Category Archives: Fangirly Exposed!

Fangirly Exposed: ASMR Videos

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, Uncategorized by

It’s not as weird as you think, I swear.

Actually, that might depend on who you ask. ASMR (not a clinical term) is a sensory response only experienced by a certain percentage of the population. Exactly what that percentage might be currently remains a mystery. What researchers do know is that not everyone experiences this very nebulous, and as yet unexplained, phenomenon.

So what is it? Good question. Have you every gotten that tingly feeling that starts at your scalp and then slowly works it’s way to your limbs? Maybe it happens when you’re getting a haircut or talking to a friend.  Triggers can be as diverse as the people who experience them, but there are a few common denominators: soft voices, personal attention, hand movements, and a non-threatening atmosphere are only a few.

So you might be thinking, “Yo, Whitney, how does the fall under Fangirly’s purview? You guys write about pop culture, not fringe science.” Very astute.

Turns out, there’s a burgeoning internet subculture surrounding ASMR. YouTube is lousy with what’s called ASMR “trigger videos”. Here are a few of my favorites. Heads up- theses videos work better with headphones.

1)

Easily my favorite ASMR channel. Asmrrequests tends to be more innovative and creative with it’s content. I also recommend this video.

2)

I only recently discovered ALBinwhisterland, who was recommended by a friend (word up, Amanda). This channel is quickly growing on me.

3) And finally…

Another of my favorite channels, whispersunicorn has the added benefit of being quietly, and surprisingly, hilarious.  A quality we value highly here.

So that’s it. My not-so-dirty little secret. What are you favorite ASMR videos? Hit us up in our comments section!

–Whitney Weldon

Rocky: It’s Way Better Than You Think

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, Uncategorized by

This blog is already WAY more telling than I would like. So in keeping with the spirit of confession, I’ll admit that, while I can take or leave sports movies as a whole, I have an unnatural and consuming passion for boxing movies. Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby, Southpaw, Creed (most recently). But none of these, with the possible exception of Creed (thanks to the many talents of one Michael B. Jordan), are even in the same weight class as the most iconic boxing movie of all time…

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Rocky.

Rocky I, specifically.

This is a franchise that has gotten a weird rap. It’s become synonymous with bad 80’s acting-

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And still stands as the poster child for the Homoerotic Training Montage.

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But the first Rocky (1976) is a film of surprising depth and nuance. It’s two parts indie drama, one part underdog story.

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Rocky Balboa is just a young mook from Philly who thinks that opportunity has passed him by. Until world champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers, before he got a stew going) gives him a shot at a the big time.

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But the real heart of Rocky isn’t the big fight, or boxing, really. It’s the shockingly tender and grounded love story between Rocky and his main lady, Adrian.

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If there’s one thing you should take away from this movie, it’s that Rocky loves Adrian.

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Love.

But in between the shouting and the showdowns, we’re given the most unintentionally comedic training montage in the history of cinema.

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use this one

This movie hasn’t resonated much with millennials. Probably because it wan’t directed by Joss Whedon. But if you’re looking for a movie that is unexpectedly sweet, and smart, and subtle, take a chance on the Italian Stallion. I guarantee you’ll eat lightening, and crap thunder.

-Whitney Weldon

 

23 Times Liz Lemon Hit Too Close to Home

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

Lately, I have been re-watching 30 Rock, just because. It’s like one of those times when you meet up with an old friend and it is as if no time has passed. If anything, you just remember how awesome that friend is and how much you miss them.

While I have always identified with Liz Lemon, I am realizing that age is only bringing me further into my Liz Lemonhood.  Let’s explore.

1. Post work evenings are more like this:

liz lemon 4

2.  Whenever I put on makeup and my contacts I feel like this:

liz lemon 25

3.  If ever I have a conversation with a crush without wanting to cringe:

liz lemon

4.  Never knowing how to comfort people going through a hard time:

liz lemon 24

5.  Anytime I go to a sporting event: Continue reading →

Indisputable Proof that Tina Belcher is My Spirit Animal (and Maybe Yours)

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It does not bode well for me that the TV character I most relate to is an awkward, hormonal, 13-year old but that’s where I’m at right now.  That’s right, Bob’s Burgers‘ Tina Belcher is my spirit animal and there is a lot of proof in the pudding.

We are avid romance readers and writers and sometimes our art imitates life. Guilty, so, so guilty.tina fiction

tinatina fiction 2

The athletic arts are not exactly our strong suit.  I got a C in PE in the sixth grade because I couldn’t throw or catch a ball.  tina

Sometimes life is hard on us and we respond accordingly.  I feel ya, sistah.  tina ugh

We have curious minds and aren’t afraid to get straight to the facts.  I settled for Cosmo articles, but she is more ballsy.  tina questions

We are not the smoothest operators.  But Tina gets more action than I do.  tina pants

We are not the best with makeup.  This one hits so close to home.  I am about as capable of keeping makeup on my face as a toddler.  tina mascara

We have very sensual, realistic dreams. I mean, I don’t want to reveal too much…tina kiss tina fantasy

tina dram

Our glasses are both our identity and our struggle.  Four-eyed salute.  tina glasses tina glasses 2

We are not exactly graceful.   I can’t do yoga in public places because it is far too embarrassing.tina fall

Hence the reason we like to practice at home.  I am a fan of the at-home workout due to the uncoordinated thing.

tina exercise

Our first times driving were pretty much the same.  Our dads were about the same, too.  tina driving

We stand out at dance parties.  For our awesome but subtle moves.  I go for the shoulder shimmy.tina dance

We agree on the real reasons to go to sporting events.  I once spent an entire Dodgers game checking out right field’s hinder. tina 25 guys tina butt

And to cap it off, we both wanted the same thing for Christmas. 

Tina Christmas

Some of these qualities are not quite enviable or flattering but I could not be more proud to be like this strong, sensual woman.

– Ellen

My 24 Hour Emmy Binge or My Slip in Sanity

Posted in Dinner and a Show, Fangirly Exposed!, Get with the Program, Live Texting, TV by

This weekend I did something a little crazy.  Ok, a lottle crazy.  In a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly there was an article written by Marc Snetiker on how to best prepare for the Emmys next Monday.  Well, how to best prepare for the Emmys in only 24 hours and because I’m a weirdo, my first thought was, “I could do this.  I should do this.  I’m GOING to do this.”  I honestly don’t watch a lot of the Emmy shows, especially in the Drama category, so I saw this as the perfect opportunity to get myself edumacated.

I prepared by making sure I had all of the recommended episodes or at least access to them and by placing an order with Amazon Fresh to make sure I had a cavalcade of themed snacks.  As you should do for any binge.

Oh, and I live-tweeted the whole thing. And it turns out you can tweet a lot in 24 hours.

https://twitter.com/eel8/status/500658517649268736

First show, first snack.

https://twitter.com/eel8/status/500671653789978627

For Orange is the New Black, I watched “Lesbian Request Denied” and I have to say this is one of the viewings that made me want to watch more.

Next up, True Detective. Continue reading →

Fangirly Exposed! : Whitney’s Road to Binge-Watching Recovery

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52d5e156b514d.imageEllen has taught me a lot through the years. Like, who is the coolest of all the Spice Girls (Baby Spice, duh), or how to dance in a car without endangering myself and others. But perhaps the most enduring skill she ever taught me is how to binge-watch. Harder than it sounds. It takes real strength of will to spend 36 straight hours watching the first two seasons of The Vampire Diaries, but at the end of it we emerged, unshowered and victorious. We’ve been self proclaimed world-class binge-watchers ever since.

But recently I’ve started to wonder if binging is the best way to watch TV (at least in terms of, you know, mental health and productivity). But even this wasn’t enough to make me consider changing my watching habits. As long as I was still able to drag myself away long enough to go to work and earn enough money to feed my habit (and myself) I deemed everything else a totally just sacrifice to the TV Gods. Then I discovered The Americans and officially hit rock bottom.

Maybe it was when I forgot what decade I was living in. Or maybe it was when I almost referred to another human as capitalist scum. Either way, two days later I was caught up and all I had to show for it was 48 misspent hours and some pretty worrying Soviet sympathies.

I realized that just because I was addicting to binge watching doesn’t mean that I enjoyed it. Maybe the binge just isn’t for everyday watching. Maybe TV was designed as a way to tell broad stories in short bursts. Or maybe I just need more of a social life.

Agree? Disagree? Too busy cramming Breaking Bad to care? That’s fair.

-Whitney

Fangirly Exposed: Drop Dead Diva

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drop-dead-diva-photoSometimes I think I might not feel guilty enough about my guilty pleasures. I won’t hesitate to tell someone that I love America’s Funniest Home Videos because watching a dog/grown man fall into a bathtub is HILARIOUS. I also have no compunctions about admitting that I’ve watched Frozen twice since, like, yesterday. So why then do I feel so reluctant to disclose to the nine people who read this blog that I happen to be the most rabid Drop Dead Diva fan in creation? Does it have anything to do with the fact that it airs on Lifetime? No friggin’ doubt. It’s kind of hard to take yourself seriously when your favorite show is preceded by a made for TV movie starring Kristy Swanson and immediately followed by an all new episode of Devious Maids. Or it might be because DDD‘s idea of an exciting guest star is Joan Rivers or Wendy Williams as a saggy expert witness or a sassy judge (respectively). Whatever the reason, I’m usually pretty loath to tell people that watching this show is how I like to spend a Sunday night. Drop-Dead-g

The premise is pretty standard Lifetime fare. Aspiring super-model Deb dies in a car crash and is reincarnated as a plus sized lawyer. Cue the lessons on body image and self-acceptance, right? Well, yes and no. Part of the show’s charm is that it tricks us into thinking that we haven’t seen this all before. It easily could have veered toward preachy and instead gave us a super cool heroine that likes herself as she is. As I write this I realize how much it really sucks that this is a novel concept.

Oh, and it’s hysterical. Balls to the wall droll. Absolutely worth a binge watch, especially now that Netflix is streaming all five seasons. So go grab a Gatorade, call in sick, and make me proud!

-Whitney

Fangirly Exposed: Ellen’s Ab Workout

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more-than-absAre you sick of ab machines from infomercials that just don’t work?  Are you sick of exercise fads that supposedly give you rock hard abs but really just force you to attend classes of women who are much more graceful than you? Are you sick of doing stupid crunches?  Just me?  Oh, well. Moving on.

Have I got the workout for you! And the best part is that you can do it in just three easy steps:

  1. Drive your car
  2. Play your most bumpingest tunes
  3. Dance

IMPORTANT: Don’t stop dancing just because you are stopped next to someone.  Stop lights are the perfect opportunity to get a deeper burn and anyone who seems to be judging you is just jealous that they are not having as much fun as you on their commute.

Confession time: I am possibly the world’s most unabashed car dancer.  If you have ever driven with me and think you have seen the extent of my car dancing, you ain’t seen nothing yet.  There is nothing like releasing all my pent up energy after a long work day by  getting down in my car.  Or at least, as far down as California State law allows.

Maybe it is just my particular kind of car dancing, but I noticed that it is extremely effective as an ab workout.  After long road trips, I’m wiped. For me it is all in the pelvis.  This makes it sound like I am doing some freakdancing but really, it is the only part of your lower body that can move while still working the gas and brake pedals.

There you have it.  Let’s get physical, people!

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Trashy UK Daytime Television

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous, Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

jeremy-kyle-707104470-1991701I was recently having a discussion with my dad lauding how great British TV has been lately.  Sherlock, Luther, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, for just a few examples.  While he and I both agreed that American television could take a few hints in terms of season lengths, etc., I thought it only fair to point out that we think British television is great because only the good stuff makes it across the pond.

To further prove my point, I decided to look into trashy British television and from there, I spiraled.  I stumbled upon full episodes of The Jeremy Kyle Show, a show that is very similar to our Maury or Montel in that there are a lot of paternity tests and lie detector results and the dredges of British society are paraded out for our amusement.  I can’t quite explain why, but I have now watched a LOT of The Jeremy Kyle Show.  Like, a lot, a lot.

I could just say that this appeals to that part of all of us that likes trashy television and it does, but I think it goes further than that.  Listen, there are few people that watch more BBC period dramas than this girl, almost to the point where I have romanticized Britain to ridiculous levels.

542801-jeremy_kyle_freaks

That being said, it has been quite cathartic for me to realize that while there may be a few charming blokes with dashing accents, it turns out that there also quite a lot of toothless baby daddies whose accents are nearly incomprehensible.

Jeremy Kyle, I thank you for dashing all my hopes and dreams.

– Ellen 

Fangirly Exposed: When Fandom Takes Its (Literal) Toll

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Season-3-of-Sherlock-Starts-Shooting-This-MondayAs some of you may or may not be aware, BBC’s Sherlock will be coming back to the US on January 18th with its third season.  As perhaps less of you may be aware, it is currently airing in the UK and because I have already had to wait two years for the resolution to season 2’s finale, “The Reichenbach Fall”, I was NOT about to wait two more weeks.  Yes, I am using less than… savory methods to get my hands on it, but a fangirl has got to do what a fangirl has got to do.

The first two episodes have been brilliant, or in the words of my favorite tweet about the premiere “cracking good telly” (so cute and British!).  My intent with this post is not to spoil anything, but instead to air out my dirty laundry about how this show is currently affecting me.

The season 3 finale is set to air this Sunday (these 3 episode seasons fly by far too quickly), and in reading non-spoilery reviews for the finale, I am causing myself to literally become sick and enter full blown panic attacks.  Yesterday, while reading an article during work hours, I had to literally stifle a scream with my scarf.

My roommate came home and told me about some real life issues that she is facing and all I could come back with was “Well, the Sherlock finale is on this week and I am having a meltdown.”  To which she responded with something about getting a boyfriend.  Psh.  Overrated.

Tell me I am not alone.  Someone please assure that I am not the only one whose health and mental well-being is affected by fictional characters in a fictional world.  I’m not, right?

–Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Big Brother

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big-brother-600If it feels like this blog has been out of commission for most of the summer, it is because it has been.  Your suspicions are well-founded.  I would love to say it is because I was away working for Greenpeace or some other such worthy cause that will better the world for posterity, but really it is because I have been reading trashy romance novels and falling into the deep, dark hole in the ground that is Big Brother.

I realize that this the show’s 15th (!) season and that this is not in any way a hip or cool new obsession.  Hip and cool do not equal any show on CBS, let’s be honest.  But seriously, have you watched this show?! It is addicitive!  And once you get sucked in, it is like a full time job because it’s on 3 nights a week!

Wait, it gets worse!  I also subscribed to the Big Brother Live Feeds where I can watch the house guests laze about and back stab 24/7.  It’s not healthy.

Even longtime fans of the show will be disappointed in me because this generally considered the worst sesason ever, rife with showmances, racism, and truly despicable players, but it is train wreck from which I cannot look away.

If you also watch the show, make me feel better by commenting to let me know that I am not alone and we can talk game.  Just know that I respect Amanda’s game (shocking!) and will be sad to see Aaryn go (unheard of!).

–Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: I Am a Binge-Watching Harlot and Addict

Posted in Fangirly Exposed! by

how-i-met-your-motherOn the 5th of July, I found myself faced with an entire day devoid of work, errands, and pressing social engagements.  Sure, my apartment could have used a good cleaning and a stop by the gym was in order, but I instead chose (wisely, in my opinion) to stay in my pajamas and marathon a TV show.  Seeing as how I am a glutton for not having a life, I chose a show that has long been recommended to me during the course of its run.  What followed was 8 days of watching 8 seasons of How I Met Your Mother, which after doing the math comes to 67 1/2 hours of television.   However, it is not nearly three complete days of watching TV that is shameful.  No, the shame comes from the fact that I don’t regret it at all.

My behavior while binging leaves me cringing (see what I did there?).  When I watch a show, I become literally addicted to that show and no, my use of “literally” is not hyperbole.   I read about the show online, I watch cast interviews, I shamefully read terrible fanfiction, I laugh at bloopers, I re-watch my favorite episodes, and I sound like a crazy person discussing all of these weird obsessive tendencies in a blog post. Netflix has basically become my dealer, feeding my unhealthy TV watching habits and the new autoplay feature is like having the needle in my arm, constantly feeding me my next fix.

Why can’t I be a normal person and spread this behavior out over an extended period of time?  Oh, yeah, because I am kind of a slut.  I’ll hop into bed with just about anything.  Comedy, drama, sci-fi, paranormal, anything!  The networks should just refer to me as the village bicycle, ’cause mama makes the rounds.  My passion for a show is fleeting and my binge-watching habits are the equivalent of a one-night stand, because I use ’em and abuse ’em.

Right now, sure, I am pretty obsessed with How I Met Your Mother, but next week I’ll probably be blogging about my intense obsession with something like Pretty Little Liars or Merlin.  Stay tuned because it is bound to happen, but you can bet it will be legen-, wait for it, dary!

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Ellen’s Sexual Tension Workout Regime

Posted in Books, Fangirly Exposed!, TV by
"I've seen actual results with Ellen's Sexual Tension Workout" - Happy Lady on Bike

“I’ve seen actual results with Ellen’s Sexual Tension Workout” – Happy Lady on Bike

I am a glutton for sexual tension. That being said, I have decided to put that deadly sin of mine to good use.

In our family, we do this kind of weird thing, Whitney and I in particular. When there is something good happening, we tense up and rub our hands together in excitement. We have discussed why we do this and can only surmise that it is our way of releasing pent-up energy. Seeing as how the thing that we get most excited about is movies and TV, we do it a LOT when we are watching something. And seeing as we are hard-core shippers, we do it a LOT when there is any modicum of sexual tension on screen.

Continue reading →

Fangirly Exposed: Teen Wolf

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, Sweet Streams, TV by

teen-wolf-mtvIn preparation for the forthcoming Arrested Development season (!!), I set the necessary goal of re-watching the first three seasons.  Upon finishing all of the episodes in an embarrassingly short span of time, I browsed Netflix looking for something else to put on. I am going to blame boredom for making me start watching Teen Wolf, but I have only myself to blame for watching the first two seasons in the span of two days.   Yep, that happened.  Not that me watching a lot of TV should come as shock anymore.

The “embarrassing” factor comes into play when I tell you that Teen Wolf isn’t that good.  But like most entertainment that isn’t very good, it’s a pretty fun ride and it isn’t all bad.    I would find myself guffawing at a  poorly delivered line and then a second later I would get wrapped up in a genuinely sweet moment or hit play on the next episode because I had to know what happened next.

Dylan-OBrien-teen-wolfAlso, let’s not beat around the bush, the boys on this show are adorable.  I use the words “boys” and “adorable” because they are all younger than me and I feel the need to tread lightly.  WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!  I suppose when I left that key 18-24 demographic.  But really, Stiles (played ever so endearingly by Dylan O’Brien) is the best part of the show and “awwed” every time he and his little puppy face came on screen.

If teen supernatural shows are in your wheelhouse (I’m looking at you, TVD fans), then I think that you would get hooked, too.  Check it out!  Seriously. It’s a good time.

–Ellen

Five Things Bodice-Rippers Have Taught Me About Love

Posted in Books, Choice Picks, Fangirly Exposed! by

I’m ashamed to admit (obviously not enough to not publish it on the internet), but I have been reading a lot of bodice-ripper romance novels lately.  I have always spurned romance novels for the somewhat more respected chick lit genre.  There is a difference.  Sort of.  Chick lit is typically more substantial in length, plot, and price (popular titles include the Shopaholic series, Devil Wears Prada, Bridget Jones, etc.), where romance novels are like candy: cheap, quick, and easy to gobble in one bite.  They’re ridiculous and I am the first to admit it but, like everything that is bad for you, they are so addictive!  Especially if you get wrapped up in a series, as I now am.

To their credit, they have taught me a lot of (mostly erroneous) things about love and I thought I would share my findings with you, our dear readers:

9 rules1) The best mates are reformed rakes – Romance novels have taught me that bad boys/rakes/scoundrels/rogues make the best matches.  They are passionate, dashingly handsome, and only you will be able to make them finally ready to settle down.  Now, they are probably going to have some sort of inner turmoil that you are going to have to help them overcome (family drama, financial trouble, issues with commitment, etc.), but just power through!  You and you alone were brought to Earth to make him believe in love!  Now get to it!

2) You don’t have to be the most beautiful girl in the room, but you need the sharpest tongue – Once you meet your rake, he is going to acknowledge that you are not the most beautiful woman that he has ever met, but if you prove to be a worthy opponent in a verbal sparring, he will become putty in your hands.  Every arched brow and “infuriating woman” just means that he is falling in love with you.

3) If you get brought out onto a balcony, you are going to get kissed.  Well, probably more than kissed. – Balconies may as well be brothels.  Seriously.  The things that happen there!  It’s enough to make this girl blush.  So depending on what you want out of your evening, stay away from balconies/run out to a balcony.

Julia-Quinn-When-He-Was-Wicked-julia-quinn-6686007-603-4714) Eyes really ARE the window to the soul – These people can not shut up about eyes.  If you don’t have good eyes, you may as well just give up on anyone ever loving you.  Questions to determine if you have good eyes: Would your eyes be considered icy blue?  Could anyone ever see something more in your eyes than just eyes?  Do you eyes ever appear to be different colors than they actually are?  If you answered no to all of these questions, you are going to die alone.

5) If one of you could get sick/injured, that would really help move things move along – There is nothing like a medical trauma to bring two people together, apparently.  If you have to nurse him on the sickbed or visa versa, you may as well set the wedding date because a lot more is going to happen on that sickbed once he/you has recovered, if you catch my drift.

There you have it!  You are now fully prepped to go out and catch your rake!

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: A Square Peg Who Wanted to be a Daria

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

square dariaRecently, I was discussing my high school identity with a friend of mine, attempting to explain my desire to be that cool and aloof teen.  Looking back, I can readily admit that I never quite nailed it.  I was too dorky and silly, and I wore far too many bright colors (I love bright colors!).  Trying to paint a picture of what I was like in high school, I told my friend that I wanted to be Daria, but I was too dorky.

When I was in high school, I loved to watch Daria.  I was (and still am) a girl with brown hair and glasses, after all.  What wasn’t to love?  She spoke to the existential, sarcastic teen in me.

Looking back on my high school career, however, I can never claim to have been nearly as cool as Daria.  If I had to pick a pop culture teen to align myself with, it would most likely be one of the Square Pegs girls.  How depressing is that?  Less concerned with popularity than them, but “don’t want to wear my glasses, but I have to wear my glasses”.

Give the epic title song a listen and then let me know who the comments who you were as a teen?  Topanga?  Clarissa?  Cher Horowitz? DJ Tanner?

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: The Bachelor

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

reg_600.TheBachelor2.mh.011413Yep, I’m a Rose Lover.

This hasn’t always been the case.  In fact, I used to be one of those that would see clips of The Bachelor featured on The Soup and think, “Who is watching this garbage?!”  While I still think that this is pure, unfiltered garbage, I can no longer look away.

The thing with The Bachelor/ette/ Pad franchise is that it is the closest you can get to stopping to watch a train wreck without clogging traffic and loss of human life.  It is also a somewhat fascinating experiment in human behavior.  How stupid can one person be?  How easy is it to manipulate a dumb jock?  What happens to the female brain when she hasn’t consumed anything but vodka for a week in preparation for the first rose ceremony?  All of these questions are bound to be answered in an episode of The Bachelor!

I can’t be alone, right?  Do you prefer The Bachelor or The Bachelorette?  (I find a group of women more entertaining, but I get more invested in the relationships on The Bachelorette)

(Side Note: If you watch the these shows and you enjoy a saltier take, I strongly suggest checking out the recaps at Lost Angeles.  It has become the main reason I rush to catch the latest episode.)

–Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Billie Piper (Again!)

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, Music, Nostalgia, Web Bytes by

Billie-Piper-Girlfriend-137625What makes an artist? Some say it’s creativity, or passion, or talent. Personally, and I apologize if this sounds pretentious, I feel that a true artist dances around in midriff tops and leather pants to catchy 90’s chart toppers. Call me fastidious, but that’s just my opinion. And few people fit that definition better than Billie Piper, the brilliant teen-pop-idol-turned-serious-actress. I could present you with well-planned arguments to support my case, but if Billie’s music has taught me anything, it’s that style is WAY more important than substance. So without further ado, I present you with three of my favorite Billie Piper music videos.
-Whitney

Fangirly Exposed: Bunheads!

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

BAILEY BUNTAIN, KAITLYN JENKINS, JULIA GOLDANI TELLES, EMMA DUMONT, SUTTON FOSTERAmy Sherman Palladino sure knows how to give people what they want. I can’t count how many times I watched my beloved Gilmore Girls and thought, ‘you know what’s missing from this? Ballet’! Yes, it’s true folks, the woman who brought us the show that delighted us for years with lightening speed repartee and low-stakes prime time drama is back with a new series that tackles the world of, you guessed it, DANCE. My own ballet career ended prematurely at the age of five, due to a devastating stubbed toe injury and a general lack of interest, so this witty look at the lives of young ballerinas is particularly interesting.
Sutton Foster (a.k.a. Coco from Flight of the Conchords) stars as Michelle, a talented but down on her luck dancer who comes to the small town of Paradise, California looking for a new life. She pretty quickly takes up residence at the local dance studio, where she becomes embroiled in the lives of her teenage students. Even for those of us who know next to nothing about dance, this show is fascinating. It’s been a long timhe since I’ve found a show this funny, sweet, smart, and occasionally sad. If you’re looking for something new to liven up your DVR queue, give Bunheads a try. I promise you won’t hate it.

-Whitney

Fangirly Exposed!: Beauty and the Beast

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

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Confession: I am currently entrenched in more CW shows than ever before and I’m talking almost every CW show.  To clarify, I am not a fifteen-year old girl.  In fact, I have even surpassed the target 18-24 demo.

I know I am in a safe space here, which is why I am going to talk to you about my current investment, Beauty and the Beast. I don’t know why, but I feel like this is currently the most shameful CW show right now.  Even if you think there is one more shameful, I probably watch that, as well.

I’m not going to come on here and argue Beauty and the Beast’s case for a Best Drama Emmy or anything, but I have to say, I am enjoying this show. Let’s see if I can do the impossible and sell you on it’s pretty cheesy plot.

Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) was saved by a mysterious, beastly creature years ago.  Now, this tiny little wisp of a girl is a cop out of some vengeance over her mother’s death.  She works a case that leads her to Vincent (magically delicious Jay Ryan) who is presumed dead.  She eventually encounters him, because like all good supernatural heroes, he is incapable of NOT stepping in when she is danger.  She comes to learn that he becomes beastly because he was part of a government project to create super soldiers that went awry.  He is in hiding from a government agency that is looking for him, but he steps out in the night to be a sort of vigilante.  But now, Catherine is awakening new “beastly” feelings within him and they have to figure out how to date while still maintaining his secret.

So, maybe that wasn’t a great sell, but bear with me.  I, of course, come for the romance and some of the dramatic intrigue over his secret.  The reason I feel like this romance stands is that almost from the beginning, these two have made it pretty clear to each other that they like the other.  The romantic tension comes from the fact that they don’t know how to be together because a) he is supposed to be dead and her whole precinct knows it, b) he kind of turns into this gnarly-faced beast every now and then, c) there is this whole group that wants his blood and by deafult, hers to get to him.

It’s a pretty classic superhero-meets-girl story line, but it is a nice change with all of these Castle/Bones will they/won’t they story lines that make us wait 3 -6 seasons for anything to happen.  They know they want to at least try and be together, but they have a myriad of things stopping them.

If I still haven’t sold you, just…

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I didn’t want to resort to that, but you forced my hand.  You made this tawdry! I have to go wipe the filth from my keybroad.  But seriously, look at him.  You’ll tune in.

–Ellen