Monday, December 31, 2007

Harry Potter Quandry

Nothing says "the holidays" like a good overdose of Harry Potter in whatever form available; thus, over the past week I've watched all the movies and begun to re-read many of the books. It's a wonderland. But given this thorough re-examination of the stories, the relationships of the characters, and the major plot points (and even the minor and sub-minor ones), there's been a question rattling around in this mindtrap of mine for a while, nagging, constantly tapping me on the shoulder, and yes, even cajoling me to come up with a good answer for it and I have none, so I throw it out there to the wider public (of 4 readers several of whom are non-Potterophiles) for consideration:

Why is it important to know that Albus Dumbledore is gay?

A couple weeks (months?) ago, J.K. Rowling "outed" Dumbledore in a Q&A she was doing to promote the 7th and last installment of the series. I was somewhat ambivalent then, not really paying attention. But at the risk of sounding politically incorrect, I ask why this move was necessary. To be honest, I'd never once (literally--never) considered Dumbledore's sexuality at all: he's possibly hundreds of years old (I'm serious) although I don't think we know exactly how old he is, he's a famous and powerful wizard, and he's the headmaster of a school and a lifelong teacher. All of these social roles in some way allow us to not really need to know his sexuality. In some ways, they're a-sexual roles in and of themselves; surely, they have the potential to be considered in sexual ways if that's part of the story. Hence the beginning of my beef.

When I heard about Rowling's announcement, I thought, "Huh...never even though of that." mostly because there's no reason to...it's not an important detail in the story. We know Ron and Hermione like each other, we know Harry has a crush on Cho while at Hogwarts and marries Ginny in the end, but we don't know any other teacher's sexual preference and frankly I don't want to. Do I need to know that Snape has a girlfriend who lives in Hogsmeade? Is Minerva McGonigle a lesbian? I think the answer is "no." Their social relationships in the book are to their students, making the sexuality of the teachers irrelevant to this story. So, it's weird to me that we need an official proclamation, outside of the scope of the story, that Dumbledore is gay.

[Pause while I go back to check the actual transcript].

Okay, I see why she did it--you can read it here if you want--and it was very nonchalant and answers a very specific question, but to add another layer, that's not the story you get if you follow the massive news coverage of this announcement. And even though I can understand it in its context, I'm not sure what we're supposed to do with the information. Worse, I'm not sure what pea-brains will do with it.

I'm conflicted. On one hand, Dumbledore is an absolutely beloved character and, to be honest, makes sense as a gay man (now that I think about it). On the other, in the scope of this story which is a battle between Good (capital G) and Evil (capital E), sexuality seems a minor detail as does race, gender, and class (all categories that are touched on but not dwelt on in the story); Harry is a symbol of the good of Humanity (capital H...getting the gist?) and Voldemort is the opposite of that. Would the story change if we knew Voldemort was gay? The answer should be "no," but ultimately it is "yes." It would change things in ways that move us away from the human question at hand which is a good and important question.

I always find it interesting that in the midst of these deeply rich, human characters who are fighting an "Ultimate" symbolic war of souls and "eternity" (sounds like religion, huh?), these are the questions we need answered. We can accept that Harry might die as a sacrifice for others in the greater meta-narrative of good/evil, but we have a burning need to know whether Dumbledore is gay and if Neville ever gets married. Maybe that's the greatest insight here: good and evil are not the meta-narrative but instead its the human narrative, sketched out through these deeply decisive, meaning-making social details. Dumbledore might be Good and Wise and True (all capitals) but knowing whether he's ever "found love" and with whom are much more central, real questions. What can Good and Wise and True mean unless we know his reality and see how and if it matches our own? They somehow mean more if he's found love because that's meaningful to us. It makes us feel better to know that Ron and Hermione get married. We drool over Harry marrying Ginny and having a son who's headed to Hogwarts. And, oh yeah, he saved the world.

So, I guess I've talked myself into an answer that I can live with. Just as I needed the context to understand the question, we all long for the context within which we can understand the trials of being Good, Wise, True, Friends, who are Loved. Without the concrete reality of those abstractions, they do become only something of dreams and a world that exists only on paper or celluloid. But if we know Dumbledore's gay (which really means he loved "in that way") and we know Harry and Ginny live happily ever after next door to Ron and Hermione, then they could be our neighbors and, by that same extension, we could save the world--if a dark and evil wizard should ever appear and threaten humanity as we know it. I know my wand's ready.

But, despite my infant answer to this question, I still have a beef: Dumbledore falling in love with Grindewald? Really? I was convinced it would be Nicholas Flammel. Oh well.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

A Very Merry Top Chef Christmas

Admittedly, I'm a couple weeks behind on my tv watching, so last night amidst the pathetic television re-run fare (especially given the seemingly never-ending writers' strike), I hunkered down to watch the Top Chef Christmas special. Shot in Chicago and featuring some of my favorite "oldies but nasties" like Marcel, Stephen, Tiffany, and Betty, this Christmas special was a nice shot of a good show that I miss in its off-season. Here's a list of the "naughty" and "nice" of the event:

Nice
  • It was great to see all the usuals--although I'll admit it was a weird band of minstrels. Tiffany, Stephen, and Marcel have now done about 4 of these specials and now are starting to appear as TC whores, but I still love them and they make things interesting. They were joined by CJ, Trey, and Sandy from this past season and Betty and Josie from who cares when. It was nice to watch and know what people were gonna bring.
  • A slightly new format. Three courses total with 2 chefs eliminated after each course. The real kicker: the Chefs didn't know who was eliminated until they appeared to serve the next course. So all 8 started: Sandy (no surprise) and Stephen (surprise) went first; Josie and Betty next; Marcel and CJ next, leaving...
  • Trey and Tiffany as the finalists. If any two chefs have gotten equally screwed on this show, it's these two, so it was nice retribution for both. Having said that, I still think Harold was the rightful winner of season 1 (in which Tiffany came in 2nd). These two had to cook a surprise 4th course in 30 minutes with the leftovers. Ah, glorious Top Chef shenanigan through and through.
  • Tiffany won. The first woman to ever win one of these eff-ers. She deserved it and went home $20,000 richer. Meanwhile, Trey took home a pile of autographed cookbooks. Really, just like $20,000 only on glossy paper (not.) Ahh, poor Trey screwed again, but least this time it was 2nd place and not 9th.
  • The guest judges. I'm not a "foodie" (thank god) so i don't know their names but they're a group of my favorites from season's past. Even though the group of cheftestants (just to be clear, that's Bravo's word) appeared kinda random and not equally talented (c'mon, we all knew Sandy was out first and Josie and Betty would follow close behind), these judges were the cream of the crop. Bravo...Bravo.
  • CJ's joke about the nutcracker. In the QuickFire, they played "Nasty Santa" or whatever that game is where other people can take your presents, with each contestant drawing one "secret ingredient" for a challenge that would earn someone a "free pass" for one round of elimination. CJ kept drawing awesome ingredients and people kept taking them until he finally got walnuts which were presented in a Nutcracker to which Tiffany responded, "That's appropriate." Hilarious. For those unaware, CJ had testicular cancer and in his "talking head" moment said something to the effect of, "The last time I had nuts someone took them and kept them. This time, they're mine." Mmmm-mmm--nothing like a good double-entendre nut joke to make my Christmas merry and bright.
  • Tom Colicchio--he's like "tough guy" of food. I miss him. AND...I think Tom has always pulled for Tiffany to win. He seems to really respect her and I think that's really good to see evident on television. He falls all over her food (and he did in Season 1 as well). Good for you Tom--endorsing the woman who deserves respect and acknowledgment for beatin' the boys fair and square.
Naughty
  • No Tony Bourdain. Or Rocco Dispiritu. Together. God that would have been awesome.
  • Padma and CJ are definitely doing it. And even if they're not, the editors are trying to make us all think they are. We all remember the "Breakfast" episode last season when she wanders in to wake them all up to make her breakfast and she and CJ just completely drool all over each other. C'mon. We know. Honestly, I don't blame Padma one bit.
  • Giving Trey cookbooks as 2nd prize. HOW LAME. And he has to play it off all, "Oh this is great." No, it's not great. It's cheap and hokey and self-serving especially when Padma puts hers in there--how she gets lumped in with some of the best chefs in the world I don't know.
  • Josie overcooked the turkey. Sandy screwed up mushroom soup. Really? HOW does one actually do this and keep getting invited to these shows? Where are Harold, Sam, Elia...some others of the AWESOME chefs who really could have been interesting to watch. Instead we get stupid Betty who just makes up food (last night it was some crappy and ridiculous "Pork Baklava" or something which just means pork tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry) and calls it great. She's always wrapping something inappropriate in puff pastry. (Do with that entendre as you will, but I'm referring to her season's ridiculous and disgusting looking savory portobello and onion "napoleon." C'mon...A Napoleon is a DESSERT...BETTY! Even my non-foodie self knows that!) And I've had it! Ted Allen totally called her out, but its just not fun to laugh at Betty anymore because she's such a food dolt. (Hands smack the table top) I JUST WANT TO SEE THE TOP CHEFS ON THIS SHOW!

All in all, no complaints here. It was just the perfect taste of Top Chef at the mid-way point of its dormancy for the winter. In March it returns for the next season, completely filmed in Chicago, and I'm already counting down the days. It'll be delicious...literally.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Golden Globes: Television World According to Katie

There's really nothing I hate more than awards "season"--it's self-serving, usually wrong, and somehow depressing, I think because it's a lot of mediocre people thanking "God" for their mediocre but slap-me-on-the-back success. Anyway, of all of the shows, the Golden Globes are the most normal and the nominations are just out. So of course this is the perfect time for me to weigh in on what would happen if the world was right. So, here we go (my picks are starred).

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:
BIG LOVE (HBO)
**DAMAGES (FX NETWORKS)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
HOUSE (FOX)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE TUDORS (SHOWTIME)
I'm not gonna lie...none of these even came close to the awesomeness of Damages this season. Nothing...nuh-thing. While Big Love and House are also favorites of mine, Damages set a new bar this season with awesome writing, an excellent cast, and the meter of the show that forced...*forced*...you to obsessively cling to the television on Tuesday nights simply longing for just one more piece of information...just one more...begging for it...and nope, we'll have to wait til next week. Man, I already miss that show. And if effing Gray's Anatomy goes home with this award, I'm going to hurl.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:
PATRICIA ARQUETTE - MEDIUM
GLENN CLOSE - DAMAGES
MINNIE DRIVER - THE RICHES
EDIE FALCO - THE SOPRANOS
SALLY FIELD - BROTHERS & SISTERS
HOLLY HUNTER - SAVING GRACE
**KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER
I'm
not going to lie (again)...this is a tough category, but Kyra really *created* this character. The whole show rests on her ability to sell Brenda--if she doesn't do it, everybody sinks. She did it. And in what was somewhat of a revival. This show came into its own this season and it's because of Sedgwick. Edie Falco's always a good choice and Minner Driver is excellent in her series, but Sedgwick keeps me comin' back for more every Monday. And, if there is any justice, Holly Hunter will never, ever win for her character that has been plugged as this "tough, street-smart but lovable woman"--frankly she's mannish and one-dimensional...and unappealing in every way. Hunter plays the role well, but it's not well written or conceived. Thus, she ends up looking like Kyra Sedgwick's ugly younger sister (the shows air back to back on Mondays) who didn't get enough attention in her formative years.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:
MICHAEL C. HALL - DEXTER
JON HAMM - MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE - HOUSE
JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS - THE TUDORS
**BILL PAXTON - BIG LOVE
Bill Paxton needs to win this. I absolutely love Hugh Laurie as House, but that character has become sadly stale and static. On the other hand, you've got Paxton who's juggling 3 wives and families as one in his fundamentalist Mormon family on the brink of disaster. It's luscious and he's the lynchpin here too. If he bites it, so does the show, and he's made that show into a smashing success.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:
30 ROCK (NBC)
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
EXTRAS (HBO)
**PUSHING DAISIES (ABC)
Another close call, but it's gotta go to Pushing Daisies which is by far the most inventive, unique half-hour comedy & musical (and I'm not kidding) on network television. It's just so good--story, acting, conception...everything. Like watching a fantastical, Tim Burton movie every week and feeling fuller and better for it at the end. It's just so fulfilling. Well done, Pie Maker. Well done.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL:
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE - SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA - UGLY BETTY
TINA FEY - 30 ROCK
ANNA FRIEL - PUSHING DAISIES
**MARY-LOUISE PARKER - WEEDS
I'm gonna pick MLP because she's the bomb on this show, but really anybody but America Ferrera could win this and I'd be happy. I find AF annoying b/c that, like Grey's, has become stale and "been there" but she keeps winning because it seems like she "should." I say NO MORE. Let's call it like it is...please.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:
**ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE
DAVID DUCHOVNY - CALIFORNICATION
RICKY GERVAIS - EXTRAS
LEE PACE - PUSHING DAISIES
Alec Baldwin may be a total jackass in real life, but that dude has the *ultimate* comedic talent and it's time to give him a nod for this show. He's got such an unsavory part--he's evil but ya love him (huhn...kinda like in real life)--but he's brilliant. I'd love to give my approval to Steve Carell, but that's such an ensemble cast project that this is not the award for him. And Lee Pace is just a little too green--but he is the Pie Maker and I love him for that.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:
ROSE BYRNE - DAMAGES
RACHEL GRIFFITHS - BROTHERS & SISTERS
KATHERINE HEIGL - GREY’S ANATOMY
SAMANTHA MORTON - LONGFORD
ANNA PAQUIN - BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
JAIME PRESSLY - MY NAME IS EARL
To be honest, I could care less. Rose Byrne was okay in Damages but she seemed miscast to me from the beginning. I really despise both Rachel Griffiths (whiny, calls acting "her craft") and Katherine Heigl (utterly, absolutely can we chant it together basketball-style "Ov-er-RA-ted (bah bah BAH BAH BAH). I didn't watch the other two. So to whomever wins this: Bully for You. If it's Katherine Heigl, reference the prior chant and go find some acting lessons.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:
**TED DANSON - DAMAGES
KEVIN DILLON - ENTOURAGE
JEREMY PIVEN - ENTOURAGE
ANDY SERKIS - LONGFORD
WILLIAM SHATNER - BOSTON LEGAL
DONALD SUTHERLAND - DIRTY SEXY MONEY
Ted was awesomely evil and delicious in this show...and c'mon...can I really deny Sammy (Cheers) my vote? Naw....

So, there it is. If I ruled the world, all of the most deserving and talented people will get the acclaim. Let's hope the Hollywood Foreign Press is on board with my vision.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

It's a Bravo Reality Couple!

I know I'm usually vigilant about keeping things quasi-intellectual over here (or at least *saying* that that's what I do) but I was browsing the reality-show websites today and found out this little tidbit: Dale Levitski, runner-up of Top Chef #whatever fame, and JackMackenroth of Project Runway 4 are a couple!

Dale












Jack


Awww. Supposedly they met unrelated to Bravo (on Myspace) but I think I'm not going to believe it. I'm gonna have to look at the numbers and see how badly Project Runway is doing this season. Especially because they set it up so perfectly with the end of Top Chef--I think on the reunion show, one of the main segments was talking about Dale's single-ness. Obviously, many people were bothered by this but, more importantly, many people knew about it. So, could it be that just weeks after we meet Jack on PR, touted as "the HIV-positive designer," these two winsome bachelor's make a *random* love connection? Oh...come...on.

Those writing about it have been making Jack's HIV+ status a huge talking point. I read about four interviews that in a polite and round-about way asked "how that's all working" (my polite and round-about way). He responded in the same "PSA style" to all of them as if to ensure the masses that Dale's in no danger. No one really seems to be inquiring about his health which, I'm sure, Jack appreciates. ("Hey guys, I'm over here...")

All I know is, thank god these two got together...I was wondering what we were going to do now that Lance Bass (of Backstreet Boy and 'I almost went into space because I paid the Russians $1 million' fame) and Reichen Lehmkuhl (of Amazing Race infamy) are kaput. Just in the nick of time, I'd say. That place the media sets aside for "the gay couple" was getting a little dusty.