Gerard Butler: Chasing Mavericks

I find that people get excited when I interview certain actors and Gerard Butler is one of those actors on the list.  I recently had the opportunity to interview him for Chasing Mavericks for SheKnows.  The film opens this Friday and it has some gorgeous surfing cinematography.  So head on over to SheKnows and see the interview/article here.  You won't be disappointed.  Gerard was very charming.

For those of you that read my Tuesday article about Internet commenters, watch my article in action in the comments for the video.  Welcome to the internet and why you have to develop a thick skin!  :)

Hot Topic Tuesday: The Internet Hates You and Loves You

I have developed a pretty thick skin working on the internet.  I love that I get immediate feedback on my reporting from people who watch what I do for the first time or for the 249530494385394857th time.  I like to pride myself on responding to most of my comments and posts, but I usually refrain from talking back to the really mean ones if I think it is unwarranted.  I love constructive criticism, but I am also human so if you tell me I should shut up forever because my yakking hurts your ears, I think..."lower the volume or turn me off.  Welcome to America, kids, we have choices here."  Yet, those haters love to come back week after week.  They get great enjoyment out of making comments on YouTube and it makes me laugh.  We are all armchair critics now that the internet has given us a bigger voice, but an anonymous one at the same time.  You can hide behind your keyboard and criticize away.  The criticism often has more to do with you versus me, but that's okay...I'm human and I have lots of foibles....and bad hair days too!

So, enjoy my latest AfterBuzz TV recap show of Dancing With the Stars with our guests, troupe members Sasha Farber and Emma Slater.  We had such a blast and I had loved reading all of the comments.....both good......and snarky. (Click on the video to be directed to YouTube and all of the comments.)

I would love to hear your opinion on this.  Chime in below....and yep, you can respond anonymously.  

Hot Topic Tuesday: Botox In Hollywood

Nicole Kidman finally admitted to using Botox after years of denial.  She swears she doesn't use it anymore.  This photo is from the 2012 Golden Globes....natural or Botox? She's 45.

Ah, ladies, let's get right down to the nitty gritty on this topic:  EVERYONE is doing Botox in Hollywood.  Everyone.  From TV stars to men to women younger than 30, it's a phenomenon that was quickly accepted in the digital age.  With high definition (HD) the standard in home entertainment centers, no one wants their crow's feet and neck wrinkles to show in glorious HD.  When you hear a celeb say, "I never use Botox", most likely they are lying and it annoys me.  Why?  Well, it sets up a false standard for people who look at Hollywood stars and think they are perfect. It's no different than saying, "I never diet" or "I never workout".  Chances are, the celeb is starving herself all while employing a trainer five days a week.  Some stars insist they used it once and never again, yet when I interview them on the red carpet, I can see the Botox block on their forehead.  It's as smooth as a baby's bottom and yet, the star is over 40.

Honestly, I see nothing wrong with using injectables as long as you are doing it for the right reasons, you understand the risks, and you do it under medical supervision.  I do mind when stars pretend like this trend isn't happening in Hollywood because it's happening all around us.  Why do you think sites like Groupon and Living Social offer discounts on Botox or Juvaderm?  It's because it's a popular dermatology service.  It's why dentists are suddenly offering Botox with a cleaning.  It brings in money and clientele to their offices.  

Marica Cross is 50 years old.  Botox or Natural?

If you think this trend is going to go away, it's not.  Cosmetic injectables are here to stay as society constantly seeks the secret elixir to staying young.  We are living longer and we want to look as good as possible.  Is it narcissistic?  Perhaps, but if it makes someone feel better then there really is no problem with it.  Just do it sparingly so you look refreshed, not frozen.  And Hollywood, stop lying about it, it doesn't have to be such a dirty little secret.

What do you think about Hollywood and Botox?  Is it a bad trend or do you even care?  Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter or Facebook.  

Hot Topic Tuesday: Violence and Hollywood

After last week's tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, it was only a matter of time before we heard pundits hop on CNN and MSNBC and tout the "Violence and Hollywood" angle as a possible motive.  A secondary thread to this is "Violence and Video Games" and that is also another factor in this case.  Many folks want to take a look at MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) ratings because PG-13 films have the same amount of violence, suggestive scenes, and language that a Rated R film did ten years ago.  Has violence in Hollywood movies escalated?  Sure.  I would hardly argue with that statement as torture porn movies like Saw came in vogue and sophomoric sex humor encouraged by the success of the Judd Apatow movies grew.  I think we have become accustomed to tolerating more in our PG-13 movies as trends and social mores have changed.

A movie studio often finds an R rating slapped on its film the kiss of death because it eliminates a younger moviegoing audience that would fuse a lot of cash into the box office.  They want that younger viewer to see the movie once and then love it so much that they pay the ten dollars (Or fourteen dollars if you are in a big city.) to see it again.  Can you imagine putting a rated R rating on The Avengers or Dark Knight?  Nope, it won't ever happen.  This is where it is up to parents to police what their kids are seeing and the games they are playing.  I imagine it is a constant struggle to figure out what is appropriate given that new movies and games are released each week.

However, the real question circles us back to what happened last week in Colorado:  Did the gunman's obsession with the Batman franchise inspire his violent acts?  Did his love for bloody video games take his role playing to another level?  While I know everyone loves to make Hollywood the scapegoat in these situations, I am actually going to have to defer to the fact that he clearly had massive psychological issues and while he wanted to recreate a scene from fiction and make it reality, the real issue is gun control.  While our Second Amendment to the Constitution allows us "to keep and bear arms", I think there has to be a limit.  Protecting your family with a handgun seems reasonable, especially after living in Hollywood with celebrities constantly dealing with stalkers.  If you are into hunting, I think owning a hunting rifle makes sense for your sport. (While I am not a fan, I get that some people want to participate in this centuries old pastime.) Yet, not one person has been able to answer this question for me:  Why does someone need a semiautomatic weapon/assault rifle in their gun collection?   Why are weapons like this even accessible to us in the United States?  In 2004, Congress allowed the Federal Assault Weapons ban to expire.  Well, Congress, I hope you enjoyed the fruits of your labor....twelve innocent lives were lost last week.

Your turn to chime in on this hot topic.  I realize that politics plays into this a bit.  I ask that you are respectful to people's views and let's calmly and rationally discuss gun control, violence, and Hollywood.