For whatever reason — more alcohol, fewer fawning montages and less strictness in general — the Golden Globes are looser, funnier and generally better TV than their big brother, the Oscars. Years of Golden Globes shows have seen their fair share of nuttiness, from Elizabeth Taylor’s sadly strange yelling of “Glaaaadiator!” in 2001 to the Rat Pack hijacking the show in 1958. Read about more embarrassing moments here.

 

This year, the big story was Jodie Foster and her sprawling, sort-of coming-out speech upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award. Whether from the pressure of being in the spotlight for nearly the entirety of her cognizant life, and/or the added pressures of those pushing her to reveal details of her personal life and the criticisms of her friend, Mel Gibson (whose googly eyed expression took to memesville), Foster chose to use her time at the podium to air her frustrations in a defensive, almost bitter but fiercely real speech.

Sorry about my jenky screen grabs. Celeb photos 'R' expensive.

I’m still processing what happened — regardless of how blase it may seem when a famous person whom everyone presumes is gay comes out of the closet, it’s still a big deal for its ripple effects. Foster’s speech didn’t make me feel sorry for her, but it did make me like her even more. It’s clear she’s reached the don’t-give-a-fuck stage of her life and career, at age 50, after starring in more than 70 films, directing three and producing several more, and winning two Oscars. Her candidness and awkwardness was a big breath of fresh air during a televised awards show, most of which tend to be rife with unrelenting ass-kissing. Read her entire speech here. See more coming-out speeches here.

San Francisco's annual Fleet Week is over, but I'm still reeling in its aftermath. Every year on the last day of the air show I get together with a few good friends, pack a picnic and some drinks and head to a good vantage point to watch a few fly-boys do what they do best; that is, make a spectacle of their exceptional flying skills. Every day, the show is punctuated by an exemplary performance put on by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels who exhibit nothing but aviation at its extreme finest. It seems like everyone in San Francisco has something to say about the Angels, whether its the oft repeated dour expression of dislike or the rare wide-eyed, glowing expression of praise. Perhaps that's because their presence is impossible to ignore -- it's not every day that one hears what sounds like God taking a seam ripper to the sky. (Thankfully, the Fleet Week air shows did not coincide with the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival this year, much to the delight of all the music lovers who flocked to Golden Gate Park.) I, for one, enjoy their ear-trembling display of non-normalcy. I understand those who argue that the Angels represent a militaristic waste of tax dollars and non-renewable resources, that they're noisy and scary, and that they exist essentially as a weapon, but just look at what they do! There really is nothing quite like them. No matter what is said against them I stand firmly planted on my ground of wondering what the hell possesses people to push themselves to such limits. Whether what they do is deemed right or wrong in your eyes, chances are what they do is something you can't fathom. It is the stuff of dreams and they, the Blue Angels, are like flying rattlesnakes waking you from your sleepy-head, from a world obsessed with headlines, deadlines and the horrid notion of the possibility of bread lines. 

After the show my friends and I settled in for some pints and pitchers at a local pub. To my surprise there were more than a few sailors and Naval officers among the bar patrons. Like the Angels, their presence could not be ignored: handsome young men, clean cut in crispy white uniforms, shiny shoes and the hats hats hats all piled up on a ledge, I imagine for the purpose of keeping them tidy while they watched football or played air hockey. There was certainly a hat for every serviceman in the joint: starchy white and rounded sailors caps and wide-brimmed and polished officer's hats adorned in gold ornaments and filigree. Put together with the flamboyant aircraft we'd watched all afternoon, this picture of seamen at play reminded me of a movie, hard. This meeting of the real and the fantasy of the days' dealings was noticed by everyone and so when it was declared, in friendly buzzing slurs, that before the end of the night Top Gun must be seen, the decision was unanimous. I hadn't seen the film in quite some time and the thought of having to see it with such friends as those who, like me, so suddenly cultured a need for speed sent me into a frenzy of excitement. 

 30 Rock Season 1 is out on DVD at last!


Ex-SNLer Tina Fey writes and produces the show. I never paid much attention to SNL, but when I did I always thought Tina was onto something. I feel like she knows what it is like to be a real life woman, and for this, I salute her. She knows what it's like to find women who care about highlighting their hair or finding that perfect nail shop completely alien. She knows what it is like to be the not-as-cute friend, the one who watches quietly while her more high maintenance pals score dates. She knows what it is like to finally get a date and then feel so awkward in that world that one can't imagine how anyone actually forms a real relationship.

In other words, what I like best about Tina Fey and her writing is that she isn't afraid to just be herself. Isn't that refreshing? What kind of world would we have if more people felt comfortable and confident enough to just be themselves? But in the meantime, let's just say, the ratings for this show have not been good. Ah, America.

30 Rock takes place on the set of a variety show that Liz Lemon (Fey) and her old blonde friend Jenna (Jane Krakowski) created. Liz is the head writer of the show and Jenna stars on it ... Until one day a new boss who is used to running the corporate headquarters of General Electric, Jack (Alec Baldwin), bursts their bubble and hires unstable movie star Tracey Jordan (Tracey Morgan) to headline the show.