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Is "Ginger-ism" Growing in the United States?

BellaSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:08 -0800

If you've seen the South Park episode "Gingervitis," you know how Cartman feels about gingers, or fair-skinned, freckled redheads: they're less than human. While most people viewing the episode probably took it as, at best, a morality lesson about arbitrarily discriminating against others, and at worst a joke in poor taste (maybe both), it isn't so funny in real life.

A group of students in Calabasas, CA, instead decided to institute "Kick a Ginger Day" at their middle school, and proceeded to beat up some of their classmates. While this is an example of the worst sort of juvenile stupidity, it does point out the underlying prejudices redheads have to deal with, whether it's jokes about their "fiery tempers" or sexual harassment. Even Christina Hendricks's character Joan on Mad Men continuously gets called "Red" and has comments made about her. And in the UK, ginger discrimination is wel -known - to the point where redheads have been awarded settlements after workplace harassment tied to their hair color. What do you think about all this? Are there more pejorative connotations connected to having red hair these days, or are people just now paying more attention to a long-extant problem?

Buzz-Worthy Video: Conan O'Brien on Zach Galifianakis's Between Two Ferns

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:30:54 -0800

This is pretty much my dream scenario: Conan O'Brien and Zach Galifianakis sitting down, shooting the breeze. You know I'm a fan of Galifianakis and his awkward Between Two Ferns interview series on Funny or Die. (His off-color remarks to Natalie Portman still make me giggle.) For this latest installment, he questions the Tonight Show host and his sidekick, Andy Richter.

In the video, poor O'Brien keeps lobbing jokes, but Galifianakis shoots them down. (Watch for the "cricket riding a tumbleweed" button.) Oh, and in a random cameo, Andy Dick stops by, forcing O'Brien to move to the floor.

Check it out, and tell me what you think - funny, or meh? - when you read more.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns

Movie Preview: Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in Grown Ups

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:30:36 -0800

I've been watching over the past several months as the cast roster for Grown Ups continued to add more of Adam Sandler's previous SNL colleagues and close friends - Tim Meadows, Maya Rudolph, Colin Quinn. It's like he decided to make a project where he could invite everyone he knows to jump on board and have fun. And the cast really does appear to be having a good time in the trailer - I'm just not 100 percent sure I'm right there with them.

The film follows Sandler and his childhood friends (Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade) as they reunite one Fourth of July weekend to honor the death of their basketball coach. Sounds kinda like The Big Chill, but as to be expected with a Happy Madison film, it's ridiculously slapstick. I love all of these guys, but the bits in this teaser definitely aren't as roll-on-the-floor funny as I had hoped with such a star-studded cast. (Really, a breast-milk joke?!) But maybe I'm just judging it too quickly. The film opens in June, but take a peek at the video and tell me your thoughts when you read more.

The Office, "Koi Pond": Best Lines of the Night and Video!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This week's opening of The Office isn't necessarily a huge spooky surprise since we already got a peek at those costumed spoiler photos, but I still laughed through every minute of the intro. Jim's "Bookface" costume? A-ma-zing.

I sort of wished the rest of the episode followed suit with a Halloween theme, but that's OK, because we still get a great set up with Michael, Jim, and a lobby koi pond - not to mention a ton of quips that had me cackling. Check out my list of faves, and weigh in with your own!

"Kids, just remember suicide is never the answer . . . Why is Christmas the only holiday that can have a message?"-Michael
It's bad enough that Michael Scott has the D*ck in a Box costume, but to wear it - and hang himself - in front of children?! That's even more hilariously inappropriate than usual for him. And am I totally off base, or is Ryan trying to be Edward Cullen?

Even more funny lines, plus that koi pond video, when you read more.

"I date models - face models. My girlfriend, on a scale of 1 to Gisele? A nine. Pam's carrying our surrogate, because my girlfriend needed to keep her figure for Fashion Week."
Andy and Pam are forced to make cold calls when their sales figures are low, and clients mistakenly think they're married. This is when things get really awkward, leading up to a belly kiss. We normally don't get much interaction between Andy and Pam, but I think they do well as foils.

"The custodian called again. Apparently a koi has died."-Erin
I don't know why a koi pond is so funny to me, but I was giggling at the random jokes about Michael's mishap - yes, even Phyllis's lame, "Did you flounder?" 'Bout time the employees took a few shots at their bumbling boss. Then, when he gathers them into a meeting to make his "mocking" board, the insecurity really flies. Dwight's upset over his small nose, Angela's worried that she eats like a squirrel, and Meredith says she's embarrassed because she . . . had sex with a terrorist? (Um, did I read that right?!)

"The guy was like, Who are your five friends? And I was like, I don't even know . . . . I'm a total loser. Loooooser. Too far."-Michael
I died over this one. Michael tries to save his embarrassment over the koi incident by making fun of himself, and instead, he comes across as pathetic. But "too far" was the real kicker for me.

"Jim is my enemy. But Jim is also his greatest enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. So Jim is my friend."- Dwight
When the staff watches the security tape from the koi lobby and witnesses Jim actually letting Michael fall in, their loyalty swiftly changes. Dwight so confused, his mind gets blown. I am enjoying this new glimpse into the Michael and Jim work dynamic - by the end of the episode, it seemed like they might actually get along as comanagers. On the other hand, I have to say that I miss the days when Jim was the dude with a sweet crush who liked to pull pranks. Check out the actual video of Jim leaning out of the way:

"Oh, do you mean Marlon Wayans? Cause he is."- Erin
Way to go Erin! I've always sort of viewed her as a background character, but she delivered several funny ones this week. (I'm also loving her right now thanks to her Subtle Sexuality music video.) Do you think the writers are really going to set her up with Andy? Pam seems to be pushing it in that direction - even comparing Andy to Marlon Brando - and I think it's brilliant.

What'd you think of this week's episode? Who wore your favorite costume? Would you like to see Andy and Erin take their relationship to the next level? (I wonder if Angela would get jealous . . . )

And don't forget that you can always head over to The Office! group in the BuzzSugar Community to dish about the show!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Seth Rogen Talks Monsters, Aliens, and Halloween

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Tonight, NBC is airing a Halloween-themed follow up to last Summer's animated hit Monsters Vs. Aliens, Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space. Seth Rogen, who voices the gelatinous jokester B.O.B. in the half-hour special, chatted on the phone with a few reporters about reprising his role. He talked animated films, Halloween, and even a little bit of the upcoming adaptation of The Green Hornet that he's currently filming with Michel Gondry.

On why he enjoys voicing B.O.B.: I enjoy it because, I mean, this is the stupidest answer - I enjoy it because it's fun. The character is funny and the directors are cool and the story is funny; to me it's like a very fun format to kind of improvise, and try to discover a character in a different way than physically doing it, you know. You've got to do it all with your voice, and I really enjoy that.
On dressing up for Halloween: I have a girlfriend now and I've entered the unfortunate world of paired costuming. It's not fun. I don’t recommend it. I always end up being the lamer half - it's like she's a dog and I'm a fire hydrant or something like that. It's never fun. So maybe I'm dodging a bullet this year.

To hear what Rogen said about The Green Hornet and what he loves about Halloween TV, just read more.

On his Halloween TV faves: I always liked The Simpsons' Halloween specials, personally. They were always amazing. I always looked forward to that on Halloween. And I watched TGIF sitcoms growing up because I was a nerd and had nothing to do on Friday nights, and whenever the sitcoms would do their Halloween episode, I always enjoyed that for some reason. That always spawned some good comedy.
On the pressure of making The Green Hornet: I will blame Gondry if it sucks. No, I'm just joking. No, we are all in it, you know. I will say, I take a huge amount of the pressure. I understand that. I understand that. I understand that it's my face on it, you know, when it literally comes out even if it sucks for another reason, people will blame me and that's why I have to be so involved - to try to make sure that it doesn't suck. But there's a lot of pressure. I understand that. I've been talking about this movie for years, and if it sucks, then no one will be more disappointed than me, believe me.
On improvising as a voice actor: You can actually improvise a lot as a voice actor. I mean, real people I think don't - and I didn't - understand how animation works really. The time consuming part is really creating the characters and the sets and the worlds. And aside from that it's not that entirely different than shooting a live action movie; the characters mouths are quite easy to manipulate once all the information is built into the computer. So you can improvise a lot and it doesn't matter really how far along they are in the process; they can just make the character say something different. Almost more than in a live action movie because of how slow the process is.
On whether he'll do more voice acting in the future: I really enjoy it and I mean, I've always been a fan of animation - yes, I would like to.

John, Jason and Judd Are STARS and Studs in the Night

PopSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:53 -0700

John Mayer proved to be the main attraction at last night's STARS benefit gala in LA. He cracked a few jokes from the podium, before whipping out his guitar to perform some of his new music that you guys are loving. He was rolling solo for the evening, despite the recent rumors about his romancing Rashida Jones that her publicist denied and of course the ongoing Jennifer Aniston reports. Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann were the evening's honorees, and funny guys like Jason Segel and Seth Rogen came out to toast the duo. There doesn't seem to be much news about Jason's apparent romance with Chloe Sevigny, but his How I Met Your Mother costar Josh Radnor is about to see some on-screen developments with special guest star Rachel Bilson.

More photos of the STARS 2009 gala so read more.

View 15 Photos ›

Samantha Burke Shares Jude Views and First Pics of Sophia

PopSugarUK — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:01:00 -0700

Samantha Burke has finally opened up about her relationship with Jude Law in an exclusive interview with Hello magazine. She shares the first pictures of five-week-old baby Sophia and talks about how she met Jude and why they broke up, confirms that Jude is yet to meet his daughter, and reveals Sophia is already taking after her father. Here are the highlights:

On Sophia's features: "She has Jude’s chin and nose, and she does a little pout, that I notice he’s done before."
On whether Jude has visited them yet: "There are no plans for it to happen at the moment, but I know he’s busy."
On her relationship with Jude: "I ran into Jude in a nightclub one night. I instantly knew who he was, but he seemed really funny; he was cracking jokes with people and he included me in that. The next thing I knew I was on the pavement outside, being twirled around – it was a lot of fun. Following that initial meeting, Jude and I went out several times. He was a lot of fun to be around, always making me laugh and smile."

To find out why their relationship ended, how Sophia is showing signs of following her father's career, and Samantha's hopes for her future with Jude, read more.

On why their relationship ended: "I was scheduled to move to Pittsburgh to help care for my grandmother. Around the same time, Jude was wrapping up his shoot in New York and I knew that he would be heading back to the UK. I knew that as we headed in separate directions our relationship would not continue. And I was okay with that. I was living in the moment and I really enjoyed all my time with Jude. I really have no regrets."
On why she waited to tell Jude about the pregnancy: "I needed time to come to terms with it myself before telling him. By the time that I attempted to contact him, he had been back in the UK for quite a while. The US-based number that I had for Jude no longer worked. Shortly after that, my representative spoke with one of his."
On how Sophia takes after Jude: "He’s very talented, and she might be just as talented, too: she might take after him. She’s already quite theatrical – I’ve noticed she makes a lot of dramatic moves!"
On her future relationship with Jude: "It would be great if we can have a friendship and be cordial. I want everything to be positive around Sophia, I don’t want any negativity. I’m really easy to get along with, so hopefully we can work things out."

I'll be interested to see how Jude responds to Samantha's words and the publication of the first picture of baby Sophia. What do you think of Samantha's interview?

Read the full interview in Hello! out now.

Vampires Take Over TV Shows, Movies, Comedy, Fashion, & Beauty!

PopSugarTV — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:11:17 -0700

In part one of our 6 Reasons Why You Can't Live Without Vampires special, we count down numbers six through four: we've got the latest updates on vampire-related TV and movie projects, we show you all the funny spoofs and jokes taking a bite off the vamp craze, and our editors explain how to wear gothic clothes and makeup without looking like you're ready to go trick-or-treating!

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell: An Unfunny Waste of Time

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:30:13 -0700

You're supposed to think that the jokes in I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell are so shocking, so offensive, that you laugh because you forget being PC for a moment. And if you don't laugh, you're the kind of square that Tucker Max, the lead character, takes aim at.

The real story is that the movie is offensive, but not because it's just so edgy. It's offensively unfunny - that is, the movie's jokes are not so offensive that they're not funny, they're such bombs you're shocked someone got paid for this. To see why I thought this movie was so terrible, just read more.

The Tucker Max of the movie (played by Matt Czuchry) is based on the real-life Tucker Max, who wrote the memoir the film is based on, which was based on his blog. I read the blog a bit and found it mildly amusing - so what changed in the film version? Nothing, really, I just think the larger scale of a movie can't validate the boringly immature Max. There's a plot, here, sort of: Tucker wants to give his best friend an epic bachelor party and whisks him out of town, where hijinks ensue (sound familiar? More on that later).

Tucker is supposed to be totally boorish and offensive, but his crudeness and raunchy jokes are not shocking; they're just lame. He talks about killing a fat girl and brags about having sex with a deaf girl. Yeah. Laughing at the inappropriate is not the new territory this movie acts like it is; five minutes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia provides more laughs than this movie does in its 105 minutes.

The one emotion I had watching I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell that wasn't disgust or boredom was sympathy. I felt bad for the poor actors, especially Gilmore Girls' Matt Czuchry, whom I've rooted for - I hoped he would land a great role that would invigorate his career. This is not that role. (All is not lost: he's in this Fall's The Good Wife.)

Even the adorable Czuchry can't make Max charming, nor can cute Jesse Bradford make Max's best friend Drew anything but abhorrent. It's painful watching him force out such pathetic one-liners. By the time Max and Drew are supposed to be redeemed, you don't believe any of it (but it does signal the end of the movie, so that's a relief). And I have to mention: there's the grossest fecal scene I've ever seen in a movie (it puts the poop monster in Dogma to shame).

Pouring salt in the movie's unfunny wounds is timing - The Hangover was released earlier this summer with a similar storyline, and it was a huge hit. But to call it a poor man's The Hangover is too generous; The Hangover was funny.

What movies are you seeing this weekend? Review them in our Movie Review Group!

Is Flight of the Conchords Coming to Rock Band?

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:44:12 -0700

Last Sunday during the Primetime Emmy Awards, red carpet host Chris Harrison jokingly asked Flight of the Conchords duo Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement if they had any plans for a Flight of the Conchords debut on Rock Band.

A serious-sounding Bret leaned forward into the microphone and said, "We have three songs on the next Rock Band." A lot of people think he's joking, but I detected a note of seriousness. With a duo this funny, it remains to be seen if they're serious, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll soon be singing, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room" on Rock Band!