BuzzSugar

Buzz In: What TV/Movie Characters Did You Look Up To?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:30:12 PDT

I don't think about her often anymore, but the news that Danica McKellar (aka. Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years) recently got married reminded me that once upon a time I wanted to be Winnie Cooper. At the time, I'm not even sure it had much to do with the character's personality - I think I just coveted her long, straight hair. But for whatever reason, I thought Winnie Cooper was totally rad. I was also slightly obsessed with Punky Brewster and wished I were as fun and fearless as she seemed to be (when I wore mismatching sneakers, it just looked like a sad mistake).

One of my other major "role models," of sorts, was Chris Parker (Elizabeth Shue) from Adventures in Babysitting. I think more than anything I wanted her to be my babysitter, but I also admired Chris and wanted to be like her - clever, pretty, able to improvise a blues song when need be - when I grew up.

What about you? What characters on TV and in the movies did you think were just the coolest?

Source and source

The Results Are In: Recast The Wonder Years

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:30:40 PDT

Every other Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar T-shirt!

Thanks to all of you who chimed in with suggestions for The Wonder Years, which is a challenging one due to all the young characters. I really like the ideas for Winnie Cooper, including Whip's suggestion of Selena Gomez, and agree I with arienne that Madeline Zima would have been perfect if she were a tad younger.

And then of course there's the all-important Kevin Arnold to recast (it's so hard to think of anyone but Fred Savage in that role!). Nick Jonas, as leeluvfashion suggests, definitely has the right hair for the period and there were several suggestions for Michael Cera which is actually right on in terms of little Kev's neurotic nature.

But as you know, I could only choose one and the winning recast's suggestions for Winnie and Paul totally won me over. Congratulations johnsonkm20!

To see who johnsonkm20 chose, along with a new cast photo,

read more. johnsonkm20's cast list: Kevin Arnold - Natt Wolff Paul Joshua Pfeiffer - Alexander Gould Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper - Anna Sophia Robb Jack Arnold - Scott Patterson Norma Arnold - Robin Wright Penn Karen Arnold - Sara Paxton Wayne Arnold - Chris Hunter Mr. Cantwell - Bob Saget

Recast The Wonder Years and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:30:20 PDT

Every other Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

Last week there was news that NBC has ordered a pilot by the writer of The Wonder Years that will be similar in tone to the classic dramatic series, except it'll take place in the '80s. So even though it's not a remake, I thought it would be fun to recast Kevin Arnold and gang anyway! I loved this show set in the late '60s/early '70s, and the first few lines of the opening credits song still give me goosebumps.

So, who could possibly play Kevin Arnold, the tween at the heart of the show? What about his nerdy, loyal friend Paul, and his childhood crush (whose hair I wanted so badly!) Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper?

Let's also recast the rest of the Arnold family: Kevin's dad Jack (played with perfect moodiness by Dan Lauria), stay-at-home mom Norma, Kevin's free-spirited sister Karen, and big brother from hell, Wayne. And for kicks, who could play Mr. Cantwell, the junior high school science teacher, famously portrayed by Ben Stein?

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, Sept. 16, complete with a "new" cast photo.

To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt,

read more. Characters to recast Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) Paul Joshua Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano) Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper (Danica McKellar) Jack Arnold (Dan Lauria) Norma Arnold (Alley Mills) Karen Arnold (Olivia d'Abo) Wayne Arnold (Jason Hervey) Mr. Cantwell (Ben Stein) The BuzzSugar t-shirt Source

NBC Gets Itself Lost in the '80s With Wonder Years-Style Show

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:35:22 PDT

Imagine The Wonder Years, but with Jordache jeans, mall hair, and music with heavy synthesizers. That's part of what NBC has in mind for its new drama pilot called Lost in the '80s.

The project comes from Bob Brush, who won an Emmy for his writing on The Wonder Years and envisions this pilot as a companion piece to the earlier series - not a remake, just a show with a similar feel set 20 years post-Kevin Arnold. A couple of other notable things about it:

In addition to the Wonder Years tone, the show is being described as Fast Times at Ridgemont High meets The Ice Storm.
Among those who have signed on to produce is Arrested Development's Mitchell Hurwitz.

My first thought was, "Sounds like Freaks and Geeks with a voiceover." But having tossed it around for a while, I think this show could be a great idea. After all, I watched the '60s-set Wonder Years while growing up in the '80s; now, 20 years later, why shouldn't today's tweens get to connect with a next-generation Kevin and Winnie?

Do you think a Wonder Years-style show about the '80s has potential?

Source

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:30:51 PDT

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music, and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! Name the artist who sings the song used as the theme song for The Wonder Years.
Note: Not the artist(s) who did the original version of the song, but the artist whose version was used for The Wonder Years.
Source

"The Wonder Years": No Words, All Wonder

GiggleSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:00:00 PDT

Before reality television and trashy prime-time teen dramas, there was "The Wonder Years." Who could resist watching awkward little Kevin pine after Winnie, his chubby-cheeked object of affection? (All together now: "Awww...") But despite tuning in every week, I never noticed the scarcity of dialogue on the show. I guess Kevin was even more awkward than we originally thought! Just watch.

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:30:00 PDT

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! True or False:
(Just type in either True or False below, no other explanation is necessary)
In "The Wonder Years," Winnie's older brother returns from the Vietnam War with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

In Defense of the Chronically Late Mom

BabyCenter — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:01:11 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Betsy Shaw about being late for school.

If I were to wear a scarlet letter it would be T.

T for tardy. T for turd ball. T for totally inept mother.

We are late for school with such alarming regularity it’s embarrassing. The last time we were on time, after a mini snowstorm that excited my children enough to urge them into their snowsuits and outside at 6:30 a.m., we got to school five minutes early to find it dark and empty. Delayed opening. I was apparently the only mother who didn’t get the memo.

Calling Charlie Brown…

Being late for school brings up a vicious brew of conflicting emotion in me. On the one hand I just don’t care. Life is short. Far too short to risk traumatizing your children with a bullwhip and terrorizing morning walkers and squirrels, not to mention my own white-knuckled children, speeding our way to school like Toad on a motorcar bender each weekday morning.

On the other hand I am ashamed, deeply embarrassed, to be “that mom.” All the other moms can do it, even the single ones. Why. Can’t. I? What’s wrong with me?

I complained about this once to a woman from South Carolina who I met on my Guatemala trip and she told me her school started at 7:30. She also made it clear her kids were never late.

Never late.

Keep reading for more of Betsy's reasoning for being late.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Tres Community — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year and two months. Since this year has started, I’ve been trying to decide what I need to do in regards to our relationship. My main issue is the minimal effort he has put into making things work. He has his own business, of which he needs one or two more people to assist. However, besides his sister helping on occasion, he does everything on his own. From the start, I understood, as well as accepted this. However, our dates have always been centered around his business or attending one friend’s parties. This averages out to me seeing him about once a month.

We have never gone out and spent an evening by ourselves, nor have we ever done anything “special.” When I ask him about this, he always just says he’s busy. His sister has said to both him and myself, that even if he’s busy, he has the type of business in which I can hang out at. After two big blow outs between us where he was blatantly disrespectful to me, I’m beginning to wonder about the future of our relationship. He used to call me at least once a day, and now three to four days will pass before he calls. I usually try to call him at least once a day, however, I’ve noticed that if I don’t call him, four days will pass before I hear anything from him.

So, over a week ago I called him and told him I don’t think it was going to work. He invited me over to talk about it and the conversation ended after I expressed my frustration with our current state of affairs. He told me that he loves me, he doesn’t want to lose me, and he promises that he is going to give me much more attention. He has promised this before, which I have pointed out, but he says that this time it’s really going to be different.

This past week, the only time we spoke was when I called. Of course, our conversations never even lasted past three minutes. This morning, I called him to let him know that I was going to be in town later, to help my cousin organize an upcoming charity event, and was wondering if he would like to get together in the evening. He was hesitant at first, and then said that he was going to be busy, but I could come over. He’s planning to have friends over.

This is how it’s been from the time we’ve met. I love him, but I’m increasingly feeling like I deserve more than this. I would like for us to spend time together, especially seeing as I have to drive an hour to see him. I do all the driving because he doesn’t drive. What should I do?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Being a Sports Fan

Prevention — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:19:15 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Cristina Goyanes, Prevention

It’s no wonder your friends aren’t available to hang out on Sundays in the Fall and Winter - according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 64 percent of Americans claim to be professional football fans, and as of 2010, women make up 44 percent of the NFL fan base.

Being a sports fan doesn’t mean you’re expected to know all the players and stats of your hometown teams and destined for a beer gut - it’s about coming together in the name of good times as part of a community.

“Bonding over sports - the highs and lows of the game - strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things,” says Renee Clauselle, PsyD, who runs a private psychology practice in Long Island, NY.

Seventeen Unexpected Side Effects of Exercise

Rooting for the same team creates an immediate sense of family, says Daniel Wann, PhD, a Murray State University professor who has been studying the psychology of sports fans for over 20 years. “If you identify with a local team, you build an instant connection to others around you,” he says.

Beyond the bonding aspects, watching sports can motivate you to pump up your own workouts - and even burn a few extra calories when you jump, cheer, and clap during the highlights of the game. Find out more ways being a sports fan is a winning situation for your health.

Keep reading to learn how being a sports fan benefits your health.