Drop Dead Gorgeous is simply phenomenal. I watched it for the 7528904270345 billionth time last weekend, wondering why I don't watch it every day.
The film is a 1999 mockumentary, poking fun at the ridiculously overrated beauty pageants teenage girls dedicate their adolescent lives to. A documentary crew from Los Angeles, California is recruited by Sarah Rose Cosmetics to chronicle the journey several girls will take in Mount Rose, Minnesota, as the compete to win the local beauty pageant. As head of the pageant committee, Gladys Leeman, wonderfully portrayed by Kirstie Alley, is a traditional stage mom, putting on a "good, God-fearin'" girl act, and sabotaging the competition to make sure her daughter, Rebecca Ann Leeman(Denise Richards) wins. Such acts of sabotage include killing one contestant, overachiever Tammy Curry, by literally blowing her up, deafening another, Jenelle Betz, by setting a stage light up to knock her unconscious, and shooting Amber Atkins'(Kirsten Dunst) love interest Brett Clemmens, and blaming hunting season. And this is all overlooked, simply because the Leemans are the richest family in town- Mr. Leeman owns a furniture store that makes a profit off of cheap knock-off couches, and the family's home is riddled with hidden wine cases and ash trays. Not to mention the hilariously naive(and bribed) police force, who, "after some investigatin', determines that all contestants that were killed, must've been smokin' and drivin'". However, most of the contestants are doing the pageant merely for fun, or as Lisa Swenson(Brittany Murphy) puts it, "If you're seventeen, and you're not a total fry, it's just whatcha do."
The film crew follows each contestant, and the audience learns of each of their hilariously real personalities and talents. Amber Atkins just wants to get out of Mount Rose and be a news anchor like her idol, Diane Sawyer. She practices her immense talent for tap dancing while doing her after school job- she does the hair and makeup for the deceased at the local funeral home. Leslie Miller(a very young Amy Adams) is the seemingly innocent, but really future Phillipine stripper, cheerleader who is supported by her crazed, sports fanatic boyfriend. Lisa Swenson has an insane giggle, and aspires to be like her brother Peter, a drag queen in New York City. Tess Winhaus is a ridiculously awkward dog lover, whose talent is imitating different dog barks, including her obvious favorite, the German Shepard. Molly Howard was adopted by a dorky, country-western obsessed Asian family, and is the American daughter they never had(even though they have a gorgeous, pageant-worthy Asian daughter, whom they scream at for not speaking English). Molly's talent is- you guessed it- line dancing! Michelle Johnson is an aspiring actress, with the over dramatic flair to match. She reads a monologue, making proclamations about how "soilent green is people!". Jenelle Betz is seemingly in love with sign language, so when she is deafened by Gladys Leeman, she is thrilled. And of course, theres's Rebecca Ann Leeman, president of her class, president of the Luteran Sisterhood Gun Club of Mount Rose, and a self-proclaimed winner. Her talent is literally one of the funniest things I've ever seen, and a fantastic Denise Richards moment. Rebecca sings appallingly badly while dancing around a Velcro Jesus doll on a rolling crucifix, while clad in a poodle skirt. At the conclusion of her talent performance, her mother, the host of the pageant as well, says, "Oh, boy, I'd hate to follow that act!" to forced applause.
Other characters surrounding the pageant increase the hilarity of the plot, including Amber's mother and best friend- alcoholic cosmetologist Annette Atkins(Ellen Brakin), and the ever promiscuous Loretta(Allison Janney). They all live together in the local trailer park, which is later blown up by Gladys, or according to the police, "bad wiring". The pageant judges, Harold Vilmes, John Dough, and Jean Kangas, have equally amusing background stories. Vilmes(Michael McShane) must remain with his mentally retarted brother Hank(Will Sasso) at all times, or else his pants will always be off. Kangas(Lona Williams) is the sexually harassed employee of Lester Leeman(Sam McMurray), and doesn't say a word throughout the entire film. Dough(Matt Malloy), is an obvious pedophile and heavy smoker, always mentioning how he's "never been around young girls". The judges attempt to make it look as though they haven't been bribed by Gladys and her right hand woman, Iris Clark(Mindy Sterling, but Hank makes it sort of obvious when he shouts, "I KNOW WHO DA WINNER IS!"
I've basically gone over the plot in a weird order to introduce the characters, but I should really do it chronologically. Contestants begin to die before/during the actual pageant, Amber's mobile home explodes, but her tap dancing outfit is saved, and then stolen assuredly by Rebecca, and Amber is nearly disqualified. But, Lisa drops out of the pageant, saying that "Peter has much better legs than [her]". Leslie comes in third place, Amber comes in second, and Rebecca, not surprisingly, wins first. She is featured in a parade, sitting atop a float in the shape of a swan, which catches on fire and kills her. Gladys goes insane and is arrested by Cops(whose cameramen happen to be friends with the documentary crew) when she admits that she killed the other girls. Amber takes Rebecca's place and goes with Loretta to compete at the state level at the Airport HoJo in central Minnesota, and is intimidated by the other city girls and their talents. However, Amber is declared the winner when she is the only one who doesn't eat the bad shellfish served to the girls(the others are hospitalized for excessive vomiting). When Amber goes to the Sarah Rose headquarters to compete at the country-wide level, she and the other girls discover that the company has been seized for tax violations.
Such an excellent movie.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Monday, 1 February 2010
Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!
Although I don't really listen to the radio anymore, I never miss an episode of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" The show, produced weekly by Chicago Public Radio and NPR, is a comedic quiz game show that focuses on blunders in the news. Needless to say, it is immensely entertaining.
The host, Peter Segal, is quite the intellectual, with a Harvard degree to his name. Thus, he is able to improvise impersonations, quotes, whatever it takes to poke fun at the often serious world of politics. He is assisted by Carl Kasell, the show's official judge and score keeper. Carl is elderly, but that just makes him even more amusing. He scoffs at the younger generation now obsessed with Facebook and Twitter, and jokes about young, ambitious politicians. Accompanying Segal and Kasell is a panel composed of three panelists, often comedians, writers, or just plain smart people. Frequent panelists include authors and columnists like Ray Blount, Jr., Amy Dickinson, Kyrie O'Connor, and Charlie Pierce, satirists like Adam Felber and Tom Bodett, comedians like Paula Poundstone and Julia Sweeny, and my personal favorite, TV personality Mo Rocca. Each panelist is quizzed by Segal and Kasell about the current week's news. and needless to say the provide very amusing answers. They rack up points as the show goes on, but they do not do this alone. Avid listeners call the show at "1 Tripe 8 WAIT WAIT" and play all kinds of games.
Ask Carl, Carlbook, Who's Carl This Time?, Bluff the Listener, Listener Limerick Challenge, and Not My Job are the most popular games played with both callers and celebrity guests. The premises of the games are similar- get at least two out of three questions right, and one wins the prize: Carl Kasell's voice on your home answering device. It makes me want to call in and play.
Who's Carl This Time? is usually played first- Kasell recreates a quote from the week's news, and the listener has to name who said it, with subtle, or blatant(and funny) clues from the panelists. A bell rings if the answer is correct, and the audience chortles and "awww"s if the answer is incorrect. However, the latter rarely happens, as the questions are relatively easy, and the listeners are relatively smart! Next comes Bluff the Listener, a much tougher game, because the player only has one chance to win, or lose, which actually happens often. The panelists will read three odd but somehow similar news stories. The way to win is for the listener to guess which story is true out of the three, and which two are completely fictional and products of the panelists' imaginations. The Listener Limerick Challenge requires the contestant to complete Kasell's silly, news realted rhyme. And of course, two out of three correct answers equals a win! Not My Job is a little different, because the player is not just a listener- it's a celebrity. It usually isn't your typical, rolling-in-the-benjamins star or starlet, it's usually a celebrity that's simply different. The guest must answer three questions on a topic unrelated to what they do as a celebrity, on behalf of a listner. Guests will first tell little stories, andswer hilarious questions from Segal, and provide equally hilarious answers, with input from the panelists. Past guests include everyone from Hugh Hefner, to Brian Williams, to Mavis Staples, to Paula Deen. Hilarity ensued, and continues to ensue.
I guess the reason the show is so appealing is because it's full of people who are fed up with all the seriousness that pervades the news, entertainment, and political industries, and take a comedic stance on stories that come out of him. However,(and finally) people of prestige, intellectuals with backgrounds in not only satire, but in education as well. It's interesting to see each panelists' guests', and listeners' takes on austere subjects. For example, Paula Deen, the "queen of southern cuisine" had to answer questions about the ever healthy tofu, preceeding a story about her famous doughnut and hamburger sandwhich. When a school district in California banned the dictionary for explicit sexual content, panelists had quite the time coming up with naughty phrases, or naming the new dictionary "Mr. Sunshine Bunny's Dictionary of Words That Don't Make Angels Cry. When you hear this kind of thing, you die laughing, but at the same time, you appreciate the sophistication of the amusing host, judge, and panelists as a listener. "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" oozes prestige, and at the same time, makes adds humor to humorless topics.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=35
The host, Peter Segal, is quite the intellectual, with a Harvard degree to his name. Thus, he is able to improvise impersonations, quotes, whatever it takes to poke fun at the often serious world of politics. He is assisted by Carl Kasell, the show's official judge and score keeper. Carl is elderly, but that just makes him even more amusing. He scoffs at the younger generation now obsessed with Facebook and Twitter, and jokes about young, ambitious politicians. Accompanying Segal and Kasell is a panel composed of three panelists, often comedians, writers, or just plain smart people. Frequent panelists include authors and columnists like Ray Blount, Jr., Amy Dickinson, Kyrie O'Connor, and Charlie Pierce, satirists like Adam Felber and Tom Bodett, comedians like Paula Poundstone and Julia Sweeny, and my personal favorite, TV personality Mo Rocca. Each panelist is quizzed by Segal and Kasell about the current week's news. and needless to say the provide very amusing answers. They rack up points as the show goes on, but they do not do this alone. Avid listeners call the show at "1 Tripe 8 WAIT WAIT" and play all kinds of games.
Ask Carl, Carlbook, Who's Carl This Time?, Bluff the Listener, Listener Limerick Challenge, and Not My Job are the most popular games played with both callers and celebrity guests. The premises of the games are similar- get at least two out of three questions right, and one wins the prize: Carl Kasell's voice on your home answering device. It makes me want to call in and play.
Who's Carl This Time? is usually played first- Kasell recreates a quote from the week's news, and the listener has to name who said it, with subtle, or blatant(and funny) clues from the panelists. A bell rings if the answer is correct, and the audience chortles and "awww"s if the answer is incorrect. However, the latter rarely happens, as the questions are relatively easy, and the listeners are relatively smart! Next comes Bluff the Listener, a much tougher game, because the player only has one chance to win, or lose, which actually happens often. The panelists will read three odd but somehow similar news stories. The way to win is for the listener to guess which story is true out of the three, and which two are completely fictional and products of the panelists' imaginations. The Listener Limerick Challenge requires the contestant to complete Kasell's silly, news realted rhyme. And of course, two out of three correct answers equals a win! Not My Job is a little different, because the player is not just a listener- it's a celebrity. It usually isn't your typical, rolling-in-the-benjamins star or starlet, it's usually a celebrity that's simply different. The guest must answer three questions on a topic unrelated to what they do as a celebrity, on behalf of a listner. Guests will first tell little stories, andswer hilarious questions from Segal, and provide equally hilarious answers, with input from the panelists. Past guests include everyone from Hugh Hefner, to Brian Williams, to Mavis Staples, to Paula Deen. Hilarity ensued, and continues to ensue.
I guess the reason the show is so appealing is because it's full of people who are fed up with all the seriousness that pervades the news, entertainment, and political industries, and take a comedic stance on stories that come out of him. However,(and finally) people of prestige, intellectuals with backgrounds in not only satire, but in education as well. It's interesting to see each panelists' guests', and listeners' takes on austere subjects. For example, Paula Deen, the "queen of southern cuisine" had to answer questions about the ever healthy tofu, preceeding a story about her famous doughnut and hamburger sandwhich. When a school district in California banned the dictionary for explicit sexual content, panelists had quite the time coming up with naughty phrases, or naming the new dictionary "Mr. Sunshine Bunny's Dictionary of Words That Don't Make Angels Cry. When you hear this kind of thing, you die laughing, but at the same time, you appreciate the sophistication of the amusing host, judge, and panelists as a listener. "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" oozes prestige, and at the same time, makes adds humor to humorless topics.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=35
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