When Bad Things Happen to Bad People, You Giggle

Now, I don’t consider myself a mean-spirited person. I have what you call “empathy.” I cried during episodes of the recently departed Hoarders because I KNOW how hard it can be to throw away that sweater your dead grandpa wore 60 years ago that you’ve kept in the closet for the past 30.

Or the

Or the cropped tank top you bought during a vacay that you can’t wear because, you know, you’re an adult.

But sometimes people are so clueless to their situation that, well, you just have to either bang your head against the wall or laugh at them.

I choose laughter.

One such example is everyone’s favorite broke Housewife-and God knows there are PLENTY to choose from–the Garden State’s very own Terese Giudice. Teresa and her husband Joe (also known as “Juicy Joe) currently face up to fifty years in prison because they did bad things, like conspiracy to commit fraud. This follows their 2009 bankruptcy claim where they owed $11 million dollars. That’s almost Dr. Evil levels of money!

Maybe they expected more from their wedding guests?

Maybe they expected more cash from their wedding guests?

Teresa recently filmed an episode of Watch What Happens Live that will air on Sunday (go figure that one out) where she revealed to host Andy Cohen how deep in the pile of oblivious sh– she truly is.

She explains:

You go through things in life. I don’t know why. I’m asking, ‘Why is this happening to me?’

Hmmmm. I have an idea. You exaggerated your income when applying for mortgage and other loans from 2001 to 2008.

But go on, please. Tell me how you think this will impact your four children, ages 4 to 12:

Maybe something my daughters can learn from this is: “My mom was really strong through all this. She was there for us.” I hope they always have that with them.

That IS true. Mom is almost totally innocent. After all, it was Juicy Joe who failed to file tax returns from 2004 to 2008, a period in which he is reported to have made almost $1 million.

Truth be told, I DO feel very sorry for the children. It would be terrible to live life without parents, especially when this was 100% preventable. And even worse is if they had to go live with their Aunt Melissa. Their ear drums will bust!

Yup, going to hell. All the fun people are there anyway!

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Japan is the Sexiest Country in the World

Man, if you want to see awesome commercials starring all your favorite celebs, you better get a time machine and an airplane ticket and hop on over to Japan in the 1990s.

A Honda won't take you there. Bummer!

Or read a Murakami novel–there’s probably some portal available in one of his books.

Earlier today we discussed how Japan was the luckiest country because, hello, Britney Spears advertised Suki candy over there. And by the almighty google I also discovered it was one of the sexiest when I plugged “celebrity foreign commercials” into the search engine and this babe showed up.

The first mole ever.

What’s that thing on her face?

It’s late ’80s/early ’90s era Cindy F—ing Crawford! Turns out the queen of the supermodels starred in a commercial for Pocari Sweat, which sounds way dirtier than it is (it’s a Gatorade-esque Japanese energy drink).

 

We Americans got our taste of Cindy a few years later when she promoted Diet Pepsi.

 

But damn, those Japanese. They’re always beating America!

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Japan is the Luckiest Country in the World

Hit me baby one more time because I am SO jealous of the Japanese, circa 1999.

In better days.

I wonder if she’s that innocent?

The country that brought you the Walkman and sushi and the 1986 Michael Keaton movie Gung Ho also got to experience the all time best moment at the turn of the century.

Britney Spears starred in a commercial for the Japanese candy Suki.

 

I wonder how long she studied the language? Clearly she’s an expert.

 

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A Day in the Life of Liz Simons: September 26, 1993

Do you ever wonder what a day in the life of a genius is like? Me too, but Einstein is dead and I don’t possess his journals.

Suckerz!

Suckerz!

HOWEVER, I have the next best thing. The diary from December 28, 1990 to June 15, 1997 of a pop culture whore! That would, of course, be me.

Words of wisdom

Brilliant words inside.

Wow, I wonder what I was doing on 9/26/93, twenty years ago today?

Let’s consult the great book!

(Warning: Names have been changed to protect the guilty. Spelling, punctuation, and emphasis remain the same.)

Sun. morn 1:11 AM (WISH TIME) 9/26/93

Guess what, I might go to Grateful Dead Tuesday w/ Dad. I’m sooo excited, naturally! I just babysit + received $25 (Smiths). Wed. I’m babysitting for the McCarthys. They’re so cute + they pay a lot. Today I saw Good Son w/ Jessa + and after we saw the Lloyd Dobler that Hannah always talks about. Boy, was Jessa disappointed! We also saw Adam. Wow. Last night I went to a football game.

Liz

What a glamorous life. Work, play, boys? I just can’t.

But dig deeper and you will see how important this entry is in the whole expanse of human history. The Good Son, you say, scratching your head. Wasn’t that the late 20th century update of The Bad Seed starring the Frodo Baggins and the Home Alone kid?

Yes!

He looks like someone stole his dog Wilfred.

It certainly was! AND it was rated R! And my parents let my 14-year-old ass see it. Woohoo! This movie was a huge deal. It was Macaulay Culkin’s chance to break out of his mischievous but lovable mold which he perfected in such classic films as the aforementioned Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Uncle Buck. Homeboy had already been typecast at age 13. The travesty!

I vaguely recall Good Son being a little creepy but also completely ridiculous. Macaulay (spoiler alert) died at the end. Bummer! And then his career joined him in death a year later after his starring role in the critically panned Richie Rich.

Future Republican.

Future Republican.

The best part about The Good Son is that it was written by acclaimed novelist Ian McEwan, who also penned the books Atonement and Amsterdam. Hey, anything for a paycheck.

So what were YOU doing twenty years ago today?

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Way More Fun Than a Bike

I live in New York City because I enjoy being broke. It’s one of those things.

It's also the pizza.

Also, the pizza.

Another great aspect of living in New York is you don’t have to drive anywhere. You can take the subway to all five boroughs and get wasted! Woohoo!

Some healthy people who shall remain nameless (because I don’t know their names) are all, Liz you should get a bike! It’s such a healthy and effective way to commute!

And then I laugh and laugh and laugh because hello, I look like a criminal on the run when I ride a bike.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit A.

No thanks.

HOWEVER, I am not a immune to a fine set of wheels. I’d consider considering pedaling these fine specimen around the city.

For example this classic Big Wheel . . .

Classic

Solid and manly.

Or perhaps this feminine model . . .

Looks like Strawberry Shortcake's ride!

Looks like Strawberry Shortcake’s ride!

If I want to pretend I live in some communist community I’d buy this one:

So hip

I actually got this for my 4th birthday. Yeah, I’m cool.

Or maybe if I was in the mood for a classic vehicle . . .

Dream car

I was too old for this classic coupe by the time it was released on the toy market. Bahhhh!

So many choices! What would you do?

 

Clearly this one. It has a saddle bag and racing brake, duh.

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Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Life Goes On, But Not For Tommy Puett’s Career

Ladies, tighten your belts because you are going to want to take your pants OFF in one hot second.

Says it all in the caption.

Says it all in the top left corner.

See? Aren’t you glad I warned you? Because honestly, who the HELL can resist the charms of ripped white jeans and a canary yellow top which emphasizes tan and toned arms? Don’t even get me started on the hair.

The Adonis above is none other than Tommy Puett, the super fine actor who portrayed bespectacled-Becca’s crush Tyler Benchfield on one of the most earnest TV shows of all time Life Goes On, which aired on ABC from 1989-1993. This show dealt with it all: Down’s Syndrome, HIV, car accidents. God I loved it.

And we didn't even get to the best part. PATTI LuPONE played the mom!

And we didn’t even get to the best part. PATTI LuPONE played the mom!

Tyler, of course, had to die in a car accident to make way for Becca’s new love Jesse (the one and only Chad Lowe), who just happened to have HIV. How early ’90s!

So what happened to Tommy anyway? After leaving Life in 1992, he guest starred on an episode of Step by Step, the mark of a true thespian, and virtually disappeared from our screens (although according to a wikipedia, he played “Ben” in Switchback in 1997, a seemingly real movie starring Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover). Since then, nothing.

But luckily there is such a thing as google so I discovered that Tommy, now 42, remains a true innovator. Noting that “No one’s ever done anything in the baseball cap world other than the regular standard baseball cap, ” Tommy launched, wait for it, Lil’Brims, where he manufactures baseball caps with bills tilted up.

Tommy boasts in the video above, made in 2008, that “We’re going to be creating a whole new trend with these caps.” This trend has been so successful over the past five years that the Lil’Brims website is down and they have 12 Twitter followers.

I think it’s time he gets back with Becca. They would make such a beautiful couple. No need to watch the whole 11 plus minutes below. Scroll to any point in the timeline and be dazzled by the magic of Kellie Martin’s glasses and Tommy’s hair. After all, life goes on! Oh yes, I said it.

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Aaron Paul REALLY Loves His Wife. So Did Tom Cruise.

If you’ve ever wondered what makes me happy, here is a list:

  • Finding a pencil (or pen).
  • Pizza with sausage.
  • Two kinds of ice cream.
Or five.

Or five.

  • Knowing a secret.
  • Five different crayons.
  • Being alone every now and then.
  • Coming home again.
  • Morning and evening,
  • Daytime and night time too.
  • Sharing a sandwich.

Basically, I enjoy the exact same things as Charlie Brown does as I literally cut and paste the lyrics from the song “Happiness” from the 1967 musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. (I omitted the part about “learning to whistle” and “tying your shoe for the very first time” because I still can’t do those things.)

You know what makes Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul happy, besides meth?

His WIFE Lauren Parsekian!

Yup

She kind of looks like a real live Oscar in that gold dress.

I know this because he declares it at any opportunity possible.

To wit:

August 2012, interview with GQ Magazine, when they were first engaged:

She’s the greatest woman that has ever existed. No offense to other women on this planet, but she is hands down the best . . . We fell in love at Coachella. We ran off together at Coachella. You know, first kiss on the Ferris wheel sort of thing

Uh, that’s a thing? What are you, a teenage girl?

Emmys 2012:

Being engaged “is the greatest thing – ever. She’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me . . . She wakes up so unbelievably gorgeous every day, so I try to look good next to her.”

August 2013, after a whole three months of marriage:

Lauren and I definitely want to have kids. No rush. All our future children will be very lucky to have her as a mother . . . Let me tell you, my friend, I will be in the honeymoon phase until I leave this planet. Getting married to Lauren was the greatest accomplishment of my life. I will be forever grateful.

Huh. And I thought winning two Emmys for your role in what many consider the best TV of all time was considered a pretty big accomplishment. You live, you learn.

But still, Aaron, I don’t know if I believe you. Can you tell me one more time how much you adore your wife?

Yup! At this year’s Emmys:

“Uh, I’m the luckiest guy on the planet, yeah. Because we’re so ridiculously in love! I mean, I can’t even explain to you, it’s just such an obsession I have,” Paul said of his wife on Sunday, adding that sometimes he asks her, ” ‘Is it hard being the most beautiful person on the planet?’ “

To be fair, Paul’s wife Lauren Parsekian is a gorgeous 26-year-old who runs an anti-bullying group (Paul is 34). What’s not to love?

However, Mr Paul, I’d recommend you tread lightly from here on out. Remember what happened to Tom Cruise?

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Is Halle Berry Giving Birth to a Camel?

I am a very shallow person, so as you can imagine I am SUPER excited about the baby boy Halle Berry is about to pop out because it is going to be GORGEOUS!

Who doesn't want a male version of Nahla?

Who doesn’t want a male version of Nahla?

Except . . . where the hell is it? Halle’s been preggers for what feels like 14 months which leads me to believe she will birth a camel (they have long gestation periods).

Hopefully, Halle will make a human baby. And hopefully, she won’t split any time soon with third hubby Olivier Martinez because, hello! Who can forget the insane custody battle with her ex-partner and baby daddy, sexy Canadian model Gabriel Aubry?

Oh hello.

He’s one of only two pretty boys I love (other one is Alex Skarsgard, duh.).

Halle joins an exclusive roster of celebrities who were knocked up so long I feared that their children would be giant mammals.

Fergie

Good luck if you rub it!

Good luck if you rub it!

Singer Fergie was with child for about 16 years, give or take a month. I truly thought a rhino was going to spring from her cootch (15 months in the womb) but instead she and husband Josh Duhamel welcomed super cute human baby boy Axl Jack to the world in August.

SWOON!

SWOON!

Jessica Simpson

Demi did it first, home girl.

Demi did it first, home girl.

The 20th century had the Space Race between the US and Russia, and 2012 had the baby sprint between Jessica Simpson and Beyonce Knowles (I refuse to write the accent, mainly because I don’t know how to add it). Both celebs announced their pregnancies in the second half of 2011 (Beyonce at the end of August, Simpson on Halloween) and then boom! Beyonce gave birth to Blue Ivy on January 7, 2012.

Simpson, however, waited. And waited. And waited. “Sh–,” I thought to myself. “Will this be a manatee? After all, she’s been pregnant for 13 months, I believe.”

But nope. The world did not meet Jessica’s sea cow, instead we met her daughter Maxwell Drew.

Ahhhhhh.

Ahhhhhh.

Funny enough, Jessica’s next baby, son Ace Knute, came in no time!

Skyler White

Can't cover up that elephant, I mean baby human!

Can’t cover up that elephant, I mean baby human!

I am honestly shocked that Holly was born a healthy baby girl in 2009 because Skyler was pregnant for over a year on Breaking Bad. And now she only looks about 18 months old which is WEIRD because she should be 4. What is this, Harry Potter? Are we playing with magic or meth here?

We need to see something cute to erase that image from our brains.

I refuse to post a picture of Holly because it makes me too sad. So you get puppies instead!

So Halle, no matter WHAT you have, welcome to the club of super long pregnancies!

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What I Learned From the Emmys, Part 3

It’s been two whole days since the Emmys (well, about 40 hours but tomayto, tomahto) and I continue to be shocked.

Me too, friend, me too.

Me too, friend, me too.

So let’s carry on.

All “Hale” to the second-in-command’s lackey!

Not afraid of a strong woman.

Not afraid of a strong woman.

Tony Hale picked up the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as the VP’s toady Gary in Veep. He’s one of the many great actors in this fantastic ensemble cast, but no matter what it is nice to see someone FINALLY beat Modern Family in this category! And considering I actually WANTED Ed O’Neill to win, this should say something about the triumph of the underdog!

Buster would agree, and I don't even watch Arrested Development!

Buster would agree.

Michael Douglas loves his son in prison, his estranged wife, and possibly being a bottom for Matt Damon.

Too much sexy!

Too much sexy!

Michael Douglas shined as Liberace in the Lifetime HBO biopic Behind the Candelabra, and he captured the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, beating out his top (or bottom?) Matt Damon. Since Michael’s a wicked big movie star, his speech was longer than most of the other plebes. However, even he couldn’t escape the music which came on right as he was giving thanks to his drug dealer son Cameron who is currently serving a ten year sentence in prison. Stars, they’re just like us!

 

That’s all for now!

 

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What We Learned From the Emmys, Part 2

Good news people. I’m back to share part two of my insight of the Emmys last night. Lucky you!

I'd be excited too!

I’d be excited too!

So let’s talk about the big shocker of the evening  . . .

Modern Family won Outstanding Comedy Series AGAIN!

What huge boobs? I don't see any huge boobs.

But everyone knows that Sofia has her very own golden globes.

Wow, I didn’t see that one coming. For the fourth year in a row, Modern Family took the crown. I was hoping it would go to 30 Rock or Louie but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. At this point it is more likely that I will be cast on Dancing With The Stars than anyone else ever winning Outstanding Comedy as long as MF is on the air.

It’s Sweet to Repeat: The Julia Louis-Dreyfus Story

That's Julia on the right. She couldn't even get her own photo in the Day by Day years!

She’s come a long way since Day By Day.

Another repeat offender this year is the first female veep, Selina Meyer. I was happy to see her win, though I thought Tina Fey would take the Emmy as a goodbye to 30 Rock. Oh well.

Also, kind of love how now that they’ve given Melissa McCarthy the Emmy for Mike & Molly as a consolation for her Bridesmaids Oscar snub, she’ll never be nominated again.

I gave my head a big bang when Jim Parsons picked up his third Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Who doesn't want to sleep with a ginger?

No, it’s not a nightmare. You really didn’t win the Emmy, Louie.

Look, I’m sure Jim Parsons is a nice person and my parents love The Big Bang Theory so obviously it is cutting edge (I am such a mean daughter), but, ugh, really? I knew Louie had no chance but not even Alec? Academy, start getting taste! From, Elitist TV viewer who also watches Real Howives so what do I know anyway.

The Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy was truly a Merritt-based award.

The cable snob in me automatically likes Nurse Jackie even though I’ve never seen it, so I was pleasantly surprised with Merritt Wever’s victory and awesome speech! You go girl!

 

PS-My parents DO love Nurse Jackie, so maybe they are hip after all? Yup, they are. You should see the outfits my mom picks out for me! Very cool.

All right, that’s enough for now. More Emmy discussion to come later!

 

 

 

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