In its fifth and final season for Bravo, Project Runway premieres this week with a whole new slew of wannabe designers ready to live out their wildest fashion fantasies. We figured the best people to talk to about this undoubtedly benchmark season are two guys who seem to know it best–Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez of noted fan blog “Project Rungay.” Not only does the pair extensively blog about every style that goes down the runway (don’t get too comfy in those judging chairs Nina Garcia and Michael Kors), but they also keep fans updated on any and all Project Runway mumblings during the season. Project Rungay doesn’t take a break when the series does, Tom and Lorenzo (they write together as “TLo”) update the blog almost daily with news and correspondence from past contestants and judges, exclusive contests for PR swag, and their own “in or out” observations on celebrity fashion. Read on to find out their opinions on Runway’s Season 5, the show’s move to Lifetime, and what to wear what NOT to wear this summer. Give your own opinions on Project Rungay here.
Q: In any other context this would sound creepy, but what are you wearing right now?
Oh, so it’s gonna be THAT kind of interview, is it? We’re gonna wind up killing our image by admitting this, but we are currently sporting shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. Hey, blogging is hard work and you have to dress comfortably.
Q: Was it one episode, or one personality that began your initial blogging romance with Project Runway?
Oh, one personality, definitely. That juggernaut of fabulosity and attitude, Miss Laura Bennett. Truth be told, it was the vintage Louis Vuitton that hooked us, but then it turned out she’s a fantastic designer and a hoot to boot.
Q: Do you watch many reality shows? What makes Project Runway different from other competition reality shows?
Define “many.” We tend to check out all the reality shows on Bravo at least once, but we’ve only ever become fans of PR, Top Design and Shear Genius with Top Chef getting an honorable mention. As for other networks, we don’t watch American Idol but we can admit we have a guilty pleasure in The Biggest Loser. Yes, yes, it’s inspirational but really, we tune in to watch fat people cry.
Q: If you could create a challenge to be aired on the show, what would it entail?
Drag queens. And lots of them.
Q: What mistakes do you think that real men and women make with everyday fashion?
It all boils down to one mistake: not knowing their bodies and what looks good on them. Sometimes that means not dressing age appropriately but more commonly, it means not wearing the right sizes and colors.
Q: Have you ever been confronted by a celebrity that you have blogged about? (Perhaps “Frau Seal” [Heidi Klum]?)
Darling, this may come as something of a shock to you, but blogging isn’t generally all that glamorous. Fabulous as we are, we don’t tend to run in the same circles as celebrities. Unless you’re talking about reality show “celebrities,” in which case they just refuse to have their pictures taken with us.
Q: As you’ve blogged about, Project Runway is going through a lot of changes next season. How do you feel about the show’s move to Lifetime? How do you think the Season 6 contestants’ experience will change by being in LA instead of New York?
We’re…wary about the Lifetime deal. We won’t make a lot of doom and gloom predictions, but there’s a major demographic shift when you move from a network like Bravo to one like Lifetime and with that shift, inevitable concessions will come. It remains to be seen what, if anything will change about the show once it’s in L.A. We’re dreading one dreary red carpet challenge after another.
Q: Which coast has better style, east or west?
East. Definitely.
Q: What TV show or TV character do you think has the best style?
Pushing Daisies looks like nothing else on TV but for sheer visual orgasmia, we have to go with Mad Men. Bullet bras and skinny ties are HOT.
Q: What did you think of the Christian Siriano-designed outfits that Whoopi Goldberg wore to the Tony awards?
Sloppy looking, but better than almost anything the Whoopster’s worn in public.
Q: What are your competitor blogs? Who do you aspire to be like?
It’s all one big, happy blogging pool. The water’s fine and all are welcome. There’s no such thing as competitors in blogging. As for who we aspire to be like, we’re not ashamed to admit that we learned a lot from the Fug Girls. They showed us how to be bitchy without being nasty.
Q: What are your thoughts on Michelle and Barack Obama’s fashion? How about Cindy and John McCain? Bill and Hilary Clinton?
To be honest, we haven’t thought about it much. Too much emphasis is put on style in the political arena. They all dress appropriately for themselves and the circles in which they travel. They’re politicians (and co-politicians). So long as they’re well-presented and not showing up in an “I’m With Stupid” t-shirt, it’s all good.
Q: Who are the biggest divas in the fashion world right now?
Miss Karl Lagerfeld. Although she was a bigger diva when she was fat. We miss the fan.
Q: What do you think Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi should wear to their wedding?
Whatever flatters them and makes them feel comfortable. But no tuxes. Or sneakers.
Q: What styles are in and out for summer? (Or, should we really toss our cargo shorts and wedged espadrilles?)
You can probably still get some wear out of the espadrilles, but the cargo shorts and the capris need to go. A walking short is more flattering than the capris, which gives even the slimmest women cankles and the cargo is just so OVER.
Check out a preview of Season 5 here.
Bloggers Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan are the sass and snark behind online celebrity fashion rag Go Fug Yourself–a blog devoted, but not limited to, putting those who trot down the red carpet in their places. When celeb clothing choices lean more towards abhor than couture, the gals deem them “fugly”–their own adjective, a contraction of “fantastically ugly.” GFY was praised as “viciously funny” by our friends at The Hollywood Reporter and has been named as a favorite by Vanity Fair, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle Magazine. Heather and Jessica took a break from promoting their new book, “The Fug Awards,” to tell us about their bad-fashion passion…and how to stay off their homepage!
Q: How did you get started blogging about fashion and how did that turn into Go Fug Yourself.
JESSICA: GFY was how we started blogging about fashion! We just sort of started it as a joke between the two of us. We never thought anyone else would read it.
HEATHER: It was a goofy trip to the mall that turned into us cracking up at all the mannequins and movie posters that were supposedly so stylish and appealing, but actually looked terrible. That spiraled into us taking those jokes to the Internet, and four years later, we’re still going.
Q: Have you ever met or been confronted by a celebrity that you blogged about?
J: Not that I can remember. We’ve definitely never been confronted. We HAVE been in the same room with celebrities we’ve written about — usually at fashion week — and I usually have to think back to what I’ve written them to make sure it wasn’t too evil.
H: We’ve gotten e-mails from a couple of them, but the actual well-known people who’ve contacted us — like Elisha Cuthbert from “24,” for instance — have all been incredibly cool and good-humored about it. The crankier ones are the lesser-knowns. We actually got an email from a “Random Fug” girl whose name we didn’t mention in the post — she was a girl at a red-carpet event that we’d never seen before and didn’t recognize — and she read it and was furious not about us hating her outfit, but that we didn’t think she was as famous as SHE thought she was. She actually asked us to edit her credits and name into the piece. We laughed and laughed and laughed. And never edited it. Amusingly, just the other night I saw her co-hosting an infomercial for a pill that, er, increases a man’s private girth. I’ll be sure to mention that if we ever fug her again — you know, in the name of being thorough.
Q: Which celebrity do you think should heed most to the old adage “Look in the mirror before you leave the house and take one thing off” …or, maybe even put one more thing on?
J: I think we all wish Lindsay Lohan would look in the mirror and put on some pants!
H: I used to feel that way about Hilary Duff, who would just swallow her neck in string after string of cheap-looking necklaces. She’s gotten better about that, though. I most recently felt it about Megan Ward at the Daytime Emmys. That outfit was a casserole of disaster.
Q: If you were trapped in a closet (sans R. Kelly) and only have pieces from Lindsay Lohan’s legging’s line, Chloe Sevigny’s Opening Ceremony Collection, and a trunk of Bai Ling’s old Halloween costumes to choose from, which would you choose to cover yourself?
J: Oh, that’s a good question. I think I’m going with Chloe. I feel confident that there’s something in there that won’t make me look too much like Donna Martin circa 1993.
H: I don’t WANT to be trapped in a closet without R. Kelly, so hopefully it will never come to pass. I’m going to go with Bai Ling’s old Halloween costumes, because I like to think that on Halloween, she would try to dress up as something DIFFERENT than what she usually is, and therefore half of them might actually cover my navel and reach as far down as my mid-thigh region.
Q: LiLo issues aside, why do you hate on leggings so much?
J: I just think leggings are kind of needless. They’re rarely flattering, and half the time you could wear tights instead and look much more streamlined. People write to us sometimes and point out that they’re comfortable, but so are sweats, you know? I am sure part of it is that I already lived through leggings once (and wore them!) so my leggings tolerance is all used up.
H: That’s got to be part of it. It’s like, “Really? This again? Did we not LEARN already how annoying it is to take your leggings off at the end of the day and have those little indents in your skin from the elastic waist that comes up to your ribcage?” But, amen to all the stuff about how they’re usually unflattering. I see them almost as an extension of when people wear dresses over jeans or other pants. Just wear tights! It’ll look better, I swear.
Q: What is one trend from yore that you think should never be ressurrected? What’s something you’re seeing now that you wish you could blast back to the past?
J: Speaking of leggings…I just pray stirrup pants don’t truly come back.
H: Seriously. I would’ve said high-waisted jeans, but OOPS, they totally did come back, the bastards. So I’ll put in a vote against snap-crotch bodysuits ever getting resurrected.
Q: Everyone makes mistakes once in a while when it comes to what they wear, but what are some cardinal rules that celebrities ignore that land them on the homepage of Go Fug Yourself? Who are your favorite fashion disasters to write about?
J: I’d say the biggest mistake, truly, is when people wear clothes that don’t fit them properly — either way too small and falling-off too big. It’s not as sexy to write about as, say, wearing pasties instead of a top, but it’s something we see a lot. I do enjoy writing about the celebrities who really wear outlandish, crazy stuff, though. Bai Ling, for example, is always good for a chuckle.
H: Another problem is when people look quirky just for the sake of quirky. You can kind of tell the difference between someone who’s style is genuinely offbeat and a reflection of who they are — I would say Rihanna falls into this category, for which I give her credit, even though I think she’s hit-or-miss; Juliette Lewis kinda fits into that category too — and people who are just spinning around in their closet picking things out at random because they think crazy is cool. Samaire Armstrong used to be that girl and it drove me nuts. Like, four wrongs — or even four maybes — do not make a right, so please, recheck your math.
Q: Did you see “Sex and the City: The Movie“? Do you think Patricia Fields’ costume design added to the characters and story?
J: We did see it. I said at the time that I could have watched it on mute and be perfectly happy — I think the clothes were the most interesting part. Though I don’t know that they added to the story, actually. In many ways, I think the movie was too concerned with clothing. We didn’t need so many montages, and so many plot points about shoes and purses. The clothes were great and fun, but they should have been great and fun and never commented on. It started to feel like they were more important than the story itself, which hurt the film overall, I think.
H: I completely agree. The clothes were a monster of their own creation that ended up swallowing the whole enterprise. Not that they weren’t entertaining, but after a while it felt like if I had to describe Carrie Bradshaw to someone who never watched the show, I would say, “She is a writer who somehow affords really, really crazy and unrealistically expensive stuff.”
Q: What TV show or TV character do you think has the best style?
J: Ooh, that’s a great question. I think Mad Men has the best style on TV, hands down. I can’t get enough of the crazy clothes they give Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl (and I think Gossip Girl is really fun, style-wise, in general, although it’s way over the top). And when it comes to clothes real people could get away with wearing, Alyson Hannigan’s character on How I Met Your Mother wears reliably cute clothes.
H: Going in a different direction, I’m watching reruns of the first season of “Felicity,” and I thought they did a great job costuming Keri Russell. Not because I loved the khakis and huge sweaters, but because I felt like it was brave to keep her clad in stuff that a shy girl living in New York and a winter climate for the first time WOULD have worn during that era. Totally felt true to the character. Nowadays they’d be like, “Okay, she’s sort of shy and geeky, but she’s SKINNY, right? Can’t we put her in spandex tank tops all the time until we have to have it snow?” As far as what show or person has clothes I actually like, for MYSELF, Jess is right that Alyson Hannigan always looks great. And they give Sophia Bush a lot of really cute dresses on One Tree Hill. I will forever lament the cancellation of “Cashmere Mafia,” too, because Pat Field was cracking me up with the stuff on that show. Lucy Liu went jogging in a huge fur vest. I mean, that’s priceless.
Q: In your opinion, what is (or was) the best reality makeover show? (Ex: “What Not To Wear” US or UK, “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style,” “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” “Extreme Makeover,” “The Swan,”…)
J: I LOVED “Queer Eye” when it first kicked off. It was so fresh-feeling at the time and so much fun. I really enjoy “What Not to Wear (US)” too. “The Swan,” on the other hand, was kind of fascinating for 10 minutes and then totally freaked me out.
H: I’ve actually only ever seen two of those — some “Queer Eye” episodes and two episodes of Tim Gunn’s show. I’d agree that the first season of “Queer Eye” worked well for me. I’m more of a sucker for interior-design makeover shows, though. I was a “Trading Spaces” junkie for a while back in the day, and whenever I turn on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” I get all excited for those people who are getting brand new stuff they truly need. See? I have a heart! For real!
Q: Do you watch “Project Runway“? If you could create a fashion competition reality show, who would be your judges?
J: I love Runway! I think I’d want Karl Lagerfeld, Naomi Campbell, and Anna Wintour. If only to witness their own interpersonal interactions.
H: Definitely Lagerfeld. Always and forever. Maybe Glenda Bailey from Harper’s Bazaar, who seems like she has a wicked sense of humor. I’d also want to keep Michael Kors because I find him divine, and then maybe I’d kidnap Cate Blanchett and force her to do it — she’s got such an avant-garde eye sometimes that I’d love to hear her talk more about clothes. To host? Clearly Stephen Colbert, because it makes no sense and therefore makes PERFECT sense.
Q: What band or artist do you think has the best taste in clothing? The worst?
J: That’s tough. I have to say that whenever Beyonce’s mother dresses her, it’s kind of a mess. Kelly Clarkson, as much as I love her, is usually poorly turned out. But there is hope! Fergie used to look CRAZY and she looks adorable almost all the time now.
H: I’d add Nelly Furtado to the “worst” list — that girl drives me bananas. As for my favorites… I find musicians, more than most, have a Jekyll/Hyde thing going because there’s often this chasm between their red-carpet wear and their performance-wear. Carrie Underwood seems to have a screw loose when she’s choosing what to wear on stage. Alicia Keys is all over the place too. So is Gwen Stefani, who can look fabulous for the paparazzi and then will go on-stage dressed like a half-hearted pirate.
Q: If you could have any celebrity’s stylist dress you for an awards show, who’s would it be?
J: I would have to say Rachel Zoe, just for the stories I might get out of it.
H: Yeah, as much as I am not a fan of her in some ways, she does nail it with a lot of her clients — Jennifer Garner being one in particular. I will say Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mother. Not because I think it would be successful, but because I want to see Jessica’s face when I show up in ruffled hot pants.
Q: What is some good advice that men and women can follow to stay in the good graces of the 2008 fashion gods?
J: Just stay away from Hammer pants.
H: We should all have that tattooed on our souls.
Video game blogger Rain Anderson set down his controller for a few minutes to give us the up-down-left-right on everything gaming. As the founder and managing editor of That VideoGame Blog, Rain and his team of writer/gamers post up to the minute gaming news and more. Rain discusses his hopes for the future of consoles, what old games he’d like to see resurrected, and what titles he’s given a big “Game Over.”
Q: Explain to us a little about That VideoGame Blog and how/why you started the site.
That VideoGame Blog was started after I realized I wasn’t quite happy with what I was doing. I started thinking about where to venture next when someone suggested that since I like to play a lot of video games, maybe something in that field. A year later, TVGB was up and running and a few months after that, a number of great people had joined me in writing about stuff that we all love.
We offer daily news, (p)reviews, interviews, event coverage, articles etc., and we’re just getting started — with all the things we’ve already accomplished in the few short months we’ve been doing this, we’re looking forward to lots more.
Q: Of course we’re going to ask this…what is your favorite game and platform?
Obviously each platform has its pros and cons but if I had to choose one as things are today, I’d pick the Xbox 360 simply because of the amount of new quality titles that are available for the system. I’ve been a PC gamer since the early ’90s, but things are a bit quiet on that front right now, and the PS3’s/Wii’s libraries aren’t quite there yet for my tastes.
As for games, I can’t seem to tear myself away from GRAW 2′s multiplayer. And single-player wise, it’s hard to think of anything more majestic than Mass Effect at the moment, which in my opinion is one of the greatest examples in recent memory of what a videogame can be and evolve into.
Q: Were you shocked when you first heard that Grand Theft Auto IV outsold Halo 3 and set a new record?
I wouldn’t say shocked since GTA IV is available on both the 360 and PS3, so the number of potential buyers was of course much higher than was the case with Halo 3, but maybe a little pleased since now we have something else to look forward to that would smash GTA IV.
Q: What was the biggest letdown game that you played this year?
There aren’t really any that I want to complain about this year (yet), but I can’t get around last year’s Assassin’s Creed - a technical masterpiece was brutally butchered by not having anything much at all for the player to do. The game world was really a marvel and a total blast to explore, but once you’ve seen all the cities, it’s basically ‘Game Over’ excitment wise. The rest of the time you’re forced to do the same exact things over and over again. Fun to enjoy in little bursts here and there, but unfortunately that effectively kills the immersiveness.
I personally even feel gamers were a bit misled as to the nature of what the game was. Definitely my biggest disappointment of this console generation.
Q: What is the next gaming release that you’re most excited about?
If I had to pick just one then it would without a doubt be Beyond Good & Evil 2. The original game is all kinds of cool and truly one of the games that didn’t deserve the brush-off it got from the consumer. But next to that, the new Prince of Persia has really grabbed my attention as well. And Mass Effect 2, and BioShock 2, and Too Human, oh I could go on and on here..
Q: Guitar Hero or Rock Band?
Neither.
Q: What’s your favorite movie based on a video game? If you could make any game into a movie, what would it be?
I’d be lying if I said I’ve seen them all, but out of those that I have seen, I’ll have to go with a tie between the original Resident Evil and Tomb Raider movies, even though I think both failed to capture the feel of the games. As for what movie I’d like to see made, I’ve been actively playing a game in the Ghost Recon series ever since the original PC game was released in 2001, so I have to say a Ghost Recon movie, Black Hawk Down style.
Q: So, do you have a Second Life character? If so, what does he do that you don’t or can’t do in your real life?
I don’t have a Second Life character. But if I did, he’d be a pimp. A huge zebra hat wearing pimp. With a cane and a cigar, naturally. And he’d look like Jean-Luc Picard. Yeah, that sounds about right.
Q: How do you think the public’s view of gamers is changing with the widespread popularity of videogames?
The public are becoming gamers themselves at a rather rapid pace, so I hope in a very positive direction 
Some people still look at games as something for the kids, but most seem to be coming to terms with the idea that videogames are just another form of entertainment, and a great one at that.
Q: If you could bring back an old school videogame and remake it for a new platform, which would you choose?
Doom. I feel that Doom 3, while a solid game, just didn’t get it right. ID Software recently announced that they’re looking for worker bees to work on Doom 4, so I have my fingers crossed the next Doom will end up being more true to the original.
Q: If you could create a videogame based on a movie or television show, what would it be?
I’d like to see a Battlestar Galactica game that doesn’t suck (I’m pretending the Xbox LIVE Arcade and PS2/Xbox games never happened). They need to put the BSG franchise in the hands of a competent developer, quickly. A well made title based on the reimagined series would really be something to behold, there’s just so much awesomeness there to work with.
Q: What are some of your favorite places to get the latest gamer news for your blog?
I can’t say that we have any certain place that we check regularly, we get news wherever it happens to come from. But since the biggest sites update most frequently then they also tend to be the biggest sources. Overall, I’d say it’s a healthy mix of press releases and news from other sources.
Q: What do you see (or would you like to see) for the future of videogames and platforms?
I thought long and hard about this but things are changing so fast in this industry that it’s nearly impossible to make a valid guess. Even people who do the guessing for a living tend to get it wrong more often than right, so I’ll skip the ‘what I see’ part of this question and leave that for [industry analyst] Michael Pachter to answer.
But what I’d like to see is Sony and Microsoft getting their act together the next time around. The quality of the 360’s hardware should have been better to avoid the failure rate issues, and same goes for the PS3’s software, it just wasn’t good enough out of the box. If both systems were launched a year later, I believe these issues wouldn’t have existed, so I hope they’ll take their time in the future and release products that their clients won’t have to struggle as much with.
But overall, I think the industry is in great shape. 2007 was a great year for gamers and 2008 looks to be just as good. There’s never been a better time to be a gamer.
Well, we can’t really say for sure (it’s only Wednesday), but this week is definitely looking up since we had the chance to talk to Alex Blagg, the managing editor of VH1’s Best Week Ever blog. Alex scours the interweb daily to post and comment on the random pop culture stories, photos, and videos that you may have missed during your lunch hour blog skim. Alex likes candid television freakouts caught on tape, could do without any more Britney Spears/celebrity rehab stories, and will show you how to make a Top 10 list to rival the Ten Commandments. Oh, and he’s not afraid to admit his penchant for Shia LeBeouf, but that’s another story…
Q: What are the main differences between Best Week Ever: The Show and Best Week Ever: The Blog?
I would say the two main differences between the show and the site are the topics we cover, and the overall tone. Since we’re doing almost 20 posts a day, 5 days a week, compared to the 20 or 30 topics the show might hit in a given episode, there’s naturally just a lot of more random and obscure stuff we cover on the blog that probably wouldn’t register on the show’s more mainstream “pop culture radar.” And as blogging is - by nature - a very subjective medium, our content and commentary comes from the very specific world views of our three writers whereas the show has teams of writers and creative producers, not to mention the actual panelists themselves, taking a more unified angle on each individual topic they discuss.
Q: What is your favorite embarrassing celebrity YouTube clip?
Right now, it’s the Bill O’Reilly freakout clip (and the re-mix), hands down. I’ve been working on a special segment we’re producing for the Webby Awards, and the O’Reilly clip is part of it, and no matter how many times I see him yell “We’ll do it live!”, it never stops being funny to me.
Q: Speaking of political talk show hosts, your site claims that Tim Russert farted on air? Did he?
It could really go either way between a fart and some weird murmur of agreement by one of the other panelists on the show, but in my heart of hearts, I want to believe it was a fart (that rhymes, for no particular reason).
Q: In an all-out cage match to be the first women nationwide to see “Sex and the City: The Movie,” who would win: audience members from “Oprah,” “The View,” or “The Tyra Banks Show“?
In this scenario, there would be no winners. We would all lose.
Q: What reality television show do you think you could win?
I harbor secret fantasies of applying to be on Top Chef because ever since my fiancee, who went to culinary school, taught me how to not cook like a moron, I fancy myself as some kind of Iron Chef or whatever.
Q: The BWE “My Lil Lohan” Facebook application has now turned into “My Lil Miley”…do you think Miley Cyrus is the next Lindsay Lohan?
I think the South Park guys hit the nail on the head when they pointed out that Miley Cyrus is the next sacrificial celebrity virgin that will be devoured by our horrifying tabloid media complex.
Q: At this point in your blogging career when you hear the word “rehab” coupled with a celebrity’s name, does it elicit some sort of Pavlovian response?
I actually freak out because I have to start thinking of jokes appropriate to the situation that haven’t already been made (and there are none).
Q: Every morning you put up a Best Week Ever Alarm Clock with a new YouTube video for your readers to greet the day with. If you could have an alarm clock that could play any phrase or tune to rouse you in the morn, what would it be?
“The Final Countdown”, by Europe.
Q: If you could wish for a prequel or sequel to any movie ever made, what movie would you choose? What questions would you want answered?
Let’s just say I’m really keeping my fingers crossed for “Norbit 2: More Fat Suits!” I’d also love to see a prequel to “Wild Hogs” that further explored who those men were prior to their hilarious biking trip.
Q: If you could come up with the greatest celebrity disaster of all time, what would be and who would it involve?
David Hasselhoff on a meth-fueled car chase across Los Angeles, in which the Hoff carjacks one of the old Knight Rider cars from the Universal lot and plows through town firing a gun indiscriminately from the sunroof, laying waste to all of Hollywood before crashing into an In ‘N Out Burger and rubbing a double cheeseburger all over his face.
Q: We can see that you’re a sucker for a good Top 10 list. What are your “Top 10 ‘Best Week Ever Top 10′ Lists?”
Yikes, I would be embarrassed to actually look back on ten of these. They’re sort of like Mad Libs, in that it’s just filling in certain blanks and re-writing the same list over and over. Here’s my formula:
“The” + (Number) + “Most” + (Over the top adjective) + (Subject) + Of All Time (Synonyms like “in History” or “Ever” will also be accepted) = Popularity
This list explains it all: Top 10 Tips For Writing An Awesomely Funny Top 10 List On The Internet
Q: Your blog features an eclectic mix of topics, from bizarre rat-moles to bizzaro PSAs to bizarro Tom Cruise. What’s your favorite thing to write about? Your least favorite?
My favorite is, by far, a magnificent entity known as Shia The Motherf***ing LaBeouf (or “The Beef”, for short). My least favorite is Britney Spears, because I no longer find anything particularly funny about her.
Q: What summer movie are you looking forward to seeing the most? Which one do you think will not live up to the hype?
Looking forward to The Dark Knight. And I already know the answer to the latter half of the question, and it’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Are You F***ing Kidding Me George Lucas, Aliens!?!?”
Q: What’s your favorite music video?
Of all time, I have no idea. Right now, “DVNO” by Justice.
Q: Ne-Yo wrote a track for Lindsay Lohan’s new album that he said he said will ’surprise.’ What do you think is the surprise?
They were actually dead the whole time.
Q: Do you get any sort of fan mail or hate mail? What’s the craziest thing someone has ever sent you?
I don’t really get hate mail anymore, which is one of the things I miss most about my old blog, Blagg Blogg. Now when I piss people off, they just leave a comment like “You’re a jerk - Vh1 should fire you!” or whatever, but I used to get such insane, awesome hate mail from DJ’s and other broad groups of people I’d ridicule on Blagg Blogg. I miss those, because there’s nothing more hilarious-tarded than a death threat from some part-time DJ who can’t spell.
Q: According to BWE’s Wikipedia entry, the show and blog have been criticized as a signal bearer for our nation’s quickly shrinking attention span. What are your thoughts on this?
We have a Wikipedia page? AWESOME!
Q: Where do you see the future of blogs and bloggers in the next 5 years? What are your thoughts on Perez Hilton taking his blogging success and parlaying it into a television show, clothing line, and A&R position?
It’s funny, because it appears to me that bloggers only achieve crossover fame or notoriety (which is misinterpreted by the mainstream media as “success”) if they’re willing to cannibalize aspects of their personal and private lives, and make a full time job out of putting themselves on display in the most absurd, cartoonish and degrading ways imaginable (and thus making ALL “bloggers” look equally terrible in the process). Perez is probably the most obvious example of this, but at least he was honest about the fact that he just wanted to be famous, no matter what kind of negative attention he attracted along the way. What’s sad is when I see much smarter people emulating Perez’s model for “success” by trading their own dignity for Internet attention, and further contributing to that ugly voyeuristic “reality show” thing that seems to lie beneath every aspect of our culture these days. But yeah, I’d totally take the reality show, clothing line, and A & R position.
Yesterday was the last day to take our Ultimate Pop Culture Trivia Challenge and we want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated. We had over 5,000 members test their knowledge a few dozen pop culture geniuses (or is it geniusii?) got all of the questions correct. We’ll be doing a random drawing next week for a prize winner, so keep checking back for more updates.
We also couldn’t have done this without the help of our amazingly savvy pop culture bloggers who all contributed great questions to the quiz. Still stumped by some of the questions? We’ve posted the answers to the quiz along with all of the participating blogs. Thanks again to everyone… more fun contests and prizes are on the way this summer.
What exactly is a “Pop Waffle”? Well, you can’t eat it and you probably won’t find it on any breakfast menu. Pop culture gormandizers Erika Brooks Adickman and Adam Chase have taken their loves of celebrities, entertainment, blogging, and Crayolas to create animated mini webisodes of weekly pop culture goings on. The pair use stop animation, the latest indie music track, and a marble notebook to produce each edition. We asked Erika some questions about Pop Waffle and pop culture and she was kind enough to make us our very own Pop Waffle episode! Take a look at our interview below and check out the Pop Waffle site to see some past Pop Waffles. Oh, and would you mind passing the syrup?
Ingredients: Kids Incorporated, Tina Fey, David Pogue, Miranda July, Ira Glass, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Demetri Martin, Guitar Hero, Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, Mates of State
Ever wonder what Britney Spears is doing at 4 am? How about Lindsay Lohan’s newest fling? Or even perhaps what John Mayer had for lunch? Vera Sweeney, editor and creator of pop culture/celebrity/gossip blog I’m Not Obsessed knows. It’s her job to troll the web and get the dirt on the newest celebrity happenings and post about it on her blog. Though Vera claims she’s really NOT obsessed, we picked her brain on some pop culture hot topics, her favorite Hollywood goings on, and what it’s like to be a celebrity blogger. Read on.
Have you ever come face to face with the celebrities you blog about? What did they say when you told them you were a gossip blogger?
I’ve met Carmen Electra who was very nice and appreciated the press I was giving her. That was a great experience. Then I met Mira Sorvino and was lectured for 10 minutes about the right way to report news. Then she practically made me pinky swear I wouldn’t write anything bad about her. It was embarrassing. She had an idea of what a gossip blogger was and hated me before she got to know me. I try so hard to keep it clean and pleasant, so that was really upsetting to me.
What are your favorite blogs to read?
Truth be told, I don’t read a lot of blogs for personal reasons. I am online so much for work that when I have some free time it’s spent with my kids. But Dlisted.com is the one site that I find to be hysterical. He really is a funny guy.
Do you ever get any crazy celebrity fan mail a la YouTube “Leave Britney Alone” guy?
Every single day of my life. I also get the “Where does X live?” or “Give me X’s email address” from younger readers. I think they think I am taking the pictures of the celebs.
How do you stay up to the minute on breaking celebrity news?
I don’t sleep. I have great sources and feeds that come directly into my inbox. Lucky for me, the INO community helps out as well. Readers are always sending along breaking stories. Not to mention my entire family and most of my friends are all on payroll.
What is your favorite celebrity-based reality show?
“The Hills“! Does that count?! My husband and I have quiet time during that show.
What has been the story that you’ve gotten the most reaction about (good or bad) on your site?
Big ticket items - Anna Nicole dying, Britney losing her mind, Heath dying etc. Anything that basically makes it on CNN.
How do you feel about Ashton Kutcher’s new show, “Pop Fiction,” designed to trick celebrity bloggers and paparazzi?
At first I thought it was such a great idea. But now it’s boring. We end up finding out that it’s fake before it even airs. Ruins the fun of it all.
Who is your favorite Hollywood couple right now?
Angie and Brad always put on a great show when they hit the red carpet. But I’m more of a Ben and Jen kind of fan. They seem so down to Earth.
What are your thoughts on Perez Hilton’s “Queen of All Media” title that he’s given himself?
It’s deserving. Have you seen his numbers? He started out with just a computer in his bedroom and now he has his own shows and the paparazzi follow him. That’s truly an accomplishment.
Are you sure you’re not obsessed?
No… I’m not. 
Thanks to relentless and ever-vigilant websites and blogs like Perez Hilton and TMZ.com, all you need is an internet connection and a thirst for gossip and it’s easy to keep FBI style tabs on almost every actor, heiress, musician, or reality television star 24/7. Unfortunately, the stories (complete with photos and sometimes even video) that flash across monitors are usually those showcasing celebs in drunken scenes, wardrobe malfunctions, mental breakdowns, or baby-mama drama. Don’t worry, though, Hollyweird isn’t completely going to hell in a designer hand basket. Here’s something new and refreshing: celebrities using their celebrity for good causes.
Who: Scarlett Johansson
For: Oxfam America
What: To benefit Oxfam America ’s goal of “working together to end poverty and injustice,” Scarlett Johansson auctioned off a 20 minute date with herself to the red carpet premiere of her new film “He’s Just Not That Into You” on Ebay. The UK winner, with a bid of £19,680 (about $40,000), will join Scarlett at the L.A. premiere in July.
How to get involved: Sad you missed out on ScarJo? Bid on 2 tickets to the Sex and the City premiere in New York and an on-camera meet and greet with star Kristin Davis. Or, head over to Oxfam’s site for what else you can do to help the cause.
Who: Allison Janney, Ana Ortiz, Ashanti, Camryn Manheim, Cheryl Hines, Heidi Klum, Jenna Fischer, Joss Stone, Lisa Rinna, Liza Minnelli, Maria Menounos, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Molly Sims, Rita Moreno, Sara Ramirez, and Laura Bush
For: The Heart Truth Campaign for heart disease awareness
What: Fifteen actresses, models, and musicians strutted their stuff in designer garb down the runway during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in The Red Dress Collection 2008 Fashion Show for The Heart Truth. Prior to the show, campaign ambassador and First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush spoke about the importance of the now iconic Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness.
How to get involved: Organize your own Red Dress day! Visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute site for activity ideas, information on walks and drives, and other ways to raise awareness.
Who: Linkin Park and Coheed and Cambria
For: Music for Relief through Habitat for Humanity
What: Linkin Park and opening act Coheed and Cambria took a break from their tour to help rebuild homes on the Gulf Coast for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Linkin Park’s charity, Music for Relief, raised money through donations, merchandise sales, ticket auctions, and other activities online and onsite during Linkin Park’s Project Revolution Tour.
How to get involved: Email Whitney@musicforrelief.org for events, donate to one of the many affiliated charities, or put a banner for Music for Relief on your MySpace or website.
Who: Drew Barrymore
For: World Food Programme’s “Fill the Cup” Campaign
What: As a kickoff for the “Fill the Cup” Campaign, Drew announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that she would contribute $1 million of her personal money to feed thousands of school children in Kenya. Drew, who has been to Kenya on a few occasions for the WFP, told Oprah “I have seen with my own eyes what a difference a simple cup of nutritious porridge can make in a child’s life.”
How to get involved: Fill up a cup for only a quarter! Learn how.
Who: Kid Rock
For: Nicholas House, a homeless shelter for families in DeKalb County, Georgia
What: The “hick-hop” star signed autographs for fans in a Waffle House restaurant during a fundraiser for Nicholas House. Why a Waffle House, you may ask? In case you’re not up on your breakfast restaurant current events, Kid Rock got into a fight with a customer in the parking lot at a different Waffle House location last October.
How to get involved: Contact Marla Poe, Volunteer Coordinator at 404-633-8386 x 104 or mpoe@nicholashouse.org for volunteer, donation, and fundraising information.
Who: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Jerry Weintraub
For: Not On Our Watch via the United Nations World Food Programme
What: The stars and producer of Ocean’s Eleven have most recently donated $500,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme’s Humanitarian Air Service which transports supplies and volunteers to the Darfur region of Sudan. Since its launch less than a year ago, Not On Our Watch has raised more than $9.3 million for Darfur.
How to get involved: Donate here (George Clooney gave $1 million last year) or email info@notonourwatchproject.org for more information.
Have any more celebrities who you think are using their fame for good? Would you consider supporting a charity or cause because your favorite celebrity was involved? Are these actions publicity stunts or do you think the Brangelina effect has started to spread? Let us know in the comments section!
Behold the newest crop that have been chosen to compete in the seventh season of American Idol!
Randy, Paula, and Simon have given their approval to these 24
contestants, but we want to know what you think. Are you an avid Idol watcher? Check out the list below and let us know who you’re voting for throughout the contest. Don’t forget, you can post YouTube videos along with your opinions! That includes recording your own video opinion — extra points if you sing it.
Ever wonder what happened to past American Idol winners? Read about Kelly, Ruben, Fantasia, Carrie, Taylor, and Jordin at StarPulse.com’s “Where Are They Now?”
Many associate February with Valentine’s Day and all of the accoutrement that goes with it, but the single people at H!N (ok, ok, this single person) would like to thank Hollywood for not shoving a billion Rom Coms down our throats this month. Still, there’s a pretty good mix in the coming weeks with highlights including a sequel with what seems like a bangin’ soundtrack, a couple of horror flicks that suggest there are worse things than being dateless on V-Day, and a very special post-penitentiary return to the big screen of America’s favorite (or least favorite) dog-in-purse toting hotel heiress. Oh, yes, and don’t worry…there are some date movies sprinkled in there as well for those who can stomach them.
If you check any of these out, alone or with the date of your dreams, let us know what you thought! Click on the links below to post an opinion if you’ve seen or heard about any of the following films and scroll down the page to read what other H!N members are saying.
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