ethan Peck. I knew I recognized him from somethere. Who remembers all of those kind of dreadful Olsen Twin straight to video movies? Ok. Now, who remembers Passport to Paris? Aha. See? There you go. So, we know he has some sort of resume. And, to be honest, the first time I saw the kid I was happy he wasn't a Zac Efron look-a-like. He is a different kind of attractive. He's like a darker handsome. The kast type of Patrick Verona I wanted to see was this

......they went with this...

like, seriously, what is that? Knowing the casting people, they definitley would have messed up the look of (Petruchio) Patrick if they had gone with this "mainstream dark tormented" guy. I'm glad they stuck with the more badass, less emo-ness if you will. Ethan-not Heath's Verona, but just as acceptable.

*SPOILER*

He will NOT be doing the iconic serenade to (one of my all time favorites) Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You". I hope they st least kept the poem part...

Jolene Purdy. The first encounter between Mandella and Kat is very reminiscent of grade school. They two girls don't know each other but strike a quick friendship on a common note, they both hate the popular kids. Quickly Mandella chooses to help Kat with a few things by being the intimidating friend, a "goon" otherwise known. I can't decide if I like her character. I mean, I would like Mandella's character to be a little more present in the show. And assuming from last weeks episode, she might be "harboring same sex tendencies". She may have fallen for Kat.

Other than that, the cast is pretty average. Lindsay Shaw, who plays Katarina isn't exactly who I would have put in that role... I would have put Chelsea Hobbs in her place. Who, funny enough is actually in ABC Family's show Make It Or Break It. I first saw her in The Lords Of Dogtown and then The L Word. I just like her look better, not so much baby faced, very sharp and looks like she could kick the crap out of you. I think I could take Lindsay's Katarina.

vs.

thoughts?

Okay, well, that's my official review I guess. I hope they keep some things and i hope they do some things different. All we can do is wait. The show has done very well in my opinion. After the new episode "I burn, I pine, I perish" for more.

Enough Already.

Michael Jackson died.
Yes.
The King of Pop is dead.
Yes.
Moving on now...oh no. No-wait-ah yes this qualifies as a celebrity death that requires a burial with more attendance than a Deceased president's or more facebook status updates than the Obama election. Yes, this man, woman, whatever he wanted to be, child diddler person achieved more google hits, song downloads, and magazine memorials than any person I have ever seen. I wasn't a big fan of Michael's. I liked him when he was a cute little kid

Look at how adorable he was. And black. And male. He was normal as far as an audience member could see. I enjoyed songs such as "ABC" and "I'll Be There". Ok, so normal songs basically. Then as he progressed to this....

I found myself to still like his music, like "Smooth Criminal". This is my favorite Michael Jackson song EVER. I have the version by Alien Ant Farm too. Other than that, Thriller, not interested. I know, it's orobably a sin somewhere in the Bible that says, thou shalt love Thriller but in all honesty, the dance moves were not complex, he was just that type of performer that performed such simple dance steps with overexaggerating finesse and emotion. Honestly, look at the video. Go, I'll wait here and you can watch it. Now go look at a Chris Brown or Usher music video..yeah..little bit more intricate if I do say so myself. Billie Jean, not my cup of tea. Although, David Cook did a beautiful rendition of it on American Idol a couple seasons ago. So, besides giving me the motivation to learn the moonwalk, I never really felt connected to him as say..Heath Ledger. :)

*He was also a father. Hearing Paris Michael speak of her father at his memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, it was clear that no matter what he did or what he was accused of, he meant the world to this little girl and he should be left in peace. I know if it were my dad I would ask for the same.

Moving On..

Roger Federer.

Really? Really Roger?

I can't stand Roger Federer.

He is almost just too good. He's the equivalent to the 1990's New York Yankees. Unbeatable when in the high pressure situations which is what all tennis is, especially Wimbledon. On the opposition, I am in love with Andy Roddick. I have been a fan of Andy since I was about ten or eleven. This was when I stopped taking tennis lessons at the YMCA. Irony, I know. Anyway, he had come up to reach huge stardom and then pretty much fell off the face of the earth for some time before finally hiring a new coach, shedding fifteen pounds and came up with a new approach to the game. One, that led him tothe Wimbledon Finals. I was cheering on not only Andy Roddick but Andy Murray as well in the beginning. I was obviously conflicted when they played each other but alas the underdog came out on top. So naturally, being an American I rooted for Andy Roddick when he played Roger. Fourteen Grand Slam title were working against Andy and the beat him but nonetheless he put up a Hell of a fight and I am proud of him. It's been a long fan relationship but I can finally say with pride after many years of being mde fun of (sorry Andy) that I am a proud Andy Roddick fan.