Living Twenties: pop culture

Showing posts with label pop culture. Show all posts

Thursday, September 1, 2011

MTV's The Challenge: Rivals is over, and I'm sad.

at 11:10 AM Posted by Unknown

MTV Challenge: Rivals

I am one of those people that gets too emotionally involved in reality TV shows. MTV's recent "Challenge" is no exception.

Although this reality series is overshadowed by the likes of Jersey Shore (which I also love) and Teen Mom, I believe the MTV has struck the jackpot with the cast and the challenges that they encounter.

Here's the set-up: MTV has been doing these challenges for years. It's rather ridiculous the types of things they put these people through in order to have the chance to make $100,000 (sometimes less). This season, some of the craziest things the cast had to do involved moving across a platform by jumping from hammock to hammock, moving cars with large machinery, jumping onto a zip line from 50 feet above the water (with no harness!), and the final challenge, which was a 2-day overnight challenge where they had to reach the end at the top of a 9,000 ft mountain.

Ridiculous.

But that's not why I watch: the dynamic of the people on this show is so intriguing and emotionally draining, that you actually get invested in their well-being. I didn't even realize how much I felt like I knew this cast until the rivals reunion which aired last night.

The highlight of this reunion was Adam finally admitting that he cared for bad-boy CT and breaking down into tears despite Kenny aka "Mr. Beautiful" egging him on. It's insane how much I was intrigued by their relationship and the "development" of their characters. To be honest, I was a tad misty - I could have cried out of joy for them if I wasn't too embarrassed that Megan might have walked out of her room to see my crying to an MTV reality show.

The emotional turmoil coupled with the physical challenges made it so that I couldn't even wait to watch an episode until the next day - even though I recorded it on my DVR, I had to watch it as close to live as possible even if it jeopardized my sleep.

Here are the results:
Male Winners: Tyler and Johnny
Female Winners: Eve and Paula
Male Runners-Up: Kenny and Wes
Female Runners-Up: Laurel and Cara Maria
Male Third Place: Mike and Leroy
Female Third Place: Jen and Mandi

I would have loved to see CT and Adam take it and prove everyone wrong, but then again I feel emotionally attached to CT - just like every other female he encounters. What is it about him?

I'll get off my soap box. I can't wait for next season's Challenge. Hump Day will be much harder now that I don't have this show to look forward to.

Friday, August 19, 2011

I'm Basically Starring in "This Is Forty" (the "Knocked Up" sequel)

at 5:45 PM Posted by Unknown

So I'm basically starring in Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" sequel, "This is Forty" starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Leslie Mann, and Megan Fox.

Yesterday, my oldest friend (since I was 8, yes that's 15 years of glorious friendship), my boyfriend, and I went to the Chipotle opening to get free burritos. Well, that was a failure because the opening was the day before - but instead we BASICALLY starred in movie.

There were a lot of trailers and equipment set up on the street that I live on. We walked from my apartment around the corner to Chipotle and found gawkers and gazers trying to get a glimpse of whatever was going on at the corner Coffee Bean. So we got our Chipotle "Mexican" cuisine and sat watching people walk by to peer in the window, and the crew rearranging the set.

On our way out we basically were in a scene in the movie...

And when I say basically I mean that we looked in the window and saw Paul Rudd filming with a hairy man (could have been Jason Segal?). Megan Fox was nearby, but we didn't actually see her in the flesh. This was my friend's first celeb siting (even though she's lived in LA for a year now...).

This is basically what I saw...

Look for my legs whenever the movie comes out (in the scene where they're at the Coffee Bean, duh!). My friend was wearing an orange dress, and I was wearing a grey pencil skirt. Seriously, we're like totally movie stars.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

The Coldplay Show at UCLA was Kick-Ass (in case you were wondering)

at 11:14 PM Posted by Unknown

Would you expect anything but amazing from the fantastically talented Coldplay? I can't imagine a better birthday present. Not only do they sound better live than they do on their albums, but also their humble attitudes and goofy demeanor make them extremely lovable. Chris Martin has the voice of an angel, and his band mates are masters of their crafts.

Kevin and Amy at Coldplay

Kevin got INCREDIBLE seats. We were sitting in the front of the non-floor section, approximately 100 feet away from the stage, and the lovely and talented Chris Martin. We carpooled with two of the girls who live nearby that were also in attendance for my birthday party, and made it there with plenty of time to gawk at the rich white people that were there.

Surprise #1

Jimmy Kimmel was going to be there and the show was going to be streamed live on the Jimmy Kimmel show! Coldplay played two kick-ass songs off their new album to be released this fall including "Every Tear is a Waterfall." I'm biased because everything they do is amazing.

And it was all yellow...

Surprise #2

They played a lot of amazing classics including "Yellow," "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face," "Clocks," "Fix You," "Viva La Vida," and "Politik" (and many more). They also played a lot of fantastic new songs off their upcoming album. Let's just say I might buy it instead of finding a way to get it for free... it's that good. I also may or may not have tenderly wept during "Fix You"...

Surprise #3

A handful of celebs were in attendance there and Kevin and I had prime real estate for watching them. Two that I can confirm are Kate Bosworth (who had blue tips in her hair and looked like she hadn't eaten for a few years) and Lindsay Lohan (who was dressed like a lumber-jack/prude with a red plaid button down, jean shorts, and her bleached hair tied back into a librarian bun). I'm sure others were there, but they might have been on the other side of the stage/backstage.

This is me. Stoked for Coldplay.

Surprise #4

One of the girls we carpooled with has no censor, so the car ride home was definitely amusing. Not only did she spend the ride looking up "fun facts" about Chris Martin (the lead singer of Coldplay) and voicing how she yearns to be the piano that he "humps" while performing, but also she kept forgetting that her window was down and saying hilarious things about the people in cars next to us. They definitely heard, and my friend that was driving attempted to put her window on child lock. This is the same girl that got into a fight with a midget. I think we need to feature her on this blog permanently ;)

All in all, best birthday present EVER. I love these types of "experience-based gifts" rather than material items that I can break, lose, or get tired of.

Here are more photos of the event, courtesy of Kevin!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

SHARK WEEK: The Drinking Game

at 3:29 PM Posted by Megan Rose

And I didn't think anything could make Discovery Channel's Shark Week any better.

Thanks Jenna Daily Press :)

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Black & Jewish

at 6:42 PM Posted by Megan Rose

Black and Jewish (Black and Yellow Parody) from Kat Graham

Can I get a ch-allahhhh

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Real End of Childhood

at 6:28 PM Posted by Megan Rose

Graduating college a year ago is probably the biggest milestone in my life so. I left childhood behind – no more summer vacations, no more back-to-school supplies, and most importantly, no more Tuesday Pint Nights that resulted at Buck-Fitty’s burritos and falling into bushes on the way home.

Of course graduation is exciting because, hell yeah, no more school! But most people also have the sentiment that college and life as we know it is OVER..except for me. Not that I’m completely cold hearted, and you’ll see why.

The week leading up to graduation, we had senior testimonials in my sorority. Younger girls say goodbye to the seniors and read poems and tell stories about their memories with a girl that they admired. When mine was read…not a tear (although it was very very nice – shout out to Jen!)

The night beforegraduation, my friend H thought it’d be funny to watch everyone shed waterfalls of tears when she told the DJ at Maloney’s (our always go-to bar) to play Vitamin C’s “Graduation (Friends Forever).” You looked around and almost everyone had a mug in one hand and their hand wiping their beat red, sweaty drunken face with the other… but not me.

The actual graduation ceremony came where the classic Pomp & Circumstance played and everyone, students and parents, realize that THIS was the moment…except me.

I had gone through every step of the end of my childhood with not a single tear or a riddance of what I was leaving behind.

Until…

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS: PART 2.

I cried for 20 FREAKING MINUTES at the end of the movie. I had read the book and knew exactly what was going to happen. I kept telling myself to stop and couldn’t help but question what was going on with me. Yeah, it was a great movie and of course an amazing book series, but why NOW?!

Not only that, but get this: a few days after I saw the premiere, I read an article about it in The Hollywood Reporter. AND I STARTED CRYING... AGAIN...AT WORK!

Well, I guess that goes to show that the end of Harry Potter was the actual end of my childhood. Not graduating college, getting a full time job, or paying for my own rent. Harry Potter.

So, thank you J.K. Rowling, for providing me with the real milestone in my life. Forget the 16 years of school and growing up with my real family and friends to give me inner perspective to my life -- wizards and the death of Voldemort was all it took.

I Love the 90s: Nickelodeon Television Nostalgia

at 1:35 PM Posted by Unknown

I don't wanna grow up!
Well, now you don't have to...

Generation Y-ers rejoice! Nickelodeon is bringing back 4-hour blocks of the 90s hit shows that we all grew up with and learned to love. The nostalgic hits those of us that watched Nickelodeon all day on Saturdays to catch the new (and repeat) airings of the debatabley bizarre shows are finally back!

Considering Nickelodeon has arguably not produced anything of quality aside from iCarly and Spongebob Squarepants since these "classic" shows IMO, undoubtedly anyone ranging from 18 to 30 years old will embrace this addition and Nickelodeon will re-capture this audience.

How you may ask? Well, according to a New York Times correspondant, this craving for nostalgia that is present in many-a-Facebook group dedicated to dig up these shows is what ultimately convinced Nickelodeon to bring them back (like Justin Timberlake and sexy). The same groups of millions of people (similar to the ones who voted to put Betty White on SNL) are quite a driving force. If this plan works out, these shows could be a permanent fixture, and I would be permanently ecstatic.

The catch? It's only on from midnight to 4 am. Although they shouldn't expect more than the nostalgic insomniac to watch, surely plenty of people will set their TiVos and tune in for a chance to catch their favorite cast member on All That or their most memorable Pete and Pete episode (Case in point: I still can't figure out the name of the song from Pete and Pete that I used to scream out my dad's car's window... incentive enough for me!).

This is also great because now "grown-ups" (if you can even call us that) are now allowed to watch cartoons because we are the only demographic that will be able to relate to bizarre shows like Aah! Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, Ren and Stimpy (I still can't believe my dad let me watch that...), Rocket Power, Hey! Arnold, Doug, etc. These cartoons are basically South Park and Family Guy before their time, except without needing the blatantly grotesque and sexual sense of humor to capture an audience (not that I'm complaining).