Afternoon Meme: Return of Culture Club, "Death At a Funeral" Keeps The Gay Element, Plus a Look At Bears

Ewan McGregor has joined the cast of Madonna’s W.E. biopic about Wallis Simpson, the woman Edward VIII abdicated the British throne for. He’ll play the monarch in question. No word on whether there’s a reason for nudity on the part of the monarch, but it’s Ewan, so odds are good.

Everybody is saying “move over Buffy” because Fringe is doing a musical episode. The difference is that people actually watched Buffy.

In D.C., it may be good that they passed health care, because someone could get hurt in this fight with the Washington Post over strong>marriage equality coverage. Can’t we all agree that a newspaper covers news and move on?

Joan Jett is enjoying being back in the spotlight, because now she’s dishing advice on being a rock star to Lady GaGa.

In Dallas, a man climbed up onto a billboard, took off his clothes and had to be rescued by firemen. They have video at the link I didn’t post because there’s “dangleage” involved. They think drugs might be involved. Really?

I don’t really care about most sound tracks, but I have friends who think the scores to television shows and movies are the best part. I then show them a neat invention called radio. But now they can buy the sound track to the 1991 television show The Flash, which is a big deal to some folks. If that’s you, only 3,000 copies are available.

Starz must like being in the original series business after Spartacus: Blood and Sand. They’ve greenlit another one, this time a contemporary retelling of Camelot. So they picked up the rights to NBC’s Kings? Or maybe President Kennedy’s life? I’m so confused… 

Bitter, party of one, Bitter, party of one. NBC has decided to hold Conan O’Brien to the letter of his separation agreement that says he can’t make any television appearances until May 1. What did CoCo want to do? He was invited to appear on Idol Gives Back April 21^st. That’s right – NBC won’t allow Conan to be funny to benefit starving children.

I don’t understand the fascination with gundams. I remember trying to watch all the various gundam cartoons as a kid and just not getting it. But in Japan, they love them and are about to erect another giant gundam statue 45-minutes outside Tokyo (by bullet train). At 59 feet tall, it’s the same height as the last giant gundam, but this one carries a light saber, which might be crossing universes a little bit much for Skywalker lawyers. 

Bedrock Studios, the new venture that just launched with a “family friendly” mandate has hired Jeff Stockwell to adapt A Wrinkle In Time. Because the BBC film wasn’t enough, or the ABC version. Or the original book for that matter. The idea has yet to be ground into the dirt. Here’s hoping.

Boy George thinks Culture Club may get together next year to mark the 30^th anniversary of the band's formation. Only if he puts on the outfits.

This pair of bears is cute enough for a Coca-Cola commercial.

While I gotta say this bear (Southland's Michael Cudlitz) is inspiring different sorts of feelings via Twitter.

He called it Survivor: Los Angeles, I call it Beer Bust at Hole in the Wall.

IGN had a bunch of stills from Beastly, including a bunch of hottie Alex Pettyfer, but this is the one that caught my attention, with Neil Patrick Harris' character playing darts. Isn't he blind?

Standing way behind the blind guy playing darts.

This took me a second. I was tired. And maybe a little drunk.

You know what's sad? I'm not really coordinated enough for a yo-yo.

Betty White is on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, and she's just delightful. I can't believe her comic timing. Plus, she has an update on our other remaining Golden Girl Rue McClanahan, and Ellen puts a stripper in her gift bag. There's a lot going on here.

For those of you wondering if the 2010 remake of Death At a Funeral would keep the gay twist while adding the "black funeral" aspect (quoting Tracy Morgan), rest assured, it's in there, just like James Marsden' behind. Most amusing? They got Peter Dinklage to play the part of the blackmailing gay lover in the new film too, but they changed his name from Peter to Frank. I wonder why?

I sat here this morning and giggled like an idiot at Bonnie Hunt's Feel-Good Moment. There's just something about these dogs sledding/skiing that's so silly, and so funny. Then The View came on, and Elisabeth started talking.

I know I've been unrelenting in my condemnation of The Cleveland Show and their gay humor. Last night may have been the first time I thought they got it right, or at least not horribly wrong.And it's true what he says about bears at the end.