My 'Brothers and Sisters' Casting Joy

Spoilers if you're a fellow 'Friday Night Lights' fanatic. Scott Porter, who portrays Jason Street on FNL, was benched this season for 'storyline reasons', but leave it Entertainment Weekly's bitchy spoiler king. Michael Ausiello, to campaign for Porter to be cast as the sixth sibling in another one of my favorite shows, 'Brothers and Sisters'. Check out his convincing case that had me salivating when I first clicked on his blog.

My Initial Sarah Palin Reaction

I'm not going to lie. Sarah Palin is a very smart choice for John McCain. So smart that I'm sure the Obama camp is suddenly shakened by the fact that the "freshness" has transferred to the GOP side. Palin covers so much left over by Hillary Clinton and adds on that good ol' red state politics. Does choosing Palin seem like a panic pick? A little bit. Does this suddenly make me want to put my independent ballot on Republican side? Uh... let's not go crazy here. (NYT)

My Brothers Bloom Trailer

The Brothers Bloom Trailer

Why doesn't Rinko Kikuchi say a word in this trailer?

My Encouragement From Ryler DeHeart

In the current state of sports where greed, money and business seem to be more prominent than ever, it was more than a breath of fresh air to see Ryler DeHeart enter Arthur Ashe Stadium Thursday night for his match against the world’s number #1 player and the hottest player currently on tour. DeHeart, 24, who is ranked 261st in the world is currently at the highest of his career ranking. To see his wide-eyed joy when he entered the court of over 23,000 was more than enough to me rallying behind him. He didn’t win, he wasn’t even close, in fact, he was obliterated. Not that it mattered, watching DeHeart gather his composure from his shaky start to recovering from a 0-40 game, then to break Nadal in the following game to gain what was then a 2-0 lead was more than enough to have my eyes water. I can’t imagine what his family and in particularly his fiancee must have felt during what could be DeHeart’s career highlight.

Let’s face it. I’ve became a fan. Whenever his next tournament is within a driving distance from the tristate area, I’ll try my best to attend and hopefully let him know his dedication is more than sports news to me. It’s awe inspiring. If for the slim chance he or anyone who knows him reads this, he deserves this praise.

What gets more even more is how much he loves the game of tennis. Being 24, considered by many as the age when someone’s tennis career begins to tip over, DeHeart has never played a single tour tournament up until the US Open. To my understanding from commentators, DeHeart has been playing in the Futures tour with the goal of being ranked in the 200s for an invitation to play for the Challengers tournament. For someone whose annual earning is less than mine, his determination got him his biggest payday yet- and it couldn’t happen to a better person.

My Michael Phelps Publicity Tour

So what happens when you're a good looking 23 year old and you just won eight gold medals at the Olympics? Well, if you're Michael Phelps, you cash in on it. After endorsing Kellogg's cereal box instead of the traditional Wheatie's, Phelps has been offered $1.6 million in advance for his upcoming book, hosting the season premiere of 'Saturday Night Live', rallying for a new aquatic program in Brooklyn and of course, be the headline of gossip blogs as to who he's dating. Not bad for a dorky kid out of Baltimore.

UPDATE: Phelps just got booked for a cameo on HBO's 'Entourage' and will present an award at this year's VMAs. Man, his agent works fast.

My Fat Cats

Not sure how Camden is breeding these things on the streets but another overweight cat has been found wandering on streets. After finding the 44-pound "Prince Chunk" a little over a month ago, the Camden County Animal Shelter has brought in a lighter pussycat, named "Shamu"- weighing in at 35 pounds. It's actually kinda scary to have fat demon-looking cats looming the streets, I just hope they have even big cages to hold those suckers. (NYDN)

My Phil Jackson Choice

Meet Dennis Rodman, the man who Phil Jackson said is the best athlete he has ever coached. Rodman apparently exceeded Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Scottie Pippen and countless others for the "honor". I mean, the man can rebound but what an odd choice. (Yahoo)

My Michelle Gay Harden Photo

Okay... it's been awhile since I first suspected this, but I can't shake the feeling that Michelle Monahan and Marcia Gay Harden look eerily similar. Besides the long, flowy black hair and the distinctive eyes, even the way both of them deliver lines are so similar that they can pass for sisters. My theory heighted even more when the poster for 'Eagle Eye' came out. I actually thought Marcia was in the movie! No? Just me?

My Double Stuff Racing League

Sure, the original idea of Oreo Cookie's "Double Stuff Racing League" (DSRL) with Peyton and Eli Manning sounded retarded but when the new commercial came pitting the Mannings against Venus and Serena Williams, it has become a fun little game with limitless options. Watch the cute little Manning vs Williams commercial below.

My Bad Movie Poster

My friend Kyle includes 'Worst Movie Poster' in his year-end film awards, it seems like he has a frontrunner with the uninspiring 'Doubt'. What a way not to advertise a potential Oscar frontrunner.

My Camper Wabi

As strange as this might sound, the only thing I truly obsessed over getting while I was in Europe was a pair of sandals. Yes, it's true.... sure I wanted to go up the leaning tower of Pisa, ride the canals of Venice and walk the steps of Cannes... but when I laid my eyes on this pair of Camper Wabi on the side street from Plaza de Sol in Madrid, my search for the right color and size began.

Yes, it's a little silly and stereotypical but a man has to have his flip-flops. Can I wait until my birthday? Hmm.... maybe ::cough::white,size40::cough::. 

My Monday Mad Men Reaction (8/25)

"Thank you, Don."

Snapz, oh no she deedn't....

My Opening Ceremony

Although I got the chance to see many events of the Olympics Games overseas, I didn't managed to watch the Opening Ceremony until this past weekend. And my, oh my, the $300 million dollar production exceeds any blockbuster film and the visuals were stimulating and emotional. My favorite part? Watching Li Ning run around the outer ring of the Bird's Nest to light the final torch to start off the games. I swear, I had tears in my eyes watching him do the acrobatics. Also, while most people are bored with the parade of nations, I usually watch the entire thing (all 3 hours of it) only to catch names of countries I've never heard of and to hear Bob Costas' tidbit trivia about random countries.

My Hari Puttar

Would this be considered defamation? Warner Bros. decided to proceed with a lawsuit against Mirchi Movies of India for a recent release of 'Hari Puttar: A Comedy Of Errors', a film about a 10 year-old who moves from India to England. Hmm.... the name is familiar but the plot obviously is not. If anything, the plot seems more like the recently debunked CW series 'Aliens In America'. (Yahoo)

My Return Blog

It was inevitable that I was going to fall behind with blogs from Europe at the rate we were traveling. So now that I'm back and recovered (somewhat) with other ongoings including a wedding in a movie studio and a weekend trip to our neighbours up north, I can sit back and relax and casually blog about my trip.

As a result, in the next few weeks, I'll be intertwining those updates with the current going-ons. So be prepared to hear about the time I stepped on Julie Andrews, the time I placed a $5 bet in Monte Carlo and the time I woke up on a beach by the French Riviera in the near future.

My Tuscan Dinner

Forgive my 'Gossip Girl' moment but, O-M-G. When deciding to trek over to Europe earlier this year, there were a few places that I wanted to go to and one of them was the breathtaking Tuscan country side. I don't think I had a better overall dinner in recent history. The view was sensational, the atmosphere was intimate, the food and wine were delish and the company was highly enjoyable. If I were to end my career right now and retire, I wouldn't mind staying in quaint Certaldo for the rest of my life.

I mean, look at this place... until then, (forgive me again),

XOXO,

Peter

My Burn After Reading

Saw this at the local Italian cinema. Love posters in foreign languages. I also got some movie magazine featuring new pictures from the upcoming Harry Potter flick.

My Very David Day

Everything you have heard of regarding Michaelangelo's David are true- and then more. Let the pictures speak themselves... pictures that does not include me trying to draw the actual David.

My Second Day In Rome

After an exhausting in roaming (pun totally intended) in the ancient Rome world, my group took it easier today and visited The Vacatan. After being yelled at my Italian guards for taking pictures of The Sistine Chapel, I managed to sneak in a group shot. By the way, I am loving it here... despite the heat.... So, I am completely clueless as to what is happening back in the States. Anyone want to fill me in?

My European Adventure Began....

So after a slight diversion in Pisa, I have finally arrived in Rome. Let me jsut say for the duration of my blogging in Europe, I would do so without an apostraphe since it is non-existent on their keyboard... at least I cannot find within the 15 minutes of my alloted time. So beware, a lot of correct proper English (well, a lot more) is coming your way.

Things are a blast and it has been adventurous so far navigating in Italiano in insane heat. Anyway, here are some Pisa photos... and of course we went up the tower.

My European Adventure Begins

Okay folks... blogging will be extremely limited once I land in Rome. Until then, Ciao!

My One Man Duet

Oh, just wait until you hear Nick Pitera's version of 'A Whole New World'. I need to hire this guy to sing all my favorite Disney duets. Be prepared to be amazed because I sure was.