Bridezillas: Let the Misogyny Begin

When the first Bridezilla aired a couple of years ago, it had more of a documentary feel. The brides-to-be featured had more than a little something wrong with them. One of whom nagged and whined and generally made all women look bad while attempting to wheedle a diamond necklace, because it was 'sparkly'. The other bride, who truly frightened me in the original series, was the one who kept looking at her groom as though she hated him ...during the ceremony! When he went to give her the kiss, I thought she might slug him.

I kept yelling at the grooms: Run! Run! Run for your lives!

But the new series ... I mean come on. Sure the announcer chick hypes every single interaction as though the bride is just two octaves below a full-on "NO WIRE HANGERS!!!!", screaming fit. But the show simply does not live up to its name. What I see are a group of women, some who are naturally very detailed, some who are not, attempting to put together the biggest event of their lives...both in scope (a wedding is a large and complicated event) and in personal significance. They are emotional and busy and stressed and the fiance's aren't usually pulling their weight, but none of the women I've seen are truly monstrous.

But the show calls them Bridezillas. Meaning if you take the tailor to task when; one week before your wedding you arrive at a 'final' fitting to discover that your dress is no where near ready, you're a Bridezilla. If you discover your wedding gown has a tear in it---an hour before the ceremony---and you call the bridal shop to cuss them out; you're a Bridezilla. If your reception hall tells you a week or two before your wedding, that you can't have the DJ you've booked, because you now have to pay extra for insurance, and you get a little edgy; look out, you're a Bridezilla.

I hate this show. So why am I still watching?

--dB
Tags: bridezillas, misogyny, stress, brides

There's NOOO Butter In Hell!!!

There really isn't. I've checked. And there is no butter in hell. So why should such an obvious statement of simple fact gives me the giggles every time I think of it? The blame rests entirely upon the manifold talents of Ian McKellan who plays the scruffy, hygiene-derelict and practically incomprehensible religious zealot, Amos Starkadder of Cold Comfort Farm. Though he may by far, be one of the least odd characters on that benighted place. There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm, so there are quite a few people scattered about the place who are certifiably as mad as snakes.

If you don't believe me about anything else. Trust me on this, watch this movie. Start a new tradition, get a bottle of wine and a few friends, and discover why the phrase "There's no butter in Hell!!!", should be so darned funny.
--dB 
Tags: ian mckellan, movies, british, cold comfort farm