PopDart

Blame it on Hairspray

2007-09-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you have seen the lewd (well, bare) images of High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens over the weekend. Needless to say, these pictures got me talking, and my mom (of all people) turned out to be the perfect sounding board. We discussed what sort of role model Vanessa has become, and the madre spouted out this gem:

"I think the parents of tweens (our decision-makers here?) know that all nowadays is not as it was in Cinderella's Castle and are OK with that."

Are you confused? I am.

My beef lies with the fact that Vanessa is contractually bound (at some points during the year) to the most buttoned-up conglomerate on the block, Disney. Sure, Disney has more than a few skeletons in its closet, but all wealthiest and most successful families do too, don't they? Regardless, I was surprised Disney didn't drop her altogether and permitted her to get off with a "lesson learned." Loved the statement they released... "Obviously Vanessa had a lapse in judgement..." You can just hear the words sneering.

Who takes naked pictures of themselves anyway? Creepy much, as there's some third party awkwardly standing behind the camera capturing your buff bod. Was it her mom? Younger sister? Thoughts?

So my previous theory as to why these pictures even existed was that they were intended for young Zac E. Away on the Hairspray press tour, Zac was clearly in need of some female anatomy and Vanessa rushed to his aid with a "pictorial" (hence the posting's title).

But, the most embarrassing part of this entire scandal is that the pictures weren't meant for Zac, but were instead (apparently) intended for the Nickelodeon nobody, Drake Bell. Who claims to have never even seen the images! Now that is just too shameful to bear. The irony! Poor thing...

Does this mean Zac Efron is single?

Flight of the Conchords

2007-08-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

I thought about adding it to the "favorite shows" posting, but it's so good it deserves its own entry entirely. Sometimes, it's so funny I don't even get it. It goes beyond the limits of my comprehension. I laugh, of course, but there are times that the humor is so oddball and bizarre that my puny brain just can't comprehend the hilariousness.

Flight of the Conchords profiles a New Zealand folk band trying to make it big in New York City. Band Manager Murray (and New Zealand consulate employee) is so intent on success that he can only fail (humorously, of course). The show delicately peppers songs and music videos throughout, so I'm never bored.

What's your favorite Flight of the Conchords song? I have two: Albi the Racist Dragon and Business Time. To be honest, Business Time has taken my relationship to a new level - Jamie looks at my team-building exercise t-shirt in a whole new way.

New Favorite Shows...

2007-08-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

I know you've been dying to know what my shows of the moment are, so here goes:

1. Mad Men

Which is "Madison Men" abbreviated. The AMC show follows New York City advertising executives (all male) in 1960, delving into their relationships with the women in their lives: wives, secretaries and the consumer base. Funny that it takes the men so long to realize that women hold the purchasing power. The cinematography is breathtaking and the costumes... c'est fabulous.

2. My Boys

The story of a Chi-town girl and her "boyz." Sorry, couldn't resist. The TBS show is endearing as it is all too close to reality - I had a group of guys friends that were just as crass and lovable as the gang she's got goin' on. And, Jim Gaffigan is a god and can do no wrong in my eyes.

3. Weeds

'Nuff said. I just got into Season One (don't give anything away), and I am entranced by the subject matter. Coming from a very conservative suburb (cough, Houston), I can only imagine what a mom on a mission to save her family would be driven to do. Dealing makes perfect sense!

4. Greek

Guilty pleasure. Hear me out: I really miss college and this is the closest I can get... sans hangover. The sorority girls are sexy (I miss my Pi Phi days) and the dudes are clueless, like always. Drama ensues. This show is so up-my-alley, as I adore entertainment marketed to 15-year-old girls. So what if it's on ABC Family?

And which shows am I craving to see this fall? The Office (obviously), Project Runway and Bionic Woman. An update of the '70s classic, Bionic Woman looks bad-ass and engrossing. Oh, and I also have Season One of Heroes in my Netflix queue. My TV time is precious - I'm very much looking forward to becoming more and more antisocial by the minute!

Pardon the expression, but "stay tuned" for more pop posts!

The Obligatory Paris Post

2007-06-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

I suppose we all saw this coming - If Paris goes in to jail, she must at some point in time come out. The hype surrounding her departure was truly spectacular - The CNN segment I viewed via YouTube was an aerial view of the heiress, which means a helicopter was floating above her!?! Sometimes you have to wonder, what does the public expect? Was she going to emerge an entirely different person? Sure, she tells Larry King she has a new lease on life, but shame on us, we should know better.

I don't think anyone can yet determine whether Paris' jail time will help or hurt her career, but US Weekly has the right idea. News is saturated with the Hiltons, and as a result, the magazine has decided to "just say no." No one should be subject to "Paris fatigue." After all, isn't this the girl we all love to hate?

First One... Ever

2007-04-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hi World Wide Web!

I'd like to introduce myself to (all of) you - I'm a 23-year-old resident of San Francisco, CA by way of Princeton, NJ by way of Houston, TX. As a recent college graduate, I'm new to this "9 to 5" (more like 8:30 to 6:30) job thing, so expect a number of my posts to relate to my recent foray into adulthood. Who knew that filing taxes could be so cumbersome?

Currently, I am employed by a Silicon Valley PR firm where I work for a technology client. Inundated with hi-tech since my move to California, I've become extremely interested in the industry's major players and their strategic moves to the top. I'm fascinated with the way that technology has so quickly pervaded our professional and personal lives. (I know, and I'm just now blogging... go figure).

Other passions include popular culture and self-expression in all their manifestations - film, literature, visual design, television music, dance, theatre... I could go on. PopDart will address these topics most frequently, and with the greatest degree of detail. I hope (one day) to (maybe) enter academia (hopefully) as a cultural anthropologist.

That's all from me at the moment - Look forward to some America's Next Top Model/The Bachelor/Vivienne Westwood/Jane Austen/YouTube posts to come!