BuzzSugar

Link Time! 7/14

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:30:00 PDT

Ooh, yet more DVDs releasing this week: The State complete series! - PopCandy
True Blood: Maryann's true form . . . revealed! - TV.com
The fan poll has spoken: Johnny Depp for Riddler in Batman 3. - MTV Movies Blog
Top five quirky TV towns that would be fun to live in (of course Stars Hollow is on there!) - TV Addict
Check out some concert footage of Spoon performing a new song titled "Is Love Forever?" - Stereogum
There's no way around it: when it comes to writing screenplays, men are going to write about women, and women are going to write about men. But can they do so successfully? - Cinematical
Blossom's Mayim Bialik discusses her role on tonight's episode of Saving Grace. - TV Squad
Surprising decorating finds from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. - CasaSugar

Finally: The State Is Coming to DVD July 14!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:30:09 PDT

Many folks know Thomas Lennon, Keri Kenney, and Robert Ben Garant as members of the bumbling police force on Reno! 911, and Ken Marino as any number of characters on TV (Professor Wilder on Dawson's Creek, Vinnie Van Lowe on Veronica Mars, currently Shep on In the Motherhood and a sweet, gay demon on Reaper). David Wain is now known largely as writer and director of movies like Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten, and Role Models, while actor Michael Ian Black starred as Phil Stubbs on Ed, among many other stints on various TV shows and movies.

But to me, all of these people will forever and always remind me of The State, the MTV sketch show they created and starred in for a precious few seasons. Though the series has been off the air since 1995, DVDs of the cult hit still weren't available to its enthusiastic fans - until now! The complete series will be on DVD as of July 14.

Finally, I can retire the VHS tapes on which I recorded the show (yup, I kept them and watched them regularly) and proudly replace them with a shiny new set of DVDs. Also, whole new generations can be introduced to the fun and weirdness that is Doug, Louie, Barry, and Levon, not to mention sketches like "Monkey Torture," "Porcupine Racetrack," and "Tenement."

If you know what I'm talking about, you may be as psyched as I am. And if so, what's your favorite State sketch? To see a video announcement about the DVD (complete with a rapid-fire montage of classic scenes),

Link Time! 1/29

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:30:46 PST

Hot Jon Hamm, or hot ham and cheese sandwich? It's that age-old question again. (I would absolutely go with Hamm.) - Lemondrop
Speaking of hotties, let's ogle yesterday's Hump Day Hottie: Ralph Fiennes. - FilmExperience
Jimmy Fallon attempts his first monologue. Discuss. - Popwatch
Hey, it's photos from the reunion of The State at SF Sketchfest! - Pop Candy
Is American Idol's Megan Corkrey this year's Josiah Lemming? - MTV News Blog
Check out the 20 Hottest (directors, actors, movies and. . . fistfights?) to come out of this year's Sundance Film Festival. - Cinematical
Studying for Jeopardy: Not actually all that easy. - TV Squad
New stuff from Sufjan Stevens: A cover of the Castanets' "You Are the Blood." - Stereogum

Barry and Levon Whisper Sweet Nothings to Their Pudding

GiggleSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:30:00 PDT

The State was a brilliant but short-lived sketch comedy show on MTV that left us with many wonderful legacies, including that of Levon and Barry (Sagittarius). These misguided casanovas dressed in head-to-toe velour and had a soft spot for pudding. What do Barry and Levon do with $240 dollars worth of pudding? Just cook . . . and chill.

Movie Preview: The Ten

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:29:00 PDT

News about The Ten first caught my eye when it screened at Sundance back in January. After that I kind of forgot about it... until yesterday when the full trailer hit the web - and the trailer is awesome.

The broad cast seriously runs the gamut, from comedic people I'm a little in love with (Paul Rudd, Rob Corddry, Ken Marino and other members of "The State") to mainstream actors (Adam Brody, Jessica Alba, Winona Ryder). The result is bizarre, but also looks like it could be really funny. Opening August 3, The Ten tells ten stories, each with the theme of one of the Ten Commandments.

To see the trailer,

Link Time! 5/24

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:09:13 PDT

Pop is extremely excited for Mary-Kate Olsen who will be in 10 out of 15 "Weeds" episodes next season.
And Bella alerts me to the new Cool Water perfume ads in which "Lost"'s Josh Holloway glistens with radiance.
TV Squad has news on a possible reunion for the cast of sketch series "The State."
Spinner has the super-cool new White Stripes video for "Icky Thump."
The TV Addict ponders what went wrong with "Studio 60."
Check out the trailer to Michael Moore's latest documentary Sicko on the Movie Blog.
TV Filter tracks down the favorite currency of "The Office": the Schrute Buck and the Stanley Nickel.
Idolator listens to Blake and Jordin's "American Idol" EPs so we don't have to.
Popwatch reviews "Dancing with the Stars" judge Len Goodman's instructional DVD, which is apparently jazzed up with limericks.

Source

Movie Preview: Diggers

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:35 PDT

We all know about my deep affection for Paul Rudd, "The State," and most things "Six Feet Under"-related. So I am loving the trailer for Diggers, a drama that a) focuses on a character played by Paul Rudd, b) was produced by David Wain and written by Ken Marino, both from "The State," and c) stars "Six Feet Under"'s sassy redhead Lauren Ambrose. Count me in!

The film is only out in limited release this Friday before moving into DVD release the following Tuesday, May 1. IMDB calls it a "coming-of-age story about four working-class friends growing up in Long Island, New York, as clam diggers. Their fathers were clam diggers as well as their grandfathers before them." The trailer, however, is a lot more intriguing than that. You can check it out and tell me what you think if you

President Obama Shares a Spotify Mixtape

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:21:35 PST

Tech-savvy President Obama is known for his proficiency in navigating the world of social networks. Both the White House and president have been on Twitter for years. He recently joined Instagram (@barackobama) and held a post-State of the Union Hangout on Google+. The president's latest tech move is for the musically-minded; he (well, his reelection staff) released a 2012 campaign Spotify playlist.

The 28-song digital mixtape is a combination of staff choices and a few of the commander in chief's personal favorites. With songs from Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, and U2 among others, it's a playlist with a message of how the staff wants to look at the election season. After the president's soulful rendition of Al Green, it's likely "Let's Stay Together" was one of his selections.

Obama Compromises on Contraception

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:20:55 PST

Despite the fact that 99 percent of women who have ever had sex - religious or not - have used contraception, the Obama administration's decision to make birth control free under all employer health insurance packages has caused a controversy. Today, the White House announced that it will make a change to its new policy to accommodate religious institutions, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, who do not want to cover prescriptions like the pill. Under the compromise, religious employers would not have to offer free birth control. Rather, insurance companies themselves would have to provide free contraception to workers at religiously sponsored institutions if the worker requests it.

The original policy, similar to laws that already exist in states like California and Oregon, would have required groups affiliated with religious institutions, like hospitals, charities, and universities, to provide insurance plans that cover birth control for free. Churches themselves would be exempt. But some religions, like the Catholic Church, oppose all forms of birth control, and leaders, especially the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, put pressure on the White House to change course, threatening to make this a major campaign issue.

So far, it looks like the compromise has pleased both sides. Planned Parenthood's President Cecile Richards said it "does not compromise a woman's ability to access this critical birth control benefits," and Sister Carol Keehan, the president of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, says she is "pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated."

Prince Harry Visits With Vets and Preps For a Return to Afghanistan

Allie Merriam — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:41:25 PST

Prince Harry visited with fellow servicemen and women this morning while at the Royal Air Force's Honington base. Dressed in fatigues, Harry checked out equipment, like rifles and night vision systems, and said hello to veterans. The Prince has seen combat action himself, and is poised for a second tour of duty. Prince Harry will return to the front line in Afghanistan later this year with the Army Air Corps. He'll serve as an Apache helicopter pilot, having been trained to fly the choppers during a program in the United States last year. He must first, though, complete a predeployment training course. Harry has received high marks in his work so far, earning the distinction of "best copilot gunner" in his class. Harry's brother, Prince William, is now also serving his country. He's one week into a month-and-a-half-long stay in the Falkland Islands, where he's manning search and rescue helicopters.