This Week in Pop Culture
Lots to discuss, let’s jump right in.
RIP Rodney. Rodney King was found dead in his backyard pool early Sunday morning; a presumable drowning, but no cause of death will officially be released until toxicology reports are completed. TMZ is reporting that King’s girlfriend, Cynthia Kelley, witnessed King boozing and smoking marijuana throughout the day and into the night. She was awakened by his screaming around 5am, went outside and found his body lifeless at the bottom of the pool. Paramedics were unable to revive King.
Conflicting stories are surfacing from neighbors. Some report they heard arguing and crying coming from King’s backyard during the hours between 3am and 5am, while others report not hearing a sound. One neighbor, Dee Schnepf, who didn’t hear any commotion the night of King’s death, lamented the loss of her friend and neighbor to the Los Angeles Times: “He was so sweet. He’d mow our lawns once a week and never asked for any money," Schnepf said. “He and my ex-husband were real good friends. They’d trade tools back and forth. It’s unbelievable that he’s gone. I feel like he could just walk over at any minute." King was only 47 years old.
LaBeouf indeed, Shia. Translation time: Shia is Hebrew for “Gift from God” and la boeuf is French for “the beef”, meaning the name Shia LaBeouf is fully translated as: “Thank God for the beef.” Some ladies, somewhere (and maybe some gentlemen) are thanking god this week for Shia LeBeouf’s naked bod (and beef?) in Sigur Rós’s music video for “Fjögur Piano.” I don’t really know how to describe it…an interpretive dance to a winning piano combination of Fergie and Jesus?
Check out the nearly nine minute NSFW music video here:
Lindsanity is back. I’ve been trying to not talk about Lindsay Lohan because her antics are so annoying, but she’s been popping up in the pop culture headlines several times a week lately, so at this point, let’s just recap the latest in all things Lohan.
At the end of last week there were reports that Linds was found unconscious in her hotel room, rushed to the hospital, yadda yadda yadda – a typical Sunday night for Lindsay. Anyway, the reports were false. Lohan was just ‘exhausted’ after a long week on the set of making her Lifetime movie about Elizabeth Taylor, so she requested a doctor come out see and her. Basically, she wanted approval for a three-day weekend. We’ve all been there, right?
Not to mention she crashed her Porsche into a tractor-trailer a week earlier.
Anyway, Ms. Lohan, who was, like I said, very exhausted from her long work hours, decided to unwind like any of us do after an 85-hour work week: she went to da club and partied until 1am. Totally normal, I swear!
To summarize, Linds has held up production of her made-for-TV movie Liz & Dick in several ways in the short amount of time it’s been taping: She demanded casting approval of the Dick to her Liz, crashed her car even though the film’s insurance policy banned her from driving during the production of the biopic, and tried to call in sick for a three-day weekend/made people think she OD-ed/got caught partying anyway.
Cleary the girl has turned her life around.
Alec went apeshit. I thought things were going pretty swell for Alec Baldwin. Didn’t he just get engaged to a 28-year-old yoga instructor? He should be Namaste-ing the shit out of life right now and thanking his lucky stars. Instead, he’s beating up paparazzi and tweeting his complaints about photographers with the hashtag “#allpaparazzishouldbewaterboarded.” So sweet.
I can understand being annoyed about a dude being in your face to get a picture to later sell to a magazine and, in essence, make money off of your image, but buddy, this is the price you pay for being a celebrity and public figure. You can’t just go “willy-nilly” (Baldwin’s latest words describing the attack of the paparazzo) about your life and be famous without being noticed. These are the consequences for fame and fortune. Get used to it and keep your hands to yourself.
Christina’s in, Jim’s out. While Judd Apatow’s busy confirming that Christina Applegate will reprise her role as Veronica Corningstone in the upcoming Anchorman sequel, Jim Carrey’s backing out of Dumb & Dumber To. Fans have waited 17 years for a sequel to the hilarious movie and only two months after announcing that Carrey and Jeff Daniels will reprise their roles, Jim feels that the studios behind the film show a lack of enthusiasm for the sequel. "I would have thought Dumb and Dumber To was a no-brainer," Carrey said in a statement to ETOnline.com, "after all it's implied in the title." Seems like the movie is up in the air as of now. I mean, how could they make a worthwhile sequel without Lloyd Christmas?
Celebrity Quote of the Week: This week it’s a tweet from Woody Allen’s son, Ronan Farrow, retweeted by his mother Mia Farrow (if you don’t know the sordid family history, Google ‘Woody Allen + wife’). #boomroasted
Throwback Video of the Week: Power Thirst - You’re gonna be uncomfortably energetic.
Date Night
See It: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer [R] – So wrong, it’s right? The title speaks for itself.
See It Also, Maybe…: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World [R] – If you need a little pick me up, this movie looks light-hearted and cheery albeit a depressing movie title. I’m sure it’s got some pretty funny lines…hopefully they weren’t all in the trailer.
Celebrity Birthdays This Week: Barry Manilow (66), Venus Williams (32), Paul McCartney (70), Blake Shelton (36), Roget Ebert (70), Zoe Saldana (34), Paula Abdul (50), Nicole Kidman (45), John Goodman (60), Lionel Richie (63), Prince William (30), Cyndi Lauper (59), Meryl Streep (63), Donald Faison (38), Carson Daly (39), Jason Mraz (35), Selma Blair (40).
Have a great weekend!
