For seven long, long, long years now, I have tried with all my heart not to let my antipathy toward a certain resident of Texas completely sour my entire outlook toward the whole state. I mean, I have some loyal readers of the Dept. who live in Texas and are actual living, breathing Democrats. But now, after reading the news lately, I just have to ask some of you out there:
Are you all crazy, or what?
Everyone down there in the Lone Star State is all wrapped up in seeing UFOs. It's gotten to be practically an epidemic. People from Stephenville who witnessed a UFO and caught it on video (Why is it that everyone who has a video camera also seems to have a southern accent? Have you ever noticed that on "America's Funniest Home Videos?") were even interviewed on "Larry King Live"! The whole town is into being The UFO Capital of the USA now, and get this--Stephenville hopes to become a UFO landing spot. We know this is true; it says so on CNN.
This leads me to wonder: will this be An Official Designation? If so, will there be Paperwork involved? And, if this does occur, can anyone file Said Paperwork for Official Designations? Because, if so, then I want to file one immediately.
And Daniel Day-Lewis is involved.
Allow me to explain.
As Dept. readers already know, I have been obsessed, in varying degrees, with Mr. Day-Lewis since 1992 and it has not been an easy task. His interminable hiatuses between films, his maddening refusal to reprise his Romantic Hero role a la Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans, his reprehensible lack of fashion sense, his horrific bald, concentration camp-like gaunt appearance after his last commercial film Gangs of New York, and then his terrible year of looking like the Gorton's Fisherman while doing press for his wife's little indie film...all of this added up to a very off-putting time for The Obsession. I consoled myself with memories and the fact that I was lofty enough and smartypants enough to Care Deeply For His Art.
Which was bullshit.
I switched over to Johnny Depp like everybody else. Come on.
Anyway. Now, Daniel Day-Lewis comes out of his self-imposed...whatever...and makes a new film and gets tons of accolades for it. His performance in There Will Be Blood has already gotten him a Golden Globe, an Oscar nomination, a SAG nomination, and a bunch of critic awards. He's out there doing press and interviews and, more importantly, he looks like this:
Oh. My. God. It's the Old Daniel. And by "old" I mean the Daniel Day-Lewis that got me all...er...interested before. So.
Back to my original point.
And I do have one.
I would like to file Official Paperwork to designate the Dept. as The Daniel Day-Lewis Landing Spot. And I don't want to have to go on "Larry King Live" to do it. Unless Daniel Day-Lewis is a guest, too. Then I'm all over him...er...it.
You know whenever I hear about UFO sightings, I think, "What a bunch of bull..." But then my mind wanders (as it always does)...In this ever so huge galaxy (among many) of several planets and billions of stars.....CAN we be the ONLY form of life that exists???
ReplyDeleteHe looks loads better. I sure hope his wife makes him keep that look!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of UFOs, I find it hilarious that Dennis Kucinich publicly broadcasts that he's "seen" one. That just seems like something you'd keep to yourself as a politician!
Why is anyone surprised by UFOs in Texas? Don't y'all know one landed there years ago and dropped George Bush ago as part of a plot to DESTROY THE PLANET?
ReplyDeleteDid you think the only aliens in Texas were from Mexico?! Y'all need to open your eyes.
And that Daniel Day Lewis photo? The jewelry sends out a distinctly gay vibe for me. He looks like Anderson Cooper's favorite way to spend a Saturday night.
Nance, I think you need a posse to go with you on Charlie Rose, to officially put forth your application directly to DD-L (who has appeared there before. I will join your posse, and I will also offer A2 as an additional site. After all, we have the only theater in the world named after his father-in-law.
ReplyDeleteNancy in A2--Holy Crap. I just found out that DD-L was actually on OPRAH. I missed it. But I'm completely floored that he was on her show. If he does Oprah, can Larry be far behind? How low will he go?
ReplyDeleteV-grrrl--You are just not lofty enough to understand him. He is an artiste. Look at Johnny Depp. He wears all kinds of jewelry and stuff. Sigh. And I thought we had so much in common. (I bet you have a video camera.)
jen--He looks lovely, I know. And, Dennis's UFO sighting was in a book written by his close personal friend, Shirley MacLaine. It came up in a debate, he was asked point blank if he saw a UFO, and he answered it honestly. Moot point now that he dropped out of the race. Lil Dennis...gotta love him.
tera--I don't so much have an issue with all the sightings as I do with the fact that they want to name their city an Official UFO Landing Site. (...which really is not the point of my post, btw. lol.)
(kicks sand with toe of shoe)
ReplyDeleteI know! I know! I have no idea how to explain or even defend some of the lunatics in this state. But since we are so very, very large...maybe there's just more room for the nutjobs. I have nothing else.
Congrats on him getting out his weird, be-bearded stage. It was a little scary there for a while, I know.
ReplyDeleteWait, have you seen "There Will Be Blood" yet?
I remember him first in "Room With a View", which was very strange (not the movie, just his role as dorkmeister who can't get it up enough to kiss Helena Bonham Carter), but my love grew when I saw him in The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Ahhh...Tomas, you can wash my windows any time...
ReplyDeleteIs this a fan site now? Like Tiger Beat for the older generation? I'm so excited I could scream!
ReplyDeleteSqueeeeee!
you mean to tell me that the UFO sightings are not real? Shit.
ReplyDeletenina--according to the USAF, they had planes in the area. but i never said that in my post. your comment is...er...never mind. LOL.
ReplyDeletescarlet hip--hey! i have only 4 DD-L posts. you have...HOW MANY GERARD BUTLER POSTS!? pot, kettle...
j./jellyjules--Tomas was such a reprobate. Did you like UBLoB? That movie bores me. I don't like any character in it!
gina--Not yet. I have to be physically ready to put my butt in a seat for 2 hrs. and 38 minutes, even for Daniel. And especially when he's not looking gorgeous.
ab--i just heard that the Angel of Death is headed to Dallas after he vacates the White House. Lucky you. TX's crazy quotient is about to go even higher. Good luck with all THAT.
Well, remember that the transplanted alien (per V's post) is most likely the one who ordered the USAF to claim responsibility for what appeared to be a UFO ... so draw your own conclusion there.
ReplyDeleteI did not catch DD-L on Oprah, but from what I understand he was incredibly gracious. First, he was very upbeat and cheerful, answering all of Oprah's questions. Then he became visibly upset and asked Oprah for a moment to comment on Heath Ledger's death. I read that he asked that Ledger's family be given the space and time they need for grieving. He said he had not met Ledger, but had admired his work. Read about it here. http://movies.gearlive.com/movies/article/q107-daniel-day-lewis-emotional-over-ledgers-passing/ Your man seems to be a rare one among Hollywood folk ... in many ways.
Well I've never seen a UFO, but like Tera said, I really do find it hard to believe that we are the only planet with life on it. And is the definition of life the same here as on other planets? I don't even know that we all agree on what defines life here. But I think to go further down this path would lead to a very long drawn out philosophical discussion that I'll delay for now. : )
ReplyDeleteAnd more importantly, I had been wondering when you were going to post about all the DDL news! It's looking like this is his year!
anali--did you see the latest satellite picture suggestive of the presence of Bigfoot on Mars? And yes, DD-L is on an awards juggernaut very reminiscent of his "Gangs of New York" assault. Let's hope this one culminates in Oscar, though.
ReplyDeleteshirley--DD-L's morbid preoccupation with HL's death is very puzzling to me. He has admitted that he "didn't know" him, yet he spoke unprovoked about him in the middle of his Oprah interview and dedicated his SAG award to him and went on at length about his work during his acceptance speech, both times being visibly emotional. I'm very curious as to what it's all about.
Nance--We may never know what exactly triggered DD-L's remarks, but I suspect he's like many of us. We can be touched by another's tragedy in ways we never expect. Sometimes it's because we see ourselves in their situation (perhaps DD-L experienced similar angst to what Ledger had been going through). With actors, sometimes it's because we really admired them or were moved by them in particular performances and while maybe we wouldn't expect a fellow actor to confess the same--that is exactly what DD-L said in his acceptance speech. Frankly, I like him better for it. I also understand his resistance to go on as if all is okay with the world when his group has just, very tragically, lost one of its own.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw ULoB, I kinda fell asleep, but my contact was bugging the hell out of me and I think I had an eye infection and it was long...
ReplyDeleteBut then I read the book, and I fell in love with Kundera, and Tomas, even though, yes, he was a reprobate, and he had no right to treat Tereza that way. But after reading it, I've watched the movie again sans infection, and loved it.