PopSugar

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.

Victoria Shares Her View That She's a Natural Pouter

PopSugarUK — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Victoria Beckham stopped to sign autographs and pose for pictures following her appearance on The View yesterday. She's been living it up in New York, partying at Fashion's Night Out and showing her third dress collection at New York Fashion Week. When asked about her trademark pout during the TV interview, Victoria said: "I just think that's just me. Maybe it's the way my face falls, I don't know". She also chatted about David, joking: "Everybody says, 'David's so handsome and she's so funny' - I'm sick of being the funny one". She did open up about their relationship, adding: "We're so lucky to have each other. I really feel that with David I've met my soulmate. He's a really amazing father and a really great husband as well." Sounds like all is well in Beckham world, even when they're coasts apart.

To watch Victoria's appearance on The View, just read more.

View 10 Photos ›

A Joke Can Cure a Bad Mood - But Why May Surprise You

TresSugar — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:00:00 -0700

We all know that when we're in a bad mood, a joke can temporarily lift our spirits. But Dutch researchers set out to figure out precisely why. And although you may think, as many researchers do, that it's because positive emotions counteract negative ones - the researchers set out to prove that it's more than that.

They showed a group of men and women a series of pictures. First, they were shown negative images, and then two kinds of positive stimuli - funny and nonfunny. More people said that their moods were lifted by the funny stimuli (the jokes) than the merely positive stimuli.

The reason, according to the researchers, is in the actual cognitive work it takes for us to "get" a joke. Take this joke, for example. A terrified father calls a doctor and tells him, "Doctor, my child just swallowed a fountain pen!" When the doctor tells him he'll rush right over and asks, "What are you doing in the meantime?" The father replies: "Using a pencil."

Figuring out the punch-line is the kind of distraction that can make us feel better. "What they are suggesting is that humor," says Ed Dunkelblau, PhD, a psychologist and past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, "is an effective way to redirect anxiety."

So let's toast to (corny) jokes that make our brains work a little harder!

Jackie O in (Vintage) Nude Photo Scandal!

TresSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:13:08 -0700

A word to the wise: naked photos can always resurface - even decades later. As archivists sort through 610 boxes full of memorabilia and junk collected by the late Andy Warhol, they recently stumbled upon an autographed nude photo of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Jackie O was a frequent muse to the packrat artist and apparently gifted him a naked poster signed, "For Andy, with enduring affection, Jackie Montauk." Matt Wrbican, who is overseeing the project of the Andy Warhol Foundation, says the handwriting matches that of Onassis, who often visited Warhol's Montauk, NY, beachhouse. Here's more:

So, after her second husband, Aristotle Socrates Onassis, got a paparazzi to take pictures of her skinny-dipping and it landed in the hands of Larry Flynt, who turned it into a poster for his porn magazine, Hustler, Jackie O sent a copy – likely as a joke – to Warhol, Wrbican said.

Wow, those guys are lucky that Jackie had a good sense of humor about the whole thing. In another funny twist, the relic was found amid junk ranging from receipts to fan mail and even Caroline Kennedy's wedding cake. Just goes to show you never know where things will turn up.

Parents Tell Their Stories Of Their Delivery Day

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:34:53 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Jennifer, 32 - 1st time Mom

What was going through your mind?

Yipe, I am finally going to have a baby. The 32+ years of waiting is coming to an end. My dream is coming true. Help... this is likely to hurt! Scared, I hope all is OK with the baby. A lot of different emotions, an up and down roller coaster!

Did you know what to expect or were you totally surprised?

I had read the books and done the classes but nothing can fully prepare you, as no two people are the same.

Did anything funny or unusual happen on your delivery day?

Funny... No.

Unusual, I was much calmer that I thought

How did you get through it?

Knowing that the end result would be my dream come true! They told me that within 24 hours of having my waters broken I would have a baby. It took me 23 hours! I just took it hour by hour.

The support of my husband and the nurses! I had a stress ball that I squeezed to death.

Was labor difficult? How long did it last?

I would not say I had a difficult labor until the last hour. I loved watching the monitor, seeing the heartbeat, etc. Watching the contractions 23 hours is a long time to be awake and giving birth - I was so tired by the end. Unfortunately I ended up with tearing very badly and ended up having to have two operations to fix it all. But at the end of the day I have my Dillon.

What was it like giving birth to a baby?

An amazing experience.

What advice would you give to an expecting mom about her delivery day?

You will get through it.
The end result is worth all of it.
Take each step one step at a time.
Go with you gut instincts, it is your body!

Stacy, 31 - Birth of her 2nd child

What was going through your mind?

I remember thinking about my older son a lot during my second delivery. I kept wondering how he would be with his new brother, knowing very well how drastic his life would change. I spent a lot of time thinking about what the baby would look like... pretty shallow, I know!

Did you know what to expect or were you totally surprised?

I wasn't surprised. I was more calm with the second delivery because I deemed myself more of an expert by then! Everything went very smoothly on that day and I didn't have any surprises.

Did anything funny or unusual happen on your delivery day?

The fondest memory of that special day was when my older son came to the hospital and his aunt had picked him up from school and brought him to the store to buy the new baby a present. He comes walking through the door with the softest little stuffed animal that he could find and laid it on the bed next to the new baby. It was priceless.

In the delivery room, my husband had me in stitches during a contraction. He was joking around with me and it was so hard not to laugh! Since I was having a contraction, I wasn't able to fully laugh since my mind was obviously elsewhere!!

How did you get through it?

I knew going into this delivery that I wanted an epidural, so I didn't allow myself a lot of pain. As soon as I started to feel like it was enough, I asked for the epidural. During my first delivery, I struggled with whether or not I wanted pain medication and I remember the nurse saying something like all mothers get the same reward in the end, drugs or not! So, this time, I didn't struggle with it! I went in knowing that was my plan and asking for it as soon as I felt like I needed it.

My husband was all the support that I really needed. He didn't have to do or say anything. Just knowing that he was there, holding my hand -- that was enough for me.

Was labor difficult? How long did it last?

My labor wasn't difficult with this baby. My first contractions started at 10pm one night, but they were mild enough that I could sleep through them. We went to a scheduled OB appointment at 9am and we went to the hospital at 10am. My son was born at 2:51pm. So, if you count from the first contraction, it lasted about 17 hours. But I only pushed twice and the baby was born when I wasn't even pushing! That part was very quick.

What was it like giving birth to a baby?

It was very emotional, very draining. I can honestly say that if it hadn't been for the epidural, I would have been up and around an hour after the delivery. I felt great. I was in great spirits. I had a lot of energy by then. I was ready for anything!!

The unconditional love was immediate. It was amazing to me that I gave birth to a little something and that I would be in charge of formulating his life! What a rush to think about!!

What advice would you give to an expecting mom about her delivery day?

Be prepared for anything. Be organized and ready for the unexpected. I stressed about what I would do with my older son if I were in labor in the middle of the night. In that case, you have to have plans in place in the event that older children are involved.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. I was so stubborn on that day that I didn't want to tell the nurse that the IV that she put in my hand was killing me! It hurt so badly and it was in for the whole day, but I didn't want to tell her about it because I didn't want to seem like a nag!! How pitiful was that? Instead, I endured unnecessary pain because I didn't want to impose on that nurse!!

Things happen so quickly that day. Remember everything!! Write things down. Your child will want to know about the day that he was born!!!

Leslie, 29 - 1st time Mom

What was going through your mind?

Well, when my water first broke, I was so excited. My heart just raced thinking the baby would be born soon. I was completely ready to have him. I never once remember being scared.

Did you know what to expect or were you totally surprised?

I knew everything to expect, and even though labor was painful, I was amazed at the whole process (and still am).

Did anything funny or unusual happen on your delivery day?

Does telling my parents to "LEAVE NOW" count?

How did you get through it?

My husband was very supportive. Trying to relax also helped, but I would say the epidural saved the day! I think staying focused on the process helps if you have a normal labor time, but that's hard to do when you're in labor as long as I was (longer than 12 hours).

Was labor difficult? How long did it last?

Initially labor wasn't bad (when the water broke), and it wasn't too bad up until I was dilated 6-8 cm. After that, the pain is absolutely indescribable. It hurt to the core of my bones. My body was shaking with every contraction. I wasn't going to use an epidural, but after 4-5 agonizing hours I finally begged for it. From the time my water broke to actual delivery was 22 hours and 15 minutes.

What was it like giving birth to a baby?

Giving birth with an epidural wasn't that bad. I guess the only thing is that I couldn't seem to push as hard as I needed to because of the epidural. The baby had a hard time coming out, so they had to use the vacuum. Once he started coming out, it was like he just slipped out.

What advice would you give to an expecting mom about her delivery day?

Don't try to be a martyr for the natural childbirth cause. Try to relax, stay focused, and BREATHE (it really does work!)!!!

Greg, 36 - 1st time Dad

I flew out to a conference in Chicago two weeks before my wife's due date. The night before the conference was to begin, I sat in the hotel restaurant with some other people talking about the upcoming birth of my son. One of the women I was dining with began encouraging me to go home. She kept saying, "What if it happens while you are gone?" The more she said this, the more anxious I became. I began to feel this sense of immense distance between Chicago and Atlanta -- if my wife went into labor, it was possible I wouldn't get back in time. I pictured myself waiting for a plane to board while my wife was in another city delivering my first child. I called my wife, but she had just seen the doctor, and he said it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

When I woke up the next morning, though, I was so tense and full of anxiety that I raced to the airport instead of going to the conference. It was a long day getting back to Atlanta, with flight delays and other hassles. I was out of touch with my wife the whole day, and she didn't know I was coming back. I was so uptight by the time I was off the plane that I almost ran to my car in the airport parking lot. I called my wife on my cell phone. When she answered the phone, she seemed very baffled to learn I was back in Atlanta. "Why'd you do that?" she asked.

I was just relieved to be back in the general vicinity. No way was I going to miss the birth of my first born! I didn't care if it was a month away--I wasn't going out of town again until it happened.

I got home about 7pm, and went to sleep about 10pm. My wife woke me up an hour later and said her water had broken. We left for the hospital that night, and our son was born the next day.

This just goes to show that there's no way to tell for certain when it is going to happen.

Review Date:
2/19/2007
Reviewed By:
Douglas A. Levine, MD, Gynecology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com

Pregnancy Center Links

GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: MitchelWB

GiggleSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:00:00 -0700

Funny man, father, friend to his mom, and fan of GiggleSugar, MitchelWB is the whole package! I was unsure at first if "he" really was "just a small town girl," but the picture cleared it up. He's just bein' silly as usual. To find out more details about this charming fellow, read more.

GS: What’s your motto?
MWB: PLAY MORE PINBALL!!

GS: Where are you from?
MWB: "I'm just a small town girl. Living in a lonely world."
But for now, I'm in Kansas City. Go Chiefs. . . wait . . . Go Royals. . . crap! Go [insert hockey team here] . . . oh I give up!

GS: What do you do?
MWB: What don't I do? I'm a project mangler. . .er, manager. I'm also daddy, husband, pinball repairman, family handyman, and Chips Ahoy connoisseur (did I spell that right?).

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?
MWB: All encompassing. If it's funny, I'll laugh. I laugh at everything from mundane booger jokes to the totally irreverent.

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?
MWB: I don't know if I can pick one. I've seen so many of them . . . can you name them all for me again? (GS: After some pressure, I squeezed it out of MWB). MWB: Who invited the lightweight? with the old lady holding the big can o' beer and spewing in the trash can, and Johnny Slimeball in the foreground. My mom and I sat and made up stories for that picture all day long.

GS: Who’s the cutest funny man and funny woman?
MWB: We tell my 16-month-old son that he's "such a funny man" all the time . . . does he count? He's the cutest if you ask me. But I don't guess I've ever judged a comedian by the way they look. Well, except Dustin Diamond, but he's on the wrong end of the spectrum for this conversation.

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?
MWB: Male: Tough one to call. Top two that I can think of are George Carlin and Billy Connelly. The Amazing Jonathan, Rodney Carrington, older Larry the Cable Guy (back when he used to do daily radio), Red Peters, and that goofy little dude with cerebral palsy from Last Comic Standing all get some honorable mentions. You can have Eddie Izzard. Female: This is tougher. The only bit that really stands out that I can even remember as just having me hurting from laughing was a bit by Ellen DeGeneres way back when. It was a bit about the great fun you can have with your cat if you superglue a hamster to a Frisbee. Good stuff. I don't even have any honorable mentions that come to mind. You can have Eddie Izzard.

GS: What’s your favorite comedy of all time?
MWB: That's easy. The Princess Bride. It's my favorite MOVIE of all time. You can find a quote from that movie to fit any situation you come across in life except for two. Funerals and this questionnaire. Hmmm.

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?
MWB: Canceled. All the best shows are. Can I get an "amen" from all the Michael Bluth fans out there?

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
MWB: As soon as you post my bio as GiggleSugar reader of the week I will!!

MWB free-for-all: Gee, umm, er. . . I'll just have to quote from The Princess Bride: "I do not envy you the headache you will have when you awake. But for now, rest well and dream of large women."

View 7 Photos ›

(MitchelWB with his ridiculously cute son, Billy Connelly, Dustin Diamond, Ellen DeGeneres, George Carlin, Larry the Cable Guy, Red Peters)

Source

Pop Watch: Brothers & Sisters, Ep 14 "Double Negative"

PopSugarUK — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last night's episode of Brothers & Sisters finally gave us the answer to the Rebecca paternity question and about time too! We also got to see all the Walkers come together for a fundraiser and for once they didn't disgrace themselves publicly.

Various partnerships came under the telescope in Episode 14, with Sarah confronting her trust issues with Graham, Kitty and Robert facing the choice between family and ambition, and Justin and Rebecca continuing to dance around their feelings for one another. There were some interesting developments in Kevin and Scotty's relationship too, which provided a hilarious exchange between Justin and Kevin.

To read about this funny moment and more of my thoughts just read more

We opened with Kitty and Robert excitedly looking at the picture of their embryos and talking about the possibility of Taylor asking Robert to become his Vice President. Kitty is not keen on her husband aligning himself with the man who attacked him during their Republican candidate race, which causes friction between the couple and a few uncomfortable exchanges between Kitty and Taylor (one of which involves Kitty wearing just a towel and a face mask!).
All the other Walker siblings, meanwhile, have gathered at Nora's to prepare brunch and help take her mind off Isaac's departure. Although Nora claims she's perfectly fine, when she announces that Jamie the interior designer is coming round we discover that when anything upsetting has happened in Nora's life she redecorates the house! Justin is super cute to Rebecca, who is waiting to hear the results of her paternity test. (He's still the only person who knows.) Later, when Jamie asks Nora what she needs the living room to function as, Nora admits that she has no idea what she needs. I seem to be saying this every week, but Poor Nora.
Scotty gets home to Kevin trying on a ridiculously tight Hawaiian print top (for his surfing). The fashion faux pas is the least of their worries though; Scotty has a bandaged hand and his accident at work cost him a fair bit of money for stitches as he can't afford medical insurance. Kevin (and his surf gear) talks about this with his brothers at the beach later, with Tommy suggesting he just put Scotty on his own insurance. Justin agrees, saying "can't you just make him like your domesticated partner?" to which Kevin responds "domestic partner, moron, he's not a pet". Heh. Love Kevin. He says he won't take relationship advice from them, as Tommy's in couple's counselling and the closest thing Justin has to a girlfriend is Rebecca.
Speaking of Rebecca, she returns to Holly's to find her mother making out with David and planning expensive trips. Just as she's grossing out over their kissy-kissy she gets the phone call. By the time she comes back into the room Holly's headed out already, so Rebecca tells David that .... he is her father! As soon as David appeared on the scene this was always going to happen. Rebecca is understandably furious when David admits Holly had told him there was a possibility Rebecca was his daughter. She says she's fallen in love with the Walkers; any one of them in particular, Rebecca?

The whole gang go to the fundraiser for a hospital that treats children with cancer and most of them are in a foul mood: Kitty's annoyed because of the whole VP thing and Sarah is annoyed with Graham because Saul went against her wishes last episode and approved the deal with the Chinese company that Graham suggested. In fact, when Rebecca arrives and asks how everyone is, Sarah sums up the mood by saying "sucktastic". Heh. Scotty tries to lighten the mood by saing "I'm thinking of starting a charity of my own: Stitches For Bitches" but that joke goes down like a lead balloon!
Justin tells Rebecca she looks nice but she lies to him and says David isn't her father. When Justin's reaction is a little confusing she asks whether he's disappointed or happy. Of course he's disappointed, you fool, he loves you!

Meanwhile, Holly returns home to find David all packed and ready to leave. He spins her a line about returning to New York for a project and that he just visited her because of nostalgia. Holly's devastated but gets no sympathy from Rebecca when she gets back from the fundraiser. She still hasn't told anyone else (apart from David) about the true identity of her father, and simply says to Holly "we don't always get what we want".
Sarah has it out with Graham at the fundraiser and asks Graham if he knew she hadn't approved the deal. He says of course he didn't and is hurt that she doesn't trust him. Nora and a tub of ice cream help Sarah realise she can trust Saul and Graham, and Nora tells Sarah that instead of redecorating she's going to offer a home to parents who are visiting their children at the hospital. Sarah offers Ojai's sponsorship and at the office the next day she apologises to Graham and Saul but they've got seriously bad news; Golden Plum has filed for bankruptcy and the bank's still going to call in the $20million loan, which they can't afford to pay. Ohmygoodness.

Kevin suggests to Scotty that they should apply for domestic partnership so Scotty can get on Kevin's insurance but Scotty isn't happy. He later reveals that it means more to him than that as it is as close to marriage as they can get at that time (in reality the situation has changed since then, of course). Scotty says, "At the risk of sounding like a 12-year-old girl, I want my wedding to be special". Kevin understands, but says he's not sure if he'll ever be ready for that.
Justin knocks on Rebecca's door incredibly early and says as she's now a DNA-tested Walker she has to learn to surf and they head off to the beach. They have fun but it's obvious they both want each other. Just tell him the truth and get together, for goodness' sake!
Kitty and Robert discuss the VP proposition and Kitty says she wants Robert's love for her to be greater than his ambition and he accuses her of being pleased he lost. Ouch. Kitty then tells him that the Doctor has called and none of their embryos are viable. Robert then meets with Taylor and has a long discussion with him, and on passing Kitty on his way out Taylor tells her Robert will blame her in the future for convincing him not to take up the VP position. When Kitty raises this concern with Robert later he assures her that's not the case; she's too important to him to lose. As Kitty looks at the pictures of the embryos Robert tells her it'll work next time. I really hope so too.

So there are my opinions on this week's episode, but I'd love to hear your views. Share your thoughts with us, whether you've just watched it or you're reliving it all over again.

GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: GIOVS

GiggleSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 15:00:00 -0700

GIOVS, GiggleSugar's resident heartthrob and the first guy to be spotlighted, doesn't just look like an Italian movie star, he's also genuinely sweet and silly. We wanted to recognize that GS has male fans, too, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Be sure to check out his pictures in the gallery at the end of the interview.

GS: What’s your motto?

GIOVS: Life is about the little details. Also, the people that you need to know will appear without a call--they'll just show up.

GS: Where are you from?

GIOVS: I'm from Baja California, in the south of California, specifically from the municipality of Tecate, where Tecate Beer and famous bread is made, and of course, the world knows wines from the Baja peninsula. I have lived here all of my life (I'm 19) but in August I'm going to move to Guadalajara (in the center of México) for university...

GS: What do you do?

GIOVS: I´m a full time student now. A few months ago I worked in Telcel, a mobile communication company, like Cingular or T Mobile, but I left it to go to school. Now I just write articles, and I am working on a book, but I haven't finished it yet.

GS:: What's your book about?

GIOVS:: An epic tale about people from all walks of life and all sexual orientations....

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?

GIOVS: My sense of humor is a little weird, because some days I laugh at everything, some days I laugh at myself, but I always have a smile for everyone. If someone smiles at you, you have to smile back. You can make anyone happy by smiling at them. My sense of humor is a little grown up for my age. I prefer smart jokes, but whatever, a joke is a joke, and sometimes I like the dumb jokes.

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?

GIOVS: I like all the WTF?! and Products Of The Day, but I think I don't have a specific one because I think most of them are great. I visit the site on my laptop in class (GS: Uh oh! We're contributing to the distraction of a student!) and I can´t see the videos because they're too loud, so I prefer pictures. When I go home I watch the videos and I like to read the other members' comments--they are great! Everyone thinks differently about the same thing so it's fun to compare ideas.

GS: Who’s the cutest funny man and funny woman?

GIOVS: For male comedian, I like Tiziano Ferro. For female, Paris Hilton. (GS: Come to think of it, she is a comedian! At least, I'm always laughing at her!)

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?

GIOVS: My favorite male comedian is Adal Ramones, from the TV show "Otro Rollo." The female comedians I love are Tina Fey and Rachel McAdams, but I guess Rachel's more of a dramatic than comedic actress.

GS: What’s your favorite comedy of all time?

GIOVS: I guess Mean Girls, because I like the war between students in the school-- popular, geeks, jocks, etc… I also like the Scary Movie films...

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?

GIOVS: I think Mean Girls. When I worked, they told my friend and me that we were like characters in the film. My friend Richard is the Mean one, my friend Grys (a Sugar member, too) is the Meaner, but everybody says I’m the Meanest! I can handle that! Hahahaha...

GS: Do you look like someone famous?

GIOVS: I don´t know, sometimes when I’m at the mall people will ask if they can take pictures with me, say hello or just stare at me, but I don´t know who they're confusing me with. (GS: They're staring at you because you're cute! ) A cousin says I look like this guy Roger, a Latin ZZ Disney Channel host, but I don´t think so.

GS: Free for all. I could say so many things. I feel honored to be selected as the reader of the week. This is a large community, we're all so different with different ideas. We all think differently because our minds are as diverse as the whole world. I hope to meet people from many places because I like to know different people's opinions about the same thing. People inspire me to write. Don´t ever shut up--scream what you think because the world can be better if we want it to be. I appreciate the Sugar Network because it's a place where I can share my ideas and learn new ones. My goal would be to have my own column, but if not, we have the forums, the comments and the polls to share with each other. Please comment whatever you want to say to me and don´t forget to sign my guestbook! Thanks to all, Ciao!

GS: Thanks, GIOVS!

View 12 Photos ›

(Shopping, birthday in costume, Sugar network member Grys and GIOVS, in a Black Eyed Peas car at Disney's Grad Night, Road trip, in the Rumorosa in Baja, more GIOVS, more friends, Tiziano Ferro, Paris Hilton, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams.)

Source & Source

GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: Gruaig Rua

GiggleSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:10:38 -0700

Miss Sassy Gruaig Rua has clearly not changed much since she was a fiery little tot. Our friend from Ireland tells us what she likes about GiggleSugar and throws in a joke at the end to boot! Yay, Gruaig Rua!

GS: What’s your motto?
GR: “When life gives you lemons, just add vodka.” It’s so true! Seriously though, my favourite motto is “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today” - James Dean. I’m managing the first part, just struggling with the second part. But I’m working on it!

GS: Where are you from?
GR: Ireland, The Emerald Isle, The Land of Leprechauns and Guinness, Top o’ the Morning. I’ll stop now

GS: What do you do?
GR: I work for the government. I’m tempted to leave it at that so everyone will imagine that I am this glamorous undercover agent, but no. I work for the local government county council offices. You know, I’m too lazy to explain it so I’ve copied the mission statement from our website! “Cork County Council is a local authority established by statute whose corporate purpose is to enhance the physical, social, cultural and economic environment of the county in a sustainable and socially inclusive manner, so as to improve the quality of life of its citizens.”

GS: How would you describe your sense of humor?
GR: Childish and sarcastic. Could I BE anymore like Chandler Bing?

GS: What’s your favorite GiggleSugar post?
GR: Anything to do with dogs! Seriously. I’m a canine-aholic! I also love the Family Guy posts. And I really miss Pearl – she’s a legend!

GS: Who’s the cutest funny man and funny woman?
GR: The love of my life will always be Mr. George Clooney. Ok, so he’s not technically a “comedian,” but he’s a funny guy! As for a good looking female comedian, I’m stumped. That’s terrible isn’t it?! Oooooh, I’m going to say Tyra Banks, although I don’t think she’s intentionally funny on ANTM, but I sure do laugh my ass off!

GS: Who are your favorite male and female comedians?
GR: I just love Kath & Kim. I ordered the Series 4 DVD online and when I got home from work today, it was here!! I’m not ashamed to say I did a little dance around my bedroom I also love Catherine Tate, the woman is a genius. As for the male of the species, I’m going to go with a duet – David Williams and Matt Lucas of Little Britain. Genius.

GS: What’s your favorite comedy of all time?
GR: Just one? Too hard! My favourite depends on my mood. I love Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Princess Bride, Little Miss Sunshine, Old School and…….my guilty pleasure….White Chicks. I know, I know! The funniest movie I’ve seen recently is Superbad. Ahhhh, McLovin.

GS: If your life were a comedy, what would it be?
GR: It would be Ugly Betty. Seriously. My office seems to have gradually transformed into “Mode.” Each day there are prettier and more stylish girls walking the halls. And the two colleagues I go to lunch with look like freakin' supermodels – I’m like an oompa-loompa walking between them!

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
GR: Well, I tried a lookalike website earlier this year and it said that I looked like Audrey Tautou. Hah, I wish I did! Also listed were Shannen Doherty and Sophia Bush. But the one I most looked like was Thora Birch. It’s only in a couple of specific pictures, but it’s uncanny!

GR free-for-all: I’m 28, but feel like I’m still 19. I’m living at home
with my parents (god love 'em!) because I’m desperately trying to save for my upcoming world travels. Yes, indeedy, if everything goes according to plan next year, I should to be heading to Australia for 12 months. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed people! I’m also completely and totally obsessed with dogs. Amazingly though, I just have the one – my golden retriever Holly. I just adore her!! She’s a bit of a nutter, like her mama! If and when I get my own place, I hope to adopt lots more fuzzy friends. I’ve had several people tell me that they can see me in five years, living in a foreign land, driving one of those small convertible jeeps, with about 15 dogs hanging out on the back seat. They forget to mention that Mr. Clooney will be in the passenger seat……And finally I’m going to share my favourite joke: Two nuns are driving down a road late at night when a vampire jumps onto the bonnet. The nun who is driving says to the other, "Quick! Show him your cross." So the other nun leans out of the window and shouts, "Get off our f*cking car."

Thanks, Gruaig Rua!

View 8 Photos ›

(Gruaig Rua's inner children, Happy Holly, George Clooney, Tyra Banks, Kathy & Kim, Catherine Tate, David Williams and Matt Lucas of Little Britain)

Source

Pop Preview: Mamma Mia!

PopSugarUK — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:00:00 -0700

With well-known ABBA songs, an idyllic Greek location and more stars than you can shake a stick at, Mamma Mia! is bound to be the feel-good hit film of the summer.

Based on the hugely successful stage production, this musical movie stars Meryl Streep as ex-pat Donna, a single mum with a run-down hotel on a beautiful Greek island. Her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is marrying Sky (the gorgeous, and often topless, Dominic Cooper) and the bride-to-be wants her father at the wedding. Only trouble is, he could be one of three (played by Firth, Brosnan and Skarsgård). Sophie secretly invites them all to the wedding in the hope that her mother will reveal the truth.

As you would expect, it's a pretty silly film, but that's a huge part of its charm. Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are brilliantly funny as Donna's best friends and one-time backing singers in Donna and the Dynamos, and seeing James Bond attempting to sing ABBA is almost worth the ticket price alone. Fans of Colin Firth's wet shirt Mr Darcy moment must rush out to see this film too, as the gorgeous man goes one step further towards the end of the film in a moment of shirtless abandon.

To read the rest of my thoughts on the film just read more

ABBA's Björn and Benny were involved with the casting and auditioned the actors in person and over the phone - during the men's press conference Stellan joked that he handed the phone over to a friend - so if you're a fan of the band you'll adore the score. There is also a soundtrack available to buy, and I haven't minded the fact that I haven't been able to get the songs out of my head since seeing the film.

There were moments where I laughed with the film and moments when I laughed because of the absurdity of it all, but it pretty much manages to pull off a bizarre blend of knowing irony and heartfelt sincerity. It is a strange mix, which I was I couldn't be any more generous with my star rating, and without the star cast the film would lose a lot of its attraction. But a starry cast it is, as the film's producer Judy Craymer was well aware of when I met her: "We said our ideal casting is Meryl Streep, and they [the studio] said you’ll never get her, and the rest is history". And boy am I thankful for that.

Meryl Streep is totally wonderful in her role as the mother who is finding it hard to let her daughter leave, and the scene where she sings "Slipping Through My Fingers" to her on-screen daughter was surprisingly and genuinely moving. It also made me forgive Amanda Seyfried for the annoying opening scene where her friends arrive. Don't let the shaky start put you off though, because it gets better and better.

The huge musical numbers like "Dancing Queen" and "Voulez-Vous" (which was far from easy to rehearse!) are unsurprisingly big highlights of the film, as is the gorgeous Greek location. I was lucky enough to be in Skiathos and Skopelos last month and they really are that beautiful. As the director Phyllida Lloyd said in the women's press conference, by filming on location the landscape "brought a whole new epic dimension to it which I was able to capitalise on". With the weather as it is at the moment, I'd recommend you buy a ticket and transport yourself into the world of Mamma Mia!, which opens in the UK today. After all, how could you resist it?

View 7 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures