Netflix Original Series ‘House of Cards’ Trailer
by Kevin Yeoman
Today, a Netflix membership certainly has its privileges. The rental house and streaming service has released to its members the first trailer for House of Cards, the highly-anticipated collaboration between David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, which will be premiering exclusively on Netflix early next year.
Adapted from the BBC TV political drama of the same name, Fincher’s House of Cards takes place in Washington, D.C. where Congressman Francis Underwood (Spacey) sets in motion his underhanded plan to wring every ounce of power out of his position that he possibly can. Scripted by Ides of March screenwriter Beau Willimon, the 13-episode series certainly packs quite a punch considering the talent involved, but it may need all of that and more to win over fans of the original 1990 series from writer Andrew Davies and starring Ian Richardson (Dark City, From Hell).
Aside from Spacey, Netflix’s House of Cards boasts an impressive cast, which includes Robin Wright, Mahershali Ali (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button), Kristen Connolly (Cabin In The Woods), Michael Kelly (Chronicle), Kate Mara (American Horror Story) and Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris).
In addition to serving as executive producer on the series, Fincher has stepped in to lend his directorial prowess to the first two episodes. Meanwhile, filmmakers James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross) and Joel Schumacher (Falling Down, Batman and Robin) – a name that will certainly turn some heads – have been brought in to handle multiple episodes of the series. In addition, frequent television directors Carl Franklin (Magic City, Falling Skies) and Charles McDougall (The Office) will also be contributing behind the lens.
Read the official synopsis from Netflix below:
“A ruthless Congressman, Francis Underwood, and his ambitious wife Claire, will stop at nothing to conquer everything. This wicked political drama slithers through the back halls of greed, sex, love and corruption in modern D.C.”While there is undoubtedly some excitement related to the cast and creators of the series, the real buzz regarding House of Cards is the untraditional manner in which it will be presented to viewers. Not only will the series not air on any television network – cable or otherwise – but all 13 episodes will be made available to Netflix subscribers on February 1, 2013. Netflix has reportedly poured $100 million dollars into the project, in the hopes the series will generate more demand for the company’s original content, and to get viewers hooked on its “binge viewing” model.
According to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings,
“The Netflix brand for TV shows is really all about binge viewing, the ability to get hooked and watch episode after episode. Our release strategy … is to get [you] hooked rather than get strung out.” So, in other words, if House of Cards proves successful, it may herald a new model for the way we view our television series.
Netflix has been quite vocal in regards to becoming a legitimate outlet for original television programming that is intended to compete primarily with the kind of shows found on pay-cable services like HBO and Showtime. The service’s trump card, however, may be the way it steers clear of the standard “weekly installment” model currently used by all television networks. The service previously tried its hand with the original series Lilyhammer, starring Steve Van Zandt (The Sopranos), which appeared on the service earlier this year almost as a test to see how subscribers would respond to an entire season being made available for viewing at their leisure.
The model poses an interesting question: with every episode available at the same time, what will this do to the normal build-up and anticipation in regards to a series’ premiere and finale?
House of Cards will be available on Netflix starting February 1, 2013.
* There should be nudity but keeping fingers crossed it's the type we can write about the next day and not some party strippers kind. Again it depends on the final cut (editing). Don't want to sound like a broken record but both Kate Mara and Kristen Connolly have prominent roles with strong possibility of sex scenes. The red-band trailer will probably come out in December or January.
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Yvonne Strahovski: The "Hot Complex" Interview, Photo Gallery, And Video
Yvonne Strahovski’s days of operating in the shadows are over. After kicking ass for five years as sexy spy Sarah Walker on the cult favorite action-comedy series Chuck, the 30-year-old Australian bombshell is currently expanding her audience playing Hannah McKay in the seventh season of Dexter. In December, she mines laughs with two of the biggest comedic actors alive, Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand, in The Guilt Trip. The truth is coming to light.
You wore a variety of crazy outfits while playing a spy on Chuck. Which was your favorite?It was always fun to try on costumes and partake in weird activities. I particularly liked the belly-dancing outfit. I’d never belly danced before, but I learned, and now that’s a skill I can add to my résumé. [Laughs.]
That’s hard to say. I don’t know that if I’ve ever thought about that. What I can say is I was always prepared for it to end. We were always on the bubble after every season, so we never knew what was going on. The writers had a very difficult task of writing kind of like Choose Your Own Adventure books. They had to write an ending that would be satisfactory as a real ending, but also be open to continuation if we got renewed. It was great to know that season five was the end, and they wrote with that in mind, knowing that that was it and they could write with a big finale in mind, and not have to play that game of “will we or won’t we?” anymore.
Over the seasons there were a number of Sarah-centric episodes. Which is your favorite?
Hands down, the Thailand episode [“Chuck Versus Phase Three”]. That has my favorite fight scene and it was a side of Sarah Walker that we hadn’t yet seen, a more evil side. She didn’t care about anything except finding Chuck and she stopped at nothing. I had fun playing that.
In The Guilt Trip, Seth Rogen plays an inventor and your love interest. What non-existent invention do you need in your life?A robot that makes decisions for me so I can have an extra set of hands accomplishing the things I have zero time for, in the way that I want them done!
How would you describe your ideal guy?He has to be smart, honest, understanding with a good conscience, funny, and…athletic. [Laughs.]
Do you prefer Australian guys or American guys?There are good ones and bad ones in both countries. For now, I’ll be patriotic to the country I’m currently living in and say American.
How tough are your parents on guys you date?They’ve always been supportive. They are welcoming and tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. Then, later on, they give me their two cents!
How did marathon viewing Dexter to prepare for your role as Hannah McKay affect you?It gave me horrible nightmares! I watched the full six seasons in three weeks and had Dexter on the brain day and night.
How do you punish people who do you wrong?I drug them and take them out to a forest, where I wrap them in plastic and—oh, wait, that’s Dexter.
What’s the shadiest thing you’ve discovered about someone you’ve dated?On our first date, one guy farted loudly in front of me. I considered that shady for a split second, before I burst into laughter and thought, Wow, he’s a keeper.
What do fans ask you to say most often in your Australian accent?Everyone loves to hear me say “no.” When an Aussie says “no,” you can hear all the vowel sounds in the alphabet. I often get made fun of for it.
Hearing you say “yes” must be even better.
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Miss Earth Russia 2012 Natalia Pereverzeva Posed Topless For Playboy Magazine
MANILA, Philippines - The Miss Earth 2012 pageant is currently happening in the Philippines and several pre-pageant activities already took place and yet a photo scandal has been surfacing over the net since the start of the year.
Miss Earth Russia 2012 (at Krasa Rossii 2011 pageant) Natalia Pereverzeva posed for Playboy Magazine Russia last year May 2011, six months before she was crowned.
The Miss Earth Russia organization may have the leniency in hailing their national delegate as Natalia already arrived in the Philippines to compete for the Miss Earth 2012 pageant.
On the Miss Earth's official website, there were no emphasis as to what ground a candidate should be disqualified from the international competition. On the other hand, in the official website of Miss Earth UK, there are certain "RULES" from those who want to register and join, here's a screencap:
If in UK, they are strict and the organization is under the roof of Miss Earth, should it be the same or should it be applicable to all national pageants?
Anyway, since Miss Earth Russia 2012 Natalia Pereverzeva is now competing and one of the best contenders in this year's pageant, I guess the "Playboy" scandal is no longer an issue or a ground for her disqualification.
Here are the photos of Miss Earth Russia 2012 winner in Playboy Magazine Russia:
A blondish Natalia when she was crowned Miss Earth Russia:
Cinemax Eyes New Incarnation Of ‘Hunted’ With Frank Spotnitz And Melissa George
EXCLUSIVE: The BBC-Cinemax series Hunted won’t go beyond its current freshman season after BBC One opted not to renew the espionage drama for a second season. But Cinemax is working with series creator Frank Spotnitz on a new incarnation of the show about spy Sam Hunter (Melissa George). “We are making plans with creator and executive producer Frank Spotnitz and star Melissa George to present a new chapter in the Sam Hunter mythology,” Kary Antholis, President, HBO Miniseries and Cinemax Programming, said in a statement to Deadline. “We are very pleased with what Hunted has done for Cinemax’s brand and are very excited about what lies ahead.”Because of the project’s setup – BBC originally commissioned eight episodes from Shine-owned British production company Kudos Film and Television before Cinemax came on board as producer/U.S. distributor — I hear continuing the series in its current form proved impossible without partner BBC. That has led to Cinemax brass looking for another way to keep the premise and the Sam Hunter character alive while also assuming greater creative control. In a complex co-production agreement like the one on Hunted, it is hard for each of the partners to realize their vision for the show as decisions are often made by compromise. Additionally, for a pay cable network, doing a series with a public broadcaster like the BBC imposes certain restrictions on the content that could be featured.
Hunted earned some of the best reviews for a Cinemax show. Ratings-wise it’s done OK, pulling in 250,000 viewers for its premiere last month. While that was below the Season 1 and Season 2 openers of Cinemax’s Strike Back (567,000 and 390,000, respectively), I hear Hunted is a major on-demand draw for the network. So far, the first two episodes have averaged a total of 1.7 million viewers each. Last Friday’s Episode 4 was up 6% from the previous week.
As for BBC’s decision to drop Hunted after Season 1, network sources point to the series’ ratings declines from 4.5 million viewers for the series premiere to 2.6 million for the most recent sixth episode, noting that the series hasn’t been able to find “mainstream audience.” But, like in the U.S., Hunted is doing well in time-shifted viewing, adding some 40% to its Live+ ratings via DVR and on-demand. I also hear the decision may be part of a larger shift in the types of shows the public broadcaster plans to focus on. It comes at a time of turmoil at the BBC, which has been at the center of several scandals that led to the resignation of the new director general, George Entwistle, after 54 days on the job.
At TCA this summer, X Files alum Spotnitz noted that that he was already working on scripts for a second season and fully expected the show to be renewed. George stars in the series as an operative for an elite private intelligence firm who survives an attempt on her life that may have been orchestrated by members of her own team.
Cinemax moves forward on 'Hunted' without the BBC
Spy thriller will be rebooted to continue Melissa George's story without some others
By Alan Sepinwall
Both HBO and Cinemax have benefited from trans-Atlantic partnerships the last few years, resulting in shows like "Extras," "Strike Back" and most recently "Hunted," the Cinemax thriller starring Melissa George as Sam Hunter, a British private spy looking for revenge on the people who tried to kill her. These partnerships have given the larger HBO family access to series and talent who might not have been available without taking on a partner in the U.K., and at a cheaper price than if they were producing it on their own.
But some partnerships don't always go smoothly, as Cinemax has found out with "Hunted." The series still has a few weeks to go in its U.S. run (original episodes air Fridays at 10), but BBC One has already announced that they won't renew the show for a second season, despite Cinemax's interest in continuing the show.
As first reported by Deadline, Cinemax will try to continue the story of Sam Hunter, if not the some of the larger stories of "Hunted," without the BBC's involvement. Because of the multiple righstholders involved, Cinemax can't simply continue "Hunted" as a series, but they and creator Frank Spotnitz do have the ability to build a new show around Sam herself.
But some partnerships don't always go smoothly, as Cinemax has found out with "Hunted." The series still has a few weeks to go in its U.S. run (original episodes air Fridays at 10), but BBC One has already announced that they won't renew the show for a second season, despite Cinemax's interest in continuing the show.
As first reported by Deadline, Cinemax will try to continue the story of Sam Hunter, if not the some of the larger stories of "Hunted," without the BBC's involvement. Because of the multiple righstholders involved, Cinemax can't simply continue "Hunted" as a series, but they and creator Frank Spotnitz do have the ability to build a new show around Sam herself.
We are making plans with creator and executive producer Frank Spotnitz and star Melissa George to present a new chapter in the Sam Hunter mythology," Cinemax president Kary Antholis said in a statement. "We are very pleased with what 'Hunted' has done for Cinemax's brand and are very excited about what lies ahead."
From what I'm hearing, Cinemax executives are frustrated with the BBC for announcing this decision before the American run is over, but also relieved to be finished with a collaboration that they found creatively stifling much of the time.
I've seen the full season of "Hunted," and without going into too much detail, some of the stories get complete closure, while others were left as danglers to be continued in additional seasons. It's unclear which of those might be allowed to continue in this new Cinemax-only version, which may be frustrating to people who watched this season. On the other hand, the strongest part of the show is Melissa George herself and the character Spotnitz created for her, and a clean break from a fairly complicated storyline in favor of something focused even more heavily on that character — particularly if the people at Cinemax are right that their partners across the pond were holding them back — might not be such a bad thing.
* HBO/Cinemax at the moment believe the series has potential to be a cult hit. Now free of any stupid constraints, the second season will feature Melissa naked much more often alongside new female cast-members. The location could either shift to South Africa, Wales or Canada.
Though Starz could run into same trouble in their collaboration with British broadcasters who are super-timid when it comes to sexual content. Instead of offering two different versions, BBC should adapt quickly to be more accommodating or risk losing viewers to online options. Other British subscription channels should be super flexible on racier content. At the end they're going to end up as losers and putting their American counterparts on the spot. This also doesn't bode well if instead Starz choose to capitulate to guys in charge across the pond demanding sole version particularly when I'm all excited to see Laura Haddock extensive T-and-A display on Da Vinci's Demons.
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Marion Cotillard ~ Harper's Bazaar UK December 2012
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Rome Review: Peter Greenaway's 'Goltzius And The Pelican Company' Dazzles and Numbs The Mind In Almost Equal Measure
by Jessica Kiang [November 14, 2012]
The story is inspired by a real man, 16th century Dutch engraver Hendrick Goltzius, whose legacy includes several erotic prints based on stories from the Bible. Here, Greenaway reinvents Goltzius (Ramsey Nasr, the Dutch Poet Laureate, no less) as not just a painter and wannabe publisher, but the leader of a troupe of actors and artists -- The Pelican Company. Together they try to convince the local bigwig, the Margrave of Alsace (F Murray Abraham, in a masterful turn), to finance the purchase of a state-of-the-art printing press, the better for Goltzius to disseminate his biblical erotica. They do this by staging elaborate tableaux, usually featuring nudity and often full-on sex, for the lustful Margrave's entertainment -- mini-plays using Bible fables to explore six sexual taboos: fornication, incest, adultery, prostitution, 'seduction of the young' and necrophilia. Even within Margrave's famously liberal court, the plays cause religious and moral outrage, and as free speech and tolerance begin to crumble, some members of the troupe are condemned, some even killed.
The intended audience of Greenaway devotees (because we don't think Greenaway's overly concerned here with recruiting new fans) is a small enough one, but the copious full-frontal nudity, the erections, the torture and the frequent sex mean this is highly unlikely to get much of a Stateside release at all, save on the safety of DVD.
Which is a shame for those few people, because some of those intricate tableaux really do warrant watching on the big screen. However, a handful of startling images, no matter how original, do not a great movie make, and, while there are other positives (we really enjoyed the whistle-stop art history lectures that pepper the narrative), ultimately the film is just too damn long to be so ponderous. And we spend far too much of it in the company of Goltzius, he of the ludicrously over-egged Dutch accent; what is quirky, arch and knowing in the first hour, becomes grating, cartoonish and tiresome by the end of the second.
A graph of our engagement with 'Goltzius' would probably show something of a seismic scribble of peaks and troughs that trail off to barely a heartbeat blip every few minutes, which is a shame, because with a little more judicious editing, the positives could easily have outweighed the negatives. As it is, the longer it goes on, the more unshakable the feeling that the film, though undoubtedly smarter than we are, thinks we're so dumb we need the lesson to be repeated and repeated and repeated. [C+]
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Kandyse McClure, 'BSG' Star, On Upcoming 'Hemlock Grove' And The Next Robert Pattinson
The show revolves around the brutal murder of a 17-year-old girl in a creepy small town. The murder's two prime suspects, played by young up-and-comers Bill Skarsgard (yes, Alexander's little bro) and Landon Liboiron, decide to team up to find the real killer. Famke Janssen plays Skarsgard's mom, Douglas is the Sheriff and McClure is Dr. Clementine Chausser, an animal expert brought in to help with the case. (In case the murderer was actually an animal ... or a werewolf!)
McClure called us from her Jamaican vacation to give us the lowdown on the hot young hunks of "Hemlock," being star-struck by Janssen and what it's like working with Douglas again.
What can you tell us about Dr. Chausser?
Clementine has trouble in her life, and a chaotic past. She struggles with that. The way that she manages her inner demons is by throwing herself into her work. She's very flawed and imperfect, but that's what we love about her.
How does she fit into the broader storyline revolving around the murder mystery?
She's brought in as the resident animal expert to aid law enforcement in finding what kind of animal did this. The path that she follows unravels secrets of the town, and who's really in control. She goes there to hunt an animal but finds a town of monsters.
So is it safe to say there are some supernatural elements?
Absolutely. Think of "True Blood" with "Twin Peaks," with a lot of gore. That would be Eli Roth's contribution. A little "Hostel" thrown in there! [Laughs]
I read that Eli Roth directed a couple of the episodes...
He did! He directed the first two, I believe. I unfortunately did not get to work with him on set. My character doesn't appear until a little later. I got to hang out with him, though! It was a surreal experience sitting at lunch eating barbeque ribs chatting with Eli Roth! [Laughs]
What's it like hanging out with him? Is he intense?
He is intense! The references and the people he knows and the situations he's been in -- it's a bit of a whirlwind. He's intense, but he's also approachable and hilarious as well.
What's the dynamic like on set?
On the one hand, we've got these young, talented kids. They're in their early 20s. And then on the other side we have these icons who I've watched from my own screen -- Famke Janssesn, Dougray Scott. Sometimes I'm in a scene with Famke and I forget that it's my turn to speak because I'm just watching her! [Laughs]
What's it like working with Aaron Douglas again?
It's awesome. It was kind of weird for the first couple of days, because we don't talk to each other except when we're out eating dinner, socializing! He'll throw different things at me each take. He teases me, and we make "that's what she said" jokes.
Have you two been spotted by any "Battlestar Galactica" fans who wonder what you're doing together?
Yes. We can get away with [not being recognized] when we're on our own, but when we're together we might as well have a neon sign! [Laughs] Sometimes it blows people's minds, I guess, because it's so random.
What types of things do people say to you?
"Omigod, Chief!" People are flabbergasted or taken aback. We love going to conventions, and Aaron especially enjoys talking to fans. He spends a lot more time with fans drinking in the bar with fans after the panels are done than I do. People are generally complimentary or share an experience that "Battlestar" helped them through or gave them perspective about.
What's the strangest thing a fan has ever said to you?
They gave me a scientific breakdown of what dark matter is, and then asked me if I knew where it was. [Laughs] Sometimes people say, "If you become an officiant, you could marry us!" Or "We have a uniform, would you just try it on?" It's all generally harmless and fun.
Going back to "Hemlock," who do you think the show will appeal to?
Let's see ... sexy, smokin' young men: check. So there's the 18-35, me demographic. Anyone who's a fan of thriller, horror, sci-fi, fantasy. It's a little "True Blood."
Speaking of "True Blood," I know that ["True Blood" star] Alexander Skarsgard's younger brother Bill is on the show. How does he compare? Do you think he'll have ladies swooning, too?
When I first met Bill Skarsgard and Landon Liboiron, I thought, "I'm sorry, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, your time is done!" [Laughs] There are new werewolves and vampires in town. There's definitely something about those Skarsgards.
So he has the family's intangible quality?
Intangible quality is a great way to put it. Yeah. Definitely.
"Hemlock Grove" is set to premiere in 2013 on Netflix.
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Shocking: Michael Bay Testing Young Hotties For 'Transformers 4' Including Abbie Cornish's Sister; No Word On Supermodels Yet
"Michael Bay Testing Hot Young Actors for 'Transformers 4' Leads" reads the THR headline that spells things out: director Michael Bay is looking at attractive, fresh-faced actors to help star in his 'Transformers' quadrilogy. Uhh, duh? What else would he be looking at? But we're actually shocked to hear that none of them are Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, supermodels or Victoria Secret's models, but hey, the day is young and there's lot of casting still to come, right?According to the trade, Bay will be looking at the following two actresses: Isabelle Cornish, the younger sister of accomplished Aussie actress Abbie Cornish and Nicola Peltz, the young female lead of M. Night Shyamalan’s "The Last Airbender." She would play some sort of helpless daughter to the film's Mark Wahlberg, which makes sense given that both females seem to have strangely wholesome beauty qualities instead of the sexed-up type Bay usually casts in his pictures (those will surely come later).
For the boys, playing the part of the daughter’s boyfriend, a racecar driver (of course), Bay will evidently be testing Luke Grimes who had a role in "Taken 2" plus appeared on the ABC drama series "Brothers and Sisters" among other roles, "Weeds" actor Hunter Parrish, Jack Reynor (“What Richard Did”) and Aussie actor Brenton Thwaites (who starred in the 2012 TV remake of the “Blue Lagoon” titled, “Blue Lagoon: The Awakening” -- lol). What's clear is that Bay is largely looking at relative unknowns for these two parts instead of the the usual hot, up-and-coming crew; stars in the making they call 'em. Predictably, all the potential actors would have to sign three picture deals as a new franchise is in the works and the film will likely begin shooting next April if all goes according to plan.
* Bay may be many things, but stupid is not one of them. He makes his move during the shooting of the movie. He stakes out the vulnerable one at audition, becomes her on-set mentor once selected for the 'coveted' role. Gets close in pretext of coaching her so she can evolve into a better actress. She is so grateful she wants to repay any way possible. Mind you...this is all gossipy on my part.
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Agnes Bruckner Almost Tricks Us Into Thinking Anna Nicole Smith Led A Good Life
by Natalie Zutter
Lest you thought that Lifetime dealt with only one iconic female biopic at a time, in addition to the upcoming Liz and Dick movie, we also have The Anna Nicole Story to look forward to. Embodying the Playboy-centerfold-turned-exotic-dancer-turned-trophy-wife-turned-cautionary-tale is Agnes Bruckner, who you might recognize as the poor girl lured in by a murderous boyfriend in last year’s The Craigslist Killer.
Entertainment Tonight visited the set, where Agnes was just gushing about her character. The thing is, she sounded so hard like she was trying to be positive that I just couldn’t take her seriously. When asked what Smith’s most outrageous moments were, she demurred, “It’s just such a fascinating story to me. There were so many different layers to her, and she was so iconic and so larger-than-life. It was just something that I was like, ‘This is gonna be really scary but it’s gonna be really awesome at the same time.’”
Wow, she sounds way more enthusiastic about the role than I would’ve expected any actress to be. She continues to remember Anna Nicole Smith’s life through rose-colored glasses with this quote: “She had so many ups and downs—weight gain and then lost it, she was messy and crazy and then she was really put-together at times… She had so many amazing moments.”
I had to laugh that she amended her statement with “at times” because I can’t actually think of a single media appearance that Smith made where she wasn’t slurring or falling all over herself. And of course all that mess carried on after her death, when her lawyer Howard K. Stern was locked in a custody battle over their alleged daughter. You don’t even hear Lindsay Lohan trying to sell herself playing Elizabeth Taylor; she openly admits that the diva’s life was filled with drama that she’s trying to recreate.
In fact, the juiciest detail I wanted to hear from Agnes was her explaining her transformation from “a brunette tomboy” into the blonde model. She says something about “prosthetics” around 1:30, but what prosthetics? Fake boobs? The masses need to know!
Entertainment Tonight visited the set, where Agnes was just gushing about her character. The thing is, she sounded so hard like she was trying to be positive that I just couldn’t take her seriously. When asked what Smith’s most outrageous moments were, she demurred, “It’s just such a fascinating story to me. There were so many different layers to her, and she was so iconic and so larger-than-life. It was just something that I was like, ‘This is gonna be really scary but it’s gonna be really awesome at the same time.’”
Wow, she sounds way more enthusiastic about the role than I would’ve expected any actress to be. She continues to remember Anna Nicole Smith’s life through rose-colored glasses with this quote: “She had so many ups and downs—weight gain and then lost it, she was messy and crazy and then she was really put-together at times… She had so many amazing moments.”I had to laugh that she amended her statement with “at times” because I can’t actually think of a single media appearance that Smith made where she wasn’t slurring or falling all over herself. And of course all that mess carried on after her death, when her lawyer Howard K. Stern was locked in a custody battle over their alleged daughter. You don’t even hear Lindsay Lohan trying to sell herself playing Elizabeth Taylor; she openly admits that the diva’s life was filled with drama that she’s trying to recreate.
In fact, the juiciest detail I wanted to hear from Agnes was her explaining her transformation from “a brunette tomboy” into the blonde model. She says something about “prosthetics” around 1:30, but what prosthetics? Fake boobs? The masses need to know!
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The General Petraeus scandal explodes the myth of a socially liberal America
Cristina Odone
Cristina Odone is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster specialising in the relationship between society, families and faith. She is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies and is a former editor of the Catholic Herald and deputy editor of the New Statesman. She is married and lives in west London with her husband, two stepsons and a daughter. She has recently launched the website freefaith.com.
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| Jill Kelley |
The Frum message was so powerful and convincing that, George Osborne picked it up and replayed it in an article yesterday. Back gay marriage or lose, he told the Tories.
All of which might sound convincing – were it not for the almighty scandal rocking America. Frum's e-book had just appeared on the internet when the American public was hit with a bombshell: CIA chief General David Petraeus had been having an adulterous affair with his comely biographer. This explosion was quickly followed by a second: General John Allen, Afganistan commander, was embroiled in a scandalous email exchange with Jill Kelley, a Florida socialite – who also happened to be a close friend of Petraeus, and was warned to keep her paws off him by the CIA chief's mistress.
The ensuing furore has a little to do with the special place the CIA holds in American mythology (the best of the good guys for some; the worst of the bad for others). But it has a great deal to do with American's puritanical world view. Adultery is still seen as a wrong by God-fearing Americans – and they are the overall majority. David Frum can posture all he wants; but the hardcore citizens of his country are still deeply conservative when it comes to social and sexual mores. When North Carolina passed Amendment One last May, defining marriage as a union only between a man and a woman, it was the THIRTIETH state in the union to do so – only six states allow for same sex marriage. As for abortion, as the BBC noted with distaste, laws are getting tighter, not more relaxed in a number of states, including Ohio, Texas and Virginia.
David Frum (and George Osborne) have got it wrong: being socially liberal does not play well among the grassroots. Just ask the Generals.
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Six things you didn't know about Miss Nude World
by: Tory Shepherd (news.com.au)
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Melbourne Mum Cassandra Jane has been crowned Miss Nude World 2012. Source: Supplied |
- Aussie takes out top gong for strippers
- US law meant Miss Nude World had to cover up
- Hopes for more glamourous life for her daughter, 5
AN Aussie stripper has taken out the Miss Nude World 2013 title and tells how she didn't even have to get naked to do it.
Melbourne Mum Cassandra Jane has been crowned Miss Nude World 2013, and we thought you might want to take a peek at what's beneath the surface.1. Wait, there's a Miss Nude World Competition?
There is - it was the 49th Miss Nude World extravaganza this year and it's a highlight of the adult industry's calendar. Last year's winner was the extravagantly named US pornstar Aspen Reign – it was her fifth win.
2. The judges didn't see Ms Ryan naked
Despite the strong emphasis on nudity involved in rising through the ranks of the top nude women in the world to become Miss Nude World, at the championships in Ohio earlier this year Ms Jane had to wear a g-string and "pasties" over her nipples to comply with strict regulations. “You have to wear pasties in case you lactate on a customer," she said. (Yes, we thought that was pretty weird too).
Ms Jane says she doesn't really have “body issues" but she hates her nose “so badly" and bemoans her lack of hips. “I'm ripped, I've got a six pack but no hips," she told news.com.au. “I kind of look like a trunk." (We politely disagree).
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| Miss Nude World 2012 and single mum Cassandra Jane with her daughter Montana Jane, 5. |
5. Men quite like seeing her with her clothes on
Ms Jane said she was nervous about doing a burlesque routine, clad in a costume, in a strip club. “But afterwards I had a massive big fat dude come up and say it was amazing, mesmerising," she said. “It's not about being nude. There's all this other stuff."
6. She's OK with it if her five-year-old daughter Montana wants to follow in her footsteps
But she'd rather see her dance at the “more glamourous" Moulin Rouge in Paris than the “not-so-glamourous" stripping industry here.
On November 29 Ms Jane will perform at the EROS Shine Awards at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
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You Can Talk About Piracy and Manwin Takeovers But Porn Won’t Address Racism.
Women and Women of Color In Particular Are Marginalized in Porn
| by Gene Ross |
According to the LA Times, last week’s Los Angeles County porn condom law won big in nonwhite, working-class areas.The ballot initiative which would dictate condoms in porn racked up huge margins in lower-income neighborhoods that are either heavily Latino, black or both, like East Los Angeles (67%); Inglewood (75%); Compton (76%); Los Angeles' 8th City Council District in South L.A (76%); and Willowbrook, south of Watts (77%).
To me, this sounds a little like porn karma at work where racial discrimination after all these years has bit the porn industry square in the ass.
Years ago I was flabbergasted to learn that movies featuring black performers or IR scenes featuring mixed couples were simply passed over when it came to making cable deals.
And I remember then a number of black performers telling me they were being paid much less than their white counterparts. Truthfully, I didn’t know that was going on. Then again, I was representing AVN, the bastion of white bread porn supremacy.
[In all my years at AVN there was one black employee who worked in the warehouse and I doubt if there was ever one on the editorial staff after I left.]
To add fuel to the fire, this week Dr. Mireille Miller-Young, an associate professor of feminist studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, wrote an article for the NY Times about racial inequality in porn.
As a researcher of the porn industry for the past decade, Dr. Young claims to have interviewed dozens of performers.
For some performers she seems to think that porn is a path to college and out of poverty, and for others it’s a chance to make a statement about female pleasure.
“I have found that women enter the pornography industry because they are enthusiastic about its potential for lucrative, flexible and independent work,” she says.
Women who previously worked in the retail sector or in nursing [hey, Nina Hartley used to be a nurse!] found that pornography offered them greater control of their labor, and surprisingly, it treated them with more humanity.
“Some women found that it enabled them to rise out of poverty, take care of their families or go to college. Others emphasize the creative aspects of pornography, and say it allows them to increase their economic mobility while also making a bold statement about female pleasure.”
But the biggest challenge Dr. Miller-Young discovered to women working in porn is gender and racial inequality.
“Overwhelmingly, women do not control the production and distribution apparatus of the business,” she reports.
“The men who run both the large companies and the smaller, amateur businesses tend to marginalize women’s perspectives and priorities and to foster a competitive environment that pits female workers against one another.”
According to Dr. Miller-Young, African-American women and men of color in general – are paid half to three-quarters of what white actresses are paid.
“Like in other kinds of industries, they face prejudice and inequality in structural and interpersonal forms. But they also challenge them. Porn’s workers are fighting to achieve greater control over their labor and the products they produce,” she states, noting that with the Internet fast democratizing porn, women should have a larger voice in its betterment.
In an interview she did five years ago with www.npr.org, Dr. Miller-Young was a lot more forceful. She stated then: “I think that - my work specifically looks at pornography, for example - you can see that in the production of the types of films that black women appear in: lower production value, less of the kind of market, lower kind of values in how they treat the workers.
“Women are paid half to three quarters of what white actresses tend to make. And this, you know, reflects the ways in which black bodies have historically been devalued in our labor market since, you know, slavery to the present.
"I think that, you know, it speaks to the ways in which there's this simultaneous problem that was like a deep desire to have those bodies present and to consume those bodies as commodities, but a deep disgust for black people, our humanity and our bodies, at the same time that allows that devaluing to function.”
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