True Blood: Russell Is Back & He's HONGRAY!

True Blood Season 5 Teaser

Do You Suffer From 'TB Withdrawal' ?

The truth can no longer be hidden: I've developed a particularly nasty case of TB Withdrawal. There, I said it.

Thankfully, HBO is here to help:

Source: Towleroad

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Happy Birthday to Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage - who portrays snarky Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister on HBO's Game of Thrones - turns 42 today. Dinklage's portrayal of the only semi-likable member of House Lannister is one of many things I love about Game of Thrones - so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lord Tyrion!

And in addition to celebrating his birthday, Dinklage and his wife Erica Schmidt recently announced that she is pregnant with their first child.

I Have Cable TV Again!

For the past two weeks, this Bunny has been without TV - and it drove me absolutely insane. After our Dish Network account was cancelled by our outgoing roommate, my remaining roomie and I decided to change over to Time-Warner - which took some time to happen but they finally installed yesterday.

So I spent most of last night catching up on HBO's Game of Thrones - which features the delicious Jason Momoa (above and below)...

... and the handsome Kit Harington...

I haven't spent that much time vegging out on the couch in front of the TV in ages - and it was absolute heaven.

And while we're on the topic of Game of Thrones (and couches) - you can go ahead and file this under: "OMG, David Is SO Gay!" -

When I first started hearing about "Game of Thrones", I thought people were saying "Game of THROWS". And I couldn't figure out how anyone could come up with a GAME based on couch throws and pillows - and why in the hell they'd make a TV series about it.

No, I'm not kidding. And YES ... my extreme gayness sometimes amazes even myself.

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Red Carpet Cutie - Victor Rasuk

I literally gasped at my desk after seeing this picture (above) over at Tom & Lorenzo's blog. This gentleman is 27-year-old Victor Rasuk, the Harlem-born Dominican actor/cutie I fell in love with after seeing Raising Victor Vargas back in 2002. Yes, he was only 18 years-old at the time ... but if loving Victor Vargas Rasuk is wrong, I don't want to be right:

Rasuk was attending the NYC premiere of the HBO's Mildred Pierce remake - so I checked to see he makes an appearance in the miniseries, but no such luck. However, Rasuk DOES co-star in How To Make It In America (also on HBO) - a show that will be stalked as soon as I get home, thankyouverymuch.

Triangle: Remembering The Fire

Last night I watched Triangle: Remembering The Fire, an HBO documentary which commemorates the 100 anniversary of NYC's Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.

The filmmakers interviewed many of the descendants of the victims/survivors of the fire - a tragedy that still haunts New Yorkers to this very day. Most memorable for me was a firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center on 9/11/01 and witnessed people jumping from the towers - just as his grandfather (also a NYC firefighter) had witnessed when his grandfather responded to the Triangle fire back in 1911.

Also interesting was the discussion of how relevant this century-old tragedy is today. Because of what happened in Greenwich Village on that horrible day, the labor movement was able to grow and increase their advocacy for worker's rights. The same rights that wingnut conservatives are trying to do away with at this very moment.

BTW - the building which housed the Triangle factory still stands (below) and is owned and used by New York University. Every year a remembrance ceremony is held at the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place (outside the building), where local schoolchildren read the names of the victims and place flowers at a makeshift memorial.

A Glimpse Of Paradise Lost - Via HBO

Gothamist reports that HBO is currently filming scenes for Boardwalk Empire in Brooklyn's landmarked, gaslamp-lit old Gage & Tollner restaurant. Although Gage & Tollner was open for over 100 years (it closed in 2004), the Fulton Street space is better known throughout the DustBunnyNation as the home of a short-lived but fabulous Arby's. I wonder if it still has that delicious aroma of roast beef and curly fries?

Who Approved This????

I hadn't heard that HBO was remaking one of the greatest movies of all time - Mildred Pierce - and turning it into a miniseries until yesterday, and I'm shocked and appalled.  Listen, I like Kate Winslet (above) just as much as the next queen - but we're talking about Mildred EFFIN' Pierce here (AKA "Mildred FIERCE")!! This was the role Joan Crawford was born to play!! Furthermore, Evan Rachel Wood (Queen Sophie-Anne on True Blood) plays the spoiled, ungrateful daughter.  Blasphemy!!

The next thing you know they'll be remaking Psycho with Anne Heche in the Janet Leigh role and Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates!!  Oh ... wait ... nevermind ...

Speaking of True Blood, did anyone watch the finale? It kinda left me flat - too many open story lines, including some I don't care about at all (Jason/Crystal, Sam/his brother, and Arlene/her demon baby, for example).  I just want to see Eric, Pam, Alcide and Lafayatte (and his hot Brujo) and not so much everyone else.  Oh, and I also love Hoyt (and his crazy Mama) and Jessica.

Anywhore, what did YOU think of the finale??

Catching Up On True Blood

Yesterday I finally got caught up with True Blood and I got my first glimpse of werewolf Alcide Herveaux (above) - played by the über-sexy Joe Manganiello (see a previous post HERE).  Oh ... Em ... Gee - that werewolf makes ME want to howl at the moon.

Is anybody else watching True Blood this season??

I Cannot Wait...

... for June 13th!

via Wonder Man

We Know What You Did Last Session...

Outrage - the documentary which "outs" closeted gay politicians who actively pursue anti-gay agendas - airs tonight at 9:00 pm on HBO. Unsurprisingly, 90% off these hypocrites are Republicans.

Outrage will names names (and places and body parts). As a result, I hear that Florida's Republican Governor Charlie Crist (below) may want to lay low for awhile...

Thirsty?

This creeps me out a little ... a real Tru Blood beverage is coming out next month. It is described as a blood-orange carbonated beverage with a slightly tart and lightly sweet taste. I forsee every creepy weirdo in the world drinking Tru Blood for it's "shock value". And the Goth kids (are there still Goth kids?) are going to LOVE IT.

BTW, True Blood (the show, not the beverage) airs tonight on HBO - and things are getting REALLY interesting. With Sookie getting captured, Bill's Maker coming back, Jason hooking up with the Preacher's wife, and the whole Tara/Eggs/Marianne cult thing going on - I am ready for a few answers.

My absolute favorite True Blood character this season is Jessica. She cracks me up ...

The Gates, Central Park, NY 1979-2005

Over the weekend I watched The Gates, Central Park, New York 1979-2005 - an HBO documentary about the art installation known simply as "The Gates". While watching the film I learned that artist Christo (below right) and his wife Jeanne-Claude had to fight with NYC officials for 25 years before they got the OK for the two-week project. Mayors Koch, Dinkins and Giuliani would not let them install the project in Central Park - but Mayor Michael Bloomberg finally gave the green light after he was elected.

After years of battling and planning, the artists - with the help of an army of volunteers - installed 7,503 vinyl "gates" along 23 miles (37 km) of pathways in the park during the winter of 2005. It was paid for completely by the artists.

On February 12, 2005, volunteers and elected officials simultaneously released the saffron-colored nylon fabric which was rolled up in the top of the gates. When the nylon was unfurled, the fabric flapped and swayed in the winter wind for two weeks.

Some people HATED the project - calling it "The Gates of Hell" and comparing it to a automated Car Wash. I was skeptical, but the first time I entered Central Park and walked under the gates (it was nighttime and had started to snow), I was instantly enchanted.

If you get a chance, take a look at The Gates on HBO.

Grey Gardens

Did anyone else see Grey Gardens on HBO over the weekend? If not, you really should try to see it. Drew Barrymore portrays "Little Edie" Beale (Jackie O's cousin) - and Jessica Lange plays "Big Edie", Jackie O's aunt and Little Edie's mother.

However, you really should see the original documentary first. The original Grey Gardens was released in 1975 and showed the Beales living in their ramshackle East Hampton mansion - Grey Gardens. The house was falling apart and disgusting - filled with garbage, cats (and cat urine and feces), and even raccoons. The documentary is heartbreaking, bizarre, life-affirming and mesmerizing ... all at the same time.

The HBO version is just as entertaining and mesmerizing - and it contains some background information which shows how these women got into the situation they ended up in. Jessica Lange gives an AMAZING performance as the elder Beale who relies on her daughter for everything.

One of the things the ladies do (in the documentary and in the HBO movie) is sing and dance. In fact, Little Edie mentions she is putting together a cabaret act. Sure enough, after her mother died, "Little" Edith Bouvier Beale - then 60 years old - performed at a Greenwich Village Club called Reno Sweeney. She did 8 shows over New Year's week in 1978 - and received horrible reviews.

After her nightclub debut, Little Edie sold Grey Gardens and moved to Florida - where she died in 2002.

The current owners of Grey Gardens - journalist Sally Quinn and former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee - completely restored the mansion to its former glory. However, it is said that during long periods of rain, when the wood-framed home gets very wet, the smell of cat urine returns and they must vacate until things dry out.

Little Britain USA

Little Britain USA is an American spinoff of the British BBC series Little Britain, which stars David Walliams (below left) and Matt Lucas (below right). It is a brilliant sketch comedy, with Walliams and Lucas playing most of the characters. The picture below is of characters "Lou and Andy" - British tourists visiting the United States.

One of my favorite characters is transvestite "Emily Howard", below. "She" walks around saying "I am a LADY", although everyone knows that "she" is a man. When asked where "she" is from, Emily always replies "from the Olden Days!". When asked what "she" does, she replies "I am a LADY, I do LADY things ... I bathe in rose petals ... I skip through meadows ... I play the harp..."

But my favorite character is "Carol Beer" (below) - the nasty receptionist at a Pennsylvania hospital. She is rude to the patients, and is constantly consulting her computer monitor. "Computer says NO!" is her favorite phrase.

You can catch old episodes on HBO, and HBO On-Demand. There are only six shows, but they are well worth your time.

True Blood: Season Finale

**SPOILER ALERT**

Did anyone else watch the season finale of True Blood on HBO last night? OMFG - I love that show. First of all, I always thought there was something weird about René. (played by Michael Raymond-James, below) Did they explain why René faked his accent, and why he killed those "vampire lovers" (besides the fact that he HATED vamps)?? I must admit, I watch TV with my laptop in front of me - so I sometimes get distracted.

And HELLO "Eggs"! - played by former Desperate Housewives cast member (and HOTTIE) Mehcad Brooks. I predict a future Daddy of the Day post for Mehcad...

And since it IS White Meat Monday, here are some pics of hottie Ryan Kwanten, who plays Jason Stackhouse...

All in all, it was a pretty good ending, and they really "teased" the next season: Is Lafayette DEAD??; What's up with that Maryann "Social Worker" Beeyotch??; And how are Sam and Maryann connected??

But then I read on MikeInBama's BLOG that the new season of True Blood won't begin until NEXT SUMMER! That totally sucks.