Month: November 2002 (Page 3 of 5)

“I do not need to explain why I say things. ? That’s the interesting thing about being the President. ? Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don’t feel like I owe anybody an explanation.”
-U.S. President George W. Bush

Finished “The Bush Dyslexicon” yesterday. The title and the image of GWB on the cover would lead you to think this is just a thrown-together joke book of malapropisms. But it’s actually a rather detailed look at how Bush’s language betrays his actual nature. The quote above, given as part of a hagiographic 60 Minutes piece hawking Bob Woodward’s new book, “Bush at War,” is a perfect example of this. Bush looks at the presidency as his birthright, and gets a little exasperated when people actually require him to explain himself.

What the book also does is show the difference between a speaker and a thinker. We may not care that the president is the former, but I think we should care if he’s the latter.

Most people get the urge to clean in the spring. I never get the urge to clean. But I do get the urge to throw stuff out – especially in the fall. In between reading “The Bush Dyslexicon” today, I’m filling up garbage bags with junk I can’t believe I held on to for this long. And this isn’t even stuff to give to St. Vincent’s: CDs for ancient software, old software boxes, all kinds of useless papers, envelopes of out-of-focus reunion photos, etc. And that’s just the office. Some people shop for therapy – I toss. It feels great.

Anybody want 10 years of Wired magazines?

The most puzzling thing about “Auto Focus” is there doesn’t seem to be a point to it. Bob Crane was a minor celebrity who is only infamous today because of his brutal murder – fodder for a “True Hollywood Story,” maybe, but not a Paul Schrader movie.

Greg Kinnear does what he can with the role, and he’s good. But the movie doesn’t seem to even attempt to explain the psychology that made the ultimate square become a porn-addicted sleazebag. (*That* would have made an interesting movie.) So all we’re left with is the sad events of Crane’s later life, played out flatly (and slowly) by Kinnear and an always-creepy Willem Dafoe. Beware this one.

My suggestion? Rent “Reversal of Fortune” instead. It does a brilliant job of illuminating the psychology of those infamous dissolutes Claus and Sunny Von Bulow. And it’s fantastically entertaining to boot. Highly, highly recommended.

“The West Wing” last night had some zing to it that I haven’t felt in a long time. My love for Allison Janney (C.J.) continues unabated. And I agreed with John when he said that Bradley Whitford (Josh) acts drunk in every one of his scenes. I miss Ainsley Hayes, and Christian Slater is a poor substitute as a conservative foil. But overall, I think the show is back in the groove.

My pop culture prediction, as if it mattered or anyone cared, is that the campaign manager in Orange County, Will Bailey, will replace Sam as the White House speechwriter after Sam pulls out his once-in-a-lifetime victory. The new guy seems to have a nice low-key manner, to replace Rob Lowe’s odd smugness. The audience wins.

My long-dormant but still heat-of-1000-suns hatred of “Touched by an Angel” came burbling to the surface tonight, as I watched a promo for this Sunday’s episode, where (I. am. not. making. this. up.) Della Reese’s angel character gets Alzheimer’s. Boy, heaven’s a rough place, apparently. Does this mean Roma Downey can get lyme disease? One can only hope.

I’m jumping on the Ben/JLo wagon pretty late, especially after Xkot’s great post about those ecstatic lovebirds. But I came across this quote from Matt Damon about Ben’s engagement, and I couldn’t resist:

“Even when he lost his virginity, he wasn’t this happy.”

Matt should know – he was there.

BONUS JOKE (also stolen from somewhere on the Net):
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are scheduled to be married on Valentine’s Day, 2003. So we can pencil in the divorce around Christmas 2003.

Yes, it was that bad

“I haven’t seen a worse movie in the theater since ‘Batman Forever.’ “

-Paul D. Harrison, on “The Truth About Charlie”

The verdict on Brian De Palma’s highly-praised “Femme Fatale”: Eh.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with this mildly diverting movie (with the exception of Rebecca Romijn-Stamos’ stubborn lack of acting skill), but there’s nothing particularly right about it either. This is a Showtime-level production (including lots of RR-S in lingerie) that just happens to be directed by De Palma. Plot twists, doubles, dreams, split screen, yada yada yada. Maybe it’s just my mood lately, but I found it impossible to care about any of this hooha. Go rent “Carrie” (or “Mulholland Drive” for that matter) instead.

I am an experienced monkey washer. Just ask Sparky.

This is such a grey, cold, nasty day, I thought I would give you something colorful and fun to read.