Favorite Pic of the Day for September 16th

Another shot by photographer Cyprien Leym (see more below).

No Birthday posts today, but if your interested, here are my two posts from last year.

* Favorite Birthday Boys For September 16th
* Also Celebrating September 16th

Really Oprah...Really Part 2

Following up on my comments yesterday about Whitney Houston on Oprah, I must add a bit of an amendment. I am not sure what (if anything) was going on in Whitney's head during the second part of the interview, but she seemed to come to life a bit more than in the first installment. I just watched this morning while getting ready for work and there was a certain light and spark which I did not see in part one. Whitney seemed to tire of Oprah feeding her all the answers and spoke more for herself. Still somewhat deluded, I gained a bit of my respect back for her as she seemed to win part two of her tug of war with Oprah about who was in charge of the interview. In part one, I thought Oprah was merely using Whitney as a vehicle to talk about herself. In part two, Whitney took the attention back.

Although I fear Whitney's battles with abuse and Bobby Brown are not as finished as she may like to think, I must admit it was emotional to see her on that stage singing again. No, not the powerhouse we are used to, but at the same time there were nuances to that amazing voice that were still able to shine through. The song contained such manipulative lyrics, yet...even a skeptic like myself was sucked right in. I would have enjoyed the moment more fully if the show had not kept switching to shots of Oprah crying and singing along. Their mutual prayers were a bit much but it was nice to see Whitney shine, something Oprah did not allow her to do in the first part of the interview.

The Butts Of Brothers:

Some of you may remember that I watch very little on tv when it actually airs. That is one of the reasons I am a bad capper of television. I love waiting and watching an entire season in a week or two when it is released on DVD. I will sometimes watch the first episode or two, then turn it off for the rest of the season. I just finished season 3 of Brothers & Sisters and look forward to it's return in a couple of weeks.

To me, Brothers and Sisters is one of televisions hidden gems. It somehow remains under the radar of most tv critics. It does not get the attention that Grey's Anatomy gets. It does not even get the attention Heroes and other shows get, although it certainly does get better ratings. Brothers and Sisters is a well written comic gem which features the talents of some of Hollywood's best. Watching Sally Field every week is a gift. Even though her movie roles have been hit and miss to me, she consistently delivers as Nora Walker. Field gets 'in the moment' of each scene and never lets go. Over the top now and then yes, but so is Nora, so it works.

Add Rachel Griffiths (so brilliant on Six Feet Under) who also does not get the attention she deserves. Her role on Brothers is not as 'out there' as on Six Feet Under, but she still delivers a powerhouse performances week in and week out. Matthew Rhys is also a standout and Calista Flockart proves she is more than just Ally McBeal, and she matches Field note for note in the comedy department.

The stellar acting continues with Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig and Dave Annable. Rob Lowe was also given some great scenes this past season.

Not sure if it is because at it's core, Brothers is a soap, damn well written one, but a soap none the less that stops critics from really giving it it's due. The writers balance the difficult task of high drama without being melodramatic beautifully. Brothers hits me emotionally, which very few shows do. They do it in small, beautiful ways. The big dramatic moments don't pack the punch simple interactions between family members around the dinner table are able to hit. Those Walker family dinners always deliver. I do question the hiring of Luke Grimes, although adorable, does not yet have the acting chops to match his co-stars. Maybe he will hit his stride this season.

If you have not watched Brothers and Sisters, get season 1 on DVD and immerse yourself in a well written, dramatic, emotional filled and hilarious family drama that I am sure will hook you!

To celebrate the new season, lets look at yet one more reason to give this show a look.




Luke Grimes



Dave Annable



Matthew Rhys




Balthazar Getty


Luke McFarlane



Rob Lowe



Can't forget Kevin's ex's Eric Winter and Jason Lewis. Even though I love Scottie, I was always rooting for Kevin and Jason (Eric Winter).

Below: Eric Winter


Below: Jason Lewis

Favorite Clicks: James Ratliff by Cyprien Leym

I have had model James Ratliff from Nous Model Management on my radar for awhile now. I have also been planning a post on photographer Cyprien Leym. How great to see a shoot they did together on Oh La La the other day. It is certainly one of the hottest shoots I have seen in awhile! I will be sure to devote more attention to both James and Cyprien in the near future.



James Ratliff
Stats:
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 181 lbs
Bust: 28"
Waist: 31"
Hips: 32"
Dress/Clothes size: 9
Shoes size: 11