Hello Jesso

Image via: Roommate SBS

Don't worry the title of this post isn't as crepy as it sounds. I haven't gone all Single White Female on you, nor am I talking about the creepy Leighton Meester / Minka Kelly movie - The Room Mate. I am refering to the  South Korean reality TV show currently on SBS - Roommate.

In a nutshell, Roommate is 11 Korean celebrities  - comedians, singers, 'idols', models, actors, actresses, sports personalitlies - ranging in age and fame, all brought together to live in a house filled with lots of cameras to watch their every move. Sound familiar?

Image via: Parade.condenast.com

If you were an avid Lost fan, you're probably still in mourning at the show's end. I know I am. I have a Lost shaped hole in my life and I don't know what to do, hence, this indulgent post about one of my favourite TV programmes.  Don't worry it's travel and holiday related, I promise.


Without a doubt the island was one of the stars of the show, and the amazing scenery was provided by the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. Some scenes were filmed on a sound stage, but the rest was filmed on location - which means if you are a fan of the show and are ever in O'ahu you can go and see where Oceanic Flight 815 crashed along with other memorable locations!

Jack: Where are we?

Mokule'ia Beach on Oahu's North Shore (Image By: Ali San)

Ka'a'awa Valley (Image by: Tobze)

Whatever happened to the holiday progs of yesteryear? You know the ones, Holiday on BBC1 or Wish You Were Here  on ITV with Judith Chalmers who exposed us to the delights of the Costa Del Sol and the Algarve.

At the time when going abroad was a novelty, these holiday programmes were a must see - giving us ideas on where to go and providing us with dreams of reaching these sun drenched places.



Ol' Judith pointed out the beaches, the watering holes, places to stay and of course, what the best deal was to get you there. Her job seemed amazing - I mean who wouldn't want a job that was basically a super extended holiday? Downside - the ravaging effects of the sun are clear to see on Judith's face. Clearly sunscreen was in short supply.

Now with the internets, and travel review sites such as Trip Advisor maybe these programmes are no longer needed as you can find the information yourself, but they were fun to watch even if my parents never took me to any of the places featured on these programmes!

So if you don't remember Wish You Were Here, here are the nifty  opening credits.



FYI - Just in case you didn't know,  Judith admitted that all the time she was doing the show to avoid having VPL on tv.  Maybe, a little more holiday information than we need to know.  If you want to just read more about her favourite places and travel tips, have a read of this interview with The Independent from a few years ago.

The USA sure know how to promote themselves and make you want to visit their land of excess.

You may remember this advert from a couple of years back, and I must say it worked on me. It made me want to visit America.



So now with a potential trip to the Land of the Free (NYC to be precise) coming up later on in the year, I am even more excited thanks to new HBO show How To Make It In America.  The opening credits are just soooooo coool.

If you haven't seen it, here you go...

Sometimes just when you think there is nothing on TV, you happen across a tv gold moment.

That's what happened today.

If you ever watched Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you'll know that Carlton and more specifically his dancing was in danger of overshadowing Will Smith as the star of the show.

If you haven't seen this, then you are in a for a treat...

Lol Lol Lol.

That's all I can say about my current guilty pleasure - Take Me Out!

The first time I watched it, it was Paddy's catchphrases that had me chuckling.
- "Let the corn see the cob"
-"Let the plumber see the pipes"
- "Let the Vinda see the loo"
and of course the now much repeated 'No likey, no lighty!

Then after a few watches it became a must see just so we could comment on the girls - you know the usual remarks on what they were wearing, because some of them looked like they got caught in a glitter factory explosion. We even grew to know some of them - Rhian, Gazza Face, Daisy, Tall Jo.

However, over the last couple of the weeks it has been the boys that are stealing the show.
Not for any good reasons mind - the bad dancing, the bad outfits, the cringey winks and what look like facial ticks.

This week though Thomas (view his audition video here) stole the show.
Looking like a reject villain from a Bond movie with his platinum blond haircut and all white suit; he came across as a tad arrogant, and as if the girls on the show should be so lucky to get a date with him. He may be a nice guy, but he did himself no favours. Needless to say Thomas was met with a wipeout - with all 30 girls turning their lights off. Oh dear.





He got a hug off Paddy though, so he really shouldn't complain.

After doing the walk of shame back up the stairs dateless - Thomas made his bitterness known by taking off his jacket and pointing a finger across all the girls and shouting...






I'm sure they'll live Thomas.

Normally, this TV show is the kind of programme I would rather gouge my eyes out than watch. However, having watched it two weeks on the trot (yes I said it), I can tell you that Take Me Out is funnnnnnnyyyyy! I'm talking laugh out loud funny.

It's like Blind Date for 2010 and the A-D-D generation.

We all have short attention spans, so it's great that the show can potentially set up 4 couples (lots of comedy fodder) as well as review the previous weeks dates at the classy joint that is 'Fernandoooos'. All that comedy crammed into an hour practically makes Cilla look like a slacker. She would have had more opportunities to wear a hat had she worked as hard as Paddy.

I must say Paddy McGuinness makes the show with his funny quips. He sells it much better than he did Greggs.


My favourite catchphrase from the show (oh yes it has a catchphrase) is No Likey, No Lighty and my light is definitely on for this programme.

Give it up Leno. Take your chin and retire. Apart from your face, there is not much else funny about you.


I'm With Coco! I mean just look at that hair, that face.


Read Conan's statement on the late night fight situation.

Forget the fact that celeb BB has started on TV.

The real stars of Car Crash 'reality' TV are those kids on the Jersey Shore


If you haven't seen it you must search it out and watch it - just to see the spray tans, the hair, the fights, oh and did I mention the hair?!

It seems like everyone is loving the J.Shore - with Fred Flare pointing me in the direction of this make over shot...


What happened to the gel and fake tan? I feel cheated.

The best Jersery Shore make over though has to be Michael Cera getting his very own guido hairstyle, styled by none other than DJ Pauly D who posted the pics on his facebook fan page (Is it wrong that I kind of want to become a fan?)






If that weren't enough to make you come over to the j.side (see what I did there?) I'll leave you with a short clip of the j.shore peeps 'beating up the beat' - read: dancing.

I forgot how funny this was.

I've wasted a lot of time laughing at this.



Off to wipe away my tears of laughter.

1) The company name 'Massive Dynamics' - Lame.

2) Every week; what ever freak event is happening always relates to Bishop's work - but they only seem to realise this half way through the episode when the situation is critical.

3) Walter saying "someone's continued my work blah blah blah..."

4) Astrid's microphone head hair do.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like the programme, I'm just saying there are a few things that irk me.
I'll still keep watching though.

p.s Something I do like though - Astrid's surname is Farnsworth, just like Professor Farnsworth from Futurama.

OMG! This new 90210 is terrible.

This episode just had me thinking- 'what the hell?!'

Silver is a complete nut case! Think high school fatal attraction.

She's not quite Glenn Close, but she's working on those crazy eyes.



I think she is confusing crazy in love, with just plain crazy bananas!

Also, when will Naomi learn to close her mouth and stop doing goldfish impressions?




I say bring back wonky faced Brenda, wonky boobed Donna, and Kelly any day. Throw in some Sweet Valley High and it may just be best teen prog ever!

I'm off to watch more tv....

OMG! I have recently been watching the first series of Beverly Hills 90210 - the original Aaron Spelling version - and I am loving it!

I picked up the DVD box set and what a good purchase - now I want all the other series.

Watching it now - they all looked so young, even though they were about 30 at the time. It is soooooooo much better than the new version of 90210.

I am loving the fashion - so bad. All big shoulder pads, over sized jackets, patchwork jeans, and resident bad boy Dylan McKay even wore dungarees!
My fave outfit so far must be Kelly Taylor sporting turquoise tights, black and white checked cycling shorts, some sort of half top and a light denim jacket - nice.

Now enough writing, I've got more 90210 to watch.

Working for Urban Outfitters certainly has it perks. But when I look at the US U.O website I always find stuff that I wish we had here.

Currently at the top of my 'U.O I want... list is:



Library AV Retro Turntable



Plays vinyl and you can hook it up to your mac (and PC - yuck!)



iPod Boom Box





Not much more I can say other than - OMG! I want. Breakin' 2: Electric Bugaloo

Well that can be the only reason I can think of for this tragic compilation...





Now That's What I Call Music: 25 Years






More like - Now That's What I Call Lazy!

Live From New York , Amy Poehler gives birth! Don't worry, not live; but yes the world's funniest baby has arrived. I am talking about the offspring of Amy Poehler and Will Arnett - Archie Arnett.

I know this happened the other day, but I'm only getting round to writing about it now... so what are you going to do? Anyway...

With parents of that comedic calibre little Archie is bound to be funny right? The only way he could get any funnier would be if they spliced a dash of Tina Fey's eggs and Steve Carrell's sperm, and threw it into the mix.
Now that would be one funny looking baby!

I know considering I am a Londoner born and bred, I should have more interest in the politics of the UK. After all, it is the laws and policies here that will have an affect on my life.

However, I can't help but be more interested in American politics. Mainly because at the moment it is so much more entertaining!

On the one hand you have Barack Obama a man fighting for change, and who has the ignorants of america quaking in their boots, just because his middle name is Hussein.

But then you have the stars of the show...

Verb hating Sarah Palin - VP contender, and of course...Grandpa Werthers John McCain.

I don't have to explain why he is such a dubious choice for President do I? No, I'll let him show you himself...


CRINGE!

This guy is seriously asking you to entrust him to lead the country and shape the future of America? Hmmmmm.

Anyway... After seeing that I didn't think I could cringe anymore, until I saw this: Kerry Katona slurring her words on This Morning! this morning.



Seeesh give the girl a break. Obv she was sober. She just said she had some medication last night to help her sleep, what's wrong with that? If by last night she meant just before I came on air, and if by medication she meant crystal meth washed down with a bottle of champers.

You have one person on the brink of being president of a country and the other labelled an addict just because she couldn't get through some public speaking.. just doesn't seem fair.

Ok so this post is a little overdue considering we are about 2 or 3 eps into some programmes; but the most important thing to remember is - TV IS BACK!

After the writers strike and the TV drought, I am currently binging on TV. Watching everything and anything I can lay my eyeballs on. (This does not include Eastenders, Corrie, Emmerdale - or anything like that. I am not yet that desperate.)
Basically, I love TV like a fat kid loves cake!

All I can say is thank goodness for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and Flight Of The Conchords which provided some much needed entertainment this summer.

So what will I be watching now that TV is back:

-Heroes - The comedy double act of Hiro and Ando are back, and so is the bordering on incestuous relationship of Nathan and Peter Petrelli.

-Gossip Girl - WTF Chuck?! Pious Dan, Pouty Serena, Queen B, Lil J, Nate & Nessa are back. Upper East Side is back in action.

-90210 - More rich spoilt kids, just different zip code. This remake has possibly the skinniest cast ever!

-Project Runway - Forget Heidi and Nina; I ♥ Tim Gunn & Michael Kors (Ol' Jewish lady trapped in a gay man's body).

-Fringe - Mighty Duck - Pacey Witter slash Joshua Jackson is back. Quick wit and fringe science all mixed together.

-Pushing Daisies - Beautifully shot story of a man who can bring people back to life - with conditions of course, and I love Anna Friel's costumes.

-Chuck - More nerdy hi-jinx and spies. A major step up from 'Less Than Perfect' for Zachary Levi

-House - Medical Drama fix.

I'm also waiting for CSI and 30 Rock to start.

I know there are more progs I watch but I am distracted at the mo, as I am watching 90210 as I write this.

So I'll leave it there and finish watching these rich kids...

Last night I had the privilege of going to watch Stevie Wonder perfom live at the O2. I must say I felt slightly overwhelmed at the fact that I was there watching Stevie Wonder live, and felt a tear come to my eye as he sang all the classic Stevie songs that I love.

He got the crowd up and participating:
Guys: Turn it up
Girls:Yeah yeah
Guys:Turn it up
Girls: Yeah yeah
Guys:T-t-t-t-t-t-urn it up!

No?... I guess you had to be there.

He also seemed to have a bit of a thing for Barack Obama! I kid you not. He kept randomly inserting Barack's name into the lyrics of his songs. For example:
"I just called to say, Barack Obama for pressidennttttt.... I just called to say Vote Baraaaaaack-ooooo oo oo"
Ok, so maybe that's not exactly what he did, but you get the idea.

It's nice to see Mr. Wonder believing so much in the US presidential candidate, but seriously, what difference does it make to us? We can't vote. Did no one tell Stevie this?

Anyway, I guess we all know who Stevie is going to vote for.

Either way it was fun night, and I even got to take the Thames Clipper boat all the way back to Waterloo and see the sights of London by night. Nice.