Jennifer Hudson's Testimony

This is the first public performance by Jennifer Hudson since the tragic death of her mother, brother and nephew in October of 2008.

Jennifer looked beyond fabulous in her black skinny pants paired with her black studded jacket and her gold metallic sandals are to die for. She blew me away with singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in Tampa. She is truly talented and has an incredible voice.

God gave her the strength and courage to live her life again. I know Jennifer thought she couldn't make it through another day. It's just simply amazing what God can do. What a testimony!

61st Annual DGA Awards

Taraji P. Henson and scrumptious Blair Underwood

Taraji P.Henson is just wowing me every time on the red carpet. I do have to admit her black strapless Kaufman Franco dress is a little too tight on the bodice, hence her breast poking out. Never-the-less, she still looks amazing.

Speaking of wowing me! Freida Pinto is beyond beautiful and she looks gorgeous in this gold metallic one-shouldered Zac Posen dress.

Viola Davis looks so good in color so I don't know why she insist on wearing these boring black dresses. Talking about a big snooze!

Marisa Tomei have been getting a great deal of criticism from her last two red carpet dresses for being over-the-top. I totally disagree about her Elie Saab dress she wore to the Sag awards, it was marvelous to me.

She looks great in this simple white textured strapless Dior dress and her purple clutch and silver statement necklace are on fire!

Amy Adams continues to be consistent on the red carpet. She looks fantastic in this beaded open draped back Jasmine Di Milo dress.

Claire Danes cobalt blue embellished dress is fabulous!


Virgina Madsen beauty pageant dress is just not working for me.

Which Diva Wore It Better? Gabrielle Union or Lisa Edelstein

Gabrielle Union or Lisa Edelstein

Gabrielle Union first wore this amazing Reem Acra black encrusted one-shouldered dress to the BET Honors. Gabrielle looked stunning as usually. Even though I was disappointed because she wore black again, she made up for it by looking fabulous.

Lisa Edelstein wore a similar red version to the Sag Awards and the color was simply divine. Lisa also looked sensational in this dress.

Call me crazy but I almost picked Lisa Edelstein because I love color but I came to my senses, Gabrielle Union wins!

Media Coverage of Phelps Smoking Weed Reveals They Are Complete Squares

Judging by some of these media bylines, you'd think that the only exposure to stoner culture these people had was watching Reefer Madness while attending an anti-drug symposium at Oral Roberts University. CNN writes that "Phelps Admits Bad Judgment After Marijuana-Pipe Photo", and the AP writes that "Phelps Acknowledges Pot Pipe". Regardless of whether or not you get high, referring to a bong as a "Pot Pipe" will make you a pariah at the house party faster than dropping a toilet-clogging deuce.

Like it or not, weed has been an important part of our cultural landscape that has spanned at least three generations. From Scooby-Doo to the famous stoned Mac user chick to Harold and Kumar, it's hazy outreach is undeiable. And, ignorance of the proper terminology in inexcusable. So here's a brief tutorial:

That's Phelps smoking a bong, and possibly carbing to get that monster rip.

That's a pipe, often referred to as a "bowl" (at least when I grew up).

That's a hallowed-out apple, which can be used in a pinch if your snooping folks stole all your zig-zags, but isn't for the novice.

And that's the stoned pizza guy who'll be delivering your Super Bowl double pepperoni special. Best to give him an understanding nod of approval of his wake-n-bake activities lest you be labeled "uncool" by the staff at Dominos.

Post That Has Nothing to Do with the Super Bowl

Apparently, all you rubes out there in internet land are stuffing your face with wings, locking your fat kids in the closet to prevent being annoyed so that you can watch the annual football match. But you should be doing these things while reading blogs! So here's a great YouTube montage from the classic teenage angst 80s movie Heathers starring Gen X icon (well, before she went batshit crazy) Winona Ryder to distract yourselves:

Kentucky: Trapped Under Ice

Shea from West Kentucky writes in that I have yet to talk about the disaster in Bluegrass State...so here y'all go.

This is a photo I stole from KY Woman's blog, which is a pretty view of an ice storm's aftermath that belongs in a Norman Rockwell painting or something. Unfortunately, this same ice storm has resulted in a spate of deaths and conked out the electricity for over 400K residents. Jazz Shaw from The Moderate Voice says the Obama administration isn't doing enough for this red state:

I think the point being made here isn’t that anyone seriously believes President Obama is looking to exterminate White Republicans, but rather two more salient questions:

1. Where is the matching outraged response we saw after Katrina in the press?
2. Where is FEMA? This certainly looks like a disaster which should be right up their alley.

Stay tuned. And give some thoughts and prayers for those locked out in the cold in Kentucky.

Hmm, this seems like a tacky way to exploit tragedy for partisan purposes. The President has already declared the area a federal emergency and the Governor (a Democrat) has already called up the National Guard. But I'm way out on the West Coast so I don't know how's it going. Let's hear from our Kentucky residents how the response has been.

Slam Dancing to Lower Capital Gains Taxes

Don't laugh, but Eric Dondero writes that conservative punks could become the norm as left-wing ideology is the dominant political paradigm. With its traditions of DIY culture, anti-authoritarianism, and hardcore individuality amidst a sea of suburban wankers, punk rock could find a home in No-Bamaism. Big Hollywood analyzes:

Lefty politics are no longer the fringe and no matter if the voters knew it or not they carved lefty politics into stone. Bill Ayers became the system he once fought against. Sure, they still wear the earring and say “fuck” a lot to maintain street-cred among the academics, but now rock has taken sides — it is for the establishment. Same with journalism, the university and pop-culture. The left has become a cliché. They’re not “Arrested Development” they’re “Golden Girls” with a soul patch. Snore.

Now that the art nerds and punks just became the football jocks and prom queens, a new rebel is emerging from the wilderness. They are the new anti-establishment. One minority force bands together against every other branch of government swallowed by the Democrat octopus. The last evidence of a check or balance against the popular people are now the Conservative Republicans.

The author of this piece pays homage to the late, great Johnny Ramone, and I can confirm from personal observation that he was a patriot before it became fashionable late last year. He unfurled a small American flag at the backdrop of a show in LA just after 9/11. There is some historical precedence for this in the genre and ethos, like when Screeching Weasel had an angry 58-second tune railing against faux-liberal compassion, while the UK Subs lamented big-government/nanny-state corruption with Organised Crime. And who can forget Op Ivy's Healthy Body, Sick Mind, which slams suburban yuppie culture (the same cadre of Subaru-driving drones that voted Obama).

I appreciate what Andrew Breitbart is doing trying to get young people onboard the right-wing bandwagon, and there are some other great sites that preach conservatism to the young and disillusioned. But it's going to hit a roadblock against the type of social conservatism that leads citizens to get in a tiff over things like Michael Phelps taking bong rips. Perhaps Michael Steele will do a better job of convincing Americans that the GOP isn't just about old white guys golfing in stupid hats. It's an odd time for politics, and stranger things have happened.