Monday 30 July 2007

Rundu - Black Male Strippers



Spotted this today. Rather horny, especially towards the end. Yummy guys!

"Friday" by Goldspot



This one has wormed itself into my favour ...

Eastenders' Jase in his pants



For those of you who may have missed his little launderette strip on Friday. Walford's latest bit of rough is played by actor stephen Lord.

Ashes to Ashes begins filming




The 1981-set sequel to "Life on Mars" has been spotted filming by "The Sun" Here's some pics of the gang headed by Keeley Hawes and Philip Glenister

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2007340854,00.html

Friday 27 July 2007

John Barrowman on tonight's "Friday Night Project" C4



JB is the guest host on tonight's "Friday Night Project" following "Doctor Who" co-stars Billie Piper and David Tennant. As is their wont in the summer runs John is made to dress up as "Big Brother" stars. Here he's pictured as 'a twin', Ziggy and Davina McCall.

Wednesday 25 July 2007

More David Gandy


Turns out he's an Essex lad and was discovered in 2001 by Richard and Judy! The Sun interviewed him in today's paper:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001290023-2007340276,00.html

Friday 20 July 2007

A new Look-In annual!


Synopsis from Amazon:

"Look-in", aka "Junior TVTimes", was the essential subscription for children growing up in Britain in the 1970s. It offered behind-the-scenes glimpses of their favourite TV shows, interviews with stars, pin-ups and TV spin-off picture-strip adventures. With exciting installments of "Black Beauty", "The Six Million Dollar Man", and "Sapphire and Steele", hilarious "Robin's Nest", "On The Buses" and "Please Sir!" picture strips, features on "TisWas," "Junior Show Time" and "How", an exclusive Roger Moore interview and pin-up and much, much more, this compulsive book takes you back to a time when we had three TV channels, we listened to LPs and singles on our record players, our crackly transistors were tuned to 275/285m Medium Wave for Radio 1, and the Bionic Man could have all that work done for a mere $6m.

Pardon my retro but I bought "Look-In" from its first issue in January 1971 until the early 80s, even though I was latterly too old.

This complilation book is out in September and the cover is styled from it's heyday with Arnaldo Putzu paintings of contemporary stars. Editor is Graham Kibble-White of 'OffTheTelly' fame.

Just bliss!

My Facebook - help!

I've set up one of them new-fangled and dreadfully mode-ish Facebook profiles but nothing is happening, so I'm not exactly hooked. If you're on and want to 'add me' or whatever please do, or just send a message. Otherwise I'm not sure I'll keep up with it as there seems no point to me at the moment.

Here I am:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=708765730

Cheers

Wednesday 18 July 2007

Channel 4 - 40 Years On Gay season


A Very British Sex Scandal Orlando Wells & Karl Davies

Clapham Junction Paul Nicholls

Commemorating 40 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality (in England and Wales anyway - Scotland and N Ireland had to wait until the 80s!).

The full line-up:

21st July, 9pm
A Very British Sex Scandal

22nd July, 10pm
Clapham Junction

24th July, 23:05pm
How Gay Sex Changed the World

25th July, 23:00pm
40 Years Out

26th July, 23:05pm
Queer As Old Folk

Homer's Doughnut

clipped from www2.b3ta.com
http://www2.b3ta.com/host/creative/46786/1184604040/HomerChalk.gif
 blog it

Monday 16 July 2007

D&G ad "Light Blue" (David Gandy)



Here's the horny TV ad at the heart of the current campaign for D&G's Light Blue fragrance. The man filling the white speedoes is gorgeous model David Gandy, of whom more is below

Torchwood - First series 2 picture


Here's John Barrowman as Captain Jack with episode one guest star James Marsters. Many will be pleased to hear there is some serious snog action going on between them.

Another 'foreign' guest star later in the series is ex-Neighbour and current "Ugly Betty" star Alan Dale.

Oliver Twisted



Thanks to Stuart for tipping me off about this very leftfield take on "Oliver Twist" by an American touring company. The tag line is "Music Dickens Bondage" !

Pictured below are the Fagin and Oliver actors in character. The latter (Reymundo Santiago) also choreographs.

http://www.themusicaltwist.com

Friday 13 July 2007

The iPhone - "Will it Blend?"



I can't watch!

Bid for the remains on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170129995323

Media Guardian comments as this tops the new Viral Video chart:
""I love my new iPhone. It does everything. But will it blend?"

No!

No no no!

Oh yes.

"Will it blend?" is not a complicated phenomenon, which certainly goes some of the way to explaining why it has become such an internet sensation. Stuff gets put in a blender, and that's about it. Previous experiments have included EZ Cheese (in the tin), pickled pigs' feet and light bulbs - all of which are deemed unsafe to attempt to blend at home.

Should you happen to have your own indestructible blender and a surplus of time, you could try credit cards or a McDonalds Extra Value Meal though it has to be noted that the 'try this at home' list is considerably shorter.

I feel it is my duty to point out that this bizarre blending cult speaks volumes about our fetishism of consumer objects, not to mention the rather vulgar destruction of a gadget that costs more than half the world's population earns in a year.

So what is the motivation? Well, it shouldn't be a surprise to find that the culprit is a firm called Blendtec, a blender manufacturer, and its bespectacled founder Tom Dickson. He's trying to do for blenders what Victor Kiam did for shavers."

Will a blender blend I wonder?

Wednesday 11 July 2007

Doctor Who - "Voyage of the Damned" first pic



A first picture has already been released, complete with what looks like a press release. Kylie Minogue plays a character called Astrid, which I feel may be an in-joke to a certain season 5 story.

As reported here


12 July update: Gallifrey Guardian reports extra cast details:

"The BBC report also confirms casting details for the special, including two names reported earlier by Outpost Gallifrey, classic series veterans Geoffrey Palmer (who plays the Titanic's Captain) and Clive Swift. Additional actors in the episode are Gray O'Brien, Debbie Chazen, Clive Rowe, Russell Tovey, George Costigan and Jimmy Vee, previously seen in the programme as the Moxx of Balhoon in series one."

Heroes - BBC2 Trailer



Still looking forward to this US hit. Have managed to wholly avoid spoilers. Rumour is it replaces "Rome" in it's Wednesday slot from the 25th, though unknown if it will mimic the twice-a-week speed.

BBC Press Release

"Ace of Wands" finally on DVD


God bless Network! This must be one of the last of my childhood favourites to see a release, and "Ace of Wands" makes its debut on DVD this summer. Sadly this is only the third season (from 1972) but it's also the one I best remember. Complete with extras including a documentary making a 4-disc set. Great post-hippy theme tune and titles.



Amazon Listing

Wikipedia entry

Official site

Channel 4 - "Cape Wrath"



Normally I have difficulty staying awake for C4's dramas which typically start at 10pm (I get up at 6am). Last night's "Cape Wrath" additionally lasted until after 11.30pm as a feature length season opener but I didn't flinch, which is a sure sign that I loved it!

I have to namecheck all the usual suspects for where the concepts and atmosphere come from: "Twin Peaks", "The Prisoner" and the Stepford series of films. There's also the merest hint of "Brookside" for me, despite a deliberate absence of revealing where the fictional Meadowlands is at (it was filmed in a real development in Kent, but the titular Cape Wrath - in Caithness - is never mentioned). Unusually, it started screening in the US last month.

Though it looks to me like there will be a focus on a different character each episode this kicked off with the nuclear 'Brogan' family (above) moving in under blindfold. The blindfolds are necessary because the main twist of this drama is that the Meadowlands community are all relocated there for their own safety, apparently for the rest of their lives. Thus they all have a dark secret and a new fake identity. Even by the end of last night's episode we don't know the full story of "Danny Brogan" (David Morrissey) or how the rest of the family may be involved.

There's a bit of a blur on whether the residents are moved there as potential victims or potential perpetrators of crime. In the case of Jack the handyman (Tom Hardy, below) it certainly seemed the latter but again we were left with a grey area of doubt as he ultimately became a victim at the climax of episode 1. Though he'd been convicted of a sex-related murder at 14 (he is sexually aroused by other people's fear), and ended up attempting to rape one of the 'Brogan' family it was revealed he'd been betrayed by the sinister 'runner' of Meadowlands (Nina Sosanya) while desperately seeking help. I have to say though Tom Hardy looks menacing and sexy in whatever he appears, even when in a rare heroic role, such as the "A for Andromeda" remake. He also bagged the best line of the night - "Your gums, my plums".



It's definitely an ensemble cast, with many a familiar face cropping up - the likes of Melanie Hill, Ralph Brown, Don Gilet and Tristan Gemmill are all residents. Relative newcomers also put in strong performances, notably Lucy Cohu as 'Evelyn Brogan' and Felicity Jones and Harry Treadaway as her teenage twin offspring. Treadaway as the much-troubled 'Mark' especially looks to have his work cut out . He's also rather comely despite the family publicity shot I used above in which he appears to be a cross between Simon Amstell and Edward Scissorhands (the latter may be deliberate). I'd last seen Harry as David Tennant & Sarah Parish's son in "Recovery" coping with another dysfunctional family situation.

I'd recommend it, though not for those with an aversion to sex, violence, swearing or a combination of all three (which happened in the climactic scene yesterday).


Negative review in "The Times"
Negative review in "The Daily Telegraph"
Negative review in "The Guardian"

Official Channel 4 site

Wikipedia entry (includes spoilers due to US pace)

Google Map of filming location (ME20 6GB)

Digital Spy thread

Tuesday 10 July 2007

London Visit: The Black Tie Do and the BA Lounge

I had an eventful couple of days last week on my first trip down to London since September 2003 (and my first flight since a festive shindig in Belfast in December 2005).

Anyhow, despite my advanced years (43 in September) it was also my first ever 'black tie' do. I've only ever been to rather informal weddings and wedding receptions where the suits are up to you and completely diverse. Equally the expensive 'tradition' of high school proms recently adopted from America was well after my time.

Adding to the pressure this was a works do with our head office (hence London ...or Harrow more specifically) and held in a military mess, with attendant etiquette. It was also a Grade II listed building with amazing lansdcaped gardens (see mobile phone picture above) complete with working fountains!

Since I'd first accepted the RSVP last month I'd researched what exactly "black tie" entailed, and what it didn't. It's basically a black tuxedo with a black bow-tie of some description. You can also wear either a cummerbund OR a waistcoat but not both. I also researched how much the costume hire would be, weighing up whether to pick it up here or in London on the day. Having baulked at the costs, I was also being encouraged by some folks on the Digital Spy forums to wear formal 'Highland' outfit as an acceptable alternative. I'd never kilted it before either but the hire costs were much more bearable and extra attention was guaranteed.

About a week later though my boss (who was also going) mentioned a follow-up email that she'd had and deleted which somehow relaxed the dress code to include lounge (i.e. normal) suits as long as they were dark grey or black. So I sighed with some relief that I could just wear the plain suit I wear when I need to, matched with a black silk tie, though I also felt slightly cheated of the opportunity to dress up, even at cost.

Alas I never actually saw this email or had the contents confirmed. On the night I was the only one in a lounge suit ! Luckily no-one made anything of it except me, and I didn't stand out as much as the two who came wearing white tuxedoes which I'd already discovered were also not considered 'black tie'. And I didn't get the James Bond jibes all night (though 'The Blues Brothers" was referenced to a group of us). Equally, had I gone for the kilted option I'd also have been alone in doing so. We had group photos done on the grand 3-sided staircase and I made sure my faux-pas was not too apparent in the shot.

With a glass of champagne on arrival and the waiting staff attentively refilling your glass at the slightest opportunity I was soon fairly relaxed about it and started some proper mingling. We had a formal seating plan for the 3 course silver service dinner, amazingly managing a boy-girl alternation throughout. Luckily I'd unexpectedly been involved in completing the document when I made a surprise trip to our head office itself that afternoon so I'd had sight of it and knew 'who' to expect. I was bamboozled though by the rule that I had to escort the lady on my right into dinner, not because of my inclinations but because I was at the table end and had no-one on my right and a man opposite! Answers on a postcard please as to what the solution to that etiquette puzzle is.

I thought I'd be irritated or intimidated by the rules and regulations and conventions of the mess (saying grace, standing to toast the Queen etc) but I took it as a bit of fun, and oddly that seemed to be the idea. Certainly the bizarre practice of having to pass the port in one direction was enjoyably surreal. And after the main course all us gents had to move '2 gents' to our right while the ladies stayed put which I can see is a good way to mix things up and meet new people in principle.In practice though I was still with more familiar faces, including my boss. Thankfully the rule about not going to the toilet during the meal was ignored. There's something vaguely sadistic or certainly 'challenging' about an event that routinely fills you to bursting with alcohol then obliges you hold it in for a period of hours.

The food was first class too. Basically a smoked salmon starter, beef main and summer fruit dessert. I wanted to nick a menu as a souvenir but forgot. Probably related to the fact that we apparently retired to the bar until 3am (even though the bar closed at 1am). Even when we were paying by this point a glass of wine was £1.20 and a G&T even less! Thankfully I was on a day off on the Friday.

There's talk of this event becoming at least an annual fixture for us and I hope it does. This time I'll be ready with the proper attire. The idea of me doing a week's secondment in the London office also came up, again something I'd be keen to do as I was comfortable during my afternoon visit. Then again I did work down there for over 10 years (December 1987-February 1999), so not overly surprising.

I had a spare few hours to wander on Friday, catching up on normal London bar prices these days. I decided not to linger overlong in Central London though a large (250ml) white wine in a Holborn Wetherspoons was a not unreasonable £3.60. Foolishly I decided to break my tube journey back to Heathrow and revisit an old haunt, The New Inn, in South Ealing. It had completely lost the feel it had in the days when I was a regular in the West London Doctor Who Group of the late 80s and the same measure of wine there was a round and cheeky £5! So much for nostalgia and suburban pricing.

However, I had an ace up my sleeve. While on my journey down at Edinburgh Airport on the Thursday my boss texted me to say that if my flight ticket had 'BA BUSINESS' marked on it - which it had - I was entitled to use the BA lounge. She texted me too late as the last call for my flight was just being called and I didn't have time to locate it even. I was of the impression that this was just some posey place with sofas and stacks of in-flight magazines so I wasn't too miffed about missing a visit. However, I happened to have arranged a meet-up with my lovely ex Nigel on Friday lunchtime. To call him well travelled is a considerate understatement and he was off for another QE2 cruise that weekend. He explained to me that the BA lounge was stuffed with unlimited free booze, net access, food, newspapers etc etc and I should make the best of it. Actually, although I arranged for an earlier flight than booked when I arrived at Heathrow, once I arrived in the lounge this new flight was delayed by an hour and 10 minutes so I did get to have a decent carouse in there. One slight dampener was that the internet terminals there had blocked this very site on the grounds of 'pornography'. As if!

Needless to say I'll be on the prowl for more business flights down. A bit disappointed no-one told me sooner.

On a related point I think I may also take advantage of the airport option next month for purchase of the long-awaited MacBook as it is £706.37 in the Duty Free shop as opposed to £829ish normally. The difference is greater than the air-fare which would have just been by train otherwise.

Wednesday 4 July 2007

TV Totty & Hot Cop: Crimewatch's Rav Wilding



Just spotted this guy on last Monday's "Crimewatch UK" where he's currently one of the supporting police officers. He can lay down the law on me anytime.

This is a scan I missed from "Attitude" magazine which I must thank PANNA1 from Digital Spy's forums for.

Tuesday 3 July 2007

Doctor Who - Master Montage



Here's Babel's usual brilliant skills on the Master's memorable quotes and moments.

Doctor Who - Kylie confirmed for Christmas Titanic Voyage





Here's the confirmation of Kylie Minogue's casting (apparently as a waitress) in the Christmas special, "Voyage of the Damned" which begins filming this week.

BBC Press Release

David & Kylie mini-gallery

BBC News Video report

Sunday 1 July 2007

AXM July 2007: Soap Star Special

Here's some lovely scans of some lovely lads from the soaps:



Kyal Marsh of Neighbours

Ben Nicholas of Neighbours

James Floyd of Dream Team

Matthew Wolfenden of Emmerdale

James Sutton of Hollyoaks

Stuart Manning of Hollyoaks

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