tuckergurl

A Disturbing Article In A Local Newspaper Sparks A Debate About The Death Penalty

(I originally posted this on The Deadline Blog but thought you guys might be interested in it. It also took a long time to get the info together!)

This is one of those news stories that David Letterman should get a hold of. If I didn’t know the chain of events, I wouldn’t believe it. Here’s how it all happened:

The Big New Word Lately Is ...

... snarky!!! I'm not sure when it happened and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Johnnie Cochran Died

Just the other day I was wondering about him. It's always strange when that happens. His clientele was definately contraversial but he was a fantastic lawyer. Geronimo Pratt, an ex-Black Panther, was imprisoned for 25 years for a crime he did not commit. Cochran represented him all that time and was responsible for his release.

Democracy Now has a great piece about Cochran as well as a transcipt from a great interview with him.

Grey's Anatomy

I could give you some clever wrap up on this show but the TV Guide does it best:

Well, that does it. I am never having surgery. Ever. And Lasik doesn't count. Honestly, let me die. Because between this cliché-infested hospital drama, Presidio Med, MDs and most late-model ER episodes, I'm convinced that every resident is a clueless pantywaist and all attendings are either massive, sexist tools or order-barking bitches. Even Patrick Dempsey — who, along with Tim Daly, may be the best thing the natural aging process has given us in years — is coming off as a perfectly dimpled jerk, tossing off groaners like "Today is a great day to save lives... Let's have some fun, people" that would give the cast of Flatliners the trots.

I liked it better than they did, but what I liked the best is Patrick Dempsey! When did he get hot!

I have been looking for a nice companion to Desperate Housewives (though I was racked with guilt for not watching the great Arrested Development that is probably going to get cancelled) and Boston Legal really gets on my nerves. The last few episodes of Boston Legal have actually been about something which is nice but I am so sick of all of those beautiful women throwing themselves at James Spader of all people!

Asexuals

I am writing a story about a girl who goes out with a guy who is asexual for my writing class. Again, I can't say enough how much classes help with creativity. My cup runneth over lately.

Anyway, when I mentioned it to my friend, Lauren, she did not believe that this group existed. A guy at Half, my favorite wine bar in Prospect Heights, did not believe me as well. Lauren and I were happy he eventually spoke to us since it was a lean night there and he was a hot dreaded brother. However, once he opened his mouth, we became less happy that he did speak to us.

Well, here's an article. I am really fascinated. Not in a fish in a glass tank kind of way, but honestly, though I am not asexual, the way that many of them talk about love and relationships was really interesting. I feel like intimacy without sex is a fascinating conversation piece to me.

I for one have felt really intimate, especially with a few particular men, and have never had sex with them. Yet, I feel as if I almost loved them. Maybe I did even love them.

I realize that being asexual is a bit different from that. That it stems from a general lack of interest in sex but the conversations that arise from discussing asexuality is really interesting to me.

Check out this article and let me know your thoughts.

And The Winner Is ...

I finally came up with a title for my short film. It is called The Birthday Girl. Thanks to all of you for your great suggestions. Honestly, I needed to find a title that showed what the stakes were for the protagonist. I've never really thought about a title in terms of clarity for the audience. It has always been an emotional thing. Some words that I dug rather than having any larger significance.

Here is a still from it. Columbia's festival is May 1st so I will let you all know when the film is screening.

I showed some friends a cut last night. I feel kind of happy about it but ever make something that you feel is fine but still needs some work before it can be great. I don't know. It's the artists dilemma I guess and I am so critical of myself that it's hard for me to be a good judge of anything.

Tucker Carlson is really gone now!

And I couldn't be happier! He and his bow ties just need to go away for good.

Girl Meets Grill

I have housesat for many people in my time and Kate's house is the absolute nicest house I've ever stayed in. She was one of the editors of Deadline and is a cool lady. Her home in Chelsea is beautiful with a large garden. I stayed for two weeks to take care of her parrot which wasn't a lot of work. When she let me stay, she said, "You know you have to throw a dinner party! My place is too fabulous not to."
And I did. My friends still talk about that dinner party and I miss living in her lovely home. Honestly I think it spoiled me forever.

Kate is also a FANTASTIC cook herself and this Sunday the Times did a piece on her that is true Kate. You should check it out. Here's my favorite quote of hers:

She was married for six years. ''Now I couldn't think of living with anyone,'' she said. ''I like not having to . . . adjust. Relationships for our generation were sort of poisoned, you know? Women are so competent now, and we didn't used to be. I mean, we used to type their term papers! Men my age talk too much.'' I shut my mouth for the next four or five hours. ''I do much better with men a little younger than me, even just five years younger.''

Harsh!

Check out the review of The Glass Menagerie, one of my least favorite Tennessee Williams' plays. Here is my favorite bit. "Within its first 15 minutes, you feel the entire production sinking into a watery grave."

It's Hard Bein A Black Actress & A Black Director

Check out this article I was referred to by the knowing of all articles black, Negrophile. Here's a great bit:

To get better, more complicated stories told about black women might require more black female writers and directors -- and if you think things are grim for black film actresses, try being a black woman director. The discrepancy between the endless number of African-American women draped over rappers and the paltry number saying "that's a wrap" is staggering. That's enough to make anybody mad. But when will someone get mad enough not to take it anymore?