Lycos Cinema Horror Showcase
It is almost Halloween, the perfect time of year to curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a scary movie.  Well, now you don't even have to leave the computer for a frightfest.  Check out Lycos Cinema's Horror Showcase.  Horror classics like "Night of the Living Dead,"  "Nosferatu," and "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde" are available for your viewing anytime - all for free.  Watch and chat with a few friends to get in the mood for Halloween.

There is a teenybopper in all of us.

With Lance Bass appearing on this week's Movers & Shakers list, I started reminiscing about *NSYNC and that golden age of teenybopper music in the late '90s/early 2000's.  Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and *NSYNC were all in their primes (before this current phase of custody battles and appearances on "Dancing with the Stars")

 Here are my personal favorites of the 90's teenybopper songs:

"Autumn Goodbye," Britney Spears - The little-known B-side to the "Baby, One More Time" single was a gem.

"Genie in a Bottle," Christina Aguilera - "My body's saying let's go..."

"I Want it That Way," Backstreet Boys -  Sure, it makes no sense, but its still awesome.

"Bye Bye Bye," *NSYNC -  The video's also a keeper.

"Summer Girls," LFO - Who doesn't like girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch? 

What are your faves?

And where do you fall on the BSB vs. *NSYNC debate?

 

 

Colbert in 08!

Well, he's funny, smart, and handsome, and I could definitely think of worse people to serve as leaders of the free world.

Occasional Mover & Shaker Stephen Colbert announced his candidacy for president of the United States on "The Colbert Report" last night.  He said that he is running under both the Democratic and Republican parties, meaning he could lose twice (or win twice).  Hey, at least we'd get an entertaining State of the Union address for a change.

Any other media figures you'd like to see run for president? 

  

The Office Convention

Here at the Lycos 50, we're always on the lookout for weird, pop culture events that we could potentially attend.  Well, here's a good one:

The Office Convention

"The Office" is my favorite sitcom on TV, and there are few people in entertainment I find funnier than Steve Carell (who has in the past appeared on our weekly list of Movers & Shakers).  From October 26-28, fans of the show can head to Scranton, Pennsylvania to take part in events like a character lookalike contest and the Office Olympics.  So cool!

Pushing Daisies

Even though it did not make our list of top new fall TV searches, I think I found my favorite new show of the season ... "Pushing Daisies."  The pilot for this ABC series was one of the best I've seen in awhile.  Though I've read criticism from some that thought it was too whimsical, I thought that it was charming.  I loved the bright visuals, endearing characters, and quirky dialogue.

The story centers around a piemaker named Ned who realized as a child that he can bring things back to life with a touch ... and kill them again.   When he meets a private investigator (snarkily played by Chi McBride), he begins using his power to solve murders.  In the pilot, Ned brings his childhood crush, Chuck (played by an effervescent Anna Friel) back to life.  He, of course, cannot let her die again, but obviously cannot touch her again or she will die.

I found everything about this show to be delightful, especially Lee Pace as Ned.  As has often been mentioned about this show, I felt as if I was watching a Tim Burton movie, particularly "Big Fish."  I just hope that the show can sustain that charming fantasy it created so vividly in its pilot.

 

 

Top TV Boyfriends

In honor of the recent Lycos 50 list of the top fall TV searches, I was thinking about my lifetime of love affairs with different TV characters.  Sure, we all may find some TV actors attractive in different ways, but there is something special about a real TV Boyfriend.  TV Boyfriends are those (fictional) guys that a girl just wants to hug and bake for.  Here are mine ...

Dylan McKay, "Beverly Hills 90210" - So brooding and always so, so cool.  

Fox Mulder, "The X-Files" - Is there anyone as dreamy as Agent Mulder with his quest for the truth and wide-eyed belief in all things paranormal?  

Angel, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" - This character really came into his own on "Angel," where his goofy side was more often seen.  

Ryan Atwood, "The O.C." - Most girls seem to prefer Seth, but I liked the kid from Chino.

Pacey Witter, "Dawson's Creek" - How could anyone choose square-headed Dawson over cute, quick-witted Pacey?

Jim Halpert, "The Office" - From his organizing an Office Olympics to his longing looks at Pam, Jim is everyone's favorite office crush.

Logan Echolls, "Veronica Mars" - Sure, he organized bum fights (never a good thing), but he just seemed so damaged.

Michael Bluth, "Arrested Development" - The lone voice of sanity in the Bluth clan, Michael was smart and responsible and had really nice hair.

Jack Bauer, "24" - OK, maybe a little emotionally unavailable what with the dead wife and super secretive CTU job, but still seems like a good guy to have around.

Captain Mal Reynolds, "Firefly" - Another great anti-hero, Mal was both rakishly handsome and occasionally quite funny.

Who are your TV boyfriends and girlfriends? Everyone has a few (or clearly 10, if you are me).

The Cupcake Craze

At a dinner party that I attended the other night, a friend of mine brought along some fancy cupcakes she'd purchased at a trendy new cupcake store that had opened in nearby Davis Square called  Kickass Cupcakes.  These are cupcakes for those who are truly serious about cupcakes; in fact, they come deep-fried or soaked in rum. They were absolutely delicious.

This got me thinking about how trendy these little cakes have become in New York and LA; clearly the craze is now moving to Boston.  Beantown cupcake fans can even buy cupcake apparel at Johnny Cupcakes.

New York and LA are in a constant and neverending war over who truly gives birth to new trends.  New York may be able to lay claim to this one; the West Village is the home of the Magnolia Bakery, which was featured on an episode of "Sex and the City" in which Carrie decadently enjoyed a cupcake.

Los Angeles features several cupcake bakeries where lines can often be seen reaching around the block.  My personal favorite is Sprinkles in Beverly Hills.  The red velvet is to die for.

Celebrities are not immune to the power of cupcakes.  Barbra Streisand sent Sprinkles cupcakes to Oprah Winfrey, who adored them.  Teri Hatcher, Katie Holmes, and Tyra Banks also count themselves amongst fans.  Cupcakes are also becoming a popular alternative to traditional wedding cake.

Its funny to think that a staple of our second grade birthday parties have become a the Big Thing with celebs, but who can deny that cupcakes are adorable and yummy?   

These folks  love cupcakes even more than I do.

 

 

 

Death or Breast Implants?

Apparently, Heidi from "The Hills" would rather die than go through life as a flat-chested individual.  As she told Us Weekly of getting breast implants,

"Right before I went in, I was like, what if I don't wake up?  Oh, this is scary.  Then I thought, I don't care. If I don't wake up, it's worth it. I just wanted it so badly."

At least she has her priorities.

 

Wednesday Night Premieres: Top Model and Gossip Girl

At around 8:15 PM last night, I realized something that my life has been missing for the past few months ... Tyra Banks.  When she appeared on a cruise ship stage on "America's Next Top Model" last night in a ridiculously gaudy showgirl get-up intoning, "My models are over the ocean," it was like a piece of my heart had been restored.  Thank you, Tyra, for always providing me with a laugh after a long work day.

As for the models themselves, I am sort of disappointed that the girl from Walpole who is blind in one eye was eliminated. (How awesomely heinous was it that the cut girls were abandoned on Antigua, forced to watch their cruise ship pull away?) I think I might root for Heather, the girl with Asperger's Syndrome.  I can't wait until "Mama Tyra" starts counselling everyone.

I also watched the series premiere of "Gossip Girl," which was awesomely soapy (which means I loved it, natch).  The pilot was not as good as the pilot of "The O.C.,"  but I definitely think that this show has a lot of fun potential. And Blake Lively appears to be a batter actress than Mischa Barton.  I definitely need a frothy new show to fill the hour following "Top Model."

What did you think of last night's TV?

 

View cohost is not sure whether the world is round.

Hey, no one said that intelligence was a prerequisite for being on the panel of "The View." 

Is the world flat?

Did Elisabeth Hasselbeck negotiate her contract so that she is not forced to deliver ALL of the nonsensical comments?