2013: A Year in GIFS (Part 1)

Oh 2013, you been so crazy. "It's gone by so fast" they say, but has it really? No. In a nutshell, the music industry hit new lows, the remakes and sequels came in abundance, 'Yeezus' & 'Yoncé ' were born and twerking (more appropriately, "twerking") killed us all. Anyway, here we are. Starting off with:

January

What even happened in January? Practically a lifetime ago, Justin Timberlake dropped this video, telling us that he's just about had enough of making mediocre movies for the time being and will go back to doing what he was born to do - making incredible music. It was only 10 days into the new year and the excitement for new music from our faves was at an all time high. 

This was me:

You:

And this was Britney:

More on her later.

The nominations for the 85th Academy Awards were announced by Emma Stone and this years host Seth McFarlane, with Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook and Les Misérables leading the pack with a whopping 39 nominations between the four of them alone. Twitter-wide outrage swept the film community as Leonardo DiCaprio found himself without a nom for his portrayal as the evil slave owner, Calvin J. Candie in Django Unchained. Mysteriously left out of the race after what many described as one of his best performances, I feel like he deserved the recognition alone for smashing a glass, bleeding everywhere and carrying on with the scene. 

Never forget:

(This is actually from 2012 but it's perfect, no?)

February

It was still cold and disgusting outside, but on the 3rd, THE SUPERBOWL happened. AKA the one day a year where England pretends to be interested in American football and just sits waiting for the Half Time Show. Within the 2013 edition, we were graced with a 15 minute play-off from part-time mother, full-time flaw-free superstar Beyoncé  Giselle Knowles. Beyoncé , (who'd also just struck a $50 million deal with Pepsi) performed Baby Boy, Halo, Crazy In Love and Love on Top in addition to Independent Woman, Bootylicious and Single Ladies with her former comrades: 

Heyyyyyyyyy.

From January to November many sat on the edge of their seats waiting for a new Beyoncé album to be released. Sure, one song leaked here, one song leaked there, and then another way over there, but Queen B subsequently spent almost the whole year doing this:

"Releasing a new single....PSYCH!!!!!"

"Releasing a new album...PSYCH!!!!!"

"Shooting a video for my new single....PSYYYYYCHHHHH!!!!!!!!" 

and so on. 

The 85th Academy Awards took place on the 24th, and saw Argo crowned Best Picture. Who knew that Daredevil and the star of Gigli could do it? I don't even think he did. Daniel Day Lewis was awarded Best Actor for is portrayal of President Lincoln, and Jennifer Lawrence won her first Oscar starring in Silver Linings Playbook opposite Bradley Cooper. She took a teeny tumble while going up for her gong:

Better luck next time. And there will be a next time. 




March

The weather started to get a little better over here, acting as a tiny precursor to blaring hot Summer that awaited us in July. It was glorious. Three of the most exciting and innovative films of 2013 were released this month; Stoker, Spring Breakers and The Place Beyond The Pines. Pines proved to us once again that Ryan Gosling could do no wrong while Stoker and Spring Breakers showed that films centring on young, fatal yet ultra-feminine women could actually be pretty good.

One album and one single released that month dominated the charts and airways like none other. Part 1 of JT's '20/20 Experience' hit/destroyed shelves, and moved almost 1.3 million copies in a week. In fact, it was the top selling album of the week worldwide, three weeks in row. Furthermore, Robin Thicke dropped 'Blurred Lines' which eventually became his most successful single worldwide to date. Aided by the controversial video which made Emily Ratajkowski tumblr-famous, the track climbed to #1 in 21 countries (it stayed at the top spot in the US for 12 weeks) but found itself swimming within oceans of criticism here, there, and over there. I probably should've used a gif actually featuring Robin Thicke up there but whatever. Featuring T.I and Pharrell Williams, 'Blurred Lines' became the first single featuring Williams to take over 2013 - which leads us to...

April

Daft Punk released 'Get Lucky', the first single of the duo's fourth album 'Random Access Memories'. Co-fronted once again by the NERD and Neptunes super-producer, the single so far has sold around 7.5 million copies, received two Grammy nominations and reached #1 in over 20 countries. Phew.

The TV series adaptation of Thomas Harris's  Hannibal founds its way to NBC & Sky1, with Mads Mikkelsen taking on the titular role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.  Acting as a precursor to the various incarnations of the character, showrunner, Bryan Fuller (behind both Pushing Daises and Dead Like Me) created a "movieshow" hybrid powerful enough to join the ranks of The Walking Dead and Mad Men. 

Drink to that.

May
May saw the screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "great American novel" The Great Gatsby released across the world. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the party-loving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, the film was an over-the-top spectacle directed by Moulin Rouge's Baz Luhrmann. Plagued by two release date set backs in addition to its confusingly heightened reality, it failed to connect with audiences and critics the way many had hoped. 

But it wasn't all bad, as 'Gatsby' ended up grossing close to $350 million (about £212.2 million) worldwide. It's not an Oscar but I'm sure Leo will find a way to deal. 

June
The greatest post-Friends-friendly-based-sitcom Happy Endings was cancelled after failing to be shopped to other networks. This was 6 months ago and the wound is still open, bleeding like it was yesterday. I will never see Max, Brad, Jane, Alex, Dave and most importantly Penny on my television  laptop screen ever again and I have the ABC Network to thank for that. 

:'(

A part of me inside has been like this ever since:









While everyone else is pretty much this:



and THAT'S because they didn't even know the show existed neither do they even know what it is now. Urgh, everyone apart from me (and the five others I know who watched it) needs to get their acts together.

The underrated J. Cole dropped the incredible 'Born Sinner' with Kanye unveiling 'Yeezus', both on the 18th. 'Yeezus' saw Kanye take an uncomfortable stroll outside of his comfort zone and into the realms of the nightmarishly industrial.

I have three words for Yeezus. 

What. A. Mess. 

What the hell happened to Kanye this year? He seems to be more impatient, angry and juvenile than ever. Since his success in the mainstream from 2004, his career has been about one thing and one thing only. His mouth. From his great/embarrassing interview answers this year to his questionable music videos, it's clear he's lost his damn mind.

It's incredibly hard to take him seriously. 

As with Britney, more on this one later.

Anyway, six months down, six months to go. July to December will be coming in the next post. 

5 Most Underrated and Underused Characters on Television

Donna – Parks and Recreation

Where is Donna? Where is she? She’s a valued member of the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana that seems to pop up once or twice an episode (if that) with a couple of lines,  and…that’s pretty much it. In fact, her role in the show has become smaller and smaller as the series has gone on. The absence of Donna is pretty much the only downfall in an otherwise flawless sitcom.

Cerie – 30 Rock

When Liz Lemon asked Cerie “looked okay”, a spritely Cerie retorted with “that’s exactly how you look”. The fact that the line is said not in dislike or disdain but as a genuine compliment is why she's such a good character. The usage of Cerie is vaguely similar to Donna’s in Parks and Recreation – she turns up once in a while, gives us some good dialogue, and then she’s off again. Only (once again like Donna) she works in the exact same place that every episode of the show is set in.

Harrison Wright – Scandal

Okay, this one is a bit of a cheat as *spoiler* creator Shonda Rhimes has stated that this characters role will be beefed up in the second half of the addictive political drama’s second season *end spoiler*. Harrison has largely been on the backburner, occasionally seen conversing with Abby and Olivia…while not doing much else. Although it has been revealed that Harrison avoided a serious prison sentence on behalf of crafty and not-so legit work of Olivia Pope, the statement was made only as a passing reference. I think we can assume this will play a major part in the last few episodes of the season, along with (hopefully) many more to come.

Luke Dunphy– Modern Family

For some reason “I can feel my heart beating in my eyes” is one of my favourite Modern Family quotes, and it comes from young Luke, probably the most underutilised Dunphy on Modern Family. The show which has  one of the strongest and most comedic ensemble casts currently on television, needs to let the most beloved of those, such as Gloria, Phil, Manny and Cam step aside; just for a little while and let Luke do something solo.

Harry Crane – Mad Men

In a world where everyone is lying, backstabbing, cheating on their wives and descending into alcohol addiction in 1960s based drama Mad Men, Crane is only guilty of..one or two of those. For a while Crane, played by Rich Sommer was one of the few genuinely likeable characters in the fictional Sterling Cooper work place – and it may just be because it feels like decades ago, I barely even remember him on screen in the show’s 5^th season. We better see him actually doing some serious shit when Mad Men returns next month.

NBC Thinks It's 2002

Christina Aguilera at the 'Blind Auditions' for The Voice Season 3
and Britney Spears at the first open auditions for The X Factor Season 2

Two of the most eagerly anticipated reality television shows will be making their return when the US TV season kicks off next week, and dirty tricks are being played before either show has even aired.

News has recently arrived that those at NBC have decided to air its sleeper success 'The Voice', with judges Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee-Lo Green and Christina Aguilera directly against the second season of Fox’s 'The X Factor', with judges Simon Cowell and L.A Reid along with new additions Demi Lovato and Britney Spears. Originally, the former was to reappear on Monday the 10^th over two nights, but a third has now been added, airing on Wednesday 12^th at 8pm. The same as The X Factor. Although it still remains unknown whether or not further episodes will air against each other, I think it's safe to say this won't be the last time either.

Those that are pretending that NBC did so because of the similarity between the two shows can drop it, as it’s a move that has obviously been calculated because of who is sitting in the judges seats this year. It also ties into age old conflicts of women being pitted against each other unnecessarily within the music industry...and the media industry in general. NBC is embarrassingly trying to reignite an old tabloid rivalry between Aguilera and Spears; one that hasn’t existed for years and one that neither star pays attention to. Both 'The X Factor' and 'The Voice' could easily have co-existed together on separate nights which would have meant that both networks, as well as the fans would win. 

l-r: Reid, Spears, Lovato & Cowell at the
Fox Upfronts in May 2012

'The X Factor' debuted last September with just over 12 million viewers, falling drastically short of Simon Cowell’s original statement that anything under 20 million would be “disappointing”. Meanwhile, 'The Voice' which is entering its 3^rd season has continued to grow since its inception, with its Season 2 Super Bowl lead-in watched by 37 million viewers, and subsequent auditions averaging at around 15 million viewers an episode. Cowell has spoken out against the move, reportedly stating that "this is a cynical, cold-hearted, unprofessional way of doing business", calling out NBC as being unfair towards judges on both sides, as well as its viewers.

While I remain doubtful that this kind of sudden move would’ve occurred between two male judges that have had a long history, the final thing I will point out is that NBC could’ve potentially shot themselves in the foot with this. The buzz of Britney Spears joining the panel for The X Factor seems unprecedented, as interviews and fluid promotional material from the artist has been few and far between since 2007, and to see the star on unscripted (and later) live television is a huge deal for many people. Only time will tell which show this season has fared better. But I know what I’ll be watching more of. 

The [Celebrity] Apprentice- Season 5/12 (TV Series)

Just over a week ago, real-estate mogul Donald Trump found his fifth Celebrity Apprentice in former talk show host and comedian Arsenio Hall, with season 2 American Idol runner up Clay Aiken forced to take second place once again. Having been the first season of Celebrity Apprentice, as well as the first American version of the show I have ever watched, the 15-episode series has been entertaining, and melodramatic to say the least.

This season featured 18 participants, featuring the likes of magician Penn Juilette, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, and former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, among others. For those who don’t know, the format is as follows: the celebrities are split up into two teams and given a task (often tying in with an existing brand) to help raise money for charity. A project leader is appointed amongst the teams, who takes control and has the final say as to how their groups approach the various tasks. The winning team is either the team that raises the most money, or the team that client likes the most and sometimes both. The losing team however is sent to the boardroom with Trump, where one is fired. Simple.

Well actually…not really. With so many celebrities and therefore so many egos at play, The Celebrity Apprentice has been one of my favourite shows to watch this season. Donald and co. put these 18 faces through their paces, and then forced them to speak their mind on their various teammates in the boardroom, often creating fireworks in the process. It would even be safe to say some of the best moments all season have taken place within the boardroom, with comedienne Lisa Lampenelli losing her temper as well as her mind a number of times, as well as various heated showdowns between Arsenio Hall and former Danity Kane member Aubrey O’Day, culminating in the latter to temporarily walk off the show.

It’ll be a long wait until the next season of The Celebrity Apprentice, but after being gripped to my TV screen from February to May watching the show unfold, it’ll definitely be worth it.

A

Key Episodes: Hero Worship, Failure To Launch, Walking Papers

Parks and Recreation- Season 4 (TV Series)

Thank God the show is coming back for another season. Although the show has struggled rating-wise since its inception, 'Parks and Recreation' will be back for a full 22 episode season in Autumn. The cast and crew delivered some of their best episodes to date as the show saw Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) run for city council with the help of friends from the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana; Ann (Rashida Jones), April (Aubrey Plaza) and husband Andy (Chris Pratt), Tom (Aziz Ansari), Donna (Retta), Knope's boyfriend Ben (Adam Scott) Chris (Rob Lowe) and last but definitely not least, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman).

top l-r: Andy (Pratt), Ann (Jones), Ben (Scott), and Knope (Poehler)

Oh and Jerry (Jim O’Heir) but no one cares about him.

With such a large principal cast it’s a wonder how the show managed to give each cast member enough screen time, hilarious lines, as well as great character development and fit it into a 20 minute slot each week. But 'Parks' has managed to do just that, while also squeezing in the occasional guest star (this season has featured Paul Rudd as Leslie’s part-time political adversary, and full-time man-child Bobby Newport and the always hilarious Kathryn Hahn as his cut-throat campaign manager, Jennifer Barkley).

Parks and Recreation is currently one of the funniest shows on television, currently airing on NBC in the United States, (a.k.a the home of the underrated sitcom) which also broadcasts '30 Rock' and cult-ish favourite 'Community', two other shows which have had reasonably poor seasons audience-wise. However, Parks still hasn’t managed to find a home here in the UK where it's bound to have a strong following on a channel such as E4 or Comedy Central. The answer as to why it hasn’t been snapped up yet remains unknown to me, but the show is a solid standout that deserves a hell of a lot more recognition.

A

Key Episodes: “Ron and Tammys” “Campaign Ad” “Lucky” “Win, Lose or Draw”

It's On Like Aubrey-Kong: Aubrey O'Day vs. Arsenio Hall in 'The Celebrity Apprentice'

Normally I only do reviews for music and films but I wanted to take the time to write about something I feel quite passionate about, and I think I will continue to do this every time I get the inspiration to.

For anyone who watched the latest episode of The Celebrity Apprentice from across the pond was sure to have seen some incredible fireworks in its 3 hour drama piece. After the first elimination the teams were switched up, leaving the female team ‘Forte’ forced to interact with the male team ‘Unanimous’.

Now let’s cut to the chase: a bitter argument erupted between contestants Aubrey O’Day and Arsenio Hall, after Hall stated that O’Day tried to take credit for something in the task she didn’t do. It resulted in Hall, as well as other team members labelling Aubrey as “not a team player”, and agreeing that if the team lose the challenge, Aubrey should be fired.  By some miracle Hall’s team, to which he was the project manager for, actually won the task. But as the winning group went back to the lounge to watch the rest of the show unfold, visibly emotional Aubrey decided not to follow her team, opting to take the lift out of Trump Towers, seemingly eliminating herself from the show in the process.

Arsenio Hall

I have a number of problems with both contestants, although I must say, Aubrey is- or was my favourite out of the remaining cast members. Hall has had it out for O’Day for a while, as he previously described her as “so self-righteous” and that it was no surprise that Diddy ended up firing her from her former girl group Danity Kane. But what’s funny is that a number of things O’Day was called out on during this episode were very reminiscent of her final days within Danity Kane itself. There are two main reasons as to why she got the boot. One: because of her “raunchy” image, and two: the seemingly disrespectful way in which she spoke to Diddy. Furthermore, Diddy’s last words before she was ousted from the quintet were “I didn’t work these amount of years to have you disrespect me” to which you can faintly hear Aubrey say “I’m not meaning to disrespect you”, which may show that Aubrey herself, hasn’t found the tactful way of being the opinionated woman she proclaims to be, without causing offense or disrespect to others.

Meanwhile on The Celebrity Apprentice, it should be noted that a number of contestants have had their personal feelings get in the way of what should be about business. Aubrey herself has been named a bully by some, in reference to treatment of her team mate and former Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, whose accent she frequently imitates, while also referring to the car the group has to ride around in the “cool van”. Although O’Day later cleared up her "cool van" comments, as well as the way she sees Dayana, some are sceptical about whether she should be representing the charity she does, which is GLSEN- The Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which is hoping to eradicate bullying others solely on their sexual orientation. However, Hall is also guilty of making personal comments to his now team member O’Day, by hinting that she shouldn’t even be on the show, as he "googled her and a naked picture of her with a gut popped up", while allegedly referring to her as a w**** and a c*** to other cast members.

Aubrey O'Day

I’ve come to realise that a large part as to why Aubrey is treated the way she is, (as well as every person in the limelight to an extent), comes down to the fact that people define her by her image. If she didn't possess such a buxom figure and a heavily-made up face she would not receive the treatment she does, and people would actually take notice of the fact that she is a talented singer, songwriter and dancer. What I’m trying to say is that it is difficult for a lot of people to take O’Day seriously as an intelligent, creative and opinionated woman when she looks the way that she does. It is a fact that Aubrey, along with former team members comedian Lisa Lampanelli and 80s singer Debbie Gibson were often the three members of the team who did the heavy lifting so to speak, as far as creating and developing various tasks, to which everyone can vouch for.

Although The Celebrity Apprentice is a reality show, which by nature must include a certain amount of entertainment and drama, it is also a place were great celebrity minds are supposed to come together as a team to raise money for charity. Trump must have seen something in all 18 original members of the current 12^th season good enough to represent themselves articulately and professionally, as well as representing their respective charities.

Maybe it is just clever editing but who knows? The reality of reality television is that scenarios are chopped, changed, and edited to make things look one way or another. Close former team member Lampanelli called out the NBC network for its clever editing of the scenario, stating that “the stuff they cut out of the boardroom was disgusting,” and that it will “all come out.”

As for anyone that thinks that I am taking sides, I am not. Both Hall and O’Day neither 100% in the right or wrong for their actions, but IF Aubrey does decide to come back, there is no reason why she can’t be humble along with being the opinionated, creative, and intelligent woman she is.