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Buzz Interview: Eric Stonestreet on Playing Modern Family's New Dad Cam

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:30:49 -0800

Freshman comedy Modern Family has filled a void in my life - I find myself laughing out loud each week, and I'm not the only one digging it. A huge part of the show's greatness can be attributed to its amazing cast; one of my favorites is Cameron - one half of a same-sex couple adjusting to life with a new baby. Eric Stonestreet, who plays Cam, sat down with me to talk about the show's crazy success and the real-life experience he used to portray a clown in next week's episode, "Fizbo."

On whether he expected the show to be so successful: No. I had a very, very good idea that based on the writers’ history and their very extensive careers that we had a really, really good shot at being something great. Anybody that tells you in this business they knew it was going to be this well-received is crazy. Actually, being this well-received makes you a little nervous.
On whether the success is a surprise: It’s a bit of a surprise with how outwardly supportive the critics have been, but by the same token, how outwardly supportive and sort of in love with the show fans have been. I think that’s the thing that really feels like lightning in a bottle - when you have both of those things in place. Typically, you have huge fan support and the critics tell you it’s the worst thing they’ve ever seen, or you have critical acclaim and the fans are like, 'what is this show, we don’t get it.' So I think the fact that we have both is rare and exciting.

To hear Eric spilling about upcoming episodes of Modern Family and his clown college rejection, just read more.

On his real-life clown experience: I, as a kid, have early documented pictures of me being very intrigued by clowns. The circus came to town in Kansas City every year around my birthday, so naturally my parents took me for my birthday. Once I saw that clowns were people with makeup and funny wigs and costumes, I was in. By nine, I was getting clown suits made for me by my Grandma Louise, at 11 there were articles written about me in Kansas City about how I wanted to become a one-man show performing for senior citizens and kids forever. You’ll see that article in the episode "Fizbo" that was written about me then. I didn’t want to be an actor; I always wanted to be a clown, and acting sort of found me when I was in college. So to be able to bring back what inspired me to act as a kid to prime time is more than I would have ever imagined possible for myself.
On whether he'd be a clown now if he weren't an actor: No. I auditioned for Barnum and Bailey Clown College and they denied me twice. They did not let me in, those clowns.
On what's next for Cameron, Mitchell, and baby Lily: We have an episode coming up where we’re Ferberizing the baby when she won’t go to sleep, and Mitchell is very much committed to letting her cry it out, and Cameron of course can’t for the life of him imagine why you would let a baby cry it out like that, so there’s drama there. It’s what’s great about the show - yeah, they’re a couple of guys raising a baby, but the focus really on that relationship is the challenges of a relationship, the challenges of parenthood, and just trying to find the happy medium of keeping up a relationship while raising a kid.
On the holiday episode: We have the Christmas episode coming up, where you find out that Cameron had created a choir group, a caroling group, a few years back and he was removed and kicked out of his own caroling group by one of the carolers. That episode is really about forgiveness and the Christmas spirit. It’s a very sweet episode.
On his dream guest stars: I can’t imagine who else they’re going to get. That’s the brilliance and awe-inspiring aspect of this show, that people are watching it and people are enjoying it and willing to participate. I can’t wait to see who they find for Cameron’s parents. I have some ideas of who I want, but I’ll be excited to see who’s coming.

Do You Ever Spy on Your Neighbors?

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:46 -0800

A recent New York Times article reveals that window watching (spying on your neighbors) is a common activity in big cities, where apartment windows often face each other. One woman interviewed for the article notes, "In a large city where there’s a lot going on around you, it can feel very isolating and lonely. By having contact with these total strangers through the window, it’s a safe way of having a relationship without the hard part of a relationship."

While I don't live within window-watching proximity, I know that many of my friends have sneaked in a little window watching in the past. What about you?

Relationship Protocol: What Articles of Clothing Are Off-Limits?

DearSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

I'm pretty comfortable with nudity, including getting dressed and undressed in front of a significant other. But as we all know, there are some articles of clothing, especially undergarments, that don't highlight your features in the best light. For example, tights are one thing that I would avoid putting on in front of my special someone at all costs! I might be alone on this one so tell me, are there any articles of clothing that you put on or take off behind closed doors in an effort to maintain the mystique in your relationship?

Source

VF Debuts Its Interview With Vampire Robert Pattinson

PopSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Robert Pattinson headed to Japan this weekend, as the cast of New Moon begins to promote the film before its release on Nov. 20. Earlier this year, Robert took a break from work on Remember Me to pose at a photo shoot for December's Vanity Fair - and here's a peek at the final product! We also have a preview from Rob's interview, in which he opens up about Kristen, their rumored romance, and all the attention he receives. Here's more:

On Kristen: "She’s influenced how I've done all the Twilight stuff. It's quite nice to have someone who is genuinely indifferent to the whole spectacle of everything."
On rumors of their relationship: "It doesn't make any difference what you say. . . . I've literally been across the country [from Kristen], and it’s like 'Oh, they were on secret dates!' It's like 'Where? I can't get out of my hotel room!'"
On all the uproar surrounding him: "I guess I'm not the type of guy cut out to do a franchise . . . I'm not much of a crowd person."

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The full issue hits newsstands next Tuesday, but the full article with photos will be on the magazine's site Wednesday. Plus, every Monday this month, the magazine will be posting more photos from the shoot on its site. For now, make sure to check out outtakes from Rob's shoot as well as more interviews with his costars.

Scarlett Johansson Talks Love, Marriage and Music in Glamour

PopSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Scarlett Johansson joined musical collaborator Pete Yorn for a photo shoot in November's Glamour, which hits newsstands on October 6. You guys are loving the music they've created, but Scarlett opened up about more than their songs - she also discussed her one year of marriage with Ryan Reynolds and addressed a recent body image controversy. Here's more:

On body image: "There was this rumor mill cranking out stories that I had lost 14 pounds - I could never lose 14 pounds. . . I hate seeing these ridiculous articles where [tabloids] guess someone’s weight. . . I can’t look at somebody who is 6 feet tall and 120 pounds and say, I’m going to get that body. That’s just never going to happen. You have to work with what you’ve got."
On getting married: "I never really thought about getting married - it just kind of happened. It seemed natural, the right thing to do. It was kind of a celebration of the time. . . I think the only difference is that I’m kind of making my own little family now, which is funny. It’s like a little bit of a tribe. You hope that a relationship makes you better, that you learn things about yourself. You’ve had this one view, and now you have another view. I feel more confident to explore things within myself that I hadn’t thought about in the past. . . My parents divorced when I was 13, so it was not the ideal representation of marriage."
On making an album with Pete Yorn: "I’ve known him for a while. I’ve worked with both of his brothers, who are in the entertainment industry. One day Pete texted me out of the blue saying, 'Hey, do you want to record an album?' I was like, 'Whoa, that’s a weird message.' But I said, 'Sure-why not?'"

Check out more photos and style tips from her shoot online as well as when the magazine hits stands on October 6!

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Photo credit: Matthias Vriens-McGrath

Penelope Cruz Has Two Things to Talk About in Vanity Fair

PopSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:00:40 -0700

Penelope Cruz has made headlines lately due to speculation over her possible pregnancy, but she's on the cover of November's Vanity Fair to discuss her two upcoming films, Nine and Broken Embraces. She showed off her sexy back and even touched on Javier Bardem, revealing that he's the superior air guitarist in the relationship. Here's more:

On being a worrier: "I've always been a worrier. Since I was a little girl I've always felt that if I had a moment of peace I'd wonder: Are you sure you can afford to feel like this?"
On working with Almodovar again: "Pedro would push me to the limit. He really knows how to press all my buttons. You can only go into something like that when it's somebody you really trust. I always feel like he's my safety net. Like I can fly and go far, because he's going to catch me. The biggest [panic] attack I had during the movie was the scene where, for the first time, Lena [her character] makes the decision to try to become an actress. I don't know what happened to me that day, but before and after we filmed I could not breathe."
On hanging out at her mom Encarna's hair salon as a child: "It was my first acting school. I would pretend to be doing my homework, but I was really observing the women. I found their behavior mesmerizing - what they were hiding, how they left feeling a little different after they'd been helped to become a little more like whom they wanted to look like. They treated the place a little bit like a psychologist's office."
On comparing kissing Scarlett Johansson and Charlize Theron in movies: "No matter how I answer that I will be in trouble. Both were pretty beautiful partners."

Check out more photos and the full article on their website and when the issue hits newsstands in NY on Sept. 30 and nationwide on Oct. 6.

Photo courtesy Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott exclusively for Vanity Fair

Unintentionally Funny: Ask Men Decodes Feminism

TresSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Ask Men recently called in a woman to answer the pressing question: what feminist demands do women want men to ignore?

The list the "relationship correspondent" came up with is awesomely and unintentionally funny, as is the accompanying article. Of course, the writer points out that she's not talking about "the stereotypical, garden-variety, hairy-armpit feminist." Instead she's focused on the "sexy feminist" - the non-clingy girlfriend who can pay her own bills.

The list of "those pesky feminist demands that even the most independent of women is expecting you to ignore" include:

"I can carry my own bag."
"Don't objectify me!"
"I'll pay my share."
"I can think for myself!"
"I won't be shackled into a marriage."

Would you be happy if men ignored these so-called feminist demands?

Slow Sex Movement Guru: What Do Men Want?

TresSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0700

"The men who come to OneTaste are men who are so sick of having to pretend like they know what they’re doing."

This is the third in a four-part series of interviews I had with Nicole Daedone, who is emerging as the leader of the slow-sex movement and who founded the OneTaste urban retreat center in San Francisco. OneTaste invites men and women to learn about mindful sexuality by participating in workshops, yoga, and (for residents only) controversial "OMing" sessions in which men stroke women to orgasm during daily morning sessions. To read the third part of the interview with Nicole, read more.

TrèsSugar: Why do you think men come to OneTaste? Is it different from why women do?
Nicole Daedone: Everyone is coming to plug into the same thing. But there is a gender differentiation. My experience with most men is that they can sense that the kind of power that they have in our culture is a precarious thing. Because it’s not real, it’s not based on truth. It’s crumbling, right? We’re watching that everywhere, so most of the guys that I see who come in don’t really want to hold the power of sexuality. They don’t want to be the sole holders of this thing.

How we have sexuality set up at this point is a subject-object relationship and so it’s just inaccurate. Guys are thinking, “But I have power” and women are thinking, “But I’m the victim." We know that's not true; we want to find that right true relationship. The men who come to OneTaste are men who are so sick of having to pretend like they know what they’re doing.

TS: Regarding the OMing sessions, how does it help men to unload their sense of having to hold the power, as you put it, when they're touching women and bringing them to orgasm? I'm sure this is very misunderstood!
ND: The primary reason that it’s misunderstood is what I was talking about with the subject-object issue. If you look at it like something is operating on something, like “he is doing something to her,” you miss the point of what’s actually happening. It’s this amazing feedback loop, a kind of surrendering into a field of sexuality. Both people are plugging into something together and playing different roles in it.

TS: In tantric sex, there's an emphasis on eye contact. But in the article about OneTaste in the New York Times, the writer says there's a no eye contact rule. I think that could be misconstrued as something really anonymous and weird.
ND: There's actually no rule that you have to make eye contact. I’m saying, “Look, you don’t have to look into each other’s eyes.” I know that as a woman, I’ve done a lot more eye gazing than I was actually comfortable with and then what I’m doing is that I’m looking at him and wondering if I really look attractive. Then all of a sudden I’m contorting my face to make sure it looks attractive and then I’m no longer focusing on the sensation of no longer focusing on the attraction.

TS: There’s this idea that intimacy might only happen if you’re gazing into somebody’s eyes.
ND: I’ll have this experience with my boyfriend where my back will be to the door and I’ll feel him come into the room. That is such a subtle level of intimacy that we very often miss because we so rely on our visual sense. More what I’m saying is let’s take these things that we overly rely on and sometimes just be willing to not rely on those but not exclude them. I’m not interested in excluding anything, I’m interested in including more.

TS: For some women, male sexuality just feels toxic. I don't think it's inherently so, but perhaps becomes that way.
ND: I think that the reason it becomes toxic is because it doesn’t have counterbalance. I think that we have male sexuality that has grown up like this, and female sexuality that has grown up like this, and so I think it just gets out of balance and wonky.

One of the feminist things we can do today is say, “Hey, wait a minute. I’m responsible for this, I’m not being victimized by this sex that’s coming at me." I deal with these guys trying to find the tiniest spot on a woman’s body after however many years of having a woman not talk to them about their sexuality except to say, “No” or “I don’t like that,” or like “Ewww.” So these guys have as many issues as the women!

Exercise No Good For Weight Loss?

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:30:17 -0700

A couple of years ago the Cardio Free Diet introduced popular culture to the concept that exercise and weight loss were incompatible. Recently we learned that exercise doesn't boost fat-burning. Now Time magazine's new cover story investigates the seemingly detrimental relationship even further. A thumbnail sketch of the article: exercise makes you hungry, so you eat more and don't lose weight.

Should you give up the treadmill forever? Learn more.

Jessica Simpson Still Loves Tony, Though They're Not Together

PopSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:50:00 -0700

Jessica Simpson is on the cover of September's Glamour, and inside the magazine she opens up all about her past loves and her optimism for the future. The interview was conducted before her split from Tony, but Jess addresses the fact their relationship might not make it to the print date. While she's promoting her lingerie line again, she also discussed her new show The Price of Beauty. She said:

On her life experiences: "I don’t regret anything I’ve gone through. All of them have defined me as a person. If anything, I believe they were preparing me for the one I’m going to spend the rest of my life with."
On Tony: "I don’t know what the future holds, but I hope that my life, as it is now, doesn’t change. I’m very happy and comfortable - it’s a great place to be in. If this article comes out and we’re not together, I’d still love him, and he’d still be a huge part of who I am today."
On remarriage: "It was hard to imagine I would ever walk down the aisle again. It was like a death in the family: you go through the mourning stage, then the rebellion, and then all of a sudden you have to find life by yourself. Once you do that, you feel complete - and that’s the only time you can truly fall in love again, and give yourself over completely to another person. . . I loved everything about marriage. I loved having a companion to wake up with and have barbecues with. But things happen and people grow apart. I don’t really ever talk about the divorce because it was a heart-wrenching thing to go through. It’s a very, very personal thing."

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