My latest obsessions

I have a habit of finding things within pop culture and becoming rather obsessed. Previous victims have included "Jon & Kate Plus 8," profiles written in Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, and the movie "Walk the Line," which prompted a separate obsession with Johnny Cash and June Carter.

There've been a couple new obsessions lately.

*"Grey Gardens": This began after Drew Barrymore won the Golden Globe and SAG Award for best actress in a miniseries. I've had trouble getting through the HBO movie, but after a friend sent me video clips of the documentary the movie was based on, I was hooked. "Grey Gardens" is based on Jackie Kennedy's aunt and cousin, who started out as rich socialites in New York but ended up living in isolation and squalor in the Hamptons. Grey Gardens was the name of their house, which would later be filled with dozens of cats, their poop and pee, cat food cans, raccoons, filth and just stuff. The mother and daughter had this sick dependent relationship that could only be summed up as cuckoola. What's my obsession you ask? I don't know. It may have something to do with their accents. A cross between a cockney/Boston/New England sound.

Visit http://www.life.com/image/78828047/in-gallery/24971/the-real-women-of-grey-gardens to see what I'm talking about.


*"Glee": This one only surfaced in the past couple days. Obsessed is putting it lightly. I started seeing articles about this show choir show before it began airing on Fox in the fall. It was the "It" show this season. Friends would tell me I HAD to watch it, but these were the same jamokes who watched "American Idol," "So You Think You Can Dance" and other jazz hand shows. So I didn't pay much attention. It stated getting nominated for awards, and I hate to be out of the loop when watching awards shows, so I set my DVR to record some reruns. AMAZING. It has just the right balance of show tune and contemporary music and a compelling storyline. There isn't an unlikeable character, and the musical numbers absolutely give me chills. I watched the mid-season finale last night and when Rachel sang "Rain on My Parade," I had to watch it four times. Then dowload the song to my iPod. And five others.

Rachel's performance. Tell me you're not downloading this Streisand classic after.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj54q_fgk7I

*NPR: Or, National Public Radio to you cool people. I started listening more religiously when I was actually ON the radio. I was invited to be on a local NPR radio show to talk about education and, since I couldn't hear it live, was searching the Web site to find an archive of it. As a rule I hate how I sound on TV and the radio, but I wanted to see if I sounded as much like an idiot as I felt when I was talking. I actually didn't, so that was good. Anyway, when I was listening to the show, I was taken aback by how soooooooothing it was. Low voices, smacking lips, articulate words (until my nasal Chicago voice came in). It drew me in. When I lived in North Carolina, the school superintendent had his own TV show on public access where he interviewed people within the school district. The premise was mind-numbingly boring. But anyone you talked to who flipped by it on the TV was hooked. It had soft lighting and the superintendent's lips smacked when he talked, leaving a little bit of spittle on his lips. Add a Southern accent and you're done for. That's what NPR is to me.

Golden Globes Red Carpet: Hour Two

I'll stop when the awards start. Full disclosure: also chatting live with Moogs, my co-judger in life.

*Waiting for Stephen Moyer and Anna Pacquin to start doin' it vampire-style. I've been in a "True Blood" fog lately, so forgive me.
*I want to go on a double date with Will Arnett and Amy Poehler. My dad was quite proud of himself the other night by pointing out they were married when Arnett guested on "Parks and Recreation."
*I love how none of the women are wearing the Haiti ribbons on their dresses, because they don't match.
*Tina Fey FINALLY didn't wear black!!!
*Something's attacking Chloe Sevigny!! Wait, it's just her dress ruffle.
*I heard earlier that Jay Manuel, Mr. Jay of "America's Next Top Model," is 6'1". Wouldn't have thunk it.
*Penelope Cruz (aka Moth Face) keeping it real by holding her own umbrella. I'm going to officially remove the Moth Face label from her. You heard it here first. But I still think she takes herself too seriously. Lighten up lady. And also walk the red carpet with Javier Bardem. You guys are too hot to not be together all the time.
*Quote from my mom "(David Arquette) actually looks human." And if Courtney Cox wins for "Cougar Town" ... well I don't know what I'll do, but I'll be pretty freakin' mad, because she sucks on that show.
*Oh God. Mariah Carey. I hope she gets drunk again and gets to talk. Nick Cannon must have a no talking clause in their pre-nup.
*I love Robert Downey Jr. Kinda wish he'd wake up in his neighbor's kid's bed again, but I like him clean too.
*God dammnit Draper! You had to rock a beard!
*My night would be made if the "Jersey Shore" cast suddenly appeared on the carpet. GTL!
*Insert rage Lauren would have for Jennifer Garner here. Lauren hates Garner because she's "average looking."
*Draper's gf always annoys me because she's always trying to talk over him. He's the star, you guested on "Grey's Anatomy." Shut up.
*Taylor Lautner is shorter than Giuliana! He really is a baby!
*Where's A-Rod Kate? Heh. Heh.
*Giuliana is absolutely humiliating herself. She's screaming to George Clooney to come over while she's interviewing Anna Kendrick. The girl is mortified.

OK, quitting early but want to go get ice cream. Ciao!

Golden Globes LIVE blogging of the red carpet: Hour One

Chachi and I are front and center for the Golden Globes red carpet. Translation: He started out next to me on the couch, forced me to move my computer off my lap so he could lay there then bit me and got crazy eyes and is now sleeping. I'm armed with my second glass of pinot grigio and am ready to tell the world exactly what I think of celebrities I've never met. Unless Fonzie, Alfre Woodard or Cheech are invited, I'm writing about people I'll never see in the fleshness. Get ready for a series of random observations that have no relevance to anything important. I realize this and don't care.

*Why must Ryan Seacrest adopt a British accent when interviewing British celebs? Emily Blunt knows you are not from London. The jig is up.
*Is Quinton Tarantino in his PJs?
*Jennifer Morrison from "House" said her boyfriend bought her dress for her for Christmas, so she decided to wear it. She didn't seem to excited, and I can see why. Dress is uggo.
*Must. Watch. "Glee." Stars are so cute.
*Diane Kruger from "Inglorius Bastards" looks like she just got back from the prom. In 1987.
*LOVE Gabourey Sidibe from "Precious." The movie was so good but so depressing and it's so fun to see what a gregarious personality she has in real life.
*Ugh Mickey Rourke. New wife barely speaks English. Must be love.
*Sandra Bullock is the man. Even though "The Proposal" sucked. I need to see the back of her dress before I commit though. Eek, I just did. Not into sheer.
*Ugh, we get it Fergie and Josh. You're still together. He "didn't cheat on you with a stripper." Just wait until Rebecca Budig gets over her divorce from Bob the Bachelor. Then she can marry Josh just like when they were a couple on "All My Children." LEO AND GREENLEE FOREVA!
*Disappointed by January Jones. Looks like she put her headband on to wash her face.
*It's become quite cliche to say how hot George Clooney is. I don't care. I want to strip that beard off his face and rub it on me. Then we'll save Haiti together.
*Just saw Alfre Woodard. Her daughter is Miss Golden Globe. I'm legit now. I posted her pic above the symbolize the only celebrity there I've actually met.
*Moogs has just informed me via Facebook chat that George Clooney's girl has an arm tatoo. Rewind the DVR: ew yes. An awful looking tribal band.
*Official girl crush on Marion Cotillard
*First time ever I'm disappointed by the sight of Joshua Jackson. He's with the 1987 prom queen and his hair looks like Richie Rich.