In case you haven't heard yet, Melody Ehsani is doing the damn thing. Based out of L.A., this steady-on-the-come-up designer has recently made accessory pieces for none other than Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu. Not only that, but those pieces were worn on the Super Bowl, the Grammys, and a recent critically-acclaimed album cover. Yes indeed.
Mel is hot to death and recently custom-made ME a pair of earrings which I am so in love with that I would honestly marry them if I could. ;)
Her style is inventive, edgy, a little retro, a little hip-hop, and a lot of sexy (and you KNOW I love the sexy). Thankfully my partner-in-crime/business partner T. Coles is extra cool with this creative and talented woman, and was able to orchestrate the introduction so that I could personally correspond with her and see just how intelligent, appreciative, and radiant she is.
Do yourselves a favor and check out her goods at melodyehsani.com. If you don't get in on the ground level now, you WILL be left in the dust when she has a waiting list a mile long.
(Happy Birthday Melody!!!)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
New Designer Spotlight: Melody Ehsani
Remy Ma Goin' To Jail
Remy Ma Found Guilty In Shooting Of Friend, Faces Up To 25 Years In Jail
By Jayson Rodriguez
Remy Ma was found guilty on two charges of assault Thursday (March 27) in Manhattan Supreme Court. She faces up to 25 years if convicted on both counts.
The rapper, 26, wiped away tears as the verdict was read, then "wailed loudly and sobbed openly" as she left the courtroom in handcuffs, according to The Associated Press.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred last July when the rapper and Makeda Barnes-Joseph argued after leaving a mutual acquaintance's birthday party. Remy Ma alleged Barnes-Joseph stole several thousand dollars from her purse that night; Barnes-Joseph was shot after the two struggled in her car. Remy Ma fled the scene in an SUV but crashed nearby. Neither the money nor the weapon have been found.
Charges of tampering and gang assault, related to the case, were thrown out, the rapper's attorney, Ivan Fisher, told MTV News on Thursday. Sentencing for the case is scheduled for April 22.
You can read the rest of the article here.
MISS TLC SAYS: Alls I know is Lil' Kim done been there before (AND didn't cry in court might I add), so she's BOUND to write a song bout' this part right here...
The rapper, 26, wiped away tears as the verdict was read, then "wailed loudly and sobbed openly" as she left the courtroom in handcuffs, according to The Associated Press.
Miss TLC's Album Covers Class
I've seen some crazy ish out there lately, so I just felt the need to approach the subject.
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This is a hot cover:
It grabs the buyer's attention and is bright and sexy and represents the style of the music on that particular album.
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This is not:
It just scares the buyer away and could possibly give some children nightmares (and not just because it kinda looks like Michael).
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This is really cool, but she seems to love that "look at my stick thin legs" pose and the airbrushing of such a stance, so she should probably step up her variety:
For instance, another album photo leaked this week (I guess it's from inside the liner notes) and it's TERRIBLY fake:
And here are two more of her covers:
Don't people realize they need to just step AWAY from the Photoshop sometimes???
Like I just received the current issue of my Bunny Shop catalog (stop, you know I love the Playboy brand) and THIS was on the cover:
HER FACE DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE A HUMAN BEING!!!!!!!
I know that girl, and she's naturally pretty (not as much as me, but still...lol) so I don't get what the need was to airbrush her photo so intensely. Is that a current sexual fantasy I don't know about? Guys want girls who look like wax statues or mannequins???
Out of control.
And by the way...
Mimi done stole her album title from none other than.......
.......... Giorgio Moroder!!! Mr. Disco-Man-Yeah-I-Did-The-Music-For-Scarface himself. I'm not even sure if Mariah knows this album exists but me LOVEY the cover.
I mean really though. Check out that hardware on his chest. Hotness.
On Sale Soon
A MISS TLC NYC CONCERT ALERT:
Erykah Badu
Radio City Music Hall
New York, NY
Fri, 05/09/08
on sale: 03/28/08
M.I.A.
McCarren Park Pool
Brooklyn, NY
Fri, 06/06/08
on sale: 03/29/08
Danity Kane, Day 26 & Donnie Klang
Nokia Theatre Times Square
New York, NY
Thu, 05/22/08
on sale: 03/29/08
And just because I love you all, here's the presale info for Erykah (with special guest The Roots) which you can utilize today:
Erykah Badu
With Special Guest The Roots
Radio City Music Hall • Friday, May 9
PRESALE: Thursday, 3/27 from 9AM – 9PM
Use Code: HEAMERYKAH
Buy your tickets right away since there is limited availability!
Click here to purchase your tickets and be sure to use promotional code HEAMERYKAH.
* To purchase tickets for any of the above events, click here for Ticketmaster now.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Ms. Dupre (and I don't mean Janet)
I know a lot of you have been asking me for my take on the whole Eliot Spitzer scandal. Truthfully, it blew up so quickly, and became such a media clusterf*ck, that I just couldn't stomach posting something more about it myself at the time. But now that the smoke has cleared somewhat, I'll give you a taste of the Miss TLC take. 
In a nutshell:
1. I don't think Ashley Alexandra Dupre is cute at all. She's quite plain looking.
2. Eliot's wife was a complete fool for standing next to a man who chose to risk his family's safety (requesting sex without a condom from PROSTITUTES) all for the sake of some new, young ass.
3. Ashley's MySpace song S-U-C-K-E-D (and I don't mean in the good way that she got paid thousands for during her day job).
4. Eliot had it coming to him. His whole purpose in life was to take people down. Well now he got his just desserts and got taken down himself by a 22 year old Jersey Shore escapee. Yeck.
5. Ashley's songs were terrible.
6. Joe Francis is not the loser in this equation. For as long as there is light, there will always be pathetic chicks looking for attention and validation from the opposite sex, who will act a fool and stop at nothing to get it. Joe just happens to films their antics and get paid off it. I ain't mad at that. (Unless of course the girls are under the influence of drugs or alcohol supplied by Joe, convinced to lie about their age if they are not adults, and/or coerced into doing something they didn't want to do.)
7. Ashley can NOT sing.
8. The broke-ass wannabe rappers that all claimed on the news that Ashley was a complete sweetheart who they never would've expected this from were only trying to get on her good side so they could negotiate a good price for the ass when she came back home to them.
9. I still think McGreevey's press conference was WAY more shocking and embarrassing to his family.
10. Ashley's songs should not have gotten radio play once the scandal hit... because they were TERRIBLE.
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AND NOW FOR MY IN-DEPTH TAKE ON WHORES... I MEAN PROSTITUTES... I MEAN GIRLS LIKE ASHLEY...
When the news first broke that "Kristen" was a 22 year old Jersey native who came to the big city to work on her budding music career, people stupidly felt bad for her. They said she had a rough childhood (according to her MySpace page), and treated her like the victim. Well she's not people. Plenty of girls from her old school came forth to saw that Ash's toughest "hardship" growing up in Jerz was when she crashed her stepdad's Porsche and he refused to get a new one for her to motor around town in. Like the spoiled brat that she was, they claimed she retaliated by picking up and moving to another state where she was quickly became known in her new school as a fast-ass chick who thought nothing of drinking and experimenting with drugs while earning a "sordid reputation".
A girl like Ashley is filled with blind ambition. She wanted to be a famous singer, and figured she would do whatever it took to get a taste of fame and meet "influential" NY-ers who could introduce her to the right connections. Again, the general public felt bad for "young, abused, naive Ashley" at first. That was until another pimp (Jason Itzler) came forth to claim Ashley used to work for him back when she was 19, and loved her job so much that she was always asking for more "ASSignments". As if that wasn't enough, photos were published in the NY Post soon after of a nude photo shoot Ms. Dupre did to help jumpstart her "career". But THENNNN the real bombshell hit. It turns out that in order to celebrate her 18th birthday, little "naive and humble" Ashley decided to party it up in Miami by working for "Girls Gone Wild" for two weeks "performing" at parties and appearing on the bus tours. What a winner she really is.
Here's my real problem with this whole thing. Publicizing this kind of crap day in and day out on the news and in the newspapers and magazines, only leaves an impression on young girls who are trying to figure out their own path in life. Hey, who wouldn't want to make $4K an hour making older, ugly, boring men feel better about their sex lives? Ick.
Well now's the time for me to send my message to those impressionable youth (and also the slutty older chicks who think girls like Ashley are feminist heroes who learned to make money off of what God gave them).
Allowing someone to have sex with you is one of the most personal things you can offer as a woman. Due to the sheer nature of male/female biology, woman have to accept someone inside of them when having sex. For this reason, you only devalue yourself more and more each time you let someone take that from you when you (1) hardly even know them, (2) aren't in a relationship with them, (3) don't have "feelings" for them, and/or (4) allow for direct monetary compensation as a result of the act. When you put a price on your body, you admit that you should and could be objectified, which in turn only disconnects your sexuality from you as a living, breathing, emotional being. One of the best gifts you can share with someone that you genuinely care about is to let them experience that side of you... the side that everyone doesn't get to see. When you choose to pose nude for a magazine or dance naked in a strip club, the plan is to usually allow people to "see you" in your most natural state, but not allow them to "touch you". In a sense you are teasing them, and even though you are still cheapening yourself by putting it all on display to every Tom, Dick, and Harry who walks in the room you are dancing in, you are still holding back something to yourself. This is not always the case (there are after all ALWAYS the high roller champagne rooms of course), and I am not condoning stripping, however, I think that it is CLEARLY light years away from offering SEX for dough. To actually charge people to take whatever they want from you on a sexual level, only shows that you are nothing more than a vessel with a price. The WORST WORST WORST reaction to this whole line of work is when ignorant, sad girls say "it's the ones who DON'T get paid for it that are the true dummies, I know what I can make off my pu**y and so I'm gonna get mine". You have to realize that once you put a price on sleeping with you, whomever else you choose to get involved with in your life (as a boyfriend or lover) from that point on, can never truly feel like they "won" something with a special girl they are interested in. You are not a challenge, and you are not choosy in any way, shape, or form. Instead, those poor men will always be reminded that they may be getting it for free, but bottom line, they are still just inhabiting a piece of land that has had many settlers before them (which is just completely gross to me). For girls like Ashley, they are not taking this big picture into account when they choose to become hookers. Ashley was young, and looking to "make it big", and wasn't planning for how she'd feel 10 years down the line. Yeah sure, she made a good chunk of money working for The Emperor's Club, and Jason Itzler before them, but even $5K an hour doesn't really seem like that much money when you truly analyze what you are relinquishing in return. In other words, even $5 million dollars isn't worth it for me to give up my dignity and my sense of self as an exclusively, special, gift of a woman. Ashley didn't really get over on anyone in the end. Yes, she finally got her songs played on the radio, but she had to do a lot more than kiss a bunch of frogs to meet that "prince", and that's really the saddest part of all.
Quick Question
Do Nelly and Janet just pretend the video below never happened a few years ago? 
(Cuz I sure would if I was them.)
Preach Dlisted Preach! ;)
One of my most favorite sites posted this about Paris Hilton's new show line, and I must say I 100% agree. All of my loyal readers know I LOVES me some shoes (in case this is your first time here, check the slideshow above), but you couldn't pay ME to wear any of that pinch your toes, instant blisters, smells like cheap plastic crap. Granted, I have a ton of shoes, and they range in price. So I am not a shoe snob... well to an extent. I'm just saying that you don't need to pay $500 on every pair to look fly. I have hot shoes that were $50 and $60. It's the look and feel that really matters, and I do NOT do tacky. Those my friend, are TACK-Y. Yeck.
Making Fun of a Teenager's Engagement Ring Size Is Never Funny
Everyone is clamoring over the rumors that Jamie Lynn Spears is currently wearing an engagement ring. First of all, she's preggers, so if it makes her (or her babydaddy) feel better to get engaged (or at least just act like it), then more power to them. Secondly, the fact that media outlets are now recruiting jewelers to appraise the thing over email is sick and twisted. Sadly enough, I'm serious.
Check this out:
Jamie Lynn's Ring: Just What Does It Mean?
Jamie Lynn Spears amped up her own engagement rumors Tuesday by showing off a sparkly rock during a Kentwood, La., coffee run. 
But while she took no pains to hide her blinged-out hand, the 16-year-old wouldn't address reports that her boyfriend, Casey Aldridge, 18, proposed—even as one of his cousins confirmed the betrothal to Us Weekly. (That's one less family member to put on the guest list.)
Of course, if it is an engagement ring, she's wearing it on the wrong hand. But those Spears sisters always have done things...uh, a little differently.
With that in mind, E! News tapped celebrity jeweler Cynthia Wolff, who designed older sister Britney’s engagement ring in 2004, for her take on Jamie Lynn's new bauble: Wolff says the ring "looks like a round diamond, very 1980s, with a yellow gold band. It looks like a wedding set with two different bands."
The jeweler estimates the ring is only about a half carat in size and probably cost between $8,000 to $10,000 if it was custom made. It could cost less if bought off the shelf.
No word on a price if the ring were procured from a Cracker Jack box, but a couple of bucks sounds about right.
Eonline.com
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MISS TLC SAYS: Are you kidding me? She is like 12 years old first of all. If her boyfriend gave her a ring for an engagement, a pick-me-up, or a thank you for having his baby, it's still a nice thing regardless. And what would you all say if she ended up with a piece worth over 50K!!?!?!? Let me guess... "How sad, Jamie Lynn must've bought her own ring the same way her big sis had to buy hers." Sheesh.
Chart Chat
This week's top 20 albums:
1. DANITY KANE "WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE" 236,192 units sold
2. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC "VOL. 27" 170,210 units sold
3. RICK ROSS "TRILLA" 90,344 units sold
4. FLO RIDA "MAIL ON SUNDAY" 85,891 units sold
5. JACK JOHNSON "SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC" 67,107 units sold
6. HANNAH MONTANA 2: MEET MILEY C "SOUNDTRACK" 61,485 units sold
7. SNOOP DOGG "EGO TRIPPIN'" 57,251 units sold
8. TAYLOR SWIFT "TAYLOR SWIFT" 56,957 units sold
9. SARA BAREILLES "LITTLE VOICE" 55,237 units sold
10. HANNAH MONTANA / MILEY CYRUS "BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT" 51,059 units sold
11. ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS "SOUNDTRACK" 48,043 units sold
12. JONAS BROTHERS "JONAS BROTHERS" 47,069 units sold
13. ALICIA KEYS "AS I AM" 40,621 units sold
14. ALAN JACKSON "GOOD TIME" 40,078 units sold
15. CARRIE UNDERWOOD "CARNIVAL RIDE" 37,267 units sold
16. KIDZ BOP KIDS "KIDZ BOP 13" 36,392 units sold
17. JANET JACKSON "DISCIPLINE" 33,546 units sold
18. GNARLS BARKLEY "ODD COUPLE" 31,009 units sold
19. COLBIE CAILLAT "COCO" 29,747 units sold
20. RADIO DISNEY "VOL. 10-KIDS JAMS" 29,633 units sold
As everyone expected, MTV has once again helped Danity Kane to sell a ton of albums. It's definitely a big accomplishment for them to have their sophomore album debut at #1. You know Diddy is amped.
Once again, this week's chart is very kid-oriented. Actually, this week is even more juvenile than last week's which is CRAZY.
Look, I'm all for people buying music, but TWO separate Hannah Montana albums, a Jonas Brothers LP, a Kidz Bop Kids release, an Alvin & The Chipmunks soundtrack, and a Radio Disney compilation; besides all the easy listening in Colbie, Taylor, Jack, and Sara is a bit much. Can someone PLEASE come curse their ass off on something next week??? (Just kidding... maybe.)
Monday, March 24, 2008
New DeNiro/Pacino movie... oh, and 50 too.
You've seen the Vibe cover.
You've heard 50's shout outs to Bobby, Al, and Donnie on his latest mixtape.
Well here's the full trailer for "Righteous Kill" (to be released on September 12, 2008).
MISS TLC SAYS: Hmm. I'm a big DeNiro fan, but I think that pairing him with Pacino is always a novelty move. It's as if the sheer star power of the two of them together emanates off the screen in such a way that it overpowers the actual movie and literally blinds you from seeing the characters at hand. Also, I think Pacino is way past his prime and just seems like a caricature of his former self at this point. That being said, I did like "Heat" (just didn't love it), so I might really like this one as well. The soundtrack definitely seems cool though. And besides DeNiro and Pacino, John Leguizamo, Carlo Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, and 50 Cent are also in this flick so it might just be really good.
Starbucks Tips
In case you haven't heard about this unique case yet...
Starbucks Ordered to Pay Millions in Tips
By CHELSEA J. CARTER,AP
Posted: 2008-03-21 11:26:23
SAN DIEGO (March 20) - A Superior Court judge on Thursday ordered Starbucks to pay its California baristas more than $100 million in back tips that the coffee chain paid to shift supervisors.
Saying baristas were entitled to $86 million in back tips plus interest, San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cowett also issued an injunction preventing Starbucks' shift supervisors from sharing in future tips.
Cowett said the practice was a violation of a state law prohibiting managers and supervisors from sharing in employee tips.
Starbucks Corp. spokeswoman Valerie O'Neil said the company planned an immediate appeal, calling the ruling "fundamentally unfair and beyond all common sense and reason."
The lawsuit was filed in October 2004 by Jou Chou, a former Starbucks barista in La Jolla, who complained shift supervisors were sharing in employee tips.
The lawsuit gained ground in 2006 when it was granted class action status, allowing for the suit to go forward for as many as 100,000 former and current baristas in Starbucks's California stores.
"I feel vindicated," Chou said in a written statement released by attorneys. "Tips really help those receiving the lowest wages. I think Starbucks should pay shift supervisors higher wages instead of taking money from the tip pool."
California is Starbucks' largest U.S. market, with 2,460 stores as of Jan. 8, the latest count available. The company has more than 11,000 stores nationwide.
Starbucks earned more than $672 million on revenue of $9.4 billion during its fiscal 2007, which ended Sept. 30.
The coffee company also took issue with the brevity of Cowett's ruling, which was only four paragraphs, saying the judge failed to address the unfairness to shift supervisors.
"This case was filed by a single former barista and, despite Starbucks request, the interests of the shift supervisors were not represented in litigation," O'Neil said.
Terry Chapko, an attorney for the baristas, said the ruling was a victory, but the case was far from over.
"Starbucks should be paying their shift supervisors a supervisory wage, not compensating them through tips that legally belong to baristas," he said.
Source
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MISS TLC SAYS: Here's the thing. At first, I felt bad for the workers getting cheated out of their tips and then I thought WHY ARE THEY RECEIVING TIPS IN THE FIRST PLACE?!!?!?! They aren't driving me somewhere, doing my nails, parking my car, bringing my luggage upstairs, cutting my hair, or WAITING on me. They are doing their job. Now you know I love me some Starbucks, but the tip thing is out of control nowadays. You see tip cups at every register around NYC. I happen to tip really well when it comes to all of the things I named above. However, a lot of those people LIVE on tips. Waitresses/waiters make peanuts, and hardly ever receive benefits packages. Starbucks is actually a great company to work for. They pay a competitive salary, and they offer full benefits as well so I really don't see the need to feel like I should tip the cashier or barista if my coffee was good... IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, I PAID $5 FOR IT! :)
Friday, March 21, 2008
What Are You Wearing?
MISS TLC SAYS: I'm still really confused by this coat. There are felt patches of squirrels on it... squirrels. And I don't even know what the blob in the middle of the two squirrels on the back is supposed to be. Hmm. There are even more squirrels on the pockets. Squirrels.
(We have avoided showing the face of the accused fashion violator so as to spare her the embarrassment. We here at The Wonderful World of Miss TLC love to point out fashion violations, and odd happenings in NYC, but we aren't trying to put someone's face on blast. If someone happens to come to the site, and can tell that they know the person just from their back, or their feet, or their clothes, so be it, but I don't show faces here.)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Watch Britney on "How I Met Your Mother"
Britney looks fantastic! And she seems to have totally got the sarcastic humor thing down as well...
MISS TLC SAYS: I'm happy for her. Hopefully this is only a sign of many, many, many more good things to come for her. I know crazy sells, but I hate to see anyone fall so hard and so fast. Get better Brit!
And for those of you who don't remember, Britney was on another hit sitcom a couple years back, and got great reviews for her tongue-in-cheeck turn on that one as well. For your viewing pleasure, Britney on "Will & Grace" in 2006...
Chart Chat
This week's top 20 albums:
1. RICK ROSS "TRILLA" 198,375 units sold
2. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC "VOL. 27" 168,809 units sold
3. SNOOP DOGG "EGO TRIPPIN'" 136,575 units sold
4. JACK JOHNSON "SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC" 55,280 units sold
5. ALAN JACKSON "GOOD TIME" 53,121 units sold
6. FAT JOE "ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM" 46,125 units sold
7. SARA BAREILLES "LITTLE VOICE" 40,088 units sold
8. JANET JACKSON "DISCIPLINE" 37,560 units sold
9. ERYKAH BADU "NEW AMERYKAH PART ONE (4TH WORLD ORDER)" 34,808 units sold
10. HANNAH MONTANA / MILEY CYRUS "BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT" 34,295 units sold
11. VARIOUS ARTISTS "80'S: NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC" 33,904 units sold
12. TAYLOR SWIFT "TAYLOR SWIFT" 32,600 units sold
13. ALICIA KEYS "AS I AM" 31,839 units sold
14. AMY WINEHOUSE "BACK TO BLACK" 28,360 units sold
15. ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS "SOUNDTRACK" 26,188 units sold
16. HANNAH MONTANA 2: MEET MILEY CYRUS "SOUNDTRACK" 25,910 units sold
17. JONAS BROTHERS "JONAS BROTHERS" 22,689 units sold
18. COLBIE CAILLAT "COCO" 21,729 units sold
19. FLOGGING MOLLY "FLOAT" 21,704 units sold
20. ONEREPUBLIC "DREAMING OUT LOUD" 21,314 units sold
Besides Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, and Fat Joe, this is a VERY family-friendly chart filled with lovely, light music. I mean seriously, Disney is KICKING ASS. The Jonas Brothers AND 2 (count 'em 2) Miley Cyrus albums in the top 20? Go 'head Walt.
It's nice to see so much other "chill" music as well. I'm definitely more of a hip-hop/R&B chick, but I like a little of everything, and I think it says a lot about the state of music right now that there is so much nicey nice stuff out (Sarah, Colbie, Jack, Alicia, Taylor and a couple Now! compilations).
I KNOWWWWWWW Rick Rawwwwwwwwws is hella happy about his #1 debut. Honestly, I liked his first album (leave me alone), but I didn't expect a second from him. So for it to come in at #1? Well go Ricky Rick. No really, go. ;)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
9021-Oh Give Me A Break Already
From People.com...
TV NEWS
Writer Dishes 90210 Spinoff Details
March 19, 2008
There’s a new family moving into the exclusive 90210 zip code.
Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is penning the pilot for the CW’s spinoff Beverly Hills, 90210, and though he didn’t mention the do-good Walsh family from the original made famous in the ’90s, he revealed some details about the new family.
“The guy who gets hired as the new principal brings his family of four from Kansas to Beverly Hills. The principal, himself, graduated from West Beverly High School,” he said. “The grandmother — the principal’s
mother — is a Julie Christie-like actress who is once again going into rehab.”
The principal is “reluctantly” moving back to his old stomping grounds and bringing his wife, son and daughter with him, he said.
Don’t expect to find everyone gathered at the counter of The Peach Pit, at least not in the pilot, Thomas said, but he hopes to bring the ’50s-style diner popularized in the original version into future episodes of the show.
Of course, the children from the Midwest won’t be living off their parent’s credit cards.
“I think, one or both sibling’s jobs will be at a movie theater,” Thomas said.
Since it is a spinoff, is there any chance we’ll be running into Brandon, Kelly or Dillon?
“There is a plan for bringing back one of the cast members,” but he said he didn’t know which one because “we haven’t talked to any of them.” – Elaine Aradillas
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MISS TLC SAYS: Sounds amazing....... if I was in Junior High School and had nothing better to do with my time than watch a spinoff of a show that's been off the air for years and wasn't even that popular anymore around the time they put it out of its misery. I'll admit, I watched it in the beginning because I was young and there weren't many hour-long dramatic shows on for pre-teens at the time, but I was done once they were adults and started dealing with the "real world". At that point, I only tuned in to see Kelly become a cokehead. THOSE episodes were fantastic, and Jennie Garth should've won an Emmy for REALS. LOL. Don't get me wrong, I am not condoning the use of drugs in any way. Drugs are only for pathetic girls with no self esteem who think they look cool and will get positive attention off their loose lifestyle... whatever chicas. However, it IS funny to watch perfect little Miss Kelly Taylor spiral down into a world of coke whore-dom with her badass boyfriend Colin.
And now for your enjoyment, Kelly does coke...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Where Have I Seen You Before? - Blair's Dad's Boyfriend on "Sex and the City" Edition
As I was watching an old episode of "Sex and the City" last night on The CW, I happened upon a familiar face. It's was Blair's Dad's boyfriend Roman from the Gossip Girl episode "Roman Holiday"! You know him...
...well it turns out he was also Tony, Carrie's Prada salesperson friend who tried to coerce Berger to buy the infamous red Prada shirt in the "Lights, Camera, Relationship" episode... 
(Yes, she also tries to set him up with Charlotte.)
MISS TLC SAYS: In case you are interested, his real name is William Abadie, and he also has a small part in the new series "Cashmere Mafia".
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Rolling Stone Endorses Obama (the mag, not the group) ;)
And here's a pic of his cover:
MISS TLC SAYS: Nooooooooo thankey. I am not a fan of the Superman/cartoonish vibe at all.
"21": The Movie
MISS TLC SAYS: I've been waiting for this movie to be released for quite some time. The backstory (for those who don't know) is that an excerpt of the book this movie is based on, "Bringing Down The House" was published in Playboy magazine about 5 years ago. Kevin Spacey read the excerpt (you know, because he only reads Playboy for the articles...), and instantly put wheels in motion to arrange for him to buy the option to eventually turn the story into a movie. The book, written by Ben Mezrich, was originally released in September 2003, and I naturally ran to get a copy right away (because you know... I love any and all movies and books about gambling, Vegas, and extremely intelligent people). [And as you can see on the right below, it's always been listed in my "recommended books" list.] The story itself (about a team of M.I.T. students who trained to become expert card counters before taking Vegas by storm, gradually winning millions on blackjack), has been told many times since (initially through the book, and on plenty of specials and documentaries after that on the Game Show Network, A&E, and the Discovery Channel to name a few). And now FINALLY, Kevin Spacey's original dream is being realized on film. The movie "21" will be released on March 28, 2008.
If you'd like to read a more in-depth article on the inception of this story, click here for a great Casino City Times piece.
A Miss TLC Fashion Intervention
I don't care what the trendspotters say...
...fingerless leather gloves are NEVER a good look.
~ Miss TLC (helping folx to look right since 2006...)
Random Comment
Justin looked REALLY hot with Madge at The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony the other night:
I'm just sayin'. ;)
A Miss TLC Medical Minute
From WebMD...
1 in 4 Teen Girls Infected With an STD
Researchers’ ‘Alarming’ Find: 25% of Teen Girls, Half of African-American Teen Girls Have a Sexually Transmitted Disease
By Todd Zwillich
WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
March 11, 2008
One in four teenage girls in the United States is infected with a sexually transmitted disease, according to data released Tuesday by the CDC.
The figures, based on research conducted in 2003 and 2004, show that nearly one in five girls between 14 and 19 years old is infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause of cervical cancer and genital warts. About one in 25 girls carries chlamydia, a sexually transmitted bacterium.
"What we found is alarming," says Sara Forhan, MD, a CDC researcher who conducted the study among 838 girls nationwide.
"These numbers translate into 3.2 million young women aged 14 to 19 who are infected with an STD," Forhan says.
The study also showed that nearly half of adolescent African-American girls are infected with an STD. Researchers say poorer access to testing for sexually transmitted diseases contributed to the increased STD incidence in that group.
"This does not mean that African-Americans are taking greater risks individually," says John Douglas Jr., MD, director of the CDC's division of STD prevention.
Screening Falling Short
The CDC recommends regular chlamydia screening at least yearly for all sexually active women and for females 25 years old and younger. All pregnant women should also be screened because the infection can pass to the baby during delivery. But only about one-third of females get proper screening, Douglas says.
Experts recommend regular screening primarily because most women with chlamydia infections don't have noticeable symptoms. That means women can carry the infectious for years without knowing they have it, putting them at risk for pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.
The CDC also recommends HPV vaccination for all women and girls between 11 and 26. The vaccine comes in three doses and covers four strains of the virus.
Still, Douglas says STD testing is rife with "missed opportunities." Another study unveiled by the CDC showed that only 40% of female patients who go to a doctor for emergency contraception, such as the "morning after pill," also receive advice and testing for STDs.
Both studies were presented at the National STD Prevention Conference in Chicago.
"An emergency contraception prescription is a missed opportunity because by definition that was unprotected sex," Elizabeth Alderman, MD, director of adolescent medicine at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York, tells WebMD.
Alderman says many clinics don't have easier-to-use urine-based testing for chlamydia.
Douglas says abstinence is "the surest way to prevent getting an STD." The agency also pushes monogamous sexual relationships and the consistent use of condoms, he says.
Alderman says the majority of sexually active teens in her practice use condoms. If you ask, "some of the time, all the time, or most of the time,' you'll usually get a "most of the time," she says.
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MISS TLC SAYS: I'm so disgusted, and scared for the younger generation coming up. Especially in a world where our governor has just been discovered to have spent over 80K on prostitutes that make anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 an hour, it's no wonder that pre-teens look at sex as a recreational act that can and should be performed with as many partners as possible in order to further your own career and development. I can't say it enough: DON'T BE STUPID!!! PROTECT YOURSELF!!!!!!!
NYC Straphangers R So Funny
I saw this poster advertising vodka on the train last month, and LOVE the added comment marker-ed in by a fellow commuter:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Dunkin' Donuts Is A Dunce
Look, I understand why many people are against Starbucks. "They represent corporate America, their prices are too high, they don't give you enough in your cup, they have silly names for their drinks and sizes, they don't like the coffee, blah, blah, blah." But I happen to be a huge fan of Starbucks. I like their espresso-based drinks, and I don't mind the price. Maybe it's because I would never imbibe anything that came off a truck or outdoor stand, or that I don't trust what goes on behind the counter at many delis and neighborhood bodegas, or that I like a wide variety to choose from everyday (even though I most often order the same thing). Or maybe it's just that I GOTS the money, so I can spend it however I choose. ;)
Either way, Dunkin' Donuts has really been trying for the past couple years to take over Starbucks' marketshare by poking fun at their silly names for drinks, and their inflated prices in several commercials. Here's the thing though... Dunkin' Donuts is no longer "cheap". Their mixed coffee drinks are maybe one dollar less than Starbucks, and to me that difference is WELL made up for with the service at both places. I guess DD realized that it's not as easy as it looks to serve something fancier than just regular brewed coffee fast and cheap. The other thing is that they DON'T have as wide of a variety as SB, and they DON'T offer enough healthier choices. DD only offers one "health conscious" drink and that's the Latte Lite (which contains skim milk and Splenda). Starbucks has many, many, many skim milk options, as well as lighter versions of their famous Frappucino drinks (I know, they still aren't perfect), and several sugar-free syrup flavors. ALL of DD's "special" drinks (caramel latte, holiday gingerbread latte, Milky Way hot chocolate) are LOADED with sugar and sweetened mixes. Not only that but their donuts and muffins are full of sugary ingredients and trans fats, AND they continually introduce excessive items (such as the M&M donut shown to the left) as if they are just begging their customers to develop diabetes or at least an unhealthy relationship with sugar. Really? Candy on a donut??? *Sigh*
Here's the other thing. Now I don't know about the rest of the country, but as for NYC, every single Dunkin' Donuts I've ever set foot in is owned and operated by foreigners. That's not the problem. The problem is that these particular foreigners do not speak the language well, hardly know how to run the register, and do not know anything about the products they sell!!! I have repeatedly tried to give them a chance and gone to several different establishments to order a Latte Lite (again, it includes espresso, skim milk, and Splenda AND SAYS SO ON THE MENU RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE NAME) and they constantly ask me if I want sugar (um no, it comes with Splenda), whipped cream (are you kidding me? why would I want whipped cream on a non-whipped-cream health-conscious drink), and if I want the Splenda (huh?). I mean seriously, that's like going into a Starbucks, ordering a Caramel Macchiato and being asked if I want the caramel with that (and by the way, that's never happened to me in the hundreds of Starbucks I've entered in my life). The difference is that baristas (Starbucks coffemakers) are trained. They really have to know what they are doing in order to quickly process orders for "half caf extra dry one pump sugar free vanilla cappucinos", and I appreciate that.
As far as I'm concerned, foreigners can buy and run whatever businesses they like AS LONG AS THEY CAN (A) speak the language, and (B) know about the products they are supposed to be selling (ESPECIALLY when it's a franchise). I shouldn't have to resort to sign language and drawn diagrams to explain what I want in a coffee shop of all places. Just last week, I was running late for a meeting and was nowhere near a Starbucks (I know, how did that happen), and went into a Dunkin' Donuts to order a their new multigrain bagel toasted with reduced fat blueberry cream cheese (which there are posters for all over the city and the stores themselves), and a small iced coffee with skim milk and coconut flavoring, no sugar. Not only did they ask me to repeat myself at least three times, but when I got on the train and took the first sip, I realized I was given a plain coffee (no coconut flavoring), opened the bag to see an UN-toasted bagel, and regular cream cheese. They couldn't even get one thing right! I was furious, and when I got to my destination, there was a new Dunkin' Donuts that just opened right in front of me. So I tossed out my incorrect order and decided I'd try again. This time, when I ordered the bagel combo, they told me "they don't make blueberry cream cheese". I then (with a straight face) pointed to the gigantic sign behind the woman and said "really? because it's advertised right there". She stared for a moment, looked at the other cashier next to her and said "we have that?" and that woman looked at the sign and said "yes". Ok. Got it. The woman then went in the back to get that going for me, and came back two minutes later to laugh and say "I'm sorry, that was a blueberry BAGEL you wanted right?" I didn't even have the strength to answer and so I just walked out.
The Spitzer Sex Scandal
There is so much to say about Elliot Spitzer, but I will bite my tongue and just let the man resign. I mean, he better. Soon. That's all I'll say about the latest scandal to rock a prominent politician. How I WILL address the seedy development though is to bring up David Letterman's take last night. Last night, David Letterman crafted his Top Ten list on The Late Show after shamed NY Governor Elliot Spitzer's latest scandal. I thought it was great. I posted the actual list below for your enjoyment:
Top Ten Eliot Spitzer Excuses
10. Oh come on, like you were never involved in a prostitution ring
9. Hookers is fun
8. Just trying to help the economy
7. Have you ever been to Albany?
6. It's part of my new MTV prank show "Spitz'd"
5. Haven't been myself since Roy Schieder died
4. Uh, tainted beef?
3. Whether it's a hooker or your wife, you're always paying for it -- you married fellas know what I'm talking about
2. Wanted to be known as the Charlie Sheen of politics
1. I thought Bill Clinton legalized this years ago
The Late Show Top Ten
Monday, March 10, 2008
What Are You Wearing?
MISS TLC SAYS: Just when I thought I'd seen the weirdest hat ever on the train (see post from December 11th), I came across this beauty. I understand it can get pretty cold in NYC, but is it really necessary to put a squirrel on your head in order to keep warm??? I honestly looked up and thought Taylor Hicks had gotten on my train.
(We have avoided showing the face of the accused fashion violator so as to spare her the embarrassment. We here at The Wonderful World of Miss TLC love to point out fashion violations, and odd happenings in NYC, but we aren't trying to put someone's face on blast. If someone happens to come to the site, and can tell that they know the person just from their back, or their feet, or their clothes, so be it, but I don't show faces here.)
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Chart Chat
1. JANET JACKSON "DISCIPLINE" 181,075 units sold
2. ERYKAH BADU "NEW AMERYKAH: PART ONE (4TH WORLD ORDER)" 123,884 units sold
3. JACK JOHNSON "SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC" 91,508 units sold
4. WEBBIE "VOL. 2-SAVAGE LIFE" 72,497 units sold
5. ALICIA KEYS "AS I AM" 57,269 units sold
6. HANNAH MONTANA "HANNAH MONTANA 2: MEET MILEY CYRUS SOUNDTRACK" 54,483 units sold
7. SOUNDTRACK "ONCE" 46,781 units sold
8. SOUNDTRACK "JUNO" 41,952 units sold
9. SARA BAREILLES "LITTLE VOICE" 37,747 units sold
10. AMY WINEHOUSE "BACK TO BLACK" 37,507 units sold
11. MARY J. BLIGE "GROWING PAINS" 33,774 units sold
12. TAYLOR SWIFT "TAYLOR SWIFT" 31,628 units sold
13. SHAWTY LO "UNITS IN THE CITY" 31,017 units sold
14. SOUNDTRACK "STEP UP 2: THE STREETS" 30,879 units sold
15. SHERYL CROW "DETOURS" 27,079 units sold
16. KEYSHIA COLE "JUST LIKE YOU" 26,845 units sold
17. DOLLY PARTON "BACKWOODS BARBIE" 26,542 units sold
18. CHRIS BROWN "EXCLUSIVE" 25,828 units sold
19. COLBIE CAILLAT "COCO" 24,005 units sold
20. DAUGHTRY "DAUGHTRY" 23,078 units sold
Well would you just look at Miss Janet, debuting at # 1 for the first time since her "All For You" album. Even though I personally loved her "Damita Jo" album, nobody else did, and then "20 Y.O." completely tanked, so I'm happy for her. Although... if I really want to get technical, I can bring up the fact that it doesn't take much (181K) to land at #1 nowadays, but I don't want to burst her bubble. :)
Erykah Badu finally returned to the scene and scored herself a #2 spot in the process so that's nice to see as well.
Jack Johnson is still selling a ton of records, and so is Alicia, Mary, Colbie, Daughtry, Keisha and Amy. Even though it may seem repetitive to some, I actually like that a lot of artists are able to hang on to the top 20 longer than a week or two. It shows that their albums have staying power, and they are picking up some new fans in the process.
