Link Banana

Noticing the undeniable fandom of the critical class, Vulture has added AMC’s Mad Men to their list of television shows you should watch:

…by now you’re feeling that oppressive sense, delivered by critics and laysnobs alike, that if you aren’t watching Mad Men you’re out of touch with all that is good in our culture. That means Mad Men is officially a Show You Should Watch™ (or SYSW for short), following in the proud footsteps of The Wire, The Sopranos, and Arrested Development.

Yesterday, it was revealed that the LA Times’s story about Sean “P. Diddy” Colmes being linked to the 1994 assault of Tupac Shakur was based on documents that were probably forged. Though I edited my original post about it, I didn’t think it merited a new one. Thanks to Vulture, it now does. By combining the story with it’s implications for everyone’s new favorite show, The Wire, they found something rather interesting to say.

Simon’s critics — Vulture included — complained that he had a too-cynical view of modern newspapers, and that a slippery rat like Templeton would have been flushed out. In fact, one critic wrote that “life at The Wire’s Baltimore Sun seems oddly cut-and-dried, which is surprising given the series’ usual fondness for shades of gray. Hard-nosed editors in the trenches: good; upper management with their eyes on the (Pulitzer) prize: bad. Given the standards the show has set, it’s a bit disappointing.” Wait, which paper was that again—oh yes, the L.A. Times.

So while the Times eats crow, Simon should be crowing, right? Well, yes and no. After all, Philips’s shoddy story got busted just days later by online watchdogs — as, we suspect, Scott Templeton’s would have, had he existed in real life. So Simon got the beginning of the fable right, but not the ending. Templeton wouldn’t have bagged a Pulitzer. He’d have been shamed by The Smoking Gun.

As you may know, Esquire has created something of a sensation by fictionalizing the last days of Heath Ledger’s life. I haven’t read it, and don’t intend to. But I liked what Vulture did with it:

Professor Betts: Now we have a short story by Ms. Taddeo, called “The Last Days of Heath Ledger.” It’s a fictionalized account of the death of a famous movie star.

Ginger: I didn’t get it?

Professor Betts: What do you mean?

Ginger: Like, the whole thing? He dies, but he keeps talking? Can you do that? Also, I think in a lot of places she was telling, not showing.

Alex: Well, I thought the entire story was a work of genius. All she had to go on was her imagination and an afternoon spent sitting in the Miro Cafe, and she gave us a brilliant look inside the mind of a guy who can pick up any girl he wants but still resents his fans!

Vulture attempts to tell you when your favorite television shows will be back on the air. Right now they’ve got a large number of question mark, which is to be expected. It may be worth keeing an eye on the page if you can’t wait for a new episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

Vulture — more often interesting than trustworthy — makes the point that despite the breakthrough the writers’ strike’s still not guarunteed a speedy resolution:

According to Nikki Finke, WGA leaders are happy with the deal they worked out with studios on Friday, but the board can’t vote to authorize it until a resolution is set in writing — and any disagreement over language, tone, or overly aggressive punctuation could derail the whole thing.

The Advocate interviews Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane with amazing results. Warning, profanity ahead.

The Parents Television Council voted the episode, along with many others, “Worst TV Show of the Week.” Do you appreciate that honor?
Oh, yeah. That’s like getting hate mail from Hitler. They’re literally terrible human beings. I’ve read their newsletter, I’ve visited their website, and they’re just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values—I mean, I’m an atheist, so what do I know?—they spend their entire day hating people. They can all suck my dick as far as I’m concerned.

(via Vulture)

You’ll probably either find this unbelievably dumb or unbelievably awesome. Michel Gondry, director of Be Kind Rewind and The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, remade the Be Kind Rewind preview as other movies are remade in Be Kind Rewind.

(via Vulture)

Perhaps it’s an elaborate joke. Perhaps Vulture’s just wrong (one commenter suggests that this could be for Glenn Beck). It’s interesting nonetheless. From the ad posted on Mediabistro, emphasis mine.

The right candidate will be self directed news junkie who has the ability to meet deadlines without supervision. A track record in developing smart and engaging copy, infused with clever and unconventional humor is also a must. Knowledge of current events and politics is required and the ideal candidate will be comfortable writing point of view monologues for a political ideology that may differ from their own.