It's a bird! It's a plane! No..it's SUPERNANNY!

Ok, I've never been a big fan of reality television...seriously...and aside from American Idol and an occasional episode of Queer Eye, I've never really understood all the hoopla about this new television phenomenon that has taken over and seems to be here to stay (well, at least for the next 2-5 years or so-as trends go), so you can imagine my surprise when I found myself completely addicted to not one, but TWO reality shows that are currently making their rounds on the network and cable channels.

First, let me start with the program that I feel is most useful to our society at large, even if it's not my first in enjoyment--that's the new ABC reality show called SUPERNANNY which airs on Monday nights at 10pm. (why so late for a family show?)

My god! Finally! A reality show that parents EVERYWHERE should be watching! Basically, it's parenting 101, something that is never taught in schools, but should be. How many times have you suffered because other people didn't know how to discipline their children? How many spoiled dinners at restaurants, screech-filled flights cross country or chatter-filled movies have we all had to sit through because other people simply couldn't control their "little ones"?

Well, now they can. As the ABC website states:

This miracle worker is Jo Frost, a.k.a. Supernanny, Britain's hottest new TV star and godsend to desperate parents across the U.K. who were dazzled by her amazing results when her series debuted this summer, as she showed families the tools for transforming their children's wild ways. Her practical, no-nonsense style was honed over 15 years of nannying in the U.K. and the U.S. Now American families can tap into the secrets of this modern-day Mary Poppins.

In each episode, Jo watches the parents and kids in their "natural habitats" (usually some typical beige carpeted suburban townhome in some form of disarray) for one full day before getting to work. Then, when the next day starts, she assesses the way the parents handle their kids and gives them tips/pointers on how to change unwanted behavior. She demonstrates the methods for 1 day and then leaves the parents on their own to try to harness their offspring.

All of the Supernanny's methods make sense to me--instilling discipline, confidence, self-reliance and manners in the children, without any form of physical or verbal abuse or game-playing. Perfect! My favorite of her methods involves a time out period on the "Naughty Stool" or "Naughty Rug"..or some other object/area that is imbued with "naughtiness", so whenever the child misbehaves, they are put on this object/in this room to "cool down" and think about their poor behavior. You go Supernanny!

I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to put other people's children on the "Naughty Rug", and I confess, I've often wanted to put the parents on there too!

How many of us know adults--say, our co-workers or certain annoying/spoiled family members-- that we'd love to plop right on that "Naughty Rug"?

Oh, look? You ALL raised your hands! Big surprise! : ) These were kids that didn't have the benefit of Supernanny (or parents who knew what they were doing) when growing up.

So, my hat (Mary Poppins style!) goes off to Jo, the SUPERNANNY and ABC for airing reality programming that not only has a conscious, but also, is incredibly useful! Maybe, in a generation or so, we will start seeing the benefits of good parenting!

Ok, now on to my guilty pleasure! This reality show is certainly nowhere near as socially useful as ABC's Supernanny, but it is perhaps one of the most entertaining shows to watch if you have any sort of creative/artistic streak in you. It's called PROJECT RUNWAY and it airs Wednesdays at 9pm on Bravo.

What makes this show so fantastic, is that it pits 12 aspiring fashion designers against each other, competing to win week-to-week on design challenges. Designers are eliminated on a weekly basis based on their execution of design challenges until only three remain to face-off on the catwalk at New York's Fall Fashion Week in February 2005. The winner's designs will be photographed for Elle magazine. The winning designer will also receive $100,000 in seed money too help them launch their own line.

What a concept! First of all...this is all hosted by the fabulous Heidi Klum.

What makes Heidi so wonderful is that she's a really really bad actress. She's horribly wooden and has no expression or even a glimpse of varying inflection in her speech. She sounds like a german automaton. And it's wonderful! She can say lines as varied as "That was truly an amazing dress" or "That was the worst design I've ever seen" and use the exact same vocal tone and facial expression-which usually is something like a cross between Arnold Schwarzenegger and the voice of Hal from 2001.

And as each designer is eliminated, each week, Heidi bids each of them farewell with a steely.."Aufeidersein"!! I can almost picture her in full SS regalia as she utters--no--barks, this proclamation. It's sheer heaven!

Aside from Klum's "She-Bitch of the SS" routine, the show also offers lots of entertainment because each week the designers are given a different challenge, ranging from designing a swimsuit to designing a wedding dress, with often mixed (and hilarious) results.

The one solitary thing I hate about the show, is the same thing I hate in lots of other reality shows like this...somehow, the producers think the competition itself is not enough to keep us interested (it is! it is!), so they feel the need to "amp" up the "conflict" between the contestants. I honestly don't care if Wendy wants to bitch slap Austin Scarlett, or if the contestants secretly hate each other or get along...who cares? Just design the stupid dresses you idiots and may the best of you win!

My advice to Bravo execs...let the competition speak for itself...that, combined with Heidi's icy-cold demeanor are enough to keep me hooked for years!

So, who says Reality TV is all bad? I am learning to embrace the more interesting ventures in Reality programming...and now shut up while I suffer through another season of American Idol.

Ok, I'll admit it--maybe I am a masochist!

Where's My Home At The End of the World?

Well, it's a snowy, cold Wednesday night in a quiet DC suburb...the night before the Innauguration of the 2nd term of the worst president this country has ever had.

What is a 32 year old single democrat gay man, that's feeling just a tad lonely in the world supposed to do?

He's supposed to cuddle on his futon and watch a movie that'll make him cry on cable TV.

I knew I had ordered COMCAST On Demand for a reason. The reason was I was supposed to watch A Home At The End of the World, a stunning 2004 film, directed by Michael Mayer, starring Collin Farrell, Sissy Spacek, Robin Wright Penn and Dallas Roberts. What a great film!

Just when I was thinking how I could describe this film, and how it touched me so, I read a perfect summation of it on Amazon.com. A reviewer writes:

This is a beautiful movie but I'll start by saying that those with inflexible or rigid parameters of morality and black and white notions of "right and wrong" will most likely find the movie to be very threatening and disturbing. For those with more of an open mind and those who are able to view all the colors in the spectrum of life, this is a beautiful and emotionally moving film. The movie uses three main characters to illustrate the complexity of love, loss and all the other sometimes puzzling aspects of human relationships. It's a vivid illustration of the confusing and complicated nature of genuine and unconditional love and all it's implications in a society obsessed with labels and categorization. Dallas Roberts and Robin Penn give noteworthy acting performances and Sissy Spacek also gives a spectacular performance as an unconditionally loving mother. Colin Farrell, however, gives a superior performance, in his portrayal of a young man transformed by a series of great losses. His charismatic and seemingly innocent character does a great job at invoking both sympathy and frustration in some of the characters and the audience watching this movie. The story spans a few decades from the late 60's to what seemed to be the early 80's and the soundtrack does a stellar job at setting the mood for the first two. A great job in casting was also done as both of the kids really looked like young versions of the adult actors. Director Michael Mayer makes it clear that home really is, where the heart is. -signed Darren, NJ

What a perfect way to describe this film and the wonderful performances in it. It's truly a wonderful little piece of work that deserved more attention when it came out last year, but as always, it's not an easy sell at the local multiplex, so it was lost in the shuffle. Sad, because it truly is a great film.

It really made me think about the stupid parameters that society imposes on us, and the ridiculous "rules" that are foisted on human beings in order to maintain some sort of "morality". What a crock! And usually the people doing the imposing, are the biggest perverts out there..which is why they think some order has to be established, lest they all go hog wild swinging from the proverbial chandelier.

I can only imagine the hundreds of gay men that are happily flocking to the many Innaugural Balls being held tonight and tomorrow in our lovely Nation's capital, honoring a man (if we can call him a man), who used this country's hatred of gay people to further his cause, to win his re-election. I wonder if these gay men have any idea how disgusting their act of supporting this administration is? I wonder if they stop to think how truly pathetic they are? How can they hate themselves so much? How can they send such a message of self-loathing to the younger generations of gay men that are to follow?

I am not a religious person, but tonight, I will say a little prayer (I guess I can stomach it by phrasing it as a Hal David lyric.."I say a little prayer for you...") for these sad men. These gay men who live so entrenched in a societal closet...who are so desperate to "fit in", they will betray their own kind and trade on our rights for their power. It makes me sick to my stomach.

God Bless America tomorrow...may we survive another 4 years of abuse, torture and mistreatment by this Monkey and his cronies, by this unfettered cartel, who feels entitled and totally guiltless...and I'm not talking about Abu Ghraib. I'm talking about middle america. Ohio. Oklahoma and yes, Texas. We've all been molested by these people. And how did we respond? We gave them 4 more years of abuse privileges.

And now, now, the Democrats think they can "act tough", by making a few waves for Condie Rice's confirmation hearings. I'm just as sickened by Boxer and Kerry and Biden as I am by Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. Shame! Shame! Shame! Where was this "fighting spirit" in November?

So, if anything, this film, A Home At The End of the World, tells a story that needs to be told. Not everyone fits the mold...not everyone is Apple Pie and Texas Two Step and SUVs...and you know what...we are Americans TOO, dammit!

The Hostess With The Mostest!

Last night I had a unique experience that I never thought I would have while vacation in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Last night a friend of mine invited me over to watch a DVD of Call Me Madam, the 1953 20th Century Fox film based on the Irving Berlin musical of the same name, starring Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, George Sanders and Vera-Ellen. What an amazing film musical, with brilliant musical numbers staged by the extraordinary Robert Alton, a brilliant score by Berlin featuring such hits as "The Hostess With The Mostest", "You're Just In Love" and "The Best Thing For You Would Be Me" and a fantastic script delivered wonderfully by all the stars, and expertly directed by Walter Lang.

A true treat for anyone, even if you don't like film musicals.

This musical has only now been released on DVD and hadn't been available before on VHS either..due to the rights being tied up by the Berlin estate.

It's worth checking out 52 years later..it's a classic!