Everybody's Linking for the Weekend

It's Saturday, so let's get this link roundup on!!!!  Here are some of the stories I have been reading about this past week that I haven't had a chance to comment on (or perhaps you haven't even read about!):

On Entertainment...

Sandra Bullock

-I am going to be honest-it wasn't a hugely big week in entertainment this week.  One of the biggest stories I refuse to link to, which was the Sandra Bullock 911 call because I've had it with the media releasing 911 calls of famous people to the media.  It's wholly inappropriate to exploit the most personal moments of a person's life for entertainment, and quite frankly sites like TMZ are no better than the stalkers in many ways in providing the audio of the call, because they are exploiting Ms. Bullock's celebrity for their own personal benefit.  No one should have to worry about how they sound or what they are sharing on a phone call with 911-some lawmaker needs to make it illegal for these to leave a courtroom.

-The Huffington Post chronicles the fall of Grace of Monaco starring Nicole Kidman, and how it is moving to Lifetime.  The article addresses the cattiness about Kidman's "fallen star" and how that is what caused the film to fail, but they point out quite well that Jennifer Lawrence, arguably the biggest star on the planet right now, couldn't even get Serena to open wide thanks to horrid reviews.  For Kidman, this may end up being a best-case-scenario-she gets the film out of development hell, and despite the reviews there's a halfway decent chance her prestige still lands her an Emmy nomination.

-Kidman's Hours costar Julianne Moore, fresh off her recent Oscar win, is in negotiations to appear in Nicole Holofcener's new film about noted forger Lee Israel.  This is exciting for multiple reasons: there's of course the fact that Julianne Moore is getting cast in more prestige fare (between this and Freeheld, she's definitely not going the blockbuster route with her Oscar win, which is comforting since that's never been Juli's forte), and Nicole Holofcener's last film, Enough Said, gave us a wonderfully-felt performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  Plus, I really like films about capers and forgers, so I'm likely buying a ticket even if the reviews are atrocious.

-Speaking of longtime hold-outs at an awards show, Kelli O'Hara's coronation as Best Actress at the Tony Awards continued this past week with Julie Andrews coming to see her in The King and I.  (Name drop time) I have actually met Dame Julie once, at an event for one of her children's books, and I have to say it was one of the most thrilling moments of my life.  I totally get even an actress as acclaimed as Kelli being flabbergasted on Twitter over the entire event.

On Politics...

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO)

-Hillary is running for president.  No links needed-you already knew that.  We'll discuss more about her entrance into the race Tuesday on the blog.

-My personal favorite senator Claire McCaskill took issue with the way that the NCAA has turned into an NBA-tryout program rather than something that actually shows people who are going to graduate from college.  Like whenever any person says something remotely compelling on social media, McCaskill's comments were seen more as an indictment against Duke athletes, which is clearly not what she meant (and she has a point-the NBA is an insane opportunity, but should Duke and other schools really get to claim someone as an alumni when they don't actually ever graduate?).  In other news, the fallout from the recent suicides of Missouri State Auditor Tom Schweich and his spokesman have rattled the state's GOP and have some wondering if it may affect them at the ballot box next fall, when races for the Senate, governor,'s mansion, and White House will all be on the line.

-National Democrats and the DSCC continue be sour on the prospect of former Rep. Joe Sestak getting his anticipated rematch with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), and it's starting to spill out into the public.  Chairman of Montgomery County Joshua Shapiro has been a rising star in the Keystone State for years now and it appears that he is the target of their push to get a preferred candidate in the race.  Considering its position as a swing state and that the Democrats have won the state's electoral votes for two decades, this is a crucial race for the Democrats and so this is risky, as Sestak may still win and be labeled "second choice" by the Republicans.  The DSCC is already having solid luck in Illinois, where this past week both Reps. Bill Foster and Cheri Bustos passed on the open Senate seat in favor of reelection, leaving only Rep. Robin Kelly (who is still undecided) standing between Rep. Tammy Duckworth and the nomination.

Shameless Self-Promotion of the Week...

Aaron Tveit reminds us that the Broadway Season is upon us...and sexy.

YouTube Video of the Week...

-My beloved Mamrie Hart, out pumping her book You Deserve a Drink, gets her Cyndi Lauper on in an epic way:

Just One More...

-Listen, I get that the name of the game on the internet is clicks, but do we really need yet another poll about Charles not deserving the throne after William?  Listen, I like Will and Kate better than Charlie and Camilla-everyone does.  But that doesn't mean that the man who has been in-line for the throne for sixty years really deserves to give up his right to the throne.  The days of Charles-hating have pretty much fallen by the wayside, in my opinion, and we should let the man have his likely very few years on the throne before William takes the throne (and by then we'll all be wishing it was George).  In other royal news, Prince Harry loathes selfies, and the internet's cumulative head explodes.