BBC-A + Josh Groban + Anne Rice: Another RA Fan + Richard Armitage Pix + Dylan Thomas Reading A Child's Christmas in Wales (another voice heard from:)

What I want to know is if BBC-A will air the RA Vicar of Dibley eps this Christmas as they did last?...hope so, but believe their Dr Who special will take precedence this time:(

Following has been on BBC America website over a week - for whatever reason tonight it has many tweet mentions..

http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/23/anglophenia.jsp?bc_id=1957

Now for some comic relief:  The US Richard Armitage is a former long-time diplomat in the Dept of State.  While schmoozing over cocktails he mentioned a CIA agent's name to a well-known reporter.  Despite the fact most of the cocktail circuit in WashDC already knew the particular woman was an agent (primarily because she told them so), her supporters acted as though the most sensitive intelligence ever imagined had been revealed.  It was all political gamesmanship - that's how her faction chooses to conduct themselves - many of them lost their seats in congress in the recent election.  Now that you have the background, you will get the points made in this topical and amusing animation.   It explains how the ego-maniac wikiWeasel is playing with innocent lives...

 

LOL..hahaha...still laughing at this one...it's absolutely hilarious...carbon credits..

Thx to Detective Fabo for finding another gem.  In an interview published today,  American writer Anne Rice mentions Richard Armitage as a fine British actor.  Slowly but surely...RA fever is taking hold.  Apparently Anne has watched Spooks on BBC, she refers to it as MI5.  She and I must share similar tastes in men because she also swooned over Matt Bomer(another 'junior' crush of mine you might remember)  Our tastes sharply divided when she had positive words for Robt Downey Jr...yccck! IMO, he's barely more than a walking ego--not much deeper than that.  Being a former drug addict does not automatically make one a profound person or great actor.  Hollywood appears to be convinced one must have  literally rolled in the gutter in order to be deep enough to act. *cough*

Anne's religious discussion is also a clue that we've shared a similar spiritual round-trip journey through different phases of contemplating the meaning of life. BUT a drastic difference becomes apparent when she discusses vampires - my quest never took me down paths toward those kinds of creepy (IMO) fantasies.  If anything, the only way it's possible for me to believe in a Creator who loves all humans, is by paring that faith down to a few very simple concepts. Simply believing in a supreme being (not 'string bean' as often uttered by 5yr olds:) who wants us to do good and leave the earth a better place is enough for me - don't need to expound on it any further by focusing on what are IMO truly weird  conceptions.  Cannot swallow the theory that belief in a God, or a collective greater good conviction, opens doors to the possibility of eerie creatures as well.  For instance, a devil -- no way.  Curtailed all acceptance of that fable many yrs ago.  Now, the possibility of suffering in some way for evil deeds is far easier to believe for one who finds justice an important part of the human experience. 

Guardian angel? hmmm..(after hubby's recent near death by inches--difficult to stay stubbornly skeptical about it:)...and with Christmas season upon us.."Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains"..have to have a few singing angels during this 'holy' season.(*A Wholly Happy Ending*:)

EXCERPT from Anne's interview:  >You had strong feelings about who should play Lestat in the 1994 film. Do you now?

No. I want to see what they come up with. We have so many new actors today that we did not have then. There are so many brilliant actors coming out of Australia and Britain — Richard Armitage and Matthew McFadyen and Simon Woods — they’re just everywhere, really brilliant wonderful guys who articulate beautifully, who are physically beautiful themselves. There’s a time in America when that wasn’t so. There were not that many who could play roles like Louis and Lestat and Armand. Because our great actors were dominated by people like Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and Harvey Keitel. And they were wonderful, but they were so associated with New York street life and vernacular that it was hard to imagine them making a transition to this kind of material. But that’s no longer the case thanks to BBC. All you have to do is turn on BBC to see these guys walking through Little Dorritt and The Way We Live Now and MI5 and all kinds of shows. So there’s so much talent. Like Louis, right now, he could be portrayed easily by Richard Armitage or Matt Bomer, the American actor. Matt Bomer is a beautiful, beautiful guy. He could play Louis.<

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/12/anne_rice_interview_of_love_an.html

Reminder of my handstands over Matt Bomer: http://allthingsrarmitage.blogspot.com/search?q=matt+bomer

Guy looks as though he's puckering up to give Anne Rice an appreciative kiss for her lovely words:)

Circles within circles: following is Anne Rice's fav Wm Blake poem...wonder if a certain tattoo attracted her to Spooks..not to mention said tatt applied to that particular chest:)

Auguries of Innocence by William Blake (find at her website)

                                            http://www.annerice.com/bookshelf-interview.html

Anyone who has visited this site a few times knows that space is rarely occupied by a male other than the one constantly mentioned.  Have discovered another entertainer who deserves some attention - it's Josh Groban.  So far, I know little about him.  If he'd constantly drank and drugged to excess, I'd have learned long ago more than anyone needed to know about him through our entertainment reporters:)  Josh's song 'Confession' was my first introduction to his fantastic singing voice.  This one is also lovely...

               

Rice's vampires Lestat(understand he's blonde..best effort;) and Louis...

 
Whew! that word, in a teeny nutshell, is my reaction after reading more about Anne Rice and her writings.  It's one thing to question and discard inherited religious beliefs and then eventually selectively rediscover their sustaining truth; but it's quite another to become overly pedantic and apparently downright confused while simultaneously remaining obsessed with the process.  She had doubts - wrote incessantly about them - admits that she doesn't believe in vampires but viewed her scribbles about them as representing her atheistic self prior to again believing.  Her spiritual journey is enough to make anyone's head spin.  Leads me to wonder if possibly the fact she gained a fairly large readership for her books was really the primary motive for continuing to pursue that type of writing.   Once your published product is accepted by a large enough audience to make it profitable, it must be almost impossible to sharply change course with another topic.

How many times can one person credibly find herself doubtful, reawakened to conviction and then again damning faith?  I know for certain her "talking to angels" remarks turned me off completely to any plans to actually read such convoluted tripe.  Sorry...can't enjoy reading someone's work if they impress me as personally a pretentious flake---not eloquent but a truthful impression of the woman.  Although, I will admit it would be fun to have the opportunity to have one conversation with her -- at least she learned to dig deep...a pity she never learned at some point to drop the shovel and move on.
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Of course, if RA decides to play one, I'll set out the front door mat below.. everything is relative:)
 
OMG..can't believe how bad this movie  must be -- thought I'd already seen the worst ever made but this film has to take that prize.  Isn't it downright laughable?.. as are its blood-sucking booby twins---'cruise to the pitts' would be an appropriate trailer warning.  Does it reflect the quality of Rice's writing or simply Hollywood doing another hatchet job on a novel. How can you possibly go wrong with fading stars, fangs and slapstick vampires? *chuckle*:)

                                
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RA Junior Crush is Interviewed in Latest GQ Magazine..

Not crazy about the accompanying photo(or the hat:) - there are far hotter pics of Matt Bomer...

See if he impresses you as he does me as being one of those rare handful of actors who manage to keep their ego in check despite intense public adulation.  (In the learn something new every day dept...I thought GQ was an American Mag:)

p.s. discovered he and RA have something else in common - they've both  had reason professionally to say the word 'vagina' in the past 12mos. HA!)

Matt Bomer Exclusive by Liat Clark

There are plenty who attempt to emulate the Rat Pack, but few can pull off a fedora quite as well as American actor Matt Bomer, star of stateside show White Collar. Effectively Catch Me If You Can has a Thomas Crown Affair, Bomer plays ex-con Neal Caffrey, who benefits significantly from his character's gruelling wardrobe - in Paul Smith suits or Hugo Boss casuals he helps the FBI track down art thieves. GQ.com decided to find out what we could learn from this modern-day cad, and Bomer was only too willing to share his thoughts on seduction, surviving New York City in style and channelling Paul Newman...

GQ: Who did you base your character's style on?

MB: Dean Martin specifically was a big influence - both in style and personality. That's why there's a bartender at craft services. Cary Grant in To Catch A Thief is someone else we borrow from. Even Alain Delon in Le Samourai.

What did you learn from Caffrey's style?

The most important thing I've learned from the entire experience style wise is that every man should have a great tailor, and visit him or her often. If you're wearing suits and you want to create your own sense of style, get to the tailor. Our costume designer (Stephanie Maslansky) always pays close attention to the colour of the shirts, pocket squares, vintage cufflinks, tie bars, and fedoras. And, of course, the tailoring. Those are all very specific to the Rat Pack style. As are cigarettes and gin.

Paul Newman is your favourite actor - did you draw on any of his films specifically?

Definitely. I watched The Hustler and The Sting several times when I was preparing for the role. The tone of those films, especially The Hustler, is quite different from White Collar, but the specificity of Newman's acting is a constant source of inspiration for me. He knew his characters inside and out. And of course there's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which is an essential film to watch if you're going to do a buddy show.

What is your best recent fashion purchase?

My style could not be more different than Neal's. My standard uniform is a T-shirt and jeans. Most recently, I picked up a pair of comfortable summer slacks from Freemans Sporting Club, and some short-sleeved button-down shirts from Band of Outsiders.

What is the key to wearing black tie well?

Go commando underneath. It adds an air of mystery.

Have you ever smooth talked your way out of a situation or stolen anything like your character?

Many, many times. I think anyone who's ever gone through adolescence and wanted something from their parents knows the basic tenets of a con. The difference between myself and Neal is that it usually always comes back to bite me in the ass.

Your character is a serial flirt - can you give us some advice?

One of Neal's gifts is that he is a master at thin slicing someone. It's a pretty important tool in the social engineering game. Confidence, intelligence, and a sense of humour go a long way, but you also have to know who you're dealing with, and adjust your tactics accordingly.

What should every man know about women?

They have vaginas. Seriously, my dad taught me to always (at least try) and be a gentleman. I think chivalry and respect will always go a long way. And listening. If you can remember a key detail from a story you've been told six months ago, you've just earned major points.

In an early White Collar episode Neal shows off how to flag down a New York cab - have you got any insider tips for surviving the city?

New York City is one of the greatest places on the planet. You have the best in food, art, theatre, and definitely people-watching. We shoot there during the summer, and the only way to survive the city that time of year is to have a really good air conditioning unit, and get out to the incredible parks they have around the city. Between the High Line, and the incredible job they've done on the West Side Highway, there are plenty of places to go to get some fresh air.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Thankfully, I've gotten a lot of great advice over the years. But when I first graduated college and came to NYC, I was having a hard time scraping two pennies together. My pockets were pretty thin, so I called the old man. He was very straightforward with me. He said, "I paid for college. You're on your own now." It was a harsh lesson, but it really lit a fire under my ass. From there on out, it was all bets off. I knew I was going to have to make my own way in the world.

What can we expect from White Collar season two?

Season two has a lot of the same fun, light, Howard Hawks-type tone, with an intelligent procedural thrown in. And the focus is always on the characters and how they relate to one another. Neal's character is in a darker place, but it never drags the show down. He's a proactive guy. His MO is to find out who killed Kate, and avenge her death, no matter what it takes. The struggle is between what he feels is right and what the FBI feels is right.

Questions from the fans:

I love Matt's glasses - can you ask where he got them from?

They are by a company called Initium, and the specific style is called 7th Son.

We've read you really enjoy ordering elaborate drinks from Starbucks for yourself and the White Collar cast. Do you currently have a favorite drink you would recommend we try?

Unfortunately, that is pure myth. I like a venti iced Americano, sweetened with stevia, a natural sugar alternative.

What is Matt's favorite band/song?

Right now I'm really loving the new-ish LCD Soundsystem album [This Is Happening], as well as the new Arcade Fire album [The Suburbs]. My favourite band of all time is probably The Eagles. I'm even a sucker for Henley's solo career. "Heart of the Matter" is one of my all time favorite songs.

Any truth to the rumour that you are playing Frank Sinatra on Broadway?

No!

White Collar season two airs on Bravo later this year. bravo.co.uk
Published 26 Aug 2010Online editing by Andy Morris http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2010-08/25/gq-tv-matt-bomer-white-collar-interview

Another Hottie with a Charmingly Contained Ego That Makes Him Sizzle

He's younger than RA, therefore within the male babe 'needing to be burped' age range BUT if Matt Bomer(star of White Collar) was a few yrs older....oooh, would really have great difficulty making a decision who would be #1 on my drama world list as opposed to reality - DH forever holds the top spot in my affections for RL.   If you click on the following & scroll to the twitVid you'll hear 6min of Matt explaining why he chose acting and his current role plus other answers to fan questions.  His contained ego and answers to the aforementioned queries sound almost like an RA quote, when the latter was asked the same questions.   http://www.mattbomerfan.com/
As you can see Matt is definitely another TDH hunk...

There's another similarity..not that it had anything to do with my positive assessment..*cough,cough*:)

Has anyone else ever found handwriting analysis interesting?  Do all adorable males share certain handwriting styles?  Let's take a look...(UPDATE: added a new sample - that of famous & prolific American writer, Stephen King, for comparison purposes.  Doesn't this latest entry seem like a combination of Matt's flourishes combined w/Richard & Tim's more circumspect, legible penmanship?  Interesting that all 3 older men have less fourish to their writing style than the younger celebrity.)

Granted Matt's autograph is not nearly as clear as Richard's...will see if the quality can somehow be improved.  A noticeable commonality is the size of their capital letters - both make the intial letter of each name much larger than the remaining letters.  Richard's penmanship appears neater & more compact, while Matt's is more stylized--similar to the almost undecipherable script of most physicians:)  Analysts usually mention the habit of connecting all letters as signifying a balanced personality.  RA seems to make a point of doing that, doesn't he - but Matt's isn't distinct enough to make that judgement.
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Update:Better quality Matt signatures...the producer of White Collar is placing autographed photos of the stars of the show on twitter in order to auction them off for charities.  Here are 2 new Bomer signature samples - one w/his co-star Tim McKay.  Matt's handwriting definitely has more flourishes than the two somewhat older men - which to me indicates he's not yet quite as confident as they are.  That's really ironic because his character Neal  is the epitome of cool, confident sophistication while employing some sort of criminal scam each week.  Bomer pulls it off with aplomb - would never know he's over compensating in order to feel more secure.  hehehe Amateur psychiatry you say?...what was the first clue? ;)

From the website linked below:   Capital letters in handwriting

Capital letters are very important in handwriting analysis. The capital letters for either proper names, personal identity, or just to start off a sentence tell about the writer's feeling of personal confidence, personal esteem, and the importance of other people and places in his or her life.
..
The formation of capital letters tells our graphologists a lot about how a person wants to be viewed by others. This and a person's signature are the two main aspects in handwriting that reveal these character traits. Enlarged capitals, escpecially those with what we deem has "initial empasis" are people who are strongly influenced by "first impressions".
Personal tastes will also show up in capitals. Simplified and straight forward capitals often indicate a person with simplified tastes. If the lower zone is not overly dominant in tri-zonal balance; then this indicates a person who is easy to please. On the other hand, overly flourished capitals [flourished letters have large and extra curls] are the sign of vanity, the need to garner the attentions of others and/or expensive material tastes.
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When the capital letters are short or narrow; we have a person who is not very confident in his or her own abilities, and inhibited.
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Capitals show a person's confidence in projects

Capitals determine how important other people, places, or things are to the writer
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Overly large or flourished capitals indicate a need for compensation

http://www.toughcases.net/writingcapitals.html

Important disclosure: Remember this is just a very basic explanation of this particular aspect of handwriting. It is expressly for the purpose to show the validity by explaining this complex science in simplistic terms.

Hunk Junior - Candidly Matt Bomer

The past few days there's been a phenomenon somewhere on the west coast usa called Comic-con.  Never heard of it before this year, but evidently it's an annual event that draws major stars & their entertainment vehicles.  Following is a photo of my RA junior crush - White Collar's Matt Bomer.  Believe it or not, this is Matt in character....

while this is Matt clowning around at Comic-con (with the fantastic writer of White Collar, Jeff Eastin). Obviously the star doesn't even try to maintain the glamour - even when he's aware many fans and media types will be present - Matt's wearing a kooky hat, haha and his glasses.  That's why he's another hot guy - RA & Matt's contained egos emanate sizzling sex appeal & charm.  *thud,thud*

Eastin often tweets & posts many photos - he wrote this comment under the above pic...

>my favorite pic from #SDCC Comic Con panel. I said, "I can write charming, but you're the reason it is charming." Matt hugged me.<

Another pic of Matt w/a cast member during a shooting break...

His character Neal's NY apartment follows...it's charmingly vintage but Neal didn't furnish it himself...an older widowed woman offered it to him for very reasonable rent.  His character also wears her deceased hubby's classic designer wardrobe.  That sounds morbid but au contraire (never know I'd only 2yrs of French classes, would you;) it truly is a heart-warming tangent to the story. Nothing May/Dec about their relationship--it's pure friendship.  He reminds her of her husband.
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar/games/nealsapartment/

North & South Vid:Thornton Look by misshale78 + Naxos Narration Sample + Richard's Interview

Here's the link for anyone who has not heard RA's interesting interview or the sample clip at Naxos website:

http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/0022.htm

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Next is the White Collar website where the first 2 eps are available for online viewing…click on ’shows’ http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar/theshow/style/ep201/index.html
The second ep was especially yummy.  Matt Bomer's character pretended to acquire the services of a female FBI agent who was masquerading as an expensive hooker.  They were working on the case together, and he surprised her by quickly taking action to make sure she wasn't forced to pair up with an authentic 'customer.'  Their banter, while acting roles within dramatic roles, is really amusing.  She's sitting on his lap as they make plans how they can convince the evil baddie that she's really a 'lady of the evening.'  Matt says to female FBI agent "Is this doing anything for you?"...she bluntly answers "No!".  Once they're in the upstairs hotel room, he tries to persuade her to take a champagne bath together while she acts cooly professional and ignores his come-on.  Funny scenes.  Of course, she supposedly collects $10,000 from him, after the usual business exchange, to give to their target low-life criminal.  Naturally their ploy is successful and they again bag another devious lawbreaker.   Guess there's no need to watch after that lengthy description:)  ...Then again, he's always worth watching...

The description under this photo on the website reads:  "Gucci suit, Hugo Boss tie, Paul Smith shirt, vintage Georg Jensen tie clip, Ferragamo shoes & belt"..

It's Raining RA - 'Rip off the Roof and Stay in Bed'

This one needs another redo with Richard on screen at least 80% of the time---Rupert(former Spook) and Hugh Jackman could fill about 10% - in my daydreams the remainder is devoted to a couple homegrown favorites -  Matt Bomer & Jeffrey Donovan.
(Above video by DreamyViper in 2008)

Females Need Not Apply:) + Fascinating Sean Bean Interview(*Married 4Xs*Yikes*) + Second Viewing:Spooks9 +Tolkien & Arthurian Legends + What Color Should You Stay Away From?(weep;) + Sir Guy Wins Best Baddie Poll

Sean Bean interview:

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/04/11/game-of-thrones-star-sean-bean-life-keeps-putting-a-sword-in-my-hand/?dlvrit=63378

LOL...it was only a matter of time before the other half of the human race was heard from...why don't they ever listen to us? ;) hahaha..clever..

Not horsing around Hobbit News:  Who will ride The Hobbit's latest purchase - Claire the white mare?

Article includes photo: http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/04/10/43379-claire-the-mare-is-sold-to-hobbit-movie-makers/

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taaaaDaaaaa...announcing the winner of the biggest baddest hunkie poll:

News / Sir Guy of Gisborne wins Big Bad Poll

April 10, 2011 By Hunkess
QUOTE:  The results are in and it seems we, as a site, have decided Sir Guy of Gisborne (aka Richard Armitage) is the hunkiest Big Bad! The blue blood of noble Sir Guy of Gisborne finally beat the bloodrinking Sheriff of Area 5, Eric Nortman. Poetic.

Congratulations Mr Armitage!

For those interested in both Arthurian legends and Tolkien - a comparison study:
http://pourtolkien.free.fr/jardillierArthur.html
Stumbled upon the above while searching for the recent theonering.com report about a white mare named Claire that was purchased by the hobbit production company.  She's pure white - Above study discusses white horses described in Camelot  andLord of the Rings.  Amazingly topical touchstone intersection  for those watching the latest Camelot update as well as progress reports on The Hobbit movie.

Second viewing of Spooks S9 (ep 1) for me - first time for my love. the team is attending Ros‘s funeral. Afterwards, outside the church, Harry pulls Ruth aside and proproses marriage to her. She refuses saying in effect “how would it work? The two of us in a cottage? What would we talk to the neighbors about when they visit?

Hubby said “that’s right - they couldn’t talk about their work.” Later he added “Harry’s feelings for her might cloud his judgement in a crisis.”

He quietly watched from then on, until the high tech weapon under the Houses of Parliament was released. Then he commented “that will be the way future wars are fought, ya know - with electro-magnetic technology.”

Only other reaction to ep 1 was when Vaughn was leaving and said “good to see you again John.” Hubby repeated “John.” Then he asked “shall we watch the next episode?” I told him it was up to him and he expressed much curiosity about Vaughn - we started ep 2 after a short break.

(Ep 2) The oil tycoon‘s evil plan is revealed. What really surprised me was how contemplative hubby became over that character. He asked - “how old do you think he looks?” I said “about 60-65” which prompted him to explain his interest. “Why would someone that age care so much about the political landscape in a foreign country to the point he’d plan a massacre?” My answer was the suggestion that many business owners become very protective of their company, and start to think of it almost as a person. Maybe the man’s motive was to protect his life’s work for his children or grandchildren. The hubster said “that’s plausible - that’s why I asked you.”

After gunfire was sprayed in the elevator, the camera showed Beth’s blood-spattered face with wide-open eyes - DH gasped. He was visibly relieved when Lucas approached and Beth spoke to him.  Afterwards we were both extremely puzzled why Beth kept one of the wounded mens’ cell phone. I’d somehow missed that entire sequence of events first time around.

At some point during ep 2,  Mr Ricrar remarked about RA - “his serious face is the most serious I've ever seen.” :)

The only other observations were during the scene when Harry offered his resignation to the Home Sec’y - hubster said “bet the Home Sec will return the envelope to him before the episode ends.” As the two men discussed the fact the billionaire oil man was crucial to the country since the BP disaster, DH made a sound of appreciation for the cutting-edge geo-political topic's inclusion in a TV program aired over 6mos previous.

His very last words on the first two episodes of Spooks9 were “hopefully we’ll learn next week why the other man called him John.”

Long distance TOC...*winks at collectors* ;)

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorshouldyoustayawayfromquiz/

My result was blue...boohoohoo...I love blue - can't stay away from it...primary reason is because my significant other's eyes are blue, and other family members as well.  Living room carpet is dusty blue...dress I've recently purchased to wear to my niece's upcoming wedding is sapphire blue.  Too bad it wasn't orange or mustard...haha...not a problem whatsoever to stay away from those two colors.

Thx to Musa: Anne Rice again mentions RA as her choice for vampire Lestat.  Quote has to be in blood red... 

Anne Rice

My dreamcast for a Vampire Chronicles will never "happen." But here it is, happening now on this page: Richard Armitage as Lestat; Matt Bomer as Louis; Eva Green as Gabrielle; Matthew MacFadyen as Marius; Jeremy Irons as David Talbot; directed by Kenneth Branagh. (Thinking about the others).
              

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