BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 1/7

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:30:23 -0800

Beyonce Knowles, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson all racked up both acting and singing nominations for the NAACP Image Awards. - AP
Kelsey Grammer will star in a new ABC comedy pilot about a Wall Street executive who loses his job and has to move back to his hometown. Hilarious! - The Hollywood Reporter
Garrett Hedlund will star in Disney's Tron movie, the studio's sequel to the 1982 cult classic. - ComingSoon
Speaking of Disney, the studio has set McG to direct its family film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo. - Variety
CBS's Rules of Engagement will return to TV on Monday, March 2. - The Futon Critic
Taylor Swift notches her fifth non-consecutive week atop The Billboard 200 with "Fearless." - Billboard
Scrubs janitor Neil Flynn will star opposite Patricia Heaton in the sitcom pilot The Middle. - TV Guide
There's lots of haggling going on over ER producer John Wells's next show, Police. - Variety
D.J. Caruso (Disturbia, Eagle Eye) will direct Jack the Giant Killer, a drama that takes an adult look at the Jack and the Beanstalk legend. - ComingSoon

Great TV Wedding Moments: "Rules of Engagement"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:34:50 -0700

As we've mentioned, it's wedding planning mania here on the Sugar Network, and throughout the week, I'll be sharing some of my favorite wedding moments from television.

The few times I watched "Rules of Engagement," Patrick Warburton's deadpan one-liners were the best part of the show, and this clip is no exception. In it, recently engaged Adam gushes to Warburton's character, Jeff, that marriage is going to be great. His fiancee has registered for a cake plate, he says; therefore, marriage = cake! Cynical Jeff quickly pops Adam's bubble, informing him that in fact, there will be no cake. To watch the amusing letdown for yourself, read more

Photo courtesy of CBS

TV Tonight: "Rules of Engagement"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:53:05 -0800

If you watched the Super Bowl on Sunday, you probably caught some of promos for the new CBS sitcom, "Rules of Engagement." (Wow, they found stars David Spade, Oliver Hudson, and Patrick Warburton sitting together in the crowd? What are the chances?) The Adam Sandler-produced comedy premieres tonight, temporarily knocking "The New Adventures of Old Christine" off the Monday schedule.

It doesn't sound like anything new to me - how many times have we seen a sitcom with the single guy, the engaged-and-panicking guy, and the married-and-miserable guy? I also hit my lifetime David Spade quota about five years ago. Warburton looks to have some great one-liners, but it will take a lot of convincing to get me to check this one out. What about you? To see a couple of clips from "Rules of Engagement," read more

Photo copyright CBS

Sugar Bits - Chris Brown Admits He Does Remember

PopSugarUK — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:01:29 -0700

The Rules of Engagement

DearSugar — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:08:30 -0800

Dear Sugar
I have been dating my boyfriend for three years but we have been in each other's lives for the past ten years. We are each other's high school sweethearts and although we have had our moments apart, we have always made it back to each other.

It seems like everyone around us is getting engaged but me, and although we are only 24, I am ready to take our relationship to the next level. We have talked about marriage many times in the hypothetical sense, but my boyfriend always says we are too young to talk about it seriously.

Just last night I found out that yet another friend of ours is engaged after knowing his girlfriend for only six months and I just flipped out. I finally told my boyfriend about all the pressure I have been feeling and that his reluctance of talking about our future is extremely disconcerting and something had to change.

After hours of conversation and tears, he finally told me that he didn't want to lose me and although he isn't ready to pop the question quite yet, he loves me and knows I am the one for him. He is my best friend, my lover and the only person I want to be with too, but it is like pulling teeth to get him to open up and be honest about his feelings.

Am I being foolish by staying with him even though he can't make a commitment to me or should I take this behavior as a sign of a lifetime of more and more waiting and get out of this relationship now? I am so upset that I have been with him for three years and he is still unsure if he wants to marry me. Wishful Thinking Wendy

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Wishful Thinking Wendy
I am sorry you are feeling this conflict with your boyfriend. Is he from a broken home? Something tells me he has issues with a life long commitment. Feeling like you are the only one without a ring on your finger can be disheartening, but try not to get too carried away, and stay focused on the relationship at hand.

There is no right time to get engaged, everyone is different, but is important for you both to be ready. It sounds like you need to make sure you are on the same page for your future. Since your boyfriend is having a hard time expressing his emotions, try to make him feel safe and secure when you open the lines of communication.

The pressure of engagement can be extremely overwhelming so I understand your desire to want more security from your boyfriend. Since you have no doubt that he is the one for you, he needs to figure out if he feels the same way ASAP.

Three years is a long time to be with someone so let him know that although you understand he isn't ready for an engagement, you deserve to know if he feels his future lies with you. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you.

Should Parents Be Responsible For Kids' Actions in School?

LilSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:47 -0700

Sit down and behave yourself will take on a new meaning in British schools this year. Under a government plan, parents of children enrolled in state schools will be required to sign a Home School Agreement regarding rules on attendance, behavior, school uniforms and homework. Should kids break the rules, their parents could face court proceedings and a fine up to $1,600. In explaining the reasoning for the new rules, the British schools secretary said:

If the large majority of parents are doing the right thing but a small minority do not engage you can have one lesson for 30 kids disrupted by one child. Every parent will have to, as part of the admissions process, say they take on board the obligations in the Home School Agreement, and every parent will be expected to reaffirm that every year.

In a rather unique twist, parents will have the ability to complain about other moms and dads that are not complying with the agreement. If the parents are found guilty, the courts can force them to attend parenting classes to ensure better behavior. Would you want to see such rules enforced in the United States?

Talking Trash: Smart B*tches Tell Us How to Buy Romances

TresSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan have helped romance readers discern the good smut from the bad for years with their blog Smart B*tches, Trashy Books. And now with their book Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart B*tches' Guide to Romance Novels, they offer a guide through the heady world of the $6.99 novel and defend it with wit and intelligence.

What's up today? Candy and Sarah tell use how they assign grades (they're harsh) to novels on Smart B*tches, Trashy Books and how to navigate book shelves packed with romance novels.

You grade books on Smart B*tches, Trashy Books, A-F; what makes an A? What loses points?

Sarah: A grade-A book for me is one that has a strong plot that takes familiar concepts and reinvents them into something new and different, with memorable and realistic characters, dialogue that is authentic and human, and a story that stays with you long after you've finished. I also find that books that reach A level with me are impossible not to read, so if I pick up the book to look at a page I end up rereading the whole thing.

Candy: An A book generally means that a) I loved it, and b) it's at the very least competently written. There's a certain floor to the craft for an A book. That's not to say I don't love schlock, because I do, but a schlocky book probably won't get an A, no matter how much I love it.

Generally speaking, books lose points if they don't engage me - if I'm able to step back from my immersion in the fictional world and I'm taking a hard look at the gears and bits that drive the machine, so to speak. When my internal editor has slowed my reading pace to a crawl, that's usually the kiss of death. Good books shut my internal editor up, and that's hard to do, honestly - hell, it's hard to get me to shut up, period, much less the pedant who lives in my head and gripes about how people just don't use the subjunctive properly nowadays.

Beyond Throbbing Bosoms was originally titled The Top Ten Signs You’re Reading a Very Bad Romance Novel. Is there a way to know to recognize a bad romance before wasting $6.99?

To see their answers, read more.

Sarah: If a book, any book, doesn't grab you after the first 30 pages or so, it's probably not to your tastes. That rule has served me well in any genre.

But the original title of the book wasn't Signs You're Reading a Bad Romance Novel, though that was part of the book that didn't make it into the final edition. My favorite was the poor copyediting that made a horse change color three times in two pages. Magic chameleon horse in historical England? Not good.

Candy: I call it the 10-page test. It's kind of analogous to bad visitors. The really bad ones generally announce themselves early on and proceed to eat all the hors d'oeuvres you've set out, then belch in your face. Many others, however, survive the 10-page test and prove to be awful visitors when it's too late to get them out of your house. So flip through the first pages, see if there are egregious plot or grammar flaws, figure out if the characters and storyline are your cuppa. It won't catch the more sneakily awful romance novels, but you should be able to root out most of the worst ones.

Check out previous posts from Candy and Sarah, and stay tuned tomorrow for recommendations for romance-novel virgins.

Do Tell: What's Your Ideal Engagement Length?

DearSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:30:00 -0700

There are no rules when it comes to getting married - some couples elope, some have quickie engagements, and others revel in engagement bliss and take their time before walking down the isle. Different things work for different couples, but I'm curious to know what your ideal engagement length would be, so do tell!

Source

When Kids Aren't Invited to the Wedding

babysugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:00:04 -0700

The last few weddings I attended were kid free. While many parents are bothered by such restrictions, I appreciate the limitation. I understand why the engaged couple wants all eyes on them while they exchange vows and not on a screaming infant. Not all children misbehave at such events, but unfortunately there aren't guarantees when it comes to kiddos at adult events so the safest bet for brides-to-be is to deny them the opportunity all together.

Why as a mama of two do I like the "no kids" rule? I appreciate the bride and groom making the decision for me. All I have to do is find a caretaker for my children while I dance the night away with my husband. Depending on the location, relatives or family babysitters have watched the tots. In rare cases, I have used care services like Sittercity to provide me a nanny.

I look forward to enjoying marital festivities with my babes one day, but until they are officially invited - they will sleep well knowing mommy and daddy are enjoying each other and other adult company.

A Do or a Don't: Quickie Marriages

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Getting engaged and committing to spend the rest of your life with someone is a decision that should not be made hastily. Usually couples take baby steps - date for a while, move in together, get engaged, and then get married - but not everyone follows those unwritten rules. Some couples move quickly and marry after only months! Personally, I think it's best to really get to know someone before taking the trip down the a
aisle, but to each their own. So what do you think? Are quickie engagements/marriages a do or a don't in your book?

Source