Entertainment news isn’t always about the latest LiLo-SamRon sighting (Hollywood-speak for Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, for those of you living under a rock). Count on Entertainment Weekly to define what real media coverage is about.
The tell-all guide (literally, spoilers are included) spills the beans on the steamiest Gossip Girl episode yet, Burn After Reading and Bangkok Dangerous reviews, backstage passes to The Women set, post Dark Knight box office ratings, and timely pop culture (MTV’s VMA highs and lows) trivia in its Sept.19 edition.
Like it’s Time, Inc. sisters Time and People, EW delivers sophisticated, smart features that require more reader involvement than, say, a spread on Star. Features tend to be witty but a tad lengthy—ones that might take die-hard fans to appreciate and endure. Quirky TV doc Hugh Laurie of House nabbing the cover story chronicled the show’s supposed growing pains, from Laurie’s troubles with his British accent to a breakdown of what-went-wrongs in past seasons. Not so engaging, but it does get Laurie to say “I am a pain in the ass” and “virtuous people are annoying.”
The magazine does a dragging story on Jessica Simpson’s country debut, sidestepping chronic break-up rumors with football star boyfriend Tony Romo. EW handles the blah-ness of Simpson’s genre shift by exploring other country converts like Jewel, Kid Rock, and Bon Jovi. Nice save. But really, does anyone care? The one-page profile on up and coming pop artist Lenka should have stolen pages off Simpson’s spreads. Still, the magazine gets points for keeping the lingo casually hip: “Her hook-heavy ditties exist in the same vein of pop-folkies Colbie Caillat and Sara Bareilles..” Greenblatt said (on Lenka, not Simpson, of course!).
Big on wit and humor, Jessica Shaw’s “The Shaw Report” takes a stab at Hollywood BFFs and what’s in (Posh and J. Lo), what’s “five minutes ago” (Posh and Eva), and what’s out (Posh and Katie). It also pokes fun at gossip, commenting on Alec Baldwin’s feud with My Name Is Earl creator: “That Earl dude had better fireproof his voicemail box.”), in reference to Baldwin’s infamous nasty voice message to his daughter which was leaked to the media last year.
What EW does best is hand out grades for entertainment. TV shows, movies, books, DVDs, and music receive ratings from the magazine’s critics. Some movies like Burn After Reading merit spreads while others like Bangkok Dangerous get a sixth of the page (and an “F”). Whether readers agree with the ratings is another story. In most cases, critics will at least amuse with their clever wisecracking and comedic style (On Web TV’s Sorority: “Scooby-Doo episodes produced more chills… though not as many sexy bras.”).
Here’s an entertainment magazine that doesn’t thrive on celebrity scandals to sell covers. Although that five-page feature on Simpson was scandalous to me.
-Kris Alcantara
Good article, although Mr. Laurie, ever trying to be diplomatic, finally ticked me off. I personally think it’s insulting to a lot of fans to say:
“Laurie, however, has a different reaction to the fans’ discontent. ”What would that be like if you said that to a person? If you said that to your partner, ‘You know, I used to love you when you…”’ he trails off. ”I think your partner would think, ‘Well, that kind of means you don’t love me, then. It’s not much consolation saying you used to love me when. If you don’t love me now, you don’t love me.”’”
It also sounds very conceited, which I’m certain is NOT at all what he intended, but it comes out that way.
He & his co-stars did a brilliant job for 3 seasons with subtlely nuanced acting. Not only that, but he and Jennifer Morrison both talked in a number of interviews about their chemistry, and bam!, the show decides to drop Morrison into a deep well. So, thanks a lot for getting us emotionally invested. We’re sorry you did such a good job acting for 3 years that we’re upset at the show’s 180-degree turn.
And promising to give her screen time for “developing” her romance with Chase is supposed to appease us? I don’t think so — quite the contrary — ick! All you really have to do to appease us is to tell us that there is hope for the future. I’m not in a hurry, take your time.