Ledger Wins Golden Globe

Heath Ledger, who's brilliant performance as the diabolical, sociopath, The Joker that made the Christopher Nolan Batman sequel The Dark Knight the blockbuster what it was, won the 2009 Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Movie.



Now the Golden Globes are traditionally a pre-cursor to the Academy Awards. Many insiders of Hollywood are saying even before this, Ledger was the top choice due to his awesome performance and dedication to the role. Don't think that this is purely a "pity" award, because of his untimely passing. Most of these same critics and pundits were praising his performance even before his tragic accident.

I DO NOT want to have to add his name to my prior "They Should Have Won" list. Man, if Ledger doesn't win a posthumous Oscar for this (there has been only one other honor of this kind, Peter Finch was awarded the statuette posthumously in 1975 for his role in 1974's Network) I'm burning down Hollywood.

Yeah, Baby!

One step closer to the gold. Should Canada win, it would represent the second time Canada's best juniors claimed the gold medal five years in a row.

UPDATE:
Mission accomplished.
They did it! Five in a row.
This ties their own record of 1993-1997 (it would have been eight in a row if it weren't for the CIS -Commonwealth of Independent States, formerly the Soviet Union winning in 1992)
Russia has the all-time record of seven in a row, from the tournaments inception in 1974 through 1980.

Next year, we chip away ever so closer to making it our own.

0-16

So the Detroit Lions have made history, but not in a good way. By finishing the season without a win, not even a tie, they have become the poster boys for futility. The fact that they "were in" a lot of these games doesn't really amount to much. The only other team that was as pitiful was the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But they only lost 14 games. Of course the inevitable happened this morning.

I don't think they had this in mind when they started their 75th anniversary season.
Good thing they have the Red Wings.

Charlie Brown's Parents Arrested

It's about time. The heathens.

Funny stuff, eh?

WKRP in Cincinnati - For Real!

One of my favorite all-time sitcoms was WKRP in Cincinnati that ran from 1978-1982 on CBS. In fact I have Season 1 on DVD (the crappy replaced music version) and am waiting impatiently for Season #2.

I loved everything from the spaced-out antics of Dr. Johnny Fever and Les Nessman's mystery injuries (he would turn up on every episode with a bandage or guaze somewhere on body, even to herb Tarlic's white belt and shoes. Of course, there was also the natural beauty of Jan Smithers. Anybody elese would probably say Loni Anderson, Jan was the one for me.


Now, there appears to be an actual WKRP in the city of Cincinnati. Why it has taken this long for someone to jump on the notoriety of this hit show (at least in syndication) is a noodle-scratcher. I guess it has to do with Mary Tyler Moore Productions (MTM) and CBS having the copywrite and all that, but seriously, has no one else even thought about this?

Then again, I still remember when a restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada that appealed to high-school kids and employed waitresses on roller-skates named "Arnold's" was informed by the attorneys of ABC television they had to cease and desist all likenesses and trademarks of the Happy Days hangout. True story.

This is Too Cool

My first-ever, first favourite wrestler when I was probably about nine or ten, was The Masked Superstar. I watched the Superstar beat up a many jobbers on my weekly Saturday evening American Wrestling Association (AWA)
Strangely enough, he was made a legitimate bruiser (and a pretty sucessful one, too) and not a jabroni, which considering his gimmick...

Here's an interview

I can't remember anyone he wrestled, nor do I remember when the last mach I saw him in. I just remember wanting him to keep hurting that other guy in the who mouthed off about him in an interview, just off a few yards from the ring, before the match.

Well, they ALL paid the piper let me tell ya. Anyways, I don't remember when he left the AWA, but all that torment throughout the years, all the sleepless nights wondering what ever became of my favourite anti-hero-was over when I saw "The Super Machine". By the way, this was not too long after "Bobby The Brain"Heenan had Andre the Giant suspended from the World Wrestling Federation (yes, at one time they were enemies, remember?) but, the machines, claiming they weren't who they obviosly were weren't fooling the Brain, or me-not for one second.



They said back then that it could have been Andre or the Giant Baba. But C'mon, it HAD to be Andre. Look at the way he lumbers, and the SOUND OF HIS VOICE for Pete's sake.

Anyways, then in the late 80s came...DEMOLITION!



But as for the Madman of Mystery, the Hooded Assassin, the...nah, I just made those up...

Video here, here and here.

And an interview way back with Bobby Heenan as his manager (I had no idea)



And just when you think he's gone again...He's back, and he's a CHAMPION!
(Actually this was the reason for this whole post. I found this website and just started this ramble for the Superstar)

I finally met the Superstar in 2007 at a Legends reunion autograph signing. It was a day before WrestleMania XXIII in Detroit. He was there with his old demolition tag team partner, Smash. Other stars present were: Tito Santana, The Iron Shiek, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Superfly Jimmy Snuka. I didn't seek anyone else's autograph. The only one that mattered that day was the Superstar's.

So, WOO HOO! Long FREAKIN' live the reign of the only FREAKIN' dude with a hood that EVER FREAKIN' mattered, The Masked FREAKIN' Superstar!!



Yay Bill E.

The Wrestler

Ok. Finally a crtically acclaimed, legitimate movie about the sport that I love. Mickey Rourke may have a comeback on his hands, as well as a Oscar nomination about the trials and tribulations of a ex-professional wrestler tryong to make a comeback.
I don't want to give anything away, which is a safe bet, since I don't know anything about it, but from what I've gathered it sounds like a real homage of a life of a wrestler outside the sport, and if the trailor is any indication, the "backstage" or "behind the curtain" element to the film is pretty dead on. The way the "boys" interact and show their love for their craft and each other.

As I've worked (and continue to work on a part-time basis) for a couple of independent wrestling companies, I have seen the comraderie close up. It very much is a close, tight-knit family.
Plus the always hot Marisa Tomei is in it (Homer drool)

From www.firstshowing.net:


The Wrestler may go on to win some Oscars and you'll want to see it as soon as you can. Every quote in this trailer is accurate. It is certainly "tender, gripping" and "remarkable" and unquestionably a phenomenal achievement for both Mickey Rourke and Darren Aronofsky. Even if you don't like wrestling, you need to watch this. The Wrestler is less about the sport and more about the lonely life of one wrestler. And it is as endearing as it is entertaining - a truly phenomenal bit of cinematic bliss.



The Wrestler is both directed and produced by visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, of Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain previously, with a script written by Robert D. Siegel, of only The Onion Movie previously. The film first premiered at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival and was quickly picked up by Fox Searchlight for distribution. The Wrestler will hit very limited theaters starting on December 17th before expanding wider throughout January. Don't miss this - you will love it!