Betty's bad clothes and solid gold staplers

I'm listening to very loud music while I blog and I've got two people cleaning my place, one of whom seems very upset--and not so great either if the bathroom is any evidence. But better than I feel like doing before a party I'm having on Sunday. I never entertain because I hate to clean and my cats make messes and shed everywhere and I don't want to let anyone in without having it really clean--so I'm in a bind.

Anyhow, TV. The Office was more like old school Office last night I think--they were in the office, Jim and Pam were pranking each other, and everyone was taking sides over chairs or a copy machine. I would have gone with chairs myself--a bad back is part of the reason I hate to clean so much. Of course I also hate all the copy machines at my office which, on the rare occasions I try to use one, inevitably jam. I don't think we're going to have a surplus this year--nor is any paper company but hey, that's why fiction is fun. Somehow, when I read the description on TiVo, that the office mates were trying to decide how to spend a surplus, I was thinking of it more like when they had a surplus at Springfield Elementary and people were ordering solid gold staplers and stuff (I just searched for a good ten minutes and could not figure out which episode this was or precisely what they ordered), so I will say I was a wee bit disappointed to find them asking for such pedestrian things, although Michael's $675 man fur from Burlington Coat Factory, that he turned out not to be able to afford because he didn't get the bonus he could have for turning the surplus back in, but couldn't take back because an anti-fur activist threw red paint on it, was much closer to what I had in mind.

30 Rock was OK, but I'm not really sure I got the whole Liz being a bully thing. Yes, obviously her funniness comes from defensiveness, and I'm sure she muttered nasty things under her breath about the popular crowd, but who would have listened or cared? It's an interesting conceit to think they might have cared but what kind of wimpy popular crowd did that school have? Anyhow, the whole thing came off as mean spirited. Not my favorite, but interesting by being, I believe, the first episode this season without a celebrity guest. Just the core, plus Rip Torn who is semi-regular anyhow.

Ugly Betty--oh my fucking god what was she wearing. I honestly don't get it. She goes out with Amanda, and Amanda gets a fabulous $2000 dress for free (well, she pays for it, but keeps the tags in and intends to take it back) and scores Betty a scarf that same way that doesn't even match. I mean nothing on earth would have matched that monstrosity, but it was sort of teal and pink (I think--I was too blinded to really see it) and the tights another non-matchy color, and the scarf was a deep red. And her wig is terrible, and her braces binding (are Invisiline really that much more expensive?) and there was just no way those "Italian" guys would have picked her up if it wasn't some kind of trick--which it was since those guys dined and dashed. It's a good storyline to have her and Amanda teamed up, and Ignacio encouraged her to learn from Amanda, which I hope to god she will if only fashion-wise. It's driving me nuts. The ugly in Ugly Betty is not supposed to be literal, not after this many seasons.

SNL: That's so gay

Friday was Degrassi, Saturday was SNL, Sunday was The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives, and Skins. Degrassi did something interesting, what with having the double standard for Indian girls and boys, but the newbies are still boring and Emma/Manny/Liberty is so far very silly and dull what with them all wanting to go out with their non-cute roommate. I know there's an article in Flow this month about Canadian teen shows, but I haven't read it yet.

I love Paul Rudd, who was the host on SNL but it really bugs me that every sketch had a silly homoerotic slant. I don't know if that's just the show these days, or the Apatowness of current humor, or what Paul Rudd thinks is funny but it really bugs me. Given that only Kristen Wiig had anything to do of the women, and that only in one sketch, and that only one of the new women seemed to have lines, and those were just as a waitress, it may be that Paul Rudd was the impetus for all the sketches. Even the Beyonce sketch was about male dancers with the central conceit being "isn't it funny that these guys are gay?" and included Justin Timberlake who also brings on that kind of behavior in his appearances. Why is this necessary? Why is it funny? The sketch where the family was all kissing each other was funny only for the discomfort it brought on, and the idea that all the actors, who I guess we are supposed to assume are all very straight, would go for it.

I couldn't not watch a Simpsons episode in which Lisa enters a crossword puzzle tournament, given that I do about 8 crossword puzzles a week, and loved the use of "Word Up," and the cool graphics, but overall a lame attempt. I tried to imagine how much cooler the episode might have been 5 or so years ago. Desperate Housewives has gotten into a nice groove, and Steven Weber is always a nice addition to any cast, but can they keep up the Dave mystery all season? It might be smarter to solve that one by the end of November sweeps and then start up something else in January. Anyhow, I don't really care about it. I also checked out the new Summer Heights High on HBO. That isn't going to save them, it has the same "that's so gay" problem, and the mean girl is not interesting. The Polynesian bully is slightly interesting and I'll check it out again, but am not very intrigued and it should be totally up my alley. I do need to find some Australian teen shows to watch.

I'll be very sorry when Skins is done as it only has two more episodes for the season, I think. I feel bad for Sid though. And Cassie. Though I guess they'll ultimately get together. And it does bother me that Jal, the smart girl and the only girl of color, didn't get an episode of her own this season, and her only storyline was being with Chris, my least favorite character, and while I don't care about Anwar, the fact that he's the other character of color and his only storyline is being with the crazy girl with no dedicated episode makes this show no better than the average teen show in terms of multicultural representation. One of them could have the final episode, but I don't think so although from what I've read I guess come to think of it she will be very affected. Since only Effie will be in the next season there's not much time.