The Tangent

By Scott A. Rosenberg

The long, viking-like (apparently) journey of National Novel Writing Month comes to an end at as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, and as you might have read earlier, both Emily and I finished our novels.

This was my second time doing (and completing) NaNoWriMo, and I really encourage all of you out there to give it a try. Even if you don't think you're a good writer, it is worth it and it will even make you a better writer in the long run. (And for you film people out there, Script Frenzy is a similar month-long event, but for script writing)

The experience of writing 50,000 words in a month is an arduous one, though there appear to be winners who logged in more than 100,000 words, which just seems impossible if you have a job and even a little bit of a social life.

I was doing really well in the beginning of the month, and remained solid through the middle. By the end, I was getting pretty tired and I found myself - as I did last night - sitting at my table at 3 a.m. sleeping sitting up with my finger on the 'w' key typing fascinating sentences like:

"wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

Needless to say, I can't wait to go to sleep early tonight and catch up on another of my favorite keys, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork
Melvin Van Peebles’ “Story of a 3-Day Pass” and “Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-Itchy Mutha” are screening at the Museum of Modern Art Monday. “Pass” 6:15pm; “Mutha” 8pm, $10.

In 1971, Melvin Van Peebles changed the film world forever when he directed, wrote and starred in “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” the movie credited with introducing the Blaxploitation genre.

It also provided a blueprint for the creation of financially viable independent cinema that has been followed by multiple successors.

By Emily Hulme

On an upcoming episode of "Sarah Silverman," The Ninth Doctor himself, Christopher Eccleston, plays a Doctor Who-like character named Dr. Lazer Rage. I'm not always on board with Silverman, but this is a pretty good get.

The latest incarnation of the long-running sci-fi series started airing in its native Britain in 2005 (it's showing stateside, a few seasons behind, on BBC America) with Eccleston at the helm of the TARDIS. He and female companion Rose (Billie Piper) make a great team, and if you can get your hands on season one, watch it. Eccleston is replaced by David Tennant, The Tenth Doctor in season two. He's good, but not as good.

Which is all to say, it's awesome that Eccleston is on Sliverman's show.

Blake Fielder-Civil and Amy Winehouse in November 2007 (Getty)

Amy Winehouse’s husband has admitted that he wrangled her into a life of hard drug abuse, saying she only smoked pot before she met him.

In a taped interview with Britain’s News of the World, Blake Fielder-Civil said he introduced Winehouse to crack cocaine, heroin and self-harming, and that he feels “more than guilty” for it.

“I dragged Amy into it and without me there is no doubt that she would never have gone down that road. I ruined something beautiful,” he said.

By Emily Hulme

The kids over at Pop Culture Deathmatch have compiled a list of the top 10 women of SNL. It's nice to see the ladies given their due.

Number one: Gilda Radner, of course.

By Emily Hulme

National Novel Writing Month comes to an end tonight at midnight, but Scott and I both crossed the 50,000 word finish line last night! Hooray for us. I can't speak for Scott, but my experience was very positive. I'm pretty happy with what I've got, though a few problems cropped up in the last few chapters and the ending is kind of vague. But I've got something to work with.

I had to give out a lot of hanging out time with my friends this month, but that just means they'll be happier to see me in December -- scarcity can make a girl pretty popular. But I'm hoping that writing will remain part of my daily routine. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks Chris Batty, NaNoWriMo founder.

By Julie Gordon

Actor Orlando Bloom and his Victoria's Secret model girlfriend Miranda Kerr are not engaged, despite news to the contrary, Bloom's rep told us Sunday.

"There is no truth to these reports," the rep said.

However, according to Australia's Sunday Telegraph, the two are planning a wedding for the middle of 2009, when they both have a break from work, and they celebrated their engagement last week in Venice.

Bloom, 31, and Kerr, 25, live together in New York.

By Ron Bishow
Special to amNewYork

(Phil S. Kropoth)

If you haven’t had a chance to visit Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because it’s, well, in Cleveland, you’re in luck. It has come to you.

A $10 million Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex, located at 76 Mercer St. in SoHo, officially opens Dec. 2. The Annex pays tribute to all the artists that have been inducted into Cleveland’s Hall of Fame while also giving special acknowledgment to New York’s music scene.

NYC’s musical influence
The “New York Rocks” exhibit features artifacts including the notebook in which Billy Joel wrote all the lyrics for “The Stranger,” the awning from CBGB, John Lennon’s Record Plant piano and clothing worn by Blondie and The Ramones. There is also a 26-foot scale model of Manhattan, which marks 24 key music locations with lights.

“We also try to trace where music began and connect it to where it is today, like how James Brown leads to 50 Cent,” said James Henke, vice president of exhibitions and cultural affairs for the museum.

More after the jump.

By Emily Hulme
• At The Morgan Library, through Jan. 4.

John Leech, "Third Visitor or the Ghost of Christmas Present," (detail) original watercolor illustration for Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol," first edition, 1843.

Everyone knows the story of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Whether it’s from Disney’s cartoon interpretation, Bill Murray in “Scrooged” and other countless movie versions, or a reading of the actual novella, people are familiar with the tale of a haunted miser who finds redemption on Christmas Day.

Each year around the holidays, The Morgan Library invites the public to come straight to the source with its display of Dickens’ original manuscript, acquired by Pierpont Morgan between 1890-1900. It’s a perennial favorite with museum-goers, and, in fact, the book has been popular since it was first published in 1843.

“In a week it sold 6,000 copies [the entirety of its first print run],” says Declan Kiely, The Morgan’s curator of literary and historical manuscripts. “It became a sort of instant classic.”

More after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

Instead of this not really funny version of "Single Ladies" with Justin Timberlake and friends as Beyoncé's back up dancers on SNL a few weeks ago, maybe they should have just shown this guy instead.

He's awesome! For comparison, here's Beyoncé's actual choreography. She's doing it in heels, but he's doing it in the freaking snow. As Gabe over at Videogum says: "There's a time for trying to prove you're cool and smart and there's a time for putting on a one-piece bathing suit and a hunter's cap and doing the 'Single Ladies' dance in the snow."

By Ted Geoghegan
Special to amNewYork

The literary market, like all others, is stumbling in the midst of a financial crisis, but that doesn’t mean that legions of publishers aren’t still hungry to pick up the “next big thing.” Hoping to score the next Twilight or Harry Potter, publishers are all seeking success in a variety of genres, although given recent hits, nothing is currently quite as hot as horror and fantasy.

These five fresh authors are rising through the ranks on several must-read lists. Some have already appeared on the scene, while others are taking their first wary steps toward literary renown. Readers are ready for the next big thing, and all of these show potential to be just that. Will 2009 be their year to shine?

List after the jump.

Milk
3 stars
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Starring Sean Penn, James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, Alison Pill

By Mina Hochberg

In Gus Van Sant’s biopic of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to a public office, Sean Penn puts forth one of the most persuasive, likeable performances of his career and deserves the Oscar nomination he will undoubtedly earn.

Milk was elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1977, but the film opens with a brief prelude in New York City, where Milk met his longtime boyfriend, Scott (James Franco). Looking for a change of pace, they move to San Francisco’s Castro district and open a camera shop. A supposed gay-friendly neighborhood at the time, the Castro barely tolerated homosexuals, spurring Milk to begin one of the most widespread gay-rights movements the city had ever seen.

Quick update on my novel for National Novel Writing Month. I'm at 37,027 words, which is a lot of freaking words.

As of right now (8:37pm on Monday night), I have 6 days, 3 hours and 23 minutes left to finish my 50,000 word novel. For those who are mathematically challenged, that's 12,973 words.

I need to do a little more than 2,000 words per day to finish, which shouldn't be a problem. Oh, except for that Thanksgiving holiday coming up. Here's hoping my family doesn't mind me clicking away at the keyboard while I'm chowing down on turkey.

By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork

Despite an acclaimed documentary, “The Times of Harvey Milk,” which celebrated his legacy as the first openly homosexual person to hold elected office in the United States, Harvey Milk is barely acknowledged in most mainstream historical discourse.

Now, 30 years after his assassination at the hand of fellow San Francisco City Supervisor Dan White and amidst the polarizing debate over the passage of California’s Proposition 8, Harvey has begun to get the appreciation he’s always deserved.

By Julie Gordon

Hated “Hills” couple Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt finally tied the knot.
Montag, 22, and Pratt, 25, wed in a secret ceremony in Mexico on Nov. 20, gossip site PerezHilton.com reported Monday. The pair’s wedding photos and an interview are also featured in Us magazine, out Wednesday.

A rep for Montag and Pratt said Monday that reports were "news to me," and would not confirm anything.

New York Times photographer Robbie Cooper recorded these kids playing videogames. It's a little frightening.

(via)

By Emily Hulme

Previously on 'Lost' ...

... and yesterday on The Tangent, I expressed my impatience with the start of Season 5 and wished I could go back and watch all of season 4. I can! And so can you. ABC is streaming all of season 4 from their website. Also, episodes one through seven are available in regular and enhanced versions. The enhanced episodes feature little pop up bubbles explaining the action; they're a little hand-holdy at time, but also useful, if you haven't been able to keep four years of "Lost" ephemera in your head.

By Emily Hulme

But not soon enough!

This promo, which doubles as a music video for the Fray, is kind of schmaltzy, and I don't know if I wasn't already a fan of "Lost" that I'd start watching the show because of it. But it's kind of a great visual wrap up of season four.

Specifics after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

On the heels of Jeffrey Tambor telling us to get our hopes up about an "Arrested Development" movie, The Hollywood Reporter has the news that key players Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard are having promising talks with Imagine and Fox Searchlight.

"Hurwitz, who created and exec produced the Emmy-winning series, is on board to write the film as well as direct with help from Howard."

Huzzah!

By Emily Hulme

Neal Stephenson is one of my favorite authors of all time. It's a big statement, but true. From "Snow Crash" on, he's orbited just outside the cyberpunk movement, combining mathematical/compsci concepts with compelling, literary stories. And I just eat it up. (NB: He hadn't quite found his voice with earlier novels including "Zodiac" and "The Big U"; if you're a Stephenson neophyte, don't start with these.)

His latest book, "Anathem," takes on The Long Now and the philosophy of technological longevity -- don't let the heavy subject matter keep you away, Stephenson is a master storyteller, and really good at breaking down high concepts for low people. At 960 pages, I've had to hold off on reading it -- it's National Novel Writing Month, not National Novel Reading Month -- but I am super psyched.

The A.V. Club has an interview with Stephenson, which is both tiding me over and making me want to read it even more.

Also, there's some music inspired by/written for(?) the book over on Stephenson's site. It's weird.

By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork
• The Macedonian Film Festival runs from Thursday through Sunday at the Village East Cinema, Tickets: adults $12, seniors and children $8.50.

A scene from "I Am From Titov Veles," the festival's opening night selection.

Anyone who doubts that NYC, and not L.A., should rightfully be considered the cinematic capitol of this country would do well to consider the sheer volume of film festivals that grace Manhattan movie screens each year. At the Village East Cinema, beginning tonight and running through Sunday, a new one enters the mix.

Spending your entertainment dollars at the Macedonian Film Festival might seem like a risky gamble on an impossible obscure event. After all, you’ll almost never hear about the influx of quality movies that have come out of that country and its fellow former Yugoslav republics in the midst of their tumultuous histories. “Twilight” gets more mainstream press in a single day than all the festival selections combined.

By Emily Hulme

Wired contributing photographer Dan Winters created this TIE fighter completely from Starbucks' coffee cups and accessories. Now the magazine is holding a friendly contest (the winners are featured in an online slideshow) to see what you can make from Starbucks junk. Details here.

By Emily Hulme
• "The Black List Project: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell" is at Brooklyn Museum through March 29.

Race has been at the forefront of national discussion, for more reasons than the recent presidential election. Now, a new exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum aims to add to that dialogue.

“The Black List project: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell” consists of portrait photographs of prominent black Americans and a documentary film, which has the selected people sharing anecdotes from their lives. Additionally, the documentary (which screened this year at Sundance) will air on HBO and HBO2 in the coming weeks, and a companion book, “The Black List,” is out now.

More after the jump.

Twilight
2 stars
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Adapted from the novel by Stephenie Meyer
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke

By Mina Hochberg

Fans of the “Twilight” book series, whether they like this movie adaptation or not, can at least delight in the process of comparing book to movie. But if you’re not among the legions of female fans who’ve devoured the Stephenie Meyer vampire books, “Twilight” might be too anemic to hold your interest.

"Titanic" lovebirds Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite in "Revolutionary Road."

By Mina Hochberg

A man who ages backwards. The rise of a guerrilla revolutionary. A former pro wrestler looking for one more moment of glory. These are just a few of the reasons to look forward to this year’s crop of holiday season movies.

This year's films are particularly solemn, with storylines like a Jewish family escaping Nazis and a nun questioning a beloved priest’s actions in the Bronx in the 1960s.

But in the hands of directors like Baz Luhrmann, Gus Van Sant, Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Sam Mendes and Steven Soderbergh, you can be sure many of these films will be up for Oscars next year.

By Emily Hulme

Tyra blessed the world with another Top Model last night in a showdown that was both surprising and predictable. The results after the jump

By Julie Gordon

While Brad Pitt’s new dad status and his upcoming film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” could have made him a shoe-in for People’s sexiest man alive titile, the magazine chose another handsome star: Hugh Jackman.

Jackman, 40, who is making his debut on People’s annual list, stars alongside Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrman’s “Australia,” which comes out Nov. 26.

By Emily Hulme

Monty Python has launched a channel on YouTube. They currently have posted almost 30 videos, including some behind the scenes stuff. Cheers!

Also, in more current comedy news, Graham Linehan's "The IT Crowd" is back for a third series this Friday ... in Britain. The show recently started airing from the beginning on the IFC Channel in the U.S., so if you're patient, they'll get around to showing the 3rd season. If you're impatient, well ... you'll have to figure out a way to see it now for yourself.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, "The IT Crowd" is a show about the put-upon IT department in a large, poorly organized company of undefined industry. Graham Linehan ("Father Ted," "Black Books"), in a recent interview with The Sound of Young America's Jesse Thorn (embedded below), alluded to the fact that "The IT Crowd" is the show that CBS kind of ripped off for "The Big Bang Theory."

In short, watch it. It's British and funny.

USA Networks announced that the upcoming eighth season of Monk will be the last and now I am sad.

It's been a long and great run for the defective detective Adrian Monk, with six Emmy nominations for star Tony Shalhoub and three wins in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

I've been watching it since early on after my mom introduced me to it, and it's a real bummer that it's going away.

At least we can all take solace knowing that the ending is planned, so all the dangling plot lines can be resolved and we can all finally know the truth about Trudy's death.

So let's give a 21-gun salute to TV's best detective. Actually, better make that a 20-gun salute. Monk would like it better that way.

By Kara Warner
Special to amNewYork

For most of the population, the hullabaloo over the book-series-turned-movie “Twilight” has gone unnoticed.

A teenage romance about vampires? What’s the big deal? Take it from this writer who, after reading all four books, observed 10,000 screaming girls descend upon the male-dominated San Diego Comic Con last summer. It is a big deal. Or it’s about to be, when the movie opens this weekend.

By Emily Hulme

It's true! Even after a recent denial by Michael Cera, the former George Bluth told Collider.com that he's spoken to producer Mitch Hurwitz and the movie is a go. They even have a short video interview with Tambor (linked above).

If you're missing AD, or you just never got into it, Hulu.com has the whole series online here. Non-believers, I suggest watching from the very beginning; it makes much more sense that way than picking an episode at random.

By Emily Hulme

We've been having a running debate in the office about how popular the upcoming teen vampire flick "Twilight" will actually turn out to be. I, although I don't feel too strongly about this, posit that the Teen Girl Squad will be out in force to drive the movie to phenomenal levels of success. Scott says the movie is the next "Snakes on a Plane," all internet hype and no box office returns.

But this week's "South Park" seems to be on my side (clip above)! Though the show itself is of questionable relevance, it seems to be accepted that Matt Stone and Trey Parker only pick the most important aspects of our culture for satire (thanks to their recent pitch-perfect takedown of "Family Guy," I no longer find the show funny; it's all too plausible that their jokes are written by manatees), and this week's episode: Vampires. I rest my case.

By Emily Hulme

I survived the dreaded week two, and I've broken 20K! Although, just barely. I'm about 8,000 words behind pace, with plans to write 3,000 words tonight.

I am a terrible procrastinator.

But, plot-wise, things are moving along pretty well. There was some minor turbulence early last week when I worried that my novel was about nothing, and my ideas couldn't even sustain 15,000 words, let alone 50,000. But things fell into place, and we're moving along nicely.

The book has gone in a very surprising direction (I originally had meant for there to be a supernatural element to the story, and that has been dropped altogether), and two characters that I introduced very early on have become much more important to the story than previously expected. You'd think as the author, I'd have some control over this, but that doesn't seem to be the way it's working out. Writing is hard work, don't get me wrong, but it seems like the story is telling me as much as I am telling the story. It's really weird, but fun.

By Elaine Paoloni
Special to amNewYork

A rendering of the rink at the Seaport

Spinning on the ice in Rockefeller Center or Central Park may be what winter dreams are made of. But if you forego the iconic imagery, you can also escape the tourist crowds. So whether you can land a double axel like Michelle Kwan or are more of a human Zamboni, sweeping the ice with your rear, check out some of the city’s “other” ice rinks.

1. Long Island City
47-32 32nd Pl.
718-706-6667
Scheduled to open around Thanksgiving through May
$5 weekdays, $8 weekends; $6 skate rental
Set up on a rooftop, the brand-new City Ice Pavilion is an NHL-sized ice-skating dome. Public skating will be offered daily, and open hockey sessions will also be scheduled. In addition, there will be skating classes and a youth hockey league. Individuals and organizations can rent out the space out for special events, including birthday parties. And if you’re worried about running out of energy on the ice, rest assured there will be a coffee bar and a snack bar to refuel.

More after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

I'll leave the judging movies by their trailers to Scott, and just point out that these two exist.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Guys! I'm excited! And a dork!

It's been a while since since Star Trek has been worth paying attention. Pretty much since "Deep Space Nine" ended, it's been a series of mediocre television shows ("Voyager" and "Enterprise") and a bad movie ("Nemesis"). This new film, which takes the series back to its beginnings, looks pretty damn good.

By Ed Condran
Special to amNewYork
• Mario Cantone is at Carolines on Broadway Friday through Sunday. Fri and Sat 8pm. and 10:30pm; Sun 8pm, $38

This video is NSFW.

There is a certain price to pay for fame. Just ask Mario Cantone about the thrill of being recognized.

Strangers often approach the comic/actor — who scored acclaim for his portrayal of a wedding planner with attitude in the TV series and film “Sex and the City” — along the streets and tunnels of Manhattan.

Because we talk constantly about "The Cosby Show" in the office, we've decided to start bringing you irregular Cosby Moments.

This one, appropriately enough, is from the series pilot, a fact I did not know until I looked it up.

By Emily Hulme

Last night, four girls stood before Tyra, but only three of them remained in the running to become America's Next Top Model. The other one was SENT HOME.

SPOILERS after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

Paris Hilton was interviewed this week in a surprisingly interesting piece with Michael Musto in the Village Voice (surprising because of the subject, not the interviewer). But this quote just makes me despair a little about the state of our society and culture:

Paris: I'm a businesswoman, I'm a brand, so everything I do is to escalate my brand and give it more exposure. If you want to be in this business, you have to be in the media.

What business is she talking about? Rich useless brattiness?

By Emily Hulme

(Big Boi on the late, lamented "Chappelle's Show")

Big Boi, aka Antwon Andre Patton, has got the acting bug. And for every aspiring actor, a stop on "Law & Order" is necessary. Patton gets his turn next Tuesday, when he stops by "SVU." He appears as " 'Gots Money,' a Hip Hop artist involved in an exotic animal smuggling ring under investigation by Detective Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) in the 'SVU' episode 'Wildlife,' airing on NBC Tuesday, November 18 (10pm/ 9pm Central)," according to a press release. Set your TiVOs.

By Emily Hulme

Hey novel writers, WEbook is looking to help you out. Thursday, Nov. 20, they're sponsoring a Writer's Brew at the Hungarian Pastry Shop in Harlem, wherein working National Novel Writing Month participants can indulge in free coffee and pastry. Working is the key word; you have to prove that you're writing your novel to get the freebie.

I'd see you there, but I have to be here :( Oh well.

The Details: Thursday, Nov. 20, 9am-6pm. The Hungarian Pastry Shop, 1030 Amsterdam Ave, 111th St.

By Emily Hulme

Dorks rejoice! Radio Lab's fifth season on WNYC starts Friday. For those who don't know, Radio Lab is an hour long talk radio program in which hosts Jad Abrumad and Robert Krulwich attack a scientific issue from multiple angles. It's kind of like This American Life for science. And it's fascinating. It's a show about the human condition, presented in an entirely relatable way.

In past seasons, archived on WNYC's Web site (linked above), they've addressed why we sleep, how memory works, what laughter does and so much more. This season's shows include Choice, Sperm, Race, Diagnosis, and Yellow Fluff and Other Curious Encounters.

Analog kiddies can tune into WNYC at 3pm this Friday. Digital folk can tune into the podcast (which downloads a little after that). For those who listen live, Abumrad is hosting a post-show chat online at The Morning News from 4-5pm.

It's an incredible show, and if you have any interest in the way things work at all, I highly recommend tuning in.

By Emily Hulme

SNL has a lot to prove this week. They're back for their first post election show, and as we've established, Obama isn't good for jokes. Easy-target Palin is running around to all the news shows, but Tina Fey says she's retired her character. So the challenge is, can the show stay relevant and funny without the national political fracas to make fun off?

Paul Rudd will save us all.

By Scott A. Rosenberg

When Jon Resh considers his favorite book covers of all time, the one he brings up might be the most plain — the burgundy-brown cover of J. D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye.”

“[It] was in circulation for years and years and years,” Resh, 38, says. “It had sort of a tombstone look, but it had the opposite effect. If you carried that book around as a teenager — 25 years ago when I read it when I was 13 — it made a statement.”

Book cover basics
That 13-year-old Resh would grow up to be a book designer, and that book foretold the lessons he himself would preach when describing what makes for a good book cover.

“A bit of drama, a bit of intrigue,” he says. “Not telling the beholder everything they need to know by the cover. Holding a little back or making it a little mysterious sometimes helps. Strong imagery, good composition. Colors that are appropriate to the content. It all has to come back to the content of the book.”

More after the jump.

Directed by: Danny Boyle
3.5 stars
Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Irfan Khan

By Mina Hochberg

Danny Boyle has directed two outstanding films since “28 Days Later” opened in 2002, but he’s still best known for his zombie movie and, of course, “Trainspotting.”

Which is what makes “Slumdog Millionaire,” a dazzling modern-day fairy tale set in India, that much more of an admirable feat. Once again, Boyle applies his hyper-kinetic style to snap you into a world crackling with color, danger and a seductive vitality. This time, though, the story doesn’t star druggies or corpses.

By Emily Hulme

As much as it pains me to relay this, according to MTV news Heidi and Spencer (who are famous for being rich brats, as far as I can tell, and nothing else) have signed on to do a cameo on an episode of "How I Met Your Mother" to air in January. Heidi better not end up being the mother, is all I can say.

This is not the first instance of "HIMYM" stunt casting, however. Fans may remember Britney Spears' appearance last year, at the start of her "Who's crazy now?" comeback tour. And she was good. Not great, but good.

Her performance garnered her a People's Choice Award, also according to MTV.

By Emily Hulme

Promo posters for the major "Watchmen" characters were released across the internet today! Dr. Manhattan (above) went to EW's PopWatch, Ozymandias is at Wired, The Comedian is at LA Times, Rorschach is at USA Today, Nite-Owl is at Access Hollywood (their site has an annoying commercial that plays when it loads) and Silk Spectre II is at MTV. Looking good!

It's now 10 days into National Novel Writing Month and both Emily and I are still behind on our respective novels.

Here's our tally thus far:

Scott: 13,142
Emily: 10,053

With 20 days left, we both have our work cut out for us, especially with the Thanksgiving break, which is always a destroyer of time.

And because everyone in the world is quoting this when we say we're writing novels, here's Stewie from Family Guy.

By Emily Hulme

We are now 10 days in to National Novel Writing Month. As Scott reported last week, I started off with a big fat zero. (Well, everyone started at zero, I just stayed their for three days.) But I definitely picked up the slack over the course of the rest of the week. I'm now at 10,053 -- 5,000 words behind my goal for today, with a predicted 2,000 word writing session tonight. That's OK. I like being the underdog. And I have the terrible habit of leaving things until the last minute, which, I can tell you my editors aren't really thrilled with.

More after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

In the original play version of "Little Shop," everyone dies: Audrey, Seymour, you, me, everyone. When Hollywood remade the show in 1986, Audrey survives and the plant is defeated. But! The relatively happy ending was shot only after test audiences disliked the original ... and that largely unseen original ending footage leaked onto the internet last week. Part one is above, part two is here and part three is here. And if you're interested, read more about the footage at 10 Zen Monkeys.

By Kara Warner
Special to amNewYork

Though David Thewlis didn’t set out to become an actor, he has enjoyed 28 successful years in the business, complete with dozens of high profile films to his credit — Mike Leigh’s award-winning “Naked,” “The Big Lebowski” and, perhaps his most recognizable role, Professor Lupin in the “Harry Potter” franchise. 

Thewlis’ in-between-Potter project is “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” in theaters now, a film based on the book of the same name, set during WWII. 

By Emily Hulme

The popular dance competition is holding local auditions Thursday and Friday. Doors open at 8am at the Mark Morris Dance Center, 3 Lafayette Ave in Brooklyn. Details here.

Joe the Plumber (real name Samuel Wurzelbacher) had quite the New York nightlife experience on Saturday night.

Wurzelbacher and pals got lost en route to Jay-Z’s high-class 40/40 club, stopping at Flatiron bar Live Bait for a pit stop and directions before evenutally finding their way to the club, he told us yesterday via phone from Cincinnati. The two bars are a few blocks from each other.

“Wow, it’s intense,” said Wurzelbacher, describing the city’s scene. “It’s just a lot for a country boy.”

The country’s most famous “plumber” said 40/40 was a blast, he liked the music “everybody was super nice” and his name was even announced over the loudspeaker.
Wurzelbacher was in town taping a guest spot on Mike Huckabee’s FOX News show.

By Julie Gordon

Now that Kim Cattrall has prematurely confirmed a “Sex and the City” sequel, our minds are churning with potential storylines (Though, to be fair, a rep for New Line Cinema said involved parties are “only in discussions at this point”).

1. In season 5 of the TV show, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) says, “In New York City, you are always looking for a job, a boyfriend or an apartment.” Well, in the movie, our lucky heroine gets all three, leading us to think she’ll lose one in the sequel. Since the first film focuses so much on love, we predict a Carrie work crisis will take up a chunk of sequel screen-time.

By Emily Hulme

In an interview with Dark Horizons, "Watchmen" director Zack Snyder breaks the news that the new trailer will run before "Quantum of Solace," which premieres on Friday. As if you didn't already have enough reasons to go see it.

By Emily Hulme

Last night I was a judge at the final round of The P.I.T.'s SketchProv Tournament. What is SketchProv, you ask? It's a combination of improv and sketch comedy wherein the participants take a suggestion from the audience and have ten minutes to plot out a ten minute sketch. In other words, its hilarious semi-anarchy.

The way the tournament worked was that there was two brackets made up of sketch and improv teams. Each group performed a sketch, improv and sketchprov set, and in the earlier rounds, the audience voted on the winner. Last night they called in the judges to preside over the match between the top sketch and improv groups.

The breakdown of the competition after the jump.

It's the 20th anniversary of "The Sandman," Neil Gaiman's legendary comic book series, and Vertigo comics has a lot of things planned.

First off, there is a dramatic reading of stories from "The Sandman" at the Helen Mills Theater on Saturday. Voice actor Tom Wayland and others will be reading from "The Sandman" and Gaiman will be hosting. There are only 100 tickets available for this special event, so get your tickets ASAP. This reading is to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, so while the tickets aren't cheap, it's for a good cause.
• Helen Mills Theater, 7:30pm, $50.

More after the jump.

By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork

Unless you’re a big fan of the movie “Replicant” or if just hearing the words “Wake of Death” conjures up rosy memories, you’ve probably spent at least some part of the past nine years wondering what Jean-Claude Van Damme has been doing.

From the mid ’80s through the late ’90s, Van Damme, 48, achieved international stardom with such immortal action fare as “Bloodsport” and “Street Fighter,” and one could reasonably expect that he’d headline at least one or two new theatrically released flicks each year.

Continued after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

We've elected our 44th president, but work has only just begun for the future Obama administration. There are many important issues to be resolved, connections to be made, aisles to reach across, etc. But the question of the day seems to be: What is Jon Stewart going to do?

Seriously? That's the biggest question on your mind? "The Daily Show"? I like it too, but Stewart and co. are smart people — that's how they made the show what it was in the first place. Sure, Bush Jr. was an easy punching bag, but politics will always be ludicrous and there will always be stuff to complain about/make fun of. That's what Democracy, and dare I say America, is about! Maybe Barack Obama won't mispronounce/make up words, but, honestly, is illiteracy really all that funny in the end?

So, to sum up: Will "The Daily Show" survive an Obama presidency? I'm pretty sure, yeah.

A dish at 24 Prince, which is owned by former "Top Chef" contestant Nikki Cascone

By Kara Warner

As the new season of "Top Chef" gets ready to premiere on Wednesday, we talked to former contestants to see what they've been up to since the show's end.

Nikki Cascone, season four, owner/executive chef at 24 Prince

How has being on ‘Top Chef’ impacted you and your career in NYC?
“Top Chef” has given me the platform to do things a little bit faster than I would have on my own. It has put my name out in the public in a big way so that getting my book out there and the clothing line I am working on have a broader audience. My restaurant was impacted by hosting more tourists coming in and specifically seeking out “Top Chefs.”

By Emily Hulme

In order to give myself incentive to actually watch the movies on my Netflix cue (200 strong, and growing), I'm going to start reviewing these old DVDs (which has the added bonus of releasing my exceptional taste in movies to the world). Today's film: "Mumford."

Up front, I should admit that I was a little distracted while watching last night. In fact, I completely missed the fact that Ted Danson (among other stars) had a pretty substantial role. But, whatever. It's a harmless not-quite comedy that aims for heartwarming. I'm not sure it quite gets there in the end, however.

Premise: Dr. Mumford moves to the small town of Mumford and starts to heal its residents of their psychological woes. The catch: *SPOILER ALERT* Mumford is not actually a doctor (its status as a town remains unchallenged). Also, predictably he falls in love with one of his patients. There's some mild suspense at the end of the movie, when his secret comes out -- will the townsfolk accept Mumford for who he is? Are their feelings irreparably hurt?? Will Mumford get the girl??? Will Mumford go to jail???? (Answers after the jump).

The stakes are terribly low, though, so it doesn't really doesn't matter either way. The most exciting part of the movie is when Mumford describes to a post-"Dogma"/pre-"Almost Famous" Jason Lee the details of his past life, when he was a drug-abusing IRS investigative agent having an affair with his partner's wife. I wish I had seen that movie.

By Kara Warner

Reality TV junkies and foodies have reason to rejoice. Bravo’s Emmy-nominated culinary competition “Top Chef” kicks off its fifth New York-based season on Wednesday. To celebrate the occasion, we’re taking a behind-the-scenes look at what makes the show tick and how our fair city adds its special flavor into the high stakes drama.

For those unfamiliar with the show, each episode features chefs of various backgrounds and specialties competing against each other in two challenges. One is the “quick fire,” in which contestants have to cook a dish or are tested on culinary techniques using specific ingredients or a theme in under an hour. The second is the larger scale “elimination challenge,” which often requires one or more courses and that the contestants be divided into teams for completion.

By Emily Hulme
• ‘Joan Miró: Painting and Antipainting, 1927-1937’ is on view at MoMA through Jan. 12. 11 W 53rd St, 212-708-9400

Joan Miró, "Dutch Interior (I)," 1928

Barcelona’s Joan Miró has been the subject of major retrospectives at MoMA four times since 1941. But the museum’s latest examination of the artist, “Painting and Anti-Painting, 1927-1937,” presents his work from a vastly different perspective.

Rather than a career overview, “Anti-Painting” is a look at a wildly prolific decade early in Miró’s career. In 1927, he said, “I want to assassinate painting,” and the works on display here, organized into 12 discrete series, give a glimpse into the artist’s creative development as he experiments with form and style.

More after the jump.

Directed by David Wain
3 stars
Starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch

By Mina Hochberg

Apart from (or, in a backwards way, because of) the fact that one of the starring kids has a fouler mouth than all the adults put together, “Role Models” is a surprisingly sweet but non-sappy film.

Too often in movies where kids are the adults and adults are the kids, the script hews to saccharine overtones as the adults complacently learn life lessons from tykes a fraction of their age. In “Role Models,” though, the adults resist. They’re determined to stay in their messed-up grown-up worlds and have to be dragged, whining and swearing, into the more enlightened, unself-conscious world of childhood. When they finally do begin to take notes from the youngsters, their previous reluctance makes the final transformation mighty worthwhile.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
2.5 stars
Directed by Mark Herman
Starring Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon

By Mina Hochberg

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is an effectively sad story that takes place during the Holocaust, but it would be a lot more devastating and moving if it weren’t so contrived.

The film opens with a pack of young boys romping playfully around the streets of Berlin. All is idyllic until the camera sweeps across a building being emptied of Jews. The movie is conspicuously filled with these kinds of juxtapositions — the horrors of the world as seen, or not seen, through the point of view of an innocent youth.
One of the young boys is Bruno (Asa Butterfield), whose eyes couldn’t get more Aryan blue if they’d been computer-generated. Bruno and his family are transplanted from Berlin to a somber, isolated home in the countryside when his father, a Nazi comandante, has been assigned to oversee a concentration camp. If he stands on his tippy-toes, Bruno can see the camp — or farm, as he naively calls it — from the window of his bedroom.

By Emily Hulme

It's a semi known fact that long before Jason Lee was Earl, he was a pretty talented skateboarder.

Here he is in his younger days (with a weird anti-drinking short film tacked on the end):

But, you may be wondering, does he still have it? Here he is in his Earl mustache.

Wanna know more? Here's a very thorough, oldish, interview by Nardwuar, the Human Serviette.

By Scott A. Rosenberg
scott.rosenberg@am-ny.com

Who has time to see movies? If you're busy like me, you don't often make it to the movie theater that often. But that shouldn't stop me from reviewing movies. In this new reoccurring feature, The Tangent will be judging movies based on their trailers.

Valkyrie - opening Dec. 26. Directed by Bryan Singer. Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Carice Van Houten.

Loose plot: Spy pirates try to save Europe from Nazis? I'm not really sure.

Following up on his comedic role in "Tropic Thunder," Tom Cruise returns with ... Nazis. Yeah. "Valkyrie" has the same tone of the "Mission Impossible" flicks and it seems to fail as a period war piece - everyone sounds like an American, even the Brits. But the film does have all the requisite explosions to capture my attention, plus Cruise wears an eye patch for most of the trailer, and that makes me think of pirates. 2.5 stars out of 4.

More after the jump

By Ed Condran
Special to amNewYork
• Brian Regan is at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday, 8pm, $32-$64.50.
• For a full schedule of the New York Comedy Festival, running through Sunday, log on to www.nycomedyfestival.com.

Clever, clean and unpredictable sums up Brian Regan’s comedy. The veteran observational comic, who has been on the circuit since 1980, will perform Sunday at the Lincoln Center as part of the New York Comedy Festival.

The former Heidelberg College football player recently took some time while lounging around his Las Vegas home to chat about his return to New York City.

Continued after the jump.

By Julie Gordon

“Saturday Night Live” already lost Amy Poehler’s Hillary Clinton to motherhood and a new sitcom; now, it’s losing Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin to “30 Rock.”

“I have to retire just because I have to do my day job,” Fey told the New York Post’s PopWrap blog.

As a potential replacement, Fey said, “I think [Kristen] Wiig would do a really good job.”

Fey did an uncanny impersonation of the Alaska governor during six episodes of “SNL,” and helped the show’s ratings to explode.

By Emily Hulme

This video was made about a month ago, so you may have seen it, but if you haven't, give it a watch. This kid does a pitch-perfect imitation of right wing screamer Bill O'Reilly, and it's hysterical. My favorite line: "Listen up pinheads, go drive your electric car into the ocean; I hope you hit a whale on your way to France."

Want more? Here's Lil' O'Reilly excoriating Barney Frank.

Author Michael Crichton died last night after a prolonged battle with cancer. More at NY Times.

Chi Cheng performing in November, 2006. (Getty)

By Julie Gordon

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng is in serious but stable condition following a car accident Monday. Cheng, 38, is under supervision in the Intensive Care Unit in a Northern California hospital.

"Cheng's mother urges everyone to say a prayer for his recovery," according to a Warner Bros. Records statement. "Members of his band, Deftones along with family and friends request privacy at this time."

Tuesday afternoon, Deftones frontman Chino Moreno wrote on the band's blog that he was heading to visit Cheng, "one of the strongest people I know."

"I'm praying that his strength will get him through this," Moreno wrote.

By Emily Hulme

The movie doesn't hit theaters until March 9, 2009, but fans of Alan Moore's brilliant graphic novel are matching Potter-heads in terms of anticipation. As of yesterday, a character profile of the Comedian is up on the official website, with more coming soon.

And today, New York Magazine has up an interview with Dave Gibbons, the Watchmen illustrator. Best line: "There's no point in having a dog and barking yourself." He sounds much more excited than Moore about the forthcoming movie version of his work.

By Emily Hulme

Bookslut Interview with Neil Gaiman from Jessa Crispin on Vimeo

• Jessica Crispin of Bookslut interviews Neil Gaiman, ostensibly about "The Graveyard Book," but really about everything. You can listen to Gaiman reading from the book here.

• The A.V. Club interviewed Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu and Jim Mallon of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" fame. Bad news for those hoping for a reunion:

AVC: You all shared the stage [at ComicCon]. The 20th anniversary seems like a great time to announce that everyone's coming back to do a big reunion of some kind, but it didn't happen. Is there any chance of that happening?
Jim Mallon: The math is a little weird. If you saw onstage, you basically have two people for every position. Even Patrick [Brantseng] ran Gypsy the last three years. So part of it is, "Well, is it Mike, is it Joel? Is it Bill, is it Trace?" So we really couldn't have a big reunion of everybody. As Trace said, "The streams must never cross." We might be messing with quantum physics or something if we tried to do that.

• Comedy Central rounds up the best "Daily Show" moments for Obama and McCain. They also have gathered together the most recent interviews with all four of the candidates -- well, three of the candidates and Tina Fey.

Brooke Smith (ABC)

By Julie Gordon

Gay storylines are being given the boot from Seattle Grace.

Brooke Smith, who plays Dr. Erica Hahn on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” has been canned from the doctor drama, the network said Monday night. She will make her last appearance as Dr. Callie Torres’ (Sara Ramirez) love interest on Thursday’s episode.

“Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian,” said series creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes. “Clearly it’s not an issue, as we have a lesbian character on the show — Calliope Torres.”

By Julie Gordon

Simon Cowell is still on the market following a break-up with girlfriend Terri Seymour about six weeks ago.

“Simon is not seeing anyone,” his rep told us Tuesday.

Seymour, 34, allegedly ended things with the “American Idol” judge, 48, after six years because he does not want children.

"They are going to remain close friends. Simon thinks the world of Terri and that isn't going to change. He also understands her reason for ending it," Cowell's rep said last weekend. "In the past Terri has said that she wants kids but that just isn't Simon."

Thanks to Gawker for photographic proof.

By Julie Gordon
jgordon@am-ny.com
• "Dancing with the Stars" is on ABC at 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Lance Bass has played a lot of roles as of late: Actor, dancer, singer, poster boy for gay youth.

And while the “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, 29, does feel a responsibility to speak out on behalf of gay rights, he’s most comfortable keeping his personal life relatively private.

Hence, a pledge never to do reality TV, but a desire to continue with his first creative love: Acting.

Continued after the jump.

By Scott A. Rosenberg
scott.rosenberg@am-ny.com

We here at The Tangent central are participating in National Novel Writing Month, where would-be novelists write at fast as they can to finish a 50,000+ word novel. amNewYork editors Emily Hulme and Scott A. Rosenberg (me), will be putting ourselves to the test as we attempt to write our novels while still coming to work.

I wrote my first NaNoWriMo novel in 2006 - completing a mess of a thriller novel that had nuggets of good story in the midsts of some confounding prose. This year, I'm writing a young adults science fiction story, which some might see as dorky, but having written one of these novels before, I see that genre as a safe one for the task.

Continued after the jump.

By Scott A. Rosenberg
scott.rosenberg@am-ny.com

If history has anything to say about it, whoever lands in the vice presidential spot, be it Sarah Palin or Joe Biden, each has a really good chance of being insignificant.

At least that’s what the comedic new history book, “Veeps: Profiles in Insignificance” by Bill Kelter and Wayne Shellabarger has surmised. From first Vice President John Adams to whoever takes over in January, the office has been a collection of politicians who have not done a whole lot while in office. In fact, the office has been so poorly regarded that it has been left vacant for a total of 37 years for the first 176 years of its existence.

Continued after the jump.

By Emily Hulme

Even with a miserable cold this weekend, I couldn't miss John McCain on SNL Saturday night. But the real star skit of the evening, I'm now realizing, was the Giraffes short. I love giraffes, and I learned many things from the video, including the fact that giraffes come from outer space, sent here to destroy the whole human race. I did not know that! SNL is educational!

By Julie Gordon

Joan Rivers’ red-carpet fashion critiques have been deemed too offensive for television, her jokes too dirty, her views on plastic surgery too out there. She even got booted from a British talk-show earlier this year for calling Russell Crowe a f------ piece of s---.

But the 75-year-old doesn’t plan on holding back any time in the future, and she doesn’t care if others don’t approve.

“I think if I had censored myself I wouldn’t have had a 40-year career,” she told us.

Rivers brings her wit to Manhattan’s Cutting Room throughout November and December.

The show starts on Election Day. How much political material will you do?
That’s all we’re thinking about. But it’s not only political. I’m going to give my opinions on the people and then we’ll go from there.

What’s the funniest part of politics to make fun of?
Every day something else annoys me. It’s just what annoys you, never what makes you happy.

What’s annoying you now?
We can’t get my dog to be housebroken, so you know that’ll be discussed. I’m looking at man’s best friend and thinking of dinner. That dog with six potatoes in a stew would be delicious.