We love PostSecret for its heartfelt words about life, love, loss and all of those other important matters.
However, the site can be quite intense sometimes. And what about those of us who harbor geeky, pop-culture-related secrets?
FandomSecrets caters to the kind of pent-up feelings every cult movie, TV and celebrity lover can relate to. Did you secretly loathe a Joss Whedon production, but you're too scared to admit it publicly? This is the place to let it out. Do you have romantic dreams about characters from role-playing games? No judgment here.
Below are a few of my favorite "postcards" from recent weeks:
It was a busy week for pop culture, and I tried to keep my eyes and ears to the ground. Here are some of my favorite diversions from the last seven days, and I hope you'll share your own:
Best thing I saw on TV: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. "Coco" may be on his way out, but he's not going down without a fight -- and this week's shows prove just what NBC will lose if he leaves. Wednesday's interview with Ricky Gervais was one of the funniest late-night moments I've seen in ages, and the host's trouble seems to have given the writers a creative jolt. (Case in point: Kenneth the Page's appearance, the racy list of porn-movie titles Conan could appear in after his gig ends.) It's exciting to see O'Brien finding himself and so many supporters; it's just sad it happen so late in the game.
I also enjoyed: Archer, 30 Rock (with James Franco), Big Love, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with ..., Friday Night Lights, Parks and Recreation, Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Leno edition), Dollhouse, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, The Colbert Report (with Philip Glass)
Best movie I saw: Youth in Revolt. I kept my expectations low for this one, but I'm happy to say it delivered. Michael Cera only plays Michael Cera part of the time, and the other character he plays is a delectably hilarious anti-Cera. The story is super-funny, a little sexy and a good date movie (even though I saw it solo).
I also enjoyed: I finally saw Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, so that's my hot movie tip 57 years after its release. Jane Russell is my new crush:
Also, I watched Amreeka (very good, just out on DVD). Last Friday I had an Elvis night with 1972's Elvis on Tour. I hadn't seen much of jumpsuit-wearing E. onstage (I prefer '56 Elvis), so that was so fascinating. Sometimes the film goes into split screen, so you can watch the women just losing their big-haired heads. Loved it.
And oh! Summer Hours is worth a look. That's the recent French drama with Juliette Binoche (now streaming via Netflix). It follows a family who must deal with a large art collection after their mother dies. I liked the beginning, loved the ending and felt a little confused by the middle, because I wasn't sure where it was all going. But really, so few movies have great endings that I think that's what makes this one worth seeing.
Best thing I read: I think the best thing I read this week was that Patti Smith article where she talks about Robert Mapplethorpe and how she tries to create something every day. I particularly liked this part:
"Robert believed in me as much as he believed in himself, and it was incredible how much he believed in himself. He would not rest until he helped me dive down, down, down, and access my confident part. And I did access it, finally. It came out in a funny way, as a performer. But because he gave it to me so early in life, I don't have to be given it again and again -- I just have it. I might have to work to find it when my world gets shook. But I can always find it."
I'm also reading: Got the second issue of Daytripper (out this week) and I'm pretty into a novel, but I won't tell you about it until I reach the final page. I only have 22 more to go.
Best thing I heard: I've been listening to Vampire Weekend's Contra, so I'll put that at the top. It is helping me stay warm.
I'm also listening to: You know what's actually good but was sort of ignored? Swords, the album of Morrissey B-sides. I didn't pay much attention to it when it came out a couple months ago, but I've been getting into it lately. There are some really good tracks: It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small is a favorite. And the bonus disc, Live in Warsaw, has excellent versions of Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself and You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby that I've sent to several fellow Moz fans. So listen, it's a pleasant surprise.
Whew! Sorry, I feel like I got a little long-winded there. What about you? Please share your pop-culture picks in the comments ...
The Pop Five is a series of Pop Candy readers' top five lists. Today's list comes from Dave B. (Dad-E-O) in Michigan:
IMHO, here are the top five fictional (or semi-fictional) movie rock bands:
5. The Lone Rangers in Airheads -- Nice try, but not too good.
4. Mystery in Satisfaction -- Admittedly, the music was not great, but Justine and Julia ... irresistible.
3. School of Rock in School of Rock -- Jack Black leads a great all-kid band.
2. The Barbusters in Light of Day -- They rocked out on a seriously awesome version of Springsteen's title tune. Joan Jett rules!
1. Spinal Tap in This is Spinal Tap -- They started off fictional, then recorded an album and toured and then ... I'm hurting my brain. But, this is the best music movie ever, and the songs hold up. I just saw the guys Unwigged and Unplugged recently and they are solid musicians and singers.
Send your Pop Five list to popcandy@usatoday.com with your city and screen name. Look for it on the blog!
Greetings, you guys! This week has flown by so quickly that I can't believe it's almost over.
Let's start the day:
- Get ready to see Iron Man 2 in IMAX.
- Arcade Fire is urging fans to donate to relief efforts in Haiti.
- Top Chef's Gail Simmons talks about her new Bravo show, Just Desserts, in this interview.
- Jimmy Fallon might not be taking sides, but ?uestlove from The Roots is on Team Conan.
- Jimmy Kimmel appeared on Leno last night and didn't hold back the jokes.
- Ha, The Tonight Show was briefly up for sale on Craigslist.
- Felicia Day talks about the Guild comic book. Check out the sneak preview!
- Patti Smith talks to NPR about her new book, Just Kids. (Look for audio to be posted around 9 a.m.)
- Golden Girls legend Rue McClanahan is recovering from a stroke. Get well soon, Rue!
- Here's a list of "20 Crazy Things that Nearly Happened on Lost (But Fortunately Didn't)."
- I like this list of the "Top 10 Weirdest One-Off Characters on Lost."
- Check out some new Lost promo images.
- The L.A. Times chats with Edie Falco.
- What are the 30 most anticipated movies of 2010?
- Holly Golightly is always on my iPod. Here's a new track from the songstress.
- Glee's Matthew Morrison is releasing an album. (I'd rather hear a Jane Lynch record.)
- Army Wives returns to Lifetime in April. (It had a bad season, but that was a good cliffhanger ... and yes, I'm still watching Army Wives.)
- TNT renewedMen of a Certain Age.
- Has Jim from The Office turned into a total Ted Mosby?
- Sort of random, but it's the best Adult Swim Flintstones parodies.
- Harvey Pekar chats with Comic Book Resources about his latest work.
- Nothing brightens my morning like an all-female banjo orchestra.
- Again, if you'd like to know how to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti, here are 10 ways to donate.
Last night's appearance by Ricky Gervais on Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show will be talked about for a long time to come -- the comedians pulled no punches when it came to the increasingly brutal late-night battle.
Between jabs at NBC, though, Gervais previewed his upcoming HBO series, The Ricky Gervais Show. The series animates his popular podcasts with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington.
This scene works hilariously well as animation:
Gervais showed this funny clip with an animated Pilkington on Letterman a couple months ago:
Even if you've heard all of the podcasts, The Ricky Gervais Show still looks like it's worth checking out. Catch the premiere Feb. 19 on HBO.
I've mentioned Archer a few times before, but I don't want you to forget the show's debut tonight.
Archer feels a lot like an Adult Swim series, and that's mostly because it comes from the creators of Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo. (Another Adult Swim connection: H. Jon Benjamin provides the lead voice -- you might remember him as Coach McGuirk from Home Movies.)
The animated series is sort of like James Bond meets Arrested Development: Sterling Archer is a rude, bumbling -- but attractive! -- spy who must handle working for his mother (Jessica Walter), with his ex-girlfriend (Aisha Tyler) and alongside a potpourri of other amusing misfits.
Like fellow FX comedies It's Always Sunny and The League, Archer is crude and offbeat. But it's also very funny and a welcome addition to my DVR queue.
The series premieres at 10 p.m. ET. For behind-the-scenes info, the show has set up a production blog.
Here's a preview:
This week I was moved by a post on the excellent website Letters of Note. It involved a 14-year-old animation fan who, in 1998, penned a letter to his hero, Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi.
Kricfalusi was kind enough to write an eight-page response (with drawings!) and send the fan/young artist a book about animation. Today, he's in his fourth year of an animation program and has even worked on one of Kricfalusi's shows.
I love hearing stories like these of artists who are just as inspiring in person as they are through their work. Has this ever happened to you -- did you ever contact a celebrity and get more than an autographed photo in return?
(On a related note, I mentioned Kricfalusi last week when his excellent Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures were released on DVD. He talks about the series and his work in this recent interview.)
The Pop Five is a series of Pop Candy readers' top five lists. Today's contribution comes from Alex G. (algram) in Nürnberg, Germany:
Here is a list of fictional parties I would have loved to have attended:
1. Rob's going away party (Cloverfield). Sure, the party came to an abrupt end, thanks to that party-crashing monster. But this may very well be the coolest get-together I've seen in movies. The music was great. The people seemed really cool and friendly. Also, it was held on one of those great New York appartments with a terrace that only people on TV or the movies seem to live in.
2. Celebration on Endor (Return of the Jedi). They're partying and jamming with Ewoks! Need I say more?
3. Impromptu keg party in vacant field (Dazed and Confused). The best parties are usually those planned at the very last minute. This one had everything going for it: cool venue, cool music, beer and the illusion of endless possibility one has when high school is about to come to an end. Seems like a night (and morning) to remember and think of fondly for years to come.
4. Matrix Reloaded rave. You live in a bleak future and killer machines are at your doorstep. What are you to do? Party like it's 1999, of course. This might be one of the stupidest scenes in recent movie history, but those guys looked like they were having a great, sweaty time.
5. Toga party (Animal House): This party is the epitome of the romanticized notion I have of American frat parties I never got to go to (I went to university in Germany). Togas, booze, a fun-loving crowd and Bluto make for a killer party combo.
Send your Pop Five list to popcandy@usatoday.com with your city and USA TODAY username. Look for it on the blog!
Hello! Last night I was having dinner with a friend, and she said, "Have you noticed all the people wearing Sherlock Holmes caps in the neighborhood?" Apparently, this is a recent trend. So that is perhaps my only fashion tip for 2010: Holmes hats are hot! Pass it on.
And off with your headlines:
- The music community is mourning the loss of Jay Reatard, who was found dead yesterday. He was 29. Pitchfork has posted a set Jay performed in 2007.
- In more sad news, R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass has died. He was 59.
- Dexter star Michael C. Hall is being treated for cancer. His spokesman says Hall's Hodgkin's lymphoma is in remission.
- Jimmy Kimmel will appear on The Jay Leno Show tonight.
- Jimmy Fallon isn't taking sides in the Conan/Leno situation.
- The Tonight Show's ratings have surged this week, particularly among young viewers.
- VanityFair.com has a story and Annie Leibovitz pics from Wall Street 2.
- Wes Anderson accepted an award from the National Board of Review in stop-motion animation:
- The set of Pee-wee Herman's new stage show looks just like Pee-wee's Playhouse!
- Musician Ted Leo is on Team Conan.
- Oh, I really want to see this '80s-themed Canadian TV show from Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald.
- The L.A. Times tells the story behind the famous "Elvis meets Nixon" photo.
- Comics publisher Top Shelf has sold 33% of the company to a media entrepreneur and indie film producer. Alex Robinson's Too Cool to Be Forgotten (a great book) will be the first title to be adapted for the screen.
- The creator of SpaghettiOs died this week. He was 83.
- Ivan Reitman hopes to filmGhostbusters 3 this year.
- You know that James Gunn movie, Super, that sounds beyond super? A Twitter account has been set up to follow news on the set. (Thanks, Paul.)
- I like this list of "new" shows that didn't match the series that inspired them. (Examples: The New Leave It to Beaver, The New Monkees.)
- Why, yes -- I will stream this Replacements show from 1985!
- And finally, please take a moment to help those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. It's very easy to donate to the Red Cross via text message -- just text "Haiti" to 90999.
By now most of us have watched How I Met Your Mother's 100th episode. (If not, it's online.) We were led to believe the whole thing was going to be about Barney and his suits, but much of it ended up following Ted and guest star Rachel Bilson. By the end, we even had several "clues" about where this whole series could be headed.
And so let's return to the main question of the show -- and that isn't "Who's the mother?" Nope, I'm talking about the Great Ted Debate: Is he quietly awesome, or just plain annoying?
I'll admit to making a few jabs at Ted over the years. It's not too hard, considering the guy has all the charisma of cotton swab. But Television Without Pity swears the character has his good points, including being the glue that holds the gang together, bringing in the single ladies and making Barney even funnier.
Pop reader Cyndakat admits to being a Ted Mosby fan. Personally, I'm more of a Marshall girl. What about you? Do you still care about Ted's future, or does he grate on your nerves? Do you think Ted gets too much screen time or not enough?
(No matter how you feel about Ted, you should watch the musical number if you haven't already. It'll get your toes tappin'.)
Whitney has been writing about pop culture for USA TODAY since 1999, when Pop Candy began as a weekly column. Her interests include music festivals, mustaches, Lost, comic books and Andy Warhol. She lives in New York City. More about Whitney | E-mail Whitney
