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Margaret Cho's All-American Second Act
10 December 2008 4:44 AM, PST
Los Angeles - America loves a comeback. Allegedly so does Hollywood, although the town seems to make it fairly difficult for some. Margaret Cho is a terrific example.
Cho was supposed to be a sitcom star, you see...back in the mid-'90s. ABC made her the star of "All-American Girl," which was supposed to be loosely based on her life, albeit starring a thinner version of her life, and with parents the network believed would seem more universally acceptable.
Not only did the show tank (in both its original incarnation and its disastrous "Friends"-style overhaul) but the experience nearly killed Cho. She was forced to lose 30 pounds in an insanely short amount of time, making her kidneys collapse while the series was filming. Criticism from executives made her hate herself, and sent her sinking into substance abuse after her show was canceled. Hollywood forced her into exile.
But
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Melanie McFarland
We're Wild for "Mad Men." But Are You?
10 December 2008 4:44 AM, PST
Los Angeles --There are worse fates than spending a decade with "Mad Men," even if it only adds up to five years in real time. AMC's series stands as an example of TV at its most creative and challenging, and it enters its second season by setting us down in 1962. That's two years after we first met the men and women of the Sterling Cooper advertising agency, and their storylines only stand to get richer and more complex.
Season two premieres on July 27; expect an avalanche of reviews closer to that date. But on Wednesday morning, the cast and "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner were content to bask in critical love, a rare perfume in these parts due to dissipate sharply over the next two weeks.
And if we're being completely honest, that sweet scent of popularity could die out completely if the series takes a wrong turn in its sophomore season.
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Melanie McFarland
"The Clone Wars" -- It's Ok Believe Again!
10 December 2008 4:44 AM, PST
Los Angeles -- Claiming "Star Wars" fandom used to mean something, so some of us once believed. The George Lucas faithful used to think were in some way different from, say, "Star Trek" geeks or "Battlestar" enthusiasts or, as several people here have referred to them, "those 'Stargate' people."
Then came the prequels and the subsequent blitz of "Star Wars"-related toys, products, clothing, drinks and frozen dinners. So saturated is our with "Star Wars" related products and gimmickry that these days, calling yourself a "Star Wars" fan is about as special as telling someone that you're a water drinking enthusiast or that you're partial to walking.
Some of us, though, are harder core that the average lightsaber swingers. You'll recognize us by our scowls at the mention of Hayden Christensen's name. Be careful if you ask us how we're doing, because we might respond with a diatribe about
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Melanie McFarland
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