[Flight Attendant Media: Free WiFi!]

Kaley Cuoco and Elizabeth Olsen on Variety's Actors on Actors series:

 

[The Queen's Gambit in the Media]

Josh O'Connor and Anya Taylor-Joy in Variety's Actors on Actors series:

 

[The Royals and Company: The Cast Thread]

Josh O'Connor and Anya Taylor-Joy in Variety's Actors on Actors series:

Regé-Jean Page & Emma Corrin on Variety's Actors on Actors series:

 

[S04.E10: The Wilderness]

While I get that this was pure revenge fantasy, after watching Fred (and the other men of Gilead) rape their handmaids, abuse their power, and absolutely RELISH it the entire time, I was fine with having the show kill Fred off this way. Yes, it would have been delicious to see the system he helped create take him down (especially if it were done publicly) but it's a tv show so I'm okay with the shortcut that gave June, Emily, and many of these women who suffered for years under Fred and other assholes just like him. The question now is if, like Inigo Montoya, they know what to do with themselves now that they've gotten their pound of flesh.

Fred's absolute arrogance never failed to astound me. His belief in himself was so strong that he couldn't read the room to save his life. I mean, he couldn't even see the obvious contempt dripping from Serena. "Sure, we can zoom, Fred." And even as he was being taken away, his sense of entitlement never wavered: "I'm a man! I have rights!" I rolled my eyes when he said that Nick and June kissing was sick. Yes, so sick that two people who were forced together in a terrible situation ended up developing feelings for each other. I mean, it's only okay when Fred said he had feelings for Offred but Nick and June? Clearly Fred thought it was gross beyond words.

The other thing that drove me crazy was Fred pretending to apologize to June after he oh so graciously said that he forgave her for the things she said in court and that he understood that she had to frame things a certain way in front of the judge and her husband. Of course he still wants to believe that she really really liked him and that she was totally into having sex with him. And then the only thing he actually apologized for was separating her from Nichole because now that Serena's pregnant, he totally gets it! And don't forget that there were discomforts for him in Gilead too!

I loved the woman who was questioning Fred. More of her, please! It was still hard for me to be very entertained by her thanks to Fred and his gross attitude. Of course the other commander wasn't charged with anything when he killed an oncologist who was forced to work as a prostitute at Jezebel's. Why? Because that poor commander didn't intend to harm her!

Loved Joseph saying that Fred wasn't a used Subaru.

14 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

I don't understand how the Americans just trusted Fred to give accurate information.  At least wait to see if the information is good before agreeing to set him free. 

I know, right? He could have been making up anything just to mislead them and get his immunity deal. Did they even try to confirm if any of the info he gave them was accurate?

[The Handmaid's Quotes]

June: I told my story. I got up, and I told them everything. They know what he was, what he did, and how it felt. They made a deal with him anyway. So maybe what he's giving them is more valuable than what he took from me.

Fred: I recognize her. Ryan? Riley, perhaps? I'm sorry.
Woman: Dr. Martina Burnell. She was an oncologist. Her last posting in Gilead was at a Jezebel's in Boston. Is that where you recall seeing her?
Fred: Contrary to what you may have been told, I did not frequent that establishment.
Woman: Of course. Did you have occasion to interact with her on any of your infrequent visits?
Fred: Not in the way you're implying. We spoke. We may have danced.
Woman: Can you confirm that she is deceased? Mr. Waterford, I know this is very difficult, but you are bringing closure to many families.
Fred: I believe Riley passed away in an accident.
Woman: This was an accident at Jezebel's?
Fred: Yes. Commander Johnston, I recall.
Woman: Brian L. Johnston. Did he face charges of any kind?
Fred: Oh, no. I don't believe there was any intent of harm.

June: My mom used to always tell me if you want to know what they believe in? Remember that they bought a shitload more copies of the Old Testament than the New.
Emily: It's a much better read. The righteous will rejoice in vengeance and wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. It's good stuff.

Fred: Out of respect, I hold no ill will, even after those things you said in court.
June: Fred, I think we both know what happened.
Fred Yes, we do. I remember quite well. I do understand that you had to frame things in front of the judge. And your husband. Yeah, there were discomforts in my house, I know, for both of us. More for you, of course. And for that I do have deep regrets.

June: So you want to make a deal for Fred.
Joseph: He's not a used Subaru.

Fred: This is absurd. This is insanity! I have rights! I'm a man, and I have rights!

Tuello: Your government has made us a guarantee that you will be tried under the formal Gilead justice system. You helped write those laws, didn't you? It worked for these women. Now it's your turn.

Fred: Tell me where I am.
Nick: You're in no man's land, commander.
Fred: My God.
Nick: Do not be deceived. God is not to be mocked. For whatever man sows, so shall he reap. You did this to yourself, commander.
Fred: That's a lie. That's idiocy.

[Gymnastics]

9 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

This is tricky but ... I am getting a little tired of "Simone is Superwoman" articles. Not because she isn't Superwoman. She totally is. But I feel like this media narrative is making it seem like USAG hasn't been a totally irresponsible shitshow because hey look, Simone, she's awesome. There was nonstop that sort of narrative during the Nationals.

I get what you're saying, but I don't think the "Simone is Superwoman" articles should stop because she really IS the greatest of all time. It can't be said enough that she is doing things that no one else is capable of, and doing them so well (unlike, say, the Produnova vault that even Elena herself landed squatting with her butt centimeters above the mat). Now that Larry Nassar's abuse and USAG's coverup have been so widely reported, I think most people are smart enough to realize that Simone's talent has nothing to do with USAG. If anything, it's shown that her success is in spite of USAG.

6 hours ago, Jeddah said:

I love her so much. I remember Jonathan Horton griping about it. Go start your own tour then!

Ha, right? Like I get that it's disappointing for the men, but at the same time, it's not Simone's responsibility to provide that opportunity.

3 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

I'd say the momentum comes from the free leg; they swing it from the side or back to the front which propells them into the turn. And unless you keep your leg absolutely parallel to the floor and don't even move an half an inch from the ideal position (which I think is humanly impossible), you're off balance, hence the arm movements. It's to help them keep their balance.

Which doesn't change the fact that it doesn't look clean one bit.

 

But I actually came here to post this link to Simone Biles in Glamor. https://www.glamour.com/story/simone-biles-finds-her-balance

Did they photoshop out/reduce her abdominal muscles? I would imagine they'd look  lot more defined especially than they do in the full body picture with the white dress. There's absolutely no muscle definition there.

FYI - I already posted the same Glamour article above. If you're talking about the white dress with the halter neck, I think it's probably the fabric covering the muscle definition. In the video of the photo shoot, you can see the same thing:

If you're talking about the white bikini top with the high waisted skirt, it looks like the white fabric is really thick so that would definitely hide any muscle definition.

Some of the momentum comes from the extended leg but the majority comes from the windup of the arms which is what starts the turning. Once they start rotating, they can swing the extended leg 90 degrees to the front, but if not for the arms, there wouldn't enough momentum to pick their foot up off the beam and swing it around to the front. I'm not discounting the power of a good leg swing (because that's a good portion of the power in fouettés when combined with spotting and the arms opening and closing) but I'd say the majority of the rotation comes from cranking the arm back to the 6 o'clock position and then whipping it 180 degrees. The flailing arms annoy me, not just because they're ugly, but because they show that the gymnast is off balance and out of control. Again, this is my dance background giving me an extreme bias because waving your arms around that is like yelling, "OMG I'M LOSING MY BALANCE!"

Kyana George has the best one I've seen (the triple wolf turn on beam is named after her):

 

[Gymnastics]

Simone Biles finds her balance

Some excerpts:

Quote

Besides all the medals and the world records, that will be Biles’s legacy—making a space in the world where women and girls can shape their identity with joy and confidence.

That starts at the Bileses’ home gym, which her parents opened in 2015, a sprawling 52,000-square-foot facility designed around facilitating athletes’ health and safety (it includes a training floor enclosed by glass so parents can always watch practices, and an accredited school for elite athletes). “It makes me so proud that we have girls, and boys, that feel good about themselves,” Nellie Biles says. “It’s a culture we’re trying to build; we’re trying to give these [kids] confidence and to maximize their potential.”

 

Quote

After the Tokyo Games—officially taking place in July 2021—Biles is taking over the post-Olympics gymnastics tour, an event that had historically been produced by USAG. The Gold Over America Tour (GOAT for short—see what she did there?) will have lots of dancing, music, and a cast that prioritizes fun over technical superiority (expect another viral Katelyn Ohashi moment). “With what’s happened with USAG, I just wanted it to be completely different, on my own terms. And I think that’s very powerful,” she says.

Biles’s spectacle will feature only women, a choice she feels strongly about. “It’s an all-girl tour for women’s empowerment. It was a great year for women to speak out, and I think it’s nice to keep the ball rolling on that and to have women feel happy, and find their love and passion for gymnastics again,” Biles says. “I know the men were really upset, but it’s my tour.”

 

Quote

After two Olympics, the plan was to hang up her grips. “I’m just really excited to see what’s out there in the world and to see what else I’m good at,” she says. But retirement may not be forever. The Paris 2024 Olympics are already tugging at the edges of her brain. “My coaches Cecile and Laurent are from Paris, so I think that would be a good run to end with them there,” she says. “I’ll see where we go.”

 

[Gymnastics]

Some new skills that could be added to the code of points after the Olympics!

 

 

[Fresh, Fried And Crispy - General Discussion]

On 6/14/2021 at 10:59 AM, Quilt Fairy said:

Every time he takes a bite of something I wonder "How is he going to keep that off his beard?" 

Same, so I laughed during the segment where he was talking to the camera and then said something along the lines of "I don't even care if there's food in my beard right now because that was so good!"

[Gymnastics]

Gymnastics Doesn’t Know What to Do With Simone Biles’s Dominance

Some excerpts:

Quote

The only other American to successfully execute the Yurchenko double pike in competition is David Sender, who was the U.S.’s all-around champion in 2008. After seeing Biles’s performance in Indianapolis, Sender told NBC Sports, “My first impression was, wow, I think that was better than when I did it.”

My opinion: I KNOW Simone did it better because he consistently under rotated it while she has so much power that she often over rotates slightly!

 

 

Simone almost flawless at warm ups:

 

Quote

Observers of the sport have speculated that the judges scored her Yurchenko double pike lower than its difficulty warranted because they don’t want other gymnasts risking their safety by copying Biles. When reporters asked her in Indianapolis why she would continue to do a move if the judges weren’t going to adequately reward her for it, Biles responded: “Because I can.”

 

Quote

That inspirational spirit of defiance can be traced back to other Black athletes whose dominance and brilliance have forced sports to evolve. Wilt Chamberlain was such an unstoppable force that the NBA widened the free-throw lane—the painted area on the court where players on offense cannot linger—to keep him farther away from the basket. The NCAA banned dunking in 1967 because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was too good at it. (The ban was lifted in 1976.) In 1968, Major League Baseball lowered the height of the pitching mound from 15 inches to 10 inches because of Bob Gibson, who had a 1.12 ERA and won 15 straight games.

 

Quote

As impressive as her consistent dominance is, what Biles has come to mean to Black culture, to women, and especially to Black women is bigger than her all-out assault on the record books. Her excellence is an act of resistance. She is openly mocking expectations about what she should or shouldn’t do. Through her performances, she is creating a previously inconceivable new standard for her sport.

For this year’s U.S. championship, Biles wore leotards that featured a sequined goat. She has used the animal as her symbol since 2019 because she is the GOAT—as in “greatest of all time.” This, among other things, is what makes Biles special. She embraces that she is so extraordinary, that there is no one in the world like her, nor has there ever been. “It’s important to teach our female youth that it’s OK to say, ‘Yes, I am good at this,’ and you don’t hold back,” Biles told USA Today in 2019. “You only see the men doing it. And they’re praised for it, and the women are looked down upon for it. But I feel like it’s good (to do) because once you realize you’re confident and good at it, then you’re even better at what you do.”

 

[The Chi - General Discussion]

10 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I am not fully following the rescue story - Imani was trying to save the girl from the trap house, and the girl was killed?

Yup, so now the only question is whether it was because Nug found out she was trying to leave or if it was something else.

[The Great British Sewing Bee - General Discussion]

SEASON FINALE!

S7.E10

Quote

The Great British Sewing Bee reaches its dramatic denouement, as the three finalists compete for the title of Britain’s best amateur sewer, taking on a trio of challenges for special occasions. Bringing together a range of advanced sewing skills, from couture techniques to the handling of delicate luxury fabrics, perfecting occasion wear is a pinnacle for any home sewer. Judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young start by challenging the sewers to make a little girl’s bridesmaid dress packed with complex elements including puff sleeves, a lined bodice and a bound buttonhole.

Next, it’s the sewers’ final chance to show off their instinct for design in the Transformation Challenge. They attempt to turn homeware items such as cushions, bead curtains and table cloths into dramatic and fun outfits fit to wear at a summer festival.

Lastly, for the most important Made to Measure challenge of the competition, the sewers attempt to construct and fit glamorous off-the-shoulder evening gowns for their models. Creating a unique, red-carpet-worthy gown using yards of luxury fabric is a feat of daring construction and requires their most precise sewing yet. Once the final stitch is in place and the catwalk is over, the judges will make their decision and crown this year’s winner.

Original air date: 6/16/21

[Lego Masters (USA) - General Discussion]

S2.E3: Make and Shake

Quote

Structural integrity and beauty come together in the most earth-shattering challenge, as teams build a structure strong enough to withstand an earthquake. Find out which designs perform the best and pass the LEGO "brickter scale" rating system.

Original air date: 6/15/21

[The Great British Photography Challenge - General Discussion]

SEASON FINALE!

S1.E4

Quote

The photographers face three final assignments, including a wildcard challenge where they are given free rein to try and get one last extraordinary shot for their portfolios. They are also in Glencoe for a dramatic landscape challenge and, in a series finale, they must curate and mount what they hope will be a winning exhibition for the judges. Choosing a maximum of 15 images from the hundreds they’ve taken across the course of the series is a huge task in itself.

It’s all still to play for as any of the six photographers could nab the title if they impress Rankin and his fellow judges from the art and fashion world.

Original air date: 6/14/21

[Girls5Eva - General Discussion]

8 hours ago, zenithwit said:

It reminds me a lot of the early 2000s made for tv boy band 2gether.  And the intro reminds me a lot of 2gether's signature song "U + Me = Us (Calculus)."

I was really hoping that 2gether or the calculus song would get an explicit shout out at some point in the season!

[Fresh, Fried And Crispy - General Discussion]

I watched the first two episodes and while I generally like it, I wish Daym would lay off all the rhyming. It comes off as a little too try hard, and since he's eating interesting things, he doesn't need to rely on that gimmick.

When he initially took a bite of the vegan fried chicken sandwich, I thought well, if you cover something in batter, fry it, soak it in spicy sauce, add ranch, then put it in a bun, how much of the vegan chicken are you really tasting? So I was glad when he took a bite of the naked chicken to see what it tasted like on its own. I'm not vegan but I would definitely try that sandwich!

That whole fried peach sounded delicious. The only drawback I could think of would be accidentally biting the pit.

[Gymnastics]

9 hours ago, Frisky Wig said:

While I enjoyed watching Ludmilla and Elena’s routines, I don’t really think they’re the best comparison. They each do a single wolf turn and it’s much easier to keep your balance (and thus not wave your arms like you’re flagging down a bus) when you’re doing only one versus the 2021 gymnasts who do 3 or 4. 

Part of the reason for the flailing arms is exactly what you described. You can easily do a controlled single turn without even spotting. But to do multiple turns you need something to propel you. With proper dance technique, spotting is part of what helps you to do multiple rotations. The other thing that helps propel turns is the push off the ground you get from the non-supporting leg, meaning if you are balancing on your left leg, you bend your left leg then spring up on your left leg as you push off against the ground with your right leg to give you the initial momentum to turn.

When gymnasts do wolf turns, they almost never spot and they can't push very hard with their non-supporting leg or straighten their supporting leg, which means that the momentum has to come from somewhere else. Unfortunately, that means they are getting most of the momentum to rotate from winding their arm back and then flinging it in the opposite direction.

If you were to look at a gymnast from above, one arm should be in front and one arm should be to the side before beginning a wolf turn. Depending on which direction they're turning, that would put their arms at a 90 degree angle at either the 9 and 12 o'clock positions (turning to the right) or the 12 and 3 o'clock positions (turning to the left). Then before they begin their turn, they take their non-12 o'clock arm and wind it back as far as they can and then fling it toward their 12 o'clock hand to propel their turns. The arm flailing is due to the fact that winding up and flinging is an inherently out of control way to go into a turn.

[S07.E12: Older]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

a show with just Hilary and no one else from this show set in LA would be a snore but what do I know?  She was basically a snore on THIS show, why do we need more of her? 

Darren Star and the producers are under the false impression that Kelsey is the kind of #girlboss who is aspirational but all I've seen her do is make mistake after mistake in both her personal and professional lives, all while being pretty boring. She's like the definition of basic. Her only real purpose was introducing Liza to all the stuff that an Old Person allegedly doesn't know about. I did like her friendship with Liza, but on her own Kelsey was not interesting at all.

[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under: G'Day, Mate!]

15 hours ago, rlc said:

Was Scarlet actually claiming that this was her first time pole dancing??!?

No, she said this was her first performance, which makes more sense because I know people who have taken various classes (pole dancing, aerials, circus arts, etc) for years before ever performing in public.

[Blindspotting Season 1: All Episodes]

This definitely had a slightly different feel than the movie did, but I don't mind. The weirdest thing to get used to were the little musical moments with dancing, but I got used to them. If you can guarantee the movers will dance while they pack up my boxes, I will definitely hire them!

Loved all the little local shout outs from the Tacos Sinaloa truck to Trish reminding the wannabe thief that he went to Albany High.

Helen Hunt was perfectly cast as the hippie mom. I can see why Miles told Ash that there would definitely be drama with Trish. Good lord, that girl is a lot. I had to roll my eyes a bit when she told Ash that she was homeless. Girl, you are an adult woman living at home with your mom rent free. You are in the same boat so you're not any better than Ash is. And Ash is only there because your idiot brother was being an idiot again so I don't really fault Ash for not being able to pick up the financial slack of losing his income due to being in jail.

And Yorkie! So cute to see Anthony Ramos working with his fiancée again. I'm guessing that was a one time cameo, but it was still fun.

Somebody get that poor guy with the ankle monitor a taco!

Since this show picks up right where the movie left off, it was no surprise to me that Miles was as big a bonehead as ever. Lovable in many moments but still making the worst decisions.

[The Chi - General Discussion]

Oh, Jake and Jemma. I know teenage relationships are all about the ~drama~ but would it kill you to break up with Kevin before making out?

The whole storyline where that woman couldn't leave Douda's fancy apartment building because of the protestors made no sense. He lives in a huge high rise. There was to be more than one entrance/exit. Maybe go out the service door or the loading dock? Have someone who has a car with tinted windows pick you up in the garage and drive you home so that no one will see who's inside the car?

I really felt for Drea who was forced to keep lying to her own wife because she was keeping Jada's secret. I really like Jada, but JFC. If you think your precious son can't handle hearing that you have cancer then I don't think he's going to be able to handle, I don't know, LIFE. Yes, it's awful and yes, he's going to be devastated but you still need to tell him. That's the truth on its own. But by asking Drea to keep it a secret, you're adding an extra burden to someone else just because you know that Emmett can't handle it.

I was SO glad when Jada finally told Emmett the truth because he has been acting like a petulant fucking child with her. He had a shitty attitude when he showed up at her place, threatened to never see her again if she and Suede were getting married, and generally acted like a spoiled brat AGAIN. Now that he finally knows, maybe he can stop acting like a toddler who expects his mother's entire life to revolve around him.

I'm glad that Kiesha finally picked a family for the baby. Now let's push that kid out and be done with this storyline.

17 hours ago, MBayGal said:

Unexpected news--is Jada pregnant?

Nope, she has cancer.

[Full Bloom - General Discussion]

I am not a fan of this painting recreation challenge. I didn't like it last season and I didn't like it this season. They always say that they're supposed to interpret the painting but as seen in this episode, they don't want you to interpret so much that you change anything which ends up meaning they want a reproduction.

The miniature challenge was really interesting but Sarah and Melissa were the only ones who really heard the "dissection" part of the challenge. I went back and rewatched the description of the challenge to see how much they stressed it and it's no wonder that Rachel and Jenny were focused on the "make it small" part because the judges referenced size five times.

Quote

"Honey, we shrunk the vase! In this tiny arrangement battle, you will need to showcase the beauty of a full flower display in a pint-sized presentation. We will be judging you on your dissection, reconstruction, and reimagining of flowers as well as your precision. And you must use one of the miniature vessels we have provided in the flower shop. Florists, you will have 90 minutes to miniaturize the magic."

Sarah's little hummingbird was a cool reconstruction, but overall I just like the colors and the composition.

Jenny's was a perfectly scaled down arrangement but I had the same issue with so much of it already curling up and dying. The visible glue was an issue too, but I don't know how else she was supposed to attach everything.

Melissa did the most deconstruction. The nail polish bottle really showed the scale. I loved that Simon showed her a technique but part of me was like hey, show everyone how to do that too!

I thought Rachel's was very pretty, but what really hurt her was that she didn't deconstruct her flowers to create new things.

[Full Bloom - General Discussion]

S2.E2: Painting With Petals

Quote

The florists go from super-sized to super-small as they reimagine iconic Picasso portraits on an epic scale in hopes of dodging a miniature arrangement elimination round. 

 

[The Chi - General Discussion]

S4.E4: The Girl from Chicago

Quote

Jake, Jemma, and Kevin organize an on-campus protest. Emmett and Tiff set new boundaries for their relationship. Imani schemes to break a girl out of the 63rd St. Mob's trap house. Nina is suspicious of Dre. Jada gives Emmett some unexpected news.

Promo:

Too many rules:

Original air date: 6/13/21

[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under: G'Day, Mate!]

Karen's poodle look made me laugh. It was fun and frothy. Her makeup was beautiful and her headpiece was HUGE! She had the best headdress. Was there no minimum/maximum time limit for the talent portion? From what we were shown, she blew up one balloon dog.

Art's "talent" was shoving things in her mouth? I appreciate that she mad it into a whole act, but I still didn't think it was really a talent that required even a full minute. She looked beautiful during her act though. Her flower look on the runway was pretty but I felt it wasn't very original.

Kita's quick change act is the kind of thing you seen on America's Got Talent, cruise ships, and Las Vegas. I know how it works but I still love seeing it happen. If that makes me a basic bitch, I don't care. Her runway look was very Burning Man. All she needed was goggles and a dust mask.

Scarlet's pole dancing was the most impressive talent of the five because it took skill, strength, and flexibility. Some people have one or two of those things, but pole dancing is a lot harder than people want to believe. I know Scarlet has been a bitch most of the season, but this was by far the best talent act. Her runway look was glamorous but the feathers on her bodice made her look too big.

After all of Elektra's bragging about what an amazing dancer she is and how none of the girls girls can do what she does, I was expecting to see a lot more than falling out of turns, awkward arms, shaky balance, shoddy leaps, and bad choreography. The skill level of her dancing was about the same as a 13 year old girl who's been taking contemporary for about a year because all of her other friends love SYTYCD and decided to start taking dance together. Her Moulin Rouge swing costume was a fun idea but I was surprised that Michelle didn't tell her that she needed to be cinched. There was something about her makeup that I didn't like (maybe it was too angular/harsh?). I was really disappointed because she did so well the rest of the season so I was rooting for her to make the finale.