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#king always championing great TV shows is amazing
ingek73 · 8 months
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Will ‘close pals’ rally around Dan Wootton as he faces down catfishing allegations? He’d want that, surely
Marina Hyde
The GB News presenter has always offered a very tabloid form of support to celebrities in difficulty. ​They can’t desert him now
Fri 21 Jul 2023 13.03 BST
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Dan Wootton, centre, standing behind Andrew Neil, with other GB News presenters in 2021.
What is the most shudder-inducing tabloid tone? I think it’s probably fake sympathy. Let’s see a master of it at work. “Danny Dyer’s friends fear he could be ‘heading down the path to sex addiction’,” sympathised Dan Wootton in the Sun in 2017. The next year, pals were fearing again – this time the possibility that the late Caroline Flack may reunite with a boyfriend. “Friends fear she is preparing to give their relationship another go,” commiserated Dan. An unnamed friend apparently told him: “Nobody wants to see her hurt.” A year after that, Dan voices “fears for Ricky Hatton” after the boxer is filmed stumbling in Tenerife. A fan supposedly tells Dan: “What a fall from grace for such a great champion.”
And so to this week’s revelations, after a Byline Times story alleged Wootton offered current and former Sun colleagues large sums of money under a pseudonym in return for sexual material. The Guardian newspaper has spoken to seven such individuals, who say they were contacted by a man named Martin Branning. (Though Wootton has not denied the allegation that he was “Branning”, the Guardian has not been able to independently establish the link between Wootton and Branning. Wootton’s lawyers have, however, made a legal complaint to Byline Times’s publisher.)
Anyhow. Pals fear the GB News presenter and MailOnline columnist could be on the brink of karmageddon after a nutso opening monologue to his show on Tuesday night. For all the seriousness of the “unspeakable” criminal allegations, at which Wootton only vaguely gestured in the course of denying them categorically, this monologue was in many ways the most mesmerisingly peculiar six minutes of TV this year. They should show it at the Baftas. It was the telly equivalent of an Only God Can Judge Me tattoo.
Behold Wootton, a sideboard made of ham, with efit eyes, dropping quotable quotes so fast there was no way you could possibly digest the last one before the next one was being gnashed out through his veneers. I want to say it was like watching a washing machine play King Lear, but I think it’s somehow even more ludicrous to say it was like watching Dan Wootton play sincere.
Still, let’s go: “Smear campaign by nefarious players … like all fallible humans, I have made errors of judgment in the past … being in the middle of this witch-hunt has made me think a lot about the sort of journalist and broadcaster I aspire to be … I mean, who doesn’t have regrets? Should I be cancelled for them many years later? Or do you accept that I have learned and changed?”
No. I don’t. I’ve seen your show and I can read your columns.
‘The tabloids’ disinclination to report on the story thus far means coverage is not coming as thick and fast as it did when, say, Dan was obsessively pursuing ITV over Phillip Schofield’s affair.’ Photograph: Paul Jeffers/AP
“Over the past few years I have grown professionally and personally,” continued this … victim statement, is it? “And I have found the meaning of true love.” Oh man. Amazing that the serial tormentor of so many women in the public eye should attempt to make this a hymn to personal growth. I don’t think – how to put this carefully? – I don’t think that line is going to hold, sir.
All in all, the spectacle of Dan Wootton begging for nuance and empathy is the heat death of irony. The two crucial things about people like Dan is that they are, without exception, monstrous hypocrites – and they also reduce the world. Their entire business is making human experience smaller. There are about six or seven basic story templates into which they believe all other people’s lives must be squeezed, whether or not they want them to be. So to find the high priest of the reductive suddenly asking for an acknowledgment of complexity feels a little much.
Others, it should be said, are asking for different things. The Sun is asking its staff to contact its lawyers if they have any information about the “very serious” claims, and not to talk to journalists(!). MailOnline is also looking into the claims.
Are they part of the “dark forces” Wootton railed at, when he cast the whole business as an attempt to cancel GB News for being “the biggest threat to the establishment in decades”? To make it super simple for Dan: GB News is not “anti-establishment”. It is a London telly channel owned by a hedge funder and an investment firm. The deputy chairman of the governing Conservative party is one of its presenters, as is a recently knighted former cabinet minister whose father was a long-serving editor of the Times.
Amusingly, though, the Wootton story was seized on by someone soon to present his own show on GB News: John Cleese. “The mainstream press must check this out,” stated Cleese, declaring that failure to do so would be “final proof of their complete corruption”. Will John’s own fearless new employers check it out? Or is Cleese himself one of the “nefarious players” trying to cancel Dan?
A lot of threads yet to unravel, it must be said. The tabloids’ disinclination to report on the story thus far means coverage is not coming as thick and fast as it did when, say, Dan was obsessively pursuing ITV over Phillip Schofield’s affair with a much younger colleague. Or indeed when his GB News co-hosts were ranting round the clock about the BBC and Huw Edwards, only for Wootton to react to news of Edwards’s hospitalisation with a poll asking “is this a crisis of the BBC’s making?”.
As we wait for developments, then, perhaps convention demands we ask: is this current situation a crisis of Dan Wootton’s making? I think the answer would have to be … friends fear so.
Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist
What Just Happened?! by Marina Hyde (Guardian Faber Publishing, £9.99). To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.(see article)
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natromanxoff · 1 year
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Daily Mirror - April 20, 1992
Credits to Roberto Macchi.
ALL THE STARS AT WEMBLEY
ALL THE STARS AT WEMBLEY
~~
Your TV guide to the great rock extravaganza
ALL IN AID OF FREDDIE
By RICK SKY
THE show begins at 6pm when Queen members Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon walk proudly on stage.
First to perform are Metallica, followed by Extreme and Def Leppard.
Extreme play a medley of songs including their new single, a version of Queen’s Love Of My Life.
It is released today with proceeds going to the Terrence Higgins Trust. Bob Geldof introduces U2 live by satellite from California — with a comic interruption by rock’s funniest band, Spinal Tap.
Next Roger Taylor introduces Guns N’ Roses, then it’s back to the live satellite for South Africa’s Aids Awareness Concert. Following this is an appearance by AIDS campaigner Elizabeth Taylor and singing star Liza Minelli. The second half of the show is devoted to the best of Queen. Various stars perform the band’s hits with May, Taylor and Deacon.
The Who’s Roger Daltrey sings I Want It All, Italian star Zucchero does Las Palabras de Amor and Radio Ga Ga is done by Paul Young. Robert Plant performs Innuendo and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Brits award winner Seal will sing Who Wants To Live Forever and David Bowie and Annie Lennox team up for Under Pressure in the night’s most exotic outfits. Says Annie: “We plan to dress up outrageously in Freddie’s honour.”
Straight afterwards comes George Michael, who will sing Year of ‘39 and Somebody To Love.
He will be joined by Lisa Stansfield for These Are The Days Of Our Lives. Lisa says: “The artists feel the concert will be truly amazing.”
Axl Rose comes on later to belt out We Will Rock You and there will be satellite tributes from Madonna and Michael Jackson.
Superstar Elton John rounds it all off with Bohemian Rhapsody and The Show Must Go On.
• Programme is subject to change.
FACT FILE
For the finale, all the acts come back for the classic rock anthem We Are The Champions.
TICKETS for the concert were sold out in six hours… The stage needs 30 tons of scaffolding and 5000 lights… Enough power will be generated to run Luton… The crows will munch 20,000 burgers, 15,000 hotdogs, 3,000 buckets of popcorn… A total of 64,000 cokes and 26,000 lagers will be drunk.
[Photo caption: STAR OF THE SHOW: Performers are lining up to pay their respects to Freddie]
[Photo caption: MADONNA: Appearing by satellite from California]
[Photo caption: AXL ROSE: He’ll take to the stage with We Will Rock You]
[Photo caption: GEORGE MICHAEL: Sings two songs]
[Photo caption: DAVID BOWIE: Duet with Annie Lennox]
[Photo caption: AWARD WINNER: Singing star Seal]
[Photo caption: DRESSED TO THRILL: Annie Lennox]
[Photo caption: IN LOVING MEMORY: Freddie would have basked in the glory of tonight’s concert]
[Photo caption: CLOSE FRIEND: Elton rounds off the evening]
[Photo caption: LISA STANSFIELD: It’ll be an amazing show]
SOUVENIR ISSUE
THE TRIBUTE 1946-1991
[Photo caption: DEFIANT: He loved to shock and fans adored his outrageous personality]
[Photo caption: BLOWING HIS OWN TRUMPET: Freddie loved playing the showman]
[Photo caption: THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL: He always reigned supreme on stage]
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whengeorgiawentblue · 2 years
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Debated about sending this, but I think I can shed some ancient fandom history light on why Misha gets a lot of hate. At least how it started if not why it's persisted.
So, anon credentials, take 'em as you will. I watched the pilot the night it aired, I created one of the first fic focused Supernatural communities on LiveJournal, hell I participated in the SN vs SPN debate.
The thing to remember is that SPN became popular fairly quickly. It hit at the right time and had the right elements to fill a gap in fandom at the time and it attracted a lot of brand new fans. (Supernatural was a lot of people's first fandom and they were feral.) So take one part migrating slash fandom looking for a home, one part baby's first fandom, and combine it with a show that only had 2 leads and they were related.
The results were somewhat predictable. Incest shipping and fans had been around for ages, but always pushed to the side and generally not allowed in regular fandom spaces. But suddenly Supernatural was on the scene and Wincest was the bees knees. For 3 years Wincest and J2 were king and everyone just sorta accepted that as a part of the fandom. Didn't have to like it, but what the hell else were we supposed to do?
(The mysoginistic shitstorm those asshole created when the Ruby and Bella casting sides were leaked pre-season 3? I've not seen it's like. What happened to Bella was because of these asshats deciding she had to go before she'd even been introduced.)
But, again, for 3 years we had the reigning champions. It was either genfic (waves), fic focused on the brother's relationship, obscure pairings very few people paid attention to, or wincest. Then something glorious happened. Lazarus Rising. Misha Collins walked onto the scene, had amazing chemistry with Jensen, and changed the fandom game completely.
They tried the same tactics they'd used against Bella and Jo, but migratory slash fandom came on strong. Because there were a lot of people who watched the show, but didn't participate in fandom because incest. Only now there was Castiel! And even better he actually had chemistry and a great actor. There was something to latch onto!
They lost their crown that night. Words can not express just how much and quickly the fandom shifted in season 4, even more so on season 5 when it was clear Cas was sticking around. They had to hate Misha, he took all of their imaginary power and prestige away. They could no longer dictate fandom policy. You might go into a fic challenge or exchange and be asked to writing something beside Sam and Dean. They had to share the stage.
Few things will cause a person to hate like losing power. Even imaginary fandom power.
Anon thank you very much for your history lesson. It's truly fascinating!
I'm loving SPN (currently watching season 10) but I really hate how dirty the did on female characters. I loved Ruby (not so much the one played by Gen...), Bella, Jo and Ellen Harvelle, Pamela, Meg... and they all are killed? And usually in he most nonsensical and unnecessary deaths (sort of they way the killed Dean in the finale). oh shit I even spoiled myself and found out Charlie Bradbury also dies 😭
I don't understand that level of misogyny and sexism coming from a mostly female-based fandom. I'm a destiel shipper and yet I loved the chemistry between Bella and Dean and I wanted them to fuck, just as I enjoyed the sexual chemistry between Cas and Meg, and I wanted them to stay alive and further develop their arcs.
It should have been amazing the first time you watched Lazarus Rising. The first time that episode aired and nobody had fucking idea of what's going on and then suddenly Castiel makes his entrance and just. everybody lose their shit. I watched that episode when I already knew about destiel and already saw gifs and pics and yet it was such a glorious and epic experience. It was amazing, it deserves to be in the history books of TV shows.
And the most popular ship ever was born, and the actors had wild chemistry on and off cameras, and their lives were changed forever. I'm sure the moment Jensen and Misha met each other for first time was a pivotal event in their own lives. Isn't amazing that the most popular ship ever was born and fueled by the intense love these actors have for each other? (Whether it's romantic or just platonic... but, personally, I believe it's romantic)
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travllingbunny · 3 years
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Everyone, listen to Stephen King's TV show recommendations! The man has great taste.
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Bonus: He seems to have felt about certain things the same way I did...
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sugar-petals · 3 years
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Hey, Caro, can you please introduce us to that sweet beau, Lewis Hamilton?? He's a speed driver, right??
lemme talk about this champ and beautiful man — he is a must-know. 
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lewis hamilton is a speed driver: in fact, the best racer in the world. with the fastest formula 1 lap in all history, and: if he wins this season (which has just started last week, your timing to get into this is perfect), lewis can boast a whopping 8 world championships. in short: you’re asking about the right guy. let’s go.
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so i repeat, he won seven years (yeah, he’s a capricorn). which equals the current record holder, mister michael schumacher himself, i’m sure you heard of him. so, about time all the world knows more about this stunner as well, sir lewis carl davidson hamilton
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lewis is so good and works his butt off so hard, he has more titles — he was knighted last year — and gigantic trophies than he can carry. since we’re talking f1 where drivers have to be light and agile inside the car, lewis is of course gloriously tiny, 5′7. so, the exhausted british short king on your news and twitter feed who walks around like this on a podium after doing 300 kilometers+ is dead sure to be him. can’t miss the guy.
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wanna know more? lewis is an allrounder in every field and does everything what people say he can’t. unless he’s not somewhere modelling clothes being gorgeous (he collabs with tommy hilfiger for sustainable unisex collections)...
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... taking care of his nieces or godson steve which regulary melts the f1 community...
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... is using his favorite little scooter...
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... showing up at the met gala as one of the few guys who really get the gist looking beautiful as always...
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... playing with his cute crinkly bulldog roscoe who’s always by his side and F1′s most famously beloved driver pet...
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...doing the absolute most with his activism and veganism — he even created his own plant-based restaurant chain — because as i said he’s a king, lewis never shies from taking a stand even if a lot of people hate him for it because it’s a white-dominated sport...
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...or posts inspirational things that make you believe in yourself...
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...lewis drives, can you guess:
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for mercedes!
the #1 team which usually only red bull can currently challenge. which means he has a sexy, shiny, impossibly fantastic car — with his lucky number 44, that’s how you can spot it — that is almost always leading the field. if you see this on your sports tv channel on a saturday (qualifying) or sunday (race day), i assure you it’s lewis. 44, glossy black car, pole position, check. a great talent in a perfect car equals one hell of a winning streak.
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— but if you ask me, the man is even sexier, cooler, and cuter and the real highlight. just so we’re clear on this. lewis is always a breath of fresh air. believe it or not: this guy is 35 (!!) years old. needless to say, prettiest fashion icon on the grid. and yes, he has amazing hair and tattoos.
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killing it. 👍 lewis brings a presence to the grid.
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who’s he making proud, then? now some notes on his circle, the people you spot him with. 
family hamilton first, who do we have: 
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dad anthony, lewis’ former manager. at one point he worked 4 jobs so lewis could start his career in karting. carmen, his mom. linda, his stepmom, pictured below. his brother, nicolas, also a race driver. nicolas has a disability (cerebral palsy), he competes in the uk touring championship with a modified car since 2015. like nicolas, lewis is the only (!) black driver in his tournament and they are frequently sending out very important messages about it.
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now for mercedes: accompanied he is by the calm and collected finnish valtteri bottas as his taciturn team colleague and runner-up champion. valtteri is the type to sit in a north pole sauna, lewis is ever-active, so they balance each other well. no trouble there, they’re a cool duo.
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and i’m not kidding, valtteri is truly finnish. this is his twitter, summarized:
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add the smart, austrian mercedes boss toto wolff who has the best height difference to him. these two get along very jokingly. where lewis goes, toto is not far. very dynamic duo, this is the success factory of formula 1.
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while his most competitive love-hate relationship sparking the famous ‘silver war’ was retired german champion nico rosberg since day one. who came from priviledged backgrounds while lewis did not, they are the biggest team rivals of recent f1 times and people still talk about it. the ups and downs were huge but they sure had tremendous times as friends.
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while the most smooth and consistent relationship — besides with roscoe — has got to be his bond with his whirlwind assistent/physio angela cullen! 
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lewis credits her for so much and treats her reveringly. you haven’t seen anything like this, they are glued to each other.
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lewis’ off-grid relationships come and go because he’s so busy, colleagues come and go all the time, but angela stays a constant. so if you’re asking about who the most important woman on the circuit is to lewis, that is his personal angel(a) indeed. look how wholesome.
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i mean, a picture says it all.
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last but not least. lewis’ best ever friend is german driver sebastian vettel (formerly ferrari, now aston martin, struggling a lot currently :/), former 4-time world champion. these two are THE match made in heaven and support goals. seb has the humor, lewis has the cheekiness, seb is a father, lewis has his uncle duties, it just fits. everybody should have a seb to their lewis.
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(^this is vet having hurried to be the first one to congratulate lewis on his latest championship win)
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so now you know more about sir lewis carl davidson hamilton! you will hear a lot from him this season, he’ll continue to champion many a cause, and be in the fast lane as always.
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teampandawang · 5 years
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25 REASONS TO LOVE WANG JIAR
TODAY IS THE DAY. Our baby boy is celebrating his 25th birthday, and we’re so proud of him. And obviously, we prepared his gift with all our love.
We hope you enjoy it!
RAP SKILLS
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His style is so unique. The way he uses his voice to create amazing raps is incredible. He’s so talented an passionate about it, and that’s what makes him absolutely irresistible.
DANCING SKILLS
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They all (OT7) are great dancers. And Jackson absolutely has a talent for it. He has even been dancing mentor on TV shows. His movements are so smooth and let’s talk please about his body rolls. Isn’t him a king when sexy dancing?
VOCAL SKILLS
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His voice is so sweet too when singing too. This is not his especiality but he CAN do it perfectly. He’s multitalented and no one can say the opposite.
VISUALS
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HE’S ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING. Have you ever seen a more attractive person? ‘Cause we don’t. His features were perfectly designed by God himself. He’s so perfect, and goddamit!
HANDSOMENESS
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He’s definitely so manly, even if he’s wearing makeup or acting like a child. He’s a handsome guy and is killing every girl that sees him. God was so happy the day he made him.
SEXINESS
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And, let’s talk about his sex appeal. He just exists and we’re all becoming sinners, ‘cause who can blame us if he’s hot af.
BODY
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And, yes yes yes... He’s a God himself. Look at the definition of his muscles. How many hours do we have to spend on the gym to look this amazing? We can’t take our eyes off of him.
CUTENESS
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The nickname Wang Puppy didn’t appear randomly, it because he’s totally a cute baby. He can become so soft and be a little boy that needs and deserves all the love and protection this world can give.
MULTILINGUAL
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One of our dreams in life is dominating as many languages as we can, and he’s totally an inspiration for us about these. He’s so talented with languages. He can speak Cantonese, Chinese, Korean and English fluently, without counting Japanese and French that he can use it as an intermediate speaker.
ATHLETIC
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As said later his body is the proof of his discipline training, and with all those fit things. But, beyond that, we know he’s an athlete. He practiced fencing his whole youth and he was a champion. And of course, he hasn’t lost his physical condition.
KIDS
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He’s the most Husband and Dad Material when he’s with children. He’s absolutely family oriented and has demonstrated it through the Chinese TV Show Let Go Of My Baby and in the way he loves and treats his niece, Aimee.
GREAT SON
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He’s an amazing son without doubts. He’s always taking care about what his family needs. The way he talks about his parents, especially his mom, melts our hearts. 
FRIENDLY
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Can someone be more a social butterfly than him? We don’t think so. Everywhere you look for you’ll find he’s a friend of with everyone: RM, Amber, Jooheon... And he wants to meet NCT Lucas. He has and wants friends everywhere.
VARIETY SHOWS
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He’s totally a star, even in Korea as in China. He’s loved by all the TV Host because of his charisma. He’s a really talkative man, and so funny too, so his presence on shows is something that people obviously love.
LOUD
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He’s the alive proof of what being loud means. He’s so extra always screaming or doing strange things. Someone, please collect him before he becomes a meme.
HUMBLE
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He’s one of the sweetest human beings we have ever seen. The image he shows to the world is so pure and charismatic. We can tell he means everything he says, he’s so honest with his feelings. And it’s so cute how he doesn’t feel like superior because of his fame or money, he considers himself just as another man in the world.
MANNERS
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He was incredibly educated. Mr. and Mrs. Wang you did it well! He’s kind, patient and such a gentleman. He’s always focused on each other treating them perfectly. 
TEAM WANG
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His own productions are amazing too. His company is being successful (and we’re glad about it). Yes, girls: we stan a sexy CEO.
FASHION
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His presence irradiates elegance. He’s an icon like he was taken off of a runway. He’s too gorgeous and keeps slaying everything he wears.
FENDIMAN
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And talking about fashion sense, we have to talk about him being this amazing Italian brand ambassador. He kills us all when he’s using Fendi. He looks even more handsome, we don’t know how, but he does.
PERFECT
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Whom are we going to lie? We considered him as the man of our dreams. All he does, his personality, his manners, EVERYTHING. Him, just being him, is a person we love lots.
JACKBUM
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Jackson admires JB a lot, he loves him a lot. And they together are the cutest and sexiest ship on the group, ‘cause don’t fight us: they are breathtaking.
MARSON
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And let’s talk about these two. They love each other like crazies. We love how they mess with the other being clingy or speaking English. They’re so cute, don’t blame us.
LOVE FOR AHGASE
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GOT7′s Fan Service is maybe one of the most loveable. They all are so cute. But, this babyboy is such a gentleman and loves showing the fandom how much does he adore us. He’s always supporting us too.
GOT7
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He’s part of this group of 7 dorks we love till infinite and beyond because on how amazing they all are.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!
You can’t imagine how much we love and admire you because everything you are. We’ll always be supporting you for being that caring and lovely human being. Love you...
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metalgearkong · 5 years
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Game of Thrones: Season 8 Thoughts & Review
5/20/19 **spoilers**
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Produced by David Benioff & DB Weiss (HBO)
It took me a few years to actually begin watching Game of Thrones after it came out, but once I did, I became a die-hard fan, and even started reading the books.  This series truly felt like a post-modern take on Lord of the Rings or any other high fantasy properties in the best possible way. The complex and gray morality, clever dialog, intrigue, backstabbing, dramatic character changes, and authentic production vales help make this one of the best TV shows of all time. Seeing the bad guys constantly get the upper hand on people much more honorable and virtuous has a strange addictive quality to it, I believe because it made you hunger for justice that much more. 
While George R.R. Martin is still working on the 5th book in the series, show runners David Benioff and DB Weiss quite literally ran out of material to draw from. This was the slow but eventual collapse of the quality of Game of Thrones. Everyone who worked on the show should be applauded for the amazing prop, set, costume design, music, cinematography, and great acting, but it was the dialog, intrigue, and subversion that truly made the show special. Pulling dialog from the books felt like the easy part when compared to casting, acting, and everything visual and audio that goes into making the show. I was a big fan of seasons 1-6 (topped off with the epic Battle of the Bastards), but season 7 and 8 have been nearly unbearable.
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From the out of character dialog and choices, to disappointing resolutions, to outright illogical plot progression, Game of Thrones seasons 7 & 8 have been felt like a jarring shift in priorities for the producers. Spectacle and special effects seem to have taken over. Now, with season 8 finally concluded, the final season of one of the most successful and popular TV shows of all time, I can give my true thoughts to how this grand series has come to a close. Unlike many reviews of this show online, I will avoid all hyperbole and exaggeration in my opinions, so as to be as honest as possible.
Season 8 didn’t truly piss me off until episode 3 with the Battle of Winterfell. The Night King, White Walkers, and army of the dead have been the big overarching threat for the entire world, ever since the show began. Part of why Jon Snow was ostracized so much is because he was one of the few people who believed in the White Walker threat. Banding together the Seven Kingdoms seemed like the point of the show, in a way that the petty squabbling, greed, and power meant nothing compared to total annihilation. I thought this conflict would have taken place at the end of the season as well, symbolizing what truly matters means much more than, quite literally, games of thrones.
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But apparently not. The White Walkers and wights entirely rendered extinct with one stab of a dagger, their leader, the oh-so-built-up Night King, had no personality, no motive, no explanation, and we didn’t even get to see him properly fight. On a more thematic level, he and Jon never got a chance to spar or have a heart to heart. Jon spent the entire battle either flying around on his dragon, then being pinned down behind some rubble. Arya, who I think is a very cool and capable character, defies all logic and thematic purpose, and flies out of nowhere, delivering the killing blow to the Night King. Not only does she instantly kill him, but every White Walker and wight. Effectively, the writers got themselves out of a logistical nightmare and just proclaimed all the bad guys to be defeated at once. 
I don’t necessarily mind Arya doing it, but I take huge offense to how it happened. Her entire story from the show’s inception had nothing to do with White Walkers or larger existential threats. She was all about training and getting revenge on the people who have so deeply wronged her and her family. It was Jon’s story that had everything to do with honor and being a good enough leader to gather the world together to defeat this mythical threat. From a more grounded standpoint, why also, even if Arya ran through a courtyard filled with White Walkers and leaped close enough to kill the Night King, why then when he spun around and grabbed her, did she not turn into a White Walker? We’ve seen this happen many times that the Night King simply has to touch you to instantly convert you. How cool would it have been if Arya, this epic badass, now was on the side of the enemy and had to be put down by the people she loved? 
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Cleaning up after the battle, Jaime hooks up with Brienne of Tarth, only to immediately leave her for Cersi. Of course, in between episodes, the entire world thought it was a trick so he could get close to Cersi and kill her, fitting with his character and who he’s become to be. But nope, turns out he truly did hit it and quit it with Brienne, and not only did Jaime go back to Cersi, they both die under the crumbling keep. This is one of the biggest character assassinations (figuratively) I’ve seen since Luke in The Last Jedi. Jaimie went from being a scumbag knight to champion of the downtrodden, only to revert back to Cersi at the last moment at the height of his redemption. This season has so many idiotic moments I can’t even remember them all.
I actually don’t mind at all with the direction Daenerys’ character went. I felt it was always going to be her fate as a Targaryan and daughter of the Mad King to massacre people in her conquest for the throne. After she fights her whole life for what she wants and feels she is entitled to, Daenerys finds out she isn’t even the true heir, and that Jon is. The extra frustrating part for her, is that Jon doesn’t even want the throne, and now practically everyone knows she doesn’t have the right to be Queen. On top of all of it, Jon doesn’t even want to sleep with her, knowing she is his aunt, but she doesn’t care, as that’s never really stopped Targaryans before (and in fact I think most of the time they aim to keep their bloodline as pure as possible). All of this lead to her snapping and burning King’s Landing. I get it, and I think its a fitting arch for her character. 
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I also fully expected Jon to kill Dany someday because she would grow too power hungry. The death itself was underwhelming, but why in god’s name did Drogon not then kill Jon? The Dothraki and Unsullied would have never let Jon live after doing that. And then after everything he’s gone through: resurrection, uniting kingdoms, becoming warden of the north, realizing he’s a Targaryan, he’s sent back to the Wall (and by his own brother!) And I suppose Arya is just Columbus now, sailing west until she hits the back side of Essos. The show wrapped up far more neatly and happy than I ever expected, and it makes me want to finish reading the books to see how the events “truly” happened.
I wont say it’s all bad. I was quite physically on the edge of my seat for every minute of this season. It had my full attention and engagement despite constantly subverting my expectations in the worst possible ways. The season did have some highlights and some stand-out moments, but not nearly of the same ratio as it used to. One of my favorite moments of all Game of Thrones was in the final episode when Tyrion describes stores as what turly brings people together, not war or banners or violence. And as he said this, I recalled all the friendships made or that have been evolved, not only because of Game of Thrones, but other TV shows, movies, video games, and so on. It felt like something right out of George R.R. Martin’s philosophy and I loved that message. But you’re only as good as your final performance and unfortunately Game of Thrones ended on an epic slow death. I love the show for so many reasons but it makes me less inclined to go back and watch it again knowing what it all accumulated to.
5/10
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EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Barcelona miracle will stay with me forever… but so will the anger and emptiness of watching Madrid lift the trophy’: Jordan Henderson on how Liverpool have bounced back from last year's Champions League misery via /r/LiverpoolFC
EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Barcelona miracle will stay with me forever… but so will the anger and emptiness of watching Madrid lift the trophy’: Jordan Henderson on how Liverpool have bounced back from last year's Champions League misery
The road to a major final rarely runs smoothly and Jordan Henderson knows that better than most.
Liverpool’s journey to the Wanda Metropolitano has been full of highs and lows and Henderson, the club captain, has lived them all.
Ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Tottenham, Henderson - who will become only the fifth English footballer to skipper a team at consecutive European Cup finals - gave Sportsmail a unique take on the past 12 months and explained why Liverpool are ready to go one step better.
DEVASTATION
Saturday, May 26th 2018; Olympic Stadium, Kiev. Liverpool 1 Real Madrid 3
How does it feel to lose a Champions League final?
'God (puffs out his cheeks)… good question. I remember the final whistle and dropping to the floor. The immediate emotion is disappointment but quickly it becomes frustration, anger, emptiness.
We were in the game then it was gone. Nobody can help you, nobody can say anything to make it better.
We put so much into getting there and then the night boils down to standing in a group, watching Real Madrid lift the trophy.
That was hard. So, so hard. Part of you wants to run to the dressing room but you have to pay your respects to the winners no matter how much it hurts.'
NEW BEGINNINGS
Tuesday, September 18th; Anfield. Liverpool 3 Paris St Germain 2
'So much had happened since we had played Madrid, not least the World Cup.
I was asked before we played PSG, our opening group game, whether it felt like we had unfinished business in Europe but you don’t think like that, certainly not in the first group game. All we wanted to do that night was make a statement.
Looking back on it, we played brilliantly. The tone was set early on when Milly (James Milner) flew into Neymar and flattened him with a tackle and we went from there.
It didn’t feel like a group game; the atmosphere was amazing and the way we won it was even better.
Bobby (Roberto Firmino) came off the bench to score in injury time and it was the perfect start.
Everyone had PSG down as favourites for the tournament but we came up with a performance that showed reaching Kiev was no fluke.'
TROUBLES
Wednesday, October 3rd; Naples. Napoli 1 Liverpool 0; Tuesday, November 6th; Belgrade. Red Star 2 Liverpool 0
'Our two worst performances of the season. There was no intensity, no rhythm. It wasn’t good at all. When people ask me what Jurgen Klopp is like in such circumstances, I think they expect me to say that he screams and shouts and he goes mad but that just isn’t the case.
He’d rather wait a day or two, watch the match again on video, then get his point across without too much emotion.
To be fair, we knew ourselves that neither of those games were good enough and we had fallen way short of our standards. Belgrade was a kick up the arse.
I couldn’t go to Belgrade because I’d injured my hamstring. There is no worse feeling than watching the lads on television. It’s worse than being at the stadium. Either I have my hands over my eyes when they attack or I’m shouting when we get a chance.
In the past, I’d let defeats eat away at me but I’ve got two little girls, Elexa and Alba, who quickly get me back on track. I can’t sit there sulking at breakfast when they are asking me to play with them, can I?'
RESCUE ACT
Tuesday, December 11th; Anfield. Liverpool 1 Napoli 0
'Everything was on the line after we had lost 2-1 to PSG in Paris but big players step up on these nights.
Mo (Salah) scored a brilliant goal but the thing I remember most was the save from Ali (Alisson Becker) in injury time (from Arkadiusz Milik). I still don’t know how he made it.
That moment shows why the manager wanted to sign him. Honestly, I can’t speak highly enough of him.
He is an unbelievable ‘keeper, he’s won the Golden Gloves but he’s an even better lad. Without that save, we are in the Europa League after Christmas. You can’t stress the importance.'
STATEMENT
Wednesday, March 13th 2019; Allianz Arena. Bayern Munich 1 Liverpool 3 (aggregate 1-3)
'A brilliant performance, one that I think made everyone look at us as contenders again.
Everyone felt Bayern were in control after they drew 0-0 at Anfield but we blew them away and Sadio (Mane) was unplayable. He certainly made the experience of watching the game much more comfortable.
I damaged my ankle ligaments early on. The last thing you want is to come off early in such a game and I knew the bench were looking over at me to try to get my attention.
I literally could not put the brakes on when I was running, so I had no choice. Thankfully it wasn’t serious.'
PROGRESS
Wednesday, April 17th; Estadio do Dragao. Porto 1 Liverpool 4 (aggregate 1-6)
'This wasn’t straightforward. We won the first leg 2-0 but in the first 45 minutes over there, you could really feel the pressure in the stadium.
We were under pressure and it would have been an interesting night had they scored the first goal.
In the end, it was comfortable but there were no great celebrations in the dressing room afterwards.
I know it’s a big thing to reach another semi-final but, as we were trying to win the Premier League, the first thing you would hear said was: "On to the next one". You don’t sit back and admire things when you are here.'
DESPAIR
Wednesday, May 1st; Nou Camp. Barcelona 3 Liverpool 0
'I would be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt before this match. I felt sick not to be named in the starting line-up but, as hard as it is, you cannot put yourself first.
When you are the captain of Liverpool in a European semi-final, the team is the priority and always will be.
As it turned out, I came on quite early as Naby Keita got injured. It was the first time I had been on a pitch with Lionel Messi.
You don’t think to yourself "Oh my God - that’s him" but there’s no question he plays the game differently to when you see him on TV. He’s so fast.
Thinking about his free-kick now, I still can’t believe he scored it. I actually thought he was going to take it short.
I’ve told you how good I think Ali is but Messi put that shot in the one area Ali couldn’t protect. The whip, the pace, the precision - it was absolutely perfect. Did I think about asking for his shirt? No. I’ve never done it.
Roy Keane told me when I was at Sunderland that if you ask for someone’s shirt, it looks like you are in awe of them.
As it turned out, I came home with Luis Suarez’s shirt. Luis is a good lad and he gave me it as a gesture as we had played together for Liverpool. I don’t know what he’s done with mine!'
MIRACLE
Tuesday, May 7th; Anfield. Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 (aggregate 4-3)
'The manager’s speech on the morning changed everything. We had a meeting at Hope Street Hotel, the base we use before every home game, and he said to us: "What we need to do tonight I would say is impossible but, because it is you, there is a chance."
He had us straightaway. All through the day I was thinking to myself: Anfield… the crowd… an early goal: maybe?
As it turned out, it worked to perfection. I should have scored our first goal but, thankfully, Divock (Origi) was on hand to put in the rebound. I’ve never heard anything like it.
There was no way I was going to come off that night. I hurt a tendon in my knee in a tackle but I knew if I could manage the pain and reach half-time, I’d be OK.
I had injections and painkillers and jumped on the spinning bike for 10 minutes to stop my knee seizing up.
What happened afterwards will stay with me forever. It completely different experience to Roma the previous year, where we got to the final by hanging on.
I had a bottle of Fanta when we got to the final 12 months ago, this time it was water! I tried to sleep when I got home but it was impossible.'
OPPORTUNITY
Saturday, June 1st; Wanda Metropolitano. Tottenham v Liverpool
'I know the lads at Tottenham from being with them at England. I know how good they are. But this is a new chapter for us.
We are a better side than the one that played Real Madrid in Kiev and there is no need to use that experience as motivation.
We want to show everyone how far we have come. We want to grasp this opportunity.'
(Dominic King)
Submitted May 28, 2019 at 10:15PM by x77aca77x via reddit http://bit.ly/2YVSs43
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bugheadfamily · 6 years
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This week the spotlight is on Anna ( @writeradamanteve )! Click the read more link below to get to know our member!
Spotlight by Mila, @jughead-jones | Graphic by Katie, @betty-cooper
Anna | @writeradamanteve
Name: Anna 
Age: 40
Location: New Jersey
Any other languages aside from English people can contact you in?: Filipino.
Favourite Riverdale characters and ships?: Aside from Betty and Jughead, I do love the awfulness of Cheryl Blossom and spitfire that is season 1 Veronica.
Cheryl Blossom is unapologetically terrible, and in real life, I would absolutely HATE her, but there’s something to be said about a woman who just goes all in. I get that hardness in her, and I like it that she admires others for it, too. That Toni brings out her soft side is a plus, but I would prefer that she stays true to her character outside of her romantic relationship. 
Season 1 Veronica Lodge was a champion of women. I loved that about her. I may not have bought the whole “Betty is my best friend” assertion, but I did like that she was doing it to make amends for her past. S1!Veronica wanted to do better and she looked at Betty and thought Betty was a good person to hang out with to further that. Veronica as a person is methodical. Deliberate. And those are characteristics that can be both good and bad. I like it that Veronica can go both ways. I also mean that in a very gay way. No amount of her sleeping with Archie will convince me that her character can’t be bi. I can’t even say I hate her in season 2. She seemed a little lost there, but she was deciding between her family and her principles. For a while she thought that both could coexist, but when she realized in the end that it couldn’t, she broke away. That’s badass. 
As for Betty and Jughead, I have at least 500K worth of words in fanfic that expresses the many ways I love them. But to be clear: 
I love Betty for being so steadfast in her beliefs. She may have her insecurities when it comes to how she looks and what her mother may think of her, but when it comes injustice and friends endangering themselves for sex, she isn’t going to let anyone prevent her from doing the right thing. She is a go-getter, from saving Pop’s to saving her relationship (especially when Jughead was pulling away from her). She is a master at wielding household items — a skill, we learned, she got from Alice, who’s clearly handy with a lamp. She’s kinky, and she can be scary stone cold — forcing Cheryl to testify the truth with blackmail, watching Jughead punch Chic in the face without flinching, drowning a man to get him to confess to his sins (although ask me some other time about the morality and racial undertones of that, as that is an entirely different conversation). But she also deeply values her relationships. She cares for her loved ones so much, friend or family. That makes her so strong.
Let me tell you the many Jugheads I love: Soft!Jughead, Smughead Jones, Curious Jones, Snowflake!Jughead, ProudBF!Juggie, and even HaplessSerpent!Jughead. I like him best when he’s writing and when he’s making literary references in regular conversation. I love how sarcastic he could be and how his transition from loner weird kid in Riverdale High to popular serpent prince in Southside High tugs at my heartstrings and makes me mad, too. Like Betty, he cares fiercely for the people he loves. His need to belong becomes real to him, after he tried to deny it for so long. As much as we all have our issues with Season 2 Jughead, it added certain dimensions to Jughead that I love to write about in fanfic.
Favourite moments from S1 & S2?: I think I loved most of season 1, but the moments that stood out to me most were these: When Betty was dancing happily in her Cheerleading uniform, when Betty and Jughead were searching Jason’s room and got caught, when Jughead and Betty went to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy together, when Betty rushed to SSH to save Jughead only to find him laughing at the lunch tables with his newfound friends, when Veronica stood up for Betty at the tryouts, when Veronica showed Cheryl compassion, when the girls all banded together to make Chuck suffer the consequences of his misogyny (again, I have words for this, but mostly — why only him? His wasn’t the only name on that playbook), when Cheryl calls people names, when Jughead protected Betty from her vandalized locker, and of course, when Jughead climbed Betty’s bedroom window.  While I can’t get enough of Jughead throwing Betty against the kitchen counter, I have to admit I still loved those other scenes a whole lot more. That said, I will still hope for what I mention in question #7.
Season 2 — ah, my goodness. I don’t need to explain how S2 broke my heart in so many good and bad ways. While there were some golden moments, I think most of us are in agreement that there were so many things that could’ve been done better. However, I STILL do have favorite scenes in this Hell Season: Jughead running the gauntlet was amazing, Betty working on Reggie’s car, the entire street race sequence, every time Betty uses a household object to save people (a shovel, a rolling pin, a poker), Jughead and Betty disposing of the car--from her house to the swamp, that entire episode of “The Wicked and the Divine”, Cheryl and Toni finding one another, and the hunger strike scenes.
What are your hopes for S3?:
Bughead summer sex montage. 
MOAR Bughead Detective Agency. 
A slammin’ Riverdale Parents Flashback episode. 
Joaquin stays and Kevin gets better with love and BDE.  
Kevin and Josie becoming step-siblings.
Reggie and Sweetpea being half-brothers.
Veronica being the Speakeasy Queen.
Cheryl stirring trouble (even if I know I’ll hate her for it).
Archie getting a clue.
Other fandoms you’re into?: My thing is that I don’t usually fan hard on more than one thing. My past fandoms were Harry Potter, Teen Titans, Anime (many of them at once), Cowboy Bebop, X-Files, Star Trek Voyager, and Firefly. At present, I love Star Wars (all of them — eh, except maybe for Episodes 1, 2, and 3), Wonder Woman, and all the Marvel movies.  
What are some of your favourite movies/TV?: Classics: Galaxy Quest, Tropic Thunder, Labyrinth, The Princess Bride, Forest Gump, The Matrix, Constantine, Clueless, The Breakfast Club, Transformers: The Animated Movie, Snatch, Firefly, Veronica Mars, Supernatural (Seasons 1 - 5), X-Files; 
Most Recent: Pacific Rim, Black Panther, Wonder Woman, Rogue One, Ready Player One, Anne with an E, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Anthony Bourdaine’s old and new series. 
Favourite books?: There are so many, fam, but here are the ones that first come to mind:
Harry Potter 1 - 6 (yeah, sorry, not a huge fan of the 7th)
Emma by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
All of Louisa May Alcott’s books
All of Sharon Shinn
All of L.M. Montgomery
Anne Marston’s Rune Blade Trilogy
Barb and J.C. Hendee’s Noble Dead Saga
The Infernal Devices Trilogy (Cassandra Clare)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
All of Zilpha Keatley Snyder books
All of Paula Danziger books
Juliet Naked by Nick Hornby
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Misery by Stephen King
Favourite bands/musicians?: I shall date myself, thanks:
Queen
Guns & Roses
Metallica
Nikki Minaj
Cardi B
Imagine Dragons
One Republic
The Killers
Lily Allen
Cake
Eminem
Amy Winehouse
U2
Sting
If you could live in any fictional world which one would you choose and why?: Harry Potter, no doubt. I would like to live in a world that relies on magic. I would like to go to a magical school like Hogwarts. I would love to fight in a resistance to overthrow an evil sorcerer. Plus, I would really, really love to meet Hermione.
Favourite food?:
Ramen (the real stuff, not the dried instant ones)
Banh Mi
Bun bo Hue
Sushi
Filipino Food — particularly Adobo
Tacos
Mangos and strawberries
Favourite season?: Summer.
Favourite plant?: This is an odd question to me as I don’t have a favorite plant. They are just there and sometimes they give me grief when I have to tend to the outside of my house because they’ve gotten unruly on some level (like — Fall, why do you have to discard your leaves all over my grounds?)
Favourite scent?: Baby’s breath, food, and freshly changed bed sheets.
Favourite colour?: Victorian pink.
Favourite animal?: Cats and Owls (I am definitely a witch by heart).
Are you a night owl, an early bird, or a vampire?: I sleep late and wake up early. I am an old person who can go on 5 hours of sleep.
Place you want to visit?: Portugal or Prague is next on my list.
Do you have pets? If you do, tell us a little about them: I have two pets. Pootie is a cat. He is a gray tuxedo. He loves me best, but he also hangs around my eldest child a lot. Every once in a while, he bothers my husband. Bob is a hermit crab. Bob bores the hell out of me and I am equal parts terrified that I will find him dead in his cage and tired that I am still taking care of him. His previous companions, Larry and Curly, have perished. When I found them dead, I screamed. Hermit crabs are creepy as fuck when they leave their shells, like I can’t stand them that way. I don’t know why I am stuck taking care of Bob, but he’s here, he is under my care, and God help me, he’s a stubborn bastard.
Tell us a little about yourself?: 
For work, I’m a web producer/web developer, and I maintain about 20 sites for my company.  
I used to work in publishing.
I went to law school and quit.
I eventually married my high school sweetheart and now we have 3 children.
I was always attracted to women, too, but growing up, I was too afraid to come out as bi. It still intimidates me, coming out to new people now. Most times, I just let them draw their own conclusions.
Fun or weird fact about you?: There’s nothing weird about me that you don’t already know. Fun fact: I kickbox in the nearby UFC gym, and one time, I was practicing with Tai pads with a dude who kicked me in the leg by accident — he just “grazed” me, really. I TRIED VERY HARD to pretend that I was alright. That night, my leg was swollen, and three months later, I saw that same dude fighting in the octagon on TV.
Asks for fanfic authors:
How long have you been writing?: 20 years.
Which is your favourite of the fics you’ve written?: That is impossible to answer. Truly. So I’m going to close my eyes over a list of my stories and where my finger lands, that’s my fave. It’s Drive.
Favourite fic/chapter/plot-point/character you’ve ever written?: This is even harder. 
Polly’s character arc in Wicked. I really love how I fleshed her out in that story
The development of Kevin and Jughead’s friendship in Harvest to Home
Jughead’s relationship with Archie and Jellybean in Drive.
Betty’s story arc in Drive.
The twists and turns of Wicked.
The rich ambience of Harvest to Home.
Betty and Cheryl’s friendship in Harvest to Home.
The text conversation in Drive.
Sweet Pea’s background character in Drive.
Cheryl’s character in Wicked.
The car chase scene in Drive.
The hotel scene in Cowboy Jones.
The Peitho kitchen scene in Cowboy Jones.
Which was the hardest to write, and why?: Wicked was hard to write. I had set out to write this story with the twists and turns in mind, and those twists were interlaced. I had to set stuff up all throughout the beginning and middle so that the end would make sense. It was also harder because of Season 2. The background of those episodes in contrast with what I had in mind tended to make me nervous about reader expectations. Like when Hal was suddenly the Black Hood on Riverdale, it felt odd to not make him so terrible in Wicked. 
One of the hardest chapters I had to write was a chapter written in Cheryl’s POV. Delving into her psyche was a difficult switch to turn on and at some point, I was doubting whether I can do it, but I did it and there it was. And I don’t regret it at all.
How do you come up with the ideas for you fic(s)? (examples: Do you draw inspiration from real life? Listen to music? Get inspired by TV/movies?) Do you have an process to your writing?: Inspiration is different every time. 
For Harvest to Home, I wanted to write a fic about a very domestic Betty who made beautiful things. While I was writing that fic, I was deeply into the show Fixer Upper because we had just moved into our own new home. I was absolutely inspired by the designs I saw on TV and our need to decorate our home. I wanted Betty to be so good at it that she wrote a blog about home making. I had a lot of inspiration for that as well, since in the publishing company I used to work for, I worked with a lot of chefs and homemakers who published books. 
For Drive, I was inspired by images of Mechanic!Betty at the start of Season 2. I think I may have seen a couple of fics inspired by the movie Baby Driver, where Jughead drove the getaway cars, and honestly, I got a little mad that Betty was never the driver. So I wrote the damn thing, and suddenly, Jughead was drag racing in Season 2. I wrote that fic with a lot of alternative music in the background. I usually started my chapters with the lyrics of those songs that inspired me.
For Wicked, I started writing it for Halloween and it basically grew too large of an idea to make it to Halloween of that year. I was also hesitant about how the fandom would receive a fic where Betty was a witch. Then there came that article about how Alice was possibly a Spellman. WELL THEN. 
Cowboy Jones was absolutely inspired by the Camp Bughead prompts. I figured since I hadn’t been driven out of the fandom by torches and pitchforks because of Wicked, I’d try for some sci-fi, a genre I really love. I aimed to misbehave with Cowboy Jones, so I told myself that this was going to be my smuttiest work yet. I had also put out an X-Files inspired bughead short called The Truth is Here for that same prompt. 
I answered the question about my writing process here and some more about character development here. 
Idea that you always wanted to write?: Kitchen Confidential type story, where Jughead is an asshole chef who is determined to make his restaurant succeed. Betty becomes his sous chef and shows him a thing or two about cooking and about life.
Favourite character to write?: Betty and Jughead, no doubt.
Best comment/review you’ve ever received?: Well, there are so many commenters who have been so fantastic, but my favorite comments come from those who want to have a discussion with me, mostly because I like to reply to all commenters to express my gratitude and it’s easier to reply when I can pick up a conversation.
Best and worst parts of being a writer?: Best part is finishing a chapter and posting it. Worst part is getting flamed. I have been fortunate enough to have a welcoming group of readers here, but I’ve had my share of flames in other fandoms. I always try to dig deep for something constructive in them — there always is something that can be so useful to my writing, but man, those are TOUGH to handle sometimes.
Do you have any advice to offer?: Few things:
Don’t let fear rule your life. Embrace that fear and get to know it. Find out what makes it frightening, then overcome it. 
Practice. That is the only thing that will make you better at anything. 
Learn from failure. It’s a bitch of a teacher but it’s the best lesson you’ll ever have.
Find work that you love. It always pays.
.
.
This is the eleventh installment of Bughead Family’s Member Spotlight series. Each week, a member’s url is selected through a randomizer and they will be featured in a spotlight post. In order to participate, please join the Bughead Discord (more information found here). Thank you.
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goldenworldsabound · 5 years
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Little biographies of each of my SIs below - post inspired by @benobiships​!
From left to right
Fandom: Breath of the Wild - with a few modifications. Unbeknownst to most people (my SI included) the Champions didn't die - they got put into resurrection chambers, complete with puzzles to unlock and discover them. Is She Me?: This is one of my SIs who is a bit more of an OC than exactly being me, as far as personality goes. Like me, she thinks she's kind of clever (and to a degree she is), she's silly, she can come off a bit clumsy sometimes, and is sometimes lacking in the commonsense department. Her interests are pretty different than mine - she's fixated on the old Sheikah tech that's around, and desperately wants to get into a shrine. She's fairly in tune with the spirits and other mystical beings in Zelda-verse, because she's a Chosen One like Link/Zelda (though her role is much smaller). She's also hilariously weak like myself and doesn't know when to quit (also like myself). She can become easily hyper-fixated by ancient things, which is not so much like irl me. Role: My SI grows up in Kakariko Village. While people are nice enough, and Impa kind of takes care of her, she always feels like an outsider. She is not a Sheikah herself, and that is obvious. She often goes to visit the other Sheikah out in Hateno and Akkala, to learn about the tech and everything. However, she becomes frustrated with not being allowed to research certain things ("the shrines are for the Champion, don't touch them"), so she runs away. Impa knew that she was a Chosen One, part of the legend, and panics a bit that she's run away. But unfortunately, Kakariko cannot spare to send anyone to find her, with the Yiga Clan's returned presence. And thus begins her journey to ultimately resurrect all the Champions (starting with Urbosa, followed by Mipha, Daruk, and Revali). She later meets Link (and Zelda once the world is saved). F/O(s): Romantically, Urbosa and Mipha (sometimes as a polyamory, but typically a V if anything). Platonically, Daruk, Revali, Link, Zelda.
Tags: Modern History (Urbosa x Wendy), Rainfall in the Ruins (Mipha x Wendy), botw aesthetic, Urbosa, Mipha
Fandom: Star Trek TOS Is She Me?: Very literally. She is me but through time travel shenanigans she ends up in the future (Star Trek is the future!!!) on the USS Enterprise. She even used to watch the Star Trek tv show! Very literally me. Over time as she becomes a science officer and computer specialist of the future, she diverges from me a bit, as her time on Vulcan helps her calm her emotions, and she learns to defend herself a little bit. And Starfleet grows more discipline in her. Role: Once she orients herself to being spontaneously transported to the future and gets through the grieving of losing everything, she starts trying to learn and grow on the ship, with the story that she is McCoy's niece (Everyone kinda knows this isn't true but opt not to question it). Kirk and McCoy take it upon themselves to take care of her while she acclimates, and Spock gets roped in as well. He kind of knows she has a crush on him, but he doesn't really know what to do about it or how he feels, although over time he figures out both of those things. He helps teach her about technology and science in the future, and she is kind of like his apprentice. Eventually they confess their feelings to each other. After some time, it is decided that it is too dangerous for Wendy to stay on the ship long term. Now that she has acclimated to being in the future, they want her to go to school on Vulcan and properly train for Starfleet/Science Officer duties. She is super scared to be away from everyone but ends up doing it. She and Spock bond before that. She goes to school, makes some friends, some shenanigans happen (including a traumatic event of someone else trying to break her bond with Spock), and then the Enterprise comes back to pick her up after some time. F/O(s): Romantically, Spock. Platonically, Kirk and McCoy (who waffle between familial and best friend depending on the day tbh), and the entire bridge crew. Amanda and Sarek are her in-laws and she loves them like family.
Tags: Love is Fascinating (Spock x Wendy), Uncle Kirk, Uncle Bones, Spock, Star Trek Aesthetic
Fandom: Fantasy setting Royalty AU - an AU entirely of my own creation, in a fantasy setting that allows for magic, different sentient species, etc. Crossover with all faves and their verses. Is She Me?: She looks like me, but in fancy dresses. Our personalities are fairly different though. She's a very magnanimous Princess, who is very brave and very selfless, and also has a really amazing magical power. She speaks politely and well. She is physically weak like myself, and despite her interest in learning to defend herself she is not permitted such things. We both really like to read and learn, even if that interest turns out just to be a hobby. Notably, she is a great diplomat and speaker, though she doesn't really enjoy the former (I wouldn't say irl me is GREAT but is okay, though I do not enjoy it also) Role: She was an orphan as a child, taken in by the Sheikah, who make up the elite royal guards. Once it was noticed I had an amazing magic power, to make massive unbreakable shields, the King and Queen scooped me up and I became the Princess. I grew up and was trained, and eventually I chose for myself four elite guards, who also became my secret lovers. It was an unusual move, but being beloved by the people, it was allowed. The King and Queen clearly think of me more as a pawn than as their child, so it was important I surround myself with people who really cared about me. My power has protected the city on numerous occasions, and the elite guard I chose have protected me even more times than that. F/O(s): My elite guards and primary lovers are Spock, Urbosa, Akabayashi, and Shizuo, as a polyamorous clump of sorts, centered primarily around me. Impa is a secret romantic lover as well (childhood friend who became leader of the Sheikah tribe), though outside of that group. Mipha is a Princess from another Kingdom who I am publicly romantically involved with - while we both consider it temporary (as in we won't get married), it's great fun and keeps away the other suitors. She sometimes engages with my elite guard as well. There will be platonic faves appearing as well.
Tags: Royalty AU, Royalty Aesthetic
Fandom: Durarara!! (x2 focused) - in this AU I am part of the yakuza as well. Is She Me?: She is the most like an OC of any SI. She is an outlet for feeling powerless - she is angry, she is strong, and she gets shit done. She swears a lot (which is true to me irl) and talks shit, and delivers on those promises to hurt them when people wrong her. She's the aggressiveness that I feel inside me, but that irl me would never consider executing. She's terrible at introspecting and talking about emotions (not like irl me at all). However, she does have a secret love for Poke'mon and plushies (irl me loves Poke'mon and plushies...). And also magical shield powers that she has weaponized. Role: She was an orphan American child who somehow ended up in Japan - she was adopted by the head of a small yakuza that co-existed with the Awakusu-kai in Ikebukuro. While she considers herself Japanese and Japanese to be her first language, she does speak English, and she is often accused of being a foreigner because she looks that way. Her adopted grandfather (she sees him that way, not as a father) does not force her into the yakuza - she joins on her own. She loves to fight, and being his granddaughter is given a lot of free reign to do what she wants within the boundaries of the small yakuza. She goes to high school at the same time as Izaya/Shinra/Shizuo/Kadota. She catches a lot of shit for being a woman, but she kicks enough ass that eventually she makes a name for herself - the Crystalline Angel. In addition to just being badass at fighting, she discovers early on that she has a special power - to generate shields. But she learns that she can form these shields into any shape, including razor sharp blades. When she's serious about using those powers, it's hard to beat her. Her primary job in the yakuza is to watch over prostitutes and make sure no one is causing them trouble, and if they are, she kicks an entire ass. Ultimately, her grandfather passes away, but he cuts a deal with the Awakusu-kai (who he was on good terms with) to let her join them. The other executives don't take her seriously for a while, but she shapes up and proves herself to them. There's a lot of shit talking, and she falls for Akabayashi almost immediately - and he falls for her instantly too. F/O(s): Romantically, Akabayashi. Platonically, Shinra and Celty, and sort of Izaya. She would really not call them friends, but they have a storied history and she wouldn't say she hates him either. Platonically also all of the Awakusu-kai execs - Aozaki, Shiki, and Kazamoto. She and Kadota were friends in high school, but haven't spoken since then.
Tags: Sharp Lines and Soft Edges (yakuza!SI x Akabayashi), yakuza si, yakuza aesthetic, durarara aesthetic, Akabayashi
Fandom: Durarara!! Is She Me?: Yes, with a few modifications. She is me, but after I graduated college I moved to Japan to work there. And I speak Japanese relatively fluently. This means I discard a lot of the life experiences irl me had. Personality wise, we're generally pretty similar - kind and smart, but ready to lay down some sass at my friends. A little absent-minded at times. Differently, my SI here learns to fight fairly well, and also has magic shield powers. Role: She moves to Japan and almost immediately runs into trouble (depending on which F/O she's with, the trouble varies). She quickly learns that the city is full of bad people and unusual people, and finds herself making friends with the unusual people. In the verse where she dates Shizuo, she helps calm him down, and Izaya takes an interest in messing with her to mess with Shizuo. Things got complicated very fast. In the verse where she dates Akabayashi, she doesn't much learn to fight, as the yakuza protects her once her relationship with Aka is serious. In that verse she joins the Dollars before she finds out Akabayashi is in the yakuza, which is how she discovers her shield powers, despite not really knowing how to fight. F/O(s): Romantically, Shizuo or Akabayashi (not ever in the same verse). Platonically, Celty (BFF!) and Shinra are big friends of hers, as well as Anri being like a younger sister to her. She's also on good terms with the van gang in both verses.
Tags: Street Signs and Snuggles (Shizuo x Wendy), Red Devil’s Honey (Akabayashi x Wendy), durarara aesthetic, Shizuo, Akabayashi
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nathanielwharton · 5 years
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My 2018 in Pop Culture
Same plan here as usual. This is what meant most to me last year in pop culture.
Top Forty Things From 2018
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40. King Kong on Broadway I wrote about this as an adaptation of the Kong story over at SportsAlcohol.com, but here I'll just say that while I was really disappointed with this as a musical, the execution of Kong himself on stage was breathtakingly rad.
39. Rhyming "is nae" with "Disney" in Anna and the Apocalypse In theory, I don't have much of an appetite left for a zombie comedy, having been well and truly sated by Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and the wave of imitators that followed them. I felt like I'd seen all of the moves that are possible with that particular genre mash-up, and then I read about a Scottish zombie comedy that ALSO threw in the musical and the Christmas movie. So it was almost with a sense of grudging obligation that I accepted the inevitability that I'd see Anna and the Apocalypse. It won me over. It's got a winning cast, catchy songs, and a surprisingly effective melancholy tone. But I have to admit, the moment that really won me over was a moment in the song "Hollywood Ending" where "is nae" ("is not" in a Scottish accent) is rhymed with "Disney."
38. The Conners/The Roseanne Revival This was a real roller coaster in 2018. I was excited and apprehensive about the revival, and only slightly relieved when it began and was mostly pretty good. Still, there was an uneasiness with the way that the Roseanne character had been conceived for the revival and that basically exploded thanks to the behaviour of the real Roseanne. Still, overall I've enjoyed the revival and The Conners, and while I'm sad about what happened to TV Roseanne and real Roseanne(for different reasons)
37. "The Queen" episode of Castle Rock I liked the show pretty well overall, but oh man did this episode stand out. For most of the run, I'd just thought it was a cute bit of casting to have Sissy Spacek playing what seemed like a strangely minor role. Then this episode happened. It's a real acting showcase for Spacek and it satisfies with suspense and emotion in equal measure.
36. Kurt Russell performing "Santa Claus is Back in Town" in The Christmas Chronicles I'm a sucker for a Christmas movie, and this one is agreeable enough. There is some attempt at telling an emotional story that might hit you if you're in the right mood, and there is pleasant hint of Gremlins in the movie's portrayal of Santa's elves, but mostly it is a pretty satisfying expansion of the thought, "what if Kurt Russell was Santa Claus?" Russell is a hoot in the role, and the movie hits a peak when his Santa ends up in jail and breaks out into a jailhouse rendition of "Santa Claus is Back in Town." Downloaded and added to my Christmas playlist.
35. Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert This new wave of live musicals on TV hasn't always resulted in a great show (I honestly have forgotten a lot of the Peter Pan and Rocky Horror broadcasts), but sometimes they end up with some really cool television. Grease Live still reigns as the champion of these things, but this production of Jesus Christ Superstar was exciting and energetic and featured some neat ideas in its staging. It's shows like this that keep me hoping they'll continue to try these live musical shows.
34. The Death of Stalin Wrote about this for SportsAlcohol.com.
33. Isle of Dogs The visceral aesthetic pleasure of this film might outweigh the delicate emotional effect all of Anderson's films tend to achieve, but even if the complicated story and worldbuilding in the film kept it from succeeding for me fully on a first viewing, it did get me to want to watch it again (and again).
32. Keira Knightley in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms The movie as a whole is a good enough time in the way that all of these lavishly produced live-action Disney fantasy movies tend to be. But Keira Knightley, as the Sugarplum Fairy, single-handedly drags this movie up a notch with her fantastically daffy performance. To explain all the ways that her performance delights would be to spoil what happens in the movie, but I'll just say that she finds a few different registers to play in the film and she is amazing in each one. Think of this snub when you watch the Academy Awards.
31. The Favourite A three-hander where each leg of the triangle is different and spectacular. Turns out that acidic dialogue works just as well in the Yorgos Lanthimos world as alien affectedness, and the cast he's got for this one hurl barbs with aplomb.
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30. Ash vs. Evil Dead Series Finale The third season of this show lost a bit of a step for me, not quite balancing the goofs and the horror quite as deftly as the show had done at its best. But it really brought it back around for the last couple of episodes. The finale in particular had some surprisingly big action and an ending that felt perfectly Evil Dead. If that's the last we see of Ash, it feels right.
29. DuckTales The first season wrapped up with some good adventure and some ambitious emotional storytelling. And the second season has seemed, if anything, even more confident so far (including an excellent Christmas episode).
28. Eighth Grade What a lovely, humane, gem of a movie.
27. The Old Man and the Gun I was head-over-heels in love with this one like halfway through the opening scene. If it had ended after that scene, I might have been satisfied, but the rest of the movie was truly wonderful too.
26. A Series of Unfortunate Events Season Two There's no twist for book readers as great as what they did with the Parent characters in the first season, but this second season of the show continued to be really great.
25. Rusty Lake: Paradise & Rusty Lake: Paradox This year I played all of the Rusty Lake/Cube Escape games, and it's probably a good thing that it takes a while between game releases or I might just burrow into these Twin Peaks inspired puzzles and not come out.
24. The last 20 minutes of Halloween I pretty well loved the entirety of this 40-years-later sequel, but the last twenty minutes or so were just next-level great. Basically, once everybody gets to Laurie's compound, this film was as scary as I wanted and as fist-pumpingly thrilling as I didn't know I could have expected.
23. Lost in Space Season One Might have loved this if it was just the one thing after another space survival show, but when you layer on an intriguing mystery and then add on Parker Posey's slitherly Dr. Smith? Yep, loved it.
22. The Haunting of Hill House Mike Flanagan has been doing cool horror work on smaller movies for a few years now, and I'm glad he seems to have found a patron in Netflix. The broader canvas of Haunting of Hill House allows him to do pretty much everything he's so good at, and even allows for some new tricks (like that "one long shot" episode, or the creepy background ghosts that go uncommented on in the story).
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21. Creed II Creed was so great, and the notion of Stallone returning to the Ivan Drago well so worrisome, that I was a little apprehensive that this one would disappoint me. What a great surprise, then, that this was basically a best-case scenario for how this could have worked out. Even the Drago stuff is pretty compelling! I'd love to see more with Adonis and Bianca sometime, and I certainly still love Rocky himself, but for this round of playing with fire, I am satisfied.
20. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters & Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle The first two (out of three) animated Godzilla films hit Netflix last year and they were much more curious and idiosyncratic than I expected when they were first announced. Slowly paced, with an intentional disregard for the expectations of kaiju fans, they take a brilliant concept and proceed to use it to explore the perils of various belief systems. Each of these ends on a cliffhanger, so the success of the whole thing might depend a bit on how Godzilla: Planet Eater wraps things up, but for now it's a fascinating experiment.
19. The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs I can't say I sat around missing the horror host thing (I also love and regularly watch the family-friendly Svengoolie), but I was still surprised by how enjoyable and how nostalgic I found the experience of sitting back down with Joe Bob to watch a trashy horror movie. I didn't watch this as a marathon, but it did make for a bunch of swell weekends catching up with some movies I'd never seen and a charming film buff I hadn't seen in a while.
18. Bad Times at the El Royale Everything about this, from the cast to the aesthetic to the story, was just right up my alley. There was a moment late in the film where Maggie and I turned to each other, our jaws literally dropped, and we burst into nervous laughter.
17. BlacKkKlansman Wrote this one up over at SportsAlcohol.com.
16. Three Identical Strangers This documentary knocked me out. It's an amazing story with a bunch of incredible twists and turns and fascinating characters. It also poses some really intriguing questions and left me with a lot to think about. Don't read anything about it, just see it!
15. Disenchantment As a big fan of The Simpsons and i (and knowing the similar arcs they followed pretty well), I was pretty excited for a new Matt Groening animated show, and the first season of Disenchantment might have surpassed my expectations. It's funny, visually appealing, and takes some effective swings at the kind of emotional storytelling that it took the earlier series a couple of seasons to really nail. The finale sent me scrambling to the internet to see if it had been picked up for more episodes.
14. Nancy by Olivia Jaimes As a regular and avid comic strip reader, I propose that I was more blown away than most of the internet by the new Nancy. I regularly checked in on the soggy Gilchrist version of the strip, so imagine my surprise and delight at the change! It is neat to see a newspaper strip make any kind of impact in the culture again. Plus the strip is really fun!
13. Star Wars Star Wars: Rebels came to a close with a run of really exciting episodes and a really excellent finale. The comics continued to be really good. And Solo: A Star Wars Story showed up with smaller, not so fate-of-the-galaxy stakes and still just nailed the iconic characters it was digging into in exactly the ways it needed to. In a year where Star Wars fandom was showing itself to be home to a lot of the same toxicity as other fandoms, Star Wars itself kept up its end with lots of fun stuff.
12. The Last Best Story I thought I had a good idea what to expect from a high school newspaper riff on His Girl Friday, and this book certainly (thoroughly, delightfully) satisfies that. But I wasn't exactly prepared for the emotional depth and lovely observational detail in Maggie's book (I mean, I probably should have been, but it still sneaked up on me). I finished and just wanted to read it again.
11. "The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat" episode of The X-Files This second (and seemingly final) revival season of The X-Files boasted a more confident ratio of hits to misses than the previous one (even the nutso mythology episodes showed a stronger grasp of how the show works and what it means in the current moment) but the highlight, again, was a virtuosic episode written and directed by Darin Morgan. It was brilliantly funny, very X-Filesy, and sneakily provided a hilarious alternate series finale for fans in the event that Chris Carter would botch the actual one a few episodes later (luckily, he did as well as I might have hoped, really).
10. Arrested Development - Season 5, Part 1 I disagreed with most of the complaints people lobbied against the fourth season of Arrested Development, but I do think the batch of fifth season episodes released last year did fall prey to some of the shapeless storytelling and clunky greenscreen they were accused of before (I thought the fourth season did wonders with having the characters separated, while they flailed to meaningfully integrate Lindsay in the fifth season). And because episodes weren't as clearly defined in their storytelling, it left some of the character stories feeling both too dragged out and thinly developed (thinking here of Gob's struggle with his sexuality and Tobias's relationship with Murphybrown) by the time the half-season ended on a slight cliffhanger without really building significant momentum. But for all that, I love these characters so much and the show particularly really does right by the way that Michael and George Michael try to navigate their relationship with each other after the events of the fourth season.
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9. Mary Poppins Returns This movie had impossible shoes to fill, and you can tell that everybody involved took that seriously. I saw this one twice. The first time, I really enjoyed it. The second time, it made me cry.
8. Marvel Cinematic Universe Black Panther was so fantastic, Avengers: Infinity War felt like a really special theater experience, and Ant-Man and the Wasp was a delightful trifle with an amazing, playful gut-punch of a stinger. Really, I had a great time will all three movies they put out this year and I loved the ride they took us on all the way through to the final text card in the Ant-Man credits.
7. Surprise, it's The Cloverfield Paradox! Sure, this is easily the least of the Cloverfield movies so far (it's still a fun haunted-house-on-a-space-station movie with an overqualified cast), but I don't imagine there'll be a more fun way to see one of these. I was already feeling that familiar Cloverfield excitement as the online marketing game started spooling up, but I pretty much leapt off the couch when Katie and I saw the Super Bowl ad that announced it would be dropping soon on Netflix, and freaked out even further when I looked on Netflix and saw the tag that it would debut after the game ended! We stayed up and watched it that night, and I went to sleep in the glow of a new Cloverfield. Gonna be hard to top that for excitement next time, but I'm looking forward to seeing them try.
6. Support the Girls Basically a "day in the life" movie about a manager of a Hooters-style sports bar, this movie (starring a perfect Regina Hall) is warm and human and reassuring because of the way it eschews the normal reassurances of this kind of thing and just plays it real. It's a beautiful movie.
5. GLOW I loved the first season of GLOW, and I think this second season is even better. It digs a little deeper into the supporting cast, doubles down on its resonance with things happening in the culture right now, includes that delightful episode within an episode, and ends on a perfect and delicate emotional note.
4. American Vandal Here's one of those shows with a perfect first season taking a shot at a follow-up, and they nailed it. Whatever trades are made in taking on a case with less personal involvement for our investigator leads are made up by the incisive observational writing (and hilarious bathroom jokes), this time throwing race and class into the mix. I'm sorry we won't get to see them take on another case and format, but these first two seasons are perfect.
3. Ready Player One I am in the tank for pretty much any Spielberg movie (I've loved the dramas he's done in the last few years) and here he's made a movie with cameos from King Kong and Mechagodzilla. I enjoyed the book this was based on, but I loved the movie even more. The visuals and action (and that amazing Shining sequence) are terrific, but the way that they restructured the game tasks build to make a moving argument for the ways even popular art are used for communication and connection, and Mark Rylance's portrayal of the Wonka-esque Halliday makes it all land.
2. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs I wrote about this one over at SportsAlcohol.com. I loved it.
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1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One & Two To be quite honest, this would be hard to beat in any event since I got engaged to be married between Part One and Part Two. Luckily, the show was a really special event even beyond that personal association. A surprisingly moving epilogue to the Harry Potter stories (and more satisfying in performance where the performances of the actors makes up for some of the ways the supporting characters seemed more thinly conceived in the script than they did in the books), it was also a dazzling theatrical experience. The variety of tricks employed to bring the wizard world to the stage meant that just as you figured out how they pulled off one big effect you were met with three other nifty flourishes. I dig Rowling's continued noodling around in her wizard world through things like this play and the Fantastic Beasts films (I enjoyed Crimes of Grindelwald) as a way to tell new stories and explore nerdy minutia without undoing the lovely bow of that original series of books. (Side note: Because my pleasure reading time has been so heavily curtailed as I get through this first school year, I'm only about a third in on Lethal White. Really digging it, but don't feel like I can include it on this list properly.)
Top Twenty Things I'm Excited About in 2019
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Godzilla: King of the Monsters Never would I have believed that we'd be getting a big-budget American Godzilla film that would prominently feature Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah as the third film in a shared Godzilla/Kong movie universe. Now it is happening, and everything they've released to do with the film (trailers, posters, etc) have looked incredible. Gonna be hard to top this one for excitement this year.
Marvel Cinematic Universe Captain Marvel looks like a lot of fun, I'm sure Spider-Man: Far From Home will be great, and I'm pretty interested in whatever Marvel Studios ends up doing for the Disney+ streaming service, but the main event this year is obviously Avengers: Endgame. Whatever form this big finale for the first decade of MCU stories takes, I cannot wait to see it.
Star Wars As with Marvel, there's plenty to look forward to this year, with The Mandalorian presumably accompanying the debut of Disney+ along with the revival of The Clone Wars, but the biggest deal will of course be Episode IX, the grand finale of the main Star Wars saga and the story of the Skywalkers.
Arrested Development The original run of the series was nearly flawless. The fourth season is, in some ways, even more ambitious and special. And even though the first half of this fifth season was, to my eyes, guilty of some of the baggy, formless storytelling that season four had been accused of (and splitting the season like this meant that the first half felt weirdly unsatisfying), it still had a ton of joke that I really loved and developed the relationship between Michael and his son in a way that I did find satisfying after the fourth season cliffhanger. Excited for more of the show and crossing my fingers that it nails the landing.
Stranger Things III This one drops on my birthday! Setting the story in summer sounds fun to me, and I'm pretty excited to see these characters again after a year off.
The Twilight Zone The original series is a deep foundation of my pop culture world and I even found things to like about the UPN revival in the early 00s, so I'm predisposed to be interested in this. But giving it to Jordan Peele (also so psyched for Us) seems like a masterstroke and the trailer they just released is so perfect (both for the obvious love it displays for the original and the new energy it promises) that it's driven me to distraction. Cannot wait for this.
The Addams Family I was obsessed with The Addams Family back when the two Barry Sonnenfeld films came out in the 90s. I loved the 60s sitcom, the movies, and the animated series (and more recently was bitterly disappointed by the Broadway musical). But most of all I adored the Charles Addams cartoons. This latest animated film has been kicking around in some form of development for a while now (there was a time when it was reported that they were trying to get Tim Burton to give it the stop-motion treatment) and I'm a little apprehensive that it ended up with Illumination Studios. Still, a new animated Addams Family film is a must see.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance This sounds pretty special, and in any case it is exciting to get an ambitious new puppet project from the Henson Company delivered right to my Netflix queue this year.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood & The Irishman A new Tarantino film would be on this list no matter what, so those photos they released a while back were most exciting to just get a look at what he's going for aesthetically. And of course I'm intrigued and excited to hear that Netflix is throwing money at Scorsese to make a crime film starting De Niro, Pacino, Keitel, and Joe Pesci.
The French Dispatch Not sure if this one will actually hit this year or end up seeking out some awards-friendly release next year, but it's a Wes Anderson film about journalism with a predictably great cast. Exciting whenever it comes out.
Knives Out Rian Johnson writing and directing another mystery film with this cast? Let's do this now.
Little Women Lady Bird was sooo good that I'd be pretty into whatever movie Greta Gerwig made next, so the incredible cast she's assembled for this follow up is just icing.
The Righteous Gemstones When Jody Hill and Danny McBride make another HBO show, I'm going to watch it. Make it about a family of televangelists and make John Goodman the patriarch, and I can't wait to watch it.
My Favorite Thing is Monsters Volume 2 The first volume was a surprise highlight of 2017 and it was a bummer to see this follow up slide further and further back on release calendars. Hoping it finally arrives this year, but the original was so wonderful that I'm ready to wait as long as it takes.
Missing Link There are other animated movies I'll be really excited for by the time they come out this year (Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2 will surely be huge events) but I'm probably most excited that Laika is back with a new feature.
Star Trek It looks like, as an attempt to get people like me to actually keep up their CBS All Access subscription outside of the two months they're offering new episodes of Star Trek Discovery (and I am pretty psyched for this second season!) they are planning on keeping us in new Star Trek as often as possible. An animated Trek comedy! A new series about Picard! More of those very cool Short Treks! I'm pretty into seeing what they have in store this year.
Looney Tunes Cartoons After years and years of grousing about Warner Bros' treatment of the Looney Tunes characters (even when they have something that kinda works, like Wabbit or New Looney Tunes, it has felt like they're on the C-list; and no, Space Jam 2 does not make me feel better), I'm intrigued by this series and am anxious to see some footage to see what they're cooking up.
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels I loved the original series, I'm a sucker for stories set in America in the 30s, and  I like the cast they're lining up, so I'm definitely into this.
Amazing Stories I don't even know if or when I'll get to see this (we already have so many streaming services and if I'm adding another one this year, it'll be Disney+), but I love the idea of a new Amazing Stories and if Spielberg directs an episode or two it'll make this a must watch somehow.
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jwgammuto · 5 years
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Raw Recap 2/11/19
Forgive me, lil Golden Fleece diapered Baby Jesus, for what I say. The go home Raw for Elimination Chamber is over and I have some things to say. Here’s The Good, The Bad, and the WTF: #FTR Edition.
The Good: It happened. It actually happened. Dash and Dawson are the Raw tag team champions and there’s a small chance the division might not be embarrassing for a few months. What an amazing match between these guys and Power and Glorious. Credit to Roode and Gable. I never liked the gimmick but they really gelled as a team while they had the titles. This was a match worthy of a PPV and almost made me forget about what i had watched from 8-1015. #TopGuys are back and this fan couldn’t be happier.
Rollins and Heyman square off on the mic. Paul always makes for a good segment but Seth really shines here as well. This was significantly better than if Lesnar had actually been there. The weird moment with Ambrose being a babyface again was unnecessary but who knows what the hell he’s doing since he’s leaving the company shortly. I will say this, I don’t want a cluster of run ins helping Rollins win. Let Seth win clean at Mania. Please.
Kevin Owens blasting the product and telling us he’ll be back in a month. Then throwing a gutter ball. A welcome addition to either show but Raw needs him. Too many heels on Smackdown.
Ruby Riott vs Nikki Cross. It wasn’t anything special but they did book this right. Ruby looked like a viable and vicious contender who can win without the Riott Squad. I hope she is allowed to have a great match with ArmbarCity Sunday.
The Bad: The crowd. Hot crowds make for better shows. It’s irrefutable. It’s why it’s so damn important to kick off the show well so the ticket holders are engaged from the jump. Grand Rapids, Michigan, you failed us. Granted they watched a lot of trash that we’re about to get into, but they could have done something. It felt like everyone was tweeting about the badness rather than watching it.
Dean Ambrose vs EC3. It took exactly two weeks for them to make EC3 irrelevant. Now he’s 1-1 against the same dude, who coincidentally also has no creative direction, and he STILL hasn’t said a word. Can it be salvaged? Sure. Turn him heel. Will they? Of course not.
Triple threat ladies tag match to determine EC order. Hey look. Another potential tease for a Bayley/Banks split. I think I’ll wet my pants. Two straight weeks, Banks has left Bayley on an island to defend herself alone due to “injury”. While Bayley has made the best of this and looked pretty damn good and capable in the ring, it has this feel as though it’s going to be another long dragged out “will they/won’t they fight” program that never pays off. Ugh. Also, I want Nia and Tamina to lose at EC as much as I wanted the Revival to win the titles. I guess that means they’re doing their job. Logan and Morgan don’t get enough credit for their ring work because they’re always losing but watch them. Not bad stuff by any means.
The WTF: Balor Club, Beardy Ryback, and Our Aging Olympic Hero vs Black Chris Masters, 1/3 of 3MB, and the current champion of cheap heat, Baron Corbin. Remember when Vince, Steph, and Trips told us we were in charge and we’d be getting fresh matchups and better programming? Pepperidge Farm remembers. The roster is crowded. I get it. But all 6 of these guys have nothing to do of interest so they’re stuck in a cycle of fighting each other and it’s just awful now. And worse, the IC title is starting to have that US title stench of uselessness. Has Lashley defended it yet? He will Sunday....finally. McIntyre is rapidly losing momentum and assuming Rollins wins the title in April, they better have Drew first in line or he may have to actually reform 3MB. This match was a cluster and had to be restarted. Everything about it was sub par. Nobody looked great. Even Balor eventually winning was meh. Although he did jump halfway across the ring for The Coup de Gras. That’s always fun.
Elias vs Guadalajara with party llama in tow. A disturbing recent trend is the company forcing turns and reactions rather than allowing them to happen organically. Elias can be a great heel just by cutting promos. He’s done it before. The interruptions are part of his Schtick and that’s fine, to a degree. It’s starting to get overdone and it’s hurting his character. Everything feels forced. Side note: Kalisto can actually play guitar and that was fun.
Vincent. Kennedy. McMahon. Clearly I’m not the only one watching Raw Replays from the Attitude Era in the evenings. The beauty of Becky Lynch’s rise in popularity was the fact that it was pretty organic. Similar to how Steve Austin did it. That’s where the parallels should have stopped though. It sure feels like they are doing much more to mold old Stone Cold roles into Lynch and I’m not loving it. The entire apology segment was weird but felt predictable right? She would opt for defiance and the HHH and Steph would make her life miserable until her peak triumph against insurmountable odds at Mania. Instead, they had Lynch apologize, albeit reluctantly. *Scratching head*. “That’s it?” Becky exclaims. Enter Vince, who still believes he’s the Mr McMahon of 1999. He suspends Lynch (which we all know won’t keep her off TV) and inserts his shiny new corporate puppet, Charlotte Flair, into the match. There’s a million reasons to hate this and none of them are because Charlotte doesn’t belong. Flair is perfectly capable of being a top heel without being a corporate stooge. Save that shit for Rollins/Orton/Corbin. A lot of people don’t like the idea of a triple threat at Mania for the Raw women’s title. I really don’t mind it, but this is a lazy and garbage way to set it up. For starters, it’s been done. Flair is the Heel Rock and Lynch is Austin. Oh yeah, and there’s the actual champion, who is becoming an after thought in this mess. Another concern is the Smackdown Women’s title. Who the hell is going to face Asuka at Mania? Mandy f**king Rose? She’s the only female heel with even close to enough heat on the show. This is a complete cluster and I have to believe there are differences in opinion at Titan Tower on how this should have been booked. Save us, HHH. Please.
This show was a general disaster and following a trend of piss poor go home Raw show for big events. I have tix for the go home Raw for Wrestlemania and based on this trend, I might be really drunk by 915. They really sucked me back in with the Revival’s win and then pooped in my cereal with that last segment. 2 Belt Whips because #TopGuys.
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natromanxoff · 3 years
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Record Mirror (July 14, 1979): 119/?
THE QUEEN BACKLASH ENDS HERE
WITHOUT DOUBT Queen are among that elite number of bands universally hated by the rock press.
The rancour is, make no mistake, mutual which is understandable. If you find yourself on the receiving end of an inveterate dislike at the outset of your career and watch it being nurtured and carefully cultivated over the next six years you’re bound to retaliate.
Queen’s hatred manifests itself by their continued habit of ignoring the music press i.e. refusing to give interviews. There is the occasional token “chat”, pointless as it is innocuous, but in the main it amounts to a blanket “No.”
One of the last interviews Freddie Mercury gave was the last nail in the perspex coffin. Under a headline which boldly asked ‘Is This Man A Prat?’ the king of the leotards was demolished by one of the old school Queen haters and Freddie obviously came to the conclusion, in its wake, that interviews in future would be both superfluous (he was popular enough) and detrimental.
The curtain, velvet naturally, closed.
Roger Taylor, a little wary, a little weary, sits stiffly in an armchair. The juggernauts rattling the Chelsea Street outside create a sonorous buzz bomb hum in the room.
You expect a member of Queen to look elegant. In fact Roger is only wearing a wine colour mohair jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.
He apologises for being a little late and explains how he went to the wrong address. Roger seems to be the only member of Queen left who is prepared, albeit rarely, to open his mouth in the presence of a hack. A question springs to mind . . . why?
“We all sat around a table before I flew over from Munich to discuss the press situation and we agreed I should be the one to represent the band. Freddie is very uncompromising and refuses to have much to do with journalists.
“Obviously, he’s had a few raw deals with them in the past,” observes Taylor.
Roger himself has a rather low view of the music press.
“Most of it is rubbish. There was something I liked recently, a piece on Malcolm McLaren, but in the main I think I’m the only one of Queen to actually read the music papers.”
Why does he think the band are systemically slagged?
“I think it’s because Queen have always come across as being a rather confident band. We seemed, to other people at least, to be very sure of ourselves. I think the press may have misconstrued the confidence, mistaking it for a form of arrogance. Hence they became wary of our motives which bred a dislike for our music.”
Now that’s what I call a neat conclusion.
At the risk of being sent to Coventry by my colleagues I’d like, if I may, to come clean. I love Queen (you’re fired, Ed).
I think it all began with a simple pre-packed but indisposable line – “Dynamite with a laser beam” and has continued uninterrupted (despite the occasional flaw) right through to ‘Queen Live Killers’.
A combination of reasons, Freddie Mercury’s lascivious lisp – the most attractive intonation known to man . . . Brian May’s reel ‘em off rococo riffs that would, in his capable hands, transform the theme music for ‘Waggoners’ Walk’ into a meisterwork . . . John Deacon’s almost stoic stance, incongruous yet integral . . . Roger Taylor’s intense power, so unexpected from one so slight . . . the ability to go over the top without failing into the trap of caricature . . . a desire to give the punters what they want without pandering . . . that cast iron confidence . . . those nine glorious winter weeks of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which kept the cold away from my soul . . .
Yes, I love Queen.
Roger explains the story behind ‘Killers’ which features just about every Queen classic which ever found its way into a silk lined memory bank.
“We always knew that one day we would make a live album. I think it was well planned. About 90 per cent of our last European tour was recorded on a mobile unit and we then spent weeks sitting through the songs in the studio.
“The result is a 100 per cent LIVE album. Nothing has been touched up in the process of selection, I think that’s pretty rare these days. Many ‘live’ albums are tampered with.”
The choice of single is unusual – ‘Love Of My Life’. “It’s not so unusual when you hear the way it came out. The song seems to have such a wide appeal. Everywhere we go the reaction to it is the same. The audience are just bursting to sing along.”
The result is Queen’s best single since ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ (that was their LAST one crawler, ED)
As I mentioned earlier the band are currently residing in Munich where they are “experimenting” in the studio.
“We are recording in a totally different way for us,” says Roger who speaks with a delicate London accent only typical of cockneys with dramatic training and David Essex.
“Every time we entered a studio in the past we had a good idea of what we were going to do. This time we started from scratch and the result is amazing. The music is nothing like anything we’ve done before, I guess you could say it’s much simpler.”
And this novel approach to their music also extends to their shows. On their next British tour – in the late Autumn – the band will be playing much smaller venues than they are accustomed to.
“In London for example we went to play to audiences of about two or three thousand in different areas. I think it’s much fairer to the fans.”
But won’t this affect their stage show which is after all a crucial factor for any powerpomp outfit?
“Not really. We will just scale down the show accordingly. Besides,” he says taking another bite out of the biscuit, “we haven’t used dry ice in years.”
The monkey on Queen’s back, as corpulent and cantankerous as ever, has been put there by those who firmly believe the band can never emulate past achievements. Roger is cognizant of its presence but refuses to unpeel its bananas.
“That all began after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. When it stayed at number one all those weeks we were kindly informed that we would never be able to make another single to rival it both artistically and from the point of view of sales.
“Yet ‘We Are The Champions’ sold a great deal more and has since become the biggest selling single in the entire history of Elektra Asylum – our label in the States.
“We don’t do the amazingly complex things any more because we’ve moved on from that. We concentrate on the music we are doing now and we intend to do it the best we can, it’s ridiculous looking behind and and what you’ve done.
“There’s nothing like going back on the road to re-unite the bond between the four personalities and strengthening our belief in the band. We are a real working unit and, in my experience of the music business, one of the most democratic bands around today.”
A statement like that cries out to be expounded.
“People think every member of all the bands, not naming any names, are treated equally that is get the same money as their colleagues. That’s rubbish. In many bands there are a couple of guys that get all the money. The rest are on wages. Queen share the profits equally.”
And they don’t have a manager taking his cut either, John Reid departed a couple of years back and now the band themselves make all the major policy decisions. Why did they decide to dispense with the services of a manager?
“Basically because we were fed up with giving other people money. Y’know it never ceases to amaze me how naive those guys are in bands who have just had their first hit. After all this time I’ve forgotten just how naive we must have been at the beginning.
“I mean, everything seems so great when you get into the charts for the first time. You’re living on cloud nine and nothing else matters. But in truth that hit means absolutely nothing. So few people achieve any amount of financial success in this business.
“Oh, you think, you’re really living . . . for a while. Somebody gets you a flat in Chelsea and it’s all free. But one day the rent stops being paid for you and you realise you’re skint.
“Since John Reid has gone the four of us have always made a point of discussing everything together. We have various people working for us but all the important decisions are made by us alone. That way we get freedom of choice – and financial independence.”
My attention is suddenly diverted.
“FORTY-LOVE!” Wimbledon, the Persil White opiate for the hoi polloi squashed in a strawberry crush wrings out its perspiring petticoats on the TV in the next room.  Roger’s girlfriend, an extremely attractive French girl called Dominique, is engrossed. The couple have lived together for two years. Crippled old marriage questions permeate the air.
“I don’t believe in marriage,” says Roger. “It’s simply a contract and the fewer contracts I enter into the better. If you get on well with someone then there isn’t any harm in living with that person – but marriage is something else again.”
They live in a six bedroomed Victorian house just outside London, which is set in 20 acres. Roger has a “tiny” town house in Barnes as well. What’s it like having a bank full of money at the age of 29?
“I don’t hide away from life. Queen have never been one of those ‘being grabbed in the street’ type bands. It may happen when the four of us are together – but when we are out alone we are seldom bothered. That gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself. I go to clubs a lot. I like having a good time. I don’t think you could describe any of the band as leading sheltered lives.
“But I have completely lost touch with how much things cost. When you find yourself living in hotels for so long you never really deal in money as such. Everything is available whenever you want it – but you never see the cash actually being handed over.
“I’ve forgotten what it was like to be penniless which Queen were for years. I guess that must happen to many successful rock bands.”
Another thing that happens to many successful rock bands – they quit the country. But not Queen it appears.
“We have always based ourselves in England and I see no reason why we shouldn’t continue to do so. We could leave at any time but we choose to stay. People believe we are tax exiles because we spend a lot of the time out of the country recording in studios all over Europe and touring.”
And what will happen when the band finally trudge wearily down the road leading to that  ivory strewn elephants’ graveyard . . . ?
“I know it’s bound to happen one day. I suppose I’d take a long, long holiday . . . and then make a solo album.”
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ask-the-phan-site · 5 years
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Phan Cam: The Fight Before Christmas (Part 1)
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>Shibuya. On Central Street, a young boy wonders off from the pharmacy out of boredom.
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Finally! Some time to myself without my parents breathing down my neck.
>He looked around to find something to help him kill the boredom. Then, he noticed someone... A certain king we all know.
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Can’t believe I had to come all the way here to Shibuya to play Gun About. I really hope they finish renovations soon. Who even does this at this time of year?
Young Boy: Hey, Shinya!
Shinya: Oh, hey, Yuta! What are you doing here so late? I thought your mom didn’t like that.
Yuta: She and Ryuichi are in the pharmacy buying Grandpa’s medicine. He has prescription so they’ll be awhile. So I thought I’d sneak off, maybe get something from the convenience store.
Shinya: Do you even have the money?
>Hearing this, Yuta’s jaw dropped.
Yuta: Shoot! I forgot, Mom’s says I’m not old enough to have my own money. So what about you? Don’t you usually go to the arcade in Akihabara?
Shinya: The owner closed it down for renovations. He’s thinking of adding a second floor to put in a gamer’s cafe and use the other higher floors to rent apartments.
Yuta: Couldn’t you just play Gun About at home?
Shinya: We don’t have the Internet and my mom doesn’t really like that game. So I have to come all the way here which is taking a heavy toll on my wallet. Just hope I can make it back before dinner. By the way, how are things. Especially with...
Yuta: With my condition? Well, it’s still pretty much the same. I can’t feel pain, shouldn’t that mean I’m like invincible? Why can’t my mom see that?
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I’m not sure if I’m the right person to tell you that, Yuta.
>Just then, they noticed something. Someone going into an alley next to the karaoke place.
Shinya: I know that guy. And who’s the lady with him?
Yuta: Doesn’t that go to that place where they sell model guns? Joe said I shouldn't go in there.
Shinya: But if he’s going to be there, I’m sure it will be alright. Wanna see what they’re up to?
Yuta: Well, as long as I get back before my parents notice I'm gone.
>The two boys followed into the alley... Not knowing they were being followed as well.
???: Little kids shouldn’t be going into an alley at night. I better follow them before Yuta worries Setsuko and Ryuichi.
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>The managed to sneak inside.
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Welcome back. Come to sell me something else weird? ... You’re even dressed weird.
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The high schools in the city are having an event. I know I transferred out of Shujin, but my friends needed help and I said I would. We were hoping to go there after we talk with you.
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Same here. I know me and my friend just graduated, but we just couldn't let them do this on their own.
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What is it you wanted to talk about?
Makoto: Well, you know about that tournament Ren was invited to?
Kaoru: You mean Smash Bros.? Yes... Actually, shouldn’t you be there now?
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I already did. The things about the Smash Universe is... Time is irrelevant.
Makoto: Since Smash Bros. consists of characters from other video game series, Nintendo needed a space were they can be together without disrupting the story of their games. And that’s when they made Smash Bros.
Kaoru: Amazing. But how did you get an invitation?
Ren: Sonic the Hedgehog.
Iwai: You mean your last heist?
Ren: Yes. Sneaky McBatty (Rouge the Bat) let is slip to Sonic that we’re the Phantom Thieves. Thankfully, he, the Thorndykes, and their friends decided to keep it a secret, but Sonic got the idea to invite me to be in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate... As DLC, of course.
Iwai: I see. But what does this have have to do with us?
Ren: After I did that, our first admin had the idea to sign me up for that fighting tournament that takes place every year here in Tokyo.
Iwai: You mean the Fight Before Christmas? I guess that means you’re here for the rule book.
Makoto: I’m entering as well. My former aikido instructor was going to enter due to bills piling up at the dojo and the prize money should be able to pay them off until he can find something, but the maximum age to enter is 59 and he’s 62. However, when he diced to find someone to take his place, I was the first one who came to mind.
Kaoru: Really? You must be really good at aikido to be chosen. Actually, I’ve always thought of taking up the martial arts... For sports.
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Heh! That’s what I thought.
Kaoru: And what about you, Ren kun?
Ren: Like I said, Mishima thought it would be good for the Phandom if the leader of the Phantom Thieves was in the tournament and would get us more requests and, in light of the holidays, gifts.
Kaoru: That must be rough.
Yuta: (whisper) Why are they talking about the Phantom Thieves?
Shinya: (also whispering) Well, I’m not suppose to say anything, but...
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Look, can you keep a secret?
>Yuta nods his head. So Shinya leans in close and whispers in his ear.
Shinya: ...
Yuta: ARE YOU SERIOUS!? YOU’RE FRIENDS WITH THE PHANTOM THIEVES!?
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SHUSH! They’ll hear us!
>Too late. We notice them where they were hiding.
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Shinya kun?
Kaoru: Holy smoke! The King of Akihabara! ... And I wish I had a cut-in to show my expression. And why is Yuta Koshu with you?
Yuta: Huh? You know about me?
Kaoru: Who in Shibuya hasn’t heard of you? ... Because of him.
>Kaoru was pointing to the door which was open and someone came in. Yuta was sure he had been busted... Until he saw who it was.
Yuta: Oh good. It’s just you. I was sure Mom and Ryuichi was here.
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But I don’t think you’ll be out of trouble just yet.
Yuta: Why’s that?
???????: Because just as Joe followed you, we followed Joe.
>As this Joe person comes in... Two more followed.
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(sighs) If we get anymore people here this place will either become a suburb or have people thinking there’s a sale going on.
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Sorry. We just took our eyes off of him for just a minuet and he was gone.
Yuta: I’m sorry. I just met Shinya and we got curious about one of his friends.
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Well, as long as you didn’t get hurt or did anything dangerous, I’ll forgive you this once. Just don’t scare us like that again. My heart almost dropped when we turned around and you weren’t there.
Iwai: Just goes to show you that you gotta keep a real close eye on the younger ones. Especially when you’re out in the city at night.
Yuta: (a bit offended) Hey! I’ll have you know I just turned 8.
Joe: Anyway, I guess you know about me too.
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I also know about you as well, Joe Akamine. As well as you both, Ryuichi and Setsuko Suzuki.
Ren: Can you explain, please?
Makoto: Joe and Ryuichi are well known in the boxing world. Joe is one of the few expected to become the next Joe Yabuki. As for Ryuichi, he was in the prime of his boxing career but was forced into early retirement due to complications with his vision.
Ryuichi: I don’t think we need to talk about that. But there were a few good things that came out of it.
Setsuko: That’s true.
Shinya: You two are married, right? Yuta told me.
Yuta: That’s right. Ryuichi’s my step-dad now. Even though he can’t box anymore, I still think he’s great. Almost as much as Joe.
Ryuichi: (playfully offended) Aww, thanks.
>We couldn’t help but laugh.
Setsuko: Now hold on. Yuta, event though I’ve forgiven you, I’m still upset. Just wandering off on your own. And at night, no less. And you went into a gun shop.
Iwai: I can assure you, ma’am, these are just models. They only shoot pellets.
Setsuko: I see.
Joe: By the way, I also overheard you guys talking about the Fight Before Christmas.
Makoto: You know about it too, Joe san? I take it you’re also entering.
Ryuichi: Really? That’s what you wanted to talk about?
Joe: Well, Mr. Takizawa normally enters in the tournament, but as of last month, he turned 60 and has been declared too old to enter. But he asked me to enter in his place. He just told me this morning and I was going to tell you tonight.
Kaoru: Really? Do they allow boxers? She just said she practices aikido.
Iwai: Well, Kaoru, the Fight Before Christmas is a bit like the Street Fighter Tournament. All forms of fighting are welcome.
Kaoru: I see. They’re not very organized about this, are they? But why does Mr. Takizawa enter the tournament? Does he need the money?
Joe: No, he doesn’t do this for the money. He’s trying to become the next FBC Champion. But he said I can still get the money if I want.
Kaoru: Really? How much is the prize money?
Iwai: ¥900,000. ($7983)
Kaoru: (surprised) For real!? And I thought the money you won in the lottery was a lot.
Ren: You won the lottery, Iwai san?
Kaoru: We’ll explain another time.
Yuta: Joe, you’ve got to enter it. I know you can become the next Champ.
Joe: Well, if it means Mr. Takizawa would have his dream of the currant Champ being defeated, I guess.
Yuta: Yes!
Joe: So, where do I sign up?
Iwai: Normally, you can sign online...
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But from what I've heard, a lot of people want to sign up in person at the TV station in Akasaka Mitsuke. Mostly because of one of the co-commentators.
Ryuichi: Why? Is it someone famous?
Iwai: You could say that... If you like girls based on edible meats.
Kaoru: You mean it’s... Her?
Joe: If it is, I guess we should get going.
Iwai: I don’t think you can go right now. The place is probably packed by now. But don’t worry, registrations will be open for a while, so you might have time.
Makoto: That’s probably good. We don’t have time today anyway.
Ryuichi: How come?
>Suddenly, the door opened again.
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‘Bout time we found you guys! We’ve been waiting almost 20 minutes.
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We thought you probably got held up for some reason.
>Joe, Ryuichi, and Setsuko just started at Ryuji, Yusuke, and Haru about what they were wearing.
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Is something wrong?
Ren: I’ll explain later. Right now, we better go. Everyone’s waiting.
>With that, we leave and Iwai closes the shop for the night... And just when all was quiet...
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Interesting...
>Sho notices Ryuichi walking off. Seeing him, Shoe makes a look of disgust.
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jennajames1988 · 3 years
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Exactly What Is Boosting In League Of Legends?
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LoL boost is the process of a player who is not ranked well employing a professional LoL player to help them climb to a higher level. LoL boosting comes in two major options: Selfplay boost as well as Duo/Self-Play. The first option permits account owners to share their login details with the booster, and the boost will take place directly on the account. The second option allows the player and the account owner to queue up for ranked games together. In any case, they are also known as ELO boosts.
Is Actually ELO Boosting Illegal?
Whether you have a question on Is ELO Boosting Illegal? Elo Boosting in League of Legends is completely legal and you shouldn't have to worry or be hesitant to purchase an increase.
But before we talk more about LoL that, let's have an overview of the background of League of Legends.
BRIEF BACKGROUND OF LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
League of Legends is a game that is a team-based esport. The game involves two teams of five players competing against each other to win. In the decade that followed the launch of the game, League of Legends has been able to grow to become the king of Games with the average number of monthly players increasing to 115 million by 2020, according to a recent report by Statista.
League Feed's 2020 report shows that League of Legends holds a fund of $75 million that can be used as prizes in Tournaments around the globe. In fact the organization has handed out more than $5M in prize money to the Online Tournaments thus far. During the same period the company has given out more than $69M that has gone towards Offline/LAN Tournaments that is an obvious sign of how big League of Legends is.
What is the reason ELO is gaining momentum In LEAGUE OF LEGENDS?
You have probably seen the popularity of gaming grow in recent years if you are a keen gamer. If you're over the age of 30 then you'll probably remember the time when multiplayer gaming was primarily playing in your living room, playing on split-screen TVs.
Multiplayer gaming has become an increasingly popular and well-known phenomenon. It allows players to play one another regardless of geographic location. Better yet, games like League of Legends are constantly creating new Tournaments, Events and Champions that make it nearly impossible to catch up.
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While there are professionals who are full-time gamers, there are those who do not have the time to grind in an effort to get on the LoL ranks. This is where boosting services could be of great aid.
Here are a few amazing benefits of EloBoosting services:
You can save time
League of Legends ranking up can be a tedious and lengthy process. This is especially the case if your teammates don't have the skills and knowledge to play efficiently. Boosters can help you quickly climb the ranks without much effort. It is possible to set objectives to get professional boosters. Is elo boosting illegal? Elo-Boostings/MMR boosters is legal everywhere in the world.
Reliable
Due to the fierce competition in the growing market for services, companies within the ecosystem are always developing to ensure they deliver top-notch services to their clients. Owboostroyal is focused on high-quality results. You can trust our team of experts to deliver in time and without risking your financial security.
It's secure and safe
In the past there was a time when boosting capabilities were restricted as it could only be done through direct access to the player's gaming account. This led to an increase in accounts that were not authorized to be manipulated and eventually the banning of accounts because of multiple IP addresses accessing the account simultaneously.
How can you get around LoL boosting? AskBoosters, for example, makes use of VPN protection to veil the IP address of the user when performing boosts, thereby reducing the chance of your account getting banned.
Help Even The Players Field
If you want to progress in a Owboostroyal game like League of Legends, your character has to be able to level up. This can only occur when you possess the appropriate set of abilities to unlock specific weapons.
The boosting option allows you to not only unlock the skills, but also the right weapons. This allows you to stay competitive and remain active in the game.
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shadyblazeblizzard · 6 years
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Fossil Fighters Ten Year Anniversary : Reflection
 Since it’s been 10 whole years since Fossil Fighters first released in Japan, I thought I might as well express what the franchise meant to me.
When I was a kid I was obsessed with dinosaurs. I would research all the different species I could (Ankylosaurus was my favorite) and I loved anything to do with them. I especially enjoyed that old tv anime show Dinosaur King ( Which is the closest thing we have to a Fossil Fighters Anime) even if it was a 4Kids dub. Needless to say I was in love with these prehistoric beasts.
And then I just so happened to come across this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3eE7rzcfMc
Now THIS WAS THE COOLEST COMMERCIAL EVER!! Are you telling me I could find, dig up, and REVIVE DINOSAURS WITH AWESOME NEW POWERS!?! SIGN ME THE HELL UP!! So I bought it. And I fell in love with it. I mean my god is the nostalgia deep. The world was fantastic, somewhat silly but enjoyable as a child, and even as an adult. The gameplay was great and really unique. Characters were memorable and enjoyable. It had its big, climatic moments that got your adrenaline pumping, and soothing quiet moments that made you feel what the characters were going through. And the plot, oh my god the plot. I couldn’t appreciate it when I first played. But now, reflecting on it, I love what it did. Now you might find it ridiculous that I praise the plot, but I find it unique. A strange mixture of ridiculousness combined with actual emotion and ethical issues that somehow fitted the game and didn’t feel too off. The plot was way deeper than it needed to be. It could have ended with the first half and no one would have a problem. But it didn’t. It went further. It gave us something memorable and imaginative. Not only that, but it was more complex than it needed to. It made the “villains” sympathetic. In all honesty, wouldn’t you do the same if you were in their role? And characters having to face issues that people would have trouble doing in real life. If you constantly save another character from danger, in other games they would be oblivious or give a quick thank you or so sorry. But here they address it, knowing that they burden you with their bad luck and appreciates all you do. Hell you can tell them that you hate them to their face. Again its so much deeper than it needs to be. As someone who writes I appreciate someone going the extra mile when they don’t need to. And it was even educational! All the games taught information on dinosaurs. The Vivisaurs used ( technologically engineered dinosaurs but its complicated) have hints in their designs showing of the location they were found in and even a place where you could research the real life counterparts of the Vivisaurs. Hell I was learning and I didn’t mind. My young mind ate it up and I still do to this day. The first game was amazing and holds a special place in my heart. I can’t recommend it enough. Who knew that an early DS game can give me this. 
However I soon forgot about the series and only about a year ago did I remember how much I loved the first game, so I played the sequel Champions. Now while I do love the first game more, Champions was a true sequel. It made the gameplay even greater and more complex. It had a big graphical overhaul, since the graphics were a bit simplified, but it made the most of it in the first game, and gave us a whole new cast of characters and a plot. I love the first games plot more, but this was also fantastic. It even had twists and turns I didn’t expect. The settings were more complex and imaginative. But what I really loved were the characters. Everyone has an arc. Everyone develops with the story. I fell in love with these characters because they felt real. They had real problems that they needed to overcome, and at a good pace, slowly changing throughout the story. I love it when characters develop. Face it, in any fictional story you like, you have to relate to a characters problem and watch them overcome them. And this game did it amazing. This game actually caused a paradox for me. I wanted to keep playing, I couldn’t stop. But I also didn’t want to keep playing because then I’d have less of the game to play. It’s a testament to how much I loved this game. Champions was an amazing game and I recommend it to everyone who wants to play it. Its super cheap anyway.
Unfortunately, the next game, Frontier was less than stellar. And most of the fanbase hates it. It made the shift to the 3DS, and the graphics were great! That was always a weakness of the previous games. However that’s the only thing this game has superior to its predecessors. It completely changed the gameplay, making it a lot less easier to use, and simplified in ways it shouldn’t. The plot wasn’t as complex ( I haven’t finished it yet but I heard it wasn’t). And the characters weren’t as developed. Instead of open world exploration on foot where you find randomly placed fossils and dig them up, its driving in a jeep in a couple of albeit big maps with permanent places to find fossils. And they even added racing as a mechanics ( If you think about it, this is kind of what happened to Banjo-Kazooie as well). Though I don’t hate it, I feel like it was so disappointing. A next gen Fossil Fighters game turned into something it barely resembles. Its implied this isn’t even the same universe of the first two games, and the only returning character is the freaking cleaning robot! If it was the first game in the series, I wouldn’t dislike it as much. But it ruined what was an amazing game franchise by replacing nearly everything that was great about it. But I still played it because it was Fossil Fighters. Even a lot of the lines and moments were enjoyable ( Dahlia is a treasure) The spirit was there, just not as strong as the other games. I pray that there will be a Fossil Fighters 4, and if it does happen, I pray that it will be like the second game, not this one.
I love this series to death. I love its plots, premise, gameplay, music, and practically everything about it. The fact that it is dismissed as a “Pokemon Ripoff” for having creatures you can collect and battle (another reason to hate the Pokemon fanbase, doing the same for another franchise I love, Yokai Watch, but that’s a rant for later), is something horribly, horribly wrong. This franchise inspired a lot of what I love, and what I love to create. It gave me something to treasure, something I want to harness the same spirit and give it to other, like it did to me. It has been 10 years since the series was released. 10 years for small me to watch that commercial. 10 years for me to love the game. 10 years for me to rekindle my love for it. And I thank it for that. I hope that what I wrote can connect with others who may have felt the same. And maybe give people who haven’t played it yet, the experience of someone who did love it. And hopefully they can feel it too. Thank you Fossil Fighters, for what you gave me.
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