Status Update (And A "Glee" Bit)

Howdy! Haven't blogged in a couple of days so I feel the need to put something up here, but nothing too time-consuming, as I want to try get up early enough to catch a movie tomorrow. The goal is to see "Cedar Rapids," but it's only playing at AMC Neshaminy, which means I have to see it before noon or else pay $9 instead of $6, and since it's been there for at least two weeks now I fear it'll be gone if I don't see it tomorrow. And since Neshaminy Mall isn't as close as Franklin Mills, I need to get up earlier.

I've got only one movie to review ("The Adjustment Bureau") but I'm behind in my comic book updates (and that's even with not buying anything on March 2nd -- the one book I was buying that week got delayed). I still have this great, philosophical idea rolling around in my head -- I've had it for a few weeks and have to sit down and get it out.

But let me just mention last night's episode of "Glee." Something happened that kind of amazed me, and I really am curious to see how it's handled in future episodes.

It's not this kiss, however. (Regarding that, though: swooooooooooooooooooooooooooon. So adorable. Kurt and Blaine are now a couple.)

The wife of Ohio's lieutenant governor (after telling the crowd that "My husband is verbally abusive and I have been drinking since noon") announced that New Directions won Regionals and was headed to New York City for Nationals. At which point Sue Sylvester (who was the coach of Aural Intensity) walked over and punched her in the face, dropping her on the spot. TKO. She then turned and began to walk away as the groups on stage began to react...annnnnnnd cut! On to the next scene.

It was quite stunning, even by Sue standards. But we all know what would happen in real life if someone did this: the Secret Service (or state/local versions of such) throw him or her to the ground, and perhaps get a few shots of their own in while making the arrest. A high bail is set, and the assailant eventually is found guilty and sent off to jail. After all, you just don't punch an elected official's spouse.

But this is "Glee," where a kid in a wheelchair plays on the high school's football team. So when the series returns from rerunville next month, my guess is this will either be forgotten or quickly and absurdly resolved.

MixBlog 1-23-11

Lately I have really been kind of in a rut, even more than usual. The weather is not helping. I hate the cold to begin with, but this winter has been borderline ridiculous. My house is drafty, which makes it worse. I've always thought I'd never really consider moving away from Philadelphia but right now I'd love to just ditch this place and move somewhere warm. I don't know how I could possibly make that happen, with my finances being what they are. Tonight's forecast is for the coldest overnight low yet...

  

...and Wednesday may bring us more snow (or possibly rain). But hey, check out the bottom of that screen cap -- at least people with migraines will feel better today.

Just finished watching the end of the Flyers game. In their first meeting since last year's Stanley Cup finals the Flyers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. They are so much more consistent this year (despite a loss yesterday to New Jersey, a team that's having the same type of disastrous year that the Flyers did in 2006-07). The win puts the Flyers' record at 32-12-5, and their 69 points leads the entire league. That, of course, means little when it comes to the postseason, but the consistency combined with their depth is a very good sign. Hiring Peter Laviolette as coach was a genius move on the part of GM Paul Holmgren.

Meanwhile, in the strange recesses of my mind, I got to thinking about Taylor Swift earlier. Really.

Tonight's Glee: "Never Been Kissed"

The last time I wrote about "Glee" I was concerned with the regular bullying of the glee kids, and Kurt (the always adorable Chris Colfer) in particular, in light of all of the terrible suicides of kids who were victims of bullies. (And despite lots of publicity for the It Gets Better Project and other resources, it's still going on.) So I took notice when, during "The Simpsons" on Sunday, Fox ran a promo for tonight's "Glee" that was much more intense than their usual ads:



My big complaint was that no authority figures in the school ever take any action against these bullies, so this promo was especially of interest. Although by the time I post this it'll have aired on the West Coast, just in case you're recording it or plan to watch online, consider this a SPOILER ALERT. The discussion continues (plus there's a pretty picture) after the jump.

My New Problem With Glee

You may remember that I didn't take to "Glee" at first. I watched for a couple of weeks and then stopped. After the first 13 episodes the show took a break for a few months, then came back in April. Since the second episode upon their return was their much-ballyhooed Madonna episode, I started watching again. I loved "The Power of Madonna," and watched every episode thereafter. Slowly it won me over. This summer Fox ran two repeats on Tuesday nights and I caught up on what I missed.

I'm still watching, but I have a new issue. And it's not the Britney Spears episode, which was annoying in the way it forced Britney and her music into the show so blatantly. It's not that Artie, the kid in the wheelchair, is now on the school's football team -- something even more impossible than the offense lining up with time running out, stopping a play and doing Beyonce's "Single Ladies" dance to distract the opposing defense and score a game-winning TD without getting called for some sort of penalty. (Delay of game, illegal formation, maybe illegal use of the hands?) It's not any of the other implausibilities or improbabilities. I've been able to overlook just about every bit of weirdness. (And I adore Chris Colfer. Love the picture from Rolling Stone...)

But last night it dawned on me that, in light of all the recent events regarding bullying and suicides, I am very uncomfortable seeing the goon football players dousing Glee kids with slushies, yelling menacingly, and worse -- remember, they were about to beat up Kurt in the so-called "Lady Gaga" episode (which only featured two Gaga songs) until Finn and the others arrived -- and no one in authority even tries to do something to stop it. Ever. Maybe it seemed funny in those early episodes when they were throwing kids into Dumpsters. It doesn't seem all that funny now. It's strange that, for all the surreality on the show, bullying is what seems to be the most grounded in reality.

Am I overreacting here or does anyone else feel the same about this?

Random 3 a.m. Stuff

Because it's late at night and that seems to be when I finally push myself to post something...

• The Phillies are 3-5 on their road trip with one game left. Not a lot of hitting, and the pitching is inconsistent. Even Roy Halladay finally lost a game. But it's still way too early to panic. Meanwhile, they signed Ryan Howard to a 5-year, $125 million extension that will keep him a Phil through 2016. There's a fair amount of naysaying about it for various reasons. A lot of it comes from those obnoxious stat geeks who are trying to ruin the game. Ignore them. This is a risky deal, but better than letting Howard walk after 2011. Still, as much as I hate the rule, I really think the Phils should push to get the National League to adapt the designated hitter.
• The state of Arizona has gone nuts, with recent days bringing an anti-immigrant law, a law placating the birthers, and the governor's  removing domestic partnership rights from state employees. Perhaps we should have seen it coming when John McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Clearly there's something in the water out there. I feel for the people I know who live there, although one or two don't hold the same viewpoints as I do.
• I gave "Glee" yet another chance. I am still ambivalent. Tonight's episode started slow but improved as it went on. Maybe I'll watch again next week. I just don't know if I will ever become a "Gleek." I am becoming a fan of Kurt (Chris Colfer), though. Maybe that will be the hook that gets me to keep watching.
• And finally, the following is from former Eagle Dhani Jones of "Dhani Tackles The Globe" fame, on his Twitter feed: "What's wrong with chest hair. It wasn't to (sic) long ago that men wore beards, had chest hair and were warriors. I will continue the tradition!"
  
  Amen, Dhani, Amen!