This Year in Politics

The year in politics can be summarized in very few words: Meh?

Pendleton skeptical of email

Joey Pendleton is skeptical of email. In related news, Republicans are skeptical of taxes.

Kentucky out of Money

Kentucky's budget is currently missing. If you have seen it, please report to the Kentucky State Senate immediately. It's urgent that the state has money in the bank.

If you've seen David Williams lately, then please smack him on the head until he understands that without casino gambling Kentucky, tax revenue just goes to other states.

2009 in Film: The Best

Having seen 51 movies this year, I thought I would share what I thought were my favorite movies this year. Some are Oscar contenders while others are not. While I am not ranking them, here are my top ten in no particular order.

The Hangover
Star Trek
A Serious Man
Funny People
Up in the Air
Avatar
Public Enemies
Inglorious Basterds
500 Days of Summer
Extract

Honorable Mention:
The Blind Side
Invictus
Sherlock Holmes

RIP: Brittany Murphy

Actress Brittany Murphy is dead at 32 according to TMZ.

16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Nominations

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
JEFF BRIDGES / Bad Blake - "CRAZY HEART" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
GEORGE CLOONEY / Ryan Bingham - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
COLIN FIRTH / George Falconer - "A SINGLE MAN" (The Weinstein Company)
MORGAN FREEMAN / Nelson Mandela - "INVICTUS" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEREMY RENNER / Staff Sgt. William James - "THE HURT LOCKER" (Summit Entertainment)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
SANDRA BULLOCK / Leigh Anne Tuohy - "THE BLIND SIDE" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELEN MIRREN / Sofya - "THE LAST STATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
CAREY MULLIGAN / Jenny - "AN EDUCATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
GABOUREY SIDIBE / Precious - "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE" (Lionsgate)
MERYL STREEP / Julia Child - "JULIE & JULIA" (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
MATT DAMON / Francois Pienaar - "INVICTUS" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
WOODY HARRELSON / Captain Tony Stone - "THE MESSENGER" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Tolstoy - "THE LAST STATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
STANLEY TUCCI / George Harvey - "THE LOVELY BONES" (Paramount Pictures)
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa - "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Carla - "NINE" (The Weinstein Company)
VERA FARMIGA / Alex Goran - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
ANNA KENDRICK / Natalie Keener - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark - "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)
MO'NIQUE / Mary - "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
AN EDUCATION (Sony Pictures Classics)
DOMINIC COOPER / Danny
ALFRED MOLINA / Jack
CAREY MULLIGAN / Jenny
ROSAMUND PIKE / Helen
PETER SARSGAARD / David
EMMA THOMPSON / Headmistress
OLIVIA WILLIAMS / Miss Stubbs

THE HURT LOCKER (Summit Entertainment)
CHRISTIAN CAMARGO / Col. John Cambridge
BRIAN GERAGHTY / Specialist Owen Eldridge
EVANGELINE LILLY / Connie James
ANTHONY MACKIE / Sgt. J.T. Sanborn
JEREMY RENNER / Staff Sgt. William James

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)
DANIEL BRÜHL / Fredrick Zoller
AUGUST DIEHL / Major Hellstrom
JULIE DREYFUS / Francesca Mondino
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Lt. Archie Hicox
SYLVESTER GROTH / Joseph Goebbels
JACKY IDO / Marcel
DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark
MÉLANIE LAURENT / Shosanna
DENIS MENOCHET / Perrier LaPedite
MIKE MYERS / General Ed French
BRAD PITT / Lt. Aldo Raine
ELI ROTH / Sgt. Donny Donowitz
TIL SCHWEIGER / Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
ROD TAYLOR / Winston Churchill
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa
MARTIN WUTTKE / Hitler

NINE (The Weinstein Company)
MARION COTILLARD / Luisa Contini
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Carla
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Guido Contini
JUDI DENCH / Lillian
FERGIE / Saraghina
KATE HUDSON / Stephanie
NICOLE KIDMAN / Claudia
SOPHIA LOREN / Mamma

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL "PUSH" BY SAPPHIRE (Lionsgate)
MARIAH CAREY / Ms. Weiss
LENNY KRAVITZ / Nurse John
MO'NIQUE / Mary
PAULA PATTON / Ms. Rain
SHERRI SHEPHERD / Cornrows
GABOUREY SIDIBE / Precious

PRIMETIME TELEVISION
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
KEVIN BACON / Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl - "TAKING CHANCE" (HBO)
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Ben Carson - "GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY" (TNT)
JEREMY IRONS / Alfred Stieglitz - "GEORGIA O'KEEFFE" (Lifetime)
KEVIN KLINE / Cyrano de Bergerac - "GREAT PERFORMANCES: CYRANO de BERGERAC" (PBS)
TOM WILKINSON / Salter - "A NUMBER" (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
JOAN ALLEN / Georgia O'Keeffe - "GEORGIA O'KEEFFE" (Lifetime)
DREW BARRYMORE / Little Edie - "GREY GARDENS" (HBO)
RUBY DEE / Mrs. Harper - "AMERICA" (Lifetime)
JESSICA LANGE / Big Edie - "GREY GARDENS" (HBO)
SIGOURNEY WEAVER / Mary Griffith - "PRAYERS FOR BOBBY" (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
SIMON BAKER / Patrick Jane - "THE MENTALIST" (CBS)
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White - "BREAKING BAD" (AMC)
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - "DEXTER" (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - "MAD MEN" (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / House - "HOUSE" (FOX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
PATRICIA ARQUETTE/ Allison Dubois - "MEDIUM" (NBC/CBS)
GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes - "DAMAGES" (FX)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - "LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT" (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - "SAVING GRACE" (TNT)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick - "THE GOOD WIFE" (CBS)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - "THE CLOSER" (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - "THE OFFICE" (NBC)
LARRY DAVID / Himself - "CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM" (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - "MONK" (USA NETWORK)
CHARLIE SHEEN / Charlie Harper - "TWO AND A HALF MEN" (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - "SAMANTHA WHO?" (ABC)
TONI COLLETTE / Tara Gregor - "UNITED STATES OF TARA" (Showtime)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton - "NURSE JACKIE" (Showtime)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Christine Campbell - "THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE" (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
THE CLOSER (TNT)
G.W. BAILEY / Lt. Provenza
MICHAEL PAUL CHAN / Lt. Mike Tao
RAYMOND CRUZ / Det. Julio Sanchez
TONY DENISON / Lt. Andy Flynn
ROBERT GOSSETT / Commander Taylor
PHILLIP P. KEENE / Buzz Watson
COREY REYNOLDS / Sgt. David Gabriel
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson
J.K. SIMMONS / Asst. Police Chief Will Pope
JON TENNEY / FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard

DEXTER (Showtime)
PRESTON BAILEY / Cody
JULIE BENZ / Rita Bennett
JENNIFER CARPENTER / Debra Morgan
COURTNEY FORD / Christine
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan
DESMOND HARRINGTON / Joey Quinn
C.S. LEE / Vince Masuka
JOHN LITHGOW / Arthur Mitchell
RICK PETERS / Elliot
JAMES REMAR / Harry Morgan
CHRISTINA ROBINSON / Astor
LAUREN VÉLEZ / Lt. Maria Laguerta
DAVID ZAYAS / Angel Batista

THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
CHRISTINE BARANSKI / Diane Lockhart
JOSH CHARLES / Will Gardner
MATT CZUCHRY / Cary Agos
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick
ARCHIE PANJABI / Kalinda Sharma
GRAHAM PHILLIPS / Zach Florrick
MacKENZIE VEGA / Grace Florrick

MAD MEN (AMC)
ALEXA ALEMANNI / Allison
BRYAN BATT / Salvatore Romano
JARED S. GILMORE / Bobby Draper
MICHAEL GLADIS / Paul Linsey
JON HAMM / Don Draper
JARED HARRIS / Lane Pryce
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS / Joan Holloway (Harris)
JANUARY JONES / Betty Draper
VINCENT KARTHEISER / Peter Campbell
ROBERT MORSE / Bertram Cooper
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson
KIERNAN SHIPKA / Sally Draper
JOHN SLATTERY / Roger Sterling
RICH SOMMER / Harry Crane
CHRISTOPHER STANLEY / Henry Francis
AARON STATON / Ken Cosgrove

TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
CHRIS BAUER / Andy Bellefleur
MEHCAD BROOKS / Eggs
ANNA CAMP / Sarah Newlin
NELSAN ELLIS / Lafayette Reynolds
MICHELLE FORBES / Maryann Forrester
MARIANA KLAVENO / Lorena
RYAN KWANTEN / Jason Stackhouse
TODD LOWE / Terry Bellefleur
MICHAEL McMILLIAN / Steve Newlin
STEPHEN MOYER / Bill Compton
ANNA PAQUIN / Sookie Stackhouse
JIM PARRACK / Hoyt Fortenberry
CARRIE PRESTON / Arlene Fowler
WILLIAM SANDERSON / Bud Dearborne
ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD / Eric Northman
SAM TRAMMELL / Sam Merlotte
RUTINA WESLEY / Tara Thornton
DEBORAH ANN WOLL / Jessica Hamby

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)
SCOTT ADSIT / Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN / Cerie
KEVIN BROWN / Dot Com
GRIZZ CHAPMAN / Grizz
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER / Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI / Jenna Maroney
JOHN LUTZ / Lutz
JACK McBRAYER / Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN / Tracy Jordan
KEITH POWELL / Toofer

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
LARRY DAVID / Himself
SUSIE ESSMAN / Susie Greene
JEFF GARLIN / Jeff Greene
CHERYL HINES / Cheryl David

GLEE (FOX)
DIANA AGRON / Quinn Fabray
CHRIS COLFER / Kurt Hummel
PATRICK GALLAGHER / Ken Tanaka
JESSALYN GILSIG / Terri Schuester
JANE LYNCH / Sue Sylvester
JAYMA MAYS / Emma Pillsbury
KEVIN McHALE / Arty Abrams
LEA MICHELE / Rachel Berry
CORY MONTEITH / Finn Hudson
HEATHER MORRIS / Brittany
MATTHEW MORRISON / Will Schuester
AMBER RILEY / Mercedes
NAYA RIVERA / Santana Lopez
MARK SALLING / Puck
HARRY SHUM JR. / Mike Chang
JOSH SUSSMAN / Jacob Ben Israel
DIJON TALTON / Matt Rutherford
IQBAL THEBA / Principal Figgins
JENNA USHKOWITZ / Tina

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O'NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

THE OFFICE (NBC)
LESLIE DAVID BAKER / Stanley Hudson
BRIAN BAUMGARTNER / Kevin Malone
CREED BRATTON / Creed Bratton
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott
JENNA FISCHER / Pam Beesly
KATE FLANNERY / Meredith Palmer
ED HELMS/ Andy Bernard
MINDY KALING / Kelly Kapoor
ELLIE KEMPER / Kellie Erin Hannon
ANGELA KINSEY / Angela Martin
JOHN KRASINSKI / Jim Halpert
PAUL LIEBERSTEIN / Toby Flenderson
B.J. NOVAK / Ryan Howard
OSCAR NUÑEZ / Oscar Martinez
CRAIG ROBINSON / Darryl Philbin
PHYLLIS SMITH / Phillis Lapin-Vance
RAINN WILSON / Dwight Schrute

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
PUBLIC ENEMIES (Universal Pictures)
STAR TREK (Paramount Pictures)
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
24 (FOX)
THE CLOSER (TNT)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HEROES (NBC)
THE UNIT (CBS)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Screen Actors Guild Awards 46th Annual Life Achievement Award
Betty White

The SAG Awards will be televised live nationally on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT, and 6 p.m. MT from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

The 67th Annual Golden Globe Award Nominees

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Avatar (Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox)
The Hurt Locker (Voltage Pictures; Summit Entertainment)
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company / Universal Pictures; The Weinstein Company)
Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire (A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production; Lionsgate)
Up In The Air (Paramount Pictures; Paramount Pictures)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
George Clooney – Up In The Air
Colin Firth – A Single Man
Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Tobey Maguire – Brothers

Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
(500) Days Of Summer (Watermark Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures)
The Hangover (Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures)
It's Complicated (Relativity Media, Scott Rudin Productions; Universal Pictures)
Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing)
Nine (The Weinstein Company/Relativity Media; The Weinstein Company)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock – The Proposal
Marion Cotillard – Nine
Julia Roberts – Duplicity
Meryl Streep – It's Complicated
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Matt Damon – The Informant!
Daniel Day-Lewis – Nine
Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – (500) Days Of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg – A Serious Man

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Penélope Cruz – Nine
Vera Farmiga – Up In The Air
Anna Kendrick – Up In The Air
Mo'nique – Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire
Julianne Moore – A Single Man

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon – Invictus
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

Best Animated Feature Film
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing)
Coraline (Laika, Inc.; Focus Features)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (American Empirical Picture; Twentieth Century Fox)
The Princess And The Frog (Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Up (Walt Disney Pictures/PIXAR Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Best Foreign Language Film
Baaria (Italy) (Medusa Film; Summit Entertainment)
Broken Embraces (Spain) (El Deseo SA; Sony Pictures Classics)
The Maid (La Nana) (Chile) (Forastero; Elephant Eye Films)
A Prophet (Un Prophete) (France) (Chic Films; Sony Pictures Classics)
The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band - Eine Deutsche Kindergeschichte) (Germany) (Wega Films; Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Director - Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
James Cameron – Avatar
Clint Eastwood – Invictus
Jason Reitman – Up In The Air
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
District 9 - Written by Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
The Hurt Locker - Written by Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds - Written by Quentin Tarantino
It's Complicated - Written by Nancy Meyers
Up In The Air - Written by Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Up - Composed by Michael Giacchino
The Informant! - Composed by Marvin Hamlisch
Avatar - Composed by James Horner
A Single Man - Composed by Abel Korzeniowski

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Cinema Italiano" – Nine
Music & Lyrics By: Maury Yeston
"I See You" – Avatar
Music By: James Horner and Simon Franglen
Lyrics By: James Horner, Simon Franglen and Kuk Harrell
"I Want To Come Home" – Everybody's Fine
Music & Lyrics By: Paul McCartney
"The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)" – Crazy Heart
Music & Lyrics By: Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
"Winter" – Brothers
Music By: U2
Lyrics By: Bono

Best Television Series - Drama
Big Love (HBO) (Anima Sola and Playtone Productions in association with HBO Entertainment)
Dexter (SHOWTIME) (Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions)
House (FOX) (Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions)
Mad Men (AMC) (Lionsgate)
True Blood (HBO) (Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Glenn Close – Damages (FX NETWORK)
January Jones – Mad Men (AMC)
Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife (CBS)
Anna Paquin – True Blood (HBO)
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Simon Baker – The Mentalist (CBS)
Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Jon Hamm – Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)
Bill Paxton – Big Love (HBO)

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
30 Rock (NBC) (Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.)
Entourage (HBO) (Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment)
Glee (FOX) (Twentieth Century Fox Television)
Modern Family (ABC) )Twentieth Century Fox Television)
The Office (NBC) (Universal Television Studios, Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Toni Collette – United States Of Tara (SHOWTIME)
Courteney Cox – Cougar Town (ABC)
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie (SHOWTIME)
Tina Fey – 30 Rock (NBC)
Lea Michele – Glee (FOX)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC)
Steve Carell – The Office (NBC)
David Duchovny – Californication (SHOWTIME)
Thomas Jane – Hung (HBO)
Matthew Morrison – Glee (FOX)

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Georgia O'Keeffe (LIFETIME) (Sony Pictures Television)
Grey Gardens (HBO) (Specialty Films and Locomotive in association with HBO Films)
Into The Storm (HBO) (Scott Free and Rainmark Films Production in association with the BBC and HBO Films)
Little Dorrit (PBS) (Masterpiece/BBC Co-production)
Taking Chance (HBO) (Motion Picture Corporation of America and Civil Dawn Pictures in association with HBO Films)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Joan Allen – Georgia O'Keeffe (LIFETIME)
Drew Barrymore – Grey Gardens (HBO)
Jessica Lange – Grey Gardens (HBO)
Anna Paquin – The Courageous Heart Of Irena (CBS)
Sigourney Weaver – Prayers For Bobby (LIFETIME)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Bacon – Taking Chance (HBO)
Kenneth Branagh – Wallander: One Step Behind (BBC)
Chiwetel Ejiofor – Endgame (PBS)
Brendan Gleeson – Into The Storm (HBO)
Jeremy Irons – Georgia O'Keeffe (LIFETIME)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Adams – Hung (HBO)
Rose Byrne – Damages (FX NETWORK)
Jane Lynch – Glee (FOX)
Janet McTeer – Into The Storm (HBO)
Chlo Sevigny – Big Love (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Michael Emerson – Lost (ABC)
Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
William Hurt – Damages (FX NETWORK)
John Lithgow – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)


Previously Announced:
Cecil B. DeMille Award: Martin Scorsese

Happy Chanukah

A repost of a repost...and it's still one of my favorites.

Well, Chanukah starts at sundown tonight on the 24th day of Kislev. I thought I would share one of my favorite jokes. Keep in mind that Chanukah is a minor holiday so I will be on the PC except for on Shabbat. For some Jewish humor that has been circulating the net:

Now, if anyone asks you what the difference is between Christmas and Chanukah you will know what to answer!

1. Christmas is one day, same day every year, December 25. Jews also love December 25th. It's another paid day off work. We go to movies and out for Chinese food and Israeli dancing. Chanukah is 8 days. It starts the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls. No one is ever sure. Jews never know until a non-Jewish friend asks when Chanukah starts, forcing us to consult a calendar so we don't look like idiots. We all have the same calendar, provided free with a donation from either the World Jewish Congress, the kosher butcher, or the local Jewish funeral home.

2. Christmas is a major holiday. Chanukah is a minor holiday with the same theme as most Jewish holidays. They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat.

3. Christians get wonderful presents such as jewelry, perfume, stereos...Jews get practical presents such as underwear, socks, or the collected works of the Rambam, which looks impressive on the bookshelf.

4. There is only one way to spell Christmas. No one can decide how to spell Chanukah, Chanukkah, Chanukka, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannukah, etc.

5. Christmas is a time of great pressure for husbands and boyfriends. Their partners expect special gifts. Jewish men are relieved of that burden. No one expects a diamond ring on Chanukah.

6. Christmas brings enormous electric bills. Candles are used for Chanukah. Not only are we spared enormous electric bills, but we get to feel good about not contributing to the energy crisis.

7. Christmas carols are beautiful...Silent Night, Come All Ye Faithful.... Chanukah songs are about dreidels made from clay or having a party and dancing the hora. Of course, we are secretly pleased that many of the beautiful carols were composed and written by our tribal brethren. And don't Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond sing them beautifully?

8. A home preparing for Christmas smells wonderful. The sweet smell of cookies and cakes baking. Happy people are gathered around in festive moods. A home preparing for Chanukah smells of oil, potatoes, and onions. The home, as always, is full of loud people all talking at once.

9. Women have fun baking Christmas cookies. Women burn their eyes and cut their hands grating potatoes and onions for latkas on Chanukah. Another reminder of our suffering through the ages.

10. Parents must deliver gifts to their children during Christmas. Jewish parents have no qualms about withholding a gift on any of the eight nights.

11. The players in the Christmas story have easy to pronounce names such as Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. The players in the Chanukah story are Antiochus, Judah Maccabee, and Matta whatever. No one can spell it or pronounce it. On the plus side, we can tell our friends anything and they believe we are wonderfully versed in our history.
12. Many Christians believe in the virgin birth. Jews think, "Joseph, Bubela, snap out of it. Your woman is pregnant, you didn't sleep with her, and now you want to blame G-d. Here's the number of my shrink".

13. In recent years, Christmas has become more and more commercialized. The same holds true for Chanukah, even though it is a minor holiday. It makes sense. How could we market a major holiday such as Yom Kippur? Forget about celebrating. Think observing. Come to synagogue, starve yourself for 27 hours, become one with your dehydrated soul, beat your chest, confess your sins, a guaranteed good time for you and your family. Tickets a mere $200 per person.

Better stick with Chanukah!

Movie inspires athlete

In sports news:

BALTIMORE—In an attempt to energize starting tackle Michael Oher for last Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh screened a copy of the inspirational sports movie The Blind Side, a film about the life of Ravens tackle Michael Oher. "If this big dumb guy in the movie can do it, then you can do it, too," Harbaugh said to rookie lineman Michael Oher while point to an on-screen image of rookie lineman Michael Oher. "This man didn't choose his lot in life. But his problems were at least as big as yours, and he put in the hard work and dedication it took to get picked in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Doesn't that inspire you?" When asked about being forced to watch the story of his own life, Oher said he didn't remember his formative years being so emotionally overwrought and rife with clichés.

Up in the Air

The National Board of Review has named Up in the Air as the Best Picture of 2009.

The Washington, D.C., Film Critics Association named it as the Best Picture.

George Clooney is getting praise for his role in the Jason Reitman movie.

You made Daley angry...

Tribune:

When Mayor Richard Daley spoke at the private and final meeting of Chicago 2016 volunteers, he was, according to one attendee, "in rare form." Another described him as "on a rant. It was straight off the cuff. ... He looked angry, and he was angry."

Now, we weren't there. The press was barred from last week's meeting at the Aon Center and the reception that followed at the private Mid-America Club on the top floor of the building. About 150 to 200 volunteers attended, and four shared their impressions on the condition of anonymity.

Daley started his remarks by calling on the federal government to financially back all future U.S. Olympic bids. It was too difficult for U.S. cities to raise the necessary funds in such short amounts of time, while their competitors often received financial assistance from their national governments, he said.

"He started by saying we spent $75 million, and the next city was going to have to spend $100 million, and we didn't even have a chance," said one attendee, paraphrasing the mayor, who was the driving force behind the bid. "It was all politics and all money. All politics and all money. (The International Olympic Committee) didn't care about the athletes, and they didn't care about the quality of the bid."

Another attendee said she came away from the 15-minute speech believing the city never understood the depth of its disadvantage. And Daley reportedly told the group that had the city known from the start that the International Olympic Committee was intent on taking the games to new regions of the globe, they never would have spent the time or the money on the effort.

"We were seeing the mayor's real feelings -- how he was really disappointed and frustrated," she said.

In the entertainment world...

A Serious Man is a Jewish movie.

Joel told ShortList: "It's a Jewish movie. Yeah. We used to call it The Jew Movie before we had a name.

"I don't know what you would call it. It's comedic, but it's not a standard Hollywood Judd Apatow comedy. It's not I Love You, Man."

His brother Ethan agreed, saying: "Yeah, we do have kids smoking marijuana and yet it's not one of those movies.

"I don't think we thought we were doing a black comedy. We just thought, 'Alright, there's this guy and a lot of bad things happen to him. And that can be funny'."

Here's an update on Judd Apatow and movies.

“I can't get [Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg] to make the ‘Superbad’ sequel. I begged, but they don't want to ruin it. They think it's a gem of a movie and they don't want a crappy second," Judd said. He later stated, "There's a little talk about a 'Pineapple Express' sequel if that's your cup of tea... your bowl of smoke. You probably have a better shot of seeing that [than any 'Superbad 2' or any other Apatow sequel]."

NBC News anchor Brian Williams has a lighter side.

Former Vice President Al Gore appeared on SNL during NBC's Green Week.


Judd Apatow picked up some pitches.

Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures have picked up a trio of comedy pitches from Aziz Ansari and Jason Woliner.
Ansari, who stars opposite Amy Poehler on NBC laffer "Parks and Recreation," is attached to star in the disparate pics.

Ansari and Woliner, who previously worked together on the MTV cult skein “Human Giant,” will team to write at least one of the projects, which will be produced via Apatow’s Universal-based shingle.

Thematically, the projects have nothing to do with one another. The first, tentatively titled “Let’s Do This,” is a road movie about two guys who work for a motivational speaking company. The second, which is untitled, follows a disgraced cosmonaut (Ansari) who is forced to return to outer space to clear his name. The third, also untitled, sprang from Ansari’s supporting role in the Apatow-helmed comedy “Funny People.”

“We didn’t expect all three to work,” said Ansari. “We had a breakfast meeting with Judd and pitched them. We were like, ‘Which one do you like?’ He wanted all three.”

Retiring...

I would like to announce that I am finished with politics in this state and in general. The blog is not done but as far as any sort of political activism is concerned, I am finished.

BCS Selections and SEC Bowl Games

BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Friday, January 1, 2010 - Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi: #7 Oregon (10-2 Pac 10 Champion) vs #8 Ohio State (10-2 Big 10 Champion) (ABC, 4:30 PM)
Friday January 1, 2010 - Allstate Sugar Bowl: #5 Florida (12-1, at-large) vs #3 Cincinnati (12-0 Big East Champion) (FOX)
Monday, January 4 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #6 Boise State (13-0,WAC Champion, at-large) vs #4 TCU (12-0, MWC Champion, BCS #4, automatic) (FOX)
Tuesday, January 5 - FedEx Orange Bowl: #10 Iowa (10-2, at-large) vs #9 Georgia Tech (11-2 ACC Champion) (FOX)
Thursday, January 7 - Citi 2010 BCS National Championship Game (at the Rose Bowl): #2 Texas (13-0 Big 12 Champion) vs #1 Alabama (13-0 SEC Champion) (ABC)

The following games feature an SEC team:
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Clemson (December 27, ESPN, 8:15 PM
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Georgia (December 28, ESPN2, 5 PM)
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virgina Tech vs. Tennessee (December 31, ESPN, 7:30 PM)
Outback Bowl: Northwestern vs. Auburn (January 1, ESPN, 11 AM)
Capital One Bowl: Penn State vs. LSU (January 1, ABC, 1 PM)
PapaJohns.com Bowl: UConn vs. South Carolina (January 2, ESPN, 2 PM)
AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic: Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss (January 2, FOX, 2 PM)
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: East Carolina vs. Arkansas (January 2, ESPN, 5 PM)
Friday January 1, 2010 - Allstate Sugar Bowl: #5 Florida (12-1, at-large) vs #3 Cincinnati (12-0 Big East Champion) (FOX)
Thursday, January 7 - Citi 2010 BCS National Championship Game (at the Rose Bowl): #2 Texas (13-0 Big 12 Champion) vs #1 Alabama (13-0 SEC Champion) (ABC)

Oy vey

I'm not even naming the guy's name...click at Page One.