Headed to Harvard-Yale!

So excited!!!! Even though I really hate drinking during the day and the fact that from 2 pm on, I am always freezing and exhausted with ache-y head and feet. No matter. I have bolt bus tickets and crimson-colored nail polish (kind of, it's a little dark). Huzzahzles!

probably my favorite thing to talk about

From Barry's phenomanable blog, re: the new ladies of SNL:

Interesting how it seems all the ladies these days (and a lot of the guys) they pick are attractive. Harken back to the good old days when people like Mike Meyers, Chris Farley, Cheri Oteri were on the show...who were clearly not picked because they of their dreamboat potential. We'll see how they do. Kristin Wiig manages to be gorgeous and hilarious, why can't they?

In response to Barry, I don't think that Mike Myers or Chris Farley is a great example because SNL is still chock-full of men who aren't necessarily dreamboats. Besides the fact that Mike Myers is definitely more conventionally attractive than many famous comedians today. But I do think standards have changed for women.

Wanda Sykes' recent out-coming also made me think of how the old mold of comedienne is a brash, brassy woman, many of whom are lesbians and many of whom are less conventionally attractive than the traditional Hollywood actress. Compare women like Roseanne, Rosie O'Donnell, Joy Behar, Susie Essman, Wanda Sykes, Whoopi Goldberg, Paula Poundstone, Judy Gold, Ellen DeGeneres, Sandra Bernhard, Janeane Garofalo etc. to today's most famous comediennes (ugh, kind of hate that word) and comic actresses: Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, Amy Sedaris, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Faris, Chelsea Handler, Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher. It's not that these women aren't afraid to look ugly or make a fool of themselves: Sedaris, Poehler and Wiig all transform themselves deftly into unattractive characters. But they're all petite, hot, straight girls who show up on the red carpet in dresses and makeup. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But why are today's female comedians so in line with traditional standards of beauty and femininity? How about the fact that a lot of these women have dated or married successful male comedians? Or the fact that even these women are constantly down-playing their hotness: Tina Fey once said in an interview, "I have to say, I'm really not that attractive. Before I met my husband, I could not get a date." God, what hope do the rest of us have?

One major change that occurred between the flourishing of these two different molds of female comedian is the move from traditional stand-up to other forms of comedy. Many of the latter group of women are improvisers, sketch comics, or film actresses. A stand-up comic is much more likely to create an onstage persona that's in line with her offstage persona. Not to say that a comic isn't also playing a character, but that character is much more likely to share a name, face, and a number of true stories with the real person. In contrast, if you do a crazy, loud, or ugly character in a sketch or movie, you can wipe off the makeup and walk offstage and no one associates you with the character you played. Stand-up also allows you to tell your own story as opposed to someone else's. I'm sure there are far fewer parts for big, loud women than for hot actresses who can play the romantic lead.

Honestly, now that I think about it, ever since Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin, SNL has always favored cute pretty girls. I'm sure one could find plenty of counter-examples on either side, but the truth is, I can't really imagine a Roseanne getting a sitcom nowadays. It's not like I don't think the women who are successful today should be famous, or that I think their hotness is what made them famous. Every woman I put on that list I have a tremendous amount of respect for and truly believe is phenomenally talented. But I'm sure there are also talented women out there who aren't getting recognition or roles because guys don't want to sleep with them.

Anyways, I could write an entire paper on this. I wish I had... especially considering I took a class called "Gender & Performance." But alas, my schooling days are over. Thoughts?

how to score cool points with me

re: Jack, who wants to be part of my group of high school friends but, alas, is not; and yet, scored some cool points this weekend, at least in my book

Rachel: Did you tell Sachi?
Me: Tell me what?
Rachel: Did you know Jack was in an '80s cover band?
Me: What??? Why didn't you tell me you were in an '80s cover band?
Jack: I don't know.
Me: What do you play?
Jack: Drums.
Me: Are you kidding me? You play drums in an '80s cover band and you didn't tell me this!!!
Rachel: That's what I said.
(pause)
Me: You guys play any Hall & Oates?

tim & eric awesome music videos (great job!)

I can't really remember where my love of Tim & Eric came from, although I know it had something to do with Nelson, Mams, and Steiner, all of whom meant to go to the live show with me and all of whom waited until the show was sold out to think about purchasing tickets (as did I). The first video I ever remember watching is the "do da do do" video with the Black guy dancing. This was followed by my discovery of my favorite lactose-intolerant, Dr. Steve Brule. This video remains one of my favorite things of all time.

Anyways, since then, I try to remember to watch their show on Adult Swim, although the absurdity-level is sometimes so high that I have no idea what I'm watching. However, since the season finale, I've been getting my fix with music videos:

Ben Folds f. Regina Spektor ~ You Don't Know Me

What's not to love? I've loved Ben Folds since I got Whatever & Ever Amen for xmas '00 and Spektor since "Fidelity" became the best-overplayed-song-that-I-can't-stop listening-to around soph year of college.

MGMT ~ The Youth

I'm less of a fan of MGMT, but this video is directed by Eric Wertheim and has a great Donnie Darko-Sparklemotion vibe.

links and lists for the holidays

It is getting super-wintry up in here, but I am looking forward to the Christmas season. I think the two most instrumental things that make me excited for Christmas (besides people selling trees on the street) are Starbucks and the Gap. Isn't that sad? But holla to awesome marketing. Check out Rainn Wilson in these adorable Gap holiday ads.

Things I don't really understand but like nonetheless:
-The Book of Numbers.
-Sprint's Now.
-Hamster on a Piano (I would feel too ashamed if I were to embed this video on my blog.)

Movies I want to see that are out in theaters now:
-Synechdoche, NY
-Zach and Miri Make a Porno
-Role Models
-Good Dick
-Slumdog Millionaire

"I don't go on double dates. The closest I've been to a double date is playing beirut against another couple."

things that scare me vol. 1

Why is this necessary? If I wanted to see pig-men, I'd go back to 1999 and read Animorphs or go back to 1963 and watch The Twilight Zone. (Those are guesstimates on time. Don't make me google things.) This guy is horrible. Have you seen the commercial where someone drops a penny in his head and he smiles? That thing haunts my dreams. The worst part is the goo-ey looking ears coming out of his head. They're like loose flaps of hairless skin just kind of shmushed onto his head. vom city.

well, bake me a crack pie and call me sally

I am dying to try the Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar. These pictures are like porn to me.

Especially sound-good-y:
-The Candy Bar pie (pictured above)
-The salty pistachio soft serve ice cream
and
-The Volcano (a knish filled with potato gratin and gruyere cheese).

They even have something called Crack Pie.

a change of face and a cry for help

I've been playing around with changing up the way my blog looks. Blogger doesn't quite allow for the edits that xanga did. I contemplated just starting a new blog somewhere else, but I can't decide what platform would actually be worth moving to. I even created a tumblr account, but it doesn't seem to allow for comments (not that there are ever very many of those). Wasn't Blogger created by Google? Shouldn't it therefore be perfect?

Things I want to do my blog but can't:
-Change the colors of that part that says "musings on life after senior spring"
-Changing the background color of the body of the blog
-Make the body wider

If someone knows html well and wants to help me, I'd be much obliged. Anyway, none of this is particularly interesting, so I'll just keep playing around for the time being.

my comedy central blogs

I recently got the opportunity to cover the NY Comedy Festival for Comedy Central's CC Insider blog. Here's what I wrote:

The Kick-Off: Stand Up for Heroes, Frank Caliendo and NY's Funniest Stand-Up Finals

Katt Williams at Carnegie Hall

MySpace Secret Stand-Up with Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black

The Daily Show Writers' Panel

Sarah Silverman at Hammerstein Ballroom

Please check them out! The festival was nonstop work but one of the coolest weeks of my life.

overworked and underpaid

You know you're working too much when you start dialing 9 on your cell phone before you make calls.

immediate and uncontrollable glee

I don't care if it's overplayed or so over or if nobody even likes it anymore. There is no feeling that compares to being at a party and having MIA's Paper Planes come on. Every single time it happens I am just as excited as I was the time before.