I was completely floored early Sunday when reports started surfacing that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman had died of an apparent drug overdose (a hot shot — the needle was still found in his arm, so it killed him instantly). He was found Sunday morning after he'd missed going to pick up his three kids, which was unlike the doting father. He'd checked himself into rehab in May for issues with heroin, but I hadn't heard anything about him since he'd left, so I thought he'd just been laying low and taking care of himself.
Last year, when Forever Yours Lingerie in Vancouver, BC decided to start using gorgeous size-14 model Elly Mayday for their campaigns, they knew they were on to something. The shop's owner made a conscious decision to use the plus-sized model because of her gorgeous curves, thick thighs and full bust and bum. What she didn't expect was that Elly would find out that she has a rare form of ovarian cancer.
It's interesting that we live in a world where photoshopping of celebrities still happens so frequently, but we don't always see how it has changed images. In the past few weeks, there has been an uproar about Lena Dunham being touched up in Vogue (although, at the end of the day, she was barely changed), and French band, Boggie, released the video for their song "Nouveau Parfum," where the lead singer is shown being photoshopped during the course of the video.
So, this past Thursday, The Academy announced this year's Oscar Nominations, and I have to say, I'm starting to feel a little underwhelmed by the choices of the Academy year after year. Don't get me wrong, I love the pomp of the ceremony: the dresses, the drama, all of it. But maybe it's my involvement in pop culture, or the fact that I'm getting older (and more disillusioned), but the awards seem like a really big MEH this year.
Ah Netflix. First, there was Lillehammer, then House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. With more and more Emmy and Globe noms every year, Netflix is really pushing original programming (not to mention saving Arrested Development, too). While they have mostly stayed within modern drama/comedy, their new show, Marco Polo is a period drama centering around, well, you guessed it, the intrepid Italian explorer.
Early last year, I was interviewed during the preliminary data gathering for a new documentary airing this Thursday, January 9, on CBC's Doczone, called The Motherload. In the doc, Director Cornelia Principe takes aim at our society and the current pressures facing working mothers. I find this topic to be endlessly fascinating, and many of the topics and points that they bring up in the movie go through my mind on a regular basis.
I cannot believe that 2013 is almost over. I can barely remember anything because it's been such a whirlwind. I mean, I had a baby, started a business, and everything around both those things have been an absolute blur of angry toddler, stressed parenting, and more intense joy than I could ever imagine.
When I started watching Sons of Anarchy last year, I noticed the voice of the singer used near the end of a few episodes was very familliar, so I texted a friend and asked, "Who is singing?" She shocked me by telling me it was star of the show, Katey Sagal! What I didn't know was that Katey, while being a famous and accomplished actress, is also an accomplished singer.
