#for my mom who is also a hot girl from 90210

[tabloidtoc]

OK, June 1

Cover: Jennifer Aniston Finally Talks -- her fresh start at 51 

Page 1: Big Pic -- Shia LaBeouf took a spin around his Pasadena neighborhood with his adorable pooch in tow 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 3: Contents 

Page 4: Royal Shake-Up -- a shocking report leads to whispers that Queen Elizabeth may soon be stepping away from her duties for good -- thankfully the Queen has Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton to lean on and they call her every day and are always offering to step in and take any stressful duties off her hands and the queen doesn’t know what she’d do without them 

Page 6: From the outside Reese Witherspoon seems to have a picture-perfect life but the multifaceted star admits her days are a balancing act and anything but easy 

Page 7: It seems as if Kristin Cavallari has been on a smear campaign against estranged husband Jay Cutler as their messy divorce plays out -- she’s consumed by rage and resentment toward him mainly out of fear that he’ll come across as looking like the good guy while she’s painted as power- and money-hungry, after years of estrangement the coronavirus pandemic has pushed Bella Cruise to reach out to mom Nicole Kidman -- Nicole knows Bella will never leave Scientology and she’d never ask her to and they’ve been making up for lost time and speak most days and Bella’s agreed to travel to Tennessee and stay at Nicole’s sprawling country estate once it’s safe to travel, Scott Disick is turning to Kris Jenner as he figures out his next move after he fled rehab after the news leaked -- Scott feels more vulnerable than ever and he’s at a crucial stage in his life and he respects Kris enormously not only as a business partner but as a makeshift therapist and mother figure 

Page 8: Jamie Lynn Spears is begging older sis Britney Spears to move back to Louisiana and Jamie Lynn would love for her daughters to spend more time with their aunt and wants them together as one big happy family in Kentwood where it all began, Chris Pratt and pregnant Katherine Schwarzenegger are feeling a bit overwhelmed by her parents as they await their baby’s arrival -- Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger are excited at their first grandchild but they’ve become very pushy -- Maria’s insisting on planning a huge baby shower and decorating the nursery and Arnold is trying to install a new sound system so they can play lullabies in every corner of the house and it’s enough to make Chris and Katherine wince, Tom Cruise is making it his mission to reclaim his title as the King of Hollywood -- he’s bided his time for years now because he wanted to take the pressure of himself until he found just the right moment to go for it and now he’s ready to catapult himself onto the scene with Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 and the sequel to Top Gun and he’s working with NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX to shoot the first ever movie in outer space 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- peach gowns -- Zoe Kravitz, Karolina Kurkova, Adrienne Houghton 

Page 11: Betty Gilpin, Lizzy Caplan, Joey King 

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Becca Tilley vs. Brooke Burke (it’s a tie), Cheryl Burke vs. Jennifer Lahmers

Page 14: News in Photos -- Hailey Bieber in the sauna 

Page 15: Michael C. Hall in glitter face paint, Kate Upton works out with daughter Genevieve, Olivia Munn with two pups, Christie Brinkley in the fickle weather in the Hamptons 

Page 16: Hilary Duff on Mother’s Day, Anna Kendrick all dressed up for a virtual press conference, Kevin Hart and wife Eniko revealed they are having a daughter in a pic with kids Kenzo and Heaven and Hendrix, Naomi Watts on TikTok with Liev Schreiber and their kids Sasha and Kai 

Page 17: Mindy Kaling doing laundry, Cardi B shows off her Mother’s Day gifts from husband Offset 

Page 18: Reese Witherspoon with son Tennessee climbing a tree, Nicole Kidman studying Italian while stuck at home, Gabrielle Union and daughter Kaavia 

Page 19: Jason Momoa encouraged fans to support local small businesses as he picked up dinner from the Old Place in Cornell, Paris Jackson inked a tattoo on her own pinky toe, Suki Waterhouse showed off her perfectly coiffed locks 

Page 20: Tobey Maguire and girlfriend Tatiana Dieteman take a stroll, Ariel Winter was spotted with a cast on her thumb after slicing the tip off in a cooking accident, Emilia Clarke and dog Ted

Page 21: Ryan Phillippe on a run, Katy Perry and her dog Nugget dress up as Dumbo

Page 22: Brody Jenner on a bike ride, Tallulah Willis and mom Demi Moore on Mother’s Day, Julianne Hough as Mary Poppins 

Page 23: Taylor Swift drinking white wine while isolating at home, Ali Larter on a run 

Page 24: Inside My Home -- the Hadid’s flourishing farm -- where Yolanda Hadid is isolating with kids Bella Hadid, pregnant Gigi Hadid and Anwar Hadid in Hope, Pennsylvania 

Page 26: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West marriage in crisis -- after months in quarantine Kim and Kanye are on the verge of a lockdown throwdown because when it comes to their four kids North and Saint and Chicago and Psalm most of the parenting and homeschooling has fallen on Kim’s shoulders while Kanye has been spending a ton of time at his office rather than at home 

Page 27: Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied are planning to renew their vows this winter when December will mark a decade since their engagement, when Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson called it quits after two years of dating it seemed drama-free but now members of their social circle are being dragged into the pair’s personal problems -- now that they’re not together they’re drawing clear boundaries and demanding their friends like Kaia Gerber and Margaret Qualley take sides using the line it’s her or me, Courteney Cox has been quarantining in L.A. while boyfriend Johnny McDaid has been in England and once they’re able to reunite Courteney is adamant that they tie the knot right away because this has been a lesson learned and she’s kicking herself for not marrying Johnny sooner

Page 28: Joshua Jackson and wife Jodie Turner-Smith are walking on air as they settle into their new roles as parents to a baby girl, just eight months into their romance Jonathan Scott believes he’s found the one in Zooey Deschanel but his friends are urging him to pump the brakes because Zooey is twice-divorced and basically walked out of her second marriage and right into Jonathan’s life plus she also has two children so Jonathan would be taking on an awful lot so soon, Love Bites -- Ben Platt and Noah Galvin new couple, America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams welcomed a daughter, Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy split 

Page 29: On Justin and Hailey Bieber’s Facebook Watch show he stated that he and wife Hailey are in the best place they’ve ever been but he’s the first to admit that becoming a husband forced him to take a hard look at himself, Ben Affleck is sparing no expense when it comes to showering girlfriend Ana de Armas with affection

Page 30: Cover Story -- Jennifer Aniston comes clean -- from the state of her dating life to the truth about her famous exes Jen plans to answer everything in a new tell-all interview 

Page 33: How Jennifer Aniston is helping Matthew Perry get through his recent troubles 

Page 34: Baby Bump Brigade -- Ashlee Simpson, Katy Perry 

Page 35: Gigi Hadid, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Lea Michele 

Page 36: How Julia Roberts saved her marriage -- inside her decision to step away from the spotlight and fix her relationship with Danny Moder 

Page 38: Beverly Hills 90210 secrets and scandals 

Page 40: Candace Cameron Bure Family Matters -- the actress gets candid about her kids, her marriage and her decades long career 

Page 46: Style Week -- Bebe Rexha latest collaboration with the popular drugstore nail polish line Sinful Colors 

Page 48: Style -- beaded bags -- Bailee Madison 

Page 50: Espadrilles -- Selena Gomez 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 58: Stars are getting creative with their hair while stuck at home -- Julianne Hough, Pink, Kristen Stewart 

Page 59: Blake Shelton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tallulah Willis, Lauren Burnham and Arie Luyendyk, Armie Hammer, Dua Lipa 

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Miley Cyrus on interviewing Elizabeth Warren, Ashton Kutcher on Mila Kunis, Laura Dern on trying new things, Anna Kendrick on switching up her exercise routine, John Mellencamp texting daughter Teddi Mellencamp while watching her on RHOBH 

Page 61: Hollywood Heat Meter -- Hilary Duff is set to reprise her Younger character in a spinoff, Lily Allen and David Harbour engaged, Alison Roman apologized to Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Brown should have listened to her gut about Jed Wyatt, Vera Wang shows off her killer abs, the bombshells Vanderpump Rules editor Bri Dellinger just unleashed about the reality show 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Gemini Lenny Kravitz 

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Trevor Noah 

[deltaengineering]

Fall Anime 2019 Part 4: also, he has a gun for a head

Beastars

So here’s the CG anime that everyone for some reason decided way in advance would be the best show of the season, more or less by default. I was very skeptical of this for a multitude of reasons. First of all, that is a bad name for a show and you can’t convince me otherwise. It’s actually even worse because you’re supposed to write it in all caps, but I refuse. Second, it has a terribly on the nose conceit in which all sorts of animals live together in a high school setting and it’s all metaphorical ‘n shit. The main character is a wolf but get this, he’s actually all sensitive and quiet! Yeah, this is definitely rated D for Deep. And finally it’s by Orange, the CG studio that got an inordinate amount of acclaim for making Houseki no Kuni, the show that everyone thinks looks great and finally made CG anime worthwhile (actual real fact: HnK does not look great most of the time and CG anime was worthwhile well before it). 

But enough about my preconceptions since Beastars is... pretty good, actually. If you ignore the setting, which is indeed terribly on the nose. And there’s not much else to say about the story so far besides it. However, it looks significantly better than Houseki no Kuni because it actually has really good character animation throughout instead of a one-minute action scene with flashy spinny camera tricks every other episode. The directing’s strong too, even if the show conspicuously mainly consists of obvious manga panels. I’m still not too hot on the animal stuff but the general writing seems to be sufficiently competent it would work simply on a character level. So I don’t love it, but it seems solid enough to see if it goes somewhere with its “Zootopia but also Beverly Hills 90210 but also they eat each other sometimes″ plot.

Rifle is Beautiful

Remember the whole “anime about some assorted anime girls joining a club doing an oddly specific activity” thing? This is another one of those, and now it’s about air rifle sports shooting. Except it’s not about air rifle sports shooting because that’s apparently way too violent, so they use rifles that look like exactly like air rifles but are actually based on lasers or really bright flashlights (they can’t keep their bullshit straight between scenes, sorry) instead. I just don’t think “girls doing activities” anime should blatantly misrepresent their subject matter like that, you know? With the possible exception of idol anime that is, ain’t nobody who wants to hear about that shit. Apart from that it’s nothing special, so if you are really into air rifles and wish to watch an anime that’s not about those, knock yourself out. It goes through a whole “club needs 5 members” arc in the first half of the first episode, so I really can’t say where it goes next. Nowhere much, I would guess.

Oh right, there’s one more thing: They frequently render the bodies in CG and the heads in traditional drawings, and they do it every time when they’d actually have to draw a rifle otherwise. It’s a weird effect that I think I haven’t seen anywhere else before, and it’s not great but also not terrible. And it’s the most interesting thing about the entire show.

Kabukicho Sherlock

“Let’s take a bunch of public domain characters and put them into a hip modern setting” seems to be its own genre at the moment, and not only because the BBC did that with S. Holmes, Esq. already. Obviously this show is influenced by that (besides other public domain namedroppers like Bungou Stray Dogs), mostly in Watson and his relationship with Sherlock, but Sherlock-san is rather different here; he’s neither the classic Victorian bohemian nor the abrasive sociopath of the BBC version, and tends more towards a bumbling 90s pop culture version of autism and/or general wackiness here. These two are surrounded by a bunch of campy transvestites for some reason, and I’m not quite sure whether I’m supposed to find this particular stereotype offensive or empowering this week, but it sure is annoying. And it has the same character designer as Joker Game, so if you like chiseled, angular anime men, you’re in for a treat here - even if they tend to wear a lot of makeup and dresses sometimes. I don’t know man, it seems sort of okay-ish for the most part but it’s neither as funny as they think, nor as weird as they think, nor is the murder of the week intriguing at all. Oh yeah, he’s hunting noted public domain character Jack the Ripper. Because of course he is.

 Shin Chuuka Ichiban!

I am told this is the sequel to episode 19 of a 52-episode anime TV show from 1997. Okay. I am also told to not dare watch this without the important setup therein, which makes me think I should pay less attention to what I’m told because understanding Shin Chuuka Ichiban and its backstory is not hard at all. Kid is superawesome cooking champion in ancient China and goes around clowning on lesser cooks, got it. It’s not a complicated setup and it’s not a complicated genre either: This seems to be mostly about sick shounen cooking duels. Besides the setting, the main difference between this and Shokugeki no Soma seems to be that SnS goes for ridiculous and Chuuka Ichiban goes for epic - which is to say that it fancies itself emotional as well. Apart from that it’s what you’d expect from a cooking shounen, big moves, big reactions, huge twists and so on. One notable thing is that this show looks really, really nice. Production I.G seems to be establishing a sideline in taking stuff from the 90s and updating it with smoother animation and shinier lighting, while keeping the overall look intact; They did it for Mahoujin Guru Guru, and this looks much the same. Still, I’m just fundamentally not really interested in what appears to be a very straightforward cooking shounen from the 90s.

Assassins Pride

Straight from the Department of Chuuni, we have this light novel masterpiece about a cool as fuck teenage assassin who teleports behind u and nothin personells fools all day. He then meets a princess he’s supposed to off but just kinda decides not to, probably because she seems to be smitten by his m’lady act. Now he has to use his sick skillz to keep them both alive. It’s awful and terrible and no good and also kind of adorable. This truly is the most 13 AND A HALF MOM years old anime in a while, and it’s not even isekai! The writing’s just so amateurish and corny you can’t help but smile when princesses exposit their backstory for no reason while being accosted by pumpkin monsters (without knowing that Awessassin McCooldude happens to be listening in, which is certainly convenient). Or when the episode ends with the man just reading the synopsis of the show out again, in case you were too fascinated by this plot to pay attention to what it’s about. Yeah I’m not going to watch this in a thousand years, but it sure made me chuckle. Your mileage may vary.

Mugen no Juunin - Immortal

Speaking of 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔢𝔡𝔤𝔢, another anime adaptation of Blade of the Immortal appeared! You know, the manga for the cultured and historically minded guro fan. The first episode of Blade of the Immortal runs with this and is an arthouse production that someone most definitely directed the shit out of. I don’t think I’ve seen this much directing since, well, Sarazanmai, but “Ikuhara amounts of directing” is pretty much the idea here. And most of the time it even works! The quickly edited, disorienting style gives episode 1 a feeling closer to horror than to a cool swordmen action show, and that really brings out the best in the material, which is grotesque splatter bordering on the comical - It’s somehow a better Junji Ito anime than the actual Junji Ito anime. I think it tries too hard in a few places, but at least it does try.

But then I watched the second episode and that one’s a fairly conventional splatter-comedy swordin’ anime. I am not at all pleased with this development. The third episode was better again and seemed to split the difference between 1 and 2, even if it mostly uses the tricky editing to save on effort in the action –  I would much prefer actually readable fights and the wacky mannerisms in the more psychological stuff, thank you very much. Based on episode 1 I thought we might have something special here, but as of episode 3 I’d already merely call it pretty decent. I guess I’ll still stick with it but man, that’s a real bummer.

No Guns Life

No Guns Life is a neo-noir thriller about a guy who has a gun for a head. That’s fuckin rad and exactly the kind of silliness I am totally down for. He also has a gun for a hand, and there’s also some battle nun’s who carry revolvers with two cylinders, so in short I think the title is false advertising. This sounds very wacky (and it is), but it also takes its noir very seriously, down to details more wannabe neo-noirs tend to neglect (like being set right after a big war). The look and feel is pretty excellent, with sharp design and high-contrast artwork, and the music goes all in on the moody saxophone as you’d expect. And there’s some really adorable “look mom, I’m writing” stuff about how Man With Gun For A Head really “needs someone to pull his trigger” and so on (which is, as the astute reader might remember, at the back of his head). It feels like a throwback but then I can’t really think of many 80s/90s shows like this, so it’s actually more like the sort of faux-retro idea Trigger/Imaishi would come up with on a lark. Trigger/Imaishi would, of course, make a far worse anime out of it, so it’s all good. Well, it has some pacing problems and as always it’s a fine line between amusingly camp and not so amusingly camp anymore, but No Guns Life seems to have enough real qualities that it can probably stand on its own even when its conceptual gimmick eventually doesn’t suffice anymore. I give it a two gun’s up.

Hoshiai no Sora / Stars Align

And finally, here’s an anime about middle schooler softboys playing a tennis just as soft as themselves, while being henpecked by the elites on the girl’s team. This is not an “actual” sports anime though: for starters, it’s not based on some shounen manga and is an anime original with quite some staff pedigree instead. It’s also more of a character drama that already goes to some surprisingly real places by the end of episode 1, reminiscent of the recent and quite good Run with the Wind. Furthermore, it looks delicious, with minimalist but distinctive and varied character designs and animation that’s both extremely detailed for a TV anime and also not trying to shove that fact into your face with flashy stunt cuts. In short, this show seems very simple at first glance but every aspect of it just oozes quality. If nothing else, it’s already worth watching just for the excellent ending sequence where the characters show off their “best” dance moves and the chunky student council president dunks on everyone. This one caught me by surprise and it’s an easy pick for most promising show of the season.

[lightsandlostbells]

Druck episode 1 reaction

I’m really enjoying Druck so far! My ideal remake would be to start with a new script and story, for sure, but this one seems very in line with Skam’s principles and style. I found myself looking forward to upcoming clips.

Clip 1 - Jonas gets on a soapbox

I really love that they revamped Jonas’ opening monologue to something that is apparently relevant to German teenagers and potentially lays out some of the themes covered in the show, and that it kept the rough, raw look of the visuals.

THEY LOOK. AGE APPROPRIATE. Thank Godddd

One of the things with Skam France and Skam Italia is that a lot of people reacted by saying, “wow, they’re all so beautiful” and internally I was like nnnnnnnoooOOOOO that’s not the point but I didn’t want to be a dick about that. 

Lol at the same song playing when Leonie walks across the yard being the same song in the Skam Italia trailer. According to Wikipedia, “Bad Girls” has also been used in Skins, Gossip Girl, and 90210. It is to teen drama shows what “Hallelujah” is to sad crying scenes.

Well I immediately bought this Isak (Matteo?) having a crush on Jonas, just saying.

As far as cutting to Matteo similar to how Skam France showed Lucas … I preferred this because it’s not giving away Matteo’s feelings. Lucas definitely had a vibe that ~Something More was up that the audience should suspect. This wouldn’t have pinged me, as a new viewer, that Matteo has a secret that Hanna doesn’t know. Like I could have bought he was just bored of watching his friends make out.

Clip 2 - Hanna and Jonas in the bedroom

So Hanna and Jonas have great chemistry so far! They definitely have that easy, established couple feeling and seem comfy with the physical affection.

Youth by Daughter is such a Skam song that I’m sort of shocked it hasn’t been used already.

I was hoping for another glimpse of Matteo but I will accept his love of memes.

Is the Hero Party Druck’s version of Russ? Sounds like. Is it a party where people dress up as superheroes?

Clip 3 - Amira’s introduction

Um, YES. Good job, Druck.

This scene was a brand new spin on an existing clip! This is really what I want to see - taking the old material and making it fresh and distinguishable.

So the theater kids were changed into a refugee welcome group, and of course they assumed Amira was a refugee. I liked that they established this specific commentary.

The girl from the club gives Amira a little smile after she explains the purpose of the group as if to be like “we help people like YOU” and Amira’s just like yep … not this shit again.

Amira! Loved her immediately. She and Hanna probably just did their homework in companionable silence after this encounter, but it’s already pretty cool that the Sana character is the first one of the girl squad established (other than Eva/Hanna).

There’s a sign for a party in the background, is that the Hero Party?

Also, I like Hanna making a self-deprecating joke about herself being the one who needs tutoring. 

But honestly, how lovely that Amira got to share this moment with Hanna and even make a joke about white Germans. Because you know plenty of white people Would Not Get It.

Aside from his cultural obtuseness, I’m kind of fond of that dude and his giant hair.

Clip 4 - Matteo gets a ticket to the love nest

Well this remake just came out and said what I thought was always implied, that the reason Jonas doesn’t want Matteo to be alone is because of his family. I don’t mind this dialogue being forward since “weird family” could pertain to a lot of things, not necessarily serious (I don’t know what the exact words imply in German). Like, his family could be really into hunting for cryptids. It’s vague enough not to take it too seriously.

Listen, while I love Hanna and Jonas so far and think they have terrific chemistry, I could totally ship Jonas and Matteo. Jonas just seems really fucking excited about Matteo coming with them.

Where the fuck did Matteo come from???? It was like he teleported. We saw right over Hanna’s shoulder before he appeared and no one was there.

Though I see he took a pic of them while they were chatting that he posted to IG, lmao.

I kinda like this casual loungey, come up and sling an arm over your shoulder Matteo. He definitely seems the most chill of the Isaks so far.

ALSO they did the whole thing of Matteo watching them leave, HOWEVER this is why it works for me here more than in Skam France: they don’t show his face. They don’t make it seem like he has a secret. I definitely think you can infer that, but I also think you can infer something more simple, such as how it’s symbolic of how he’s the third wheel in this relationship. I think OG Skam did that best by having Isak trail after them, but this wasn’t too OTT. 

So it looks like we’ll be getting the full cabin episode, not just a weekend?

Clip 5 - Party

The title card being for Monday is a pretty big mistake, though I saw that the official account responded to it and apologized.

Hanna singing as she’s getting dressed is a really nice touch. We all have our getting-ready-to-go-out anthems.

Mia is already feels more like Manon than Noora, in that she’s a got more of a softer, sweeter initial vibe. I did like that they showed her watching Hanna get dragged by Leonie and deciding to cheer her up. And that they had her clarify that she had to leave (for some unspecified reason) because it was always kinda funny that Noora made a dramatic first impression and then disappeared into the night, leaving Eva wondering “who is that mysterious yet sexy stranger...”

Vilde (Kiki?) giving an actual description of Sam makes sense, like damn, there could be a dozen Sams in that club. And having the mix-up still happen is a bonus.

But most importantly, obviously, is that Kiki thinks girl Sam is extremely hot. Look, one of these remakes has to deliver on gay Vilde. Don’t keep dangling the carrot and then taking it away. plz.

I LOVE Amira and this seems like a major change in characterization from Sana? Not that Sana was allergic to fun, but I have a hard time seeing her show up at parties without her squad. Amira is actually present at parties and dancing - alone, it looks like - which is something I wondered about Imane in Skam France. What made Imane want to get in on Daphne’s party? If they go with another “the girls are planning to throw a party” plotline as a way to do russ, then it’s a decent setup for Amira to actually be seen partying. But I really hope that they take this shift in characterization to greater depths and don’t just kind of adapt Sana’s dialogue and personality around Amira. I really want to see a distinct character develop, and this is a good start.

I instantly want to see more of girl Sam and I kinda love that she’s the character with the distinctive lipstick on this show.

Kiki being like “you both have the same name, you’re both black, we get it, super funny” and asking them to leave - damn, congrats on making the worst first impression of the Vildes? Even if I get that she’s upset at the moment.

Penetrator (?) Sam seems a bit dorkier and less like a douchebro. But maybe I just feel that way because he’s posing with his cat on Instagram.

Liked that they put in Hanna sitting in front of the mirror taking off the makeup, her hair messier, as a contrast to the fun sexy getting ready scene. Just some quiet reflection of the bummer kind. That’s always how it feels after a party that turned out to not be so fun. At attempt was made to be social … and the attempt had limited success.

Changing Hanna’s parent from a mom to a dad (assuming there’s only one parent around) is a small yet potentially interesting change. Especially because conventionally, relationships between daughters and mothers are considered to be tighter than relationships between daughters and fathers, though this is by no means universal. I’m quite excited to meet Hanna’s dad and see how the parent-child dynamic plays this time around.

General comments:

From what I can tell, some of the Druck actors are in their teens and some are in the 20-22 age range. Because overall these do seem to be younger, inexperienced actors, I’m more inclined to be lenient on their performances than the other remakes. I think this is fair - Skam France and Skam Italia cast older actors to play teenagers, and in the case of Skam France many of them had already been in movies and TV shows (not sure if it’s the same for Skam Italia), so I do have higher standards for their acting. If they are going to sacrifice authenticity, then it better be for the sake of talent, otherwise what’s the point?

I mentioned this in a Skam France post too but I find it distracting that the clips end with a title card, even though they might not be able to do anything about it. It’s just a little reminder that you are watching a TV show and it takes away from the immersive experience.

One thing I noticed on Instagram is that a lot of the characters seem to have pictures of them when they were babies/little kids. That’s pretty typical for people to post on social media, it was just common enough that it caught my eye. (Hanna/boy Sam/girl Sam/Kiki, if you want to look. Cuuute).

I saw some people thought Matteo was too obvious in his feelings for Jonas, but while I thought the chemistry was there, I personally didn’t feel that it was too distracting.

On that note, I’ve been thinking about whether it’s OK to show characters other than Hanna’s (Eva’s/Emma’s) POV and I think what generally works for me is:

a) does this shot reveal something that our main girl couldn’t pick up on from the rest of the context of the scene 

b) does this shot reveal something that the audience shouldn’t yet know 

c) is this shot taking over our main girl’s big emotional moment. 

If so, not a good idea. Basically I think what works for me is brevity and ambiguity.

The reception to Druck seems to be very positive so far, going off the tag’s content. I think the enthusiasm is support for the idea that many Skam fans aren’t 100% opposed to the remakes as long as they feel like the show captures the spirit of the original series.

However, it would have been interesting to see what the reception would have been if Druck premiered first - is it that Skam France was more polished than some people preferred, and Skam Italia had some aspects from the casting and the trailer that turned people off, that Druck seemed like a strong alternative? Or if Druck premiered first, would we be more cynical about it? (I think this could have been true to a degree, but there are also some changes, like Amira’s introduction, that might have intrigued the fandom.)

I am feeling good about this show but I’m also trying to keep my expectations in check, lmao. If I expect it to completely revamp the Skam S1 storyline I’ll probably be disappointed; however, what I hope for it is at least some minor changes in characterization that create distinct, consistent personalities and that they write the script forward from these changes rather than contorting the story to fit them, if that makes sense.

I think calling it Druck is in itself a good sign, in that it seems more indicative of wanting to create a clear identity outside of a Skam remake and appeal to German teenagers. “Skam” is not a word that means anything to French/Italian viewers unless they know the original show.

[dangermousie]

Shows I am watching

AMERICAN

The Alienist - watched the first ep. Surprisingly good and I am a sucker for end-of-19th century setting. Whoever cast Teddy Roosevelt and wrote his scenes should never work again, however.

The Flash - OK, I watch this one because Mr. Mousie likes it. Frankly, I sort of tune it out and it’s a pleasant background decoration for me. I like all the characters but couldn’t tell you the latest plot for the life of me.

CHINESE

Unforgettable Lovers - period spies, double identities and love. Oh, so awesome. Or not, since even though it’s airing, VIKI WON’T HAVE THE VIDEOS UP FOR A MONTH WHAT THE FREAKING HELL!!!! It’s the only cdrama I’ve been looking forward to. 

KOREAN

The Black Knight - loved the first ep, restarting. Still have no freaking clue what the premise is. 

Deserving of the Name/Live Up to Your Name - OK, this one is from last year, but I am sort of in a kdrama slump, so I started it. Love Kim Nam Gil, love Kim Ah Joong (finally, an age appropriate leading lady - she’s 35 to his 36), a period time travel stuff, love everything. Biiiinge!!!!!

Hwayungi - finished first ep. Everybody loves it but I don’t. I don’t dislike it, either. It’s just a bit too outre and out there for me. I am not big on crazy supernatural comedy stuff. But I will give it a few more eps.

I Am Not a Robot - just started this and where has this been all my life? Messed up boy falls for a robot girl who is not a robot and Yoo Seung Ho and just I love this so so much. Expect lots of posts shortly.

TURKISH

Bizim Hikaye (Our Story) - I am sort of semi-watching it. The premise of a ramshackle lower-class family is charming and the show is funny, but I am not particularly invested and the fact that so far (I am three eps in), the show treats the male lead’s truly wack behavior as charming instead of “call the cops” is a little bizarre. 

Cesur ve Guzel (the Brave and the Beauty) - I feel like I have been watching it for a decade haha. I am on ep 28 out of 32 so I am gonna finish it soon, obviously. I am just watching it verrrrrrrrry slowly. I like it. or more specifically, I love the OTP but I have long ago lost any sense of coherency of the plot. 

Gunesin Kizlari (Gunes’ Daughters) - what do you get if you put Veronica Mars and 90210 in a blender, then set it in Turkey? This show. (I am sure there are some newer shows that would make a better comparison but I am uncool that way.) I am binging at an insane rate on adventures of two sisters (they have a younger one also but nothing exciting happens to her) and the delightful headcases they fall for (can you say “stepsibling love?” Or “he’s hot, has a motorcycle and is suicidial?” I knew you could!) and the crazy murderous/insane family their mom married into. It’s OK, they are a dedicated headcase/human bulldozer themselves so they can take anything on while keeping their hair awesome. 

Kurt Seyit ve Sura (Kurt Seyit and Shura) - Russia on the eve of the revolution. Turkish officer in love with Russian aristocrat. Best of all - it’s on netflix so I can watch while I commute. I watched a lot of it ages ago, but now am rewatching for the aforementioned commute reasons. It’s basically a romance novel in a show form, and who am I to complain about it?

Siyah Beyaz Ask (Black and White Love) - if you followed this tumblr for more than ten minutes, you know how insanely obsessed with this one I am. It’s the OTP to end all OTPs! Mob hitman x surgeon he marries because that way he doesn’t have to kill her after she saw mob stuff. I want to wrap SBA around myself like a cloak and then roll around in it. 

[thedesperatehousehusband]

You Named Your Baby What Now?

Naming a child is stressful. Parents tend to have differing opinions. Prefer different names. Have family traditions. Like a “junior” or the “second”. Middle names as first names. Middle names as the mom’s maiden name. Three first names like Zachary Ty Bryan or Jonathon Taylor Thomas.

I have already ranted about dubious spelling. The misuse of the letter “Y” is troubling and I view it as the precipice of the fall of modern society.

No, today is about old names. Because there are some old timey names that are popular and hip and cool. But others that have not really come back to the limelight. They don’t really roll off the tongue. I’m not consulting any sources for the names I will judge and discuss. So if I miss something that you like or named your baby, fuck off. If I dislike something you like, I don’t care. You have bad taste. If I dislike what you named your baby, make better choices.

1.      Owen – I simply and 100% approve. I love kids named Owen. Every little boy named Owen needs hipster clothes, cool little boy glasses and should be artsy.

2.      Oliver – Ditto the above but Oliver can also play soccer.

3.      Vivian – I approve. But only of this spelling. Unless you are French or from Quebec, spelling it Vivienne is pretentious and douchey.

4.      August (nicknamed Augie) – It is a very specific child who can pull this name off. Parents, watch out. You probably need to live in Portland, OR for this to work. No kid named Augie is going to make it in Wyoming.

5.      Violet – Any trend that can be attributed to Jennifer Garner is a trend I can wholeheartedly support. I love Violet Affleck.

6.      Clarence – This old man name isn’t coming back into fashion any time soon.

7.      Ethel – Another old lady name I can’t see making a comeback.

8.      Elsie – I feel like I heard about a baby named Elsie recently. I’ve got mixed emotions. I had a great aunt named Elsie. I believe she was 100 when she was born. This is a child that is likely doomed to have rheumatism and wear crocheted shawls. Proceed with caution. But I fully condone this as a name for a dog.

9.      Lucy – Very cute.

10.   Lucille – Less cute.

11.   Maude – I don’t know if anyone is naming their baby Maude but I support it. I applaud homages to Bea Arthur.

12.   To that end….Beatrice – I’m torn. I think it could work. But, like Augie, any little girl named Bea is going to need to possess a lot of confidence. However, Beatrix is off the table. Not an option.

13.   Bernard – Very few have the chutzpah to pull this off. Unless you are born a Jewish grandpa and go by Bernie.

14.   Same with Morty or Saul.

15.   Chester – Nope. There’s far too much poetry and limerick shit that will haunt this child for his entire life. Nothing good can come of this.

16.   Homer – I think I can build a campaign for this one.

17.   Max – I love it. But just Max. Maxwell is a bridge too far and embodies someone who wears ascots and owns yachts. Nobody likes that guy.

18.   Percy – Make it happen.

19.   Bruce – Not an amazing name. Though I do love “Bruce Wayne” and “Bruce Banner” but RIP “Bruce Jenner”.

20.   Florence – I’m leaning towards no. But I had a great aunt Florence who made the shit out of some homemade caramels that she wrapped in waxed paper. Personal connections to these names matter. But it may be tainted by Flo from the Progressive spots.

21.   Bertha – Like Chester for boys, this name is wrought with issues. Big Bertha is a golf club for shit’s sake. You can’t name your baby after a golf club.

22.   Mabel – Sort in the vein of Elsie, it could work or it could be a miserable failure. This child probably needs to be a free spirit and belong to a grocery co-op.

23.   Clara – No offense because I believe this name is in use in the real world of today but this is a name for a cow.

24.   Bernice – It’s not working for me.

25.   Wayne – I have very strong feelings about the name Wayne and they are not good feelings. They typically get me riled up. Don’t name your baby Wayne.

26.   Walter – I’m almost OK with a kid named Wally. But Walter is just very, very old doddering man-ish.

27.   Stanley – It’s just not good.

28.   Ralph – There is nothing redeeming about anyone name Ralph. Don’t trust anyone named Ralph. Ralph will TP your house and poop in your yard.

29.   Melvin – No. Just no. It will never make a comeback.

30.   Doris – Totally appropriate for a 65-year old woman who enjoys the forgiving fashion available at Chico’s. Not an infant.

31.   Marcia/Marsha – See above.

32.   Frances – I can convince myself this could be cute. Frannie or Fran are fun.

33.   Rhonda – I mean this to be directly judgmental. Nothing implied whatsoever. Rhonda is at the top of my list of trashiest names of all time.

34.   Rita – I think a kid could pull this off. I really do.

35.   Ruth – I think this one is on the cusp of being trendy.

36.   Wanda – I have known very few people named Wanda but the one I remember most is a woman from CK in Chicago. Rightfully so, she was referred to as Wicked Wanda behind her back. Terrible name.

37.   Shirley – Don’t you dare call me Shirley. Leslie Nielsen said it in Airplane. Heed the warning.

38.   Donna – Despite Tori Spelling playing the character of “Donna” on the original Beverly Hills 90210, I have never met a Donna who isn’t currently pushing 70. No one in 2018 looks into a stroller (or what is now apparently referred to as a “travel system”) and says in baby talk: “How is sweet little Donna today?”

39.   And finally the piece de resistence…..Let’s talk about Linda. One of the most popular names in the 1950s. Making every person named Linda 65+. I’ve been hot on this topic since last season on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt­ when Titus dated a guy who had adopted a baby and named her Linda. Titus was baffled and said how he could not look into a crib and say Baby Linda. I agree. It’s a great name for a mom who had her kids in the late 70s or early 80s. Had a sensible haircut, drove a Dodge Caravan and made a fair amount of casseroles. But in 2018 I cannot imagine naming an infant Linda. So of course I am tormenting my work BFF and favorite co-worker (Marisa). She is currently preggers and having a girl. She and her husband are not sharing the baby name until she’s born so I have taken to calling the little one Baby Linda. I put it in emails. I say it out loud. It’s potentially annoying but I find it hilarious. Because you can’t name a baby Linda.

These are my thoughts. Take them. Leave them. If just one person reconsiders naming their baby Bertha then my work here is done.

[kidsviral-blog]

These Are The 10 Greatest Celebrity Moms - Hollywood Needs More Of These Classy Ladies!

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These Are The 10 Greatest Celebrity Moms - Hollywood Needs More Of These Classy Ladies!

People magazine has its world-famous “Most Beautiful People” list and Maxim has its “Hot 100.”

It seems everyone has a list…

So, to celebrate Mother’s Day we decided to put together a list of our very own. This list is who we consider to be the best celebrity moms around. These moms rise above the rest of the celebs!

1. Beyoncé

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While many may think that Blue Ivy is a debatable name, one thing that isn’t debatable is that Queen B has earned her title. She owns the stage, the dance floor, and she is one fierce mama. Beyoncé is well known for putting Blue’s privacy ahead of everything else. She credits her mother Tina Knowles with making her the woman and the mom that she’s become. “My biggest hero is and always will be my mother. She has taught me about caring for others, working hard and working smart.”

2. Jessica Alba

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Jessica Alba has two adorable daughters and something most Hollywood stars dream of: a spotless reputation. Alba knows that her work affects her family, which is why she firmly believes that family comes first. She’s known to enforce a “please and thank you” rule, and vegetables are a regular part of the family diet. Since becoming a mom, Alba has started not only a family and eco-friendly brand, The Honest Company, which provides natural diapers, body care and non-toxic cleaning products, but she has also founded the Baby2Baby charity organization.

3. Alyson Hannigan

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It’s easy to see that Alyson Hannigan loves nothing more than being a mom. The actress glows with the joy of parenting. Whether on the set of “How I Met Your Mother,” or out with husband Alexis Denisof, she’s clearly a doting and patient mom. In interviews, she’s often said that “motherhood is just the greatest thing ever!” and that “there are so many cherished moments in every day.”

4. Sarah Michelle Gellar

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Maybe there was something in the water on set of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” since Hannigan’s co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar also glows with the joy of parenting. The proud mother has two children with husband Freddie Prinze, Jr. Gellar credits her healthy lifestyle to firstborn, Charlotte. “We’ve already taught her to love healthy food…we go to the farmer’s market and put everything in the juicer. Now we’ve all been drinking it, and we’ve all been healthier.”

5. Michelle Obama

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There’s nothing quite like the chaos of simultaneously being the first lady of the United States as well as a mother of two teenage girls. Michelle is well known for healthy living initiatives, an iconic style, and a down-to-earth relationship with the President. However, she always puts her responsibilities as a parent first by making sure her daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha, 17, work hard and stay humble. The Obamas have even decided to not return to their native Chicago when the President finishes his 2nd term. Rather, they are opting to stay in the capital so that Sasha can finish up at her school.

6. Jennifer Garner

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It’s nearly impossible to find a photo of Jennifer Garner without at least one of her three kids being in it. Based on her family priorities and absence from the tabloids, she definitely earns a spot on our list.

7. Angelina Jolie

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There’s no denying that Angelina Jolie’s life is often controversial. But at the same time, you can’t deny her generosity and dedication to parenting. She and husband Brad Pitt have six children — three of whom they adopted. The couple are also known for their great generosity, having donated many millions to causes such as UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, Women in the World, UNHCR and the ONE campaign. When asked what her secret was to keeping the family so close, she said: “We have dinner together every night. No video games at the table, and mom and dad have to turn their phones off.”

8. Michelle Williams

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Michelle Williams has been a devoted mom ever since the birth of her daughter Matilda, but it was after the very public loss of late ex, Heath Ledger, that she really proved to be the best mom ever. Williams has managed to keep the life of her children private and productive. She actively avoids Los Angeles because the paparazzi disrupts the life of her children.

9. Jillian Michaels

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Since going public with fiance Heidi Rhoades, Michaels has called the transition to motherhood “magical, meaningful, rewarding…and chaotic.” Michaels and Rhoades adopted their then-two-year-old daughter from Haiti in May 2012, and Rhoades gave birth to a son that same month. Michaels makes the list of great celebrity moms based on her confidence, healthy lifestyle beliefs, and endless ability to find a silver lining when there are struggles.

10. Tori Spelling

A photo posted by Tori Spelling (@torispelling) on Dec 5, 2015 at 9:43pm PST

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Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott are definetely two of Hollywood’s most devoted and doting parents! The former “90210” beauty is constantly sharing adorable photos of her ever growing family on social media.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/best-celebrity-moms/