Wiendish Fitch

I appreciate stories about being positive in rough situations (Pollyanna, A Little Princess, Cinderella, etc), but things like this and, say, Life is Beautiful* absolutely turn my stomach. Optimism is one thing, shameless sentimentality that trivializes the most horrific event in comparatively recent history is another. It's not that I don't have perverse curiosity about certain things, but The Day the Clown Cried is absolutely not one of them. I have limits, dammit. *Though I realize TDtCC goes in a much darker, more sinister direction.

This video always gives me a smile.

I swear, every time Trump opens his worthless, idiot mouth, this comes to mind:

I would love to watch the documentary, but I have zero desire to actually see The Day the Clown Cried. The premise sounds utterly revolting to me (it doesn't help that I never liked Jerry Lewis).

This, this, and THIS! I mean, it would have been juicy as hell if Mozenrath had turned out to be Aladdin's brother... but then visions of Kylo Ren, Regina, Catra, and the like dance in my head, so maybe the good folks at Disney made the right call. Jonathan Brandis (RIP) was magnificent as Mozenrath: smug, prissy, but still intimidating, you can tell he was having the time of his life. God, I remember how truly creepy Mirage could be, and some of her schemes would have been at home in a show for a more mature audience! I mean, she lured children in a monster cult, FFS! Abis Mal was fun, but I have a soft spot for Haroud (RIP, James Avery). I love deadpan, exasperated sidekicks who are the true brains of the outfit. I confess Sadira was my least favorite part of the show. She did some messed up things, and it always felt like she was forgiven too easily. Sorry, but I don't like characters who try to steal someone from their significant other. It didn't help that she was voiced by Kellie Martin, who has always gotten on my last nerve. It's easy to roll our eyes at newly added love interests, but I actually loved Eden. She was just as funny and wacky as the Genie (female characters don't usually get to be this way), and they were pretty darned cute together. Bonus points for her meaningful name!

It's from The Simpsons episode "Lisa the Beauty Queen". An especially ugly caricature drawn of her at a fair has Lisa wracked with low self-esteem, so Homer decides to enter her in the Little Miss Springfield pageant. In order to afford entry, however, Homer is forced to sell winning ticket for a ride on the Duff blimp. When Marge reveals this information to Lisa, a somewhat regretful Homer is glumly "flying" the pickle as if it's a blimp, as shown in the picture. Hope that clears it up.

Robin Givens. Anita Hill. Sinead O'Connor. Marcia Clark. The Chicks. Britney Spears. Lindsay Lohan. Janet Jackson. These are just a few women in my lifetime that I can name off the top of my head who received double the amount of mainstream media criticism Trump has received*. While none of them are perfect, they still handled themselves with more class and dignity than Trump (who older than all of them) ever has or ever will. *I'm mortified that I'm missing some. Feel free to add to the list.

If media criticism, no matter how mild, sounds unappealing to you... don't become a public figure. Anonymity gets a bad rap. There's actually a lot to be said about being a "nobody". This has been another installment of "How to Be the Polar Opposite of Donald Trump".

And we can't fucking afford NEW idiocies, because we're still trying to get over OLD idiocies!

It's like people who rail against the evils college teach... even though they themselves are college educated (9 times out of 10 at an ivy league school).

LBJ was a creep and a jerk who made some major mistakes during his presidency, but when he was right, he was right. I want a miracle so bad I can taste it. I have to believe something will happen.

And the devil charges a shit ton of interest. I just watched the original (the remakes can fuck right off, IMO) How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and I have to say, it hit me differently this year. This one petty asshole does everything in his power to take everything, destroy everyone's happiness, and delights in the idea of them being as miserable as he is... and he fails. He fails because they find strength in each other and the joy that remains. As long as you're steadfast, there are still some things that can't be taken from you. I will try to keep this in mind in the coming year. It's not much, but it's the best I've got.

Rebecca Harrell in the underrated Christmas film Prancer is a delight: cute without being cloying, scrappy but still sweet, you root for Jessica and Prancer every step of the way.

Tarzan and His Mate (1934) Harry Holt, a character from the previous film (Tarzan the Ape Man) has ventured to the Mutia Escarpment once more, not just to take ivory from the elephant graveyard, but to lure Jane back to civilization because he still carries for the torch for her (for the record, THEY WERE NEVER A COUPLE). He's even recruited his scummy friend Martin to bring dresses and accessories to appeal to Jane's feminine vanity (it was the 1930s, just go with it), and while she enjoys trying a pretty dress on, her heart belongs to Tarzan and absolutely no one else (she basically says as much to Harry to his face). Tarzan is rather turned on by Jane in formal wear, and carries her off to their treetop home for... you know. Now, maybe I'm projecting, but I swear Tarzan looks dead at Harry's face when Jane tactfully makes her excuses, and when Tarzan picks her up, there looks to be a gleeful, vaguely triumphant bounce in his step as he makes his way to the treetops. It really feels as if Tarzan is conveying the message of "She likes me much better/She likes me much better!" Harry looks totally deflated, and knows he can't win against his rival. Again, I'm probably just projecting, but Harry gets no sympathy from me. Scheming to break up someone's relationship so you can steal them for yourself is just an objectively nasty thing to do, and you 100% deserve to have it blow up in your face.

I can't believe it took so long for this to occur to me, but when you think about it, isn't THAT SCENE... also kind of stupid? The lobby of a hotel is always right there in the front entrance, or at least in vicinity! It's also been established that Kevin and his family travel, he's been in hotels before, so why would he need directions to something that's literally right in his face as soon as he walks through the door?!

I'm fine whether or not TCM decides to show OJ Simpson in their "TCM Remembers" montage... but if they include him, I desperately it involves any of the slapstick violence from The Naked Gun movies.

Bolded mine. Michael's has become the same way. It is friggin' depressing.

Just a rant, I'm curious about y'all's two cents: Does anyone else think that in most work forces nowadays, no one wants to train anybody anymore? I have been working as a grocery clerk for 2 and a half years, and I was mortified about gaps in my knowledge... until I found out I'm not the only one. I have co-workers who have worked there longer, and they admitted that there are still tons of things they don't know. It is astonishing what they don't teach us, and most of us have just been muddling through for however long. I also find that if you want a non-retail job, you'd better have a bachelor's degree or license for something or rather. Mind you, I am absolutely not against degrees or licenses, but does one really need one to be, say, a receptionist? Not putting the profession down, it is harder and more important than people give it credit for, but no one wants to take the time to give proper, on the job training for it, so you have to jump through countless fiery hoops. Not everyone has the finances or the time to go back to college or study for a license (that, to be brutally frank, they don't really want), so good luck trying to get ahead in the job market.

Ha! That is brilliant! It's also clever how Sherman's dorkier side is still apparent, before the "Buddy Love" persona fully takes over. My personal favorite Nutty Professor moment is when Buddy exacts revenge on the insult comic who humiliated him back when he was Sherman. I confess it's become a more rewarding scene in recent years, because I've come to loathe Dave Chappelle.

Eh, Grimace doesn't seem capable. The Hamburglar, on the other hand, probably knows some people...

Remember how a few years ago, it was said the late Christopher Plummer would be special effect-ed in the other guy's place? That may or may not have been a joke, but now I wish they'd done it. If there's ever a blu ray release with those few seconds cut out, I will gladly pay full price for it. Go ahead and mock me, you think that's going to bother me now?

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is one my favorite Christmas movies, and I don't think I can ever watch it again, because of... you know. I'm sure that makes me a "triggered lib", and you know what? Screw it, I don't care. Mockery is the least of my problems right now.

I don't like the velvety top portion with the frilly, tulle-like skirt. It makes no sense. It looks like a lesser Etsy creation. I'm sure people had complaints about OG Snow White's pumps, but how are those goofy ballet slippers any better? I feel so vindicated that moderngurlz also doesn't like Rachel Zegler's SW hair.

A Little Princess is just a great story, easily Frances Hodgson Burnett's best, IMO.