This Shit

Life of Crime

Now ,by way of Scientology, to more fringe criminal's, namely $cientologist and pro skater Jason Lee. Jace isn't actually a fringe criminal (unless you know somehting in which case please share with the rest of us), but he does play one on TV alsong with his My Name Is Earl castmates.

Trash Appeal: Earl's Girls!

Doesn't Jace look like a youger, less bald, and slightly more macho version of Dr Phil McGraw??

Is Jason Lee Doctor Phil McGraw's long lost son???

Sorry to creep you out like that, but get prepared to be further creeped. Word has it that Earl is looking to replace Jamie Pressley with an even trashier blonde!

My Name Is Paris

Now why didn't I think of that?? Actually I did, & it's a joke. Though if they did want to give Pressley the axe, that's understandable.

Theer's something vaguely familiar about her, as if seen her before, perhaps in campy comedic circumstances. Maybe it was in Col Klink's office, and Bob Crane was trying to get something out of her, or into her??

Partners in fringe crime

Still she and Lee share such chemistry as the shiftless reforming low life, and the psychobitch who would kill him in half a heart beat to get her mits on those lottery winnings, that I don't think that she'll be going anywhwere for awhile.

One chica we hope won't be going anywhere but up is Nadine Velasquez - Is it hot here Babe, or is it you??

Labels: Links, Pix

That Shit

So democracy gets another chance, by being unleashed upon the American public yet again. No wonder those Iraqs fought it tooth and nail!

Labels: Politics

He was the Next Marlon Brando

The brief over view on River Pheonix’s short life: his family were missionaries with The Children of God in South America. RP’s first ‘gig’ was performing on the streets in Venezuela, singing to help raise money for his family. Soon after the family left COG, and returned to America, changing their family name to “Phoenix” to symbolize their new beginnings. The COG has a nasty reputation, especially when it come sot sex, and RP was to reveal years later, in magazine interviews, that he had been molested by COG members when he was 4. He was an outspoken COG critic throughout his life - “They’re ruining people’s lives”.

At an early age he took to acting, to help support the family. Colleagues noticed that he was ‘really good’, and he soon got alot of attention inside the industry. Rob Reiner cast him in Stand By Me, and then it was on to some work with Harrison Ford - in Mosquito Coast (also Starring Dame Helen Mirren), and as ‘Young Indie’ in The Temple of Doom. My Own Private Idaho with Keanu Reeves was a ground breaker, though it only made 6 mill. It was the movie that Brokeback Mountain didn’t dare to be. Keanu remained a close friend up to RP’s death in ‘93.

Phoenix had a lot of other close friends, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They’d play with RP’s band for PETA benefits (RP refused to wear leather in any performance). As well as being a talented actor and musician, RP’s was also seriously politically committed, for such a young person. He bought 800 acres of Costa Rican rain forest, to preserve it. Needless to say, he touched a lot of people, with in the industry. Musicians have been referencing him in their work until recently.

He’d died tragically out side Johnny Depp’s Viper Room early on Halloween Morning 93. His brother, sister, and long term girlfriend were with him at the time (his only serious girl, I’m not aware of RP really being ‘promiscuous’). He died from a combo of heroin and cocaine - speedballs - which sent him into convulsions for 8 minutes. by the time emergency response arrived, he was already gone, and even the insertion of a pace maker couldn’t save him.

If you think that the Heath Ledger death is moving people, the research back on River Phoenix. Heath did outstanding working in Brokeback, and moreso in Dark Knight. Before that there had been a lot of teen idol roles, and he was considered a late bloomer who was only starting to develop as a talent. RP, on the other hand, was always doing work of the Dark Knight caliber, and there wasn’t really a time when he wasn’t that good.

Johnny Depp became the ‘Mary Kate Olsen’ in the scenario. He owned the Viper Room. If you think that MKO is disliked now, that’s nothing compared to what Depp was back then. It looked like his career was over. If it hadn’t been for his mentor Tim Burton - who kept him employed when no one wanted to work with him (and there are still those today who won’t), and the fact that he fled the country for France, his career might never have recovered. he still works with a blot on his name, and I don’t think that Depp will ever get an Oscar. Too many people in Hollywood still hold it against him. Then again do a little research on Depp, via Wiki, for instance, and especially in comparison to RP, and you’ll see why many in Hollywood continue to treat him like he’s got toxic BO. His public image has been reformed - largely by refusing to do many interviews. It makes him look serious and for real. However the entertainment media has had a hate on for him too, and have jumped on any opportunity to dent his reputation. Take for instance the “Dumb dog” quote from Stern magazine. The press was getting ready to slow roast him over that one. So naturally Depp is reluctant to stick his neck out. Before moving to France, where connection with France actress Vanessa Paradis has made the french treat him like one of their own, his slightest misdeed got major press coverage: like his arrest for trashing a NYC hotel room, or his paparazzi punch up in London. Remaining silent and aloof was worked wonders for him.

You had to respect Phoenix for his seriousness and genuine commitment: to his acting & music, to the causes he supported, and to the people he was involved with. It remains to be seen whether Johnny Depp lives it down .

PS. Johnny Depp has managed to gradually become a fan favorite. He has his supporters who won't hear a word against him. Like Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson; he can do no wrong until he does something wrong, and very publically.

Labels: River Pheonix